Busy Sewing (Image Heavy!)

In anticipation of an upcoming craft/art show, I've been sewing like a mad woman.  Some of my creations aren't done yet, so I've not bothered to photograph them.  I have three large dolls in the works.  One is nearly done.  She just needs shoes.  I felted some grapes for the second.  They need leaves and vines.  Then she needs hair, clothing, and wings.  The third doll is, as I like to say, gestating.  Her body parts are in various stages of development.  She's currently in a bag.  I hope to work on her while visiting my family this week.

I have made several little things.  Check 'em out!

Meet the mushroom spirit!  The tree spirits were feeling lonely and wanted some fun guys to play with!  (Yuck yuck yuck!)  Like most people, I have this aesthetic attraction to amanita muscaria - fly agaric.  They are full of whimsy and magic.  Many people still use them for hedgecrossing and other trance work.  What magically inclined person wouldn't want one of these little guys hanging around?  

 Here's the amanita formosa  variety of fly agaric.  I'm quite fond of them because they're in my back yard!  

A brown mushroom.  I'm sure there is a mushroom that looks like this.  I need a name for it...  

A wide-eyed fly agaric.  

A darker fly agaric.

Some "psychedelic mushrooms."  I need to attach string to some of them...  I think they make cute ornaments.

A tiny Santa.

Finally, a wee fairy.  I also plan to add a string to her.  She would look lovely on a Yule tree!  

They're kind of hard to see, but here are her wings.  

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

On Mushrooms

I took a short walk in the woods yesterday, just as the sun was beginning to set.  I visited the birch tree for a time and then made my usual circuit.  I will sometimes deviate and wander from my path - up the hills, over the craggy heights, around the clearing beyond.  Deer season keeps me closer to home, and that is okay because there is always something new to see in the forest.

I love to look at the little things: vine-like moss creeping over the dead leaves; the last of the ferns; the color of rotting wood; a moth crouching against the chill; the every shifting population of fungi...  Mushrooms continue to fascinate me.  I really should look into finding a mycology class.  I would love to learn more about them and which ones are safe to eat.  I don't often find fly agaric mushrooms in the woods.  This year's record is three.  Something about their iconic connection to magic and myth has clutched at me since finding my first early summer.  I find myself more observant of all mushrooms.  I've never paid them so much attention before this year.

As I walked in the woods,  I realized that.  I also realized that I spent more time getting to know the forest this past summer than I had before.  I finally feel (mostly) safe there.  I feel (mostly) welcomed.  To me, the mushrooms symbolize my growing relationship with this new forest.  As the winter rolls in with it's uncomfortable bite, I've found myself bringing the spirit of the mushrooms inside with me.  Now my tree spirits have mushroom spirit friends.  I cannot wait to post a photo.  They've quickly become one of my favorite things to make!

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

Sapling Tree Spirit!

One of my most recent creations - a birch sapling tree spirit.

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

Ready or Not, Here Comes Samhain!

Samhain is my favorite holiday.  I love the Winter Solstice as well, but there's something about the magic of this liminal time...  Perhaps it's the vague boundaries, whimsical to ridiculous costumes, celebrations, harvest food, or simply the visible changes all around.  It's a great time of year and, for many, it's when magic and "energy" are most noticeable.  In my opinion, it's because Samhain and Halloween seem to officially usher in the holiday season.  There's a thick anticipation in the air mixed with stress and joy.

Samhain snuck up on me this year.  I felt more prepared for it last year after planning my wedding.  I haven't even carved pumpkins yet, and I realized this morning that I forgot to buy turnips.  Since finding a home in Druidism, I've made the effort each year to make a traditional Irish jack-o-lantern with a turnip.  It's a small thing but I feel connected to my ancient ancestors when I do it.  Perhaps I still have time, but the fact that I've forgotten this long makes me sad.

In my defense, I have been very busy. I'm dressing as a woodland fairy this year and I made most of my costume from scratch.  I've also been working on the new Artist Trading Card project that the ADF Artisan Guild is starting!  I will be sending my contribution tomorrow and I hope the recipient likes what  I made.  I promise to post photos after it's been received.

I've also been working on other crafty projects in anticipation for an upcoming craft show in my home city.  Check out the latest tree spirit.

