Early Copper Maille Bracelet

I’d been posting photos of the bracelets I’d made, and as I gained practice, they all started looking better and more finished, as is natural.

Bracelet made of silver plated copper wire

Various people complimented me on the work, and one of them, a particularly favorite online friend named Jason, asked me if I could make him a necklace. He wanted it to be heavier than the delicate work I’d been turning out, because he is a guy, and wanted something suitably masculine, and in scale with his stature and build. I figured I could handle this challenge, and said yes.

This is the tale of how it went, and how it came out.

First, I had to choose the correct weight of wire, and for this project I initially choose 22 gauge. This proved far too heavy, and I wound up changing over to 24 gauge, which is significantly more flexible- but posed a different problem; if I used the lighter gauge wire, the resulting “rope” would be slender and delicate- and that was not what Jason wanted.

24 gauge silver plated craft wire

In order to achieve the chunkier look that would suit him, I would have to increase the “ply” of the weave. Now, when I initially learned this craft, I learned it by watching a video. The demonstrator was selling a tool to make the Maille, and the resulting product had to be cut in order to remove it from the tool. The finished ends looked rough, and as if they might not hold up when subjected to the rigors of being worn. I decided-before even starting my first project, that there had to be a better way! I experimented- first attempting to weave on my fingers, and then using a small ring, and cast off stitches as if I were crocheting. The finished piece was ok, but I was sure I could do better. I then improvised a tool of my own, and it dramatically improved the ease of making the Maille, and also produced a neater, more organized looking end product.

But in order to increase the thickness and scale of the piece, I needed to add another ply to the maille, and needed to create a new tool

Before this, I had used mostly 26 and 28 gauge wires, on the 4 ply tool, and achieved an effect that was somewhere between macrame and basketry. I started this project with 22 gauge, as mentioned before, but this was too heavy and stiff to have the necessary flexibility, so I started over again with 24 gauge, which worked much better.

I did my best to anticipate the finished length, though this varies greatly, due to the differences in wire gauge, size and ply of the weaving, and also the thickness of the rod around which it is woven.

After the desired length has been completed, the piece is drawn through a drawplate, or other tool with an appropriate sized hole in it.
This stretches out the piece, but it also gives it much greater flexibility.
The loops at the ends are then drawn together and wrapped with their own ends.

Unfinished piece of woven wire maille

After some discussion, a fairly large focal bead was selected for the center front, made of the gemstone Blue Goldstone, which is actually the only man-made product that is considered a legitimate gemstone.

Blue Goldstone

Front Detail w/Bead

Finished Necklace

4 ply Blue Maille in Progress

After such a success with Jason’s project, I had enough confidence to accept an order for a very different necklace from another friend, Tidal.
Tidal wanted a different kind of necklace, long and slender. He wanted me to use a deep blue wire that I had found some weeks ago, and sent me a pendant to work with. I threw in an additional experimental bracelet that had come out quite well, and matched the necklace perfectly.
Tidal’s necklace was a return to the original 4 ply format, with which I have a bit of experience.

It was a much lighter gauge of wire, so it seemed to go easier- until it wasn’t, and became hopelessly wonky. I had to do it all over again to make it come out right.
Make no mistake- long is hard! Wire that is bent and worked repeatedly fatigues and breaks, and I wound up with tiny jabs all over my hands from the sharp ends. I found ways to splice the wires in that don’t show, and thank goodness for that!
I drew it out carefully, but some of the blue still scratched off. I tried waxing the channel I drew it through, but it was an imperfect solution.
I made the bail for the pendant to match the “eye” of the necklace and bracelet closure.

Pendant Detail

Hook and Eye Detail

Finished Necklace & Bracelet

In spite of imperfections, the finished piece is impressive, and has a nice flow to it. It has delicacy as well as texture.

Jason’s was the first necklace, the first experiment with five-ply format, and the first piece I’d made with beads. It was also the first piece of Viking Knit Maille that was commissioned.
Tidal’s was the first long necklace, the first necklace made of lacquered wire, and the only time a person has ever sent a piece they wanted incorporated into the finished piece.

It was an interesting experiment, and the pendant Tidal sent worked perfectly with the design of the necklace.

