Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American blogging friends! May the blessings and abundance of this celebration be upon you and your families!

I am thankful for:

• my husband; he's funny, loving, kind, understanding and cuddly-- and handsome to boot
• my marriage-- its not always been perfect or easy, but its better each year as the two of us share and grow together
• my Moose-man! such a sweet kitty, such a great lump!
  
• our house-- I'm thankful we have a house, a HOME, and are no longer renting; we can paint and personalize to our hearts content, as well as enjoy a yard to garden in and a patio to sit and relax
• family-- wish they were closer, but they are only a phone call away
• my spiritual path, spiritual guides & allies
• friends-- new, old, bloggers, and those I haven't met yet
  
• cinnamon rolls
• trees, herbs, flowers
  
• warm, fuzzy slippers
• flannel sheets
• candle light and candles
• crock pot recipes
• polymer clay-- and all art supplies!
• being able to create with my hands and mind
• the glorious color spectrum
  
• good books to read... and re-read
  
• fresh cranberries!
• house plants
• comfy new jeans
• my Subaru Forester; it fits me just right, its safe, dependable, in good repair
• a job I enjoy
• commuting with my husband to work-- bonding time + saves gas!
• my awesome camera
• all our bills are paid each month
• good music and the way it makes me feel when I listen to it
  
• our president-elect
• vintage china
• down throw blankets
• footstools
• holiday baking opportunities
• Swheat scoop cat litter
  
• comfy pajamas for lounging in
• being able to do laundry at home!
  
• soups of all kinds
• tarot decks
• sunshiney days
• much needed rain
• yoga
• alpaca wraps!
• pashminas!
• trade arrangements
• Birkenstock shoes
• felt tip pens/markers
• crochet and all you can make with it
• life in general
  

Value of Trade

I'm becoming friends with a woman I've met at work. She noticed that I'm always FREEZING at work; I wear layers and have my coat draped over my knees and still am cold. Most days I'll bring my pashmina and wrap it around my shoulders and arms while I work, too.

Anyway, so she commented on my pashmina because she loved the color, and then told me about how if I liked shawl-type wraps that I should try alpaca because its really warm. She said she had an olive green alpaca shawl that she bought and never wore because it's too hot and she felt like she's drowning in it. She said she'd bring it in for me to see if I liked it and maybe we could work out a trade.

So yesterday she brought it in and I wore it during the afternoon. OH! So warm! Like, *immediately* warm. Better than wool. As soon as I wrapped it around me, I could feel the warmth rising in me. It was wonderful. And quite a lovely shawl, very simple but elegant-- green with a scalloped edge with fringe and a button to hold it shut. Fuzzy and warm, warm, warm! I told her I loved it.

Well, let's talk about trade, she says with a gleam in her eye. Yep, she definitely had something in mind. She knew I crocheted and what she really really really wants is... (drumroll please)...

a crocheted tea cozy!

That's it! Can you believe it!? I don't know why, she says, I've just always wanted one. I like the idea of them. And you're the first person I've met who could make me one. Her teapot? Round, 3-4 cup size, she wants something in blues. She drinks a ton of tea, in fact earlier this week I brought some special Red Bush Chai blend to share with her because I knew she'd appreciate it.

So. I'm scouring the 'net for a nice crocheted tea cozy pattern. I'm thinking maybe I'll make her a nice little set as a surprise... tea cozy, napkin ring, place mat or something like that.

I hope that will make a fair trade. I dunno, I'm new at this. But I like the idea of trading. Each of us gets something we really like and want. And it's nice to be able to give something that I created.

AWOL, Memes & More

I've been AWOL this past week. Maybe it was noticed? Maybe not? My hours at work started up full-time again the day after Election Day, so now my days look more like this: long commutes, busy all day, tired in the evening and in bed early; which hasn't left me much time to do much of anything else, let alone blog. But it's good to be FT at work, and I'm enjoying my new project and meeting new people.

Playing catch up in the blogosphere this weekend!

First off, Talamuir, one of my very first blog friends, has tagged me for the Six Random Things meme and Kreativ blog award. Talamuir's blog was one of the very first pagan blogs I found way back when I started blogging years ago. We lost track of each other for a while, and recently reconnected, which makes me so happy. Visit her at her new place, Voices at Samhuinn and enjoy her lovely photography!

1. Link to the person or persons who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

I know I've done six random things in the past, but there are plenty of random things about me, so I'm going to share it some more!

