Tarot Card / Altar Boxes

I've finally got some tarot card boxes made.... well, I made them with tarot or oracle cards in mind, but they're just as suited to keeping jewellery, trinkets, keepsakes... treasures of any kind really. 

I chose images in which the moon was partially hidden by trees, or veiled by clouds.... suggestive of things hidden, secrets, layers of meaning... to be peeled away or left as they are... beautiful either way... and each one has a slightly different story that can apply to the box itself or your inner self...

This one is about focus.... 

about looking to see what is ready to be revealed

.... perhaps aspects of self ready to emerge...

This one asks to look deeply and see what is precious...

to look at your values... 

to establish or re-establish what is real & true

 This moon is about discovering what is hidden... buried.... 

or perhaps it's more about re-discovering...

 As this moon dances through clouds it asks you to find the joy of being

.... to let your spirit dance

 

This is about bringing things into view... 

your Self... your ideas... your Truth... your voice...

or perhaps re-viewing what you show...

It felt important to use images of the full moon... 

totality... the whole truth... the full circle...

but remember, there is the bright side that we see revealed

and there is the dark side of the moon...

those parts that are hidden to casual view...

but just as valid, they shine in less obvious ways

(as the moon shines into space, when we can't see at new moon)

All are listed in the moondreamin shop

Personalised Moon Photo Blocks

For a long time, i resisted using moondreamin' as a commercial name.... but the more i added photographs to my etsy shop, the more i saw that it would make sense to put all the 'moon stuff' under one roof, so to speak. I created the shop, and still held off adding items for a good while, but eventually i could resist no more... i wonder why i resisted....maybe it was just case of the time being right, for it really does make sense for everything moon related to be in one place, with a name that reflects what is there.

 custom christening gift

These little box-frames have proved to be popular... they are super cute! Only 3 1/4 inches square & 1 1/4 inches deep, but i'm always really pleased with them. It might sound silly, but i find myself holding my breath at times, as i wait to see how each stage of production turns out.

 birthdate gift, with a photograph of the moon taken on the actual day!

 Sometimes i have a photograph for the exact date, and my collection of dates covered is growing.  It feels like i should have most days by now, but it's only when someone asks that i realize how big the gaps are sometimes!

 personalized anniversary gift with moon on the exact date too

I'm a bit precious about them as i sand & varnish... and have found that i enjoy wrapping them up as much as making them or taking the photographs!

 every box goes out gift wrapped in black tissue & a strip of 

sanwaa tissue that has real gold & silver leaf flakes in it.

It was reassuring when my first customer came back and ordered another two... it shows that at least one person wasn't disappointed when they opened their parcel! Everyone so far has given great feedback.. again, very reassuring. However much i may like what i create, it doesn't mean a thing unless the people who buy them appreciate them... they have all been for pretty special gifts, so i feel a responsibility to deliver!

 hand-fasting present, personalised with names & date

 

I was thrilled to receive an order for 4 for the same person last week.... i don't know if they were for gifts or for themselves... and i have had an enquiry about making larger boxes with lids for tarot cards, so that is my next project on this front.

i like to stand them on a shelf... a little sacred space...

but they are easy to hang on the wall too

 

I feel quite honoured to be able to stand with moon whenever she is visible... to spend some time... to take the photographs... and to be able to turn them into something that creates pleasure for other people too. Some people are aware of the energy already, but some aren't... I like the idea of sending a little bit of moon-magic into people's homes, hopefully to awaken some feeling that leads them to explore & discover more.... i wouldn't be at all surprised, if it was the moon herself who whispered in my ear while i was sleeping, giving me the idea in the first place!

You can find these mini moondreams at 

www.moondreamin.etsy.com

Perigree Moon

The once a year cosmic event of the perigree moon occurred on 5th may...

that is, the moon was at it's closest point to earth.

The difference in size due to the closer proximity, is more apparent when the moon is close to the horizon as it rises & sets, and is much more obvious when it occurs at full moon...  as it did.

And, being full, & being closer, the pull on tides & on emotions can be stronger...

5th may, 21:29

Low cloud meant I had to wait a while to see.... until the moon lifted a little higher. Not having anything on the horizon meant nothing to compare size... but size, as they say, isn't everything... and in this case, size seems to be an illusion. With nothing to compare, who would know that she was closer or appeared larger? Still as beautiful, lighting the cloud around around her. 

5th may, 21:36

behind a cherry tree... blossom dropped, & tiny fruit beginning to form

Perhaps, if we did not compare ourselves to others there would be less in the way of low self esteem... & conceit. Opposite sides of the coin, but both destructive forces... both a result of perception manipulated by the ego. It's not so much the comparing, but the judgement of self we make & perception.... perception can be just as dangerous as comparison if you allow it to be.... and the ego... without it, we wouldn't know who we were... but it can lead us down destructive paths... and good...

