Karny Life

Sometimes I Feel Like A Ghost

2010-05-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

May 12th is International ME/CFS/FM Awareness Day. For the second year I am participating in Blogging for ME/CFS Awareness.

For the last couple of months I've been dealing with the worst relapse I've had in several years. The brain fog has been horrendous....to the point where it didn't feel like I was even in my body. I spent many days wandering in my house...not knowing what I was doing or needed to do, unable to leave, drive, or care for myself. I felt vacant, hollow, numb.....the person who I know myself to be felt as if she were slipping away into a murky realm. I felt like a ghost....

I've improved quite a bit just in the last week....not enough to write a whole lot...With the help of my awesome husband, Tony, he took some photos of me....then I added those to some photos we took in early November 09. It felt good to create a piece of art again, which I haven't been able to do in some time.

This piece was inspired by my wandering our house, feeling like a ghost.

I've also started a new blog dedicated to my experiences with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia. It's called Embers & Ash. That's where the majority of my blogging about CFS/FM will be. Please come by & take a peek sometime :)

What would you do?

2010-01-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

2009 was a difficult year. After the twisted ankle in the Spring, I had a hysterectomy in the Fall. My CFS symptoms have been waxing & waning a lot & have kept me from doing a lot of things. I've missed blogging. I'm hoping to be able to get back to it more often in 2010. Just came across this video today & thought I'd share.

1/22/10: I was just looking at this again & I realized I didn't say what I would do if I were no longer sick. SO here's my list of things I would do: Join the roller derby team, rock climb, run Bloomsday, get a tattoo, join a gym, do one of those hook suspensions, clean my house, work in the studio 8 hours a day, be a real gardener with an amazing flower & veggie garden, take the burden off of my husband, visit friends more, leave the house on my own, skydive, turn the studio into a real live business which would mean also having the clarity to do all the business stuff & etsy stuff, sketch everyday, create everyday, travel, be a better wife & mom, read more. That's all I can think of right now.

Manic Moon Studios Holiday Art Show

2009-11-30T16:04:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone! Bet you wondered where I went. LOL Well, I'm back!!! My jewelry is being shown as part of a holiday art show opening on First Friday in Spokane, WA at Manic Moon Studios, 1625 N. Monroe Street, below the Lillian Con Antique Gallery. Click on graphic for more info.

Newest Member of the Family

2009-06-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

I bet you're wondering where I've been...Well, here's the short story (because the long story is not very interesting)...Remember that whole ankle thing? First it got better, then it got worse...doc put me in a boot & we purchased a wheelchair so I could stay off of it ALL of the time. Doc sent me to a orthopedic surgeon & he said don't where the boot or be in the wheelchair...walk on it. OK....so I did & it's MUCH better & I'm back to a normal life (whatever "normal" is lol).

SO...now for the exciting news! My daughter graduated in May & then...she begged & begged for a puppy...there were tears...those tears get me every time! Drat! So...she got a puppy. BUT...she had to buy the puppy with her own money & pay for everything the puppy needs & stay home & take care of the puppy. So far...so good. This is Calli & she's a Yorkie Shiatsu mix. She is just adorable.

My Story: Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia

2009-05-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

I signed up to blog for ME/CFS Awareness. I found this on RachelCreative's blog for the 2008 Awareness day. Here is where you can find more information about blogging for ME/CFS Awareness. May 12th was ME/CFS/FM International Awareness Day. I'm a day late, but better late than never. Below is my story.

Yesterday was ME/CFS/FM Awareness Day. For many people, I think it is very difficult to understand invisible illnesses such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Lupus, & many other 'invisible' chronic illnesses. I could tell you all about what the 'experts' say it is...what the internet says it is...I could do all of that research & tell you all the facts & figures...but today, I'm too tired to go to all that effort. The truth is...something gets lost in all those facts & figures...WE, the people living with ME/CFS/FM & other invisible illnesses get lost in all those facts & figures. So today, I will share something I do know about...my experience with CFS/FM...I know this story well. I've lived it for 10 years. Just saying that makes me tear up.

I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia in 2000. However, my health challenges started a year prior in December of 1999. That December is when I got a very bad case of flu....& I never got well. It was like a light switch. One day I was well...the next, my whole life changed. Before the flu...I used to jog 2 miles at least 3 times a week...I hiked...I did anything I wanted to. Going to the store, meeting friends for a night out, playing with my daughter...all were a breeze. I never had to think about it...I just did it & lived my life. After the flu...I couldn't even walk up a flight of stairs. I was exhausted. I couldn't catch my breath. My heart pounded. Everything hurt. And that....was just the beginning of the darkest time in my life.

Over the next year I struggled to finish college. I was going to school for my graphic design degree & I was determined to finish it. After all, I was probably just over tired because I was in school. I figured it would be over when I graduated, I'd take some time off, rest up, & then be ready to take on the world again. I did a lot when I was in college...I excelled for the first time in my life. I ran a student gallery, I was on the Dean's List, I got good grades & my instructors gave me great encouragement saying I had a promising future in art/graphic design. I graduated with honors in May 2000....& that...was it.

I was also a single mom, so I struggled to care for my daughter while finishing college...she was 8 at the time. I lived with my parents so I could go to school. They helped me with my daughter, which was a blessing in many ways. I don't know what I would have done had they not been there. The down side is that often times between school, homework, & being exhausted...I didn't see my daughter much even though we lived in the same house. Even now this brings sadness to my heart...I feel like I missed out on a lot of things with her...

In March 1998 I met my now husband, Tony. I was well when we met. Falling in love with him was easy...magical...& everything you'd imagine from one of those romantic soulmate kind of movies or novels. You know the ones...That was a very happy time. Concerts, camping & weekend trips, day trips, hiking were all part of our life. He proposed in October of 1999...Our whole future laid before us...the future looked bright...Then, I got sick December 1999. Both of our lives changed...dates now consisted of me going over to his place, watching movies, & me falling asleep with my head in his lap. Tony, has taken care of me every step of the way... He has seen me at my worst...& the worst was actually pretty horrible. He never left my side, he never treated me like a burden, & he always believed me.

That's the thing about CFS/FM/ME...many times, people don't believe that you're sick. After all, you don't LOOK sick. I've heard it all...it's all in your head, you're just depressed, you're a hypochondriac, you're lazy. Comments like these are extremely hurtful to those of us who live with these kinds of illnesses. Sadly...these kinds of comments come from friends, family, & even doctors sometimes. (If your doctor ever says anything like that or says that he doesn't know what to do for you...find another doctor). This just adds to the pain of living with CFS/FM/ME...we end up questioning & doubting ourselves...we start believing that it is our fault...we feel shame & guilt...why can't we just snap out of it...maybe it is all in our head...It takes a toll on our self-esteem & our worth. I think it is pretty safe for me to say NO ONE chooses to live like this. I think one of the hardest things about illnesses like these is the isolation...not only being isolated from the world by being at home resting, but the isolation that comes from a lack of people (family, friends, doctors...) understanding that what we are living with is real. It is real. I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

I have now lived with CFS/FM for 10 years. At my worst, I walked with a cane & felt 90...but I was only 37. There were weeks at a time I did not get out of bed. The fatigue was debilitating. The worst days felt like there was an assault on my body...everything hurt...like I'd been hit by a truck...or a train...I would be numb, almost zombie like...forgetful to the point I have chunks of memory missing...not able to find the right words...having to describe the round thingys that make a car move because I could not remember the word tire. Dizziness & vertigo severe enough that I couldn't (& sometimes still) can not drive...my body not moving the way I want it to...stumbling or falling...anxiety, panic attacks & depression. (A side note here about depression -- there is a difference between being depressed which causes one to feel physical symptoms...it is entirely another thing to feel so horrible that one would then become depressed. Trust me, when someone lives with a chronic painful condition for 10 years...they're not going to be in the best of moods.) There were heart palpitations which were severe enough that I went to the hospital...Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which if you have not experienced, feels like a cat is trapped in your gut clawing it's way out....Pain in every joint & muscle, exhaustion that was so bad that I didn't think I'd be able to take another breath...I couldn't sleep & when I did it was not a restful sleep...At times I felt like I was dieing. And all of the symptoms I've described are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head. A lot of those 10 years I don't even remember. Tony says it's better that way because at times it was pretty horrible. Thing is...I also don't remember things like birthdays, holidays, chunks of memories of my life, my marriage, & my daughter growing up are just gone.

There have been some really good times though. Times when I felt amazing...when I'd feel like a well person again....Like I could take on the world. These times may last a day or several weeks...I cherish them...I feel hopeful that maybe that day is the first day of me being a well person. I go & do things...I treasure the moments....the sun on my face...the little things that I didn't notice when I was a well person. And at times surprisingly, my body bounces back fairly well from this burst of activity...sometimes. When a relapse sets in though...it's a cruel reminder that steals a bit of that hope that sparkled through my body just days before. This is when I have to remind myself to be patient with myself...that I am OK despite this illness that ravages my body. That things will be better. And if I can't see it...Tony reminds me of it.

It takes courage to live with these illnesses I've been diagnosed with. In many ways CFS/FM has been my teacher. Before this diagnosis I was focusing on the job, the career, the bling of life...what face I showed to the world...if I was successful or not...honestly, I was shallow. Living with this illness has caused me to get real honest with myself...to go within...to unburden my heart of a lot of baggage. It has challenged me to look at who & what is important in life...what isn't...what can wait...It has taught me patients, perseverance, strength, courage, compassion...& in the end I believe that I'm a deeper, fuller person for it. I have learned to go with the flow & ride the waves of my energy levels. I have learned ways to work with & around it....not that it's always easy or that I always let things flow...after all, I'm just a work in progress. I have come to understand that I am not my illness. I will never say, "I have CFS/FM." I was diagnosed with CFS/FM...I am not CFS/FM...CFS/FM does not define me, my heart, or my spirit...it is not who I am. I have learned to live with this illness....so survive & thrive in my own way.

These days, I'm focusing on doing what I love. I've always wanted to be an artist. So now, slowly but surely, I am working on creating art in my home studio. Tony converted our garage into a studio for me so I would have a space to work. (I named it MoonWillow Art Studio because we have a very old Willow tree in our front yard & the Moon passes behind it in the night sky.) The act of creating helps my healing process. It brings a spark back into my body & reminds me of the feeling of hope, of being alive. I had my first art show July 2008 at a local gallery. That was an amazing time...that was the last time I felt really good. I've been dealing with several relapses since August 2008, which slows down the progress I'd like to be making in my studio...but, that's when I remind myself that it will come in it's own time. I am making progress...after all, I no longer walk with a cane & my symptoms are less frequent & less severe. Currently I am working on opening an Etsy shop to bring my art & creative efforts to the marketplace. This is a bit of a daunting task as my brain doesn't always comprehend everything I'm reading & what I do read, I forget. It's a work in progress & sooner or later my shop will be open.

I have also discovered an interest in writing. I never thought of myself as a writer, but it seems to be something that is knocking at my door these days. Whether I'm any good at, I do not know...just the process of writing is intriguing though & I'm excited to explore it more. Actually, I have a couple of horror novels whirling around in my mind...we shall see if they come to be. It's something for me to look forward to. Which, I think is important for anyone living with illnesses like these.

It's hard to share this much about my life with CFS/FM. This is just a bit of what I could write. I feel hesitant to publish this to my blog. The fear of not being understood or believed...What will you think? What will my friends & family think? It's embarrassing in a way...to show my soft underbelly...to admit that I struggle with this. It's not something I often talk about...at least not the sadness & suffering part of this illness. Most of the time I focus on talking about the good that has come out of this. I do my best to be a glass half full kind of gal. Revisiting the pain of CFS/FM in my life is difficult...the feelings of sadness bubbling to the surface...bringing tears to my eyes. However, if I don't talk about it...if other people with illnesses like this don't talk about it...The world will never know & we will continue to feel isolated. I hope by me sharing my story, it will bring some awareness to CFS/FM/ME & other invisible illnesses.

For those of you out there that also live with these kinds of illnesses, I hope that by reading my story you know you're not alone. If you feel moved to do so, I would love to hear from you & know your story. From one survivor to another...Never, never, never give up. The world is a better place for having you in it. You have worth. This quote by Mary Anne Radmacher has gotten me through many hard days, "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow".

Yesterday's Adventure

2009-04-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Considering this is my first big outing in almost two weeks, it was an adventure for me. Yesterday we had errands to run. Had to go see the Doc to check on my ankle, which is actually doing a lot better! I'm not on crutches or using a cane at this point...just call me 'hop along'. I still can't run a marathon or go hiking or be on it for too long, but at least I can get my own coffee. We stopped for lunch at Knight's Diner.

Then we popped over to Northwest Seed & Pet to buy seeds for the garden. We decided to try the heirloom seeds this year & try our hand at saving the seeds to plant for next year. I still have research to do to figure it all out, but that's part of the fun! The seeds we bought are from Ellensburg from Irish Eyes Garden Seeds. We also bought a couple blackberry plants & a couple blueberry bushes. The folks at Northwest Seed & Pet are really helpful & knowledgeable. Now we just have to plan our garden out for this year.
This years seeds.

Oil is coming along nicely.

Good bye crutches!

Crutches Are Now My Best Friend

2009-04-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

So this is why I haven't been at my computer much this last week...Tony & I went up in the woods to pick cottonwood buds. We do this every Spring. Why? I make a medicinal oil out of the sap in the buds. I use it for things like sprains, arthritis, fibro pain (note: this is not medical advice from me to you). It's not something that can be bought so I make it. It smells so good! We have a lot of good memories doing this too. It's something we look forward to every year.

It was a beautiful day...blue sky, warm, lots of sunshine, no clouds, fresh air. Things were going beautifully...we were in a feild that had some snowy patches & bare patches. I was walking across a snowy patch & my foot went through the snow, which had been happening all day, but there was usually more snow underneath that would support my foot. Not this time....there was a hollow under the snow where I stepped & wouldn't ya know it...I rolled my ankle...more like folded it in half. I thought it was broken at first. So we're in the middle of a feild & I'm laying in the snow. Tony helped me walk to the road...although I wouldn't call it walking. He left me by the road & went & got the truck. I'm just sitting there hoping that something doesn't come along & eat me in the mean time. LOL

Went to the Doc & it's not broken...I just tore all the ligaments in my ankle. Great. Doc says to take it easy & sit on my behind for the next couple of weeks (this was a week ago yesterday). Basically, if the ligaments don't heal right...I'd be looking at surgery. So even though I'm a horrible patient & I hate just sitting, I am following doctors orders. It must be getting better though because I'm able to sit at the computer longer & longer each day.

In my boredom I started taking pictures of stuff from wherever I'm sitting. Below are a few pics. Some of them I was playing with my telephoto lens.

Me hanging out in the back yard while Tony stacks wood. All of the photos below were taken from me sitting here.

Here's the oil I'm making from those cottonwood buds. Isn't it a gorgeous color?

Another photo of my tulips coming up.

Just the power lines that run down the alley. But look at that blue sky! Beautiful!

