Cheralyn Darcey

She learned to let go...

It is hard to trust when you have been misinterpreted and misrepresented.
It is hard to believe when you have been hurt. 
Even the trees know they need to release that which no longer serves them, that which has had it's time and carrying will only limit growth and in times when positive resources are few, destruction. 
Let go, release, be quiet.
Hold and protect what is grounded, true, enduring.




may nature always bless you
& may you always be a blessing to nature
Cheralyn xx 

Cyclamen Meanings

Cyclamen ~
These are flowering now in Sydney and often are given to say goodbye. Many traditions involve the sharing of a potted Cyclamen to a person moving away or to assist them in getting over something troubling them. Placing one at your backdoor ensures that whatever was brought into your home unwanted will leave straight out the backdoor to not return. 

Cyclamen Sketch and Meaning Postcard: 
When I create artworks for my decks, I only create them for the deck. 
A deck to me is a tool, it is a complete creative and dedicated resource that must remain pure in this sense. It means a very involved and many faceted exploration with research, study, field trips, with art, with writing. I share these sketches, thoughts and articles from 'the road' along the way in the form of Facebook posts, Blogged articles and other social media updates, e~cards that I create from my sketches with keynote meanings for you, videos, mediations, blessings and so on and really they are very much a large part of the final card you find in the deck I create. I share it because I enjoy the conversation with Nature so much I want you to be a part of it as well. xx






 







For more Postcards to collect: 
www.cheralyndarcey.com 

Magical Studio Spaces

I have a dislike of working indoors when I'm Writing and Creating Art so as the rains have come in and the air has chilled, I find myself under my 'tent' most days into evenings.

 

No excuse not to finish the next Reading Deck and my book at all!
We have only been in this house two years and are looking forward to our move North soon to our home but I have found new ways to create space, to find that peace and centre in a busy world. 
It will so different to have abundant space, the peace and nature all closer to us but I've been blessed to create this little nook all the same and for that, I'm grateful. 

Moving North! I have a dedicated studio space in our home which I'm going to transform into my studio 
BEFORE  :)   ~ 


Those windows are being opened out and will become doors to a long veranda and I have a large front garden. Complete bliss and I've waited a lifetime for it. Looking at skylights at the moment as I really want the space to feel opened up, connected with outside and filled with
whatever nature brings each day. 

For over 30 years now, I have had 'studios' on kitchen tables, under stairs, in boat sheds, on coffee tables, oh and in studios! The art and the creativity really are not improved with where you create, it's the attitude and energy you bring into the space you have that makes the difference.
I've never once waited for the perfect space or time to make art or to write,
I've created both and usually out of nothing. 

Like home, studios are where YOU are.
Without you, it's just a room, a space no matter how wonderful or purpose built it may be. 

Flower Essences and the Australian Wildflower Reading Cards

How the Australian Wildflower Reading Cards Meanings
and Flower Essence Keynotes and usage connect with each other. 
A very in-depth explanation of where both come from and how they relate. 
www.cheralyndarcey.com

 

Kangaroo Paw Flower Reading

 

Anzac Day ~ Woolies, everyone, ETHICS PLEASE!

BE more considerate! 
I've noticed more than a few of these types of things of late. (VERY sadly in my own field as well). Anzac Day is not for sale or in the public domain for your personal use. It's not something you can hop on the bandwagon of and claim as your own. The day means as much to those currently serving as it does to all those who have served and the families of all and if you are coming to the table late, you better brush up on your ETHICS. 

Anzac Day is Anzac Day, it doesn't need a new image and should never be tied in with other products or used in any other way. There is a huge difference in support, sharing stories, assisting with articles which illuminate aspects of these things and distasteful practice. 

Each year I write a blog post or an article about various flowers and plants associated with the day and similar days because I think it's important to understand why we choose the plants we do and what they have meant to those past in order to preserve this information and to keep the traditions alive. I also do it much more from a place of personal connection. There are many people who do similar with their art and their experiences. 

Providing a service, information and support is very different than creating an entire product and linking it to your brand. 

Seems to come up each year, but this I think is one of the worst. 
Looking at the positive side of what you tried to do, ‪#‎Woolworths‬ you could of created a very amazing and valuable resource had you left off the horrible distasteful name of your project. What were you thinking?


NINEMSN NEWS LINK

E Cards & the Naming of Names!

I just like making these e~cards. 




I guess I like to see everything have a purpose, get it's 5 mins of starlight, be shared. 
Yes they have come around in various versions as I sort out what to call my work and me since being published. So you may of seen them before with different headings and different frames and fonts.
Oh I loved the name Florasphere but it now looks set to be the title of one of the books I'm writing. I'm told people can't relate to Floramancy as it's not very user friendly, but that in fact is what I do, I read the meanings of all Flora, not just Flowers, so it fits.

The images are sketches from my journals. I draw as I'm out in the field or deep in study and research and of course, like all artists, I sketch to assist me in the creation of larger artworks.

