December 24, 2025 · 4:39 pm

My yule celebration )O(

Merry meet all,

I have been busy preparing for Yule. I was hit by a big creative bug. I sewed myself a lovely moon cushion, dried orange slices which I will soon make into a garland, and crafted lovely gifts for my friends. I created the gifts for my friends with love. 

My moon cushion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I gathered pinecones and cleaned them, then baked them in the oven. I sprinkled sweet orange essential oil, cinnamon and clove bud essential oils onto the pinecones. I arranged them in a basket and set the basket next to our decorations. 

A basket of pinecones

I made two new green felt christmas tree decorations. I traced a christmas tree onto green felt, cut it out, sewed the christmas tree leaving an opening to add the batting, and then sewed it shut. I sewed on a loop at the top to hang the green felt tree at the windows. 
Herbs are for Yule/ Winter Solstice! I have had a great time first foraging for wintry herbs such as juniper, white spruce, balsam fir, northern white cedar and rosemary. I dehydrated oranges. I made smudge sticks with bay leaves, the dried oranges and the foraged herbs. I used the dried oranges to decorate presents. I created a winter lantern with bay leaves, rosemary, lavender, pine and cedar. I glued found twigs to a small glass jar then painted them gold. It looks great! I tucked in fairy lights in the lantern- looks magical! I created herbal tea blends to give as gifts with hibiscus, orange, cinnamon, star anise, juniper, nutmeg, cloves, liquorice root, chamomile, calendula, elderflower, elderberry, echinacea, rooibos. I wish I could keep the tea blends! Dried oranges make great gift ornaments too. So pretty. I sewed tea cozies for two of my friends and added a tea blend. I even sewed tea coasters to go with the tea cozies. Now I want to bake gingerbread cookies. I put love and intention into everything I did. Herbs are great and I may be old school here, but I did not use a blender or a coffee grinder. I ground the cinnamon, juniper berries, star anise, reships with my mortar and pestle. I stir and grind and work in my intention and energy. I can’t wait for my friends to get my gifts.
I planted sprigs of sage, thyme and lavender and mint in a pot to have fresh herbs over the winter. I made a lavender ‘wand’ to help me with stress over the holidays.
I saved tiny sprigs of the above mentioned herbs, put them into a tiny jar with a cork top, then sealed the jar with candle wax. I  brewed a jar of apple cider liquer and I am steeping a batch of elderberry and calendula cold and flu elixir!
This will be the best yule/ winter solstice ever. I wish you all a magical holiday season. Blessings.

The best way that I celebrated the winter solstice was with the druid coven by the ocean. I have not woken at 6 am in a long time, but I did and it was so worth it. There could not have been a better more spiritual way to celebrate Yule, in my opinion. I loved it. Yes it was early in the morning, but who cares? I know it was cold, but that is to be expected. I had a great time. I loved watching the sea birds soar over the ocean, and the big waves crashing over the rocks. The Solstice, the changing of the seasons is old as time. We were carrying on a tradition that was very likely old as time, too. Chanting and drumming at that lookoff spot just felt so good. I’m sure I spotted an eagle!

The spot where the coven celebrated the solstice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wind prevented us from enjoying a bonfire, but we perservered.  Afterwards, everyone left and those remaining, including Brian and Karen and a few more friends, we had coffee and a nice chat at Brian’s house. That was the best Solstice celebration I got to enjoy in a long time. Being out in nature to honor one of the earth’s natural changes felt like the best way to honor it. That is the way it should be. 

Now we can all relax and rest during the holidays. I am sure many of you are enjoying a nice, festive dinner with your loved ones. For those who are all alone during this time, you matter. You are important. For anyone who misses their loved ones who may have passed, I know, I am right there with you. I miss my grandparents. Wish they were here. 

I wish you all a magical, memorable Yule time! Blessings and love and light. 

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

 

 

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December 3, 2025 · 1:12 pm

Winter Solstice Herb Crafts

Merry meet all,

Yule or the Winter Solstice is only a few weeks away. I have been busy. Busy getting ready for the Winter Solstice. I have foraged for spruce, pine, juniper, cedar on the nature trail. I foraged for sage, thyme, lavender and rosemary. I’m saving seeds from herbs like oregano, sage, thyme from my Mom’s garden then I store the seeds in labeled white envelopes. 

I plan to use the herbs for soap making, spell jars, tea blends and smudge sticks. I dried sliced oranges in my dehydrator. I glued pressed herbs onto a glass mason jar to use as a winter lantern. Where I live, we don’t get holly or mistletoe, some of the more traditional winter herbs. But that’s good because holly is toxic to cats. I also want to craft a candle for Yule. I bought a lot of supplies to craft soaps. I’m excited to get started on that. I have glass measuring cups, colorants, soap molds, fragrances and essential oils, stirring utensils, rubbing alcohol, additives, a heat source, and Vitamin E to ensure the soaps have a long shelf life. 

I will either keep the herb crafts for myself or use them as gifts. Today’s post will focus on how to use herbs in various crafts so you can try this at home too!!

Play the Nutcracker soundtrack in the background or whatever you fancy for holiday themed music, burn some incense and light a candle and let’s get started. 

Find a work space where you can work on your crafts without being distracted. If you are doing these crafts with small children present, be careful using tools like hot glue guns, scissors, hole punchers. Be sure the children are supervised to avoid them being harmed or any accidents. 

I do not use lye to make soap. I purchase premade glycerin soap bases. I do not prefer lye and I see it as very dangerous to use, unless you really know what you are doing. In that case, power to ya. I just prefer the ready made soap bases.

