Alaska to Alabama

Dear Creative Spirits, the box is on its way to Monica now - woohooooo! Since we had so many lovely items and the beads barely fit in Connie's tin, I created a bigger box that almost everything fits into. I wish it were a bit bigger, but I couldn't find the size I really wanted so...hopefully this will work well enough. Larger items (books, etc) can be wrapped and packed separately in the mailing box. Okay, photos...

I've included views of the box empty and packed, the items I chose and the items I added (papery, ribbony things).

Photos of the Treasure Box

I hope you creative spirits had a peaceful and nourishing (in more than the food way) Thanksgiving. Yesterday was my birthday and the day slipped away before I could share the photos with all of you. So here are photos of the treasure box...straight from my little 'peace' room.

Recognize this, Griselda? I couldn't capture it in the photo, but the box was actually vibrating with creative and spiritual energy and love. Okay, well it was for me - my family didn't appear to notice it. :-)


My 'littles' (the 7 & 8 yr old) did trail me up to my work space and were very excited to see what the box held. It inspired them and they began creating things out of my stash of papers.

A beautiful bounty of beads!

These are the lovelies that inspired our dear Connie to imagine the Sacred Crow Treasure Box adventure.





Here is a view of Return of the Great Goddess, which is the book each of us obtains, inscribes, and gifts to the artist we send the treasure box on to. If you aren't already familiar with this gem, you will be happy to own it. Beautiful photos, inspiring and uplifting words...

Try half.com to purchase the copy you pass on.



This picture shows the medicine bag and spirit doll Griselda has added - these stay with the treasure box. Next to them are some of Griselda's doll faces...you'll see more in another photo. They are absolutely enchanting!



See! More faces - I want them all! ;-)







More rich beads from Griselda.






Contents of the medicine bag.






A lovely little photo album (another photo shows what Griselda included in it) and a book of quotations to stay with the treasure box.








Inside the photo album - dragonfly cards made by Griselda. She invites us to write inspirational words on them if we wish. They are beautiful!





I have to share with you the little spirit doll Griselda made for me to keep. I love her! Griselda and the doll, actually. :-) The little doll has made herself at home, snuggled into my hand felted business card holder (from Etsy, of course!). She will be a lovely companion while I'm creating.




Here are the other goodies dear Griselda sent for me. Thank you so much, friend! I love these items and will eventually use them in my creations, but for now I'm going to savor them.








I hope you all enjoyed the photos - I'll post a couple more when I'm ready to send the treasure box to Monica.

Be well - peace and blessings!

Treasure Box

What is the nature of the treasure box? The treasure box came of clearing
space in my studio for new stuff to come into. What I invited was
magical thinking, to reference Joan Didion, one of my favorite non-
fiction writers.
So what form does treasure take? And how does one let go of what was
once treasured enough to keep, but is now ready to move along it's path?

I guess it's as simple as watching the russet leaves fall from the
maple trees in November. Leaves that decorated the branches of a
succulent, living, plant form that each autumn, due to it's nature,
must let go and release what is no longer vibrant and useful, whose
purpose has been served; life, so that it may be lived.

My necklace

Here is the necklace I made from the beads sent by Connie, I used some of my own and part of those she sent to me as a separate gift with those I picked up from the Treasure Box (the turquoise ones are not in this necklace)
I will wear it for a while but I am not quite happy with the distribution, I know it will change.

Vagina Monologues

Hey all ya'll, I just got an invitation to donate something for an art auction for Norfolk YWCA production of the Vagina Monologues...permission to offer the FIRST AND ORIGINAL TREASURE BOX?! My intention would include PR around the gift.

Let me know!

Love to you all in the form of
a buzzing honey bee

Connie

As a girl of 13 I allowed a bee to sting me so I'd know what it felt like. It hurt. Funny, I've never had the notion to try this with rattlesnakes. ch

Box Sighting

Peace to you this day my sisters

I just had a vision of the box, flying North to the land of wisdom, of sparkling short days and the spirit woman Paige. I see facets of Griselda's passionate heart, kind and loving, like the deer, (whose gentleness eschews harshness in the face of grace), this light is shining so bright within that box: all who touch it, may they be healed and whole.

Paige, Monica, Grace, all ya'll better getchoo some shades cuz you're gonna need 'em when you open YOUR box! (that would be spirit woman Caladonia March talkin' there; if you ask her to sing, she will!

