The first year that I ritualized the full moon with art was by painting a girl and her moon on itsy canvas each full moon night for 13 moons. The next year I stitched 13 little wall cloths with full moons and tiny houses with eyes. And this year it's mandalas.
September's full moon mandala is the ninth of 13 moondalas. Its wool moon and 4" square wool background were dyed with homegrown dyers coreopsis, the difference being the darker background had an alum pre-soak. I tried and failed all three times to shisa stitch the mirror (like the tablecloth up there), then decided it would be better learned on something bigger than a half-inch in diameter.
It's time to act before cold nights set in. I've been gathering a few more herbs and flowers each day, even small amounts which is usually all I have, dumping cloth and yarn out of every available basket and refilling them with herbs. The goal is to dry the plant material quickly and completely -- baskets allow for good air flow to do the job well. With the moon now waxing, I'll be infusing vinegars with herbs and making a few medicinal herbal tinctures. Both the vinegars and the tinctures will be strained and decanted on some future full moon -- the vinegars will be ready in a few weeks and the medicines in six weeks.
Jan and I took a mountain drive the other day to "see the aspen turn" (a local phrase). The sky looked exactly like that, not a cloud in sight. It was so nice.
I've been visiting and admiring Lyn and her hexis over at Liniecat @ Large every since she started blogging, I think -- she recently gave me the honor of a mention in the Worldwide Blog Tour. It is a way to visit new places to meet and get to know new bloggers. Part of the way to participate is to answer some basic questions like what, why and how a person blogs. The other part is to mention some blogs that you like and visit. I am seriously going to have to draw names out of a hat and then ask them if they'll want to participate so it'll take some time. For now, the blog list on the sidebar includes some places I visit, but not all. Yes, that part will take some time.
The moondala project is an example of my sewing, knitting, and dyeing -- I like to make things spontaneously but I like a good plan, too. I try to be conscious of the earth and the moon. Being an herbalist, my herbal preparations are made as much in sync with nature as reasonable -- and we live in the city so I try to make good use of what can be grown in our space whether it be for food, medicine or dyeing.
Have you ever had the dream where you discover a room in your house that you didn't know even existed and you're so happy because you've found it? Well, that is exactly what blogging is like for me. xo
as always-beauty-color-sensitivity and something sweet at the origin of it all, you nourish me. My blogging is so different, less formula and more whatever happens, and sometimes I wonder why I blog--your notion of "a room in your house" is just perfect...it's my room where a vast array of input gets sorted and chosen and mounted to share. I LOVE your room :-)
ReplyDeleteEvery time I come here I try to not sound lame saying the same gushing comments over and over...but, every time I come here I want to cry with the beauty and thoughtfulness of it all! You have the coolest room in the house sister! Those aspens and sky...(((sigh))). Does it count that I've been in my John Denver phase, again, this week? Or did the 'locals' disown him long ago for making half the world want to move there!!? I 'shared' a pic from a mandala page on FB, it reminded me of you. I have some of those little mirrors somplace....but where?
ReplyDeleteI say again, can I come live next door? (((hugs)))
oh i have had that new room dream so many times!!!!
ReplyDeleteit is so nice to stitch on wool. I always forget that.
I like how the autumn leaves resemble all the small marks in your cloth work - oh wait, I meant I like how the small marks in your cloth work resemble the autumn leaves.
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What a delightful way to look on blogging! There is a wonderful pleasure in joining bloggers journeys, most of them are of self discovery and its those blogs I enjoy the most.
ReplyDeleteYours is a breath of fresh air always : )
Just perfect mandala colours for this month : )
you gather the seasons so beautifully...
ReplyDeleteMichelle, your kind words and support mean so much. Thank you. Feels like we all sort of hang out together, taking turns with whose room we're in. :)
ReplyDeleteNancy, thank you for this. I am so grateful for every word. I smiled about John Denver -- yeah, he did sort of stir things up there for a while. Would love to have you next door but we're just clicks away, right? :)
ReplyDeleteJude -- glad you know what I mean -- I love that dream!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy, that's a very nice slip! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lyn! You said it -- self-discovery is the perfect description! Thanks again for including me.
ReplyDeleteDeb, thank you, I feel the same about you.
ReplyDeleteI had several of those dreams this summer, they were wonderful. I love coming here for a sense of earth's rhythm.
ReplyDeleteWell last night I dreamt about saving my life from a homicidal drug dealer by seducing him (!!), but I have had the newly discovered room dream, and they are always characterized by how much SPACE there is.
ReplyDeletelike Nancy, I feel like I gush the same raves about your compositions and colors over and over - but honestly, your posts are so beautiful. Today's thought? Perhaps they could serve as a partial cure for the depressed. "Oh, look at that color," a helpful onlooker might say, "Look at that tree".
Like the other comments I feel like I say a lot of the same things about your posts, but I love your moondalas, herb and moon teachings etc.
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