BLACK FRIDAY & Cyber Monday SALES ~ Support Local & Handmade!

During this sacred holiday season, support local and/or handmade goods. Supporting others just like you helps the whole of the planet in a positive manner. This year try your hardest to support only items you know were made either by hand or from a local Ma & Pa style shop. Maybe we need to rethink where our money is going when we purchase 'made in china' quality items and goods. What are we supporting when we buy mass produced items from across the globe? Keep it green, sustainable, local and handmade this year. Know when you purchase an item that you are supporting an individual, a neighbor, family, friend or other artsy and crafty individual. Support each other... not capitalism.

I figured since it was Black Friday and the weekend of Cyber Monday, I could and should go ahead and give a quick post with my current items, art and other stuff available for sale.

So here you have a sampling from both of my Etsy shops. :-)

SHOP #1
http://www.Kandice.Etsy.com

~~~ 50% to 90% OFF ~~~

ALL ~ ORIGINAL ARTWORK

CANVAS PAINTINGS

COLORED PENCIL DRAWINGS

SPIRIT SERIES

FRAMED PHOTOGRAPHY

Much MORE

Here is a small sample of the 80+ items available & on SALE:

Etsy Buy Handmade kandice

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Shop #2
http://www.OracleReadings.Etsy.com

1/2 Off Select ORACLE & TAROT Readings!

SALE Ends December 1st!

Limited Quantity Available!

Printed, Personalized & Ready to Frame!

Several formats available:
Messages from Fairies ~ A Fairy ORACLE Reading
Energy Readings by way of TAROT cards
Hidden Messages in WATER CRYSTALS
Energy Vibrations and so on!

View each reading to see Feedback left by those who have received one of these totally unique and artfully done Oracle & Tarot Readings!

Makes a wonderful & unique gift!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade oraclereadings.etsy.com

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Enjoy all of your holiday shopping.

Please support Local & Handmade goods this season!

Thanksgiving Memories

An unusual Thanksgiving at that! This year we decided to go a different rout for Thanksgiving. Usually my mother or I hold a large dinner and we have anywhere from 12 to 20 people. This year I had been a bit run down after recovering from a head cold and still dealing with an inflamed lung from pleurisy. The day started off by me calling my mom in the morning to wish her a happy Thanksgiving. When she answered her phone, I did not say hello, instead I made the calling and gobbling noises of a turkey. For some reason I am capable of making very realistic turkey sounds. So i spoke for a few in my gobbling voice! Gave my mom a good laugh to start the day. My parents made the hour and a half trip south to come visit the three of us (me, Tom and Destiny). We decided earlier that we would eat our Thanksgiving Day Dinner at Ted's Montana Grill. I choose a restaurant that I knew served quality, wholesome, made from scratch (sort of) food. Being the 'green' people we are, I had to choose an environmentally friendly and aware place to dine for this event. Ted's is very conscious when it comes to the environment! From their recycled paper straws, tables clothes and such, to all glass and no GMO'd nonsense to them using gray water and receiveing their electricity from wind turbines. We felt Ted's was a well thought out choice for dinner. Of course once my parents arrived at our home, we carpooled to Ted's and met one of our family friends, also Toms co-worker at the restaurant. There were a total of 6 of us sitting down to dinner to enjoy each others company. It was different as I am not used to going to dinner for Thanksgiving. It is always myself or my mother hosting a large family event. I must say though, the stress was minimal and having no cleanup afterwards was simply relaxing and wonderful. Though I did deeply miss the large gathering I have grown accustomed to.

After dinner, our friend went to visit his boy and my parents rode back home with us. Upon arriving home, Destiny (my 12 year old daughter) wanted to play Rock Band on the PS3. A while back I had traded my car in on several items, one of those items being a large HD projector and screen. We have had much family fun with this. My mother, Destiny & I took to singing, playing guitar and drums. I wont go into details but I believe will will band my mother from playing the guitar ever again... just kidding Mom! ;-) Destiny rocks on the drums and hopes to take actual drumming lessons in the near future. All 5 of us gathered in the large family room with the wood burner to stay nice and cozy. My dad sat on the couch and watched us girls make fools of ourselves and pretend we were really on stage in a rock band. I couldn't resist capturing a couple shots of my 50+ year old mother singing Black Sabbath's Paranoid. She pulled Ozzy off pretty well! She got a 99% out of 100 on her score. Who knew my mom was secretly hiding her Ozzy side!

