Tag Archives: magic

May 4, 2023 · 11:44 am

Beltane Wishes

Merry meet all,

Happy Beltaine!!!!! Beltane is the third of the three spring Sabbats. Flowers are in bloom everywhere here despite the cold snap.

I ordered gold fairy lights for the bookcase. I know that will look amazing. Stringing up the fairy lights is my next challenge. Scotch tape and push pins are my best bet, most likely. The fairy lights are eighteen feet long. I plan to use the fairy lights outside in the garden too. That will look amazing at night. I need to grow some flowers that bloom at night, such as moonflower! 

I finished gluing the moss to the entire bookcase- the side facing out. That is the side that everyone will see, so that gets the moss and decorations. I also kept to one colour plan- gold, browns, moss green, reds and oranges. That is basically the autumn colours but it could also represent the entire green growing season. I foraged, prepared and attached two more pinecones. By ‘prepared’, I meant cleaning the pinecones of any potential pests. I soaked the pinecones in cold water and vinegar for thirty minutes then baked them in the oven at 225% for almost two hours. The sap dried on the cones and they lay more flat. I glued them to the moss on the bookcase. 

I glued fake ivy leaves and pink flowers and leaves to the bookcase. I drew runes on to small round wooden pieces and glued the wood mini logs to the bookcase, leaves and moss. It looks so cool. The mini logs look like natural wood and may be created from real wood. I believe they are, and look like they were always there. I await the fairy lights. The faeries must be overworked today, because the delivery is taking a long time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t wait for the frost to leave. I am so anxious to get my plants in the ground outside. The soil is deeper, leaving more room for the roots. They are exposed to the elements of earth, air, fire, water and Spirit. They can grow more strongly and as big as they want. It is still cold out. It is so hard waiting. I have a lot of work to do in the garden. I can’t wait for the cold snap to end. I need to clean up the garden, rake the leaves away, and move the spreading raspberry canes to a new home/ spot. They can take over there and would still receive sun. I need to buy several bags of soil and work that into the soil that is already there. I have to tidy up the garden supports. Then, once that is done, and the earthworms are up to the task of working through the soil, I will make my annual twice a year offering of cornmeal, honey and milk and pray to the God and Goddess for a bountiful and beautiful growing season. 

Then I move my seedlings outside to their new homes. This is the part that I look the most forward to. None of this can happen till the frost ceases. I want to grow datura from seed outdoors. It is a poisonous plant but witches are not supposed to be scared right? I also want to start it outdoors to protect my cat from it. I will regularly fill the bird feeder, stir up the compost and tend to my herbs and flowers and veggies. I can’t wait to get started. 

I know lovage will grow well near rhubarb. I plan to get a new lovage seedling from a garden centre. It is easier to start with a seedling and faster. I want to see how well the lovage will grow near the rhubarb. The elecampane main crown root had two new buds (or maybe more) and I hope new stalks come up this summer. I didn’t use the syrup so I won’t make more. The plant needs to get established and it is clearly trying to do just that. 

Once Jack Frost bids goodbye, I plan to be ready and armed with bags of soil and my new cute pink garden trowel in hand. I wish you all a lovely Beltane! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

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May 2, 2023 · 9:50 am

Bewitched Bookcase )O(

Coltsfoot in spring

 

Merry meet all,

Hello my dear readers! I have been so busy the last two days. I decided that since it’s spring, I needed to spruce up my kitchen. The bookcase was so much work to put together but it was so worth it! I am here to tell you how I created my beautiful spring bookcase. So sit back, have a cup of tea and read on…

I found the bookcase I liked on IKEA. The one catch was that the shelves aren’t wooden. I found a way around that. I might buy green placemats at the Black Market if they have them. The shelves are white steel, Epoxy/polyester powder coating. The bookcase is also made of wood. I got my Mom’s help to assemble the bookcase. We then realized I couldn’t paint the bookcase after it was assembled. Ok. So I had to paint the wood before we put it all together. I already had the perfect shade of moss green paint ready to go. So after she left, I set about preparing to paint. I gathered paint brushes, patience, the paint, a drop cloth and black garbage bags. The bookcase is an open shelf unit. 

