Absence makes the heart grow fonder.....

And makes the mind go crazy......

I haven't posted in a little over a year now. And it's been pretty insane. I went from working two jobs to working 3 jobs in August. I finally managed to let go of two of them at the end of December ( a new years resolution to myself). I worked one full time job up until mid March and then decided I rreealllyyy hated that job. And by "reealllyyy hated" I mean it was pretty unbearable, stress wise. And I'm a girl who can pull an Atlas and hold the world on her shoulders, that has to say a little something. So I quit that place when I shared a phone call with my old HR director at my old job and found out that they still had no one to fill my position. I gave some consideration to my circumstances and I went promptly back to work there. I had managed to save up enough money that I could pay all my bills and lack a steady income for a few months anyhow. And I'm now in the process of applying to a few other government jobs to try and secure one of those. I really just need to pack up and move and apply for a park ranger position and live out the rest of my days as a hippy in the forest. I'd even go so far as to build be a tree house ;)

But enough dreaming for now. I've got this complex where I know where I want to be, I just can't seem to get there. Well, not completely. One good thing did happen. While working one of my many jobs I met a nice young fellow who I just so happened to procure as my current boyfriend. Yay! And as of January we moved in together and now reside in a nice little townhouse. We share with one of his best friends as a roomie. Life is pretty good for the moment.

I do hate though that I have spent so much time trying to become a "functioning member of society" that I have ignored a lot of myself. I've let my spirituality suffer a lot. I haven't been able to practice the way I used to or the way I want to. And I've decided that has to change. It's too important for me to just push it aside while I play a piece in this game of capitalism. Anyhow, I'm alive, life has changed (drastically), and I'm searching for my roots (once again). With all that complication I shall now leave you with a random picture of my roommates kitty who is unofficially and for all purposes now my kitty.

Time flies, I tell you! Time flies!

So, once again, time has slipped and it's been over a month since I've been able to get my butt back on here. Good news is that I am officially done working overnights for Job 2. I was literally getting about 3 hours of sleep in the morning and 1 or 2 hours of a nap at night before I had to go in. That was murder!! But now, I am back working just day. I won't rant about how I got tricked into working overnights. That's another story I wish to bi-pass. Something interesting though, I did TRY to quit on Thursday. Emphasis on TRY. A lot of things happened and to keep it sweet and simple I'm still employed there with the promise that they are going to try and make things better. We shall see. I've changed a lot as a person the past few years. At one point I would have sucked it up and let the place abuse me but now, I think I've lost my filter. You know the one that tells your mind hey maybe you should use that word, or that tone of voice. Nope, it's all gone. At least when people run out of chances. It can be a good and bad things I guess. I'm not rude or bitchy unless someone is that way to me first. I think life has just thrown so much at me the past few years I've gotten to the point where you will definitely hear what I have to say. lol.

So on another note, I suppose everyone saw the SuperMoon? I did but it wasn't so super. I think I missed the big show earlier in the afternoon. I didn't get to get an eye on it until about 11pm. It was pretty bright though. I opened my blinds and the kitty and I basked in the moonlight as we slept (that's our version of a full moon ritual. lol). I just love how this year has been so full of events. There was a Lunar eclipse on Yule, we had a SuperMoon on Ostara, What's next? Hello moon power, welcome, why don't you stay a while!

Speaking of Ostara, I hope everyone enjoyed the day. I most certainly did! Ostara and my Birthday aligned this year. So I most certainly made some Birthday wishes that counted. I spent the day with my mom and we partook in some retail therapy. Not much, for us it's not about the buying so much as it's about getting out the house and just being around people. lol. We're so special, I know. Although we did hit up the smell goods store and I even got a chance to visit the Disney Store. :D EXCITEMENT!! lol. And We ended the day with dinner with the rest of the local family and my two besties. I came home to my kitty and we did some birthday magic. I also baked some Ostara bread that I feed to the birds outside and planted some seeds for my garden. I'll do a separate post about all that I think. It'll allow you to view that instead of my ramblings, if you please lol.

So yes, overall, awesome sabbat! awesome birthday! awesome supermoon! And this morning started with a good ole fashioned rainstorm. Spring is definitely here! Hopefully it will bring about some much needed changes in my life. A girl can dream right?

Dear Universe,

Touche.

Sincerely, Jess

Do you ever one of those moments where you look at something and the universe comes full circle? Something happens and you're say, "FINE! I know, I know! I've been complaining too much! *sigh* My bad."


I'm currently babysitting Cheyanne, my God/Goddess daughter. I don't get to spend too much time with her because I work so much and she lives a good 30 minutes or so away from me. She's every bit of 3 going on 30. But her wisdom is infinite. Everything is better in purple, sponge bob rains supreme, and she is already a gamer girl in training (I'm so proud of that last one :D ). But looking at her puts a lot of things into perspective. The past few months of working two jobs can really tare a person down both mentally and spiritually. Everything can become so blurred and all in all you begin looking for a way to escape and give up. But I look at her and I think, ya know, life is only as difficult as you allow it to be. Often in life you only see the path you want to be traveling on. And that drives your intentions on the path you're on now. And you hope with all your might that at the end of the day, you're one step closer to the outcome you've been looking forward to. Perhaps that's been my problem the whole time. I've been knocking at a door expecting it to open instead of looking for another way in or trying another house.



So instead of complaining about having to work two jobs or the fact that those two jobs have nothing to do with my degree, I'm going to work on being happy that I actually have another job after over a year of trying to get one. And I'm going to be happy that I can actually pay most of my bills (minus school loans.... but let's not go there or talk about the extreme amounts they want from me). Life is about perspective. I learned that from Chey today. So what if you can't find the purple crayon. Grab another color and get to coloring! Or something like that hahaha. funny the life lesson that get thrown at you through the simplest of means. Silly universe. I hope your day is looking up like mine! Now, if you will excuse me. I've got a few episodes of Go, Diego, Go! to plow through. xP

My sage in all her wisdom hahaha

Let's Talk Commitment

Let's talk Handfastings. So I just got a book from Borders (WHICH JUST CLAIMED CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY!!!! POUR QUOI!!!!!!!!! *insert extreme sad face here*) it's called Passages: Handfasting: A Pagan Guide to Commitment Rituals and it's by Rev. Dr. Kendra Vaughan Hovey. I find Handfasting to be extremely interesting and I would probably want to have that as my ceremony one day rather than an actual wedding (or both depending on the partners pref.). Either way, I might as well get acquainted with it and see what it's all about.

Overall, it's a pretty informative book. And if you are planning a Handfasting it has some useful information for you. The author is the founder of the First Church of Wicca which is always an interesting concept for me. I wouldn't mind attending a Wiccan Church just to see what it's like. but I can tell you structured things like church definitely are not my walk in the park. But I digress, she starts off with a chapter on the history of Handfasting which I found extremely interesting (the nerd in me was very pleased). She discusses how Handfasting can last from a year and a day (366 days by the lunar calendar, I learned something!) or for a life time. Throughout the rest of the book she discusses not only the Pagan aspect of Handfasting but also ways of working your commitment ceremony around interfaith relationships between your partner and between their family and yours. Most Pagans today don't hail from a Pagan family (go figure) and she gives tips on how to take the Handfasting ceremony and to combine it with pretty much any other religious ceremony under the sun. She provides examples from a good number of different religions and cultures world wide and ways to work their special rituals and customs into the Handfasting to make it appealing to both partners and families without it losing any of the specialness (is that a word? lol) to you or your partner. I thought that was rather clever of her and very forward thinking since most people who would have a Handfasting would come across that sort of problem (I'm no where near having a Handfasting and it already has occurred to me). She also provides different Goddesses and Gods from many different pantheons that are focused on love and commitment that you could call on for help during your relationship and ceremony. The author provides love meditations for a Pagan couple, an interfaith couple, and even a solo meditation in case your partner is uncomfortable with the idea of meditating. There is even a chapter dedicated to non-Pagan friends and family. The rest of the book talks about putting your Handfasting plans into motion. From finding the right person to officiate the ceremony(ies), to budgeting, to finding the perfect dates (why not a Sabbat Handfasting? And don't forget the moon phase either!). She talks you through locations, themes, colors, flowers/herbs, attire and jewelry, incense/oils, and even spells. She also provides an example Handfasting ritual and even notes where to add in the interfaith rituals and ceremonies as well. The author brings the book to a close with discussing the first year and a day after the Handfasting and how to keep the love and romance alive though out your many years of being committed to each other.

She does mention quite often about not mixing pantheons for the meditation and the ceremony because it's rude and disrespectful. I've never really thought to much about the mixing of pantheons. Certain other authors I've read say that it's ok, because if a God or Goddess calls to you and they aren't from a certain pantheon it shouldn't matter. They are calling to you and that's something you should focus on more than where they are calling from. It spurred the question to mind also, what does one do if your partner is from a different tradition than you? Do one of you have to compromise and not invoke your own personal Goddess or God? That seems a bit.... well, unfair. I would think that so long as you offer the deities a place in your special ceremony they wouldn't hold any offence to whether or not they are mixed or not. Especially when it is between two people from different walks joining together. It's a lot to think about that's for sure. I guess it all deals with perspective. Being an eclectic it's easy for me to find a middle road.

There was also a mini rant about if you are in the broom closet which I thought was a but unneeded. And through out most of the book she assumes the reader to be female which I'm never happy about sexist assumptions but that's not calling her a sexist. Because honestly most people who read the book and plan the Handfasting will probably be women (as in any marriage ceremony I guess). And there are a few things I could knit-pick about, being as it not my personal taste in ritual fashions and what not. But I won't delve any deeper into those.

Overall,I really did like the book and it was worth a read. It's originally $10.95 off the shelf, I paid about $3.19 for it. Like I said I think it's worth a read and is very helpful if you are planning a Handfasting or any commitment ceremony and you wish to incorporate some of your Pagan customs. Whether you decide to pay full price for it, well, that's up to you and your budget. ;) It's a pretty short read (about 230 some odd pages) and I managed to plow through it in a few hours. But you could definitely spread it over a few days. I will be very happy to place it on my Pagan reference shelf where it will one day get used again, hopefully. When the time is right and the sad sucker comes along to want to spend the rest of his life with me (lol that poor soul). ;)

Books Make Me Happy

Ok, well thanks to Borders and their used section not to mention my wonderful free shipping I have acquired a few new books and I have ADD now when trying to read them. I'll start reading one and then another comes in the mail and I have to start taking it a look at it. lol. It might be an addiction. So all together I've got Handfasting: A Pagan Guide to Commitment Rituals (I've always been interested in what it's all about. And have always said that when my Mr comes along that's the ceremony I'll be doing. It'd be nice to see what I'm getting myself into lol), Crone's Book of Charms and Spells (which is pretty interesting. I've already read most of it. It's pretty small but I always taking a look at spells and charms written by other to spur ideas. And the charms and spells do appear pretty old school in tradition), The Enchanted Cat (this gives a whole background on cats folklore, cat deities, cats as familiars, magick you can work with your kitty, and so much more. This one makes me the most excited!), Travels Through Middle Earth: The Path of a Saxon Pagan (which gives a general idea of Germanic Pagan roots, Deities, Holy Days, and a lot of the special rites and things they do just in that special path. That's my new thing, to learn about the many different Pagan paths). So that's all I've got so far and I've spent no more than $3 a book! I'm so shop savvy. lol.
I've managed to get a bit further in my book, The Second Circle, but not much. Seeing as I've had so many other books coming in. ;) But so far she gives examples of where to find other books to further your Pagan education. Such as searching in the ancient civilizations and history sections, or checking out the folklore and fables/fairy tales of that region as well. She also gives studying tips and tricks and what not. Needless to say so far I've been a bit bored. I mean, so far she's giving really good information but honestly if you were a study queen in High school or went to college you know these things already. But it never hurts to hear them again I guess. Either way, it's till too early for a verdict.
Purple Bunny mentioned shopping at a bookstore and having books fall off the shelf or just grab at your attention while browsing the pagan section. And I must say that has happened to me quite often. That's actually how I picked up my very first book on Wicca. It just yelled at me, and I decided that since I didn't know what I was exactly looking for then why not. Best decision I've ever made. Oh! And that's also how I ended up with my tarot cards. I own 3 decks, but I only use one. One deck is my very first deck that I got when I was in still in middle school I believe, which was ok for learning the ropes but it wasn't a deck I connected with. And I have another deck that I own simply because it stared in a dream of mine, but as far as diving we do ok together. But my up most favorite deck that I use like crazy and can never replace found me on a bookstore shelf in the New Age section. I wasn't even looking for a tarot deck. I honestly had given up on really connecting to that form of divining. And bam, there it was. Needless to say it lighten my pocket a bit, but it was worth it. And now I go and look at these other really cool tarot decks and it would be nice to have a new pretty and creative deck, but I just can't feel a connection like I do with this one. So PurpleBunny, you are definitely not alone! I think everyone experiences a little "cosmic nudge" at least once in their life.
Speaking of comic nudges. Anyone ever have any strange dreams? Let me rephrase that, lol, anyone ever have any dreams that when you woke up left you thinking that it was some cryptic message? See usually my dreams are pretty mild and well, normal? I guess? Every now and then someone or something will pop in. But for the most part they are just ramblings of the subconscious. But last night I know I had the strangest dreams and I just can't remember all of them. Before I went to bed I realized I lost/misplaced something (I blame the fae) and I asked for help finding it. So I dreamt that I found them in the most obvious space and I went to return them to my mom and she was in a room with like 3 cats , 2 bunnies, 2 hamsters, and a rat. lol. I asked her, "where did these all come from?" and she said "I knocked over one of the statues and they just came running out." hahahaha. Odd right? from there I awoke thinking wtf? Normal response I'm sure. Later I settled back to sleep and the only thing I remember is my dog sitting very still and erect in front of my bed. You know how the dogs sit for dog shows? Very proud, chest out, and like they are waiting for something. Well that's her. And that's all I remember. Just her, just sitting there, and I believe the faint flicker of a candle light. And usually someone would say well maybe she was in my room for a visit. But nope. I have to keep my door shut or gated up so that the cat and dog don't interact (my cat is apparently very territorial in his old age). So I know it wasn't that. What a strange night of dreams. HHmmmmmm, well. I have much to ponder this morning, not to mention I have a long day filled with work and a function tonight. See ya!

