2013 Year in Review - Flying Sisters Blog Circle

Wow.

What a year.

I chose the word Transformation for 2013.

How appropriate.

My main two goals this year were to: 

1 - Get my life coach certification. 

2 - Move to a bigger home.

Done.

And done.

Whew.

It's been wonderful nesting in the new place. 

I absolutely love our new home.

We have SPACE.

It's glorious.

I've learned a few valuable lessons about me this year - 

1 - Don't take on too many projects at once.

I have so many passions, 

I get carried away wanting to do everything.

However, there just isn't enough time for me to do 

every single thing that I'm passionate about.

I need to choose one project at a time.

I need to read one book at a time.

One thing at a time.

No more silly art classes - they are such time wasters!

2 - I need deadlines.

If I don't have a deadline, it's possible it's still on my to do list.

I've noticed if I have a scheduled class or 

have to check in with someone,

I'm totally on the ball.

3 - My body needs the gym.

I need exercise. 

It has to be part of my life. 

A habit. Like brushing my teeth, 

I've got to do it.

With trying to get my own business going, 

I sometimes neglect the gym.

I've learned that my body is more important than posting more items on Etsy.

My body is a priority.

For 2014, I'm going to keep it simple.

Simplify is my word for 2014.

One project at a time.

Honor deadlines.

Honor my mind and my body.

And the huge focus - well - it's gonna all be about life coaching. 

I have so many ideas, I just have to implement them!

I'm about to take my best to a new level.

Bring it on 2014.

Max Patch, NC October 2013

This blog is part of the Flying Sisters monthly blog circle.

Hop to the next blog for more year in reviews. 

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is Monica Martin. 
Check out her blog here. 

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

Amy Riddle is an empowerment coach, crafter of sorts, writer,
herbalist, reverend, and all out muse.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs. 

She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. 

Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. 

She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.

Gratitude & Thanks (Monthly Flying Sisters Blog Circle)

"The more grateful you are, the more you get to be grateful about. It's that simple." ~Louise L. Hay

Today is a traditional day for people to share their thanks, 
however, I encourage you to practice gratitude
every single day.

As I was writing this post in my head, I was thinking how practicing gratitude every day allows us to 

be open to all of the abundance in our life. 

I then go into my Deepak and Oprah meditation for the day 

and Deepak says,

"Gratitude is the gateway to abundance."

It truly is.

Off the top of my head here is my current
list of things I am thankful for-

the air I breathe

the love in my life

knowledge

creativity

intuition
inspiration

writing

words

 the internet

meditation

morning pages

Julia Cameron, Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay

heat

my home
my boyfriend
my friends
my family

my car

my job

my clothes

my many pairs of boots

my own craft room

the beauty of being alive

From Day # 14 of Desire and Destiny Meditation 
with Oprah & Deepak

Mindful Moment

Set the intention to greet each moment of the day in gratitude. As each encounter and situation crosses your path take time to pay attention to all of the things that you can be grateful for in the moment. May you cultivate the spirit of gratitude with effortless ease and enthusiasm, for as you do so you transform your world.

"Each day begins with a prayer of “Thank you,” which are the first words out of my mouth as I awaken."

~Wayne Dyer

Enjoy today with your loved ones and ponder the question...

What are you thankful for today? 

I leave you with Alanis Morissette's "Thank You." 

This blog is part of the Flying Sisters monthly blog circle.

Hop to the next blog for more gratitude.

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is the lovely Sandy King-

SANDYMAIRART.

 Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

Amy Riddle is an empowerment coach, crafter of sorts, writer,
herbalist, reverend, and all out muse.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs. 

She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. 

Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. 

She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.

Fall in My Town ~ October Blog Circle

*The Flying Sisters Blog Circle for October*

Max Patch, NC 

If you know me, you know I love fall. 

Every single bit of it.

I love my first sip of a pumpkin spice latte.

I love mulling cider to share with friends.

I love watching horror movies.

I love seeing the leaves change colors. 

I love carving/painting pumpkins.

My Candy Corn Pumpkin

I love planning costumes.

Mysterious Me 

I love drinking pumpkin beer.

 (Pumpkinhead from Shipyard is the absolute best.)

And I especially love fall where I live. 

I am truly blessed, for I live in a postcard.

Asheville, NC is so amazingly beautiful this time of year. 

To get the most out of fall around here, 

you have to go on some mountain adventures.