Here is my mom singing the song Paranoid by Black Sabbath while Destiny plays the drums:



While I had the camera out, my mom knew I was snapping a few shots of her singing. She decided to flip me a friendly bird to show her disapproval of the camera, however I wont post that one or she may flip me the bird again (giggles).



We continued to play the Rock Band game for quite a while as we were all having such a good time. I mostly played guitar until my mom decided to give her lungs a rest. Before they left to head home, I decided to give them a good laugh! I changed the song on the game over to Iron Maiden, I then sang Run to the Hills! Now for those of you that know this song, you know it is a challenge to sing but you can have fun with it. I let loose and had a blast, singing in my lowest voice then taking it as high pitched as I could while singing "Run to the hills... Run for your lives...." Yes, it was funny. My parents were bot laughing at the animated voices I was projecting from my little body. My mom felt the need to capture me on the camera as well. However, she missed me dancing on the floor and 'really' playing the part.. shewww! My daughter Destiny killed (in a good way) on the drums for this hard song! And by the way, we couldn't get the guys to play in the band. I guess that makes them our personal groupies? hehehehe

Even though this wasn't a normal and traditional Thanksgiving, we really enjoyed ourselves. Despite all the current going ons in all of our lives, we really do have an abundance to be thankful for! For me, this is the first year out of the last 6 years that I haven't been heavily battling and dying from the cdiff dis-ease. That alone is worth a million thanks!

Tom & I feel blessed that we still have our parents, all alive and in decent health. We have each other, a home (though I'm not sure for how long), but we still have it for now and it keeps us warm and dry. We are fortunate in many ways that others would consider petty. To us, these small things are what matter more than any of it. We are blessed to have family and each other. That alone is enough to be highly thankful and grateful for!

I hope you and yours had a wonderful and blessed holiday and weekend. Here is to you and yours!

Namaste,
Rainbow Tree

Nature's Remedies ~ Quick Cures for Common Ailments

It seems everyone I talk to lately has some sort of cold, ear infection or other ailment caused by stress and the approaching cold weather. I thought some of you might enjoy a few of my natural remedies from my book of shadows. :-) I'll be sure to post more each week. Just another reason to subscribe to my blog!


Earaches ~
Soak a cotton ball or pad in olive oil, then add 5 drops of Lavender essential oil. Place it loosely in your ear until the pain abates.

Cough associated with Bronchitis ~
Mix 1 tsp of finely chopped fresh Thyme in a little honey. Take the mixture orally as needed to soothe inflamed lungs and airways.

Cough with Phlegm ~
1.) To calm cough, mix 5 Tbsp of honey with 5 tsp. of Cider Vinegar. This mild syrup will relieve coughing and help break up phlegm.
2.) A chest compress enhances the above effect: Soak a towel in equal amounts of cider vinegar and hot water (as hot as you can stand) and place it on your chest for 30 minutes.

*both remedies work well for children

Sore Throat Gargle ~
For a sore throat or Laryngitis, briefly boil 1 tsp. of raspberry leaves in 1 cup of water. Gargle with the mixture several times a day. You can enhance this mixture by adding some Calendula flowers and a few sage leaves. Allow to cool.

Sore Throat with Hoarseness ~
Squeeze one lemon and dilute the juice with 1 cup of hot water. Gargle 3 times a day.

Fever Blisters ~
Place a few drops of Echinacea juice on a cotton ball or swab and gently apply it to the affected area. Can halt progression of the lesions or even prevent them outright.

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Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Namaste,
Rainbow Tree

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Self Cleansing RITUAL BATH ~ Body Blessing to relieve stress

With the upcoming holidays and stress of everyday life, I thought now an appropriate time to post a self cleansing ritual to aid in the upcoming days and events.