It’s gonna be a BIG double-feature this Sunday! In the the first hour, on “The Tarot Today Show”, our Special Guest will be Tarot Guild Endorsed Reader, Astrologer & Reiki Master Anita Perez! In the second hour, on “The NuLife Radio Show”,

Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/abracadabraoriginal

Tradition has it that this is the celebration of Buddha’s Birthday, and that all the avatars he ever came to earth as, will be present with all those who seek the Light. Compassion and peace are the energy frequency of this sacred time, and one of the practices customary for this day is the gathering of moonbeams in a crystal bowl of pure water. The bowl is set out where moonlight can fall on it, and the participants will chant and sing, and sometimes there will be dancing. The water will be distributed among the attendees to be drunk, or sometimes a person will dampen a cloth and wash their face and hands with it. Some people will come to Wesak Gatherings with a clean bottle, and at the end of the group meditation session, will take some of the water- which is believed to have healing properties- home with them to friends and family.

I like to use the emanations of Wesak Light to cleanse and charge my divination tools, my  personal sacred objects, and of course the tools and materials which I use to create my sacred art with.

In addition, as those who know me can tell you, there is always food involved!

On Wesak, nothing should take away from the drinking of moon-charged water, but food is always welcome, LOL.

Wesak Moon-energy is considered nourishing to the soul, but people do enjoy their physical foodstuffs, so MoonFood has it’s place on every table. The only stipulations are that it has to be vegetarian -(dairy is ok)- and it helps if it has something round and moon-like about it, to remind you of the very special occasion that it is.

Here are a couple of photographic suggestions, should you choose to share this beautiful custom with guests, or just to have something special for your evening of Light.

One word of advice: save the treats till after. Carbs are grounding.

Namaste!

Flaky biscuits, stuffed with Vermont Cheddar Cheese, then baked.

Delicious Berry & Cream Cheese Biscuit

Queso Fresco, wGrapes

Jera-Babylon Rootweaver, aka “Andi” -my partner in this project, loves saturated, hot colors, and so I chose an iridescent fabric in a flame orange, satin ribbon in an intense deep red, golden beaded fringe, deep red eyelash yarn, and a deep golden, red and brown chunk of tiger’s eye for the proper juju.

Materials for Bag

I collected together some charms to also give the piece some symbolic coherence- a little golden key, a lucky-blessing hand, and a five pointed star- all in brass, with a chunk of tiger’s eye on copper wire for ‘conductivity’.

I made these into a sort of tassel, and put the whole thing on a removable fishing swivel, so that it could hang inside or outside the bag, or be removed entirely.

Charm Tassel

I also did a shisha embroidered sun on the front, using a piece of mica that I peeled off the front of a chunk I picked up from a pile of tailings at a gem mine a little way down the road from where I live, here in Maine. The mine is a place where they get the rare “Alice Blue” tourmaline, which is found only in Maine.
I trimmed it carefully into a little circle, and used sulfur yellow thread to anchor it firmly to the front of the piece.

Shisha Sun, made with Maine Mica

Four horned cowrie shells from the Canary Islands surround the sun, in a sort of compass rose orientation, propped by little golden rocaille beads. A funny thing about those: I’d originally sewn them on to have the yellow, curved backside facing out, because I thought they would ‘sit’ better against the fabric, and because I thought the yellow color of the backs would harmonize better with the sun- I sewed them tightly to the cloth, and sewed the upper edges of the bag together, closing the lining, so that the inside embroidery stitching would not snag on the cards that would someday live inside the bag. Then I put the piece down, and went off to make dinner. After dinner I got distracted and did something else, so it wasn’t until this morning that I returned to the project. When I picked it up, I noticed that something was odd- the cowries were all turned around! The open sides were all facing out! I had already sewn the lining closed, so for a moment I just stood there glaring at the bag in shock. Then it hit me- cowries are sacred to the Goddess, and it is the open side that is her symbol.
I decided to honor that, and let them be.

Cowrie Shells around Shisha Sun

I failed to take into account the fact that I hadn’t sewn creatively in well over a year, and had mainly sewn patches, replaced buttons, and darned socks in all that time. I have a snazzy, brand-new sewing machine, which I’d almost completely forgotten how to use. And, the selected fabric was slippery and thin, and kept getting caught in the feeder feet. Arrrgh!

