Happy New Year!

Do you have your 7-day candle?  How about your list of things to bring into the new year?  I did a post on resolutions last year so I won't bore you with a repeat post.

I hope you all have at least one thing you want to carry over into 2012.  I know it was a rough year for a lot of us, but tomorrow is a brand new day!

So, remember the lessons learned along the way and make some happy plans for a good year to come.  Happy New Year my friends!

~Heathen

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Better Homes and Gardens

 The cleaning is done, the pantry is stocked, and the presents wait patiently under the tree.  It's nearly time to go out visiting and admiring all the decorations.

I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas tomorrow!

Eat, drink and be merry!

~Heathen

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime

The best, most exciting part of the Holiday season is here...Christmas Eve is tomorrow!  It's time for last minute wrapping and baking, organizing the gifts under the tree just so, tucking away the unused decorations and settling in with some yummy cocoa and holiday movies.  It's time for visiting with friends and family, enjoying all the decorations and hard work that was put into this Holiday.  The anticipation and good cheer abound!  Take a little pride in all you've accomplished and don't worry about the things that didn't get done.  Be merry and enjoy the Holiday in whatever way you choose to celebrate!

~Heathen

The Holly and the Ivy

Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice, is the longest night of the year.  After the Solstice, the days begin to grow longer again as the Sun begins its return.  Yule is a time for introspection and planning of the future as well as a celebration of the rebirth of the Sun.

Customs and Activities:

• caroling
• burning the Yule log (or candle)
• kissing under the mistletoe
• baking sweets

Colors:
red, green, gold, white, silver, yellow, orange

Decorations:

• Yule log (or candle)
• evergreen boughs or wreaths
• holly & mistletoe
• candles
• clove studded fruit
• poinsettias
• stars
• stags

Foods:

• pork or poultry dishes
• fruits & nuts
• ginger tea
• cookies
• eggnog
• cider

Scents of the season:

• pine
• cedar
• rosemary
• sage
• peppermint
• cinnamon

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

Join me for a moment in a wonderful fairy tale land.

A magical place where it only snows from December to January.

The holidays are frosted in white sparkling snow and the air itself glitters with tiny falling snowflakes.  The scents of pine, rosemary, and peppermint linger everywhere in the cold, crisp air.  Everything is decorated and twinkles both day and night.  Happy people bustle about preparing for the celebrations ahead.  It's a place for scarves and mittens, thick sweaters and knit caps, hot chocolate and spiced cider.

The various holidays are celebrated with joy and the new year begins.

And just like that...the snow is gone.  Leaving everything clean and refreshed, ready to embrace the quiet time and patiently await the return of the Sun.

May your days be merry and bright!

~Heathen

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

The decorations are up, the gifts are bought, wrapped and under the tree.  All that's left to do is plan the meal and clean.  I can't believe I'm almost done!  This time last week, the tree wasn't even decorated yet.  Well, I have had help from the family so I can't take the credit.  Every day when I got home from work more decorating had been done, what a nice surprise!

We are fast approaching crunch time, only 9 days left!  Less than that if you have company coming to stay!!  You can find my original crunch time post here, but if you've got company staying with you, there are a few extra things to be done.

Sleeping Arrangements - Where are you going to put those guests?  If you happen to have a guest room, this step is already done!  If not, you can always make a place in any extra room you may have (think den, office, craft room, etc.).  If at all possible, provide a bit of privacy for your guests, then just clear some space wherever you can for a "bed".  Any bed will do, futon, pull-out sofa, inflatable mattress.  If you truly have no extra space (like me) you may need to let your guests have the bedroom while you camp out somewhere else for the duration.  No matter where your guests are sleeping, there are still things to be done...

Pottery Barn

Amenities - Now that you have a place for your guests, make sure they have basic creature comforts like clean sheets, pillows and blankets.  Don't forget to provide towels and toiletries they don't have to hunt down.  Seriously, make sure there are things like cotton balls, Q-Tips, washcloths, hand soap, and toothpaste readily available.  They'll probably go through your bathroom cabinets anyway, but do you really want to give them a reason to?