1. I love to read historical fiction and non-fiction about the Tudor Period. I am fascinated with Anne Boleyn and her very tragic story-- and the other wives of Henry VIII. The great Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn's daughter, is also an intruiging woman.
2. I love vintage china and would love to collect it, but I don't see the purpose of having lots of stuff I don't use, so I mostly drool over it at antique stores and online. My favorite styles: anything chintz, especially in yellow/pink, and Clarice Cliff's Tonquin in mulberry. Looooove transferware and carnival glass, too.
   
3. I like to buy my books in trade paperback size. I carry them around in a zippered book cover during the time I'm reading them. I don't dog-ear pages or break the spine.
   
4. I've had the same pair of slippers since 1996. Firehand got them for me. They're warm, comfy sheepskin, all fuzzy inside. I wore off the fuzzy on the soles inside, so we had to buy new fleecy sole inserts about 6 years ago. It's about time for new inserts, again.
5. I love to crochet, but I am a "threadie"-- I don't crochet too much with yarn. I like making lace, doilies and such, instead. Especially floral motif doilies.
   
6. I took children's theatre classes when I was young and had many roles in theatre productions in junior high & high school, but I'd be terrified to be on stage nowadays. I don't know how I ever did it.

I've tagged six people in the past for this meme, but I've met some great creative people through Soul Coaching, so I'm going to tag a few more:

Jamie at Starshyne Productions because she is so inspiring and brings out the best in all that she touches.

Genie Sea at Reality Insanity* fierce and open sharing and beautiful digital tarot art collages.

Aurora at Foxy Art Studio inspiring quotes, lovely knitting projects and creative, honest journaling pages.


Also, my sweet friend Nydia at Bringing Up Salamandars nominated me for the "Love Your Blog" Award! Thank you! Along with the award comes this fun (or, if you're wordy like me, challenging) little meme where you have to answer the following questions with one-word responses.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Where is your significant other? desk

3. Your hair color? red

4. Your mother? inspiring

5. Your father? bearded

6. Your favorite thing? reading

7. Your dream last night? none

8. Your dream/goal? creating

9. The room you’re in? living

10. Your hobby? crafting

11. Your fear? many

12. Where do you want to be in six years? content

13. Where were you last night? pumphouse

14. What you’re not? slender

15. One of your wish list items? tarot

16. Where you grew up? Iowa

17. The last thing you did? potty

18. What are you wearing? pajamas

19. Your T.V.? off

20. Your pet? Moose

21. Your computer? emachine

22. Your mood? positive

23. Missing someone? Claire

24. Your car? Forrester

25. Something you’re not wearing? bra

26. Favorite store? craft

27. Your Summer? dry

28. Love someone? totally

29. Your favorite color? green

30. When is the last time you laughed? evening

31. Last time you cried? Sunday

Tarot & My *NEW* Etsy Store

My tarot card for this moon cycle is The Empress (3). Little did I know just how appropriate this card was going to be when I drew it last January for my new year's spread.

Keywords/phrases from TP&S: mother, fruitfulness, healing, prosperity, creativity, productive action, abundance. Now is the time to express creative instincts in productive action; any kind of artistic endeavor will prosper.

Why is this card so perfect for me right now? Well, the new moon cycle began on October 28th and that's when I began putting together my listings for my **new** Etsy store, which is NOW OPEN!


I am never more content, balanced and focused than I am when I am creating. It is a meditation for me and a banquet for my senses. I love creating beautiful items and it has been a goal for the past year or so for me to create enough pretty, unique and useful things that I could open an Etsy store and share my creations with others who will hopefully enjoy them, too.

This week I've realized that goal and I'm excited! I'd love to have you visit my new shop and share the excitement with me.

It's Here

And it's been framed and hung and it's just fabulous!


What am I talking about? The beautiful print by Emily Balivet that I won during Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween contest.


I had the perfect place to put it, right over my work area in my craft room. And being a tarot reader, I love that its theme is "psychic fortunes." It's a beautiful print!

Thank you so much Emily Balivet, for the artwork, and Mrs. B for hosting a fabulous contest the entire month of October!

Please Hold...

... I am experiencing technical difficulties in setting up my Etsy shop, but continuing to work on getting it all figured out and put together...

... in the meantime... let's just take a nice, deep breath and enjoy a Steve Perry moment...


Well. I don't know about you, but *I* certainly feel a little bit better...