#but regardless i am keep on keeping on and i hope to open an etsy shop soon!!!!

[aena-blue]

Manifestation - The Train Analogy (Bridge of Incidents & Wavering/Doubting)

Hello everyone! This is another short post to cover a simple topic under the umbrella term manifestation to hopefully shed some light on the topic.

Today I will be sharing with you an analogy regarding the bridge of incidents (BOI) which also covers when you are wavering & doubting. This analogy came to me during a meditation today and I found it to be helpful so I thought I would share!

During a meditation today my higher self, or higher consciousness, however you want to think of it, spoke to me and told me that when I have a desire, the desire becomes my destination. To reach my destination, the Universe puts me on the fastest train possible there.

What this train is, depends on your self concept, what you believe is possible, and what you believe is possible for yourself to achieve and experience. If you have little to no resistance towards your desire, the Universe sticks your ass onto a bullet train (super fast trains in Japan if you haven't heard of them!).

Now, when you are wavering and doubting the outcome of your desire, this is like a stop along the way to your destination. When you doubt, you get off at a station that is before the end of your destination. Standing on this platform, you now have a choice. You can remain here and choose to not continue on your journey to your desired outcome, or, you can get your ass back on the train. The choice is yours.

Sometimes you may stop for a while on this platform because you recognise that your ass was on a slow moving train from the 1800s. So maybe you pause for a bit, and work on your self concept. You clear out the blockages and resistances that is slowing you down. (Note that I said slow you down, but not stopped!). Now that you are ready, your new train rolls into the station and it is a much quicker one!

Sometimes, doubt only lasts for a little while, and you are able to get back onto the train towards your destination quickly.

The beautiful thing about this analogy is that it shows your wavering and doubt as simply temporary stops along the way, you always have the ability to get back onto the train and reach your final destination, your desired outcome.

The train, even if slow, will still move towards it. Anything you desire, you can have. The only thing slowing your down is your own beliefs about the possibility of you having it. Erase your fears, worry and doubts through self concept work, and things will move much faster. And even if you still doubt from time to time, you can always get your ass right back on that bullet train towards your desire. So just lean back, relax, and keep your mind focused on the end, on your destination, the Universe will take you there in the fastest possible way.

I hope that this was helpful! :)

I now offer email coaching on my Etsy Shop: https://aenabluetarot.etsy.com/ for anyone who needs help, assistance, guidance or just a cheerleader for their manifestation journey.

You can email me or use the “ask me” function for anything that might be on your mind, or on your heart. I am here for you all, always. Please note that the Ask Me’s are only open for dream interpretation, general questions or advice at this time.

Please consider supporting my intention & affirmation art business in return for my time and energy by making a purchase or sharing my shop on any of your social media, every page click helps my business grow and I appreciate all of your support.

You can get a sticker for about $2 and if you make a purchase and send me an email to let me know what you bought I will happily give you a free 3 card reading for a question of your choice or 1 free email for manifestation coaching, regardless of the cost of your purchase! 🧡

If you'd like to donate to my channel/blog I gratefully receive energy donations via Paypal, every little helps! 🧡

For anyone that feels so inclined I do have an Etsy Shop for tarot readings.

Much love and light to you all and to the universe 💛💜

~ Lady Blue 💙

[darkmagic-sweetheart]

Holiday Shopping PSA 2022

Holiday Shopping PSA

It’s that time of the year again were I write one of these to remind old and new shoppers to be careful where and on what they spend their money on this holiday season.

Regardless of what you celebrate or don’t celebrate it’s always nice to give a gift to either yourself or someone you care about, but it’d be a huge bummer to later find out what you got them was actual bootleg or stolen art.

To start I always tell those that are interested in buying from an artist to go check out their social media and see where exactly do they sell their work. That is always the best way to make sure you get your art from the actual artist. Try to find a direct link as well. Most are in bios, pinned posts, or other posts were they promote their store/website.

My Stores: 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/darkmagicswh/shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DarkmagicSWH

If you can’t find a direct link see if their DMs are open or send them an Ask/Tweet at them (delete once you get your answer though). Now if this artist’s store is closed or if they don’t sell to people that is not an invitation to look elsewhere for their work or to print it out yourself! Please respect the artist wishes/schedule and look for another gift option.

Try to avoid shopping for art on sites like Amazon, Wish, Ebay, and Aliexpress UNLESS the artist has specifically said that is where they sell. Most of the time these sites are riddled with stolen work and at a very cheap price so it can be hard to not to take that deal, but don’t. Artist’s, for the most part, are the little guy in this situation. We are having our work taken by bigger companies and given almost no power to fight back. Our art is not free to use or part of the public domain!

Be careful when shopping on Etsy and Redbubble as well. Stolen works can also be found there too. Once again try to find a direct link to the artist store and if you can’t Google their name or search for one of the items they do sell. Just make sure to triple check that the person whose store you are looking at if the artist and not someone just selling their art.

I know it can be hard because sometimes you just see something online you want and don’t put too much thought into whether the listing for it on Amazon is stolen or not, but all I can ask if that people try. Tell friends and families about where they can find artists you like and their stores. Report any stolen listings you find and possibly contact the artist if possible about them. We artist want to keep making fun and creative works for you all to enjoy whether you buy them or not, but we can’t keep giving while our art is stolen and sold for so little by a complete stranger. We need your help too!

If you have bought or received bootleg/stolen art in the past you don’t need to feel guilty. It’s okay that you didn’t know at the time or whoever got you the gift didn’t know. That’s in the past, but right now you can change for the better. Show the artist you love the upmost respect by becoming a safer shopper this holiday season or informing others about the does and don’ts of shopping for art.

For those possibly reading this and thinking that this isn’t a huge issue and that losing out on just a little bit of money couldn’t hurt...it does and it is.

