Yule Festivities Chesterfield, Derbyshire Pagans

Artwork Wendy Andrews

Well wow soon be Yule, can't wait for the sun to start regaining strength and for the evenings to be getting lighter longer again. Though it is nice to have candles on and snuggle up against the cold, lighter evenings are even better so that you can get more done.

As it is nearly Winter Solstice us Chesterfield Pagans crew are holding Yule Celebrations at Eyre Chapel again in Newbold, Chesterfield around the back of the Nags Head and all are invited.  It's a free event so no worries there, though some food and drink for the food share is welcome, just bring enough for yourself and a bit extra so we can all sample each others goodies.  Eyre Chapel is a lovely old building and where we hold our drum group every first Thursday of each month.

Ritual will most likely be inside this year rather than round the fire, hope we can squeeze everyone in, good job we're all friendly folk.  There is to be drumming in the ritual and afterwards as well if folk want, so if you have a drum bring it along and drum up that sun.

We are also looking for people to do a spot of entertainment/performance so if you have a talent you'd like to get into the open let us know (family friendly preferably), it doesn't have to be a long performance just wanting to get folk involved :0)  This is our facebook page Chesterfield, Derbyshire Pagans Page more event details can be found there.

Afterward there will be music to dance to, or jig around to, or bop along to, whichever your style is ;0)

So see ya there around half seven on Saturday 19th December?

Chesterfield, Derbyshire Pagans 11th Anniversary Moot

Gosh 11 years since our first ever moot!!  We had a change of pubs during those years to over the road at what was the New Inn, where we used the land at the back for many happy Hasfests and Samhain Celebrations, to now back where we started at the Telemere Lodge, still every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7.30ish.  There have been a change of faces as folk come and go but there are quite a few of the original people still there and new folk are always very welcome :0)

We had a visit from the Priest of Avalon this month to give a talk on Remembering our Local Goddesses and very interesting it was too.  He also runs the Nottingham Goddess Temple.  There was of course cake and other goodies as well as plenty of chat.

We've had some great talks and workshops this year, starting in January with wool spinning history and the connection spinning has with many goddesses especially Norse ones and sheepy facts. Uses of essential oils, herbs, incense making, chakra chanting, tree knowledge, dream catchers, shamanism and the medicine wheel and of course Lammas Camp planning and workshop talk.

Still to come this year, in November our regular Goblin Market where you can bring things of a spiritual/pagan nature that's still in good condition but you no longer have a need for to swap/sell/trade or your hand made goods of a spiritual/pagan nature to sell so that folk can get some individual unique items for Yule gifts. Then in December the ever popular twig twiddling :0)

If you're interested in coming to one of the moots please do come along they are open and free to all and held in the private back room of the Telemere Lodge, Hasland 2nd Tuesday of each month around 7.30 pm start.  See our facebook page for more info Chesterfield, DerbyshirePagans

If you have knowledge/skills you would like to share at one of the moots as a talk/demo/workshop please do let me know, we are all friendly and eager to learn new stuff :0)

We are holding Samhain Celebrations at Eyre Chapel in Newbold, Chesterfield on Friday 30th October around 7.30 start, bring a drum or rattle if you have one.  Ritual to start then party afterwards, food share, bring your own drinks x

Wolf Moon Tree of Life Pentagram

 


The Wolf Moon Tree of Life wire work I did placed in the center of a Willow Pentagram.  The Willow is from my garden and is still growing happily there.  The sticks of the pentagram have been woven up and over each other in the traditional way rather than just placed one on top of the other.  Off each points hangs a representation of the correspondence for each element, a free fallen feather for air, a found stone for earth, a sun charm for fire, a shell found on the beach for water and a spiral on the top point for spirit.

It would look great hanging in your room as decoration, especially if wolf has special meaning for you, animal totem perhaps or power animal or as a ritual item near your altar.

If you'd like a closer look please click on my website link Morning Star Craft There are other pentagrams/pentacles on there as well and more to be put on soon.

Willow Tree of Life, Elements Pentacle/Pentagram

This Pentagram is made from Willow out of my garden where it is growing very happily.  The struts of the Pentagram have been woven in and out, up and over of each other not just placed flat on the top of each other.  In the center I have wire worked a Tree of Life with copper wire and leaf shaped beads of various shades.  On each point is an elemental correspondence and a small bell - fire is a sun charm, earth a small stone, air a feather, water a shell and a Goddess charm for Spirit. It's for sale in my shop, take a look if you'd like it hanging in your home or as a gift.

I'm planning on doing some more pentacles similar to this one and the one in the post below which had lots of beads wired on to it.

