BOO!!!!!

"Darkness falls across the land
The midnite hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'awl's neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller"

~ Michael Jackson "Thriller" ~

Halloween Spirit Please, Mommy

My husband, who loves to "put on a show", isn't too enthusiastic about putting on a costume.  Me?  I'm not much for being the center of attention but if it involves a disguise, I'm in!  I  must admit that I do love Halloween.  Maybe it's my Harris genes ...  my mother's bloodline .... as almost every family gathering involved lots of decorating, dressing up or donning costumes as well as singing and performing in some manner.  When I was younger (> 35!), I loved planning my Halloween attire and spending days shopping and getting ready. Then, I'd stick a pumpkin on the porch and I was off to party land.  Now, with a five year old in the house, we spend weeks planning his outfit and decorating the house with my costume priorities at the bottom of the list... hunting last minute for something black to wear and sticking a pointed hat on my head.  But this year, after my son voiced his wish that I would be something other than a witch, I promised to put in more effort to my own ensemble. After some thought, I was finally inspired by a Viking hat I bought at the Kingsburg Swedish Festival (my hubby and I are both 1/4 Swedish and 3/4 mutt) that's been sitting on the closet shelf for two years.  Between my mom's closet and mine, I've managed to piece together quite a get-up!  But, you'll have to wait until All Hallows Eve.......

This year, we also adopted this little handmade recycled wooly owl family (from WoolCrazy on Etsy) which actually consists of five owls...three are at home (mamma, pappa and baby) and two are away at school with our grown daughters.

“A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?”

PMC Dreamy Mandala Necklace

I have just spent the last 4 hours photographing, cropping and editing 18 different new pieces and I now have to describe, price and list them on Etsy.  This business is time  con - sum - ing!  I'm not complaining ... I just wish I had a little brownie (you know.... the little fairy helpers?) to lend a hand.  I think I will just post a couple per day so I can find time to workout (Doctors orders...I must get my bee-hind out of the chair at least a 1/2 hour per day)!


So here is one of my favorite new creations .... a mandala pendant handmade from precious metal clay using an antique Afghani bronze jewelry die, square cut labradorite beads, and tiny handmade sterling Thai beads.

Spirit Nest

The weekend before last we took a quick little road trip up to Carmel to see my step-daughter.  The skies were foggy and there was a definite chill in the air, perfectly autumn.  We himed and hawed about whether to take the long Hwy. 1 journey home and I'm so glad we decided too. There is nothing like visiting Big Sur. There is definitely a special energy there.  Wild, majestic, refreshing, intense.....I just love it.  We always stop by the Big Sur Spirit Garden for a browse and find something fun. This time...... Spirit Nests by Jayson Fann.  Ohhhh, I want one... I need one! And, Ojai needs one.....especially as Ojai means "nest". (my hubby will be reading this)  What a great place for meditating, journaling, sketching, bird watching or just hanging out! The artist will make them and transport them but they do cost a pretty penny.   If you love them too but have no place to put one (and don't feel like robbing a bank today), you can actually sleep in one at Treebones Resort in Big Sur....one with an ocean view from the clifftops!


I had to share these with you....

“When I learn something new - and it happens every day - I feel a little more at home in this universe, a little more comfortable in the nest.”

~ Bill Moyers ~