School really took a lot of energy out of me and away from crafting. I've been getting a lot of not so subtle hints from friends, acquaintances and my gods that I need to be doing more woodwork and writing. So now that school is done and I'm running the Botanica full time, I am getting back into crafting mode.

For writing I have written a chapbook called "Spirit Work: Ancestor Worship in Modern Witchcraft" which is just finishing the editing process and will soon be handprinted and bound with handstitching. It's illustrated with originals by moi of course. I'm also working on a few articles for journals as well as publishing a witchcraft journal myself as a co-effort with a good friend who happens to be a Pagan publisher. We hope to launch the website soon to accept submissions.

For woodwork I've been finishing promised items for good friends like the Horned God Athame I recently finished. I have a couple staffs, a set of prayer beads, an amulet, and wand to get to. Once I finish those I'll be able to start working on carving the sketches I've done for new ritual and divination tools to sell to the public.

For artwork, I have resumed work on the Ogham Deck I'm working on with Judith Crow of Wisewoman Productions. I'm currently painting the Rowan card and should have the finished product scanned and added to my gallery soon.

And that's what I'm up to!
Slainte!
Sarah

Due to the Olympics cancelling my classes I now have a two week break from my usual busy craziness. I plan to hunker down in my craft room and get reacquainted with wood. So for those who have been waiting for things for a long time, I hope to have your goodies finally made. I've seriously not had the time, but I'm going to squeeze time out of a stone if I have too! Mmmm woodcarving...

I had a busy social summer, but now things are quieting down and I'm working through my custom orders. Once those are distributed to their happy owners I plan on getting back purely into woodwork this winter - ritual tools, divination tools, prayer beads, animal totem fetiches, and other goodies I've been sketching and planning out. I also plan on doing a lot of illustration for an ogham project, so some more of my sketches as well as the finished pieces might end up on here...

Slainte!
Sarah

GFLOE is the Gathering for Life on Earth Festival which takes place outside of Vancouver, B.C. every year. It is a wonderful Pagan festival where locals can go to let their hair down, relax and have fun for the August long weekend. Last year the festival was cancelled due to a massive landslide on the highway which cut off access to the site. So this year we continued on with the theme of the Fool’s Journey.

There was much frolicking and frivolity. The no talent talent show which was acutally full of amazing talent; storytellers, singers, plays, improv, shenanigans, and even a pagan opera based on Doreen Valiente’s “Charge of the Horned God” called the Carmina Pagana composed by Fritz Muntean… among many other talents.  There were numerous workshops on everything from spinning fibre to sword fighting and my own native plant identification walk which was a success. I took a group of about fifteen people into the woods in the mountains and showed them how to identify plants as well as their medicinal and magical uses.

I also vended my Forest Grove Botanica wares and did well. Most were scared of my back room items thinking they were voodoo and black magic supplies, but loved all my magical goodies. I met others who work with the lwa and spirits, it was wonderful to find that other locals have similar beliefs and practices to my own. My table was like a little mini metaphysical shop of all handcrafted treasures and supplies from the forest which will back up for sale shortly once I get organized at home again. It was so amazing, while we were at the festival the insects from the forest kept playing with us, especially the black and white dragonflies and the big fat black bumble bees. They would ride on people’s heads or shoulders for hours or days and fly around us in circles saying “you can’t catch me”. I had pet jumping spiders on my vending table all weekend. Black and white ones who jumped from item to item on my table and then jumped on me for a ride when I went to wander around. I would put my hand out and my pet spider would jump into it right away. She built webs in my spirit boxes. It was amazing, the spirits of the forest came to welcome us and play with us.

For pictures see: GFLOE 2009 Photo Gallery

I've been a very busy bee getting ready for the Gathering for Life on Earth making magic and medicines in my kitchen from the treasures I've found in the forest. One of my witchy girlfriends came over on Saturday and we spent the full day making healing balms, incenses, and magical powders.  She was such a trooper smashing away at the mortar and pestle! I guess I wasn't hard enough on her as she volunteered to come back to help some more tomorrow. At this point, three days til the festival, I'll accept any help I can get!

