Tag Archives: pumpkins

October 11, 2025 · 6:11 pm

Dreamweaver Press is publishing my novel in 2026!! )O(

Merry meet all,

Dear readers, I have awesome news! Dreamweaver 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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November 1, 2024 · 10:39 am

My Samhain Experience

Greetings darklings,

The sun’s shining brightly on this early November morning. I am in recovery mode. That’s my jack o lantern in the photo. I had an awesome Samhain experience. I want to share that here with my dear readers today. 

I performed a bonfire ritual outdoors at my backyard step two nights ago. I was trying to get hydrogen peroxide and Epsom salts to ignite. No luck. I used a candle to light my hag torches made from mullein stalks. To my surprise, it worked! It proves there is something to going old school with our Magick! Candles will always work when everything else fails. A lovely fire brewed in my cauldron. It was freezing cold outside but the fire kept me warm. I felt the presence of spirits as I sat there with my black wool cloak draped around me for warmth. The smoke rising from the cauldron was so fragrant! 

The next evening, I performed a nice ancestral supper. I cooked a pot roast to perfection. I set a plate for Spirit and myself and left food for spirit too. The turnip, carrots and garden grown potatoes were perfect too. The energy was in the air and I am sure spirits were with me. The candles burned bright and flickered a LOT. I got choked up, remembering my grandparents and several memories returned to me. Yes it was solemn and sad. I can’t believe I cooked that buttery soft truly magnificent meal. I even wore my mourning veil. I ought to make all my meals that delicious and amazing. 

Last night, I left candy out for the eager trick or treaters. Tonight I baked a loaf of pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkin seeds, carved a pumpkin, brewed a batch of rose flavoured chocolate, and made marshmallows from marshmallow root herb powder. I need to blend it more. I bought granola bars and tried a s’more with the chocolate and the marshmallow blend. It tasted great but it is not quite there yet. I am so tired from slaving in the kitchen. The marshmallows can chill in the fridge for tonight. I am tired. Real tired. The kiddies ate most of the candy I left for them. I lit a candle and left it on the windowsill for the spirits. The pumpkin will go out in the back yard tomorrow. 

I was too tired from all that to perform a Solitary Samhain ritual. I still have candy left over from last night and a bowl of freshly roasted pumpkin seeds. I have a large mason jar full to the brim with pumpkin puree. I wish I was able to share all that magic, fun and savoury food with someone. I did it all alone with the ghosts and my cat. That is part of being a true Solitary Witch, I guess. 

Now it’s November, October hangover time. I want to buy a new canister of coffee but I must wait for a few deliveries to be made to my door: kitty kibble, a dress form from Amazon and copies of my published book! I can’t wait. The Arwen dress is not finished yet. The new dress form will make sewing the dress much easier. 

In other news, my novel is an Amazon Best seller! That is awesome. I will now write a sequel to The Cult of the Spider People. It’s successful so it would be worthwhile. I bought a neat Horror Tarot deck. The images on the cards make me think of the older days of pulp fiction. 

I would love to hear how you all celebrated Samhain!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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October 29, 2024 · 9:52 am

Samhain Blessings )O(

Greetings darklings:

Samhain draws near! I’m busy preparing for Samhain. I have a lot to be excited about! My short stories are published in two excellent collections published by Wicked Shadow Press – Halloween 24 and Witches Brew. Also, my novel is published! That is the pinnacle of my achievements. 

I still have to carve a pumpkin, leave an offering to the spirits in my garden, do the ancestral supper, bake sinfully delicious Halloween treats, buy candy for the trick or treaters and have a Samhain bonfire outdoors in the backyard. On top of that, I want to make sure I don’t freeze to death while I am having the bonfire. 

I am so hurt that the jerk that once was a part of my life – after the atrocity he did to my garden, he will never again be a part of my life. He cut down my haskap plant right down to the ground. I am furious. It will take years for it to grow back. I now have a longer time to wait for berries. He has no clue of what he has done. The nerve. It’s ok. I plan to play a cruel witchy prank on him. Never mess with a Witch. I will protect my garden with the ferocity of a starved eagle on cocaine. He has no clue what he’s done. I will be cruel. It is only fair. I plan to leave a very nice offering to the garden. I conjured up a Samhain Protection Powder. The protection is just what is needed here. I’ll get back at him. My poor haskap bush was growing berries. I can’t believe what he has done and he doesn’t feel bad about it which shows how unintelligent he is. I ever see him near my garden again and he will be in deep trouble. 

