Mid-week (well kinda) joy: Guided meditations

What can I say? Yesterday was a Day. Today is a better one. So you get some midweek joy, following on from my post about Tarot Meditation last Wednesday, and later on today we’ll be back to the normal schedule.

As I said last week, I’ve found guided meditations a very useful part of my meditation practice. They keep me on task, and have led to some really beautiful ‘ah’ moments. Here are a few of my favourites:

The Six Phase Meditation by Vishen Lakhiani is a great way to start your day, focusing in on what you’re thankful for, and visualising how you want your day to unfold. I use the physical relaxation process from the beginning of this with other meditations, it’s a good way to get into the right space.

Don’t let the name fool you- the Meditation Manicure by Gabrielle Bernstein is fantastic. It’s a climbing visualisation which I’ve returned to over and again- and when you’re starting out in a meditation practice I can’t recommend it highly enough. I choose to climb to higher thoughts– such a great affirmation to work with.

If, like me, you pay attention to the phases of the moon, a great meditation for the Full Moon is the meditation to release negativity by Doreen Virtue. It feels like floating, is the best way I can describe it. Just give it a try.

The Meditation Society of Australia offer a bunch of free guided meditations on their website.  Yes, it’s a very old-school website. But I can forgive them that. You can sign up for the Learn to Meditate podcasts via Itunes, otherwise you’ll need to register with their site. I found the Cliff, the Crossroads, and the Train meditations to be especially good.

If you give these a go, I’d love to know what you think! If you’ve got other guided meditations you’ve found useful, I’d love to know about them. You know where the comments are, go to it, and happy rest-of-the-week!

Links of Joy: Giggles

For this week, despite the temptation to yet again link you to a bunch of pretties you might also like to buy, I’m going instead with a few things that have been making me laugh.

Lets start with, imho, three of the best celebrity Ice Bucket Challenges (yep, I went there. What can I say? There’s a Zeitgeist and this time I’m jumping in.)

First up, the Otter King himself, Benedict Cumberbatch (or as he’s known to me and my ex-flatmate J, Bundaberg Crumblybumbly. Why Bundaberg Crumblybumbly? Blame this text conversation (not mine, one she read to me))

And then there’s fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss, taking it to a new and scientific level. That’s how we do it!

I think, though, it’s Patrick Stewart who nails it.

The Out of Context D&D Quotes Tumblr has been making me snork rather more than I really should be doing at work. One of my friends has now announced that ‘first of all, how dare you‘ is her new battle cry. As for me, I plan to steal this name for a future campaign character as insurance against my current one being offed by the GMs. What? It’s a totally valid strategy. 

RIP Joan Rivers.

And yes, I know this video of a baby getting his hearing aids switched on for the first time has been everywhere but it gave me such warm fuzzies. Yeah, I’m a sap. And proud of it. 

We made it to Wednesday! Go us!

Links of joy: Inks of joy!

Yep, it’s a bunch of links about tatoos. What can I say? The one I got is healing up beautifully and I’m excited to get more.

If you’re considering one and it’s your first, you can read some tips on getting a tattoo from real tattoo artists. Pay attention to what they say about working with the artist.

Of course Gala Darling also wrote about how to get a great tattoo and although she’s since said she’s experienced some tattoo regret, I think that that idea of your tattoo having to mean something, other than just being beautiful? I don’t agree. Some really beautiful tattoos are art for art’s sake and there’s value in that too.  

Alli Woods Frederick of Kisses and Chaos wrote a post on 5 things you should know about tattoos and, like everything she writes, it’s good stuff. 

I stumbled across the awesome looking Things and Ink magazine quite by accident, and I already ordered two of the back issues. Artistic, with cultural content about tattoo history and current trends- It looks like it’ll be a fascinating read. Issues about identity, and celebration, and art? Yes please.

I arrived at Things and Ink via The Laughing Medusa’s blog, which has a whole load of “tattoo talks“- interviews with people who have them, or make them, even a laser removal technician. 

