Ember Grant
The festivial of Lughnasadh originates in Irish myth with the heroic figure of Lugh. He was often called “Lugh of the Long Hand” or the “many-skilled” because of his diverse abilities. Since Lughnasadh involves celebrating “first fruits”—the beginning of harvest season—both of these projects feature seeds.
Natural Acorn Pendant
You can use a natural acorn to make a lovely pendant by simply giving the nut a coat of paint and a hook. It’s very simple.
Materials
Small acorns with caps (gathered for free)
Acrylic paint ($3)
Paintbrush
Hypo-Cement jewelry glue or super glue ($3–$7)
Jump rings or wire ($2–$5)
Chain or cord (price varies)
Cost: $10–$20
Time spent: about 3 hours
First, you need to find an acorn—or several. If you don’t happen to have easy access to these, go for a walk. You can probably find them in a public park or even in a parking lot. I once found some beautiful acorns beneath a tree in a shopping center.
Before painting them, you should be certain they’re clean—and that they don’t contain worms. One easy way to accomplish this, rather than waiting a few weeks for them to dry, is to dry them yourself. Rinse them with water and dry them on a towel. Don’t use any that have holes in them. Place the acorns on a cookie sheet and literally bake them in the oven (or even a toaster oven) at 175 degrees for about an hour to an hour and a half. Turn them over at least a couple times. Let them cool for an hour or so before proceeding with using them in crafts. If any of the caps fall off, you can simply glue them back on with super glue or tacky craft glue.
Metallic gold looks very nice on the acorns, but if you prefer a more natural look, mix gold metallic paint with light brown. Paint the top, then the cap after the top is dry, so you can hold onto it. Experiment with colors if you wish. You can paint the top gold and the cap a mix of brown and gold, or try silver, or even bright colors like red or orange.
Once the paint is dry, you need to decide which technique to use—a jump ring or wire wrapping. You could also try both. Securing the jump ring to the acorn can be challenging. I used Hypo-Cement, but super glue works as well. Use tweezers to hold the jump ring and attach it. It also helps if your acorn cap has a joint on it or other feature that allows a place for the ring to sit.
For wire wrapping, it’s okay if the wire fits loosely—think of it as a little cage around the acorn. It won’t fall out. But, if it does, at least you’re not losing an expensive pendant! Practice wrapping the wire in a spiral around the acorn. Be sure to make a loop for the chain to go through. I had a small acorn, so I wrapped the wire around my finger first, so the coils would be smooth. If you’ve never wire-wrapped anything before, this can be a nice introduction to the process. Either method will give you a lovely, natural pendant.
Seed Art
I remember making projects like this in school when I was a kid. The end results were always surprisingly lovely, even when put together by inexperienced hands. It’s still just as much fun as an adult! Plus, you end up with a lovely piece of framed art you can display in your home.
Materials
Frame ($5–$20)
Assorted dried beans and seeds (approx. $7)
Tacky craft glue ($3)
Mod Podge ($3–$7)
Cost: $20+
Time spent: several hours to several days, depending on the size
Choose a variety of dried beans and seeds for your project. You may be limited by what you can find in your local supermarket. Of course, you can purchase these online as well, so that’s an option to consider. Here are some good choices: white beans, pinto beans, corn, lentils, peas, rice, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, red beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, and peppercorns. I used six different types of seeds, a 1 pound bag of each, and the price range was from 99 cents to $1.50 per bag. Your finished piece will resemble a mosaic-style piece of art, so choose a variety of contrasting colors for the best effect.
Just as important as your choice of seeds is your choice of frame. I used an 8 x 10 frame made of thick wood that was painted pale green with a hint of gold. I decided to highlight that color by using split peas in my design. You don’t have to spend a lot of money here. You can use a frame you already have, or buy one in a secondhand store. Refurbishing an old frame is a great way to recycle it, too. It’s probably best, however, to pick something at least 5 x 7. If you choose a frame that’s too small, you won’t have enough room to create your project.
I suppose you can glue the beans directly to the outside glass if you want, but I removed the glass and used sturdy cardboard as the base for my project. A perfectly sized piece of cardboard was included with the frame, but it was too flimsy; I traced around it onto a better piece of cardboard to ensure it was the right size to fit back inside the frame. If you do decide to glue directly onto the glass, you can insert the pattern or design you want to use inside the frame and use it as a guide.
As for the design, you can draw something—a sun or sunflower is perfect for this time of year—or just create as you go. I started by drawing a few circles like a mandala, but then just let my design evolve after that, by adding lines and spirals. There’s no wrong way to do this. In fact, this type of art turns out quite well by simply using a blend of curving lines in a variety of colors. Of course, if you want to plan your design, you can draw it and decide which colors to use in each area.
Work in small batches, spreading glue with a brush and attaching the seeds; you may need to use tweezers for very small ones. When you’ve finished adding all your seeds, allow the entire piece to dry before adding the finishing touch—a coat (or two) of Mod Podge. I used the satin finish and it gave the piece a lovely shine. Plus, it helps secure all the seeds in place.
When the piece is completely dry, place it back inside the frame and hang it. In addition, now that you have several bags of dried beans and seeds, you can prepare a feast for the holiday with your leftovers!
Other Options: You can also use this seed technique to make smaller pieces—pentacles, for example, to use on your altar. And, if you want, use hot glue to attach a ribbon to small pieces of seed art and make things you can hang. Planning ahead for the Yuletide season, you can make ornaments for your tree!