‘The Strawberry Moon’

Happy full moon & welcome to the 11th issue of the Luna De Sangre Newsletter… ⊹

June has arrived and summer is only but a few weeks away. I feel as though I barely had a chance to fully say hello to spring before it had to go, but the proof that I experienced all of what spring had to offer me exists right here in tonights newsletter, leaving me with little room to complain.

Tonights newsletter is an ode to spring, one filled with pictures of all of the newly sprouted flora that inspired me to create this season. The Rembrandt Tulip that inspired a new jewelry collection, the Alexandra Rose that inspired a new watercolor painting… I owe most of my creative output to the flora I came across this spring, I can’t wait to share all of the photos with you, I’m hoping they can lend inspiration to you as well.

But, before we begin, let me first give meaning to the title of tonights newsletter, ‘The Strawberry Moon’. This term originates from the Native American tribe, Algonquin, who observed the moon’s cycle alongside the ripening of strawberries in June. It is also the name given to every June full moon in accordance with the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

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“You could smell ripe strawberries before you saw them, the fragrance mingling with the smell of sun on damp ground. It was the smell of June, the last day of school, when we were set free, and the Strawberry Moon, ode’imini-giizis.” - Robin Wall Kimmerer

The ‘Maddalena’ Anklet † Official Restock

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I’m thrilled to announce that the ‘Maddalena Rosary Anklet’ will have its very first restock this upcoming Friday, June 13th.

I want to sincerely thank all of you who have waited so patiently for this restock to happen. I was awating an order of over 300 feet of custom ‘Maddalena’ chain to arrive in the mail before I could properly restock this piece, all of my supplies are finally here!

The restock will be this Friday the 13th at 6pm (ET). This first restock will include a total of (25) anklets. If you miss this first restock, please don’t worry, I plan to consistently restock this piece once every (3) weeks. I cannot wait to work on more of these anklets for you guys, I hope to see all of them out and about this summer. ♡

☆ Coming Soon ☆

The ‘In The Blood’ Rosary Collection

You might remember the photo above from a previous full moon newsletter. Back in April, I shared this same photo with you guys to give you a small sneak peek at what supplies I was planning to use in an upcoming collection. Weeks after sharing this photo I found myself still deep in the design process. Although I had multiple designs drawn out, chain and other supplies firmly decided on, I was still undecided on the type of crystals or pearls I wanted to use for this piece.

One afternoon, while walking through my neighborhood, I came across a cluster of these precious little tulips (pictured below). This was my first time seeing tulips that looked like these little guys, I quickly researched the flower and learned that tulips with these unique ‘flame-like’ markings on the petals are called ‘Rembrandt Tulips’, named after the Dutch painter Rembrandt because the markings resemble brushstrokes! I immediately fell in love.

After I saw the Rembrandt Tulips, it all came together. Red and white. What a stark contrast. I decided that day that I would use red and white beads to finish my design. Soon after making this decision, during that very same walk through my neighborhood, I looked up and spotted these two trees (pictured below). It was my sign that yes, red and white is indeed a perfectly natural combination.

Red and white in the jewelry world, or at least in the little jewelry world I have in my head, means freshwater pearls (white), and garnet crystals (red). I gathered my supplies and got to work. Initially, I only intended to design one piece of jewelry but after working the design I soon had not one, but three different versions of this piece, a set of jewelry that I would later call the ‘In the Blood’ Rosary Collection.

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‘In the Blood’ Rosary Anklet: Version I

Although the Rembrandt Tulips striking red stripes do resemble brushstrokes, I felt as though they also resembled blood. The way the red base of the flower looks as though it’s slowly bleeding up into the white of the tulip. To convey this idea of bleeding, I used ivory freshwater pearls to surround the focal point of this piece (the focal point being the solid bronze Virgin Mary charm in the middle). I then brought in the red “blood” elements of the design by finishing the piece using only garnet crystals.

I adore this first version of ‘In the Blood’. Much like the anklets I’ve released in the past, this first piece features my classic Luna De Sangre style of draping chain. As for version ll, I decided to play around a bit more with the chain elements.

