Category: Magical Crafts

Posted on by

Negativity Repelling Sachet

I noticed that I have been down lately and who can blame me? The news is upsetting, the state of the world is upsetting, and most peoples’ lives have been disrupting in some way, myself included. So I decided to do something about it: a negativity repelling sachet!

You can carry it in your backpack, purse, or pocket. Keep it on your person when you leave the house to keep the stagnant energy away and repel negative energy. It creates a barrier while absorbing unwanted negative energy. Feel free to charge them under the full moon for a boost of power. I will likely make a few more to put around the house, my bed, in my car, and at my office in the future.

Pouch and string: I used a bright gold fabric to attract good vibes. It was shiny and bright satin representing sunlight and positive energy. My thread was a really pretty peacock blue. I am extremely extra (as my friends often tell me) and I wanted something that represented me to tie me in to my repelling sachet. The blue also coincides with water and sea witchery.
Protection from general bad energy and negativity: amethyst, lavender, ginger, lemon
Protection from evil: oregano, rose
Repel bad energy: basil, ginger
For happiness and good cheer: copper, peridot
Removes spiritual fear: peridot

The peridot is super small and in between the amethyst and copper if you can see it

After cleansing my sacred space, I added all of my herbs and stones. For the lemon, I used lemon essential oil. All mixed together, the herbs smelled amazing and had a very calming and relaxing effect.

Finally, I tied the sachet up with my blue string to seal it up nice and tight. Partway through gathering my ingredients, I decided to add a sunshine charm. The sun is powerful, warming, and life giving. Sunlight in itself is uplifting. Coupled with a pearl shell bead to represent my craft, and my end product was very powerful and worked great.

I brought it to work the next day and kept it in my pants pocket. Honestly, I was constantly reminded that things aren’t that bad. And when people around me were complaining, I was able to mitigate their complaints and remind them of the good. It reminded ME of the good. It worked out better than I could have hoped! I want to get a black, blue, and silver permanent ink pen to draw an evil eye on the bottom of the sachets eventually but that will come in time.

Interested in a topic/craft of your own? Just ask here and I will be glad to post it!

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Click here for an Index to all posts

Posted on by

Create lavender scented tea sachets

I was surfing Pinterest for some images to help with my tea posts and found a tea timing graph. It was pretty accurate and I had thought of a neat little craft I could make for my tea cabinet.

So I used a piece of paper to make a larger than normal tea bag shape. I used a couple pieces of fabric and some shiny rough thread to create a tea bag with a string hanging off of it. Each of the bags were stuffed with lavender buds and each one smelled amazing. Using some thick gold card stock paper, I cut out the tag shape twice for each tea bag. Then I glued them together so there was gold on both sides with the rough thread in between them. Since all of my fabrics were different, I thought it better to tie them all together with matching tags. I also didn’t realize until later that the tag shape is upside down compared to the picture until I had securely glued each one. Oh well…… maybe next time!

I made 6 bags with 6 tags. Each thread was the same length as that in the tea timing graph.

Afterwards, on one side of the gold card stock, I wrote the tea type.

And on the backside, I wrote the ideal brewing temperature and steeping time.

Finally, I tied up 2 pretty ribbons and added a sea shell for decoration! I love it and how wonderful it smells! I now have it displayed in my tea cabinet and the lavender sachets make the cabinet smell really wonderful.

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Click here for an Index to all posts

Posted on by

Litha Activities

Preparing for Litha: Start preparing for your Litha celebration by using lemon, lavender, and thyme essential oils in your home diffuser.

Greet the sun at dawn: See the sun rise and set. Whether with song, drumming, or a simple salute to the early morning sunrise, today is a day to bask in the strength of the sun, for this is its height and its joy. Midsummer is a time to absorb the sun’s warming rays and it is another fertility sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. Enjoy time outdoors, allowing the sun to warm your body as you relax, walk, or read. Take a picnic and enjoy the warm light. Bid farewell to the sun god for a few months and be assured, he will return.

Honor the storms and the sun: Remember that the storms are integral to the day as well. In many areas, midsummer marks the start of the rains, and thunder and lightning are just as much a part of the season as the sun. Take time to reflect on the many facets of the season.

Family get together: Summer Solstice is a time for people to get together and celebrate life. Many people gather at sacred sites, where it is usual to leave an offering of summer flowers, a stone, or crystal as a thank you to the sun.

Litha Magic: To celebrate the new light and warmth of the Summer Solstice, gather a large bowl of beach sand, 3 candles, a sea shell for cleansing energies. As you welcome the glory of the sun, a symbol of energy, growth, and wellbeing, light your candles, representing your body, mind, and spirit in a triangle shape around the bowl. With your blessed seashell in the center of the sand, begin to draw a spiral clockwise, from the seashell outward, visualizing, new growth, renewal, and positive light energy finding way to you as you do so. Say:

With this symbol of life, death and renewal,
I now draw in new energy to manifest my desires.
I welcome opportunities of positive change into my life.

When complete, meditate with your new energy.

Midsummer Spell: Make a Midsummer incense for a solstice love spell to harness the magic of the solstice. Mix a handful of fresh or dried rose petals and lavender flowers in a non-metallic bowl. Add half a stick of crumbled cinnamon and two pods of star anise. Add six drops of rose oil to the mix. Now grind the ingredients together. If you don’t intend to use the incense immediately, keep it fresh in a sealed jar. Now you are ready to do your spell. Facing east, burn a teaspoonful of the incense on a charcoal block and, without holding a particular person in mind, ask for new love to come into your life. Close with the words: May this be for the highest good of all.

Litha Herb Charm: Take St. John’s Wort, Mugwort, vervain, and lemon balm, and then pour all of your worries, fears, and concerns into them. Then place them into a small yellow sachet bag. Feel free to draw a sigil, sun, or any other symbol on the bag. Drop the bag into the Litha fire or cauldron and watch how your worries burn away.

Cauldron works: Rituals include placing a flower ringed cauldron on the altar. Gather and dry herbs to put in the cauldron and plunge your athame into the cauldron for renewed energy. You can also set these herbs on fire to simulate a bonfire.

Roll a burning wheel: Roll a burning wooden wheel down the hillsides to represent the decline of the sun. The wheels were very large to ensure fertility and prosperity in the coming year. The ritual commemorates those ancient sun wheels and purification by fire.

Make solar water: Make solar water by leaving a bowl of spring water under the midday sun for a few hours. You can use this water for masculine rituals, those requiring significant power, and any kind of spell needing a power up.

Charge your crystals: Leave any crystals or items of jewelry you would like to imbue with the sun’s energy out in the sun for a few hours.

Found this years ago. I plan to tray this on Litha!

Protection Rattle: Create a Litha protection rattle that you can use while dancing around your bonfire. Using 2 shells that join together, twine, and carnelian, create your rattle to celebrate the solstice. Place the carnelian inside the 2 shells before wrapping the twine around the shells to hold it together. Secure the twine so that the shells do not open while in use.

