Tag Archives: magick

March 29, 2026 · 5:21 pm

Faerie Queen in Spring )O(

Early spring blossoms

Merry meet all,

Snow coats the streets and sidewalks, determined to resist spring. The Pagan Association of Nova Scotia is hosting a Beltane Ball in May. I bought a ticket and I was completely inspired to work on my costume. I want to be a Faerie Queen! 

Although the event is in May, I”m busy preparing for it now. Faerie Queens are busy. I’m seized with inspiration. I pored over pinterest fae photos to get inspiration, including the faerie art by Brian Froud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a beautiful purple/ pink faerie dress. I examined the dress more closely and I noticed it’s in need of repair. The elastic in the casing in the sleeves was expired. I whipped out my sewing tools and patiently seam ripped the sleeves. I decided that clear elastic was too frail, even for a Faerie Queen. The sleeves are fixed. I want to add longer lower sleeves to the dress and make a shoulder ruffle. The faerie dress is fragile. The sleeve ruffle might stabilize the fabric. I lightly touched up the edges of the sleeves and bodice using clear nail polish to prevent fraying. I sewed  beautiful lavender colored embroidered flowers to the front of the faerie dress. That made the dress look even more beautiful. I want to sew a zigzag stitch to the dress hem. I sewed a shimmery trim to the dress hem. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also made a lovely hobo bag. I didn’t want to carry around a backpack all night, especially since I may be wearing faerie wings. I sewed myself a lovely magical hobo bag. I just love it. The faerie dress and the slip need more mending. 

I sewed a short overskirt to the faerie skirt and trimmed the overskirt with ribbon. The overskirt isn’t visible with the faerie dress, but I am sure if I dance or something, it will be visible then. The deep purple overskirt sprinkles faerie glitter everywhere. 

I am so proud of my faerie leaf mask. It turned out better than I expected. I don’t have the skills to work with leather (yet), so I used the cardboard from a cereal box. I painted the mask green using three coats and let the paint dry between coats. I used a scissors and an exacto knife to cut it out. I found a pattern and etched in the fine arched lines of the mask. I cut out the eyes. I used a hole punch on the far sides of the mask to be able to secure ribbon when I want to wear it. I plan to add moss, leaves (lots!), and feathers. I’ve decided to use artificial oak and maple leaves and glue them on with a hot glue gun. I promise to add photos when I am done. I also have to get my mitts on a pair of faerie ears. I found my faerie wand and wings. The fae gifted me a twig and I want to add it to the crown. I can’t wait till I get to Michaels arts and crafts. I glued green felt oak leaves, artificial leaves and flowers to the mask. I love how it looks. I have to make the large green felt oak leaf more stable and created a green butterfly from clay. I adhered a clay loop to the butterfly so I could hang it from a chain. The butterfly had to be secured with hot glue. I secured two long green velvet ribbons to the mask. I glued two green felt maple leaves to the back of the mask. I want the front and the back of the mask to look great. I repainted the back of the mask. I touched up the black paint on the mask with gold acrylic paint.  I painted a clear sealant to the mask. That makes it permanent and it also added a nice shine to the mask. The mask looks even more amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The corset – I seam ripped the fasteners on the corset. I’m installing eyelets to use as fasteners. Yup this sure is turning out to be a faerie queen costume. Today I installed the eyelets and laced up the bodice. I love how it’s all coming together. 

 I want to add herbs, gemstone chips and a tiny scroll to a small vial with a cork top, and coat green and purple candle wax on the cork, then insert a jump ring to attach to a chain, add another jump ring at the bottom of the vial, then add another fairyish charm such as a butterfly/ fairy feather or a gemstone. One vial is a gift for my friend and the second one will be for me. 

Today I attempted to sew the crinoline sleeve to the dress.  I could not sew the long sleeves to the shorter sleeves because both sleeves needed an elastic casing. I will use a safety pin to adhere the lower sleeves to the upper sleeves. The lower sleeves are beautiful. I did finally finish mending the slip, sewed in the zigzag stitch at the hem of the faerie dress, and sewed the shoulder ruffles but I still have to sew them onto the sleeves. I may have to sew by hand because my sewing machine does not like crinoline. I glued a few flowers to the dress. The faerie dress was a lot of work to repair, but I learned a lot in the process, so that made it worth it.

