Full Moon Triple Scorpio Power

Full Moon in ScorpioApril 28, 2010 5:18 am PDT

The Moon in Scorpio takes us deep down into our psyche, our roots - down where the magma lies. Our concentration can become fierce, even obsessive, so we need to focus it with care. We can ignore our body or be engulfed in sexuality; get mean or be filled with compassion. It's time to compost the deadwood of life and garden. Excerpted from the We'Moon Datebook.

Anne Ruleman Athens, Tennessee, USA. Shop: emptyknits.etsy.com Blog: emptyknits.blogspot.com

Scorpios are known for their intensity. I don't think I ever fully appreciated that part of my personality until recently. I now view creativity as a way of life rather than simply "something I do." I pursue my work with such a drive and a passion that it sometimes surprises me since otherwise I'm a pretty laid-back person. I never would have thought I was the type to manage my own business, but currently as I try to make my way as a craft artist, I can't imagine being satisfied with anything else. I love the independence and I love that I don't have to be responsible for anyone but myself, although I've worked well in many jobs and will most likely have to continue to do so to supplement my income, I find that I'm much more content working for myself, even if it means more effort on my part.

Wool Blend Capelet with Braided Edge

I also have a characteristically Scorpio fixation with impermanence which has certainly influenced and been influenced by my spirituality. I practice Buddhism primarily in the Tibetan traditions. I named my shop Empty Knits after the Buddhist concept that all beings and phenomena are empty or lacking of a separate existence or in other words, all things are interdependent. My knitting is a significant part of my practice because it works for me like meditation and brings me closer to the point of awareness, understanding and limitless compassion - it's an exercise in interdependence. When I knit, I'm aware of my connection to everything that has brought me to that point - my own history as a craft artist, the generations of knitters in my family, the wool and bamboo that are enabling me to create something new and where my work will go once it's finished. I knit a lot for charity; Afghans for Afghans and Mother Bear Project are two of my favorites. There's nothing quite like knowing that the sock that appears in my hands is going to warm a child on the other side of the world, it's truly magical.

Donna Shanahan Dothan, Alabama, USA. Shop: WhimsForgottenSouls.etsy.com

I am a Scorpio born on October 28th. Scorpios are known to be passionate, jealous by nature, deep thinkers, revengeful dreamers, born leaders and creative spirits and I believe my art reflects both my positive and negative Scorpionic traits.

I am most definitely a dreamer with a love of fantasy and far away places. I love to create new things and can always find something new within objects that have been pushed to the side. I want to make them useful again or at least make them stand out above the rest.

I am very in touch with my spiritual side and see the soul in all things - a soul that may be hidden away just wanting to surface. To me vintage items all have a past, some having survived for decades and their vibes draw me to them.

Vintage dolls are my favorite. I look at a vintage doll that is not in the best of shape and I can see that it was well loved at one time. Some dolls have missing hair and some have glazed over eyes. My Scorpionic nature helps me take these lost forgotten souls and make them into something new that stands out again. I look at them with my minds eye and go from there. The eyes are important in a forgotten soul's creation so I give them glowing eyes to show the spirit within from days gone by.

Forgotten Soul Reborn Horror Doll ~ Possessed Polly

I have always loved dolls. They are a reflection of my childhood and the childlike spirit within me. Being born so close to Halloween I also love the darker side of fantasy. Some of my creations can even be morbid, but I work with both the realms of light and of dark - you can't have one without the other. Just as a Scorpio can be jealous and revengeful they can also be loving and passionate.

Creating my Forgotten Soul Dolls is such an inspiration to my everyday life, it's my release and my form of expression. To some it may seem a little crazed or wild but that is the part I love. I do not like being normal, that doesn't inspire me at all.

Stephanie Manus

Nevada

Shop: dancinggrasshopper.etsy.com

I’ve been told, beginning around the age of ten, that I was a very old soul. You can’t get more Scorpio than those wise words. Those comments and kind gestures have always ignited my imagination and determination to simply follow my intuition since it knew the way.

From those passions and deeply rooted desires a real love and respect for all things natural came to be. Give me some lovely herbs, oils, stones or a few pretty feathers and beauty will emerge. Each creation and craft is my own personal phoenix and nurtured from the beginning to the end.

