New Year Blessings

I am but a thread witch

Casting magick with a stitch. 

Every embroidered piece a spell

With my magick laid well.

May my needle stay shiny

Truly a witch’s wand of light

And my stitches cast their magick

Every thread a charm bright.

C E A Kaufman 1/1/2024

 

Here’s to a year of lots of stitching, 

good health, happiness, peace, and magick!

And it is so!

🧵🧙🏻‍♀️🪡

I See The Wise Woman

(unknown artist)

I See The Wise Woman

She carries a blanket of compassion.

She wears a robe of wisdom.

Around her throat flutters

a veil of shifting shapes.

From her shoulders, a mantle of power flows.

A storyband encircles her forehead.

She stitches a quilt;

She spins fiber into yarn;

She knits, she sews, she weaves.

She ties the threads of our lives together.

She forms a web of spiraling threads.

by Susan Weed, from Healing Wise

Blessings dark and deep!

Festival of Broken Needles

Today is the Festival of Broken Needles. At one time, this Japanese Buddhist festival was honored only by tailors, now however it is celebrated by many who enjoy the art of the needle. I have adopted this festival as one of my own because of my interest and love of embroidery and hand sewing. Embroidery is a favorite pursuit of mine, however I love sewing by hand, even repairing a seam or sewing on a button is, for me, a great pleasure.  I have found two dates for this celebration: December 18th and February 8th. I celebrate on both dates. After all, I use many needles throughout the year

I gather my broken, bent, and/or used needles, end bits of threads from my embroidery, small scraps of fabric, and an offering of seeds, fruit, or bread. I give thanks to my needles for the work they have done as well as the goddesses that inspire my creativity. I bury the needles and place the small bits of thread, AKA "orts", on my hedge, hopefully to be used by birds or other animals for nests. The food offering is left in a sacred place near my hedge. I then return to my hearth, light candles for inspiration, and bless new packets of needles. I usually work on some embroidery as well and consider what a joyous little tool my needle is, how lucky I am to find such comfort and happiness in this art. A simple, but satisfying ritual.

While this festival is based on Japanese tradition, this particular ritual is my own creation.

Blessings nine!

What I've Been Up To

So... I have been quite busy with all sorts of Goddess festivals. There have been quite a few that I have been inclined to celebrate; I was really called to keeping holy these sacred days. It has been spiritually fulfilling to be so steeped in my practice as priestess. As witch, I have been kept busy as resident witch at the shop, advising and assisting folks in need, doing some readings, brewing potions and making herb blends. I do not foresee any change with that - business is brisk and I am happy as a clam.

On February 12th I celebrated the Festival of Diana as Protectress of Wildlife. I recited hymns to Her, made offerings at the hedge and lake. I also made sure my ducks had some special little cakes, the squirrels, seeds and nuts, the birds received a special seed mix and Sterling B had some lovely tuna with just a bit of tomato sauce which he loves - he was rescued from behind a Pizza Hut at about 2 months and was terribly malnourished. However, that was 14 years ago and he is healthy and still loves tomato sauce.

February 13th was my version of the Parentalia, Honoring the Ancestors. I dusted all the photos on the Ancestor Wall, placing sprigs of rosemary and some little miniature roses. I sat and remembered many good times and stories I had been told. I made a libation of my special brew which includes Strega Liqueur as well as an offering of cake and fruit.

The Festival of Ovens was celebrated on the 17th. In preparation for this, I had cleaned my oven - thank goodness it is self-cleaning! All I had to do was wipe it out after it cooled. The stove was scrubbed from bottom to top, smudged, crystals that sit on the back, cleansed, and all was consecrated. I then baked a lovely olive oil cake, keeping some for us, some for the ducks and an offering to my Goddesses.

Ariadne was honored on the 24th. I spun a bit of thread with my drop spindle - not perfect by any means, in fact, rather bumpy and uneven, but I thought it was lovely nonetheless. This was draped on the hedge after being snipped in smallish lengths, as an offering. I worked on stitching a labyrinth design as well.

February 25th is the Time of Old Women, which I believe comes to us from Morocco. It is a time to honor our elder women for their beauty, age and wisdom. I spoke with some relatives (living) then gathered all the photos of the women in my family and DH's, and also Z Budapest, Marion Green, Patricia Crowther and a few others, to create an altar. I did some divination, calling on those who have passed, requesting a sign of some sort that they were watching over me. I was granted that favor. Libation and offerings at the hedge, as usual.

