National Chocolate Day

Image courtesy of: paloetic

Now here is a holiday I can CELEBRATE!!!!!! Oh yum! Well...sort of.....being diabetic, I have to be careful about my sugar intake. However...I would rather have a small bite of the REAL STUFF.....organic, "Fair Trade" dark chocolate......than a bagful of the "other stuff ".

My love affair with chocolate goes back, WAY back. When I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade, a friend of mine introduced me to the candy counter at a local shop. I was hooked. So many choices! And back then, a candy bar was a NICKEL! I remember when I was older, sneaking to the drug store to buy my "stash" since chocolate & candy was forbidden in our home. Thus began my lifelong struggle & addiction to sugar. Rolos & Milky Ways had me by the throat. Their smooth creaminess tempted & seduced me. Chocolate.....my DRUG of choice. Little did I know that my guilty pleasure was most likely at the expense of children held in slavery on cocoa farms in West Africa.

It has taken me years to break that addiction. So when I do indulge in a small taste of chocolate, I make sure it is high quality, organic, "Fair Trade" chocolate...now that I have learned about the chocolate "slave trade."

Here are some resources to help you find out about it yourself:

Stop Chocolate Slavery

SlaveFreeChocolate.org



Please.....for the sake of the children.....choose "Fair Trade" chocolate.

Unlock the Door to your Dreams ~ I Dream in Purple

Etsy Treasury Curated by emily
HGTV Treasury Challenge 2011~Color of the Month~Grape!

When I was a young girl, my room was decorated in PURPLE! The walls were painted a lovely medium shade of purple. My twin beds were covered in white ruffly spreads with purple roses. I loved my room ~ it was a restful, dreamy, inspiring sanctuary! I still dream in purple.....and remember those lovely hours of daydreaming in my purple room.

Plastic Pollution = ART

Video from KarmaTube

Richard & Judith Lang have inspired me! I so admire their commitment to our earth & their vision of bringing BEAUTY out of mindless, thoughtless UGLY pollution.

I challenge YOU this week to go through your rubbish bin and create something BEAUTIFUL! Email me your creations & I will post them next Sunday.

"I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use."

Mother Teresa

"But our waste problem is not the fault only of producers. It is the fault of an economy that is wasteful from top to bottom — a symbiosis of an unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom—and all of us are involved in it."

Wendell Berry

"In our eagerness to prosper,
we have ravaged what was good.
Using more than what was needed,
taking everything we could.
We have changed the gentle order
you intended for the earth.
Now we humbly ask the wisdom
to be part of its re-birth."

Cathy Yost, Prayer For Creation, 2001

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Richard & Judith Lang's ART:

http://beachplastic.com

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Every Leaf Speaks Bliss to Me.....

Image courtesy of: merwing✿little dear

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me,
Fluttering from the autumn tree."

Emily Bronte

Autumn is so spectacular! The countryside painted so gloriously! I love everything about it.....the cool, crisp days & even colder nights.....pumpkins, apples, brightly colored leaves, the smell of woodsmoke in the air.....hayrides & harvest carnivals.....oh! that it could ALWAYS be Autumn!

Join us for the Viroqua Harvest Moon Celebration & Parade this Saturday!

Starting at Noon: arts/crafts & delectable foods can be found at Eckhart Park. At 2pm: A human-powerd puppet parade down Main Street! The theme of this year’s parade is "The Common Thread". After the parade, join us back at Eckhart Park for a pageant featuring the parade puppets, a square dance sponsored by Driftless Folk School, and musical performances. Also featured will be the Infiamati Fire Circus!!!

Here is a peek at last year's parade:

"..... these are a few of my favorite things!"

Etsy treasury curated by: "Remember Me"

....."these are a few of my favorite things".....found on Etsy.com

She Walks in Beauty

She Walks In Beauty

by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Lately, I have NOT been "walking in beauty"..... I feel anxious &
stressed. I cannot concentrate or focus. My creativity has flown out
the window. I have had several health issues tormenting me for quite some time and I am in chronic pain most of the time...and all of this is depressing me. ENOUGH!!!!! I am sick of being sick all of the time.

I WANT MY BEAUTY BACK!!!!!!!

