Sunday, September 30, 2012

Fall Begins

{my sweet soul sister Latisha just reminded me about this post from 2 years ago.  i am immersed in projects right now and have not given much time to blogging.  i am reposting this old post to hold us all over and because it is relevant still now.  enjoy!}
Handful of Amaranth

It's the first day of Fall.  And as if right on cue, the weather has up and gone Autumnal on us.  I LOVE this time of year, anticipating Samhain (SAH-win), when the veil grows thinner between the worlds of the living and the dead.  And too, El Dia de los Muertos is coming, probably my most favorite seasonal celebration of all.


Autumnal Equinox marks a turning of the wheel.  It's our harvest celebration.  It's a time of balance between dark and light.  We are moving from light into darkness, from warmth into cold.  At this time of year, when we are gathering in the gifts of the Goddess, the fruit, nuts, grain, and vegetables that are ripe, we can also give something back, make offerings and express our thanks.  The Fall Equinox is our Thanksgiving!



The Autumn Equinox can be a time when we work in some way to restore balance.  Balance in nature, balance in life, balance in ourselves.  What do you do to find your equilibrium?  How do you create a sense of balance in your life?  Do you find balance hard to attain?  What tricks do you have up your sleeve to keep your life and self in a gentle flow of equilibrium, not veering off into one extreme or the other? 
I like to think in terms of equilibrium, rather than balance.  Balance seems more static and rigid to me whereas equilibrium seems to incorporate the flow that is essential to the teetering we find in the balancing.  Does that make sense?  Seeking my equilibrium is forgiving, allows me to teeter, provides a gentle sway instead of a demanding, equal opportunity balancing act that makes me feel like I haven't done enough, don't give enough, am not good enough.  For me, seeking my equilibrium, lets me love myself and be in love with my world.  What about you?

Right now our nature table is overflowing!  We use our nature table as our seasonal alter.  Having a seasonal alter is a great way to connect children to the turning of the wheel.  Children are natural collectors and its neat to have a spot for them to display their nature treasures after walks, hikes, or playing outdoors.  Our nature table is ever waxing and waning with all manner of fruit, nut, seed, leaf, plant, beach items, wood, dead bugs, antler, shell, moss, nest, etc.  What treasures from nature do you bring into your home and how do you honor them?  What other items do you add to make the alter special and seasonal?  We often make corn dolls, cinanimals, leaf chains, "nut gnomes," or mobiles around Autumn Equinox.

Acorns collected in Chelan

One source of inspiration, information and guidance that I have used since August was quite small is the book Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions by Starhawk, Diane Baker and Anne Hill.  This book (and music CD by the same name)is a must have if you have any interest whatsoever in seeking a more nature based lifestyle, spirituality, or mentality.  Don't let the title scare you- it doesn't have the power to convert you automatically to Paganism!  But it is chalk-full of information that will teach, inspire, and amaze you.  Its an easy to use book with activities, recipes, music, games and stories.  Oh, the stories!  I LOVE this book!  Check it out!

And it's mushroom hunting time!  Yay!  I have harvested chantrelles and angel wings in the past and can not wait to get out in the woods and do a little hunting and gathering.  Maybe this Sunday.  Fingers crossed!

I will leave off today with the lyrics from a song that I learned at RavenCroft when I was doing my apprenticeship there.  I cannot recall the exact name but we call it the Equinox song.  We sing it at both Autumnal and Spring Equinox:

Onward we go round the spiral
touching darkness
touching light
twice each turn we rest in balance
make choices on this night
make choices on this night
(repeat)

What choices have you been procrastinating on?
What decisions do you need to make?
Now is the time.
Good luck to you!

xox
Jennette



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Shoe Fetish

inspired by this facebook photo of scott avett,
my boys each took a turn at a photo op with their own shoes:
 
 
 
we talked about me getting a photo with mine.
but we decided it would take all day,
considering the massiveness of my shoe hoarding illness.
 
we picked blackberries instead and made gluten free chocolate blackberry cobbler. 
 
sorry scott, you don't get any.
 
loving these last warm days before fall equinox.
gardens getting put to bed, honey supers coming off the hives, closets and spaces getting purged, cleared and organized (i do this in fall instead of spring).
it all feels good.
i feel good.
 
on time,
xoxo
jennette
 


Friday, September 14, 2012

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Antler

i've been working on some antlers.
 
adding bits and bobs
 
the next ones will have some lacy bits, some string bits, and maybe a few tassels
 
come on by Smashing Rubbish and see what's new!
 
