A day off...

... is on its way on Friday. What bliss. I will be spending my luxury day doing this...

Editing wedding photographs, that is.

Not getting married!

Gone flying - back soon!

Dear lovely readers and followers,

B and I are off on a much needed vacation. Not too far over the horizon do we fly, but we shall be enjoying some much needed respite in a land of no-modern-magick.

Blessings to you all for a joyful week filled with sun and laughter.

We hope you will wish us the same.

Love and light.

Summertime Goals

As you can see, I've already put pen to paper (a ritual which always focusses my mind) in order to extract from the tangled mess of school-work-related-tasks, the goals that I...that's me, myself, I...want to achieve this summer. B and I have also written a list of 'together' goals - fun activities we both want to try together over the summer holidays. That list involves a lot more adventure in the traditional sense: surfing, camping, exploring new places. My list is more about personal, internal journeys and adventures.

It's become really important to me to utilise my school holiday time effectively this summer, particularly as so much of my holiday time in the past year has been taken up with illness and family sadness. This summer I want to make sure some of the little creative tasks I've been meaning to do forever get done - I want to fill my days with things that nurture my mind and soul. 

Things like:

* Finally get round to finishing painting my desk chair and upholstering the seat (this has been part finished for about three years!)

***

* Get an Instax Mini camera and take lots of fun photos of family and friends

***

* Use some of the pretty patterned fabric I've gathered over the years to make a book bag. 

***

But mostly I want to do lots of this...

What are your summertime goals this year?

Hopes for my week 'off'

  Although I do have a pile of Year 10 mocks to mark, what I hope I will be doing with my half term week is this...

...and this...

...and a bit of this...

...and, finally, this...

Analogue Love

For Christmas my wonderful beau B, who knows me very well, bought me a new toy.

An analogue camera.

To be precise, a Diana F+ by Lomography.

The Lomography philosophy can be most easily defined by their 10 Golden Rules:

1. Take your camera everywhere you go

2. Use it any time – day and night

3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it

4.Try the shot from the hip

5. Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible

6. Don't think (William Firebrace)

7. Be fast

8.You don't have to know beforehand what you captured on film

9. Afterwards either

10. Don't worry about any rules

I absolutely love this ethos - it takes photography back to its roots and forces you to, once again, experience the wonderful mystery of developing a film and having no clue how your shots will emerge.

While there is now a permanent place in my life for digital photography, I also want to make space for analogue. Having seen my first 'test' reels of film, I think its going to have to be quite a big space!

So happy with how these came out.

These treats...

 ...were to be found in my letter-box today. What a lucky witch I am!

My birthday was actually in December, but my wonderful friend Zanna sent these gifts belatedly.

And I happen to think belated birthdays are the best kind of birthdays. 

You never expect they're coming so they're always a fabulous surprise!

Joyful blessings and thank you, Zanna. xx

Mindfulness

Mindfulness: n. The practice of paying full attention or giving full awareness to the present moment.

In Buddhism, mindfulness is one of the seven factors of enlightenment. 

In modern psychology, this spiritual practice has been incorporated into cognitive-behavioural therapies, often using techniques such as meditation, breathing and yoga, to enable individuals to become more aware of their thoughts and feelings, in order to better manage them. 

Having spent some time practising yoga, meditation and breathing techniques, I have never really found they have enabled me to wholly hinder my mind from wandering away from the present. What does seem to work is having a camera in my hand.

Whilst wandering, with my camera, I am aware of so much more - I give the world around me my full attention (the people who I am with, less so!) and I lose myself in the moment, connecting with what I am viewing. 

Thoughts of what is for dinner / whether I have left the oven on / who I have to telephone that evening disappear; my mind slows and focusses on exactly what I am doing in that instant. Deliberately, I find myself trying to view things from different perspectives and capture as much as I can of the world around me. It is wonderful.

What enables you to achieve mindfulness?

New York

Just a few pictures of my recent broom-ride away...

A wonderful holiday was had - rejuvenating and restful.

It is good to be home though. 

Three Word Thursday

Stunning shot by Dario Gianelli

New York booked!

Wheel of the Year // Waking Up

Spring is on its way!

Pushing their way up out of the thawing soil, the bulbs I planted in the autumn are starting to appear in abundance. In my teeny tiny plot of land, the wheel is turning again...we have come full circle.

Who cares that Christmas is over? This is far more exciting!

Wheel of the Year // A Shining Light

A very belated post this be...

To everyone reading, I wish you a very happy New Year and hope that it will be filled with love, light and laughter. 

To those of you who celebrated Christmas, I hope it was a wonderful time, enjoyed with loved ones; and for those of you who celebrated Yule, I can only hope you were as lucky as I, to share it with such generous, warm-hearted and like-minded people - in spirit, if not in physical presence. 

This Yule I took part in the lovely Faerwillow's 'Celebrate the Season Swap' over at ~serendipity~

I sent out some seasonal crafts and in return received some absolutely beautiful Yuletide treats.

From Faerwillow herself a box of goodies came...

