These are the workshop descriptions for Lammas Camp that we have from some of the workshop leaders.  I've collected them here as a handy reference so that you can choose which ones you might like to go to, or you might decide to just sit, relax and enjoy the peace of not having to do anything at all.
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Only a couple of weeks now until Lammas Camp.  I remember last year sitting outside my stall in the sunshine making up lots of anklets.  Folk were coming by and asking if I had any, which I hadn't, but luckily I had taken along beads, charms and tools and so they chose what they wanted and then came by later to collect their anklets.   I was totally unprepared last year for anklets, this year I had made some up ready but then them took them into shop, so I will have to make some more up for camp lol.  Hope people still want anklets.  Pop by my stall if your at camp and see if there's anything you like or that I can make up for you while you're there.

These one are a 2 in 1 style anklet/bracelet combo.  Wrap either twice round your ankle or three times around your wrist.  Plenty of movement given with the dangley stars and beads.

While spinning round this morning whilst saying white rabbits three times, because it's the first of March, I wondered where does this come from, why white rabbits.  The best reasons seems to come from the story of Ostara the Spring Goddess and Goddess of the Dawn.
It is said she was late arriving one year to bring the spring warmth and sunlight in, when she did arrive the ground was still frozen and covered in snow.  She felt even worse about being late when she discovered a small bird with his wings frozen dying from the cold.  Ostara picked the bird up and cradled him to warm him through, but his wings still remained damaged and he couldn't fly.  Feeling remorseful about the bird not being able to fly she turned him into a white rabbit or rather a Snow Hare and named him Lepus. She gave him the gift of great speed and turning ability and to remember his time as a bird she gave him the ability to lay eggs, eggs of many colours, but only for one day a year.
So it could be that that is why saying white rabbits on the first of March, or some say on the first new moon of this month, brings you good luck.  Why the spinning, I don't know, maybe that's just me.  Does anyone else spin?
Looking forward to eggs of many colours at the Spring Equinox :0)

This website building lark takes a looot of time up and is very very very frustrating.  Did I mention it's frustrating?  Hopefully it should work better than the old one and be easier to use.  Think I'm beginning to get somewhere now though, this site is now live and I have some content on it :0)  There are some items you might like to take a look at, Jewellery and other things, and also a space for Lammas Camp.  Lots of filling out to do yet and tweaking, but if you want to drop me a message to tell me how it looks so far or have any helpful suggestions that would be great.  
The cats meanwhile are hoping that I'm going in the kitchen soon instead of clickity clicking on here.

Ah Valentine's Day, either love it or hate it comes round every year and always seems a bit of an odd celebration to me stuck in the middle of February as it is.  Now May that is more the month for that kind of thing, especially Beltane time ;0)
So I thought I would find out a bit more on the origins of St Valentine's Day and why on earth a saint is thought to be in charge of love and sexy stuff as I'm sure saints aren't supposed to have such thoughts of doing that sort of thing.  This is ​

​The main colours of it are red and gold which are some of her colours, a triskele to represent her triple goddess aspect and shells for her association with water, one is which is a Shiva Shell and has a natural spiral on it.  Heat treated and forged metal lend to her fire aspect and inspiration to create it.
It uses recyled sari fabric, beads, copper and a little goddess figure as well and fastens at the front to make it easy to get on and off.
This necklace is now being happily worn in America, but if you would like something in a similar style let me know.

Lammas Camp
​Time spent in a field with marvellous views of the Derbyshire countryside with a like minded bunch of folk is never wasted.  When you’ve had enough of sitting around relaxing soaking up the atmosphere and having a brew or two (or whatever’s your tipple), there are workshops to learn something new or swap ideas in, crafts to create and drums to beat.

​The central sacred fire is kept going throughout the weekend and is a good place to sit around, drum and chat or dance around as the night gets cooler.  It has the ashes of many other sacred fires, from far away and this country, sprinkled into it to lend their energies to our camp, as our fires ashes will be collected by those who like to to lend the energies of this camp to their own fires.​

​The ‘Beating of the Bounds’ starts off Lammas Camp Thursday evening, when we go round the field beating our drums and clearing the space ready for the weekend, please join in and if you don’t have a drum clap your hands or just walk with us to where the fire is to be lit with an Opening Fire Ceremony.

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We've had quite a few lovely Handfastings at Lammas Camp (I've not got photos of all of them but here's a few) and there is to one this year as well, on Friday, which I'm sure will be wonderful :0)

For useful stuff like the ticket form and more details about the campsite click on the Lammas Camp tab in the menu above.  This is a facebook link to our event page so that you can see what’s going on there as well.