Spring Has Sprung

2009-04-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

You know how life just seems to get away from you sometimes? Today I'm catching up on my blog. I've been taking pictures, meaning to share them...but then life happens. I've been at my computer in brief spurts...stay tuned for my next post & I'll tell ya why. But I'm back now. Took these a couple of weeks ago around the yard.

My Chives are comin' up. I even used some in the potato soup the other day. Yummy!

Crocuses by my front door.

Tulips are getting bigger!

Last of the snow!

April In Idaho

2009-04-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Days like today I wonder if Spring & Summer will ever really get here. I don't think I can remember a time when we had snow in April. One year we did have snow on the Spring Equinox. And one Summer it may as well have been October...I was wearing fanel...in July. That Summer it rained & I actually remember a day where it was 40 degrees. That was back in the 90's.

We ran out of wood last week. Tony went up to my folks property to get more.

Eat Green Lettuce

2009-03-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

I had no idea! I'm definitely going back to good old fashioned lettuce!

LETTUCE- SOPHIE ULIANO - watch more recipes and videos

Candles, Cookies, & Tea

2009-03-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

Last night was Earth Hour from 8:30-9:30pm. I made super yummy gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies...but I was out of brown sugar..so I used regular sugar & they turned out even better! Then I made a pot of tea before 8:30. We lit all the candles we could find in the house. It was beautiful! Tony & I were like, why don't we do this more often? We spent our time talking & then our daughter came home & got in on the action. She's 17...you'd think a teen would be like this is boring...but she really enjoyed it. When it was time to blow out the candles & go to bed, she was bummed.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are going to go 'power free' one night a week. No lights, no stereo, no tv, no computer...anything that can be turned off will get turned off. The fridge & all that stuff will stay on of course. We will allow one exception...& that is if our daughter has homework & needs to use the computer. That's pretty important stuff! Here are some pics of our Earth Hour:

Cookies & tea by candlelight. Divine! You can see what time it is on the stove if you look close.

Oooooo....pretty!

This is a close up of my hanging candle holder. I got it at Goodwill...it was a chandelier light for over a dining room table. Well, I repurposed it & viola! Candle holder.

See? I HAVE been working! Right on!

2009-03-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

I originally posted this on my MoonWillow Studio blog. I couldn't post it here until now because it was a gift for a friends 40th birthday...& she reads Karny Life now & then...so I just couldn't take a chance that she'd see it before I gave it to her. Actually, she did see it. She came over the other day & came through the studio door. So of course she saw it! I had to do something! So I just played it off like, 'Yeah, this is what I'm working on. It's for my new series that I'm workin' on. Whatcha think?' LOL So she was completely blown away when I gave it to her yesterday!

Following is the original post:

Finally...inspiration! Yaaaayyyyyy!!! This is something kinda new for me. I'm playing with acrylics on canvas with no stretcher bars....so I guess it's more like a wall hanging...or a door hanging in this case. It's actually a mixed media piece as I'm using dry pastels, paint, stamps, ink, collage, beads, charms, & fibers. This is the first little do dah from my new series I'm working on. It's titled, "Gift For A Friend"...OK, you got me...I don't have a great name for it, but it is a gift for a friends birthday. So this one is already spoken for, but there's more to come so stay tuned!

Earth Hour: March 28th

2009-03-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Join me in observing Earth Hour next Saturday, March 28th from 8:30pm - 9:30pm. We're planning on having a candlelight dessert & telling stories. Would love to hear what you did.

SPRING IS HERE!

2009-03-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

It's the first day of spring! Here in our neck of the woods...it's 59 degrees. That's a heat wave! The snow is melting! How excited am I? SO EXCITED! Before long it will be time to plant our garden. I've been daydreaming about Spring & Summer since the first of February. Here's what I found in my back yard:
This is the last of our wood. I'm SO grateful that it's getting warmer!

Our tulips & daffodils are pushing up to see the Sun!

That's BLUE sky folks! Yep! REAL blue sky! Haven't seen that since September!

Quinn's Hot Springs

2009-03-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

Tony & I got away for one night. He surprised me with a text asking what kind of wine do you want in our room. I love surprises! We went to Quinn Hot Springs in Montana. It's between St. Regis & Paradise. We'd never been there before, but they were running a special & it was fairly close to home, so off we went! The room was great! The food was amazing! The bottle of wine in our room was really good. The hot springs...very relaxing. The staff, so helpful & so very nice. It was as if we had been there before & they were happy to see us. We even made new friends that live just over the boarder in Washington. Here's some pics:

Me Taking Pictures Of Me

2009-02-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

Here I am just playing with my camera. This is my shadow in the snow.

Like my artsy hairdo & my pirate shirt? Hey, sometimes a girl just hast to be a pirate! Hee hee hee...

Laundry Room Ceiling

2009-02-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share a picture of my laundry room ceiling. I painted it myself & then rubbed a butterfly decal on top. After all, who'd mind doing laundry under the watchful gaze of a butterfly, fluffy clouds & a blue sky ;)

Lemonaded Twice!

2009-02-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

Wow! Another award & from two great people! Thank you Sarah & Crystal! Ok, so I'm nominating the following:

Crystal & Sarah...I have to tag you back. Seriously, you both are amazing, have great blogs, & uplift me in so many ways. How can I not smile when I visit your blogs!
Psyche Connections I'm always finding something on her blog that make me smile.

Bairbre Aine, I smile every time I get a chance to peek at your blog!

Monique at Cake & Cappuccino. Every time I look at Monique's blog, I want to bake something & tidy up just for fun. How cool is it when someone inspires you to take a task that may seem like drudgery & instead you feel good about it! Now that's magic folks!

If you've been nominated and you want to pass on the award, here's what you do:

1. Display the logo on your blog.
2. Nominate up to 10 blogs that show great attitude.
3. Link your nominees with your post & let them know via comment that they're lemonaded.
4. Link the post to the person who gave you the award!

An Award! For Me?

2009-02-05T23:10:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Sarah passed this award on to me. I'm thrilled! This is my first one! Sarah is an amazing artist that inspires me all of the time. She has always included me in things that she thought may move me forward & that has been an amazing gift because it has moved me forward. I love that! I value her advice, adore her energy & sweet spirit & I'm honored to know her. She lives right here in the same town too! We've had coffee. How cool is that? Thank you Sarah for thinking of me & passing on this award! Ok, so here's the 7 things that I love:

1. My husband Tony. He has been amazing! I was diagnosed with CFS/FM soon after we were married...so he's had to be my caretaker as well. Things were rough. No matter what happened, he loved me through it & saw the person that was inside of me...not the 'sick' me. He believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. He believed in me so much he converted our garage into my studio. He's my superhero ;) Now that I am doing MUCH better, he's getting used to having hobbies & interests again! LOL

2. My daughter. She is the light in my life. Watching her grow up has been a beautiful thing. I'm so proud of her! She's so smart & I could brag about her all day. She reminds me of what it is to be young & fearless & of all the possibilities waiting just around the corner.

3.My parents. They've helped me/us through the dark times of the CFS/FM. Many times they helped with my daughter when I couldn't. My dad, always cheering me on & believing in me. Anything that may help my recovery to health, my dad has been right there saying don't worry about the cost. He says health first, then art. My mom just listening to me when things were hard.

4. My friends. I know some of the most amazing people & I'm honored & thrilled that they are my friends. I've had many an adventure with friends & gatherings are never dull! Pirate parties, Witch's tea parties, & Fairy parties just because, Sister Sunday brunch, Drumming circles, Chinese New Year, & don't forget Halloween! My life is never dull! They've been there to celebrate all the big stuff in my life. They've come to anything that has to do with my art & been so excited about it that I felt like a rock star! LOL

5. Autumn. There's a vibe, a feeling that goes with Autumn. For me it actually starts in the Summer. One day there's a Summer vibe...then out of the blue it feels like something shifts & changes...the energy is a bit different...something is in the air, the light changes a bit, even though the calendar says it's still Summer. I love that feeling & I hold on to it as long as I can.

6. Halloween. Seriously, I'm not even kidding here. I have 6 large tubs of Halloween stuff. That does not count the things in my collection that I love so much they are tucked here & there around the house. My witch dolls sit on the bed in our guest bedroom & my crows are still up. My corner cabinet is full of my favs. The haunted house Tony built me is still out, but it's too cool to put away. I have a big Halloween party every year. The house goes through quite the transformation! It's like magic!

7. Vintage clothes. I have quite the colleciton! Lots of black & velvet, lace & jewelry. I don't get to wear them all the time, but they are just to beautiful to not have! How else do you think I end up with such a cool Halloween outfit? I have a collection of kimonos & vintage bathrobes too. I just have a knack for finding them at the thrift store & they are gorgeous! It's kinda like someone put them there just for me!

Ok, well to pass this on:

Sarah, back attcha on this one! I love Sarah's art! Visit her at http://rowenleaf.blogspot.com/

Crystal at http://funkyfiaryshoppe.blogspot.com. I love everything she makes! Her handmade incense is amazing! I made her logo for her shop & I'm thrilled that she aksed! Thanks Crystal! On top of that, she's a great friend & I'm very blessed that she's part of my life.

Phoenix Springwater at http://phoenixspringwater.blogspot.com/. I love her work & she's an amazing friend! She's inspired me more than once to get my art out there. We buy & trade eachother's art. Her painting, The Dreaming Tree, graces my guest bedroom.

Szarka at http://www.szarka.blogspot.com/. I love her work! She makes amazing jewelry & she's a really interesting person on top of that. I buy a lot of my beads through her. Beautiful beads!

Tony's Forge

2009-02-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

Last night we blessed Tony's forge. Friends came over & brought with them a candle that had been lit from another candle that had been lit from Brigid's Flame in Ireland. St. Brigid is the patron saint of blacksmithing. February is her month, so it seemed like perfect timing to bless Tony's forge. We lit a special candle from their candle for Tony & then he lit his forge with that flame. We also blessed it with water that came from the White Well at the Chalice Well in Glastonbury, England. The White Well is Brigid's Well. He hung a Brigid's cross that I made for him over the door of his shop. It was very cool! Can't wait to see what he makes! Stay tuned!

One of my favorite quotes...

2009-02-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Notes From The Universe

2009-02-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

I signed up for these a while back. They're little Notes From the Universe. Yes, The Universe. The cool thing is that they kinda personalize it. How cool is that? Here's what I got today:

How will you answer those, Karmen, who will one day look at your utterly amazing life, complete with thriving, profitable, vibrant, art studio business and cool friends, and say, "Yeah, but for you it was easy"?

Huh, huh, huh?
The Universe

Karny Life Logos

2009-02-02T13:45:00.001-08:00

So this is what I've been up to lately. I've been playing with a sort of 'logo' for Karny Life. I was going to use it as a banner at the top of the page, but for some reason it just doesn't want to cooperate. Such as it is. So I thought I'd just share 'em anyhow. Hey, at least I'm getting back in the swing of things! Right? The brown one has elements that I did myself & then I scanned them in to the computer. Then I collaged them together in Photoshop. The multi-colored one there. I did that in Illustrator. I took part of that one & turned it into a button for my MoonWillow Studio blog.

Amazing!

2009-01-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

What an amazing little clip! Peace!

Newest Brigid's Cross

2009-01-16T20:28:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's the one made out of wheat stalks. It is a bit more difficult than using pipe cleaners! I made 2 of them. Here's some tips to make it a bit easier:

1. Soak your wheat stalks ALL day...no kidding. I put mine in a turkey roasting pan with water in the morning & left them there until 5:00. The longer the better or you'll end up breaking them.

2. Put three butter knives in the bottom (two on the ends & one to support the middle) of the pan & lay the wheat stalks on top. Weight down the wheat stalks with 2-3 more butter knives. So you're kinda making a butter knife & wheat stalk sandwhich ;)

3. You'll need a total of 14 stalks....two are straight...the rest will need to be folded in half. DO NOT FOLD STALKS AS YOU GO LIKE IN THE VIDEO ABOVE. This is VERY important! Fold them in half all at once & put them back in the water. Otherwise you'll be super frustrated as it will be almost impossible to hang on to the cross & folk wheat stalks at the same time. It may work if you had someone help you or if you're one of the Hindu gods with lots of arms.

4. You can just bend it in half in one spot...but I folded it several times over & over...each time right next to the last so that it softens it up. This makes it so the bend is not so sharp. It ends up being kinda squared. Did I say that right? I think I'd really have to show ya what I mean, especially if you're a visual person like me.

5. So once you've got it all together you'll need to fasten it. At this point make sure everything is nice & tight. You can let go of trying to hold it all together & just hold onto one arm of the cross. Now take a rubber band to fasten it...make sure it's real tight. Now do that to all the sides. It will look 'ugly', but that's ok because you'll end up cutting the rubber band part off...if you want.

6. Now decide how long you want your arms to be. Mine ended up being 8 1/2 inches long. I cut the arm where I wanted it, then I tied it with fake sinew. It's kind waxy & really strong so you can really tie it tight. It should make the ends fan out a little bit. Now if you didn't want to use sinew, you could use rubber bands & then tie pretty ribbon around the rubber bands to hide them. You'll still need to rubber band all of them first & then cut them to size & then rubber band them again. It will work better this way. It will just keep everything together while you're working.

7. Fresh reeds would be really nice to use. Maybe I'll have to make some of these in the Summer.

OH, I almost forgot...you take the heads off of the wheat stalks before you put them into the water. I'm saving mine to do something crafty with....like maybe a charm to hang up in the kitchen. Also, I got 2 crosses out of the wheat bunch I bought at Micheal's...with enough left over for half of another one. The bunch cost $5.99.

Well That's Cool!

2009-01-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

Got this in my email today. It's from Schmap.

Hi Karmen,

I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo
has been selected for inclusion in the newly released sixth
edition of our Schmap Seattle Guide:

It's for Volunteer Park

Here's the picture. It's of the conservatory at Volunteer Park in Seattle WA. It's from our family vacation there in August.

Making A Brigid's Cross

2009-01-14T18:38:00.000-08:00

So since Tony's going to be blacksmithing, I've been looking up some info about The Goddess Brigid (or St. Brigid). She is the Goddess of blacksmithing, among other things. February is Brigid's month & her holiday is called Imbolc, which is traditionally on February 1st. So...I thought due to the timing of Tony getting his blacksmithing tools & Imbolc being just around the corner, that it would be the perfect time to make a couple Brigid's Crosses.

Following along with the video below & using pipe cleaners like my friend Crystal suggested, I managed to make this Brigid's Cross in under 15 minutes. This was my test run, so now I'll try it with wheat stalks sometime this weekend. Stay tuned to see how those turn out ;) Really though, I don't think the pipe cleaners look all that bad & would be a great way to get the hang of it. With a little help, it would be simple enough for the kiddos.

