Tree Sprites, Wood Nymphs & Mistletoe fancies

Inspired by the sacred mistletoe plant that grows in the mighty oaks of Britain (favorite adornment of tree sprites & wood nymphs everywhere)

Although we usually think of Christmas decorations and kissing when we think of mistletoe, it is actually one of the most sacred herbs in Druid lore. As Ellen Evert Hopman says in her delightful book "A Druid's Herbal":

"Not quite herb,not quite tree-beyond the limitations of classification,freed from the restrictions of convention & resembling a constellation of stars suspended in midair from the bough of a sacred tree-such is the 'spirit' of this plant. It belongs to the in-between times of dusk and dawn, or the exact interval between two seasons~ a gateway to something 'other'."

Both of these are available at Thyme2dream Etsy

Just in Time for Halloween...


...Or anytime you need to feel like a fairy princess!

I am introducing a new range of simple tiaras and circlets with a much more everyday price...so now you can buy one for each of your children, or for 'I dont know when I'll wear it, but I LOVE tiaras', or buy one to go with each of your favorite faery costumes;-)

These will be available in each of my elven forest colour ranges~ this one coordinates with my Rivendell Spring and Fairy Bower collections...if you want a different colour combination and dont see the one you want listed yet, just contact me!

Mato Tipila


Mato Tipila & a 'Flower of Scotland'
photo by Ian, (all rights reserved)

I just found out that today is the anniversary of the establishment of the first National Monument in our National Parks system. Unfortunately, when they named it back in 1906, it was given the superstitious white man's moniker "Devil's Tower"...Ian and I spent a day there a couple of years ago and that is really not at all the way this beautiful sacred space should be described:). In the Lakota language it is called Mato Tipila, or bear lodge and there are many different native tribal legends about this magical place~ none of which have anything to do with devils!!

As is my habit from my homeschool mom days, I had read a bit about the site before we visited and when we arrived my head was filled with stories of the Lakota vision quests, the sacred sun dances, and White Buffalo Calf Woman and the Sacred Pipe she bestowed on her people at the foot of the tower. Although we didn't have a lot of time that day, Ian humored my weird spiritual notions and took a long slow walk around the entire base of the tower with me. He was good about understanding that I wanted to walk in silence and just treasure the experience. It was very peaceful and not at all spooky or "devilish"...the wind whispered in the pine trees and at each direction things seemed to change. I'm thinking my pagan friends might find some significance in the fact that on the north side of the tower we came upon a stand of oak trees- the ONLY oaks we saw on the entire path...

I know along the way there as been a lot of controversy over the establishment of the national monument status of the tower, (I REALLY do wish they would change the name) but I hope that the cooperation between the national park service and those who consider the site sacred ground can continue to improve so that the park can be enjoyed for generations to come.


Some references:

Opening of the new Tribal Connections Interpretive Site at Mato Tipila

National Parks Traveler Article about Climbing Restrictions

Wikipedia article with more legends:)


Titania's Dream Faery Hair Vine


Almost wordless, almost Wednesday...here is the latest in my Titania's dream series. These really are more like a "spray" than a hair vine, but somehow "hair spray" just conjures up the wrong image;-)

I DO CUSTOM COLOURS..I have this basic design listed on Etsy in several of my colour ranges already, and/or would be happy to do a new one for you if you like (please someone ask for a blue one)!

Available in my Etsy Shop


Just the Cutest Things !!

Etsy Blogger Featured Artist of the Month:

Joey and Aleetha

Every month the Etsy Blogger Team has a featured seller, this month it is our leader and founder, Joey & Altheetha. The shop is full of rockin babies and absolutely adorable cuteness in every piece...this is the place to outfit your baby for totally cool ankle biter fashion:)



And be sure to visit her blog full of kid's goodies here:

Joey & Aleetha Blog

Merlin and At Least One of the Wives...


MUSIC BREAK:)

Rick Wakeman is AMAZING~ totally AMAZING! (okay, so his hair needs a lot of help, but just watch his fingers and you'll be okay) Dont let the sweet soft beginning of this piece fool you...listen until he gets going...you wont believe your eyes! I saw him in person a couple of years ago and yes, his hands REALLY do move that fast...whooooosh.

