courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

I think we can all agree that there is nothing more nerve-wracking or frustrating then a child with bad dreams. And no I didn’t call our kids annoying, what I mean to say is that there seems to be little that we, as parents, can do when a crying (and sometimes) screaming toddler wakes you up in the middle of the night. I remember that it was almost impossible to console my daughters, all you could do is to hold them and wait for them to cry themselves back to sleep. And I think we all know the feeling that we, as parents, feel when we are unable to help our children.

Yet, as Pagan parents, there is something that we can do that, while it won’t prevent all bad dreams, it may help to take the edge off. And that is to make them a dream sachet. Filled with helpful herbs and blessed with good intent and protection this simple craft, may help your child to sleep better at nights. And, don’t tell them this, it can act as something akin to a placebo if nothing else.

So what kind of herbs can you include in a dream sachet? Well here is a small list;

• mugwort – for pleasant dreams
• lavender – to help soothe and to chase away bad dreams
• catnip – to help soothe
• cinnamon – for protection
• sandalwood – for purification and protection
• rosemary – for protection

You don’t need to use all of these but you can if you want. I recommend smelling them ahead of time so as not to have a finished project that is unbearable to be around. You will also notice that some of these are for protection as well. It is a good idea to make an equal mix of both, to not only help the child sleep but to ward off bad dreams as well.

So to make a sachet all you need, other then some of the herbs above, is a small piece of fabric and some needle and thread. Then fold the fabric in half and sew up two sides of it. Place herbs inside, quantity doesn’t matter as much as smell so add enough so it can be smelled but not enough to overwhelm. And lastly sew up the third side.

This can be placed under your child’s pillow and left there to ensure good dreams.

If you would like you could focus your intent and energy on it and say something to the effect of;

This sachet I ward with Love and Light

To help (insert child’s name here) sleep

And to guard against bad dreams

So Mote It Be!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Did I leave out any herbs? Or do you have other tips on dealing with children and bad dreams?

Blessed Be!

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courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

If you have followed me for a while and remember that far back. I have talked about sourdough before, but it how to make it. Instead I was seeking tips on how to do it. Well recently I took the plunge and started my own kitchen monster. And it has been fantastic. The kids love each new recipe more than the last.

So I figured I would share some of the recipes that I have found and of course how to prepare your own starter.

First The Starter

Day One

Mix together 1 cup of whole wheat or rye flour with ¾ cup of water. Make sure that all the dough is wet into a ball. It will be stiff, but don’t worry about it. Keep in a clean container covered with plastic wrap at room temperature.

Day Two

Mix together 1 cup bread flour with ½ cup of water. Add this mixture to the mixture from yesterday, and mix it all together. Yesterday’s dough will likely be a little bit softer than it was, but there will not likely have occurred any rise. Cover with plastic wrap as before, and leave at room temperature.

Day Three

Mix together 1 cup of bread flour with ½ cup of water. Take the dough from the day before, and discard half of it. Mix the new and old dough’s together. It will be getting wetter, and there will probably be some rise by now. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature.

Day 4

Repeat the procedure exactly as from Day 3. A few hours after you have mixed the dough’s together, your starter should have doubled in size. It is now ready for use.

The starter is a living thing, and as such it needs to be fed periodically or it will die. You should feed you culture every 3 days, and after every time you use it. To feed it, take away half of the culture, and mix in an equal amount of flour and water in about a 3/2 ratio. 2/3 cup water 1 cup flour

Recipes

Muffins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tin or line with paper
cups for 12 muffins. Combine in a large bowl:

2 cups white all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dry milk powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dried prunes, blueberries or raisins. I’ve used blueberries
1/4 teaspoon powdered  cinnamon

Combine in another bowl until well blended:

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup fresh sourdough starter – straight out of the starter, remembering to feed the starter when done.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients gradually, stirring only enough to moisten and bring to an even consistency.
Spoon evenly into the muffin tins. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until done. Remove immediately from the tin. I have found that this recipe can be done sooner then planned. So try 25 minutes and then check after five minutes, repeating until finished

For cranberry muffins, omit the dry milk, use orange juice instead of water, increase the sugar to 3/4 cup, and use one cup raw cranberries instead of the fruit and nuts.

