The Tiny Totem blog

The 12 Astrological Houses: Keywords

2014-07-03T12:22:00.002-07:00

This is a very basic collection of keywords for the houses. But they are still useful. Remember, planets answer the question "what" and the houses answer the question "where." Therefore, in using the keywords for the planets found here and the keywords for the houses as shown above, we can come up with simple statements of interpretation. Some examples:

The planet keywords are colored in red. The house keywords are colored in blue.

Moon in the 7th house

attraction to partners who are nurturing
a tendency to smother or protect others
seeking emotional security through others
emotional fulfillment (or lack of) in marriage

Saturn in the 3rd house

controlled and careful use of language
restricting the mind to just the facts
language barriers
authoritative use of language
difficulties and obstacles in early education

Jupiter in the 1st house

optimistic and cheerful outlook on life
enthusiastic expressions
over-confidence in new projects
a joyous effect on others

Like I always say, no single part of a chart can define a whole person, so it's important to remember that the statements above can be GREATLY altered based on the rest of the chart. For instance, what aspects are applied to the planet? What sign is the planet in? What house is the sign's ruler in? What aspects is the ruler making? What sign is the ruler in? There are many more factors that go into complete astrological interpretations. The entire method is called Synthesis. That is, seeing the different elements of a chart as parts of a whole. Everything is related, connected, and influenced by everything else.

Neptune in Action

2014-06-29T12:02:00.001-07:00

Photo by Elena Kalis

I love it when I find the most perfect way to demonstrate the workings of astrology. And I just stumbled on one so I have to share. This one involves the planet Neptune. Neptune is the "dissolver." He represents all things that cannot be quantified or even grasped... illusions, dreams, romance, glamour, fantasies, deception, magic, smoke and mirrors, etc. I once read that a great way to understand how Neptune works in a birth chart is to think about what it's like to open your eyes under water. Nothing is solid, nothing stays the same or keeps form. Things are blurry and hard to see. This is exactly what Neptune does to any planet or angle it touches in a birth chart.

Any hard aspect (conjunction, opposition, quincunx, square) from Neptune to a personal planet (sun, moon, mercury, venus, mars) will make that planet become blurry. For instance, let's say someone has Mars square Neptune. Mars, being the planet that represents action, initiation, sex, motivation, anger, etc. would become quite weak due to Neptune's influence. It is as if Neptune takes mars and throws it out to sea, drowns it. A person with mars square Neptune would then have a really hard time finding motivation. They may spend a lot of time thinking about doing things but never actually getting the oomph to get those things done. Because of a weak mars, it would be hard to know what to do at any given moment, because they are lacking direction, impulse, enthusiasm, and fight.

Neptune with venus can make a person very, very idealistic, so it's hard for them to see their relationships or their love interests clearly. This is the classic hopeless romantic. They see what they want to see and not what is right in front of them. Neptune distorts. Neptune also leads to great disappointment. Because eventually, reality sets in, and reality includes human imperfection, disappointing the idealist. What they thought they had turned out to be something very different. That is Neptune. This is why Neptune also rules romance and glamour, neither of which are based in reality.

In the video above you see what is called Refraction in action. Refraction is when water makes a ray of light change direction. The word "refract" comes from the Latin refract- ‘broken up,’ from the verb refringere, from re- ‘back’ + frangere ‘to break.’ Remember, that's exactly what Neptune does, it breaks up (dissolves) the forms or structures of reality and presents something else or nothing at all.

The Four Quadrants in a Birth Chart

2014-06-24T13:21:00.001-07:00

Before posting the meanings of the 12 houses of an astrology chart, I wanted to go over exactly what a house even is and how one is configured. In Astrology there are many different ways to divide a chart into 12 houses. Known as House Systems, house divisions and calculations is perhaps the most controversial subject among astrologers, but I will always refer to and use one - the most popular house system in modern western astrology- known as the Placidus House System, (popularized in the 17th century). I won't go into all of the specifics on how exactly a Placidus chart is calculated, as it is rather confusing and complicated, but I recommend this article on Astro.com for further reading.

As a quick summary as to what I even mean by "house", I found the best description comes from one of the best astrologers, a big favorite of mine, Howard Sasportas, in his book The Twelve Houses: Exploring the Houses of the Horoscope, which I HIGHLY recommend for all students of Astrology. Here is how he explains it:

The division of the mundane sphere into what eventually became known as the house arose out of a need to relate the axial rotation of the Earth with the movement of the planets in the sky. While signs are subdivisions of the apparent revolution of the Sun, Moon, and planets around the Earth, houses are subdivisions of the Earth's diurnal (daily) rotation on its own axis.

The houses used to be called "watches". Watches were based on the movement of the Sun as it rose in the east, passed overhead of the observer and set in the west. Each watch covered approximately 6 hours of time, marking points of sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight.

By the advent of the Renaissance, astrology had devised several methods of dividing these watches into the twelve houses of the horoscope. Furthermore they developed a correspondence between the various types of human activity and the different watches or houses. In this way houses became the frame of reference through which the potentialities of a planet and sign combination could be related to the actual events and concerns of life. Without the structure of the houses astrologers cannot bring the significance of celestial events down to earth.

Because Astrology assumes a geocentric solar system - that is, the earth placed at the center instead of the sun - a birth chart is drawn up based on the human perspective from here on earth. A chart begins at a certain degree of a certain sign of the Zodiac. Just as a day begins when the sun rises up over the horizon in the east every morning and ends as it sets in the west every evening, astrological charts also begin in the east, (which is always on the left side of a chart - confusing, I know). Specifically, we look to the exact degree and the sign of that degree that was rising over the eastern horizon at the time of one's birth. It is that degree that begins a birth chart. This degree is called the Ascendant (ASC) or Rising sign. The Ascendant is literally the intersection of the ecliptic and a person's horizon, as in where the sky meets the earth. The point directly opposite (180-degrees) of the Ascendant is the Descendant (DC). The DC is always on the right side of a birth chart in the west. The two points, ASC and DC make up the horizon line running from east to west and divides the chart into two halves, a south half and a north half.

Just as there is, at any time, a particular sign rising over the eastern horizon, there is also always a certain degree and sign culminating at the upper meridian - the point exactly south of the place of one's birth. This point is called the Midheaven (MC). MC is an abbreviation for Median Coeli - or "middle of the heavens." The degree exactly opposite the MC is the Imum Coeli (IC) or "lowest heavens." These two points create the meridian axis, and also divide the chart into two more halves, an east and a west. These 4 points - ASC, DC, MC, & IC are what we call the Angles of a chart. They are like a framework or skeleton, from which, the rest of the chart is divided and configured.

Because the ASC/DC axis and the MC/IC axis cross each other at right angles, they create 4 separate divisions of the circle called quadrants. Each quadrant begins at one of the 4 angles mentioned above. The ASC is the cusp of the 1st house which is also the beginning of Quadrant I. The The IC is the cusp of the 4th house, which is also the beginning of Quadrant Il. The DC is the cusp of the 7th house, also the beginning of quadrant Ill. Finally, the MC is the cusp of the 10th house, also the beginning of Quadrant IV. This is how we create houses 1, 4, 7, and 10, which are in most cases located at different degrees for everybody. (There is a 1 in 360 chance of having the same angle degree as somebody else.) Marking the divisions for the rest of the houses is much more complicated, but for now, just know that each quadrant is divided into three different houses:

Quadrant I (navy): houses 1, 2, 3
Quadrant II (pink): houses 4, 5, 6
Quadrant III (brown): houses 7, 8, 9
Quadrant IV (turquoise): houses 10, 11, 12

When interpreting a chart it's important to remember that each house belongs to a certain quadrant. The birth chart is symbolic of many different cycles, including the cycle of a day, the cycle of a year, the cycle of life, and the cycle of human development, all of which go through different stages. Because I view Astrology as mainly a psychological tool, I tend to view the houses as stages in the journey from birth to death and the human developments that occur in each stage. In that sense, the 4 quadrants and the 3 houses in each quadrant are symbolic of these different psychological stages:

Quadrant I: The development and awareness of Self
Quadrant II: The integration of Self in the immediate environment
Quadrant III: The awareness of Other
Quadrant IV: The integration of the self into society

Next time I will go into more detail about each house!

The Planets in Astrology

2014-06-17T12:45:00.001-07:00

Sun	Moon	Mercury	Venus	Mars
Jupiter	Saturn	Uranus	Neptune	Pluto

You can use the little form at the bottom of this post to get your own birth chart and find out where your planets are!

Sun
Rules: ♌ Leo & 5th House		Orbit: 365.25 days - 30 days per sign
	The sun's glyph contains a circle and a dot. The circle has no beginning and no ending and represents wholeness, spirit, and infinite possibility. The dot in the center symbolizes the spark of life. As a whole, the astrological glyph for the sun portrays infinite potential (the circle) through a specific point - the individual (the dot).