If you have never heard of him, chances are you have still heard him before...my first introduction to him (unbeknownst to me at the time) was the gorgeous piano solo in Cat Steven's version of "Morning Has Broken"...he has recorded with David Bowie, several solo projects and of course is probably best known for his work with the band Yes.

This is a bit of a montage of several of his solo works...my hubby informs me that the carnival like bit in the middle is from Merlin, and that the INCREDIBLE bit that starts around 3:00 minutes is one of the 6 Wives of Henry the 8th...probably Catherin Parr if he remembers correctly.

Joy Bubbles


We had a lovely family picnic at my dad's house this evening. While we were there, my sister (the amazing photographer!) & my nephew helped me get some photos of a new addition to my shop- joy bubble wands.

The term "joy bubbles" is sort of a concept I came up with when I was going through a difficult time in my life and realized that the best way to make it through was to enjoy the little things that could be enjoyed no matter what else was happening. Like little "bubbles of joy" in the midst of trials.


Some days it was harder to find something to smile about, but I remembered reading the truth that Joy from God was a fruit of the Holy Spirit within me, so it was never impossible. The more I looked for them the more the bubbles got bigger and the problems got smaller....joy is a STRONG force in our lives!

The thing about joy is that it is totally different from happiness. Happiness can depend on our mood, depend on our circumstances, depend on the chemical reactions within our bodies, depend on other people, depend on our surroundings..the key thing is it DEPENDS. Joy on the other hand doesn't depend- it just is. Our connection to joy is rooted in the one thing we can control...our REACTION to all the things I just mentioned. Choices are always there waiting to be made...even if its only a little bubble to start with, joy is always there inside waiting to be discovered:)

Squidoo Sale...shhh don't tell;-)

I started a Squidoo lens recently at the recommendation of my FAE friend, Aquariann.
WOW, its addictive!!



If you are a Squid, You are cordially invited to visit my lens~ you fave me I'll fave you! You can also leave your Squidoo lens address here in the comments so others can visit as well! If you are NOT a Squid, come on in, the water's fine;-)

My lens is here:

www.squidoo.com/thyme2dream

If you are not yet a lensmaster, you can follow my referral link to start your first and we both get a wee bit extra:
http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/Thyme2dream

and I have a SPECIAL SALE offer for Squidoo-ers only, so pop in and take a look:)

Danglies n Sparklies n Stuff

(Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the Etsy Trunk Show...we had a lot of fun!) Quick post cos Im still playing catch up...here are some of my new danglie sparklie earcuff designs just listed in my Etsy Shop:


Moonlit Bower 2 in 1 Ear Cuff



Emerald Forest Fairy Ear Cuff Dangle




Bajoran Fairy Earcuff/Earring Combination
So are there fairies on Bajor?
I dunno, but if there are I think they
would wear something like this;)

Hey, We're Virtual


Etsy Labs VIRTUAL Trunk Show
Featuring:
Etsy Chainmaillers Guild
& Wire Artisans Guild
SUNDAY, September 14th
7pm EDT

What fun...the Etsy Labs have just started a virtual trunk show series, and my friend Deanna from You've Got Maille invited the Wire Artisans Guild to participate along with the fine artists from the Etsy Chainmailler's guild.

Our team is planning a short presentation from Joanne of JoJoBell about some of the wirework techniques we use...there will also be interesting info about the intricate art of chainmaille and then we will introduce some of the latest items for sale from our members. The show should last about an hour.


ITS TOTALLY FREE...even if you are not a member of Etsy its free to join (and you will LOVE the community there:). The Etsy labs are like a very deluxe chat room- with seats and special effects...you can ask questions and at the end stay for the cupcake throwing (I told you there were special effects;-). We will of course have things for sale, but no purchase is required or pressured.

For my part, it would be fun to get to meet some of you "live" and chat a bit about life the universe, wire and everything...I hope you can make it by~if you do, be sure to wave or throw food at me or something!

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE SHOW

This will take you to the etsy labs portal..from there you will click on the room that says "treehouse" to the left.


