Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Tarot Tuesday, 12/22/15

Today's card drawn is.....wait.....really?  The Knight of Swords AGAIN??  Okay, I'm doing a re-draw, but in the meantime, go back and read the last two times the "Knight of Swords" was drawn for Tarot Tuesday.  Too funny.  Maybe we'd better pay attention!  We are obviously supposed to listen to this message.

Today's card drawn is the Six of Wands.

This is a great card to finish out 2015 with.  The Six of Wands is all about success, victory and public recognition.  This card indicates that you have succeeded in achieving your goals and are being acknowledged for your efforts and for your results. Perhaps you recently received an award or some sort of recognition from your peers for the work that you have done. Sometimes this is simply a kind word from someone or an expression of gratitude for what you have done.  Sometimes it's more than that.  The result is an increase in your self-confidence and encouragement to continue.

The Six of Wands shows that you have focused your talents, energies and strengths to bring about a successful outcome in your endeavors.  You have overcome confusion and distractions to achieve what needed to be done. There have been challenges and trials which you have overcome.  You are now focused on the one goal that will lead to your success.  It's your time to shine.

This really is a positive card of encouragement to believe in who you are and what you are capable of.  Do not let fear or guilt stand in the way of your success.  Feel proud of what you have achieved and hold your head up high.  You are worthy of the attention you will receive.

It is also okay at this point to promote yourself publicly.  That can be one of the hardest things to do, but it will benefit others to share your success stories and encourage them to follow a similar journey. This is even a good time to apply for awards or scholarships.

There is also a downside to this card.  It can bring about self-importance, arrogance and egotistical behavior.  Sometimes victory can make you think that nobody can be better than you and you could have an inflated ego and a big head.  If you keep this in check, you will be fine.  One of the best ways to do this is to be sure and congratulate someone else for what they have done.  Never ever put someone else down and always look at them in a positive way and recognize them just as you would appreciate to be recognized.  With great success comes great responsibility  That's an important thing to remember.

There will be one more card drawn in 2015.  I'm hoping it's a good one!  It's a good time to look back and see how far you have come this year.  Check back tomorrow for Witchy Wednesday, enjoy your success, and have a terrific Tuesday!

Monday, December 21, 2015

Monday Musings

Hello Monday!!

Our weekend began on Friday evening with the girls, their violinist friend, and I playing some holiday music for the Waterloo Theatre prior to their performance of "The Man Who Came to Dinner".  We spent a couple evenings practicing and working up some music for that.  It was a lot of fun and we think we did a pretty decent job. We did learn a lesson, though, and that was that "winging it" on something we didn't actually practice maybe isn't such a good idea.

Saturday was our first big family Christmas celebration.  We traveled about 3 hours away for a nice dinner and gift exchange.  We got to meet our newest family member, Zoey, and she is adorable.  The girls did a little "cousining", which is always fun for them.  Our girls are the oldest of the cousins group on that side, and they have fun playing with the younger ones.  It was a smaller Christmas than normal as some of the family was sick that day and others had car trouble.

Sunday was relaxing, with not much on our calendar other than going to the musical "Befana" at the Lamppost Theatre in the evening.  While grocery shopping, I saw chestnuts in the produce aisle and thought, "why not"?  So at home I tried my hand at roasting chestnuts.  It seemed like a Christmasy thing to do.  They did not turn out perfect, but were not horrible, either, and the girls and I actually really liked them.  I learned that I should soak them in water before roasting so they aren't quite so dry.  I guess we really are looking for that soft, chewy texture rather than a crunchy one.  Hopefully I'll get it a little bit better next time.

"Befana" was a really nice production.  We have never gone to one of the Lamppost Theatre's productions before this one.  It is a very small theatre.  They were very creative with the use of projections as set pieces.  It worked beautifully and we were impressed.  It was a dessert theatre production, so after the show was over we were served coffee, hot chocolate, and our choice of dessert.  I had apple caramel cake, which was delicious.  KD got the chocolate torte and Angelle got peppermint poke cake.  We tried each other's desserts and they all got a great rating.

Their interpretation of the story of  Befana was very nicely done.  We all agreed that it had a good message yet it was funny, and very entertaining. I love the story of  Befana.  She is the Christmas witch, after all, I mean, she does fly on her broom delivering presents to good boys and girls!

None of us wanted to go to school today.  It seems like it should be on break already.  We are not quite done with our concert season as Angelle has a chorus concert yet tonight.  That should be the last one, though, and then we are ready for Christmas!  We are looking forward to all the delights and surprises that come with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for us.  Parties, celebrations, friends and family.  We will deliver our "reverse Advent calendar" on Christmas Eve to a homeless shelter or food pantry.  We will decide together where to take it.

I hate to say it, but I still have shopping to do!  Luckily, I get a day this week when everyone else has school or work and I don't to get it all done.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and festive Christmas week.  I am still planning on doing a Tarot Tuesday and Witchy Wednesday post, but will probably take Friday off.  It's Christmas, after all!  have a magical Monday!

Friday, December 18, 2015

Freaky Friday

TGIF!

I've had something going on every day since last Friday.  It culminated with us having FOUR events in one evening last night.  I am seriously exhausted and so thankful for this being Friday. The girls, a friend and I will play a little holiday music at the theatre for about a half hour tonight, so we just keep going.  December is a crazy month for musicians!