My crown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bought these beautiful butterfly clips which I will adhere to the dress. I have the faerie wand, mask, ears, wings and gown. The last detail I have to work out is a crown. I have a few options: the gold Arwen crown, a circlet, the circlet that came with the wings. I’ll figure it out. I have a few options for how to style my hair and makeup. I still have lots of time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to coat the frayed parts of the faerie dress with clear nail polish. The fabric is fragile and tends to fray, so that should take care of it. I glued the fairy wings back onto the poor fairy. She can now fly and flit over tops of flowers or sip honey nectar tea. I touched up the faerie house a little bit. I painted a white crown of thorns with a spellbinding mixture of brown, green and gold. I love how it turned out. It looks regal, and earthy. The gold enhances the earthy brown color nicely. 

I sewed a second corset today. The corset is black with embroidered butterflies. I had to sew the black mesh fabric to natural black cotton because I didn’t want the interfacing to show. I sewed the lining separately then sewed them together. I had to make a slight adjustment to the corset size. Once I figured out how much extra fabric I needed, I stitched that to the corset. I have to install the eyelets. Then it will be complete. It looks great with the faerie dress and skirt! I used a pdf underbust corset pattern from Etsy. 

 

 

 

 

 

I finally installed the eyelets into the corset. The corset is complete. It was a lot of work to do that, but well worth it. I love how it looks now. Sweet and edgy. I set up my work area at the table, and hammered the grommets into the fabric. I hammered on a cloth covered board. I could see the indents from the hammering. I am happy the corset is done now. I chose deep blue velvet ribbon for lacing the corset. The corset looks beautiful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made a jar of faerie dust for a friend and I’m soon making one for another friend. I bought miniature bottles with chains from Michaels. I love that store! I ground chamomile, calendula, elderflower, lavender and rose petals to a fine powder then added the ground herbs to the jar. I sealed the jar with beeswax. It really looks like faerie dust. Well, it is!

 

 

This faerie queen will celebrate Beltane in style with my beautiful Beltane gown. Till then,,…

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under magic, magick, sewing, spring

March 14, 2026 · 4:58 pm

Early spring starts

Merry meet all,

I look out the window and see an overcast grey sky, with snow mounds piled up at the curbs and on sidewalks. It’s mid-March right now. We still have a way to go. I got an early start on my spring herbal seedlings. I did not anticipate that I would have so much success starting my herbs from seeds. 

I am fortunate that I own a grow light. Grow lights help immensely when you want to grow herbs, flowers or vegetables from seed or transplants. The only thing I need is patience. I know it’s hard to be patient and I obsessively check the pots to see if anything is growing, especially in the second pot. I don’t see anything growing in the pots. I have a few tiny seedlings, but I have to wait till they grow their true leaves before I know what they are. I used two methods to grow seeds: I sprinkled seeds directly into the pots and I sprinkled seeds onto a damp paper towel which I stored in two large ziploc bags. I filled a third pot with soil and Gaia Green fertilizer, mixed it into the soil. I opened up the paper towel gently and to my wonder, a  lot of tiny seedlings were ready to be moved into a pot. I used a magnifying glass and tweezers to gently free them from the paper towel and place into the pots. One must be very gentle when doing this. It does require a careful hand. I covered them with light soil and misted water onto the soil. Now they are under the grow light. I must have patience. 

This week, I participated in three wonderful spring seed growing workshops with the Herbal Academy. They are offering a gardening mini course. I already have tons of experience with gardening, but I want to take the course anyway. I am always open to learning something new. I also completed my Botany and Wildcrafting course. I still have lifetime access to the course. Growing herbs from seed under my grow light always excites me. 

