Tag: acatherinenoon

  • D Is For… Domestic Magic!

    D Is For… Domestic Magic!

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    Domestic magic is the kind that hides in plain sight.

    It’s the soft choreography of everyday gestures — the sweep of a broom, the folding of a towel, the way a warm mug settles into your palms. It’s the quiet alchemy of tending a space until it feels lived‑in, loved‑in, and ready to hold you.

    In my studio, domestic magic is everywhere. It’s in the way I clear a corner before I begin, the way I light a candle without thinking, the way I smooth the cloth on my worktable as if greeting an old friend. It\’s in the curation of the yarn, the selection of tools, the play of textures. These small motions aren’t chores; they’re spells. They shift the air. They tell my body, We’re here now. We’re ready.

    Domestic magic is not glamorous. It’s not the big ritual or the dramatic moment. It’s the steady, grounding rhythm of care.

    A pot simmering on the stove. A basket of yarn waiting by the couch. A lamp switched on at dusk, turning the room gold. A cat settling nearby, claiming the space as safe.

    These are the things that anchor me. These are the things that make the studio feel like a hearth.

    There’s lineage here, too — the inherited gestures of women who tended homes, workshops, looms, and lives before me. They swept, folded, mended, stirred. They made beauty out of necessity. They made meaning out of repetition. When I wipe down my table or lay out my tools, I feel their hands beside mine.

    Domestic magic teaches me that creativity doesn’t begin at the moment of making. It begins in the tending. In the way we prepare the space. In the way we soften ourselves enough to enter it.

    It’s not just housekeeping. It’s a way of being in the world — attentive, gentle, and open to transformation.

    What everyday gesture might become a spell if you let it?

  • C Is For… Cloth!

    C Is For… Cloth!

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    ACN Studio A–Z: A Tactile, Witchy, Embodied Creative Practice

    Cloth is where memory lives.

    Before it becomes anything — a garment, a quilt, a banner, a binding — cloth is simply material waiting to be touched. It carries the warmth of hands, the whisper of the loom, the soft insistence of fibers spun into something that wants to hold shape.

    In my studio, cloth is both medium and companion. It drapes over chairs, piles in baskets, folds itself into quiet stacks of potential. I reach for it when I need grounding, when my mind is too sharp or too fast. Cloth slows me down. It reminds me that making is a conversation, not a race.

    There’s a kind of domestic magic in it — the way fabric softens with use, the way it remembers the body, the way it holds warmth long after the hands have left. Cloth is intimate. It wraps, shelters, protects. It’s the first thing we’re swaddled in and often the last thing we’re wrapped in, too.

    Working with cloth is an act of lineage. Mothers, grandmothers, aunties, ancestors — known and unknown — all touched cloth before me. They mended, stitched, patched, wove, wrapped. They made do. They made beauty. They made meaning. When I pick up a piece of fabric, I’m touching that whole history. When I weave, I am following the steps of the generations of women before me. When I knit, I follow a filament to make something tangible.

    And yet cloth is also possibility. A blank square can become anything: a pocket, a patch, a prayer. A scrap can become a story. A frayed edge can become an invitation to repair.

    Cloth teaches me to notice. To soften. To stay present with what’s in my hands.

    It’s not just material. It’s a way of being in the studio — gentle, grounded, and open to transformation.

    What frayed edge in your world might be inviting you to mend, soften, or begin?

  • B Is For… Belonging!

    B Is For… Belonging!

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    Belonging isn’t something I wait for anymore. It’s something I build — slowly, deliberately, the way you build a studio you can actually breathe in.

    In my world, belonging starts as sanctuary: a place where your nervous system unclenches, where you don’t have to perform, where your creativity can arrive without apology. A place that feels like coming home to yourself.

    But belonging is also permission. Permission to take up space. Permission to make things that aren’t perfect. Permission to follow the thread of your own curiosity instead of someone else’s expectations. Permission to be weird, tender, ambitious, contradictory — and still welcome.

    And most of all, belonging is a practice. A rhythm. A ritual. A way of returning to yourself again and again, even on the days you feel scattered or small. It’s the candle you light, the playlist you trust, the notebook you keep reaching for. It’s the quiet agreement you make with yourself: I get to be here.

    In the studio — and in the life I’m building — belonging isn’t earned. It’s cultivated.

    What does Belonging mean to you?

  • A is For… Atmosphere!

    A is For… Atmosphere!

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    Every studio has a pulse — a subtle hum of presence that shapes the work long before the first word is written or the first thread is pulled. For me, “A” begins with atmosphere: the quiet, intentional way a space invites me into making.

