An Ode to Autumn

 

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made.  The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air."
-   Eric Sloane

 

 

I love the hot summers but Fall has to be my favorite.  I love the crisp air, colourful leaves, the wild flowers rich hues and the clean scent in the wind.

 

It comes quickly and seems to be done faster than if came.

 

Some pictures from last fall in my neighbourhood.

 

 

 "The milkweed pods are breaking,
And the bits of silken down
Float off upon the autumn breeze
Across the meadows brown."
-   Cecil Cavendish, The Milkweed

Nature inspires me, I love working with felt, see my creations below.

 

"No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one Autumnal face."
-   John Donne

 

"When the bold branches
Bid farewell to rainbow leaves -
Welcome wool sweaters." -   B. Cybrill  

 

 "Lo! sweeten’d with the summer light,
The full-juiced apple, waxing over-mellow,
Drops in a silent autumn night.
All its allotted length of days
The flower ripens in its place,
Ripens and fades, and falls, and hath no toil,
Fast-rooted in the fruitful soil."
-   Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Lotus-Eaters

 

 

 

What inspires you? 

Know what it is and make time for it everyday, we are here to learn, create and to inspire.

 

 



Neil Young - Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon

  

Why is it called a harvest moon?  This full moon is called the Harvest Moon because many fruits and vegetables tend to ripen in the late summer and early fall in the Northern Hemisphere. In the days before electricity, farmers relied heavily on this moon's light, working late into the evening to harvest their crops.

 

 

Autumn Equinox

 

Is happening today, September 22, 2013 at 4:44 pm

Autumn Equinox is celebrated when day and night are of equal duration before the descent into increasing darkness and is the final festival of the season of harvest.

In nature, the activity of the summer months slows down to the hibernation for the winter. For many Pagans, now is time to reflect on the past season.

It is also a time to recognise that the balance of the year has changed, the wheel has turned and summer is now over.

Astrologers will recognise this as the date the sun enters the sign of Libra – the Scales of Balance.

This is one of the least celebrated of the Pagans Festivals although a harvest festival may be held to thank the Goddess for giving enough food to last the winter.

 

Happy Harvest Moon and Autumn Equinox everyone!!

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

 

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR, BEAUTIFUL LEAVES CHANGING COLOURS, CRISP CLEAN AIR AND GERMS ALL AROUND CAUSING COLDS!



 

I will share mine but I want to hear from my readers what their home remedies are!!

 

I like to try and do everything possible to stay away from using over the counter medicines to "bandaid" the symptoms.

I have a few remedies I swear by and have had a few pasted onto me over the years.

 

1.  To build immunity and help sooth throat make ginger tea. Take a cube of raw ginger say the size of 2 dice and cut up into smaller pieces.  Add this and cayenne pepper into a tea pot, 6-8 cups serving size.  Add hot water and let steep for 20 minutes.  Drink no more than 3 cups of this as it is at a medicinal level after steeping over 20 minutes.  I add honey for a little flavour as well.

 

2. Hot water with lemon and honey.  Good for sore throat and to cleanse you.

 

3.  I was recently told if you are sick or feeling like you are getting sick to shorten the ill time I should take a whole onion and cut it in half.  Put one half in the bedroom and the other half in the livingroom.  I have tried it and have not gotten fully sick and feel I am getting better:)

 

4.  Eat a whole glove of garic daily to build immune system.  If you dont want to be smelly you can take garlic capsules they are almost as effective!!

 

What are your remedies ?

 

 



Shrimp Pasta Dish mmmmmmmmmm

So I made one of my favorite dishes tonight: Shrimp Pasta.  I want to pass this on but I have been making this for years and I cannot remember the measurments I will wing it on here as I do when cooking it, let's hope it works out for ya.
I have to be careful about my diet, food sensitivities, so I stay away from tomatoes and dairy and wheat.  How do you enjoy pasta without a creme sauce or tomato sauce?  see below

Need:

 

brown rice pasta ~ I use linguine ~ 4 servings

frozen cooked shrimp ~ 340 g package

olive oil ~ a coating of the pan

2 gloves of garlic

3 shallots

1/2 tsp of cumin

1/2 tsp of tumeric

hot cayenne to taste ~ I use lots

Prepare:

Boil water for pasta, when boiling add pasta, stir occasionally so pasta does not stick.
In a frying pan, on medium heat, add:  olive oil, shallots, cumin, tumeric and shrimp.  Cook for about 15 minutes in the last 5 minutes add the garlic.
Once pasta is ready, el dente is the best, strain it and add back into the pot.  Once in the pot add the contents of the frying pan, stir over low heat for about 2 ~ 3 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!!!
I usually have a salad with it

DIY Part III

I have now finished the cork board piece of art.

I took a plain 10 x 10 cork board and added some beautiful tags I have purchased off ETSY or got from sellers as a thank you.

Each corner of the cork board I tried to stick to themes with the tags.  I have so many favorites and all so different from one another I wanted to make some kind of organization to them.  You can always mix up all the pieces and make it more abstract.  There is no right or wrong way to do this.

