Jungle Shower!

So while I should have been busy listing and posting all my new treasures I've created on my Etsy site I was instead doing this....

 This is our new jungle shower!  Let me fist start off by explaining that this wall of the house can be seen on two different streets.  The shower was put in...and used...with no walls.  Now the owner might have been ok with his white backside glowing in the moonlight but I was not.  The solution?  We weaved together guava saplings and filled in with palm fronds to create the perfect jungle shower!  This project took about 4 to 5 hours in all ( with a siesta in between of course).  The result was being able to stand back and admire our handiwork as well as being able to take a nice cool shower in the middle of a warm Hawaiian day without any backsides showing..Hooray!

BEFORE:

  The walls that were woven together with guava saplings:

Tada!  After weaving in the palm fronds...Not to shabby if I say so myself.

Finally the finished product..

So get out there and build something!!!

Naaaaa!

So I have a new crush & it's on..... a goat!  Actually a couple goats, Bambam, Bambi and their little ones.  Our neighbor came by yesterday to let us know her goats milk was flowing and to stop by and pick some up if we were interested.  My mind immediately flooded with ideas of all the delicious concoctions we could come up with.  So this morning armed with mason jars and a bag of arugula ( we couldn't go empty handed now could we?)  we walked down to our neighbors house and met these splendid animals that were giving us such a wonderful gift.  I had no idea goats could be so friendly and sweet.  They eyed us up and then came straight over to receive their mandatory petting and scratches behind the ears.  I probably would have taken one home right then and there if Gus hadn't been there to stop me.  Now we have fresh goats milk chilling in the fridge and I now have a soft spot in my heart for all things goat.  In honor of that I thought I would share some of the items my fellow etsy artisans have created inspired by the lovely goat.

 Curious Goat a print created by mjb0210 on etsy.  You can check it out here.

Clean Cotton Goats Milk Soap 4oz. created by SoapSudsBabyDuds on etsy.  You can check it out here.

Handcrafted Goat Milk and Honey Lotion -Rose  created by HarvestKraft on etsy.  You can check it out here.

toy kid baby goat necklace created  by gwynnjewelry on etsy.  You can check it out here.

 Avocado spaghetti strap dress with burnt orange goat created by greengoat on etsy.  You can check it out here.

Needle felted goat wool felted doll created by Halushka on etsy.  You can check it out here.


There is really something special about all of the items I have listed here and I really love them all.  So stop by these fine artisans shops and show some love!

Camping @ Spencer Beach Park

This past Monday I decided we needed to get out of the house for a few days, after a little googling I found Spencer Beach Park on the other side of the island & Tuesday morning we packed up our things and headed out.  A little spontaneous? yes.  Tons of fun?  definitely!  This beach was awesome for swimming and even better for snorkeling.  We set up camp right next to the ocean and when we weren't doing the previously mentioned activities we spent our time hiking to secret beaches, exploring an ancient Hawaiian temple & sitting peacefully looking out over the waves.  We even had a few sea turtles stop by and do their magical dance around the rocks no more then ten feet in front of us.  I came home a little sun burnt but inspired & filled with memories of another adventure that will last a life time.

         Spencer Beach Park from the pavilion.  You can learn more about it here.

    Home Sweet Home!

These lava rock formations cover much of the coast line.  We spent more then a few hours climbing over them and investigating some of the sea life that call them home.

Like this Guy! or Gal...who knows ;)

This is the secret beach we came across.  Maybe not a secret to everyone but I was surely surprised :)  We found a trail that wound itself through the jungle along the coast and decided to do a little exploring after about half an hour we found ourselves here.  What a nice surprise after a hot and sweaty hike.

This is Pu'ukohala Heiau.  It was only a few steps from our campsite.  This pictures does not do it justice.  It was built by King Kamehameha and thousands of workers who stood in a line for miles and miles hand passing each stone up to build this great temple/fort.  You can learn more about it here.

 Hope this inspires you to get outside and enjoy all that mother nature has to offer.

Shizam!