    Atmosphere isn’t about perfection. It’s about cues. The soft scrape of a chair on the floor. The way light pools on the desk. The scent of wool, ink, or the last cup of tea. The small altar of objects that remind me who I am when the world gets loud.

    Before I begin any creative practice — writing, weaving, stitching, photographing — I tune the room. I open a window. I clear a corner. I place a stone or a spool of thread where my eye will land. I let the space tell my body, “You’re safe to make things here.”

    Atmosphere is the first ritual of the studio. It’s the threshold between the outside world and the one I’m building with my hands.

    Happy A‑Day from ACN Studio.

  • F Is For… Frog!

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    Yes, I know, I\’m missing C, D, and E. I\’ll catch up, I promise. My day job had someone quit last week and it\’s been a zoo; her replacement comes on the 14th, thank dog.

    But on to the most important part of this post – FROGS!

    F Is For… Frogs!

    Frogs are an indicator species. When they\’re present, it\’s a sign of the health of a particular ecosystem, and in particular, of its water quality. Every spring around our homestead comes the singing of the frogs, one of my favorite sounds. They have a frog nursery in a seasonal pond in front of a neighbor\’s horse ranch, too; we love to go count tadpoles and watch them grow. It\’s still a bit cold yet for that, but I have pics from last year.

    AND, stay tuned, because Himself (The Noble Husband Man) has given me footage from our trailcam! I\’ll have deer, and bears, and raccoons… oh my!

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  • B Is For… Bulbs!

    B Is For… Bulbs!

    \"#AtoZChallengeFall bulbs are a mystery to me. How you can plant little onion-looking things in the ground right before winter and have them turn into gorgeous flowers is like botanical magic.

    However, I adore daffodils.

    Our daffodils haven\’t come up yet, since it\’s still cold out. BUT, we have a ton of narcissus and another kind of flower that I didn\’t write down the name of.

    I think this gets back to the idea that I\’m a feral gardener, not one of those lady gardeners that goes out with white gloves and a floppy had that comes back pristine and clean. I come back with dirt under my nails, smudges on my face, and the other day I actually had dirt in my hair.

    Hmph.

    Flowers are pretty though. Take a look:

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    These are the ones that I can\’t remember the name of. They\’re little purple flowers and some are purple and white stripes. I want to weed the grass on the outside of the planter, because it doesn\’t look very neat.

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    These are the narcissus. I tried to stagger them on a zig zag, and I like the way they\’re coming in.

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    Close up of the pink one.

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    Close up of one another one; I love this one. I love the color; it\’s amazing how it\’s actually blue!

  • A Is For… The A to Z Challenge!

    A Is For… The A to Z Challenge!

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    Greetings from the rainy Pacific Northwest! I\’m Noony, and I\’ll be your host this month for the A to Z Blog Challenge here on my blog.

    First, though, I want to share something of critical importance. Now, more than ever, it\’s critical for creatives to stand together and support each other. To that end, those of you here in the States, we are rallying this coming Saturday, April 5th. On this single day, four groups have come together: 50501, Indivisible, Hands Off, and Women’s March. They are organizing on two websites: Hands Off and See you in the Streets.

    NOTE: As of Saturday night, 885 protests have been logged. Protests are being added daily. These are *non-violent* protests. Hope to see you there! If you can\’t come in person, please help spread the word, either on social media or with your local press. Let\’s show these billionaire oligarchs that America is not for sale.

    Second, on to my theme, which is,

    The A to Z of Our Forest and Gardens!

    If it\’s your first time visiting me, my husband and I live on a homestead in rural Washington.  We are both transplanted urbanites, so we\’re learning a whole new way of being that includes things like invasive species management and how to competently grow a tomato.

    Now, I gardened in Chicago for twenty years, and even was part of several community gardens including the Peterson Garden Project and the Global Garden. The microclimate on our property here in Washington is completely different, AND is not in sync with the rest of Duvall since we\’re at a higher elevation. It means that we\’re about a month behind the gardens in town and this has completely messed with my tomato mojo!

    Add to that the fact that we can get property tax credits for properly managing our forestland and it\’s all become and amazing learning adventure.

    Last fall, we took a forestry class through Washington State University in partnership with King County Conservation District and the Washington Department of Natural Resources. It was twelve weeks long and covered how to create a Forest Management Plan, a document that is the first step to those tax credits. Not only did they help with the writing of the plan, but also with the doing of the things IN the plan – invasive species management, wildlife conservation, forest product development, and water quality initiatives. They even had a segment on managing our wildlands for wildfire, which is a growing threat in our area due to human caused climate change and land management practices.