Pottery Barn

Food & Drink - Of course you have everything planned for the big day, but what about the rest of the time?  Your guests are going to need to eat and drink before and after the holiday.  Plan on doubling your normal groceries.  Yes double!  There will be more people in your home for more hours of the day over the course of several days.  Trust me, you do not want to run out of something silly like coffee, milk or toilet paper as we get closer to the craziest food shopping day of the year.  Also, decide if you're going to serve your guests or let them rummage through your pantry.  Personally I believe in a self-serve kitchen (if you've been to my house more than twice or are staying more than a day, help yourself), but that means you need to CLEARLY mark anything that is specifically for the Christmas feast.

Martha Stewart

Personal Touches - Consider any special needs your guests may have.  Do they have dietary restrictions?  If so make sure to include items for them with your groceries.  Are they physically able to get in and out of a low bed?  If not, you're sleeping on that air mattress.  Do your guests smoke or have pets while you don't, or is it the other way around?  Decide now how you're going to handle this if it's an issue to avoid any problems or bad feelings.  Different sleeping patterns?  Come to a compromise on what time to be up on Christmas morning.

Southern Living

Entertainment - If your guests will be with you for more than one night this is also something to consider.  Show them how to work any home entertainment equipment you may have.  Everyone's remote is different.  Also, show them where the spare key is kept in case they need to run out for anything or just want to go for a walk in the morning.  You get the idea here, make them feel at home!

Southern Living

I know this seems like a lot.  But if you handle these things now, your holidays will be much more enjoyable for everyone.

~Heathen

Carol of the Bells

As I'm sure you've noticed by now, I've added a twinkly version of Carol of the Bells to my site for this festive season.  Since not everyone enjoys music on the blogs they visit, the player is at the very bottom of the page and can be paused so the music doesn't play.

Photo found on Tumblr here.

This, I think, begs the question...do you prefer music, sound effects, or nothing at all when you visit a blog?  While on my visits around blog land, I've heard seasonal songs, favorite songs, wind chimes, and crackling fires. I like the idea of the ambient sounds vs. songs you hear on the radio, but that's just me.  I chose this version of the popular carol because there are no lyrics and it's more of a background sound.

So, tell me what you prefer!  Music, sounds, or nothing at all?

~Heathen

Deck the Halls...

...with Christmas decorations!  Just sharing a few pics from around my house this season.

If you haven't decorated yet, what are you waiting for?  It doesn't matter if you're the only one who will see them, drag out the boxes and bins and get started!

There's 2 weeks left to get in the spirit and enjoy this time of year.  So put up that tree, even a Charlie Brown one will do.

Hang up some snowflakes, put ornaments in a bowl, light a pretty candle.

Put on your favorite holiday music or movie while you decorate and before you know it, you'll be feeling like a kid again!

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

~Heathen

Oh Christmas Tree...

Better Homes and Gardens

Happy December and welcome to the Holiday Season!

I don't know about you, but I just love this big fat Christmas tree.  I tried to put my artificial tree in my big cauldron as a "container", but the tree stand is just too big.  So, for this year at least, the stand is once again covered by a tree skirt.

I've seen, and implemented a lot of great decorating ideas this year.  The tree isn't decorated yet, but should be by the end of this weekend.  I honestly haven't decided if I'm going to get new ornaments or not this year.  Do you ever get tired of your ornaments too?

If all goes well I'll have some decorating photos for you next week.  But for now it's time to start getting some gifts to put under the tree!

~ Heathen

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick note to wish all my US friends a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Enjoy the day with family and friends!

~ Heathen

Last Minute Thanksgiving

Ack!  Thanksgiving is THIS WEEK!

If this is how you feel today, here's what to do:

• First, take a deep breath.  This is not a test and you will not be graded.
• Decide what food & drinks you're going to serve, from appetizers to dessert.  But have backup options just in case!
• Make a shopping list.  Don't forget to include some candles and flowers if you don't have those on hand, and remember the roasting pan if you're cooking a whole turkey.
• Not much of a cook?  Have each guest bring a dish for a pot-luck style meal.
• Go to the grocery store TODAY, the pickings will already be sparse so you don't want to wait any longer.  This is the reason for the backup options.
• If you haven't already, arrange your Fall decorations where they will be appreciated by your guests.
• Really clean your kitchen and main/guest bathroom (the guest room too if you're having overnight company).  The rest of the house can get a cursory tidy & sweep.
• Anything that can be made ahead of time should be prepared on Wednesday at the latest.
• On Wednesday night, make some time to put your feet up with a glass of wine or mug of cocoa and just be.  You'll feel much more relaxed to greet and entertain your guests on Thursday.

