Making Pine Balm

Most of these pics are from last years pinebalm making (Imbolc 2012)
It is a Imbolc tradition for us to make healing balms at this time of year as well as candles. This year at Imbolc we made our pinebalm as per usual but I was really busy with many other things so I did not take as many pics.
In our home we practice holistic healing, we also do alot of wild crafting and making Pine Balm combines both :) 

Bug and I collected some boughs from a big beautiful Spruce tree on one of our walks. We let them dry for a couple weeks, then the girls pulled off all the needles.

 This year Gramma provided the needles for our balm

We chopped them and added a little dried orange peel

Put them in a jar and filled it with olive oil. Seal it and put it in a dark cupboard for a minimum of 3 weeks shake regularly

Then strain the needles out and reserve the oil. We ended up with about 2 1/2 cups

I warm the oil on a double boiler in a glass bowl and then add pine resin about 2 tbsp, warm till it melts in then add the beeswax about 2/3 of a cup grated. Stir clockwise till melted. This is also the point when I infuse the mixture with healing energies and chant to thank Spruce, olive, orange and Bee for their contributions

Let cool slightly and pour into containers

As it cools you will see a cool color change. Bug and I review liquid to solid reaction.

It is such a pretty color when done

This years batch

This is an excellent balm for minor scratches and scrapes. It is also great for softening callouses on your feet and preventing cracking. Happy crafting

January in pictures

We brought the New year in together as a family feasting on potstickers :)

Making potstickers for our New Year's eve feast. This is a December pic I know but I didn't get a pic of the potstickers before they were devoured lol

Daddy helping Bug with some bookwork

Bug playing with her new anti gravity car she got at Yule

The anti-gravity car that Bug got for Yule has inspired many conversations on gravity, vacuums and space. I love it when toys inspire so much learning :)

Bug working on her first mosaic. A kitty

We started a Art/History unit on mosaics. I found a neat kit with 4 different mosaics to make at the Dollarama. We spent a few days surfing the net looking at different styles of mosaics and learning about the tools and some terminology. We made a few different mosaics, learned their history and how mosaics allow us to see what our ancestors saw and found beautiful.

Excellent little book on the history of Mosaic art

Bug making a glass tile mosaic

King Connaher writing a story

I wonder what we are up to today?

Gramma and Bug making suet for the birds

January can be bitter cold in Canada and the little birds that stay here for the winter can sure use an extra energy boost to help them get threw till spring. We have always fed the birds what we could.

Bug did not like this part at all

 We saved the fat from the big mutton roast we had done in the fall. We rendered it down then let it cool and rolled the pinecones in it. Then we rolled them in birdseed.

Bug rolling them in birdseed. She didn't mind this part so much

 The pinecones then had string tied onto them and were hung on the trees.

With the left over rendered fat we added bird seed then put it in the fridge till it was hard and cut it into blocks to go in the wire cage feeders outside.

Bug in the Orbeez foot spa

 Taking care of oneself is very important. In today's world de-stressing and de-toxing on a regular basis is just good sense and yet so many people do not take the time to care for themselves. The Minions have been taught from day 1 that we must take time for ourselves and we take regular time every week to have spa and relax time. They also do yoga and meditate which also falls into this category of self care.

Willowtree studying herbs

Glow in the dark sand art fun with Bug and Zed

Zed helping Bug with her bookwork

Polymer fun. This unit gets re-visited often. Bug just loves slimy science!

Cool book we found. Another tool in the ongoing learning of our worlds geography

the next thing in art we explored was sculpting on a cage

We didn't quite use this kit like the directions said, we used the cages and Bug and Willowtree freehand sculpted onto them.

Movie theater popcorn

Homer's donut LOL

A rose

A lucky find by mom makes Willowtrees day :)

Her first creation

Drying apples for the birds. We string them and hang them on the trees.

Willowtree and Bug making bracelets

Some of the sistertime bracelets that they made

Bugs turn to make lunch

Fruit salad yum!

We celebrated Daddy's Birthday

Willowtree working on a new piece of art for her room

King Connaher got this for Bug for Yule. It is a very neat game she loves. It allows her to draw and make art on our big screen TV threw the PS3.

