Personal project: Kwan yin pendulum & Silk Tapestry Box

Mercury has begun to do a moon walk and Luna is waxing into fullness in Pisces... My solar natal return anniversary is fast approaching and we are expecting a 3 day heat wave. I don't particularly feel ready for any of those things... despite making preparations to take some personal time for meditation and crafting.

I don't know that I ever feel ready for much of anything these days... I just seem to slide into life events and chores get done daily by the bucket full... after all, I am the daughter of two different earth signs and I am the embodiment of the third. Talk about being fated to a life of manifestation.

When Nimue died earlier this year... my friend Jo gave me something wondrous and spectacular and when I heard the story behind the piece I marveled at Her even more. Jo explained that she had been a collector of netsukes... these are fine wood carvings that are used as pendants, beads & for other decorative purposes. Over the years, Jo had sent many of them to her mother in Germany and when her mom passed away she inherited back all of them & then some. Jo was gifting me one of those precious ones to me. I was so incredibly moved that in a private moment later on, I had cried about it.

Jo had given me a netsuke of Kwan Yin...

... who is the Chinese Goddess of Healing. Kwan Yin is often depicted standing in full robes with one hand forward and the other holding an urn. 'My' Kwan Yin is an unusual & unique carving of her face nestled in the palm of a gigantic hand...

At the time, my heart was aching for Nimue but in truth, I had been attempting to heal from a series of traumatic events scattered throughout the landscape of my life... & particularly the ones that had occurred over the last 7 years. I naturally thought that i would be making a necklace with this netsuke so that Kwan Yin could be close to my heart... But about a month later, I felt the need to have a pendulum for medical dowsing and decided to make one with the Kwan Yin netsuke. The energy of the piece felt right even though the balancing of the pendant holes were not scientifically centered.

I had bought a string of rainbow Soocho Jade... semi translucent & opaque beads in natural tones of fuschsia, olive, lemon, burgundy, & white. I didnt know why at the time but it all fell into place when I began thinking about making the pendulum- the colors were perfect with the wood. Because I associate purple with the divine - I added a small faceted amethyst bead for the top.

Recently, I found out that Soocho Jade is mined in only one place in the world: China... and that this stone is often associated with love... So this Chinese Goddess of Healing had found all the correct elements to cohabitate with. I love how 'my' intuitive powers had picked up on all those things and that my trust had allowed the unfolding of the manifestation.

Last month, it was time to create a safe haven for my pendulum... a little holding nest that would safeguard this beautiful pendulum and allow Her restful slumber in between times of need. I knew I would be making a Silk Tapestry Box as it is the perfect keeper for such sacred tools...

I choose colors appropriate to the project... soft multicolored silk rayon yarns... one in a chocolate brown with rainbow colors, one with hand painted variegated purples, magentas, rust orange & peach tones. I paired these two up together to create what I was hoping for...

The colors worked out and once the box & lid were well underway, I rummaged through my button collection and found only two that were worthy of consideration...

But really... there was only one which was perfect for the Goddess of healing waters- a gorgeous translucent swirling flower with an aurora borealis glaze that shimmered in pinks, purples, yellows and blues...

I added a matching Silk Tapestry inset on the interior of the lid to add strength behind the weight of the glass button and voila ! Kwan Yin now has a silky house to reside in.

May Kwan Yin always be present

to assist me in my attempts

to render aid to those in need...

& Blessed be the mother who is the healer !