( For more shiny.Collapse )

( Plus bonus Mim being cute.Collapse )



This week's theme has been working on botanical and naturally inspired pieces. I've also been purchasing and creating things to liven up my spring photos. I bought a gorgeous vintage brass filigree stand, some old books for props, driftwood, new papers, and I've been constructing a mossy little bower. Jason got me a miniature trellis for Christmas, so I painted it and adorned it with natural things.

( A peek at that.Collapse )

I basically just have to get a nice white fabric backdrop, and I should be all set.

Also, before it sputtered out, Lord of the Rings candle did this:

( YOU SHALL NOT PASS!Collapse )

In other news, I am fighting the ick. Valiantly trying not to get the ick that is going around, but I just started sniffling, and I waaaaay overslept this morning. Nooooo.

When I'm not feeling like total crud, I have a few more beauty-related things I want to share. Swatches from a new palette and some new colors of my favorite cream blush. Plus I did avail myself of the Zoya promo code for three free polishes. Sad that Maisie was sold out, but it will either come back in stock, or I can find a similar color elsewhere. But all in due time. My hair is also a muuuuch darker pink/purple mix at the moment. I used SFX Deep Purple on the undersides, and the results were nearing black. We'll see how it looks after a few washes.

And that's all the news that's fit to print. Gonna work today until I can't, then curl up with a book.

Faire: Went to faire the day before we left for NC. I was still feeling very ill from the week before, dehydrated and lightheaded and overall just lacking in energy. A benefit of this is that I needed to stop and rest much more than I usually do, so I saw more shows. I took in thatliardiego's 4pm show at the Boar's Head, the Barely Balanced acrobats, Squire on the Wire, the Rogues, Cu Dubh, and bits and pieces of lots of others. One glass of wine was too much for me and made me want to yak. I had to pass over many of the tasty fried stuffs in favor of bland fare like pretzels. While I wanted to be there, I also wanted to be home, in bed, asleep. Also, dancing three songs with Amy & Brooke at the end of the day was a spectacularly bad idea and I should have known better. Ah well, we are very tentatively going to go the Saturday of the last weekend. I would like to, but with NC just past and Gettysburg ahead, finances are tight. We'll see.

Outer Banks:

( The vacation that wasn't.Collapse )

The Update: I finally got the Halloween update up in the wee hours of Thursday night/ Friday morning. I was working on a serious sleep deficit. For one, about a quarter of my written copy was destroyed in a file issue. For two, it was a lot of work, and I was going to bed around 4am, only to be awoken at 7:45am by hammering upstairs. (Which is still going on today... the upstairs neighbors with the toddlers moved out. They left us Godiva chocolates to thank us for putting up with toddler noises.) Add to that, I had several rush orders from one of the jewelers I work for. But the update is up, an I am pleased with it. Today will be packing orders and getting them out in a timely manner.

siGHt: Friday night (after having gotten three hours of sleep the night before and working an extra shift at Terra Firma), I powered through and went with Jason to see siGHt, Deviated Theatre's 50 minute ghost story "dance opera." To be honest, I didn't know what to expect. They started off with three "rising artist" pre-show openers. A gorgeous silks aerialist whose muscles had muscles doing a dramatic narrative piece, a younger group of girls doing modern dance to "Sail," and a phenomenal group of child tap dancers.

As for siGHt, it was absolutely breathtaking. There's not a lot I can say without spoiling it other than it was creepy, sad, beautiful, and cathartic. The spirits were so unbelievably spooky-- somewhat influenced by Asian ghosts, I thought-- long hair covering the face, ethereal white nightgowns-- and the way they moved, grasping desperately and jerkily, combined with their frenzied whispering and breathwork was a skin-crawling effect. But the dancing was so synchronized and well-executed that it was beautiful, too. There was also an absolutely wonderful child dancer who was on stage for almost the entire 50 minutes. As for the other two characters, I can't particularly say much without giving it away, but they were wonderful, too. If the show ever runs again (this was its second run), I would love to see it again.

Hocus Pocus: Yesterday, I hosted a few friends for an annual viewing of Hocus Pocus. J & I went out and got lots of fun seasonal touches from Target and Pier One, plus new curtains and a rug, while we were at it. The apartment now feels super cozy. We ended up watching Hocus Pocus, The Woman In Black, and then The Decoy Bride, a charming Kelly MacDonald / David Tennant romcom, to wash out the spooky. It was good to see friendly faces and overdose on gourmet cheese and snacks.