This next recipe asks for some prepared starter to sit out overnight. So while it requires some preparation the pancakes in the morning are worth it. And oh just a word of warning there were more pancakes then I expected, so you may want to cut back on the recipe.

Sourdough Pancakes

1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups tepid water
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 dash baking powder
1 dash salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 -2 cup blueberries (optional)

1. The night before, stir your sourdough starter and remove one cup.
2.  Place the 1 cup of starter in a glass or stoneware bowl at least 6 cups in size (don’t use plastic or metal bowls for this- they give off flavors to the batter). I’ve used plastic bowls without a problem.
3.  Stir in the 2 cups of tepid water, the flour, and the sugar until smooth.
4.  Cover lightly (you can use plastic wrap but don’t seal off the air going into the bowl) and place in a non-drafty place and allow to sit overnight.
5. The next morning, remove one cup of the batter and pour it back into the mother starter (what you removed this from in the first place; you should keep this refrigerated).
6. Start to heat your griddle (heat to 370F), oiling it lightly if needed.
7. Stir the egg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and melted butter into the batter.
8. Drop by 1/4-cupfuls onto the hot griddle and flip them with a spatula when they bubble and get golden on the underside.
9. Keep pancakes warm while finishing the others.
10. You can also easily make blueberry pancakes with this; just dust them with a little flour before folding into the pancake batter.

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courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Last week on Youtube I talked about manifesting your goals and New Year’s resolutions, using the energy between now and Ostara to aid in that endeavor. But I neglected to mention what exactly my goals were, so I figured I would list them here. And while I have more then what I will list they are too vague and unformed to put into words but I will make an attempt.

This is the year that I promised to get my ass in gear. I need to finish my third degree studies first and foremost. But also this blog has been on a plateau for a while and I need to move things along to the next level as well. I’ve started by moving both PaganDad and the Pagan Village to their own hosted solutions. Something that I can own.

But it will continue with new projects. From outside things, separate then here, to finishing book projects. Book projects including finishing the ebook from my recent fundraiser, and yes that is nearing completion. I will have this done by Beltane as promised. But also I have a few other projects that have stalled out and that I will be putting pedal to metal in trying to finish this year.

All I ask from you is to keep doing what you are doing. Spread the word and comment on my blog, I keep doing all of this because of those comments. Because I know if I am helping just one person then it is all worth it.

But also be patient with me, there may be some false starts on here as I try new content or iron out the bugs of moving from Blogger to WordPress.

To close I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. Like I said above you are the reason I am here doing this. I am here to serve the community as much as I am able.

Hope you all have a great start to the week.

And oh yeah, if you haven’t seen Pagandad is now on WordPress, so head over to the blog and take a look. Let me know what you think and if you see any issues. If you can’t do something that you did before I will work hard on fixing it.

Blessed Be!

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Normally honored in the center of the Circle. It is symbolized by the spiral, much like the Milky Way Galaxy and the color of white.

Yet since it is so abstract this element can be hard to fully and properly explain to children. But when I explained this to my daughter, I put it in terms of one’s own spirit and soul.

But if you want to cast a circle and then invoke it you can use the following invocation (or of course use your own);

I stand in the center of the Circle
And call up the Great Spirit of Creation
The spark of Life found in our spirit and soul
Come and join us in this circle

Now have your children sit and meditate on the element of Spirit.

When done you can use this devocation;

Love and Blessings we return to you
Great Spirit we Bid you Hail and Farewell

Blessed Be!

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• Is it male or female?
• Are the energies fast or slow?
• Do you see any colors?
• Or have any impressions at all?

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• Is it male or female?
• Are the energies fast or slow?
• Do you see any colors?
• Or have any impressions at all?

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So to accomplish this I am planning on cutting back on posting after Imbolc until Ostara.

And not to forget I will be moving the hosting sometime next week. So look for some changes to come real soon.

Again thank you to all of you for your support and I hope you all have a Blessed Imbolc!

Blessed Be!

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Lughnasadh Family Ritual
Natural Candle Holders
Let’s Bake Some Bread
Seed Necklaces

Hope you have a Blessed Lughnasadh!

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Supplies:

Three small votive candles – I use white, yellow and green
And Bells for each participant
Imbolc Crown
Corn Dolly

Decorate the altar with the Imbolc Crown and light the candles. But wait to light the other candles until you pick them up at the different parts of the ritual. You can also have the Corn Dolly on the altar to represent the Sleeping Maiden.

Have one of the kids ring their bell three times and say the following;

I ring the bell To cast the circle So Mote it Be!

Then an Adult casts the circle, saying the following;

I weave around us a circle With love and light Where we can Honor the Lady and Lord

Tell the kids to imagine a silvery-blue light surrounding them in a large circle. Explain that this “Circle of Light” means that we want to make this a sacred place to honor the Goddess and God.

Next you can pick up the white candle and talk about Winter. If you don’t live in a warmer climate, like I do, then you can also have snow in a bowl to represent Winter. Light the candle and say;

The world still sleeps in Winter Covered in snow and ice

Have the kids ring their bells to represent the snow that has been falling for so many weeks.
Then you can light the yellow candle and say;

The Sun is growing stronger And Spring is coming closer

Tell the children you chose yellow to represent The Sun, the radiant power of God.

Have the kids ring their bells again. This time tell them they are the warm, fresh breezes of spring, coming to melt the snow. Let them have fun with it. Remember you want your children to look at ritual as the happy, fun celebration it was to our ancestors!

Then pick up the green candle and tell the children that it represents the Earth. Light it and say;

Mother Earth we call you Awake to let all things grow

When you have lit the candle than set it next to the Corn Dolly.

Now you can read to the children the Imbolc Story that I posted earlier. Tell them of the wonders of this Sabbat and how soon the warmer weather will be here.

Now you can close the circle. Let the child who rung the bell first, ring their bell and say;

I ring the bell To close the circle So Mote It Be!

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Supplies Needed:

• A circular wreath frame, either of straw or grapevine
• Winter evergreens, such as pine, fir or holly
• Spring flowers, such as forsythia, dandelions, crocus, snowbulbs
• Red, silver and white ribbons
• Candles at least 4″ long — tapers are perfect for this
• A hot glue gun

Instructions:

1. Place the wreath form on a flat surface. Using the hot glue gun, attach the candles around the circle.
2. Next, attach a mixture of winter greenery and spring flowers to the wreath. Blend them together to represent the transition between winter and spring. Make it as thick and lush as you can, weaving in and around the candles.
3. Wrap the ribbons around the wreath, weaving between the candles. Leave some excess ribbons hanging off, if you plan to hang this on your door or a wall, and then braid it or tie in a bow. If you’re using it on an altar, light the candles during rituals to honor Brighid.

courtesy of about.com

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In the beginning of the journey through the elements we find, fittingly enough, the element of Air. This oftentimes is put in the East which is the direction of dawn and like the element of Air of new beginnings. It is represented by the color of yellow and the tool of either the athame or the wand, depending on your tradition.

If you are teaching this element to children then you should take them outside in the early morning. Although I don’t recommend that you choose dawn, because I think that is a little to early for anyone to be up and about.

Have an altar laid with a yellow cloth and decorated with symbols of Air. A feather, fan and/or a flute would all be good choices. Spend a moment standing at this altar with your children and have everyone still themselves and listen.

Everyone should be focusing on their breath. Let each breath in feel you completely and then each breath out totally empty you. Understand and tell your children how important Air is for life. How without it we could not breathe.

Then have them stay there while you cast circle. How you do this doesn’t matter; you can check out one of my other rituals for a suggestion. When the temple is raised then return to the East and invoke the element of Air.

A sample invocation would be;

I stand in the East and invoke the Element of Air
I call the powers of dawn and the gentle breezes
Come and attend to us, let us know your presence

Now all can sit and meditate on the energy of Air that you have called to circle. Help your children to become comfortable and familiar with the element of Air. Ask them questions like;

• Is it male or female?
• Are the energies fast or slow?
• Do you see any colors?
• Or have any impressions at all?

Just let them talk and see what comes of it.

The purpose of this exercise is to let the child become comfortable with the energies of the element, so that at some point, when they call the Quarters, they will be able to know what energies to invoke.

When you are done you can bid farewell to the Element of Air. Again here is a sample devocation;

I return to East to the Element of Air
To offer thanks for your presence this day
And to bid you Hail and Farewell!


When you are ready you can close circle. Make sure that you take time for any more questions and for everyone to eat something small so that they can be properly grounded.

Now this is just one of the Elements. Over the next few weeks I am going to cover each of the other three elements and possibly spirit as well. So make sure you subscribe, if you haven’t already and stay tuned. I would love to hear any feedback so that I can fine tune the coming articles.

Blessed Be!

And yes I know I am doing these slightly out of the ‘traditional’ order but that is due to the Pagan Blog Project.

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Earlier this month I talked about making a Brighid’s Cross to be used in a house blessing ritual. Well here is the house blessing ritual. You can use this after you clean your house for the Sabbat. If you don’t want to use chemicals for this cleaning, then look back at my post on using vinegar to clean.


Items Needed

• White Candle
• Chalice of Water
• Brighid’s Cross
• Bell for each child participating

Instructions

Let the children walk through the house ringing the bells in each room. Tell them to imagine the sound bringing in light. As they do so have them say in each room:

The sound brings the light
Chases the shadow

Then walk through with the children helping them to sprinkle water in each room. Have them say:

With this water I bless this house
Let it be washed clean

Next go through the house with the white candle. Parents hold the candle unless your child is old enough to not set themselves on fire. Have the children say:

With this fire I bless this house
Let it be made pure

Finally take the Brighid’s Cross through the house. In each room have them say:

Brighid, Brighid bringer of the light
Bless this house and fill it with love 

When you are done you can hang the Brighid’s Cross over your front door. This will ensure blessings for the entire year.

Blessed Be!

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• 2 cups flour
• 2 Carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 green apple, peeled, cored, grated
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup almonds, sliced
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2tsp.vanilla 

Soak raisins in hot water, in a covered bowl, for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly. 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large non-metal bowl, mix flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. 
Stir in carrots, raisins, apple, and almonds. 
In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil, and vanilla until well blended. Stir egg mixture in to the flour mixture until just wet. 
Grease muffin pan with a little butter or use cupcake/muffin cups. 
Divide the batter into the cups and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. 
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Makes 8 servings. 

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/8 cup poppyseeds
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup raisins, plain or golden
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter/margarine
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 3/4 cup Karo golden corn syrup
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4 tbs. milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. mixed spices** 

**Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Sift the flour, soda, and baking powder into a non-metal bowl. Add the mixed spice and ginger. 
Next add the brown sugar and raisins. Mix.
 Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. 
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and the syrup over a low heat, then pour liquid into the well in the middle of the flour mixture. 
Add the beaten egg and the milk, and mix very well. 
Pour into a well greased 2-lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes. This bread can be made the night before as it improves with age. Makes 8-10 servings. 

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Traditional foods for the Imbolc celebration include those made with seeds, (to symbolize growth), raisins (a fruit of the Sun God), pork, poultry, or lamb, with sides of potatoes, cabbage, onions, and garlic. Imbolc is the mid-point of the dark half of the year, and though stored foods are running low, it is a celebration of renewal and preparation for Spring.

Imbolc Feast Lamb Stew

2- 1/2 lb. lamb neck chops
1 tbs. lamb fat
4 medium onions
1 tbs. butter/margarine
4 medium carrots
2 1/2 cups water
4 medium potatoes
1 tbs. parsley, chopped
1 tsp. each salt & pepper
1 tbs. chives, chopped

Don’t let the butcher trim the fat off of the lamb chops. Shred some of the excess fat and cook it down in a large pot or Dutch-oven. Peel the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Cut the onions and carrots into quarters, and put all the vegetables aside. Cut the meat into8 pieces, and trim away the rest of the excess fat. The bones need not be removed. Place the meat in the hot fat and brown. Repeat with the onions and carrots. Add water, salt, and pepper carefully. Put whole potatoes on top. Cover pot and simmer gently until meat is cooked, approx. 2 hours. Remove from heat. Pour off the cooking liquid into a separate sauce pan, allow to cool for a few minutes, skim off grease, and reheat. Add butter, chives, and parsley to the reheated liquid in the sauce pan. Pour heated liquid back over the stew. Serve hot. Makes 4-6 servings.