Questions of an Advancing Pagan

So, obviously I can't be alone when I say I'm a little frustrated and overwhelmed on my path. Being a solitaire witch has its good points and bad points. But lately I've been seeing most of the bad points. Like the lack of direction my path has taken. I kind of feel road blocked. I've read who knows how many books, blogs, and websites. And most of them repeat a lot of the same information. Which isn't a bad thing. For the the beginning Pagan or Witch there is a wealth of knowledge out there. And that definitely helped me get to this point on my path now. But as I feel myself advancing I find myself running out of resources to help me grow further. Where does a girl go from here? I've been at this road block stage for a while now. So I decided to take a break from my normal habit of researching and I've been reading things for fun (mmmm, scifi/fantasy books!! DELICIOUS!!!). But now I feel ready to jump back into my researching or discovering of the path and I have been falling short until recently. I found a book online the other day for about $2 (you've got to love the used book section on book store websites) called The Second Circle: Tools For The Advancing Pagan it's by Venecia Rauls. I've never heard of this author but one can't be too picky when it comes to advanced Pagan books. Especially this Pagan right here. I can't seem to find many books or much of anything at all. I'm only half way through the first chapter (sad isn't it lol) and it already has me thinking about things.

I think, like most people do in their daily lives, I too lack a certain level of confidence. You put me in a room alone lit only by a candle and tell me to perform a ritual or spell, you got it. I can handle that no problem. You bring me out in the daylight and ask me if I'm ready to advance on my path. I'll hesitate a little. I know that my knowledge is no where complete, but that's kind of the point isn't it. You never know EVERYTHING that there is to know, especially spiritually. Even coven leaders are still learning as they are teaching others. But I look in myself and I worry, "Am I ready?" I've been conflicting a lot lately with my path. Not so much the "am I sure I'm Pagan?" because that I know wholeheartedly. But more so on the level of, "Am I truly a Pagan in practice?" and that's where I falter some. I don't have a Pantheon, or any specific Deity that I call upon in ritual or life, I only perform spells in extreme rare occasions, and while I usually have every intention of holding a ritual something always comes up. So where does that leave me. I'm not sure that leaves me any where near where I need to be to advance to the next level. But I feel like I'm suffocating in the first level. So I find myself drifting in limbo. I know that in order to advance I don't need a specific pantheon of diety. Those come when the time is right. So I'm not too worried about that, at least not much. And spells come and go as you need them, at least that's my opinion. And while I need changes in my life, I find myself wanting to change it on my own and not ask the universe or the divine to grant me the will or help to do it. I feel wrong asking for help. Probably because I'm a stubborn mule who is beyond independent. Or if you're into psychiatry you could blame pride too >_< . For that I blame my father lol. But either way it brings my experience in performing spells down to a small minimum. However, I could write a spell with no problem. I have tons written in my little book. Just never performed. And this brings us to ritual. Everyone does things differently. Formal rituals, informal rituals, just lighting a candle and holding a conversation, everyone has their own unique style. If another person does their thing and follows their path then that is amazing and I will support them 110% and back you up in a court of law if I have to. But for me, for some reason I feel the need to have an actual ritual. When I say that I mean write it down, have an offering, call the quarters, invoke the Goddess and God, cast a circle, have a story about the Sabbat, the whole shabang (obviously not in that order though). But I find it hard to conduct ritual unless I stay up until 2 am and everyone else in the house has gone to sleep. So on most nights I find myself already asleep before the time everyone else is, and I feel terrible setting my alarm and waking up to do a ritual while I'm still half asleep (not to mention have work a few hours from then too). So when all is said and done. Is it possible for me to even think of advancing to a new level? I don't know. There is just so much to really think about. I will most certainly continue reading the book. And maybe I'll find my answers and my confidence along the way. And if not, maybe it will encourage me to make the changes that I personally feel I need in order to view myself as worthy of advancing to the next level. If not, I've been going back and thinking about starting from scratch. Rereading my old books, retaking notes, and starting from square one. Maybe doing that could help. Does any of this make me less of a Pagan? Not performing rituals/spells/having deities. Or does it just make me less of a Wiccan? Sometimes, I feel like it does. And I know I shouldn't feel that way, because as long as I believe what I believe in my heart then that is all that matters. But I can't help it. I feel like not having these having these things on a proper basis is like a Christian not going to church. No offense meant by the reference, but if you don't "practice what you preach" then who are you really? In this case, who am I?

Guess who's alive and kickin'?

