Rose Spirit Guardian

There is one tiny rosebush in the yard that blooms two or three luscious pink roses per year. At first it only bloomed one rose. Last year, with some care, it bloomed three beautiful blooms. I'm hoping this year I can help her bloom even more. 

I thought she might like a guardian, or helper, so I needlefelted a spirit doll for her.  She is full of dried rose petals, and will tend to the spirit of this plant. 

Needlefelted Gnomes

My daughter loves gnomes and we read the gnome book so often at our house, as well as watch episodes of David the Gnome (but not so much recently since she has become fearful of trolls!)

I needlefelted some gnomes for a local holiday flea market in December and they were really fun to make. I made classic red hat gnomes and also some grey forest wizards. They each has their own unique character and expression. It was fun to watch folks choose which ones to take home!

I will have just forest wizards available along with my nature photos at the Back Bar flea market in Seattle next week. I need to make some more ASAP!

Birth of My Spirit Dolls

I recently started studies on the Druid path, and for my altar I wanted a statue of goddess Brigid. I didn't want to buy a statue, so I decided to make one with materials I already had on hand, which happened to be an enormous stash of wool roving! I needle felted Brigid for my Imbolc altar. 

But then I realized I enjoyed the process of creating dolls so much, I could not stop.

Different spirits wanted to manifest through wool sculpture, so I began to create several more dolls. Each doll had her own voice, and would guide me on how she wanted to look, what colors to use, etc.

I made my first doll twenty years again when first moved to Seattle (I don't have a picture of her but I remember her button face!) She was made from red satin and purple velvet fabrics, and was filled with lavender. It is interesting to me that twenty years later I have been called to create these spirit dolls using my favorite medium, wool roving. And I thank the goddess Brigid stirring up Awen (the creative spirit) in me!

The Return of Queen Heron

It's been so very long since my last post! I can hardly believe it. Time has passed so quickly. I had put my crafting practice aside, with a trail of many unfinished projects and small creations here and there. Over the past few years, creatively I've focused on nature photography and deepened my relationship with the land and my surroundings through time in the forest and garden.

However now I have the creative fiber flow once again. Hooray!

As a new mom, it has been challenging to "find the flow" and time to create again.  Lately, creating requires much more patience than before, and sometimes projects can take twice as long to complete, which was a bit of a shock to me at first. But I want my daughter to be exposed to the creative process, so it is all worth the extra time. It is so fun to watch her explore yarn and wool and all the colors and textures involved!

I will be documenting current fiber projects and inspiration. Hopefully you will join me along the journey!

Bright Blessings-

Kim

Crocheted Healing Forest Mandalas

Green is healing, and so is the forest.

For me, connection with trees and nature is important.  As a nature intuitive, I work to develop relationship with trees and nature.

My forest mandalas are small crocheted meditations that remind me everyday of the wisdom and healing power of nature.

My Crocheted Cowls are Listed in the "Top 10 Cowls" on the Internet

Woweee!  My hand crocheted chunky cowl neck warmers were voted as one of the "Top 10 Cowls" on the internet by Simply Crochet Magazine.  What an honor!

There are thousands of gorgeous cowls and cowl patterns on the internet.  I feel really honored to be recognized on this fantastic list.  The Chunky Cowl Neck Warmer in Lichen (available in my Etsy shop) was pictured in the article:

Thank you so much Simply Crochet Mag!

Spinning Wool into Yarn.

I decided to take all this wool roving I have lying around and spin it into some yarn on my drop spindle.  I took a class on drop spindling at Weaving Works a while back, and I have to say, I've pretty much forgotten everything on how to do it!  It felt like it was a little more work than I remembered, I'm not sure if I am quite dropping the spin correctly.

Anyhow, I spun a single ply yarn from a combination of colors and types of wool.  I then crocheted the warmest hat I've ever worn.  It might be too warm!  

It must be the icelandic wool. The yarn, even at single ply, was really thick.  

Next time, I might try and spin a thinner yarn, even though I love thick, chunky, uneven "art yarns." 

But overall, I am pleased with the hat.  Now it needs to get cold enough here for me to wear it outside!