Things I Love About Bees Part 2:

Favourite Designs: Chotronette ‘Floral Tulle’ Haute Couture Gowns

How to Make a Flower Crown!

I made myself a flower crown today and I wanted to share it with you all. Flower Crowns are really awesome, and everyone deserves one.

I used the Weaving method, detailed below in the link provided! Here's a visual guide as well, if you're a visual learner like myself.

A Magical Childhood

Make a Daisy Chain or Flower Crown!

Do you know how to make a daisy chain or flower crown?  It’s incredibly easy and so fun! There are several classic ways to make a flower cro

I’m listening to Florence Scovel Shinn’s book The Game of Life and How to Play it.

There are many lines that impact me in here, but two stood out today.

-The only enemy man has is fear

-”How can I get rid of fear?”  I reply, “By walking up to the thing you are afraid of. The lion takes it’s fierceness from your fear. Walk up to the lion, and he will disappear. Run away and he runs after you.”

Idk about y’all but I sure needed to hear that.  

five simmering pot recipes that will make your home smell like fall!

Instructions: Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the ingredients from your favorite recipe, continue to boil for a few minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer. Add water as needed, usually every 30 minutes or so.

Recipe #1 Cinnamon sticks Apple peels Orange rinds Whole cloves

Recipe #2 Peel from 1 lemon Peel from 1 orange 2 bay leaves 3 cinnamon sticks 2 Tablespoons whole cloves

Recipe #3 A few drops vanilla Orange peels

Recipe #4 1 cup dried lavender 1 tsp anise 1 Tablespoon nutmeg 1 Tablespoon whole cloves 1 Cinnamon stick

Recipe #5 5 bay leaves 1 Tablespoon whole cloves 2 sticks cinnamon

Missionaries are inherently xenophobic.

Missionaries to Jews are inherently antisemitic.

There is no debate here - the above statements are inescapable true. Intentions do not matter. It LITERALLY DOES NOT MATTER that Christian missionaries BELIEVE they are doing something good by saving other people from hell. IT. DOES. NOT. MATTER.

Because the people you're missionizing ALSO have beliefs, that are part of their own religions and cultures and histories and ethnicities. And your assumption that only YOUR beliefs are correct and must be spread is the LITERAL definition of xenophobia.

Missionaries and bigotry are not seperable.

If you proselytize in your personal life (congratulations, you are also a model of xenophobia and bigotry), or if you support missionaries or missionary activity (ideologically or financially), you are now being instructed to unfollow me, because I don't like you as a person, and I can't respect you while you willfully disrespect others. In either case, you are also now being instructed to cut that shit the fuck out. No one wants to hear about the love of Jesus from you, and if they do, they will ask you DIRECTLY and EXPLICITLY. Literally no one else gives a fuck.

I will be accepting apologies in writing and reparations via venmo.

How to Read Playing Cards: ♢ Diamonds ♢

Diamonds are the suit of finances, material value, success, rewards and growth. This suit generally talks about wealth, property and work. The following are my interpretations of the individual cards.

♢ Ace ♢

Ace of diamonds is typically a card of opportunity. When upright, ace of diamonds speaks of proposals and messages. These can be anything from marriage proposals, business proposals or anything that would be considered good news. A lucky card, unless the surrounding cards refute this.

When reversed, ace of diamonds represents secrets and sometimes bad luck. Whether these secrets are ones that should be kept secret or not depends on the surrounding cards.

♢ Two ♢

I like to associate two of diamonds with four leaf clovers and coins. When upright, two of diamonds speaks of increased luck, finances and stability. If it is regarding partnerships of any kind, this card assures that it will be a good one. When this card is in the spread it shows hope for the future.

When reversed, two of diamonds warns of gossip; people running their mouths when they shouldn't. Sharing sworn secrets, badmouthing and things of the like. Kings, queens and jacks shown in the reading can tell you who is gossiping.

♢ Three ♢

This is generally a messenger card, depending on the reading. When upright, three of diamonds can indicate good fortune, but also warns not to throw your money away. Three of diamonds also alerts you about a person who wants to hear from you or speak to you. Kings, queens and jacks shown in the reading can tell you who this is.

When reversed, this card warns of confusion and conflict. It can also warn you of upcoming legal issues that you need to be prepared for. The surrounding cards can give you more insight.

♢ Four ♢

"Get to work" sums up this card pretty well. When upright, four of diamonds speaks of a need to be responsible and work towards something. Lace up your boots and start moving. This card can also indicate a pleasant crowd or meeting, depending on the surrounding cards.

When reversed, four of diamonds speaks of laziness and lack of confidence. Depending on the reading it also warns of an individual being a follower rather than a leader.

♢ Five ♢

This is a multifaced card and it's meaning can change drastically depending on the surrounding cards. When upright, five of diamonds can speak of good luck and pleasant surprises. This card commonly comes out in love readings, indicating good luck in new relationships or marriage. It can also come out to indicate an influx of wealth. On the other hand, the surrounding cards can suggest a more negative reason to gain such things.

When reversed, five of diamonds speaks of a breakdown or involuntary changes. It often represents breakups, separations and canceling deals. Be prepared for some drama.

♢ Six ♢

This is an excellent card to get in a reading about finances. When upright, six of diamonds speaks of increases in wealth and fortune. How this influx of wealth comes depends on the surrounding cards.

When reversed, six of diamonds speaks of roadblocks and obstacles. It is often a warning to turn back while you still can; you can avoid what lies ahead if you make smart decisions.

♢ Seven ♢

When this card shows in a reading, it is a warning. When upright, seven of diamonds warns to keep a close eye on your bank account and your investments. If this card shows in a reading regarding other people, it can warn you that somebody has lied to you or stole something.

