Hearthkeeper October, 2010

Hey Guys and Gals.. I am sending out some crafts and ideas… Thought it might be interesting for Samhain

Besom

You will need: 4ft dowel- 1″ in diameter or a tree branch of the same approximate size, ball of twine, scissors, straw, thin willow twigs, broom corn or pliable herb stock.

Take the straw or other herb stalk that you have chosen and soak overnight in luke warm salted water. The water swells the stalk slightly for bending without breakage, and the salt dispels former energies. When ready, remove stalks from the water and dry for just a bit. Not too much or the stalk will stiffen up, again.

Place the dowel on a table where you have room to work. Start lining the stalks along the dowel , about 3 inches from the bottom, moving backwards. Begin binding the stalks to the dowel with the twine. Tie very securely.

You may add as many layers as you like, depending on how full you want the Besom to be. When stalks are secure, gently bend the top stalks down over the binding. When all have been bent over, secure the stalks again with more twine a couple of inches under the first binding.

Allow to air dry for a day or two. The dowel can then be stained, painted, or carved into to make personal. Remember to concentrate and charge at the next full moon.

Pendulum

Items needed:

• An oblong bead
• A pendant
• Approx. 9″ chain (a broken necklace will work great)
• Needlenose pliers
• One pin head wire (found in bead stores)
• Clippers (I use toenail clippers!)
• Two small beads

Instructions:

1. Thread the beads onto the pin head wire in this order: small bead, oblong bead, small bead.
2. With the clippers, clip off remaining wire, leaving approx. 3/4″ remaining.
3. Using the needle nose pliers, bend the wire holding the beads into a ring and clamp.
4. Open a link on one end of your chain, and thread through the loop you just made. Clamp shut using the pliers.
5. Open the link on the opposite end of your chain, loop through the pendant. Clamp shut.

To use the Pendulum, hold the pendant in your hand loosely, elbow on the table, letting the pendulum swing free. Still the movements of the pendulum with your other hand. Ask the pendulum to show you “yes” – the pendulum should start to move in a pattern, usually in a circle or back or forth. If you can’t really tell, ask the pendulum to be more precise. Once a pattern is established, this is the Pendulum’s “yes.” Now, ask the pendulum to show you “no.” Keep your pendulum in a safe place, and it will treat you well!

Here are some activities to try out with your family:

Together as a family, create an altar honoring your family’s beloved
dead(including pets). Use photos, mementos, keepsakes or anything that
seems right.

Make candleholders out of apples, turnips, gourds and small pumpkins
by hollowing out deep holes in the tops. Make sure the candles are
well-secured in the bases.

Eat dinner by candlelight, setting a place at the table for your
beloved dead. If your children are older, try having a Silent Supper where
the meal is eaten in silence so the spirits are not frightened away.

Plant flower bulbs in your yard or somewhere special. Think of this
as a promise for spring, a secret the earth will keep for you in the cold. Infuse it with all your thoughts of spring and warmth.

Take a walk and observe animals (like squirrels and geese) prepare
for winter. At home, prepare for winter in your own way.

Try making skull-shaped popcorn balls.

Why should kids have all the fun? The whole family should make
costumes and go trick-or-treating!

Enjoy your Blessed Samhain

Blessed Home and Hearth

The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. Please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Tags: besom, broom, craft

• Crafts

Modred September, 2010

Putting a Spell in the Bag

The word craft implies a skill that does or produces something practical and useful.  If you want to put the craft back into witchcraft, try looking for the places where material and spiritual crafts overlap.

There’s no better example than weaving and knot-tying.  Getting married is called “tying the knot,” and everyone’s heard of tying a bit of string around a finger to remember something important, or has used the phrase “weave a spell.”  When you tie a knot you store up a bit of your will, bind up some energy (possibly for use later), or even create a physical manifestation of a hope or a dream.  To untie a knot is to release that energy, to let that which was bound go free once more.

