5 Crystals Children Love

Kids love crystals. 

Every public or family friendly event I've read tarot at I've set up my table with all of its witchy decor including plenty of crystals. Not long after the guests arrive, kids are drawn in by the crystals. I adore how entranced they are by the stones, holding them in their little hands like excavated treasures. They ask, with awed voices, "What stone is this?" I tell them and their eyes widen as the knowledge seeps in. They show it to their family and tell them the name, whispered or shouted but both with a tone as if they are sharing an amazing secret.
As the season of gift-giving comes closer and closer and families wonder what to get their kids or young relatives or friends, I would like to suggest the not-so-humble crystal. These stones are perfect gifts for anyone whether its a child that loves to learn, a family that is spiritually driven, and parents, whether they are worried about electronics or not, will most likely approve of this sort of present for their child.
My friend Alisha gives gifts of stones to her nephews and niece for their birthdays. A small pouch of stones lovingly chosen to help them with whatever they are going through that year is received with grins and placed reverently beside their bed at the end of the day to dream upon.

Learn how geodes are created at
How Its Made

Geodes

My friend Valesa gifts these pieces of magic to her children on their birthday. They hurriedly take them to the garage where they are handed a hammer (an added bones to the birthday excitement) and set free to crack open their rocks. Once they break in, they are thrilled by the tiny crystals growing inside what otherwise looks like an ordinary rock.
Geodes contain not only shiny stones but also lessons about not judging based on the exterior and excavating the treasures within. In the movie, Whisper of the Heart, ---, the little girl the film focuses on, is gifted a geode and told that, like the gems within, her talents are waiting to be discovered, pulled out, and polished up.
These stones are a magic trick waiting to be discovered by children.

Quartz

Not only are these stones perfect for just about any metaphysical need, quartz are well loved by children. Looking like ice they can keep or diamonds with less cost involved, I've seen children form whole fantasy games around a quartz crystal. When handed a piece of quartz the stone's magic is immediately sensed and the child becomes a knight chosen to protect the kingdom with this artifact or a wizard or witch with ancient powers locked within the stone.

Amethyst

Much like clear quartz, amethysts are often loved by children for their gem-like beauty. These stones are loved not only for their unique color (which can make them even more valued in fantasy play) but also for the feeling it gives to perceptive children.
Amethysts help drive away nightmares and anxieties from a troubled child's mind when placed near the bed at night. It is a stone of psychic protection and sobriety - an excellent choice for a child that is bothered or hyperactive.

Pyrite

Fool's Gold is a loved gift for children. It can play a role in any imagination game as gold treasure either kept in a secret pirate chest or mined from caves by cowboys.
Pyrite also has protective and grounding qualities.

Fluorite, Rainbow

Coming in various colors ranging from green-yellow to purple-blue, flourite is a great choice for children, even those that change their favorite color every day. Stones that show the variety of color all at once can be especially mesmerizing for children.
A really cool gift idea for kids who like stones or are collecting stones is to buy a combined crystal. Aforementioned pyrite is often found in beautiful matrices with fluorite.

Bonus:

Birthstones are also a fantastic gift to kids. Many will scoff at the idea, thinking of modern day birthstones that include diamonds and sapphires that would be inappropriate for young people. However, metaphysical or traditional birthstones aren't so precious. Below is a list of various stones to choose from based on month and zodiac sign.

Where can you find these crystals? 

Online is, of course, super easy with stones sold on eBay, Amazon, Etsy, and specialty shops. Many towns and cities may also have a rock shop in their area that not only carries the stones listed here but local stones that can also be added to the collection for kids or adults that want to learn about their area's finds.
When I go to my local rock shop, I almost always see a child there, in awe of the stones and crystals and excited to fill a little pouch full of the smaller stones all of their choosing. These are treasure to them. I've even come upon a few children who told me the uses of these stones with witchy mama in tow smiling somewhat apologetically until I assure her that the conversation was enlightening, not annoying.

