Champagne Recipes

Here are a few champagne recipes I thought you all might like.  They are a wonderful way to have some Champagne if you don't like to drink champagne alone (I don't care for the bubbly myself).

Cranberries and Champagne

Prep: 5 min.

Yield: Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 6  dried cranberries
• 3/4  cup  Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Preparation

Place cranberries in Champagne flute. Pour Champagne over berries. Serve immediately.

Champagne Sangria

1 bottle Prosecco or French Champagne, chilled

Mint Simple Syrup

½ cup orange juice

2 cups sugar

2 cups Mint Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

2 cups water

1 cup packed fresh mint leaves

1 lemon, zested and thinly sliced

1 lime, zested and thinly sliced

½ cup sliced strawberries

5 fresh mint sprigs

Crushed ice

Preparation: In a large pitcher, combine the Prosecco, orange juice, mint simply syrup, lemon zest and lime zest.  Add the sliced strawberries, lemon slices and mint sprigs.  Fill glasses with crushed ice and pour the sangria over the top.   Serve immediately.

Fill glasses with crushed ice and pour the sangria over the top. Serve immediately.

Mint Simple Syrup

Ingredients

1 ½ c packed fresh mint leaves

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Preparation

Chop mint. In a saucepan bring sugar, water and mint to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer syrup, undisturbed, 2 minutes. Pour syrup through a fine sieve, pressing hard on solids, and cool. Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks

Raspberries in Pink Champagne Gelée

2 tbsp unflavored powdered gelatin

1 ½ cups sugar

Canola oil, for greasing

40 fresh raspberries (about 8 oz)

2 small bananas, cut into coins

Pour ½ cup champagne into a bowl; sprinkle in gelatin; let sit 5 minutes.  Heat remaining champagne and sugar in a 1 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat; stir in gelatin mixture.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

Grease eight 4 ounce ramekins. Pour 1 ½ tbsp champagne mixture into each mold; chill 30 minutes.  Put 5 raspberries into each mold; add enough champagne mixture to half-cover the berries.  Chill until set, about 30 minutes.  Arrange 4 banana slices, overlapping them slightly, in each mold.  Add remaining champagne mixture; chill until completely set, at least 4 hours.

To sever, slide a knife along edge of each mold; set molds in a bowl of hot water for 5 seconds.  Invert molds onto plates.

Champagne Punch

Peel, core, and slice 3 small ripe pineapples. Put the slices in a bowl, sprinkle them with 1 pound very fine sugar, and cover the fruit. Let it stand for at least 1 hour. Add 1 pint Cognac, 1 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup eau de vie de framboise, 1/2 cup peach brandy, and 1/4 cup maraschino liqueur. Blend the mixture gently, cover it, and allow it to ripen overnight. At serving time, pour the mixture over a large block of ice in a punch bowl and slowly add 5 bottles chilled Champagne. Garnish the bowl with raspberries, sprigs of mint, lemons and oranges, thinly sliced, and any other fruits desired. Add a little fruit to each punch cup. Makes approximately 8 1/2 quarts.

Pomegranate-Champagne Punch

Serves 12

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 750-ml bottles chilled brut Champagne

1-1/2 cups white rum

1-1/4 cups pomegranate juice

1 large lemon, thinly sliced

Pomegranate seeds

Fresh mint leaves

1 ice block

Directions:

Bring 1/2 cup water and sugar to boil in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Cool completely.

Combine Champagne, rum, and pomegranate juice in punch bowl.  Add enough syrup to sweeten to taste.  Mix in lemon slices, pomegranate seeds, and mint leaves.  Add ice block to bowl.

Blog Blessing

Winners of the Yule Giveaway

A big congratulations go out to Star Seed - Ana for winning the witchy basket of goodies and Ponderosa Pagan for winning a surprise gift handcrafted by me.  Ladies, please email me your addresses to seshatmoonwillow@hotmail.com so that I can mail your prizes out to you next week.  I truly hope you enjoy them.

I'd also like to announce that I plan on having a small quarterly giveaway beginning in 2011.  Items will be very diverse and always shown on the giveaway.  I had so much fun doing this and was surprised by the wonderful response I received.  I enjoy sharing my path and experiences with you and I always enjoy you sharing with me. Through love and light we can grow together and have a magickal time on this journey of life!

