Foodism

Photography, Ditte Isager.

Witchcrafted Soap and other misc. Hocus Pocus!

Hello darlings! I've been a busy little kitchen witch, I've got 9 different kinds of handcrafted soap on the curing rack! I'll be listing it all in my Etsy Shop on Sept. 22nd (Mabon~the Fall Equinox)! My soap is handcrafted using the old world method known as the cold proccess. In the spirit of the ancient alchemists before me, I'm combining Natural Ingredients with my knowledge of Green Hermeticism and Folklore! I'm bringing artisianal soap to another level! Potions, balms, salves, and soy wax candles are soon to follow! Pictured below is one of my favorites called Melusine. Melusine (the alchemical siren or twin-tailed mermaid) is the feminine spirit of fresh waters in sacred springs and rivers. The soap is made with lavender and peppermint essential oils and herbs, purifying french green clay, and skin-softening oatmeal!



I just bought a great book called, Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic by Catherine Yronwode. I spent a little more money and bought the hardcover copy...so worth it! Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic is a practical manual for those working in traditions such as hoodoo, rootwork, witchcraft, spell-craft, conjure, white magick, black magick, pow-wow magic, hexenkraft, and herb magic. With solid sales and enthusiastic reviews, we believe that Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic is well on its way to becoming a standard in the fields of folk magic and kitchen-witchery."



Remember my Kitchen Witchery re-decorating project? The transformation is nearly complete and the room I once hated is fast becoming my favorite room of the house! I got this amazing taxidermy mountain goat head from Gothic Rose Antiques! Can you believe it!? It's Baphomet, the Sabbatical Goat! (He doesn't look quite as menacing against my white walls...this is the picture from the Gothic Rose website) He's hanging way up high and overlooks my whole kitchen. I want to order some plants from The Basement Shaman so I can try growing some fancy plants like Belladonna in large apothecary jars! If anyone out there has successfully grown a mandrake, please let me know your little secret!

Kitchen Witchery Update!

Hello Loves! Hope you all you Mamas out there had a lovely Mother's Day! Here's a little update about my magical kitchen transformation! For those of you who have just recently found me, check out my Kitchen Witchery archives! Anyway, below is a pic from one little corner of my kitchen. See that wood slice with white magick weaving? It's 1 from a set of 2, called: 'As Above~So Below' by Chad of Mon Petit Fantome! (The significance of this phrase is that it is believed to hold the key to all mysteries. All systems of magic are claimed to function by this formula.) He gave them to me as a gift...what a wonderful surprise! I have both of them nestled between a set of 3 antique Black Forest hunting trophies! Love ya Chad!!!



I bought these lovely prints from Caroline Gaedechens! Click here for a closer view They're printed on vintage book pages. I was going to frame them but I found these vintage wooden clip hangers, which I think will look pretty cool!



More inspirations~ On the left: medicine woman, Susan Weed! I really want to take her Herbalism Correspondence Course!



On the right: Cole & Son Woods Wallpaper. I've lost sleep over this wallpaper! I just wanted to cover one wall, but I rent my apartment so I'm not going to invest in something I can't take with me. It's $195.00 per roll, so even one wall would kill me! But there's good news...I found these canvas birch tree curtains for only $29.99 per 2 pack! If you remember me complaining about the ugly blinds in my kitchen, this is the perfect solution! I can create that birch forest aesthetic and get rid of my ugly blinds!

Mood Board #2 ~ Medicine Woman

A few weeks back I did a post called Kitchen Witchery, about transforming my kitchen into a Sacred Space. (I shared pics of my witchy cast iron collection.) I've been trying to figure out what to do with the room...I have stark white walls and cabinets, charcoal colored ceramic tile, an ugly new white fridge, and an cheap looking white light fixture. With the exception of my awesome vintage stove...I hate my kitchen. I do get tons of light which is nice, but my windows need help, the ugly white mini-blinds have to go. After thinking about it, I can actually work with the white walls, so I've decided not to paint. I'm going to fill the room with natural/organic and ethnic elements to soften the sharp modern elements. Here are some of my inspirations for this project:



Photo below by Kat Heyes and her lovely home above...



I LOVE the space below...high ceilings make my heart sing! via Kaleidoscope Eyes





via Verhext! (I need to move to the woods too girlfriend!)

I dream of owning a large detailed painting by Katy Horan like the one below. (click on image to see full size) I bought a set of three small limited edition Gocco prints from her that I cherish!



