remember your mothers advice

travel back to the early '70's - 'mum, I am going to take French as a subject - we have to choose two subjects that we want to study and I am going to choose french and home science' -says me.
silence. . . . 'what about art?' my mother asks ' you are really good at creating' . . . 'I can paint and draw enough, I don't need to learn anymore and I want to be able to speak fluent french so I can impress everyone' . . . . 'well, you mark my words' says my mother, back in the early seventies ' you will be sorry' - and with that I studied the french language and home science which is a glorified name for cooking. I did well - I got very good marks for my project on Brittany and I can cook and I can speak french (not), well yes I can say au revoir with the roll of the tongue like miss Forshaw taught me.

now I want to create and my head is spinning with ideas, but I cannot get the art from my head to the paper. I am too worried about 'doing it right' . I stress, and I rip and I draw and I rip and on it goes. Til I give up, totally dejected.

Now here I am 48 years old, nearly 49 and I want to study art - well not really - I want to be able to do mixed media & collage without stressing. I see all this fantastic art everywhere - and I want to do it - not exactly the same but my own personal twist - is it wrong to look at collages and mixed media and be inspired so much that you try to create something along the same lines? not the same but similar

I wish now I had listened to mum, she is very wise you know. I must tell her I did mark her words and they are coming back to bite me

cancelled

sorry gals - I am cancelling the altered book swap - way too much for me to organize right now!

an kind of an altered book

I am not an expert on altered books, because I have never made one. But since I am going to have this altered book Christmas swap - I thought it might be a good idea to post a few ideas so that you can all see what you can do. It looks like fun to play with & I think it would be great to have an altered Christmas book sitting on the coffee table at Christmas time - for people to sit, browse and enjoy! this one is one that my daughter Sophie made in her year 7 art class - this is just one idea of how to do an altered book - you could use vintage photos!

above is the cover - Sophie covered it in some fabric from her childhood along with a few cut out heads and a button from a cardigan that she wore when she was 3.


above is Sophie's page - the page is hand made paper, a few altered photos and a friendship cloth badge


and this one above is Joe's mother's page - Sophie's grandma - she was related to the indonesian royal family wayyyyyyy back - so Sophie did the royal flush with playing cards ( I think that is what it is called)

wanna see all of it? ~ altered art books

and if you are interested in the altered art book Christmas swap - don't forget to email me through my profile. xo

thanks Daisy!

sitting here with my morning cup of echo(dandelion coffee) and thought I would do this me-me tag that the gorgeous daisy got me with!

1. Are you happy/satisfied with your blogs content and look?
yes, pretty much * I do stress over it though - I am sure I am compulsive obsessive.

2.Does your family know about your blog?
yes. they don't read it though - I am quite glad about that cause if they read some of it, they may commit me.

3. Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
My 'real life' friends don't know about it, I can't be bothered trying to explain

4.Did blogging cause any positive changes in your thoughts?
yes - I am exploring my inner self through my blog and that is not what I started for - it was more of a memory journey. at first I tried to be what every one expected me to be - flitting here and there with a lovely life - now? its me - every inch of me.

5. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or do you love to go discover more by yourself?
I have my favourites - I try to visit daily. if someone that I don't know takes the time to comment, then I always return the favour - if they take the time to comment the least I can do is go and say hi - sometimes we continue our blogging friendship, sometimes not. But one thing that I have trouble dealing with is the whole commenting thing - if someone has been commenting and then all of a sudden they stop, I worry about what I have done to them. something I am trying to get over. I know it isn't something I have done. You can't be liked by everyone.

6.What does a visitor counter mean to you? Do you like having one on your blog?
I had one, it annoyed the hell out of me for two reasons - one: I had thousands of visits so where the hell were the comments? and two: I had some visitors who have shunned & persecuted me for my beliefs, who said they would never visit but they still were. I felt like slapping them. so I took the counter off, it was making me too angry.

7. Do you try to imagine your fellow bloggers or give them real pictures?
I have a photo of myself up now - but it was taken at my daughters wedding, a good day. believe me, I don't look like that right now. I have pictures of most of my blogging friends in mind - not sure if they really look like I think they do though.

8. Admit it. Do you feel like there is a real benefit to blogging?
yes, I do. I get so much support, advice and wisdom from many women. I would be crazier than I already am without that. Plus it is a real kindred group that I am in. I love each of my blogging friends for who they are. xoxo

9. Do you think that blogger society is isolated from the real world or interaction with events?
sometimes, I think I am in another world when I blog. I guess I could become isolated if I allowed myself to.

10. Does criticism annoy you or do you think it's normal?
I guess it does annoy me. because the word is written and not spoken, so you don't have the benefit of tone. I have been hurt by some criticism as most of my blogging friends know.

11.Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?
i don't feel fear of the blogs, I read one political blog - although it is not all politics.
I actually fear the fundamental christian blogs - they burnt me at the stake once.

