That old banana peel is worth gold

I got your attention didn’t I? Ha, seriously though banana peels, egg shells, leftover food gone bad is literal GOLD to your yard and garden beds.

Composting has become somewhat of a fascination for me, for some reason I enjoying mixing rotting food with dirt! lol okay so I’ll get down to the nitty gritty, composting is absolutely the BIGGEST thing you can do to help the environment. Why? Here are some incredible facts about food waste:

• Waste costs big money, approximately $55 per ton in 2019 and the U.S. generates more than 267 million tons!! That’s alot of money and waste that we could save. (source NRDC)

• Food & scrape waste makes up more than 28% of what we throw away. That is a high percentage that we can cut down on.

• Composting greatly improves our soil by putting back much needed elements back into the ground such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

• Helps retain water, each 1% of increase in soil organic matter helps soil retain 20,000 gallons of water per acre.

With all that being said, when we all take this action as a collective it can have HUGE implications for our community, state and country. For example San Francisco began a city wide composting program in 1996, and as of the year 2000 San Francisco was able to divert 50% of waste from landfills and by 2012 it had increased this and now 80% of waste has been diverted from landfills. How incredible is that?

Okay so composting is good and all but HOW DO YOU COMPOST? I honestly had no clue until my inlaws gave us several buckets, we created a garden bed, dug up dirt and VOILA, we have a composting system. There are many different ways to compost but I’m going to give you the bare bones EASIEST way to do it.

1. Purchase a kitchen counter compost bin. Usually they’re steel or ceramic and can be purchased online or maybe your local hardware store.

2. Purchase 3 large bins (we got ours from Lowe’s)

3. Create a garden bed, it can be whatever size you like, we have a longer one, any raised bed will do.

4. Fill your garden bed with dirt and plant something

Now that you have all the se steps in place you can begin composting. And there are a couple things to keep in mind on what you can compost:

• Food scraps with the exception of bones, meat or dairy (these attract animals and it’s not meant to be composted)

• Layer your food scraps with dirt. at the bottom of your bin have a small layer of dirt, then food scraps & then dirt or straw

Now isn’t that simple? It does require a little bit of elbow grease and it’s totally worth it when we do this individually and collectively. Plus, that compost dirt is super rich and beneficial for your garden. You’ll love getting dirty and connecting with our Mother Earth - she gives us so much, it’s the least we can do.

I hope you enjoyed this post, I want to share with you my methods of centering your mind & heart and ways to ground you.

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Which Goddess are you?

I can recall the exact moment I fell in love with mythology. I was sitting in detention after school because I was ALWAYS running late to class. And I had picked up a Greek mythology book at the library. The tales were extraordinary, out of this world, and the goddesses?!!! I was sold on how badass and freaking cool the Greek Goddesses were. I mean Athena?! She led the Greeks to battle, they worshiped her.

Enter my late 20’s and I find myself obsessed with Morgana of the Celtic mythology and how she could shapeshift into various magical animals. Goddesses had powers unheard of for humans, and thus my love affair began.

Eilisain Jewelry is not only inspired by the animals used in the process (completely ethically of course) but also mythology, specifically goddesses. Celebrating the feminine divine has been important to me since I began creating jewelry. As you see with each collection there is a paired Goddess or famed character of fantasy such as Ondine or Ursula. Each goddess represents an aspect of life, the rebirth, the celestial and the wildness of the world.

So which goddess most identifies with you? Curious? Take the quiz below to find out! Enjoy my dears!!

Winter Reading List

Here’s your recommended reading list from a bibliophile. Reading is so lovely in the winder as its the perfect excuse to lay in bed longer!

1. Help Yourself - A Guide to Gut Health for People Who Love Delicious Food by Lindsay Maitland Hunt. I randomly picked up this cookbook at my local library and I love Lindsay’s honesty with her own struggles and all the research she did on gut health. I’ve already tried the pickled shallots and I’m working on several more. You will learn so much reading this book, and maybe change some eating habits.

2. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow - Another fun find at the library, although dense this book satisfied my craving for a fantasy filled story. Three sisters with magic in their blood. They rise up with fellow feminists and witches against an old and sexist male witch. I really love how Harrow weaved children’s rhymes as spells and ancient words. It was a long read but such a perfect escapist book.

3. Badass Habits by Jen Sincero - I loved Sincero’s first book, You Are A Badass and this book takes it to the next level with a 21 day challenge. Jen is so honest and raw about her own struggles, plus she’s funny! I’ve been applying her methods of rewards for good habits but also repeating my mantra daily. This book will inspire you to look at what you do on a daily basis and perhaps make some changes.

4. How to be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi - I am an ally and in being one to BLM (Black Lives Matter), feminism and LGBTQ+ and in being one I also want to educate myself on antiracism. Kendi is very thorough in his research, going back to the first instance of racism. I also appreciate his honesty in his own journey of antiracist work. You’ll not only get a thorough education on our American history but how racism has evolved and how you can be a part of the change to dismantle it.

