Basic Homesteading Skills

Vulture culture supplies:

For anyone who’s thinking about getting into it

Collecting:

*Ziploc bags/grocery bags/boxes/buckets

**Gloves

**Hand sanitizer

Preparing for maceration:

*Knife/scalpel

**Tweezers

*Gloves

*Papertowels/newspaper

**Rubbing alcohol/alcohol wipes/lysol wipes

Maceration:

Container with lid

Water

**Hydrogen peroxide

OR

dirt

**containment area

Degreasing:

Dish soap

OR

Ammonia

Wet preservation:

Ethanol

An airtight container

Dry preservation:

*Newspaper/papertowels

X-Acto knife/box cutter/scalpel

*Wire cutters/pliers

cornmeal/rocksalt/borax

Cardboard box with lid

**Hacksaw

*Protective gloves 

Some Modifying bone tools:

Elmers/super glue

Bone saw (the SOG F11BN-CP Wood & Bone Folding Saw has been recommended)

Sandpaper

Paraloid b72 (for sealing bone)

Respirator (don’t breathe in bone dust)(the GVS SPR457 Elipse P100 Half Mask Respirator has been recommended)

Some other helpful tools to have around:

Paintbrushes

Toothbrushes

Q-tips

Toothpicks

*semi optional (definitely recommended)

**optional

Please add anything I’m missing, and I don’t know much about tanning or diaphonization, anyone can chime in if they want!

There’s a reason this salt dough recipe is the first thing in my grimoire. Very few tools have been quite as versatile as this. I have made offering bowls, a measuring spoon, a deity statue, runes… and I could go on.

Salt dough is wonderful for witchery because you make it yourself, it’s cheap af, you can make it with things you steal from the kitchen while you’re stealing McCormack herbs (don’t lie, you know you’ve done it), and it’s salt based which is like the witchiest of witch things.

The small discs on the page are my latest idea, which is outlined in the second note on the page. I mixed dried herbs into the salt dough, formed discs, let it dry, and now I’ve got these portable little magic herb discs. The ones on the page are basil and powdered sugar for drawing wealth at work. But the possibilities are endless. If you can make an herb sachet or powder, you can probably also make it a salt dough disc.

Witch tip: set these out on a dish to dry by your window to give it all that good sun and moonlight.

Yule Resource Masterpost

A collection of categorized links for your Yule needs! What is Yule? [X] Yule is celebrated on slightly different days depending on who you ask, but the broad spectrum is: December 20th to January 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and around June 20th (give or take a few days) in the Southern Hemisphere.

 The basics:

Yule correspondences

Celebrating Yule

Yule: A very merry sabbat

Guide to Yuletide plants + herbs

Yule - ‘tis the season

Yule practices

A Yule ritual

50 Yuleisms

Yule Crafts:

Yule potpourri recipe

Witch balls / more witch balls

A twelve-herb sachet for Yule

Mini herb wreaths

Yule log

Yule craft ideas

Pine protection balm

Dried orange slices

Yule Recipes:

Herbal shortbread

Bread dipping oil

Chocolate Yule log

Yuletide muesli

Yule tea

Yule Punch

Non-alcoholic mulled wine

Winter sabbat wine

Yule Spells:

Merry Yule spell jar / Season of peace spell jar

Holiday ornament snow spell

Yule bath spell

Blessed Yule - for a positive holiday season

Winter solstice spell

Spell for a happy family gathering

Yule energy sun spell

Winter stasis spell sachet

Holiday home blessings

Safe delivery envelope spell

Yule Tarot Spreads:

The return (2 card)

Yule spread (3 card)

Tarot spread for Yule (3 card)

Winter inspired spread (5 card)

Yule reflection + advice spread (5 card)

A Yuletime tarot spread (6 card)

Other:

Music ideas / Winter witch playlist

Altar/celebration ideas / Yule altar guide

Yule plants / Mistletoe Lore

Yule oils/incense / Yule incense

Emoji spell for luck during Yule and Solstice

Spell ideas for the holidays

Updated June, 2020. Please inform me (via askbox) of broken links!

Spell Timing - Weather

⛈Lightning Storms - power, manifestation, cursing, protection 🌧Rainstorms - purification, cleansing, healing, compassion, release ❄Snowstorms - balance, stillness, purification, transformation, letting go ☁Dense Fog - invisibility, stasis, mysticism, shielding 🌀Heavy Wind - travel, study, intellect, breaking bad habits ☀Searing Hot Days - courage, protection, strength, energy 🌠Meteor Showers - power, magickal boost, wishes 🌘Solar & Lunar Eclipses - banishing, destruction

some correspondences taken from Scott Cunningham’s “Earth, Air, Fire & Water” along with my own personal correspondences

The BBC is releasing over 16,000 sound effects for free download

Happy Mag

The BBC is releasing over 16,000 sound effects for free download

The BBC have released their incredible, expansive library of bizarre and obscure sound effects, all available for free download.