Better Homes and Gardens

Remember, these people are your friends and family.  So enjoy the time together instead of trying to be Martha Stewart (unless of course you ARE Martha Stewart).

~ Heathen

A Little Help for my Friends

If you follow my blog, you know I recently suffered a nasty back pain episode.  And I know, from reading all of your blogs, that a lot of you deal with some type of pain on a fairly regular basis.  So I want to share with you 2 things I found that have helped me become (nearly) pain free.  I only say nearly because I'm still working through it, but it's down to just a few twinges throughout the day.  This is a big deal since 3 months ago I could barely walk!

Now I, like a lot of people, don't have health insurance so getting bounced around by a bunch of doctors and specialists was out of the question.  Add to that my low opinion of western medicine and our current healthcare system and you find me searching the web for anything and everything that might possibly relieve the pain.

After much trial and error (all free advice I might add), I stumbled upon something that finally made sense to me...http://www.movelikeachild.com/
This guy and his "program" are not widely known in the US as he's based in New Zealand.  But in my humble opinion, this guy is brilliant!  If you follow the link you can get a very good idea of how his program works and the way he thinks.  And if you enter your email address (I have never gotten one piece of spam from this) you get instant access to 13 videos and a ton of advice for turning things around.  After making my way through absolutely everything on his website I went ahead and ordered the DVDs and I'm so glad I did!  I even sent a question to the contact info and I got a response the next day, from the man himself.  I can't say enough good things about this, check the website out for yourself.

The second item I recently decided to look into is the book Healing Your Back Pain, by Dr. John Sarno.  You can find this everywhere on the web, but I just checked it out from my local library...totally free!  It is not an entertaining read, but it's very informative and eye-opening.  They both offer a radically different approach to all types of chronic pain, not just back pain.

So, if you're tired of being bounced through our medical system and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, just to have your pain come back...check these two things out.

Disclaimer: I am NOT being paid to promote these items.  They worked great for me and I love to share a good thing and a great deal with my friends.

Black Cats & Pointy Hats

Halloween is nearly upon us.  The Great Pumpkin is set to arrive, the witches are preparing to fly, and the black cats...well, they're a bit indifferent to the whole thing.  They are cats after all!

The veil is getting quite thin so it's time to get the Jack o' Lanterns and candles set up to protect your home from unwanted ghosties, don your costumes to blend in, and don't forget the treats to appease all manner of creatures who will soon be knocking at your door!

Rake and burn the leaves, and gather the firewood.  Mulch the gardens, sweep the front steps, and bring the herbs in to dry.  Shutter the windows, there's a chill in the air!

Fill the cauldron with freshly harvested vegetables and herbs and set it to simmer.  Stock the pantry with canned goods from the garden and get started on the candle making.  Bring out the blankets and clean out the hearth.  Remember, don't clear those cobwebs until after All Hallows Eve, that spider may be someone you knew!

This is Halloween!

Image found at Studio Tord Boontje.com

Can You Spot the Differences?

So a couple weekends ago my daughter decided she wanted to play around with Photoshop.  She took a picture that I found on Google to use as a desktop background and just started playing around.  With a little bit of instruction from me, she made a completely different picture.  Then she had the great idea of posting both pictures and seeing who could spot all the differences.  Admit it, you still like playing those.

There are a total of 11 changes to the original picture (besides the obvious color change).  You'll probably want to click on the pics to see them better.  Just list the ones you find in your comments.

original

new version

Happy hunting!

Disclaimer: This is not my photo.  I found it on Google image search and I have no idea who it belongs to.  If this is your picture, please feel free to contact me and I will update this post with the proper credits.

The Decorating Has Begun!

Actually it began last weekend after the birthday festivities, but it's going slow this year since I'm still recovering.  I found some branches at the park this morning that were absolutely perfect for a Halloween Tree, and I even nabbed some moss to drape on them!

As it turns out, I couldn't put them both together like I thought.  So I made two of them instead!  Here are the pics...

And then there's my flower filled cauldron...

Can you see the jar filled with eyeballs just behind it?  I love the way these all turned out!  I'll share more pics later as I get more decorations put out.

Happy Halloween!
~ Heathen

Demons, Devils, and Ghosts, oh my!

Lately, beginning back in September, my daughter and I have taken to watching the complete WB/CW show Supernatural.  What's not to like?  It dark, spooky, uncomplicated, with a bit of comedy, and of course there's the eye candy.

I figure it's a pretty perfect bit of evening entertainment during the month of October.  Since we don't always have time to settle in and watch a 2-hour movie during the week, this T.V. show fits the bill!

What are you watching right now?
~ Heathen

Happy October!

It's here, it's here, it's finally here!  That's right, October has finally arrived!  And to top it off, we actually got cooler weather here in Florida this weekend.  This will be short and sweet my lovelies since I am very busy today.  Not only is it the first day of Halloween season (officially), but it's also my daughter's birthday.  I'll be back soon with more Halloween posts for you!

~ Heathen

I'm Still Here

Sorry, my lovelies, for being away for so long.  I've been dealing with a back injury.  Nothing life threatening, but it has stopped me from doing just about everything besides going to work every day.  I'm recovering (slowly) but I still can't sit for very long.

So...I just want to let you all know I'm still alive and I will have much to share soon.  After all, Halloween is just around the corner!  I'll try to make the rounds and pop in to your blogs as I can.

Okay, my sitting time is up so I'll be going now.  Happy thoughts!

~ Heathen

Happy Fourth of July!

To all my US friends and followers, have a wonderful holiday.

Enjoy and be safe!

~ Heathen

Thank You!

I just want to say thank you to Vanessa over at A Fanciful Twist for hosting another Mad Tea Party!  Based on all the participation and comments, everyone had a great time.

Also, I want to thank all my friends (new and old) for the wonderful comments.  I enjoyed visiting everyone's parties, even if I didn't comment on all of them.

So...THANK YOU!

~ Heathen

Tea in the Garden

Welcome party goers!  If you've just found my site, I'm very pleased to meet you.  Please feel free to wander around a bit. 

For my contribution to today's Mad Tea Party I've created a digital collage...Tea in the Garden.

click to enlarge

It was inspired by this...

I hope you all enjoy.  I'll be blog-hopping around to check out all your Tea Party posts today.  To follow along with the madness, click here and visit A Fanciful Twist for more partiers!

Thanks to Vanessa for hosting her annual Mad Tea Party!

Halloween in Summer?

So I was out trolling the local craft and party goods stores this weekend and I saw the strangest thing.  The Halloween goods are already starting to be displayed.  Let me make this clear, I LOVE Halloween.  But you see, I'm a seasonal kind of girl.  I try to follow the turn of the wheel and be in the moment (or at least appreciate the moment).  So you can see how this would kind of upset my balance a bit.

I'm trying to be in my Summer groove over here (which shouldn't be hard when it's 85 F at 7:30 in the morning) and suddenly I'm visually transported right into the middle of Fall.  I mean completely!  I can smell my Halloween candles and feel the giddy bubbling up from the tips of my toes.  Instead of looking at the brightly colored flowers and supplies, I find myself being drawn toward the pumpkins and deep purple flowers!  Bumble bees are replaced with bats, lanterns with cauldrons, swimming pools with mist covered fields.  What's a girl like me to do I ask you?

I guess for now I'll have to put blinders on when I go to the craft store and remember that it's still June, just the beginning of Summer.  Fall will be here soon enough, and with it Halloween.  But don't think for a second that those Halloween images have actually gone away...

~ Heathen

Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice, also known as Litha or Midsummer, is the longest day of the year.  After the Solstice the nights gradually begin to grow longer again.  Litha is a fire festival and a classic time for magic of all types.

