Gypsea Tree

New Adventures Await

2012-02-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

And I'm off...

The last time I posted was before Christmas! That seems like ages ago...

For at least twice as long I have been contemplating my blogging future and more importantly my writing future. I have loved blogging here, getting to know many of you, discovering your own blogging corners, and simply sharing a love for all things gypsy.

However, after a lot of thought (and procrastination) I've decided it's definitely time for me to ramble on to new adventures. I'm officially journeying away from the Gypsea Tree, but the blog will remain here for now. Who knows? Maybe one of these days I will stop back here again...

One of my great goals for 2012 was to get serious about writing.

Really serious.

I have long been planning a new blog in some new corner where I would publish some short stories. Maybe create a little online writing workshop community?

I don't plan on linking the new site here. I would like to keep it a little more anonymous for the time being, but if you are interested, please send me an email!

Thank you all for reading and leaving me so many kind and beautiful words over the years.

Happy happy year 2012. May all your dreams come true!

I hope you will keep in touch. I can still be found plenty of other places:

Steam Spectre- my Victorian/Steampunk/EdwardGorey image based blog

Gypsea Myth- my Etsy shop

Gypsea Myth on Pinterest- full of gypsy and Victorian dreams

Gypsea Myth on Facebook

gypseatree7{at}gmail{dot}com

2011-12-21T21:16:00.000-08:00

A Happy Winter Solstice to you.

{Images via Gypsea Myth Pinterest}

Arthur Rackham

2011-11-20T09:06:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning to find it's 23 degrees outside! (and not too much warmer in!) its sunny and frosty and frozen. A perfect Sunday morning for reflection, a warm cup of hot coffee, buttery toast, and knitting.

I have been working six days a week for the last several weeks, but this weekend I got to enjoy a true two days off. It has been incredibly wonderful!

I have been thinking a lot about sticking to personal boundaries and protecting my ideal work/life balance...

I also woke up thinking about the illustrator Authur Rackham. I always feel that he so flawlessly captured the essence of fairy tales; the beauty and the darkness. His art can be at once breathtaking and unsettling. As a child I would study them for a very long time, feeling lost inside then and somehow challenged by thier complexity. It's funny, but only today did I realize what a huge role trees play in almost every painting. Perhaps another cause of fascination...

I hope you are enjoying a peaceful Sunday as well, wherever you are reading from today.

Fall at Gypsea Myth

2011-11-10T18:32:00.001-08:00

Curry Spice Extra Long Scarf

I love this time of year so very much! A blog reader once left me a comment about our mutual adoration of autumn and said that she always wanted to spend a year slowly circling the globe so that fall would last longer than a season. I think about this idea often...

Things are just starting to get busy in my shop Gypsea Myth. Please go take a peak if you like! My fella and I had an great time last Saturday afternoon taking pictures in a beautiful golden leaf strewn park near our apartment.

Cranberry Basic Wrap Cowl

We kept trying to take some pictures where I would jump and throw leaves up in the air. They turned out SO ridiculous that we couldn't stop laughing. For some reason our crazy antics seemed to draw in some curious passers-by and they wanted to know about the shop! It was pretty exciting, but I was only half prepared and ran out of business cards. Sigh... Still learning...


Gypsea Myth

I hope that you will stop by and look around. If you are so inclined to purchase anything, I would like to offer a special free shipping coupon for all US purchases until the end of November.

Just enter GYPSEAFOLLOWER at check out!

Happy Fall!

{all photos property of Gypsea Tree via Gypsea Myth}

Redhead

2011-10-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

I finally had it dyed again! For the most part I really like it, but it's barely a week old and fading fast. Despite using a "color shield" shampoo I watch a stream of red run down my drain every time I wash it. Yikes!

Any tips?

Fall Library

2011-10-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

{Image via yoote}

My favorite season for everything, but books in particular. I am a habitual re-reader. There is so much comfort in re-acquainting yourself with something familiar and precious.

At least every other fall I find myself back at Hogwarts re-reading Harry Potter or losing myself in Middle-earth with Lord of the Rings for the 2000th time.

Some of my other favorites for this time of year have been:

We Have Always Lived in This Castle

The Little Stranger

(recently read The Thirteenth Tale, but it's SO perfect for fall you must read if you missed it!)

Bits and pieces of Wuthering Heights which I both love and hate...

The Phantom of the Opera

This autumn I think I need to branch out and save my returns for next year. What are you reading?

What are some of your fall favorites?

I think a library visit is in the plans for an after-work evening this week...

Autumn Red

2011-10-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

{source}

Fall at last! I busted out the boots and scarves this week. My umbrella has been unearthed and rain jacket at the ready. I feel like I have been waiting for this for ages and ages.

October is going to be a busy busy time for me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. A friend that I made in my travels through out Ireland is coming to visit this week. Then at the end of the month, one of my dearest dearest friends is getting married!

I'm planning to dye my hair red again and I love the shade in the photo above.

Now I just need the time..

But no worries- sleep is for January!

Gypsea Myth on Pinterest

2011-09-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Pinterest? It's one of my new favorite places for storing links and organizing my visual "favorite things" online. You can set up boards for anything and everything and create personal collages for future reference. It's really a lot of fun! Here are some images from my "Gypsy" Folder...

Do you have any special places you like to collect your favorite images?

Do you use Pinterest?

Come find me if you like!

What the Water Gave Me

2011-09-06T22:15:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this yet?!?!

Take a few minutes and listen. I think you will love it too!

I am SO anticipating the new album!

Florence + The Machine

Paper Things

2011-09-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

When I was little I used to love paper dolls. I still have a box somewhere at my parents house full of them. The thing is, I rarely actually "played" with them. What I loved so much was the simple act of carefully cutting them out and setting up little scenes on my bedroom floor. I had a friend who also shared this love and we would literaly spend hours taking turns cutting out the dolls and clothes while the other one read aloud. (and no- I didn't grow up in the 1800's...) ;-)

I came across this fantastic paper doll house this morning and thought you might like to peek in on it too....

{Victorian Paper House via 19th Century Paper Dolls, via PamiFashion Dolls}

Fleeting Days

2011-08-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

It's been fairly quiet out in blogland this summer it seems. I think perhaps we have all gotten a little lost in the sunshine and blue skies... It's been splendid hasn't it? Roof top garden salads, farmers market trips, fishing, and long sunny hours spent summer reading.

I've been thinking a lot about goals and some of those elusive life dreams...

I have decided to get serious about writing. I started blogging as sort of an exercise in writing and somehow I managed to write less than ever in the midst of it. I've started to set aside a few hours a week to do nothing but seriously work on a book. I'm hoping to fulfill my original blogging intent which was that this blog would be more of an extension of my writing habit than a procrastination tool.

Do you ever feel this way?

The weather here has suddenly cooled the last few days and I know fall isn't far behind. To me, autumn is the beginning of my Creative New Year. Crisp sunny days leave me feeling so alive and simply vibrating with creative energy.

I'm enjoying these last few weeks of summer, but looking forward to all that lies ahead.

{all images property of Gypsea Tree}

Gypsy Wagon for Sale

2011-07-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, for no reason at all, I will search Craigslist for gypsy wagons.

Today I actually found one!

I'm dying because I WANT it, but really have no place to keep such a wonder just yet...

It looks like it needs a little work, but it calls out to me in the same way old abandoned houses do...

Go take a look and someone please buy it and invite me over for tea?

I will help you fix it up if you do!

{image via craigslist posting}

Something that Lay Under the Sun

2011-07-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Summer is really happening here at last. Sunshine and even heat have finally made thier way into our cool green damp corner. I have been busy with everything and nothing in particular. I love spending evenings on my deck squinting in the sunset, sometimes with my laptop, sometimes with a book, but most often just feeling the warmth on my face and simply being.

I have been thinking often on one of my favorite literary passages of all time from a book that is more dear to me than nearly any other, My Antonia by Willa Cather...