Building a Magical Home

One of my favorite quotes about the magic of homemaking comes from Cory Hutcheson, host of the New World Witchery podcast. He says, “Home is a transformational act. It is the thing you do to turn a space into a space… that is full of ritual and significance and meaning. So there is sort of this ongoing relationship you have with the space that makes it a home.”

The act of creating a home, of making a space your own, is inherently magical. But if you want to make your space feel a little more witchy, here are some ideas to get you started.

Charms and Talismans

Making your own magical objects can be a powerful way to bring magic into your space. The best thing about making your own charms is that you can make them look however you want, so it’s easy to disguise them as ordinary household objects. You can make a charm for any intention by combining objects based on their magical correspondences.

I’ve talked about protective charms in previous posts, so I’m not gonna spend a lot of time on it here. The simplest protective charm is keeping a large piece of iron under your bed to keep away nightmares, evil spirits, and negative energy. You could also make your own protection charm, like a witch bottle.

You can create a “happy home” charm to bring peace, harmony, and happiness into your home. This charm could include herbs like basil, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and/or bay leaves, as well as other items that you associate with peace and good fortune, like lucky coins, crystals, or black cat fur. Write your desires for a harmonious and happy home on a piece of paper, fold it up, and add it to the charm. You could store these items in a green bag, bury them in your backyard (in this case, make sure you’re only using biodegradable plant matter — leave out the coins and crystals), or place it inside a household object like a lamp or an end table.

If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep issues, try making a dream charm to help you sleep well and have sweet dreams. To make a simple dream charm, fill a blue or purple bag with lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and any other objects that you associate with peace, restfulness, and sleep. If you want to have lucid dreams or receive psychic messages in your dreams, include a bit of mugwort. Place the charm in your pillow or under your mattress. (I personally swear by this one, as it’s helped a lot with my insomnia.)

Charms are great for homemaking magic because you’re actually creating a magical object, which can then become a permanent fixture of the space.

Magical Decor

You can use magical items to decorate your home to bring certain qualities into that space.

Hanging or displaying a broom is said to bring good fortune, protection from evil, and good hospitality. Cauldrons are used to represent the Goddess, rebirth, and raw potential. Horseshoes hung above door frames bring safety and luck to all who cross under them, and keep unwanted guests away. If you can get them legally and ethically, animal bones, teeth, claws, and feathers can represent the spirit and energy of that animal. You can also put up images of spiritual and occult symbols — I have an image of the Sun tarot card hanging in my bedroom to promote positivity and growth.

If you need to be a little more subtle with your witchy decorations, working with the magic of color is a great way to do that. Gathering a lot of items of a single color in one room changes the energy of that room. Here’s a quick guide to give you some ideas:

Yellow is associated with divination, mental clarity, the element of air, success, communication, and inspiration.

Purple is associated with divine power, spiritual awareness, mystery, astral travel, magic, and authority.

Blue is associated with healing, psychic abilities, the element of water, peace, truth, and patience.

Red is associated with protection, the fire element, sex, power, vitality, and love.

Orange is associated with ambition, creativity, breaking through blockages, and career success.

Pink is associated with romantic love, friendship, self love, compassion, and emotional well-being.

Green is associated with nature, herbalism, the earth element, money, wealth, prosperity, and luck.

Brown is associated with grounding, animal magic, stability, and balance.

White is associated with purification, cleansing, the full moon, new beginnings, healing, and spiritual growth.

Black is associated with protection, truth, outer space, banishing, and transition.

Decorating your home with colors that are meaningful to you can create a powerful magical space. You may also have your own color associations (for example, yellow is a very “happy” color for me), so feel free to incorporate those into your decor as well!

Growing Magical Houseplants

Most witches feel a very deep connection to nature and draw power from the natural world, but we can’t all live in a cottage in the heart of the forest. Even if you live in a tiny apartment in the city, you can still bring nature into your space by keeping houseplants. Many popular houseplants have magical uses, and many popular magic herbs can be grown inside. Here are a few to get you started.

Aloe. This is one of my favorite plants. Aloe brings luck and protection, especially protection on an energetic/spiritual level. I like to keep aloe in my bedroom to protect me while I sleep, as well as to bring luck and inspiration while I’m working at my desk.

Basil. Basil is very popular in money spells, and will attract prosperity and luck to your home. However, it also has protective properties — both spiritual protection and protection from bugs, since basil is a natural insect repellent! Basil can also be used in love spells, and is just generally a good plant to have around for good vibes.

