This carpet freshener recipe is the culmination of many years of experimenting with different powders for different purposes. It is very simple, yet very effective at ridding your house of unwanted odors as well as a number of common household pests & is safe enough to use on the floor your baby chews crawls on. It will kill and repel roaches, fleas, & ants. It is also hypo-allergenic for the most part.
Baking Soda (Dollar Stores are a cheap place to look.
Fragrance or Essential Oils
A large jug or jar with tight fitting lid
The first thing you want to do is mix equal parts Borax & Baking Soda. I hate having a sprinkle of this or that left over and this need not be exact measuring. I use the 4lb 12oz box of 20 Mule Team Borax, which translates to 64 oz. Then I mix in 5 14oz boxes of Dollar Store brand Baking Soda, which translates into 70 oz. This gets me up to about 2 gallons of powder. You can use a fragrance oil, like you find at Wally World, or any combo of essential oils that please your nose. I use about 20 drops of oil per pound of powder. If you used the same measurements I did, then you have 134 oz or about 8 1/3 lbs. so you need about 167 drops of oil or 2.78 teaspoons according to this site. The amount of oil may be increased or decreased to meet your needs. Mine recipe is a little on the aromatic side. I make mine in very large batches but feel free to reduce the recipe. 1 cup of borax & 1 cup of baking soda with 20 or so drops of oil is a good starter batch.
So anyway. You add the oil to the powder in a jug or jar with a tight fitting lid. You should only fill your container about 2/3 the way full so that you have shaking space. Put the lid on and shake vigorously. Shake daily for about a month. Then it's ready.
Now, here is where the magic comes in. I like to use the principals of aroma therapy, astrological influences and herb magic in my preparations. For instance, a floor powder made on a Friday, during a Waxing Moon in Venus, using Rose & Sandalwood oil, & adding in an opal just for kicks, would provide you with a floor powder suitable for stirring up some romance. As a true believer that magic should permeate our lives, I encourage you to use these recipes as a chance to squeeze in some 'everyday magic'. Burn a candle & focus on the intended result as you mix your powders. Visualize your intent when you do your daily shaking of the mixture. Treat it like a spell instead of a cheap, natural, home made carpet powder.
Another thing you can do with this combo is to add Tea Tree Oil to it and use it as an germ killing soft scrub(perfect for toilets). It can be used as a laundry detergent as well, I use about 1/2 cup per load with castile soap.
It's 4 in the morning, here at Casa de la Bohemia, and we have the doors open and citronella burning. I'm sitting at my laptop happily tapping away, searching for the next new Paleo recipe...perhaps something I can put in the crock pot now and eat later?
Rosie:Holy double shit! (her own phrase, I don't know anyone who says this) Fi: What? and why are you yelling. Rosie: (still with headphones on, listening to F.Scott's metal) Flies are attacking the light. Fi: That's not flies, it's moths. Moths are good. I once met one this big.
Funny thing is, this convo is soooo typical, including the cursing. But I never let them use words to demean or hurt others in any way (even, not so dirty words!). Believe it or not I've gotten reprisals from other parents who allow their children to behave ever so fucking hatefully, but don't curse in the process. I ask you this: Is social conformity of higher value to teach our children, than kindness?
I needed to steam the carpets today, so I made the girls some home made play dough to keep them out of my hair. It's a heluva lot cheaper than the shit at Wally World and you can whip up a huge batch in about 5 minutes.
