Pottering About With The Stafford's

My dear friends,

I am still in my nightgown, sitting up in bed with our snuggly down feather blanket, very excited about the Autumn season upon us. I have been resting since arriving home yesterday from all of the scheduled events of a funeral. I have heard that funerals mentally and physically wear you out, I believe that sentiment wholeheartedly.

My Fountain Runneth Over {And Little Women/ Mermaidling Paintings Update}

My dear friends,

What a week this has been. I would indeed love to flourish you with dainty words and happy thoughts, for I have had an epiphany! I have been taken up for the last few weeks, through some deep and consistent meditation, and I feel ready for many new adventures. I feel a new lease on life, dear friends.

The summer days are upon us; I am as bright~eyed and bushy-tailed as they come.

I feel excited about the new ideas I have for my blog's future, authorship and my artistry. I am hoping to receive many more commissions for my Little Women/ Mermaidling paintings. I really miss the happy days of waking up, throwing the covers, and walking to my treasure room for the day of splashing paints about and rabbit undertow. The sounds of Debussy on the gramophone and the cool breeze blowing through the lace curtains. Is there anything more magical? I don't believe so. A sweet friend of mine sent me a message about painting little commissioned place cards and menu sheets. She said she would gladly pay for them, as she has many dinner parties. A pretty little place card would be such a delight at each plate. It reminded me of my dear, Beatrix Potter. Painting greeting cards and place cards are just how she began her career, too.

I wrote about my little commission pieces a few moons ago, but I was a bit lackadaisical in my efforts of promotion. I shall improve, indeed.

If you are curious about my paintings; below is a description of what I do to make each painting. I used to be on Etsy, which I may be for a bit longer; however, my new website will have an e~commerce store called; The Mer~Cantile. Its a little play on words for mermaid + mercantile, such as the Victorian days. Isn't it delightful? I used to have a little craft booth in the year 2000 with the same name. I sewed and made all of my items from yo-yos. Do you recall the yo-yo? It is such a sweet form of quilting. I should like to make a quilt for my sleeping room. It's very time consuming, but I love it ever so much. Have you ever made anything from yo-yos?

Little Women/ Mermaidlings 

An original custom Mermaidlings/Little Woman illustration is 4" x 6". Each little painting is in sepia ink and painted with watercolours. I infuse the paper with aged seaweed, flower tinctures and floral notes; that I've personally created from my garden here at Staffordshire Cottage. My water has been charged with crystals of rose quartz and moonstone. I believe that sending my paintings into the universe with a little magic adds a touch of love to all those that purchase my art.  Each painting is $20.00 sand dollars. My paintings have begun to have more detailing, and with the extra details, I have decided to add on a dollar per detail/pet. So, for instance, if you'd like a pet added, that will be an additional dollar.

Each painting comes with a hand-selected shell; that I have collected from years of beachcombing.

I am looking forward to painting for you. Last year, I had the opportunity to paint Christmas cards, addressing them with calligraphy and wax seals. They were exquisite and so beautiful, with the little added touches of gold leaf, they turned out beautiful. Another idea is to memorialise your pets. I have done many of those; they seem to be a real pleaser.

Send me your request by emailing me at Raquel@Raquelcarter.com
and I shall have a whale of a time painting for you!

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

Beatrix Potter, Be Still, My Victorian Mermaid Heart {And Big News!}

 The Lady Of Shallott hanging in my foyer. I purchased it from allposters.com. I am obsessed with anything John William Waterhouse.

My dear friends,

I am in desperate need of some biscuits to accompany my tea today, won't you deliver some to me at speed. {smile}

The Many Executions At Staffordshire Cottage

My dear friends, 

Did you have a delightful weekend? I had a lovely weekend, and I was quite productive. 

I had a pleasant visit with my parents, went shopping and got enough custom drapes to cover over half of the cottage windows. I'll show pictures tomorrow. I am currently hemming the last pair this evening. The ol' rabbits in tow. 

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. 

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.

