'Stroll the Shops for Christmas/Yule'

My shop 'Plume Poppy Designs' will be featured on Day 11 of Jan's 'Stroll the Shops for Christmas'. Be sure to catch all the Etsy shops Jan will be featuring beginning November 1st and get your Christmas/Yule shopping done early!

Shopping - check!
No crowds - check!
Stress free - check!
15% off every item at Plume Poppy Designs - check!
Free gift wrapping available at Plume Poppy Designs - check!
PayPal - check!

Witches Tea Party ~ Under a Halloween Moon

Welcome to a Witch's Tea Party under a Halloween Moon here at Marigold Manor! I'd like to thank our hostess for this fabulous blog party, Anna at 'Frosted Petunias' for all the hard work she puts in to create something beautiful for us all to share!

Now please come in . . . don't hesitate . . . the tea's all brewed and waiting on you!

Ma cherie Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride
and greatest pleasure that I welcome you tonight.
And now I invite you to relax, let me pull up a
chair as I proudly present - your tea!

Be my guest! Be my guest!
Put my service to the test!
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
And I'll provide the rest.

One lump, or two, perhaps even three!
Why, I only live to serve you,
of this you can be sure of!
Try the cake now, it's delicious!

Don't believe me? Ask the dishes
They can sing, they can dance
After all, Miss, they're enchanted
And a tea here is never second best.

Go on, unfold your napkin,
take a glance and then you'll . . .
Be my guest
Oui, my guest
Be my guest!

I'll prepare and serve with flair
A culinary cabaret!
You're alone,
and you're scared,
but the tea has been all prepared!
No one's gloomy or complaining
while the flatware's entertaining!

I'll tell jokes! I'll do tricks
with my fellow candlesticks,
and it's all in perfect taste
of that you can be sure of.
Come on and lift your glass!
You've won your own free pass
To be my guest!

Be my guest! Be my guest!
Get your worries off your chest.
How could anyone be gloomy and depressed?
I'll make you shout "encore!"
And send me out for more,
So, be my guest!

While the cups do their soft-shoein'
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing
I'll get warm, piping hot . . .
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! I want the company to be impressed!

Life is so unnerving
For a Witch who is not serving
She's not whole without a soul to wait upon
Ah, those good old days when we were useful...

Be my guest! Be my guest!
My command is your request
It's been years since anybody's been here
And I'm obsessed
with your tea, with your ease,
Yes, indeed, I aim to please!

While the candlelight's still glowing,
let me help you, I'll keep going
cup by cup, one by one
'Til you shout, "Enough! I'm done!"

Then I'll sing you off to sleep as you digest.
Tonight you'll prop your feet up.
But for now, let's eat up!

Thank you so much for stopping by today . . . I do hope you enjoyed your visit!


Poem adapted from 'Beauty and the Beast - Be Our Guest'

Only five days until . . .

Stroll the Shops for Christmas/Yule

With less than a week away until 'Stroll the Shops for Christmas/Yule' begins, I'm busy dusting and prettying things up in my Etsy shop 'Plume Poppy Designs'. If you haven't visited my Etsy shop now would be a great time to do so . . . everything is 15% off!

Here are just a few of the items you'll find . . .

And be sure to visit Jan's blog 'Jan Tanis Designs' to check out all the featured shops beginning November 1st. My shop will be featured on November 8th . . . yay!

"One good thing about Christmas shopping,
it toughens you for the January sales."
~ Grace Kriley ~

'A Fanciful Twist' Halloween Blog Party

I'm so glad you stopped by today! Before we start the party I'd like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Vanessa at 'A Fanciful Twist' for hosting this party! Be sure to stop by 'A Fanciful Twist' and partake of Vanessa's yummy post as well as links to all the other party participants!

I'm taking a bit of a different route this Halloween/Samhain. I've been intrigued with the colors of Black and Cream ever since I saw a layout in the fall Better Homes and Gardens magazine (I really need to purchase that copy!). It was gorgeous and it inspired me to create outside-of-the-box . . .

This time of year always makes me turn introspective and especially so since I turned 50 last year. I'm beginning to shrug off the old stereotypes of women being past their prime and over-the-hill. I certainly don't feel that way. In fact I feel better than ever and wiser too.

Season of the Crone

Crone of Winter's spellbound cold,
in Her cauldron of black are told
secrets ancient, truths and tales:
mystery Her light unveils.

She is wisdom, She is changes:
time and space She rearranges.
In Her hands, the card of Death,
for transformation is Her breath.

Crone of Winter, Grandmother wise,
look into Her gargoyle eyes.
Let Her lessons teach you well:
life is but a magick spell.

by
Gerina Dunwich

And as this time of year always does, it conjures up images of Witch's with warts on their noses, wearing pointy hats and flying on broomsticks . . . I think it's about time to leave those out-dated images behind . . .

. . . and relish a new image of the Crone . . .

"[The Crone] holds an unspeakable wisdom in the very cells of her body. The beauty and the horror of all life are held together in love. Being with her . . . we begin to see everything from two sides - the side that is totally in life, and the side that is already dwelling in disembodied soul. The Crone helps us hold the paradox."
~ Marion Woodman ~

I hope you enjoyed visiting today and have fun popping around to all the other delights waiting for you!

Funny Friday

It's Friday again and time to share a laugh! I think I forgot to laugh last Friday because I don't see a 'Funny Friday' post for last week. Hmmm . . .

Anyway, if you'd like to share a laugh today, just leave a comment below with a link to your 'Funny Friday' laugh!