Stones Can Come in Various Forms

Pendulum by Terrestrials

Don't worry too much about finding stones unpolished and singular. Stones in jewelry or put in or made into other items can also make lovely gifts. Treasure boxes set with stones are very loved by most kids. Older children in spiritual or pagan homes might also enjoy a gift of a wand set with a crystal or a pendulum.

New Site Coming Soon

Working on revamping Terrestrials as my husband, Damon the Piscean Blacksmith, is coming on board and working with me!
We will reveal the new look and new products January 2017! This little friend of ours will give you a taste of things to come.

Thanksgiving: Unmasking the Pilgrim Narrative

As we enter into the month of November, in the United States we are inundated with the beginning of the Holiday consumerism season with commercials, store displays, radio ads, people on roadsides flipping signs, and more all about Thanksgiving.
I didn't think much about it before - I saw it as a day full of family obligations, food preparation and eating, a parade on television, and the pre-Christmas stress starter. Now that I am a parent, I find myself thinking hard about holidays, family traditions, national traditions, and why it is we do what we do all in preparations for that fateful day when my son will ask me "Why?" - Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
With this in mind, I was intrigued when I read some of the following articles. Please be sure to read them even if you are busy, save them for later and actually read and think about some of these things. I'll wait here for when you're done ;)

Tell Kids the Truth About Thanksgiving by Elizabeth Broadbent for Scary Mommy

Happy Thanksgiving? by Galina Krasskova for Pantheos

Thanksgiving – Gratitude, Family, & Citizenship – Apaturia by Cara Shulz

What the three articles have in common is a message that has been on my mind a lot lately - How can we celebrate holidays that further racism against Native Americans? With all the conflict at Standing Rock, this has been on the minds of many within my circle.
How will I explain Thanksgiving to my son, when the time comes that he is more interested in the Why behind Turkey Day? How will I express Thanksgiving history to him?
I have some time to think about and prepare for this but I know what I will not do - I have no intention of putting a headband on him with a plastic feather, giving him worksheets or story books depicting all Native Americans as the same culture group who all dress like characters out of the Lone Ranger, and who were just dark skin chums with the Pilgrims.

I remember being in a play in 2nd grade depicting the First Thanksgiving. I was a Pilgrim girl who was supposed to act super excited about the invention of popcorn. I was not thrilled about it as I wanted to be an Indian girl but there were no Indian girl parts in the play - only two boy roles. So i pouted over my rag doll and ate popcorn and posed for pictures, saving my budding-feminist arguments for the ride home from school.
It wasn't until later that evening, looking into one of my encyclopedia books, that I realized that the Indians in the play didn't look at all like those in the First Thanksgiving paintings and descriptions. I shared all the discrepancies with my family, who by this time was used to me being a know-it-all and listened without much input. My mother did point out that this was a lot of information to try and share in a twenty minute skit. I was not satisfied. All the stuff I had just read about the actual foods that would have been eaten, the hardships, and the racial tension, was to me far more interesting than trying to pretend to be excited about popcorn.

With this in mind, I will try and share that enthusiasm for Real, Honest information with my son. If he isn't old enough to learn about the genocide of a whole group of people, of the prejudice against them and their cultures that we are still sadly dealing with today - then we will focus on learning about local Native groups, their cultures, their real identities - not ubiquitous teepees and feathered headbands donned while offering a cooked turkey and popcorn.

What do you teach your children about Thanksgiving?

Do you have any curriculum, activities, books, or other resources that aren't based on racial stereotypes or a mythological story? Please share them in the comments below!

Call for Submissions for a Pagan Devotional Anthology

FRIGGA DEVOTIONAL CFS

Calling all who honor the Queen of Asgard. Seeking prayers, rituals, recipes, poetry, essays, tales of encounters, stories, and fiber craft tutorials created for or inspired by Frigga.
Submissions should be under 10,000 words and any photos should be visible in grey-scale. If submitting a fiber art tutorial, please include a picture of the finished product.  Previously published pieces are welcome so long as you have permissions and rights to them.

Please send submissions by April 1st, 2017 to my email address - ddfbryant (at) gmail.com with the name of the piece and your name (or pen name you want the piece published under) and the piece either in the body of the email or attached in .doc or .docx. After the book is published, I will contact you for your mailing info to send you a complimentary copy of the devotional.
Devotionals will be published through Asphodel Press.

