Conservatory

Although it's hard to pick a favorite, the Practical Magic conservatory is one the best areas of the house. I created my own version, following cues from this wonderful house:

Clear glass, lots of odd shapes, like bell jars.
Birds and birdesque.
Primary color scheme is white and green.
Light. Lots of light (I used my bay window).
Candles. Wire. Wood. Dirt. Magic.

Right now I'm missing throne branches and my version isn't cluttered enough, but I'm working on it ::wink::

Chamomile

20 more and I'll have a cup of tea! haha! I drink a strong chamomile tea on nights that are anxiety ridden or restless, sleepless nights.

Rummage Sale Treasure

Saloon doors!

Before.....

After....

Boiling Weeds

It really works! You can kill and prevent weeds with boiling water. I've used it all season so far to keep weeds from growing in between the pavements on sidewalk and driveway. Before I go out to the gardens to weed, I put a kettle of water on the stove. When I'm done weeding the garden beds, I take the boiling water outside and pour it on any green things peeking out between the pavements. Using a kettle is nice because the spout funnels the water into the cracks. The boiling water also prevents any seeds that are about sprout, but can’t see yet. Don't use in the garden beds, unless you want to kill your plants too.

The Enchantment

A Summer Milk Bath

4 parts powdered milk

1 part dried orange peel

1 part dried lemon peel

1 drop of pure essential lemon oil

1 part dried rose petals

1 part dried marigold flowers

Mix ingredients, wrap in double layered cheese cloth and bind with ribbon. Use the ribbon strings to hang over running bath water.

Use organic oranges and lemons, grind the skin off and place of a piece of wax paper on a baking sheet, and let dry 3 days.

I used rose and marigold right out of my garden, pulled the petals off and pressed them inside a phone directory book for 3 days to dry.

Lemon is a febrifuge, cooling and reducing body temperature

Orange is cooling and purifying. Improves mental clarity

Rose petals are a quintessential summer reminder which in a bath beautifies and renews the feminine spirit

Marigold for is wonderful for people who are in need of some serious re-connection with the joy of life. Instantly compelling, enriching, balances strongly, re-centering, eye opening, seeing the extraordinary in everything

Tagetes (Marigold): "The Enchantment"
There once was a woman who was driven to perfection in all things. She insisted that absolutely everything had to be done just so, every little item, every little detail, all the time and everywhere. She drove her husband and her children crazy, nobody liked her and she had no friends at all because she always criticized everything and everyone, and most of all, herself.

Eventually, her husband couldn't stand it any more. He went to see a witch and asked for spell to make her stop and consider what she was doing with her life. The witch gave him a magic potion but warned him it would last only for a single day and night; but it might do the trick. The magic potion was an enchantment that took all judgments away, and for a single day and a single night, the woman lived in pleasure and excitement - about how amazing her children were, how wondrously blessed she was with material goods and her own good body and mind, and in the night, the blessing of a man who truly loved her and could make her happy in so many different ways.

In the morning, the enchantment was gone but the memories remained - and the woman had learned her lesson and even though it was sometimes difficult to stop the judging, she never went back to her previous ways.
From: Aromatherapy for Your Soul by Dr Silvia Hartmann

Summer Pasta Salad

32 oz Macaroni Noodles, Cooked

16 oz frozen peas

8oz can of albacore tuna, drained

8 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

1 onion, peeled and pureed

18 oz jar of mayo

Salt, pepper & paprika to taste

Mix & Eat

The Sound of Summer

My Summer Soundtrack

Sunshine by Lil Flip
Don't know why by Nora Jones
Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts
Put Your Records On by Corrine Baily Rae
Amas Veritas by Alan Silvestri
Sugar by Trick Daddy
Summer Time by Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff
C'est Si Triste by Ann Savoy
Ain't That Lovin' You Baby? by Jimmy Reed
Night Moves by Bob Seger
Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield
Fat Bottom Girls by Kid Rock
A Case of You by Joni Mitchell
Summertime by New Kids on the Blobk
Moondance by Van Morrison

FreeStyle

I did a FreeStyle on my sitting room! Do you like it? A FreeStyle is rearranging and redoing a room without spending any money, using what you have and key design elements that are classic and basic. I've noticed a few things that the designers on the FreeStyle TV show always seem todo to a sitting room:

Create a conversation area with seats facing each other, a coffee table and rug.

Include places for people to set drinks.

Pull the couch off the wall, if they can.

Organize clutter.

Use what you have, obviously, but don't use everything. Try to create a theme.

Repurpose, repurpose, repurpose. Think outside of the box.