It is still freezing outside. But I had to entertain a cat and paint a bookcase. Anyone who has a pet cat or dog knows how hard that can be. I barricaded myself in my bedroom with the bookcase and the paint supplies and got to work. First I cut up an old bedsheet, and 5 or 6 black garbage bags. I taped the garbage bags to the bedroom furniture and to the office chair to avoid paint stains. I put down the drop cloth. The drop cloth was so aggravating. The shelving sections kept sliding on the cloth. There was some paint on the floor by the time I was done. I did my best to avoid a big mess. The back door was open all day to let Penny see out the screen window. Eventually I finished and let the shelving units dry. I had taped a small section on the shelving units so I could turn them around and avoid paint on my hands which happened anyway. The next morning, I had to clean up my apartment which resembled a war zone because Mom was coming over to finish assembling it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Ugh. I made myself some coffee and tidied up the apartment. I touched up the shelving units and checked them over. They looked great. I washed the floor, threw away the garbage, and cleared an area to work in. We assembled the bookcase. We enjoyed tea and lemon bread as we worked. Penny stayed out of my way as we assembled and I painted the bookcase, which I really appreciated. She returned home. Now I was ready for the final and most fun step: decorating it!

I gathered the artificial moss, butterfly and insect stickers, hot glue gun and glue sticks, the pinecones I found outside, bird feathers, the birdhouse I painted and decorated, acorns, white glue, paint brushes, etc. I used the hot glue gun to adhere the moss to the bookcase. The colour of the shelving unit is perfect for the moss, which is why I selected it. Here is a sneak preview of how it looks: 

 

 

 

 

 

I have finished gluing the moss to the bookcase shelving units. It was the most time consuming part of the project. I am currently preparing the pinecones for the bookcase. I soak them in a solution of vinegar and water for half an hour then bake them to kill the mites and pests for a few hours. This is done to avoid having an infestation in your home. I also clean my paintbrushes when I am done using them. These extra steps go a long way in taking care of your crafting tools. 

I hung a hook from the bookcase. I hung the birdhouse up on the hook. The birdhouse is now accepting winged/ feathered occupants. I will glue the pinecones to the moss once they are dry. I use the timer on my phone to keep track of how long something is in the oven. Cellphones are so useful!

I still have to add the leaves and the fairy lights. I am so happy with it all so far. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love it and I think it looks great! I installed a paper towel holder under the kitchen sink, have stocked the new beautiful bookcase with the books and what I had stored there before. I love how it looks. I still have a lot of moss to glue on and more pinecones, acorns, feathers, butterflies and the birds. I love how it looks. I would love to hear how you are all celebrating Spring!

Enjoy Beltaine!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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March 19, 2023 · 12:01 pm

Herbal whipped Body Butter )O(

Chamomile and calendula body butter

Merry meet all,

This week, I whipped up my very first batch of herbal body butter. Today this post will be about how I did it. When I began, I didn’t know what I was doing. I picked up a few pointers along the way. Now let’s get started!

To make your own body butter, you will need the following tools and ingredients:

  • a saucepan
  • a measuring cup
  • dried herbs,  chamomile and calendula
  • essential oils such as lavender and roman chamomile
  • Jojoba, grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil
  • beeswax
  • shea butter
  • coconut oil
  • a wooden spoon
  • an electric mixer
  • a spatula
  • thermometer (optional)
  • a jar to store the body butter in
  • labels to adhere to the jar
  • a double boiler

Ok, I would suggest you use dried herbs. Fresh herbs have too much moisture in them. If the dried herbs were stored properly, they will not make the mixture go rancid. I did a water bath to infuse the herbs into the oils and waxes faster. Add the chamomile and calendula to a clean dry jar and then add in the coconut oil. Let sit for about three to four hours. Add water to the lower pot. Use a double boiler for this step. Then add in the coconut oil. Be patient with this step. Eventually the waxes and oils and herbs will mix and blend. If you are really keen on infusing the oils with the herbs, you can let it sit overnight. Do not let water get into the mixture. 

The herbs are brewing in the double boiler on the stove!

Remove from the heat and strain the herbs. Compost the herbs and store the oil in a jar. I loved the scent of the oil- it smelled so good! I added the herbal infused oil to a bowl and whipped the oils with my electric mixer. Ok it changed color. This is where the fun began, if that is what you could call it. Now we have to get the potion to mix or synergize, if you will. This is the hard part. I whipped for a few moments. The oils and waxes stubbornly refused to thicken. I put it in the fridge for an hour. When the time was up, I removed it from the fridge and whipped it again with my electric mixer. I kept stirring with a wooden spoon. It remained in a liquid form. I tried to reheat the mixture and the oils rose to the surface. I hit up google for tips on what to do. 

I returned the mixture to the fridge where I let it sit for a few hours. I removed it from the fridge and was shocked to discover it finally thickened! Delighted, I set about to again turn it into a body butter. This potion making takes some stubbornness and insistence. So hang in there. I let it sit for five minutes then I plugged the electric mixer in and whipped it for a few moments. Success! I sprinkled in the lavender and roman chamomile essential oils. I didn’t reheat the mixture again after I let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. Important tip there! The waxes, oils and butters take a few hours to thicken. 