Over the course of just this year I have had to report over 100 stolen listings on just Amazon alone. I have also had to continually look out for stolen works on Etsy, Redbubble, Wish, and Mercari. I have had counter claims sent to me I’ve had to fight, all the while being in student debt. I’m unable to even report the stolen works I’ve found on Ebay and Aliexpress because those sites have made it nearly impossible for a single artist like myself to file a report. This is and has always been a problem and it’s not one artists should just get used to.

I hope this PSA helps some people learn how to shop better this holiday season and reflects the struggle artists sometimes have to go through.

DMCA Takedown Forms for Amazon and Wish (for any artists):

https://merchant.wish.com/brand-protection/brand-violation-report

https://www.amazon.com/report/infringement

Examples of my Art Being Stolen (Currently Up):

https://www.amazon.com/MDGCYDR-Stickers-Graffiti-Refrigerator-Notebook/dp/B09DQ4K9YJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KZ6QJVTUIY3C&keywords=unus+annus+stickers&qid=1669341197&sprefix=unus+annus+sticker%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1

https://graphicbreak.com/sander-sides-anxiety-aop-t-shirt-tee/

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803468333708.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

https://www.amazon.com/Jacksepticeye-Painting-Pictures-Bathroom-Decoration/dp/B092TR4ML9/ref=sr_1_123?crid=325A38TYQZALN&keywords=jacksepticeye+merch&qid=1669341359&sprefix=jacksepticeye+merch%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-123

https://www.amazon.com/Sanders-Sticker-Ceramic-Printed-Digital/dp/B0BB8X76WQ/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2W6S167LTES8C&keywords=sanders+sides+merch&qid=1669341390&sprefix=sanders+sides+merch%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-16

[grammaticalmustaches]

Me encountering an book material: hhhhhhhhhhhggggggggg nice

[pop-punklouis]

hi hope! i hope (lol forgive me) this isnt too invasive to ask, i was just wondering about your etsy business. is it going well, was it easy to start up and have you yet reached a place where what you invest in materials etc gets covered by your sells? and have you actually earned anything yet? if you dont feel like talking about this is totally fine! im just constantly wondering about small businesses of this kind, cause I would love to try out something like this but it seems like they're not really an option unless you have a really solid income that allows you to invest a lot without earning anything for months at the very least if not years and it's such a bummer.. not to mention the fact that it might just never really work and you'd end up losing everything. ugh why is everything so complicated :(

hi bb!

you actually caught me right after i finished fulfilling some orders haha. i know my etsy journey has been different than others (as they all are), so this is my personal experience!

I’ll answer your questions in the order you asked 🤍

• Is it going well?

it is! i haven’t even hit 12 months— that coming up in september— and I’ve already sold 1.3K products (but i don’t really talk about it much publicly as i feel weird about talking products sold & $$ idk!)

• Was it easy to start up and have you yet reached a place where what you invest in materials gets covered by your sells?

i wouldn’t say it was necessarily easy to start up. the lead up to actually selling on etsy was pretty stressful for me but that was mainly because i wanted to make sure my product was the best it could be, and i spent quite a bit of money out of pocket to get supplies (but i knew i had to spend money to make money and be successful in my business). but, i trusted the process and my work to keep going. i’ve been at a place since…. at least January, i believe where the costs in materials are covered by my sells. i have a week about every 5 where most of my deposit is spent on refilling supplies, but that’s only when i have to stock up on everything. i’m fortunate to be pretty steady in sells right now to make $$ weekly.

• Have you actually earned anything yet?

yes! i kinda answered this for your last question. i have a separate business account set up, so i can see exactly how much i’ve made and keep. when you deduct investments of supplies (and me using some of it for fun expenses), i still have quite a nice nest egg in there that i’m proud of.

I get the worry and doubt! i had the same. i truly think i lucked out for two reasons: 1) my products are based around 1D which has a very active fanbase and shops a lot on etsy to support other fans and 2) my product was niche— something that no one had really done before in the fandom (vintage handwritten songs/letters in the boys handwriting), so it instantly set my shop apart. this was when i first began, before i started selling my bookmarks where now i sell both interchangeably. but, i do think the theme of 1D/Solos helped a lot in the beginning because it gave it a boost in sells that other shops who just begin selling their products on etsy, without a vessel like that, really don’t have. i’ve read about many shops who have had a hard time with their shop until it began getting traction and daily sells which i also dealt with but on a much lower scale. having the elevation of a fandom does help, even though it isn’t necessary to have a thriving etsy shop/small business of course. i think opening a store in the fall too encourages sells as many people buy for the holidays and that’s where i saw the first big wave of sells.

imo, i would say to at least dip your toes in. feel it out and just trust yourself. i was afraid of failure for a long time which caused me to hold back on opening a shop for months before i took the plunge. i never would’ve thought i’d be where i am now (i never thought i’d sell over 100 truth be told haha). so, it’s been a weird yet endlessly fulfilling journey that i don’t regret doing. at the very least, i’d say to open a shop and see where it goes. regardless of how it turns out, at least you won’t have any “what-ifs” that can eat your brain. i believe in you. give it a shot, at the very least. who knows what could happen. just be mindful and aware of your finances x

[wisemins]

Little life update for those who might be interested!

once again, sorry for being so inactive y’all! I’ve been preparing to start my small business and it’s taking so much planning and energy, so it’s kinda hard to keep up on messaging n stuff. It’s going to take me a couple more weeks until it’s up and running of course but I’m doing a lot of preparation and designing, perfecting the craft if you will. I’m gonna be making jewelry, mostly beaded stuff (perhaps native beading if I have the time), stuff like kandi bracelets, custom bracelets, charm bracelets, earrings, the lot. I’ve been hard at work, spending my own money out of pocket for my stock so this is a very big investment for me, I think I’ll be able to earn it all back eventually though. It’s extra complicated for me in terms of sales, keeping receipts and calculating stuff since-- dyscalculia makes that 10x harder but I’m determined to make it all work out. All the while I’m gonna be studying to get my GED so I’m gonna end up with my hands fairly full but I’ll make sure not to overwork myself, I think that’s important to small business owners since it can be a slippery slope to fall into just working endlessly, but I’ll manage my time to the best of my abilities. I want to pay attention to every aspect of my life in equal parts if possible, I don’t want to trade passion for stability. Regardless, this business i did want to make for a few reasons, not only to have a job, but to contribute to the selfship community a little more! These custom kandi bracelets I’ll be making will be completely open to self ships. (Please keep in mind that I am nowhere near ready to start making them in bulk, that’s why I’m taking a few weeks so if you’re interested I’ll post when the store is actually up on etsy!) We shall see how it all goes though, I’m excited and nervous, mostly excited! well that’s about it, oh, also my wall stopped flooding (for now) so that’s cool! Thanks for reading if you got this far, I know I don’t have many followers but I figure I should give a heads up before my business is out there officially. I also want to mark my progress for future reference, so I hope I can look back on this post in the future and see how much time has passed! see y’all on the flip flop, I’ll be lurkin on tumble site when i’m able! ♥

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | INTERVIEW WITH JON CARLING

Scratchy black and white drawings and the ink meanderings of artist Jon Carling have always caught our eye. They’re like something out of a weird dream or out of an ancient children’s book–,and they’re always captivating. We’ve been following his prolific drawing career for a long time and recently caught up with Jon to find out more about his inspirations, his early artistic influences, and his recent dip into animating his beautiful works. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist. 

Introduce yourself?  And where you’re from or currently residing? What’s your favorite thing about the city? My name is Jon Carling. I am an independent artist living in Oakland, California. I love the landscape. The beauty of the Northern Californian coastline is a life long inspiration to me. 

How would you describe your work to someone who is just coming across it? Scratchy ink drawings, some scribbling, mostly black and white.  Weird children's book art. 

How did you first get interested in drawing or figure out that you had a knack creating awesome art? I have always really enjoyed making stuff.   Drawing is really a habit from childhood, I would  escape into my sketchbook, and my imagination, making up worlds. It is an awesome feeling to manifest ideas with some degree of success.  That feeling is what keeps me doing it after all of these years.

Who and what were some of your early artistic influences? What artists inspire you these days? Early on, I loved Saturday Morning Cartoons, After school Cartoons, Fucking Sesame Street.  All the 80s kids' stuff.  Garfield Volumes, The Far Side, and Calvin & Hobbes. 

When I was 6 or 7, a comic book store opened near my house, and that had a huge impact.  The dude who ran it, Butch, was an old hippie dude who also had a huge collection of Japanese comics and toys.This is when Voltron and Robotech had just started airing in the U. S. . It was perfect timing to be exposed to all that incredible art.Greek Myths by D'Aulaires was my first book, and basically my bible.  I think you can see the influence on my work from that book.  

These days, I have been studying animation, so, I have been admiring the classic cartoons and animation from early film, all the way up to today.  I have been reading 'Elemental Magic' by Joseph Gilland.It is a book all about traditional animation special effects.  Amazing.  

Not only do you produce a lot of drawings, but also create zines and now dabbling in animation. Tell us a little bit about how you ended up animating your drawings? Obviously, I have a love for cartoons.  Creating a cartoon of my own has been something I have dreamed of forever.  I have created short animations over the years using traditional methods: Paper and pen on a light table, scanning everything into photoshop, and putting it all together in there.  It takes forever, and it can be pretty discouraging when you are sitting there doing data entry for hours.

Recently, a friend let me try out his Ipad Pro, and I am blown away by how much better the pen interface has become.  I got excited about the possibilities for animating and started researching tablets.  And, after years of being very reluctant to using digital tools to make my work, I finally got a drawing tablet.  I ended up getting the Samsung S4 tablet instead of the Ipad Pro because I feel like the pen and the screen are better suited for me and my work. I am using it everyday, I love how fast and clean the process is, while keeping the feel of my lines.  Now I have a Huion Kamvas monitor for my computer too, I am getting the feel for the whole process, but, I am excited about what I can do now.  

As exciting as it is, pen and paper is always closest to my heart.  

What are your essential art tools and materials? I really just need a sketchbook, a pencil (Sumogrip .5) , and a pen (Pilot Hi-Tec-C 03). If I have that with me, I am quite happy.

How do your ideas take shape? How do you get from start to finish? What’s your process? I love to daydream.  I have a bunch of ongoing stories in my head that I always turn to if I want to go somewhere.Other times, I just draw without any idea or expectation.  I follow the pencil and start fleshing things out.I love phrases, sometimes out of context.  A simple phrase can be the spark for a huge idea. 

How has your style of drawing changed or evolved? What allows you to grow artistically? I don't know what is changing exactly.  The cross-over digital art is new, so, I am sure it will alter my work to some degree.I feel like I am always refining and hammering out a more perfect version of the world in my head.

What has been the most challenging project you’ve worked on? Last year, I had the opportunity to illustrate Carlo Collodi's 'Pinoccio' for an Italian publisher.It was almost 200 illustrations with a tight schedule.  It was just an epic amount of drawing, and when it was finished, I was able to travel to Italy for the release, and it just turned into a really magical experience. 

What was the hardest thing about it and the most rewarding? The discipline to complete the work, while maintaining quality that honors the book.  It was a grind for large portions of the work, but, the end result made me realize how much good comes out of genuine work applied to a dream.

What was your last adventure that showed up in one of your illustrations, thematically or just visually? Oh, it probably had something to do with a dream that involved a bird headed soldier dragging my injured body off  the battlefield. 

