Poets speak beautiful words about even the loneliest of journeys.  Grief is a universal experience, but during the times when our hearts are sorrowful the pain of grieving can be singular and heavy. The quotes in the Paperglory Grief and Healing gift book remind us that grief is not to be feared. It is an emotion to be held in our hearts and minds and then released as the starting point for new growth.

Sometimes there is little to be said to a loved one who is experiencing loss, though we do understand through our own dealings with grief. The elegant poetry of this carousel book speak gentle reminders of the necessary place grief occupies in our lives; the words can be read and re-read at any point along the healing journey. The pages of this book are filled with beauty and hope for someone who may be in need.

Those of you from Oregon may recall Christmas at the Zoo as a Portland mainstay in the NW 23rd avenue shopping area. In June 2011, Connie relocated her store to historic downtown Oregon City, her longtime city of residence. This Christmas season, bring your holiday shopping list to Christmas at the Zoo, located in the Territorial building (site of the original Oregon Territory Capital) at 524 Main St., Oregon City. Take home Yesteryear ornaments for your own home, or gift your friends and family with a nostalgic present that will connect them to the joy and beauty of holidays past.

The six quotes in this gift book are the following:

Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o’er fraught heart and bids it break.

A garden is a unique creation. One may be functional and logical, providing nourishment for the body and happiness for the tongue. Another may be whimsical and splendid, a true work of art layering vibrant splashes upon trailing textures. Or perhaps, a garden may be makeshift, confined to small touches of green among concrete stretches. The variety is as endless as are the souls and hands of individual gardeners.

Just as gardens come in wide variety, so do the gardeners’ inspirations. The plants of the earth truly provide an endless palette for the gardener’s imagination. Massaging the soil is comforting and sensual. Satisfaction and wonder come from nurturing beauty from a lifeless seed. And, the visible botanical processes at work are living metaphors for the inner growth and pruning that we experience throughout our own journeys.

The Paperglory Gardening book explores the range of ways that gardens touch our lives. It is a wonderful reminder of the joy to be found in cultivation and natural beauty, and a celebration of the importance of finding our own connection to life around us.

I am a botanist and an artist, and I often use trees, plants and flowers as the subjects of my artwork. The beauty of plants continually inspires me, as do themes of growth and new beginnings. For me, the Motherhood carousel book holds particular charm because it contains botanical illustrations, and of course, because it was created by my mother.

I think the loveliest forms of art come from those who love their subject matter. In the motherhood book, the images of irises that fill the pages were inspired by a remarkable book, the Genus Iris. This work is a partnership between author William Rickatson Dykes and illustrator F. H. Round. Dykes was a classificatory botanist and a renowned grower, breeder and collector of irises. Round was a watercolor artist whose works are considered to be among the finest biological illustrations ever prepared. The Genus Iris, a combination of text and illustration, is still seen as one of the foremost books on these flowers.

Dykes transformed his passion for irises into a work that celebrates them. In the motherhood book, my mother celebrates the beauty of a mother’s love for her child, a subject she knows very well. The iris images are paired with text taken from quotes and proverbs on motherhood from around the world. To me, this book captures the elegance of growth and the simplicity of a mother’s wish to nurture her growing child in the best way possible. It would make a wonderful gift for any mother on her special day.

To close, a message to my mother: Happy Mother’s Day! In your search for love and truth, you have made a beautiful book. I love you and am so proud of the lovely things you create.

Garry and I took a trip to China roughly 1 and a half years ago. So, why the long wait to share these pictures with you? Because the complete story has taken time to unfold. On January 15, 2011, we received the shipment on the order placed in October 2009. During the year and a half, Millennium was responsive through email and phone communication. And we were equally responsive, excited to work with the partnership and to continue building a good thing.

All of the necessary ingredients came together to build a strong, viable partnership. The wait has been worth it.

So, while these images are dated, our excitement to share with you the partnering visit between Paperglory and China and the resulting beautifully crafted gift books and ornaments remains. Please enjoy!