12. Were you shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?
I haven't heard about that, see I am isolated!.

13.What do you think will happen to your blog after you die?
gawd - who knows.

14. What song do you like to hear? What song would you like to link to your blog?
I would probably like a gregorian chant.

15. The next victims?
hmmmm - seeing as I am a rubbish me-me'er - I won't make anyone a 'victim'

Christmas swapping

ok, I have put the luggage tag swap in the too hard basket (for me to organize that is) - what I will be having is an altered Christmas book swap * and as most of us are the 'chief Christmas shoppers' in our households, I think a pamper the Christmas shopper swap is a good one, I did this last year and it was brilliant. Each participator buys a few items for their partner - a little Christmas decoration, something to pamper her as well, a few other goodies all wrapped up for her to open on Christmas eve. And the third one is for australian gals only - a piece of fruitcake swap. I swapped with Gina from Patras place last year and it was such fun, sitting with cup of tea eating a piece of her fruitcake! - so if you are interested in any of these, email me and I will get back to you when I have finalized all the requirements.

for those of us who believe in faeries

my faery altar in my hall-way - always a posy of flowers, a candle and a bowl of rose quartz. And my gorgeous fairy statue that sweet Rosa sent me awhile back. I adore it!

among our little blogging community are many who believe ~ in faeries ~ I know I do.! I know too, that in a past life I actually lived among the faeries - some may laugh but I believe it to be true ~ too many coincidences, not to believe it. hmm I must write about that oneday ~ then you will really think I am a nutter.
each human has a faery name - mine is ~ Misty-Dawn Silvery Spice. Do you believe enough to want to know your faery name? FAERY NAME
I belong to a few (actually make that, many) yahoo message boards and each week I receive a faery message ~ if you believe, then you may like to have a little look at this:
faery messages

mixed media memoirs

this weeks topic is 'my pleasures' ~ I have many and they change constantly depending on where the moon is & how I am being affected. If the weather is hot - my pleasure would be a tall glass of iced water with a slice of lemon. If it is cold & windy - a pleasure for me would be to tuck myself up under a quilt in front of my fire with a hot cup of cocoa. So another 'difficult' thing for me to do in one piece of 'art' - but here it is:

teenage daughters

I am going to be truthful here. I love both my daughters - I love my son too of course. But sometimes I don't like my youngest girl who is 17. I didn't much like her sister when she was 17 either. love them but don't like them much at all at 17. I would die for them but I just can't understand how one look or a word can spiral me down into sadness. I know they don't mean it but it sure hurts and I cannot help wishing that oneday when they become mothers that they will experience the same heartache that I am right now so that they will know how I felt. I know that I did the same to my mum when I was 16 - falling pregnant just about broke her heart, I am sure. But like mothers do, she stuck by me and loved me the whole while.

Sophie is 17 now and is a good girl. But she is so trying lately with her moods, her air of 'gawd, mum, why do you go on so much' and she thinks that the only purpose I am here is to spoil her life. Louisa is 26 next week and she is my friend, it took many years of heartache, fights and tears to get here but we did. My mum is my friend too and I hold onto that - when Sophie gets through this, we will be friends too. I can only hope.

oh and I know that this afternoon, when she comes home - she will prance inside and say hi as if nothing has happened. and I will forgive her for being a wicked witch this morning.

a little art from Rydal

Rydal - hmmm - at first I thought it was a town out of Deliverance. 6 houses, a catholic church, a library which opens on Saturdays between the hours of 10 til 12, where internet access is free and books are loaned out with a promise of returning them when you have finished. A hotel where the locals look at you as if you just arrived from another planet. An oval, that when you go and jog, the kangaroos hop along with you (well they actually hopped away from me). But hidden in this historical town is the Sculptors Garden. I investigated...... one man sitting on the verandah strumming his guitar (at first I thought it was a ukelele and I had a giggle) - ' I haven't any money on me' I said - 'ahh' he said ' burn your money at the gate, come on in and enjoy yourself' - immediately I thought to myself, gawd, no one knows I am here..... so I went on in, dogs jumping all over me & barking - and I met Anthony - the artist (not the man strumming the guitar, he was a friend) . Anthony was sitting sketching another friend - who had a long beard and red eyes and he kept staring at me, which made me decidedly uncomfortable. But I summoned the angels and felt protected. At first, I thought Anthony was a little bit of a nutter. But he gave me a map to his garden and sat himself back down to sketch. So I wandered through this gate:

and this is what I found:

a bronzed cast bust of the greek Goddess Demeter - this was amazing. I loved it! I started to rethink what I had thought of Anthony in the first place. then I saw this:

a concrete bust which he had personalized with a bit of plaster and some paint. magnificent!

but I knew he was a man after my heart when I saw this in his casting shed:

Quite excitedly, I told Anthony that I loved his Sacred Heart over his door ~ I am sure he was beginning to think I was a nutter! He told me that he bought it years ago to protect him as he made his castings. You see, it is a very dangerous thing to be doing & he wanted to be sure that someone was looking after him. 20 years on and no accidents at all! So he was most definately being looked after. I told him that he must leave that sacred heart there forever. Never to take it down and he nodded.

and as I went past the house on my way out I saw this:

a plaster byzantium goddess ~ this really inspired me ~ I am going to have a go at making one for my own garden.