I dressed my altar for Samhain. I might buy more cider and wine today. I definitely plan to try making sinfully good Halloween treats. I bet you are all looking forward to Samhain and making plans. Samhain is the most highly anticipated Sabbat of all the Sabbats. 

I wish you all a memorable & magickal Samhain!!!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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October 9, 2024 · 12:00 pm

October Musings

Merry meet all,

I’m sure you have all heard of how Hurricane Helene has left a path of total devastation in her wake in the States. My editor lives in the area where the hurricane hit. I was so worried if he and his family were okay. To my relief though they are okay and safe. I can’t say the same for the rest of the people living there. We get bad hurricanes here but they are not on the same scale of devastation as that. I have to wait and be patient and hope everything will be okay. 

In other news, Wicked Shadow Press published my flash fiction story, The Grimm Pumpkin, in the Halloweenthology: Witches Brew which will be released this fall. Wicked Shadow Press also published my other flash fiction story, Serial Blade. Sirens Call Erin published the same flash fiction story, Serial Blade. I am not sure how I managed to have my story published twice but I did. I am proud that The Grimm Pumpkin is now published 5 times! Yes 5! Wow. Sirens Call Ezine is also publishing my poem, Encounter with Death which is its third reprint. I hope Flame Tree Press publishes my story Night Terrors. That would be awesome! I have the pdf of the Flash of the Dead: Halloween 24 anthology and it looks great! 

I look forward to reading the stories in the anthologies. Reading stories by other authors helps me with my own writing. Dawn Wilson has offered to interview me about my writing. I look forward to that. I do look forward the most to the release of my novel, The Cult of the Spider People. I am not sure when that happens because the editors’ life has just been impacted by the hurricane. I hope it all goes well. I just love the cover art for my book shown above. 

I also plan to make a few awesome Halloween treats at Samhain. I want to do my traditional ancestral supper, Samhain ritual, bonfire and of course, handing out candy to the trick or treaters! I may even finally make that concrete pumpkin. 

I will soon begin sewing the Arwen gown. I bought these gorgeous trims and laces from Etsy. I can’t wait to get to work on it. The dress will be absolutely beautiful. I have to sew a scary doll for Onyx and a smaller doll for Thomas. 

October is the most magical month of the year. I intend to enjoy every minute of it. I am amazed that my garden is holding up so far. I am still waiting to harvest my potatoes. I foraged yarrow and goldenrod. I’m going to make a tincture from the yarrow and soap with the goldenrod and calendula and a herbal oil with the St. John’s wort. I dried the nettle, lemon balm, mugwort and mint from my garden. I’m overwintering the holy basil and my rosemary. The pots are heated by the grow light. 

I shall post more here about Samhain very soon. Stay spooky!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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October 7, 2024 · 1:42 pm

Bewitching Witch House )O(

Merry meet all,

The fall season is here! The leaves are already turning on the trees. My favourite time of year is here. The Wheel of the year soon turns to Mabon, the autumn equinox. 

I have been busy crafting a very special secret project. I crafted it with love and patience. It’s hard to believe that it was crafted from cardboard and popsicle sticks. However, I have persevered and crafted a true masterpiece. I have worked on it for a while and it was very hard work – but worth it! The best part of all it is not for myself but for someone else. 

The Witch House in its early construction stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I glued popsicle sticks together to form the front, sides and back of the house. I did the same for the roof. Then I got a good idea. I glued cardboard to the front, sides and back of the house over the cardboard but not on the roof. I painted the front, sides and back of the house black and I painted the roof grey. I created two sides of cardboard for the house and glued them onto the two sides of the house. It’s was so tedious because the cardboard from the raisins box is red. I had to cover every single piece of the cardboard with white printing paper. Then I glued on Halloween printed card stock to the cardboard and painted every single piece, large or small, black or grey. I made a staircase for the front of the house. The house needed to have a solid and secure foundation just like a real house. It’s important to get that stage down first before anything else. 

I made a board for the house to sit on from the cardboard raisin box. First I painted it brown. I had to glue on Halloween card stock and then paint it black all over. Everything I had to paint took time to dry. After a while, I realized that using the heat of a hair dryer made the paint dry faster. I am still trying to figure out how to add a chimney to the roof. The board now serves as the garden. I did add a chimney to the back of the house. 

I borrowed my Mom’s good bigger glue gun and glue sticks. I do believe I have used up most of the glue sticks. 

