Thank you for all your lovely questions, comments, shares, and stories this past year. In this Miniview (Mini Q & A Interview Series), I’ll answer one question at a time.
Q: What are your favorite food combinations for cooking family dinners?
A: I have many, but for Winter, I really love organic ginger root, garlic, and shallots together…in everything! It works gently in sauces, soups, appetizers, on vegetables, in dips, and with fruit to create a softness. The scent fills the house with a warm, cozy cloud of sweet ginger. Our bodies love it because it really helps boost the immune system and keep us healthy with all the germs about in town. I like to sauté these three, minced, in olive oil, salt, and pepper, on low heat. When tender, add in other things or add it on top of others. We’ll be growing these in our new garden, here at Christmas Rose Cottage, this Spring -Summer -Autumn. This healthy superfood grouping is soothing for the senses and for stomachs, little and big. Ginger was very helpful for maternity illness. I find natural foods so beautiful. The garlic’s airy winged shells, the ginger’s aromatic colour, and my tearful shallotful eyes try to admire their lilac and russet hues fading into one another.
Pinterest: Follow me here to Pin Amor Milagre images to save to your unique boards. Explore new releases for this Shop.
Vimeo: Watch Films for New Collections, Healthy Lifestyle Inspiration, Sustainable Design Tips, and More!
Instagram: Coming Soon!
*If you’re interested in seeing a few ethical organic brands, lovely musicians & bands, authors, and other people and things I appreciate, I’m adding them to the “Likes” section on Facebook.
Last night, I finished the fourth loving novel for my new series. I want to live in these books! They are so sweet and fun. I hope the universe is inspired to laugh along and to bring the words to life in their daily rounds and holiday celebrations. I strive to create this world for us, and I let it spill out of my pockets wherever we go. Return to view the release for this New Book Collection. Happy Snowy Days of Musing! I wish you a peaceful holiday!
There is something to finding the right fit for a journal. The line spacing, ample area for your hand to rest as you write, the paper texture. Does it feel good? It is steady to allow quick flashes of imagery to glide and dance swiftly before overlapped with new scenes and conversations? Will the spine look lovely on a bookshelf when the pages are filled and happy? I really enjoy journals and sketchbooks for all purposes. My new Journal Series will be flying over to the shop in 2020! Just like my handmade books, the paper is FSC Certified. When buying journals, I look for FSC Certified paper, too.
I’m very pleased about 2020. It’s taken a long time to get here, but it surely didn’t need to. My focus was always there, working, but so much energy had to be used to survive an insensitive world. It could have been used to develop wonderful ideas to help all and keep good health for this empath and our family. My books show how easy it is for the world to boost good health and compassion for all, every moment.And…how fun it is to live positive moments! I think it will be a very productive and peaceful year to build a lovely new foundation for all the years to come. When the dust settles on our New House Renovation, many new items will be shared! What kind of positive projects are you planning for next year? Design it for you! I hope you enjoy your 2019 tales and 2020 ahead!
Coming Up:
The Bookshop: A New Novel Series for All Ages! This is the first post about this series. In 2020, I’ll release at least four new novels to fall in Love with! These are wonderful library additions and gifts for all ages to enjoy and revisit. Older children-Adult will probably be the audience age group who enjoys this ‘something sweet’ the most, and little ones can enjoy a chapter at a time. Everyone is included, and this series will keep growing every season. It takes time to get to know someone, right? 🙂
The Crayon Club: This week, I’ll share some fun winter children’s crafts to do anytime and for homeschool.
Encouraging the Imagination & Celebrating Individuality for Children of All Ages!
Happy Gift-Giving! Save 20% Storewide on All Products with Checkout Code: CELEBRATE
(Now through January 1st 2020)
This is my favourite season! Here is a helpful sale for you to find unique, personalized gifts for your Dear Ones. All collections are ethically handmade with positive energy and the greatest care. For books, message your inscription details. For custom orders, message your ideas. For you, I hope your Winter is dear and loving! I love being a part of your gift giving surprises! Happy Holidays, XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Music of the Moment: The Wish That I Wish Tonight, Sung by Dennis Morgan, Music by M.K. Jerome, Christmas in Connecticut Movie (1945)
Pull up a chair, get cozy, and listen to magic. Wonderful for everyday and holiday visitors, too. We listen and imagine along with these wonderfully narrated children’s audiobooks. What are your favourite audiobooks? Which narrators inspire giggles and smiles? Audiobooks are very handy and beautiful to listen to while drawing and painting for Mamma & Child. Ever since baby days, we’ve enjoyed these while playing, folding laundry, or resting. Listening skills are immediately gained (during homeschool lessons), as well as the classic pleasure of storytelling. If you have the book, follow along, learning to read, and match sounds with pictures. Open the imagination and watch it grow splendid scenes and characters! We enjoy sweet, natural stories with dear, funny characters. Which tales touch your soul?
There is an art to this medium. The timing is important. The background music cannot be too loud. The narrator needs to be sensitive to what they are reading. What is the story is about? Who are the characters? These things are crucial for repeat plays. Tone and feeling can come through in each breathe and expression. A special treat is when the author reads their own book because you get an effortless sense of their intent and meaning of their original inspiration. This audience is listening very closely, and we appreciate every word. Thank you to the makers of these audiobooks! They are a loving part of our daily life and childhood memories.
Music of the Moment: Mrs. Tiggywinkle’s Washing Song, The Beatrix Potter Collection, in the lovely and thoughtful voice of Andrew Scott. I recognized his empathic voice from the loving and sensitive movie, This Beautiful Fantastic. He expressed the character voices beautifully. We love listening to his storytelling because he takes his time to really capture the essence of the story, mood, and attitude. It really feels like you are there. Thank you to this wonderful, versatile person and actor!
Our children are precious gifts! They are miracles and absolute truth and beauty! They deserve sensitive items for their sensitive everything. For our family, we research and strive to find the healthiest brands before buying children’s apparel & items, from sweaters to spoons, and from books to bath soap.