When reversed, seven of diamonds indicates a less severe loss of finances and that the individual needs to clean themselves up before it gets worse. It can also indicate that truths will be revealed; lies can't be kept hidden forever.

♢ Eight ♢

Similar to the six of diamonds, eight of diamonds speaks of increased wealth. When upright, eight of diamonds speaks of unexpected gains in finances or material items. Treasure, so to speak. It is common for this card to show for inheritance and heirlooms.

When reversed, eight of diamonds can mean one of two things: loss in wealth, or sharing secrets. You're either in to lose a little bit of money, or somebody that was confided in is spilling secrets.

♢ Nine ♢

This card has a few possibilities, but they all generally mean expenses. When upright, nine of diamonds warns that money will have to be put towards something of necessity. Repairs, replacements, bills... Things like that. If the reading is specifically about spirits, it represents a haint, demon, negative entity or whatever you'd call it. It isn't benevolent.

When reversed, nine of diamonds indicates disappointment and stress. The individual needs to rest before they become burnt out or cause harm to themselves. Exhaustion is dangerous.

♢ Ten ♢

This may be one of the best cards to pull regarding the future or any goals the individual may have. When upright, ten of diamonds represents overall success and achievements in the long-run. Even if the current situation seems negative, things will turn out to be better later.

When reversed, ten of diamonds indicates a lost dream or goal. Something won't be achieved by the looks of it. This card can also be shown to represent compensation for something lost.

The jacks, queens and kings represent people in my interpretations. These cards in the diamonds suit tend to be individuals with lighter features: their natural hair color, eyes, skin and/or style may present lighter. This will likely not apply to every person being represented by these cards, so consider the following interpretations as well.

♢ Jack ♢

The jack of diamonds is somebody who is physically very attractive. They are determined to get what they want and have the capabilities to do it. Very ambitious individuals. They tend to have high standards and are difficult to please.

♢ Queen ♢

The queen of diamonds is a feminine-presenting individual who is practical, resourceful and persistent. They make good managers and are typically they type to maintain a schedule, but they are also nitpicky and tend to gossip. Sometimes this card shows for a mother/parent who is overall good at being a parent, but tends to be a little smothering.

♢ King ♢

The king of diamonds is a masculine-presenting individual who may have dedicated their life to work more than anything. They tend to be business-oriented and are often the head of the family, or at least the most respected. This person expects to be treated with a level of respect. They are also prone to having a bit of a temper when they feel wronged or disrespected. Be careful with how you speak to this one.

Black Salt AKA Witch’s Salt

So firstly, to be clear, we’re not talking about the black salt used in Indian cuisine, which is volcanic rock salt and found in some supermarkets. The Black Salt we’re talking about here is generally homemade. I’ve seen various ‘recipes’, with increasing numbers of ingredients so I’m going to outline the basics for you.

Why use Black Salt?

Black Salt is used for banishments, removal of negative energies and protection. It can be sprinkled around doorways and windows to protect the home, left in a dish under the bed to protect from nightmares or added to baths after a stressful day. It can also be used in jinxes, hexes and curses. Used for protection, it should be swept away/disposed of regularly (anything from once a week to once a month, depending on the degree/frequency of negativity it’s dealing with). Black things in witchcraft (salt, crystals, candles) are used to absorb and dispell negativity, and so need cleansing/recharging/renewing regularly in order to keep doing their job. Unused Black Salt can be kept for future use, preferably in an airtight container made of natural materials.

How do I make Black Salt?

Black Salt can be as coarse or as fine as you would like. You could mix together the ingredients as they come to you, or grind them yourself and then combine. In it’s purest form, Black Salt is made up of just two ingredients, in roughly equal measures:

Salt Ash

Easy. Sea salt or Kosher salt are prefered. For the ash, any source is fine but sources linked to magic are best. Some possible sources are:  Incense ash (cone or stick) Herb bundle ash Paper ashes (from burning lists etc)* Charcoal disc ash (used for burning loose incense) Fireplace ash Barbeque ash

*It is not recommended to keep ash for future use if it was created during banishing, letting go, jinxing, hexing or cursing. These should be disposed of immediately after the ritual/spell is complete. Depending on the ash used you may find your Black Salt doesn’t actually look particularly black. The colour black adds power, as it absorbs negativity and banishes ill-meaning spirits. There are a couple of ways you can remedy that if you wish to, just gradually add as much as you need to get the desired colour: Activated charcoal Food colouring

One more common ingredient used to strengthen Black Salt is black pepper. Fresh ground is slightly more potent but powdered will work fine. A little goes a long way.

TL;DR - This is what you need to make Black Salt:

Salt Ash Activated charcoal or food colouring (optional) Black pepper (optional)

However you choose to make your Black Salt, remember that intention is key. As long as you are clear about what you want the product to achieve, you can get results with even the simplest of ingredients.

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

This creamy soup is the perfect way to warm up on a cool fall evening!

6 servings Preparation time: 55 minutes

Ingredients 2 tablespoons oil 4 cups peeled and seeded 1-inch chunks butternut squash 1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only) 1 cup peeled and chopped carrot 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped ½ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon ground celery seed 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if desired 1 cup apple cider Salt and black pepper to taste L&B uncured bacon crumbled, for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks and carrot. Sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add apple, thyme and ground celery seed. Add broth and cider. Bring mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Let mixture cool slightly.

Using an immersion blender, purée soup until smooth.

Add more chicken broth, if desired, to thin the soup until it reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a simmer and serve hot. Garnish with cooked, crumbled bacon.