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.

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!

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!

Tarot Tuesday 11-24-15

Today's card drawn is "The Lovers".

The obvious meaning of  "The Lovers" concerns relationships, in particular, romantic love relationships.  This card represents perfection, harmony and mutual attractiveness.  The bond between these two is very strong and is usually indicative of a marriage or a long-term relationship.

As with any tarot card, however, there are different levels of meaning.  On a personal level, this card represents that you may be establishing a personal belief system and becoming more sure of your own values.  It might be a time when you are figuring out what you stand for and what your own philosophy on life is.  It is time to make up your mind about what is and what isn't important in life.  Stay true to yourself. Don't try to be anybody but who you really are.

"The Lovers" can also stand for major choices in life.  You might have a dilemma in which you will have to take action or make an important decision.  Something might happen that changes your plans.  You might feel like things are not going your way, but later it will turn out to be for the best.  You need to think about the decision and choices you are facing. These decisions are very important so it is imperative that you choose the right path.  If there is an easy way out, you need to decide if it's really the right path for you in the long run.  Sometimes the more difficult path is the better way to go, especially when thinking of the long-term and deep effects it may have on your life.

Are you finding yourself at a moral crossroads?  Do you have a decision to make regarding whether to take the moral high road or low road?  Be sure you consider all the consequences before you act. Your own value system might be challenged at this point and, therefore, you need to make your choice based on that system.  This really might be a difficult decision for you, and there certainly is a right and wrong choice in this particular instance.  One choice will benefit you greatly in the future, but the other will lead you down a negative path.  It would be a good idea to seek some advice from someone you trust before making your final decision.  Make sure you are being completely honest with yourself.  Examine your own feelings, motives and personal values carefully.  Look at each option deeply and with a sense of what it will bring in the future.

Wow, that's a pretty serious card.  Too serious for this cold, wintry November Tuesday.  Does this card apply to you today?  Here's wishing you some time to reflect on the major decisions in your life and for clarity in making those decisions.  Have a very decisive Tuesday!

Monday Musings

Happy Winter Monday!!

Just like that, it's winter.  I love the snow, so I don't really mind.  I really enjoy all the seasons and I think it's so nice to live in a place where I get to experience them all in their fullest.

Since last Thursday, it's been quite an exciting and fun few days.  Bright and early Thursday morning I got KD to the Opus bus (they had to be there by 6:15 a.m.).  Then I took Angelle to school with all of her stuff for All State.  Early afternoon, John and I left for Ames to see and hear the wonderful Opus honor choir concert.  Angelle was able to meet us there and watch with us.  It was one of the better 5/6 grade Opus groups I have ever heard there.  They were fabulous!  All of the choirs were.  After the concert, we went to eat at "India Palace", our favorite Indian restaurant in Ames.  That has become a tradition for us.  They have the best tandoori chicken!  And it's never very busy on Opus evening, which is nice, too.

After our wonderful dinner, we took Angelle to audition for her small ensemble part for one of the All State songs.  What an honor just to get the recall.  After the fairly long audition process, she was part of the ensemble and was able to sing with the ensemble on a special part for the girls All State song.  So proud of that girl!

On Friday and Saturday during the day I attended the Iowa Music Educator's Association conference. I always enjoy that and come away with some new great ideas and feeling inspired and uplifted about what I do.  This time I got some great ideas for using junkyard percussion and doing some listening using parachutes, paper plates and tennis balls in my music classroom.  I also learned about something called the "Brain Dance".  I'm going to learn a little bit more about that, but am hoping to start using it in my music room soon.  Also, I will be looking to buy a small parachute to use for listening activities.  Such great ideas!

Friday evening was free for John, KD and I, so we did a little window shopping in downtown Ames. It was snowing, so it was quite beautiful there.  John bought KD a model airplane kit and they will have fun working on that together, I think.  Then we went to the movie "Mockingjay 2".  KD and I are into the Hunger Games series of books and movies, so we really enjoyed the movie.  It was new to John, but he is a great sport and I think he enjoyed the movie.  Friday night was also our first snowfall here in Iowa, and we got several inches of snow.  So, after the movie, it was a bit challenging for John to drive around Ames to get us back to our room, but he does well in adverse weather conditions.  He dropped us off and went to get us a pizza for supper.  Our hotel room was in the Memorial Union hotel and had a fireplace.  It was really nice to watch the snowfall outside while sitting by the fireplace with a cup of tea.