I bought this white crepe cotton fabric printed with tiny blue flowers. I want to use it to make a chemise. I also bought lovely black fabric like tulle with blue butterflies. I want to use that fabric to make a corset. I have a pdf pattern for it. I bought a ticket for the upcoming Beltane Ball in May. I am already planning the costume for that. I’m using what I already have – a purple faerie outfit. Well when it’s cold outside and you’re bored… I want to make some slight changes to the costume. I also have a pdf pattern for a medieval gown. I just had an idea – the corset pattern will match with the medieval gown. Oh my brain just never rests when it comes to thinking up new ideas. 

I’m an extremely creative person. I always find a way to entertain myself during the winter season. My cat’s gazing out the window. She is wishing she could chase the crows perched on the tree outside. The crows are not concerned about her. 

Spring blessings

Spiderwitch

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under magick, spring

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 

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction, Samhain

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

October 4, 2023 · 12:00 am

Preparations

Merry meet all,

Pumpkin season is here. The Paranormal Symposium is a few days away. I have been busy preparing for it. I can’t wait to attend. 

The beautiful black plush blanket that I ordered from Killstar arrives tomorrow! I can’t wait for that either. The blanket has a spiderweb print and will keep me warm. I want to download lots of photos of my ancestors for Samhain. I also want to make them a beautiful offering of golden flowers this year. I decided on goldenrod and marigolds, and maybe asters. I am sure they will appreciate the offering. 

The host of the Paranormal Symposium, Elliott Van Dusen, wants to interview me about my blog, The Paranormal Quill after the Symposium. I am happy about that. It is nice to get some recognition after all my hard work. I have had a long go of it. I will have to prepare for that too. It should be interesting. 

I bought a cool black glossy nail polish the other day. The brand is Opi and the color is black onyx. I love the color and the quality of the nail polish. I am almost all set for the Paranormal Symposium. I just have to decide what to wear. I washed two gothy witchy dresses and they will be clean in time for the big day. I bought a beautiful black handbag today on Spring Garden near the Public Gardens. It is so lovely. I hand washed that too, as it had a strong scent. I want to use that bag the day of the event. Yes this has taken a lot of thought. I need spending money for lunch and maybe cabfare. It is a day long event so that is why I have been thinking everything through. The black boots I wanted to wear aren’t ready. I have an alternate pair. The clothes are clean. Yup I do believe I just have to enjoy myself and relax. I even asked my Mom to give me a wake up call early in the morning. I take the bus so I have to get up early early in the morning. I have to be ready by 8 am to leave or be there at the time. I know where the event is to be held and I know which bus to take. Now the old me would have scrambled at the last minute. This time I have prepared well in advance. Yeah being this organized sure feels better. 

I even checked out hairstyle options. Maybe not that necessary but you never know. I mean we would seriously prepare for a job interview right? Right. I really want to make an impact with my appearance.

Penny will be groomed later in the month. I needed the money today to buy groceries and to pay for duties and taxes for the quilt to be shipped to me. I hate that but I had to do it. The blanket was 60% off. I wouldn’t have bought it otherwise, considering it is mailed from the States. 

I harvested roses, yarrow, black horehound, asters, lavender, apples and red clover. I dried them save for the apples in my dehydrator. Now they are stored in jars. The herbs look beautiful even when dried. I ground up a large quantity of black pepper and I ground up a loaf of white bread. I stored the black pepper in the same jar and stored the bread crumbs in a ziplock bag in the freezer. I want to use up the food that I have because it is so expensive these days. Yup times are tough right now. I am not buying a new outfit for the big day. I intend to use what I already have. That is what the happiest people do. They make the most and best of what they have. I have nice things and I try to make them last me as long as I can. 

I will have to get to know black horehound. I am not too acquainted with that herb but it is not that accepted amongst herbalists. One more herb to learn! 

