July Witch's Rune

Once upon a time...well, a long time ago...I started a beaded piece using Witch's Runes as my subject.  One for each month.  Well, I finally just finished the one for July!  I have August left to go for the 12 months, then I have an All Seeing Eye to make for the middle.  You can see the sketch in the pic below.  Here's a pic of the July off-loom beaded piece:

This rune stands for the Sun.  It's funny 'cuz the quote in the book at the beginning of the chapter says "One goal perfectly imagined is one goal eventually achieved".  That's how I feel about my projects...eventually...one at a time.  From Susan Sheppard's Book, "Witch's Runes", this rune conveys how the healing and abundant light of the sun is essential.  The nourishing rays stand for strength, fertility, creativity, & healing.  Drawing this rune implies a break in darkness, or a breakthrough.  The Sun also represents the ability to draw to you what you need to overcome obstacles.  The Sun rune stands for that one big goal, not the more trivial interests of your life.  It's also a time of fun & levity.  This rune is always a good omen & means something of value is coming your way.  Go for the gold!

June BJP - Moon Rune

I LOVE the moon! So I enjoyed making this moon rune...even tho' if I hadn't predecided colors, I would have chosen different ones than these shown.

The basic meaning of this rune is being aware in the dark. Gypsies called the moon shion which means arms of protection. Early goddesses were associated with the moon. We're talking feminine power here! Expect shifts in focus or mood. It speaks of home, ancestors, female relatives & your personal space. Sometimes you can be taken out of your better senses (being moonstruck) & maybe act a little impractical. The moon has been associated with magick, witchcraft & sorcery...meaning now you have the ability to make positive change. It is also associated with a new cycle, maybe buying a house, having a baby...some form of expansion. In astrology the moon governs imagination & creative expression. It's time to use the moon's intuitive energy. Take your time before taking action. Be calm & take it slow. And pay attention to your dreams!

This was a good one for me to do now as we are moving & intend to buy a home in New Mexico! I'm getting really pumped about it!

The background color I had chosen for this rune is Alexandrite. What a cool stone this is! The most sensational feature about this stone is its surprising ability to change its color. Green or bluish-green in daylight, Alexandrite turns a soft shade of red, purplish-red or raspberry red in incandescent light. This unique optical characteristic makes it one of the most valuable gemstones of all, especially in fine qualities. It changes just like the moon! Might just have to get one of those! Someday!

As always the info on this rune is found in "A Witch's Runes" by, Susan Sheppard.

Off Loom Square Stitch Example

Some have mentioned they thought my work was done on a loom, but I am using an off-loom beading stitch called square stitch. One bead at a time is sewn onto a bead in the previous row. Below you will find an example.

Here I am part way into my June rune. I am ready to add a new bead:

I pick up the yellow bead on my needle.

I insert the needle back into the bead in the previous row

that will be directly below the new yellow bead.

Now, I'm sorry this is blurry, but I wanted to show that you pull the thread below the just added yellow bead. I'm sure you can just imagine it! :)

Next I go back up thru' the yellow bead & pull the thread thru'.

Ta Da! One bead added! Now how many hundreds more to go!

Each rune has 625 beads in it stitched on one at a time.

I hope this little example helps just a bit. At least you can see how it's not made on a loom! :)

May BJP - Flight Rune

For this month of May, I wanted to post 2 pics 'cuz one shows the roughness of the dark red clay like beads. Still workin' on that photography!

Anyway, this rune explores the idea of birds as messengers leaving the spirit world for the world of matter, & returning with important news. It's a universal theme. Other meanings for this rune are transition, transforming news, communication from far away, glad tidings, messages of all kinds, (including phones, mail, spiritual, etc), intuitive connections, help for artists, creative energy, lifting of obstacles, etc. Now is the time to take flight & accept challenges, embrace change, face risks, etc. It stands for a time when you will overcome limitations & be free of obstacles. It signifies the kind of communication that changes your course of action, so watch for surprises in what you've already planned. Flight also can mean angelic guidance, counsel, or legal documents to sign. Time to fly!

The birthstone, used as the background for this month, is Emerald. This was the closest color I had to it. Then I used the contrasting dark red clayish beads for the symbol itself.

