Little Women And Mermaidling Request Day!

EXCITING NEWS!

You may not know this about me, but a few years ago when I picked up my paintbrush, I hadn't touched it for over 36 years. In fact, I had been so out of touch with myself that I quite literally forgot that I even knew how to draw. With this newfound rediscovery, and a follow my heart attitude, I wanted to see If I could paint and sell my art. A dream of mine since I was a young girl. I had always dreamt of being an author and Illustrator. I started out using a free watercolour kit that I had leftover from one of my kids' supply stash and some index cards. I started painting a little farmer boy with braces, a row of pumpkins in the background with a Jack Russell Terrier at the farmer's side. To my amazement It sold. { Maybe it was more pity she took on me than my skills, but still. It made my heart beat like a kettle drum!} I then opened a little Etsy shop and began selling pieces I would paint. I was shocked and also ecstatic because people were actually buying them. It created within me a small spark of self-confidence. I then decided to create one day of the week that I would offer to paint little custom pieces for folks that may want to memorialize a moment in their life. It really took off and each Thursday I have been painting Little Women and Mermaidlings ever sense. 

The Art To Manifesting Your Dream Home {A Mermaid's Energy Wave}

 My Dear Friends,

I had the sweetest birthday on Monday and my beloved gardener surprised me with some beautiful foxgloves, Eugenia topiaries and some mint herbs. I was busy working on a DIY project out back in the garden and went to go check the mail a little while afterwards and boy wonder had surprised me by leaving the flowers by the garage. I shed little tears. I was reminded of his genuine kindness and thoughtfulness towards me. All of my children have been exceedingly kind and have been messaging me quite frequently. What a welcoming feeling. My the heart is whole. 

In Honour Of Beatrix Potter { An Artist/Authors Dearest Treasure}

My dear friends, 

It should come as no surprise that I have had a fascination with Beatrix Potter since I was a child. 

Even though her books are recommended for children ages 7-12, I presently enjoy them, and will forever more.

My books are also for ages 7~12. I have always been drawn to Beatrix in one form or another. Whether that was collecting the storybooks to read to my children, decorating my children's nurseries with rabbits, or having my very own cottage bunnies, just as Beatrix did.

How Tasha Tudor Used The Art Of Scripting

My dear friends,

This post is sure to be most delightful. Might you pour some tea and let us have a visit. I think my choice of tea today is cinnamon spice Chia Teavana. I cannot get over how much more flavorful a loose leaf tea is.

Shall we get on with it? As i was pondering how to bring my salient characteristic to this post, I thought what better way than to pull life experiences along with copious articles that I am personally fond of. What could be more perfect than writing, art, and life metaphors through one of my heroes, the great Tasha Tudor!

The Art Of Making Staffordshire Cottage Shipshape

My dear friends, 

I have my tea a bit early. I wanted to gather my thoughts, so I have put on some Claude Debussy to angle my disposition of writing this evening. The day has been quite scorching, and conditions are lacking in adornment; however, the sand cranes have been flying overhead cackling. I love to hear them and my ol' beloved seagulls. I cherish the sounds of seagulls along the ocean waves as they kiss the stoned fairy moss rocks. 

Why I Won't Ever Read The Secret

Did the day of LOVE serve you well? I surely expect that if you didn't have a Valentine, you were your own Valentine.

It is so imperative that we show ourselves a deep love and appreciation before seeking to find it from another. I read this quote this morning and wanted to share it with you.

"The world outside responds to the world inside of you." I really loved this reminder. I think all too often we want to blame others for the way things are in our own lives, when in fact, It's actually we simply must change what's going on inside of us. It is not difficult to change the world inside of us, but it will take releasing resistance. The only action that we should put forth should be inspired.

The way we see the world, and what is happening to us daily in our lives is mirroring back what we are sending forth.

If your car is broken down, your checking account is in the red, you've been in a fender bender, a speeding ticket, can't sell your home, fight with your family members, got taken by a hoax posing as a Munk, or have a disease or illness. As much as I hate to break it to you, but the truth is that your thoughts have led to those things.

You are always creating. I know it seems harsh to hear, the truth always is. If someone resonates with my blog, I know they are the ones that are seeking the same things as I. I believe many in the world are not ready for such an in-depth understanding of universal laws. I look at some of the great seekers of the world, were considered different. The truth is, they were ahead of their time. Oprah still won't put Esther Hicks on her tv network but will interview her on her radio channel. Esther Hicks is the entity that channels Abraham {Higher Consciosness} the key original source of, "The Secret."

The Secret was a watered-down version of the Law of Attraction {from what I've heard}, to get people to accept the idea. Before the Secret was written, Rhonda Byrne went to Esther Hicks one on one to tell her that she was going to write a book based off of Abrahams teachings, but not tell them where it came from. She felt they wouldn't accept it because it was "out there." In my opinion, I think she wanted the glory to stay her own. I mean let's look at the success of her book, It has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into 50 languages.

Esther says that really bothered her, but that the path of least resistance would be not suing Rhonda.

