Queen of Cups Giveaway Winner!

My Crystal Ball has spoken....

The winner of the Queen of Cups Giveaway is....



Mother's Moon's Message!

Congrats Love! You had every entry available: blogged about it, signed up to Adopt-a-Soldier, had a question answered in my interview and you're a top 10 stalker! Ha ha, it payed off! Glad to see this go to active follower! Please e-mail me at dawnATpagancenterDOTcom with your shipping address!

Thanks to everyone to signed up!


And Thanks to Tiffany & Craftie Cutie for giving me this award!



1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it in your blog.
3. Link the person who nominated you.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.
5. Nominate seven 'Kreativ Bloggers'
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.


7 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me:
Taking a political spin with this, I am...
Pro Life
Anti Affirmative Action
Pro Gun Control
Anti Iraq War
Pro Gay Marriage
Anti Censorship
Pro Legalization of Marijuana

There are so many awesome blogs out there, but unfortunately I've run outta time! So I'm nominating one blog right now, my current favorite blog to stalk is: Dirgesinger, Shadowed Paths! I love her dark nature, the cultural experience she shares and it's nice to have a blogger friend in another country so far away, Hungary! She is getting married on October 17th, stop by and wish her well!!

Toys

I don't handle messes very well. I know, I know, not a very good Mommy quality. To cut back on the toddler mayhem, I keep smaller toys and sets organized into containers and stored in the cloest. I've taught Angelus that he can play with one box at a time. When he wants another box we have to put the first one back. I've heard these types of bounrdies are good for kids and really good for my sanity!

The containers that I like best are the Sterling brand, you can find them most everywhere. I don't usually like plastic, but in this case it's the best I've tried. Lots of sizes, durable, easy to clean, see through and made in the U.S.A.!

Another toy tip: Right before holidays like Easter, Christmas and his birthday I clean out his toys and give away anything he's outgrown or not into. Out with the old and in with the new. Now that he is getting older he can participate with this like a rite of passage. I'm not sure how he will handle giving up his older toys, if he is a rat pack like Daddy it may be tough!

Black Hat Party

The 3rd Annual Pagan Center Black Hat Society Picnic
Wear a black hat, pointy or not, and a dish to share! Hosted by Kelly.

The dish I brought was an autumn favorite, taught to me by Amanda...
Apple Salad

10 sliced apples
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins
1 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter

• Mix apples, seeds and raisins

• Mix honey & peanut butter

• Fold peanut butter mixture into apple mixture

My Interview

Thank you to everyone who submitted a question for me, they were all great. Here are the 20 I picked, everyone listed below will get 2 extra entries in the Queen of Cups Giveaway! You must be entered here to be eligible.


I've updated this post with a photo, it bothered me to have a post with no photo! I just can't have it! It's not intended to be offencive to anyone, I'm just being an ass. Boy, it kinda takes the fun out of it if I explain myself. :P

Dirgesinger asks...
What makes a Pagan Pagan?
Oh! Oh! I know this one! Asking what is a Pagan is almost a trick question. Saying your Pagan is really telling people what you are not instead of what you are. A Pagan is someone who adheres to a religion that is not Jewish, Christian or Muslim. So what is a Pagan? Everything else!

I’d like to point out that Wicca is one of the many religions that fall under the Pagan umbrella term, not all Pagans and Witches are Wiccan. I am not Wiccan. I’m one of the many eclectics who don’t have a religious label and just say “Pagan”.

While I’m on my soap box, I’d like to point out that a Witch and a Pagan are not the same thing. Witchcraft is an art form, not a religion. Anyone (probably everyone) can be a witch, with or without religion.

Confused yet? Good. So are the rest of us.


Dede asks...
What is your favorite thing to do for "me" time?
Blogging is my “me” time. I started blogging a few years back (on live journal and then moved here) to create a record of my seasonal traditions and endeavours. Its turned into so much more, but I sometimes have to remind myself that this is my “me” time and take it back to the basics.


