Samhain's Sirens Day 2, October 2

Welcome back to Day 2 of our Samhain Celebration! We're thrilled to have you join us!

We have great music, blogging and giveaways for you today!
Remember, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to Serena via email or use the contact form at the top of the page.

For those of you entering the giveaways, please read the instructions carefully. By law, we must contact the winner by email. Just announcing it in the blog is not sufficient. We do not want to have to disqualify anyone from participation, so please be sure to give us your email address. If you're not comfortable posting it publicly (which is completely understandable), please send it to us via samhainssirens@gmail.com . Make sure you tell us what name you used in the comments section so we can connect your email properly. Thank you!

Let's get right to the fun, and start you off with a song.

Today's dedication is to "Old Blue Eyes", Frank Sinatra.

Be sure to check out our YouTube Channel for more musical tributes and fun!

Our blog today comes from Adelina at Mid-Stride Moxie - Be sure to head over there and show her some love.
A little about her:

My name is Lina and I am a 48 year old, eclectic, American Witch and eternal seeker. I am a true ‘Jersey Girl’ and I live and breathe the no-nonsense attitude of my beloved home state. I married my loving hubby, Sean, three years ago –proving it’s NEVER too late for love!  I am Childfree-by-choice but I am a devoted furry mom to Baby, my cat. I am an intuitive, a teacher/advisor, a writer and aspiring mixed-media artist. I love Dia de los Muertos art and culture, tattoos, the shore, vintage and retro everything, Lord of the Rings and other assorted geekery.  Above all I live to help others find their voice, their power and their true path. As I move toward my Crone years I’m having more fun than ever before!

Now, on to her contribution:

Creating the Ancestral Altar

At Samhain, one of my favorite traditions is that we honor the Ancestors who have passed on before us. We create rituals and celebrations to welcome their visit with us for this one special evening as the veil grows thin between the world of the living and the dead.  It is a powerful spiritual act to create sacred space for them with an altar for the dead. This is a tradition that has been observed most notably for the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos. However, cultures all around the world have created shrines and altars in the homes for the veneration of their Ancestors and loved ones who are beyond the Veil.

Many believe that if they don’t have anyone significant to them in their family that has passed, that they can’t create an Ancestral Altar. This is simply not true. An altar can be created to anyone has passed on that has had a direct influence on you that you wish to honor. Friends, neighbors, teachers, authors, artists, or actors/actresses that have inspired you in your life are wonderful subjects for an Ancestral Altar. For example-Hollywood Forever cemetery in California is well known for its yearly Samhain altars created by fans that are dedicated to the beloved stage and screen stars from long ago buried there. Some altars are temporary and are only put up around Samhain while others can be made as permanent displays in the home.  I am working on one now that will honor my beloved Mom and Dad who passed away this past year. For me, it will be a permanent part of my home, but will be center stage on my Samhain altar.

Photo Credit - Adelina Soto Thomas

So what are the essentials for an altar? How you choose to create an altar is as individual as you and your Ancestors are. Let me begin by saying that you can create an altar without buying anything. All you need are your intentions and whatever you have. Some of my more crafty friends can create some wonderful elements to use for an altar with just the things they already have. If you choose to make it elaborate or can afford to dress it up then go for it! But please don’t feel that because money is tight, that you can’t create an altar. This is all about how you honor those who came before you and they have all had their own struggles in this life. They know what is in your heart as you choose to honor them.

First-you need a dedicated space. This can be a small area on a bookshelf, corner or a table that doesn't get disturbed. Putting an altar on a kitchen table where you need to frequently move it over is not a good idea. It also fails to treat the altar with the respect it needs to be considered sacred space. My Samhain altar usually goes up in the beginning of October and will stay up for about a month. I know others that do not put them up until Samhain and only leave them up for three days. The choice is yours. Second-you need something to represent the ancestor you are honoring. If you do not have a photo, don’t worry. Find an item that will symbolically represent that person. A pen, figurine, book,  or just write their name and dates of birth/death on something…it can be anything as long as it represents that person to you.

Now we consider the offerings. These are the items placed on the altar that can represent the Elements as well as the things our ancestors enjoyed in life. For example, get little containers to hold some earth and water. You can use little bowls or even shot glasses. Water is said to quench the thirst of the spirits after their journey from beyond the veil back to us. Some have used a bottle of their loved one’s favorite alcohol to represent water and others use a cup of coffee or tea.  Another offering should contain some earth. If you can get a little from the actual graveyard, wonderful, but otherwise some sand, a rock, stone or brick are good, too. I will collect the dirt from garden of my parent’s house and that will be my earth offering. Another earth element is food. You can put some bread, cookies, cake, fruit, candy or other food items that the ancestors loved as offerings for them. Samhain is about them coming to enjoy the essence of the offerings. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel like you need to put a particular item on the altar-like chocolate…they will let you know what they want!