So, other than how busy we have been, what's freaky?

This:  The Star Wars movie came out at midnight.  We haven't seen it yet and considering our schedule, probably won't be able to until sometime this next week.  We are so excited, it's freaky!

This:  The Pagan origins of the Christmas tree.  This has been a season of me discovering the roots of our Christmas traditions and celebrations.  Evergreens, with their ability to stay green even during the coldest time of the year, were a symbol of life's victory over death.  Trees were brought indoors to keep the wood spirits warm during the cold winter months.  Treats were hung on the tree for the spirits to enjoy and of course, a five pointed star representing the five elements was place atop the tree.  Freaky.  Pretty much everyone I know has a Christmas tree in their home.  I believe it can take on any meaning you want it to.  It's a beautiful and fun custom, no matter what your beliefs are.

This:  Speaking of Christmas trees, there are some freaky ways to decorate them.  I'll share a few images.





 This tree is made entirely of green egg cartons.  Creative!
 I love this minimalist tee pee tree.  Clever idea.
 I've seen different versions of the snowman tree.  This one started with a green tree, but I've seen white trees made to look like snowmen, too.  A very cute idea.
This is a very cool alternative to a traditional Christmas tree.  The white and gold is very classy and this would be great if you didn't have a lot of room.















And of course, I saved the freakiest for last.  It is Freaky Friday, after all.  A tree decorated with red lights and ornaments and underneath it?  No, not presents, but an alligator head and three mink pelts.  I'm not sure why, but that is extremely freaky!!

We have a beautiful grand piano, which takes up a good portion of our living room in our rather small house, so we have a 4 foot tree which sits on top of an antique marble table.  Presents go under the table and also under the tree.  We love our little tree.  I am still very partial to the tinsel trees from the 50's and 60's with the color wheel light.   We had one of those for years, but it is worth downsizing the tree to have that piano!!

How do you decorate your tree?  Do you have any freaky tree decorating ideas?  Feel free to share! Have a freaky Friday and a wonderful weekend.  Check back on Monday for Monday Musings.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Witchy Wednesday

Hello and Happy Witchy Wednesday.  Are you wearing black?  Or perhaps, considering the season, red, green, or black?

Today I thought it would be fun to see what "Winter Solstice" apparel was available out there.  Some people prefer to celebrate Winter Solstice as opposed to Christmas or other winter celebrations.  After all, many of our Christmas customs come from Winter Solstice celebrations of old.  I found a good website, Cafe Press, that had some very cool Winter Solstice t-shirts.



These two are pretty basic.  A man's and woman's t-shirt.  The white one pretty much says what the solstice is all about and the black one is nice and simple.

I love the graphic of old man winter, or "Father Yule" on this nice black t-shirt.











While this shirt is a little difficult to read, it shows the "wheel of the year" with the different pagan festivals on it.  Yule is at the top.  Pretty cool!
















If the t-shirts are too casual for you, you might like these dresses.




Above is a gorgeous gown that popped up when I typed in Yule Ball Gowns.  Wow.  Just beautiful.  Sure wish I had a "Yule Ball" to attend!

The dress to the left is on Etsy.  It's a winter solstice "Stevie Nicks" type dress.  You can find all sorts of extravagant and beautiful winter dresses if you google Yule Dresses or Winter Solstice Dresses, especially on Etsy.

Have fun finding some great Winter Solstice clothing.  If you find something great, feel free to share.

May the joy in your heart keep you warm this winter.















Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Tarot Tuesday 12-15-15

Today's card drawn is "The Chariot".  "The Chariot" stands for victory and overcoming opposition through your confidence and control.  Success is coming your way as a result of your ability to use these attributes.  Your strong willpower can overcome any challenges coming your way.  It is a good time to be determined, self-disciplined, and hard working.  If you are, you will be able to overcome any difficulties or succeed over anyone who is trying to stand in your way or limit you.  This is one of those struggles that will make you stronger.

The appearance of this card means that you will be successful and will achieve your goals as long as you maintain focus, determination and confidence in your abilities.  If you stay focused, you will win this race.  There are competitive forces at work as well, so make sure you are doing what is needed to prevail.  Sometimes it is the journey, not the destination, and in this case, the pursuit of your goal will be as satisfying as achieving it.  Be strong and be in control.

If you are questioning a current project or plan, this card is telling you to persevere.  If you have a dilemma, it will be resolved for the time being as long as you are persistent.  This card is also telling you to assert yourself and be bold.  Have faith in yourself and know who you are and what you stand for.

Do you sometimes feel aggressive?  This card can also be telling you to come to terms with your own aggressive impulses.  If you simply suppress it, you will only turn it inward on yourself, which could then manifest as physical illness or troubling emotions.  Instead, you need to channel your aggression into your creative endeavors.  This will give those emotions an outlet so they don't cause you physical harm, and yet prevent you from being aggressive towards others.  Show who is the boss and be firm, but don't be aggressive.  You need to be in control of yourself first and foremost.

Finally, "The Chariot" can indicate you will be doing a lot of driving or maybe take a road trip.  I would imagine with the holidays coming up, this might be the case for many of us.  I know it is for me. There is also the chance you might be considering taking a more long-term road trip, perhaps in an RV or going on a cruise.