Lovely Adventures At Staffordshire Cottage

My dear friends,

I spent the day writing away on fairytales that I am very excited to bring to your darling children very soon. I had the most enjoyment watching Olivier pounce about the cottage. He really enjoys being out in the garden with the chickens. He stays well close to the back door of the cottage. The chickens were especially quiet today. I wonder if the beautiful weather instinctually calmed them to nestle in the trees. They have their particular spots under the fern brush. They have created sand pits where they spend most hours of the day. The weekend ahead is predicted to be quite chilly, which I am looking forward to.  I couldn't be happier. My dear neighbour Joe and his wife have a roaring fire going and I can smell the umbers drifting over into our direction.

The Artistic Approach Of An Author And Illustrator {Beatrix Potter Style}

My dear friends, 

Put the kettle on and let us have a little visit. I'm having some breakfast English tea.

I have been taking many photographs around the garden of myself and the chickens so that I have a bit of a reference point if needs be while I'm writing The Tale of Henny Penny Goody Two~Shoes. In the Beatrix Potter Society letter this morning, there was a bit of controversy over some of her writings. Someone wrote that they had found in Beatrix Potter's books that she had shot a red-tailed squirrel so that she might be able to draw more accurately a squirrel for her storybook "Squirrel Nutkin." I believe it was a misinterpretation and misread. 

I know there have been several times I've read that Tasha Tudor and Beatrix Potter were known to capture little animals and keep them for some time so that they might draw them in their most fundamental nature. I suppose there is no way of complete assurance in knowing whether or not Tasha Tudor or Beatrix Potter actually did kill little animals for their artwork accuracy, but I genuinely doubt it. Capture them, indeed, but to harm them... I think not. 

There are many times that when Beatrix decided she wanted to draw little paintings for her books she actually would go back to the place and ask to borrow certain items so that she might create a perfect depiction. One such time was when she went to friends and asked to borrow the dollhouse in the story The Two Bad Mice. She never had children, I wonder if she had ever desired to have children. I have often wondered about that.

My dear friend Suzanne sent me this Tasha Tudor Garden book, and I was so touched that I cried. Suzanne is such a kind soul. She lives in New England and is close friends with Tasha's actual children. She has the group on Facebook called Take Peace. It's a group created to preserve and keep Tasha's legacy alive. I have the most fun, and it's such a delightful group of women. I think I spoke to you about it once before. I wish there was something like that for Beatrix too.

The Cosmopolitan magazine in the UK has predicted that the most popular little girls baby name in 2019 will be Beatrix. I think Beatrix is an adorable name. I shall continue to dream that my little storybook The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose will be such as Peter Rabbit, perhaps when I have left this earth. I still have so many stories to write. I should hope I'll have enough time to write them all.

I am always so inspired by my dear friend's daughter, so I was prompted to paint her with her rabbit Oliver. He's the same breed as my Oliver, A Jersey Whooly, I think.

 I made some roasted potatoes with rosemary from the garden this weekend. I can never get enough of roasted potatoes baked in the oven, can you? Vegetables are such hearty food and quite filling.

I've read this book about a dozen times already. It has quite exciting tidbits about Beatrix. I find that this book gives way to how very much she had such a witty and profound personality. I was surprised to learn of how very much she was into politics and that she wasn't always so pleased with how women were treated in comparison to men. I say well said, Beatrix. I feel quite the same. Did you know her book The Tale of Peter Rabbit was turned down from being published six times? She decided to post it herself. At that time in history, she put forth the money to have a certain quantity of books printed. I may be off, but I think she had over 550 printed. If you know the accurate number, please do tell, but I think I am correct in that number. 

This is my first son Carter. Remember in previous entries I spoke about how much I loved playing the Beatrix Potter stories on the television. His pacifier holder was Beatrix Potter themed. I made dozens of the short jumper that he's wearing, as it was the perfect clothing for a child learning to walk. I never wanted to deal with pants and a shirt separately as the shirt would always come untucked, and the pants would slide down, so this way, he was ever put together. I handed them down to my next two boys, so much good use was put to them. I had some that I monogrammed as well. Notice the sign above his head? I had made that from some sticks I found, "Rabbits Garden."I was full well into everything Beatrix, even at the age of 20.

 Just in time and favour of Tasha, I made some homemade beeswax candles. I poured the wax into some mason jars and added a bit of spruce essential oil.

