These imaginary insects are made by the artist Hiroshi Shinno. He casts the outer petal-and-leaf like structures in resin, paints them with vibrant acrylic paint and then applies them to a brass base. Even though I have read how he does it I still wonder, how in the heck did he do these? They are the size of a leaf,. and you can see from the picture that some of the pieces are almost translucent. People are amazing. Or really, nature is so amazing that we in one of our highest forms of expression trying to copy it.

P.S. Remember, signs with * it’s a big week for you.

*Aries – Strength – It is all about strength this week. Your challenge is to identify the things that make you stronger and feed them. If exercise makes you feel stronger, do it. If resting makes you stronger, get your eight hours and nap if you need to. If love makes you stronger, spend time with people who love you and who you love.

Taurus – Queen Of Cups – Last week, you practiced balancing work and play. Now, the Queen of Cups is begging you to add more play, by reconnecting with love and beauty. Your challenge is to spend as much time in the land of Ahhhhhh and Wow. The more your heart is open to the wonders in this land the more you will receive.

Gemini – Six of Swords – Last week, The Star heralded that your new year would be filled with the gifts of enlightenment and healing. This week the Six of Swords challenges you to get some solitude and think about the areas of your life where you want healing and enlightenment in the coming year. As always with this card, I advise you do this around water, and ocean, river, ha even a pool.

Cancer – Queen of Cups and Three of Pentacles – So remember that juggling you need to get better at? Well, you are still working at juggling this week. The Three of Pentacles is challenging you to add another ball to the two you have been working with. The Queen of Cups says that part of your balance problem is that you haven’t been working in enough fun, so this new ball needs to be fun. The key, and paradox, is that fun shouldn’t be work.

Leo – King of Pentacles – The King of Pentacles’ focus is on pushing projects forward. He is the doer of the deck. His lesson is to get hands on. This is not a week of the mind. The one challenge with this King is that when he does something he is on maximum drive, and this includes being lazy. Remember it is great to be driven, but don’t be extreme.

Virgo – Ace of Swords – The Ace of Swords is advising you to make a decision or to come to a new way of thought. The Aces always foretell a new beginning and this one starts in your mind. Your only challenge is to stay focused yet open.

Libra – Six of Wands – Another good week for you all with the Six of Wands. This card indicates victory and completion. The challenge is identifying and then focusing only on projects where the goal is easily attainable. Anything that does not fit into that category can wait, because those projects are too convoluted or blocked right now. Meaning no matter how hard you push, they just won’t get done anyway.

Scorpio – Five of Pentacles – This week you are missing resources that you need to move forward. For example, you can’t find anyone around to help you, you don’t have enough money to cover an expense, or that piece you need to finish the puzzle is nowhere to be found. The lesson to learn with the Five of Pentacles is that this is a short lived shortage – this too shall pass. The challenge is to fortify yourself with hope. Things will work out, just not this week. PS: You may also literally lose something – like car keys or credit card. So put your car keys in one place all this week.

Sagittarius – Ace of Wands – The Ace of Wands is wanting you to do something that brings awe and amazement into your life. This card advises that this activity or thing should be something new. The only challenge with this card for Sagittarians is that the combination creates a lot of fire energy, so be safe on your adventures. Buckle up and wear a helmet when required.

*Capricorn – Lovers – The Lovers is all about collaboration. Spend this week with others bouncing off ideas, and philosophizing about how to fix the world’s problems or how to make the divine manifest into the world. This week is big and lofty. To get your imagination and intellect to soar you will need partners. Also, realize you will have different partners for different things. So your challenge is to be fully focused and engaged with the person you are with at the moment.

Aquarius – Four of Wands – The Four of Wands’ lesson is around making a happy home. This card asks you to ponder, how do you make your home a happy place for you? Do you need to make food and invite loved ones over? To curl up on the couch, turn off all electronics and read for a day? Change the color palette? Remember to follow your heart, because your home is where your heart is.

Pisces – Knight of Wands and Two of Pentacles – The Two of Pentacles is back to remind you need more balance in your life. And the Knight of Wands is saying that your imbalance stems from you neglecting your creativity. Your challenge this week is to not only juggle work and family. Now you have to add “me time” in or you are going to lose your balance.

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina