Yuletide

Pagan nativity scene is unpacked and
on the mantle.

A Celebration of Irish Women Poets on Bloomsday 2014

Summer views

 

 

 

 

 

Drying

I am drying corn husks and wool that I hand dyed a light green and mint to make mint syrup.

Previously I dyed some other raw wool a purple color. I love how it turns out because it’s really such a mystery before you put something in the dye pot. I thought this would end up blue but it was pink and purple.

How I acquired a lot of fiber in one hour

I met someone while chicken harvesting who has sheep and alpacas. She was set to bring me some fiber to start working with as I am starting to use my drop spindle. After I arrived at the gathering someone handed me some wool to start with and then after a quick lesson or two or three I was spinning. I also was gifted a half a pound of Merino super soft wool. The only problem was that my spindle cracked and I was supposed to wait to spin but it’s so easy to sit there with it in your hand and just start doing it with your fingers. The woman in charge of the group is going to bring me a Turkish spindle next week which has four feet on the bottom of it and is easier to use than the one I have. The one I have I like except for it’s cracked so I tried to glue it together. It’s still not really together so I am trying to wait till Wednesday till I can get the other one. 

I knew I wanted a spinning wheel before this but now I really want one. They are like a meditation, calming tool and crafting creating tool all in one. They are a piece of furniture and entertainment and watching the yarn being spun all around me was really amazing. 

There is another spinning group that is just hand spinners so I will have to check into that as well. I am told there’s a meeting for every day of the week for spinners in the area. 

Happy Summer!

I am having a good summer so far. I finished my cna classes and am having fun in July, passing the state test in August and working in September!

Bones and altar

I cleared off a table and repainted it for an altar near the window. I have quite the collection of feathers and bones and such happening on it and I like that it’s in the sunshine looking out on the garden.

I haven’t been one to do a lot of spells but lately I am finding myself drawn toward doing more and taking more of an active role in my life I guess. I used to be so concerned with whether I was doing something the right way and wording it just right and now I have gotten to a place where I know I need to make little spells or offerings on my altar and am confident in my abilities and my future.

 

God’s Eyes

I had never made a God’s eye before despite having gone to Girl Scout camp so I wonder if we just skipped over those as a craft.  Once I made one I made another and then added a chicken feather to the bottom of it. The branches that I used are from the birch tree in our backyard.

Halfway through making the second one I went to collect eggs from the ladies and I found a first tiny egg from someone.

 I am not sure who laid the egg but I put it in the photo and it looks cool!

This was supposed to be a kids’ craft idea for our Sun School we do at home sometimes but instead it was an adult craft project. If the adults didn’t know what they were doing we couldn’t teach it to the kids either.

Crocheted hats

I have started to crochet and now I can’t be stopped! I only do one or two stitches really but then I mix up the colors and such and feel all creative. I really wanted to make a hat and so I attempted to make one without using a pattern because I am a badass. So I actually made a hat! Then I tried again and the hat didn’t fit Willow’s head. I tried again and made a beret and then another nice hat for Willow with a pom pom on top. Now I don’t want to follow a pattern because I am worried they won’t turn out at all.

I found a spinning group or two or three locally that I am going to check out and I am hoping to spin my own yarn soon. I met a woman who goes to one of the groups and she also has sheep and a loom and maybe a smallish wheel I am not sure. I kept the hair from my dog but it’s really short and difficult to work with so I am thinking I will have to use just wool first and then do a dog hair wool blend. I would like to be able to spin dog hair for people even if I am allergic because it would be a really cool way to remember your pet or just have it close to you. My sister works at a veterinary clinic and she said people would be really into having their dog’s fur made into yarn.