TMC asks...
Through which natural element, weather or place do you most feel the Goddess?
I love that we all connect to natural elements, the most scared place to me is a dense forest, but I look to large bodies of water for feminine qualities. I’m not much of a “Goddess” person. I believe in the inherit duality of everything being male and female and “The Goddess” represents all that is feminine, but I don’t usually call upon “the God” or “the Goddess”.

D.Suplicki asks...
Since Autumn is creeping up on us, what are some of your autumn traditions? What does your family do to celebrate this season?
Autumn is my favorite season! It is long drives in the country watching leaves change and fall, the smell of cinnamon, making pumpkin pie, all the best holidays and family get together, trick or treating, turkey roasting, Christmas shopping, apple orchards, pumpkin carving, and bonfires.

Raven_Nightwind asks...
You have a beautiful home, how do you make it so inviting and comfortable for you guests?
Aww thanks. I like to have a clean home, which is inviting, but “lived in” which is comfortable. I also try to implement the concepts of a sensual home, where all 5 senses are indulged. Smooth and soft surfaces, food on display, fresh aromas, good music and aesthetically pleasing decor.


Mother's Moon's Message asks...
Angelus is a beautiful child. As a mother, what do you feel is the most important lesson you can teach him as he grows up.
Thanks, he is beautiful, but I’m biased! The two C’s are important values to have: Compassion and Confidence. I’ll be happy to institute those qualities into his personality.

Jen asks...
Do you have a goal for your blog and how you want it to contribute to the pagan community?
I started this blog in December 2008, “Domestic Witch” was the concept I was going for. I thought I made the term "Domestic Witch" up last year, but seems to be everywhere now, maybe we were all tapping into the collective unconsciousness with that one. Anyway, my goal is to make it more domestic and educational than my last blog but still keeping my basic need of a seasonal traditions record. I am a real neat freak about my post labels ("constitute"), They are very organized and that is how I can keep track of the seasons, traditions and more.

Since I am putting on a more public face this time, I set a goal to reach 100 followers and 10,000 unique visitors within the first year - Mission accomplished! I'm having a ton of fun doing it! Thank you everyone!


Aelwyn asks...
Which God do you feel most attuned to, if any?
I will pray to any God who will listen. I use Gods, Saints and even fictional characters, whatever fits my needs. Some may feel that is sacrilegious to "jump sides" or cross pantheons, but to me they are only symbols. There is no one in the clouds babysitting us and answering our prayers. I think that calling upon Gods really means attuning to your higher self. The Gods are representations of what we want, they help us focus.

I don’t mean to say that we are alone. I do believe in spirit guides and supernatural powers we don’t understand yet, and of course we have each other.

Keep in mind that I’m very eclectic, but these are the “Gods” I call upon most are... Artemis for protection and strength. Saint Dymphna for sanity. God for comfort (I'll say the Lord's Prayer in a pinch) and Fortuna for luck.



VintageSage asks...
What is your favorite homemade gift to give to friends and family?
Baked goods! It’s easy and everyone likes it. You really can’t go wrong if you prefect a good recipe and pass it out as gifts. My Aunt Nancy, for example, makes a pumpkin roll for everyone at Christmas. I wait on pins and needles for it, yumm-o! Myself, I tend to do a variety of bake goods as gifts.


Wendy Hawksley asks...
You're in the market for a vampire boyfriend. Your choices are Bill, Eric or Edward Cullen. Who do you choose, and why?
Ohh man, thanks for asking me such a fun question! I am very fantasy driven person, I could daydream all day long. If I were in the market for a vampire boyfriend it would be Edward Cullen, purely on looks and build. Vampire Bill just makes me laugh but Eric has a lot of potential, I like bad boys.


Bridgett asks...
Being new to the pagan path myself, do you have any words of wisdom or advice for those just starting our craft?
It’s really confusing for the new folks, there are so many different paths and we don’t have the convenience of a bible to tell us what to do. I get it, no one wants to be “wrong” or look silly, but it's ok to not know the answers and it's ok to not "do it" like the new age books say to do it. The truth is being Pagan is without boundaries, it may look wrong from here, but as long as it feels right to you, fuck everyone else's opinions. Do it your way and write your own damn book!


