Happy House Charm

A small sachet pillow stuffed with good things is an excellent gift when people newly in love move in together. All the while you’re assembling it, focus on their hopes, dreams and your bright wishes for their hearth.

Directions:

1.  Make a 5X5 pillow from an interesting material. Leave one end open for stuffing.

2.  Gather, mix and empower the following herbs:

• sage and sandlewood (blessing and protection)
• lavender (domestic tranquility)
• rose petals (honor their love)
• couple drops of cinnamon oil.

3.  Stuff the pillow and sew the open end shut. Decorate as desired.

4.  In a sacred space, dedicate it under the gaze of the Lord and the Lady.

5.  Give it to the couple as a house warming gift.  You may want to attach a note to the pillow with the list of herbs used in the stuffing and the significance of each.

I would love to give credit when credit is due, but I have no idea where I got this charm from. If you know, please comment and I will add it to the post.

Beltane Is Upon Us

Beltane will be here before you know it and I am far from ready.  I know this is the second most important Sabbat next to Samhain, but I have yet to come up with a plan as to how to mark its arrival.

The Sabbats come so quickly.  I love it because I am always preparing for marking the next turn of the wheel of the year, but being new to the path I am always searching myself and the internet to find ideas and traditions that suit our family.

To be honest, I am not entirely sure on the difference between this Sabbat and Ostara.  If you have any insight you are willing to share, I would be greatly appreciative.

Fairy Furniture

May is a month that fairies love. Show them your appreciation and give the kids a great project by making them some furniture!

Items Needed:

• twigs, vines, dried flowers

• needle and thread

• scrap material

• scissors

• hot glue gun

• pruners to cut the twigs

Decide what you’re going to make. We’ll make a chair, to give you an example.

Cut the twigs in this manner – one long, bendable piece that will form the back legs and back of the chair, and four equal lengthed twigs which will form the two front legs and the seat. The chair should stand no more than four inches tall (including the back).

Bend the long twig and hot glue one of the smaller pieces in between the two ends where you want the seat to be. This will be the back of the seat.

Hot glue on each side of the bent twig facing towards you a smaller twig; these will be the sides of the seat.

Glue the front piece of the seat to these side twigs.

Glue the two front legs to the seat so that the chair legs are even. If you wish, wrap the vines around the chair back and legs.

Cut the scrap material to form a “back” and a “seat” – these are NOT to be as wide as the chair, but will fit inside of the twigs.

Using your needle and thread, attach the material to the chair using a whip stitch. Hot glue small dried flowers at the top of the chair.

This technique can be used to make all kinds of fairy furniture, from tables to beds, to sofas – all of which are sure to delight your fairies as much as your children!

~unknown author

Faery House

You will need...

• flat base, such as pieces of bark from tree

• larger stone, sea shells, moss and other natural items to build the house with

• tiny stones, gravel etc. for walk ways

• tiny dried flowers, bag of potpourri works great

• anything natural that you find outdoors

• wood glue

• spray varnish

Directions:
1. Start with the flat base. Choose items for a house and glue to base.

2. Add walkways, trees, flower beds, windows, antennas, gazing balls, swings, porches, little piles of fire wood, just let your imagination go wild.

3. Your house may be as simple or elaborate as you think your faeries would like it to be.

~unknown author

A Fairy Spell for Beltane

"In a woodland clearing, spread a clean green cloth. On it place small cakes and flowers, especially primroses, in a circle. Imagine the magic around you and say:

O Fairy Queen,
Upon your white steed,
Within me plant
A magic seed.

From you may spring
Many new beginnings.
Great Queen,
Accept these offerings.

Leave the items and walk around the altar three times, then slowly walk the path back to your home.

Listen for the sound of laughter and bells and know you are blessed.

Beltane is the time when fairies return from their winter rest, carefree and full of mischief and delight. On the night before Beltane, in times past, folks would place rowan branches at their windows and doors for protection."

By: Nancy Bennett

Simple Activities for Beltane

Floral Garland
Gather wild flowers.  Take a pin and, at the point where the stem meets the bud, make a small slit. Slide the stem of another flower into the slit. Then, make a slit on that flower, and slide another in. Continue this until your garland has reach the desired length.

*If you connect the last flower to the first flower, you will have a beautiful head wreath.

Herbal Sachets
Using pinking shears to cut a small square of light fabric.  Place dried herbs in the center of the cut fabric. Gather up the edges and tie closed with a ribbon.

Gifts for the Forest Creatures
What a nice way to say... Happy Spring!  Consider stringing popcorn on thread, placing a bird feeder in your trees, or simply setting out a bird bath.  The creatures in around your home will thank you.

**As a gift to the God and Goddess, use the activities above to hang in your trees.

Weaving
"Behind the symbolic union of Goddess and God is the lesson that when two things come together, they form a new whole. This can be seen throughout all of the land as Earth and Sun meet to bring forth the blossoming new life. Hence, Beltane is a great time for weaving."

Braid colorful ribbons together and hang them from your trees or around your home.

You may want to consider making a Beliefs Braid (from Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions). 