Blessed Be!

CHAMOMILE

Matricaria recutita, Chamaemelum nobile, Matricaria chamomilla, and Matricaria suaveolens

There are many different plants that have been called chamomile such as German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), Hungarian chamomile, wild chamomile, pineapple weed (referring to the shape of the inflorescenses), and scented mayweed.  Chamomile has also been spelled “camomile”.  Chamomile is a flowering plant in the daisy family.  It is native to Europe and Asia.


Anthemis nobilis:

The true chamomile, named by Linnaeus but to differentiate from the German plant, he named the German plant Chamomilla.
From a short root, this creeping chamomile, a nearly prostrate perennial, puts forth a stem 3-12 inches tall, from which lacy leaves grow. The small flower heads, which grow singly at the ends of the shoot tips, consist of daisy-like flowers and many (up to 400) yellow tubular disk flowers at the center. It Blooms in late spring through late summer. The fruits (seeds) are extremely tiny. There are other species called chamomile. Cases of mistaken identity may result in allergic reactions to the application of chamomile. Consequently, buy chamomile in a pharmacy, health food store or other reputable source.

Growing chamomile in the garden or in bowls or pots on the balcony or patio is very rewarding. Once the chamomile is established, no tending is necessary. The seeds cast by this annual will produce plenty of new plants each year. However, chamomile does need humus, nutritious soil that is not too heavy and plenty of sun. If there is no rainfall for a prolonged period, the plants will need watering.
Chamomile seeds are sold in every seed store. Sow them in spring in well-prepared (loosened) soil, which has to be kept damp at first. Because chamomile germinates in the light, spread the seeds and press them down very lightly.

Harvest the flower heads as soon as they have opened, taking as little of the stalk as possible. The entire herb is strongly apple scented.

Chamomilla recutita or Matricaria recutita or Matricaria chamomilla:

Smooth, apple-scented, erect annual; 6-36 inches. Linear leaves are finely divided; somewhat more coarse and less scented than A. nobilis. Flowers daisy-like, 3/4 inch across; receptacle hollow within. Flowers May to October.

Other varieties: Mayweed and others of the genus Anthemis, are commonly classified as weeds and are not cultivated as a rule; Yellow or Ox-eye camomile (A. tinctoria) which is a wild plant; Corn camomile (A. arvensis)a wild plant; A. cotula and M. inodora are wild camomiles, both of which are known as Mayweeds;A. treneagne does not bloom; A. plena has double white blooms. 


Usage


Chamomile is commonly used in teas and potpourri. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, sedative, aromatic and soothing qualities that make it ideal for use on the skin. Chamomile is generally considered to be a very safe herb to use, even for children, although some people do experience allergic reactions from chamomile.


Because it is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, it is useful in treating skin inflammations including eczema, psoriasis and even diaper rash. Extracts of chamomile can also speed the healing of wounds on the skin. Chamomile is mild and gentle enough to use routinely on the skin to prevent infection and inflammation. Chamomile is found in many over-the-counter skin ointments, or you can make your own chamomile balm. 

 Chamomile comes in capsule, liquid, and tea form.

Why Do People Use Chamomile?


Chamomile has a long history of use in Europe for digestive ailments.  The active constituents of chamomile have anti-inflammatory properties, and ease spasm and discomfort in the digestive tract.

·         Indigestion

·         Anxiety

·         Insomnia

·         Canker sores

·         Colic

·         Conjunctivitis, eye irritations

·         Crohn’s disease

·         Diarrhea

·         Eczema

·         Gingivitis

·         Hemorrhoids

·         Menstrual disorders

·         Migraine

·         Irritable bowel syndrome

·         Peptic ulcer

·         Skin irritations

·         Ulcerative colitis

·         Minor wounds

Safety


Chamomile is part of the Asteraceae plant family, which includes ragweed and chrysanthemum, so people with allergies to these plants may react when they use chamomile either internally or topically.  Call your doctor if you experience vomiting, skin irritation, allergic reactions (chest tightness, wheezing, hives, rash, itching) after chamomile use.