You will need:
3 parts flour (any)
1 part salt (anything but rock salt)
some kind of oil, canola, vegetable
water
vitamin E capsules (optional)
Food Dye (optional)
Make the dry mix by combining 3 parts flour and 1 part salt. In a separate bowl, mix water and oil at a ratio of 3 parts water 1 part oil to total about 1 cup if your dry parts(above) are cups. A few vitamin E's squeezed into the mix will help lengthen the shelf life, and if desired should be added to the bowl of liquid at this time. Also, if desired, food dye is best added at this time. Alternately, for color, one might use a sort of vegetable tea instead of water above. In my opinion, this decreases the raw shelf life of the dough. Most of the plants listed as Natural Easter Egg Dyes will work here. After you finish mixing all liquids, pour them into the bowl of flour and salt. Mix with a fork until it gets clumpy and then knead into a ball. You may need to add a bit more flour or water/vegetable tea at this point. It should feel like regular play dough and taste like salt. Best kept in the refrigerator inside an air-tight container like a zip lock bag with all the air squeezed out. Depending on the temperatures in your area of the world, you may be able to dry your creations outside in the sun. Let them get 'over-done' and make sure you flip them to let both sides dry. Could take a day or a week. You can also dry them in the oven at a low temperature like 225 F. Here you should also turn them over and let them get over done, but make sure they do not burn! After they completely dry, an hour or a day, you can paint them or seal them with varnish.
Some Ideas on What to do with PlayDough:
A blurry pic of some things creations about to go into the oven!
Make beads by rolling dough into small balls and poking holes through with a toothpick. Great for necklaces, ornaments, bead curtains, poppets, etc.
Make an altar tile with a cool design on it like a pentagram or the Tree of Life. Do this by placing a coloring page over some dough that you've rolled out to your desired thickness and poking holes along the lines to create a stencil for you to use on your dough. Or if you have a bit of artistic talent you could free hand carve the picture of your choice.
You can also use cookie cutters to make great shapes for Yule ornaments, Charms, and all other manner of nonsense.
I've made offering bowls, incense holders, coasters, decorative tiles for hanging, little plaques, candle holders, and even little goddesses.
Bits of Glass & Metal can be used in the before baking process. In the after baking process, get creative with glue & paint & buttons & yarn & glitter & so on!
If you make something great, come back and tell me about it! Or even better post pics!
This being near the time of the Summer Solstice, I thought a post about The Sun would be appropriate. I know, I personally tend to shy away from solar energy and solar deities simply because I, and probably most of you consider the Sun to be male. I never really feel comfortable working with male energy, IDK why, it just doesn't feel right. But anyway, because of this, I know very little about it astrologically or magically.
Godchecker lists the following deities associated with the Sun:
Adityas: 12 brother gods in Hindu myth who take turns being in charge of the Sun, and as you may guess, each is associated with a month. They have varied areas of interest from justice to marriage, but the only ones who seem to have anything to with the Sun are Surya and Ansa.
Adrammelech: Supreme Sun god of the Sepharvites, and later the Samaritans. Oft mentioned in Pentecostal churches because of a mention in 2 Kings of infant sacrifice.
Ah-Ciliz: Mayan God of Eclipses, devours the Sun god periodically.
Aja: Babylonian Sun God
Alklha: Slavic monster of eclipses (starting to think these guys need their own list).
Amana: South American creator goddess who made the Sun and manages it's daily movements.
Amaterasu: Shinto Sun Goddess.
Amun: Egyption Sun god.
Anansi: African spider, trickster god who created the Sun & Moon.
Apedemak: Sudanese Sun god.
Apollo: Greek Sun God.
Arinna: Mother/Sun Goddess of the Hittites.
Ashvins: Twin Hindu gods that rode a golden chariot across the sky.
Aten: Minor Sun God turned first Monotheistic God of Egypt. (for a very long 17 years)
Atius-Tirawa: Creator of the Sun, Moon, & Stars in Native American (Pawnee) mythology.
Atri: Son of Brahma. Makes sure the Sun stays in place.
Atum: Egyptian god of the setting Sun.
Au: God of the rising Sun in Oceanic mythology
Awonawilona: Native American (Pueblo, Zuni) God/dess of the Sun.
Aya: Mesopotamian Goddes of the Dawn and consort the the main Sun god.
Belenus: Celtic Sun God.
Ben-Elaba: Mayan Sun God.
Bjort: Freya's handmaid & Goddess of bright sunlight.
Bumba: God who vomited up the universe, including the Sun.
Cautha: Etruscan Sun god/dess of the Dawn.
Chup-kamui: Japanese Sun god.
Dudugera: Sun god in Papau, New Guinea
Freyr: Norse Sun God.
