More treasures

Over the past few days we've made a bit of head way in our office/library/crafty space. That's a pretty big deal considering the amount of books we've got to deal with. There's still a pile of stuff sitting in the middle of the room and a few boxes waiting to be sorted in the hallway but I think I'll be well on my way to crafting very soon. If I can only find my brushes and glue....



Here's my stash of crafting books and specialty papers. That old green file on the right holds the old photos I've collected over the past few years. Not quite organized just yet but it's getting there.



I mentioned that D and I found a bunch of old bottles buried in our back garden last week. Today we found some more broken glass as well as two more intact bottles. That wasn't the only treasure I found today though. Take a look at this...



For the life of me I don't remember buying this but it's a discard from our old public library so I must have grabbed it... or the Mr. did and forgot to mention it to me. The projects range from a snake made out of rolled up foil balls to a more elaborate doll tea service and palace with guards. Who knew foil could be so much fun?

Holy crap we've moved!

It certainly has been a crazy few months but we are finally in our new home and very slowly getting settled. There are boxes everywhere and the place is a disaster but it is quickly becoming home.

There are a few things that we did not expect: the leaky drain in the kitchen, the sweltering heat in the upper floor, the crazy loud airplanes that occasionally pass by. I think that we can deal with all of it because there are so many nice things about being here. Just get a load out of the view from my office window...



It's been nice to spend more time with the Big D also. Last week we went on a treasure hunt in our back garden to dig up some old bottles we saw. Most of them were smashed to bits but there were a few survivors.



Pretty neat eh?

It's been a hell of a move. Seriously, it's been all sorts of awful in so many ways. But I'm thanking the gods that it's pretty much over and I can get back to life.

Withdrawals

It seems like ages since I've done any crafting and it's starting to get to me. I'm on the verge of getting the shakes and must be careful not to go near any crafty supplies or else I will lose my mind and start eating glue. "It will all be over soon" I keep telling myself. In no time at all I will be able to crack open my boxes of dear, sweet, crafty goodness and get to the painting and pasting once more.

To tide me over I've signed up for two craftster swaps. The Birds, Birds, Birds and the Jar of Whimsies Rnd. 6 swaps.

I'm not really nutty for birds but I do think that there is an awful lot of cute birdy stuff around at the mo'. Aesthetically I think that crows, ravens and wee songbirds are loveliness. In real life (and perhaps not so pretty) I like seeing cranes fly, baring witness to humming birds fight over nectar and watching penguins swim.

I'm off to the new house tomorrow to sign some papers and show it off to my mum. I'm excited. The big move is on Monday... and I still have packing to do. Can't wait to be up and running again very soon!

P.S. This is a great video...

We've got a lot of stuff...

Everywhere I turn there are boxes. Lots and lots of boxes.

Between the wine stash, the books, the cooking gear, and all that regular stuff that fills a house, there is an overwhelming amount of things to pack. We're living in a cardboard jungle at the mo'. Some people have said "Oh, you'll have to get rid of your (fill in the item here)" when we mentioned our long haul. Well... the winemaker is determined to keep his cellar intact and I will not willfully give up my stash of crafting goods. We are both in love with our crazy number of books so that is out of the question. How in the world are we going to move everything?

I'm still not sure. Ug.

In crafty news... all of my goods are packed and I am going through serious withdrawal. I've signed up for a bird swap on craftster and plan on crafting like a crazy lady once my boxed goodies are unpacked. Hurrah!

Something else I want to get my crafty little hands busy on are these...



How wonderful are these?!? Made by the insanely talented Phizzychick over at craftster.org this wee town is made up of teeny houses. The square front of each house measures only 1 inch square! LOVE them and totally stealing the idea to make own village.

Here's the project link http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=313936.0

The countdown continues

It was a crazy day today. Thunderstorms brought buckets of rain that flooded the streets of the East end of Hamilton. Just blocks from our house basements were underwater and streets impassable. I feel for those friends and neighbours who've been affected by the rains... for some this is not the first round of flooding they've dealt with.