Over the weekend, I also made some homemade broccoli cheese soup. It was delicious. I gobbled it up, and that's saying a bit much about how superb it was because I usually do not much care for broccoli. It was a little nippy this weekend in Florida, so I thought what better time to have a bread bowl and some soup.

Oh, I wanted to update you on the little visit that Jeffrey and I went on Saturday. Remember I said we were going to go see a small cottage in the country town? We went to look at it, and there was an older gentleman pressure washing the cottage. It turns out it's a rental property and would never be up for sale. I'm still dreaming of Carmel, so my feelings weren't much hurt in the learning of the little cottage. I didn't much care for the placement of it, nor the idea that it had no surrounding woods.

Jeffrey and I did some Christmas gift shopping, and that was quite delightful. Today I am getting estimates for a new air-conditioner system. Jeffrey insists, and i right agree with him that the house value will go up when it's time to sell, beings it will have a new unit installed.

What did your weekend consist of?

Well, I shall be off for now. I shall write again soon.

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

A Lesson In Victorian Etiquette According To The Manners Of A MerryMaid

My dear friends,

Put the kettle on darlings, and let us commence with a delightful topic this morning. I am having green tea with a bit of coconut. I am most assuredly anticipating it will carry me through during the penning of this post. It has a bit of caffeine and I knowingly admit to partaking several cups before this day has come to an end.

I am at the deadline of my book, as it must be in the letterbox by days end.

Did I share with you what occurred and why I decided to get a formatting company to assemble my book? I shared a video on ye olde youtube channel. Swim to the link to uncover what transpired.

Have you signed up for my newsletter "The Current?" I do hope that you have. I will be drawing from my little fishers net to select a few winners to receive a gift basket of treasures. I am including my storybook, some reading paraphernalia, and a Scarlette Rose Lolly Dolly Merrymaid. Isn't she the most beautiful? She was made by my dear friend from the UK. Her name is Bridgette. I met Bridgette some time ago on Instagram. If you feel inspired send her some love. Her handle is @moetlala.

As you may know, if you follow me on social media, most particulary Instagram, that I have spent the last several weeks fiddling with some new ideas. A few of those particular bits are reintroducing the beautiful superfluous way the British spoke the Victorian language. I am in constant readiness to continually expand along my spiritual transformational tale. So just as my personal life is expanding, changing and growing expotentially, I too would love to carry along spiritually my little online piece of heaven. My blog makes me ever so happy. I feel like its a special place I come to daily and continually learn about myself. I love to revisit old diary entries so that I may encorporate the lessons into my daily life.

As I was telling you, I have been amassing my victorian books, adding many to my delightful collection. I shall share a few passages that I have found useful from The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette that has served me most. If you favor victorian life, I highly recommend this handbook.

I wear dresses for my everyday attire, and I have become a maven when it comes to practicality, and how to wear a dress with etiquette.

When going to take care of bits, crossing the pavement or climbing steps a lady should raise her dress with the right hand, a little about the ankle. To raise the dress with both hands is considered vulgar and can only be excused when mud is very deep.

When I am about the garden, doing housework I wear a scarf or keep my hair in a lower bun about the nape of the neck. If I leave the cottage, I am always prepared with a scarf and a hat. If it is summer, it's a straw poke or cotton bonnet and a thin scarf. In a cooler climate, I wear a wrap made of wool. My hats are also made of wool or heavy knitting. I have a cotton loop with a button and a large pin that I secure my skirt on the side if I am engaged in a strenuous or untidy activity. Painting, climbing a ladder, cutting wood, carpentry, making candles, or cleaning the chicken coop, calls for a skirt pinning. I learned early on that everyone is capable of wearing a dress to perform any type of task. You actually get quite used to wearing a dress and I would bet once you've started wearing a dress, you'll never want to wear anything else.

When wearing a dress, and sitting down, slant one foot just slightly over the other at the ankle and tilt legs inward towards who you are engaged in conversation with. It creates an intimacy with the other person. Never cross your legs. To cross one's legs is considered vulgar, and varicose veins become inevitable. Hands are always to be clasped and set in your lap. Crossing arms means you are upset and disgruntled.