Sun Keywords
father	husband	the hero	true self	basic drives
light	vitality	self-expression	ego	purpose
"to be"	life force	individuality	the center of self	self-awareness

The placement of the Sun describes:
Your self concept	Your father's influence
Your self-expression	How you perceive your father
How you can fulfill yourself	Your true potential
the health of your ego	The strength of your life force
Your urge to create	How you express your will to be

"The universe is moved by a power which cycles endlessly from day to day. Such greatness endures for all time. As in heaven, so on earth." - I Ching

Moon
Rules: ♋ Cancer & 4th House		Orbit: 27.32 days - 2.5 days per sign
	The moon's glyph contains a crescent shape which represents openness and receptivity. It is concave and empty, like a bowl waiting to be filled. The crescent is said to represent the soul.

Moon Keywords
mother	wife	feeling-instincts	habits	subconscious
conditioning	instincts	nostalgia	emotional security	protection
maternal love	nourishment	the stomach	femininity	reactions

The placement of the Moon describes:
How you nurture yourself & others	Your unconscious reactions and instincts
Your mothers influence	How you perceive your mother
How you protect your vulnerability	How you soothe yourself
How you express your emotions	Conditioning learned in childhood
How you instinctively react	How and where you attempt to get your needs filled

"The contemplation of celestial things will make a man both speak and think more sublimely and magnificently when he descends to human affairs." - Cicero

Mercury
Rules: ♊Gemini + ♍Virgo & 3rd + 6th Houses		Orbit: 88 days - 2-3 weeks per sign
	Mercury's glyph is formed like a totem pole with the crescent of soul on the top, the circle of spirit in the middle, and the cross of matter on the bottom. This represents the spirit as a link between soul and matter. The cross of matter on the bottom is the rootedness and base from which the spirit is lifted up to reach and connect to the soul. All together, matter, spirit, and soul create perfect wholeness.

Mercury Keywords
intellect	reasoning	deductive logic	communication	linear thought
the messenger	the connector	writing	language	ambiguity
ambivalence	nervous system	interchanges	transportation	neighborhoods
perceptions	correspondence	the lower mind	logical processes	eagerness to learn

The placement of Mercury describes:
Your ability to perceive and make sense of the world	How you communicate
your motivations to communicate	Your eagerness for new knowledge
How you learn new things	How you articulate yourself
Your perception of your siblings	How you analyze, organize, and discriminate
Your urge to understand reality	how you connect with the world outside of you

"I have been criticized and ridiculed for turning to astrology, but after a while, I reached the point where I didn't care." - Nancy Reagan

Venus
Rules: ♉Taurus + ♎Libra & 2nd + 7th Houses		Orbit: 225 days - b/w 20 days & 2 months per sign
	The glyph for Venus places the circle of spirit over the cross of matter. This symbolizes the spirit as presiding over the cross of matter. It is also the standard biological symbol for "female."

Venus Keywords
love	affection	beauty	politeness	harmony
relationship	urge to connect	cooperation	values	visual arts
music	money	aesthetics	tenderness	self-indulgence
urge for togetherness	feminine energy	desire for physical comfort	grace	refinement

The Placement of Venus describes:
What you are aesthetically attracted to	How you love
What you do to attract others	How freely you express love and kindness
What you value	Your aesthetic choices
How well you compromise	What makes you feel physically comfortable
Your urge to socialize	Your needs for companionship
How you show affection	how much you value social contacts

"Astrology is just a finger pointing at reality." - Steven Forrest

Mars
Rules: ♈Aries & 1st House		Orbit: 2 years - 1.5 months per sign
	The glyph for Mars is a perfect representation of its essential purpose: the expenditure of energy. It includes the circle of spirit with an arrow shooting out from it, pointing upwards to the right - to a specific aim. It represents a release of energy. Fittingly, it is also the symbol for "male."

Mars Keywords
masculinity	aggression	action	animal nature	assertion of self
independence	war	violence	athletes	accidents
surgeries	raw power	force	competition	destruction

The placement of Mars describes:
How you get what you want	How you assert yourself
Your passions	How competitive you are
What makes you mad	How you fight
how and where you spend your energy	How you start new projects
Your urge to do	How defensive you are

"Astrology is a language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you." - Dane Rudhyar

Jupiter
Rules: ♐Sagittarius & 9th House		Orbit: 11.9 Years - 1 year per sign
	In the glyph for Jupiter, there is the crescent of soul on the side of and connected to the cross of matter, representing a balance and cooperation between the receptivity and matter.

Jupiter Keywords
optimism	expansion	luck	faith	trust
freedom	growth	enthusiasm	exploration	sense of humor
high expectations	philosophy	higher education	over-doing	exaggeration

The placement of Jupiter describes:
How you express enthusiasm	What your beliefs are
Your urge to explore mentally & physically	Where you feel fearlessness
How much faith you have in life	What your philosophies are
Your urge for abstract thought	How you mentally grow
In what area you tend to over-do	Your sense of humor

"The cosmos is a vast living body, of which we are still parts. The sun is a great heart whose tremors run through our smallest veins. The moon is a great nerve center from which we quiver forever. Who knows the power that Saturn has over us, or Venus? But it is a vital power, rippling exquisitely through us all the time." - D.H. Lawrence

Saturn
Rules: ♑Capricorn &10th house		Orbit: 29.5 years - about 2.5 years per sign
	The Saturn glyph has the cross of matter rising up above the crescent of soul. That is, matter presiding over receptivity. Saturn does, in fact, prefer reality over illusion, as its glyph perfectly symbolizes.

Saturn Keywords
discipline	responsibilities	obstacles	limits	control
restriction	maturity	fear	misfortune	reservation
authority	disappointment	time & patience	structure	boundaries

The placement of Saturn describes:
In what area of life you are most fearful	how and where you need to control
how strong your boundaries are	Where & how you limit yourself
where you need to learn responsibility	How you deal with authority
where you will have obstacles to overcome	What lessons you need to learn
where you are most close-minded	how structured and stable you tend to be

"The stars which shone over Babylon and the stable in Bethlehem still shine as brightly over the Empire State Building and your front yard today." - Linda Goodman

The last three planets: Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto are considered the Outer Planets, that is, they are much further away and slower than both the Social Planets: Jupiter and Saturn, and the Personal Planets: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto move around the sun at such a slow rate that they actually spend many, many years in relatively the same spot, or the same Zodiac sign. Therefore, every person born within a span of 7 years, for instance, will have Uranus in the same sign in their birth chart. What this means is that these last three planets affect decades of people in the same way.

For instance, right now in 2014, Uranus is in Aries and will be there until March of 2019. Therefore, every baby born from until then will have Uranus in Aries. Neptune is in Pisces until 2025. Pluto is currently in Capricorn and will be there until 2023. Uranus and Pluto, specifically, effect entire generations, each generation reflecting the current signs of the planets.

When it comes to interpreting these slow planets in a birth chart, it is more personally informative to look at which house they are located in and what aspects they make to your personal planets. The house placements and aspects of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are more or less different for everyone, and are therefore more telling on a personal level. It is still important to look at the signs of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto but remember it will be the same for everyone within several years of your birth.

Uranus
Rules: ♒Aquarius + 11th House		Orbit: 84 years - 7 years per sign
	There are two glyphs for Uranus. The 1st, and most widely used one, is one of the more complicated glyphs. It includes both the letter H for Sir William Herschel who discovered the planet in 1781, but it also has two crescents on each side of the cross of matter, on top of the circle of spirit. This shows an openness and recptivity from both sides, feeding into material existence . Uranus is, in fact, the planet of flashes of insight and invention. The 2nd glyph for Uranus shows the symbol for the sun with an arrow shooting directly upwards, depicting Uranus' fixed ideals and tendency to go where the light has not yet been. Uranus is, in fact, the rebel of the solar system.

Uranus Keywords
freedom	eccentricity	invention	deviation	progression
unpredictability	carefree	upheaval	disruption	electric impulses
revolution	humanism	awakening	flash of lightning	the unexpected

The house placement of Uranus describes:
where you need to let go	what area of your life is unpredictable
Where you feel unattached to convention	in what area of life you need total freedom
where you can expect sudden changes	how & where you follow your own path
where you cause or experience rebellion	in what area of life you do things "differently"
where you experience upheavals	where you feel the most idealistic

"Astrology is a fact, in most instances. But astrological aspects are but signs, symbols. No influence is of greater value or of greater help than the will of an individual.... Do not attempt to be guided by, but use the astrological influences as the means to meet or to overcome the faults and failures, or to minimize the faults and to magnify the virtues in self." - Edgar Cayce

Neptune
Rules: ♓Pisces + 12th House		Orbit: 165 years - 14 years per sign
	The Neptune glyph depicts an upward crescent connected to the cross of matter. The crescent is lowered onto the cross so that there are three points pointing upwards to infinite idealism and the superconscious. The Crescent seems to overwhelm and submerge a part of the cross of matter. In fact, Neptune is most definitely the planet of submergence, that is, viewing life as if through water, blurred and deceptive. Neptune's rewards require a true balance of practicality and inspiration.

