Manifested Dreams

Foxy Bloop, go!

2011-06-17T11:58:00.003-04:00

In prep for a show next weekend, a red fox "Foxy Bloop"

So yeah, I'm not good at this blogging thing. I imagine ithttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif's partially because there are SO MANY different venues for social networking anyone.

I've got several, so here are some that I maintain better than this:

Deviantart - where I keep my portfolio

Twitter

Facebook Group

Tumblr

This blog will be part of a grand scheme soon, however. So here is hoping I get my act together.

Sea Unicorns coming at you!

2011-02-01T11:30:00.008-05:00

Been a while. I really wish I knew how other people kept up with their blogs.

I've made another one called "Day Dreams and Yarn" that will have my art along with cooking, recipes and general every day life. I don't really want two blogs, but for now we'll see how it works.

That said, new items!:

Adopt me?

Adopt me?

Adopt me?

Sea Unicorns are friendly, playful creatures who enjoy swimming in the air and poking balloons with their horns.

These, along with many others, will be invading my Artist Alley tables this year :3

Dolls, dolls I say!

2010-11-30T17:14:00.004-05:00

So I realized I had posted this to my other blog but not this one(oops!)

TokyoPop, a manga company teamed up with the Principality of Sealand to host an appreciation contest. Being a fan of Hetalia and Sealand in general, I decided to enter.

This, in turn, opened up a whole new world of potential for me: Dolls.

As mentioned in my previous post, I plan to start making this for adopting out. I love the idea of making customs for people, of their characters and the like.

I hope you like him!

Black Friday, Holiday Shopping and new designs

2010-11-30T00:22:00.003-05:00

Been a while since I wrote in this ~hangs head~ I don't know how regular bloggers do it!

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday officially over, it's time to catch up on orders and get ready for the holiday rush. I'll be putting up some new sales on the website in hopes of enticing shoppers. Currently we have a 15% off your order coupon. Just use: BLACKFRIDAYBLOOP at check out! This coupon will change soon, so keep your eyes open!

Some new items on the horizon are:

~Dolls: Original Designs and some Fanart, custom orders will be available
~Christmas Ornaments, also fabulous for rear view window hangers!
~New Scarf Designs

Trying to not bog myself down too much, since that seems to be my downfall.

I'm really feeling the holiday spirit and hoping to use it to keep myself motivated.

In honor of the holiday season and launching the Christmas Ornaments, I'm considering a small give-away. Would you be personally interested in such a give-away? Feedback appreciated and will dictate the direction I go with this <3

For now, I'll keep this short and head to bed. Early morning! Pics to come soon <3

Of Dreams and Dancing, of Colors and Song

2010-11-03T18:06:00.002-04:00

Have you ever had an epiphany out of nowhere when writing? That beautiful, glorious moment when things suddenly make sense to you? My muse finally cooperated with me today and gave me a glimpse into where my story would go, for which I am incredibly thankful.

As I said in my previous post, I am not really a writer. In my opinion, my writing is trash. I have problems conveying what I am thinking verbally, so writing is always a long and slightly painful process. This is, in part, why I have problems keeping up with snail mail, e-mail correspondences and the like. I never know what to say, or if I do, I don't know how to explain it.

I am incredibly envious of those people who have the gift of word. The way they elegantly weave an image always amazes me.

My word count is currently only 3,551. I have until 11:59 to get to 5,000 words or face Nano's daily progress calling me a loser. I'm giving you my life for a month, isn't that enough for you?

Making dinner currently, Chinese Pan Fried Noodles with vegetables and maki rolls for dinner. After a few days of heavy food, it'll be a wonderful change.

Nanowrimo

2010-11-03T01:25:00.003-04:00

So I've been trying to figure out what to use this blog for. I think I've decided, for at least the moment, that I'll be blogging about my Nanowrimo adventure.

For those of you who don't know, Nanowrimo stands for "National Novel Writing Month".

Every November, people from all across the globe with the same goal: Write a 50,000 word novel in one month. Sound insane? Well, it is!

I am not a writer, which is why I have such problems keeping this blog alive and going.

I'm a visual person by nature, so sometimes the words just don't come.

With the support of three of my best friends, we're setting out on the journey together.

You, my fine readers, are witness to my declaration:

Should I make it to the end of Nanowrimo with a 50,000 word novel, I will take the steps to have it properly looked over by an editor of sorts. It will then be shipped off, forever doomed to the slush piles. I've always wanted to say "I wrote a book", just to say I did, and this is my chance.

I have a main character. I have a basic plot. My fingers are not broken, it's go time.

Today's word count - 3517
Sounds of note that helped me write today - Lets Go by Frou Frou

Anyone else out there participating in Nano? Shout out!

P.S. Youmacon went fabulously and Kurokiiro is this weekend, will I have enough stock? God, I hope so!

Changing gears, holiday saving potential!

2010-10-25T14:44:00.002-04:00

Hey all! Hope you're having a good start to the week.

Today I wanted to just pass on something I find neat. With the holiday season coming up, we're all slowly shifting gears to holiday shopping. With our economy how it currently is, that's hard for some people. So here is my little tip to help stretch those dollars:

Have you ever heard of Groupon? It's a Daily Deal website that features a certificate to a random local business. You pick the city and every day you'll get a deal sent to your in box. Many times these are drastically discounted certificates to everything from food and clothes to sporting events and rental cars. For instance, in my city today's deal is Spend $20, get a $40 gift certificate to The Body Shop.

