Crafty Kitchen Witch

I am always mixing up new recipes for hair, I search all the time for great ideas to take care of my hair and I share them with you. So Pick your favorite herb and mix up a tonic for your hair this week. A healthy head of hair with a healthy, flake-free scalp is a wonderful thing. So wonderful and desired, in fact, that there is an enormous market that caters solely to it. Walk down any hair product aisle and you’ll be overwhelmed with then number of choices you have for shampoos, conditioners, rinses, sprays, and dyes (to name just a few things.) You could spend days, and lots of money, trying to figure out just what chemical concoction will work the wonders it promises. If you’d like to break up that routine, try making some of your own products at home. I have found them to be simple, pure, and more effective that many of the things I have bought in stores. 1. Nettle Hair Tonic Rich in iron, a rinse made with nettles can help combat hair loss/promote hair growth. Drinki...

PARSLEY  (petroselinum sativum)  So many varieties of parsley are grown and occur naturally in almost every country of the world that it is impossible to consider each one individually. But therapeutically, only two varieties are strongly medicinal---the common curled and, even stronger, the Italian straight-leaf varieties. There is so much of almost every nutrient and so many therapeutic properties in parsley that it is hard to give an order of preference for its virtuet Parsley leaf contains vitamins B, C and E, flu alkalizing minerals calcium, iron and potani uja, as well as the appetite and digestive sti'nu lants, apiol and apime. The potassium salts arc responsible for making parsley leaf tea a powet nil diuretic and a strong heart, kidney and lives tonic. No matter how parsley is taken, whether as a vegetable, garnish or herb tea, it is sometimes the most nutritious part of the meal. Parsley is such a strong tonic to the body that it should not be drunk ...

Many people think of Wicca as just another word for Witchcraft. Some say that Wicca is merely the 20th Century version of the Craft. Others call Wicca the "Old Religion." And some say that Wicca is totally a 20th Century invention! Many proudly proclaim that Wicca/Witchcraft is the fastest growing religion in America, while others fear that it is. Llewellyn publishes many books that have either of those words in the title, and authors use them pretty much interchangeably. I do like to define them differently, although I agree that the interest in both is growing fast, and that there are good reasons for this phenomenon. And I do mean "good" reasons. Wicca - the Religion It is easy to justify the claim that Wicca was "invented" by Gerald Gardner in the early 20th Century. Gardner himself claimed something different - that he had been initiated into a coven of Witches tracing lineage to a far past. Others have written about the "old religion" ...

Centering is Easy The term 'center' refers not to the center of your physical being (your body) but to the essence or seat of your spiritual essence. Basically, it is place within you that is the seat of what makes you, *you* and the place where all your energy is directed from and to. This is very important to understand because if you consciously work with energy then you need to be able to find your center to control the energy at hand. A good example concerns grounding. There are some people who can do it naturally, but most can not. When you ground, you are opening a conduit between a source of great energy (usually the earth) and your center (which is also *you*!) for the purpose of accessing that energy for what ever it is you want to do with it. You already know where your center is and have already used it. It is the source of your life-force, the seat of your soul. When you're depressed you lose energy (natural containment's are down) and when you are ex...

This Ritual is best performed during the early evening hours, just after Sunset, as this is the time of day which corresponds to the time of year. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil, with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and "sweep away" any lingering negative energies. Lay out the circumference of your Circle with cord, stones, etc., as necessary. Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West- Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the Four Quarters (use a compass if not permanently marked out). Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with the red altar cloth. Place all of the items listed below in their proper places upon it. For this ceremony, decorate the altar with the cornucopia filled with harvest items, and whatever else feels right. In addition to your usual tools and props, upon the altar should be: Red or Brown Altar Cloth Cornucopia filled with Fruit...

By Ananaia O'Leary   Crisp air awakens the nostrils... Faint smell of smoke on the wind. Above birds wheel to the South. At night a sweater warms against the Chill. Autumn is here once more... A bitter-sweet season of rich harvest & fading summer.   On the Autumnal Equinox Nature hangs in perfect balance. Night & day are Equal in length. The Wheel turns and golden Summer yields to Autumn's Tawny hues. Nature exhales ... Turning inward from creation to Introspection, celebrating its bounty while preparing to shelter from The cold nights of Winter.   As in every season, we are invited to take our cues from rhythms of the Earth.   This is a time of harvest -- for giving thanks for the bounty in our lives.   If I hear myself respond "My life doesn't feel bountiful," it's time for Me to pause and go deeper... Deeper into awareness, into gratitude, into Celebration of the abundant gifts of Earth & Spirit. So I p...