Belief Braid
You will need three strands at least 15 inches long.  You may choose any color or material you would like.  If the color and material are the exact same, tie a charm or other small token to the end of each strand to distinguish them apart.

Select one strand to represent each of the following:

• thoughts, ideas, & beliefs
• resources available to you
• opportunities.

From the above stated book directly or paraphrased...

As you hold the strand for thoughts, ideas, & beliefs say something similar to...

"I open myself to new ideas and ways of seeing the world.  I open myself to having new insights and allowing myself to try on new perspectives."

Sit and meditate a moment.

As you hold the strand for resources say something similar to...

I open myself to find the new friends, teachers, organizations, and books that I need to explore my path.  I open myself to all the resources the universe has to offer.

Sit and meditate a moment.

As you hold the strand for opportunities say something similar to...

I open myself to create the opportunities I need to explore my new path, new insights, and new beliefs.  I open myself to growing in new and surprising ways.
 
 Sit and meditate a moment.
 
Gather the 3 strands together and knot them about an inch down from the top of the strands.  Secure the knot in some way, so that you may begin braiding.  As you move one strand over the other pause momentarily and whisper... "open" or some other word of your choosing.  Repeat until you reach about 1 inch from the bottom of the strands.  Tie the braid off with a final knot.
 
When tying the final knot, say... I give myself permission to be who I truly am.

Carry your belief braid with you for several weeks.  At the end of each week, unbraid and rebraid to help you refocus on your goals.  At the end of four weeks, keep as a memento or bury in the earth.

A Mini May Pole

Needed:

• paper towel roll
• paint
• cardboard
• ribbon or streamers
• hot glue
• double sided tape
• scissors
• flowers (optional)

Directions:

1. Paint the paper towel roll a bright color and let it dry.

2. Hot glue one end of the paper towel roll onto a piece of cardboard or left over wood so it stands up straight.

3. Wrap colorful ribbon around the roll and secure with double sided tape.

4. Cut lengths of ribbon or streamer to hang on the outside of your May Pole. The ribbon pieces should be just a little longer than the roll.

5. Going around the roll, hot glue or tape one end of each ribbon length to the inside top edge of the roll.

OPTIONAL… If you like, decorate the top of your May Pole with flowers.

Beltane Poems for the Littlest Pagans

A May Basket

Up the steps
1, 2, 3, 4.
I'll ring the bell on your front door.
I'll leave a May basket just for fun.
I'll turn around and run, run, run!

~ Cindy


Hurray for Beltane
tune: London Bridges

Beltane's here with sun so bright,
sun so bright, sun so bright.
Beltane's here with sun so bright.
Hurray for Beltane!

Beltane's here with flowers in bloom,
flowers in bloom, flowers in bloom.
Beltane's here with flowers in bloom.
Hurray for Beltane!

*Feel free to add additional versus if you like.*

A Child's Beltane Poem

The sun comes up
The sky turns blue
Put on your clothes
There's lots to do.

Run out the door
And smell the air
The grass is wet
But we don't care!

Pick flowers to crown
Our new May Queen
Dance in a circle
Laugh and sing

Run and play
We've had such fun,
We're sorry when
The day is done.

Sit on the hill
Turn out the light
Watch the fires
On Beltane Night

C.J. Brown
Beltane 1999.

May Basket

While searching the web, I came across many variations of the May Basket.  This is a combination of all the ideas I found.  I took the best from each to share here.

Materials:
• paper doily or other paper cut in a 9" circle
• stapler or glue
• pipe cleaner
• hole punch
• scissors
• small fresh cut flowers with stems about 4" long or wildflower seed packets
• paper towel
• piece of aluminum foil
• handwritten poem
• blessing
• sweet treats (raisins, chocolate kisses, fortune cookie)

Directions:

1.  Cut a slit in the paper from one edge to the center of the circle.

2.  Overlap the cut edges and twist the paper so that a cone is formed. Staple or glue the edge to hold the cone shape.

3.  Punch holes on opposite sides of the top of the cone.

4.  Form hooks on both ends of the pipe cleaner and put the ends through the punched holes to form a handle. Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner around so that they stay in the holes.

5.  Dampen the paper towel and squeeze out most of the extra water. Wrap the ends of the flower stems with the paper towel, then wrap with the aluminum foil.

6.  Slide the wrapped flowers into the cone.

7.  If you want to add a poem, blessing, or some sweet treats, now the time.

** Gift your May Day Baskets to folks in need of physical healing, emotional support, or spiritual uplifting or leave it on friend’s and family’s doorsteps as a surprise gift. Maybe they’ll think a faerie did it!**

Garden Prayer

Small plants, leaves and buds,
growing in the soil.
O fiery sun, may your rays of
light and warmth
bless us with abundance,
and allow these plants to blossom
with life.
 
by Patti Wigington

Magical Gardens for Beltane

I have found some wonderful links for garden magic.  Thought I would share them early just in case you are a planner like myself.

garden folklore and magic

moon gardens

elemental garden

flower magic

magical herb use

witchcrafting herbs

welcoming birds to your garden

bee folklore and magic

Hope you enjoy.  I haven't even read all the articles yet.  If you find one of particular interest, please let me know.