Beatrix Potter, The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose And Me

                  

Dear friends, 

I should like to visit with you and have a cup of tea. I am drinking some apple cinnamon-spiced tea. Let's have some music, shall we? I believe Pride and Prejudice soundtrack might be exquisite music for our mood this morning. I was thinking of making a playlist on Spotify of all my music that I listen to at the cottage. I'd love to hear from you. Send me a kulning siren's call if you fancy that idea {smile}.

I implored of my dear friend from England to record a real authentic video and share it with the world of how the Victorians would make a cup of tea in England. She spends her days in a little Victorian cottage in England living as authentically to the Victorian era as possible. 

This title post is Beatrix Potter, The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose and Me. I should like to talk about all the ways I love Beatrix Potter and create my little stories such as she might have done if she were here today. I feel her ever-present in my life daily. I chose to believe, and i sense it's an exact likeness to how things are beyond the veil and that the people that have long transitioned are quite capable and are apart of our lives in any moment if we choose to seek them where they are. They have an expansion of knowing and being interested in our mortal presence. I know Beatrix Potter and Tasha Tudor spend much time with me. I must confess I spend my days here at the cottage speaking and interacting with more deceased spirits than I make a living. Are you surprised? 

If you believe in the Law of Attraction, and especially Abraham Hicks teachings, Abraham well clarifies the transitioned are quite interested in our goings-on. 

I came to appreciate Beatrix when I was but 19-years old. I was married and soon to have my first child. I lived an antiquated life even then, sketching, sewing, canning and all the domesticated pursuits one would indulge in as a young, very devoted Mormon.

I collected all of Beatrix's books, especially the tiny versions of them and the movies that were out at the time. This was in the '90s. I would endlessly play them for my children as they grew and read the fairy tales to them. I was a rigorous mother in which I would only allow good wholesome television and music, and much reading. I have forever been a reader. As you well know, reading saved my dear little spirit as a young girl. The Laura Ingalls Wilder collection of books became my go~to forever and always. To this day, one of my lifelong dreams is to go to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum. 

I thought it to be a delight and post some photos of my storybook and talk about some of the ways Beatrix and I are similar.

She loved Rabbits as well as I.

My darling companion Oliver Twistytopsy.

Remember this from the last year when I dressed up like her at Halloween. Many of the tricker~treaters, more so the parents thought I must be Mary Poppins.

I sewed this outfit by hand. I still wear it, especially now that it's fall.

Beatrix loved sheep and cared for them in her later years. This is a photo from Carmel, California. It's apart of the Clint Eastwood called Mission Ranch Carmel. I did the travel distance from here to The Outland's where I hope to live one day, and it's 1.4 miles from what I will call "my home."

I am planning a trip to Mission Ranch Carmel, to have a stay. I thought that if I am not to live in England, the next best place to it is Carmel, California. 

And to think my dear friends I hadn't painted nor did I remember that I was capable of a stick figure if that since I was the age of 12. 

It gobsmacks me that I was so out of touch with my dreams that I absolutely had forgotten my life dreams as a little girl of being a writer and artist.

I am proof though that these type of dreams never die within us. I am also a reminder to you that if you really desire to do something, you are never too old. I am 46 as of today, and I would never let that stop me from achieving my dreams. It's so very possible. If i can be an Inspirational Orator for you and other women, I am happy to do so. 

I have so many stories within me. In the back of my very first little storybook, The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose I have all of these working titles, plus I have already added a few more since the book was published. Do any of these titles excite you?

~A Real Life Mermaid's Transformational Tale: A Voyage Back To Self-Love (An Autobiography)
~The Tale of Oliver Rabbit, 2019
~The Tale of Sybrena Ewe
~The Tale of Henny Penny Goody Two~Shoes, 2019
~The Tale of Diggety~Diggety Dave
~The Tale of Melinda Little Mouse
~The Tale of Squirrel Sadie
~The Tale of Hoppity~Hoppity Little John
~The Tale of Captain Jack
~The Tale of Patsy Violet
~The Tale of Ms Nevermore Raven
~Deceit & Dissension {A romantic drama that depicts a naive young lady from an English family of landed gentry as she learns to deal with morality, deception and hypocrisy.}

 In my little story of Scarlette Rose, you'll notice I named the character names that had significance to Beatrix. Warren the love of her life, and Bertram was her brother's name. I also think I was impressed by Beatrix to name the stories like hers, and they are actually a play on words for me, ya know... because I am a Mermaid "The Tale". Isn't that extraordinary!

I seriously felt inspired by Beatrix as if she was sitting right next to me, chatting it up like a little church lady. 