I am absolutely positively sure there were fairies in the garden ~ you could feel them!

if you want to see more of the sculptors garden go here:
travelling with miss*R

monday musings

It takes courage to: follow your heart, listen to your instincts and trust in yourself

sunday scribblings

*instructions* ~ nearly everything comes with instructions. Once upon a time - it was a leaflet, then it progressed to a colour booklet, then a video and now it is a DVD. I have an instructional DVD on how to work my washing machine, booklets on how to use my vacuum and pamphlets on how to water my garden. My toothpaste has an instruction on the box and my shampoo has it printed on the back of the bottle. HRT has instructions and I am sure condoms come with them too. Funny thing is though - the most important things don't come with instructions - how to be a parent & how to find the meaning of life. I think it would have been a very good idea if God had sent us with our own little instruction book, like miss*R - this is your life. I am sure He could have had it printed out into a little leaflet or even given us our own instructional DVD - I guess it would depend on which era you were born in. A DVD would have been no use to my grandma - she would have thought it was something to hang in the fruit tree to scare birds away! ahh well, life without an instruction book is very interesting and parenting without one, even more so! happy life, everyone!

gratitude on Sunday

ahh yet another Sunday to find something to be grateful for. during the week, I think, oh I will put this or that on Sunday ~ but never remember to jot them down. I know during this past week ~ I had many things that I thought of to put here & do you think I can remember any of them? NO.
but I think this Sunday that I will say I am grateful that I am not the only menopausal demented woman out there in blogland. I am grateful that over the past few months, many menopausal women have come into my life via blogging. They support me when I have a 'moment' & make me feel that I am not alone in this. So dear sweet menopausal friends, this week, I am indeed thankful for each one of YOU!

back in the folds

yes'm ~ I am back home. I actually came home last night ~ but I went to bed really early. You see, I didn't sleep a wink while I was away for the one night. We stayed in the old school house in a place called Rydal - and I believe it was haunted. Between the spooks, the possums on the roof, the trains going past and honking their horns at the level crossing and the wind - I didn't get to sleep much at all. But it was a nice little break ~ I didn't get much sewing done ~ I did get a doll painted and three of my 6 X 6 quilties finished, so that was good. I am in the middle of uploading my photos so will post a little later about my day. I actually purchased a wood block print from a local artist. More about that in my next post!

I am quite excited ~ I received my partner for the Secret Society of fairies ~ so I am planning my first little package. I have been working on my BOS and my journal. the wind is out of control here today, we are on bush fire alert and as I type - the sirens are going all the time.

sometime soon ~ I will be over to visit !

spring equinox

a photo taken in the early morning sunshine ~ an ornamental grape adorned in her new spring green & a the statue Sophia

yesterday was the spring equinox ~ well it was for us here. I had great plans of little rituals and such but instead, I ate chocolate. oink, oink. I feel alot more balanced - thanks, I am sure, to an alignment sent to me from a gal in Canada & from all the grounding I did yesterday. Plus I have been sleeping with my trusty garnet under my pillow.

Being springtime,I do have spring cleaning in mind, but I generally tackle mine after the school holidays in October.
I am off today for an overnight stay with my sewing friends ~ not really looking forward to it - I get separation anxiety from being away from my guy & my home. what a baby! However, I have my 6 x 6 swap blocks to work on plus a few dollies to paint and my journal ~ hopefully it will be a productive weekend.

so ~ I won't be around til Sunday most probably. see you when I get home !

chocolate swap - piggy wiggy recipient miss*R

ooh a huge box was deposited on my doorstep yesterday! my chocolate swap gift from Lisa who dreams of the Ocean. look what I got!

above & below: a box full of yummy chocolate ~ sprinkles * hot chocolate mix * waffle mix * coffee beans covered in chocolate (already in my tummy) * a bag of chocolate squares * M & M chocolate lip gloss (Sophie has already had her eyes on that) * chocolate with a hint of chillie * mini tootsie rolls ( I loved those when I was in the US) * a chocolate cook book & a huge mug * oh and a chocolate shaped bridge (half of which is in my tummy, due to the mental state I was in today, I am surely miss piggy wiggy goddess of the day!)

and this absolutely gorgeous Chocolate swap goddess ~ I love, love, love it ! I have her hanging on my bedhead ~I love her! isn't she divine?

thankyou from the bottom of my heart, Lisa - the parcel I sent looks so teenie tiny compared to this. You sure know how to spoil a girl. did I tell you I love my doll?