I am thrilled to be working on this project for the beloved Queen is due for some attention I think.
Hail to the All-Mother!

Blessings,
December

For updates on the publication and other events and news, sign up for our Terrestrials Newsletter. 

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

October 15th 
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

To My Little One
I call you daughter but I never knew
I never held you in my arms
I never nursed you
I never looked into your eyes
I never even felt you kick
But I felt you in my heart
When it broke for you
As it remains broken for you. 

I miscarried my child on Christmas Eve 2013. 
I had just learned I was pregnant a week earlier after intuitively knowing it for about a month. 
Years later, I miss her, even though I've had another child, I miss her. 
I think about how she would be playing now. How she would be reacting to her little brother. I see clothes in the story, toys I would be buying, birthday cakes I would be making. 
I cry for her still but not as much as I did that first year. 
I cry for all of us that have lost children. 

5 Convincing Reasons to Eat Your Placenta (and a quote)

An article I wrote for Ecocentric Mom on the awesome benefits of eating placenta after birth. Its not as gross as you might think.

In Other News

I have also been quoted on BabyGaga in 15 Mom-to-Mom Confessions About Pregnancy

Book Review: Parenting Pagan Tots by Janet Callahan

I first heard of Janet Callahan and her work with pagan parenting on Twitter from a Pagan Business Network tweet. I clicked through and found myself engrossed in her website's blog and signed up for her Planning Pagan Holidays eCourse.

Inspired and curious, I went on to buy her book Parenting Pagan Tots. My son is 11 months old currently and already so mobile he is getting into everything. His interest in all that Mama and Dada are doing is rampant. I thought Parenting Pagan Tots sounded like a great guide for the months and couple of years to come.

One of the questions Parenting Pagan Tots first approaches is whether or not to even raise a child in pagan spirituality. I love Janet's response to parents who choose not to "indoctrinate" their children and, in choosing not to teach them their path, leave them floundering to figure things out on their own. She points out that many of us came to our pagan paths not from atheism but from other belief systems, which become our foundations for exploring other religions. As we learn, we can remove that foundation, having built a new one that better suits us. As someone who is for raising children in the parent's belief system, especially in a way that isn't forcing specific dogma on them or allowing them to to take oaths to remain with a certain path, I resonated a lot with what she was saying.

One of the great things about this book was that it went beyond philosophical speculation about children and spirituality. Janet offers a lot of ideas about activities to help young children get involved with a parent's religious practice without forcing them to cope with ideas too old for them. Some of her suggestions for little ones are ideas I've already been playing around with such as a Waldorf nature table, sensory play, and letting children play with crystals (my son loves carnelian too, haha).

Ideas in particular that I loved were the scent jars (cotton balls with essential oils in glass jars) for smell sensory play and using the Farmers Market as a way to see the seasons and purchase food to cook and teach children about the foods, cooking, gratitude, etc. I have been eyeballing the game Wildcraft that she mentions in the book and most likely will be purchasing it at some point in the future.

Janet does come at this concept from a Wiccan perspective with some focus on things like traditional ritual tools (chalice, athame, etc). While that isn't part of my path, I did glean some ideas from her suggestions. I mention it here only because some parents of non-wiccan or high magic paths might skip these passages thinking the suggestions don't pertain to them. Instead, I encourage you to read these passages with an open mind and replace things like delicate chalice or heavy crystal salt bowl with tools that you use in your practice (putting away tarot cards but allowing your toddler to carefully, with supervision, explore your pendulum).

Lastly, the list of resources at the end is a fantastic reference as well for new pagan parents. I've added those resources to the growing list here on Terrestrials.

I give this book 5 stars and highly recommend it for pagan parents of babies and toddlers who are looking for a book to help them make that first step. I will say that it is probably not for parents who already are well versed or have a set plan for incorporating their children into their pagan practice.

7 Ways Being a Spiritually Guided Mama Helps Our Children

In a world where we are constantly bombarded by messages of violence, terrorism, judgement based on our bodies and sexuality, and disease it is harder and harder for mother's to find a steady hold on what messages they want to pass onto their children and how to shield them from the rest until they are old enough to understand.

