<![CDATA[Willowsong Studio Blog

<![CDATA[Willowsong Studio Blog - Blog]]>Mon, 02 Jun 2025 07:59:11 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Capturing the Northern Lights]]>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 21:15:04 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/capturing-the-northern-lights

I’ve been suffering from Squirrel Brain for the past couple weeks... you know the symptoms, right? …when the chatter in your head takes on a life of its own and you’re suddenly distracted by every little idea?

They were mostly creative distractions, so I’m not really complaining. I began working on turning a cool tree branch into what I call a spirit guardian … but right in the middle of that, Squirrel Brain thought it would be a great idea to sort through my leather scraps and start making an amulet bag. I did eventually manage to rein in the squirrel though. I’ve finally completed the photo editing and all the other tasks required for adding the Labradorite pendant collection to the shop! Yippee!

copper pendants set with Labradorite cabochons

You can see why this stone is my current favorite (and has been for quite a while). The range of iridescent colors varies from stone to stone, but regardless, the magical flash when the light hits the crystal is enough to instantly steal your heart.

According to ancient legend, the Labradorite crystal, with its inner kaleidoscope of shimmering light, holds pieces of the Aurora Borealis trapped within the stone. The myth explains that an Inuit warrior on the coast of Labrador, Canada, happened upon the stone where the magical sky lights had been imprisoned and after striking it with his spear, broke open the stone releasing the Northern Lights back up into the sky. But not all of the lights escaped and to this day little pieces of the Aurora Borealis remain trapped within the Labradorite stones.

Several other myths, including ancient Norse, Greek and Egyptian lore, surround this stone, and although the stories differ, all agree that Labradorite is a magical stone. As a power crystal, Labradorite enhances imagination, intuition and psychic abilities. You can read a more detailed explanation of the metaphysical properties here.

This coming Saturday is the Full Pink Moon and if you don’t have the predicted clouds and rain we’re expecting here, you can charge/cleanse your crystals in the light of the full moon. C’mon... just indulge that inner child even if the adult you isn’t willing to believe in a little magic!

Thanks for visiting! Now go on out, indulge in a wee bit of exploration and keep your heart open to the magic.

]]><![CDATA[Craving a Little Beauty and Magic]]>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 20:05:41 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/craving-a-little-beauty-and-magic

Is it wrong to want a little bit of magic in the midst of all that’s going on? I’m not sticking my head in the sand. I do keep abreast of the news. But I’m finding it all a tad consuming and I’m reminded of a quote: “What we choose to focus on, expands.” I don’t want the disquiet in my heart to expand. And I’m craving a nervous system reset. You, too?

three photos of woods with sun shining through trees

In agreeable weather, this could mean a leisurely walk through the woods, pausing to gather bits of lichen dropped from the oak trees, or finding particularly interesting rocks or branches to bring home. Indoors, I love baking something from scratch. It occupies my mind, soothes my soul and makes my inner child quite happy. What are you drawn to? What works for you?

Lately, for me, it’s meant being safely tucked away in my studio, quietly creating beauty and magic. Just for pure pleasure, I indulged in February’s project in the Hand Made Book Club I belong to. It was a circle book, and the theme of the one I made was the full moon. It has a page for each month of the year, with graphics depicting the names of those moons.

Do you consider yourself a moon child? You don’t have to be a July baby to experience the energy of the moon. I’m a wee bit obsessed with the moon and moon cycles, so when I needed to do my real work and make more earrings, I knew just what I wanted to create. I’ve just popped them in the shop and I made a little extra gift to go with them… a pretty little card listing all of the full moon names throughout the year. You can find them here.

Tom Robbins quote- The full moon, the mandala of the sky

Next up, I’m working on a new pendant collection I'm sure you're gonna love as much as I do! I’ll be back in a while to share them with you, but for now, here's little peek into the process of making these special pendants...

Until next time, I hope you’re finding a bit of beauty and magic tucked into each day and allowing yourself to stop for a moment and soak it in. You deserve it!