Saturday brought more conference sessions for me, then it was time to hang out with John and KD for awhile.  We went to the mall and then went to play laser tag.  Then it was Starbucks and the fabulous All State concert.   KD and I had seats right by the orchestra.  They played "The Pines of Rome" by Respighi, which is one of my all time favorite pieces of music.  I enjoyed it immensely and picture flying whales in my head (reference to Fantasia 2000).  Of course, the chorus was wonderful and it was great to see Angelle get to step to the microphone for the special ensemble part.  The band was truly amazing as well.  We left with our hearts full of great music and pride for all of the All State participants.  We got home around midnight and we all slept very well!

On Sunday I got to pick up our dogs, whom we had really missed and judging by their reactions, they really missed us, too.  Then we were off again and Angelle played piano for the Festival of Trees and the girls and I went to the Nutcracker Ballet.  We had several friends who were in that production. After that it was time to tear down our table setting from the festival and get ready for the new week.
So, you see, it was a very busy and full few days, but also truly wonderful and full of so much beauty.

On Saturday, John, KD and I were looking for a place to have supper.  I remembered seeing a "Mongolian Grill" restaurant close to the "India Palace".  So, we decided to check it out.  I have to be honest.  Once we looked inside, we saw a place with no decor, threadbare and worn out booth seats, and I wondered if we had made the best decision.  KD was ready to go someplace else, and actually, so was I.  But John was ready to give it a go so we stayed.  We ordered at the counter and I wanted tea.  The server said he could give me a tea bag and hot water.  He gave me a typical plastic cafe tumbler to use for my tea.  I went with it and the tea tasted just as good in that plastic tumbler as it would have in a regular tea cup.  It was self serve rice and soup.  The food was fabulous!  Really, really great Chinese food!  We all really enjoyed it and while at first look, the restaurant didn't look very nice, we had a great experience there.  Never judge a book by it's cover, I guess.  It is always great to experience new things and different cultures.  Variety is the spice of life, and we definitely experienced variety in Ames, Iowa.

So, if you're ever in Ames, we recommend the "India Palace" and the "Mongolian Grill".  They are by the college area of town and a little off the beaten path.  We are so proud of our girls for their accomplishments with Opus and All State and we are hoping to be able to have the same experience again next year.  Check back tomorrow for Tarot Tuesday and have a magical Monday!

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday!

Last night the girls and I went to the dessert event for volunteers for the Sartori Festival of Trees.  While our table place setting didn't win any ribbons, we are still very proud of how it turned out and had a blast at the event.  So, before I get on with Witchy Wednesday, I'll share a photo (or two or three) of our table setting so you can see how it turned out.




I still really love the golden reindeer.  If you like it, too, they are available at Target.  They are also available in silver and copper colors.  And in different sizes.  I imagine once the festival of trees is over, we will incorporate him into our holiday decorating somehow.

When we showed up to set up, I had to move the car right away, so the girls started the set up.  When I got back, they were completely done.  They got it done so quickly!  I love what they did with the snow so the deer looks like he's standing in a huge drift.  The fake snowflakes were a nice touch, too, and we ended up putting some "snow" into the goblets as well.







One thing I might have done differently is put some twinkling white battery operated lights among the snow drift, and used battery operated taper candles in the yule log centerpiece.  Otherwise we were so happy with how it turned out.  There were 16 tables in all, so we don't feel bad that we didn't win a ribbon.  If you get a chance to go to the Sartori Festival of Trees at the Gallagher Bluedorn, we highly recommend it.  There's a memory tree at the end of the hall past our table (ours is the last one, all the way down the hall).  You can write the name of a loved one on a piece of paper and hang it on the tree.  We each did one.  That's the kind of thing we really appreciate.  Very "silent supper"-ish.









