totem animals & gathering herbs

My moon diary tells me today that: 'over the next few days, it is a good time to collect and use herbs, they are very potent.' So, I woke early this morning to harvest some. To use in a charm bag and a poppet that I am making. I walked around my garden.... just asking what was needed and I began to gather ~ rosemary, yarrow & lavender. Then I thought that I might add a little piece of Rowan and when I asked permission, my Rowan said to me that he was such a little tree, that he would prefer if I took some from my ancient apple tree. Made alot of sense to me as the Apple is a sacred tree to witches. So I picked a small branch and gave thanks... then I heard the clove pinks calling to me... and as I gathered them.. they told me to take one violet leaf to add to the mix.... I tied them all up in bundles, chanting and blessing as I went, feeling very much like I was in the past, as if I were one of my ancestors........now they hang to dry....

I also picked 5 heartsease flowers to make myself a melancholy & despondency essence... yesterday, after my wonderful light & joyful post a few days ago.... a cloud descended over me... I know that life is not always peace, love & mung beans and I know that I can deal with these times.... the feeling could be because I did a chakra dance class yesterday and I am clearing 'stuff'.. or it could be because I trying to wean myself from HRT...... I don't know.. but I want to help myself through it. Last night I did an invocation to Isis to help me with this feeling.

So I put the 5 little Heartsease flowers into some spring water along with rose quartz crystal.. for love... and it is now sitting energizing in the sun under my SweetPea plants (SweetPea - for courage & strength). I was wondering why the sun instead of the Moon, seeing as I love the Moon... but the sun is happy & joyful so I am guessing this is why. So, a big thankyou to Ruth for showing me how to make Flower Essences xo
"Do you have a totem animal? I am a hare for now, but frogs seem to cross my path a lot in the strangest of places. Last night I opened my front door to look out, this was about 11.30 at night, and sitting happily on my door step was a large frog. We looked at each other, and I just said hello, and then went back in" ~ Daisy

the other day, I was driving along, just pondering as I drove.. (I tend to do that) when I noticed a crow flying over head. I thought to myself, 'maybe that is my totem animal... a crow' then I said ' I need to find out my animal totem'....off I went to my favourite shop - The Sacred Lotus, to buy some incense and various other bits. As I was browsing - I spotted an owl candle holder... then some Owl brand incense...hmmm. An Owl? I am not rushing this I thought to myself. I popped into a local antique shop, just to have a look. Not really looking for anything.. and there sitting on a table for sale was Hedgewig - Harry Potters Owl... no, not the real one - just a stuffed toy, but it was an owl. I turned around and in a glass cabinet was a collection of OWLS !!! I think I am being told the Owl is my totem...
I asked Joe to buy me an Owl from the collection and he picked me the sweetest little pottery owl who will be living on my altar...

'Remember, I once said to you the deep truths are not in books. What no one much ever tells you is that like the heron, any animal, bird, insect or fish can be a totem. They come and announce themselves to you, you do not pick them. They can be ugly animals or beautiful ones, you know when you have one. Therefore, it could be something like a frog or an eagle you have no choice in the matter.' ~ Daisy

so, an Owl it is, seems I have no choice in the matter!

*~* I hope your day is filled with butterflies, magick, colour & fripperies! ~*~

sacred space

a lovely day today, one of those days when you don't really have anything planned and you can just do as you please. I was standing at my kitchen sink, early this morning just looking out the window and a flock of little sparrows flew onto the grass, twittering in glee. Our lawn is not a model lawn, it is full of weeds and seeds and the birdies were having a delightful time finding seeds. It must have been such a find for them in this cold weather.... when it gets warmer, I plan to take time each day, to sit under the apple tree and get to know the birds...so that they will know me and trust me...i love little house sparrows, some say they are pests, but if you look closely, the are such sweet little birds.. oh and I was nominated *twice* for the blogger reflection award - by Julie Marie and also Annie from Bimbindie.... thankyou.... I am not sure what the criteria for this award is.... but someone who makes me think and go deep into my soul is Colette a bird in the hand - she made me poke my tongue out at those who hounded me about my beliefs... she is LOVE...her soul is gentle, sweet and kind....TO Colette, I give this reflection badge with love I have noticed a few bloggers have created altars or have been thinking about creating one...
I remember when I first read somewhere about having an altar and I didn't really take to the idea - an altar to me was either a holy sacred place where only the priest could be or somewhere that sacrifices were made, so I had a hard time creating one in my home. Until I did an angel & faery 'course' a few years ago. Then I took to it like a duck takes to water.... now i have them everywhere. I even realised that I had altars already in my home~ the little stool where I have photos of my ancestors with flowers and a candle - that is my ancestry altar. I have them inside and outside.... I believe there are no rules at all when it comes to creating an altar - all you need is a dedicated flat space, like a table or bench. And then the fun begins.... just collect things that bring you joy, items that reflect who you are and items that are in keeping with the theme of your altar (if there is a theme) - I have an altar in my entry way at my back door which doesn't really have a theme - maybe it would be better to show in pictures......


