When you see a stage set with several large drums, one covered in zebra hide and others bearing horns, you expect a certain type of music.  When the band members come out on stage all in leather with long and mangled hair, tattoos, and a sprinkling of cave-man jewelery, your suspicions are almost totally confirmed.  What you don't expect (especially from obviously mannish Italians) is bagpipes.  Three of them.

Now, I won't say that I don't like bagpipes.  I was recently at a lantern festival where a piper played as the lanterns were set out across the water - it was quite beautiful.  However, I expect most bagpipe music to be mournful and, well, Scottish.  I don't expect Italian metal-looking dudes to be playing them.  Still, the sight of such dudes prancing around with enthusiasm and actually playing a variety of non-repetitive songs on the things is impressive and delightful.  In fact, they were so into it that I was afraid several times that one of the swirling bagpipers was going to conch out the drummer with the horns with some of his pipes.  Pretty intense and moving stuff.  And while some of their attempts to interact with the crowd were hampered by less-than-fluent English, it still got the point across.  By the third or fourth song in, I was really grooving to those pipes, along with the rest of the crowd.

I have yet to find a way to buy their stuff online, and alas, I did not get a CD before they left.  But I will be looking for it.  In the meantime, their Myspace page is here.  Knock yourselves out.

Postscript - found the website!

Reading: 'Long Night's Journey into Day' by James Emery White

Thinking: "The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you..."

How to Annoy Me: I'm too tired to remember. :-)

How to Charm Me: Clear my tray for me because you see that I'm exhausted.

Quote of the Day: To give someone a blessing is the most significant affirmation we can offer. It is more than a word of praise or appreciation; it is more than pointing out someone's talents or good deeds; it is more than putting someone in the light. To give a blessing is to affirm, to say "yes" to a person's Belovedness. - Henri Nouwen

There is a reason that I have chosen Ambermoon as my nom de plume.  It captures beautifully my spirit.  When you think of an Amber colored moon doesn't it evoke a beautiful image in your mind?  One of peace, beauty, calm?  They are rare, Amber moons.  Not something seen every day.  They have a specialness about them.  

I have always been drawn to the night and to the moon.  Even as a child I would sit in my bed and gaze out at the moon and the night sky.  Many nights I wished upon the moon as though it had some magical power, as though it was a tangible sign of God, to remind me he was there, listening.

When I began to drive, I ventured out into the night when troubled or upset.  I used to sit on the beach for hours watching the waves crash, staring at the moon.  My other favorite spot was Wayfarer's Chapel located in Portuguese Point, CA.  I would sit outside the church which is located on a cliff overlooking the sea and stare all night at the moon praying.  I felt so peaceful at those times.  So close to God.

People feel the romance of the moon don't they?  The moon is a symbol of love and affection.  For some its a magical and mystical thing.  I see it as an old friend.  I  miss it on the nights that it is obscured and does not show itself.  

Tonight, like this morning I am gazing out the window at the lake and into the night sky.  I am blessed to witness a full Amber moon shining on the lake's surface.  Its a magnificent night.  A tiny touch of chill in the air.  The stars are in the sky and are twinkling brightly.  Its a night for wishes and dreams to come true.

Ah... maybe oh maybe its a sign from God, that healing is coming soon and that I will have respite from my suffering of my body and soul.  I hope so.  If nothing else, the sight of this night is beautiful and soothing.  Actually, I am grateful for the sight, and that is enough.....

You see, McCain isn't the type to need to lie, or control when it comes to his masculinity. He probably doesn't need to visit whores with little black books in Washington D.C. and pray that the word doesn't get out. His machismo, American-style is already evident. Just read that book. It's got charm nonpareil, when you read about all his wild exploits. When we talk about McCain, we are talking about a MAN. And probably the biggest McMAN Washington has EVER KNOWN.

Isn't it time to realize that the generation we have all lived in is SEXUALLY EXPERIENCED. That's right. There may be some of you men who aren't, but, women know how to recognize a "leader of the pack" with balls when they see one. On the pages of a memoir, no less.

Men like John McCain don't treat American women like Democratic Men do. They don't make jokes about women, let stand up comedians defile them publicly, give the finger to them, and they certainly don't have questionable associations to other guys named Sinclair who did interesting things to them in limos. Do they? Nope.