On the Sunday Mojo and I headed to Deer Lake Park for Virginfest. We only bought tickets for the Sunday as we just wanted to see Ben Harper and avoid Our Lady Peace who were playing on the Saturday… hehehe of course there was a massive freak rain, lightning and thunder storm on Sat. which cancelled the music festival that day. Virginfest was pretty awesome, mostly indie bands. I found some cool new bands I'd never heard of as well as swooned over Metric and Ben Harper and Relentless7. Mmmm Ben Harper, isn't he beautiful? He's on a hardcore blues kick right now and I'm lovin' it! Surrounded by talented musicians Ben Harper and Relentless7 were the highlight of the whole day, they rocked so hard and played the blues so hard people were swooning, swaying, singing, dancing, crying out…

Yesterday I labelled everything made on the weekend and also whipped up a new batch of "Love Smoke" and packaged a whole bunch. I also made little sample packs of pre-rolled Love Smoke cigarettes, such a delicious aphrodisiac. I also picked Rowan berries which are ripe freakishly early this year due to the abnormal hot sunny weather we've been having. I mean it's a rain forest here, it usually rains through all of July… But the strangeness allowed me to make strings of rowan and red thread in time for the Gathering festival, so I won't complain! I'll be quiet on the social networking front for another week until the festival is over, until then take care my lovlies and enjoy the summer!

Click here to see pictures of my recent craftiness: Here

I've opened a little folk magic shop called Forest Grove Botanica - in honour of all the wonderful witchcraft and voodoo botanicas out there. I figured the Pacific Northwest could use one! I've been busy making herbal remedies of balms, salves, oils, and teas. I've also been crafting magical supplies: magical oils, incense blends, amulets, statuary, as well as spell and altar candles. My shop is a combination of folk medicine and folk magic. All items are completely handcrafted by me. Some of my new Deviant Art submissions are now up for sale in the Forest Grove Botanica shop. Please stop on by and check out my handmade wares!

I just wanted to leave a note here saying my quota for custom orders this season has already been filled and I cannot take anymore custom orders. I accept custom orders on a seasonal basis only, in the fall after festival season is over. In order to get onto the list you must contact me by September or earlier to get on the custom order list. I will be accepting custom orders again for the fall of 2009.

Blessings!
Sarah

Well, festival season is over and now I'll spend much of the winter making commissions. I still have many pieces about the house, so I figured I'd have a little sale. I put a bunch of my woodwork and sacred textiles up for sale on Ebay, making this a perfect opportunity for those who can't normally afford one of my pieces to snatch one up at a discount.

[link]

Now I'm off with my sweetie to the Tricky Pixie concert at Soul Food Books, sweet....

The festival season has now ended, life is back to normal - school, work, crafting, custom orders… I have pooled together my remaining stock, my mother's felted purses as well as some new items and opened an Etsy store. I'm in love with Etsy, what crafter wouldn't fall in love with a website that promotes, supports, and sells handicrafts? It's like Ebay's good twin… yes I did just say that. Once you go handmade, it's hard to go back to commercial goods. Please come and browse through my colourful goodies and if while you're there you get distracted by other artist's colourful goodies, all the better. Slainte!

Skyclad Crafting Etsy Store

I attended Faerieworlds as a vendor last weekend and my senses are still reeling from the colourful magical sights as well as the amazing music. Everywhere one looked there were people in fantastical costumes - tall satyrs with real goat legs, dark gothic fairy twins in full black corsets, delicate fairy wings with an owner who's ears you'd swear are really pointed, fearsome dragons with sharp talons and wings, pirates, dryads, naiads, mermaids, Greenmen, and all sorts of fey creatures from the Otherworld… not to mention all the firedancers, storytellers, and talented musicians putting the crowds into trance. Tricky Pixie, SJ Tucker, Gaia Consort, Woodland, Chalice & Blade, Kan'Nal, The Wicker Men, Qntal… if you weren't there you missed out. I'm pretty sure my sweetie bought the albums of every band there so expect to hear them on the Wigglian Way soon for you magical musical education.

There were merchants of all kinds with magical wares, costumes, creatures, colourful textiles, jingles and jangles… The marketplace was so large one could get lost among the stalls… with all the magic was it Diagon Alley or was it a hay field in Veneta, Oregon - who's to say?

Some tips and experiences - If you're a vendor remember that's it's not a Pagan festival but a "magical" one. There were three times the amount of vendors this year than the last five years so being unique with over-the-top display was very important. If you're camping in the associated campground with the festival "Quiet Camp", it's a misnomer, it was quiet camp for the Oregon County Fair, not for Faerieworlds - hippies love to bang drums til four in the morning and it's most likely that one or more of the bands from the festival will be camping with you. Expect music, drum circles, firedancing, and shouting til the wee hours of the morning - you might as well join in! The bonuses of the camp were propane showers, a toothbrushing sink and onsite food, more importantly coffee!

