Travel Log 9-19: I'm So Rumbly in My Tumbly!

So with Mabon just a few short days away, and Samhain tugging at my attention( thank you so much wonderful magazines and displays with awesome ideas that will make my kids ecstatic and my husband crazy- yes I'm looking at you Better Holmes and Gardens Halloween special!) I decided that I will have a great big last minute family feast. Only about 8 people will be coming, and I've recently found some awesome recipes for a great menu and some decoration ideas that I can recycle(with a few adjustments) to work for Samhain as well!
 So I shall try my hand at making a post roast with all the vegetables and pumpkin mousse served in little pumpkins!  And researching the season as I do every Sabbot( can never learn too much you know- true mark of a library witch, lol) it got me inspired to actually do some artwork, which if the tech gods are willing I will be able to post below.
This is the pen and ink version

And here is the colored version. The scanner did some odd things that I actually liked so I left them in.

Here is a nice Mabon prayer I "borrowed" from a Mabon ritual I found by Lady Brigit.com. I think it would make a nice Blessing for the feast we shall have!

Goddess
Ladies of the Harvest,
Goddess Mother,
Brighid, Goddess of Transformation,
Keeper of the Cauldron, Cerridwen.
As the balance of nature starts it’s shift
from Mother to Crone.
We look within to partake of the knowledge and wisdom you have given to us.
We call upon you to help guide the way.
Blessed Be.
God
Lords of the Harvest,
Great Father, Dagda,
Horned One, Great Warrior,Cernunnos.
Now is the time of the second harvest,
when the sun enters his waning time.
Before the last rays of light descend behind the night.
Illuminate our path to our inner being.
We call upon you to help guide the way.
Blessed Be.

Travel Log 9-16: Mabon Is Just Around The Corner

Well I've been so worried about getting all the stuff ready for the party on Samhain I completely forgot to get ready for Mabon this year! It's right around the corner on Sept. 22. So here's a little history on the day.
     Mabon is the beginning of the time of the crone on the wheel of the year. At Mabon we take time to give thanks as we store away our crops and to honor the coming dark. As the Autumn Equinox, this is the time when dark and light are balanced and the God is preparing for his impending death and rebirth. The Goddess is changing from the Mother to the Crone just as the earth is passing from it's time of fertility to it's time of rest and recouperation.
     This is also when the two kings battle once again and Darkness takes its ascendancy.
     To celebrate Mabon decorate with colors of the season. Take a walk with your family and say "goodnight" to all the trees about to go to sleep for the winter. Bake bread. Look at scrapbooks of friends and family and tell stories about who you see there. This is a time of family togetherness and a large family dinner would be a great way to honor the season!

Travel Log 9-15: Giveaways!

I was turned on to an awesome giveaway by Mrs. B over at confessions of a pagan soccer mom. The giveaway is at Laughing Vixen Lounge and it ROCKS!
 I found some awesome shops that my husband will be frequenting since we got our anniversary, my birthday, and christmas coming up!

   So check it out!

Travel Log 9-14: The Evil Land of Mondays

I truly believe somewhere some mean person is rejoicing at the horrible thing they created- Monday Mornings.
    I am not by any stretch of the imagination a morning person, and I have no idea why, but Monday's are the worst. So as I pry my eyelids open and think about propping them up with a stick I find myself wishing for a way to make this easier. Surely the gods must have some way to make this bearable.
    Snuffling back my whimpers over lost sleep I decided to find something that would help me to get in the right frame of mind in the morning. Starting out with the right mental foot can make even a trying day go more smoothly.
Here's a little tidbit I found that I am going to try:
     Take a moment to ground yourself and to take a few settling breaths. Close your eyes, visualize a brilliant sunrise over the sea and repeat the following:
       "Morning glory burning bright
        Take the sleep out of my sight
        Fire rises from the ocean to meet the air
        The Earth grounds me and gives me her energy to share
        Animals have shaken the sleep from their eyes
        The world is awake and so am I"

Travel Log 9-09-2: Button Button Who's Got The Button

Ok. This is an attempt to make a button for this page. I hope this works and isn't a ridiculous waste of time..lol.. RE_EDIT- It works!!!!..it really works ...if you want to make one of you own go to jennieshell's design..the tutorials rock!

