Gardening "Grounds" Me!

I've been working in my yard ever since the first semi-wam day of spring.  Even before the warmth from the sun could really be felt,  I yearned to get outside and put my hands into the ground.  I looked forward to pulling spring's first dandelions and bindweed sprouts,  normally a boring chore.  I could not wait until I could put my design ideas into play.  This is our first spring in our home.

But,  it's always been that way for me.  Something about the earth calls to me on a spiritual level.  Not just beautiful views of my surroundings,  but actually working the ground,  paying homage to it by growing something beautiful or useful or necessary.  To weed and to sow are acts of celebration.

I think I first noticed the appeal back in 1996 when I first got sober.  I was fortunate enough to have been enrolled in a treatment facility in Newport Beach,  California that was positioned right on the beach.  During beach meetings and free time,  I found myself incessantly,  manically digging into the sand searching for nature's little treasures.  I picked up every shell I could find while sifting my fingers through the sun-kissed sand.  It was amazingly soothing and grounding.  And it became something of a ritual to me.

Later on,  I found rock hunting to have the same soothing,  stress-relieving affect as shell seeking.  Sometimes simply walking and looking,  othertimes digging in hard soil or pounding and crushing hard stone.  I couldn't get enough of it.

Lately,  it's all about planting though.  Same action in some ways,  maintaining a physical connection with this earth.  It's not just something I enjoy doing,  it's more like a calling,  a drive,  a devotion.

I figure that the term "grounding" comes from that feeling I get when I garden (go searching for sea shells,  go mining,  rock hunting).  I feel centerred and peaceful and "at one with the earth".  Suddenly,  it makes perfect sense to me.

Summertime Shiny Things!

Summertime is all about color and sparkle for me.  The word 'summer' conjures up images of gloriously colored flower gardens and green, leafy foliage!  I think about the wildflowers in the meadows,  wild irises on creekbanks,  brightly colored rocks that I find during my rockhunting adventures,  the earthy hues of the sands and dunes in the desert that surrounds our rural community.  And I think of the myriad blues and greens which define the mountain lakes,  glacial ponds,  and melt-fed streams.

And these days,  I think about JEWELRY!!!  Especially charm-style bracelets.  I love the bright,  shiny kaleidoscope of colors and the dangly little charms that make such a delightful sound whenever I move my write.

The materials thrill me!  Glass beads of all sizes, shapes, and colors.  Gemstone beads,  faceted crystal pieces,  crackle glass - shiny with the bubbles inside them.  There are metal beads and even "stardust" beads!!!!  And the metalwork...ah,  yes,  wire wrap.

The twists and swirls,  wire-wrapped charms remind me of gloriously green vines of the clematis, ivy, and wisteria.  Sometimes I throw in little polymer clay beads that I've made and use their palettes to guide my inspiration.

Othertimes,  I am inspired by a combination of stone and wire.  Moonglow,  to the left,  was borne out of moonstone and gold.  Moonstone chips,  rounds,  and tiny faceted rondelles with glass and freshwater pearls coupled with bright gold-plated wire look so beautiful and elegant together!

Do you like the little heart charms?  I LOVE them!!!!

Glittery fireworks,  ripe cherries,  apples on the tree,  red is a gorgeous color,  especially when combined with delicate silver and curly wire work.  I call this one 'Cherry Fizz'.  It's one of my favorites.

'Punk Rock Love' is a necklace I designed for a friend of mine.  Super chunky,  colorful,  and a little edgy.  I really wanted to wrap the heart pendant with barbed wire.  I'm going to have to learn how to make some...

I haven't been doing this for very long...nor have I made much money at it yet (yet,  lol),  but I have had some pieces comissioned,  which is a huge confidence booster!  Jewelry making has become my passion.  Some days I am just so full of inspiration that I make piece after piece,  all day long!!!

The biggest bummer is when I get low on materials!!!!!

One last piece,  for the road.  I call it Kobalt with a K...as in Kristina,   with a K!!!!  LOL.  I love this blue!!!!

www.artfire.com/users/CinnamonLotus

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Things I CANNOT Resist...