Neptune Keywords
delusion	deception	glamour	escapism	the higher realm
fantasy	smoke & mirrors	boundlessness	merging	illusion
infiniteness	drugs/alcohol	formlessness	limitlessness	disappointment

The placement and condition of Neptune describes:
where you have a weak hold on reality	where you deceive yourself / others
where you are overly idealistic	where you feel limitlessness
the strength of your personal boundaries	the strength of your urge to escape reality
how open/closed you are to outer influences	where you are the most in-tune with higher realms
where you have the urge to blur boundaries	your infinite imagination

"The puzzling thing is that there is really a curious coincidence between astrological and psychological facts, so that one can isolate time from the characteristics of an individual, and also, one can deduce characteristics from a certain time." - Carl Jung

Pluto
Rules: ♏Scorpio + 8th House		Orbit: 248 years - b/w 14 to 30 years per sign
	There are two glyphs for Pluto, the "PL" symbol being the most popularly used today. The "PL" stands for astrologer Percival Lowell (founder of the Lowell Observatory) and for the Roman god Pluto. Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in 1930. The 2nd glyph is similar to that of Neptune, but with the upwards crescent containing a circle of spirit. This represents Pluto's need for a balance of both our receptivity to the underworld (submerged circle of spirit) and our need for power. If one outweighs the other, it can lead to total obsession with power, psychotic episodes,death, and destruction.

Pluto Keywords
destruction	death	psych. complexes	rebirths	ruthlessness
power & control	all or nothing	transformation	perceptiveness	tearing down to rebuild
elimination	penetration	obsession	shadow self	desire

The placement of Pluto describes:
where you feel the dire need to control	you urge for power
where you subconsciously transform	where / when you are the most intense
where your ego feels the most threatened	where you need to release control entirely
where you feel a sense of obsession	where you manipulate and feel manipulated
where you are most close-minded	your detective skills

Let us know what signs and houses your planets are in! Do you have a lot of planets in one house? I have 5 planets in the 7th house! I also have the Sun in Scorpio in the 8th house and the Moon in Aquarius in the 11th. My favorite is my Venus in Libra in the 7th. I'm proud of that one. :)

The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

2014-06-12T13:24:00.001-07:00

Below you will find basic information for each sign of the Zodiac. I mentioned in a previous post that nobody is just their sun sign, so it's important to remember that the descriptions for each sign below are not describing people who were born with their sun in Aries or Gemini or Libra, for instance. They are describing the signs themselves, and how each sign "colors" planets that are placed in them. Remember, the signs act as adverbs and describe HOW something is done. For instance, planets in Aries become more restless and impatient. In Pisces, planets tend to dissipate and become much more receptive.

For each sign I've included specific information: the planetary ruler, the element (Fire, Earth, Air, Water), modality (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable), polarity (Masculine or Feminine (yin/yang)), orientation (personal, social, universal), what part of the body it rules, it's symbol, motto, and the sign of its opposite. I also listed keywords and traits for each sign that will definitely help when it comes to interpreting a birth chart, as well as how each sign effects the planets. And of course I tried to include the very best celebrity quotes I could find for each sign. You will notice, that most of the celebrities I included have multiple planets in a particular sign. The more planets a person has in a single sign, the more intense and obvious that sign's traits become. The planets' keywords are coming up next! And then we will put it all together.

Aries	Taurus	Gemini	Cancer	Leo	Virgo
Libra	Scorpio	Sagittarius	Capricorn	Aquarius	Pisces

Aries
Ruler:	♂ Mars
Element:	Fire
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	The Head
Symbol:	Ram
Motto:	"I am."
Opposite Sign:	♎ Libra

Aries Traits & Keywords
ambitious	foolhardy	desire
the hero / always on a mission	the warrior / crusader	trailblazer
pioneer	competitive	restless
distinctly masculine	impatient	loves a challenge
initiative	to do exactly what one pleases	most impulsive sign
daredevil	defensive	instant gratification
easily bored / distracted	"do or die"	self-righteous

When a planet is in Aries it...
... expresses its energy in a bold, enthusiastic, and honest way.
... becomes more impulsive, action-oriented, and more single-minded in manifestation.

Quotes by Famous Aries
“My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose.” - Bette Davis (Sun & Saturn in Aries)
“My passion and energy get mistaken for anger.” - Gary Oldman (Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Aries)
“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.” - May Angelou (Sun, Jupiter, & Uranus in Aries)
“The weak are the most treacherous of us all.” - Bette Davis (Sun & Saturn in Aries)

TAURUS
Ruler:	♀ Venus
Element:	Earth
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Neck, Throat, & Voice
Symbol:	Bull
Motto:	"I have."
Opposite Sign:	♏ Scorpio

Taurus Traits & Keywords
inertia	slowest moving sign	sustaining & maintaining
structure	creating things of value	extremely sensual
slow & steady wins the race	possessive	loyalty
stubborn	determined	accumulation
calmness	grounded	the five senses
art & music	patience	resilience
resistance to change	materialism	predictability

When a planet is in Taurus it...
... expresses its energy in a calm, earthy, and determined way.
... becomes much slower, deliberate, and more grounded in the physical.

Quotes by Famous Taurus
"If you’re given a choice between money and sex appeal, take the money. As you get older, the money will become your sex appeal." - Katharine Hepburn (Sun, Moon, Mercury in Taurus)
“Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there.” - Gary Snyder (Sun in Taurus)
“A voice is such a deep, personal reflection of character." - Daniel Day-Lewis (Sun & Moon in Taurus)
“If they try to rush me, I always say, I've only got one other speed and it's slower." - Glenn Ford (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Midheaven in Taurus)

Gemini
Ruler:	☿ Mercury
Element:	Air
Modality:	Mutable
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Arms, shoulders, hands, lungs, nervous system
Symbol:	Twins
Motto:	"I think."
Opposite Sign:	♐ Sagittarius

Gemini Traits & Keywords
duality	communicative	objectivity
intelligence	changeable	fickle
sociable	flexible	mult-tasking
the trickster	the messenger	inconsistency
mental agility	playful	avoids deep emotions
wit	quick movement	dexterity
friendly	optimistic	unfocused

When a planet is in Gemini it...
... expresses its energy in an alert, restless, and rational way.
... becomes much quicker in action and often more playful.

Quotes by Famous Geminis
"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." - Walt Whitman (Sun in Gemini)
"Honestly, I like everything. Boyish girls, girlish boys, the thick, the thin. Which is a problem when I'm walking down the street." - Angelina Jolie (Sun & Mercury in Gemini)
“I'm not that patient sometimes. I'm like a rocket - I go a hundred miles per hour.” – Heidi Klum (Sun & Moon in Gemini)
“I change during the course of a day. I wake and I'm one person, and when I go to sleep I know for certain I'm somebody else.” – Bob Dylan (Sun & Mercury in Gemini)

Cancer
Ruler:	☽ Moon
Element:	Water
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Stomach, Breasts
Symbol:	Crab
Motto:	"I feel."
Opposite Sign:	♑ Capricorn

Cancer Traits & Keywords
very emotional	nurturing	instinctive
receptive	maternal	private
tied to the past	protective	moodiness
nourishment	memories	vulnerability
sensitive	smothering	shrewd business sense
affectionate	subjective	poetic & imaginative
self-pitying	dependable	deep urge to be needed
psychic	compassionate	security-conscious

When a planet is in Cancer it...
... expresses its energy in a sensitive, emotional, and subjective way.
...becomes extremely sensitive to feelings and unconscious expressions.

Quotes by Famous Cancers
""It is such a secret place, the land of tears." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Sun & Venus in Cancer)
"Nothing I've ever done has given me more joys and rewards than being a father to my children.” - Bill Cosby (IC, Sun, Mercury, Pluto in Cancer)
“I was completely unprepared for the public spectacle my private life became, and didn't like it a bit." - Harrison Ford (Sun and Moon in Cancer)
“I think the sensitivity that you need to create certain things sometimes would spill over into things that shouldn't have bothered me." - Jack White(Sun & Moon in Cancer)
“It's a wonderful feeling when your father becomes not a god but a man to you- when he comes down from the mountain and you see he's this man with weaknesses. And you love him as this whole being, not as a figurehead." - Robin Williams (Sun and Mars in Cancer)

LEO
Ruler:	☉ Sun
Element:	Fire
Mode:	Fixed
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Personal
Rules:	Heart & Blood
Symbol:	Social
Motto:	"I will."
Opposite Sign:	♒ Aquarius

Leo Traits & Keywords
courage	strength	superiority
authoritative	open-minded tolerance	wants to be the best
the leader	prideful	dramatic
wants the spotlight	boldness	flamboyance & extravagance
mythologizes	disinterested in practical details	childlike innocence & openness
warmth	generosity	needy ego
creative self-expression	idealistic	needs approval and appreciation
craves recognition	feels special	concern for the big picture

When a planet is in Leo it...
... becomes generous expressive and creative but also extremely self-centered.
... expresses its energy in a whole-hearted and authoritative way.

