Saturday, December 31, 2011

Wishing All A Very Happy New Year - Peace, Happiness and Abundance to All


Happy New Year ! 
Here’s a wonderful vintage postcard that Vintage Dragonfly has made available to all.  Isn’t she the best!  


I do so wish and pray for all the people of this most beautiful Earth to find Peace, Happiness, Joy, Compassion and Abundance … After all is there enough for all of us. 

Love and Light to you and yours.


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Dedicated To My Daughter - I See Your True Colors Darling Daughter



I dedicate this video to my wonderful daughter, who has saved my life in so many ways.  I just want her to realize how special and precious she is to me.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could ALL see everybody's True Colors?  Then this world would truly be like a rainbow.  I wish and hope for that each and every day.  

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
Its hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors

Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,

Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors

Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

(When I last saw you laughing)

If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors

Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show

Your true colors

True colors
True colors
Shining through

I see your true colors

And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Peace, Happiness and Abundance to  ALL !  
If only we could remember who we really are.








Sunday, December 18, 2011

Happy Yule/Winter Soltice - Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays

Here's some information that I've gathered through the years on this merriest and brightest season that I thought I would share with you.  

Yule,Winter Solstice Lore and Traditions - 
The December solstice will occur at 05:30 (or 5:30am) on December 22, 2011. It is also known as the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere and the Summer Solstice in the southern hemisphere due to the seasonal differences. The date varies from December 20 to December 23 depending on the year in the Gregorian calendar.  Yule is also known as the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere and the Summer Solstice in the southern hemisphere due to the seasonal differences. 

Yule, (pronounced EWE-elle) is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sun's "rebirth" was celebrated with much joy. On this night, our ancestors celebrated the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth. From this day forward, the days would become longer.  

I found this recently on utube.  I can’t believe I just heard this for the first time and it’s from 1977.  What a joyous song.  It’s "Ring Out Solstice Bells," by Jethro Tull. From their album "Songs from the Wood". BLESSED YULE, Joyous Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Everyone !



When the Yule season approached, mistletoe was cut down from the sacred oaks by the Prince of the Druids, who used a golden sickle.  Mistletoe was also hung as decoration.  It represented the seed of the Divine, and at Midwinter, the Druids would travel deep into the forest to harvest it. 
Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were "wassailed" with toasts of spiced cider.  Children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges which were laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. The apples and oranges represented the sun.  The boughs were symbolic of immortality (evergreens were sacred to the Celts because they did not "die" thereby representing the eternal aspect of the Divine). The wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour was accomplishment of triumph, light, and life. Holly and ivy not only decorated the outside, but also the inside of homes, in hopes Nature Sprites would come and join the celebration. A sprig of Holly was kept near the door all year long as a constant invitation for good fortune to visit the residents. 

There was quite a bit of ritual and ceremony tied to the Yule log, for it marked the sun's rebirth from its southern reaches. The Yule log gets its name from the Scandinavian tradition, but the ritual burning of a special log during winter solstice took place as far west as Ireland, as far south as Greece, and as far north as Siberia.     
The ceremonial Yule log was the highlight of the Solstice festival. In accordance to tradition, the log must either have been harvested from the householder's land, or given as a gift... it must never have been bought. Once dragged into the house and placed in the fireplace it was decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze by a piece of last years log, (held onto for just this purpose). The log would burn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days after before being ceremonially put out.  
Celtic Druids decorated their logs with holly and pinecones. The remnants of the burned logs, believed to protect the homes from evil and lightning, were traditionally kept to start the fire the following year as a symbol of the cycle of seasons, the annual death and rebirth of the sun, and the triumph of good against evil. Ashes from the Yule log were spread around homes and gardens as added protection.   
Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. A herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice. 
Many customs created around Yule are identified with Christmas today.  If you decorate your home with a Yule tree, holly or candles, you are following some of these old traditions.   The Yule log, (usually made from a piece of wood saved from the previous year) is burned in the fire to symbolize the Newborn Sun/Son.  
I'll be back soon with a post on Christmas Punch ... Yum !
Happy Christmas, Blessed Yule, Merry Winter Solstice and Happy Holidays to ALL! 
I hope I didn't leave anyone out. 

Monday, December 12, 2011

YuleTide Christmas Assemblage Altered Art Angel, Fairies, Santas For My Home

Greetings all people who gather in goodness and peace.  Below are pictures of some of my Yule/Christmas decorations that I created for our home to cheer up the holidays. 

 Here are a trio of Angels ... vintage, Victorian, assemblage, altered art.  



Below you can see my fairies and Santas.  These are scattered throughout our home bringing a chuckle whenever anyone sees them.  


 I hope you enjoyed looking.  Happiness and Peace to ALL !