I am a student of life! 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch )O(

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 19, 2022 · 12:26 pm

Candle Magick )O(

Merry meet all,

Candles are the purest form of Magick. I love staring at a pure bright candle flame. It just stirs my heart and warms my heart. I want to share tips and to burn candles magically and safely this Samhain:

  • Burn a white candle on the windowsill this Samhain to guide lost spirits. 
  • Store candles in the freezer for a while. The wax will drip less.
  • Burn a candle for one hour and remember to trim the wick. Never leave a candle unattended. 
  • Carve symbols or sigils into the candle wax for an added boost of Magick.
  • Carve symbols or sigils into your pumpkin to keep bad spirits away or to empower the pumpkin wtih protective Magick.
  • Use coloured candles for certain spells: black is a psychic energy and draws in energy, blue is for emotion & intuition, orange is for creativity, white is for Spirit, purple is for psychic energy, brown is for earth-related matters, red is for Mars energy and fire.
  • To release the energy of a candle, blow the candle out when you’re finished a spell. To keep the energy of a spell in the candle, snuff the candle out with a candle snuffer. 
  • Clean your candlesticks to keep them ready to use for new spell casting.
  • Gaze into a candle flame to scry your future or a message from Spirit. 
  • Burn essential oils on candles or buy the scented candles. Try not to use synthetic oils. Use natural essential oils. They don’t always cost a fortune.
  • Keep your familiars away from candles. Burn candles where your furr-milairs can’t get to them. Always practice safety when burning candles. 
  • Don’t burn your candles at your altar while wearing long billowing sleeves or near the curtains. Safety first. 
  • Grind herbs to a powder if you want to burn herbs on your candles first. The candles will sputter less. 
  • Bury the wax out in the garden when the candle is finished burning. 
  • If you do burn a lot of candles indoors or outdoors this Samhain, keep sand, a fire extinguisher or a pitcher of water nearby to avoid a fire. Getting evicted is not cool!
  • Put your intention into the candle. That will add extra power to your spell. For example, I wanted a pet cat. I burned a cat-shaped candle. Sympathetic magic! Like attracts like. 
  • Always put a positive intention into your spell workings, never negative. You want bad, you get bad. You want good Magick, you get good Magick! So be positive always! Energy always returns to the sender!
  • Spirits are around us everywhere this Samhain! Burn a candle you made yourself. Add graveyard dirt and clary sage essential oils to the candle at your altar to attract the spirits. 
  • Gather a lot of oak leaves and dry them. Once they are thoroughly dry, grind the leaves to a powder. Use the powder like an ash for your cauldron. Nestle a cauldron or a charcoal disc in the oak ash. Store the unused oak leaf ash in the fridge or the freezer to keep it from spoiling. Oak leaves have a strong energy, and represent longevity, strength, stability, endurance, fertility, power, justice and honesty.

I hope the above tips help when you cast candle Magick this Samhain! 

Blessed be, Spiderwitch 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 27, 2022 · 12:00 pm

Summer Herb Crafts

Merry meet all,

There is so much exciting news.  The sequel to the long- awaited Stranger Things Volume 4 episode is a few days away. That and summer is here. What could be better? Yeah summer’s here. My garden is almost in full bloom. We’ve had serious rain for the last few days. On the plus side, it helps my garden grow. Plants don’t have to reach so deep for moisture. I prefer the sun though. 

I just found some mandrake and elecampane seeds! Ok now for a planter and soil. I hope that this is the year that the elecampane flowers in my garden. I want more elecampane plants. Elecampane is a medicinal herb. It has been used for its medicinal qualities since Ancient Greek and Roman times. It is used for respiratory health. I love my elecampane plant. However, this herb demands patience. It has taken a few years for it to get big and not one flower yet!

I plan to start plant spirit Magick this summer. I began reading the book Entering Hekate’s Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen. I can’t wait to learn from it and try all the rituals. My cat Penny is perched above the bookcase, gazing out the window, just doing what cats do best. 

I’m enjoying my herbal studies. I finished the Fairy Home. It’s enchanting and oh so cute. I made a Summer Solstice lantern, and I am pressing sage, violets and lavender in my flower press. I just checked on my garden which is growing just beautifully. I just love this time of year. I am not so sure I love all the insects but that can’t be helped. I have a garden and they are part of the territory. 