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and pursue art? Make sure you are doing it regardless if it is your "job".  I am passionate about drawing, it is what I do, I don't see it as my career.  First and foremost, I do it for myself.

What’s your best Art School tip that you want to share with folks? By all means, enjoy yourself, and the time you have.  I would make sure you have put yourself in the direction that fits best with your specific way of creating.Art School costs so much money, I don't think a truly determined person needs to go at all.  If you love art, and the creative process, you will seek knowledge.The debt from art school can crush any hopes for a fulfilling career in the field.

What are your favorite style of VANS? I love the ComfyCush Era style and fit.  They are extremely comfortable and look super cool.I also love the traditional white slip-ons, they are the best shoe in the world to draw on.

Anything you can share that is coming up? Last year, I created a limited hand cast resin figurine of my 'Traveling Witch' character. You can purchase the second edition in my Etsy store, along with other witch loot. FOLLOW JON | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | SHOP

[coffeeandcomposition]

Friday is here again! For all my talk about blogging more regularly, I still missed FTF last week… all I can say is I’m sorry. I’m busy! And tired! But I really am trying, OK? In the hopes that you’ll forgive me, here are five things you might like:

1. Northwood Supply on Etsy

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I love these rustic pieces with unconventional shapes, and I can’t decide which one I want most. Those poppies are beautiful!

2. The Black Tapes Podcast

I actually started listening to the Black Tapes a couple years ago, but now that I’m commuting again I realized there was a final season I never listened to and binged it voraciously and without hesitation. It reminded me how much I love. this. podcast.

It’s a serialized docudrama about a journalist investigating a rich scientist who is offering a million dollar prize to anyone who can provide inarguable evidence of the paranormal. Her investigation, and experience watching Dr. Strand’s “Black Tapes,” quickly sends her down a rabbit hole of conspiracies and lore that challenge her beliefs and professionalism as a journalist.

Full disclosure: it’s scary, and I love it. Parts of the final season had me totally on edge. I’m also listening to Lore finally because, well:

On a related note, the ladies over at Go Fug Yourself hosted a conversation about podcasts today, if you’re looking for something to listen to.

3. This Essay, The World, Wide Open, by Roxane Gay

I’ve always really struggled with my body image. I have a weird relationship with food that I haven’t really started to unpack and between depression and a general low interest in athletics, exercise doesn’t come easily to me. Regardless, I recently re-upped my gym membership and have been making an effort to swim again — the only exercise that feels truly freeing to me. What I’m trying to say is that this piece really spoke to me, where I am now, and where I have been in the past. Roxane Gay is a phenomenal writer.

4. These drawings by XuAn

5. This twitter thread:

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012491495444762624

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012495160134037505

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012499847306412033

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012502205591687168

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012504561196597254

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012508800346181635

https://twitter.com/CindyOtis_/status/1012513631525883905

My personal addition to this is pray. There are a lot of ugly, disheartening things happening in the world, and a lot of helpless and frustrated people saying that prayers don’t matter and aren’t enough. I understand their frustration — good faith should bear fruit, and prayer shouldn’t stand on its own as an excuse not to act. But I also need to keep reminding myself that as a Christian, prayer is enough. Prayer is everything. I have to go to Jesus first and always, for clarity and inspiration and hope.

Whatever you do, take care of yourselves, my friends. These are tempestuous times, but it’s never not worth it to take time for self-care. I am sending all my love (and PRAYER) with this post.

  Five Things Friday (#34) Friday is here again! For all my talk about blogging more regularly, I still missed FTF last week...

[zingara84]

Hello!

Greetings, dear Tumblr! I haven’t been active on here in a very long time. I wanted to write this post to explain where I’ve been, what I’m working on, and what’s going on with the future of this blog.

First things first, as I referenced late-last year, I moved back to Germany. (I say “back” because I’d spent my first tentative months here back in 2014.) This time, I came with the intention of staying long-term, so I had to apply for a work permit. That process took me nearly half a year, plus another 2 months before I got an official “tax number” (something freelancers are required to have), and in between all of the appointments, portfolio-building, etc., I have also spent a LOT of time looking for housing. Berlin’s housing market is tough, and since September of last year, I haven’t spent more than about 3 months in any given place. Constant moving/apartment searching is not my preferred way to spend vast stretches of my time when I could be living my life and pursuing my passions instead, but, alas, sometimes that stuff just needs to be done.

In the middle of this process — sometime back in November — I began having very odd problems with Tumblr. It was glitching to the point that I could do practically nothing with the site. I couldn’t even log out (without an interminable freeze) to try logging back in again! If I were tech-savvy, this might not have been an issue, but I’m not, so this went on until at least sometime in December, at which point I decided, “You know what? Maybe I’m just not meant to be blogging here right now.” I took that as a sign to focus my attentions elsewhere for the time being.

At this point, I am now officially a resident of Germany, with permission to work as a freelance “Editor, Writer, und Writing Consultant.” I had to spend a lot of time building up my editing business in order to make a solid case for myself with the immigration bureau, and I mostly put writing and card reading aside while I was getting on my feet and pulling my application portfolio together. I specialize as an academic copyeditor with a strong focus also on editing creative work (e.g., personal essays, websites). You can read more about the editing I do here. As for the “Writer” bit, I haven’t branched out yet into the world of writing original pieces for pay, but writing is my dream, so hopefully I’ll be moving in that direction soon. In the mean time, since I deliver tarot readings as written reports, I am still able to offer readings. (More on my tarot readings in a moment.) And the “Writing Consultant” bit on my work permit. . . well, that’s basically just an aspect of my editing work; I blend my teaching and editing experience with insights from creative writing study in order to help clients become stronger writers themselves. I love helping people become more confident and effective communicators, as well as — when we are working together on memoir-style narratives of theirs — helping them to find a deeper sense of meaning in and appreciation for their own life stories. So, these are some of the things I am allowed to do to support myself here on this visa. If you ever need editing help, if you want a coach for writing (or personal development through writing), if you’d like a tarot reading, or if you would like to hire me to write an article, please let me know!

