Monday, October 31, 2011

The Crone, The Owl, and The Cocoon

The Crone sits and takes a deep breath, The Owl rests on her shoulder.  A battle still rages on, although she's fought long and hard.  The Owl gently ruffles it's feathers, and The Crone acknowledges that the battle is far from over.  But as the bitter winds blow cold over this Samhain Eve, The Crone is tired and battle weary.  While her bones ache, it's the heaviness in her heart that hurt the most. 

She knows this battle is hers alone.  Long and hard fought, with no end in sight.  The foes are those who seek to destroy Truth.  To destroy Honor.  To destroy Justice.  Their troops outnumber The Crone in so many ways. The prize they eye is coveted by so many.  Power, glory, fortune and perhaps fame.

The Crone seeks none of these, she seeks only to heal.  The wisdom of The Owl is her guide, her map.  It's curious to her, how many will follow false prophets, only to be used and abused over and over again.  She asks herself why she fights this battle.  And with wisdom of the ancients, and the insight of The Owl that is unfailingly true, The Crone knows the answer.  Truth.  Honor.  Justice.  No matter the price.  Her mission in life was mapped out in ancient times.  She bows to the Goddess and whispers, "Your will is mine". 

The battle, long fought -  will never be over.  But The Crone will fight until she takes her last breath.  For now, she descends to the Underworld.  A place of respite - a time to heal.  She lays her head down, a tear slides down her worn face.  The fire within will keep her warm, and in her Cocoon she will rest.

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Hidden Path - uncovering the mysteries within, and without.

If any of you have ever considered using The Hidden Path cards by Raven Grimassi & Stephanie Taylor, but weren't sure if they were for you - this is the place to start.  Each week I'll be posting a card and offering my thoughts.

Today's card is "Tree in Winter".  My first thought when this card came up was "No!! I'm not ready for Winter!".  As usual, however, the Divine has an important message for us all.

This card represents:  Endurance, Preservation & Stability.  These are key concepts with the approach of winter.  That's the physical world aspect of this card.  The spiritual aspect of this card tells us that when we feel far removed from our spirituality, divinity, friends & family, and even ourselves - it's a time to preserve what's left.

Even in our deepest, darkest hour - there is a glimmer of light.  It's that light, no matter how dim, that we preserve.  And we prepare to accept what will come.

The barren snow-covered tree does not worry about the cold or loss of it's beautiful foliage.  It stands proud, embracing what comes naturally - waiting patiently for the renewal it knows will come.

Endure the times in your life that seem cold and barren.  Preserve the inner light that connects you to Divinity. Find your place of Stability.  These things are all part of the cycle of life, and when we learn to work with what we have, we end up with more than we realize.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Working for the Greater Good

Happy Magickal Monday everyone!  Yes, it's Monday, and back to work for me.  Last week Nuit and I took a much needed break, relaxed and... well... still worked a bit.  LOL!  As promised, I worked on a new ScentWerx addition, our new line of Body Mist.  Right now we have two of your favorite scents available:  Lemon Zest and Sugar Mint.  Today I will be concocting another scent - one that's new to the ScentWerx line.

Mabon has come and gone, and we find ourselves looking towards one of MY favorite holidays:  Samhain!  Speaking of which, my BFF and most favorite witch in the world - Kallan Kennedy, will soon be announcing her Halloween Giveaway.  So check out her blog, bookmark it, and keep checking for details. 

This brings me to my other topic for today.  If you noticed the blog title here "Working for the Greater Good", you might wonder what I'm talking about.  Well wonder no longer - I'm about to explain.

A few months ago a group of us became aware of the intent of a group called "DC-40".  Their intent is to "lay siege" on the nation - to force feed their (radical, IMO) religious views on every man, woman and child in this country by way of "spiritual warfare".   They believe they have the power to change the name of  our capital - District of Columbia - to "The District of Christ".  A "50 days of Prayer" is planned, and their intent is clear:  to destroy the secular nation that we have and force everyone to succumb to their spiritual way of thinking by changing laws here in the good 'ol USA. 