There have not been many brands we love yet, or feel confident to share as responsible, ethical collections. How could we really know? Here are some that we have used for a few years, and whose company information seems to be nicely transparent. What are your favourite ethical brands?
We like certain items from these companies:
Jamie Kay: The organic cotton items are now on our shopping list each growing season. Beautifully designed and made, adorable to look at, cozy to wear in soft colours, easy to dress in, and timelessly photogenic for beautiful childhood photo albums and daily life. This brand fits in with our Gentle Life of natural beauty and allowing the child’s essence to be the focus. Easy shipping from New Zealand, and last for years +.
Little Spruce Organics: Various brands sell organic winter apparel and accessories. We like choosing matching hats, mittens, coat, and scarves. A great source for organic cloth diapers, inserts, and diaper covers.
There were more brands, but we sold or donated the items, and I lost track of the names in the busy first years of babyland. I left out the others that we did try, but didn’t use, didn’t work well, or sadly are not now in business. That pile was bigger than this list. Everyone needs different things, but it took a while to find brands that are gentle for our sensitive skin, eyes, body, senses, budget, and lifestyle. We often buy apparel a size bigger so the items are worn for a few years. We buy quality items over cheap fast fashion, as they last longer, and in the end this saves money when well taken care of. Well made items don’t have to be expensive, and with sales, very often cost less than the fast fashion/trendy items. This post is not sponsored; I’m just sharing things we’ve found so far. I hope this saves you some time. I wish this list was given to me years ago. It takes so much research to find healthy things we need. As babies grow older, less items are needed, and fewer brands required, so finding our favourites becomes an annual pleasure to explore and way of expression.
I made this list for you and the people in town who ask us where we get our clothes and other useful things. We are drawn to well-made items using natural fibers that can be worn for many years, even during a big growth spurt. We are old souls who connect with timeless, old fashioned, vintage styles in soft natural colours, using materials that are loving for highly sensitive skin and the senses. Like the universe, the internet is a endless sea of connections and links, and I’m glad, Dear Ones, you found me here. It’s not easy to shop in this time period in certain ways, but when we do find something we love, we wear it every day with confidence and appreciation for the maker.
Except for my own company, Amor Milagre, I don’t know for sure how ethical and responsible these other companies truly are in practice, so feel free to research on your own, ask the companies questions, and message us if you find any unhealthy issues! 🙂 I inspire all companies to become responsible, so shopping may be effortlessly enjoyable.
And, for clothing, a general size standard could be redone, right parents? It’s difficult to shop for baby & child when the materials and sizes are not what you need. Custom tailored apparel can be a very good practice again for big and small companies, so the items fit and last many childhoods and lifetimes. I may add a ‘lightly worn’ section to my shop soon for the beautiful organic items outgrown by little ones. We buy quality and wear lightly so these heirloom pieces would be ‘like new’ for new little ones.
Tip: Read laundry labels for how each garment wants to be cared for. Items last longer when not worn out or shrunk in the wash. Take your time, listen to music, and fold with Love. Little Ones love to put their things away, learning and contributing something, too. We have a curious pattern here of having to patch only one knee in all pants. *Learning to sew and care for clothing is a great gift to teach to children.
This gift guide list is a part of my new ‘Favourite Series’ which I’ll add to each season. Happy Growing, New Babies, & Gift-Giving! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Colour Mood: Dusty Rose
This is our favourite apparel colour. It suits rosy cheeks in soft natural dyed tones.
‘Be the Light, Live in the Light’ Greeting Card Stationery Sets for this Artwork are Coming Soon!
Sensitivity is a Strength! Sensitivity is Love!
I am an ambassador for positive change. I am here to unveil that Awareness and Sensitivity are Love! We are all born sensitive, but many lose their awareness of it. Illness is a way it comes through, and clouding the awareness of our natural empathy will only cause more illness and suffering. There is another way, dear human friends! We can all listen to our Higher-Inner Self. This is what it’s all about, connecting to our souls, and therefore connecting to everything and everyone that ever was, is, or will be. This is where peace is. Respect is there, too. This is Love. And…my Dear Ones, this is what we all are and need to be aware of. So please read my blog posts here, and my books because I need to help us all get back to being extremely aware of…everything. This is why I’m here, every time. It was always this way, and as I continue to explore my Akashic Records in Meditation (more about this coming up), it seems to always be this way. I am ‘The Teacher’, ‘The Advocate’, the sharer of information and messages from the timeless universe. My new books are coming up, as fast I can make them and, of course, new blog posts and collections are lovingly being made here daily.
In the meantime, listen to your children, they know what love is and understand the awareness. Let them teach you about Love and awareness. Their wonder of the world is not only because they are new to it, it’s because they are aware of it and know it very well. Teach them, of course, healthy humans ways, colours, numbers, words, but don’t forget that they are our teachers for the most important lessons for all lifetimes. It’s in their smiles, their laughs, their LIGHT! We are all born with the Light of Love. It transcends all human words and we have it always. Live in the Light!
*A place to begin is to think of sensitivity as a gift, because it truly is. Being sensitive helps guide you. It helps you trust your instincts and your Inner Voice. Have the greatest respect for children and everyone, especially highly sensitive people. It’s incredibly difficult for us to even just be here, and then even more so when we add the daily routines and unhealthy people, places, tasks, and conversations. Sensitive people are amazing at solving issues that are vitally important to solve. If we are allowed a world that feels safe and healthy, our health will improve, and our other gifts can be positively appreciated in making wondrous and helpful systems, ideas, and gifts for all. Everyone wants to feel good, so let’s allow sensitive people to be allowed that simple right.