St. John’s Wort

Gather flowers: Summer Solstice celebrates the sun as it brings life to plants and flowers such as its namesake, the sunflower. Deck your house with Birch, fennel, St. John’s Wort. Also called goatweed, rosin rose, and chase devil, the St. John’s Wort flower is prized at the Summer Solstice. If it is native, seek it in your area. If it is not, seek another flower that blooms around this time of year. According to folklore, if you pick seven or nine types of wild flower in the evening, in silence, and place them under your pillow, you will dream of your future spouse. But you mustn’t reveal whom you dreamed about to anyone! Flowers or herbs picked at Midsummer are thought to be doubly potent. St. John’s Wort is so named because it traditionally flowers on Midsummer’s Day or St. John’s Eve, by its Christian name. If it is harvested at this time, it can be kept until the winter and made into an antidepressant tea with the qualities it has absorbed from the sun.

Create a wand: Midsummer is the time to cut magical wands as the trees hold their greatest amount of light at this time.

Decorate your altar: At this time when light will begin to wane, decorate your altar and house with sunflowers. Place honey on your altar to represent life’s sweetness. Light the same gold candle for a short time for four or five nights over this period. On the last evening, after the candle is safely snuffed, wrap what is left of it in yellow or gold colored cloth with sunflower seeds. Tie the parcel with a yellow ribbon and keep it somewhere safe for protection and good fortune until next Litha.

Divination: At Litha, the veils between the worlds are thin. The portals between the fields we know and worlds beyond stand open. This is an excellent time for rites of divination.

Sun wheel cake/bread: One way of marking the Summer Solstice in your own home is to bake round cakes covered in yellow icing. These traditionally represent the sun wheel, a symbol used to represent the sun in many ancient cultures, and should be eaten for breakfast. Ideally, you should get up before the dawn and sit on a hilltop to watch the sunrise, while eating the cakes as the sun’s golden disc rises above the horizon. Take any sponge or fairy cake recipe, but add saffron for yellow color in the cake, or to color the icing, and add some honey to taste. Garnish the mix with sunflower seeds to add midsummer ambiance. Once your sun wheel cake is baked, prepare a flask of mead, a traditional honey liqueur, to wash down a slice at sunrise. You can also bake bread in the shape of the sun as well.

Sunflower Solstice Cake: Bake a sunflower solstice cake decorated with yellow icing and sunflower seeds to share with your friends over a glass of mead. If you don’t want seeds on your cake, you can add chocolate chips to represent the seeds and make it more palatable.

Sun Wreath/catcher: Create a sun decoration covered in colors and plants of the holiday. Sunflowers, yellow ribbon, and lavender are great starts to your wreath. You can also make a sunny decoration from dried oranges or other citrus.

Reaffirm your dedication: Reaffirm your vows to the Lord and Lady or your dedication to following the old traditions. To celebrate, put out an offering to your deity.

Leave out an offering for the Fae: The faeries abound at this time and it is customary to leave offerings, such as milk, food, or herbs, for them for the evening. Summer Solstice, in particularly Midsummer’s Eve, is a time when fairies would bestow good luck on humans. An old ritual for children was to place food out in the garden for the fairies who would then sometimes leave crystals as a token of thanks. Shakespeare took the fairy legends and lovers traditions and wrote about them in his play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, when fairies with their magic, play the leading characters interacting with humans and mortals.

Help the Environment: Make a pledge to Mother Earth pertaining to something that you will do to improve the environment. Try to make long term changes to make the earth a better place for all life.

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Click here for an Index to all posts

Posted on by

Anti-Depression Spell Jar

Depression is hard to deal with some days. Some days you’ve got this! Other days, not so much. I can say this from personal experience as depression is something I have struggled with for years.

Jar spells are great! They do so many things and this jar spell is great to have on hand when you need a mood booster. This jar is here for a little aromatherapy uplifting whenever you need it. The different scents mixing together are so fresh and delightful. I felt better right away.

Ingredients:
– A jar of your choice
– Rosemary and rosemary essential oil for uplifting
– Orange essential oil and orange zest for uplifting and cheerfulness
– Rose petals for (self) love
– Rose quartz for (self) love
– Salt to hold the oils and for banishing sadness and negativity
– Cascarilla powder (eggshell powder) for banishing
– A zester and a funnel are also helpful
– Decorations for your jar

I have been feeling down as of late due to stress, missing my friends who are thousands of miles away, and also excessive weight gain from medications. I thought this would be the perfect thing to work as a pick me up! It actually did work too. Between the concentration of making it and then just sitting there inhaling the pleasant aroma, I feel much better.

To begin with, open the jar of your choice and place the funnel on top. There is no proper way to add the ingredients. If you want to mix it all up beforehand, go ahead! If you want to add them one at a time like I did, then that works too! Add the salt, cascarilla powder, rosemary, orange zest, and rose petals to the jar. When I was almost to the top, I added 3 smooth rose quartz stones and then dripped 10 drops of each essential oil on them to drop down into the jar. You don’t have to do 10. You can do however many gives you the perfect scent. You could also mix the oils in the salt and then add everything together. Finally, I capped the bottle (but did not seal it) and decorated the neck with sinew, beads, and shells.

Whenever you are upset, uncork the bottle and focus on the scents. Breathe them in deeply and picture the scents swirling around you protectively before entering your body, purifying all the negativity and sadness trapped inside of you.

Obviously this is not meant to replace professional help but it is a great temporary coping skill to help when life was particularly rough on you that day and you need a boost. If you are truly struggling, please seek help from a doctor/psychologist. If you are suicidal, please seek help immediately!

24/7 American Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Click here for an Index to all posts

Posted on by

Witch Crafts Altar Dish

This is a tutorial I have been meaning to make for a while now. It is the blue brocade altar dish I have on my own altar. Personally, I put a statue of Hekate inside of it and place coin blessings in the dish each day and occasional offerings when I work magic.

It was very easy to make and originally was a dish I had gotten from Goodwill. It was flat and wide and the perfect size but it was an ugly shade of white. So I decided to spray pain it black. That worked well except that it melded with the original material weird and so sometimes, items would stick to it and either pull of the pain or it would tear off and adhere to the dish.

Eventually, it began to look a little worse for wear. Napkins holding offerings had attached to the paint, melded, and then tore off. Then I had an idea to cover it in cloth and make it pretty again! It was only the shape of it that I liked so why not cover it up and make it a beautiful part of my altar again instead of looking so shabby all the time.

Materials needed:
1 altar dish
1 large strip of fabric (I used a blue brocade I had lying around)
1 hot glue gun
2 glue sticks

I used a little hot glue in the center of the dish, then pressed the fabric down. I personally wanted one of the decorative circles in the center of the bowl so I started there. It is the dead center so I know where to put my statue of Hekate without having to work too much on getting it centered.I used a bit more around the lower edge of the dish and pressed the fabric down again to make sure it would stick. Then I hot glued the top of the edge to ensure the fabric molded with the dish. Charlemagne came to help out at this point. Dark Arts and Crafts on the floor always warrants Familiar curiosity.