I also used up my one-day store of Martha Stewartness and made cupcakes:



( More pics, including my Autumn altar.Collapse )

Kittens: Olive has been an angel since we've been back from NC. She was ALL OVER Anna & Amy yesterday at the party. Mim ate way too much kibble and is now on a diet. Nox is worrying us a bit because he just hasn't really been interested in eating. Rather, he eats pickily and is constantly looking over his shoulder while he does. He's had to be coaxed the last few mealtimes, and Jason spent this morning hand-feeding him chicken. He's not running a fever, no vomiting, no litterbox issues. He seems a little bit more sleepy than usual, but not worryingly so. We're gonna keep an eye on him, and if he continues not to have much of an appetite, it's to the vet with him.


As for me, I want to sleep more today. I have 2 more pearl stringing assignments to complete, and a bajillion orders to pack. But I think I need a nap first.

It's alllllmost August! August 1st is Lammas / Lughnasadh, the first of the three harvests in many Pagans' calendars. While it's not as Autumn-specific as say, Mabon or Samhain, the second and third harvests, it is about that time when I start to work on my Aututmn collection, to be released late August to early September. Actually, I've already started working on prototypes, seeing how various sealants work on real pressed autumn leaves for use in resin. It's been interesting looking at a pendant day after day to check for very subtle changes-- basically what I've seen so far is that the colors deepen and get more purpley, which is a cool effect. I just want to know for sure that the colors won't get gunky after I put something up for sale, so: pre-testing.

There is, however, an update coming later this week with Earring Wardrobes, Elven Tears, wings, and a few labradorite pieces, as well as a SLEW of earrings I made with my patina inks. And I got a new camera for work-only stuff, so hopefully the pictures will be awesome. I hope to have the update up on Friday-- there is a viewing on Thursday I must attend and possibly a funeral on Friday, so my timeline is a bit up in the air.

Anyway, I find that it really helps the creative process to think Autumn even in the sweltering Baltimore summer (because really, it's like a sauna out there with that humidity). I've been wearing some of my favorite fall perfumes while I work, so that includes BPAL's Shub Niggurath (GC-- I have a precious little of the original LE left and I don't want to squander it), Arcana's Sleepy Hollow (which performs wonderfully in the summer-- it's more of a light apple and pumpkin cream than something heavy and spicy... I *always* get compliments on it), and now Haunt's Cinnamon Girl, which smells like Villainess's GingerSnapped's softer, snugglier cousin with extra brown sugar.

I also have been burning Autumn-y candles-- right now, I have a pillar from Magickal Cupboard burning with Ember votives from Pier One on either side. It's time to do the yearly re-stock on Yankee's Autumn Leaves. When money starts rolling in again (as summer is always slow in the jewelry biz), I think I might just splurge on ReWined's Merlot candle. Pomegranate, plum, violet, rose & vanilla-- my toes CURLED when I smelled it in Trohv. Actually, I liked their entire line, not a single solitary stinker or single-note. The downside is that they're really expensive, even though I love their recycled aesthetic. So we'll see.

Oh! And also!



Flissy and I will be performing as Verve-- a sword improv and a re-worked choreography. We spent some good time with the video for the "Touched" choreo we performed at CCT, and I think we have something stronger and more dynamic after a firm editorial hand. Plus this event also supports House of Ruth.

“The House Of Ruth Maryland is one of the nation's leading domestic violence centers, helping thousands of battered women and their children find the safety and security that so many of us take for granted.” Please visit their website to learn more: http://www.hruth.org/

Since I am leaving tomorrow for a weekend in Gettysburg, I am just gonna wrap this up today.

27. A spell you’ve done.

I've had two occasions to do the magical equivalent of cease and desist. One, years ago, was a freeze-bottle spell filled with hot peppers, etc. Basically, the idea was that if the person even so much thought of harassing me again, they would find themselves unable to, with a nasty sting to boot. It worked, suffice it to say. Another was a mix of self-shielding (ie, you will not even think about me, in any capacity) combined with a candle spell to get the other person to stop spreading untruths. I carved a black candle, anointed it in a TAL oil, rolled it in appropriate herbs. I ringed that candle in salt, then surrounded that candle in small white chime candles for protection/shielding and to draw positive energy. There was lots of visualization, as well as a very precise statement of intent. The idea for both was never to cause harm, but to dissuade the other party from continuing to do damage. And, to my knowledge, so far, so good.

