Baking A Brioche On A Stormy Afternoon. A Slow Living Approach.

Just some pictures I took from my vacation.

This is beautiful

The mashup you never thought would work

THERE HE IS

THERE HE IS

M Y P U R P L E S O N

💫 Circles In Witchcraft 💫

WHAT IS A CIRCLE?: A circle is an energetic construct used in witchcraft. It can enhance the power of a spell and protect you. It can be marked as something that is both physical or energetic, or both! WHEN DO I CAST A CIRCLE?: Circles are cast before you do a spell, ritual, divination, ect. When you do it really depends on the type of witch but the short answer is: it is cast before doing magick. As I said above, to protect you and to enhance the spells power. DO I HAVE TO CAST ONE BEFORE DOING A SPELL?:  Absolutely not! I only ever cast a circle when I am doing a big spell. Usually a spell or ritual during one of the sabbats. it isn’t necessary to do any spell, but since it enhances the power of the spell & protects you it is a good idea to do before any spell that will require a lot of time and work.  HOW TO CAST A CIRCLE: - The space Figure out how much space you will need! The circle needs to encompass you and all the tools you will use in the spell, plus candles/incense.  - Your supplies  Try to make sure you have all your supplies together, I have forgotten stuff a few times and had to exit the circle. It can be done, but it’s just an overall not fun inconvenience.  - Atmosphere  This may be obvious, like remembering your supplies, but remember if any candles are going to be lit or if any incense is going to be burned, get that prepared too. - Cleanse  First cleanse the space! This can be done both physically & energetically. I usually sweep the ground where I’m going to cast a circle. Then I use the smoke from a candle I’ve blown out to cleanse it energetically. I also have a post about cleansing you can find -here-. - Protection & Safety  You’re going to want to ward before you do any magick. But especially big spells where you’ll need to cast a circle, when deities, spirits, invoking, ect may be involved. Here’s a really good post about warding. Elemental Method:  - Supplies: A feather  A red candle  Moon water Rock quartz  Alright, you’ve cleansed and you’ve warded and you’ve got your supplies all together. Now it’s go time.  Start with the East, turn to it and say “I summon the East, protect & empower this sacred circle”  The East is associated with the element of air. So I offered a feather. You could either lay this down ahead of time, or let it drift from your hand into the space/on your altar during circle casting.  Next turn to the South, and say “I summon the South, protect & empower this sacred circle” then light the candle.  The south is associated with the element fire and the color red. So I lit a red candle.  Then turn to the West, and say “I summon the West, protect & empower this sacred circle”  The West is associated with the element water, so I offered some super moon water from a glass. This would traditionally be done with your chalice.  Finally turn to the North, and say “I summon the North, protect & empower this sacred circle”  The North is associated with the element Earth so I offered up my chunk of rock quartz.  Now imagine the circle, or well sphere of energy forming around you and solidifying. Take this moment to focus and ground yourself. Chant, do anything you’d like to do that focuses you and brings the energy up. Summon any deities or spirits you wish to assist you. Now, cast your spell! Once you are done with the spell, imagine the circle crumbling into the ground. And the energy used releasing itself.  Alternative Offering: You could also offer lit candles to all the elements. Yellow for East, Red for South, Blue for West, & Green for North. Salt: Instead of making offerings to the elements you could go from East, South, West, & North, and sprinkle a thin trail of salt. Or you could sprinkle salt in addition to the elemental method.  If you’re casting this circle outside, use crushed eggshells instead of salt. Salt could damage the plants and grass nearby. Tips, Reminders & Questions: - What if I have to leave the circle?  I usually just imagine pulling a curtain back to exit the circle, then pulling it back again to enter again. But you could visualize anything you want. It is okay in my opinion to leave the circle.  - Make sure no one interrupts  Maybe this won’t apply to you but, I have not been interrupted while doing magick or casting a circle. But the idea of it just really irks me. It feels like it’d break the circle & my energy & intent. If you feel like this would apply to you, prepare to do the circle late at night or on a day when no one is around. If you have family or roommates.  As far the details of the elemental method go, that’s just how I do it. You can make up your own method or search up others for inspiration. This is from my grimoire, please do not copy or redistribute the elemental method section. This is all just my opinion.  Hope this helped someone! Enjoy! Have a lovely day 💖

Hello! I hope you are enjoying your summer. Lughnasadh is upon us, the first of the 3 harvest holidays. I usually spend this day on the countryside, hiking and enjoying the sun, but this year it is a bit different for obvious reasons! 

I know that usually it is custom to bake some bread for Lughnasadh I am a bit of a rebel so today I am offering you a really great recipe if you plan to do a picnic of a feast to celebrate this special day! I have cooked these tarts more than 3 times already and it is always a success! The recipe is a bit long, and I tried to make it as clear as possible!

Strawberry and Wine tarts

The perfect dessert for Lughnasadh

Prep time: 1 hour

Rest time: 1 hour

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yields: 6 to 8 small tarts or 1 big tart

Ingredients

- Dough

120g (1cup) plain flour

60g (1/2cup) whole meal flour

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

100g butter

- Mascarpone Cream

250g (1 pack) mascarpone

35g (1/4 cup) powder sugar

60g (2 tbsp) heavy cream

- Strawberry and Wine syrup

500g strawberries (more or less, it’s not really precise)

55g (1/4 cup) sugar

juice of 1 lemon

A few fresh Thyme sprigs

60g (1/4 cup) port wine

Preparation

//Dough

In a bowl, mix everything until you have crumbs

Add a bit of water for the dough to keep together

Make a flat ball, wrap it and let it rest in the fridge until needed (at least an hour)

//Strawberries

Rinse and cut the strawberries in slices and put then in a bowl

Add the lemon juice, a few fresh Thyme sprigs and sugar

Let it rest in the fridge for until needed (at least 30 minutes)

//Pie crusts

Pre-heat your oven 180°/375°F

Roll out a portion of the dough about 5mm thick

Drape over a small tart tin with it and trim the excess

Put back the trim with the rest of the dough

Repeat until you don’t have any dough left

Pick the crust with a fork to keep the crust flat when baking

Bake in a hot oven for 15/20 minutes. The crust has to be light golden.