Their response, when realizing that pagans were just not going to sit back and allow them to use their malevolent form of magick to destroy our wonderful nation, was to throw down the gauntlet.  They declared : "We release the power of blood-covered light over you."  Blood?  REALLY??

We realize that there are many, many Christians who do not follow along this radical group's line of thinking.  We also realize that it's NOT to be ignored.  Why?  Because the foundation of all prayer, energy/spell work is simple.  The reason it works is in direct proportion to the amount of INTENT the practitioner puts into it.  And boy are these radicals putting a LOT of intent into their plan.  So - WE ARE TOO.   

Here's the bottom line:  The DC40 project was created to force a union of Church (their version of it) and State within this great country.  During these 50 days of prayer, they plan on changing the nicknames of each state.  Some of the nicknames are surreal in an almost evil way such as renaming Arkansas to "The State of Exposing & Dislodging the Serpent".  Sheesh.  *shakes head*

So, not ones to take things like this laying down - a wonderful group of pagans has put together a plan  And we invite everyone, of ALL faiths, to join us. 

There is a group on Facebook called "What Makes Your State Great?"  We are asking people to post about their state.  What do you love about your state?  What makes it a great place to live?  How does your state contribute to the secular nation?  You may have little known facts - things of interest - that others would be surprised to know.  This group is the place to shout it out. :-)

In addition, we are asking people to utilize the schedule below to coordinate their own good works if they would like.  Whether you are a Christian who uses prayer, or anyone who uses chants, prayer, energy/spell work - this job is for you.

Here is the list, which includes each state's name - it's true "nickname", and the date that we are asking everyone to do their own special kind of "magick" to support our goal of protecting the religious freedoms of this country.  These dates each precede the DC40's plan of attack on each state:

The What Makes Your State Great Project Plan

Sign up for your state or your favorite. We'll be featuring each state as follows:

Hawaii (50) The Aloha State10-02-11 
Alaska (49)The Last Frontier 10-03-11 
Arizona (48) The Grand Canyon State 10-04-11 
New Mexico (47)The Land of Enchantment 10-05-11 
Oklahoma (46) The Sooner State10-06-11 
Utah (45)The Beehive State10-07-11 
Wyoming (44)The Equality State10-08-11 
Idaho (43)The Gem State 10-09-11 
Washington (42)The Evergreen State10-10-11 
Montana (41)The Treasure State10-11-11 
South Dakota (40)The Mount Rushmore State10-12-11 
North Dakota (39)The Peace Garden State10-13-11 
Colorado (38)The Centennial State 10-14-11 
Nebraska (37)The Corn Husker State10-15-11 
Nevada (36)The Silver State10-16-11 
West Virginia (35)The Mountain State10-17-11 
Kansas (34)The Sunflower State10-18-11 
Oregon (33)The Beaver State 10-19-11 
Minnesota (32)The North Star State10-20-11 
California (31)The Golden State10-21-11 
Wisconsin (30)The Badger State10-22-11 
Iowa (29)The Hawkeye State 10-23-11 
Texas (28)The Lone Star State10-24-11 
Florida (27) The Sunshine State10-25-11 
Michigan (26) The Great Lakes State 10-26-11 
Arkansas (25) The Natural State 10-27-11 
Missouri (24)The Show Me  State10-28-11
 Maine (23)The Pine Tree State 10-29-11
Alabama (22)The Yellowhammer State10-30-11 
Illinois (21)The Prairie State10-31-11
Mississippi (20)The Magnolia State 11-01-11
Indiana (19)The Hoosier State11-02-11
Louisiana (18)The Pelican State11-03-11
Ohio (17)The Buckeye State 11-04-11
Tennessee (16) The Volunteer State 11-05-11
Kentucky (15)The Bluegrass State  –11-06-11
Vermont (14)The Green Mountain State11-07-11
Rhode Island (13)The Ocean State11-08-11
North Carolina (12)The Tarheel State 11-09-11
District of COLUMBIA (DC) 11-10-11
New York (11) The Empire State11-11-11
Virginia (10)The Old Dominion State11-12-11
New Hampshire (9)The Granite State 11-13-11
South Carolina (8)The Palmetto State 11-14-11
Maryland (7) The Old Line State 11-15-11
Massachusetts (6)The Bay State 11-16-11
Connecticut (5)The Constitution State 11-17-11
Georgia (4) The Peach State 11-18-11
New Jersey (3)The Garden  State11-19-11
Pennsylvania (2)The Keystone State -11-20-11
Delaware (1) The First State 11-21-11
11-22-11: Posting of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Secular Writings of our Founding Fathers

