Folklore, Customs, Legends and Mythology

 Beyond the tinsel and fake, cottonwool beards, there are older traditions clustered around the observance of Yule and midwinter. Depending on where you are, the friends and fiends of the season may wear different masks and ask for (or dispense) different favors. For example, there are the thirteen unruly Yule trolls who pester mortals for almost a fortnight - each troll gets his own night - with disturbances ranging from door-banging and window-peeping to all sorts of thefts around the house (and usually the kitchen). The Gloucestershire practice of wassailing sounds suspiciously similar to caroling, albeit with a few unique twists. Frau Perchta prowls the alpine mountainsides, while the eerie looking La Guajona lurks in the nocturnal gloom of wintry northern Spain. And then there's Krampus, the Wild Hunt, the Scandinavian tomten and the gnomes to worry about. In fact, this is a great space to get acquainted with the pagan origins of many Christmas traditions. Of course, this group is hardly limited to Yuletide figures, good or bad. There's standing stones, Appalachian folk magic and Native American artefacts. A post that really wowed me featured pages from the gorgeously laid-out Enchanted Gazette, which included a pagan calendar

Members: 1.2 million.

Trigger Warnings: The occasional AI image. 

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts:

Magical Christmas Markets of Europe

Magnificent Traditional Costumes of the World

Medieval Mirth & Jollity

Identification of Rocks & Minerals - NO sales! NO spam

In the past, we've done bugs and feathers. Why not turn our attention to something that does not decay or scamper off to the nearest crack in the floor. Rocks carry the long history of our planet's more turbulent beginnings, when lava cooled and compacted to begin the process of forming the minerals that still nestle within its arteries. They are imprinted with struggles that were old long before the first apes came down from the tree. Found a pretty rock or mineral specimen that intrigues you? Post it here. Or scroll through other leavings and finds from around the world. Agate or opal? Unekite or jasper? Sodalite or azurite? If you geek geology, join this crew of rock detectives to help, or even just to admire some of the images posted. Tantalizingly cracked crusts. Telltale erosion patterns. An enigmatic specimen from Namibia which eludes a positive ID - but could be heterosite or purpurite. And there are helpfully educational comments, such as the finger-tip-test to determine the presence of fossil or cleaning tips for tarnished pyrite. 

Members: 232k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts:

Ancient Stone Bothering

The Lewis and Harris Trail

Feather Identification Worldwide

Card Making Community

An acquaintance recently suggested that greeting cards are slowly meandering off in the footsteps of dinosaurs and dodos, but I suspect they may be mistaken. For one, no one's told the Card Making Community of its eminent extinction yet. And if the images and posts are anything to go by, there are still plenty of free-range greeting cards to be found. Some are simple and hand drawn. Others are opulently multi-dimensional. There are pop-up cards, collages that pay homage to the Nativity, as well as fun, quirky ones featuring mischievous snowmen and reindeer. Materials are equally diverse - textured paper, cut-outs, lace, paper flowers and even real buttons. While you can probably wing it with a pinch of improvisation, it also helps to stock up regularly from your favorite craft shop. One clip shows a card being made from start to finish.  Another post asks for ideas on how to incorporate a novelty napkin into a personalized card for a friend. Another wants inspiration for an alternate advent calendar and there's a thread for random Christmas Card buddies as well. Lots of wonderful inspiration within this space, helping you to get ready for Christmas and making sure no one feels left out, but it's not all tinsel and elves. There were beautiful hand painted card motifs as well as a collection of forest fairies, just as a reminder that greeting cards are not so much seasonal as timeless.

Members: 66.6k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts:

DIY Crafty Fun & Crafters on the Todooo app!

Magical Christmas Markets of Europe

Mixed Media & Mixed Medium Art

Stories from the Road Museum AUSTRALIA

With rapid advances being made in autonomous driving technology, a persistent rumor suggests that old school truckers are on the way out. That would, of course, be an absolute shame. There's something utterly romantic about the men and women who hoist themselves up into the cabins of 18-wheeler behemoths to transport food, furniture, toys, and so much more to shops around the world. Their service is especially appreciated in countries where long distances separate cities and regions from each other. Road Museum, Australia pays tribute to these mechanical wonders through vintage photographs and roadside snapshots. Some posts share the heart and soul of long-time truckers, such as a tribute post for Ian Castles, an Australian country music icon who was also a lifelong trucker. There's even a have-you-seen-this-truck post, on behalf of a past owner and a video clip from a truck show. If you like your combustion engines supersized and rolling, this Facebook group is well worth a visit. The Road Museum is located in Port Pirie in southern Australia.

Members: 129.1k, at the time of writing. 

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts

Footplate Memories

Industrial Heritage and Art

Small Bikes Big Adventures

Toy knitting patterns (finished projects)

It is astounding what you can knit when you put your mind to it. And it helps when you have a pattern to guide you from casting on the first stitches to sewing in a quirky smile or mischievous eyes. But this is not a strictly pattern swapping community, although there are occasional requests for specific items. No, this is pure inspiration. In keeping with the time of year, there's an abundance of Christmas themed items - Santa's, elves, reindeer, snowmen, angels, tree decorations and even a grinch or two. There are also plenty of covers and cozies, ranging from can covers and orange covers to tiny cozies to protect your chocolate bonbons. I saw characters such as Super Mario, Postman Pete and even the K-pop Demon Hunters. Probably the zaniest exhibit was that knitted cyclops potted plant.

Members: 92.5k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: None. 

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts:

Random Acts of Knitting and Crochet Kindness

Handmade Craft Ideas

Knitting for Beginners

Professional Portrait Artists

A beautiful young woman in graphite. The thoughtful gaze of an old man. The sparkling merriment that live in the eyes and soul of a musician. A freckled child holding her striped cat. A study that pays homage to a popular Netflix series. A self-portrait that captures the artist's amused gaze. A moody waif in watercolor. The close-up of an eye that brims with moisture and life. The carefree smile of a brown-haired boy. A rogueish centenarian betraying his continued love for life. An elegant woman resplended under her parasol. A war veteran showing off his medals Here and there, also a pet portrait. Not all of the work featured is by professional portrait artists, but each hint at the unique character of the subject in a way that is both compelling and insightful.

Members: 45k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: None. 

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts:

The Pastel Palette

World Watercolor Group

Pen and Ink Drawings

THINGS WITH FACES (original)

Sometimes, what gives us the biggest jump-scare, is adding imaginary sentience to an ordinary everyday object. Do you see a car's headlamps as eyes? What about the symmetric windows of a cottage? Is there a mouth forming in the creaky, knobby bark of an old tree? What's in the vegetable box? A potato with a soft, dimpled smile. There are even second faces hiding within folds of skin. Anything is possible. Some of these are accidental and totally random collections of objects. Some, like clouds or soap suds, make the briefest of incursions into our reality. Sometimes they are the stuff of scary stories. Others serve merely as gentle reminders that it is up to us to add significance to our own existence. This Facebook group prompts you to see your world looking back and smiling.

Members: 2.9k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Related Posts:

Paper Mache on the Wild Side

Manhole Covers Around the World

Furries in Unusual Places

Savage Chickens