Sunday, the 26th, I honored Hygeiea, Goddess of Health. Her statue resides in my kitchen behind the sink. She was bathed, anointed with lavender and rose oils and Her "home" scrubbed and made tidy. Offerings of barley and herbs - nettles, dandelion greens, fresh oregano and rosemary were placed in a dish on Her altar.


On the 28th, I took a little ride out to the Everglades and left an offering for the Nymphs and Spirits of the Land there - the Nymphs of the Wetlands. Herbs, barley and a few flowers were the offerings I made.

March 1st was my day for purification for my oracle work. A special bath and anointing of oils was followed by my special oracle tea and then the working.

The Full Moon on the 8th is my next celebration and then a little quiet until mid-month when, once again, there will be a Goddess to honor and celebrate every few days. How lovely!

In the mundane world, my mother's second back surgery, this past Thursday, seems to have been a success. After many months of terrible pain, she woke up pain free. Two of my aunts are visiting, along with my nephew, so she is well cared for and I will see her very soon. Such a relief!

I have also begun music lessons again, am stitching and weaving like a mad woman, and creating everyday. Oh... reading too. Just finished a wonderful book by Alice Hoffman, The Dovekeepers, based on the story of Masada, with an interesting cast of magical women. The reviews by Hoffman's fans are not good - too long, too boring, too much mysticism. Ignore them! I didn't want the book to end, it captivated me. I recommend it for those who can understand and absorb the magic.

And now, into the arms of the Sleeping Lady, Mother of Dreams. May our rest be peaceful and renewing, and may we be blessed with sweet dreams as She, the Mother of All Things, watches over us.

Blessings nines!

Home Again!

I have just recently returned from a trip to North Carolina and a wonderful visit to a couple of old friends. I spent long hours looking at buttons and antique sewing tools, talking and visiting various locations and events. I also had my other half take some playful, fun photos - such as above, I couldn't resist. The weather was chilly - mid thirties at night and only into the forties during the day. I was pretty comfortable though, participating in that time of a woman's life known as perpetual summer! In the above photo, which was taken on the road back from Hendersonville to Brevard after some antiquing, I wrapped up in my wool cape and posed appropriately - in my opinion! ; )

A too short meeting at the arboretum with my MoonMaid herbalist friend, Cynthia. We had a long, lovely chat, discussion of goddess and witchy issues and just generally caught up. She gifted me with a beautiful book of flower lore while I presented her with a Jim Shore Garden Fairy and a little silver pin of gardening tools. She lives on a mountain, growing a wild garden and preparing her products, mainly for women, but her ouch ointment in quite famous; my own husband is a great fan. We are hoping for a visit again in the late spring or early summer which will include a trek to the MoonMaid's mountain abode. (see moonmaidbotanicals.com for more info about her products.)

My other friend, with whom we stayed, is a close, close friend of many years. We met in the eighties when she and her husband owned an antique shop at Miami's historic Cauley Square. The four of us became very close and  spent a great deal of time together; we were partners in crime, so to speak. Bill passed away some years ago and we certainly miss him. They moved to North Carolina almost twenty years ago, got out the day Hurricane Andrew hit Miami-Dade County, but it always seems like no time has gone by and we pick up where we left off. We stayed up to too late talking, but it was a warm and wonderful visit.

I attended the Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival and have finally obtained a rigid heddle loom - yay and thanks be to Athena! I also picked up tips on my drop spindle spinning and hopefully, next year, will add a spinning wheel. Right now I will focus on my weaving. There were lots of wonderful like-minded folks at the festival, all friendly and willing to share information and tips. Needless to say the fibers and other goodies were gorgeous. My husband enjoyed himself tremendously and carried goods back and forth to the car. We found the soap maker we bought soap from a few years ago and laid in a good supply. Plenty of holiday gifts were purchased too. The following day we were off to the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in Asheville. Beautiful art! Added a few handmade wooden spoons to my collection including a very long, large spoon and ladle that will be very helpful to my apple butter making this week.

Sigh! I didn't want to leave North Carolina. Miss it and my buddies Helen and Cynthia already.

Well, life moves on and Hallows is a day away, followed by Pomona's Day when the apple butter making shall commence! I celebrate Hallows over a number of days - from the 31st through the 11th this year. Honoring the dead and spirit contact are a priority, readying myself for the introspective time of the winter and making certain charms only done at this time. There is a ritual to put together yet and getting my dear other half to drill hazelnuts, incense to make along with offerings and the libation brew.

Oh.. and of course I'm gearing up for a little give-away so keep in touch as it will be announced on Hallows with the drawing on November 11th!

Blessings nine!

All photos copyright E A Kaufman 2011