Quotes by Famous Leos
"You know, I am a Leo. Lion is a giant part of me.” - Patrick Swayze(Sun, Moon, Mercury. Pluto in Leo)
"I always like to see if the art across the street is better than mine." - Andy Warhol (ASC, Sun, Mercury, Venus, Neptune in Leo)
“If I was a girl again, I would like to be like my fans, I would like to be like Madonna." - Madonna (Sun, Venus, Uranus in Leo)

VIRGO
Ruler:	☿ Mercury
Element:	Earth
Modality:	Mutable
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Social
Rules:	Lower Intestine
Symbol:	Virgin
Motto:	"I analyze."
Opposite Sign:	♓ Pisces

Virgo Traits & Keywords
discrimination	efficiency & precision	systems & synthesis
mental & intellectual	serving others	the critic
a need to be useful	high standards	very practical
resourceful	classifying & organizing	methodical categorization
practice makes perfect	working with the hands	craftsmanship
dutiful	the worry wart	skill mastery
easily stressed	fear of chaos & the unknown	compartmentalization
conservation	not easily fooled	the realist

When a planet is in Virgo it...
... becomes very precise and efficient.
... expresses its energy in an anxious yet practical way.

Quotes by Famous Virgos
"Stupid. You have to be stupid. That’s what optimistic means, you know? It means stupid. An optimist is somebody who goes, “Hey, maybe something nice will happen.” Why the fuck would anything nice happen?” - Louis C.K. (Sun, Uranus, & Pluto in Virgo)
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” - J.K. Rowling(Moon, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Pluto in Virgo)
"“Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create." - Maria Montessori (Sun in Virgo)
“I crave ideas, and when an idea hits me, it grips me and it tortures me until I master it." - Gene Simmons (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Saturn in Virgo)
“The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity." - Leo Tolstoy (Sun, Moon, Mercury in Virgo)

Libra
Ruler:	♀ Venus
Element:	Air
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Social
Rules:	Kidneys
Symbol:	The Scales
Motto:	"I balance."
Opposite Sign:	♈ Aries

Libra Traits & Keywords
fundamental sense of justice	decorum	keeping the peace
"other"-oriented	elegance	charm
manners & etiquette	compromise	harmony
social grace	dependence on others	one-to-one relationships
cooperation	tact	the people pleaser
the true diplomat	motivated by beauty	refinement
ability to see both sides	the perfectionist	idealized love
fairness at all costs	constantly beautifies	passive aggressive

When a planet is in Libra it...
... becomes more balanced in its expression and shows a tendency to compromise in order to keep the peace.
... can see both sides of any issue.

Quotes by Famous Libra
"We are going to have peace even if we have to fight for it.” - Dwight D Eisenhower (Sun, Moon, Mercry in Libra)
"All we are saying is give peace a chance." - John Lennon (Sun in Libra)
“Don't confuse being stimulating with being blunt." - Barbara Walters (ASC, Sun, Mercury, Mars in Libra)

Scorpio
Ruler:	♇ Pluto & ♂ Mars
Element:	Water
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Social
Rules:	Reproductive organs
Symbol:	Scorpion
Motto:	"I desire."
Opposite Sign:	♉ Taurus

Scorpio Traits & Keywords
intensity	deepest emotions in the zodiac	suspicious
defensive	the urge to merge with another	secretive
probing of the psyche	an interest in what's hidden	uncanny perceptions & instincts
jealousy	emotionally committs	great will-power
power & control	compassion	regeneration
rebirth	transformation	sex
deep truths	the detective	"x-ray vision"
lures & attracts	magnetic	depth & undercurrents

When a planet is in Scorpio it...
... becomes more intense and perceptive.
... becomes a instrument for change and transformation.

Quotes by Famous Scorpios
"Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction.” - Pablo Picasso (Sun & Mercury in Scorpio)
"I would say what scares me is that I'm going to ultimately find out at the end of my life that I'm really not lovable, that I'm not worthy of being loved. That there's something fundamentally wrong with me." - Demi Moore (Sun, Venus, Mercury, & Neptune in Scorpio)
“I decided to start anew, to strip away what I had been taught." - Georgia O'Keeffe (ASC, Sun, Moon, Mercury, & Jupiter in Scorpio)
“I'm a good girl because I really believe in love, integrity, and respect. I'm a bad girl because I like to tease. " - Katy Perry (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Saturn, & Pluto in Scorpio)

Sagittarius
Ruler:	♃ Jupiter
Element:	Fire
Modality:	Mutable
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation:	Universal
Rules:	Hips & Thighs
Symbol:	The Archer / Centaur
Motto:	"I understand."
Opposite Sign:	♊ Gemini

Sagittarius Traits & Keywords
enthusiasm	optimism	future-oriented
the adventurer	passion & love for life	the big picture
a fear of limitations	candid, frank, & blunt	philosophical
tendency to over-do	wisdom	benevolence
spontaneous	a constant search for meaning	buoyant & spirited
far-reaching	utterly authentic	needs space to roam
unwavering faith in life	mental & physical exploration	devotion to the truth

When a planet is in Sagittarius it...
... expresses its energy in an open, warm, and spontaneous way.
... becomes more zealous and direct.

Quotes by Famous Sagittarius
"I've always been very determined, ever since I was a little girl, to make my way." - Scarlett Johansson (ASC, Sun, Uranus, & Pluto in Sagittarius)
"It's good to be able to laugh at yourself and the problems you face in life. Sense of humor can save you." - Margaret Cho (ASC & Sun in Sagittarius)
“Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup.” - Ludwig Van Beethoven (Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Sagittarius)
“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” - Jimi Hendrix (ASC & Sun in Sagittarius)
“I like learning new stuff, and continuing to educate myself as best I can.” - Dominic Monaghan (Sun, Mars, & Neptune in Sagittarius)

Capricorn
Ruler:	♄ Saturn
Element:	Earth
Modality:	Cardinal
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Universal
Rules:	Skeleton & knees
Symbol:	Goat
Motto:	"I use."
Opposite Sign:	♋ Cancer

Capricorn Traits & Keywords
mastery	purpose	integrity
tradition & structure	achievement	status
subtlety	boundaries	respect for authority
hardest working sign	serious	maturity
self-control	rigidity	fatherly
constant awareness of time	caution & realism	investments
willingly endures hardship	difficulty relinquishing control	conservative

When a planet is in Capricorn it...
... becomes more focused, practical, and ambitious.
... becomes serious in its expression and more self-reliant.

Quotes by Famous Capricorns
"You can't expect to make no effort. You still have to make the effort and be kind and understanding." - Zooey Deschanel (ASC, Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Capricorn)
“Work cures everything.” - Henri Matisse (Sun, Mercury, & Mars in Capricorn.)
“The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not to frighten them, but to challenge them.” - Woodrow Wilson (IC, Sun, Moon, & Mercury in Capricorn)
“I don't ever want to be a sentimentalist. I prefer to be a realist. I'm not a romantic really.” - James Earl Jones (ASC, Sun, Moon, Mercury, & Saturn in Capricorn)

Aquarius
Ruler:	♅ Uranus + ♄ Saturn
Element:	Air
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Masculine
Orientation	Universal
Rules:	Ankles
Symbol:	The water-bearer
Motto:	"I know."
Opposite Sign:	♌ Leo

Aquarius Traits & Keywords
freedom	progression	ahead of its time
reasoned logic	humility & modesty	compassion for all of humanity
impartial & unbiased	the rebel	the needs of the group
the most rational sign	the genius	exceptionally tolerant
idealistic	brotherhood	friendship
social welfare	altruism	independence
unconventional	reformation	forward-looking
basic human rights	fanaticism	science, invention, technology

When a planet is in Aquarius it...
... expresses its energy in a dispassionate, thoughtful, and independent way.
... becomes focused on group dynamics rather than the individuals.

Quotes by Famous Aquarians
"I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free." - Rosa Parks (Sun, Moon, Mercury, & Uranus in Aquarius)
"We need more people speaking out. This country is not overrun with rebels and free thinkers. It's overrun with sheep and conformists." - Bill Maher (Sun & Mercury in Aquarius)
“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life, but in other people's lives." - Oprah Winfrey (Sun, Mercury, & Venus in Aquarius)

Pisces
Ruler:	♆ Neptune + ♃ Jupiter
Element:	Water
Modality:	Fixed
Polarity:	Feminine
Orientation:	Universal
Rules:	Feet & Lymphatic system
Symbol:	Fish
Motto:	"I believe."
Opposite Sign:	♍ Virgo

Pisces Traits & Keywords
self-redemption	devotion	the unconscious
sacrifice	a very private soul	passivity
fantasy & imagination	the incurable romantic	artistic creativity
the martyr	psychic	compassion
the chameleon	natural actor	glamour
dilution	dreams	inconsistency
nebulous	self-undoing	"to serve or to suffer"
the mystic	evasion	distortion

When a planet is in Pisces it...
... expresses its energy in an indirect way.
... becomes weakened and less distinct.