Finally, flip the bowl over and continue to attach the material to the underside of the bowl, making sure you keep it as neat and even as possible so that the material does not make your bowl unlevel. Depending on the bowl, if you need to cut the fabric just before it reaches the base where it stands, then do that. You wouldn’t want it to tip over with a statue of your god/dess in it!

The completed project should look something like this! I have been using it for many months and so far, it has been perfect for my needs! The blue matches my Sea Witch theme, it holds Hekate perfectly and never tips, and my daily coin blessings and other offerings don’t stick to it anymore.

I hope this gives some of you a few ideas for your own altars! A little fabric over a shelf, bowl, or other object can really personalize and give new life to your altar!

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Click here for an Index to all posts

Posted on by

Witch Crafts- Epsom Salt Bath

I got a new bag of epsom salts and I decided to witchify it! I actually do this pretty often. As part of my sea witch practice, I take a LOT of baths. It is cleansing, it is relaxing, it is a way to meditate in the water, and it makes my aches and pains dissipate.

Ingredients:
– Epsom salts
– Food coloring (I used blue)
– Essential oil(s) of choice (I used sandalwood and rose)
-Bowl that won’t stain
-Spoon or latex gloves for mixing

I use Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts but really, you can use any brand of soaking salts you choose. I always get a big 5lb bag because baths are amazing and I take them often.

Pour all of the salts out into a bowl that will not run the risk of being stained by the food coloring. At this point you can go slow slow and add a few drops of food coloring until you get the color you are looking for. As a sea witch, I love bathing in bright blue water and so that is what I went for. For a 5lb bag it took about 20 drops of blue to get the color I wanted. Drop your food coloring in and then use either a spoon or gloves to mix it up so you don’t stain your hands with the coloring.

Once everything is all mixed up, you will add the essential oil(s) for the choice of your scent. I chose sandalwood and rose for this batch of salts but I change it up pretty frequently. The oils become very diluted in the water so you do not run the risk of having a reaction with much more pure essential oils. Mix it in well. I did 10 drops of sandalwood and then another 10 drops of rose and it gave me a perfect scent. Once your salts are done, you can put them in their own lovely storage and any extra, put back in your original bag so you can store them for later refills. I wrapped rope around the handle and added an anchor charm I had laying around my craft room.

After that, light some candles, play some music, grab a book, and go soak in the tub! You deserve it!

Witch Tip: The food coloring will not stain the porcelain tub during a bath but if left for 6+ hours or overnight, it does run the risk of staining.

Witch Tip: Take a second to quickly wipe down the tub after your bath to remove residue oil. You wouldn’t want to slip next time!

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Click here for an Index to all posts

Posted on by

Witch Crafts- Hekate’s Key

There have been many crafts I have wanted to make for a long time and I am finally getting to them due to being home for so long. About a year ago I found a super cool picture on Pinterest of a necklace key made of snake spines that someone used for their own practice with Hekate. I absolutely loved it and wanted to make one for my own altar.

I loved the theme of the necklace but I wanted more color. This one only had a few beads on it and not a lot of color. Even the key on my altar is very detailed. I wanted to take this craft and make it my own. Since I practice as a sea witch, I use a lot of blue hues to match my home’s theme. I had been planning this for a while and decided now would be a great time to do it!

To begin with, I wanted to use the key on my altar because it is so beautiful. I don’t even remember where it got. The thing is years old. It is an old ornate iron key. It is VERY heavy. I think I got it at a flea market back in college over a decade or more ago. I loved the look of the snake spines but I didn’t want quite as many. I found gold beads, rainbow hematite beads, and lava stone beads from the gem show in Arizona. I also found these really pretty beads that were blue and had an almost Greek design on them which was perfect for what I was going for. I used sinew for my thread which looks very old world against my key instead of actual thread.

Bad pic because I did it by candlelight which was very calming and meditative.

The hardest part was deciding my pattern for the beads. It took almost 2 hours (I actually had to redo it because my string was too short). I loved the look of it in the end but had to take it apart one more time because it was just too long. When I wore it, it went down past my pelvis. So instead of 12 (12 being a lucky number in Greece) sets of 3 snake bones, I did 9 sets of 3 snake bones which was the PERFECT amount. 3 being a number sacred to Hekate, I felt like it made it even more significant. It just didn’t feel right when it had 12. As soon as I finished the necklace, I found it to be absolutely perfect. The final product was lovely and matched my home well.

It probably would have gone a lot quicker but I just couldn’t decide on the pattern for the beads and Charlemagne kept grabbing my thread and trying to run off with the unfinished necklace! He knocked the beads all over the floor too. Familiars are quite helpful! And other times, not so much. This was one of those times…..

This was a great craft to do and occupied a good part of my evening. I highly recommend giving something like this a try for your own craft! Change up the symbol (key) to match your deity and rock your own personal theme! This was a lot of fun and looks GREAT on my altar!

Charlemagne liked it too! So much so that he took to stepping all over my altar to see it which he knows better not to do. Such is life with a curious kitty!

Everyone stay safe out there! And if you have other craft ideas or made one of your own deity necklaces, I would love to see them in the comments!

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Posted on by

Garlic

Description: C:\Users\Cristina\Pictures\_1800x1200_all_about_garlic_slideshow.jpg

Gender: Masculine
Element: Fire
Planet: Mars
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Celtic Zodiac/ Date: N/A
Lunar Month: N/A
Tarot: N/A
Rune: N/A
Ogham: N/A
Crystal: N/A
Deities: Hekate, Crone, Cybele
Associated Festival: N/A
Chakras: Solar Plexus
Birth Month: N/A
Meaning: Protection, health
Type: Annual herb
Grows in Zone: 4 -9
Plant for Bees?: No
Natural pesticide?:  Yes
Poisonous/ Toxic: No

Garlic is an annual herb that is grown around the world. Garlic is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Allium sativum is a bulbous plant, growing up to 1 meter (3.3 ft) in height.  Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion. The word garlic derives from Old English, garlēac, meaning gar (spear) and leek, as a ‘spear-shaped leek’.

Garlic is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran, and has long been a common seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use. China currently produces some 80% of the world’s supply of garlic.

Many cooks make the mistake of thinking that the large bulb of garlic you buy is a clove of garlic. The whole garlic is called a “head” or a “knob”. Each segment is called a “clove” of garlic. In other words, if a recipe calls for three cloves of garlic, you would use three of the separate segments. When selecting garlic for planting, it is important to pick large bulbs from which to separate cloves. Large cloves, along with proper spacing in the planting bed, will also increase bulb size. Garlic plants prefer to grow in a soil with a high organic material content, but are capable of growing in a wide range of soil conditions and PH levels. If garlic is planted at the proper time and depth, it can be grown as far north as Alaska. Growing garlic near other plants will help protect them from pests.

