Alex Crowe April, 2011

Inner Beauty

Many times in life, women look at themselves in the mirror.  They see little imperfections and usually those little blemishes look like massive craters in their skin. Most of the time it is simply a small inconsistency in the skin or a scratch that it takes a truly trained professional to find. To the beholder, it is something far more gruesome and painful to bear. It is a nightmare to have a pimple or blackhead and in polite company is it against the rules to mention these issues surrounding beauty.

Amazingly enough, beauty is an ideal that withstands the hands of time. So many people over the years put a stigma on what being beautiful means, what it encompasses and more than anything how to capture and maintain it. Young girls are brought up to think that without pounds of make-up or without having the ability to stay forever young, they can’t be beautiful. Natural beauty is a thing of the past, forever hidden by airbrushing and layers of paste.

In my opinion, things that should be kept in your make-up drawer should be things that accentuate the positive, not cover the flaws. Everyone has their own flaws. A flaw makes them more beautiful and shows the truth behind a soul. Inner beauty should be forced to show, and if the people you are involved with on a day to day basis don’t care enough about you to find out what makes you a wonderful human being, then they lose in the end, don’t they? They aren’t worth your time in trying to take off the layers of filth that they hide behind.

In my studies, I always come across things that you can make and are easily kept to bring out the inner beauty that everyone naturally possesses. There are so many tricks that have been made over the years to help you and they have long been forgotten. These tricks are what I want to write about today. I want to see more people bringing out their truth, not the lies that they are told to use.

I will just write about the face since that is mostly what people pay close attention to in today’s world.

Eyes can say so much about a person. They are the windows to the soul. It’s like they are little two way mirrors if you know what to look for. I personally think that a little eyeliner and mascara is all that is really needed to bring a beautiful eye into sight. You accentuate the eye color and bring it forward to make them pop. You don’t have to wear gobs of eye shadow to show that you have eyes. Let your natural color carry the people you meet away.

At the end of the day though, Safflower oil is great for removing the eye make-up. Advertisers want you to think you have to pay money to buy a packet of make-up wipes or cleansers. It can be even more inexpensive if you really try.

As for your cheeks, a great idea taken from the dark ages was pinching. No, it is not just for Saint Patrick’s Day, but also for cheeks. A couple of light pinches on the cheeks every so often can bring a pink hue to the skin naturally giving the bearer a great glow. It works wonders and costs nothing. How much better can you get than that?

Now, lips are a bit trickier. You could go around biting your lip to bring color to it, but often it can bruise and it could even look a bit awkward. A great lip balm recipe is from Kitchen Witchery by Marilyn F. Daniel. Take ½ cup Almond oil, ¼ cup Cocoa butter and ¼ cup Coconut oil and melt over a low fire. Stir in 1 tablespoon honey and 2 oz. beeswax. After the beeswax has melted, add 1 ½ teaspoons of any natural flavoring (my personal favorite is cherry). Any of the cooking supplies in your kitchen will work. Mix completely and test for firmness. It needs to be firm, so if needed add more beeswax to get the desired consistency.

So, Alex, what do you do when you have an unwanted pimple show up the night before your big meeting? That is easy. Valerian root tea, often great for those restless nights where Mr. Sandman doesn’t show is also great to dabble on a pimple. It will cause the pimple to dry up and clear up on its own. Other’s teas are good for this as well, but only the Valerian root is in my cupboard.

I would love to see more people relying on the assets they have instead of the pounds of make-up they purchase. I know that over night, we will not see so many more natural faces, but if some of you out there realize that your beauty has nothing to do with what the advertising agencies are telling you then we will be better off as a people. Children should be brought up seeing how wonderful the world is instead of what the items that are dragging us down look like. They should know that they are beautiful not because of what they possess, but because of who they are, what they do and what they believe in.

I know I am a dreamer, but I want to make other’s dream as well. If more people thought that they had a sense of self and knowing they are beautiful despite what others say, we would have less people that are thinking they aren’t worthy or killing themselves. We as a people would be happier and in the long run healthier.

So, take my advice and let that beautiful person shine through you. Don’t cover it up and make people take a chisel to see who you really are inside. Show them what you have on the outside and be proud of who you are. To be honest, if they don’t like you for your own true beauty, then they weren’t worth knowing the more expensive you that you were covering up with.

Tags: Consult Your Inner Psychic: How To Use Intuitive Guidance To Make Your Life Work Better, natural

• Crafts , Herbal , Recipes

Hearthkeeper September, 2010

Hey guys and gals.. I am sending some recipes for homemade cleaning supplies and body care supplies…

Starting with window cleaner.

