~Meet Sandalwood~

Rose Quartz Mala (click on the pic to learn more)

I have fallen in love with Sandalwood.  Head over heels, in love.  Like I would have no trouble tossing out all of my beads and never touch anything BUT sandalwood ever again.  Well it's pretty close to that.  
Sandalwood beads are handmade from actual Sandalwood trees in India.  (Mine are at least, ethically sourced from India)  The smell they produce is amazing.  And since they're raw wood, after wear they develop a sheen from our natural oils that is amazing.  
Historically they've been used in Eastern, and Middle Eastern religions as prayer beads and worry beads.  Also called "Malas".  Mostly as a tool in meditation the user would rub each bead, as they said a "prayer" or whatever their religion called for.  Hence the specific call for 108 beads in most malas.  I was introduced to these as "Worry Beads" my father brought home from Turkey.  You kept the strand in your pocket, and fiddled with the beads as your tension grew.  From the action of fidgeting, and the slow release of the sandalwood aroma you'd grow calmer, more able to focus.  

Dumortierite Mala

Add in the effects and looks of gemstones, and you have a powerful, and beautiful accessory to help you face your day.  

Obviously I had to incorporate the sandalwood into my bracelets as well.  And have learned that you can also add your own mixture of essential oils to the beads, to act as a diffuser.  They're pretty much perfect for everything.  :)

Redline Marble Mala

I'm warning you right now, these beads are addictive, and owning one mala, or bracelet will not be enough!  :)   

To see all that my shop offers you can click HERE or go to www.whitegoatranch.etsy.com  .

Looking to create your own Sandalwood Creations?  Loose beads will be available in my supply shop in March 2016, visit me HERE or go to www.whitegoatsupplies.etsy.com 

Or you can contact me HERE at www.whitegoatranch.com

Thanks for stopping in!

~Emily

{Book Review} Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin

I have to start out being completely honest.  I might be a tad bit of a fan girl of Gretchen Rubin. A friend a while back had sent me "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen, and I kid you not that book was written just for me, and all about me.  The style, the layout, the words... all for me.  So I pretty much dove into this book a huge fan.  (Didn't hurt when Gretchen totally hearted a pic of my "Rules of Adulthood" on instagram either)
And another honest tid-bit to share, I hadn't even read what the dang book was about before I loaded it up into my Amazon Cart and pressed the magic button that had it in my hands 2 1/2 days later.  #fangirl  
So what are we reading?  Better than Before is all about habits.  Not so much a how to, but more so a why we do, or why we don't, and ways to look at habits.  Why some behaviors are easier to establish than others.  Why our personalities aren't a one size fits all when breaking a bad habit.  And why we need habits, good habits to make life a bit easier to chew.
Gretchen's writing style is what always calls to me the most.  The book is her journey diving into the world of habits.  You will get tons of information, but plated in an easy to digest formula.  As she plays around and dissects what works for her, what doesn't, and how it effects those around her.
My biggest problem when reading Gretchen's book?  She brings up so many books that sound so interesting, that I stopped reading her book to go read those books too.  Do you have to?  Nope, that's just my nature.  I want all the details.  I want the reading logs, the charts, the side notes...  (But who's complaining, I shall never run out of reading material!!)
Am I "Better than Before"?  I only just finished the book five minutes ago, and I'm the kind that let's it all soak in, and then I'll probably read it again.  Am I driven to change habits?  Absolutely.  Especially since she, or the book, caught me mid-wind of all sorts of changes in my life.  Do I feel like she gave me tools or directions that will help me?  Yes.  Of course, She seems to just get me, and her info always meshes with me.  
Should you read, "Better Than Before"?  Yes, yes, yes.  I cannot tell you how many times, mid paragraph that I wished I had a highlighter near me, or a pen (The only place I can escape to read ALONE and QUIETLY tends to be the tub, why I can't remember a pad of paper is beyond me, it's just not a bathroom thing)  There were so many passages where I was saying, "This is so this person!  They need these words!"  or, "That's him EXACTLY."  I don't think you'll finish the book in awe of life changing moments with angelic choirs, but I think you'll finish it feeling good about yourself, feeling a bit charged and able to make changes if you so choose.  And that's my favorite part, the book is not about guilting you into wanting to change, but empowering you to change if you so desire!  
So while you go off to buy her book, I'm gonna dive into the pile of books she made me want to read.  :)  Thanks Ms. Rubin!  