I suddenly remembered reading about using tissue paper to protect the fabric from behind, and also (fortunately!) cut a bit of extra fabric and ribbon to practice on, to make sure I didn’t ruin anything on the final product. I practiced all the stitching carefully on that extra bit of fabric first, and I’m so glad I did! because there were some really wretched moments while things slid around and got nasty.

Thank goodness for scraps to practice on!

When I sewed in the fringe, the binding showed, so a wrapped and knotted eyelash yarn in a deep red around it, and then sewed it into the seam. It made a nice color contrast, which unfortunately doesn’t really show in the photograph. I was so happy, because it was almost done!

The fringe is further embellished with eyelash yarn sewn into the binding

All that remained to finish the top, was to sew on the embroidered ribbon to put the drawstring in, and attach the charm tassel.

Embroidering the Ribbon for the Drawstring "Sleeve"

In between all the steps, I ironed the bag carefully, and used a diluted solution of Florida Water, in which I had placed pieces of Iolite, Tiger’s Eye, and Amethyst, to infuse their qualities into the finished piece, thereby enhancing and charging the bag with more positive energy.

Iron as you go, with diluted Florida Water/Gem Infusion

Sewing on the embroidered satin drawstring "sleeve"

While sewing on the “sleeve” I folded up and pinned the body of the bag around the shells and bead fringe, to keep the thread from snagging on them.

Finally, the bag was finished!

This bag was finished at precisely 3:33 pm EDT, an unplanned bit of serendity!

Reblogged from circlingin:

Just a bit less than one year ago, I posted this entry after finding out that a cherished mentor had left this plane of existence. I am re-posting what I wrote then, as his influence in my life is far from over. Every time I shuffle a deck of Tarot cards, I think of him, and bless the day he first singled me out and spoke to me.

Read more… 413 more words

The image of the path leading off into the distance is a key image in Tarot, even though most of the cards don’t show it. In some cards, it’s presence is implied rather than shown, (such as in the 10 of Wands, The Chariot, and even The Fool card itself).

His path may be invisible, be he has faith that it's there

Clearly The Fool is starting out on a journey; in fact many Tarot teaching traditions consider the entire deck to be stages in the Fool’s Journey. The presence of an obvious path may not seem necessary, since The Fool is creating the path by virtue of starting out on his journey, (even though the first steps seem to take the Fool over a cliff.)
I’m reminded of the invisible path in the Indiana Jones movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”where Indiana has to step out into what seems to be empty space, taking it on faith that he will not tumble into the abyss, and finds that he is supported by a path that he couldn’t see until he was actually on it. The Fool is just such a character- able to take it on Faith that the path is there, even as he steps out into thin air. The mundane world would call him naive and foolish (what better reason to call him “The Fool”?). The fact that he is the key character in the Tarot, and that the journey through all the other cards is his journey, makes it clear that he is right, and that in order to grow and evolve, he must take that chance.

A winged being stands at the beginning of the path, pouring water from one vessel into another

Let’s explore the images where the path is visible. Whether or not it indicates actual travel in the mundane sense, or represents an evolutionary process is up to the interpreter, and depends on the context of the reading.

Let’s begin with the Temperance card. A beautiful winged being with a shining face stands with one foot on land and the other in a pool of clear water. In older decks, this being is depicted as female, but in the RWS deck- the figure shown is androgenous.
A narrow well worn path rises from the water, leading toward the horizon. It meanders from the rocks at the water’s edge, through meadows and rolling hills toward lofty mountains that loom in the distance. A shining phantom crown hovers over those far peaks, seeming to beckon from the heights. The winged being pours fluid from one vessel into another. His  head is surrounded by a halo of energy. On his forehead is a bright yellow sun symbol that seems to add to the radiance of his golden hair and halo. A symbol of alchemy adorns the breast of his white robe.