Wow, It's January. I can't remember the last time I posted but I know it's been an awful long while. Life is been so overwhelming. And I let myself succumb to it for a while. But now, I think I'm ready to kick off my boots and start kicking some ass. I have to find a way to live my life and accept what's being thrown at me as well. Working two jobs resulting in pretty much 12 hour days back to back to back with maybe one day completely off from both (Goddess willing on rare occasions) or just having to work only one job for one or two days instead of both can take a girl off her feet!! SHEW! It's a bit ridiculous. And at the same time I'm still job hunting for something that falls in the career field of my B.A. degree. ATTENTION: If you are going to school and even remotely thinking about majoring in something non practical like, oh say, Political Science (like I did) or maybe Journalism (Like Jenn, my Best) or even Elementary Education (Like Shelby, my other Best) rethink it. The three of us have been applying to places all over and cannot for the life of us land ANYTHING! Crazy right? All that money for nothing. This is not to discourage anyone, however, if you live in southern VA it's not a good idea. Check your local job market and talk to someone fresh out of college. On another note.I've read some interesting books in the bit that I've been gone. I think I'll do some reviews on them later. It'll give me something to type about and I'll feel like I'm doing something as well instead of being a blob and sleeping during my time off. Since I can't craft much anymore I figure typing and reading allow me the little bit of sanity I need to survive. Speaking of insanity. I have to go to work in about ten minutes. I'll be home after 6:30 or so. Today's my short day. mmmmm, short day. Tasty! I have a few witchy things that I've been throwing around in my head that I want to get out, and I think the only way I can do it is if I blog about them. So you'll be in for a treat. Well, I'll be in for a treat more so. lol. It's be a nice release. Wish me luck today!

Magical Treat Monday Continued!

Hello again loves! I have two more recipes for you all to try for your big HP week ahead!

Madame Rosemerta's

Famous Pumpkin Juice

Ingredients:

A pumpkin (you could always use canned pumpkin, it would probably be a lot easier. I was on a budget and just used a pumpkin we had laying around for decoration... Always thrifty!)

2 cans apple nectar (I used Jumex, it's a Hispanic drink you could always use plain apple juice or cider)

2 cans pear nectar (again you could always use plain pear juice or even substitute it out for something else like pineapple)

1 tbsp honey

brown sugar and pumpkin spices to taste

Instructions:

Ok, so here's what you do. First you need to chop up that pumpkin and take all the seeds and nasty stuff out. I left the rind on my pumpkin for a little extra flavor. Once it's all chopped into pieces (the smaller the better, it will help it cook faster) put it all into a pot and add your brown sugar and spices (I used about 1/2 cup of brown sugar and there were a lot of dashes of Cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and a few cloves thrown into the mix). I would take one of your cans of juice (probably apple) and dump about half of that into the pot with the pumpkin. Let the pumpkin cook until it's soft enough to run a fork through it. Remove it from the heat.

Next you're going to need a food processor (which is why you may just want to buy canned pumpkin). You're going to grind up the pumpkin until it is a paste, and you may have to add a bit more juice or water to it to help it along (and the juice that's left over in your pot... save it! or use it here. That's the good stuff!!). Once that's formed your are going to take your pot and add in the rest of your juices and put it back on the heat. Next you're going to add in your pumpkin to taste. I probably used about 1 cup or 1.5 cups. Stir everything together and let it simmer for a little bit. Breathe it in.... smells delicious doesn't it!

So now here's the fun part. You will need a cheesecloth (or once again I'm thrifty I used a very thin broadcloth that I use for making butter and other things, please make sure it's clean whatever you use). I would layer a strainer over top of a bowl and then place you cloth laying on top of the strainer. Then start pouring your wonderful juice into it. Once it looks like a nice amount you will need to twist the cloth. This is to separate the pumpkin bits from the drinkable juice, otherwise you end up with a drink that has a bit of a texture to it and trust me it's not flattering. Trash your pumpkin bits, rise your cloth and go again until you've drained everything.

What's left in your bowl is your pumpkin juice! Bottle it up, store in the fridge, serve and enjoy! I'm not a fan of eating much less drinking pumpkin, but this was very tasty and reminded me more of a mulled cider taste.

I had a little extra from Dumbledore. I found an amazing lemon drop recipe here. Old school lemon drops. The type my grands used to eat. It's the kind you have to roll out onto a surface and knead and then cut. This is real sugar art folks! lol And it's also very, very hot and slightly dangerous. So I decided if you want to risk it, you can go to their site and get the recipe. It's hard candy and I did happen to burn my index finger a bit, it was totally worth it though. lol. I must have been a candy maker in a past life. ;) Well that's all for now! I'll see you all in a bit with a Wizard Wear tutorial!

Magical Treat Monday!

Welcome all to the week long crafting event for HP and the Deathly Hallows!! Aux Demilunes is doing a 5 day long event of of WitchCrafts in order to celebrate the upcoming release of the new Harry Potter movie. Today is Magical Treats! I figured I would start this morning off with some recipes you all might enjoy from your favorite red heads and later tonight I will post a few more recipes from some of our favorite shops down in Hogsmeade. So, without further ado.... From the Wonderful World of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes (try and say that 5 times fast) I give you......

Ton-Tongue Toffee

(I used a simple Almond Roca recipe found here )

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (not margarine, butter, no substitutes, just butter people!)

cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

dash of salt

about 1/2 cup of almonds (diced/chopped/slivered whatever takes your fancy) (You can also change out the almonds for your favorite kind of nut or not have any at all.)

about 8-12 oz of chocolate

Instructions:
In a pot combine the butter, sugar, and water and stir. Heat over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the butter melts all the way and is incorporated well into the mixture. After that leave it alone. Heat until the mixture boils and reaches a yellow brown color (this is known as the hard crack stage. If you have a candy thermometer you should be using that, however mine broke and I know the color changes pretty well now for hard candy so I just winged it ;) )

It should only take about 10 minutes or so. While your mixture is still cooking take out a pan and line it with aluminum foil, I would also butter it or use a cooking spray (it will make your life so much easier!). Now place just about all of your almonds into the pan and spread them out pretty well. Save a bit to sprinkle on top for the garnish if you please. It's not necessary though. Now when everything is the proper color carefully pour it into your lined, sprayed, and almond equipped pan. Be careful, making hard candy is a very HOT task. You don't want to have burns on your hands and arms from it. It's not a pleasant experience.

Once you've poured your toffee in the pan you can either sprinkle your chocolate chips on top of the toffee and as they melt spread them out over the toffee. Or you could be nifty like me, create a double boiler and melt you chocolate and then pour and spread it on top of everything. This is a recipe that you can do just about anything with and it's almost fool proof. Let your toffee sit for a few hours to harden up and then you can crack it with a knife and enjoy!