Garlic will keep a long time if the heads are stored in a cool dark place. If you keep them in the fridge, they will sprout and taste bitter. The pungent odor of garlic cloves is due to active volatile oils. Its flavor is sweetened by cooking, especially baking. If you buy the garlic braids, they should be hung up to prevent bruising of the cloves. 

Garlic, also known as the stinking rose, stinkweed, and poor man’s treacle, is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Cultures throughout history have used it for physical and spiritual health; among the various beliefs about garlic were that it made you stronger and kept away evil spirits. Garlic was used by Egyptian and Indian cultures 5,000 years ago, and there is historical evidence of it being used by the Babylonians 4,500 years ago, and by the Chinese over 2,000 years ago. While the prescriptions changed, the use of garlic as a healing agent continued all the way up until the present day.

Researchers think the ancient Egyptians were the first to farm garlic. Its image has been found in Egyptian tombs depicted as an offering to the Gods. The pyramid builders of ancient Egypt were paid partially in garlic each day to improve their strength and ward off illness and Egyptians swore oaths on cloves of garlic. A mere 15 pounds of this ancient currency would buy a healthy male slave. Ancient Egyptians bestowed many sacred qualities upon garlic. They believed it kept away evil spirits, so they buried garlic-shape lumps of clay with dead pharaohs. Archaeologists found preserved bulbs of garlic scattered around King Tut’s tomb millennia after his burial. The ancient Egyptians believed so strongly in the power of garlic to ward off evil spirits that they would chew it before making a journey at night. 

Ancient Greeks and Romans loved their garlic, too. Greek athletes and soldiers ate garlic before entering the arena or battlefield because they thought it had strength-enhancing properties. Greek midwives hung garlic cloves in birthing rooms to repel evil spirits. They placed garlic at cross-roads as a supper for the goddess Hekate, or for protection to ward off demons. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek known as the “father of medicine,” prescribed garlic for a variety of ailments around 400 B.C. It was used to treat wounds, fight infection, and ease digestive disorders.

Roman soldiers ate garlic before battle for strength, inspiration, and courage. In Ancient Rome, it was “much used for food among the poor”. 

Garlic’s reputation as a medicinal wonder continued into the Middle Ages. It was used in attempts to prevent the plague and to treat leprosy and a long list of other ailments. It was also used to maintain health during the plague, as well as to ward off evil spirits, vampires, the evil eye and various spells and hexes. An Islamic legend claims that when Satan left the Garden of Eden, garlic and onions grew from his footprints.

Later, explorers and migrating peoples introduced this easy-to-grow and easy-to-carry plant to various regions around the world. The Spanish, Portuguese, and French introduced garlic to the Americas. Its alleged aphrodisiac qualities made garlic taboo for Tibetan monks. Tibetan monks were forbidden from entering monasteries if they had eaten garlic. 

Garlic played its first starring role in modern medical treatment during World War I. The Russians used garlic on the front lines to treat battle wounds and fight infection, and medics used moss that was soaked in garlic as an antiseptic to pack wounds.

Description: C:\Users\Cristina\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\_1560842280709.jpg

Garlic is an extremely popular all-purpose herbal remedy. You can add this versatile ingredient to your cooking to benefit from its many advantages. To maximize the health benefits, you should crush the garlic at room temperature and allow it to sit for about fifteen minutes. This triggers an enzyme reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in garlic. Cutting, crushing, or chewing a garlic clove activates numerous sulfurous substances. When these substances come into contact with oxygen, they form compounds that have therapeutic properties. The most researched, and possibly the most medicinally powerful, of these potent compounds are allicin and ajoene. Garlic is a versatile plant that can be eaten both cooked and raw.

Garlic is antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, and anti-fungal, anti-asthmatic, anti-spasmodic, bronchodilator, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, immunostimulant, urinary antiseptic, and vasodilator. It is a natural analgesic (pain reliever), antioxidant, and disinfectant. Labeled as an antioxidant, garlic may help prevent certain cancers such as colon cancer and can improve the effectiveness of the immune system. Anticancer action has even been reported in more recent lab studies. The sulfur in garlic’s essential oil makes a good defense for killing germs. Once garlic is ingested, it is absorbed into the blood stream and then diffused through various organs. The skin, intestines, lungs and urinary system profit highly from its healing properties.

Garlic has long been used as a field aid and home remedy over the millennia to treat wounds. It has been proven to kill various fungal infections, viruses, bacteria, and intestinal parasites. You can use it to disinfect wounds as well as treat warts, boils, psoriasis. Garlic can also be used as afield antiseptic and disinfectant for athlete’s foot, cuts, scrapes, wounds, sores, warts, boils, and psoriasis. Garlic is also great for treating ear infections.

Witch Tip: Garlic vinegar can be used to disinfect wounds and soothe rheumatic pain and any common pain (made from one liter of vinegar and ten cloves of crushed garlic steeped for at least 10 days). For athlete’s foot, warts, skin infections and acne, rub (freshly mashed) garlic over the affected area with a piece of gauze.

Witch Tip: You can step garlic in olive oil and drop it into the ear. Garlic oil can burn the skin so do not apply full strength or fresh cut directly on the skin.

Garlic is an amazing immune system booster with a vast array of healing abilities that follow regular consumption. Herbalists recommend adding garlic to your diet one to two months before the hay fever season. It contains B-group vitamins that have immune boosting properties. As well as helping to boost your immune system, garlic is a natural fungicide. Fungus spores can trigger a hay fever attack and so garlic can be very helpful throughout the seasons. It has antihistamine properties which make it useful in helping to reduce the irritating symptoms of hay fever such as a runny nose and itchy, sore eyes.

Garlic has been used to prevent other respiratory health problems including colds, flu, sore throats, strep throat, coughs, congestion, asthma attacks, sinus infections (sinusitis), respiratory infections/ distress, and bronchitis.

Witch Tip: Fresh garlic mixed with honey is an excellent home remedy for colds, hoarseness, and inflammation of the throat. crush 1 oz. of fresh garlic cloves. Mix the garlic with 1 cup of honey. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour to infuse the honey with the garlic’s essential oils. Store in a cool, dark place. At The first sign of a cold, take 1-2 tsp. of the mixture. (Repeat every hour thereafter) This remedy is also effective for relieving severe chest congestion and painful coughing.

Garlic is a cardiovascular tonic. Its stimulating effects enliven a sluggish circulation and dilate the peripheral blood vessels, thus warming the body’s extremities. Pungent sulfur compounds, which are also responsible for its distinctive odor, promote heart health via beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and reduction of cholesterol levels. Garlic lowers LDL (the bad cholesterol) and raises HDL (the good cholesterol); this helps prevent buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries. However, for those suffering from hypertension, garlic can help to lower blood pressure. It also helps blood clots from forming which is what protects against heart attack and stroke. Use caution if you are taking blood thinners or use aspirin regularly. Garlic itself is a blood thinner.