We hope you'll join us, and lend your energy to a work For The Greater Good.


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Eye of Nuit will be taking a much needed break next week.  As many of you know, Eye of Nuit is a sole proprietor business.  Nuit & I work very hard at keeping the store stocked with fresh and innovative product - creating fun and exciting projects and gatherings, and making Eye of Nuit a place for all witches and pagans to gather and just be themselves.

With the rough economic times we're in, it's not possible to hire even a part-time employee, much less pay myself.  I keep the faith that I can make it through the rough first few years, with the expected "running in the red".  The Goddess had a plan for me, and for this store - and I'll see it through wherever it leads.

I am very blessed with the generous helping hand that Dave lends me while working his own very demanding full time job.  He gives of his time and energy, and his only compensation is the love, appreciation and support of you, the customers - as well as from Nuit and myself! 

I cannot thank this man enough for his support of me in this endeavor!  As we all know - a little appreciation goes a long way in making someone feel valuable.  So honey, here's to you!  *raises a cup of coffee in a toast*

In addition to Dave's helping hand, I am blessed with two other individuals who give generously of their time to help keep the doors open.  They know who they are and they know that I am more grateful than words can express!  Yes, Sarah and Jodee, I'm talking about you! :-)

Next week, our store hours will be limited.  Please check the Store Hours link for more information.  I will be taking some time to finish implementing the new and improved online store, so look for that in the very near future!  Beginning Sunday, September 25th, our store hours will change.  More details are on the website:  Eye of Nuit

We are coming up on our one year anniversary, and plans are in the making to have a celebration!  In the coming months, look for new products, a redesigned storefront, and fresh additions to our line of ScentWerx™ which includes handcrafted soy wax candles, soaps, body lotion, bath salts & more!

Last night was a smashing Witches Night Out success!  Many came out to this special Craft Night and made some beautiful God’s Eyes.  Our deepest heartfelt thanks go to Sarah, Pete & Jodee for their help in making this a fun and crafty evening!  Nessa Rose was on hand to help, but got detoured by the fresh Catnip growing in the store and ended up leaving everyone to their own crafty devices.  This was probably a good thing.

I’ll be announcing the next Craft Night soon, and information on our next public ritual.  Don’t miss out on these wonderful witchy gatherings!

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Visionary Art of Paul B. Rucker

This past week was filled with many highs and lows.  Today, I'm going to concentrate on the "high".

One afternoon, while waiting on a customer, I heard the tinkling of the bells on the door and in breezed this extraordinary man.  His energy was colorful, happy and joyful.  While talking to my customer, I noticed he sat down in the Big Comfy Chair by the library and was browsing through our magazine selection.

I bid adieu to the customer and this gentleman rose up from the chair, and seemingly floated across the room to me, charging the air with a rainbow of electric energy.  He placed a magazine on the counter that he wished to purchase, then proceeded to introduce himself by holding up the most recent copy of Circle Magazine we had on the shelf and saying "Hi! I'm Paul Ruckert and this is my artwork on the cover!"  He had a smile on his face that brightened the already well-lit room. 