I had to trim down the foam block. I did it using a bread knife and a big exact knife. I needed to make the house and staircase meet evenly. Oh my gods the work that this took. I covered the foam block you see in the picture in Halloween card stock  paper. Then I painted that all black. Then I painted on a sealant. I adhered black spider figurines to the foam block. That nicely covered any flaws. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to Michaels arts and crafts store to buy miniatures for the Witch House. I painted small white foam balls black and glued them onto the Witch House. I bought a cool skull Led lights set and adhered it to the Witch House.  Now it was coming together. I crafted several ‘shingles’ pieces – and covered them in white typing paper and painted each piece grey and adhered them to the roof of the house. Now, with the black balls and the LED lights set, it was really looking like a house. I arranged a miniature fence around the perimeter of the house and garden. 

I added moss, leaves, an owl figurine,  acorns, a pinecone, a headstone, a large spider, and real herbs to the garden. The herbs are goldenrod, dried grass buds and broad leaved dock. I added a miniature cauldron to the garden. The cream coloured pumpkins lend an old world charm to the garden. I arranged an archway over the garden at the entrance. I glued leaves to the archway. I made the archway with the miniature fence. 

The two ‘sides’ of the house were not easy to make. They each have an arched roof. I measured and had to construct a box and secure it to the sides of the house and painted them black. The sides pulled from the house. I concealed that with popsicle sticks. Then I used another piece of cardboard which I painted grey and coaxed it into an arched design. I glued that on and painted it black underneath. I glued a real black feather I found outside to the front side of the house. 

I used tiny letter stickers and adhered them to the front door. Oh my gods the door. It was glued on to the front of the house in such a way that the door won’t close. I think of it as a moat now. I hurt my hands cutting the top of the door because I wanted the door to be curved or arched.

I formed the door from popsicle sticks. I glued a piece of cardboard to the popsicle sticks then trimmed them. I painted it blue and grey then I went with black and grey paint. The door looks battered or maybe weathered is the word. I carved out a space in the door. I wish it would close all the way. Ah well. 

It looks like an old world door. The letters on the front of the door/ moat read: “Flying School”. I glued on a small wooden witch hat above those words. I sprinkled glitter on to the witch hat. I glued on the letters “Witch House/ Salem/ 1692” above the entrance to the house. I covered the letters with sealant. I touched up the rough spots with black or grey paint. I added black paint in splotches on the grey paint. I wanted the Witch House to look aged, as if it had been there a long time. 

I adhered black spider and bat figurines to the house. They now crawl all over it. I glued tiny bone figurines to the garden and stairs and fence. I painted them grey. I glued a wooden butterfly to the lower right side of the house. I glued in three witches gathered around a cauldron figurine inside the house. They can’t move but they can still spell cast! I noticed that each witch had a different symbol on her black witch hat. I crafted a broomstick figurine made from lemon balm twigs and glued it to the lower front of the house next to the stairs. 

I cut these small round yellow and orange balls on ‘twigs’ from a weird tree figurine. I glued them to the moss, put one in the cauldron and ended up using the tree figurine thing for a tree. I glued it to the left side of the garden. It serves as a tree. It leans way out though and I can’t get it to stand up straight. 

I glued a piece of real tree branch wood to the front entrance of the garden. It lays flat and looks like it really belongs there. I glued on a skeleton torso in ornate frame to the front roof of the house. I painted it grey and I painted the eyes of the skeleton black to give it more definition. I made an arched window on the right side of the roof. I have to finish the window. I painted it black and grey. I painted a wooden piece – the letters read Boo! to the floor of the Witch House and painted it grey. I also added silver sprinkles to that and the staircase. I glued on two black widow spider figurines to the house. They add a wicked menacing feel to the Witch House. I added a bit of moss to the staircase. I know the moss will stay in place because there is so much covering the moss in the garden. I adhered toadstool stickers to the staircase and the fence archway. 

Now it’s coming together and making me wish I was small enough to live in the Witch House. I would never leave it if I could. I anointed the Witch House with special oils – Samhain and Bewitching. I have a mandrake essential oil to use as well. I burned sage and let the smoke waft over the house. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I fear that the Witch House is not that stable. I still have to add a large piece under the Witch House to make it adhere to the black foam block. It tips and is uneven. Once I do that and use rubber cement glue, it will stick and stay in place. It just needs to be evened out. 

Update: I have covered the large piece of craft foam with black fabric and it now rests under the Witch dollhouse. I think the Witch dollhouse is just the coolest thing I have ever crafted! It really is and I almost wish I could keep it. The rubber cement glue didn’t work. 

I didn’t want to go for something campy. I wanted to capture the true spirit of Samhain. When the LED lights are on, the whole house is instantly alive and magickal! It appears so bewitching! The Witch House has been a true labor of love. I don’t regret it, and I want one for myself. I have nowhere to store it though. I am going to be happy to gift this beautiful, decadent and wicked witchy Witch House! 

