Giveaway Winner...and the Danger of Thinking for Others

I've been feeling kind of emo this week.Only two people entered my giveaway, leaving me to believe that only two people liked my photo enough to want to have a copy of it. Which hurts. You see, I'm pretty damn proud of being published again. I never mean to take a hiatus but coming back from one is not always easy. It requires shifting and being open to change. And making the cover was like someone had handed me the perfect slice of cake and then handed me an even better one.

I love photography and always have. Getting a shot that was well received was worth celebrating! I decided to do a giveaway when I was accepted because that photo almost never happened. I almost walked away from it. The fact that it made it into the magazine was a good reminder; sometimes our higher self is speaking to an unrevealed purpose and a photo isn't just a photo.

It was delightful to wake up to a dear friend who posted on FB and commented on the blog. Her response was so moving and elated it nearly made my heart burst. And then....nothing. I could see that people were reading the post. What I couldn't see was if anyone was buying the magazine or who did. Because I am in the magazine and not the creator or editor. I mentioned to one of my closest friends that it seemed really odd to me that no one else had entered the giveaway.

And you know what she said? "I didn't think it was for friends and family." Um. Okay. So I took it to FB and let the world know that it was open to anyone who bought the magazine. I mentioned it to another friend who said she had assumed the same thing. You guys are just killing me.

See this face? That is how I felt this week.

Don't get me wrong: I am so happy that so many of my friends congratulated me and bought the magazine. It is really much more appreciated that you might ever know. 

As it turns out, I learned a valuable lesson I want to share: Don't think for the Seller.

In business and love we often get tripped up by assuming we know what the other person is thinking. Even when they tell is what they are thinking, we, for someone unknown reason, believe that we are correct in our original assessment. And the one thing I can confidently promise you is this: that type of thought process has cost you way more than just one great photograph. And I would really hate for any other opportunities, in general, to pass you by.

*drumroll*

  
The giveaway winner is....both Angel and Pinky! That kind of support deserves a reward and since there are two copies, there are two winners. Thank you both for entering, it means a lot!

Blackberry: A magazine and a Giveaway!

For the past six months I have been wanting to write more. For the past three months I have been writing more. One of my goals was to submit to Blackberry: A Magazine, the lit magazine by my FB friend Alicia Sommer.

One of the reasons I have been wanting to submit is that I like what I see. More than any other magazine aimed at Black females I feel like this one gets me. Gets that I am not wanting to see a zillion ads for skin lightening cream or hair straightener. One that recognizes I am both reader and writer. One that has flesh, bone and blood.

So in January when I was able to pull together some pieces that would work with the theme I got so excited about submitting that when I was accepted there wasn't a lot of room left to get all crazy. Until Wednesday night when I got this message on FB: Hey S Luna Raven, look who made the cover. :)

Are you kidding me?!

So, I have two poems in this issue and I made the cover. I made the cover. I made the cover. Okay, I think it is safe to say that I am really, really excited!

Now the good for you part: if you buy a copy of the magazine, let me know in the comments so you can be entered to win a signed 5x7 copy of this photo. You can buy either the digital or print version of the mag, you just need to let me know in the comments that you did. That's it! It's so worth it, not only to support me (which I thank you for) but all the other ladies and the fabulous Alicia, who works so hard to make this so great!

The giveaway ends March 8th at Midnight. Don't be shy, tell all your friends!

<3

Luna

Housing the Sole

one of my contributions from 30 days of creativity June 2011

I think a lot about my feet. We stand on them and they hold us up for hours at a time. They allow us to walk, sometimes miles, before we allow them to rest. We don't take care of them the way we should, though, honoring the gift that they bestow upon us. I personally am grateful everyday for having feet that take me where I want to go on my nicely working stems.

My sister takes poor care of her feet. I discovered last year that apparently when our dad was handing out advice on taking care of the feet, he only was talking to me, the daughter with the sudden random growth spurt and long feet. I walk everywhere, so keep my nails trimmed, try to always wear good shoes and if I need to, soak them in salt & bubble bath.

Being kind to the limbs at the end of your legs is important. When I see a person who is no longer easily mobile, I think about how much I would miss that and then I go for a long walk in the sunshine because I can and what a blessing that is! Do what the picture says, and all will be just fine.