Here are some place to go for autumn beauty - 

Take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway -anywhere

Chimney Rock

(where you can re-live "Last of the Mohicans", 

plus check out Lake Lure where "Dirty Dancing" was filmed)

Grandfather Mountain

(where you can walk across the 

famous Mile High Swinging Bridge)

Mount Mitchell

 (where you can be at 6,684 feet elevation, the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains and Mississippi River - I once stood there and a cloud passed through me - amazing experience)

Me at Mount Mitchell 2009

Max Patch

(where you can frolick across the mountain top 

pretending you are in "The Sound of Music")

Me & Chris at Max Patch, NC 

There are so many places to go around here.

A great website is Explore Asheville. 

They even have a fall color report. 

There are some other fun activities around as well -

Eliada's Annual Corn Maze

(where you can wander around a 12 acre maze)

Pinhead's Graveyard

(where you go through an outdoor haunted house and 

the scariest part is you lose $15)

The other day I picked up flyers at the Halloween store for 

Stingy Jack's Pumpkin Patch

and

The Haunted Farm

Haven't been to either of them, but you never know, 

they may be worth checking out.

May you have a fabulous fall and a spook-tacular Halloween!

Spider Fairy 2005

This blog is part of the Flying Sisters monthly blog circle.

Hop to the next blog for more fall adventures.

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is the lovely Sandy King-
SANDYMAIRART.

You can also check out what Atlanta has to offer with
Vickie Martin -
"In and Around Atlanta". 

Plus Robin Heim is doing her best keeping it spooky 
in Southern California -
"October". 

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

Amy Riddle is an empowerment coach, crafter of sorts, writer,
herbalist, reverend, and all out muse.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs. 

She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. 

Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. 

She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.

I'm A Possibilitarian! Are you? September Blog Circle

*Part of the Flying Sisters Blog Circle for September*

Possibilitarian Project with Kelly Rae Roberts

For the longest time, I've wanted 

a career where I can help others.

I feel it's my calling.

My soul expands in joy when I think about it.

Also, for the longest time, 

I couldn't pin point exactly how to do this.

For years I've created empowering necklaces and candles that inspire people - but I needed more.

A year ago I took an online course that changed my life.

I signed up for Flying Lessons with Kelly Rae Roberts. 

Flying Lessons was all about getting your creative biz going - making it soar! 

When the class started last September, 
I threw myself in head first. 

I got up early every single morning to 

read the class lesson and take notes. 

Everyday I learned new things about having a creative biz. 

A fantastic bonus of the class was a Facebook group of everyone enrolled in the course.

Truly amazing.

 I now have so many universal connections.
I am part of a group of approximately 600 creative women 
from all over the world!

Flying Lessons - Kelly Rae Roberts

Taking Kelly Rae's Flying Lesson e-course is the best decision 
I've made for my creative biz. 

So many benefits...

The class is over, but our journey isn't. 

I can hop on my laptop and there they are -
my online beautiful muses. 

It feels good.

We have that like-minded connection, common creative biz goals, all of us cut from the same cloth.

And this connection stays with me. 

It inspires me. I feel moved to keep creating, keep working on my creative biz, get that new Etsy shop up, keep blogging, take a painting class, etc.

Anything is possible!

I have a universal crafty support group. 

Because of Kelly Rae's course,

the inspiration and possibilities just keep flowing.

I have now been on a continuous streak of creating 

and it's not slowing down.

And through all of this I have realized my calling. 

I know what I want to be when I grow up!

Through my inspirations and soul searching I found my calling -becoming a Life Coach.

I have felt a shift in me.

I even held a successful crowdfunding project that enabled me to get my Life Coaching certificate.

There is no turning back. I am on a roll.

Kelly Rae Roberts

I am a Possibilitarian.
Are you?

This blog is part of the Flying Lessons monthly blog circle.
Hop to the next blog to read about becoming a Possibilitarian.

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is the amazing Monica Martin .

- The Artsy Girl Studio -

May you have some bursts of inspiration
and become a Possibilitarian!

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

Amy Riddle is an empowerment coach, crafter of sorts, writer,
herbalist, reverend, and all out muse.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs. 

She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. 

Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. 

She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.

What movie has inspired you? Part of the Flying Sisters Blog Circle

Blog 15 of 30 ~ Effy Wild's Blogalong ~ Thirty Posts in Thirty Days 
Also part of the Flying Sisters Blog Circle for August

What movie has inspired you?

Harold and Maude 1971

I was 19 when I first saw Harold and Maude.

I admit I felt extremely resistant.

