Wanna See Some Great Hooters?

I wanted to share some amazing hooters with you today. Hmm... what... wait a sec... the Great WOO wants to tell me something...

OMG, not THOSE hooters... I mean OWLS!!!!

Owls - they're symbols of wisdom and majestic birds of prey, and I personally think they're just one of the coolest birds around! Here in Arizona, we have an amazing variety of owls (over 25 species) including the world's smallest owl species - the elf owl which averages about 5 1/2" tall with a wingspan of about 9" - to the great horned owl which measures about 2 feet tall with a wingspan of up to 55". The Sonoran desert is also one of the warm weather homes of an owl that lives underground - the burrowing owl.

"My" owl appears to have returned for the winter. I was letting the dogs out this morning and saw my winter visitor perched on a chimney at the end of the cul-de-sac. I always get a good feeling when I see him... I'm not sure why, but he's become a welcome friend since the first winter I spent in this neighborhood. He's a huge bird, so I'm guessing he's one of the few great horned owls that have decided to make their home in the valley, and when he swoops from one building to the next, his wingspan and profile are just incredible.

I think part of the reason that I love owls so much is that my mother started collecting owl figurines and home decor items when I was a child. While she still has quite a collection, she no longer collects new items, but I still love looking at her curio cabinets filled with her finds. I also love looking at the many sweet, beautiful, and unique owl creations that abound on Etsy, so I'm sharing some of my favorite "hooters" here with you today!



I'd like you to meet Stewart - he's been a favorite of mine for awhile now - I've even featured him in a treasury or two! He just looks so sweet and serene... You can find Stewart the Owl Vintage Inspired Wool Felt Applique Decorative Doll Pillows at Cuore on Etsy.





This Spotted Owl wood carving is from another one of my favorite shops on Etsy, SandraHealy. If you love animal carvings, be sure to check out this shop for an amazing variety of creatures, hand carved using knives and chisels in a very unique technique - I think they're simply gorgeous!





You may remember seeing this shop, SusanRodio, featured on my blog before - I love her artwork and this ACEO of The Forest At Night is also one of my favorites. I thought it was a perfect selection for today's theme!



I hope your weekend is going well and that you've enjoyed looking at the many beautiful hooters, errr, I mean owls, that you can find on Etsy! Happy Saturday!

Presents for Lifelong Friends

You know the friends I'm talking about... the ones that you've known almost their entire lives, the ones who never say a single bad word about you, the ones who are loyal and true and are always happy to see you when you arrive, the ones who are always there and almost instinctively know when you need some companionship... the ones with the sloppy kisses and wet noses and tails that wag every time you walk in the door - even if you just left 5 minutes ago. Yes, I'm talking about our four-legged canine friends - our pet dogs.

We have two demon dogs... errrr, I mean wonderful sweet companion pets... named Trooper and Sadie. Trooper is a pedigreed Tibetan terrier, while Sadie was rescued as a papered "mutt" - meaning I adopted her and received some piles of newspapers to help with the housebreaking issues. Al bought Trooper to keep him sane while he was going through a nasty divorce back in 2001. I adopted Sadie because my then 15 year old daughter wanted a pet dog - and having just lost my late husband to Hodgkin's disease a few months earlier, I thought a pet dog might be a good companion for me too. Sadie and Trooper are almost the same age (within months), the same color (they're both black although Sadie has white paws and underside), and about as different personality-wise as two dogs can be. Trooper is mischievous and pretends to be the alpha dog. Sadie is a bit more laid back bit of a loner, although when she wants attention, she is great at finding her way under your hand for some ear-scratching. She is actually the alpha dog, although for the most part she lets Trooper think he is.

They are our 24/7 alarm system, our loyalest of friends, and short of having to bark at every dust bunny that flies through the air, a joyful spot in our everyday life... so today, I'm honoring these life long friends by looking at some of the great doggy products that are available on Etsy.

Right now, our pooches have matching collars, but I think the next ones we buy will be different and reflect their personalities a little bit more. Aimeeplus3 is somewhat new to Etsy and is also a fellow hitchhiker on the Handmade Highway and she has some great pet products! I found this Handmade Dog Collar - Small- Pink Flowers at Aimeeplus3 that I think would add a little pizazz to Sadie's basic black dress code with its bright pink and white stripes and flowers. What do you think?