I want to buy a beautiful leather binder from Etsy. I want to use the binder to store my Materials Medica in, my herbal monographs. I don’t want a boring binder. It says nothing about the Materia Medica. I just found a beautiful one on Etsy. I sure hope it is available tomorrow. It’s perfect. Leather can stand the test of time. I hope it would be big enough to hold all the papers I have. I want something magickal, witchy and beautiful and that binder is perfect. I am really enjoying the Flower Press course at the Herbal Academy. 

The Herbal Academy has changed my life. I don’t regret it. I can’t believe how much I have learned. It was not what I expected but I can go with that. I hope to get a good career out of this. I would still do my writing. Maybe I can write more about herbs for magazines or something. I will figure something out. I may even make gift cards with the flowers I press. I could make the gift cards out of homemade paper. I have a mold and deckle. That would be one way to make money. I told my Mom to save all her shredded paper. 

Happy Summer!

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 19, 2022 · 2:49 pm

Fairy House )O(

Merry meet all,

Summer Solstice is almost here. Here is a beautiful idea to celebrate the Solstice. I was inspired to create a fairy house. I am not sure what inspired me but I trusted it. I’m posting here to tell you how I constructed the beautiful fairy house. I almost want to move in, except I am not small enough. That’s why it is a Fairy House!

Let’s get started:

SUPPLIES

  • A glue gun
  • lots of glue
  • lots of popsicle sticks
  • acrylic paint
  • paintbrush
  • paint sticks
  • cedar bark
  • pinecones
  • acorns
  • twigs
  • ivy leaves
  • witch hazel leaves
  • oak leaves
  • arrowhead, miniature furniture, fairy doll (optional or add later)
  • a sealant of some kind to preserve your creation
  • Patience

To begin, set down newspaper and paper towel. You will need lots of it. That is now your workspace. Lay out all your supplies. Also, this can’t be done in one day. Don’t rush it and do take your time. It will turn out much better. Now snap the paint sticks in half and arrange them vertically in your workspace. This is the base of the house. Glue them together and paint them your desired colour. Set it aside. 

Now lay seven to nine popsicle sticks together horizontally. Keep them neat and very close to each other. Now without moving the sticks, set down two popsicle sticks on the right and the left of the sticks. Glue them together with the hot glue gun. Be sure they are glued together. Do this with 4 other sets of seven to nine sticks. This is to build the roof and walls of the house. Let them dry. Once they have fully dried and are truly glued together, you can paint them your desired colour. Or you can use popsicle sticks that are already coloured. I was going for a rustic look and so used lots of browns but it is your choice. 

I didn’t add windows but you can if you choose. Now here is the tricky part: assembling the house. Determine how you want the house to be. I set the walls of the house down on the base. I kept shifting the walls until I liked the way it was. Be flexible while you create your house. I glued a stick to the bottom of the walls. I glued a popsicle stick to the popsicle sticks then was able to glue it to the base. The popsicle sticks have curved ends. It would have been tricky to adhere otherwise. Once the walls are glued to the base, then work on the roof. Once you glue everything, it is permanent. Be certain it is the way you want it. Or maybe you want the roof removable. Glue the roof to the walls of the house. 

Once the whole house is glued and secure, you can decorate. I would suggest completing this step first. Now that that is done, you can go outside and gather pinecones, acorns, twigs, leaves, flowers, herbs or stones. It’s early summer here so I had a hard time finding any acorns. I finally found an intact acorn in a jar in my kitchen. Use twigs and leaves to hide any awkward ugly corners from view. Use twigs for windows or doors. I set a bird nest on the roof. It clipped on so I didn’t have to glue it. 

Before you adhere a pinecone to your masterpiece, you may want to clean them for critters. If it just came in from outside, insects may have been living on it. Soak pinecones, twigs, acorns, leaves and twigs in water and half a cup to a cup of vinegar for 20 minutes. Bake the pinecones and acorns in the oven at 200 F for half an hour. Let them dry then pat them dry with a paper towel. 

Now you can decorate. Oh and to make the door, stack five popsicle sticks together neatly then arrange a stick on the right and the left. Then glue and paint them. I snapped two popsicle sticks in half. I hope by now you can see why I said lots of popsicle sticks and glue earlier. Then I laid them on top of each other and glued them. I glued them to the five popsicle sticks. That made the door. 