Okay, thank you for indulging me while I blogged about our place setting.   Now on to "Witchy Wednesday".  Today when I googled "skull attire", I found a great site called sammydress.com.  Sammy Dress.  Click on the link to go there.  They are having a crazy November sale, and stuff is super duper cheap!  I found some great skull items and might have to order some for myself.

 I'm not sure why this image is so blurry, but this is a parka.  At just under $13.00, I think it's a steal and I'm probably going to order it.  So cool.

 I have a gray shirt similar to this one.  I like it in black and it's just around $6.00.  In fact all of these items I'm showing you are under $15.00.

 This is a hairpin.  Gorgeous.

 This sugar skull is a clock.  I love it!

I'm not sure if I could play piano wearing this, but this hand bracelet is really neat.  I'm sure it would be a head turner.  

Finally today, here is a really nice ribcage sweater.  Great for the cold winter months coming up.

Again, all these items can be found at super low clearance prices at Sammy Dress.  Search for "skull attire" once you get to the site.  There were several items including some nice "Jack Skellington" things.  Check it out and enjoy your "Witchy Wednesday"!

Tarot Tuesday 11-17-15

Today's card drawn is the Ace of Cups.  I have to say, the illustration on this card is one of my favorites.

Are you working for emotional and spiritual fulfillment?  This card shows that it is currently being offered to you.  It is up to you whether you accept this cup or not.

This card can represent a few different things.  one of them can be the beginning of love and happiness, even compassion.  It could indicate the start of a new relationship which could be either a friendship or a romance.  The connection with this person will be very strong.  Again, it does not have to mean a romantic interest, but could just be a very strong friendship.  It depends on where you currently are in your life.  The card suggests that very positive emotional and creative energy will be created between two people.  The result will be a very good feeling about yourself and life in general.

While this card often refers to love, it may or may not be romantic love.  Perhaps you have someone you need to forgive, or something you need to ask forgiveness for.  It is time to set aside your anger and find peace.  It's okay to let down your barriers and let your feelings show.  This is an excellent time in your life to make peace with your friends, family and also with yourself.

The Ace of Cups can also be about creative expression (yes, I love this meaning).  If there is an opportunity to allow your emotions to be expressed creatively, take it.  You might find yourself being very open to your inner feelings at this point and you might want to share them with others.  You might be inspired to start a new creative project.  It's a good time to start any new creative endeavor. Take an art class or learn to dance.  It's all about expression and creation.

This card also indicates generosity.  Of course, we are coming into the season of giving.  Try not to get so caught up in the material aspect of the season (I'm one to talk), but rather, focus on giving and not taking.  You have the power to bring great happiness to others.  Share your positive energy with the world.  The more you give, the more you will receive, on many different levels.

Now, the last meaning will only apply to a few readers in the literal sense.  The card often points to fertility.  Literally, it can refer to a pregnancy or birth (this most definitely does NOT apply to me).  Metaphorically speaking, there may be the "birth" of a new idea or you may be newly inspired.  Perhaps a new project is beginning in which you will invest much loving and creative energy.

As I've been indicating in my blog, this past year has been a time of new projects and ideas for me.  I have felt like creative energy has been just flowing in my life like crazy.  So the last meaning does apply to me in the metaphorical sense.  I have several friends going through the same creative explosion period and I'm sure it applies to them as well. New connections are being made every day and the possibilities are endless.  What better way to express who you are than through your creations?  Enjoy the possibilities that the Ace of Cups offers you.  Go ahead and take the cup. You're ready.

Monday Musings

Happy Rainy Monday!  It's my kind of weather. This week has arrived with me anxiously excited about a few things.

First, tonight we get to set up our holiday table setting for the Sartori Festival of Trees.  On Saturday I got the last couple of items I needed, napkins and a tablecloth.  I ended up finding both at "Main Street Exchange", a second hand store on Main Street in Cedar Falls.  I love it when I can find what I need in a thrift store.  Then when we got our items home, I did a "practice" set up of our table setting to see how it looked.  We are quite pleased with the results, and of course, it will look a bit different on our assigned table, depending on how much room there will be on the table.  I will share a sneak peak.

