Hello, Summer!

After a very long time spent studying, I can finally say I'm free! And you can't imagine how good that feels! Summer's one of my favourite seasons, and the main reason for that is probably because I get to travel and wear dresses... What else can I ask for?

I can also say that, thankfully, summer has always been quite a great time for me... I've spent the season in Paris, Summer Camp and New York, to list a few amazing experiences. But, no matter where in the world I spend the Summer, what I love the most about it is having time to do whatever I feel like doing. This includes reading a good book, letting my mind fly away of this world and come up with new incredible ideas or just take a nap. I also usually spend more hours at the stable than usual, sharing amazing moments with Coco, my beloved horse (I introduced him to you on this post).

This summer will be no different than those I've lived in the past, for sure! Last night, after my last final, I started reading a book Diego recommended: Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami. And I got so absorbed, I'll have to get another one soon. (Any suggestions out there?) Today, I spent the morning riding under a blue, sunny sky! Diego just came home and we're going out in a while for some dessert. The sun's still up, so I hope we can go for a promenade, another of my favourite things about summer!

Travel will also be a big thing this season. Just to give you something to look forward to (since you'll be reading my posts about it), I'll be going to Europe for three weeks. I'm not telling whereabouts yet, because I love surprises and I want to give one to you! Diego will spend the summer in lovely New York, where I'll also spend a couple of weeks this summer, meeting him. There's no place in the world I love more than The City, and I just can't wait to go back!

Love,

Photography: Laura Beltran-Rubio

PS. I took the photo in this post back in Summer 2011, when I worked as a riding instructor at a Summer Camp. It was one of the best experiences in my life, and I'll never forget it. The Camp was in Maine, where landscapes are the most beautiful ever... Which you can see from this amazing sunrise!

Sunset Boulevard

One thing I always complain about my city is the weather: I thought it was the place where the weather has the most bipolar behaviour in the whole world... Until I spent a complete summer in Maine and realised that I could live with this weather!!! But I honestly wish we could have proper seasons here, instead of having them a little bit of each one of them everyday!

I know many of you probably don't understand what I'm talking about... So to make you feel a little more in context, let me explain. Colombia is near the Equator, which means we don't have classic seasons; instead, we have two rainy seasons: december and june. The temperature depends on how high on the mountains we are: the higher, the colder. The city where I live is normally around 18 C and cloudy. But, sometimes we wake up with a very warm and sunny day and, around noon, it starts raining as if the sky were going to fall... And sometimes it's just the opposite. You could wear 3 different outfits every day and you can never tell! Which means you're never prepared for the day!

However, Mother Nature has been quite kind to us these past few days, thankfully! This means we've had some sun and the temperature has been warmer than normal! And that's why I decided to wear this amazing spring look, with a beautiful floral print! There's absolutely nothing more spring than flowers...

And to shoot the pictures, there couldn't be a better location! Diego and I went looking for a cool place to shoot near home, and we discovered this beautiful street! It's only 2 blocks away from home, and I honestly can't believe how come we hadn't seen it before! It is SO pretty! The light was also perfect for the shoot, right before the sunset. I couldn't be happier with the result! It was so magical, that I suddenly felt transported to Sunset Boulevard in California! I wish I could find this kind of places more often!

Love,

Farewell inspired by Illustration Friday

Illustration Friday

Diego and I have always shared a big love for arts, and were always on the look for fun activities in the arts and crafts field. Last week I found this amazing website, named Illustration Friday, where they suggest a topic and illustrators submit their creations related to it. Last week's topic was farewell, and we decided to make our own drawings. So, even if we didn't finish on time to submit them, we did have a lot of fun while doing it! We also invited my sister, and she drew something with us.

I'm not showing all the drawings, but I wanted to share a cute storyboard Diego did for his farewell illustration. I really like his idea, and the drawings are so perfect! I love the girl's faces but, what I love the most are the flowers in the last tile!

I also wanted to share this amazing idea for when you're looking for something to do when you're a bit bored some day. You already have a general topic of what to draw, so you won't have to think much about it... Just let your creativity flow, and do some art!

Love,