Many of us who live spiritual lifestyles either within a specific religion or who are part of newer movements in earth-based spirituality and new age philosophy, often seek out the answers to our problems in our personal faith and beliefs. However, more and more, women wonder if they should pass on these beliefs to their children or if it would be better to raise them without spirituality - an idea that is more and more pressured in our growing scientific and, some could argue, Marxist culture.

While there are plenty of people out there who would argue for a spiritually sterile environment for a child, I am of the belief that living a faith-based, devoted, spiritual life is beneficial not only to ourselves but also to our families, our close communities, and to the world at large.

When I had my son, I knew that living my beliefs and raising him to know about my spiritual journey would not only be important to our bond but also in preparing him for the world around us that isn't always kind or loving or connected to spirit. I then sought support for this decision and I found some very surprising and amazing information that I knew other mothers, who aren't as certain in how spirituality plays a role in child development, would find beneficial.

1. Children are Already Spiritual

This first point is all about the idea that children are born with innate reverence for the spirituality that is living in this world. Magic is very real to them. They see it in everything - grass growing, caterpillars turning into butterflies, clouds that look like puppies, snowflakes, and so much more. The awe in my son's eyes when he saw me pick a raspberry and I gave it to him to eat or when he first pressed his chubby feet into the grass and giggled pleasantly. A cluster of children making wishes on dandelion tufts and laughing when one of them blue all of his seeds off in a single breath.

By raising our children in a home that honors and practices spirituality, we are simply nurturing the seeds already planted in our children's hearts and minds. When we take away that spirituality, when we raise them in a home that is sterile of belief and faith, we are stamping down their own development rather than making them free to choose as they like.

I have found that children are naturally drawn to many practices that friends of mine and myself have. What child doesn't love crystals? Yoga and ecstatic dance look very similar to their own fun and kooky movements, and I've heard many a child breathlessly comment on their love of these practices (often with enthusiastic demonstration during).

2. Hiding Only Leads to Shame

If you already are practicing a spiritual tradition, hiding it from your children or telling your children that they cannot participate will only confuse them. Things that need to be hidden create a sense of shame or guilt as the children will automatically be drawn to your practices but feel wrong for these natural emotions and desires. This sense of shame or guilt can also lead to misunderstanding other children they know who do practice their parent's faiths - at best they will feel left out (that's not "best"), at worst they could condemn these other children and cause any level of bullying simply out of not understanding.

3. The Physical Benefits of Spiritual Practices

The calming and serene feelings that come from being around negative ions can be created from Himilayan salt lamps, nature walks, or cleansing dips in natural waters. The benefits of grounding are numerous and are linked to fighting depression, calming blood pressure, and building the immune system. Spiritual practices that effect foods your family eats can also benefit a child in that they will be less likely to eat junk food, will often eat slower and with more thought, and eat more of what is on their plate all of which adds to their nutrition.
Recently, there has been some hype about schools adopting meditation practices specifically to help children who are having problems in the classroom setting.

4. Spiritual Children Make Better Decisions

According to psychologist Lisa Miller, author of The Spiritual Child, children who are raised in spiritual homes are:

• 40% less likely to use and abuse substances
• 60% less likely to be depressed as teenagers
• 80% less likely to have dangerous or unprotected sex

Lisa goes on to say that children raised by spiritual parents have significantly more positive markers for thriving including an increased sense of meaning and purpose, and high levels of academic success.

5. Benefiting From a Spiritual Community

It takes a village to raise a child, or so they say. Many women of a spiritual persuasion seek out others like them to celebrate and grow in their beliefs with. Some might seek out classes, teachers, drum circles, meditation groups, etc. Within these communities friends and bonds are made over moments of enlightenment. These friends go on to become designated aunties and uncles, godparents, and friends to those children raised up around them. They are further examples of how to live in the eyes of the child, inspiration for who they want to be when they grow up.