I still have to paint the Witch House and garden in a sealant. Once I am done doing everything else. I  have painted the entire Witch house in a sealant. The Witch house is now done. I added another black block to go under the house to keep the house stable. I am so proud of my achievement. I hope my friend loves her gift! 

I found a huge box to mail her gift in. My cat Penny naturally and instantly believes the box to be hers. I needed a box that was a certain size to be able to mail the gift. I can’t wait for Nora Peevy to see it.!!!! Talk about a treat (trick or treat). 

I assembled a collection of school supplies for my niece and nephew – Halloween pencils, pens and pencils, a homemade pencil case, notebooks, scribblers, a ruler and pencil sharpener, etc. I hope they love it. I mailed it to them and I know they will love having new school supplies! So they get those straight A grades! 

I bought beautiful deep blue knit fabric, grey lining material, blue chiffon and blue lace. I want to craft a witch gown. I am tired of this other Witch gown I have. I am retiring and donating it. The dress has served its purpose. I plan to make my own pattern though. I ordered a pattern from Judy’s Little Shop. I thought I lost the original Arwen pattern only to be reacquainted with it later. But the first pattern is pretty tattered. I want to save the bodice though. I can use it for the new gown. It’s black and silver but I will find a way to make it work. I also ordered some beautiful silver floral lace from Etsy. I want to use that for the trim on the collar and sleeves. The best part of using the bodice for this dress is the eyelets are already done for me. I hate setting in eyelets for the lace up bodice. 

I love to craft and that is certainly evident here! I can’t wait to start making the gown. I guess I should get started by cutting out the pattern pieces! 

In other news, I passed the second test to become part of the Nova Scotia Guard. I successfully completed the Volunteering in Emergencies exam. I even received a certificate. The edits are done on my novella. Now we move on to formatting. Getting closer to publication! 

The finished Witch Doll House

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

The lace trims – 

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/766918166/dark-silver-romantic-lace-3d-flower?click_key=54f1cf584262be0c431185264bdd6bb9919a1337%3A766918166&click_sum=c1302c61&ref=hp_rv-1&pro=1&sts=1&fbclid=IwY2xjawFKojRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHT4pm6k3_jPARFOvp8ZQVLNyAaeLJujQO5bUqgHDQZ8IAuRLIlByiKLAcQ_aem_7PYNYomrbabE5b-60BaGrg

Embroidered Mesh – EXQUISE – Navy

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October 19, 2023 · 11:51 pm

Magical advice )O(

Merry meet all,

Samhain is coming! Get on your broomsticks and dust off those cauldrons. Samhain is the third of the harvest Sabbats. I have had a great October month so far. Two stories published, two courses in Demonology and Parapsychology, a Paranormal Symposium and the Writer Digest Virtual horror writing conference. I can hardly ask for more. 

I want to harvest dandelion roots, brew elderberry syrup, hawthorn cordial and puree pumpkins to make delicious pumpkin bread and soups. I am so itching to harvest dandelion roots that I think I will get up early tomorrow morning and do just that. I don’t care if it is raining. The rain will loosen the soil for me. The dandelions have a more concentrated amount of valuable nutrients in them in the fall. Now is the right time. After that, I will dry them in my dehydrator. 

I was on a walk on the nature trail. It was raining so I could not take any photos. The nature trail was resplendent in autumn colours of red, gold, brown and green. Fall is the most beautiful season of all the seasons. I strolled slowly through the trail, admiring the colourful leaves. It was so invigorating! October is a magical month and every single minute of it should be enjoyed. 

Here a few pointers for you while you are casting your spells:

