Showing posts with label #sosannascloset. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #sosannascloset. Show all posts
Welcome, all you black-hearted bards!

It's the last Terrifying Tuesday of the Samhain's Sirens Celebration, and we're doing it up right for you! It's a Two-for-Tuesday Giveaway! Don't forget- every entry you make gives you an entry in the grand prize giveaway!

By now, many of you are in your manic mode of Samhain preparations and are trying to get it all done.. take a moment, grab your cuppa and let's just celebrate for a moment. You'll still get it all done.








The winner of the Touch of the Goddess Muse Giveaway is....

Jennifer Rasmussen!





Samhain by Amy Blackthorn


I’ve been practicing Paganism now for 21 years.  I don’t say this in a prideful way, but more in an, “I can’t believe I have been doing this that long” kind of way.  I sat down to write you, gentle reader, to talk about the Samhain season and celebration.  (Hey, if Christmas can be a season, so can Samhain, right?) The only problem is that every time I sat down to write, I stared at a blank screen for a bit.  For someone who teaches writing workshops and ‘How to beat Writer’s Block’ classes, it’s somewhat embarrassing.  I kept staring at the screen hoping that divine inspiration would hit and I’d know what to share with you.

Therein lies the rub.  You see, after doing this for so long, I feel like I’ve been there, done that, and wore holes in the tee shirt.




This photo was taken at the first group Samhain Ritual I led in 1999.  I had recently ‘come out of the broom closet’ to my parents, and it turned out that my mother’s best friend was Wiccan as well.  She had just never shared that part of herself with anyone other than her husband.  We bonded over this instantly.   The feeling I had sharing ritual space with her was thrilling, electrifying and awe-inspiring.  The feelings I’ve had the last few years were reverent, worshipful and devout.  These are beautiful and sacred but not mirthful.

So how do we rekindle the JOY of celebrating the lives of those we loved and have lost?  Isn’t Samhain a somber occasion?  Yes, it is.  This does not mean that you lose out of the mirth and reverence spoken about in the Charge of the Goddess, just because it’s Samhain.  Have your dumb supper and commune with loved ones, but don’t let the serious nature of the celebration steal the happiness you have in your hearts either.

So can we put the smile back in those Samhain plans?   Yes.  A thousand times yes.  You’ve started off on the right foot by checking into the Samhain Sirens blog.  Crafts, food recipes, musical stylings, beverage recipes, and that ever present connection with the Gods is right here.  This will get you in the mood for the festivities quick, fast, and in a hurry.




* Build an altar. It’s possible that you already have one, heck, more than one. Creating something that exists only for the purpose of this Feast will connect you to it in a way that few things can.  Decorate it with photos of loved ones who have crossed the veil, special incense and other decorations.  Meditation on the nature of permanence is natural at this time of year.  It is okay to reflect that in your choice of decoration.
* Get outside!  It’s too easy to forget about the nature part of our faith this time of year.  How easy it is to stay inside and curl up in front of a fire.  Remind yourselves why we come together to celebrate the final harvest.  We needed enough food to get us through the winter months and those grocery stores are only one natural disaster or good political conflict from being  a no man’s land.  Respect what you have.
* Remember, you aren’t limited to only celebrating on one day.  Invite friends over for an anti dumb supper.  Have everyone bring photos of loved ones they’d like to remember with happy stories and joyous fellowship.  If you make it a pot luck there is enough food for everyone and the burden isn’t all on one budget.
* Make a list of the incredible things you have accomplished this last year.  You are an even more incredible  you, now than you were last Samhain.
* Involve the kids too.  Try cutting up the Sunday funnies square by square and turn them into your own family “tarot” cards.  Work on meanings as a family and read for each other to see what the new year holds.

The important thing here is, your practice doesn’t have to lose its fun.  Celebrate this season for what it is, the miracle of the lives well lived, not the grief of loss















If you don’t crank this one as loud as you can, you’ll have a lifetime of bad luck. No one does this one as well as the original, Stevie Wonder.



The Witches’ Kitchen by Autumn Earthsong

In the Fall, my bread machine stays very busy!  Yes, I make bread without the machine too but when life is busy, or I’d rather be reading then baking bread….I use my wonderful bread machine!  Here’s a favorite recipe I make!  Do you love bread as much as I do?  It’s comfort food at its best!





