- Serena Leave a comment

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

Hi friends! I hope you’re finally getting a little hint of spring, wherever you are. The weather has been pretty nice in Nashville for the most part, but it did snow a little yesterday… yuck! Today we’re back in the 70s and life is pretty good, so I definitely can’t complain too much. If it’s still a frozen wasteland where you are – hang in there! It’ll warm up soon!

Today I’m sharing a tutorial from the Lavender + Lupine School of Magick’s newest course, The Modern Witch’s Guide to Beltane! In case you didn’t know, the L+L school is a joint effort by myself and The Witch of Lupine Hollow. We’ve created a bunch of courses designed to help you either get started on your path or breathe new life into your practice, and this year we’re making one for each Sabbat! If you’d like to enroll in the course, it’s just $15 – and here’s a little taste of what you’ll find there…

***

I love decorating with flowers for Beltane, but I hardly ever have real flowers in the house – they can be pricey, I’m not good at caring for them, and they die so quickly (and then the water gets gross if you leave it for too long!) So instead, I like to make paper flowers to decorate with!

This tutorial will show you how to make watercolor flowers that look pretty realistic (at least, they CAN, if you’re better at crafts than me. But I still think mine turned out okay.) You can use them to decorate your altar, put a few in a vase, or make a pretty floral garland with them to hang in your home. These take some time to make, but the finished result is perfect for this time of year!

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

(I’m including a photo of the materials I used so you can see what everything looks like, but I actually wouldn’t recommend this brand of watercolors or brushes. The brushes were TERRIBLE and the watercolors… weren’t bad, but weren’t the best. My usual set of watercolors and brushes is packed away so I couldn’t get to them, but you can easily find better brushes and watercolors on Amazon or at Michael’s!)

You will need:

  • 1 roll of white crepe paper
  • Watercolor paints
  • Watercolor paint brushes
  • A cup of water
  • A heat-safe bowl
  • Scissors
  • A glue stick
  • Tape
  • Floral tape
  • Sticks or fake stems (optional)

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

1. Cut out your petals from the crepe paper. I folded it over itself several times to save myself some time. It doesn’t really matter if all of the petals are the same shape since they get wrinkly later, but you can vary the shapes if you’d like. (If you cut them all out at once but dislike the look of same-size petals, you can also trim them to different shapes and sizes later in the process.)

2. Turn your bowl over and using your paintbrush, brush some water on it towards the top – enough so that your crepe paper will stick to the bowl. Stick a petal or two onto the bowl with part of it on the bottom of the bowl and part on the side (the picture will probably clarify what I mean by this – basically we want the petals to dry in a concave shape, so we’re sticking them to the bowl in the shape we want.)

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

3. Dip your brush into your watercolor paints and begin painting the petals. I got the paint really watery and let it sort of drip down the petals, then went back in and painted more pigmented splotches. The paint colors will fade as they dry, so if you want bolder petals, be sure to use darker paints. I used reds, oranges, pinks, and yellows for a sunny sunset kind of vibe.

4. Go around the bowl, sticking more petals on and painting them, until you have a significant number of petals. Note that you can keep stacking the petals on top of one another and painting them, but eventually the ones at the bottom will all sort of turn one color so it’s best not to do too many layers. You can have a few different bowls of petals going at once, even if the bowls are different sizes – it’ll just make your flowers more interesting!

5. Now it’s time to dry the petals. I used a hair dryer, but you can also let them air dry. I saw online that you can microwave the bowl and the wet petals for 30-second increments until they’re dry, but I was afraid to put paint in the microwave for some reason… To each their own!

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

6. Once your petals are dry, it’s time to shape your flowers! Using your glue stick, gently glue your petals together in a circle. This is going to be the base of your flower, so make it bigger for bigger flowers or smaller for tiny blooms.

7. Continue gluing petals in concentric circles until you get to the middle. I think I had about 5 layers of petals on my flower, but you can do as many or as few as you’d like! I scrunched up the petals in the very middle to give it a more natural, messy look.