Recipe #1

2 cups water
3 TBS vinegar
1/2 tsp dish detergent (liquid)

Recipe #2

1 gallon water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp dish detergent (liquid)

Recipe #3

1 gallon water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 TBS lemon juice
squirt dish detergent (liquid)

Recipe #4

1/2 cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Spray windows with preferred cleaner solution then wipe clean with crumpled newspapers. The newspaper helps prevent streaks.

Avoid cleaning windows and glass when the sun is hot and shining on the window–glass will dry too fast and there will be streaks.

Also wash one side of the window in an up and down direction, on the other side scrub side to side. This will help determine which side of the glass has the streaks that need to be polished out.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Shake ½ Cup of Borax and 10 drops of tea tree essential oil into toilet,
give it a quick scrub with the toilet brush, close the lid and leave for
several hours or overnight. Scrub again, flush and delight in your sparkling
clean, fresh-smelling bowl.

Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent

Recipe #1

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

• Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
• Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
• Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
• Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

Recipe #2

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar

• Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
• Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
• Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe #3
Powdered Laundry Detergent ( I use this and it is great. You can pre-wash with Dawn if you get grease or oil stains)

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated – you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

• Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
• Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Recipe # 4
Powdered Laundry Detergent ( you can make this in smaller batches. It works great too.)

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)

• Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
• Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Liquid Detergents Note

Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.

*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon).

Optional

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.

Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil

If you add an extra ½ cup borax and a ½ cup salt to 1 ½ cups liquid detergent you can make a great soft scrub.

All purpose cleaner

2 Tablespoons Borax
1 Teaspoon Castile Soap
15-20 drops total of Essential Oils such as Pine, Lemon, Lemongrass,
Eucalyptus or Tea Tree (remember that Tea Tree is has great disinfectant
qualities)

Add Borax to a 1-quart spray bottle.
Fill with warm water.
Add Castile soap and 15 to 20 drops of oil.

Shake and use.

Body care

Basic Shower Gel

1/2 cup unscented shampoo
1/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
15 drops fragrance oil
Food coloring ( optional)

Directions:
Pour shampoo into a bowl and add the water. Stir until its well mixed add the salt and fragrance.

Add any fragrance oil that you like!

Liquid Hand Soap Recipe

1 bar of soap, small (not super size)
3 C. Water

Take your bar of soap (we use Dove or store brand like it, because it’s more moisturizing), and grate it with a cheese grater. Pour the water and grated soap into a microwaveable container and cook on high for 3 min. Remove and stir until all soap bits have melted (put in a bit longer, if needed). Let it cool, then pour into pumps (leftover from store bought liquid soap), and the remainder in any container with a lid. Makes about 24 oz.

Peach Shower Gel

3/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup shampoo concentrate (or substitute with 1/2 cup unscented shampoo and increase salt to 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 tbs. apricot kernel oil
15 drops peach fragrance oil
5 drops vitamin E oil (2 capsules)
1 drop orange food coloring (optional)

Warm the water and pour into a ceramic bowl. Add the apricot kernal oil, salt, peach fragrance oil, vitamin E oil (just break open the capsules) and coloring. Stir until well blended and thick. Pour into a squeeze bottle and close.

Hair Growth herbal Shampoo

This shampoo not only helps encourage hair growth, but it also keeps the
Scalp very clean and healthy and helps prevent dandruff.

2 cups distilled water
1 cup fresh spearmint
1 cup fresh rosemary
1 cup all-natural, gentle baby shampoo
Essential oil or fragrance oil, your choice, optional (to make it a
Scented shampoo)

Boil the water with the fresh herbs for about ten minutes, in a glass
Saucepan (like Visions). Or, you can put in a microwave-safe glass or
Plastic bowl and heat in the microwave until boiling, and allow to boil
For about ten minutes. Then, remove the pot from the stove or bowl from
The microwave and cover with a lid and allow to sit and steep for an
Hour. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth. Mix this with the baby
Shampoo. Pour into bottles and let set overnight. The next morning you
Can add some fragrance or essential oil to the shampoo in whatever scent
You like the most.