Combined with holiday sales, it's an amazing way to stretch your budget. You can purchase for yourself or a friend and the certs are generally good for a few months up to a year, depending on the seller.

Here is the link, check it out and pass it on!

Groupon, Saving Money and Getting Swag at the same time.

Mrs B's 31 Days of Halloween

2010-10-11T19:47:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year again folks! Mrs B is hosting her 31 days of Halloween(And you can expect to see a couple items from me soon)

Today she has this absolutely fabulous bath and body set up for grabs! Wonderful, hand mixed items to melt away a long day of tension. I can't deny it, I'm hopeful to get it! She's also got a book and bookmark that are lovely. Stop by and check them out!

Bath set

Book

Bookmark

In other news, I've been working on preparing for Youmacon in Detroit over Samhain/Halloween weekend. Lots of adorable Bloops just waiting to get home and some new items as well.

I have to say, I've been feeling sort of down in regard to my art. I feel like I haven't come up with anything really new/original/appealing in a while. It's sort of like I'm drifting along a river while there is a party going on on the shore. I look around and see all these amazing things and wonder "Why didn't I think of that?"

I'm one of those people that want to do everything, so I spread myself super thin, then I feel like I'm not really growing in any one field.

What do you do to get our of your slump/spark the muse? I'm afraid that my first full year of business was a fluke and I won't really be successful in this.

To add to the "new things that I shouldn't be focusing on" I did a little sewing yesterday:

Not anything too super fantastic, just playing around with this Minky Fabric I have. The ears weren't sewn in far enough, but it's a start.

Maybe I'll get into making sewn plush once I get the craft room finished.

And this was a very rambly post. I hope this finds you all well!

~Aria

P.S. During August I went to Japan for 18 days. I may post some of my photos here for the heck of it. I apologize now for the potential pic spam!

Another post so soon?

2010-10-08T12:51:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! Recently I joined PayBox.Me. It is a website that is working on developing a new payment processing system, similar to PayPal. They are currently looking for Betas to help with giving input and general testing in the future.

THIS IS NOT SPAM. Let me stress that point. I've done the reading and from what I can tell, it is not going to end up losing you any money nor does it ask for any personal information. I received the reference from several well established bloggers who's judgment I trust, thus I am passing this along.

It gives you a chance to make a little money. Currently it is just accumulating their own form of currency but it is supposed to be convertible to various currencies in the future.

It takes a couple minutes a day and filling out a survey or two a week.

If it never goes live, you just lose a little time.

So if this is something you are interested in or if you'd like to read more about it, check out my referral link which will take you to the site:

Pay Box Link Here

Thanks for looking!

Money problems for me means SALE FOR YOU! + Some updatey thoughts

2010-10-08T11:11:00.007-04:00

Hi all! Unexpected car maintenance(isn't that the worst?) is prompting a weekend sale. 10% off everything in my ArtFire shop. In addition to that, the first ten shoppers will receive FREE SHIPPING on any order of $10 or more. Simply use the coupon code: GRANDOPENFREESHIP

I understand times are tough for everyone, but if you're in need of a cute gift or just something for yourself, please stop by my shop :3

Shop Preview:

Bloop For A Cause, Breast Cancer Awareness Plush:

Set of four Sweets Shop Candles:

Cutie Corn Plush:

Chainmaile Flower Necklace:

Check the shop out at: Manifested Dream's Artfire Shop

Thanks for stopping by!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news, I'm heading down to Florida next week to visit my parents and grandparents. Really excited to play on the beach and gather up some sea shells and shark's teeth. I'm hoping to gather those pieces to make some jewelry. Drift wood would also be fun to play with.

I recently ran into a woman who kayaks our local rivers, cleans up the "trash", glass, drift wood, whatever she finds, and turns all those pieces into hanging pieces of art. It really inspired me. I love upcycling and re-purposing.

I also joined a swap a few days ago. Granny Squares! The idea of joining these swaps and slowly collecting squares from different people to make a blanket seems like a lot of fun. As if I need another project!

Speaking of blankets, I started work on a quit a few months back. Almost finished cutting out all the fabric. It uses very unique shapes so it's a bit time consuming. Once I get my first quilt block made, I'll start posting progress pictures.

And that's it for me. Have a wonderful Friday everyone!

Ponderings

2010-10-06T11:30:00.003-04:00

I originally created this blog to keep up with my business announcements and the like. Then I found that I really wanted to be able to just...write what was on my head.

I stopped using this because I didn't know what direction I wanted to go in.

I've considered making a personal blog to keep things separate but I'm not sure that I would update both. I feel like they go hand in hand, but I worry that people would become disinterested if it became more my personal thoughts.

I'm not sure if anyone reads this, but if you do, what are your thoughts? New Blog? Just use this blog for whatever I want? Something else?

A new project!

2010-04-16T21:02:00.005-04:00

So I fell off the face of blogging for a bit(EEP!) but I'm back now and will try to keep up with this xD Thank you to all my watchers who haven't vanished! I promise I'll do better from now on.

So anyways, I'm writing today to spread the word about the new fund raiser I have going on!

