Prepping my materials for a new Brighid’s Cross and Brat Bhrídhe strips
Imbolg and Lá Fhéile Bríde (St Brigid’s Day) will soon be here, celebrating early spring, and the goddess Brighid and St Brigid.
Brighid lights the fires of the hearth, inspiration, and the forge, and is the patron of both the healing arts (and childbirth), the creative arts and the sacred wells.
Let Brighid inspire your cruthaitheacht (creativity in Irish, see footnote below) as you light a candle for Brighid, create your Brighid’s Cross, altar, and prepare your Brat Bhrídhe (strips of red cloth representing Brighid’s mantle) for placing outside at dusk tonight (Imbolg Eve) to gather Brighid’s healing dew.
Pictured are some materials for prepping tonight and tomorrow ceremonies (including a tealight ignited within Brigid’s Fire Temple from the Moon Mná Lantern which was lit from the Solas Bhridhe Perpetual Flame and holds the sacred energy of all three), plus some pics from previous Imbolg altars. 
I am trying something new today: preparing a new Brighid’s Cross using dried quarter-inch reed — which I’ll soak for a couple of hours to increase the pliability — as my foraging this week did not find something (yet!) I could use for this Imbolg celebration. And I will be making a few more Brat Bhrídhe strips with this bright red organic cotton cloth. Pictures below are from previous Imbolg (aka Imbolc) celebrations.
How are you celebrating Imbolg and Brighid?
Imbolg Blessings!
FOOTNOTE
cruthaitheacht (Irish), creativity
Pronunciation (approximate) per teanglann.ie:
Connacht dialect: croy-(h)ee-uhkt
Ulster dialect: crew-vee-acht
Munster dialect : croy-hah-huckt