Midsummer approaches

I can hardly believe a years past but my last post to this blog was July 2010. So sad because one of my New Year’s resolutions was to be more consistent with my blogging, and not dropping food on my computer (say the girl who just dropped a big wet rigatoni noodle on the bottom of her keyboard). That gives me a great idea for a new tee shirt but I have to sketch it out before I share it. Last time I blogged about a great idea I didn’t get to it fast enough and I saw it in a jewelry booth at Pagan Pride Day.  Lesson learned!

This year has just flown by, I can’t believe that Midsummer is almost here. Speaking of Midsummer, I was trying to think of ideas for a Midsummer’s greeting card. My mine is blank, other than the giant sunflowers. Artists block can really be unnerving. I was thinking of having a little Midsummer’s BBQ and I was only able to come up with two designs.

I think I have an idea of what’s wrong. My studio is a mess and I have a list of about TEN unfinished projects that are sitting (more like hiding) around my office. I think that and the rest of the general clutter has got my chi all outta whack. So tomorrow I decided to spend the morning cleaning up the clutter and organizing the projects that I need to complete. I’ve all ready got a calendar printed out so I can set goals when I’m going to finish each project and highlight each day to make sure I don’t miss my goals.

After that I’m going to complete any projects that I can and then do a general cleansing.  Hopefully that will get the energy in here cleared up enough to remove any blocks from my creativity. Depending on tomorrow’s success I may do some additional work to help boost my creativity. If not, maybe I need to get back and reconnect with nature again. I have been spending a lot of time in front of this computer lately. I might just do that tomorrow.

Speaking of busy, I just wanted to share my first Pagan product in my new store Silver Raven Moon. I was playing around in Photoshop with some new styles and made this cool purple jelly Pentacle. It’s very simply embossed to raise off the white background. Tonight I just made a necklace to go along with the shirts, cards and other items my Purple Pentacle is on. Here’s the Purple Pentacle Necklace that I made.

 

Purple Pentacle Necklace by SilverRavenMoon

I get frustrated when I go to the store to try to find a card or gift for myself or one of my friends. I’m sure it would be easier if I lived in a bigger city that was more liberal but I live in a small, more rural community that only has 2 small metaphysical stores. That frustration has given me some really good ideas for other Pagan and Wiccan clothing and home decor items. I can’t wait to get this artist block out of the way and start designing.

Alas, it’s 4:42pm, oops, 4:43pm and I do need to figure out what we’re having for dinner. Last night’s Italian style pasta bake was really good but it was really heavy. Maybe tonight we’ll have the last tilapia I have in the freezer and a big salad. Yeah, I think that sounds good I better go defrost the fish.

Blessed be and have a wonderful weekend!
Silver Raven Moon

Help Support our Pagan/Wiccan troops!

I just wanted to share some totally awesome news with you… I found an organization that sends special care packages to our Pagan and Wiccan troops it’s called Operation Circle Care! As the wheel of the year turns and we get ready to start the fall fire festivals many of us start thinking of Yule. Circle Sanctuary, who started Operation Circle Care, say they’re always in need of Pagan items for their care packages including Pagan books, music and magazines as well as spiritual and personal items like Pentacles, alter cloths and incense.

Now that I’ve found Operation Circle Care I definitely plan to help out. Having been unemployed for a while now I can’t afford to donate funds to help shipping or buy new items but being the crafty little chica I am I have a ton of ideas of things I can make them. My first thought was Happy Samhain and Merry Yule cards. I love to play with clay so I could always make small pentacles that they can keep in their pack or footlocker. I could always do hand painted designs on wood or decoupage a graphic art picture. I don’t know which of my many ideas will work best for the care packages. I’ll make a few samples and post some photos. If you have a great craft project idea that you think would help our troops please feel free to post a comment or email me.

Blessed be,
Chris
Silver Raven Moon

 

Operation Circle Care http://www.circlesanctuary.org/ministries/military/operationcirclecare.html
Circle Sanctuary http://www.circlesanctuary.org

New blog banner

Well, I did a little playing before heading off to lunch here. I created a new blog banner with some of those new brushes I downloaded from ObsidianDawn.com. The Goddess is from a rubber stamp I picked up a few years ago at a Stamp Show and main font is Papyrus and the subtitle font is Felix Tilting. I created the blue background paper with a texture photo and brushes from the following Obsidian Dawn collections: Dark & Gothic (pentacle), Butterflies-n-tails (2 butterflies), Astrology Sketches (Pisces & Scorpio signs), Celtic Vectors (trinity knot), Light Beams (behind pentacle).

I plan on making some scrapbook graphics for some pages I’ve wanted to work on. Background papers will be first then maybe word art or tags. I’ll just have to see what I’m inspired to create.