This is a fun card to receive, especially in the middle of a music teacher's December concert craziness.  I hope it helps you today in some way and if you end up taking a trip, I hope it is a safe and enjoyable one.  Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!

Monday, December 14, 2015

Monday Musings

Happy magical Monday!

It's raining cats and dogs here.  We live close to a creek and it's pretty high right now.  Just imagine if this was snow instead of rain?  We'd have had one heck of a blizzard and probably wouldn't have had school today.  Crazy weather for December, that's for sure!

I had a very busy and wonderful weekend. Saturday was busy with rehearsals for the UNI Children's Choir with the symphony and then the Symphony Family Concert performance.  The singers were fabulous and I am so proud of them.  I have the best administrative director and assistant directors.  It was a great and festive way to end the semester with the children's choir.  I get to be their director again in the spring and I am so happy about this.  I am truly thankful to have been given this opportunity as interim director and am looking forward to an exciting and musical spring semester.

After the symphony concert, we went to an annual Christmas party out on a farm.  We always love this party and while KD was the only child there, she impressed some of the adults with her mature way of talking and her insightful comments.  Angelle and KD fit right in and both said they enjoyed themselves.  Of course, Angelle and I went exploring for awhile out in the dark around the farm.  She ended up taking a few quick videos in which I was some strange monster out in the woods she was trying to get away from.  That girl always makes me laugh!

On Sunday afternoon I read fortunes for a couple hours at the mall.  I only ended up reading for three people.  A few people took us up on the free pendulum questions we were offering, but not many. I'm not sure if we'll do it again, but the organizer for events might have us piggy-back with a bigger crowd drawing event at the mall sometime to make up for it.  We'll see.  It's good to get the practice in and it helps me to know what I still need to do to prepare for reading at expo's and fairs.

After that was another Christmas party at the girls' piano teacher's studio.  The students "surprised" their teacher with something fun.  KD made up a song she played on piano for Ann and Angelle played "Jingle Bells" on KD's airboard with me accompanying on the piano.  All these parties help us to feel really festive and get in the holiday spirit.

Last weekend we delivered a few St. Nicholas gifts to a few neighbors.  We ended up getting two gifts back in return.  While we absolutely were not expecting it and it was such a nice surprise!! Thank you!

Today is the start of secret santa week at school.  Angelle is doing a couple of secret santa gift exchanges at her school, too.  Angelle and I just love it and it helps get me through the last full week of school a little more quickly.  I think KD was wishing she had a secret santa gift exchange, too.  In a few years she will.

I can't believe we are so close to Christmas.  Tomorrow night I have my school concert.  Thursday KD has a band concert and is caroling downtown.  KD and I are also organizing another caroling event for Sunday afternoon.  Sunday night we have a performance to attend and Monday night I believe Angelle has a concert.  It's a busy time of year, but it's a good kind of busy.  Being able to share Christmas music with others is a wonderful way to celebrate this season.  After my concert tomorrow night I will spend all my free time finishing up shopping for gifts, hopefully sending out cards and letters, and getting everything prepared.

I wish everyone warm and giving hearts, wonderful family time, and the joy of the season as we wind down to Christmas.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Freaky Friday

Yes!  It's Friday!  What's freaky?

This:  Christmas is just two weeks away. What???  I am so not ready.  But that's okay.  I can do a lot in two weeks!  Give me two hours and I'll be done.  Freaky!

This:  Some people are upset about the Krampus movie, thinking Hollywood is trying to "demonize" Christmas.  Krampus is nothing new.  In fact, the story of Krampus is very, very old and comes from Germany.  It's a fun movie and has a pretty good message.  It's billed as a horror movie and it is.  It's not really intended for children to view and it is freaky!

This:  Sunday, December 13th, is St. Lucy's Day, or the feast of Santa Lucia.  I went to Simpson College and every year before Christmas break, our choir director took us Christmas caroling around town, and then back at his house we had a party featuring a student dressed as Santa Lucia, in a white robe and wearing a crown of candles.  If I remember correctly, she brought a tray of treats in for the party.  St. Lucy comes from Scandinavian origins and was a Christian martyr.  Not coincidentally, her day is celebrated around the time of the Winter Solstice,  Her feast day has become a festival of light since at one time it coincided with the solstice, the shortest day of the year.  I think it's freakishly awesome how there are so many fun customs and celebrations taking place this time of year from all over the world.

This:  Tomorrow, Saturday, December 12th, the UNI Children's Choir will be performing with the WCF Symphony Orchestra on their family concert.  This is freakishly exciting!  We had a dress rehearsal with Jason Weinberger, the symphony conductor, last night.  I am really looking forward to the singers getting to experience singing with a full symphony accompanying them.  It has been fun directing this group this semester, and I look forward to doing it again next semester.

This:  It's December and for us musicians, that means it's a crazy, hectic time of year. This week KD had two concerts.  Tonight we help with the wreath table at the theatre.  Tomorrow is a full day of rehearsals and then the symphony concert, followed by a fun Christmas party we go to every year. Sunday I'm at the mall reading fortunes and selling some original artwork the girls have created. Afterwards the girls have a piano event/party.  Next week KD has yet another concert, this one for band and I also have my own school concert.  So much to do!  After next week, things will settle down a bit and we can just enjoy the joy and peace of Christmas.  Until then, though, it's freaky how busy we are!

