Fungi Prism Witch

There’s a marked tradition of cleaning and airing out the house in the springtime when the weather warms. As you’re dusting and tidying and getting rid of winter stagnation, take some time to do the same with your craft.

Clean and organize your workspace. If you have an altar space or a shelf where you keep bottles and jars and the like, remove everything from the surface and give it a good dusting. Take the opportunity to rearrange things or swap out pieces if it suits you. If you have ritual tools that don’t often get cleaned, check them for signs or rust or wear and give them a bit of love. Repair things that need fixing, if you can. If you have an iron cauldron that you use for fire magic, get a wire brush or some steel wool and gently remove any burnt residue left inside.

Sort through your supplies. If you have lots of candles and crystals and small items laying about, consider getting some small totes or craft organizers to keep things tidy. Divided storage boxes for beads or scrapbooking supplies are great for small items, and shoebox-sized caddies are perfect for taper, chime, and votive candles. Organizing things will make your space easier to navigate and also gives you a proper idea of what you have on hand. Which might help you resist impulse purchases the next time you’re out shopping for witchcraft supplies. While you’re tidying, be sure to discard any rubbish, candle stubs, wax blobs, herb scraps, bits of string, incense bases, and so forth that might be cluttering up the place. 

Discard things that are too old or worn to be useful. Dried plants and seasonings can usually be kept for 1-3 years if they remain in sealed containers. If they have no scent anymore or smell musty or mildewy, discard them and sanitize the container. If you’re using supermarket spices, you can use the expiration date on the container as a guide. Powdered material will likely last longer than whole herbs or cut-and-sifted material. One helpful tip is to put a purchase date on packets or bags of herbs when you buy them, or to put a little date sticker on your jars of herbs when you refill them. (Anyone who’s worked in food service will probably be familiar with the concept of container dating or day-dotting.)

If you make oils or tinctures or suchlike in your practice, check on these as well. Make sure nothing has gone off or lost its’ potency. Day-dotting your potion containers will help with this as well. A simple sticker with the name of the brew and the date it was bottled will help you keep track of your supplies and know when something needs to be tossed and replaced. (You can also print labels with the ingredients and purpose of the brew if you’re feeling super organized.)

Reorganize your books and resources. Review what's there and see if there are any materials that need to be weeded out, donated, or discarded. Remember that as you grow and progress, some things will become obsolete or may show themselves to be unhelpful or inaccurate. It's okay to remove things from your resource library that no longer serve you if you want to make some space on the shelves.

You can also cleanse your workspace and/or components while you’re tidying if you wish. It doesn’t have to be a full clean-slate-everything-must-go cleansing, but it can be helpful to just clear out stagnation or bring in some freshness and vitality.

Happy Witching! 🧼

Want more witchcraft exercises? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits, books, magical powders, and more!

I have a long way to go, but I’m nearly done with the major arcana.

Here are some of my favorites:

I set myself a design challenge (as I often do). I wanted to limit the color palette and the brush styles to create a very consistent look.

And since each card focuses on black cats, it forces me to think deeply about symbolism and design to make sure the meaning of each card is clear and each design is unique.

But there’s still a lot of variety coming through. It’s not all class, or all silliness - just like cats

I have a forearm tattoo of the cats in this one ☝️

I’m so happy with how both of these two managed to feel dark, but adorable at the same time.

And then there’s this one absolute diva:

Most of these used my own feline friends for reference.

garlic blossoms (allium) balls of tiny flowers, may be white to deep purple. literally just the flowering head of the garlic you use in food. it tastes like garlic. but colorful.

elderflower, the blossom of the elderberry bush. can be battered and fried. excellent with elderberry syrup or honey. tastes fruity with a tiny hint of anise. also good in teas and sweets.

Calendula, also known as pot marigold. (please, verify you’re using pot marigold, not regular marigold. calendula is actually a daisy.) tastes similarish to bell pepper, sans crunch. leaves are also edible. should be grown with broadleaf plantain:

as a poultices of calendula and plantain can be used to rapidly heal small cuts and scrapes, and are also helpful for other dermatitis. don’t use it on deep wounds though, as it can and will cause the surface skin to heal before the underlying tissues. all of broadleaf plantain is also edible. if bitter.