For the Fire element, a small candle or some incense will suffice. *IMPORTANT!!! Do NOT leave any candles burning unattended on your altars. Those of us with pets also know that even if you are in the room they can knock things over. Please make sure any candles are steady and secured and only light them when you are present. The element of air can be represented by any light papers like the Mexican ‘papel picado’.  I found it simpler to use feathers. Flowers are always colorful offerings to put on an altar. In Mexico, you can see tons of bright marigolds that are used to decorate altars and cemeteries. They are symbolic of the sweetness of life. Last year, money was tight for me…so I made flowers out of colored napkins. Spray a little scent from anything you like (or more important, that THEY liked) on them and the scent on the air will draw the Ancestors to it. What some consider most essential to any altar is a skull or skeleton. I love have several sugar skull figurines in my home, so for me it is easy to come by and place on an altar. However, this is your altar for the Ancestor you want to honor. You decide what works for you and for them.
So, what else can an altar have as an offering? Anything you want! It can be as simple as a photo, stone, glass of water and an incense stick and be a perfect altar. It can be an elaborate 3 or 4 tiered creation that takes up and entire wall of a room. Was the Ancestor an avid reader? Put their favorite book on the altar. Is there a movie that changed your life? Put the DVD on the altar. Decorate the altar with pumpkins, nuts, leaves and other elements of the changing seasons. Was the Ancestor a smoker? Place tobacco on the altar. This is not a politically correct altar…it is not for the public judgment or consumption. This is a gift from you to the Ancestors…so give them what they enjoyed! For animal lovers, place little pictures or figurines of their favorite pets. Oh yes, pets do belong on Samhain altars. Last year I had the photo of my first cat and sadly, this year my second cat will be on the altar as well. But as my beloved pets are an important part of my life, I want to honor them as well.

What do you do once you have created an Ancestral Altar? Sit…reflect…Give Thanks. Play some of their favorite music and make it a party! Meditate on the Ancestors you have chosen to honor this way.  Talk to them and they will hear you. Tell them you miss them, talk to them about your troubles, share with them your hopes and dreams, or talk about the good old days. If you need to, you can also ask their forgiveness or express any regrets. But do so and then remember that this is a celebration…a reunion…a time for the Ancestors and you to be together again! You can do magickal workings and ask that the Ancestors assist you. Or simply have special items present and ask the Ancestors to bless and charge them for your use and protection in the coming year. Do Tarot or other readings and ask for the guidance of the Ancestors and they will provide it. The Ancestors come to feel part of this world again…and they enjoy being able to help us when we ask them.

Above all, love and honor the memory of the beloved one’s who have passed before us. They have helped to create the person you are now. They were present in your life and now are beyond the Veil in death. Speak, pray, laugh, reflect on all that they have done to enrich your life. Then when it is done…wish them well…blow them a kiss and say, “Thank you for coming…Same time, next year…”

Blessings,
Adelina

Our recipe Siren, Autumn Earthsong, has a wonderfully delicious treat for you today!

Oatmeal Sunflower Bread Machine Bread

*2 lb recipe

**Be sure to follow your bread machine instructions for temperature of water, order of ingredients etc.

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup honey

2 TB butter, softened

4 cups bread flour

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

2 TB dry milk

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp. bread machine or active dry yeast

2/3 cup sunflower nuts

Photo Credit - Autumn Earthsong

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except nuts in bread machine pan in the order recommended by your bread machine.  Add nuts at the Raisin/Nut signal

Select Basic/White cycle.  Use Medium or Light crust color.  Do NOT use delay cycle.  Remove baked bread from pan and cool on a wire rack.

*Optional...as soon as the bread comes out to cool.  Brush melted butter on top and sprinkle with oatmeal.  Looks really pretty and yummy! 

Blessings
Autumn Earthsong

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

We have two more giveaways for you today! 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 :)

Giveaway #1: Four hand-crafted items from Leave them In Stitches

A little about the owner, Jennifer Rasmussen:

I am a seeker of all things knowable.  I started this path 23 years ago but lost my way for a long time.  One day, I looked in the mirror and hated who I saw.  It was then that I vowed to return to who I knew deep in my soul I was: a witch.  Step by step, I have left the broom closet and refuse to look back.  I am the mother of an amazing almost 18 year-old and Nana to 3 thanks to my middle stepdaughter.  I love children and animals and actually prefer them to most people I meet!  My dream is to have a homestead of my own one day where I can teach my grandchildren, nieces, and nephew to love the Earth, nature, and self-sufficiency.  I tend to love things others consider ‘dark’ or ‘gothic’ as they speak to my soul.