Being raised in a community, especially a diverse community rather than a homogenized family home, also has the benefits of expanding a child's understanding of connections between us all and how to treat others. Spiritual communities can teach lessons about charity, non-violent communication especially in times of disagreement, and how we are all different and yet the same. These are lessons our culture is still struggling with and yet ones we want our children to learn as we teach them not to hit, that they should share, and that we shouldn't judge each other or bully.

6. The Lesson of Gratitude

Whether or not our spiritual practices teach prayers over meals or at bedtime, most every path of devotion includes some form of expressing gratitude. Gratitude can be a difficult concept for some children to learn. We all have either experienced or seen parents in the struggle of getting their kids to say please and thank you when asking for and receiving something. Often the struggle for children to understand this is in the fact they don't see their parents or other adults around them doing the same. When a mother practices gratitude in her spirituality, she will be teaching through demonstration the importance of giving thanks, making it easier for a child to practice through mimicry at first and later with understanding.

7. Traditions and Rhythms

Spiritual focus is often accompanied by following certain traditional holidays, daily routines, or weekly practices. This can create a comforting rhythm in the lives of mother and child. Many believe and witness that children not only need routine for learning and peace of mind but that they also thrive emotionally and spiritually when they can rely on certain activities and practices.

Whether our own spiritual practices involve holy days, children are not blind to holidays depicted in our media culture. Valentines Day, Halloween, Christmas, and more are seen in with colorful displays in every store, on school displays, and, of course, on television shows. The choice many families are forces to make is whether to censor the holidays from their children or to find ways to fold them into their personal beliefs and practices in ways that are gentler, less consumerism, and more about honoring their faith and less about the hype. The latter can be done by practicing a spirituality that focuses on and embraces natural rhythms such as adopting the holidays as pinpoints in the change of the seasons. Others can connect the holidays with whatever spirits, deities, ancestral work, etc they already practice and create a fun yet meaningful experience for their children.

But Why Mothers?

Some readers might be wondering why I focus on mothers and how their spirituality effects children. The easy answer is because I am a mother and I best relate to other women who have children, of course. However, there is some science behind this focus.

In an article by Cathy Lynn Grossman on Religion News, Lisa Miller went on to explain that not only did children benefit from a spiritual household but specifically from a spiritual mother. "Science shows women are central to the spiritual development of children and that their sense of connection to a God or higher power is the cornerstone of psychological thriving and resilience across their life span.'
'...it’s the mother whose spiritual practices and observances really impact both daughters and sons, particularly daughters.”

The article was careful to explain that here, spiritual practices did not necessarily relate to religious dogma, especially if there is strong pressure on the children to attend services or rituals. “It’s less important which religious tradition you observe if your children hear you speak authentically about spirituality and your own relationship to the creator and you let them know the spiritual life is as real as the earth under our feet: We stand on it and we count on it,” said Miller.

Resources

Cathy Lynn Grossman Mothers Set Children's Spiritual Compass
Estelle Hayes How I'm Raising a Spiritual Child Without Religion
Lisa Miller The Spiritual Child

Breastfeeding Book Update - Cover Released and Launch Calendar

Was very excited to see this update in my inbox! For those new readers, my breastfeeding story will be one of many published in Supported in Breastfeeding through Serenity Grows.
Past updates can be viewed here and here.

"Well, the title is created. Cover art is finished. Edits are done. Reviews are coming in. And I have ordered the book and I'm waiting to receive the first copy in all its beauty! I am now working on the actual book pre-launch and launch now. We've come so far!"

The book will be published in partnership with Owen's Milk Money and part of the proceeds of every book sold will go to that charity to help educate mothers who want to breastfeed.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Pre-launch orders will begin November 1st.
Official launch date will be December 1st.

7 Resources to Connect Your Kids with Tarot

I've been reading tarot for over a decade and I never really thought much about teaching tarot to children nor have I done very many readings for children. The few that I have done were simple, short and sweet, and usually for children whose parents are fans of having their cards read and even have a deck or two in their own home. Children are drawn in by magic so it makes sense that tarot cards will capture their attention and their imagination. I love these following resources because they made me think and I am very excited about the day my own lil one will want to look at my deck for more than just teething on.