The home for these will be here: 
E~CARDS 
over at my main website and you are more than welcome to download and to share them online as long as you play nice and don't alter them or use them for any commercial purpose. (you business websites, social media is ok, again as long as they are shown exactly as you find them) 

My Lovely Bike Story!

My Lovely Bike Story! 
Well I got so many questions and messages yesterday re my new bicycle on Facebook, I thought I'd expand and share my story so I can answer them all. Most of these questions and messages are: "I used to ride a bike but I don't think I can anymore" "I'd love to how do I get started" "Where do you ride?" "Would your bike suit me" 

'Petal' my new bike, just out of the store yesterday. 
She is a Baby Blue Vintage Deluxe Reid from Reid Cycles Glebe
The link is HERE: REID CYCLES VINTAGE DELUXE 


SO..... When I was a kid, I LOVED riding my Malvern Star Dragster around the streets of Lilyfield, the tracks in Callum Park  in Sydney and just anywhere really. It was my freedom, as these things are when you are a child. I remember riding it on the farm when we moved to the country and bumping along the dirt and a few crashes as well! :)








I also rode bikes when I first moved to Sydney as I had a boyfriend who found and restored vintage bikes and we would ride around Centennial Park most weekends. He was way ahead of his time!! This was the 1980s and no one ever wanted to buy his bikes, no one wanted VINTAGE bike especially in the greed is good 80s!! 


I got married, I had children, I worked to help support our family so bike riding was a thing of the past. I would watch my kids ride their bikes but I just didn't have the time, the extra money for a bike at that time or the energy.

I didn't cycle at all from about 23 to 33.

When I was 33, I had a really nice friend who was right into fitness and bike riding. I used to tell her I loved bikes and I went out and bought a road bike. I tried to go on rides like her and her friends but the lycra, the speeds, the competitiveness, the way you had to lean over the bike... just not me at all. 
The bike sat there and wasn't used much at all. It was rather sad and I was frustrated at not rekindling that old love. I thought, yes I did, at 33 years of age, that bike riding was behind me. 

At 35, we moved to the USA. 
We lived in San Diego, California. It was beautiful. We lived on the edge of the Canyons, with tracks and lakes and bike paths on streets, well just everything perfect for bike riding really. One day, in the first few weeks of settling in, I saw a woman my age riding a vintage style bike with a basket filled with her shopping and I was so excited. She not only had street clothes on but she just looked like she was so happy. 

Of I went in search of this bike and I found something similar. At first it was really hard. My confidence wasn't so great and I was nervous. I didn't give up. We lived in a cul de sac and at the end was a very quiet road about 2km long. On weekdays once Mr Darcey was at work and the kids at school,  I would push the bike to the start of it. Then wobbly get on and ride up and down that road in Tierrasanta. 

I then took the kids and Mr Darcey joined us for rides through the trails on the weekends once I got my confidence. I'd also ride down to the local shops to get groceries and run errands. I just loved it!! 

As we are in transition at the moment, I haven't got all my USA photos! They are in storage but in June, once we settle in, I will come back and add MY photos to this post! 
But here is what it looked like at the trails from a few found images on the web:

I love Google! 
My old home in San Diego!! 



OK so after a few years riding around sunny California, I returned home to Sydney and continued bike riding. I brought my bike back home and off I went.


SO what can I say to share a bit of assistance with those of you who want to ride?
This is not a comprehensive guide, it's just a tiny bit of direction. Google is your friend and the links I've shared here. Also talk with your friends who ride. Listen, but don't think you need to take ALL their advice. Everyone is different and everyone has their own opinions.  I honestly can't tell you how many people over the years have told me how I should riding and what I should be riding. Look at my story above. A bike which sadly sat dusty in a corner for years and my confidence gone. Not the person's fault, mine for not going with my own feelings. 

To get started: 

HIRE A BIKE
I've noticed there are lots of places in all capital cities that you can do this. I've had friends hire bikes and join me. Most big Parks have someone hiring. You might not be able to find all the styles you want to try but you will see if you still like the whole idea of bike riding and do so in a safe place. 

BIKE SIZES
Here is ONE sizing guide, but talk to someone in a bike shop and don't lie about your height! lol. The other thing I found an issue for me is that I have a longer torso in comparison to my legs, which are very short. It will effect how you ride and the styles that suit you. 

SIZE GUIDE


TRY A FEW STYLES 
Don't give up! 
There will be a bike that you feel right on and you may feel nervous or uncomfortable at first, thats natural. Just persist if its something you really want to do.
Go to a bike shop and see if you can take test rides. Most shops are fine with it. BUT don't feel pressured and take your time. You don't have to buy a bike the first time you walk into a store. 
Ask your friends with bikes if you can come over and take theirs for a test ride around the block. The thing with people who love to cycle is, they love to share that experience! There are lots of second hand bikes available too, but get all your facts straight first about the bike you want. There are different frame sizes, wheel sizes as well to think about. 


