Welcome to my page, my store . . . my art, my craft, my life, my philosophy . . . Click here to visit my eBay Store! Welcome! Thanks for stopping here. I am a transplanted desert dweller, and came to Tucson in 2001 for graduate school. (I had been an eBay seller back in Kentucky.) I finally finished the doctorate I came here for, and discovered that academia wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped -- thus my eBay business is constantly expanding. :-) The two are not entirely unrelated, of course. My scholarly background includes work in medieval mysticism, women's studies, and philosophy of religion; I have long been fascinated by the things people believe and the reasons they believe them. I am originally from Kentucky, and that is where my heart will always be. But I felt "called" to the desert, to celebrate Cronehood and enter a new phase of life, so here I am, studying, meditating, making quilts and zafus and clothes, and adjusting to life among the cacti.  I do a lot of work with critters, and I have an ongoing feral cat rescue project that I call "Zen Kitty." Along with the sewing clutter (which is mostly confined to one pet-free room), I have two big dogs and several cats. I enjoy cats -- they're very "zen" in their approach to life. Here's one of my sweet furballs, enjoying a quiet meditative moment.   I come from a long line of quilters -- two Appalachian grandmothers -- and although I've tried my hand at many artistic endeavors over the years, I always return to quilts. My love for texture and color finds its fullest expression in working with fabric.  I do a lot of custom work, including baby quilts, anniversary quilts, and other special occasion items, and I'm always happy to help bring your "material vision" to fruition, so feel free to email me with any questions you might have.  I often have quilt tops and quilt blocks for sale at auction and in my eBay store, and occasionally even a finished quilt. Here's me with the quilt I made as a wedding gift for my son and his wife. It took me a year to complete it, but the results were worth it.   Here's a picture of Kai, my first grandchild and the apple of Granny's eye: My long years of study in the history and philosophy of religion resulted in my fascination with Buddhism.  Seeking what Carlos Casteneda called "a path with heart," I began the practice of Zen meditation, believing that equanimity is a thing worth cultivating.  Zazen is a challenge for me, as I have arthritis, and it was my search for an affordable zafu that led me to design my own patterns for meditation cushions.  Offering them for sale here on eBay is part of my ongoing effort to achieve "right livelihood," and it pleases me that so many people are interested in meditation -- I think it bodes well for a more peaceful energy on the planet. I have an unusual business philosophy, in that I will only make and sell things that I like; friends tell me that this is why I will never get rich.  If books and music are listed in my store, it's because I personally own them and have found them useful, valuable, beautiful, or all three.  Also I believe that people are basically honest and good, and that there's enough for everybody.  Although I like for things to be simple and easy, my business is not now and never will be automated, because I have had too many bad experiences with businesses and companies who sidestep accountability and responsibility and blame all their mistakes on either someone else or on their computers, and because I value my craft and take pride in the handmade items I offer for sale. Every facet of my business is handled manually by me, from the construction process through packing and shipping, record keeping, and follow-up.  Of course I'm not a purist--otherwise eBay wouldn't be an appropriate venue -- but with the exception of PayPal invoicing, all of my communication is handled personally.  Occasionally my shipping is slower than I would like, but handcrafted items take more time than tossing a mass-produced thing into a box, and I want you to receive the finest product possible.  The difference in quality and the personal attention to your order make it worth the wait.  When you purchase an item from Shade of the Bo Tree, you are not dealing with a faceless, profit-driven corporation, but rather with just one individual who appreciates your business and values your good will.  I guess that makes me a little old-fashioned, but I can live with that if you can. I'm not much of a capitalist, when you get right down to it. I add new things from time to time -- I always have a million ideas buzzing around in my head, and when I find something great, I always want to share it -- so come back often and look around.  I'm glad you stopped here at my "about me" page, and I hope you find something in my eBay store that meets your needs. namaste . . . Marsha Waggoner Tucson, AZ