For Troop, I think this Arrr Matey Collar from WoodinYou fits his mischievous personality. It's fun and funky and the bright red would probably look gorgeous against his thick black wavy hair. (Yes, his breed technically has hair, not fur! Sadie does as well!)





We like to give our dogs healthy organic treats (especially since Trooper tends to have a sensitive digestive system) and we tend to be very picky about what we take a chance with. Since both of our dogs love fresh apples, I think these Certified Organic Apple Chips from 2pugs sound like they'd be perfect treats for any occasion where your dog deserves a little something different than the normal pet store treats!




I'll be featuring more pet goodies in the near future on my blog shopping spree, so if there's a special pet you'd like to find a treat for, just let me know!

Happy Friday - Hope your weekend gets off to a great start!

Seeing Red

Unusual subject for my daily shopping trip, you're probably saying... and I agree, but unfortunately that is exactly what I'm doing right now... seeing red. Yes, this is partially a rant. To make a long story relatively short, I had to go for some medical tests today that are technically surgical procedures but they are done by a technician rather than a dr, at the dr's office. Now, according to my benefit plan booklet, such services are not subject to a copay and since my out of pocket for the year has been met, the procedure should be covered by my insurance at 100%.

Once I arrived at the office, the front office girl checking me in asked for a copay so I asked if I was seeing the dr or a nurse practitioner, because I hadn't been informed that I was. She politely said no, so I asked why a copay was expected... to which she politely said "We have to charge you a copay for the visit"... to which I politely replied (based on my former life background as a medical coder and medical insurance business analyst) - "There is no visit - a technician is doing the test and I'll be seeing the dr on Monday for the results. That will be a visit and I'll be happy to pay a copay then." (I had already had one visit earlier this week - also with a copay.) I was then told that I had to pay the copay or they wouldn't do the test.

Two hours later, a lot grumpier from the pain, and $30 poorer, I was on the phone with our health insurance carrier, clarifying my benefits. I was told that if the provider billed for an office visit and if creative coding was done so that the visit wouldn't be bundled into the procedure (as it would rightfully be if it had actually occurred), I would be charged a copay... my only recourse would be to dispute that no office visit occurred -after the claim was paid. What frustrates me is that 1) no services were performed today that required a copay; 2) the medical community purposefully forces us to make multiple appointments to simply collect additional (and in this case, bogus) copays that the average person would never think of questioning, and 3) because it appears if some really squirrelly billing may be being done, I'm going to have to jump through hoops to prove my case to get that copay back. What irritates me even more is that this will be about the 5th time in the past couple of years that I've had to fight with our insurance plan over miscoded and mispaid claims. In one case, the plan paid out thousands of dollars that they shouldn't have because a dr checked the wrong box on a form. And we wonder why healthcare in the US is such a mess. I just e-mailed a couple of old friends who are still in the industry to verify my stand on this whole thing (although I couldn't find any industry coding changes in my research), but for now, yes, I am seeing red!

I hope you'll agree that some of these items I tracked down on Etsy (which coincidentally, are all titled "Seeing Red") are really gorgeous and definitely went a great way in changing my "seeing red" mood to a more positive mood - cuz they did!



If you guessed that I probably went through all of these eye expressions at some point today - I think you'd probably be right! Scared the crap out my hubby - The Great WOO was like "Whoaaaa" - he'd never seen ALL of the eye expressions in a single 24 hour period, much less at the same time! He's recovering well tho :) This fun and funky Seeing Red mini pillow from pearldragon is just too cute!







Cardinals are a long time favorite of mine - but if you've been following my blog for awhile, you probably already know that! So when I ran across this beautiful painting Seeing Red by deck on Etsy, I knew I just had to include it in today's post. Isn't it gorgeous!?!








I used to love to play bunco when I was younger - I think I may try to find a new group to play it with in the near future. It's a simple but fun dice game, and kicking back for some bunco fun and sharing some wine with friends would be even more fun with these Seeing Red...2-sided BUNCO wine charms from stewartathome. Before you start wondering why only 5 die sides are showing, the reverse sides spell out B-U-N-C-O !



Admittedly a little more relaxed now that I've shared my great finds with you, I need to get to work on a couple of photo shoots for some new listings I need to get up tomorrow! Hope your Thursday was a great one and that this leaves you seeing red in a great way!