If you'd rather relax than spend time cooking and washing up take a look at the food menu which is next to the ticket forms, very good prices, they cater for vegetarians and vegans too, and have snacks as well as main meals, ice cream, hot chocolate …
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Remember to have a browse round the stalls and treat yourself something different and individual to the normal stuff :0)  Have a look in my shop on here as well, if you see something interesting let me know and I can bring it with me.

The camp site it’s self has archaeological interest with barrows dating back 4000 years – take a look here.
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In the mean time here's some more photos of past years camps to remind me/us of lovely times shared in the Lammas field, come and join us and make some memories :0)

Love all the Brighid representations in this art work by Danielle Barlow , most of the Brighd symbols I knew but not how the serpent was linked to her. 
I did a bit of research and found that according to Celtic mythology an awakening hibernating serpent will emerged from it's lair at Imbolc, and by it's movements it was calculated how many more days of winter there would be, if it returned to it's lair then spring wold be a month or more in coming.  Although Brigid is a triple goddess she is mainly thought of as a spring goddess, so as she is to usher in spring this would be imported to know.  Serpents also represent new life and fertility, much like spring, as well as transformation, creativity and inspiration,
Paths of Earth energy, ley lines, were also called serpent paths and at Imbolc they are stirred from their slumber as the earth warms.

January normally limps along for far too long but this year it seems to have gone really quickly and I've not half the things done that I intended to do so far this year, do you think we can start again for Chinese New Year?
2019 is the year of the Brown Earth Pig 新Xīn年nán快kuài乐 lè! or Happy New Year.
Still working on Valentines gifts, I have a few ideas that I'd like to get out in time 💖

Spring is stirring, even though snowflakes are falling again as I write this.  There is definitely more daylight and the urge to get out rather than hibernate is growing stronger, shoots are pushing their way upwards and the birds are singing.  

One of the goddess mostly associated with this time of year is Brigid. 
​Last February or the moot I brought straw in for us all to make Bridgid crosses with, I'm going to pop the notes I made to say a little about her before we began in here incase you find it useful -
Brigid
Pronounced Breed Brigg-id Bree-id, other names Brid Bride Brigantia or Bridgit.
A great mother goddess, she was one of the most widely worshipped across Britain and Ireland.  It’s quite possible that the Northern British Tribe, the Brigantes derived their name from her.

Her most special time of the year is Imbolc (in the belly) coming of spring/ tale end of winter/ more fertile times are coming.  Midwives.

Brigid is a Sun Goddess, Goddess of the Dawn.
She is also the Goddess of the Well and the Waters. There are healing wells still dedicated to her in Ireland.

The spark of inspiration, the muse of all creativity, Brigid is the Goddess of...

• poets,
• musicians and singers,
• storytellers,
• scholars and teachers,
• artists, trades persons, and artisans, especially metalsmiths
• healers and herbalists,
• magick-workers,
• seers and prophets.

Brigid’s Cross is an ancient symbol for Brigid and is also known as a Celtic Sun Wheel or Solar Cross  Solar Crosses are one of the most ancient of symbols and are found all over the world.
Brigid’s Crosses are traditionally made with rushes or straw and hung for protection, especially from fire but also from ill intent, mainly hung over the doorway but also by the fire for fertility
The intention could be whatever you want your Solar Cross to be for -- honouring the Sun Goddess, protection for your home, blessings and protection for your loved ones, etc.
It may also be given as a blessing and protection to someone you care about.
Another option is to offer it to the Goddess. You can hang it on a tree (particularly hawthorn) or leave it in nature somewhere, or burn it in a ritual fire (a bonfire or cauldron).  You could also hang it above your altar, to keep Brigid's presence near you all year long.

The Demotion to Saint Brigid
In Ireland and other Celtic countries, Brigid was a primary Pagan Goddess. This didn't sit well when Christianity took over. But the people were unwavering in their devotion to this Goddess, and the Christian fathers couldn't eradicate Her worship.
So they did what has worked so well throughout the ages and around the globe: they incorporated Her into their own mythology.
In the 5th Century, She was remade as a Christian saint. She was given a fictitious history, and canonised. (Then in 1960, I guess the Church thought they'd made a mistake, and de-sainted Her! Or maybe they thought they could at last do away with this so-tenacious and beloved female deity.)

Imbolc is usually the time we release Lammas Camps tickets for sale but due to demand they've been on sale now since the week after Lammas Camp 2018.  They are still at Early Bird prices until Beltain though, so still a little time to grab yourself a bargain but don't hang around too long as we only sell a limited number to keep the camp small and friendly with a community feel to it. 
​Hope we all have a joyful spring, Happy Imbolc x