I cannot resist...

1.  A beautiful view

Pendleton, OR

Mt. Clemans, Naches, WA

2.  A Tieton Night Sky

I cannot resist...

3.  The age,  allure,  mystery of a well-seasoned ghost town

Bodie,  Mono County,  CA  2010

4.  Or the sheer genius and perfection of a flower!

I can't resist...

5.  GOATS!!!!!

6.  Or my kitties!!!

 PETE

D.C.

I will never resist....

7.  My brother's happiness

8.  Or my beloved mama!!!  (With my darling grandpa behind)
Harriet Alice (Gann) Holmberg  (1936 - 1999)
William Lewis "Buzz" Gann  (1907 - 2000)

9.  And I absolutely cannot resist...
 the kissable faces of my beautiful,  intelligent,  goofy,  funny,  clever,  loving,  good-hearted,  happy,  kind,  and generous sons;  Frederick and Duncan Chouinard.

The Miracle of Poly Clay

Years ago,  I bought a ton of polymer clay.  I planned on making alpaca-shaped pin with it,  as I was an alpaca farmer way back then.  Things didn't go as planned,  and these 25 +/- chunks of clay just sat.  And sat.  And sat.  Then one day,  after I'd exhausted all of my soapmaking supplies and didn't want to draw or sketch,  I remembered that shoebox full of poly clay!  And it has only grown from there!

I used my tiny tiny heart soap molds to make these "Happy Hearts" pins.  Each one has a different motiff.  I wear them on my winter hats.  They add a splash of colorful fun in winter.

And I decided to make some beads.  I figured there was no way I would be able to compete with accomplished jewelry artists,  but my beads would be one-of-a-kind creations.  I make them in very small lots,  so they are guaranteed to be unique within the beading world.As always,  comments are always welcome.  Ich kann' Deutsch lesen,  also schreib' doch in Deutsch!

Why Do I Love COPPER?

Many people favor the shiny yellow color of gold. My personal favorite used to be white gold or silver. However, since I’ve been dabbling in jewelry making and wire wrapping, I find myself drawn more to the richness of copper. I love its color, aura, and its flow.  It seems to enhance the beauty of the colors, textures,  and materials around it without detracting or calling attention to itself. It’s not ostentatious, nor is it so subtle that it goes unnoticed. 


I thought it would be interesting and perhaps helpful to do a little research into the healing,  mythical, and folkloric traditions surrounding the use of copper in ornaments and jewelry in order to fully understand its draw.


Here are some interesting facts and beliefs about copper:


Copper is an excellent physical conductor of electricity and heat. Spiritualists believe that is it also the conductor of spiritual energy between people, auras, the mind,  and the spiritual realm. Healers believe that copper can facilitate the process of healing by stimulating the flow of energy within the wearer.


Physiologically,  copper helps to ensure the proper functioning of the glands.


It assists in the treatment of arthritis, inflammatory,  and rheumatic diseases, as well in the prevention of wear and tear on the joints. Copper also helps to alleviate cramps.


It contributes positively to cleansing, purification,  and detoxification.


Copper improves blood circulation, helps the body to achieve maximum use of its oxygen, and stabilizes the
metabolism. It relieves lethargy and increases energy.


Copper is also believed to increase the self-esteem of the wearer, and to relieve him of worries, anxiety, and bias.
It promotes self-acceptance,  optimism, self-reliance, and tactfulness.


From a magical standpoint,  copper is considered to bring good luck to its wearer, and is carried with other luck bearing stones, talismans, and amulets to increase their power. It is often used in rituals surrounding healing, love, money,  protection, and luck.


If you have a favorite or feel particularly drawn to a stone or metal, you might enjoy digging a little deeper into its properties!    You might find some fascinating and worthwhile information!  There are many good sources for information regarding the metaphysical powers of copper as well as nearly  every other mineral,  metal, stone, herb,  plant, flower, and stone you can think of. Some of this information was compiled from http://shimmerlings.com and www.powersthatbe.com. Here are some other sites of note:

http://www.beadage.net/gemstones/gemstonesA_F.shtml - A very informative and concise record of the properties of gems and crystals.
http://crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysicalproperties.html  - Offers a pdf catalog of stones with their uses and properties,  and information to assist in stone identification,  amongst other curiousities.