Old World Tradition & Culture for Today's Look

One of the things I love most about being part of the handmade world is the melding of tradition and culture into updated styles and motifs that just seem to fit today's lifestyles. The artians I'm featuring here today are all fellow hitchhikers on the Handmade Highway and their artistry illustrates wonderful examples of old world crafts with an updated look. I hope you enjoy these shops as much as I enjoyed browsing through them.

First up is Nothingbutstring. I selected this beautiful Rustic Grapes Irish Crochet Applique Purse partly because I love rusty autumn colors and partly because I think Emily, the artisan behind Nothingbutstring, has done a beautiful job of updating a simple modern purse with beautiful crocheted appliques in the lovely needlework tradition of my paternal grandmother's homeland of Ireland. Irish crochet is actually considered a type of lace making that was popularized during the 19th century Irish potato famine.



The art of tying knots dates back to prehistoric times, but Chinese knotting emerged as a popular folk art in Chinese cultures in the Tang and Song dynasties over 1000 years ago. Believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to newly married couples, this lovely art found its way back into mainstream culture in the 1970's and continues to be a popular folk art in Asian cultures. Jessica Tai of CLineCreations creates a wonderful variety of items from jewelry to hair accessories featuring this lovely art. One of my favorites is this Yellow Knot Keychain, made with a single strand of intricately woven Chinese knotting cord!



Jessica also offers some breathtakingly beautiful Chinese brush paintings. While the technique is described in more detail in her product descriptions, these paintings are done on rice paper with simple watercolors. The effect is lovely! I especially like this original painting of Koi fish - a traditional Asian symbol of love and friendship.





Jacobean embroidery, popularized during the reign of King James I of England in the early seventeenth century, describes a form of crewel embroidery used for furnishing. It is characterized by fanciful plant and animal shapes worked in a variety of stitches. Toni Melton of SatinStitchery on Etsy, has updated this art form beautifully by using it to embellish every day accessories like this Denim Jacobean Brocade Embroidered Shoulder Bag . Toni has a lot of really gorgeous embroidered items from key fobs to jackets and home decor!

I hope you'll take some time to check out some of the other beautiful items available at these shops, and that you'll agree that old world traditions definitely have a place in modern society!

Happy Wednesday and happy shopping!

The Power of Suggestion

I think most of us have been exposed to the concept of visualization - being able to produce changes in our lives by visualizing them occurring or using some similar method to keep us at least subconsciously aware of them, and thereby working toward them. I've read countless books about how it helps to have a collage of the things you want to have in life (a house, a car, vacation, etc) somewhere you can see it frequently - because even if you're not really focusing on it, your brain is still noticing it.

How many of us have put a picture of ourselves in a younger/thinner/happier place in life on our desks or refrigerators, to spur our brains to subconsciously get us back to that state? How many commercials or ads have you seen or listened to that you didn't even realize made an impression on you until weeks later, when you're in a situation where that product or service is suddenly needed or desired? All of those ideas are based on the ability of the human mind to react consciously and maybe more importantly, subconsciously to suggestion and to store that information or suggestion indefinitely at a subconscious level.

You know how well some of those tv commercials work to suggest to our brains that we're hungry, or need a new vehicle, or want to try a new product - and those are via 20-30 second spots, just catching you when you're relaxing comfortably in front of the tv. Now imagine really focusing your brain on something specific using similar theories for a focused period of time, while you're even more relaxed... imagine the changes you can make in your life! That is what therapeutic hypnosis is all about.

Many of you probably saw the poll in the right sidebar about hypnosis this past week. 50% of the people who responded said that either they themselves, or someone they knew, had used hypnosis to help with a health issue or unwanted behavioral issue and that hypnosis had been beneficial in helping them change their lives. The next largest group of respondents said that they wanted to learn more about it before they formed an opinion about it. Well, here is your opportunity.

Some of you may have noticed my little "handmade highway" button at the top of my blog. Kym Tolson LCSW, from Hypnotransformations, is one of my fellow hitchhikers on the handmade highway, and agreed to spend some time answering some of my questions about hypnosis. Kym is a Hypnotherapist certified by the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, as well as a licensed therapist with a Master's degree in social work. I'm a believer, having been hypnotized for the first time when I was 17, because I know it can help in so many different situations like relieving pain and unpleasant symptoms in cancer patients, as a way to reduce symptoms caused by stress, behavior modification for weight loss and smoking cessation, and so many other areas of our lives that we'd like to change. Here are the questions I asked Kym to answer to help you learn a little bit more about hypnosis, but if you have others, please post them here in the comments and Kym would be happy to address them for you!