]]><![CDATA[Harnessing Full Moon Magic]]>Wed, 21 Feb 2024 23:34:51 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/harnessing-full-moon-magic

This coming Saturday, that lovely white orb in the inky night sky will reach full illumination. It’s the Full Snow Moon and the last full moon before the Spring Equinox.

I’ve always had an affinity for the moon. Do you feel this way, too? Maybe it’s because I’m a night owl, or perhaps it’s that I’m a Cancer and therefore a Moon Child. Whatever it is, there is a quiet whisper and an insistent tug that grows stronger as the moon cycle draws closer to full. Do you feel it too? It’s a restlessness, a sudden burst of creativity, of energy, and a primal awareness that there is some "otherness" pulling us, just as it pulls the ocean’s tides to a crescendo.

The past few evenings as I’ve tucked into my nest, I’ve reveled in the joy of sleeping under a skylight. The nearly-full moon climbs right up over the roof and floods my cozy little burrow with moonlight and I feel blissfully bathed in otherworldly magic under its illumination.

Is this just fanciful or is there something magical? Why shouldn’t there be magic in moonlight? If the Creator infused our one tiny little planet with so many magical things, why not the moon, why not the entire Universe? Just take a moment and consider such marvels as the planet Saturn with its luminous yellow & gold rings and 145 moons… or an estimated 40 quintillion black holes in the Universe… what about all of those gorgeously colorful and mysterious galaxies millions of miles away? … or closer to home, the captivating shooting stars that trail across the night sky. If there are so many magnificent things strewn throughout the galaxies, why not a little magic in the moonlight?

While science has indeed proven that our sleep, emotions, and energy levels are affected by the full moon, it has yet to provide any supporting evidence for cleansing items of bad energy, making and drinking moon water, or charging crystals under the light of the full moon. But don’t let that stop you! I am a true believer in the power of intention… and besides, scientists are learning new things every day. Who knows what they’ll have to say about full moon energy in another hundred years? So go ahead, make your moon water, charge your crystals, and set out anything that needs an energy cleansing under the light of the Full Snow Moon this weekend.

full moon with red ring in the night sky

Tonight, as I peer out the studio window, there is a mystical red ring around the moon. Scientists will tell you that it’s just moonlight refracted by the ice crystals in the atmosphere, but your inner child’s heart knows that it’s just one more wonder in a world, and a galaxy, filled with millions of wonderous things …and there is magic to be had if you’re willing to view it through that same inner child’s eyes.

]]><![CDATA[THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC]]>Wed, 24 Jan 2024 20:49:02 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/the-science-of-magic

Over the past decade or more, there’s been a rise in the interest of Tarot decks, Oracle cards, Runes and other tools of divination. Now, divination doesn’t mean that these tools can “magically” predict the future, but what they can do is serve as a tool to connect with our Inner Knowing. The Inner Knowing we all possess is our subconscious, our intuition or sixth sense and, as I believe, can also be the quiet voice of our Higher Spirit or connection to a Universal energy. But for now, let’s focus on intuition and the subconscious mind.

When we use the tools of the aforementioned card decks, we’re inviting our inner knowing/wisdom to consider the “message” we get from a particular card we have drawn. We know ourselves much better than we think we do. As we go about our day on a mostly conscious level, our subconscious is gathering all sorts of information and storing it for later use. When we begin to interpret the message on an oracle card, for example, that inner knowledge base is drawn upon and our intuition (separate from the inner knowing and actually one of our senses) is tapped into and we can discern a pretty clear meaning that pertains directly to the question we were asking. It’s a bit of science and magic all rolled up in one. We already know the answer; we just don’t know that we know.

This same “magic” can be utilized through a vision board. Have you ever made a vision board? I’d thought about making one over the last few years and finally did it this year. For me, it took finding the right instructor. Nothing I’d read or listened to previously felt complete… there was some unknown element missing… until a friend connected me with Colette Baron-Reid.