Zucchini Wheat Bread
*2 lb loaf
1 cup room temp water
2/3 cup shredded zucchini
2 Tb butter, softened
2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tb dry milk
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
2 tsps bread machine yeast
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except walnuts in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  Add walnuts at the raisin/nut signal.
Select Whole Wheat or Basic/White cycle. Use medium or light crust color. Do NOT use delay cycles.  Remove baked bread from the pan and cool on wire rack.

ENJOY, Autumn

To read my blog visit www.autumnearthsong.com
To check out my herbal products visit www.etsy.com/shop/verbenalaneshoppe



We have TWO giveaways today. Be sure you specify which giveaway you are entering for!

The Magical Gardening Tote Bag
From Johanna Lawson, Village Wise Woman and Magical Gardener for the Sunday Stew, here is a little tote full of supplies for the magical gardener.  It is perfect for planting and tending small gardens, especially container gardens, miniature gardens or indoor house plants. It is also a great way to tote around a few magical supplies for spell work with your plants, in the home, on the patio or in the garden. This fantastic package includes:

  • Canvas tote bag (measuring 8” H x 6” W x 3”D)
  • 5 gardening tools – pruner, snips, rake, trowel and shovel
  • Glass misting bottle
  • 10 Botanical Interests organic seed packets – Basil, Borage, Chives, Cilantro, Cress, Dill, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, and English Thyme – with a seed-starting guide in a small gift box
  • The Herbal Tarot Deck (by Michael Tierra and Candis Cantin/U.S. Game Systems, Inc.) – integrating herbs and their healing properties with the symbolism of tarot.
  • Smudge stick (hand-made by Johanna from her very own garden)
Value: $65.00


Rules: (READ CAREFULLY)

YOU MUST PROVIDE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS. If you choose not to share it in the comments, please use the contact form at the top of the page to provide your email address. You must provide your email address once per giveaway.

Drawing is held by random number generation and winner will be notified in email (that's why you have to have an email address listed). Announcement will be made in tomorrow's post.

Note: These giveaways are open to the U.S., Canada and where allowable. Void where prohibited.
Canadian residents, please pay close attention as by law, you have to use a different set of rules. Not to worry, we have you covered :)


CANADIANS READ HERE: You will be given the samenumber of entries for answering the following (remember, we STILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS):

What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?

U.S. Citizens, and others- READ HERE:

1. Go to the The Village Wise Woman Blog . Follow her blog, then come back and tell us that you did.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (USE SEPARATE COMMENTS. If you throw them all into one comment, it counts as one entry only)

2. Be a follower of this blog. Comment that you are following us.

3. Like the Sirens FB page (come let us know you did in comments)

4. Blog about this giveaway (comment with the url for your blog entry)

5. Tweet about this giveaway (come back and give us the url for your tweet)

So, all in all, you get 5 entries for this giveaway! The deadline for entries is 9 pm eastern time (8 Central, 7 Mountain, 6 Pacific) tonight. Announcement tomorrow, same time, same bat channel ;)


 
Win Sosanna’s Closet Agate Pendant!


This pendant is wrapped with silver plated blue wire around a blue dyed agate.  This one of a kind piece retails for $26.00 in the shop but as a special gift to you for participating in the Samhain Sirens event it can be yours absolutely free.  Just follow the instructions below to win.

A big thank you for participating this year from Sosanna’s Closet  - Unique Gifts for the Unique Witch

CANADIANS READ HERE: You will be given the samenumber of entries for answering the following (remember, we STILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS):

Yonge Street in the Province of Ontario holds what distinct record?


 U.S. Citizens, and others- READ HERE:

1. Go to the Sosanna's Closet Page . Peruse the site, and tell us which item you like best.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (USE SEPARATE COMMENTS. If you throw them all into one comment, it counts as one entry only)

2. Like Sosanna's Closet on Facebook, and come back to tell us you did

3. Be a follower of this blog. Comment that you are following us.

4. Like the Sirens FB page (come let us know you did in comments)

5. Blog about this giveaway (comment with the url for your blog entry)

6. Tweet about this giveaway (come back and give us the url for your tweet)

So, all in all, you get 6 entries for this giveaway! The deadline for entries is midnight eastern time (11 Central, 10 Mountain, 9 Pacific) tonight. Announcement tomorrow, same time, same bat channel ;)


Questions? Email Serena.