Men like John McCain are breathtaking behind closed doors.

They are the type of men who always take responsibility for birth control too, just in case. Usually because they figured all of this out for themselves, or some older guy taught them about women early on.

In fact, I'd venture to guess that few men around Washington have a tenth of the experience a man like McCain has! He has that lost rare quality of not only being a gentleman, but also a maverick rogue...

Men like McCain are usually known for "doing the RIGHT THING" when it comes to the female sex. That's why, I think if Carly Fiorina has a little chat about what the current administration wants to enforce, read Politico on all this birth control nonsense, she is going to be straight with him. As any of us feminists would expect her to.

Now, why you ask?

Let me refer you to Ms. Magazine, and then you can have some sense of how the tail end Baby Boom women think! Do you have any idea how many votes this group represents? Millions. And, we can't stand Obama. That is why we wanted Hillary Clinton. She is sane. When it comes to Women's Issues.

What strikes me as funny is all the members of the Religious Right, right now. Like that Polygamy sect down in Texas. Losers. Men like that are sick, no? Really sick. My sense is they are the biggest weaklings sexually on earth, and frankly they ought to be punished for being such imbeciles, and for indoctrinating children into sick abusive cults.

A guy like McCain? He'd never stand for things like that, as an AMERICAN MALE.

Also, it would probably be fiscally prudent in a time when the job and housing market in America has been swept down the river to expect people would resort to sex for amusement, no? Except, there isn't any health insurance! So, how is GOVERNMENT going to pick up the tab for THE WELFARE STATE that not having access to BIRTH CONTROL is going to create? My sense is that the Republican Party must be thinking about these things because they don't believe in WELFARE in the first place.

So, in this election, who is the "girlie-man" and who is the "ladies-man."

McCain is the EXPERIENCED MAN. McCain is the MAN's man. Men like McCain don't need to take things like Viagra. Perhaps this is why he wasn't sure how to answer that question, publicly.

Men like McCain are Westerners. Their forte has everything to do with climaxes.

And now you are saying, but Valentine, do you mean there are actually men like that left on the face of this planet? My answer to you is yes.

The wimpy types? Right now they are hanging with the mayor of Los Angeles. His poor wife, no? Look what happened with that reporter, and his marriage! We laugh like the wicked, experienced, feminists we are at that one, knowing it's only a matter of time before we start reading about the breakup of NON-CAMELOT in a similar fashion, because -- it's bound to happen, especially with friends like that guy hanging around.

Latino men are going to recognize McCain's machismo. Just like American women do.

It's that simple.

Men like John McCain could teach all those poor little simpering, praying, sexless worms a thing or two about what real manhood looks like, couldn't he? As far as I'm concerned he doesn't have an equal in this respect in our Government right now. Why, even California's governor looks like a total pansy stacked up against McCain and what he is made out of...

“Burger?” asked the Tripper.

“Yes, please,” replied the Hatter.

“Would you like that with extra cheese?”

“Extra cheese and mayo neighs.”

“Ya ya ya... get in bugger. Will any of the wise men be coming along?”

“The ones who power the pen that writes song?”

“Ya bugger, ya! Which wise men would I meet otherwise? The ones who remove boiled eggs from thin air and are later called ‘Baba, Baba, Baba’?” asked the Tripper with a serious face and saucer-like eyes.

“Sir Teddy might not turn up,” the Hatter said while plopping on a seat, “but Dr. Noel is available... and it’s just legal practice should we meet.”

Back and forth the Tripper’s head went as it oscillated. His eyes got wider and his pupils probably dilated. Sitting on his chair he continued to nod, grinning without a care and looking like a lord.

“Let’s meet good old Ethan then and hope his mood is effervescent, so we can chill beyond ten and my week-long boredom I can vent.”

Saying that he got off his seat and the Hatter followed him out into the street. Together they were going to meet a translucent soul, a wise man named Dr. Ethan Noel. They knew what was coming their way later that night. It would be an evening of bliss and psychological flight. For Dr. Noel’s spirit and charm would put a spell on one and all, turning every bugger who came in contact into a ‘bugger;ol’!

“Bugger;ol man. You’re going to be a bugger;ol man,” said Tripper le Snapper with a broad grin, sounding like a scratched CD with stubble on his chin. Soon they would be two bugger;ols swimming in a fish bowl in the company of Dr. Ethan Noel.