You’re probably familiar with vision boards… simply put, it’s a collage of words and pictures that represent the things you wish to draw into your life. The key to a good vision board is to base these representations on the way you want to feel when your visions are attained, and to feel and act as though it has already happened. Also, a key element, as taught by Colette, is to let go of the form and the time frame in which it will be delivered.

For example, instead of saying “I want to make a million dollars by June 1st in my business”, you instead ask for prosperity in whatever form Spirit wishes to deliver it. In the meantime, you are feeding your subconscious mind signals that these things already exist and it will strive to make it so through influencing your actions and your frame of mind. Perhaps it will be through your business, or it may come from an opportunity which you were previously blind to, but now that your subconscious has been put to task, it is pushing the opportunity to the surface… in order to make your vision true! And let’s not forget, you’re also putting energy out into the Universe to draw in these things you wish for… after all, we are made up of energy and our thoughts are energy and we don’t yet understand just how powerful this can be.

Whether through oracle cards, vision boards or sacred talismans, we all possess the ability to invite a bit of mystical enchantment into the everyday. For myself, all of the things I make inside and outside of my business are created to hold or draw in the magic we all seek to invoke and embrace in our lives. I’ve always been a “science girl” and I’ve always believed in Magic. Are these two things contradictory ideologies or are they one and the same? I offer these quotes for your consideration…
The first comes from Jade Chen of Mud Lotus and I don’t know where she first heard it…

“Before Science was called Science, it was called Magic.” – Unknown author

And a ‘nearer to my heart’ quote…

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
– British author, Roald Dahl

Now, go have a magical day!

]]><![CDATA[courting autumn]]>Sat, 30 Sep 2023 18:10:41 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/courting-autumn

Do you adore Fall as much I do? Of course, if you live in the Northeastern US, it hasn’t yet felt much like Fall, but I’m still hopeful! The pumpkins have been gathered, the summer porch has been “Autumnized” (yes, I’m making up words) and we’ve gone out collecting cattails and lovely tall grasses and I am in my happy place! This is the color pallet that makes my heart sing and even though we won’t be blessed with our normal New England color this year, I’ll certainly be making up for it with natural, seasonal embellishments.

The summer harvest is bleeding into fall and I’m still roasting TONS of cherry tomatoes and freezing them in small batches for pizza sauce. (Grab the recipe here!!!) The dining room is still serving as the herb drying room, although, overall, my herbs were not very happy with the hot, wet weather this year and the harvest is down quite a bit from last year.

Although our first-ever bout with Covid slowed us down quite a bit for the month of September, I did manage to indulge in a little creativity (alongside the herbs, cooking, baking and decorating) and made myself a daily journal for list keeping. (Note the fall colors!!!) This journal reminds me of the Indian Summer Amulet bag, currently in my on-line shop, which was inspired by a sweet little Lakota legend that explains why leaves change color in the fall.

I’m looking forward to the garden slowing down and gaining more studio time as we move deeper into Fall. I also hope to take advantage of cooler weather and indulge in long woodland walks before the end-of-year holidays take over with the same demanding pace of this past growing season. For now, I’ll leave you with a heartfelt wish that you too find a slower pace to rekindle your connection with Mother Nature as she blesses us with her change of wardrobe and an invitation to move softly and gently into the last quarter of this year.

]]><![CDATA[Stolen Moments Among the Chaos]]>Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:59:02 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/stolen-moments-among-the-chaos

I’ve just come through a little over a month’s worth of overwhelm. From jobs in my screen-printing business (that’s my real-life job) to garden chores such as transplanting an overabundance of seedlings (like, I’m talking hundreds), to struggling to find time to work in the studio (and mostly losing THAT battle), to everywhere I look something demands my attention… meal prep, laundry, dirty bathrooms, outside commitments … you know the drill. I know it’s not an original story. Nowadays, virtually everyone feels the pressure to go faster, work harder, keep checking off ALL. THOSE. BOXES. …and some days, it just seems too much.