Garuda: Indian Sun God with and eagle's head.
Gnowee: Aboriginal Sun goddess who eternally searches for her lost child with a torch in her hand.
Harmakhis: Another Egyptian Sun God.
Helios: Greek Sun God
Hesperides: Three Nymphs of Sunset.
Horus: Egyptian Sky god, the Sun was one of his eyes.
Huitziopochtli: Perhaps an Aztec Sun god?
Hynahpu: Mayan Sun god.
Huruing-Wuhti: Two old ladies who play ball with the Sun & make people out of clay. Hopi, Native American.
Inti: Incan God of the Sun.
Kaitangata: Polynesian God of Sunsets.
Kalvelis: Baltic Sun God.
Kan-Ajana: Southeast Asian Sun god.
Kinich-Ahau: Mayan Sun God.
Kuat: Brazilian Sun God.
Legba: Hatian Sun God, among other things.
Lugus: Welsh Sun God.
Mahes: Egytian god of Summer heat.
Mawu-Lisa: Sun/Moon brother/sister duo of the Fon people in Africa.
Mnevis: Black Bull of the Moon in Egyptian mythology.
Nanautzin: Aztec god/dess of humble bravery who leaped into a sacrificial fire to become God of the Sun.
Nefertem: Egyptian God of the rising Sun.
Njambi: African Sky god.
OD: Norse Summer Sun god
Page-Abe: South American Sun god.
Paivatar: Sunny Summer Goddess of Finland
Punchau: Incan Sun God
Purusha: Indian God. His eye is the Sun.
Ra: Egyptian Sun God.
Raven: Native American god who stole the Sun and shared it with the world.
Rohini: Possibly an Indian Sun goddess.
Saule: (sow-lay) Slavic Sun Goddess
Savitri: Indian god of the moving Sun.
Sekhmet: Egyptian Sun Goddess
Shakaru: Pawnee Sun Goddess
Shamesh: Mesopotamian Sun God of Law.
Sol or Sunna: Norse Sun Goddess.
Sol (2): Roman equivalent of Helios
Takami-Musubi: Japanese Sun Goddess
Tamit: Native American Sun God.
Tamusi: South American god that keeps the Sun from getting too hot.
Tonatiuh: Aztec Sun god.
Tsohanoai: Navajo Sun carrying god.
Tsui-Goab: Namibian god who makes the Sun rise, and other things
Unelanuki: Cherokee Sun Goddess
Viracocha: Incan Sun God
Vivasat: Indian god of the rising Sun.
Holy Shit! What a list! And Wikipedia lists many more. In addition to the above, the Sun is associated with Yang energy according to Daoist philosophy. Being male, loud, bright, outgoing, ect. Wikipedia also states:
Among Wiccans, the most common Wheel of the Year narrative is that of the God/Goddess duality. In this cycle, the God is born from the Goddess at Yule, grows in power at Vernal Equinox (along with the Goddess who has now returned to her maiden aspect), courts and impregnates the Goddess at Beltane, wanes in power at Lammas, passes into the underworld at Samhain, then is once again born from Her mother/crone aspect at Yule. The Goddess, in turn, ages and rejuvenates endlessly with the seasons, being courted by and giving birth to the Horned God. Versions of this myth vary from coven to coven, shifting the birth, conception, or death of the God to different sabbats.
Another solar narrative is of the Holly King and the Oak King, with one ruling the winter, the other the summer. These two figures battle with each other endlessly as the seasons turn. At Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King is at his weakest. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King's favor; he vanquishes the Oak King at Yule. Then over the next months, as the sun waxes in power, the Oak King slowly regains his strength; at the Spring Equinox he begins to triumph until he once again defeats the Holly King at Midsummer.[16]
According to Myth Encyclopedia, Sun Gods are more popular than Sun Goddesses and are often portrayed as creators and associated with the fertility of the Earth. Multiple 'kinds' of Sun deities appear throughout the world. Tricksters, healers, Royalty, etc. Often the Sun is not a being so much as something being hauled across the sky, usually in a boat, or later a chariot. In myth, the Sun is commonly eaten or stolen to explain eclipses, and there are a few stories about too many Suns being whittled down to one.