Now feel free to decorate the house. You can decorate to your hearts content. I layered the leaves over each other on the roof. I set down two big cedar bark pieces on the roof. Then I added the cedar, oak and ivy leaves. I used the ivy leaves to cover bad spots and to create a path to the door. Search your house for tiny treasures such as the arrowhead I have on the roof of the house. I hope you have fun creating the house. You are only limited by your imagination. I wrote Fairy Home on a popsicle stick and glued that to the roof. I used the twigs as windowsills, to fill in spaces and add decoration. 

Have fun creating your fairy house. Don’t forget to add a fairy or two to inhabit the house. You can search toystores for miniature furniture. I don’t have a fairy or mini furniture yet but soon. Don’t leave the house outside or it won’t last. You can coat the entire house in a silicone sealant to preserve your creation. Don’t use cardboard to make the house. Wood is much sturdier. When you’re done, perform a fairy blessing on it. 

Enjoy!

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 19, 2021 · 1:46 pm

Celebrate the Blood Moon of Samhain

Merry meet all,

Tomorrow night is the Full Moon of Samhain, known as the Blood Moon. That is a great time for magickal workings. Clean up the altar, dust off your cauldrons and broomsticks!! Or, if you are anything like me, create a new besom. As I sit and type, the colourful leaves trickle to the cold earth. The overcast sky frequently brightens as the sun pushes through the clouds. The air is cool. My garden is dying down for the long cold winter. 

I saved a lot of nasturtium seeds yesterday morning. It involved me getting into odd almost yogic contortions to collect the seeds. I have a ton of poppy seeds from my Mom. Now is a good time for saving and storing seeds- and roots! Herbs such as dandelion, burdock, mullein and coltsfoot are rich with medicinal properties. Most of them are biennial. 

Here is a link that tells you more about the amazing herb, mullein:

When to harvest mullein flowers, leaves, and roots

So get out there and harvest your heart out. Now is the time, now is the hour! 

Blood Moon

The Blood Moon of October is also known as Harvest Moon, which occurs in September, and Hunter’s Moon. Samhain is the Final Harvest Sabbat, so the names for the full moon make sense. Here are the correspondences to aid you in your shellwork on this magical upcoming Full Moon. 

“October Full Moon Correspondences

The Hunter Full Moon spiritual meaning can be a potent time for magic and rituals, as well as a beautiful time of inward growth and reflection. Here are some correspondences and intentions to help get you started!

Hunter Moon Spiritual Meaning And Intentions

  • Balance
  • Gratitude
  • Transitions
  • Divination work (Tarot, Scrying, Runes, Oujia, Pendulum boards, Celtic Oghams, etc)
  • Psychic messages
  • Afterlife
  • Shadow work
  • Harvesting
  • Dreamwork
  • Psychopomps (Greek – a spirit, human, or being who guides souls that have recently crossed over. They help them transition into the afterlife from the mortal realm. I listed a few examples below)
    • Ancestors or loved ones
    • Hecate
    • Hermes (Greek)
    • Anubis (Egyptian)
    • Aurora Borealis (Inuits)
    • Cuckoos
    • Shiva (Hindu)
    • Azrael (Islam)
    • Shaman
    • Anito (Filipino)
    • Arch Angel
    • Grim Reaper
    • Sparrows

Colors

  • Ruby Red
  • Dark Purple
  • Black
  • Burnt Orange
  • Silver
  • Deep Navy Blue
  • Gold

Crystals

  • Amethyst
  • Black Tourmaline
  • Quartz
  • Obsidian
  • Moonstone
  • Bloodstone
  • Carnelian”

 

Embrace The Season

The veil thins in October take some time to contemplate the natural cycle of life. Observe how Nature dies externally each season to rest and prepare for the light and growth of next Spring.

Visit a local cemetery. Bring fresh flowers to place on graves you connect with or who might need a bit of love. Read each headstone and imagine who they were and what they cared about in life.

