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[poppieandsage]

ostara part 1

i’ve always hated the idea of filling plastic easter eggs with junk. when my oldest was teeny i started tossing the idea of mindful, thoughtful treasures for the egg-hunt and spring baskets, and while they may not be collecting 50 eggs each, those they do find have items that widen eyes and inspire imaginations [and what more could a mama ask for] i wanted to share what i’ve got so far for this year + share the baskets and eco-friendly basics for all you mamas / egg hunters out there. 

#1 pdf tutorial for DIY felted eggs, which once you get into the groove are easy peasy #2 easter “grass” which is really lambs-wool to line the baskets [that we later throw into our wool stash #3 bolga baskets, the kid's size. these are a little smaller than ideal, i will admit, but any bigger treasures are placed outside the baskets and each gets hidden outdoors, in a spot special to each kiddo #4 eco-plastic eggs because sometimes mama needs a hefty amount of colorful eggs, and if there's a more earth-conscious version, I'm all over it #5 wooden refillable eggs, i adore these but have yet to find a truly affordable option [half a dozen runs about $15] i normally stick with that, and we have fun making them beautiful 

crystals [ all three have been collecting stones since forever, and so i try to find rare, lovely specimens to add to their stash ]

heirloom seeds [ all three will be starting their own raised beds and have went through the whole-earth seed catalog, marking it up, so seeds it is ] 

clay totems and charms [ woodland creatures and wizard / fae things that can be used on their personal altars, or in a bit of jewelry ] 

fairy-house supplies [ each egg will host a few bits of moss, branches, acorn caps and interesting bits from the forest that all add up into the makings of a whimsical place for the fae folk to live ] 

positive affirmation cards [ laminated and tied with string ] 

spring adventure coupons [ homemade paper tie-dyed with spring colors and shaped like eggs ] 

play-clay [ i make my own blends, so there will be nods to the season like dirt *brown with black and brown glitter* robins egg* blue with speckles of white glitter* spring fever*yellow and pink swirls, scented with florals* and a few more ] 

japanese / kawaii craft supplies [ stickers and ephemera for journaling ] 

tattoos [ from etsy, woodland creatures ] 

and each gets a spring plant next to their basket [ which i will discuss those filings tomorrow ] tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth oh my! 

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i love staying up late scribbling garden plans for this spring. and i love stumbling across delightfully illustrated garden plans like this one, which would be a dream to wander through, eh? 

[[ this was on my pinterest and it links to a defunct german error screen so, grumble, i can’t credit anyone at the moment ]] 

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i love wandering our backyard forest - i almost always find some new plant, or tree or wild something or other growing that before i somehow missed. this summer what we thought was a lone wild raspberry bush, turned out to be 19 bushes that wound that started at the base of a giant pine tree, growing up throughout the bushes and trees that linie the hill behind our house, and back down again. the realization that we had so many and as a result, so much fruit, made me giddy. wren and i spent many afternoons collecting berries, coming back with our mouths stained red as can be. 

and just yesterday, playing in the snow, i discovered a lovely hawthorn who’s berries are used for magic and conditions relating to the heart. my kids poke fun of me for always looking down at my feet when we walk, or otherwise up in the sky, and i’m glad i do for i’ve noticed so much magic right in our backyard!

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[poppieandsage]

snail mail mouse 

valentine!

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spring shop update / sneak peak • ive been loving wreaths lately... during the cold months they are a reminder of our harvest, the warm months of seed planting and whispering hoping they grow strong and lovely. of all the afternoons with a hose pointed towards the garden beds, the other holding a storybook or a rock that's so special it can't be lost as one child or another runs to the tree swing.

this past summer i came close to loosing a large chunk of my herbs and flowers [without getting too cranky telling the backstory, we went on our annual trip to the sea for a few weeks. normally my bestie cares for our homes living things, from creatures to plant, but this year our babysitter needed to save money desperately and so I gave her the task. we paid her more than generously and I asked her to only water my garden once a day, twice if we had no rain. it didn't rain for 16 of days we were gone and she didn't water a single plant. they were in bad shape, dead really when we got home. I saved only a handful] the flowers and dried herbs I did harvest mean so much more when I craft things like this and so the spring shop hold a special place in my heart

[poppieandsage]

etsy lovin

im kind of in love with handmade. we are lucky ducks to have a home full of beautifully crafted toys, plant dyed books, herbal teas, teapots and teeny totems made by the hands of magic-folk. so from now on, monday will be all abut sharing my latest drool-worthy finds for you, so that you too can drool with me. 

