Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Domesticated Witch, or how to not scare off your husband's work friends

Recently our little lives here have made many changes. My husband was transferred to a store which is a mile from our home and we had a baby. He rides his motorcycle every day to and from work and we spend nearly zero money on gas and it's great. He's been at this new store since May and has made friend with lots of people and they've been inviting us to all kinds of parties and things. The best part? They've all got kids, something we really lack in our social circle.

I think it's important to hang out with other couples with kids, it makes you feel a little more normal. I'm not saying having single friends isn't important, because it is. It's just your single friends don't want to hear about all the stuff your kid does because there's a big chance they don't find it nearly as interesting or amazing as you do. At least people with kids get it and it gives them a chance to talk about their kids, which I've found is something that people with kids like to do. Everywhere you go it's "Oh lemme show you pictures of my kids!" Random people at the pediatrician's office say "Oh your son is soooo cute wanna see pictures of my granddaughter?" I was wandering in the hospital with my son and my mom (she's a nurse, I was visiting her at work) and I saw my OB GYN in the hallway who delivered my son and even she was like "OMG your son is so precious I remember him when he was purple and covered in cheese and had just fell out of you and here's 200 pictures of my kids on my iPhone the grow like weeds time flies enjoy it yadda yadda."

All this being said, now that we're hanging out with these new people they will inevitably ask what I do. Well I'm a stay at home mom and artist. Oh, what do I make? Well I'm writing a children's book and I'm a professional witch.... hey, where are you going?

I'm really ambivalent about telling people I'm a witch. Usually it goes two way; one, they are turned off and don't ask anything else and that's fine as long as they don't start treating me like a leper. I've gotten used to that, it comes with the territory, it doesn't bother me anymore. Two, they ask if I can make someone fall in love with them. Like that's all I do is match two unwilling partners in eternal bondage with glitter and bad perfume (I don't do that btw. Doing spell work for others just isn't my thing. I just make the tools with the intent, I leave you to light the candles.) When I was a bartender all the little hostess girls found out I was a witch and they clamored at the bar begging me to make this boy or that boy fall in love with them. You seem so fake when you tell them no, like the witch thing is just a front. But honestly, this professional witch gig tends to make you wise to things and it's just better that way, the way of no glitter and no bad perfume. Or they get grossed out when you tell them that they've got to collect toe or fingernails and the glamor fades and they soon forget about it. I go back to being just weird and I have my solace again.

I do other stuff ya know, and this is the part where I begin to tell them all about what I do and how I do it. I don't bother educating those who don't seem interested because no matter how I talk about it they don't seem to care anyway so I do my best to educate those who seem open. You can't teach the unwilling, trust me I've tried. I try not to get into *deep* detail because I usually lose them when I start going on about how the rabbits help me read cards and sometimes I am the fox mother and sometimes I make things for a Hellenic psychopomp goddess because I like giving her gifts. I just tell them about the domestic folk magic stuff, like how I clean and protect my house and the food I make is filled with good magic. They usually like that part, the domestic witchcraft part, and it doesn't always end awkwardly when I show them a business card.

So to tell, or not tell? I'm not in the "broom closet" by any means. Everyone I call friend or family knows I'm a witch and if they don't approve then they keep it to themselves and I'm just fine with that. But now it's not just my husband and I to think about, it's my son too. Like wtf would the PTA think about me actually celebrating Halloween because it's a holiday and a sabbat instead of my kid not dressing up for school and just taking my kid to church at 3pm to get some candy. AND WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HALLOWEEN, GUYS? Like all of a sudden the world got too scary for our kids so they go "trick-o-treating" at church or during daylight where they're given toothbrushes and raisins because at night is when the apples with razor blades and pedophiles come out? Ugh. Gimme a damn break.

I'll continue to chronicle this for those interested and I hope I won't have to go all Bengal tiger on anyone's ass for judging my baby. Ultimately I have to hope that the people I tell will continue to treat us the same, or as my husband and I agree, they aren't worth knowing anyway.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Giveaway!

In honor of acheiving 200 "likes" of my Facebook page, and because I really like giveaways, I'm hosting another one! Here's the prize:

One 1/2 oz bottle of a new oil, my Ancestor Oil, an Iron Nail Protection Charm in autumn colors, and a Spirit Key Necklace. In addition to these wonderful items you will also receive a coupon code for 30% off in my shop!

Since Samhain is nearly upon us I decided to give items connected to the spirit season. The charm and oil are items I carry in my shop but the Spirit Key necklace is something I've done many renditions of in the past. This time it's a rusted vintage key beneath a datewood skull and tied with red wool and vintage glass beads. Red is the color of blood, our lifeforce, and is used to invigorate and enliven the souls of our ancestors and faithful departed.

To participate, please go comment on my Facebook post! If you share the post you'll get entered twice! Good luck, I'll pick a winner on Friday August 24th! Blessings!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Charming

A personal charm, yellow deerskin leather stuffed with corresponding herbs and oils and tied closed with wool and adorned with bells and a protective green glass eye bead. Alligator paw from Conjured Cardea.

I've been a busy bee in my hive, churning away at new things. One of my favorite folk magic tasks is charm making. Such potent magic in a little package. It will always be one of my favorites, calculating corresponding numbers, shapes, colors, ingredients, textures, materials, it's wonderful. I've got several new charms in the shop and more on the way.

Something new I've decided to do for the shop is create all my oils to order. This means that when you purchase an oil I'll make it fresh just for you. It allows me to create more blends of oils without worrying where to store them all and it provides you with a fresher product. It is certainly more time consuming but I believe it is worth it. This will also carry over to my Waters as well. Powders and incenses are still made in batches.

Iron Nail Protection Charm

Rabbit Luck Charm

Safe Children Charm

Benevolent Banishment Powder

Artemis Sacred Deity Oil

So the shop has reopened and I've got lots of new items plus many new ones on the horizon. I'm always looking for suggestions for new products so let me know if you have any ideas! Check the shop for the rest! Remember, the coupon code "August2012" gets you 15% off! If you want to keep up with my day to day muttering, "like" my Facebook page. In the next few days I'll be hosting a giveaway through my Facebook page, check it out!

Sunday, August 05, 2012

Returning!

It's taken longer than expected but I think I'm finally ready to come back. It's been a rough three months since the birth of my son, as any new parent can tell you, but he is amazing. I've scaled back my craft considerably, as there hasn't been much time left, and kept it simple such as walks with my boy and little bits of making here and there. A little candle lighting, a few offerings of flowers, but nothing big. This has been such a grand adjustment for our wee family so we are taking it slow. Now that I've got more time, I've got my fingers in lots of little projects.

I'd like to note that my path is further evolving, becoming simpler and more focused. Becoming a mother has made me take inventory on my life and remove the extra needless bits to make room for the most important things. I've come to realize that my path is truly folk magic with a side of deity/animal worship and animism. Lately I've had the urge to tear down and resurrect new altars and form stronger bonds with the entities I work beside.

Important things that have been brewing was my first wholesale order given to a local shop, The Greenman Grove, here in downtown Fredericksburg VA. It's run by a lovely woman named Heather so please stop by and see her!

The shop will reopen August 6th with a few new products. I can also accept Credit cards through the shop now (as of August 15)! Keep a lookout!

As always, subscribe to my Facebook page for updates and coupons! In honor of my return you can use the coupon code "August2012" for 15% off!