Rosemary Gunn asks...
When did you realize that the Pagan path was the right choice for you?
I’m still not there yet, I’ll let you know!

kim asks...
Angelus is a name I have never heard of before. I'm curious as to how you chose such a beautiful name and how is it pronounced exactly?
It is pronounced "an – gel – us" , just like it looks. The most common mispronunciation we get is "an – jil – us". Angelus is from old Greek and simply means “Angel” or messenger.

The name comes from the TV show Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Ed and I used to watch Angel, long before I was even pregnant, and we said Hey, Angelus us a cool, old fashion name, If we ever have a boy… and the rest is history. Old fashioned names are popular right now, vampire stories a good source for old names, since vampires are usually pretty damn old.

Basinah asks...
Name three women, living or dead, who you think are/were "closet" domestic witches, or at least unrecognized for their time.
This is a really fun question to think about, and I did a lot of thinking about it and I couldn’t think of anyone, yet every woman seemed possible. I could imagine that Marilyn Monroe prayed to Aphrodite. I could see Hillary Clinton making hex bags. And well Martha Stewart has some strong mojo, is she even human? Any woman, strong enough to use her will to make her dreams come true is a witch, even if it’s not in the traditional sense.

Rose asks...
What is your favorite form of divination and why?
I adore the messenger in group settings, and tarot when I’m by myself. I’ve had the best results with those two because the divination part is “random”, I can not tamper with or "fix" the outcome.


Judith asks...
Is there a smell or scent of something that brings you to your place of peace and worship?
I’m a very seasonally driven person. Strawberries are eaten in June, pumpkin pie in autumn, no mixing it up. My altar scents and my home (place of worship) also reflect the season. Right now cinnamon and apples, and peppermint in December, lemon in spring, etc. I don’t have a universal scent that unifies all the seasons.

Tori asks...
I am trying to learn how to work magic into my everyday life, how do you do this? How about a tip specifically on how to do this away from home?
Candle magic and tarot cards are so wonderful and travel well. Really, what else do we need? You can create a daily candle lighting ritual in the morning and incorporate a single tarot card reading. Witchcraft is about your force of will, you always have your will power with you anywhere you go, but candles and tarot cards help.

Lisa asks...
One of my favorite things to read about on your blog (aside from homekeeping stuff!) is your activities with your ya-yas. How did you get to know so many wonderful women with your same spiritual interests, not to mention other fun loving interests? I'd love to have a group of ya-yas. It's a dream and goal.
When I got married 7 years ago I had one friend, my sister Jessica. I didn’t have anyone else to stand up with me as a bridesmaid, so I borrowed my sister’s friend and my brother’s girlfriend. Pretty pathetic. Shortly after Ed and I were married, I just blurted out one day, Hey I want some girlfriends, and I want them to be Pagan. Really, that was it. The law of attraction (thank you Kelly) did the work from there. If you build it, they will come. And they did! I created a website to attract other pagans in the area, that website grew to be Pagan Center.

Those who have been with the group the longest naturally are good friends and we call ourselves the Ya-Ya's. The longer someone is with Pagan Center, they just eventually become a Ya-Ya!

Sara Western-Raetz asks...
What is your favorite ritual and what alters do you have in your home?
I don’t have a favorite ritual; I’m not a very good Pagan, more of a Witch. I tend to do a daily tarot card reading, that would probably be the closest ritual I keep up with. My altar is my bay window and I change it with the seasons, this is also where I do spells.

Rue asks...
Is there a tool you gravitate toward in your spell work - working with herbs, stones, colors, poppets, mojo bags - or do you throw a bit of everything into the cauldron?
I enjoy the novelty of “dark” tools, like graveyard dirt and coffin nails, but I use whatever I have on hand.

Carmel Apples

A day of autumnal fun at Blake Farms!