"The earth was warm under me, and warm as I crumbled it through my fingers. Queer little red bugs came out and moved in slow squadrons around me. Their backs were polished vermilion, with black spots. I kept as still as I could. Nothing happened. I did not expect anything to happen. I was something that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins, and I did not want to be anything more. I was entirely happy. Perhaps we feel like that when we die and become a part of something entire, whether it is sun and air, or goodness and knowledge. At any rate, that is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep."

The entire book is currently available to read HERE- although I recommend finding yourself your very own copy to read over and over again.

Sunset Garden

2011-06-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Summer seems to have really truly arrived. Last night I enjoyed a glorious evening on my deck watching the sun slowly sink behind the mountains. I spent the day treasure hunting at yard sales and literally buying all the plants and vegetables I could carry at the Farmers Market.

We are trying to grow some things on the deck this summer. So far we have lots of lettuce, some mint, a little pepper plant, and a tiny lemon tree. I'm hoping to add some tomatoes, cilantro, and more herbs.

Gardening was never much of an interest to me for most of my life, but I think that roof top container gardening is an excellent way to get started. It seems so manageable. So far we have only had about two very modest salads from our own plants, but it was so exciting to eat something we had been tending ourselves.

My Mom kept amazing gardens as I was growing up and I'm finally able to really appreciate all of her amazing skills. She would grow things, can, make jam, dry fruit, and even make her own pickles! This year we are planning to make jam together and I'm really looking forward to it. Homemade jam with her homemade bread is absolute heaven.

Polaroid Summer

2011-06-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is ever so slowly warming the cool damp corners of my world. I've been playing around with Poladroid again... I think there is something about summer (or perhaps only the longing for it) that makes me want to see everything from a hazy polaroid point of view....

That fantastic abandoned (haunted?) house is one of the many things I adore about my new neighborhood. How I want to sneak in and explore...

Happy First Day of Summer!

Untitled

2011-06-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

Róisín at Child of Danu linked to THIS POST the other day and I truly hope you will take a minute or two to read it.

I thought it was both beautiful and heart breaking. I was trying to think of way I might contribute and knew that there are many amazing artists among the readers here and hoped that at least by sharing, perhaps some of you might be able able to send some beauty to a fellow human in need.

Thank you.

On Blogging

2011-06-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

One day shy of letting a month pass by without a word here. Wow. Where have I been?

Well... In and out that ever-foreboding "rut"; here and there and everywhere.

I turned 30, I incessantly questioned my life choices, I went to a piano bar for the first time, I watched my fella receive his Bachelor's in Environmental Science, I saw my nephew graduate from high school, I had a day-long hard core obsession with getting a tree tattooed on my shoulder blade, I became an independent contractor for a second little job, I tried to finish moving in, I drank wine on my deck, I took walks, I bought plants from the Farmers Market, I read all about making soap, I "camped" in a luxurious canvas tent on the San Juan Islands, I dreamed about living in a tree house, I sang in the car, and listened to a lot of new music.

I've missed posting here. I've had so much that I have wanted to write about, but somehow couldn't find the time or the enthusiasm to just type it out. I've been deeply contemplating this blog- what I want from it personaly and what it is important for me to say here. I've considered closing it altogether and heading off somewhere else. Somtimes I feel like there is a different direction I want to take my blogging path and I'm not sure Gypsea Tree is the place. I don't know yet... For the most part I have decided to try and put in a very concerted effort here for the next few weeks and see how it all works out.

I believe most of you who read here are all bloggers yourself. I think I'm fairly accurate in saying that many of us go through these little "blog crisis"? Sometimes I try to analyze what this means. (because I'm like this...) I think that perhaps what it comes down to is finding the balance of freedom of expression and not getting to caught up in this crazy culture of over-sharing. For the most part, I often feel that I don't publish many of the things I want to talk about because I don't know who is reading this anymore. When I started blogging years ago, I would at times send out emails with my blog address, link it to the Etsy shop, link it to facebook, who knows where else... It makes me a little uneasy for many reasons (all a little silly, but still things that I consider before hitting that "publish" button) Despite the fact that I can be very opinionated at times, I don't want to offend. I don't want to say something stupid I will later regret. I don't want people leaving me mean comments. (the last part is terribly silly, but also honest)

Do any of you feel this way when you blog? Do you write with a certain audience in mind? Are there certain people that if you felt they might be reading your blog, would you censor yourself in some way?

I would really love to hear thoughts on this.

Until then- the plan is to be back soon...

{image via Tumblr}

Sunday

2011-05-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

{source}

Sundays are my favorite blog days. I love how many people publish little to-do lists or muse on "Sunday reflections". I feel like I'm often in a perpetual state of reflection so this particularly resonates. In fact, the photo above seems to very accurately reflect my general state of mind- a little lonely, a little misty, and always gazing off into the distance feeling hopeful I will eventually find what I'm looking for there.

It has been pouring non-stop since last night and it has created the perfect Sunday ambiance. I left the window open all night and am still lounging in bed listening to the birds and the gentle fall of the rain. Today I hope to do a little more unpacking and settling in, to write a bit, to bake something, to stock up for the week at the store, and to generally relax and organize for a successful week ahead.

What are your Sunday plans?

Times Like These

2011-05-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

{source}

I have been gone a long long while. I've missed things here in this little gypsy wagon. I'm hoping this is the beginning of a long overdue return, but life has a way of forcing the constant adaptation to ever-changing priorities. This year has certainly not been anything like I had anticipated. I know I have said this before, but I guess it's still surprising me.

Over the last several weeks one of my oldest friends in the world narrowly survived the devastating tornadoes in Alabama, my mom had surgery, then my brother had surgery, and somewhere over the last month, we moved. It's all been a bit crazy, but I can say that I am thankful that all my nearest and dearest are safe and healing from the various hardships life has dealt them. Our new place is quite wonderful in a cozy 70's era kind of way and although we still haven't fully settled and unpacked, it already feels like home. Sunlight floods every room when I wake up in the morning and last night I fell asleep gazing at the half moon from my bedroom window. For right now it's all about these present moments...

A Walk in the Fairylands

2011-04-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

A while back I "met" Melissa of Fancilicious Fairylands and was instantly smitten with her creativity. She builds fantastic little faerie worlds that I would very much like to wander in. When she created a faerie gypsy wagon I knew such wonder had to be shared with you all. (She has also creates faerie tree houses!) Since Melissa is a follower here, I thought instead of only sharing pictures and links, I would ask if she wanted to do a little interview...

What inspired you to start making faerie houses?

I feel like I have been creating “little worlds” since I was very young! I loved making little homes and habitats for my ladybugs and butterflies and I would spend hours designing Barbie mansions, Lego houses and cottages for my paper dolls. My brother would be so irritated to find his miniature army campgrounds rearranged with flower huts and little quaint picnic sites!

I think I “officially” started creating fairy houses when I bought my first house 10 years ago. It was a tiny house with a tiny patch of earth that I turned into an herb and flower garden. When my son turned 2 we would make little roads throughout the garden for his Hot Wheels. One morning I watched my son make the most enchanting little gas station tucked into some Sage. We spent the rest of the day creating a little Hot Wheel Haven. I forgot how satisfying and rewarding it was to get lost in creating such a magical world! Our little Hot Wheel Community eventually expanded all around the house….complete with vegetable stands, grocery stores, schools and parks…it was quite a sight!

I have been creating little worlds ever sense…only now I create for the fairies …who LOVE the occasional Hot Wheel ride!

Where do gather your materials for your pieces?

Hunting for materials is my favorite part! Most of my materials are picked up on nature walks…the rest of my materials are found at flea markets! Everything I use is natural or recycled

What inspires you?

Music, sunshine, enthusiasm, deep conversation, belly laughs, unconditional love and support from my family and friends, Lady Luna (my cat and lap assistant), the changing of the seasons, good wine, bold colors, family dinners, road trips, magazines, warm evenings, baking, tea parties, gardening, flea markets, and the energy and ideas from other blogs!

Do you have an Etsy shop or place where we can purchase one?

