Sunday, April 29, 2012



No, that's NOT me silly!!! That's my girlfriend Barb. She came over this week, and decided to try on my Star Trek wig that will go with my costume this year...... hopefully I will look better in it! LOL

I know I'm such a putz. My sister is always complaining that I plan stuff way to much, and I do.... but I can't help it.

It all started when I cleaned out my closet, and realized that the boots I wear with my costume weren't in the closet..... (can you hear the music that was played in Jaws?)

I went to the shed to get my suitcase out. Now, I only use this suitcase for the Star Trek convention... and I have a really bad habit of taking all the clothing out, zipping it up, and putting it in the shed... without removing anything else! I know it's bad, but after the con I'm tired.

So I got it out, and found the boots and tights I wore still in it! So, I washed the tights, polished the boots and put them back in the suitcase...

Now I'm afraid to put it away... what if I need to add stuff????? Can we all say anal? Yes, yes we can.


So I'm leaving the suitcase on the trunk at the bottom of my bed, unzipped, so that when I find stuff I can just chuck it in the suitcase!

Did I mention the Convention isn't till AUGUST this year!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

SUMMER GIVE A WAY!!!!!!


OHHHHHHHHH!!!! I have a really nice give a way for my Friends!!!!

This one will run till the end of May, so you can get it just in time for summer fun!

The scrying board is made out of heavy material, embroidered with the perfect answers to all your question! (so you can roll it up and put it away!)

The scrying pendulum is made of Citrine, and it also turns into a fab necklace!!!!

What more could you ask for?



You should all know the drill by now, but here's the 411...... You get a seperate entry for each thing you do...

1. post a commnet

2. follow me on facebook

3. post this post on YOUR blog

4. become a follower on this blog!

So you can get 4 seperate chance's to win this pretty!!!

Surprising uses for sugar

By Melissa Breyer, Mother Nature Network

Sugar can be used to soften the kisser and to keep lipstick fresh. The history of sugar is not a simple one. From ancient China to the colonies to Candy Land, sugar has been making its mark throughout time in myriad ways. The "white gold," as British colonists called it, has now reached mundane staple status for much of the western world, sitting in a five-pound bag in the pantry patiently waiting to be spooned into a cup of coffee or employed in a batch of cookie dough.


But that doesn't mean the coruscating carbohydrate can't be put to other uses. In a bind, regular table sugar can pinch-hit for a number of other concoctions, often times taking the place of more costly or possibly toxic solutions. Whether for health or beauty, in the kitchen or in the garden, here are a number of ways you can put this versatile ingredient to work.


1. Soothe your babe According to a study in Pediatrics, babies who were given a one-to-four sugar-water solution (directly into the mouth or administered on a pacifier) before immunizations handled the pain of the shots better than children who received only water.


2. Treat a wound You can treat wounds with a sprinkle of sugar: Wives' tale or wise truth? This study showed that pouring granulated sugar on bedsores, leg ulcers or amputations before dressing killed the bacteria that prevents healing and causes chronic pain.


3. Soothe a singed tongue For too-quick-a-gulp of too-hot coffee, sizzling pizza - whatever your tongue-burner may be - sugar can ease the sting. Suck on a sprinkle of sugar or a sugar cube and the pain should quickly dissipate.

4. Ease a spicy burn Acidic foods and dairy can lessen the pain of too much spiciness in the mouth, but a dash of sugar works well too.


5. Make a body scrub Sugar makes for a splendid exfoliating agent for body scrubs. You can make a super simple one by mixing sugar with oil (canola, almond, jojoba, or olive all work well) to create a loose paste. Add some essential oil or vanilla extract if you like fragrance. Gently rub on your skin and then rinse off in the shower.


6. Make a banana sugar scrub When bananas have reached the point of no edible return, they can be appointed to your beauty routine. Banana is moisturizing and works perfectly as a vehicle for sugar in a body scrub. Mash a ripe banana with three tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of olive oil. (Don't over mix.) Gently rub on your skin and then rinse off in the shower.


7. Smooth your kisser Blend a little jojoba or olive oil with caster sugar (also called superfine sugar; you can also make this by putting regular granulated sugar in the food processor for a minute) and a touch of peppermint or vanilla extract, if you like. Place some of the paste on your lips, massage and lick off.