Straw Mountain.


Angelus survived his first haunted house!


Corn Maze.


Ridiculous and loving it!

Smudges

Making your own smudges is super easy. I made some recently of sage and lavender. All you need is sage (or lavender, cedar or sweetgrass), twine, and newspaper.


Wrap the herb(s) tightly in twine.


Roll tightly into newspaper and set aside for a week or two.


That's it! Never mind that my smudges are so long and narrow, I don't know what I was thinking. Let's just call them the Peter North of smudges. You can make yours shorter and thicker like traditionally found in stores.

We're Back

We had a great time on Mackinac Island! Here are some photos from our trip!

Now we need a vacation from our vacation :P I am glad to be home, I've missed my family and my Ya-Ya's and my blogger buddies! I'll soon post the answers to my interview and I'll have a giveaway winner on the 30th! Then there is much anticipated October blog party that starts in less than a week!! I noticed we had some more folks sign up while I was gone, I'll get those blog names added to the sidebar list this week. I hope you all had a great week!

Wasting Time

5 Ways To Waste A Perfectly Good Hour:

Find Your Ya-Ya Name

Dress Your Kid(s) Up In Embarrassing Outfits For Future Blackmail

Exercise

Organize Your Jewelry Box

Give Your Houseplants A Shower

Home Design

Today's look back....

My 5 Favorite Inspirations for Home Design:

The Sensual Home
Inara's Shuttle
Cottage Of The Month
Simple Abundance
The Practical Magic House

Show Me The Money!

Today's look back....

5 Ways To Go Green And Save Money..

Breastfeed
Reuse Food Jars
Line Dry Your Clothes
Host A Freecycle Party
Use Cloth Diapers

Anniversary

Today is Ed and I's 7th anniversary! While we are riding in horse style today on Mackinac Island, you get a look back at our wedding day, but first...

Today's look back....

5 Ways To Make Your Husband Happy...

Make Him Cookies
Love Him In Sickness and in Health
Support His Dreams
Tell Him Why You Love Him
Give Him A Son







Wedding and Handfasting Ceremony of Ed & Dawn Howard
September 20, 2002

(The Minister smudges the area to purify the space.)

{Processional}

Minister:
Who gives the Bride?

FATHER:
I do

Minister:
We stand upon this Holy Earth and in the Face of Nature to witness the Sacred Rite of Marriage between Ed and Dawn. Just as we come together as family and friends so we ask for the Greater Powers to be present here within our Circle. May this Sacred Union be filled with their Holy Presence.

Minister:
Let the four directions be honored that power and radiance might enter our circle for the good of all beings.


With the blessing of the pure air, we call upon the powers of the East for wisdom and understanding.

With the blessing of the inner fire of the sun, we call upon the powers of the South for protection and creativity.

With the blessing of the sacred waters, we call upon the powers of the West for intuition and knowledge.


With the blessing of the deep and fruitful earth, we call upon the powers of the North for strength and fertility.


May the harmony of our circle be complete.

Everyone take a deep breath. Isn't it great to be alive? We thank all of you for coming and Dawn and Ed thank you for letting us share this sacred ceremony with you.


Minister:
A union such as this unites not only these two people, but brings together two halves of a circle. When a man and a woman pledge their hearts to each other, they not only create a home and family of their own, they also carry with them, the support, good will and hopes of all that care for them as individuals. This union is a confirmation to the families from which you come that they are worthy and that their contribution to your lives shall be continued in the home that you have created. In a close and personal way, your marriage is a uniting of these two families that bore and raised you. By uniting together, each of you join the family of the other to bear its strengths and promise into the future as it lies within your ability to do. For this reason, I would ask this of the of the families from which you come:

Minister (to Jessica):
Do you, as a representative of Dawn's family and friends, accept Ed as Dawn's lifelong mate, and thereby, as one of your own?

Jessica, Maid of Honor:
Yes, we do.

Minister (to Gerald) :
Do you, as a representative of Ed's family and friends, accept Dawn as Ed's lifelong mate, and thereby, as one of your own?

