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. 

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?

The Story Of How The Tale Of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose Came To Be- Part 2

Hello Sweet Darlings,

Let's continue the tale of how my storybook came to be, shall we? Might you pour some tea and let's continue our visit? Today my tea of choice is green tea. {smile} I am in need of a little natural caffeine kick, so tea should most assuredly set me right. {If you haven't read part 1, start there first}.

Me and my mother Deborah

As I began to actually buy into my self-worth and confidence, I was reminded of so many particulars. Those of my childhood and how my mother was constant in her approval and encouragement to instill in me that I was surely capable of anything I truly desired to be and do. The memories began to flood my mind with regards to my upbringing and faith in myself.

I am not quite sure if it's a genetic trait that Carter's hold dating back to England, but I have always taken pride in being a Carter. There was always something about my family that was instilled in me as young as I can remember that I knew I was "SOMEONE." A constantly quoted phrase that was heard is, "Don't you know who you are Raquel? You're the best because you are a Carter!"

Now, mind you when I was a young little strawberry-haired freckle-faced girl, I was all about believing in myself. I sincerely thought I was the most spectacular girl ever to be born. I'm not sure if it came from me being very different from my entire/extended family, being the only redhead, or if it's because I was the only little girl in a slew of boys.

Regardless, I knew I was special.

I have a ton of ideas in my head for many books, but this was actually going to be a real thing. No more talk about writing a book, it was game on. I had never written a book before. I knew I loved the charming sense of whimsy to Beatrix Potters books and I also loved that she drew animals, with clothes on, no less and that her paintings weren't extremely detailed. I really liked the simplicity of her drawings. So what does every artist do? They steal. They steal from this artist and that artist, take from here, and there, and make something all their very own. I love this snippet from the book 'Steal Like An Artist' by Austin Kleon.

Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.

"Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light, and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work {and theft} will be authentic. ~Jim Jarmusch

I had been painting little paintings and selling them in my Etsy shop for a while at this point, so I was perfecting the look I was going for. I still had the book in the back of my mind, but I wanted my stories to really capture that whole vibe of Beatrix, and I mean really feel like if she came back to earth reincarnated, what would her stories be. I wanted to embody her work. I have heard so many artists talk about how much their art is JUST like Beatrix's. I wanted my books to literally be so reminiscent people would think to themselves, "this is Beatrix Potter reincarnated." I believe in the Law Of Attraction, and spirit guides so strongly that I spiritually embodied Beatrix Potter and Tasha Tudor while painting and writing The Tale of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose. I asked for their guided hands while painting and their imagination for the words as to how the story should unfold.

You can hear those souls from beyond the veil if you'll sincerely listen for them, and expect to hear them. I softly listened to Tasha while I was drawing the faces of the little merry's. All of those that know Beatrix, know she couldn't stand to draw people. She didn't think she was very good at drawing people and I think that's why she loved drawing animals so much.

Now, I sat on the first story for over 7 months. I said I was going to write a book, but it was not coming to me at all. I know from practicing the Law of Attraction, to not force anything, so I just kept relaxed and knew the time would come and when it did I'd write at massive speed.

That's exactly what happened. I was sleeping one evening and at 1:30 a.m. I woke straight up out of bed and wrote the entire story in 2 hours. I then put it away for a few more months and figured the same thing would happen when it was time to paint the illustrations. and it did, The same exact way. It was so interesting too because I was feeling a constant nudging for about 3 weeks after I would meditate that I must finish the book... I must finish the book...

That's the most glorious thing about listening to inspired action when doing anything. The less efforting we put into something the easier it is. I was listening to Abraham Hicks one day and I had heard a workshop about writers several times beforehand but on this particular day, I really heard the words so clearly. If you want to know how to get a book into the universe, write another one and then another one. I have 2 more books in the works. "The Tale of Patsy Violet" is about a little red bird that wears high heels, a bonnet and apron and she teaches her baby birds about death in the loveliest way and The Tale of Sybrena Sparrow which is about a sweet and loving friendship.

If I have anything to gift you in kind from this post, its to make your dreams come true, all you have to do is to truly LOVE YOURSELF and to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Do not ever allow anyone to ever tell you that what you dream of cannot be done. If you can believe it, you CAN achieve it! I am living proof.

Do you have a dream that you'd like to fulfill? Have you read my about me page? Swim here to find out about my tale... Also, I'd love it if you signed up for my newsletter "The Current"
It's on the sidebar at the top, if you bypassed the pop-up form.

Thank you so much. I will only send the loveliest messages in a bottle, and you can fully trust I'll keep your email as only a Mermaid does, in the sand of secrets.

The Story Of How The Tale Of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose Came To Be- Part 1

Hello darlings,

How are you? I hope you're doing well.
Perhaps pour yourself a cup of tea and let's chat, shall we? My choice of tea for today is lavender and rose, just in case you wanted to know that{smile}.

 Today I thought I'd begin my little tale of how my storybook The Tale Of MerryMaid Scarlette Rose® came to be.

