Buttercupchappati Chronicles

in the sweat shop

My own sweat shop, so I can't really complain about being exploited by myself, but I can try ...

Getting all kinds of stuff ready for my stand at the MindBodySpirit festival in about ten days time. I have done heaps of these events over the years from books, to wine (with believe it or not, some bread and cheese in between - yes I have a very comprehensive cv). But this will be the first time at an exhibition like this for my own business.

The sore feet, the worn out smiles, the ten million questions will all be exciting because this time it's for my stuff. It's exciting. I get to talk to people for three whole days about Tibetan Medicine! (I'm excited, hence over use of the word. And maybe a little too much coffee today.)

So I am sweat-shopping brochures, bookmarks to give away, signs and information sheets, slide shows of photos from Tibet trips, a crystal essence is in progress and Mindfulness Beads are in full production. As well as making sure I have all the odds and ends I will need on hand, that I have ordered all the things for the stall from the Expo people, organised some help for the two busiest days, and see a few patients in the odd spare  moment. I really need a clone of myself!

Mindfulness Beads, you really have to hold them in your hand to get it; but trust me on this, when I used to make these for my shop, lots of people went away seriously happy. And it has been FUN to get all this stuff out again and play play play.

browse my new Etsy shop

buttercupchappati.etsy.com

Visit my new Etsy shop, all my jewelry is now available there.
Not everything is up yet, so do keep checking back!

plenty to say, there has been plenty to do...

Everything, that's what the short answer is.

March is one of our big birthday months, my birthday on the 2nd and number 2 son on the 3rd, and it was his 18th too. It was good, we had a family yum cha, traditional to all major things to celebrated in my family. I was spoilt by all and sundry this year, might have another birthday later this year.

PRS gave me a ticket to see the Dalai Lama teach in Sydney in June this year. (He is teaching for 5 days on meditation, I can't wait!). Number 1 son spoilt me with a new bead for my Pandora bracelet and his Girl was generous with the Baileys Irish Cream - like that as a habit in a potential daughter in law!
Number 2 son was chortling about his gift for a full month before I actually got it, but I have to admit, its cool!
the Spudtrooper!

Watch out for that laser masher!

And more Pandora was gifted, some beautiful china, books and book vouchers (yay!) a voucher to a very fab cookware store in Melbourne... on and on.

Number 2 son received enough money to buy himself an island or a smaller African nation.

Certainly takes away the pain of gaining another numerical digit.

The new regime at The Key seems to be working okay. The town is always quiet in February when everyone slopes back to school and those christmas credit card bills arrive... But I am gradually weaning everyone on to the three days only for the retail.

PRS and I went off the visit with the Drati Khangsten monks - the ones who were with me in the shop last year making the beautiful mandala. We trekked off to Taradale to find no monks! They have a visa problem and couldn't board the plane, so fingers crossed that they get here soon. they have a website under construction so check in from time to time if you want to catch up with their program: dratimonkspeacetour.org.

I'm sure there is more to tell, so I'll be back shortly...

full moon in what?

Mea Culpa, it was full moon in Virgo!

However, the crystal essences are awesome and I have been decanting this week.

Just thought you should know...

Full moon in Leo

I think it is in Leo anyway.

Interesting one whatever it's name is.

The first full moon after the lunar new year, and with a lunar eclipse, people have been jumping out of their skins all week. I am making seven essences this time, which is a lot but even the crystals were jumping. I have larimar, turquoise, amazonite, calcite, citrine (real citrine, not heat-treated amethyst), and a beautiful piece of smoky quartz that has little flecks of gold inside. Haven't decided yet whether they will all go together for a blend like the Lightspeed Elixir, they will tell me what to do I'm sure!

Placed a satisfyingly large order for bottles and jars yesterday. Ordinarily I hate ordering - boring and it costs money! But having to order more bottles means that the essences and mantra water and Bach remedies are all on the move. So yes it is a good thing. And it means I can have a "cauldron day' tomorrow! Fabulous! I love, love, love, getting into full production mode in my little healing room!

Rain!

And mist even! It's like the Woodend of old, how excitement!
Of course it is enough moisture to get the grass and undergrowth happening just in time for feeding the summer bushfires, but we do live in a polarised universe!

Finally settled on a name for the crystal essences I have been making. It is really hard to come up with something that tells you what it is without sounding too Boom Shanka Shanka or just lame! It is time to start to rebrand these things in preparation for the sale of the business.