28. A description of your Book of Shadows (and pictures, if you're comfortable with that).

My BOS is a lovely leatherbound book with a front illustration by joannabarnum, who I hope to commission similar illustrations for the section headers. Basically, the front part has basic stuff-- Sabbat readings, lists of commonly used stones, herbs, symbols. The other parts are a list of workings that can be adapted. I actually keep a second book that's more of a magical diary-- some people would actually call that a BOS, but I think of them sort of as companion books.



( More pics.Collapse )

29. A magical dream you've had.

Hmm, There was that one time I had three dreams on the topic of liminality in one night, including a visit from Hecate & Jim Henson. It was weird, but it stayed with me.

30. Music you might play while working a spell.

Loreena McKennitt, Faith & The Muse, classical music, and the Medieval Baebes around Yule. Plus the Carmina Burana is a mainstay around Beltane.

31. Witch’s choice!

Dear fellow witches & Pagans. I have two things to say to you.

Thing one: Learn to tell the goddamn difference between "alter" and "altar," OMG.

Thing two: When it comes to "what will other people think?!" it is time to stop giving a shit. Really. I understand not bringing up religion etc. at work. Ideally, no one should, but I'm not going to pretend that we don't live in a world where it's perfectly acceptable for Christians to talk about their beliefs while everybody else gets shat on. Yes, that happens, and it sucks.

But everybody else? And I mean this as kindly as I can: Fuck 'em.

There will always be people who look down on what you believe, be they smug atheists or zealous born-agains or people with equally whacky beliefs who feel the need to pick on someone else for a change. Doesn't matter. Your beliefs are a culmination of your own personal experiences. Your experiences are valid. They cannot take that from you, and their even trying to diminish you speaks more to a lack in their own life than one in yours.

One of the coolest things about Paganism is that we define our own relationship with the Divine. The fact that we don't have a single go-to holy text to outline for us how we should interact with the Gods enables us all to find our own way by intuition, by listening to the subtle ways the Divine speaks to us. We find and light our own paths. This is not unique to Paganism, of course, but it tends to be frowned upon in our Evangelically-dominated society, a society that constantly tells us what God thinks or wants or has decreed, whether it be about morality, sexuality, bodily autonomy, or gender roles. There are others in our society that are bound to envy our freedom, our ability to question and revise our beliefs as we go along and have different experiences. That's their problem, not yours. Do as thou wilt.

Provided you are not one of those Pagans who constantly embellishes their own experience in order to ~appear spooky~... (ie, don't be Christian Day) whatever. Do your own thing. Fuck the haters.

25. A picture of something magical in your kitchen.

Hmm, not a ton that I would consider magical, outside of my Market Spice tea, which is AMAZEBALLS. But the closest you'd come is probably this:



26. Your altar, if you have one!

The current altar, dressed for Autumn.

23. Something that I think people who don’t know much about paganism/witchcraft should know.

There are lots of different kinds of Pagans and witches. "Wiccan," "witch," and "Pagan" are not synonymous. There is overlap, to be sure, but they are not interchangeable. "Pagan" is an umbrella term for lots of different kinds of beliefs, most of which are Earth-centered, but not all. Most paths incorporate some kind of belief in magic. Really, the only thing that they all have in common is that they are not Judeo-Christian. (And even then, I know a few Jewish ladies who have incorporated aspects of witchcraft into their beliefs & practice.)

Wicca is currently the most well-known religion under the Pagan umbrella. Old-school Wiccans like Gardnerians & Alexandrians practice only in covens and have a very strict hierarchy/structure. New school (well, um, as new as you can be with a faith under a century old) Wiccans tend to be much more eclectic in the pantheons they deal with, and there are lots of solitary new school Wiccans. Some Wiccans don't even consider themselves witches, as they do not practice magic, only adhering to the worship aspects.