I strongly believe that there is a body/mind/spirit connection. All three seem to be "out of whack" for me. Time to work on healing this!!!

First step.....the body. I have found a FABULOUS holistic nutritionist & am now taking part in a "allergy elimination cleanse" which is "an inflammation-reducing, hidden-allergy-detecting, liver-clearing, hormone-balancing, addiction-busting, mood-enhancing, extra-weight-reducing, energizing, fun and fabulous way to jump-start your health!".

I am already seeing results.....stay tuned!

Commercials that I Actually LIKE

What's Bottled Up Inside?

Femme Fatale Altered Art Bottles

Negative Emotions ~ Journaling Prompt

 What's Bottled Up Inside?

What negative emotions are robbing you of your CREATIVITY & JOY?!? Inferiority/Inadequacy? Depression/Negativity? Anxiety/Fear? Shame/Regret? All of the above? Here is your chance to journal your thoughts ~ to get rid of those negative emotions ~ to break free & restore your CREATIVITY & JOY!

 
4 "altered" bottles hold 3 sheets paper each. Each bottle has a different "femme fatale" & theme. Write your thoughts about each theme & place the pages back into the bottle ~ seal those negative thoughts away & move on!

B+ = Be Positive! Work through your fears ~ spread your wings ~ and FLY!!!!!

Femme Fatale Altered Art Bottles come in a darling little decorated carrying case.
 

Dreadful Inelegance

I have to agree with Jane Austen.....

"What dreadful hot weather we have!

It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

Yes it is

HOT

here in Wisconsin...nearly 100 yesterday!

  Oh Honey! I am sweating.....or as we used to say in the South....."I am perspiring". My daughter was so precious when she was a little girl "Mom, I'm expiring!" she would say. (She is precious still.)

Hot weather makes me VERY inelegant. I get sweaty, smelly, cranky...bitchy. Thank the Good Lord for air conditioning! 

Help is on the way. A cold front is moving in. Going to be 70 tomorrow and 62 on Friday. Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! That is more like it.

Momisms

Things I would Love to Hear
my Mother Say to me

One More Time.....

"I don't care who started it, I said stop it!"

"Don't make me come in there!"

"Don't sit so close to the television, you'll ruin your eyes."

"How do you know you don't like it if you have never tasted it?"

"I didn't ask who put it there, I said pick it up!"

"If you are too sick to go to school, you are too sick to play outside."

"Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"I said CLOSE the door, I didn't say SLAM it!"

"Your face is going to FREEZE like that!"

"Why? Because I said so, that's why."

"You're going to put your eye out with that thing."

"Just wait until your Father gets home."

.......I miss you Mommy. 

Springtime in Wisconsin

Gotta love Springtime in Wisconsin! Yesterday we had freezing temperatures, very strong wind, and heavy sleet. Today it SNOWED! I give up.....I can't go out to pick flowers, so I am making my own!

Button Bouquets

Available at:  RememberMeEmily.Etsy.com

Available at:  RememberMeEmily.Artfire.com

Available at: RememberMeEmily.ArtFire.com

Lovely flowers for your table, They will not wilt, you don't have to water or fertilize them.....what's not to love?!?

Texture Tuesday

Distressed Angel using Kim Klassen's "Warm Sun" texture.

Good Morning! Today is "Texture Tuesday"! Recently, I attended Kim Klassen's Photoshop "Skinny-Mini" eCourse. This is a FREE class!!! Kim is a FABULOUS teacher & I have learned so much about applying "textures" to my photos. I just LOVE that shabby, grungy, distressed look. Now, thanks to our dear Kim, I am finally learning how to achieve the Photoshop results I was looking for. She will be teaching this class again in May....be sure to sign up!

You can also join Kim (& friends) for "Texture Tuesdays" ~ a link up party where we can share our work with others each Tuesday. oh FUN!!! I love seeing what everyone else is working on ~ so inspiring! Here are today's offerings:

April 5, 2011 Texture Tuesday

Be sure to sign up for Kim's "Texture Lovin' List" ~  subscribe to receive her latest freebie textures, special offerings & tips.

http://www.kimklassencafe.com/

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

Two of my friends & I got a bad case of "Spring Fever" on Tuesday & decided to GET OUT OF TOWN! We have all been cooped up way too long in our houses this winter.....and have all been screaming "Road Trip" lately!!!