Step 1: Prepare the mold and base
  • Gather supplies: Cut a pre-made glycerin soap base into small cubes. You will also need molds, a heatproof container, and your desired additives like fragrance and color.
  • Prepare molds: Set your molds on a flat surface and have them ready.
  • Microwave method: Place the soap cubes in a heatproof container and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until the soap is completely melted. Be careful not to overheat the soap, as it can become rubbery.
  • Double boiler method: Place the soap cubes in a container and set it inside a pot of hot water. Stir occasionally until the soap is melte
    Step 3: Add color and scent
    • Add color: Stir in a few drops of soap-specific liquid colorant or a small amount of mica powder. Add more drops until you reach the desired color, but start with a small amount as colors can be intense.
    • Add scent: Stir in a few drops of essential or fragrance oil designed for soap. A general guideline is about 10 drops per 4-ounce bar, but follow the product’s instructions.
      Step 4: Pour and cool
      • Pour: Carefully pour the melted mixture into your prepared molds.
      • Remove bubbles: For a smoother finish, spray the surface of the poured soap with a small amount of rubbing alcohol to pop any air bubbles.
      • Cool: Let the molds sit undisturbed until the soap is completely hard. This can take about an hour, or you can place them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to speed up the process. 

I want to use the herb oils I already have in my amber glass jars for the soaps. That includes spruce oil (invigorating), calendula ( wound healing and moistening), and lavender (nervine properties). I bought two colorants – one a yellow color to use with the calendula and lavender or goldenrod! and green for the spruce or pine soap and scents. I think I will add dried herbs, but I want to grind them up to a powder first. 

The next herb project to try is making smudge sticks with herbs. These would also make great gifts. I will use the herbs that I foraged for earlier, such as the white spruce (may not be sitka spruce as I initially believed, eastern hemlock, cedar and common juniper. I also have bay leaves, rosemary, and more spruce, cedar and juniper. I like to take my time to decide how best to arrange the herbs into a smudge bundle. This is also why I dried the orange slices. 

Lay the herbs down on a clean and dry surface. Be sure you have scissors and string, embroidery floss (best if it’s a matching or corresponding color), or a rubber band to bind the herbs together. Place the spruce, pine or cedar down first as a base then arrange rosemary, bay leaves or cinnamon sticks on top of that. Trim the odd ends and arrange them together neatly. Then set the dried orange slices down on that and if you choose, you can place a star anise on top of the orange slices. I might adhere the star anise to the orange slice with a hot glue gun. This is not meant to be ingested, so that’s okay. Bind the herbs together with string, floss or a rubber band. You could also add. baby’s breath, eucalyptus, mint or sage leaves or even thyme. Once you have it all arranged the way that you want, bind them together and be sure to trim those uneven ends! Then let it dry. Tie a pretty bow onto the smudge stick, or use natural raffia or a pretty natural ribbon that just gives you a pretty boho vibe. 

The next cool herb craft to try involves using twigs arranged around a candle jar! Very earthy and witchy. I want to make this craft too.

How To Make It

  1. Hold a twig against the glass and wrap twine around the jar several times to secure it.
  2. Continue adding twigs one by one, tucking each under the twine as you go.
  3. If you prefer a sturdier hold, place small dots of glue behind a few of the twigs.
  4. Tie the twine firmly and adjust the twigs until the ring looks even.

Variation

Place a little moss around the base for a touch of softness. Credit given to: https://thewildenchantment.com/simple-diy-twig-craft-ideas-for-witchy-home-decor/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOdRwVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeiiSlBEV0ZIDfDdWoP7BcI-NUp-o9SR0JWowRM3-ZJZA0BiN0nA2vTl4xEVY_aem_eKOOod3dIja7DOE0U0Rt0g

I would add some essential oils to the twigs or the candle to enhance the natural earthy look. Cedarwood, pine essential oils or eucalyptus would work well. 

This weekend, I crafted a Yule candle holder jar. I hot glued found twigs to a candle holder. I kept the twigs to the same size roughly and secured them around the jar. I painted them gold, (good for concealing unsightly hot glue). I tied raffia around the twigs and secured it in a bow. I had a cool piece of gold trim and glued it to the twigs. I love how it looks! 

I sprinkled pine, cedar, spruce and thyme in a tiny glass vial. I put the cork on and dripped hot candle wax over the cork, sealing the herbs in the jar. 

Make a Yule Bundle

CREATING YOUR YULE BUNDLE
Search the ground below your woody pal, and also in her tangle of limbs, for broken or fallen branches and sticks. Gather a piece up from each type of woody plant that speaks to you, and trim each sample to a uniform size (about 10 inches is nice).Grasp all your tidy little stick gifts in your fist, one of each type. 
You are holding a mini forest. 
Can you feel its strength? Its beauty? Its life supporting gifts for beings of all types?

Look closely at this fistful of forest. Can you still identify the species of each stick? This can be quite a challenge! Yes the colors vary, but get curious about the fine, distinguishing details:

  • Do you see leaf scars from opposite or alternate branching patterns?
  • How does the flexibility vary between your sticks?
  • Does the bark harbor moss, lichen, fungi, or algae species?
  • Is the core pithy or woody?
  • Does the bark peel away easily?
  • Close your eyes and see with your fingertips. What do you notice about the texture of each stick?Use a length of natural fiber string or yarn, or perhaps a strip of bark or length of vine or grass, to secure your bundle.These bundles make a sweet holiday gift to share with loved ones who live in your “neck of the woods” — or especially for someone who perhaps moved elsewhere and is missing the forest they used to call home.