Paige, I'm so excited for you...this shining light coming to your darkness. Take pictures, have the gifted family member in the camera department record your opening it and then have them post it on YouTube while you create beauty in your $%#&*^ Peace Room. Laughin' with you, not at you?

Oh yes, blessed be. My love flies to you all.

Namaste`,
Connie

Harvest time

As I was finishing the last bits on my package, I had to stop and consider my intention in sending this along. Connie started a beautiful chain of events, and I said yes! How often do people offer an opportunity to me and I give them a flat NO...I have done this recently and saw in my friend's face disapointment. We have to live with the way we respond to life and opportunities.
So, my intention here is to share a bit of magic with all of you and to be part of the end results, I wonder how would it look at the end and who would buy the box? I already feel the connection getting stronger as we reach out to link to others, I imagine they will all be women (I don't see too many guys involved in this type of adventure)
I feel it is important to document each step with photos, as much as I resisted because it creates a visual of the process encouraging each other to recycle our little stash to create a harvest of creativity...I believe it also moves the energy of abundance and prosperity.
I will share with you now a beautiful poem written a long time ago, it is anonymous as far as I know.

Harvest Prayer

(Anonymous 17th Century Sermon)

Please be gentle with yourself and others.
We are all children of chance,
And none can say why some fields blossom
While others lay brown beneath the harvest sun.
Take hope that your season will come.
Share the joy of those whose season is at hand.
Care for those around you.
Look past your differences.
Their dreams are no less than yours,
Their choices in life no more easily made.
And give.
Give in any way you can.
Give in every way you can.
Give whatever you possess.
Give from your heart.
To give is to love.
To withhold is to wither.
Care less for the size of your harvest
than for how it is shared,
And your life will have meaning
And your heart will have peace.

Thanks Connie for planting the first seeds.

Gris

Redy to go, from California

I just closed the Treasure Box and it is ready to fly across the country.
I have included a small book of quotes and affirmations, it is quite old and beautiful, very easy to copy if you like anything in there, but it should remain with the box until the end as well as the Spirit Doll and the Medicine Bag, which I left open for now it has crystals, a feather, a small chunk of amber inside a shell, and a spiral shell I got in Costa Rica (it has other small things but I forget right now)
Along with these, I sent a handful of painted blank cards and some others with dragonflies for you to share if you want to write affirmations in them.
Paige, please find a small flower doll for you to keep and a baggie with goodies, that is not part of the package it is clearly marked for you alone.
I left my camera at the office and was not able to take more photos, do you mind doing this for me when you open the parcel?

Well dear Sisters, this has been an incredible journey, I will sit and watch the process until it gets to its final destination.

Bright Blessings to your week.
Griselda

My humble apology

Hi all,
I offer my humble apology if I've stepped on toes by posting from an email message. I tend to be one who apologizes rather than asks permission, ( motivated entirely by a "do it now" mentality) but if this is not acceptable, I can learn new tricks.

Namaste`,
Connie

Sisters

Paige shared with us that she feels unworthy of inclusion in the group and I am tickled by the response this illicited from Griselda. Thank you both for your sparkly rainbow Light!

Art Spirit wrote:

Hello Paige, don't worry one bit, AND YOU ARE MORE THAN WORTHY IN MY EYES...you will get the hang of it, I have been so slow at learning all this, but once you do it once you start feeling more confident.
It is actually very easy if you just try and if you have any questions, just ask.

Paige responds:

I'm printing this out and carrying it around with me. Thank you so very much, Griselda. Your words remind me that I don't believe in accidents. Connie arrived in my Etsy shop as a 'stranger' and she has become so inspirational for me. Now she's introduced me to all of you amazing women...focusing me on wonderful people, an unbelievably fabulous treasure box, and beautiful art at what is typically the beginning of my darkest time of year (partly because of our limited daylight up here - lol).
I noticed I'm smiling as I sit here. THANK YOU!

Hugs,
Paige

Affirmation

In terms of an affirmation, prayer or poem, these could be written into the book that Paige will be adding that includes "instructions" for the box. Paige, would there be enough room for 13 people to write something?

Are all in agreement that 13 is a good number for our first treasure box?

Connie

Sacred Crow Medicine

This is a painting I made for Charles de Lint and his wife Mary Anne, the drawing was a gift from a friend, but the rest of the composition and painting is mine.
A few months ago I was reading The Davinci code and then Demons and Angels and I was so inspired I made a few paintings, all of them sold but not the one that now lives under this little painting.