Our theme is "Yuletide Blessings" because I wanted to include a yule log centerpiece.  here is what it looks like from above.  The green leaf plates I was lucky enough to find at Goodwill for $1 each.  The chargers at Michael's for $2 each and the small gold plates at Target.  The flatware is wrapped up in the gold napkin with sparkly pinecones with the Yuletide Blessings gift tag wrapping the napkin around them.












Here you can see our fabulous golden reindeer centerpiece.  I am so glad we got him as he is perfect for the table setting. When we do the actual setting tonight, I might try to do more with the "snow blanket" (underneath the reindeer and yule log) so it looks more like a snowy scene. The red taper candles are in the yule log candle holder.  The book to the left of the reindeer is an antique book called "When the Yule Log Burns" which I found on Etsy.   I'll take more pictures of the actual set up tonight.









Also, this week brings Opus Honor Choir (for KD) and All-State Choir (for Angelle).  Angelle has been recalled for a solo part at All State which is a HUGE honor.  She's a bit nervous and so am I, but I know she will rock her audition.

Both girls had their Suzuki recital yesterday.  My in-laws came up for that and it was nice for the girls to have their grandparents there.  They have both improved so much on their instruments and both did a great job with their performances.  They make me proud in so many ways.

At the recital a guest of our silent supper came up to me and told me how much she enjoyed the silent supper and how she was hoping we would do it again next year.  I have received so many comments like that so we are definitely planning on doing it again!  She said that now that people know what it is, they would spread the word and recommend it to other people and that it would probably grow. This makes my heart so happy!

I'm excited to get to be creative tonight with our table setting and excited to hear my girls sing in some amazing choirs later this week.  How about you?  What are you excited about?

Freaky Friday

TGIF!!  Woo hoooo!  Hallelujah!!

It's Friday.  What's freaky?

This:  Yesterday I taught school all day, stopped by the UNICC office to find a copy of music for the accompanist around 4:00, picked up KD from school at 4:30, picked up Angelle, took both girls, their instruments and all our music to the Suzuki recital performance class from 5:00 - 6:00, dropping off talent sale items and music for the UNICC accompanist while there, then went to UNICC rehearsal from 6:30 until 8:15.  That's a freakishly long day.

This:  It's November 13th and the weather is still pretty mild.  Except for the other night, that is.  Two nights ago we were in a tornado warning for awhile.  In other parts of Iowa they had a tornado warning, hail, then snow, all in one night.  That's Iowa's freaky weather for you.

This:  The Krampus movie comes out December 4th, three weeks from today.  Krampus puts the Halloween in Christmas.  I've been a little bit fascinated with the story of Krampus since there was a Grimm episode that featured him.  For those of us who love Halloween, horror movies and all things creepy, this movie is pretty great news.  Krampus comes from Germanic lore and was the counterpart to St. Nicholas.  In fact, they traveled together and while St. Nick rewarded all the good children, Krampus dragged the naughty ones to his lair.  You know, there are some children who respond better to scare tactics than to rewards.  Is that where the idea of Krampus came from? However Krampus got started, he's pretty freaky!







This:  Today is Friday the 13th.  Freaky.  While this may be considered to be an unlucky day by some, I always reverse those superstitions and consider this to be a very lucky day!  I love Friday the 13th. Interested in the history of Friday the 13th?  Here is a link.  Friday the 13th History  Honestly, you control your own fate, so turn those unlucky things into lucky things.  You really do have that power.  I'm thinking it could be fun to start organizing Friday the 13th tea parties.  The theme could be all symbols of luck and unlucky symbols as well.  Hmmm.  Something to think about.

This:  Okay, okay, I'm not going to go on about the red Starbucks cup.  Enough already!  However, I'm going to focus on the mermaid.  She's pretty freaky.  I mean, really, a mermaid with two tails?  In researching her origins, I found a great story about a cathedral built in about 1088 which features an image of this two tailed mermaid.  The thing I really find freaky about this article is that the mosaic floor of this cathedral features not only Biblical characters, but many, many different fantastical images and creatures from all different types of lore.  I'll post a link to the article.  It's very interesting and shows just how connected ancient religions really are to each other.  Two Tailed Mermaid Article

That's it for Freaky Friday today from me.  Do you have anything freaky to share?  Have a fabulously freaky Friday and a wonderful weekend.  See you Monday for Monday Musings.