I spooned the body butter into a beautiful glass jar. I cleaned and sanitized the jar first. I don’t want to let any contamination into the jar. Every time you use it, ensure your hands or a spoon are perfectly clean to avoid it going rancid. So you can see how patience is a virtue when making whipped body butter. You don’t want it to  be a liquid but you also don’t want it to go too hard. I added a lot more coconut oil, shea butter and two tablespoons of beeswax before I let it chill in the fridge. The mixture need more waxes than liquid. Clean up your workspace and test it on your skin.

Do not store it in the fridge. I store the jar in the bathroom and leave the window open a crack. I love the feel and scent of the body butter. It dries and absorbs into my skin immediately and leaves my skin silky soft! I know I will use it up so fast. The scent is heavenly! This is my first body butter but it will not be my last. 

Do not store the bottles of shea butter and coconut oil in the fridge. They will harden and be no good. The tools and ingredients are no doubt expensive for you so be careful when you clean up to make sure you minimize the potential of something going moldy. I ran hot, like really hot water over the dishes I used to make the butter. I ran the hot water over the double boiler a long time. I ordered the shea butter online so safety is my first concern.

I hope this inspires you to make your own heavenly body butter potions. Let me know how it goes!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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March 11, 2023 · 12:17 pm

Spring Herbs

Merry meet all,

My indoor herb and vegetable seed starting project is progressing nicely. I love my grow light kit. I used to grow plants like herbs and flowers without a grow light. I don’t know how I ever managed. I will never go back to not using a grow light kit. It is amazing. I’m growing tickseed, parsley, thyme, Vietnamese Cilantro, onions, kohlrabi, carrots, radishes, calendula, celeriac, bunching onions, and winter squash. The seedlings are all arranged near or at my grow light kit. I love having a grow light kit. I will never go back to the old way. The parsley and thyme I bought in pots sit at a sunny window in my office. I bought a potted rosemary and arranged that near my grow light. 

I used seed starting soil, water and pots to start the seedlings in. I sprinkled mycorrhizae in the soil and Gaia Organics fertilizer. I sprinkle the seedlings with water. The window faces north but it is the only spot I can have them in that my cat Penny doesn’t disturb. I also have a few tablespoons of patience as this project requires patience. Seeds will germinate in their own good time. Then, once the seedling is up, it needs to receive all the care it can get. They can grow big, or small, wide or narrow, bright green or red, but whatever they do, they need a lot of attention and your time. 

Some plants may need supports or something to grow up on, to be trained on. Some plants grow leggy and stretch toward the light. Some plants need deeper soil. Some plants can take forever to grow into a carrot or a pepper plant. They are all individual green seedlings that depend on YOU. They depend on you for good quality soil, for their growing needs, for getting the adequate amount of light. Using a grow light can help take the load off a lot of the effort for you. Seedlings growing without the benefit of a grow light don’t grow as strong. I leave the light on for my grow light kit from about 7:00 – 8:00 am in the morning till about 9:00-10:00 pm at night. That means that my seedlings definitely receive the necessary amount of light. I mist them a lot during the day. The temperature is warm enough in my kitchen. 

I remove the weak seedlings and tend the strongest seedlings. A nod to Darwin here for his theories about survival of the fittest. I also label what I am growing. It is a good idea to know what you are growing! It is easy to label, you can make artsy labels or use something as simple as a popsicle stick for labeling your precious cilantro seedlings. 

The carrots and parsley were a real headache to get growing. Yes I did thin them out. I waited till the carrot seedlings were about two inches in height and arranged them into rows. I discarded the weak ones. Now they all have more space from each other and are growing their trademark true leaves. I misted them with water from my spray bottle and would gently water them from a measuring cup. I use toothpicks to support them as they grow up. A measuring cup is better than a regular drinking glass. It has that dip for pouring that I love. 

The carrots and parsley are growing in the deep pot for their roots shown in the photo. They were the hardest to get started but the hard work was worth it. 

I also use good quality seeds. I use organic, non GMO, heirloom seeds. Good seeds, good soil and good water and good tending make great seedlings. I watch a lot of videos on Youtube for good gardening inspiration. I store my seeds in their paper packets in a metal box. The seeds stay fresh too with a silica gel packet. I just rearranged the seeds. I store the herbs and flowers in one metal box and the veggie seeds in the other. 

