She will protect you 🌕

get out of bed because there’s something you’re excited about.

don’t think about people who left.

clean the clutter in the room and dishes in your sink.

smile at yourself and random people.

do something kind and out of the blue to make someone happy.

work out or meet with friends even though you have no energy to.

calm yourself down when you’re thoughts race.

remember to drink water.

don’t dwell on things you can’t control.

do things good for yourself, even though you have no motivation.

Here is a list of unconventional and affordable ingredients that can be used in spells and witchcraft along with their correspondences; good for witches “in the woods” and witches on a budget. Many of these can be easily found for inexpensive prices or at home.

Acorns/Acorn Caps: security, abundance, longevity, good luck, youth and brings good health

Animal toys/stickers: relates to correspondences of that animal

Artist’s Charcoal: banishing negativity, protection; cursing

Baby Powder: cleansing, beauty, youth

Baking Soda: cleansing, purification, protection

Birthday Candles: wishes, joy; color magic and number magic depending on their color and/or what number they display

Black Tea Bags (used): earth magic, grounding, strength, stability, banishing negativity; ending, death 

Bottle Caps: prosperity, luck, material gain

Bubble Bath: self-love, relaxation, emotional healing, serenity; plus whatever scent the bubble bath is affects correspondences

Bubbles/Bubble Liquid: wishes, joy, whimsy, imagination, fantasy

Buckeye Nuts: luck, sexual energies, warding

Butter: femininity, flattery, friendship, warmth, happiness; good for fae work

Candy Bars: love, romance, happiness, lust, fertility, emotional healing, healing of the heart, forgiveness, friendship

Candy Corn: courage, imagination, endurance, energy, motivation, happiness, celebration

Candy Foil: sweetness, secrets, protecting one’s emotions; color magic

Chocolate Syrup/Milk: happiness, love, lust, romance, sweetening relationships

Cocktail Swords: strength, assertiveness, competition; cursing, revenge; ending rumors

Cotton Balls: beauty, gentleness, warmth, sleep

Cotton Swabs: cleansing, purification

Dice: chance, opportunity, luck; number magic

Dirt: grounding, earth magic, growth, prosperity, patience, home and family; cursing

Dish Soap: cleansing

Duct Tape: binding, storing energy, cursing

Egg Shells: cleansing, protection, warding

Energy Drinks: energy, motivation

Envelopes: messages, communication, protection during travel

Epsom Salts: purification, cleansing, protection, pain relief, serenity, comfort, stress relief

Fake/Play Money: wealth, prosperity

Fish Sauce: prosperity, water magic, curses

Foil: glamour, protection, storing energy, binding

Glue: sealing, immobility, binding, curses

Googley Eyes: vision, divination, scrying, creativity, protection, imagination; curses, paranoia, nightmares

Grass: growth, nature, learning, healing, new beginnings, recovery from loss

Hand Soap: cleansing, curse removal

Hole Punches: good for cursing

Hot Sauce: motivation, lust, confidence; cursing, anger, revenge, emotional pain

Koolaid: youth, sweetness, happiness; color magic, corresponds with flavors as well

Lip Balm: glamour, confidence in speaking, honesty, beauty

Lollipops: sweetness, innocence, ending rumors and lies, lust and sexual energies, love

Lotion: protection, beauty

Laundry Soap: cleansing, purification

Marshmallows: friendliness, comfort, gentleness, fidelity, sleep and dreams

Metal Crafting Wire: binding

Modeling Clay: poppets, earth magic, grounding, balance, stability, creation, change

