DIVA MYSTIC PH
MAGAZINE
P OT RIN VA O- TA LU BO BL E OK E CH L AR ET T &
ALTARS CRYSTALS AROMATHERAPY & MUCH MORE The Art of Making a House a Home
Homeing Issue
EDITOR‘S NOTE
Romy
This is a long held dream come true! It excites and humbles me at the same time, and I am deeply happy that you are a part of this new haven for Super Sensitive Souls I have created, so welcome, dear one. My own journey led me to find that not much out there is geared towards the needs and requirements of us sensitives. Support, understanding and acknowledgement for our way of being in the world are sadly lacking. As a result, we often feel lacking, misunderstood, overwhelmed and misplaced when in truth we just require a different approach to lifes‘ many facets. Our interaction with our homes is one of those facets. It‘s a major one. Just look at all the magazines, books, blogs and tv shows out there! 13 brilliant women have shared their wisdom, experience, knowledge and inspiration, offering insights into their own journeys of „The Art of Making a House a Home“ and transforming a space into a sacred sanctuary with lots of practical tools and prompts. All in the intention of inspiring you to connect more deeply to your home and sacred space to create and cultivate spaces of beauty and serenity and hopefully gaining a deeper understanding of why and how your home can serve you best. A lot more could have been said on homeing and a lot more will in future issues and over at the blog. I invite you to join our circle, take up the talking stick or just sit with us by the fire for a while.
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MANIFESTO
A DIVA MYSTIC is aWoman who:
Accepts that her sensitivity is her biggest asset Is willing to create an environment that nourishes & replenishes her Loves to cultivate beauty & magick in her life Believes that beauty is a force that changes worlds Thrives on beauty Attunes her senses to the beauty within & without Does not tolerate ugliness of any kind Knows that mediocrity will no longer do is willing to let her sleeping beauty out to play has a desire to leave a wake of beauty wherever she goes enjoys the magic & miracles of living a Diva Mystic lifestyle knows that her sensitivity is the golden key to the messages of her soul, her desires & needs leading her to crystal clarity about herself learns to understand & honor her sensitivity sets & maintains clear boundaries is a wise custodian of her precious energy knows what she requires to flourish & gives that to herself understands that her sensitivity is the inbuilt compass that guides her to her north star, keeping her from straying into the wilds of confusion & overwhelm is willing to look beyond the obvious seeks her truth & expresses it freely faces her shadows & gets to know herself intimately loves to contribute to this thing called life
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TREASURES INSIDE: IN EVERY ISSUE: 2 Editor‘s Note 3 Manifesto 7 Made by 71 Favorite Thing 99 Goddess Talk 107 Giving Back 108 Reader‘s Words 109 Your Voice 110 Next Issue 111 Resources 112 Stay in Touch 30+63+94+114 Quote
COVER STORIES: 45 The Art of Cultivating a Sacred Altar 55 Crystals for H(e)aven at Home 65 Aroma Home Sanctuary
MAIN FEATURES: 15 The Heart of Home 79 A Battle of Wills
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MUSINGS 35 87 91 95
Home - a State of Mind Home as a Sanctuary Core Spaces Coming Home
TOOL-CLUTCH: 9 25 31 41 73 102
Essentials Home Values What does it Take to Make a Home? Nurturing the Nest Creating a Cozy Pet Sanctuary Bookmania
EXQUISITE EXTRAS: 52 PRINTABLE PHOTOBOOKLET 29 VALUE CHART & MANUAL
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MADE BY: Romy Maillard: Publisher, Editor & Founder
Aarathi Selvan: on page 45
Andrea Belarruti: on page 95
Cigdem Kobu: on page 41
Deanne Kalda: on page 65
Donna Johnson: on page 15
Hannah Braime: on page 31
Ginger Mae White: on page 55
Lisa Marie Rosati: on page 71 DIVA MYSTIC MAGAZINE 6
Lisa Zahn: on page 35
Mary Caelsto: on page 73
Robin Chellis: on page 87 COVER ART: Donna Johnson
Tara Leaver: Art on page 3
Vicky White: on page 79
Images and Resources are credited in respective article. All not credited images are by Romy Maillard.
MANIFESTO ART: page 3 by Artist + Writer Tara Leaver: TaraLeaver.com +FACEBOOK + PINTEREST DIVA MYSTIC MAGAZINE 7
ESSENTIALS
ENHANCE YOUR SPACE
Essentials - things that are, well, essential in the home of a Sensitive Soul. The first 4 have been coverd in detail in this issue, click on the image to find the page. The others are for you to explore, ponder and experiment with. Enjoy!