Quotes by Famous Pisces
"Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions." - Edgar Cayce (Sun, Venus, Mercury, & Saturn in Pisces)
"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." - Albert Einstein (MC & Sun in Pisces)
“The beast in me is caged by frail and fragile bars." - Johnny Cash (ASC, Sun, Mercury, & Mars in Pisces)

Favorite Color Tools for Google Chrome

2014-06-03T14:17:00.002-07:00

Is there anything better than a little tool that makes life easier? No! There isn't. So here is a little list of some of my very favorite tools for creating, saving, choosing, and playing with colors in Google Chrome. I could not do half of what I do without these little helpers. I use them almost daily and they deserve a full blown post. So here goes!

Palette for Chrome

First up, one of my secret weapons (it's not really a secret) Palette for Chrome. This one is so easy and amazing, it's a must-have.

Right click any image to bring up the Palette for Chrome options.

Palette for Chrome gives you the ability to right click on any image and instantly create a color palette. You can choose the number of colors you want, and it provides both the hex #'s and the RGB values.

Instant color palette!

I often use it right in Pinterest, copy the hex number, paste it into Photoshop and create color swatches for most of my work that way. I have zero issues with this extension. Love it!

Huey

Huey is an absolutely essential Chrome app for me. It's sort of like an easier, more convenient, personal version of ColourLovers. Huey is also 100% usable while offline.

My currently saved colors in Huey.

Once inside, you can create your own colors and then save them for later. It's easy, very reliable, and has become a tool that I use constantly.

A custom green color I created in Huey. Just click the star to add a color to your favorites.

Before Huey, I just wrote Hex codes on whatever paper was closest to me and then I'd inevitably lose it. Not anymore. Life is much better with Huey. One caveat: I wish it was easier to select the hex codes for copying and pasting. Currently you have to select the color from your saved ones, and then wrestle about in order to properly select the text to be copied. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. But it's not that big of a deal. It still works, and I would be sad without it!

Colorzilla

I actually feel silly even mentioning Colorzilla. Is there anyone out there who doesn't already have it? It is the ultimate color tool.

Colorzilla color picker in-use

Colorzilla has a little eyedropper that lets you select any color on any page and automatically copies the hexcode to your clipboard. Awesome. Even better, it keeps a history of recently picked colors, which I often refer to.

The colorzilla css color analyzer in-use on the Martha Stewart website

My favorite part of Colorzilla is the webpage color analyzer. It will list all of the hex codes used in the css of any website. Yes!

0to255

This last one isn't actually an app or extension for Chrome, but it is a very important part of my color arsenal, so it just felt weird not including it in this list. It's a very simple website called 0to255, developed by Shaun Chapman. I have no idea how I found it, but I've been using it for a few years now, and it has become so useful!

Useful color shades at 0to255.com

Let's say you're using a certain color, and you need the same color just a shade lighter or darker. Here comes your friend 0to255. Type in the hex code, and up comes every shade of your color from white to black. Click on a color, and it will automatically be copied to your clipboard. Thank you Shaun Chapman and your 0to255 for making my life easier. :D

Anatomy of a Birth Chart

2014-06-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Many people think of Astrology as being a "sign." But this is so not true. When someone says "I am a Virgo," or "My sign is Taurus" or any other sign, what they are actually referring to is the fact that the sun was located in one of the 12 zodiac signs when they were born. "I'm a Scorpio," for instance, means that the sun was located in the sign of Scorpio when I was born. But I am so much more than a Scorpio. I am complicated. Very complicated. In fact, ALL humans are complicated. All of life is complicated. And so are you. And you, too, are much more than your sun's sign.

Did you know that the only reason horoscopes go by the sign of a person's sun is because it's the easiest to calculate? NOT because it's all there is or because it's the most important. It's because all you need to know is the day of your birth. But if you were to go deeper and also look at the exact time and location of your birth, you would be able to see where every planet in the entire solar system was located when you were born and so much more.

So forget your "sign" for now. Forget your "horoscope". Forget how well you think a Capricorn gets along with a Cancer, etc. None of that essentially means anything (really, it doesn't!) because humans are way too complex for such simple, general descriptions. And nobody is just their sun sign. True Astrology encompasses all of the solar system and approaches each part of the solar system as a piece of a larger whole. (Everything is connected.) And true Astrology is just as intricate, multifaceted, contradictory, and complicated as you are, as all humans are.

Astrological Glyphs

Just as you would not teach a child to read before they knew the alphabet, it is very difficult to understand Astrology without first knowing its alphabet, or rather, its glyphs / symbols. The more you study Astrology, the quicker you can grasp the symbols, and eventually you will know them backwards and forwards. Ideally, however, you would try to memorize them as fast as possible, as doing so is truly the first step on the Astrology journey. Astrology, after all, is a language. I will go in much more detail about how it's a language and the significance of each glyph later but for now here is a chart of the most important glyphs a beginner should know. Click the image for a printable version. :)

It's Complicated

Despite it being essentially symbolic, Astrology is still very much mathematical (specifically, trigonometry / geometry), and therefore explaining how, exactly, an Astrology chart is calculated can get pretty complicated and confusing. I want all of my Astrology posts to be explained as simply as possible, using regular language so you can really get it. So I will try to refrain from using too much jargon and Astro-talk, but if you want to know all the intricate specifics about how a birth chart is calculated, I can refer you to here and here. Have fun with that. :)

Before I continue, remember this: Astrology is not Astronomy. The two are very different. Astronomy is a science that studies the universe and the solar system. Astrology is a language that interprets the symbols represented by the placements of the planets and constellations in the sky at any given time.

We all know that the sun is the center of the solar system. However, because Astrology is the study of the planets' relationship to our human locations here on earth, Astrology charts depict the earth at the center with the rest of the solar system and the constellations - known as the ecliptic plane - placed around it. This is called a geocentric solar system which puts earth at the center rather than the sun. This way we can get a better look at the relationships between the planets, the sun, and the moon to that of our perspective here on earth. If we lived on the sun, we would put the sun in the center.

The Birth Chart

A Birth Chart or Natal Chart is a chart that Astrologer's use to look at the locations (specifically, the degrees) of and the relationships between the planets and zodiac signs at the time of one's first breath. The locations and relationships are then interpreted as symbols that represent the person's natural tendencies, energies, potential challenges, talents, and more. Technically, it is just a map of the planets' locations at the time and place of one's birth. All birth charts are comprised of the following "building blocks":

Planets: The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and most definitely, yes, little Pluto too. Each planet represents a different type of energy, that is, a person's drives, urges, tendencies, and more. They are the "actions" of a birth chart. Think of them as verbs. These different drives, symbolized by the planets, can be heavily modified based on the house and sign that a planet is located in. If we are looking at a theatrical play on stage, the planets would be the actors.
SIGNS: A birth chart is divided into 12 different zodiac signs, each measuring exactly 30-degrees (1/12) of a 360-degree circle. The zodiac signs "color" the planets, much like adverbs describe how something is done. The signs show how a planet behaves, and thus how a person will use the planets' energies. If we are looking at a theatrical play on stage, the signs are the roles or characters that the actors play.
Houses: Birth charts are also divided into 12 sections called houses. The houses represent different areas of life. They show where a planet's action takes place, or in what area of life a person tends to focus a planet’s energies. The beginning of a house is called a cusp. If we are looking at a theatrical play on stage, the houses would be the characters' situations and circumstances.
Aspects: Aspects are the relationships between the planets. Just as every person in a family system effects on one another, the planets also effect each other, and thus they modify each other's energies. There are different types of aspects, some of which are considered harmonious, and others that are discordant. The aspects (relationships) are based on geometric angles between the planets. They indicate how a person combines and balances (or not) these various energies or facets of a person's personality. If we are looking at a theatrical play, the aspects would be the characters' relationships among the other characters.
Angles: There are 4 important house cusps that are relevant enough to warrant a place in this list. These 4 cusps begin the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses. The 1st house cusp is called the Ascendant (AC). It marks not only the beginning of the 1st house but also the beginning of the entire chart and is therefore extremely significant. The 7th house cusp is the Descendant (DC), the 4th house cusp is the Imum Coeli (IC), and the 10th house cusp is the Midheaven (MC). These 4 points are the backbone of a birth chart. The horizontal line that connects the AC to the DC (AC/DC axis) symbolizes earthly existence and growth from "me" to "you" or "self" to "other". The vertical line that connects the MC to the IC (MC/IC axis) symbolizes growth from earthly existence, or roots, upwards, very much like a seed to a full grown tree. You could say the AC/DC axis symbolizes the body while the MC/IC axis symbolizes the soul.

Putting it all together

Now lets put all of these pieces together. In the above image you can see the separation of the 12 signs on the left, and then the 12 houses on the right. The signs and houses work together simultaneously.

