Winter Solstice

It is 21st December,, the Winter Solstice, Midwinter,Yule call it what you will:)

It has been a very long time since I have blogged but this morning I woke with the need to mark this longest night and shortest day.

 I had the need to feel the words beneath my pen again. I haven't felt like blogging for a long while or indeed for any writing in my journal.

 I do miss it somewhat and obviously more today, hence this post. As usual I don't have anything particular in mind but just the need for words to flow from pen to paper(or from keyboard to screen as I am now copying this onto blogger)

 It is a need to write as opposed to type and that is what I have always loved, the act of writing and not just the content.

 So with that in mind maybe I will try a page a day in my journal as the days grow longer. Words or art but most likely words, for words I am. The art being merely the illustration of the page where words are the star.

 For others the art is the important thing, the colour that runs wild over paper or is genteelly placed, a dab at a time.

 My art when it comes is wild,untamed, a way of writing the words that must spill. But with colour sometimes instead of letters.

 My other crafts mean much to me as colour escaping from its box, a wilder form of words in visual form.
But the words are still there. They are always there, waiting their chance to play upon the pristine paper. To spill as jumbled,windswept ideas.
Or to march purposefully one by one in straight lines.

 Does it matter which form my thoughts choose? Not at all. As long as they dance their way into form from dreams I care not. Just letting them free is an act of beauty, a way of meditation and of ritual. A way of being that is all they need to be, nothing more and nothing less is required.
Just a beginning, a middle but not an end. A spiral, not a circle. Always moving up and on.

So Winter Solstice, a dark time but with the promise of  more light to come  each day. An introspective time. We all need this time of quiet, even with Christmas and all its gaiety our hearts are still and our minds thoughtful.

Mr Mog had his latest oncology appointment this week and they are very pleased with him. The drug trial is keeping the cancer static.It hasn't spread any further. It hasn't  gone any less but we aren't bothered. As long as the drugs keep it in stasis, long may it last.

We are both currently nursing the latest flu virus which isn't good. This time of year I think we are more susceptible to bugs and it isn't helped by those who insist on coughing and sneezing without covering mouths and noses. 

May I wish you all a peaceful solstice. 

Samhain

Samhain, a time to remember our family and friends who have gone before us. To remember all our ancestors at this time when the veil is at its thinnest. 

 In our belief Samhain is the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. Where the wheel of the year has completed its travel and is ready for a new start.

 New beginnings and a chance to reflect on the past year. Both its good and bad points.

 Good, well Mr Mog is still going strong and fighting the cancer all the way.
We have met up with friends old and new at various events, not the least being Mogfest in all its glory:)

 Bad, my health is getting worse. My body is not liking the damp and cold that this year has been filled with.

 But new year new attitude. I am not going to let it stop me creating or having fun.

 Today I am wearing black and Green. Black for those who are no longer with us and for the end of the year and green for new beginnings. The wheel moves on and brings new as it takes away the old

Oh and I thought you would like to see some finished items:)

 Wingspan shawl in same difference sock yarn from Knitting Goddess, colourway is bumble bee:)

 Yet another Pamuya shawl in zauberball sock yarn

and another Elsewhere jacket in Austermann

Of this and that

It is getting really cool now at night and we have had ground frost the past few days. All the leaves are starting to change colours and everything looks so different. I have been busy spinning and knitting as usual but also taken a class in felting with the embellisher which was good fun. I find it hard to wet felt now with my joint problems so the embellisher helps.
Mr Mog had his oncology appointment last week and they are really pleased with his progress. He is now into the 7th cycle of his drug trial and fingers crossed the cancer has not spread any further which is wonderful.
I am sorry I have been quiet life seems to have got in the way.

Autumn equinox

Almost at Autumn Equinox and the weather has changed suddenly. Last night I was cold most of the night, the duvet providing very little warmth at all. The trees are losing their leaves now, some are bare already whilst others are just starting the colour change.

I feel my body starting to slow down, I feel more reflective, reaching inwards

I have an urge to study, to read my tarot cards. To go deeper into meanings. To compare the various packs and their imagery.

To create more.

I know this year has been a bad one for me health wise. I am much slower and in far more pain than last year. The pain is more or less constant lately and it is hard to ignore it when every movement hurts.

But I won't be beaten , I will keep pushing. It's what I do and what I need to do.

My equinox meditation will focus on what can be, and how I can make it happen

A thank you also to the Goddess and the Green Man for their presence in my life.

Fascinating colour(again)

I have a fascination with colour, it attracts me and it changes my mood. The brighter the better normally,

Sometimes I have to go out of my comfort zone though. A challenge to my senses.

I also have to leave my comfort zone in creating and for the same reasons.

I decided to try drop spindling again.  I liked the portability of a spindle, it can go places where you wouldn't necessarily want to take a spinning wheel.

A friend was destashing a trindle, a sort of drop spindle but with arms. A strange beast, especially when you aren't a spindler. But it attracted me so I thought I'd give it a go.

This is one of the earlier trindles with fixed arms. Jeremy now makes detachable arms so you can change the weight you use. A brilliant idea.

 This is my first trindlespun yarn, here you see it on the noddy noddy after plying. My first success at using one of those also:)

 Here it is skeined up ready for use. It is just a small skein but my first proper spindle spun so precious for that reason.

 This is my current spinning on Tilly the traveller, this was me going  out of the comfort zone. I couldn't resist Freyalyns silver skies colour way, there is such a lovely sheen to it. Reminds me of the moonlight on water.