When in public or having company while partaking of tea, always look into your cup when sipping. It's considered highly rude to look about the room or at your guests while sipping tea. When raising your teacup, accompany the cup with saucer below, never picking up the teacup by itself. You appear undignified and without manners.

If you are issuing and accepting luncheon invitations, the invitations may be given by card, or even verbally. They should be delivered four days to two weeks in advance of the event. A lady that has been invited should accept immediately. It is not considered proper for ladies to remove jackets, hats, or bonnets at a luncheon. Tea or coffee are never served at or after a luncheon. A tea party is an entirely separate affair.

Tea parties are from the hours of 4-6 pm. Six ladies are the perfect number for a tea party. Its often time local custom for a lady to bring her own cup. If she does, it should be wrapped beautifully in a box and taken to the table where the tea is to be served.

I think I've allowed the time to run away dear friends. I surely hope with all my might this post served you and you found a few tips from the Victorians that you can use straight away. I am most anticipatory of hearing if you were able to incorporate any of my tips for your next affair.

I am mostly in admiration with the tea party and since the information is so deeply infused I shall create an entirely new post specifically for tea parties. I will accompany it with lovely photographs as well. I am certain it will be a popular entry.

 If you delight in entertaining, I would suggest The Essential Handbook of Victorian Entertaining.

Once again dear friends If you haven't signed up for my newsletter, I'd be delighted if you would. I have a sign-up space to the right on the side panel or if you have read this post all the way through, a pop-up version should have appeared.

My book will be out within a few weeks and I could not be more ecstatic.

most affably yours til' my next swim, Raquelxxx

A Chapter In My Story And A Cordial Invitation

Hello lovelies,

As I was contemplating my newest post I was in quite the tizzy deciding on where to start our lovely little conversation. Perhaps, a cup of tea and then we shall commence. I must get on with it, as I have a mouthful of pleasantries to discuss with you. I am readily one to go on about things so I will now begin.  What are you choosing to sip today? I am having some lavender and rose. We have the sweetest little shop called Abby's here in Tampa that is owned by a darling little 90-year-old lady. You guessed it, her name is Abigail, Abby for short. She has spent her whole life caring and serving others by providing healthy holistic items for the community. Its an experience to go there. My BG {Beloved Gardener } and I will spend hours in there rummaging and finding darling treasures to bring home to the cottage. It's like a little field trip on every outing.

I have so many lovely ideas swirling in my little MerryMaid mind. I want to truly begin implementing into this blog of all things that are beautiful, whimsical accouterments, ideas aplenty and to inspire us each to be ever learning something new for our lives, or to have moments of clarity with perhaps a great internal dilemma that once plagued our mind with misunderstanding. I want you to eagerly swim to this beautiful blog as it will become a restful place for your soul to land. I want your heart to feel true that once you've landed here you are embraced and loved. I want you to have a tiny escape from the realist approach to life. I do truly love to teach women to create a life of love and I am finding through my hidden treasure within that I do believe there's an in-between amplitude. One where I can inspire you and also create a dwelling of fairytale life in order for us to be able to transition and transform in a graceful, exuberant and aw inspiring way. However that looks for you I know it will be most delightful, and I so very much want to be apart of your voyage, may I?

I want us to share as women. As I've been on my own voyage, I have often pondered on the time when I was in a dark and pivotal moment of sadness and pain. I looked above the surface and swam deep into the depths and I couldn't find anyone there. It was a travesty in my soul. It was a gutwrenching place to be, but one now that I see was quite necessary. For how else would I understand you and fellow lovely women were it not for my own personal experience. I was literally all alone in this enormous all-encompassing world. As I have been able to resurface and love myself through I vowed within that I wanted to create a special little dwelling where women are loved, accepted with no boundaries, feel a sense of community and most importantly an unconditional love that exceeds this life in incomprehensible ways. I would love to be that small 'channel' along with you on your beautiful fairytale voyage.

I am so fortunate and feel so extraordinarily joyful that I am the person I am today. I'm cultivating, flourishing, fostering and welcoming with the wonderment of my very own particular old-fashioned lifestyle, my experiences as a mother, a wife, homemaker, author, artist, and entrepreneur.