Back to tarot: as mentioned, I spent a long time focusing almost exclusively on building my editing business. I sometimes find it difficult to switch between the analytical mindset of academic editing and the intuitive/creative mindset of tarot reading, and since the editing work makes an easier sell with immigration officials, I prioritized that. At the same time, my life circumstances, for a while now, haven’t been very conducive to the downtime, alone time, and/or grounding work I find to be an integral part of maintaining the clear mind and peaceful heart from which I prefer to offer guidance. As I focused so intensely on basic survival/immigration concerns (e.g., finding a series of apartments, taking on sometimes-excessive hours of editing work) and on managing the anxiety that many of these challenges triggered, I decided I preferred not to make myself available for readings. I feel clearer and more centered now — as well as thankful that I don’t have any immediately pressing immigration-related needs to address — so my Etsy shop will be going back “on.”

On that note, getting settled here and grounding more fully in my inner peace are somewhat ongoing efforts, so you may see my Etsy shop going in and out of vacation mode at times. But I’ve been reading cards since I was 16 (That’s more than half my life now, wow!), and it’s something I truly love to do, so I anticipate I will just keep coming back to it. Given that I now live in Europe, on the Euro, I’ve changed my prices to Euro. However, being from the U.S.A., I’m sympathetic to the fact that the exchange rate is not always kind. I try not to make a habit of running a bargaining-based business model because I believe in charging a fair price from the get-go, but if the exchange rate is ever particularly harsh for you, feel free to ask me about minor adjustments; I’d be glad to try to find a way to work with your needs.

As for my writing, I’ve toyed with the idea of starting a new blog; I took the Tumblr glitching last year as a sign as well, perhaps, that it was time for me to seek a new platform. When I have the new blog figured out, I will gladly share it with you. It will probably have a somewhat different focus than this one took on over the years; I began this blog as an outlet for the simple fact that I love to reflect on life and write about it. I find it helpful to “practice” writing about daily life, as that keeps me evolving as a memoirist. Life is beautiful, life is magical, the adventure of being here is an incredible gift, and taking the time to reflect on what we’re living and to mine it for meaning makes our journeys all the richer and more fulfilling. For me, writing about daily life is, in itself, a spiritual practice. (Many artists would say the same about their own art, I’d wager.) It is also a huge part of the way that I “learn” — and have any “spiritual” insights to share — in the first place. So you will likely see more memoir-style stuff on there, once it’s up and running. I still want to include reflective philosophical pieces though, too, so it will be a mix. I’m not sure how much of a Q&A format the new blog will take (like this blog has had in the past); that will depend largely on how much I can feasibly convert blogging into work that can sustain me. However, I’m open-minded about how it will evolve. :) In the mean time, again, I am happy to offer personalized guidance for you in the form of tarot card readings.

And finally: a (hopefully uplifting) word about twin flames. You might have noticed that, even before i disappeared from Tumblr, I stopped writing much about twin flames. This is simply because I don’t feel I have much more to say about them than what I have already said. I might, of course, come across more inspiration in the future — in which case I will very excitedly write new posts! — but I have always believed that, regardless of the labels you do or don’t apply to a person, the same fundamental guidelines UNIVERSALLY apply: mutual respect (including mutual respect for boundaries); speaking your heart in a loving way; remembering that healthy, unconditional love is non-attached; reminding yourself that unconditional love has no price (including the fact that you will NEVER need to “earn” unconditional love through suffering); checklists aren’t definitive; labels are unnecessary; no program or to-do list is necessary for what’s meant to be; and no personal growth program, to-do list, or service that comes from an ethical mindset and is worth your while will promise you any given outcome or another regarding someone else’s free will. In other words, finding peace with a twin flame situation is not about labels, “payment” in any form, chasing, manipulations, etc. I suspect that just about anything I have ever had to say about “twin flames” or any other kind of relationship will reflect these core beliefs. Of course, my beliefs are just that: my beliefs. This doesn’t mean that they are THE beliefs, much less beliefs that anyone else must share. But to explain where I come from when I reflect on matters of love, I don’t see my beliefs on love as particularly New Age; they don’t involve a reliance on spiritual “hierarchies,” on channeled messages from love “authorities,” on schedules of “DNA upgrades” (or any other claims masquerading as science). That isn’t to say that I think less of anyone for following other paths or entertaining other lines of thought: just that, aside from messages about PURE LOVE — no bells, whistles, celestial/extraterrestrial third parties, or “upgrades” required — just love, which is awe-inspiring in itself . . . I don’t feel I have much else, on the phenomenon, to offer. ;) So I don’t see myself writing much “new” content on twin flames in the coming months, though that isn’t to say I won’t return to or refine an idea I expressed previously. I truly hope you can continue to find comfort and guidance in what I’ve already written here on the subject over the years. And even more importantly, I hope that you can connect with the comfort and guidance your own beautiful heart has been waiting to share with you. ♡

If you’ve read this far, thank you very much! My “return” to Tumblr is going to be very sporadic for the time being, because I need to keep focusing the majority of my time and energy on holdin’ it down, payin’ the bills, settlin’ in (including learning Deutsch!), and all that jazz. In a dream world, I can eventually build up enough of an income through writing and guidance services that I can put the editing aside and devote more time to my online presence, interacting with readers. I’m not there juuuust yet, but I’m excited for the journey, and I am very appreciative for your interest in my writing along the way. Knowing that people look forward to and find something valuable in my words means a great deal to me and is an important part of what keeps me coming back to, and trying to find a way to live from, my passions. My hope for you is that you, too, can connect with and build a life around yours.