I Love her xoxox

a girl has gotta do. . .

yep - a girl has gotta do what a girl has gotta do - feeling spacey today, so I went shopping - not for a hat but for shoes. Now, I ask you, how grounding is that. and look what I found! these shoes remind me of faery folk. I can just see myself skipping about in a faery ring with these on. oh, how I love them!

taking control with a circle of love

I bought this gorgeous wreath of love from Colette & it arrived yesterday - when I was feeling so scattered. Just to look at it brings me peace - peace in my soul.

after reading a few blogs & emailing a few of you ~ I have come to the conclusion that many of us are feeling slightly demented at the moment. whether it be the moon, menopausal maud or something happening out in the ether. last night as I drifted of to sleep (if that is what you can call it lately) I felt a strange sensation come over me - like I was completely one with the goddess. I hadn't even had a glass of wine! Was it the crone? I felt like a wise woman, a very wise women. However, I wander again. I have decided to do something about how we are feeling - a suggestion from kansas rose was a circle of women*maybe our collective feminine energy will help ~ take this if you so desire ~
first we need to ground ourselves ~ grounding yourself
then do any kind of centering ritual ~ meditating on a white or purple candle * meditate holding an amethyst crystal * take a walk, quiet your mind and be still in mind * drum * be one with Mother Earth, sit out under a tree and just be.

Kansas rose suggested building a circle from stones or other natural material- you could sit within it or walk around the outside as you meditate ~ whatever you decide to do, it is the intent that is important. think of all your blogging sisters out there and our collective energies will gather together and fall back to earth, showering us with our own healing energies.
and here is a healing prayer that I was sent:
oh Great Goddess
Mother of Mercy and Healing
Send the energies of Hygeia * to nourish from Her sacred bowl
Send the energy of Brigid * to heal with the waters of Her sacred well
Send the energies of Demeter * to restore life to withering cells
Send the energy of Quan Yin * to bless the healing with peace
Send Your healing wisdom to the body * to restore its sacred balance
Thankyou Great Goddess * Mother of all life

hey!

sorry if I haven't been to visit over the past day or two - I am feeling very scattered. I am trying to pop by and say something intelligent but it doesn't seem to be working.

I need to ground myself, yet again, so I think I will do a crystal chakra balance tonight. Hopefully I will be back down to earth tomorrow - I hate this spaced out feeling.

it's like - 'ground control to Major Tom'

and the funny thing is - the moon never affected me before I became menopausal - well I know its not funny but more like - weird. I just wanna be normal!

from the pages of my journal

I have many wise words in my journal - I wish I could remember to take them on board. Here is a daily prayer that I found ages ago - somewhere on the net - I thought I would share xo

I am committed to

feeling a bond with each person I meet

to respecting my own integrity and honour, to living the energy of love and compassion

and returning to that energy when I don't feel it

to making wise and blessed choices with my will

to maintaining perceptions of wisdom and non-judgement

to release the need to know why things happen as they do

and not to project expectations over how I want this day to be and how I want others to be.

And finally, my last prayer ~ 'to trust the Divine'

and with that I bless my day with gratitude and love

and a crooked apple tree

remember this ? :

my poor old apple tree has borer - it is over 80 years old - being the only survivor of the apple orchard that stood here originally. I have tried sticking wire up into the holes and squirting metho into it but the tree is quite big and these methods are just too time consuming. I have also tried companion planting with queen anne's lace,nasturtium and alyssum but obviously the borers don't know that this is supposed to repel them. So they continue worming their way through and depositing little piles of sawdust all around. So I am taking a leaf out of Prince Charles book and talking to the tree. I know I sound completely demented but I just have to do something - if this tree dies, I will be so sad. It is gorgeous. I have an old park bench under this tree, where I sit, often & have my cup of tea So, I mulched and fertilized and then I lit a sage smudge stick and walked all around the tree - praying to the nature spirits and St. Dorothy * the patron saint of fruit tree growers and orchards, that they come and help heal my tree. I am sure if the neighbours were looking out the window they would have thought I was a complete nutter. But I truly believe in things like this. Ancient civilisation, the american indians and aborginals can't be wrong, can they? So I smudged and prayed. Then I got some frankincense incense and lit a few sticks and put them round the tree. That was for cleansing. Then I told the tree I loved it so much and wanted it to heal itself - so that it could bring happiness to our family for many more years.
read the full post here: daily parcels - apple tree


well! today I took some photos of my gorgeous old apple tree ~ seems that the faeries have been working hard & their magick is working ~ the saints have been interceding for me as well - they want this tree to survive as much as I do ~ later today I am going to do a little spring ritual for my tree ~ I will light some candles around it, cleanse the crystal & thank all the faeries, elementals & saints for their help & then I will leave a gift for my faery folk friends.

and this photo is a close up of the gorgeous blossoms that my tree is adorned with right now ~ the bees are doing their work today, pollinating each little blossom with the promise of some lovely crisp apples ~ go here for some more photos: apple tree photos

oh no! not again

I am going through another 'spiritual awakening'. I can feel it in my soul. Not to mention, the dreams, or the way my bedroom feels at night - like there are crowds of people, all wanting to tell me things. When I have a nap, I hear whispers of voices but can't quite grasp what they are saying. I feel like there is a thirst in my solar plexus, for something that is missing. Or hiding, in the depths of my soul. maybe lost in childhood - the innocence of believing. My heart chakra aches. And it worries me - at times like this, I feel sad & lost and no-one can help, because it is my souls journey. It is like the angels are prodding me - just a few steps more miss robyn - seek and you shall find. Well, let me tell you, I have been seeking all my life and I haven't found it yet. why, oh why aren't we given a hand book when we are born? I sound like I have multiple personalities. or is it the moon? I never know - I just feel.