Tony's Been Busy

2009-01-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday we took off on a little adventure. Tony found blacksmithing tools, forge, anvil, etc. for sale in the paper. So after breakfast, off we went. We had to go to Naples, which is North of Sandpoint by quite a bit. So we bought everything & now Tony is fixing up the little red shed for his shop. Here's a picture of the mess he's making in the back yard. Actually, he did clean it up & took it off to the dump...but only after I salvaged some of the wood. LOL

Wisdom on a Starbuck's cup....

2009-01-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

This is another quote from Starbuck's, The Way I See It quotes on their cups.

Why are we inspired by another person's courage? Maybe because it gives us the sweet & genuine surprise of discovering some trace, at least, of the same courage in ourselves.

--Laurence Shames

Save Handmade Toys!

2009-01-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

Shining Stars Are Everywhere

2009-01-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last night I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep...no such luck! These words popped into my head & kept repeating...so after the tenth time, I got up, ran downstairs to the studio & wrote it down. So here it is....

There are people in this world,
Who shine bright...
Not to make you feel small,
But to be a shining star to lead the way,
To show you the possibilities,
As if to say,
If I can,
So can you.

Take a look around...Who are your shining stars? Think on this...YOU may be someones shining star. Even in the smallest ways we are all shining stars to someone, in some way, on any ordinary day....You may be shining & not even know it!

Many thanks to all of my shining stars out there who's brightness has inspired me in so many ways! Now I bet you're wondering who you are? Is it YOU? Stay tuned!

The Animal Odd Couple: Wow!

2009-01-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

Snow, Snow, Go Away....

2009-01-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

...come back another day...or maybe just come back next year......It just won't stop snowing! Since I don't snowboard, ski, ice skate, snowshoe or do any other outdoor winter activity, I'm so ready for anything but snow. So far we've gotten over 5 feet of snow & it's still snowing. At least I have tons of projects to do in the house. Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get crackin'! Here's the latest pictures of our winter wonderland.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2009 WILL BE AMAZING!

2008-12-31T09:47:00.001-08:00

~Magickal Graphics~

Pumpkin Bread

2008-12-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

For the holidays this year, I made pumpkin bread for gifts. Yep, we used our trophy pumpkin. We've had more fun with this pumpkin than I could ever imagine!

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin pure' (or canned) (I actually used 2 cups on one batch on accident, still yummy)
1 cup vegetable oil (I used light olive oil)
2 tsp. vanilla (I left it out in a batch but it was still yummy)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (I didn't have this in my cupboard so I left it out & it was fine)
1/4 tsp. cloves (I think I accidentally added 1/2 tsp. to one batch, but again it turned out fine)

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, canned pumpkin, oil, & vanilla. Add dry ingredients & spices. Mix well. Pour into 2 bread pans (cake pans will work in a pinch! lol) that have been greased on the bottom only. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 - 80 minutes. Cool 10 minutes & then remove from loaf pans & allow to cool.

I mixed the wet ingredients & set aside. Then I mixed all the dry ingredients together before adding them to the wet ingredients. As you can see, it's a fairly forgiving recipe ;)

Buried Alive! Well, Almost....

2008-12-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow! It has snowed the last two days straight! The first picture is of our backyard Wednesday morning around 8am. The second picture is of our backyard about 24 hours later on Thursday. Then it proceeded to snow all day Thursday. The schools are closed so it's an early Christmas break for the kiddies. The third picture is our car Thursday night after it finally quit snowing. Tony did get us shoveled out so we could get to the store. When we got back from the store, he had to do it all over again. And if you live here & you're buried in the snow too...well, stay safe & stay warm!

Thought for the day

2008-12-10T11:35:00.001-08:00

Inspirational Comments & more at magickalgraphics.com

New Jewelry

2008-12-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

This is what I've been up to lately...I've been taking my art & turning it into jewelry. These are the first two. Stay tuned to see what else I come up with...now where's that soldering iron????

Turkey Day...Yeah, it's kinda late....

2008-12-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

...but just in case you've been curious, here's our Thanksgiving day. The pinecone turkey was made by my daughter back when she was in kindergarten...we put it on the table every year. This year our turkey was an organic turkey & I made homemade pumpkin pies from scratch...Remember a few weeks ago when it was Pumpkin Karnage day? Well, that's what I made pumpkin pie out of. Our trophy pumpkin is very tasty indeed! Hope YOU had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

Yesterday's Project

2008-11-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

This is one of the things I did in the studio yesterday. They are card sets of my art & photographs. I mounted the photographs with those old fashioned looking black paper photo corners...that way the photo can be removed & reused or framed. I left them blank inside for folks to personalize. Then I wrapped them up in a 12x12 sheet of paper, put a black with white polka dot ribbon around it with a sticker on the front that has the description & pictures of the cards inside. They look so pretty all sitting together! These will be going to The Artist's Tree for the month of December. The next batch will go to my Etsy shop. Today's project? Soldering...wish me luck!

They're Here! They're Here!

2008-11-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

My promotional materials for the studio showed up in the mail today! How exciting! Oooooo.....prettyyyyyy....

There's Snow In Them Thar Hills!

2008-11-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's happened...snow in the mountains. It's just a matter of time that we get the first snow down here.

Pumpkin Karnage!!!

2008-11-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

Today was Pumpkin Karnage day...Here are the remains of our prize trophy pumpkin. WARNING: Content may not be suitable for some viewers. If you are squeamish, it's best not to look any further! They don't call it Karnage for nothing! We got 26 cups of pumpkin puree which will make 10 pies & 11 loaves of pumpkin bread. Tony was very excited...he had to try the pumpkin on...actually I made him do it so I could take a picture. After all, it wouldn't be Karny Life without the Karny ;)

First Friday: December 5th

2008-11-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

I stopped by The Artist's Tree yesterday & now I'm going to be a part of First Friday on December 5th. There will be a lot of other local artists there as well. First Friday is an event where all the galleries in downtown Spokane are open in the evening...there's usually food & beverages & folks wonder from gallery to gallery. This will kick off the holiday shopping season so come by, say hi & buy local this year!

The Artist's Tree Gallery is located at 828 W. Sprague Avenue, Downtown Spokane, WA, across the street from the Davenport Hotel.

Wisdom on a Starbucks Cup 2

2008-10-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Got this one yesterday...It was such a beautiful October day that we went to the Starbucks down the street & sat outside...I was wearing flip flops, which is only unusual because I live in Idaho.

The Way I See It #11

"Why are we inspired by another person's courage? Maybe because it gives us the sweet and genuine surprise of discovering some trace, at least, of the same courage in ourselves." ~Laurence Shames

Three Hour Banana Coconut Bread

2008-10-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

The following story is based on actual events. It took place the winter of 2008. This story is known all the way in Seattle. It is an original story written by me & was written the day after the event as an email. My husband was one of the lucky recipients of this story & he saved it. He found it the other day in his saved email & encouraged me to share it with the world. Lucky you! Please see copywrite infomation at bottom of page. Now get a cup of tea because this is going to take awhile...sit back, relax, & enjoy!

Three Hour Banana Coconut Bread

Thank you for your inquiry about our famous 3 hour banana coconut bread. We are sorry to inform you that we no longer carry this item. However we are happy to send you the recipe. Please keep in mind that the recipe & directions MUST be followed exactly to achieve the desired results. You may want to print the recipe & directions for future reference. Good Luck.

3 Hour Banana Coconut Bread
(Total cooking time: 5 hours)

Wake up at 7am. Wipe sleep out of eyes. Trip over cat. Make sure your home temperature is freezing. Take 2 pills/supplements (the choice as to what kind is yours, but for our bread we take the probiotics). Gag & choke on pills. Wait 15 to 30 minutes. Make coffee. Husband must build a fire in the fire place. Have one cup of coffee.

After one cup of coffee, get out cookbook, turn to page 29, turn oven on to 325, read through ingredients.While looking for ingredients, decide that you still are not quite awake & that the cobwebs have not been properly shaken out of your head. Have a second cup of coffee, watch some tv, preferably Good Morning America.

After second cup of coffee, go back to kitchen & think about making banana coconut bread. Measure & wisk together dry ingredients. Set aside. Say favorite curse word when you realize that you need to make breakfast before I make the bread! Notice it is now 9:00.

Turn oven up to 400. Get out paper cupcake liners & put butter in them, then put them in a muffin tin. Then take sliced lunch ham & put into paper cups, making a ham cup shape. Drizzle agave syrup in the bottom of ham. Crack an egg & put into ham. Put into oven & set timer for 20 minutes. Remember, in order to make true 3 hour banana coconut bread you MUST make 4 eggs, regardless of the number of people you are making breakfast for.

Now get out leftover potatoes from last nights dinner. Put frying pan on stove, turn up to medium. Put olive oil in pan. Cut potatoes, green onion, mushrooms, broccoli, & carrots & put in pan. Stir frequently, adding more olive oil & butter as you go. Cook until eggs are done.

Make fruit salad: cut up banana, mango, & strawberries. Put in festive bowl with a spoon. Put on table.

Take eggs out of oven, put on plate with potatoes, place on table. Say favorite curse word again because you forgot to get out your supplements. Go get all of the supplements you are taking & get out what you need, you should have at least one handful of pills, place in small metal bowl. Get glass of water, go back to table with supplements. Put supplements in mouth,
add water, gag & choke until you get them down. Wipe tears from eyes with napkin. Put food in mouth.

Clean off table, put dishes in sink, screw putting them in the dishwasher. Go back to recipe for bread. Get butter out of fridge, look at recipe again, noticing for the first time that the butter needs to be at room temperature. Say favorite curse word.

Leave butter on countertop. Go check email. Forget that you are making bread.

Having no idea as to how much time has passed, remember you are making bread, jump up from computer, say favorite curse word, Go to kitchen.

Now that you are in the kitchen, go back to recipe. Read the next step...butter is now at room temperature, put 1 cup in bowl, add 1 1/4 tsp. stevia, use hand mixer to make it all creamy. Read next step. You need 2 eggs. Say, "COME ON! You gotta be fricken kidding!" after you realize you ate the last 4 eggs for breakfast.

Go tell the husband (if you don't have one you will have to barrow one to make this recipe work out right) to go get eggs. He must still be in his pajamas, not showered, & have all of his jeans in the dryer. He must say, "It will be 15 minutes." In an annoyed voice say, "Fine."

Try not to get frustrated, tell yourself it will be ok & you'll just do something else in the mean time. Decide to take shower. Take shower & get dressed. Do not put on make up.

Go downstairs to see if the husband is back. He is. Eggs are in fridge. Go to the kitchen, open fridge, the eggs must be a brand you do not usually buy & must be from an organic market (I can not stress this enough). Grab an egg, crack it on the side of counter. As you are dropping it into the bowl with the butter & stevia...think, "I should put this in a small bowl first in case there is something funky with the egg...eh...it will be fine." Egg plops down into bowl with butter & stevia...egg is bloody. YELL FAVORITE CURSE WORD!!!! Go to husband sitting in front of computer & yell at him for buying bloody eggs.

Go back to kitchen. Look at recipe. Realize it is now NOON. Look at recipe again. Realize butter is in fridge & will take awhile to bring back to room temperature SHOUT OUT FAVORITE CURSE WORDS...MAKE SURE TO USE SEVERAL. Decide to use cold butter. Mix wet ingredients, this time using a bowl to crack the 2 eggs into, these eggs will be fine. Butter will be lumpy in
mixture. Say, "Screw it..." & sigh. Put in dry ingredients. Use hand mixer to blend. Make sure mixture is thick & comes up the beaters & smears all over the bottom of mixer. Get out spatula & scrape off. Grumble about cooking with sticks & stones & how you really need a Kitchenaid.

Put mixture into the greased & floured bread pan, put in oven. It should now be 12:30. Total cooking time for bread will be 1hour & 20minutes.

Husband comes in kitchen & asks if he can help...COMPLETELY LOOSE IT! Make sure to chew him out for the bloody egg again. Tell him you are never cooking again & sex is completely out of the question.....forever. Yell about cooking with sticks & stones & how you really need a Kitchenaid because if you had a Kitchenaid this would not have happened. Be creative with your fit. Say things that you know aren't true & that don't make sense. Cry. Make sure he blames it on the fact that you will start your period any day. Be angry he said this & say, "SO!" Do not allow him to comfort you. Instead give him the cold shoulder & tell him to go run errands. Grab chocolate, stuff in mouth, & go check email again.

1 hour later, husband must return. He must have a Kitchenaid mixer from Costco, the kind with the all metal gears, & it must be black. Make sure he says, "It not roses, but it will have to do." Cry some more, tell husband you're sorry for yelling at him & that you're the meanest woman alive. Keep crying. Make sure husband says it's ok & that he understands, that he loves you & that you keep his life interesting. Now feel really guilty because you realize that YOU ARE THE MEANEST WOMAN ALIVE & THAT YOU DON'T DESERVE THE AMAZING MAN YOU'VE MARRIED & YOU DON'T DESERVE THAT KITCHENAID EITHER.

Timer for bread goes off. Go back to kitchen & take bread out of oven. Slice bread while warm & spread with butter & agave syrup. Make sure to give husband 2 slices. It should now be around 2:00. Eat with fork & Enjoy!

Note: Yes, I wrote this. Feel free to share it with others, but please give me credit for writing it (by Karmen Naccarato) & please include my blog address www.karnylife.blogspot.com. If you want to reprint it or publish it any way, please ask me for permission first...After all that's just the polite & leagal thing to do, as this is copywrited material. Thanks!

Knight In Shining Armor For Breakfast

2008-10-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

We tried Knight's Diner in Spokane this week for breakfast. It was our first visit. Knight's Dinner is in a train car & they've been serving breakfast since 1949. When we first opened the door & walked in, we saw an antique looking train car with a long counter. It looks very historical...articles & old photos of the history on the diner are on the walls. We've never been there, but we were greeted like friends. The woman behind the counter told us the specials & asked if we wanted coffee. She was warm & genuine. We sat right in front of the grill...Not only is that where all the action is, but it's nice & warm on a cold autumn day. Menus & coffee was placed before us in a hot second. Everything looked so good that it took us awhile to figure out what we wanted. We both decided on the Mini Breakfast (I think that's what it was)...It came with 1 egg, hashbrowns, sausage or bacon, & 6 silver dollar pancakes. We both ordered 2 eggs though & we even had the choice to have sauteed onions &/or gravey on our hashbrowns. I opted for plain hasbrown's while my hubby got the sauteed onions. After we ordered, the woman behind the counter asked if we wanted the morning paper. Of course we do! The coffee kept coming...she didn't miss a beat...I watched her as she whipped up orders, cleaned, & trained a new guy...all with a smile on her face & time to ask us & her regulars how they were & what they were up to. The food was amazing! I don't think I've ever had pancakes that were quite that good...the bacon was perfectly cooked...the hashbrowns were homemade from real potatoes, not frozen from a bag. This is now our most favorite place to eat. We will definately continue to go back again & again. I seriously can't wait to go back to Spokane again.

