larger than you...

Sometimes you cannot put all the pieces together…until the moment when it hits, and everything God has been working on, and in you, makes you ready to face it…to meet it… 

It is difficult to see light when all you feel is darkness, and sadness, and hopelessness. When you try and make sense of things enough to have something you can hold on to. 

Sooner or later you realize that all your understanding is incomplete.

 You can never know all the parts…like a tapestry. You are a thread…a beautifully woven thread in a larger picture, and only One who is greater is able to see… 

There is peace...when you can let go. And trust in something larger than what hits you...what breaks you...something larger than, you.

And the light comes shining in through the darkness. 

pause, dearest...

when you walk in peace, you have the capacity to look around and catch beauty...even in the midst of difficulty and craziness. 

it isn’t possible to really slow down all the time. so, what will be your intention? downshifting? thankfulness? strength? …love?

holding less tightly to unnecessary things…things that crowd the soul. making room for the things that fill, nourish: a cup of tea on the porch, a happenstance friend, a hand-written note, prayer, a divine appointment…

pause, dearest.

Beauty in the Mundane...

Beauty in the mundane. Something catches your eye and quietly speaks to your soul saying, 

'pay attention...you'll not want to miss this'... 

And miss it you will, if you aren't careful...intentional...

...looking...

 A grocery store bouquet of daisies. A reminder of a soul sister. Kindred spirit. Warrior princess.

Every day there is beauty in the ordinary. Only ordinary because it is what is observed every day. 

But with an intentional pause, the ordinary, the mundane, becomes something else altogether.

The mundane becomes amazing. 

Just as it always is...if you have the eyes to see it...

Felted Pendants

      I had so much fun making my newest Etsy items...Felted Mushroom Pendants and Felted Palm Tree, Hedgehog, and Flowers with Butterfly Pendants. 

I've described how I made the pendant ball in my post, Felting is Dangerous Business. The designs are embroidered, and really such an easy project to take with me and work on when waiting for the kids at school, or while sitting at the library. I'm so often inspired by the delicate beauty of creation. These lovely and whimsical embroidered pendants reflect that. 

Steampunk

Ruffled Shoulder Wrap, Flower Brooch, Crochet Gear Necklace
by Lady Lorien Designs

Recently I began designing Steampunk items and listing them on my Etsy shop, Lady Lorien Designs under the label TwoTootyTwo (222). Part of the reason I chose the name 222 for my store is because of something that actually connects Steampunk to my inspiration for designing costumes.
When all the numbers on the clock are the same (4:44, 11:11, etc) and you open a door of any kind, I have believed from a young age that it would open to another world. In all honesty, even now, I try.  I cannot deny my belief that this is not the only reality. And in that other world, one would need the right clothing...hence, the costumes!

Steampunk is a fusion of sorts... Victorian era style, and either Futuristic or Past SciFi. I am particularly drawn to creating styles that combine Celtic, Victorian and SciFi...as well as Oceanic themes and Victorian, SciFi. Not entirely sure where it will all lead. My brain is humming with ideas and the only limitations I find are those of time and money.

Check out my Etsy shop for latest additions...uniquely inspired by a love for fantasy, travel and individual expression..

Steampunk Style Brooch and Bow Tie by Lady Lorien Designs

I don't always land on my feet, but this time I hit the ground running.

At the end of the week I'm going to be face painting at a craft fair  So last night I decided to sort through my makeup and body art supplies (which was also influenced by the purchase of some new makeup...that Boots consultant at Target was amazing!)...

This was the result...of the sorting that is...

It also covered a good portion of my hands and arms....at 11:00 at night....RIGHT before bed.....some of my best work happens when nobody is around to see it. Which I suppose makes the term "best work" debatable. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around...blah blah blah...

I go outside every night to look at the stars and think, pray, BE.... Last night, all did up like a character from Cats, the musical! ...I'm laying on the driveway and all I can think of saying to God at all is, "meow". A few minutes pass without any consequence, when I see a shadow out of the corner of my eye. The next events happen in the span of about a nano second.

Shadow seen...thinking to myself, 'I've seen fox around here, coyote, a ginormous buck, antelope, dogs, skunk, do bears make it this far east?'....I sit straight up....staring at me not 3 feet away is a huge black fluffy cat, which jumps in the air vertically and changes direction, runs a block away.....I also jump vertically in the air and land on my feet.....forget to breathe...... In a nano second...that's not much time! ....to have a HEART ATTACK!!

I'm quasi running back into the house with a last glance up at the stars thinking....... "you're hilarious, mister".

Ren Fest

My...the summer has flown. Last thing I wrote about was the Ren Fest and now I'm facing back to school. We had a wonderful time, by the way...at the Ren Fest that is. Having twisted my ankle days before we were supposed to go made it an interesting day of hobbling around. I had considered dressing as a crazy old village woman with a cane, but I get to dress up so rarely as it is that I embraced my inner princess.

.............the kids on the other hand......well...(you'd think they've never seen food before!)