It can be used as an analgesic (pain reliever) for insect bites. Studies have found that concentrated garlic kills ticks within thirty minutes. It can be used to help cure parasitic worms in children as well. Garlic can be used to cure bladder infections, colic, stomach ulcers, tooth aches, aiding diabetics, and aids poor digestion.

Witch Tip: Garlic has been used to help treat ulcers. Eat 7-9 cloves of garlic throughout the day, with milk or spread on bread. (Not recommended for 3rd trimester pregnant women or nursing mothers as some babies will refuse to nurse after the mother eats garlic)

It has been thought to possess magical properties for centuries, and is widely used in charms and spells. Sacred to Hekate and left as offerings for her at altars and crossroads, garlic is a major protection herb. Just having garlic in your house alone is believed to protect from robbery, disease, foul weather, ghosts, evil spirits, the evil eye, and magical attack. When carried on your person, it is used to protect from monsters, storms, and physical or magical attack. Use garlic for healing, exorcisms, repelling thieves, speed, strength, endurance, courage, health, healing, exorcisms, lust, blessing a new home, spiritual purification, fortune, and absorbing diseases.

Witch Tip: Make an offering to Hekate. Sacred to the ancient Greek goddess of witchcraft and magic, garlic makes a perfect offering.  Leave a clove at the crossroads or grow some by your front door to honor her. You can also leave a clove on your altar for her as well.

Eating and wearing garlic is said to improve agility, courage, and physical endurance. It is said that if you carry a garlic clove with you when traveling over water, it will prevent you from drowning. 

Placing a clove of garlic, one in each of the four corners of a room, is said to banish away ghosts, evil spirits, or bad energy. Garlic is used for exorcisms. Burn the powdered herb during spell breaking and curses.

Witch Tip: Leave a clove with your divination tools.Prevent negative energies from coming through the gateway of your tarot cards, runes, or Ouija boards.

Garlic cloves can also be used to stuff poppets intended for negative magic. When evil spirits are around, a bite of garlic will repel them. A clove of garlic can be added to any mojo bag to strengthen its energy. You can use the skins for magical sachets and amulets as they smell much less than the fresh cloves. You can also use the dried, powdered garlic in your spice rack.

Witch Tip: Stop gossip by stuffing a poppet through the mouth with garlic and then sew the mouth shut

Witch Tip: Breaking a spell. Did your spell go awry? Reverse your ritual and bury any remaining spell ingredients in a deep hole with a clove of garlic to combat the effects.

Garlic can also be used to protect against psychic and physical vampirism. In the minds of the superstitious, simply possessing garlic was enough to bring good luck and protect against evil — especially evil in the form of mysterious and frightening entities, such as sorcerers and vampires. Legends convinced people that there were certain things over which vampires had no power, and garlic was one of them. However, it is only in European folklore that vampires are powerless in the presence of garlic. The bulb is not mentioned as a defensive tool in vampire legends from other parts of the world.

Witch Tip: Use garlic to purify after a smudging or exorcism. Garlic near the entrances prevents dark energies from re-entering the home after exorcism.

Growing garlic around your home is said to bring good fortune. Garlic skins are burned indoors to keep money in your home. Place with silver in a sachet of leather to bring money. Scatter around the home to promote lust. Hanging garlic over a bedroom door will draw lovers into it. Garlic is said to have aphrodisiac powers when eaten.

Witch Tip: Include it kitchen magic for passion. A tomato sauce with basil and garlic makes for a classic love potion.  Add candles and enchant your evening guest.

On the opposite end, legend has it that one can rid oneself of a lovesick former lover by placing a garlic bulb with two crossed pins stuck in it at a road intersection.  Lure the lover until he crosses it, and he will lose interest. 

Garlic braids hung over the door repel thieves and envious people as well as bring good luck. Change the braid every year. For protection while sleeping, place under a pillow or make into a wreath placed above the bed. Dreaming that there is “garlic in the house” is known to mean you will discover hidden secrets.

Witch Tip: Hang garlic over a sick person’s bed to stop fever dreams and drive away dark thinking.

Use level: Easy

Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Posted on by

Ostara Activities

Whether you have kids or your celebrate alone, there are plenty of activities you can participate in!

My basil is coming along wonderfully!

Start a Magical Herb Garden: Plant seeds and start an herb garden at this time. You can also take a long walk in nature with no intent other than reflecting on the magic of nature and her bounty.

Clearly I got a little ahead of that but I took time to tend the plants I already have! Wash your plant leaves to ensure there is not dust on them indoors. Weed your plants outdoors. Give them a little TLC for Spring!

Bay in Salt: represent the coming of spring with salt and bay leaves in a glass.

Decorate Eggs: The egg is a symbol of rebirth. The Spring Equinox is often represented by a spring maiden carrying a basket of eggs. In addition, in Old Europe, eggs were decorated and given as gifts, as wishings of abundance in food, and prosperity. As pagan religions were shunned, followers made a game out of children finding the eggs, hidden in plants and under fences.

Pagan origins of the Easter egg- Long ago, according to legend, many animals attempted to win the favor of the goddess Eoestre, but as she is so difficult to impress, all of them failed utterly. However, one day on March 21st, a rabbit decided to attempt to impress her by taking an egg from a local hen’s nest and decorating it beautifully with paint. Much to the surprise of the other animals, Eoestre was extremely enamored by the beautiful gift, and as a result, she gave the rabbit the task of creating and delivering such beautifully decorated eggs, which he carried in a basket, to everyone in the local villages on this same day every year to this day.

Legend of Ukrainian eggs (Pysanky)- The Hutsuls, Ukrainians who live in the Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine- believe that the fate of the world depends upon the pysanka. As long as the egg decorating custom continues, the world will exist. If, for any reason, this custom is abandoned, evil in the shape of a horrible serpent who is forever chained to a cliff will overrun the world. Each year the serpent sends out his minions to see how many pysanky have been created. If the number is low, the serpent’s chains are loosened and he is free to wander the earth causing havoc and destruction. If, on the other hand, the number of pysanky has increased, the chains are tightened and good triumphs over evil for yet another year.

The art of the decorated egg in Ukraine, or pysanka, probably dates back to ancient times. No actual ancient examples exist, as eggshells are fragile. As in many cultures, Ukrainians worshipped the sun god (Dashboh). The sun was important and warmed the earth and thus was a source of all life. Eggs decorated with nature symbols became an integral part of spring rituals, serving as benevolent talismans.

You can decorate the egg with symbols that represent your dreams and goals. Bury an egg in your garden to hatch your wishes or you can bury a raw egg by the entrance to your home to ensure abundance for the forthcoming year and fertility in your garden.

Gemstone Fortunes: I don’t take credit for this. This was a super cool activity I found YEARS ago so I cannot credit the OP. Place charged gemstones inside of beautifully decorated eggs and after an egg hunt, each person can choose an egg and therefore a gemstone. This list breaks down each stone into a simple, singular meaning useful only for gemstone fortunes. All gemstones have many different meanings or have different meanings between cultures.