Dissapointing Dinner

2008-10-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

We went to The Pizza Shoppe for dinner. We've went there before & they used to have the best pizza in Coeur d'Alene...I mean it took awhile to get your pizza, but it was so worth it because it was so good. It was good...was...I seriously don't think I've ever had worse pizza or service. I honestly wish I didn't even have to give it one star...yes, that's how bad it was. Where to start? There were so many things. The guy behind the counter that took our order was pretty indifferent & unfriendly. He was the only one taking orders & getting drinks & plates. There were two people in the back making pizzas...they looked overwhelmed, deflated, beaten down by stress & they moved as slow as a sloth. I noticed that only one of their ovens was working. There was a family in front of us...it took 10 minutes to take our order. We ordered a medium combination pizza & a salad bar. That was at 5:45 pm. There were several uncleaned tables complete with half eaten pizza, crumbs, & dishes. We asked ourselves why anyone would leave half a pizza behind. We noticed that several people had complained that they hadn't got their food yet...customers were even complaining to each other, asking how long they had been waiting. I was very happy to have ordered the salad bar...I was so hungry. The salad bar was fine...nothing outstanding, but it was ok. A girl came back from a pizza delivery. Ok, so now there's 4 people working. She came out & cleaned a couple tables, but left the rest. We finally got our pizza 1 hour & 15 minutes after we ordered. It was delivered to our table with a seriously bad attitude..no apology for it taking so long...not a word. She just put the pizza on the table & walked off. The top of the pizza didn't look as done as we would have liked it, but we were hungry so we dug in. It wasn't very hot...usually when you bite into fresh out of the oven pizza the sauce is like napalm & it burns your mouth...sadly, not this time...it was warm pizza. We were hungry though so we ate some more...Upon further inspection, however, we discovered that the top half of the crust was still raw & doughy. Yuck! Now we knew why there was half eaten pizza at the table next to us. We complained & they gave us the choice of refunding our money or a free large pizza. Since we are never going back, we took the refund. My hubby also told them they had horrible customer service & that the energy in their establishment was heavy & deflated. The guy behind the counter said that he appreciated our opinion.

Orbs At ECETI Ranch

2008-10-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

This is a YouTube clip of orbs at the ECETI Ranch in Trout Lake WA. Mt. Adams is in the background. The ECETI Ranch has even been featured on Paranormal State...very cool episode. Enjoy!

Spooky Pics

2008-10-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Just sharin' a few pictures taken with my new camera. Tony gave me a great camera for my birthday. He says now I have no excuses...I have to get to work in the studio! I'm super blessed that Tony is part of my life. Anyhow...here's the pictures. The first one is of a green orb in our maple tree.The second picture is of a headstone with an orb in the Lewiston cemetary.The third picture is kinda different...Not sure what the shadow is...it kinda looks like a shadow from a headstone, but the only headstone that was anywhere near me, was behind me...so my flash couldn't have made that shadow. It wasn't the sun either...there were lots of trees in this cemetery & the sun was setting behind the clouds.Not sure what exactly any of these things are...just thought they were interesting during this spooky month of October.

Chocolate Cake For Everyone!

2008-10-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

This is me on my 40th birthday. Where did the time go? When I look back over the last 40 years, I have to believe in Gaurdian Angels...Seriously, there is no other explanation for me still being here...scratched & banged up a bit...but here & in one piece. Sure there are things in the past that make my heart sad...but they are in the past & those events will never have to be experienced again. I can't say that I regret any of the last 40 years...those years brought me to where & who I am now...those years gave me the gift of my life, my family, & friends...I wouldn't change a thing...not even struggling with CFS/FM for the last 10 years. My 30's I lived in a brain fogged blur...10 years run together & it's hard to believe that that much time has passed. Looking forward into what the next 10 years hold for me, I feel a sence of excitement & wonder...That my 40's hold many adventures & a passion for life that escaped me for so long.

It's A Mangled Pie Sort Of Day

2008-10-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

Today is the 2nd day I've been without my thyroid meds...My doc wouldn't renew my precription this time...turns out that I'm not his patient any more because I haven't seen him in 3 years. Ok...but they kept refilling my medication, doesn't that make me a patient? And if there was a problem, wouldn't they call & say, 'hey there's a problem & we need to see you before we can keep refilling your meds."??? Here's the other part...since I am no longer his patient...I would be considered a new patient...& this doc isn't taking any new patients...WHAT? So now I'm on a quest to find a new doc...I wasn't thrilled with the old one anyhow...change is good, right? The downside is that I think I'm having withdrawls from the thyroid I was taking...so we'll see how that goes.

Since I felt crumby today, I just puttered about the house watching scary movies & decorating for Halloween. If you look real close in the photo of the lamp, you'll see these little spiders with buggy eyes. My aunt gave those to me yesterday. When she thinks of Halloween she thinks of me so she just couldn't resist.
Then I made dinner & even desert...apple pie...I put it in the oven, started to walk off, & then remembered that I forgot to put the butter in it! So I had to poke holes in it & shove the butter down in there...which turned my apple pie into mangled apple pie. Perfect. As long as it tastes good, I really don't care at this point. Mangled pie a la mode for everyone!

Lunch Anyone?

2008-10-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Our adventure today was to check out One World Spokane. It's a new restaurant that serves orgainc food...but there's a twist...One World Spokane is a non-profit community kitchen. They use local food from local farmers so their menu is different every day. Today we had salad greens, chicken sausage, roasted potatoes...Tony had the potato salad...& we tried both of their soups...& there was this oatmeal cookie bar with apples & chocolate chips in it....YUM! It was really good food! Then at the end of your meal you decide what your meal is worth based on what you selected & the portion size & put your money in the box. It's our new favorite restaurant & we plan on eating there whenever we go to Spokane. Not only do you get to eat out, but you get to help people & our planet by doing so. I wish I would have taken a picture so you could see what it looked like. Please check out their website for more information on everything they are about. http://oneworldspokane.com

It's Begun...

2008-09-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again...Halloween...Samhain...Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)...All Hallow's Eve...No matter what you call it, it's October...& for our family, the celebration has begun! My birthday is in October...Autumn is my favorite time of year...Halloween is my favorite celebration...I started decorating the house yesterday & for the most part it's pretty much done...now I will just be fussing & tweaking it the next couple of weeks.

Over the years I have accumulated quite the Halloween collection...every year adding a couple of things to my stash. This year I've decided to not buy anything...Let's face it, most Halloween decorations & such are mass produced in China...how much cheap plastic stuff does one person need from China? This year I've opted to make things rather than buy new stuff. It's been hard a couple of times...Once I even had this huge black skull in my shopping cart...I was very determined to buy it...It was seriously the coolest thing ever...but after wondering around the store & thinking about all of the reasons I wanted it, I just couldn't justify it...so, back it went...And that's ok.

Corn Dollies

2008-09-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my friend Crystal came over & taught several of us girlfriends how to make corn dollies. They were so fun to make! They are addictive...I want to make more. Here's how my first two turned out.

Tony The Mighty Pumpkin Hunter & Other Adventures From Yesterday

2008-09-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday when Tony & I woke up we saw what a BEAUTIFUL Autumn day it was. It was definately not a day for housework, chores, or hauling wood. Ok, well...I guess it was a good day to haul wood, but who wants to do that when there is a spark of adventure in the air? So the plan we hatched was that we needed some pumpkins for our front porch. Where to find the perfect pumpkin? We decided a trip to Greenbluff was in order! Especially since neither one of us had ever been there.

On the way to Greenbluff, we came across the Peone Cemetery. Since taking photos in cemeteries is a new hobby of mine (that's a whole other story...stay tuned!), we had to stop. This cemetery is a sweet little country cemetery & has a very peaceful, comforting, & sparkleing vibe. We were walking the paths in the autumn sunshine...Then I looked up...& what did I see? An Owl! Yep! I have never seen a real live Owl in person. 'He' was so amazing! He's watching us watching him...I took several pictures of course! Then he flew to another tree across the way. So we're walking back to the car & we found a very small Owl feather. How cool is that?

Then it's back on the road to go to Greenbluff in search of the perfect pumpkin. We ended up at Beck's Harvest House. They are open 7 days a week & they have a little restaurant...After all, it is very important to keep up your strength when you're pumpkin hunting ;) They have quite the thing going on! Produce, wine, honey, gifts, & pleanty of activities for the kids. We both had burgers & potato salad & it was REALLY good. We found white pumpkins, which were sweet looking, so we bought two of them...but we still were on a quest for the perfect pumpkin....

We decided to go to Carver Farms. It's on the way home & one year they had fairytale pumpkins. So back in the car...We got to Carver Farms & we walked all over the pumpkin patch. Finally, we found it! The perfect pumpkin! Tony carefully cut it from the vines to preserve the stem in all it's glory. Now...it didn't look that big on the ground...Tony carried that pumpkin on his shoulder for a quarter mile! When we weighed it it was 57 pounds...23 1/2 inches tall...& 56 inches around! Definately a trophey pumpkin!

Yesterday was a perfect day! Now today...today is wood hauling & house cleaning day. I think I'm going to need more coffee for today's projects...much more coffee....

Fibro Wellness Movie

2008-09-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching, "Mayo Clinic Wellness Solution: Fibromyalgia". It's very informative whether you have been living with Fibro for years or if you've just been diagnosed. Actually, it would have been very helpful for me to have seen this when I was first diagnosed. This movie helps to explain what is going on with your whole person, not just physically. Plus they give you an action plan on how to live well with Fibro...which includes good advice, diet, exersise, & meditation. One of the exersise suggestions is a daily yoga practice that is included on the DVD. Also included on the DVD is a guided meditation. Both the yoga & the meditation are designed specifically for Fibro. Actually I'm considering buying this one just for the yoga & meditation portion. I rented it from Netflix (love Netflix!), but it can also be purchased from www.gaiam.com.

Courage

2008-09-07T19:47:00.001-07:00

This quote has got me through many a rough days...

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow".
~Mary Anne Radmacher

The Story of the Kitchen Painting Fiasco

2008-09-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

This is the latest in our home projects. We painted the kitchen green...kinda a pea green. If you've seen my kitchen before, it was already green, but it had seen better days & I wanted a darker muddier green. We settled on Ryegrass...Tony & I painted the kitchen, stood back & took a look. Here's the thing...the way the light was hitting two of the walls...well, they looked like a weird pastel green. There is no way we could leave it like that...I just knew our friends would come over & think I'd lost my friggin' mind...I could hear it now, "Um, Karmen? What's with the pastel walls?" Seriously, if you know me well enough, you KNOW I'm not a pastel anything kind of girl...so you'd definately think that if I actually chose that color, that I had finally lost my mind & all sence of reason.

Something had to be done! The other two walls were fine...they were indeed the color we wanted. However, the other two offending pastel walls would have to go. We chose to go to the next darkest color on the paint chip...Olive...we repainted & everything turned out fine & now I can entertain friends with my dignity intact!

Our Apple Tree

2008-09-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

There's a couple of trees in our backyard that have been here since we moved in 8 years ago...We weren't really sure what they were...but this year they grew APPLES! Nice apples too! So we climbed up a ladder & picked 'em & I made a pie. It was really yummy! While I was peeling the apples to make the pie, Tony was watching me...I was using a little pairing knife to peel the skin off...my hands were cramping up & it was really getting to be quite the chore. Tony says, "Why don't you just use a vegtable peeler?". Huh? My mother never did it that way. I tried it anyhow...& guess what...it worked like a charm! How come I never thought of that? Did anyone else know that? I love men. They think different & see things different & sometimes that is a good thing. LOL

If MSG isn't harmful, why is it hidden?

2008-09-06T09:44:00.001-07:00

I was watching the Home Shopping Network yesterday...not because it's a regular passtime of mine, mind you...My Mom wanted me to watch because Suzan Somers was going to be on talking about her new book that is coming out September 9th called, "Breakthrough: 8 Steps to Wellness". Mom is a big Suzan Somers fan...she likes Suzan's books about health, dieting, & bio-identical hormones & her line of food. So I tune in & watched just a bit (I'll watch more of it later...I taped it. lol). The part that really got my attention was when she was talking about MSG...How bad it is for you (which I already new) & OTHER NAMES FOR IT...HOW IT'S HIDDEN IN FOOD.

Now this is really concerning for me because I already know that my body doesn't like MSG so I avoid it like the plauge...Or at least I thought I was. MSG contributes to a multitude of symptoms...including Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms. Turns out that food manufacturers don't even have to list it...it can be called something else entirely...they can even put NO MSG ADDED on their label & it is a 'true' statement because the MSG wasn't added...BUT AN INGREDIENT THAT IS LISTED MAY HAVE MSG IN IT. What's worse...our fresh veggies & fruits can be sprayed with it...even organic products & fresh veggies & fruits can have MSG in it. Here's a list of just some of the ingredients that MSG is disguised under:

Autolyzed Yeast
Maltodextrin
Sodium Caseinate
Soy Sauce
Natural Flavorings
Spices
Citric
Carageenan
Cornstarch
Enzymes
Gums
Yeast Autolysate
Brewers Yeast
Nutritional Yeast
Calcium Citrate
Hydrolyzed Soybean Protein
Soy Protein
Odalized Yeast
Beef Broth
Chicken Broth

I looked through a few of the food items in my kitchen & guess what...turns out that I am still poisoning myself...unknowingly. So this would explain why, even though I'm doing MUCH better most days, I still have 'unexplainable' relapses.

The following article is from truthinlabeling.org (lots of informaiton on their website including symptoms & reactions to MSG):

Where is MSG hidden?

MSG can be used (and hidden) in processed food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, personal care products, and drugs. It can be used in waxes applied to fresh fruits and vegetables. It can be used as ingredients in pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and plant growth enhancers -- remaining in the edible portion of the plant or on the edible portion of the plant when its leaves, fruits, nuts, grains, and other edible parts are brought to market.

MSG is shorthand for processed free glutamic acid, i.e., glutamic acid that has been manufactured or freed from protein through processing or bacterial fermentation. It is a toxic substance. It can be used without disclosure.

To understand how MSG can easily be hidden, you must first understand that there are two very distinct ways of manufacturing MSG. The first is through manufacture of a product called "monosodium glutamate." There are a number of ways in which this can be achieved, but the end result will always be a product that contains glutamic acid (glutamate), sodium (salt), moisture, and a number of contaminants. It is important to understand that in "monosodium glutamate," glutamic acid will be the only amino acid present. If there were other amino acids present while the "monosodium glutamate" was being manufactured, they would have been cleaned out. When any product contains 79% free glutamic acid (with the balance being made up of salt, moisture, and up to 1 per cent contaminants), the product is called "monosodium glutamate" by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and must be labeled as such. FDA regulations require that all food ingredients be called by their "common or usual names," and "monosodium glutamate" is the "common or usual name" of the ingredient that contains 79% free glutamic acid (with the balance being made up of salt, moisture, and up to 1 per cent contaminants).

"Monosodium glutamate" was invented in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo, Japan who noticed that glutamic acid had flavor-enhancing potential. Prior to that time, the Japanese had used seaweed as a favorite flavor enhancer, without understanding that glutamic acid was its flavor-enhancing component.