Nag Champa Soy Candle

Not long ago I dreamt of an eagle. Its massive hand-like talons opened up my window to come in and for a moment I was fearful, but then I realized that this is what I’ve been waiting for - my team was complete: the scorpion, phoenix and massive dreamy eagle friend. Together we can make this world a better place, one bar of soap at a time.

To read more Full Moon Artist features please click on the link.

Sweet Gypsy Promise New Moon in Aries

Aries New MoonApril 14, 2010 5:29 am PDT

The Moon in Aries reminds us to be true to our path, we have to be true to our inner fire. This month's New Moon artist is Melissa of Sweet Gypsy Promise who brings her divine feminine spark of inspiration and movement to us in the form of dance and art, a topic not usually covered in this blog, but something I love to do - how 'bout you?

Melissa Sweet Gypsy Promise Shop: SweetGypsyPromise.etsy.com Blog: SweetGypsyPromise.blogspot.com

As an Aries, I often find myself overfilled with passion looking for an available, creative outlet to express it. True to my astrological nature I will try anything once, especially on an impulse. That is how I ended up in dance class again.

Although I had danced as a child and on and off through my adolescent years, when I came back to it as an adult, it felt like an entirely new adventure altogether. I definitely did not expect to find a sense of the divine in dance, but somehow I did.

Aries is the first sun sign, and we literally have a fierce fireball of energy whirling around in us all the time, nonstop. It is relentless really. And as you can imagine, I have never found it easy to sit still and silence my thoughts, yet I yearned for the peace of mind, body and soul that meditation might bring.

Golden Dancer

For me, dance is the solution to this. Once the music starts, my mind stops and my body takes over and easily loses itself in the movements while the rest of the world stands still so that I can actually exist just as I am, letting go and complete.

Knowing that I am an Aries you might expect my dance inspired artwork to be well, WILD... full of bold colors and big brushstrokes. I will be the first to admit that it most definitely is not. Instead what you see is something uniquely feminine. I paint what I feel when I dance. I do this because it is a feeling that is simultaneously powerful and serene and it is something that so many of us have been searching for.

You can find more New Moon Artists by clicking on the link.

Full Moon in Libra Divinely Inspired, Holistic Healing Jeweler, Sophie D.

Full Moon in LibraMarch 29, 2010 5:25 pm PDT

During the Moon in Libra, relationships become our source of growth with our beloveds or in our relationship to beauty, to friendship, to our creative muse, to fairness and equality. While you need to avoid taking responsibility for everyone's happiness, you can be a real leader toward dynamic cooperation and peaceful co-existence. Excerpted from the We'Moon Datebook.

This month's one and only Full Moon artist is a splendiferous combination of many lovely Libran traits, she is not only a crystal healing, lightworking, soulful, artistic creator, but a Reiki practitioner, holistic healer, angel seer, and breast cancer survivor. I hope you enjoy her inspirational story.

Sophie Dangtran

Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

SparklesAndAngels.etsy.com

I am a Libra, born on September 25 many moons ago. Libras love beauty, harmony, and balance. Appropriately enough, my purpose in life is to create beauty, harmony, and light. I am doing this by being a Reiki practitioner and by creating jewelry for your body and soul.

My Reiki practice helps to balance and harmonize your body, your mind, your emotions, and your spirit. My intention for my jewelry is to bring more love, more light, more peace, more beauty, and more of your heart's desires into your life. I joyfully infuse all of my creations with love, healing energy ? including Reiki energy ? and prayers.

A very UN-scientific survey among my friends and fans shows that the words most used to describe my creations are: elegant, harmonious, graceful, beautiful… all typical Libran traits! I call my style “neo-classical.” A Libra is too well-balanced to be avant-garde, though I do admire the talent and creativity of those at the artistic forefront.

I was born in South Vietnam and grew up there. After I got my French Baccalaureate degree, I moved to the United States to further my education. Upon getting my master’s degree, I worked as a computer programmer, and then as a web site designer and producer. I have since left the corporate world about five years ago to devote myself to Reiki and jewelry design.

While I was a technical person, and my Libran artistic tendencies were dormant back then, I had noticed long ago that I made people feel better by my presence alone. I found out recently that this is said of many Librans: "They always make you feel better for having been with them."