Recently we have been hashing out the details for making high quality, acrylic jewelry featuring our Octobloops.

After a lot of research(and help from my mum, thanks Mom!) we stumbled across a charity called "Kick Starter" that helps Indie artists start up fund raising projects to get their artistic endeavors off the ground.

Project home:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/manifesteddreams/spreading-happinessone-bloop-at-a-time-3

The goal is $1,500 by June 1st, 2010. If we are successful we will be able to produce a minimum of 10 designs to be made into; Rings, Cell phone straps, hair pins, necklaces, earrings and more! I am EXTREMELY excited about this prospect and am really hopeful that it will be a success.

There are gifts for each donation tier which you will receive for donating. The items are matched up with donation amounts in such a way that it is essentially a pre-order without the cost of shipping!

Please have a look and if you are interested, your donations are greatly appreciated! Be the first to have some awesomely amazing Octobloop swag <3 Even if you can't donate or would prefer not, that's totally cool too! I'm thankful to any re-posting/word of mouth advertisement I can get for it. This is the first really huge art endeavor I'm taking and admittedly, it's scares me. I have a huge fear of failure but at the same time, I've met so many amazingly awesome artists that took steps even though they were afraid. It gives me a lot of hope.

I'm hoping that by the end of this, I'll have a wonderful story to tell and intend to frequent the site in search of other projects to donate to.

Thanks for looking everyone!

Haiti Earthquake relief, how you can help

2010-01-14T11:52:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm popping in today to relay some information about how you can help the relief efforts for the Haiti Earthquake that happened on Jan 12th.

As some of you may know, my boyfriend works for a non-profit charity in Pittsburgh called "Brother's Brother Foundation". This charity focuses on overseas aide and has appeared in Forbes as one of the top efficiency charities in the country.

I know that a lot of people are wanting to offer aide to Haiti right now, but might not know where to go. While most of you are not in the Pittsburgh area, BBF is collecting "Hygiene Buckets" as I am calling them, for local drop off. They are also taking monetary donations, more information on both can be found here: http://www.brothersbrother.org/haitidonorguide.htm

This is one of the few charities out there that has such a low overhead while doing so much good. I've included links to the Forbes articles that explain a little of what they do as well as show the numbers. So if you feel compelled and want to help, this is a good place to go.

Thanks for taking the time to read this everyone!

2007 Forbes article: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/1210/180.html

200 largest charities: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/14/charity-09_The-200-Largest-U.S.-Charities_FundRaiseEff.html

BBF's Number run down: http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/14/charity-09_Brothers-Brother-Foundation_CH0025.html

BBF's Haiti Assistance Page: http://www.brothersbrother.org/haitidonorguide.htm

BBF's Donation Page, where monetary donations can be made: http://www.brothersbrother.org/donate.htm

Mrs B Give-away

2010-01-13T13:28:00.003-05:00

I fell way behind with this thing, I'll try to come back strong though! Expect to see a post with substance soon. Thank you for bearing with me!

Admittedly though, this is just for another entry in a giveaway xD

Mrs B at "Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom" is hosting a giveaway for a beautiful Tungsten ring. I want this thing so badly. I'm not sure why, but I am in love with the thicker rings and want one for my thumb @_@ Here is hoping!

http://silvermoonwitch.blogspot.com/2010/01/tungsten-wedding-rings-review-and.html

Eco Friendly products for your body and home

2009-12-08T15:34:00.003-05:00

Mrs. B is having a give-away over at her blog that is being sponsored by Ecostore USA. The products look AMAZING and it's perfect timing for me. We've been trying to find Shampoo and Conditioner that is chemical free, cruelty free and effective. Mrs. B did a review of the products and I'm excited to give it a shot. Whether I win or not, I will still probably order some products. My favorites are "Lemongrass soap", "Rosemary Orange Shampoo+Conditioner" and "Manuka Sandalwood Shampoo+Conditioner". We suffer from dandruff, occasionally oily hair and a serious case of "Scottish Frizz".

So on that note, head over to Mrs. B's and get yourself a chance to with a $25 gift certificate. Not just that but from now until the end of the year EcoStore USA has everything on sale for 40% off! Can not be beat, great for holiday gifts!

Enter for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate and read the awesome review!

Sailor Moon Re-Design Contest on DeviantArt, Please help vote!

2009-12-02T18:57:00.003-05:00

Hey guys, today I'm here to ask for a little help!

My boyfriend entered a redesign contest that Vbabe on DeviantArt is holding. He is an amazing artist and I'm really proud of him so I'm trying to rally as much support as I can and spread his art around!

For those that don't know, "Sailor Moon" is an Anime(Japanese Cartoon) from the 90s that was the gateway for so many of us. We grew up with it and it holds a special place for us. When he saw the contest, he knew he had to enter.

He is entry #1, Sailor Mercury Redone as a Knight. If you have a moment, please head over and have a look at it. Any and all votes are highly appreciated!

Contest here!:

Knight Mercury - Guardian of Love

Thank You!

Rainbow Scarves now available!

2009-11-27T13:26:00.004-05:00

My rainbow scarves are now available for purchase on my site! They measure 7ft long and are incredibly soft and bright. Perfect for the winter time and oh so warm.

Remember, my Black Friday sale is going on this weekend so it is the perfect time to pick up some unique holiday presents! This scarf qualifies for both free shipping and a free item, you win all around!