  • If you insist on wearing a robe with long billowing sleeves and you are burning candles at your altar, please at least pin the sleeves up and out of the way to avoid a fire. 
  • Don’t singe your hair. 
  • Shelters often don’t adopt out black cats and kittens during October. They are all too familiar with the horror stories of abuse or see cats returned to the shelter. This has a damaging effect on a cat as the cat will never know what was wrong or why it is returned. Donate to an animal shelter or if you see any sort of animal abuse, be sure to report it. Always have your phone charged!
  • Compost your pumpkins once done. Fill the pumpkins with peanut butter and leave them in the garden for the neighbourhood critters. Don’t use bleach to preserve your pumpkin.
  • Use organic gardening methods to help the pollinators in your garden. Practice bioregional herbalism. Join a community garden. 
  • Light a candle at the window on Samhain eve to aid the lost spirits. 
  • Honour your ancestors with a sincere, open heart. Hold an ancestral supper and leave a spot for them at the table.
  • Don’t feel that you have to spend a fortune to enjoy Samhain. I don’t. I usually use what I have over and over again. I take good care of my magical items. That helps me get more money out of what I spent. 
  • If you truly are weary of some of your magical books, gift them to a coven mate or to the local library. 
  • Don’t rake the leaves! I keep the leaves all year on my garden. They help the soil retain moisture and can be a nesting spot for pollinators. 
  • You can still make it rock if you are celebrating Samhain solo. Or hang out with fellow solo practitioners. They are out there. Just have to find them and you may find you have lots in common!
  • Do try to give out good quality candy to the kiddies who are trick or treating. Compliment them on their costumes. Be patient. They want to enjoy the night too. 
  • Learn a new skill. I borrowed a book from the library on innovative ways to craft smudge sticks and tried it. They are beautiful!
  • Mostly, enjoy yourself. The next October is a long way away. Enjoy it now. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

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October 2, 2023 · 12:03 pm

Samhain Celebrations

Samhain is almost here. The energy of autumn crackles in the air. Today’s post is from another fellow Witch and she shares many ways to celebrate Samhain. Dust off your cauldrons!

Write a Samhain Journal Entry

Take a few minutes from your day and write down the changes you would like to see moving forward. What things are you ready to let go of and what goals are you ready to really tackle?

Many consider this the Witches New Year and it’s a perfect time for planning new beginnings.

Make a Witchy Bucket List

Make a list of all of the things you would like to accomplish in your spiritual practice in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Perhaps you want to learn more about herbs, kitchen magick, start a Grimoire/BOS, or begin connecting with a deity. Maybe all of those things!

Write them down and check them off throughout the year as you accomplish them. I don’t know about you but checking things off a list always makes me feel accomplished.

Have a Nature Walk

A wonderful way to celebrate Samhain, and any other Sabbat really. Take a few minutes from your day, go outside, and connect with nature.

Autumn is such a glorious season. As you are walking clear your mind and really take in your surroundings,the trees, the colours, the scents of fall, the way the air feels on your face. And during your walk give thanks to mother earth for all that she does for us.

Do a Meditation to Honour Your Ancestors

A meditation doesn’t need to be an hour long. Even if you can only spare 10 minutes from your day for this you will feel good that you took the time to make it happen. 

Sit somewhere quiet and take these few minutes to remember your loved ones who have passed on, think of happy memories, their smile, their favourite things and let them know they are in your heart and with you always.

Honouring those who have passed on is an integral part of Samhain and shouldn’t be forgotten.

Do a Quick Tarot Reading for Yourself

Even just a little three card reading can be beneficial to see a glimmer of what may be in store this year and give you a bit to think about in terms of you path and the directions and changes you will make moving forward.

Celebrate Samhain & Halloween with Decorations!

Embrace the symbols and colours of the season.

Surround yourself with pumpkins, skulls, ghosty things, and maybe carve a pumpkin. Decorating is a hugely fun part of the holiday, and a fun activity to do with the little ones if you happen to have any running around.

Bake a Halloween Treat Symbolizing New Beginnings

There is always some baking going on in my house for Samhain and Halloween. No reason not to infuse a little magick into your  treats this year.

Enjoying some special goodies is also a staple part of the season. Most holidays have food involved and Samhain is no different.

Light Candles for Your Loved Ones

Light candles for your loved ones as a sign of remembrance. 

You can place them in the window to help guide them on their journey this night where the veil is thinned and spirits roam.

Light a Candle for Yourself

Light a candle and recite affirmations for yourself.

Things you would like to see yourself accomplish in the coming weeks and months. Candle work is a mini fire ritual on its own, no huge bonfire required.

Have a Ritual Bath

A peaceful bath with some candles, maybe some oils and salts, to release negativity is a timely activity to perform on Samhain.

Releasing any negative energies that you have built up in order to enter this new year feeling cleansed and refreshed.

Cleanse Your Space

We don’t want to forget about our homes as well!

Simply burning appropriate herbs and walking through each room of your house will do the trick. Walk throughout your home slowly, focusing your energies and visualizing any negativity lifting away out into the aether.

It’s Not Halloween Without Costumes!

We usually have a party at our place and costumes are required lol. Alas, this year there will be no gathering of friends but that’s no excuse to not really have some fun and get into costume!

And it’ll be fun for the trick or treaters, if trick or treating is still happening in your area. And if not, just get dressed up and have a photoshoot, because let’s be honest that is always a good time!