So off to Madison we drove for a day of thrift shopping & antique treasure hunting. Oh what FUN! We discovered the darling town of Stoughton (WI) on our trip which is just a little bit south of Madison. Our first stop in Stoughton was the St. Vincent's Thrift Shop where I found these SWEET vintage bunny planters:

One thing I have noticed lately.....some of these thrift shops have LOST THEIR MINDS! They are marking some of their "collectible" merchandise at or above market (retail) value now. WOW. It really makes it hard for those of us who are dealers, who drive hundreds of miles to find these treasures, to "make a living" and continue to "follow our bliss". I could not resist these cuties ~ regardless of price.

All in all we visited 7 thrift shops, 2 antique malls & had a delicious lunch at the Koffee Kup in Stoughton. There was much more to see...but we ran out of time. A lovely day with lovely friends! Life is good.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Reduce Reuse Recyle Vintage~Inspired Fashion

Vintage inspired clutch available at "Remember Me" on Etsy.com

 

Long ago, someone had a pretty petticoat, or perhaps a sweet summer dress. It was well loved & often worn. It was "handed down" with love & care from one generation to the next. It became so stained & threadbare...someone cut it up for scraps. That is when I found it one day while digging through an old box of forlorn linens in a local antique mall. "This is so beautiful!" I exclaimed. I could only guess at it's history and wonder about all those girls who had shared this petticoat. 

I carefully snipped & sewed feeling the "spirit" of the petticoat ~ letting it tell me what it wanted to become...and now...my loving offerings to you.....

 

Vintage inspired tote purse available at "Remember Me" on Etsy.com

Just Eat Organic

Celebrate International Women's Day

International Women's Day (March 8th) celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.

Some of my personal heroes:

*   Florence Nightingale

*   Jane Austen

*   The Sufferagettes

*   Coco Chanel

*   Frida Kahlo

*   Mother Teresa

*   Eleanor Roosevelt  

 *  Rosa Parks

*   Audrey Hepburn

*   Rachel Carson

Take time today to honor the women who have made a difference in YOUR life. 

Plain & Simple

Shabby Primitive Decor

“Very little is needed to make a happy life.”

~ Marcus Aurelius 

I am most comfortable when I am surrounded by simple vintage treasures in white, cream, sepia & black. A room of TOTAL white made me cry in JOY one time. 

My heart sings when I see...white dishes, white matte pottery & crisp white vintage linens. Simple things like old brown baskets, twine & bird's nests give me a thrill. Oh! And SEASHELLS with their creamy goodness and muted tones.

Timeworn treasure of years gone by. Simple. Beautiful. Heartwarming.

That's why I "treasure hunt" ~ to bring pleasure & comfort to myself & others in simple gifts.

Nut

“The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up the nebulae, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are star stuff.” ~ Victor Tenbaum

Photo courtesy of: lightclad

  Funny thing.....one of my "pet names" that Darling Husband calls me is "Nut" which can be defined as a "foolish, silly, or eccentric person". Imagine my surprise when one day I was reading about the various Egyptian Gods/Goddesses and discovered "Nut".....

"Nut was the goddess of the sky and all heavenly bodies,  a symbol of protecting the dead when they enter the after life. According to the Egyptians, during the day, the heavenly bodies—such as the sun and moon - would make their way across her body. Then, at dusk, they would be swallowed, pass through her belly during the night, and be reborn at dawn."

(George Hart, Routledge dictionary of Egyptian gods and goddesses)

Photo courtesy of: schmuela ~ "Nut, the sky goddess, arms outstretched, eats the disk of the sun and then gives birth to it again, amidst rays of light, that reach out to bathe the head of Hathor, mistress of the sycamores, with a sycamore tree to the right of her head."

 

Nut is often pictured wearing a dress covered with stars...I know what my next sewing project is going to be!!!!!

Oh Happy Day

"Oh Happy Day" Etsy treasury curated by "Remember Me"

I was inspired by Lia's painting "Oh Happy Day". Be sure to check out all of her lovely work: LiaLane.Etsy.com

KISS the COOK

 

I put together this reminder for Darling Husband!