I wonder if I'm the only one through this voyage of a being published author and illustrator that I find it in many ways to have odd feelings when I am the one focused on front and center. I have always been the one in the background cheering on another in the front of me. As of late, I have found it quite interesting. I wake up and think to myself Raquel, this voyage is yours and yours alone. I'm so used to it always being about another, and I quite readily can't comprehend that on some days. It's a rather odd feeling to have. Do you feel such as I in that way? I am determined to get used to the idea of being front and center, and I should like to implore you too as well. We are all extraordinary women, each and every single one of us. Let us celebrate that with elegance and a sense of bold self-approval.

I think so often times in our lives, or should I speak for myself that I would slowly navigate to transform into someone else. I'm not quite sure if it's because for so long I didn't love myself, so as an artist I created fairytales and I reinvented myself so often as a way to escape my own unpleasant life. I thought perhaps being someone else would ease the blow for me. I also have contemplated whether that's the way a child learns to cope when tragedy, heartache, pain, violence and all manner of discord surrounds them. I accept that and now I am able to focus my thoughts upon other lovely particulars. Dwelling in such affairs are not good when it comes to matters of the heart. I have learned that especially by living the law of attraction. Why must we watch the awful news, terrible stories, television programs that bring literally no relief? The thing that each of these activities brings to us is simply to see and stay focused on disharmony and negativity.

When I was a religious woman we were exhorted to not watch and visit this manner of things as it was considered ungodly. Whereas I am not a religious woman any longer, I don't see it much differently than someone that is on a spiritual voyage living the law of attraction. I have just reidentified the title is all. I think it's readily apparent in similarities if one can adjust and follow their heart with regards to the understanding and unconditional love for others.

It sounds perhaps odd in a way, but I often tend to believe that I'm not so different than many other women. We are all so very different but so very much alike. It's quite the oxymoron, don't you agree?

As of late, I have continued to transform into the even more loveliest and beautiful mermaid siren that I've always known was deep within me; just a little buried like a wonderful worn old treasure at the bottom of a ship wreckage from centuries past.

I love to relate my life to that of a Mermaid Siren as I feel so connected to the mystery and seriousness of a sultry siren. Doesn't it create a sense of wonderment? I surely think so.

How often we as women have or currently do compare ourselves to other women. I think it's a natural conditioned idea that I am so appreciative to no longer indulge in.

It has never made for a sense of internal happiness and bliss for me as I know why. I am none of the other women. Even though I am an author and an Illustrator, I tend to do many things that seem similar in some ways to other writers and artists, but I am nothing like them in so many other ways.

For many years I would think that something was wrong with me. Whether it was because I had an abrasive way about me as a mother, I have never liked really feminine things such as baby pink curtains and flowery comforters. I don't as readily enjoy frilly adornments in my cottage either. I no longer apologize for my likes and dislikes. I am very much able to appreciate others for their tastes and separate the unlikeliness for myself and that feels especially fulfilling. I happen to love mystery, oddities, and very dark and serious design. I'm not sure it would be called seriousness, but what I mean to say is that I very much like primitive and Victorian. The primitive as it humbles the Victorian in a way of not feeling stiff and oppressive.

Perhaps it's my age, I'm not quite sure, neither do I date myself. I truly believe age is just a number, and I can and will continually spend my earthly days creating the storylike fairytale scenarios in my mind as a way of allowing and following my heart each and every day.

I should hope you will too.

I was reminded yesterday to not look at my peers, but to study the greats. I really loved that piece of advice. I do indeed follow the great which is Beatrix Potter. Cant you tell, I have an affinity for the lovely Beatrix Potter. My storybook is set to release on her birthday July 28,2018.

So much so I have emulated many things she did and I intend to even more throughout my tale of being a writer and illustrator.

I wanted to peak your interest in my next post which will be all about how my process is coming along with my children's storybook. I've been diligently working away at a large sponsorship proposal for The Tale of Merrymaid Scarlette Rose book tour, photoshoots and diligently working away at my photography skills and flat lays.

I suppose it's high time I get to chatting it up with you as to what's happening here at the cottage and my process for my self-published book.

We are indeed friends, are we not?

What are your happenings this week?