Gerald, Best Man:
Yes, we do

Minister (anointing):
May you always know spirit.
May you always have clear vision.
May you always speak the truth.
May you always live from love.

Minister (Handfasting):
This rite of Handfasting is an invitation into supreme transformation through love and commitment. There is no other like marriage, for it is a divine creation that allows us to see far beyond ourselves. A couples hands are bound together with a knotted cord. The know symbolizes union, eternity and wholeness.

As your hands are joins with this cord, know it is your will to be united and to love and cherish one another.

Minister (to Ed):
Ed, do you take Dawn to be your wife and soul mate, to join together your heart unto hers, uniting your spirit and her; into a common being. gifting her with your trust, respect and abiding love for so long as you both shall live?

Ed:
I do

Minister (to Dawn):
Dawn, do you take Ed to be your husband and soul mate, to join together your heart unto his, uniting your spirit and his into a common being. Gifting him with your trust, respect and abiding love for so long as you both shall live?

Dawn:
I do



Minister (to COUPLE):
As the Sun and Moon bring light to the Earth do you Ed and Dawn vow to bring the light of love and joy to the union?

Dawn and Ed:
We do.

Minister:
And do you vow to honor each other as you honor which you hold most sacred?

Dawn and Ed:
We do.

Minister:
And do you vow to maintain these vows in freedom, for as long as you both shall live?

Dawn and Ed:
We do.

Minister (to Ed):
Ed, please repeat after me:
I, Ed, because I love you, take you; Dawn, to be my wife. I will share with you the many adventures of life together. I gift you with my love, my respect, and pledge to you my care and commitment in times of joy and sorrow, for today, and throughout all of our tomorrows. So be it.

Minister (to Dawn):
Dawn, please repeat after me: (Minister and Dawn take turns in this vow)
I, Dawn, because I love you, take you Ed, to be my husband. I will share with you the many adventures of life together. I gift you with my love, my respect, and pledge to you my care and commitment in times of joy and sorrow, for today, and throughout all of our tomorrows. So be it.

Minister:
This light symbolizes your love and the way in which it has enriched each of our lives. Ed and Dawn, may your love continue to light the way on your journey through life together.

(Candle Lighting: The Dawn’s mother and the Ed’s mother light a candle and give it their child. The Dawn and Ed then light a unity candle.

Minister:
All things in Nature are circular - night becomes day, day becomes night and night becomes day again. The moon waxes and wanes and waxes again. There is Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and then the Spring returns. A ring is an unbroken circle, a symbol of unity and love, representative of the greater circle of life of which we all spiritually are a part of. Having neither beginning nor end, but a continuous cycle of which you are an element. For you, it begins with the gift of life, and will continue through the end of time.


Minister (to Dawn):
Repeat after me, accept this ring as a symbol of my love for you.


Minister (to Ed):
Repeat after me, accept this ring as a symbol of my love for you.

Minister (to congregation):
Honored guests and witnesses, not that you have heard Ed and Dawn recite their vows, do you, their family and friends promise from this day forward to encourage them and love them, to give them your guidance and your listening, and to support them in being steadfast in the promises that they have made.

Congregation:
We Do.

Minister:
Ed, and Dawn, on behalf of the family and friends who love you, both here and far away, and on behalf of the larger family of humankind to which we all belong, I recognize and honor you as husband and wife, as soul mates. We celebrate your union which you have shared with us this day. May that glory, which rests on all who love, rest upon you, bless you, and fill you with happiness and a gracious spirit. Despite all changes of time and fortune, may all that is noble and lovely and true abound in your hearts, and abide within you. May it give you strength in all your days together. May you accept life's rewards and bear its burdens together for all time. So be it.

Minister:
Now this is the delicious part of the ceremony, the kiss. The moment in which you claim one another with a kiss. The kiss seals the promise. The kiss signifies reverence. You may now seal your vows with a kiss.

