How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Deals...

Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.  ~Albert Einstein

~o~o~o~  10% off Entire Etsy Shop ~o~o~o~

Okay, here's what's up - from now through Valentines Day everything in my Etsy Shop is 10% off when you enter CANDY HEARTS into the notes to seller.  Get your sweetie something fuzzy, or your kiddo a huggable critter or show that co-worker how much you care.  Custom orders are available, just comment on this post or send me a message on my Etsy site.  

If you're driving into town
With a dark cloud above you
Dial in the number
Who's bound to love you 

-Joni Mitchell

Let it Snow

Winter is the perfect time of year to cozy up with a warm mug of hot chocolate, a cozy quilt and a nice book.  Some of my favorite books are the stories that I grew up with, particularly those about winter.  I love some of the classics, like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas but some of my favorites don't have anything to do with holidays, but rather, they are a tribute to when the world slows down, cools off and moves indoors.  
Below you will find some of my favorite winter books as well as some snowy treats from Etsy.  I have listed a few Christmas books, but most of them are worth the read well into February.

The Snowy Day  

by: Ezra Jack Keats

 The Polar Express
by: Chris Van Allsburg

The Winter Picnic   

by: Robert Welber  Illustrated by Deborah Ray

Owl Moon  

by: Jane Yolen

The Mitten  

by Jan Brett

The Clown of God  

by Tomie dePaola

The Jolly Christmas Postman 

by Allan Ahlberg

Little Polar Bear 

by Hans de Beer

Thomas' Snowsuit 

by Robert N. Munsch Illustrated by Michael Martchenko

special thanks to: Violetteville Vintage,  Tasty Vintage, Gaelianna,   Wildlife Prints, Wave Song,
United Thread,  Sunny Hands, Talk 2 the Trees, 
Obscurio

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

Here's the smell of the blood still: 

all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.  

Lady Macbeth, Act V. Scene 1

In honor of Halloween or perhaps because of my own Scottish lineage or maybe just to sound ever-so-slightly different from all the other spooky stuff out there, I have decided to do a small tribute to Macbeth (that's right... I said it... Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth).

Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell; 

Though all things foul would wear the brows of grace, 

Yet grace must still look so. 

Malcolm. Act IV. Scene 3

'The Scottish Play' or 'The Bard's Play' is surrounded by superstitions and, according to many acting troupes, a whole lot of bad luck.  Reports of faulty scenery, injured players and even deaths are said to surround the play.  It's no wonder that this Shakespearean tragedy (which happens to be filled with murders, deceit and even witches) is the perfect Halloween companion.

Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.
First Witch. Act IV. Scene 1.

Greeting card companies tend to borrow lines from the famous play - "Double double toil and trouble." And I believe the Harry Potter movies quote the line "something wicked this way comes" in a Hogwarts song.  Macbeth holds a macabre appeal that every b-rated horror flick dreams of achieving and to top it off, eight deaths over the course of the show.  Talk about seeing dead people...

Nothing in his life
Became him like the leaving it; he died
As one that had been studied in his death,
To throw away the dearest thing he ow'd,
As 'twere a careless trifle.   

Malcolm. Act I. Scene 4

If you haven't read the play, or seen one of the many film versions (Patrick Stewart does a particularly nice job, but the Ian Mckellen/Judi Dench version is impeccable) then I would highly recommend it.  Just be careful not to quote any lines while you are in the theater.   

Is this a dagger which I see before me, 

The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee; 

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 

To feeling as to sight? or art thou but 

A dagger of the mind, a false creation, 

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? 

I see thee yet, in form as palpable As this which now I draw.

Macbeth. Act II, Scene 1

Thanks to the following Etsy Sellers: Azrail's Accomplice Designs,  Medieval Reproduction Carvings, Alaska Laser Maid, Chez Vous!, and Acrylic and Steel

If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out

Well if you want to sing out, sing out

and if you want to be free be free

'cause there's a million ways to be

you know that there are.  

- Cat Stevens

 

Harold and Maude, a film from 1971 starring Ruth Gordon and Bud Court, is one of my favorite films of all time.  I saw the film as a Sophomore in high-school (thanks Amy!) and I have loved it ever since.  It may be, perhaps, that the soundtrack is done by one of my favorite artists, Cat Stevens (a.k.a Yusuf Islam).  Or, it may be the simple, yet totally unconventional love story.  Whatever the case may be, the film is exquisite.  In honor of this wonderful film, I've managed to dig up some handmade and vintage items from the clever folks on Etsy so if you want to be me, be me or if you want to be you, be you, 'cause there's a million things to do, you know that there are.  