**Here’s my little disclaimer:  Independent of my beliefs,  the information provided herein has been compiled from numerous sources and is for informational purposes only. No claims or representations are expressed or implied by providing this information.

Sugar...no honey, honey!!!!

It must be several years since I saw a disquieting picture of a honey-coated band-aid as I was flipping through a magazine. I was disturbed yet somehow intrigued, curious enough to read the article. I was astonished and impressed by the wealth of knowledge imparted by the piece. I was also inspired. I took the tub of raw honey that a friend had given me out of the cupboard and began experimenting. 

I added it to my pure vegetable glycerin soap, to my goat milk soap. I slopped a ladle full into crocks of shaving soap, and added a small amount to my all natural lip balm. (None of these are my original ideas) And of course, I ate some!!!!! That tub of honey collected from hives placed in local organic apple orchards was worth almost as much as gold to me!!! My favorite natural soap is a vegetable glycerin base augmented with goat milk, a small amount of shea butter, local honey, and topped off with lavender, tangerine (or orange) and chamomile essential oils. This makes the most beautiful silky smooth ivory colored bar. The PERFECT white soap.

Anyway, please find below a list of some of the many therapeutic uses of honey collected from various and sundry magazine articles and sources on the web:

        - Anxiety, nervous tension, insomnia.
        - Relieves pain and cough, asthma, and some allergies (not for those allergic to bees and bee by-products).
        - Hang-overs, fatigue.
        - Treats burns, promotes healing, clears and prevents infection and scarring, found to be effective in the treatment of multi-resistant strain bacteria.
        - Enhances longevity, (treats impotence!) 
        - Stomach ulcers, gastroenteritis, and other digestive issues.
Honey is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, an antioxidant, a humectant, and can be used as a cleanser and toner when applied to skin. It can be used in soap, lip balm, cleansers, sunscreen, moisturizers, facial scrubs, facial masks, and myriad other cosmetic and beauty applications.

Not only is it delicious AND healthful, it’s natural perfection.  A cure for all that ails us. 

…Did I mention that it tastes delicious?

 

 

 

 

The Goat Milk Soap Miracle

 

Have you ever tried an all-natural goat milk soap?  If you haven’t, I strongly suggest that you do.  I know it’s strange, to wax poetic about a bar of soap, but this is perfection.  And honestly, until I used my first bar of this naturally cleansing goodness, I never gave my soap choice much thought.  The only things that were important to me were cost, fragrance, and lather.  I never considered the effects that my favorite body wash was having on my chronically dry skin.

 

That first bar of creamy goat milk soap delicately scented with lavender, tangerine, and chamomile essential oils, and minus all synthetic colorants, fragrances, and preservatives  changed my bathing experience forever.  My itchy, flaky, dry skin became a thing of the past, washed away with that incredibly rich, silky, soothing goat milk lather.

 

It’s no mystery. Goat milk has been used in beauty applications for millennia.  And for good reason.  Goat milk is a natural moisturizer, chock full of skin-loving vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids.  Soap containing goat milk has been proven to have a Ph level closer to that of our own skin compared to soap made without it.  This makes it exceptionally gentle and kind to our skin.  In fact, many people who have sensitive skin and chronic skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, seborrhea, acne, and allergies find that goat milk soap relieves many of their symptoms. 

 

If you aren’t already sold on this miracle of nature, consider the oodles and oodles of rich silky lather that goat milk bars produce.  Think of smooth, supple skin that you’ve only dreamed of – no cracking or flaking, no itching, no patchy redness.  You might even consider the ‘green’ factor; no synthetic preservatives or fragrances, no harsh colorants, only the pure goodness of the goat milk, a renewable resource.

 

 

Do yourself a favor. Give it a try.  You will be so glad you did.

The proof is in the pudding,  take a look at these stats!  Table of Nutrients as per the USDA