this felted fungi set of gnomes and it’s embroidered game-board is rooted in ancient egypt, and is easy enough for little minds and grown ups like myself who love mushrooms and gnomes [[ and it ties in beautifully with our botany unit this spring ]] made by tinyfairyworlds 

skippycotton makes these evil-eye beauties that are embroidered and glittery, which alone would be enough to make me weak in the knees..but lavender-filled too? i want one, and i want every witchy lady i know to have one too

i’ve never been shy about unschooling, and many of our learning tools have come from etsy-shops. theknotholetree shop’s rock subscription boxes arriving in the mail make us all giddy; beautiful illustrated guides, specimens and stickers make us all happy from mama to toddler 

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i love having little magic spaces in every room of our home • it reminds us to pause, appreciate beauty and do our witchy thang

a little basket of wildflower bits + tiny crystals amongst my favorites for mama-cafe •••• and a little fern with a candle made under the light of the full-moon

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night our in new york with my love = home by 1am, in yoga pants by 1:06

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self-love spell jar

i made this almost a year ago and absolutely fell in love with spell-jar making in general. it’s such an ascetically pleasing way to pack a “magic” punch if you will. it’s like, a witchy concentrate of herbs, flowers, charms, crystals and a hundred other things depending on your intentions. 

for this bad boy i used: 

herbs : lavender [ peace + self-love ] wintergreen [ stress relief ] lemonbalm [ reduces feelings of sadness and depression ] rose [ self-love and marriage ] jasmine [ beauty ] 

wild-flowers : rose, poppy, anemone, daisy, ranunculus, wax-flower and heather

charms and crystals: i used things i adore [ and you should follow suit if making your own ] mushroom caps, bronze acorn and pine charms, eco-friendly glitter, amethyst, rose quartz chips and selenite “glitter” 

i love using sealing wax and vintage ribbon and fiber to seal my jars. for this particular jar, i used my babes trusted crayola crayons melted down because i absolutely loved the neon colors offered. 

[poppieandsage]

valentine magic

cin honor of this valentines day [ which is all about fertility, abundance, and love] throughout the day i will be sharing my favorite witchy crafts, rituals and whatever else with you for inspiration.

self - love altar 

im a huge altar-fan. i have miniature spaces for magic making in almost every room of our home, and my mama-loving space is in our bedroom in a quiet corner where i keep my favorite things collected over the years. for the month of February, i dedicate an area of that bigger altar to reminding myself to LOVE ME. below are some of my favorites for the space, but choose what you fancy

crystals : rose quartz [ love, inner-peace and contentment ] + rhodonite [ increases self-esteem and balances emotions ] watermelon tourmaline [ helps bring love & balance to our daily lives + heart chakra stone ] cinnabar [ self-confidence and a great stone for ones own sexuality ] 

tarot spread : i don’t do a daily reading [mama with alllll the kids + pets] but a few times a week thorough the month my favorite [and quick] three-card spread is one where i ask what’s holding me back from fully-loving myself + how can i spread love and joy to those around me..a few months ago i also got these sacred-self care cards that i freaking love in one of my goddess subscription boxes, and each day i pull one and complete the little to-do [ and mama-witches with daughters, these are lovely to do together] 

candles & herbs : we grow most of the herbs and flowers i use for healing and every-day magic and beauty, and so my home’s filled with them. for this little mama-love space i have wild rose [ love ], craspedia [ good health ] poppies [ magic, beauty ] + dried sage [ purification ] yarrow [ love ] lavender [ love ] you can arrange these however, i just fill jars up with crystals and herbs [ saves space and looks lovely ] or you can make a smudge stick [ posting that next because im obsessed with them ] for candles, i have a hand-rolled beeswax taper that i made with my kids for valentines day i light nightly, and some tea-lights from this goddess [ wild brambles / blackberry, apple, sage, basil and love + green gardens / sage, thyme and basil ] 

self-love letter : that’s right, a love letter to YOURSELF.  if that seems too daunting or just plain weird fill a little amber jar with slips of paper [fill each one with a reason YOU ROCK ] you can close it up and seal it with wax and use it as a reminder to love [ you ] during the crummy days. 