Want to treat your feet?

Plan to do nothing for 10 to 20 minutes. Put down a towel. Get something you can easily put both of your feet in and add some warm water. I like it slightly hot so it doesn't cool down too fast. Toss in a handful of Epsom salt. When I run out, I use sea salt, which still has some nice texture to it. Add some of your favorite scent bubble bath or soap and as an extra, add a bit of oil (I like coconut) to help soften. Grab a second towel and a book, sit down, soak your feet. Relax! Enjoy this peaceful moment.

Bacon, Leek and Potato Tart

I don't know about your house, but I live with a meat and potatoes kind of man, so sometimes I have to get inventive if I want him to eat outside of the proverbial box. This idea came when I realized that putting something tasty with bacon in pastry was a sure fire way to get him to enjoy something I really wanted. He still has no idea what all the ingredients are. It's best if we just don't tell him.

For the Tart you will need:

1 uncooked pie crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 stick cold butter, cubed

1/4 tsp salt

5 tbsp cold water

Combine salt and flour. You can use a food processor or mixer for this. Add butter and mix until it looks like a mealy dough. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until it makes a cohesive dough. Have extra cold water ready just in case your dough is a bit dry.

Pat into a round, wrap and chill for at least one hour.

preheat your oven to 350 F. and prep the rest of your ingredients.

For the filling you will need:

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp

4 potatoes, sliced thin and par cooked

1 large leek, cleaned sliced thin and lightly sauteed

The easiest thing to do is utilize your bacon fat here and cook the potatoes and leeks in it as well!

Use paper towels or tempura paper to drain the fat and set aside.

Once you have everything together, roll out your dough and place it in a tart tin. You don't want it too thick, or it won't be very crispy. Prick the bottom of the dough, pop into the oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until turning a light golden brown. Add your potatoes, leeks and bacon to the tart crust and then pour over 3 tsp cream + 1 egg (2 if you really like eggs), lightly beaten with a fork.

Bake about 20, then turn off your oven and allow to cool.

This is perfect for a light supper with some arugula and mushrooms, or even with a lovely little french onion soup!

Independently Happy

Last year, I had someone tell me that it seemed like I craved the drama of my old life because I miss certain people. At the time, I thought that she could possibly be right.

Upon further reflection though, it is quite easy for someone who has had an easy life to make that sort of assumption.

Much has happened in my life and since I am only a third of the way through it, it seems daunting to people that I have seen so much pain and come out on the other side still happy.

I'm here to tell you this: Unhappiness is severely overrated.

Moving into a space where I don't dwell on my mistakes has allowed me to see my true worth. Sure I have bad days, everybody does.  

But we never have to be whatever someone else tells us we are.

I am vulnerable. I am ready to live my best. And just because I miss people from my past doesn't mean I crave drama. It just means I can look back with clear eyes.

Crocheting with Wire

Due to some questions and the amount of surprise I have been getting, I want to talk about crocheting with wire. In my opinion, it's no harder than crocheting with anything else. Since I crochet with fabric, yarn, tulle, plastic, wire, raffia and anything else I touch, I feel pretty confident about that!

First off: it is vital try different wire. Wire varies not only from the metal, but the color as well. I learned quickly that the higher the value, the thicker the wire. The thicker the wire, the harder it is to work with as it is not very malleable. Too thin and then the wire breaks at totally inappropriate intervals. Gold is fairly delicate, and copper seems to be quite resilient.

Gold wire necklace with blue seed beads. Very delicate & lovely.

 I don't worry much about shaping until the end. It is a very delicate process that requires a gentle hand.You can easily flatten a piece with flat pliers if you want to, though to pull up or apart, I prefer to use the round end of the hook.

Love colored wire!

 It's fun to experiment and see what works best for you. The most important aspect of wire work besides wire is your equipment. I use plastic hooks for many things, but not wire work. I prefer the smaller, metal hooks which are pretty easy to find and take some patience to get used to. You would also do well to take breaks when working on pieces like the one above. Those tiny hooks can cause some cramps....

See? Those are some pretty small hooks!

As with anything, you will want to have the fundamentals down before you dive into wire, so make sure you can make a loop, chain, etc. Then, just let your imagination go wild!

What is your favorite material to crochet with?