The purpose of a ritual bath is to cleanse yourself, from the negative energies and prepare your Physical, Mental and Spiritual Self for what the day or next day brings. A ritual bath is a rite in and of itself. The rite is ideally done just prior to gatherings and/or traveling, but this is not always the case. After the rite is completed and you must try to keep your mind in a Spiritual frame as this will aid you in your duties and tasks.

The bath water should be infused with salts, herbs oils and colors that are harmonious with the current season.

To prepare for the bath:

Select the Herbs, [it is best to have your herbs in a satchel for easier clean-up] oils and salts [of the same color as the candle] that you will be using. Some idea herbs would be: Lavender, Chamomile, Thyme, Rosemary or other scented and beneficial herbs and oils.

Have a censer and charcoal block or incense burner ready to burn a corresponding incense on.

Anoint a candle of appropriate color [Possibly using the same oil as you are using in the bath water.] If you have a shrine set up in your bathroom there should be a Goddess and God candle present. However, this is not necessary.

Have some Holy Water ready. [Holy Water is made from: 1/3 sea-water {river-water with sea-salt added will do if sea-water is unavailable}; 1/3 river-water; 1/3 spring-water {store bought is OK} You can also create your own 'Blessed/Holy' water by simply thanking it with your hands over top the bowl. Visualize the universal energy of love streaming into the water. Ta' da', you have blessed water.

Play some meditation or relaxation music while you are in the tube. NOTE: All electrical devices should be at least 3 feet away from water to avoid electrical shock.

A glass of wine or pure organic juice is also needed for consumption upon completion of the rite.

To begin turn out the lights and light the candle(s) and incense, turn on the music, fill the tub with warm water and add herbs, oils, salts and a cup or so of Holy/blessed Water. With your Athame (you should have a knife or wand for ritual uses, if not, use your index finger) draw and visualize a Water or Banishing Pentagram over the bath water. All of these tools represent the four Elements; Air/the incense and the scents from the bath, Fire/the heat of the bath, Water/the bath and Holy Water and, Earth/the herbs and oils.

Lower yourself into the water and visualize it cleansing you of all negativity. Know that these energies are flowing from your Physical, Mental and Spiritual Self into the water. Relax and enjoy the warmth of the water, the scents in the air and the feeling of being cleansed of all negativity, let yourself drift.

Now concentrate and visualize on the purpose of the coming ritual, gathering or event and know that you are truly prepared. When you feel you are ready, pull the plug and stay in the tub until all the water has drained. As the water is draining visualize and know that the negative energies that are now in the water are going into the Earth and are grounded. Rise up out of the tub and do a Self Blessing like the following:

Anoint each area below with oil while saying aloud:

Blessed be my Mind, that learns of Your ways
Blessed be my eyes, that have seen this day.
Blessed be my lips, that utter Your names and keep Your secrets.
Blessed be my breast(s), formed in strength (Beauty).
Blessed be the phallus (Womb), for without which I would not be.
Blessed be my knees, that shall kneel at thy Sacred Altar.
Blessed be my feet, that have brought me in these ways.

Now drink the wine or juice. When dried, robe, clean-up the bathroom and take the libation outside to return it to the Earth. The rite is ended.

So Mote it Be!
All is blessed and is as should be.

Hope you enjoy!
Namaste,
Rainbow Tree


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Ancient DRUID Blessing

I thought with the upcoming holidays, a nice, well rounded and multi useful blessing from the ancient druids would be something nice to share with all of you. I will say this allowed this thanksgiving when we all sit down to dinner.

an Ancient DRUID Blessing:

Great Spirit, Help us to be the always hopeful
Gardeners of the Spirit
Who know that without darkness
Nothing comes to birth
As without light
Nothing flowers.

Grant, O God/dess, thy Protection
And in Protection, Strength
And in Strength, Understanding
And in Understanding, Knowledge
And in Knowledge, The Knowledge of Justice
And in the Knowledge of Justice, the Love of it
And in the Love of it, The Love of all Existences
And in the Love of all Existences, the Love of the God/dess and all Goodness.

Let the spirits of the Four Directions be thanked for their blessings.