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

Dandelionlady posted a lovely tutorial on making basic cornhusk dolls!  I wish I had this a few days ago.  :P

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

More Crafty Goodness

 Here's my first attempt at an amigarumi Earth Mother/fertility Goddess.  I used blue and green yarn to represent earth and sea.  In retrospect I wish I had finished with a darker blue - then it could have been from the top down sky, earth, and sea - the sacred realms of Druidism.  The Autumn Equinox is coming up and I'm thinking of making one in harvest colors for a sacrifice.

And finally, what you've all been waiting for - another tree spirit!  Here she is - a lovely little apple tree.  She was made with recycled felt and stuffing.  Her eyes are plastic beads but the apples are red stones.  She has a wire armature and is definitely not for children.  Weretoad claims that she looks more mature than the first tree I made.  I'll have to photograph them together sometime and get opinions on that!

I'm already working on a third tree.  I emailed Skip today about ADF consignment and whether or not he needs any help getting things on the site because I'd really love to sell these guys through ADF.  I'm planning to make a simpler and more complicated variation so I can vary the price a bit.


( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

My Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh started yesterday for me.  Weretoad had to work but I still wanted and needed to attend Muin Mound Grove.  I had committed myself to make the main offering - a doll of Tailtiu, Lugh's foster mother.  It is because of her that we celebrate Lughnasadh.  The story goes that she cleared the fields for agriculture and, after that, died*.  Lugh declared Lughnasadh as a feast day in her honor.  It was a day when the tribes gathered, judgements were made, and games played.

Because Weretoad worked, I drove all by myself to East Syracuse.  I'd never done that alone before.  It was a harrowing experience for me.  I even managed to get lost and called my husband, sobbing out of fear.  Pathetic, I know.  Worry not!  I reached my destination alive and well**!  I made it to the business meeting (where I was officially elected to be the new secretary) and played some games with the other ladies***.  I won the contest of strength but that's only because I was able to hold a yoga pose for a long time.  Candee was the ultimate champion, however, because she was able to accurately answer the most riddles and toss a nice, if modified, caber.

The ritual went well.  It felt faster than usual, but that was probably because we had such a small turnout.     Tailtiu was placed in the sacred fire and we all grew quiet as she burned.  It's always very moving to watch as a piece of art is willingly given to the Gods, but this is the first time that I sacrificed a piece of my really elaborate art.  I put a lot of work into her and everyone thought she was lovely, for which I was grateful.  I'm really proud of how she came out.

I had to leave shortly after the ritual to make it to Watertown in time to fetch Weretoad, so no yummy potluck.  Hubby and I came home pretty late and crashed into bed.

Today was very relaxing.  To celebrate Lughnasadh, we had a picnic lunch under a couple trees followed by a short nature walk.  We studied the local plants and observed some lovely insects.  I later went out by myself and took a short trek in the forest.  I left an offering for the local spirits, gathered some small pine cones, a few rocks, and some sticks to practice carving.  I also found this lovely specimen.  It looks like a variety of fly agaric, perhaps amanita formosa or amanita guessowii.  I have always wanted to find fly agaric in the wild, and to find it when my interest has been most intense and on a high day was truly a blessing.  I felt little guilt taking this one as it was half-eaten and unlikely to reach maturity as a result.  I wanted to bring it in, properly identify it, and sketch it in my journal.  I'm pretty certain it is fly agaric, but being that I have next to no experience in mycology, and have not done enough research on using it in trance, I only sketched it before putting it back outside as an offering.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to see a fresh fly agaric in person.  I've been able to look at some dry specimens before, but this was a real treat.  After I dug it up, I left a small offering to its spirit and built a little dolmen in the area where I found it.  There are likely to be more and I would love to take a photo of a fully formed mushroom (if it isn't devoured by the slugs first...)

So I think I had a very blessed Lughnasadh indeed!  I hope all of my readers had a lovely, fruitful day.

 *As much as a deity dies, of course. ;)


** The experienced must have really upset me, though, because shortly after getting there, I had a coughing attack.  


*** Strangely, no men came to the ritual.  Skip was away at a meeting, so it was just us hens!  There was something strangely witchy and gratifying about an all female ritual...  


( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

Just a Few Things

1) Here's an interesting if brief article on "spiritual blockage."

2) The incessant coughing I have is apparently caused by seasonal allergies - something that I've never officially been diagnosed with until now.  Bugger all.  I was always so happy to be in the minority of adults who didn't have to deal with allergies.  Why do I suddenly have them?  Did I not spend enough time outside?  Now I have all these bills and a nasal spray...  Bugger all.  I'm happy that I should find relief but I'm displeased with yet another medicine.  I'm really motivated to get a neti pot and make my father's infamous but effective tincture now.  I don't want to be part of the drugged up majority...  As it is, I would love to get off birth control but am uncertain of the medical implications that would have on me (I was put on it for medical reasons to begin with).  Too much environmental damage from the packaging alone!