Reading: 'Wise Words'

Thinking: Hallelujah! *happy dance* *back flip* :-D

How to Annoy Me: Fail to realize that I don't really give a damn.

How to Charm Me: On top of having a sexy accent, be sweet and kind. (No, RWG. Not you...this time. :-) )

Quote of the Day: Looking back, I have this to regret, that too often when I loved, I did not say so. - David Grayson

Prayer: The will of God be done by us; The law of God be kept by us; Our evil will controlled by us; Our sharp tongue checked by us; Quick forgiveness offered by us; Speedy repentance made by us; Temptation sternly shunned by us; Blessed death welcomed by us; Angels' music heard by us; God's highest praises sung by us. - Celtic Prayer

Available here

Extremely vivid, high quality charm featuring Superman's S crest in flames encased forever in a waterproof, super shiny, and crystal clear high gloss finish.

Comes with a 30" ball chain which can easily be cut to size or an 18" black leather cord. Please indicate preferences upon checking out.

Easy to clean with Windex or warm water. White spots are merely glare from my camera lens.

Your new necklace be will carefully packaged and wrapped in a organza pouch ideal for gift giving. Ships within 24 hours of payment received. Sent via USPS first class mail.

FREE SHIPPING on additional items, take advantage!

Questions, comments, or custom orders? Please contact me.

Thank you for looking and have a wonderful day!

]]> http://bellacroft.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/circle-of-sentiments-butterfly-copper-necklace/ Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:04:36 +0000 Jen http://bellacroft.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/circle-of-sentiments-butterfly-copper-necklace/

*New to Bellacroft*

Circle of Sentiments has extended their popular line of hand stamped necklaces! They are now offering 3 new copper designs: Butterfly, Flower and Heart (Which has a crystal as well!)

They have also added Jeweled Sterling Silver Necklaces that can be personalized and embellished with a variety of crystals.

These necklaces are perfect for proud moms! Each crystal can represent the birth month of a child or simply a favorite color!

Use coupon code: SHIPFREE for all Circle Sentiments orders over $25.

Entire Circle of Sentiments Collection

I recently found some turned wood beads at an estate sale.  I had never seen handmade turned beads at a sale before.  The wood was much more beautiful than the packaged wood beads from the 70's.  I decided to take some of the smaller beads and make a couple of bracelets.  I hadn't worked on a charm bracelet for a while.  I thought my etsy shop could use a few more button and bead bracelets.

I decided to make the first bracelet a simple tribal design.  The wood on the oval beads was so lovely that I decided it didn't need much accent.  I found the black and white beads in the basket with my wood beads.  I added dark blue posted buttons.  I added the buttons to add color without drawing attention away from the simple designs on the white and black beads and the beautiful browns of the wood beads.

I loved the wood bell beads from the moment I saw them.  Each bead is unique, a wonderful characteristic of handmade materials.  I added the same elements to each wood bead, blue beads and a silver bead cap, to make all the beads look similar.  I decided to add turquoise and silver to the warm wood color of the beads.  I think they look like little turquoise and brown bell flowers.  This is a very full bracelet.  I used every wood bell bead I had.

The last bracelet is made with flat flower shaped wood beads.  I've had the beads for quite a while.  I've been looking for a good use for them.  I used them as I would a bead cap on either end of a white bead.  The white bone ( I think) beads came from a broken necklace I acquired at an estate sale.  I liked the gold, brown and white color combination on this charm bracelet.  I found a variety of gold buttons to go along with the beaded dangles.  This is another very full bracelet.

I have to take a few more photos before listing them in my shop. 

Available here

Necklace featuring an extremely high quality photo of Dirty Jobs - Mike Rowe.

Photo has been encased forever in a waterproof, super shiny, and crystal clear high gloss finish.

Hangs from a split ring and comes with your choice of a 30" ball chain which can easily be cut to size or an 18" black leather cord. Please indicate preferences upon checking out.

Measures a just over 1" making it a tad bigger than a quarter.

* Please note that the white spots are glare from my camera due to the charm being shiny.

Your new necklace is carefully packaged and wrapped in a organza pouch. Ships within 24 hours of payment received. Sent via USPS first class mail.

FREE SHIPPING on additional items, take advantage!

