Showing posts with label Baublesmith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baublesmith. Show all posts

 Before we get to today's festivities, let's wrap up yesterday's giveaway. The winner of the Touch of the Goddess Tarot reading is...

Paula Lupi!!

 Congratulations! Be sure you send your mailing address in to Kallan so Sharon can ship your prize to you!


Today's Music: Í Tokuni (TheMist) by Eivør
Eivør Pálsdóttir, known professionally as Eivør, is a Faroese singer-songwriter with a distinct voice and a wide range of interests in various music genres spanning rock, jazz, folk, pop and European classical music.




Finding the Sacred in the Silly
CL Luciole

 It’s that time again. The weather has turned cooler, the leaves are changing color, the nights are shrouded in mist as the scent of hearth smoke lingers on the air. It’s Autumn. More importantly; it’s All Hallows, Samhain, Halloween! All around us images of devils, demons, goblins, and monsters appear as decoration. People dress up as these fearsome creatures with the intention of scaring others all in the name of fun. Horror movies, haunted attractions, and ghost tours/hunts are at an all time high during this time of year as the Western world (mostly) turns its thoughts to the topic of Death and all the trappings that come along with it.

 Witches with green skin and warts, ghosts made of cut out sheets, and black cats arching their backs against an orange Halloween moon abound in popular culture and most modern witches delight in this imagery! They embrace it wholeheartedly, they swim around in it until they become all pruny, though it is most often approached as tongue-in-cheek; something goofy or silly. A means of embracing the spirit of modern Halloween and “taking back” what is usually considered an unflattering image of witches and witchcraft. Movies with a horror or supernatural theme flood the market, they have become standards this time of year, and yet these images are not embraced as being anything more than that: horror movie icons or Halloween stereotypes.

 While there is always an exception to every rule I have encountered a lot of resistance to anything considered “new” within the pagan community. If it is something related to modern pop culture or typical Halloween imagery forget about it! It might be fun, it might be amusing, but it is rarely, if ever, sacred. I have to wonder why when there are so many figures in modern pop culture that personify the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve; the act of honoring the dead and the ancestors.  

 My personal favorite is the figure of Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmas. I know I know, it’s trite, but who doesn’t love Jack Skellington or The Nightmare Before Christmas? He is more than just a figure in an animated movie about Halloween, however. I can see the shadows of All Hallow’s past in his character and I have come to embrace the figure as part of my personal All Hallow’s observations.

 Modern trick or treating has its origins in stories of goblins, devils, and faeries that would roam the Earth on All Hallow’s; for me Jack Skellington is the personification of that. He is a supernatural being that lives beyond the veil (well, what would you call it?), he embodies the spirit of All Hallow’s/Halloween/Samhain (that’s kind of what he does), and let us not forget he is also a walking skeleton and thus is tied to the realm of the dead. This made him a natural, instinctive, addition to my personal All Hallow’s/Samhain decorations and yes, that includes my altar, the heart of my sacred practice. Though not steeped in history and old world tradition his visage is no less welcome or sacred. For me it makes total sense. He is the modern day representation of the Spirit of Halloween and the Dead however striped and adorable he may be.

 I’m not saying you need to run out and slap a statue of Michael Meyers on your altar or invoke Freddy Kruger at your Samhain ritual by any means. But why not take a moment and look at those elements of the season that you typically only view as “fun” and “campy”. If you have children this can be particularly fun and is an excellent way to involve them in your rituals and observances. 

 Whether is because you have children, or simply wish to embrace your inner child, look around this Samhain and see if you can’t find the sacred in the silly.
C.L. (Ciel) Luciole spent a big portion of her childhood trying to understand why the Catholics of her community kept telling her magic was evil when such wonders could only be a gift from God, right? As a young teenager she picked up a copy of The Spiral Dance by Starhawk and knew instantly that she had found what she was looking for. She has walked the path of the Witch ever since. She spent two decades studying various traditions of paganism and witchcraft and, finding none that truly spoke to her heart, finally decided to take her accumulated knowledge and start her own tradition and the Covenant of the Starspun Grove and The Starspun Path was born. She is now the Priestess of a thriving coven and community group in her area of Northeast Ohio and is committed to serving her community to the very best of her ability. That typically comes with a healthy dose of brutal honesty and plenty of sass and is known in her community for her irreverent nature.
Visit C.L. and the others of her tribe at; The Coven of Misfit Witches 


Today's Recipe: Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Cream
Paula Lupi

 I don’t know what it is but this year I can’t seem to get enough of grilled pineapple. Anytime that Pete is going to be grilling chicken for dinner he knows that I will also enjoy sweet grilled pineapple with it. You will want to plan one day ahead when you are wanting to enjoy this treat.

 Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Cream
The Real Paleo Diet Cookbook

 Chill: 24 hours Prep: 20 minutes Grill: 6 minutes Makes: 4 servings

 1 13.5-ounce can natural full-fat coconut milk
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into four 1-inch rings
Fresh lime juice
Snipped fresh mint and mint sprigs (optional)
1. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk upside down for at least 1 day before you plan to serve this dish.
2. For a charcoal or gas grill, place pineapple rings on a grill rack directly over medium heat (225° to 275°F). Grill for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly charred, turning once halfway through cooking. Transfer pineapple to a platter. Drizzle lime juice over pineapple.
3. For coconut cream, turn the chilled can of coconut milk right side up and open the can. Pour off the liquid portion of the coconut milk, reserving it to use in smoothies or sauces. Transfer the coconut milk solids to a deep mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Serve the pineapple with a spoonful of coconut cream. If desired, sprinkle with snipped  fresh mint and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Paula Lupi does what she can to keep herself and family healthy. One of the steps towards that was eating more in the Paleo side of choices. While integrating these changes into every day meals Paula also learned that she has a gluten sensitivity.  She is a mother of three, but two are now out of the house, and a wife and partner to her husband of 27 years.
Paula enjoys spending time outdoors with Mother Nature, her hands in the dirt, and sweet talking the herbs and vegetable to grow healthy for the table.
She has two Boxers – Izzy and Vino, a polydactyl cat – Scrunch, two lizards – Ford and Karma, and her Chilean Rose Tarantula – Morticia.


Today's Giveaway from BaubleSmith

For this giveaway, I wanted to pick something that was near and dear to my heart. This pendant is a design based on a tutorial created by Nicole Hanna. Nicole has some really wonderful pieces and offers a wide selection of tutorials for those interested in learning wire weaving.
Lapis Lazuli Copper Owl By Renee Sosanna Olson
Tutorial by Nicole Hanna

 This piece is a lovely owl with lapis lazuli eyes. Copper is a metal with a long history of healing properties and lapis lazuli is said to promote critical thinking, intellectual analysis and problem solving. Combined with the owl, known for wisdom and intuitive knowledge this pendant is an excellent piece for those working as a care taker, writer or even someone working in the computer industry. Aside from being one of my favorite animals, stones and metals this piece has the distinction as also being one of my favorite of Nicole's tutorials. I made quite a few of these little guys and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Now I hope this little guys flies his way into your heart as well.

 Thanks so much for coming to visit BaubleSmith and remember to use your coupon code Samhain17 for a 25% discount on all your orders!
Here's how to enter:

US Residents
First entry:  
Go to the Baublesmith.com site, peruse the amazing creations, come back here and tell us which is your favorite in the comments.

Second entry: 
Share this giveaway on your Facebook page (note: Facebook in no way endorses our giveaways). Come back, tell us you did in the comments (share the link, please).

Third entry: 
Share this giveaway on Twitter or Instagram (your choice). Come back, post the link to your share in the comments.

Fourth entry: 
Like the Baublesmith Facebook page. Leave a comment on the Facebook page telling them you're visiting from Samhain's Sirens. Come back here, and let us know you did.

Fifth entry: 
Like the Samhain's Sirens Facebook page. Leave us a comment below letting us know you're a follower (hint: this is going to be a gimme if you do it now or if you've done it in the past. It'll be one of the entries for all of our giveaways).


Canadian Residents
For 5 entries, please correctly answer the following question in the comments section:

  The Winnipeg river rises in this U.S.-Canada lake, and empties into Lake Winnipeg. Which lake is it?

You have until 11:59pm EDT  today to enter this giveaway. Winner will be announced in tomorrow's post.

Entries submitted without email addresses or past the deadlines will be considered invalid. Canadian residents: you must answer the question correctly to be entered. 


See you tomorrow for more Sireny fun!
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Happy Monday, Siren-lovers! We are back again with more fun for you this week.




Before we move into new business, we need to announce the winner of Friday's  Bodycare Giveaway from Tree of Life Apothecary. Without further adieu, here is our winner:


Debbie Becker!

Congratulations! Please be sure to send your mailing address to kallan.kennedy@gmail.com within the next 48 hours, so Dawn can get it to you.
Now, onto today's celebratory fun!

Today's Music

We can't help but love this classic song. Perfect for the season of death.


Using Herbs For Samhain

by Jennifer Hodgson

During the year for each Sabbat I like to use different herbs for my candles, my altar and even for incense blends. I wanted to share some herbs with you that you might consider using at Samhain.
Apples: This time of the year apples are a great way to use as an offering to ancestors, or use them at your altar. My friend, Jo Morris, every year when she visits the graveyard she brings apple slices with her and she leaves them as an offering to the graves that doesn’t have flowers or even just seems forgotten. I think it’s a beautiful ritual that she does.

 Marigold: When I think of marigolds I think of the summer but also the beautiful colors of fall and it just makes your altar very pretty and you can also put them at the base of your candle.

 Mugwort is great for many things, in soaps, smudging, offerings, around candles and I am sure any other way that you feel to use this.