A few more things that I am similar to Beatrix is in the way I still love to wear Victorian clothes, I call my art room "The Treasure Room" such as Beatrix's room at Hilltop. She published her own book because no one would publish it for her, I did the same thing. There are so many more things that I have in common with her, but this post must be split up. I am weary from lack of sleep, and I have much work to do still for my little storybook release. I hope you'll collect a copy for yourself and I'd love to see photos of you reading it. That would delight me more than you could imagine. Please swim over to my social media and have a visit. I spend much time on Facebook and Instagram. My links are on my sidebar.  

I shall leave you with this little drawing. 

"DOUBLE-DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE."

I made this just for you. If you'd like to print this off and use it as a colouring sheet for trick or treaters. Enjoy. 

I wanted to remind you that if you haven't yet signed up for my newsletter, please do so. I am going to choose the winners of my storybook and Scarlette Rose doll in the next two weeks. I a wishing you each good luck my dear friends! The newsletter sign up form will either pop up, or you can seek it out on the sidebar.

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

Fleeting Glimpses Of My Week

        WEBSITE IS UNDER REVISION

My dear friends,

I awoke this morning in the early hours to write. I fully embrace those early dew filled mornings where all the world is quiet, and I can hear the whisperings of God's in the written word. I feel those times of early are when I'm most attuned to know of my calling in life as a writer. I have been feeling the flow of writing for my blog and my latest novel, and I have to say I feel like it's a breath of fresh air to my spirit.

A sense of peace and internal connection with my soul's purpose has very much filled my capacities, and I confess that it has made my heart sing glad tidings.

My videos on my channel have been such fun to create. In the past few weeks, I have been attempting to vlog little stories of my days at the cottage. I'm not very good yet, but I'm not letting my inability to know how to construct something keep me from my life's journey, or my message.

 I am so pleased to announce that I found a lovely little company in England that will be making my bone china teapots and teacups. I'm in the embryonic stage of designs, but just to see the actual mockup shapes of the teapot and cups I chose in photos excites me beyond anything. I just had to share them with you, my dear friends. Do you like shapes?

Saying yes to life and to the things I love doing has become my new motto. To jump in feet first, that's the Mermaid inside of me. {heh} If we sit on an idea or a thought about something we'd love to do in life, we waste away our joy and happiness. Oh my, what fun we could be experiencing if we will only embrace all of life while here on this grand journey.

Jeffrey has been home for a week now, and he's settled back into his routine. He has to be careful not to exert himself too much, and I can see massive changes in his countenance, as well as his fierce desire for life, has returned with a vengeance. I am so happy for him and so proud of him. He quite an exceptional human being and I wake up every day knowing that our souls were destined to unite. I see every day that I am blessed to spend my life with him. Each day is a day that I treasure.

Jeffrey had a scare a few years back, and we haven't ever spoken of it publically. He went for a routine check~up, and they found that he had the makings of what looked to be the early stages of Prostate Cancer. Jeffrey is a gardener, and one of his long-term clients was the founder of the Moffit centre.  Having learned of Jeffrey's diagnosis he was so kind by giving Jeffrey an experimental treatment to see if it would disappear. It worked, but now it's more clear as to why I am very appreciative for my time with Jeffrey and feel alert if something in his health fails or causes us concern.

I don't often gush about Jeffrey, but when I do you know about it. In my world, he hung the moon and all the stars combined. {smile} I remember there was a time in my life that he was a mere dream I had conjured up as a young girl.

A lovely gifted photograph from my dear friend Bridgette on the beach in Cornwall. The location of the PBS series Poldark.

We spend all of our time together while he's not at his employment and I dream of the coming days where he'll be able to stay home with me for always. I know he desires that as well. We got a taste of togetherness while he was in the hospital and then back at the cottage. We dreaded the day of his return to his job. It's vital for our relationship that we spend time with our mates without requirements. I know it's nice to have time to oneself, but to have a genuinely connected bond with another, time is all we have. I intend to spend all of my time wisely. I speak on this theme, as I fully comprehend what my life was like in my previous marriage. We were glorified roommates if that. It's pertinent to be at one with the person you are intertwined with. What's the point of being in a marriage if you are just there out of convenience? I'd rather be alone. I felt an incredibly empty feeling of emotional anguish. I do recognize that it was partly to do with not fully embracing and loving myself wholly, but then the absence of connection in my marriage made it much more potent of a forlorn agony.

Isn't that how life is my dear friends? We have those little dreams from sparks of imagination as young children. But as we grow life takes over, and we soon become aware life has slipped from our delicate fingertips and those dreams we had as young little girls have filed away beneath the rubble debris of our stagnated dreams. So we conclude by convincing ourselves that is " the way life is, and we should just learn to get along."