What freaky things do you do this time of year to celebrate?  I'd love to hear about it.  Enjoy your freaky Friday and have a wonderful weekend.


Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday!

If you read my blog post yesterday, then you know that I will be at College Square Mall on Sunday from 1:00 - 3:00 reading the Lenormand cards and selling Angelle's rock and wire necklaces.  I had forgotten that I ordered some of our artwork on notebooks from Redbubble until they came in the mail yesterday.  I am so pleased with how they turned out!  I have a very limited number of these to sell on Sunday, so I'll share them here today.
 This one is Angelle's favorite.  It's called "The Colors of Friendship".  She likes it because it was a day she and her friend, Jessica, were having fun painting a board with their handprints.  When they were done, their hands were covered with paint, so they held them over the board and I took a photo.  It turned out to be a great work of art.
This one is KD's favorite and would be awesome if you have a musician in the family who needs a piano lesson notebook. This was an old piano I saw in a shed somewhere, and snapped a photo of.
















 This is a photo of a painting by Angelle.  She named it "Tie Dye".  The cool thing about it is that she did it on textured canvas and the camera picked up the texture beautifully.  the notebook has the illusion of being textured on the cover.  I think it's pretty cool.

If you are interested in any of these, you can pick one up at College Square Mall on Sunday from 1:00 - 3:00.  I'll be right outside of  Von Maur.  You can also put these designs on other products or view our other designs in our Redbubble shop at Redbubble and purchase them there.  Our Redbubble name is Waltzbrew, so once you are on the Redbubble shop, type in Waltzbrew and you will see our stuff.  Our friends, DuRaae and Shelby Davis also have stuff on Redbubble.  Maybe in the comments, they will tell us how to find their products.  While there, you should also check out the artwork by Sapphire Moonbeam and Whiteoak (Eva) Thomas.

So, that's my self-advertisement for this Witchy Wednesday.

If you are really looking for some cool witchy clothing, check out this site on Pinterest.  Witchy Pagan Clothing  Wow.  I could look at this stuff all day!!  So cool.

If you're out and about shopping on Sunday afternoon, please stop by my table in the mall.  Get your cards read, buy a necklace or two, or perhaps an original art notebook.  Or just say "hi".  I'd love to see you there.  Enjoy your Witchy Wednesday!



Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tarot Tuesday 12/8/15

Today's card drawn is the Knight of Swords.

This card has been drawn for Tarot Tuesday previously in the past.  Seeing it again just reinforces the Knight's message.

The Knight of Swords represents great ambition, determination and strength to succeed no matter what. However, in his zest and desire to manifest his dreams, he often overlooks the difficulties and potential challenges and may charge ahead without necessary preparation.

Sometimes when we have an idea and wish to manifest that idea so much, we can be blinded by the desire of the idea itself and fail to see the steps which need to be taken or the obstacles to overcome.  We may  know those obstacles are there, but actually choose not to see them or acknowledge them.

The message of this card is clear.  Don't rush into things and if you are pursuing a new project or idea, make sure you do not cut corners to get it done.  If your new project involves making something physical, using low cost providers of materials will get it done quickly and cheaply, but the quality may suffer in the long run.  This will actually cost you more time and money in the end.  So, take your time with that new project and be patient.  Your new idea, project, or dream is a good one, but will take some time to manifest into the best it can be.  Patience is on our side and is a good ally.

This is a good card for me to receive.  I do like to charge ahead and patience is not one of my better qualities.  It's very easy for me to throw caution to the wind and charge ahead with something. Sometimes this works for me, but sometimes it doesn't.  I will heed the Knight's message and strengthen my alliance with patience.

Now I have to put in a plug.  This coming Sunday, December 13th, I will be reading the Lenormand cards at College Square Mall from 1-3 (or perhaps a little later if it's really busy).  KD won't be there with her pendulum this time, but I will be offering 5 card Lenormand spreads for $15.  If you have ever been to a card reader, you know that this is an extremely reasonable price.  In addition to the card readings, I'll have some of Angelle's stone and wire pendants there for sale.  They would make great Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers at only $2 each.  So, if you'd like a reading in person, please stop by my table, which will be right outside of  Von Maur.  No appointments.  First come, first served.  You may ask a question you'd like to have answered, or I can also do a general reading.  I hope you will stop by.  It'd be a great break in the middle of your holiday shopping!  Have a tremendous Tuesday and stop by tomorrow for Witchy Wednesday.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Monday Musings

Good Monday, everyone.  I have so many thoughts floating around in my head today, that this could be a long one, so please bear with me.

First, the Krampus movie.  My older daughter and I went on Friday night and we loved it!  It did not disappoint.  Even though it is billed as a "horror" movie, which it is, there is even a pretty decent message to it.  The two families in the movie were so different from each other and infuriated each other, but in the end, they learned to accept each other and get along.  That sounds pretty sappy, so let me say that we really enjoyed the murderous gingerbread men, teddy bear and angel doll.  Plenty of scary moments!!  Could your kids see it?  It is PG-13, so yes, technically, they could.  There is one f bomb, which I could always do without, and plenty of other swear words.  It's a scary movie.  You have to keep that in mind and Krampus is plenty scary in this movie.  It is my new favorite Christmas movie, though, so I hope it gets played on television every year!

