Our challenge for Sweet Stampin this week is Hallowe'en. This will be my final entry as a Design Team member for this fabulous challenge blog. I have recently had a big house move from England back home to Wales and my new life is going to be a lot busier than my old one in many good ways. It means I have less time for crafting and sadly my commitments to Design Teams for challenges is going to have to be something I give up... at least until I get myself into more of a routine. Being on a Design Team is a great motivator and being part of a team to regularly create can be a real help when your mojo goes missing and I can thoroughly recommend it if you get the chance.
I'm also finding I'm not crafting like I used to and cards are not my number 1 go to now when I craft. I guess we all change and develop as we explore new ways.
So I leave you from Sweet Stampin' with this card. Hallowe'en is a special time for me and I do despair sometimes when I hear all the negative press it gets mainly from people's perceptions of it and how Hollywood has portrayed it over the years.
I'm a Celt from Irish Celtic background and now Welsh and for my ancestors this time of the year was a sacred time. It was a time to remember those who had passed before us, lay the table for them to come and sit with us one more time for a meal - hence the trick or treat which became trivialised into sweets and candy. I have lost many close family members and my table would be overflowing with places for those who are no longer with me. The idea of pumpkins being carved came from people going to bonfires to celebrate the old year and they needed lights - at the time they used swede's or turnips which were the vegetables we had in this country thousands of years ago. They cut them to allow a candle to give them light and hence the pumpkin as we know it was born.
I wanted to try and express how sacred this evening really is and for people not to fear it. I've used stamps here from Visible Image, I love how that bird is flying out of the tree.
May you have a peaceful Hallowe'en.
3 comments:
I really love this Fiona. It's an amazing creation and your post and wonderful explanation of the origins of 'All Hallow's Eve' was beautiful to read. Beautiful to honour those old traditions and step back from the commercialism. Wishing you a peaceful and beautiful 'All Hallows Eve'. Sad that you're leaving Sweet Stampin', but happy to see you embarking on new adventures. We hope you'll come share your creations with us when you're settled. Hugs, Wends xoxo
Wonderful eerie card Fiona, perfect for the challenge. We will miss you and your fabulous creations. pob lwc xx
Hi Fiona, has been a pleasure being your Teamie on Sweet Stampin' - I hope you move forward with great joy and pleasure in this new chapter of your life. After having only recently returned to crafting and card making can understand how life's changes also change what we do in our leisure time (if we have any!).
Your make is stunning as well - I must admit Halloween passed me by completely as a child, not something that was even mentioned when I was growing up and so not something that I noticed as an adult. I like your explanation of the history of it, I learnt something today! I just dislike how commercialised how many 'occasions' have become.
Best of luck in your new journey.
Sarah
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