Tell Ghost Stories

Samhain is steeped in lore about ghosts, ghouls, demons, and the like. All of these otherworldly creatures are said to walk the earth during Samhain when the veil between worlds is at it’s thinnest.

Embrace the spookier side of the season, make a hot bevvy and tell some stories. If you’re brave enough that is!

And you can check out this article from Reader’s Digest to get you started: The 13 Most Haunted Places in the World.

Watch a Scary Movie

What would this season be without some good jump scares. ‘Halloween’ anyone?

Charge Your Crystals

This Samhain is also a Full Moon. Take advantage of that energy and set your crystals outside to charge.

Charging your crystals under a Full Moon is a powerful way to re-invigorate their energies, and doing so under a Samhain Full Moon will be doubly so.

Host a Dumb Supper

During your evening meal leave a place setting empty for your loved ones who have passed and eat your meal in silence. 

If you don’t want to do the silent part you can still leave out the empty place setting. This literally takes no extra time out of your day.

Add Some Samhain Pages to Your BOS or Grimoire

If you keep a Book of Shadows or Grimoire add some info in there on Samhain.

If you already have pages on the Sabbat there is always something new you can add in. Some facts you maybe didn’t know or a new ritual perhaps. Be creative!

Keeping one of these is a wonderful outlet for both your practice and your creative spirit.

Create a Space to Honour Your Ancestors or Loved Ones

You can add these things to your altar if you have one but if not, you can simply set up a little space for them somewhere in your home.

You can put pictures, flowers, foods, and some of their favourite things. A simple and wonderful way to show remembrance.

Let Your Hair Down and Dance 

Dance has long been associated with celebration and life.

Crank up your favourite seasonal tunes and let yourself go. Dancing is a wonderful way to release energies from the body and can have you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Just what the new year called for.

Make Moon Water

Fill a glass jar with water and focus your intentions on what the water will be used for, take your time with this process so that your focus is clear. Leave the jar outside over night to soak up those awesome Full Moon energies.

Celebrate Life

While this can be a somber day when we are missing our loved ones, it is also a day that should be filled with life and celebration. 

This can mean anything that you feel is celebrating and honouring life. Indulge in your favourite foods, read a book, dance around your house, have sex…whatever it may be cherish the moments and really LIVE.

There you have it! 

These ideas, especially some of them, should be fairly easy to incorporate into your day if you are crunched for time.

Pick one or two that really call out to you and do them with vigour. Really enjoy the moments, take them in, and savour them.

You can of course do as many of them as you wish or spend more time on any of them if you have it. Take a long luxurious bath, do an hour-long meditation, perform a lengthier ritual, or dedicate your whole day and do 15 different things lol. You do what resonates with you and what your schedule will allow.

If you feel you got the most out of your day and are happy with how you celebrated, that is what truly matters.

You can also check out my full post on Samhain Celebrations and Correspondences for some more ideas and inspiration if you wish.

Your turn! Tell me your Samhain wishes!

Do you normally celebrate Samhain,  Halloween, or both? How will you be celebrating this year? I always love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment or drop me a line. There are lots of ways for us to connect

And if you enjoyed the post, remember you can SUBSCRIBE, receive your Mini Autumn Grimoire Bundle for FREE, and be the first to know about new content and exclusive freebies!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

Credit to: https://www.thewholesomewitch.com/ways-celebrate-samhain-halloween/

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October 1, 2023 · 11:33 am

October is here!!! )O(

Merry meet all,

October is here! October brings many charms such as pumpkins, gourds, fiery autumn leaves, and that magical chill in the air. I have a busy month ahead of me. Here is my schedule:

Paranormal Symposium – October 7
HWA Annual Blog event – my post October 7
Writers Digest University Horror Writing conference – October 14
Demonology Course – October 16 
Samhain – October 31
On top of that, I have my herbalism course, and taking care of my cat Penny (a full-time job in itself), my writing. I plan to harvest dandelion roots soon and dry them in my dehydrator and brew immunity tonics. I want to take the Intro to Parapsychology course and I hope it’s still open by the time I can afford it. Penny’s going to the groomers this week. She has so many mats in her fur and I want her to look and feel her best. She is my beloved kitty after all. 
There are also a few awesome astrological events this month as well. October is the month with the most magic after all. Here is a link from Spirit nest that describes the astrological events: 

On October 4th, Mercury moves into Libra, providing us with opportunities to be more empathetic and receptive in our social and professional lives.

On October 8th, Venus enters Virgo, and on October 10th, Pluto ends its retrograde in Capricorn. The combined earth energy of these two events grounds us and directs our attention to our priorities. With Pluto’s shift, we are encouraged to approach work with enthusiasm and energy.