Puking Pastilles

(I used a gum drop recipe found here, but I altered it a bit)

They don't photograph well, sorry.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup water

1 3oz package of flavored gelatin/jello (I used orange you can use any flavor you want)

2 packages of Knox unflavored gelatin (they equal about .25 oz a piece)

1/2 tsp baking soda

optional: Flavored extract (such as orange/lemon/raspberry or whatever compliments your gelatin/jello. I used orange of course)

Powdered sugar (you will be using it to coat the outside to keep it not so sticky you could also use regular sugar if you like the crunchy taste)

Instructions:

Line a cake pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray (you will regret skipping the spray part trust me) and set aside.

Combine sugar and corn syrup into a pan. Heat over medium heat. You should be using a candy thermometer however mine is broken (remember?) so I basically cooked it for almost 10 minutes took out a spoon dipped it into the mixture and stirred it into a glass of cold water to test its consistency. I did this until the mixture seemed like it was more gummy like than jelly like. With your thermometer it should read about 280 degrees Fahrenheit this is the soft crack stage. As this is happening you should place the water, flavored gelatin, unflavored gelatin's, and baking soda into a separate pan on medium heat until it comes to a boil (don't forget to sir to help everything dissolve). Once it boils remove it from the heat.

Now once the sugar/corn syrup mixture reaches the proper stage return the gelatin mixture to the heat and bring it to a simmer. As it simmers SLOWLY pour in the sugar/corn syrup mixture and stir constantly as your do (that means one hand pours and one hand stirs. If you aren't that coordinated then I suggest asking for some help from a partner or someone lol). Let this mixture simmer for about a minute more. Remove from heat and stir in you extra flavorings if you have any. Then pour into your previously line and sprayed pan. Let sit for a few hours until firm.

Once firm, take the powdered sugar and pour some on top and spread it around. You will have noticed that it is still sticky. Putting the powdered sugar on top takes care of that. Now powder the top of your work surface. and lift out the foil. Flip it foil side up and sit it on top of your surface. Now, have fun pulling off that foil from the stickiness. If you skipped spraying I laugh at you HA! If you sprayed it's still a bit of a work out but it is NOWHERE NEAR as bad as it could have been. I find putting powdered sugar on as I pull off the foil helps it come off quicker. Once it is all peeled and powdered take a cookie cutter or in my case I used a small Tupperware container for salad dressings (it's a tiny cup with about a 2 inch diameter) stir it in some powdered sugar (this helps with the sticking) and cut the suckers out. When your finished you can do as I did and rub the cut outs between your hands and remove some excess sugar or you can leave them alone. Enjoy!

Fever Fudge

So this is by far the easiest recipe of the day.

Seriously. You could make it in your sleep. Are you ready?

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

12 oz chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Take a cake pan and line it with foil and spray. In a double boiler combine milk and chocolate. Stir until all is melted and combined. Remove from heat stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne (you can add more or less to taste the amounts here are very mild). Pour into pan and let sit a few hours until firm. Once firm lift foil and remove. Cut into squares/shapes and serve. See I told you it was easy.

I hope you enjoy these wonderful recipes. Fred and George would approve! I'll see you later tonight for Madam Rosemerta's Famous Pumpkin Juice recipe and I may even throw in a favorite from Dumbledore! See you tonight loves!

November Already?!

Crazy insane, or insane crazy? I like to think I bounce between both borders. Well, I'm rather disappointed because I spent Samhain morning in the ER thanks to a kidney stone. It finally got to the point where I decided to see a doctor. had I insurance I would have seen one A LOT faster, but, alas, I have none. So fingers crossed the the bill won't kill me. With that means I slept the rest of Samhain away in a terrible drug induced coma. I did manage to light a candle for my loved ones and to set out some pomegranate and home roasted pumpkin seeds along with some Sangria (from the bottle since I obviously wasn't in my right mind to make any). I was really sad not to be able to a ritual or to go the the local one, but I think if my ancestors and loved ones did stop by they would have understood why. So I've missed my 3 favorite holidays: Halloween, Samhain, and Dia de los Muertos. That deserves an angry lion...... ROAR! I'll have to call a Doctor today and go in for a check up at some point to see if the stone is moving. At the ER we found out it's partially blocking my little tube, which isn't good, so I have to so see a urologist or however you spell it. *sigh* Can i just trade my body in for a newer version? Where's Dr. Frankenstein when you need him?!

So to turn things upward, I'll probably craft today. I need to do another witch hat for Witch Hat Wednesday, and I also have to finish some things for my HP swap. And I have fabric I have to package off to Canada for Simply Crunchy for her rainbow quilt she's making. I've lacked money to ship it until now. So I'll be putting that in the mail by weeks end! WOO HOO! And this all brings us to November. In American we have Thanksgiving in November, which much to wishful thinking is actually only celebrate by the US lol. Everyone should have a Thanksgiving. I guess technically we Pagans do. Mabon seems to be our version of such. Which means that the next Sabbat is Yule. That's over a month away! My house celebrates Yule and Christmas since I am the only Pagan in the family. I'm lucky my mom even recognizes my religion. I love her so much for that. So every year we make an effort to do little things outside of the Christmas box that are more Yule like. Instead of an artificial tree we've been getting real mini pine trees and if they survive the winter we plant them in the yard. I've been doing cranberry garlands, little snacks, and a bunch of tiny things. Baby steps people, baby steps. Even after 5 years on the path I'm still trying to integrate myself into the sabbats. I think this year I will have mini celebration for Yule. Not sure what to do yet, but I'll be sure to keep you updates. But for the moment, it's November. And all that really means to me is that I have a TON of Christmas gifts to craft for the family, not to mention a few Birthdays to prepare for! Have I said how much hate/love November? Well I do. So very, very much. And with that being said. I'm off! I have much sewing and planning to do today to prepare for the next two months. I leave you with my amazing squirrels, that always show me much love when I go to visit them.

On the 26th day of Halloween....

The ghouls brought to me..... PUMPKIN CARVING!!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA! It is a tradition for mum and I to carve a pumpkin every year. This is a little later in the month than we usually do it, but I'm still excited to get it done. The pumpkins are HUGE! :D Look at mom going to town!

We saved our pumpkin seeds this year. I'm going to save a few and try and cultivate them in the spring and the rest I'm going to bake/roast for mom to eat. The pumpkins were awesome this year. The didn't smell so rotten and gross. Usually the smell is so bad it makes me gag and I can't clean it out. But this year I was able to clean it our without a problem. We will have to buy this type of pumpkin from now on.