Until next month
Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating
The Hearthkeeper

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

Blessed be…

Tags: cleaning, cleansers, green, natural

• Recipes

Summerwynd and Celticmoon June, 2010

herbal remedies have been around for generations, many of which have been altered into not only prescription but over the counter medications as well. That being said, here is yet another herbal remedy that has not been changed for as long as I can remember.

herbal Remedy Oil – for Rashes & Skin Infections

1 ½ Quarts Olive Oil

1 Oz Usnea

1 Oz Acacia

1 ½ Oz Echinacea root

1 Oz Aloe, dried or 2 Oz fresh

1 ½ Oz Sage

1o gel caps vitamin E oil

Grind all herbs as fine as possible. Place herbs and oils in a glass or stainless steel pot. Hear mixture overnight in oven on low or in a covered crock pot on low for seven days. Remove from heat and allow cooling. Press oil mixture thru a cheese cloth to extract oil; store oil in a sealed glass container out of direct sunlight. No need to Refrigerate, but last longer if you do.

In next month’s installment we will be looking at healthy asparagus soup Yum…

Tags: healing, Herbal, natural

• Herbal

Hearthkeeper April, 2010

Homemade Hand Cream

It’s planting season, and your hands are chapped and sore from exposure to soil and sun. Contact with the soil is inevitable, no matter how careful you are , but washing your hands soaps away the skin’s natural protective oils, making it to dry out.

The following recipes contain ingredients that soften and smooth, such as beeswax and lanolin. The first recipe uses fresh herbs while the second uses essential oils. You may wait till you have grown them or purchase the oils from the store and make more before Fall harvest time.

To test for possible allergic reactions, place a small amount of the ingredient in question on the inside of your elbow and cover it with an adhesive bandage. After twenty-four hours, check for redness, swelling, or itching.

Makes 2 cups

To add fragrance, try a few drops of rose, jasmine, or lotus essential oil.
Men may prefer the scent of sandalwood or mint.

• 1 cup fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 1/2 cups fresh comfrey leaves
• 3/4 cup fresh lavender or patchouli leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 16 ounces anhydrous lanolin
• Aloe Vera gel, optional

1. With a mortar and pestle, bruise the herbs with a small amount of olive oil. In a nonreactive saucepan over low heat, melt the lanolin with the remaining olive oil. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the herbs and Aloe Vera gel.

2. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth and pour it immediately into heat-resistant jars. Thick colored glass jars protect the mixture from light and make attractive gifts. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 1/8 cups

Here’s a scented skin cream that even children will like.

• 1 ounce vitamin E oil
• 4 ounces sweet almond oil
• 1 ounce beeswax
• 1 ounce jojoba oil
• 1 ounce coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon oil of calendula
• 1/8 teaspoon oil of chamomile
• 1/8 teaspoon oil of rose geranium

1. Combine the vitamin E and sweet almond oils in a nonreactive saucepan. Heat over low heat (do not boil). Gradually add the beeswax, stirring constantly. Add the jojoba oil, a little at a time, and stir until well blended. Slowly stir in the coconut oil.

2. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the calendula, chamomile, and rose geranium oils, stirring the mixture until it is smooth.

3. When the mixture has cooled, pour it into colored glass jars and seal them tightly. Keep refrigerated.

By Jelaine Foreman, Essential Creations, Inc., Rayne, Louisiana

~Indian Summer Perfume~

- 1 drop lavender oil
- 3 drops grapefruit oil
- 3 drops rose oil
- 3 drops rosewood oil
- 2 drops sandalwood oil
- 2 drops nutmeg oil
- 3 drops vanilla oil
** Be sure to use good quality essential oils to ensure purity!
For an oil based perfume-Add oils to 1/8 oz. Of Jojoba oil!
For a lighter alcohol based fragrance-add oils to 1/2 oz. Of ethyl
Alcohol.
Shake well before each use and store in a dark bottle in a cool dry
Spot.

Dandelion Shampoo

3 TB baby shampoo
2 C. purified water.
1/2c fresh dandelions
1/2tb cherry bark
1/2tb spearmint leaves
2 tsp olive oil
3 drops grapefruit EO

Put dandelion heads in a 20 oz canning jar. Boil water and pour over flower heads. Cover jar with lid and allow steeping for 15 minutes. Add cherry bark and spearmint to jar. Cover and allow steeping for an additional 10 min. Strain, using funnel, pour shampoo & dandelion liquid into a pretty container. Add olive oil and EO. Shake gently to combine for each use.

Shampooing tips:
-only a small amount of shampoo is needed
-use fingertips to create a lather and massage your scalp and rinse hair thoroughly and completely between washings
-wash with warm water and rinse with cool water for shiny hair then  apply favorite conditioner, wrap head in towel, and let sit 10 min before rinsing
-comb hair starting at ends to prevent breakage

Spring Scents

The following recipes can be used in any diffuser.  Simply blend these oils together and add to the wax or pads of your favorite method.   Remember too, that if you like any of these – just blend them and add them to your cleaning bucket!

