It’s hard to capture a life in a few words and pictures but here’s my best shot at it.

Leonis Sayfire

Born March 9, 1981

What’s in a Name?

My given name is Christine Belcher.  A lot of people ask me how I came up with the name “Leonis Sayfire” for my various creative works.  The answer to that question is three-fold:

First, when I was about fourteen years old I had a very vivid dream about an angel-like creature, by the name of Vedasium, coming to visit me.  We had this wonderful conversation about the secrets of existence.  All of which I forgot upon waking with the exception of him handing me a blue dandelion and saying “Whomever gifts you

with the blue dandelion will complete you.”  Well, I didn’t like the idea of someone else “completing” me, so when it came about time to trade in my, reminiscent of an embarrassing bodily function, name for a new one, I wanted to gift myself with the blue dandelion.

The next reason for the name comes from a interchange between a mother and child I happened to be around to witness.  I was sitting under a tree in my front yard writing in my journal when I noticed an adorable blond curly haired girl of about three collecting dandelions off the lawn across the street.  Her mother appeared to be engaged in an argument over her cordless phone.  I smiled watching the child taking such pleasure in the dandelions because I was once myself enthralled by the sunny flowers.  After stuffing a little first full she tugged on the pant leg of her mom.  The mother looked down and said in a disgruntled manner, “Honey, those are weeds”.  I was deeply saddened by this exchange.  Surely that little fist full of love was as precious as a fist full of sapphires.

The literal translation of “Leonis Sayfire” is Sapphire Dandelion.  How it made it to it’s current form had a whole lot to do with my previous fascination with numerology.  My number is a four.  So to make my name resonate with the same meaning as my birth I made sure that the letters added up to the same number.  It took a little messing around to get it right.  Even looking up the Latin name for dandelions and having to smudge the meaning of sapphire a little with it’s unusual spelling.  Also in a strange twist of fate the name can also be interpreted as the female counterpart of a Lion who speaks fire.  The love of my life just so happens to be one fiery Leo.

My Dandelion Tattoo on the nape of my neck

Young and Insane?

A baby pic of me my Dad still carries around in his wallet.