Mud: grounding, earth magic; curses

Muslin: poppets, change, creativity

Noodles: Longevity, good health

Pompoms (craft): gentleness, comfort, love, sleep, dreams

Paper Clips: balance, focus, organization; curses, binding

Pennies: luck, wealth

Pickle Juice: curses to sour things

Plastic Bags: protection; binding

Plastic Ribbon (wrapping): happiness, glamour, delight; binding; color magic

Plastic Wrap: binding

Popsicle sticks: poppets

Scissors: offensive magic, curses

Seltzer Water: purification, removing negativity; curses

Sewing Needles: curses, pain

Shaving Cream: cleansing, softness, patience, calmness

Stamps: travel, communication

Sour Cream: cursing

Soy Sauce: protection, banishment; cursing

Sticky Notes: communication, memory

Strawberry Milk: love, self-love, beauty, sweetness, friendship

Syrup: joy, sweetening one’s emotions

Taco Sauce: Focus, Energy, motivation

Taffy: joy, flexibility

Thumbtacks: curses

Tissue Paper: softness, serenity; color magic

Toothpaste: cleansing

Toothpicks: curse

Walnut Shells: protection, warding

Wasabi: Energy; curses, anger, envy

Whipped Cream: beauty, light-heartedness

Whistles: communication, attention grabbing, warding

Other Tips:

Recycle bottles, jars and medicine bottles for jar/bottle magic

Reuse tea bags (though not too long after use) in bath magic

If you do wish to use herbs, it is cheaper to order them online in bulk rather than the supermarket. Trust me, supermarkets and grocery stores really over price most herbs. You can get triple the amount for 2 dollars less online

Make up and toiletries are great for glamours

Its fine to use kitchen knives if you can’t afford am athame

Look at the ingredients in food you eat to see what is in it and determine that food’s correspondences, quick and easy kitchen magic

Crayons, colored pencils, markers and pens are good for easy sigil and color magic

The pipeline for finding a unit is as follows:

Find unit. Contact landlord. View unit with landlord. Submit application and credit check. Be approved for unit. Secure move in date. Move in!

See below for a detailed explanation of the process. Let me know if you have any questions!

1. Know what you’re looking for.

How many square feet do you comfortably need? The microstudios that are 200ish square feet are okay if you don’t have a lot of stuff or it’s semi-temporary (like while you’re in college) but most people need more space to live. A 400sq ft+ studio would be a good first apartment if you don’t have a lot of things. Do you need an accessible unit? Do you have pets? Can you not live without  a washer and dryer? 

Make a checklist of what you need in a living space. Write down your MUST HAVES and your WOULD LIKE TO HAVES. 

2. Know where to look.

Facebook - Most cities and towns have Facebook groups for housing. These are great because you can find good deals on places that normally get snatched up fast on Craigslist. 

Craigslist - This is your best option. Be sure to use the filters on the side to find the things you listed in your Must Haves and Would Like to Haves.

PadMapper - This app/website is great because it shows you units on a map and pulls from dozens of different rental websites, so if someone only listed the unit on Zillow, it shows up here!

Zillow - Better to find houses or larger spaces on here! Oftentimes more expensive, people post nicer places here rather than on Craigslist. 

3. Contact the landlord.

Note - my advice is coming from a Seattle perspective. Our housing market is Fucked Up and a shitty apartment usually has 8 applications in to it by the time you’ve spoken with the landlord, even if it was posted the same day. People also offer to pay double rent if they really want a place. It’s probably not this cutthroat in other places.

Once you find a unit you like, a phone call is better than email because you get to the landlord faster. Your goal is to be as easy as possible - tell the landlord you’d like to see the unit and you can come today or anytime that week. 

Over the phone or email, it’s good to answer questions they’ll likely be asking you so it’s easier for them to email you back and they contact you first over other people. Here’s the template I use:

“Hi there,

My name is X. I love the unit I saw on X and I think it’s perfect for me! I work at X and make $X per month, so I meet your requirement of 3x the rent in income. I’m a nonsmoker with no pets and live a pretty quiet life - my hobbies include X, X, and X. I would love to come see the unit as soon as possible. I can bring a check with me for the deposit. My move-in date is flexible, and I can provide references. Thank you so much!

Best, 

X”

A few notes - 

Be up front if you have pets. Don’t try to hide pets from your landlord. They will find out. 

Be flexible about move in date. It helps a LOT. 

If you don’t have a former landlord for a reference, provide your boss or former roommates as references. 

