How I keep my client information organized.

This is a quick run-down on how I use OneNote to keep track of readings and spellwork for my clients. Enjoy!

This Week's Projects!

Another One-of-a-Kind Shrine for La Santisima Muerte. I'm still crafting the goodies that will go inside (incense, oil, mojo, candles). Below you can see the mojo filled and blessed with herbs sacred to her.

 

 

Close up of the image. It started out black and white then was doctored in Photoshop and then embellished by hand with paint, pigments, shells, paper flowers and an awesome resin cameo! Shrines are custom and can be ordered by contacting me at info (at) pumpkincottageconjure (dot) com

This is the mojo that will go in the shrine. The fabric has skulls and crossbones.
Cute, right?

Speaking of mojos, here is a Road Opener mojo conjured for a customer. Made with a black, white and silver skull fabric and red lace.

I make a lot of money drawing/prosperity mojos. This one was ordered by a customer. I love the little silver money bag charm!

I'm running a mojo special. 20%!
Each one is hand-crafted, blessed and unique. They come with a dram bottle of blessed hoodoo oil and a 4" candle with instructions on how to "wake-up" and work your mojo. Interested? Venture on over to Pumpkin Cottage Conjure.

Wealth Drawing Client Work

Last week I offered my special clients the opportunity for a candle to be lit for them and prayers to be send on the Taurus Full Moon. From time to time I offering clients free spellwork for various things as a thank you for there trust and support.

I have many repeat clients. Some clients I have been working with on and off for years. So my Spirit Guides often want to include these clients in special ceremonies to help boost their energy in a certain area.


I crafted special votive candles for this ceremony. Hand-pouring wax while saying prayers and affirmations for wealth, money and success. Each candle is made with oils and herbs poured into the wax itself and, of course, adorned on top with more herbs, glitter and symbols of wealth.

The altar was set with fragrant season herbs and plant parts as well as coins and money from around the world and money drawing powders. It was quite beautiful!

This spell involved prayers and petitions to Goddesses of Prosperity. As can be seen a pomegranate was offered as a symbol of beauty and bounty.


I enjoy working for my clients and may this energy carry them along the paths to financial stability and freedom. Ashe!

Taurus Full Moon & 11.11.11

Last night I made a new Prosperity Oil especially for this Full Moon in Taurus that is on the eve of 11.11.11

Today I am crafting a special Crystal Essence empowered by the energy of 11.11.11

Both Oil and Essence are a limited edition and are available on PumpkinCottageConjure.com. I am offering a special if you buy both bottles together you save $3.

These are pre-orders as both the Oil and Essence are going to continue to be blessed and charged on the altars here at Pumpkin Cottage. Shipping begins on 12.11.11.

If yo are interested in learning more about these unique and powerful magickal products, please visit the Pumpkin Cottage Conjure website.

Procrastination, my name is.

Today I am feeling much like Yoda. Unfortunately not the awesomely enlightened-beyond-enlightenment Yoda. And also not the I-will-kick-your-butt-Jedi-style Yoda either.

No, today I am feeling like the Yoda who speaks in riddles and backward rhymes...and I have no idea what I am saying.

Last night was spent doing a sleep study which was prescribed by a new doctor that I only saw yesterday and lo-and-behold they had an opening last night for the sleep study. Now usually I am quite like my mother, I need to prepare mentally for these kinds of things. And by prepare I mean make the appointment in advance and then complain and worry needlessly up until that day.

But I had no time to "prepare" as my day yesterday was thrown way off schedule having spent way too much time in the doctor's office (how dare he actually listen to what I say and spend a significant time with me explaining things and laughing at my jokes!). Then of course when I finally got home I had to divide my time between work (client work, computer work, phone readings) and the verdict watch on HLN and then, like many, mourn the loss of Michael Jackson once again.

So finally I arrive at the hospital and they set me up in the snazzy sleep center (which is really nice if you every need a sleep study I highly recommend the accommodations at Northern Dutchess Hospital). I decided not to scare the staff with my usually witchy accoutrements and packed lite.

Needless to say I didn't get much sleep. Have you seen the get-up they put you in? There were at least one million wires (seriously, i lost count). Wires on your legs, wires on your head, wires on your neck, wires on your face. Ridiculous! I think the man who invented this get-up is the same man who invented that impossible little cup they like to make you pee in.

I took a photo of myself but decided it was for family only. Yikes!

So to get back to the topic of this post....well I am exhausted. More than usual. I got up and outta there by 6:30am. I came home and have a gazillion house-witchy and house-wifey things to do but all I want to do is take a nap on ye olde couch.

I think the breadth of my actual work today will be very small. I have spent too many mintues trying to spell the word mintues and I am still not getting it right. So onward and squigglyward.

But really the purpose of this ramble is to share my weekend. We had a great time this weekend during our annual Temple trip to the botanica in the Bronx, Original Products, and the Mother Mary shrine at St. Lucy's Church. As always the grotto and gardens are a lovely place. We lit candles in the prayer area, purchased a few trinkets at the church gift shop, collected water, and meandered through the garden. It's a little slice of Heaven right in the middle of the Bronx.

The grotto is a replica of the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Lourdes, France. The water is reported to have healing powers. And it is quite tasty too.


Behind the grotto is what I call the Saint's Garden.


It features a Scala Sancta (of which my photo did not come out) and a walkway exploring the Stations of the Cross.


Little alcoves house Saint statues and there is this huge and beautiful crucifix.


So yes, Virgina, pagans do visit Christian holy sites. Personally I have nothing against the Christian God. And Jesus is a child of Goddess and I would never deny any of her children. Mother Mary has a very special place in my heart. I learned about her from the Nun's in Sunday School and from my grandmother. She is Mother because she is mother to us all.

Our Temple honors all the paths to Goddess. No matter how much they have been trampled upon. We tend to her path, de-weed, take away the debris, plant healing herbs and flowers, gather her bounty for nourishment, replace what we have taken and more, meditate and keep silence to hear her wisdom and message, and shed light on the path for others to find. It's a wonderful job to be her Priestess.

My awesome Temple Sister Luna and I. It was a chilly brisk day but that is the best kind of day for visiting with the Spirits.

In my world, this is anyway.

Students

I have a few active students right now. Most are long distance but I have a couple that are local.

Today I had a student at Pumpkin Cottage and we talked about a lot of hoodoo-y and witchcraft-y stuff. I also had some client work to prepare so I used the opportunity to show my student some of the tricks of my trade.


Here was the setup in the kitchen for the day.

A double-action candle for reversing bad love juju.
A skull candle to get into the head of someone and change their mind.
A All Powerful Hand candle dressed and fixed for a court case client.

So lots of candle work today. I love my job. I am fortunate to be able to do what I love, help people, share and teach people, and learn lots myself along with way!

Now...it's family time (after doing a client reading too). My wife is home from work.

Blessed New Year!

Blessed Hallows!

This weekend was spent marveling at the sudden snow storm that hit the East Coast. Luckily we did not loose power, however family on the other side of the Hudson River are still without power.

I decided to take advantage of the weather (being since I can't do the much needed yard work and clean-up before the real winter kicks in) and the spirit-imposed downtime (tending to my personal spiritual practices) to make some candles and try out a few new candle-making techniques.

I have a few novena spell candles to make for clients and customers. I am now hand-pouring almost all of the spell candles I use. My goal is to have molds available for all the candles I use by the end of the year.

So here is the weekend candle-making in pics:


Melting wax as I chop and chip away at the ginormous block of wax.


Pouring a skull candle for a client's spell.

There are always money drawing and prosperity candles needed by clients and customers. Making the candles myself allows me to charge the candle with prayers while pouring. I also add the appropriate oils and plant and flower bits to the wax itself.