I know, breathe, Robyn, breathe

mixed media memoirs

this weeks topic at mixed media memoirs MMM ~ the lies I tell myself.

Hmmmm.... that is a hard one for me ~ cause honestly I don't know if I tell myself lies ~ the chatter in my head is telling me it how it is, I think. Or sometimes the voices are me, trying to work stuff out, but I don't know if there are any actual lies that I tell myself.

Maybe I am telling myself a lie when I tell myself there is a meaning to this thing we call life

OR maybe I am telling a lie when I constantly tell myself there is a reason for everything that happens in life.

my journal is full of the words - what if this is all a lie? and it is just my imagination.

ooh - but I forgot - when I was litte, I was always told not to tell lies 'cause you get pimples on your tongue.

So the lies I tell myself are more like voices of self doubt.

(and once again, this post is written as I think - confusing, yes?)

for Sheila ~ a blue-bell fairy

enjoy!

Sheila is a gal who emailed me a few weeks ago, with words of encouragement & has become a penfriend by email. We chat about life. Most days she gives me advice & helps me see things more clearly. each email has words of wisdom. the kindness of strangers, always catches my heart and makes it skip a beat. thankyou Sheila xo

monday musing

Learn to pause. . . .
or nothing worthwhile will catch up with you

gratitude on Sunday

who could not be grateful for a garden? I spent most of today in the garden. weeding, mulching & planting some peas & beans. But I made sure that I took time out to just be. I had a turn on our swing that hangs from the branch of our pine tree where the faeries live. I sat and watched the birds, flitting from here to there, enjoying the spring blossoms. Their songs sounded like their hearts were as full of joy as mine was today. Hover flies around my apple tree * bees on the lavender * dragonflies skimming the grasses * dandelions just waiting to picked, their heads full of wishes come true * ahhh the garden ~a thing to be grateful for on this gorgeous spring day

Blessings, bliss & blossoms xo

a photo of my bluebells ~ these were originally planted by Gladys. Each time I look at them, I wonder what she was like. I am sure she believed as I do

# 1 ~ friendship Piece ~ flower girl

I am taking part in a friendship quilt and we have to make one 6 x 6 fabric block per month. Seeing as I am on an absolute roll here, I am making all of mine now and will just keep them til they need to be sent out. I am so excited about this and having a ball designing and creating. I don't usually post swaps before they are received but the recipient of this one has assured me she doesn't mind. It is nearly finished, I just need to find some embellishment for it - I wanted words on cotton tape but I just can't find them here. I can't use stamping, 'cause this piece needs to be able to be washed. the gal who this is for, loves pink, purple & flowers ~ so I have named this one - flower girl. I painted the face myself but I think I still need to put pupils on the eyes. so ~ here is my first 6 x 6 - flower girl :

my life today

a day in the life . . .

*I had a massage

* a filling fell out of my tooth and I have decided to go and get every single tooth fixed and maybe braces back on my bottom teeth as they have moved (great, now I have to face my fear of the dentist)

* I spoke to my mum on the phone

* I had an attack of menopausal melancholy

* I fell in love with nature all over again when I was in the garden

*I heard someone say that once you have cancer you are doomed ~ I felt like punching them

* I cursed at the neighbours gum tree as it had dropped branches all over my garden, snapping off bluebell heads

and

I realized that it is 100 days til Christmas

I believe

just playing around this afternoon & I made this collage in my sketch book. Not happy with the 888 but it will do for the time being. That is a number that I keep seeing lately, along with 444 & 333 - messages from angels. I also see AAA quite often * and find feathers regularly. I have an angel feather in my car that I want to stick on it too.

book of shadows

remember this?

below is the title page - I dropped wax on it & my birth tag is on it as is a leaf I found on a walk, some dirt (to represent earth) & a picture of Mary * I AM Catholic after all!

in my book of shadows ~ I put pampering recipes & spells ~ to pamper the goddess that I believe I am! I also decorate with pictures from magazines that make my heart sing, some dried herbs & flowers and anything my inner child heart desires.