    The next step is an important one: 
    Before you burn your bundle and literally transform your dark bits into light, remember to thank all that you are releasing. Everything on your strip of paper has been a part of creating who you are.

    I’ve noticed that often what I want to release, those aspects of myself that feel like they are holding me back from being who I truly am, are actually survival mechanisms I developed to get me through a particular chapter of my life. Though the chapter has been written – and I’m now several books ahead in the series!—these unnecessary ways of being have persisted. They served their purpose and for that I am thankful. Now it’s time to let them go.

    Feel the weight of the bundle in your hands and all it represents.
    Feel the strength, diversity, and unique ways of being of your plant allies.

    Place your bundle into the fire (oh how lovely an outdoor fire is, but a wood stove also works!) and watch the light it creates as it burns, darkness and energy literally transformed into flame, smoke, and warmth before you.

    Notice the lightness in yourself and carry it with you into brighter days ahead. Credit given to: Dandelion Herbal Center- making a Yule Bundle. I know the instructions tell you to burn the bundle, but I can’t bring myself to do it. The sticks are so beautiful. 

Here is a link for more ideas on how to use items from nature to make crafts: https://thewildenchantment.com/11-easy-winter-solstice-nature-crafts-that-double-as-gifts/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOdSiBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeTwaT_WDuQyoqiGxs-PKJytfD2jW2M4ucsCFFgkMvXlvhWvLAGtFseH3anP8_aem_ccTGoBe1kMcgImyytxiPAA

Pinecones, spruce needles and piencones and cinnamon sticks are a lovely, magical combination. 

Here is another link that gives you lots of crafty ideas sure to keep you busy! 

50 Awesome DIY Yule Decorations and Craft Ideas You Can Make for the Winter Solstice

I hope you have lots of fun with these crafty ideas! I will post more about the Winter Solstice. Till then, stay spooky!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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November 7, 2025 · 7:31 pm

Defining Horror

Merry meet all,

The excitement of the Halloween/ Samhan festive fun is behind us. Now we all face the long, dark cold that lies ahead. Most of us look forward to winter the way we look forward to root canal. The winters in Atlantic Canada leave much to be desired. 

My cat’s napping on the couch. The groomer trimmed her claws today. So far, she is doing okay with her new medication. 

I believe that the dark half of the year is the ideal time to write and reflect on horror. I love the dark half of the year. I know that the cold, ice and snow go hand in hand with this dark season, but I love it. I want to write another horror novel (yes I am crazy lol). I want to find a trad publisher. I want to earn bigger royalties. Ah don’t we all? I also want my own apartment. Again, another pip dream. It can’t hurt to try. I do have to come up with new writing material. I am proud to say that most of my earlier stuff is all published. 

This is the time when many still socialize, but also a time when some people opt to turn inward and be more reflective I am of those. I have a stash of lovely herbal teas to enjoy, cardigans to keep me warm and a cute cat to keep me company. I am so fortunate. This time, as I meditate on what I will write, I want to really ask myself what horror means to me. I have been through a lot, but the last several months have been an eye opener for me. I was thrown out to the streets by my own family, forced to move out of my old moldy apartment, spent a few months moving back and forth from my Mom’s apartment to my boyfriend’s and have to keep seeing my moving boxes stored in my Mom’s basement. 

Horror is loss. I returned to my garden only to see the old stuff from my kitchen stored in my garden. It looked as it all lacked the soul that flourished while I lived there. Like no one was there. Like no one cared. Like something had died. Now the kitchen appliances are gone, but it is not the same. I bawled my eyes out. I wish I could go back to my herb garden on Crown Drive, but I know everything has changed. Life’s a bitch. 

Horror is sacrifice. Maybe I should say, forced sacrifice. I am personally tired of sacrificing, or being forced into that position. I was very reluctant to leave Crown Drive. My heart longs to return to the past- to the freedom I possessed over my life, but the mold was too far gone. I had no choice. I can’t bring back the past. Now I have to live with someone. It sure is a challenge. The rent is so expensive I honestly have no idea if I will ever live alone on my own again.

Horror is death. My boyfriend and his family had to put their beloved dog, Tucker, down. Tucker was fourteen years old, but he was truly suffering. I took Penny to the vet. I thought it would be a routine check for her fructosamine levels because she has diabetes. Poor cat. It turned out she now has hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure on top of diabetes and arthritis. Now I rub her medication on her ear twice a day. Penny had a bad weak spell prior to her appointment. Penny is also fourteen years old. It’s getting harder for her to jump up to a higher surface, but that is why I am here. I will always be here to help her, no matter what. I hope she has a good long life yet. Yes she has me wrapped around her white velvety paw- with perfect pink beanies on her paws. 

I feel like focusing on writing my next horror novel on something that hits much closer to home. I believe that horror has many different interpretations. If twenty people saw Psycho or Silence of the Lambs movies or read the same horror novel, I think the people would each have their own interpretation of it. It is open to many different perspectives. What horror is to one person may not be the same to someone else. Some people like slashers and others prefer true crime or the supernatural. We are all individuals in our tastes and preferences. We are all entitled to our own tastes and preferences. No one is right or wrong in what they enjoy to watch on the silver screen or on their Iphones. Personally I hate TikTok, but I know many others like it. 

Horror is personal. I did just mention above that it means different things to different people. Horror can be so many things. There is a difference between terror and horror. Alfred Hitchcock knew that well. Let’s imagine we are on a rollercoaster. Terror is the slow, agonizingly suspenseful of the thing (I forget the word right now), the rollercoaster ride going up, up and up to the high peak. Horror is the terrifying descent paired with the ignored, frantic rational part of your brain praying you do not die. Just for the record, I refuse and just will not ever go on a roller coaster ride again. Just writing all this made me queasy. Losing a pet, a child even your home can be deeply and extremely personal. Terror is waiting for the mind-numbing horror to happen and horror is when it happens and not a damn thing you can do to stop it.