Customs and Activities:

• spend the day outside
• wear the colors of the Sun
• lighting a blaze (or candles) on Midsummer's Eve and maintaining it until midnight brings luck and blessings to the home

Colors:
red, orange, yellow, green, and white

Decorations:

• sunflowers
• bees
• lanterns or twinkle lights
• wreath of ivy with yellow & red flowers or ribbon intertwined

Foods:  due to the Summer heat in FL, I like to serve a light meal that doesn't require the oven.

• summer veggies
• grilled meat, poultry, or fish
• Sangria
• anything lemony or citrus

Spellworkings:

• love
• divination
• protection
• inspiration
• any fairy magic

Happy Father's Day

To all the Dad's out there in Blogland and the great wide world!

Enjoy your special day!

Father's Day

Next Sunday, June 19th, is known in the U.S. and a lot of other places around the world as Father's Day.  Every year on the 3rd Sunday of June we honor our fathers or father figures.

So what do you give the man who has everything or wants nothing (and doesn't need a tie)?  That all depends on the man in question.  In my experience, most men don't really like the spectacle of receiving gifts in front of other people.  It seems to makes them feel awkward.  So instead of wrapping up a pretty gift, consider doing something for or with the man of honor.

Host a backyard barbecue for the family and you've got a nice Father's Day for both Dad and Hubby.  Give Hubby the weekend off from that honey-do list and let him spend his time on the computer, or in front of ESPN, or whatever it is he likes to do.  Take your Dad out to breakfast, just the two of you.

If you don't live nearby, send him a book you read or CD you listened to that you think he would enjoy.  Don't wrap it up, just send it with a little note.  Or, if he's computer literate, send him links to authors or artists you want to share with him.  Whatever you decide to do, please don't give the poor man another tie (unless of course he actually needs one).

~ Heathen

Summer Vacation - with a twist

We all know about the horrible economy and we're all feeling it's effects on our wallets.  For a lot of us, this means skipping the traditional Summer vacation.  So instead of leaving home, try taking a vacation from something you normally do.  Things like television, your computer, the news, or driving.  Sound too hard?  What about taking a vacation from the things you don't really like such as complaining, whining, demanding, or judging.  Don't get defensive, we all do these things.

Or... take a vacation from work but stay local and pretend to be a tourist.  Do all the things someone visiting your town would do on vacation!  A lot of times you can even get discounts on the "touristy" things if you're a local, it never hurts to check.

The point is, don't skip your vacation...we all need them.  But you don't have to spend a fortune or uproot the family to do it.  Enjoy your Summer Vacation!

~ Heathen
Living Life Seasonally

Invite the Muses

Finding inspiration can sometimes be a daunting task.  So what to do when you simply have no new ideas?  First, you have to realize and accept that these things cannot be forced.  In fact, the harder you try, the less you'll get.  Sounds counter-intuitive right?  But it's not.  The truth is, a lack of inspiration mainly stems from an overload of information.  Your mind needs time to process, and most of us are going/doing/thinking way too fast for that to happen.  You have to slow down and stop, just for a bit, and essentially "re-boot" your mind.  Haven't you noticed that some of your best ideas pop into your head while doing something routine or absolutely nothing?

Consider these examples:
Newton was loafing under an apple tree when he saw an apple fall and got the idea of gravity.  Galileo was sitting and watching a great swinging lamp which triggered the idea of a swinging pendulum as a means to measure time.  And Watt was just waiting for his teakettle to boil when the steam lifting the lid gave him the idea of a steam engine.

There are more spells on inviting the muses than I could ever list here.  Some are as simple as carrying a piece of orange calcite with you, and others are require a full ritual.  Now I'm not big on ritual (just a personal preference) so I've come up with something a bit simpler.  All you need is a little quiet time and a candle.  Think about where or when you tend to get your best ideas.  For me that's in the shower and in the brief moment between awake and asleep.  It's probably different for you so adapt this to fit.


Take a yellow (for creativity) candle with you to your bathroom or bedroom.  Light the candle with the intention of inviting the muses.  You can do this however works for you.  Then get in the shower or fall asleep while the candle burns.  Empty your mind of conscious thought and just let it wander.  You will probably not get an immediate result, but you have sent the invitation and opened yourself to it.  When you're done, snuff out the candle (if it's still burning), and LET IT GO.  The inspiration will come, but not if you keep thinking about it.  If after a few days nothing has come to you, repeat the spell and do what you can to slow down.