Actually, I have always wanted to have a stand at the Farmers’ Market. I want to have my own little booth and wear a straw hat and meet local farmers and trade stuff! OH WHAT FUN! So this is how I plan to start “selling.” I plan to sell flower arrangements, fairy houses and fairy gardens this summer. I don’t even care if I actually sell anything! I just want to cross it off my bucket list and meet some nice farming folk!!! …I am so excited! THEN I plan to start my own Etsy shop!

...and most importantly: Do you believe in faeries?

…but of course!

Thank you Melissa!

Wander further into her little Faerie worlds over at Fancilicious Fairylands.

Change

2011-04-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

This year has certainly gotten off to a rocky start, but I am so happy to say (and really believe) that a shift for the better is slowly beginning to happen. A few weeks ago we casually started looking for a new place to live and last Sunday we found a great potential place. Within days the keys were in our hands and this morning I am currently surrounding by moving boxes!

We are not going far. We really love our neighborhood and are fortunate to have found a place fairly close by. The best part about it? LIGHT! Natural light! So much light I think I will be drunk on it for the first few weeks! For nearly three years we have been living in a bottom floor, street level apartment, that has few windows and is built in such a way that half of it of feel like a basement. We have so little light and what we do have usually comes at the expense of the many curious peak-ins by passers-by glancing in the windows as they go about thier business.

The new place is a top floor apartment filled with windows and sky lights. Light simply floods the place and I am giddy just thinking about it. There is also (possibly the best part) a glorious deck which I will probably just about live on! It's pretty big, but still private. We can see the water and the whole beautiful neighborhood. From the deck there is a gate leading out to plenty of roof space and I'm hoping to grow all kinds of plants there.

There has been a lot to love about our current little cozy hobbit hole, but I crave the light and have always found myself getting overly depressed and reclusive spending too much time in dark, closed-in spaces. I think this will do wonders for my creative side. I look forward to drinking coffee on the deck, breathing fresh air, and writing in the mornings or evenings.

I am so grateful. The new place is also run by our current landlords so we were able to take it without giving full notice. We will have our own washer and dryer for the first time in years and its only a tiny bit more than we have currently been paying.

And I can grow things.

There is so much to be thankful for.

Thanks again for all your kind words here and your encouragement. I can't wait to be back to regular blogging and writing. I have missed it so.

{All these wonderful images are not from my new humble abode. (haha! I wish!) They are from a lovely site called Airspace. I have mentioned it before long ago. It's a site for finding incredible filming locations in the UK and it is on of my favorite places to daydream now and again.}

The Common Good

2011-04-08T18:58:00.000-07:00

OK. Here I am.

In the background the news is on and we are waiting to see if there is going to be a US government shut down, watching to see if the Libyan rebels will prevail, praying that earth stops shaking in Japan, and hoping against hope that this beautiful planet of ours will not be irreversibly destroyed by the radiation seeping into her oceans. These are dark days and I really can't pretend otherwise, but tonight I'm also going to throw a little something different into this wild swirling whirlpool. I don't personally have a lot to share just yet. I have been spending a lot of time thinking, pondering, brewing... Those things aren't ready to be voiced yet, so instead I would like to give you a song.

Devotchka is one of my favorite bands of all time. Their new album 100 Lovers is absolutely everything I could have hoped for and it's been keeping me delightful company all week.

I also give you this one. It will break your heart. In the very best way...

I finally un-earthed my violin yesterday.

This is the year I will learn to make music with it.

untitled

2011-04-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hello again. I feel like I have been gone so long, I'm not sure how to return... In all honesty I have simply found it too difficult to string together words that in any way revolve around the sort of content one might generally find here. The state of the world has weighed heavy on me and carrying on as if it was some separate place than the world we blog in just seemed impossible. I'm trying to get back in the posting habit though, because I know there is both a time for silence and reflection and a time to pick up again and treasure all the things we love. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will be back soon.

The American Red Cross

So many ways to live

2011-03-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

{The Gypsy Cart}

First of all, thank you all so much for the kind thoughtful comments you left here, at Steam Spectre, and in my inbox. I was extremely thankful and touched. I'm so grateful for all of you. This is why we blog.

I have had a better week, but sadly it does not seem that much of the world has. I'm reading about, watching, thinking, and praying for so many around the world, especially those in Libya and Japan. It is so difficult to wrap my mind around this unbelievable level of destruction.

After hours of media coverage I needed to wander away for a while in a little gypsy wagon escape. If you do too, I would suggest the following blog posts, although unfortunately, neither credit any of thier wonderful images...

A Little House on Wheels by Some Girls Wander

Wanderlust by Demure Folk

And read about The Farm Chick
who grew up in this amazing housetruck HERE!

One Day at a Time

2011-03-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

{image found here}

2011 has not been quite what I had hoped so far. I've been sick for a lot of it and in general I have been simply unmotivated, non-creative, and generally miserable. I wrote a little more on this over at Steam Spectre this morning. I have been trying to motivate myself all day, but creatively I still didn't accomplish a whole lot. (I did get my taxes done though, and that feels pretty good.)

One of the (many) things that has gotten me down is the fact that I haven't kept up with blogging at all. It's something that I really enjoy doing and I have no idea why I put it off. Sometimes I pressure myself too much about things until I no longer care to do them at all. Do any of you ever do this?

I'm trying to prepare myself for the week ahead and organize myself in a way that will help me to be more creatively productive. I have learned that I am my "best self" when I am creating in some way. When I ignore that part of myself I become depressed and despairing. It can be very difficult to lift myself out of it again.

However, in the spirit of trying, I'm going to do my very best to post more, create at least one new thing this week, and start a good book. Baby steps...

Slow Return

2011-03-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

A new post is up at last over at Steam Spectre. I'm hoping to have more here later today...

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Shop Chatter

2011-02-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to sell button sets in the Gypsea Myth shop!

I am, as always, brimming with more ideas than I have time for, but I'm hoping to introduce several new items into the shop over the next month or so.

Also a lovely blogger named Lindsay contacted me through Etsy a while back about hosting a Gypsea Myth give-away over at her blog. Today her give-away post is up! Head over and take a peek!

I hope everyone is doing well. It's gotten quite cold here again and snow is actually in the forecast this week! (pretty rare in this neck 'o the woods!) Luckily I followed through on at least one of my New Year's Resolutions and knit a few scarves for myself in January...

Building your own Gypsy Wagon

2011-02-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

I was recently Google-researching in hopes to find a somewhat local place where one could camp out in a gypsy wagon for a night or two. Sadly, I was not successful (if you know of a place in the Pacific Northwest please let me know!), but I did come across This Site for taking classes to build your own gypsy wagon! It is Port Townsend, WA which also happens to be one of my favorite places in the world! I don't know how on earth I have managed to miss this all these years, but I'm so happy I have found it now.

The detail is just beautiful!

I think I need to brush up on my skill saw skills and get busy...

{all images via Port Townsend School of Woodworking}

Upstairs, Downstairs

2011-02-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

I am beside myself.

Last summer I started watching the series Upstairs, Downstairs. Gosford Park is one of my favorite movies of all time and after about the 150th viewing, I finally decided to check out Upstairs, Downstairs as it is often compared and mentioned when people discuss Gosford Park.

Upstairs Downstairs 1970's cast

I was instantly smitten. I don't know what it is exactly. I can entirely understand those who find this kind of thing extremely boring, but for my part, I just can't get enough of English accents, grand houses, the extravagant lives of the Upstairs and the equally (if not more) intriguing lives of those who worked for them Downstairs.

I am recently returning to Upstairs, Downstairs after a brief Netflix hiatus that was filled with Battlestar Galactica. (It's good to mix things up!) I've been hearing a lot about the new mini series Downton Abbey so I headed over to the PBS website for further research and what should I find there???

Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

This April the Bellamy House will be occupied once again and inviting back at least one of the original cast members! I really can't wait!

One of the things that was so striking to me in the original, was the show's willingness to tackle what seems to be such "controversial" issues not only for the time period of the show, but also for the time period it was originally aired. At least one episode was actually pulled from US broadcasting as it was considered "not suitable for viewing".

Does anyone else find this as exciting as I do?

What are some of your favorites shows?