Try this very simple craft.  Once you get the project set up and the tying process becomes automatic, try either (a) unfolding your mind outward so that it’s free to wander and relax, or (b) fold your thoughts inward so that you focus completely on the task at hand, perhaps even spontaneously working a spell as you weave.  For example, if you are planning to use your bag to carry a water bottle on a difficult hike or survival trip, you can use the unfolding to imagine and predict the hazards that lay ahead; or you can fold inward and allow your intent to manifest and become tangible in the survival tool you are making.

When you’re done you’ll have a useful bag for carrying a bottle (plastic, steel, or homemade gourd).  The same technique can be scaled up with longer and heavier cordage to make a net that can hold a pot for a hanging basket.  You can even make a bag to hold potatoes and onions in the pantry, to hold seasonal decorations like small pumpkins and gourds for Halloween, or any number of things.  Instead of working with a hoop, you can even weave on a broomstick with rope to make a cargo net to cover the bed of your truck like I did.

If you feel adventurous, use sturdy colored yarn or strips of colored cloth twisted into cordage, or add a bead or two between knots for decoration.

Start by finding a spot where you can hang your project and sit comfortably.  You’re going to need 50 feet or so of cordage – jute twine works nicely – a knife or pair of scissors, and about an hour of free time.  Start by making a hoop about 10 inches across from a green stick.  Use a scrap of twine to hold the ends together.  Take two lengths of cord and tie the ends to opposite sides of the hoop.  Hang your hoop like a mobile at a comfortable height.

Now cut about twenty lengths of cord approximately 2 ½ feet long.  The easiest way to do this is by wrap cord around your thumb and elbow twenty times; slip the loops off and cut one end.

If you want your bag to be a bit deeper you’ll need to cut them one a time, or wrap around a larger object such as the back of a large chair, adjacent fence posts, etc.

Now start tying your lengths to the hoop using cow hitches.  It’s important to use a cow hitch so that you can snip apart the hoop and slide out the pieces without leaving any knots.  Space them around the hoop evenly.

Your hoop should now look like the one above.  Now you’re ready to begin weaving and tying.

Move around the hoop, tying adjacent strands together using overhand knots like the one above.  As you go forward, row after row, you will be creating a series of diamond shapes.  When you’ve reached the bottom your project should look like the picture above.  Cut the hoop using pruning shears or snips and slip out the scraps of twig.

Here’s how to tie off the loose ends.  Cut a length of cordage and lay it alongside your ends.  Form a loop, and begin wrapping one end very tightly around the entire assembly.

Insert the free end through the loop and pull the other end.  The loop and the free end will disappear beneath the wrapping and pull even tighter. Clip the ends even with the wrapping and you’re done (this tying method, by the way, can be used to wrap knife handles, to secure spear and arrowheads, to finish the ends of braided cords for necklaces, and so forth).

Now for the final step.  Thread a length of cord through the top row of open sections and tie it off.  Now when you place something in the bag and hold the loop, the bag will cinch shut and hold firm.

Above is a net bag my daughter made for holding a water bottle.  That’s a rubber snake in the background by the way, not a copperhead.  Keeps the chipmunks humanely out of my Calendula!

Please do give this little craft a try, incorporate the spiritual elements, and see if you don’t have a pleasant experience.

If you get stuck and need a hand, or just want to share your thoughts insights, feel free to email me at woodwitching@gmail.com.

Tags: bag, craft

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Hearthkeeper October, 2009

Here is a craft for you to welcome your family both alive a dead..

From Better Homes and Gardens 2006

Luminarias

Every guest will feel welcome when sparkling lanterns surround your door.

What You Need:

Metal cans in assorted sizes, cleaned and with paper labels removed and saved

Plain paper cut to fit the can (optional)

16-penny square nail

Awl

Hammer

Punch-style can opener

16-gauge galvanized wire

Pliers

Votive Candle

Instructions:

1. Fill the cans with water and freeze them overnight. (Freezing makes it easier to hammer a design into the can without damaging the shape of the can.) Don’t worry if the bottoms bulge slightly from the pressure of the ice.

