Blessing Moon

July's full moon is often referred to as the Blessing Moon and it  falls within the season of our early harvests. For this, along with the symbolic harvests within our lives, we count our blessings at this time. 

Back in March, I wrote about the Storm Moon which marked the perfect time of year for inviting new influences into one's life: I particularly focussed my ritual on reaffirming my desire to make more time for a return to the creative practices of  illustration and writing. 

Hopefully these little delvings into my sketch book will show that towards tonight's Blessing Moon I will be directing thanks for the inspiration and guidance to make this seed of intention come into fruition.

We also sometimes refer to July's full moon as the Meadow Moon or 'Wort' Moon. The word 'wort' comes from the Old English 'wyrt' meaning 'plant' and is most frequently associated with herbs. 

This time of year is perfect for harvesting herbs. They have been growing in abundance over the past few months and those which flower are likely to have done so already.

Designing a ritual today around the gathering of herbs would be the perfect way to celebrate and channel the energy of July's full moon. Those which you harvest can be dried and will hopefully last through the winter.

As this year's July moon falls in Aquarius, it is heavily influenced by the Aquarian attributes of innovation, inspiration and the expanding of the mind. If you have not yet learned the healing and culinary properties of the herbs you are gathering, you could begin doing so today, making a note of what you learn. Many garden herbs make nourishing teas, so perhaps you could experiment with some infusions, and begin keeping a journal of the flavours and qualities of each. 

However you choose to spend your days and evenings, full moon blessings go to all of you.

Post-box delights

When I checked my postbox this morning I was delighted and intrigued by what I found inside...

...a delivery from a faraway land!

Somewhere mystical, where faeries dwell...

...and one such impish sprite had travelled across oceans, to ensure this little package made it to my door.

A gift of imagination and magick!

My heartfelt thanks to Faerwillow over at ~serendipity~  for this beautiful hand-made gift.

One of the wonderful things that has arisen from beginning this blog is the discovery of interesting, thoughtful and like-minded people all over the world. 

Today's blessings go to Faerwillow and her little ones - whose hands have created this pretty postbox delight - for sending it on its long journey. 

Know that it will take its resting place on my wall where it will be treasured and admired. 

Creative Spaces

My current workspace at home looks like this...

I find that in order to settle down and be remotely creative I have to have some sources of inspiration and joy around me. Luckily for me, the view outside my window is luscious and green; I look up from my work to see birds flying under the eaves and wild flowers growing in the hedgerow. 

However, I also need a certain prettiness within my space. Eye-candy in the form of cheerful photographs, pretty greetings cards, cut flowers and little boxes covered in decorative wrapping paper are essentials. I cannot bear the thought of a workspace looking cold and corporate. 

These treasure troves of inspirational tidbits over at A Storybook Life are truly beautiful and led me to think about some new ways to organise my creative space at home.

I love the idea of hanging photographs and pretty ribbons on a tree branch for decoration, ensuring that those memories brighten up the home, rather than staying stored away in boxes.

How about you? How do you like to organise your creative spaces at home? I would love for you to share your ideas with me and if anyone wishes to email a picture, I can post it up with a link to your blog or site. 

Brightest blessings and inspirational wishes for within your own little havens of creativity. 

One egg is enough....

As the Spring Equinox traditionally marks the beginning of Eostre's month, preparations for tomorrow's Ostara celebrations are already well under way in my household. New spring flowers have been gathered and are adorning every available surface, bread is being baked and an egg has been painted.

Just one egg.

One egg is enough.

First the egg was pricked with a needle at either end and the insides blown out into a bowl.

Then, using a long needle, I threaded a ribbon through the holes and tied a knot at the bottom to secure. (At least I thought it was secure; about half-way through the painting process this proved not to be the case and the whole rigmarole had to be done again afterwards).

Now the egg was ready to be painted and, if I'm honest, I didn't really have a plan for this. I just took paints in what I thought were bright, spring-like colours, and did the first thing that came to mind. After a base coat of turquoise, this was essentially just a case of streaking blue and yellow around to make what can only really be described as a marbled mess. But a pretty marbled mess, I'd like to think.

The lone egg is now ready to take pride of place on my Ostara altar, which I will reveal tomorrow. Brightest blessings.