Do you know what Mele Kalikimaka means? You do if you remember singing along with
Bing Crosby on this Christmas song...
"Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day.
That's the island's greeting that we send to you
from the land where palm trees sway...."
No matter where we live, this is the time of year to return to our inner roots and celebrate the lives we live. Here in Honolulu, our daylight hours are a little shorter and the trunks of our trees, including the palms, are wrapped with colored lights.
This season is one of my favorites, and it always has been - even when I lived in Wisconsin (sometimes weather is a state of mind!) The reasons why I like this time of year have evolved over time. More and more it signifies a time of reconnection - with my self as well as with family and friends.
This time of year brings back memories of Christmas' past, and brings current circumstances to a new perspective. It's a time of reflecting back and of peering into the future to see what lies ahead.
Many good things have happened in my business this year:
-Several of my paintings were chosen to be printed as giclée prints, and now hang in the rooms of the new
Trump Tower in Waikiki. (If you want to be reminded of the beauty of Hawai'i, turn on your sound, click on the words Trump Tower, and watch their intro video.)
Life is a Tangle, White Bird Rising, Three Emmisaries, and Laua'e Surprise are a few of my images greeting visitors.
-I recently joined RSVPStyle.com as an art expert: click
HERE to see my page. RSVPStyle.com was created to make inspired, sophisticated home design and décor accessible to anyone with a desire to learn.
Cathy Lee and her team have assembled a cadre of professionals dedicated to helping people decorate their homes and offices with confidence.
-I started to paint a new series of Tree Divas, which brings me back to my latest Tree paintings. Many of you wrote in with your suggestions for a title to the tree couple. Because I work in series, I decided to use your suggestion for the series as a whole.
This first piece is titled
"Tree of Life: Flourish" 
The second painting in this series is titled:
Tree of Life: Embrace
Both of these photos were taken with my digital camera. Once the paintings have been professionally photographed, they will be posted at
www.artofaloha.com/figurative-painting/Both of these original paintings are for sale, and are available as laser (8"x10", 11"x14" and 16"x20") and giclée prints (15"x22" and 22"x30" - and larger!).
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Sometimes we have more to say than we have time to read. Faced with this dilemma, I have started to blog. Although I am still finding my voice in this eZine and in the blog, and it will continue to evolve. See for yourself at
www.artofaloha.com/blog-recipes/While there, click on the "RSS feed" button so you
are sure to know when I've written something new.
Included in the blog are some of my favorite recipes. For years before starting a professional art career, my desire to live creatively was met by cooking, baking, knitting, and sewing. You will find really good recipes on the blog!
**************May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmas' be filled with light.
Mahalo to each of you, for being you, for reading my eZine and for staying in touch. You have the opportunity to spread aloha by forwarding this eZine to your friends.
A Hui Hou,
Born in Port Washington, WI and educated at the University of Wisconsin/Madison, Patrice Federspiel first visited Hawai'i in January 2000. Within five months she had found a way to quit her job, sell her home, and move to Hawai'i to paint. 
Patrice Federspiel