2. To make the paper pattern, use the wrong side of the label or plain paper trimmed to fit. Fold the paper in quarters to keep the design elements evenly spaced. Unfold and draw lines, stars, chevrons, squares, Vs, or other simple geometric shapes on the paper.

3. Tape the paper over the can, and place the can on a folded towel to protect the work surface. Using the 16-penny nail (for square holes) or awl (for round holes), hammer through the design into the can and ice.

4. Let the ice melt completely. If the bottom of the can became distorted in the freezer, gently hammer it back in place. Use the punch-style can opener to make triangular holes along the top and bottom edges of the can.

5. To hang luminarias, cut a 20-inch length of wire and bend it into a U-shape. Insert the ends from the inside of the can to the outside through holes in opposite sides of the can. Curl the ends back over the top of the can. Place a votive candle in the can.

Courtesy of BHG

Tags: craft, homemade, Luminaries

• Crafts

Administrator July, 2009

Cauldron Spirits are an alcohol based mixture that burn in your cauldron or any other fire safe container. Be wise with this, as you would anything else you were going to burn. Keep it away from all flammable objects, keep it away from children, and please burn in a well ventilated area. Do not ingest this ever! If you do by mistake please call your doctor immediately. Prepare them at the moon time that suits your working purpose and when finished, store them in a cool, dry cupboard. Of course there are many combinations of herbs that can be used to suit the needs that I am going to address so by all means, feel free to substitute. I am a firm believer in following the intuition given you by your guides.

Items needed:

Base Mixture

*Half pint mason jar

*Isopropyl Alcohol

*Distilled Water

*Mortar and Pestle

Prosperity

*Dried Patchouli

*Cloves

*Mint

Protection

*White Sage

*Boneset

*Cloves

Psychic Visioning

*White Sage

*Star Anise

*Frankincense Resin

Directions:

To create the base mixture, you will mix one part distilled water for every 2 parts of alcohol that you use for a more intense flame, and half and half for a lower flame. I heat the water up. By using warm water, when you get everything in the mason jar, it will help to seal it a bit. This isn’t an air tight perfect seal but since we are NOT INGESTING this EVER it doesn’t need to be perfect. Fill your jar 2/3rds full.For the herbal mixtures, you will treat this as you would any herbal spell mixture. I use about a tablespoon of each, but you can use more or less as needed. I have found that if you have too much in your Cauldron Spirits, it will not burn right.As you add each one to your mortar, focus on your intention. If you are working towards prosperity, then see yourself in the position you desire, once all are in, continue focusing on your goal as you grind the herbs or resins together. Next you will simply add this into your jar. Screw on the lid and give it a little shake. I have been known to add a stone to the jar but, if you do this, be sure to keep your stone out of the fire. Don’t put your best clear quartz in there as the colorations of the herbs and with some stones, the alcohol, will discolor them.Store away until ready for use. If you are not a “pyro“, then use a long match to light.

Tags: craft, crafting

• Crafts

Witch1979 May, 2009

Concepts of Deity

As mentioned last month, divinity can often be a touchy subject.  Ask ten different people what their definition of the divine is and you are likely to get ten different answers.  Is there a God?  Is there a Goddess?  If so what are they like?  Every soul will ask these questions in their lifetime and either accept established doctrine or come to their own conclusions.  Spiritual growth is our quest for understanding of that which is greater than ourselves. And while we may arrive at ideas which are universal, the journey is, by necessity, personal.

