Eclectic Witch

HI darling,

I’ve actually got a super wonderful masterpost for you to check out:

Home

what the hell is a mortgage?

first apartment essentials checklist

how to care for cacti and succulents

the care and keeping of plants

Getting an apartment

Money

earn rewards by taking polls

how to coupon

what to do when you can’t pay your bills

see if you’re paying too much for your cell phone bill

how to save money

How to Balance a Check Book

How to do Your Own Taxes

Health

how to take care of yourself when you’re sick

things to bring to a doctor’s appointment

how to get free therapy

what to expect from your first gynecologist appointment

how to make a doctor’s appointment

how to pick a health insurance plan

how to avoid a hangover

a list of stress relievers

how to remove a splinter

Emergency

what to do if you get pulled over by a cop

a list of hotlines in a crisis

things to keep in your car in case of an emergency

how to do the heimlich maneuver

Job

time management

create a resume

find the right career

how to pick a major

how to avoid a hangover

how to interview for a job

how to stop procrastinating

How to write cover letters

Travel

ULTIMATE PACKING LIST

Traveling for Cheap

Travel Accessories

The Best Way to Pack a Suitcase

How To Read A Map

How to Apply For A Passport

How to Make A Travel Budget

Better You

read the news

leave your childhood traumas behind

how to quit smoking

how to knit

how to stop biting your nails

how to stop procrastinating

how to stop skipping breakfast

how to stop micromanaging

how to stop avoiding asking for help

how to stop swearing constantly

how to stop being a pushover

learn another language

how to improve your self-esteem

how to sew

learn how to embroider

how to love yourself

100 tips for life

Apartments/Houses/Moving

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 1: Are You Sure? (The Responsible One)

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 2: Finding the Damn Apartment (The Responsible One)

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 3: Questions to Ask about the Damn Apartment (The Responsible One)

Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 4: Packing and Moving All of Your Shit (The Responsible One)

How to Protect Your Home Against Break-Ins (The Responsible One)

Education

How to Find a Fucking College (The Sudden Adult)

How to Find Some Fucking Money for College (The Sudden Adult)

What to Do When You Can’t Afford Your #1 Post-Secondary School (The Sudden Adult)

Stop Shitting on Community College Kids (Why Community College is Fucking Awesome) (The Responsible One)

How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter (The Responsible One)

How to Choose a College Major (The Sudden Adult)

Finances

How to Write a Goddamn Check (The Responsible One)

How to Convince Credit Companies You’re Not a Worthless Bag of Shit (The Responsible One)

Debit vs Credit (The Responsible One)

What to Do if Your Wallet is Stolen/Lost (The Sudden Adult)

Budgeting 101 (The Responsible One)

Important Tax Links to Know (The Responsible One)

How to Choose a Bank Without Screwing Yourself (The Responsible One)

Job Hunting

How to Write a Resume Like a Boss (The Responsible One)

How to Write a Cover Letter Someone Will Actually Read (The Responsible One)

How to Handle a Phone Interview without Fucking Up (The Responsible One)

10 Sites to Start Your Job Search (The Responsible One)

Life Skills

Staying in Touch with Friends/Family (The Sudden Adult)

Bar Etiquette (The Sudden Adult)

What to Do After a Car Accident (The Sudden Adult)

Grow Up and Buy Your Own Groceries (The Responsible One)

How to Survive Plane Trips (The Sudden Adult)

How to Make a List of Goals (The Responsible One)

How to Stop Whining and Make a Damn Appointment (The Responsible One)

Miscellaneous

What to Expect from the Hell that is Jury Duty (The Responsible One)

Relationships

Marriage: What the Fuck Does It Mean and How the Hell Do I Know When I’m Ready? (Guest post - The Northwest Adult)

How Fucked Are You for Moving In with Your Significant Other: An Interview with an Actual Real-Life Couple Living Together™ (mintypineapple  and catastrofries)