In Astrology, the Sun is considered the most powerful 'planet' although it is a luminary. The astrological sign the Sun was in when you were born is your Sun sign and prolly the one you think of when you look up your horoscope. However popular the Sun sign is now, it came after the Rising sign in order of importance until quite recently. In a nutshell, The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, says that your Sun sign dictates your overall personality or how the world sees you. The astrological sign associated with the Sun is Leo and the Sun moves through your chart and your houses bringing all sorts of influences depending on the price of tea in China at the time.
There is also a curious case of American Sun worship lasting from the 1960's thru the 1990's, at which point everyone started realizing the Sun will turn you into bacon if you aren't careful. Speaking of turning us into bacon, it is seemingly trying to do just that here in Florida. If science were viewed as a kind of magic, then Global Warming would be one big, fat Karmic slap, imho. St. John's Wort is the most celebrated solar herb and is commonly used for depression and in Summer Solstice celebrations.
As far as my personal practice goes, like I said I rarely work with solar energy, but we do put a shiny, gold Sun on top of the Solstice tree and we say "hello" & "thank you" some time around Midsummer. Hope you enjoyed the article. Feedback is welcome and let me know if there is any additional info you would like to see on this page.
Upon being hired as a birth assistant, I was handed a purple stethoscope and a manual blood pressure cuff and told to practice taking vitals every chance I got. So I got a cute little bag from LoverMan and organized my (sounding very important here) instruments. It took me two weeks of vitals to lose the damn thing...Woe, woe unto me. So I retrace my steps...painstakingly going door to door everywhere I've been for a damn week. No luck so far...I have narrowed down that BohoChick was the last person who's vitals I have taken, but we were high and can't decide if it was park with the Great Oak Tree or the hippie Saturday thing... In either case, my midwives are gonna murder me & it's gonna cost at least an arm.
I've nearly finished my latest creation, a netted outer shower curtain covered with flowers and hung between the living room and the rest of the apartment. It looks awesome, and I was able to make it using an old shower curtain and a $4 worth of artificial flowers from the Dollar Tree. I just want to add...something to it to call it done. This past couple of months, I've been trying to cheer up my house and make it more into the home of a crafty witch & witchlings, instead of a teenager's room. Actually, until VERY recently, my house looked worse than a teenager's room....I am also almost done with my Summer altar, it still needs something too.
On a separate happy note: I volunteered to help with organizing games & such at the Saturday hippie things and they offered to pay me.
And Brittany (who lives suspiciously close to me) is having a great GIVEAWAY!!! I know it's tempting not to, but if you enter please share! She makes some beautiful jewelery!
So, first off. I recently noticed the words to a song from the much played Mulan. Behold: "I'll Make a Man Out of You".
And the lyrics:
"Mulan" is copyright (c) 1998
Walt Disney Music Company. All rights reserved.
Music by Matthew Wilder, lyrics by David Zippel
Let's get down to business - to defeat the Huns
Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons? (Acknowledging that there ARE
You're the saddest bunch I ever met differences between boys & girls,
But you can bet before we're through sometimes being a boy is preferred.)
Mister, I'll make a man out of you
Tranquil as a forest (Calm, Cool, Collected, & Successful. Not bad.)
But on fire within
Once you find your center
You are sure to win
You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot (Definitely no cowards or individuals who
And you haven't got a clue lack physical prowess.)
Somehow I'll make a man out of you
I'm never gonna catch my breath
Say good-bye to those who knew me
Boy, I was a fool in school for cutting gym
The guy's got 'em scared to death
Hope he doesn't see right through me
Now I really wish that I knew how to swim
(Chorus)
(Be a man) (Do I have to say anything here? This is awesome!)
We must be swift as the coursing river.
(Be a man)
With all the force of a great typhoon
(Be a man)
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the darkside of the moon.
Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive
Heed my every order and you might survive
You're unsuited for the rage of war
So pack up, go home you're through
How could I make a man out of you?