Paul B. Rucker is truly a visionary and deeply spiritual artist.  His works are vibrant, eclectic, and imaginary.  Without a doubt, his presence and personality are infused into each piece of art that he paints.  His art work has been featured on the cover of such publications as Green Egg, Hecate’s Loom, Mezlim, Psychedelic Illuminations, Tapestry Journal, and Reclaiming Quarterly.

"I think of myself as part of the Tribe of Dream", he quips on his website.  And when you see his pieces, I think you'll understand what he means.

The afternoon was spent chatting with Paul about a wide variety of subjects, including his ideas on marketing, and me teaching him how to incorporate simple hula moves in his spiritual expressions. 

The best part of the day was the opportunity I had to purchase some of his pieces of art, to sell here at Eye of Nuit!  I do hope you'll enjoy them as much as I enjoyed picking them out - and the magickal afternoon spent with the enchanting Paul B. Rucker.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Queen of My Own Damn Life!

In the World Of Snowy (hereon known as WOS) there is one absolute:  I am Queen of My Own Damn Life.  Sound egotistical?  I think not.

It takes a LOT to become Queen of Your Own Damn Life, and it's actually a title that every woman can assume.  And that's peachy keen in your own life, but when you cross over into the WOS, respect the crown!  LOL!!

For those of you who truly know me, you know that I am the LEAST egotistical person in the world.  My BFF Kallan Kennedy has to remind me over and over again what talents I possess, what my true calling is, and what I have to offer the world.  The Honey is consistently my rock when I am feeling down.  (The Honey is that wonderful man I share my life with)

My belief is that we need to not only believe in ourselves, but we have got to learn to think very highly of ourselves.  Appreciating, loving & nurturing our Queen Selves goes a long way in our overall well being and survival.

I recently told The Honey that for the past several years I've allowed myself to be a punching bag for others with deep seated personal issues.  Trust doesn't come easy for me anymore.  The WOS has been rocked several times when out of nowhere, people I've placed trust in have just hit me so low, it was like a TKO!  I've blogged (probably on several occasions) about The Lie Monster.

The Lie Monster is that energy that is created by those who lack self esteem, harbor petty jealousies, and covet The Good and Wonderful that you possess.  They just can't get it for themselves and have NO CLUE where to start.  So - they lie! 

On another note:  I also came to the realization recently that I am very spoiled by my Black Forest Clan training.  But... that won't make sense to a lot of people.

Have you felt like a punching bag for others?  Do you think you are not worthy of A Good Life?  My advice to you is to get your head out of the sand and start being Queen of Your Own Damn Life!  Speak up for yourself, let no one take your Personal Royal Power, and polish that crown!

Be proud of yourself, even for the smallest accomplishments.  Remove that which does not fulfill you on a spiritual or emotional level from your life.  Fill your life with people who uplift you, who honor and respect you, and who just think you are the best thing since sliced bread!

Give of yourself, your time, and your energy - but do so wisely.  For, to continually give of yourself with no appreciation in return, you are breaking the Code of The Queen!  Rid yourself of Emotional Baggage (THAT is a tough one!!)  and fill your cup with The Spice of Life.

Are YOU the Queen of Your Own Damn Life?  If so, tell us about it - if not, let us know what we can do to help you!



Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Bad Juju vs. Good Vibrations = A Fractured Pagan Fairytale

The controversy surrounding what can be done by the pagan community about the DC 40, spearheaded by John Benefiel of the Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network (HAPN)  has taken some interesting, but not surprising, twists and turns.

Hecate Demeter shares a lot of good (and well worth reading) information on what HAPN is planning, along with End-Time Handmaidens (a name I find curious as it suggests that they see women in a subservient role... but I digress) and gives a peek into this group of conservative christian extremists view of the "District of Columbia".  

Distressing to just about every pagan out there?  Absolutely.  And yet - as is typical of pagan nature - so difficult to get a group of free thinkers to agree on what - if anything - should be done.

