Who could forget Emily at Valentine's Day?

If you were coming in the fall

If you were coming in the fall,
I ’d brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.

If I could see you in a year,
I ’d wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.

If only centuries delayed,
I ’d count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen’s land.

If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I ’d toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.

But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time’s uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.

Oh, if you were coming in the fall...this is one of the first poems
by Dickinson I'd ever read. I was young and so innocent full
questions about why one would wait for love when another love
would be soon to follow with certainty. My feminist nature wouldn't
have even considered waiting for some man to make up his mind or
change his circumstances. A young girl is full of so many insane
notions, it's almost hard to separate them one from the other.

I have been quite taken with the steampunk jewelry and used some
really old watch parts to make the piece in the photo. I set them on silver
plated bases and used parts of Emily's poetry and her images, her love
of nature, and the vintage funky feel as I have the feeling Emily was
not very conventional about how she did anything. She did know about
waiting though and about passion and about time tick tick ticking away
and leaving her alone.

You left me, sweet, two legacies,—
A legacy of love
A Heavenly Father would content,
Had He the offer of;

You left me boundaries of pain
Capacious as the sea,
Between eternity and time,
Your consciousness and me.

Do you think he thought of her when he left? Do you think he
had a life full of regrets and leaving poor Emily was just
one of those regret cards he shuffled about? I wondered that myself.
Did she suffer for her art or in spite of it? Did God curse him
for her suffering? Did he lead her on or perhaps not even really
know that he was the object of her desire? I remember once receiving
a note from an old lover. I still have one of the books he gave me.
He was angry, angry that red fades before blue and nobody really knows
why. Angry that I hadn't set him a specific set of terms for my
departure and angry with all other women in the future for having
wronged him when he really only felt I had wronged him somehow.
At the time it didn't seem fair and I could laugh off his pain the way
Emily shooed a fly, but as time passes I wish I had handled the situation
with a little more care, taken care of his heart just a little rather than
"red fades before blue, I don't know why, it just does."

I don't get anxious about the possibility of a Valentine because I have one
but I do have a bit of heartache for those that are filled with angst
this time of year, the time of roses and chocolates and kissing. I know
most men just laugh off the idea of the holiday and I know the bossy
nonromantic in my life calls Valentines day the BirthdayChristmasEaster
"mother of all holidays" knowing full well that if it were to pass without
some romantic effort that I would be sporting an attitude for weeks.
I was watching the view the other day when Joy explained it the way I
feel about it. Women don't want the grand gift at Valentines Day.
They don't want a car or a new kitchen, they want a little something in a
box, something they poured over and thought about. They want it wrapped
in a pretty ribbon that they know some salesperson wrapped and they
want it given with excitement. They want love letters and perhaps
even a part of an original poem. They don't want live animals or new
tires or even a spa day. Not really.

Best Friend always sends out the best Valentines. We used to make
valentines together for days, glitter all over my house, glue on our fingers
and lace all over the floor. Those days were such fun.

If you are looking for a one of a kind valentine gift for someone you
love you can find my work at www.poetsummer.etsy.com. I am
open to most any suggestions. Thanks for spending this time with me
with much romantic notions, love and appreciation for all things
Emily, Carrie.

Valentines and Tragic Love

What are we so drawn to tragic love?

See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek! Romeo and Juliet. ACT II Scene 2.

Yes, even I have fallen victim to the attraction of tragic love. It's so easy, tragic love is quick and even when you want it to last forever, we go into it knowing it has it's flaws and will burn itself out quickly leaving commitment fall to the wayside. When you are into the every day of life it is hard to be thrilled by the way he stands with his hand on his hip or the way he warms up the car on cold winter mornings. As we grow used to love, the simple things that give us joy seem harder to find.

Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords. Romeo and Juliet. ACT II Scene 2.

Oh the bittersweet chocolate of love, to want someone to be proud they love you, to want them to adore you, even more than you adore yourself. I know that what I wanted to love me changed from when I was 20 and today. Today I love the man with a smart edge. I love his calm cool collective nature even when things are harried. I love the man who would do what is right even at his own self sacrifice and as Isak Dennison wrote of, a man who knew that loving me would have a cost. Love isn't free, it costs the most secret passionate part of yourself to give someone those pieces of yourself that are difficult to part with. The risk of peril makes you brave and if it doesn't kill you could save you I suppose.