~ Heathen
Living Life Seasonally

Things to do in June

June brings the beginning of Summer.  The weather is warming towards hot and the kids are home from school.  It's the perfect time for outdoor fun!  Not only will you enjoy the healing rays of the sun (don't forget the sunscreen!), but the fresh air and sunshine will help burn off the extra energy kids seem to have in the summer.

• Make a Summer playlist for your music player and take it with you.
• Head to the beach, lake, or pool for some water fun.
• Spend the day at the park and have a picnic lunch.
• Create sidewalk art with chalk on your driveway or porch.
• Go for a walk around your neighborhood.
• Go to a baseball game.
• Plant a vegetable garden.
• Visit a local street fair or farmer's market.
• Chase butterflies, frogs, lizards, and fireflies (please don't try to keep them).
• If your town still has one, go to a drive-in movie.
• Go camping and sleep outside; even if it's only in your own back yard.

Even if you don't have small children, you can still enjoy the activities listed here.  See what else you can come up with to spend as much time as possible outside.

~ Heathen
Living Life Seasonally

C'mon Ladies...Let's Clean House!

Okay, I know spring cleaning season is over (for most of us).  But if, like me, you've left a few things undone, now is the time.  The Summer Solstice is nearly upon us!  It's time to finish the spring cleaning and get your house ready for the summer months.  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Spruce up your porch, deck, or patio for outdoor lounging and entertaining.
• Get your grill ready for evening and weekend barbecues.
• Start saving your empty jars to use as luminaries.
• If you live in the north, remove the storm windows/doors and replace the screens.
• Air out the house before it gets too hot and sticky.
• Change the filter for your air conditioner and make sure it's working properly.
• Clean your fans.
• Pack away any remaining cold weather clothes and blankets; donate those you no longer want or need.
• Bring out the shorts, skirts, t-shirts, flip-flops, and lightweight blankets.

I know, it seems like a lot of work.  But trust me, you'll appreciate having it done and being ready for the hot & lazy days of summer!

~ Heathen
Living Life Seasonally

We're All Mad Here

That's right...it's time for a Mad Tea Party!  The whimsical Vanessa over at A Fanciful Twist is hosting another Mad Tea Party this month.  If you don't already know about this, you can find all the info here.

I wasn't around for the previous festivities, but I do plan on participating this year.  I just love her blog and her parties!  Not quite sure what I'll be doing, but I wouldn't tell you anyway. *wink*

So, if you haven't already, head on over and sign up to join.  Look forward to seeing you for tea!

~ Heathen

Creepy, Cute, and Cool

So yesterday was Mother's Day, as we all know, and I just have to share the gifts I received.  My lovely daughter and hubby decided to make gifts for me this year and I just love them!  Once everyone woke up yesterday, they are late sleepers, I was told to cover my eyes.  When I opened them I saw these...

This is Stitch In Time

his head turns so here's the other side

This is Prime-8

Like I said, they're creepy, cute, and cool!  It was a joint effort, my daughter designed them and the hubby painted them.  Way better than flowers!

We had a nice relaxing day just hanging out at home.  We all watched movies, I played Guitar Hero for awhile, and my daughter bought take-out for dinner.  Hope you all had a good weekend!

~ Heathen

Happy Mother's Day

...to all us Moms out there.  Enjoy your special day any way you like!

~ Heathen

Coconut Heaven

image found on Starbucks.com

Have you seen this yet?  Starbucks has a new drink on it's menu...the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino!  This thing is bliss in a cup.  And, they have the coconut flavored syrup so you can add it to any of your favorite Starbucks drinks!  How about adding a shot of it to their Orange Mango Smoothie?  As the barista said "It's like toes in the sand!"

Personally I LOVE coconut and there really hasn't been a signature flavor for the warmer months of the year.  There's the Pumpkin Spice starting in October, the Egg Nog starts in November, and of course the Peppermint and Gingerbread for the Holidays.  But nothing for Spring and Summer.  Well now there is and I'm doing a little happy dance about it!