See you tomorrow for our final Wrong-Turn Wednesday!
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Salutations from the sinister selkies!

We have thrills to enthrall on this Thor's Day.

Today is the deadline for your Forget-Me-Nots tributes/photos. Please email them to Serena at samhainssirens@gmail.com

Quick reminder: You MUST provide an email address to be considered eligible for the giveaways. If you don't provide that, then you're wasting your time in entering. By law, we must email you to notify you that you've won. We want you to have all the fun you can here!
Speaking of fun....




The winner of the Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends Oracle Reading is...

Angie Crabtree!






My Favorite October Things by Autumn Noel


I don’t know what is so special about the Halloween season; but something magickal kicks in come October. I always want to fill the entire month with festivities, from start to finish. No books can be read, no movies can be shown, and no weekends can be filled unless they are celebrating the Halloween time of year. I've been like this for as long as I can remember, and my husband thinks I take it a bit to an extreme, but this is the way I was raised and he has come to accept my Halloween spirit, even if it is twenty times greater than everyone else’s around me! I get giddy when the Halloween decorations start appearing in the craft stores and drug shops; I have pumpkins lining our flowerbeds and driveway, I live and breathe the whole year for October.

I wasn't raised in the Pagan faith, but growing up my brothers and sister and I always had a great love for Halloween. As an adult my spirituality changed, and I adopted the practices of Samhain. So now I celebrate both Samhain and Halloween, and I use the terms interchangeably. I celebrate a mixture of Pagan practices with commercial Halloween and involve my family whenever possible.

Here is a list of my favorite things to do in the month of October to celebrate the Samhain season….

  • Decorating my home from head to toe in Halloween!
  • A fresh batch of homemade apple wassil every week, even though its often too hot outside to really enjoy it A visit to the one and only pumpkin patch in the area, just to look! They’re too expensive to purchase
  • Apple cider sangria!!!
  • Pumpkin carving, every weekend
  • Wearing my orange and black apron in the evenings to cook.
  • My little ones dressed in Halloween gear almost every single day (…at least in public!)
  • My husband carving me a triple goddess and pentagram pumpkin on Halloween night
  • Dressing up as a witch on Halloween night.
  • Going for walks to look at the Halloween decoration in our neighborhood
  • All books are replaced on my toddler’s bookshelf to Halloween and Fall themes, lots are checked out from the library. The same goes for the cartoons she watches regularly. We have many Halloween episodes on DVD. 
  • An altar table set up with pictures honoring our dead ancestors, and some other public figures we love that have passed on (even if we have never met them! …Anne Boleyn anyone?)
  • An offering of apples on Samhain night, held high to the sky and asked to be blessed and then left outside for our ancestors who may cross over on this eve.
  • Handing out candy to trick-or-treaters
  • homemade caramel apples and popcorn
  • A visit to the Catholic Church on November 1st for all souls day…it’s all relative to me.


I hope this list has given you some ideas to celebrate the season, both Halloween and Samhain with your family. Have a very blessed Samhain night!!!

Trick-or-treat!!
BOO!!
-Autumn Noel













There are no words for this one. Just enjoy.




The Witches’ Kitchen by Autumn Earthsong

Anything spicy brings to mind Fall for me.  These spicy molasses cookies or ginger cookies definitely bring to mind Fall!!  They are delicious with milk or spiced cider and make a great after- school snack for the kids.  A favorite thing to do in the Fall….spread a blanket under a tree filled with Autumn color and have these cookies and some milk!  Yummy!!



Spicy Molasses Ginger Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
Sugar for coating

Preheat the oven to 350* In medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the molasses. In thirds, gently mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
Scoop out the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, roll in some sugar and place on a cookie sheet. Then press down with the back of a spoon a bit.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Remove the cookies to a rack to cool.
*Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

ENJOY, Autumn

To read my blog visit www.autumnearthsong.com
To check out my herbal products visit my shop at www.etsy.com/shop/verbenalaneshoppe



Pendant Giveaway from Sosanna's Closet

White Sea-glass with Swarovski crystal wrapped in silver plated wire.  Retail value - $26.00



Rules: (READ CAREFULLY)

YOU MUST PROVIDE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS. If you choose not to share it in the comments, please use the contact form at the top of the page to provide your email address. You must provide your email address once per giveaway.

