bloodteethandflame

A life in threes

2024

Happy

Poem by Susan Cooper

A Happy Solstice to you and yours!

November will be…

A ‘One Piece’ project

monkey d luffy
OP logo
It’s coming together…
Almost there!
All finished!

Lost in the Woods

Story at 11…

I know that if I EVER got lost while hiking – this would be ME 😅

Phone: rings
Me: looks down at phone screen
[Phone screen reads ‘Potential Spam’]
Me: taps ‘Decline’ button

Torch in the Dark

Two weekends ago, I was surprised to hear from one of my oldest*and dearest friends of mine, M.

Turns out M was slated to be in town for a few days, vending at a local convention.

After a bit of small talk and catching up, M asked me if I would be available to assist with vending, as their assistants inexplicably bailed.

Little did I know that I was in for an intense whirlwind of activity for four straight days.

But the work wasn’t all that difficult, and it was the fact that M needed help…

And I resolved to be there for them.

When they asked me why it was that I would so readily drop everything to ‘be there’ – I explained that it was because M had been that sort of friend to me, once long ago, and I was only doing what I felt was appropriate in response.

You see, M was once my torch in the dark…and I remembered.

August/September

This:

Every time

August.

august hopes

Month for Loki: Nine

Month for Loki: Eight

This cinnamon craft clay recipe makes a sweet-smelling dough that can be made into ornaments for your Loki altar.

Just mix together applesauce, cinnamon, and a bit of glue to create a clay that is perfect for rolling out and cutting shapes.

This recipe makes enough dough for about 10 ornaments, depending on the size. The shapes can be air-dried, or baked and then painted or left plain. If you make the clay ahead of time, store it in a covered container or a plastic bag at room temperature.

Cinnamon craft clay

  • ¾ cup (85 grams) cinnamon (One can buy a 3-ounce jar from the dollar store):
  • ½ cup (130 grams) applesauce, unsweetened
  • 2½ tablespoons (40 ml) white glue (Elmer’s)
  • Cookie cutters
  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Wax paper
  • Rolling pin
  • Toothpick or straw
  • Cooling rack
  • Ribbon, twine, or yarn
  1. Combine the applesauce and white glue in a mixing bowl with a spoon. Slowly add the cinnamon, and mix until all the cinnamon is worked in and a dough forms. (The glue makes the dough easier to work, and increases the strength and durability of the finished items.)
  2. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead the mixture until it turns into a firm clay. Add more cinnamon if the dough is tacky, or more applesauce if it is crumbly.
  3. Let the dough sit for about 30 minutes in a covered bowl before using.
    To make ornaments: Roll out the dough between layers of wax paper to a thickness of 1/8″ to 1/4″. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. Use a toothpick or straw to cut out a hole near the top of the shape for a hanger. Let the shapes dry on wax paper or a wire rack for a couple of days; flip them a few times to promote even drying and avoid curling. When dry, paint the ornaments with puffy/dimensional paint, if you like, or leave them plain. Add a ribbon, twine, or yarn hanger.
  4. Molded shapes: Pinch off as much dough as you need to make your shape, and leave the rest in the covered bowl. Work the dough into any desired shape with your hands. When you have finished molding your shape, put it on a piece of waxed paper to dry. It should dry in about two or three days to a hard finish.