Storytellers & Craftshare Saturday

We are a part of a pagan group for children, called Storytellers & Craftshare. We meet once a month on Saturday to share a story related to the season or holiday and then create a craft that goes along with it. Sometimes we go on field trips together. Last year we went to the local zoo, to an exotic animal petting zoo & pony rides, and to a working farm where we picked our pumpkins and went on a hayride and much more. Sophie has such a good time when we go. Astarte is the coordinator and she is fabulous with children! She is an amazing woman who really cares about the kids and works well with them. They all love her too. This is Sophie with the harvest basket that she and Astare made. It now lives on our seasons altar. What a fun afternoon.

Little Altars Everywhere

Well its been awhile since I did one of these posts. Since I've been dealing with some depression over the state of our finances, or lack thereof, and David's health issues, I thought that focusing on some good things might be a way to help bring myself out of it. So here is

my kitchen window above the sink. In the center hangs my 'kitchen witch' made of broom straw, thrifted by David for .50, on the left is a suncatcher with blue and green glass, on the right is a tiny Willendorf Venus figure made by a local artist, and above it all, a Mexican clay sun plaque from the local dollar store. It is a little altar in itself and it brings me joy while I wash up and c

Little Altars Everywhere

This little shelf is in Sophie's room. On it is a bell that says 'Mother', that was a gift from a friend during my first pregnancy. A couple of silver photo frames with pics of Sophie as a newborn, four cute little duck candles, an old bisque baby doll that you can only see its feet in this shot, the two dolls on the left are squeaky baby toys from the 60's, and a wooden giraffe that is missing one antler, on the far right is a toy porcelain slat shaker and dish from the 60's. A cute little faerie print from the local dollar store. Hanging below on pegs, are several pieces of jewelry of Sophie's bracelets and necklaces, a grapevine chaplet with dried flowers and ribbons form last years Summer Solstice, a dream catcher which the photo missed, and a group of Hopi-style ceramic bells. There are also two Native American purses hanging below. It became a little alter of its own accord.

Bunnies on Parade

This doesn't show in our altar photo, it is in the middle of the window behind the altar. I just wanted to shaer it with you. Twelve pastel bunnies on parade! Happy Spring!

Little Altars Everywhere

Here is another edition in the little altars around my home. This one is in a corner of the kitchen. On the top shelf is a bottle made into a candle holder, the multicolored wax drippings are lovely, I think. There are two blue ceramic balls. (The phallic-ness of this display was pointed out to me by a friend recently, it was totally subconscious ;) One the bottom shelf is a Goddess offering bowl figure that David and I made of fimo clay, together when we first married. She holds an array of tiny gemstones and a quartz crystal point. Next to her is a candle holder that says "embrace life" and another quartz point and and a piece of amethyst. Just lovely.

Little Altars Everywhere

Installment two; this is my dresser, or to be more exact, one of the jewelry boxes on my dresser. On top is an eclectic collection of things; an "Inner Beauty" Goddess figurine, a photo of David & I taken on our first trip to Atlanta together shortly after we started seeing each other, a large heavenly scented candle; various moonstones and other semi precious stones, a stone turtle charm, a cat candle given to me by my daughter, Emily; and the latest, the kangi letters, spelling "Eternal Love" that David gave me at Valentine's Day.

Little Altars Everywhere

While walking around the house today, because everyone feels too icky to do anything else. I noticed that even without particularly trying I and others in the family, have created little altars of a sort around the house. So along with my favorite corners pictures, I thought I would share some of those with you and tell a little about how and why it helps us to remember the sacred in our daily lives. Enjoy!

To begin with is my bread box on the kitchen counter, on top of which there are usually a variety of things that don't belong. But it always holds my adorable "gnome in the tree candle" from the 70's, that I picked up while thrifting for a buck. I just love it! It makes me so happy. Also there is the tea light holder that David gave me right after we got together that has the word "magic" printed around it, a heart shaped piece of an unidentified seed pod/nutshell, also from David, and a ball of purple beeswax modeling compound, that my youngest son put there out of reach of his sister and it never found a home. These things sitting there together that way remind me that life is made up of little things and they most times mean the most to us.

Day 17!

Well I have made it seventeen days of doing yoga everyday. I am quite proud of myself, actually, I have been known to be gung ho for something one week and over it the next. But yoga seems to be my thing. I enjoy it so much and even more everyday. The changes in my body and mind are miraculous in my opinion. I feel wonderful. I have so much more energy and my outlook on things is greatly improved. I have had no bouts of depression since I started. I can do more and have more to give to my family, and believe me they need a lot.
Sophie alone, consumes my day and energies. She is constantly on the go. She needs much to stimulate her mind and body. She is so advanced for three that she needs things that my other children were not ready for at this age. So I am in fact relearning to mother a three year old, because she is unlike the others. On the other hand, it is very entertaining and I am learning as much as she is. We are now at a point in her discipline where she has simply been refusing to do as she is told or doing what she is told not to do. When I got stern or angry with my other kids, they would become repentant and mostly obey. Sophie, she gets angry right back and even more defiant. She has a mind of her own, in a whole different way than I remember three year olds having. So.....I am working on a new plan of discipline for and with her. I will let you know how it goes. Keeps me on my toes, that one does, but I can't remember ever having such fun and a constant source of joy!
I found, at the used book store, the book "Magical Herbalism" by Scott Cunningham. I had been looking for it for some months now, since I decided to combine my herbal medicinal knowledge with the magical properties of herbs also. So I am appropriately excited about finding it again. The winter months are a great time to study herbs and create medicines and beauty products from the herbs you've dried. Since I can't be out in the herb garden, this is the next best thing. I can dream of my gardens and plan them by immersing myself in herb and garden books. Oh such fun!

Well, here, finally is a photo of the athame that David gifted to me. Isn't it gorgeous?! It is about a foot long from handle tip to blade tip. In the photo you can see that it has some rust on the blade and a bit of tarnish on the hilt, but David can clean that all right up. I cannot wait to get it purified and on my altar! Woo, hoo!