I want to stimulate you in your thoughts on the matter. If that is the matter at hand in your mind, I implore you to not accept It. Don't become down in the mouth by feeling like it's too late for your dreams to come true. It's never too late, my dears.

Among other things, I have been working diligently behind the scenes with my new blog appearance. I still love the look of this blog header, but i felt it was time to change it up a bit with regards to a hosting program and layout. I am still not paying an individual to create my blog, but I would love too as It's surely maddening. I am the creative type, and I don't particularly care for technical things like code and the sorts. It clearly puts me in a fuss, and It takes me days if not weeks to recover from the frustration. I struggle with the decision to allow the Universe to find a solution for me, instead of me doing it all myself. Perhaps, as I am writing this, I should put out the intention that I would love to have someone do that part of the website for me. I teach about mindset, and maybe that's where my mindset needs to change and evolve. I am so used to doing everything myself that I have perhaps shut off my flow of allowing others to support and help me.

Are you like that? I know when I was a young mother, I was very much like that. I would never dare to ask another for help. I felt if I couldn't do it all myself and make it look effortless, I was somehow a failure. I think many young mothers that are raised in the South still abide by this rule of thumb. We are conditioned to believe that because our mothers did it with ease, we should too. By the way, I still think we have the exceptional capacity to do much more than we think we can. It's confidence in knowing we can do it, but that doesn't mean we have to do it to feel that we are a complete person.

The calendar says fall and is imposing himself here on the coast, and yet it feels not a bit at all like a change in season. I am zealous to return to Califonia, as the climate is just sufficient to evoke feelings of subtle temperature change. I often reminisce when living there, no need for the air conditioner, and I simply adored the winter. To walk into the garden and gather firewood for our wood-burning fireplace. There's something heavenly to sit in front of the fireplace and sip pumpkin-spiced tea while listening to the crackles of a balsam fire. I loved to sit upon the hearth and sketch by the amber filled light. The Outlands has seven fireplaces dispersed among the mansion, and I dream of the day I will build fires in each one.

I'll leave you with another image of The Outlands and wish you a wonderful new week ahead. Today is my dear Jeffrey's Birthday, so I want to celebrate with him.

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

The Spiritually Artistic Nature of Cottage Living

My Dear Friends, Mermaid Junkies and Shoal family,

Pour some tea and let us have a visit, shall we? I'm having some pumpkin spice tea and a few cookies.
I post many darling little homes on my social media feeds, some of which are mine, have been mine and several that I love the look of. I am especially fond of, "The Outland's" in Carmel, California where I expect to move to very soon.

I wanted to share with you something I've learned about our homes, and the spiritual roles they play in our lives.

My father is a carpenter and I was always fascinated by what a home represents. It's forever been a deeply methodical concept to me. They can represent the soul of a person if we know where to place their importance and create the correct beliefs about them.

The real deep desire to understand myself and the role homes play in my life came from moving around so much. My ex-was in entertainment and we were constantly moving about for his career, so we have lived in many homes. We've lived in mansions, 19th-century Victorian homes, split levels, ranch style, cottages, Arts and Crafts, Bungalows, condominiums, and apartments.

I would get moved into a place and I was quick to make it my own by placing my stamp of approval on it for the time being. I learned throughout my life that in order for my children to be mentally stable and not have issues about moving so much, I had to create a happy place for them. I did that with each place we lived. I would immediately set to work in getting the home to feel as comfortable as I possibly could. I felt that if my children's lives were always changing externally, at least if I made their home a happy place, it would calm their hearts no matter where they lived. I believe and always will, that children take on the energy of the parent with regards to everything. So if we create an experience as wonderful the children will then too feel the same way. Every single thing in life is about energy. I am so happy that I now understand this concept of universal law so clearly.

Too often I have seen where parents (unintentionally, I am sure) will create stress and a feeling of energetic instability when it pertains to change and moving. I knew that to make each move a delight, the children would also learn to adapt to change. I did what I felt was best for my children, and now as adults, it'll be thrilling to watch what they decide to do. My daughter wants to travel the world. I think she's been bitten by the travel bug.



We create attachments to events that occur in our lives. I believe we have a choice in how we place those attachments and events. That's certainly not to say that a home can't have negative energy. For instance, maybe your childhood home was a place you were constantly molested, or your brother was killed in a car accident and that was the home you were living in at the time of the event. My childhood home is where my father was an alcoholic, but what I am saying is that we all have unpleasant events that have happened to us, and it's up to us to redefine those moments. We must create new beliefs about how we would want to see them now that we have control over our lives. I am saying to put your head in the sand and pretend that everything is delightful in life. Now let me explain this psychologically, and through the perspective of the Law of Attraction.

