Photo Friday: Travels

Just Around the Corner

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Great Give Away!

Erina, of Tragic Stitches and Tragic Adornments, is giving away *3* adorable owl necklaces!


Image by Tragic Stitches
Just visit her jewelry shop and comment on her blog post with your favorite by February 3rd and maybe you'll be a lucky winner!

I can't decide which to say is my fave... I love them all!

Happy books?

Jacqueline & I read a LOT, and lately we're having a hard time finding books that are happy. It seems so many of the books we read are full of bad things, the characters go through all kinds of rough times, and it leaves us sad and discontent.


Sleeping at Last by Second.daughter
We'd like to find some books that don't have horrible things happening to the characters, stories that can take us away from the troubles of our own lives and give us a few moments worry-free, where the events are LOL funny and the endings are happy.

We like young adult and fantasy best, and also enjoy dystopian sci fi teen ones, and even the occasional romance lit. Some of our favorites have been:

• The Time Traveller's Wife
• Stargirl (and Love Stargirl)
• Night Flying
• The Sugar Queen
• Remember Me?

And some we're thinking about getting are:

• The Alchemist (not part of the Nicholas Flamel series)
• Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging
• The Bean Trees
• Under the Tuscan Sun

Have you got any recommendations? Any books along these lines that you read & loved?

A Note from the Universe

Always speak of the past, gratefully.

Of the future, excitedly.

And of the present, Bunny, with bobbing eyebrows and a Cheshire grin.

Spiritual politics, baby -
The Universe

New Fancies from Faerie Gardens

Click through to see more!

Wishcasting Wednesday

What do you wish to say yes to?

Right at this moment, I am wishing I could say yes to the kids more.  They don't ask for much, but when they do, I don't want to have to say no because we can't afford it.  Being able to say yes to visiting far-away friends and relatives, taking them out to eat, or shopping... these shouldn't be such difficult things to provide and it kills me when they ask and then go away sad, or worse mad, because we've had to say no.


You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.
~ Jamie Ridler

Mosaic Monday Bunday

My how time flies!  It's a New Year already - and months since we've done a MMB!  Welcome to a special New Year's Edition!  This week's MMB may be small, but it features some of my wonderful teammates from the Queer Etsy, Etsty Bloggers, and FAE teams!


Clockwise from top left:
Bird And BUNNY PAL by osha from the Queer Etsy Team, Rabbit in a Red Scarf by Me!, Year of the Rabbit - 2011 Chinese New Year Bunny Statue by PhenomeGNOME from the Fantasy Artists of Etsy (FAE) Team, and Bobby the Blue Bunny by Made by Melissa from the EtsyBloggers Team.

Check them out; maybe you'll discover just the thing you've been looking for...

For other Mosaic Monday posts, click here!

New Year's Giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win this lovely necklace!



Just head over to Goodthings and follow the white rabbit - er - directions!

TiLT: Best of 2010

I did a Photo Review of the year a few days before Christmas, and it was a blast to go back through all my pics and see all the awesome things we did this year...


Here's a list of those things, and more!

♥ January: Esme turned 16! Benji came to visit us every weekend! The sun came out a few times, and it's *so* very pretty on the snow...


♥ February: We celebrated Grandma Louise's 60th birthday! Esme went BLONDE! Lia turned 12! More Benji! The ice on the lake is so beautiful!


♥ March: The snow starts melting, the lake is accessible, and some early flowers start to bloom! I started to keep track of everything I ate, keeping calories and carbs to a minimum. Oh, and even MOAR BENJI!


♥ April: Emma graduated! Visiting far-away friends and relatives! (Road trip!) Family get-togethers! We finally get to dip our toes in the lake! All the spring flowers in the garden bloom at once!


♥ May: PILEATED WOODPECKER! Passed Earth & Space Science! Indigo Bunting! A weekend away from home enjoying my sweetie (and cinnamon buns) and Lake Ontario from a different angle! Actual SWIMMING in the lake!


