Maike's Marvels

The other day it was overcast, but I felt totally in love.

May certainly has my heart this year.

Sure, it requires allergy relief (I use the homeopathic Sabadil from Whole Foods), but I was ready to swoon at the sight of the vibrant colors and gorgeous flowers.

It was raining petals while birds were singing their songs.

Tulips lined up in wonderful color palettes.

The array made me think of the Efteling’s Fakir who makes the tulips grow.

Pops of yellow are everywhere.

Not to mention my favorite blue hue.

A snuggly friend walked with me for a spell.

I love these funky flowers.

Nature’s so vibrant it makes my heart swell.

Who knew looking at other people’s gardens could make me feel this way?

Even my coffee was feeling fern-y.

Thank you for tending your gardens, neighbors!

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On Saturday the Young Evanston Artists (YEA) held their annual art fair.

Held since 1987, the festival allows students in Evanston schools to showcase their artistic talent with a sidewalk show and performance stage.

Art projects are prepared from the beginning of the school year.

I was quite inspired by the vibrant art created by children and teenagers.

There were paintings, collages, drawings, mosaics, and embroidery.

Sculptural works included fiber, wire, paper mache and pottery.

A media room was set up to showcase movies, and a stage allowed students to perform songs.

This year the weather was fantastic, starting off with a chill but warming up and remaining cloud-free all day.

I remember several years where it was too cold to linger and I would rush inside to warm up or get out of the rain.

It was wonderful to peruse the whimsical and realistic creatures rendered, and to be reminded of techniques that can spark creativity and influence my own art.

The Young Evanston Artists Foundation (YEA!) is a private, tax deductible foundation under IRS tax code 501(c)(3) and supported entirely by individuals, families and businesses.

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On Wednesday the Network of Entrepreneurial Women held its first Meet and Munch event.

photo courtesy Networkhoncho.com

We met at Avalon Spa, located at the Deer Park Town Center. Chief inspirational officer Bonnie Conte greeted us and provided an overview of the Spa. Avalon Spa has been named one of the Top 200 Salons in Salon Today for the last 9 years.

A brief tour indicated why. There is a manicure room and a separate pedicure room. The salon has several talented hair stylists and a designated coloring area. As an Aveda Salon, the spa participated in the Guinness Book of Records challenge of providing the most charity haircuts in 24 hours.

The true experience, however is in the Spa area. Here, one can have a private pedicure experience for two in a cozy separate room. Pairs can also take advantage of a couples massage in a designated room. In addition to several other massage rooms, there is a designated Thai Massage space, where I wanted to lay down right away.

Bonnie pointed out that men are pampered just as much as women, and tend to opt for the private pedicure room. You could see her beaming with price as she introduced the staff, services and facilities to us. I love a spa that has a positive ambiance as well as aesthetic appeal, so I’m eager to book a spa day here (which would include a facial, massage, spa mani-pedis and optional shampoo and style).

After our tour we were treated to mini-hand and neck massages, which certainly made my wire-bending muscles happy.

Our group mingled with Aveda tea and small snacks. Business synergies were discovered, connections made, and spa appointments booked. We left happy to have met such wonderful, positive like-minded ladies.

It is always good to see my customers wearing my Maraviglia. Here is Wollgras, and one of my new creations, Three Pearls of Wisdom.

We eagerly anticipate the upcoming Wine Women and Wellness event at the Swap Shop Resale Boutique at 484 Main St., Glen Ellyn the evening of May 30 (6-8 pm).

NEW – The Network of Entrepreneurial Women is a group of Chicagoland business women who are upgrading business networking with fun and creative events that inspire attendees to work together, refer each other and most of all cheer each other on as the membership succeeds. Events rotate around various suburbs on a semimonthly basis.

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Apparently writing about Spring alerted my Sinuses and I’ve had to keep a low profile the past week to deal with pollen instead of blogging.

I love the flowers though.

You can catch me sniffing these along the street, what an irresistible scent!

My favorites are out now.

Tulips flourish.

The sun is bright

and trees are greening.

May is such a lovely month.

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Changing seasons are very distracting to me. I am more sensitive to weather this year, getting antsy when the winds whip around the house at night, feeling pensive under grey skies, and becoming jittery on sunny days when spring is in bloom and birds are calling for mates.

Wednesday lured me outside with its summer weather, and it was fun to consider my flower photos research, since I often wonder whether the wire flowers that come out as pendants exist in real life. Now I can count petals and see what color my creations should be.

Back indoors I get antsy about upcoming summer shows, and am designing pieces that won’t melt in the sun. Just when you find your sweet spot you have to change it up again…

Which goes for life too. It doesn’t always turn out the way we expect, both in good and in bad ways. Monday and Tuesday were a respite from all the bad world news over the past month. It was refreshing to get caught up in the debate over the Dutch King’s song. Following and laughing about a heated debate over lyrics and music was just the right medicine to counteract all the other madness in the world.

I was glued to the monitor as the Royal Family toured the Ij River in Amsterdam, and enjoyed the highlights of Dutch culture along the way. Proving that they’re from my generation, it was lovely to watch Maxima’s eyes light up at Armin van Buuren’s appearance, and even cooler to watch the King act like a rock star by disembarking from the boat to get on stage with the DJ and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

So yeah, back in 1980 it was perfectly plausible to become a princess with 3 princes my age. But Willem-Alexander made a lovely choice and I am glad my life led me in other directions.