A Brief Synopsis:
Harold, a lonely rich kid, plagued by his Mother who has indulged him and nagged him his entire life, entertains himself by going to funerals and staging elaborate suicides.  One day as he is enjoy a funeral service he meets Maude, a 79 year old spit-fire who also frequents funerals but has a rather sunny outlook and a zest for life.  The fun that follows includes stolen cars, rescued trees, bubbles, a priest, a shrink, and a banjo.   

The soundtrack for Harold and Maude doesn't exactly exist, so here's a list of the songs as they appear in the movie and the albums where you can find them:

Don't Be Shy

   from: Footsteps in the Dark

On the Road to Find Out                     

   from: Tea for the Tillerman
I Wish, I Wish                                          

   from: Mona Bone Jakon
Miles from Nowhere                           

   from: Tea for the Tillerman
Tea for the Tillerman                          

   from: Tea for the Tillerman
I Think I See the Light                            

   from: Mona Bone Jakon
Where do the Children Play?              

   from: Tea for the Tillerman
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out    

   from: Footsteps in the Dark
Trouble                                                   

   from: Mona Bone Jackon

So, if I haven't sold you on the film yet, here are some of my favorite quotes to round out my gushing tribute to a truly one of a kind film...

Vice, Virtue. It's best not to be too moral. You cheat yourself out of too much life. Aim above morality. If you apply that to life, then you’re bound to live life fully. - Maude

A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They're just backing away from life. Reach out. Take a chance. Get hurt even. But play as well as you can. Go team, go! Give me an "L". Give me an "I". Give me a "V". Give me an "E". L-I-V-E. LIVE! Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room. - Maude

You know, at one time, I used to break into pet shops to liberate the canaries. But I decided that was an idea way before its time. Zoos are full, prisons are overflowing... oh my, how the world still dearly loves a cage. - Maude

Special thanks to: Celentano Woodworks, Naked Vintage and The Fox and the Apple 

Smother Mother: Learning to Let a Garden do It's Thing

I am confident that, in the end, common sense and justice will prevail. I'm an optimist, brought up on the belief that if you wait to the end of the story, you get to see the good people live happily ever after. - Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens)

This is my first season as a real gardener.  Not the back-porch-bulk-peanut-butter-container gardener, but an actual yard-garden gardener.   What have I learned thus far?

  

1.  You can't re-use nasty soil from the cactus you managed to kill in order to sprout your seedlings.  There is such a think as damping off and it kills your plants.  Why risk it?

2.  Pumpkins grow wherever they darn well please

3.  There is a reason that certain plants should be planted out in April and others should be planted out in June.  In short, read the back of your seed packets.  

4.  Being a "smother mother" doesn't always yield the best results.  Ignoring your plants isn't a great idea either.

5.  Talking to your plants really works.  They like the attention. 

6.  Weeding is important and if you are out there talking to your plants anyway, you may as well make them more comfortable.

7. Watering is important too.  Generally your plants will tell you when they need water.  If the ground is dry it's a good hint.  Also if your plants are droopy and rather thirsty looking they probably want to be watered.  It's a good idea to schedule a water check into your day.  Unless it's raining, in which case you probably can forgo the watering and watch a movie instead.  

8.  Stay on top of harvesting.  Cucumbers and beans will go crazy if you don't snatch them as soon as they are ready to be eaten.  I've heard tomatoes are similar, though in my experience, I haven't had that problem yet.

9.  Learn the art of freezing, pickling or sharing.  Chances are, you will have too much food so why not save some for later or give some to a garden-less friend?

10.  Have fun! That's what gardening is all about, Charlie Brown.

The Secret Garden: A Tribute

Mary Lennox tends her garden in the 1993 film

 Science, or para-science, tells us that geraniums bloom better if they are spoken to.  But a kind word every now and then is really quite enough.  Too much attention, like too much feeding, and weeding and hoeing, inhibits and embarrasses them.  ~Victoria Glendinning

Unlock the Secret Garden with this Skeleton Key from Gwen Delicious

I am in love with the story The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  It has all the mystery and excitement of a fairy tale and yet, unlike many stories for children, it is also plausible.  Sure, not every little girl is raised in India, orphaned, and sent to live with her eccentric uncle who keeps his sick son locked in a room, but it could happen.  It's a lot more likely than a fish-girl getting legs from a twisted, nautical-witch and losing the man she loves to some lady and turning into foam; not that I've ever really thought A Little Mermaid was a children's story, it's a bit morbid... in fact, most fairy tales are.