There are reconstructionists, who aim to re-create practices of cultures past (Egyptian, Greek, etc). There are people who incorporate shamanistic paths from various cultures. There are the Asatru, who deal only with the Norse pantheon and traditions. There are ceremonial witches, and Reclaiming witches, and kitchen witches (basically, your wise woman who knows herbs), and Feri witches. There are lots of traditions I'm not naming here, out of sheer lack of space and time. There are lots of us who don't adhere to a particular tradition at all.

Most traditions don't even acknowledge the existence of a (Christian) devil, let alone worship him. They all have different takes on Sabbats & holidays, different theology, and different sets of values. "Pagan" and "witch" are very broad terms, and they mean different things to each person who uses them.

I also really loved sugarmaplelife's response to this, so I'mma quote it here.

Witchcraft and magick aren't just about talking to the Purple Pillar of Peace and dancing in raindrops and waiting for the Universe to shower you with glitter and patchouli and an easy, playful life in the land of woo-woo. A good witch, I believe, has a foot in both worlds. A good witch can spin a prosperity charm *and* balance her checkbook. A good witch can meet the needs of the mundane and the magickal, sends light and love *and* casseroles. I think that newcomers to witchcraft and/or paganism can get swept away in the novelty, insight, and otherness of the other worlds and lose their anchor, awareness, and functionality in *this* world. I believe the role of a witch is as a bridge, an intermediary, as an interpreter between these worlds and that they are equally important to have solid footing in both.

24. A famous pagan/witch you admire.

Hmm, a toughie. I only know most through their writings. So I tend to admire individual works more than people, lest I find myself saying "I admire z budapest" before I find out that she's basically transphobic pestilence in human form. Yasmine Galenorn seems like a cool lady, based on what I've read. I've had the good fortune to meet Janet Farrar on a couple of occasions, and she commands respect, and is full of stories and history. I enjoyed meeting her. And I admire everything I've read by T. Thorn Coyle. I am not a follower of Feri, so I don't always precisely "get it" on an emotional level the way that other Feri initiates might, but she seems really compassionate and intelligent. Plus I have close friends who are students of hers that speak very highly of her. I look forward to meeting her in the future when I am actually free for one of her workshops.

21. A favourite pagan/witchy movie.

As cliche as it is, Practical Magic. I mean, it's a romcom deep at its core, but has several things going for it: Sandra Bullock (I've always liked her), Nicole Kidman's hair, midnight margaritas, "there's no devil in the craft," and the prettiest BOS I've ever seen. Movie effects & Hollywood exaggerations aside, it's at least kinda accurate about the craft. And I do love the relationship between the sisters. It's very realistic, and when it came down to it, it was the strongest bond in the film, romcom be damned.

22. Favorite tarot card/rune/ogham stave/oracle card that carries a deeper meaning for you.

I have three personal runes. They are carved into my athame, and I consider them closest to my heart. I didn't necessarily choose them for myself so much as they just kept showing up, so I adopted them. In some cases, I didn't even realize why they were meant for me until years later.

Nauthiz - the need-fire. Essentially, trials & tribulations lead to strength. They are the fire in which steel is formed.

Perthro - the dice cup. That which is unknowable, the mystery. The ability to shape fate. The ability to see the hidden.

Dagaz - the sign of transformation. The walker between worlds. The liminal. The balance between two opposites. Dawn after a long night. Hope.

19. A favorite witchy podcast.

I'm not really a podcast person. I would listen to ones that got good recommendations, though. Recs?

20. A picture of a witchy I-Want-It-Now!

You know, there's not a whole lot I want right now. I bought a buncha stuff earlier this Autumn, which I intend to review shortly.

Instead, I will give you a list of my favorite witchy retailers, with some things I've had my eye on in them.

Luna Enchantments / Magickal Cupboard: Best pillar candles I've tried, hands-down. They ALWAYS smell amazing, and are beautiful and long-burning. The TAT for candles can be a pain (2 weeks, usually), but the customer service is excellent and they usually have a 15% - 20% coupon code running, so that more than makes up for it. I currently have about three of their candles in my cupboard waiting for use, and so far I have loooooved their Moonlit Harvest & Fruits of Bounty pillars. These are my default altar pillars, and I always have one burning when I'm working. Also, the custom pillar they did for me smells amazing, piney and awesome.

Things I'm eyeing: Autumn Forest candle.


