Samhain's Sirens: Day, 16, October 18 Crafty Witches Day!

#Contest, #Giveaway, #Halloween, #Pagan, #Samhain

WOOHOO!! Happy Friday everyone!

Are you ready for a great craft and giveaway?
Check out Autumn's DELICIOUS recipe and of course, Kestril's great music selection!
Remember, you'll have until Monday to enter this and tomorrow's giveaways. Enjoy your weekend!

Just a quick housekeeping note: I had to disqualify three people yesterday from the giveaway because they did not provide us with email addresses, either in the comments section or in email. By law, I cannot just notify you via the blog, and I cannot notify you through Facebook. I must email you. Please be sure to do that going forward. I hate seeing people put all of that effort into the contest, only to be disqualified for such a small but critical thing.

Today, we honor Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek of the Doors

Today's Forget-Me-Not is up on The Secret Life of The American Witch. Each week of the Samhain season, Kallan has been honoring a Pagan who has passed through the veil to the other side. She is opening up Friday, November 1 (Samhain) to the rest of the Pagan community to honor your loved ones. If you would like to have someone who has crossed over honored, please email her with the name(s), whatever tribute you'd like made, and a photo (optional) by October 28.

Tattered Webs

By Robyn Chausse

Weave a veil of lacey webs! Caution: The meditative nature of this craft can make it difficult to stop weaving!

Craft Materials

Small spool of thread or embroidery floss
Scissors
Glue stick/pen (optional)
A supportive structure on which to build your web--this could be a clothes hanger, an empty frame, a “Y” shaped branch or the four legs of an upturned chair.

Craft Steps

Choose a support structure
Basically, anything you can use to suspend your web threads will work as a support for your web.

Create your frame threads if needed
You will need at least three frame lines or borders within which to build your orb web. If you are using a support structure with fewer than three sides simply tie a line with your thread to create the needed frame. These frame treads will become part of your design.

Create your bridge and radius threads
The bridge threads determine the radius of your web. Begin with a “Y” shape by tying one end of your thread to a starting point. Pull it across to the opposite side of what will be your web and tie a knot, but do not cut the thread. Pull the tread back to the middle of this line and tie a knot, then bring the thread down to the third point and knot. Bring the thread back to center.

Continue going around in the same manner to fill in the radius of your web. When the radius is complete, tie a knot at the center but do not cut your thread.
(All knots should be double knots)

Capture Line
Choose a spot on one of your radius lines close to the center of your web and tie a knot. Again, do not cut your thread. From here you will bring your thread around in a spiral, tying a knot at each line. If your knots slide, try dabbing them with a glue stick—that should provide enough tack to make them stay in place.

Remove your web by cutting the threads to your support structure. Be sure that the knot you created remains with the web. At this point you might want to dab the outer knots with a glue pen to insure your web stays intact, or leave them free to slide a bit for a more tattered look.

Connect your webs
Lay out all the webs and arrange them into a pattern. At the points where they meet, use the loose ends to tie the webs together. Leave the remaining ends as is or connect them with additional lengths of thread.

Enjoy!
Lay your veil on top of a solid color cloth for a pretty table runner, hang it over a mirror, or attach it to a hat brim.

Tips:

The busier your web becomes the easier it is to loose track of your knots. The best way to keep track while creating working on your capture thread is to get a rhythm going--go over your radius line, around it and back up to make a loop, then through the loop (over, around, up, and through).

Add an interesting twist by creating a second capture line in a different color.

The closer together and more taught you make your threads determines the look of your final piece. If you want the traditional web look, make the threads tight and precise. Less taught threads and slippery knots create a more open, loopy look—like an old, tattered web.

There is no “right” way to make a web-- each one will be unique, so if the cat steals your spool or you drop a stitch don’t fret. The end result may be more beautiful than you originally intended.

Celebrate your creative spirit with Robyn at Musiddity.com.

Oven Baked Squash

1 - 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon anise seed

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/spray a 2-qt baking dish.

Place squash cubes into a buttered 2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper, cardamom, anise seed, and brown sugar. Drizzle the melted butter and lemon juice over the top; toss to coat well.

Bake, uncovered, at 350* oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is to desired tenderness.

Blessings

Autumn

You can visit Autumn's blog at My Moonlit Path and her shop at Verbena Lane Botanicals!

Today's giveaway comes from Robyn's Shop, Creations by RLC!

Red Flight” Bracelet

Bats take to flight as a red moon rises. Handmade, one of a kind bracelet features original artwork set in resin. Measures 7”. Beaded elastic at back allows a bit of stretch for slipping it on.

Retail Value: $15

Here’s how to enter: You have until 6am EDT Monday to enter. 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 on the October 21st blog post at 9am EDT.

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 :)

You MUST provide a valid email address to enter the contest.

1. Go to Creations by RLC . Find your favorite item, come back here, and tell us about it in the comment section. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway (make sure you link back here), come back and leave us a link to your blog. (1 entry)

3. Tweet about this giveaway (link to us, please), come back, and leave us a link to your tweet (1 entry)

4. Be a follower of this blog, Samhain's Sirens (1 entry)

5. Like Samhains Sirens on Facebook (1 entry)

Note: If you want your entries to count as separate entries, you must post them separately. If you post 1 comment with all of these on it, it will only count as 1 entry.

Canadian residents, by law, instead of the above, you must answer the following question to be eligible:

What is 100 +1 ?

What's cool about being a Canadian? You automatically get 5 entries per giveaway for just answering 1 question! Remember, you still have to give us a valid email address J