Cake Decorating

Cake Decorating Tips
Originally uploaded by Marni Molina

Be ye warned ...

I'm taking a cake decorating class right now. Expect to see lots of cakes and cupcakes with clumsy attempts at roses and pretty swirlies and whatnots made out of icing.

Though most of the blabbing about the cakes will probably go down in my vegan blog, I'll be sure to add pics here, too.  Soon! My first cake is due tomorrow.

Lady Day Cross Stitch

Spring Equinox Cross Stitch
Originally uploaded by Marni Molina

Though I'm late in completing it, here's my Spring Equinox addition to this year's sabbat cross stitch sampler. As with the Candlemas cross stitch, the pattern is from Willow Polson's book, Sabbat Entertaining.

Now if I can get my May Day cross stitch completed in the next couple weeks, I'll be all caught up. Yay!

My New Fey Altar

(crossposted from 101 Notes to Self)

I cleared out the space for my Fey Altar and began pulling it together today. I decided to place it in the bay window in my kitchen. I like this spot for it because it seems like a "between the worlds" type place in my home. It's not really inside (because it juts out over my herb garden) and it's not really outside (because it's still part of the kitchen). Also, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and I want to use the altar as a vehicle to build and foster and fruitful relationship with the Fey. What better way to do that than to place it somewhere I'll look at it a lot?

  

  

It's very basic right now, but after thinking about it quite a bit, I think I have a solid idea of where I'm going with it. I hope to create a portal, of sorts, around the frame of the bay window. I plan to do this using my interpretation of the symbolism associated with the points of the Feri Star (7-pointed star). It's difficult to explain, so I'll just have to show what I mean through photographs as I get it set up. Suffice it to say I'm starting with the top point: The Sun.

   

  

My selection of items for this altar were greatly influenced by the events of the day I began setting it up. Sadly, Cora Anderson passed the morning I chose to activate the altar and I was strongly moved to place her photograph, along with that of her beloved Victor, together as the centerpiece. It is appropriate, I think, since it is through their teachings that I am even communing with the Fey in this way. Eventually, however, I know their photographs will migrate to my ancestor altar, as they truly are my spiritual ancestors.

   

  

Other items on the altar in it's current incarnation include a sparkly blue kaleidoscope (it just seemed Fey-ish), the gold doilie I used during Cora's 93rd birthday celebration, two plants, a skull, a rose, a wooden mushroom, and the pieces that will eventually be assembled to create the first point in my Feri Star portal.

This altar is (obviously) a work in progress.  My goal is to have it finished by May 1, 2009.

Gone for the Weekend

A couple of you have asked me some crafting questions and I just wanted to let you know I'm out of town 'til Sunday night. I have ideas for both of you and I'll answer you when I return. Thanks!

Handmade Wood Altar

I begin every morning (or at least that's the goal) with my daily spiritual practice. Up 'til now, this included sitting down in front of a rather plain box on which I set up my simple altar - star goddess candle, incense, kala cup. I've been wanting to make a proper altar for myself to use for my daily practice for about a year and it's finally done! I'm rather proud of this project.

The altar is constructed of naturally felled elm. I was told the elm tree fell during our most recent firestorm. The legs are constructed of maple.

I had a large selection of pieces of wood to choose from, but as soon as I saw this piece, I knew it was for me. I absolutely love the grain pattern and the raw edge.

I hand-sanded the wood, envisioning how I would use it as I worked. To finish it, I simply oiled it.

This is how it looks when I use it for my daily practice.

This practice has, unfortunately, fallen victim to midterm craziness and I'm not sitting as much as I should. I'm consciously trying to get myself back on track and oddly enough, this altar is helping. I'm so in love with it, I find myself in my studio, circling it just to get a quick look. I run my hand over it, letting my fingers trace the raw edge. I carefully consider what I place on it, as I want to protect it and be mindful of what I call into manifestation with it.

Such is the beauty in creating your own spiritual tools.

Treasure Map Collage

Today is the Vernal Equinox and, as always, I'm marking the occasion with a Conjure Craft. I must confess, despite lots of juicy ideas for possible Lady Day crafts, the holiday really snuck up on me. So, when my girl's group got together last weekend to create Treasure Maps, I was grateful. A Treasure Map Collage is the perfect compliment to the energy of this time of year. It's a wonderful way to set your intentions and remind yourself of your goals.

Much has been written on the practice of creating Treasure Maps, so I won't go into it too much. If you've never heard of one, simply google "Treasure Map Collage" to find many articles and ideas about how you can go about creating your own.

Simply stated, a Treasure Map Collage is a visual affirmation of your goals and desires. Go through old magazines and rip out pages with pictures that speak to you. Don't think too much about it. Let your right brain run the show. Once you've got your images collected, begin cutting and pasting in a way that is visually appealing to you.



My collage is loosely organized into zones: self in the center, love and spirituality on top, health and environment on the right, and income and vocation on the left. The zones aren't all that important, though. Use whatever system speaks to you or simply paste all your images on wherever they seem appropriate.

I cut my poster board into the shape of a heart because love is the foundation for everything I want to work to bring into my life in this coming year. Once I had all the images glued on, I decorated it further adding ribbon flowers, scrapbook embellishments, charms, and key words that will help trigger my brain every time I look at it.

I hung my Treasure Map Collage in my dressing area, so that I will see it every day. It's very important to keep your goals and intentions on the forefront of your consciousness. It's also important to give yourself a timeline to reach or at least reassess your goals. My latest Treasure Map Collage will be "active" for one year.

Have fun creating your Treasure Map Collage. Make a point to use it every day to set your intention and live the best life you can.

May this Lady Day bring you love, wide smiles, belly laughs, and great sex. Blessings to you.

Knit Skully Dishcloth

My second knitting project! I taught myself to purl with this one.


Like it? Make one for yourself. The pattern can be found here. The flash on my camera made it difficult to see, but there's a cute skull in the middle of all that pink.