The best tool in your toolbox is patience. They don’t get perfect overnight and grow overnight to their ideal size. They take their time. They grow at their own rate and they are fine with that, your green charges, oh yes. Cultivate patience as you cultivate your little green friends and they will try to grow their very best for you. I hope the tips in this post help you and inspire you to exercise your green thumbs. Happy growing!!

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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February 7, 2023 · 8:13 pm

Seeds of spring- Imbolc

Merry meet all,

Hello my lovely readers! Even though we are on the cusp of spring, winter lingers. Last night, the howling wind kept me up half the night. 

I have a lot on my mind right now. My grandmother is not well. She has to be moved to the city and that means uprooting her. I hope it all works out smoothly. I am very worried about her. My grandmother is in her nineties but is in otherwise good health. 

I scattered birdseed at the Mumford Terminal  and in my backyard. I saw the rat and waited and watched for a sign that the birds had found the seed. Indeed they did. I look after all my little ones. It’s cold out and I worry about them. Food is scarce for my avian friends. 

I just watched the amazing movie Alien with a friend. I respect the exhausting effort that must have gone into making the movie. Yes art means effort. And that movie truly is amazing. I remember watching the sequel years ago. 

I donated my copy of Todd Keisling’s book to the library. Due to my negative experience with him, I saw no sense in keeping it. I only welcome positive energy here. 

It is spring in my apartment! If it can’t be spring outdoors, it will be so indoors. I’m growing a pot of basil and rosemary cutting and I have a pot of parsley. I set up my grow light kit where I am growing a number of herbs by seed. I have another pot with radishes and carrots germinating.  I hope they all grow well. I know the herbs will grow well in the grow light kit. I will post what I am starting by seed in the grow light kit soon once I find the list. I can’t remember right now. I keep watering the herbs a little, enough to moisten them but not drown them. 

I love herbs. I’m progressing nicely with the herbal courses at the Herbal Academy. I am on Unit 2 in Advanced and I am enjoying the Mastering Herbal Formulations course too. I recently reviewed the Becoming a Herbalist mini course that the Herbal Academy once again offered for free. Tomorrow I no longer have access to it and so I ensured I downloaded the pdf of the course. 

I have to work harder at composing the 15-20 monographs for the Advanced course. I hate distractions and I am my own worst enemy. The herbs and flowers are dormant now but soon spring will raise her green head. I cannot wait. It cheers me though I love the dark half of the year. I am a herbalist/ gardener by heart. I water the seedlings in the grow light kit the most because the soil dries out so fast. The green seedlings need moist soil. That is how they thrive. 

I am so grateful the Herbal Academy gives me so much time to complete the courses. I can study at a better pace that way. I never stop learning and I love everything I am learning. There is so much for me to learn. It is a truly fascinating subject!

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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January 15, 2023 · 4:14 pm

Seed starts

Merry meet all,

Today is rainy, snowy and very overcast. Snow lightly covers the ground. Raindrops splatter the windowpanes. It is a sleepy, stay home type of day. The next turn in the Wheel of the year is Imbolc. Before I get started, I just wanted to write here that I know I haven’t posted much. This week, I had to deal with an infected tooth and an abnormal amount of pain. I had to get that under control’s which involved freezing my tooth at the hospital, and a lot of painkillers and an antibiotic to clear up the infected tooth. I am feeling much better now. 

Imbolc is coming soon! My kitty Penny woke up from her long nap. I just gave her a cuddle. Imbolc is exciting to me because it is the first of the three Spring Sabbats. Imbolc is a time of renewed hope, purity and the return of the light. The cold remains but hope and new life stirs beneath the soil. I will post more here about Imbolc. I have a recipe on how to make Imbolc inspired cookies already. I can’t wait to try it!

Imbolc is the perfect time to read seed catalogues and to plan what you want to grow this spring. Or at least to think about which plants you want to start indoors. I plan to get the seed starting kit back from my Mom’s. I have to wait to get soil. Once I do, I plan to start seeds early. It’s my opinion that tomato plants take a long long time to grow, and I believe that they need to be started earlier in order to reach their maximum growth earlier in the year to bear fruit. This has been my observation.

Tomorrow I hope to get the Mastering Herbal Formulations book from the Herbal Academy in the mail. I can really get deep into the course once I have the workbook. I wish they did delivery on weekends but I guess USPS doesn’t work that way. I have read Unit 1 and I get most of the ideas. The calculations look complicated but not impossible. I really need to learn this stuff in order to sell my teas at the local farmers market. That is my goal and part of why I am studying at the Herbal Academy. I want to run a herbal business when I graduate. First, I have a lot to learn. I want to take my time and learn and then I will have a better chance of running my herbal business.