lace & ribbon to decorate sometimes ~ I love playing with this~

and here is a link to my on*line Book Of Shadows: my BOS

for *Ninnie*

I have had this post in my drafts for a few weeks now & wasn't going to post it as I was afraid of being witch hunted again and burnt at the stake, but then I read a post on Ninnies blog ~ and I thought 'what the heck, be who ya wanna be, do what you wanna do' - So ms*ninnie, here is the post I was telling you about:

some have emailed me and asked where the witch has gone. she is still here (just ask my family). Yes, I still call myself a hedgewitch . remember Glinda - the good witch in the Wizard of Oz? well that is not what a hedgewitch is - nor is a hedgewitch like you see on a broomstick... I am just an ordinary gal, in an ordinary house who loves ordinary things (well ok, I am far from ordinary ) but I hope you get my gist. The hedgewitch will pop her head out here, every now and then on this journey, as she is part of me as is the completely demented menopausal woman (who I hope, keeps her head in most of the time, she is not a pretty sight) ~ I do have a book of shadows - where I put my herbal remedies, some protection spells & other bits n pieces that I need - AND THERE IS NO BLACK MAGIC IN THIS GALS LIFE .........

so JUST what is a hedgewitch or a kitchen witch or a green witch?
the following are bits n pieces I have found on various web pages - can't remember where though - but if I find out, I will surely give credit ~ I didn't write the following words - but they certainly do encapture just what I do believe. :

I believe in miracles and magick.
I believe in respect of Mother Nature (The Goddess), and in reverence of spirit and faith (God).
I believe in honoring the elements of
(the four elements in Celtic faith or the five elements in Oriental beliefs);
earth, wind, water, fire, and spirit.
I honor the moon, the sun, and the stars.

I believe in magick and the power of prayer.

I believe in angels, faeries and other so-called mystical beings and creatures.
I believe in the use of candles (fire), crystals (earth), fountains and ponds (water), windchimes (wind), and prayer, spells, labyrinths, meditation, and divination (spirit).

I believe in rituals; communion, candle lightings and candle meditations, blessings, prayers, spells, vision quests, chanting, smudging, spirit guides....
(Christian, Native American, Celtic, Pagan, Buddhist all share in some forms of these rituals).

My religion, my belief system, my faith is still evolving, as I learn more about the past, the future, the present, and myself.

I believe in the laws of karma or "cause and effect.".
In other words, "What goes around usually comes around."

I believe in the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
I believe that faith was created by God but religion was created by man.
I don't believe that any one religion is any better than any other one.
They all have their purposes and fulfill personal needs.

wise words above - just wish I knew who wrote them

chatter from my head

life is funny. over my past two years at blogging, I have 'met' many people ~ some have become life long friends, some have moved on. That is life - I use to worry that I was an odd bod, the odd one out * and would constantly worry that people didn't like me (I am trying to change). I couldn't help being like that, not sure why - a childhood thing maybe. Funny thing is ` since I started this new blog I have met many, many kindred souls who are exactly the same as me. Strong women who aren't afraid to show their inner selves - whether through art or word. Women, who admit that life isn't always rosy posy - sometimes they feel like they are out of control and they are not afraid to admit it. Women who admit they have absolutely no idea what life is all about, they search and search and realize that this thing we call life is a journey and they have fun while they search. sometimes losing their way but finding it again with support of other women. They don't judge, they accept each of us for who we are. well done gals ! I love ya xo

oh and if you have a bad day and feel like crap - post about it !

taking care of business

business? well more like my day to day stuff - yesterday, I sent a package to daisy lupin which has been in my foyer for nearly a mth ( I am dreadful at sending packages, I keep forgetting to pick them up to take to the Post Office) * I am trying to work out a finishing touch for a swap I am in - the daisy lupin friendship piece*peace* ~ I have my chocolate swap ready to go and I need to get another one done for Pam Aries (she was desperately in need of a chocolate fix & I love to swap) * I need to go a do a little shopping for the gift for the auction & then get Sophie to pull a name out of a hat (watch Peggy's blog for the winner*in a day or two) * need to work on my bitsy quilt & sew two more art dollies * I have a doll to stuff~ can't wait to get working on her! * I am going to go rummage in a junk shop that is closing down (lots of ephemera*love that word!) and I am still searching for the meaning of life ~ I wonder what I will do when I find it?

art dollies

I have some ideas in my head for art dollies. I am even thinking a ya-ya goddess doll swap. This is my first 'art doll' ~ I have been making cloth dolls for years & selling them but this is my first venture into a mixed media kind of one - so without further ado * introducing *MY FLOWER GAL*

mixed media memoirs

I found yet another challenge site * well actually ms*lisa groggy froggy posted about it and I went off to have a look and ended up signing up as I do. Mixed media memoirs - once a week you are given a topic and you can create ~ a little bit of collaging mixed with a little bit of journalling ~ this will be great for me ~ I can use each piece as part of my souls journey.
this weeks topic: "I become off balance when" . HA! perfect for me - seeing as the words ~ off balance * out of control * confused and mixed up are words that show up constantly in my journal.


the text from my collage goes like this:
I feel unbalanced when my head is in the clouds and my feet are off the ground. When I am not grounded and I don't have a balance between my earth life & my spiritual life.