Thursday, December 8, 2011

A Christmas Carol with a Progressive Pagan Twist

This is a beautiful artistic video showing a version of my very favorite "A Christmas Carol", with a progressive Pagan twist. I think it's especially touching that the celebration of the Holy Christ Child is really held on a sacred Pagan holiday. Kinda makes you think why do we have to push our spiritual beliefs on others .... they are all the same at the core anyway.



This is so nice ... I especially loved the dancing in the circle part. You can find the creator's post on this video and blog here http://celestialelfdanceoflife.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-carol.html.   We are all on our own journey with memories from past lives. All paths lead to the same place .... LOVE .

Peace, Happiness, Kindness, Generosity, Hospitality, Compassion and Abundance for ALL this Yule-tide Season.

Merry Christmas, Blessed Yule,
Happy Holidays !

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Holiday Greetings From our Black Kitty Cat Puffie

Finally, as promised, my fabulous daughter put together this video of our simply marvelous and humorous kitty Puffie … our Nubian Princess.  Isn’t she funny ?  I mean, what other cat does this ?  If you know of one, by all means let us see … we love to see all the pretty kitties.  I'll be back with a picture of her flat on her belly with her legs straight out, I promise.  




Oh, and here's a delightful cat poem..All cat lovers know how wonderful cat kisses feel.   

Love and Light,
Happiness and Abundance to ALL !  

 

Cat Kisses

                     Sandpaper kisses                
on a cheek or a chin
that is the way
for a day to begin

Sandpaper kisses
a cuddle and a purr
I have an alarm clock
that's covered in fur!

~Author Unknown

 


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake - Our Thanksgiving Dessert

I just thought I should get this post out before it's Christmas ! Although our family is tiny we still had a wonderful Thanksgiving with all the works.  The turkey was wonderful and we are still enjoying it a lot.  We are now finished with the Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake that my daughter created for us.  It's actually one of her own recipes.  It was marvelous.  She whipped up some cream with a touch of maple syrup which added that extra bling.  Needless to say, yummy.  Just click on the picture to link to her recipe at her blog.  She says it's not really that hard to bake up.  

 
May your days be filled with Happiness, Peace, Compassion and Abundance !!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Fairy Of Inspiration - Quotes and my newest Embellished Fairy Print

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass.........it's about learning to dance in the rain.

Greetings to all who come in Peace and positive energy.  It's been a while since I've displayed my art, and I really want to show off my Fairy Girls.  This is my latest Embellished Matted Fairy of Inspiration Art Print that you can find at my Etsy shop.  I have included some wonderful quotes that have inspired me through the years.  Oh, how I love to dance in the rain!  Right now I just have a limited number of the embellished matted prints available, but will be listing more in the near future.  
 



“We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration.”  
~Josefa Iloilo


Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living.  When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid ... and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.  
~Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) ~ (Love Him and all his books) 


We must become the change we want to see.  ~Gandhi

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

It's Just One Of Those Days ....

Oh how I try to be positive every day, every moment, but that’s impossible for me.  So, I just try to be positive moment to moment and when something upsetting comes into my life I do try to feel those feelings and then let them go.  It may take some time, but I’m getting better at it.  And, frankly, I do have things to be worried and upset about, like we all do.  Being the sensitive soul that I am, the cruelty of the world seeps in and I get very depressed.   I try to keep a wise friend’s words close and not be so hard on myself and take on the world's burdens.  After all, my fretting won’t change a blessed thing except make me sick.  Be that as it may, I was thinking about the following from one of my favorite writers when these feelings just came to mind. 

To thine own self be true,     
and it must follow, as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man.
    ~Shakespeare   




I try to be true to myself … even though I’m still searching and discovering.  Below are some very interesting quotes on this same subject that I hope you will enjoy.  

You must be
true to yourself.
Strong enough to be
true to yourself.
Brave enough to be
strong enough to be
true to yourself.
Wise enough to be
brave enough to be
strong enough to
shape yourself from what
you actually are.
~Sylvia Ashton-Warner (she's from New Zealand) 

Make it thy business to know thyself, which is the most difficult lesson in the world. Yet from this lesson thou will learn to avoid the frog's foolish ambition of swelling to rival the bigness of the ox. ~Miguel de Cervantes

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.  ~Frederick Douglass  (how cool is he!!)

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson (one of my favorite writers and human beings)

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.  ~e.e. cummings
 

We may as well follow our own path ... they all lead to the same place anyway. ~ArtSings
 

 

Wishing you all Happiness, Compassion, Kindness, Understanding, Peace and Abundance, now and always. 

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Teachers Are Magical !