Warm Woodsy Floral
Cedarwood – 6 drops
Lavender – 4 drops
Mandarin – 3 drops

Sweet Floral
Ylang-ylang – 6 drops
Grapefruit – 3 drops
Mandarin – 3 drops

Spring Forest
Pine Needle – 4 drops
Hyssop – 3 drops
Eucalyptus – 3 drops
Cypress – 2 drops
Juniper – 1 drop

Spring Equinox
Mandarin – 10 drops
Frankincense – 6 drops
Patchouli – 2 drops

And here are some incense

Relaxation Incense
1 pt Rosemary
1 pt Lavender
½ pt Thyme

Love Incense
2 parts Dragon’s Blood
1 part Orris
1/2 part Cinnamon
1/2 part Rose petals
a few drops Musk oil
a few drops Patchouli oil

SACRED SPACE
To clear and make pure an area
4 Tablespoons cedar chips
1 Tablespoons Thyme
1 Tablespoons Sage
2 Teaspoons rosemary
1 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Pinch. Salt
1 Pinch tobacco

SOLSTICE CITRUS INCENSE
1 Tablespoon dry orange peel
1 Tablespoon dry grapefruit peel
1 Tablespoon dry lemon peel
1 Tablespoon dry tangerine peel
1 Teaspoon orange extract
1 Teaspoon lemon extract

An last but not least..( and I could have filled page after page with the recipes I have)

KITCHEN WITCHEN
House blessing Incense
2 Tablespoon dry lemon peel
1 Tablespoon. Rosemary
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon anise seed
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 Pinch. Salt

Until next month

Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating

The Hearthkeeper

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

Blessed be…

Tags: natural

• Recipes

Summerwynd and Celticmoon April, 2010

Well it is that time of year when allergies abound and everyone is running back and forth to the Dr. and the Pharmacy and with all that, often either find no relief or suffer through worrisome side effects. Well there is another way… And that is to look to nature… After all Nature has given us most of the Dr. prescribed medications we use today, however, even with the natural ingredients they have added man made substances that in my opinion do little more than create other symptoms. That being said, this column will give the reader a holistic alternative (through remedy and recipes) to cure many of the ailments we all are afflicted with all year long. The first holistic remedy is for spring nasal allergies.

Nasal Spray for Sinus Infection

7 drops eucalyptus tincture

7 drops sage tincture

7drops usnea tincture

7 drops Echinacea tincture

7 drops juniper tincture

4 drops grapefruit tincture

Place tincture drops in a one ounce nasal spray bottle, add distilled water to fill bottle the rest of the way to the top. Replace cap and shake thoroughly.

Use as needed.

In next month’s issue we will be looking at wound powders as an alternative to Neosporin.

Tags: natural

• Recipes

OSusun S. Weed January, 2010

Wise Woman Ways to Prevent Depression

The dark months are a time of rest and renewal, not a time of high energy. The fairies return to their underground homes at Halloween and return aboveground on May Day. Give in to the slower pace of the winter. Expect less of yourself; enjoy more time in bed. Stop fighting the dark. Let it be deep and nourishing. Before electric lights, humans slept twelve hours a day during the winter. Recognize the softer energy of contemplation and enjoy it, just as you do the active energy of summer.

Herb tonics can help us lighten up and stay healthier all winter. My favorite winter tonics are sunlight, St. Joan’s wort tincture, elder berry tincture, linden infusion, sauerkraut, and organ meats.

Get out into the sun. Not just in the winter, but in the summer too. And skip the sunscreen. Overuse is causing an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency, which leads to depression, weak bones, and cancer. For optimum mental and physical health – and for sustainable energy – humans need 15-30 minutes of unfiltered sunlight on hands, face and eyes (no glasses, no contacts) every day. You won’t make vitamin D in the northern states during the winter, but sunlight still has beneficial effects on the pineal gland, and thus, overall health. Special high-intensity lights are used to help those who deal with winter depression; but natural sunlight is preferable.

Hypericum perforatum is the botanical name for the famous St. John’s wort, better known to me as St. Joan’s wort. This yellow-flowered plant thrives in the hottest, sunniest locations and spends the summer soaking up the sun so she can give it back to you when the outer or inner skies are grey. A dropperful of the tincture, taken as often as every two hours, if needed, can brighten your mood rapidly. I love the winter, so I use Hypericum as an antiviral. A dropperful a day (more if flu threatens) helps prevent colds and the flu.