Celebrating the Dark and the Light By Patti Wigington, About.com Mabon is a time of balance, and this simple meditation will help you focus on bringing harmony to your life. Mabon is one of those times of year that affect people in different ways. For some, it's a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it's a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. No matter how you see it, Mabon is traditionally a time of balance. After all, it's one of the two times each year that has equal amounts of darkness and daytime. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit "off". If you're feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. Setting the Mood Now that fall is here, why...

Author Unknown This is the second harvest Sabbath. The Goddess is entering into crone hood, and the dark of the year is beginning, so this is a time often associated with mysterious lore and wisdom. The altar and circle should be decorated with autumn leaves, gourds, berries, pine and cypress cones, acorns, oak sprigs and other fruits of the season. New willow staves and wands were traditionally consecrated or empowered on this day, so if you've just recently cut one, you might want to bring it into the circle with you. You should also have a small basket filled with a variety of autumn leaves. The altar cloth shall be brown, and the altar candles shall be red. Light the incense and the altar candles, and cast the sacred circle. Then invoke the God and the Goddess. Pick up the basket of leaves and hold it in both hands. Spill the leaves slowly so that they cascade down to the ground within the circle as you say these words: The days grow colder, and the leaves fall. Ou...

Have you heard of the Master Tonic? I started reading about it a few months ago, and was amazed at how powerful it appears to be. Master Tonic is a natural remedy for any number of infections – it can cure far more than just the common cold. It’s naturally antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic. I’ve often seen it referred to as a modern day plague tonic that can cure the most chronic conditions, stubborn diseases and antibiotic-resistant infections. The reason the Master Tonic is so powerful is because all of the ingredients are fresh, and are designed to stimulate blood circulation to help introduce the detoxifying ingredients into your bloodstream. find more good recipes  http://www.happy-mothering.com/04/household/recipes/natural-remedies-master-tonic-recipe/ About the Ingredients Garlic is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that destroys gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. While manmade antibiotics kill the good bacteria your body needs, garlic only k...

The most important variables to take into account in steeping excellent tea are the size of the leaf and the temperature of the water. The larger the leaf, the longer you must steep it; the smaller the leaf, the more surface it exposes to the water and the more quickly proper infusion occurs. Steeping good tea takes two to three minutes for the flaky small grades, and five to seven minutes for the twisted, larger grades. Oversteeping tea will cause bitterness. With correct steeping the tannins, or natural acids, give flavor to the tea. When tea is oversteeped, it is the tannins that cause bitterness. Fruit and herbal tisanes may steep for as long as you like without causing bitterness as they contain no tannin. Hot Tea "Bring the pot to the kettle, not the kettle to the pot," is the standard rule because, when steeping tea, water temperature is critical. Bring water to a 212o F rolling boil to infuse tea. Tea may be steeped in water as low as 192o F tho...

Blend the teas for a recipe in a plastic baggy or a glass jar, then measure out one tablespoon per cup of tea. A small two cup teapot will take two tablespoons of tea. If you are like me, however, two cups of tea equates to three because I prefer my tea with lots of milk. Because the tea base is black tea leaves, the addition of milk and a sweetener makes for a very flavorful beverage. Unless you are making tea for a crowd, you really do need more than one or two tablespoons of tea at any one time. Store in a closed jar in a cabinet away from light. TEA FOR DIVINATION: 1 tablespoon China black, English breakfast, or Irish breakfast tea 2 teaspoons lemon balm 1 teaspoon eyebright 1 tablespoon mugwort 1 tablespoon rose hips TEA FOR PSYCHIC HEALING: 1 tablespoon China black tea 1 teaspoon elder flower 1 teaspoon nettle 2 teaspoon burdock root 2 teaspoon mullein 2 teaspoon rose hip TEA FOR LOVE (SPELL): 1 tablespoon China black tea 1 teaspoon damiana 1 teaspoon ...