I had done an abstract of "Grail's Sacred Blood" with the symbols of the pentagram and a spiral, (the first so much maligned) I had read in The Code that the pentagram is an ancient symbol... it is energy and movement and points to Leonardo de Vinci’s drawing of a man joining heaven and earth, and so on...the spiral representing Goddess energy, but it did not sell, so I had set it aside and when the idea of the Raven came to me, I used it and you can still see some of the original painting on the background because I usually paint in layers. I think it ads to the energy of the Raven to have this under, of course if you don't like pentagrams and blood- abstracts... To me, blood is symbolic of life force and ritual...(as a good ex Catholic, I remain rooted in the sacredness of this concepts)

Someone sent me this and I found it tonight once more:

Crow is the left-handed guardian. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law. There are several species of crow. Raven is one of these and magpies are another. Crow medicine people are masters of illusion. Do not try to figure crow out. It is the power of the unknown at work, and something special is about to happen.

Crow is also the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. In any healing circle, Crow is present. Crow guides the magic of healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. You can rest assure when ever crows are around, magic is near by and you are about to experience a change in consciousness. Crow can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all that is not yet in form.

They are territorial and won't give up an area without a fight. They are loners, seeming to like to spend time to themselves. ~Jamie Sams

With this read, it makes perfect sense that we have started this journey of the Sacred Crow, please think of including in your box a prayer or afirmation that will stay with the box. I am also making a small Medicine Bag that should remain with the box as well.

Bright Blessings dear sisters.
Griselda

First trip of the traveling treasure box

Dear Sacred Crow Sisters, I had a hard time figuring out how to choose 4 things from the box, I hope I did not take too much. I figure if I make a string of asorted beads and take two more that were on a string already it is fair game. Connie let me know if it sounds okay.

I have taken a photo of the box as it came and the one I am packing, but I warn you there is space and I will be filling it up to the top, so it is up to Paige to take a second photo of all the things in there.

I am sending Polymer cabs/faces and pendents (made by me) other polymer handmade beads, some from a girlfriend of mine (clay) and also others from Italy. I have also included a guardian spirit doll with a rusty heart to stay with the box until the end, and a second one which will stay with Paige, along with the book The Return of the Goddess, sent to her by Connie.

The rest will have to be a surprise.

Thank you

I just want to say, I am thankful that Connie has created this space, responding to multiple emails was a bit confusing to me :)

To each and everyone of you, beautiful people who are participating in this project, I want to say, thanks for the time and willingness to play, I am looking forward to see the end results. I am sure we will find in each shipping a bit of a treasure to add to our daily art work.

Bright Blessings everyone.
Griselda

Our Mascot

Sacred Crow Treasure Box

How the treasure box began:

Ok. I am cleaning out my bead mess because I can no longer create at the level I aspire to within the arena of chaos I've created. Are you with me? I've told Griselda this morning that I will send her a Sacred Crow Treasure Box from my bits of sparkly gems and metals and stones. So as I'm digging through my top/right
jeweler's bench drawer, and I'm finding awesome stuff that I haven't seen in YEARS! And I'm thinking about Griselda, and then Paige, who I met on Etsy as well and then I have an idea:

This is my idea.

I respectfully request your company, assistance and FABULOUS energy to collaborate with me on this project GIVE AWAY;

I create initial SCTB (sacred crow treasure box) and mail it to Griselda with two copies of Burleigh Muten's
RETURN OF THE GREAT GODDESS . Gris keeps the book I've inscribed to her and then she adds her inscription to second copy which is for Paige. She keeps up to five pieces of treaure from the box and adds six. She re-packs the box and the book and mails it to Paige. Paige procures a hard bound copy of the book. She inscribes it to the woman she wants to bring into the circle. She repeats what Gris did and sends it on to the artist of her choice.

At some point I get it back, it's SOLD on Etsy to the highest bidder and the money is donated to ? Or how about we try to create a travel fund so we can go on treasure hunts?

Now, why the Crow? Well, Crow is one of the totems of the Medicine Wheel and one that teaches me many lessons. Crow is able to shift shape, bend the laws of the universe, keeps to natural law, not man made law and as most of us are aware, crows LOVE shiny sparkly things! When I see sparkles on the ground? I assume it's diamonds! So I call on the medicine of Crow to safely protect our treasure as it travels by air and ground. And if a little magic happens? ALL THE BETTER!
Here's the box I sent to Griselda: