On your wrist, you will see bluish veins. The blood which flows through them contains hemoglobin, a protein which incorporates four iron atoms into its structure. Iron is only naturally produced in one place, it can only be forged in the core of dying stars.
Looking at your veins, we are built from and kept alive by pieces of stardust.
“The ‘Pender’ is an Amulet that serves as a potent, portable, protective ward against malefic forces.
Each Pender Ward is composed from a Hagstone and a Thunderstone that are bound to one another by a length of thirteen alternating beads. Each material is chosen for its significant folkloric associations with protection —the innate virtues of which are then aligned and enlivened in specialized ritual to consecrate it as a personal amulet.
The materials incorporated in every Pender include:
A Thunderstone (a fossilized Urchin, also known as a Faery Loaf, Sherpherd’s Crown, or Snake’s Egg, among various other folk-names, and traditionally held to provide the bearer with good luck and protection from dangerous forces such as witchcraft and lightning,)
a Hagstone (a holed stone, also known as an Adder Stone, Faerie Stone, or Hex Stone, among other folk-names, and traditionally held to protect against witchcraft, fae enchantment, and jinxes, thanks to the power of Running Water that was worked into it over generations)
and Pure Copper (a magically active metal, known amongst the Wise to defend against the Evil Eye, as well as offering a degree of protection from lesser Wights of maleficent virtue.)
The alternating beads can be made up from any combination of the following materials —two of which may be chosen by the buyer:
Job’s Tears
Obsidian
Serpentine
Jet
Rowan Wood
and Black Tourmaline.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a customizable personal ward may do so for $63 on my shop: ☆
Beltane Recipes with Correspondences and Vegan Alternatives
Honey Oat Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk (almond or soy for vegan or dairy free)
- 2 tbsps unstated butter or margarine
- ¼ cup honey (agave for vegan)
- ¼ cup water, lukewarm
- 2 ¼ tsps instant yeast
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup oats (instant or old fashioned)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For topping:
- 1 ½ - 2 tbsps honey, warmed (agave for vegan)
- 1 ½ -2 tbsps oats
Directions:
- In a small bowl heat the milk so that it is warm enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.
- Stir the yeast into the mixture and let sit for 15 minutes until bubbly.
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, and salt.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a dough hook or spoon until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead in the mixer or by hand for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Cover the bowl with a clean dry towel and allow to rise until doubled, about ½ to 1 hour.
- Once doubled, with your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a lightly greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, cover with a clean dry towl, and allow to rise until doubled, about ½ to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). Place an empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
- When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats.
- Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190 degrees.
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Honey ~ happiness, healing, love, lust, purification, spirituality, sweet things in life, weight loss, wisdom
- Salt ~ cleansing & purification, grounding, protection
- Yeast~ grounding, purification
Lemon Chamomile Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups salted butter or margarine, very soft
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsps lemon zest
- 3 tsps loose chamomile tea
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lighty grease three baking sheets.
- Using a hand-held electric beater, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until very creamy.
- Gradually beat in the cornstarch and flour.
- Beat in the lemon zest and chamomile. Continue to beat the batter for a full 10 minutes until it looks like slightly overbeaten whipped cream (see notes).
- Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven just as they start to brown on the bottoms.
- Let the shortbread cookies cool on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Do be careful when moving them as they will fall apart if you transfer them too soon.
Notes:
- If you use a stand-mixer instead of a hand held electric beater, the cookies will fall flat. If you want to use your stand mixer, please make sure to reduce the time you mix the batter.
Magickal Correspondences:
- Cookies ~ (in general) nurturing, love
- Lemon ~ faithfulness, friendship, happiness, longevity, love, marriage
Beware high noon in the desert lest you be bitten by this delectable cocktail! A lemon margarita with lime-salt around the rim a punch of sour cherry at the bottom.
Just Married (by Kayla)
This drink is as sweet as true love’s first kiss! To celebrate the Games’ take on getting married in Vegas, this berry-sugar sweet cocktail is concocted with strawberry puree, a healthy splash of gin, champagne, and a hint of mint. Congratulations to the happy couple!
Fairy Lights (by Helen)
This drink is simple syrup, champagne, and a bit of absinthe for its green glow. It’s sure to whisk you away, reminiscent of a trip to the Vegas strip, one whose bright lights and wild nights you likely won’t remember.
Dancing Lights in the Sky (by Helen)
The truth isn’t out there: it’s at the bottom of a bottle. And this drink will beam you into the stratosphere with a mixture of gin, crème de violette, blue curaçao and lemon juice, finished off with edible silver power to give it a bit of shine.
Russian roulette (by Layla)
A mix of vodka and cherry liqueur, the drink is topped off with some black liquorice which floats near the bottom of the glass. An edible black rose is set at the side of the glass, which mixes well with the sugar crystal rim.
Straight flush (by Nicole)
.5 oz pineapple vodka, .5 oz mango vodka, .5 oz unflavored vodka, .25 oz lemon vodka, .25 oz lime vodka, Sprite with a splash of pineapple juice & grenadine
Five of a kind makes for a flush. And with the mix of vodkas, soda, and all-around sugar, you’re likely to want to stick near the facilities. Especially if you go back for some seconds.
Lucky Lady’s Third Charm (by Raluca)
Deep flavors of raspberry and mint blend together in a background of vodka and triple sec. You cannot get enough of this sweet and refreshing taste. The only catch? You may only order three at a time. Gamble on your lucidity today!
Whatever the Fuck They’re On (by Raluca)
It’s just water. And MDMA.
Victor’s Vigor (by Rainy)
It’s good. The black part tastes kind of sour, but the yellow is sickeningly sweet. The gold leaf on top is tasteless, and there’s a very sugary rim on the glass. Because for the record: it might be hard to go through the death of the games, but in the end victory is sweet.