I had reservations about blending two or more herbs in a tincture and other preparations. The Mastering Herbal Formulations course will take away my reservations and give me a renewed confidence. I look forward to reading and learning more in Unit 2-3. The courses at the Herbal Academy are fascinating. I love everything I have learned so far. So to return to the topic of spring seed planting, I have a few new herb seed packets to try this spring. I have many packets of seeds. However, this spring, I have motherwort seeds and I can’t wait to start that from seed. There are too many for me to count here that I want to get started. That will have to be in a future post. 

If you ask me, time is speeding up. I can’t believe how fast time goes now. It seems like I was holding a bonfire in my back yard and now I want to pore over seed catalogues. Does anyone feel like time is speeding up? To what purpose? It’s hard to say. I will just ride the crest of this ‘wave’ as best I can. The possibility of the return of spring cheers me greatly. 

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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October 24, 2022 · 1:04 pm

Samhain celebrations )O(

Merry meet all,

Today I harvested the remaining scarlet runner beans that the slugs hadn’t devoured. I cut the vines and left the roots in. The roots have good nutrients that will benefit the soil. Who knows? Maybe they will regrow next year. 

Samhain is almost here. Yesterday I baked a cake. I haven’t frosted it yet. I want to share a secret ingredient idea I had with my dear readers. I made candied walnuts. I soaked the walnuts in brandy before drying them and grinding the walnuts to a powder. The powder is a little clumpy. I added it to the blender in small batches and then froze it. I added it in to the cake batter. I can’t wait to see how the cake tastes. Today I am going to frost the cake and I promise to post about that too.

It has rained a lot today. It had better not rain on the most notorious, magickal night of the year, October 31st. I have plans as do the many other millions out there with hopes high in their hearts. Samhain/ Halloween is not just for kids- adults have joined in on the dark revelry. There are many rituals and  fun activities to try. Read on to learn more. 

Samhain is a time to honour the dead and our ancestors. We often perform many rituals in celebration of the season of death. The leaves trickle to the earth, bedecked in fiery heartwarming colours. A special dinner is prepared and enjoyed to celebrate the harvest. 

I love a long nature walk in the fall. I encourage you all to go on a nature walk outdoors. Observe the colours, the brown seedbeds, and the aromas of leaves, the sounds of crisp leaves falling. Gather some nature objects such as pinecones, seedbeds of your favourite flowers, dried leaves to dip in beeswax, acorns, flowers still fresh. An herbal tea can be made and enjoyed from goldenrod, scentless mayweed (wild chamomile) and asters. Dry the herbs then store them in a jar. Use them to adorn your home. 

Set up your altar. I purposely bought a lovely new altar cloth at one of my fave alternate stores, The Black Market. I love going there. The black cloth has a cool astrology circle on it with white stars and the astrological symbols. Use grave rubbings, images of ghosts, images of your ancestors, acorns, oak leaves, squash, root vegetables in a cornucopia. 

Perform a Samhain ceremony. A dumb supper is performed with one single person or the whole family present (more fun that way!). First, gather everyone around. That can be your coven or your family. Go outside, find yard trimmings or dead plants- remember those seed heads? Use them to make a straw man or woman. I go with the Goddess more so I plan to make a straw doll to represent the Goddess. This will go nicely with my Samhain offering of honey, milk and cornmeal. 

You can bring the doll inside and decorate the doll with antlers for the male God or a dress for the Goddess. Offer the straw deity doll bread and cornmeal. (I wish I had some tobacco). Then everyone else partakes of the meal. Just be sure to serve your deity doll first. 

Leave crumbs for the birds. You can return the doll outside to watch over the garden on a pole to stand guard over next year’s seedlings and burn the doll at the Beltane celebration. When you are finished with the meal, take the leftovers outside as an offering for the dead. 

Make an ancestors altar. Collect photographs, mementos, of deceased loved ones and pets. Arrange them on your altar and light candles. Light the candles in their memory and quietly sit and reflect. Pay attention to any messages you receive. Heed your dreams. You can keep the ancestor altar up as long as you want. 

Guide the Spirits. I like to light a white candle and set it at a window. You could use a seven-day candle. When you light the candle say these words: “O little flame that burns so bright, be a beacon on this night. Light the path for all the dead, that they may see now what’s ahead. And lead them to the Summerland and shine until Pan takes their hands. And with Your light, please bring them peace, that they may rest and sleep with ease.” 