Sleeping Beauty: Time to get rid of those faded and boring bedding covers and bring some life and visual happiness to your sleeping space. Artist AshleyG knows how to do this. DIVA MYSTIC MAGAZINE 8
Lay it down! A lovely rug can do wonders for your room. It creates islands and tighs a space together. It calms and grounds a room and it‘s the perfect setting for your lovely pieces. StephanieOdegard designs beautiful rugs, certified by goodweave, our charity of this issue, as free from child labour.
Cushions & Throw Pillows: Create a whole new look & feel for you home just by changing your cushions & throw pillows. Now that is what I call effective. Cococozy.com makes this easy with a beautiful collection.
Cozy Throws: Yes, we like it comfy and cozy. These accessories can really be a game changer and it's so much fun to choose or make new ones for different seasons or different themed rooms. Colorful or patterned, or both? You choose. DesignSponge.com featuers a nice selection, all under $ 100.
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Flowers, Flowers, Flowers: Nothing enhances a room like a beautiful bouquet or a single flower in a pretty vase or glass. Want to learn how to create your own stunning bouquets? You will love the tutorials on RealSimple.com. Here are some vase inspirations to get you blooming:)
Plants, our natural air purifiers. Don't have a a green thumb? Not to worry, stroll on over to Decor8blog.com and then get potting.
Candles: Magickal, mystical, beautiful. Candles immediately create sacred space, they stir memories that are aeons old. Lighting a candle is a meditative, sacred act and everyone seems to love them. Smudge Sticks, Incense or Essential Oils to purify and harmonize your space. DIVA MYSTIC MAGAZINE 10
A welcoming Main Entrance. Yes, I'm serious, you want to make it easy for all the Goodness to find you. So while you give this some thought don‘t forget to install a lovely doormat. And how about a special doorknocker or nob? Inspiration awaits you at Diva Mystic‘s Pinterest Boards.
Good and plenty of light is a MUST! Needless to say it needs to be beautiful as well:) So lighten and brighten up. Seen on Overstock.com
Celebrate your inner Venus with a sensual Vanity-Space, as seen on RealSimple.com Check out Diva Mystic Magazines‘ Vanity Board on Pinterest for Inspiration.
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Hang-Up: Let your favorite memories be visible and give your own creations the pedestal, eh wall space they deserve. At ABeautifulMess.com they show you how to create your own amazing Gallery Wall.
Mirror, mirror on the wall .... Double the beauty in your rooms and open tiny spaces with a beautiful mirror. TIPP: Don‘t place a mirror oposite your main door. This beauty was found via Indulgy.com
Tableware fit for a queen: Found at AdornmentsOnQueen.com And dining becomes a romantic experience.
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THE HEART OF HOME Text, Images & Artwork by Donna Johnson
One of my favorite things is coming Home from anywhere. Anyone can live in a house, an apartment, a barn, a trailer, a mansion – but not everyone lives in a Home. What makes any of these places a Home? It is not the four walls and a roof, a door and perhaps windows… those things make it a house. It is not necessarily the furniture and décor although all of these things can be part of it.
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W
hat makes a house of any sort a Home is the life that takes place within those walls and upon and around the furniture and décor. Home is not just a place…it is a feeling. It can be a comfort – or a hell or even something in between. We can live in a house full of people and yet feel utterly alone – or live in joy among those who share our dwelling. Traditionally, Home has been the domain of women. I think to a great degree it still is although I know a few men who have made their houses very much their Homes.
make it a Home…or it is just a house. I wanted to share some practical things that we can do to make our houses Homes and Havens for us and for those who live with us. Something important to remember here: Home should be where YOU can relax and be yourself. It is not meant to be a showcase for or to please or impress others. If you have family living with you, of course you want to make it pleasing for them, as well – it is also their Home and Haven – and they can certainly help to make it that! It should be your place to rest and recharge after being out in the world. It should be personal, based on you and your family’s needs, interests and passions.
I like to make it a place that encompasses all the senses: sight, scent, touch, sound and taste.
Making a Home from a house is an Art – but you don’t have to be a designer or decorator to make a Home. You only have to listen to your own heart. We, as women, are typically the heart of the Home – the atmosphere in our home is largely driven by us. If we are peaceful, joyful, openhearted our homes are usually a place of peace, joy and welcome. If we are scattered, sorrowful, bitter… our homes often reflect that in chaos, shadows and coldness. We have much control over how we make our homes feel – whether we
In a Home, treasures can be found everywhere: on the walls, on tables and shelves, in cupboards and closets, in the garden. In a Home, there are only treasures – I’m sure you have heard “if it does not have some personal value, if you do not love it or find it beautiful, get rid of it”. No two Homes are ever the same. Like snowflakes…or individuals.