Wandering back

2011-02-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

It is nice to be back! First of all: thank you for your wonderful words, comments, and emails. (The caps were indeed helpful!) It is a truly a wonderful thing to know that you have friends that care about you and even more wonderful when you can count among them some very lovely people that you have never actually met "in person". Thank you all so much. When I peaked in to read emails and publish comments it really made my day. Also a welcome to some of the new visitors that have wandered by in my absence. I hope you will stay a while!

Nothing really conclusive about my eye problems so far. It comes and goes in severity, but I went back to work midweek and am doing my best to work around it. It's frustrating that I don't have any answers, but the upcoming week will involve more tests so hopefully that will lead somewhere.

I had a million ideas of blog posts while I was away so I hope to have plenty to share with you over the upcoming weeks.

Until then, I share with you this jacket:

For some reason I really want it. I keep "visiting" it and wondering if I would really actually wear it...

OK that was random, but sometimes it gets pretty random here...

What do you think?

Jesca Hoop

2011-01-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

I'm can only stay a minute. My little break was great, but now I need to extend it a bit longer due to some very inconvenient vision problems. I've been having a lot of trouble with my eyes for the last week or so and the problem is a bit of a mystery. I'm going to see some specialists this week. At best things are blurry and at worst I can barely see at all. Looking at a computer screen is one of the worst things for me at the moment, so of course, now I want to write about all kinds of things more than ever...

Anyways, I've been doing a whole lot of listening lately and Jesca Hoop is one of my favorite recent discoveries that I wanted to share with you. I recently downloaded Hunting My Dress at Amazon ($5 for the next few days!) This video is quite incredible and if you like it, I highly recommend buying the album. As soon as I read this girl was a nanny for Tom Waits, I felt pretty certain it was going to be something unique and great.

I hope you are all well and I hope to be back soon!

Jesca Hoop "The Kingdom" from Vanguard Records on Vimeo.

What would happen if...

2011-01-19T20:56:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not the most regular blog poster, but I have still decided I would let you all know that I am taking a little blogging break. Now that I have to sit in front of a computer for eight hours a day, I"m trying not to do that too terribly much when I come home as well. I spend a lot of time reading blogs and just hopping around the internet in general.

Now, I love reading blogs, but I also want to try a little self-experiment and see just what I might do in the absence of blogs for a week. Hopefully, I will manage to read at least one book! I will return sometime after next Wednesday. (Unless my very weak sense of self-discipline messes me up, in which case, you will probably be reading a nother post from me tomorrow...)

Just kidding! See you in a week or so!

More Places to Wander

2011-01-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

I opened a Tumblr account! It's a great place for cataloging images that inspire and make me very happy to look at. One of the things I absolutely love about Tumblr is that it is such an easy way to share images and link them back accurately to the place you found them!

Visit me at the Gypsea Tree Tumblr. You can generally expect to find lots of gypsies, alternative ways of living, and Victoriana.

Is anyone else here on Tumblr?

{all image links can be found here}

Unicorns and Rainbows

2011-01-07T21:42:00.000-08:00

...because anything that I find this fabulously awesome must delight you at least a little.

Buy it HERE before I do and it joins my collection of bizarre and impractical things that I simply cannot resist.

These Days

2011-01-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

Currently listening to:

The Decemberists, The King is Dead

Listen HERE!

Currently Reading:

Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale

(you guys left some awesome suggestions! they are next!)

Currently Longing for:

How about you?

Off the Shelf

2011-01-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

I had thoughts of talking about New Year's resolutions and all the plans, hopes, and dreams I'm secretly harboring for 2011. Instead, I have quite suddenly decided to talk about books instead. Somewhere in the middle of the Fall, I fell completely out of the habit of reading. I'm suddenly struck by how much I have missed it. I'm in great need of some good old fashioned escapism these days.

I have lots of Gorey to lose myself in thanks to Santa Claus...

I am also reading up on The Handmade Marketplace for all kinds of business improvement ideas and trying to figure out just how difficult this little Etsy shop is going to make my life when filing my taxes...

Aside from these, I'm looking for something really really grand. Something that I can curl up under a blanket with and get completely lost.

I purchased Mark Helprin's A Winter's Tale a while ago and was planning to crack it open on some perfect winter evening. Have any of you read it?

I feel like I'm in the mood for something very specific, but I don't know just what it is! Any suggestions? Have you read anything really wonderful lately?

I would love to hear about it.

New Year Holiday Sale

2010-12-31T10:13:00.000-08:00

20% off at Gypsea Myth this weekend!

Use code: NEWYEAR

Wishing you all a very beautiful New Year!

Into the Mist

2010-12-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy lately. Trying to desperately cling to the fleeting magic of the Holidays and ward off the cold, wet Washington winter melancholy that inevitably sets in about now. The Monday after Christmas I returned to my old place of work. Sigh... Not the dream job, but I am reminding myself that it is a job and for many right now that is a dream indeed.

I am looking forward to seeing out 2010 and starting a New Year. It's a little strange because Fall always feels like my true new beginning, but I accept it officialy as January out of habit. 2010 has had it's ups and downs. I don't think I would change much about it, but I'm glad thats its ending. I spent the greater part of it parylized in the face of decsision making. I am happy at least that a few things are now more or less "settled" for the time being.

I adore making Resolutions. Do you? I tend to make them constantly as they keep me motivated, but I look at January as the time for a special Master List. I think I will share a few of them here.

In the meantime, I hope you will take a peak at this misty treasury I put together. It perfectly suites my mood these days...

{click image for full treasury and item sources}

Winter Solstice

2010-12-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

I hope that this Solstice finds you all warm, safe, and happy. The moon last night was just marvelous. Did anyone get a chance to see the eclipse? I am sorry to say I slept through it. A few years ago I remember watching one from my front porch. It was a truly amazing experience.

I have a tendency to take lots of moon pictures and the one here is from around this time last year. Solo evening walks accompanied by nothing but a silent glowing moon are magical to me indeed.

I plan on spending most of this day doing Holiday baking, finishing wrapping gifts, and just enjoying some quiet solitude and reflection. Do you have any Solstice traditions?

I generally like to light a few candles and meditate a bit over the past year and the things I anticipate in the new year ahead.

I am also very pleased to announce the winner of the Gypsy Myth give away. According to Random Number generator, the winner was Number 7 who is the lovely Róisín of Child of Danu.

If you haven't visited Róisín yet, I highly suggest that you do. Her blog is full of all kinds of magic. She is such a wonderful blogger and always leaves such thoughtful lovely comments throughout the blogoshpere. I am so happy to send her a cozy little scarf especially as the UK seems to be getting some of the craziest of winters!

Thank you to everyone who entered. I hope to do another give away in a few months. I'm excited to see some new followers here and at Steam Spectre. I love hearing from you all.

Have a lovely evening my friends!

Ice Castles

2010-12-16T14:55:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen this yet, or even if you have, this truly amazing. What magic...

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=23534622

Gypsea Myth Give Away

2010-12-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

I am caught up on orders for the first time in nearly a week! It figures that last night I finally figured out the simplest way to ship. (Raid you local PO of all the flat rate packing supplies you need, pay for all your shipping through Paypal, drop your ready-to-go packages in the priority mail drop box, and wave and smile at the line 30 people long as you complete your mission in less than a minute!)

Anyways, what this little lull really means is that I get write the Give Away post! I think you are all just wonderful and wish I could give each and every one of you something. But as I only possess one set of hands, I would like to give away one scarf/cowl of your choice to the winner. You can enter from anywhere in the world as long as you have a mailing address.

All you need to do is visit the shop, pick a favorite, and comment here on what you would like. It's getting a little sparse in there at the moment, but you can browse sold items too and I will see what I can do. If you want to "create your own" by looking over all the colors, styles, and buttons I have used you can do that too!

I will choose the winner from a hat one week from today and it will arrive to you in the New Year.

Happy Holidays!

Dare to Dream (again!)