Elder berries are the fruit of the magical elder bush (Sambucus nigra). All parts of the elder have been used to help us get through the winter. It is said that a powerful woman lives in the elder; I call her Elda Mor, though she has many, many names. If asked to help, she will. But she resents demands and grows furious if she is used without thanks. As much as a teaspoonful of elder berry tincture can be used daily to improve mood and immunity.

Linden blossoms (Tillia americana or europa) are the world’s most popular winter tonic. I make an infusion by brewing a half-ounce (weight measurement) of the flowers in a quart of boiling water. I steep my infusion, tightly covered, off the heat, for at least four hours. For remedial relief of sore throat or bronchitis, I start with cold water and bring the herb and water to a boil together. A big spoonful of honey in each cup of the infusion – strained and heated – isn’t necessary, but adds delight.

Sauerkraut, or any naturally fermented vegetables including Kimchee, feed the underground parts of our beings. A small serving daily from the beginning of December through the end of March can totally prevent the flu. Let the summer stored in the vegetables speak to you of joy.

Organ meats are an old secret for staying healthy, especially in the winter, when we need the concentrated goodness of meat. Liver is a powerful, rich source of vitamins D and A, as well as iron and other minerals needed to keep depression away and strengthen immunity. Eating animals is the surest way to love them and help them. When we buy organic meats, we are voting for well-tended animals who live with dignity and who take pride in contributing to our well-being. When we refuse to eat animals, we leave them in the hands of those who don’t care. And we short-change our own health.

Green blessings!

Tags: depression, homeopathic, natural

• Self Help

Sarah Watson November, 2009

Festival time is around once again, and with it comes all the excitement and wonder of browsing the shops, playing games, and finally getting that turkey leg. I can’t help you with getting the turkey, but I can help you save money by offering advice to get those old-fashioned goodies cheap- or even help you on how to make them yourself.

The first piece of advice is to shop wholesale, or find deals on sites like ebay.com or etsy.com. Ebay has pretty much anything you could ever need, and if you see something, you have the option to haggle or bid as low as you think the product is worth. On sites like etsy, you can find supplies to make your own products, such as hand-mulled soap, homemade candles, hair accessories, jewelry, or whatever else you would want to make. And like ebay, you have the option to haggle or buy wholesale through certain shops.

Second, sniff out and pounce on sales- this can be garage sales, thrift stores, or even throw-aways that aren’t wanted. You can find things to build up on, like an awesome shirt that you can use to rip up or add to. By building your supplies or, say, a custom outfit for faire, you are saving money in the long run. Also, by building from the bottom up, you have all the options of customization without paying for something you don’t need- you can simply find someone who can customize it for less if you can’t do it yourself.

Last but not least, do NOT discard any remnants of old materials or scraps, such as melted candle wax, old buttons, ragged shirts, floral bits, etc. Put them aside- there might be a day and time for those remains. You can use the castaways to make something quick and easy that might alter the way something looks or feels. Also, you can use them to barter or trade with people- either for a cash return or for a service or product that they might offer. Remember, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

By doing just these little steps, you save time, money, and effort. In the long run, you might be able to go get that turkey leg- or even two- and not have to worry about spending the money in shops when you can make things yourself, or find them cheaper.

I save money as often as I can, and find new recipes or skills to dabble with. One powder that I make on hot days at faire is great on skin and helps with the heat. I do not remember how I heard about it, or when- but I call it “Faire Days Heat Helper:”

Faire Days Heat Helper

Mix together equal parts of ground cinnamon, powdered         cardamon, and cornstarch. Rub onto skin and leave on as a perfumed powder.

Also, I have an enormous stash of buttons and other oddities. I make quick and easy buttons that go great with dancer outfits or tribal getups. Collect a few buttons- about 7 per ear ring. You also need wire, hemp cord, fishing line- or another type of thread or cord- and ear ring posts.  Depending on the desired look,some jewelry links might prove to be useful. Attach the cord to the ear ring posts, and then attach the buttons to the cord or wire (wire works best) through the button holes. Loop the wire around, which secures these to the cord. Add more buttons to make any desired effect you might want to try. At the end, add a knot or two and then trim the excess. Photos follow, in order, illustrating good materials to work with, and the steps in order to create these ear rings:

Stay tuned next time to read about how to make your own hair wreath or crown and bath soak that will make you look- and feel- like a million bucks, as well as give a lesson on chakra importance and how it applies to making you look and feel beautiful.

Tags: buttons, Crafts, herbs, natural

• Crafts

Lynn OBrien April, 2009

With the rise in prices all over the place, from groceries to gas to clothing, we should all be seriously considering how to be more self-sufficient. I am not talking about refining your own bio-diesel, although that is becoming increasingly more common. I am talking about making a space in your life for bringing back a little of what our ancestors did on a daily basis.