Since the veil thins the closer we get to Samhain or Halloween it increases the opportunity to spot Fae! Learn more about how to incorporate Fae mythology origins or different types of Fae into your spiritual practice.

The October and the harvest season is traditionally a time for protection magic as well. You’ll see this rooted in the history of pumpkin and turnip carving to guard the home and people from sinister or evil spirits. Draw or design your pumpkins with sigils, bind runes, symbols, or spiritual meanings you’re drawn to like sacred geometry or the pentagram.

You could also spend more time researching spiritual paths or topics you’d like to learn more about like candle color meanings, magical elements, or types of witches.

Embrace all things October: Halloween or Samhain decorations, pumpkin spice everything, cozy blankets, bonfires, or whatever your heart and spirit connect to! Have fun, be free of judgment, and celebrate this wonderful season.

Deep Meditation

October is an amazing season to meditate beneath the moon. Place a picnic blanket in your yard and put on some headphones.

Play some relaxing music that will help quiet your mind or binaural beats that will help you align with your goals and intentions. You could also try playing some positive affirmation songs to help with manifestation.

You can do this on a balcony as well, or even just sitting next to a window and soaking in the moonlight.

Honor and Connect With Your Ancestors

Go through old photo albums and find ways to display or chronicle family photos. Connect with places like Ancestry.com to discover more in-depth information on your family’s history.

Do you have anything that has been passed down to you that you can add to your household decor or place on your altar? Speak to your family elders to hear stories and learn more about your heritage. Contemplate how you can connect with traditions your ancestors celebrated.

Credit given to the site: https://www.thepeculiarbrunette.com/octobers-blood-or-harvest-full-moon-meaning-and-how-to-celebrate/. 

Books Featuring Witches

31 Things To Do Between Now and Samhain

Here are more awesome Halloween posts for your reading enjoyment. I hope you enjoy reading them.

Blessings, Spiderwitch

Halloween Haunts: Short Halloween Treats by Galadriel Faye

Halloween Haunts: GIMME SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT: THE JOYS AND TERRORS OF A POST-PANDEMIC HALLOWEEN by Clay McLeod Chapman

Halloween Haunts: How To Make a Spooky Zig Zaggy Mini Halloween Journal by Michele Brittany

Halloween Haunts: Masks by David Sharp

Halloween Haunts: Bad Blood Begets Worse Blood by Catt Colborn

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 2, 2021 · 9:40 pm

October Harvest

 

Merry meet all,

October is here!! I am so excited I hope you are too. I have a small pumpkin dwarfed by my  HUGE pumpkin. I am storing them for Samhain. I’m busy prepping for Samhain I look forward to reading the honking’ huge October newsletter produced by the Horror Writers Association. My blog post about doing a paranormal investigation goes live on October 11th, as part of the Halloween Haunts blog event. I was interviewed by Amanda for the Feminine Macabre interview. That went live on the 29th. Lots happening!!!

This is the time to stock up on root veggies! I have a few squashes, pumpkin in chunks, applesauce, elderberry jam stored away. Yup the cold season has arrived. Like it or not though, it does entice us with the gifts it brings, such as ciders, stews, foods to keep us warm and healthy. I have to puree the pumpkin, which I will do tomorrow. The rind on the squashes is so hard it’s like wood. I have no idea how to cut through that. Pumpkins can be cooked into breads, soups, pies and cookies. I buy smaller pumpkins for cooking – and roasting seeds. I get larger pumpkins for carving. Pureed pumpkin can be stored in the freezer. Once you puree squash, you have a variety of healthful options available for you. Butternut squash also makes good soups. Add ginger, cayenne, and lemon for some tantalizing flavour. 