~Emily
~~Legal parts.  I was not paid, endorsed, ore reimbursed for my review.  I bought the book with my own cash, and read it under my own free will, and posted my own honest review because I enjoy doing do.  Thanks!  :)

{Book Review} Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Sitting here, working on my review of this personal development book, Big Magic, I'm already thinking about how I need to re-read it.  There were quotes I wanted to remember, tips I didn't want to forget, ways the words came out that made me go, "YES". 

I enjoyed how it read like a novel, flowy, like a story instead of a "do this do that" form of personal development type books.  However, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, while well deserved, did spend a lot of time talking about the book, "Eat, Pray, Love".  (Which I haven't yet read, which should be on my doorstep soon, because now I must read it too.)

Back to the Big Magic.  The basis of the book are for those in the creative field.  I'm sure you could apply her wealth of experiences to those who detest a creative life, but writers, and artist in general are going to be more drawn to the basis.  Which is living while creating.  Instead of creating to live, or being too fearful to create. 

From the back cover of the book, "Creativity is sacred, and it is not sacred.  What we make matters enormously, and it doesn't matter at all.  We toil alone, and we are accompanied by spirits.  We are terrified, and we are brave.  Art is a crushing chore and a wonderful privilege.  The work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you."

Should you run and grab this book now?  Like I said, I'm not so sure those who detest creativity would enjoy this, but if you long to write or create, get it, now.  There's a freeing magic in the words, that at least I needed to hear.  And I will be reading it again, soon.

Legal Notice:  I bought this book on my own, and did not receive any financial or gain from this review.  Nor was I asked to review this book.  :)

What are you reading?

~Em

Book Review ~ Dead House

I grew up in the beginner days of R.L. Stine.  Back when Stephan King movies were popping out like weeds in a garden.  My grade school friends and I would one up each other's scary reads... You read Carrie?  Well I read IT!  Take that!  So I might have a thing for mysteries, and a wee bit of horror.
But I'm funny about my horror movies and or books.  Keep it clean please.  I like a good thriller, but I HATE demonic things.  HATE, like with a big old capital H.  Make me think for one second that you're summoning some evil spirit, and I'm out of there.  And this book straddled my delicate fence perfectly.
It goes a little like this... One girl, 2 souls.  One is your average teen, living in the sunlight, happy, friendly, pretty dang normal.  Soul #2 is her polar opposite.  Lives in the night.  Smokes, drinks, parties... the bad apple.  Both live in the same body... but the wonderful docs swear only one of them is really real...  
And then we get twisty.  Which soul is the real soul?  Or are both real?  And what happens when only one soul takes over?  And what about, just what if there's something else out there, something a wee bit darker playing the cards for both souls?  
So the cover jacket says this is the Author's first published piece... And I'm amazed.  It's a fun read, written as notes from a police file. There's pictures, and illustrations, but still remains grown up enough.  Could I put it down?  Sure.  Did I have guesses on the ending, a wee bit.  Did I want to finish it sooner than later, YES.  Best book ever, No.  But I liked it, and I think anyone who loves something new, and fresh, with a bit of mystery, and emotional turmoil will like it too.  
I need a rating system here.  I give it 4 out of 5... ummm, goats?  It was another one of those books where everything was going so strong, and well written, but the ending seemed to flat line for me.  I wanted more.  But none the less I still loved it, and The book was promptly added to my shelf to read again later.
So go, go get it, and support a new author who I'm sure we'll be hearing from a lot more in the future!
~~  Please note, I was not paid in any means for this fantastic review.  I grabbed the book from a table at a bookstore and took a chance.  (apparently some folks get paid to do reviews, I'm not one of the,... yet.  But the IRS makes me disclose all of this.  Because you know, they read my blog.  :)   )
~Em
Read any good books lately?

{Thankful, November 4, 2015}

Day 4... and no, I'm not talking tin foil... although tin foil does rock.  
Today I'm talking friends.  Those who toss a tin foil hat on their head right next to you without fear.  Those who get it, no matter what "it" is.  Friends who live across the country yet are always there.  The friends I've just met, the friends I have yet to meet, and the friends who have been there forever.  There's a few of you out there who keep me going.  You know who you are.  <3  Some days I owe you my all.  
~Em