LastChantsStudio's Blog

COSMIC CLAY and other assorted amusements
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2012 and the Mayan Calender

Published: 12-22-2011 11:53pm
Posted In: End times? No Way!
O.K. So...think of the calender as just that. The 5000 years+ (whatever) increments based on where the earth's position is...within the much larger 26,000 years+ (can't remember the exact figure) precession of the equinoxes orbit. Chinese, Hindu, Tibetan and many more of the oldest cultures have tracked it for eons and recorded what the effects are on our planet and our behavior. It's a huge egg shaped orbit that takes us furthest from the center of the Galactic Plane, then makes the turn back towards it. Dec 21st, 2012 is the closest we get to the galactic center during that 26,000 years cycle. When we are headed towards the center of the ... » Read More

Guest Comments & Feedback

Published: 12-12-2011 01:18pm
Posted In: Guest Comments or Feedback
Welcome to my kitchen and relax awhile...coffee? (And nope, that isn't the rolling pin I use for clay!)  I thought it would be fun to have a special place for comments by my shop visitors and wonderful buyers who purchase by e-mail. So enjoy yourselves and let me know what's on on your mind. Really!    ... » Read More

By the Light of the Moon

Published: 12-02-2011 01:31am
Posted In: Symbolism and Patterns
Her luminous face has been described in the songs, myths and stories of cultures everywhere on this planet. She's praised, romanticized and even feared as people respond to her beauty and energy.     In the mideast, great temples were dedicated to honor Illumqua, the glorius ruler of the night skies. Luna, Taktik, Hecate, Diana, Aradia, Selene, Ixchel, Akua'ba are but a few of the names reverently chanted by our ancestors. They celebrated rites and cycles related to the moon's passage and seasonal changes. Farmers planted by the signs and World War I soldiers unknowingly used the effects of her polarized light when they played jokes on new recr... » Read More

Feeling a little MAXED OUT Lately?

Published: 12-01-2011 12:34am
Posted In: Cosmic Doo Dah in Daily Life
Let's have a little Cosmic Doo Dah session to take the edge off. Ready?    Gonna give you a visualization if you want it and have a moment to sit down and close your eyes.*OK* Let your mind wander to an ocean cove...the water is a beautiful color and a breeze surrounds you with sharp briney smells. The water shimmers and you notice something is moving under the surface out there. You first see the shape of a very large dark woman....she's rising up and she's huge and cuddly looking. She looks so friendly and beckons to you as she smiles. She's ancient and her weathered immense body is comfortably resting on some kind of big soft chair or pillow,... » Read More

How to Keep Your Tillandsia Happy!

Published: 11-30-2011 12:08pm
Posted In: Tillandsias ~ Care and Feeding
Tillys may not need dirt but they certainly thrive better when given humidity similar to their native origins. I found some great web sites with the information to help you keep your little darlings happy. These are my favorites so far, with a small quote from each link. You'll get the total scoop from these interesting sites!  Click away, my house plant obsessed friends, and enjoy exploring the world of airplants!  http://prism.xomba.com/grow_tillandsia_%E2%80%93_air_plant_personality   "There are disadvantages to purchasing tillandsias mounted within art or craft pieces. Customers are usually told, “Just mist them every day”. This is u... » Read More

What to do with those old tea bags you saved?

Published: 11-18-2011 11:05pm
Posted In: Where the Go Green ideas are
Tea is so popular that it contributes fifteen hundred tons of waste to landfills each year. So if you're a tea drinker who's also concerned about the environment, you'll be happy to know you can use brewed tea bags in a number of ways before throwing them into the garbage.You've gotten a couple cups out of that bag. Now what?! For starters...Soothe razor burn and relieve nicks and cuts by pressing a wet tea bag to your skin. Not only will the tea take some of the sting out, it will also stop the bleeding.If you have a bruise, sunburn, bee sting, mosquito bite, or cold sore put a cool, damp tea bag on the affected area and use like a compress. The ... » Read More

A Gathering of Family ~ A Cornucopia of Thanks Giving

Published: 11-13-2011 09:24pm
Posted In: Ritual and Ceremony
What a beautiful time of year. It feels good to be with people who know most of our history and love us anyway. We've all been through a lot. We've survived plenty of dramas and setbacks, haven't we. But here we are, in this moment, joking around and waiting to share food together. We make up a tiny spirit plate, a simple offering to thank nature for her gifts this year and each person adds a tidbit of something from the table. The laughter quiets and our faces soften as a few prayers are added. I guess we're all thinking of friends and family members who have crossed over to the other side, wishing we could touch them with more than our hearts... » Read More

CHANGING HORSES or Why I ended up at ArtFire

Published: 11-11-2011 04:18pm
Posted In: First Things First
You know that feeling of not wanting to go work in the morning? Even before I began to feel chronically sick of my previous venue's transition into being a mainly social/commerce site, I'd been thinking about my reasons for picking people or places throughout my life. As an artist, I value authenticity and originality much more than trying too hard to be uber trendy or hip. I like being eclectic and inventive. The atmosphere one works in, whether it involves online selling or running a brick and mortar shop, can make or break a person's spirit or slowly stifle inspiration. It matters what thoughts are on your mind as you sip your morning coffee... » Read More
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