Rainbow Scarf Listing

Design is copyrighted to Manifested Dreams, All Rights Reserved 2009

Black Friday Weekend Special! Free Shipping and items!

2009-11-26T20:51:00.002-05:00

Hi all! I'm here to let you know that I will be having a Black Friday weekend special. This sale will go from Midnight on the 27th until Midnight on the 30th. Spend $10 in my shop and receive free shipping for your purchase. Spend $25 and receive free shipping plus one ring or cell phone charm of your choice. Spend $50 and receive all of the above plus a pair of hair clips of your choice. These items make perfect stocking stuffers so please stop by and have a look!

From now until Midnight I will be uploading around 100 new cell phone charms, so stay tuned! Items are limited so get them while you can <3

IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE: Include "Black Friday" in a note when you place your order along with the free items of your choice. Do not send payment until I send you the adjusted invoice otherwise it will have you pay for the shipping. Thanks for looking and I hope to see you in my shop!

Check out my shop at:

Manifested Dreams

I appreciate any re-posting that anyone does <3

Hope you all had a fabulous holiday(If you are in the states)

New button!

2009-11-02T15:16:00.005-05:00

Just a quick note that I now have a button :3

Simple enough. I may have it slightly altered(or given a border). Anyone that would like to snag it, feel free. If you do use the button and you have one, please let me know, I'd be glad to advertise on my page!

Thanks!

Samhain, Crèpes, cord magick and perfume

2009-11-02T13:03:00.009-05:00

Did you all have a nice holiday? As I said previously, it was quite drizzly here. Of course, the day after and today has been absolutely beautiful!

I wonder if the thinning of the veil causes some sort of imbalance that causes it to be overcast and drizzly. Maybe nature is rebelling on behalf of the forgotten ancestors?

Aaron and I took a trip into the city and went on a food adventure. There is this lovely crèpe shop that I've been wanting to go to for months, so he took me. It is called "Crèpes Parisiennes" and is very reminiscent of small Parisian bistros. I've read a lot of mixed reviews about the place but I can't say we were disappointed. The staff we dealt with were polite and the food was made fairly quickly. I ordered Islandic Salmon Crèpe with Crème fraîche(which is, essentially, not quite so sour, sour cream) and he ordered a the Breakfast Crèpe with bèchamel. Both were absolutely amazing. The crèpes were light and fluffy and the interior was well done. Nothing was soggy or overbearing. Came with a nice fresh greens side salad and vinaigrette. The absolute best part was dessert though. We had bananas and brown sugar with whipped cream and walnuts. I was really in the mood for something Autumn-ish and those flavors very much delivered. The sauce was warm and runny and we left incredibly stuffed. After that we went for a bubble tea and headed home. If you ever happen in the Pittsburgh area, I highly suggest the crèpe shop. I for one will be going back soon(I hope).

We are biig foodies, incase you didn't realize that yet. Part of the reason I love my job so much is because we travel a lot and get to try a lot of new and interesting places. I feel like food is a language we all speak and it's a way that we can come together and share in a familiar environment. I'm blesssed to have a life where I don't struggle just to have a bite of food. It's my biggest earthly indulgance.

But back to Samhain! We spent the rest of the day playing a new video game(I know, very spiritual there). During the evening we went outside for a while and walked around, enjoying the cool air, the smell of the bonfire nearby and the energy of the evening. I spoke with my Poppy(grandpa) who passed on many years ago. I still feel that he is with me, guiding and guarding me. I never really got to know him and that is something that will always sadden me. He was a strong and good man. After we came back inside we putzed around until around 11. At that point I felt compelled to do a spell, which I would like to share with you:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Banishing Negativity:

Take three pieces of black cord. Avoid using store bought ribbon as it contains a plastic substance that won't allow it to burn properly. Pieces of cotton fabric or embroidery thread work really well.

(It is important to remember that not all "bad" things in our lives are truly bad for us. Sometimes our lessons are harsh and painful because it is how we best learn. So if you find that negative force is still in your life, ask yourself why. It may be a problem you have to face head on, or it may not be a negative thing at all.)

Tie the pieces together and make a simple braid. As you are braiding, think about all the negative things in your life you would like to remove. With each twist of the cord, see these things entering the cord. Your sadness, your fear, bitterness. This cord represents your desire for change and improvement in your life.

When you are finished, tie the cord off.

Now get a fire going, whatever size you are able to work with. You want to make sure that it is a contained fire and not a candle as you are now going to burn this cord. As you drop the cord into the flames, ponder why these things were brought into your life. It is important to understand the negative aspects of our lives, without understanding we can not find real peace with them. Watch as the cord is burned away and feel the weight of these burdens leave you.

At this point you can stay and talk with the fire for as long as you'd like. Remember to thank the Fire spirits for their help. I tend to offer wine to the spirits as a further thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is a New Year, I hope to find strength, patience and understanding.

What did all of you do for the holiday? Did you go trick-or-treating? Halloween party? Coven ritual? Please share your experiences with us.

And on a final note(because none of my posts seem complete without it!) head over to Mrs. B's for a chance to win a beautiful handmade perfume. I am very sensitive to alcohol based perfumes and these appear to have jojoba as the base, eliminating that light headedness that alcohol brings.