5th may, 21:40

 behind the briar rose

See how easy it is to go in circles and tangle ourselves up? Lets just stop & think. The moon circles the earth... the earth circles the sun... as do the other planets... and as their moons spin around them... so many circles, none the same... some more elliptical than others, some larger, faster etc etc... but somehow they all manage to overlap without becoming tangled. 

Maybe, as we walk our path, we could concentrate on our own journey... accepting that we sometimes move closer to, or away from our centre... we just do. Of course we can be aware of others in their orbits around us or nearby... sometimes we move closer or away from them.... sometimes the gravitational pull of someone may affect us more or less & sometimes we pull on them. It happens. That's life. We circle. We overlap. 

4th may, 22:01

But over awareness of others combined with lack of awareness of self... that is when we tie ourselves in knots... forgetting that we are unique, that how we are is our path, for us to sort out in our own way... forgetting that we have our own special orbit. But, sure enough, just as we move to our furthest point away from our centre, when things may seem to fall apart.... we begin our journey back around to closeness... to becoming our own supermoon. The way to stop those wobbles is to be aware of the connection to our centre, to our true self... a gravity, like an umbilical cord that keeps our personal moons, our emotions moving around our earth, our Selves in a steady orbit in harmony with the rest of the universe....

Moon Textile Art Quilt

I was browsing through Mudhound Studio Shop, looking for some bundles of loveliness to decorate a book with... dreamy twists of sari silk & seductive silken threads drew me in, and while i was there i stumbled across this gorgeous concoction...

 *gasp* how much do i want to touch? 

a froth of fibres & teasing snippets of text...

 layers of fabric, stitches, & various embellishments...

 is it possible to overdose on textures?

If so, i probably will cos i just want to see more...

 photos (c) Lisa Jurist

This is most definitely one of a kind, and is available in Lisa's shop <here>

Mudhound Studio is where Lisa blogs, and there are more photos & description 

of this mini quilt in this post... enjoy!

Suspended...

 10 february, 07:28

suspended...

judgement, time, motion

....over the tombs of kings and desert sands.

perhaps...

a gable end in a northern village

little changed in a few hundred years

  10 february, 21:38

little changed apart from the surroundings.

 still 

an ancient eye watched

suspended

as pyramids rose and dynasties fell

and science became the worshiped one.

how pretty the lights of transport & steel,

of commerce & chemicals & industrial greed.

a peregrine falcon nested in one of those towers last year

and raised her offspring unperturbed.

  13 february, 07:07

and the ancient eye squints

the better to see what passes below.

or maybe...

to shift dimensions

and gaze at other worlds

or pasts and futures

yet to be dreamed

 

  13 february, 07:08

dreamscapes...

hazy glimpses

 half remembered thoughts

... or lives?

  13 february, 07:09

shadowy visions

multiple layers

images transposed

  15 february, 07:19

light dances

in these dreamscape worlds

weaving patterns

from lives and lofty ideals

twisting threads of souls, of hopes and fears

  15 february, 07:25

and the eye watches

through lids half closed

 

 waiting for changes 

 

that time will unfold

 

 

 cultures, civilisations

ways of being

waxing and waning

that's how it's always been

Rumi and the Moon

07 february, 18:12

At night, i open the window 

and ask the moon to come and press it's face against mine.

breathe into me

Close the language door and open the love window

The moon won't open the door, only the window

~Rumi~

07 february, 18:15 

 Who could be so lucky?

Who comes to a lake for water and sees 

the reflection of the moon.

~Rumi~

07 february, 18:19

 There is a path from me to you

that I am constantly looking for

so I try to keep clear and still

as water does with the moon

~rumi~

07 february, 18:19

Let the water settle; 

you will see the moon and stars mirrored in your being

~rumi~

Febuary Moon

5th february, 17:17

From Jamie Sams, The 13 Clan Mothers:

WISDOM KEEPER

The Mother Of Nature, Keeper of Rhythm, Weather and the Seasons

Guardian of the Languages of the Trees, Stones, and Creatures

The maker of Relatives/Keeper of Earth's Needs/ Mother of the Planetary Family

SHE TEACHES US...

How to understand unspoken the Languages of Nature

Kinship with all life forms and how to enter the sacred Spaces of others with respect

How to honour cycles, rhythms, and changes of the seasons and weather

How to meld with the life force and rhythms in all dimensions, learning the truths of each

How to LEARN THE TRUTH

5th february, 18:38

This is also the Moon of Affirmation: this is discussed further at Rattling the Bones & Wheelkeeper

7th february, 06:58

Dear Woman.... and Man....