TIME CHART:
the show is at 7pm Eastern US time so just to save a bit of confusion
here are some local times for you:


6pm US Central time
5pm US Mountain time
4pm US Pacific Time

Midnight GMT (UK Time)
1am for most of western Europe
8 am in the Phillipines
10 am Sydney Australia




(if I got any of the international times wrong, dont hesitate to correct me...I know GMT because Ian and I lived in two separate time zones for 3 years, but the others Im a little hazy on, lol)

Autumn Flame Copper & Amethyst Set




October is a beautiful time of year in Kansas. The awful heat of summer has passed, we have deep blue skies, brilliant fiery leaves and crisp cool weather.




In the Flinthills, even our prairie grass changes colours, and we see vast expanses of deep golden-copper hue waving in the south wind. I created these pieces with our gorgeous autumn landscape in mind.


The tiara, necklace and earrings are available currently in my ArtFire Shop. Im thinking I will do an ear cuff and maybe a hair clip as well...if you have another request, feel free to contact me anytime:)



Where Do You Get Your Ideas?


I think this about sums it up...
(my version of a wordless Wednesday post- yes those are my hands;-)

Africa: Wire Artisans Guild of Etsy

I am honored to be a part of the Wire Artisan's Guild of Etsy...a group of amazingly talented ladies from all around the world. Here is a sampling of the gorgeous work they submitted for the August theme challenge "Africa":



For more information on our group, links to all member shops, newest designs and themes and even tutorials offered for sale from team members, please visit our blog:
The Wire Artisans Guild

Titania's Dream Earrings

...Or maybe I will end up calling them something else...but for some reason this colour combination makes me think of Titania. They have the very queenly regal splendor of the golden tones but then there is also the hint of magic and rainbows in these colours...so I think they must belong to Titania somewhere in a dream:).

Made to match the "emergency wedding" Tiara, this new set will be available in my Etsy shop soon.

Lorriane's Wedding


Ian finally finished the tiara for his daughter, Lorraine. She is getting married in a Scottish Castle, complete with kilts, bagpipes and maybe even a ghost or two...

Lorraine wanted a sort of goth but not too goth look, and we were delighted to find these gorgeous ivy leaf charms at one of our favorite bead suppliers. Ian worked forever to modify the leaves so they would work in the design, but it was well worth the effort!!

This design also has an optional Celtic Weave band that can be added:



THIS IS NOW AVAILABLE IN MY ETSY SHOP:
Elven Forest Ivy Leaf Tiara

Happy Anniversary my Beloved Circlet Wizard

Yes~ this is my hubby, yes it is our anniversary today (5th)...and yes I do still have a crush on him;)

Ian is amazing...can fix anything, build anything, writes novels,writes songs,sings, plays guitar, whistle, boudhran and bass, puts up with me on a daily basis (we work together, so it isnt always easy!), designed my Thyme2dream banner....and lots of other wonderful stuff.

He also recently joined me in my jewelry business making circlets and other things that require the use of power tools (much safer OUT of my hands). I was going to post a photo of the amazing new design he is working on for his daughter's wedding, but its not quite ready for photos today, so here is one of his older designs, available in his Etsy Shop, Dragonrider Circlets

He calls this the Dragon Dolman Circlet and based it on the mystical stone circles that dot the Scottish countryside where he was born and raised. On my first trip to Scotland we visited many of these ancient and magical sites...they were fascinating.

Happy Anniversary Ian~ I love you!!!!

Tiara for A Fairy Bridesmaid



Here is the matching bridesmaid's tiara~ very similar, but with wee fairy flower clusters on the sides instead of matching sprays as in the bride's tiara.













Emergency Weddings

Ian & I are just finishing up an order for 22 tiaras (WOOSH!) for a wedding in California...this one was exciting because they sort of waited til the last minute to order, so we had 2 weeks to finish them all. Hey, we LOVE a challenge..and I love to make people happy, so it was a natural for us! ANYWAY, in the interest of another quick post today, here is a preview of the first tiara:



These are based loosely on my Lothorien Crystal Forest Hair Vine (really more of a spray, but I couldnt call it a hair spray now could I?) and will be available in my Etsy shop soon...we have lots of other tiara designs too, and are always open to custom orders...contact us any time, even in an emergency;)

Daughter of the South Wind

Since I was on the subject of weather so much this week, I decided I would re-post an essay I wrote while back when someone asked me to explain why I call myself a daughter of the south wind...this is an account of a drive I took in early June 2006:


There are days in early summer when Kansas is almost as beautiful as Scotland; and our history-although much younger than Scotland's-sings in my spirit Today was one of those days. I drove nearly 250 miles to a small town up near the Nebraska border. It was an amazing journey!

