July In the Counting House Handing Out Gifts

I fail to understand just how it got to be the last day in July, but be that as it may its arrival signals two things.  First, it’s time to announce the winners of my Bounty Bestowal it’s-my-birthday-month-you-get-presents drawing. 

Thanks to the magic of names in a hat and a supervisor overseeing the process…

…here are the lucky winners:

Package #1 – Oracle Gathering:  Vicki

Package #2 – Colorful:  Kat

Package #3 – Handy:  Fil

Package #4 – Journal Jamboree:  Sarah

Thanks to everyone who played, and I’ll be in touch with the winners to get your addresses.

 And now friends it’s time for the Queen to return to the Counting House and sum up my month ala Julie Kirk’s invitation My Month In Numbers.  Do check out the other counters as well, and perhaps you’ll be inspired to play along too.  I’m playing in a month-long blog challenge next month where I’m thinking of doing another one of my abecedariums and so I’m giving myself a bit of a warm-up with my list again this month.  Here’s what digits danced through my July days:

A is for artist dates:  2.  While I played in my studio every day this month, I did manage to get out twice and do intentional fill-my-well-with-outside-inspiration.  It’s such a good thing to do and I almost always forget just how much I enjoy it until I’m actually out and about; and yet it’s a delicate dance.  I’m already in a massively creative mode and keeping myself fresh and inspired without getting overwhelmed with more ideas requires careful monitoring.  And plenty of jotting down ideas in journals for later implementation.

B is for books read:  9.  Lest you wonder if I’m doing anything except reading, let me mention several of these books were short art-filled wonders including my favorite of the month Philippe Ug’s pop-up book  Funny Birds. Pop-ups, charming art, birds!!!

C is for cake: 1 extraordinary multi-layered birthday extravaganza.  I don’t know how I forgot to take photos, but perhaps it was because I was too busy blissing out in gastronomic heaven.

D is for dental appointment:  1.  Just a regular hygiene appointment, but also I didn’t get a sparkly toothbrush like I did last time.  I tried not to be disappointed, but I’m not sure I was successful.  I did google sparkly toothbrushes to see where I might buy my own, but apparently I need to buy a gross of them from a dental supply company.  Not exactly practical, but I do confess to being tempted. 

E is for eating out: 5 times. 

F is for flower boxes: 2.  I procrastinated about getting these up on my front porch this year, but I’m SO enjoying them now.   The mandevillas are positively luminous in the light as though they were living velvet. 

 G is for grand hogweed (aka Heracleum mantegazzianum): 1.  My friend in the Netherlands introduced me to this via some gorgeous photos she took of one in her front yard.  I love discovering new plants and I especially love feeling connected to friends by knowing what’s growing in their environment and what they love.

H is for hat: 1 into which 19 entries were placed for my giveaway drawing.

I is for Inula: 1.  Another new-to-me flower and this one was introduced to me as an essential oil.  I’m so going to love experimenting with this in my blending projects.

J is for journals made: 4.  I’ve been keeping up with the practice I began for the Summer of Color project, making a small new journal each week in which to capture weekly happenings.  This may be my fave of the month:

K is for Klondike ice cream bars eaten:  2.  Yum.  These may be reason enough to endure roasty toasty HOT summer days.

L is for laptop:  1.  I’m thrilled to have a new laptop!  Still lots to get used to with upgraded programs and operating systems, but I’m very very happy.

M is for magazines of the arty variety purchased from the iconic Chicago City Newsstand: 9.  So much goodness here! 

N is for neighborhood festivals attended: 1

O is for oracle decks created:  1.  This month I played in Mindy Tsonas’ Inner Alchemy Circle  where we created a Fire deck.  Fun!  Definitely revved up my passion to do more decks.  My mind is overflowing with ideas.

P is for posts on my blog:  14

Q is for queen’s crowned: 25.  I’m making paper finger puppets and being queens they must have fancy foil crowns.  Yes, they must!

R is for rose trees that bloomed:  1

S is for sun tea:  3 pitchers.  Another wonderful summertime tradition.  Iced blood orange tea is my current fave, although Vanilla Orchid is a close second.

T is for tarot decks: 1.  For my birthday I was gifted with a wonderful new deck I’m delighting in exploring – Oracle of Initiation.

U is for ukele music serende of love songs at a local café: 1 charming set.

V is for vanilla extract created and aging into perfection: 1 bottle.

W is for wings: 2.  A most delightful new necklace I adore.

X is for markings on forms where my signature was required: 7.   Finding an X category that’s countable is always a challenge and I was delighted when this one showed up.  I suppose a thank you is in order to the government and its delight in official paper trails which makes opening a  bank account in the U.S. a hand-cramping exercise in signature production.

Y is for Yemen: 2 unrelated mentions in a 2-hour span by 2 different people.  Kind of strange, and when those things happen I keep my antenna up.  Not sure what it meant, but at least now I know more about khat/gat and mocha than I did at month’s beginning.

Z is for Zydeco music: 1 wonderful concert of zydeco wonderfulness by Zydeco Voodoo.  Unrelated by amusing to me, my husband and I were watching a movie set in Louisiana.  We stopped in the middle and when we came back to it the first scene up was in French.  I thought they were doing a little Cajun riff but it turns out Pete had somehow managed to press the change language button.  How funny!

And there you have it – the official count of my July.  It’s been a wonderful month which I hope ushers in a wonderful August.  What about you?  What magic has your month brought?  Any surprises?  An alphabet of awesomeness?  A numeric of new thoughts and ideas?  Do tell – you know I love to hear.