I was really struck by the full softness of the moon in this image, contrasted with the hard lines of an electricity pylon. Both carrying a phenomenal amount of energy in their own way... the moon with power over moods & tides, following, (or controlling?) the natural rhythms & cycles of our world.... electrical power lines, symbolic of the way our world has developed, focussed on speed, directness & power at all costs....

 12th january, 21:20

I found a lovely blog recently... Moon Woman Rising. Well, with a name like that, there's no wonder that it is sensitive & thoughtful reading. This was posted recently... you really must pop over & see the illustration Aja found to go with it, via the link above... it really expresses the thoughts i have been struggling to articulate to go with these images...

Dear Woman,
It requires openness, courage and sensitivity for you to live consciously and unashamedly in harmony with your inner lunar rhythm. Western civilisation’s projective linear lifestyle does not honour the wise truth of your female depths or the spiralling movement of your monthly ebb and flow. It is unnatural for you to be overly active in the world when you are pre-menstrual, menstrual, pregnant, birthing, breastfeeding or menopausal. These are powerful phases of deepening awareness and surrender to the vast realm of your feminine essence.
During these transformations you need presence, nurturing and precious moments with the earth’s beauty. You need space for inner stillness without unnecessary distractions and activities. You and your body are sacred, as all of life is sacred. Follow the moon’s rhythm and know it as your own. Allow her to lead you home to the mystery of your love and the depth of your power. 

-Roslyne Sophia Breillat

Click on Roslyne Sophia at the bottom & you'll see the full article... and skip over to Wild Heart Wisdom to see her own site.

12th january, 21:23

Those words resonate so deeply... I spent years proudly 'getting on with it' & scorning those who didn't... it took me a long time to understand and return, re-turn, to a natural cycle... to honour the rhythms. The moon, casting her light through industrial smoke & light polluted clouds, still looks beautiful... and these in turn create a striking image with patterns of metal & car lights.... no one would ever consider that the moon should try to fit in or compete... neither would they expect the pylon to try & be something it isn't.... neither need be a threat to the other... if we celebrate our differences... respect them...

14th january, 08:11

Boundaries are blurred and we need the courage to snap things back into focus... men & women do have differing needs & both need to understand them to function their best. Moon lore & wisdom tends to focus on the feminine... Woman has much to reclaim, but there are lessons there for Man too.

19 january, 07:43

The waxing & waning, the ever turning cycle... the moon speaks to us all and the more we try to fight it, the more we are likely to be sucked under by dangerous tides. With every waning moon we need to consciously think of letting go unnatural practices, conditioned thoughts, unnecessary goals.... even men, (or especially men?) can benefit from sitting with the dark moon... releasing & making room for new growth... allowing the seeds of respect for & attention to the Self to take root... to nurture our deepest Selves, so that we can all rise into our true power....

28th january, 21:43

Wishing you happy moondreams xo

January Moon

The first moon of the year began it's growth just after the Winter Solstice... new Moon was on Christmas Eve... it seems appropriate somehow as we move into 2012.

 29th december, 21:48

I was expecting this moon to feel fresh & exciting... a new year, a new moon cycle, but no... it felt old, not weary old, but i could feel the ancient-ness and a sense of change... almost as if it knew what was to come. Of course the moon is ancient & has experienced many cycles... i felt anticipation tempered by experience... renewal...

 9th january, 07:40

The first full moon of the year was 7:30 on 9th January. It was so beautiful to watch... the moon turning golden, as it lowered to the horizon... the dawn sky equally spectacular directly opposite as the sun was already smiling... teasingly hiding a little longer. There's something special about seeing both the moonset & sunrise together as they dance with the Earth. I felt very aware of them moving in a rhythm they know so well, effortlessly demonstrating the rhythm of life... of death, of birth... of continuity....

 9th january, 07:54

I've just bought 'The 13 Original Clan Mothers' by Jamie Sams. It's based on Kiowa teachings about the various aspects of the feminine principle, related to the moon. For some reason i always think of it as The 13 Grandmothers. I've been thinking of my own grandmother lately (my dad's mum) and her maiden name, McCormick has cropped up again & again....my tummy did a somersault when i saw the name of the previous owner inscribed inside the book.... Karen McCormick! 

I'm looking forward to seeing what the/my grandmothers reveal to me, and my sense of anticipation is very similar to the feeling i felt at new moon... perhaps tempered by my gran's experience. My grandmother was a dragon in this life... and i feared her. I've spoken with her spirit though, & understand why. I also meet her in another incarnation as druid & wise leader, side by side with my grandad, though he was her brother in that time.... so much ancient wisdom there... like this moon...

 9th january, 08:01

from The 13 Original Clan Mothers:

TALKS WITH RELATIONS

The Mother of Nature

Keeper of Rhythm, Weather, and the Seasons

Guardian of the Languages of the Trees, Stones and Creatures

The maker of Relatives / Keeper of Earth's Needs / Mother of the Planetary Family

SHE TEACHES US...