I watched a highly respected blogger Kallan Kennedy be admonished by a self professed "new-agey practitioner" on her Facebook page when she explained her views on using magick to defend herself against negative attacks.  Her philosophy (one that we share) is that "a witch who cannot hex cannot heal"  His response to her was "your karma, not mine".  Really?? 

On Alison Leigh Lilly's blog she admonishes pagans who are basically using a "fight fire with fire" means of fending off the negative impact something like this DC 40 imposes on us all.  A clear voice that rings out the "let's all just play nice and they will like us!" mentality.  Again.. REALLY??

Apathy, disconnect from each other as a pagan whole, and the lack of being able to put certain views aside to collectively come together for a very important cause is exactly why the extreme conservative christian right is gaining power POLITICALLY on us by leaps and bounds.  And gaining POLITICAL power means they have the gold and are getting to make the rules.  Is this what we really want??

Yeah... I said the "P" word.  Too many pagans shudder at the thought of it and run down their pagan rabbit holes, refusing to deal with it.  If pagans would start working towards more involvement - even at a local level - in the politics of this nation, then we might gain more ground and effect more change.  Don't want the government to allow the extreme christian belief system to color your rights?  GET INVOLVED!  That means, go vote, get elected, write to your Congressmen/woman and Representatives.  Make calls, contact the folks at Covenant of the Goddess and just make noise in general.


Pagans want either religious equality, or the complete separation of church and state (both noble thought processes) - but WAY too many are afeared of POLITICS.  Brother and Sister John and Jane Pagan COME OUT OF THAT RABBIT HOLE!!

 So - back to the Bad Juju/Good Vibrations concept.  Does it really have to be only one or the other?  Why can't the "love and light" side accept that there are others who will willingly pick up the magickal sword and do battle against the oppression?  For as we all know - energy is just that:  ENERGY.  It is neither good nor evil.  It's the INTENT that counts.  And if putting a stop to the negative energies of the christian extremists to protect the INTENT of our Founding Fathers means using every ounce of energy I have to deflect and PROTECT then I will.  

Good Goddess, people - didn't approximately 3,000 soldiers die on the battle field in Gettysburg alone just trying to (and SUCCEEDING) protect those freedoms?  They gave their lives - are some of you so narcissistic that you won't risk your "karma" to at least support those who are willing to do battle?  

I personally invite the "love and light" pagans to send their own INTENT along with ours, so that it melds together into one big ball of  WE DID IT!  What deflates the overall intent is the strong argument that these same pagans use to try and shame us into thinking WE are evil.   Your negativity has the potential of deflating the overall balloon of success!

 We can't overcome the "Us vs. Them" until we overcome the "My Juju is Better Than Yours" attitude.

 That's my Fractured Pagan Fairytale.  What's yours?

Monday, July 18, 2011

And the winner is....

ShadowWolf of Seasons of the Wolf !!  Congrats to her and MANY thanks to all who participated!!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Preston Poppet

Preston Poppet was inspired by the Pennsylvania German healing system known as Pow-Wow or "Braucherei". His colors are Red, White and Black to represent Blood, Body & Spirit. He comes to you complete with 3 hand rolled beeswax candles - one each of black, red and white. These candles are approximately 1.5" X 4"

While Preston can have many uses, ranging from a simply cute pincushion to a full fledged poppet, the intent I have put into him is one of healing. Use him to represent the one you wish to send healing to, set him on your altar, and light the candles - visualizing a white healing light surrounding the person you are sending the healing to.

Preston stands just under 4 inches tall, and is about 2 inches wide. He is embroidery machine stitched with a pattern I purchased at Urban Threads He is stuffed with poly-fiber, his wild hair is made of soft sparkly white yarn. 

He is available now on my Etsy shop!

Friday, May 27, 2011

You can't please everyone

Thinking back on yesterday, I realized one very simple truth:

You Can't Please Everyone!

