Did We Find a Witch Bottle?! How to Make One for Protection

We might have discovered a witch bottle in our back yard!



Dan and I were doing some yard work a few days ago since the sun was out and it was a gorgeous day. Our house is over 100 years old and near the back of the property every spring Dan goes back to pick up whatever broken glass he can find. When the ground freezes and thaws over the winter it pushes up glass, bottle caps, and other items to the surface. Dan found quite a bit of glass, among the glass he found was a weird little bottle full of dirt and residue of some kind.



The lid was gone and we have some evidence that it was probably either rubber or cork and likely rotted away, but there were a couple items inside, and one of them in particular was pretty standard in old traditional witch bottles! A couple of the pieces of glass were the bottoms of bottles so I was able to do a bit of research online and have figured that much of the glass in the back of the yard is probably early 1920's, to 1940's-50's. We live in a small town, back when this house was built it was still pretty rural, so it's possible that some of the Ozark witchcraft and folk magic traditions were still in practice at the time.



I decided to do a video to share it with you guys. I’ll also show you how to make your own witch bottle for protection.  A witch bottle is a traditional method for home protection that goes back centuries, these have been found in archaeological digs in America and Europe. It’s a traditional folk magic protection spell that’s easy enough for beginners and uses simple ingredients. The witch bottle was specifically used to ward against baneful magic.



Did we really find a witch bottle? I’ll tell you my thoughts and walk you through step-by-step while I make one.





I hope you enjoy it!

Be Your Magic!

Mickie

Green Man Money Jar Spell

I've wanted to do it for awhile, and I finally did it~ I'm on YouTube! This is my second video, I'm trying to manage posting every Saturday, but this one ended up being posted on Monday. My first one was a Beltane Beauty spell, you can find it on my channel. I did this video without my glasses, the reflection of the light in my lenses was a bit of a distraction. I'm shooting right now with my iPhone clipped to a floor lamp and a small selfie light up in my studio and editing in iMovie on my phone. It's not a very professional setup, but I'm not unhappy with the results. I need to get a better light. For sure. My son Tristan suggested that I get a copy of Premiere Elements for my computer, he can teach me since he has Premiere and is an editing wiz himself. So we'll see. Maybe you'll be able to watch my videos improve with time.

About the Spell

Green Man is the joyous laughing Spirit of the green woods: Here's a really easy spell to help you attract the energies of this spirit of growth and abundance to help you open up to limitless abundance and bring more money into your life. This spell was inspired by my article “The Green Man: Spirit of Abundance” published in Llewellyn’s 2012 Magical Almanac.
I wanted to make this a spell that anyone could do with stuff they probably had around the house. That being said, feel free to add other items associated with prosperity and money drawing to your Green Man Money Jar if you wish.
When I write spells, I really don't mind a bit if people want to change it around, make additions or substitutions, in fact, I encourage it. Magic and spell work should be a creative endeavor so I think it's perfectly wonderful if people want to take a spell and add their own twist to it.
Feel free to make changes as you wish to this spell, I always change stuff to suit my needs. Enjoy it and make it your own!

If you go to my YouTube channel you'll find a link to download the Green Man jar label seen in this video to color and add to your own spell!

I hope you have fun with this one, more to come in the future.

If you liked this spell and want to see me make more videos like this, please like and subscribe on YouTube. If you decide to post a photo of your awesome Green Man Money Jar on social media, please tag me, I'm delighted to see how yours turns out! I'm @mickiemueller on every platform.


Blessed Be!


Mickie

Win a Copy of The Witch's Cauldron, Ends May 1, 2017

Win a copy of The Witch's Cauldron, The Craft, Lore & Magick of Ritual Vessels by Laura Tempest Zakroff, a collectible book cover flat, and a 5x7 of the chapter opener that I'll sign for you! 