  Teas have so many purposes, they can heal our bodies and our minds, hearts and even our souls Do have a cup and take a few moments to relax ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The basic tea is generally a black tea such as China black or , English Breakfast or Irish breakfast is a starting point, and the herbs of your choice are added from there. Blend the teas for a recipe and store in a air tight container away for the light. Measure out one tablespoon per cup of tea. Adding Milk (never cream: it will curdle) sugar or honey makes for a very flavorful beverage. Steep the Tea for 5 minutes before serving. Divination 1 tablespoon China black Or English breakfast Or Irish breakfast tea 2 teaspoons lemon balm 1 tablespoon mugwort 1 teaspoon eyebright 1 tablespoon rose hips ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Psychic Healing 1 tablespoon China black tea 1 teaspoon elder flower 2 teaspoons burdock root 1 teaspoons mullein 1 teaspoon nettl...

Water Can be Boring day after day, I know, so here are some recipes to inspire Taylor will explain her ideas on waters Anytime is Water Time I also know that most of us do not Drink Enough water, these recipes will help with that And sometimes you just want something that quenches your thirst Don't waste money buying "Flavored" waters, make the real deal Naturally Flavored Water Ideas 1. Orange/Berry Blend   This was 3 large slices of a naval orange and 1 strawberry sliced up. 2. Strawberry Basil Blend In this jar I sliced up 2 strawberries and added a sprig of basil. I love the colors together and the taste was awesome… If you don’t have basil, mint also goes really well. I just happened to like both and have basil and mint growing outside my front door. 3. Mexican Lemon/Lime This water has a surprising twist. There are 3 thin slices of lemon and 3 of lime but there is also a small sprig of cilantro. The cilantro is powerful, just a hint...

Having always been a Tea Drinker, since when I was a young girl and my Grandma would let me have a cup. Then I learned to make Tea and I have drank it ever since. It's much better than soda pop and so many kinds to brew. Better for us than Coffee although I do drink some coffee as well.(yes I have some coffee recipes on one of my blogs) Now the question is what flavor tea would you like to try first? Well here is my way of making teas, the safe way and easy to do, let your fridge do the work for you. Refrigerator Iced Tea Servings: 4 1-cup servings Ingredients 4 tea bags or 4 teaspoons loose leaf tea 4 cups tap or room temperature water Directions Use a 1-quart Mason jar or pitcher. --If using tea bags: hang tea bags inside pitcher or jar with strings hanging over the rim (for easy removal later). Add water making sure that tea is immersed, cover, and put in fridge for 6-12 hours. Remove tea bags and serve. --If using loose leaf tea: add 4 teaspoons tea leaves to a ...

The herbs in this cold and flu blend were chosen for their ability to stimulate the immune system, fight viruses and bacteria, and ease the uncomfortable symptoms of a cold or flu. Ingredients for tea blend: ¼ cup dried echinacea leaves ¼ cup dried peppermint leaves ¼ cup dried lemon balm leaves 3 Tbsp dried elder berries or ¼ cup dried elder flowers Add all ingredients to a glass jar and shake gently to combine. Seal jar tightly. Label well and store your Cold and Flu Tea away from heat and light for up to a year. This blend will make approximately 24 cups of tea. ( Find organic bulk herbs we recommend here .) For one cup of tea: 1 cup of filtered water 2 tsp Cold and Flu Tea blend raw, unfiltered honey to taste (optional) Add tea blend to tea infuser or tea ball . Bring water to a boil, remove from heat. Pour water into mug and add tea. Steep for 5-10 minutes. Add honey (if using) and stir until dissolved. Drink up to 3 cups of tea per day as needed. Herbs for cold and flu season ...

  Natural antiseptics can be made at home instead of buying commercial disinfectants that we are now finding out may cause drug resistance.   During the time of the Black Plague a family of perfumers robbed the dead. As perfumers they knew well the antiseptic essential oils, and they infused them in vinegar and rubbed them on their bodies; by doing so they protected themselves from certain death. The doctors of the time used the same herbs and essential oils to protect themselves while tending so many who were contagious. They wore big cloaks over their heads that reached down well below their shoulders. Attached to the cloak over the nose and mouth was a 10” long canoe-like shaped beak full of antiseptic herbs and essential oils. Here is the famous Vinegar of The Four Thieves recipe; it is sometimes called Grave Robber’s Blend.   Place a small handful each of dried lavender, rosemary, sage, rue and mint in a large jar, and cover ...