Chamomile should not be taken during pregnancy or breast feeding.
Chamomile contains coumarin, a naturally-occurring compound with anticoagulant or blood-thinning effects.  It should not be combined with warfarin or other medications or supplements that have the same effect or be used by people with bleeding disorders.  It shouldn’t be used two weeks before or after surgery.

Herbal Journal

For many years now I have been studying herbs and their many wonderful uses.  They’re not just for cooking!! It is sad that in our day and age of technology we have lost sight of the healing benefits of herbal and herbal remedies.  In the past, people who needed healing would go to their local cunning woman, wise woman, medicine man; they were known by many names. They would seek the guidance of these people for many things such as healing, dentistry, midwifery, and personal guidance.  They were revered and respected by their community.  Now we have doctors and not to put down or minimize the use of doctors, but in the experiences I have had over the last 10 years our medical field is driven by the pharmaceutical companies and they look at illness from a pathology standpoint and not a healing standpoint.  Now this is just my personal opinion based on my experiences.  You see, in the last 10 years I have faced many serious, life threatening medical issues and have sought the help of many doctors and specialists.  I’ve done everything they have asked of me, including going through chemo therapy.  All of these things I have put my poor body through and I still am not in remission so to speak.  I went from a fairly healthy person to an extremely unhealthy person due to all the toxins I put into my body trying to “cure” the disease.  You see I found out right after 9/11 that I have Hepatitis C which I contracted from bad blood that I received for a blood transfusion when I was all of 12 years old.  This was prior to the medical industry testing blood.  I am lucky though, as I do not have cirrhosis of the liver yet.  All of this has led me back to the time of old of herbal medicine.  I am currently taking an herbal course through Sacred Mists (check them out, the class is currently 50% off), which I am enjoying and I now see a doctor that practices acupuncture and natural/holistic remedies.  In the short time I have seen him, I feel 75% better.  He focuses on healing and nutrition.

One of the items I use all the time is the Herbal Journal I have been making for several years.  It is a great resource to me and I would be lost without it.  Another wonderful resource I use is the Herbal Almanac that  Llewellyn publishes every year.  It is an awesome resource!!  I am planning on sharing the design of my Herbal Journal with you. I am having so much fun putting the information in and making it a wonderful reference for me.  I plan to do a little class here so you can learn how to make one for yourself.  This will be coming after the holidays.  This will be a free little course for you and I hope you will enjoy it.  In my journal I sometimes dry the leaves and attach them to the page for a reference or I will draw it.  There are just so many fun things you can do to make it special for you.  I hope you will enjoy this journey with me on the road of natural healing through herbs and magick!

Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

Yule Give Away

I’m very excited to announce that in observance of Yule I am having my very first giveaway.  Yule is my second favorite Sabbat (Samhain being my favorite) and this is also my favorite time of year.  I’ve been very blessed by meeting so many wonderful people through my blog and blog activities that I wanted to give back.  I hope that you like the package I have made up for you.

This is what you will win:        

Old England Egg Nog size = 2x3 Holiday Pillar Candle
Pewter Goddess Wisdom Pocket Blessing
Fluorite Mini Healing + GF-WAND-FLOURSM Ritual Wand
Itsy Bitsy Witchy Cauldron
White Mountain Sage Organic Mini Smudge
Bundle  

  All above items purchased at the Sacred Mists Shoppe.  Please visit this wonderful store at Sacred Mists Shoppe

And

Strawberry Paraiso White Tea This combination of white and green teas offers you the best of both! It is extremely high in antioxidants and EGCG, which helps to reduce the risk of certain cancers and inhibit their growth. It also helps strengthen your immune system, increase your metabolism, regulate your blood sugar and detoxify your body. This tea can also reduce fine lines and wrinkles in the skin by hydrating your body properly. Contains approximately 5% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.

  Purchased from my favorite tea store Teavana.  Please visit them at Teavana

And

A surprise handcrafted item made by none other than Me, Seshat Moon Willow

Now…

To win...

1.                    Enter a comment on this post (or another one here on the blog). Anyone can do that!

2.                    Follow me and leave a comment. (I follow back).

3.                    Like In the Kitchen A Witchin’ Facebook Group (leave a comment) for an additional chance to win

4.                    Blog about it or post the Yule giveaway button on your blog. Leave a comment.

4. Share on facebook. (Tool on blog). Leave a comment.

5.                    Share on twitter. Leave a comment.

  LEAVE a comment for each thing that you do to be counted for another entry. 

Winner will be announced on the day after Yule, December 22, 2010.

You don't need a blog to participate. Just leave your Email.

Good luck!

If the response to this giveaway is good, I will be making this a monthly thing.  

Prayer to Hestia

I light this candle to you.  The flame flickers with life. I call upon you, sweet virgin, for you are the Guardian.  I ask for your protection and your warmth.  I welcome your companionship with open arms.  I light this candle to you, in this place where fire dwells.  I burn this incense and focus on your energy and feel joy.  If I cry in your presence, you do not judge.  If I stumble, you catch me. Oh sweet silent Goddess, observer of life, who guards the dwellings we hold dear; You who are the first; You who are the last, I pledge my soul, my respect and my honor to you, my patron.

Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth and Home, Goddess of Kitchen Witches, don’t let the flame of her hearth go out!

The Path I've Chosen

It has recently come to my attention that my family is extremely concerned about me because of my involvement in Wicca.  First, I would like to make it known that I do not consider myself “Wiccan” nor do I follow any formal tradition of Wicca.  I have not been initiated into a coven or tradition.  I consider myself a Witch and a more specific title, should it really be necessary to give myself one, is an Italian (Stregheria) Kitchen Witch.  The path I travel is one I have been on and off of for many years.  I first felt my call or knew I was a witch was in my early teens.  I have always felt very much a part of nature and more aptly put at one with the forests.  I grew up in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in a little town called Sultan, Washington.  I first became aware of a coven in another town closer to the mountain top in Index, Washington of which the founder is Pete Pathfinder; or better known as the Arch Priest of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church.  Some of you may know him.  When I first heard of this group I so wanted to go and meet them all.  I immediately felt a pulling from the inner of my very essence.  When I asked my mother about it, I was immediately reprimanded and told they were Satan worshipers and I would burn in eternal hell.  Being so young, I could only believe that my mother was correct and having been raised Catholic knew all too well about the burning hell and brimstone.  I fault no one and I place no judgment.  We are all entitled to our beliefs and faiths.  However, during my many studies, travels and meetings of all kinds of people who follow all kinds of paths, I know within every bit of my soul I am a Witch and very proud of it.  I do not worship Satan, nor do I believe in him.  I do however, know that fear is a big culprit in the prejudices that I and my fellow pagans, witches and wiccans alike face each and every day. 

I believe in the power and life essence of Mother Earth.  I believe in the many Gods and Goddesses of our history and mythology.  I believe that every living thing on this planet has an energy and essence.  I believe in respect.  I believe in tolerance.  I believe in love.  I believe in caring and nurturing my fellow man, woman and child.  I believe there is no “right way” or “right religion”.  I believe in karma.  I believe in reincarnation.  I believe in the healing powers of herbs, plants, spices, and essential oils.  I believe in the power of the mind.  And I could go on with many more things I believe in and have faith in.  For once in my life I feel complete and balanced with my spiritual path and growth.  I do not believe in harming others which is one of the main rules as stated in the Wiccan Rede.

And, some day I will tell my mother that I have had the wonderful pleasure of corresponding with Arch Priest Pete Pathfinder and he is an amazing, generous, kind, compassionate person.

I received an email the other day from Anna at http://anasacredgrove.blogspot.com/ letting me know that she has bestowed upon me a wonderful blog award.  I feel very privileged to be given The Dardos Stamp which is "bestowed for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web."  


For me this brings so many emotions, especially thankfulness.  Due to many health issues, I was forced to quit working about a year and a half ago in an effort to gain my health back.  It has been a struggle for us financially, but I can say that I am doing better in the health arena and have started looking for part time work again.  Not in my field that I worked in prior to this, as it is just too stressful, but something in the retail area where I have more flexibility and low stress.  Sorry, I kind of got off of the subject; I am most thankful for blogging, the many art and creative groups I've become a part of and Facebook.  If I did not have these avenues of socialization, I think I would have gone crazy.  They've opened up so many outlets for me, I truly believe that this is what helped me to gain some of my health back.