Drawing is held by random number generation and winner will be notified in email (that's why you have to have an email address listed). Announcement will be made in tomorrow's post.

Note: These giveaways are open to the U.S., Canada and where allowable. Void where prohibited.
Canadian residents, please pay close attention as by law, you have to use a different set of rules. Not to worry, we have you covered :)


CANADIANS READ HERE: You will be given X number of entries for answering the following (remember, we STILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS):

What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?

U.S. Citizens, and others- READ HERE:

1. Go to the Sosanna's Closet .  Look over the site and tell us which product you like best.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (USE SEPARATE COMMENTS. If you throw them all into one comment, it counts as one entry only)

2. Be a follower of this blog. Comment that you are following us.

3. Like the Sirens FB page (come let us know you did in comments)

4. Like/Get Notifications on the Sosanna's Closet Facebook Page. Let us know you did.

5. Blog about this giveaway (comment with the url for your blog entry)

6. Tweet about this giveaway (come back and give us the url for your tweet)

So, all in all, you get 6 entries for this giveaway! The deadline for entries is midnight eastern time (11 Central, 10 Mountain, 9 Pacific) tonight. Announcement tomorrow, same time, same bat channel ;)

Questions? Email Serena.
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Welcome to the Samhain Siren's Saturday Craft-Tacular.  Each week we'll bring you a fantastic craft that will help bring in the haunting Halloween spirit.  Our crafts will range in age and complexity and we would really love to get your feedback on them.

Today's craft is something that is a great joint creation for the family.  I recommend using care when letting kids work with the scissors and the sewing needles of course, but I think this is easily a craft that can be done with the whole family.





Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson



Making Poppets
Poppets are a great way to use up those leftover bits and pieces of fabric as well as spend some time with the kids.  Many times, especially around Halloween ghost stories abound.  This makes the little ones start to worry about what goes bump in the night.  Making poppets is a great way to give your youngster something to focus their energy on and then place in a special place in their room to watch over them while they sleep.

Supplies
·         Felt Fabric squares
·         Polyfill or stuffing
·         Stick Pins
·         Sewing needle and thread
·         Embroidery Floss (red and black suggested)
·         Scissors
·         Yarn for hair
·         Little things to decorate – bits of trim, buttons, feathers so on
·         A special stone or herbs to put inside (optional)

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

1.       Start by selecting the shape of your poppet. This can be a gingerbread style shape from the web or just free hand it.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

2.       Next cut the shape out.
3.       Using the embroidery floss, create the face on the right side of the poppet and attach any detailed decorations to the front and back of the poppet.
4.       Wrong sides together, over hand stitch the poppet together, leaving an opening large enough to put in the stuffing.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


5.       Stuff the poppet with the polyfill, add the herbs and any little protection stones or amulets if desired.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

6.       Cut yarn for hair in length desired.
7.       Put the ends of the hair into the opening at the top where the polyfill was added and sew the top closed.  (add yarn hair if desired)

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


Poppet is complete and ready to enjoy!

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

I'd love to see what you come up with.  Feel free to add your poppet photos here or over on the Samhain's Sirens Facebook Page.  You can find more of my handmade items over at Sosanna's Closet Facebook Page.

Blessings!
Sosanna

 Be sure to check tune into the Sunday Stew over at Imramma tomorrow and back here for more festivities and the giveaway results!
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Welcome back, great ghoulish guests!

It's a Terrifying Tuesday here in the Siren's Lair.. we have fiendish delights to tempt you with.. come, join us.. IF YOU DARE!





The winners of the Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends giveaways:

First prize: Rogue Riversong!
Second prize: Johanna Lawson!

Don't despair!  If you didn't win the tea of your heart's desire, they have a special Discount Code on the shop all through the Samhain Sirens season for you at home.  Just enter "Siren" (no quotes) in the discount box and everyone (Including Sirens!) will get 20% off of your order. Valid NOW until November 7th.