Again, all information comes from "A Witch's Runes", by Susan Sheppard.

BJP in Progress

This is my MAY BJP in progress. It's the Flight rune, and it's all about communication, messages, etc. Whether physical, virtual or spiritual! So I'm really glad I didn't start this last month when Mercury was Retrograde! :) Hopefully I'll catch up this month!!! But, you've seen my work space, and the packing going on, so who knows!

April BJP - Woman Rune

So I'm still trying to catch up...but as you know from the pics about our move, it may take some time! Anyway, above is April's rune...Woman. This rune signifies shining power & gentle action. By offering our compassion for others, we actually gain strength. This ancient rune is also found on the Egyptians' Doorway to Isis, which they believed led us to the infinite...all life called into being, as well as departure. The branching V is a universal idea which corresponds to the Finnish rune for Ilmater, meaning "water mother". It also was symbolic for the Virgin Mother among Germanic people. Other groups associate this symbol with the magic wand.

The branching V reminds us of the branches of our family tree...reaching back to extended families & generations. Also the branching of the creative imagination, centered & flowering outward. This is the female line, friendship, giving birth, home & protection...everything that is female in nature. It's also stands for nurturers & healers, which can also be men, if they can tap into this. This rune tells us there is an energy present in our lives to soothe & make right whatever is wounded or unresolved. Don't expect fast actions, but others will be receptive to your plans. This is a time of healing, rejuvenation & finding a niche where you can be yourself, where things flourish in a natural way. It can also suggest pregnancy, or the beginning of a new project. It also stands for the wisdom of women, & the witch's magic wand, healer, psychic & women of mystery. Look for fertility in some form when you pick this rune...whether a dwelling place, garden, land, or nurturing center of some kind!

The traditional birthstone of the month is Crystal or Diamond, so I used the beads I had that were closest to that for the background. I also used matte black beads for the actual rune symbol. Black contains all colors, & reminds me of the Goddess who watches over us all.

Again, all the information gathered above comes from "A Witch's Runes", by Susan Sheppard.

Note: I'm finding these runes to be interesting in light of the recent accusations of children in Africa being tortured because they are believed to be "witches". I am saddened by the abuse that is happening to them in the name of religion. If we could educate people into the true history of so called "witches", maybe these innocent children would never be abused again!

Trying to Catch Up!

Ack! Trying to get caught up on my BJP project. This is as far as I've gotten for April! Hopefully I can finish April & May this month! Whew!

March BJP Rune - Man

OK...before anyone says anything, I chose my beads & colors WAY before I knew the meaning of each of the runes!!! I NEVER would've picked these colors for this particular rune if I had only known!!! But that said, here is the basic meaning of the Man Rune for March.

The Man Rune is an extremely old symbol found in variations in most cultures. It is the inversion of the woman's V symbol. The Germanic sign is victory, the Anglo-Saxon, Kaen, means to open, & the Nordic sign, called Tac, represents facing down the enemy. The bottom line is defensive action. It's time to defend your own interests. (Perfect timing for me in alot of ways!)

This rune is about action, energy, effort, confrontation, aggression & force. This rune represents a time of rapid changes & situations. Be be prepared to be bold!

The stone for the month is aquamarine, & this was the closest I had to it. Used it for the background, with a complementary shade of peach for the symbol itself.

As always, info on these runes comes from "A Witch's Runes" by Susan Sheppard

February BJP "Waves"

This was a different rune in that it wasn't symmetrical or a mirror image. So I had to COUNT beads, like counted cross stitch. This is my absolute UNFAVORITE thing to do! I have a pal who does the most beautiful counted cross stitch. You can see her work here. Just check out her patterns & you'll see what I mean. But me...fogeddaboudit!!!

Anyway, I had to use the beads I had to try to get an amethyst color. I wear the amethyst above every day, so I matched up beads as close as I could for this month's birthstone color. I like how it turned out 'cuz it's kinda murky, like the waves get when they toss around alot.

As for the meaning of this rune, first, it contains a spiral which has stood for the coils of consciousness that spiral back to a divine source, and represents power & movement. The waves indicate forward motion. They are fluid & unyielding, & your path may be cloudy & unsure. It's a time to find out what is genuine in your life & yourself. On the surface it stands for intuition & artistic imagination, but a cloudy perception. You may feel swept away by emotions, but clarify what you want & then follow through. Remain steadfast in the chaos.