What can we all do in our own circles, routines, and powers to make positive changes for sensitive people and all to feel their senses relax and focus more easily on the day’s goals and pleasures? Think about all the things that affect your body, emotions, abilities, etc. Think of lighting, sound, vibration, crowds, electricity, chemicals, air, routines, basic needs, voices, attitudes, volume, scents, air pressure, and everything that could feel uncomfortable, painful, or dangerous. When speaking to sensitive people, what kind of words do you use, what tone of voice? Do you know they are sensitive? Are you aware? Now think of these things around you as if they were intensified to an unbearable level that shakes and disturbs the delicate nervous system and all that holds your body together. Now you might be thinking of how a sensitive person experiences the world. Could you focus and complete a task quickly if you felt massive pain just being in an unhealthy setting?
For sensitive children, and parents of sensitive children, finding ways to communicate well is vital. Children with speech challenges need to feel their voice is important, valued, and heard. They need basic things and need to be able to ask for them each moment. It’s incredibly frustrating to be unheard and in great need. It’s a pain no one should experience. Researching health conditions, ways of healing from trauma, and different ways of communicating is important to help those who live a more unusual life than others. Their life has more layers because of the difference, and they have more gifts and strength because of it. They very much need bridges of loving communications and a safe world to live in. These very special people have so much grace and goodness to share with the world. In sharing, they are able to feeling loving and contribute joy into the universe. Their confidence will build and they will do many more great and healthy things for all people, including more sensitive people in need of help and love.
There is much to share and learn about how sensitive people feel in certain situations, places, and emotional environments. There is also much for sensitive people to learn to keep their energy and stay healthy in a world that is not only unaware of their experiences, but too often condemns them and worsens their already difficult experiences. Be kind and ask questions with loving communication. Listening is learning. Asking nicely, with an open heart, is being loving and sensitive back. Have you heard anyone speak of the word ‘Sensitive’ as analogy for ‘Love’? Now you have because it is! Being sensitive to others is being loving towards others. Love is not something reserved for a few people in your life. This Universal Love is for all people, things, plants, animals, and places. It is for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and all everywhere. Patience is needed when learning, so be patient, as learning about a Sensitive World is going to take imagination, until you understand. It may sound extreme because, for us, it is. The pain is so extreme and often sudden, a non-aware person might not feel it right away, but it would still affect them right away, only realizing it in another form later on.
Much of which we feel is chronic, meaning the world is not changing its’ levels of pollution, and we have to endure it, sort it, combat it, heal it, and rebuild from it every day. Think of it as if your whole world, your house, your job, your health, everything crashed every day, and you have to rebuild it all. When ill, more levels of sensitivity can more easily layer on top of the already heightened ones. Senses that were extremely aware were overstimulated too much, caused injury, or were abused can cause such conditions where the senses are blasted out. For example, sound can be incredibly much louder (hyperacusis) which can cause partial deafness when there is no break from the ‘deafening’ wall of sound, the brain and eyes have challenging aura or blindness, walking can be too painful, or chemicals can affect skin much more quickly or more extremely. Sensitive people are often misunderstood as their painful suffering can be mistaken for unrelated things in a quick moment, glanced at by an unaware person. Inflicting sensitive people with experiences that are painful for them is abuse. Become aware of your affect on people, and treat everyone uniquely. There is no blanket way to treat everyone, expecting the same reaction. Treat everyone with love, patience, and empathy, including your Self.
If you are sensitive, loving the Self, even if others do not, is very important. Listen to you Self and do what you need to do to be healthy in peaceful ways. When the world is painful for sensitive people, we often accrue illness that layers on new and very dangerous illnesses. It makes us even more sensitive, which is still not a weakness, though it might look like it, but it is a great strength because it takes energy that we constantly have to keep rebuilding. We have to keep adapting and become stronger because of the unhealthy things in the world. It’s beyond exhausting, which is one of the illnesses -chronic exhaustion.
Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll never use the word ‘sensitive’ as an insult, and if you hear someone doing so, you can now educate them and say: “Sensitivity is a Strength!” If you meet someone that says they are sensitive, you can say with a warm empathic smile, “That is so wonderful! If there is anything you think we can do differently to help everyone’s senses keep their energy, please let me know.”
Everyone is sensitive about something, on different levels of awareness, and has various combinations of sensitivity. We can come back to an understanding by raising awareness, having conversations, and remembering that all of us are sensitive people who need help with something. Why not help everyone by making acceptance and inventive flexibility a standard way of making positive changes? Things change all the time, and we adapt, so let’s change things for the better, to improve health for all with natural easy ways, such as fresh air and day light, a less cluttered, loud world. See how easily the senses come back down to a healthy rhythm to balance the body and reduce illness. This, in turn, let’s us solve issues and be more mindfully productive, making sustainable choices in all we do!
Everything is simple, but hardly anyone sees it like that. All the planes merge in one space, but not many are aware. More helpful tips for unlayering into awareness are coming up! Remember, awareness is freedom! It is understanding. It is Love!
My company collections, especially the bookshop and blog posts, raise awareness for Love and Gentleness so that all kinds of sensitive people, (which includes all children), can live in this world and feel safe, peaceful, and healthy. If we can change harmful, negative words, emotions, attitudes, and environments to be healthy ones for sensitive people, our gifts can shine and make massively positive connections and solutions for all. We all live in the same world, but many of us highly sensitive, highly aware people are suffering health-wise, socially, in the work place, and just everywhere from noisy, bright restaurants to our own homes polluted by others’ stress, overwhelming environmental settings, and pollution of all kinds. True sustainability is being mindful, respectful, and loving of people and places. In our homeschool classes here, we teach and learn about all kinds of ways people live. It’s not only about what people eat, wear, and the languages they speak. There is a universal language that all people share across all countries and time. It is awareness. It is Love!
Children’s classrooms and library book reading sessions are great places to have a peaceful place that is soft for the senses. Children may sometimes like to make sounds, but they surely do not like being surrounded by loud sounds. They need to feel safe, and their body needs to be at rest, and not in distress. Fresh air is beneficial to all, not just fresh air systems, but windows opened to let in natural air prevents illness. Fresh air gives energy that can be used to learn wonderful things! I’ll be posting more on this blog about what we all can do to be more aware and sensitive.
