Knock, Knock

In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself.
~Jiddu Krishnamurti

Take Another Picture With Your Click Click Click Click Camera

Click Click Click Click - Bishop Allen :
I had ducked out of the rain
Into Maria's wedding day
And I sat there with her friends
And with her family
And I was happy

I wasn't someone they'd invite
Because I didn't know the groom
Or know the bride
But when I stood next to her brother
For the photograph
He was laughing

Take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

Sure, I've got pictures of my own
Of the people and the places that I've known
Here's one: I'm carrying your suitcase
Outside of Alphabet City

But in someone else's life
Where Maria is a wife
I'm on the mantle in the corner of the photograph
Smiling pretty

Take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

Are you tired of where you've gone?
And you think you might belong
In a moment when you step out of the rain?
And you've ended up in someone else's frame?
And they're memory now is never quite the same
And they never even thought to ask your name

Take another picture with your click, click, click, click camera

Raw Vanillia Coconut Almond Milk

One of my favorite sips.

Old Memories

Touched by an Angel

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

Maya Angelou

Poster Sketch #1

It's No Great Mystery....

....that I love to cook and and bake. I always have, ever since I was twelve years old. I taught myself in attempts to help my (single) mother out. Cooking and baking have always been my way of expressing myself but also a way of showing my love. Food can bring people together, one bite at a time. I admit, I have never had money to burn. I haven't eaten out much in my lifetime, and Iz ain'tz noz springz chickenz. I pride myself on being able to take 'nothing' and fill tummies with a smile. Something I have learned over the years is that wanting more abundance is at the root of my creativity = necessity has always given birth to my creative ideas. A huge part of me is grateful Life hasn't been handed to me on a silver spoon, that I have spoon fed myself.

I admit I am NOT Martha Stewart, not even close. (I also couldn't decorate my way out of a paper bag but that's another story.) There are a lot of things I do by winging it. Cooking and baking are one of them, but I enjoy flexing my 'culinary' muscles in both areas. I always put my heart and soul into whatever I touch. If times are tough (which they are, right?) and eating out is NOT an option for me, I might as well prepare each meal in objects that inspire me to keep on cookin'/bakin'. Some examples of what I use and love to use are posted here; items that bring color and fun into my kitchen. (The items pictured below are waiting to become apart of another kitchen. I will be slowly measuring, describing and listing das sieve, das egg basket, das heart shaped pan unda flunda das Pyrex very soon in my Etsy shop.) Life really does taste better when homemade. Recycled quality kitchen helpers with a history are the cherries on top.

Etsy, My New Found Love

I cannot remember the last time I treated myself to so many amazing lovely products as I have these past few weeks. Between my new bracelet from Jewels of Saraswati - Yoga Inspired Jewelry and Malas, soaps from Sacred Suds ~divinely inspired handmade soaps, and now some amazing facial/lip treatments ------ I truly feel pampered, sweet smelling, perfectly jeweled, kissable and clean!!!

I am currently running between two sick kids and on no sleep but I wanted to snap a few crapshots/snapshots of what arrived in the mail today to share. While I am about to fall over from lack of sleep, I was able to wash my face with Ophelia's peppermint apricot face scrub, followed by the peppermint tea tree balancing toner (man, does this stuff remove gunk without stripping me of moisture), finished off with the green tea face cream (never before have I had a cream make my face feel so soft and hydrated!). I then put on the solid perfume (YUM!) and tinted lip icing (double YUM!). I even received a free sample of buttercreme lip balm. My son, Ian, with eczema (and asthma) always complains when I try to cover his lips with Burt's Bees balm. He LOVES this balm. As a mom and woman, I do too! Don't let me forget how fun it was to open each one of these fantastic gifts. Such a pleasing experience.

Ophelia's Apothecary Aromatherapy Bath and Body Shop

New Bitten Red Creme Lip Tint Lip Icing .15 oz

Solid Perfume .15 ounces Pick your Fragrance~citrus cilantro

Free sample: Buttercreme All Natural Shea Butter Moisturizing Lip Balm .15 oz

Peppermint Apricot Face Scrub and Cleanser 4 ounces

Peppermint Tea Tree Balancing Toner 4 ounces

Green Tea All Natural Hydrating Face Cream 1.5 ounces

Thank you, Deborah and Heather, for treating me like a Queen!