It's giveaway time again! The latest addition to Llewellyns The Witch's Tools series, The Witch's Cauldron, The Craft, Lore & Magick of Ritual Vessels by Laura Tempest Zakroff, and I really think you're going to love it! I was honored to create the illustrations for this excellent book and I just received my "illustrator copies" and a few book cover flats as well, so I thought this would be a nice time to do a giveaway. One lucky winner drawn at random on May 1 will get a copy of The Witch's Cauldron, a collectible book cover flat, and I'm also including a 5x7 print of the chapter opener, signed and personalized just for you. You can frame it or add it to your Book of Shadows!


I had a blast with these illustrations for the book, Laura, being an artist herself, gave me great direction on what she wanted to see in her book, she was really great to work with. 

You'll notice that the cover doesn't look the same as the other covers in this series, there's a very good reason for that, Llewellyn Worldwide has decided to re-design all the covers of the Witch's Tools series.  I'm delighted to report that the new covers will be featuring my line art from each book! Whooo-hooo! 

These will be the first Llewellyn book covers to feature my art that were not companions for my oracle/tarot decks! As you know, I really thought the original covers were fun, but I do think these new covers are super witchy and really reflect the material inside. wonderfully! The art department did a great job with the vision and design. I wanted to make sure to tell you about the other books getting new covers so you can snatch up the books in this series (Including my book The Witch's Mirror) with original covers while you can, I'm squirreling away a few myself since they might just become collectors items!

Laura did a great job with this book, one of the perks of being a book illustrator is that I get to read them first! The Witch's Cauldron is full of lots of great information about cauldrons, including history, folklore, traditional and innovative ways to use them for all kinds of magic, caring for them, and includes many different kinds of cauldrons you may not have considered. As always in this series, you'll find fantastic contributions by other witchy writers that share their perspective on magical cauldrons including Jason Mankey, Gwion Raven, Meredith Spies and more. Be sure to follow Laura Tempest Zakroff on Facebook for updates on her book tour, and visit her website http://www.lauratempestzakroff.com/

Want to win The Witch's Cauldron?
You have until 5/1/17 at 12:00 AM CST to enter, a winner will be chosen using Rafflecopter.

Click the widget below for instructions on how to enter.
ATTENTION: You must leave a comment on my blog below in order to be a qualified entrant. After you comment, click the button on the blue and white rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to leave me a comment on my blog,
Tell me about your favorite cauldron magic from fiction including books, movies, TV, or video games?
Click below to add your comment, after you leave a comment be sure to click the button on the blue and white rafflecopter form above, that way your entry will count. Also, feel free to unlock the bonus entries for extra chances to win!

Blessed Be!
Mickie Mueller

Blessed Spring Equinox

It's the Spring Equinox, also known as Ostara or on your everyday Gregorian calendar, the first day of spring. I woke up to a lovely sunny day and decided to experience the signs of spring around Oak Haven Cottage nestled in our Midwestern small town. Join me, will you, lets see what magic we can find.

Let's step out the door and explore, magic is all around if you just know where to look! I bet you have many or all of these magical plants in your yard too.

I'm delighted to see a bee! They are facing so many challenges, poison in my yard won't be one of them, they can harvest pollen from my dandelions all they want.  Some people just can't stand these wildflowers, but they are edible (if you don't spray with poison) and have many health benefits. Dandelions have magical uses in spellwork as well, they increase psychic ability, are used for calling in helpful spirits, making wishes, protection while sleeping, banishing anger and bitterness, and boosting self expression. Dandelions are associated with Goddesses Hecate, Rhiannon, and Brigid and the God Belenos. Dandelions are aligned with both the sun and the underworld. 

Creeping Charlie is in bloom of course! In old witch's grimoirs it's sometimes referred to as ground ivy or cats foot. Use it for protection against baneful magic, overcoming shyness and anxiety, peaceful sleep and meditation,  also for welcoming friendship, and healing.

The forsythia a traditional Ostara flower was hurt by the freeze a bit, but still beautiful. What would a witch do with forsythia? Spells for optimism, positive state of mind, and healing healing troubled nerves.

