Reconnect

I see and sense the separation everywhere. The news reporters telling us to beware of anything and everything. The fences built higher to block our neighbors out. The windows covered in iron bars, as if our homes were jails.

Women walk by me with their heads down, looking at their shoes. This subservient stance makes my heart ache. Think of all the things they miss while trying to avoid your eye contact! They have been made to fear a smile from a stranger.

Community dies while the individual is taught to sit in their fortress, strong on their own, never to ask for help or show a sign of weakness. Emotions are shoved into stomach ulcers and migraines until an act of violence purges it in one fell swoop.

You want a horror story for Halloween? Well, that horror story is called Separatism.

The truth is: it isn't more dangerous out there now than it was fifty years ago. Now we just have 24-hour news channels competing for your paranoia and the internet spreading lies and fear faster than Southern California's wildfires. The truth is: now we lock up our children with video games and microwave meals rather than allow them to ride their bikes and climb trees, then we wonder why they have diabetes and no friends. The truth is: no one wants to get involved for fear of retaliation. The truth is: when my boyfriend suffered a psychotic break and was hurling furniture at me, none of my neighbors called the police no matter how hard I screamed.

The question is: are you ready to fix this?

Step 1: Choose Positivity. Perhaps you are having a terrible day, week, month, or even year. Everyone has been there at some point in their life. Raise up your head and face everyone. Don't walk facing your shoes, or you'll suffocate your throat chakra and block your communication. Make eye contact with the people who walk by you. Smile, say "good morning", reconnect without fear.

Step 2: Be Grateful. Once a week, make a list of five things you're happy about. No "buts" allowed. "I am happy because the flowers in my garden look beautiful today." "I am glad because my car runs." "I am grateful for my ability to bake great cookies." Nothing is too mundane for this list! Rejoice in the little things that make your life worth living, and forget about the greed and mass-consumerism you've been told to embrace.

Step 3: Be Kind. Try to offer two unsolicited compliments every day. You'll find a world of wealth in the smiles you'll create.

Step 4: Question Your Anger. Most of the time our anger toward someone else is rooted in anger toward ourselves. When you find yourself angry, really probe into the reason why. Write it down and forgive yourself. We judge others so harshly without thinking about it, and it's very unhealthy. Neutralize your judgments and anger by adding an obvious statement to the end of each, like "The sky is blue." Your brain should eventually realize how useless these judgments are.

Step 5: Don't Confuse Your Wants With Your Needs. Does it really matter that your neighbor bought a new car and you can't afford to? How full must your shopping cart be before you're happy? Is that really happiness? Do you want that person in your life because you enjoy them or because they serve a purpose to you? Is a brand name really better? Is your event going to be so much bigger and better than so-and-sos event was? Why? Who are you trying to impress? What do you really need in your life? Think about it for a moment. Make a list. Okay? Now try to stop saying "need" when you mean "want". Take the pressure off yourself.

Reconnect.

It's almost here...

Autumn is just around the corner. I can smell it in the cool breeze every morning, and feel it on my skin as the sun sinks down to the horizon earlier and earlier.

This time of year is always filled with promise for me: the blazing heat of summer is about to end and soon I'll be simmering huge pots of apple cider for my friends. I'll be baking pumpkin bread and ginger snaps, putting together my Halloween costume, decorating my home until it is nearly unrecognizable, harvesting the last of my summer garden's fruits, and busting out the heavy coat and scarves!

It's time for horror movie marathons with your friends! It's time to put away your nasty leaf-blower and get some exercise using the rake! It's time to relish in hearing electronic screams coming from every general store! It's time to dig through bins of pumpkins for that perfect one! Or two... or three...

Come on, Autumn, let's go have some fun.

Do something different. Get a little knotty at earthcharms.

earthcharms on Etsy... disappearing?

Well, yes and no.

Yes in the fact that I refuse to keep renewing items on Etsy for 20 cents a piece to keep them from expiring. I do not like the expiration dates, and I really do not like the fact that they encourage you to renew items to compete with other sellers for attention (especially with the influx of supply sellers and all the machine-made junk that is sneaked in). It just reeks of corporate greed.