Blessed be,
Chris
Silver Raven Moon

 

Cool metaphysical graphics & stamps

Ever since I started scrapbooking back in 1998 I’ve been looking for Pagan, Wiccan, astrological or any other ‘metaphysical’ theme craft supplies.  I’ve found some items… mostly ‘fairy’ theme. But lately I’ve been seeing more elements that can be used in Pagan and metaphysical craft projects.

This first one came to me courtesy of my mom. She’s always on the lookout for craft supplies & elements that she knows I can use in crafting my craft. She found the cutest set of astrological clear rubber stamps called What’s Your Sign? at Oriental Trading Company(Craft supplies & Hobbies>Scrapbooking>Clear Stamps) . They have a bunch of nature designs and a cool oriental design too.  I’m so excited now I can add cute astrological images to my art.

This second one is all me! You all know I LOVE my computer. I’ve been a computer geek since the early 80′s. I’m a certified Photoshop junkie! I have Photoshop CS on my laptop and PS Elements for my desktop. I love surfing the net looking for free brushes, actions and digital scrapbook kits. Yesterday I found Obsidian Dawn, a super awesome site that offers free brushes for Photoshop and PSE. The coolest thing is that many of their brushes are metaphysically or Pagan inspired. They have 2 Egyptian Hieroglyph brushes, a Celtic Knot brush, Arcane Runes brush, Arcane Circles brush, Alchemy, Aurora, Spider Webs and my personal favorite the Dark & Gothic brushes. This last set has everything from a Pentacle, skulls, gargoyles, medieval crosses, bats, a tombstone, Gothic rose and stained glass window patterns. Make sure to stop by Obsidian Dawn and don’t forget to check out the Ghosts brush too!

I’m off to go play in Photoshop and see what I can come up with!

Blessed be,
Chris

Goddess Wish Box

I love the beautiful Wishing Pyramids I see at the Holistic & Metaphysical Fairs. They’re very nice but a bit simple, usually with just an etched design. I wanted to design something for a friend that was a bit more specific for her personal needs. I came up with The Goddess Wish Box.

This is a simple project. Teens and older children with supervision can easily create their own wish box. All of these supplies can be found at your local craft store or online. Here’s what you’ll need…

2 part casting resin (I used Everlasting Elegance found in the floral department)
1 wood craft box
Acrylic craft paint
1 Package Polymer clay
Push molds
Pearlescent powders
1 12×12 piece scrapbook paper (I choose a whimsical design by Flavia that matched my design)
Rubber stamps
Ink
Mod Podge
Glitter
Craft Goop (not pictured)

I gently removed the closing latch from both the lid and body of the box then painted the inside and outside of the craft box with contrasting colors of purple paint.

While the various layers of paint dried I cut the 12″x12″ scrapbook paper into long strips that were just shorter than the height of the body of the box (apx 12″x1 3/8″).  I used various rubber stamps to add the worlds Solstice and Goddess and images of various Goddesses. Choose rubber stamps that support and compliment your theme.

I lined the strips of scrapbook paper up where I wanted them and creased the corners. I applied a light layer of Mod Podge in approximately 2″ sections and pressed the scrapbook paper to the box. I worked in 2″ sections to keep the paper aligned with the edge of the box so I wouldn’t have to trim or tuck it later. After I had gotten all the way around the box I added two light layers of Mod Podge to seal the paper to the box.

As the box dried I preheated my oven to the manufactures setting for the Polymer Clay I was using. I conditioned the clay and measured the necessary amounts to make one face and 2 word tiles. I brushed my push molds with baby powder and pushed the clay into the molds to form my pieces. 

I dabbed Pearlescent powders on the face and words then backed them for 15 minutes. I removed the pieces from the over and placed the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let them sit for 30 minutes.

After the box was dried I covered the top of the box and the recessed area with a medium coat of Mod Podge to seal all the cracks and crevasses.  After the box was dry I applied another light coat of Mod Podge inside the recessed area and sprinkled it with various colors of glitter and mini metallic silver moons and stars. I allowed the layer with glitter to dry and glued the clay pieces down with Craft Goop and let the goop set.

After about an hour I mixed the 2 part resin to the manufacturer’s standards and gently poured the resin around the clay pieces till it was just to the top of the recessed area of the lid. I sprinkled a light dusting of glitter on the top of the casting resin for added dimension. I created a loose paper tent to prevent debris from falling onto the casting resin and I let the box sit for 48 hours.

 

Now that I’ve made this one I’m thinking of a God Wish Box for Summer Solstice and other boxes for other seasons or tastes. I’d love to hear from you if you make this project yourself, email me.