Amor Milagre signifies Miracle Love. There is a universal light that shines when real love ignites infinitely. Real love is always miraculous. “Live in the Light! Fill yourself up with love from within, and let it flow into everything you do! Surround yourself with Love!” ~Amor Milagre
Amor Milagre’s ‘A Gentle Life Collection’ may be helpful for everyone, especially for: Empaths, Synesthetes, Highly Sensitive People (HSP), Highly Intuitive People, Earth Angels, Light Workers, INFJ’s and all personality types, All Children, and Nature-Lovers.
This very important, universal message is included in my A Gentle Life Book Collection.
Our family is always thankful for the gifts we share. A favourite gift is one we gave to ourselves, a menu for Thanksgiving (+ every day and for all holiday meals) that is simple, delicious, vegan, organic, sugarless, and just what we like! We did keep the cranberry sauce on the table, but this is how we make it:
Cranberry Sauce
Organic Vegan Ingredients:
To a pot, we add a bag/bunch of whole cranberries, grown and harvested from a responsible, organic local farm. Add some water, cinnamon, a tiny pinch of pink salt, a crack of black pepper, and a lid. Simmer for ~ 5 minutes until soft. Sir, serve, and enjoy!
This recipe is included in my upcoming Cozy Winter Cookbook, containing vegan organic sugarless recipes that are simple and pleasurable to make. These fruits are already sweet, so no ‘sugar’ is needed, but if you need to, you could add a tiny bit of natural sweetness with agave or date syrup.
Cranberries are lovely to eat throughout all four seasons, hot or cold just like a jam or fruit spread. Dried cranberries are so versatile and can be used in fresh salads, dry nut mixes, in your morning oatmeal, baked in breads, and dotted over cold food salads and baked dishes. Cranberries are a superfood and a good source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, as well as providing several other beneficial minerals. They taste great, and if you’re new to them, take a little bit and keep trying until you’re used to it. You might just love these red bog jewels! They pair well with: starches like toast and potatoes, green leafy vegetables, beets, and they compliment other rich flavours such as a velvety mushroom sauce on pasta. Cranberries are amazing in pies, turnovers, tarts, crumbles, or served warm as a dessert with vegan icecream, with melted cacao, or on their own.
Unlike some other berries, this type was first named for the plant appearance itself, and not for the colour of the berry or plant name. Cranberries originally got their name, Crane Berry, when settlers saw the plants’ flowers, and they thought the petals resembled the shape of a crane’s bill and head. We’re going to try to grow some crane berries next year. They like wet conditions and are grown from cuttings. They are wild, native plants so hopefully it works well. Stay tuned for our new gardens in 2020!
I made this brilliantly red sweet-tart side dish last night, and to the little diners’ delight, it only took a moment to cook. Who says Thanksgiving dinner needs to be time consuming or stressful to prepare? Or happen all on one day? We like to celebrate the whole week with small simple pleasures. Who planned the traditional odd menu of heavy foods that don’t really go well together or feel good to eat together? It’s a juggling act of timing for the cook, who often does the cleaning and decorating as well. Emotions transfer into food. We’re mindful to cook with Love and Patience for a soothing day. Moderation is a nice option as well. 🙂 You can always enjoy leftovers the week through, and they often taste better the next day anyways. We’ve redesigned our holidays so we can relax and enjoy our day together in our new, quiet home. I prefer the European menus with smaller amounts, but a balance of flavours and nutrition. We like the plant foods in the usual spread, but we choose one at a time and mix them with lighter dishes for better digestion and more enjoyment of dining. Remember, you may do what you like. There are no rules for designing a holiday menu. Which dishes are your favourites from all time? A gracious Thank You! for connecting with us here, and a very Happy Healthy Thanksgiving to you and your Dear Ones! XOXO Amor Milagre
Our Biggest Sale Yet! Save 25% Storewide on All Products with Checkout Code: HOLIDAY (Now through Dec. 2nd)
This is my favourite season! Here is a helpful sale for you to find unique, personalized gifts for your Dear Ones. All collections are ethically handmade with positive energy and the greatest care. For books, message your inscription details. For custom orders, message your ideas. For you, I hope your Winter is dear and loving! I love being a part of your gift giving surprises! Before you shop this season, see what you already have! Happy Holidays, XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Painting It White! The trees, the walls, the cracks between garden stones, the sky, the chimney, the windows, and the page. A world transformed over night! There are many fun things to do at the first snowfall, and here are ten ideas to try. Happy Early Holidays! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
At first snowfall this year, we’re doing these 10 things and lots more to come:
As the seasons change, so do we. We slow down by changing mindsets from gardening outside to playing in the snow: making snow animals & angels, taking snowy strolls, and going sledding.
The music selection changes to more cheerful holiday favourites, cozy moody winter songs, and ancient lullabies.
The menu switches from light garden fare to sumptuous soups and stews, homemade bread, and sweet roasted vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, and potatoes.
Journaling to process the previous season, which was quite busy, is always a good relief, source of relaxation, and goal inspiration for the season ahead. This helps to live in and enjoy the present moment.
Attention to the other side of nature, the structures, is a fascinating study of mine, and will soon be reflected in new Winter Collections. How do the branches intersect? How does each snowflake lay softly down? Who darts up trees and perches by your window in beautifully coloured furs and feathers?
The quiet stillness is a productive time for empaths and creatives. We can unwind and let go, thus allowing so many new positive messages and expressions to be effortlessly released.
Decorating is so much fun for all ages. We love having Dear Ones over to decorate the tree. Little touches, simple and uncluttered, allows us to see the room and the baubles. At the first sign of snowflakes, we swiftly got out the white paper and scissors, and made our craft for the day: windows of snowflakes, each one unique.
