After another break...

I really want to keep up writing here weekly but with a festival coming up that I hope to vend at my time has turned to crafting. I thought I would take a moment to share some of what I have been working on.

This is a carved replica of a jointed and movable scarab amulet. I was originally working on a beaded collar for it but I have since changed my mind. I am now working on a set of beads more like the original artifact. (See the image below.)

Faience scarab amulet from the Late Period

These are a series of wall plaques. These are designed with hieroglyphic wards/warnings in a style of the Old and Middle Kingdom threat formulae. I am looking forward to doing some more of these but on papyrus. These three are for Thoth to bestow wisdom, Set to protect against thieves and Sekhmet to protect a family.

A hand carved replica Isis amulet. I still haven't been able to decide if I want to make her into a collar or a hair piece yet. I am sort of leaning toward a hair piece just because it will not be the usual.

A pair of wooden sistrums. These are the rattles sacred to Hathor and Bast as well as several other gods and goddesses. I am experimenting on how different materials alter the sound. So far the one on the right, with all wooden shakers, is my favorite for the delicate sound it makes. Though traditionally these were metal I don't have the facilities to forge metal pieces at home so I have opted for wood. I choose each from a naturally occurring "v" in a branch so they all end up having a unique form, shape and size.

So that is a little of what I have been up to. I hope to have an update here with some more posts later in the week, hopefully. Classes have started up again so it might be slow to start but I hope to get on a schedule for regular posts again soon.