I know it's been a hot minute since we have been around and I truly apologize for being MIA. As seems to be the case these days, I feel like I had the best of intentions for starting out 2022 with a bang and then the shit hit the fan. We have continued to deal with the building of our new home out in the sticks (Take my advise and just buy something already built), illnesses, surgeries and I took a position back in healthcare and have been working in a Covid clinic. As you can imagine this has kept me busier and away from home and the shop more than I would like. With everything going on in our lives and around the world I was having a hard time feeling inspired to post anything. In the midst of this chaos I have been crafting A LOT because, well... my soul needs it.
I have been making all of the things. I have been creating new items for our shop and crafts just for me and I love when I find a new craft or skill to add to my every growing list of hobbies. Does this sound familiar?
Around Christmas time I was staying with a friend and she had been taking a needle felting class. To say I was intrigued would be an understatement. This is not something I was at all familiar with but I felt a deep yearning in my heart to try it out. I felt like I needed to be way more crafty than I am in order to do these beautiful dolls I was seeing her create justice. Y'all to my mother's great dismay I can't sew, like at all. I think I may have even flunked that part of home ec as a kid. But I put my skepticism aside and I watched some YouTube videos, asked some questions of my friend, gathered some supplies and started in on my first doll. I could see her in my head as I worked with the wool and needles to create her. I knew what she would look like long before I had her finished and I couldn't believe my eyes when she turned out exactly as I envisioned her. I may or may not have had to bandage my fingers a few times and she may have a little of my blood, sweat in tears mixed into the wool but she was my first Spirit doll and I made her. I named her Spring and that started a series of seasonal spirit dolls. I have currently finished 6 of these sweet little spirit dolls and they have brought me an intense amount of joy. I have kept the four Seasons for myself and made a few for loved ones.
I am taking a Spirit Doll class this summer from a lovely woman in Tasmania named Julia. If you are interested in finding our more check out Sacred Familiar. I found an incredible supplier of beautiful wool, located in Oregon City, OR called Sacred Spirit Weavers (Shoutout to Jerri). Not gonna lie, I may now have a bit of an addiction to lovely wool. It comes in the most amazingly stunning colors and textures and every time I open a new shipment from Jerri it feels like opening a gift to myself. I have gathered moss, and twigs and flowers and shells and crystals to add to these sweet dolls. I am constantly scouring our property as we make room for our new digs and pretty much everywhere else that I roam. I have been filling each little doll with herbs and love and magic.
I don't think these are something that you will ever see offered on our site. I think these are something specifically for me. I make them based solely on what I am feeling at the time and are given to the person I feel is most in need of each little doll's essence. Currently I am working on a breast cancer spirit doll that will be gifted to 2 Live 2 Cure for their annual silent auction. (This cause is very near and dear to my heart so if you ever want to know more please reach out because they do amazing work!) This is not a craft that I feel can ever be completely perfected and I am realizing that the beauty of this is often in what I normally would have considered the imperfections.
SO, is there a new hobby that brings you joy? Some new craft you have been itching to try out but thought maybe you didn't have the talent? Just go for it! Do the thing. Gather the supplies. Take that class. Just try it. You may find that this new thing that you were scared to try is the thing that lights your soul on fire. It may be just the thing you need to drag your ass out of the funk you have been in and if not than you can at least say you tried it. This is what happened for me. Let me know what new craft you are trying out or what new skill you are adding to your toolbox. I love to hear all about what you are working on! Our next addition of Craft Time Chronicles we are going to be talking about Sublimation so if you have any questions shoot them over to me and I will make sure we address them.
Until next time, Happy Crafting.
Kary