How to understand unspoken the Languages of Nature

Kinship with all life forms and how to enter the Sacred Spaces of others with respect

How to honor cycles, rhythms, and changes of the seasons and weather

How to meld with the life force and rhythms in all dimensions,

learning the truths of each

How to LEARN THE TRUTH

This is the Clan Mother of the First Moon Cycle... and the Relations we talk with are the nature beings... it is about our kinship with all of Nature... all of Life. By opening ourselves to all of the Great Mystery's Creation... to worlds within worlds.... that is how we can learn the truth...

10th january, 18:40

Donna Iona Drozda talks about this being a Cleansing Moon, the first of three 'Mystery' moons. I remember the first time i found her, the realisation that other people felt different characteristics to the moon too! There are many elements in the personality of each moon... depending where we are in our life and what is going on around us different aspects may reveal themselves... but usually there is a common underlying thread.

I came upon Lisa at Rattling The Bones just over a year ago, and through her Wheelkeeper.... both talk about this as the Moon of Welcome/Welcoming... and in this instance it is about welcoming death... Lisa says 

It would great if on this Moon of Welcome we chose to “embrace life” as a continuous ribbon of never ending stories. There are so many different ways to perceive the notion of “welcoming death.” From a Medicine Wheel perspective I’d like to suggest – “to welcome an end to doubt, to disempowerment and to anything and everything that robs us of memory, medicine, and spirit.” Welcoming death may surprise you with a journey unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

You see the thread through all our thoughts .... death... cleansing.... honoring cycles & rhythms.... renewal....


How are you 'feeling' this moon?

For regular readers... i've quite a few photographs & some musings to post, covering the last few months of silence. I'll back-date the posts as i do them... just so you know if you see a spate of stuff that seems out of order!

Painter of Moonlight...

.... Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893). If you are anywhere near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, you have until Sunday to catch this exhibition of his paintings at the Mercer Gallery. John Atkinson Grimshaw was a Victorian era painter from Leeds, best known for his moonlight & night-time scenes. I only heard of him from a friend this week, but after a quick scout about online and seeing that there would also be photography by moonlight from Liza Dracup, how could I resist!

Whitby Harbour

People often have the fixed idea of silver moonlight and never observe the varying hues cast through mist, rain and cloud... and some challenged Grimshaw's depictions of moonlight... but his detail & portrayal of light in his paintings are amazing, much more so in 'real life' than on computer.

Moonlight After Rain

Some of the paintings in this exhibition have a definite photo-realism to them, and he has been known to paint over photographs, and also to have projected images onto larger canvasses to ensure correct composition. Little is actually known about Atkinson Grimshaw... did he practice photography himself, or have someone else do that bit for him? I haven't dug very deep to find out if the answers are available.

Colour photography was in it's infancy during this period. According to a wiki-article here 

"Prior to the late 1890s, color photography was strictly the domain of a very few intrepid experimenters willing to build their own equipment, do their own color-sensitizing of photographic emulsions, make and test their own color filters and otherwise devote a large amount of time and effort to their pursuits."

Regardless of how big a part photographs played in his work, he was extremely skilful & they are stunning.... you could easily feel like stepping into the scene. Looking around, I found a blog "that's how the light gets in" that covers some interesting points in this post- mystery in the moonlight

Moonlight Over Wharfedale
~love this!

Running alongside the Atkinson Grimshaw exhibition, is "Chasing the Gloaming"  (one of Grimshaws paintings is 'In The Gloaming')... a body of work by photographer Liza Dracup, inspired by Grimshaw's paintings.

 River Wharfe, detail
~love this!!

Long exposures allow the camera to pick up images we can't actually see ourselves, giving them a mysterious quality... an ideal compliment to the paintings. 

“I take one extended exposure, which is in fact also many views in one – a linear, layered effect of fragments in time. I kept thinking of the differences and similarities between a photograph and a painting..." 

 Whitby, moon light

  ‘Moonlight is one of my working lights. As my eyes adjust I find more and more. I find colours that exist through photography, I am able to see the clouds moving, something we don’t pick up so easily unless we are looking purposefully… the exciting thing is not to know what the colour will look like until the print is made. In both painting and photography the end result is composed of a range of dyes, so in that way, photographs can be described as painterly.’

Comments from Liza and more about this project are in this article -here

Green Circle, Tree & Moon

photographs (c) Liza Dracup

Mmm... the mysterious moonlight! Well worth the visit.

Mercer Gallery exhibition details are here
John Atkinson Grimshaw- The Complete Works- here
Liza Dracup- here

and a video about Grimshaw, the exhibition & Liza talking about her photography...