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‘In the Blood’ Rosary Anklet: Version II

I’m over the moon about Version ll, of course I still love Version l but the columns in this second piece are something I’ve never done before. The photo of this anklet hardly does it any justice, the chain work on this piece absolutely shines when it’s around the ankle. I have plans to go to the Frick Museum later this month to model this new collection and I cannot wait to update the website with the final photos! I expect to have the full ‘In the Blood’ Rosary Collection listed and available on the shop before the end of June. As always, I will update all of my social media platforms (@lunadesangre) when I have a final release date.

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‘In the Blood ’ Rosary Thigh Garter: Work in Progress

This final piece of the collection is one I am most proud of, I have always wanted to design a thigh garter. This piece is still a work in progress, as I still have many more columns to complete, and additional design elements to finalize, but so far I am in love with how she’s coming along.

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Naming The Collection… †

Naming the collection ‘In the Blood’ was the easiest part, between the Rembrandt Tulips and recalling a quote from the Elena Ferrante book I was reading at the time, I knew exactly what I wanted to name this collection. You might remember this quote from a previous newsletter.

This excerpt from the novel ‘The Lying Life of Adults’ is the main character Giovanna’s inner musings as she grapples with her faith while recalling bible verses like the one below.

⊹ Shop The Full Moon Sale ⊹

My Trip to Los Angeles 𖤓

At the end of May, my partner and I took a trip to sunny Los Angeles and we had the most incredible time. My partner was mostly there for a tattoo work trip so on the days he was working, I was left with our two good friends, and lovely hosts, Garrett and Megan. Megan, if you’re reading this, thank you for showing an interest in this newsletter and subscribing to it one drunken night on your couch, we had the most amazing time with the two of you and hope to see you both very soon. ♡

Experiencing the city in the springtime is like no other, I saw flora I had never in my life seen before (purple trees, are you kidding me!), I secured last minute tickets to see an artist that I’ve loved since I was a teen, I stumbled into my new favorite bookstore, and most importantly, I was able to fully relax and enjoy time spent away from work.

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The ‘Two Trick Pony’ 𓃗 Tattoo Shop

The tattoo shop my partner was guesting at during our stay in LA was the newly opened, ‘Two Trick Pony’. The studio space itself is absolutely precious but the backyard is truly the star of the show. When you walk in from the side entrance of the studio you’re met with tens of potted plants, overhanging string lights, and just the cutest little seating arrangements, I would kill to have a backyard space quite like this one.

If you live in the area, and have an itch to book a new tattoo, I cannot recommend this space enough. All of the artists working there are incredibly talented and so welcoming, but one highlight has to be Roni @all_theolives on Instagram.

The last time I visited LA I had the wonderful pleasure of receiving a tattoo by Roni. All of her work is hand-poked and in a style that’s uniquely her own. Her Instagram page features a complete treasure trove of western themed pieces and even some ornate jewelry designs that I would trade any of my current tattoos for in a heartbeat. She also has the sweetest little dacshund pup that she brings to the studio, so if her artwork isn’t incentive enough for you, getting a chance to meet this little baby sure is.

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Corbin Live at El Rey

While in LA I scored tickets to see an artist I’ve loved since I was 17. Corbin, formerly known as Spooky Black, is an American Polish musician based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. Known for his “moody” lo-fi Soundcloud era sound, songs like ‘Hunker Down’, ‘Misery’ & ‘Diazepam’ have been on repeat in my bedroom for years. When he announced his 2025 ‘Clown on Stage’ tour back in February, I made sure to secure pre-sale tickets to his New York show. After going to that show, and having the best time, I never expected to see him again, much less on the same tour, but the second day I was in LA I was clicking through Instagram and saw him announce that he would be performing that very night over at El Rey, a music venue just down the road from where I was staying. I knew I had to go see him again. This was the perfect start to my trip.

Sideshow Bookstore

There’s nothing I love more than finding a bookstore that has its own unique personality. The complete opposite of a Barnes & Noble, when you step into ‘Sideshow Bookstore’ you’re immediately met with piles upon piles of books with ornate bindings, wooden bookshelves filled with rare titles, most of them original copies, and that comforting smell of old and pre-loved books.