I created this Fairy especially for a teacher that I had the privilege of getting her name in a gift exchange. Although we have never “met” I knew she was a teacher, and one who was grateful for her job since she was laid off as a regular teacher and was happy to get a job teaching migrant workers. How wonderful she is, and how lucky to have such a meaningful job. So I have offered this fairy with embellishments at my Etsy store. She is my Teachers Are Magical Fairy … and they are, aren’t they … at least the good ones are. I know there are not so good teachers, but how can we expect to have all excellent ones when they are so underpaid and disrespected by the general population. I do know that everyone has had a magical teacher sometime in their life … so I hope this brings back memories for you. Good ones, that is.


" I am not a teacher, but an awakener" ~Robert Frost

There is no job more important than yours,
no job anywhere else in the land.
You are the keepers of the future;
you hold the smallest of hands.


Into your care you are trusted
to nurture and care for the young,
and for all of your everyday heroics,
your talents and skills go unsung.

You wipe tears from the eyes of the injured.
You rock babies brand new in your arms.
You encourage the shy and unsure child.
You make sure they are safe from all harm.

You foster the bonds of friendships,
letting no child go away mad.
You respect and you honor their emotions.
You give hugs to each child when they're sad.

You have more impact than does a professor,
a child's mind is molded by four;
so whatever you lay on the table
is whatever the child will explore.

Give each child the tools for adventure,
let them be artists and writers and more;
let them fly on the wind and dance on the stars
and build castles of sand on the shore.

It is true that you don't make much money
and you don't get a whole lot of praise,
but when one small child says "I love you",
you're reminded of how this job pays.
~author unknown~

I’ve had two teachers that I can remember that have inspired and enriched my life. They were both High School teachers. One was a history teacher and the other an English teacher. One made history come alive and I’ve enjoyed history books and movies and documentaries since and the other gave me Shakespeare. She made his works comes alive in the classroom … all of us, and I mean all, became enthralled with him. So, I love all of his works, simply fabulous. How much we lost. Think about how everybody talked back then … we are like baboons compared to them, me included. I see how clumsy I express myself with our present day English and I’m embarrassed. But, I do carry on as we all must.

Peace, Happiness, Compassion and Abundance to ALL !

Friday, November 4, 2011

Fairy Trees - Some Folkore, Legends And Myth, Or Could This Be True ???


Greetings All Lovers of Fairies, Folklore, Magic and Myth ... and the Enchantment of Trees! This post if all about fairies and tree lore ... and I have some recommended books for you also! So welcome to my enchanted Queendom Of Fae and enjoy.



Some say Fairy Folk can be found in mushroom circles, in pine forests, in hollows of oak trees and amongst the acorns, pine cones and Autumn leaves. Milkweed pods are sure to lead you to the wee ones. Dew drops, primroses, running streams are regular homes for the Fae & Gnome. Almost all kinds of tree found in the Celtic countries have been thought to have special powers or to serve as the abode of the fairies, especially the magical trio of oak, ash, and thorn. Next in rank are the fruit-bearing trees apple and hazel, followed by the alder, elder, holly, and willow. The esteem given different trees varies in different parts of the Celtic world; on the Isle of Man, the phrase ‘fairy tree’ denotes the tramman [elder]. D. A. MacManus devotes a chapter to Irish fairy trees in The Middle Kingdom (London, 1959). You can find this and some other books that may be of interest to you regarding folklore, legends, and myth of the fairy and sacred trees just below.
You should easily be able to find these books at your local library to see if this would be something you would want to purchase. That's what we do. We love to go to and support our local libraries. It is a fun experience and we are always surprised to find that the place is very busy.


Just below is a picture of my Sparkle Fairy surrounded by mystical fairy trees. In my Enchanted Fairy World the trees are very magical indeed and look and feel and smell nothing like you have ever experienced except perhaps in your dreams. Be that as it may, all of our beautiful and enchanting trees in this world are just as magical if we just lift the veil from our eyes and really see them.


