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

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 Mermaid Metaphor Of Endurance And The Law Of Attraction~No Grit No Pearl

Hello there Mermaid Junkies,

I wanted to share a spiritual little mermaid metaphor with you that coincides with something that's been on my mind this week.

Won't you pour some tea and let's have a visit? I'm having my Mermaid Spinach Seaweed lemonade today, Would You like the recipe?

I was talking with my Beloved Gardener a few days ago and we were discussing the topic of work ethic and whether or not we instilled a work ethic into our children at young ages. The debate was whether or not our children actually have a great work ethic now as adults. We both had parents that really knew the power of hard work and why work experience teaches. They taught us very well and in turn, I think we taught our children also.

I know for me personally, All 4 of my children have had jobs since they were 15. I made sure of it. I never gave them the alternative of going to college or work. If they wanted college they were going to have to pay for it themselves or get a scholarship. In the process, they also needed to keep a paying job. I have always been the kind of mother that does not give handouts, nor loan my children money or anything of that nature. In my opinion, it creates an entitled child that doesn't understand the value of things or sacrifice. Let me give you a scenario that I have seen play out time and time again. To give a child a car for turning a certain age or getting certain grades, watch how fast they wreck it, compared to making them earn the money to buy one of their own. You'll notice the one that has spent their own money will appreciate it and never take it for granted.

That conversation leads me to talk about my audition for Weeki Wachee Springs a little over two years ago. I had been a Weeki Wachee mermaid when I was 17, over 30 years. When I moved back to Florida in 2015 and newly on my own after filing for a divorce, I was thinking about working at Weeki Wachee Springs as a Mermaid again.

As you know I was doing it all on my own with no money or assets or anything from my ex, so I was at a financial low when I was first divorced, and at the time I also had a super negative limiting belief about my age. While trying to find my sea legs again, I was thinking of every possible alternative to turn an income to provide for myself.

They were having open auditions so I decided to go ahead and audition. Here's where the story gets interesting and it brought on a major subject of attention for me.

Let me set the stage. I have always through the years lead a super healthy lifestyle. I never had drunk alcohol or smoked or anything for my entire life. I've been a vegetarian for most of it, give or take a few chick-fi-let meals on and off through the years. I have also consistently worked out either jogging, weight lifting, or yoga. I am really healthy, and I proved to myself that all my living the good life really did pay off big dividends.

I went to the audition which is quite rigorous. The audition consists of swimming the length of four football fields in under eleven minutes, breath hold, underwater comfortability, gracefulness, interview skills, and a few other things.

Now, remember, The day I went to audition I was 45 years old at the time and the last audition I had was when I was 17. The park was filled with over 75 women/girls from ages 18 and up. There wasn't an age limit.

The biggest part of the audition is the swimming endurance of four football fields within the time limit. The reason they give this first is that it truly weeds out the ones that can't handle the endurance levels.

I want to preface something about the audition. I had not practiced for decades to be able to swim the four football fields and yet, I beat out over 75 girls. I know for me it was because of the many years I have worked consistently on my apnea skills, swimming endurance, practices and that I've been a really healthy person for my entire life. Many of those girls were in there early teens and they were falling out left and right. To give you an idea of how many actually made it through all the tests and got an interview was 12. I was among the 12. I didn't actually end up getting hired that day because I truly think I had a negative energetic vibration that I was too old for the job. I believe in Law of Attraction and I had been consistently holding that thought. If I were to have been sending out positive energy about my age, I would have gotten the job. I was overqualified and I knew it.

So all in all, I believe that its sort of like that old saying or analogy about the law of the harvest. Many times people can fake a lot of things, but when push comes to shove you can only go so far. We truly do reap what we've sewn.

I think the girls that didn't get the job as a mermaid, was because they didn't have endurance mentally nor physically. They wanted the job as a mermaid for the glitz and glamour of it all. They didn't think too much about how hard the training was going to be and that they weren't going to just automatically get to be called a mermaid and get the accolades right out of the gate.

I remember when I worked there when I was 17 and we would hire more mermaids, and because they didn't get to be "mermaids" right away, they'd either quit or get fired. They wanted the name of being a mermaid but didn't think about all the work and training it would take behind the scenes. I was a trainee for a year and a half before the public ever saw my face once.

My take-home value for this post is that it will always pay off to train in life by getting experience.

I used to have the limiting mindset as I'd see the rise of others and I didn't get it. I'd get pissed that someone else was climbing higher or faster than me. So in order to make myself feel better, I would think, "they got by on someone else's merits that's why they are succeeding, they know someone with a name of importance or someone used money to leverage them." They didn't work hard enough in my opinion. It'd drive me batshit crazy until I had that audition and I realized a profound thing. I had a paradigm shift that day.  I learned that it's all about the dip, meaning when it gets extremely difficult the game changers stay in the game. They don't stop when shit gets hard. They are working on those days when others are shopping or taking a day at the beach instead of training and practice. They go through the dip, and that's what separates the successful ones from the quitters. The other thing that I have realized is if we can change the conditioned limiting beliefs from childhood, we would realize were all successors.

Too often we just don't know it until we are put up against something that will determine our inner strength and grit. There may be people getting ahead and the ones that do, have earned it. We may not see their efforts, but we aren't with them every day either. no one stays on top forever unless they are constantly striving and allowing the universe to work in their favor. It has everything to do with our vibrational energy. If you line up your energy you will be among the top 10% of successful people also. The universe is in all our favor, and the only one stopping us from getting what we want is OURSELVES.

We all have the capacity to have all that we desire. It really has everything to do with the law of attraction. What are you vibrating at with regards to money or success?

Yours til my next swim, Raquel

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Thank you so much for swimming by.