Perfume here! - My favorite is Terrestre Solid and I'm adding it to my holiday list(Thank you B for giving me so many things to add to said list!)

Nekocon is only a few days away! I still have a TON to get done, so back to work for me!

Blessed Samhain!

2009-10-31T12:06:00.002-04:00

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and *safe* holiday! It is drizzly here(as to be expected, I don't recall a Samhain without rain). I'm not sure what is on our agenda for today(though Bubbletea is on my to do list) but I'm hoping to get in some meditation and candle magick. *crosses fingers*

Two amazing give-aways at Mrs. B's that I must share! The first is "Creepy Crochet" and the second is a lovely tote bag made from organics. Very much want both*crosses fingers* go check them out for a chance to win!:

Creepy Crochet
Sal Tote

Fantastic Give-Away at Mrs. B's!

2009-10-29T11:34:00.004-04:00

Sorry for so many posts focusing on Give-aways! They will slow down very shortly!

I absolutely MUST get a print from the following artist. She is offering one 8X10 of any of her prints and they are quite lovely. I am determined to have the Artemis print, one way or another*assumes the prayer stance*

Check it out here!

This time next week I'll be on my way to Virginia. Still SO much to do*flail*

On the plus, you should be seeing some original acrylic jewelry coming from me very soon. The person I'm working with got back to me on pricing and the like. Gods willing, I should have them before the holidays. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Getting an artist the recognition she deserves

2009-10-25T15:51:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine made the following post on her journal and I wanted to spread the word:

"Hey guys. I'm going to ask for a quick favor -- if you haven't already seen this elsewhere.

My aunt, Margaret, is an artist living in Brooklyn. She does incredible, haunting, sometimes extremely weird art. One of her pieces was featured in a recent art competition at the Smithsonian, but it only placed 4th (losing to decent pieces that had nothing on it at all). So what we're trying to do now is get her some recognition and get her the Peoples' Choice award. Any vote is lovely and appreciated because this woman has done this work for a while and has never gotten the recognition she deserves.

http://www.portraitcompetition.si.edu/exhibition2009/PeoplesChoiceAward/EntryDetails.aspx?RID=431112736

Thank you so much!"

I found the piece to remind me of a "Woman in White". Too often we see talented artists that get over looked for one reason or another.

Please have a look at the piece, if you feel she deserves it, it would be greatly appreciated if you voted for her! I'll be passing this on to as many as I can. Even if she doesn't win, she'll at least have her art spread just a little farther.

Thanks everyone!

Beautiful day out!

2009-10-25T12:52:00.002-04:00

After the dreary weather of yesterday it's nice to see the sun is shining today. Generally I'm more of a "dark weather" kind of person but it makes it so cold! Here is to at least a few more days of relatively nice weather before fall and winter mesh together.

Now for a give-away that I am crossing my fingers for!:

1 Bracelet of your choice from Wiccan Magick Shack

Her products are wonderful and her spell books are especially lovely. I am adding the the blue wishing book and blue spell books to my holiday list for sure!

So head over and enter for a chance to win! This is certainly a give-away you don't want to miss out on.

Now back to work and maybe out to get some photos of the changing leaves!

Living enviromentally conscious; Recycling, Animal Testing and Co-ops

2009-10-25T02:14:00.005-04:00

So much earlier this year I decided that I was going to make a more conscious effort to "Go green" as they say. Recycling, local produce(preferably organic) and cutting out all products that use animal testing.

We found a wonderful recycling center about 15 minutes from here that takes pretty much everything. We live in an apartment so composting is currently out but the fact that we've been able to get by with a small bathroom style "trash can"(which consists of organic scraps almost exclusively) that only gets emptied once a week has been a huge accomplishment for me. We had SO much trash and we had to empty it very frequently because the can would heat up and everything would start to decompose. Needless to say, the trash can smelled like a dump. We make roughly one trip a week/week and a half to the center. I can't say we are saving money in any way but it's a really nice feeling to know that almost everything we have will be re-used in some manner.

Today we were sorting through old clothing and found a lot of pants that we no longer wanted. I started thinking about ways I can use the fabric. When I was at a convention a few weeks back I saw this woman who made an absolutely fabulous skirt out of various jean pockets:

I thought that it was one of the more creative upcycled jean skirts I had seen before. I think the skirt had over 20 pockets in it. With this picture as my inspiration, I hope to make a skirt and possibly a bag using our old pants.

Going local with produce was relatively easy as well. I live in the Pittsburgh area and we have many Farmers Markets as well as a beautiful local, year round vegetable market a few miles from me. The owners go into the city every week to pick out stock for the store. They avoid off season items and anything they consider over priced. We walk out with a huge box filled to the brim with local organics for under $30. That produce can last us well over a week if I do it correctly.

Finally there was the "No More Animal Tested Products" adventure. This is a lot harder than one would think. A lot of the products I had become accustomed to using, use animal testing. I found that the PETA website was incredibly helpful. They have many lists showing animal friendly products of all sorts. We still have some products in the home that were tested on animals, but that is only because I can't justify throwing out almost full bottles of window cleaners.

On the note of cleaners: what methods do you use for cleaning?
Do any of you make your own window washes or things of that nature?
What do you find works best for you?

