Voicemail from the ShellyVerse

You have 3 voicemails

So I finally clicked the play button....

Moved the Blog...

Well, I can no longer post here as I can almost never get this page to load so I have moved my blog over to http://theshellyverse.wordpress.com I do hope you will come and join me! Also, I have been trying to 5 minutes to post a comment on someone's blog here and it wont let me :( bb,

Good Cake is like a good Lover!!

So for the best of both worlds, Tiffany and I created the Italian Lover Cupcake!!!!

Made with Amarretto, Malibu Rum, coconut, and pineapple. The moans of delight just don't stop `;~) We've been getting hooked on the Cupcake Wars and have been craving cupcakes for weeks. So, finally last night after work - we had a mad house of baking. We baked until 4am and of course much devilry ensued.

We've decided to start the Drunken Diva's Bakery were everything has to have liquor involved in some way. Hopefully, this will not devolve into drinking games... Drinking games and baking do not sound like a good match `;~).

Once we get the recipe down pat, we might share it `;~) but, ohhhhh were they good `;~)

bb,

Fun Flirty Vulva Earrings

Fun Flirty Vulva Earrings , a photo by Shelly Graves on Flickr.

finally made these fun vulva beads that I made years ago into earrings `;~) I was going to list these in my shop, but I just <3<3<3 them too much!

bb,

A Sudoku Kind of Life? I Wish...

I really like Sudoku. It's rather simple in it's complexity and I enjoy that challenge. You know there are always going to be nine squares within nine squares and the numbers one through nine will always go somewhere in that square. Each line, each column, and each square contain those numbers, 1 through 9. You may not know how, but you know they always fit...

But life is not like that. And that really is okay.

Today my son's Rite of Passage begins. Today, he finds himself in a sacred space with men who will help him to discover what it means to be a man. I'm so excited for him to discover who he is becoming and where he will take that. As my first born child when I held him in my arms for the first time, I was so overwhelmed with the task before me.

I look back on his childhood and hope that I gave him enough love, strength and freedom. I hope that my mistakes lead to a greater strength so he can overcome his obstacles.

My son is a good boy and I can see the great man that he will become. If nothing else, I am very proud of him!

I love you Alex


bb,

FOUR

Taken from Penny over @ Adventures Of The Queen Texan Zombie Goddess

Four Things:

Four Places I Go:

1. My Herb Hutch cause it smells so good, it makes me happy

2. My Closet cause I *still* can't find my favorite outfit :(

3. Work.. bleh...

4. I'd say the ShellyVerse, but I'd have to leave first..

Four Smells that I Love:

1. Cinnamon

2. Oranges

3. Caramel

4. The forest

Four Favorite TV Shows:

1. Fringe

2. NCIS

3. Off The Map

4. The Event

Four Favorite Movies:

1. Burlesque _Just watched this.. I <3 this movie!!! I have to have the soundtrack!!! 2. Miracle on 34th St 3. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love 4. Closer Four Recommendations: 1. You burn 500 calories for every orgasm... 340 for one hour of bellydancing... 2. Smile 3. Love like your life depended on it.. It does.. 4. The Golden Rule always applies... Four People who Should Tell us their Fours: Oh, I know you wanna... bb,

Is the Force Strong With You¿

I have to admit when I first came onto the pagan path, that I was extremely skeptical about this whole shebang. I mean, come on... Really, I can move or change stuff just by moving this invisible imaginatory thing you guys call energy??? Riiiiighhhht.. yeeaaaaahhhhh...

How does one tell if something is actually working or not? Sometimes it is obvious and sometimes it isn't. Who hasn't thought of someone only to have the phone ring and it be that person or them show up at the door? We've all had those little things happen.

These things really aren't that little actually, our magick works through the strength of our bonds. Whether it be the bonds we share with our friends, the Earth, our pets/familiars, or our community, these bonds allow us greater access to our personal magick and its efficacy. In magick the axiom, No Man Is An Island is an unspoken truth.

This in no way is an opinion against Solitaires (those on the magickal path that are not part of a coven or group). Solitaires have just as deep connections and bonds as any other magickal worker. Solitaires may use different techniques or focus on different skills than covens, but their work is just as important as any other's.

There has been lots of discussions on the blogsphere about "energy" and whether that is an accurate term or not. Call it what you will, there is definitely something occuring when a person works magick. I personally prefer to call it "the Force," but then, I'm geeky like that.

When I think of The Force, I think of the Three Pillars of the Qabala Tree of Life. The Pillar of Mercy/Force, the Pillar of Mildness/Balance, and the Pillar of Severity/Form.

The Tree of Life, for those not familiar with it, is composed of ten spheres upon three pillars that depict the map of creation. Each sphere represents certain aspects of the necessary ingredients needed for creation. There is layer upon layer of meaning in each sphere and pillar, but basically this a theological depiction of creation.

So, the number 3 represents the first form - a triangle. With 1, you have a point; two, you have a line. the number 3 is the first solid foundation on which to build.

So back to The Force, it flows freely until it is defined within Form. When that is stabilized, Balance is created. This the science behind magick. Everything that ever has been or will be is created through and contains The Force.

Through our connections and bonds, we can tap into The Force, redefine the Form, Stabilize it and bring to Manifestation our goal.

When I began on this path, it was hit or miss whether I could sense The Force. Sometimes, I could sense it, but it was not consistent enough, much less blatant enough to convince me. Cause, lets face it, we all want magick to be the fireworks, when in actuality, it is rarely that blatant -in your face obvious.

Now, after years of training and practice, the connection is deeper and it is much easier to sense The Force. I can feel it, see it, and hear it more often than not.

Monday night it was brought completely clear to me while learning a new casting called The Sword & Staff Casting that I am learning for a ritual later this year. I was nervous and unsure, not allowing my connections to flow and nothing happened.

Well, except maybe a little snort of "Oh Really?"

So, I read through the technique again, grounded, opened my connections and cast again. And wouldn't you know that it worked. I can still feel the residual effects from the casting and what I learned.

And it feels really good `;~)



bb,

Meanwhile, in the ShellyVerse

I'd like to tell you a fabulous story of how busy I have been and how I danced with Elephants and swam with dolphins, but that just isn't how life has been...

oh, wait... I did do those things in my dreams last week `;~) Then of course, I had a dream about Catnip!

I have just been completely tuckered out lately. And this weather has not been helping one itty bitty bit! Could you please make up your mind???

I finally decided what to do with my Bead Soup Necklace, Bambi's Spring Frolick ! I decided to donate it to my tradition for The New Alexandrian Library we are building. It will be available this weekend at Spring Magick in Springfield, PA.

I've decided to join Dancing in a Field of Tansy's Herball Ally 2011 challenge and picked Hyssop as my herb.

I'm very excited about My Herbal Ally. I've been intrigued by Hyssop since Brighid told me to add it to Her incense.

Must get some writing done now.



bb,

anyone familiar with Drexel's online degree program? They have the degree I'm looking for!