African Violet. This flowering plant attracts positive spiritual energy into your space. It has associations with the moon and the water element, and is very good for promoting spirituality and psychic power.

Rosemary. Rosemary is one of those herbs that every witch should have on hand. It’s so darn versatile, it can be used as a substitute for virtually any other herb, and can be used for almost any intention. Some of the most common magical associations for rosemary include: cleansing, purification, protection, healing, mental activity, and enhancing memory. According to author Deborah J. Martin, there’s an old English saying that, “Where rosemary grows, the woman rules the house.” Like basil, rosemary is a natural insect repellent.

Lavender. Lavender brings peace, love, and gentleness, which makes it a perfect addition to any home. It can be used in spells for cleansing and purification, enhancing psychic abilities, and stress relief. Lavender is also a powerful addition to love spells. Keeping lavender in the bedroom can aid in restful sleep, while lavender in the kitchen will bring harmony to the home.

Sage. Sage is the most talked about cleansing herb, and with good reason. Unfortunately, a lot of the sage bundles you can buy at metaphysical stores are made with white sage (Salvia apiana), which is sacred to Native American peoples and is endangered due to overharvesting. Instead of buying those, why not grow your own garden sage (Salvia officinalis), which has a lot of the same magical properties? Growing sage in your home will purify the space and protect those who live there. Sage also has an association with wisdom and mental prowess.

Hoya. Hoya is a common houseplant that you’ve probably seen even if you don’t know it by name. It has a distinctive appearance with waxy, dark green leaves and clusters of white, star-shaped flowers. Hoya aligns and balances the energy centers within your body, as well as in the surrounding space. It’s associated both with grounding and with spiritual openness, so it can be great for balancing the two.

Peppermint. Peppermint has a variety of magical uses, but my favorite way to use it is for gently opening up blockages and getting things moving. It’s great for cleansing, but is more gentle than rosemary or sage. Place it in any room where you tend to do a lot of healing work, or where you could use some peace and love. Peppermint is also used in dream magic, so growing it in the bedroom may bring on vivid or lucid dreams.

Orchid. Orchids are used in magic for love and lust. Historically, orchid has been used in folk medicine to promote male virility and “Jezebel root,” used in American folk magic to attract wealthy male lovers, is a type of orchid root. If you live with a significant other, try growing an orchid in the bedroom to promote passion in your sex life. Otherwise, grow orchids in your home to promote love or to attract romance.

Catnip. If you have cats, they’ll love this one. Catnip is actually a type of mint, and has strong lunar associations. It’s said to make one more charming and attractive, and is especially useful for attracting women. At the same time, catnip promotes courage and fierceness. It is also, of course, associated with cats and feline deities, so this is definitely a plant you’ll want to keep around if the cat is one of your animal guides.

If you have a yard space that you can turn into an outdoor garden, your magical plant options are limited only by your local ecosystem. Some outdoor plants that have magical uses include roses, sunflowers, rue, lemon balm, and strawberries.

Creating an Altar

Altars are focal points of magical and spiritual energy. Many people, both witches and non-witches, find that having a designated space for their spiritual practice creates a deeper sense of sacredness and purpose.

An altar can serve lots of different purposes. Many witches use their altar as a magical work space to prepare spells, meditate, and do divination. You may choose to dedicate your altar to a deity, your ancestors, or some other spirit(s) you work with. You can also build altars for specific intentions, such as a money altar or a love altar — performing rituals at this altar everyday is a powerful method for manifestation. You altar may be some or all of these things, or it may just be a place to sit and connect with the spiritual.

You can set up an altar on any flat surface, like a shelf or table, or inside a container like a jewelry box. Your setup can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. An altar can be huge and complex, with statues and candles and flowers, or it can be as simple as a tealight and an incense burner. It’s all about what appeals to you.

Resources:

New World Witchery pocast, “Episode 143 — The Magical Home”

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

“Candle colors and their meanings” by Michelle Gruben on the Grove and Grotto blog

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

A Green Witch’s Cupboard by Deborah J. Martin

“The Magic of Orchids in Wiccan Love Spells & Rituals” on the Art of the Root blog

