Drums, Antlers, and Sacred Woods
My home is full of drums, sacred woods, and antlers. Can you smell the rawhides and the scent of cedar wood? The drums were made by my friend Grant (aka “the shaman”) for me to sell in the shop. Once I’ve made beaters for them this weekend I will be listing them for sale – maple wood drums with skins of bear, elk, goat, and moose. Some I still need to paint. My other talented artisan friend Nikiah sent me lovely pendants of antler and bear claw she had made for me to put in the shop and I have shed deer antlers I need to craft into magical objects… I might even make a bone systrum with one.
This week the three of us met for lunch and then went into the cold and rain to harvest woods for making ritual tools. We harvested alder, hemlock, holly, and the moss and lichen covered woods of hawthorn and oak. We all leave different offerings for the trees: the shaman leaves tobacco, Nikiah gives of her long hair, and I give blessings or do something for the health of the tree. The forest must’ve been pleased with us as a raven came out to play, answering my mimicking croaks, and Grant found bear tracks under the beautiful evergreen hemlocks.
Another local friend, witch, and artisan gifted me branches from her ancient rosemary bush that died after a long life. The branches take over my kitchen waiting to be turned into drum beaters, wands, beads, and other sacred objects. How perfect would rosemary be for tools for kitchen or green witches? I have other herbal woods to play with too – henbane, rue, and sage.
I’m slowly getting back to some woodwork using only the woods I don’t have allergic reactions too. I can only do the woodwork on my own terms in a very small volume and will not be able to take commissions again. As long as I don’t get overwhelmed, I should be able to keep working with wood now and then. Translate that as please accept what I offer as is and pretty please don’t ask me to make anything. I need to go slow and gently. Simple small things – wands, pyrography, prayer beads…
Pictures of finished goodies are soon coming. Time to mess up my newly spring-cleaned home!
Yay for crafting.
I’ll keep an eye on the shop for anything I might need before I leave. I’m glad you are able to work with some woods again since you have such a talent with it. 
~hugs~ <3
May or may not be helpful to you (am hoing it is) as I presume you have read widely and wisely in regard to your wood allergy…http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/
Blessed…and empowered…be
Those look lovely~!
you are amazing and so full of the goddess, i enjoy reading your posts nd seeing your shop ads and the mking of them. i m so glad i found you on twitter BB and much joy!
It is always so inspiring to read you ! I close my eyes, and I’m transported in a wonderfull world..
I have a lot of branches, pieces of wood, but I have never dared begin to touch them yet.. not good enough with my hands…
Looking forward to see your new creation and hope you ‘d be able to go through your allergy.
Beautifully crafted wares. Good that you are crafting on your own terms, I know how hard it is to refuse requests when you want to share your craft with others…
Hey, love all ya work and I really enjoy all ya posts… Its a shame that ya can’t make items to order but that’s life….. All the best and I look forward to reading ya new post soon.. I,m in Portugal at the moment surfing with the moon, stars and waves. As ya said in ya last post, “go out side” I really took ya advise with awesome results…
Bye for now
Kristian
awesome! you inspire, invigorate, and awaken my wildcrafting desires! Thanks for sharing! my girls and I are off to roam our sacred woods today too! thinking today is a good day to make a wild headdress piece.
I am glad you are getting back into woodworking, carefully
If you have any thoughts on the subject, I am looking for books with information on place and magic: the magical aspects of place at all scales (site, room, structure, outdoor location, landscape). I am also currently putting together a submission on hauntings at archaeological sites for the state archaeological conference here, and any of your thoughts on that would be welcome 
Some titles that may be of help include Loren Cruden’s The Spirit of Place (I really enjoyed her Medicine Grove book) and Ted Andrews’ Nature-Speak (just ignore the first few woo-woo chapters).
Ooo archaeological hauntings sounds like a fun subject. I only know a couple classic stories of hauntings and curses at famous sites though, so I’m not much help! Might be fun to read this title as an excuse for research though – Haunted Greece and Rome: Ghost Stories from Classical Antiquity
I leave hair too ! Lol I often forget to restock tobacco in my pouch and it came to me a few yrs back when picking cedar of how one offers hair in time of sacrafice , loss and going on quest .so I now snip a bit off each time .
my dh wants to get work horses and I am highly allergic so not sure how that will work out .
I really want to make a drum myself not sure if I will use a fresh skin or the old skin from my childhood drum . in MB we use mostly red diamond willow for our prayer sticks ( wands ) but sometimes spruce .
I wish I could find some people my age who wildcraft here .so far just the elders and me but I’m hoping more will appear soon ☺
I so empathize with you on the allergy thing . I’m fine with working in woods and out in the bush but prairie exposure often sets me off big time especially during certain seasons never mind the huskies whom I love immensly but my itchy eyes are torture as I write this
I feel so at home when I come to your blog I check all the time to see when something new has been added , I get such inspiration . Thanks ♥