For next year it is my hope to get involved in a CO-OP of some sort for both produce and meat. I have no experience with them but it sounds sort of exciting. I feel like I shy away from too many ingredients out of habit. I absolutely adore cooking and think it would make me have to experiment, not to mention canning all the extras!

Do any of you partake in Co-ops?
What are the positives and negatives you have found in them?
Canning? Do you do it? If so, have any recipes to share with the rest of us? I'm a particularly big fan of pasta sauces.

It is 2:39AM and the Bloops have long since passed out. I shall follow their lead and bow out for the morning, but before I do that:

CONGRATULATIONS to SARITA for winning the Autumn Leaves hair-sticks that were part of Mrs B's 31 Days of Halloween Give-away!

Goodnight all!

Hello to my new followers! Also, Octoberfarm's giveaway!

2009-10-24T18:03:00.002-04:00

Hello to all my new followers that found their way here via Mrs B! I look forward to getting to know each of you <3

A real post to come sometime tonight, in the meantime why not head over to Octoberfarm and check out a give-away she's having, straight from Salem, Mass!

Perfect apron for all you Kitchen Witches

Look for a giveaway from me tomorrow~~~

2009-10-23T19:31:00.003-04:00

Got your attention? Good!

Tomorrow at Mrs B's blog one of the items from my shop will be part of the Give-away festivities! I won't tell you what it is, you'll have to wait and see. Make sure to stop by for a chance to win it along with some other amazing goodies!

Also make sure to check out the guest bloggers, it's a good chance to get introduced to some amazingly awesome people.

Attack of the coffee! Adorable give-away at Mrs. B's!

2009-10-22T14:48:00.002-04:00

So I worked for a coffee shop at one point and while I do not like caffeine(and have a strong hate relationship) I slowly developed a liking of the "mixed" drinks. I like my coffee like my alcohol, a little of that and a whole lot of everything else!

Still, this basket is absolutely ADORABLE! I really want the Bear and basket itself, if you like coffee you should check it out:

Starbucks goody basket

Also up is an interesting book focusing on the first chapter of Dracula that was left unpublished. It's your own little mystery, complete with clues and the answer in a sealed envelope!

Dracula's Heir

Energy working for nightmares and restful sleep

2009-10-21T19:23:00.006-04:00

So, changing gears here a little, I'd like to share an energy working exercise that can be helpful for children that may be experiencing bad dreams or fear of the night. This can be classified as energy redirection and dream magick as well as every day shielding.

A lot of us growing up probably had the problem of seeing things people said weren't there. This fear would often cause problems sleeping or trigger bad dreams. This isn't anything new and I'm sure many of you have children or know of children who suffer from the same problem.

This exercise can be used by anyone, including children, and can help ease them into sleep as well as give them a sense of personal power and help with visualization.

See yourself, see your feet, your hands, your hair and your eyes. Now imagine a color. You want to imagine a color that you feel is strong and that is comforting. My personal color is blue(which is the color I associate with my aura. This may not always be the color you use, it is a matter of what feels right for you). Once you have a firm sense of this color, imagine that it is inside of you, slowly churning. This is your energy. Play with it a little, feel it move. Try to move it to your hands. A lot of this exercise is about visualization and feeling, so there is no right or wrong way to move it, do whatever feels natural.

Once you feel comfortable, it's time to put up a barrier. For this barrier you want to think of a symbol you find personally comforting. It can be a pentacle, a cross, a web or vines, whatever calls to you personally. Now that you have your symbol, think of an incantation. I personally use"Nothing with ill intent may enter this space". You want it to be relatively short, the point of this is to act as a focus and guide for your intentions.

Now that you have both your incantation and symbol in mind, it is time to apply these to the walls, floor and ceiling of the room you are in. How you go about this, what order, is entirely up to you. Some witches believe it should be done in a certain order, clockwise, according to the cardinal directions. I'm a much more free form practitioner, so again, do whatever feels natural.

Apply your symbol to each surface, chanting in your head as you go. Use your energy to paint the walls with it, infusing the space with both your intent and your energy.

Once you have your process down, this can be a quick ritual before falling asleep that will allow you to release all those daily stresses. For children, it gives them a tool to combat whatever negative force they may feel. By doing this with them you will create a closer bond and leave them with a sense of peace as they fall asleep.

Obviously, nightmares may still come, but with the loving energy of mom or dad surrounding them as they sleep, it should help remove those night time nasties.

Good luck and happy dreaming!

The grand entrance of the PuffPuff family!

2009-10-20T22:31:00.004-04:00

So my knuckles were sore today from all the crocheting I've been doing. With Nekocon coming up I really can't afford to be all slacker like. So I whipped out the felt I got at Pat Catan's and went to work.

The result is the second mascot of Manifested Dreams, Starchan Puffpuff!

This is the prototype. I intend to alter it slightly, making her a little wider (I think). Currently it's roughly 5 inches tall and 5 inches wide, 1 inch thick. I may add about an inch(and get the boyfriend to work on a proper, vectored patter!) to make it a bit more puffy looking.

Starchan and the other Puffpuff members will be available on my website in the coming months. Their sizes make the Puffpuffs perfect ornaments for trees. Starchan will be available as a tree topper as well. I'm hoping to have a special give-away ready before Christmas, more details on that front as I figure it out!

Another idea I have is to fill some of them with lavender to be used as sachets, thoughts? I don't want to spread myself too thin but as far as sachets go, it's just one more quick step.