And then along comes one of those nearly forgotten commitments, something actually for yourself, and for a couple of hours the rest of the world fades into the background and “time” goes on hiatus.

Last week I went with a group led by Russ Cohen, author* and active land conservation advocate, on a plant walk… identifying edible and medicinal plants. As I told my sister, “We picked weeds… and we ate them too!” As for the eating weeds part, we picked and tasted wood sorrel. It looks like a three-leaf clover and its flavor is tart and lemony. It would be a delicious addition to a salad, or you can make a “lemonade” or brew it as tea. It’s very high in vitamin C. (Apparently, it’s important to NOT eat a lot of it because one of its constituents, oxalic acid, can block calcium absorption.)

Beaked hazelnut seed, elder flower, black cherry

Up and down the road we went as Russ introduced us to plantain (wound healing), elderberry (elderberry wine, elderberry syrup), Curly Dock (use like spinach, high in iron), Chicory (you’ve seen this in the grocery store as a coffee substitute), Stinging Nettles (so highly nutritious!), and loads of berries… Dewberry, Huckleberry, Black Cherry, Partridge Berry, Wintergreen/Winterberry/Teaberry (you guessed it, gives us the wintergreen flavor we’re all familiar with), and Spicebush, a savory berry like pepper.

Russ brought along Shag Bark Hickory nuts for us to sample after the walk, as they’re not in season just yet. They look like pecans and they were absolutely delicious. We also sampled Birch bark tea. It smelled like birch beer soda that I used to enjoy, although without the fizz.

There is a veritable feast just waiting for you right outside your door (as long as you don’t use herbicides or pesticides) as nearly everyone has Dandelion, Dock and Plantain happily growing in their front yard, acorns on their lawn and if you’re lucky, Hickory nuts littering your (or a neighbor’s) driveway.

On the ride home, we stopped at a field where it’s okay to pick a few “weeds” and I hopped out of the truck to snip about a dozen stalks of Mugwort. I do use dried Mugwort in my herbal skin care concoctions, but these are for making Mugwort smudge sticks.

The stalks are currently in a bucket of water awaiting another restful moment when I can sit quietly on the front porch steps amid the chickadees, chipmunks and squirrels, and methodically bunch and wrap the herb while my mind skitters off up into the treetops on the wings of the enchanting birdsong. I wish for you the same opportunity to steal away from all the noise in your life and indulge in something to soothe your own weary soul. You’re worth it, my friend! Go out and play!

*P.S. If you’re interested in Russ Cohen’s book, Wild Plants I have Known and Eaten, it’s available through The Essex County Greenbelt Association. Russ directs all of the proceeds from the sale of the book to this nonprofit land trust.
Another foraging book that I personally own and recommend is Rosalee De La Foret’s book, Wild Remedies. Rosalee is a clinical herbalist, teacher and author. She also has a podcast, Herbs With Rosalee, which I listen to on Apple podcasts.

]]><![CDATA[Under the Light of the Full Flower Moon]]>Fri, 28 Apr 2023 19:23:30 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/under-the-light-of-the-full-flower-moon

Next Friday will bring us the Full Flower Moon and I often like to indulge in a quick online search to see what alternative moon names I can find. There were several Native American names traditionally used by different tribes. Frog Moon was by far my personal favorite, as the first sign of spring for me is always the peepers and tree frogs. I love to hear them serenading the twilight hours on a cool, spring evening. There was also Budding Moon, Planting Moon, Egg Laying Moon and (rather amusing) the Moon of Shedding Ponies! Not having had ponies, but instead dogs, I can definitely identify with that one!

I’ll be using the approaching May 5th full moon to cleanse a couple of new pendants before adding them to the shop. Even though I’m careful to only make my art when I’m in a good energy space, I still like to cleanse them under the light of the full moon just in case there is any negative energy attached. Yes, I know this sounds a bit woo-woo, but if you’re curious about the science of vibrational energy, you could go back to this post and check it out.