    This past January, I saw an email talking about another class from the same group, this time called, \”Grow Your Groceries.\” What\’s more, the class came with twenty seed packets! We signed up and are in class every Thursday through May.

    This month, I\’ll take you on a tour of our forest. We\’ll see our trees, talk about snags and wildlife habitats, birds and beasts, gardening from bulbs and seeds to using the harvest, and I might even experiment with microgreens! It\’s all raw and authentic, and there may even be video.

    Come along with me and enjoy… the A to Z of Our Forest and Gardens!

     

  • Mail Bag Monday – Postcrossing Update!

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    Happy 2025, Dear Reader!

    I wanted to share a little about what I\’ve been doing penpal-wise. It\’s a hobby that brings me great joy and I am excited to get back to it, and be a part of bringing good into the world.

    I was thinking about it the other day, and wanted to share what I wrote on my Postcrossing bio with you here. I think there\’s cause for hope, even in dark times, and I hope my words bring  you some small measure of it:

    As 2025 begins, I am filled with hope and concern. Hope, because many people with whom I talk see the same challenges I do and are committed to making the world a better place. Concern because World War III is still going in Ukraine and the risk of it spreading terrifies me. My heart breaks for the people affected. My own country is engaged in a battle for the hearts and minds of our people against the forces of fascism, a fight both of my grandfathers fought in World War II more than eight-five years ago. I am glad they aren’t alive to see what we have done to ourselves and yet, I wish they were here to guide me and to tell me it will be okay. Each generation has to fight for democracy, and this is our fight. I pray that we are up to the challenge.
     

    This I know: community is what will get us through this, as will mindfulness and creativity. Community is what reminds us we have more in common than not, and that we can come together in common respect and admiration when we remember the person on the “other side” is a person just like us, with a family and community for whom they care deeply. We have more collective power than we think we do. May we remember our power and exercise it for the good of all, and remind the greedy and the power-hungry that the world is not theirs for the taking. Slava Ukraini.
     

    My husband and I live on a small homestead outside the town of Duvall, WA, in the Pacific Northwest. We are a couple hours south of the Canadian border. My day job is in the insurance industry and by night, I write novels. I joined Postcrossing because it’s important to me to put good out into the world. In a time of great uncertainty and global unrest, not to mention environmental cataclysm, putting good into the world, however small, means something.
     

    I am an avid textile artist and love to weave, knit, and make things. Our puppy Freya is now four and her brother Loki is three. Two of our cats, Boria and Nadya, died within a couple weeks of each other at the end of 2023, just as I got a total left knee replacement and my job blew up. 2024 presented many opportunities for growth. I have a new job now, thank the powers, and two kittens joined us in January of 2024: Yulia and Yelena. Our oldest cat, Kolya, is going strong.
     

    In May, our first granddaughter Julia was born. We don’t see her as often as we’d like, they live in Florida, 5,000 kilometres (about 3,000 miles) from us. She’s teething now and keeps my son on his toes. She is, of course, the most beautiful baby anywhere in the world. (Don’t all grandparents say that?)
     

    If you’re not sure what to write, try:

    • What is a typical day like in your life?
    • What is your favorite thing to do?
    • If I were a tourist in your town, what would you recommend I see first?
    • What do you want to be when you grow up?
    • What do you do to relax and unwind?
    • What does “nesting” mean to you, in terms of one’s home?
    • What’s the worst advice you were ever given?

    Are you part of Postcrossing? If not, check them out. It\’s a lot of fun to connect with people from all over the world, and to know that there are real people out there with lives and mailboxes.

    • I joined in June of 2020, right at the height of the pandemic, because I was really struggling with depression and isolation. 19 postcards sent, 12 received.
    • 2021: 64 sent, 70 received.
    • 2022: 22 sent, 23 received.
    • 2023: 67 sent, 60 received.
    • 2024: 28 sent, 35 received.
    • 2025: 6 sent, 5 received; however, I have 13 out \”traveling\” as we speak so this will change as the year goes on.

    Write on!

  • Makers Monday – Progress Report on the Chakra Wall

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    The Chakra Wall is coming into focus. I\’ve been hanging the ojos (which means \”eye\” in Spanish) from a specific central spot and coming out of it to the right as though expanding from that origin point.

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    This is the wall I\’m using. It\’s late in the year here, when I took this shot; November is mostly rain and getting cold. It seemed like a good day to start the project so I came out and swept down the spiderwebs.