Anyways, that's it from me for now. Hope you all had a good day!

Moving update, Manifested Dreams contemplations, and Give-aways

2009-10-17T19:16:00.005-04:00

We have officially moved out of the other place. It was sort of bittersweet. We have a lot of happy memories that were made there and even though this current apartment has the exact same layout, it's still not quite the same. The only consolation/really annoying part is that Aaron and I will be moving into our own place at the end of February. We decided that we'll just sort things while we straighten up and then box away most of our things. No art on the walls or anything. It's going to be weird, but I don't really want to fully move in here just to leave so soon. It'll make moving that much easier a little later down the road!

So I'm looking for some feedback from you, my lovely readers. I've considered doing lip balms in the past but for one reason or another, I never got around to it. I'm currently looking into ways to generate funds for a couple projects in the near future(more on that in a moment) and thought it might be a good idea.

I'd appreciate if you could answer the following questions for me:

How likely are you to purchase home-made lip balms?
What sort of flavors do you go with most often?
What is your dream flavor?
Do you prefer colored or uncolored balms?
Would you be willing to act as a tester for the product and supply feedback on quality, consistency and other such things? All testers would receive said balm free of charge.

IF I go through with this, I will be using a pre-made Vegan base by Majestic Mountain Sage for now, mainly because I have limited space to work with.

Now for the project in question. My may-as-well-be-blood sister is hoping to have her novel finished relatively soon. It is a modern fantasy(is that a good way to put it Kyira?) following a group of teenagers who are discovering their destinies amidst a world on the brink of chaos. Magick runs heavily through the whole thing and I can NOT wait for it to be ready.

Due to the nature of the book(and her desire to have full control) she has made the decision to self publish. I'm not sure if many of you know a lot about self publishing, but it is not an easy path. It requires a lot of up front funding and an insane level of advertising. I'm hoping to help out where-ever I can to see this happen

We're plotting several different methods to generate funds, the lip balm is one of them. There is another project we are currently flushing out that, in time, we hope to have it evolve into a source of interactive advertisement for other artists trying to get started(we never think small!)

More on both as information floods in.

And on a final note, Today's giveaways!:

Salem, Mass. Goodie Bag!

Handmade Runes - A rainbow of color!

<3

Last minute entry for Mrs. B's 31 days of Halloween!

2009-10-16T20:49:00.001-04:00

Grah, it's been a mad house around here lately. I'll try to get a real update up soon! Moving threw a monkey wrench into my plans.

Chaorite Pendant

I'm in love with this pendant, nough said.

Brand New Octobloops, Halloween style

2009-10-13T21:50:00.004-04:00

Finally moved in and getting settled now. Sorry for the lull in posts!

That's not the focus of this post though, I'd like to present three new Bloops that are the beginning of my "dress up" Bloop line. Every Holiday will bring a few new Bloop styles <3

Without further delay:

Are you a good Bloop

Or a bad Bloop?

I has yarn!....wait...I AM yarn! :O

That's all for now!

Moving update and B's Giveaway

2009-10-09T12:13:00.003-04:00

Well moving is going along slow but steady. Aaron(the squish) and I have almost all of our bedroom over there now. We were moving our large bookcase until around 10:30/11 pm. All that is left is our desks, dresser, bed and the things spread out on the floor.

Our goal is to be in by the end of tomorrow, strongly dependent on whether we have internet at the new place or not.

In other news, there was a flock of turkey in my front yard yesterday. I took some pictures and a video, which I will share when I have the chance.

BLOOP ON HEAD PROJECT:

I have a new design set for BoH and am currently working on the first one. Expect to see pictures(and information about a give-away) in the near future!

Speaking of Boh, Have you went over to the FB club? If not, you totally should :D There is a question up and I'd love to get feedback from as many as I can!

"Bloop On Head Club and Gallery"

And finally, there is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL piece I must have from Mrs B's giveaway today. The colors are right up my alley, go check it out!

Celestial Vial

Bloop On Head Project!

2009-10-06T23:00:00.001-04:00

I just finished launching Manifested Dreams' official Facebook page which will be home to the Bloop On Head project and gallery. Progress is a beautiful thing!

Manifested Dreams hits Facebook <3

Ascension Halloween Contest(and Mrs. B giveaways)

2009-10-06T19:35:00.002-04:00

I'm here to let everyone know about a very special contest being held by Kyira Starborne(my sister and partner in crime) over at Deviant Art. The contest is simple, draw characters from her book in a Halloween situation and win some awesome prizes(including a donation from yours truly). Different mediums are welcomed so head on over and give it a shot!

Ascension, Halloween Style

Mrs B's Giveaway:

Tarot Bag and More

Field Guide to Candy

Homemade Gift Boxes

Explosion of Spooky Goodness

Back from Kurokiiro & Halloween Giveaway stuff

2009-10-05T12:19:00.005-04:00

Hey all! Back from Kurokiiro and I have to say it was a huge success. The turnout was 540 paid attendees so they hit their goal number. Everyone seemed really happy and excited to be there. I didn't go to any panels or events but because of the size of things, I think I saw everyone that attended.

On Sunday Pikachu decided to come along, he was quite popular and got his picture taken a lot. I think he's going to get a big head. At the least, Pikachu will probably be attending conventions with us from here on out.