Perform a seance. Samhain is the perfect time to hold a tradition. Hold a bonfire. I plan to do this one! Well yes a seance but I just love to sit out on my back step on a chilly yet dry October evening, with a fire raging in my toddler sized cauldron. Did you see what I did there? lol. Use tarot, runes, and or scrying to divine your future or find a future mate!

Invoke your chosen deities. Honour and call on the Gods such as the Crone Goddess and the Horned God of nature. Invite them in to your circle and to aid in your understanding of life, death and rebirth. 

Herbs of Samhain There are many herbs to use to celebrate Samhain. I want to bake a loaf of rosemary bread this Samhain. Rosemary is for remembrance. For more guidance, sage, pine cones, straw, mugwort, mullein, oak leaves, acorns, hazelnuts, allspice, elderberries, catnip (save some for kitty!). For more guidance on this, review my previous posts. I have been harvesting dandelion, burdock and elecampane as much as I can. 

Be sure to leave your carved pumpkin once you are done with it outside. I always toss my spent pumpkins in the garden. Trust me, the crows and other critters will thank you. It is cold for them and they love every bite they can get. It benefits the soil by leaving valuable nutrients in the soil for next year’s spring plantings. 

Happy Samhain! I wish you all a good celebration!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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October 20, 2022 · 11:47 am

Pumpkin Magic )O(

Merry meet all,

Today I want to post about my favourite orange cucurbit, pumpkins! Pumpkins are everywhere. Pumpkins are famous for fairy tale magic. Autumn colored leaves blanket my garden, as squirrels and bluejays gather nuts and seeds to store for the long winter ahead. Samhain is almost here. Now let’s gather our own Magick!

10 Ways to Use Pumpkins in Witchcraft

moodymoons, ,

Long before Cinderella’s fairy godmother sent her bewitched pumpkin carriage careening towards a royal party under a reckless magic spell, this mythical fruit vined its way into the legend of witchcraft.

Here are a few ideas to bring this classic spell ingredient into your magical practice.

10 Ways to Use Pumpkins in Witchcraft

Dry roast the seeds and toss them in a mojo bag for prosperity.    The fertile abundance of seeds inside a pumpkin perfect for success mojo bags.

Use your jack-o-lantern to chase away negative energy.  Did you know jack-o-lanterns were originally carved to chase away demons?  In the spirit of this tradition, burn a charcoal disk with protection herbs like rosemary to turn away negative energy at the doorstop.

Bury your kid’s spent pumpkin in the garden to “fertilize” a wishing spell.    Never know what to do with your kid’s jack-o-lantern once Halloween is over?  The pumpkin’s magical lore makes it “ripe” for wishing magic.  Have your child write a goal for the springtime on a piece of (natural) paper, and bury it in the garden to bless his/her endeavors.   Kids move so quickly from one phase to the next, seeing their “wish” come up in the spring will remind them of how far they walked since the beginning of the school year!

Boil your cauldron.  If your kitchen-witchy, make a batch of crock pot pumpkin soup
Be sure to include plenty of “heart-warming” magical spices like chili powder or cumin.  Stir it clockwise four times and bless it for strong ties between family and friends.  Then serve it to everyone!

Leave it as an offering to the woodland spirits.  Samhain is a time to honor those who came before you. Once you’re finished with your pumpkin, take it to woods and leave it as an offering to your ancestors.   It also makes great deer food!

Use it in a group Samhain ritual.  Hollow out and carve a large pumpkin with symbols sacred to your tradition.  Light a candle inside, go around the circle and talk about your year together as a group or coven.  Discuss any remaining tensions, write them down and then agree to let them go with the start of the new Wheel of the Year.  Place a candle inside the pumpkin lantern, and one by one, burn the paper.  Watch it go up in smoke and let go. 

Save the stems.  The stem dries out and cures pretty quickly.  Leave it with your magical cabinet to boost wishing spells or prosperity spells during the next Wheel of the Year.

Draw out your inner beauty.  Mix 1/4 cup pumpkin puree with a splash of apple cider vinegar and an egg.  Use it as a mask to bring out the “enchanting” side of your inner beauty.

Place a pumpkin near your creative work space for inspiration and brainstorming.  Pumpkins connote fanciful thinking and fairy tales.  Use this energy in your work space to break out of box thinking and reach deeper.

Make a bird feeder to connect with the spirit of fire and air.  Invite winter-friendly birds near your home by making a bird feeder out a your pumpkin.  When you notice a bird near it, say a blessing and send him off with to carry a wish or prayer skyward!

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Blessed be, Spiderwitch

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October 11, 2022 · 2:09 pm

Seeds, herbal torches and potions- oh my!