Every year there is always a moment when the Christmas spirit just really hits me!  In me, that spirit manifests as the spirit of giving.  I think that happened on Saturday.  Knowing that Saturday night would be "Krampusnacht" and Sunday would be St. Nicholas day, I decided first of all that my girls and I would do a "reverse" advent calendar.  I wish it was an original idea, but I actually read about it somewhere on good old Facebook.  A reverse advent calendar is taking a basket or a bag (in our case a very large Christmas gift bag) and putting an item (or more) into it each day during advent, then on Christmas Eve donating it to a homeless shelter or food bank.  We had five days to catch up on, but did so with no problem.

Then, I decided we should put together some St. Nicholas bags and give them to a few of our neighbors.  So, after KD's rehearsal for her chamber quartet on Saturday, she and I headed off to do a little shopping. We ended up with five St. Nick bags.

Also on Saturday, I ended up going through some of our outdoor winter attire and realized we have more scarves than we need.  I took the scarves out to the bridge where people often walk to campus for classes, etc., and tied them around a post with a note that said "Cold? Please take a scarf".  Of course, it isn't really all that cold right now, but eventually people might find them useful as they are out walking in the cold.  Yesterday I saw someone taking a picture of them and the note.

On Sunday, KD and I went to church.  It's kind of a big deal because we honestly haven't gone since I "retired" from the Sacred Heart Children's Choir in May.  We wanted to find a church that is a bit closer, which being Catholic, leaves us with just a few options.  We enjoyed church quite a bit, and I really have missed it.  After church, she and I delivered the St. Nicholas bags, which was so much fun to do!

I wonder if that surprised some of my readers.  That I go to church and am Catholic, I mean.  Yes, I am very witchy, but I am not Wiccan.  I might do witchy things, and I might even practice a little bit of "magick", but all witches are not Wiccan and all Wiccans are not witches.  This seems to be a little known fact.  I love pagan ideas and really enjoy some old pagan rituals and customs, but I have been Catholic since I was 17 and have raised my daughters to be Catholic as well.  I really enjoy the celebration of the Eucharist and find much beauty in it.

And this brings me to the whole concept of religion, which is a scary subject to talk about so I'll try to keep it brief.  Everyday I see people spouting off  hateful insults to each other because of religious beliefs. I see them calling each other names, saying each other is stupid, judging each other and generally being mean.  I've even caught myself doing it.  A long time ago, our ancestors (if you are Euro-American, like I am) came to this country and literally shoved it's native inhabitants aside to turn this into the "new world".  They forcefully took over, created government here and killed (both wildlife and humans) wastefully and without reason.  We can't go back and do it over, so now we have to make the best of what we have and what we have done.  I truly believe that we are NOT a Christian nation. How can we be a Christian nation when there are several religions currently being practiced in the United States?  Even Christianity is divided into so many different denominations that there is much disagreement and arguing just within a single religion.  As a teacher, I have taught Christians, Jews, atheists, Muslims, Jehova's Witnesses (which are a branch of Christianity), and possibly children of other faiths.  If I don't treat them with the same respect because I don't follow their religion, then I'm not being a good teacher.  Why can't we treat each other with respect?

My question is this:  What makes your religion the "right" religion to the point that you have to judge others who are not of your faith?  If you are Christian, you might say the Holy Bible does.  But that doesn't make sense when other faiths have God-inspired books which they also follow and believe in whole-heartedly.  Then the question becomes this:  What makes your God-inspired book the "right" God-inspired book?  You really can't answer that.  Not really.  I'm not trying to make you not follow your faith or doubt it, I'm simply wondering why we can't respect each other regardless of faith, or lack thereof.  That's why it is called "faith".  We really have no proof, but believe because we just do and it feels right in our hearts to do so.

We need to have one common ideal that we all follow.  And I believe that "law" comes from the Wiccan religion.  That ideal is to feel free to follow your religion or faith, or no faith, but do no harm to others.  That's what I believe it really comes down to.  Nobody on this planet has any right to force their religion on the rest of the world.  Nobody.  And with that, I am done, for now.

Okay, back to Christmas!!  The rest of Sunday was filled with beautiful music and wonderful family time.  KD had her string chamber quartet recital, which was just awesome.  The younger groups (which KD was in) played holiday music and wore great combinations of red and green to be festive.  The older groups (high school and up) played wonderful, difficult and advanced pieces and the faculty quartet was stellar.  After that uplifting concert, the girls and I went to the last part of the Historical Society Christmas Walk.  I could have devoted an entire blog post to how it makes me sad that they have had to downsize that event over the years because the "Holiday Hoopla" became the big Christmas celebration in town, but that's another story.  Things change over time and we have to accept that. We still had some cookies and cider at the Victorian House, and the girls enjoyed the scavenger hunt there and the beautiful old fashioned Christmas decor, not to mention the cool train set in the basement, and we got a nice tour of the Women's Club house, even though we got there just as they had decided to shut down their part of the event.

After that we went downtown to the new Stam Chocalaterie store, which we are becoming addicted to.  We each had a gelato.  Delicious!!  While walking back to our car, we became curious about a small art gallery across from where we had parked.  The very nice gentleman there explained what it was all about and now a couple of artistic teenagers I know are dreaming of doing a show there.  More details as that lovely dream begins to unfold.

