Monday, December 22, 2014

Holiday party with former staff and consultants aka Disaster House 2014

Aaron, our former, and only other human staff member, was over earlier this month. He brought along his wife, the lovely photographer Melissa, and their adorable kids. The little ones did some modeling for us about a year ago.

We decided to make a party of it, so Hubby fired up the grill. (Yes, we know it's cold out. We're the kind of idiots who grill all winter long and sit out by bonfires in pouring rain, snow, and sleet.) While he was taking care of dinner, I thought it would be fun to make a gingerbread house with the kids - and quickly learned why they are sold as kits.




 
The roof pieces burned, one of the gable ends stuck to the cookie sheet and crumbled when it was removed, and the sides did not hold together. Finally, out of desperation, I grabbed the glue gun.
 
It held together long enough for the kids to have fun decorating it with gumdrops, m&m's and red hots.
 
And really did not look too bad considering all the difficulties and the ages of the little ones....................................Then, the roof caved in.
 
The most important thing is we all had a good time with, what will now forever be referred to as, 'disaster house 2014'. (And I have learned to just buy a kit in the future!) Thanks to Hubby, we also all had a great dinner. As an added bonus, all the feline members of the household hide whenever there are little ones here, so no 'help' from Grimmie......
 
Who spent the evening completely worn out from the excitement of hiding all day.

Friday, December 19, 2014

It's holiday decorating time!

So........ the other day Hubby and I decided to start putting up the holiday decorations. Not a feat than can be accomplished without plenty of feline help, mostly from our problem child, Grimoire.




 He thought it would be helpful to try to chew on the outdoor wreaths while I was trying to put new bows on them.

 
Lady Fray wandered out to have a look at the situation, but luckily for us humans did not find it as intriguing as Grimmie did.
 
 
While Hubby was taking care of making the outside look festive, yours truly tackled the inside. Decorating the tree with lights and ornaments was a true challenge, but I had Grimmie right there to lend a paw every step of the way. I was unable to get any pics of the tree trimming. Lets just say the lights all survived it unbroken, the ornaments are still all in one piece, and the claw marks on my hands where Grimmie missed the light string and got me instead, will eventually heal.

 
After all the excitement was over Jezzie wandered out to give her approval.
 
Madame Z was still trying to adjust to the fact her cousin, Lady Fray, now lives here, and was not in a festive mood.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Welcome our newest staff member, Lady Fray

All of us at the Ravens' have had an exciting time getting aquainted with the our new staff member, Lady Fray. Although, we did have some concerns at first about how well she would fit in.


In the beginning, she seemed to have a great work ethic, going above and beyond the normal expectations, even to the point of ordering take-out and eating in her office instead of going out.
 
But then the problems began. On the night we witnessed her grab a catnip toy, get stoned off it, and run around hissing at other staff members, we knew the stress of all that work was getting to her.
 
Happily, she has learned to balance her schedule better. She now takes some time out for play to ward off any repeat, stress induced, incidents.
 
We still are not fully sure what her duties around here will be. Our CEO Jezebel has been giving it plenty of thought and the two have had a few meetings regarding future projects.
 
For now, Lady Fray is still getting a feel for how things work around here. She has taken an interest in the embroidery section of the shop, as well as, learning the computer end of running an ETSY business.
 
 
 
And of course, Grimoire is there to lend a paw (whether she wants it or not) and show her the ropes.
 


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Madame Z's Corner: Goldstone


Madame Z provides monthly posts featuring a different healing stone each month. She gathers her info from many different sources including the books: The Pocket Book of Stones; The Way of the Green Witch; Healing Crystals and Gemstones; The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals, and Stones; and Grimoire for a Green Witch; the websites: That Crystal Site; Wings of Spirit; and Healing Crystals for You; as well as relying on personal experience. Healing stones are not a substitute for medical treatment. Anyone with serious medical or emotional issues should consult with a health care professional. When purchasing a healing stone, it is best to buy the stone you are drawn to. Healing stones should be cleansed and charged periodically. We cleanse our personal stones at least once a month, and sometimes more often if we feel they need it. Cleansing can be accomplished by holding the stone in a stream of water. A natural stream is best, but since most of us do not have access to one, filtered water is a good substitute. Some stones should not be placed in water. These stones can be placed in dirt or smudged with white sage. To recharge the stones, place in a sunny window or in moonlight for a few hours.

 
Our December spotlight stone is Goldstone. Goldstone, which is man made, can be found in a variety of colors, including green, blue, and red. Goldstone was created from glass combined with copper. It's the copper that gives this intriguing stone it's glittery sparkle.
 
Goldstone in general is thought to increase self-esteem and self-confidence. It is also believed to help stabilize moods and to bring a feeling of vitality and zestful energy. Goldstone, as mentioned above, contains copper which is thought to assist in conducting the higher spiritual energies entering our world. Copper is also considered to be extremely helpful in treating inflammation and increasing blood flow.
 
Physically, goldstone is believed to relieve pain and inflammation, detoxify the body, and protect against bacteria. It is also thought to help strengthen bones and the circulatory system. It is even considered helpful in overcoming depression.
 
Blue Goldstone is associated with the throat and third eye chakras. It is believed to protect psychic and empathic sensitivities, and to repel negative energies. This sparkly stone is also thought to stimulate learning, communication, telepathy, and channeling.
 
Physically, blue goldstone is believed to relieve migraines, to enhance eyesight, and to help one overcome bulimia and anorexia.
 
Magickally, it is thought to enhance invisibility.
 
Green Goldstone is thought to open and balance the heart chakra. It is believed to bring a feeling of warmth and to open one's mind to the world around them.
 
The red variety of goldstone is associated with the root, sacral and solar plexus chakras. Like the green variety, it too is believed to bring a feeling of warmth. Like most red stones in general, it is thought to increase energy and motivation.
 
To cleanse our goldstone we use filtered water. The recommended way to charge goldstone is by placing it on a windowsill on a starry night, but we have also used moonlight without any problems.
 
Personally, we have the most experience with the green variety of goldstone. We experience it's energy as bringing a calmness, but also as providing an energetic, zesty feeling. Green Goldstone is one of our favorite stones.