Stitches, Pincushions & the Full Moon!

The weekend is ending too soon for me! On Saturday evening a few friends joined me for my Eleusinian Full Moon ritual. This was a simple ritual to honor Persephone, Demeter and Hekate, of course. We journeyed, divined and then took offerings to the lake and hedge circle; afterwards coffee and dessert and good conversation. A lovely evening.

I finished my Strawberry House sampler by Little House Needleworks this evening, so, I must decide: frame or little cushion? Decisions, decisions. Now back to my mother's nativity and Salem Remembered. Sampler Sisters of the Thread awaits and oh, yes I want to start it right now!!! No, no I can't - the nativity, the nativity - I must stitch the nativity!!! There, that's enough of that.

Oh the stresses of a stitcher with so many enchanting things to stitch.

Now, look at this adorable pincushion, a birthday gift from my friend Debbie! She will tell you that she is craft-challenged, but I will disagree - she created a superior design! I love this pincushion which she made in a real cast iron cauldron! A perfect gift for a witch, but then, takes one to know one, yes?

I have made a few pincushions over the years for fellow stitchers and friends - and of course myself - one in an old depression glass dessert cup, embellished with antique lace scraps among other things. So much can be done with them, adding all sorts of little embellishments - beads, ribbons, charms and anything else one can think of; sew it on, glue it on, whatever. I have a lovely book by Jo Packham, Making Fabulous Pincushions, which has inspired me. The pincushions in this book are to die for - exquisite! I should make a few more. Oh yes, why not, I need another project!

I have discovered WCPE, TheClassicalStation.org - oh wonderful, wonderful selection of classical music with a daily listing of what is being played at what time. I love that so I can find new recordings to add to my collection. Probably everyone else already knows about it, but I didn't.

Such a lovely evening; sipping tea, browsing the pincushion book, listening to good music, life is good.... until.... tomorrow, 9:00AM and back to.............. roller sets!!! Did I mention I started beauty school a couple of weeks ago? At age 53? Yes, I did this and, challenging, but really OK. I like roller sets, especially now that I have the technique down - there is a certain secret for keeping those rollers just as they ought to be. I was going crazy until, finally, it all came together! Rolling hair is sort of like creating a zen garden, in a way, peaceful, quiet, providing the rollers do what one wants them to. My teacher is this wonderful, manic Latin woman, very talented and she keeps us laughing all day. If one of us becomes stressed or worried, she asks, "did I say you had to worry? No, so don't worry. Let me es'plain (heavy accent al-la Ricky Ricardo - really!) something to you, I'll let you know when you have to worry, so don't worry."

Really!!!

Blessings nine!