In this image you can see on the left how the signs and houses work together in one chart. Most charts have houses that aren't divided up quite as equally as they are in the image above, but nonetheless, it still works the same. On the right side, you can see how the planets' are then plotted in their locations within both a sign and a simultaneous house.

A Closer Look

The birth chart of Brooke Shields

The birth chart above is of Brooke Shields (completely random). I want to discuss and explain the components of a birth chart while looking at a real one. So here goes.

First notice the numbers in the center of the chart that are highlighted in yellow. These are the house numbers. The first house is always on the left of the chart (see area marked B) with the rest of the houses following after in a counter-clockwise direction from left to right until the end of the 12th house becomes the beginning of the 1st house.

To know which sign a house is located in, you look to a house's cusp, that is, the beginning of the house. If you look at the area marked A in the chart, you can see quite clearly that the 5th house cusp falls in Capricorn . Because the cusp - or beginning - of a house always influences the entire house, it is said that whichever sign a house cusp falls in, is also the sign of that entire house. Therefore, we would say that Brooke's 5th house is in Capricorn . If you then look to the cusp of the 6th house, you can see that her 6th house is in Aquarius , and so on.

It's important to always note the sign on the 1st house. Look at the area marked marked B. Remember, the 1st house cusp is also known as the Ascendant (AC), a very important angle in all astrological charts. Brooke's first house cusp falls in the sign of Virgo at exactly 23-degrees. Therefore, her 1st house is in Virgo. Her ascendant is therefore also in Virgo. The ascendant is the degree and the sign of that degree that was rising in the eastern horizon at the time of one's birth. Therefore we would also say that Brooke Shields has Virgo rising. Virgo is her Rising Sign. More on the Ascendant / Rising sign later.

In Astrology everything has an opposite. So lets look to the the right side of the chart, opposite the ascendant, to the part marked C. This is her Descendant (DC). Notice her DC is also at 23-degrees just like her AC but its now in the sign of Pisces .Pisces is always the opposite sign of Virgo. Because the DC is also the cusp of the 7th house, Brooke has her 7th house in Pisces.

Now onto the planets. Sometimes a planet will land on a house cusp. Look at the area marked D. Notice the planet Neptune is exactly on top of her 3rd house cusp. A planet falling on a cusp is quite common and not a huge deal, unless it happens to fall on one of the 4 important angles mentioned previously. It's also worth noting that any planet that falls on a house cusp can be interpreted as though it is in both the house it's leaving and the house its entering. Sometimes astrologers interpret it as though it is only in the house it is moving into. For instance, you could say Brooke Shields has Neptune in the 3rd house.

Now look at the top of her chart to the area marked with E. Notice that the cusp of her 10th house which is also her Midheaven (MC) is at 21-degrees Gemini . Her moon is also at 21-degrees Gemini. Because her moon is located on a house cusp, it is on the brink of moving out of the 9th house and into the 10th. Her Venus , however, is clearly in the 10th house at 23-degrees Gemini.

Now if you look at the area marked F, notice she has the sun and Jupiter very close to each other in Gemini in the 9th house. But her Mercury , which is also in the 9th, is not in Gemini. It's in Taurus . It is extremely common to have multiple planets in the same house but in different signs. This is because while all zodiac signs measure 30-degrees, the width of a house varies from house to house and chart to chart.

Now look to the middle of the chart with all those red lines. These are the aspects between her planets. These lines form a sort of geometry that is very personal and significant to each chart, much like one's fingerprint. It is these lines that form the basis of my birthchart paintings. And it is these lines that connect all parts of the chart into a system, or a web of inter-connections. They are a visual representation of how Brooke Shields' different energies are related to each other.

As noted before, there are easy aspects and difficult aspects. Many of Brooke's aspects are the more difficult kind, noted by lines colored red. (Easier aspects are usually blue or green.) Just by looking at Brooke's aspect lines, I can see a lot of intense and difficult communication going on between her planets. Her energies are not always getting along. This is NOT always a negative thing. Many times it's these discordant aspects that force a person to make things happen, if you will. They are the fire under one's ass. Now, notice that some of those red lines meet together at her moon / Venus on her midheaven. The midheaven is a person's public life. It is no wonder she is famous. Famous for her beauty (Venus) and as a mother (moon). This is just a very basic and quick interpretation. I could go on for hours.

In the next post I will get into the really fun stuff... that is, how to put all these parts into a language you can use to interpret what all of this means. We will talk about what astrologers refer to as keywords. Which also happens to be my most favorite part of astrology!

Questions and comments are very much welcomed and encouraged on anything you just read!

Astrology 101: An Introduction

2014-05-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

I have been painting birth charts for about a year now, and every time I send one off to a customer, I do it with a tiny sense of hesitancy. Especially to those who are just learning about Astrology. I feel as though they may believe I have just given them a map of their life that they cannot decipher. "What is this wizardry that looks pretty on my wall?" Is what I imagine they may be thinking. So I feel it is definitely time I provide more information to our customers (who I love to get to know), but also to everyone in general about this whole astrology thing

There is SO much to say and explain that I hope to write about Astrology at least once a week. Think of it as a series or as a study course. This post is basically the introduction, but in future posts I will go into all the intricate specifics, starting with the Anatomy of a Birth Chart, coming up next time.

In the meantime...

I have been attempting to write about Astrology for months now, but it is such an enormous subject that I didn't know where to start or how to present all of it. I want to approach it and present it in a way that is somewhat rare, at least in terms of the "mainstream" astrology world. That is, I want to explain it as simply and as all-inclusively as possible. Funny, astrology itself is just that: fundamentally simple, consisting of 4 basic elements, yet also unfathomably complex. These days it seems almost impossible to get some straight information about it from a decent source that explains it in a way where people who are unfamiliar with it can actually understand. But let me assure you Astrology is not some weird, mystical, craziness, woo woo, secret magic power psychic ability. AT ALL. It does, however, require a keen sense of psychology, intuition, and pattern-recognition, but it's truly not much more than that.

Birth Chart Watercolor Painting by Katey Nicosia of The Tiny Totem

True Astrology never claims to know anything for sure. And any decent astrologer is not in it to be able to predict or to be "right" about you, your life, their life, or life itself. It's not about that. It is an observance of thousands of years of the movements of the planets with the seemingly parallel movements of human life on earth. It's about noticing patterns and attempting to use those patterns to attempt to predict human tendencies. Not to factually predict their realities. Tendencies! Luckily for you, this means you DO have free will. You always have a choice. (A skilled - note the word skilled - astrologer, however, will probably be able to predict the choice you will most likely end up making in the end. It's still your choice, though. Or is it? More on that later.)

Again, Astrology is only an attempt, because as of yet there is no perfect formula. It is very much a mysterious and ungrippable thing. And yet, despite this, humans have somehow managed to create a language of symbols in order to bring the entirety of the solar system down to earth in a way that our brains can process. That is, through language. It is this language of Astrology, a very human cerebral invention, that ultimately aims to formulate something that is essentially not formulaic. Silly humans. And yet, so far, our attempts have been pretty damn good.

Watercolor by Katey Nicosia

Western modern astrologers currently have a pretty reliable method of interpreting the planets' relationships to life on earth. So much so, that in my almost 15+ years of studying it, it has not, as of yet, ever made me question its presence. At the same time, however, I have seen no definitive proof or explanation to why its presence is there. Yet that is not what I'm after anyway. Instead of trying to figure out why its there, I have found it to be much more beneficial to put it to use, because it IS there. Again and again, I see a consistent correlation between us on earth and the rest of the solar system. How it works, I have no idea. Nor do I ever claim to know anything that I am unsure of. True astrology doesn't either.

There is really only one absolute in astrology, and that is that nothing ever stays the same. Everything and every person is constantly in a state of change, however subtle that change may be. Just as the planets are forever moving around the sun, and the earth is endlessly rotating around in its orbit, we too are forever moving along our own little cycles. Why is that? Why do we constantly change? Is it because the planets are always moving? Is it because the earth is always moving? Or is it merely a coincidence that every single thing that we know of in the entire universe is constantly in a state of change, a cycle of existence and non-existence, including everything that exists beyond earth? Is it all connected? Astrology says yes, we think so.

Next time I will discuss what a birth chart is, its many parts, and how to get one. :)

A Step by Step Method to Design Inspiration

2014-05-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of re-designing the Tiny Totem blog, in case you haven't noticed. :) While I do consider myself a designer of sorts, I am also one of those people who is in love with too many things, and therefore I am exceptionally indecisive. Choosing a font, for instance, is near impossible. It takes great effort and many hours, and usually I decide on one out of sheer exhaustion and eye-torture rather than purely aesthetic reasons. I also have this problem where I can NOT use or do anything unless it's pretty. If there is an amazingly useful app in the app store, for instance, but for some reason it's not aesthetically pleasing to me, I just CAN NOT use it. Not by choice, either. My brain just refuses to obey that which is not also pleasing to the eye. Snob brain?