Gemstone Simple meanings
Amethyst Spirituality
Bloodstone Healing
Carnelian Business
Citrine Communication
Fluorite Knowledge
Green Aventurine Money
Jade Luck
Kyanite Balance
Lapis Lazuli Truth
Moonstone Dreams
Onyx Past Life
Petrified Wood Family
Rose Quartz Relationships
Sunstone Happiness
Snowflake Obsidian Protection
Selenite Meditation

Grab colored plastic eggs from the local grocery store.  Any kind will do, but you can cover bright pastel colors with glitter.  Drop by your local metaphysical store and pick up some smaller common semi-precious stones.  Be sure to get a broad selection and pick up more than you need.  Charge each stone with the specific intent before putting them in the egg.  Also be sure to create small paper cutouts that describe what each stone means in case other members are not aware of your intent when you charged them.

Eat an Egg: It is said that if one eats a hardboiled egg just before sunrise on Ostara morning, they will be healthy and fruitful for the following year.

Detoxification: Consider a short fast or a day or two of detoxification. After a winter of eating rich foods, out bodies often build up toxins. To cleanse, drink herbal teas and spring water, eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Avoid sugar, dairy, caffeine, red meats, and processed foods, you will feel lighter and have more energy.

Ostara Milk and Honey Elixir: Mix milk, honey, and sugar together in an earthen bowl as an offering to the earth for the coming spring. Pour half of the elixir into the earth and drink the other half to connect yourself to the offering.

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Posted on by

Imbolc Activities

With the coming holidays, there are many fun activities you can do by yourself, with a coven, and with your kids if you have any! Get creative and enjoy this fire festival welcoming in the light! Celebrate the lengthening of days and the warming of the earth at Imbolc, with rituals of purification, fertility, and renewal. Focus on new growth, the end of winter, and rituals of purification.

Not my image though I wish it was!

A Purifying Bath: The Romans named the month February after a word signifying purification, as this was the time when ritual cleansing would prepare a person for a fresh start. Take a ritual bath at Imbolc in your own homemade ‘healing well.’

First collect some snowdrops and then set the scene in your bathroom with lit candles around the bath tub to signify burning away of old ideas as well as the coming of the light. Choose white candles for purity and green to recall and welcome the spring. Burn juniper oil in a burner and put a drop or two in the bath water. This oil is chosen because it is a very powerful auric cleanser. Summon Brigid with the snowdrops, scattering them in the bath. Relax in the water, using an apple green soap and a white towel to dry off.

Description: F:\_Photos\Interior Design\Secret Hidden Apothecary\Holidays\Imbolc - brigids day sprng equinox\16427400_10155851145754616_6184831999779661488_n.png
Also not mine. Mine don’t look this pretty……..

Brigid’s Cross: At Imbolc, it is traditional to make a Brigid’s cross to welcome the goddess into the home. A Brigid’s cross is the single most recognizable sign of the rite of Imbolc. Making a St. Brigid’s cross is an Irish custom many centuries old which is still practiced in a number of parts of Ireland today. The cross was made from rushes or straw originally and placed in houses to keep them safe from fire or evil. These Brigid’s Crosses fashioned from wheat stalks are exchanged as symbols of protection and prosperity in the coming year. These were hung over doors or windows for the year, then burned and replaced at next Imbolc. It was usually seen over the doors of cowsheds as it was a protective symbol of animals. St. Brigid’s cross symbolizes peace, good will, and friendship. Placing the cross over the doors and windows and indicates protection of homes from any kind of harm.

Bind two sticks of equal length to form a cross. Tie a silver ribbon close to the center of stick one of the cross, then take it to the right of the next stick and wrap it around the back. From the left of this stick, take the ribbon around to the right of stick three and wrap it around the back. So on and so forth you will continue weaving this way. When it is complete, adorn your cross with other decorative items.

Description: F:\_Photos\Interior Design\Le Château du Coin Manor\Secret Hidden Apothecary\Holidays\Imbolc\b4173d3b0e153da2fd31ddc6ec7c52f0.jpg
I found this on Pinterest ages ago and I use it each year to try and make my cross. Some turn out lovely! Some…. not so much…. But it’s ok because it is all about fun and enjoying your craft!

Planting Seeds: If you garden and you haven’t started your seeds yet, it may be time, even if they’re indoors in a pot. If you don’t garden, consider getting a simple plant such as basil or rosemary and starting it on a window sill or ledge. Just as the seeds are germinating in the earth, Imbolc is the time when you should imagine your thoughts and ideas starting to warm up after leaving them to hibernate through the winter. Combine the correspondences of new life and light to perform this simple ritual for Imbolc.

Choose a quiet spot outdoors, in your garden or local park, perhaps beneath your favorite type of tree or bush. Plant a seed or bulb in the ground. To make this place more special to you, choose the seed of your preferred plant or perhaps one associated with you Zodiac sign. Now light a small white candle to represent the Virgin Goddess’ purity. Sit and watch it burn down. As you do so, imagine that the seed you have planted represents the thoughts and ideas you have sown in hope for the year ahead.

Straw Brideo’gas Corn Dollie or Fertility Doll: Imbolc is the opposite of Lammas when the Corn Mother is made and this festival also sees another form of fertility doll but this time it is for Brigid or Bride. These were traditionally created from oat or wheat straw. You can either fashion a full doll or just tie up a few pieces of corn into a representative style and shape.

Once you have made the fertility doll, dress it with lace and ribbons, and lay it in a basket with white flower bedding to create the Virgin Goddess’ bridal bed. Light white candles for purity on either side of the basket and then go to the front door and quietly call “Bride’s bed is ready. Let Bride come in. Bride is welcome.” In Celtic beliefs, you are inviting in the virgin’s potential fertility and nurturing qualities. Young girls can then carry the Brideo’gas door to door, and gifts are bestowed upon the image from each household. Afterwards, at the traditional feast, the older women make special acorn wands for the dollies to hold and in the morning the ashes in the hearth are examined to see if the magic wands left marks as good omens.

Description: F:\_Photos\Interior Design\Le Château du Coin Manor\Secret Hidden Apothecary\Holidays\Imbolc\10561666_711394348914105_7760301548630612323_n.jpg
Also from Pinterest and which I use to make my little corn dolly

Hearth Fires: Hearth fires were put out and relit. Banish the winter by burning paper snowflakes in the newly lit hearth fire.

Besom: The besom is used to sweep the home and front porch. It is then placed by the front door to symbolize sweeping out the old and welcoming the new. Cleanse your home by scattering salt across the floors and then sweeping out the negativity.

Candles: This rite is sometimes called Candlemas, a reference to the flames that brighten the rite. Instead of turning on the lights, when the sun goes down, use a candle to light your way and do your work by its light. Candles are lit and placed in each room of the house to honor the rebirth of the sun. A candle wheel is also lit. Add a circle of white candles to the altar, each representing a goal you want to achieve this year. You can write that goal on the candle either one word on each candle or on the bottom of the candle.