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

8. Pinch your flower together on the bottom and tape it, forming a tiny “stem.” It’s okay if your flower gets all scrunched at this stage – we’re going to fluff it out later! I used clear tape to get it to stay together, then went over it again with floral tape. It was just easier that way, but you can just use floral tape if you’d like.

9. Use the floral tape to attach your new flower to the stick or stem you’d like to put it on. I bought stems but ended up not liking the way they looked, so I left my flower off of it and ended up using it for a centerpiece that I’ll be putting on my Beltane altar.

10. Now that it’s attached (or not, as the case may be), un-scrunch your flower and open it back up! Don’t be afraid to fold the paper – real flower petals look messy and bent sometimes.

diy crepe paper flowers for beltane

11. Repeat for as many flowers as you’d like! I’m not going to lie, this is a time-consuming way to make paper flowers – but I love the watercolor look and I think making individual petals makes them look much more real. Have fun!

If you liked this tutorial, there’s more where that came from – check out The Modern Witch’s Guide to Beltane! For just $15, you’ll have access to 12 lessons that guide you through the history, correspondences, astrology, and celebration of this fun and flowery Sabbat. We’d love to see you there!

- Serena 2 Comments

ostara eggshell ritual

Ostara is a celebration of life and renewal. What better way to invite good things into our life than by planting the seeds at Ostara? In this ritual, we’ll be using a technique that people have used for generations: using eggshells as fertilizer. Eggshells are full of nutrients that can benefit a growing plant, and eggs are a universal symbol of fertility, new life, and potential.

This ritual will involve planting seeds and also burying eggshells. It’s best to do this outside, as the egg might smell if you don’t bury it far enough (and pots don’t tend to be that deep!) If you would like to do this inside, make sure you get a large, deep pot. If you don’t want to plant anything, you can do this with just the egg and use it to fertilize the plants already growing in your yard!

You will need:

  • A raw egg (this takes some technique, so you might want more than one in case it goes wrong)
  • A pin or needle
  • A straw
  • A bowl or container
  • A permanent marker
  • Seeds you’d like to plant (optional)
  • Sage, incense, or other method of cleansing
  1. Cleanse yourself with the method of your choosing. Visualize any negativity from the day melting away to nothing as you’re filled with a peaceful, radiant light.
  2. Cup the egg in both hands. Gently poke a hole in the top with your pin or needle and widen it slightly. (If you’re worried about the egg cracking, put some tape over the end and then poke your hole.)
  3. In a quiet environment, visualize everything you’d like to let go of as we move into spring: unwanted emotions, bad habits, negative thought patterns, whatever you’re struggling with at the moment. Imagine all of these things flowing into the yolk of your egg through the hole you just made and sticking there.
  4. Place your finger over the hole so the egg won’t leak and poke a hole on the other side, widening it. Push the needle or pin far enough inside that you can pierce the yolk, and scramble the egg around to mix the yolk and whites together.
  5. When you’re ready, insert the straw into one end of the egg. Blow out the contents into the bowl. With this, you’re expelling all of those negative energies and leaving the egg free and clear. Discard the egg yolk however feels right to you.
  6. Cleanse the eggshell with your method of choosing. You’re now ready to move on to the next step: inviting in the good.
  7. Cupping the eggshell once more, visualize all of the good things you’d like to invite into your life this spring: new habits, a new job, anything you’d like to see more of. Gently write those things onto the eggshell with your permanent marker. (It’s okay if you crack it a little: we’ll be cracking it a whole lot in the next step!)
  8. Take the egg wherever you’ll be planting your seeds or fertilizing the soil for your existing plants and dig a hole. You want it to be deep enough that the residue of the egg doesn’t cause a stink.
  9. Break up your eggshell and sprinkle it in the hole you just made. Put a scoop or two of soil on top, then plant your seeds.
  10. As your plants bloom, so will the good things you want to see in your life!