I think of Pentacles as having the circle around the Pentagram shape to give order to chaos, and contain elements/thoughts for more focus, though some people think of them in different ways so never quite sure which way to label Pentagrams/Pentacles (labeling can cause conflict!)  Which way do you think of Pentacles and Pentagrams?

Post Camp and Willow Bead Pentacles

Hope those of you that went to our camp enjoyed yourselves and have good memories of it. Thank you to those of you that visited my stall :0)x  Must get on with making some more beady pentacle wall hangers, wish I'd taken better photos of them before they sold.

Twisted

All this time and this is the first time I've had a go at a Tree of Life, put a wolf and moon in there as well.  Got carried away twisting wire, thinking wow this is so good thin bits of wire getting more robus and combining different colours together as well.  Got to do more of this :0)  Have put some twisted copper wire round a pentacle I'm doing, it takes the bend quite well.

Spoon Ring, where's Uri Geller when you need him?

I had a lovely tea spoon with Oak Leaves on and thought it would make a lovely ring.  Took a lot longer than I bargained for!  Cutting the bowl off was easy enough but bending the thing was quite a struggle, think I need a bigger hammer and pliers!  It is indeed a sturdy spoon.  After doing a search it seems to be a Walker & Hall 1927 Oak Leaf Laurel spoon, wondering if I should have cut it up now, but it does make a good ring and has pattern both sides.

 It was really shiny before I put it in the patina, it does bring out the pattern better though.  I need to take better photos!

A couple of wire rings I've just finished as well, nicely aged ;0) 

Chesterfield, Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp 2015 Timetable

Lammas Camp Workshop/Ceremony Times

Yay here's the time slots so you can plan what you're doing on your days at camp, of course that may all change when your there and you just want to sit, chill and chat. (just updated the time table with extra workshops)

This years opening ceremony is going to great (if all goes to plan) followed by drumming round the fire, and then there's the Lammas Ritual this year as well.

Tickets can still be purchased up until 22th July.  Great value at only £20 for 3 nights camping and free workshops and entertainment as well!
What are you waiting for?
More info can be found here - Lammas Camp 2015

Two more workshops have been added making Dreamcatchers, Smudge Fans and Clay Play for children.  

There will be notice boards around camp for updates and changes as well.

Not long now at all, cut off date for ticket sales is Wednesday 22nd!

Brighid Goddess Necklace

I don't normally name my makes but as I was finishing this necklace off it came to me that it was a Brigid Necklace.  Red and gold her colours, the triskele for the triple aspect of the goddess, the shells for her association with water (including a Shiva Shell with it's natural spiral on), heat treated and forged metal and of course the creative inspiration to create it ;0)
It's a beautiful boho style necklace and will be on my stall at Chesterfield, Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp at the end of this month.

Chesterfield, Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp 2015

30th July - 2nd August

Our annual Camp is getting closer, soon be in the field enjoying being with friends and like minded folk, taking in workshops, listening to talks, joining in rituals, doing some drumming and dancing and having fun :0) 

I've gathered together useful info about camp and put it on here and my website to make it easier to find rather than scrolling through our facebook event page to find it

Check out our facebook page for details of moots and drum group where tickets can be brought in person - Chesterfield Pagans

Tickets on sale until Saturday 24th July, unless we sell out first.

Thursday will be opened by Beating of the Bounds, followed by the Opening Fire Ceremony and then drumming around the fire. 
Friday is entertainment evening. 
Saturday will be the Lammas Ritual and a Handfasting renewal :0) Spontaneous drumming will occur as well I should think ;0)  
Camp closes 2pm Sunday.

I will put the timetable up on here as well for events and workshops etc when they're ready.

One of the important things when camping is food.  We have excellent caterers on site who provide veggie and vegan food as well at prices that mean you don't have to cook and wash pots if you'd sooner be relaxing.  The food is served in compostable products that can be thrown on the fire this year.  

RJS Caterers are providing an under cover seating area as well. 

This is a link to New House Organic Farm where we hold Lammas Camp in the top field.

To make sure this years camp is even better, we have had to put extra rules into place this year from lessons learned in previous years.  Please read them and follow them, even if you've been to Lammas Camp before, they will answer many of the questions you might have.

There is ticket info at the bottom.  We are not using Zeta to take money for tickets this year, to keep costs down (and you must admit our camp with all the workshops, entertainment etc is really good value) Cherill (ticket master extraordinaire) is giving herself the headache of dealing with tickets and ticket enquires.  
There are to be no gate sales and a ticket application form must be sent to Cherill either by snail mail or email


So there you have it folks, hope to see you there :0)

Spring Equinox, Eclipse Necklaces

Spring Equinox/Ostara is almost here, Spring yay :0) and this year it comes with a solar eclipse!!
With those events in mind I thought I would show a couple of necklaces that I created which would make an excellent (eggcellent ;0)) memento/gift.