The evening ended with our family attending a Christmas hand bell concert at the United Methodist church in Cedar Falls.  This has become an annual event for our family.  We have several friends who play in the different bell choirs.  The bells are beautiful and really help enhance the holiday spirit.  It was a great way to end a weekend of Christmas thoughts and celebrations.  Now we have several concerts still coming up in the next few weeks.  Being musicians keeps us busy, but we love it and I am so thankful that we all can enjoy making music of all kinds for others to hear and enjoy.

My wish for everyone is to experience the absolute joy I feel when the spirit of giving hits me.  From dropping a few coins into the Salvation Army bucket, to paying for the car behind me in the drive-through, to leaving random scarves on a pole for anyone who needs or wants one, to delivering St. Nick bags to neighbors, and finally to buying Christmas presents for my family and friends,  I am so thankful for the opportunity to give what I can.  When given the opportunity to give, be thankful, for it is truly better to give than it is to receive.  Enjoy this holiday season.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Freaky Friday

TGIF!  When you have two three-day work weeks in a row (IMEA and Thanksgiving), it's funny how long a five-day work week can seem! It helps that I love what I do, though!

So, it's finally Friday!  What's freaky?

This.  A sad freaky thing.  Scott Weiland, singer from the Stone Temple Pilots, passed away yesterday on his tour bus.  My husband was going to run sound for him tomorrow night at a local night club.  RIP, Mr. Weiland.

This.  Last night was our winter UNI Children's Choir concert.  I do so many concerts at school and have done so many over the years, that I don't usually get nervous for them, but I was a bit nervous about this one.  I'm not sure why, other than perhaps it was because this choir is still new to me and it was my first concert with them.  It was wonderful, however, and I am so proud of how beautifully those kids sang.  I have the best assistant directors and administrative director and our accompanist was top notch!  Thank you to everyone who helped us pull it off.  Our next concert?  Singing with the symphony next Saturday for their family concert!  I'm SUPER excited for that.  Singing with a symphony is an amazing experience.  The kids will love it!

This.  Tonight the Krampus movie opens. Angelle and I are planning to go tonight if we can make it work with everyone's activities. Who is Krampus?  Krampus is from old German folklore and is said to be the shadow of St. Nicholas.  That's why Krampus Day and St. Nicholas Day are on the same day (which I believe is actually Sunday, December 6).  He is also known as the "Christmas demon", which is a darker way of describing him, but he does have horns, a hideous tongue that's apparently too long for his mouth, cloven hooves, a pitchfork and a tail.  I hope you've been good this year, because his job is to travel with St. Nicholas and collect the naughty children in his bag, then take them down to his lair.  I'm not sure what he does with them there, and I don't think I want to know. Freaky.

This.  Speaking of St. Nicholas, I LOVE ST. NICHOLAS!!  I have a friend who always celebrated St. Nicholas day by leaving her children's shoes full of candy, money, and nuts.  I've never actually gotten around to celebrating to that extent, but there is something about him that I've always loved. In the spirit of St. Nicholas, I like to perform small random acts of kindness during the Advent season. Usually this manifests as paying for the car behind me in a drive-through.  Usually it's the Starbucks drive-through, but last night it was Taco Bell.  What fun!  It's a joyful thing to do and if you check out this site, Kind Spring Smile Cards, you can order "pay it forward" cards to use.  I'm currently out of the cards, but am going to order some more.  Have you performed any fun random acts of kindness lately?  It gives you a freaky good feeling inside.

This.  Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Pagan, Wiccan, Muslim, Hindu, an Atheist or an Agnostic, this season is the season of giving.  No matter what you believe, I believe we can celebrate together.  I will say "Merry Christmas" when I see you, so please don't be offended.  It has nothing to do with me thinking everyone should be a Christian.  I also say "Happy Halloween" in October, and "Happy Thanksgiving" in November. I say it because, gosh darn it, I LOVE HOLIDAYS!!!  And I LOVE JOY!!  I love the holidays  in all their contexts; pagan, secular and religious.  I LOVE decorating, I LOVE traditions, I LOVE holiday music and fun. Whatever you do and however you celebrate, try to find the joy of the season and keep the spirit of giving in your heart.  That's what it's really all about, and I think that's freakishly awesome.  

So, celebrate your path, dare to be freaky, and enjoy this beautiful Holiday season while it's here.  Make a wish, dare to dream, help someone else's dreams come true.  Give joy, give kindness.  It's the best gift you can give to yourself. Freaky how easy that is.




Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday!  Are you wearing black?

The other day I got out my pile of "ugly" Christmas sweaters and Santa hats.  I actually have more Santa hats than I have witch hats.  I'll have to fix that!  I think that's an excuse to go shopping for more witch hats.  But I do love my various Santa hats.  And ugly sweaters?  I have quite a few.  When my daughter has ugly sweater day at school, she is in good shape.  I also end up loaning out several sweaters to my colleagues during our school ugly sweater day.  I do feel like it's time to update my collection, however, and Mohair Pear has many awesome "ugly" Christmas sweaters.  Next week I think I will try to get some photos of the sweaters Mohair Pear has, but in the meantime, I'll see what I can find in the way of ugly sweaters and Santa hats online today.

First, I found this site called "The Rusty Zipper".  They had several interesting hats and headbands and one ugly (slightly inappropriate) sweater.  Here is the link.  Rusty Zipper.  And here is my favorite hat from that site and also some cute Christmas horns.  Christmas horns?  Why not.