If you're wondering what "yesterday" was mostly about, you can find all the juicy details on my BFF Kallan Kennedy's blog, or another wonderful blogger - Mrs. B of Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom. 

In addition to watching (and a bit of interacting with) the hullaballoo, I was also treated to an admonishment based on religious intolerance of my own.  See... recently I've gotten the sewing bug.  And my creative muse took me to new and unchartered territories in the form of my new line of Poppet dolls. 

Paige Poppet, who is actually the second doll in my line, was so darn cute, and so much fun to make, that I decided to list her on my Etsy shop.  And of course, I shamelessly plugged her on Facebook. 


A few weeks ago, I happened upon a young girl's profile on Facebook.  A girl who I knew many years ago.  I thought "oh, how cool!", and sent a Friend Request, which was almost immediately accepted.  Now, this girl comes from a Mormon background.  And before any of you think I'm going to bash Mormons, you're terribly wrong.  The point being, this girl came from a home where Mormonism (which is, in fact, a Christian based faith) was preached, but not very well practiced.  They were a very prideful family, taking money out of the mouths of their employees (i.e.:  not paying them) and "borrowing" but never paying back.  They hurt countless people in their quest for the almighty dollar.  All the while thumping their Book of Mormon when it suited them.

Fast forward to yesterday:  So I put up a post about my new doll, Paige.  And immediately I began getting really favorable comments.  Until my former acquaintance - who had yet to post anything on my wall or message me in any way up to this point, showed up.  Her comment?  "That's nothing to play with... and is that a pentagram that it is standing on... SERIOUSLY???"  Yes.  Seriously.  And then she de-friended me.  Lolz.


So... although there is probably a lot more I could say, I found this video on You Tube and would like to leave you all with it.  And a little cheer:


WE ARE - STRONG!!
WE ARE - A FAITH!!
WE ARE - PAGAN!!


Thursday, May 19, 2011

Navigating the delicate fields of the human ego on Facebook

*sigh*  I think many of you can relate to this. 

Facebook has become one of those things that I have developed a love/hate relationship with.  I love the interaction, love connecting with people, and love it as the best marketing tool since sliced bread.  (ok, sandwich boards, but who's counting)

It's core component is allowing users to post a "status".  And of course, many of us are VERY creative with our status posts. We use it to express a need for coffee, love, or energy.  We run to it when we feel the need to bitch-slap someone but aren't immediately able to "reach out and touch someone".   (they used to call that "therapy")  We share stories, pass along interesting (or sometimes not so interesting) information.  It's enables us to give and receive love to and from all over the world.  It allows us to shamelessly plug our wares. 

Facebook also provides a platform for some of the most insane "witch wars" and cat fights I've seen in my life.  (cheap entertainment if you ask me!)  Some people boldly post and include the name of He/She Who Shall Be Slapped.  Most of us don't.  But maybe we should?? 

And here's why:  I've noticed that there are many, many people who think that every rant, whine or imagined bitch slap IS ABOUT THEM! Really??  I'm sorry, but people with low self-esteem and a "why is everybody always picking on me? attitude need to just stay the hell off of Facebook if they are going to throw Boo-Hoo Tempers!

Another pet peeve I have is people who think you live only to read THEIR posts/updates on Facebook.  With over 350 friends on Facebook, and many who post every little achievement they make in over a thousand game apps, not to mention the tons of pages I've "liked" who ALSO post status updates, I would have to close my store and sit at the computer 24/7 to read them all!!  So please, don't get your knickers in a twist when I don't see your post. 

Oh, and while I'm at it:  Tagging me and 2000 of your Facebook friends in a photo of something other than me is ANNOYING.  You want to send me some love or get info to me?  SEND ME A MESSAGE or stop by my wall!  Heads up:  I "untag" myself when people do that.  Just sayin'.