Customer service is of the highest priority, if there's anything else I can help assist you with please don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for stopping by,

Amanda

Available here

One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right...

Necklace featuring an extremely high quality photo of the legendary Bob Marley.

Photo has been encased forever in a waterproof, super shiny, and crystal clear high gloss finish.

Hangs from a split ring and comes with your choice of a 30" ball chain which can easily be cut to size or an 18" black leather cord. Please indicate preferences upon checking out.

Measures a just over 1" making it a tad bigger than a quarter.

* Please note that the white spots are glare from my camera due to the charm being shiny.

Your new necklace is carefully packaged and wrapped in a organza pouch. Ships within 24 hours of payment received. Sent via USPS first class mail.

FREE SHIPPING on additional items, take advantage!

Customer service is of the highest priority, if there's anything else I can help assist you with please don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for stopping by,

Amanda

Available here

Necklace features a skull accented fleur-de-lis which has been encased forever in a waterproof, super shiny, and crystal clear high gloss finish.

Hangs from a split ring and comes with your choice of a 30" ball chain which can easily be cut to size or an 18" black leather cord. Please indicate preferences upon checking out.

Measures a just over 1" making it a tad bigger than a quarter.

* Please note that the white spots are glare from my camera due to the charm being shiny.

Your new necklace is carefully packaged and wrapped in a organza pouch. Ships within 24 hours of payment received. Sent via USPS first class mail.

FREE SHIPPING on additional items, take advantage!

Customer service is of the highest priority, if there's anything else I can help assist you with please don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you for stopping by,

Amanda

Reading: 'Embracing the Mysterious God: Loving the God We Don't Understand' by James Emery White

Thinking: At least I'll have fodder for my tell-all...

How to Charm Me: Look me in the eye and smile when telling me to have a good day.

How to Make Me Blush: Tell me that one of the guys you work with saw me at church and said I was beautiful.

Quote of the Day: If you are a Christian, you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through. ...If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all these religions, even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth. - C.S. Lewis

Enjoying: "God loves a "trier"!"

Thinking: Oh, for the money to do what I want...

How to Annoy Me: Keep us waiting by the phone all day. You're lucky we love you. :-)

How to Charm Me: Make my chai exactly the way I like it.

How to Make Me Blush: Mention me during your sermon. :-D

Quote of the Day: Everything that is done in the world is done by hope. - Martin Luther

Reading: 'Are You Well-Read?' (I've read at least 17 of those.)

Thinking: Rich and Elizabeth need to move closer. :-)

How to Annoy Me: Admit that you actively try to make my annoy list.

How to Charm Me: Let us help you plan your wedding.

Quote of the Day: If you find God with great ease, perhaps it is not God that you have found... - Thomas Merton

Reading: 'The Shack' by William P. Young

Thinking: It's so nice to have at least one person who supports my not wanting to be married.

How to Annoy Me: Keep making that noise after I have repeatedly told you to stop. Don't make me come over there and backhand you.

How to Charm Me: Bring me a soda when I'm busily decorating the church.

Quote of the Day: Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect. - Mark Twain

Reading: How To Look Fierce and Wear a Mini Skirt (A how to in a how to. How novel.)

Thinking: I love my church. :-)

How to Annoy Me: Tell me you want me to get married just so you'll be right. :-P

How to Charm Me: Randomly call my work and ask me if size matters. If you can make me laugh at work, you've truly charmed me.

Quote of the Day: We find common bonds in the shared details of the human journey, not in the divergent conclusions we draw from those details. - Parker Palmer

Last night I sat down with jewelry wire, a cork from a bottle of wine to use to form a cage, and my package of dice.  The cage idea was not as easy as I first thought it would be.  So, instead of a cage as I couldn't get one I liked, I tried to different holdings with the wire of the die.  I am not totally happy with either but am going to post the image as maybe someone can help with what I really want these to look like.  I hate when what I see in my mind's eye doesn't happen the first few times. 

Queen of Shadow, pain and sorrow

hear these words of nothing borrowed

I come Thee with my own despair

hear, O'Lady Thy child of Air.

Confined to flesh with magicks halved

hear this plea and stay Thy wrath

I cling to Thee, Immortal Mother

to Thee alone and no other.

Bound to Thee as time began

a Blade of Air in Thy hand

never have I cried to Thee

but stood alone as Thee decreed.

