My PusPus (then and now)

Then

                                                                
And....Now

But I love here even more!!!

Samhain Lore (October 31st)

Samhain Lore (October 31st)  Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means "End of Summer", and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat. It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort. Originally the "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering dead". Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits. This was the time that the cattle and other livestock were slaughtered for eating in the ensuing winter months. Any crops still in the field on Samhain were considered taboo, and left as offerings to the Nature spirits. Bonfires were built, (originally called bone-fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with peoples names. Then they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the retrieved stone foretold of that person's fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested fields to protect and bless the land. Various other names for this Greater Sabbat are Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn. Also known as All Hallow's Eve, (that day actually falls on November 7th), and Martinmas (that is celebrated November 11th), Samhain is now generally considered the Witch's New Year. Symbolism of Samhain: Third Harvest, the Dark Mysteries, Rebirth through Death. Symbols of Samhain: Gourds, Apples, Black Cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, Besoms. Herbs of Samhain: Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, Oak leaves, Sage and Straw. Foods of Samhain: Turnips, Apples, Gourds, Nuts, Mulled Wines, Beef, Pork, Poultry. Incense of Samhain: Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg. Colors of Samhain: Black, Orange, White, Silver, Gold. Stones of Samhain: All Black Stones, preferably jet or obsidian.

Witch Candy Holder Craft

This craft can be made with the head only or the head and body.  I like the whole thing, but if you're looking for a smaller project, just do the head.  Older children can try their hand at painting the face onto the pot, but if they're nervous about it (or if they try it and it doesn't work out) I've provided a template face you can just glue on the front of the pot. I used 4 1/2 inch (diameter) terra cotta pots and my witch is about 1 foot tall -- she's a candy dish in my living room (just lift the hat for a treat). BUT, you can use any size pots you want -- if you have big outdoor plastic or terra cotta pots you can end up with a treat holder that's the size of a child!  You'll need to use black poster board instead of construction paper to make a hat big enough for a large version.  A child sized version would be such a neat treat holder for the trick or treaters that come to your door!

Materials:

• three terra cotta pots (you only need one pot if you're just doing the head)
  • instead of a terra cotta pot, you can use a green plastic pot or a margarine container
  • if you substitute a plastic container for the terra cotta, you'll need to rub the outside with coarse sandpaper to "rough it up" so the paint stays on.
     
• Terra cotta pot saucer (optional) -- this is the feet
   

• black and green acrylic paint  (Note: if you're using the template instead of painting the face, you won't need the green)
   
  • acrylic paint dries quickly so there isn't a lot of waiting time on this project.  It won't come out of clothes, so where something old or use a cover-up (dad's old shirts!)
     
  • TIP 1: in our household, we have black, white, red, blue and yellow paint.  We mix all our own colors.  This is more fun for the kids (my junior scientists) and is less expensive if you don't do projects that often.  I find that the paints dry out after a year... because we mix our own, we use the paints up -- when we buy the colors for each project, we end up having to throw paints away a lot.
     
  • TIP 2:  if you don't use acrylic paint that often, but have lots of tempra/poster paint in the house, just buy white acrylic paint.  Base coat the project with white acrylic and then paint overtop of it with the tempra/poster paints. 
     
• white liquid paper or acrylic paint (we used liquid paper because it has that nice tiny brush)
   
• black marker (permanent marker)
   
• black and green construction paper
   
• scissors
   
• scotch tape

Instructions:  

NOTE:  I only had to use one coat of paint    paint the first pot (the head) all black on the rim (this is the hair).  Paint 1/2 of the rest of the pot black    look at the unpainted part -- this will be the face.  You want most of it to be green (face color) and just the edges of it to be black (the hair)    look at the photo for guidance.

• paint two of the pots completely black (if you're only doing the head, skip this step)
    
• paint the outside and bottom of the saucer all green or all black (depending on what color you want her feet to be).  We used all green. (if you're only doing the head, skip this step)

Make the Hat

• Trace a dinner plate onto a piece of black construction paper. 
  
  • Cut it out.  
  • This is the hat rim.
      
• Trace the same dinner plate onto a second piece of black construction paper. 
  
  • Cut it out.  
  • Fold it in half and cut it in half.  
  • Roll into a cone and tape into a cone.
      
• tape the cone onto the circle to make a witch's hat (lid for your container)

Make the Arms  (if you're only doing the head, skip these steps)

• cut two 5" by 3" strips from black construction paper (measurements don't have to be exact).
    
• roll each strip around a pencil or fat marker to make a cylinder for the arm. 
    
• cut simple hand (mitten) shapes out of green construction paper (if you're stuck, I've included two hands on the printable template... feel free to use those).
    
• put a piece of scotch tape on one of the hands.  Insert it into the arm.
    
• Squash the other end of the arm (the end without the hand) and scotch tape it to the bottom of one of the pots you painted all black.
    
• Repeat with the other arm.

Make the Face:

• By now, the paint will be dry.  Use a permanent black marker to draw a wiggly mouth, a small nose, two goofy eyes and some eyebrows.
    
• Use liquid paper (or white paint) to paint the eyeballs white, dot a bit of white in the black part of the eyes and the top of the nose.  We used liquid paper.

Assemble the Witch: Use the black marker (or the liquid paper) to draw a line down the saucer so it looks like two feet.    Put the saucer, upside down, where your witch will be standing.    Put the black pot (without the arms) rightside up on top of the saucer.    Put the black pot (with the arms) upside down on top of that    Put the head (rightside up) on top of the arms    Fill the head with candy.    Put the hat on the head    NOTE:  You can use hot glue to put the witch together, but I like to just stack them... that way, when it's time to put away the Halloween decorations, I can stack the pots inside each other for easier storage (with a bit of paper towel between each to prevent scratching)

Nervous about painting?