Mine is a Pirate!! ARGH!! Hers is just scary. lol. Well I hope your night was a pumpkin filled as mine!!! Pumpkins always make me happier. I'm working both jobs tomorrow so wish me luck. I now leave you with the action shot.

Magickal Monday- Dreamcatchers

Look who's on time today!! HA! For the first time in about a month. And I'm rather proud :D

Today I finished up a dreamcatcher for my cousin. He's been having some troubles at his new apartment and he asked if I could make him a dream catcher to help provide some ease. So I made him a manly version of my Goddess Dreamcatcher I made for a healing swap a few months ago. Here's the Goddess one:

It's has rose quartz, amethyst, and clear quartz in the web acting as the spider/bead. Combined together they help promote love, protection, and healing. Not too shabby for the first ones I've ever made. Now, my cousin is Christian and I didn't feel comfortable putting stones in his dreamcatcher because I know that they don't hold any meaning to him. So I stuck with the traditional bead types. Which works well since I took him to his first Powwow over the summer.

His is made with hawk or quail feathers (I never know the difference), a glass bead for the spider, and then I made clay beads to hold the feathers on. The picture is crap since it's night here (silly sun thinking it can take a vacation in the fall). But I think you get the idea. I was hoping to make it a bit more manly looking. I don't think it came out half bad. It was made with things completely from my stash. If I were to go out of the way and make a real legit dreamcatcher I would have used sinew for the web and made the circle out of leather lace. Instead I just used the leather lace to connect the feathers. I like the wrapped/twisted vine look for the circle. Makes it more earthy to me. Not to mention I'm not a fan of leather lace. And I used a really thin yarn/string mostly used for making lace and doilies for the web. And now we get to the magickal part of this. The story. I'm no Native American story teller, but from my research and what I have grown up knowing about dreamcatchers this is what I can tell you about them.

A dreamcatcher is given to a child upon birth in order to protect them. It is hung above the child's bed to allow the dreams and energies of life to flow through it like a filter. The good dreams and energies are allowed to pass through the web while the bad dreams and energies become tangled on the web and flow down to the feathers. The bad dream and energies are then taken away with the wind, casting them away. Any bad dream and energies that remain are then purified when sunlight hits them. Dreamcatchers can be used by adults for the same reasons. They help keep the good energies with in the room and help to rid the person of negative/bad energies. I think every person should have one! :) If you are giving the dreamcatcher to a child there are some nice stories about why they are shaped the way they are and how they came into existence. I've done some searching around and I think my favorite story is the one found here. I like it because it talks about how the four elements come into play as well. But you can find tons of stories through children's books and google. I ♥ dream catchers!

Well, that's all I have for now. See you tomorrow!

Sunday is happieness in a heart shaped bottle

No seriously, it really is. At least for the time being while I don't have either job to go to. That will change in the coming weeks. *sigh* But for the time being it's nice and I'm enjoying it. Today was rather productive. I managed to do a hard core blessing/cleansing/banishing what ever you prefer to call it. I actually have a spell for each that I do, because Thrice is nice. lol We've had some strange things going on this year and I've neglected my cleansings. So today I did my banishing spell to get rid of the negative forces that have been lingering around, then I cleansed and blessed the house with a smudging inside and did some protection work on the outside to seal everything together. I can already feel the air in the house lifting. This is the second time this month I did a smudging. Apparently the first time wasn't as effective as it needed to be. Strange moment of the day? My mom had some friends come by to check out her car since it wasn't working. And their car ended up dying in front of our house. So after I heard this I decided it was time to get the ball rolling. I started my ritual/spell work while they were outside. As soon as the tow truck got here for their car the car started right up with no problem! I like to think I had a little witchy something to do with it. ;) No promises though. Could just be my ego. lol

On another note, the kidney stone has subsided greatly. Hopefully it stays away. I'm aiming to set up a permanent healing altar, much like the ancestor altar. I'll work on that soon. I want to do a little more research on the art of healing first. I wish there were people around where I live that could give me a helping hand with teaching and learning these things. There might be I just need to socialize more and look harder.

I also started some candy for my friends for Halloween. We are all donning witch attire and taking my niece trick or treating. I've decided to sit out on the local Samhain ritual this year. While I loved it last year and it even made me a bit emotional (by a bit I mean I cried like a baby), I feel like I have ignored my friends long enough during my isolation and it would be nice to spend the end of the witches year in good, loving company while enjoying the wide eyed innocence of a child. I love that little one! Well, I have to head to job 2 and 1 tomorrow. I shall leave you with some pictures I've taken over the last week that I love!



These are the partial full moon. I think maybe a day or two before the actual full moon. I'm just impressed my camera could manage to get this close. My usual moon pictures consist of a random white dot.









These are some pictures from the park I go to and picnic at with the kiddo I watch. Nice right? I love it there. Hope you had a great Sunday too. See you tomorrow!

Do you know a good organ harvester?

No, seriously? Know anyone who could use a spare kidney? Mine is about to get ripped out if it doesn't get it's act together. Apparently I have ANOTHER kidney stone.... or it's the same one from last weekend. I'm not sure. I've had about 4 or 5 of them so far since last November. It's insane. I've never had them before in my life! Why body?! Why!? Hopefully I can get some health insurance quickly with this new job or my dad can possibly help cover me on his plan until then. Ugh. Hopefully it won't stay too long. On the full moon last night I bought 3 massive pumpkins! When I say massive, I mean I could fit a small child inside of them!

See look. Definitely small child worthy. I put a square pot holder next to them for size. :) I'm so excited. If I'm up to it and my kidney starts to act like it has some sense I shall carve one tonight with me mum. It's a tradition. And maybe even the step dad will take part. I know yall don't know much about my step father, but just know we shared a conversation last night for the first time in a very, very, very long time. Maybe my autumn moon and Mabon wishes are actually working. I shall have to partake in more full moon rituals. (kind of like I should have last night, but the kidney and I were having a fight.) I got an amazing spell written for me by a friend, Andréann, that I can't wait to try out for mending/fixing the heart/self. I will give it a go tonight, body permitting.

Onto a non-kideny topic. I'm in a Halloween swap on the best website ever, craftster, and I wanted to share a few things I made for my partner. I know you all have seen Dracula, from earlier this month, that was one of the first things I made for her. Here a few others I'm rather proud of. Sue, if you read this, you should probably advert your eyes!

Please meet Dracula's BFF! The mummy! Not too shabby right? He's made the same way as Dracula and then just wrapped in white felt strips. Ok, so, I'm not a felt master, or a stuffie master at all, but I still think he's rather cute. Next are some of the other things I've made.