8. Extend lipstick Sprinkle a bit of sugar atop freshly applied lipstick, let it sit, then lick it off. This works to set the lipstick and will extend the application.


9. Clean cruddy hands For extra mucky hands (think paint, grease, grime) add sugar to your soap lather to act as an abrasive. You can also use equal parts sugar and olive oil, which acts to soothe and moisturize over-worked hands.


10. Feed your flowers Add three teaspoons of sugar and two tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of warm water for fresh-cut flowers. The sugar feeds the stems and the vinegar restricts the growth of bacteria.


11. Battle nematode worms in garden Have you nematodes? If the plants in your garden have unsightly knots at the roots, they may have fallen prey to the microscopic parasites. To combat them naturally, apply 5 pounds of sugar for every 250 square feet of garden. The sugar will feed microorganisms which will increase the organic matter in the soil, making it a hostile environment for the nematodes.

12. Trap wasps Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water, fill a jar with it and set it outside to attract wasps. They will fly in and become trapped. What you do with them next is up to you.

13. Make a natural fly strip Fly strips can be unsightly, but flies on dinner can be even more so. If you can't scoot them out the window and you require relief, you can make all-natural fly strips by combining equal parts sugar, honey, and water in a saucepan. Boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Let cool. Cut pieces of brown packing tape, punch a hole on the end and make a loop with string through the hole. Dip the strips in the mix, hang to let excess drips drop (with a pan beneath to catch drips) until sticky, then hang where the flies are most active.

14. Make a roach motel Well, more like a roach last supper. Mix equal parts sugar and baking powder and sprinkle over areas of infestation. Sugar attracts the buggers, the baking powder exterminates them. Replace frequently.


15. Feed the butterflies Matthew Tekulsky, author of "The Butterfly Garden" (Harvard Common Press, 1985) recommends this formula for feeding butterflies.
1 pound sugar
1 or 2 cans stale beer
3 mashed overripe banana
1 cup of molasses or syrup
1 cup of fruit juice
1 shot of rum
Mix the all ingredients well and paint on trees, fence posts, rocks, or stumps - or simply soak a sponge in the mixture and hang from a tree-limb.

16. Clean your grinders Coffee bean and spice grinders can collect oils that are strong in flavor, but sugar can clean them by absorbing the offending elements. Pour 1/4 cup of sugar into the grinder and run it for 2 -3 minutes. Dump out and wipe well.

17. Attack grass stains Make a paste of warm water and sugar and apply to grass-stained clothing, let sit for an hour (or longer for tougher stains) and then wash as usual.

18. Keep cakes fresh If you store cake in an airtight container with a few sugar cubes, it will stay fresh longer.

19. Keep cookies fresh See above!

20. Prevent cheese from molding? Some swear by storing cheese with sugar cubes to prevent cheese from molding.

21. Transform berries Nothing beats fresh berries as they are, but you can also make a quick no-cook dessert topping that is as simple as it is versatile. To make "macerated berries," stir in a teaspoon of sugar and a squeeze of lemon for every cup of sliced berries. Let sit for 30 minutes. Serve alone, with ice cream or whipped cream, on top of cakes, bread pudding, etc.

22. Vanilla your sugar Split a vanilla bean in half and sink it in a jar full of sugar, let it sit for a week, and voilĂ , vanilla-perfumed sugar.

23. Sweeten iced drinks Iced coffee season! Cocktail season! Make simple syrup for easy mixing of sugar into cold beverages. Mix one cup sugar with one cup water in a small saucepan. Bring sugar and water to a boil and simmer about three minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in a clean jar or bottle in the refrigerator.

