a few beads, a few safety pins, some wire & voila'

A recent wisebread article, Savvy Suggestions for Safety Pins inspired me to get creative. Well, to be honest, it first reminded me that I had the components necessary (leftover from a few craft projects of the distant past) to make use of. So here are the results...two candle covers. The green and red one I made first to set over a tea light. Next I put together the purple one, making it with the daisy style beads and large enough to set over a votive cup. They turned out so pretty I just had to share. When lit, they look like jewels shimmering. I thought they'd be especially nice to use over the holiday season. All it took was a few large safety pins, an assortment of plastic beads and some 18 gage wire to string them all together. I've shown them here in bright light and then when lit in the dark.

It's no secret-LOA

Last week while my friend Vicki was here visiting, we had the opportunity to view "The Secret" together. As most know, it was a video about the law of attraction, how like attracts like and using the LOA to manifest the life we want. For us it was a refresher course in what we already were aware of. Actually, it was a very welcome and much needed reminder.

For a brief synopsis there are two main concepts. One is that there is a force (law of attraction) at work in the universe, (whether you call it God or Nature) that responds to our thoughts and energy. The other concept is that thoughts are things and the creative force behind what "happens" in our lives. Or as I always say, thought=action=result. I've studied this concept for several years, but had gotten out of the habit of practicing it. So being the open minded, willing participant in what I (from previous experience) already know works, I decided to take a few refresher notes while watching the video. And today, after reviewing my gratitude list, I thought, why not share the notes? They are posted as written.

Images/thoughts attract. Thoughts become things, sending a magnetic signal out, attracting like. Positive thoughts are far more powerful than negative. (Thank goodness!) Manifesting is not instant, allowing time to change your mind. You can always assess or reassess.

Most attract by default. Thoughts and feelings create your life and experience.

LOA is really obedient and always on.

Passion is key ingredient. Controlling feelings is easier than the impossible task of controlling thoughts.

Key Point-feeling good attracts more good feelings and good things. Shift emotions. Feeling creates the attraction.

Think of the universe as a big genie waiting to grant our wishes.

Be a deliberate creator:
(1) ask the universe and it will respond
(2)believe (in the unseen and your deservedness) without knowing how or when
(3) be open to receive, feel wonderful about it coming

Pay Attention!! When the universe nudges, act. Don't delay, don't guess, don't doubt.
"You don't have to see the whole stairway, just take the first step."- Martin Luther King

No rules; don't place time, place and other limitations and restrictions

Practice gratitude. What we think about and thank about we bring about.

Idea: carry a gratitude rock in your pocket daily. Whenever you take it out of or put it into your pocket, it reminds you to be grateful.

Visualize-if you've been there in your mind, you'll go there in the body.

Intend it to be.

Trust and act on inspired thought.

No one has the ability to control your happiness but you. Your joy is within you.

Do you treat yourself as you want others to treat you?

Fall in love with yourself.

Activism: don't be anti-war, be pro-peace.

It's not my job to change the world but to celebrate the world that exists.

Ask yourself, "So what?" Change your mind/your thoughts, change your life.

No regrets.

"The Secret" was very inspiring to watch and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. So many seem to go through life being victims of circumstance and if anything, this video will at least inspire people to take more charge of their lives and happiness. For me, the result was very encouraging, and a positive reminder. Plus, I realized once again, that there is very little I desire or feel is lacking in my life. And I am working on what seems to be. :) I am back to starting my day with a gratitude list, spending moments thinking about how blessed I am. I am reminded of what I used to practice on a more regular basis...to look for the gifts that exist in what circumstances bring me...remembering to have the eyes to see.

a home, a reflection, a refuge

As we go through the days we may tend to take our living space for granted, seeing it as simply a place to eat, sleep and work. Caring for our homes can begin to feel tedious at times as there are always dishes to wash and floors to sweep and bills to pay for the privilege of living within the walls we call home. Before long, one can become focused on all that feels burdensome rather than what is actually a blessing.

A home is so much more than a space we occupy or come to at the end of a day. It is more than a building that shelters us from the elements. A home is a refuge, a dwelling place that offers us warmth and protection, a gathering place for family and friends. A home reflects the spirit of those who dwell within it.