TAROT CHEAT SHEET #1

MAJOR ARCANA

0. THE FOOL | blank slate, beginning, innocence ®* | reckless, negligence, unaware of consequences 1. THE MAGICIAN | willpower, manifestation of desires ® | trickery, illusions, lies, out of touch w/ truth 2. THE HIGH PRIESTESS | intuition, inner voice ® | repressed/unheard inner voice 3. THE EMPRESS | mother figure, nurture, earth/nature ® | smothering, dependence, needing to let go 4. THE EMPEROR | authority, structure, control, father figure ® | tyranny, too much control 5. THE HIEROPHANT | tradition, conformity, morality ® | rebellion, subversiveness, divergence 6. THE LOVERS | union, duality, choice, harmony ® | disharmony, loss of balance 7. THE CHARIOT | self-control & willpower leading to victory ® | loss of control, lack of direction 8. STRENGTH | bravery, inner understanding that radiates power ® | self-doubt, insecurity, weakness 9. THE HERMIT | solitude, contemplation, seeking inner truth ® | loneliness, isolation, disconnect w/ fellow humans 10. WHEEL OF FORTUNE | change, cycles, inevitability ® | bad luck, helplessness, series of bad events 11. JUSTICE | cause & effect, karmic retribution ® | unpunished misbehavior, unfair, turning a blind eye 12. THE HANGED MAN | willing sacrifice, release of control ® | stalling, needless sacrifice, waiting to no avail 13. DEATH | end, cyclical closure, metamorphosis ® | fear of change, stagnation, limbo, holding on 14. TEMPERANCE | moderation, balance, middle path ® | extremes, excess, lack of balance 15. THE DEVIL | materialism, destructive patterns, excess ® | freedom, release, restoring control 16. THE TOWER | sudden disaster, upheaval, collapse ® | delaying inevitable disaster, avoiding suffering that could lead to growth 17. THE STAR | hope, faith, guidance ® | faithlessness, lack of guidance, negative thoughts 18. THE MOON | unconscious, intuition, illusions, dreams ® | confusion, misinterpretation 19. THE SUN | success, clarity, positivity, conscious ® | negativity, depression, sadness, pessimism 20. JUDGEMENT | reckoning, honest evaluation of oneself ® | lack of self-awareness, self-loathing 21. THE WORLD | completion, wholeness, fulfillment ® | incompletion, no closure, nearing end of journey but something is missing

*® = reverse card meaning*® = reverse card meaning

Tarot Cheat Sheet #1 - Major Arcana

Tarot Cheat Sheet #2 - Wands

Tarot Cheat Sheet #3 - Cups

Tarot Cheat Sheet #4 - Swords

Tarot Cheat Sheet #5 - Pentacles

Kitchen Witch Masterpost

- General Posts: [The Basics Of Kitchen & Cottage Witchcraft] [Infusing and Charging your Drink] [Basic Ideas For Kitchen Witchery]  [Bedridden Witchcraft: Kitchen Witch Edition] [A Guide (Of Sorts) To Kitchen Witchcraft]  [Ethics of Enchantment of Food and Drink] [Mini Herb Packets] [On Kitchen Magic]

Correspondences:  [Fruit & Veggie Correspondences] [Useful Spices] [Taste Correspondences] [Onions In Witchcraft] [Grocery Store Alternatives for Magical Ingredients] [Food Correspondences]  [Witchcraft For The Home: Herbs & Spices] [Herbs & Witchcraft] [Herbs, Incense, Oils]  [Food Magic Correspondences]  [Magic Pies] [Herbal Correspondences] [Kitchen Magic Altar Herbs] [Cucumbers] [Magical Uses for Kitchen Tool] [Teas For Witches: The Basics] Spells:  [Charmain’s Self Love Mug] [Kitchen Charm Magnet for Fresher Food Longer] [Kitchen Cabnet Abundance Jar] [Protection Powder] [Rotten Apple Banishing]  [Abitwitchy’s Bath Bag] Recipes:  [Soups! Kitchen Witch Masterpost] [3 Spring Witchy Recipes] [Warming Autumn Soup] [Family Good Health Soup] [Honey Lavender Bread] [Pumpkin Pie Happiness Spell] [Grandma’s Pumpkin Bread] [Imbolc Poppy Seed Tea Bread] [Edible Wealth Spell] [Luck & Love Bread]  [Peace Spell] [Feel Better Charmed Soup] [Give Me Sunshine Potion for Happiness] [Healing Tea Recipe] [Soups & Broths In Magick] [Happiness & Luck Smoothie] Tips/Random: [Kitchen Witchcraft Baking Tips]  [Kitchen Witch (#10)] [Honey for sigils] [Storage tip] [Lemon Juice For Invisible Sigils] [Kitchen Witchery Tips] [Cinnamon Stick Runes] [Baby Kitchen Witch Tip]  Thank you for the suggestion @choijiae1893!  I hope this helped you! Enjoy! Have a lovely day 💖

This is the Baby Money Yoda, reblog in the next 60 seconds of seeing this to receive a blessing from our green bean prince.