above is the altar that everyone sees as they enter my home.. it is just a mismatched jumble of nature and changes at a whim.. a stone from my grandson... willow sticks and some branches collected for me by my daughter... the St Therese and the i-ching coins, the citrine crystal are always there...I decorate this seasonally with candles...it is all very rustic - then we have the altar in the bathroom

a statue of Kwan Yin that Joe gave me for our anniversary and some winter bath salts... sometimes I have flowers as well and maybe a candle if I am having a lovely relaxing bath... and next we have my main altar

this altar is in my sacred room - it is the altar where I pray, meditate, talk to the angels, cry, sob, beg & plead... the place where i manifest... when I set this one up, I took time to gather various bits to place on it and when I was done, I performed a ritual - I cleared the space with sage and a crystal wand... I consecrated the altar and anointed it with consecration oil... on it I placed my oracle cards so that they would be blessed and sacred.. a candle always, my crystal pendulums and other bits that bring the sacredness into my focus.. I placed a piece of my ancient apple tree that I plan on making a wand from, to imbue it with angelic energy... my twin soul crystal is on this altar too

I also have an altar in my dining room which I decorate for each Sabbat - at the moment this is quite bare as I usually clear it off before a sabbat in preparation.... of gathering items to suit the sabbat - crystals, candles and other bits n pieces..... I was going to take a photo of my altar outside under the pine tree where the faeries live but it was just too cold.. so when the warmer weather arrives, I will trot of outside and take some photos to share.
I believe we can never have too many altars.. the most important thing to remember when you want to create a sacred alta, is that it is YOUR altar and you should do what is comfortable and what feels right for you - THERE ARE NO RULES

oh and don't forget that my Imbolc giveaway closes on Sunday... you need to comment on the post that mentions it a week or so ago.

another little peek @ BOS and cleansing crystals

continuing on through the book of shadows ~

When I first ever saw this photo of Daisy, I knew immediately that I wanted to do something with it.... we both loved Wizard of Oz, so I glittered up her shoes with red glitter glue and made her a little, black tuille skirt. And of course the black cat - all witches have one, I am told.... Although I didn't know her when she was small, I am sure she was a wise little girl. On the right hand page - another piece of the mystical castle with collage words "she believed in magic" - and of course, she did ..... next is Imbolc....

Daisy thought it would be a good idea to start off with the sabbat, Imbolc.... on the left page is a pocket made from an old encyclopedia page about marsh flowers and tucked into the pocket, I placed a tag that could be used as a bookmark, I was also going to put a packet of seeds into the pocket. I painted the right hand page with white paint, leaving some words that actually made sense for the season.... then stamped 'spring is coming' on some old fabric... and next we have Spring Equinox ~

first of all I painted both pages pink and I made a fabric quiltie for the right hand page, using some vintage lace and flowers. On the left hand side, I copied a Spring Blessing onto some rice paper and glued it down one side......

and underneath ~ just a few pictures of spring...... and some words that I thought springtime would be for Daisy ~ butterflies * march hares * seeds of hope * violets so that is a little more of this altered Book of Shadows .

yesterday, I went out to lunch with Joe and after, I ended up going back to my favourite shop of the moment - Frou-Frou, (I must take some photos to share) and bought some wonderful vintage buttons, some old pearls and some real ostrich feathers! I also bought a wonderful old lantern to hang in my kitchen. I used some of the ostrich feathers on my Elemental spirit doll, which I might add is looking quite gorgeous.. i will share her when i have finished. It was a really chilly day - a cold that goes into your bones, it has been like this for a few weeks now... so I have had my fire burning constantly over the past few days - I love living where I do, here in the mountains, it is truly a special sacred place. at this time of year, when I go outside, I can smell the wood fire smoke... I love it, so comforting..not good for the environment I guess....but well, I need to keep warm.

a few of you have asked how to clean crystals. There are many ways and many opinions. You can run them under water but some crystals actually dissolve in water, you can put them out into the sunlight but some fade, some people even bury them into the ground, which works I guess, but good luck finding them again! I find the best, easiest and the one that suits my soul is to smudge with a herbal smudge stick or incense. All you need to do is hold the crystal and circle it with the incense, letting the smoke fully engulf the crystal. Imagine all the negative energies being drawn out and dissipating with the smoke. The moon is not used to cleanse crystals but to charge them and I will share what I know about that in a day or two.

Another thing too, I am thankful & blessed to have so many friends here.. the past weeks, i have realised just how many of you are my friends, thankyou xoox

oh and don't forget to comment on the post about the Imbolc giftie!

*~* I hope your day is filled with butterflies, magick, colour & fripperies! ~*~