If you liked this ritual, you might love The Modern Witch’s Guide to Ostara! For just $15, you’ll get access to lessons just like this one that guide you through the Sabbat and show you how to celebrate it 🙂 You can click here to sign up, or click here to check out our Sabbat course bundle to get access to ALL of the Lavender + Lupine Sabbat courses coming out this year <3

How do you like to celebrate Ostara? Do you have any fun traditions? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about them!

- Serena 2 Comments

diy natural egg dyes for ostara

diy natural egg dyes for ostara

I’m back! Did you miss me? I’ve missed being here, that’s for sure. February was the month of moving to Tennessee, starting a new job, and driving back to Wisconsin a million times to clear out the rental house for good. I’m now settled in Nashville and boy, do I have some posts planned for you! Starting with this one, since Ostara is right around the corner!

This post is actually an excerpt from The Modern Witch’s Guide to Ostara, the newest course that The Witch of Lupine Hollow and I have put together. It’s only $15 to enroll, and you’ll get access to crafts, recipes, astrology, and other information that will help you celebrate Ostara in style! You can click here to enroll if you’re interested, and if not, I hope you enjoy this little tutorial nonetheless 🙂

diy natural egg dyes for ostara

Dyeing eggs is one tradition commonly associated with Ostara, and what better way to celebrate the season than by using seasonal fruits and veggies for the dye? You can achieve pretty Ostara eggs without having to use food coloring or boxed egg dyes!

The process is a little different depending on which color you’d like, so I’ll walk you through how to make 4 different all-natural dyes for your eggs this year! You’ll need some hard-boiled eggs and also some vinegar on hand to really make these colors pop, so stock up on that before getting started: you’ll need about a tablespoon per cup of dye.

The recipe here will result in light, pastel-colored eggs. For more intense colors, you can cook the eggs in the dye liquid instead of starting with pre-cooked eggs.

Pink:

For pink eggs, your main ingredient is going to be beets. Take 4 cups of chopped beets and boil them in 4 cups of water. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and keep it there for a half hour. Strain the liquid into a bowl – you can use the beets in a recipe to avoid waste!

Blue:

For blue, you’ll need some purple cabbage! Chop up 4 cups of cabbage and cover them in enough water to submerge them with about 1-2 inches of water to cover the cabbage. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 30 minutes. (Boiled cabbage can be used in a variety of recipes, so don’t throw it away once you’re done!)

Yellow:

Turmeric is your friend for yellow eggs. Combine 4 tablespoons of turmeric in 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer the dye to a bowl and let cool. A word of warning: Turmeric stains like crazy! Be sure to use a pot you’re okay with being yellow for all eternity, and don’t wear your favorite white dress to use this dye.

Purple:

For purple, use blackberries. I won’t tell you to use 4 cups, because blackberries are expensive! Instead, use what you have and use enough water to cover them with about 1-2 inches of water on top. Bring the berries to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. The berries probably won’t be useful for much except maybe making a sauce after you’re done, so prepare to get creative in order to avoid tossing them in the trash!

diy natural egg dyes for ostara

Once you have your bowl of dye, you’re ready to go! Add your vinegar to the dye, one teaspoon per cup of liquid that’s left after the cooking and straining. Arrange your room-temperature eggs in the bowl, cover the bowl, and put it in the fridge.

Let the eggs sit until you get your desired color! You’ll likely need to soak them at least overnight if not longer, so play around with it until you get the colors you like. A note: if possible, try to rotate your eggs every couple hours so they don’t develop a spot from where they were touching the bowl. 

I used turmeric to dye eggs both ways: soaking overnight and boiling in the dye. As you can see in the photo above, the ones I boiled in the dye are much more vibrant than the ones I refrigerated overnight. I will say that the color doesn’t really come out very evenly, but I think that’s part of the beauty of using natural dyes!