That's all I have for now. There were a few other things I included but these are the things I'm more so proud of. The others are ok, but not brag worthy. Well, I'm going to give work a call and wait for me mum. She's going to take me to the doctor. Somebody hope they don't treat me like last time. You would be surprised at how much of a second rate citizen you are considered without insurance. Blah. See yall later!

Magickal ....ummm.. Wednesday?

So, on Monday I thought about what I wanted to do. I started Magickal Mondays to ease myself into bringing Magick into my everyday life slowly... very slowly. I don't do too much of it really. Every now and then I do a spell, I observe the seasons, change out the altar, do a ritual when need be, but on the everyday basis I honestly don't do too many things. And I think it's rather important to have a little Magick in our lives every day, to help connect us. When I do something in that nature it makes me feel accomplished, as well as it helps me clear away the cobwebs in this head of mine and get me thinking .....well.... like a witch. Doing something Magickal brings a little extra umph into things. At least that's what I believe.

So Monday, I was thinking about what is something Magickal that I could do that didn't require too much effort but allowed me to connect in that Magickal way. The family I work for during the days is Filipino. They are Catholics, but if you pay attention around their house there are subtle things that reflect a lot of the heritage of the islands and the older ways of life. In the living room above the fire place is a tiny section set up for the "ancestors." There are pictures of a man and woman whom I assume to perhaps be parents or grandparents. There is always a vase with some flowers from their yard, and a small bowl which usually holds a a Brigid cross and various other things. I've been working there for about 4 1/2 years and always thought about doing one myself. But it becomes hard to see the pictures of your loved ones. Ya know? Well, I decided Monday that I would set me up a small altar to my loved ones. So I spent Tuesday clearing off a shelf on my wall and finding pictures. Last week I went to the park and did some nature walking and picket up some leaves, acorns, and tiny pine cones. I also visited my grandfathers grave last week with my mom, which may have also brought on this trail of thinking. His body rests under a large Pecan tree. I was inspired to pick up a few pecans and take them home with me. They now sit on the altar. So here is what I came up with.

On the top I have some of the older, smaller pictures. Coincidentally, they are also the ones who have been gone the longest. Starting from the left I have my grandfather, great grand mother, uncle (dad's brother), and uncle (moms brother) all surrounding an orange pillar candle sitting on some acorn tree leaves. And yes my "shelf" happens to be a wooden CD rack from the craft store painted gold. They are so cheap and useful. I couldn't get a good picture to say a life. The pictures are just folded or cut down and then I took card stock and cut the little windows for them to show through.

On the bottom I have a small dish in which the offerings are put on. I stuck leaves around the corners and everywhere I could manage. The fabric is just some scrap tapestry fabric I found in my stash. not sure where I got it or where it came from but it works. It's very fall colored even though you can't see it in the pictures. On the left is my Nanny (grandmother) who just passed a few months ago. That was take last Christmas. :( And beside that is my best friend, her mother, and brother. I lost them all my junior year of high school. Coincidentally, these are the bigger pictures and they are the most recent ones to depart. I think this shrine/altar will be a good thing. I believe it will help with the healing and accepting part of letting go. I'm going to keep this up year round. I think I will decorate it with bits of nature from the seasons. Well, that's all for now. See you tomorrow!

Witch Hat Wednesday!

Today was a very productive Wednesday!! I found tulle laying around to decorate an old witch hat from two weeks ago and I drafted my own pattern for a smaller Victorian witch hat. Both are pretty epic.

First up, in case you don't remember I made this hat randomly on a Thursday and it was missing something. I finally found some awesome pink tulle I had bought ages ago to make a rainbow tutu. Unfortunately, the tutu never got made (I do that a lot, huh?), so I have a load of tulle stashed away I had forgot all about until tonight. So, now without further ado, I present Blink!

That's right it's blue and pink therefore making the most amazing color ever, Blink! Oh, and pay no mind to the fact that I take my pictures on my dishwasher. Here's the back.

Next, I am really really proud of this. I drafted the pattern in about 30 minutes or so and sewed the hat in another 30. So in one hour I had an amazing Victorian-style Witch Hat. I had seen some amazing ones online, but I'm too cheap to buy one. So I thought, why not make one! Genius right? So may I present, Vikki's Secret.

I absolutely love it. I don't know if you can see the little black slots on the first picture of it. Those are for bobby pins to fasten it to your head. I'm not very good with those. But they aren't too bad for the moment. Here it is next to Dreams of Eire for size comparison. It's so tiny and cute.

All in all, it's maybe my favorite witch hat I've made. Expect more of these to come! :D I feel like I need to make a dress or something to wear for it. Future Halloween outfit? Perhaps.

Where the Hell have I been??!!!

I KNOW I KNOW!!! Where on Earth have I been?! It's been a crazy weekend. On Friday, my mom got screwed over by our bank, so that set me back a few bucks (by a few I mean like $100, gah!). And then my best friend, Panther (totally his real name, btw), came down from upstate for a whole 24 hours. We haven't seen each other in about 2 1/2 years!!! Crazy right? But we manage to talk and text really often. So we spent Friday night at Busch Gardens for Howl-o-scream it was crazy fun. Neither of us had been. They dress up the entire park with amazing decorations and starting at night fall they have people hiding all over the park who will jump out at you randomly to scare you as you walk around. that's not to mention the crazy amount of people they have already dressed in character as mummies, zombies, witches, and shadow people. The have haunted houses and mazes placed all over the park. It was really fun. in the end we played some carnival games and he scored me a giant penguin that came up to our waist and we even scored some corny best friend pictures from the photo both. Best day ever? Yes, you could say that. He left the next morning, but we managed to catch some brunch at Waffle House. I've never eaten there before but they have the best waffles ever! MMmmmm, waffles.

On Sunday, I reconnected with my local best friends, Jenn and Shelby, and we hung out and played with my god daughter/niece. It was well needed since I have been in isolation for about three months! Afterwards Shelby and I visited a local farm that puts on an AMAZING Halloween Festival every year. The have a Village of the Dead, Haunted Hayride, and Field of Screams (aka corn field of DOOM!!!). It's was well worth going. All in all I had a very haunted and Halloween filled weekend. Sorry for the lack of pictures. They don't really allow pictures in these things. But their websites have some up.