On October 12th, Mars enters Scorpio, and for the next six weeks, we can expect to feel a heightened sense of passion and sensuality.

On October 14th, the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Libra kicks off eclipse season, followed by the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Taurus two weeks later. This marks the end of a two-year cycle of eclipses in the Taurus-Scorpio axis and signifies the end of an intense learning process centred around letting go of control.

I created a calendar that depicted photos of my irascible cat Penny. Today was the calendar’s last day. I have a calendar from Llewellyn but that doesn’t start till January, which makes no sense to me because October 31st is Witches New Year. I printed out a calendar for the month of October from the app on my desktop. I have a lot to keep track of this month. I hope to catch the eclipse near the end of the month. 
I want us all to welcome the newest member to my witch doll coven, Morrigan. I collect witch dolls in October every year. This year, I found her at. Michaels arts and crafts. She is beautiful and will adjust nicely to her new home. She holds a crow or raven in her hands and I knew she was perfect. There are 30 days to Samhain but I already feel the first stirrings of Samhain in the air. I also found a lovely astrology workbook. I find astrology fascinating and I look forward to working with it. 
The Horror Zine published my short story, Skin, for this month. I received a copy of the book in the mail. I am thrilled that my story appears at the front of the book, as that means it will be read by readers sooner. They can find the story easily. I will have to scratch up another story for the editor! Here is the link to the Horror Zine: https://www.thehorrorzine.com/?fbclid=IwAR0zTcB_PFZ1hmnigq8XuqbK0jKceeX05A3Xi8ZtQ2uJlnYHsRlYQBJ3Msc
I also see October as a month to bring projects to completion. I have several projects to finish. October 31st is the Witches New Year so that is the reason for my compulsion to finish projects. I love the feeling of completing projects. I like ticking them off my list. I do have Virgo in my chart and this is clear here. I want to work on my material media, turn up the compost outside, finish the laundry, make my apartment sparkle and be all clean for October, and write more horror stories. Whether I actually accomplish all that, time will tell. 
Until then, be magical and have fun!
Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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September 25, 2023 · 1:47 pm

Samhain Style )O(

Merry meet all,

Happy Mabon! Fall is here. I have been busy decorating my apartment for fall/ Samhain. I set up my goth ghost tree. I sipped cider and listened to classic Halloween tunes as I did. I painted wooden ghosts white, orange and black and hung them up on the tree. I found a few cool items at the dollar store and added them to the tree. I hung a black leaf garland on the bookcase, and wound orange lights through the garland and then added orange fabric pumpkins to the garland. I love how it all looks- playful and wicked at the same time. That is the spirit of fall. For those of you who are already keen to decorate, then keep reading. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I roasted pumpkin seeds, brewed a pot of cider and I just found my halloween altar cloths, tapestries and a brown tablecloth I made myself. I repaired my black lace maxi skirt and washed it. The skirt is ready to wear. I am so happy about that. I plan to wear it to the Paranormal Symposium. I feel the magical chill in the air as fiery leaves trickle to the earth. It’s the Season of the Witch, for sure. I love this time of year. 

I even made a tree skirt for my goth tree. I used a grey spider print plastic table cover. I cut a hole in the centre for the centre of the goth tree pole then I arranged it around the tree. You can’t see it in the photo above but it is cool and my cat sits on it. I am ready for Samhain now and I hope you are too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decorations don’t have to cost a whole credit card or your entire life savings. I barely spent any money on my decorations. October is a magical time of year but it is only once a year. I never feel that I have to spend a fortune. If you keep that in mind and buy decorations that can be used more than once a year, then you will find better items to purchase. That is how I always look at it. 

I use items from nature and herbs. I harvested all the Chinese lanterns. They ripen to a lovely orange colour. Pumpkins can be used for decoration of course, as well as acorns, pinecones, and gourds. Don’t buy the fake ones from the store. Forage for your own goodies! You can use them in spells as well. You can draw up more energy for spells from a real gourd or acorn. I never buy plastic pinecones. I live near a nature trail so it is easy for me to find nature treasures. Nothing I love more than harvesting and foraging for acorns, pinecones, apples, herbs. If you want tips on how to clean them to avoid pests, then peruse the past blog posts. 

My garden is winding down. The leaves turn gold and red. I still have celery, tomatoes (a few, thanks to the hurricane), and green peppers growing. It is hardly the harvest I was hoping for. I’m keeping an eye for when the frost hits and I still haven’t planted garlic. I still want to grow carrots. Carrots can handle a frost. I strolled through the nature trail. Sadly, I am not sure what happened to the elder shrubs but there are not nearly the same amount of elderberries as last year. I want to make elderberry syrup but I may have to buy the berries at the organic food store this year. The shrubs were almost bare of berries. That had to be due to Hurricane Lee. 