So, without further adieu, by the rules:

First, accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and link to her blog.

Second, pass the award to another 10, 15 or 30 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

I am honored to award with this Dardos Stamp to:


Angela Kennedy at http://pennystamper.blogspot.com/
Anna at http://www.frostedpetunias.blogspot.com/
Anglique at http://fortheloveofcreativity.blogspot.com/
Justina at http://www.labohememagique.blogspot.com/
Itkupilli at http://bohemianitkupilli.blogspot.com/
Wendy at http://blissangels.blogspot.com/
Little Messy Missy at http://reveau.blogspot.com/
Celina at http://scrapvamp.blogspot.com/
Mother Moon at http://mothermoonsmessage.blogspot.com/
Karen Valentine at http://mydesertcottage.blogspot.com/


You are equally special to me and it was so hard to choose from among the many blogs I follow.

Kitchen Witchery

Kitchen Witchery is a simple, eclectic Pagan practice that can pull its resources from a variety of religions and practices.  It is does not involve a lot of ritual or set up; it is earth-based and focuses on hearth and home.  The center of life for a Kitchen Witch is family, hearth and home.  They may call themselves, Pagan, Wiccan or simply Witch.  Often a Kitchen Witch can practice and perform their magick with very little notice or speculation from the outsiders because it is such a low-key practice.  It’s not that they are hiding what they are; it’s just that there is not a lot of pomp and circumstance to what they do.

Kitchen witches use a variety of spells or resources to accomplish their means and desires; however, they tend to keep their roots firmly planted in anything that is earth and home-based. Spells involving stones, crystals, string or knot magick, candles, divining, use of the elements, herbs, essential oils and tea reading tend to make up the majority of his/her spell book.

Everyday kitchen items are used as altar or magickal items.  A good example is a wooden spoon.  The wooden for a Kitchen Witch is his/her wand; a cup or bowl becomes the chalice or vessel, kitchen knives used as athames; a broom can be used as a staff; and the crockpot (slow cooker) used as the cauldron.  A shelf on the wall, a kitchen counter, a baker’s rack, table, or cutting board can be used as an altar.  And, of course, what Kitchen Witch is without a mortar and pestle, none that I know.  It is always best to use items made of natural materials such as straw for the broom or a wooden spoon; however, for items that do not come in natural materials, it is fine to use what is available.  The Kitchen Witches’ magick comes from within not without.  The following are some natural materials to keep in mind: glass, wood, metal, ceramics, and pottery.

Generally speaking, Kitchen Witches love to cook and love their kitchen.  They take great pride in their food and recipes and will do nothing to jeopardize this.  The Witch will imbue the foods with magick.  This does not mean that they add some kind of foreign objects to the food or add anything that could be a potential health risk.  Quite the contrary, they often use food to heal, to bring out emotions, or use it to bring people closer together. For example, a short incantation or prayer could be said over a simmering pot of chicken noodle soup to bring forth healing powers for the person who is intended to eat it.  A practicing Kitchen Witch might also use foods or herbs for healing, beauty treatments, as protective spells around the home, or other such practices that go beyond just food.  Cleaning is often a ritual of which they may have spells involving the use of a mop or broom, just as a Wiccan or Pagan will clean the space they use for rituals prior to doing a spiritual cleansing. I have a very set way that I clean my kitchen and at the end I use either sage or sweet grass to cleanse as I thank the Goddess and God for all their abundant blessings.

Symbols you will often find for the Kitchen Witch involve household items such as a cauldron, broom (besom), corn dollies, witch figurines and pentacle.

Generally, a Kitchen Witch honors Goddesses or feminine aspects because in the pastimes the kitchen was the responsibility of the woman (or women) of the household.  The following are some common Goddesses associated with Kitchen Witchery:

Brigid, a Celtic goddess associated with fertility, creativity, marital arts and healing.

Hestia, the Greek Goddess of hearth, fire and family (Roman name is Vesta)

Hera, a Greek Goddess who is often thought to be the “mother” of the other Gods/Goddesses.  She and Zeus were married and Hera is generally thought to be the Goddess of married women.