[poppieandsage]

moon-swoon

dying a little over these moon-phase peg dolls that double as STAMPS.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/681680755/phases-of-the-moon-peg-doll-stamps?ref=shop_home_active_1&crt=1 

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the link is to a fantastical piece on winter witches

[poppieandsage]

ah, nothing beats a warm bath on a winter night

What should you put in your bath?

black tea: soothes sunburns [1] [2] and is antimicrobial [3] contains some essential polyphenols and tannin, reduces puffiness/inflammation [4] 

green tea: antioxidant and detoxifier [1] soothes rashes, increases healing rate, softens skin [2] heals sores and wounds, rejuvenates skin cells, improve psoriasis and dandruff [3] anti-aging, mood stabilizing [4]

apple cider vinegar: anti inflammatory and softens skin [1]

ground ginger: increases circulation, promotes sweating, opens pores, relieves pain [1]

lemon: antioxidant (brightens skin) [1] 

olive oil: moisturizes skin [1]

calendula flowers: soothes burns, inflammation, rashes, insect bites, skin disorders [1] useful for small children [2]

elder-flowers: anti-inflammatory and heals rashes cuts and wounds [1]

Himalayan salt: soothes insect bites, heals blisters, relieves arthritis pain [1] softens skin [2]

oatmeal: soothes, anti-inflammatory, calms angry skin [1]

rose petals: relax mind, relieve sleepiness, soothe headaches and stress [1] promote positive feelings [2]

valerian root: relax the mind, relieve sleepiness, soothe headaches and stress [1]

lavender: relax the mind, relieve sleepiness, soothe headaches and stress [1] [2]

mugwort: relax the mind, relieve sleepiness, soothe and headaches and stress [1]

chammomile: soothes nerves [1] good for dry skin [2]

passion flower: soothes nerves [1]

hops: soothes nerves [1]

rosemary: pain relief, soothes headaches and fatigue [1] relaxing, increases alertness and clarity of mind [2] soothes sore throat[3]

thyme: pain relief, soothes headaches and fatigue [1]

devils claw: eases joint pain [1]

juniperberries: soothes muscle aches [1]

peppermint: increase blood flow, relieve congestion [1]

eucalyptus: increase blood flow, relieve congestion [1] increases energy [2]

thyme: increase blood flow, relieve congestion [1]

jasmine: emollient and antiseptic, soothes skin [1] 

organic coconut flakes: nourish the skin [1]

sage: uplifting, good for oily skin and back acne [1] stimulating [2]

marjoram: decongestant, soothes muscle pain [1]

whole cow’s milk: hydrates and mildly exfoliates skin [1]

cow’s buttermilk: hydrates and thoroughly exfoliates skin [1]

goat’s milk: thoroughly hydrates and exfoliates skin, provides nutrients [1]

[poppieandsage]

having my moon and a reminder to reach for another winter gift

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each month we pick a few herbs to learn about • we draw them in our nature journals, forage for them, and make salves tea and tincture after learning all about their healing and magic lore

I decided January is perfect for greens. pine needles tea and boxwood garlands all month long

pine trees and witchcraft

as winter months (and yule festivities) approach, pine becomes an excellent component of green witchcraft. evergreen trees, of course, symbolize immortality and perseverance. they are a great addition to any spell involving resilience or overcoming obstacles.

hanging a pine branch above your door will invite good energies, be it spirits or friends, into your space. placing pine above your bed will ward off illness.

throw pine into the fireplace (or bonfire) to summon protective energy.

pinecones work as a health and fertility charm.

pine is also an excellent smoke cleanser for purifying and warming a space’s energy.

pine trees in general are associated with divine harmony, peace, releasing guilt, and clarity. for this reason, meditation under a pine tree (or with a pine sprig in your hand) can be very healing and beneficial spiritually.

whether you have a pine tree in your home this season, you take a walk among some evergreens, or even just light a pine-scented candle in your bedroom, its wintery magick is wonderful.

[poppieandsage]

spell jar for a magical home :: to invite positive intention + sprites • mugwort to create a sense of comfort & rest • lavender for harmony • sage for positive vibes • calendula & orange peel for joy • rosehips for feminine energy • Jasmine for a space filled with beauty • rose petals for love • bay leaves for good intention & vintage charms that you can spot throughout always peeking you are sure to spot something new and whimsical each day • selenite & amethyst, spirit quartz & wildflowers i pressed all through september • all my spell jars come with a small handmade book that goes further into the herbal lore & crystal / flower magic behind each ingredient + some simple spells

this beauty is on sale for wintertime to make way for spring things $20 shipped (PayPal please)