Horror is many things with many scary masks. The scariest horror might be when the mask comes off and what we see then we find the most frightening- when we can recognize it and be repulsed at the same time. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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October 31, 2025 · 4:24 pm

Merry Samhain )O(

Merry meet all,

Witches New Year is here!!  It’s raining. I hope that doesn’t daunt the trick or treaters. 

I am so excited, but unfortunately I had to take my cat to the vet. It turns out she has lost a ton of weight and she now has hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure. Thankfully, she will be treated for it. I hope the medicine helps her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been very busy preparing for Samhain. I just love this time of year. I am not celebrating the ancestral supper at my Mom’s. I am going somewhere else to perform it. I have to clean the kitchen, set the table and  prepare the food. I cooked the pot roast ahead of time. I baked a loaf of pumpkin bread and Samhain soul cakes. I plan to bake chocolate cupcakes. I have halloween cupcake liners and decorations! 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m going to buy a bottle of red wine to make mulled cider. I want the brandy to make another herbal tincture. I have a nice Samhain simmering potpourri potion and I made a nice Samhain anointing oil. Derrick will not be home to attend the ancestral supper. I can perform it alone, then he can reheat the meal afterwards. I really have my work cut out for me to clean. I look forward to it. I still have to carve the pumpkin, dress the table- (and clean, clean and clean), heat the food and set up candles etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I attended a Halloween party last night. I won a prize for Best Witch! The party was low key, but I still had fun. There was not a lot of people there. Tomorrow I am attending a public Samhain Ritual and the Witches Ball after the Rit. I can’t remember ever being this busy.  

Samhain is the third of three harvest Sabbats. This is a good time to honor our ancestors and reflect on our blessings. I plan to enjoy the dark half of the year. Halifax is perfect for a foggy, misty afternoon. I have not visited a cemetery yet for October. I will visit the cemetery today. I love cemeteries. 

Place photos of those who have gone before you, be that family, relatives or pets. Burn brown and black candles. Keep in mind: fire safety! Cook a lovely meal for your own ancestral supper. Light a candle and set it at your window. Carve pumpkins and as you carve, work in your intention. Arrange candles, acorns, gourds, dried waxed leaves, photos around your regular altar tools for a spooky Samhain altar. Put your heart and your intention into everything you do. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not certain if doing a grave rubbing is allowed. I want to, but I haven’t tried it. I just don’t want to get in any trouble. I advise checking to see if it is okay first. Most of all, have fun. Be safe and have fun. The spirits are celebrating Samhain right along with you. Invite them in and that keeps you in the good karma department. Don’t dowse your pumpkins in bleach. It makes curious squirrels sick. Don’t burn a ton of candles and wear long, flowing sleeves. That starts fires. Don’t leave candles unattended. Check the kids’ candy. 

Do have and show respect for the dead. Don’t summon the dead in a cemetery at midnight tonight or any night. No, it is not cool. Leaving an offering of food or something like it at a crossroads or outside your apartment is fine. If you heed these warnings, know this: Burning the apartment down because of candles left ignored or the like, IS NOT COOL! Your landlord will evict you and hate you and NEVER GIVE YOU A GOOD REFERENCE LETTER! So have fun, have tons of fun, but please be smart about it. 

Know how to use a fire extinguisher. Memorize its location. Learn how to use a fire blanket that puts out fires. Buy one and store it in your home.

Keep pets safe! 

Merry Samhain, everyone!!

Let me know in the comments below what a wonderful and magickal Samhain you experienced!

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

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October 23, 2025 · 1:55 pm

Samhain Activities

Merry meet all,

October is flying by. Like it’s a witch’s broomstick racing against time. I have been so busy. I apologize for not posting more here. Now for the good news!

The book drive for the Edith Garland Dupré Library (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) was a smashing success! I am so proud to have participated in the book drive. I mailed them a copy of my novella The Cult of the Spider People. Jill Girardi from Kandisha Press had this to say about the book drive’s success:

“Hi Ladies! As you may have heard me going on about, the book drive we did for the Edith Garland Dupré Library (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) was a great success! Here are the first pics of the special Women in Horror book section created just for our books!

Libraries are one of the last strongholds for free speech in America, and every single one of you who contributed helped continue to uphold and fight for this right. Thanks to all of you who sent in books, offered to donate money, and helped in any way. Freedom to read and freedom to write! This is very important to everyone on the planet. We should all have the freedom to read what we choose. 

Wicked Shadow Press has published my flash fiction story and many other stories by talented authors in a 3 volume anthology collection- Halloweenthology! This marks their third descent into the haunting heart of Halloween and they are proud to have come this far. I am proud to be pubished in those books!

