There's An App For That: Breaktime Studios

I've flittered away so much of my precious time on iPad apps recently, that I figured I might as well dedicate a few short and sweet posts (and reviews) to some of my more favorite ones.

First on the list are three games from Breaktime Studio.

Dream Dresses allows you to own your own fashion boutique stocked up with clothing and accessories that are very reminiscent of a trip through Disney's Magic Kingdom (though with enough differences to be legally ambiguous). You can stock up on sparkling fabric bolts while unmanned sewing machines (no third world slave labor here!) magically stitch together your merchandise. Your "boyfriends" (yes, you can have more than one...) give you money and a smile several times a day, while they otherwise stand around and do... nothing.

My "boyfriends" have a eerie resemblance
to George Clooney and Edward Cullen.

Pocket Potions allows you to own your own magical potion shop stocked floor to ceiling with strange herbs, and literally dozens upon dozens of different types of potions (each with their own unique special effect when drunk by your customers). Magically unmanned cauldrons do all the work once you plop in the ingredients and click the stirring spoons. If you're having trouble keeping your inventory fully stocked... try taking the door off and temporarily putting it in your inventory. That way you are free to stock the place up at your leisure and open the doors only when you're ready for business! Same trick will work for all three of their games.

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble."

Sweet Shop allows you to own your own (you guessed it...) candy shop. The decorative items are really cute and colorful, especially the gummy-themed tables and animated bears (not pictured).

My store clerk is a bug... a very big, and hungry bug... who likes lemons.

Canto a Yemaya

I've spent most of this morning cleaning up the house, both physically and spiritually (candles and sage). The drums of my people have been playing in the background as I've gone up and down the house stairs, trying to find a place for some of the things I slowly keep bringing home from my parents' apartment. My sister and I have until the end of the month to completely clear out the place. The task seems a little overwhelming at times, as though we haven't even touched the surface of what's there. Bags upon bags of garbage have gone out the door, and even more bags have been donated to charity. We're being very careful though, going through everything as thoroughly as possible, but the more we move aside... the more of yesterday we seem to find.

Once all is said and done, I intend to gather up all the photos and letters we have found into a book to honor our parents' journey.

Yemaya is the universal mother. From her waters flowed all life. She washes away all sorrow, grief, and anger with her tides, leaving behind beautiful pearls exposed in the sand. May she wash me away too... and find the pearl that I hope dwells within my soul.