They also never go without pillows!

Before....


After...








This snake print idea comes from Country Living June 2009.

Birthday

Happy Birthday To ME! Let me know how happy you are that I was born! haha! This photo was from last year, when I turned 30. I've desided to just stay 30, it's nice here :)

"Tonight I drink to my coffin.
May it be built from the wood of
a 100 year old Oak Tree that I
shall plant tomorrow!!"

My Summer todo list

Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon...
the two most beautiful words in the English language.
~Henry James

My Summer todo list:

Go camping in the backyard

Sun worship on the beach and build sand castles

Host a S'more party

Host an Ice Cream Social

Host a Harry Potter party

Keep flower scented lotion in the freezer to use on hot days

Solve a real life summer mystery

Play Monte Carlo and drink lemon-aid

Air dry after every shower

Eat Thin Mints and Reese Cups out of the Freezer

To the left....

Love this video.. the house, the vintage dressing room, the confidence, solitary and diversity of all the women at the end - it's like a Ya-Ya moment (without the booze). And, of course, Beyonce is hot - I'd do her.

To the left....

Artist Site

More Videos

Local Harvest

Local Harvest. An awesome website to help you find local farms, farmers markets, co-ops and more!

Four Things

Four Things you may not know about me



1. I hang pictures of me and Ed's feet on the bathroom walls

2. I like pickle juice

3. I've been creating websites for over 14 years

4. Depression and addiction run heavily on both sides of my family


Four Movies you would watch over and over:

1. Pitch Black

2. Practical Magic

3. Reign of Fire

4. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya sisterhood


Four places you have lived:

1. Lincoln Park, MI

2. Melvindale, MI

3. Taylor, MI

4. Carlton, MI


Four TV shows you like to watch:

1. Harpers Island

2. True Blood

3. Supernatural

4. Lost


List four places you have been on vacation:

1. Cape Cod, Mass

2. Mackinaw Island, MI

3. Las Vegas, NV

4. Caribbean Cruise (St. Thomas, St. Martin)


Four of my favorite foods:

1. Garden City Bakery Bumpy Cake

2. Fettuccine Alfredo

3. Moro's Salad

4. Velveeta Shells and Cheese


Four places you would rather be right now:

1. Rummage sale

2. In a hammock on the beach

3. Walking the streets of any historic city

4. Around a bon fire telling ghost stories and eating s'mores

Things That Make Life Special

These were compiled with the help of Pagan Center..

The smell of fresh baked bread

The purr of a cat

Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep

Making chocolate chip cookies

Riding a bike downhill

Watching the sun rise

Orgasms

Walking in a forest by yourself

Thunderstorms

S'mores

When a guy holds the door open for you

Building a Fire

Twins

A bright full moon on a clear night

Finding images in the clouds

Hugging your mother

Finding money in the washing machine

Walking down the aisle and being given away by your dad

Pretty words like Calliope and Hobgoblin

Cuddling up with a big blanket in front of the TV

Wrapping a gift with pretty paper and bows

A baby sleeping on your bosom

Spotting a deer

Seeing a child smile in their sleep

Dancing in the moonlight

Dreadlocks

Cutting flowers from your garden for the dinner table

Pretty painted toe nails

Short term power outages

Having the "lightblub" go off and suddenly you get it

The endless possibilities you ponder while looking at a blank journal

Fresh brewed coffee

The purr of an ole hot rod engine

Friday Afternoons and Paycheck Fridays. Fridays in general.

An unexpected phone call from an old friend

Green stoplights on your way to work or shop

A fast line at the grocery store

A deep down belly laugh that hurt because you can't stop laughing

A good sing along song on the radio

Finding your keys right where you look

Hello Strawberry Season!!

What a wondrous beautiful food! This recipe is my current fave to take to the Strawberry Festival party we are going to on Saturday. It's from Martha, but I've altered it, I just can't help myself sometimes. My Mom and Angelus enjoy a strawberry to the right.

Strawberry Cookies
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and diced (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup plain yogurt
Sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl.

Cut in the butter with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture.

Drop dough onto greased baking sheets, spacing evenly apart.

Sprinkle with sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.

This recipe made about 36. I cooked 12 right away and froze the remaining batter to bake later. They are yummy with soft centers and chewy edges.

Oh butterflies, whereeee arrrre yoooou??

An update on the Butterfly Garden. No Butterflies yet, but the flowers are tiny little buddles of wonder.