Friday & Saturday
noon-6
 
15926 main st.
duvall, wa
 
 


Friday, September 7, 2012

Poetry of Objects

look at this loot!
 
my friend linden has a sweet etsy shop.
 
this owl pitcher i bought from her etsy shop, Poetry of Objects, is a cross over collectible for me:
adds to both my owl collection and my pitcher collection!
 
these gorgeous old vintage silver knives with a pear design are just ultra fabulous.  i think i will be gifting them to my favorite auntie for her birthday.
 
if you are in need of any beauty-full, good vibration, vintage goodness, go visit linden's shop
on etsy
and buy away
... you wont be sorry!
 
hanging treasures on the new ombre shop wall,
come see!
xxx
jennette
 
 
 


Thursday, September 6, 2012

New & Noteworthy

chalk ware good luck horse head
 
shell and sterling shaker
 
vintage party hats
 
new old-looking globe
 
bakelite buckle
 
crazy eyed chalk ware rabbit
 
vintage made in japan large paper umbrella
 
carved wood lion head
 
perfect blue on a small dish
 
and the same blue on some old small dishes
 
these are just a few of the new items in the shop!
come by and take a peek...
open
Friday & Saturday
noon-6pm
 
15926 Main St
Duvall, WA
 
another beach day for us...gotta soak it in while we can,
xxx
jennette
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Saturday, September 1, 2012

Mountain Lion

this here is the new tote bag i made and have been carrying around.
it's like a shield.
it's my boundary bag.
i am mountain lion.

the solar queen.
according to pixie
she is a symbol of solitude, boundaries, solar power and femininity.
she calls us out to examine where we are standing in our integrity and where we might need some reinforcement.
 
mountain lion is the solitary wanderer.
she represents the  open, curious seeker within you.
she can help with feeling in power inside of your body.
 
this is a bit of a divergence from my regular course of posting (as if my posting is ever regular!).  it is about the making of the tote but it's also about the work i am doing in SouLstorm, a 9 month intensive deep dive i am participating in.  pixie campbell and maya corrine are the two goddesses offering their hearts, love, and skills to help a small group of woman heal, grow, become, and step into their natural born power.  i have the extreme privilege of working, creating, and becoming along side them.  because i am hurting for intimate knowledge of my right medicine, they are here, with mountain lion, giving me permission to grieve my wounds, rebuild trust and open up to new insights.  they are teaching me how to create a conscious creative legacy.  and it is already the most therapeutic, restorative, and karmic/cosmic experience i have ever had.  tis true. word.
 
and that's all i will say about that for now as i am in process of synthesizing, integrating, and assimilating all that is being offered to me.  as i discover more, i will share more.  be certain.  if you stick around, you are going to get an earful!
 
as far as the tote bag is concerned, i have more to share.
i found this incredible yardage of vintage flannel fabric at a thrift store in eastern washington, for $2.50, when i was visiting my folks this summer.  i was in the midst of contemplating whether SouLstorm was for me.  i had no idea that one facet of opening our hearts in SouLstorm would be to do a mini course with mountain lion.
i have come to the conclusion that it is ALL cosmic and karmic.
everything.  always.  cosmic & karmic.
so be it.
so here i am, all enamoured with the print, the colors, the
perfect vintageness.
(by the way, is anyone else reminded of vintage sleeping bag liner flannel here?!)
and once i understand why/how i have this fabric i presume it must be made into either a skirt or a bag.  if ya been around here long, you might know i have plenty-o-skirt, and i make plenty-o-bag. 
but since we were soon headed to our beloved pickathon, and i hadn't handmade/sewn all my own clothing as i had (secretly) hoped, I figured a special quick tote bag, to haul all my loot to the woods stage, was in order. 
the liner is a sundress, last worn and washed in sayulita.  it had patch pockets besides a torn strap, from days of wear on end, but it had the yardage to be reused, recycled, and reloved. the patch pockets stayed on and became the inside pockets to hold my salve, sunglasses and phone, etc.  the bag strap is a woven piece i picked up, as is, for a quarter at a yard sale.  it has a bit of metallic thread in it so that combined with the colors and price made it a
total score.
when i pulled the (liner) sundress out of my fabric closet the scent memory hit me hard and sent me to a place of pleasure and magic.  my happy place.  the salty mother ocean under the sultry hot sun. a two week ocean side vacation with my beloveds that i ache and long for again. oh the smell. the scent of life being fully lived. 
life as an enchanting playground.
and as i began to work with the fabrics, liner (dress) and mountain lion flannel, i knew this was indeed a special bag, a tote full of intention, hope and desire. it was sewn, and is now worn, with the seeds of a meditation and mantra to hold me:
I am doing my Heart Work.  I am taking a stand and committing to creating a life worth living, to playing full tilt, and allowing my life to be fully expressed.  I am finding my right medicine with my right fit people, a circle of women who can support and hold my blossoming vision.  I am expanding.  I am a multi passionate woman who is birthing the irresistible.  I am creating an energetically strategic lifestyle.  I am engaging in radical self-trust. I am becoming a conscious creative visionary and I am creating a conscious creative legacy. 
watch out.  i'm riding up to my edges and it doesn't hurt so bad. so there will be more of this boldness too. and more sewing, more sharing, more creating, more discovery.
here's to expansion, trust, fearlessness, and mystery.
as my friend angelique says,
Rock Up!
 
xxx,
jennette