Been there?  Done that?  Think I'm off my rocker?  (I am, just so you know...)  Feel free to express your rants and views in the comments!  And if you're reading this and thinking to yourself "She's talking about me!!".  Well yeah, I probably am.  Feel free to unfriend me, if you already haven't.  *insert eye roll here*

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Happy endings, New Beginnings



On last months episode of Snowy's Rants & Nuit's Mews-ings I told you guys about being laid off from my job of many years.  My last day at work was quiet, sweet, sad, and bittersweet.  All feelings you'd expect when we experience a loss plus the fear of the "unknown". 

Thanks to having to put full focus on getting ready for Gaia Fest, and just keeping up with the store - my sadness was shortlived.  I wasn't going to dwell on the loss, but rather, I wanted to focus on the doors that now will open.  


One thing that you learn as you grow older (which is another topic I'll get into LOL!) is that the only thing that remains the same, is change.  I can't say that "nothing lasts forever" because I have a very special "something" in my life and I plan on it lasting forever.  Yeah - that whole "til death do us part" thing.  But for real.  ;-)

Speaking of plans... it's amazing what the mind can come up with when you don't allow yourself to be taken down by sadness or fear.  Creativity thrives in a fertile mind.  A fertile mind is one that is fed with good thoughts, hopes, wishes and dreams.  I already had a pretty good foundation of this, so I was good to go.  Having a life partner who sees through the same rosy glasses helps too. ;-)  

Now, you're going to ask:  "Oooh!  What's Snowy dreaming up for the store now??"  Well, since I'm a savvy business-woman (*snortgiggle*) I'm going to have to keep some things a secret.  We don't want the competition knowing everything, do we?  Nope.  So you'll just have to keep checking out what we come up with via our postings on Facebook, Eye of Nuit, and Pagan Stuff Cheap!  



Speaking of!!  Head on over to Pagan Stuff Cheap and take advantage of this month's coupon voucher!  Just use coupon code MAYSPECIAL and save an extra 5% off our Book of Shadows, Blank Journals, Tarot decks and Tarot sets!  With our already low prices, that gives you a full 15% off retail!  



Our new ScentWerx™ line is taking off!  We now have Body Butter, Lotion, Shower Gel, Shea Butter Soap and Bath Salts in many fresh & yummy flavors like Lemon Zest, Sugar Mint, Coconut Lime, Amber Woods & BeWitched!, just to name a few.  In addition, there are 100% soy jar candles and beautiful palm wax pillar candles in LOTS of other scents.  Look for these items to soon be available in their very own online store too!  All hand made and ALL at super-reasonable prices, as always because THAT is what we're all about!


In other news, my wonderful honey is getting me an embroidery machine for my birthday, aka "THE BIG 5-0 AND NOT AS IN HAWAII!"  I'm so freaking excited (about the machine, NOT the birthday LOL!!)  Embroidering is something I've wanted to get into for several years now.  Remember that whole creative mind thing I mentioned a few paragraphs back?  Yup.  That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!  

I chose the Brother LB6800 PRW Sewing-and-Embroidery Machine after researching several different brands and models.  Singer had a nice combo sewing/embroidery machine too, but since I'm a n00b at this, I decided to go with the less expensive Brother.  Plus, it has a KICK-ASS rolling storage bag which means I can take it to the store for Crafty Witches in Stitches night at Eye of Nuit!  So yeah... it advertises that gay-ass show "Project Runway", but who cares?? (and NO offense to my gay-ass friends, you know I *heart* you bunches!!) 

What else...?  I will be starting a new Wicca 101 class in about 2 weeks.  For those of you who are local and wish to sign up, please visit Eye of Nuit for details.

Gaia Fest was AMAZING!  It is a lot of hard work, and I'm not thinking we'll be doing a lot of vending overall, but I'll definitely vend at next year's Gaia Fest!  I do have to put a plug in here for Cloaks of Camelot, who was also vending at the festival and where I got my GORGEOUS cloak (ok, my wonderful HONEY got it for me).  So go check it out, and tell Colleen that Snowy from Eye of Nuit sent ya!



