Aradia's Hand - Blog

WUW: Time to Bloom

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Sunlight by Sarah Meyer (Flickr)

Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame; Each to his passion; what's in a name? ~ Helen Hunt Jackson

With the coming of Summer it's time to blossom & flourish. The seeds that were planted early in the year are ready to bear their fruit. It's also a time of activity in other ways, school being out, Summer vacations imminent. And with the ceasing of the surge of pollen & Spring, time to be out & about more. And with this stirring up of energy the restlessness built up through Winter can work itself out & we can see our visions come alive.

What Dreams May Come

Juno enters Leo (6/20, 10:37 pm EDT). Juno, representative of commitment among other things, does its dance in loving & joyful Leo. Here company is playful & romantic, good natured, and happy. Seeking company that fulfills this energy will make for a grand time.

Sun enters Cancer (6/21, 11:54 am EDT). As the Sun finally enters Cancer and ushers in the start of Summer so does the energy blossom around that which Cancer minds. The home in particular would benefit from attention, so take a good look at your immediate surroundings and do a comfort check.

Neptune goes Retrograde (6/21, 10:36 am EDT). Neptune ruler of dreams & illusions starts its dance backwards through the sky. This motion urges you to consider what is real and what is not. And ascertain the value of your dreams - be they of the night or the day - to decide whether they should remain or you should release them.

Blossoming Forth

Litha (6/21) is fast approaching and with it it brings the official start of Summer! This is a time of blossoming, of when the seeds that were planted in the Spring come to their first fruition. Flowers bloom, fruit swells, and the sweet scent of success is in the air. Look around your life and see what's flourishing and of what you would like more!

Back Burner

Life has gone awry over the last few months for me. As a result things have been rough here and while I won't apologize for things that are out of my control I'm not thrilled that I had to put work on the backburner.

Getting Back to Work

It's been slow going coming back to creative work. But I'm still making my way forward. Primary on my list right now is my Sevrine Cardigan which I've been working on since January. While I wasn't set to finish it on time, I was hoping to get it done shortly after the deadline...but alas poor Yorick.

While I have other projects in the works they're all pretty much set aside until I get through this cardigan. One of my focuses has been on wrapping up as many things as possible. For those playing along at home though, here's what else is on the docket:

Decisiveness Scoop Shrug
Ilene Bag
Twin Tootsees Socks
Morning Blues Shawl
Shri Embroidery
Flutterby Spinning

Incoming!

ICYMI, over on my Instagram this week's most popular post is an honest share about rough times and coming back...

And along with the return I'm hoping to do my best in getting back to all of my work & schedule. You can look forward to hearing more about my upcoming listing, Not Your Typical Rose Boutonniere #15 (don't worry I'll have a better name soon!), next week!

NYTRB #15 ~ aka Cabernet Cabaret

Also over on Patreon this week you can catch my return debut via one of my #ArtHauls.

Remember to enjoy what's given, what's earned, and what you hold dear through this season. Use the surge in energy to push yourself forward with anything you've been putting off especially in regards to your home, close & enduring relationships, and flights of fancy.

In the comments below, share with me...

What's one dream you'll be evaluating as Neptune goes retrograde?
What are you looking forward to this Summer?
How do you deal with change (in your schedule) - especially after a hiatus?

Thanks for tuning in to this week's "What's Up Wednesday?". Make sure you come back next week to see what's going on in my world! And if you haven't yet be sure to join my newsletter and connect with me on your favorite social media!

WUW: Enter Exploration

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:00:00 GMT

Image credit: Walkway From Lyon Hall by eflon (Flickr)

My interest in photography is not to capture an image I see or even have in my mind, but to explore the potential of moments I can only begin to imagine. ~ Lois Greenfield

As we reach the end of the year the unknown and potential of the time ahead comes into sharp focus. And while this time is in some ways arbitrary (people made the system) it still bears worth in that it has been practiced for hundreds of years. And following the cycles there is the slowing of things (for us Western hemisphere folx) as Winter slowly marches towards us. So take everything in measures and let what will be will be, and deal with what is before you in the here & now so that making ready for the future is done with more ease later.