Everything in the universe is composed of constantly changing energy, so this is true also of your home and its contents. We invite energy into our home, (consciously or not) that makes it what it is. This energy not only mirrors us, but can greatly influence us. Realizing this, we can become more conscious and appreciative in caring for our homes. Rather than viewing our daily housekeeping as a burden, we can see it as a privilege and a blessing. We are the caretakers of the space we call home. We are not separate from it, but an integral part of it and everything within it. It is sacred space and with this thought in mind, we can imbue it with love and appreciation by the way we go about our tasks.

Organic food really is better for you

Organic food is healthier than conventional produce and may be better at preventing cancer and heart disease, according to the biggest study of its kind.

read more | digg story

Arts & Crafts Madness @ the Homestead

With fall weather arriving I have been focused on the holidays and as you can see, creating handmade gifts as well as finishing up work on a couple afghans.

The one on the left is a granny scrap afghan, made up of bits and pieces of leftover yarn. The one on the right was made per special request from my nephew. Again, a simple granny stitch, but aren’t the colors of the sun, sky and clouds pretty?

So, thought I’d share those with you here today and some other exciting news…my good friend Vicki will be flying in on Tuesday from Florida to spend a couple weeks with me!

I’m pretty excited about that for several reasons. Number one, she’s a really, really, really good friend whom I love and I laugh more with her than I think I do with anyone…we think way too much alike at times! Then there’s the fact that we both are crazy, jewelry making fools, so we’ll be playing around with our beads and getting creative. (Speaking of jewelry, I made a couple of goddess necklaces that you can check out below.)

Along with the laughs and crafts, Vicki and I will really get a chance to catch up and spend some quality time together. I have known her for about six or seven years and although she has been in Florida for a few years now, originally she is from Ohio where we met after (get this) connecting on eBay! And last but not least, while she is here she will be giving me my Reiki III Master level attunement! So, the next couple of weeks should be fun while we laugh and play and make lots of memories. I know I’m really looking forward to this!

Crochet Pattern Links:

Unisex "warm winter hat" hat pattern (shown in the hat/scarf sets) can be found at here.

For the flowered hippie hat I simply added a brim to granny skull cap pattern found here. This is a child's hat, so use a size larger hook than called for to make a more appropriate size for the adult head.

For the purse and tote bag I used a pattern found here. For the tote bag I used two strands worsted weight yarn held together throughout, along with a larger hook than pattern called for.

The scarves and flowers were all made free hand w/o the use of a pattern. The afghans are a simple granny stitch.

Our Grandparents: The Real Environmentalists?

Some of the things we've forgotten (and should probably remember) from the generation that lived through the Depression.***A lengthy article but really worth the read. It's well written, humorous at times and makes the point about what seems to be lacking most in our society...no matter how green we think we are.

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The Joy of Puttering

Putter: to work lightly, do random, unplanned work or activities, to wander around aimlessly.

Every so often I have a day when I end up just puttering. I may have a list of activities that need tending, but I somehow still end up puttering and ignoring the major jobs I’ve assigned myself. Truth is, I love to putter and I think it’s good for the soul. So, instead of doing laundry or vacuuming the house, I am puttering. On days I putter I don’t feel any particular obligation to any particular accomplishment. I guess this going with the flow is what makes it so enjoyable. There’s no sense of need or urgency, it’s simply a matter of puttering for the sake of puttering.

Today my puttering has consisted of rifling through boxes of still packed items from our move here over a year ago. It also means I have rearranged a shelf here and there and decided to display more of my crystals, (dusting here and there in the process…you know…puttering.) I’ve crocheted a few more rows to the neck scarf I am working on for my granddaughter in between shelf arranging. I think by this evening I’ll even have that project finished and probably a new one started but, it’s not a plan, just a possible and likely outcome. That could change because, well …I’m puttering.

Sometimes the best laid plans are best set aside for a simple day of puttering. The funny thing is that often I get a lot more done on these kinds of days than I would if I had planned them. Little things, mind you, but things just the same. Drawers get sorted and clothes get arranged and all sorts of small accomplishments take place. Jobs that normally might be ignored seem to magically transpire. And at the end of the day one ends up with a real sense of satisfaction for what's been accomplished through simply enjoying the process…all because it wasn't work, it wasn't demanding, it was simply puttering