Travel Log 9-09: A Study of The Domestic Witch In Her Natural Habitat

Today we honor that dedicated and mysterious creature- the Domestic Witch.
These women, and some men, who work magic into the very fabric of their daily lives as they go about taking care of their homes and families. The keepers of the hearth and herbery ( is that a word? Well if there was one they would be masters of it). Unsung heroes of the mystical world, I swear.
What has brought on this outpouring of fuzziness for the domestic practioner you may ask? Well I tried my hand at some domestic witchery myself this week. And found out it is really hard as hades. To be able to focus and form intent with a 3 year old running around and a 1 year old climbing up your leg. Not to mention the older kids asking homework questions or generally wanting to talk about how they have this great idea to build a hover car that turns into a cell phone, and can we get to building that right now? Please mom?

Yeah..not a snowball's chance on the face of the sun that I was going to be able to do that. So to all those out there that can you have my respect, and pure amazement at your abilities.I will practice until I am good enough to be an acolyte at your hearths.
For those of you that can want here is the spell I tried. I made it up myself. Perhaps next time I'll be less ambitious.

Prosperity Cookie Spell
Be sure that before you start this spell you have your kitchen as clean and organized as you prefer for cooking and get your ingredients and tools out beforehand. I annointed my bowls(the outside), the handles of my spoons, and the mixer with orange/clove oil before I began and this would be a good point to dedicate your working to whichever deities you prefer.
Ingredients:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cup butter, softened (make sure the butter is extra soft)
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
Oven Temp: 375 degrees
Mix The Flour, Baking soda, Baking powder, and spices together in a bowl while saying:
I bring together these spices four
So prosperity will come walking in my door
Cream the butter and sugar together in a separate bowl and add in the egg and vanilla while saying:
Egg, vanilla, golden butter, and sugar sweet as can be
almost as sweet as the success that will come to me
Slowly mix in the flour and spice mixture until combined while chanting:
Good luck and prosperity will come to me
Good luck and prosperity will grow like a tree
Roll the batter into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter and place on ungreased cookie sheets saying:
Earth, air, fire and water combine to bring me my desire
The universe too will combine and take my success only higher
Put the cookies in the oven and set the timer for 8 minutes then anoint the oven with your favorite success oil while saying:
Bring me success, bring me wealth
Bring me joy and bring me health
Rich and tasty, like my life, these cookies will be
As I will so mote it be
When the timer goes off remove the cookies from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool.
Be sure to take at least one cookie and a small glass or container of milk and leave it in your garden to thank the wee folk for any help they may have provided and to ensure their good will.

Travel Log 9-06: Detour Into The World of Crafts

Well my travels have finally brought me to that terrifying realm- the World of Crafts.
     To a city raised girl who spent more time running wild with the boys than learning useful skills for later in life this is a new and terrifying landscape. With 4 small brownies hopping around and keeping my life interesting you would think that I would have picked some of this up along the way, but I have to say I have avoided traversing this hot-glue burn and paper cut ridden world as the plague that I believed it to be.
     So you would not believe the surprise I had when I found out that I actually enjoy my forays. Even the ones that end in disaster and  injury.
     All this creative effort started the other day when I was drifting around on the internet. The kids had talked me into a  fools bargain. I agreed, in an extreeme moment of weakness, to allow them to have a Halloween party for their friends. You wouldn't think that would be a bad thing. There are whole stores dedicated to providing inept people, such as myself, with everything we could possibly need to make just such an occasion happen. But I had the brilliant idea of trying to teach them responsibility in the process. So I struck a bargain with the little imps. They could have their party if, and only if, they helped to create by hand the decorations, food, and party favors. I can only think that someone had slipped something into the rootbeer I was drinking, because I didn't hear the gods laughing at me like they do at all such unprepared fools. Because, as I'm sure you've already thought of, for them to do all these things I would have to teach them how to do it, and *shudder* actively participate. Once this fact had sunk in the chill fingers of terror began to grip me.
     Since I like to face certain doom head on, that way I have the best view in case it's more amusing than I anticipate, I began an information gathering mission into web space. Truth be told I found some really cool stuff to do that will keep all the little monsters happy and not actively wreaking havoc on my house for at least 3 hours. And on top of it they look like fun. The kids are excited about the projects and so am I, wonder of wonders. Looks like the light at the end of the tunnel was a party train.
     However, while I was hunting down party games and crafts I decided to sneak some pagan and witchy decorations in, since it is Samhain and all. Serendipity of serendipity I found an awesome site on w itchiness in general with some awesome info, advice, and most amazingly a compilation of how to's on how to make a lot of ritual tools. Here's the link:   
Crystal Forestl

It inspired me to start actively putting together a tangible Book of Shadows for myself and became inspired to recover and decorate the binder I picked up for it. Which is how I learned that hot glue burns when you accidentally put your finger in it. I took it all in stride though, and am now the proud owner of possibly the worst recovering job on the west coast. But it's mine and I love it, from the glue stains to the crooked lining. It's just perfect.