I stated aloud, "Blessed Ostara, Spirits of the Land, show me your magic!" And low, I saw a sparkling in the grass! You can't tell by this photo, but it's a lovely little quartz druzy that sparkles in the sunlight! Druzy quartz strengthens the spirit, quells feelings of dread, reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Thanks spirits, this is going on my Ostara altar when I bless the hexenspiegel necklaces I'm making today! More on that at the end of this post. *wink, wink!*

The elm tree that I love to look at from my kitchen window is in bloom. Elm is a tree associated with elves and the Goddess, aids powers of concentration,  balance between heart and head, love, protection from lightning, and meditation in the realm of the fae.

This plantain is hanging out at the base of the elm which has dropped blooms on it, but like most yards I have plantain growing everywhere. Considered a common weed by many, witches know it holds magic for healing, squelching gossip, protection, driving away nightmares, and even protection from snakes, (both literal and figurative.) Also a great poultice for insect bites and stings and other skin problems 

I was delighted to spot a little shepherds' purse! This sweet little wildflower packs a magical punch including

magic for a healthy pregnancy, vitality, perseverance,  healing, prosperity, and protection.

I just love tiny Persian speedwell, also known as birds eye dotting the grass, in addition to being just sweet and charming, it's great for spells such as healing or fertility. In folk magic it was sometimes sewn into garments as a charm for protection. Also use it for banishing negativity and baneful spirits.

The honeysuckle by the bird feeders outside my dining room window hasn't bloomed yet, but it's getting lovely, tender spring leaves. Witches use the wood of honeysuckle Honeysuckle, aka woodbine for magic involving love and devotion,. The blossoms for psychic powers, money and prosperity magic. The honeysuckle growing in your yard can be charged to provide magical protection.

Moss is so magical to me, it always has been. Traditionally moss is a mysterious faerie plant, can be used in prosperity magic and magic to bring comfort and peace. I find it even more fascinating since I discovered that microscopic Tardigrades, also known as water bears live in moss. These tiny guys are the most badass creatures, they're so resilient they can survive the most extreme temperatures and can even survive space! Plus, they're adorable, look them up if you haven't seen one. "Hi water bears! I think your awesome!" wave, wave!

That was fun, thanks for joining me. Now that I've enjoyed the world in bloom around me, I have work to do today. Yesterday I made a prototype for a new batch of hexenspiegels and put them on Etsy so that people may pre-order them if they like. These magical witch's mirrors are a beautiful way to banish negativity from your personal space. Since so many people have felt as if they are under a barrage of negativity these days, I thought the Spring Equinox would be a great time to whip up a bunch of these fantastic magical charms that I wrote about in my book The Witch's Mirror.

I might paint the new hexenspiegels out on the porch if the weather holds up, it's a beautiful day and that would fill them with even more joyful energy.

I'm making these lovely magical witch's mirror charms today on the Spring Equinox, I'll be blessing and charging them on my altar later this evening and then I'll start shipping them out to happy Etsy friends who order them. Want me to save you one? Here's where to pre-order yours, get one before they're all gone: Click here!

 

You can visit the link to read more about the magical hexenspiegel, I have lots of info there and more pics too. If you want to make your own hexenspiegel or learn more about working with mirrors for magic, check out my book The Witch's Mirror.

Blessed Be!

Mickie

Llewellyn's Sabbats Almanac Giveaway

Whoo-hoo! I just got my author copies of the Llewellyn's Sabbats Almanac! I had the honor of writing the "Crafty Crafts segments of this really cool almanac, so it's giveaway time!!!

Enter on Instagram, here's the link: Click HERE to enter!

Here's how to enter:
1. Follow @mickiemueller on Instagram
2. Repost this photo (above) on Instagram. 3.Tag#SabbatsAlmanacGiveaway and@mickiemueller That's all you have to do and you'll be entered into the drawing on Friday July 22! Make sure you complete all three requirements for your entries to be counted. 

More info about this awesome almanac and a couple sneak peeks...read on...

These are really fun crafts, I made them all to make sure I had the directions correct, I hope you enjoy them! This art is by Carolyn Vibbert.

This almanac runs from Samhain 2016-Mabon 2017. It was so cool to flip through the pages and see the illustrations that Wen Hsu did for my articles, she really nailed them perfectly! I've always admired her work. I illustrate a lot of articles and books for other authors, so it's really cool to be on the other side of that, I must tell you, they really are beautiful! Carolyn Vibbert created the other interior illustrations and the clever cover art is by Ellen Lawson. I've got two books, but I only need one...I think it's time for a celebratory giveaway!

One of Wen Hsu's awesome illustrations for my articles, this one is for the Samhain article! "Magic Divination Witch Bottle"  I think this illustration is my fave!

This essential guide offers fun and fresh ways to celebrate the eight sacred holidays. Enrich your spiritual life throughout the year and discover powerful wisdom and ideas from a wealth of popular this is a great guide with fun and fresh ways to celebrate the sabbats, more than 50 articles for both new and experienced witches, great ideas on marking the sacred points of the wheel of the year with great contributors:

Linda Raedisch, Melanie Marquis, Mickie Mueller, Michael Furie, Elizabeth Barrette, Suzanne Ress, Kristoffer Hughes, Dallas Jennifer Cobb, Sybil Fogg, Kerri Connor, JD Hortwort, Stacy M. Porter, and April Elliott Kent

"Sand Cast Crystal Grid Candle Holder" the illustration and the actual crystal grid project that I made!

The almanac includes creative, low-cost arts and crafts projects that I wrote just for you. There are also ideas for celebrating the sabbats as a family, simple recipes for delicious appetizers, entrees, beverages, and desserts. There are super helpful section on astrological influences with full and new moon rituals as well as extended rituals for groups and individuals. There are handy journal pages for keeping track of your festival plans and memories, and fascinating Pagan folklore and customs too!

My "Harvest Abundance Braid" and "Wheat Pentagram Wall Hanging" with my actual Abundance Braid in the background!

If you want to enter to win, click HERE and follow the easy instructions on the Instagram post!

Good luck!

Just in case you don't win but want a copy so that you can use my crafts and all the other great sabbat ideas too, here are links where you can get your own copy:

Llewellyn: https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738737706

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Llewellyns-2017-Sabbats-Almanac-Samhain/dp/0738737704

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/llewellyns-2017-sabbats-almanac-llewellyn/1122705364?ean=9780738737706

Or shop at your local bookstore, check Indiebound for sellers near you: http://www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder 

Blessed Be!

Mickie

Presenting: The Witch's Mirror Book Trailer

About a week ago my talented kiddo Tristan, who just got an award for directing and acting in high school, got out the video camera, I dressed in my witchy black, we loaded up every mirror we could get our hands on, and traipsed into the woods near a local park to shoot scenes for a book trailer for my upcoming book The Witch's Mirror, The Craft, Lore, & Magick of the Looking Glass. We had a blast, the woods were lovely, green, and full of magic!
This kid is so creative! We also filmed some scenes right in my studio and even included a cameo appearance of the previous books in Llewellyn's The Witch's Tools series. I never stop being amazed at Tristan's talent, it's no surprise that my kid has aspirations to be a film editor and director, after working so hard to hone these mad skills so far, I have no doubt that their work will be entertaining us all in the not too distant future.

Without further adieu, I present The Witch's Mirror trailer by the amazingly talented Tristan Prefect! Be sure to "like" and "subscribe" on Tristan's YouTube Channel.  Enjoy!



You can own some of the mirrors in this video! The scrying mirror and the hexenspiegel sun catchers that you see hanging from the trees in this video will be for sale in my Etsy shop this week, mickiemuellerstudio.etsy.com  ALSO...I'm having a giveaway that ends on May 20 2016 and the prize is the actual book, bookmark, cover flat and compact mirror that appears in this video trailer! Click here to enter!

You can also get a copy of The Witch's Mirror from Llewellyn, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

Behind the scenes director and editor Tristan Prefect on the job. This young director has a great eye, spied a spider web dusted with pollen and stopped to get a quick shot while we were on location in the woods.

