The Moon is Waxing

As promised:

Love Poppets:

A Love Poppet is a cloth doll, similar to the popular Voodoo doll, but used by Witches in white magick spells for love and romance.
To make a Love poppet, you will need two pieces of cloth (equal in size), a pair of scissors, a needle, some thread, ink or paint, and magickal herbs with which to stuff the doll.
On a night of the new moon, concentrate on the man or woman whom the Love Poppet will represent and draw the outline of the person on one of the pieces of cloth and then carefully cut patterns. With a needle and thread, sew together the two pieces of cloth along the seams but leave the seam at the top of the doll's head open for stuffing.
The next step is to draw the person's facial features, characteristics (such as mustache, beard, glasses, hair, etc.) and his or her own astrological symbol on the torso of the Love Poppet with ink or pain in the individual's favorite color(s), if that is known. If you are unsure use red or pink-the colors of passion and love.
Using mugwort, feverfew, sorrel (or any other herb ruled by Venus, the planet of Love), stuff the Love Poppet until it is completely full. After this has been done, sew shut the opening at the top of the doll's head to prevent the magickal herbs from falling out.
The Love Poppet is now ready to be used to draw love into your life.
On a Friday when the moon is in a waxing phase, lay the Love Poppet on the center of the altar between two pink candles. (Be sure, as you stand before the altar, that you are facing East.) Anoint the candles with some rose oil and then light them. Sprinkle the Love Poppet with a bit of salted water to consecrate it, and say:

WITH THIS SALT AND WATER
I CONSECRATE THEE
AS A POSITIVE AND POTENT
TOOL OF LOVE MAGICK

Pick up your athame with your right hand. Touch the Love Poppet with the tip of the blade to charge it with magickal power as you say:

IN THE DIVINE NAME OF VENUS
AND BY HER DIVINE POWERS
I CHARGE THEE WITH LOVE-DRAWING MAGICK
SO MOTE IT BE.

Pick up the Love Poppet and hold it in your hands. As you gaze at it, concentrate on the affections of the man or woman whom the Poppet represents, and direct your love energy into the Poppet. Recite your beloved's name nine times out loud, shouting his or her name loudly on the ninth recitation.
Return the Love Poppet to the center of the alter and tie a red ribbon (symbolizing love) around its body and say:

WITH RIBBON OF RED
THIS SPELL I BIND
TRUE LOVE AND STRONG LONG
MAY (name) AND I FIND
SO MOTE IT BE.

Place your athame on top of the Love Poppet. Extinguish the candles and leave the doll on the alter for three weeks.
After the ritual has been completed, wrap the Love Poppet in a white satin or silk cloth, leaving the ribbon tied to it, and keep it in a safe and secret place where it will never be disturbed.

Athame- A ritual knife with a double-edged blade, used by witches and magicians to draw circles and to stoer and direct energy during magickal rituals.


Herbs of Love- absinthe, Adam and Eve root, almond, aloes, balm, basil, bay laurel, lemon, licorice stick herb, lotus, lovage, magnolia, mandrake, mistletoe, beth root, cinnamon, cinquefoil, cloves, coriander, cubeb berries, damiana, dill seed dragon's blood, dulse herb, elecampane, fennel seed, five-finger grass, gentain root, heart's ease, hemp seeds, juniper berries, laurel, lavender, myrtle, orange blossoms, orris root, passion flower, patchouli, periwinkle, primrose, quassia chips, Queen Elizabeth root, rose, rose geranium, satyrion root, scullcap, snakeroot, spikenard, vanilla, verbena root, vervain, violet.

Current moon phase:

Waxing Crescent
19% of full

I bet you can guess what I will be doing tomorrow! All you men better watch out, you just might be my victim! (insert witch laugh)


for more information on poppets: http://www.earthwitchery.com/poppet-magick.html

information taken from Wicca Love Spells, written by Gerina Dunwich, Citadel Press (1998)

Mourning

Jack left Project Runway tonight because of a medical emergency. My heart goes out to him, I will probably be in mourning the rest of the season.

December 1st

It snowed in Seattle today. I don't exactly know how to react to this. I love snow, when it is snowing, and when I can look at it through a window. Snowflakes are beautiful and amazing by themselves, and when they cling together to blanket the world in snow. However, I hate snow after it has fallen, and I have to go out into it and walk around in it. In fact, one of my most hated sounds on this planet is the sound of snow crunching, it does the same thing to me that fingernails on a chalkboard do to many people. Whitney was telling me today that she will only be wearing skirts from here on out, because of the wet pant leg you get when you walk in the snow. I think she is really on to something here, it is kind of like the summer of skirts but in the cold.
Even though the snow is cold, and can be a very nasty nasty thing, I do think it was the perfect way to welcome December. The snow fall, combined with Christmas music, and a warm drive in my car, helped me to feel the magic of the season that is upon us.

In other news, today was World AIDS Day. I went to a 4 hour class/training on HIV and AIDS. It was amazing. I don't know if I have ever really put an effort into understanding the virus or the way it effects peoples lives. The last 2 hours of the class were presented by a man who has lived with HIV/AIDS for about 25 years. It was really life changing to have the opportunity to listen to his story. He related an experience about a 16 year old girl who had said that she was not worried about contracting HIV. If she did contract it, there are pills that would be available and it would be NBD. He then reached into his bag and pulled out over 20 bottles of pills that he has to take on a daily basis (the pills cost him $6,000 a month). It is incredible to think of the constant battle he faces just to make it through one more day. This season on Project Runway one of the contestants, Jack, contracted HIV 17 years ago. He is amazing, he has an incredible body and seems to have a great amount of energy, plus his designs are pretty great. I gained a whole new respect for him today, and have decided he will be my season favorite.