I’ll leave you with a non-tattoo related beauty link. This post from a blogger who found a bunch of her old Body Shop perfume oils brought back so many memories for me. I was an Ananya girl (because my Mum already took White Musk for herself). I can still remember the smell of their coconut perfume oil, and longing for the jasmine perfume because I read about it in Just Seventeen. Did anyone else frequent the perfume oil tester bar at the back of each Body Shop with the big glass tester bottles and their glass wands? Heaven. And dear God, I remember wanting Exclamation perfume, and owning a bottle of Tribe and adoring it. 

Links of Joy: In which Ellen likes many pretty things and cannot buy them all

I have a confession to make. I spend much longer looking at clothes on the internet than I probably should, given my desire to declutter. But I can’t resist! Just because I ogle them doesn’t mean I’m going to buy them all…Anyway, sometimes I like to talk about it. So I am.

Until the convention just gone I had a good excuse for eyeing up pretty dresses in the form of costuming Miss Piggy (who is a bombshell through and through) (I ended up scoring the Erin dress in Berry from Trade Me, though if I had insane money and could spend whatever I wanted on LARP costumes with no consequences in the form of, say, eating ramen noodles and only ramen noodles for the rest of my life, I would have got this pink lame confection.

This week, my friend Kara and I have been chatting online a fair bit and exchanging links to online pretties.  So without further ado, a few favourites.

Can we talk about this dress with fairytale castles on it? One could accessorise, if one was so inclined, with this sky blue aeroplane bag. But lets face it, I am ALL ABOUT this retro My Little Pony bag. 

I did actually buy this one- the Luscious dress with Neverland pirate skulls. Because pirates. And I love the colour. It was my treat to myself with my first paycheque on the new job. Yes, there will be photos when it arrives. Sadly it was out of stock in my size at Pinup Girl, but a Google search led me to…

Sourpuss Clothing. Who have, for example, this dress covered in krakens (KRAKENS)- which sadly is a halter top. It’s a style I love to look at but can’t wear. Halter necks drive me to distraction. Also this pirate dress (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. PIRATES.)

One day, I will get myself some jewellery from Jubly Umph. Though I would actually be tempted to get this All-Seeing Owl as a tattoo- and I wouldn’t be the first person to get a Jubly Umph design in ink. 

Finally, there’s Black Milk clothing and their interesting Disney collection. An Evil Queen from Snow White bomber jacket? Yes please. Sadly but unsurprisingly, the Ursula from the Little Mermaid one is sold out. 

What about you? Have you found pretties that you long to have in your wardrobe? Show me in the comments!

Links of Groot…um…joy [SPOILERS]

My Best Beloved posted this video from the end of the movie on my wall today, and it reminded me of just how much I loved ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. 

Obviously, when I watched that at the movies, I walked out saying that this needed to be a piece of merchandise. If someone makes one for me I’ll be quite pathetically happy and grateful, and will place it somewhere prominent and make people watch it. Just saying. Here’s a Vine of said piece of merchandise in action. It’s hypnotic. 

You can also translate any webpage into Grootspeak with this handy-dandy Grootify button. After all, Cornify isn’t for everyone. 

I’ll leave you with the movie soundtrack on Grooveshark, which I am totally unable to stop listening to for some reason. 

Dance battle, dude. Me and you.

Links of Joy: Craft and baking and sharks, oh my!

Happy Wednesday everyone. It’s been a good week for parcels this week- my copy of the latest Faerie Magazine, my Goddess Tarot deck (finally), what can I say? I like mail. 

Of course I’m still unpacking, slowly, but once I do I totally want to get my craft on properly- I’d love to try screen printing with an embroidery hoop. And make a few of these speech bubble hair pins for people. 

Instructions on making a Red Velvet Shark cake? I think I know what I’ll be serving when I watch Sharknado 2… I love that the subtitle for the sequel is simply ‘the second one’ (also Kelly Osbourne is in it? WHUT?)

I love me some unicorns but even I’m not sure about this plant pot. 

 

 

Links of Joy: Live from Auckland!

Where, aside from the fact that ‘making the bed’ has a whole new meaning when it comes disassembled and you don’t have a screwdriver, the move has gone pretty smoothly so far. 