So what do you whip up after a long day of driving and unpacking camping gear?  A delicious homemade pizza, that's what.  We returned home today after a well needed camping trip up to Spencer Beach Park (pictures and posts coming soon!), a little sun burnt and a whole lotta hungry.  We've been making this pizza for a couple weeks now, it's that yummy.  The best part is you can be as creative as you want as far as what kind of topping you've been craving & the dough is ridiculously easy to make.  You can find the recipe here.  This particular pizza is quite the hodge podge.  When we came home I saw that my arugula, spinach & basil were getting a little over grown so we sliced and diced it, sauteed it in a little olive oil and garlic and piled it high on top of some Newman's Own Marinara sauce.  Loaded it up with mozzarella and pepperonis and TaDa 20 minutes or so later, a pizza way better then any chain out there.  Hope this inspires you to make your own!

                             

Loco Moco

I give you...The Loco Moco.  This is apparently Hawaii's staple comfort food and a favorite of the locals.  While it looks we'll say a little less then appetizing, let me tell you, it was glorious!  We had this little gem of deliciousness at Ken's House of Pancakes on Kamehameha ave. in Hilo.  I was a little hesitant at first when I read the description on the menu.  A juicy hamburger placed over a large scoop of rice, smothered in brown gravy and crowned with an egg over easy.  I decided that while I was here I might as well enjoy all this island had to offer & I'm so glad I did.  So if you're feeling adventurous today, why not whip up a little Hawaiian comfort food? What are some of the more interesting foods you've eaten while traveling?  I love learning about new foods and cultures so if you have any links with recipes or pictures I would love to check them out!

Metaphysical Properties

One of the reasons I love making Jewelry is the actual objects I get to create it with. My love of Mother Nature extends to all the beautiful things she creates. Every day we are surrounded by glass. Plain old ordinary glass in our homes and cars, holding the things we eat and drink....but toss it in the ocean and let it roll around for a hundred years or so and you have Sea Glass! The same goes for the stones and rocks that we tread upon everyday. Each one is different and each has it's own special properties. I think we are drawn to the stones that we actually need in our lives at the time..that's right, I said need! You probably have a favorite and don't even know it. It's hard to think that the diamonds, emeralds and rubies we wear around our necks were found along the side of a mountain or in a cave and then cut and polished to perfection are still stones. The following is a list of properties that each stone is said to provide. So take a look and see what you need in your life today.

Agates: Balancing physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies; perceptiveness, strength, inspiration, awakening talents.

Amazonite: Success, joy, self-expression, awakening heart, soothing, harmony, balancing.

Amber: Soothing, calming, cleansing.

Amethyst: Contentment, spirituality, dreams, healing, peace, happiness, love, intuition.

Ametrine: Intellectual stimulation, attunement, releasing, dispelling tension, connecting.

Apatite: Intellect, achieving results, healing, insight, humanitarianism, meditation, balance, creativity.

Aquamarine: Courage, purification, peace, intuition, self-expression, balance, preparedness.

Aventurine: Healing, money, mental agility, visual acuity, peace, opening heart, motivation, leadership.

Azurite: Intuitive energy, dreams, healing, insight, stilling the mind, concentration, self transformation.

Bloodstone: Courage, intense healing, renewal, strength, victory, intuitive decision making.

Calcite: Purification, peace, calming, memory, awareness, appreciation of nature.

Carnelian: Precision, analytical capabilities, physical energy, verbal skill, peace, spirituality.

Celestite: Verbal skill, healing, compassion, calming, growth, intuition, hope.

Chrysocolla: Easing heartache, stamina, wisdom, peace, love, communication, vitality, inner strength.

Chrysoprase: Balancing male-female energy, love, grace, compassion, clemency, personal growth.

Citrine: Intuition, comfort, protection, creativity, physical energy, wealth, mental awakening.

Coral: Diplomacy, quieting emotions, visualization.

Crystal Quartz: Intensifying energy, spiritual development, healing, raising consciousness.

Diamond: Courage, strength, healing, protection, spirituality, mental abilities.

Dumortierite: Self-reliance, stamina, patience, recognition of potential, understanding, communication of ideas.

Emerald: Love, domestic bliss, sensitivity, loyalty, memory, mental capacity, harmony, focus, eliminating negativity.

Fluorite: Stability, impartial reasoning, responsibility, concentration, health.

