Imbolc Swap Gallery (former Witch/Wicca/Pagan) - S/O 01/27/2020

I was thinking of cleaning up the rosemary and sage bushes in front of my place and adding some flowers, probably starting them in pots indoors. I bought cornflowers and marigolds the other day, but now I’m wishing that i had some bulbs.

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Do you ever send off a swap package and then watch it plod across the map at tortoise speed? Well, that’s been me this week. My package FINALLY crossed the border into Canada! Woo hoo!!

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I’m so excited about gardening this year! :sunflower: Not only am I redoing my dad’s yard in town, where I live half the week helping him with his Alzheimer’s, a friend of mine is letting me redesign her huge yard in a neat old part of town. Here’s a thread about this project, on another favorite messageboard: https://permies.com/t/133414/permaculture-projects/Big-San-Antonio-yard-urban

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I know I’m not actually in this swap, but that’s not going to stop me from posting this beautiful Brigid’s cross that the wonderful @Edel sent me.

It seems a good way to start the gallery. (Besides, I wanted to try out the new photo posting. Cool!)

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Wow, that is beautiful! Edel is so talented.

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I also received from Edel!

The first is a sweet, sleepy badger family curled up awaiting spring:

Close up of the wee badgers:


Can you see the root system and the fur direction? and their little burrow is cozy and warm

Here are the night trees, glowing under the moon:


With the spirals of moonlight, reflecting colors in teals, purples, and browns for the hills. Stunning.

I confess to not knowing Edel was also an excellent acrylic artist. I held it under the window longer than was probably necessary to see all the little details. Some must have been painted with fairy brush, for sure!

She also stitched a hoop, “to honour the triple goddess and you - as they are one and the same”


So much meaning in such a small piece. I have to consider where to hang this.

Interlocked couching with sprigs of clovers:


I love to see work up close. And Edel’s is wonderful.

Here is the flip:


I like how it is simply tacked down, on a bright piece of backing.

I received my own Brigid Cross:


Which she indicated she “…gather[ed] this morning from a field near here” Ya’'ll. She walked into a field, gathering rushes, to make and send across the Atlantic, to be displayed in the home for protection for the year.

She sent a small zip pouch, as the fabric reminds her of flowers waking after spring:

and inside:

I will use the tote for knitting stuffs, and the chocolate is destined for a night by the fireplace, and a glass of the good stuff.

Finally…and this made me lauuuughhh…she sent TINY SCRAPS!!!

In a separate thread, I was going gaga over loving (like, truly, deeply, loving) the very very small, weird bits of fabric that are the dross of projects. And now I have my own Irish Edel crumbs (that’s what she calls them).

@Edel thank you SO MUCH for the lovely package. I can feel the warmth from across the distance, and feel lucky to have swapped with you. Thank you for your generosity of spirit and kindness. Blessed Imbolc to you, as well!

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@Wulf you should 100% post in here. Never fear the posting. Zero gatekeeping, people!!

Also, you received from Edel. But regardless! my former statement stands true!

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I’m glad you guys like the Brigit crosses, they were made with fresh rushes so they will dry and shrink a little. And they will likely fade in colour. But they are only supposed to be kept in the home until next imbolc, when you replace them with a new one. Of course I’ve had some in my home way longer than that.

@joyful clover, I’m so glad you like the things I sent. :grin:

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I truly did, Edel.

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@Wulf that is lovely.

As is yours @Edel, and all your other sweet gifts as well. The painting. The stitchy. The scraps! Niiice.

I came home to a shoe box full of amazingness from @MightyMitochondria . I need light to photograph all the things. Be prepared folks, it is all so very incredible.

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I especially like that hoop. Couching was the perfect technique for that design.

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Oh my gosh, that sleeping badger painting is so beautiful and sweet, it’s killing me :heart_eyes: i love the Brigid crosses too, and that Wulf gets one too (hi Wulf!)

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Edel, you are so talented! Everything is beautiful. Those badgers!! And the couching. It is perfect. It is so special that our friends received a cross from St. Brigid’s homeland. :heart:

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I will have to participate in this one in the future. I have relatively recently been embracing my pagan ways. It’s really quite refreshing after years of pursuing what others thought I should be.

I especially love the triquetra piece. I can’t wait to see everything else in this swap.

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very much so

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I received the most incredible Imbolc package from @MightyMitochondria , it blew my mind! She included a card with numbered explanations of all the items because, ya, there were that many awesome things.

Brooms are a traditional Imbolc symbol of cleaning and this lovely delicate beaded sweeper is just gorgeous. This is going up in my house someplace I will see it all the time. I love it.

This piece too is going up someplace special, it’s a Brigid’s Cross and as my partner says, no Imbolc swap is complete without it.

It’s wrapped beautifully.

Snowdrops are a symbol of the coming spring, this vintage post card is so dear.

Here is the piece de resistance, I don’t even know how to describe this magical mossy globe with dangly crystal droplets. It is the most incredible thing, I am completely in love with it.

Here it is hanging up, this isn’t where it will live but just so you can see how wonderful it looks.

There are these optional scrappy purple dangly fabric strips that ingeniously magnet to the bottom. She says it can hang outside and be worn away by the weather if I’d like. There is just no way though, I’m keeping it inside!

And last, we originally wanted to do a personal swap because I am so greatly enamoured of her beautiful stitched inchies. Just look at these things, they are beyond description. Just LOOK:

I matched them up like puzzle pieces. They are SO COOL!

She even sent along these bits she refered to as “scraps”. I have a project planned for these already.

Thanks so much partner! I am working on your package this weekend and now I feel like I should make a few more things to include because WOW, you spoiled me rotten!

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I am so glad you like everything. Seriously, I had a really awful semester and making you these things over my Christmas break was THERAPY! You absolutely do NOT have to make me anything beyond what you already had planned. All those extras are because I NEEDED to just create. Your list of likes and requests was so inspiring. They were just what I needed to reset my brain for a new semester.

Edit: I got the idea for the globe from this amazing Etsy artist. She calls hers 3D dream catchers. They are stunning!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/698284465/3d-dreamcatcher-moon-dreamcatcher-native?ref=shop_home_active_18&frs=1&epik=dj0yJnU9REFFZzNJRG1WeWwxTHkzaFJVS2dxMk5SZHAzZzJRdGEmbj03dlhMZjE4N0k5Rm8tQm9FY1Y4U2dRJm09MyZ0PUFBQUFBRjRqVXg4

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What a package of loveliness! I especially like the mossy chandelier.

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@MightyMitochondria your package was just wonderful! I love the beading in the small broom. It’s such a great nod to the theme.

And the small, clear beads look like snow drops suspended mid-dream. Did you use grape vines? Or roots?

Truly wonderful gift. Blessed Imbolc!

:four_leaf_clover: :metal: :shamrock:

Those little scrappy inchies are swoon worthy!! I love them!

I purchased a cinnamon broom from the dollar store several months ago. The smell had long since disappeared, so I took it apart, soaked it in water, and used it to make the globe. I had some sinew used for leatherwork lying around. I used that to bind the globe together and suspend the clear beads.

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