This is a silver spiral moon kissing the sun for the eclipse or for the balance of night and day at the equinox.

And this is for Ostara's Hare coursing across the starlit night under a crescent moon.  With added symbology of the triple spiral/ triskele.

With Terry Pratchett's sad passing it also remind's me of Tiffany Aching's hare necklace in I shall wear Midnight. I think I shall make a silver horse necklace to compliment this one similar to the one she wore when she was younger.

If you like these necklaces you can find out more about them here -

 Necklace and pendants

Valentine's Day Origins

I thought I would find out a bit more on the origins of Valentines Day as it's always seemed a bit of an odd celebration to me and I've wondered in past years why is a saint in charge of love and stuff, this is what I found:

There are a few different variations on how Valentine's Day began, but the most common one seems to be that the term St Valentine's Day originated in 5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop who was beaten and beheaded around AD 270 by Emperor Claudius for secretly marrying couples and refusing to give up his Christian faith.

The date of his death (February 14th), funnily enough coincided with a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses, she was also known as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia the Roman Spring festival, held in honor of the gods Pan and Juno. This was one of the most important festivals in the Roman calendar, a festival to the gods of fertility and a celebration of sensual pleasure, a time to meet and court a prospective mate and had been going on for around eight hundred years prior to the the establishment of St Valentines Day.

As Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors of the early Christian church in Rome appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast.

The young Roman boys and girls at that time lived separate lives however, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of the girls were written on slips of paper and placed into a box. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the box and they would then be partners for the duration of the festival, sometimes the pairing of the couple lasted for the year.

Pope Gelasius tried to change this lottery to something deemed more morally suitable, instead of the names of young women being placed in the box, it would contain the names of saints. Men and women were allowed to draw from the box and then try to emulate the saint chosen for the rest of the year. Many of the young men were not keen on the change!

The pagan festival died out, but instead of the people trying to live the lives of saints they instead latched onto the more romantic aspect of Saint Valentine's life to replace the pagan deity Lupercus. While not immediately as popular as the more passionate pagan festival, eventually the concept of celebrating true love became known as Valentine's Day and eventually Valentine became the Patron Saint of Lovers.

Although the lottery for women had been banned by the church, the mid-February holiday in commemoration of St. Valentine was still used by Roman men to seek the affection of women. It became a tradition for the men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentine's name.

As to why Valentine was executed: Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius believed that married men tended to be poor soldiers as they were reluctant to leave their loves and families. As a result, Claudius canceled all marriages and engagements in Rome in the hope of building up his army again, but Valentine would secretly marry young couples that came to him. Claudius had him put to death for defying him. During the days that Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was taken to his death, he signed a farewell message to her, "From your Valentine" a phrase that has lasted through the centuries.

Cupid, another symbol of the holiday, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. 

Happy chocolates and flowers day :0)x

Chesterfield/Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp tickets 2015

Happy Imbolc

Imbolc Bessings to you all, may your ideas germinate and become fully grown

Artwork of Brighid - Jo Jayson

The midpoint between winter and spring.  Spring is starting to show signs of renewing the earth with leaf and bud.  The days are getting longer and hopefully soon warmer too.


As it is Imbolc time it is also time for us to get camp tickets underway.  Yay happy thoughts of camp, friends, fire, dancing, drumming and general merriment.  Not to hopefully distract from good memories, but to make sure this years camp is even better, we have had to put extra rules into place this year from lessons learned last year.  Below are the rules, even if you have been to Lammas Camp before please read them and follow them if you intend coming along this year.  There is also ticket info at the bottom.  We are not using Zeta to take money for tickets this year, to keep costs down (and you must admit our camp with all the workshops, entertainment etc is really good value) Cherill is giving herself the headache of dealing with tickets and ticket enquires.

Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp Ticket Application Form Information, Rules and Regulations!

Please read these terms and conditions before applying for tickets. The  ticket application form is on page 4.  Once you have read these pages, please indicate on your ticket application form that you agree to abide by these rules/conditions. Failure to do so will result in your ticket request being denied.

Tickets

Tickets are limited. We reserve the right to refuse ticket applications without giving a reason.  Tickets will be sent out by email once payment is made and cleared.  These tickets must be printed and presented to the Marshalls at camp where they will be exchanged for wristbands.  No ticket = no entry!

Arrival

Please do not arrive before 2.00pm

On arrival please report to the Marshalls at the entrance to the first field. The Welcome tent will be at the entrance to the camping field. Also, there is a steep hill to climb in your vehicle to get into the camping field, which can be difficult in wet weather.  Please follow the instructions the Marshalls will give you about this hill and about where you must camp/park.  Marshalls will also be in the main events/camping field and you must follow their instructions should they give you any. We will try our best to help you if necessary!