I try to contain the mess as much as possible. I love making candles!

Skull candle done. And also a most lovely La Santisima Muerte candle. Each is carefully scented with essential oils. The skull candle has some herbs and glitter added to it. La Santisima will get embellished a bit later. Both candles are appropriate for this time of year, dontcha think?

Like I said I am trying a few new techniques...as well as some new candle wax materials and blends. Trial and error makes for the best outcome.

Back to the kitchen.

I will post final pics once they are ready.

Have a blessed days!

Honoring the Dead 2011

Custom Ancestor Enchantments will be made throughout the month of November.

These enchanted fetishes will be made specifically for your Ancestor work. All you need do is supply a family name or photo and Oseaana will conjure the rest (after you make your order you will receive an email to collect this information).

Each Enchantment is made uniquely by hand with a satin fabric, glass beads, decorative string and yarn and a hand-made skull bead and evil eye bead. The Enchantment is and filled with herbs, flowers, and roots. Blessed and prayed over for the Highest Good, your personal Enchantment will arrive with instructions for care and include a dram bottle of Ancestor Oil.

I would love to make one for you! Visit the site for details.

New Message in the Foam Newsletter

Lovey-Dovey Spell!

20% Off Pre-Spring Cleaning Discount!

10% Off at The Moonlit Sea at Etsy!

Save $100 on 1-on-1 personalized witchcraft/conjure training with me!

Check it out!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Messages-in-the-Foam-Newsletter---Issue-18.html?soid=1102478586300&aid=8eMb8Ob2uDI

Get Ready for Valentine's Day!!

It's been busy, busy around Pumpkin Cottage...but I did remember to conjure up something special for Valentine's Day.

I decided to take this opportunity to launch our first (and anticipated) spell kit! Attracting Love is the new spell kit to take up residence at Pumpkin Cottage. Read below for all the lovely details!

Attracting Love Spell Kit was created with you in mind! Many requests for love spell kits have culminated in this special kit that can be used to find your "true love" or to bring more self-love into your life.

There are three components to the Attracting Love Spell Kit. A small red candle beautifully dressed with herbs and flowers known to bring about amorous affection and peace and beauty.

The candle is properly dressed and blessed by Oseaana. A cute little felt heart amulet sewn by Oseaana by hand, prayed over and filled with fiberfill and herbs and flowers such as Roses and Passion Flower. The amulet can be displayed on your vanity, altar, carried with you or tucked under your pillow at night to bring about sweet dreams. The Attracting Love oil is perfect to dress the heart amulet and/or to wear as a light fragrance to bring more love into your life.

Instructions come with this spell kit and include suggestions on how to use the kit to find your "true love" or to bring more love and joy into your life!



Attracting Love Spell Kit includes:

• 1 small dressed and blessed red glass encased candle
• 1 felt heart amulet (approx 4" x 4")
• 1 dram bottle of Attracting Love Oil
• Instruction Sheet
  

Ancestor Blessings ~ Amulets and Enchantments and Readings

Last year I received an overwhelming great response to the Ancestor Blessing services I offered. This year I am offering these same amazing Ancestor Blessing items again. And I am extending the time I will walk between the veils and do this sacred work for you.

Ancestor Blessings
Amulet & Enchantment

Now through November 30th I am creating these special
Amulets & Enchantments at a special price!

Each Amulet and Enchantment is handcrafted by me using white cloth,
herbs, roots and other curios sacred to working with the Ancestors.

I also hand-embellish each one with beads, ribbon and thread. Your Ancestor Protection Amulet and Enchantment will include hand-made skull and "evil eye" beads, clear/white, purple and red beads.

The Ancestor Blessing Amulet can be hung in your home or placed on an Ancestor altar to bring the protective blessings of the Ancestors to you.
$10 (regularly $13) plus shipping

The Ancestor Blessing Enchantment comes with a small "side-car" mojo bag that you can fill with the graveyard dirt of your Ancestor or a trinket that was special to your Ancestor.
$30 (regularly $45) plus shipping

Please visit PumpkinCottageConjure.com to order!