This is historic country with lots of ancestors speaking to me all the way. I imagined myself back in the days when the Native American and European cultures still lived in relative harmony up in these parts. The French trappers and traders understood the prairie. They came and lived on the land, not trying to dominate or tame it. They also adapted to the native ways of life, didn't try to force change upon them. For a long time the French were the only immigrants who could live here comfortably.

The Spaniards came with their swagger and gold lust; but they were driven back by the fierce, wild Kansa tribe and a land that held only spiritual riches. Coronado couldn't understand that the seven cities of Cibola were indeed cities of gold- but not the kind he craved. The gold of this land was the endless sea of golden prairie grass that held a fire he would never understand. The riches were the amazingly productive cultivation of the Wichita tribe. Even the bountiful harvest they offered in peace did not impress his greedy soul beyond the sustenance it provided.

On the way home, I drove along the backside of a line of towering summer thunderheads. That is by far the most amazing scenery in Kansas- our changing skies:). I saw rainbows, mushrooming cumulonimbus heads, fierce looking scud clouds, and eventually the wild and sensual mammatus clouds billowing out of the underside of the anvil of a mature storm.

As I turned east toward home, I chased the rain back into Topeka. I watched the sunset splash amazing colours on the still wet landscape~deep greens with glittering silver and gold drops everywhere~and paint the sky vivid sun-god colours of gold and orange.

Once the darkness fell, I was treated to the light show. This line of storms was riding the cool front across Kansas and stretched from as far north to as far south as I could see. There were pockets of lightning dancing everywhere across the front. The chain lightning that seemed to fly from the ground up into the clouds and dance from storm to storm illuminated my path homeward....

There are days when I am in awe of the privilege of being a 5th generation native Kansan and am proud to call my self a daughter of the south wind~today was one of the best!

A Lovely Evening

Ian & I are honored to be able to host Ian's friend Jim Malcolm in concert this evening. Jim is a scholar and a gentleman and has an AMAZING voice...not to mention his guitar playing, etc. We have had a fun couple of days hangin with him and talking history, folk music and life in general. Here is a video from You Tube of Jim singing one of my all time favorite Robert Burns songs celebrating the common man:



I love the whole song, but especially the last verse:


Then let us pray that come it may
(As come it will for a' that)
That Sense and Worth o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree an' a' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's comin yet for a' that,
That man to man the world o'er
Shall brothers be for a' that.



~so be it:)

A Bit of Jewelry in Between









Here is my new Red Fairy Ear Cuff! I love the photo above because my wee garden fairy is holding the cuff, but I know its not the best photo of the actual jewelry...so here is one with my favorite chunk of Sodalite as a prop

Gustav DID Weaken, but still threatens...

So the good news is,
"Latest data from the Hurricane Hunters at 8:30 am EDT shows that Gustav continues to weaken, with the pressure now 957 mb, and no surface winds above Category 2 strength observed. Cold water that the hurricane stirred up from the depths plus the effects of wind shear caused the eyewall to collapse a few hours before landfall, resulting in weakening."

BUT:
"The main concern from Gustav is the storm surge. NHC is still predicting a 10-14 foot storm surge along the east side of New Orleans (Figure 2). This storm surge is characteristic of a Category 3 hurricane, providing a significant test of New Orleans' rebuilt levee system. Recent tide gauge readings from the east side of New Orleans show that a storm surge in excess of 7 feet has already occurred in Lake Borgne (Figure 1)."




So keep the positive energy flowing towards the region everyone:)

This info and other fun scientific sort of stuff can all be found here:

Dr Jeff Master's Wunderblog


I will get back to jewelry later tonight or tomorrow..promise;)
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