Ort Jar

I've started an Ort jar this year (old ratty threads) for my sewing left overs.  This is all thread from my Joan Elliot Mother Moon pattern that I'm doing.  I've also seen them called witch's bottles.  I'm looking forward to seeing how it fills up!

My pagan rosary

After a few setbacks (a major allergic reaction to chocolate!) and diversions (I can't do any beading when the kids are around) I've finally finished my first pagan rosary.  I've pretty much followed the design in the Pagan Prayer Beads book for a triple goddess rosary (I've changed the pendant and added some silver spacers).

This was my starting point, the bead horde.

I narrowed it down to this.

This was my first string together, where it was left for about a week while life intervened.  I wasn't happy with all the pendants.

This is the final, complete deal.  Wires crimped and cut.  The moonstone pendant is actually a deep locket, so I can add something special in there.  It's set out on my altar at the moment, waiting to be cleansed and dedicated.  I'm really delighted with how it came out.  Next project will probably be the Horned God rosary, with this fella in it:

More Beady Goodness

I scouted out another charity shop today (who, sadly, had been robbed last week) looking for beads, and then popped back into the charity shop I had visited yesterday.  Look what I found!

 The round pendant with the star in the centre turned out to be a locket when I got it home.  And there are some lovely wooden beads and silver spacers.

The little bracelet is made up of tiger eye beads (!).  I also spotted this little spiral charm which will be perfect for the prayer beads.  Happy happy day!


And I just love the ladies who work in charity shops.  They're very kind and chatty, and it seems all the best gossip comes through their doors.  

Elemental Water: 44 Days of Witchery

This is a picture of Taughannock Falls in Trumansburg, NY.
The main cataract of the falls is a 215-foot drop (66 m), making it 33 feet (10 m) taller than Niagara Falls. It is one of the largest single-drop waterfalls east of theRocky Mountains.^[2] The water flows through a long gorge with cliffs up to 400 ft high (120 m), characteristic of the area's gorges that give rise to the common "Ithaca is Gorges" bumper stickers and t-shirts. The waterfall and gorge comprise an example of a hanging valley that developed in a very similar fashion to the one at nearby Watkins Glen State Park. None of the local gorges were "carved by glaciers." In fact all of the gorges are post-glacial valleys carved by the streams that still run through them. It is the valleys over which the waterfalls hang that were eroded (over-deepened) by the advance of the Pleistocene ice sheets.
   Courtesy of Wikipedia


This waterfall was sacred to the Native Americans who originally lived here, and flows into Cayuga Lake, in the center of the Finger Lakes region of New York.  If anywhere was my soul's home, it would be here.  Returning to my home waters is a magical, sacred thing for me, especially since I now live in Ireland.  

This pond is on the land of my Great-grandmother's family farm.  It's been in my family for generations, and is just an amazingly beautiful place.  This one place is probably the definition of peace for many in my family still.

Charity Shop Score: Pagan Prayer Beads

I've been scouting around for beads to make a pagan rosary with after reading Pagan Prayer Beads.  I sorted through my own jewelry drawer first.  

 There's a lovely moonstone locket in there, along with a moon talisman, a couple of garnet pendants, a pearl from Hawaii, and some other stuff.

Then I picked up some cheap beads at Sainsbury's

These are for spacers and what-not.


Today I scouted out the local charity shop and hit the jackpot.  See the ivory coloured bracelet?  It's real mother of pearl!

My youngest boy has already stolen the other bracelet and the green necklace.  The smaller green beads have gold highlights, and are really, really lovely.


And, finally, I went to the The Bead Shop in Annahilt.  

These are all glass and metal (hard to see them in their bags, but I didn't want them all rolling off).  I really was hoping for some semi-precious beads, especially moonstone, but they're still gorgeous.


I'm planning on making them into either a triple goddess rosary or a 5 elements rosary.  I'll have to see how the spirit moves me.

A Favourite Witchy Tool: 44 Days of Witchery

I can say, without hesitation, that my favourite witchy tool is candles.  Candle magick is easy, yet powerful.  It's simple, but not necessarily obvious, so it can be done discretely.  Since 7 of my planets were in air signs at the time I was born, I have a deep relationship with the element of air, and I love wind and fire.  Every candle can be a prayer of thanksgiving, of hope, of healing, of insight, of beseeching.

These lovely candle holders, by the way, were made by Tyrone Crystal in Northern Ireland, except for the Celtic Knot votive holder on the right, which was made by Galway Crystal.

31 Days of Samhain: A Memorable Samhain Experience

Relaying a memorable Samhain experience has been a difficult challenge for me, as I have never really thought of Halloween in the Samhain light, as it were.  This is the first year that I've even put an altar together for the season.  So, in a way, I'm creating my first memorable Samhain experience as I go this year.  I'm really enjoying the creation and maintenance of my altar, which is my fireplace and mantel.  You wouldn't look at it and notice necessarily, it just looks like seasonal decorations: pumpkins, apples, candles, some flowers, and a small glass bottle of salt with a crystal prism on top.  We have a large gilt mirror hanging above the mantel as well, which I think makes a nice focus.  With a fire blazing away in the fireplace, it really is a magical sight.