I would imagine the hat would be fairly easy to make yourself if you had some extra tinsel laying around.  I really like it because the shape is like a witch hat.  I'm not really sure why there are Christmas devil horns, but this blog is all about being unique and Krampus does have horns!














Of course, there is an online store entirely dedicated to ugly Christmas sweaters here.
My Ugly Christmas Sweater site

They have several categories, including cheap sweaters, reindeer sweaters, 80's sweaters, naughty sweaters, and light up sweaters.  I'll show a few.



 I espsecially like the reindeer sweaters and the light up poinsietta sweater.



































So, there you have it.  A few fun Santa hats and ugly Christmas sweaters.  My favorite Santa hat is the one I had my friend, DuRaae Davis, of "To Our Moon and Back" crochet for me last year.  Nothing like a hand-crocheted Santa hat!  If you want a quality hand-made one, that's who to talk to.

Do you have some favorite places to get Santa hats or ugly sweaters from?  Feel free to share.  Have a bewitching Witchy Wednesday!






Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Tarot Tuesday, 12/1/15

Today's card drawn is the High Priestess.

This card represents connecting with the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is not able to be accessed through the everyday world but through dreams and symbols.  This card is telling you to pay close attention to your dreams and intuition.  Your subconscious may be trying to get a message to you.  You may have some areas in your life that are out of balance.  You will not figure out how to fix these areas through logic or intellect, but rather, through your intuition. This is a good time to meditate and listen to your own inner voice.

If you are a male, this card is telling you to get in touch with your feminine side in order to grow.  If you are a female, this card is telling you to learn to trust yourself and that you should embrace your own femininity rather than trying to act more like your male counterparts.

The High Priestess can also represent the unknown and indicate that your life is changing.  Things that once seemed certain and solid to you can no longer be taken for granted. You might find yourself becoming aware of some of life's mysteries but not all has been revealed yet.  Your intuitive powers are increasing and you will be finding yourself to be more creative.  Inspiration will be everywhere you turn.  If you are a poet or a writer, this card is a sure sign that you will be prolific and will have plenty to write about.  If you are involved in any creative endeavor, you will have plenty of ideas.

Have you been receiving signs?  Getting messages in dreams?  Don't just brush them off.  They may be your subconscious reassuring you of something or trying to get a message through to you.  It is important right now to listen and then listen some more.  Trust yourself.  Your subconscious knows.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Monday Musings

Hello!  Magical Monday to you!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My daughters had five days off from school in a row and I had four.  I have to confess that we spent much of that time snuggling with dogs and watching Netflix or reading.  Sometimes it's nice to be a little bit lazy.

Friday night was the Holiday Hoopla in Cedar Falls.  I hinted on Friday that Angelle was going to be a character, but I didn't say which.  I think it's okay to tell you now that she was the "Grinch". KD and I went to the Hoopla and found her right away.  She was hanging out with this snow princess (actually Cinderella in a gorgeous winter dress) and having lots of fun and giving lots of high fives. From what I could tell, she was fairly popular among the photo takers.  Someone made the comment that she "was shorter than she thought the Grinch would be, but that that was okay because she liked little people".

Here is a picture of the Grinch, Cinderella and KD enjoying her hot chocolate.

As Holiday Hoopla's go, this one was warm in comparison to other years.  KD and I enjoyed hanging out together.  We went into the basement of the Caboose Stop Hobbies store and discovered they had the most amazing model trains set up. They took up the whole room.  I really enjoyed that part of our evening.

We liked looking at the store window displays, enjoyed hearing our friend, Kylie Jean sing, and could not see Santa when he arrived because of the crowd.  This year Santa arrived by giant "Panther" and marching band.  Pretty cool! Especially the marching band part.  I held my phone up above the crowd to try to videotape his arrival and that seemed to work pretty well.  Then KD and I did our best to get ahead of the crowd to get to the river where the tree was lit and the fireworks were shot off.  I love taking photos of fireworks.



















The Grinch and Cinderella enjoyed leading the procession to the river.  You can see them here crossing 1st street with Santa and the band following close behind.


















And here is a better picture of Santa on the giant Panther.  Go UNI!!




















After the Hoopla fireworks were over we met up with the Grinch and Cinderella, then had pizza at Tony's.  It was a great ending to a really fun night.

We discovered a new place that night as well.  Cedar Falls now has a "Chocolaterie Stam" store on Main Street.  KD and I had some chocolate samples and tried samples of their gelato.  Yummmmmy! On Saturday I took Angelle there and she had the tiramisu gelato and I bought truffles for KD and me.  I have a feeling we will treat ourselves there quite often.

My daughters have been asking me why I'm so obsessed with Krampus, so I decided to turn my attentions to Befana.  Do you know who Befana is?  She is from Italian Christmas folklore.  Befana was an old woman who spent most of her days baking and sweeping.  When Jesus was born she provided shelter for a night to the Magi.  The Magi asked her where they could find Jesus, but she didn't know.  They invited her to go with them but she replied that she was too busy with her housework (she had the cleanest and most pleasant home in the village).  Later, she had a change of heart and went looking for Jesus, flying through the sky on her broom, because, after all, magic was in the air.  To this day she is searching for the baby Jesus and leaves all the good children toys and candy as she makes her flight.  Naughty children get coal, onions and garlic instead.  There are many versions of this story, but I liked this one.  I especially like that she flies on her broom.