Witchy Wednesday

Woo hoo we made it to Wednesday!  Happy Veteran's Day!  Veteran's Day always makes me think of my dad, who was in both the Merchant Marines and then the Navy during WWII.  He wrote a lot about it in some of his short stories which can be found in his book, "Lowell's Limericks", compiled and published by my sister.

I'm starting to feel the changing of the seasons and everywhere I go, there are signs of Christmas.  I love it!  There is always a certain moment each year when the Christmas spirit just sort of hits me.  I love Halloween, you know that, but I also love Christmas.  For me, it's a time of giving, celebrating, and enjoying my friends and family.  Giving is the best gift we can give to ourselves.  I tend to go a little crazy sometimes buying for my family, but it makes me so happy.

Anyway, this is Witchy Wednesday, and I'm not supposed to be going on and on about my thoughts, but sharing some cool stuff with you.  So, I thought I'd share some cool Christmas decorating ideas. Since we've been preparing our Christmas table place setting for the Festival of Trees, it's fresh on my mind and certain things have been catching my eye.  One thing I noticed is that reindeer seem to be very "in" this year.  I think that's funny because right away when I was thinking of our place setting, I knew I wanted to do a yule log and reindeer just sort of naturally went along with that, so I wanted to include reindeer as well.  Then all of a sudden I'm seeing reindeer everywhere!  So today I'm going to share a few cool seasonal decorating ideas.

I have a silver reindeer which I have always put on our kitchen table during Christmas season.  I got it at Kohls  Originally I was going to use that for our place setting, then at Target, I found these great sparkly reindeer statuettes.  I ended up picturing gold and green for our table setting, so got a new reindeer, a gold one, for our table.  I would like to include some reindeer antlers and have been wondering where I would get some.  The Target flyer for Christmas came in the mail yesterday and low and behold, Target has decorative antlers this season.  Click on the link to see.

Target Reindeer Decorative Antler

While not exactly what our table setting will look like, I was inspired by these photos of an "Enchanted Forest" table setting.  I believe this one was done for a winter wedding.  I love the idea of using a tree slice as a "charger".  I really like the use of pinecones and greenery and how well they go with the gold color scheme.

Here is another table setting using tree slices as placemats.

I love this golden reindeer centerpiece.  I'm finding myself really drawn to decor that reminds me of a snowy forest scene this year.

Lastly, lest I forget that it is "Witchy Wednesday" and what my general blog theme seems to be, here is a very clever use of "Krampus" decorations.  These look very simple and appear to be made from pipe cleaners.  The decorator said she makes these and after her celebration, gives them away as party favors. Very, very clever and adorable.  Speaking of "Krampus", I can hardly wait for the movie to come out.  Krampus is a great way to sneak a little Halloween into your Christmas.

Do you have any great decorating ideas for this Christmas season?  Feel free to share!  Have a wondrous Witchy Wednesday!

Tarot Tuesday 11-10-15

Today's card drawn is the Four of Pentacles.

Pentacles represent financial matters and material possessions.  As you can see from the picture on this card, the man is holding onto his possessions very tightly.  In other versions of the Four of Pentacles, he even holds some of the pentacles down with his feet so that he can't even move.  The basic message here is that perhaps your material possessions or money are keeping you from moving you ahead and trapping you in a certain lifestyle.

This card can indicate that you are in a financially stable and secure position in your life.  You might be fairly conservative about money and might not want to gamble or take risks with financial matters.  You might be very protective of what you have accomplished and what you have accumulated over time.  You are self-sufficient both financially and emotionally, as you are a person who often equates money with emotional security.

While financial stability is a positive thing, this card also indicates possessiveness, greed and perhaps an overly cautious approach to life.  You might be afraid to take risks for fear of losing everything that you have attained so far. Because of this, you might find yourself feeling a little bit unhappy and unsatisfied with life.  Deep within you might be realizing that you have sold out for a conservative and too safe approach to life.

