The Queen’s Obsession ~

St. George’s Spirits has released their “Absinthe Verte.”

Hemingway’s “liquid alchemy”, Paul Verlaine cursed it as his ruin and opponents of Absinthe claimed the drink caused widespread debauchery and delinquency kept it illegal in France for over 100 years. Personally dahlings I can’t wait to get my very own bottle of it that is on it’s merry way.

Botanical ingredients include ~ star anise, mint, wormwood, lemon balm, hyssop, meadowsweet, basil, fennel, tarragon and stinging nettles. Don’t let “botanical ingredients” fool you. Absinthe Verte is 120 proof.

“Absinthe represents the pinnacle of the distiller’s art,” he said. “You end up with distilled poetry in a glass.” -Lance Winters, master distiller at St. George Spirits who created the absinthe.

This is from the Bath and Body blog that I edit at craftgossip~thought I’d post if here as well………..read on girlehs!
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that Essential Wholesale is a great source for all of your raw ingredients. I love the products they offer and their shea butter and cocoa butter is deeeeeeevine.  In fact, right now through 12/31/2007 you can get FREE shipping on orders over$250 - which is a great deal if you like to order your butters, waxes and fixed oils in bulk!
Today I received their e-newsletter and while I am not in need of anything right now I went ahead and opened up the newsletter. (Didn’t want to cause any temptation for myself you know!)

Below is an article contained in the newsletter, reprinted with the permission of Essential Wholesale that got my attention. I hope it gets your attention too - and if anything at all that it reminds everyone to make sure that you go in for your yearly exams.

Breast cancer at any time in life is challenging to face. The Essential Wholesale Family is large and includes our employees and customers. One of our family members is faced with a medical challenge that is creating financial hardship. We want to bring the resources of many together to help Heather Davis. Heather will miss a lot of work in the coming months. Her medical expenses and family expenses continue to climb and pile up. We are dedicating these products to her medical fund. We chose to scent these Pink Ribbon products with Pink Grapefruit for many reasons. Pink Grapefruit is a happy scent that makes everyone smile, it is universally liked by both men and women and it is pink which is perfect for a Pink Ribbon product. For the first time Essential Wholesale is offering these products in a personal use size. We want to make it easy for everyone to help, even if you don’t sell shampoo, conditioner and lotion in your business. All profits of 32 oz, 1/2 gallon, 1 gallon and 5 gallon sizes of the Pink Grapefruit Lotion, Pink Grapefruit Shampoo and Pink Grapefruit Conditioner will go towards the Heather Davis Medical Fund.

xmasbook1

Originally uploaded by Bella Umbra Designs

Of course dahlings….everything used comes from Alpha Stamps More pictures from book on Flickr.

Sweet Little Girl

Originally uploaded by Bella Umbra Designs

Another xmas present

Nicho for my niece

Originally uploaded by Bella Umbra Designs

Main image from the Brass Pendant kit collage sheet. large brass filigree, crown charm, eyelets from Alpha Stamps. Dangling images - digital art by Miz Bella. (my MOO cards!) Nicho painted with Golden Fluid Acrylics.

Solstice at Chapel of the Chimes Columbarium

There is a benefit auction on Ebay for Bernie Berlin’s dog rescue “A Place to Bark.”

Check out the beautiful artwork HERE.

Visit A Place to Bark 

Clickety-click the picture for full size.

I am *SO* verra, verra sick of all the PC crap when it comes to Halloween and “the holidays.” I’m not the most religious person and ok I’m more comfortable riding my broom than sitting in mass but I still love the Christmas season. I also love to send out CHRISTMAS cards.

Do you know how hard it is to find “holiday” cards that say Merry Christmas and not some cleverly worded phrase that doesn’t dare mention the “C” word? Or “holiday” decorations that dare to mention “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays?”

I finally found some Christmas cards that actually say the “C” word. That are cute, and not religious with bible verses in them. (It seems that if you do find Christmas cards with the C word in them, they always have to quote bible verses.)

Kids can’t dress up for Halloween anymore at school because goodness me, it may mean that we’re promoting Satan worship (snork). As a room mom we’re not allowed to say “Christmas” party. It’s a “holiday” party. It must be neutral. It must not hint at anything to do with Christmas. Personally, if my kids came home with Kwanza, Hannukah, Islamic or any other type of seasonal card I certainly wouldn’t be offended. I’d think it was great! Hey! An opportunity to learn about something new!

Everyone is so worried about offending other religions and cultures…..what they’re not realizing is they’re taking a lot of fun out of just being a kid. It’s the adults who are so uptight that they’re cutting off the oxygen to their brains.

The cards that Oompa Loompa #1 and #2 are handing out this year to their classmates say “Merry Christams & Happy New Year!” I wonder if I’ll get suspended?

OK. I’ll get off my soap box now.

#549   Having a dr.’s appt. for one of the Oompa Loompas and having to wait over an hour to be seen.  With a bunch of germ-infested-kidlets in the same waiting room.  Although today was Creepy Suburban Pod People day at the pediatrician’s office so that did provide me with some entertainment.