We adore letter writing and card sending with picture updates and newsy notes on what is happening here, in town, and with Dear Ones. Decorating the back of envelopes is fun for little artists.
As the snow lightens the exterior, we lighten the interior with fresh paint to reflect the natural light.
A delicious pleasure is to change out accent pillow cases, bedding, art in frames, and little dinnerware pieces to be more full of holly, velvet, and wintery warmth.
For fun learning in the day, and soft peaceful sleep at night, there are many gifts to give this holiday to help little ones thrive, play, and rest. The best one is Love. Here is a list of some children’s gifts that we appreciate.
This gift guide list is a part of my new ‘Favourite Series’ which I’ll add to each season. The only books and gifts on the lists that I know for sure are ethically made are from my own handmade collections. The items here are chosen by the young, and as a parent, I agree that these are helpful, fun, and beautiful. This is the children’s list! Happy Gift-Giving! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
We love one or all of these: (using healthy, cozy, non-toxic, sustainable materials)
A Mini Hurdy Gurdy is a great stocking stuffer. It’s a tiny music box that cranks specific a well known song, and the boxes are often decorated in beautiful famous paintings and holiday cheer. Little hands love to play music wherever they go
Russian Nesting Doll
Stationery, personalized and winter-themed, thank you cards
Cooperative games
Souvenirs, handcrafted, from trips around the world
Library kit with date stamper and book cards
Wooden cars, train sets, blocks
Framed 1st Footprint & handprint with baby name, birthday, height, weight, and memorable notes about their birth.
Holiday clothes – soft, organic, non-toxic, natural vegetable colour dyes, good fit
Healthy foods in a basket, glass food contains with lids, fun themed lunch boxes and travelling drink cups with lids, teaching little ones how to cook & bake, inclusiveness
Silly made up bedtime stories, and more hugs and kisses.
As the first snow falls, reading books become even more of a sacred practice and pleasure. We like to read books from the local library before we give them as gifts to ensure their values and dearness. Here are a few fun ones to explore this holiday season!
This Children’s Book Reading List (View More Here) is a part of my new ‘Favourite Series’ which I’ll add to each season. I can only recommend the books on this list in the means of imagination, and not always for how each book is made. The only books on the lists that I know for sure are ethically made are my own handmade books. All of my books feature the benefits of learning. The books here are chosen by the young, and as a parent, I agree that these are helpful and beautiful. This is the children’s list! I won’t write our impressions, as it’s best to allow your first impression to be purely your own. Many more children’s book reading lists are coming up! Happy Reading! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
We connected dearly with these and read them many times over:
Mix It Up! – Hervé Tullet
When Santa Was A Baby – Linda Bailey, Genevieve Godbout
Dream Animals – Emily Winfield Martin
The Animal Book, A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth – David Burnie
Paddington’s Day Off – Michael Bond
Made for Me – Zach Bush
Giraffes Can’t Dance – Giles Andreae
It’s Great to Keep Calm, Let’s Get Along Books – Make Believe Ideas Ltd, Stuart Lynch
Hug Machine – Scott Campbell
Five Minute Bedtime Stories – Sam Taplin, Ag Jatkowska
Dear Girl (and… Dear Boy) – Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal
Snuggle up on a cozy rainy day this Autumn & Winter with humble, sweet children’s books. So funny, so darling…you’ll laugh and read the last word feeling refreshed, remembering how lovely the simple pleasures of life truly are.
This Children’s Book Reading List (View More Here) is a part of my new ‘Favourite Series’ which I’ll add to each season. I can only recommend the books on this list in the means of imagination, and not always for how each book is made. The only books on the lists that I know for sure are ethically made are my own handmade books. All of my books feature the benefits of learning. The books here are chosen by the young, and as a parent, I agree that these are helpful and beautiful. This is the children’s list! I won’t write our impressions, as it’s best to allow your first impression to be purely your own. Many more children’s book reading lists are coming up! Happy Reading! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
We connected dearly with these and read them many times over:
A Little House Picture Book Treasury – Laura Ingalls Wilder, Renee Graef
Owl at Home – Arnold Lobel
Mouse Soup – Arnold Lobel
Once Upon a Northern Night – Jean E. Pendziwol, Isabelle Arsenault
My favourite recipe: Evening, Painting, and Magic! View the New Illustrations for this very special upcoming children’s book, The Enchanted Tree. For the Love of Nature and All, XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Magical and golden. Restful and shimmering. A peaceful inspiring story of Nature. Beautiful celestial stationery and artwork options for the home, office, nursery, and any space! Gifts for the Self and for Dear Ones. All ages can enjoy these two new Autumnal Collections: Golden & Earthen, The Enchanted Tree. View the 1st post for this A Gentle Life Collection release here. More NEW paintings will be added in this week, XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Sweet friendly magical ones wish you a Happy Halloween today! Have a safe, fun, spooky, joyful, memorable, and lovely Halloween. As you fall asleep, remember your Dear Ones who have passed. See them smiling in the stars and sliding on the moon. Make a Wish on a Pumpkin for them and for you! XOXO ~Amor Milagre & The Crayon Club
Exploring in town is bewitching this fall with: picturesque views, interesting antique tales, Halloween decorations, and costume parties for all!We had a lot of fun decorating our new house this October with an Autumnal witch, a pumpkin here, a mouse mummy there, and candles all around. So many new stories are inspired by home. Winter holiday decor imagery is coming up!
After long rains, we ventured out into puddly soil and fresh morning air in wellies and our ‘Monty Don blues’ (a favourite before we knew of him and that he adores blues for gardening, too.) Dear little plants nestled into their newly raked flower beds. Many deep roots and overgrown misplaced plants were moved and removed from beds near the house to allow for lower evergreen perennial gardens. This design plan helps the house look grander, cozier, visible, and darling. It also allows for more plants. A symphony of beautiful plants, timed to the rhythms of the seasons. Whites, creams, apricots, plums, and pinks are on the planting menu this month. Tulips, alliums, and daffodils of varying textures and hues pair well with an old bulb digger shovel. A faerie garden for white and apricot foxglove and other English cottage garden flowers is carefully being planted, each wonderfully beautiful seed at a time, in between delicate moss and mushrooms and under a carpet of golden leaves. We’re careful not to tread on anyone sleeping under leaf tents while planting magic for Spring.