Winter is the perfect time to settle in at home with a stack of books, a beverage of your choice and cozy warm socks! I hope you enjoyed this blog post, subscribe below to get notified of new posts and sales!

Why You Should Invest In An Oracle Deck

Happy New year earth angles!!! It’s about dang time I do a blog post AND let’s kick this 2021 off year with ORACLE DECKS.

I got several new decks and I want to share them with you. I gotta tell you when I began my journey with divination and oracle cards over 20 years ago, it was NOT AS common and popular as they are today. Some people buy decks like lattes! They’re that addictive.

Ok so how do oracle decks differ from tarot? Well there aren’t as many cards as there are in a tarot deck and each oracle deck differs from each other. The one commonality is that it’s used as a tool of divination, oracles are more broad and touch upon the bigger themes in life.

For example my newest oracle deck, Dreamscape features themes that span from animal patronus to deities from across cultures. I’m really in love with this deck as it features stunning Art Novueau style illustration and design plus the messages are so deep and intense.

When/how to use oracle decks - I like using my decks as part of my morning alignment session. So after I meditate and pray I’ll close my eyes, shuffle my cards and ask the spirit realm what lessons I need to think about for the day. You can do readings just as you would with a tarot deck, for example laying out three cards to represent mind/body/spirit or past/present/future etc. You can also chose a card of the day. There truly are no rules to how to use an oracle deck.

Oracle cards provide a deeper meaning and understanding to our lives AND it grounds us in the present moment to listen, get quiet and dig deeper into our dreams and desires and fears.

Here is a brief list of my favorite oracle decks:

!. Dreamscape Orackle deck by Matt Hughes - As I stated above Matt’s art work is absolutely dreamy, gorgeous and harkens to the art nouveau period. I also love that Matt incorporates Goddesses and themes across all cultures.

2. Healing with Angels Oracle deck with Doreen Virtue - This is probably my first oracle deck, I can’t recall as I purchased it over 20 years ago. Doreen has a more christian view on the deck however these cards are so encouraging and provide a beautiful guide to tapping into our unconscious.

3. Threads of Fate - The ladies (Blaire Porter and Brit June) behind this oracle deck did a beautiful job of incorporating several elements in one card. For example with the patience card it features a turtle and a gemstone and herb. You get three in one teachings! The designs paired with gold embossing adds an ephemeral quality to them that is just divine.

4. The Celtic Tree Oracle - Being the Celt obsessed pagan that I am, this deck has been with me for awhile. Trees are ancient and across cultures & religions have been connected to the divine so it makes sense that they would be incorporated into an oracle. What I love about this deck is that they provide a notepad and guide on how to lay out your reading.

Just as there are many, many tarot decks available so are oracle and my best recommendation is to purchase one that resonates with you and treat them as you would any other divination tool, with curiosity and reverence.

I hope you enjoyed my post and you subscribe to my email list so that I can share more of my references and resources with you. Tapping into your inner teacher can have a profound impact on your life and is never time wasted.

How to Create Your Own Sacred Space

Since I was in my early twenties I’ve kept a ‘sacred space’, I put that in quotes because in reality it has always been an altar. A space where I can reflect and recall my spirituality and the divine High spirit. Altars are in nearly every religion, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and many others.

A sacred space can truly be anywhere or any space. What makes it sacred? The intention you have for it. You can easily have a space with photos and candles but if you don’t come to it with a spiritual intention than it’s a shelf or coffee table. Over the years my space has evolved and changed, since the beginning I used a plastic storage bin with a pretty cloth over it. Your space doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, as long as you can worship near it.

So with that said, how do you create a sacred space? The most important part is the place, I’d recommend it be somewhere that is private or won’t be bothered too much by anyone you live with. You can create a space on a bookshelf or next to your bed or even in a closet! As long as it’s private and comfortable. Here is a brief list of some of the things I like to keep in my sacred space:

1. Candles - lighting a candle can mark the beginning of your ritual to call upon the High spirit or divinity. Plus they bring the element of fire!

2. Special mementos - I keep photos of my ancestors, postcards, crystals and keepsakes that very special people have gifted me.

3. Plants - Greenery in your space reminds you of the sacredness of Mother Earth and our connection to her, plus it just brightens up a space.

4. Pillows - You’re going to need some back support and comfort if you’re sitting or laying near your space. You want to be comfortable in order to quiet your mind and center your focus.

5. Books - I keep a Celtic prayer book at my space that provides prayers for morning and night for each season. It’s one of my favorite books. Books can provide quick reference for you.

Now for the extra’s! Since we moved into our home four years ago, I will admit I now have the luxury of an entire room as a sacred space!! I can’t tell you how in love i am with my meditation room. It’s probably my favorite room in our home.