Explore the Great Unknown

Mercury enters Sagittarius (12/12 6:43 pm EST). Intellectual Mercury, the ruler of your thought & communication style enters the sign of Sagittarius, explorer extraordinaire! This pairing drives you forward into exploring things from different perspectives, with the bent of student or philosopher. From an artistic viewpoint this involves reaching out into the unknown to broaden your abilities.

No End in Sight

And on the insomnia goes, but at least I'm getting things done!

The Lace That Never Ends

My Friend Shawl is still underway. I opted to use up as much of the yarn as possible so I'll be doing additional lace repeats (3 to be precise) of the horseshoe lace. I'm also super ready to be done with this shawl BTWs.

My Morning Blues is whispering to me to get back to it. Since I've been so focused on the Friend Shawl this one has been completely neglected (note that the picture below doesn't look ANY different than the last one I shared). But now that the aforementioned shawl is winding down, I'm super excited to get back to it soon!

My Morning Blues, Just as I Left it…

My Twin Tootsees Socks are also lamenting my neglect as well - although those are exclusively for me so there's not a true deadline. And the reality is I'll just be starting a new pair of socks. And I'm sure also as soon as I hit a wall with my Morning Blues Shawl (in the form of running out of yarn) I'll be dedicating myself to those socks a lot more as well.

And let's not even talk about the Bobbin Lace, which is at a veritable standstill.

Bobbin Lace Bracelet (Third One)

Dropped In

Last week I dropped in to talk about how I was doing & where I was going. I was able to finally share some progress on some projects that you might have missed elsewhere as well.

Incoming!

It's no surprise that my most popular post this past week was a little candid shot from my weekly sit & knit during the day over at Dances with Wool. This has become something special for me to do each week as a way to get a little extra knitting time in during the week!

Sit & Knit Candid at Dances with Wool

Since it's December and I need to get started already, I've opted to get back to promoting my Patreon (something I'll be focusing on more in 2019). Some new posts you might have missed:

December Kalends 2018
Getting Going (Backpost from 12/3)
On To The Last Leg: Friend Shawl Edition
Gettin' It Done

I'm also thrilled to present the latest in my listings, something I've been slowly working on getting put up for the last few weeks: Dionysian Child.

Something new coming up is the fact that I'll be doing the great re-write (so that my copy quality matches my updated prices & photos). In the process of doing this, as with the updating of prices, I will also be re-doing some of the shop set up which may result in some products being retired (hint: if there is something you've had your eye on make sure you get it asap!)

A final new thing that's coming up for me is that I'll be taking a cloth napkin class this Sunday. I'm super excited about this because I've been wanting to get into making napkins & hankies!

As the year draws to a close it's time to wrap things up. To gather the lessons we've learned and move towards applying them going forward. We must celebrate what we've made happen and take stock of what is left. Making the important decision of what we will be bringing into the new year with us!

In the comments below, share with me...

What would you like to explore in your life?
Do you deal with insomnia?
What are you working on right now?

Thanks for tuning in to this week's "What's Up Wednesday?". Make sure you come back next week to see what's going on in my world! And if you haven't yet be sure to join my newsletter and connect with me on your favorite social media!

WUW: Move Forward With Purpose

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 14:00:00 GMT

Image credit: "Dawn" by Conal Gallagher (Flickr)

Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~ Allan Bloom

So I feel like I haven't written to you in ages, but that's not accurate. The reality is (as of this drafting) I have tons of things written or partially written, in various stages of almost finished. But almost doesn't count...so there's that. One of my aims is to get back to my schedule, which includes posting here on the blog & sending out newsletters - among other things. But I am currently always running out of time in which to work on things.

Time to Move Forward

Mercury goes Direct (11/6, 4:22 pm EST). Finally Mercury will be moving direct which should help unkink and work out any communications issues you've had lately. I'm hopeful that the frizziness of my brain will settle down so that I can process the feedback rather than having it bottleneck in my head. If there are any plans you made or were trying to sort out before this it's time to put those plans into action & revise them based on the feedback you discover.