That, to me, was a form of stealing plagiarizing like an artist because Rhonda wouldn't tell the source of where she received her information. Always, always tell where you get your sources from or do not share. It is a form of respect. Esther Hicks asked Rhonda to please leave notes in the back of the book so that if others desired to seek further, they would be able to learn more. She did not do that. Esther resulted in removing herself from the movie because she would not receive residuals from the sales of Rhonda's book. I think that is plain rubbage what Rhonda did. I never read the book just because of it.

If you attend a workshop or follow Abrahams teachings, you will learn all there is to know about the universe and how it works at large. The teachings of Abraham far outweigh Rhonda's book "The Secret", and furthermore, the words in" The Secret" are Abraham's so the book was bound to be a success.

I love to expand and become more of a deliberate creator of my life.

I am seeking satisfaction in my daily life and really having a fun time. I disembowelled the carpet from the cottage this week, and I am so tickled it's finally all gone. It's been a bit of a prickly situation for me as of late. I am so eager to place the cottage up for sale, but we haven't quite put the sign up yet. Do you ever have those feelings? I do believe it is a matter of making a choice and following your bliss. The issue many have is when they want one thing but contradict it with a belief. We then become confused. That is all confusion is though. A worrying sense that if you make a specific choice in life, it may be the wrong one.

I know this feeling all too well. I was always struggling with this. I believe it was because I was raised a religious girl, and I was taught you can be wrong for the choices you've made. I now understand and know otherwise.

What would you do differently in your life if you knew you could never get it wrong?

Would you make different choices or decide on something? I guarantee you would. I did. My most significant contradiction was to finally determine once and for all I was divorcing my ex-husband. I made a choice and lined up vibrationally with it. It went relatively smooth considering all of the horror stories I have heard of. I created the account of my divorce that I wanted. So be it, so it is.

I wanted to show you these unsightly photos just so you would be assured that life isn't always the most perfect setting. To live amongst restoration, remodelling or anything else is ideally the way it's supposed to be. I used to struggle with how everything appeared externally. It came from my beliefs about having to be perfect and making all things around me perfect. I am actually writing a book entitled, "The Little Mermaid's Transformational Tale, Her Voyage Back To Self Love" which I'm currently working on.


That is a belief that will cause someone to want to give up altogether. Mormonism and Pentecost{my old religions} were notorious for this. The culture that is placed and engrained into girls, women and people, in general, is a dangerous slope. It does nothing but place this neverending drive inside, feeling you will never be enough or add up, no matter what you do or how 'good' you become. I am not bitter, and I most definitely appreciate the church for what it was. It served me well at the time in my life when I needed it.

I knew innately this was not my truth. No matter how much I wanted to fit in, I never did. I have learned my reality now, and it is the most beautiful feeling I have ever known. I have, indeed come home.

Have you come home?

This is the throw carpet that I found at the thrift store for $19.00. It is 11 x 15 and almost fills the whole room.

A few of my books this week. I keep piles of books all over the cottage. Reading has always been my anecdote for anything in life.

Chickens chickens chickens... I am writing my book, and I am almost complete. The next step will be the illustrations. 

Every time I see a bunny, I know the universe is giving me a nod," All is working out for you, Raquel."

 Bunnies!

What have you manifested as of late?

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

The Art Of Southern Quotidiens On The Celebrated Day Of Love {As Mermaid And Ship Captain}

Happy Valentine's my dear Mer~friends, 

This is the only vintage mermaid valentine in my collection, so I thought that a fin'tastic idea would be to make some of my own. Do you favour the old Valentine's as much as I? I think they made them so lovely. Do you celebrate the day set aside for LOVE?

A Victorian Author Reading At Whistle Stop Gardens And Tea Room

I promised an oath that I would show you photographs of my mermaid author reading at the tea room.

I have had a few more; however, I was so caught up in the twirling tizzies I forgot to take pictures.

A Skettle Of Fish, Pottering, And Musings At Staffordshire Cottage

My dear friends, 

Pour some tea and let us have a wee visit. I made myself a bowl of porridge with some cottage cheese and honey. I also made a cup of English breakfast black tea. Let's have a go. 

Meet Ms Merry Thistlewood!

This is a photo of our new little rabbit. This is the picture sent to me from the darling girl Brianna that I met at the tea room. We began chatting in between my book reading and immediately knew she was an ol' kindred spirit. Of course, she was intrigued by my dear Oliver and began explaining she has a sweet pet rabbit as well, but that she needed to find a new home for her. She will be going to college pretty soon and won't have much time.

Why Instagram Sends Women Into A Tailspin And How I Used Law Of Attraction To Understand A Life Lesson

getty images

My dear friends

Pour some tea my darlings and let us have a visit. The title of this post is something I wanted to share with you now that I have been off of Instagram for over 3 months.

A Victorian Mermaid's Cabinet Of Curiosities: {Show Your Work}

My mother has the whole set of blue Danube china, and she knows I love tea, so she gifted me the teapot and two cups. She said I'll receive the whole set when she passes. 

 My dear friends,

Pour some tea, and let us have a visit. I had such a wonderful response to my previous post about stealing like an artist by Austin Kleon, so I thought I would share a wee bit about another book of his called, "Show Your Work", which you can find {here.}

The Art Of Thievery

My dear friends, 

I have been a bit under the weather, but I must write. Oliver and I wanted to say Rabbit Rabbit even though we are a day late!