I grew up surrounded by people who made things with their hands. My family also greatly loves and values nature and outdoor life. In particular, my grandfather carved decoys for a living. My upbringing was full of wildlife, and colour, and beautiful handcrafts.

My grandfather also cast his own pewter. Some of my favorite memories of childhood are of his little smelter in the basement, and running my hands through the steel polishing beads in his tumbling machine. He made pewter miniatures of birds and other things, as well as pieces for jewelry.

Although he is long since retired and his workshop gone, I am lucky enough to own what remains of his pewter. They are unique pieces, the very last of them, and they are far too much for me to hoard or use for myself in this lifetime. So I want to share them with people who will appreciate their beauty, the love of nature that inspired them, and the sentiment I attach to them.

What I am offering are commissions for a one-of-a-kind ritual necklace, featuring these large, high-quality lead-free pewter pieces. Most of the animals represented here are native to North America. They were originally designed to fit a bolo tie, but can be made the centerpiece of a beaded strand quite easily. For example:

You will have your choice of the following pendants:

• 1. Salmon
  2. Rainbow Trout
  3. Galloping Horse
  4. Whitetail Stag
  5. Bighorn Sheep Ram
  6. Horse Head
  7. Hound Head

Also, there are several pieces that I have only one of, so they are first come, first served:

• 8. Pronghorn Antelope (only 1!)
  9. Cougar (only 1!)
  10. Arctic Ptarmigan (only 1!)
  11. Grouse (3 available)
  12. Standing Arabian (only 1!)

I am offering these pieces as commission only, at $85.00 CAN (+$5.00 S&H).

Your commission includes your choice of materials - you may choose a specific type of mineral or gemstone, or simply choose your preferred colours. I am happy to work intuitively for people if desired. Pendants are large - 2”x2” at a minimum. Please specify preferred length of necklace.

If interested, please email morg@witchscauldron.net. Inquiries welcome.

Please reblog!

As promised, it’s been quiet on my end here. I’ve had a couple fantastic moments of pure silence this winter already, and I am hoping that getting some snow will enforce that a little farther. In cold, silent space is where I let the wind scrape all the crud out of my spirit. I’m always happy to exchange warmth for clarity.

Between Samhain and Yule is always dreaming. I’ve received plenty of messages and nudges from here and there, some subtle and some not as much. The small working space in the bedroom has been very active, changing as needed. And I have taken colours and patterns from my mind to my paintbrushes, and created many things I will use from them.

I feel like I’m sitting on the cusp of something - another leap of faith. The last one I took wasn’t so great. I don’t know how I feel about another. In that space, trying to find some balance and calm in between rising anxiety and fear and annoyance at change, I’ve got a visitor.

I have an utter horror of spiders. I have never liked them, and if I get surprised by one I can scream like a little girl. They move wrong. And the ones on the river were huge and hairy and just terrifying. DO NOT WANT. I mean…I’ve made my peace with them, sort of. I don’t kill house spiders and I leave the garden ones alone, even the one the size of a toonie that was living in my little tree last summer. I don’t want them touching me or sitting near me, but I live and let live. They’re beneficial, even if I find them alien and disturbing creatures.

For a couple weeks now, tiny little house spiders are everywhere I am. One is living somewhere on my monitor. They are all over, no bigger than a matchhead, and I only ever see one at a time. I’m getting the hint. Spider has something to say, but I guess they know I’m not really happy about them. But I don’t think I speak their language, and I don’t know what they want.

Last night I had a dream about an old apartment. We were moving in again…but the place was filled with big nasty black spiders in all the corners. When I woke up and came to my desk, I discovered a notably larger black spider hanging in a web under my lamp. It’s not somewhere I’ll touch it, but I don’t really like knowing it’s there.

Ugh. I have enough going on in my head lately that I don’t really want to grapple with a ‘shadow totem’ in the process. But I’m sure it’s related to what’s going on, and I don’t have a choice in the matter.

I work with whatever friendly spirits come my way. I have an established seasonal cycle; some come and go, and some I work with all the time. Some spirits stay with me permanently, and others are transient. In the summer, there is a distinct pattern of ‘small’ spirits. They are humble little things, but always come with some message or energy I am needing. In previous years I have welcomed Snail, Garter Snake, Dragonfly, and others. This summer’s spirit appears to be Sparrow.

It’s sort of sad, though, how this has come about. I have mentioned that I began feeding the birds here in the spring. Well, a couple of weeks ago, during some evening yard maintenance, I found a dead sparrow on the path. He was perfect, no broken wings or torn body; I think the poor thing flew into a car windshield. So I folded him up gently, left him some seed and some water, and placed him at the base of my tree. When I next came out, he’d left me three feathers; the rest of him was gone without trace.

I’m still getting a feel for Sparrow; I’m not sure what they want but I feel honoured that they chose to come to me.