Without getting too technical, can you explain a bit about brain wave states and how they relate to hypnosis? There are four major brain wave states, Beta (waking or conscious state), Alpha (Daydreaming or relaxed), Theta (hypnotic or meditative), and Delta (unconscious or asleep). Hypnosis is most effective during Alpha and Theta states. I find Theta is the most effective for hypnotic change. I use music in my sessions that is specifically orchestrated to induce the theta brain wave state. In Theta you can easily access past experiences and emotions even hypnoanesthesia (an alternative to anesthesia) can be induced in this state.

You can't really turn me into a bank robber who clucks like a chicken, can you? Lol!! Actually, a person will only do what they want to do in a hypnotic state. Hypnosis is just a state of deep relaxation. When a person is in hypnosis, they are always aware of what’s going on around them, they remain in control of everything they say and do. We have all seen stage hypnotists that make people cluck like a chicken but the truth is, the stage hypnotist chooses people that seem more likely to “perform” on stage.

How long has hypnosis been used as a medical therapy and what conditions does it produce excellent results for in most people? Anton Mesmer (1734 - 1815) is widely attributed as the modern father of hypnosis. Hence the word mesmerized. Ever since then, hypnosis has been used to treat medical conditions. I can best explain medical hypnosis by relating it to the placebo effect and the power of the mind. Hypnosis is about trance and if your mind believes the messages it is receiving, the body will believe it too. Hypnosis has been widely successful in treating chronic headaches, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, panic attacks, depression, obesity, and many more. It not only treats medical problems but many psychological issues as well. Some of my most popular hypnosis sessions treat self-esteem, poor organization, poor concentration, procrastination, and codependency to name a few.

Are people really asleep when they're hypnotized, or are they aware of their surroundings? As I stated before, people in hypnosis are usually in the Alpha or Theta States when in hypnosis. They are vaguely aware of their surroundings and can come out of hypnosis easily if they choose to. Some people do fall asleep while in hypnosis and some hypnotherapists would say this is less effective. However, I have seen positive affects even when people fall asleep during my hypnosis sessions.

Can everyone be hypnotized? Is there anything that can help or hinder a person's ability to be open to hypnotic suggestions? Have you ever driven down the road only to realize later you don’t remember the last five minutes of your trip? If you answered yes, then most likely you can be hypnotized because hypnosis really is just like daydreaming or being very relaxed. Actually, only about 5% of the population cannot be hypnotized, the rest of us will enter into a hypnotic state easily. About 10% of people will be hypnotized very deeply. But deep trance is not needed to have positive therapeutic effects. All that is needed for an effective hypnosis session is the willingness to be open to the process and a desire to change.

How long will it take hypnosis to really create changes in behavior? How long do suggestions last? Can they be "turned off"? Will I need a "booster shot"? I recommend listening to your hypnosis session at least twice a week for the first month and weekly for the second month. Hypnosis is more effective the more you listen so if you can find the time to listen; daily would be preferable. It’s scientifically proven that when you make a change that lasts for 21 days, it becomes a habit so I suggest two months to ensure the hypnosis will last permanently. The results of hypnosis actually compound after each session as you make consistent and effective lifestyle changes. These results can easily last a lifetime. If the hypnosis ever seems to “wear off” you can start the process over again. Usually one or two “booster” sessions will bring back the full effects of the first cycle of listening.

What about self-hypnosis - what is that? Actually hypnosis and self-hypnosis are interchangeable terms. Self-hypnosis better describes the experience of hypnosis because we are the only ones who can choose to enter into a hypnotic state. We can use a hypnotherapist as a conduit to enter the theta or alpha state or we can work towards training ourselves to become hypnotized. Self-hypnosis allows the mind to become more susceptible to suggestions than in a normal state of consciousness. With self-hypnosis, you can speak directly to your subconscious mind, and this will allow you some control over the ideas that are planted there and some ability to change those ideas.

Can I listen to your CDs at any time - like when I'm driving or doing precision work with my power tools? Choose a quiet place to listen to your hypnosis CD or mp3 download. Choose somewhere where you can relax without being disturbed for the duration of the session. You can listen if you have time during the day or at night right before bedtime. It is never suggested to listen while trying to operate heavy machinery or during a time where you need to be alert and aware of safety issues.