Wicca is not a religion that promotes dogma or rigid notions on what deity is or is not.  Instead it offers a general framework of thought that most Wiccans share, but which is by no means written in stone.  Like any pagan path, the Craft embraces diversity.  The most fundamental concept is that of immanence.  In contrast to the monotheistic faiths, Wiccans do not consider their gods or goddesses to be “out there” somewhere.  Rather they are here, in the most immediate sense, and in all things including ourselves.  Transcendent deity is the common idea of a powerful figure in the clouds far removed and above humankind.  Immanent deity is also powerful, but it is not separate.  This is difficult to truly grasp because it is beyond the intellect alone.  One analogy is just as all cells of your body are part of you, we are all part of the divine.  Or to state it another way, we each have an inner God, Goddess, or Higher Self within us upon which we can call because we are part of the whole.  Deity is part of nature, or rather is nature, and as natural beings we are constantly in communion with it if we accept that it is so.

The next basic concept of Wiccan deity is that it is dual: there is a God and a Goddess.  There is wide variation and emphasis within the traditions here, but the basic model is that of complementary forces whose combination produces life as we know it.  Remembering that these are immanent forces, the God and Goddess are not a superhuman man and woman.  We may personify them as such in order to relate to them, but when we speak of Wiccan deities they are first and foremost the most primal of forces in nature.  Their interaction is necessary for life, time, and growth.  Without the light of the sun or the rain from the sky (the God) the seeds of the earth (the Goddess) would lie dormant and sterile.  Though we say God and Goddess there is no gender bias between them.  It would be just as accurate to envision deity as twins of the same sex, as many cultures have done, and arrive at the same ideas.  The important point is that they are dual in order to express their interaction.

Beyond the two teachings of immanence and duality there may be little in common for divinities between individuals in the Craft.  Everyone will attune to these greater forces in their own way and this is as it should be.  Many if not most Wiccans find that they connect with the pantheons of a particular culture.  The God and Goddess are seen as universal deities that can be personified and related to more easily as a particular god or goddess from ancient myth.   For instance, groups with a British Traditional focus may invoke the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.  Classical pantheons may choose Diana and Pan, or Demeter and Dionysus.  The list is endless.  It can also vary with the intent of a particular ritual or magical working.  Perhaps I may call on the Goddess as Brigid at the Imbolc sabbat, but as Venus if I am in need of a love spell.  All of these gods and goddesses are faces of the larger deity they personify and none are incorrect.  Meditation upon the greater forces of God and Goddess is the surest way to find your own connection and know what works for you.

Besides calling on specific deities it is also popular in Wicca to represent the deities according to the archetypes of the Horned God and Triple Goddess.  Both of these motifs were common in ancient mythologies as expressions of fertility and immortality, survival and continuation of life being vital preoccupations.  The Horned God rules the wild forests and the animals therein.  He is the king of all noble beasts who is born at midwinter of the Goddess, grows to maturity to become her partner/consort, and gives his life in the autumn so that life may continue.  His cycle follows the solar cycles and the harvest, and he is reborn each year as the child conceived by his union with the Goddess.  The Triple Goddess reflects the threefold face of maiden-mother-crone, also reflected in the lunar cycles/phases.  The Goddess does not die each year as does the God, but instead shows these aspects in turn as part of the yearly cycle.  She is the maiden in spring, the mother after her union with the God going into the summer, and the crone in the waning months of autumn.   As he is reborn she is also renewed and they are young together once again in the new year.  These patterns are mythological expressions of the cycles of nature that we experience, and their popularity in Wicca is understandable given that they aid us in our attunement with them.

Knowledge of the divine is a goal of any religion.  Wicca may acknowledge deity as an immanent duality, but that cannot answer the question of what the experience of divinity is.  If my deity is immanent, is it a force outside of me or just a higher part of me?  Does calling on the divine entail reaching outside to the universe or within myself?  Are their gods/goddesses/angels/fairies/etc in the world or are they my projections?  I make no claim to have any answers to these questions as I am still seeking answers myself.  And I have a feeling that the answers I arrive at can be different from yours, and we can both be right.  To a certain extent it doesn’t really matter.  Whether the forces we work with in Wicca are inside us or out in the world, we have the ability to harness them for ours and other’s betterment.  In that sense the God and Goddess are most definitely “real” because we can see their effects every day.  I like to think of them as forces I may never comprehend, but that I can work with when in need and learn from at all times.  My Goddess is not above me in judgment, but I sit at her feet in deference as a student to a wise teacher who would seek to learn great wisdom.  May she grant me the understanding that I may prove a worthy pupil.