I am also a certified secondary education teacher (scary, isn’t it?).  I have a BA in History, a MS in Criminal Justice, and am almost finished with my MA in Teaching – Secondary Education.  I am a bibliophile and prefer the printed book to electronic versions.  There is just something about the sound of a cracking spine (of the book, silly!), the feel of the pages, and the smell of the paper that sends me to another world.  There is so much more to know about me, which I share over at All I Can Do is Write It in a Blog .  I am humbled and honored to be a Siren.

And, here's what you'll receive if you win!

Giveaway #1, Part 2: Card set from Saga's Cottage
Meet Loren, owner of Saga's Cotage!

Loren is one of the Sirens Administrators, as well as a contributor to the fun.
Mom of 3, grandmother to 1. Loren likes to paint things that interest her, which includes Pagan and Halloween art. Her favorite style is folksy. Her black cat, Kissy, is her art familiar, staring at her for long periods to convey what he would like to see in her art, which would be himself. Loren is also trying to make her entire home into a giant mural.
Her blog: Saga's Cottage
Her Shop: Saga's Cottage
Her Facebook Page

In addition to the lovely stitchworks, you'll also receive a set of Loren's prints made into cards, a 9.00 value:

How to Enter this giveaway:

You have until 6am EDT tomorrow to enter. Winner will be emailed and an announcement will be made on the blog at 9am EDT.

You MUST provide a valid email address to enter the contest.
(if you are not comfortable posting your email address here, please send it to samhainssirens@gmail.com and  be sure to include the name you use in the comments so we'll know who to match it with)

1. Go to Leave Them In Stitches. Find your favorite stitch-work, come back and comment on it here (1 entry)

2. Like the Leave Them in Stitches Facebook page. Come back and tell us you did that (1 entry)

3. Go to Saga's Cottage. Find something you like, come back and tell us about it here. (1 entry)

4. Like Saga's Cottage on Facebook. Tell us you did that :) (1 entry)

5.  Blog about this giveaway (make sure you link back here), come back and leave us a link to your blog. You do not have to make separate blog entries for these giveaways. (1 entry)

6. Tweet about this giveaway (link to us, please), come back, and leave us a link to your tweet (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 three 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 3+4?

What's cool about being a Canadian? You automatically get 6 entries for just answering 1 question! :)



Giveaway #2: There will be 3 winners chosen for this one! Author Wendy Callahan is giving away 3 e-book copies of her work, "The Gossamer Gate".

A little about Wendy:

Wendy is an urban and steampunk fantasy author, Pagan writer, and co-host for Sounds of Steam. In her mundane existence, she is a homeschooling mom and genealogist from Massachusetts, living in Nebraska with her husband, son and daughter, black-headed caique, and three cats.

She is a priestess of Green/Hedge Witchcraft who has been practicing since 1984. As former High Priestess to a coven on the east coast, she passed on the knowledge received in her many years of study and training, synthesizing it into a new tradition.

Her writing has been featured in "Witches & Pagans" (f.k.a. "newWitch"), "The Beltane Papers", "If... A Journal of Spiritual Exploration" (f.k.a. "PagaNet News"), and many other publications. She specializes in and teaches workshops on meditation and pathworking, as well as her tradition of Green Witchcraft.


How to Enter this giveaway:

You have until 6am EDT tomorrow to enter. Winner will be emailed and an announcement will be made on the blog at 9am EDT.

You MUST provide a valid email address to enter the contest.
(if you are not comfortable posting your email address here, please send it to samhainssirens@gmail.com and  be sure to include the name you use in the comments so we'll know who to match it with)
1. Go to WendylCallahan.com. Peruse her works, come back and tell us which one you'd most like to read. (1 entry)

2. Like Wendy's Author Page on Facebook. Don't forget to come back and tell us you did! (1 entry)

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

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

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

6. 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 three 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 4+4?

What's cool about being a Canadian? You automatically get 6 entries  for just answering 1 question! :)

Here's what you've been waiting for!

October 1, Winner of Giveaway #1: Blog Makeover by PIP Designs

Wandering Gypsie!!!

October 1, Winner of Giveaway #2: Book of Shadows by LaPulia Studio, Inc.

Janille McGee!!!

Check back tomorrow to see who won today's giveaways and for all of our Samhain fun! See you then!