Chiron goes Direct (11/9, 2:52 am EST). Chiron is known as the wounded healer. He shows us where the great wound of our lives lies and gives us opportunity to do something to heal it. In terms of art the contemplation is over and now it's time to do something about this. What healing & peace can you create for yourself now?

Dawning Knowledge

New Moon in Sagittarius (11/7, 2:20 am EST). With the New Moon it's time that you invite what you desire into your life. New experiences & deep wants. Sagittarius rules over the exploration of things outside one self, learning about things wildly different from where you reside. The pairing of this energy can lead you to learn about new art & creative expressions that different from what is native to you. Take in what you see, see the tradition & lineage, and honor it with respect (aka don't take things that don't belong to you just because you like them). Open your eyes & honor the source.

Beyond Tired Of It

It seems my insomnia is rearing it's head again. Given the fact that it's the Winter looming closer and that this is a stressful time for me because of emotional traumas etc this isn't surprising. Still not something I'm thrilled with dealing with. So I'm trying to make the most of the wakefulness and eeek towards keeping on track with things. Although that's a double-edged sword as the more I stay up the more it becomes habit and is therefore difficult to stop.

Skipping About

One of the latest things that I've been working on as of late is what I've named my "Friend Shawl". The pattern is Kindness by Jaala Spiro. I found it by accident when deciding that I wanted to send a shawl to a friend who has been going through a difficult time. I'm not much for hugging, but I know how others appreciate the gesture, so I'm sending them a knitted hug!

Morning Blues - My Casapinka Crown Wools Shawl (Clues 1-3)

My Morning Blues is on a big of a break at the moment as all of my time has been taken up by the aforementioned shawl. I'm looking forward to getting back to it though. I also know that I'll have to take a break once I finish the first five color as I'll have to buy a ton more yarn to do the next bits.

Third Bobbin Lace Bracelet

I've got a third bobbin lace bracelet that I'm working on as well - although that's also currently on break because it's the third of the exact same one...I need to get back to it soon though as I need to give my pillow a break because they are not meant to have work on them all the time.

My Twin Tootsees Socks are also on break too - again because of the shawl. I'm also to the point where they are just straight knitting until I reach the cuff so its whatever as far as interest goes.

Progress Made

Big surprise (not) but my most popular post this past week was my aforementioned Friend Shawl, and given the colors and lace detail who would be surprised?

This Week's Most Popular Post on Instagram is my "Friend Shawl" WIP

I'm looking forward this new listing I'm working on for Dionysian Child, it's been sitting in my listing queue for a bit now so I can't wait for it to be ready to go off to it's forever home. The last thing I listed (which I'm realizing I don't know whether I shared with you or not) was my new necklace By Any Other Name.

Something that I haven't really mentioned anywhere else outside of social media is that I was raising my prices. At this point it's done and with the exception of a handful of things I'm looking for the notes on, everything is update. I'm really pleased that I did it, even though doing all the math (I have a nice chunk of things in my shop) was a bit grueling. To go with this new pricing I'll also be updating all of the copy of everything too!

With all the energy going on right now there is a distinct opening up. But while that happens there is also the drawing near of Winter which (for us in the Western Hemisphere) is a slowing down. So be sure to take stock of what to give & what to take, where to move & where to be still. Create space for what you need and release what may not be serving your pursuits right now.

In the comments below, share with me...

Are you excited to see the updates in my shop, particularly the new copy?
Are you exploring any new creative techniques or art forms?
What are you ready to get off your chest?

WUW: Gettin' Busy

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 05:00:00 GMT

Image Credit: Grandfather Clock by Ozzy Delaney (Flickr)

Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing. ~ Thomas A. Edison

At just over a week I feel like I'm eyeball deep in my Journalistic Masterpiece Kickstarter. The time has both flown & crawled by leaving me feeling a bit frantic. I'm feeling a good deal of pressure to perform, to make sure that I do everything I can to make it a success...