In the name of the hawk of dawn and of the element air, we thank the powers of the East.
In the name of the salmon of wisdom and the element of water we thank the powers of the West.
In the name of the great stag and of the element of fire, we thank the powers of the South.
In the name of the great bear of the starry heavens and of the element of earth, we thank the powers of the North.

May the blessing of the Uncreated One, of Her Child The Created Word and of the Spirit that is the Inspirer be always with us. May the world be filled with Harmony and Light.


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Thanksgiving BLESSINGS & Symbolism

Many religions celebrate the consumption of food with some sort of prayer of thanksgiving. Many Pagans, Wiccans and other Earth based religions/spiritualities believe that not only should we thank the gods/goddesses for our food, but also the earth and the food itself. After all, if you're eating plants or meat, something had to die so that you could have a meal. It seems rude not to thank your food for its sacrifice.

Here are several Blessings/Prayers you can use during this time of 'Thankfulness':

~ A Simple Thanks ~
Lord and Lady, watch over us,
and bless us as we eat.
Bless this food, this bounty of earth,
we thank you, so mote it be.


~ A Prayer to the Earth ~
Corn and grain, meat and milk,
upon my table before me.
Gifts of life, bringing sustenance and strength,
I am grateful for all I have.


~ Celebrating Meat ~
Hail! Hail! The hunt has ended,
and meat is on the table!
We honor the deer who feeds us tonight,
may his spirit live within us!


~ Invitation to the Gods ~
I set a place at my table for the gods,
and ask them to join me here tonight.
My home is always open to you,
and my heart is open as well.


~ Offerings ~
In ancient Rome, it was common to leave a bit of your food on the altar for your household deities. If you would like to do this at your meal, you could use the following prayer: This meal is the work of many hands,
and I offer you a share.
Holy ones, accept my gift,
and upon my hearth, leave your blessings.

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Thanksgiving SYMBOLISM

Some might think it's stretching the imagination to also tie in Thanksgiving with Pagan customs, but both Christian and Pagan religions give thanks, respectively, to God and their deities for the harvest. The Pilgrim's holiday is at the end of the gathering season.

Christians celebrated Lammas, the first harvest, by going to church in August, leaving loaves of bread on altars and giving thanks. Michaelmas, honoring the archangel St. Michael, was held on September 29th. Festivals of gratitude were held near or on the Sunday of the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the date of the autumnal equinox, usually occurring in September, sometimes in early October.

Native Americans had celebrations of reaping bountiful crops. As Pagan Europeans immigrated, they brought their customs of harvest festivals: Lughnasadh, Mabon and Samhain. Both Pagan traditions, featuring special foods, later influenced celebrations of the American Thanksgiving.

~ Meats ~

* Venison: Deer symbolizes innocence and gentleness. The doe represents subtlety and gracefulness; the stag, purification, independence and pride.
* Turkey: Called Ground Eagle by some tribes, is symbolic of harvest and shared blessings of Mother Earth.
* Rabbit: Although not mentioned in accounts of the feast, was one of the foods available to the Pilgrims in 1621. Rabbit's and hare's keynotes are new life, fertility, intuition, balance and rebirth.


~ Vegetables, Fruit and Grains ~

* Apples: The Celts attributed the powers of rebirth, youth and healing to this fruit.
* Beans: The Three Sisters in Native American legend were Maize or Indian corn, beans and squash. After corn, oldest sister, was planted, beans were next so their vines could grow around cornstalks, then squash, the youngest, which grew close to the earth. The way they grew is symbolic of cooperative community survival and mainstays in the tribes' diets.
* Maize and Cornmeal: Ceremonies were held for both planting and harvesting corn. The New England tribes' spring Green Corn ceremony was to ask for bountiful harvest. In August, also the month of the Celtic Lughnasadh, the Green Corn celebrated the first harvest. Cornmeal symbolizes fertility, healing and powers of people, animals, rituals and objects.
* Pumpkin: Represents sun and, according to some Native American tribes, symbolic of personal power.
* Wheat: Wheat celebrated abundance and was used in rituals to give thanks and pray bounty would last until the next year.