Announcing "The Witch's Mirror" by Mickie Mueller

Last year around this time I had an opportunity to submit a proposal for a book in Llewellyn's Witch's Tools series, a book about magical mirrors! I was intrigued. I have used mirrors in my practice from time to time, both black scrying mirrors and silver mirrors to reflect negativity away, multiply abundance, or boost candle magic; so I dug into the topic wholeheartedly.

As I worked on writing the proposal and eventually the manuscript, lots of connections with mirrors came to mind. I remembered all those nights playing Bloody Mary with my friends, the time I used a mirror meditation to help me recover from a difficult divorce, I even thought about my grandfather who was a highly respected craftsman of telescope mirrors in his day. Mirrors he crafted were in telescopes in every state in the United States. I thought he would approve of my project.

The Witch's Mirror is available for pre-order and will be out June 8 2016 Click here for the Amazon listing. 
Click here for the Barnes & Noble listing Isn't this cover a hoot?! I'm so pleased with how it came out! My fantastic editor Elysia Gallo and I came up with the basic concept and gave our ideas to cover illustrator John Kachik and let his creativity reign supreme. I'm delighted with the results!  As an illustrator myself, it was important to me to hand him the concept and then step way back and respect his process, seeing the magic he worked, it was well worth it.

I had a lot of fun working on this book, I can't wait to share it with you.  I've included folklore and pop culture regarding mirrors, spells for just about every purpose using mirrors, mirror washes and condensers, meditations, where to find magic mirrors, even instructions on how to make many of your own mirrors for specific purposes.  Even if you've never used mirrors for magic, you will find some kind of wonderful use within these pages to inspire you to look at mirrors in a whole new way.

This is an actual mirror that I made as part of this book, and yes, I have included instructions for making your own, it's easier than you might think to create this oeil de sorciere, a special kind of convex witch's mirror!

The Witch's Mirror is the fourth book in Llewellyn's The Magical Tools Series proceeded by The Witch's Broom by Deborah Blake, The Witch's Wand by Alferian Gwydion MacLir, and The Witch's Athame by Jason Mankey.  I have enjoyed the honor of illustrating the interiors of all of these books, and I'll be illustration my own, and the rest in the series as well.  The beautiful cover art for all of these books was created by the talented and inspiring John Kachik, and the book cover design is by the amazing Lisa Novak.

A scrying mirror I made ages ago, it ended up in a good home of one of our Etsy friends.

Like the rest of the books in this series, there are brief contributions by other authors who talk about their personal uses of each tool and The Witch's Mirror is no exception.  I was so happy to have Raven Digitalis, Melanie Marquis, Blake Octavian Blair, Natalie Zaman, Lisa Allen Calantriniel, Charlynn Walls, Autumn Damiana, David Salisbury, Michael Furie, and Judika Illes all share their personal uses of magic mirrors in the "Reflections of Real Witches" segments sprinkled throughout this book.

This is one of my Witch's Mirrors, it lives above my old wooden art table. It belonged to my grandpa and before that it was on his family farm where he grew up. So what is its magic you ask? It has three purposes, one is that it multiplies the magic that happens on top of my art table altar, the second is for feng shui since my back is to the front door it reflects behind me keeping power at my desk. The third thing this mirror does is remind me of where I come from and brings the energy of my ancestors forward with me in my path in life

I still have to create the illustrations for this book, I have lots of mirror crafts to show you; jewelry, enchanted mirrors, candle holders, mirrored items and more.

Occasionally I make these one of a kind hexenspiegel charms and sell them in my Etsy shop.  A hexenspiegel is a special mirror carried on the person or displayed in the home to shield the user from the evil eye and all forms of negative energy, and yes, instructions for creating your own hexenspiegels and enchanting them are also included in The Witch's Mirror.

The art of looking glass magic puts you in touch with your own spirit and gives you new ways to manifest abundance, protection, glamour, healing, and divination among many other magical uses. Would you like to know how to find, create, and use magical mirrors for scrying, spells, amulets, and more? With the secrets of the witch's mirror at your fingertips, gaze into your own magical mirror, what will you discover?