    Seattle actually has something called, \”Spider Season.\” I\’m not sure if this is a scientific thing or just something the locals say, but man. Those little girls like to weave themselves some web.

    My husband, who is not an arachnophobe like me, Dear Reader, told me that most spiders we see are female. The males are smaller and don\’t live nearly as long. I like referring to them as \”she,\” because it makes them less terrifying.

    The reason that\’s relevant is down on the bottom right of the image are some cardboard boxes used for landscaping (you put them down as weed barrier and put dirt on top of them); we have a truly epic-sized black spider living there. So brushing down the spiders with a broom is a life skill here – particularly if you want to create an art project outside in their demesnes.

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    I set the ojos down so I could see the ones I had completed so far. The ones on the bottom with the reds are for the Root Chakra. I have one orange one for Sacral, one with yellows (more goldenrod, really) for Solar Plexus, and a green one for Heart.

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    I originally wanted them to go up, but realized that physics is a thing. The porch only goes to the right just past the glass doors, and I\’m not great with heights. So for now, I\’m going out as far as I can reach from the ground, and later as I finish more ojos I\’ll involve the husband to help me with the ladder and a hammer.

    Next up are the next three chakras: Throat (light blue); Third Eye (indigos), and Crown (violets, white, and silver).

    Keep Making, my friends!

  • Makers Monday – Ojos de Dios and the Chakras – What Is a Chakra?

    Makers Monday – Ojos de Dios and the Chakras – What Is a Chakra?

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    I thought I\’d take a moment and discuss Chakras, so this project makes a little more sense.

    Chakras are an ancient concept from India that were developed 1500 to 500 BCE (Before Current Era). They are conceived as wheels, and are seen to be located in the human body. In general, there are seven chakras in the body:

    • The Root Chakra  – grounding, connection to the earth
    • The Sacral Chakra – primal relationships, sexuality, creativity
    • The Solar Plexus Chakra – will, intent, personal power
    • The Heart Chakra – relationships, love, friendship
    • The Throat Chakra – speaking our truth
    • The Third Eye Chakra – clear sight, vision, intuition
    • The Crown Chakra – connection to the divine, collective consciousness

    The seven chakras have all sorts of things that are representative – sounds, colors, concepts, etc. For our purposes, the colors are the most relevant:

    • The Root Chakra – reds
    • The Sacral Chakra – oranges
    • The Solar Plexus Chakra – yellows
    • The Heart Chakra – greens
    • The Throat Chakra – light blues
    • The Third Eye Chakra – indigos
    • The Crown Chakra – violets, whites, silvers

    I\’ll show you next week how some of these are coming together in practice, and how they look on the wall with each other.

  • Friday Fun Stuff – Chicken Math!

    Friday Fun Stuff – Chicken Math!

    I have had several discussions lately about \”chicken math,\” and folx haven\’t known what I mean. Here, then, is Chicken Math, Explained.

     

  • Makers Monday – Ojos de Dios and the Chakras

    Makers Monday – Ojos de Dios and the Chakras

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    I\’ve talked about ojos de Dios, or eyes of G*d, before. I enjoy making them, because they\’re relatively simple to weave and they adapt to many different uses. They can be made for prayers and spells, protection, to commemorate new projects or milestones, and for art.

    I had a dream recently, where I saw a series of ojos on the side of the house. When I woke up, it was as though I could still see it. It felt so vivid and real, I walked outside to look.

    I had to laugh. The place where I\’d seen them has two big windows right in the middle of it.

    Hmm.

    But there\’s a large wall on the back of my house that would totally work…

    And thus, a project was born.

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    I thought I\’d share some progress pictures. It feels so good to start making things again. I look back and my pictures and it\’s not that I haven\’t made things; but I\’ve definitely felt stuck for a long while. It\’s been so fun working on a larger project that will take some time to complete.

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    This one is for the Throat Chakra, also called the Fifth Chakra. It\’s about using our voice and finding our power.

    I picked a luminous black filament with blues and pinks for the center. It\’s not coming through very well on the camera, but it\’s eye-catching.

    I also varied the weave; that part toward the edges by wrapping around the arm of the ojo without weaving across. This presented more of a gap in the weaving.

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    I forgot to weave the hangar like I normally do, since I didn\’t want to use the center black yarn. It\’s too springy and also a very thin filament, not robust for hanging in weather.

    I tied the last two yarns to make the hangar, which is something I don\’t usually do but I like how it came out. I used an overhand knot at the end to make it hangable.

    Next Monday, come back and I\’ll share the wall and the beginning of the Chakra wall.

    Cheers!

    ~Noony