Birth Art for a Blessingway

Yesterday I attended a dear friend's blessingway. She's a very arty friend, just look at these stunning pregnancy pieces she created earlier in the week:

She asked her guests to create one eclectic blanket from a series of uniquely made squares. When I first decided to name this space Ilithyia Inspired I created a little doodle of what looked like an opening vagina and the flame of a candle. I've since found myself often doodling this shape. I decided to create this opening yoni/candle shape using felt for my friend's blanket...

I also created a yoni pendant out of clay to be part of her birth necklace.

And I made a couple of breast beads for her necklace because I've observed a lot of preparation goes into preparing for giving birth and having a baby, but not always for breastfeeding. Within my circle there are plenty of great rituals we have for honouring pregnancy and birth, but breastfeeding sometimes gets overlooked, and I know this mama is really looking forward to having another breastfeeding relationship:

Not surprisingly my blessingway friend had craft activities ready to go for her guests, including colouring in mandalas and writing on a banner that will hang in her birth space...

And The Mama of honour received a gorgeous henna belly tattoo to celebrate the divine beauty of pregnancy (I have serious belly envy of this Mama, it's is perfect!):