Treasure Every Moment! by Kathleen Lane

Do you love Autumn and Samhain? Is this time of year something you eagerly anticipate or do you dread it because it is the end of the growing season and the prelude to the long days of winter?

A friend recently passed very suddenly and as I went back and reread some emails from her, I realized that her mail had slid from looking forward and begun to slip into the "remember when" category. As I read them it surprised me that I hadn't noticed the change at the time and I began to wonder if I was guilty of the same thing.

None of us are guaranteed the next year or month or even moment and if we are so involved in looking back or forward, we will miss the NOW. Today is full of bright new moments and we need to savor and bless every one of them.  I find that I wish time away during the months when my husband is gone. Instead of enjoying each and every day I can't wait for them to be done and to have him home again. How many glorious sunrises have I skipped over because he wasn't here to share them with? How often have I wished for a week to be over and done with?

Most years I start mentally preparing around the first of August for Samhain and I have made a note to myself to live each and every day as though it is the last one I will have. No more wishing for tomorrow or waiting to thank the Mother for this wonderful day, the next breath or the next spangled spider web on the bushes. For me Samhain has always been a time of ending and this year it will be a time of beginning and joy for another year lived hopefully to the fullest.












Happy Tuesday! I’m up for a lovely Ghouls Night Out. Won’t you join me?









The Witches’ Kitchen by Autumn Earthsong

To me there is nothing more wonderful than Autumn,  and crisp, blue sky Autumn mornings are the best!!  I’m not usually a breakfast eater…but for some reason in the Fall I want a good breakfast.  Whether it’s steel cut oatmeal with apples and brown sugar, cinnamon-apple pancakes or these yummy muffins….breakfast becomes more important for me LOL.  These muffins are good for breakfast or Anytime!
Autumn’s Apple Crunch Muffins
1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, cut in pieces
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Granny Smith apples, diced

TOPPING
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped  (I like it with pecans too) 
Mix well in small bowl.  Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 375* 
Mix sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Cut in butter until fine crumbs form. Combine milk and egg and add to dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in apples and stir just to moisten.  Spoon batter into a greased muffin pan, filling each cup two-thirds full. You can use paper muffin cups too if you prefer.  Sprinkle with Topping*.  Bake at 375* for 25 mins or until golden brown
*Makes 12 muffins

ENJOY, Autumn






Sosanna's Closet Witchy Hat Giveaway!


Win Sosanna’s Closet Special Edition Samhain Scrunch Hat.  This one of a kind hat retails for $55.00 in the shop but as a special gift to you for participating in the Samhain Sirens event it can be yours absolutely free.  Just following the instructions below to win.
A big thank you for participating this year from Sosanna’s Closet  - Unique Gifts for the Unique Witch
Like – Sosanna’s Closet Page – https://www.facebook.com/sosannascloset
Check out my webpage – www.sosannascloset.com 

Rules: (READ CAREFULLY)

YOU MUST PROVIDE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS. If you choose not to share it in the comments, please use the contact form at the top of the page to provide your email address. You must provide your email address once per giveaway.

Drawing is held by random number generation and winner will be notified in email (that's why you have to have an email address listed). Announcement will be made in tomorrow's post.

Note: These giveaways are open to the U.S., Canada and where allowable. Void where prohibited.
Canadian residents, please pay close attention as by law, you have to use a different set of rules. Not to worry, we have you covered :)


CANADIANS READ HERE: You will be given the same number of entries for answering the following (remember, we STILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS):

Who was the first Canadian in outer space?


U.S. Citizens, and others- READ HERE:

1. Go to the Sosanna's Closet site. Peruse the site, and tell us what you like best about it.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (USE SEPARATE COMMENTS. If you throw them all into one comment, it counts as one entry only)

2. Be a follower of this blog. Comment that you are following us.

3. Like the Sirens FB page (come let us know you did in comments)

4. Like/Get Notifications on the Sosanna's Closet Facebook Page. Let us know you did.

5. Blog about this giveaway (comment with the url for your blog entry)

6. Tweet about this giveaway (come back and give us the url for your tweet)

So, all in all, you get 6 entries for this giveaway! The deadline for entries is midnight eastern time (11 Central, 10 Mountain, 9 Pacific) tonight. Announcement tomorrow, same time, same bat channel ;)

Questions? Email Serena.

See you tomorrow!
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