 Lola the Lendrum has the start of a batt from Danielle at the felt studio. I don't often spin batts, like the curates egg they can be good in parts. But this attracted me when I went to Andyfest the other week, put on by Andy from Bluefaced.com . A fund raising weekend for a local hospital . Had a great time meeting up with friends and this had to come home with me. It is spinning up beautifully.

 This is the current attempt at weaving, not sure the tassels will stay though as they aren't right. It is going to be a piece for the element of air.

 This is my latest knitting, yet another Pamuya shawl , the link takes you to the Ravelry page. The yarn is zauberball and the colour  is more purple than blue in real life. A vibrant choice for dark nights.

 These are my current spindle spinning yarns, waiting on bobbins to be plyed or added to before plying. Aren't the bobbins gorgeous? A friend sent me some for my birthday.

 This is the current spinning on my trindles. The back one is Mandacrafts falkland in the ultraviolet colour way as seen on the bobbin above. Gorgeous to spin, I love Amanda's fibres.The trindle is the ebony shaft,batik agate arms

The middle Trindle is the micro with mixed fluorite arms and Freyalyns merino silk and the tiny front one is the nano with hematite arms:) The nano is very lightweight and ideal for silk. The fibre is tussah silk from Freyalyn. My first time spinning pure silk also.

So a little view at current inspiration and creativity. I am very sore today and despite strong painkillers, anti inflammatory gel and a heat pillow I can't  create. No matter there is always tomorrow.

I've still been making art:)

My landscape in machine embroidery
 First take a selection of fabrics

arrange them in some kind of landscape

 start stitching them down with loose tacking stitches on to your base fabric.

not sure? then try some other colours

 But decide first lot were great so carry on stitching. Frame them with a little card to see if the effect is what you envisioned

 Yes? then it is finished.

there has also been knitting

 Another shawl:)

 and a swirl jacket, my coat of very many colours. made using all the left overs from previous knitting:) The jacket was a little tricky at the beginning . you had to cast on almost 600 stitches using long tail cast on which I hadnt done before. It got a little easier after that. It is a little big and I dont know whether to felt it  or leave as is.

 Then I did a workshop at our spinning group on Saturday. Eta ingham lawrie does the most spectacular  weavings, if you google her you will see what I mean.
I have not woven since I was a child so I was quite daunted at the thought of a workshop but was determined to give it a go. I am so glad I did:)
My piece is entitled Sulky Cat meet Ciel. Sulky cat because she introduced me to the delights of steampunk(note the wheels on the piece). Ciel in honour of a late internet friend. When she passed another friend gave us all a mini skein of purple sparkly yarn Ciels signature:)
I've had this over 12 months now waiting for the right occasion to use it. This was it.
I wanted to do a piece to represent the element Spirit, hence all the purples although it shows up blue. I've added a triple moon and at the bottom a bell.

What do you think?

Autumn is here

The days are much cooler now and much shorter. Autumn is most certainly here .I have been rather remiss on blogging, apologies.

 It seems to have been quite a busy few weeks. We have seen more of our grandsons during the summer holidays which has been lovely. Been visiting friends in Scotland also fabulous and caught up with old friends from when we lived there.

 That was really strange and more than a coincidence.

 We had called in Castle Douglas on our way to see friends. Walking past a restaurant we both said wonder if J + P still go there? Walked a little further to charity shop and a strange man was smiling at us.

 The lady from charity shop said "we were just talking about you" bear in mind it is over 6 years since we moved. The strange man was our friend J:) It was really odd because we have not seen or heard from anyone there since we moved.

 In fact we were really quite upset at the time because of Mr Mog finding out he had cancer. Apparently the other friend there had not passed on the info in fact had spun a completely different tale

 Seems none of the residents there have anything to do with her, which tells me something. Anyway enough of the negativity. J+P were so glad to see us, as were we to see them. We spent a long time catching up and then made arrangements to go and see them 2 days later.

 Had great lunch, P makes the most wonderful curries. Caught up with another pal who lives there so all in all a lovely day.

 Andy makes furniture and we may have come away with a spinning chair he made out of Ash. Picture later in the blog post.

 Mr Mog bought it me for my significant birthday:)

 Scotland was lovely and we really enjoyed our break. we were house sitting for our friends so took the opportunity to explore the area.

 It was very relaxing. I must tell you about an incident that happened while we were there though.

 they have 2 cats, lovely female calico and a stunning pure black male.

 That may have been another reason to offer to house sit of course:) I do still miss having cats around the house.

 on the last night we went to bed. After an hour or so I felt something moving I thought in the bed, I wasnt sure if it was my imagination as I don't have a lot of feeling in my joints. I mentioned it to Mr Mog, woke him to tell him. He couldn't feel anything so I put it down to imagination.

Through the rest of the night I occasionally felt something and was getting quite worried wondering if I was going mad. My own fault I should have insisted we looked. Anyway around 6am I'd had enough, woke Mr Mog again and asked him to check.
He obviously didn't appreciate being woken;) he pulled back the duvet and on top of the sheet that covered us there was a mouse. Not sure who was most surprised Mr Mog, the mouse or me. I was so relieved and ended up bursting into tears because it wasn't imagination.

 these are the cats, as you can see quite irresistible:)

this is my wonderful spinning chair. Andy does commissions if anyone is looking for a chair , he has some wonderful cherry waiting to be used. I would add that no trees were harmed in the making, these were  fallen trees