3. Know what paperwork you will need to apply.

If you want to apply for the apartment, you will need to bring some things. You will need to bring photo ID, pay stubs from the last few months (your HR department can print new ones if you don’t have them), and a check for a deposit. In other markets besides Seattle you might not need to bring a check immediately. Fill out the application. Ask the landlord if you need anything else - always ask lots of questions to make sure you are fully aware of the process. 

4. Ask the landlord the important questions. 

Important questions to ask:

How much am I paying you right now? First and last? Deposit?

How do you handle emergency repairs, such as flooding? 

What is the neighborhood like? What are the neighbors like?

How are utilities billed? 

What day is rent due? What day is rent late?

How is rent paid? Check? Direct Deposit?

Are there any existing problems or damage to the unit?

6. Get accepted and move in! 

Before you move ANYTHING in, take pictures of every part of the unit. Note any damage in detail. Your landlord may do this with you or you might have to do it alone. Email yourself the photos. This way, when you move out and your landlord does a walkthrough to give you your deposit back, you can pull up your dated and timestamped photos to prove damage was there before you moved in.

Set up utilities in your name. Put in a change of address with the post office. Introduce yourself to your new neighbors! Figure out the quirks of the unit!

7. Be a good tenant and know your rights. 

Clean regularly. Don’t be noisy past 10 PM. Have an idea of your neighbors’ schedules and be respectful of their sleeping times. If a neighbor is bothering you, talk to them face to face instead of leaving a passive aggressive note! 

Google “Tenant rights + (your state)”. In most states landlords have to give 24 hours notice before entering your apartment - you do NOT have to let them in otherwise! There are a ton of other laws to protect you. Know them and don’t be afraid to stand up to your landlord if they are not following the law. You are in a business relationship with them and it is ILLEGAL for them to not follow the rules. 

Car Care Tips

Things to keep in your car:

A first aid kit

A flashlight

A tire pressure gauge

Your registration and insurance info

Your car’s manual

Sunglasses

An umbrella

If you have a vagina- sanitary products

A rag or two to clean up spills

Napkins (you never know when you need napkins!)

Get your car’s oil changed regularly! Every car shop ever offers this service for around $25 and it doesn’t take very long to complete. 

If you live somewhere with snow, get your car’s under carriage washed throughout the winter months. Salt and chemicals are used on roads to make them more drivable, but these in turn cause the bottom of your car to rust. 

Speaking of car washes- get familiar with other car care services. Lots of gas stations have air pumps for you to inflate your tires. Car tires loose pressure during the winter and gain pressure in the summer due to temperature changes, so you may need to adjust your tire’s pressure  throughout the year. Many car washes have little vacuum stations where you can vacuum your car seats. 

Learn how to change a tire. 

Check engine lights are not aways deadly, but they sometimes can be! Mechanics with any common decency will run your car’s check engine code free of charge, it takes literally thirty seconds to do so. I’ve also heard that Autozone will do this as well. If your check engine light comes on, don’t just ignore it. Learn what the code is and decide if it something that needs to be addressed immediately. Do NOT put your life in jeopardy. 

Do NOT wait until the end of the month to get your yearly inspection completed. If your inspection is up at the end of September, go in August. You can get your inspection done early! I recommend doing this, because sometimes unexpected and expensive problems turn up. Don’t give yourself a week to come up with $500! 

Similarly- not all mechanics are stand up. If someone gives you an expensive quote, don’t just settle for it. Shop around and see what other mechanics say. Also, ask your friends/family who their mechanic is. A friend of mine is a tow truck driver and he recommend my current mechanic to me.

If your car starts suddenly smoking. 

Check out our other car posts:

Cars - Some General Advice

Cars - Driving Anxiety

Most people are reblogging an ask I answered long ago about offerings to give to the dead. It’s long overdue, but I’ve finally typed it up into an actual cohesive post.