I have left spaces as I will have more to add as time goes on...I have a wee tag obsession I make them and collect them.

 I put the finished board in my craft room/office to add more texture to the walls and more colours.

 

That is the end of my III Part DIY series.  I will have more to come in the future as I am always creating something new.  I love to make objects work in a different way than what they were originally intended for.

Thanks



DIY Part II

So I finished painting the room light grey, it looks great with the white trim.  Take a look and you be the judge.  I also like grey as a neutral it goes with all wood types and most colours.

Remember thse trays I spray painted?  You can get trays on ETSY, http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/IsabelsVintage, where I got them or thrift stores or you may have somelaying around the house.  Well I took each one and nailed it to the wall with one nail in the center.  You can take paint and paint over the nail colour to match the tray or do what I did.....put a magnet over it :)

 

 So I took some fabulous Magnets I got on ETSY, FunkysChunkies.ETSY.com, and put them on the trays....Voila my own message board area to keep important information on cutom orders, upcoming events or just fun pics of the family.  You can always change up the magnets according to the season, holidays your decor...I love Hallowe'en as you can tell:)

 CLOSE UPS

 

Part III to come; a funky cork board used as art not as a message board!!

COMING SOON DIY

I am working on a DIY project in my office/craft room.  I am painting the office to begin with a nice soft grey.  I purchased some old metal trays on ETSY, http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/IsabelsVintage,  and I have spray painted them black and white.   This DIY project will be coming this week. Was hoping to get it all done today but I have aggrevated an old hand injury while painting, ooops, so it will be this week sometime. 
Cannot wait to show you.  Here are some of the pre shots!!!

Room before, a way too loud Turquoise colour!!

Taping up the trim, good tape job = great paint job take your time

Cutting in with the new colour, light grey so pretty.

 

One of the trays before, not my style!!

Trays Spray painted, had to do a few coats!!

 

 

More to follow.  I am also making a funky cork board embellished with all the tags I have purchased or got as a thank you on ETSY!!

Learning as I go

So I am home on a rainy day avoiding my chores, the floors, laundry and just straightening up.  Of course I go online to kill time! I am reading about all these fancy google products that I am now on and have no clue to use them  lol.  Secondly I am always listening to tunes.

 

I dare you to be unhappy and not move and groove to this song.  As cheesy as the video is and well heck the whole song, it is a fun!  I have uploaded or is it downloaded it to my playlist and I shall play it and smile! I will also clean the darn house too while shaking my butt!!!
Enjoy my friends

MUSIC AND BNR'S

I curate BNR's (buy and replace) on ETSY and when I do this I need music to help keep me awake and energized.   The latest group I cannot get enough of is Queen of the Stone Age.  Besides the fact the lead singer is beyond gorgeous, I like gingers what can I say, they have an amazing sound.  I have enjoyed all their albums and am loving the new single: My God is the Sun. 
Music is what makes the world go around, I need to hear it live, it merits whether a group will stand the test of time.  You judge for yourself, who better to introduce them than letterman:)  Enjoy.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+queens+of+the+stone+age+LETTERMAN&view=detail&mid=70DA215EC0C520FCAB4870DA215EC0C520FCAB48&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR

Day one...woo hoo

A year later and I have now added a blog.  I am terrified of writing online or writing anywhere people are able to read it.  That is why I am doing this.  I conquered my fear of calling myself an artist I am now conquering my fear of writing in a public forum.
A year ago I opened a shop on ETSY, http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/HERTrinkets?ref=si_shop and then I jus opened 2 on TheCraftStar https://www.thecraftstar.com/shopDetails/2469/h-e-r-trinkets/ and https://www.thecraftstar.com/shopDetails/2467/h-e-r-decor/.  I never thought I would do such a thing but I have.  It was due to one very encouraging and dear friend, Cylene; find her amazing items here: http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheLovelySmith/about?ref=l2-more-about.
I made my first Poppy Felt Brooch and wore it to work, I was very nervous and full of excitement.  She immediately commented on it and told me she loved it.  I continued to make more and she said open a shop on ETSY already...I thought about it but never thought of myself as an artist.  I told myself okay I will look into this ETSY thing, I joined and became an awesome consumer first then thought "why not, what do I have to lose." 
I opened H.E.R.Trinkets on September 3rd 2012 and have not looked back.  I mainly get sales through BNR's and have several repeat buyers.  This has solidified my items are well made and people are coming back for more....who knew??  
I will try to blog as often as I can and will be amazed if anyone reads this but hey I will try anything once or twice  lol
Thanks for stopping by  Stephanie

My first Poppy I wore to work!

In my backyard, Inspiring.

I love earth tones this is a newer poppy

Meet Chloee, my furbaby who thinks she is a dog.  we play fetch.

This madison my other furbaby, she is all cat  lol

Vibrant red and burlap...my favorite poppy.

Close to home in the Autumn

My Backyard.