This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Romeo and Juliet. ACT II Scene 2.

This quote is what inspired today's little post. I was thinking back to men and even women that I love and have loved and pondered again about the incidental circumstances that drew me to them and how I'd look for them again as though being with them was part of a childhood ritual. We seek out that hedonistic sense that gives us happiness no matter the cost, the mighty hunter that is our heart. I will love because love is the only way to connect with someone who is going to be around in my life. All other contacts are just little life passages that will be covered over with sand and dust and time. The people that I love become part of me. I will put on the helmet, pick up the sonnet and wander forward into the wilderness of love and adoration.

Ok, enough of William and quotes of love and fascination. I am off to work. If you'd like to see more of my art, you can find me at www.poetsummer.etsy.com. If you'd like to reach me you can find me at Summerpoet@msn.com. Thanks for your time. Carrie

A Little on Alice and Adventure:

I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!

I feel like Alice sometimes. It's a balance really, wanting all the time for some adventure to plop itself in front of me and the other time wanting to have a very level head to promote my business and work out the details that are my life. I think I find inspiration when BestFriend is here, she was here for a week and I am full of inspiration. This trip was even more special because my sweet niece Katie came to visit with her husband Ben. What to tell you about Katie? She's magic. She has a way of making things work, supporting her husband while he's finishing med school, taking care of people who are emotionally and developmentally challenged, and making people just feel comfortable around her. We all laugh that Katie will answer a text message weeks after you've sent her one and we all just smile knowing she's out there working working working and keeping it together and making it look stylish to do so. I keep thinking young Richard will pick up on the idea that she and her husband are working toward a goal so they don't have to spend 8 hours a day gazing at eachother finding a reason to pick an argument out of boredom, if nothing else. Now that he's a 3 hour drive away again it's much easier to deal with his "male growing pains." Children are supposed to move away, it's the natural course to life and I am enjoying his random phone calls rather than his daily presence in my house. I take some joy in that he's off getting antoher degree and when he starts his life he will understand that hard work is really the only key to any success.

What did we do for a week? Hahahaha time spent with Goofygirl flies, it always has. I remember going to the lake house on a friday and before the blink of an eye it was time to drive home on a Sunday and we still had a list of things we hadn't done yet. It doesn't matter if others are around or it's just the two of us, time grows wings. She makes me laugh, after 20 years she still makes me laugh and she's my best audience for material. She's my cheerleader and she always gives me a different turn on life, a new window to breathe from. We visited with family, played some silly game where you had to pass an electronic machine that gave you clues to give a different team. Goofygirl is always about the game. I love that about her. We watched a few movies, she helped me get some work done, we shopped, shopped and shopped. I have a closet of new clothes. We wandered a bookstore and looked for poetry, a few bookstores, and looked for cookbooks and I found a stack of old Gourmet magazines for $4. I am going to find the best recipe in those magazines and perhaps post one here. We met up with an old friend we both worked with and spent the day wandering, lunching, trying on clothes, laughing. It felt like vacation in the middle of the winter. We've had one of those winters where it never stops snowing and the cold cuts you like a knife so a little vacation in the middle of that was a welcome treat. I miss her this week but I am sure I'll see her soon, such is life.

It's baby time here. My sweet nephew Matt and his wife had a baby boy, Andrew David and a few days later my dear Cousin Denise had a new baby boy, Luke Reilly. I am anxious to see them both and feel blessed that there are more little voices in the world to add to my world and very glad I am not yet a grandmother. Very glad.

More good news? Moonstruckmagic is open again. Ok, check out her stuff at www.moonstruckmagic.etsy.com. Her new york spa soap is to die for and those little tubes of foot relaxer cream oh they are wonderful. I wrote to her the moment I saw her open again and put in an order for that lovely soap that smells like mango and vanilla and makes tons of suds and a little oat on the top to exfoliate. My bar kept getting smaller and smaller and although I've made other soap purchases as I am an addicted homemade soap girl, nothing compares to the soap in that shop.

