July 22nd, 2016

I've spent the last week working on a bit of a sewing project. Last summer, I made myself a weighted blanket (which you may or may not remember from this post); I love it, and so does my girlfriend, so I offered to make her one of her own at the next opportunity. Last Friday, I was able to go pick up supplies, and I finished it this morning.

As I did last year, I selected four little crystal chips and added one along with the poly-pellets in each corner. I chose two Quartz, one which I think is Moonstone, and a black one I couldn't identify but which I figured would still pick up on protective, grounding energies by virtue of its color. I cleansed them all, and empowered them to instill the blanket's user with comfort and peace. As that is sort of the point of a weighted blanket anyway, I liked the idea for reinforcing the blanket's purpose.

Here's the finished blanket. Blue is her favorite color, and the fabric has a really fun, soft texture. The grey backing fabric has a much more subtle pattern, but it's also a pile fabric, which makes it soft. It was important to me to be listening to videos that exhibit a positive energy while I worked, because it is my belief that when sewing, knitting, or otherwise making textile crafts, it is possible to weave one's thoughts and energies into the piece itself that can then affect the user.

I'm very happy with how it came out. It also took me a lot less time to make this than my green one from last summer, which was a bonus, and in general it just ended up looking neater now that I have more practice.

With Lughnasadh coming up soon, this is a great time of year for arts and crafts of all kinds, as Lugh is a god of artisans and the season can tend towards that direction. As it is, I always enjoy making gifts, and I especially like to add little bits and pieces of magick to the things I make.

Weighted blankets are wonderful tools for people like myself who find the feeling of gentle pressure to be soothing. Autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodiversity can affect sensory input, which may make the sensation of pressure more appealing, although I am sure there are also neurotypical people who would enjoy a weighted blanket as well. For anyone interested, these instructions are the ones which I followed, and I liked them a lot.

August 31st, 2012

A very happy Esbat and Blue Moon to all! A Blue Moon, for those who don't know, is the second full moon to occur in a month, something that happens every two to four years. The term "Blue" Moon comes from ancient calendar makers. They denoted the full moon in red ink, but on the rare occasion that two full moons happened in the same month, the second moon was colored in blue. It is a time of exceptional power, and so is best used in regard to long-term goals or projects. It is also an excellent time for divination. So go out tonight, my friends, and revel in the Lady's glory. Remember:  

"If if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am That which is attained at the end of desire."

June 27th, 2012

My youngest brother, Ben, has day camp three days a week, and mom has convinced Nick and I to go for a half-hour walk with her in the mornings while he's gone. We've been going to a local forest preserve, walking the trails for several weeks now. Today we went again. Sometimes, we see a great deal of wildlife (on Monday, mom found a wee baby turtle!), but today was looking pretty quiet. On our way back, however, we spotted a bluebird, which Nick tells me is rather rare around here, as they eat fruit. Therefore, they can be hard to find around suburbia, where fruit-bearing bushes are rare. How wonderful, to see those turquoise feathers!