24. Make rock candy Old-fashioned rock candy is nothing more than sugar and water, and a kick to make with kids. Stir 2.5 cups sugar into 1 cup hot water until sugar is dissolved. Pour the syrup into open containers and add a grain of sugar to each dish. Store in a cool, dry place and check after a few days for crystals. As they form, scoop them out and let dry on a paper towel. A simpler candy does not exist.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

My windows are very big, and low to the ground. The last few summers I've been pissed about having to lock up all the windows when I leave... keeping the air out. But an open window so low to the ground is just a temptation waiting for a crook! I bought different types of locking devices... supposed to be good if you want to leave your windows open a bit, but not make it accessible.... and they all sucked!!!! So yesterday I went to Michale's... and bought some wooden dowels. I opened the window enough to let fresh air in, but not big enough for a body to crawl through.... and cut the dowels to fit the tip of the open window to the top of the window frame.
And I went outside, removed the screen... and tried with all my might to open the window and dislodge the stick... and no go, it stayed in place!!! Now I can leave the house, and keep the windows open at the same time!!!

Friday, April 20, 2012

white vodoo dolls

Poppets, or voodoo dolls can also be used for healing. Make a voodoo doll out of white material, and some ribbons for a girl, or some denim for a boy !

If you can't manage to get a piece of the persons hair, put something on the doll that reminds you of them. You can draw a face, or use yarn to mimic their hair, even add a few drops of the person's perfume or aftershave.


A HEALING SPELL

White Voodoo Doll-used in health rituals. Attach the name of person to be helped and a piece of their hair. Anoint two red radiant health candles with appropriate oil, (Balsam Fir, Amber, Clove, and Eucalyptus are good ones for health) and sprinkle the oil on the doll. Light the candles on each side of the doll and say a prayer asking for good health.

Goddess grant this one health
a better life, free of pain,
no longer let her/his energy drain!
as my will so mote it be!

Druids

Butt prints in the sand!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Lets make a poppet!



UNWANTED HABIT SPELL

To eliminate an unwanted habit, make a poppet of yourself out of cloth, straw, or a carved candle.

Make symbols or words on it to indicate what you want to release forever, allowing anger to build within you that you have practiced this unwanted behavior. Call upon Pluto or Hecate to assist your resolve to fully carry out change in you life.

Then, using a safe container such as an iron cauldron or metal bowl, anoint the poppet with a few drops of oil of myrrh, pennyroyal, rosemary, or rue, and then carefully set it on fire, visualizing the release of your unwanted habit or trait forever.

Burn the poppet to ashes, and then take the ashes to a place where you have no need to be at any time soon. Bury it, turn firmly, and walk away. Don't look Back.



SELF-IMPROVEMENT SPELL

Items needed: wooden clothespin, black felt-tipped marker, small piece of paper
on which you have written the bad habit that you wish to dispel, some black thread,
a pin, black pepper.

Shield, ground and center, cast circle, charge of the Goddess.
Sit quietly and meditate on changes you wish to occur.
Raise power by chanting the following:

"This spell I do, within my rights to be free
Darken my house no more! Begone! Begone from me!"


Color clothespin with black pen and tie pieces of paper (mentioned above) around the
clothespin and secure with black thread.
Sprinkle clothespin with pepper, and then stick pin into clothespin while repeating the same chant.
Bury the clothespin near your front door.


CLEAR AWAY THE OLD WITH CRYSTALS

There are many aspects of our lives which we would like to improve, but we just can't muster up the willpower. In your time of need, a crystal can come to your aid.
You can program a crystal to help you lose weight stop smoking or overcome any negative attitudes about yourself. For example, you want to stop eating chocolate but just can't. (I don't recommend this one, eating chocolate is life!!!)


You know you should stop for health reasons but you don't have the will power.
Try programming a crystal by telling it something like,
"I have completely lost any desire for chocolate."

Wear the crystal around your neck or keep it in a pocket.
Whenever you want chocolate, touch your crystal and feel the urge dissipate.

To get the most out of your crystal, you need to get the right crystal in the first place.
Pick a crystal by attraction, by being drawn to touch it, and then hold it loosely in your left hand.
Notice the impressions, colors, sounds, and feelings you pick up. No two crystals are the same.
Each crystal has its own unique vibration, and each will resonate differently. It should feel alive in your hand, vibrate, or radiate. In other words, it should feel good.