 ...filled to the brim with beautifully packaged parcels, decorative ornaments and lovingly hand-made tools of the craft. What an absolute joy. In a time of darkness, this was truly a shining light. Many 'thank you's, my generous friend. 

I also received a second parcel from the incredibly talented Theresa over at Faerie Moon Creations who had sent me two beautiful ornaments reflecting the natural world. This lovely bauble was hand-made by Theresa and I think its delicate beauty is too lovely to save for Christmas trees - it will hang from my mantelpiece all year round. Thank you, Theresa. 

And thank you to all who have followed this blog over the past year...I can't quite believe almost a full circle has turned since my very first post. Such a lot has changed and yet, in some respects, it seems to have gone in a wink.

I have been having a jolly good think about what I can do to celebrate my first 'blogiversary' and I am in the process of cooking up some sort of giveaway, so pop back over the next week for news about that.

Blessings.

Hearth and Home // Faerie Lanterns

I have been wanting to do this for ages.

The necessary items were gathered together - an empty jar, a small amount of salt, some strong wire, hedgerow berries and leaves and a pair of scissors. 

Wire was wrapped and looped tightly around the jar, providing a sturdy handle from which to hang the faerie lantern.

Salt was sprinkled in to the bottom of the jar, providing a layer of sparkly 'snow'. 

Twined around the handle, ivy and hawthorn berries bring Nature's Yule offerings and the colours of the season. 

A candle was lit and the lantern is bringing light and cheer to my living room.

I loved making this! So simple yet it brings together my favourite aspects of the season; the berry red and evergreen plants from outside and the flickering light of a candle.

Blessings.

Less than 24 hours...

Far too excited.

May go into school tomorrow dressed as a witch.

I'll be back to 'normal' posts next week.

Promise.

A Harry Potter Extravaganza

Over a month ago now, I mentioned here, about a Harry Potter themed murder mystery party I was preparing for my aunty's 50th birthday party. 

My aunty's kitchen was transformed into the Hogwarts Great Hall with candles and goblets. 

Albus Dumbledore headed up the table, with the Gryffindors at one end; the Slytherins at the other.

Neville Longbottom, Professor Trelawney, Hermione Granger and Professor McGonagall puzzle over the murder mystery clues. 

Professor Umbridge decides some order and discipline are needed!

Much fun was had by all, with the exception of Molly Weasley who, not only had to cook dinner for 15 people, but was also found to be guilty of 'murdering' Harry Potter. What larks!

The lovely Jo over at the delightfully creative Tanglefrost wanted to know the recipe for Butterbeer. There were a couple that we found, although sadly didn't get to try the traditional one. It sounds absolutely delicious though, so I may be making it for a cosy night in in the near future!

The first is a kiddie-friendly non-alcoholic version but oh-so-very sweet that only a teeny tiny amount will probably make your fillings hurt!

* For every 4 glasses of cream soda (or club soda) you will need 1/4 glass

 of butterscotch syrup and 1/2 tbsp butter.

* Heat butter and butterscotch syrup over a low heat (or in the microwave) until the butter is melted and the mixture is bubbling slightly.

* Stir the warm mixture into the cream or club soda.

A more traditional recipe for Tudor 'Buttererd Beere' can be found here and sounds absolutely delicious.

Maybe I will brew a batch before watching the new film next Friday...11 days to go!

Winter Solstice Seasonal Swap

Beautiful, thoughtful Faerwillow over at To Fall or Stumble Upon has set up another exciting Seasonal Swap!

For those creative, artistic ones amongst us, what a wonderful way to share your handicrafts; for everyone else, a chance to reach out and greet another like-minded spirit. 

Nene Thomas - Queen of Owls

Look no further for an enchanting way to celebrate this most magickal of seasons with friends. Take a peek into Faerwillow's wintry wonderland here. 

Happy!

A wonderful lady bestowed upon me this thoughtful gift yesterday.

Faerwillow

over at 

~serendipity~

Thank you so much for sharing this. It's such a delightful idea.

Here goes with my...

10 things that make me happy

One

My amazingly supportive, large, loud, crazy family. Every last one of them.

Two

Spending time with this boy. Bliss.

Three

Sharing memories, laughter, fun and frolics with my fantastic friends.

Four

Photography. It's growing to be an obsession.

Five

Travel. Oh, how this spirit loves to go a-wandering.

Six

Watching the seasons turn in the natural world. 

Seven

Gardening. Knowing I have nurtured something into life is a blessing.

Eight

Cats. Our family have been blessed with some truly special feline companions.

Nine

Light. I am one who does not fare well without it.

Ten

Words. To write or to read - that is the question.

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How about you? What makes you happy?

For the kindness shown me by Faerwillow, in turn I pass this award to the following ten lovelies, who will hopefully share with us their secrets to happiness. 

Tezzie at Not Always Picture Perfect

Willow at Wandering in the Woods

Marci at Our Frugal Pagan Home

Ponderosa Pagan

Jo at Tanglefrost

Jennifer at Confessions of a Kitchen Witch

Ramblings of a Newbie Pagan

Mother Moon

Beyond the Fields We Know

Zuzu at A Cottage in the Woods

Blessings