New speedpaint video up on YouTube! I talk about some of the reasons we create art.
Enjoy!
Painting A French Church
I’m so enjoying the magic of painting lately. Not only because it is magic, or creation, but also some self-love magic as well. It’s been keeping me happy and calm so that other tasks in my daily life aren’t as heavy.
I also adore that I can spend some time travelling whilst creating these landscapes, and I’ve been travelling the French countryside for the past few months. I cannot wait until we have vaccines and treatments for covid, and we can begin travel again. I have plans to live in Europe for a year or two so that we can travel to all the many places we want to see, and do it in a slower way that provides time for resting, and just enjoying living in a different place. What magic it is that we can feel connected to so many places we’ve never even been in this life.
Book Review: Seasons of Moon and Flame by Danielle Dulsky
I just had the pleasure of reading another of Danielle Dulsky’s amazing tomes, Seasons of Moon & Flame The Wild Dreamer’s Epic Journey of Becoming. (Please order through your local bookshop if you can!)
I adored the journey I took through her last book, The Holy Wild, and this one is no different.
First off, here is how the book is set up: each part of the book focuses on one of the elemental/seasonal hags, grannies who will show you how to dig deep into who you are. Within each part, we explore different concepts of being by the changing of the moon. We receive stories from these beloved hags, stories that speak to the deepest truths of the resistance we have to embodying our truest selves. And of overcoming those resistances.
There are rituals and spells to guide you through each moon in each season, simple, yet still steeped in the mysteries of the self. Of discovering what is most important to us, of manifesting those things, and of learning how to let go what doesn’t serve us in order to stay grounded in our true self.
What I really adored about this book is a constant reminder of those who came before us, and those who will come after us. Being ourselves in the moment, the manifestation of our ancestors, and the fact that what we do now will lead to the future world our grandchildren (of course not just of our own flesh) will inherit.
Danielle provides writing prompts in each part. They are set up so that we write out our self-observations, and experiences in a storytelling fashion. This allows us to see the weave of ourselves, our lives.
I’m looking forward to digging into these stories and accompanying spells/practices to explore deeply into my own ideals, my own self-made obstacles, as well as dismantling them, and the ones society has put before us all.
All in all, this is another wonderfully meaty book to help us connect into ourselves, and our own magick. A magick that connects us to our ancestors, and our descendants. A magick to be used to change the world to a place we desire it to be, wild, free, and full of wonder.
Cloud
A fluffy, sunset cloud. I’m in love with my little moon 😍 Also love that I spend a good chunk of Beltaine painting this ❤
Did you know you can see all my videos early on just the 1$ USD patreon tier? I elaborate on the ideas, or feelings, or experiences behind my videos over there as well, so you’ll get more behind the scenes.
Hope you’re all having a lovely Sunday, loves. And for those of you who enjoy seeing the kittens in my videos, they definitely made appearances 😹
Lavender Fields
Happy Sunday! I hope you are doing so very well, taking good care of yourself, and being oh so gentle ❤
This week, I spent a few hours painting this landscape. I put on some lovely, soft French music, sat at my desk in front of the window, and had some help from the kittens (mostly Yen) painting this dreamy Provence scene.
It was such a lovely way to escape for a few days as I worked on it, then edited the video. Europe is somewhere I’d love to spend a year or two living in and travelling in the future, especially France. Perhaps it’s my French roots? Who knows, but it has always called to me since I was a child.
It’s always interesting to me when I paint, because I see the difference between painting and creating music and how I react to them internally. Painting for me is quite relaxing, and I don’t feel a huge amount of pressure for perfection. I just want the colours to be lovely, and the composition to be whimsical. With music, whilst I do really enjoy creating it, is much more involved, and my nasty perfectionism really rears its head. It’s a much more heavy, and laboured process than painting is, yet for the most part, I’m ok with that.
Music is my love, and I’m happy to dig deeper, sweat more for it, bleed more for it.
I also am grateful for painting to teach me not to worry too much about any of my artistic endeavours, the joy of it is the thing. Bringing that mentality into music-making has been very helpful, and reduced a lot of stress. But again, I am totally ok with it being a heavier process.