The second way of producing MSG is through breakdown of protein, i.e., processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is created when protein is either partially or fully broken apart into its constituent amino acids. A protein can be broken into its constituent amino acids in a number of ways (autolysis, hydrolysis, enzymolysis, and/or fermentation). When a protein is subject to autolysis, hydrolysis, enzymolysis, and/or fermentation, the amino acid chains in the protein are broken, and the amino acids are freed. Acids, enzymes, and/or fermentation processes may be used to create MSG in this way.

There are over 40 food ingredients besides "monosodium glutamate" that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG). Each, according to the FDA, must be called by its own, unique, "common or usual name." "Autolyzed yeast," "maltodextrin," "sodium caseinate," and "soy sauce" are the common or usual names of some ingredients that contain MSG. Unlike the ingredient called "monosodium glutamate," they give the consumer no clue that there is MSG in the ingredient.

The Truth in Labeling Campaign has asked the FDA to require manufacturers to identify ingredients that contain MSG by listing MSG on a product's label. In response, we have been told that FDA regulations require that all food ingredients be called by their "common or usual names," but there is no requirement that a constituent of an ingredient be identified. Processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is considered to be a constituent of a hydrolyzed protein or fermentation product because the MSG is created during the hydrolyzation or fermentation process. To autolyze yeast, for example, yeast is subject to processing; and during that processing, protein is broken down, and glutamic acid is freed. The finished autolyzed yeast product will, therefore, always contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) as a constituent of the autolyzed yeast. The MSG will not have been poured into the autolyzed yeast. Rather, the MSG will have been processed into the autolyzed yeast.

The distinction between having MSG poured into an ingredient and processed into an ingredient is important because the glutamate industry plays on this distinction in their efforts to hide the presence of MSG. One of their favorite ways of hiding MSG is to claim that there is "no added MSG" in a product. If MSG is processed into a product instead of being poured into a product, they declare that there is "no MSG added" or "no added MSG," in the product, even though they know full well that the product contains MSG.

That the FDA allows these distinctions to be made; that the FDA refuses to monitor those who make false claims about the presence of MSG in a product; that the FDA refers consumers who are concerned about the toxic effects of MSG to agents of the glutamate industry such as The Glutamate Association; and that the FDA refuses to require that MSG in a product be disclosed, testifies to the close ties between the FDA, Ajinomoto, Co., Inc., and the rest of the glutamate industry. It is true that the FDA does not require that the constituents of ingredients be identified. But there is nothing in FDA regulations to prevent constituents of ingredients from being identified. And there is precedent for identifying constituents of ingredients, such as cholesterol.

Although glutamic acid had been isolated in 1866 by the German chemist Karl Ritthausen, it was not until well into the 1900s that food technologists began to break various protein products into individual amino acids and used the processed free glutamic acid (MSG) as a flavor-enhancer. Today, some of those hydrolyzed protein and fermentation products are designed to replace "monosodium glutamate" as a flavor enhancer, because manufacturers know that consumers are looking for products without MSG in them, and that consumers may well not realize that products such as "yeast extract," "autolyzed yeast," and "soy sauce" are nothing more than flavor enhancers that invariably contain MSG.

The flavor enhancer known as "monosodium glutamate" was first brought to the United States in quantity in the late 1940s. Today, processed free glutamic acid (MSG), the toxic ingredient in the food ingredient called "monosodium glutamate," and a toxic ingredient in hydrolyzed protein, enzyme modified, and fermentation products, is found in most processed food. In 1997, MSG was introduced in a plant "growth enhancer" (AuxiGro) to be applied to the soil or sprayed on growing crops. Today, we know of no crop that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has failed to approve for treatment with AuxiGro. People first reported MSG reactions following ingestion of lettuce, strawberries, and giant russet potatoes in 1997 -- people who didn't know at the time that those crops might have been sprayed with a product that contained MSG.

The glutamate industry is adamantly opposed to letting consumers know where MSG is hidden. Why? Because the glutamate industry understands that MSG is a toxic substance: that it causes adverse reactions, brain lesions, endocrine disorders and more. And the glutamate industry must understand, as we do, that if MSG in food, drugs, and cosmetics were disclosed on product labels, people who reacted to those products might realize that it was MSG they were reacting to, and might, therefore, refrain from buying products that contain MSG.

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

2008-09-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

This is an email that was forwarded to me by a friend. I have always felt very passionate about women voting. After all, we have only been able to vote since 1920...women were thought to be too feeble minded to vote...I'm sure there were other arguements as to why women shouldn't vote...I guess I really should study up on it. I mean, I knew that women had to 'fight' for the right to vote...but I had no idea that they had to FIGHT for the right to vote. I had no idea that the story below had happened. After reading it, I feel even more passionate...& very proud...to vote. We've become very appathetic in the political process...I know in the past I have felt like my vote...my voice...didn't matter...BUT IT DOES. By me casting my vote I reaffirm & honor what these women & their families went through so that I can vote today.

THIS IS MOVING. HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET.....IF....WE EVER KNEW......

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.' They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cell mate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his
guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there becausethey dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.

For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeksuntil word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because- -why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk
about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said.
'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just
younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.

The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.

We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.

History is being made.

Read more:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/tactics.html

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/brftime3.html

Featured In Newsletter!

2008-08-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

The wonderful folks at Reaching Out thought that my story would be inspirational for others so they did a feature article on me & my art & put it on their front page! Their newsletter gets placed in doctors offices & emailed all over the world, so I'm pretty thrilled & honored that they would do this!

Karmen Naccarato, one of our awesome Outties, just had an amazing thing happen. I want to share her words so you can understand what a great thing this is for her & her fight with FM/CFS/ME:

The series is titled, "New Beginnings". The images are based on my own personal experience of being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) & Fibromyalgia (FM)...finding the courage to live with it.... and after 8 years, regaining enough wellness to finally feel alive again. Rather than focusing on the difficult times and dealing with the challenges of living with CFS & FM, I chose to focus on courage, hope and the power of positive thinking. The creative act of painting this series was also very helpful in my healing process.”

Karmen's show has been a smash hit! In fact, it's been so successful, Michelle Mokrey, innovative owner of, "The Artist's Tree", has extended the show & placed Karmen's work in a more prominent place. We also want to thank Karmen from the bottom of our hearts because she is donating a percentage of her sales to Reaching Out! What an amazing artist AND person! So help us pay tribute to this courageous & talented lady by checking out her work which we've spread out through this issue. You can also see her complete collection of works &/or purchase it at: www.moonwillowstudio.blogspot.com. Congrats, mon ami, we love you!

What an amazing group of people they are! Their support has made a big difference in how I've lived with CFS & FM. Their kind words touched my heart & reaffirms just how far I've come. Thank you Reaching Out! {{{HUGS}}}

To learn more about Reaching Out or CFS/FM/ME visit their webstie: http://www.reaching-out.info

A Bat!

2008-08-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was getting ready to work in the studio...I opened the back studio door so that Lizzie the cat (now known at Lizzie the mighty moth hunter...which is another story) could look out the screen door. She's a house kitty so this is the closest she gets to outside. Then I was off to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. After all, my creative process requires coffee...all thick & dark...a nice organic french roast...mmmmmmm...I puttered about the kitchen waiting for my coffee & when it was finished brewing I poured myself a cup & axiously headed to the studio. As I came down the steps into my studio, I just happened to look at the screen door...AND THERE IT WAS! A BAT! Now Lizzie was quiet & just watching...the bat was on the upper part of the screen door (on the outside thank goodness!) way out of her reach. Now this was in the afternoon...about 3ish or so...I immediately paid attention because I thought it to be so odd. I called Tony at work to ask him if the bat could bite or scratch Lizzie through the screen door...Tony said he didn't know, but to take a picture...good thing he told me that because I was just so amazed & just wanted to watch it...but something told me to get the cat outa there first so I grabbed her (against her wishes of course...she just knew she was a mighty hunter & was gonna get that bat). Then I took pictures while I was still on the phone with Tony. The bat moved very quickly down the screen door & then flew in a clockwise circle in my yard & then came back to the screen, paused, & then flew into our maple tree.

The Bat represents the energy of rebirth. Known as the guardians of the night, they possess the power of adaptability. Bats can reflect our need to deal with our fears. The message of the Bat may be alerting you that transformation of the ego is upon you and is asking you to surrender to the process....hmmmm. I also looked Bat up in the Medicine Cards & it said basically the same thing, but with more detail. Another website said that if a bat is out in the daytime it may be have lost it's home, be sick, or have rabies....after reading that I was a little creeped out.

Now Lizzie was on high alert because of this so she was a bit jumpy & excitedly looked out the windows for the bat the rest of the day. That night a moth got in the house & Lizzie was delighted! She chased that moth all over the house! So that's why she is now known as Lizzie the Mighty Moth Hunter.

Karny in Seattle

2008-08-22T20:05:00.001-07:00

We just got back from our trip to Seattle. I love vaccationing in Seattle. It's so green there...I love the moss growing on the trees. The traffic was nerve racking though. On the way to Seattle we stopped at the Petrified Forest in Vantage...there's a interactive center to look around & some petrified logs...then down the road there's a gift shop where you can purchase petrified wood. I got a piece that looks like a heart. Closer to Seattle we stopped at Snoqualmie Falls. It was cool, but I bet it is much more impressive in the Spring. The gift shop was expensive, so I passed up that shopping opportunity.

Sooooo....Good places to shop in Seattle: The Red Light on Capital Hill...it is two stories of new & vintage clothing & a large costume section. I got another robe to add to my collection & Tony got a bowling shirt that hade a mortuary sponcership on the back & the name stitched on the front was Phyllis. It was just too kitchy not to purchase! There's also another Red Light in the U District, but we didn't get to that one this time. Urban Outfitters has a lot of very cool things...not just clothes, but shoes, jewelry, stuff for guys & gals, & home decor. It is on the spendy side, but super cute & it can't be bought where we live.

We tried thrift store shopping for the first time in Seattle. We went to three thrift stores...Goodwill in Renton, Goodwill in Bellevue, & Value Village in Redmond. The Goodwill in Renton was the best of the three...we found lots of lovelies cheap, & the coolest chair ever for only $20.00, but we couldn't figure out how to get it home...we were all saddened by having to leave it behind...it was really the coolest chair ever...all vintage, turquoise flowers, a high back that kinda wrapped around & made it felt like a big hug. I had visions of sitting in it in my home, next to the fire, crocheting......I loved that chair...even though our time together was breif ;) The Goodwill in Bellevue was dissapointing though...I didn't find much there & most things seemed a bit pricey for what it was. I did find a couple of faux corest like tops for $6.00 a piece so it wasn't a total loss. The Value Village in Redmond was the WORST! The vibe in there was nervous & kinda creepy...very sketchy vibe...WAY too much stuff to go through...most of the wracks were so jam packed that it was difficult to look through things...a lot of over priced stuff...a lot of people...isles too narrow...unfriendly staff...carts fblocking isles full of stuff waiting to be put away...put that all together & it was not a good thrift shopping experience.

We also went to a couple of New Age shops. One was Soul Food in Redmond...it was a nice mix of books & merchandise. They had coffee & food...local art on the walls, & music. And then we went to Stargazers in Bellevue. Stargazers is a bigger shop with many rooms, lots of crystals, books, jewelry, beads...nice shop. I wish we had something like these two shops here locally. The staff at both shops were friendly, helpful, & knowlegable. Both shops had a really good selection of merchandise & lots of different classes & events going on too. There was a nice community vibe going on.

We make sure to hit the Trader Joes while we are there...I love Trader Joes! I wish we had one here. Everything is so cheap! Quality food & ingredients at a reasonable price. I only wish we would have brought a cooler! Most of the food is organic & what's not organic is natural. I've never seen an ingredient in anything there that I could not pronounce & I've never seen high fructose corn syrup in anything either. (Did you know that high fructose corn syrup turns straight into fat??? Your body can't burn it like sugar..so your body just stores it as fat! Ick!)

Of course no trip to Seattle would be complete without a jont down to IKEA in Renton. We love IKEA! This is another store that I wish we had here. I bought wall stickers this time...I'll take a picture of what they look like on the wall just as soon as I get them up. We always stop by the cafe to have their swedish meatballs...YUM!

Now for restaurants...Every restaurant we went to was really good! No dissapointments here. Victor's Coffee in Redmond was very good. They roast their own coffee beans & it has a very warm & cozy vibe. The coffee was very good & they had specilty coffee drinks like Banana Split & Black Forest...It's a nice break from Starbucks. Taqueria El Gallow in Redmond is hands down the best Mexican restaurant I've eaten at! Very authentic food & run by a father & son. Everything is fresh & homemade with no lard at all. They were voted best Mexican food on the eastside by Seattle Times. Our favorites were the ceviche & the chicken taquitos...the rice & beans were pretty fabulous too. We had Chinese at the Jade Dragon in Redmond, which is honestly the best Chinese I've ever had. They use quality ingredinets & it's really clean tasting...no old frier oil taste. We ordered the family style combination meals for 3, which could have actually fed 4. And they use no MSG. For fast food we ate at Fatburger, which was pretty good. They have a Babyfat Burger that was just the right size. They are a local chain over in the Seattle area. Another good place that we ate was at Palmers in Redmond...it's a little bar/restaurant, but kids are welcome. They have really good sandwiches & burgers & super yummy french fries! The staff was really friendly too, which is always nice. OH, & then there's the Broadway Grill on Capital Hill. Both times we ate there the food was really good. We had fish & chips & salads & a burger...all of it was really tastey. The fries were my favorite, of course! The decor was really neat...there were roll up doors all allong the front so that when they are all opened it's like eating outside. Again the staff here was friendly & helpful. I almost forgot The Crab Cracker in Kirkland! How could I do that? We ordered family style crab dinner...WOW! A huge platter of king crab, snow crab, & dungenous crab was placed in the middle of our table along with veggies & potatoes. That was super yummy! The atmosphere was cool too...it looked really oceany (is that even a word? lol).

On Saturday we went to Capital Hill again to go to the Fairy Festival in Volunteer Park. That was horribly dissapointing! There was a HUGE grassy area with a total of 5 booths...3 of which were vendors. I was bummed. So we walked down to the conservatory & looked at the plants...took some pictures...Then we went over to the Lakeview Cemetary...drove around & took picutres (it was too hot to walk)...I like to take pictures of the statuary. This is the cemetary that Bruce & Brandon Lee are burried in.