Candle wreaths are also made. Yellow and white flowers are woven into a green wreath and a white candle is placed in the center. On Imbolc Eve, light this candle and shift your awareness to the place between the worlds where Brigid awaits you.

On Imbolc eve, light a candle and shift your awareness to the place between the worlds where Brigid awaits you.

Blessings: Bless your pets and give them a safe amulet for their collar. Switch to a new amulet each year or recharge the amulet you are already using and reuse it.

Purify the house with a house blessing ritual incorporated into the sabbat or do one separately.  Light a candle and burn sandalwood incense. Cleanse the area where you do card readings or scrying with a censor burning rosemary, or vervain.

Meditation: Do a visionquest or meditation on the wolf totem.

Offerings: In ritual, offer milk to the gods, then pour outdoors onto the ground, or leave in a bowl for animals. On Imbolc Eve, leave buttered bread in a bowl indoors for the faeries who travel with the Lady of Greenwood. Next day, dispose of it as the essence will have been removed.

Spring Cleaning: This one will always be a favorite of mine! Leading up to Imbolc, I get my crazy cleaning lady on! I have completely cleaned out my garage again, scrubbed my kitchen from top to bottom, and purged more items from my home that do not add anything special to it. Clean your living space! As you prepare to come out of the winter, start by cleaning the space you inhabit. Free it up from clutter and grime, and make it ready for the rites you will celebrate all year. If you have a fireplace, don’t forget that! A clean home is imperative to a clean and focused mind so that you can achieve your goals. Clutter drives away your focus and distracts you from being able to accomplish your goals.

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Posted on by

Cloves

Cloves are a spice that is very heavily used in the Fall and Winter months. i thought I would do an extra post in honor of this delightful and rich smelling spice.

Gender: Masculine
Element: Earth, fire
Planet: Sun, Jupiter
Day: Wednesday, Thursday
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Tarot: The Wheel
Crystal: N/A
Deities: Jupiter, Zeus, any Malaysian deity, Agneya, Mātariśvan, Agni
Chakras: Base/ Root Chakra
Birth Month:  N/A
Meaning: prosperity and kinship
Type: spice
Grows in Zone: 9b-12
Poisonous/ Toxic: No

Syzygium aromaticum  or The clove spice is the dried flower of a tropical evergreen tree native to the Molucca Islands (aka The Spice Islands) in Indonesia. Cloves are the flowers of a medium-sized tree that can only survive in a tropical climate. It requires rich, well-drained soil and is relatively easy to grow from seed if all the necessary conditions are met but for the most part is a moderate to difficult plant to maintain. The tree has large leaves and clusters of flowers form at the end of the branches. The flower buds turn from white to green to pink and are harvested just before they open and spread in the sun to dry. This turns them the dark brown we are used to seeing. The name “clove” comes from the French word for “nail”.

Clove flowers just before harvest

Cloves were found in a domestic kitchen from upper Mesopotamia (in what is now Syria) from 1,700 B.C.E. At the time, cloves were grown only on a few islands in what is now Indonesia. Cloves were historically traded from the Spice Islands by ancient Romans and Chinese. 

Cloves are antimicrobial, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral. Cloves are #1 among the top 3 spices in antioxidant concentration. One-half teaspoon of cloves has more antioxidants than one-half cup of blueberries or cranberries. Cloves contain eugenol, carophyllin, gallic acid, eugenin, inhibits oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which is an early step in atherosclerosis. Cloves act as a stimulant. Clove oil helps stimulate circulation to the skin. It can be added to warming massage oils and dabbed on acne to encourage healing.

Penetrating, sweet, and spicy, clove oil is warming and stimulating to the mind and body. Its scent helps with boosting confidence and expanding one’s thoughts.  Clove trees are cultivated throughout the tropics and the dried flower buds are used to spice foods. A potent essential oil is distilled from the bud which is highly antiseptic and analgesic. Cloves have been used to cure toothaches and gum pain for centuries due to the eugenol they contain. 80-90% of clove oil is eugenol, a phenol. This is what provides its characteristic spicy odor.

Phenols are very reactive compounds. They act as stimulants to the nervous system and are highly antiseptic and antibacterial. Phenols are also caustic and can cause irritation and can even be toxic to the liver in high enough doses. Always dilute clove oil as it is very potent. Dilute with coconut oil and rub topically on the affected area or Rub directly on your gums to numb a toothache.

It acts as a natural painkiller and helps stimulate blood to the area so that it can heal. It is also great for stopping bad breath as it is antibacterial and bacteria harbored in the mouth are the cause of bad breath. You can use oil of cloves diluted as an antiseptic mouthwash. Be cautious as even in low concentrations, it can irritate the skin and mucous membranes. The Chinese chewed cloves to freshen their breath.

Clove oil helps to fight infections when used in a steam inhalation rather than in massage blends. Clove vapors ease breathing and digestive disorders. It is great for asthma, colds, coughing, laryngitis, indigestion, vomiting, and low blood pressure. It will ward off respiratory infections and is a great antihistamine against hay fever and rhinitis. It can help strengthen the memory and, when blended with rosemary, enhances concentration and lifts depression. It is also known to relieve anxiety and nervous tension as well as joint pain. Along with the anxiety, it can help treat headaches and ease earaches.

Use clove buds in a tea to improve digestion, prevent and relieve flatulence and relieve nausea and diarrhea. It is also lovely steeped in milk, wine or juice with a cinnamon stick for these purposes.

It is a great insect repellant and, when combined with lemon and eucalyptus oils, it can deter mosquitos.

Cloves can be added whole to many dishes. Traditionally, they are used as a mulling spice, they are steeped in warm wine, milk, juice or cider in combination with other herbs to make a complex and delicious warm beverage. Cloves are also used to stud a ham and lend their warm flavor it its saltiness. But cloves can be used in many other ways. They can be added to stocks, fruit pies, and tea blends. They can be ground and mixed into baked goods. Cloves are part of many spice mix including Chinese Five Spice Powder, Garam Masala, Curry Powder, Ras el Hanout and Worchestershire sauce.

It is best to buy whole cloves and grind them just before use for the best flavor or use them whole and cook them slowly to infuse the flavor and remove them before serving. The flavor of cloves is very strong, so it’s best to use them sparingly.

Burned as incense, cloves attract riches, drive away hostile and negative forces, produce spiritual vibrations, and purify the area. They can be used to cleanse your aura and attract friendship and prosperity. Cloves have been used as an aphrodisiac. Simply infuse cloves into wine or apple cider to enjoy its effects.

It can also be burned to stop others from gossiping about you. To prevent people from spreading rumors about you, push clove stems into a red candle and burn. Wear in an amulet or charm to dispel negativity and bind those who speak ill of you.  Worn or carried, cloves attract the opposite sex and bring comfort to the bereaved.