We're packing like mad. There's only 14 days left till moving day. The Mr. is starting to panic about the logistics of everything and the sheer amount of stuff we have to move. I'm totally excited and think that the packing is going fairly well although I do keep thinking about all the unpacking with each box I tape shut.

As a gal who has lived in a rather large city for the last 20 years moving to the sticks is a big change. While laying with the kiddo, trying to get him to sleep, I thought about the noise and wondered for just a minute if I'd miss it. Will I miss the sirens, the motorcycles, the busy street traffic and the noisy bar across the way? Not a chance!

I wonder if the scene in my mind will come close to what the reality will be once we move. Will this city gal be pleased as punch to stay home and make pie and craft? Or will I quickly feel the need for a big dirty city and start up a cult or hooker ring in my new home town? Hey, there's a great sushi place about 20 minutes away from the new house... I'm sure I'll survive.

The light at the end of the crazy tunnel

Here she is, the reason that my sanity is almost still intact, our new home!



Knowing that we'll be moving into this lovely place (which I still can't believe) is keeping me motivated. I keep thinking that all the stress, all of the headaches, the lost sleep, and hard work is for a purpose and will be worth it in the end. Heck, I can even deal with the loss of all my books and crafty supplies (all packed up in moving boxes) for a while if it means living in my dreamy home.

I am totally stitching a "Home Sweet Home" thingy for this place :) *sigh*

Wheee! What a roller coaster ride!

So I've been missing. I still will be for a month or so, but it's all good and I think I can share a bit of what's been going on.

Here's a mini-rundown of the past two and a half months...

We've dealt with job loss, gained employment, gone to a gazillion birthday parties, prepped our house for sale, decluttered, painted ceilings and walls, cleaned our fingers to the bone, we've battled a nasty flu, gone to swim lessons, soccer practice, soccer games, cooked, done laundry, worked full time, done grocery shopping, made curtains, steam cleaned carpets, sold our house, shopped for houses, bought a house (just a couple of things before it's official!), slept (a tiny bit), and loads of other stuff that is escaping me at the mo' as well as trying to make sure our kiddo is a-ok while he only has one frazzled parent at home and the other is away working.

We've been busy. So busy that much of our 'outside' life has gone completely neglected.

I'll be back in the latter half of August to share the fruits of all this madness. For anyone who has emailed me, I'm sorry you've been put on hold, I'm especially sorry if I've worried anyone, but I will get back to you once our move is complete. As much as I'd like to do it all, I can't. Something had to give before I lost my mind. I've been on the verge of a panic attack for the last month but things are finally slowing down and I'm starting to catch my breath.

Once again, I'm sorry to those of you that have emailed and haven't had a reply. Please just hold on a little while longer and I will get to you as soon as I can! I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate your patience and understanding.

A short pause...

It's been a crazy few weeks.

There's a lot going on here and a ton of changes happening in our lives. Change is exciting and frightening... it's also extremely stressful and time consuming. We've got a lot to figure out and lot to deal with over the next couple of months, so I'm taking a short break to deal with life stuff.

Besides battling a nasty bought of the flu we're all okay so please don't worry. When we've settled I'll get right back into the swing of things and let you in on what's been going on.

And so, I'm sorry for not responding to emails or getting in touch, it's just that things will be a tad bumpy for a wee while... but it will all be worth it in the end, wait and see :)

xoxo
Nichola

WIP's

I've been a bit quiet lately. It seems that time is passing me by too quickly and I can't catch up on anything. Perhaps I burnt myself out just a wee bit over the past two months with a crazy amount of making and doing.

I haven't been sitting on my but though. Here is one of the projects I'm working on...



They aren't nearly done, and there will be 13 of them when I'm done (hopefully). I always like to see sneak peeks of other peoples work and then the 'big reveal' at the end. The process of making is just as interesting as the result.

Papa Legba Part II

Woo hoo! I've finished the Papa Legba shrine I've been working on. I've included a few things that aren't exactly Vodou related but I think that everything works pretty well together.







You can see on the shot of the inside a small tin. It's filled with tobacco, a traditional offering. When I went into the corner store and asked for pipe tobacco you might have thought that I had three heads the way the clerks were looking at me. "We have it, but no one ever buys it." the fella behind the counter said as he handed it over.

