Crafty Kitchen Witch

Blessed Greetings Happy New Year to My followers and friends This is indeed a special year as you can see from the photo, we celebrate a new year with a new Moon and I am very excited. I look forward to new things this year and a much better year than 2013, which I was personally excited to live through because not only was I born on the 13th day of December but 13 is a lucky number, however I am ready for an even better year this 2014. Here are some spells, rituals and folklore and information about New Year's. *** 13 New Year's Superstitions! 1. Eating black-eyed peas and greens, I remember this one the most from other years and I remember eating them. Eating them brings good luck and financial prosperity. You are to eat the peas with greens for prosperity. The peas represent good luck and the greens represent money. 2. Nothing goes out of the house, or you will be losing things during the upcoming year. Don’t take out the trash or food or

Festive Muffins 1/2 cup soft butter or margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 2 Tbsp rum 1-1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup ground pistachios 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel 1/2 cup chopped pistachios Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter with sugar and vanilla until creamy and light-colored. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in milk and rum. In a separate bowl, mix flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, salt, spices and lemon peel. Add this mixture to the butter-sugar mixture just until blended (don't over-mix). Lightly fold in 1/4 cup chopped pistachios. Grease 12 muffin cups or line cups with muffin papers. Evenly portion batter into cups. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped pistachios. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until done. Tip: Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely ground. Solstice Morning Cinnamon Rolls 4 cups all-pur

The Yule log is a central part of Yule festivities. The log is  kindled from the remains of the previous year's Yule fire(This piece  was kept in the home throughout the year for protection . . The Yule  log symbolizes the light returning to conquer the darkness. According  to tradition, the log must either have been harvested from the  householder's land, or given as a gift... it must never have been  bought. Once dragged into the house and placed in the fireplace it  was decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and  dusted with flour before set ablaze . The log would burn throughout  the night, then smolder for 12 days after before being ceremonially  put out.  A different type of Yule log, and perhaps one more suitable for  modern practitioners would be the type that is used as a base to hold  three candles. Find a smaller branch of oak or pine, and flatten one  side so it sets upright. Drill three holes in the top side t

Some Craft Projects and instructions and Recipes for Winter Solstice Projects for you and your family Blessed Yule Herbal Yule Trees By  Darlene Bersch You will need: A small 8" to 12" artificial Christmas tree. Pieces of german statice, dried purple, pink, blue statice. Pieces of baby's breath, love-in-the-mist, cock's comb, and other dried floral materials. Hot glue gun. Mauve or blue or any other favorite color ribbon-about 1/4-1/2 inch in width. Start tucking in pieces of dried floral material into the branches of your tree, hot gluing them in place. Fill in all the branches until tree is  full, and you almost see the green of the tree. Top the tree with a tied ribbon, adding 1 star anise to the top! *** Yule Kissing Ball Source: Unknown Items needed: * Red velvet ribbon, 1/2 inch and 1 inch * 6 or 8 inch embroidery hoop * Mistletoe * Florist wire * Hot glue Directions: 1. Separate the two pieces of the embroidery hoops and fi

Galen Starwalker 12/20/92 A circle may be marked on the floor, surrounding those who will participate in the ceremony. An altar is to be set up a little north of the center of the circle. The altar should have an image of the God and Goddess with an incense burner placed in front of the images. Two white altar candles, dishes of salt and water, goblet of wine or fruit juice, cauldron with a special candle to symbolize fire and light, a little bell (if you have one) the athames and a small dish of the cakes or cookies for the Cakes and Wine ceremony. When everyone is ready the participants should assemble in the circle area. Purify and cast the Circle but do not light the candle in the Cauldron. Designated Priest: "Let it be known that the Circle is about to be cast, let none be here but of their own free will." The Priestess then says: "This is the night of the solstice, the night that the darkness is triumphant over light, and yet on the morrow,