I already have some great things to work with, so I only have to buy a few things. I need to find a cool vintage hanging swag lamp, inexpensive window treatments, and some shelving for all my herbs n' such. Otherwise I have lots of wooden bowls, nice woven baskets, old wood crates, misc. folk art. This awesome tribal Afgan wool rug that covers much of the floor and compliments the charcoal colored tile.



I have a giant handcarved commune style kitchen table with matching benches that my Dad made in 1971. For my table top, I have the silverware below...look familiar? They use this silverware in the Hogwart's mess hall in the Harry Potter movie!



I'm slooowly making my own handmade dishes...you might remember me posting my tea bowls before they went into the kiln. I didn't use color...it's a white clay which looks grey before firing. I just used clear glaze and they came out a nice creamy white! (I'll post a complete place setting soon.) I picture the table set with beeswax candles, linen napkins, my rock collection I showed you in the last post, quartz crystal clusters, and little succulent plant arrangements in handbuilt pots.



I have tons of glass jars and a nice little collection of vintage/antique jars for medicinal and magical herbs!



I have some very 70's things in my kitchen that I love like a macramé owl wall hanging. I also have a bunch of antler mounts, a large turtle shell, ethnic masks and art that will all tie in with my Medicine Woman/White Magic theme. I think the pieces below have found a home in my kitchen too! I got the owl from Gothic Rose Antiques. I named her Sophia, after the goddess of Wisdom. I got the bighorn sheep skull from my pal J.C. and the antler shed from a homeless guy who used to wash the windows and shovel the sidewalk in front of my old shop. He was a wise old fella with great stories to tell and treasures in his shopping cart. And on his cart he had a cardboard sign that said "Be kind, I'm not a bad guy, I just made bad decisions" I think he was an angel in disguise!

Kitchen Witchery!

I'm currently cleaning the hell out of my house...literally! Spooks and goblins love a messy unorganized house! But getting rid of negativity is easy to do. Add Lemomgrass or Lavender essential oil to your mop water, it's sure to lift your spirits! Burn White Sage for purification and Sweetgrass for harmony! Sprinkle sea salt outside of your front and back doors to ward off evil on a Full Moon. Sprinkle Cinamon and Sugar to invite joy and sweetness on a New Moon!

I want to make each room of my house a Sacred Space! My kitchen is undergoing a transformation of sorts...I want it to be cozy and magical! After I closed my storefront, I stopped doing Tarot readings for people (with the exception of close friends) because I don't have enough space for a reading room in my house. I'm just going to have to get over it and give readings in my kitchen! I've collected some great witchy antiques! It all started with this cast iron tea trivet! (It's so nice to offer tea when reading someone's Tarot.) Just recently I found the cutest cast iron witch bell and bird feet candle holders! I also got this sweet cast iron mortar and pestal...it's huge compared to my old one and weighs like 10 pounds! Time to get my mojo workin!



Bells are used to ward off evil spirits! If you ever get the heebie jeebies rattle a bell throughout your house to chase away the unwanted visitor. Bells can be used for summoning spirits too!



This year I need to invite my pals over more often for Tea and Tarot! I've been such a hermit...

Witches’ Kitchen

I haven't been this excited about something for my kitchen ever! Just look at this collection...I want it all! Couture Kitchen Witchery doesn't come cheap though! So for now I'll put this dream in a drawer with my dream of my Earthship House. Someday people...someday!



"An Artecnica Design with Conscience™ project, Witches’ Kitchen™ is a handcrafted kitchenware collection inspired by the witches and wizards of western lore. The extensive collection is a collaborative exercise in sustainable design. Designed by Studio Tord Boontje and handcrafted by artisan groups from three different South American countries, Witches’ Kitchen features black ceramic cookware hand-molded by Colombian artisans, wooden kitchen utensils handcarved by Guatemalan craftsmen, and kitchen couture hand-sewn by Brazil’s Coopa-Roca women’s cooperative." Available at Unica Home







The Kitchen Witch's Creed

In this pot, I stir to the sun an' follow the rule of harming none. Banishment of bane when goin' widdershins; an' with water and salt negativity is cleansed. Household duties are more than chores. Magick abounds when mopping floors.

With this broom, I do sweep to clean my house and safely keep. Marigold, Basil, Thyme, and Yarrow, my spell is cast for a better tomorrow. Lemons for joy and apples for health, the power within brings great wealth.

And, in this kitchen, I do pray to truly walk the Witches' Way.