Unfortunately I managed to get sick for the duration of the festival, it must've taken me quite a feat of luck to both get strep throat and smash my tailbone - but it definitely wasn't good luck. I attended every day but had to go back to the campsite early to sleep. I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted and I didn't get to experience the nights of music and poi dancing, but there's always another year if I'm willing to travel again after getting sick both times I've been to the States this year . I tried to tough it out and we continued on our road trip to Dragonfest, but I just got sicker so I flew home early while my sweetie and our good friend drove on to Dragonfest - the Canadians and the Wigglian Way need to represent after all!

For pictures check out my blog

I have extended my range from woodworking to jewelry and textiles. I've started working on clothing patterns and quilts as well as researching weaving and the history & mythology of textiles. To celebrate these changes I've renamed my little business Skyclad Crafting and have a new website and blog up: www.skycladcrafting.ca

I'll be hitting the festival tour in the US this year with my new magical wares. So far it's Faerieworlds in Eugene, Oregon and Dragonfest in Colorado. Expect the usual beautiful ritual tools and handcarved wooden jewelry with gemstones on top of my new clothing lines of ritual and every day magical garments. I will also have purses, amulet bags and other accessories. The other vendors will be pretty fantastical as well, so come out and see some great pagan art! I'm really looking forward to the many musicians and storytellers of faerieworlds, not to mention the amazing costumes!

This summer I hope to teach myself to weave without a loom. I have a few projects in mind - a new drum strap/scarf for my hubby and a cedar mat/rug for the house as me and hubby collected soft shredded cedar bark on the beach yesterday during a hike. I also hope to learn how to weave garter belts to go with the ritual robes I plan on making... So many plans and so little time!

Slainte!

Life has been getting very busy, and I as a result have been getting very stressed out. I'm not able to juggle my library program, caregiving, cooking, and writing along with C.A.W. Ritual Tools so I'm closing up shop until the 2008 summer festival season during the summer break from school. This means that I will no longer be accepting custom orders or any orders at all. Don't panic if you have already placed a custom order with me -- all previous requested orders that are on my list will be completed, I simply won't be taking anymore afterwards. I had hoped to be available for custom orders for the Yule season, but I've already received requests from friends and family, so once again, I don't have the time for other orders.

I will be placing pieces up for sale throughout the winter, but just won't be accepting commissions.  My storefront is on Ebay, an online marketplace for handmade goodies: Cunning Art Woodcrafts - I have some goodies up there right now. I will also be working with pottery and quilting this winter so expect some new products and creations at next year's festivals. For updates keep an eye on www.skycladcrafting.ca

Slainte!
Lolair

BC RenFest

Last weekend was the first ever BC Renaissance Festival and as many know I was a vendor there. I had a great time at the festival and met some amazing people and some new friends! I give the festival a thumbs up on the incredible vendors & artisans as well as for the performers and entertainment.There was jousting (unfortunately the horses didn't co-operate), sword fights, pirates, nobles, jesters, musicians (Gillian Hobbs, Corryveckan, Soft Focus, and Boshomengro). For vendors there were many costumers, chain mail, weapons, psychics, custom stamped coin pendants, leatherworkers, masks, giftware, jewelry and more. To find the links of the vendors you can check the BC RenFest website.

Read the rest of this review: CAW Ritual Tools
__________________________________

GFLOE Festival 2007

I did very well at the Gathering compared to BC RenFest. I made enough to fly to Ontario for my father's surprise birthday party in August. I received many wonderful comments on my work at the Gathering. Pagans exclaimed at how happy they were to find I had such a balance of "God" items (green men, horned gods, male charms...), and I also received the wonderful comment that "we (local pagans) need more artisans like you making authentic and handcrafted ritual tools and charms" - the person who said it was tired of seeing the same old wholesale junk in stores and at festivals. Many people commented that my prices were too low - but they were usually the people who weren't buying anything. I sold some items to friends and I am so happy they connected with my pieces. I cannot express how much I love it when a piece finds a home in the right pagan or witch.

Read the rest of this review: CAW Ritual Tools
________________________________

Vancouver Pagan Pride 2007

I was delighted to see that there were more than double the amount of merchants this year. There was a wonderful assortment of jewelry, runes, carved stone, pagan books from the new Grimoire's books (located in New Westminster), hand-printed t-shirts by Ian of TreeWalker Gifts, Merina Mohr's beautiful artwork and creations, as well as tarot readings. At the end of the event the raffle was held which raises money for next years Pagan Pride Day with many unique pagan goods raffled off that had been donated by merchants and others. There was also an altar set up for donations to breast cancer research as well as a bin for food bank donations. Next year we're hoping to raise money for an indoor venue - so if you're sick of the rain come to the fundraisers for next year's Pagan Pride!

