Art Life | Andrea Mai

MY “FEED THE BEES” PROJECT – EVP May 28, 2022

Recently, I decided that I wanted to plant some wild flowers in my garden. I found some variety seed packs online, designed for attracting butterflies and bees. I wanted these so that I would feel less guilty about harvesting all my flowers and leaving less food for the bees. I decided to make this a little project of mine to feed the bees, as I live in suburbia, which is filled mostly of plain grass lawns which offers no sustenance for bees and other beneficial pollinators. I needed to get them soon, as it was already late spring. So i . . .

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IT’S BLOOM TIME – Art and Life Update

Not only is May, my birthday month, but it's my favourite time of year for its seasonal blooms. It is as if everything springs back to life from the winter hibernation. The warm weather brings seemingly immediate growth to plants that laid quietly dormant from the winter months.

Though this time is exciting, I am currently feeling overwhelmed with so much that needs to be done in the garden, and life in general. It becomes an urgent priority to get seeds sown in, and shop for plants before the planting season ends. Canada's growing season is limited, so . . .

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REFLECTION ON SIX YEAR ANNIVERSARY, PRINCE CELEBRATION 2022

Ever since 2016, after Prince's passing, I've noticed snow in April. This year was no exception. It snowed here on Easier Monday. I heard that this year was supposed to be an early spring according to the groundhog, but it doesn't feel like it to me...

I've continued to record EVP, though I've been busy with my work. I get the sense that he is content, where he is. I think that people's feelings on the other side is very transparent. And sometimes I hear them say things like "You are happy", or "Prince . . .

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SPIRITS WATCH ME TRY OUT MY NEW AMP – EVP March 18, 2022

With everything that's going on in the world today, I realize how precious one's time on earth is. One never knows when they will be called to leave. And I want to go with the satisfaction of having pursued all my interests. So I decided to go ahead with getting the guitar amp I'd been eyeing. I took my time finding the one that is right for my needs. I did attempt to order it last year. But the supplier didn't come through with my order, and I didn't try ordering it again. I finally . . .

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P SHOWS OFF OUR NEW LABEL DESIGNS – EVP February 14, 2022

A new month just began, and I am so very much looking forward to spring. I am anticipating working in the garden again, picking and drying flowers and leaves. It will still be a few months before any real work in the garden can begin. They said it may be an early spring this year. Still, we await for the last of the winter snow to be gone. I am knitting this silk mohair THE PAGE YOU ARE TRYING 2 ACCESS IS 4 MEMBERS ONLY

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RELAUNCHING MY HOLISTIC BODY CARE PRODUCT LINE

About 13 years ago, I was living in the UK, working in a little shop in the town of Brighton. There, I was immersed in the world of natural body care products. I was the shop manager, dealing in lotions and creams made from the most luscious of ingredients. My working holiday ended and I came home with a wealth of knowledge about natural skin care.

I began creating my own concoctions. Inspired from all the product catalogs I had read. I set out to create a product line of my own. I sold my products at health fairs. This was before the internet really took off.

Rents for fair booths grew expensive over time, and my interest in selling products faded. But I continued to make and use my own products. I still had friends who bought from me occasionally.

This year, I’ve decided to relaunch my product line. This time, curating it carefully with a minimalist mindset. I used to be a sort of beauty product junkie when I worked in the industry. I accumulated a lot of products, and I really just wanted to pair it all down to the most essential of products. If I were going to a desert island and could only take 3 items, these things would be on my list; Lavender Balm, Arnica Balm, and Lavender essential oil.

I also reformulated my product line, having gained more experience through trial and error. The issue with balms in designing a product’s consistency to remain stable in hotter climates. My predicts have been sent to Hawaii, and they remain good on arrival. I’ve only used ingredients that have a long-shelf life, so that they will last a long time.

One thing that had been a setback for the relaunch, has been its packaging design. I did not want to relaunch until I was totally happy with the label design. It had to be true to my vibe. I had multiple attempts at designing it earlier, but I wasn’t satisfied with it. You can find out more about my design process in this blog post about eco-packaging.

The Lavender Balm is something that I use everyday. I use it for my face and body, even lips. It absorbs easily and smells of Lavender, which is my favourite scent. It was designed to treat skin irritation, because of Lavender’s soothing properties. It is infused with Calendula, which is also skin soothing and anti-inflammatory.

The Arnica Balm is handy to have for life’s little accidents. It can be used to treat bruises, sprain, and muscle soreness. Also great after workout to prevent muscle aches the next day after vigorous exercise. Sometimes when I wake up having slept with bad posture, my neck is sore. I use this to help me get back to normal. It contains extracts of Arnica and Calendula flowers, both anti-inflammatory and boosts natural healing.
The Lavender roll-on essential oil is another product I use often. It is especially useful in the summer when I get bitten by insects in the garden. I also use it for skin blemishes, as it helps to soothe and heal faster. Lavender is one of the few essential oils that does not need to be diluted to be safe on the skin. I packaged it in a convenient roller bottle so that it can be used easily on the go.

MAKING A SLIME VIDEO + 432 HZ MUSIC

I recently came across this kids trend, where slime has been reinvented. When I was a kid, I remember they would sell slime in a vending machine at the super market. The new slimes comes with fragrances and glitter, and comes in a variety of textures. And when I found out how easy it is the make, I couldn’t help but give it a try.

I made mine with a typical white glue and borax solution. The first one I tried out was :over-activated” and came out too hard, it was more like a putty. But it was still fun, it’s like squeezing a stress ball, except it doesn’t bounce back into its shape.

I made a second batch, this time being more patient to stir in the activator a little at a time. It became a gooey, milky looking slime. I added magenta coloured mica and it gave this rose quartz look to it, a subtle shimmer. I also added gold leaf and kneaded it in, the leaf sheet would break into dust the more I worked it in. It was beautiful. I was going to just make a quick video to document its gorgeousness, just for myself. But I ended up editing the video and it grew. Do you know that feeling? When you start something, not really intending much, but you’re struck with creativity and you have to see it through. I had some 432 hz music that I had recorded a while back, just sitting in archives. I paired it with the video.

And as I was editing and playing around, I discovered this little Easter egg of a trivial fact. The little radio sample at the beginning of my video, Prince used the exact same sample at the beginning of his Art Official Age track, Clouds. I had always wondered about that track, if that sample was a basic stock sample, or something he created from scratch. I had felt inspired by that track and thought of it on many occasions. I had a feeling that it sounded very familiar to me, having spent many hours playing around on Mac iMovies. The sample clip is a sound effect sample that comes with iMovies. I only realized this after I made my video and posted it. I went to check out his track to verify and discovered it was the same one. Here we are, twinning again. Here’s my slime video set to original stock music that I composed.