Cover of Autumn Falls
the anthology my story is in

Samhain is almost here! I have a pumpkin and I stocked up on candles and incense for the big day on October 31st! I plan to have an ancestral supper. I am also atending two Halloween parties and a public Rit. I can’t wait! It will all be so much fun. 
Stock up on cider and root veggies. I love sipping cider and enjoying a hearty beef stew during the autumn season. Cider and apples are full of Vitamin C, which we need in flu and cold season and the stew warms our hearts. Hot cider is good, too. Carve pumpkins and bob for apples with your friends!  Get candy for the trick or treaters and your favorite costume. Before you know it, it will be October 31 and you want to be ready for it, right? I do. I am sad that I do not live on Crown Drive anymore. I had bonfires in my backyard and no one noticed or cared. I miss having my own place. I can still have fun though. I plan to enjoy every single minute of Samhain. I hope you do too. 
Collect autumn leaves, hold a bonfire, dress your altar for Samhain and have fun! 
I had so much fabric left over from my halloween patchwork blanket project that I used the black fabric for an altar cloth. I just organized all my sewing patterns. It was a real mess to sort through. I had to iron all the pattern pieces (a mountain of them!). I sorted them with the pattern envelopes. I spread the envelopes over my floor. I sat on the floor and it took me a few hours to get it done, but I did. That is a good task to complete before the 31st. It’s good to start the Witches New Year on the right foot…. 
I know that my life was uprooted earlier this year. I moved from Crown Drive. I had a lot to deal with. However, everything has calmed down. Everything is sorted and all my belongings are all in my Mom’s basement and on the main floor. I did not want to move. I lost my garden. That was the hardest part. I faced a challenge and I learned a lot about myself. I hope that everything gets better. The one thing I did not want to face was thrown right at me, so to speak. I will miss my garden and the nature trail. I do not miss living there though. I don’t miss the ants and the mold. That place was one giant ant hill. I have to live with my Mom (ugh) because the rent is so expensive. That is a huge problem for most people everywhere. I don’t know when it will be affordable again. 
I have to adjust to living with someone. My Mom is the ultimate conservative mundane person. I am enjoying Samhain somewhere else with someone who doesn’t get all hung up on that. 
I wish you all a memorable and magickal Samhain
Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

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October 11, 2025 · 6:11 pm

Twisted Dreams Press is publishing my novel in 2026!! )O(

Merry meet all,

Dear readers, I have awesome news! Twisted Dreams Press is publishing my spooky novel The Mourning Tide! I am overjoyed. This is the 1000th blog post! I saved the announcement of my novel being published for the 1000th post. This all means a lot to me. My grandparents have passed and I hope that they are proud of me. I am dedicating The Mourning Tide to them. This is a dream come true, a dream that began ten years ago. I first was inspired to write the novel ten years ago. Yes, that long. I am not kidding. I can’t wait for the cover art!

The book is scheduled for release next October. There is always a reason to look forward to October and the publication of my novel is the best reason for celebration ever! I am so happy. 

I finished the halloween patchwork quilt! Today I sewed a blanket binding to the quilt. I love how it turned out. It is gorgeous, magickal and screams HALLOWEEN! I will be cozy this winter. If I may so myself, the quilt is bewitchingly beautiful. It was a lot of hard work and so was writing and editing The Mourning Tide. I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Taking care with everything we do and taking the time to get it done is the key to success. Next, I plan to sew a matching pillowcase. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Horror Writers Association hosts an annual blog event, Halloween Haunts. I always participate in the event. I shall post the link to my blog post for the event here: https://horror.org/halloween-haunts-hounded-by-the-dead-by-heddy-johannesen/ I plan to read the other posts by the other authors. 

I love October. I am not the only one for sure. I sewed a Halloween blanket, dyed my hair, bought new candles, enjoyed nature walks and went apple picking today! Pumpkins adorn many porches, and the skies are so blue! I even watched Hocus Pocus last night. I sewed myself an orange and black Halloween skirt. I have a new witch hat too! I hot glued black flowers to the witch hat. 

Today’s post is short and brief. This is my 1000th blog post!!! Cause for celebration. I hopd you all have a wonderful Mabon-Samhain. I shall keep writing here. Grab a pumpkin spice latte and get ready for more awesome blog posts. I am so happy to have reached this milestone. It feels good to have reached this milestone and to have made my dreams come true. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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October 5, 2025 · 10:16 pm

Halloween Blanket Project )O(

Merry meet all,

Samhain is almost here!! Are you as excited as I am? Join me, dear readers, for a post on how I will make a Halloween blanket! Grab a coffee or pumpkin spice latte and settle in. 

I began this halloween project by visiting the fabric store. I was enchanted by the array of halloween print fabrics. The fabrics were on sale so I got everything I needed. I bought threads, a zipper, and black, grey, orange and black fabric with red streaks. I was grateful that the staff was so helpful in determining the amount of fabric that I would need. I do believe I bought too much, but it is better to have more than less. The black fabric with red streaks is for a frame over the patchwork squares.

I washed the fabric by hand with vinegar and laundry detergent, then I dried them on the line or in the dryer. I do not want to go to all this work only to have my fabric warp or go wonky. The fabrics have formaldehyde in them for shelf life, so I had to wash them It makes them much easier to deal with. It is a good idea to always wash your fabric, but then it does all need to be ironed again afterwards. 

I measured three inches wide and measured the necessary length for each of the three inch wide strips- forty-two inches in total. I have to sew that together, then once all the patches are done, sew the strips to the squares. (Argh stop the madness!)  The quilt will be bound (like bias tape) in solid black fabric.  I have two strips of orange fabric with a skull print. One will be sewn onto the top of the quilt on the top side showing and the other will be sewn onto the bottom of the patchwork squares on the top side showing. It will all look amazing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to measure and calculate a lot. I hope I have enough brown fabric, that is the bottom side of the blanket. It has to match to the top side of the blanket. Originally, I planned to have six patchwork squares in a row. Now I have extended that to eight. There are nine rows of squares in a grey, orange, black, bright orange, grey or beige square pattern. I cut out about slightly over seventy-two squares. I did not intend to cut out that many, but when I arranged all the patchwork squares in rows and saw how it could all come together, I changed my mind several times. I had to cut out specific patchwork squares- mostly the black and orange. I have a black fabric with a spider and spiderweb print. I had two orange spider and spiderweb prints, but one was more matte and the other bright. I rearranged and rearranged until I thought I had it all planned. My cat laid down on the squares and messed them up. Argh!