Again, this info was taken from "A Witch's Runes" by, Susan Sheppard.

BJP So Far!

Robin, our fearless leader in the BJP group, asked if I'd show where I'm at so far with my beading for this year's project. I haven't finished February yet, but this is how it looks so far. You can compare where I'm at with my original sketch. I think it's gonna be very colorful in the end. The center "All Seeing Eye" will have some of all the colors of each of the runes. You can see more about the BJP project here. There are actually 3 blogs of beautiful beadwork you can check out if you'd like.

January BJP

While working on the January BJP rune called Star, I made a big mistake! I'm not sure if you can tell in this picture, but I started the off-loom beading with my size D bead thread! I just couldn't figure out why the thread wouldn't go thru' a gazillion times like it normally does! I was pulling it thru' with my pliers! Then it hit me...I use size 0 bead thread for my off-loom square stitch!!! ACK! And the weird thing is that I had just made the same error in a crochet project I'm working on! Wrong size hook!!! Must've been Mercury Retrograde! :) See if you can tell the difference in the size of thread! And remember to always check your supplies before you start a project!

So, I switched over to size 0 to finish the project below.

The Star Rune

I don't have time to go into such depth on this one as I'm behind on projects, so I'll just give a quick summary of the meaning behind this one. The Star Rune represents the realization of a dream or wish. It speaks of hope, a prize, a huge achievement as well as the presence of higher guides, spirituality, angels & the immediate future. It's a promise of fortunate developments in your life. It also speaks of financial and material gains, assets, prosperous ventures, wishes granted, etc. So I guess we all should be wishing on those stars out there! :)

OH, and the birthstone for January was garnet, so the background was done with the beads that I had that were closest in color! I chose a complementary color for the symbol. I'm really trying to use just the beads I have set aside for this project!

Again, all info adapted from "A Witch's Runes" by, Susan Sheppard.

December BJP

The Crossroads Rune

The Crossroads, also called Crossed Spears, was generally considered an evil omen by some. But when it appears, it's not all bad. Especially for those who embrace change. Universally, this symbol seems to have brought out feelings of anxiety and unease. It's a time to expect opposition. A new course of action, once decided, will help you move forward. It may seem like a lonely time. You may experience frustrations and delays before manifesting your goals. The Crossroads represent how we fall victim to desires which really have little to do with our happiness and spiritual growth. It's time to look at the big picture and allow dreams to generate energy on their own. It's time for hard work to achieve the success that you can enjoy later. You may need to abandon a plan that seems plagued by misfortune or bad timing...but maybe only your approach, not your goal. You may feel lack of sympathy from others. You may have to defend what is yours. It's also a time when everything slows down to a crawl...yet any effort you put forth at present will be lasting & enduring. You will see that during this time you have gained courage and wisdom to meet such challenges in the future. Your will is being tested. But remember that you are putting down foundations for your future. If you feel held back, it's important to realize that this is probably for a good reason. Standing at the crossroads is the Grandmother - or Grandfather- spirit, the wizened one who holds the silvery cup of knowledge and discernment that you need. This wisdom is gained through trial and error, insight learned only through hardship and mistakes. Which path should you take? The one that leads ahead - not back- and into the future. In summary, this rune indicates a more difficult path where things are not so easy. It stands for slow, but substantial gains. This rune stresses basic concerns, the bottom line, solitude, and reassessing your losses. However, you will soon discover innate strengths and resources. What you achieve by hard work will have a deeper meaning than wins you gain from lucky breaks.

The traditional monthly birthstone for December is Blue Zircon. I used the closest color I had to it for the background, & added a complementary gold for the symbol itself. It's pretty synchronistic how these runes are showing up in my life at just the exact moment that the meaning becomes obvious in my plans & goals! I am at a crossroads in so many ways right now. So I'm gonna take it nice & slow! And keep defending what is rightfully mine!

Again, all info adapted from "The Witch's Runes" by, Susan Sheppard

November BJP

My November BJP was done a little while ago, but I forgot to post it on my blog! Go figure! Life happens!