Kitty Come Here Earrings

My interest in holistic healing started about fifteen years ago, when a beloved cat got seriously sick and modern medicine could not help him. I studied herbs, homeopathy, and crystals. I "discovered" Reiki in 2001, and was attuned to the first level of Reiki in March 2002.

A week after that first attunement, a murder suicide took place in my neighborhood. I was totally freaked out by this event, and after a few sleepless nights I called my Reiki teacher, asking for help. She told me to visualize angels surrounding me and my house with the golden light of grace. At that time I was sitting next to a window, and I happened to look out at the golden light of the setting sun streaming in through the window.

Opalescence Necklace

THAT was the moment I first realized that angels really do exist, and that there was a whole world my physical eyes could not see. That experience was the beginning of my spiritual awakening, and marked the beginning of my personal healing journey.

Reiki also unleashed my Libran creativity and artistic talents, and I started making suncatchers and jewelry out of beads and healing stones. The act of making jewelry is for me a form of meditation and prayer. It helps me stay balanced and fulfills my Libran need for peace and harmony.

Essence of a Woman Earrings

I found this tidbit on a web site: “Librans are sensitive to the needs of others and have the gift, sometimes to an almost psychic extent, of understanding the emotional needs of their companions...” Well, in my Reiki practice, I offer intuitively designed and one-of-a-kind Reiki jewelry. If you choose a Reiki session, I will create after that session, under your guidance’s direction, a one-of-a-kind necklace or bracelet using semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals, sterling silver, glass beads and/or gold accents. I then charge this jewelry with love, healing energy, and prayers, to assist you in holding the energetic balance that you received during your Reiki session.

The designs I offer in my Etsy store are also charged with healing energy, love, and prayers, even when they do not contain semi-precious healing stones, since anything can be filled with good energy! While they are usually not designed with a person in mind, I know that they will find the right owners, and will bring to their owners more peace, more divine grace, more joy!

In 2007 I got another opportunity to evolve spiritually: breast cancer. This traumatic experience helped me to further open my heart, to become stronger as a person, to enjoy life more, and to be grateful. This has inspired me to create a line of inspirational necklaces, such as the ones featured in this post.

Be Here Now Necklace

To connect with more Full Moon Artists please click on the link.

Aquarius New Moon Artist Inspiration!

New Moon in AquariusFebruary 13, 2010 6:51 pm PST

This month I have managed to discover not one, but two Aquarian jewelers - these gals do love the rocks! Which isn't too strange actually because Aquarius does rule: obsidian, opals, pearls, quarries, stone, sapphires and slate! Surprised?!

Arona Offenberger

Melbourne, Australia

Shop: http://flossadornments.etsy.com Blog: http://abitoffloss.blogspot.com I’d never really given any thought as to how my Sun Sign (Aquarius) might influence my jewelry making or any other craft I’ve tried. I only started crafting in the last ten years. I’ve tried decoupage, mosaics and some scrap booking but now that I examine why I started making jewelry and the kinds of pieces I make, the Aquarian influence is completely obvious.

I have a day job but have been on leave since October 2008 after having my second child. Babies do take up a lot of time but after a while, I started needing to do something other than mothering. My motivation for making jewelry was to have some pieces to wear that weren’t mass-produced or bought in a store. I love handmade and I love the concept of one-of-a-kind, and I want to cater for others who feel the same. This trait is so typically Aquarian (if there is such a thing) and that is a desire to be unique, original and different by not following the crowd down the beaten path.

Black, white and grey resin bead necklace

Essentially, all of my jewelry is one-of-a-kind. I don’t ever make more than one of anything except by request and even then, it may not be possible, because when I buy beads, I only buy a few of each so that I can’t make multiples even if I wanted to. I do repeat design ideas but always with different colors and combinations.

I find that some artists and crafters show a preference for a particular medium or material, but I’m quite the eclectic Aquarian in the pieces I produce. I use a wide variety of beads and materials with no preference for one style or another. I also want to create pieces that will appeal to people with a range of different personal tastes and aesthetics and I think I achieve that in my work.

Sometimes I wonder whether other people will understand or even like my aesthetic. It’s very interesting to get feedback from people about which items they like. I’m always surprised by the variety of responses, but to me, it justifies the diverse range of pieces I produce. I suppose I want to have broad-ranging appeal but within the niche of “handmade”.

