craftgrrl | Seeking Advice and Inspiration

Do not read this if you are

violettheory.

I am a member of

full_moon_swaps. I am participating in our April swap. (I bet you can guess who my swap partner is!) And, well, as much as this month's swap should be pretty simple to put together, I just can't get inspired! Here is the information about our swap for the month:

We have always been a community of both pagan and non-pagans. I think there is no theme that bridges the gap between us better than our mutual appreciation for the Earth and the life found upon it. For many of us in northern climes, April is a beautiful time of rediscovery as signs of life increasingly show themselves as both flora and fauna reproduce and thrive in the warming spring temperatures. The miracle of continued life is celebrated in the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter observances. In the United States at least, it is also the month of Earth Day and Arbor Day, signs that we as humans recognize our dependence on and debt owed to the environment around us. These special days of spring seem to provide the perfect backdrop for a rather universal theme--"A Celebration of the Earth".

Everyone's interpretation of this theme will be unique. You can explore environmentalism, astronomy, wildlife, plantlife, natural beauty, earth science, weather, seasonal shifts, climate zones, geography, geology, physics, you name it. Be creative in your exploration--the Earth has a lot to say about itself!

Well, I had initially planned to follow the ideas I have seen here, and I was going to make her a Green Man pendant, possibly matching earrings, and a jewelry holder in the shape of a tree. Problem? She can't wear metal jewelry, and doesn't wear jewelry for the most part. The pendant is still possible, but I'd rather give her something she'd wear and enjoy. Earrings are right out. ^^ So no point in the jewelry holder.

I have a few vague ideas, not all of them to do with the theme, but at least something she may like. I might be able to tie things in to the theme, in a round about way.

She seems to lot a lot of gothicy stuff, morbid stuff, dark stuff and the like.

I'm taking someone else's idea (hope you don't mind, it's such a good idea!) to make the felt stitched plush magnets in the shapes of food... and basically having a bunch of goth veggie magnets... really caractature (sp) and stuff... and put it in a painted tin labeled "Children of the Earth: It's Not Just The Corn Anymore!"

I'm also considering getting a glass jar and filling it with either 1) tiny fake skulls and bones or 2) these neat candy bones I saw... and putting a little poem attached to it or on the glass that's basically the whole born from the earth return to the earth kind of thing.

I also have a valentine's floral pot I'm going to repaint to look more gothy.

But other than that... I'm at a loss! I don't know what to send. I don't know what to do. I totally lack for inspiration. I was wondering if, one, you guys thought that those two ideas would work... and two, what else you think I might be able to make/include. It isn't just a crafting swap, so I can buy stuff too, but I'd rather craft as I adore crafting.