You need to be careful that you don't place too much importance on money and material wealth.  Just like Scrooge, if you become obsessed with those things it can lead to a miserly or penny-pinching attitude.  Your money has a whole lot less meaning if you keep it all to yourself.  Also, if you become so accustomed to this lifestyle of material possessions, you will find yourself  having to continually work hard to sustain this standard of living and obsession with material possessions.

In addition to referring to material possessions, this card can also indicate an inflexible attitude that is resistant to change.  Sometimes change can seem to be a threat to your security and stability.  You might feel like you could lose everything if things were to change.  You might find yourself favoring tradition and a traditional way of doing things rather than risking losing it all with a change.

The Four of Pentacles can also indicate a need to control the world around you.  You are a person who wants to be in charge to make sure that your world doesn't get altered or changed.  If this describes you, you need to be careful that you are not being too controlling.  You must realize that you cannot always have things your way and that by being stubborn and insistent, resistant to change and new ideas, you could isolate yourself from friends or family.

As I reflect on the meaning of this card, I think of people in my life who have been so resistant to change.  I can think of two very important people in my life who have and perhaps continue to be this way.  I find this to be interesting because I am just the opposite.  In fact, I'm a person who craves change and I do find myself becoming bored with sameness.  As it is, I have been in a certain "sameness" in my life for awhile now.  I love my career, love teaching music to children, love my home, my family and my life and while I wouldn't change it for the world, I do what I can to keep it interesting within the sameness.  If you've been reading my blog, you know that I am starting to branch out with new things.  I want to start telling fortunes at expo's, fairs, for parties, etc.  I also have this big dream of opening a witch themed coffeehouse and used book store with my dear friends. It's a big dream and while we have a great location picked out with a very lucky address and great dreams of what it will look and seem like, that's about as far as we've gotten.  It's a dream right now and a very cool one.  So, do we take the risks and make it come true?  Do we just hold onto the dream?  It's something to think about as we go through this beautiful Fall Tuesday.

Something else I think about while reflecting on the meaning of this card is the importance of generosity.  We are coming into the season of advent, which for me, is a season of random acts of kindness.  It is ironic that there is such a big deal going on about Starbucks and their red cups right now as one of my big random acts of kindness I love to practice during the Christmas season (and other times of the year) is to pay for the car behind me in the Starbucks drive through.  Whenever I'm feeling down and unsure about my life, I can usually make myself feel better simply by performing one random act of kindness.  I think quite often people get so busy holding onto what they have that they forget the importance of giving for their souls.  I have been fortunate enough to experience wonderful acts of kindness and generosity performed by others.  And I've been fortune enough to practice them myself.  Nothing makes me happier.  I have also noticed that it's the people with the least who tend to give the most.  And I wonder why that is.  So, during the rest of November and December (and going into the new year as well), I believe everyone should pledge to do at least one random act of kindness, maybe more. It is a wonderful feeling.  And the more anonymous you can be with that, the better.  Keep it inside and enjoy the warm feeling it will give you.

Monday Musings

Happy Monday!  With the gorgeous weather we've been having lately, it's hard to believe it's November.

We had a fairly quiet weekend, so I don't think I have a lot to muse on today, but let's see if I can come up with something.

On Sunday, KD went ice skating for the first time with a few of her friends.  She was a little nervous as she had never done it, and she borrowed my knee pads, but she ended up loving it.  She said she thought she did a pretty good job for her first time on ice skates.  Also on Sunday, Angelle's high school choir had a joint concert with the Bel Canto choir.  I wasn't really sure what to expect as I had never heard Bel Canto before, but that was truly an amazing concert.  Bel Canto was fabulous as was the Cedar Falls High School Concert Choir.  They performed two original choral pieces, too.  It's always fun to listen to a brand new work, and in this case, two.  They were wonderful pieces and Bel Canto performed them beautifully.