Long flapper-style necklace in white, red, purple and turquoise

Aquarians are known for seeking out new experiences to avoid boredom. I love trying out new techniques, designs and color combinations or working with new material. If I don’t know how to do something, I’ll “Google” it (Aquarians love technology) and usually find a plethora of instructions and videos to satisfy my need to learn. Some days I tell myself I will try to focus on only a few styles of jewelry but it never happens: I get excited by some new beads I’ve seen that I absolutely must try out or by a new idea my overactive brain has come up with instead of letting me sleep.

At the moment, I’m playing with polymer clay and making my own pendants and beads, but I’m adapting and experimenting with the basic techniques that I’ve learned to suit what I want to achieve. I’m not one for following instructions to the letter, I’m just an unconventional Aquarian doing things her own way.

Necklace with hand stamped quote on sterling silver tag necklace

Personal space and time are other Aquarian necessities I can’t do without. Making jewelry is a great form of therapy for me, especially at the end of a hectic day spent entertaining and running around after two young children. The fiddly aspect of making jewelry, like hand-stringing beads or aligning the ends of jump rings is a perfect way to unwind and switch my brain down into a calmer mode. There are also days where I’m not feeling very inspired but I can spend hours on the computer browsing for supplies, maintaining my online store and working on marketing. I love having this time by myself, I need this time by myself.

In the future, and Aquarians are definitely known for this, I'd love to continue with my hobby and turn it into a day job, but I expect that's a long way off.

To read more New Moon Artist Features please click here.

Aries Full Moon Artist Spotlight

Full Moon in Aries

October 3, 2009
11:10 pm PDT

Full Moon fulfillment burns with Aries heat and fire this month so take some time to wake up and remember who you truly are, even if it bothers those you work with or love. Tempers, tears and passion run high as we find our independence and our voice.

This month's Full Moon Aries artist is Roberta and Renee (a Libra) from Amanda, Ohio and I'm sure you'll find their story very inspiring in many ways. I must say that I had a very tough time finding Aries artists to feature this month - not sure why, maybe they're all too busy charging full steam ahead changing the world?!

Roberta & Renee
Stratus Silver
Amanda, Ohio

Recycled Twig Bangle Bracelets

Roberta and I (Renee) are co-owners of Stratus Silver Jewelry Co. I am an Aries and Berta is the Libra. We have known each other and worked together at our day jobs for sixteen years, although Stratus Silver did not come about until we 'accidentally' became neighbors out in the middle of nowhere. (We live in the Hocking Hills region of southeastern Ohio.)

I am definitely not an astrology expert, but I know Aries and Libra are a great mix. Berta's air feeds me and my fire moves her. I'm the initiator, innovator and fixer; she picks up whatever comes and runs with it, all while bringing balance to the entire operation. We motivate each other and work better together than any other two people we know. When we're swamped and under pressure, we often work 10-12 hours together in our studio and never miss a beat, including getting families fed, kids to football, client calls and anything else on the agenda. A few words between us is all it takes to get the ball rolling. From there we hum. One picks up where the other leaves off and before we know it, the jobs are done. No worries about tripping over egos here either. We're both well aware of who excels at what and surprise, surprise, our talents are perfect compliments to each other.

Our nature line was born one day when I was bored and said: "Lets do something different. I feel like burning something up." (Are you surprised?) Berta agreed. (She never quashes my spontaneity.) A few hours later, we were both staring at a pound of sterling silver twig castings. Simultaneously we said: "What now?" The twig bangles were my idea. Berta immediately followed with twig earrings and "Can we do other stuff, too? Like leaves maybe?" Yeah. We could do leaves. And flowers and petals and seeds and on and on. We haven't found a limit to what we can do together yet, except perhaps in that linear, non-existent dimension we're in called 'time.'

Queen Size Twig Bangle Bracelets

Our ultimate goal is to grow Stratus Silver to the point where we can provide some jobs for the many people who are out of work in the depressed, very rural area where we live. The folks around here have relied on manufacturing companies for employment for generations. Unfortunately, the area's manufacturers have all moved out of the country or closed because of the economy.

It's also our intent and hope to inspire a sense of appreciation for nature and an attitude of conservation in others through our jewelry. The Wayne National Forest is on our doorstep and we'd like to see it there for generations to come.

To read more Full Moon Artist stories please click here.