Tarot Reading for Children: 12 Tips by Corrine Kener on Llewellyn
http://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/1927

A Parent/Child Tarot Spread in the Aeclectic Tarot forums
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=79393

Christine Gaudet on Reading for Children
http://www.christianagaudet.com/community-blog/content/reading-tarot-children

Tarot and the Age of Consent by Theresa Reed, The Tarot Lady
http://www.thetarotlady.com/tarot-and-the-age-of-consent/
Another Tarot Lady artcile about Communicating with Children using Tarot
http://www.thetarotlady.com/communicating-with-children-using-tarot/

Rayna Storm's Elemental Tarot for Kids  deck and workbook
http://www.rayneannastorm.com/shop.html

Tarot Decks for Children  (quite the suggested selection)
http://www.lelandra.com/comptarot/tarotchildren.htm

Little Pagan Acorns has Printable Tarot Cards for Kids
http://www.littlepaganacorns.com/printable-tarot-cards/
and a Tarot Manual for Kids
http://www.littlepaganacorns.com/tarot-for-kids-manual/

Happy Preptober and the Impending NaNoWriMo

Hello Darlings,

I wanted to let you know that if you follow me on Twitter @TerrestrialsAK, that you might find some very different content through October and November than my usual pagan, parenting, breastfeeding, natural living, and spirituality posts.
You see, I am one of those strange and somewhat masochistic writers who participates in National Novel Writing Month in November.

What is National Novel Writing Month? 

NaNoWriMo is a challenge for fiction writers to complete a first draft of a novel in one month's time. To be specific, its writing 50,000 words in 30 days.

Why Do I Participate?

I do more than write articles and nonfiction. I am a lover of fiction as well and have a couple of manuscripts sitting on my shelf, waiting editing and attention. The majority of the year I focus on nonfiction because that is my calling, my purpose, to get information out there to women and mothers that helps them connect to their spirituality and to nature to be better for their families and their communities.
Writing fiction is part of my self care. Its where I can live in my day dreams, in my other worlds and where I can share stories without worrying if its going to help anyone do anything but enjoy a moment of entertainment.

Does this mean Terrestrials will be All NaNoWriMo now?

No, I have some great blog content scheduled to come your way this fall season and posting about #WitchyReadathon this October. I will also still be sharing some spiritual and parenting tweets over @TerrestrialsAK. However, if you do follow my Twitter or chance to see me offline, expect to see a lot of fiction writing discussion and following hashtags
#NaNoWriMo
#nanoprep
#Preptober
#wordprompts
#needcoffee
#wordcount
#wordsprint
#needsleep
#amwriting
and more...

Can You Participate?

Of Course!
Do you have a novel that you'd like to write?
Go to www.NaNoWriMo.org and sign up to join.
Not only do they have a place for you to post your novel title and cover (and synopsis, excerpt etc) but also areas to update your word count, forums, and they email you letters of encouragement, how-to's, worksheets, etc.

Here are some other links that can help you out:

Rachael Stephen has a l whole ebook to help you out as well as a Preptober Calendar
Novel.ai - this is a new one for me but I'm enjoying it so far. Its an online platform for you to load your character info, world building, and more.

Twitter, of course. Everything from Word Sprints to Writing Prompts to commiserating over the need to get just a few hundred more words written before end of day. Encouragement and suggestions can all be found here using some of the hashtags I've previously mentioned.

Chatzy - this is my second favorite online hangout for NaNoWriMo. I love the discussions that go on here, especially when everyone is sleep deprived, haha.

I also recommend checking out some authors and writers who participate on Twitter, the NaNoWriMo site, and through a search engine. Many of these writers blog about their preparations and experiences, which can be very helpful and inspiring.

If you are participating, feel free to be one of my buddies on the NaNoWriMo site - my name is DPhryxus.

If you are NOT participating, know that my tweets and everything will be back to normal at the beginning of December, just in time to talk about Yule season. Please feel free to check back here or on Facebook for my regular posting in the mean time.