I kept changing my mind. Once it is all sewn together, it is permanent. I wanted to be certain. The layout in the photo is not the layout that I decided on. I wanted to share the photo so you would all know what I was talking about. It is a good idea to keep the cat out of the room (not to be cruel, but Penny messed up my squares, sweep and mop the floor to get to layout the squares). Once you sew, it is done. 

I sew the first row together, then I sew the second row and so on and so on till I get to the last row. Then I sew them all together. I plan to sew with a quarter inch stitch- the skinny stitch. (I can’t recall right now, my brain is addled.) There is more orange and black in the layout. To save my sanity, I used a black marker and painter’s tape to keep the rows organized.  You can see the small pieces of the painter’s tape in the photo above, I wrote row 1 on the tape and stuck that to the squares. I did the same with the rest of them till I got to the ninth row. They are all organized that way. I have to mind that the squares have a decorative print and that all the squares prints face up the right way. They all have to be the same size. 

I bought a meter of this cool black print Halloween fabric. The squares were all about nine inch by nine inches. I cut them out very carefully and I arranged them over my patch squares. I kept moving them over the squares till I decided I was happy with the layout. The blanket will be amazing! I want to get filler from the fabric store. Then once the patches are all sewn together and the bottom of the blanket (the brown fabric) is sewn to the top of the blanket, I add the filler. Hopefully it will not be too expensive. 

I saved the black strips between the nine inch larger black crow or skull squares. I might sew on the strips of the black fabric over (between) the patchwork squares. I don’t have enough for the whole patchwork top, so we will see how it goes. Or maybe I will be brave and sew the strips on diagonally! We will see. 

I chose somber colors for this blanket. To me, Samhain is a time of festive joy and is somber at the same time. The colours are an earthy, muted brown, a cool matte black spiderweb print, a matte orange spiderweb print, a brighter orange spiderweb print, a grey + beige print material covered with crows and punpkins, and a grey +beige snowflake and pentagram fabric. The last fabric was so witchy I just had to buy it. I am happy with the layout and the arrangement of the patchwork squares and the colours. It all just blends together so well. 

I will alter my dress from Killstar and my green dress from HolyClothing. The hems are too long. I live in Nova Scotia, which means that anything with a long hem will sweep leaves off the sidewalks or collect dirt, mud or leaves. Then I have to hem them again. Best to do it now. I am not totally happy with it, but it pays off to alter a hem as it guarantees the fabric will last much longer. 

I will save the fabric that I trim off for the hemming. The patchwork blanket will be a ton of work, but it will be worth it. I sewed all the squares together. There were eight patchwork squares in rows and a total of nine rows of patchwork squares = 79 squares in total.  The squares are sewn together and shown in the photo below. I can’t change my mind now on the order of the squares, but I can change my mind on the rows and which order they should be in. 

The rows of patchwork squares sewn together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last two days I worked hard on the patchwork quilt. I had to see the forest for the trees. In other words, no matter how many times I laid the whole quilt in rows on the floor. I could not see then that some patches were repeated. I had to make new patches and sew them in several times. It is always right sides together when you are  sewing and that is easier said than done. Now all the squares are different save for two, but it does not matter. All the patches squares are sewn and all the rows are sewn together. Then once that was finally completed, I started on the frame with the black and red streak quilting fabric. I measured how much I would need by lining the strips of the fabric along the width and length of the material. I cut the strips to the width and length I wanted. The quilt is about 58′ x 64′. Then I pressed and turned over a long edge about a quarter inch to avoid fraying. I stitched that down and then pinned the strips with the turned under edge on the outside. When I sew the top of the quilt to the bottom side, the rough edge will be caught in the fabric and won’t show a raw edge. That also helps me avoid fraying. So I have to sew down both sides of the material. I am nitpicky about the fabric ends meeting evenly and avoiding raw edges showing. 

Once that is completed, I can finally sew the brown fabric together and then sew the quilt top to the brown fabric. Then I will insert the nice cotton filler and then line it all up and to make sure it does not bunch up, I will sew the quit filler in. Then I plan to add a black edge binding. It will look amazing! The more effort you put in and caring about all the tiny details, the better your work looks. I added two strips of the orange fabric with a white skul print to the top of the (top of quilt) and a strip on the bottom. If you look closely at the above photo, you can see them. I have to make sure the seams are finished. I always pin and press and line up my edges. The tiniest things, no matter how mundane or boring they seem.,matter and the more care you take, the more beautiful the final effort will be. Sewing has tons of repetition, pin and press and sew over and over again, but that is the way it is. I want my quilt to last a long time and keep me warm on cold nights. Paying attention to the details now guarantees that will happen. 

Next, I can sew the brown fabric and once I sew in the spider, check all my seams, sew on the black frame fabric, and sew the brown bottom fabric to the top quilt fabric, then I can finally insert the filler. I have to leave a hole large enough for the filler to go in between the two fabrics then sew the hole closed. Then I am done! I just want to take all the care I can now so that I am truly happy with it. 

Today I made the small repairs, sewed the spider onto the front of the quilt and added the filler. I trimmed the excess and sewed the front, filler and the back of the quilt together. I bought bias tape from the fabric store but it was the wrong color. I am so excited to sew the bias tape onto the blanket but I have to be patient. It has been a lot of work so far. 

