I know spring is really here...

...because I can't stop coughing, and usually I get this when spring arrives!



Ostara 2010

Yesterday was really calm. I wasn't feeling great for a ritual being sic (I wouldn't have stand incense at all!) So I've pass the night at my mom and we had a chocolate fondue. Great fun. Mom didn't want to eat it at first but she ended up fighting for the bowl at the end.


I'll still do "Ostara" stuff during the week...because frankly.. Why should we limit ourself to a date and stop once that date is passed? I wanted to cook with my daughter, a pretty colorful cake, or cupcakes perhaps. Because I know that Easter is coming in 2 weeks and Blogland will be filled with spring goodies I'll want to try :)

Ostara Swap

Here's the goodies I made for my ostara swap partner, and since she got them already I can post them, yay!

Close-up at the portable altar items;
Bottle of salt, bottle of water, tea light, incense, athamé(made out of a straight pin and beads), star (for pentagram) and a tiny witch ladder (works like a rosary)

She said she liked everything so Yay! :)

Feeling for change

Ostara is coming and I definitly feel the need to welcome spring. I've change my altar a bit, putting on the gorgeous cloth Karen did for me :) I also brought out some pastel colored candles. It's too early for Ostara deco but I felt like encouraging spring a bit. I've changed some items, added the offering bowl again given by Karen.

This little box is very appropriate for this time of the year. I actually put it on my altar at Yule. It's says "Make a wish and you will see, a Sunny day it means to be" and you must place a penny in it. I love it cause it's my sister that bought it for my 11th bday.
And every one wants Sunny days this time of the year! :)

The Crafty Witch: Portable altar

Yet again, it's another gift I made for a swappie.


There's many reason to make a travel altar. Obvious would be that you travel often... You can also have really little space, or a need to hide it.

Here's what I used, and why:
Keep in mind that this altar is specifically more water centered.

Tiny glass of water, with a blue blister pearl, to represent water.
Tiny glass of salt, with green corals, to represent earth.
A tea light with a match; for fire
A incense cone with a incense burner, and a tiny butterfly for air.
A tiny pentagram charm, as a pentacle
A tiny bell,
A tiny hand bound Grimoire (or BoS)
A moon charm, a sea shell and a lapis lazuli charm, to reinforce water,
An mini athamé, made with a straight needle and some beads.

A denim "altar" cloth with a ruban running on the surrounding. When you pull it, it makes a pouch.

Imbolc

January altar,now covered with Imbolc goodies for a swap partner on craftster

I really, really don't know much about Imbolc.

It's a totally new celebration to me. I wouldn't be a good Wiccan, I know that.
Even if I've been familiar with paganism for about 10 years, I've never been much interested by the festivities, well those that wasn't already part of my culture. Of course, Samhain and Yule were the first, easily incorporated. Also Litha, which is meant to be celebrate around a bonfire; St-Jean Baptiste, Québec's National day, in celebrated with a bonfire on July 24th. And Ostara, easter never was about Jesus in my house. But pretty much every other Sabbaths are new to me; even if I understand instinctively the Sabbaths on equinoxes and solstices, I'm still researching for information about the true purpose of Beltane, Lughnasad and, the one concerning us right now, Imbolc.

Happily enough for me, great Pagans like Mrs.B writes nice articles about Imbolc, PaganDad does that, too. Hey, even Wiki can be useful!

So now I know a little more what Imbolc is about. Yet again, I still don't feel like I know much. It's seems to be a very light, simple Sabbath. It's attached to femininity and fire. It's a time for cleansing and welcoming Spring. Dairies should be honored, as well as cakes, cookies and meat.

I at least will be able to prepare a proper meal for Imbolc!