A portable mirror can also be enchanted for all kinds of magic it's really a versatile powerhouse for any kind of spell work.

Watch for The Witch's Mirror in bookstores everywhere June 8, 2016,

or...be among the first to explore the secrets of The Witch's Mirror when it comes out and pre-order here: http://www.amazon.com/Witchs-Mirror-Craft-Magick-Looking/dp/0738747912

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Blessed Be!

Mickie

Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials: Mabon

It's the Autumn Equinox, and amongst the many things that I'm acknowledging gratitude for today is the box full of books I illustrated that came in the mail from Llewellyn last week! Today I thought it would be appropriate to share the Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials book Mabon by Diana Rajchel!

I currently have a crystal grid set up, so instead of my usual seasonal altar, I added my Mabon items around the grid so as not to disturb it. Included is an electric candle and wrap made by my mom, you can see more of her work at FrogBirdsHouse.etsy.com 

Apples hanging out among the crystals will become some kind of dessert later.

This is the chapter opener for the "Old Ways" chapter where Diana discusses old Traditions celebrating the harvest.

Last year when I was working on these illustrations I was cracking up watching the squirrels running across the yard harvesting acorns, so I had to include one in the "New Ways" chapter opener.

I loved her description of the scarecrow from the crafts section, this guy was fun to draw with his dismayed expression.

The lovely Demeter with many other magical correspondences grace this page.

I love the crow on the cover, the cover art was designed by the talented Kevin R. Brown.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into Mabon from the Llewellyn's Sabbats Essentials.  Think mindfully about all that you're grateful for today, thank the Universe, and appreciate all the little things in life. The world is a magical place!

Available at Barnes & Noble Mabon from the Llewellyn's Sabbats Essentials
Available at Amazon Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials book Mabon

Blessed Be!

Mickie 

Llewellyn's Midsummer Book on my Midsummer Altar

Midsummer, it's the longest day of the year, the point when the sun is at it's zenith, the Summer Solstice, and a magical in between time, this year it falls on June 20th.  It's also called Litha. I've got my Midsummer altar all set up and ready for honoring this significant stop on the Pagan wheel of the year. Even though it's been a rainy week, (forgive my low-light photos) my Midsummer altar is brightening up the place and radiating out Summer energy into my home when I need it the most.

My Midsummer altar all dressed up with my God and Goddess candle statues.

I'm so happy to have my copy of Midsummer by Deborah Blake, the latest release in the Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials series.   I've discovered that these little books are simply a perfect addition to my Wheel of the Year altar, I'm keeping the set nearby as a reminder of the cycles of the earth and I'm placing the current Sabbat book on the altar for easy reference and inspiration, plus they really look pretty! 

My mom Amanda Bryant of Frogbirds House started making these lovely sets with an altar cloth and electric candle wrap for each sabbat, I love these!  This one features a beautiful bright sun on a blue sky, I hope it's magic summons up blue skies here!  Want your own? Click here

I was inspired by both Deborah Blake's correspondences list in the Midsummer book and what is in bloom right now in the fields here at Aelfheim.  I made a bouquet in the cup from my Celtic Faeries Tea For One set and used my grandmother's antique owl "flower frog" to prop the flowers up.  I included two kinds of wild daisies, queen Annes lace, rosemary sprigs and lavender. Grandma often created fresh flower bouquets and included fresh herbs, so she would approve.  I'm watching for the St. Johns Wort to bloom so I can add some.  

One of my illustrations for the "Old Ways chapter in which Deborah explores old Summer Solstice traditions and practices.

My illustration for the "New Ways" chapter. Witchy Summer Solstice curb appeal introduces this chapter full of modern ways to celebrate.

I'm stuck with store-bought tomatoes until my are ripe, but Deborah included a recipe for a chocolate tomato cake using green tomatoes which sounds intriguing, and there are some on the vine! I'm going to try her rosemary shortbread cookies for my Midsummer night cakes and ale!

The correspondences section, full of inspiration!

I hope you enjoyed visiting my Midsummer altar, may you enjoy the Summer Solstice as you grow abundance, and perhaps have a Midsummer Night's Dream!