Cloves could be used during exorcisms to banish negativity and fill the room with positive energy. They bring protection and aid in divination and can be used for spell breaking. They are also good from brining money and wealth into the home. At times, cloves could be used to aid in clarity. When burned, It can be used in ensuring that your magical intent is realized.  Use as an offering to any Malaysian deity.

Witch Tip: For a quick and inexpensive house protection, put a few cloves on your windowsills and over your doors.

For Yule: Cloves are great to add to mulling wines, to stick into the rind of an orange for a decorative offering, as well as for stove top potpourris!

Cloves should be avoided during GI tract inflammations, hypertension, and skin inflammations. Never take more than ½ tsp a day of cloves.

Do not use if you are pregnant.

Use level: Easy

Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Posted on by

Yule Day 1

Last weekend, I got to see a falling star a few days after the last full moon of the decade. It was beautiful and magical and made even better because I was in an amazing mood after having spent the entire evening with good friends. This weekend, someone set off fireworks the evening of the Winter Solstice. I pulled off to the side of the road and watched them for a bit. Once again, a wonderful experience because my best friend had left me in a great mood just before I had to run out to the grocery store.

My rosemary tree with a little kodama peeking out

Now today is the first first day of Yule! And it was, for lack of better words, incredible, fulfilling, and enchanting! My work has given me all but one day of Yule off and I plan to spend every moment of it recovering from the craziness that is life and celebrating the wonderful time that is Yule with my furry little boys!

This year was brought to you by Amazon!

Earlier this week I had talked about many of the activities you can do to celebrate and each day I will post the ones I have chose to celebrate with my little family! We try to make each day magical and if we can’t make it magical, we at least try not to leave fur balls on the carpet…. So without further ado, Yule day 1!

I welcomed in the Winter Solstice with some juicy delightful pomegranate seeds and that was just perfect!

I wasn’t able to get up quite in time for the sunrise but I did do a yoga sequence to greet the sun. I have no idea where I found this one. It had been in my workouts folder for so long but it also has a matching moon as well! I have a lot of back and shoulder pain due to my job and this is a great sequence I have recently gotten into that helps my pain a lot. It also seemed very appropriate to greet the first day of Yule with. I will say yoga is rather difficult with 3 cats all rubbing against you either begging for attention or sniffing you trying to figure out what you are doing. Charlemagne even attacked my printed out yoga sequence!

The bunnies were just so cute!

I found the above image either on FB or Pinterest and I LOVED the idea! I just had to make it! Wreaths of evergreens were very popular in pagan times and a Yule wreath would look great in my kitchen! The above image was an advent calendar that counted down until Christmas with 25 candles that would be lit each day. I used the image as a prototype and created my own Yuletide spin on it and I love how it came out!

I molded it last weekend and gave it the entire week to allow it to air dry. Nikolai was very critical of my work and kept checking on it for quality. He even sneezed on it once…. Such a judgmental kitty! On the Winter Solstice, I painted it with 3 coats of paint to ensure none of the grey clay showed through. Hekate is my goddess and so I modeled my wreath spiral after Hekate’s labyrinth. Some versions are very detailed but since clay is not my normal media of choice, I went with the simplest version and I think it came out very well!

Hekate’s Labyrinth (wheel)

I am realistic and I know that December is a crazy month for me and that I would be lucky to light even half the candles counting down to Yule, BUT I also know that around the 20th or so, things wind down and are much more relaxed both at work and at home. So my final wreath is a 12 Days of Yule countdown. I will light a candle each day while I spend quality time with my boys.

I was invited to a tamale gathering as well. It is a tradition for my friends’ family every year for the weekend before Christmas to make tamales and bring everyone together. So as my contribution to the tamale gathering, I brought a Yule log! It was delicious and did not stand a chance. There is a small piece I brought home which will likely be devoured on day 2.

I didn’t have a great grip on the sifter so it kind of ‘snowed’ a little extra on the left side….

Of course I opened presents as well, while wearing my ‘ugly’ Yule sweater. I Skyped my best friend and enjoyed her attempts at breathing from laughing so hard when she unwrapped one of her presents. Aquadog the Corgi Rides a Hammerhead Shark Dog Art Print! I received cat tarot, a wiccan calendar and cookbook, 2 history books,and the most beautiful tea cup.

From Amazon of course!

Finally, I did went on a 6 mile jog in a state park nearby. I timed it perfectly too, because JUST as I finished and got back to my car, the sun finally set and I got to watch all while breathing in some of the crispest pine air ever. All in all, a great day!

Finally, I finished the day with a last gentle yoga sequence. I figured if I were greeting the sun, the least I could do was greet the moon. It is also very similar to the sun salutation and so again, it helps my back to feel better after.

I hope everyone was able to have an absolutely wonderful holiday filled with food, friends, and good health! I have lots more activities planned since I have so much time off this year!

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,

Posted on by

Witch Crafts- Manifestation box

What is a manifestation box? A manifestation box, also called a creation box, or wish box, or intention box, can be a powerful tool in creating the life you want. The idea is to place things in the box you want to attract or manifest in life. Each time you do, you are sending an affirmation to the universe, and your intentions will begin to draw your desires.

I will probably add some net and shells to the outside eventually

This is a great craft idea you can do for your altar! Mine is a little large for my altar so I have it off to the side. But I wanted large so I could keep filling it up and never have to take anything out. I found a cool treasure chest to match my ocean aesthetic from Michael’s and spent the day painting it. I have always loved the night sky so I painted a galaxy inside of my chest. The ocean at night looking up into the stars is one of my all time favorite scenes. So much so, that I painted the scene and have it hanging on my wall at home.

I also approach my manifestation box a little differently. To begin with, I have an offering plate on my altar. I place current spells, offerings, blessings, wishes, and lucky charms there. I used to have a lot of trouble with staying positive and being able to realize I have blessings at all. Depression is very hard to cope with so I had to find a way. As a sea witch, I now place a (few) metal dabloon(s) on my altar each evening for all of the blessings I have received in that day. Even if it is only one. You can ALWAYS find something to be grateful for, even if it is just having a roof over your head. Once my offering plate fills up, I transfer all of my offerings, as well as my intentions, into my manifestation box. Seeing my manifestation box filling up with my dabloon blessings really does have an affect on your psyche. Especially since money is one of the things I want to manifest.

I also place notes and spells of things I want to manifest inside the box. Last year, I made of list of things I wanted to accomplish. After Samhain, I looked at my list and realized I had accomplished 6 of the 8 items and one of them was at least partially accomplished. 6.5 out of 8 isn’t bad! I was able to manifest all of those intentions! I have a new note in the box for the next year of things I want to accomplish. Decorate your box however you like and bring your intentions to life! As a sea witch, my box is a treasure chest filling up with dabloon blessings, along with offering stones and intention letters written on parchment. Get creative and get messy with your craft or even make it a family project! What’s in your box?

From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,