In other news, I sent my BFF Onyx a herbal tea blend. I hope it arrives soon. I bought a cool black blouse online from Killstar, a few candles from Horrified Candles and a wand. However, Canada Post is on strike again. It may be a while before I receive my parcels. I received my Horrified Candles! Very happy about that. 

I bought a new witch hat. My black wool witch hat paired with a black top or cardigan (to keep me warm), and my purple astrology boots should keep me stylin’. Yeah We all love October. The most magickal time of the year. 

 I would love to hear what projects, crafts or rituals you all are conjuring this month, Please leave a comment and tell me all about it.

I want to add that this is my 999th post. The next blog post will be the thousandth post!!!!!! I have learned a lot about maintaining a blog, made mistakes, survived the disaster of my old blog site being hacked. I am still here and typing- and kicking! It makes me so happy to have achieved this milestone. I could not have done this without all the wonderful support from my awesome friends and readers. I love you all. I am very happy to have come this far. I have to party when I write the thousandth post! I have a lot of reasons to party this October. !!! )O(

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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September 29, 2025 · 7:15 pm

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery

 

Merry meet all,

Today we have a special treat for you! Today’s post is about a haunting, just in time for Samhain! My article is posted here and online at Paranormal Daily News. So grab a coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy. Prepare to be spooked! 

 

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery cover

The haunting of Esther Cox remains a mystery to this day.

The Amherst haunting started in 1888 when Esther Cox lived on Princess Street with her sister Olive, Olive’s husband Daniel, their two children, and Esther’s siblings. The strange events began in August 1878, when Esther Cox was on a date with what turned out to be an unsavory gentleman. She was sexually assaulted by the male ‘friend’ at gunpoint, which caused her to spiral into a deep emotional trauma response. It is after this horrible assault that the phenomenon began.

How The Amherst Haunting Began

amherst haunting

The Amherst haunting began with knockings, bangings, and rustling in the night. Esther began to suffer seizures; her body would visibly swell, and she experienced chills as well. Objects moved on their own in the house. Concerned for her well-being and struggling to find an explanation for the odd events, her family called a doctor. During the doctor’s visit, the bedclothes shifted, scratching sounds were heard, and the phrase “Esther Cox, you are mine to kill” appeared on the wall by her bed. The next day, the doctor gave Esther sedatives to help her calm down and sleep, but the noises continued, and objects still flew around the house. They attempted to communicate with the rambunctious spirits, and this led to tapped responses to their questions.

The haunting continued for many months, and the family gained a reputation for having the most haunted house on the block. When people would visit the cottage, including those from the church, they heard banging, knocking, and the movement of objects, and this happened even when Esther was under close observation. In December, Esther fell ill from diphtheria, during which time haunting ceased while she was recovering for two weeks in bed. There was no haunting activity when she spent time at her sister’s home in New Brunswick either. When she returned to Amherst, though, the mysterious events picked up right where they left off. In a horrifying turn, fires broke out in various spots around the house, and Esther claimed to see the ghost, which was threatening to burn down the home unless she stayed away.

Peace away from the house, but phenomena continued.

amherst haunting mystery

In January 1879, in an attempt to restore some much-needed tranquility to her home, Esther Cox moved in with another family. However, the haunting persisted, unwavering in its presence. Several people witnessed the manifestations, including conversing with the ghost and receiving rappings for answers. Some people felt sympathy and curiosity, while others were more skeptical. Those who were skeptical believed that Esther was responsible for the odd occurrences and were hostile toward her. Poor Esther was pricked, slapped, and scratched by the ghost, and on one occasion, was even stabbed in the back with a knife.

PDN Newsletter

The news spread far and wide about Esther Cox. In late March, she visited New Brunswick, where she was visited by a few gentlemen with an interest in science. This is where Walter Hubbell enters the picture. He moved into the Teed cottage to study the phenomena more closely. Hubbell was an actor with an interest in psychic phenomena who happened to be in that area of Canada when the mystery began, and he kept a diary of the events in the house. He later developed the diary entries into a book, which was dismissed as a hoax by skeptical investigators.

amherst mystery

Hubbell spent several weeks with Esther Cox and her family to study the phenomenon. While in her home, he claimed to have witnessed objects moving on their own, as well as fires and items manifesting from nowhere. He claimed to have witnessed this occurring even when Esther was in full view and not in a position to have caused these things. He and Esther went on a speaking tour to share their experiences but faced significant hostility and skepticism, which ended their efforts. Esther returned to Amherst in an attempt to have an everyday life. She worked for a man, but after his barn burned down, he accused her of causing the fire, and she was found guilty and sentenced to four months in prison. She spent only one month in jail, and when she returned home, the activity had completely ceased as mysteriously as it had started. She married twice and had two sons. Esther moved to Massachusetts and lived there until her death in November 1912.

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery – Published

Hubbell’s book, titled “The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative About the Supernatural,” about the occurrences at Esther Cox’s house, was published and was successful, with 55,000 copies of his book having been sold. However, there is no solid scientific evidence to suggest that the ghostly activity ever happened beyond Hubbell’s notes.

amherst haunting

Local Nova Scotia author Lorri Neilsen Glenn wrote a book about Esther Cox, titled “Haunted Girl: Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery.” The book was published by Nimbus Publishing in April 2012. The book includes thirty photos of the locations in Amherst that are related to the house where Esther lived.