Before you use your crystals cleanse it. The easiest way to clean your crystal is to put in in some salt water. (heavy on the salt) Now, you're ready to enjoy your crystal!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Best to grow indoors

1. Lemongrass
Technically, you don't even grow lemongrass, in that it's not planted in soil, making this one incredibly easy herb to keep in the house. When buying a stalk at your local market, look for plenty of stem and make sure the base is intact. Trim the top and place the stalk in a couple inches of water. The stalk will produce roots and dozens of new shoots.


2. Chives
These are one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors, as they do not require much light and are prolific in their production. Chives are easiest to start from an already-established plant. Just pull up a bunch from the established plant (including the roots), place it in a small pot half-full of potting soil, then cover the roots up to the crowns with more potting soil. Cut about one-third of growth off the top to stimulate new growth.


3. Mint
Both spearmint and peppermint literally grow like weeds. They're both very hearty and very invasive, meaning that they can quickly choke out other herbs. Keep in mind that a lot of spearmint is required to produce the same minty effect as peppermint, so if you're growing it indoors, where space is limited and harvesting is frequent, peppermint is the better option. Start your peppermint plant with seeds-not root or leaf cuttings-in a small pot full of potting soil. Peppermint will thrive in shade, but make sure it's in a spot where it gets at least a little bit of light each day.


4. Parsley
Parsley is one of the most commonly used herbs and is very easy to grow, though the seeds can be difficult to germinate and may take up to two weeks to see results. The good news is it doesn't require much light or maintenance once you get it started. Keep in mind, though, that this plant is a fairly slow grower, so initial clippings will not harvest a lot.



5. Vietnamese Coriander
Coriander is the seed of the cilantro herb. This particular version of coriander is easier to grow than regular coriander, as it's very hearty and very reliable.




6. Oregano
The Greek variety of oregano is easiest to grow; however all oregano requires six to eight hours of sunlight per day, so a well-lit window-particularly one with southwestern sun exposure-is best.


7. Thyme
This is another herb that requires six to eight hours of sunlight per day, and it may even need supplemental light. My favorite is lemon thyme, which can be used in place of regular thyme and has a unique citrus-like flavor and isn't nearly as easy to find as other varieties in stores.


8.Rosemary
This herb is very easily over-watered. It prefers to remain on the dry side and does not need particularly rich soil. Several varieties are available; some are bush-like and some are more of a creeping plant. Choose an upright variety like Tuscan Blue or Blue Spire. These will remain more compact, making them a better choice for indoor growing.




9. Basil
This is one of my favorites to use when cooking. However, this herb is one of the most difficult to grow, especially indoors during the winter months. The best varieties for indoor growth are the Spicy Globe or African Blue. The African blue won't have the wide, bright-green leaves you may be used to seeing in grocery stores; it's similar to Thai basil with its narrower leaves and bluish-purple stalks.

Friday, April 06, 2012

My work is done!

Thursday, April 05, 2012

I'm getting crafty!



I picked up this room freshener at the dollar store last year. I thought it was a great idea because the top could open just a little or all the way just by rotating the cap... so you could get a little scent or lots depending on your mood.

Well a year later I noticed during my spring cleaning, that they didn't smell anymore... so I was just about to chuck them in the garbage when my "Mother Earth" teaching took hold and I decided to check out the container.

The top screws off!!!!!!

Ohhhhh, so I peeled the label off, and put it in some hot soapy water to get the rest of the label off. and there you go!

I new have a fresh herb diffuser!!!!

I can fill the container with my own mix of fragrant herbs, and use the natural ingredients as room fresheners!!!!!


I love to recycle!!!!!!

Monday, April 02, 2012

Alter Magic



People have some really great ideas!!!! Can you see two of these on your alter??? I can!!!!!! Looks like a trip to the craft store is in order!!!!!!

"Ever wanted to bottle the universe and put it on your shelf? Since it wouldn’t really fit, you can easily make the universe seem to be enclosed in your hands. You only need a few things: a paint brush, glow-in-the-dark-paint and mason jars of any size. You can easily dip the brush in paint and add dots to cover the entire jar and make it seems as though you truly have captured the stars. Then add small clear marbles - viola!"

Sunday, April 01, 2012

I've got to do this!!!!



So easy, Styrofoam ring, and drink umbrellas. Should be able to get them at the party store!!!!