Have FUN in the kitchen...fill canning jars with dried beans/peas and add your favorite saying...easy peasy!

"Romance" your home! Tape love notes to the bathroom mirror...wrap a love letter/poem around his remote control where he will be SURE to find it!

Remind him/her why you fell in love...and why he/she is special to you... add a little romance to your every day living.

WASTE LAND

 

 “Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend... when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present / love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure / the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.”

 

Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

Are you ADORABLE?

Yes, this is a picture of ME ~ emily!

I was so adorable! I am still adorable.....

but I have my moments.

a·dor·a·ble

–adjective

1. very attractive or delightful; charming.

2. worthy of being adored.

I am NOT adorable when:

*   People are mean & hateful to me.

*   People don't "follow the rules" or "do the right thing".

*   I am sick or sad.

I AM adorable when:

*   I am snuggling/laughing/spending time with my Darling Husband.

*   I am excited/passionate/really engaged in an ART project.

*   I perform a "random act of kindness" & try not to get caught doing it.  

My challenge this week.....try to be ADORABLE!

and also:

beneficent, cherubic, divine, good, godly, heavenly, humble, innocent, lovely, pure, radiant, righteous, self-sacrificing, sweet & virtuous.

A Spiritual Conspiracy

Photo courtesy of: geishaboy500

A SPIRITUAL CONSPIRACY
... 
On the surface of the world right now there is
 war and violence and things seem dark.
..But calmly and quietly, at the same time, 
something else is happening underground. 
An inner revolution is taking place
 and certain individuals are being called to a higher light. 
It is a silent revolution.
 From the inside out. From the ground up.
 This is a Global operation. 
A Spiritual Conspiracy.
 There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet.
 You won't see us on the TV.
 You won't read about us in the newspaper. 
You won't hear about us on the radio.
 We don't seek any glory.
 We don't wear any uniform. 
We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles.



  Most of us work anonymously
. We are quietly working behind the scenes 
in every country and culture of the world. 
Cities big and small, mountains and valleys,
 in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands.
 You could pass by one of us on the street
 and not even notice. 
We go undercover. 
We remain behind the scenes. 
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit. 
But simply that the work gets done. 
Occasionally, we spot each other in the street.
 We give a quiet nod and continue on our way.
 During the day, many of us pretend we have normal jobs
.

But behind the false storefront at night 
is where the real work takes a place.
 Some call us the Conscious Army
. We are slowly creating a new world
 with the power of our minds and hearts.
 We follow, with passion and joy.
 Our orders come from the Central Spiritual Intelligence. 
We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking
 ~ Poems ~ Hugs ~ Music ~ Photography ~ Movies ~ Kind words ~
 Smiles ~ Meditation and prayer ~ Dance ~ Social activism ~ Websites ~ 
Blogs ~ Random acts of kindness.
 We each express ourselves in our own unique ways
 with our own unique gifts and talents
. Be the change you want to see in the world.
 That is the motto that fills our hearts.
 We know it is the only way real transformation takes place.
 We know that quietly and humbly we have the
 power of all the oceans combined.
 Our work is slow and meticulous. 
Like the formation of mountains, 
it is not even visible at first glance.
 And yet, with it, entire tectonic plates 
shall be moved in the centuries to come
. Love is the new religion of the 21st century.
 You don't have to be a highly educated person 
or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it. 
It comes from the intelligence of the heart
 embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings.


  Be the change you want to see in the world
. Nobody else can do it for you. 
We are now recruiting. 
Perhaps you will join us
...Or already have. 
All are welcome. 
The door is open.

~ author unknown ~

Be Sweet

Digital collage by emily ~ heart texture courtesy of  ~♥ Pretty Petal ♥~

Happy New Year

Photo courtesy of:  ~BostonBill~

My Wishes for You...
I look to the new year and my wish for you;

Peace within your heart
Love from family and friends
Faith to guide your way
Hope to to make it through each day
Sunshine to light the day
Heavenly Stars to wish upon
Rainbows to to let you know there is a tomorrow
A tear to show compassion
A heart to hold the love
But most of all I wish for you
to feel my hand in yours,
To know I am here if you stumble or fall.
To bring you cheer, to bring you love,
to return the love you always share with me.
Author Unknown