As a consequence, my once 9-page store has shrunk to 3 pages and since I haven't been photographing and listing new items lately, will probably continue to shrink.

The good new is: all those lovely earthcharms creations can be found on 1000 Markets. I find it to be a much better venue for a number of reasons. The only downfall there is the current lack of international shipping. If you are an international buyer, I will be happy to list anything you see in my 1000 Markets store on my Etsy store so you can purchase it. Just let me know!

The Craft Faires are here!

After months of me stressing out about not finding any venues to sell in, I finally have my foot in the door. I had to take a step in bravery that I usually consider then discard: I wrote a letter to a new craft faire organizer and told her I would be a great addition whatever she was doing! She called me up and praised my boldness (she used another "b" word, actually), and sent me an enrollment package.

This Sunday, July 19th from 10am-4pm I will be selling at the Sonoma County Artisans & Crafters Faire at McDonald's Mission Plaza in Santa Rosa, CA. I have high hopes for the traffic in the area, as I know it's always busy there.

The following Sunday, July 26th I will be selling in a private community on the Russian River. I did this last year and had so much fun!

I can't wait to not only show everyone my new jewelry lines, but also unveil my bath & body products to the public for the first time. Hopefully it will motivate me to get it all online as well.

Needless to say, my products will not be available during those times.

I am very excited for Sundays!

Gemstone Show

I am a rock geek. I love gemstone beads, to be sure, but to know about the mineral makes the beads so much more special. How they form, where they come from, the shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties of minerals are all so fascinating.



I was lucky enough to find out about a gem show that takes place this weekend in San Rafael. I met up with a friend there this morning around 10am and didn't leave until 2:30! A hotel that I could never afford to stay in hosted the event on their second floor. Yes, I braved the elevator. Yes, I made a fool of myself. What can I say? I just don't have the inner ear for elevation changes like that!



There had to have been 30 rooms full of brightly-lit display cases. Each case containing vast treasures. I probably looked like a silly tourist brandishing my camera at everything that sparkled, but I really don't care. I wanted to capture just a tiny fraction of the unbelievable specimens I got to see (and I touched a piece of rhodochrosite that would sell for $150,000!).



Amidst all the sparkling expensive chaos, I managed to find a strand of beads I just couldn't leave behind (neon blue apatite rondells, if you're curious). I was gingerly stroking the strands of emeralds, sapphires, and rubies but they were just a tad out of my price range! I did manage to find a small cabinet piece of wonderfully translucent green fluorite for $20 and a lovely chunk of quartz points for my sister's birthday.



If you would like to see all of my pictures, just click here to view the album.



I had a great time and will definitely go back next year!

Gluten-free attempt, Day 1

Today is day 1 of me attempting to eat gluten-free for 21 days. All was going well until I picked up a loaf of gluten-free bread at Trader Joe's and it felt like I was holding a brick! Completely turned off by unappetizing brick bread, I opted for gf crackers instead (not the worst crackers I've ever had, but nothing I would look forward to buying again). I also picked up gf ginger snaps to try out (pretty good, but oddly gritty finish).

After browsing gf recipes, it became clear that in order to bake I would need potato flour, potato starch, and rice flour at the very least. I will go ahead and assume that I can find these things at Whole Foods. If not, my craving for bread and cookies may send me into psychotic fits.

Another item high on the list of things to buy is gf soy sauce. I am a CSA member, so I get a big box of fresh veggies every week. If I can't stir fry and/or saute them in soy sauce, then my recipe list will be nearly useless! I have to keep reminding myself that at least I can still use my beloved extra virgin olive oil, which I go through almost as fast as water.

Reading labels is turning into a depressing thing. The hash browns I enjoy for breakfast have wheat in them (because potatoes are just not enough, it seems), many sausages contain gluten, and my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors have cookie bits in them!

I am not even going to touch on the restaurant factor today. I'll spare you that much whining.

It's a sad day for this pizza-loving, cookie-baking, oat-adoring bread-a-holic.