And last night, the Best Beloved took me to my first ever acrobatics session. I had a blast, and even managed to do a sideways plank (paint me like one of your French girls…if I can just keep my balance…)! But more on that tomorrow.

Joining the Parlour has led me to exploring the circle of lovely creative types who make it up, so today’s links of joy are to some of their awesomeness for you guys to explore.

First up there’s the beautiful Alex Hudson’s art

Then there’s Shyla, a stylist and blogger. Check out her fabulous free stuff!

“Write better. Earn more. Live like you mean it.” What’s not to like about The Wrevolution?

Finally, subscribe for Christina‘s newsletter and get a free book on manifesting! Better believe I’m snapping that offer up. 

As always, if you’ve found fun, inspiring or gorgeous things and want to share, please comment!

Links of Joy: Witchbaby edition

The Magic Touch by David Blackwell (available under Creative Commons licence at Flickr- http://bit.ly/1jU1gBP)

‘Witchbabies’ is the name that folks in the Parlour use to greet the group, and I love it, because Francesca Lia Block– I only came to the Weetzie Bat books 3 or so years ago, along with the rest of her writing, but there’s just something about the dreamlike quality of the way she writes that resonates with me. I especially enjoyed ‘Necklace of Kisses’ (a sequel to the Dangerous Angels series, set a few years later), though I haven’t yet managed to read ‘Pink Smog’ (a prequel). Did you know there’s now a Dangerous Angels t-shirt? Definitely on my list once I’ve bought furniture for my new room.

Speaking of t-shirts, this one of Artax made me want to go curl up in a ball and weep. I remember the first time I saw the scene in the despair swamp in ‘Neverending Story’ and how upset I was. But having experienced depression, it actually rings pretty true now.

With the Parlour (yes, I know, a bit of a theme for the week), I’ve been looking at tarot decks on Etsy- always dangerous. I love the TaRat deck from Bluedogrose, though I can’t put my finger on why, I just like it. I also like her Blue Dog Rose tarot using pets and domestic animals- the Hierophant is a goldfish! And death, appropriately enough, is a cat (anyone who has lived with cats will tell you this is accurate).

I’d forgotten about the fun and shenanigans of the AntiCraft until my bonus Friday Five from last week, but how can you not love an online craft magazine that had plushie gamer dice patterns and an entire issue devoted to bacon? (I made Baconhenge once. It was delicious.

Obviously with a new room come new decor ideas. I plan to get more seriously into those once I have the furniture, but obviously knitting inspiration is not to be controlled and I have a bit of a thing for throws. This magickal throw from Erssie Major is a lot of fun, but I don’t think I’d make it for me. I do know someone I could make it for though…because what I need, clearly, is another project. Yep.

Have you found anything fun on your internet wanderings? Link to it in the comments!

A Wednesday roundup- plane plague, moving and other shenanigans

So first, I have to apologise for the interruption to the regular posting schedule. I woke up on Monday morning with a death plague which laid me out for two days. I’m now into the lemsip-and-convalescing phase, a step up from lemsip-and-napping-on-the-sofa-while-flatmate’s-girlfriend-plays-Mass-Effect phase. I’ll continue the tutorial series next Tuesday but in the meantime to catch up, time for some gratitude and some linky funtimes!

First and foremost, I’m grateful that I’m now in the final stages of getting ready to move. Starting the new job, living in the same city as the Best Beloved, starting to explore said city, there’s a lot to be excited about.  

Watching: Gilmore Girls

I can’t help it. When I’m sick I mainline TV, and this time it’s been Gilmore Girls. Luke/Lorelai ❤ forever. I’ve also been knitting a few hexipuffs between naps- never underestimate the healing powers of brainless knitting and TV that doesn’t make you think too hard.

Reading: WordPress for Beginners by Reeta Krishna

That is before the sickness knocked me out, and between chunks of ‘The Four Agreements’. It’s all to do with building the shiny new website for A Small Aubergine. What can I say? I’ve got dreams, and I never cease being surprised and grateful at the way that the Universe sends me the tools I need to start making them happen. 