2010-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

So last night I wrote a whole post about having the courage to make tough choices that you know are right for yourself even when they may seem foolish or irresponsible to others. In a moment of complete irony I got nervous about so much self revelation and deleted it. It is now lost to me forever and I regret deleting it. If you follow Gypsea Tree via Google Reader then you can be sneaky and probably still read it! :-)

In attempt to sum the whole thing up: I made the choice to leave my new job after quickly realizing it was not the right place me. I made this choice because I am also in the midst of pursuing two other opportunities. One is something of a "dream job" and the other is something rather familiar and less dreamy, but still a choice I can live with. In the middle of all this decision making I had a major epiphany about myself and how I live my life. I realized that in order to make the choices (sometimes difficult ones) that I need to make to follow the path that I feel is right for me, then I must have the courage and confidence to make decisions that will sometimes be misunderstood or misinterpreted by others.

I remember listening to a lecture once where the speaker talked about the line in the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" about daring to dream. He talked about how much that line moved him. It really isn't so easy to follow your dreams. Without courage, it is downright impossible.

I felt good about the decision I made, although it was difficult to let people down. A few days later the Universe gave me an incredible boost when the article in the Times about my shop was published. In less than a week, my business has more than doubled and has fully suplimented my income for at least a month while I wait to see what lies after the next bend in The Road.

I am so very very grateful. Thank you to all you fellow dreamers. Also: thank you Poet, because just reading the comment you left me gave the extra push I needed to re-post.

I have a ton of orders to fill this evening, but I will soon be back to arrange a Gypsea Myth give-away.

Let's all keep dreaming!

Featured!

2010-12-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Oh dear, I know I have been neglecting my little blogs as of late. Things have been so very busy. I have about ten posts mentally composed, but until I have more than 5 minutes to catch my breathe, I will just write this for the moment: I had a little feature in The Seattle Times today regarding my Etsy shop, Gypsea Myth! It's so very very exciting and I am now knitting up a frenzy. The article is in the NW Source which part of the Times shopping section. My Cranberry Red Cowl is featured on a side bar on the Seattle Times front page and then it links to this article.

I am so excited and a little nervous too! Thank you for your words of encouragement here regarding the shop. You are all so very wonderful and I'm planning a Gypsea Myth give-away here very soon.

Who is coming with me?

2010-11-28T12:22:00.000-08:00

There has been a serious lack of gypsy wagons here as of late...

{all images are hyper-linked back to original sources}

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

Happiest of Thanksgivings to you all!

I am so thankful for your friendships via this little blogosphere. All the comments you left me on my last post really touched me deeply. Thank you so very much for your kindness. It really meant a lot to me and brightened my week.

I'm very happy you all are here. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving day today however you choose to celebrate it.

PS: If you are interested in anything from Gypsea Myth, I am having a 25% off sale that officially begins tomorrow. Since you all are so wonderful I wanted to give you a little thank you and give you the coupon code a day early. It is: BLACKFRIDAYSALE. You now have first choice if you like.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In Memory

2010-11-22T21:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your well wishes today. It did indeed snow. Getting to work this morning wasn't so bad, but getting home was nothing short of a nightmare. Days like this are certainly much better when you have no place to be. The wind is absolutely insane right now and the temperature has dropped down into the teens. I'm trying not to even think about driving tomorrow morning.

On a different note, I just read this evening that one of my very favorite writing professors from the University of Washington, Tacoma lost his battle with cancer this last week. Dr Phil Heldrich was an amazing professor and a funny, witty author. I was fortunate enough to take two classes with him in my final two quarters before graduation. He was one of the kindest and most encouraging teachers I have ever had and I was profoundly affected by him. He discovered that he had cancer just before the beginning my last quarter. He let us know as a class, but despite beginning treatment that first week, he missed only one class the whole quarter. Some days he struggled just to remain standing for his entire lecture, but he never cut them short or failed to give his class everything he had. In his classes, for the first time in my life, I found the courage to let others read the things I wrote. I finally realized the discipline that must be applied to writing and the importance of making time to nourish the things you love.

I tend to be rather shy and I never felt quite able to fully express to Dr. Heldrich the impact he had on me. I am so very sad to hear of his passing. I started blogging just a little while before I started taking classes with him. Although I never gave him the my blog address, I remember how pleased and encouraging he was when I told him I was a blogger. I remember him talking about how people often think that being a writer must be easy because so many of us have stories rattling around in our heads. He would say that a million stories locked away in your head are worthless until you apply the discipline and work to actually put them on paper. He could bring out the writer in everyone and although it may not be a natural talent for all, he taught us that we all have story to tell.

Thank you so much for everything you taught me Dr Heldrich. Your classes changed my life and I am forever grateful.

Eeeeeek!

2010-11-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

So there are two thing that stress me out possibly more than any other of life's vast experiences. These things are: 1.) Starting a new job and 2.) having to drive anywhere when there is even a whisper of snow in the forecast.

Tomorrow I am starting my new job and we are expecting our first snowfall. Oh dear lord...

Many years ago I totaled a car and missed plummeting into a deep frozen gully by a few yards one icy fateful night. Luckily I spun in circles for a while until an obliging embankment stopped my car. These kinds of things are a bit hard to get over...

Oh dear, well enough of that. I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend and are warm and safe wherever you are. If you find that you are not so very warm, it is probably because you need a scarf from Gypsea Myth.

I will be having Holiday Sale this upcoming weekend. All items will be 25% off!

PS: Thank you for still reading even though I get all Etsy nerdy more often than not lately...

I'm off to pace around my house until it's time for me to go to bed and lay awake for hours worrying.

The Time is Now

2010-11-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

I just discovered this shop on Etsy this morning. Not only is the shop name fitting for my life at the moment, but oh my! look at the papercuts! I blogged about my own small exploration in papercutting and now I am re-inspired. Papercut tree houses in paper forests! Oh how I love...

I have been busy knitting away to fill orders for Gypsea Myth and I have been making buttons like a mad woman for the last couple of days. I'm re-thinking whether I want to continue using polymer clay for these. It is very time consuming prepping, rolling it out, shaping, baking, painting, and sealing. I was originally attracted to polymer because I wanted to make buttons out of clay, but don't have access to a kiln to make things in a more traditional way. I want to continue making the buttons by hand on a surface that can be painted, but I need a button that is less labor intensive for the plain shape of it. Any suggestions?

I was invited through Etsy to participate in a local craft show, but I'm trying to decided if I will have the time to make enough things to bring. I need two more hands at least...

I'm off to ship, photograph and list.

Oh how I would love for this to be a full time occupation!

{all images via thetimeisnow}

Shopping for your fella

2010-11-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

Check out my Etsy treasury for shopping for your guy during the Holidays:

{full version HERE }

Sail Away with Me

2010-11-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

I know most of you are probably well acquainted with the incredibly talented Ann Wood. Today I was struck anew by the wonder she creates.

Can I please live in this world?

{All images via Ann Wood}

Rainy Day Comfort

2010-11-06T22:29:00.000-07:00

It has been raining all day long. I ventured out for a few hours to stock up on yarn, but other than that I have mostly been sitting curled up on my couch knitting. Quite lovely I must say!

How could it be better? With homemade hot cocoa of course!

To make your chocolate syrup:

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

1 cup of sugar

a dash of salt

1/2 cup of cold water

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt until well combined.

Add cold water over medium heat and continually whisk as mixture comes to boil.

After mixture has thickened, remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. (I like to add a little extra)

We steamed our milk with our espresso machine, but you could also heat it on the stove top and use an immersion blender to give it a nice froth.

Combine milk and chocolate to your preference and perhaps top with a marshmallow. Delicious!

This homemade method takes very little time and is definitely worth it. Powdered hot cocoa mixes always contain so many nasty hydrogenated oils and store bought syrups are usually filled with high fructose corn syrup. This way you know exactly what you are drinking!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Friday Reflections

2010-11-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you for the comments on my last post. I guess for now I will sit tight for a bit longer and try to find more creative ways to get Gypsea Tree noticed. I keep attempting to de-mystify the use of Google Analytics, but for whatever reason my brain continually rebels against figuring it all out. All in good time I suppose...