Final Inspiration Board for The Tiny Totem blog.

I knew that if I was to enjoy blogging, the blog itself must be pretty. And thus, the re-design. And I knew if I didn't come up with a very concise (and beautiful) plan, I would get lost in the sea of a million design choices and paralyze myself. It happens. So one weekend while Jason went fishing with his dad and three brothers, I took advantage of the silence and figured out exactly what I wanted to do. It was a fun process, so I'm sharing it with you.

Step By Step Design Inspiration Board (What I did)

1. First, I went to Pinterest (where else would I go?) and created a secret board.
2. Then I flipped through all of Pinterest and saved any and every image that I was in love with. I tried not to think about it too much and instead let my instincts and intuition do all the work. I had no rules for this. Just look, love, save.

My Board of Saved Images Before Choosing My Top 12

3. After about 30 - 40 different saved images, I looked at all of them together. I was shocked to see that there was a certain theme running through them. Look what happens when I stop thinking so much; things start to fall in place!
4. I knew I wanted 12 final images that I would use as a sort of inspiration board for the blog's design. So I started taking out all the images that for one reason or another weren't adding to the overall look, or that just didn't fit in somehow. This is the hardest step, but once I got started, I kind of knew where I was headed, and easily tossed out the no's. Another idea is to create another secret board for your maybe's just in case.
5. Finally I chose the perfect 12 images. I saved all of them to my computer, made a grid in Photoshop and pasted the images in. 6. I printed it out and voila! I now have a perfect reference to use when making all those design decisions. It helps tremendously.

Themes & Motifs Discovered in Our Inspiration Board:

Sans-serif fonts, capital letters, yellow tones, dark blues, soft pinks and mints, triangles, stars, black and white, and subtle contrasts. The overall "feel" of the board, which was not intentional but turned out exactly what I wanted, is modern, clean, but also a little enchanting, whimsical, cozy, and casual. Perfect!

I'm now officially a fan of this whole process. It really is amazing what you can do (especially creatively) when you stop thinking so much. This method of forming an overall cohesive vision enables you to gather inspiration intuitively and then use your critical thoughts and "rules" as editing guidelines rather than as initial judge.

IMAGE CREDITS
1st Row: Does anyone know who made the original Yay flag image? / Bat For Lashes colors: Creature Comforts / triangle shelf: Stone & Violet /// 2nd Row: Matilda: You are my fave / socks: Tea and Kate / Sugar Book: Shimokatazawa /// 3rd Row: Guide to Manhattan label: My Guide / circle with stars: Christine Buckton Tillman / triangle fabric: Chez Chouke /// 4th Row: Constellation cookies: Carnet Parisiens / MakeShift Magazine: cover by Santos Henarejos / I cannot find the source for the envelope, rubber stamp image.

Exploring the Moon with Kids + A Free Printable

2014-05-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

Jason and I have a mutual adoration for all things mysterious and intangible. In fact, The Tiny Totem, is very much centered on such concepts. You can regularly find me painting watercolor galaxies and birth charts, for instance. Everything we design and make is inspired by something that exists mostly through idea rather than form. Superstitions, symbols, mythology, folklore, the planets etc. We love that stuff! But we are also lovers of science. In fact, as a family, we can often be found watching science experiments on youtube way past our bedtime. (We love this guy, especially!) Sara, Jason's 7-year-old daughter, is currently falling in love with outer space. And the other day she showed me this cool milk and food coloring experiment. :D

With summer already here, I keep getting excited about all the things we can do now that she's out of school. One of the things I came up with includes both our love for the mysterious and for science. It's the moon, of course! A quick online search brings up many great ideas for exploring the moon with kids, but I particularly love the idea of a Moon Journal. It's something we can do on a regular basis, it includes observing, drawing, and of course learning about the phases of the moon. Plus, it means we have a great reason to go outside barefoot in the dark and stare up at the sky for a little bit. Preferably while eating popsicles.

I designed a Moon Journal page for us to use and keep a little log of the moon's phases. There are circles for drawing in the moon and a place for the date. This way we won't feel guilty if we miss a day, and instead we can only log in the major phases if we choose. I also included the 8 different phases at the bottom as reference. And of course, here's a link for you to print it too!

DOWNLOAD MOON JOURNAL

Learning to Sew + My favorite Free Sewing Patterns for Baby

2014-05-15T11:02:00.002-07:00

In 2004 I bought the now-hard-to-find Kenmore Mini Ultra sewing machine in baby blue off ebay and taught myself how to sew. I learned everything from tutorials found on Crafster.org! It was all we online crafters had back then. And it was a godsend. I took to sewing quite quickly and started making purses and sold them in my old store called One Good Bumblebee (it closed in 2008).

The truth is, though, I have a real love/hate relationship with sewing. I love that I can do it (I'm proud of it!) and the fact that it's a very productive craft, but I am naturally a more intuitive type of artist. You want me to measure something, and it has to be measured exactly? I have to iron things and wind bobbins? No thanks. That's what one part of me wants to say (shout). Yet, another part of me really really wants to be the type of person who patiently takes her time and does everything correctly the first time. No rushing about all crazy.

In 2008 I stumbled upon the gorgeous quilts of Gee's Bend. If you've never seen them, you must! They are incredible pieces of art created by African-American women in the 1940's who lived in a small isolated area of Alabama called Gee's Bend. Sewn out of necessity from whatever fabrics they could find, they are beautifully pattern-less and instinctual, geometric, collage works based on intuition and need rather than beauty and ego-based expression. Yet they are, in my opinion, some of the more beautiful quilts I've ever seen. Denyse Schmidt was also (and still is) a big inspiration for me. I decided I had to start quilting too! I eventually graduated to the ever-popular Brother CS6000i and got started. I chose quilting because I was so inspired by the Gee's Bend quilts but also because I wanted to prove to myself that I could "follow the rules" that is more-or-less required when quilting. There is a lot of math involved. So much geometry and exactness. I wanted to try something that left very little room for mistakes or improvisation, which is very counter-intuitive for me. I wanted to train myself to slow down, take the time to measure, enjoy the tediousness of it and relish in the satisfaction of hard work paying off. So I did. And let me tell you there are few things as satisfying as finishing a full quilt.

The same meticulousness in quilting is very much a part of most sewing projects. But nothing compares to the perfection that must be had when sewing clothes. There is a pattern with very specific measurements and instructions, and the item must actually fit, preferably comfortably, in order to be useful at all. The meticulousness is way beyond that of quilting. And my path to sewing clothing items has only recently just begun. Luckily, it started with baby clothes!

A good friend of ours is about to bust open with a new baby girl. And this means I had to once-and-for-all dive into sewing clothes... baby ones. Because what's better than baby clothes?

First step: Pinterest! Of course. I scoured the Pinternet for free sewing tutorials that also included printable templates. I made a Pinterest board, collected some favorites, and tried some out. Below are the patterns I used and recommend. (P.S. the word "Pinternet" above was a complete accident but I think it may actually be the happiest accident I've ever done. It's so fitting!}

1. Ruffle Trim Bib from See Kate Sew

First up, a bib! I printed up a black cat pattern on some heavy cotton and used the free ruffle trim bib pattern from See Kate Sew. Though, I didn't add the ruffles to mine. But I did embroider in the little eyes. :D This was a super easy and quick project. Free pattern here at See Kate Sew.

2. Easy Baby Summer Dress from See Kate Sew

Another great one from See Kate Sew. This is seriously the easiest pattern / dress you will likely find for free. I used two of our favorite fabrics that we had on hand in our collection for this one. :) Free pattern here at See Kate Sew.

3. Baby Bloomers from See Kate Sew

Basically, I am a fan of See Kate Sew! :) This was actually the first baby clothing item I made. I first printed the fabric using a star-shaped stamp I made and used turquoise screenprinting ink. Then I got to sewing. This one is also incredibly easy! Even for beginners. Free pattern here at See Kate Sew.

4.Baby Sunbonnet from Purl Bee

I am so in love with this little hat! I looked everywhere for the perfect baby bonnet pattern, and this was definitely my favorite one. It was very easy to make as well. For this hat, I used my all-time favorite Echino fabric that I had stashed away for about 6 years, waiting for a very special project. And this hat was the perfect item for this fabric. Free pattern here at Purl Bee.

5. The Perennial Tunic from Sewpony for Sew, Mama, Sew

This pattern by Sewpony is so freaking adorable I just had to make it. I altered it slightly and made it into more of a shirt than a dress. I also used my own template for the pockets. This pattern, which is completely free in PDF form, is the most advanced one I used for the baby.

Before sewing I printed up the flower patterned fabric using stamps I made and then several different colors of screenprinting ink. I used scraps of printed fabric we already had to make the pockets, and I used a sweet light blue oxford cotton for the back.

The sleeves are trimmed in a vintage lace that belonged to Jason's grandmother. This pattern is not for beginners, FYI. Free pattern available here at Sew Mama Sew.