Journal for the Month of April:

I am gearing up for Beltane at the end this month, and the flowers are finally starting to bloom!  This is truly a beautiful time of the year (excepting my allergies), and I am really aiming to stop and smell the roses so to speak.  Even in hard times there is so much beauty in nature that we can enjoy for free.  Sometimes I find it even more important to see these things when things are tough, because it helps me to remember that there is a greater world out there and maybe my problems aren’t as long-lasting as they feel at the moment.

Anyways, I should have more to report next month, I have a vacation coming up in which I plan to cram as much reading and meditation as possible.  I think I’ll throw a little bit of gardening in there too; my herb stocks are quite low!  Here’s wishing a merry Beltane to all!

Until next month, blessed be! )O(

Tags: craft, how to, magic, magick, New, witch, witchcraft

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Adrianne Compton March, 2009

Paper Mache Bowls!!

OK!  Keeping in line with Recycling!!  Still gots tons of Tissue paper right?  And with Valentines Day gone, I’m sure your left with plenty of red and white. No worries!  Lets find a better use for that stuff other than cluttering up a landfill!

Things you need:

1. Cheap Plastic Bowl ( I found a set of two at the dollar tree)
2. Modge Podge (you can use any paper Mache glue formula, but for what I did, Modge Podge worked best.
3. Tissue Paper (any color), best if cut into small strips or squares
4. Scissors (Kids get help with an Adult!)
5. LOTS OF TIME

This isn’t a hard Craft, but it is a time consuming one!!

1. you have your nice plastic Bowl. I haven’t tried it yet, but try using a THIN layer of cooking oil on the inside…just to help peel out the tissue paper later.  Now then in sections paint the Modge Podge (MP) on the inside of the bowl and stick tissue paper squares down. Make about two to three layers all around the inside of the bowl and let it Dry. This takes a few hours.
2. Ok kind of tricky but peal the paper mache bowl from the inside. This was tricky even for me!! Just takes some wiggling. But if you used oil, it might not be too bad. Once you’ve peeled it free, turn the bowl bottom up and place your paper mache mold over it!  Then start gluing more Tissue paper  around it and on the bottom!!  I have around 25 layers total on my Bowl, give or take.

3. from here it’s up to you, decorate it with glitter and more. I don’t suggest using a Dip in this unless you have a bowl to Fit inside it!  But hard candy, or wrapped candy will work. If yours is sturdy enough something a bit heavier like crayons.  Use the scissors to trim the lip of your Bowl, or make fancy designs around it.   Either way!  ENJOY!!

Please feel free to leave feedback or e-mail me with your pictures of your projects to adrianne1976@hotmail.com

Tags: craft, paper mache

• Crafts

FireyPearl March, 2009

Thank you for welcoming me back into the Pagan Pages family. It is good to be home.

Knowing if you are pagan is relatively simple, but choosing your path is a little more complex. There are hundreds of pagan paths that a practitioner can follow. Before you choose your path research them. Follow your heart when you make your final decision.

The title of this column is Blessed Be the Kitchen Witch. I am a kitchen witch but I am so also much more. I have brought many more practices into my craft, hearth witchery, cottage witchery, green witchery and garden witchery. I am an earth based witch and all of these practices are centered on the hearth and home so to me all fall into Kitchen Witchery. They are what make me the witch I choose to be. This column will have a little bit of all.

