Haunted Instruments and Tools of the Dead.....

    Well I figured that would get you here & reading! A lot has been afoot since my last entry,a big change is coming,but I don't want to spill the beans just yet. I want to be sure this is an all systems go before I make my announcement. Now that you're wondering what is going on over here.....I'll change the subject. *Giggles*
     Rain has been hitting hard here all week,and I can't tell you how happy I am to see the sun shining this morning. We needed the rain badly,but 3 or 4 days of gloomy all day weather & I start getting lethargic. I planted a cauldron planter with the cutest orange pansies you ever wanted to see-I'll take a pic in the next few days and share it with you. Luckily I did this before the rains hit! 
     I've been getting into the Cowgirl lifestyle these past several months,tho my taste in music hasn't wandered into country music. Instead,I discovered Gypsy violin music and have fallen in love with it. I'm learning my A minor scale as we speak,so I can learn my 1st gypsy tune.Oddly enough,I remember as a grade school girl wanting to join a gypsy caravan as a fortune teller in traditional gypsy garb & jewelry. I also won a Glasser bow for a wheel of a deal on an online auction. Breaking it in is going to be tricky as I'm having a time getting the rosin to stick to the bow hair. 
    Seeing as Halloween is drawing near,I thought I'd share with you a secret:most of my tools I craft with such as knitting needles,crochet hooks,fabric,and sewing notions come from the dearly departed. That's right. It happens when you go to estate sales. Some are freely given,too-I've had knitting needles thrust in my hands more than once with the seller of the goods telling me to just take them for free to get them out of the house. Did they catch the ghost of their loved one attempting to knit? Did they hear the footsteps & clicking of the aluminum needles in the other room? Did they spy a ball of yarn rolling across the floor by itself? If they did they're not telling.
     Which brings me to musical instruments. (I see your eyebrows raising already) Has anyone ever owned a haunted fiddle,guitar,or banjo? Have you ever sensed a presence from a particular instrument,as tho it had a spirit of it's very own? Has anyone ever purchased an instrument from an estate and once you got it home,oddball unexplainable things start happening around the house? I would imagine this must happen every once in awhile but have never heard a tale about it. 
      On the storefront I have rosin coming in so I can offer that as well as nylon guitar strings. Gift packages are also being assembled for Yule that will involve no wrapping. How cool is that? And I'm knitting neckwarmers & will more than likely post one or two to sell. Perfect for fretted instrument players as you never have to worry about it sliding off your neck or getting in the way. Makes me feel productive while watching TV at night,and football on the weekend. 

Holiday Crafting,Music Making, & Other Delights!

     I rarely brag on my own creations but isn't that ghost pin the cutest? Yep-I made that myself & it's up for sale in my Etsy store!
     I haven't written sooner due to the Universe shaking things up in a good way,and as Joseph Campbell once put it,there's been "a million unseen hands" working on the next chapter of my Dads & my life. 
     It started on one of those days where nothing much was happening till the doorbell rang. There's a pair of women realtors who stop by every 12-16 months or so & this was their day to ask the same question they've been asking since I believe 2005......"why haven't you moved yet????" Dad & I usually voice our usual story,being discontent with the neghborhood,etc etc to them every time they come around. Well this time Dad told them of his plans to add on & fix up the place we're in now,tho we still feel the same about the area we live in. "Well,"one of the women said,"you can make this place as nice as you like but you'll still be in the same city." Something in her tone really hit a deep resonating note inside me. She was right and we both knew it. "Why don't you check out some properties online in that area you've been wanting to move to?" She suggested. Hmmm. Curiousity up,I went to the site she recommended and figured it wouldn't hurt to look,but of course we're not even thinking about actually doing the deed.
     Until I spied this one property-one workshop and one modern barn. On several acres of land. Neighbors are somewhat close but not on top of you like they are here. House is newer than I prefer,but nice.Fireplace,house is bigger than what we're in now,a raised vegatable garden,and I could have chickens here just like my great grandmother did in Manhattan Beach way before I was born. I showed it to Dad. He fell in love with the buildings. So did I. I could have a fiddle workshop out there & rehair bows. Dad could do his projects he's been wanting to do,and not have to worry about the cats getting into it. 
      Next thing I know he's chatting with the woman handling the property. Next thing I know he's making out the paperwork & getting the $$ together to purchase the place after we discussed it & decided it's now or never. We'll find out for sure in early November. 
      I never understood what Sarah Ban Breathnach experienced when she found her dream home called "Newtons Chapel" in the UK. She talks about just falling in love with the place and going for it. Until I saw this property. It just swept me off my feet. And the view is magnificent. I'll keep you all posted and my fingers are crossed.

     In the meantime I've started putting together these gift sets for my eBay store. I designed the hanging gift bag myself and it's fully lined. No wrapping to do,just buy it and tah dah! Im using vintage buttons for that Old Fashioned Holiday feel,and it makes each one truly unique!

     And the universe has been helping in a huge way with Sassy,(on the left) who I found out after a rather expensive visit to the vet has dermatitis-rather severe & due to her allergy to fleas. The steroid shot she had received in July (which worked magnificently) had wore off & it was starting all over again-the constant scratching,biting,and she was just starting to go back to the rolling off balance as the itching was so severe. I looked up feline dermatitis on the web,found out what natural methods there were to control it,& found a wonderful liquid remedy at Dr Fosters-Smith that I mix in either a small amount of Prego spaghetti sauce or in any other sauce that's leftover when I make chicken for dinner.
     I kid you not,just a 1/2 tsp in the Prego and the next day I could tell a difference-she wasn't in constant motion and the tell tale tiny bumps at the base of her tail are receding.She's been sleeping peacefully and it's cut down on her hairballs as she's no longer constantly grooming. This formula was under $11.00!