Barrier Breaking

Mars enters Sagittarius (1/26, 7:56 am EST). The Martian energy rides well in the fire sign Sagittarius! Here Mars is active & adventurous, ready to take on new things and break through barriers. No walls can hold Mars in this sign! It's important to take the time to stabilize this energy into something more than theory however.

Tirelessly Working

I've come to accept that this Kickstarter is going to demand a lot of attention. So I guess I might as well take advantage of my insomnia and do as much work as I can each day...

Wrapping Up

As I've been running the Kickstarter I have been focusing on finishing off any projects that I meant to get to earlier. This past week I finished Princess Jasmine and I have to say she might be my favorite one so far!

I've since started working on Pocahontas whom I have mixed feelings about. For one there is no such thing as an "Indian princess". So the fact that she was included in a "princess kit" is more than a bit annoying. That being said, I do at least appreciate another non-white heroine being represented (even though it could have be done better.)

As I've put in the time to set up most of the marketing I'll be doing for the Kickstarter my next step is to continue to make mock ups & prototypes that I can share them as project updates. I've got a 3 color & 4 color mock up each partially done, and I will move on to working on finishing the 5 color mock up this week.

Lastly, before I get into the thick of making the journals after getting funded I thought I would take up sock knitting finally with a friend. I bought My First Toe Up Socks by Susan B. Anderson on Craftsy in May 2017, but hadn't yet made an effort to take on trying socks again. (My first attempt was cuff down on aluminum needles and was less than pleasant to be creating given the fiddly-ness.) After I finish the class I'll be doing a formal review on the blog.

Matters of Color

As I've been coming along on these Disney princess dolls a final point I want to make about this project is the fact that the representation of non-white womxn* (*meaning woman, femme, female-identifying, AFAB, etc) is poorly demonstrated. Of the 12, only 4 are non-white. Tiana, Pocahontas, Jasmine, & Mulan; each one feeling like a rather token representation. It makes one think about what that is saying to our girls as they are raised to become womxn. That womxn of power exist in white spaces rather than everywhere, and that to be non-white and come forward as a womxn of importance has strings attached. You must be overworked & underappreciated (Tiana), follow the lead & be an accessory of a white man (Pocahontas**), have no will of your own, second to a man even below your station (Jasmine), & masquerade as something else in order to achieve greatness, only to be denied (Mulan**). **Mind you Mulan & Pocahontas are actually based upon real life womxn and their stories have more to them than was represented by Disney. Here I reference the Disney representation & the message it's sending.

Ending & Beginning

Given what I've been working on & talking about, it's no big surprise what this week's most popular post was this lovely!

Woo! I've made it one quarter of the way through my Journalistic Kickstarter Masterpiece! It seems like the time has flown by and I don't know what to do about that! Not that there is anything to do...c'est la vie! And hey, if you haven't gotten a chance to make sure you drop by the the campaign page, PLEDGE & SHARE! <3

In the comments below, share with me...

What would you like to explore creatively?
What are you making progress on this week?
Do you consider representation in your daily interactions?

WUW: Ready to Go

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 18:15:29 GMT

Journalistic Masterpiece Kickstarter

Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity. ~ Bo Bennett

I'm in for a wild ride over the next few weeks. With the launching of my Journalistic Masterpiece Kickstarter I know things are gonna be hoppin' 'round here. So far so good though, a few pledges under my belt & ready for more!

Forward Motion

Venus enters Aquarius (1/17, 8:44 pm EST). As dear, sweet Venus moves into Aquarius the call of freedom rings strong. Venus is all desire, sensuality, & creature comforts. In the sign of Aquarius this turns more mental, so anything engaging that can be held in the mind's eye holds particular interest. It's also about new sensations and experimenting with the unknown, so be brave and give it a shot!

Pallas enters Taurus (1/19, 9:35 pm EST). Pallas in the sign of Taurus is practical, yet slow moving. She comes to ideas after great mental effort, having carefully considered all options. There is no rushing this process, as with all things Taurus takes her dear sweet time. Embrace the necessary time so you can make good decisions!

