You're right, Eclectic, it has been weirdly quiet for the first few days after getting partners. I wonder what's up? I have to assume that everyone else, like me, is spending all their available time in the garden while the weather's so good. I've almost got my herb garden far along enough to post a photo - by the weekend for sure! I took a trip out to Richter's Herbs yesterday (it's about an hour from my house) and bought $115 worth of plants and seeds. I didn't mean to - they just kept jumping into my hands! The highlight was a Fruit Scented Sage (Salvia dorisiana) which is the most unlike sage of any salvia I've ever seen. It has broad, fuzzy leaves like comfrey, and really does smell like some not-quite-identifiable fruit. Sort of fruit salad-ish. I'm hoping it retains the scent when dried - it'll be amazing in sachets and potpourris. Not to mention tea. I wonder if it has the anti-bacterial properties of garden sage.

Wulf

I love the simplicity of the prayer flags, and that she included some blank ones for you to paint yourself! The stone chips on the necklace work beautifully together - it made me think of kiwi fruit! Is that citrine and quartz?

Wulf

I'm imagining a raccoon skin BoS with the bushy tail hanging from the spine. XD It'd be kinda cool.

That would be cool! If only I could find a raccoon somewhere...

I hope you'll decide to join us, EclecticDreamer.  Your interests sound intriguing!

Wulf

Ladyblades! We've missed you too! I know what you mean about postage - if it keeps going up I'm going to have to give up heroin to support my Craftster habit! But if there's something small like an envelope swap, I hope you'll come back for a little visit.

Wulf

I so want to so this... However my paper binding skills need real work. I just started stretching and tanning my new cover for my 75 year old BOS. I'm kind of attached to it... I'm just rebinding old papers from the book that was handed down to me.

I haven't decided no yet. ;P But i don't know if im cool enough to say yes.

If you have a 75 year-old Book of Shadows, AND you tan your own leather, you're more than cool enough for the likes of us! And I'm sure your bookbinding skills are as good as anybody here. I'm a prop builder by trade, so for years I've been making things that look like hand-bound books, but it's only from doing Craftster swaps that I've bothered to learn to do it "for real". And I was surprised to find that, although it may take years to become a master, the basic techniques are simple enough that anyone can produce a perfectly respectable book on their first or second try! (In fact I realize now that "real" bookbinding is actually easier than most of the "fake" techniques I've used in the past!)

Okay, now I have to ask some dorky home-tanning questions. (Vegan-inclined readers may want to skip down to the next post.) What kind of hide are you preparing for your binding? Are you making parchment/vellum or are you tanning it as leather? In either case, what tools are you using to scrape it down to suitable thinness for bookbinding? And do you do that when the hide is raw, or do you wait until the worst is over and then scrape it down? I'm a frustrated tanner - I have information, a place to work, willingness to get messy, but no fresh animal skins to work on. Where did you get the hide you're preparing?

Wulf

I've been meaning to look more into Plant Healer, glad to see a great review about it!  And so far, it seems that the Alchemy shop has tons that Mountain Rose Herbs doesn't carry, which is who I usually deal with.  Thanks for sharing this!

And don't forget that Richter's does carry quite a good selection of dried herbs, and has the advantage of being here in Canada.

I got Monnie31 as a partner! Monnie and I go way back in swap-time, but we haven't actually been partners for quite a while. This will be a lot of fun!

Wulf

I agree with everyone that this is probably not so much about your Paganism, Lexy,  as it is about his insecurity, perhaps about both your relationship and his own spirituality. The traditional American Hoodoo formula for this would be Crucible of Courage. Astrologically, this would be Mars for courage. Also communication is clearly a problem here, so Mercury would be helpful too.

I'm glad you got to enjoy a Beltane celebration. I was invited to a dawn ritual this year, but it was in a park on the other side of the city, and I just couldn't face the trip back home during the morning rush hour afterwards!

Wulf

Grilled cheese and chickweed sandwiches sounds really good! I never have chickweed in my yard anymore. Don't know why - it used to be common. I guess I was a little too aggressive in my weeding - should've left a little patch for eating!

Wulf

Welcome, everyone! I'm sorry that you have to sit this one out, Andréann, but I know you'll be a little busy. And Monnie, I'll nudge you if I haven't heard from you by the end of the week.

I should say to everyone else that if you're thinking of joining this swap because you're a big fan of Charmed and you'd like to have a Book of Shadows just like the one on the show, that's okay too. Props are cool! BUT, be sure to make that very clear when you sign up, and be aware that your partner is likely to not be a fangirl and you'll be making a real Book of Shadows for a real witch! Just so you know.

Wulf

Book of Shadows Swap open!
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=423352.0

Wulf