Monday and Tuesday have been crazy as well. I'll keep it short and say that an epic battle ensued between myself and the 2nd jobs work computer, setting back me being hired until today. The force was with me and I emerged VICTORIOUS!! Hello extra bill money! And now here I am. I realize I have missed Food Freaky Friday, Magickal Monday, and today is supposed to be Witch Hat Wednesday. So here is the deal (more so to get my big butt in gear that for you). Tonight I will come home and Do my Magickal Monday and Witch Hat Wednesday. Tomorrow I will work on some Foodage/Freakyness. And starting Friday things will start to get more on track. Hopefully. I'm so terrible with time lines. UGH!My goal is to keep the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday activities up even after Halloween is over. But we shall see about that. lol. Any who, See you later for Magick and Witch Hats!!

I love surprises after a long weekend

Guess what...... I've been on hiatus the past weekend. I know..... SHAME ON ME! I came back to and these waiting for me.

Amazing right? This is the first award I've gotten and it's all thanks to Dragonfly over at Witchery Grove. Thanks so much Dragonfly!!!



So here are the rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Pass this on to 15 other great bloggers you recently discovered.

4. Contact the selected bloggers and tell them about their awards.



Ok, so here we go. Seven things about me.

1. I love to write poetry. No not that crap I used to put before all my magickal posts, but actual full on poetry. I've been writing since I was a child.

2. My favorite shape has always been a star. Long before I discovered Wicca. Coincidence? I think not.

3. I collect four leaf clovers. I don't really look for them, they just pop up in my life. I have managed to save 7 so far.

4. There is nothing more exciting and relaxing then laying back under a pine tree.

5. The smell of fresh picked basil is exquisite! I just love to carry a piece around and sniff it all day ;)

6. Halloween/Samhain is the absolute best holiday/sabbat in the entire world. Next to my birthday which falls on Ostara this year ;)

7. I love the sound of Christmas bells, I keep some up all year.



For the next part. 15 blogs: Gosh that's a crazy amount! lol. Would it be disrespectful if I stuck to maybe a top 5? I hope not. A lot of blogs I read already have these awards. I wanted to stick to the ones that didn't.

1. Dancing with a Spatula Wand
Love this blog, it's so tasty!
2. Witchy Godmother
She has the best stories. I look forward to all her posts.
3. Aux Demilunes
She's very talented and has the cutest kids! She is always making something new.
4. Sew Misunderstood
She's a rocking chick who plays in a band, rocks old school fashions, and loves horror.
5. All Things Crafty
Amazingly wicked craft blog.


As for contacting. I'm lazy. lol. And shy. So I think I will just leave that up to them to figure out. Thanks again Dragonfly!

Witch Hat Wednesday!

Too bad it's not a Friday! It would be a knee slappin, toe tappin hellova day! (excuse me, my southern is showing) ;) Not much went on today, besides it being pleasantly cool, and perfect hoody weather...... mmmmm.... hoody... I love you! I live for the days where I can wear a hoody. The sky was a perfect overcast with tiny open spots allowing the sun to spit through every now and then. The kid I watch and I went to the park and enjoyed a nice picnic and then went leaf and acorn hunting. We didn't score too much. Seems the squirrels had eaten most of what had hit the ground :( But oh well, better luck this Saturday when we go to a different park.

So today I made my hat! One a Wednesday at the least, two a week is I'm feeling frisky. ;) So this week I used some material that has a vintage feel. I was excited to finally use some of it. I've had it for over a year and I bought a yard and a half of it because it was on super clearance at Joann's Fabrics. I was going to shoot for a romantic Victorian feel. But after making it and putting it on it really reminds me of a rustic farm girl. lol. Suits me I guess. So I present to you, Rustic Days.

I know, the name needs some work. But it's almost midnight, I'm tired, and I'm having a brain fart. As for the hat, it's not too bad. I might redo the ribbons with something a bit more rustic. But for the moment the point is to make the hats out of what I already have in my stash. And that's all the white ribbon I have. I have tulle but I don't think it's a tulle kind of hat. Oh, and I'm out of interfacing as well. So I had to use my SUPER interfacing. It's the really strong stuff used for really

heavy duty projects. I had bought it to use for interfacing in a pair of boots I was fixin to make. But I haven't got up the nerve to draft the pattern for them yet. Much like the bloomers I've been meaning to sit down and make all week. I really need to get off my bum, huh? lol. One of these days. I'm hoping tomorrow to take pictures of the hat's I've made so far during the day so that the lighting is better and not just my camera flash. Wish me luck!

On the 12th day of Halloween.......

Yes, I know, It's the 13th. I was going to post some crafty goodness last night when it decided to fall apart on me. Frigin polyclay, I loathe you!

I got bored while waiting for NCIS to come on last night. Oh Timothy McGee you are not as nerdy hot when you're skinny. I preferred you with some meat on your bones. Please eat a few more sandwiches! But I digress. So I being lazy I decided to dabble with polyclay. I say lazy because I keep my box of clay beside my bed and not in the craft room since it has proven throughout the summer that the temperatures in the craft room reach hot enough to actually bake my clay! Can you believe that?! Ridiculous! So last night I made a few pumpkins. I was originally going to make them into earrings, but my jewelry stuff was in the craft room and I was lazy, so they are just pumpkins. Not too shabby if I say so for myself. I lack mad clay skills. Actually, on the range of mediums I work with I put clay in the extreme hate category. Mostly because I've never been properly taught to work with it. The most instruction I've gotten is from an art teacher in the 5th or 6h grade while making an ash tray. I kid you not. From there I just randomly dabble in it and pray for the best. I think I did pretty ok last night. The muses were with me. Nooooo, not with the pumpkins. I'm not bragging on my mad pumpkin skills. I'm talking about this dude. Ok, So he's not a looker per se. But what Headless Horseman is? I mean, he's missing his head!! This is him pre-face lift. Mad poly skills I has not, however, I don't think he's too bad for the 3rd figure I've ever made. The problem with him is that his legs fell off after baking. I made them separate, stuck a piece of metal in the base added that polyclay glue that hardens into clay once it's baked and then connected them. The arms are done the same way, and they stayed on just fine. The legs? Not so much. Look at the poor guy. Breaks my heart, it does. Until I can buy him some super glue I have named him the Legless Horseman. ;) The Legend of the Headless Horseman is one of my all time favorites from childhood. You may know it from the movie The Legend of Sleepy Hollow starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. Perhaps I love it so much for it's German roots, or perhaps I just thought it would be pretty damn cool to have a pumpkin for a head. Who knows. Either way, best Halloween story ever. And this is my ode to the Headless Horseman who is said to still haunt the little valley of Sleepy Hollow in New York to this day.