(Dawn and Ed smooch)

Minister (To ROOM):
Let those assembled here bear witness that Dawn and Ed are joined in love. May their love partake of the beauty, majesty and power of this sacred land and may they grow together in wisdom, joy and harmony. My own blessings and the blessings of all those assembled be with you.

I now present for the first time, Mr. & Mrs. Howard.

Show 'em A Good Time

Today's look back....

5 Show 'em A Good Time Party Ideas

Ornament Exchange
Fish Fry
Hogwarts Feast
Garden Tea Party
Witches of Eastwick Movie Night

Gift Ideas

We leave for vacation today! While I'm gone, I've scheduled some highlights of my previous blog entries. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you!

Today's look back....
5 gift ideas for the person who has everything:

Zombie Survival Kit
Aromatherapy Heating Pads
Apothecary Bottles
Hot Cocoa For One
Lemon Balm Tea


I'll publish my interview when we are back!

Pierogi Party

Raven invited Me, Kelly and Luna to her house to be taught her and her mother's cherished family pierogi recipe last weekend, it was a culinary delight! There is nothing like the real deal and pierogi party is a great way to make the long process so much funner. I don't dare share Raven's secret family recipe (she may hex me), you have to visit her blog and beg for it but it is worth it! Ya-Ya!

Raven models perfection.

Luna and I try to keep up.

Some Like It Hot

Growing a salsa garden and making fresh salsa is a yearly tradition I love to keep. I know people always say fresh is better, but when it comes to fresh salsa there really is no competition. It is soooo much better than the store bought stuff. I'd love to give you a recipe, but honestly it's different every year depending on what I grow. I start with tomatoes (any kind) and then throw in hot peppers (any kind, and I leave the seeds in), green pepper, garlic, onion, cumin, cilantro, chives, salt and pepper.








This year I'm going to try and hang dry my extra hot peppers! Wish me luck!

Join the Hellish Crusade

"I'm just like every modern woman trying to have it all. A loving husband, a family. I only wish I had more time to see out the dark forces and join their hellish crusade." ~ Morticia Addams

I am so looking forward to answering your questions for my interview! So many awesome questions, some are even keeping me up at night! ha!! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to ask me a question!

If you haven't submited a question, it's not too late, today is the last day! Click Here To Interview Me!

Garden Herbs: Magical, Culinary and Medicinal

Lemon Balm for sympathy, Lavender for Love, Thyme for Purity & Rosemary for Remembrance.

I ran out of room in my normal herb drying area and had to resort to the ceiling beam! Here are some herbs I'll be using in my steak rub of sea salt, rosemary, parsley, thyme, garlic, tarragon and pepper.

Garlic Chive Vinaigrette. Cover the chive blossoms in white vinegar and store for a couple weeks in a dark place. Shake every other day. Remove the blossoms and use with olive oil for a yummy salad dressing.


Lavender Sugar. Cover lavender with sugar and store for a couple weeks in a dark place. Shake every other day. Good for sprinkling on baked goods.

A Couple of Tinctures...
Rosemary Tincture, used for poor circulation, stimulating hair growth, improving memory and concentration. Pour vodka over the rosemary and leave in a dark place for two weeks. Use 10-20 drops in a glass of water, up to 3 times a day, especially before bed.



Thyme Tincture, but with apple cider vinegar instead of vodka, used to clear respiratory congestion and sore throats. Pour apple cider vinegar over the thyme and leave in a dark place for two weeks. Use 10-20 drops in a glass of water, up to 3 times a day, especially before bed.

About Tinctures...

Old salsa and spaghetti jars work great for making tinctures.

Make sure your herbs do not "stick out" of the vodka or apple cider vinegar, push them down leaving at least an inch of liquid above the herbs.

After your tincture has sat in dark place for a couple weeks, place a cheese cloth over the jar mouth and pour the liquid into another air tight storage jar, discard the herbs. Store your tincture in a dark place and use within a year.

Please respect nature and use common sense. Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's safe. Always research natural remedies before using and discuss with a professional who understands your medical history.