Also, today was my roommate Heather's wedding. I didn't get to go to the ceremony, but made it to the reception. It turned out really nice. It was held in this really nice restaurant on the water. The back of the restaurant was mostly windows, and it was gorgeous to see the snowflakes falling on the water. We had a bridal shower for Heather on Thursday night, it was themed Naughty or Nice. I ended up running the show and had a bunch of fun. We played the poetry game- but we put a twist on it, we had everyone theme their poems around love and the honeymoon night. We aimed to write poems that Heather could read to Justin on their honeymoon. It was brilliant! The poems turned out so well. The night was filled with lots of laughter and had a good mix of both naughty and nice moments. My favorite moment of the night however, was after Heather had received an array of inappropriate gifts (edible underwear, boobie tassels, loads of lingerie and more) she opened her last gift and pulled out a large beautiful painting of the Savior (given by her Mom and Aunt). I can't speak for all of my roommates, but I will say I felt a bit awkward.

Finals have arrived... let the cankers begin!

Retail

A month and half ago I entered the world of retail. I work at Lucy, which is a clothing store full of women's active wear. "We make clothes that fit, woooomeeeen."

I love my job!!! I could have never guessed that I would love retails so much. I get to help other people buy clothes. I love giving my opinion on color, styles, fit, and what is hip and what isn't. It is so fun to help women feel so good about themselves that they have no problem dropping several hundred dollars on active wear. Each customer thinks that I am the expert, and is willing to believe everything I say. It is kind of scary how powerful my opinion seems to be for many of these people.

Last weekend was our big holiday weekend, I worked all 3 days, including black Friday! I had some major sells this weekend. One lady was planning a trip to Africa, so I helped her spend $700 to be adequately prepared for her adventure. Then a lady came in yesterday (she was wearing the hugest diamond ring I have ever seen) looking for Christmas gifts for her girlfriends. She was thinking about getting them all workout pants. "What a great gift," I told her, "this jacket will go great with those pants and your friends will love it!!!" 11 jackets, 5 pairs of pants, and $900 later, Jill was walking out the door as happy as a lark. In fact she was so pleased with the service she received, that she grabbed me and gave me an ecstatic embrace, then told me she wanted to give me a Christmas gift. I was thinking a pair of pants and a jacket would be a good idea.

I can not change the way people perceive me

If you didn't already know, Megan moved up to Seattle last weekend, and we are roommates again. Over the last week we have had 6 people ask us if we are related. I guess they have failed to notice that she is a foot taller than me, and that we don't look a bit a like.

Our guess is that it is just the glasses.

It kind of reminds me of the time a kid, that had been in the same ward as Lily and I for over a month, admitted that he thought for a long time that Lily and I were the same person. Once again he must have failed to notice that she is much taller than I am, and that she is Asian.

Going Home

After several weeks of living out of a backpack, paying for showers, eating only bread and cheese and sleeping wherever we happened to find a bed (the word bed is being used very loosely here), Erin and I were exhausted, stinky, and ready to go home. I am not sure if there have ever been any happier girls than we were as we traveled back to The United States. The journey was filled with energetic conversations of how much we loved America, and how excited we were to be going home. We really understood why Neil Diamond was so happy when he sang “We’re coming to America, Today!”

When we got off the plane in Newark we had to pick up our bags, go through customs, and then return them to the belt that would take them to our next airplane. As we went through customs, we gave our passports to the agent; after the little man looked over them he gave them back to us, smiled and said, “Welcome Home.” Both Erin and I kind of melted in that moment. Never had 2 words sounded any sweeter. We were back in America, and on our way HOME. As we walked away form the customs agent, we both giggled with excitement, knowing we were almost there. We then got in line to put our bags back on the belt where they would be shipped off to our plane. When we got to the front of the line the airport worker asked us where we were flying to, with all the joy and enthusiasm of my soul I blurted out “SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH!!!” Erin just kind of stopped and stared at me then looked at the man and said, “No, we’re flying to Seattle.”

I was instantly crushed. I was supposed to be on my way home, to the place where I belong, and in my mind that was Provo.

Since that day I have come to the harsh realization that Provo holds a very deep spot in my heart, and it is going to take a long time before I stop yearning to be there. When I left I don’t think I really understood what I was leaving behind.

My first week living in Seattle was a little rough, though it was exciting to be here, I still felt very much like a stranger in this new land. I felt very isolated and alone. However, I was very thankful to have a cell phone that allowed me to talk to Lily for several hours every day.

On Tuesday morning I went on a run, on these trails that are really close to my house. It was amazing! The trees were thick, and were showing evidence that autumn has arrived, squirrels darted in and out of the trees and across the path, and a light drizzle of rain continually kept me cool. Everything seemed to be just perfect, like I was dreaming. As I ran I was filled with such peace and happiness. And then I realized that I had finally made it home.

I am happy here. I love my program; there is so much to learn. My classmates are awesome. I live in a crazy-fun hose with 9 girls. Each roommate is so individual and I am so excited to get to know them all. This place is gorgeous; I have my breath taken away on a regular basis by the beauty that surrounds me. Institute and my ward are wonderful. The city is so fun and full of activities and excitement.

Sure I can’t run and grab Café Rio whenever I want it, nor can I go party hopping on a Saturday night with Mark and Lily. Whitney isn’t going to be sitting in my house when I get home, and there is no Doll House just around the corner. The conference center isn’t an hour away and I can’t drive up the canyon to see the colors. But that is O.K. Provo was great, it was home, and I don’t think I will ever really stop missing it or the people there, but I’ve realized that this place holds many wonderful treasures as well, it is just a matter of uncovering and embracing them.