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This past week I have been savoring the sweet things in life. My mother made moon cakes for the family and I also purchased from a local bakery some lotus seed moon cakes in preparation for the Lunar Harvest festival happening later this month. It is the small family rituals of affection and modest home celebrations that bring comfort and joy. 

 

While reflecting on what has sustained me through these challenging months it is absolutely the many friendships that I have formed through this Society. For this next prompt create a page dedicated to friendship. You can use whatever supplies or materials that you have on hand. I collaged my pages by using paper ephemera and art sent to me from my international friends overseas. 

 

 

Feel free to simply write about friendship in your journal, what it means to you, or share a memory that invokes warmth.  Have you befriended yourself lately? Oftentimes we neglect self-kindness in our everyday routines. If you would like to take this prompt a little further reach out to a friend by calling or sending some happy mail as a surprise gift. How we connect meaningfully with others shapes our lives in ways that build community and trust.  But also be patient in the exchange as postal mail is slow at the moment, and many are doing their best in these difficult times by just taking it one day at a time. 
 

Get creative and crafty by repurposing unusual postage stamps, and interesting papers, try to include various textures from friendship gifts that have significance to you. Small notes and cards are a lovely addition. I cherish the dried and pressed flowers and botanicals that are sent my way, as they invoke a particular time and place. 

 For inspiration, I’ve been connecting to the color palettes of my heritage. The soft mochi-like moon cakes my mother made are referred to as “snow” cakes. I found myself reaching for luminous glowing hues this week. The pale beauty and softness adds a serenity that is restful to the eyes and calming to the spirit. 

 

At the same time, I’ve also longed for the lightness of being and celebration of color that lanterns illuminated in the darkness bring. The sound of laughter, and freedom of movement. These emotions rejoice in a parade of color and textures found in the ‘Festival Parade’ necklaces above and the ‘Sweet Mochi’ and ‘Moon Cake’ earrings below. 

When my daughter was little we use to visit a Japanese grocery store in our area and I would purchase cellophane-wrapped trays of Rainbow Dango for her to enjoy. They were pastel candy-striped puffs of mochi and so much fun to eat. These earrings remind me of the fun playful nature of Asian sweets. 

 

 Being able to match the hue of the golden syrup moon cake in these Chalcedony gemstone earrings is something that makes me smile. I hope you enjoy this Moon Festival collection, it will appear in the shop tomorrow on Saturday, September 11th at 9am PST along with a restock of select watercolor palettes.