I do have a new item in The Shop:

I spent a wonderful day in Port Townsend, which is one of my very favorite places in the world, and a dear friend of mine helped with some of the modeling. I was kind of losing the light, but it was such fun to be able to fuss over how things looked from the other side of the camera!

Because Port Townsend is such a magical place, I also got a call with a job offer whilst sipping coffee and strolling about visiting shops. I'm not exactly sure when I will be starting just yet, but I am definately looking forward to that lovely thing they call a regular paycheck.

I also made my first official sale at Gypsea Myth and received my first alchemy request, so all in all, quite the day!

For those who might be reading Gypsea Tree through a blog tracking service, do visit the actual page and check out my page link bar at the top as well as my Gypsea Myth facebook link on in the sidebar. Are you on Facebook? Let's be friends!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! What are your plans? I'm really wanting to attend this event!

...and journeying back again

2010-11-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of moving Gypsea Tree back to Wordpress again. I know all this moving about is a little crazy, but really what can you expect of this gypsy? Although I really like how easy Blogger is to use, I just haven't been getting much traffic here. I'm actually averaging 3-4 times as much traffic per day back on the Gypsea Tree Archives and that is without any new posts since August! I don't know what it is with Blogger, but no one seems to be finding me here.

What do you guys think, my precious faithful followers? I would really love to hear thoughts on Blogger vs. Wordpress. Blogger has been very kind to Steam Spectre. I must admit I didn't do a whole lot to network with SS, but it seemed to take off quickly and gain a robust readership.

Blah, I really hate to talk so much about stats and followers. It seems somehow a little crass and impolite, but it is a bit frustrating that a dormant blog is getting an incredibly greater amount of hits than the one that I'm actually working to maintain. I'm also hoping to grown on Etsy and it would be nice to gain some more interest.

What do you think? Should I stay or should I go?

Maybe I have just become less interesting than I was before?

Oh dear, unemployment has given me way too much time to be extra neurotic ...

Here are some lovely gypsy pictures in exchange for your opinions (and putting up with me!):

{So sorry, no source links. Do let me know if you know of them!}

Running away with the Gypsies

2010-11-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

Visit HERE to view my full Gypsy Treasury.

{sources: 1, 2, and 3}

A Ghost Story

2010-10-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

{source}

Today is a day for ghost stories. After reading a ghostly post by Child of Danu I was inspired to share a creepy little tale of my own.

Have you ever seen a ghost? Or have you ever experienced something strange and unusual that still haunts you years later? If so, I hope you will spin us an eerie little story of your own as well.

{source}

My story takes place several years ago when I worked at pottery studio in a building that about 100 years old. The studio was pretty big and at the back was a section we called the Kiln Room, although it was really just a slightly partitioned area where the three large kilns sat along with glaze buckets, drying racks, and all the necessary tools and supplies. Generally, there would be two people working at a time and often in the evenings when the studio was empty, one of us at the counter in the front of the studio would look back towards the kiln room and see a figure standing in the corner near the giant glaze bucket presumably working away. One would naturally assume it was the other co-worker, but often it would happen that a moment later it would turn out the presumed co-worker was working quietly in a completely different area of the studio. We eventually began to fondly call this mysterious figure "the kiln ghost". A little creepy if you were in the studio alone at night, but otherwise, nothing very menacing.

{source}

Until one dark and rainy night...

It was late fall and my co-worker and I were closing down the studio for the evening. Behind the kiln room there was a long, very narrow backroom packed from floor to ceiling with boxes of ceramics. We kept our personal items back there amongst the glazes, paints, brushes, and the time clock. It was always a bit dim and even in the daytime I didn't really care to walk to the far back of that claustrophobic space to retrieve things. This particular evening as I was clocking out and gathering my things, a strange feeling came over me. Even before I lifted my eyes to the dark back corner of the tiny space, I felt as if someone or something was moving towards me. As I looked up I saw something that it is hard for me to comprehend even to this day. A small boy in turn-of-the-century dress was moving awkwardly from the back of the room towards were I stood. He was partly solid and partly shadowy and almost seemed to flicker in and out of visibility. I could not move and my mind was racing to somehow rationalize what I was seeing.

At that moment my co-worker appeared behind me waiting for me to step out the back door so he could set the alarm. The little boy no longer visible, I quickly stepped outside as my co-worker set the alarm. Once outside I promptly collapsed onto the back steps. After completing the final lock-up, my co-worker joined me and I tried to explain what I had just seen. He seemed shaken himself and when I was finished he pulled me up from my sitting position and we started briskly walking towards our cars. As we walked he told me that as he was setting the alarm he began to hear whispering coming from the far corner of the back room.

Despite being close friends, at the time we didn't stop to revel in the creepiness of the experience, but decided we wanted to get home as quickly as possible. We bid eachother goodnight and after driving a mile or two I realized I had left my backpack full of schoolbooks in the backroom. I had quarter finals the next morning and absolutely had to go back for them.

Reentering the studio alone that night was some of the most terrifying 3 minutes of my life. I kept my back to the door the whole time as I punched in the alarm code and grabbed my things. I didn't even look much beyond the floor, afraid that I might catch a second glimpse of some strange forgotten child eerily staggering towards me.

{source}

Dropstitch!

2010-10-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

A new item has been added to the shop.

I hope you will take a peak!

{image via Gypsea Myth}

The Gypsy Season

2010-10-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

That coveted autumn energy really hit me a few weeks back and I've been attempting to tackle all kinds of projects since. I thought I would share a few things I've been working on while my Muse is singing out.

Well, actually in the case of this first one, it is a slightly abandoned project at the moment, but I plan to return to it eventually. I was hoping to complete it in time for Vanessa's Halloween Blog tour, but time and deep seated procrastination tendencies were against me.

This was meant to be a papercut theatrical "performance" accompanied by a poem (also half written) involving an poor little owl and an unfortunate evening spent in a graveyard one dark stormy night...

Things I learned about papercutting:

1. It's about ten times harder than you might expect. It's tricky to keep yourself from ending up with bloody fingertips and nothing but sad little shreds of paper as your entire design is slowly cut away to pieces.

2. Despite all of the above, I think I kind of love it! It totally f*!@s with your mind and you have to think in a strange new inside-out-backwards-reversed sort of way. But what can I say, it's kind a fun challenge! I will defiantly be attempting more in the future.

Next we have buttons.

Here are some of my handmade ones. I have all kinds of ideas with these. I'm making some with imprinted patterns and motifs using some antique printing blocks and lace.I'm also making plain ones that will have tiny hand painted designs.

I also have been collecting some interesting vintage buttons...

And lots of knitting for Gypsea Myth!

I have really enjoyed opening, stocking, and maintaining Gypsea Myth. It has been an amazing motivator in creativity for me. Just being involved in a more "official" capacity has managed to also push me to try other projects, learn new things, and to stray a little beyond my comfort zone. I have been job hunting for nearly three months now. It's been frustrating and disappointing for the most part as I can't quite give up just yet on the hope of finding something I feel I could really believe in. I had kind of fallen into a very unproductive and depressive slump. I wasn't doing anything with this precious gift of the luxury of time. I felt useless and despondent. Luckily, just the simple act of following through on one long planned project was just what I needed to snap out of it. That and some great encouraging people in my life.

What kinds of projects are you working on the season? Do you have any that you began long ago that you really want to break out and finish? Let's do it!

One last thing. When I was very little I remember ready a poem I absolutely loved about Fall being the "gypsy season". I can't seem to track it down no matter how hard I try. Are any of you familiar with this?

Nautical Gentleman's Cowl

2010-10-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

New in the shop!

This item was also featured in a Treasury this morning!

I hope you will check it out here:

"UNDISCOVERED"

I am bursting with excitement over the launch of this shop with many many creations to come.

Thanks for your comments and please feel free to offer opinion/advice as I would love to hear your thoughts on improvements.

I have also started a Facebook page for Gypsea Myth.

Are you on Facebook too?

Let's be friends!

Gypsea Myth on Etsy!

2010-10-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

I am so very excited to announce the opening of my Etsy shop, Gypsea Myth! At last!

For now I am focusing on handmade and vintage buttons to compliment a variety of knitted pieces. I'm planning to add some more items throughout the week so I hope you will check back often.