Christmas was insane here, I felt bad that I didn't post but if you sell things at Christmas time you know you are in for more work than you can handle. Sleep was a luxury through November and December but I did manage to spend some holiday joy with my family and even baked. (It really helps to hire some help). I went easy on myself as far as obligations other than work because I didn't want to feel overwhelmed or frustrated that I just can't do everything.
I am dedicating the new year to taking better care of myself, working out more, taking the time three times a day to get on the bike or the treadmill and I am giong to swim more this year as we have a new health club that's only blocks from the house. I am looking forward to swimming when it's cold. I am hiring someone full time to help out with issues outside of creating and this year I am going to get some help with the garden. Life is good and it feels like taking care of me will give me even more inspiration on the business front.

It was the Dutchess who said, "Take care of the sense, and the sounds will take care of themselves." I am off to take care of me. I hope you will do the same. Thanks so much for spending this time with me. I promise to keep up here more than I have been as things are a little quiter. This is the season of romance so I hope you are doing something special for someone you love. If you'd like to see more of my work you can find it at www.poetsummer.etsy.com. You can always contact me at Summerpoet@msn.com. Thanks, Carrie.

TWILIGHT

The time has finally arrived when romantics of all ages are flocking to the movie theaters to get their first look at the romance vampire movie of the decade. We've all been taken a little with the dark side of romance and passion; from the old dracula novels to Ann Rice and now the Twlight fans can't read enough of Stephenie Meyer and her teenage drama of love and horror. I was approached by one of those lovely etsy people to feature a bracelet on her blog:

http://www.juststopscreaming.com/2008/11/twilight-extravaganza-finale-ultimate.html

If you are a fan, I'd visit there and follow her blogsite as I am giving away my $90 bracelet there as she's a huge fan and has been doing a daily countdown to the romance. My son's half minded girlfriend spent an overnight at the local mall last weekend looking to meet the dashing star and have him sign a poster or two. I am a big fan of anything that will bring younger people to a book and of course after reading the book, how could you NOT see the movie? I am hoping to make my way to the movie this weekend to get a little peek at Daniel Craig. I have been watching Casino Royale on cable this month and he's caught my eye big time. He's Bond, James Bond. I hadn't really noticed Craig before his Bond appearance and was so taken with him that I went over to feebay and purchased a few old movies of his. I will let you know what I think in future posts.

I have a bunch of Twilight jewelry in my etsy store and could make anything custom for a Christmas gift, from your favorite movie, to my version of your favorite poem on your wrist, to just a single pendant with someone you love wrapped in a heart. You can find my art at www.poetsummer.etsy.com and you can email me at Summerpoet@msn.com. I also ordered some more hearts for the Paris Blues Bracelet that was featured on Yahoo Shine, so if you missed that huge promotion, you can find a bracelet in the store for you. Sorry I ran out. Take care and thanks for spending this time with me. Carrie.

Ring Around The Rosie

Why give me a ring
when you own my heart?
When I feel your love I want to
throw my arms in the air and twirl
in circles and just maybe
one of those circles
would turn into a ring
you could wear on your finger
and look down and know
little pieces of of my heart
are in every turn

I LOVE LOVE LOVE to make rings. I love the wire, the idea that even when I just figured out how to put a whole world of fun on a bracelet, that even smaller I could put it on your finger. I made a little globe ring with an elephant dancing over the top under an umbrella. Oh what an afternoon of whimsy and delight. I even found a way to put the photo charms on rings with the back of typewriter keys working as the perfect little steampunk frames. When I went to the pumpkin farm with family people would stop and say, "is that a little circus ring?" ha. I am working on a book of rings, different styles, a do it yourself little zine. I have been working on it for months and I so get sidetracked. Being the be all end all of your own business sounds like fun until 40 people want something and you realize you have two hands, a worthless child and the phone is ringing. Fuck me. So things get put aside but I am making Christmas cookies this year, two kinds, a few dozen, some kolachky to take to Best Friend and that's it.