While making my way through precariously stacked piles of books I met the owner who greeted me with a welcoming smile and offered to make me an espresso. Espresso in hand, feeling right at home, I made my way over to the poetry section where I found a book I knew would be coming home with me.

‘Sacrificial Bone Inscriptions’ by Haven O’More

‘Sacrificial Bone Inscriptions’ by Haven O’More is a poetry collection published by Stamperia Valdonega, a publishing company based in Verona, Italy. This copy is one of 750 out of print copies. The contents of this collection are biblical musings on sacrifice, power, and death. It’s an odd little collection of poems that I am still picking through. Below I included the preface to the collection. O’More wrote this preface during the “night of the full moon’s passage”. So he wrote this passage during a full moon… hm, if I start signing off my newsletters like this from now on you’ll know exactly where the drama came from.

Spring Flora ⊹ ࣪ ˖

As you already know, my spring was filled with many flowers, all of which inspired me to create many new works of art. When I wasn’t creating jewelry pieces for the shop or fulfilling orders, I was spending my days at the art store, attending art classes, or painting.

Watercolor Update ᝰ

During one of my many trips to the art store, I decided to stray away from my usual Daniel Smith watercolor paints over to a different brand, Sennelier. Sennelier is an art supply manufacturer based in France, their watercolors uniquely use honey as a binder rather than gum arabic, producing paints that are best used for layering or creating solid washes of color. These are all good qualities to look for in a paint, especially when you’re painting botanicals.

After I came across this gorgeous peach toned Alexandra Rose flower (pictured below) during a walk through my neighborhood, I knew I wanted to paint this rose bush in the near future so I decided to give Sennelier paints a try.

To create my Alexandra Rose painting (pictured below), I used a mix of Naples Yellow and Carmine for the petals, Naples Yellow and Sap Green for the leaves and a light wash of Naples Yellow for the background. Can you tell I’m obsessed with Naples Yellow? I found that with these paints, having a set of primary colors is all you need to create a botanical painting, maybe an additional convenience color like Sap Green or Raw Umber. A limited Sennelier palette creates beautiful mixes, beautiful washes and minimal bleeding. Just a joy to work with. If you’re interested in trying these paints out for yourself, I highly recommend purchasing them from Blick Art Materials. The Series l, 10ML tubes are always on sale for around $10, which is the cheapest price I’ve seen them listed for, and like I said, you only need a primary set to begin painting!

Along with my new Sennelier paints, I have one more art supply to rave about! Fabriano Artistico 100% Cotton Paper, I love you. Arches paper is wonderful to work with, so is Winsor & Newton, but using Fabriano paper paired with Sennelier paints is next level. I had the most memorable afternoon listening to music and painting a rose bush using these two supplies along with a round 8 Utrecht brush. I am absolutely not an experienced watercolor artist, I paint only for myself, but having high quality art supplies makes a world of a difference to the enjoyment of any watercolor experience.

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Ikebana Flower Arrangement Class

During a weekend in April, two of our closest friends Joanna & Taylor came to visit my partner Shelton and I so that we could all attend an Ikebana arrangement class.

Walking into the ‘Ikebana Flower New York’ studio was a refreshing contrast to the busy city of Manhattan. You’re first met with a serenely quiet, clean workshop, filled with the scent of fresh cut flowers. The head instructor, Junko Miura did an incredible job teaching the class the history of Ikebana, then she lead a 90 minute workshop where she walked us through the entire arrangement process. If you’re ever in Manhattan, looking for a group experience worth your money, I highly recommend booking a class at her studio, we truly had the best time.

 Before I Say Goodbye…

To end the night, why not leave you with more photos of the spring florals I came across this season, you can never have enough. Between my partner and I, always snapping photos of every flower we see, I truly have an endless supply to share. I hope they inspire a painting out of you, maybe a haiku or two, whatever your creative outlet is I hope you spend these last few weeks of spring creating your own ode to this fleeting season, maybe it will make saying your final goodbye that much more easier.

Click here to log into the ‘Luna De Sangre’ Newsletter Archives to read past articles or share your thoughts & recommendations with me in the comment section, I’d love to hear from you…