We are all powerful creators. We have the capability to change and it is not an arduous affair. We only make it arduous because of the things we say. Remember, I've always said the Universe ONLY hears what we MEAN, not what we say. To create a life we love entails changing the way we think. It's all in our mindset.



I used to be the kind of person, that every time I started to feel unhappy and uncomfortable in a situation, or my life wasn't going the way I wanted, I decided that moving to a new home was the answer. The thing I soon learned was that I was always taking myself with me. It didn't matter if I lived in my dream house because after the newness wore off, I was still miserable. I was still the same person, and no home or the things in the home to decorate was going to make a difference if I didn't change my beliefs.

I see people now, and they are constantly changing homes, desiring a home that's way out of their price range, financial means, or constantly changing up the insides because they aren't satisfied. I believe much of this dissatisfied nature has to do with self, and not the home as many may believe. Most people project their inner unhappiness and circumstances onto external things. Most people believe that how a home looks and how it's decorated on the inside stands for a representation of the people who live in it, but that's not always the case. It's subjective. I think the take away on this post is that we should not put too much of our personal identity into a home. They are two separate entities.


I know that my home is lovely, but I am lovely as well, so my home is an extension of me.

We should want lovely homes and lovely adornments. In fact, when we are happy internally, our homes will reflect that.
I hope to inspire you to reach for your dream home. We are here to manifest and create lives that we are magically in love with. We must believe we can have them, and that we are worthy of all we desire. Let us be satisfied with where we are in the moment but eager for more. It's as easy to create a castle as it is a button. The only thing that ever stops us from manifesting all of our hearts desires is our lack of belief in self. Too often we believe we don't deserve all that our heart desires.

One thing that you can do today is to begin finding those thoughts that make you feel a sense of happy. If you find that going to the beach and walking the shoreline brings you s feeling of joy, do more of that. Do you live close to the ocean or river, love it so so much but rarely visit? Go visit. Do a little more of what makes your heart soar. It will gain momentum, and soon you'll realize you are happier with each passing day.

What's your dream home?  I'd love to hear or even post a photo, so we can all see it. That makes it so much more fun!

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

The Art Of A Festive Gathering

 

New Website Bubbling Up Soon!

My Dear Friends, Mermaid Junkies and Shoal Family, 

I titled this post as a festive gathering, because by the time I hit publish on this post  I do believe my book will be out into the Universe for all the world to read. 

I wanted to touch base, have a little visit and tell you each how much I appreciate your friendship, kindness and support with regards to my blog and my new storybook, "The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose.". 

A dinner party in celebration of Jane austen. I love this outfit and hope to replicate it at my book signings.

This is the final proof from the company that I am having create all of my formatting for my  storybook series. 

 If you ever decide to self~publish your very own books and would love a terrific company to format your books for you, I'd highly recommend Glendon at Street Light Graphics. Tell them I sent you. They are a wonderful company to work with.

I have begun scheduling my book signings with the list of tea rooms and book stores. Did I tell you that Oliver will be joining me at the signings? Isn't that a delightful idea? He seems to get all of the attention, so I figured he'd be a wonderful way to bring excitement to the children and parents. 

I am still working on it, but I figured out a nifty idea for a travel basket for Oliver. I had to put it off when my beloved took sick, but I'll have it all ready to go before my book signings. Oliver is asking that you bring him rose petals to munch on and he'll have his wooden cane that he uses in the story. {smile}

I wanted to chat a bit about the particulars of what's happened since I last posted about my dearest Gardener, for those of you that have contacted me and shown concern. Thank you so much for reaching out, it meant the world to me. 

This is a cropped illustration of a page from my storybook. The pixels look a little off but rest assured in the book they are very clear and perfect. I edit all of my photos to fit an aesthetic for my blog and social media so that's why the saturation looks the way it does in this photo.

I made some Geranium Rose Petal powder and cold cream. I'm mildly obsessed with this cold cream. It reminds me so much of the scent that my maternal grandmother used to wear. I can't get enough.

Do you like how I used old portraits and glued button eyes. I think It's an element of spooky, but on the subtle side. The little golden frame in the background is from the dollar tree. Did you know that these size frames are the exact size of lithograph photos. I buy the frames and just remove the paper art image inside and if the gold is too fake looking I will spray a light coat of brass or gold spray paint over it. these were perfect so I didn't have to touch them.  

