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The past week felt like a novel unfolding, with each day writing a new chapter... different cities, different families of friends, unexpected adventure, a little pain, new possibilities, and tremendous joy.
What better place to begin than a photo journey through a world where the magic of creativity is constantly afoot ~ at the lakefront home of my cherished friend, the exquisite Cynthia Von Buhler, pictured here as Louise Brooks' even prettier doppleganger:
Sentiment of kindness, painted with thread:
We found this enchanted mirror for Cynthia's ever-growing Hall of Mirrors in a little antique shop in North Carolina ~ I love how it looks like you're peering into a forest animal's natural, yet timeless, realm. As the clock turned to Midnight, it was used by the Evil Queen in a Snow White/Chitty Chitty Bang Bang mash up of interactive theatre in the woods ~ so fitting!
Purple blooms like vivid brushstrokes amidst the lush greenery:
A stringless violin, while a Countess poses with live roaches:
Loved seeing this charming vignette of a blue vinyl Evelyn Evelyn single on the antique phonograph ~ I can just imagine the music and vocals crackling through the room's festive air:
Captured in one of Cynthia's gilded birdcages:
If you look closely, you'll notice graceful white doves flittering about and cooing in the uppermost tier of the gingerbread dovecote:
Part of one of Cynthia's painstakingly detailed set designs, created for her book, "But Who Will Bell The Cats?" . It was ever so charming that the mice that served as inspiration for the tale (or at least their descendants) are still scurrying about nearby, and have even been found to nap in these very beds, next to the little kittens. Oh what stories that mouse must be able to tell!
Detail of Cynthia's sculptural self-portrait as St. Sebastian (aka Miss Guided). Yes, that's a glowing bottle of Mr. Clean hovering above her:
I love this hooded throne of a chair ~ even Mr. Toad himself would most certainly approve!
From the chair, I spied the lovely Little Miss Guam (currently waging a battle against cancer ~ fingers crossed she'll be successful), peering from her attic abode:
Later, we visited the sweeties in the attic:
Russell & friends relaxing on the dock:
Outdoor lunch of fresh figs, dates and a veggie burger:
And a delicious afternoon salad with cranberries, blueberries and almonds:
A little bit of Wonderland, found lurking in the woods:
Rachel ~ who later morphed into a rather dashing Prince Charming, treats everyone with a poetry reading about a not very innocent Dorothy:
I rather enjoyed how a few hours later when the musicians (Walter Sickert & the Army of Toys + Kim Boekbinder) were playing, some guests simply chose to stay in the hammocks, eyes closed, swinging in the lake-cooled breeze, listening to music float upon the evening air.
Kim Boekbinder treated everyone to an early surprise set:
Bucolic lake, with revellers enjoying the fresh water by taking an impromptu dip:
Presenting kitten Oliver Wendell with striking blue grey colouring ~ cute well beyond his mere three months:
Oreo ~ who brought much delight to all and excelled at welcoming duties!
My beloved painting from Cynthia... (Thank you so much C!). If you have a keen eye, you may notice two of the rings at the top are missing, and yet the mystery can be solved if you take another look at the doorknockers on the drawbridge doors of the castle behind!
Midnight frolic amidst immersive theatre in the moonlit woods:
The dock at night, lit with tealights and set up as a cushioned harem, surrounded on all corners with leaf-bare branches.
Here we sat with friends both old and new, and shared in the music of conversations that meandered from thoughtful to ribald, always sprinkled with an abundance of smiles and laughter. Surrounded by the luminous flashing of fireflies, and music filtered by the wind and trees at water's edge ~ all bringing a perfect day to a perfect close...
Cynthia's own "Sleep Forever" blog post can be found here: http://cynthiavonbuhler.blogspot.com/2011/06/sleep-forever.html
~ Kambriel
[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Bluesky]
What better place to begin than a photo journey through a world where the magic of creativity is constantly afoot ~ at the lakefront home of my cherished friend, the exquisite Cynthia Von Buhler, pictured here as Louise Brooks' even prettier doppleganger:
Sentiment of kindness, painted with thread:
We found this enchanted mirror for Cynthia's ever-growing Hall of Mirrors in a little antique shop in North Carolina ~ I love how it looks like you're peering into a forest animal's natural, yet timeless, realm. As the clock turned to Midnight, it was used by the Evil Queen in a Snow White/Chitty Chitty Bang Bang mash up of interactive theatre in the woods ~ so fitting!
Purple blooms like vivid brushstrokes amidst the lush greenery:
A stringless violin, while a Countess poses with live roaches:
Loved seeing this charming vignette of a blue vinyl Evelyn Evelyn single on the antique phonograph ~ I can just imagine the music and vocals crackling through the room's festive air:
Captured in one of Cynthia's gilded birdcages:
If you look closely, you'll notice graceful white doves flittering about and cooing in the uppermost tier of the gingerbread dovecote:
Part of one of Cynthia's painstakingly detailed set designs, created for her book, "But Who Will Bell The Cats?" . It was ever so charming that the mice that served as inspiration for the tale (or at least their descendants) are still scurrying about nearby, and have even been found to nap in these very beds, next to the little kittens. Oh what stories that mouse must be able to tell!
Detail of Cynthia's sculptural self-portrait as St. Sebastian (aka Miss Guided). Yes, that's a glowing bottle of Mr. Clean hovering above her:
I love this hooded throne of a chair ~ even Mr. Toad himself would most certainly approve!
From the chair, I spied the lovely Little Miss Guam (currently waging a battle against cancer ~ fingers crossed she'll be successful), peering from her attic abode:
Later, we visited the sweeties in the attic:
Russell & friends relaxing on the dock:
Outdoor lunch of fresh figs, dates and a veggie burger:
And a delicious afternoon salad with cranberries, blueberries and almonds:
A little bit of Wonderland, found lurking in the woods:
Rachel ~ who later morphed into a rather dashing Prince Charming, treats everyone with a poetry reading about a not very innocent Dorothy:
I rather enjoyed how a few hours later when the musicians (Walter Sickert & the Army of Toys + Kim Boekbinder) were playing, some guests simply chose to stay in the hammocks, eyes closed, swinging in the lake-cooled breeze, listening to music float upon the evening air.
Kim Boekbinder treated everyone to an early surprise set:
Bucolic lake, with revellers enjoying the fresh water by taking an impromptu dip:
Presenting kitten Oliver Wendell with striking blue grey colouring ~ cute well beyond his mere three months:
Oreo ~ who brought much delight to all and excelled at welcoming duties!
My beloved painting from Cynthia... (Thank you so much C!). If you have a keen eye, you may notice two of the rings at the top are missing, and yet the mystery can be solved if you take another look at the doorknockers on the drawbridge doors of the castle behind!
Midnight frolic amidst immersive theatre in the moonlit woods:
The dock at night, lit with tealights and set up as a cushioned harem, surrounded on all corners with leaf-bare branches.
Here we sat with friends both old and new, and shared in the music of conversations that meandered from thoughtful to ribald, always sprinkled with an abundance of smiles and laughter. Surrounded by the luminous flashing of fireflies, and music filtered by the wind and trees at water's edge ~ all bringing a perfect day to a perfect close...
Cynthia's own "Sleep Forever" blog post can be found here: http://cynthiavonbuhler.blogspot.com/2011/06/sleep-forever.html
~ Kambriel
[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Bluesky]