Getting my Witchy on!

Hello again everyone! I had intended on uploading this last night but...

1 - I'm learning that I am not the best planner, how can I own so many planners and be this unorganised?
2 - I was at the Lilac and Dot planner event today, yey!

So here I am, late as ever but it was worth it. I'm happy with my finished work. Geraldine offered me the weekend before Samhain and Halloween, a time of year that I love! It took me a while to come up with something that reflects what this time of year means to me. I had originally been playing with ideas of Halloween, spooky imagery, haunted houses, haunted fields with Scarecrows and abandoned buildings, Pumpkins, Blood etc. But I couldn't seem to choose anything in particular.

I then connected with my inner Witch, the wild part of me whose strength and intuition increases ten fold at this time of year. I've been watching a lot of Rhomany's Realm videos via her YouTube and Patreon as well as videos by Kelly-Ann Maddox. I'm pretty sure I found both these Women around this time last year and see them as two very strong characters.

With all these infleunces in my mind, I decided to sketch and paint an Altar. I think it's pretty clear this is a path I am on but if the path was a straight line, there would be a weird swishy line that would be me. I don't follow any rules, I'm very laid back with it all. I mainly use Crystals, read Tarot, pay attention to Moon cycles and make Tea.

I do not have an Altar. No where is safe in this house for that kind of thing, I have small, inquisitive Children. I can hardly have an Athame casually sat out in the open! I also don't own one. Plus I don't really have time to sit in a space like that. A lot of the items I use are portable, if I've had a particularly crappy day I will dig out an Obsidian and maybe a Rose Quartz and pop them on my bedside table. That's about as Spiritual as I get.

Having said that, I like the idea of an Altar. They look so peaceful and I can almost smell the incense when I see images of people's Altars. I decided to draw my imaginary Altar. Realistically it wouldn't happen as it would have to also be a planner, scrapbook, crochet and writing space. It would be a mess!!

If I could be one person and not the multiple interests person that I am, this is what I imagine my Altar to look like.....

Firstly I created the image by sketching the main table. I had to go back to basics to understand room dimensions.
 

Once I had my main focus and a rough outline of the room, I started adding detail. I had intended to have two shelves above the Altar/table but it would have looked too cramped. I decided to stick to one and placed a vine leaf across the top.

 

Once I had the rough sketch I added the watercolours. These were a mix of Artist's Loft paints from Hobbycraft and Winsor & Newton Cotman paint pans. I certainly got to test the quality with this page. The Hobbycraft would bobble the paper if I overdid it. The Winsor & Newton stayed smooth no matter how much I added.

 

Once the paint was dry, I took my 0.5 Uni Pin fine line pen and added the detail. I wasn't sure how it would turn out but overall I'm really pleased with it. All of the key areas are vibrant and jump off the page. There's enough greys and browns to give it a cosy corner feel. I have all of my tools, my cauldron! I have my crystals, my Tarot cards, several Book of Shadows and other books. I love it!
  That's my little piece for this month,

Happy Samhain/Halloween, 
Kelly.

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