Speaking of conventions, my next convention will be at Nekocon down in Hampton Roads, Virginia the first weekend of November(AHH. Less than a month! So much to doo). If anyone happens to spot this that is in the area, be sure to stop by and say hello!

I've also decided to start the"Bloop on Head" project. I haven't decided how I'll be setting this up quite yet but I am hoping to have a gallery of people with pictures of Octobloops on their heads. My goal is to someday have pictures of bloops infront of iconic structures like Tokyo Tower and the Arc De Triomphe. If I ever manage to see a Bloop on the head of Tom Felton, well I think that would be the crown jewel of the collection(because seriously, a Malfoy with a bloop on their head? A-MA-ZING.) Expect to see more information about the gallery soon.

Speaking of galleries, I'll be uploading all my convention pictures soon. I generally stick to snapping photos of cosplayers and displays so there are only like...50 photos maybe? But there were a lot of lovely outfits!

One of my favorite parts of conventions is the array of costumes and clothing people wear. I don't generally cosplay myself(something I intend to change) due to the fact that I overheat(boo kittens), however, I absolutely LOVE the detailing a lot of people put into their attire.

In other news, the apartment fiasco is still being handled. We spoke with our complex manager last night and I am happy to report that we'll be rent free for this month. This is taking a huge weight off of our shoulders. My boyfriend and I are intending to(Gods willing) travel to Japan next year. The trip will be a combination of pleasure and business as I am hoping to get an upclose look at current fashions and trends in Japan. Since we are planning for this, we are trying to power-pay off all the loans so we can start putting large sums aside for our trip. As much as I hate this whole situation, it's allowing us to pay off our computers since we'll have extra this month. Hurray!

And on that note, I am off to paint a kitchen. I leave you with todays give-aways at Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween. Head over and enter for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

Glass Pendants

Raven Pendant

Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween Give-away!

2009-10-01T08:08:00.003-04:00

During the next month you're going to be flooded with links to Mrs. B's give-away(see the button on the left side of the screen? Go there!) because it's super fantastic and the love must be spread.

Today she is offering up 4 different items. Click the links to gain more information on how you can enter :3

Sense and Sensibilities and Sea Monsters

Hallowbunny Wall Hanging

Witch's Flying Potion

Witchy Rattle

So get over there and have a look!

On a slightly less happy note, I am going to be spending the next few days moving into a new apartment. To make a long story incredibly short, another apartment in my building recently had it's ceiling cave in. Last night I noticed several cracks in my ceiling and when pushed on, that area moved visibly.

Thankfully there is another apartment available in another one of the buildings, I'm going to inspect it now and then we'll start vacuuming, painting and moving things in.

This is putting a big kabash on my KuroKiiro prep, but the prospect of my ceiling falling on me(Or, heaven forbid, the plush!) far outweighs a few extra bucks.

I'll be posting progress pictures. This has been home for almost three years now. This apartment is where I went after a not so happy time and became safe haven. I have a lot of happy memories here and, despite all my frustrations with it, I will miss it.

But we have to remain optimistic. I asked for a sign recently about what we should do(my boyfriend and I will be looking into our own place and will be out of this particular place in 5 months anyways) and this sign was as blatant as they get.

The God and Goddess work in peculiar(and sometimes pushy) ways.

That's all for now!

Feels like Fall

2009-09-30T00:19:00.000-04:00

Being in Pennsylvania, I really get to experience the seasons in their full effect. It's been drizzly the last couple of days and thundering in the late evening/early mornings.

Yesterday and today have been the first real signs of Autumn for me. I'm not sure what defines the seasons for you, but for me it's the smell. Everything is still very green but the wind carries this heavier sort of smell as if to say"One last clean before hibernation".

It's a special sort of comfort to look around, to feel the higher powers working their magic and know that while Summer is leaving, we will see it again.

So I offer up a question to my readers, what is Autumn to you? Do you have any special traditions that you celebrate to welcome in this season?

For me, It's time to pull out the hot apple cider and consider crocheting myself a new scarf or hat.

On a final note, I am preparing for KuroKiiro(formerly Tekko 1/2). It is a local Japanese Anime and Manga convention in Pittsburgh. It is very small but I wanted to support our local convention, plus I am hoping to see some convention friends! Anyways, in preperation for this I made a new item today. It is a crocheted version of the MasterBall from Pokemon. The MasterBall is the most epic of all balls, being able to capture any pokemon, regardless of level or strength, instantly.

I love the color scheme so I had to do it. Here it is pictured with a standard Pokeball. Pikachu is careful to not be captured as he prefers to run the apartment free with the others.

And in the spirit of colder weather, one of my rainbow scarves that will be appearing on my website soon. These babies are taller than I am, between 6.5 - 7 ft! I am 5'8.

I adore the colors and think they are perfect to keep away the winter blues.

Hope you like!

Finally! Official launch

2009-09-29T00:08:00.001-04:00

Hi there, Ari here <3

Like so many other small business owners out there I decided that I needed to network more, thus this blog was born.

I hope to use this as a source of news and updates for Manifested Dreams as well as a way to make things just a bit more personal.

I imagine this is going to have a slow start but it is my hope that as time goes on I'll make more and more friends and spread the joy that I've found through my crafting.

Thanks for stopping by and here's to a successful blogging experience!

<3