Ancestral Readings
November 6th - November 30th

I will be doing Ancestral Spirit Consultations for those
who are interested between 11/6 and 11/30.

These readings/consultations must be done over the phone or in-person. This is not a seance or channeling. I will be working with my Ancestral Spirit, Mama Da, to connect with your Ancestor's spirits during this auspicious time of the year.

Ask questions about your spiritual path. Get insight into the coming year. Receive information from the Ancestors and Spirits.

Consultations are 45 minutes to an hour. If you have a photo of an Ancestor that you want to email me that would be great. After completing your consultation I can conjure an Ancestor Blessing Amulet or Enchantment based on the insight and gifts received during your consultation.

Consultation Only : $75
Consultation & Amulet: $85 (includes shipping)
Consultation & Enchantment: $105 (includes shipping)

Book Ancestral Readings through my appointment booking software.

Please visit PumpkinCottageConjure.com!

cookie recipe

I guess the cookies made a few mouths water so here is the recipe. I can't claim it. I got it from my big Mrs. Field's Cookie book. The recipe is for making them into crescent shapes, which I do sometimes but usually am too lazy. Rolling them into balls is much faster.

Snowy White Chocolate Crescents

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

• 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup confectioners’sugar

• * Preheat oven to 325°

• * In a small bowl, combine flour and cocoa. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.

• * In a medium bowl, cream butter ans sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add vanilla and egg, and beat until light and smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add flour and cocoa mixture. Blend on low speed until fully incorporated. The dough with be dry and crumbly.

• * Shape a level tablespoon of dough into a 3½-inch log. Slightly bend the log to form a crescent shape. Form remaining dough into crescents, and place on ungreased baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until the outside of cookie is hard but the center remains soft.

• * Cool on pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a flat surface to cool a few minutes more. While still warm, roll the cookies in confectioners’ sugar until coated.

My variations over the years:

• rolling them into balls instead of crescents
• making them with spelt flour (half white spelt/half whole spelt)
• making them with sucanat or agave
  
• using only 1/2 cup of sugar/sucanat
• using almond extract instead of vanilla extract (and adding a bit more to make them almondy yummy)
• adding a dash of cinnamon to the recipe
• using a scant 1/4 of apple sauce instead of the egg

Also, I think letting them cool 2-3 minutes before rolling in the powdered sugar is too long. They need to be warm (but not hot) for the powdered sugar to stick well.

Enjoy!

the moon is made of chocolate...

You've heard the saying that the moon is made of cheese? Well, I beg to differ. I think the moon is made of chocolate...deep delicious warm chocolate covered in powdered sugar.

These are my full moon cookies for tonight's ritual. I figured it was close enough to the full moon to make 'em. Besides, who needs an excuse to eat chocolate?

Recent client work...

I have been really busy lately with client work as well as doing my own spiritual work to further enhance my personal spiritual path. So, I haven't had much time to but a blog post together and figured I would do a quick update with photos of recent client work.

Here goes...
5/22/10 - The working altar with all kinds of client work going. The two glowing candles on each side are skull candles for separate client cases. A few novena candles set for various purposes, mojos charging, etc.

A Custom Conjured All-Powerful Mojo Bag created for an extra special client.

One of the newly created original candle label designs now available at Pumpkin Cottage Conjure. This Steady Work Cottage Candle has been dressed and blessed and is being set for the special client mentioned above.

Look for a blog post soon about other new products and services being offered at Pumpkin Cottage Conjure.

Sometimes a binding spell is in order. This is the beginnings of a binding spell to stop a nasty person from doing more harm. Putting them in dirty murky water, then freezing until the next step.