Between the temptation to rush outdoors into the sun and the internal debates over what to make and where to show my wares over the summer—and the nervousness that comes with that—each moment must be lived happily and fully, with the knowledge that we can only do the best we can with what we have where we are.

Enjoy the blooms this week!

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Sometimes a holiday sneaks up on me, which is a no-no as I venture into retailing world. But May 12 is Mother’s Day, and to get the gift to the main nurturer in your life, orders need to be placed now in order to get them shipped in time.

Interestingly, this May 12 honors mothers in each of my familial countries. Father’s Day comes on different dates in the Netherlands, Germany and the U.S.

With a few of my friends being mothers, it’s been fun to expand on my ‘mother’s heart’ pendant and customize it with children’s names, birth dates and favorite colors. Recently as I looked up more maternal words, I found that there is a wide variety in other languages, when for some time I thought most words for mother did start with an M or an N. “Patrino and Panjo” were quite a surprise on this list.

My Helix is gaining hearts on Etsy, celebrating shared DNA.

If you’re a newsletter subscriber you have a special coupon code for Etsy purchases, which also applies to Aurora Rose Boutique in Lemont.

Here is a sampling of Aurora Rose’s inventory.

I like Luke 1:41-45 for the expectant mother: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!’”

The abstract-minded might like a feminine shape like this one:

If you’d like to order a commission, you can peruse this album for ideas on shapes and colors. My friend just purchased this mother-daughter set with birth stones for each member of the family.

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This is the final week to vote for Artreageous pieces. The Art walk ends at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, and voting (I’m vying for #14) closes at noon.

Last weekend the Chicago Painters and Artists’ Meetup took a stroll down Clark, and it was the perfect day for it. You can pick up maps and punch cards at participating stores.

We enjoyed smelling soaps at Aaron’s Apothecary, which felt like a time warp into historic drug stores. Elizabeth Grace had some lovely letterpress cards I couldn’t resist, and we passed numerous eateries along the way that were hard to resist.

The Austrian Bakery had been beckoning us though, so we settled in for lunch there, and I took a Sacher Torte to go. Vapiano’s will have to wait until next week.

Since I was so giddy about the sunshine I forgot to take photos half the time, but you can view all of FUSEDChicago members’ art work at this album by Doug Boehm.

Head out this weekend to celebrate Cinco de Mayo among some art!

This Tweet made me blush. Life is so good right now.

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It’s Springy!

We’ve had some fabulous weather over the past few days.

There was a gorgeous pink moon on Thursday.

I also enjoyed watching the plane constellations shift.

Someone wasn’t sure what all the moongazers were doing in its territory.

Trees are blossoming.

Birds are claiming their territory on a neighboring tree.

Squirrels munch on tree buds.

Flowers are emerging everywhere.

Tomorrow is a big day in my home country. Queen Beatrix is abdicating and Willem-Alexander will be the first king in 123 years.

I remember the abdication of Queen Juliana, and found a small essay I wrote in elementary school.

This was me as a queen in 1980. It does seem strange to have a king whom I watched grow up in the papers.

Even though there is a debate about whether the monarchy is an antiquated institution (the Dutch Royal Family is mostly ceremonial and ambassadorial), tomorrow’s celebrations will be fun to observe.

Here’s to the land of tulips!

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Tomorrow the the Chicago and Painters’ Meetup group will do an art walk at Artrageous, and you’re welcome to join.

I look forward to seeing all the art work on display, including the encaustic art by FUSEDChicago members Jenny Learner, Katsy Johnson and Gina van der Reyden.

Katsy Johnson and I 

You can download a tour map here. The punch card on the back will generate prizes. We had a lovely opening at Nest Furniture last week, with hors d’oevres in a setting that made me want to ‘nest’ there.

Several Artrageous artists are actually in Nest, so it was a sneak peek into the talent and beauty of the show.

The wine bar displayed the Mosaic that was created during last year’s extravaganza.

My dragonflies and Piano Scrolls are at Vapiano’s, which is definitely on my menu for Saturday.

Doesn’t this lounge look inviting?

You can vote for your favorite piece of art at this link until May 5. I sure hope you pick number 14!

If you can’t come out this weekend, be sure to add the Clark street corridor to your outings later. There were plenty of Cinco de Mayo festivities along the route last year.

Artrageous runs along Clark Street in Chicago between Diversey and West Belden until 5 pm on May 5. Voting closes at noon that Sunday.

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Before Chicagoland’s crazy flooding last week, I was able to go on a short walk at Waterfall Glen.

I had overestimated my commute time so just 15 minutes shy of Lemont I spotted a nature preserve and decided to take a look on a sunny, warm and dry day.

My attire wasn’t hike-friendly, but the wide gravel path was perfect for my getup.

The heeled Exotic boots by Naot are surprisingly comfortable and light-weight.

I listened to a lovely concert along the way:

Meanwhile these gnarly trees hold so much scope for the imagination.

Doesn’t this one look like a wizard with a staff?

This tree looks like a perfect climbing opportunity (not that I would, even if dressed for it).

I spotted a dragonfly but it was flying too fast for me to capture it on camera. Speaking of Dragonflies, you can vote for my piece in Artrageous up to May 5. Choose #14 as the votes will be tallied by art work and not by artist, so having everyone choose one out of my 3 entries will ensure more success.

I’m excited to see what this Forest Preserve looks like in green.

On my way out, I noticed the preserve managers have a great sense of humor.

What’s your favorite nature preserve?

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