As many traditions and stories, Befana does have pagan roots.  Some say she is the goddess called Strenia, who presided over the gifts of the new year.  The Befana tradition is still celebrated in some parts of Italy.

I have seen the poster for the "Lamppost Theatre" putting on a play called "Befana" as their Christmas dessert theatre.  It is this Friday evening and I am hoping to go.  Since the girls say it would not be a good idea for me to dress as Krampus next Holiday Hoopla and chase the children, perhaps I could dress as Befana.  A kindly old woman with a broom who hands out gifts.  Why not?

When our dream coffee house/book and gift store "Witches Brew, Books and Beyond" opens, I hope to have special days celebrating the unusual characters of the season, such as Krampus (Krampus tea party?) and Befana (special treats for children?).  What fun!

Do you know of any unusual Christmas celebrations or tales?  I would love to hear them.  Please share below and check back tomorrow to see what your holiday season future holds on Tarot Tuesday.


Friday, November 27, 2015

Freaky Friday

It's Friday.  Black Friday!  That's freaky enough!

We didn't do "Black Friday", but we did do "Slack Friday".  Thank you, Mohair Pear, for being so ultra cool and not opening until 11:00 and then calling it "Slack Friday".  That is perfect for us!  We loved looking at all the great items and the adorable jewelry made by "To Our Moon and Back".  Have you seen my "eyeballs in a vial" pendant?  You can buy it at "Mohair Pear". The eyeballs even glow in the dark.

I did find one very cool, freaky treasure that I just had to buy for myself.  An early Christmas gift, I guess.  I've been a bit obsessed with Krampus this year.  It must be because the movie is coming out.  Anyway, Mohair Pear had this fabulous "Krampus" scarf in red and black.  I will wear it to the Holiday Hoopla tonight and also to the movie next weekend.  I'm wearing it right now.  I love it!

So, it's Friday.  What's freaky?

This!  My Krampus scarf I got today at Mohair Pear.  I'm sure I'll stand out at the "Holiday Hoopla" wearing it!  It's freaky!







This!  The Holiday Hoopla!  It's tonight in Cedar Falls on Main Street.  Angelle will be a special character at the Hoopla, but apparently I'm not supposed to tell you who she will be, so you'll just have to figure it out.  Have some freaky fun at the Hoopla.  I can't wait for the fireworks.

This!  I had a Penny Dreadful marathon yesterday for Thanksgiving.  I made it all the way through season 2 this morning while some of you were out shopping.  What a freaky show!  Perhaps one of the freakiest I've ever seen.  I absolutely do NOT recommend it to anyone under 18 or to anyone easily disturbed.

This!  I love this picture.  I believe they are the ghost of Christmas past, present and future.  I really thought it was a cool image.  I happened to run across it on google earlier, and saved it.  Freakishly cool!



Here's another similar image.  Angelle and KD really liked these, too.
















This!  Christmas is right around the corner.  Ack! Freaky!  Are you ready?  I have the UNICC concert next week, the symphony family concert the week after that, my own school concert coming up as well, not to mention both Angelle and KD have a few concerts coming up.  So much to do and so little time!

This!  Mark your calendars for December 17th for the "Frozen" sing-along movie at the Cedar Falls Public Library.  Of course, you know who is going to be Elsa.  And it's a SING-ALONG!!  Freakishly and fabulously fun!

Enjoy your Freaky Friday!  Go to the Hoopla tonight!  Get in the spirit of the season of giving!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday!!

After our first lovely snowfall, it certainly feels like winter has arrived.  There are signs of Christmas everywhere right now.  I don't know about you, but I LOVE Jack Skellington.  Today for Witchy Wednesday, I looked at Hot Topic for "Nightmare Before Christmas" items.  Here is the link to the Hot Topic page with all kinds of great Jack Skellington winter clothing.  Hot Topic Nightmare Before Christmas

I'll share a few things that I especially liked.

 Hats are always good for winter weather and this one is extra cute with Jack smiling on the front and a pom pom on top.  This would be great for skiing or sledding.
 It's sweater weather!  I especially like the striped sleeves on this one.
Being a teacher, I can never have enough cardigans.  This one is especially nice.  Cozy!
 Scarves are also a great accessory this time of year.
What's that you say?  Ugly Christmas sweater?  Sorry, but this is far from ugly.  I'm not really sure they have this at Hot Topic, but I googled "Nightmare Before Christmas" winter attire, and this popped up in the images.  That has to be the best Christmas sweater ever!














Speaking of pop culture!  There is a "Frozen" event at the Cedar Falls Public Library on December 17th.  They are showing the sing-along movie and Angelle will be there playing the part of "Elsa" along with her friend, Carly, who will be playing "Anna".  They will take photos and interact with the guests.  How fun!  Angelle got to try on her costume the other night and she had a bit of fun with that as you can see.



















Of course, this is minus the wig, but I think she's going to make a great "Elsa".  Amazing how the costume transformed her right away!  Have a young daughter or granddaughter who loves "Frozen"?  This event would be perfect!

Enjoy dreaming of "Jack Skellington" on your Witchy Wednesday today!  Snowy dreams!