A favorite of mine, the  double boiler. I received this as a gift from my dear Aunt Dianne on my mother's maternal side.

In between my visits back and forth to the hospital to stay with Jeffrey, I had some time to faff around the cottage and make a few things among my routine writing, cleaning and making ye Olde youtube Videos. The Victorians were very resourceful and used glass for all of their needs, and I try to do that also. I am a Mermaid after all, and the oceans are much better off If we are conservation conscious oriented. I save all my glass jars from the market. I clean them out and remove the labels, and I do age and distress the lids to look old. I made a dozen of beeswax candles, and I jokingly said on my IG stories that I only caught the stove on fire once. 

I swam down to the crystal market and found some lovely crystals to add to our collection. I also had some extra sticks from the gardens and made another wispy broom. Quite fitting for this time of year. You know how I fancy Halloween. I love Citrate crystals, do you? What is your favorite crystals?

Citrate {brown}: Assists in overcoming obstacles, increases feelings of self worth and confidence and helps build leadership skills. I think it's beautiful how so often I will go to purchase a crystal and before I go, I always set a little intention that the correct crystals will call my spirit, and that I will be drawn to them. It occurs every time. I had no idea what a citrate crystal was especially healing for , but my inner being knew. I also found a blue, and a green citrate. jeffrey got a blue citrate as well, along with a citrine on a necklace and two Jasper bracelets for healing. I thought those were delightful choices since it was his first week since out of the hospital and he's been awful weak. I have the most fun with him. It's so wonderful sharing time with those beautiful souls that inspire us to sing songs from the soul, isn't it?

 I don’t think it’s a coincidence that each day I bring my tray of crystals down from the shelf to prepare for meditation that Oliver immediately gets comfortable, lays down next to them and becomes sleepy. Animals know best where real alignment and energy stems from.

Did you know that all through my life, I was always drawn to crystals and earthly sentiments, but I was taught when I was a youth that crystals were evil and bad. I now know that even as a child I intuitively knew how much everything in my world has a spiritual nature to it.

Remember that what your heart calls you towards is always right. It doesn’t have to be right for anyone else, but you and you alone. Don’t let people convince you that God isn’t calling you forward, no matter what form it takes on. Trust your inner being, it knows! I love crystals and I know they make me feel calm and happy, so I practice with them everyday.

“You have to be in the world to understand what the spiritual is about, and you have to be spiritual in order to truly be able to accept what the world is about. So this is how you swim inward. So this is how you flow outwards. So this is how you pray.”~ Mary Oliver
I also had some spare time to hang my vision board for this year. I know it seems most dreadful that I had it made for so long, but it was stuck in the closet. It just took a simple nail to hang it under my Victorian frame. Do you find that you do that sort of thing too? I get busy doing a million projects and abandon many of them mid way through. Ask my mother and my Beloved Gardener, they will both tell you I am notorious for this type of antic.

I now embrace it and just tell myself I'm not inspired to finish it. I think it's about high~time we all cut ourselves some slack and say to ourselves that if we didn't do something, it's because we weren't feeling inspired, and that's A-Okay... We are too rough on ourselves, Ladies. let's be a bit more gentle with ourselves. Things always go much better when we don't use force and aggressiveness. Have you ever tried to push a wet noodle? Oh my... It's a travesty!{heh}

"A minute's reading often provokes a day's thinking."~W.H. Venable, 1872 I had some time , or should I say I will always make time for some reading. I found these lovely quotes from some of my Victorian literature.

"Books are those faithful mirrors that reflect to our minds the minds of sages and heroes. A good book is the precios life -blood of a master spirit treasured up on a purpose for a life beyond.."~J.F. Spaunhurst, 1896.

Writing: "Every new book must have, in the consciousness of it's author, a private history that, like mysteries of romance, would if unfolded have an interest for the reader, and by revealing the inner life of the volume show its character and tendencies." Sarah Josepha Hale, 1866.

This is my logo that I painted for my new branding and website. I must confess I have gotten my bloomers in a wad in more times than I can count while working at creating a header, oh my...Pixels are maddening {heh}. I practice the law of attraction and it still trifles me with how much I allow the little things to bog me down, such as attempting to create a new website by myself. Are you a website genie?

I took a break and walked to the park and spent some time just clearing my head. How has your life been as of late? I've missed you each and I think of you each so very often. I hope to see you around these waters very soon. If I happen to be in your area at one of my book signings, I sure hope you'll swim by and give me a hug and ocean kisses.

I will put up a list of the places and sightings when I have each event dated for certain.

Most affably yours til my next swim, raquelxxx