I was in Philosophy class and our teacher says,

"Today, we are going to watch a movie."

Huge sigh.

Sure, watching a movie in class should be a welcomed act,

however usually when a teacher shows you a movie...

the movie is shit.

I really loved my philosophy teacher though, 

and I thought if she picked it out...maybe it's not too shabby.

She chose a great film.

I was so captivated with just the opening scene.

We were watching something this amazing in class?

Wow. 

Harold and Maude has stuck with me through the years.

There are so many valuable life lessons in it.

Maude became a huge inspiration to me.

I thought, 

"Damn, I wanna be like her when I'm that age - 

actually I want to be like her at any age!"

Ruth Gordon's Maude is an incredible role model for women.

She may be turning 80, but the spirit of her character was ageless.

Fiery, sexy, and full of life,

Maude is the kind of woman you want around.

Maude is the woman you see at a funeral 

with a yellow umbrella.

 Harold and Maude

Maude teaches you age is a state of mind.

Maude fills you with self confidence and shows us you can still pose nude at 80.

Save the trees, play musical instruments, 
sing at the top of your lungs...

Maude teaches us to not hold back.

Maude teaches us to live life to the fullest.

Harold and Maude

Harold: Maude.
Maude: Hmm?
Harold: Do you pray?
Maude: Pray? No. I communicate.
Harold: With God?
Maude: With *life*.

I leave you with one of my favorite moments from the film...
go ahead...
channel your inner Maude...
if you want to sing out, sing out!

This blog is part of the Flying Lessons monthly blog circle.
Hop to the next blog to see what other movies are inspiring us.

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is the amazing Monica Martin .

- The Artsy Girl Studio -

May you enjoy our movie circle and 
have some bursts of inspiration. 

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

Amy Riddle is an empowerment coach, crafter of sorts, writer, 
herbalist, reverend, and all out muse. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs.

 She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. 

Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. 

She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.

Embracing My Body (part of a blog circle concerning books)

The book I'm reading right now is teaching me...

I started reading, 
"A Course in Weight Loss, 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever" by 

Marianne Williamson 
in December 2010. 

I got through chapter 1 and then stopped.

I picked it up again a year later...got through 2 chapters...and then stopped.

I strongly believe it is time...time to get through all 21 chapters. 

So far, so good...I mean...I've made it to chapter 3!

I obviously wasn't ready before, but I am ready now.

It was pretty much impossible to grow/live/be healthy in body, mind, and spirit in a shared 400 square foot apartment. 

My spirit was suffocating.

Good news, that is over. 

Now I have space. Space to create. Space to cook. Space to just be. Space to balance my body, mind, and spirit.

Every single day I feel closer to being me again, my authentic Amy is coming back 100%.

With that comes the realization of, 

"What the fuck happened to my body?"

We all cope in different ways. I've put on weight for several reasons...and I now know it is time to let it all go.

Reading "A Course in Weight Loss" is taking me on a deep spiritual journey concerning my weight. I have already felt a healthy shift...and I have 18 chapters left to go.

I started going back to the gym on May 6...I really do enjoy it. 

Plus now that I have a kitchen, I'm eating better. 

I have been against scales for many, many years..however when I ventured back into the gym routine on May 6, I hopped on. I figured I had to face me head on. I decided it was time to know. I hadn't weighed myself for probably 14 years. 
I've always gone with "how I feel". 

Well, I didn't feel good anymore. 

So, deciding it was time to embrace, acknowledge, and deal...

I stepped on the scale. 

Holy fuck balls. 

The number that came up was atrocious. 

My mind went through so many horrible thoughts...mainly, 

"Only really, really fat people weigh that much." 

Oh, gawd. What have I done to myself? 

I don't deserve this. 
I deserve better treatment from myself to myself.

"A Course in Weight Loss" has helped me let go of all those nasty thoughts. It has helped me realize that my soul was weighed down, which made my body heavy. 

Horrible domino effect that I am stopping.

I am changing my thinking. 

I am becoming more aware and conscious of what I'm doing with my body and what I'm eating. 

I got on that scale again this week and I've lost 13 pounds. 
Progress! 
I am back on track.
Thank you Marianne Williamson for being 
with me on this journey. 

"Spiritually, your wanting to lose weight 
is not a desire to become less of yourself, 
but rather a desire to become more of your true self." 
~Marianne Williamson 

**************************************

This blog is part of the Flying Lessons monthly blog circle. 

Hop to the next blog to see what other books are inspiring us. 