Tell your friends, tell your co-workers, tell your dog!

(Yes, I will knit a scarflet for your dog.)

Here is a peek of what is in there so far.

{all images via Gypsea Myth}

I would love it if you would pay me a visit. Any and all feedback would be most welcome!

Not Haunted?

2010-10-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

Big old houses are among my favorite things. I'm lucky to live in a humble hobbit hole of an apartment in a neighborhood full of old historical homes. I love taking walks through these neighborhood and occasionally taking some pictures. Unfortunately, sometimes I get some pretty suspicious looks. Any tips on how to photograph peoples houses without looking like you are casing the joint?

My deep love of houses often compells me to regularly check out real estate in my neighborhood. (You know, just out of curiosity and the hope that the listing will included lots of pictures.) I was completely amused to see a listing for a house built in 1912, but with emphasis on the fact that it was "guaranteed not haunted!".

First of all, how does one guarantee such a thing?

And second: whatever is the point of buying an old house then?

{all images are property of Gypsea Tree}

Blog Awards

2010-10-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Gypsea Tree was recently awarded as A Blog of Substance by Seamstress Stories. I highly recommend you check out this lovely spot. Seamstress Stories is a new blog by The Baytree Poet in which she chronicles her adventures in attempting to buy nothing new and re-work her current wardrobe. This inventive lady even created a cute little skirt from an umbrella! Thank you for the award Seamstress!

A Blog with Substance award:
Thank the blogger who awarded you and sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation and experience in 5 words:

Motivate and inspire to create!

Passing the Award to:

Missantrhopics

The Spirited Bohemian

Moth Magic

Crusheleptic

Candles by Nature

Owls

2010-10-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

I am working away, hoping to complete a little project so that I can join the Halloween Blog Party over at A Fanciful Twist. She hosts the most wonderful parties and I have always wanted to join one, but never have for some reason or another. I know a few readers here and at Steam Spectre have already signed up, so I hope I will be joining you!

In the midst of flitting from one crazy project to the next, here is a little owl I fashioned out of some leftover clay. It's the silliest thing, but I kind of love him to death. He isn't quite finished just yet...

Also I have been meaning to share this with you. One of of my dearest friends sent me an email with this photo attached. It was simply titled "This is an owl in a hat" which totally cracked me up.

In the Theatre

2010-10-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a little project lately and needed some theater proscenium images for inspriation. If all goes well I look forward to sharing the final manifestation with you all here. In the meantime, I thought I would share some of the images I have collected. I'm going to be a bad blogger and admit that I do not have the source links for any of these as I thought they would only be for my personal use. Feel free to admonish, identify, or request anything in particular be taken down....

Once upon a time I was a theater major and theater was pretty much my life. Those were bittersweet times and although I haven't spent much time working in the theater the past several years, I do still love it dearly. Last week I had the opportunity to see two different shows with a friend of mine. To me there is so much magic just being in the theater. My great wish after getting laid off was to find an administrative position in the local theater district, alas no such luck so far. Until then...

Tree Magic

2010-10-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

Suddenly I am on fire with ideas and project making. The cooler weather has arrived and at last I feel some motivation propelling me forward. It's a wonderful feeling and I hope it lasts. I hope to have some exciting news soon. Until then here are some beautiful tree photos I have come across lately to add a little magic to your day.

{sources: 1, 2, and 3}

Tiny Houses

2010-10-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you every one for your kind words. I am still kind of waiting for my Muse to call out and get me going, but until then I'm trying to muddle through without her. I've been dreaming and scheming a lot lately about my future land buying plans and I think a little tiny house like one of these will be perfect for weekend get-aways there.

These are wonderful little houses because they are on wheels and can be traveled about. They also are technically considered trailers so no building permit is required. Even their little tiny interiors look so snug and cozy...

{images via tumbleweed tiny house co.}

Happy first day of October everyone! Any fall plans for your weekend?

Waiting

2010-09-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

Fall is sort of here. It's off to a strange, unusual start for us with lots of humidity and promised hot days and sunshine. A Washingtonian should always be grateful for sunshine whenever we can get it, but I must admit I'm ready for the cool crisp weather that comes with autumn. Perhaps I can blame the humidity for my rather sluggish start to my favorite season.

Generally this is the time of year I get busy. I become uncharacteristically energetic. I start making things and doing things. I haven't quite shaken off my summertime laziness. The job hunt has remained pretty dismal and these things do challenge motivation severely. Creatively I'm in a bit of a slump and I really need that seasonal change to shake me up a bit.

These are all photos from last fall. I need a little encouragement just now and one can often find such thing in a pumpkin field. Don't you think?

Espresso for your inner Gypsy?

2010-09-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

As we were driving through Montana on the way home, we spotted a gypsy wagon in a parking lot. Aaron was pulling over before I had barely started squeeling over it. What a guy.

It turns out this wagon is the home of Gypsy Java. While this is a fascinating combination of two of my great loves, I can't say it didn't make me just a little sad. I wanted to rope it up to the back of the van and tear out of there into the Montana sunset. Instead I took many a picture and tried not to look too suspicious....

{images property of Gypsea Tree}

Glacier

2010-09-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

Home again. It was too beautiful and amazing. My photos can not really capture it all.

It's a little difficult adjusting back to "normal" life and all its worries and concerns.

I wish I could have stayed in the mountains...

{all images property of Gypsea Tree}

Fall set in back home while I was away so I'm off to take a walk and sort out the jumble of thoughts crowding my head. I hope you all had a wonderful week as well. I will be back soon.

Reflections on a Day to Remember

2010-09-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe that nine years ago I was in Barcelona and in complete shock and confusion over the discovery that the US had been bombed. My sister, travel mates, and myself were staying in an old hotel above the Plaza Catalunya. We were bustling about getting ready for our first night out in the city. Over a week into a trip that had recently brought us from France, we had not once turned on a television. For some reason on this evening someone had flipped it on and I occasionally glanced at the screen while crossing back and forth to the mirror. What I saw suddenly stopped me dead in my tracks. Footage of a giant airplane crashing into the New York City skyline amidst the confusion of rapid Spanish commentary that I could not follow. I did not understand what I was seeing. Before I could comprehend it, there were exclamations of horror as a second plane was filmed. This was not a fatal accident. Something unimaginable was happening.

It seemed to take days to piece everything together. Phone calls home, British newspapers, visits to internet cafes. Fellow American travelers were difficult to find. But in the midst of these uncertain days something amazing was also happening. Everywhere we went strangers were offering sympathy and support. There was the earnest young Irishman in the pub, wide-eyed and eager to "wire money if we found ourselves stranded." With many of them we did not even share a common language. The ancient woman on the bus who took my sister’s hand and said only “Lo siento”. The little wild children of a tiny Spanish village with chocolate covering their faces exclaiming, “Explosion! Su familia?” We assured them our family was alright. This kind of sincerity and support followed us until we returned home a week and a half later. Nothing was ever the same again. The world had changed and I had changed.

Sometimes it is hard to believe it all happened. Sometimes it almost seems that the events of that day were all just a bad dream. Why is that? We witnessed some of the best and worst of human behavior. I woke up this morning compelled to write this because I want to remember it all. I hope that we never stop talking about that day. It’s a day we should never ever forget.

What is your story? I would love to hear it if you would like to share.

Treasure Hunting: Part 1

2010-09-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

I spent a very lovely day with my Mom yesterday treasure hunting at yard and estate sales. How I would love to make a profession of this! Yet, it is also a bit of a sad thing to traipse about the house of person who has gone and all their earthly possessions are fingered by strangers and covered in price tags. Do you ever feel this way at estate sales? The lace and tulle above was from the home of a lady who must have been an avid crafter. Every room was full of supplies from thousands of projects. She appeared to have been a candle maker, a scrap-booker, a bead maker, leather worker, seamstress, and all round very creative lady. I would like to think I will carry on a bit of her endeavors with some of the pretty things I brought home.

I also acquired the old fashion glass orange juicer I have been searching for.