Wishing you all SO much peace and love! Blessings, Laura

[rocketrobinprints-blog]

April Update

One month into the second quarter of the year, and admittedly, we haven't had much to show for it business-wise, but! with the Spring season in full throws and Summer fast approaching, we will be getting our butts in gear.

So far this year, I have been working to settle into the routines of my day job and finishing up my semester at the community college and an online course. My day job at the spice shop has been going really well. I have good hours to fit my schedule and my boss an I get along pretty well, which is particularly good since the shop is only him and me. I've oriented myself to running the shop on my own now, and I've found that I enjoy the work. Only working three days a week on a consistent schedule also helps.

As for class, I'm finishing up my ASL II course pending an in-class interview to test working fluency and one more Deaf-event. The Deaf history course is also coming to an end with one more quiz and a final project which I'll be focusing on CODAs. Both classes have gone really well and I'm confident about finishing up this semester. I am wavering a little on my decision to stick it out for the certificate in ASL though, since my motivation for learning has not been to become an interpreter or go into education. I'll have all summer to think it over before registering for Fall classes, so I'll have time to decide if I want to continue for the certificate or shift my educational focus to other things.

On that note, I've started getting back on track with my original plan coming out of college to pursue an M.A. in psychological counseling, particularly because I've found a couple programs to receive an M.A. completely online which would work much better for me to schedule around. Currently, I'm trying to get back into the comfort of studying psychology by taking a Coursera class called Schizophrenia and Its Treatment, taught by a professor from Wesleyan. So far its gone well and I'm excited to get a certificate of completion from the course when I finish. Its a small step towards counseling, but it gets me back into the rhythm of working with psychology again. I should be able to finish up the class within the next two weeks, so that's also going well.

Eric is also settling into a new role at his work where he's been given a new full time position title coordinating rentals and filling in where he's needed through the transition. His week schedule will be changing and it will end up looking much more like my current schedule without two proper days off in a row. Regardless, things seem to be working out well there, despite some hesitations. Also, the children's book he illustrated is officially going to be released sometime in May, after the long, drawn out publishing process. Eric is also getting further on track with his comic Harlow, hopefully ready to begin illustrating panels soon. We're very excited to see it come together.

Most importantly! Eric and I will be moving in mid-June to our own apartment! The move will be taking up a lot of our focus and energy for a while. We need to pack, coordinate the move, do paperwork, get proper insurance, and all that fun new apartment jazz. We're very excited and itching to go though, so it should all be fun and go relatively quickly.

So that's our current situation pre-Summer.

Once Summer arrives, I'll be out of class, we will have moved, and hopefully we'll have some more free time to devote to the shop and our artwork. I'll have Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday open on my schedule once classes end, so I'll be spending much more time writing and working for the Etsy page. I think late-Spring and early-Summer is a good time to jump back into regular artwork production and a good time for local outreach. In town here, we have a number of art festivals that start up in the Summer, and while many of them are primarily geared to run on the weekends, which will be largely impossible with our work schedules, there are some at other times we could definitely sign up for. We still also want to do outreach with local businesses and possibly even sales through the art gallery where Eric works.

All in all, Summer should be fun and new changes will be coming to the shop and definitely to our lives. I hope to have some new shop news for the next update, which preferably will not take so long for me to make. I haven't been very good at keeping with regular updates, but as we move into the new season and things start lightening up, I will definitely be committing more time to the shop and the blog.

Right now, we still have a number prints available of traditional art, Eric's fantasy linocuts, my line design pieces, and cards up on the shop. More will be coming soon!

Thanks for sticking with us.

- Kecheri

[aena-blue]

Manifestation - Why Not Them? A Specific Person (SP) Pep Talk/Rant

Hello everyone! This is another short post to cover a simple topic under the umbrella term manifestation to hopefully shed some light on the topic.

Today I just wanted to share a quick little pep talk/rant regarding you specific person (SP).

How many times have you thought about them without sending them a text? Many, right? Okay, so if you can, why wouldn’t they? Why can’t your SP be thinking about you all the time, without letting you know (for now)?

How many times have you felt something about someone, and not told that person about it? Or at least waited, delayed, until you felt more sure, more right, or the right moment presented itself? So, if you have, then why not them? Why could they not be figuring out how much in love with you they are right this very moment? And they will let you know. It’s inevitable.

Your SP is fully capable of thinking and feeling exactly the way you are, without blowing up your phone this very second. So relax, take a breath. It is going to happen if you persist with your technique(s) and accept that manifestation is real and that it will happen for you.

I will write a post about mental diet eventually, and it’s not something you have to do, but something you can do, that might help you. So here’s a suggestion for you. Next time you think about your SP and you wonder “what are they doing?”, how about YOU DECIDE what it is that they are doing? 

I do this all the time usually in affirmation form saying things like “It feels so good to know that my SP is thinking about me right now, of course they are, they are so in love with me”. “I love knowing that my SP thinks about me all the time, of course they do, they are so in love with me”  “I bet my SP is thinking about me right now, I bet he’s thinking about reaching out because they are missing me so much” And I let myself feel it to be real. I soak in it.

Play with it, have fun with it, give yourself exactly what it is that you want. And keep giving it to yourself, over and over again. Tell your new story, exactly the way you want it to be. Persist in it. It will show up.

I hope that this post was helpful to you. Remember that you can always leave a comment or an anonymous ask me if you have any questions or suggestions on a post that you would like to see!

I now offer email coaching on my Etsy Shop for anyone who needs help, assistance, guidance or just a cheerleader for their manifestation journey.

You can email me or use the “ask me” function for anything that might be on your mind, or on your heart. I am here for you all, always. Please note that the Ask Me’s are only open for dream interpretation, general questions or advice at this time.

Please consider supporting my intention & affirmation art business in return for my time and energy by making a purchase or sharing my shop on any of your social media, every page click helps my business grow and I appreciate all of your support.