Funding: The Atomic Tarot

It got funded! I’m very excited, though of course I’ll have to wait a few months to get the deck itself. But still, something to look forward to. 

Admiring: 

The ‘Men in Knitwear’ calendar by Stitch Seekers. Yes I know it’s July. But how did I not know this was a thing? “We don’t want to distract you from the knitwear so the models won’t be wearing loads of other clothes.”- LOVE. 

Convalescing has also led to some internet rambling. Veronica Varlow mentioned Faerie Magazine recently and I ended up downloading a digital back issue- some great writing and beautiful photography. I think I found a new treat! That in turn let me to Novel Atelier on Etsy, and this nautical tattoo silk cloth is now high up my wish list. 

Star Wars pancake moulds! I can’t buy them until after the move, but after the move…well, the Best Beloved loves Star Wars, and I love pancakes, seems like a match to me. And Offbeat Home suggests using them to shape watermelon pieces– bring on summer. 

In the meantime, bring on the blanket and the nap. Hopefully my regularly scheduled programme will resume tomorrow.

Links of Joy: Time for some majesty

I’m having a day where many things have annoyed me and I’ve let them get to me more than I should. To break the pattern, time for some majestic links of majesty.

Lets start with this frosted rainbow unicorn light (because when I think majesty, I automatically think unicorns. The internet has me well trained.).  

From the pages of myth gallops this majestic unicorn, carved in frosted splendor and glowing with an ever-changing rainbow of light.

Yes, that’s the actual description. The light itself reminds me of the kinds of gifts I used to get from students when I taught English as a second language. At the first place I taught ESOL, we had a row of ceramic oil-burners of varying degrees of majesty along the shelf above the resource library. Sadly I had to divest myself of my giant red glass swans forming a heart with their necks when I downsized after I left my now ex-husband. Yes, sadly.

If unicorns aren’t your thing, perhaps you’d prefer to channel Siegfried and Roy with this white tiger side table. But wait, it gets better- according to Amazon, customers who bought that table also bought this dramatic eagle side table. In fact, you can buy them as a set because, again according to Amazon, they are frequently bought together. That means, somewhere in the world (most likely somewhere in the States), it is possible, nay likely, that there is someone- in fact more than one someone- who has BOTH OF THOSE TABLES IN THEIR HOUSE. Lets just take a moment to ponder that. See? I’m feeling better already.

 I’m happy to see that the majesty of the Three Wolf Moon t-shirt is alive and well and available in New Zealand.

You could also get a black wolf t-shirt (because combining shipping is thrifty!). To me it looks kind of like the G’mork in ‘The Neverending Story’. And that’s pretty cool (though holy hell the G’mork scared the bejeezus out of me as a kid).

Sadly, Shiro Cosmetics have discontinued their Three Wolf Moon lipcolour, or I would have linked you to that as an alternative. But to my delight they now have a Red Wedding lipgloss and a new collection of Miyazaki-inspired tinted lip balms. Also, an eyeshadow named after one of my favourite moments in The Avengers (and is rainbow-glittery!). Things I’m adding to the list for a payday treat…

Some natural majesty here, courtesy of Buzzfeed- this majestic mountain trail is trying to kill you. While the photos terrify me (I’m scared of heights- I got freaked out on an escalator last time I was in Auckland, but that was because the Best Beloved insisted on leaning over the edge to look at the floor several stories below), I also really want to go there. Though maybe not on the Insane Plank Walk.

For your movie entertainment (if you own a VHS that is), perhaps you would enjoy this classic 80’s story of using music and bodyrock to stop a greedy land developer from taking over a neighborhood.  Ah, yes, I have many happy memories of the ‘using music and bodyrock to stop greedy land developers’ genre. Starring Mario Van Peebles! No, I don’t know who that is. But the Etsy seller seems to be excited about it, so darn it, I am too.

By the way, if you find things that make you happy on the internet I’d love to see them. I may even feature them in a future Links of Joy. Share the love!

Right! I’m off to put on my sexy dress and move on. Happy Wednesday everyone!  

I’ll leave you with some majestic Beyoncé quotes. Because Beyoncé.