It snowed last night. It didn't just dust, it really snowed, enough snow so that this morning I could see a thousand little animal footprints in the driveway. Summer's done. The fall, just a few more days and that's over. We'll be all done eating turkey soon and it's on to the remainder of the Holiday season. If you'd like me to make you a funky scarf (I've been known to make the longest scarves in the world) drop me a note and I'd be glad to get it started. I have a new store on etsy called Hersteria and there are some offerings there. Hersteria is from an Eliot poem about love and laughter and fun. Did I mention how much I miss Best Friend this time of the year? I will get to see her soon and all will be good with the world. I am traveling to visit family for a little weekend (if I can get myself away) and that will be my holiday treat to myself.

I am working on bracelets for Marshall Fields, Suzy Snowflake and Frosty The Snowman. Do you have some Christmas treasure of your heart you'd like to see on a bracelet? I'd love to design something just for you. You can find my art at Poetsummer.etsy.com and on feebay at Poetsummer. You can always email me at summerpoet@msn.com. Thanks for spending this time with me and take care of yourself, pamper yourself a little and 20 minutes a day at least for a little meditation, prayer and thanks. You will be better for it. Carrie.

THE PERFECT STORM

This has been an exciting week, I must say. First let's start with how much I love etsy. I was working late last week when I get an email from Courtney Love, yes the Love girl herself telling me she needs something unique made and I may be the girl for her. She buys a bunch of my jewelry and get this..she's nice. She's as down to earth as anyone you'd know and chats me up in emails like she's been a long time girlfriend. If you don't know Courtney and her work, it's time to check her out,

We all get our glory
Our little bit of fame
But there's no truth at the heart of any of it
Just the brilliance and the passion
And the bitterness remains

Hold on to me
Aaahhh
Hold on to me
Hold on to me
Aaahhh
Hold on to me

She's sad and settled and girlie and fun and interesting and her blog is fascinating. So I start working on some really personal stuff, stuff that touches me and my heart and I get an email from another etsy person telling me I've made Courtney's blog, you have to check this out, I almost crapped my pants:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=165705423&blogID=447057143

Yeah. I was freaking out. Not only is courtney going to be wearing a globload of my jewelry but she thinks I'm a genius. How fucking cool is this? No she's not some washed out vampire writer, she's not a blue haired nut stalking me on ebay, she's courtney fucking the coolest of love. I am still thrilled. When I am working on a piece I want her to see I feel a little special and I start thinking about the THOUSANDS of other really wonderful people who have purchased my jewelry and I feel a little oogie inside wondering about their lives and wanting to be there to watch them flip their wrist this way and that way showing off my work.

YAHOOOOOOOO

Then Friday I am packing boxes and notice a bunch of the sales are local and email one of my patrons asking her where she found my art. She found it here...http://astrology.yahoo.com/event/holiday-gift-guide/10-top-online-shopping-sites-and-fun-deals-you-ll-find-on-them-298739/#photoViewer=1

Yahoo shine puts my little etsy store up as a great place to holiday shop and I was so overwhelmed with new sales that I needed to take a few hours this weekend and just breathe a little. I feel so freaking great and excited about having new people notice my work but I wanted to take a moment to throw a shout out to those chickies who are always so supportive...

http://www.fourchooks.com/2008/06/poet-summer-plug-for-seller-on-etsy.html

http://crazybeatnick.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/donuts-pleasenow/

http://b-moviestar.com/recomendations-from-the-b-movie-star/halloween-shopping.html

http://sassyjavababy.blogspot.com/2008/10/starbucks-charm-bracelet.html

http://sassyjavababy.blogspot.com/2008/10/starbucks-charm-bracelet.html

http://fashionmefabulous.blogspot.com/2008/04/etsy-shop-of-week-poetsummer.html

http://pulpsushi.typepad.com/pulp_sushi/2008/08/friday-etsy-finds---cinderella.html

http://www.smitteniche.com/2008/08/treasured-gems-peachy-keen/

http://dragongems.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/octo-eight/

http://wists.com/everyone/9ae41d9a78f4906e632e21c4c29c3112

http://ivonnardonascreations.blogspot.com/2008/09/black-and-orange-by-poest.html

http://lolaruby.blogspot.com/2008/08/filligree.html

http://aviatrix827.blogspot.com/2008/09/inspiration-persiration.html

http://trimtimepetgrooming.blogspot.com/2008/11/giving-awesome-art-buy-handmade-this.html

http://michabellacreations.blogspot.com/2008/10/as-october-comes-to-close-i-wanted-to.html