All of the spells, advice, and tips in this column are used with harm to none. Please follow the Wiccan Rede when doing any of the workings found here.

The following was found on the internet and I don’t know who the Author is.

The Kitchen Witch’s Creed

In this pot I stir the sun,

an’ follow the rule of harming none.

Banishment of bane when goin’ windershins;

an’ with water and salt negativity is cleansed.

Household duties are more than chores,

Magick abounds when mopping the floors.

With this broom, I do sweep,

To clean my house and safety keep.

Marigold, Basil, Thyme, and Yarrow,

My spell is cast for a better tomorrow.

Lemons for joy and apples for health,

The pow’r within brings great wealth.

And in this kitchen I do pray,

To truly walk the Witch’s Way.

The tools of a Kitchen Witch do not necessarily have to be bought. A simple wooden spoon can become a wand. A cup or bowl can become a chalice and vessel. Ordinary kitchen knives can be used for an athame and boline. The kitchen broom becomes a staff. The slow cooker or crock pot or a heavy duty cooking pot can be used as a cauldron. A simple coffee grinder takes place of the mortar and pestle. A Kitchen Witch’s magick comes from within, so be sure to use natural materials. Ie: glass, metal, wood, pottery, and ceramics, the broom should be made of straw.

A Kitchen Witch uses essential oils and incense to create balance. He or she turns everyday mundane life into magicak moments. They will take pride in the meals they prepare, and the recipes they create. There are many spells involving a broom and mop. They use these items to cleanse their home which is also their sacred space. He or She will also keep to the rule of harming none as not to jeopardize their magick. Their symbols involve household items such as a cauldron, broom, corn dolls, the triquetra, and a kitchen witch doll. Of course they will use any symbol that is comfortable for them.

A little lore using simple elements from the house.

The refrigerator is the appliance dedicated to air.

Fire dwells within the stove

Water rules over the kitchen sink

All the foods and herbs in the kitchen are ruled by the earth element.

It is thru the use of these basic everyday items from our kitchens that our magick is created.

Even more lore from a Kitchen Witch’s home

Be sure to wash all of your dishes every night is you work with fairy magick. Faries don’t like a dirty kitchen and they won’t let you sleep until you clean it!!

Hang wind chimes in doorways, in front of windows outside, or from a balcony rail to ward off negative energy and keep away intruders.

Sifters and strainers kept in the kitchen are good for protection and will keep the kitchen safe.

If you have a bunch of accidents in your kitchen it is time to magikcally cleanse it.

Sew herbs or magickal powders into the lining of your drapes. Place packets of herbs or magickal powders under your throw rugs. This helps protect and scent the home at the same time.

Herbs for alternate healing

NOTE: Before using any of these remedies please check with your doctor. Some may be bad for your health if you have an existing condition that will interact with the herbs.

hritis: Comfrey

Flu: cayenne pepper

Gout: comfrey.  Gout is also in the arthritis family

Headaches: rosemary

Insect Stings: Marigold

Nightmares: chamomile, rosemary

I will have more for you next month.

Natural Remedies

Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 min.

Dump Nestea into a bath for sunburn

Use meat tenderizer for bee stings

Puffy eyes? Preparation H….I know it sounds gross but it works…yes I have used it…lol

Use that old time favorite snack jell-o for stinky feet… I know.. now I am really grossing you out, but these really work.

Put Kool-Aid in plain yogurt and let your kids use it for finger paints. Your kids will love it and it won’t hurt them if they eat it.

Use Pam cooking spray for a sticking bike chain

Pam will also remove paint and grease from your hands

Peanut butter will take the ink off the face of dolls

Stay tuned for more

March brings us our Spring Equinox. It is also the sabbat of Ostara. Ostara is celebrated on this equinox. It is also known as Lady Day. Ostara is named after the Goddess Eostre. While modern day Wiccans equate Ostara with the spring equinox, the original Ostara was a lunar holiday celebrated on the 1st full moon following the equinox. The significance of Ostara is the beginning of spring and the renewal and rebirth of nature herself.

