My Very Own Secret World

Recently, I did a trade with my friends, Jeff and Taryn at Mystic Orb Sacred Earth Talismans. Taryn fell in love with my felted wall hanging of chickens by a red wheelbarrow, and said I could make a custom request in return. Jeff carves some of the most amazing jewelry I've ever seen out of all different kinds of gorgeous wood, antler, bone, stone, you name it. Recently, he even did some ultra eco-friendly buttons carved out of scotch broom stalk rounds (a nasty invasive weed).  They sell his work on their Etsy shop and at our local Eugene Saturday Market. I had been pining away for a Sacred Orb necklace to call my own for a long time, so this was a great trade!

I told Jeff I wanted a wooden pendant carved with mountains. Trusting in his amazing talents and creative license from there, I eagerly awaited my necklace. Right around my birthday, they surprised me with this most beautiful surprise! A tree watching over a forested valley with a river below and mountains in the distance. Jeff said it was my own secret world. Indeed it is. My own secret world that I carry with me wherever I go, and visit whenever I want to. I love it.

I tried to get as close-up of a picture as I could. Just look at all that tiny detail. Wow!

Thank you Jeff and Taryn!

A Gift From New Zealand

I have always imagined that when I am old I will sit out on my front porch on my rocking chair, chatting with friends and loved ones while peacefully drinking a cup of tea. I look forward to it.  My fellow crafter Marie Pickering of Softearth's World in New Zealand posted this to her blog one day about these lovely ladies she felted to sit in handmade clothespin rocking chairs she found at a local fair: here's the link to Rocking Away.  I recognized my future self right away in her artwork! I told her this and she sent me one as a gift! It was such a wonderful surprise! I am now displaying this rocking lady in my craft room as a reminder of my dreams for my old age. I don't get to do much sitting around here with busy children and the many things that always need doing, but I know that someday when things will slow down a little, I will sit in my rocking chair each day watching the beautiful morning outside.  Thank you Marie!