Let it cool on a tray

//Mascarpone cream

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients with a whisk or electric whisk until you have a creamy texture

Let it rest in the fridge until needed

//Wine Syrup

Stain the Strawberry juice and the Thyme in small sauce pan

Put the strawberries back in the fridge

Add the port wine in the pan, you can add more Thyme sprigs if you want a stronger flavour

Put the syrup to a boil then on medium heat until the liquid has diminished by half, or until syrupy

Remove the Thyme springs and set aside the wine syrup to cool

//Making the tart

Spread the cream

Layer with strawberry slices

Drizzle with a bit of syrup

Garnish with a few Thyme leaves

Tips

* These tarts have to be eaten the same day. I understand that the process is a bit long so you can cook the crust and whip the mascarpone the day before so you’d just have to do the strawberries, the syrup and the tarts the day where you plan to eat them

* Port substitution: You can use marsala as well, or nothing and just reduce the strawberry juice to make it a syrup

* If you choose to do a big tart, use weights when you bake the crust to keep it flat

Invader Zim Linguistics AU Masterpost

(A.K.A: Irkens can’t have nice things: the series.)

Synopsis: Zim finds out that Gir was never programmed to understand Irken. Deciding to teach Gir himself, Zim soon uncovers some alarming gaps in his own knowledge, and discovers that maybe some things are better left buried.

Here’s where I’ll be collecting all the links for the comics from now on! Thanks again to the lovely anon for the suggestion.

Content Warning: Contains Blood, Violence, Depictions of Trauma and Mental health issues, References to Psychological Abuse, References to War, Mind Control/Manipulation, Medical Experimentation, Death, and themes of Neglect and Abandonment.

This AU also runs on the commonly-held theory that Irkens are raised from birth to be soldiers, so please be careful and read through the warnings. All comics are tagged “iz linguistics au” if you need to blacklist.  

That being said, most of this horribleness is only hinted at and happens off screen. Anything especially graphic will be marked below with a *** 

Main Comics

Part 1: Broken

Part 2: Close Enough

Part 3: Enter Dib

Part 4: The Dark Room ***

Side Comic: I’m Fine Now

Part 5: Culture Shock

Part 6: Helpful Sibling Advice

Part 7: End Transmission

Part 8: Ghosts

Part 9: Cracks

Part 10: Errors, Secrets and Half-Truths

Part 10.5: What’s in a Name?

Extras 

Connection Lost (part 8 preview)

Creative Discipline 

Irken Faux Pas

Baby Zim

Skoodge and the Weird Kid

Study Time (gif)

Ghosts

Cracks (part 9 preview)

A Concerned Dibble (gif)

Hug-seeking missile (gif)

If Zim met his younger self

Sleepless nights and last resorts (future comic preview)🌃✨

It’s not that deep (and other meme redraws)

Bad Ending (part1)

Bad Ending (part2)

Computer sees Zim’s PAK for the first time (mini comic)

“Let Only Good Energy In” Horseshoe Ward Charm

(little squeal for the first spell I have to share with Tumblr. This and all future spells of mine will be posted in the Spells page of my blog)

The thought process behind this enchantment is adding wards to an object long thought to offer protection and good luck in and of itself.

Items:

a horseshoe

a doorway to hang the horseshoe over

your magical self!

Procedure:

Think of the horseshoe as a cup, with the prongs being the mouth of the cup, kind of like a “U”

Tip the horseshoe over so that the prongs are facing down and shake the horseshoe, making as if you’re pouring something out of a cup. Here, you’re pouring the old and negative energies out, the wards that need replacing

Turning the horseshoe upright again, hold it tightly in both hands and close your eyes.

Envision good energy and the fresh wards flooding into your mouth (for some reason, I see these particular wards as fish? In my mouth? Weird, I know ^^)

Gently blow the good energy and fresh wards into the mouth of the horseshoe, as if you were filling a cup with liquid.

Being careful not to tip the horseshoe in case the wards pour out, secure the horseshoe above or near a doorway to as a protection charm!

Reasoning:

Horseshoes have long been thought to bring good luck to homes in which they’re hung. Eastern cultures were said to have hung them like crescents “C” and they offered protection against the Evil Eye. Back when they were made of iron, they were used as protection against malicious fae, evil spirits, and imps.

Note:

Refill these wards every couple of months. When you go to tip the old wards out, thank them for their protection as you release them from their enchantment.

Honey Lavender Bread

submitted by @materiamystica​

½ cup Greek yoghurt ½ cup plain flour 1tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 tbsp dried lavender 1 tbsp honey 1 egg, beaten

The intent is to increase mental clarity and connection. To clear your spiritual and mental brain fog so that you can think and see more clearly again. To improve clarity of vision and connection to your heart’s desire. Lavender is employed to stimulate clarity and connection, cleansing, memory, passion, peace of mind, healing, love, passion and retention. With the honey for added sweetness and stickiness to make visions all the more sweet, and memories stick more permanently. Harvesting your own lavender can also be intended to honour Lammas, too!

1. Mix everything in a bowl and preheat the oven at 350 F. 2. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead adding more flour until it’s no longer sticky and has formed a nice stretchy bread dough. 3. Put into a floured loaf tin. 4. Brush top with egg wash. 5. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a golden crust has formed and a skewer comes out clean. 6. Slice and enjoy!