Now for the COOLEST thing that we did....We went to Camlann Medieval Village in Carnation, which is only about a 20 minute drive from Redmond. It is a recreated village from the 14th century. The village is among all of these moss covered trees. Everyone that worked there was in proper dress & in character...everything was as it would have been in the 14th century...down to how they spoke & what they ate. No soda pop, hot dogs, or water bottles here. They even have medieval vendors...& they can tell you all about their craft in the way they would have spoke then. It's like stepping back in time. We purchased pottery that was made on site to drink water out of...& I bought the Camlann cookbook, which I super excited about trying out! (Especially since we did the feast while we were there...but we'll talk about that in a sec)

There was a candlemaker there & there were several people making candles...so I asked her how much it was to make a candle & she said something like, "It thou art poor then I have taught thou a trade. It thou has money then I would be happy with whatever you think my services are worth." I just thought that was cool. So Tony & I made candles...they look like unicorn horns...& she told us this whole love story about US...it's like she could see our heart & souls...I'm not even kidding...it was so romantic. She told us not to burn the candles but to keep them as a reminder of our love...so we put them in candle holders & put them on our love altar. Seriously...this is the coolest thing I've EVER done in the Seattle area. OH, & you can't pay for anything with our regular paper money...you have to go trade it in for their midieval coin. I wish I would have brought some back with me. There was also a woman making head wreaths out of fresh flowers & folliage. Of course we had to get them! She told us to dry them flat & hang them up once they were dry as a decoration...mine is haning in the kitchen now. There was entertainment too! There was a magician, which was histarical...then several people singing...& then there was a play. I wish I would have seen more of the play, but I was busy making a candle. There was even an archery class, a sword fighting class, & a dancing class. We got there too late to do those things, but there will be a next time.

Then once the village closes, you can stay for the feast. The feast was amazing! There's restaurant on site called the Bors Hede Inn. You can just go to the restaurant upstairs or you can go to the feast. We had made reservations for the feast weeks prior. They sereved a total of 12 dishes in two courses announced by trumpet. The food was served family style...wooden bowls passed around...no plates, just round slabs of bread to put the food on. The food was really yummy...I just can't wait to try those recipies at home. The walls in the chamber were painted with medieval hunting scenes & scenes from everyday life. There was entertainment too. It was just the most enjoyable adventure of our whole trip. We can't stop talking about it. It's $10 to get in, but if you pay the $45 for the feast you get in the gates for free.

To see pics of our trip, just look to the left column & find the Karny Slideshow section. Enjoy!

A Couple Weekends Ago...

2008-08-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

...we went to our friends wedding. (Yes, I know I'm behind on my blog...I always am...would you expect any less?) We stayed at the Country Inn hotel in Sagle...It was like a time warp! Our room was the Matadoor Room...yes, you read correctly...Lot's of hardwood paneling & kitchy spanich style 'paintings' right out of the 70's...complete with a vibrating bed! Now if you like a rock hard king size bed that vibrates, the Matadoor Room is definately for you. You just can't get a vibrating bed at a national chain hotel. And they advertised free breakfast...look at the picuture below...that was the breakfast...coffee & Little Debbie cinnamon rolls & cookies. I was happy with just coffee because we had already decided to go into Sandpoint & have a big breakfast at Panhandler Pies for our daughter's birthday. That morning I woke her up singing Happy Birthday & offered to take her for a spin on the vibrating bed. She declined, so Tony & I took it for a ride...the kitch factor of a vibrating bed is good, but the ride itself was kinda blah. There is a drive through espresso stand in the hotel parking lot though that had bagels. After a super yummy breakfast in Sandpoint, we strolled around the Farmer's Market & then went to the art festival in the park. It was a super busy weekend! OH, & our friends wedding was goregous & magical! The bride was beautiful, the groom was very handsome, & the food was really good! They did a whole roasted pig! It was an outdoor wedding...during the reception a storm rolled in...what a light show! Lot's of lightning, thunder, & rain. The bride danced barefoot in the rain :)

Today's Quote 8/20/08

2008-08-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Be kinder than neccessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. ~author unknown

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2008-08-07T16:24:00.000-07:00

How did we get so busy these days? Seems like we're always doing something. I guess I just have a lot of living to do!

So what have we been doing to keep ourselves so busy? Well, let's see...A couple of weekends ago was a friends bachlorette party, which entailed many bottles of champange in the longest limo I've ever seen...complete with laser lights, starry sky lights on the cieling, & blue lightning balls. I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of the evening...but a good time was had by all & that's all I can say....shhhhhhhh....Then Dad & I went to the Julamsh Pow Wow & watched the Grand Entry & the dancers. During the week we went to the Imax theater to see the Dark Knight...WOW! Now that was a whole lot of fun! We all loved the movie & it was especially good on the Imax screen! There were a couple of times that I felt like I needed a seatbelt! If you ever get a chance to see a movie at the Imax, DO IT! You'll have a good time. Let me see...what else??? OH! We went to the Street Fair & Art on the Green...Lot's of stuff to look at...I bought a couple of skiens of sari 'yarn' (yarn made from the fibers of shredded silk sari's)...other than that I didn't see a lot to buy. Don't get me wrong, there was many many talented artists & lot's of wonderful things to buy, however, prices were a little out of my current budget range, but lot's of inspiration to go around! Plus I did a ton of walking & didn't even get sore. Yay me! LOL Other than that we've been doing stuff around town like going to the farmer's market & hiking around (yes, all the way around) Tubbs Hill (again, Yay me!)...we've been catching up on yard work & house work too...which takes time...I'm in no way a domestic goddess, but I do try....I just gotta get a maid one of these days...I'd rather do yard work.

Art Show Update

2008-07-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

The show is now officially over BUT the gallery owner decided to keep my paintings longer & we moved my paintings to the window display. Soooooo....if you missed the show you can still catch a peek of my paintings in the window.

As for opening night, It went really well! Several friends came to cheer me on, which is always a really great thing. I met & talked to a lot of people I didn't know...got some really good feedback...and sold a painting. How cool is that? AND I've decided to give 10% of the proceeds of this series to Reaching Out, an organization that helps those living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia. I feel that is neccessary to pay it forward...that the blessings I recieve should carry on to someone else. So I have to say that it's been a very exciting experience in many many ways!

Now for the thank you's! A BIG thank you to Michele for believing in my work enough to give me a show & making a dream of mine come true! Also I have to thank my husband, Tony, for his love, support, & pacients. Tony helped with every little thing & put up with me! LOL Thank you to my daughter who cheered me on all along the way & to see her so proud of me meant the world to me. I can't forget my parents, my family & my friends...their encouragement & support has kept me going & has been so touching. They were just so excited...made me feel like a rockstar! LOL They make me feel like I can do anything! And of course, thank you to everyone who took the time to go check out my work! I feel so blessed! So thank you, thank you, thank you!

And here's a picture of me :)

More Raspberries!

2008-07-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

This time it's muffins! Yum! I whip out one of my very first cook books....my trusty Betty Crocker's New Boys & Girls Cookbook...Yes, I stiil use it! After all, that's where the muffin recipe is. I've tweaked it a bit, but here it is:

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Put unbleached muffin cups in one of those muffin pans.

Stir dry ingredients in a bowl & set aside:
2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 -1/2 cup organic sugar depending on how sweet you like it (since raspberries are kinda tart maybe put 1/4 cup sugar in the batter & then the other 1/4 cup sugar in the berries...I think I shoulda done that because my muffin's were not very sweet)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a completely different bowl, mix the wet indgredients:
1 organic egg
1 cup organic milk (soy milk, almond milk, etc.)
1/4 cup vegtable oil

Then take the mixed wet ingredients & pour them into the dry ingredients. Stir just until flour is moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Do not overmix (That's what it says...Do not overmix...I haven't the slightest clue why) Now put in several handfulls of raspberries & gently stir in. Fill muffin cups 2/3ish full. Bake 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 12 medium sized muffins.

Al Gore's Challenge To America

2008-07-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

Karny Family Day Trip: Coeur d'Alene River Area

2008-07-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was family day. We took a little day trip up to the Coeur d'Alene River area. First stop was the Snakepit for breakfast. Once again it was super yummy & the staff was very friendly! Tony & I had the biscuits & gravey breakfast & our daughter had the veggie omlet. To top it off they gave us huckleberry ice cream again!

We went to Murray Idaho. It's been called a living ghost town. Murray was a big mining town back in the 1800's, but now the mining has stopped & the town is just one street. The buildings are still very charming though & you do kinda get the feel of the 'old days'. In Murray there is the Spragpole Inn & Museum. We were still full from breakfast so we didn't eat there, but I've heard the food is good & if we ever get back there I'm definately going to eat there. The museum is free, but there are donation boxes & can's here & there. There's a wooden chain that Walt Almquist carved from a single piece of wood. It is 120 feet long, has 903 links, & took him 20 years to finish. There's a collection of his carvings as well as many other collections such as: shells, minerals, cigarettes, dolls, old wisky jugs, bottles, spitoons, coins, blacksmithing tools, perfune bottles, buttons, keys, antlers & that's just a small portion. There is also historical information about Murray & the Silver Valley. More info can also be found here: http://silver-valley.com/sprag_pole/

Then we were off to find Shadow Falls & Fern Falls. It took awhile to get there...most of the road was paved, but the last 4 miles was all gravel. I'm glad we took the Durango because I don't think our car would have made it...there's these concrete 'slats' put together in area's that are close to the water...my guess is that's to keep the road from washing out...those are closer to the falls...they are pretty bumpy. The falls were really cool! They aren't so big that you can't get close to them. We saw people going behind & under the falls. More info on the falls can be found here: http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/rec/activities/trails/cztrail513.html And you may want to call the Forest Service to get clearer directions.

If you look to the left on our blog, there's a section that says Karny Slideshows...that's where you can see a slideshow of our adventure. Enjoy!

Magic Raspberry Pie

2008-07-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

We have so many raspberries that I tried my hand at making a raspberry pie. Of course I had no idea how to make a raspberry pie so I called Mom...Mom always knows how to make a pie. As you can see, it turned out looking yummy...I couldn't resist pokeing a star into it...& it tasted super yummy with ice cream. Now the magic is in the love I put into it & in the ready made pie crust from the store...which makes it pretty close to instant pie. Poof! It's magic pie! Here's how I did it, based on Mom's advice.

ready made pie crust from the market
about 3 cups raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
about a tablespoon of Smart Balance 'butter'

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Take out one ready made crust, unroll it & put in pie pan, set aside. Put raspberries in bowl. Put in sugar & gently stir. Put in flour & gently stir again. Raspberries will be coated with sugar & flour. Put berry mixture into pie crust, dot with butter. Unroll top crust & put on top of berries. Fold the edges under & then press with fork to seal. Poke holes in top of crust. Put in oven & bake on 400 for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 & bake another 15 minutes...check pie & bake another 5 minutes if it needs it.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream under a starry sky ;)

Baseball Night

2008-07-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went to a baseball game...The Spokane Indians vs the Yakima Bears. It was a family event + Tony's buddy. The guys enjoyed watching the game...however, my daughter & I really don't know much about baseball...Sure we know what a strike is & a homerun & that we're supposed to jump up & down, clap, & get really excited when everyone else does. OH & it was free baseball hat night! I have a cool Spokane Indians baseball cap, which I actually like...& I'm not a baseball cap wearin' kind of girl, but I was last night :) To make things more interesting for me & my daughter we decided to see which player had the best butt & which player got the dirtiest. At the end of the night we decided that #1 was the winner of the best butt compitition & #4 was the winner of the most dirty boy. Then there was the team maskot, Otto...I think he's a dragon...I'm not quite sure. What do you think? In the end the score was Spokane Indians 6, Yakima Bears 3.

Raspberry Drop Scones

2008-07-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

These scones are yummy anytime, but we especially love them with our morning coffee & tea!

3 1/4 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup organic sugar
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
6 Tablespoons regular butter (I used Smart Balance)
1 1/2 cups organic milk (or other milk: soy, almond, etc.)
several handfuls of fresh raspberries
cookie sheet
unbleached parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cream of tartar, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two knives in a criss cross scissor fashion (a fork may work ok too) until all butter is mixed in & mixture is kinda crumbly looking. Mix in 1 cup of milk. Add remaining milk 1/4 cup at a time until all dry ingredients are wet & sticky. Now gently stir in raspberries. I used a fork. The raspberries will most likely not remain intact...unless you have special raspberry stirring powers! For the rest of us mortals, the raspberries will most likely fall apart...but the scones will taste just as yummy! Place medium spoon drops of scone batter on to an unbleached parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Unbleached parchment paper is most excellent in keeping bottom of scones from getting dark & sticking to cookie sheet. I love parchment paper when I bake. LOVE it. I got about 7 scones on a cookie sheet at one time. Pop into oven & bake for 10 minutes. Tops will be golden brown & when poked with a toothpick the toothpick will come out clean. Makes about 15 scones...at least that's how many I got out of the deal.

My family loved these just the way they are, but if you want 'em sweeter just drizzle some honey or agave syrup over the top. You could also use blueberries or blackberries...or if you're lucky enough, huckleberries would be really good! Another variation is walnuts & grated orange peel from one whole orange. Then make a fruit salad with the rest of the orange. Yum! Or get take a chance & get creative...add whatever sounds super yummy to you...An adventure right in your own kitchen! Live a little!

Goddess Room

2008-07-13T09:28:00.001-07:00

Here's our latest home decorating project. This is our guest room. The wall is stenciled...took me four days, but I'd say it's worth it. Both the wall hanging & the painting are by Phoenix Springwater: phoenixspringwater.blogspot.com

First Harvest

2008-07-13T09:27:00.002-07:00

Here's how it's going in the Karny Garden...Picked the first batch of raspberries...harvested apple mint & lemon balm & am now drying it for tea...& the veggie patch is growing. Mom told me that Grandpa said that if corn was "knee high by the 4th of July", you'd have ears of corn that could be eaten. Well my corn was perfectly knee high on the 4th of July so we'll see if my Grandpa's saying holds true.

Enaville Resort aka the Snakepit

2008-07-13T09:27:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I was putting the final touches on things for my art show. The big task was writing descriptions for my paintings. It just seems so hard to put everything I was thinking & feeling when I was painting into words...Tony was telling to quit procrastinating & just get to it. I was on the last description...which of course was the hardest! What made it even worse was that is was a beautiful day out...I said, "I'd rather do something like go to the Snakepit & have a burger & fries!"I mean, I've lived in the area for most of my life & have never been to the Snakepit...Then Tony said that if I finished my description we could go. There's nothing like a little bribery to get the creative juices flowing! I was done in no time!

I had the best hamburger & fries ever! Really! The burger was huge & of course I had to get everything on it...the fries were perfect...golden crispy on the outside...not soggy...not hard & crunchy all the way through...beautiful fries done to perfection. Tony had the same thing & our daughter had chichen strips...which she says were the best ever. There were a few people in there. The waitress was super nice & running around like crazy...I think she was the only one waiting tables....but she wasn't frazzled or grouchy. Now that takes talent! There's no way I could do that job! Then an old timer came in...he had quite the beard going on...long & kinda separated into two. He sat at the table next to us...friendly guy with a big smile & he said, "Have you been in the water yet?" We said not yet & then he said, "I bet it's gotta be colder than sticking your butt in a 40 foot well in January!" Yep, that's what he said. We agreed with smiles on our faces...that's pretty funny. He proceeded to tell us all about the old logging days when it would only take one tree to make a load on a logging truck. And after we finished eating the waitress brought over huckleberry ice cream. We were stuffed, but how can you pass on free huckleberry ice cream? You can't...there's just no way...IT WAS AMAZING!