For a natural planting, think of the wind and soil! How does the wind carry crisp Autumn flower seeds to new homes? How do bulbs expand their homes naturally under the soil and how do animals help? Plant in small groups, here and there. Not lined up, but in cozy clusters, with the recommended spacing and planting depth. Think of how plants look in Nature, huddled in little families by a river bank or dotted and spread across a field of infinite plant species. Think of the heights of each plant, the colours, the textures, bloom times, sun exposure, wind, temperature, soil, and drainage. For many bulbs and seeds, Winter’s cold temperatures activate the plant to grow in the Spring & Summer. It’s important to learn which ones needs this and which need immediate planting in warm soil, like tomato seeds in early Summer. After lots of planting, stretching the legs with a walk about the garden is good before washing up. How simply luxurious it feels to get your hands ‘dirty’ while planting exciting colours for Spring!
Have fun, too! If you’re upset or rushed when planting, it may show when time comes for blooms. Singing or humming to your plants is positive energy that will help them grow and please yourself as you plant. Researching your plants and taking pleasure in learning about them will help create an ease before planting time. No need to mark everything while mixing your bulbs and seeds, as the whole garden would be covered in markers. Developing a memory of plants is a good practice, and a journal helps keep track of plants between seasons (Coming Soon to My Shop!), as well as video diaries and pictures. Add in other perennials amongst them. How beautiful it is to have a mixture of unique beings all together in one garden bed! What a joy it is to express through the living medium of gardening. No painting is as delicate and breath-giving as a shimmering velvety translucent flower petal, thought of by the ever impressive Mamma Nature. An idea, first mapped out through paints on paper, then come to life in the Earth, breathing fresh air and swaying in the wind!
Remember the magic from centuries and eons ago. It’s in the soil! Everything grows from the soil. Once upon a time, soil health was at the forefront of all minds because, as it still is today, it is vital for our existence and daily life. It is also the source of great imagination! Stop pollution and take great care of our past, present, and future. (Paving is a type of pollution). Organic composting and caring for our garden soil is of great importance for all. Soil health is a big resource, priority, and responsibility. Think of all who live in the soil. Worms are a great resource, as are all wildlife. Grow your own organic foods for optimal health and great enjoyment. Gardening is helpful exercise for body, mind, heart, and soul. Growing plants from seeds and bulbs encourages strength and hardiness for the plants. It aids in a positive personal character and growing lasting patience for the gardener. It teaches us which plants like to grow where. There is a relationship there, if gardeners listen to the Earth. So many answers speak to us. What colours, textures, shapes, scents, and senses would you like to encourage to grow in your garden? Think long term. Take care and time. A garden can grow in any size space from pot to field. Everyone is a gardener.
More gardening posts are coming up, and stay tuned to see these darlings bloom next Spring & Summer. Little voices whisper to each bulb and seed as they’re planted, “Sleep well in your Winter bed, see you soon, sweet dreams, I love you!” Happy Autumn Gardening! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
A quiet walk under the swaying trees. Laying on a blanket of uniquely beautiful leaves. A harvest festival in town or garden. Revealing treasures from a box marked “Autumn” and a sip of warm spiced cider kindle our hearts. Bunny ears and witch hats patiently wait on the mudroom bench for their big day. There are so many delights this season for us all to enjoy! We’re washing sweaters and trying on last year’s coats, hats, and mittens. Little ones grow with the trees. Puzzles and ghost paintings sleep scattered on tarped floors. Closets change over into plum knits and sienna layers. Anise stars spin in pots on the stove, waking the Autumn elves each morning. Crows soar and call all day, and pumpkins line the lane. Spring flower bulbs are tucking into their new garden beds. Paint swatches are being untaped from walls, and rollers kiss the dust away. Windows are now clean and clear to view the rustling trees, and soon sweet delicate snowflakes. Yesterday, Nature’s colours were bright, and overnight, they’ve turned crisp, golden, & earthen. The leaves are falling fast, so let’s all get out and dance: crunch, scuffle, shuffle! Happy Golden Leaf Week & Happy Birthday Autumn Babies, Make a Wish! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
XO in Cinnamon Sticks and Star Anise. Love everything you do and feel it in your food!A birthday apple party is fun and scents our new home in a warm spicy cloud of Autumn’s fresh orchards. What do you wish for this season?Vegan hot cacao is easy to make and very delicious. Use an organic nut milk and raw cacao. If you need to add something sweet, date syrup or agave syrup is nice. Just use a tiny bit and mix all together. Don’t forget the cinnamon, breathe, and enjoy! New Organic Vegan Cookbooks are coming this Winter 2020.
Rain drips from golden leaves outside my window. Last night, I watched them dance in the windy night and I painted my first picture in our new home, at Christmas Rose Cottage. Inky gold dust sang a lullaby, and a release of joy to be useful again burst from brushes and charcoal! Another followed, and an entire story filled hungry pages. A children’s book and artwork (originals, art prints, and stationery) for this fresh fall collection will breeze into the shop this week & more this Autumn.
My collections appear in the shop, available to purchase, as they are made. This allows my dear customers to snap up the original paintings, first prints, first greeting cards & stationery sets, and first book printings as I am working on the collections in real time. They are new for me and for you! The Enchanted Tree Collection will be the first in the Golden & Earthen Collection, new additions and a part of my Growing Collections. This collection of artwork has backgrounds and imagery adorned in Earthen hues and glorious golden dust. The soft colours feel beautiful for your interiors and senses. The golden pieces catch the light so you Live in the Light from morning to night. The Figure Drawing Collection will grow and be added into Golden & Earthen, as well as other categories. The collections are not only seasonal, but rather they grow as the years dance on and as positive memories are made here at Amor Milagre. This year, many collections will be released, several who have been waiting patiently for us to move and unpack. The Enchanted Tree is like these collections in the encouragement and Love for Nature and A Gentle Life! It is lovely for all ages. More Soon, XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Ethical, Organic, Made-to-Order, Lovingly Handmade by 1 Person: Amor Milagre.
