Astral Boutique's blog

Red on Grey

The last apples in the orchard...

Mademoiselle Mermaid

I love when an Etsian that I admire buys something from me! Enter the gorgeous and talented Renae, proprietress of Mademoiselle Mermaid, who bought this red dress and is rocking it beautifully here:

Renae crafts up a cornucopia of colorful wearables in her shop, like these cuties:

And my personal most coveted item:

Yes that is a GOLD TURBAN. (who wants to buy me a present?)

You can peek Renae's shop here!

 

On The Fifth Day of Christmas

Around here, there are a full twelve days of Christmas. The celebration isn't over until those Wisemen reach the babe in the manger, aka, The Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th). Our fiber optic Christmas tree just keeps right on a-glowin'.

We put our new set of Twelve Days of Christmas balls on the tree this year.

The Buddha is a Christmas gift from my mom. He seems just as happy to chill under the Tannenbaum as the Bodhi tree. 

Mr. Burns, on the other hand, wanted to be on the tippy top of the tree or else. 

"No, Mr. Burns, don't tent your fingers! You can eat all the toffee in the house, and we won't wrap it too tightly!"

Magic Sprinkles

This stuff is making my life so much better tasting right now. They call it Salad Booster, but you can put it on everything (like soup). This little bag lasts me about a week for a two-stomach house, and it costs around $6. That seemed kind of expensive when I first saw it on the shelf, but now it seems like a good deal. You don't need very much to get a big taste.

This stuff is vegan, raw, and gluten free, and contains sprouted pumpkin seeds, sprouted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, wild white chia seeds, spirulina, red bell pepper, himalayan crystal salt, nutritional yeast, chlorella, dulse, kelp, herbs and spices, and lemon peel (almost all organic)- basically everything you want (and might pay an arm and a leg for in a food-grade supplement), with the all-important Yum factor. In the winter when we eat less variety of veggies, these ingredients all seem even more important. Plus they sprouted some of the seeds for me, which is a step I don't ever seem to get around to at home. 

Boosting my salad at dinner:

Spinach, apple, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese, carrots, meyer lemon and olive oil dressing, and Salad Booster

**********************************************************************

I got this in Grass Valley at the Briar Patch.... you can also order it from the company, Living Intentions, who are out of San Francisco.

*Thanks to my friend Summer for turning me onto this stuff! Meow meow!*

Joyeux Noel!

One of my sweet customers from France gifted this jacket to her brother for Christmas:

Il est si mignon, non?

*Merci beaucoup to Clemence for this adorable photo!*

It's A Holly Jolly Trip To The Grocery Store

For Christmas Eve, I bought us a cherry pie and some very creamy vanilla ice cream.

I only now realized that the food I bought matches the outfit! Ha!

Chris took this as I headed up the driveway. Do you see someone special in the window? 

Happy Christmas Eve!

 

In The Bleak Midwinter

If Chuck Bass could sing, he would sound like Ed Harcourt. Breathy, deep, sending wintery shivers up and down my spine... drama without apology.

From Mojo's Blue Christmas album.

Going Christmas Shopping

Any shade of red and green says *HELLO CHRISTMAS* on December 22nd! Just use any shade in the family (maroon! aqua! pink!) and go nuts! 

Note my new boots- best thrift score ever. I named them my Moomin Boots. Headed to historic downtown Nevada City for some Christmas shopping now...

God Rest Ye Merry Pagan Folk

Twas a starry Solstice eve, and merry folks were gathered together to keep the creative fires burning high...

Bluebird, Dylan (of the rockin pagan band Lasher Keen), Leonna Sapphire, and moi, at Bluebird and Dylan's gorgeous home. Solstice gifts: Dylan's cookie jar (filled with freshly baked Russian Tea Cookies from Leonna), Leonna's rainbow piano socks, wrist warmers crocheted by Leoanna, and my beautiful scarf, which came all the way from Africa!

Best holiday soundtrack ever (Dylan is originally from Detroit, so he knows what good music sounds like):

Needlepoint Christmas stocking, open wine bottle, homemade playdough and game of Cranium:

Dylan processes the Mistletoe which he picked himself, while fur people Lakshmi and Mochi look on:

O Tannenbaum...

Leonna brought holiday songs with alternate Pagan words! Best idea ever!

We were belting out those carols at the tippy TOP of our lungs! I am so glad there were no neighbors anywhere nearby!

Dylan's mistletoe bunches are ready, and Bluebird returns to the needlepoint...

Dylan shows us his amazing hand-carved wooden harp with gut strings, just arrived after a six month wait.... Wow. Wow. Wow.

Cutie Pie Pies.

...and to all a good night.