The full moon for March is called the Chaste Moon. March is the month when spring is upon us. With spring comes the rebirth of plants and animals. Now is the time for new beginnings, new projects, and planting your flowers and new herbs.

I live in an apartment complex so I don’t have flower beds (the BIG downfall of apartment buildings) I do however have a balcony. Since this is the 1st spring I have been here I am going to try my hand at balcony gardening. I will get planters for the railing and plant some of my favorite flowers and a herb garden. I can’t wait. This month’s gardening will be geared towards the apartment dwellers.

For those of you who have a sunny kitchen window (I don’t) the windowsill full of potted plants and herbs not only looks good, but they release magickal energies into the room. Plant some common herbs that are used in your kitchen. Of course plant some of the herbs you like so you can have their energies too.
This month’s craft

Doorway Protection for those living in an apartment

Items Needed:

1 purple candle   glue gun and glue sticks  wire cutters

¼ yard ½ “ lace, gathered and color of choice

2 yds ¼ “ satin ribbon in your color of choice

4 yds ½ “ satin ribbon in a contrasting color

10 small silk rose buds ( found at Hobby Lobby or Michaels)

Gather these items into your sacred space. Light the purple candle. Before making this protective charm, sit and clear your mind and think of how you want this charm to protect your home. When you are ready begin.

1. Take the broom and “very carefully” pass it thru the flame of the candle, the fire will help infuse your charm with your energy. Do this for each item.
2. With the ¼ “ ribbon tie a double bow and glue to the top of the handle. Cut the wire stems off 2 of the silk rosebuds. Glue these to the center of the bow.
3. Take the ½ “ ribbon and tie it into a triple bow. Glue this to the base of the handle. Cut the wire stems off 4 of the rosebuds. Glue them to the center of the bow.
4. Glue the gathered lace along the bottom edge of the bristles(about 1” from the bottom) Cut the stems off the remaining rosebuds and glue them evenly spaced across the lace.
5. Hold your finished broom in your hands as you visualize its intent.

The following incantation is recommended but now necessary. I know it doesn’t rhyme but I haven’t yet mastered that.

Wrapped in ribbon and lace

This broom is enchanted.

Cleansed in fire, now may my wish be granted.

Magic broom of mine protect from harm,

Ward off negativity

Blessed be.

Hang the broom bristles up over your door.

Allow the candle to burn for a bit then extinguish. Put the candle away and use the next time you work any protection for your apartment.

As I told everyone in June 06, I had a “kitchen witch doll” that hang in 7 different kitchen’s and had made it thru all the moves. Well I had to give her a decent send off as she didn’t make it thru my last move intact. Next month’s craft will be the making of a Kitchen Witch Doll.

In closing: Everyone has their own magickal or sacred place. Mine is my home. I feel the magick of my home as well as work my own magick. For some this is their magickal place too. Whatever your place, make it your own. Decorate it to your taste. For those who’s space is outside, enhance your place by adding nice chairs and pots of flowers that you feel drawn too. This place too can be made your very own. Whether inside or out, have fun making your space. Let it take on your personality as well as keeping its own.

Remember: Magick happens all around us.

See you next month

Tags: craft, herbs, kitchen witch, magic, magick, natural, remedies

• Articles

Adrianne Compton January, 2009

Recycle Yule Poppet!

GO GREEN!  That seems to be the no way to go, Recycle, reuse, reduce.  Well heck!  The holidays are no exception. I’m the notorious one to Recycle unwanted presents among my friends, but rarely do I ever get a gift I don’t keep.  I suppose it’s that dragon side of me that keeps things.   However..the one thing that seems to stock pile, year after year!  No matter how much of it I try and use is Tissue paper, Wrapping Ribbon, and wrapping paper.  And Tape, but lets face it, we can alluse a bit of tape year round.