Travel & Vehicles

How to Winterize Your Piece of Shit Vehicle (The Responsible One)

How to Make Public Transportation Your Bitch (The Responsible One)

Other Blog Features

Apps for Asshats

Harsh Truths & Bitter Reminders

Asks I’ll Probably Need to Refer People to Later

Apartments (or Life Skills) - How Not to Live in Filth (The Sudden Adult)

Finances - Tax Basics (The Responsible One)

Important Documents - How to Get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate (The Responsible One)

Important Documents - How to Get a Replacement ID (The Responsible One)

Health - How to Deal with a Chemical Burn (The Responsible One)

Job Hunting - List of Jobs Based on Social Interaction Levels (The Sudden Adult)

Job Hunting - How to Avoid Falling into a Pit of Despair While Job Hunting (The Responsible One)

Job Hunting - Questions to Ask in an Interview (The Responsible One)

Life Skills - First-Time Flying Tips (The Sudden Adult)

Life Skills - How to Ask a Good Question (The Responsible One)

Life Skills - Reasons to Take a Foreign Language (The Responsible One)

Life Skills - Opening a Bar Tab (The Sudden Adult)

Relationships - Long Distance Relationships: How to Stay in Contact (The Responsible One)

Adult Cheat Sheet:

what to do if your pet gets lost

removing stains from your carpet

how to know if you’re eligible for food stamps

throwing a dinner party

i’m pregnant, now what?

first aid tools to keep in your house

how to keep a clean kitchen

learning how to become independent from your parents

job interview tips

opening your first bank account

what to do if you lose your wallet

tips for cheap furniture

easy ways to cut your spending

selecting the right tires for your car

taking out your first loan

picking out the right credit card

how to get out of parking tickets

how to fix a leaky faucet

get all of your news in one place

getting rid of mice & rats in your house

when to go to the e.r.

buying your first home

how to buy your first stocks

guide to brewing coffee

first apartment essentials checklist

coping with a job you hate

30 books to read before you’re 30

what’s the deal with retirement?

difference between insurances

Once you’ve looked over all those cool links, I have some general advice for you on how you can have some sort of support system going for you:

Reasons to move out of home

You may decide to leave home for many different reasons, including:

wishing to live independently

location difficulties – for example, the need to move closer to university

conflict with your parents

being asked to leave by your parents.

Issues to consider when moving out of home

It’s common to be a little unsure when you make a decision like leaving home. You may choose to move, but find that you face problems you didn’t anticipate, such as:

Unreadiness – you may find you are not quite ready to handle all the responsibilities.

Money worries – bills including rent, utilities like gas and electricity and the cost of groceries may catch you by surprise, especially if you are used to your parents providing for everything. Debt may become an issue.

Flatmate problems – issues such as paying bills on time, sharing housework equally, friends who never pay board, but stay anyway, and lifestyle incompatibilities (such as a non-drug-user flatting with a drug user) may result in hostilities and arguments.

Your parents may be worried

Think about how your parents may be feeling and talk with them if they are worried about you. Most parents want their children to be happy and independent, but they might be concerned about a lot of different things. For example:

They may worry that you are not ready.

They may be sad because they will miss you.

They may think you shouldn’t leave home until you are married or have bought a house.

They may be concerned about the people you have chosen to live with.

Reassure your parents that you will keep in touch and visit regularly. Try to leave on a positive note. Hopefully, they are happy about your plans and support your decision.

Tips for a successful move

Tips include:

Don’t make a rash decision – consider the situation carefully. Are you ready to live independently? Do you make enough money to support yourself? Are you moving out for the right reasons?

Draw up a realistic budget – don’t forget to include ‘hidden’ expenses such as the property’s security deposit or bond (usually four weeks’ rent), connection fees for utilities, and home and contents insurance.