Hecate, this Goddess is often associated with wilderness and childbirth and is often thought to be a Greek Goddess.

The Kitchen Witch also works with the elements. There are 4 elements: earth, air, fire and water, however, many practices also consider a fifth element: spirit.  A Kitchen Witch cooks which is an act that often utilizes all of the elements: water for cooking, heat (fire) for cooking, steam (air) from the food and the food (which comes from the earth).  There are certain meals that can also be prepared that represent the 4 elements as well.  Vegetables contain a lot of water and would represent water, meat or bread would represent earth and so on.  Colors of foods can also represent the elements such as foods in red, orange and yellow would represent fire.  There are so many different ways to represent the elements that it can be very fund and creative to find new ways to work with the elements this way.

In conclusion, the kitchen is the heart of the home and most often the place where all the family gathers; however, a Kitchen Witch will view the entire home and yard as a sacred space rather than having just one room that is designed or fitted for ritual.

Kitchen Witch

A Kitchen Witch can be defined as a Witch or Wiccan who does spells using food, herbs, crafts and kitchen utensils. This type of Witch does not cast a Circle while doing these spells. I have formed the opinion that as Kitchen Witches use their own power and the power inherent in their tools, rather than call for divine power or tap the energy around them; they don't need to use a Circle. Using the energy or power from within makes it less dangerous as the Witch is not opening herself to the outside.


The types of spells that I cast as a Kitchen Witch focus on what can be done in cooking a special dish. As I mix the ingredients together and prepare the food, I concentrate my own energies into the properties of the food. The Kitchen Witch uses her energy to enhance the food and in doing so, she imprints her purpose onto the food. The spell is 'activated' when the food is eaten. As the personal energy of the Witch is used, emotions are especially easy to impart. Healing and a sense of wellbeing can be very easy things to accomplish through Kitchen Witchery.  However, if a Kitchen Witch feels frustrated with a particular dish or ingredient, these feelings can be transferred to the finished product. This is why a Kitchen Witch, or a good cook, will never cook an unfamiliar dish for a special occasion.


The kitchen can be the most important place in a home for a Kitchen Witch. My kitchen is most definitely the heart of my home.  I do the majority of my spells in the kitchen, whether it is baking a cake for a family member’s birthday or make an herbal tea for a sick friend. You will find in my kitchen a glass bowl holding many little plastic bags of my apothecary herbs, herbs growing on my window sills, herbs hanging from my pot rack drying for use later, cookbooks galore, crystals, statues, a bakers rack filled with essential oils and the mundane things too. These items can be fairly standard in a Kitchen Witch’s kitchen.


Fruits and vegetables have special powers, just like essential oils. There are many lists in existence, which describe their powers but my tradition dictates that a Witch must discover them his/herself. This discovery can be a slow process as the Witch learns their uses through cooking and intuition. Each list will always be a little different anyway. For spices, their powers are similar to those in oils or incense.

Recipes are often handed down through families or from teacher to student. As they are highly personal, it is always an honor to receive a recipe from a Kitchen Witch. My family has many cookie recipes in particular that go back generations, along with many other recipes. You will find some of these recipes listed in my recipes section.  

During my visits to all the wonderful Under a Halloween Moon Tea Parties hosted by Frosted Petunias I came across a wonderful All Hallows Eve Give Away at Mother Moon.  You must stop by and check it out.  It is the most spectacular basket ever.

So many lovely things in it.  I have also added a button on my left side bar that will take you there directly also.  Have a wonderful week everyone.

Blessed Be!

Welcome my dear friends, I see you didn't let my invitation or my ghosts scare you off from having tea with me this evening.  I'm so glad you decided to join us here at the

So you say you'd like to have a tour of my house?  Are you sure.....it can be kind of spooky.  Well all right then, come on in.  You'll have to watch out for the glowing Jack  O' Lanterns and the spider webs.

Come in and have a little treat.  There are a few to choose from.  Take as many as you like.

Oh I see you've met some of my guests.  

Morticia and Gomez are dear friends of mine.  We've known each other for ages!!

Now it's off to my special room.  Remember to keep it a secret, all my wonderful magick is cast here.