Here is more inspiration to satisfy your decorating itch! https://enchantedlivingmagazine.com/a-table-to-celebrate-your-autumn-inner-witch/?fbclid=IwAR0kH8PaBBjFXLvURRmu-76itsIL5ABshJY89jorYV2nj6ppVDARW02tphM

I found this article too: https://www.bhg.com/halloween/outdoor-decorations/halloween-outdoor-makeover/

Do what works for you and reflects your personal style. You can go with a theme of ghouls, zombies, or more classic and subtle halloween decorations, whatever strikes your fancy. It looks like Samhain all year in my apartment but that is just me. Let me know what inspired you in the comments. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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September 11, 2023 · 11:19 am

Mabon: history, herbs and gems )O(

Merry meet all,

It never rains but it pours. The rain is pouring hard here. Today’s post is about herb and gemstone correspondences for Mabon, a magical time of year. I love Mabon, the second harvest Sabbat of three powerful Sabbats. The Crone prepares for her long cold rest and drawing back her power of abundance and fertility. This is a good time to be grateful for the abundance we receive from the earth. 

The History of Mabon: 

‘History

To start, Mabon is one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year that marks the transition out of summer into the autumn season. Named after the God of Welsh and Celebrated on September 21st, this is a time that celebrates the balance of the equal light and dark as we slowly begin to prepare for shorter days and longer nights as winter approaches. 

Symbolically, this is the time when the Goddess moves into her crone stage as she grows older and begins to lie down and withdraw her power from the land, leaving it cold and still. However, many also choose to celebrate this festival by honoring the goddess Demeter, as well as Persephone, as it is said that Demeter’s grief in losing her daughter to the underworld is also what caused the earth to transition from its warm and abundant peak into a long and stagnant winter. 

Aside from this, energetically speaking, Mabon is a beautiful time of reflection and movement. It is a time to complete goals, cleanse away old energies, and let go of what is no longer serving you. Not to mention, it is also a good time for making changes in our lives and planting seeds of intention that will grow and rise in the spring. Therefore, it is a great time to reflect on your path and your goals and begin taking larger steps towards bringing them to fruition. ‘ 

Credit given to: https://spiritnest.com/blogs/news/a-mabon-celebration-celebrating-the-second-harvest?_pos=1&_sid=cd273c50b&_ss=r&utm_source=Shopify+Subscribers&utm_campaign=41bed93904-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_12_03_COPY_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6db5b07b64-41bed93904-60519593&mc_cid=41bed93904&mc_eid=7f0f546ded

Herbs, flowers and berries:

September is a month of abundance and harvesting the earthy goodness all around us. You can use the herbs you gathered to decorate your Mabon altar and your home. Gather herbs in the morning on a dry day. Always cut the stems and stalks on an angle. Use a good pair of clean sharp scissors or a boline. Give thanks to the plant spirit and only harvest what you need. Wash off any dirt or bugs and dry your herbs by dehydrating them in a dehydrator or on a mesh screen. Take a plant identification book with your or an app to help you identify and harvest the correct plant. Don’t get anything that is poisonous. An app such as Seek is good. Take a magnifying glass, a bag to store the snipped herbs in and wear good walking shoes, also bring insect repellent and don’t harvest from a diseased plant. Don’t harvest anything that has been sprayed, or is at risk of being endangered. 

Sunflowers, corn husks, any flowers growing in your garden or in your area such as goldenrod, red clover, St. John’s wort, rose petals, Chinese lanterns, yarrow, blue cornflower, thyme, lavender, sage, basil, burdock, elderberries, or rosemary. All these herbs, flowers and berries are potent. Pumpkins, gourds, potatoes, onions, wheat, acorns, dandelion roots, burdock roots add a rich healthy earthiness to a Mabon harvest. Feel free to add bones, pomegranates, cider. 

Gemstones:

Gemstones have been used to heal people and empower their lives since time immemorial. Black tourmaline, hematite, sunstone, citrine, amber, quartz, agates and petrified wood are ideal. Match the colours of the gemstones to the shades of Mabon. Leave a few gemstones in your garden as an offering to the nature spirits for protecting and nurturing your garden. They can decorate your altar. Use browns, gold, reds and orange colours. 

The next post will focus on the ways to celebrate Mabon. This is sure to inspire you! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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