Literary Blessings
December

Preserving Family Recipes on Cooking Detective

Preserving Family Recipes

An article for Cooking Detective

Nothing tastes better than a recipe that has been handed down from one generation to the next. Cooked with care, using family recipes imbues the chef with pride in knowing that this is how grandma made it. However, many of us don’t take the time or care to preserve these recipes...(Read more)

October WitchyReadathon

#Witchyreadathon 

The readathon will last the entire month of October! Join me, The Domestic Witch, and others on our blogs and on Twitter - @TerrestrialsAK @domestic_witch with the hashtag!

What is a Readathon?

From The Domestic Witch:
A readathon is designated short period of time set specifically for reading. Some people set goals for a readathon. They may decide on specific books ahead of time that they want to read or the goal may be to read as many books as possible.
The theme of this readathon is witchy and pagan books so all books must be about something that has to do with Paganism, Wicca, witchcraft, magic, or the supernatural. They can be be fiction or nonfiction.
This will be a low pressure readathon. That means I want you to have fun and not feel pressured to rearrange your life just for a reading challenge.

My October To Be Read/Reviewed (TBR)

There are only three on this list, I know. However, I am going to the book store this coming week so watch out for an update here or on Twitter.

Parenting Pagan Tots

Magick of Reiki

The Pillars of the World

Pendulum Peddling

This lovely Tibetan quartz piece was created and sold
to an equally lovely young man in my local Heathen group. 

Return to Crafting Pendulums

I made my first pendulum sale since returning to creating them this year. I took a break after my son was born because keeping the crystals, tools, chain, charms, and beads around is a bit of a safety hazard and hard to keep on task with.

in my workshop

I am a fan of all things divination and making and selling pendulums allows me to combine my love of crystals, divination, and the same crafty skills I developed during my foray into jewelry making a few years back. I have a few great customers who adore their pendulums that I've sold at Renaissance Fairs and craft bazaars in the area.

What is funny is every time I show up with my pendulum display, most people know exactly what they are and comment excitedly that they always wanted one but didn't know where to buy one locally or hadn't found one they resonated with yet.
I love watching them hold these one of a kind pieces and see if it swings in the way of friendship for them.

8 of my one of a kind pendulums are now available on our Etsy shop. Each listing says a little something about the crystal we used and why. I hope you will find them as enchanting as I do.

Etsy Shop

Book Review: Witchy Crafts

Witchy Crafts
60 Enchanted Projects for the Creative Witch
By Lexa Olick

Create powerfully magical crafts, tools, and more with this unique book offering step-by-step instructions for sixty witchy crafts you'll treasure for years to come. Let personal energy flow through your hands and into these fun and imaginative ideas especially designed for witches.
Witchy Crafts is an illustrated two-part manual with Part One covering techniques, preparing your craft projects, and gathering the necessary materials. In Part Two you'll find all sixty craft projects with detailed instructions...
Along with color photos, step-by-step drawings, and correspondence charts, you'll also find numerous helpful tips. Learn how to craft by the seasons, avoid common mistakes, and form a craft group.

I sadly did not have the time to create every single one of the sixty projects in Witchy Crafts - I did do 6 of them from different sections to try and get a good idea of Lexa's instructional style and how workable each project was. The following 6 projects are the outcome, for good or bad, hah!

Witchy Crafts has something in it for every magickal crafter! There are crafts for beginners, crafts for experts, crafts for low budget, and crafts for when you want to go all-out on an altar piece or gift. Some of the crafts are huge and might take a week to make while others are tiny and could take less than an hour if you know what you're doing. There are crafts for every type of magickal practitioner as well, in my opinion. None of the crafts in this book have a definite religious brand on them and they can all be tweaked a little to suit your needs and style. 

Pentacle Purse

I was so excited to see some crochet projects in this book! I love to crochet and I'm all the time looking for witchy patterns online and in books.

I ended up gifting this purse before I could take a picture of the finished piece, sorry. 

Magic Wand Incense Stand

Here was the first issue I came across in the book. I just cannot seem to make a wand stand out of incense cones. I was so excited about this craft too - buying patchouli cones and glue sticks and working away in scented bliss at the craft table...only to have the glue burn me and stick to EVERYTHING and the incense cones fall apart and the stand break away just after my picture was taken. Ack! 