Papa Legba

I have a soft spot in my heart for Papa Legba, an old man with a bum foot who is a guardian of crossroads. I have my own altar for him in my house but I decided to make a second one. It's not quite done yet but here's a peek at it so far.

Grimoires

My own Book of Shadows, or Spell Book, is in a fairly sad state. I've got a lovely box with all of my a spells and notes tucked away inside. One of my goals over the next few years is to create a truly lovely Spell Book that would make any witch drool and any set designer green with envy.

In the meantime.... hubby made some lovely wooden books and I've decorated them with witchy goodness.

So true...

”When you put together things that other people have thrown out, you’re really bringing them to life – a spiritual life that surpasses the life for which they were originally created."

Louise Nevelson

Free and beautiful crafty finds

I mentioned that I went on a wee visit to one of my most favourite places last weekend. Here are some of the beautiful finds that have made their way into my craft stash.















Don't worry, all of those beautiful things were found on the ground... I didn't go debarking a tree or picking mushrooms.

Today was garbage day and when I saw these two old skateboards in a recycling bin I just had to ask if I could have them. I think I have an idea for them already!

Just a quick note today

So someone posted a story about this fella on facebook... it's sort of hard to explain his act so take a look... (it starts to get groovy around the 30 second mark)



How cool is that?!? Anywho, I guess that there is a bit of a stink because he amplifies his sound and he draws a rather large crowd, so despite the fact that he has a busking permit there's been a tad of a kerfuffle. You can check out the facebook page devoted to keeping him around here.

You can also check out his site shibatenspirits.com. Be sure to take a gander at the photos because there are some beauts!

Also pretty swell today... Paul found a four leaf clover, I found two AND I found a five leaf one!

Outlandish Swap Package

Have you read Outlander? If not, run to the nearest bookstore and buy the entire series. When you get home lock the door, snuggle up in bed and read every one of them back to back.

I put off reading Outlander but when I finally read it, well, I fell in love. I've since tried to get every living soul to read it but some people can't seem to get past the first 100 pages. Take my advice and stick with it... totally worth it!

I've now completed a craftster swap based on the books. Check out the awesome package that fellow craftster jennieingram sent my way. Every single this is absolutely lovely. For more detailed pics, and a run down of the entire package click here



Just look at that stitching! Swoonworthy.

Second Auction is Up

Just a quick word to let you know that I've put up a second auction filled with witchy goodness. You can find it here.

Here's a pic of all the goodies.



I visited one of my favourite spots in the world today and came away with some great natural crafting material. I will share later when I take some pics!

Also on the go some hand painted grimoirs. Can't wait to show them off... but I have to let them dry first ;)

Happy May Day!

Woo hoo! I love May Day and all the goodness that goes with it. Lovely May Queens, May Poles, Morris Dancers... it's all quite dream-like. It also happens to be a celebratory day of Bona Dea, a goddess close to my heart. So Happy May Day you and yours :)

I've finished painting my Gypsy board and she is now just waiting for a coat sealant. It's a terrible wait to see how they will turn out once the final varnish goes on.

Works in progress...

I've been feverishly working on items for an "Invite Your Partner" swap on craftster.org so I can't really show off all of the stuff I've been working on. I do however have a few things on the go since I can't seem to sit still without a brush, pencil or other crafting implement in my hand and I need to busy myself while paint and glue are drying or else I poke and prod and get my grubby fingermarks on everything.

This is what I've been busying myself with over the past couple of nights...



I really wish that I was better at Celtic knot work. Ah well, it was something to keep me busy. I think that once it is stained it will look really nice. *fingers crossed*



Also on the go... a vintage Gypsy spirit board. I really hope it turns out well because I've been thinking of doing this one for quite some time.

Lastly, I have used the site karenswhimsy.com a few times in the past but hadn't taken the time to look at the work that she had produced. Phooey on me for being greedy and just grabbing a few public domain images! Today I looked at her work and it's inspiring. *sigh* It's lovely things like this that make me want to be a better artist.