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• What greets you when you come into your home? • What do you see? • What do you smell and hear? • What do you surround yourself with each day? For me, it is important that my Home be welcoming – not just to me, but also to my family and friends who come to visit. I want the atmosphere to be one of relaxation: kick off one’s shoes and curl up on the sofa; pick up bobbles and bits and hold them. I want the story of our family to be evident upon the walls and on shelves and side tables. I want there to be nourishing food and delicious treats to nibble on. I want my faith and faith practices to be represented and very much a part of my Home.
I want my Home to feel like a gentle, loving hug. In my Home, I like to make it a place that encompasses all the senses: sight, scent, touch, sound and taste. When you come into your Home, or others come into your Home, what we see has the greatest impact, next
to scent (which we will talk about next). Take a walk through your home, starting at the curb and walking to the door. • How does it look to you? • Tired? • In need of maintenance and repair? Cluttered? • Or does it feel welcoming and cheerful?
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One of the things I try to do to make my home say “Welcome!” is to make the approach to my home pretty and tidy. I struggle with this, especially in winter, when things look tired, grey and dead. Spring through Autumn I try to have flowers, garden flags, a pretty mailbox cover, greenery and something pretty on the stoop and front door as well as a pretty mat. We have a side door that is used by our closest friends, family and neighbors which I also try to keep tidy and pretty, even though it is in our garage (this, too, is a challenge, but a worthy one).
she lived in England – it is one of our treasures. Do colors greet you? I know some live in rentals that cannot be painted. This can be remedied by hanging colorful artwork or posters in frames that make you happy to look at, or family photographs. Never hang anything on the walls of your home that does not make you very, very happy or does not feel beautiful to you.
Never hang anything on the walls of your home that does not make you very, very happy or does not feel beautiful to you.
Now come through the front door – what greets you? Coats and shoes piled up? Piles of mail on the table, along with whatever gets dropped upon entering? My dining room table often becomes a “hot spot” or kind of parking place for items as they are brought into the house, and I have to stay on top of it or it will get overwhelming fast. We have an old grandfather’s clock that greets us in the foyer upon opening our front door – it belonged to my late mother-in-law, and it was handmade for her when
Pretty baskets can be used to hold mail, keys and other items neatly until we have time to go through it. A larger basket currently sits next to the garage door for my family to kick off their shoes and/or boots.
When my children were young, they would often draw or paint pictures. I hung them proudly on the door in the kitchen, and hung the precious handprints and pie-plate punch creations they made for me on the walls of my home (I still have these treasures even now that they are grown). Once we lived in an apartment. Although it had many windows and let in lots of sunshine and light, the kitchen always felt small and dark, and the little window looked out onto a brick wall. I bought two
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bright cheery red geraniums and a small wind chime and placed them in the window – it completely changed the atmosphere of the kitchen! A decluttered space as you walk in the door, with a pretty rug and colorful wall and art work or a special photograph or piece of furniture can make you feel as if you are being hugged when you walk in the door – what a lovely welcome! Have you noticed how the scent of something can immediately take you back to another time, as if you never left it? Memories rush in and it is as if you were back there again.
The salty/fishy scent of the ocean takes me back to all my childhood where I grew up on the ocean. Scent is powerful. That can be good…and not so good! We have four kitties and in order for my Home to stay sweetly scented, we stay on top of their litter boxes! I sure notice it if we miss a scooping. • What do you smell when you walk into your Home? I used to burn candles in my favorite scents. Now we can purchase little wax tarts very
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inexpensively and put them in a little electric melting pot – which fills my Home with a lovely scent and is safe, too (especially around curious kitties). I will sometimes put cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange or apple peels (you can store these in your freezer until you are ready to use), pumpkin or apple spice in a pot of water and simmer on the stove. I also enjoy taking cuttings from my herb garden – in particular rosemary – and hanging it up around the kitchen and dining room. The scent is amazing, and when it dries, I use it in my cooking.
of my own mom and growing up in a cozy, welcoming Home. Texture is another important factor in a Home. I am a very tactile person and love to feel many different textures around me. I try to fill my home with soft, cozy throws (which my kitties steal), soft couches and throw pillows. But there are also things like wooden tables, glasstopped tables, metals and stone, and plants.