You can get a sticker for about $2 and if you make a purchase and send me an email to let me know what you bought I will happily give you a free 3 card reading for a question of your choice or 1 free email for manifestation coaching, regardless of the cost of your purchase! 🧡

If you'd like to donate to my channel/blog I gratefully receive energy donations via Paypal, every little helps! 🧡

For anyone that feels so inclined I do have an Etsy Shop for readings.

Much love and light to you all and to the universe 💛💜

~ Lady Blue 💙

[aena-blue]

Manifestation - The Domino Analogy (Bridge of Incidents, Messing with the Middle)

Hello everyone! This is another short post to cover a simple topic under the umbrella term manifestation to hopefully shed some light on the topic.

So apparently I'm all about the analogies lately! I do find them to be useful to help keep my mind on track so I am sharing with you another analogy that came to me once: The Domino Analogy

Just a quick summary. The bridge of incidents (BOI) = everything that happens between you having a desire, and you seeing the fulfillment of it in the 3D. These are events, circumstances, inspired thoughts and inspired actions (for you and for whoever else is a part of your bridge of incidents to bring you the fulfillment of your desire).

Now onto the analogy. So first of all I hope you are all familiar with domino bricks? You lay them in a row, knock over the first one, which knocks over the second one and so on until all domino bricks have fallen over. Now there are some amazing people in the world who have created some absolutely amazing art using domino bricks, so when the final brick has fallen, a beautiful image appears.

This is "A Starry Night" created with Dominos. Now I want you to imagine the fulfillment of your desire to be like this image, after the domino's have fallen. The dominos falling is your bridge of incidents.

Now the beautiful thing about manifestation is that all you have to do is focus on the end result, the completed image, and the Universe (or however you prefer to view it), sets the dominos in place. Once the bridge of incidents has begun, it all happens and unfolds rapidly for you, without you needing to lift a finger. Just keep the end in mind.

Now, imagine that you had to place all of these dominos yourself, how long it would take you, the mistakes you might make on the way, you might even have to start over because you tried to rush things etc. This is similar to 'messing with the middle', there is absolutely no need for you to try and force and create something in the 3D (your current reality), for the Universe is orchestrating it all for you.

And how wonderful isn't that to know? That you can just relax and focus on the end, and the Universe (or another higher power) is doing all the work to put together all these little pieces for you to create the final outcome?

I know that it is sometimes tempting to want to have control over the bridge of incidents, because quite frankly, sometimes the bridge of incidents is uncomfortable, unnerving, or quite frankly scary, often because we cannot see the work that goes on in the background. But if you can trust in this process, trust that the Universe is putting all these things in place and keep your focus on the end. I can assure you it will all fall, quite literally, into place, FOR you. I hope that this analogy was helpful. If you like analogies my last post was a similar analogy, but about trains instead!

I now offer email or video coaching on my Etsy Shop: https://aenabluetarot.etsy.com/ for anyone who needs help, assistance, guidance or just a cheerleader for their manifestation journey.

You can email me or use the “ask me” function for anything that might be on your mind, or on your heart. I am here for you all, always. Please note that the Ask Me’s are only open for dream interpretation, general questions or advice at this time.

Please consider supporting my intention & affirmation art business in return for my time and energy by making a purchase or sharing my shop on any of your social media, every page click helps my business grow and I appreciate all of your support.

You can get a sticker for about $2 and if you make a purchase and send me an email to let me know what you bought I will happily give you a free 3 card reading for a question of your choice or 1 free email for manifestation coaching, regardless of the cost of your purchase! 🧡

If you'd like to donate to my channel/blog I gratefully receive energy donations via Paypal, every little helps! 🧡

For anyone that feels so inclined I do have an Etsy Shop for tarot readings.

Much love and light to you all and to the universe 💛💜

~ Lady Blue 💙

[aena-blue]

Manifestation - The Gift of the Present

Hello everyone! This is another short post to cover a simple topic under the umbrella term manifestation to hopefully shed some light on the topic.

Today I want to talk about giving yourself the gift of the present. Now what do I mean when I say that? I do not mean the cheesy that the present moment is a gift, but rather, that you, in this present moment, can give yourself an amazing gift. The gift of the wish fulfilled.

If you are dedicated and committed to manifesting something specifically, then I encourage you to live in your imagination as much as possible, for it is truly a wonderful place to be. Not only can it make you feel amazing, the more you do it, the more you will see evidence of your imagination taking shape in the 3d reality.

So give yourself the gift of the wish fulfilled, in your imagination, by visualising, scripting or affirming it, right now, and truly feel it. You have that power. Do not wait for the 3D to show it to you, do not search and look for evidence of it, simply go within, and give yourself that gift.

Take it further, spend moments imagining random wonderful little things. Text messages, tasty treats, something you want to experience. Keep giving yourself all of this, over and over again, every day. The more time you spend fulfilling your own desires in your imagination, the more it shows up in your reality.

Bring attention, focus and importance back to yourself and your wonderful imagination. Let the world be whatever it is right now. Do not let it bother you when you are within your own present mind. I know that this is sometimes hard to do, but don’t judge, blame or fault yourself for any resistance or any difficulties you keep experiencing while manifesting. Just keep going back to yourself, over and over, the more you do it, the easier it will become.

Use your imagination as a muscle, exercise it as much as you can, and it will grow stronger and more potent over time. Give yourself the gift of the wish fulfilled, right now, in your mind. The rest will fall in place, easily and effortlessly.

I hope this helps.

I now offer email coaching on my Etsy Shop for anyone who needs help, assistance, guidance or just a cheerleader for their manifestation journey.

You can email me or use the “ask me” function for anything that might be on your mind, or on your heart. I am here for you all, always. Please note that the Ask Me’s are only open for dream interpretation, general questions or advice at this time.