3) I found a toad-shaped button to represent my husband on the grove's quilt patch.  For those out of the know, the Artisan Guild is encouraging all groves, proto-groves, guilds, SIGs, and Kins to create a quilt patch that will be added to a larger piece.  The point is to have something representative of ADF to display at festivals.  I found a cat button to represent me weeks ago.

4)  Tailtiu, the doll and main offering I'm making for the Lughnasadh ritual at Muin Mound tomorrow, is nearly done.  I'm finishing the details.  To be honest, I don't think she's the best doll I've ever made, but she's also not the worst.  I'm not using any metal armatures because she will, I believe, but placed in the bonfire.  She's stuffed with fabric scraps which gives a lot more weight.  This is what's allowing her to sit properly without the armatures.  Her fingers, however, are not the same without them.  Also, her head is longer than most of the dolls I've made.  I'm not sure how that happened but oh well.  Expect photos at some point.


( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

You know what...

I logged into Blogger and saw my last post about Kirk wearing a mask and nothing else.  I was suddenly struck by inspiration.  That would make a spectacular doll...  I would probably have the doll wearing a sarong (I've not mastered fabric penises yet...*).  I will have to get on that...


* I have made one fabric penis.   It's one of my cats' favorite toys.

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

Mushrooms in my Garden

I've got a few tiny mushrooms in my garden.  According to everything we've been reading, the veggies are safe and the mushrooms can indicate good soil and benefit the plants.  The shrooms themselves are not edible but the plants will not be contaminated.  We think they're conocybe albipes.  Pretty neat!

In other news, my interest in herbalism has been resurrected.  I've been attempting to study it more.  I want to learn more about how the Celts thought about and interacted with certain plants.  I'm looking for good source material.  I've been meaning to read Carmina Gadelica and I know there will be some in that.  But what else?  I read a really great essay by Erynn Rowan Laurie called "Goddess of the Growing Green: Airmid of Ireland."  It really inspired me.  While at Alex Bay, I found a piece of driftwood and I'm thinking of using it to create an image of Airmid for a garden shrine.  I already made a doll of Airmid, but she isn't suited to the outdoors.

This is an incomplete photo...  Her shroud has more color now.  :D

How many of you are involved in herbalism?  Any tips or resources you can recommend?

( For My LJ Friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ )

Some Developments

1) As stated earlier, I'm an official member of Muin Mound Grove.  That means I can plan rituals and run for office.  So, I am running for grove secretary - unopposed.  LOL  Our current secretary is going to be the new Senior Druid since the old one is MIA.  Some of you who know me may remember that I was MVPN's secretary.  I had a laptop at the time but have since converted back to a desktop.  I will have to take notes the old fashioned way.

2) I volunteered to make the main offering for Lughnasadh - a doll of Tailtiu.  I'm really excited!  Part of my oath to Muin Mound Grove at my welcoming ceremony was that I would bring my art to help the grove.  I already have ideas!  It's so exciting.  She will be minimally armatured.  I will probably use a stick or dowel for her spine so that she sits up, but otherwise...  Everything has to be flammable and safe for the fire.  The front hem of her skirt will be stitched to her hands so that everyone can place small harvest items in it.

3) I'm officially a Dedicant Program reviewer!  I have my first DP to look at and am impressed thus far!  The individual is an excellent writer.  I've only read one essay but it's left a very good taste in my mouth.

4) Slowly but surely, I'm delving into Janson's History of Art: The Western Tradition.   I'm very much engaged with it, in part  because I've always been motivated to take a history of art class but never had the time or maneuverability in my college scheduling.  I finished the first chapter which was a brief explanation about why art is important and how one should take a varied approach when judging its worth.  I'm getting into the second which is all about prehistoric art.  In the meantime, I'm waiting for judgement on my muse essay...

So, yes.  I'm getting more and more involved with ADF.  I love it and it makes me happy.  :)

Art, Books, and Joy

First of all, here is my new Deviant Art page.  I still have a lot of dolls to upload (not to mention some profile tweaking) but those are the most recent works.  I'm currently stitching a new fairy doll.  Fairies were the most popular (as far as sales and compliments went) at Wellspring, and I realized that I haven't made a fairy in a long, long time.  Last summer I made a pair of fairy wings out of nylon with the help of my friend/sister-in-law.  I need to take those semi-new skills and apply them to my dolls!