The flowers that come from any brassica (cabbage, radishes, broccoli, kale, etc) are all excellent and taste like the rest of the plant.

Queen Anne’s lace blossoms, (daucus carota, just like our domestic carrots) super common wild plant, and the flowers make a jelly that tastes kind of like pink lemonade?? It’s /delicious./ but make 100% sure you have a correct identification as water hemlock and other toxic species look similar.

Rose!!! Rose flavoured things taste exactly as they smell. So scrumptious!

[X] Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) blossoms are excellent in fritters.

[X] Dandelion (Taraxacum offinale) is also excellent in fritters, or my favorite is separating the petals and mixing them into pancake batter.

[X] Miner’s lettuce (Claytonia sibirica) flowers have a delicate, lettuce-like taste.

[X] Oregon grape (Berberis/Mahonia aquafolium) flowers are delightfully sour. I like to pick off a few small flowers from the cluster!

[X] Wood sorrel (Oxalis sp.) also sour (from oxalic acid).

[X] Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is mildly sweet.

When eating wild plants, you should be completely certain in your identification and aware of any lookalikes. Be sure you are allowed to harvest and that the area has not been sprayed by any chemicals. Many of these plants are also medicine, so you should be sure that you can safely ingest them (do your research before putting things in your face pls). This was just intended to get them on your radar!

Truck stop Icarus - damn boy, what happened to you?

Alehouse Persephone - it's always warm where you go and cold when you leave

Train station Odysseus - wherever you're trying to go, you're probably on a detour

Drunk tank Pandora - what can of fresh hell did you open?

Office Cassandra - she fucking told y'all that it would end like this

- it’s always warm where you go

and cold when you leave

Witchcraft Books by Bree NicGarran

Grovedaughter Witchery: Practical Spellcraft

For the witch whose town is devoid of occult shops and covens, learning the craft can be a daunting task indeed. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for a budding practitioner to make a start.

Stroll down the forest path with Bree NicGarran, author of The Sisters Grimmoire, and discover the surprising ways you can practice your craft with commonplace items from the supermarket and the craft store. Build a travel kit for on-the-go magic. Create your own spells from scratch with a step-by-step guide. Learn how to make your own witch webs and magical powders. Uncover the secrets of walnut charms and witchballs and much, much more. Every page carries tricks of the trade and homegrown charms from the files of the Grovedaughter herself.

From besoms to banishings to a bit of good advice, Grovedaughter Witchery is the ideal book for any witch with an inclination toward a practical, no-frills approach to witchcraft.

The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells & Charms For Your Happily Ever After

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who’s the cleverest witch of them all?

With the spells in this book, it just might be you!

Inspired by the well-known works of The Brothers Grimm, this volume boasts over sixty original spells lovingly crafted from favorite fairy tales, along with helpful spellcrafting instructions and several indices to aid you in your journey. All of this is wrapped up with useful chapter forewords discussing the various themes within the tales, some insight into the creative process, and a bit of discussion on ethics and the usage of magic.

Whether you’re ready to yell “All Heads Off But Mine,” looking to turn your luck around with some Buried Coins, or just wanting to show the world What Big Teeth you have, there is sure to be a spell within these pages that is exactly what you’ve been looking for.

After all, who couldn’t use a bit of Happily Ever After?

Pestlework: A Book of Magical Powders & Oils

From the author of Grovedaughter Witchery comes a volume of potions and powders for all occasions, suitable to enhance the craft of any practitioner.

Old standards like Banishing Powder and Blessing Oil meet new classics like Dream Dust and Stargazer Wishing Oil. Need to rid your house of a troublesome spirit? Try a sprinkle of Ghost-Be-Gone Powder. Looking for a way to get your zest back after spellwork? Brim With Vim Vitality Oil might be just the thing. Over 200 original formulae await you within these pages, along with helpful hints, safety tips, and detailed instructions for creating your own magical powders and oils.