Read the rest of this review: CAW Ritual Tools

Here are the dates of Festivals I will be vending at for 2007 (that I know of so far). I am so excited for BC RenFest! As a merchant I have to dress up, so I'm looking forward to being very girly, maybe some kind of 1500s travelling gypsy charm seller... The Gathering is also going to be great, I volunteered to put on a ritual tool making workshop - we'll see if there's room for it. I'm also looking forward to peddling the witchiest of my wares there.


1. BC Renaissance Festival
Location: Aldergrove, BC in the Market Place at Stellar's Grove
Date & Time: July 27 to 29, 2007 from 9am to 8pm
Website: www.bcrenfest.com

2. The Gathering for Life on Earth - Pagan Festival
Location: Near Squamish, BC (must register for directions)
Dates: August 3 to 6, 2007
Website: www.gatheringforlife.org

3. 9th Annual Vancouver Pagan Pride Day 2007
Location: Queen's Park, New Westminster
Date: Sunday, September 30, 2007
Website: www.vipalliance.com/vpp

I got a little lost this early winter and side-tracked by too many custom orders that never seemed to end! I eventually realized that I had to stop taking custom orders because it was preventing me from building up any stock at all - it left me with nothing to take to local stores or to sell myself. So sorry to say, but I am not taking custom orders anymore, but I may be able to start up again for the Yule season as that is when I think it's most important to be available to make special pieces.

I've also started branching out into other mediums, I've started making wearable paper mache ritual masks. I have one finished Greenman/Oak King mask which is up on my Deviant Art gallery and I'm also currently working on a crow/raven mask with real feathers. I just recently started making witches ladders (also called pagan prayer beads) out of magical woods, gemstones and natural fibre cords. I'm pretty excited abou them as I haven't encountered anything similar before.

I'm just so happy I have time now to make all of the designs I've drawn up and dreamed about! Yipee, here's to crafting! Now where's the mead for the toast?

I've been having trouble uploading pictures - they just come up as blank no matter the format, and the site keeps disconnecting. I even had trouble deleting the blank submissions!!

Anyone else frustrated and having the same problems?

My partner's Pagan band had a gig at a local metaphysical store on Friday. He convinced me to bring whatever ritual tools I hadn't sold - which was two wands. Chalice & Blade ( [link] ) played a great set and sold tons of CDs. After the show I hunted down the owners and they said they'd love to take anything I make as they are trying to connect with local Pagan artisans.

I sold my ivy & holly wands to an aquaintance's wife before I could even hand them over to the proprietors! All I have left in stock is a cedar besom. So now I have to get cracking and make some inventory to sell in the store. I'm very excited to have my things in local stores - people are more likely to buy something when they can touch it and turn it around in their hands. There are two other stores here that take in local artwork. I plugged my Skyclad Crafting ladies as well - shameless plug: [link]

Wish me luck!

Woot!! My wonderful partner gave me a snazzy new woodburner for Yule. Now he knows to get me a present all he has to do is take a trip to Lee Valley and it makes me happy as pie - or is that happy like I had a pie?

It is a Razortip SK with different settings and adjustable temperature. And interchangable pens. It can do amazing fine detail and has waaaaaay better control than the usual $10 hardware store woodburner. I feel like a tattoo artist using it - but a snobby black ink work only artist! No pictures yet of the things it can do, but you can be sure I will use it on many many creations to come. I also need to buy it more pens so the one has some company - can't let the poor pen get lonely.

With Yule celebrations already behind me and family being thousands of miles away, I'm having a nice quite eve with my partner. We watched a movie, "Lady in the Water" a wonderful modern fairy tale by M. Night Shyamalan. I am now chomping at the bit until "Pan's Labyrinth" comes to theatres.

Let's see, a little about me; I've been an artist since I could hold a crayon. I've mostly worked with 2d mediums my whole life: water colours, acrylic paints, charcoal, pastels, indian ink etc. I also discovered that I am good with paper mache and clay sculpture. This year I started woodworking which led me to discover that I have a good hand for carving. I've done mostly small things so far, Pagan ritual tools and jewelry. I am currently working on mundane creations for family, a carved sign for my father's farm, a walking cane for my grandmother... I absolutely love it, it clears my mind better than any form of meditation ever has. It's relaxing and the feeling of a finished piece is undescribable. I have yet to keep anything I make though!

I love learning about the mythology behind each tree and wood, their past and present uses and beliefs held by different cultures. Each wood seems to have a personality all it's own, making each a unique experience to work with.

Slaite!
Lolair