Please consider supporting my intention & affirmation art business in return for my time and energy by making a purchase or sharing my shop on any of your social media, every page click helps my business grow and I appreciate all of your support.

You can get a sticker for about $2 and if you make a purchase and send me an email to let me know what you bought I will happily give you a free 3 card reading for a question of your choice or 1 free email for manifestation coaching, regardless of the cost of your purchase! 🧡

If you'd like to donate to my channel/blog I gratefully receive energy donations via Paypal, every little helps! 🧡

For anyone that feels so inclined I do have an Etsy Shop for readings.

Much love and light to you all and to the universe 💛💜

~ Lady Blue 💙

[aena-blue]

Tough Love Tuesday here again!

Hello all you lovely people. Here again with another tough love Tuesday post! I thought this time I would also include the cards pulled for anyone that has any interest in Tarot and would like to try to figure out how I interpret a spread. This week I will not be reading reversals. I am using the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck for this reading.

Air Signs:

Gemini: 3 of Swords, the Hanged Man and the 4 of Pentacles. It is time to let go. You’re holding on to a memory, thought or idea that did not seem to work out. I sense that you understand this but there is a part of you that doesn’t want to let go of it quite yet. This insight however will lead to further growth, trust in the divine!

Libra: 9 of Swords, 7 of Swords and the 2 of Pentacles. Similar to Gemini you don’t quite want to face something that you need to do. You’re not sure how to proceed but this thought that weighs heavily on you is causing you unnecessary hardship. There is a decision you need to make. Follow your heart, it won’t lead you astray.

Aquarius: 5 of Wands, the Hermit and the 8 of Wands. The air signs are all having such a thinking week this week including you Aquarius. If something is bothering you, you need to get it off your chest. Don’t be afraid to communicate your wants and needs to others. Also don’t be afraid to communicate the things you know because you feel they won’t be well received. Speak your truth always.

Earth Signs:

Capricorn: Death, the World and the Magician. All major arcana, now these are some very strong energies indeed. I don’t see you needing much tough love this week Capricorn but an ending is definitely looming and I need you to know, trust and believe whole heartedly that this ending brings a change in your life that is much needed and opening up the doors for even greater things to come your way. Keep consciously co-creating and manifesting your best life, it’s working!

Taurus: 5 of Swords, Death and the King of Cups. Don’t rest on your laurels Taurus. You have a tendency to get comfy but when you know and feel in your heart of hearts things could be better, don’t stop striving for it. You can have the best most amazing life, don’t settle for mediocracy.

Virgo: 8 of Wands, 7 of Cups and the King of Cups. You dream, but what do you actually do? The time is ripe for you to take action towards your desires, hopes, goals and dreams. You are protected and guarded by your Spirit guides (always), so take that leap of faith. Your dream is achievable so take steps to realise it now.

Fire Signs:

Leo: 9 of Cups, Queen of Swords and the 6 of Pentacles. Choose your words carefully this week. Be aware of where and to whom you give your time and energy to this week. With a little bit of caution I feel that you will be just fine this week.

Aries: The High Priestess, 8 of Pentacles and the Ace of Wands. Spirit (and/or your guides) have helped lead you on your way and they’re sending you signs and messages to show you what you need to work on at this time. Do not ignore this calling. You are so competent and able and Spirit has set you up for success.

Sagittarius: Knight of Pentacles, 4 of Wands and the 4 of Pentacles. Slow and steady wins the race. Abundance coming in at a drizzle is still abundance coming in. As I once told a friend during a reading “every small drop helps build a river strong”. Don’t doubt your dreams and your happily ever after, it not only will be yours, it is already yours. Hold on to your beliefs of your desired outcome and you will see it manifest into your 3D reality.

Water Signs:

Cancer: Knight of Swords, 7 of Cups and the 7 of Wands. Slow your roll Cancer, now is not a time to go rushing in. Spend your energies wisely so that you don’t end up feeling frustrated that things aren’t happening fast enough for you. Be steadfast in your beliefs but now is not a time for action. (You may want to read Sagittarius message as well)

Pisces: The Hanged Man, Ace of Pentacles and the 4 of Cups. You see the opportunity, the possibility but there is a part of you that doubt it could be yours and that you would be successful. I can tell you right now that anything you want in life you can manifest. You want that job, promotion, commitment, whatever it may be, you can have it! You are the creator of your reality; all you need is to believe and don’t be afraid to pursue it! Even in ‘failure’, simply know that if it wasn’t meant for you this time all that means is that there is something even better out there for you.

Scorpio: Queen of Pentacles, the Empress and the Devil. Some very strong earth energies represented here. You need to ground yourself Scorpio and make sure you look after your own best self-interest. It is not selfish to put yourself first – it is self-love. Take a break, take a rest. You don’t owe anyone anything. Mind your thoughts and every time a negative thoughts appear, quickly replace it with 2 or more positive ones until they disappear.

As always you can always message me or use the “ask me” function for anything that might be on your mind, or on your heart. I am here for you all, always.

If you'd like to donate to my channel/blog I gratefully receive energy donations via Paypal, every little helps! 🧡

Please consider supporting my art business by purchasing or sharing my shop with someone you know or simply just browse around for fun, every page click counts and helps me so I’d very much appreciate your support :) 

All designs are available on a number of products so have a look around and you might find something that suits you, be it a print to hang on the wall, a phone case or a throw pillow!

You can get a sticker for less than $2 and if you make a purchase and send me an email to let me know what you bought I will happily give you a free 3 card reading for a question of your choosing regardless of the cost of your purchase! 🧡

For anyone that feels so inclined I do have an etsy shop for readings or if you prefer I now also have an email where you can send requests for readings or for anything you'd like to share etc: aenablue@gmail.com.

Much love and light to you all and to the universe 💛💜

~ Lady Blue💙