♥ June: Braids, bugs, watercolors! I went blonde! And PURPLE! SHINE! GAY PRIDE! Evenings at the lake! Visits from Mommy! Fairy Day Tea Parties! Bunnies in the yard and FRESH berries! Making new friends!


♥ July: Birthdays galore! Ant turned 18, Josie turned 14, I turned 40! We also celebrated Emma's and my mom's birthdays! AND Emma & Scott got married! Cake, cake and RAI NBOW cake! Fireworks from the lake! New Love! Mermaid hair! I reach my goal to weigh less than 200 lbs. by my birthday!


♥ August: Passion! Play! Visiting friends & relatives (not so far-away)! Dry ice experiments! Baby turkeys, bunnies, and snakes! Swimming in the rain! Benji's birthday! (OMG He turned 1 already!?) Strange new candy!


♥ September: Big waves to swim in! Barbecues with family! High school football games! Belly dancers! Autumn begins, but summer hangs on! We joined May Memorial UU! Sun Halos!


♥ October: Sugar skulls! Flowers in my hair! Pumpkinfest! Bobbing for apples! Bursts of creativity! The COLORS! Family Olympics! Cake, cupcake, and monster cupcakes! Family photoshoots! Trip to ARGH! Hotel swimming pools and hot tubs, cinnamon buns!


♥ November: More ARGH! Appalachian trail! Climbing higher than ever before! GOOD BRAKES! Talented people! Crows! Frosty mornings! We celebrated my dad's birthday with a special dinner! Happy books! Gingerbread marshmallows... in coffee! Rainbow marshmallows! Thanksgiving traditions!


♥ December: The first snow! OMG! Am I the last person on the planet to discover Glee! Thank heavens for the internet! Christmas parties! Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! Parties, parties, parties! Pulling closer to friends & family...



May 2011 be as fun and blessed for you as 2010 was for me!


Things I Love Thursday is brought to you by Gala Darling...

Wishcasting Wednesday

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.
~ Jamie Ridler

What do you wish for the New Year?

To be honest, I've not thought much about resolutions or New Year's Wishes or anything like that yet... I guess now is a good time!

I am always wishing for enough. Enough money to pay the bills, enough to keep us fed and warm, enough to keep the car on the road and running... but I feel like I have been living hand-to-mouth my whole life. Just making just enough to make it through if I perform some complicated dance... Well, I want more.

Not greedy, stingy, over-excess More, but More than just Enough. I want the money to be there for the bills before they're due. I want enough to do more than just the basics; I want to be able to make repairs to the car, house, my family... as soon as they're needed, not when I can scrape enough together, or never. I want to be able to buy new clothes because they're pretty, not because I've worn out all that I have. I want to be able to take the kids our to dinner, to a movie, shopping for things that aren't necessities.

And this isn't all about money. Although that's a big part of it. I want more PASSION! The drive to create, the drive to play, the drive to succeed... Not just enough to get by.


Photo by Thesexylingerie
So my wish for the New Year can be summed up in just one word, my word of the year perhaps: MORE.

30 Days of Me: Day 29

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks

OMG! I love yummy food. Cheesy things, chocolatey things, fresh salady things, warm bread & buttery things... My favorites are homemade Buffalo chicken pizza, brownies, baby brussel sprouts, fancy flavored coffee-espresso drinks, Celestial Seasonings Nutcracker Sweet tea, broiled scallops, Jacqueline's fresh baked sesame bread... So many yummilicious things!

Day 30 – Your aspirations

30 Days of Me: Day 28

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss

I miss the feeling of floating weightless in cool green water, clear blue sky above me, the sound of small waves slapping the shore, the smell of camp fires and grilling food, the taste of sun-kissed skin...


Photo & editing by Me!

I miss the easy flow of conversation with my parents, unhindered by years of miscommunication and unspoken expectations...


Image from Christian Montone

I miss the freedom to just get in the car and drivedrivedrive to anywhere - even Canada if I want...


