moonshine-and-moss

[moonshine-and-moss]

so I got into grad school today with my shitty 2.8 gpa and the moral of the story is reblog those good luck posts for the love of god

[moonshine-and-moss]

I've walked into fairy circles but nothing ever happened... Is America just not magical enough?

Y'all got different things that go bump in the night over here. Like bears and moose and shit. If I was a fairy that got immigrated over here in mass flittings I’d stay in the other realm too. Fucking moose. Jesus Christ, have you seen those things up close? Fuck that.

[moonshine-and-moss]

Self love and healing spell bottle

You will need: An incense cone/stick to burn (I used frankincense for protection and purification) Rose quartz chip (encourages self love and aids emotional healing) Lavender (healing) Peppermint (protection and healing) Rosemary Incense ashes Sea Salt

A white candle to seal the bottle

Steps: Start by burning the incense to purify the space. Add all ingredients while focusing on your intent and visualizing your negativity and pain being put into the bottle. Light the candle, close and seal the bottle.

[moonshine-and-moss]

Self love and healing spell bottle

You will need: An incense cone/stick to burn (I used frankincense for protection and purification) Rose quartz chip (encourages self love and aids emotional healing) Lavender (healing) Peppermint (protection and healing) Rosemary Incense ashes Sea Salt

A white candle to seal the bottle

Steps: Start by burning the incense to purify the space. Add all ingredients while focusing on your intent and visualizing your negativity and pain being put into the bottle. Light the candle, close and seal the bottle.

[moonshine-and-moss]

you wear an ancestor's face. you look like a woman you'll never meet. in that mirror, there's thousands of you. and in the bath, when you look down, she looks back, shaking and deforming in the ripples as she lies beneath the surface.

[moonshine-and-moss]

🌻Hygge🌻

So I was cleaning the floor and thinking about the concept of Hygge, and I realized it's really the entire focus of the cottagecore and grandmacore community, it just isn't a part of the vocabulary in a lot of languages.

That feeling in your grandma's kitchen, when you could smell freshly baked bread, and it was as if the whole world and all that mattered was in that room... it's hygge!

When it’s dark outside, and raining hard, but it doesn't matter at all, because you and your friends are having a laugh and sharing a pot of tea? Hygge!

Your dog curled up at your feet while you read a nice book under your favourite blanket? Hygge again! And so on!

Hygge is an atmosphere, and it leaves you feeling safe, comfortable and calm. Hygge is never grand or spectacular. If it were, it would cease to be hygge, and become something else. My mom has always been very good at making hygge, and I always admired that. I've tried to learn from her, and I've found that some easy ways to invoke hygge is:

🌻 Nice smells. Making a pot of coffee or tea, freshly baked bread, firewood burning, lilacs from the garden....

🌻 Lighting. Warm lights invoke hygge, a candle always makes a room more hyggelig!

🌻 Flowers. Either from the florist, your garden, or the side of the road; some cut flowers are always lovely.

🌻 Having something to serve guests who come over. Even cheap biscuits help with the hygge! Tea, coffee, some simple cake, bread or cookies always makes me feel welcome.

🌻 Some calming music if it's a thing you enjoy.

🌻 Letting some sunlight into the room!

🌻 A nice tablecloth, some napkins you found cute, a soft blanket, or a potted plant. Hygge is in the details; the homely feel that comes with the awareness that someone cares about the space you are in.

Hygge gives me a purpose I guess, especially when I struggle with my mental health, because it's about creating comfort, for it's own sake. It's social in the sense that hygge makes people want to come over, or stay. It's not a necessity, but it makes a world of difference.

[moonshine-and-moss]

A Spell To Help Someone Flower

Everyone has potential, but not all of us are comfortable reaching it. Sometimes situations stop us, sometimes it’s other people, and sometimes, it’s yourself. If you can’t see the potential that you hold, how can you let it shine through? This spell can be used on either you or someone else, to help them reach their potential, to “flower”. Wait and watch this spell blossom! 

What you’ll need: 

Rose water

Dried Jasmine Blossom (preferred, but not required! Pre-packaged tea works just fine!

Honey

Taglock 

Dirt

Seeds (optional)

Take your rosewater and bring it to a boil. Put your jasmine in a cup and pour the rose water over it– If you have a blossom, you can watch “bloom” with the water as the tea brews. Take this time to put your intent into the mixture. Imagine your target becoming all that they can be, overcoming the odds and pushing through like a sprout in the spring. Visualize their abilities/desired trait growing, up and up and up, until finally a blossom peeks out at the top. Then, as you add in the honey and stir clockwise, feel the flower bloom. The honey is used to attract good things to your target, like bees to your new flower. 

As a final step, solidify the association between the spell and your target by pouring some (if not all) over your taglock. Your taglock should then be buried (not necessarily outside if you don’t want– putting it in a container is fine! The dirt is the important part.) This is you ‘planting’ the spell. If you want to put seeds in and watch it literally grow, go for it! Sometimes a little real-world action helps solidify intent, especially in the long run. Just make sure to take good care of your plant! 

If the spell is for yourself, feel free to drink any of the mixture that you’ve not poured over the taglock. 

[moonshine-and-moss]

Cleaning and tidying is never a fun activity, but with the use of some domestic magick it can become an enchanting and Cleansing experience!

Here are some tips to make your next housework day magickal!

💧add some peppermint or lavender essential oil into your cleaning wash for peace and extra Cleansing

💧wipe down the walls and surfaces with moon water with added peppermint oil. Your space will smell amazing

💧put on some witchy music or music that corresponds with your intent you want in your space

💧burn some incense or oil in a diffuser to cleanse the air

💧 Sage your living areas

💧when you’re sweeping with a broom, imagine that you’re sweeping negative energy out!

💧put on clean bedding and spray your sheets with a sweet Sleep Mist (recipe is on my blog)

💧sweep your windowsills and place crystals that love the sun on them

💧clean your altar space and redo it

💧find vegetable cuttings and biodegradable leftovers you can mix into compost to nourish your plants

💧when cleaning the floor, pour your cleaning liquid in the shape of a sigil. Wipe and scrub to charge and fire!

💧 draw sigils on your dishes with dishwashing liquid before you wash them

💧wash old jam jars and recycle them to hold moon water or spells

💧visualize negativity leaving your space when you take out the trash

💧If you can put chalk on your floors, draw sigils or write messages under your carpets

💧create or renew any wards you have put up

💧Enchant your mirrors to show your inner beauty

Happy Cleaning!

🦋💧Aphroditiful💧🦋

[moonshine-and-moss]

“There are certain emotions in your body that not even your best friend can sympathize with, but you will find the right film or the right book, and it will understand you.”

— Björk

[moonshine-and-moss]

For years my Granny had her kitchen witch hanging over her sink. When Granny passed away, the Witch went to my mom’s house and I always told Mama I wanted it for my own kitchen. Well, this year my mom and dad worked together to make me my very own Kitchen Witch. Dad carved her little hands and feet while Mama sewed her traditional dress and kerchief. This is the best gift ever and I will treasure it always.

[moonshine-and-moss]

Tips for the Dark Half of the Year

Winter is coming quickly. A lot of people see this time of year as bleak, depressing, or just boring. Here are some tips to stay attuned to nature during these months.

❄️ Go outside. Even if it’s cold, the trees are bare, and the only colors are muted and dull. We often think that summer is the only time to enjoy the outdoors—the only time to hike, meditate outside, etc. In winter, there are no lush green trees or balmy days filled with sunshine and the smell of flowers. While summer is intoxicating, winter is a time to contemplate and reflect. Go outside. Feel the cold. Feel the mud and the dead grass and the chilly wind. Listen to how quiet it is. Understand that the dark half of the year is a time of silence, stillness, and death. It’s natural to have an aversion to these things, but take some time to sit down and just listen. Breathe. Feel the reality of silence and death around you. It’s a sobering experience, but also a very insightful one. If you have any fear of death or quiet, now is the time to go sit with those things as they appear in nature and just meditate with them.

❄️ Eat cozy foods. It’s cold outside—warm up with hearty soups, stews, homemade bread, and root veggies. Warm spices and hot drinks will keep you feeling grounded. This is a wonderful time of year to practice kitchen witchcraft—focus on coziness, family, protection, and rest.

❄️ Study magic! The Dark Half of the year is devoted to self-reflection, rest, and contemplation. Snuggle up indoors with a fluffy blanket and devote some time to studying magic and witchcraft with a hot cup of magically-brewed tea.

❄️ Think spirits are sleeping along with all the greenery? Think again! The Dark Half of the year, in many cultures and spiritual traditions, is considered extremely spiritually active. Deities like Odin, Berchta, Hekate, and spirits such as elves and ghosts are very active this time of year. You can choose to honor them if you want, or practice various spirit-working techniques. If you’re into necromancy or divination, this is a wonderful time of year for those things.

❄️ Be kind to local wildlife by installing things like bird feeders outside your home. We modern humans may have an easy time of it in winter, but animals struggle to survive during these months. Any bit of kindness will be much appreciated.

❄️ Nurture your fire energy. During winter, it’s easy to internalize the cold and take on its characteristics—sluggishness, sleepiness, a foggy-headed feeling. Some crystals that are great for winter include golden rutilated quartz (aka Venus hair), citrine, carnelian, obsidian, and garnet. All of these crystals contain a strong fire element as well as offer grounding qualities, mental clarity, and protection.

❄️ Go out and forage for magical ingredients! Melted snow is extremely purifying and can be incorporated into spells for purification and cleansing. Icicles can serve as temporary wands, especially in spells that require a strong water element. The ash from bonfires (or hearth fires) can be used to make black salt. Fallen branches can be crafted into wands. There may be nothing growing this time of year, but you can get creative and still find magical ingredients in unexpected places. Just be respectful and don’t collect from places where it’s illegal!

This is by no means a comprehensive list—these are just some ways I’ve celebrated the colder months. I hope they’re helpful in any way!

[moonshine-and-moss]

7 Days of Self-Care

I’ve seen a lot of posts lately about how self-care isn’t just about doing things that feel good. It’s about doing things to take care of yourself, and sometimes that means doing things like creating a budget. But how do you balance the need for bath bombs and the need to eat your vegetables? Here is a (relatively) balanced list of self-care activities that correspond to the astrological associations with the days of the week.

Monday is not a day we typically associate with self-care, but Monday is associated with the moon, and the moon is all about self-care in the feel good pajamas-and-Netflix sense. If you work a Monday-Friday job, try easing into your day slowly instead of diving into your week and doing all of the things you hate first thing. If your schedule allows you more flexibility, try to spend a few minutes in the morning connecting with your feelings. Knowing where your heart is when you start the week will help you keep up with your priorities the rest of the week.

Tuesday is associated with Mars, the god of war. If you slacked off a little too much on Monday, now is the time to get into action, but don’t just do any old thing. Mars is all about going after what you want, so Tuesday is a day to take care of yourself by going after goals that are aligned with your passions.

Wednesday is associated with Mercury, the planet of communication and the mind. If you have been avoiding writing e-mails, this is the day to catch up. If you need to do some strategizing or brain-heavy planning, today is the day. It is also a good day for scheduling meetings or anything that requires you to be talky.

Thursday is associated with Jupiter, the planet of abundance, generosity, faith, and joy. This is a good day to do things that can improve your circumstances and increase your joy, especially things that require you to have faith in yourself, like applying for a job or asking for a raise. To balance the scales, this is also a good day to pass along the abundance you have by being generous.

Friday is associated with Venus, the planet of beauty and relationships. This is a good day for setting aside some time to take care of your aesthetic needs. Do a face or hair mask. Moisturize your skin. Buy a new pair of jeans. If it makes you feel attractive, it’s a good thing to do. On the relationship side, this is a good day for scheduling dates or some quiet time with your boo.

Saturday is associated with Saturn, the planet of blocks, limits, and adulting. If your day starts with a hangover, you’re getting a quick crash course in knowing your limits. Otherwise, Saturday is a good day for getting all of the adulting that you didn’t have time for during the week out of the way. (Especially if getting those things out of the way means you can wear your pajamas all day on Monday.)

Sunday is associated with the Sun. Just like the sun is the center of the solar system, Sunday is for attending to the things that your life revolves around–or that you wish your life revolved around. Or for getting out into the sun. Spent Saturday doing taxes with Saturn? It’s time to hit the beach.

[moonshine-and-moss]

may you get a sign this week that shows you that you’re on the right path and that things are flowing and moving in your favor. may the sign be evident, clear, and direct

[moonshine-and-moss]

x

[moonshine-and-moss]

I always feel so sad when I hear people say they have Miss Cleo’s Tarot Power deck as a joke, and I’ve seen it on numerous occasions. Like it’s a great affordable deck and I wish more people would give it a chance. The card stock quality is amazing (better than some expensive decks I own), these cards can take a beating (I don’t hold back on shuffling) and the retain their shape. The readings I’ve done have been accurate and insightful and straight to the point.

I know most people will scroll right past it when they’re browsing for decks but I hope that any new tarot hopefuls will give them a chance. Just know you don’t have to spend tons of money to get a great deck! Trust me I spent $23 bucks on my first tarot deck, the wild unknown (now priced over $30) and yes I love her and she’s my girl but for those who can’t toss that much or who don’t even know if tarot will be their thing, just know you don’t have to spend tons of money on a fancier deck to have a genuine and great experience.

[moonshine-and-moss]

I’ve actually had a lot of people ask me a question similar to this irl. There is a lot more to astrology than just your sun sign, or even your moon or rising sign. I suggest getting your natal chart done (you’ll need your birth time for an accurate reading) and look at all the positions. I’m a triple Virgo (sun, moon, and rising) and have a lot of virgo showing up elsewhere. But I also have pisces, the opposite of Virgo, which leaves me slightly unbalanced. Therefore, some of the typical traits of Virgo won’t apply to me. 

Astrology.

Can someone help me understand?

I've never really "believed" in astrology because I have never not once identified with any of the information about my sign (Libra) all the horoscopes, memes, pictures, what have you, never, and I mean never apply to me.

Am I doing something wrong?

Do I not have all the information?

Does it just not work for everyone?

Help.

[moonshine-and-moss]

Tutorial for making a perpetual calendar, I’m not that great at explaining but I hope this helps, remember to tag me if you end up making one I love seeing what people can create

If you have trouble dividing the circle into 31 use mine as a template