http://kotibeth.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-favorites-steampunk.html

http://grandiaroad.blogspot.com/2008/06/monday-on-etsy_09.html

http://jobarberphotography.blogspot.com/2008/10/i-heart-pumpkins.html

http://michellecarver.blogspot.com/2008/09/bracelets-for-me.html

http://cryptstitch.typepad.com/crypt_stitch/2008/06/birthday-bling.html

http://thesimplelifeofthestars.blogspot.com/2008/10/few-of-my-favorite-things.html

http://prettyoungthing.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/quite-frankly/

http://customcreationsbysydnei.blogspot.com/2008/05/todays-theme-ishorses.html

I couldn't even begin to list all the treasuries as there are hundreds. How do I thank you all for your constant support and inspiration? Other than to tell you how much you all mean to me. My art and my work doesn't feel like work when I get to share it with you. I expect support from my family and my friends because they love me and that's what family and friends do but when that support comes from a stranger who just loves my work, well it's an unexpected surprise and I feel overwhelmed with happy. This was certainly a week of a perfect storm and I am swamped with jewelry, piles everywhere of this and that to do and mixed in with the beads and the photos and the charms is love. My cup over flows. The support from other artists on etsy has been the glue that keeps me there, creating and in awe of what they create. I am going to start featuring more of those artists here and sharing their work with you and I hope that you check out their stores and their blogs and their lives. If you have an interest in my art, I would hope that you'd look for me at poetsummer.etsy.com or email me at Summerpoet@msn.com as I'd love to hear from you. Take care yourself and reach out to love another. I've been reached by all of you and am better for it. Carrie.

My Favorite Things

Moon Struck Magic

It's that time of the year again where we anticipate what others will love and what we want to share of ourselves. I make it a practice that when I sell something on Etsy I try to give back to the community of artists there and make a purchase of supplies or something for myself. So I find this peppermint foot cream and the cool part about it? It's in a tube that you roll on like deodorant. No more greasy hands when you are trying to make your feet nice and soft. I was so excited when the mail arrived and my treasure way to treat myself was at my house I could barely stand myself.

The funny thing about how we treat ourselves is that we tend to just "get used to" the products we buy from the market and seldom think about the time and energy we put into the joy we have in our daily lives using those products. I am a victim of this circumstance myself. I tend to just do what is easiest and fastest so I can get on with the taking care of business part of my life. What a shame. Then I get this little package in the mail from one of my new favorite sellers. If you haven't check this out yet, you can find her here...http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=41580. Along with my very wonderful minty foot cream that makes my feet fell oh so good was this little bag with a sample of New York spa soap. I was working when I opened the package and I kept stopping what I was doing to stop and sniff the little bag with a sliver of soap that smells like a little vanilla, a little mango and loads of goodness. I was hooked. I kept asking myself, "Why haven't I been pampering myself with this goodness before now?" It's because we don't think of pampering ourselves in even the most basic aspects of our lives. My life is moving too fast. That's what I gained from this little find, that piece of information.

The maker of this wonderful goodness? She's a single mom an inspiration, a healer. She doesn't use detergents or harmful dyes and her healing hands create something that makes our lives better. What a wonderful thought. This handmilled soap, made in someone's kitchen in New York (the beginning of everything wonderful in the world.) and when I am taking a bath or a shower I have a piece of her there in my tub taking care of me. What a great job. I stop and tell everyone I see that they should try this soap. So this holiday season when things are overwhelming, when you have packages to wrap and cookies to bake, when your children are being snotty and the focus of the entire season seems out of whack and you just need a little time where it's warm away from all the white noise, be prepared. Have a little stash of magic hidden in your vanity waiting for you to sink into a tub and take care of yourself. I love to rub the back of the soap bar on my skin because it has oats in it and it just takes away the bad stuff and makes me feel soft and pink again. You'll be a new person ready to tackle a trip to the mall when there is no parking and grumpy relatives.

Thanks for spending this time with me. If you have an interest in my art you can find me at poetsummer.etsy.com and of course you can always email me at summerpoet@msn.com. Take care you and yours and enjoy the holidays as they pass by so fast. Remember, if you are buying soap to take care of you, buy a few extra bars to take care of someone you love. Carrie.