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is the amazing Kristen Fairgrieve. 

I wonder what she's been reading? 

May you enjoy our reading circle and 

have some bursts of inspiration. 

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

10 Things I Need for Creativity~May Blog Circle

10 Things I Need for Creativity

1. I need space. I need space to create. I need space to spread my wings. I need space for paint, jewelry supplies, and glue all over the place. After spending 2 years in a 400 square foot apartment with my boyfriend, I finally have my own craft room. It's so incredible and is so very needed for my creative muse to thrive.

my craft room

2. I need to be alone. At least in the beginning of my creating. Once I see in my head what I'm making, I can be around others creating. However, I usually do my best alone. 


3. I need incense and candles to set my creative ambiance. When I light incense and candles it automatically takes me to a place of calm. I feel centered and ready to do something inspiring. 

a source of inspiration-Sarah

4. I need the right music. It can vary. Normally I dig chick voices...if I really want to dig deep I throw on my Sarah McLachlan DVD. Works every single time.  


5. I need my home to be in order. I cannot create in chaos. Besides, it's all very feng shui. 


6. I need a big chunk of time. I don't want to be interrupted. This puts me at somewhat of a disadvantage because it means I really only have the weekend to create. Working the mundane 40 hour Monday-Friday work week incorporating the gym...well...I normally only have about an hour every evening for dinner and to get ready for the next day. No time to create. I live for 3 day weekends. I really need a creation vacation. 

Why pay regular price?

7. I need craft supplies-which means I need coupons! Let's face it, some of these supplies are not cheap. So, I'm all about the weekly coupons for Michael's, Joann's, and A.C. Moore. Gel medium costs $15.99...nah...I'll get that 40% or 50% off with a Michael's coupon. SCORE.


8. I need books. Books inspire me. Books are my friends. Just being surrounded by books, I am inspired. 

9. I need to write. Writing is very cathartic for me. Every single morning I get up and write my morning pages which are 3 pages of stream of consciousness writing. It is incredibly therapeutic. I highly suggest you try it. 


10.  I need an awesome boyfriend that understands creativity is part of who I am. Thank you Chris for allowing me to be me. 
How completely fantastic. 

Chris & I

What do you need to let out your creative muse?

This blog is part of the Flying Lessons monthly blog circle. 

Hop to the next blog to read more on 

what sparks our creativity. 

Who knows where you'll end up?

Next stop on the circle is the oh-so-fabulous Kristen Conley.

Check out her insights on what lights her creative spark here.

May you enjoy our reading circle and 

have some bursts of creativity yourself!

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

It is time to blossom. (Blog Circle)

Spring is in the air!

Image Source-http://www.incitingariot.com/2012/03/ostara-to-easter-swag-contest.html

Yesterday was the first day of Spring, Ostara.

It's my 2nd favorite Holiday...the first being Halloween, of course. 

I love Spring. 

I love to watch things come back to life. 

The flowers bloom, the birds sing, and the garden grows. 

It's the waxing time of the year...

time to set things in motion. 

It is time to blossom.

Every Ostara I write an intention letter to myself. 

I fill it will my hopes, dreams, and goals for the year. 

I open last year's letter, see where I stand, reflect, and 

then I write my new letter for the year. 

I have found that this is the perfect time for me to 

implement any big changes in my life. 

It's a great time to plant the seeds you wish to grow.

I began 2013 with 2 major goals for the year, 

a year of transformation for me. 

The first big goal is becoming a life coach, 

the other big deal is moving to a bigger home with Chris.

I'm so freakin thrilled to report both of these are happening.

I completed my life coach training and I am officially a life coach.

Chris and I found a new home and 

began the fun of painting last night.

With the "big" part of these goals done...

it is time to plant the seeds of growth.

I'm so looking forward to nesting and getting 

all settled in the new place.

I'll have my own craft room/office.

This is major.

With my own space, I'll be able to really work on 

getting "The Magick Muse" to soar.

**************************

What do you wish to plant this year? 

What growth should you seek in your life?

Where will you blossom?

 Ostara is the time. 

**************************

Today's Growth blog is part of the Flying Lessons blog circle.

Hop to the next blog to read more reflections on planting seeds.

Who knows where you'll end up?

Keep in mind...we are all over the world...due to different time zones the next link may not be up yet. 

Give it some time and it will be.

Next stop on the circle is one of my fav fly sistas, Michelle Hill.

Check out her post here.

 Enjoy your reading circle!

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
~Amy
 The Magick Muse