Traditionally, this card represents moderation in thought, word and action, but it also has a deeper meaning, given by the root of the word itself- “temper”-ance. First, there is the quality of self-control, of not indulging in extreme demonstrations of emotion- either negative, such as anger- or positive, such as passion or euphoria. Also there is the process of tempering metals for fine tools and edged weapons, (very similar to the repeated steps of distillation in the alchemical process), where the metal is heated, worked and cooled repeatedly, giving it a superior tensile strength and flexibility.
In short, following a disciplined path while keeping true to a firm set of principles will bring you to heights where greater nobility of character is attained. The message also seems to indicate that it is more about experiencing the process of the journey than about achieving a specific goal. The process is what creates the changes, rendering you- the traveler- into a stronger, purer metal and an instrument capable of holding a sharper edge.

A primitive creature crawls out of the primordial waters, seeking higher ground

The next card that shows the long and winding path is The Moon.

Again, it begins at the water’s edge, leading off into a mountainous distance. Two towers flank this path, as two animals- a wild wolf and a domesticated dog bay at the full moon shining above. A crawfish-like creature crawls up out of the water onto the beginning of the path. Yods- representing the gift of life energy- rain down from the shining moon.
Again, we have the indication of evolution- a journey that takes us from the watery realm of raw emotion and unconscious existence into the heights- a well worn symbol of enlightenment. The Moon, shining it’s yod-beams down upon the scene provides light for the creature to see the path it embarks upon.

The path here begins in a garden setting, but leads the viewer toward rocky terrain

Following this, we have the Ace of Pentacles- that most earthy representation of achievement. The scene is a garden of lilies bordered by a hedge of blooming red roses. In this case, the path starts out wide and smooth, leading to an archway that frames a view of a mountainous landscape. A hand offers a shining pentacle from a puff of cloud suspended in a pearl gray sky.

If we can tread the path from relative domestic comfort into the rough mountainous terrain, and not deviate from our purpose, the reward of earthly success is offered. Pentacles represent wealth and abundance, yet they also indicate the presence of creativity and the willingness to do whatever it takes to reach a goal. The fact that the path once again leads to the heights symbolizes that the reward will not just be a physical attainment, but also a refinement of character and spirit. Presumably, such processing will render the traveler more able to appreciate and manage the wealth that is gained with greater wisdom, creativity and fairness.

In this card, the path is shown behind the person in the card, at the lower left.

Finally we have the 8 of Pentacles.

A young man works diligently to create pentacles. He sits on his work bench, chiseling away at his current project, with a pleasantly absorbed expression. In the background, to the lower left hand side, behind the young man, a castle sits on a green slope. A yellow path partially hidden by trees leads up to the open gateway.
The process of perfecting one’s skills opens up the way to achieve many of the finer things in life. Becoming a competent and successful craftsman makes it possible to rise from your current position to the kind of person who could be invited to such a dwelling for commissions. Eventually, one could attain enough mastery of this skill to live in a place every bit as grand, and presumably support others in their quest for excellence in their turn.

The path leads to the castle entrance. The gate is open...

Becoming a master at one’s craft does not stop at making beautiful and useful things, and basking in the wealth one is able to earn. It also means that you attain a sense of self-respect because you are living up to your potential. When you know you are worthy of it, you can achieve wisdom and compassion as well, and can act as a mentor for others, who like yourself, start small and work their way up to mastery of their craft. What the master craftsman creates is not limited to finer and prettier objects; the finest product of this process is a finer self.

What more could The Fool aspire to?

Namaste.

Melissa- Perched in her favorite tree, in our backyard in South Carolina

Contact has been made.

It may sound silly to those of you who have never experienced a deep spiritual bond with an animal, but I have just had a profound experience.

I guess I should start at the very beginning, so that y’all know everything right up front.

Last year, I was doing volunteer work at this little community thrift shop, here in Maine, and the manager decided it was time to weed out the excess books. Now, I’m a book nut, and throwing out books- to me- is a terrible thing- so I weeded through them, claimed almost all of those that were aimed at the landfill, and carried them home with me, where I could take my time picking through them.
I gave most of them to two other thrift stores, (one of which supports a local no-kill cat shelter) but I also kept some that looked interesting. Among those I chose to keep was one called “Chasing Windmills”. I selected it because it was written by the same author who wrote “Pay It Forward” which I loved.