Bugs new kitty paws

 I think all of the Minions would agree that the highlight of the month was at the very end, when we took in the Taste of Animeathon in Edmonton. The costumes were amazing!! The minions all saved up money so they could buy things at the booths. They can't wait for the next one in the summer.

Alice and the Mad hatter

Bug and Willowtree at Taste of Animeathon

Willowtree with a fuzzy

At the Full wolf moon we gathered in our grove and consecrated scrying bowls.

I came across a saweet deal on black glass bowls!! This witch automatically thought OMG scrying bowls so I promptly bought one for myself and the older minions, my sister, mom and some covenmates LOL I am telling you this deal was awsome. When we gathered for the full Moon I cleansed and consecrated them. Willowtree did her own :) I gave them to my coven sisters as Imbolc gifts. The Minions were excited to have scrying tools of their own.

Ingredients for Master Tonic; onions, garlic, horseradish, ginger, spicy peppers habenaros and jalapenos and apple cider vinegar

 We also made Master tonic on the Full moon. It is an excellent cold and flu fighter amongst a ton of other health benefits. It will be ready in three weeks.

Master tonic steeping away in the cupboard

We had our usual cold snap in January tho it only lasted three days instead of the normal 2 weeks. It got cold and the birds were very thankful for our gifts of food. We have been watching the birds threw the kitchen window most of the winter and Bug can now confidently identify the Chickadees, Sparrows, blue Jays and two kinds of woodpeckers. I am hoping that the Minions continue to love watching the birds as it is a passion that spans generations in my family :)

Crystals that relieve menstrual cramps

I am not big on pills! Never have been. I prefer herbal and alternative healing. I believe that my body is my souls sacred vessel and I must try to keep it as close to Mother Earth as possible to stay in tune. My journey of learning around the bodies health alone has been decades long but one thing I know is that when I find something that works for me I stick to it. I have tried over the years many things for my terrible menstrual cramps and alot of them helped but never really took the pain away. Crystal healing is something I have studied and practiced for years and I am a big fan! I don't know many witchy types that aren't. In my learning I discovered  a powerhouse for relieving menstrual cramps and I want to share it with you. Carnelian, Chrysocolla and Garnet.

Menstrual cramp relieving powerhouse

I carry this trio in my pants pocket on either side. I also wear a Chrysocolla pendant and Garnet gem string necklace during my moon time.

My Chrysocolla pendant. It was made by the very talented Angelique over at Sacred realms

 Sacred Realms  Check out Angelique's beautiful creations

Chrysocolla is well known for it's healing properties when it comes to menstrual cramps and PMS, it is also great for reducing mental tension and bringing tranquility, harmony and peace.

This piece of Chrysocolla was a gift from my son Zed

Carnelian is a Leo power stone and I happen to be a Leo so it may be why it works so well for me. I have seen a few references to it helping menstrual problems but it does not seem to be it's main use. It is a sacral chakra stone tho so it makes sense it would help.

My Carnelian is not photogenic and it took 4 pics to get one in focus lol

Garnet is also a Leo power stone and I have used it alot to help me keep my sharp temper from flaring when out in crowds or in high stress situations. It is another one that is mentioned only in passing when it comes to menstrual problems. It revitalises, purifies and balances energy, bringing serenity so I think it is perfect for helping with PMS :)

String of garnets necklace my Mom brought me back from Mexico

Garnet. I have a few the same rough size and shape, perfect pocket stone size.

I know this combo works for myself and my oldest daughter I hope it works as well for you. May your day be a Magickal one!

Awsome product alert!

Awesome product alert is something new I am going to try :) Recently we found a cool book that Bug really had fun with and learned alot from and I thought Wow other homeschoolers should know about this and that is how this post was born! So from time to time when we find something really cool we will let you know :)
Now on to the show.....

We found this book at the Dollarama for 3 dollars

 This was our awesome find of the day :) Very durable cardboard pages with little magnetic flags to fill in spaces on the pages that tell you all about the countries. The back has flags for all of the countries of the world divided by continent.

Back page

A look at one of the pages.

Very high re read value and my older minions had a lot of fun with is as well. I know it will get alot of use in our house!