Here's a little history on the Enaville Resort aka the Snakepit: Enaville was named for a railroad crewman's wife, who was also the postmistress at the time. Her name was Ena. Enaville Resort, located in Enaville, was known over the years as the Snakepit, Josies, Clark Hotel, and many other 'unprintable' names. It has been a landmark for over 100 years. The Resort has served as a boomtown bar, railroad layover, hotel, house of ill repute, and starting point for loggers and miners of yesteryear. The owners started calling it the Enaville Resort in hopes of getting a liquor license. During the 1974 flood, they tied boats up at the foot of the steps since there was that much water and took pictures to send to Boise. They believed that if it appeared that they had lake frontage it would help in getting a liquor license.

And here's a good link: http://www.tylersterritory.com/travel/namerica/northern-rockies/idaho/kingston/kingston-02.html

My First Show! July 2008

2008-07-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

This is the first showing of any of my work in about eight years. It is the first time I've done a series of paintings all at the same time. Visit my MoonWillow Studio blog to see all seven paintings, along with more of my work: http://moonwillowstudio.blogspot.com/

This series is titled, "New Beginnings". The images are based on my own personal experience of being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) & Fibromyalgia (FM)...finding the courage to live with it...& after 8 years, regaining enough wellness to finally feel alive again. Rather than focusing on the difficult times & dealing with the challenges of living with CFS & FM I chose to focus on courage, hope, & the power of positive thinking. The creative act of painting this series was also very helpful in my healing process.

Showing July 9-26, 2008 at The Artist's Tree Gallery, 828 W. Sprague Avenue, Downtown Spokane, WA, across the street from the Davenport Hotel.

I'm super excited! Stay tuned to see how it went!

(It is estimated that between 1 and 4 million Americans suffer from CFS & 6 to 8 million people in the United States suffer from FM. More information & resources for CFS & FM can be found at www.reaching-out.info)

Karny Flamingo Kocktail

2008-06-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

1 shot tequilla, orange juice, splash of pomegranite cranberry juice. Serve on the rocks in a tall glass (stir to blend flavors & colors) with a green paper umbrella. Trust me, the green umbrella just looked the best....yes, I did try other colors. It won't be a true Karny Flamingo Kocktail, but you can use other colors of umbrellas, but you do so at your own risk. Karny Life can not assume any risk involved in not following the directions exactly.

Enjoy! Have fun! Drink responsibly & don't drive drunk & all that jazz.

Karny Kocktail

2008-06-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

1 shot tequilla, pomegranite cranberry juice, squeeze of lime, float lime wedge in drink (the green & red contrast is nice) Serve on the rocks in a lowball glass. Add a vintage swizzle stick. Yes, it must be a vintage swizzle stick otherwise it's just not a Karny Kocktail...it's just a cocktail, and what's the fun in that?

Enjoy! Have fun! Drink responsibly & don't drive drunk & all that jazz.

Berries for Breakfast

2008-06-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

Berries from my garden for breakfast.
Wash my face in the morning dew.
Warm my toes in the sun.
Watch the trees dance with the wind.
Listen to the chatter of birds.
Traffic goes by...
sounding like wave of the ocean.
Hot, sweet, creamy coffee tickles my tounge.
Peace is in these brief moments.
These moments are few...
These moments are magickal.

~Karmen 2008

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Exercise Plan

2008-06-02T20:36:00.001-07:00

Follow the directions exactly. Do not skip any steps even if you think you can lift more.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty
of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend
your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long
as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day,
you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato sacks.
Then try 50-lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you
can lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand and hold your
Arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.

Wisdom on a Starbucks Cup

2008-06-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

I saw this on my cup of coffee the other day...."There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."-Madeleine K. Albright (Former Secretary of State & Ambassador to the U.N.)

www.starbucks.com/wayiseeit.

Vulnerability

2008-06-02T20:22:00.001-07:00

Vulnerability....it's not a bad thing to be vulnerable...it's not a sign of weakness. Think of it more as a soft strength. It takes a lot of courage to let ones gaurd down & allow themself to be vulnerable...to allow others to see our soft underbelly...I think we all have a hard time asking for help or sharing our most intimate thoughts & feelings. So many times in the past we've had experiences with other people who judged us when we were vulnerable or they let us down when we asked for help. By being vulnerable I think we have the opportunity to learn more about ourselves & our dearest friends. By being vulnerable we give others the gift of feeling good about helping & deepening our connections with one another. By being vulnerable we have to trust too & that can be just has hard. I mean how many times have we trusted people in the past & they just took advantage & hurt us??? Someplace in our mind we said, "NEVER AGAIN.", and we became more suspicious of others & sadly hardened our heart. So live on the edge today, even if it is just a little bit...Be daring! Open your heart up...speak your heart...Be vulnerable!

Laundry Room

2008-06-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

This is our laundry room. It's life started out in a closet with bifold doors. We put a storage closet in the studio & continued the wall to make a bigger laundry room. Tony put in a pocket door & got rid of the hiddious bifold doors. What you can't see is that there is a purple wall & clouds in a blue sky painted on the cieling with a butterfly. The ironing board is in the wall & flops out, which is a great space saver.

We inherited our original washer & dryer from my folks when we first moved in. They were faithful companions for many years, but alas the washer blew up this winter. So we had to break down & buy a new washer & dryer. Our old trusty dryer found a new home at a friends house. Everybody wins! LOL

We went with the stacking set, which freed up some space for a counter. Yes, another home project. Now the rule for this project was that it had to cost nothing. Tony used some of our old fence boards to make a counter & a backsplash with a shelf in it. We had some extra glass laying around so Tony cut it to fit on top of the counter. My contribution to this little endevor wasI making the flowered curtain from fabric I had tucked away in a drawer in the studio.

I love my laundry room. There are some finishing touches that still need to be done, but that's another project for another day.

'New' Door

2008-06-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

When we moved here 8 years ago we had a garage. Well...that got converted into my art studio of course! There was one of those outside doors between the studio & the rest of the house...& it was UGLY! The last couple of years we've been on a quest to find just the perfect door to replace the original one. We looked at new doors....we looked at salvaged doors....we looked & looked. Some were way out of our budget...some were in our budget, but weren't right...some were beat up & expensive. I am happy to report that our long quest is finally over! We got this really cool salvaged door from Habbitat for Humanity. This door was just right! It was in good shape & affordable & I just LOVE the glass in it! It even came with the original brass door knob. I just wish I knew the history of the door. Now I want to collect doors...old salvaged doors that need a good home...I think I need one for every room in the house! To the left of the photo is one of my paintings & to the right you can partially see my coolection of old mirrors.

Tony the Builder

2008-06-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've had Tony up to...We decided to put a roof over the hot tub. We're hoping we'll use it more when it's raining & in the winter. The roof is just phase one. Now Tony is going to put deck around the hot tub. Then he'll enclose the whole thing with our old fence & an old door that was here when we moved in. The door was part of a greenhouse. Unfortunately we had to take down the greenhouse because it was about to fall down. But we've made good use out of it's windows & now the door. Eventually we'll put a door where that window is so we can just walk out & get in the tub. We'll do that when we replace the siding........Don't even get me started about the siding...that story will have to wait for another day. OH! We're also thinking of putting a fountain off of the roof that will mimic rain...it will fall into an old bathtub. I'm hoping I'll find a robin's egg blue tub. Stay tuned for the final project!

Growing Garden

2008-06-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

I guess it's been about 3 weeks or so since I planted our garden. Tony dug up the lawn. My Dad helped me put in the path. Mom bought me the willow trellis for the beans. And I've been a good garden mum, watering all the little seeds. Plants are actually growing! If all goes well we'll be taking a stroll throught the garden for our dinner. How convienient is that?!

Rainy Day Coffee

2008-05-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

A couple times a week we drive by the Rocket Bakery on Argonne. It always looks so warm & inviting through the windows...we promise ourselves that we'll check it out one of these days when we aren't in such a hurry. That day came May 20th.

Just the two of us...a rainy day.......A new ordinary adventure...we'd talk about my upcoming art show & what we'd do the rest of our day while leisurely sipping hot coffee & nibbling on pastries...Sounds romantic doesn't it?

I wish I could say that the Rocket Bakery lived up to my expectations...After all, they have been voted the best bakery in Spokane 5 times. However, I was quite dissapointed.

I ordered a Soy Cappicino & a Tripple Berry Scone. The Soy Cappicino tasted more like it had milk in it that soy, which I could live with...The scone however, was a entirely different story. I pulled it in half expecting to find more berries in the middle...there was not one berry on the inside of that scone. There were berries on the outside of the scone...so I counted them...SIX...yep SIX berries on the Tripple Berry Scone. Maybe it's just me, but I expect berries all through a scone. Seriously. Trying to make the best out of the situation, I ignored my annoyance with the berries & tasted the scone...I was even more dissapointed. The scone had very little taste to it...definately not the best scone I've ever had. It was not even good enough to nibble on...Why shove a pastry in my mouth that lacks any kind of guilty pleasure? It's not worth the extra calories & the extra chub on my thighs as a result.

Tony ordered a White Chocolate Mocha with whip & a Frosted Cinnamon Roll. The White Chocolate Mocha with whip was seriously lacking. First off, we couldn't distinguish which coffee was which. The Mocha did not taste sweet or like any kind of white chocolate. Finally Tony had to go ask which was which. The Frosted Cinnamon Roll was equally unimpressive. Tony described it as ok, but not memorable. It was just a basic cinnamon roll...the kind you get from the grocery store. He's a guy though, so the extra calories & chubby thighs were not a deterent to him, so he ate the whole thing.

We probably won't go back, unless we become curious & want to see if this was a one time event. I mean they have been voted best bakery in Spokane 5 times...& everyone has an off day now & then. However, as of today the thought of going back is rather unappealing. I'd rather try a different coffee place. A couple of good things I do have to say though is that their staff was very friendly & their bathrooms were clean & nicely decorated.

Fairy Sisterhood

2008-05-18T08:28:00.001-07:00

Most every Full Moon my girlfriends & I get together for a party. Most of the time its girls only. It's just a time for us to get away from the blahs of everyday life...where we can catch up, play & be silly, & support eachother. This picture is of my friend Rain & it's from our April Fairy Party. Look at those wings!!! And she made them herself! Bravo! I don't have a picture of my costume...I know you're disappointed...but I didn't think to have anyone take a picture of me with my camera. Bummer! I was a dark fairy...dressed in all black...a big poofy skirt with lots of tulle...another piece ontop of that that had vintage pins on it with a bustle in the back...and a corset...a fitted velvet jacket...with big purple fairy wings. It was really cool! I wish I had a picture to share!

Mother's Day

2008-05-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

I am definately behind in my blogging duties here at Karny Life! Life at the Karny household has been super busy! I'd like to get things caught up around here...stay tuned & it will all get here sooner or later.

For Mother's Day my beautiful daughter got me these flowers. It is such a splurge for me! It's rare that I get flowers from the store...usually I buy plants or herbs & then grow lots of flowers in the yard for arrangements...after all the Karny household is on a budget these days.

Then we dyed eachothers hair...My daughter went darker & I did the same ol' thing...dark. Then we were going to put colored steaks in our hair...Now that's a whole other story...so stay tuned for, 'The Dream & The Nightmare of Purple Hair', in the future.

We went & visited my Mom for a bit...I gave her the Gorgeously Green book & a Chico bag, along with some tulips from my yard. And that's pretty much it for our Mother's Day around here.

Standing Women: May 11, 2008

2008-05-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Standing Women will stand again on May 11, 2008, 1 pm local time.
May 11 is fast approaching. We hope you will stand with us again this year and please register your standing site by clicking on the "tell us where you will stand" link on the website: http://www.standingwomen.org.

Last May hundreds of thousands of women and girls, along with the men and boys they love, in 75 countries and on all continents of the world stood together in parks, on beaches, in churches, at graduation ceremonies, in their backyards and at school yards or anyplace they could find to stand in a global wave of humanity in support of a better world for our children.

We invite women and their families everywhere to take this "stand" with us again, on May 11 at 1 p.m. local time for just 5 minutes, to rekindle the world with our common vision.

We stand for the world's children and grandchildren, and for the seven generations beyond them. We dream of a world where all of our children have safe drinking water, clean air to breathe, and enough food to eat. A world where they have access to a basic education to develop their minds and healthcare to nurture their growing bodies. A world where they have a warm, safe and loving place to call home. A world where they don't live in fear of violence-in their home, in their neighborhood, in their school or in their world. This is the world of which we dream. This is the cause for which we stand.

To learn more and register your standing, go to the Standing Women website at www.standingwomen.org

ARTICLE: THE ASCENSION SYMPTOMS

2008-05-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

from The Ascension Primer (www.whatsuponplanetearth.com)

16. Night sweats and hot flashes. During certain phases of ascension
our bodies suddenly decide that they are going to burn off the lower
and denser aspects of ourselves. You may wake up in the night soaking
wet or become very hot during the day. It may be 35 degrees outside,
but you are just fine and dandy in your short sleeves.

17. Feeling cold with an inability to get warm.

When we are moving into a much higher dimension after much
integrating, detoxing, and other ascension processes, we get very
cold. We are in between and preparing to move up. At these times, it
can be very difficult to warm up no matter what you do. I usually
submerge myself in a tub of hot water and then get under a heavy
comforter.

18. Vivid, wild and sometimes violent dreams.

We are releasing many lifetimes of lower vibrational energy through
our dreams. If you are one who usually receives their higher
information through dreams, you will most likely do a lot of
releasing at night. I consider you to be lucky, as some are doing
much of their releasing while they are wide awake. These dreams
usually do not make sense, but if you are good at dream analysis you
can usually figure them out. These acid-trip like dreams are up and
visible because they contain energy that is on its' way out, never to
return.

Through this process, we are releasing all of our past lives.

19. Dizziness, loss of balance, vertigo, and spinning. The definition
of Merkabah is: Counter rotating fields of light surrounding the
spirit/body which serve to transport the spirit/body from one
dimension to another. And this is precisely what is occurring. As we
connect to our light bodies and begin moving into a higher dimension,
we begin spinning and can experience vertigo and dizziness. If you
know that this symptom indicates that something wonderful is
occurring, it can feel great and actually be quite fun...like a
roller coaster ride.

20. Overall body pain and days of extreme fatigue. Our bodies are
morphing into a crystalline form in order to enable us to reside in
the higher realms and to continually be able to receive the higher
light.

This process is on-going as it cannot happen overnight.

If you feel as though you are 100 years old and barely able to walk
across a room, this is why. Continual fatigue is also an on-going
symptom for the same reasons. We are losing our density and going
through extreme restructuring.

21. Severe bloating and indigestion. When the energy surges occur,
many experience severe bloating as they are greatly expanding. This
can be on-going but is intermittent.