Blessed Bride’s Cake

1 cup sugar
1 cup walnut meats, chopped
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix all the ingredients together until they are wet. Do not over mix. Pour into a greased and floured 9″x9″x2″ square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

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Start this ritual in silence and darkness lit by a single candle, black or a dark color would be good but is not necessary. Have your children take a moment to still themselves and focus on their breath. Guide them if needed. Breath In, Breath Out. Breath In, Breath Out.

Tell them that tonight you are going to call on the Goddess. Not as the Mother but as Her Mother, the Grandmother. That tonight is a night to listen. For the Grandmother loves to tell stories and through them provide wisdom to the people of the Earth. Take a moment to answer any questions that they may have. And that with her the Grandfather as well.

Circle Casting

Have all join hands and still their thoughts. Let the first to speak say;

From Me to You; followed by the next person saying
From You to Me
and repeat until all have said both lines.
For the purpose of tonight’s ritual have the chant move widdershins (counter-clockwise) around the circle of people.

Then when it gets back to the first let them say;

The Circle is Cast and the Temple is raised.
So Mote It Be! (All can repeat)

Quarter Calling

Start tonight in the West the direction of sunsets and endings. Have a cup of water there and have all take a small drink. Have all think about the water and how much we need it.

In the West we call Water.
May we have the vision tonight
To see inside its murky depths.

Now move to South where you have a candle ready to be lit. Light it now. And have all focus on its flame. Carefully let them feel its heat.

In the South we call Fire.
May it light our way
To find wisdom tonight.

Next we come to the East. Have a fan here and wave it at all present so that they can feel the presence of air.

In the East we call Air.
May it clear all obstacles that seek
To block us in our search.

Finally we come to the North. In my practice I like to have a bowl of patchouli here so that we can smell it and be reminded about the Earth.

In the North we call Earth.
May it grant us the strength
To face the wisdom granted us.

Ritual Body

Now is a time to reconnect as a family. Talk about your day and the trials you have had to face. You can also read from the Rede of the Grandmother and Grandfather.

If your children are old enough, you can spend some time scrying whether it is with the candle on the altar or a fire, if you are lucky enough to have a yard or space to have one.

To finish up have a goblet full of some dark juice. And hold it up the sky and say:

Grandmother, Grandfather shine on us
Imbue this goblet with your darkling rays
So as we drink we can find answers
So Mote It Be!

Then all can drink after asking, silently or aloud, the question(s) that they need answers to. Also be sure to spend some time tonight reflecting on the past year. I know many of you will be doing this on Samhain but I like to reflect on things as we move closer to Samhain.

When all have finished you can do Cakes and Juice to ground or feast afterwards.

Cakes and Juice

Touch the plate of cookies or cakes and say; Flesh of my Flesh
Then touch the juice in the goblet and say; Blood of my Blood

We are of Them as They are of us.
Joined in Love and Light
Married in Strength and Truth
Showered in Power and Blessings
We Drink from Her womb
We Eat from His hand

Drink from the chalice and then eat from the plate of food feeling Their Love and Strength.
So that we always remember our Love for Them and Their Love for Us
Pour out a libation and leave some food for the Earth and for the Gods.

Closing

Grandmother and Grandfather we thank you for your presence
This evening as we came to honor you
And to seek wisdom.
Hail and Farewell! (All can repeat)

Return to the North;

Element of Earth we thank you for your presence
Hail and Farewell! (All can repeat)

East

Element of Air we thank you for your presence
Hail and Farewell! (All can repeat)

South

Element of Fire we thank you for your presence
Hail and Farewell! (All can repeat)

West

Element of Water we thank you for your presence
Hail and Farewell! (All can repeat)

To close circle have all join hands. And the first to speak at the casting releases his grip on his left hand and says; We open the Circle.
Moving deosil (clockwise) have each member repeat until the chant moves back to the first person. Who says; But we remain a Circle. Family united in spirit. Circle open but unbroken.

Then have all have a group hug. Remembering that we are all one family.

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Actually, the Goddess Brigit had always kept a shrine at Kildare, Ireland, with a Perpetual Flame tended by nineteen Virgin Priestesses called Daughters of the Flame. No male was ever allowed to come near it; nor did those women ever consort with men. Even their food and other supplies were brought to them by women of the nearby village. When Catholicism took over in Ireland, the Shrine became a Convent and the virgin Priestesses became Nuns but the same traditions were held and the Eternal Flame was kept burning. Their tradition was that each day a different Priestess/Nun was in charge of the Sacred Fire and on the 20th day of each cycle, the fire was miraculously tended by Brigit Herself. For over a thousand years, the Sacred Flame was tended by Nuns, and no one knows how long before that it had been tended by the Priestesses.

In 1220 CE, a Bishop became angered by the no-males policy of the Abbey of St. Brigit of Kildare. He insisted that nuns were subordinate to priests and therefore must open their Abbey and submit themselves to inspection by a Priest. When they refused and asked for another Abbess or other female official to perform any inspections, the Bishop was incensed. He admonished them to obedience and then decreed that the keeping of the Eternal Flame was a Pagan custom and ordered the Sacred Flame to be extinguished.

In 1220 CE, a Bishop became angered by the no-males policy of the Abbey of St. Brigit of Kildare. He insisted that nuns were subordinate to priests and therefore must open their Abbey and submit themselves to inspection by a Priest. When they refused and asked for another Abbess or other female official to perform any inspections, the Bishop was incensed. He admonished them to obedience and then decreed that the keeping of the Eternal Flame was a Pagan custom and ordered the Sacred Flame to be extinguished.

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Fire is the second step in any elemental journey. It lies in the South, generally. And rules over love and passions. It is the active and planning phase of a project, whether magickal or mundane. Its color is red and its tool is the athame, although as I said last week it may otherwise be the wand depending on ones tradition.

The following exercise can be held at any time, but I recommend midday. Since that is the hottest part of the day and the height of the sun’s power.

Lay out your altar with a red cloth. You can decorate it with symbols of Fire. Candles, peppers and symbols of cats or phoenixes would all be appropriate. Light the candle and stay at the altar and let everyone (carefully) feel the heat of the flame. Then have your kids put their hands over their hearts and with eyes closed, feel the heat of their bodies and the beat of their hearts.

Let them know that we contain all the elements and that this is proof of the Fire within us. That Fire animates us, gives us life and allows us to continue on. Now is a good time for a group hug, let them know that fire represents love as well.

Now cast circle. And invoke in the element of Fire. A sample invocation could be;

I stand in the South and invoke the Element of Fire
I call the powers of midday and the warmth of the flame
Come and attend to us, let us know your presence

Now all can sit and meditate on the energy of Fire that you have called to circle. Help your children to become comfortable and familiar with the element of Fire. Ask them questions like;

• Is it male or female?
• Are the energies fast or slow?
• Do you see any colors?
• Or have any impressions at all?

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• Construction Paper
• Markers
• Tape
• Scissors

1. Cut a strip of cardboard long enough to go around your child’s head and overlap slightly and tape the ends so that it forms a circlet. 
2. Next cut out candle shaped pieces of construction paper.
3. Then let your child decorate and color those pieces to their heart’s content.
4. Finally tape those ‘candles’ to the crown and voila a crown of light.

Blessed Be!

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But currently this is outside of my budget. Family has to come first. So this is why I am turning to all of you. For the next two weeks I am asking for you all to donate a small amount to this effort.

And because I don’t want to just take your money I am going to sweeten the deal. Currently I have finished an ebook, or at least the first half of it. So if you can give five dollars or more then I will email you a copy of the first half. And when it is finished then the second half as well. If you donate and don’t get the email with the link to the book within four hours, send me an email (you can find that on the paypal page on the bottom right corner) and remind me. This is just in case I happened to miss the email.

I am planning on offering the whole ebook for 10 dollars when it is finished. So effectively this is half off the cost of the finished project. Currently it covers from Imbolc to Litha. Including crafts, traditions, rituals, decorating tips and even some fun endings for the kids to try their hand at. I know most of the material is already available on the website but this puts it all in one place, easy to access.

Now as to the how, just head to the blog Pagandad.com and look in the right column. The widget from Chipin is where to get started.

Thank you all for your support, whether or not you donate I do appreciate you all as readers.

Blessed Be!

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