• Not everyone is comfortable with their artistic abilities. 
  • Younger children (mine anyways) can get awfully frustrated when their artwork doesn't turn out as well as the photos do.  If this is one of the first big projects they've done, you may want to focus on painting the base colors and cheat a bit on the face. 
  • Have the child practice drawing the face once or twice on a piece of paper, before doing it on the pot.
  • Having the face template handy gives you something to refer to as you paint AND gives you something to glue on if you don't want to try painting the face (or if you try it and it doesn't work out).  I realize this isn't as artistic or creative an option as drawing it, but on occasion a fun/ stress free project is good for building confidence in young crafters.
  • If the template is needed, just let everything dry and then glue on the template face onto the pot (trim it as needed)
     
• The template face was made for the 4 1/2 inch terra cotta pots I used, but you could trim it to fit a pot of a similar size.
    

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
     
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers). 

OPTIONAL Template   (color)   or   (B&W)

   

Witch TP Roll Craft

Materials: toilet paper roll,  a printer,  paper,  scissors,  glue, and  something to colour with.

Instructions

• Print out the template of choice.
   
• Colour pieces, as necessary.
   
• Cut out the pieces.  This step may require adult assistance.
    
• Glue the head, arms and feet onto the body.
    
• Glue the pot to the body in front of a witch.  You can glue a toothpick into the witch's hands and the back of the pot to make it look like she is stirring her brew.
   

Templates:  

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
     
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers). 

Template   (color)   or   (B&W)

Witches at Halloween

Halloween is the witches favourite time of year.  On the night of Samhain, 31st October, witches gather in their coven.  The purpose of this meeting is to weave spells;  for examples witches cast spells to sever sour relationships and end bad situations.  If possible witches should create such destructive spells during the waning phase of the moon.

While the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth were concerned with predicting the future (Double, double toil and trouble).  At Halloween, a coven of witches traditionally focuses their attention on the spirits of the dead.  Indeed, this is where the black cat comes into the legend, for it is believed that a witch can turn into a black cat and thus freely enter the spirit world. 

Witches use the powers of the waxing moon to improve the efficacy of good luck spells.  For example, they use white candles for positive energy and green candles for healing.  Here is a witches spell to cure nightmares: repeat this incantation 13 times:

'Red leaves, gift from earth,
Birth to death and death to birth,
Keep all evil far away,
Day to night and night to day.'

Here is a famous witches poem - The Witching Hour by John Keats

Tis the witching hour of night,
Or bed is the moon and bright,
And the stars they glisten, glisten,
Seeming with bright eyes to listen
For what listen they?

13 Witch Jokes (One for each member of the coven)

1. One of the witch's coven gave birth to twins.  The problem arose when the other witches could not tell which witch was witch. 
2. Member Edna was a dog trainer by day, then by night she went from wags to witches. 
3. When the coven travelled to an out-of-town gathering, Martha could not make it, she was a poor traveller and phoned in broom sick.
4. Celia tried to fly to the coven meeting, but her broomstick broke, no worries, she witch-hiked with Sheila.
5. The other 12 witches asked Gladys why she put her broomstick in the washing machine.  Gladys replied that she wanted a clean sweep.
6. Ivana kept on climbing up walls so now the other members of the coven call her 'Ivy'.
7. One day Astrid dropped off at the astrologer's, she wanted to know her horror-scope.
8. Leslie could not distinguish between Tiny Tina and a stag the coven were chasing.   Betty said, 'It's easy, one is a haunted stag, the other is a stunted hag'.
9. Celia asked Edna why she carried a pencil sharpener.  'It's to keep my has pointed', came the reply.
10. When Gladys went to the zoo she bought two tickets.  Leslie asked 'Why?'.  'One to get, and one to get out replied Gladys'.
11. Astrid asked Ivy where she bought her garden furniture.  'At the Ideal Gnome' exhibition', came the reply.
12. When ever the coven have a brew up, they always drink their tea from a flying saucer.
13. What happened when the coven's darts team lost all their matches?  They had a spell in the second division.

A Coven of Witches (Wicce)

A Coven of Witches (Wicce)

Did you know that a coven of witches, means a gathering of 13 witches.  Unfortunately, for some of us, a coven of witches can gather not just at Halloween, but at any time of the year.  Wife, mother-in-law, sister, niece, aunties, .... hmm that's a lot of witch power.

English has many nouns which apply to either gender for example, child, spy, or even angel.  Originally witch was one of these neutral words, but increasingly, witch is a female preserve, and the equivalent male word became warlock. 

There are other older words for witch, and they do have gender specific endings, wicca (male) and wicce (female).  Curiously, the plural of wicca and wicce is wiccan.

The oldest pre-Christian meaning for wicce and wicca includes fortune-teller as well as creator of sorcery, medicine and black magic.  As with many ancient cults, most of the wiccan secrets were passed on by word of mouth.  Then just when information started to be written down, witches were literally hunted down and killed, thus not much incentive for them to write things down! Indeed, the 't' first appears in the word wiTch in reference to witch hunts in the 16th century.

Another Anglo-Saxon documents have the spelling as 'Wica'.  Many Saxon tribes had a 'wise man' or a 'wise woman', who were consulted for potions to cure illnesses.  It was a natural development of human nature to produce magic potions, which may (or may not) act as love charms, or spells to satisfy peoples' desires.