6. Baby Go To Leggings by Go To Sew

Sewing clothing doesn't get much easier than this. It's literally two pieces of fabric, straight stitches, and some elastic. For these little pants, I actually used one of Jason's old gray tees that I had accidentally turned pink. The color turned out a beautiful pinkish light gray and I just had to cut it up for baby pants! Had too! I used a simple stamp shape and dark navy ink to create the fabric pattern.

I created a second pair using a stretchy cotton faux denim fabric. Every baby girl needs some jeggings! Free pattern here at Go To Sew.

7. Cloth Baby Shoes by Stardust Shoes

The epitome of cuteness! I'm not exaggerating when I say that this completely free PDF pattern is so very easy! Deceptively easy. I think it took me maybe 20 minutes per shoe. These were sort of last minute, butI'm so glad I decided to make them. They are so adorable, I squeeeeeeed throughout the sewing process. For these, I used fabrics we already had on hand. I even used a faux suede on the bottom. Baby girl mocassin slippers! Free pattern here at Stardust Shoes.

8. Oxford Burp Cloths by Purl Bee

Okay these aren't clothes but I still made 3 of them. I definitely veered away from the pattern at Purl Bee and instead put in some quilting action with some printed scraps we had. But I did use the same technique and dimensions to complete them as those in the pattern. Super easy! I used a soft flannel on the backs. Free pattern here at Purl Bee.

9. Baby Pinafore Dress by A Tie Dye Diva (not free!)

I lied. I used one pattern that was not free, but I will say it's worth the $6.95 it costs. An excellent and super easy pattern. This was actually the 2nd thing I sewed for the baby. It's also reversible. I veered away from the pattern only by adding the cloud applique. Before sewing I printed the raindrops in a medium grey on heavy cotton. It's lined in my favorite aqua fabric. You can buy this pattern here on Etsy.

10. The Perfect Diaper Cover by Dana Made It

I forgot to take a picture of these, but they turned out so cute! I used the same fabric as the interior in the raindrop dress above. Now she has bloomers to match her dress. :) Free pattern here at Dana Made It.

11. Top Knot Baby Hat by Prudent Baby

Easiest sewing pattern ever! I also forgot to take a picture of this but I made it using the same knit fabric as the baby leggings above at #8. Free pattern here at Prudent Baby.

Check out my growing list of free sewing patterns for baby on Pinterest right here!

Bear Planet

2014-03-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Yay new awesome piece by Jason now available! Here at thetinytotem.com and here on Etsy!

Also, check us out on Instagram! We always post more pictures of our products on there. Including the one above of a recent custom Birth Chart painting. :)

Two Birds

2014-01-26T14:28:00.003-07:00

I was just fiddling with one of my watercolor birds in photoshop and noticed that if you make a mirror image and smoosh them together it makes a very angry owl. woah.

Printable Mini Coloring Book

2014-01-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

Here is the little coloring book I mentioned previously. We made these and gave them as party favors for Sara's birthday. Here is a link to download it and print it for yourself. When you print, make sure to select printing on both sides. It prints two books on one sheet, one on top and one on bottom. Just cut the page in the middle horizontally and fold then staple!

Download here.

It's Been a while part 2

2014-01-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with our recent life in picture from Part 1.

This picture was actually supposed to go on Part 1, (I'm not perfect) just after Sara's birthday party pic. This is Sara and her cousin, Camryn, playing with Sara's new birthday presents. Monster High and fairies. Of course.

Playing with fairies continued into late night. This is Camryn playing and hanging out with Uncle Jason, who is, of course, holding an Xbox controller. No shame. :)

Jason and I escaped the house and hung out at The Lost Leaf in downtown Phoenix. Then we ate at Pita Jungle. mmmm

More painting. More coffee. Tip: Don't confuse your coffee for your paint water.

Even Camryn got busy with the paints. Notice I suggested she use "real" watercolors and not the princess ones. I'm trying...

Oh but then we went to Disney on Ice. I wasn't thrilled about the idea at first (don't get me started on my feminist rant about the terrible Disney female role models) but it was actually really really great. Truly magical and tons of fun. I highly recommend it, even if your'e not a huge fan of Disney.

Sara prepared to go back to school after Christmas break. Watching Cake Boss, her favorite man on the planet, is how she went about it. :)

This is what January looks like in Arizona. Every day after school, Flower (the doggie) and I walk to the park right next to the house and wait for Sara and her friends to arrive on the bus. Lots of running ensues.

Nobody is more thrilled about this than Flower! Every day at 3:15, she whines at the front door to go on her daily adventure to the park. :D

Our laptop's A key started wigging out and would not stop typing aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Luckily, Dell, sent me a replacement keyboard in the mail, and somehow I managed to successfully take apart the entire laptop piece by piece and replace the keyboard. This is seriously one of my proudest moments. Also, stop looking at the dirty screen! I fixed that too...

Sara and I spent Martin Luther King Day being crafty. She wanted to do this idea we found on Pinterest to organize all of our nail polish. Glitter, painting, stickers, hearts, nail polish, and organizing all rolled into one. How could I say no?

Voila!

It's Been a While

2014-01-22T12:57:00.001-07:00

The past few months have been pretty hectic. I feel it all would best be summed up in pictures. Here is Part 1. Part 2 will follow. :D

We made 5 of these coloring posters and hung them on the wall for Sara's 7th birthday party. We also made little coloring books as favors along with magical unicorn dust and too much candy. I plan to post a free download of the coloring book we made. Fun fact: Sara and I (Katey) share the same birthday - November 14th! Scorpios!! :D

For my birthday I got new Schminke watercolors. Oh. My. God. They are amazing! Lots of painting followed.

Then this little nugget, Emilia Isabelle, was born at a tiny 4lbs. She is Sara's new baby cousin. I am in love with her!

There was a lot of blue tape and watercolor action. Yes, this is how I do the birthchart paintings. :)

There were sickies and sniffles! :(

Then we visited my parents in Santa Fe for Thanksgiving. The picture above is of a wall in my mom's studio. It's HEAVENLY. She has the best taste of anyone I've ever met. Check out her Pinterest!

Then Christmas. I got to be Santa Claus for the first time ever. Fun!

Good Luck from A to Z

2013-12-09T13:16:00.003-07:00

Just added our brand new art print, Good Luck from A to Z! Done completely in watercolor and a little ink, it features a collection of different tokens and charms of luck from around the world, from A to Z. :) Available in poster size too! Available here at thetinytotem.com and here on Etsy.

We love 2of2!

2013-12-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you're anything of an Etsy regular, then I'm sure you've heard of 2of2 or at least seen one of their beautiful house sculptures. Swooon! We are in love. And lucky us! Dan Dundin (co-owner, along with his sister Meredith Dundin) recently asked us if we would design some stickers (above) for them to use with their packaging and orders. So we did! It was easy, as their aesthetic is quite similar to ours. We are pretty excited to have had the chance to work with them, and hope you hop on over to their store (and their blog!) so you can fall in love too!

By the way, 2of2's lighted Ghost House (above) is currently my favorite. Probably because we've recently become obsessed with the show The Dead Files on the Travel Channel. Check it out. Ghosts. Ghosts. Everywhere.

P.S. We happily do custom orders, so if you're interested let us know! :D

Free Shipping all week!

2013-12-05T11:52:00.003-07:00

Hurry hurry! This offer ends in 3 days! Don't forget to use the code "freetotem" upon checkout to receive free shipping on the shop site. thetinytotem.com

Stickers!

2013-10-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of our sticker sets in use! We also love to do custom stickers and are currently working on 6 designs for one of our most favorite Etsy stores. More news on that later! Exciting!

Sneak Peek

2013-10-22T05:54:00.001-07:00

Here's a little sneak peek of some upcoming prints in our animal totem series. Can you guess what animals they are?

Jason with his art at the Gallery Glendale. Birds

2013-10-11T05:22:00.001-07:00

Stars

2013-09-27T11:23:00.002-07:00

Let's stay home and paint the stars all day! (a little watercolor from katey's sketchbook)

On the desk

2013-09-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

Snippets and scraps on the desk. I love how they are messy in a pile, yet there seems to be a dramatic story going in there. Rawr!

Baby Shower Invitation Design

2013-09-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Jason's sister-in-law, Andrea, is having a baby girl in December, and we were very excited when she and her husband, Jason's brother, Joe, asked us to design the shower invitations. So here they are! We are finally sending them out this coming week.

Jason and I are pretty good about collaborating quite seamlessly with equal amounts of input when designing, but this concept is pretty much all Jason. I had been playing with various designs in Photoshop, meanwhile he effortlessly came up with the sketch on the left. I loved it, scanned it, digitized it, cleaned it up, altered and edited a few things, colored it, and the final version is on the right. I love to look at how our original ideas transform into final designs. I should add more sketch-to-finish projects on here. Anyway... next up... decorations for the baby shower! Squeeee!