How do you celebrate Ostara? Any egg-coloring tricks you’d like to share? Leave them in the comments and I’d love to check them out! 😀

- Serena 2 Comments

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

Beltane is tomorrow! This Sabbat isn’t one I’ve done much for in the past, but I’m so excited to celebrate this year. Beltane, also known as May Day, is a celebration of the spring and the return of the crops after a long cold spell. It’s also a festival of fertility and love, particularly the, er, physical kind. (It’s kind of a sex holiday, okay?)

I don’t know about you, but fertility is not something I’m really that concerned about at this point in my life and if you don’t have access to a Maypole, this Sabbat might fall a little flat for you. You can still celebrate in many ways, though, and I thought this would be a great day to share a recipe for a self-love bath that you can do!

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

Flowers are very much a symbol of Beltane and while you can really use any flowers you’d like for this bath. Roses are a good choice since they’re traditionally associated with love, but use whatever flowers are your favorite! Violets are growing like crazy in my yard this year – if you’re looking for a good way to use some of your backyard flowers, this is a great one. You can either just use the petals or gather whole flowers to float on the water – your method might depend on the type of flower that you pick.

(Note: please be sure to use flowers you’re not allergic to, and that haven’t been exposed to pesticides or other harmful chemicals!)

You will also need:

  • 4 cups of whole milk
  • 1 cup of Epsom salts
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3-4 drops of essential oil of your choice, or enough to scent it to your liking (I like lavender in my baths for calming!)

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

Fill the bath with water, then add everything but the flowers and swish it around. The Epsom salts will help eliminate toxins, while the milk and baking soda will work together to soften your skin. Honey is a humectant, which means it helps to seal moisture into your skin.

After those ingredients have been combined in the bathwater, lightly float your flower petals on top of the water. With each flower or petal you add, say an affirmation out loud, such as “I am confident and strong” or “My inner beauty shines through.” You can say as many affirmations as you’d like!

Finally, hop in the tub and soak a while. You can play relaxing music and light some candles if you wish, but the point is to just disconnect from the stress and negativity of your day and really unwind. Envision the Epsom salts pulling out your negative thoughts while the other ingredients work to soothe your skin. For every flower floating in your bath, say one thing you love about yourself out loud. It’s okay if you don’t mean it yet – by saying it out loud, you make it more true.

Repeat these things over and over like a mantra until you’re ready to leave the bath. Pick the flower petals out before you drain the water so your pipes don’t get clogged, then watch the bathwater swirl down the drain, taking your negative self-talk with it. All you’re left with are the positives you instilled in yourself. Additionally, you can put on some nice lotion to finish things off.

And there you have it! I’m a big proponent of magickal baths, but especially for self-love purposes, as you sort of have to confront your nekkid self whether you like it or not.

How are you celebrating Beltane? Doing anything exciting this year? I’d love to hear all about it! ♥

- Serena Leave a comment

spring cleaning: 5 fast ways to detox for spring

spring cleaning: 5 fast ways to detox for spring

Spring officially kicks off this weekend and I can’t wait. Usually it’s my least favorite season, but this year I’m just so excited for longer days and warmer weather that I’m willing to forget about the rain and my allergies! I’ve got the shorts and cute shoes all ready and waiting for the weather to clear 70. C’mon, Chicago, you can do it! Maybe even a sunny 65? Please?

Anyway, obviously spring is the time of the year when everyone busts out the brooms and gets a-cleaning. Ideally, I’d love to take a whole weekend and get all the junk cleared out of my place, but I also have a full-time job and I have to split my weekends between chores and errands and having a social life so that’s probably not going to happen. Also I’m still not really sure what to do with the trash at my new apartment so I’ve just been subtly throwing it into this sketchy dumpster around the corner but I probably wouldn’t get away with throwing out like 10 bags of junk at once so?? Anyway, less about me being a trashlord and more about spring!!

If you want to get into a springtime state of mind but only have about an evening or less in which to do it, here are 5 fast ways to detox your life for spring!