~~\/~~

Queen of Ice, wind and storm

aid Thy child to reshape the form

which imprisons the Soul of Thy design

and confines the magicks of this mind.

The songs of agony scream Thy name

forever within the framework of Rain

hear, O'Lady this foolish charm

and grant the embrace of Thy cold arms,

Free the Souls of all I know

and grant them Life in which to grow

taking from me all Thee needs

this child of Thine who's heart does bleed.

~~\/~~

Queen of Vengeance, razors and snow

Thy child weeps for this place to know

transform her to Thy own True Blade

and allow the others their escape.

Find not mercy but cold true logic

put away this child's toxins

bring her to Thy heart most frozen

embrace her with the Cold Dark Wind.

Said thus once the tides are turned

stripping flesh of pain's hot burn

Said thus twice is a task half done

as shadow sooths the flaming sun

~~\/~~

Said thus a third and final time

completes the charm of Air's lost child.

Thinking: Flossing can't *really* add five years to your life...can it?

How to Annoy Me: Tell me you want to see what I look like on the weekends. I look like crap when I go to work! Now ask me if I care!

How to Charm Me: When I tell you that I'm baby-sitting instead of geocaching, tell me we can stick the kids in the cache. :-D

Quote of the Day: Being Christian is not about meeting requirements for a future reward in an afterlife, and not very much about believing. Rather, the Christian life is about a relationship with God that transforms life in the present. To be Christian does not mean believing in Christianity, but a relationship with God lived within the Christian tradition as a metaphor and sacrament of the sacred. - Marcus J. Borg

Reading: The Rules of the Internet

Thinking: I am gonna make it a POINT to be extra kind to people behind the counter. They deal with a lot of crap!

How to Annoy Me: Give me a complicated order and then get irritated when I screw up it. My bad!

How to Charm Me: ............

Quote of the Day: Customers attitude will determine speed of service. - sign by the register in a bar in Seattle

I had a request as to what kind of work I've done with blood and any suggestions I had, so I'd like to attempt to answer this.  For the most part, I do personal sacrifices with blood because I feel as though my own personal energy is one of the few things that you can offer up as a sacrifice and blood seems to be the best medium to physically offer up energy.  Other ways I've come up with are to sacrifice something that I've spent a lot of time developing a relationship with or that I've had to physically put a lot a of effort to create.

Another good reason to use blood is when you are doing something that you aren't actually tying yourself to, such as doing any type of minor healing.  The thing to remember is that you are connecting yourself with whatever you do.  I believe that this connection is the real power of blood.  It lets the charm/spell/healing draw on your own energy whenever necessary to do the work you want it to do.  In a healing instance, I wouldn't really want to let this happen because if it's a serious illness the blood might draw a bit too much energy from yourself.  I hate to sound like a silly kid who reads too many fantasy books, but that just seems like a reasonable expectation when working with a medium that I've found to connect you energetically to whatever you use it for.  So I'd limit the use of blood in healing to the less serious stuff.

If there is a reason you really want to bind yourself to something, then this would be the best method I could think of.  Historically it's been used in the "blood brother" ritual where two people would cut themselves and then bleed into each other's cuts.  This, of course, is now recognized as a very bad idea now that AIDS is rampant and we understand the whole idea of blood born pathogens.  The idea of it though could be very useful.  I can't really think of an example right now but I'm sure there could be reasons.  Maybe to do a ritual in which you use blood and wedding rings (mind you, this will bind you but won't necessarily make you happy) or something of this sort.

The most useful idea I can think of is with protection spells.  I have no problem giving up some energy to protect myself, my family or my possessions, and adding a bit of blood to your protection sachets or on top of the sage you're burning would be an excellent use.  The previous example of the protection charm for a child is a good idea.  The key on this one is intent though.  I did the protection spell on the necklace for my girlfriend at the time and imagined my energy protecting her and that kept me around so that my energy could continue to protect her.  Because there was a chance we were going to break up, that was a bad idea and I will refuse to give someone a protection charm with blood on it unless they are family or there is a time when they will give it back for me to destroy it/keep it safe. 

Again, I'd like to stress the fact that blood shouldn't be used in every ceremony/spell/charm you do and it definitely should be used cautiously but I'd suggest that everyone keep it in their possible spellkit.