Chorus 2X'
So, on the 50,000th or so time that I've heard this song, I have an epiphany: this song is praising "traditionally male" traits like physical strength, passion(fire), mystery, silence, success, courage, and even rage. Yes, rage is normal and natural and is far more pronounced in the male of the species. Why the fuck am I waning poetic about a Disney song, you might ask? Off the top of your head, can you think of any other kid songs praising manhood? I couldn't either. I know lots of songs about being a smart girl, a strong girl, and most importantly an independent girl who follows her heart. It really got me thinking about the emphasis we've put on feminism and teaching girls to dream a little. And then on to how it is just assumed that without tons of help from everywhere, boys will grow up just fine in a country with 26% of children being raised in single parent house holds and 84% of those headed by mothers, and a culture that can't figure out if males and females originated on the same planet or if they exactly are the same. So that's about 22% of the children in America are being raised by strong, intelligent, caring mothers. Now if we assume that there are roughly the same number of little boys and little girls, that means 22% of boys today will grow up without fathers to teach them what it means to be men. Some of them will be lucky and someone will step in and do that job, but just as many boys in "traditional" families will have father issues that don't show up in the census. In fact, the boys with the best manners come from mom only homes, I think. There are well rounded boys from lots of homes but there is an increasing number of boys who can't figure out how to ask a girl out, much less whether or not they should pay the tab. There is a marked lack of masculinity in my generation of American men. There are also high levels of anxiety and a lack of confidence in who they are supposed to be. They rely on countless sources to piece together exactly what they are aiming at, including Disney movies, teachers, neighbors, relatives, books, music, etc. And normally I am so against most kinds of censoring, even in the case of children (note I said most, not all). I don't mean for this to be yet another rant about how delicate our children are and how it's the world's job to censor out anything that might offend our ethnocentric sensibilities. But, REALLY!? If we are gonna take every cartoon and turn it into a personal improvement seminar, then can we really say that boys today need any less guidance than girls?
Okay, on to the second thing...what was the second thing? Oh yeah, I really need some motivation to clean my house. I got about half-way through a second attempt at a spring cleaning and my back gave out on me! And then I stopped for a while and can't seem to get started again. Preacher'sDaughter is coming over on the weekend after July 4th to do some all natural soap making. Got a fabulous recipe for liquid castile soap that from start to finish takes less than 24 hours and can be altered to make body wash, shampoo, handsoap, dish soap, dishwasher detergent (I'm not sure this will work...), and laundry detergent. I will share the whole bit after I've tried it! New homemade soap would inspire me to clean, but I think that's too long to sit on my ass (just by a day or two).
Well, so much has happened since I last posted (lazy little hooligan that I am). I don't even know where to begin except to say I've been making strides. That was my "One Little Word 2011" and boy oh boy! School is over, thank any god/dess of freedom and liberty that you like, but WE ARE FREE, and we're never going back either! I'm really making strides trusting my own instincts and not waiting around for anyone's approval. Got my divorce. It was pretty anti-climactic but it set off a whirl-wind of un-dealt-with emotions. I am a survivor of IPSA, or Intimate Partner Sexual Assault, and my husband had me so brainwashed during my marriage that I didn't really realize what had happened to me until I had to face him again. It was like experiencing every single episode of abuse all over again, but from the perspective of a new woman who knows that it was a terrible crime. I came to terms with what happened to me and feel that I've made some major strides towards healing from that horrifying time. If you have questions about IPSA or think you might be a victim, please check out Aphrodite Wounded. It is an amazing site, with real stories from real women who have experienced this sort of abuse.
I have also landed a job as a Birth Assistant with my midwife! Which is big news, because my kids aren't old enough for me to go to midwifery school yet. This is not only a great job, but a huge stride towards one of my big life goals! I've also made some friends and gotten involved in the local hippie/pagan community. I finally feel like life is really going my way for the first time ever! Better late than never, I guess. Must be why I feel such a strong connection to Ishtar Inanna, I feel like I've walked through Hell and come out the other side with my head held high. Happy Solstice everyone!