I stuck it on my shelf and forgot all about it.

Time went by, I moved a couple of times, had all sorts of things happen, and lost my dear cat Melissa to an upper respiratory infection.

The book sat on the shelf with it’s neighbors, as if waiting.

Today, after getting all my household tasks done, I was considering starting up my metaphysical blog again- this blog, in fact- wondering what I should write about. My mind was a-whirl of all sorts of competing ideas, none of which really grabbed me. I was just deciding whether to break out a Tarot deck, to troll for ideas, when a neighbor called to chat. He told me that his cat ran away, and I felt so sad for them both! The weather has turned cold and wet again, and the poor thing couldn’t have chosen a worse time to hightail it out into the great outdoors.

One thought led to another, and of course, I found myself thinking about Melissa and missing her terribly.

I gave up thinking about the blog, and sat here, feeling lost, mourning for my dear kitty.
Thinking it would be soothing to loose myself in a book, I selected one at random from the shelf. When I looked at it, it seemed too cheery and frivolous at first, but then I saw who wrote it, and noted that it was the “Pay It Forward” woman, and decided it would be good soul-medicine.

The first few chapters sped by, and I found myself getting a bit distracted, thinking about Melissa, again. I tried to stop feeling so sorry for myself, but just couldn’t shake the sadness. I picked up the book, and read a couple of more pages, and got to a page that looked rumpled. I looked more closely, and it actually looked chewed, with toothmarks and everything. I turned the page, hoping that no chunks would be missing from the next few pages, and this is what I found- a fairly big hank of Melissa’s distinctive long, shiny black fur- probably from her tail.

Now, Melissa never chewed books- or anything else, for that matter. She was an incredibly well behaved cat, especially for a formerly feral individual. She behaved as if she were raised on velvet- civilized from the day she was born- a real little lady.

All sorts of questions raced through my head, but inevitably I had to come to the conclusion that the fur was certainly hers, and that it was no coincidence. It even smelled like her- clean, with a faint odor of the herbal infusion I periodically damp-sponged her down with, to prevent fleas.

It may seem stupid to most people, but I can’t help but think it is deeply significant, that contact has been made.

By the way, the toothmarks were only on those two pages, the ones that enclosed the hank of fur.

Melissa's Fur, and the toothmarked pages that enclosed it.

I think the message is that Love never dies, that it always stays right with you, and that she is still here with me.

I share this now, because I know that many have need of this assurance, this evidence that we are never really lost to those who love and remember.

I guess this was as good a way as any I could think of, to start up this blog again.

Namaste

Recently I signed up for a new Tarot reading service, hoping that this would add a bit of volume to my income stream. In doing so, I stumbled upon a fascinating community of liked minded individuals, not at all like the sad collection of sharks and jackals I’d run into during unpleasant entanglements with other “services”.
I knew there was a tremendous renaissance underway in the Spiritual Community, but this was a startling shot in the arm, nonetheless. I was truly relieved to have landed in what felt like friendly waters, even if the calls have not been forthcoming, and the communications have been sporadic and confusing. I realize that many of the glitches are technical, a problem more of servers and perhaps power interruptions than of any lack of good intentions. My flashing clock mocks me, even as I write this, because some of the glitches are on my side of the pond. Maine has been having more than it’s share of electrical storms, and utility companies have been compounding the issue by tearing up the streets, and replacing outdated equipment.
Anyway, I’ve decided to muscle some things aside in order to make room in my hectic life for more regular hours to offer consulting and teaching, something I haven’t done on a regular basis since relocating to the turbulent north. I will announce times of availability and post links, and eventually even work out some kind of predictable schedule.

Namaste!

Mary K. Greer

Mary: This is an interview with me by Rachel Pollack, as part of our series on the presenters at the Omega Institute Tarot Conference happening July 29-31st. You can read plenty about me on my blog, so let’s get on with it.

Rachel: Your work has featured endless ways people can develop their own style and ways of reading.  And yet, you are also steeped in Tarot knowledge and tradition.  How do you integrate these two sides in your teaching?