Communicate – avoid misunderstandings, hostilities and arguments by talking openly and respectfully about your concerns with flatmates and parents. Make sure you’re open to their point of view too – getting along is a two-way street.

Keep in touch – talk to your parents about regular home visits: for example, having Sunday night dinner together every week.

Work out acceptable behaviour – if your parents don’t like your flatmate(s), find out why. It is usually the behaviour rather than the person that causes offence (for example, swearing or smoking). Out of respect for your parents, ask your flatmate(s) to be on their best behaviour when your parents visit and do the same for them.

Ask for help – if things are becoming difficult, don’t be too proud to ask your parents for help. They have a lot of life experience.

If your family home does not provide support

Not everyone who leaves home can return home or ask their parents for help in times of trouble. If you have been thrown out of home or left home to escape abuse or conflict, you may be too young or unprepared to cope.

If you are a fostered child, you will have to leave the state-care system when you turn 18, but you may not be ready to make the sudden transition to independence.

If you need support, help is available from a range of community and government organisations. Assistance includes emergency accommodation and food vouchers. If you can’t call your parents or foster parents, call one of the associations below for information, advice and assistance.

Where to get help

Your doctor

Kids Helpline Tel. 1800 55 1800

Lifeline Tel. 13 11 44

Home Ground Services Tel. 1800 048 325

Relationships Australia Tel. 1300 364 277

Centrelink Crisis or Special Help Tel. 13 28 50

Tenants Union of Victoria Tel. (03) 9416 2577

Things to remember

Try to solve any problems before you leave home. Don’t leave because of a fight or other family difficulty if you can possibly avoid it.

Draw up a realistic budget that includes ‘hidden’ expenses, such as bond, connection fees for utilities, and home and contents insurance.

Remember that you can get help from a range of community and government organizations. 

(source)

Our rose bush is in full bloom and Bealtaine/the Floralia is right around the corner and you all know what that means! Time to toss some in a Mason jar with fresh strawberries and wine.

Beltane Tea-Greye’s Herbal Apothecary

Beltane Lemonade-Witchjournal.com

This honey syrup soaked cake adorned with rose petals and fragrant with cardamom is the perfect dessert to represent an amorous holiday full of love. While traditional recipes include bannocks and honey cakes, this persian delicacy truly fills the senses and corresponds beautifully with the height of spring. 

You can find the full recipe here from the above photo, but my version is below. 

For the cake: ¾ cups granulated sugar ½ cup canola oil ½ teaspoon ground cardamom 3 large eggs ¼ cup milk 1 cup almond meal 1 cup all purpose flour 1.5 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt

For the syrup: 1 cup honey 1 cup granulated sugar ¾ cup cold water ½ teaspoon rose water Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch square pan.

In a large bowl, mix ¾ cups sugar, canola oil, and eggs, until well combined.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour into the cake pan and bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, combine all syrup ingredients into a pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Turn down to low heat and simmer 5 - 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit until cake is out of the oven.

Allow the cake to cool for ten minutes and then slowly pour honey syrup over cake. It will take a moment for the cake to absorb all of the syrup, so if you pour all of it right away it may spill over!

Beltane for the Northern Hemisphere 💐

Samhain for the Southern Hemisphere 🎃

LOstara celebrates the spring equinox and is often celebrated from the 19th of march till the 23rd. It's a special time to me as I love the energy in the air. Here are some ways to celebrate Ostara for both beginner and more advanced witches!

Low energy activities

Make your bed

Open a window to let in the fresh spring air (if you have more energy: open all the windows in your home to really let the spring air fill your home)

Light some incense to cleanse your room

Light a pastel-colored candle

Drink herbal tea

Medium energy activities

Decorate eggs (wooden eggs as vegan alternative)

Cleanse your home/room with dried herbs

Wear pastel colors

Do an Ostara tarot reading for yourself or someone else

Buy or plant colorful flowers in your windowsills

Plant seeds to grow crops or herbs

High energy activities

Go for a refreshing spring walk

Do a spring cleaning of your home

Make fresh bread or cake

Clean and redecorate your altar to match the new season

Do a prosperity spell for the new season

Pick wildflowers and make them into a bouquet (or dry them so they last longer)

Feed the animals in the meadow or at the petting zoo (if they allow it)

"Use this blend before bed to dream of love - especially the night before the spring equinox.