Gangster Girl popped by while I was in "cauldron mode" at the shop. I have made some uber essences from the last full moon, Aries, and they were finally ready to decant. We played with some fun but probably-not-suitable names. How unlike us! We are still working on our ground-breaking book about the truth behind the verses of The Twelve Days of Christmas and how it is really a secret Illuminati code!

While I was on an energy roll I had got some small jars for all the Tibetan medicine I bought back with me.
So organised I don't hardly recognise myself.
Just a few more obligations to clear and then it's all downstream from here!
Not merely letting go of the oars, setting them on fire...

don't worry, it's a happy ending

I was a frenzied mother last night, much to the disgust of my family, and major amusement of my friends.

Any mother will tell you there is an internal clock that pings when it is time for your darling offspring to return home from school. Unless they have made an arrangement to be elsewhere, have an excursion, after school activity, detention or have run into a bud and gone back to his house for a visit.

So when arrival time comes and goes without the happy sound of hands in the biscuit tin, my motherly ears prick up. As time goes on further without phone call and with no help from the number one son as to the wereabouts of his brother (other than to say "don't worry, anyone who kidnapped him would bring him back really quickly), my motherly blood pressure starts to raise a little hell.

Of course by this time the expensive private school he attends has no-one available on the phone, and there is no emergency number to call. Feeling clever I check out their website to see if any excursions are listed, no joy there. Okay time to get creative, ring a few friends, see if anyone knows anything, no. Check on msn to see if any of his buds know what is going on, nup.

Now, this is a kid who always lets me know if he has gone elsewhere, because we live in the country it's not a simple thing just to walk home from a friends place after school; it can be a half hour drive.

Ring PRS, see how close to home he is and get him to go past the school and see if number two son is cooking and they forgot to phone us. No.

By now, it's several hours and I am looking for the torches to go and look around the school grounds - very well wooded - for pieces of him. I know it's illogical okay! We know he hasn't run away because the jacket he wants to be buried in is on his bedroom floor.

He is 17, well grounded, steady, too cranky to put up with anything from a stranger and I have lost it altogether.
How does this happen?
I really think what sent me over is the fact that we cannot contact ANYONE at the school. All I can do is leave a message which won't be heard until the next morning. Controlling? Moi?

Of course he arrives safe and sound not long after, an exam held after hours, I had been told about - well yes, but not the out of hours part. Now he pats me on the back every time he walks past me and everyone has a pitying look in their eyes, when they are not laughing at me. I can't help it, I'm a MOTHER!
Hand me that bottle of Rescue Remedy.

It certainly gave Gangster Girl a good laugh when we had lunch today.

We have bought a lottery ticket and perfomed much hysterical Power Ring Shazaam type "magic" over it. We want to open a school of magic, healing, crystals, you name it. We want to build Hogwarts.

Naturally this will entail lots of travel and shopping, particularly crystal purchasing. I intend to keep making jewellery, but won't it be fun to have an open account to buy the stones and gems for that!

starting to finish

Great excitment, a week or so has passed since I put my business up for sale and so far the only feedback has been from those who don't want me to sell! All very nice but not on my agenda. Last night however I had a call from a genuinely interested person. And I have to say it felt very good to be having that conversation. I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch, but I have felt all along that once I was ready to move on, it would happen quite quickly, so all flexible digits crossed please!

I went through all the rooms this morning with a smudge stick just removing any cords or connections that may hold things up, and asking the universe for a quick and easy process. I keep seeing myself happily handing over the key.

People are really puzzled as to why I'm selling, and then they are puzzled by my excitement at the thought of change and letting it pass to someone else. It is flattering that everyone is so convinced that they won't be able to manage without my smiling face, but they will. And if everything goes according to my hopes I will still be around, just more in the healing rooms and no more retail, or being the boss/mother/grown-up.

I will miss the crystals though. I was unpacking a large order this morning and there were some really lucious pieces of amethyst and rose quartz, lavender quartz and citrine. Delicous garnets too! I have put some in the large healing room to sit with us at meditation tonight.

Just once it would be fun to go crystal shopping with a blank cheque! Not in Tucson though, I think the crystal fair would be overwhelming enough without going on a spending rampage too! Now there's a thought, Gangster Girl and me in Arizona for the crystal fair...