~ Herbs ~ 

Lavender, for peace in passing on

Thyme, to give peace to those who have died from violence

Apple, a common Irish symbol for the dead, which I often give to my ancestors 

Pomegranates, myth of Persephone and all that

Rosemary, for remembrance

Myrrh, commonly used in necromancy, also used to give off good vibes

Chervil, often used in rituals for the dead

Mugwort, usually used to aid divination and communication with the dead. I also give it as an offering

Bay, same as mugwort (my mentality is that these herbs will help “send” the offerings to the dead)

Lemonbalm, for peace and healing

Wormwood, to strengthen the communication with the dead, as well as healing and revenge

Frankincense, a traditional herb (usually incense) to honor the dead

~ Flowers ~ 

Calendula, for blessings and eternal love

Rose petals (or the flower) for love and healing

Marigolds, perfect for ancestor worship (as well as spirit work salves and tea)

Lilies, for a sense of security and togetherness; ideal for children

Orchids, for balanced emotions and adoration; ideal for former lovers

Daisies, also ideal for former lovers and lost family members

Tulips, to spread happiness

Dandelions, ideal for connecting with certain spirits (especially when drunk as a tea)

~ Liquids ~

Water, a traditional offering for the dead, often left out for passing spirits

Wine or other alcohol

Juice, namely pomegranate or beet

Oils, such as olive oil, pomegranate oil, coconut, almond, vinegar

~ Other ~

Stones or crystals

Coins

Tobacco (I also know some people who use cigarette smoke or ashes)

Grains, traditionally brown bread

Meat

Candles, namely dark colored or earth-toned

Cleaning up graveyards, placing offerings on graves and speaking to them also makes a great offering

Song and music

Anything personal to the person you’re sending the offering to

~ What to do with the Offerings ~

Burn herbs or flowers (safely) with a written message to “send” the offering to the soul

Leave coins, flowers or herbs on the grave

Pour liquid into the earth, or leave them out in a bowl

Leave offerings out as a “standing offering” for the dead who pass through (idea from @arachnospooky)

(d’y’all see those amazing alliterations)

Sophie and Howl both love Halloween and it’s the only holiday during which they agree on most things

Every year they host a (moving) haunted house castle

Sophie is against it bc she says it’s ingenious but Howl still collects and entrance fee each year

during some years Sophie forces him to give it back to the people

Michael is pro entrance fees and so most years they end up keeping it

October is the only time Sophie relents and doesn’t remove the spiderwebs and Howl is allowed to let the spiders out of his bedroom

Calcifer is instructed to burn at the lowest of his abilities as to make the place darker and much more ominous than it actually is

Often instead of his usual fire place he stays in a carved out pumpkin somewhere in the edges of the room 

While people are in the haunted house castle he tends to move around and hover in the air flickering and throwing shadows against the wall

he highly enjoys doing this

Howl and Sophie always dress up

during the first year they wanted to do a couple costume but they couldn’t agree on a single detail of said costume so they decided to make their individual costumes

Michael also dresses up but always in weird concepts like debt or sth similar

Howl and Sophie object to that heavily but Michael insists that his costumes are the real scary things in life and no one can convince him to change

unless Martha wants to do a different costume with him

Sometimes Howl will turn himself and or Sophie in animals just to turn themselves back during a critically scary moment

Sophie will speak “just a little” fear into the visitors when they come in and she greats them

“It’s not like I’m hurting anyone!!!”

Howl also summons ghosts

Once Morgan is born they put him in a smol got costume and he jumps out behind something and screams “Boo!”

it’s the most adorablest thing and Howl and Sophie are Proud Parents™

everyone just goes “aaaaawwwwe” but Morgan is so sulky about it that they pretend to be extremely scared

At the end of the haunted house castle people are so scared that they run outside but the door is switched to the Moving Castle Entrance

everyone is disoriented and scared

most people find their way back into the castle where Sophie and Howl calm them down

Some people escape into the wilderness and Sophie and Howl have to pick them up later

it’s always a very elongated procedure filled with a lot of arguing between Howl and Sophie

Once everyone has left they cuddle up by Calcifer and they talk about the day and what they enjoyed most

then Sophie laughs and tells Howl that when she first came here the mess and the dirt and the dust was already enough of a haunted house castle for her

then they argue again

During the next year it’s practically all the same shenanigans again

People come back bc Sophie tells them to (and because Michaels flyers are very intense and intriguing)

 Howl puts a spell on them for the duration of the whole thing so they don’t remember and anticipate some of the scares