The first pendant is a Red Jasper oval cabochon set in brass and copper. Jasper, in general, is known as ‘The Supreme Nurturer”. Red Jasper in particular is a very calming and grounding stone and is considered sacred in some Native American traditions, representing the blood of Mother Earth.

The second lovely stone I got to play with this month is the first of several Labradorite cabs patiently waiting for me to design the perfect setting. These stones exhibit a tantalizing “flash” of color when caught in the light… usually blue, green, or gold. This stone has a vibrant iridescent blue flash with a wee bit of green-gold in the lower corner.

Labradorite is especially alluring to me because it is associated with Magic... not a surprising revelation if you’ve been around here for any length of time. Among other things, it’s considered highly mystical, connects you with universal energy, and brings forth your intuition and psychic abilities. Now that’s some very intriguing energy!

That Red Jasper stone could come in handy right now as we’re riding the funky energy of Mercury Retrograde… April 21st through May 14th. During Mercury Retrograde it feels like you can’t seem to get anything accomplished. It’s best to just relax into this slow-motion energy, do what you can do and leave the big things for the second half of May.

Instead, you can use this time to clear out clutter, physically and mentally, and resist beating yourself up over the “one step forward/three steps back” feeling. It’s not you. It’s just the Retrograde energy. The Universe is giving you permission to get your house in order for the coming busy summer months. You may as well just go out and play in the garden! I know I’m going to!

]]><![CDATA[Irish Eyes]]>Tue, 28 Mar 2023 18:14:09 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/irish-eyes

Connemara, County Galway, Ireland

It seems that spring has suddenly become thrust upon us. After the endlessly mild winter, it feels strange and all at once too soon. I feel torn in a hundred different directions, my attention drawn away from studio work and with the month nearly over, I realized in a panic that I hadn’t given half a thought to the March blog post.

The seeds I’d saved from last years herbs are ready to be planted in my seed starter mix. My herbal skin care course is finally getting into the good stuff and is mostly through all of the science-y slog… I don’t know if I’ll retain all of that, but I’ve taken copious notes to fall back on. I want to indulge in learning all of the various herbal preparations, but there’s so much other work to be done.

Dunguaire Castle, County Galway, Ireland

Having been adopted as a small child, and with scant history of my biological family, I was eager to use the 23 and Me DNA kit that I received as a Christmas gift. I subsequently discovered that most of my DNA was inherited from my Irish grandmother. For years I’ve been drawn to novels based in Ireland and although not well versed in Celtic legend, I’ve had a strong curiosity about the mythology and symbolism. Now I am absolutely dying to delve more deeply into this and see what kind of art it inspires.

My very first Celtic Knot attempts

You may remember that I belong to The Handmade Book Club and make journals (just for fun). Along with all of the book making tutorials, we also have guest artists each month who teach us various mixed media techniques. This month we leaned how to draw Celtic knots. Predictably apropos for the recent St. Patty’s Day, but also excitingly appropriate for my rekindled interest in my Irish heritage! And of course I’m already working on ideas of how to weave these fascinating designs into my jewelry… stay tuned! I see an entirely new line on the horizon!

]]><![CDATA[A Winter's Night]]>Sun, 26 Feb 2023 02:24:52 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/a-winters-night

Oh, what a magical night! The air is perfectly still as tiny snowflakes drift silently to the ground and a hush has fallen over the woods surrounding the property. The soulful cry of a lone coyote reverberates through the darkened timberland from the north end of the pond. Joining in from the northeast, a Great Horned Owl begins calling and yet another answers faintly, some distance away. As if that wasn’t enough to fill my heart, somewhere close by in the snow-covered branches of the pine trees comes the soft trilling of a Screech Owl. All of Mother Nature is awake and reveling in the flawless beauty of a winter’s night.