MARY: I am a life-long learner; I feel history can enhance anyone’s life, and that natural skills can be refined and augmented by study. I don’t fully integrate history and technique in my teaching, although I try to do so in my practice. Carl Jung advised that one should learn everything possible about symbols and then, when working with a dream, to forget it all. It’s a paradox involving an intelligent ‘forgetting’ that allows one to be fully present in the moment with a person’s own material. In actuality, all the learning forms a backdrop, which helps me recognize patterns that may elucidate the whole situation.
When it comes to reading tarot, you don’t need to know tarot history, just basic card interpretations and a few spreads. Some people are intuitive readers and don’t need book meanings to help people via the cards. I really try to honor this potential, so most of my class exercises are designed to develop a person’s natural abilities and insights—to help students discover how much they already know and what their own reading style is. But that’s really only a starting point.
Skill development and history are very useful when faced with crises, blocks and difficult situations. I believe it was George Santayana who said that those who do not know their history are bound to repeat it. We get stuck in old patterns of thinking and behaving, but models and techniques are available that can help us break out of these. Tarot is a kind of story-telling, and history consists of stories from the past. But, a study of history also teaches us how to evaluate these, for all stories are not equally relevant or helpful. In my longer, on-going classes I bring in quite a bit of history. I’m trying to find ways to make history more relevant to a workshop environment, because dry facts can be deadly when students are wanting and needing to experience tarot directly. It’s one of my current challenges.

Rachel: In recent years you have devoted yourself to the history of Tarot and fortune telling.  How does new knowledge of the past affect what we do with Tarot today?

MARY: History is accumulated, collective knowledge. It helps us meet challenges and opportunities that we may not have yet encountered on our own. Here’s a couple of examples:

The history of oracles and cartomancers gives me a sense of belonging to one of humanity’s oldest professions, present in every time and every culture. As an olderwoman I can see that this is a skill, that while practiced by men and women of all ages, has been a speciality of elder females, for which they have been revered, ignored, sought out, villanized and even killed. Caitlin Matthews expressed it eloquently at the last Readers Studio when she said, “We live on the edge for a reason, so that when people are on edge, they run towards us!” History makes us aware of just what that edge looks like, how others have met the challenges, and conditions under which an ‘edge’ existence becomes honored or dangerous. Knowing this, and seeing how other professions have improved their status, suggests possibilities for elevating this profession for myself and for those who come after.
A second example involves the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, where I have discovered that the Minor Arcana suits illustrate stories chosen by A.E. Waite. For example, Cups tells the story of one of the first Grail myths, and Swords is the foundation myth of the Freemasons. They lend a certain archetypal, psychic power to this deck that has been intuited by many who have copied the artwork, but not previously understood. More importantly, perhaps, is that when we recognize that we are living out elements of a great myth through getting cards in these suits, it gives a greater meaning to the experience and helps us to recognize possible outcomes and make clearer choices.

Rachel: You’ve worked with astrology and Tarot “birth constellations.”  Considering our theme of “Fate and Free Will,” do such structures suggest a more fixed fate than readings where we just shuffle the cards and see what happens?

MARY: There’s an old astrological axiom: “The stars impel, they do not compel.” Impel suggests an urging while compel is about being forced. I sometimes feel that life is like floating down a great river carried by a particular current made up of current events and our own character (or karma). I can go with the flow, enhance it, or fight it. I don’t think that Lifetime Cards tell us who we will become, or that Year Cards tell us what events will happen that year. I find that they have more to do with sensing the existing flow and then discerning the meaning those events can have for us. They reflect qualities that bring a sense of fulfillment—no matter what happens. Were we fated to be born on a certain day? I really don’t know, but I like to think that my Higher Self chose circumstances that would best facilitate my soul’s journey. When I live life as if that were true, then everything seems more vital, exciting and purposeful then when I don’t. Meaningful synchronicities abound, leading to ‘probability enhancement’—one of my favorite definitions of magic. In readings, I like mixing free will with considerations of chance, fate and destiny, which I hope we will do in my conference session.

For all you Tarot enthusiasts who would like to read Mary’s blog, here’s the link: http://wp.me/p7Wio-1c5

Her blog is wonderfully written, and well worth subscribing to!
Namaste, Folks.