 Damiana: I love to use this herb the time, it can be used as an offering, it can be used as an incense and you can smoke this although I have not used this in this manner. For more information about this herb watch the Witchy Mommy on Youtube, (Feather GardenBelle).

 Bay Leaf: I love using this herb, this is another one that I use a lot in my practice. Writing down intentions, writing down things that I want to release.

 Another thing that I like to do now of the year is to look through my memories jar and remember all the things I did during the year. All the vacations or events I went to and just reflect upon those things and think about what I want to do in the following year.

 I will also think about the things I did with my loved ones and spend time with them at the altar. I bring in flowers or something else that reminds me of them. For my mom and my grandma, I have roses. Roses were their favorite flower.

 I think it’s very important to honor those who have already gone before us even though we may not know who they are by name or how they left this world. Even if they are not related, they are still important and need to know that someone cares.

 Whatever you decide to do for Samhain, thank those who has touched our lives in some way and for those who feel they are forgotten let them know that they aren’t alone. 

Jenn has been interested in the craft for many years, even before she knew what to even call herself or what she believed. She is the daughter of the Morrigan and also works with Bridget and Danu.
Currently Jenn is studying astrology, herbs and I ching. Jenn is a past life practitioner, reiki master, author, paranormal investigator, intuitive, oracle card reader and business owner.

 In her spare time you will find her reading, spending time outside, with friends or traveling around the world. The most current locations are Scotland and Ireland.
Jenn currently lives in Indiana with her husband and furbabies. She is also the mother of two girls and four grandchildren.

 For more information about Jenn you can connect with her at the following:
www.hodgsonbooks.com
www.professionalparanormalinvestigations.com

Today's Recipe: Pumpkin Waffles 

submitted by Paula Lupi

 Since now is the time where all things pumpkin make an appearance in stores and at your local barista, I decided I would add to the collection one of my favorite types of waffles.

 Pumpkin Waffles
The Paleo Kitchen

 Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Makes: 5 Belgian waffles or 10 standard waffles

 2 large bananas
½ cup pumpkin puree
5 large eggs
½ cup almond butter
¼ cup melted coconut oil, plus more to grease waffle iron
½ cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine-grain sea salt
Maple syrup, for serving

 1. Preheat the waffle iron.
2. Combine the bananas, pumpkin puree, eggs, almond butter, and coconut oil in a food processor or blender and process until the bananas are well blended with the other ingredients. Once smooth, add the coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and salt and blend until well mixed.
3. Lightly brush the waffle iron with melted coconut oil. Ladle the batter into the preheated and greased waffle iron and spread it evenly across the surface, leaving a ½-inch border (the batter will spread when you close the lid). Cook and set aside on a plate and keep warm while you cook the remaining waffles.

Paula Lupi does what she can to keep herself and family healthy. One of the steps towards that was eating more in the Paleo side of choices. While integrating these changes into every day meals Paula also learned that she has a gluten sensitivity.  She is a mother of three, but two are now out of the house, and a wife and partner to her husband of 27 years.
Paula enjoys spending time outdoors with Mother Nature, her hands in the dirt, and sweet talking the herbs and vegetable to grow healthy for the table.
She has two Boxers – Izzy and Vino, a polydactyl cat – Scrunch, two lizards – Ford and Karma, and her Chilean Rose Tarantula – Morticia.

Today's Giveaway from Baublesmith
This giveaway is for a cold cast bronze and moonstone pendant.  Cost cast is a way of creating metal pendants by mixing a metal alloy powder with a high quality polymer resin.  The two bond together creating a lovely metal finish.  The fluidity of the initial casting medium glides effortlessly into a poured silicon mold of a lovely siren.  Her hands placed on her head and a bright rainbow moonstone graces her belly.  She was hand carved by Renee Sosanna Olson and set for a limited count casting.  


Here's how to enter:

US Residents
First entry:  
Go to the Baublesmith.com site, peruse the amazing creations, come back here and tell us which is your favorite in the comments.

Second entry: 
Share this giveaway on your Facebook page (note: Facebook in no way endorses our giveaways). Come back, tell us you did in the comments (share the link, please).

Third entry: 
Share this giveaway on Twitter or Instagram (your choice). Come back, post the link to your share in the comments.

Fourth entry: 
Like the Baublesmith Facebook page. Leave a comment on the Facebook page telling them you're visiting from Samhain's Sirens. Come back here, and let us know you did.

Fifth entry: 
Like the Samhain's Sirens Facebook page. Leave us a comment below letting us know you're a follower (hint: this is going to be a gimme if you do it now or if you've done it in the past. It'll be one of the entries for all of our giveaways).


Canadian Residents
For 5 entries, please correctly answer the following question in the comments section:

  Which of these is the national animal of Canada?

Fox, Beaver, Lynx, Bear



You have until 11:59pm EDT  today to enter this giveaway. Winner will be announced in tomorrow's post.

Entries submitted without email addresses or past the deadlines will be considered invalid. Canadian residents: you must answer the question correctly to be entered. 
See you tomorrow for more Sireny fun!
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