So…Lately I’ve liked the idea of Poppet Dolls. Some might know them as Voodoo Dolls. Though I like Poppet doll better.  So…while this is the dawn of the new year, and as is a new years custom, we make that new year resolution. Yea the past 4 years running my resolution has been to NOT make a resolution.

Things you will need:

* New Years Resolution!!
* Scraps of Tissue, ribbon, and/or wrapping paper
* Scissors (Kids get help please)
* Tape (there should be plenty)

Step one:

Your going to need to have two pieces of tissue paper or wrapping paper.  One large one small.  Ball the smaller piece and stuff it in the middle of the larger piece. (Kinda like making tissue paper Ghost for Samhain.) use some ribbon, tape, or I found a twist tie from a goodie bag, and tie off the head.

Step Two:

Lay your tissue paper poppet out and from the bottom corners cut inward towards the head, Don’t cut all the way leave some room in the middle.

Step Three:

Start twisting the 4 sections individually to make the arms and legs.

Step Four:

Now the time consuming part   On a piece of paper, or on the poppet it self, writ our your New Year Resolution! Attach the paper and start WRAPPING!!  This is the time consuming part. When your done you can stash him away with the rest of the ornaments and bring him out next year to display or Burn when you make another one for the next year.

Aside from Yule this idea can be used for most occasions. Mommie exspecitng take some of the baby shower tissue paper and apply the same idea  except write down your hopes for it’s future and life.  The keep it as a keep sake and when your child gets older, give it to him/her and let them read the good will you wrote.

There are so many other occasions this will work for I won’t even try to list them all J

So Remember GO GREEN!!  And Recycle, reduce, and reuse

Tags: craft, doll, green, poppet, recycle, reduce, reuse

• Crafts

Adrianne Compton December, 2008

Prosperity Wheels

The new year is coming…It’s  time to reflect on the past and set goals for the future.  This tool gives you an easy ability to focus your energy on changing what it is you want to change, and to help achieve the goals you want to make!

What you need:

1. Paper plate, or circle cut out of poster board or card stock.
2. paint, markers, crayons, colored Pencils
3. Ruler or straight edge
4. magazine pictures, actual picture, talent for drawing or sketching
5. Glue or tape
6. A paper fastener(I’ve always called them brads)
7. An idea of what you want your Wheel to represent!

Ok so you have your plate all clean and pretty Lets get creative

Step 1:

Probably best to find the center of your plate.  Best way I’ve found is to gently fold the plate in half, fold that part in half gently and just pinch the corner.

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Step 2:

There are several ways to make a prosperity wheel.  You can divide the 4 sections into the 4 elements.  On the top rim glue a picture or color, or color in with paint, markers etc. to represent the elements (earth=green; air=east; fire=south; water=west).  I made a template of the Goddess Symbol and just traced it onto the 4 sections and then painted them to the corolating element.

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Step 3:

Identify a goal with the element(s) it corosponds with.  For a job change, you can use fire or fire and earth.  Earth being for a stable income or lifestyle.  What you use, or draw for your goal is up to you.

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Step 4:

This is optional, but its purpose is to help focus your energy even more.  Using the paper Fastener (or brad) make your self a pointer, something like a clock hand. You can use the pointer to point at a specific goal and focus your energy on that one goal.

I know the pictures on mine are hard to see, but I have a $ sign on earth for more stability in my job and more money.  I have a sewing machine on air for creativity, and I need to start working on my sewing and crafty projects. Fire has a picture of a Slim Fast label (yes yes ha ha ha) obviously to loose weight.  And Water is a car cause I wanna be able to travel more in the future, mostly home to see my family.

Very simple craft you can even do this with your kids and have them cut out pictures of toys they want, and from there you can get chores out of them and have them save the money to Get those toys.  Just a suggestion

Tags: craft, fun, prosperity, wheel

• Crafts