Even if you live in suburbia-type dwelling, in a rural town or in a downtown high-rise, a little of Nature can be brought into your life and home, cutting a little from your food budget and reducing greenhouse emissions.

Consider a patio garden, where you could grown fresh herbs and maybe a few vegetables that you use on a regular basis. Compost kitchen waste, (do not include, meats, dairy, animal waste, or eggs), newspaper, stale coffee, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags with used tea, eggshells, leaves and spent flowers off of other plants; make your own organic garden compost to help provide nutrients to the soil. If you live where you have a lawn, be wary of using cut lawn clippings if they have been treated with fertilizers or other chemicals.

Composting helps to reduce garbage in landfills, which also helps reduce the number of animals that can be killed each year due to eating and being in landfills. This reduction in landfill waste will help reduce greenhouse gases. Growing your own foods can also help reduce the number of trips to the grocery to purchase produce, thereby reducing more emissions from your car. You can find many different styles and instructions for making your own compost container. The one we currently use is a 25 gallon Rubbermaid garbage can that has about 20 holes drilled into the bottom and about 1/4 of the way up the sides. I put in all my kitchen waste, except for the forbidden items, and leave it out in the sun to “cook”. The heat helps it break down quicker, along with liquid added, like water or coffee, and an occasional stirring.

If you’re lucky enough to have space, and the law allows, you could also look into raising chickens for eggs. All you need is some ground space, a chicken coop, and a couple of hens. Chickens make great bug eaters and the fresh eggs taste different than those you get from conventional, industrial raised chickens. Check with a local feed store to see what kinds of chickens they have available and to get tips on raising them.

Many of today’s meats contain potentially harmful antibiotics and steroid-type “additives”; many of us eat these on a daily basis, like chicken, pork and beef.(2) One common trick is to put carbon monoxide in with red meats when packaged to help them retain their red color longer, making them more appealing on the store shelves.(1)

If you have children, getting them involved in helping you with your garden, and maybe your chickens, will help them learn where their foods come from, and can teach them responsibility. It is good to get them out in Nature once in a while, and helping outside for 30 minutes each day is great exercise.

So look around you, where can you set up a garden patch and start planting? It can be as simple as a windowsill garden, or as complex as a full production garden of a variety of vegetables and fruits. Would it be a benefit to your family? Of course it would, and you would be helping Mother Earth as well!

MotherEarthNews.com is a great place to find all the information you need to start your own home garden or homestead project. Check them out today at http://www.motherearthnews.com. Sign up for free newsletters and get wonderful information at the tips of your fingers!

I urge everyone to take a few minutes out of their day and think about what you can do to make your world, and the world you live in, a little bit healthier.

(1) Mother Earth News, Shocking News About Meat, June/July 2007

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/Meat-Poultry-Health-Risk.aspx

Tags: Herbal, native, natural, wise, woman

• Articles

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

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Administrator April, 2006

If you have trouble pronouncing any chemical found in any household product you are currently using, then it usually has an environmental impact. Think of all the stuff you are rinsing and flushing down the drain into your septic tank. Your septic tank has to have its own healthy ecology (bacteria and such) to breakdown waste products. Disinfectants kill bacteria. So will bleach, ammonia, and lots of other commonly used components of household products. If you are on a sewer line, water treatment plants have to deal with that stuff you have used.

The following ‘recipes’ are environmentally safe alternatives to modern household cleaning products. Using these recipes will help you and your families avoid the health hazards associated with many of today’s cleaners. You will also be helping to protect the quality of our air and water.

These ‘alternative’ recipes have been commonly used around the house for many years. They are often less expensive than commercial products. Better yet, they will help to keep your home a safer place.

White vinegar can be found for as little as $1.00 a gallon. I have yet to pay more than $2.00 a gallon for it.

Borax can be found in the laundry detergent section of the store. It may seem expensive at first glance, but a little goes a long way.

Where vegetable oil is called for, I like to use olive oil. It does not have to be virgin.

All-Purpose Cleaner

Dishwashing liquid or liquid soap
Vinegar
Borax
Water

Mix 1 teaspoon liquid soap, 1 teaspoon borax, and 2 tablespoons vinegar (bottled lemon juice can be used in place of vinegar) in 1 quart water. Wipe or spray onto area to be cleaned; wipe dry with a cloth.

Toxic chemicals avoided: phosphates, glycol esters, ammonia, disinfectants, and caustics.