In other news, I've been working hard on the study programs.  Still no word about my muse essay, but I've been reading and organizing notes for Art History and Magic I.  The study programs fill the void that was college.  I miss academia and, though I'm planning to go to graduate school next year, I feel lucky to be part of a religious tradition that values study just as much as it values spirituality, artistry, and magic.  I'm currently working my way through Real Magic by Isaac Bonewits and the gargantuan Janson's History of Art. I recently finished The Magic Arts in Celtic Britain by Lewis Spence.  I found it to be helpful in better understanding some aspects of Celtic belief, such as the Otherworld, fairies/spirits, and the "second sight," and was mildly, if wryly, amused by the out of date nationalism and/or racism.  The author kept talking about how amazing Britain is and how superior the Celtic beliefs/practices/philosophies are to other "barbaric" cultures.  Yay for 1945!  The art history book is proving to be interesting and inspiring even though I've barely put a dent in it.  Uncle Isaac's work (his first published book) is also interesting.  I dig his humor and even his mild elitism (and older and wiser Bonewits apologizes for it in the forward), and find it heartening to know that I'm not the only crazy who believes in multiple truths and universes.  I'm only up to chapter three, but I'm really gaining a lot from his insights.

While in the shower this evening, I realized just how much I get back from ADF and the study programs.  I feel like I've learned so much and I know I will learn more.  The beauty is that it's learning for the sake of it.  I'm not doing it because society tells me I need a job or because it's "the logical thing to do" after high school.  I really enjoy it and want to make it a bigger part of my life.



[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]

Let me introduce you to Sif!

Sif is a Norse Goddess.  She's Thor's wife and is known for her beautiful, golden hair.

Here is my interpretation of her.  She's sitting in the forest with her horn of mead.

Here is a closeup of her sitting in a tree.

Sif is a one of a kind art doll and is not a toy due to some slight armatures, beading, and chains.  She was so much fun to make and and I learned a lot as I went along.

[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]

Oh the things people leave behind in forests...  It was nice to be outside, for however short, and begin cleaning up.  I got to see several tiny snails which was fun.  I also made a little cairn under a pine tree in tribute to the land Goddess.

Otherwise my day was spent inside.  Sif is nearly finished.  I made a drinking horn for her and only need to paint it and attach it to her somehow.  I also made her shoes and added some simple embroidery to them and her dress.  I'm extremely proud of her.  The other doll is coming along wonderfully as well.  I made him a cloak and I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to decorate it in any way.  He also needs shoes.

I spent some time working on a doll this evening.  I just want to say that I'm really excited about him!

What a gorgeous day outside!  I spent a lot of time in the sun, walking around the village and helping to clean a park.  I'm not sure what I did to myself, but my ankle hurts.  Perhaps a full reiki treatment is in order?

Last night I heard tree frogs for the first time.  That's always a big deal to me.  It's one of my favorite sounds, probably because I grew up falling asleep to them outside my bedroom window.  It's so comforting.  Living in Whitesboro, NY (the more developed areas) most of last year, I didn't often hear them so I'm glad to find them around my new home.  Added to their chorus are the sounds of bigger frogs from the ponds surrounding the southern edge of the development.

I did some sewing last night.  The Sif doll I've been working on is nearly done*.  Her hangerock is done.  It's fancier fabric than any Norsewoman probably ever used but she is a Goddess.  I need to find some oval brooches** for it.  I was going to try making some with polymer clay but I want to see if I can find any suitable buttons first.  I also made her a belt and have to find some appropriate things to hang from it.  Finally I'll attach the hair.  I have long, saffron colored wool for that.  I'm not sure if I want to leave it as is or braid it.


* Her outfit is not modeled after the illustration on the Wikipedia page.

** A friend told me they're called turtles.  This was really confusing to me at first.  I thought "Wait... is there a story about Sif and some turtles?  That's one I've not heard..."

A doll I've been working on.

This is a doll I've been working on for what seems like forever. Yes I know the skin tone of her body and face doesn't match that of her arms and legs. Whatever. She'll be wearing actual clothing soon enough so you'll barely notice. :P I'm not happy with the folds on her neck but I'm very pleased with her face and cleavage. Huzzah! I feel like I've come a long with in my doll creation.

I posted this here mostly to show the Artisan Guild of ADF what I've been up to. :)