Fossil Stone: Accomplishments, improvement of one’s environment, communication, innovation.

Garnet: Health, removing negativity, awareness, commitment, regeneration, order, insight.

Hematite: Mental attunement, memory, calming, balance, focusing energy and emotions, peace, inner happiness, transforming negativity.

Howlite: Awareness, calm, emotional expression, observation, patience, eliminating negativity.

Iolite: Intuition, spiritual growth, healing, balance, releasing discord, awakening to inner knowledge.

Jade: Fidelity, dreams, realization of potential, peace, accord, resourcefulness, accomplishment.

Jaspers: Protection, nurturing, joy, awareness; balancing of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energies.

Labradorite: Alignment, spiritual connection, transformation, clarity, peace, progression, discernment.

Lapis Lazuli: Wisdom, intuition, awareness, objectivity, clarity, creativity, expanded consciousness, dreams, purity, courage, serenity.

Lepidolite: Hope, stress reduction, birth, peace, spirituality, physical strength, luck, protection, emotional balance.

Malachite: Transformation, insight, clarifying emotions, fidelity, loyalty, practicality.

Marble: Charitable actions, original thinking, alleviation of sorrow.

Moonstone: Introspection, reflection, beginnings, insight, tenderness, harmony, peace, travel.

Mother of Pearl: Mental clarity, intuition, sensitivity, imagination, adaptability, cooperation.

Obsidians: Clarity, deflecting negativity, protection, healing.

Onyx: Self-control, decision making, intuition, recognition of personal strengths.

Opal: Creativity, spontaneity, relationships, memory, happy dreams and changes.

Pearl: Purity, faith, charity, innocence, integrity, focus, wisdom, spirituality, sincerity, fertility.

Peridot: Warmth, friendliness, understanding, openness in love and relationships, regulation of cycles.

Pyrite: Defense, prevention, protection from negativity, physical wholeness, memory.

Rhodocrosite: Love, emotional balance, cleansing, renewal, relaxation, expansion of consciousness.

Rhodonite: Peace, generosity, attention to details.

Rhyolite: Change, variety, progress, creativity, transcending barriers.

Rose Quartz: Love, peace, happiness, gentleness, healing emotional wounds.

Ruby: Nurturing, spiritual wisdom, attainment of values, economic stability, protection from distress.

Sapphire: Joy, peace, beauty, intuition, prosperity, fulfillment of dreams.

Serpentine: (see Jade)

Smoky Quartz: Dissolving emotional blockage, clearing the mind, cooperation, personal pride, joy in living, attentiveness to the moment, protection.

Sodalite: Wisdom, logic, calmness, healing, stress reduction, companionship, self-esteem.

Sunstone: Alleviating fears, energizing, cleansing.

Tanzanite: Communication, intuition, protection, symmetry, decision-making, spirituality.

Tiger Eye: Practicality, peacefulness, clarity, intelligence, intuition, new experiences, financial stability, calmness, releasing inhibitions.

Tiger Iron: Artistic endeavors, beauty, vitality.

Topaz: True love, success in endeavors, understanding of interrelationships, expression of ideas, trust, health, personal expansion and growth.

Tourmaline: Energizing, soul-searching, releasing.

Turquoise: Spiritual attunement, cleansing, healing, protection, valor, soothing, peace of mind, guidance through the unknown, romantic spontaneity.

Unakite: Balance, re-birth, foresight, emotional balance.

Zoisite: Dispelling laziness, facilitating advancement.

So here it goes Sunday...

Welcome, Hola, and Aloha!  My hopes are high that this can be a new creative outlet for me.  I'm currently on a year long adventure house-sitting on the big island of Hawaii.  The food and scenery would probably be enough to write about but I also spend a fair amount of my time perusing the web because, well...I'm a big nerd.  I'm also an artisan selling my wares on Etsy.com and can blame my extended hours on the puter on research, inspiration, etc.  In all my searching and browsing, pointing and clicking, paypal'in and buying,  I've come across some remarkable things and the expectation of this blog is to be able to gather it all up and share it with you. So stay along for the ride.. it should get bumpy, but those are always the best ones.

With warm regards,
Amanda