The town of Amherst now holds an annual festival, EstherFest, which began in 2017. EstherFest holds numerous activities for the public, including the Fifth Annual Scarecrow Stroll, a Ghost Hunt with Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation, a staged reading, and scary movies at Amherst Theatre. Additionally, there will be a ghost walk and a ghost hunt, as well as a youth dance and many other family activities. The festival takes place from October 18 to 30th.

The Great Amherst Mystery will always remain a mystery. We will never know for sure what really happened to Esther Cox and her family and sadly, the house that Esther and her family lived in no longer exists. The tale of Esther Cox in the Great Amherst mystery has inspired many podcasts, a town festival and books. She continues to inspire our minds and hearts today.

Sources:

https://greatamherstmystery.com/events-tickets-2024/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Amherst_Mystery

​https://nimbus.ca/store/haunted-girl.html?srsltid=AfmBOopSSpmGXO47CWffvTzI6NkAQCtqxPnktzc_eCPo4n06Q854RYsh

https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2022/10/9/the-great-amherst-mystery

https://caretakersparanormalinvestigations.blogspot.com (photo credit)

https://publicparapsychology.org/Public%20Parapsych/Poltergeist%20Phenomena%20Primer%20Final.pdf

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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September 28, 2025 · 5:23 pm

Hiking on the Trail

Merry meet all,

Yesterday I went on an amazing hike at Lunenburg. I took a lot of photos during the trip. I feel great now. It was an hour drive to the hiking trail. The trees were very colorful with rich foliage. I spotted deer in a field. We arrived at the beach. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The waves crashed over the shore. I love the sound of the ocean waves rolling back over the rocks. I just love that sound. My guy and I parked and strolled over to the shore. I collected a few rocks. I did not see much shellfish left behind by the seagulls. However, there were lots of rocks. I wanted a new paperweight. We strolled a long, long way along the shoreline. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barnacles, seaweed, rocks and driftwood were scattered over the shore. The sky was clear and the sun shone. It was all so beautiful. We then reached a steep hill and decided to hike up the hill. That was cool. The only thing I was not down with were ticks. Yes Nova Scotia is crawling with ticks. We reached the peak but after a refreshing snack, we did not decide to keep hiking. By then, I was thoroughly worn out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would love to share the photos of the trip with you, my dear readers! See above. Today I went to a mystic moon faire. I wore my new green dress from HolyClothing, a blue witch hat and I carried a broomstick. I saw my Mom on the way. She was such a bitch, and never even said hi to me. She just bitched at me about me having the nerve to wear that outfit in her neighborhood. Uh like… okay. I could not even give a frig of what she thinks of my outfit. I can’t believe her. Whatever. I am what I am. 

I bought a cool black cat print tea cozy, a crown, a wand, incense, a spider charm,  gold and silver candles, and an Edgar Allan Poe teatowel. 

Well Samhain is right around the corner! I intend to fully flaunt my witch hat. Stand tall and proud. Unite, dear Witches. We all need to support each other. I plan to enjoy Samhain as much as I can. I wish October was all year long. I could live with that. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

 

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September 21, 2025 · 5:40 pm

Mabon Magique )O(

Beeswax coated leaves

Merry meet all,

Mabon is almost here. I spied pumpkins on a front porch the other day. Today I dressed my altar for Mabon, then rang a bell to awaken and transform any negative energies. I love Mabon. I’m enjoying an amazing herbal tea blend. I just visited the garden, enjoyed the fragrances of the herbs that grow in such abundance, breathed in the autumn air. I feel so good!

I plan to attend a public ritual to honor Mabon on the weekend. I want to wear my homemade green viking dress and the blue apron with it. It’s perfect. I want to bring cornbread and an offering of herbs too. I look forward to it. It’s been a while since I participated in an public pagan ritual. I will make an offering of herbs for my altar too. I will choose goldenrod, sage, thyme, rosemary, oak leaves and tie in acorns too, empower it with my intention. I love the magic of Mabon. 

I plan to conjure up a bottle of elderberry syrup to protect my health this fall. Elderberries are good for the immune system. 

I have to finish the edits on my sequel Born of Venom. It’s the sequel to my first published novella, The Cult of the Spider People. I intend to finish it today. The deadline looms near. I have to do it now. I have other projects to start too, such as returning to my herbalism studies and beginning the true crime book. 

I returned the acorns I acquired from the cemetery to dye the muslin. I felt that the acorns had served their purpose. I felt very good about returning the acorns. I didnt want them to spoil in the jar and I did accidentally take them from the grave. It was only right to return them. My mugwort has dried so I have to store the leaves in a labelled jar. The stems will dry out. I like the way they harden, good to use for stirring herbs. 

Mabon is the ideal time to focus on abundance and completion and balance. I just gathered a few fresh and fragrant herbs from the garden: oak leaves, sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary. The herbs are resting on my altar, best offering ever. 

Today I harvested the chamomile and basil. They are tender annual herbs that could not withstand a frost. The herbs are drying and when dried fully, I will store in a labeled jar. I harvested the whole plant of chamomile save for the roots.

Tomorrow I plan to attend a pagan public Mabon Ritual. I am so excited! This is a great way to celebrate Mabon. I have not been to a public event in a long time. I baked a loaf of cornbread and I plan to take a herb bundle as an offering too. I attended the ritual. It was wonderful. The entire ritual was held outdoors in the backyard of the local Universalist Unitarian church. It was and is a beautiful afternoon. clear skies and sunshine on the trees. The ritual grounded me and got me back to nature, and reminded there is more to life than computer screens. I brought the cornbread which everyone enjoyed, and the herbal offering. Everyone liked my nordic outfit. I had a great time. 

Now it is back to work on this beautiful, sunny day. Till next time, dear readers. 

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

 

 

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