Pitches

There are no set pitches.  We cannot save any spaces for anyone and NEITHER CAN YOU!  The pitching is on a first come, first choice basis.  If you want to camp next to your family/friends, we suggest you arrive together.  Also, be aware that some workshops may be noisy.  Therefore, if you want a quieter pitch, you may want to consider pitching further up the field.

Water

There are two standpipes which supply cold water only. Please use these responsibly and be aware that the area around the taps may get very muddy!

Toilets

The toilets are eco long-drop toilets, but we do supply two toilet tents on ground level for children and disabled people only! There are also two eco toilets at the bottom of the first field.  We also provide gents with urinal area. There is no hand washing facilities, other than the cold water supply.  You are responsible for your own hygiene standards.

If you are using camping toilets, you must use biodegradable toilet fluid only and empty these in the long drop toilets.  Do not empty them in the hedgerows! Female Urine upsets the Ewes and this is a nasty thing to do.

Please leave all toilet areas in a clean condition, as you would wish to find them.  If you ‘miss aim’ please wipe the seats!

Showers

There are NO showers or hot water!  You are responsible for your own hygiene needs.

Cars

All cars/vans must park in the first field unless you have a Disability Blue Parking Badge.  We shall require proof of the badge holder’s identity on the site. You will be allowed to drive onto the main field to unload etc but then you will need to go and park in the other field.

Small motor homes will be allowed on the camping field, but larger ones will be asked to park in the first field. 

Caravans can park in the main field but your vehicles must go into the first field.

This change is due to the cramped conditions of 2014 and the increase in larger vehicles/caravans. 

Non – compliance with the parking changes will result in you being asked to leave the site. 

Vehicles are parked at owners own risk.  The organisers take no responsibility for any vehicle.  We suggest that you lock any valuables in your vehicle.  The organisers cannot be held responsible for missing items.

Children

Please be aware that there is a very steep cliff on the field above camp, so do not allow your children to wander unaccompanied in this area.

IT IS VERY DANGEROUS!

Please do not allow children of any age to play on the Hay Bales or in any part of the farm yard, by express wishes of the farmer!

Dogs

Dogs are welcome but must be kept under control at all times.  There are children and livestock around (and adults!).

All dog mess must be cleaned up and put in the long drop toilets.  Eco bags will be available if required at the Welcome Tent. 

Please be aware of the safety issue with dogs on tethers or long leads.  People do not always look for ropes etc when walking round!

Please do NOT approach dogs without the owners’ permission!

If ANY dog is found off a lead, or if any owner is found not to be cleaning up their dogs mess, they will be asked to leave the site immediately, or to take the dog/dogs and place them in nearby kennels. This is your choice!

Stalls

You are welcome to put a small stall outside your tent FOR FREE! However, due to the increase in insurance costs, we must insist you have your own Personal Liability Insurance.  We will need to see proof of this before you set up a stall.  Please note that you are responsible for your own stall and goods displayed on them.

Fire-pits

There are a few fire-pits available to loan, but you can bring your own.  However, they must be kept off the grass!  You MUST bring YOUR OWN wood to burn or logs can be purchased from Bob the farmer!  We do not supply you with logs! 

ANY aggressive or violent behaviour will be dealt with by INSTANT EVICTION!

We have qualified First Aiders on camp should you need them.  Please go to the Welcome Tent if you require help.  We also have Health and Safety Officers should you require advice.

Camp closes at 2.00pm. Please leave by then!

So in Short:-

Please be kind to one another!

Keep your area pretty.

Respect the environment.

Look after your kids, pets, cars and stalls etc.

And:-

HAVE A BLOODY GOOD TIME!

Looking forward to seeing you all,

The Lammas Camp Organisers & Crew.

p.s.   Workshop info and sheet is available to download at chesterfieldpagans.org from late June/July but may be subject to change.

(Also look out for workshop and other info on this here blog MorningStarCraft, my web page and our Chesterfield Pagans facebook page)

So there you have it folks, hope to see you there :0)

Russian Wedding Ring/ Silver Interlocking Triple Ring

This can also be called a rolling ring, probably due to the fact that you find yourself fiddling with them up and down your finger or thumb without really meaning too, very good for jiggling as well.

Garden and cats

Mininglow in the snow

Snow lots of it, let's go make fresh foot prints and play. 

Where better than across fields and to a small copse on top a hill.  

Mininglow was atmospheric in the fresh snow and mist and very peaceful, hardly a sound and no one else to be seen. Quite a difference from when I went up in late summer.

The sheep though we were baarmy though, sorry couldn't resist ;0)