I double and triple checked the book and couldn't figure out exactly what I did wrong. It migth have been the glue temperature, it might have been the type of incense cone I used, it might have been Mercury in retrograde or a void moon...who knows. If you attempt this particular project and it works for you, please let me know so I can see where we differed! 

Kitchen Witch Wand

Probably my favorite of the projects I created.

The spoon was one of my cheapest craft buys ever - got a pack of 3 bass wood spoons at the dollar store for, you guessed it, a dollar. I used Aventurine and gold for the main color themes because I wanted this want to bring in growth, prosperity, and healing into my kitchen projects. The stone donut I bought at Stars of Alaska and the craft wire from Alaska Bead Company. 

I did, of course, have to add my own flair to the wand with replacing raffia/hemp with gold plated copper wire and doing a lil pyrographed sigil on the back. 

Sugar Body Scrub

I tried this out in 2 different recipes to which I added my own ingredients:
Latte: Add a teaspoon or so of used coffee grounds (does cause some coffee residue in bathtub to clean out later) and a couple of drops of patchouli

Calm: Add 5-10 drops lavender essential oil and some lavender blossoms (last part might cause lavender residue in the bathtub to clean out later)

These recipes are very different from each other in that the coffee recipe can add a caffeinated kick to your bath  while the lavender calms you down and relaxes you. I can't take credit for the first recipe at all (coffee and patchouli smell divine together btw) as I first tried it from a sampler bar at the organic foods store Earth Fare in Tennessee years ago - been in love ever since.

I'm Not Done Yet!

There are 60 projects in this book and I intend to try my hand at all of them eventually. Some of these would make such great Yule gifts for my witchy friends! I currently have on my crafty to-do list the Pentacle Wreath and Coasters, Goddess Cornucopia, all of the tarot projects (of course), the ritual capelet and clasp, and the Altar Fan. Yea, its a long to-do list...

Issues with the Book

Besides not being able to figure out what the hell went wrong with my incense cone wand stand...I did have a couple of other issues with the book.
When Lexa uses clay, such as in the Heirloom Chalice projects, she doesn't explain very clearly that baking the heirloom pieces like toys and buttons could cause them damage like melting and burning - big safety tip there. I know it should be common sense but I've seen enough craft projects in my time to know that people can get really into what they are doing and without gentle safety reminders they tend to forget that sort of thing.
In the chapter Marvelous Mixtures: Recipes to Delight the storage notes are lacking. When dealing with oils, especially base oils like cocoa butter and almond oil, I always consider the fact these might go rancid without proper storage. I was disappointed to find no notes on storing the lotion bars, sugar scrub, or milk bath and as to how long they should be stored for before going bad and no longer can use. This is something readers would have to look up on their own, so the book is not an all-encompassing resource for these crafts. 

Happy Little Chapter Extras 

I really loved all the little extra chapters added to the beginning and end of the book that sort of hugs the projects together.
The section on creating a craft group is wonderful for those witchy types that want to get together to celebrate and create. Its especially good for those of us who are solitary and hermits...ehem...to remind us to get out there and be around like-minded magickal people sometimes.
The Witch Trials and Errors chapter near the back of the book that covers different difficulties you might run into when creating these craft projects is super helpful. She covers allergic reactions, the need to work with non-porous materials like glass, and keeping your craft tools away from your kitchen tools.
I'm also a big fan of the charts in the Appendix. These are great and super simple references. I do, however, always recommend every practitioner create their own metaphysical correspondence charts at some point. 

Rating

While I really, really loved the projects and the whole concept of the book, I did have a couple of working issues with it. In the end I give Witchy Crafts 4 Stars

The Author

Lexa Olick has been crafting for over twenty years, creating artwork through knitting, crochet, felting, ceramics, sewing, and more. Her artwork has been featured in the online magazine Dark Romance, Dog Fancy magazine, and the Showtime series The L-Word. Lexa is also a talented writer who as received numerous awards for her screenplays. 
Visit her online at WitchyCraftsBlog.com