I was the only one in our family who went to this concert as KD was ice skating and John was dirt bike riding.  As a result, when I got to the church where it was held, I sat alone.  It really never bothers me to be alone and sometimes I prefer it.  After the concert there was a dessert reception and I met up with Angelle.  We went through the line and stood together enjoying our desserts, hot cider and coffee.  She looked at me and said "See all the friends I have in concert choir?".  She meant, of course, that she was alone just then and didn't really have any concert choir members to hang out with.  I then asked her if she saw all the friends I was sitting with in the audience during the concert. I guess at that point we were just two loners.  It's not really true that we don't have friends, though. There were quite a few other parents in the audience whom I would call friends and I know there are concert choir members who Angelle would refer to as friends, but at that point they had either left or were with their own families or other groups.  So, for a few short minutes, it was just the two of us. And that was okay with me.  I hope it was okay with her.

This weekend is Suzuki recital weekend.  This means both girls have solos to play on their instruments and I am their accompanist.  This also means we are practicing a lot every day to be ready for this.  As they get older, their songs get more difficult for me to play on piano.  So far, I can still play them, but I do have to practice.  I always thought the time would come when the level of difficulty of their accompaniment parts would be too difficult for me.  However, considering that Angelle will be a senior next year, I might just be okay until she gets to college.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about our Sartori Festival of Trees place setting.  I am using a yule log candle holder centerpiece, and know I want to use reindeer and pinecones in the theme as well. Today it occurred to me that what I really want to create is a scene of a forest on a snowy night.  I'll have to have all my pieces ready to go by next Monday.  We will see what the girls and I come up with!

I hope today finds your week starting out well and you enjoying the beautiful weather some.  I'm actually looking forward to snow.  It will be here before we know it.  Check back tomorrow for Tarot Tuesday!

Freaky Friday

It's Friday!  What's freaky?

This!  This Spiny Flower Mantis.  Every once in awhile, people will share an image of a cool mantis with me.  You see, a few years ago, I spent some summers raising Chinese praying mantises.  As in I hatched hundreds from oothecas, then kept a few to adulthood while releasing the rest.  They are fascinating insects.  I haven't raised any the past couple summers, but I'm thinking it's time again, and maybe I will try some more exotic mantises, like this freaky beauty.







This!  This proud mom moment.  Yesterday I got a text from Angelle telling me that she was named a finalist for a solo for the Iowa All State Choral Festival.  Wow!!  That's a huge honor.  Of course, she still has to audition at the actual festival, but just to be named a finalist is amazing.  KD was also accepted into Opus, the state honor choir for 5th through 9th grade, so I am doubly proud of those girls.  Looking forward to their performances!  It's freaky how proud I am!

This!  I googled "post Halloween depression disorder" this morning and couldn't believe how many results came up!  Yes, I'm feeling a bit down now that the holiday is over.  I think I will feel better once I start decorating for Christmas and get that tree up.  Also, working on our place setting for the Sartori Festival of Trees will help occupy my creative side.  If you're like me, and find the first couple of weeks after Halloween to be a bit difficult, google what to do for post Halloween depression disorder.  There are several freaky suggestions on how to cope!

This!  There was the hint of some big news about Mars to be released yesterday. It is interesting news as NASA has determined the atmosphere of Mars was stripped away by Solar storms.  They even suggest that the atmosphere of Mars might have been able to support life at one time.  It's freaky how much we learn every day about the Universe.

This!  I have an aunt who lives close to Washington Square park in New York City.  It has been a couple decades since I've visited her, but I do remember walking through that park several times when there.  Just yesterday, several skeletons were discovered in a vault underneath that park when construction workers were updating the water mains.  Apparently that was a popular spot for executions and burials centuries ago.  Very freaky!

That's it for freaky Friday today!  Do you know any freaky news?  Feel free to share!

Witchy Wednesday

Happy Witchy Wednesday.  Sometimes I wake up and have no idea what I'm going to blog about.  This seems to particularly be the case on Wednesdays. Today was no exception.  We were very busy after school yesterday with lessons, Suzuki groups, and then watching the election results come in at a local pub since we have a friend running for mayor.  As a result, I didn't have a chance to think about Witchy Wednesday.  This morning I thought it might be fun to talk a bit about divination tools.  KD and I did a lot of readings throughout the month of October and we both received many questions about the tools we use and what we do.  KD, in particular, was often asked where she got her pendulum, so let's start with that.