Blessed be,
Chris

  

Rosary inspired Goddess prayer beads

Most of us who consider ourselves Pagan didn’t grow up this way. I was raised in a Roman Catholic family so there were always Rosary beads in the house. My Grandmother had 4 different sets of beads: one for daily prayer, one for church, another for holidays and special occasions and a special Rosary that came from Rome and was blessed by Pope John Paul II.  I always thought Rosary beads were so beautiful and always found comfort when holding them. I still find a certain sense of peace or comfort when I hold Rosary beads today.

As we past Ostara and Easter I’m taken back to memories of my childhood and going to church with my Mom and Grandma. They always had their Rosaries with them. This inspired me to designs a new piece of “jewelry”, a set of Goddess prayer beads. I chose to keep the same general form of a Rosary but made a few changes to make it uniquely Pagan.  I used a 2″ pewter focal charm in the shape of the Goddess instead of a crucifix.  Three round rose quartz beads lead from the Goddess charm to the center connector. I found an amazing silver artist who makes Y connectors with Pentacles, this will replace the traditional Rosary center. Around the loop of the prayer beads I used a pattern of 5 round rose quartz beads separated by a slightly larger amethyst bead then 5 more rose quartz beads. A traditional Rosary uses 10 beads then a separator bead. The 5 beads are used to represent earth, air, water, fire, and spirit.  I chose rose quartz and amethyst partially for the aesthetic beauty of the stones and their complimentary colors but also for the feminine and self love properties of the rose quartz and amethyst for spirituality, dreams and intuition. I’m definitely thinking of doing different combination of gemstones, metals and charms to create prayer beads with other focus.

I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of them yet. The weather is nice this weekend so I can get outside and try to get one or two. If you are interested in custom prayer beads please feel free to email me directly at Chris@silverravendesigns.com.

Happy spring blessings!
Chris

Crafty Holiday Gift

Every year for the holidays I always make my friends special handmade gifts. As a Pagan I try to make/reuse/re-purpose as many things as I can.  I often try to match the gift I make to a hobby or something else they enjoy in life. This year I decided to put together a Holiday Craft Bag for a few of my Christian girlfriends who like to scrap. I found a bunch of cool embellishments like clear acrylic frames and wire words. I found a bunch of clear acrylic stamps in the dollar bin at JoAnn’s. They were just too cute to pass up so I grabbed a few general sets and mini stamp blocks too. When I got home I knew that I had a few things from my own personal collection that I wanted to share.

I love using fibers and ribbons on my scrapbook pages and cards and over the years I’ve collected over 100 different kinds of ribbon, ric-rac, yarn and fibers. Some were special seasonal prints, some were vintage ribbons and fibers, like me it’s a very eclectic mix. I cut a yard each of dozens of fibers and ribbons to share with them. I also have a Sizzix Die Cut system and a bunch of cool dies. I have alphabets, basic shapes, dog tags, buttons, buckles, tickets and mini people. I punched a bunch of die cuts in different solid and patterned papers and added them to the bags. Each of my friends that received these gifts has kids so I used my alphabet die cuts to cut the names of each of their kids. I love using die cut letters. Their so easy, clean and slick looking. I wanted to share this time saver!

I know because of their kids they get busy and often their scrapbooks are put on a back-burner. I just wanted to share a little inspiration and some new embellishments that they might not have worked with before. I really hope they like their gifts and I hope their inspired to work on their books a little more too!

Blessed be,
Chris

It’s begining to feel a lot like winter…

We had our first big winter storm visit Northern Arizona. Down at my house in Dewey we got a lot of rain this week and only 15 minutes of snow fall yesterday. It didn’t’ even stick. But things are so wet that my yard is frozen and my front yard is covered in frost.

I haven’t lived in the snow since I was a kid and I haven’t even been skiing in about 14 years. So when I started snowing earlier in the week I just had to go visit the snow. If it wasn’t going to come to me then I was going to it.

I drove the 20 minutes up highway 89A to the back side of Prescott (sadly there’s only one JoAnn’s Craft store and it’s here). I took Iron Springs road up to the Granite Basin Recreation Area. I drove up and down snow covered streets trying to find a pull off that the snow plows had all ready cleared. Well, I found what I was looking for.

A snow covered mountain in Prescott

This morning I woke up to find my yard covered in frost and the small landscaped rock stream in my backyard was iced over. I have pics of those that I’ll post tomorrow. Brrrr it’s cold but at least it’s sunny. Today is perfect to stay in and work on a craft project.

I have several gifts that I still need to finish. I’m making a Goddess prayer box for one of my friends. It’s going to be cute. I’m taking a small balsa wood box and decoupage scrapbook and origami paper to the sides. I’m going to make a polymer clay Goddess to lay on the top of the box. I’m really excited about it. It’s similar to the wish box I made my Mom with the little polymer clay angel on top.