 1. Clear a (small) space for yourself

I know, I know, I was just like “who has time for cleaning?” and now I’m telling you to clean. But don’t get out the pitchforks just yet – I don’t mean you have to clean the whole house in one night. If you could, that’s obviously best, but if you only have a half hour or so then just clear the space that you spend the most time in. For me that’s my bedroom, so it’s looking pretty clean right now even though my living room is still a mess. It’s great to tackle all of the cleaning eventually, but you’ll be way more relaxed and ready to deal with your life if you have a safe, clean space to be in when you’re at home. I’ve been reading Dana Claudat’s blog posts about how clutter interferes with just about every aspect of your life and she is SO right – clutter stresses me out even when I’m not at home, because instead of looking forward to coming home and relaxing I’m dreading coming home to dirty dishes and mostly-unpacked boxes. I took some time this week to unpack all the boxes from my bedroom and move everything else out of here, so now I can deal with the mess on my time and not have to look at it and stress about it when I’m doing other things, like working or blogging!

2. Clear the mental clutter

Next step is to get rid of the stuff that’s cluttering up your brain! Get out a notebook and a pen for this, because we are going to write stuff down. We’re writing down everything that’s on weighing heavy on our minds right now – things we’re worried about, things we’re dreading, things from five years ago that still keep us awake at night, things we’re hurt about or annoyed about and we can’t stop thinking about long enough to go to sleep at night. That sort of stuff. It doesn’t have to be any particular format, just write what you feel. Getting it out on paper means you don’t have to struggle to keep it all straight in our heads. Once you’ve got a solid list of all the crap that’s weighing you down, it’s time to organize it into two new lists: a “things I can do something about” list and a “things I can’t” list. The “things I can do something about” list is now your to-do list. Congrats! You know what needs to be done and you can start doing it so you can stop worrying about it. The “things I can’t” list might be things like pain from past relationships, worrying about getting test results back, things like that. There’s nothing much you can do about these things, but it’s good to have them all in once place anyway (and you can now worry about them safely without the additional pressure of the worries you’re currently trying to do something about.)

3. Cook some veggies

I don’t mean this in an eat-healthy sort of way (although that’s always good to!) While spring is a perfect time for a diet detox if you want to go that route, what I mean by this is to spend some time preparing some seasonal vegetables and practicing mindfulness as you do so. Really focus on the flavors of the season, the colors of the veggies, the way everything comes together to form a meal. Be in the moment – no distractions from the TV or your computer, just you (and maybe a friend or loved one) cookin’ things up. It’s a simple little way to appreciate spring and what nature does for us while getting some vitamins in, too!

4. Set some goals

Spring is the season of new beginnings and fresh starts. It’s a great time to sit down and evaluate what’s working and not working in your life right now. Where are you and where do you want to be? What ideas slowly bloomed within you during winter that you want to bring to life? It can be something as major as realizing you want a new career or as minor as deciding you’d like to take a painting class. Take some time and write down what you want, and then plan out some steps you can start taking to get there! I always feel a surge in motivation this time of year because the days are longer and I don’t feel like it’s bedtime at 4 pm anymore, so harness that new energy and use it to make stuff happen.

5. Get outside

I really feel like outdoor walks are the miracle cure for all kinds of things. Feeling bummed? Go outside! Need some time to think? Go outside! For one thing, it’s a great way to get in touch with nature and take in the warming weather. For another, though, getting outside and breathing in the fresh air really makes you feel clearer and more focused. There are tons of studies on the benefits of taking a short walk outside that I’m too lazy to research, but sometimes all it takes to revitalize and rejuvenate you is a little exposure to Mother Nature. I’d encourage you to find an outdoor space like a park or a forest preserve that you really connect with, and go there whenever you need to clear your head! Having a literal “happy place” can be all it takes to make life a little less overwhelming.

So that’s what I’ve been doing to get ready for spring! And if you’re in the southern hemisphere and it’s time for fall, honestly all of these things still apply. It’s probably a good idea to do some kind of clearing-of-the-junk every time the seasons change – it’s a good transition period!

How do you prepare for the new season? Any rituals or traditions that you do?