* Oak * Legend tells us that "Faery folks are in the oaks". Oak trees are believed to provide safe havens and homes for many varieties of faery. OAK is the king of the forest. Oak trees are safe havens and homes for many varieties of fairies. Oakmen are created when an oak stump sends up shoots. One should never take food offered by the Oakmen, as it is poisonous. Fairies cherish the Great Oak and use the acorns for decoration, celebrations and use the tops for hats. The leaves are used in the autumn celebrations. There are some families of fairies who live in the Great Oaks. Hundreds of faeries have been found to live in the oldest Oaks. There are fairies to be found in every Oak tree, the health of the surrounding environment plays a major role in determining the number of fairies that actually inhabit the Great Oak. Planting an acorn in the dark of the moon ensures that you shall receive money in the near future. Carrying an acorn increases fertility and strengthens sexual potency. Carrying a piece of Oak draws good luck.
* Ash * has healing properties in fairy folklore. Ash is a sacred tree to the Druids. The ash was made into wands used for healing, general or solar magic. It was believed that children with crooked bodies, legs or arms should be passed through young ash trees. If the tree grew tall and straight, so also would the child.
* Hawthorn * Hawthorn Tree is one part of the sacred triad of trees that are said to be sacred to the Faery. Oak, Ash, and Thorn, when growing naturally together, create a place where it is easy to see the Fey. Hawthorns were once believed to be the abode of spirits which was that of a dryad or tree faery. A grove comprised of those three trees is believed to be the perfect habitat for fairies, and an excellent place to catch sight of them. Pixie Pears is another name for hawthorn berries. Hawthorn was once used to decorate May poles.
*Apple * The bark of apple trees or the fruits themselves have the power to transport a true-hearted seeker to the Otherworld. APPLE was regarded as the fruit of immortality in Celtic Mythology. Apple was also known as the home for Unicorns. The Welsh 'Avalon' means 'Apple Island'. CĂșchulainn followed the trail of a magical apple to gain his freedom in one story. Connla the son of Conn is fed an apple by a fairy lover which sustains him but also makes him fall hopelessly in love with her. One of the tasks of the children of Tuirenn is to retrieve the magical apples of the Hesperides.
* Alder * The Fae of the Alder have been known as the " dark Faeries". They are very protective. When they leave their trees this Faerie will take the form of a Raven.

* Elder * Elder is said to offer protection to the faeries from negative spirits. They may become offended by the misuse of the wood from the elder. Folklore advises to never lay a baby in an elder wood cradle or fairies spirit the baby away or pinch them so that they bruise. Elderberry wine is considered fairy wine. Drinking it is said to enable you to see fairies. Add dried elderberries to an incense mixture that you burn to attract fairies to a gathering. The word Elder is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word ‘aeld’ meaning fire, an association given to the Elder because of its use. The soft pith of an Elder branch pushes out easily and the tubes formed were used as pipes for blowing up fires, later Elder bellows were made for same effect. From this came the folklore name Pipe-Tree - and the belief that the most resonant horns were made from Elder trees grown in areas away from human habitation and away from the sound of a cocks-crow. Popguns and whistles had long been made from the Elder.

* Birch * This is sometimes known as the" Lady of the Woods".


As always, Peace, Happiness, Health, And Abundance to All !



Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Never Give Up - Love Is Always The Answer




Never Give Up.
Don't Give In.
Never, Never Lose HOPE.

LOVE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Positive Affirmations - Something I practice every morning.




I highly recommend this fabulous book, The Language of Letting Go, if you are interested in positive affirmations. It has been a life changing book for me.

Every morning with my cup of coffee I sit down and read the affirmation for the day. I also have other sources and books that I read, which I will let you know about at a later date.

This book was recommended to me by my wonderful counselor when I was going through a difficult divorce (to say the least). She was my Angel - a life saver, and put me on the road of self-discovery and self-esteem.

I also try to write affirmations that I have made up for myself ... this reinforces positive thinking and energies and gets me through the day. Now, if only I can make myself meditate I would really be zooming ahead with those good vibes. I really want to help our world, and getting my thoughts aligned with the Divine Source (LOVE) is the only thing I can do at the moment.


Wishing you all Health, Happiness, Abundance, Peace and Compassion !

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Our Black Cat Puffie ... Oh How We Love Her !


Greetings fellow cat lovers. Well here’s my second post about our kitties.

This is our Puffie … she is such a gentle soul … and, of course, as all you cat lovers know, unique and querky, like no one else, in our family at least. Not to mention she is just beautiful.


I will always have a black cat. She is our second. Our first was my beloved Spookie, a barn cat. I got her for my daughter, but Spookie picked me. I still miss her and always will.


Anyway, back to Puffie. She scares Arty (our youngest and biggest), he’s kinda hyper and he has kitty OCD. When he tries to stare her down, after a bit, he starts crying. What a hoot! You see, she is so black that when you are looking at her face it’s like looking into a black hole and after a while it gets to you. At least that’s how Arty feels.

Another thing that Puffie does that I haven’t seen any other cat do, but I’m sure there are some out there that do, is that she’s on her stomach and her legs straight out. I don’t have a picture right now with that, but when I do I’ll post it. She’s our jaguar cat as we call her. I just know she has relatives in Central America right now. But she wouldn’t hurt a fly. All our cats are, excuse the pun, pussies, except for our oldest, who is also the smallest one which I will post about eventually.

I love my Puffie Cat ... I love all of our Cats ... in fact, I love all kitties !


No heaven will not ever Heaven be
Unless my cats are there to welcome me.
~Author Unknown

I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through. ~Jules Verne

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this. ~Terry Pratchett

As always, Peace, Happiness, Health, Abundance and Love and Light to ALL !