Photo by Urban Hermit $27.55, Edited by Me!

I miss lazy crazy days (and nights) of goofing off and gaming...


Photo by kav-p, Edited by Me!
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

30 Days of Me: Day 27

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place




Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

30 Days of Me: Day 20-26

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine

Depends on the day!

Work days go like this: Alarm goes off, Jacqueline gets up to make the coffee while I grumble and try to go back to sleep. A few minutes later she comes to wake me up and prods me into the shower. (She takes such good care of me!) I blearily shower in the dark (Bright lights, bright lights! >.<), then get dressed, asking Jacqueline a million times if she thinks it looks ok. While I do this, she makes my lunch & coffee, gives me pills, and make sure my bag is packed up. (Did I mention she takes very good care of me?) Then I put on my coat, and Jacqueline follows me out to the car with my bag and coffee. (VERY good care of me...) Then I give her a good-bye kiss and pedal off to work to the soothing sounds of NPR (or Ted & Amy in the Morning if NPR isn't interesting). Non-work days are much more pleasant. The alarm is set for Jacqueline, who *likes* to wake up early, and I stay snuggled in bed til I feel like I've had enough sleep. When I wake up, Jacqueline usually hears me stumbling about and comes to say good morning to me. We talk for a bit, and then things are much more random. Sometimes I shower and we head out to run errands, other times I just stay in my PJs and play around on the computer or make art...

Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling

Both! My job is at school! And my schooling is going to get me a job! ^-^ I am currently working on a research project for my Masters in Science Education (Grades 5-12), which, along with my Bachelors in Elementary Education (Grade 1-6), should make me much more employable! And when I go to work, I go to one of several local schools as a substitute teacher, where I fill in for all kinds of teachers, from Kindergarten to 12th grade, even the 'Specials' like art and music.

Day 22 – Something that upsets you

Lots of things upset me, but I'm trying learn to not get upset, if you understand what I mean. Some of the things that upset me are...

• Slow drivers
• Drivers who cut me off
• Feeling ineffective at work
• People abusing their pets
• People being disrespectful to children
• People taking advantage of me, my friends, and family
• Being unable to communicate effectively
• The way things are going with my parents

But like I said, I am trying to see things in other ways, not reacting to things that upset me the way I normally do, with yelling and/or tears, but with deep breaths and rewording my inner monologue...

Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better

HUGS! Comfort foods, deep breathing, talking to Jacqueline, upbeat music, swimming, hot baths, sleeping, back rubs, rewording my inner monologue, cuddling my kitteh, drawing, painting, writing, driving, taking a walk...

Day 24 – Something that makes you cry

Getting upset, sad movies, happy endings, hurting myself...

Day 25 – Your sleeping habits

Weird question. I like to have a chocolate and read before bed, and I like to have my covers just so, with my foot sticking out from under, unless it's super cold, and I *don't* like to get up in the morning... :P

Day 26 – Your fears

I always used to be afraid of being alone, but I am not so afraid of that anymore... I get a lot of anxiety from the phone and being around people (yes, even my friends & family), swimming in deep water, driving at night, especially in the rain, and anything that has to do with money and finances... (My belly is knotting up just thinking of all these things...:\ I'm going to get a hug... ^-^)

Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

30 Days of Me: Day 19

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret

At this moment, the only thing I am regretting is not getting my presents made and ready before today. >.< Because then, I could have done *other* things today, and I'd be dressed and ready to go right now! XD

(P.S. My only other regrets are from getting too deeply involved with people too quickly and then causing a lot of hurt to both of us when things didn't work out.)

Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

30 Days of Me: Day 18

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday

It would indubitably be my very last birthday! For Jacqueline's 40th birthday, I planned 40 things for her to do (some small like getting morning hugs from the kids, some big like driving down to Syracuse), and this year she reciprocated when I turned 40! I had a BLAST!