Window Cleaner

Vinegar or lemon juice
Water

Mix 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice and 1 pint of water in a spray bottle. Spray on. Rub with a cloth diaper or other lint free rag (not paper towels). For outdoor windows, use a sponge and warm water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Rinse well and squeegee dry.

Toxic chemicals avoided: glycol esters, alcohol, ammonia, propellant, and aerosol cans.

Bathroom Cleaner

Borax
Vinegar
Water

Mix 1/2 cup borax and 1/4 cup vinegar in 2 gallons of hot water. Sponge on surface and wipe dry with a rag. After using the toilet, close the lid before flushing—it may help reduce the spread of germs. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly.

Toxic chemicals avoided: Chlorine bleach, strong acids, glycol esters, and quaternary ammonium chloride.

Drain Cleaner

Baking soda
Vinegar
Boiling water

This will free minor clogs and help prevent future clogs. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. Let it fizz a few minutes. Then pour down a teakettle full of boiling water (about a quart). Repeat if needed. If the clog is stubborn, use a plunger or a mechanical snake. Cover drains with strainers or screens to keep out hair. Avoid letting grease go down the drain. As a clog preventative, do this once a week in the kitchen and bathroom drains.

Toxic chemicals avoided: lye, chlorine bleach.

Homemade Gentle Kitchen Cleaner

For a gentle but effective kitchen cleaner, blend 1 cup of salt with 1 cup of baking soda. Store in a covered container. This works wonderfully as a scouring powder and will keep indefinitely as long as you keep it dry.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Baking soda
Dishwashing Liquid

Sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl as you would any scouring powder. Squeeze a couple of drops of soap in also. Scrub with a toilet bowl brush and finish outer surfaces with a rag sprinkled with baking soda.

Toxic chemicals avoided: Hydrochloric acid, chlorine bleach, sulfuric acids, oxalic acid, and quaternary ammonium chloride.

Scouring Powder

Baking soda
Dishwashing liquid
Water

You can use baking soda as a scouring powder. Sprinkle it on porcelain fixtures and rub with a wet rag. Add a little soap to the rag for more cleaning power. Rinse well to avoid leaving a hazy film.

Toxic chemicals avoided: glycol esters, chlorine bleach, acids, and disinfectants.

Oven Cleaner

Baking soda
Water
Scouring pad (green or copper)

DO NOT USE IN A SELF CLEANING OVEN

Mix 1 cup of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply to oven surfaces and let stand. Use scouring pad for scrubbing most surfaces, a spatula or bread knife to get under large deposits. Use an aluminum foil bottom-liner and spot-clean often. If something does spill, or catches fire in the bottom of your oven, sprinkle table salt generously on it. It will help in cleanup and immediately put out the fire.

Toxic chemicals avoided: lye

Pot and Pan Cleaner for Burned-On Food

Baking soda
Water

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon baking soda in burned pot. Fill pot halfway with water. Bring to a boil. Remove pot from heat and wash with dishwashing liquid and water.

Chrome Cleaner and Soap Scum Remover

Vinegar

Apply vinegar to a sponge and rub. Wipe dry with a cloth or you will have spotting.

Toxic chemicals avoided: strong acids and bases

Copper and Brass Cleaner

Salt
Vinegar
Vegetable oil

Mix equal pats of salt and vinegar. Rub onto surface with a sponge until clean. Rinse in hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. Polish surface with a little oil on a clean, dry cloth.

Toxic chemicals avoided: petroleum distillates, ammonia

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Baking soda or vinegar
Green scouring pad

Scour with baking soda or vinegar. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly to avoid spots.

Toxic chemicals avoided: chlorine bleach, oxalic acid, and silica

Stain Remover for Red Wine

Water
Club soda

If the wine is still wet, blot first to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Saturate the stain with water or club soda. Rub lightly and blot dry. Repeat if necessary. Launder according to label directions.

Toxic chemicals avoided: petroleum distillates, chlorinated hydrocarbons

Stain Remover for Ballpoint Ink

Milk

Saturate stain thoroughly with milk. Rub until stain disappears. Launder according to label directions.

Toxic chemicals avoided: petroleum distillates, chlorinated hydrocarbons

Furniture Polish

Vegetable oil

NOT FOR VARNISHED WOOD

Apply a little oil to a cloth and rub into wood. Wait an hour. Rub to remove excess oil.

Toxic chemicals avoided: petroleum distillates

Watermark Remover for Wood

Toothpaste
Olive oil

Rub toothpaste into area with watermark. Then apply oil to blend color. Polish entire area with oil.