Being an introvert, I need long periods of quiet in order to recharge. However, that being said, I do not like a silence so loud I can hear it, if you know what I mean.
Baking and cooking also fills Home with a welcoming scent – who doesn’t like to come in the door to the scent of cookies or bread or warm soup – or be surrounded by it all day as it simmers on the stovetop or crockpot?
The scent of peaches always reminds me of my mother-in-law. When I smell peach scented anything, I am reminded of her sweet laugh, gentle ways and afternoon tea at her wooden farm table. Claire Burke scents remind me
I place things on tables and hutches that I hope others will pick up, hold, examine and delight in.
Lighting, while something you see, can also play a part in texture, I believe. I love brightly lit spaces, but I also love spaces that have small, focused lighting used for reading, writing or knitting. I love to hang photos using different sizes and shapes of frames in a grouping, and I hang up my own and others’ artwork in groupings of paintings and fiber art to add texture and interest. In one instance I have an old filigree metal frame that once held a mirror. I hung that on the wall and then
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hung smaller pieces of my fiber art on the wall within the frame. Do you enjoy quiet, or do you get comfort from the noise of life around you or are you somewhere in between?
Texture is all around you – play around with it and discover what you love best. Being an introvert, I need long periods of quiet in order to recharge. However, that being said, I
do not like a silence so loud I can hear it, if you know what I mean. So, I have a little table fountain and my fish aquarium that burbles and gurgles throughout the day. I also enjoy music when I am cleaning or even cooking. I love the sound of wind chimes and enjoy hanging them on our screened-in porch and in the trees out in the back yard. When the weather is nice, I open the windows and enjoy the sounds of birds singing, children laughing in the distance, even dogs barking. • What sounds do you like – and what kinds of quiet and silence do you enjoy?
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In my family we have many family-favorite recipes, and while being quite delicious, they also add to our family story. There is Grandma Judy’s delicious soup, Rob’s Favorite Chili, Aunt Donna’s anise pizzelles, Great-grandma Ruby’s jalapeno cornbread muffins, my own Chicken in cherry sauce that I make each Valentine’s Day and French dip on Christmas Eve…my mouth is watering just writing this down! Even when there will be no one around but myself for dinner, I still take the time to prepare something delicious and wholesome and nourishing. It is a way to show myself love, too. • What can you do to bring them into your Home space? This is one of my favorites! I show my love to others through food. Cooking and baking are very therapeutic and sensual to me. I love the scents of herbs and spices blended together, the colors of fresh vegetables, the yeasty scent of homemade bread and the warm scent of soup or stew bubbling away on the stove or cupcakes baking in the oven.
I could write about so many other things that help make a house into a Home: routines, traditions, special spaces we make for ourselves, stories of the many houses I’ve lived in that I transformed into Home, my mentors and how and what they taught me, how special collections like my aprons and stories make a house a Home. Even the story of how my father (a pediatrician) transformed a substandard house into a lovely, Homey outreach clinic for military families unable to get to the main clinic – all stories for another day.
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Hopefully what I have shared will get you thinking about the ways you can truly make your dwelling – be it a house, a gypsy wagon, an apartment, a tree – into a Home: a place of ease and rest and a haven from the outside world. Whether you love eclectic whimsy
I show my love to others through food. Cooking and baking are very therapeutic and sensual to me.
It is not about trends or photoworthy rooms. Those are lovely, and I find inspiration from them – but my Home is most likely not the kind of home you will see in a glossy magazine anywhere. It is, however, a place that has emerged from the depths of my heart to be enjoyed by me as well as my family and friends – that is what matters to me the most. And that is what, I believe, is the He{Art} of Home.
(like me!) or you lean more towards minimalist contemporary – Home is a constant Masterpiece in progress. Tastes change, money becomes available to spend on things you love, people come and go as the years march on. No matter where you live, you can be Home. I do not work outside the home, so I have time to do these things on a regular basis. I know that many women and men work outside the home and have busy family lives as well. I do believe that you can still make your house a Home if you listen to your heart and do what makes YOU happy and delighted.
Donna Johnson is a Homemaker who writes and makes mixed media and fiber art. She seeks Joy in her everyday ordinary and loves to share it with others. She can be found blogging and pinning madly at: JoyfullyDonna.blogspot.com + PINTEREST
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by Nate Berkus, via the Book „Decorate“ (see „Bookmania“) DIVA MYSTIC MAGAZINE 24
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