Collected for the first time in a single volume, these recipes are the product of twelve years of experience and much experimentation. While magic is never a guarantor of success, the potions within these pages just might give your spells the edge you need.

Visit my Amazon Author Page for listings and book reviews! You can also visit the Willow Wings Witch Shop to order books and other witchy goodies directly from me. 

Make sure you check out my podcast, Hex Positive, on your favorite podcatcher app! (Part of the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network.)

Then round that place there grew a hedge of thorns thicker every year, until at last the whole castle was hidden from view, and nothing of it could be seen but the vane on the roof. […] From time to time many Kings’ sons came and tried to force their way through the hedge; but it was impossible for them to do so, for the thorns held fast together like strong hands, and the young men were caught by them, and not being able to get free, there died a lamentable death.

- The Sleeping Beauty

Intent: To protect one’s home and property.

Ideal Timing: Full Moon, but can be made anytime.

Materials:

Glass Jar with Lid

Black Taper Candle

Planter Pot & Soil

Super Glue

Pins & Thorns

Duct Tape

Herbs: Dill, Basil, Salt, Vinegar, Lemon or Pickle Juice

Load the bottle with the pins, herbs, and just enough of your chosen liquid to fill it about ¾ full. It should be noted that some witches prefer to use urine for their home protection bottles, both for traditional and territorial reasons. This is certainly a viable choice if you are comfortable with it, but if not, then the options listed above will be quite effective.

Seal the top and secure with a strip of duct tape or electrical tape to prevent leaks. Once it is sealed well, begin to attach the flat ends of the thorns to the outside of the bottle using the superglue so that the points face outward. Be very careful not to stick yourself while handling the bottle!

Once all the thorns are in place, light the black candle and drip the wax over the top of the bottle. As the wax falls, hold the image of a thorny protective barrier in your mind and continue to turn the bottle, letting the wax spill down the sides to help hold the thorns in place. Keep dripping the wax until the cap is completely covered and all the thorns have been secured.

Pour some dirt into the planter pot, place the bottle inside, and pour in more dirt until the bottle is covered. Keep the pot somewhere on your property. You can even grow flowers in it, if you like, but it is not recommended that you use it for anything edible.

If you move to a new home, be sure to take the pot with you, or dig up the bottle and take it along; to remove the ward, break the wax seal and empty the contents of the bottle somewhere safe.

-From The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells & Charms For Your Happily Ever After, 2nd ed., © 2017 by Bree NicGarran.

Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits!

As a spoonie witch, using magic to help regain my mental and physical energy has been extremely helpful. I decided to compile some resources to make life easier!

Tea/Drinks:

Mental reboost tea spell

Easy energy tea spell

Energy boost tea

Energy spell

Rejuvenating tea

Morning coffee spell

Lemon cayenne wakefulness potion

*resources for herbal interactions*

Spells:

Spoonie spell for energy

Rain energy spell

Electric charge spell (storms)

Solar charged spell

Energy boost spell

Pick me up energy spell

Odds and ends:

Energy bath

Energy shower scrub

Recharge yourself (with crystals)

Motivation charm bag

Energy spell jar

Spell jar and sachet for energy

Sigils for energy: [X] [X] [X] [X]

Related resources:

What to do if witchcraft drains you

Spells and sigils for energy

Witchy things to do when you’re low on spoons

Simple spell work for low energy days

Witchcraft for the chronically fatigued

You may also like:

Rejuvenating witchcraft

Spoonie witch masterpost

Bedridden witchcraft series

Sick witchery

How to return to the craft

by Keziah | Support on Ko-fi (leave a tip, commission a reading)

Use this spread when you need to vet someone to learn all you can about them. This spread was originally written for vetting someone before you (or someone you know) decide whether or not to go out with someone, pursue them, or accept their advances, but it can be used to vet anyone. New acquaintance you're unsure of? It works for that. Met someone new and you get the feeling they're not being genuine about themselves? It works for that. Your best friend starts seeing someone new and something just doesn't feel right? It works for that. And then some!

From @sheydmade 's 'With Love: Tarot Spreads for Matters of the Heart.'