So...this month's rune is Harvest! Just happens to be a very synchronistic rune with the state of the economy in our country! This rune depicts the abundance of essential grains ready to be harvested. It signifies all kinds of fortune, good luck, and bounty, especially around career or material gain. (Wow! Lessons for me!) Others read this rune as the straw that is cut to make the witch's broom, an earthy object that magically carries the witch across velvety black skies, across space and time and the obstacles that leave her earthbound.

This rune predicts rewards and benefits of the most excellent kind. It brings into your life what is absolutely essential to your well-being, growth & happiness. The blessings the Harvest Rune gives can only expand while nourishing body, soul, & spirit in this time of positive change. (Another synchronicity?) :)

This rune indicates that what you've worked so hard to achieve will finally bear fruit & probably in a bigger way than you expected. Think abundance, increase, and fruitfulness & go on from there. Whatever you begin now will only grow & flourish. Obstacles are being lifted, paving the way toward many of your greatest hopes & dreams!

The secret behind the blessings relies entirely upon how much you are willing to work & generate positive energy in order to manifest these blessings. If you put forth a genuine effort, you can expect fortunate results & some even beyond your wildest dreams!

This is a definite green light rune! But use these positive developments wisely & avoid risks of overspending, mindless thrill seeking & meaningless pleasures. It may also be a time that spiritual seekers meet an important teacher, a sympathetic judge, or a helpful guide that will help you embark on a right course of action through humor or wisdom.

Happier days are ahead for you! You are quite likely to get your wish! (And it's my birthday month! Yahoo!) This is the most positive rune of all! It indicates the spirit of protection & good fortune. You can expect doorways to open, lucky developments, shining achievements, recognition, awards & accolades. Look for unexpected gifts, pleasant surprises, & situations which work out in your favor. This rune always represents gains, expansion, and easy flow as far as your goals are concerned. Look for an opening which sets you on the right path, giving thanks & receiving thanks, expansion as well as excess & exaggeration. Other benefits may have to do with buying & selling property, blazing a new path, carving a niche or corner in the market, as well as all manner of fortunate events! (Here comes our own home!!!)

Now is the time when many of your cherished dreams will finally be realized. Always a good omen! Wow!!! I'm taking this one! :)

The traditional stone for this month is topaz. There are different colors of topaz. I have a blue topaz ring, but wanted to go with a more traditional light yellow topaz for the background. However, the only bead I had that was similar, was a silver lined gold bead! Well, I think that's pretty appropriate considering the meaning of the rune! And I'd picked it before I even read the meaning. I picked a contrasting color that's kinda lapiz lazuli. Gems all the way around! What a great rune!

(Again, this info comes from "A Witch's Runes", by Susan Sheppard)

October BJP- Scythe

The October Rune is the Scythe. *It is associated with Scorpio & death...dramatic transformations that appear to be final, but wise ones know they aren't. This can signify anything from a separation or divorce to some kind of danger. It's time to get to the bottom of things. Events may shift your focus dramatically, forcing you to change or transform. It's also associated with the paranormal, yep, even ghosts! (Perfect for this time of year!) This rune means to cut away, put an end to something or sever. Maybe changes must occur before reconciliation...coming to terms with something that is hard to accept. A time of passing through difficulties. Walls & blocks may seem insurmountable now, but Scythe implies you have the strength to overcome all difficulties.

The traditional birthstone for this month is rose zircon or pink tourmaline...depending on who you check with...so I just used the closest color to both that I had for the background.

Also, while working on this, I found that 2 "tic tac" containers that are used in storage systems, can fit in my tins! Yahoo! So I can keep them in there ahead of time until I'm ready to use them!

* Information for this, and all further posts on my BJP runes, have come from "A Witch's Runes", by Susan Sheppard.

