Snow Day

This is what happens when you brag about emerging Crocuses to relatives in Winnipeg . I'm not sure how the weather reporters confused, "perhaps 3 cm" to this.

The view from the front door this morning

Nudge is thrilled - he has been out to do the crazy dog in the snow, run. The kitties are napping - mind you this is no change from any other day.

Cecil doing what he does best

Yesterday our Guild awarded prizes for the latest Challenge. The theme was tea cozies. We had a wonderful turnout with 20 fabulous entries. There were handspun and knit ones, felted ones, quilted ones - some were made of cotton, some wool and mine was made from chiengora (dog of course). Sizes ranged from large to small to tiny - one was a cozy for a tea cup! After the viewing was complete, tea was served and we indulged in fancy sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam and other delicious little goodies. A lovely morning.

Some of the entries in the Tea Cozy Challenge

I was honoured to win a prize for my cozy - a prize of tea. So as the snow piles up, I think I'll put on the kettle and curl up with my knitting - after all we don't get many snow days here, so I might as well enjoy it.

My cozy - handspun, and knit chiengora - with a tea ball prize medal attached

Medicine Bags

You know the saying, "if you want a faithful companion..............get a dog".

With that saying on my mind, I've made a series of small bags and pouches based loosely on traditional "Medicine Bags".

Medicine Pouches

People from many cultures through history have kept Medicine Bags to hold items that had special meaning or were spiritually significant to them. Traditional items found in these bags included totems of power animals, healing gemstones and crystals and medicinal herbs.

The bag itself was also believed to have power. It was usually made from the hide of a wild animal. A person would use an animal whose qualities they wanted to bring into their life. Deer hide was used for gentleness, Elk for strength or Bear for awaking the power of the unconsciousness. Here is my own, one I made a few years ago at a Retreat in Utah.

Traditional Deer Hide Medicine Bag

Using hair rather than hide for these bags appeals to me and I'm quite sure to the animals involved.

from a pure-white Samoyed

So I considered the qualities of dog. I believe dogs represent faithfulness, protection, companionship, loyalty and unconditional love. Cats represent intuition, courage, resourcefulness, confidence and of course mystery and magic. The bags turned out quite nicely - I think. It is my hope they will bring some magic into the life of those who receive them.

Dog Hair Medicine Bags