I went all out for this room, I purchased a faux fur rug (confession, I also use this rug as a display for shows!), more plants….alot more plants, mainly little cactus and succulents. I put all my books in here along with my tarot decks, incense and my meditation and work out gear. Here are some additional items I keep at my altar:

1. Chalice - the chalice represents water, the subconscious and the giving of my spirit to the divine.

2. Mirror - I just added a mirror so as to work on my shadow self and my confidence. I decided that when I have conversations with myself in the mirror it’s as if I truly am talking to myself, outside of myself if that makes any sense!

3. Goddess sculptures - I have a handmade goddess my friend made as well as several others that represent the Yin, she is the feminine divine.

4. Rosary - I was raised Catholic and there is still that young girl in me that adores the Catholic iconography and symbols.

A sacred space grants you the opportunity to tap into your higher self and the holy spirit. Now when I began my spiritual journey and practice I didn’t spend as much time there as I’d hoped I would. Sometimes I’d pray at night or in the morning but because I had a dedicated space to prayer and reflection it was a reminder to come back when i needed that quiet time. Recently, since I’ve begun a dedicated morning routine, my sacred space has become my haven. A space for me to dream, journal and reflect.

I also want to stress that since I’ve begun to practice my quiet reflective time, my gratitude for life has increased, my anxiety has decreased and most importantly I’ve found that I’m so much more intentional with my words and actions. This isn’t to say that my life is perfect or that I don’t have moments of self doubt and stress but the time spent reflecting has given me grace and patience with myself. With the chaos of the world our reflective and meditative time will help immensely with bringing peace and calm in our world, the one thing we can control is our reaction and our thoughts and that is truly powerful.

“With the chaos of the world our reflective and meditative time will help immensely with bringing peace and calm in our world, the one thing we can control is our reaction and our thoughts and that is truly powerful. ”

— Lisette Fee, owner and designer of Eilisain Jewelry

I hope that my post gives you inspiration and insight into the value of a sacred space. YOU deserve to be quiet yourself and a space to honor yourself. If you want to learn more about my spiritual practices and jewelry that celebrates the divinely powerful sign up for my email list above!

Thank you for reading and visiting my website. Have a beautiful day friends!

The Moon Phases and Learning to Work with Them

Where to begin, with this journey I’ve had with the moon lately. Somehow it all started to happen at once, the social media accounts the people I listen to on podcasts all of it started to have a theme…a lunar theme.

And then bam I became just like every other spiritual person on instagram, posting about the moon and the cycles. What really blew me away was this interesting and enlightening fact I learned from Kate Northrup, that the day and yearly cycles are geared toward a more masculine/yang way of doing things. The average business day matches a men’s cycle, they are energized in the morning through midday and then hit a lull in the afternoon, whereas a woman’s cycle matches the lunar cycle meaning there are peak times of the month usually the full moon when we are at our best energetic self and then towards the crescent and waning moons we slow down and reflect aka 3pm. And when I really thought about it and how it does match my mood and that there are times of the month when I’m ready to burst with ideas and then towards my period I begin to slow down.

Okay so how can we work with the moon cycles? Journaling and really just paying attention to phases of the moon and how they match our own sense of feeling and intentions. For example, you could plan intense projects and goals for when you are most energized and at your peak potential which would be during the full Moon. During the New Moon you will want to set intentions and plan for your month. In this way you are working with the rhythm of your cycle and the moons.

I keep a super beautiful piece of artwork by artist Jess Weymouth by my bedroom and I love glancing at it as I walk through to the kitchen.

How gorgeous is this drawing?!! By jess Weymouth.

Confession, I don’t work with the moon phases all the time, but what I’ve noticed is that if I’m having big emotions or if I’m feel super energized I will pause and look at the moon cycle we’re in and see how it corresponds. I also look at my own menstrual cycle to see how it matches with the moon cycle.

Write down and journal your thoughts or if that isn’t your style, dictate into your phone so that you have a recording. There are so many apps for this, honestly that I don’t know of but I know they’re out there that can help you with taking notes (aka evernote).

Small actions, small rituals help to ground us and also bring centeredness and peace. In my morning ritual I write several pages in my journal and I like to note what phase of the moon we’re in, tracking my own mood and phase of the cycle. For example right now (aka March 25th) we are in the New Moon in Aries and this is a time of goal setting and working with the zodiac sign of Aries (pure fire and action) to move into this phase.

Full Moon pendant reminds us that we are wild, we can be untamed every once in awhile, like during the full moon.

It’s so fascinating to me that right now in our history and cultural zeitgeist tracking and connecting with the Moon has become very popular. It is no wonder, as our world is in the thick of the yang energy and we crave and need the feminine, the yin.

So take some time this month and the next to watch the phases of the moon and your own feeling and energies and you will see that you can use the phase of the moon to sync and ground yourself.

OH and it may be nice to have some moon themed jewelry on too…