Chit-Chat, This and That

What a stunning time of year! We are so lucky to be alive on this incredible Earth. Life is a daily gift.

Just started writing a post about preparing for the upcoming holidays and realized I've got more to share than gas in the braintank tonight! I'll save it for later in the week.

I woke up with cramps and wanted nothing more than to loaf on the couch and watch movies all day, but I needed to make it a long workday pouring candles. By the way, if anyone harbors any romantic notions what I'm like working in my studio, let me assure you I am NOT a vision of creative wonder! I do not wear organic cotton pants and cute little tops as I merrily make candles. Candlemaking is messy, hot, heavy, hard, wet and frequently dangerous work. I burn myself at least once a month and stabbed my hand with a knife two weeks ago. My reality is loose, comfy wax-splattered sweats and color-stained old T-shirts that never match. My candlemaking shoes are so encrusted with wax they aren't allowed outside the studio! I usually wait to shower until after I'm finished pouring candles (feels soooo good to scrub clean then), so as unpresentable as I am when I start pouring candles, I look ten times worse by day's end! No glamour here, folks!

I think there are a lot of myths surrounding running a creative-based business, and looking like we've stepped out of the pages of Body + Soul magazine is one of them. At least it's one of mine. If I were participating in the Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You project, I'd probably wind up posting a photo of myself working in the studio. But I'm not so I won't. Ha! :)

Tonight I had three equally enticing invitations to choose from:

1. Lesbian dinner party
2. Get-together at a good friend's house, or
3. Sherman Alexie reading from his new book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian at Auntie's Bookstore

What to do, what to do? I wound up putting on my jammies, heating up yummy leftovers for dinner and watching an odd movie called No Such Thing. It stars Sarah Polley and Helen Mirren and is set mostly in Iceland -- a winning combination if ever there was one -- but even for someone who loves quirky independent films, this one was strange. Oh well, it entertained me and Sarah Polley's character dresses up à la Helen Mirren in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover so that was fun!

I've found a wonderful new massage therapist and bought a 360-minute package deal for $300 which works out to $75 per 90-minute massage. Nice! In 17 years in Seattle I never once ran across package deals, but in Spokane both my massage therapist and aesthetician offer them and I love it. Plus their rates are much lower than what I paid in Seattle. Now I can afford the monthly massage my body needs. For so many reasons, I am beyond grateful I moved here.

(Photo by Hichako.)

Comments

[Dawn]

As a licensed massage therapist in Tennessee I am SO HAPPY to hear that you get regular monthly massages!! Hurray for you! I still think you should post a picture of you in your candle making attire. You know you wanna.

[Cousin Christine]

Carla - I JUST spent an evening and most of the night with some potentially killer cramps, too...but I was soothed by a NEW find. A tincture called, no kidding, Cramp Bark. You put drops in hot water and it really works. Find it there in SpokaVegas at that natural foods place called Huckleberries, I bet!
One other thing. I have read Sherman Alexie's "Diary of a Part Time Indian" - a crack up. Love you. Take good care of yourself and thanks for posting. I was hoping there would be a message from you to help me better navigate my own day :)
Christine

[Jane]

Good morning Carla!

I think it is funny about the perceptions we conjure up. I definitely think of candle making as a messy adventure but I still envisioned you wearing organic cotton pants with a cute little yoga tank...he he. When I was in the hospital getting ready to give birth to my son, my doctor walked in looking like a slice of heaven in an expensive Armani suit. He told me he'd definitely change in to scrubs when he sees the baby's head :))

This weekend I'm taking a soap making workshop. With the holidays around the corner, I figure it might make a nice little present for someone.

[Angela]

Carla,

It's like when people hear that I was a floral designer, "Oh, I'd love to do that. It sounds like so much fun!" Fun, right. 10 gallon buckets of slimy water, heavy plants and candle holders, 15-16 hour workdays, sometimes 7 of them. Fun, yeah, right. And it was sometimes, but mostly it was a lot of hard work like most anything worthwhile is. Love the leaf picture. Hope you're feeling better.

[Kikipotamus]

Ah! Thank you for the news that Sherman Alexie has a new book. Smoke Signals is among my favorite films EVER.

[brandi]

found your gorgeous site through bohomom-love it!

[Kathryn Knoll]

Carla,
I think we should swap photos...you after pouring candles and me after throwing pots! How could we plan a session together? That would really be fun! You probably have no idea just how awesome you are, waxy shoes and all! love ya, Sr. Kathryn

[eileen (the dream)]

I am sure you are a vision compared to what I have going on when I'm playing in paint. Usually a house dress (so called because I would never in a million years wear it in public) with paint splatterings from the last five years, with no undergraments (gotta feel free). It's usually a morning thing for me, so I always have massive bed head. Fright sight!
Whoa - I need to mention the package deal to the spa I go to - what a GREAT idea!

[Annie]

Good for you, Carla, for choosing to stay in and do what you needed to do for you.
I enjoyed reading about what is involved in your candle making days.
Annie
xxx