22. Memory loss and difficulty accessing words. So many are having
this symptom that we can only laugh as we try to converse with each
other. "I was having a glass of...you know what I mean...that white
stuff...uh...what's it called?" "Did you watch the...er...that event
where everyone competes from around the world?" At times we cannot
even talk at all because we are simply unable to access much of
anything. When this occurs, you are going back and forth between
dimensions and experiencing a disconnect. Another somewhat related
occurrence is trying to type words and having the letters become
jumbled in the wrong order. In this case, we are not in alignment
with time and our flow is disconnected as part of our energy is here
and another part is further ahead.

23. Difficulty remembering what you did or who you talked to a day or
sometimes just an hour before. In the higher realms, reality is very
much in the moment. If we do not hold something in our consciousness,
it simply ceases to exist. We have no attachments. We are creating
our own world around us through our beliefs and thoughts and what we
do not hold onto does not exist. Everything is brand new as we are
starting completely over, moment to moment. We can tap into whatever
we choose to at any moment and create and experience just that. This
state comes and goes, but is practice for living in the higher
realms. It can feel a bit creepy when it occurs. In addition, at
times we are neither here nor there, as we are in between dimensions.
This phenomenon can occur at this time as well.

24. Not remembering the meaning of

anything. When I was in an intense period of the transitional process
and we were in the throws of a substantial energy thrust into the
higher realms, I remember looking at a trashcan and not knowing what
it was for. I had to access my memory of the "old" and reach far.
What was happening was that I was vibrating at a point where
everything possesses only the meaning and identity that we give it.
In the higher realms, energy is just energy with no label or meaning.
All is fresh and new. Sort of a Course In Miracles undoing process,
without the trying.

25. A feeling of disorientation; not knowing where you are; a loss of
a sense of place. "Where in the world am I? I do not fit anywhere and
nothing seems to fit or feel remotely right! And I do not know where
I belong or where I am going or what I am supposed to be doing
either!" Ever had this conversation with the universe? You have been
knocked out of your old grooves by an energy shift and are in between
realities. You have successfully left much behind and are in a very
new space but have not integrated yet. You won't have much time to
integrate, though, because as soon as you get comfortable you will be
moving on into the next higher vibrating space.

And in addition, the outside world does not remotely match the way
you are now highly vibrating.

26. A loss of identity. You look in the mirror and have a strange
feeling of disconnect as you no longer recognize that once familiar
image. You almost feel out of body. Once this phenomenon occurs it
never ends.

You have released so much of your ego self, that you are no longer
the same person, and do not have that attachment or connection to
your physical vessel. As you begin to access much more of your soul
or higher self, you are not in your body much. You may still use your
voice to communicate and other bodily aspects, but you are slowly
beginning the process of disappearing and releasing the human form.
In addition, you have cleared much of your old patterns and are now
embodying much more light and a simpler, more purified divine you.
All is in order...you are OK.

27. Feeling "out of body". The same explanation as above. The
physical body is the last to catch up.

Much of us is now in a higher dimension and residing outside of our
bodies, as our bodies are not there yet.

They are much denser.

28. "Seeing" and "hearing" things. As we can now access different
dimensions fairly easily, it is common for many to see things moving
out of the corner of their eyes or hear things when nothing is there.
Many also experience a ringing in the ears, which is common when we
are going through "the tunnel" and accessing a higher dimension.
Depending upon how sensitive you are and how you are wired, this can
become a common experience. Many are seeing orbs and vibrating blobs
of color as well.

29. Heightened sensitivities to your

surroundings. Crowds, noise, foods, TV, other human voices, and
various other stimulations are barely tolerable. You also overwhelm
very easily and become easily overstimulated. You are tuning up! Know
that this will eventually pass. During the ascension process we
become highly sensitive. At one point, I could literally feel the
vibration of the chicken when I tried to eat an egg. In addition, you
may find that you are unable to eat in restaurants or be in a store
and feel like running out of them as fast as you can.

30. Feeling you are going insane, or must be developing a mental
illness of some sort. We are rapidly experiencing several dimensions
and greatly opening. Much is available to us now. You are just not
used to it. Your awareness has been heightened and your barriers are
gone. This will pass and you will eventually feel very at Home like
you have never felt before, as Home is now here.

31. Feeling as though you are looking down a long tunnel in order to
connect to lower vibrations; feeling as though you are acting or
pretending. When we are residing in the higher realms, anything not
there with us may feel far away.

If you are still in a lifestyle where you are regularly interacting
with the outside or old world, you may feel like an actor in a play
or that you are pretending your way through the day. Basically, you
are no longer residing in that world, even though you are still
involved in it.

32. An intolerance for lower vibrational things (of the 3D) reflected
in conversations, attitudes, societal structures, healing modalities,
etc. They literally make you feel "sick" inside. When we begin
arriving in the higher realms and in a higher vibration, our energies
are no longer in alignment with the old outside 3D world. Through a
severe intolerance to the old, we are being "pushed" to move
forward...to be and create the New. In addition, you may feel like
staying home or just being alone as much of everything "out there" no
longer matches the higher vibration of YOU. This is simply a very
common experience of evolution. We are moving forward before the
outside manifestations are. Being in the old can feel downright
awful. It is similar to having to "go back" after you have had a near
death experience. As the ascension process continues, going back to
the lower dimensions will not feel good nor will it be possible for
long, as it is difficult to drop our vibrations down in order to
reside there. This is a simple experience of navigating the
dimensional hierarchies. We will eventually become experts with our
dimensional navigational skills.

33. You don't feel like doing anything. When we feel like this, we
are in a rest period, rebooting.

Your body knows what it needs. During this time you may feel as
though you have lost your passion and joy and don't know what in the
world you want to do with your life and don't really care! This phase
occurs when we are realigning. At higher levels, much is realigning
as well. Things are being put into position so that all will be ready
when you move forward again. In addition, when we begin reaching the
higher realms, doing and making things happen becomes obsolete as the
New energies support the feminine of basking, receiving, creating,
self-care, and nurturing. Ask the Universe to bring you what you want
while you cannot do it for yourself. And know that you are always
being taken care of during the ascension process, even if it does not
feel like it at times. Those in the physical going through this
process are very highly revered by all of the cosmos. We are most
certainly being watched over.

34. A wanting to go "home" as if everything is OVER and you don't
belong here anymore. As we are returning to Source, everything is
over. (But many of us are staying to experience and create the New

World.) Also, our old plans for coming have been completed. We are
basically done with our prior incarnation that involved raising the
frequency of the planet with a goal of reaching critical mass. We
achieved a lot of this through transmuting the darker and denser
energies through ourselves. Now we don't have to do that anymore and
may feel like we simply want out of here and away from that
experience. What is coming next is simply divine and does not
remotely resemble the first phase.

35. A sudden disappearance of friends,

activities, habits, jobs and residences. One of the most basic and
prevalent experiences in the higher realms involves the Law of
Attraction. Like energies always attract like and similar energies.
This relates to the dimensional hierarchies as well. We will always
be matched with what and how we are vibrating. As we go higher and
higher, this phenomenon becomes much more magnified and also becomes
one of the basic cores of our reality and existence. Through the
ascension process, we are evolving beyond what we used to be, and
therefore the people and surroundings that no longer match our
vibration simply leave our space. This can sometimes occur rather
dramatically or at times through a simple desire resulting from an
inability to relate to them like we used to. When an energy shift
occurs, it can feel as though a bomb has been dropped and everything
in our world has been scattered from here to there. Eventually we
realign with the New. When the New arrives, you will feel so-oo- o
much better!

36. You absolutely cannot do certain things anymore. When you try to
do your usual routine and activities, it feels downright awful. Same
as above. You are no longer a fit and it's time to move on to a much
higher vibrating way of living, being, and creating.

37. Your plans suddenly change in midstream and go in a completely
different direction.

When this occurs, your soul is balancing out your energy. It usually
feels great in this new direction, as your soul knows more than you
do! Your soul is breaking your rut choices and vibration. Our souls
always know more than we do. During January of 2006, we experienced
what I dubbed "ascension shock". At higher soul levels we had a
specific plan and timeline. If we were a bit behind, we ended up
experiencing our pre-plan whether we were ready or not. This placed
us in sudden and immediate new circumstances so that we would be
poised for what we needed to do next. I remember suddenly relocating
from Flagstaff, Arizona to a remote small town in Northeastern
Arizona. I new I would be residing there one day, but not yet! As
time passed, I could eventually see how perfect it was, but following
my soul and not my ego was a bit of a challenge. Now I am eternally
grateful and in total bliss."

To access the newest energy alert, kindly click on the link below or
go directly to the What's Up On Planet Earth? web site and access the
newest energy alert page.

www.whatsuponplanetearth.com/latest.htm

May the offerings from What's Up On Planet Earth? serve to light your
path, validate your experience, and remind you that we are all one.
Thank you for your continued interest and happy reading!

The Lessons of, "Those People".

2008-05-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

The situation & the person who said this is not important to this story, so I will not elaborate on it much. The important part is what was said about me & my dearest friends. A person made a comment that they didn't like "those kind of people"...apparently intended as a put down, at least if felt like one at the time.

At first I was upset by this...I was hurt & offended...& the more I thought about it the more hurt & offended I became. Then I tried putting myself in the other persons shoes...perhaps they were struggling with their life or there were issues that I'm not aware of. I came to realize that this statement has very little to do with what kind of person I am. This wasn't a reflection of who I am or anything I did or didn't do. I had to ask myself why was I so hurt & offended...What was it in me that was being triggered? I needed to take a good hard look at myself & see if I have that same attitude towards others. So then I asked my higher self, "What's the lesson in this? What's the lesson in "Those People...?" Actually there ended up being a couple of lessons.

Yes, I guess I have had the attitude of "Those People". So then I had to ask myself, why? I guess it comes down to ego & judgment. If I feel lacking or less than as a person then it's much easier for me to lash out at someone else who I've deemed less than me...rather that taking the responsibility to fix my own issues that make me feel less than. And it doesn't serve anyone to hold on to this belief...it's brings my energy down even more than it does the person I was trying to put down...because really truly I am actually saying that about myself, which makes me even more less than as a person. It creates a viscous cycle, does not uplift & fulfill anyone, & is actually the act of casting negative energy against yourself. Learning this about myself is very empowering. I will set aside my ego & judgments to become more tolerant of people. I also gained insight into this persons actions. Now I feel compassion for this person & have found forgiveness in my heart for their actions. I'm a little sad for them too & send them prayers for peace in their heart & life.

"Those People", separates us...all of us. It says that a person is less than because they are different, whether it's because of their gender, sexuality, race, nationality, culture, religion, beliefs, or just the way they look. "Those People", has divided people, caused wars, created hate & suffering...Think of Hitler, The Burning Times, The Spanish Inquisition, Iraq, Darfur, Tibet, the way that the Native Americans & African Americans have been & continue to be treated. The list of examples could go on & on. "Those People" has created a lot of evil in the world. And sadly, "Those People" has separated us from our own communities, neighbors, & even owr own family members.

"Those People" are just like you. "Those People" are someone's mother, father, daughter, son, child, grandchild, grandmother, grandfather, friend. "Those People" are important & loved by the people in their life. "Those People" breathe, love, dream, struggle, suffer, feel joy & pain. "Those People" want their children to be safe & healthy. "Those People" just want to get through their day & have a little peace at the end of it. When we think of it like that, we all are "Those People" and we are no longer different & no longer separate.

In closing, I offer up a sincere prayer of gratitude to this individual & the Universe for creating the opportunity for me to learn this lesson. It has touched my heart & enriched my life in many unexpected ways. There is much Beauty found within this, that would have otherwise remained hidden to me.

Sharing Our Unique Beauty

2008-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Never doubt yourself...if something is tugging at your heart & it sings in your soul, just do it. We as artists always have some doubt when we put ourselves out there because our works say so much about us...the truth is that our art IS who we are...& when we put it out there for the world to see, we are being vunerable...probably more vunerable than most people ever are in their everyday life...& that my friend takes courage & strength...& the payoff is that we love & honor ourselves even more...because we are cultivating our own unique beauty & sharing it with the world...art touches people & hopefully changes people in some small magickal way so that they can feel the tug in their heart & the song in their soul. How cool is that?

And if you're not an artist...the above applies to whatever it is that tugs at your heart & sings in your soul too. Don't be afriad to share it with the world! You may make the difference that the world needs.

What is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)?

2008-05-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

Karny Garden

2008-05-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

We've usually had a garden ever since we moved into our home 8 years ago. It went from a pretty big garden to 3 raised beds to no garden at all (that was last year). We still had flower beds & some herbs, but no veggies. We just figured that with all the effort that we put into it & paying for the plants/seeds & water...it probably wasn't any cheaper than going to the store or our local farmers market. So we took the raised beds out & planted grass.

Well, this year we decided to be more self sustaining (& to stop being lazy about it) sooooooo viva la garden! That book I was telling you about (eairler post), Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano is partly to blame for the whole thing. She challenges readers to plant something of a garden...even if it's just a window box or a pot of patio tomatoes. Plus, it was actually really handly to just walk out to the garden & pick some food for dinner without having to run to the store. It really is a convienience...& now I'm thinking of the gas I'm saving by not having to run to the store!

Last week we went in search of plants & seeds for our garden...we bought both seeds & plants. Hopefully this week we are getting started with some things. Some of the seeds say to plant as soon as the ground is workable & others say after all danger of frost. Mom tells me that my Grandmother always said not to plant if there was still snow in the mountains. We'll see if that proves true or not. We're going to garden by the Moon so I bought a handy little gardening almanac which says the best time to plant is going to be May 8 & 9 and May 15 & 16.

OH, I almost forgot! Some of the herbs I bought were organic & came in these really cool pots that are made from rice hulls! And here's the part that just makes me SO delighted....they are compostable! How cool is that? Take a peek...

Until next time...Run outside & catch some sun shine!

Just Notice

2008-05-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

I had a somewhat small project that I needed to have printed & my ink was running low...& the budget was a wee tight so I wanted to postpone the purchase of ink cartriges until payday...soooooo off to the local print shop I went. I just needed 9 pages...that's it.

The next day I picked up my order & took it home. I took everything out of the paper bag...not only was there my 9 printed pages (which were quite lovely), but all the packaging stuff from the print shop. There was: the brown paper bag with stickers, a skicky note (that my order had been checked), a customer service post card, three 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper (a checklist of proceedures), one 11 x 17 sheet of paper that had been used as a folder of sorts which had advertising for the print shop, 1 sample note pad, & of course the reciept.

Now this is not a comment on the print shop & thier service was very good. However, now that we are working on being more green, I'm noticing more & more all of the packaging that there is when we buy things. I was just so supprized that there would be so much paper for some color copies. In the future I will definately use my home printer, which makes great copies all on it's own & I'll be saving a few trees in the process.

Just start noticing how much packaging is with the things you purchase. How much of it is there? What's it made of? Can it be recycled? Is there an alternitive option with less packaging (like buying lettuce not wrapped in plastic)? And it's not that you have to change your choices, but maybe when you just stop & notice like I did, maybe you will choose differently...& if you decide not to worry about it, that's ok too...we all make changes in our own time. Just notice.

Women in Art

2008-05-02T19:46:00.001-07:00