New Etsy Shop

I started a new etsy shop.  I have found that although I adore creating art, in doing so I somehow seem to lose my spirituality. I wanted to somehow separate my art/crafts from my magical items/talismans and so Where The Bracken Grows was born.  Immediately I felt a sort of fullness..of my spirit's return! I feel my magical, inner goddess has returned!  Perhaps spellwork and magic can become part of my daily routine again.  I set up altar space and through doing so I am reminded to meditate, to connect with my animal totems/spirit guides and my ancestral beings.  I have started reading the runes again and I am even hoping to start my reiki practice finally.  It's amazing how one small change can lead to so much!
Check out my new shop here!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhereTheBrackenGrows?ref=ss_profile

Ogham Reading

I posted new ogham rune stones on etsy today and decided it would be beneficial for my own spirit and to assuage others curiosity for me to post an example of an ogham reading.. so, here goes....

My first question was

1)  What should be my focus over the next few months?

The ogham rune I drew was Nion, or Ash.  The meaning of this rune has to do with friends and allies and indicates a time of meeting lots of new people, or networking.

So my next question was

2) In what way would this benefit me and my family?

The rune I drew was Duir, or Oak.  Oak has to do with family, shelter, stability and strength.  The meaning of this rune for me, in this reading, was that I should network and grow my business in order to benefit my family.

My final question was

3) What will this do for my spirit and my spiritual growth?

I drew Saille, or willow which has to do with dreams and aspirations.  It has always been my dream to support myself through my artistic endeavors, so this rune stone was basically telling me to follow my dreams!

one of a kind holiday season cards

https://www.etsy.com/listing/116453030/ooak-christmas-cards-holiday-cards-card

We just vended at a holiday arts and crafts market where we were selling prints of our artwork,dream catchers, talismans, ogham rune stones, owl and cat ornaments (which we sold out of), and our ooak christmas/holiday season cards.  These cards are hand painted by alan with cut-out designs by me and/or alan and with images of alan's and/or my artwork.  Each one has a hand cut, intricate snowflake border.  The originals are nice enough to frame as a gift as each one is an original work of art.  These were very time-consuming to make.  If you are interested, enter coupon code YULETIDE at checkout for 20% off your order!!!  This code applies to the originals and not the copies.

new listings

After the holiday market I have been busy posting new listings on etsy. I am custom making talisman sashes, pouches, medicine bags, wands, etc.  I am drawn to totem animals and I meditate on the energy of a particular power/spirit animal as I create these treasures.  I charge them with reiki energy before sending them to their new homes. I have been making custom woodland wander pouches/talisman bags.  Theses treasure bags are filled with gifts from the woods that I pick up, rocks, feathers, stones that call out to me.  Each one is a friend.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/116294713/sacred-talisman-totem-sashbag-made-to?ref=pr_shop

https://www.etsy.com/listing/116278175/made-to-order-ooak-medicine

https://www.etsy.com/listing/116276672/ooak-fairy-wands-healing-crystal-reiki

Dream of a Wishing Tree

I have this dream from time to time.  In the dream I am walking across the heath and through the woodland, in the New Forest.  There is an ancient ash tree next to a stream where a house once stood.  Bits of pottery and glass bottles can be dug up round here, little treasures containing memories of the people who once lived here.  The tree has colourful ribbons dangling from its branches and stones laid out in a spiral round the roots.  Sometimes a brown pony drinks from the stream or a crow hops on one leg as if dancing for the spirit of the tree.  It is an ancient, wise, and kind tree.  I often sit with my back against the sturdy trunk and feel a presence... a wise, peaceful kind of presence.  The leaves dance in the wind almost sounding like a song.  This is a wishing tree.

It is more than a dream, it is a memory.  I have walked here.  I have communed with the tree spirit.  This is my sacred place, my spiritual home.  This is where I belong and where I yearn to be. My dreams of this place are always so real, so that I feel upon waking that I was actually home.  One day I will return and I will bring my son with me.  We will sit under the great ash tree, my dear friend, and he will pass on some of his wisdom, his earth wisdom to my son.

copyright 2010 Cait Gemmell art

website- www.caitgemmell.com

Idea for new earth medicine

I have had this idea for awhile, but have begun to form more ideas in the past few days.  I have been making birch bark pouches/medicine bags for awhile now and thought I could expand on the idea and create custom talisman bags.  I will post this on my etsy store soon, but am still sketching and dreaming.  The idea thus far is for people to convo me about the purpose of the talisman/treasure pouch/medicine bag.  I will meditate on the person it is for and walk in the woods picking up little woodland treasures to fill the bag with.  This could be acorns, feathers, rocks, pine cones, etc. These woodland treasure pouches will be charged with healing reiki before I send them on.  These little charm bags can be worn as a necklace or carried in a pocket.
Please contact me on etsy or comment on here if you would be interested.

www.etsy.com/shop/TheAcornCabinet

Blessed be!

Hag Stone in Birch Bark Pouch

"Holey stone on wand'rings found,
Under foot, upon the ground,
Blessings on us all be bound."  This is a charm which was spoken throughout the British Isles upon discovering one of these rocks with naturally occuring holes.  These holes take thousands of years to form in these stones.  these holey stones are good luck talismans.  I found this one in the New Forest in England.  This stone comes wrapped in a handcrafted birch bark pouch which I have stitched with sinew.  I have others available on my etsy shop in the section- talismans.  Blessed be!
www.etsy.com/shop/TheAcornCabinet

Firebird Sacred Talisman

After all the rain and cloudy weather, I felt an intense need for fire energy, and so I created a sacred talisman.  I call this "The Firebird Sacred Talisman."  This is a versatile piece of jewlery which can be worn as a crown, a necklace, wrapped as a bracelet or anklet or tied around the waist. Really the possibilities are endless.  I created this piece while meditating on the myth's of the firebird/phoenix and the meaning of colours and stones.  I have wrapped a 100% silk reclaimed ribbon in a beautiful shade of persimon orange/red around a brown suede cord.  At the centre is a carnelian gemstone in the shape of a warrior sphere (or a leaf) surrounded by scarlet red seed beads.  This talisman brings warmth, passion, focused energy and confidence.  Blessed be!

www.etsy.com/shop/TheAcornCabinet

Sea Creature Boat. magical, surreal, dreamy art

The Voyage.  This is one of my layered canvas art works which I completed earlier this year.  I have plans to create others as soon as my little bundle of joy allows me too! :)  This one was inspired by my own imagination, dreams, mythology from the British Isles.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/102361744/the-voyage-sea-creature-boat-mixed-media

Sacred Talisman's

I' ve been busy with my precious newborn son, Harold Hugh, but have still managed to spend time in nature creating new treasures.  I have been working on some tribal talismans at the moment, using sacred hag stones, found animal bones, recycled suede, reclaimed silk ribbons, glass beads, etc.  Alan is working on birch bark bookmarks and we are also making bark treasure pouches/medicine bags/talisman bags.

recent creative endeavors

At the moment I have been busy crafting fairy crowns/halo's using reclaimed fabric, ribbons, and yarn as well as some vintage ribbons, natural items (feathers!!), and beads.  A few are available to purchase from my etsy store and in the coming weeks, many more will be available.  I am happy to do custom orders, incorporating any charm, bead, fabric, yarn, etc. of your choosing. Check them out at www.etsy.com/shop/TheAcornCabinet