yes, times like that I feel like an absolute air head and being a Capricorn - an earth sign, it is important for me to feel grounded and connected to Mother Earth.

night time visitors

as you know, I think our home has a resident spirit ~ Gladys. I am beginning to think she has been making herself known to others, this past week. Sophie said last night that she has an awful feeling about the house ~ this worried me (I don't like to think that anyone would get a bad feeling about my home) so I sat and talked to her ~ she said she has been getting 'night fright' for a few weeks ~ she has heard doors opening during the night when we are all asleep, she had a friend stay over on the weekend, who saw someone standing next to the bed & Sophie says she hears things all night. So I sat with her last night and explained to her that there is no way a 'bad' spirit could enter our home ~ I cleanse it with sage smudge regularly, I have protection crystals scattered around my house, I have more religious icons in my home than the Vatican (well, nearly) and they have all been blessed by priests I am sure (because that is what people did once upon a time) and I always ask the angels to put a protective guard around my home. I feel angels wandering through my home always. I told Sophie that if she ever feels a presence and is scared, just to close her eyes and say in her mind - 'I am frightened by you, please stop' & they will. That is the law of the universe, so I am told. but get this :~ as I was sitting on her bed chatting ~ the light came on for about a minute, then went off again. Sophie said 'see?'

~ funny thing is - we thought the bulb had broken and didn't have another to replace it with ~ hmmmm

of course, Joe the sceptic said we hadn't inserted the light bulb properly ~ ha!
so today, I think I will burn some sandalwood incense and have a little chat with my angels. they may give me an answer

unveiling ~ ze cardigan

at last I can show you that cardi that I was altering. I have a large collection of buttons ~ thanks to my nan ~ I think I have about 10 large jars of vintage buttons ~ all shapes, sizes and colours and I am sure not one matches ! lucky I didn't want matching ~ I have been known to sit for hours with all the buttons on the floor, trying to find matching ones for some project I have been working on. Oneday ~ I want to go through them all and get any matching ones together. good therapy! SO ~ a new spring cardi, 5 vintage buttons & 1 metre of new floral braid equals:

I still have to find a little quote to embroider on the front

ps ~ sorry for the photo quality

Monday musings

God rest their souls ~ we will remember them ~ always

need I say more?

I am sure every single person remembers where they were when they first saw those planes fly into the WTC. it was late at night on September 11 for me ~ and NY was just beginning their day. I was online on AOL, chatting to my friend who lives in Rochester NY about my planned trip to New York city in December. I had just paid & booked my flight a few days before. then I saw the words that she had typed : "oh my God" - a plane has hit the World Trade centre". I ran to the television and watched in horror as those events unfolded. five years later, I am still watching, still not believing that it happened. wondering if we have learnt anything from this?

Like everyone said - that day changed the world forever.

I did end up going to NY that December ~ those New Yorkers - gotta love them! they are definitely a breed of their own (in the nicest way of course!) One of my bestest ever friends lives there on Staten Is. A proud Yankees fan!

I must tell you sometime, about my trip to that gorgeous place.

*the scanned print above was given to me when I was visiting*

gratitude on Sundays

I will say that I am grateful for the rain that we have been having for the past few days - I couldn't care less if it rained til our dam was full. I am sure I would be whingeing by that time though. so, I am grateful, vrey grateful, for the rain - thankyou God.

My state - New South Wales, has been experiencing a drought for quite some time ~ we are on water restrictions & are always being reminded by the media and the government to 'save' water - well, that is fine by me - but why does Government House have green lawns? Why are big time businesses exempt? why, why, why?
We have a dam here, called Warragamba that was supposed to serve the greater Sydney region with water 'forever' - the authorities obviously didn't realize how big our city was going to grow and now it is just not big enough - coupled with leaking pipes - our water supply dwindled fast - millions spent on the Olympics but none for a new dam. hmmm. I just hope all this rain is falling in 'the catchment area' - it usually misses - I am sure they move the catchment area or put umbrellas up over it each time it rains because even though we have inches of the wet stuff right now, it isn't going into our dam - it is flowing out to sea in all its glory. Any intelligent person would think to some how harness all this wastage - but it seems to me that not many people in government power are intelligent - doesn't matter which side of the political fence you sit on.
and I just found out that when Sydney Water started to connect homes to town water years ago - they ruled that owning a rainwater tank was illegal - and fined people for it? huh? people in power intelligent ? I don't think so.

international angel day

today is international angel day ~ the day before September 11.
I believe that angels exist ~ I know they exist. I collect vintage angels * I make angel dolls * I have angel books and angel cards * I am even going to an angel workshop in October
I have been wandering around my home today * taking photos of some of my angels :~

this is an angel that I bought a few years ago on ebay * poor little thing has a chipped nose ~ but I love the chipped and cracked in life ~ always