We walked the Oswego Harbor pier, went to Brietbeck Park playground, and walked the shore by Fort Ontario; then we had lunch at McDonald's, took some pics behind St. Paul's cemetary, and walked a *tiny* bit around Rice Creek (although by that time I had to go to the bathroom pretty bad...); and topped it all off with a delicious dinner of grilled veggies, pepper steak, corn on the cob, and the most fabu cake ever! And those were just the big things! There were so many other fun things... Just the best best best...

Jacqueline at the Pier


Me in a tree by the Fort


♥ CAKE! ♥


Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations

Etsy Blogger of the Month: PruittHandcrafts

With the holiday hubub, I failed on the Blog Carnivals this month, but I won't let this lovely lady down!  Say hello to December's Blogger of the Month...







Linda of Pruitt Handcrafts has three lovely shops filled to the brim with fabric and beaded creations, as well as supply shop!

Here are some of my favorites...


Filigree Crystal Earrings


Bouncing Circles Half Apron


Disk beads - small lot - blue gray 20 mm
Don't forget to check out her shops and blog, and see what's there that might be calling to you...

• Pruitt Handcrafts for handmade quilts, household pillows, children's items and gifts.
• Pruitt Design for jewelry.
• Pruitt Supply for supplies.
• Pruit Handcrafts' Blog

2010 Photo Review

Click for full size...

Wishcasting Wednesday

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box [at the link] below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.
~ Jamie Ridler

What is your winter wish?
I wish for warmth and good-health, safety and financial stability, joy and happiness, creativity and productivity for myself and my family...

30 Days of Me: Day 15 - 17

Day 01 – Introduce Yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A precious item
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – Your childhood
Day 15 – Your dreams

I dream a lot about water: being caught in the rain, rivers flooding everything (and trying to save the books and animals), swimming with mermaids (and mermen), swimming in big glass buildings...

I used to have recurring nightmares about dinosaurs too, but not in a long time. As a child I dreamed they were surrounding our house trying to get in, but they were all like cartoon dinosaurs (think Dino from the Flinstones)playing some frightening game of peek-a-boo through the windows with me as I cowered in fear behind the sofa or in the closet.

Once I dreamed that I was at my dad's garage/gas station with my mom and our dog *and* cat (weird). My mom, our cat, and me went across the street to a farmer's market (which never existed there) and a brontosaurus came up the street! As my dad & dog were running across to save us (we were hiding behind some crates of vegetables), the brontosaurus gobbled them up! Like in one of those old bad claymation/live action dinosaur movies.

And another time I dreamed my best friend went into some cave/elevator which turned out to be a T-rex and she was eaten...

I also dream a lot about people who were important in my life but aren't here anymore. I wake up feeling sad when that happens...

Day 16 – Your first kiss

Aahhh... one of the people I sometimes dream about. I was in grade school, and visited the home of a boy in my class. He didn't live far away, but I had never been. He introduced me to his dog - a Doberman pinscher named Pepsi - and his family, and we watched cartoons, and ate Apple Jacks (which I had never had at that point). And when it was time for me to go, he walked me to the door, and kissed me on the cheek. It was very sweet and he remained a crush of mine for years. I'm sure I wouldn't even be able to pick him out of a line up now though! It's been decades!

Day 17 – Your favorite memory

I feel like I've answered this before... I have a lot of great memories; the one above for example. My last birthday was awesome, so many things from ARGH & Shine, a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls was pretty memorable, sunny summer days at the lake, moonlit nights of passion, long car rides all over the state with friends and lovers, road trips across country...

But I think the one that is I pull up most often is the memory of waking up on Blue Mountain, walking out of the woods to the the clearing on top, and seeing the sun shining bright over a sea of clouds - the other mountains just islands across the way - and strong arms encircling me. I felt safe and loved and there was so much beauty...

I hope someday I can take Jacqueline there...

Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – Your morning routine
Day 21 – Your job and/or schooling
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – Your sleeping habits
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your favorite foods/drinks
Day 30 – Your aspirations