Let The Sun Rain Down On Me

My Witch Cottage Series

I wanted to show you guys some more of my art. I just finished the third piece in my Witch Cottage series last week and I have one more to do (the fourth photo is me working on a commission of a similar subject since I don’t actually have a photo of the fourth one yet).

The first piece celebrated Samhain, the second companion piece moved the viewer into Yule, the third one took us into Ostara, and then the fourth one will celebrate Litha (in progress, not shown). I wanted to imagine what a witch’s home might have looked like in colonial America into the early 19th century since I have a deep love of history. This series is my way of combining my spiritual path with my scholarly path and people have been collecting them for their altars or walls or a number of other things. All the pieces in this series have been done with charcoal and graphite pencils on 11x14 mixed media paper. For those who don’t know, I draw with my mouth due to a disability called Arthrogryposis.

All of the originals are sold (even the one I haven’t done yet) but I do make prints in two sizes for people who want them. The large ones are 11x17 for $20 (cardstock, not thin posters) and the small ones are 5x7 for $10 (also cardstock).

what kind of privileged rich dude BULLSHIT is that I s2g

But still interested in feeding yourself? What if I told you that there’s a woman with a blog who had to feed both herself and her young son…on 10 British pounds ($15/14 Euro) per week?

Let me tell you a thing.

This woman saved my life last year. Actually saved my life. I had a piggy bank full of change and that’s it. Many people in my fandom might remember that dark time as when I had to hock my writing skills in exchange for donations. I cried a lot then. 

This is real talk, people: I marked down exactly what I needed to buy, totaled it, counted out that exact change, and then went to three different stores to buy what I needed so I didn’t have to dump a load of change on just one person. I was already embarrassed, but to feel people staring? Utter shame suffused me. The reasons behind that are another post all together. 

AgirlcalledJack.com is run by a British woman who was on benefits for years. Things got desperate. She had to find a way to feed herself and her son using just the basics that could be found at the supermarket. But the recipes she came up with are amazing. 

You have to consider the differing costs of things between countries, but if you just have three ingredients in your cupboard, this woman will tell you what to do with it. Check what you already have. Chances are you have the basics of a filling meal already. 

Here’s her list of kitchen basics. 

Bake your own bread. It’s easier than you think. Here’s a list of many recipes, each using some variation of just plain flour, yeast, some oil, maybe water or lemon juice. And kneading bread is therapeutic. 

Make your own pasta–gluten free. 

She gets it. She really does. This is the article that started it all. It’s called “Hunger Hurts”.

She has vegan recipes.

A carrot, a can of kidney beans, and some cumin will get you a really filling soup…or throw in some flour for binding and you’ve got yourself a burger. 

Don’t have an oven or the stove isn’t available? She covers that in her Microwave Cooking section. 

She has a book, but many recipes can be found on her blog for free. She prices her recipes down to the cent, and every year she participates in a project called “Living Below the Line” where she has to live on 1 BP per day of food for five days. 

Things improved for me a little, but her website is my go to. I learned how to bake bread (using my crockpot, but that was my own twist), and I have a little cart full of things that saved me back then, just in case I need them again. She gives you the tools to feed yourself, for very little money, and that’s a fabulous feeling. 

Tip: Whenever you have a little extra money, buy a 10 dollar/pound/euro giftcard from your discount grocer. Stash it. That’s your super emergency money. Make sure they don’t charge by the month for lack of use, though.

I don’t care if it sounds like an advertisement–you won’t be buying anything from the site. What I DO care about is your mental, emotional, and physical health–and dammit, food’s right in the center of that.