We also stumbled across an amazing sale run by a woman whose garage was FULL of vintage clothes from a shop she had once had. She was delighted at my enthusiasm and kept exclaiming to her grumpy husband, "This girl loves vintage!"

She was delighted to discover that I had found her and for reasons I could understand, she has been trying to sell what she had left for years. I brought home a few things because I simply couldn't leave them behind and because she seemed to really want me to take them. Most will not fit me, so I have finally gotten started on my Etsy shop! I hope it will officially be up and running tomorrow and I will post more then!

{all images are property of Gypsea Tree}

I hope that you have all been enjoying the weekend. What adventures you been up to?

To the Glaciers in a House Truck

2010-09-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

{source}

Undoubtedly, most of you are well acquainted with my love of gypsy wagons. A while back I did several posts on house trucks and I've been thinking quite a bit about them again. When I was little, my family would often head out to The Olympic Peninsula (one of my favorite places in the world) to visit the mountains, the sea, the rain forest... Outside of one of the seaport towns there used to be this glorious house truck parked along the road. Its wandering days were probably long over, but it was occupied. There were often clothes hanging out to dry on a tangled web of line stretching from the top story of the "house." The thing that I remember most about it was that it had two stories and the top had a little balcony. It enchanted me.

{source unknown}

In a couple of weeks me and my fella' are headed to Glacier National Park for a week. Because it's getting rather late in the year and we are concerned about camping. The gear we have is all warmer weather suited and temps can get below freezing at night. We have looked into several different ways to lodge, I have even (cringe) looked into an RV renting company. What I really want, of course, is a cozy little house truck! What we will probably end up with is renting a mini van and taking the seats out so we can sleep in there at night. Don't laugh. OK do laugh. I probably will too.

{source}

It won't all be camp grounds in a mini van though. I have also discovered that we can rent a tipi HERE. I'm over the moon about this. What an adventure! I also did a post about feathers and tipis a while back and I really hope this works out. I am thinking we will probably stay here a night or two.

{source}

And on the subject of feathers: Congratulations to Lisa (lucky number two!) of Lit and Life for winning the Gypsea Feathers Give Away! Please email me with your address. Thank you all for participating. I'm looking forward to hosting more give-aways in the future.

{source}

Lastly, I would love to hear from any of you that have visited Glacier. This will be our first trip and any suggestions/advise would be most welcome. It is estimated that in the next 15-20 years the glaciers will have all disappeared from the park. We have wanted to visit here ever since we have known each other and this early fall felt like the right time to do it. I would love to hear your thoughts and stories about this stunning place.

~~~

Further Reading on House Trucks:

The Tiny House Blog -You will get lost here, this is an amazing and inspiring site to me.

The Hermitage -This is one of my favorite blogs. Rima spent quite a bit of time traveling in her own cozy house truck and her blog is full of her adventures and beautiful art work.

Rolling Homes -A book review on the making of your very own house truck. I'm going to have to track this book down immediately.

Anticipation

2010-08-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone so far who has joined the new Gypsea Tree and left me such lovely comments. A few new bloggers have been stopping by and it's so very exciting to meet you! I'm very happy here at this new "home" and look forward to even more settling in.

The next thing that I want to get working on here is a list of Blogs to Visit and Etsy shops, Big Cartel shops, whatever shop you have that you want the world to know about. To me, blogging is very much about building a community and one of my hopes for Gypsea Tree is to branch out into providing networking and support for those fellow gypsies and dreamers among us.

I would love it if you would take this post as an opportunity to tell us about yourself. Plug your blog, your shop, your book, whatever you want! If you are interested in getting on either the blog list, or shop list mentioned above, tell me about that too. I hope you won't be shy, I can't wait to hear from you!

Also: a reminder of the Gypsy Feathers Give Away. I will be announcing the winner on Wednesday. If you are interested in entering I hope you will now.

Fall is just starting to hint at it's arrival and I'm coming to life with creativity. I love this time of year beyond all others. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

{all images property of Gypsea Tree}

Compelled by beauty...

2010-08-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

{via Etsy, via Chateau Thombeau}

For me? Why thank you!

2010-08-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Something exciting has happened! I've received an award from one of my favorite bloggers. Róisín at Child of Danu has passed along the "Versatile Blogger" to Gypsea Tree. I hope you will pay her a visit as her blog is always brimming with a great deal of fascinating content. She finds the most amazing "tree-ish" things! Thank you again Róisín!

Here is the award:

Now I must share 7 things you don't already know about me (although maybe some of you already do...):

1. I'm a huge soccer fan. I bought my guy season tickets for our fantastic Seattle Sounders this season and I'm pretty hooked. (It also involves much drinking of the beer. What, I ask you, is there not to like?)

2. I love to sing, but I'm kind of terrified to sing in front of people. When I had to perform a song for a drama class I brought a chair on stage so I would have something to hang on to in case I fainted.

3. My mom took me to see the movie ET when I was four and it traumatized me for life. I will be 30 at my next birthday and just the other night I imagined ET was shuffling down my hall towards the bedroom and I had to turn the light on.

4. I haven't worn make-up (aside from the occasional lipstick and my 3 times-a-year-mascara) since last year for my brother's wedding. Before that it was probably at least another two years.
5. I was in Barcelona during the September 11th attacks on my country and experiencing that event internationally was a defining experience on my life.

6. Sometimes I dream of places I have never been and I am so convinced they really exists that I will spend ridiculous amounts of time Google searching for them. Despite fruitless efforts I still feel with great conviction I will stumble across them eventually.
7. I'm going to be spending the rest of this day on a fishing boat!

The next step is pass the award along. It is meant to be passed on to newly discovered blogs. However, most of what I have been reading these days are blogs that I have mentioned before on my old Blog List. So I'm going to break the rules a little here... Instead, if you are a new reader and/or blogger I want to hear from you! Let me know about your wonderful blog that I haven't discovered yet so I can add you to the soon forth-coming new blog roll. I look forward to spreading the word, and passing on this lovely award!

Flamenco

2010-08-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Several years ago I took a trip to Spain, France, and Portugal. While in Spain I thought I wanted to attend a bull fight. Instead I discovered Flamenco. It still makes me shiver with awe to think of the cool dim room tucked behind a restaurant where I first witnessed the glorious heel stomping frenzied swirls of ruffled gowns set to the impassioned strumming of Spanish guitar.

There is a Spanish word, duende, which has no real translation. It is an emotion, a state of being linked to the trance of Flamenco. To me duende is a feeling of ferocious passion, pain, joy, elation, sorrow... Things that cannot be contained in any word.

{all images from LIFE photo archives}

Gypsy Feathers Give Away

2010-08-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who have followed Gypsea Tree over here so far! I'm very excited about this spot and it feels like a fresh new beginning. My mind is brimming with post ideas and now I can concentrate more on writing and less on the frustrations over the old format.

As a Thank You to Gypsea Tree readers I'm pleased to announce a give away! I've been experimenting with feathers and if they strike your fancy, I would like to send you a pair to adorn your lovely self! To enter you just need to be a Gypsea Tree follower and to leave a comment on this post. I will announce the winner in two weeks.

Welcome to Gypsea Tree's New Home!

2010-08-17T00:47:00.000-07:00

I'm so very pleased that you are here! It's exciting to set up my new camp here at blogspot. I've been using blogspot for a while now with my other blog Steam Spectre and I've really preferred the way it operates. I will be keeping the old blog alive as the official Gypsea Tree Archives. You will find the link in the sidebar.

So, here we are. I hope you will join my new caravan and sign up to follow. Who knows what adventures lie ahead!? Well, actually I do... I'm very excited to announce that Gypsea Tree will be hosting the first gypsy give-away! You will need to be a follower to enter and details will follow in my next post.

Summer has been hot, busy, and all around very grand in my camp. Lots of day travels have ensued. Last week a dear friend and I went out to one of the most amazing beaches in the world. I took the pictures below at La Push, Washington. It's a spectacularly wild beach.

What have you been up to this summer? Any good book recommendations? I'm on the hunt for something new and I'm in the mood for something with a bit of a ghost story...