Summer time means flowers, right?

The lovely warm weather we've had has made me want to do things with flowers, no not just walking amongst the Bluebells that are out already, but messing with flower beads and twisting wire.

Trying to decide if it would look better on chain or cord, decisions decisions, best made over coffee.

In the end I went with chain, have a look at the photos below.  Right decision do you think?

I've made some other pieces from the flower beads as well but unfortunately forgot to photograph them.  I'm going to make some more so will make sure I do take some photos of them before they go.

Bluebells from my walk, just cos they smell lovely and welcome the spring :0)

New Website again

Yes I've remade my website again and hope this one will be a lot simpler for me and anyone visiting a lot easier to use.  It's still the same address MorningStarCraft.co.uk and still has a Lammas Camp page for 2019 tickets as well as my items for sale.

I'm still tweaking and messing with it but it is now live so if you want to take a peek please do and let me know what you think.  It has a blog on there as well, yes I know I don't write much on this one so how am I going to manage two?  We'll see how it all goes, there are some posts already on there if you want to have a mooch round.

One of the things I impressed myself with is that I've made a favicon for it :0)  What's a favicon you might ask, I did too.  It's the little icon you see at the top of tab pages on the computer, you know like facebook has a f in a blue square and gmail has an envelope with red on the edges.  Mines a purple star, thought it fitting as Morning Star Craft and cos well purple ;0)

So off to twiddle some more, post some more items for sale, add a bit more to the Lammas Camp page, try to get google to find it and all that stuff, need coffee first though I think.

Hope to see you there
Dawn

Samhain Shindig and Tree of Life Willow Pentagram

Gosh October already, can definitely feel the change in the air.  Doesn't seem very long since the Autumn Equinox and now it feels as though Samhain is almost upon us.

The leaves and autumn colours are looking lovely in their russet reds and golden yellow colours mixed with the green, the rose hips and honeysuckle berries in the garden are still bright red and the Sunflowers are just hanging on with their big yellow discs.  I suppose the darker earlier nights mean you can get the candles lit earlier ;0)

I'm going to wrap up warm for my run to the post office, when I've wrapped up the latest orders to be on their way to their new homes, though yesterday at the carboot there were still people strolling round in shorts brrr. 

This is one of the items I'm posting today, a Tree of Life hanging Willow Pentacle.  The Willow is from the tree in my garden, love it when it has the little furry catkins on. 

I've got some more pentagrams woven together, just need to get on decorate them. 
What would you decorate a pentagram with?  In the past a few of the things I've used are moons, hares, crows, ravens, goddess, owls as well as beads, shells, ribbons and such like. 

Tree of Life Willow Pentagram

If you're wanting to warm up with a bit of partying and dancing or just warm your knees around the fire our Samhain 2019 event is on the 27th October at Eyre Chaple in Newbold, Chesterfield.  It's the same place we have the drum group on the 1st Thursday of each month and just down the road from The Old House where we hold our moot ever 2nd Monday of the month.  Any like minded or folk with friendly interest are invited along to any of our events.  

The Samhain Shindig will start with ritual, hopefully outside if it's not too wet or windy, or inside if it is.  There's to be drumming in the ritual as well so bring your drums if you have them.  Afterwards it's food share and prize giving for best fancy dress and pumpkin decorating.  You could win free tickets to our Lammas Camp in the summer, give you something to look forward to in the cold of winter ;0)  Then it's party time with music and dancing or hanging around chatting and chilling by the fire.

  

If you'd like more details please have a look at our facebook page Chesterfield Derbyshire Pagans

Lammas Camp 2018 Chesterfield Pagans

Lammas Camp is fast coming up only a few weeks now.  Early Bird tickets go on sale at Imbolc and we think oh it's ages away yet and then Early Bird finishes and we think oh no not long now, better get cracking and so a list has been made of the workshops confirmed so far, other will be confirming soon hopefully.

Lotions and potions parts 1 & 2 - Tan Harvey

Talking with Trees - Simon Sheriff

Goddess, Kundalini, sunrise and Family yoga classes - Danielle Baker I will also have a sacred space to guide and support you through physical, emotional and energetic healing. I combine different therapies involving touch, sound, crystals, smell and breath work to promote a holistic approach to recharge and repair your body, mind and spirit!

Power Animal Workshops - Cherill Royce-Dexter 1 Importance of Animal Spirit with guided meditation 2 Animal Spirit Guides at the four quarters The importance of Animal Spirit guides is a talk first, followed by a guided meditation to take you to meet your current Animal Spirit guide.

The second talk will be a recap on talk number 1 but a longer guided meditation to take you to the four directions to gain wisdom from the Animal Spirits who are there for you at this time. I will also show you how to call upon your animal spirits to get help and guidance in everyday situations.

Tarot Birth Reading - Lara Ramsdale A workshop teaching how to perform tarot birth readings using traditional cards, and discussing symbology and the co-ordinates of your birth. Finding your soul challenge for this lifetime and examining your life circumstances, as fated by yourselves and the gods.

