Thursday, November 28, 2013

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I wish you all a wonderful and safe weekend. Thanks for visiting my blog and my Etsy Shop, for supporting my craft and other craftsmen on Etsy. To thank you all, everything in my shop is 20% off until Tuesday. Use the code THANKS2013 during checkout and remember Small Business Saturday. Cheers !
 
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Monday, November 25, 2013

Frost Flowers

It has been cold here in the Ozarks. Cold. The cold has yielded a rare treat, though: a frost flower. A frost flower forms when the air is freezing but the ground is not. The stem of the plant is still pulling water up from the ground but the freezing air causes the stems to crack and ice to form in extremely thin layers which is pushed out from the stems of plants in the most wonderful patterns, like Christmas ribbon candy. These were found on my Ozark hill near an area that is often wet. I'm not sure what these plants were before they went to seed but they seem to all have woody stems.
 







 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Stocking the Shelves for Your Holiday Stockings

There are many new things in the Traveling Chariot Shop - new tiny journals, pocket sized journals, large sketchbooks, feather quill sets, and always old world photographs. Grab them now and get a head start on your holiday gift giving. Below is only a sampling of my new wares. Click on images below to learn more about these treasures.
 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/169711965/a-box-of-wonderous-words-upcycled-cigar?ref=shop_home_active
 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/166634911/feather-quill-pen-set-quill-pen-paper?ref=related-0

https://www.etsy.com/listing/169499207/traveling-tiny-mini-journal-green-hand?ref=shop_home_active

https://www.etsy.com/listing/169591300/a-journey-in-the-dark-handbound-leather?ref=shop_home_active

https://www.etsy.com/listing/169711965/a-box-of-wonderous-words-upcycled-cigar?ref=shop_home_active

https://www.etsy.com/listing/169676383/little-nomad-travelers-pocket-journal?ref=shop_home_active

Friday, November 22, 2013

Snoopy's Sleigh

Another Holiday Window @ Aurora Pet Salon

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Christmas Window Cheer

Some Festive Windows I painted at Missouri Loan Center
Chapell Dr. Monett, MO
 
Missouri Loan Center

Santa and his sleigh at Security Finance
Chapell Dr. Monett, MO


Monday, November 18, 2013

The Traveling Tiny - a mini, wearable, wee journal

New in my Etsy Shop are Traveling Tiny miniature journals (many new full sized and pocket sized journals as well. The shelves are getting stocked):
 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/169489308/traveling-tiny-mini-journal-hand-bound?ref=shop_home_active

https://www.etsy.com/listing/167301943/traveling-tiny-mini-journal-hand-bound?ref=shop_home_active
 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/169519863/traveling-tiny-mini-journal-green-hand?ref=shop_home_active
 
Make a statement with this Traveling Tiny hand bound journal necklace. Small enough to be worn yet big enough to hold actual words, wishes, quotes, love letters, or secrets.
 
This Traveling Tiny journal can easily be turned into a locket, full of tiny photos.
 
These also make great Christmas ornaments, some old world charm to adorn your tree. Within them, record your Christmas traditions from year to year or things that happened throughout the year. Keep milestones from Baby's First Year or Baby's First Christmas within the tiny pages. Or let your child write their letter to Santa in the wee journal and have Santa send it back for a unique keepsake.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Wild Tales: Gray Fox Epistles

Let me introduce you to a wonderful tale-teller. Her name is Sylvia Victor Linsteadt. She is the fertile mind behind Gray Fox Epistles and the Leveret Letters (stories especially for children). Gray Fox Epistles are stories sent to you by mail by subscription, monthly. The stories are wild and wonderful, well-written, and packaged up nicely. They are quite a treat to receive by post. You may purchase just one month or sign up for a subscription. They are mailed out each month on the new moon and cost 10$ per month.
 
I have received two: "The Seal Lion Woman of Olina" and "Desert Isis." Both tales were lovely, mystical, meaningful stories. Sylvia's stories are steeped in myth, folklore, and a deep respect and love for the world of nature. You should be encouraged to read your Gray Fox Tale in the woods, or on a beach, or a desert valley. They are just as suited to a dark room lit by warm, crackling fire. Probably best if read aloud, the way stories were once read, the way stories like to be told. One of these stories would make a great gift (what a surprise it would be).
 
Each tale is accompanied by a tidbit of information about the myth that inspired the tale as well a short, handwritten blessing from Sylvia. She also writes a blog post that delves deeper into the myths and inspirations connected to each tale. Best of all, little things glitter out of the envelope when opened like rose petals, bits of wool yarn, sagebrush leaves - things that have kept the tale company across the many miles it has traveled. It's been a long journey - open and enjoy.....
 
 
Sylvia's Lovely Blog @ http://theindigovat.blogspot.com/
 
More information @ http://wildtalewort.com/
 

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Scenes from November

A brilliant, ephemeral sunset from our home hill.


Sometimes trains frustrate me. Usually I'm needing to be somewhere and on the other side. But they are a great reminder to slow down and look around, enjoy a moment to sit. Look around. Don't mind the rumble and the screeching whistle. I'm a kid again, fascinated with my favorite locomotive.

I've been seeing huge groups of blackbirds over golden fields lately, these guys stopped for a break.

Dangling persimmons ripe for the all the forest creatures. We have several persimmon trees about our land. I don't recommend eating them unless they are super ripe. Ripe ones taste like orange flavored candy. Around here people cut the seeds in half to reveal a spoon, fork, or knife. I think a spoon = snow. A fork = mild winter.  And  knife = cold.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Gifts from Autumn

Pibern Trail at Roaring River State Park just outside of Cassville.
Access this trail at the back end of the RV Campground.
 
Awesome Rock Formations on the Pibern Trail

Trees along a dry creek bed on the Pibern Trail

Sugar Camp Scenic Drive from HWY 112 to HWY 86 (8 miles mostly unpaved)
View of the horizon from the Sugar Camp Scenic Drive

Autumn Windows



Sunday, November 3, 2013

Write On

I have been so busy bookmaking the last couple of months, all summer really, that I rarely took time to write. And it took a coffee mug from a friend for me to realize it. It is simple, white, adorned with a pencil in motion writing an "ahhhh................" That, my friend, is the satisfactory sigh of a well written sentence, or the sound that escapes from a sentence as it is exorcised from the mind in which it has been held for far too long. And so back to the pen and paper I must return, as that is the life of a writer, the blessing or curse. A blessing, I think, today, and it is good to go back.
 

Much to my delight, the following day a fellow Etsian featured my Feather Quill Pen Set in a Treasury. A writer or artist would delight to find this lovely collection in their stocking this Christmas. We should all be so lucky. Thanks DixieSisters for treasuring my item. Check out their shop for great Holiday crafts and accessories.