Awww...I see the look of glee on your face.  I know you'd like to get a hold of my Book of Shadows, but I can only show you the first page.  This book has been passed down to me from my grandmother, she received it from her's and so on and so forth.  I will have the proud pleasure of handing it down to my daughter some day!

Now off to have some of what I call tea...not your average brew!

Now we really must be on our way to my ancestral graveyard to have tea with the Ladies.  Please follow me. Watch your step though, if you wake Uncle Rufus he won't be happy with you!

Well I must be off to cook a little brew.  I'm so glad you stopped by to see me.  Have a wonderful evening under the moon and see you on Halloween or as my ancestors like to call it Samhain.

Well I just have to share with you this lovely chance to win a beautiful ATC drawn in colored pencils by Angela Kennedy.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  Please visit Angela's  site for all the details on how to win this wonderful drawing.

There is also a link on my sidebar.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!  Also, check out some of the groups I belong to on my side bar.  There are some wonderful art groups.

Well I had so much fun making my Great Witch ATC cards.  They are the first ATC cards I have ever made.  Now I'm going to have to make some just to keep for myself...LOL!  I am posting pictures and I hope you like them.  I plan to experiment more with this type of media.

Bloody Mary is the first card and the "spooky" is the back of the card.  The second card is the witch with the pumpkin and the spider web and bat is the back of that card.  It was a little hard to get good pictures of them.  I used my daughter's old Pokemon cards and covered them with cardstock.  I distressed the second card with a stain and then went over it with mod podge.  The hat on Witch 1 is a little big, but I was having a hard time getting it to scale down.  In hindsight, I now see I should have scaled the witch up.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Something Wicca This Way Comes

Something Wicca This Way Comes

The religion known as Wicca does not embrace the Christian concepts of God and Satan, or sin and Hell.  With its reverence for nature and the earth, and its incorporation of goddess worship, Wicca is both a pantheistic and polytheistic religion.  Its name is the Old English term for “witch” (Although some Wiccans will vehemently argue that it derives from an old Anglo-Saxon word that means “wise one”) and its main tenet is the Wiccan Rede, which states, “An it harm none, do what thou wilt.”  It is a code of ethics that most Wiccan strictly adhere to.

The beliefs in karma and reincarnation are strongly shared by Wiccans throughout the world, and whatever energies one sends out to others—whether negative or positive—are believed to be returned threefold or more to the sender.  The belief among those who follow Wicca is that if you deliberately attempt to bring harm upon others, your efforts will have self-destructive results.  In the end, the harm you bring to others will be to yourself as well. 

Wicca is not a religion that actively seeks converts.  Witches and/or Wiccans who make the rounds on talk shows during Halloween usually do so in the pursuit of bringing education and enlightenment to the masses, not for the purpose of proselytism.

Wiccans, modern witches, and others who follow neo-pagan paths seek to live in harmony with nature and Mother Earth.  Most respect the religious beliefs of others and realize that all positive spiritual paths are but different roads leading to the same light of love.  No one religion is right for everyone, and no religion—whether it be Wicca, Buddhism, Judaism, Catholicism—is more valid or right than the other.  Religious diversity is something that needs not only to be tolerated, but also celebrated.  The good that religion was designed to teach and maintain inevitably turns to harm when one religious group claims superiority over another or tries to deny others of their constitutional right to believe in and worship the god or goddess of their choice.

The Horned God, who represents the male polarity of nature and is honored in many Wiccan traditions is an extension of the old pagan gods of fertility and the hunt.  Worshipped throughout Great Britain and Europe for many centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ or the penning of the Bible, horned deities such as the Celtic Cernunnos and the Greek Pan were benevolent by nature and in no way linked to evil in any way, shape or form.  But with the advent of Christianity, the gods of the old religion were diabolized into the devils and demons of the new religion in the Church’s early effort to convert the pagan population to the ways and beliefs of Christianity.  As a result, the horns, hooves, and goatish beards of the old horned gods became the attributes of the Christians’ diabolical Prince of Darkness, also called The Devil and Satan.

In some traditions of Wicca, the Horned God is believed to pass into the Land of the Dead at Halloween and remain there until He is once again reborn at the Winter Solstice, when the hours of night are the longest.

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