Best things...

I adore little bits and bobs. I am head over heals for found items. Oracle readings are a favourite activity. So, when I saw this etsy item I just about wet myself with glee.

Junk Oracle Reading @ lefthandedgoth.etsy.com

It makes so much sense, and all that junk looks so lovely. I must start to build a junk oracle of my own. This is one of the best things I've seen in ages.

Speaking of lovely things, I made a new batch of black salt and I really think that it's the best I've ever made. It looks quite pretty sitting in my cauldron. Making your own black salt is totally worth the smell and mess. I find it really a rather rewarding process.

Despite the weather being dreary and wet all day I did manage to get some photos and my auction posted. Here's the load of goodies that's up for grabs...

You can check out the ebay auction here

A wee bit o' luck

I have a 'talent' which is sort of unusual (but certainly not unheard of). I seem to have a knack for finding four leaf clovers. Here's two I found this evening.



Hopefully they are a sign of good things to come.

My flat rate boxes came today and I've spent some time putting together an ebay auction. There's loads of stuff in it... lots of bagged herbs, powders, a nice bit of Dragon's Blood, ink, oils, paper, candles, tarot cards, books, Hawthorns, feathers, roots. It's a nice haul :)

I've also managed to snap a few pics and post our scrying mirrors on etsy. Those things sure are difficult to photograph!

More tiny things

This weekend was a flurry of activity.

I've been spell casting like crazy trying to put positive things in motion. I've also been busy making new batches of black salt and 4 thieves vinegar, clearing out the broom closet, and setting up our La Bona Dea etsy shop. (BTW La Bona Dea was the name we use to go by and we've decided to use it once more to distinguish our witchery from our artsty fartsy.)

When I needed a little break from all the witch crafting I painted some teeny mushrooms on the littlest canvas' you ever did see. I picked them up a week or so ago after seeing the sweet little ones that AlwaysInspired made.



Each canvas is 1.5" x 2.5". I have to say that AlwaysInspired is a much better woman than I for making her own canvas'... I took the easy way out.

Spring Cleaning

I've been going through all of our witchy stuff that has been put aside over the past year or so and getting ready for some spring cleaning. I'm just waiting on some flat rate boxes to arrive to see exactly how much stuff I can fit into them before I put them up for auction. If you're a witchy person keep checking our site over then next couple of weeks because we'll have some truly fantastic stuff up for grabs... you will not be disappointed!

In my humble opinion the Mr makes the most beautiful wands evah, and so I've spent the afternoon taking new photos of the wands that have been homeless for quite some time. I used to love watching people pick out his wands when were selling at fairs. People would very often chose the one you'd never guess. Anyway here are the glamorous shots of Mr. K's most lovely wands.


Also, check out his beautious runes... so lovely.




I'll be posting them over the next week in our new La Bona Dea etsy shop which you can check out here.

Luchadors!

So, after that bit of a downer post I'll post my finished Luchador paintings which are totally happy. Finishing them up last night really did make me feel better. They aren't perfect but they are cheerful, fun little things.

They are painted on 6"x6" canvas with acrylic.




Check them out on my etsy shop

Gutted

The Mr called me at work yesterday to say he'd been laid off.

It's all sorts of shitty. No other words for it really. The Mr is the hardest working person I know. He's out the door before I wake up, he works his ass off doing backbreaking work and he doesn't get compensated for all of the overtime he puts in during harvest. It's truly an unfair thing for someone who has worked so hard.

I know we'll pick up and move on to better things, I'm certain of it. It's something that we are forced to face so that we can move forward, beyond where we are now. That doesn't change the fact that it's a terrible thing to have happened and that I'm totally pissed off.

Some people say that getting angry won't help anything but if it's okay to bask in positive feelings then there has to be something to embracing the fact that I'm just a bit miffed. I'm not saying that I'll wallow in ire. I'm just saying that admitting I'm pissed off and using it to push forward, to do something constructive, has got to be better than pretending that I'm a-ok with what has happened.

Bugger, life certainly is not sunshine and roses at the mo'.