Lara will be offering FREE tarot birth readings/tarot readings when she is available for all three days of camp.

Runes I & II - Darren Ramsdale & Suzanne Martin Workshop 1: Basic Runes discussed, practical demonstrations of Runic techniques. Workshop 2: Advanced Runes - Practical techniques for more advanced application.

Darren Ramsdale will be available throughout the three day camp for advice on all matters spiritual and Rune related, and can also make bind runes with the appropriate rituals to take home for personalised solutions and aid, for a small and negotiable price.

It's the 2nd to 5th August this year at our usual place in Kniveton near Ashbourne.  Even though the ticket prices are at the normal rate of £26 per adult for the weekend it's still very good value, workshops, rituals etc are included.  There will be fire, drumming, dancing, in glorious countryside and if you don't want to cook we have fantastic caterers with a menu for everyone vegan, veggie or meat eater.

Check out more info at my MorningStarCraft website on the Chesterfield Pagans tab.

Green Man Box and Triple Moon Box

Just finished decorating two wooden boxes and Beltane must have been on my mind more than I thought as when I was trying to get decent photos of them it occurred to me that I had unconsciously  made one for the male and one for the female :0)  So there is a Green Man box in green with darker green leaves around it and on the top the face of the greenman, and on the inside of the lid an acorn.  The other box is purple with glitter sparkles all over and little silver coloured stars and dots, with the Triple Moon Goddess symbol one top in a darker purple and a silver spiral on the full moon.

They would make a lovely handfasting gift or just as a place to keep your special small items and crystals.

Hope everyone has enjoyed a fabulous Beltane and continues to enjoy the spring :0)

If you like the look of these please visit my webpage  and click the 'other things' tab

Samhin Ritual & Celebrations 2018 and 13th Chesterfield Derbyshire Pagans Moot

Samhain Ritual and Celebrations at Eyre Chapel, Newbold Chesterfield.  We will be having a child friendly Ritual followed by Food Share, Music & Dancing to celebrate the Ancestors, the thinning of the veil and the coming year.  There will be a Fancy Dress and Pumpkin Competition with prizes of Lammas Camp Tickets for 2018, whoo.  No need to come in fancy dress though if you don't fancy it ;0) robes or 'normal' clothes are fine as well. This is a link to our facebook page for more info.

This month was also our 13th Moot, not bad going if I do say so :0) even baked a cake to celebrate the event a green mouldy spider infested one ;0) but everyone was very complementary about it and there was none left so it must have been good :0)  We had a talk by Kate regarding Negotiations with the Fae, Bargains and Contracts.  It went very well she is very interesting to listen to and sparked lots of discussion afterwards.  Next month, November, will be Paranormal Investigations by Cherill.  We have a moot every 2nd Monday of the month at The Old House, Newbold, just up from where the Samhain Celebrations are taking place and where we have drumming every 1st Thursday of the month.  Everyone is welcome to come along to our events, doesn't matter what path you're on as long as you are interested, friendly and wanting to take part :0)

My Spider Cake, thanks for the photo Sandra xx

Raven Sun and Moon, Raven Dream Catcher, Raven wall hanging decorations

Thought I would have a change from the painted hanging Hares I've been doing and Crow/Ravens called to me.  

I read about a Native American Legend where White Raven at the beginning of time, when the world was dark, fell in love with the daughter of Grey Eagle.  When he was invited into their house he noticed light seeping out of a box, being curious he peeked in and out flew the Sun, he caught it in his beak and then flew high and higher into the sky with it and placed it there.  The world was now lit and he could see an island, knowing that Grey Eagle would be angry at him for having taken the sun, he flew to the island.  The next night he flew back to Grey Eagles house as he felt ashamed of Grey Eagle for keeping the sun and so the world in darkness, he was also curious as to what else might be in the box.  He discovered the moon and flew high into the sky with it to place it there to give light to the night sky.  He went back again and just as he had taken the stars out to go place them in the sky Grey Eagle discovered him and so to escape he flew up the smoke hole turning his white feathers black, and so they remain to this day to remind us of how Raven brought light to the Earth.

After reading the story I set to work making the raven with the sun in his mouth and the moon and stars at his feet.  

The next one I made was Raven with a Dream Catcher.  It's surprisingly fiddley doing a dream catcher with wire, especially when its small and dainty.  It does look really good though with the beads and feathers dangling from it.  

I have a few more Crow Raven shapes.  As it's near Samhain Morrigan seems a good choice and that is what I am working on now.  I also want to use a couple for Huginn and Muninn, Odin's Ravens Thought and Memory.

Ravens and Crows are common characters amongst many believes, Norse of course and also Celtic, Roman, Greek.  They also feature a lot as peoples personal totems, spirit guides and power animals.

Please see my web site if you're interested in these Ravens :0)