~ Cornucopias ~

The horn of plenty was a Native American basket shaped in the form of an upside-down tornado, filled with vegetables. It signified harvest's abundance when shared and thanks given to the deities. Indians brought these to the Pilgrims to alleviate their fear of scarcity.

While the European cornucopia, depicted as a goat's horn, used in Pagan harvest celebrations has roots in Greek mythology, it is highly unlikely this vessel influenced Thanksgiving traditions.

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Give THANKS for all your abundances, health, family, love & gratitude.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday that lasts the whole year!

Namaste,

Rainbow Tree

Weekly LUNAR Reading & MAGICAL Attributes: Nov. 24th - 30th

Weekly Lunar Reading & Magical Attributes:

**subscribe to my blog to receive an alert for when a new Lunar Reading or other interesting poetry, special sales and other unique goodies are posted! Each MONDAY a new Lunar Reading with Magical attributes and general information is posted for your enjoyment and way of saying thank you for being my friend!


Todays Date: Monday, November 24th, 2008


Moon Phase:


Waning Crescent : 8% of Full (next Full Moon: December 12th)


Moon's Place Today:
Moon's Place Later Today & Tomorrow: Scorpio

Lunar Reading:

Depending on your overall outlook of life in general, you may be in for a bumpy emotional ride this week. It seems life is throwing you some stressful situations both physically and emotionally. Even your own spirituality may come into question as you do some deep soul searching this week. Today may start off on the right foot, but it may end up going on the left foot only to not fit properly. Meaning the day could have a dramatic flip in emotions or opinions. You could even call it a bi-polar day. However, how you perceive the day will aid in the outcome. It's up to you in the end to decide to view only the negative or focus on the positive aspects of life at this current time.

Emotions and concerns with family members will subside later today. You will have the comfort of setting your worries aside and knowing no matter the outcome, they will be okay. You are urged to allow the universal flow to do just that, flow with out interruption or intervening of any kind. Sometimes we have to have faith in a situation and let it be, knowing we can not control the outcome. There is reason and good reason for the current happenings you are experiencing. Even if you are viewing them as negative, they will pose a positive outcome for the whole of the situation.

Your not alone in this world, even though you may feel like it most of the time. You are surrounded by your ancient ancestors and departed loved ones. They are your spirit guides that are always around you when needed. All you have to do is call upon them in your time of guidance. We forget to live in a spiritual world as well as our physical. Though some may not physically see those from a different plane of existence, they are always there to assist you when ever needed. They are part of our inner consciousness and when acknowledged they will provide you with valuable insight, answers and so much love!

This week will bring many subjects and issues into the light. You are seeking so much and looking outside for your answers instead of within. You, yes you hold the key to your own happiness and relief. You must find the love & happiness that you seek within yourself before you are capable of giving it to someone else or accepting it from a partner. WHat this means is that you should not depend on others for your happiness. You must love and be truly happy with yourself as a whole before you can move on further in your relationships.

It is highly likely you will begin to question your own spirituality and faith this week. Questioning is good! You should question. But do not look to others for the answers as they do not have them. Only you know what is true in your heart and soul. What ever suits you best may not be the choice of someone else. This is the wonderful thing about 'Free Will'. You have the choice to choose your own path in this life. Choose one of love, gratitude and honestly. Choose one that does not place dominion or judgment on anyone or anything else. You can also choose to create your own personal spirituality. You don't have to blend in with others. Follow your heart, use your free will and let it guide you in the direction that is best for your needs, not someone else's.