Sun enters Aquarius (1/19, 10:09 pm EST). Innovative and imaginative Aquarius takes the spotlight. This sign is detached and moves fluidly about with the grace of air. And like air Aquarius is hard to catch and whenever you think you've stopped them...look again and they're gone. This is a time for ideas, connection, communities, and going off into the wild blue yonder!

Changemaking Trailblazer

Celtic Tree Month of Rowan begins (1/21). Rowan's energy brings with it the cool & intellectual mental approach. Rather than being attached to ideas Rowan is able to move through & with them, but also past them. There is a deeper passion behind such ideas & ideals. This all brings with it an ability to make change in the world around one, so to bring forth these energies tap into Rowan's energy.

Struggling Through

I knew that I would have a lot of work ahead of me, but I must say I am quite overwhelmed and it is just the beginning!

Paring Down

As the Kickstarter has begun I'm doing my best to get through the last of the Disney princess dolls. I'm up to Jasmine, having switched to the brown girls as I ran out of beige (my chosen color for the white dolls).

Princess Jasmine WIP

I've wrapped all other projects I was working on and anything that is left will only get idle attention when I have spare time.

All the Things

This past week's most popular post was me and my silly face. Which seemed all too appropriate given the level of frazzled I was that day.

This week's most popular post = My Face on Kickstarter Launch Day

So...holy. fucking. shit. I finally launched my Kickstarter! I've been dying to do this since I got the idea, keeping it under wraps was also a chore as I wanted to be sure it would work before releasing. And as you well know in the art world, theft is a big deal so I didn't want to gush to the wrong person.

You can check out the campaign page here, but the long & short of it is me raising the funds together to get into serious bookbinding by way of bespoke journals, each it's own work of art. Unlike most Kickstarters mine is set up in a way that makes sense for how I do business & what makes sense for you.

And like with all Kickstarters, in case you're not familiar, if I don't get full funding by the end of the time period the project will not come to fruition so be sure to pledge & share!

A final thing, I will be suspending all custom orders for the duration of the Kickstarter (both funding & delivery if successful). In order to focus on getting deliverables done & getting the world out in general I mean to cut anything extra out that I can. My shop will remain open however, so if you've had your eye on something now's a great time to shop!

Okay...so maybe one more thing...as I've just finished up a class dedicated to money I'll be raising prices in the shop soon. I can't say how much (I haven't done any of the figures yet) but I'll be batch updating things randomly. The biggest change really is that I'll be charging for my time, so my prices will start to reflect how I spend of my life creating. If you're on a budget, or have had your eye on something for awhile I'd advise you to take heed and get the lead out. Some things also might be retired that are "out of sync" with my brand too, so there's also that. But let's away to bigger & brighter things! <3

In the comments below, share with me...

What's been catching your interest lately?
Are you a Kickstarter lover?
What's your favorite kind of selfie?

Aradia's Hand - Blog

WUW: Time to Bloom

Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame; Each to his passion; what's in a name? ~ Helen Hunt Jackson

What Dreams May Come

Blossoming Forth

Back Burner

Getting Back to Work

Incoming!

WUW: Enter Exploration

My interest in photography is not to capture an image I see or even have in my mind, but to explore the potential of moments I can only begin to imagine. ~ Lois Greenfield

Explore the Great Unknown

No End in Sight

The Lace That Never Ends

Dropped In

Incoming!

Related Reading...

WUW: Move Forward With Purpose

Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~ Allan Bloom

Time to Move Forward

Dawning Knowledge

Beyond Tired Of It

Skipping About

Progress Made

Related Reading...

WUW: Gettin' Busy

Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing. ~ Thomas A. Edison

Barrier Breaking

Tirelessly Working

Wrapping Up

Matters of Color

Ending & Beginning

Related Reading...

WUW: Ready to Go

Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity. ~ Bo Bennett

Forward Motion

Changemaking Trailblazer

Struggling Through

Paring Down

All the Things

Related Reading...