Azalea

Sweet William

Bleeding Hearts

Honey Bee White

Butterfly Bush

Rhubarb Crumble

My boss and I have a little garden co-op between the two of us, trading seeds, plants and harvest. This week he brought me some rhubarb to try my hand at. He says his rhubarb plant has been in his family for over 70 years - wow! I didn't know much about rhubarb, except it's a spring favorite often paired with strawberries and not to eat the leaves. I got rid of the leaves and found a recipe that didn't involve strawberries, from Country Living Magazines' June issue. I love strawberries, but I wanted to meet the rhubarb - holy shit it's flavor is strong! Angelus liked the rhubarb raw, he made a sour face with every bite, but keep asking me for more!

Rhubarb Crisp
5 cups chopped rhubarb (1/2-inch pieces)
2/3 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 1 large orange
10 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup old-fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread rhubarb into a 9"x13" baking dish.

Combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Toss in oats and crumble topping over rhubarb.

Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm.


This was delicious!! The orange zest wonderfully compliments the tangy rhubarb, and the crust is chewy and moist. I WILL be making more, I have enough rhubarb left for another batch.

Vintage Printables

A quick guide of the sweetest vintage printable labels on the net! Use for homemade recipes cards, apothecary bottles, gift tags, framed card, soap labels and more. All links lead to the owners website. Enjoy! Let me know how you use them!

Poison

French Soap Labels

Keepsake Labels

Wine & Beer

Vintage Labels

Seed Packets

More Seed packets

"Dark" labels

Digitized images from the The New York Public Library

Bloomers

I love bloomers, not that I own any yet, but a modern day idea is to use mens boxer briefs. They work just as well under skirts, giving you a bit a freedom and your thighs a bit of rest without being bulky.

Lost in Nature

June Educational Playdate: Sterling Heights Nature Center. Followed by a nature hike along the Clinton River.

Sun Tea

Sun Tea! A batch of Earl Grey on the left and Green Tea on the right. I cover the pitchers with cloth to keep bugs out. Use about 5-10 bags per pitcher, depending on how strong you like it. After a couple hours in the sun, add sugar to taste, mix and pour over ice.

Crickets

Someone, somewhere recently told me a bit of knowledge about crickets that I wanted to remember..something about when the crickets start chipping at night...and I can't remember what it is! So now every night I fall asleep to their beautiful song trying to remember what the hell it was! I know they are good luck if you find one in your house and a death/illness omen on your door. Put me out of my madness people, tell me everything you know about crickets..magical and mundane, superstitious and practical.

Bacon and Sage

The secret ingredient in my bacon is sage.

Going Bananas!

Did you know that banana peels are great for roses? Most all plants actually, because they are rich in potassium and plants need potassium for fruit and flower production. I've taught Angelus the ritual of placing his banana peel at the feet of our rose bushes. A little offering before a delicious treat.

Right Now

5 things I'm into right now...

True Blood (tv show)

Halo by Beyonce (song)

Bad Things by Jace Everett (song)

Crab fishermen

Farmers Markets

Check to the Universe

My Ya-Ya Kelly discovered the Secret a couple years ago and since has hosted a few Pagan Center workshops. One of the things she showed us is this check from the Universe that you fill out in the amount of money you want to have/receive. I gave the check to Ed, who is always worried about saving money. Since before Angelus was born he has dreamed of taking us to Disney world when Angelus is 7 (old enough to appreciate it) and we’ve tried saving a little bit here and there but it seemed like we always had to dip into it. So when I gave Ed the Universe check to fill out, he filled in the amount he wanted to have in the savings by the time Angelus turned 7 to go to Disney. Now mind you, I had to twist Ed's arm to do this! He thought it was stupid, but he did it for me and kept it in his "bill box" as a constant reminder. I’m happy to report that it didn’t take 7 years; we had that money in 7 months! It would probably be tacky of me to the share the amount, but it’s a lot of money and I’m pleasantly shocked! A few things just started coming together for us financially and we made some smarter choices, and it just worked out!

Wanna try it? Here is the check:



http://www.thesecret.tv/the-secret-check.html

Seasonal Ingredient Map

A interactive map to see what's fresh in your area!

Eastern Market

Last Saturday we enjoyed a wonderful day at Detroit's Eastern Market, my first of many farmers market trips this year! I picked up some fresh garlic bread and carrots. I can't do Eastern Market too much because the traffic and parking is a pain in the ass, but once or twice a season is nice. There really is nothing else like it and I love going downtown. Detroit may be only 10 minutes away, but it takes a whole day to get anywhere!







This entry has a guest photographer - Kelly's Witchlete Gracie! She's really quite talented and I had a lot of fun hanging out with her.