Sustainable Packaging and Quick Shipping directly to you.
Responsibly Sourced Materials, Non-Toxic Materials and Natural Colours.
Live in the Light!
Music of the Moment: The Old Gypsy, The Paganini Duo, Gustaw Szelski on violin, and Georg Mertens on guitar, in the Cathedral Chamber, part of the Lucas Cave at Jenolan Caves, world’s oldest Cave (340 million years).
Save 15% Storewide on All Products with Checkout Code: FALL19 (Now through Nov. 30th)
This is my favourite season! It is also my favourite time to stock up on holiday gifts to inspire a lovely, relaxing holiday. I’ve enjoyed my shopping, and now I can have fun in other ways like: cooking, decorating, painting, and rustling through leafy seas. Here is a helpful sale for you to find unique, personalized gifts for your Dear Ones. All collections are ethically handmade with positive energy and the greatest care. For books, message your inscription details. For custom orders, message your ideas. For you, I hope your Autumn and Winter are dear and loving! I love being a part of your gift giving surprises! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Music of the Moment: This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), Natalie Cole
‘The right plant in the right place’ gardening principle is all about choosing the right plant, that you love, and placing it in the right conditions (soil, wind, air, water, sun, temperature, etc), but also in the right place in the garden.
Our house renovations extend into the garden as the overgrown shrubs and trees were placed too near the house walls, windows, and doors years ago. Choosing the right plant for the expected mature growth is also very important. Yes, all the baby plants look tiny and darling when you first tuck them into their new beds, but oh how they will grow! The plants in our garden here are over 30 years old and many look lovely as a hedge border, but too many are sick because they are too near manmade structures and are not getting the proper amount of light and air circulation. House foundation and siding issues are common for old houses that have large, deeply rooted, plants too near the house walls. This week, we’ve been busy removing such large plants, but it’s sad to cut any living plant. For empaths, it hurts. It’s very important to choose and place your plants in a well-planned spot because they spend their whole lives striving, growing, and surviving the conditions you place them in, only to be cut down at their beautiful peak.
Everyone can design their gardens with the knowledge of plants so that we may look out the windows to admire them, sit amongst them with a cup of tea, take care of them over a long loving lifetime, and so they may proudly grow in beauty and age undisturbed. Research your plants before you add them into the Earth, move them, prune, or remove them.
*All ages enjoy Nature, gardening, and plants. Nature calms the nerves, solves problems, and restores us to our real Selves. This state opens our ‘Light of Love’ up to the knowledge of the Universe, and this helps us, here, in our daily lives. Be kind to your plants and they will continue to take great care of you, too. Live in Nature, where life makes sense…
Plants provide beautiful sound barriers as well as creating fresh oxygen for us all. They are dependable homes for all living animals and insects, and inspire us to live outside more. If you do have to cut branches, place them in the woods or in a spot in your garden to make a nice organic compost pile. This also makes a nice home for your garden dwelling wildlife. Today, we made a kind of burrow stack in the side woods and invited all the animals and faeries to nestle in before Winter. Back into the Earth to renew and provide nutrients for a most precious gift, Soil.
How difficult are the roots to remove? Probably very as that is their beautiful design. Will everyone like the plants you’re adding? Yes, at some point, we all move on and new gardeners come in. It’s tricky to please everyone as plants keep our connections and memories, but if we let go and sense the plants as they truly are, we can appreciate them as they are, connected in Nature. We couldn’t help but notice that rhododendrons are tricky ones. Roots spreading sideways like walking trees…so many roots and shoots. These plants need space, so next to a house is not a good place for them, especially if left to grow into a hedge.
Our new garden plans are coming up so please stay tuned! In the meantime, take a wander outside into the botanical world and browse your library. Experience the marvels of Nature. You can save seeds and spread Nature everywhere again, while keeping in mind to preserve our silly manmade structures, so we use less of Nature’s resources to rebuild our neglected, non-living contraptions. Exploring how Nature grows proves human invention nonsensical. How truly smart Nature is…how she weaves all her creations together in such a harmonious world of inclusiveness. We are the ones who are getting in her way. Oh, how I wish I were the wind, a snail, a fox, or a more natural human…perhaps I once was and will be again…but for now, I’ll take care of her and us. Happy Nature Explorations! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Tee Collection: Organic Cotton Apparel is 100% Certified Organic and GOTS Certified. The fabric is very soft and washes well. The ink is eco-friendly, sustainably made, and non-toxic. A small amount of this tee collection is available from the limited printed series of original graphic designs from my Children’s Books, the Collector’s Edition (Hand Designed, Silkscreened, and Cured.) Snap up these fun, spooky gifts for your little trick-or-treaters!
Here are just a few images and snippets of the home we built with loving hearts and hands.
Goodnight, Dove Cottage
Our new house renovation will begin soon!
XOXO ~Amor Milagre
The new house designs are planned and will be excitedly shared here as each room is updated. Good designs take time to grow just as a garden evolves in time. A house is not finished and full all at once. Over the years, we can make and stumble upon things to adorn the walls and sketchbooks. Renovations will be appearing in this Amor Milagre journal and design books in the coming seasons. Our new home will provide more time for me to release many collections, as well as a quieter lifestyle for our family. We hope no one pollutes our new reverie as they did our darling Dove Cottage. All the good memories we do have from this house are layered with the stress of the sound pollution. We look forward to truly wonderful and healthy memories.