My witch hazel in bloom!

Merry meet all,

Don’t you love the month of October? I feel so much magic in the air. I have a pumpkin, a pot of bright yellow chrysanthemums outside, a jar of pumpkin spice, and witchy magazines to read this fall! Bring it on! I am ready. I hope you are too. 

It’s my goal to save as many seeds as I can from my garden this year. So far, I have saved Shasta daisy, elecampane, echinacea, tickseed, dill seeds, lavender, lemon balm, yarrow, marigold seeds and witch hazel! Yes I did save witch hazel seeds. The flowers of my witch hazel are shown in the photo above. The witch hazel seeds are glossy, slippery, and deep black. I have 5 seeds and in the spring, I plan to scatter them outside in the ground on the nature trail. Some seeds need the cold of winter to germinate. 

My witch hazel tree is flush with flowers. The whole tree or shrub I should say, is gorgeous. I have stored the seeds in jars and labeled paper envelopes. I have been feeling especially crafty in the last few weeks. I am REALLY bitten by the herbal bug. I’m brewing jars of burdock root + dandelion root tinctures, hawthorn cordials, gingered honey, and for the first time I made mullein herbal torches. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making mullein torches is easy. They were known as hag torches. Mullein grows wild where I live. To make the torches, cut and dry mullein stalks. Measure how long you want the torches to be. I have a small pot I have dedicated for melting beeswax in. So the torches are small. You can make your torches be whatever size you want. Melt a lot, like a LOT, of beeswax in your double boiler. You can add essential oils to give your torches a nice fragrance. I chose essential oils that correspond with autumn: cinnamon, clove, rosemary, etc. Dip the torch stalk into the beeswax to ensure they are fully and deeply coated. Sprinkle on herbs that correspond with autumn! Choose marigold petals, chrysanthemum, mugwort and sage. Press the herbs lightly down to make sure they stick. Let them dry on a wire rack. They make great offerings to Hekate! I suggest you burn them outdoors to avoid a fire in your home. 

October is not complete without pumpkins! I have half a pumpkin in my freezer, a squash to puree, pureed pumpkin in my fridge. I baked a lovely pumpkin bread which I enjoy with cinnamon butter. Yummy! I tried to make elderberry mead. It turned into a syrup. I will try again next year!

I have a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Herbal Latte. Mmm I am making it tomorrow and I can’t wait. I still have to harvest the elecampane root and wash the grow bag. Then I have to store the garden knick knacks, clean and sterilize my garden tools, and store everything away for winter. The garden lawn chair cushions will be stored in my Mom’s basement. 

I began nettle from seed in a large pot under my grow lights. I transplanted a few nettle seedlings into the garden. I believe they rooted which means I will get nettle next summer. I am very relieved the nettle is outside because it really does sting! I grew tired of being constantly stung by the nettle. Stinging nettle has its name for a reason. My mint is growing nicely in the pot along with what I believe may be mugwort and rue. They will overwinter indoors. I am not sure if rue would survive the winter. I am planting garlic this fall!

I stocked up on extra jars to hold all my herbs. I had a great harvest this year. In fact, my herb harvest was so successful it has led to me making a big decision about my garden. I am now not growing as many vegetables as I used to. I do better growing herbs. So herbs it is, it is a lot less effort, they are not as bothered by pests, and I don’t waste as many seeds. The soil is not that deep as I would like. The soil is very good quality but not that deep. Herb roots don’t need a lot of depth. 

Having a herb garden and such an abundance of herbs on the nature trail helps me financially. It would cost me a fortune to pay for all the herbs I require for the Herbal Academy. I could never afford it all. It is easier on my wallet for sure. I love living here and I consider myself truly fortunate. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

Links of Interest:

How to Make Hawthorn Tincture

How & When To Prune Rosemary For Big, Bushy Plants

27 Garden Plants You Can Easily Propagate From Cuttings 

Homemade Wildflower Seed Bombs To Beautify Forgotten Landscapes

How To Prepare Your Garden Beds For Winter

 

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August 7, 2022 · 2:28 pm

Herbal Book )O(

Merry meet all,

I tried my hand at bookbinding. I want to tell you all about in this post. It turned out real well. My cat is seated on her favourite, well she loves all the rugs, and trying to keep cool in this infernal heat. I will tell you how to bind your own herbal book. As most of you know, I’m studying at the Herbal Academy. I don’t know how you all feel but I hate binders. They are so mundane. The bound book includes the lessons from the mini courses – Botanical Drawing and Flower Pressing –  I took at the Herbal Academy. 