Cleaning a Wood Cutting Board

Dishwashing liquid
Scouring pad

Scrub board with dishwashing liquid and scouring pad immediately after each use. Rinse with hot water. Only fruits and veggies should be cut on a wood cutting board. Always use an impermeable surface for meat, poultry, fish, cheese, and eggs—any potentially hazardous food. To disinfect a cutting board with an impermeable surface, scrub with a scouring pad and a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 quart of hot water. If necessary, have 2 cutting boards: one clearly marked for veggies and fruits only.

Linoleum Cleaner

Vinegar
Water

Mop with a mixture of 1/2 cup vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. The vinegar odor will go away shortly after the floor dries.

Toxic chemicals avoided: phosphates, ammonia, glycol esters, and detergents.

Dentifrice

Baking soda

Good old-fashioned baking soda on your toothbrush will get your teeth and gums just as clean as commercial toothpaste. You can even rinse with 1 teaspoon hydrogen peroxide (the same stuff in your medicine cabinet you put on cuts and scrapes) in 1/4 cup of water. Just rinse, gargle and spit.

Toxic chemicals avoided: You read the label on your toothpaste. It tells you not to swallow the stuff.

Laundry Booster

Baking soda

Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup baking soda with your regular laundry detergent. It will boost the cleaning power to where you may be able to cut back by 1/2 the amount of detergent you normally use.

Carpet Freshener

Baking soda

Sprinkle baking soda lightly or liberally(depending on odor level) on your dry carpets, rugs, and upholstery. Let it be over-night or at least 30 minutes. Vacuum as usual.

Grease or Oil on Clothing, Carpets, Upholstery, and Concrete

Corn Starch

Sprinkle corn starch liberally on stain. Let stand. Brush or vacuum off. Repeat as necessary until stain is gone. This really works if you give it a chance. I removed olive oil from a silk shirt. It took 3 or 4 tries, but I saved the shirt.

The Power of Baking Soda

What is Baking Soda?
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a naturally occurring substance present in all living things. It helps living things maintain the pH balance necessary for life. Baking soda is made from soda ash, which is sodium carbonate. For more useful hints, check out www.armhammer.com

Doing Dishes?
Don’t forget the baking soda. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of baking soda to your dishwater. It will help cut grease and loosen food on dishes, pots, and pans. For cooked-on, baked-on foods, soak in a baking soda and detergent mixture, and then use dry baking soda on a damp sponge or cloth as a scratchless scouring powder.

Cleaner Fruits and Vegetables
The experts agree—you should wash produce before consuming it. To clean more of the dirt, chemical residues, and waxes from all varieties of fruits and vegetables, use baking soda. Shake some onto wet produce, scrub, and then rinse. It works better than water alone.

Remove Hair Buildup
For extra clean hair, try adding a small amount of baking soda (about the size of a quarter) to your shampoo. Wash, rinse, and condition as you normally would. The baking soda removes built-up residues from styling products and mineral abundant waters.

Great for Dental Gear
Baking soda works well as a cleaner for dentures, retainers, or mouth guards. Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to a bowl of water. Then soak dental gear for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with cold water after soaking.

Camping Necessity
Baking soda is a must for any camper. It can serve as a dish washer, pot scrubber, hand cleanser, deodorant, toothpaste, fire extinguisher, and first aid treatment for insect bites, sunburn and poison ivy, as well as much more. Plus, it saves space (one box compared to many products!)

Lawn Furniture Cleaner
To clean and deodorize lawn and pool furniture, mix a solution of ¼ cup baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Wipe the furniture with this solution, then rinse clean. For tougher stains, sprinkle directly onto a damp sponge, scrub with it and rinse.

First Aid
Relieve the itching and pain of an insect bite with a baking soda paste. After you have removed any stinger, make a paste by combining 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Apply it to the affected area and let it dry. Wash it off and repeat, if needed.

No More Smelly Dogs
Instead of heading for the bathtub every time Fido smells, try giving him periodic dry baths. Rub dry baking soda into his fur, then comb or brush it through and out. Baking soda is nontoxic and safe for use on and around your pets.

***

author bio:

Wyverndreamer

Living quietly with my mate of 21 years in the Southern foothills of the Arkansas Ozarks.

I love to play dress up so we are members of the Early Arkansaw Reenactor’s Association bringing historic territorial Arkansas alive for schools, parks, and other special events.

I have been a pagan since the early ’70′s, and my better half claims to be a dyslexic agnostic. I am either psycic or psychotic depending on what day it is.

Tags: clean, environment, green, household, natural, Wyverndreamer

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