DON'T WORRY ABOUT LOOKS... at first :) 
Ok I love the vintage bike style (Dutch Style especially) and right now it IS trendy, but if you prefer a cruiser, a road bike, mountain bike or a bare bike, GO FOR IT. Don't let trends dictate what you purchase. Purchase what suits what you are going to do, where you will mostly ride it and how you feel. I can't stress the comfort enough. Now you will get sore legs, sore bum, sore arms, But you shouldn't feel pain or be completely uncomfortable. 

DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OR OTHER PEOPLE!!
Oh I got a LOT of people saying they REALLY REALLY wanted to ride a bike BUT were too old/fat/couldn't stand it if someone laughed at them, blah blah blah. SHUT UP, seriously SHUT UP :D I love you but shhhhhhhh............ 

Seriously I've been yelled at, laughed at by passing idiots on P plates too. I don't care. I'm a curvy girl but I know morons like this would carry on if I looked like Elle. I've also had online sniggering vague~booking on Facebook from a more athletic person I used to look up to after I posted a few things about bike riding last year. 
"People who say they exercise all the time but are not athletic looking are fakes"
"It's easy to find a bike anywhere on the Northern Beaches and pose next to it"
blah blah blah..... that sort of thing. 
Ignore it too IF it happens. Honestly all these types of people are in the same boat, unhappy, frustrated about something in their lives.
Happy, personally fulfilled people, just don't do those things. They don't post negative attacks on others on social media, they don't yell out of cars at strangers.
So you be happy on your bike and laugh them off too! 
Don't ever take personally any negative crap you come across or let it deters you from riding a bike. It is very few and far between. Focus on the good stuff because if you want to go bike riding, there will be so much more good stuff! SOOOO much more!! 

WHAT WILL I WEAR?!!
OK you wear what you like. Personally? I wear above the knee cotton dresses and cotton three quarter length gym pants and sneakers. I do like to ride fast and for a long time so I get hot. I'm not doing time trials but I'm not ambling along. Cotton to me is most comfortable and cool. In winter I wear the same but add fingerless gloves, a scarf and a cardigan. I usually find I'm taking a lot of it off (except the dress!)  in Sydney on sunny winter days though.
These days you can find great lycra outfits if thats what you want and skirt guards make even long dresses possible. 
Oh and wear a proper helmet!! 

I MIGHT FALL OFF!
Yeah you might. Wear a helmet.
You might also fall down the stairs, get stung by a bee, cut yourself cooking dinner, back the car into a pole, trip over something, bump into a door.... the list goes on. Just get on the BIKE! 


READ BIKE BLOGS
I love these and they give loads of tips, reviews, valuable information and inspirations:

LOVELY BIKE


CYCLE STYLE


BIKEBIKE


If you have a favourite or two, let me know! 


Good Luck with 'getting back on a bike'  or getting ON a bike, all those who are seeking to do so.
I'd LOVE to see how you are going! You can hop onto my Facebook page or comment here.

Honestly you don't have to be aiming at riding in the Tour de France to enjoy bike riding.
If you want to then GO FOR IT! I want to know that too!
BUT... If you just want to ride around your local park then do it.
Pretty soon you will venture out and get braver, I assure you! xx 

 

Hello USA!

Well it's no trickery, my Australian Wildflower Reading Cards​ are officially released today in the USA at selected stores and they have just received their first review as well on Amazon USA. I know that review copies and preorders have been out for a few days now and the feedback and questions and messages have been so very wonderful and heart warming!
You all ask the most interesting questions!! I love that you are really 'getting' what I do and sharing your experiences with me as well. So thank you.
Oh and a big hello all my new Facebook friends! 



FIRST USA Review 
I awake to my first review on Amazon USA as well. 
Thank you so much Thomas Freese, I am so excited that you like them! 
I would LOVE to take you all into the Bush to discover our Wildflowers first hand and well, I hope in a small way I have. Just so happy to see someone discovering more and seeking out more of the wisdom of this part of Nature after sharing time with the Cards I created. 

you can read it here: 

AMAZON USA LINK




















USA & Canadian Distribution 
If you do own a business in  the USA or Canada and would like to stock the Australian Wildflower Reading Cards or you are trying to track down a bookseller, the distributor of my work is Trafalgar Square Publishing 

details are here: 

Trafalgar Square Publishing

Office:	814 N. Franklin St. Chicago, IL 60610
Phone:	+312-337-0747, 1-800-888-4741 Fax: +312-337-1807
Website:	www.ipgbook.com
Orders:	[email protected]

For details of Distribution in other parts of the World:

THIS LINK ON MY PUBLISHERS WEBSITE: DISTRIBUTION



May you always be Blessed with all you find in Nature and may YOU be a Blessing to Nature! 
Love, 
Cheralyn xx