I'd also like to share with you some of the details. I think personally I love hearing the little-sorted increments of how other authors/illustrators created their dear gems.

I was marinating several things over the weekend in preparation to begin this series and it dawned on me how very much I am not privy to write or make things about myself. As I've worked on my business, author campaign, this blog, and putting myself out into the world as an author and illustrator I've realized how uncomfortable it has made me, it has been an adjustment for sure. I've never had particulars be about me per se, and it's taking some getting used to.

I have long been a writer. As a little girl, I've been creating little stories as far back as I can recall. I was the little red-head that wore long dresses and had pen pals in elementary school. My mother made sure I was fully equipped with writing utensils at all times. I even went many years in middle and high school where I wore a pencil in my hair because I was constantly jotting or sketching things.

In my about page you've read that I have loved Beatrix Potter since childhood. It's true... I also read the stories to my children all throughout their lives as well. There was something I found calming and charming about the stories. Honestly, they don't have a daunting amount of depth to them, and perhaps that's the adoring appeal. A story that's light-hearted but with also a bit of whimsy. Now that my friends is my cup of tea! I should like to stay determined to always live life with rose colored glasses on. I think that's the allure of children's fairytales, they take us to places in our imagination where dreaming is allowed, actually preferred.

After my divorce was final, and I was couch surfing at my parents, living out of my two suitcases, I had also brought my little palette of paints, 2 Walmart brushes, a pencil and an eraser. To this day, I keep them in my purse. They have become a bit of a comfort to me, like a lovely old familiar friend.

While I was married I had become so conditioned out of my belief in myself, having turned down a four-year art scholarship, and having put away painting for so long I had forgotten I could even draw much less paint.

I was in such a state of pain while going through my divorce, missing my children madly, and feeling like everyone was trying to tell me what they thought I should do, I took up walking. I would walk to the nearest waterhole where I'd dream and sketch.

I figured that if all the years of me telling my children that there is nothing they cannot be and that dreams do come true, I might take my own advice.

It takes a little time to actually gather one's style. I looked at the paintings of my favorite watercolorists and took some ideas from them and then kept reworking my images to look the way I liked. My paintings have an old world look to them, but also a look of solemn seriousness, and that pretty much describes me to a T. My painting style is very much my own. I am nowhere near where I desire to be, but I have learned not to ever wait on things. I have realized, I must be a doer, not a talker.

Nowadays, I'm not afraid to start anything. I go head first, even though I know I'll get lots of air bubbles and rise to the top over and over again, and I don't care one single bit. That's the only way we learn is to keep diving back into the water. That's what losing everything has taught me, to be fearless. Once you've literally lost everything, no one can take anything from you, not your dreams and especially not your talents. If you take nothing from this post but that, I feel I've done my job.

After setting up my new facebook page and new social media platforms, I tried to continuously put out little motivational sayings and quotes to inspire others, and I'll be completely honest, I did it for myself mostly at first. I was having to be my own cheerleader, so I needed all the positivity and happiness I could conjure up.

As time went on people would respond to some of my posts and say that I should write a story. I had never told anyone that I had longed to write stories since I was a little girl, so I took the compliments in stride. Throughout the next year, I started thinking, yeah I should write a book. I'd then set the dream aside because when I mentioned it to a few friends they actually weren't super supportive to me. They said things like, "You have to get a publishing company, how are you planning to do that? It's not easy to write books and actually have them sell, your art isn't good enough yet for a book. etc."

I was still so low in my self-worth journey at the time that I would become so frustrated at my struggles and say in my mind to hell with it. I knew deeply though that if I had enough faith I could probably do it, I let those thoughts marinate in my soul and began to dream about being an author but not telling anyone verbally anymore. They seemed to dampen my spirits and I just got plain sick and tired of it.  I have had decades of lacking self-confidence to weed through and build back up and it became daunting to think about a book. I'd once again lay the idea aside because to some degree I felt like it was out of reach. Once again, a running theme is that I'd listen to other people tell me I wasn't capable, and I listened to them.

Fast forward to about 6 months later and I'm once again suggested a video from Gary Vaynerchuk. Something he said that day made a light go off in my head and I haven't looked back since.

If you have ever seen Gary's videos, he straight up and has no quorums about telling it like it is. I had seen him about 3 years prior and immediately turned him off because, to be honest, I thought that he was an arrogant ass. Actually, he rubbed me majorly the wrong way. Today I know why this is. I had a victim mentality, and never in a million years would I have pegged myself for being a victim. In the back of my mind, I had an attitude of entitlement. The day I recognized this about myself was like the blinders fell from my eyes. I haven't been the same since and It's been the best gift that man, a stranger... has ever given me. I should like to shake his hand one day and thank him personally for setting me a foot on my journey as a children's published author.

To be cont'd...

How To Dress Like Tasha Tudor {Victorian Style}

 My dear friends,

I am having some earl grey tea and buttercream cookies. The cookies are Danish, which I happen to fancy, as I have Dutch descent.