As it turns out, they actually tried adding this flavor to their menu several years ago and it didn't last.  But enough people missed it that they finally brought it back.  I know a lot of you are Starbucks junkies as well and you may already know all about this...but I'm so excited I just had to share!  Enjoy!

~ Heathen

Beltane

Also known as May Day, Beltane is a time for love, union, growth, abundance and fertility.  This month marks the peak of Spring and is time to prepare for the warm months ahead.

Beltane is one of the in-between times of the year, it's still Spring but you can feel the lazy days of Summer in the air.  Here are a few things that symbolize this time of year for me:

• brightly colored wild flowers
• ferns and ivy
• embedded candles (the kind with flower petals in the wax)
• wind chimes
• cloudless blue skies
• freshly mowed grass
• sun dried laundry

When changing your decorations for this turn of the wheel, put away the eggs and pastels of Ostara and bring out bursts of color and pretty garden themed decorations.  Hang baskets or cones of flowers from doorknobs, put wind chimes and sun catchers in windows.  Start that windowsill herb garden you've always wanted.  You get the idea here.

found at Michaels.com

As always, have fun with it and make it personal!  Happy Beltane!

~ Heathen

Ostara vs. Easter

Which do I celebrate?  I saw this type of question a lot around the Holidays last year.  Yule or Christmas, then of course there's the current holiday Ostara or Easter, and let's not leave out Samhain or Halloween.  You get the idea.

My question is, why choose?  Very few of us grew up celebrating Yule, Ostara, Samhain or had any idea about the wheel of the year.  When we were kids Spring meant Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, and lots of candy; Fall brought costumes, going out at night, and more candy; Winter was all about Christmas, Santa Claus, presents, and of course...candy.  There were family traditions that were followed year after year, passed down through the generations and some new ones thrown in occasionally.  These are the things that stuck with us as we became adults and started our own families.  So why should we turn our backs on all those good memories and traditions just because we've chosen a different path for ourselves?

I say don't!  After all, being witchy is based on tradition and lore passed down through generations.  I say celebrate both!  Follow your path and acknowledge the turning of the wheel but don't forget your roots.  Celebrate the generally acknowledged holidays as well.  Have fun with them!  Keep the family traditions you enjoyed as a child and maybe incorporate your current path and make some new traditions.

Remember, this isn't a secret club that will revoke your membership if you celebrate Easter (or Christmas, or Halloween).  That's the beauty of it...nothing is set in stone!  Do what works for you because there's only one rule..."And ye harm none, do what ye will."

~ Heathen

For Your Consideration

Okay friends, I need a little input from you all.  I'm considering hosting my own giveaway sometime this Spring and I'm wondering what you would like to see as a gift.  Tags, art boards, something else entirely?

This is your chance girls, majority rules, so tell me what you want.  I will be making the art myself, but I am happy to include something of yours if you're interested.

Just leave your ideas in the comments or send me a private email.  I look forward to reading your ideas!

~ Heathen

Gone Thrifting

Today I succumbed to my girlie side and went thrifting at a few local consignment shops.  I found some beautiful pieces but my favorite looks something like this...

image found at arhdecor.com

It is all white, more shabby/vintage than this one, with less glass and the top shelf is open.  I couldn't find a photo of the actual piece.  But alas, it is out of my price range.  Such a shame, wouldn't that be perfect for displaying seasonal decorations?  I figured I didn't really have a place to put it anyway.  That is until I came home and realized I have the perfect wall for it. *sigh*  Even though I didn't come home with this wonderfully perfect piece, I had so much fun looking through all the beautiful things and getting great ideas.  Definitely not a wasted trip!

And after feasting my eyes and daydreaming, I just had to re-watch the new Alice in Wonderland!  If you happen to have Netflix, they've finally added it to the instant streaming.

I just love this movie!  Have a wonderful weekend my friends!

~ Heathen

Feeling Good

Those of you who know me personally know that I am not your typical girlie girl.  But for some inexplicable reason this Spring, I am head over heels in love with this...

and this...

and this...

and this color...

I don't get it and I can't explain it but I have this crazy urge to move into a cottage, plant a garden, and decorate completely Shabby Chic, claw-foot tub and all!

