Handmade: Spirit Stones, Standing Stones

Good evening my dears,

Today has been wonderfully productive and I've got that buzz of happiness that you get when you've had a busy day and gotten a lot of things done that you wanted to do. Do you know what I mean? 

The weather was wonderful today, clear blue skies and warm enough to go out without a big coat on again. Steven and I had a wander where we stopped and talked to Alder trees and admired they beautiful yellow green catkins and mysterious eye shaped markings on their bark and I got very excited about all of the little shoots poking through the earth here there and everywhere. Early spring is one of my favourite times, you can just feel the energy building up, all the potential, I love it!

We went and had lunch and I picked up lots of new art supplies that I'd run out of. I got a new larger watercolour pad to paint in, a hobby knife and ruler for cutting straight lines (which I am terrible at!), some new clay and spray on sealant for making jewellery again. I can't wait, I haven't made jewellery in such a long time! 

Speaking of painting, I'd like to share my latest paintings with you. For those who have been here since the beginning you might remember that I used to share my paintings here a lot, of forest people and faeries, circus folks, nature sprites... They used to be around these parts a lot!

Over the past few years I've fallen out of the habit of sharing my paintings as often, at first simply because I started to focus on my crochet more and then because I grew nervous about sharing my paintings because I worried about what people would say about them. I feel as though I can withstand criticism or outright dislike for my crochet much easier than for my paintings, perhaps because to me my crochet is protective, like a cocoon, and I can simply get lost in it and forget about what anybody else thinks. With painting... it just isn't quite like that. Painting for me is so raw, I don't have the harder skin that I do with my crochet. 

I want to change that though, I want to eradicate the fear of sharing my paintings with all of you. The thing is, I love painting. I've always loved it and I think I always will. It has always been a part of my life, a part of how I express myself, my ideas and feelings without the need for words. I want people to be able to see that, and I also want to show that I trust the world to see my work. I do trust you all and this is a safe space, my safe space and a safe space for all of you. You share things you love in a safe space, because you can, because we're all kindred. 

I've been really happily surprised by the reception I've gotten on these paintings in the past few days that I've started putting them online again. The first one below has already been featured in a Treasury on Etsy and favourited 4 times and it warms my heart and gives me courage and heart that it is safe and good to share these things with the world.

These are all available for sale in my shop, the links are beneath each piece but if you'd like to run ahead that's ok, you know where you're going! 

Standing Stone Sisters. Small Original Painting. 

There they are, standing together as always. The girl pulls herself out into the clearing and catches the first glimpse of the Standing Stones. Her breath catches in her throat, the way it always does when she first lays eyes on them.
The wind whispers secretively across the clearing and wraps itself around the stones before finding it's way over to her and tangling itself up in her long hair. 'This wind is a dear friend to me,' she thinks, 'as these stones are.'
She makes her way over to the taller stone and places her hand gently on it's lichen covered side. She could swear she hears a voice, very far away, welcoming her back. These stones know her, for they are sisters.
Once they stood together as three, the girl is sure of it. There were legends in the town of three sisters who had been turned to stone and it was said that if one visited them on a clear night and placed the gift of a crystal before them they would heal you of all your woes and troubles. Nobody had been in a long time and there were no crystals now, only her.
Somewhere inside a voice told her it was time, her blood singing with the truth of it. It was time to return.

Spirit Stone of Wai-o-Tapu Sacred Waters, Twin Stones. Small Original Painting. 

These stones are inspired by the beautiful Wai-o-Tapu, a geothermal area found in New Zealand whose name translates as 'Sacred Waters' in Māori. The wonderful rich colours of Wai-o-Tapu captured my heart when I first laid eyes on them and I knew I had to create a stone inspired by them.
These stones came to my mind together, whispering secret knowledge to one another. They are twin stones and their teachings flow together. This piece would be wonderful placed on an altar, for working with during meditation, for hanging in treatment rooms or in the house. They have a very serene, mysterious air and a playful spirit.

Spirit Stone Amethyst. Small Original Painting. 

This painting is part of a new series of Spirit Stones that I've been working on inspired by crystals, gemstones and natural phenomena and forms.
These stones are inspired by the crystal Amethyst which is a stone that aids in creative thinking and spiritual awareness. It is a protective stone and wards negative energy, especially bad dreams. It is associated with the Brow and Crown Chakras and in the healing of emotional and physical pain.

Spirit Stone of Wai-o-Tapu Sacred Waters. Small Original Painting.

This stone is inspired by the beautiful Wai-o-Tapu, a geothermal area found in New Zealand whose name translates as 'Sacred Waters' in Māori. The wonderful rich colours of Wai-o-Tapu captured my heart when I first laid eyes on them and I knew I had to create a stone inspired by them. This stone was the first to emerge from my mind and paintbrush, it would be wonderful placed on an altar, for working with during meditation, for hanging in treatment rooms or in the house.