Vermorlian: A seller I've been reliably purchasing from for years. Really fantastic selection of purpose-oriented candles and incenses. We've been using the hell out of their Black Cauldron blend for Samhain. Plus my very favorite stick incense ever, Wytch's Brew, is a Vermorlian product.

Things I'm eyeing: Holly King Herbal Incense.


Twilight Alchemy Lab: BPAL's metaphysical arm. They also have an Etsy for small batch stuff. First of all, these are the best anointing oils I've found yet, and I like the incenses I've tried, as well. I can't wait until they release more prosperity incense, because not only does it come through, but it smells amazeballs, too.


Lodestone & Lady's Mantle: A basic supplies shop with well-crafted, more traditional formulas.


I have not yet tried Spelled With a W, but I appreciate the 'fun' aspect of their kits and supplies. They seem to understand that sometimes a little theatrics can be really helpful to getting energy moving in the right way. Their cauldron splashes look to be things I'd like to try in the future, and the Stonehenge candle is stinkin' cute.

Aside from that, I have bought some really good resin incense from Moonlit Herbals in the past. I am still teetering about Artisan Witchcrafts (formerly the ridiculously hard to remember LiorahLleucu). On one hand, I realize that the person who is accusing her of copyright infringement is a big copycat asshole herself. But on the other hand, I've seen some uncomfortable similarities, both in name choices & content. Shortly after Luna Enchantments started to offer cauldron candles, boom, they were in her shop, too. And I think her Black Swan candles are really pretty, but hey-- copyright infringement. And her turnaround time is ridiculous, frankly. OTOH, she seems to have a good selection of interesting and unique candle blends. IDK, torn.

Oh! There is a witchy I Want It Now sort of thing I want, but I don't have a picture (yet). The cover page to my BOS was illustrated by Joanna Barnum. It is gorgeous. I want 7 sectional illustrations to complete my book, but she's a pro artist, and that could get expensive. I need to get started on commissioning a few, though. My BOS project has been stagnant for the last few months.


Aside from that, Jason is running in Run For Your Lives, a zombie 5k, this weekend, and I will be watching from the stands. Hopefully with some kind of warm, spiked beverage in my hands. Anyone else going?

17. One way you bring your spiritual practice into your everyday life.

I feel like I'm being repetitive. I often light candles with particular intentions. Usually my office altar candle, signifying the creative spark and a start to the day's work.

18. How do your close ones feel about your spiritual path? Do they know? Why or why not?

Everyone knows. Most people were like "cool, whatevs." My Catholic aunt gave me a long lecture about Jesus, but has pretty much laid off. My mother was like "no, I Christened you Episcopalian," but she's since realized that things do change between infancy and adulthood. Shocker! Not that she's at all religious, mind you, making her initial reaction especially hilarious. Jason is supportive. Otherwise, it doesn't come up in day-to-day stuff very much.


I am having a really hard time staying awake today. I just feel completely zapped of energy. I have stuff to do, but I still keep yawning. Caffeine didn't work. I finally cuddled Olive up, because she is the best nap partner, and we napped for a bit together. I got up, lit some candles, had more caffeine & dinner, took a shower... and I still feel tired. My brain just isn't working today. Bah.

15. A scent that invokes a magical atmosphere for you.

Burning dragon's blood resin. The various dragon's blood oils and candles I've tried have all skewed too sweet, but the resin, smoking on charcoal? SO PERFECT. It's like amber, but deeper, and just a touch sweeter. Like synaesthesia velvet. And it helps that dragon's blood is pretty much an all-purpose magical ingredient... I get to use it a lot.

16. Something magical you do all the time, but no one knows it's magical.

Ummm, I'm not really sure. Aside from the fact that I often light candles for intention and not just cosmetic purposes, I can't think of anything.


ETA: From Free Will Astrology.

Virgo: The autocorrect feature sometimes distorts the text messages people send on their smart phones. It tries to fix supposedly misspelled words that aren't really misspelled, thereby creating awkward variations that can cause a ruckus when they're received, like changing "I don't want to leave" to "I don't want to live." Damn You, Autocorrect! is a book documenting some of the most outrageous examples, many NSFW. Be vigilant for metaphorical versions of this wayward autocorrect phenomenon, Virgo. Be sure that in your efforts to make things better, you don't render them worse or weird. Consider the possibility that stuff is fine just the way it is.

It's like he KNOWS ME.