Now I’ll tell you how I bound a book brimming with beautiful flower illustrations & photos, and of course, butterfly stickers. I borrowed that curved needle from my Mom. I don’t know what you call it but it is for book binding. I bought all the supplies I would need, such as a large bottle of glue, paint brushes, bookbinding cloth, endpapers covered in butterflies- it’s truly beautiful. I also obtained a meter of dark forest green broadcloth from the fabric store, a bone folder, and linen thread.

I laid down newspaper onto the table. Glue can soak through anything and make a real mess. Newspaper, paper towels are great for keeping things clean. The book covers are 9 x 12″. The pages are 8 1/2 by 11′. I like the way it turned out. I deliberately wanted the covers bigger just to be on the safe side. It is better than too small to fit anything. I also returned the small needle to my Mom and end up using ribbon to secure the pages. 

The pages for the book were already printed out. A few things went wrong as I began the project. I poked tiny holes into the pages on the wrong edge of the paper. The linen thread broke too easily. I felt down right intimidated by the project. I kept hearing that nagging inner voice to work on the book but I resisted. Finally I caved in and found an alternative to binding the pages together. Ribbon! That was much easier on me. I already had a beautiful purple ribbon. I dug it out and put three hole punches in the pages. By now, the pages have the tiny needle marks and the three hole punches in them but I didn’t care. This book is for me and that is that. 

I punched the three holes in careful to keep all the pages aligned. I had a total of 150 pages. Then I wound the ribbon in. I tied tight knots and dabbed a small drop of glue on the ribbon knots to ensure they never come undone. I lit the ends of the ribbon with a lighter so they never fray. Ok now that the pages were secured, I moved onto making the actual book covers. I had already glued book binding cloth onto the two book covers. I cut out the spine of the book which measured about 2 inches. I cut the green cloth to size. One thing here about book binding: leave nothing to chance. Measure EVERYTHING. You will thank yourself later. 

The spine wasn’t already covered in fabric. I found a white cloth which I ironed and laid it out on the spine. I glued the cloth to the spine piece. I have a cool little yellow tool for spreading glue. I have no idea how I lived without it. It sure comes in handy. I covered the spine of the book with the white cloth and glued it to the spine of the pages. I let it dry but I did use my yellow stick to smoothen out the glue. The book binding cloth was a lighter shade of green than the fabric for the outer covers. I didn’t mind because it will never show. I smoothed the edges of the dark green cloth over the book covers. I did opposite ends first and I used a lot of glue. Like I mean a lot of glue. The glue will soak through the fabric so it is good to have what is under the book to not be too absorbent. I smoothed out the glue to prevent bumps or puckers. I let it dry. 

Then I glued the spine of the pages to the spine of the book covers. I laid the book – insides facing up, and I kept the pages in place with two peanut butter jars. I did that so only the stuff I want glued together is glued. I left it all to dry for several hours. While I waited, I made a herbal bookmark. I had some endpapers left over from the book. You can see the print on the inside book covers in the picture. 

To make the bookmark, I glued the printed endpaper to a piece of cardboard with a glue stick. I gathered lavender and rosemary and glued it with Mod Podge to the cardboard.  I hole punched a hole in the top of the bookmark. I left it to dry. Leaving these types of projects to dry overnight is best. It takes patience to complete these projects. It is worth taking the time to do them carefully. They turn out much better than if you rushed it. 

Now the book is done! I suspect the pages are not in the correct orders & there are pages I didn’t expect that are glued in but it is all trial and error. It still looks beautiful. I love it. This book is a treasure to last for years to come. I am so grateful to study at the Herbal Academy. 

However, the glue stains show on the outer book covers. I will find something pretty to hide that. The book is bound and I love it. I hope this inspires you to create something too. 

I was busy with herbal recipes in my witch’s kitchen yesterday. I brewed a jar of rose elixir. It involves honey, rose petals, lemon petals and brandy. The potion will steep for a month. I am sure it is worth the wait. The potion in the labeled jar looks beautiful. The herbs are growing amazingly in my garden. The beans are growing well and my cucumbers. I wish the heat would go away because the pumpkins and tomatoes haven’t set fruit and I am getting worried. I deeply watered the garden this morning. The heat will be unreal today. 

As I type here, sipping mint tea, and forever grateful for the fan on, I want to express my gratitude for the bounty of nature around me. I cast a spell to have this apartment and nature was on the list of things I wanted. I love living here. I can’t wait for the insects to be gone though, mainly the mosquitoes. Yeah they can go – and the wasps. August is the spiders month. Once August rolls around, there are spiders EVERYWHERE. 

Merry Lammas !!!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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