First real harvest of herbs (and a couple of gerbera daisies for the altars). Here we see basil, purpose sage, rosemary, sweet woodruff, italian parsley and lemon verbana. If only computers came with smell-o-vision!

That is all for now.

Look for a product and services update post soon!

Her Sacred Fires - A Rite for Hekate

On May 27th hundreds of people around the world participated in a worldwide honoring of Hekate. The Rite was created by Author and Hekate Priestess Sorita d'Este.

I was one that joined in on this amazing worldwide ritual. I incorporated this ritual as part of my 13 Moon Dedication to Hekate. Hekate has been calling me for a few years. I find her to be very patient with me as I felt my way around the proper ways to honor her in my personal spiritual path. It seems that Hekate also wants to have a place in the Scarlet & Amethyst Temple and Tradition and I am honoring her wish.

Below are some photos that I took during my personal Sacred Rite to Hekate.

The Full Moon overhead.

Her Sacred Flame.

Definitely check out Hekate: Her Sacred Fires website for more information and for information about Sorita's books.

Spring Renewal

Last weekend a few Goddess sisters came to Pumpkin Cottage for a Spring Release and Renew Ceremony. The ceremony was to help us release those things which no longer serve us and to replace those things with wonderful new manifestations.

The ceremony was in honor of Yemaya, the Scarlet & Amethyst Temple Mother Goddess. I honored each sister with a cleansing hand and foot wash.



We banished those things we did not want in our lives anymore and we dressed a candle to bring the blessings of our New Moon wishes.

I created these candles for the ritual and each sister went home with their own candle to burn on their altars.

I finished the ceremony the next day by taking the offering we made for Yemaya to the river for Oshun to take to the ocean.

It was a wonderful ceremony full of love and healing.


I am creating a learning circle for local women who are interested in doing ritual on a regular basis and who also want to learn more about the Scarlet & Amethyst Temple and Tradition. The learning circle is called Spirit Sisters and will be a Goddess-centered ritual group that creates and manifests sisterhood and magick.

If you are local and want to join us, please email me.

Continued Blessings...

Better Business Card Wallets!

Better Business Card Wallets!
Coming soon in various fabric combinations.

What makes them "better business" card wallets? Not only is there an inside pocket to hold your business cards...there is a interior hidden pocket that holds a small pouch of delicious smelling money drawing herbs. The hidden interior pouch is hand embroidered with the success sigil.

Attract more money and abundance to your business!
Or use it as a wallet for your money!

Each wallet is approx. 4.5" x 3.5" sewn with a medium weight interfacing. The closure is a loop and matching button.

These will be arriving on PumpkinCottageConjure.com and TheMoonlitSea.net very soon. Keep watching this blog!

New features and services...

A new way to book a spiritual consultation (aka reading) with me! Check out PumpkinCottageConjure.com for the new appointments tab (found on the right side of your screen).

This is the easiest and quickest way to schedule your phone appointment with me (in-person appointments need to be scheduled via phone or email).

For details on how to use the appointment tab visit PumpkinCottageConjure.com



I expanded the light setting service to include 1 Day Novena Candle Burnings. 1 Day Novena Candles set on our altars generally burn between 1-3 days and are great for specific purposes such as job interviews, travel protection, school tests, court dates, etc.

As always...candles burned on our altars are set with petitions and prayed over daily. You will receive a emailed report of your candle burning once it is finished.

Visit the services page on PumpkinCottageConjure.com.

Dollar store altars!

Today I went to Dollar General to pick up some miscellaneous necessities. I know I am not the only one who goes into these dollar stores and comes out with things you didn't know you needed.

I found myself standing in the aisle with the artificial flowers...just staring at them...not knowing why. Finally after a few minutes of being dumbfounded I grabbed two bunches of fake flowers and went on my way.

When I got home I realized what the flowers were for. Santisima Muerte and Yemaya both wanted some beautification done to their altars. And since I am good little Spirit server...

Santisima Muerte (Holy Death) altar

Yemaya altar