If you can't have an entire garden, carry a mini one by Warm Country Meadows.

 
How many fairy tales are actually about children anyway? Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and The Beast, Aladin, Thumbelina... try going through the Disney repertoire and find some... there aren't many. Even the stories that have children in them, like Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel, tend to have talking animals and candy houses. Among those precious few that manage to stay away from fantasy, the depiction of children tends to be optimistic in a far too enlightened (rather than naive) way for their tender age (A Little Princess, Heidi).  The beauty of Mary Lennox, on the other hand, is that she begins as a lonely, spoiled little girl and over the course of the book she learns to care for something (and someone) other than herself and ultimately finds the meaning of family and friendship.  She does something that every child eventually should, she grows.  

Mary and Dickon

And speaking of growing, another wonderful element to the story is that one of the main characters is the garden itself.  This is where all the magic happens and I've found that in reality this isn't far from the truth; a garden is indeed a marvelous place.  Think about it, a pile of dirt is sprinkled with seemingly dead, dried-up seeds.  Add water, sunshine and patience and you've got yourself some sprouts.  Add a little weeding, water, sun and more patience and soon you have flowers and fruit and grass and trees and shrubs.  And then, the animals come.  Birds and rabbits and deer and butterflies, it's really an incredible setting for any story.  

Edwardian Style never looked so good.  By Enid and Edgar

I could gush forever about the majesty of this book, but rather than blather on like the kids' book-nerd that I am, I will just say this:
If you haven't read the book, it's about time to read it.
If you haven't seen the 1993 film (pictured above) do yourself a favor and see it.  It remains one of my favorite movies of all time and the cinematography is exquisite. 

It's Too Darn Hot

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

Keep the sun off your face and an air of mystery with this straw hat from Kakalina Rose.

Melting... that's what I've been doing for the past few days in good old Upstate New York.  And though we try with all our might, the boys and I cannot manage to cool off.  The best bit of work that I got to do today was ironing (believe it or not) in an air-conditioned room!  It was a chilly 78 degrees in there.  It's best, however, not to complain, because tomorrow it could be 60 degrees outside and then I'll want the heat back.  How fickle one gets, especially when it comes to the weather. 

Keep your cool with these lovelies from Petit Plat

 Ways to Cool Off in the Summer: 
A Modest Proposal

1.    Act like you're nine again and run through the sprinkler
2.   Go see a matinee movie... I hear they have air conditioning.
3.   Find a stream, lake, pond, river, kiddie pool, neighbor's pool, any pool and dive in.  Don't forget your water wings!
4.   Treat yourself to a creemee (that's soft serve for all you non-Vermonters) with sprinkles!
5.   Fill a rather large bowl with ice.  Position the bowl of ice between you and a fan.  Turn the fan on HIGH and pretend you are somewhere in the arctic... think cold thoughts.
6.   Gather lots of tasty ingredients and make a smoothie.  Here's one of my faves:
• Dig out the blender from the way back of your cabinet and layer ice, strawberries, whole milk yogurt, one banana, a mango and a peach (cut into chunks).  Add a bit of honey or agave nectar for an extra sweet kick.  Fill tall (preferably chilled) glasses and sip with a straw.  If you have those nifty little umbrellas and a wedge of fruit then bust them out.  It's like being on vacation... sort of. 
7.  Consider joining a nudist colony?  
8. Find two trees that are relatively sturdy and also relatively close together.  Hang a hammock and take a lazy nap or grab a trashy summer novel (in this case I always judge a book by it's cover and title -  if there is a picture of a body-builder and a swooning lady on the cover you've probably hit gold).
9. Buy a plane ticket North.  Or, depending where you are, Buy a plane ticket way, way, way South. 
10. Get a job at a grocery store.  Request to work in the dairy section, meat and seafood section,  or the freezer.  Take all the overtime hours offered.

Check out more underwater prints and other art at the Grace Gallery. 

A Summer-ish Mix

It's Too Darn Hot - Ella Fitzgerald 
Ah Mary - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Take it Easy - Jackson Browne
Summertime - Nina Simone 
Reelin'  in the Years - Steely Dan
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carne
Lights Out - Santogold 
Maggie Mae - Rod Stewart 
The Tide is High - Blondie
Ventura Highway - America
Summer boy - Lady Gaga  
Brown-Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
 

Bring out your inner siren in this upcycled creation by Snuggle Pants.