I bought this at an antique shop a few years ago and it hangs over a doorway to send angel blessings down as people leave my home


the angel above was made for me by a friend ~ made from a vintage quilt piece and teenie little gloves for wings ~ she made it for me the year I had cancer

and this one was bought for me by Joe ~ a vintage chalkware angel from Poland ~ he bought it at a garage sale for one dollar ~ it is just 'divine'

I am surrounded by angels ~ we all are. even in blogging world, I feel I am surrounded by many angels ~ each of you is an angel to me

Peggy asked me to do a book thingie and I thought I would use my angel book ~ open the book to page 123 * scroll to the 5th sentence * post the next 3 sentences, the book title and author:

ok ~ here goes: earth angels by Doreen Virtue ( I know some of you don't like her)

"and since we can only feel happy and fulfilled if we're engaged in our purpose, then it's necessary for Wise Ones to open and redevelop their spiritual gifts. The wise ones have a special affinity with the elemental kingdom and vice versa. Not only do fairies and elves play a role in earth based spiritual practices but deep friendships were forged between the elementals and wise ones"

of course, that will make absolutely no sense to anyone at all ~ I guess you need to read the whole chapter.

tagging? froggy Lisa * ocean dreamer lisa and Nicole

only if you want to of course!

saturday stuff

I woke this morning to a cold, cold day - got the fire going and then noticed that it was raining. ahh well, no gardening - so a to-do list: 1) visit all my favourite blogs - I have been a rubbish friend this past week and have been spasmodic in my comments - I will be over to visit sometime today! 2) I am going to sort out all the swaps I am currently involved in and start gathering all the bits together for each one 3) work on my art doll - who is looking quite wonderful, I think! 4) play with my bitsy quilt

so Joe & I went to Leura today for coffee at Josephans - they make chocolate there *they have a chocolate fountain and lots of yummy, yummy hand made chocolates - I had a yummy piece of mexican chocolate cake (shared with Joe of course - he got more!), would hate to think how many calories were in it and I bought some chocolate bits and pieces for the chocolate swap.

then I saw the front page of the paper and Peter Brock was killed yesterday in a car rally ! ! another aussie icon gone - what the hell is happening ? and now I keep thinking that things happen in 3's - (so my nan use to say) ~ who is next?

miss Gladys Sharpe

did I ever tell the story of my home, the one I live in now?. . .
well ~ . . . oh! but first of all - let me tell you about my hope chest or really, about Gladys's hope chest. . . . about 9 years ago, I went into a local junk shop and spotted a gorgeous 1930's maple blanket box - it was lined inside with the most delightful pink wallpaper and on the outside it has a plaque with the word ' Gladys' written on the side. . . loved it. . . . . just had to have it. .. . .. . so bought it (of course) for a wonderful sum of $85.
about a year later, we stumbled across this house that we are living in, it was a little ramshackle, railway cottage built in 1927 - fibro & weatherboard complete with rats & possums in the ceiling - an over-run garden with a great backbone - I fell in love with it the minute I walked through the gate. I knew I was meant to be there ~ ~ I remember bringing my mum up to see it * her reaction - 'you are joking, aren't you?'. ~ ~ ~
You see, we were moving from a double story mansion, with all the trimmings ~ (just like a big lemon meringue pie - it was all lemon & white) ~ to this ~ a mouldy old pie. . . . . It was unloved ~ three layers of carpet on the lounge room floor, masonite sheets covering the original inside weatherboard wall . . . 1970's bamboo wallpaper and the most horrific metallic wallpaper in our bedroom. . . Lots of work, hard work, to be done. . .
Most people would have demolished this house. But we could see the potential and bought it.
I adore this home. It has soul.
We worked on it every weekend for about two months before moving in. . . . every weekend, I would come up here with my trusty pliers and a packet of panadol and on my hands and knees, I would pull out the carpet tacks. ONE BY ONE - hence the need for the panadol. . . .
we washed all the floors & walls with hot soapy water and painted everything white! floors, walls & ceiling, not because I wanted shabby chic ~ just to make it fresh while we renovated. . . We had plans of renovating as we went ~ a room at a time.
It was rustic and primitive - to the point that I was asked if it could be used in a country magazine !!
I remember that first night we slept here - I felt someone standing at my bedside during the night - not a scary prescence more a comforting one. I just accepted that I had a resident ghost - no bother at all. And I got on with life.
a few weeks later I decided to do a history on my home, through the local historical association. it was built in 1927 by a Miss Gladys Sharpe of Rose Bay and the home was called Sunhaven, back then.
My blanket box !!! I wonder? ~ ~ ~ I still feel Gladys with me sometimes - she likes me and she likes that I love her home. I can just feel it! and I talk to her often - asking her for advice and help. sometimes I see her foxgloves popping up everywhere or her forget me nots and sometimes her rose campion ~ each time I notice them ~ I wonder what she was like, what did she cook? did she love to make things? would she have been a kindred spirit?
Sophie asked me once ~ if I ever got lonely during the day. ahhh, but I am not and it comforts me to know that I am not alone, that I have Gladys.