Dream with me for just a moment.
Imagine a big beautiful building. It’s a little worn and old. But the paint is crisp and bright and probably a strange color. There are a number of plants blooming in front, but they are left to grow wild, weeds and flowers alike. There is a welcome and charm to the place. When you walk in the door, you take a deep breath and feel the tension loosen from you. The air smells of lavender and sage, not overwhelmingly so, just a hint of it. The atmosphere is calm but imbued with a soft joy. There is a warmth to the place that invites you in deeper.
Around you is a variety of tempting merchandise: One wall is covered with a huge selection of crystals and gems. Giant quartz clusters, amethyst and labradorite chunks, buckets of palmstones of all colors, from three feet to half an inch, all kinds of sizes of stones glitter invitingly.
Another wall is just packed to burst with glass jars of all sizes and shapes, each one with a different herb or spice. You see juniper berries, yarrow, three varieties of sage, just at a glance. Over in the corner is the most spectacular collection of cauldrons and kettles, small and large. And if you walk to the little nook in the back, you find an intriguing selection of bones and teeth and fossils and feathers.
Upstairs, there is a lively chatter from people playing with various forms of art supplies. The kiln is on and waiting to bake someone’s latest creation. The smell of paint hovers as a few canvases sit drying in the sunshine coming in through the windows. In the evening all the art supplies will be bundled away to make space for an open gallery. Or perhaps a local group will be using the space for a meeting. Or maybe a class on making your own teas and tinctures will be taking place.
Welcome to Maude’s Paperwing Gallery.
This particular dream is just in its infancy. There is no building yet. No storefront, no gallery space or studio space. But it isn’t fully a fantasy either. Three friends are on a journey together to make this dream into a reality. Right now Maude’s is just a table at a local market. It’s an instagram and facebook account, tempting you with pretty and wondrous things. But with time and magic and, of course, the help of our community, Maude’s will someday be the beautiful store we dream of.
While we plan and build our store, we’d love for you to join us on the journey. Here on Mother of Mugwort’s blog we’ll be making a number of appearances. Maude Mondays will be a variety of things. Sometimes we’ll talk about our favorite crystals or herbs and how you can use them. Occasionally we’ll let you know where our next event is. Mostly we’ll be sharing our love of everything magical will you, and inviting you on a journey towards self-love and self-care.
So keep an eye out for us here! And in the mean-time, make sure you follow us on facebook and instagram so you can see all the beauties we have in store for you.
Much love. Blessed be.