**all photos found on Google Images keyword Shabby Chic**

A Few Of My Favorite Things About Spring

Warm afternoons and cool nights

The smell of orange blossoms

Blooming flowers and trees

More daylight hours

Relaxing rainy days

A sense of renewal

Farmers markets

Butterflies

Enjoy the season!

~ Heathen

Extended Absence and a Book Sale

Hello all.  I've been a bad blogger friend lately.  It's been nearly a month since I last posted!  I have no excuse, I just apparently needed a break.  But I'm back and will try to be here on a more regular basis again.  Now, on to the book sale...

In case you don't know, most of the Borders locations are going out of business.  Yesterday we popped in to see if there was anything left at a good sale price; last time we were in there the sales were only 20% off.  Not bad, but not exactly great so we left empty handed.  The sales are now 50-70% off and there are plenty of great finds left.  I managed to pick up two, count 'em two, current magical/witchy almanacs for 50% off!  I nabbed the Spring 2011 to Spring 2012 Witches Almanac and the 2011 Witches' Spell-A-Day Almanac.  I was so happy to find these, I thought for sure they would be long gone by now.

You have to do some digging and things aren't always shelved where you would expect them to be.  At my local store there are still some good things to be found in the magical/metaphysical section, the horror section is pretty much depleted, but the mysteries/thrillers section is still brimming.  No new releases, obviously, but lots of books left at great deals.

Just thought I would pass this along to you.  Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

~ Heathen

Ostara-Spring Equinox

It's that time of year again...Spring time!  Did you remember to change your clocks last night?  It's hard to realize an hour of your life is just gone, poof, vanished, in the time it takes to set the clock ahead isn't it?  Ah well, Ostara is a time for renewal and change so I suppose it's fitting.

This year Ostara, also known as Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox, and the First Day of Spring, is on Sunday the 20th.  It is a celebration of balance as day and night are once again equal in length on this day.

Here are a few customs and activities for this month:

• Time for a new broom. Get rid of your dirty & dusty broom filled with all the negativity of last year and pick up a new one.  Check your local dollar-type store for the best deal.
• Start your Spring cleaning.  I'll be doing a post on this later this month.
• While you're cleaning, sort through your personal items and donate anything that's no longer wanted or needed.
• Pick or purchase flowers that "speak" to you and display them throughout your home.
• Take a walk through gardens, forests, or even your local nursery.  Now that we have longer days, it's the perfect time!
• Work on your magical garden.  If it's still too cold in your area, start planning it instead.

The colors for this time of year are light green, lemon yellow, and pale pink.  And scents, while being a very personal choice, should include some floral notes if you're not allergic.  I love candles, but as we all know they are ridiculously overpriced.  So I've switched to using an electric wax warmer and scented wax tarts.  This thing works great and my entire home smells wonderful!  Yankee Candle is great for seasonal scents and the tarts only cost $2!  They have two great ones right now, Spring Days (yellow), and Garden Hideaway (green).  I don't get paid for promoting their products, but the tarts are cheap and I just love them so I want to share!

Seasonal decorations include:

• Eggs - colored or otherwise decorated
• Rabbits
• Chicks (the fuzzy yellow kind) *wink*
• Spring flowers of any kind
• Jelly beans.  These egg shaped, brightly colored candies are perfect for this season.  Put them in a candy dish or use as filler for candle holders.

My personal decorations include all the items I posted here but I've added plastic eggs in easter baskets, more butterflies, a large porcelain bunny I inherited from my Nana, a large bowl in the shape of a cabbage with bunnies as "feet".  I wanted to post some pics of my Ostara decorations but my digital camera has gone and died on me.

Spring foods include:

• Seeds such as sunflower, sesame, pine nuts, and even pumpkin
• Sprouts
• Leafy green vegetables
• Twisted breads and sweet cakes

I like to serve a light meal usually consisting of baked chicken, fresh salad with tons of fruit and veggies, and a pasta alfredo side with some type of fruit danish as desert.

I hope you all have fun decorating for and attuning with this wonderful time of year when everything comes back to life!

All pictures belong to Martha Stewart Living and can be found here.