Copper Owl pendant and wool felted vessel

We’re nearing the end of Winter Solstice now and I’m surprised to find that I’m rather reluctant to let it go. Normally, winter can’t go by fast enough, but surprisingly, this year I’ve found a sort of tranquility and sense of relief in the slowing down and I’ve luxuriated in the implied permission to hibernate.

Of course, this may well have a lot to do with the fact that I’m an introvert. It may also be influenced by the paltry amount of snow we’ve had to deal with, and surely some of my current pleasure with this season comes from the lack of demands from the garden …although I’m already thinking about what plants I’d like to grow from seed and when I’ll start them.

copper dragonfly pendant and copper spiral pendant

Lest you think of me as a complete sloth, I have been working quietly behind the scenes in my art business. I’ve recently added two collections to the online shop… Spiral Medicine and Spirit Messenger pendants… which can be found here.

I also had fun last weekend making two small journals with sketch paper inside. I belong to The Handmade Book Club where I get to enjoy playing with mixed media techniques and making handmade journals that are just for fun or for gifting. These covers are made with paper I decorated in other classes.. the turquoise is dyed paper, the other is Gelli printed. It’s extremely gratifying to make things just for the fun of it.

The Spring solstice will be upon us soon enough… just a little over three short weeks away… and friends have already noted spring bulbs beginning to appear. The chipmunks have emerged from their burrows and Red-winged Blackbirds and Yellow-rumped Warblers are frequenting the feeders. For now, I’m going to continue to enjoy this slower pace, savor these last few weeks of “official” winter and slip happily back into my burrow.

]]><![CDATA[beginnings and endings]]>Sun, 15 Jan 2023 01:20:13 GMThttps://www.willowsongstudioblog.com/blog/beginnings-and-endings

TEMPLE OF JANUS

If you’ve been following my work for any amount of time, you probably already know how much I love mythology. You may know that I made a small line of “Janus” earrings, in the shape of an abstract door, the significance of which soon follows. But did you also know that January is named after the Roman god Janus? Given that it’s the first month of the calendar year, Janus, the god of beginnings and endings, gates and passages, doorways and transitions, feels wholly appropriate as we welcome in the new year. On Roman coins and statues, Janus is depicted as having opposing faces… one looking to the past and the other, the future. This all sounds curiously similar to our many new year traditions.

And as such, I hope you’re not currently torturing yourself with New Year’s resolutions… but, if that works for you, more power to you! After all these years, I’ve found that, for me, resolutions serve only to be shameful disappointments laden with guilt. It’s been a long time since I made a New Year’s resolution. Now, the new-ish “word of the year” fad does sound tempting & intriguing, but I have yet to be inspired by a suitable word. Have you tried having a "word of the year"?

christmas decorations, girl writing in diary, champagne glasses

November and December flew by in a blur and I suddenly find myself in the middle of January feeling like the proverbial deer in headlights. Christmas decorations are still up and I’m turning a blind eye to them as I struggle to get back into the swing of things. Apparently, the struggle is not all my own … if you follow astrology. For weeks we were in the midst of not one, but two, planetary retrogrades … Mercury Retrograde, which ends on Jan. 18th and Mars retrograde, which just ended on Jan. 12th. You may have been feeling inspired, yet progress felt slow or hindered. Apparently, that’s normal. I know I certainly felt that way!

But on my bench lies some very tempting inspiration… in the form of some gorgeous Labradorite cabochons. Labradorite is a dark grey/black stone possessing a captivating iridescent flash from within, ranging from blue to gold to green, and is attributed with mystical and protective properties. It awakens your intuitive powers and facilitates access to your psychic capabilities. This is a powerful stone that ignites the imagination through both its alluring aesthetics and its enchanting metaphysical energies. How could I not be overcome with inspiration for creating a setting worthy of such a seductive stone?

With Mars Retrograde no longer a viable excuse and Mercury on its way out, I suspect it’s about time I make myself comfy at my workbench and see what magic may come my way and turn mere thought into a handheld treasure.
So tell me, what’s capturing your imagination as you dream about the possibilities in this new year?

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