Divinely Crafty

Wanted to give you a heads up on a super crazy good sale I am having right now. FREE Shipping (First Class in the UK/Airmail to all other locations) on everything in my etsy shop!! That’s right - FREE! Now’s your chance to get the stuff you’ve been dreaming of without paying international shipping costs. (of course as always, any customs charges are the responsibility of the buyer). Sale will last through the month of May. I am adding new things regularly as I unearth inventory that has been packed away in boxes with our frequent moves, so be sure to pop into the shop frequently to see what delights await!

Lakshmi Mama etsy Shop

If I may be so bold as to borrow a phrase from Mark Twain, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated!” Yes, I am alive still.  Even a bit more alive than when I last wrote.

As seems to be my pattern, I blog  fairly regularly for a time and then I disappear for a time.  I am consistent if not reliable anyway I suppose.  In keeping with my rhythm - I hereby declare that I am once again back from my short hiatus.

My time away took me half way across the world and back, and from the depths of struggle with my illness to a renewed sense of hope that there may be renewed health in my future.  Still many long and hard miles to go on my healing journey before I reach what I would call wellness, but the first crucial steps have been taken.  I will catch you up on the details as time passes, but for now just know that I now have hope that had been missing from my coping.  Hope that someday I might not need to cope with quite so much.  What a joy that would be!

For now I must attend to preparing dinner for my family.  This alone is a delight given that a few months ago I could barely get myself a bowl of cereal.  Some days it is all I can do to gather the energy to cook dinner and I am exhausted and in pain when I am done, but simply to be able to get up and do it, no matter how hard is such a gift.  So off I go to make some yummy Sweet Potato Lemongrass soup and Lime Coriander Chicken. Its not as  fancy as it sounds but it is  every bit as  delicious!

dylan earrings2

Originally uploaded by Divinely Crafty

The weeks leading up to Christmas this year were marked by one of the worst flares to date in all the years I have lived with fibromylagia.

Normally the holidays are a time of busy crafting and creating. I have always loved attending to the details that make holidays special times. Not always showy or grand, but always with heart.

This year was no exception I am glad to be able to say. I had picked up a good bit of beads and jewelry making supplies when we were in Barcelona with intentions of making more felt / glass bead pieces. I had only used a few as originally planned, and with the addition of some lovely beads my sweet Anna brought me from her time in India this summer, I had a brilliant collection to choose from for little holiday treats.

Pictured above is a pair made for my oldest daughter,Dylan. Gorgeous Indian glass rounds with Chinese medallions. May they bring her good fortune.

Next is for Kiah. A mix of Czech glass and silver. Elegant with an edge, just as she is.

Delicate stones with a touch of sparkle for Anja. Her first pair of dangly earrings. If the grin on her face when she tried them on means anything, it was a special gift for a special young girl!

All three pairs made in a quiet, stress free afternoon. I was able to sit comfortably in my bed with supplies neatly laid out before me thanks to a bit of organization that I confess is actually unusual for me. There is something about scads of tiny glass and stone bits that begs even the most die hard of mess-makers to straighten up and invest in a few fish tackle sorters. Biscuit tins make great storage for tools, wires, and such and the lids double as work surface. Complete with raised edge to prevent an errant bead from rolling off and into the sheets where it would without doubt cause a painful living interpretation of The Princess and The Pea that night.

The earrings were received with delight and I have seen them worn on many occasion. Dylan reports that her mates at school are asking about buying some if I make them to offer. Not sure what I think of that, but it could be fun. I’ll tuck that aside to consider on another day.

For now I am in the process of re-visiting crochet and the quest for the perfect string bag pattern. Wish me luck as I foray into thus avoided territory of SC, Ch St, and a host of abbreviations I have little understanding of! I will report back shortly with progress.

I hope.

Tags: beads, coping, daughters, fibromyalgia, gifts, glass, jewelry, organizing, parenting, simplicity

Last week the spirit of the season blew through me as I surrendered to a most intense fibromyalgia flare. With a good mystery audiobook playing on my laptop on my nightstand, cup of tea placed within easy reach, and my supplies set before me neatly on my bed I began hunting and pecking through beads and baubles for inspiration. The result was several pairs of glass and stone earrings that were bundled up and sent to their new homes before I had a chance to take pictures, and this lovely necklace that I made for our friend Sabrina. Made from orange/red/yellow rolled felt beads that I made last spring and colorful glass beads which I bought in a fabulous bead store in Barcelona.

I also made this divine hat for Stephen to wear with his once again long hair ponytail. It is cold in the mountains of Italy where he lives but it can be a real pain trying to find a hat that works with ponytails. Hopefully this will do the trick and keep him warm and in style. Made with handspun single and the pattern can be found here.

It was good to get some creative work done. I have been in such a drought lately, putting my energy mostly into daily needs, but also attending to other calls that have been demanding my attention. When I opened my box of beads and tools there was a sense of apprehension with my eagerness to get started. Knowing that I was in the midst of a bad flare, I also knew it was entirely likely that I wouldn’t be able to finish what I started. Another thing that keeps me from my creative pursuits is the lonely trail of abandoned projects that are evidence of good intentions gone the way of dreams. But not this time. Once I got going the momentum built on itself and I began to get as much energy from making them as I was putting into them. More even. What a joy and a delight! ‘Tis the season to be merry and bright!

Tags: felt and fiber, inspiration, knitting