What kind of training is required to become a licensed hypnotherapist? This is a very interesting question and you will find many different opinions about the type of training that is necessary to become licensed hypnotherapist. I am licensed in my state as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). To become licensed I obtained my Master’s degree in social work and then after 2000 hours of supervised clinical work, I sat for an exam, which I passed to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I then pursued my hypnotherapy training, which I learned over 80 hours of training. I was able to obtain the certification only after verification that I was licensed by the state to practice therapy. I highly recommend seeing a hypnotherapist that is licensed in the helping profession. I feel the clinical training is important in understanding the core issues relating to a specific issues.

A note from Kym - Thank you for taking the time to learn more about hypnosis. If you are interested in any of my sessions please feel free to contact me to discuss the process and content of the session. I would love to offer a 20% discount to any one that uses “mysticwynd” as a discount code during the checkout process. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Hypnotransformations.

A note from me - If you've ever considered hypnosis, now is the perfect time to make the decision to try it. Kym's shop has an amazing variety of CDs and MP3 downloads available to help you focus on many of the most common life issues. She also has some wonderful meditation tapes if you just need some help "quieting your mind." (and I will vouch that these types of meditation tapes work wonderfully well even if you're the type of person who really has trouble "relaxing" - like me!)

Once again, if you have any questions, please post them here (especially since someone else may have the same question but be a bit shy about asking) or feel free to contact Kym via her shop on Etsy - hypnotransformations - or her blog http://www.hypnotransformations.blogspot.com/ .
Transform your life!

Illustration - Green Goddess - 8x10 Print - available at EmilyBalivet on Etsy

Today's Winner Is...

This darling striped flower pendant has a new owner! I apologize for being slightly late with the drawing, but I was involved in an important phone call at noon, so the drawing was held a few minutes ago. The Great WOO reached into his favorite hat -STRANGE - and pulled out the slip of paper with... oy vey... he started reading a chinese fortune!! What a goof... the actual winner is SavingDiva! Congratulations - I will be in touch later today to find out where Katrina Palmieri of glasscube on Etsy can ship your winnings!

I'm taking a break from the giveaway routine this week, but I will be doing a special shop feature and interview tomorrow on my blog, as well as continuing my daily shopping trip a little later today, so stop back by and set a spell!

Earth Sinks to Rest

"November comes and November goes,
With the last red berries and the first white snows.
With night coming early and dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket and frost by the gate.
The fires burn and the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest until next spring."- Clyde Watson

(photo print - The First Snow available at Meganzii )

Happy November! That little verse is one of my favorite poems about the months and definitely sums up November pretty well! Much like February, November is a month of transition - definitely not quite winter, but as the poem says, earth is beginning its rest until spring.

I've always enjoyed some of the little facts and trivia about the months, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the well known and not so well known tidbits about November and some of the items I've found on Etsy to illustrate them!


November's flower is the chrysanthemum - a hardy perennial which includes over 30 varieties of mums - from tiny button mums to huge football mums. This lovely Spider mum ECO heather unisex T depicts just one of the many beautiful varieties and is available at Ahpeele .









Although yellow topaz was always considered the birthstone for November while I was growing up, citrine is also considered a traditional birthstone for the month. Both are beautiful stones, although I must admit that I love the golden color of topaz personally (or I'm just an old dog who can't learn new tricks...lol). I've tracked down both stones at BlackLotusDesign so you can decide for yourself which one you prefer. The one on the left is a Brandy Topaz Hand Carved Oval Pendant while the one on the right is a Faceted Citrine Oval Silver Drop Pendant .





In astrology, November arrives during the rule of Scorpio, giving way to Sagittarius on the 22nd.

Thanksgiving Day in the US is always celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November.

November is: American Diabetes Month, Native American Heritage Month and National Red Ribbon Month (anti-drunkdriving), just to name a few.

Significant November holidays are All Saints Day (1st), All Souls Day (2), US Veteran's Day (11th), Buffy's Birthday (15th) (Buffy, you know who you are!) and Thanksgiving (26th).

The November moon is known at the full beaver moon, or frosty moon and will be full on November 2nd.

Famous November birthdays include Mark Twain, Walter Cronkite, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Howie Mandel, and Tina Turner among so many others!

The name November has its root in the latin word novem, which means nine... it was actually the ninth month in the ancient Roman calendar!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday - the two busiest shopping days of the year - both fall in November.

I'd love to hear any other great facts or trivia about this wonderful month, so be sure to share! Hope your November is a happy, healthy, prosperous one!