For the Magic Doers & Light Workers:

You seem to be having a hard time letting go of negative emotions, bad habits and physical/emotional dis-eases and health issues. You haven't learned or accepted that this is your own creation and manifestation. Like it or not, we are responsible for all that happens in our life. As dramatic as it sounds, I created my cancer, I created the c-diff and other issues I have faced my entire life. I don't like that I manifested them, but somehow I did as I wouldn't have ever dealt with them if I had not manifested them. I could have chose to only look at the negative when I battled with these issues. but instead I choose to rise above all of it. I choose to use it as a learning experience in life. Had I not gone through so much early on, I can not say I would place such value on the simple things in life. I can not say I would love as hard and much as I do now. I know I would not be the person I am today had I not experienced all of the turmoil and negativity. Those issues as bad and deadly as they were, taught me to be grateful, have gratitude, show compassion, listen to others, live for the day (because we may not be here tomorrow) and love as if it were my last moment on earth. I viewed my issues as life lessons. They taught me more than anything else ever could have. Yes, I could have viewed it all as negative.. and most of it was. But the positive that came about from all those experiences sure outweighs the negative any day. Now I am able to share, teach and pass on the benefits of living a sustainable, spiritual and environmentally friendly lifestyle. I place value on the simple things and am thankful everyday for the roof over my head, hot running water, a stove to cook on and my ever loving family. These little but huge things are more important to me that all else. The rest of theatrical life, shopping and all the other hoo ha just isn't worth my time. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff!

With this being said, maybe it is time you started to be a little more thankful for the simpler things in life. Maybe it's time you take a long hard look at what you like and dislike in your life. Only you can make the change and manifest the outcome you desire. No one else can do it for you, so please quit depending on others to 'fix' your problems. We, meaning us light workers, indigo children, crystal beings, etc. are here to assist you in your spiritual and human evolution. We are here to help guide you but we can not do everything for you. You must take the responsibility for all of your actions and the ripple effect they have on every little thing you do and the entire world as a whole. Everything you do no matter how tiny or large, has a vast ripple effect that flows through the entire universe. One person can change the entire world!

It is time to get your focusing abilities and energy towards the right/positive directions. This may mean making some life altering decisions in the next week and over the holidays. Having your family around may shed some light on subjects you have concern about. Don't hesitate to express your opinions this week, even if you know others may disagree. We must remember to 'coexist' with all religions and lifestyles from other family members and friends. If nothing else, show others the benefits of being nonjudgemental and coexisting in this beautiful world we call Mother Earth.


Your Mission for this week:

I really want to type this so I am going to.... It's time to get your head out of your butt. ;-) What I mean is quit smelling poop and living in the darkness. Focus on the smaller things in life that you are thankful and grateful for. Imagine the change in your lifestyle if there were no banks, no credit cards or even credit. A world with no electricity, indoor plumbing, computers, phones and other modern day advancements. Imagine there were no Walmarts, Sears and shopping malls. Imagine a world with no running cars or gasoline and oil drilling or deforestation.

How would you live in this world? What would you be thankful for? What you are thankful for now, may not apply in the world mentioned above. You would place more value on family, friends, relationships and the fact that you even had water on your property to begin with. Your opinions would dramatically change. The material items you place value upon now would not exist or wouldn't matter as your life would not depend on them... as it shouldn't now. You would begin to place value and gratitude on the simplest of things like a roof over your head, a hot meal on the table or even finding food for that matter. Your entire outlook towards life would change in the blink of an eye.

Your mission this week is to list 10 or more things, but a minimum of 10 things you are extremely thankful for. I don't want to see a list of items such as a blackberry, televisions, etc. Let's get back to the basics and realism of what is truly important in this life.

Here is my list of the top 10 things I am grateful and thankful for. I have hundreds and I'm sure I could think of more!

1. a home that has little to no leaks in the roof so my family and I can take shelter and stay warm and dry.
2. a stove to cook on so I may provide my family with a hot meal to calm the growls in their stomaches.
3. running water in my home as I have been without. I'm thankful it is heated, but I can always warm water on the wood burner in the event of not having heated water directly out of the tap.
4. having my own garden so I do not have to depend on others for food.
5. my health, as I honestly didn't think I would still be here to see my 10th wedding anniversary coming up.
6. being fortunate enough to still have both of my parents living and healthy.
7. i have two working legs and two working arms, my eye sight and my hearing. That is something to be extremely thankful for!
8. having clothes to cover my body. All of them may be used & recycled, but they are clothes to keep me warm and that's all that really matters.
9. having a good rain shower. Without the rain our garden would die and we would go hungry. Thank goodness for rainy days!
10. heat in the winter. There is nothing like gathering around the wood burner to stay warm on the coldest of winter days.

What are your top 10 things you are thankful for?