KD's pendulum is a clear quartz crystal orb on a chain.  She got it at the Cedar Valley Reiki Center in Cedar Falls.  It is right on the corner of 7th and Main.  The Reiki Center is a great little new age shop and in addition to the great products there, they offer Reiki sessions. KD will tell you she was drawn to the pendulum she chose.  She has always liked clear quartz.  KD will always "test" her pendulum before she begins reading to make sure she knows which way is "yes" and which way is "no".  She doesn't use a pendulum board yet, but that is something she has mentioned she might like to get. Pendulums can be made with any color crystal.  I recommend purchasing one in person rather than online, so you can actually hold the crystal and see if it feels "right" to you.

The cards I use in divination are the Lenormand cards.  Throughout the last year I have used the Blue Owl deck which I purchased in McGregor, Iowa at the Paper Moon gift store.  I absolutely love this deck!!  The deck I own has the little poems on each card along with the picture.  I no longer read the poems and I read somewhere that the poems can be a distraction both to the reader and the querent as the meanings of the cards don't always match up with the poems, depending on the card's placement in the reading.  Therefore, I went on a search for Blue Owl cards without the poems.  It took awhile to find them, but I did find a deck on Amazon.  They finally came in the mail yesterday.  They were made in Germany, so thankfully I don't need to read the meanings on the pamphlet since they are all in German.  Instead of the poem, there is a small regular playing card picture above the regular card picture.  I am looking forward to practicing with this deck and breaking these cards in.

Here is an example of a card from the deck I have been using.














And here is an example of the deck I just purchased.


















I am still often blown away by the accuracy of readings done with these cards.  I prefer reading them to reading Tarot.  I think that's a bit unusual.  I haven't met another Lenormand card reader personally, although I know they are out there.  When people think of card reading, they usually think of the Tarot.  There are many, many beautiful and unique Tarot decks available out there.  The one I use on Tarot Tuesdays is the "Gilded Tarot".  I think it's quite beautiful.  I also purchased a "Deviant Art" deck once, but some of  pictures in the deck were a bit risque so I don't use them.  They are cool, though, and extremely unique!

Here is an example of the Gilded Tarot which I use for Tarot Tuesday on this blog.














So, what about other forms of divination?  Angelle likes palm reading and did some of it last year, but this year she hasn't really gotten into it.  Palm reading just takes a little bit of study to understand what all the lines mean.  I recommend taking one or two lines at a time and practicing them until you really understand them, then adding more lines.  I never really got into palm reading much myself.  The nice thing about palm reading is you don't need a particular tool.  There are several books on palm reading available and you can also look up palm reading online to learn how to do it.

I found an online divination tool this morning called "The Syncronicity Site".   It's an interesting method of divination and allows you to ask and throw the dice once a day for free.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

I believe I have said this before, but I don't refer to myself as a "psychic" reader.  I call myself a card reader.  So, when you are getting a reading from me, I don't say "psychic readings", I say "card readings".  There are a few reasons for this.  For one thing, I believe everyone is a little bit psychic.  Have I ever had strange things happen, like deja vu or parts of a dream come true?  Sure I have. But I'll bet you have, too.  I'm sure some people just brush off things like that as coincidence.  We are all at different levels of seeing and believing.  I have a friend who can tell when someone around her is pregnant.  She has always just been able to sense this.  Is she psychic?  Sure.  But aren't we all at least a little bit?  Also, I think if I call myself a "psychic" reader, then people expect me to be able to know things like their names, who their spouse is, etc. etc. because I am psychic.  I don't claim to know any of that.  I am simply a card reader and sometimes when I'm reading, my intuition will take over a bit in how I interpret the cards.  That's the nice thing about using a divination tool.  Let the cards or pendulum do the work, then all you have to do is interpret the meaning.  The more you do it, the more your own intuition is going to come through

Other forms of divination also include but are not limited to the Runes (I have used these before, but not in several years), the I-Ching, and one of my older favorites was "Gong Hee Fot Choy" (not sure if I spelled that correctly, in fact, pretty sure I didn't).  What are some of your favorites?