Dear Photograph

I stumbled across this site DearPhotograph.com an I loved the idea and artistry of it.  Taking a photograph of a photograph; reliving the memories, feeling the change from then through now.  It also made me a bit sad.  I wish I had that one constant place in my life.  Part of my envies those who have.  My husbands family still live in the same house he grew up in.  His family has roots that go deep; my family, well not so much.  The pictures also made me long.  A longing for the innocence and joy the past always seems to hold.  

Check the site, it's beautiful.

under the same moon and stars,
ibs

p.s.  disclaimer: none of the photos are mine in anyway legaleeze legaleeze legaleeze....

Do you believe in fate?

do you believe in fate? destiny?  are you pre-destined? or do you make your own destiny?  I like to believe that we have at least some say in how and where our lives end up.  No, you don't have to climb mount everest, or travel the world, unless that is where your heart is.  If living your day to day life~ laughing with your friends and family is enough, then it is enough.  Our lives change, and so do our aspirations for ourselves.  Live your life on your terms and let Fate fend for itself.  

Fate

That you are fair or wise is vain,

Or strong, or rich, or generous;

You must have also the untaught strain

That sheds beauty on the rose.

There is a melody born of melody,

Which melts the world into a sea.

Toil could never compass it,

Art its height could never hit,

It came never out of wit,

But a music music-born

Well may Jove and Juno scorn.

Thy beauty, if it lack the fire

Which drives me mad with sweet desire,

What boots it? what the soldier's mail,

Unless he conquer and prevail?

What all the goods thy pride which lift,

If thou pine for another's gift?

Alas! that one is born in blight,

Victim of perpetual slight;—

When thou lookest in his face,

Thy heart saith, Brother! go thy ways!

None shall ask thee what thou doest,

Or care a rush for what thou knowest,

Or listen when thou repliest,

Or remember where thou liest,

Or how thy supper is sodden,—

And another is born

To make the sun forgotten.

Surely he carries a talisman

Under his tongue;

Broad are his shoulders, and strong,

And his eye is scornful,

Threatening, and young.

I hold it of little matter,

Whether your jewel be of pure water,

A rose diamond or a white,—

But whether it dazzle me with light.

I care not how you are drest,

In the coarsest, or in the best,

Nor whether your name is base or brave,

Nor tor the fashion of your behavior,—

But whether you charm me,

Bid my bread feed, and my fire warm me,

And dress up nature in your favor.

One thing is forever good,

That one thing is success,—

Dear to the Eumenides,

And to all the heavenly brood.

Who bides at home, nor looks abroad,

Carries the eagles, and masters the sword.

The Magical Thinking Project #2

Magical thinkers were asked to write a manifesto; this is mine.

WHY

Because Life is SHORT and NOTHING is guaranteed.  

Because existing is NOT enough.  

Because it’s not a race to the finish.  

Because it IS about the EXPERIENCE.  

Because this will not last FOREVER.  

Because ONE life is the flap of the butterflies wings.  

Because you DON’T get another Chance. 

Because the BAD is as much a part of the story as the GOOD.  

Because living vicariously is NOT really living.  

Because we all need each other.  

Because LOVE.  

Because I AM ONE.  

Because one IS the beginning.  

Because I don’t have all the answers.  

Because of this wonderful thing called LIVING.  

Because of all of this and more I wilL BE and DO and WISH and DREAM and ACT and 

EMBRACE IT ALL.  

under the same moon and stars,

ibs

The Invitation

The Invitation 

by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for,

And if you dare to dream of meeting

Your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.

I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool

For love, for your dream,

For the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. 

I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,

If you have been opened by life’s betrayals,

Or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, 

Mine or your own,
Without moving 

To hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy,

Mine or your own,

If you can dance with wildness

and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes

Without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic,

or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true.

I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself,

If you can bear the accusation on betrayal and not betray your own soul.

I want to know if you can be faithless and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty

Even when it is not pretty every day,

And if you can source your life 

From its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, 

Yours and mine,

And still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon,

“Yes!”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,

Weary and bruised to the bone,

And do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you are, how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand 

In the center of the fire with me

And not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you

From the inside

When all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone

With yourself,

And if you truly like the company you keep

In the empty moments.  

just a man and his will to survive~ it's the EYE OF THE TIGER

a little inspiration,
roar,
ibs

Know What I like About You?

The other day I picked up this months copy of home life. In it was the article by Marie Armenia "Know What I like about you?"  and I liked the article so much I wanted to share.  In it she talked about how her husband and she had been so busy that she realized that she hadn't said anything nice to him in a long time.  So she turns to him and says, " Know what I like about you?" He looked at her, and she finished with, "you always smell so good."  No, it wasn't anything earth shattering, just something simple and nice.  But it was something that made her husband feel good.  "Know what I like about you?" has become something, a way for them to just connect with each other.  In the crazyness of life we can use all the help we can get to connect with the people that are special in our lives; our spouse, our children, our friends.  I'm not a terrible mushy person, but I think I can handle doing this.  So, I am going to give "know what I like about you?" a try.

under the same moon and stars,
ibs

DIY How to make a Lamp

Okay, here is a really great retro looking lamp you can make yourself.  It's so easy and you can do it for under $20!!!  I found it in a Better Homes and gardens mag DIY.

you will need

~ the inside of 2 embroidery hoops, I picked up 2 eight inch round hoops at the thrift store for 50 cents each.

~ 2 twelve inch dowels

~ 12-15 sheets of vellum, more if you're going with a larger hoop

~ light cord and socket, i picked mine up at Lowes for under $6

~ cutting mat, straight edge, ruler, glue (gorilla glue is good) , and wire

 Cut the dowels into 4 equal sticks.  I cut mine with my straight edge into 5 inches.

Glue the dowels around the inside of the hoops.

 While the dowels dry on the hoops, cut the vellum into 8 inches square.  Then cut one and  half inch slits into opposing corners starting 1 inch from the corner.  cut one slit toward the top of the square and one toward the bottom.  

Fold the vellum into a cylinder held together by the slits. TIP: you might want to try this out on a couple pieces of 8 inch square paper and make yourself a template so you don't waste your vellum. 

 Once you have all your cylinders and the dowels have dried glue the vellum around the outside of the hoops.

 Voila!  Once the cylinders have dried use some wire to hang the light socket in place and hang!  You will want to use a low watt bulb or a CFL so it doesn't get hot.

 I used a translucent vellum, but you could use any color/ pattern that matches your decor.  You could even draw some patterns on the vellum with a metallic sharpie before you glue them to the hoops.  Whatever you can think up!
Happy lamp making!!!

under the same moon and stars,
ibs