3 drops Roman chamomile essential oil (Chamaemelum nobile) (preferred) or Cape chamomile essential oil (Eriocephalus punctulatus) for luck, sleep, love

1 drop jasmine absolute (Jasminum officinale) for love, prophetic dreams

5 drops lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) for love, peace, protection

1 drop Turkish rose absolute (Rose damascena) or rose geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens) for love, dreams

Springtime is when minds drift toward love. Spring flings, first romances, and vow renewals all have their place in the spring dreaming. Mix all oils, and diffuse 1 drop synergy per 100 ml water.

For massage, mix 15 drops synergy per ounce of carrier oil (a good all-purpose oil is sweet almond) plus a drop or two of vitamin E to preserve the mix."

-Blackthorn's Botanical Magic by Amy Blackthorn

I love this time of year! Spring is one of my favorite seasons. Life if returning to the earth and my birthday is a few days after the equinox. Here’s how I’m celebrating this extra special time of year🌱🥚

Colors🌈

All pastel colors! I like to emphasize yellow for daffodils, blue and green for new life, and pink for the other spring flowers

Altar decorations🐰

🐣Animal figurines/stuffed animals lambs, chicks, deer, frog, and bunnies are great choices for this time of year. You can even make clay figurines of the animals you see around you.

🥚 painted or plastic eggs

💐Flowers/Plants/Seeds/Sprouts

🌷A vision board/representations of things you wish to get done

☀️Solar symbols

Spell themes🐸

🌱 Renewal

💫Cycles

🌳Balance

🍃Getting rid of negative thoughts, cycles and patterns

Plants 🌱

🌼Daffodils (my favorite)

🌷Tulips

🌱Crocuses

🌺Hyacinth

🌿Thyme

💜Lavender

🌳Rododendron

🌸Hellebore

Food 🥘

🍳 Eggs

🥛 Milk

🥐Baked goods

🥖Bread

🍵Peas

🥕Carrots

🍋Lemons

🥦Any in season vegetables where you live

Ways to celebrate 💐

🎨Paint eggs with friends

🌳Go for a walk, taking notice of the new spring plants and animals

🌅Wake up at sunrise and hear the birds chirping

🍰Bake and cook while putting your intentions into the food

🌱Start your garden by filling an eggshell with dirt and planting the seed in the eggshell. Say your intention while planting so it manifests as the seed grows

🖌Make Ostara themed art, doodles, and crafts

🧺Have a picnic or tea party

🎵Sing, dance, and make music

In honor of Imbolc, I’ll be doing a 30% discount on all my astrology & tarot readings from now until February 2nd 🌞

Imbolc is the time of year half way between Winter & Spring where the Celtic Sun Goddess Brigid walks the Earth to bless us with her protection through the rest of Winter until the Spring Equinox. She brings us hope of new life through the slow return of the Sun, & a reminder of our survival through the cold winter nights. It’s also primarily a time where women celebrate women & all we endure together as sisters. Celebrate yourself & the women of your life with an inspiring Imbolc tarot/oracle reading or a personalized astrology reading 💓 Click the link in my bio to schedule & purchase a reading🦋

Sending You Imbolc Blessings 🌞🌾

Cashapp : $cosmobabies

Venmo : @ cosmobabies

Imbolc is so close. I don’t like to think of Imbolc as the beginning of spring, but rather a reminder it is around the corner. I heard someone once say Imbolc is like a mother bear turning over in her cave, and I really like that metaphor.

Some quick Imbolc info for those who are new or learning. 🕯