I also have to finish my Scrappy Gift Bags! I have 2 girlfriends that are crafty chicas. They both scrapbook but like most mom’s they get behind and sometimes loose inspiration. So I’m taking some really fun embellishments, brads, tags, die cuts, velum pieces, samples of my fibers and ribbons, rubber stamps and lots of little embellishments that I made myself. I also used my Sizzix to punch a bunch of letters to spell each of their kids names. I know how much I love the ultra polished look of die cut letters on my pages and cards and I thought it would be nice to give to my busy friends. I just wanted to share a little inspiration with them.

My biggest project is my Altered Art/Mixed Media piece that I’m doing for my mom. I usually make a scrapbook page for her for each holiday but I’ve been slacking. So instead of a scrapbook page I wanted something more. I saw an altered art journal while watching Craft Lab with Jennifer Perkins one day and it gave me the idea to make an altered art wall piece for my mom. I went to my local craft store and purchased an 11×14 canvas and an extra bottle of Mod Podge. I have several pictures from when I was a kid that I want to use and I even have some old fabric that she used to decorate my room when I was a kid.  I’m working on the general layout of the piece but as you crafters & artists know, sometimes the piece has a mind of it’s own. I’ll post pics of all my projects with instructions just after the holiday.

Have a safe and happy Holiday season and warmest blessings for the year to come!

Happy crafting,
Chris

New changes for the New Year

Well, I think I need to ground myself. I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve posted to this blog (I have several blogs). But that’s ok because I have great news. I’m working on a lot of changes for me and my website, mainly this blog and my jewelry blog.

I’ll be posting more frequently to this blog. I have a lot of great art and craft ideas to share. I have great layout and page theme ideas for you scrapbookers. I’ll also blog about Photoshop and give tutorials on different elements I do. I’ve got ideas for handmade cards and gifts, jewelry and polymer clay projects too.

As for BellaDeaDesigns, that site has been been released back to the URL universe. I’m only creating pieces for myself and custom pieces for family and a few friends. I found that the designs I had weren’t ready for mainstream audiences.

I’m really excited about some of the new jewelry I’ve created  lately. For Thanksgiving I this beautiful Turquoise and Garnet necklace. I originally was designing the piece for physical aesthetics, I love teal and red colors together. As I was looking over my gemstones I decided to pair turquoise and garnet for this piece.

I chose turquoise because it’s a healing stone and opens the throat chakra to aids in communication, serenity and spiritual bonding. Turquoise is also an ancient absorber of negativity. It’s a very spiritually powerful stone that aligns and centers all chakras.

I choose to pair Garnet with the turquoise because Garnet is a stone that helps balance our emotional states (something I always need when traveling by car). Garnet has also been used to protect people from the perils of travel. But on a deeper level Garnet is a stone of faith, love, trust and commitment, all important qualities to have, especially around the holidays.

Both Turquoise and Garnet have a deeper spiritual meaning and pair well with silver. Silver has always been associated with feminine energy and the Goddess and I wanted to incorporate that feminine energy with the communication and serenity of turquoise and the trust and passion of the garnet.

I wore this necklace to our family gatherings and receive many compliments. I felt calm and balanced all day. My boyfriend and I visited  with our families, shared a great meal and had a wonderful day.  It was beautiful to wear and it felt wonderful on.  It’s amazing how things work out. Sometimes I’m a bit shy in large groups or around people I don’t know. This year there were 6 new family members to meet so it was an amazing coincidence that I made a necklace to help with communication, serenity, balance of emotions and trust. I don’t think I could have planned it any better!

So, many exciting things going on for Next Year. Hope to see you all there!

Blessed be,
Chris

Merry meet and welcome to The Pagan Crafter!

Merry meet & welcome to Pagan Arts. My name is Chris and I’ll be your hostess for this philosophical, literary & visual journey to my creative world. I’m a Pagan photographer & graphic designer in Prescott Valley, AZ. I follow my own path that leans heavily on Goddess/Ancestor Worship and Wicca. I feel my path is more eclectic and doesn’t fall under one title. My craft and graphic design style is equally eclectic. I love shabby chic, modern, traditional, journalistic and many other styles of scrapbooking/graphic art. I dabble in several types of crafts besides scrapbooking including digital scrapbooking, graphic art, website design, polymer clay, jewelry making, handmade cards, baking & candy making & mixed media art. I love experiencing new mediums and learning new techniques. I also enjoy sharing this knowledge with friends as well as tips, trick, deals, discounts and other organizational, money & time saving tips.

I’m hoping to keep my blog up to date with all kinds of stuff from new design idea, new PS tools, cool Pagan or scrapping stuff on the web & stuff bout life too. So grab a drink, pull up a seat and lets chat!

Blessed be,
Chris