Mental Health – Creative Chat Video
A new video has gone up where I talk about how this pandemic has affected me, and in turn, how that has affected my ability to create. It’s definitely a tough time we are going through and having to adjust to it, and I think the most important thing for us all right now is to be gentle with ourselves and everyone else. So gentle, and so soft ❤
Liminal
It has been such a strange time, friends. Not only with the covid, but if you don’t follow on Instagram, last September my kitty Princess passed. It seems since then, things have been so in-between. Nothing is in the light, though nothing is covered in darkness either.
And now with the covid, time seems to have no meaning at all, it runs as fast as it can when we listen to the news about how people are suffering through this, losing their loved ones; and yet, the last month and a half has felt like decades. The anxiety and stress making each moment last an eternity.
I’m struggling with this as I know you are too. We’ll react in different ways, of course, but we are all collectively, globally, enduring such a harrowing situation. My body has reacted, my stomach upset, actual nausea a few weeks ago (which isn’t usually how my body responds to stress). It’s hard.
And yet, I feel such a growing realization that we are connected together, this web brings us all in together. That the capitalist systems that we live under have for too long oppressed all but the very rich few. Eyes are opening, hearts are connecting. We need to leave this idea that it’s every person for themselves… that’s not how a communal creature works. That we shouldn’t listen to that drivel and accept that we are individually responsible for our situations despite the systems very knowingly are created to keep the majority of us down, and increasingly so.
Honestly, I’m ready for the post-covid revolution. Eat the rich.
But for now… we’re in this place. The boundary between life and death is oh so thin, making the truth so much more apparent and clear. Keep praying and doing your magicks for the revolution, for breaking down this oppressive collection of horrendous systems. We will have freedom and a compassionate world.
Dark Music For Strange Times (The Rains of Castamere)
While I’m certainly not hoping for red wedding situations, I’ve been dying to sing this song for a long time.
I seriously hope you are taking such good care of yourself and your loved ones. And I hope this can bring you a moment away from the insanity.
I’ve also got a Patreon up, but take care of you first, as always ❤
October Teas
I know, I know! I said I wouldn’t release any more teas this year, well, I lied apparently lol. I also know it’s still only October, however, when it comes to buying handmade gifts online for the holidays, it’s always best to start early! If you want to make sure your teas arrive in time (not 100% guaranteed as once a package is in the mail, I’ve no more control), please order by December 5th.
I just had some more Yuletide flavour ideas, and needed to get them out so I could have an excuse to make and have some for myself!
Along with the usual Yuletide teas of Peppermint Lane, Elven Nog, Midwinter Madras, and Yule, we now have four brand new blends!
Chocolate Orange is the classic holiday treat in a teacup. Green rooibos, Belgian milk chocolate, safflower, and citrus blossom flavour.
Hygge blends rooibos and black tea together forming a wonderful base for Belgian milk chocolate, and almond flavour.
Mrs Claus’ Kitchen is a chocolate truffle in a cup. Blended with rooibos, Belgian milk chocolate, coconut, and hazelnut flavour.
Krampus might be a good idea as an offering if you’ve been especially naughty this year! Smoky Lapsang Souchong black tea is blended with cinnamon and clove.
If you want to look at all the Yuletide teas, just click here.
September Teas
This will be the last official new tea release of the year since the crazy holiday season is coming! Don’t worry, the Yule teas will be going live sometime in October, so you’ll definitely be able to enjoy them during those cozy winter months!
But for now… without further ado…
Brand new teas for Sabrina the Teenage Witch, for Sabrina herself, and her Aunts Hilda and Zelda!
Sabrina’s blend is a tart mulled cider in a honey bush tea base.
Aunt Hilda’s is a delectable banana bread with a chocolate-hazelnut swirled centre in a chocolatey oolong tea.
Aunt Zelda’s blend is a mix of elderberries and cherries in a strong black tea base.
Next is the release of my Hocus Pocus, or Sanderson Sisters blends! You may recognize these from last year’s collaborative box I did with a gorgeous pendant by Rebecca of Epiphany Tresors and Sam of Moss Realm. There are 3 boxes available in the shop, if you’d love to get yourself one of these limited and wonderful gifts! It also includes my teas for the three sisters!
But if you’re just in the mood for a simple cup of tea, you can find the Sanderson Sisters blends here.
Winnie’s blend is a spiced green rooibos chai, plenty of ginger and cinnamon, with a hint of white pepper.
Mary’s is a dessert in a cup of apple and cherry crisp in black tea.
Sarah’s is an enchanting blend of peach and blackberry in a cup of honey bush tea.
The Forest Witch 