September BJP Done

Off and running with the new BJP! I've described in a previous post what I'll be doing for the year, so here I'll just describe the first month's rune. It's called Romance & was the perfect one to start the project off! It is about beginnings, the leaping dance of creation, to "spark" a new relationship or new phase, surge of power...it lends strength & passion to works-in-progress and projects just beginning. It's time to embrace this new direction that is somehow related to your innermost passions! How perfect is that???
I've also decided to use one of the traditional birthstone colors as the main background color. In this case it's Sapphire. I used a complimentary color for the symbol. During this year I will try to use as close to the true color as I can, but will have to improvise in some cases since I'm using the beads that I have. So hopefully they will give the essence of the color...which is really hard to tell on a computer screen anyway! But this is for me, so I know what it looks like in hand.
I'm also keeping track of the color/type of bead used so that when I'm done, I will know how light affects each one.

Here's a couple pics in progress:

And here's the finished Rune:

I sure wish it would show up as it truly is!!! Ah, well!

Tin Kits

In cleaning my studio...or reorganizing the mess...however ya look at it...I happened to find some really old tins with projects in them that I had never finished! Well, I decided to dump those old projects 'cuz, guess what? They are the exact size I need to put my monthly BJP pieces in!!! Here's a pic of September's project RTG:

I also discovered that I could use this for other patterns I'm working on. I'm making some Prayer Pouches & the designs are the same size, usually, as the BJP pieces. So the graph I made fits in the top of the tin, & I can carry the whole kit, including small scissors, thread heaven, beads & pin with me wherever I go. Just thought I'd share the idea. I had some kind of felt with adhesive that I glued to the bottom so things didn't pop around in the tin. But it's been so long, I can't remember what it was called! Anyway, here's a couple other pics to give you an idea of how it works:

"The Gift"

...so, like I said in my last post, I couldn't avoid temptation & joined up with the 2008 BJP. And have all my designs RTG for the next year. My theme? Coming up with that was interesting. In our family, we have a word for people who have an ability to know things, or see things ahead of time... as well as some other abilities. We call it The Gift. Others call it being psychic. Some call it witchcraft! In the Italian tradition, it's called Stregheria...which supposedly predates the Celtic tradition. I've been studying this since I have this Gift. Some Italians say it's hereditary, but I have a feeling that most people have this "gift", but not alot of us use it or want to acknowledge it. I was blessed to never be laughed at for it, & so I continued to use it or access it.

...now the problem is which symbols to use? Us Italians tend to have alot of words & alot of symbols & sigils! So that wouldn't work. And my Scandinavian side had too many Runes! Ah, but I had a book called "A Witch's Runes" by Susan Sheppard. She chose 12 symbols to use for her book, plus one that is all encompassing. She is an astrologer, so her symbols matched up with the Zodiac too. She talks about the history of using runes & symbols...from the Roms to the Egyptians, to the Native American petroglyphs, etc. Some of the runes she chose have been used by several different groups around the world, but her designs are mainly of Pictish origin.

...so, I decided I wanted to study these symbols as they relate to my gift. Each month I will do an off-loom beaded rectangle of the symbol, connecting them with the Zodiac & the traditional gemstone color for that month. This was alot to figure out in one day! But I did it! Here's a pic of my sketchbook so you can see how I tried to match it all up! And a bunch of my beads laid out to see what I needed to order for the year.

I also did a practice piece to see the actual size & what color thread I was gonna use. It was either white or a neutral. This picture is kinda blurry, but I decided to go for white as it seemed not to add to the color of the bead as much. Not sure if you can really tell in this picture.

As I go thru' the year, I will try to explain each of the symbols & it's meaning. And I hope to get a clearer picture of this part of myself. You can follow my progress here on my blog, & also visit the 2008 BJP blog here. There's not alot up yet as we don't officially start until September...and we're not allowed to show pics on that blog until the end of the year. I feel like I'm at the starting gate & can't wait to run!!!

Oh, one other thing! Each rectangle contains 625 beads. The center, which will be my connecting piece for all 12, has a symbol that encompasses the meaning of all of the 12 other symbols. It will take up 4 squares. Now, y'all know how I feel about math, but once I found my calculator & multiplied 625 times the size of 16 squares, I got exactly 10,000 beads!!! I was totally amazed at how this turned out considering I did it so quickly. So I'd like to dedicate each of those 10,000 beads to each of the beings (men, women & pets) whose lives were destroyed during the times of the Inquisition. I know there were alot more than 10,000, but it's a start.

Blessed be & warmest aloha!