My book characters were born here, inspiring silly dreams at bedtime, many of which are still waiting to jump into the Shop. My husband hand-cleared the land for the house, made paths in the woods by walking his adored daily stroll in the trees years before we met. Later, we married in our wooded haven. We watched a family of deer cross the snowy yard every twilight. Toys danced on the new FSC Certified flooring and little hands circled their first crayon masterpiece, making first storybooks. New vegan recipes shined in the organic no-dig garden and were enjoyed at the table. Illustrations graced the walls, beautifully papered with non-toxic, unscented materials. Radiant heat kept us cozy in the cold months, and mini-split heat pumps cooled us on hot days. All would have been more enjoyable if we could feel the breeze through our new rooms, but the sound pollution from machines, highways, deforestation, and disrespectful new neighbours increased to a level so hard to exist in, our beautiful new large windows that brought Nature in, had to stay closed. No open fresh air means ill health, even with a mechanical ventilation system. Where is common curtesy? Where is compassion? Where are manners and human dignity? Where is Love for all living things? We’re hopefully moving there…or at least we will continue to encourage these loving practices wherever we go…
‘Dove Cottage’ is only now ‘finished’ because we are leaving it. A home is never ‘done’, but rather it changes over time and when in new hands. We only just now finished the interior projects in order to move, some varying from our plans, and after all of our work, we haven’t even been able to live in the finished spaces due to our hastened move caused by sound pollution. Though we did carve out some lovely exterior gardens, we haven’t had time to finish the garden plans around the house to share. Our sacrifice, work, money, muscle, patience, and every second from the past several years was dedicated to Dove Cottage. All was done by our loving hands and imagination with good health in mind for each choice. We told the house to share the Loving Energy we gave her to the new owners and visitors.
*Humans need to realize what they are doing to their own lives and everything all over. Deforestation destroys ecosystems and sound barriers. Machines (and neighbours even after speaking to them and then reporting them) need to stop polluting in every way. We hope to regain our hearing that was lost and to recover from illnesses and stress made by constant sound pollution. It is very serious and needs awareness to be made for it in order for healthy long-term changes to be made worldwide. We hope to build a new home to last many lifetimes in a peaceful place for good health, and not suffer anymore from the selfishness of others. That was what our Dove Cottage was supposed to be and why every second was pushed for it so that at some point we could settle in and truly live. The nomadic life is exhausting and upsetting. Everyone craves ‘home’, wherever that is for them. We simply want to go home.
Leaving our home was made worse by the current system for selling and buying. The real estate system is dysfunctional and massively problematic to endure. It has failed us since Spring. It is completely unorganized, out of order, and one late email or misplaced paper from any one of the many people involved can cause an entire deal to fall apart after the last second is up. The incredibly hectic, unrealistic way it operates is unacceptable. Everyone who speaks of it has their own terrible tale. We have informed the ‘people in charge’ of this system of healthy ideas for a complete redesign of this industry. You can use your voice to change this system. Find your state board of realtors to let them know how troubling this system is. They are aware of the issues, but don’t even apologize for it. “That’s the way it is…” they say. For everyone’s sake, they need to change it. It’s not a nice work day for them either. For us, it’s been yet another challenge to untangle. We don’t want to just get through it, forget it, and move on to more positive things because, if there is an issue that affects everyone, we must try to change it to be positive for everyone. It is still our problem even after we move. What if we have to move again, or our friend needs to move, or anyone needs to move? We don’t want the same system to impair our children’s life later on..or now. There is no steadiness for planning. Everything is last minute and you can’t count on it. It causes you to tell your children unreliable information and that is confusing and distressing to your daily life, memories, and planning. Every detail of life is on hold and disturbed for who knows how long. The fees are too high, and not affected by poor performance; there is no pay reduction consequence for missing deadlines or poor communication. We had to do most of the work ourselves to get anything done. Another industry that needs more care, healthier options, and to charge less is the construction business. We build our houses ourselves because we have to, even though we have very little time with both of us working full time jobs and parenting. The local contractors overcharge and don’t provide healthy practices or good craftsmanship. They also pollute your home, as does the real estate system, even when scent/pollution rules are set for showings and appointments.
***We really care about what we do, whether that is making a family dinner, designing our home, or painting up collections for the Amor Milagre Shop.What we all do matters greatly to everyone and our Selves.
Each industry needs a re-design with Good Health for All as the focus. What industries have you been involved in or have experience with? How can you make healthy choices and changes? Let’s not ignore problems. Let’s resolve them.
We dearly hope to at long last be settled and sleep well, even though we have to start over once again, rebuilding an old house, after building an efficient lovely new one with amazing healthy features and non-toxic sustainable beautiful materials. It’s amazing how truly hard it has been, having a baby, being ill, working, building, enduring and rebuilding our life every day just because the people around us do not care about their effect on the world. All with little to no sleep due to neighbours and highways (deforestation). Not being able to open the windows due to sound pollution causes so many illnesses and all can be prevented. Fresh air, oxygen, is vital. The nervous system and immune system need to feel safe, quiet, calm, and nurtured for good whole health. Trusting your instincts is important, but exhausting if all you hear is threatening sound pollution. Life does not need to be so difficult, complex, and painful. Life, by Nature, is absolutely beautiful, if we let it be beautiful for all of us, every day connecting with Nature. Be aware, be kind, be sensical, be gentle, be loving, be purely you! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
We Moved! All New Orders Will Ship Upon Reopening Oct 8th.
New Autumnal treats will be migrating into the shop this October, including new ethical Stationery and Book Collections!
A Spooky Halloween Tee Sale is going on now through October 31st: Save an extra 15% on All Organic Toddler Tees! Limited designer hand-printed series. Very soft, non-toxic, and fun for your little trick-or-treaters! Use checkout code: HALLOTEENY.
The Shop will be ready to ship new orders beginning again October 13th.
Happy Autumn! XOXO ~Amor Milagre
Music of the Moment: The Lonely Spider, Lhasa De Sela
