bloodteethandflame

A life in threes

Month: September, 2017

Rune-carving.

So I spent yesterday morning hand carving runes for my shop:

…and goodness, was it an adventure!

You see, I’d never carved runes to be used by someone else before, so I wasn’t entirely certain how they would come out.

As well, I hadn’t used this particular set of wood carving blades/chisels to carve runes before, so there was a learning curve there as well.

Surprisingly, I had to sharpen them halfway through the process. (They were brand new so I don’t know how or why they dulled so quickly. Hmmm.*)

At any rate, the only rune I seemed to have difficulty with actually carving for some reason was Ansuz, (the fourth rune).

Even galdring Ansuz felt somehow strange, as well.

and even though I made offerings to each of my own stone runes** as I carved each new rune on the wooden blank:

…it was rough going for the next few runes.

However by the time, I’d reached Eiwhaz, (a rune that feels most like an old friend), I was feeling more confident, having reached a sort of rhythm in both the carving and the galdring.

So, after Eiwhaz the rest of the runes came to rather nicely.

And the next thing you know, I had Othala on the carving block…

And I realized I was finished with the ‘carving’ part.

Overall, I am feeling pretty good about the whole process…and one step closer to having a rune set ready for my shop.

~~~

Though I cannot help but recall that in the summer of 2014, I had a psychic tell me in a reading that I would find satisfaction in woodcarving, and I had to laugh.
I hadn’t attempted to carve anything in wood since I was a child.
But I bought my first wood carving blade shortly after that, so I think I can admit that she was right.

I did enjoy that process 🙂

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*  I was using ash blanks, if that makes any difference…

* * Since I’d been told by several runecrafters that one should not ‘feed’ a rune set if it is going to be given to someone else – that should be left for the purchaser/user to do – I found much to my surprise that my own runes were quite hungry… O.o

Update: Pray Hard!

So, I’ve spent the last few days creating and adding some more product to my Etsy shop

CrowsKnot

and drawing a shop logo and making plans for the upcoming holidays.

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For the readers of this blog who are not interested in shop talk, please don’t worry: I’ve been working on creating an entirely separate blog for my shop, in case I have readers that would be bored to tears by shop updates and product discussions.

Likewise, if you are a blog reader who is interested in reading about the behind the scenes adventures of having an Etsy shop and you would like to follow my shop blog, please let me know and I will be certain to let you know once the creation of  the shop blog is complete.

Thanks!

Update: Here is the dedicated shop blog

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 Such as yesterday, I spent most of the day working on a set of chaplet-style prayer beads for Hela

and I’m really pleased with how they turned out.

I wanted to make them in the style of a rosary – so I hand-twisted and glued all of the hooks/links between the beads:

 

It was a bit time-consuming – but I’ve always preferred the chaplet/rosary style when I make my own personal prayer beads – so I felt as if it was worth taking the time to get it right.

I was impressed with myself in making this piece; it is exactly the sort of prayers beads I would purchase for myself… y’know, if I hadn’t already made them.

Though it got me to thinking, as I was making it: I wanted to make certain that I stabilized the links enough.

You see, even though I’m not even a Catholic – I’ve always thought that rosary bead sets look and feel wonderful.

I love how the beads of a well-made set will effortlessly slide through my fingers during prayer… mmm, lovely ❤

Unfortunately, I’ve found most rosary beads to be rather fragile in my experience.

But this fact is not lost on me that, as much as I love the structure and appearance of rosary beads, when in the act of praying with them, I have been known to somehow inevitably destroy them.

I suppose that I must hold the beads too tightly or try to push them over my fingers too vigorously, or something..

In other words, I pray hard.

But I’m proud to say that I think that this set of Hela beads that I’ve made – could withstand even me and my vigorously devotional handling LOL.

                              ~~~

And the other thing I learned?  I really could use better lighting over my work-space.