 

I want to harvest the remaining herbs from my garden before the heavy frost sets in. I have to collect all the lemon balm ( a huge task in itself(, the oregano, some thyme, lavender, and mint. I’m letting the tomatoes ripen on the vine. There is a risk of mildfrost tonight. Later in the month, the frost will be heavier. I bought a huge herb drying rack to dry my herbs. I am grateful for the space but it is too big. I figured it would cost too much to return it to Amazon. I nailed in a big hook in the wall. I need to store away a lot of herbs. The size of it helps. That is the only corner where I can hang it up. I’m just anxious because of the resident overly curious cat who may snoop and sniff out the herbs. Here is a photo of the rack:

 

But it will prove useful this fall and many years to come. I love fall. It is the most beautiful and magical time of year. The leaves are turning, pumpkins regal front decks and store baskets.This is a good time to harvest the herbs you grew with care all summer. Harvest herbs in the morning after the dew has dried but before the frost kills them. Let them dry completely before storing in jars to prevent mold from ruining the herbs. Put them in brown perforated paper bags, tie them upside down to dry or arrange them on cookie sheets to dry. Then, once totally dry and crisp, you are free to use them for tincture making, syrups, teas, cordials or whatever suits your fancy. Know the herbs from each other too. It is so easy to mistake lemon balm from mint. They look and smell alike when dry. It’s easy to confuse yourself. 

I went to the Farmers Market this morning. I forgot a turnip, but I did come home with carrots, leeks, basil + oregano sea salt, and parsnip. – and alcohol cider.  I love parsnip and crunchy sweet carrots. Later, I bought hamburger meat. I can now make stew. Yum!! The farmers market at the Forum was smaller than the market at Seaport. But since we are in a pandemic, a smaller market pleased me. I loved the cider. Oh my gosh it tasted so good. That man is a master at brewing cider wine. Wow I never tasted anything so fine. I am all set for fall. The people at the market ( forum) were so pleasant. I may return there. 

Last night, I removed mullein seed pods from the stalk. Unfortunately for me, the seed pods were hard as rock. I stored the seeds in a labeled jar. The seeds are toxic so I was careful. I am truly blessed with a harvest of herbs, veggies, seeds, and flowers. This is an ideal time to focus on what we harvested and to thank those who bestowed it upon us. Besides Mother Nature and Father sky, we can take the time to reflect who else is so generous to us. It’s a good time to give as generously to those who were good to us. That is an exchange of good energy and is a way of ensuring good energy follows you!!! The Universe hears everything you ask for, so keep sending out good energy and it will reciprocate. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 31, 2021 · 1:16 pm

Merry Imbolc

Merry meet all,

Imbolc is almost here! I can’t wait for spring. When I step outdoors, I am hit with a bone chilling blast of cold air. I do have to leave the house sometimes. I don’t have to like the cold. Spring is a long way off but we can now anticipate its ‘return. 

I recently introduced even more order into my apartment. I went to an office supplies store, Staples, and bought two black plastic stackable crates. From the way they were placed on the shelf and that there were just two crates waiting for me, I knew they were meant for me. I grabbed them and carried them through the store. I bought purple hanging file folders- black and purple, of course! I now have my files all organized and I gave the two dozen now empty binders to my Mom. She appreciated the binders very much and I am glad because now the binders have a new good purpose. 

The best thing to come out of this lockdown and Covid was the reorganizing of my home. It is in way more order than it ever was before. I do believe the last section here is the broom closet. I have more space down there but it is far from perfect. I plan to donate a lot of stuff to Value Village where I work. I also bought a cool black wire box decorated with flowers to store my manuscript in. I have to get busy editing my ghost story now that I am under contract. But with my home in way more order, I am sure that won’t be a problem. 

Clutter is a sign of excess. It is good to round up all the ‘clutter’ and then donate it. Donating items to a thrift shop prevents the items from ending up in landfill. That is one great thing about Value Village;- all that stuff would be in landfill otherwise. 

I bought a white candle in a beautiful white marble candle holder. The flame glows nicely and is burning steadily.  I may be speaking for myself here but I will miss the dark half of the year. Now we turn to the lighter half of the year. But I revel, I thrive in the darker half of the year. I do miss my garden. With Imbolc creeping up on us, we can now turn our attention to starting seeds indoors and such. 

Once I see sprouts in my garden poke through the soil, I will be missing my garden. It’s all I will care about. I wish you all a merry magickal Imbolc. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under gardening, magic, organic, Paranormal and Witchy Fiction, seeds, spring

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,