Featured:
Llewellyn Sabbat Essentials Midsummer by Deborah Blake (illustrated by lil' ole me!)
God and Goddess Statues by Sacred Source designed by Mickie Mueller
Altar Cloth and Electric Candle wrap by Frogbirds House (my mom!)
Celtic Tree FaeriesTea for One Set by Mickie Mueller Studio


Blessed Be!

Mickie

Sneak a Peek at the Beltane Llewellyn Sabbat Essentials Book

I was working like a mad woman to finish up the book I've been writing by the deadline and Beltane kind of crept up on me. Thankfully two great women had my back, my mom Amanda Bryant of FrogBirdsHouse and author Melanie Marquis, the author of Beltane in the Llewellyn Sabbat Essentials series. I actually finished writing my manuscript on Beltane, emailed it off to my editor, and began flipping through my Beltane book for some quick inspiration to celebrate the day! Do you want a peek inside this awesome little book...for you, anything!

Mom has been embroidering these awesome sabbat sets of altar cloths and electric candle wraps. (click here to see more of her work) I was so happy with the Beltane set, I love a good bonfire, so this depiction for Beltane was perfect! I set up my altar with the lovely set, added my God and Goddess candle holder/statues from Sacred Source, and looked up quick correspondences for Beltane that Melanie Marquis added to the back of the Beltane book to finish decorating! 

I just love the covers for this series, designed by Kevin R. Brown, I can't wait to have the whole series, it's going to look gorgeous sitting on the bookshelf! 

The book goes into the "old ways" traditions as they've been celebrated in the past.  I just had to include a bonfire and maypole in this illustration beyond the old time witches gate to her cottage.

For the "new ways" section I illustrated the modern witches entrance, including Melanies mini tabletop maypole in the window, a modern torch for the Beltane flame outside, and of course a faerie garden statue to represent the faerie legends surrounding Beltane.

The recipes and crafts section is awesome!  I've decided I'm just going to celebrate the season of Beltane, going beyond just the day, that way I can enjoy some of her awesome recipes. Blessed Lemon Custard, Sexy Rosemary and Garlic-Roasted Asparagus, and Magical May Wine...yes please!!

Ok, I just had to share a shot of this set my mom made for my Wheel of the Year altar!  I love how the light of the electric candle shines though the candle wraps she makes, and these new altar cloths are so cool! She has some really nice candle wraps and stuff over at FrogBirdsHouse

I loved her description of the Mini Tabletop Maypole, it was really fun to illustrate!

I love the correspondences sections in these books, a super quick and easy reference guide for witches on the go!

After flipping through the book Beltane I found the inspiration I was looking for, and also having recently read Deborah Blake's new book Everyday Witchcraft, I decided a quick Beltane ritual and offering to the Fae would be just the thing after finishing up writing my first stand-alone book on this auspicious day.  I ventured deep into the fields of our home at Aelfheim with a small dish of wine, bread with real butter and honey in a wooden dish, a red, white, and black cloutie to tie to my wishing tree, and a solar lantern to light the way.  The moon is close to full now, so the landscape was illuminated with a milky light.  I reached the stump that I use as an altar and set my offerings and the solar lantern upon it.  Taking a moment to take in the beauty of Aelfheim at night, I was simply in awe and speechless for quite some time.  I spoke to the spirits of the land from my heart offering thanks for their constant blessing and inspiration as I made my offering to them.  When I was ready, I tied my cloutie to the tree as I made a wish (sorry, can't tell) then I made my way back to the house.  I tried to snap a photo, but there was just no way to capture the glow of the moonlight, lantern, and the magic all around my outdoor temple amongst the trees, so this description will have to suffice.

I hope you had a blessed Beltane and that you enjoyed getting a peek at my Beltane author and the illustrations inside Llewellyn's new Sabbat Essentials series Beltane book.  I can't wait to get my Midsummer one in the mail! Speaking of Deborah Blake, she wrote that one, Can't wait!

Blessed Be!

Mickie