Tuesday, April 26, 2011

What the...???

OMG's Nuit'ers!  I'm SO behind in my blogging!  A month filled with ups, downs, and total busyness, I tell ya!

I'll start first with the "downs" first.  The company that brought me many great years of conventional employment is being forced to shut it's doors as of June 13th and I'm being laid off this week.  It's sad, scary, and yet liberating all at the same time.   Delivery Solutions, Inc. has been good to me.  I've grown and learned so much.  There will be many good people who will be affected by the closing of the company, and my heart goes out to them.  There are others who will need to take a few steps back and learn to be grateful for what the company provided for them for many, many years.  My feeling is that if you hang your hat on who you are in every way, not just what your "status" in life is - then you'll be alright.  Dave and I - we'll be alright! :-)  Rich or poor or just in-between - be happy for what you have.  I am! 

So what's the "ups"?  Let's see, we've been super busy getting ready for our first ever vending event at Gaia Fest!  Dave worked tirelessly on cultivating his candle making methods, and we put our heads together to bring you some of the most beautiful palm wax and soy wax candles you'll find anywhere.  I've blended some of my own scents to bring you aromas that will knock your witch hats off!

The picture to the left here is just a small representation of the beautiful palm wax candles that are part of the CandleWerx™ lineup.  They are 1.75" wide x 4" high.

Our 3.9 oz. jars of 100% soy wax also come in a variety of scents such as Coconut Lime, Mint Bliss, Fab-Breeze! (to eliminate smoke & odors), Citronella, Sugar Fairy, Dreamsicle, and much more.  The soy wax burns clean, and will scent your room whether lit, or not.

In the coming months we'll introduce NEW scents, and we're looking at having a "Candle of the Month" offering.


Not wanting to stop there, I have developed my own line of Bath & Body products.  Eye of Nuit now features BathWerx™ soaps & bath salts and BodyWerx™ lotions.  We currently offer Shea Aloe Body Butter and Goats Milk & Honey lotions. 

Pictured here is "Mint Bliss", just one of the sensory-pleasing aromas that we've developed.

A new crowd-pleaser is our Coconut Lime shea butter soap:

They come in several different Celtic knot shapes.  These soaps lather well, and rinse nicely!

All of our products are available for purchase at Eye of Nuit, our brick and mortar shop located in White Oak, PA.  

Soon you'll be able to purchase our entire line of candle, bath, & body products online.  Look for an announcement soon!

In the "other" news department:  my BFF Kallan Kennedy is doing an AMAZING giveaway featuring a $25 gift certificate to our online store Pagan Stuff Cheap!  She's brilliant!  I got to visit with Kallan and her clan earlier this month.  Such a treat to see my BFF after many years!  She made homemade lasagna, her signature artisan bread and LEMON COOKIES and LEMON CAKE!  Lyssa, her beautiful daughter who I just adore, made the tastiest salad with all kinds of fresh greens & goodies.  I left there FULL, content and happy!

And now, Nuiters, I must get back to work!  Have a Magickal day!



Tuesday, March 29, 2011

When a lie isn't just a lie -or- Let's Stop Feeding the Lie Monster

Is it because it's so commonplace in government?  Is it because it's so commonplace in religion?  And let's not leave out the media!  Has it gotten to the point where we can no longer separate what's real and what's true from what's so blatantly false?

Governments lie to their people ALL the time.  Politicians lie with such ease, and their supporters believe the lies - continuing to support them as they erode the very freedoms that we are led to believe still exist.

Religious leaders lie to their followers ALL the time.  To control.

What's the one thing governments and religions have in common?  The need to gain more money, more power.

Did you know that within some families, there are those who would do GREAT in religion, politics or journalism?  A family can be somewhat of a small scale government, religious faction or news station.  Interesting, isn't it?  Within the family, there are soldiers well trained by the (government) leaders, or preachers well trained by the ruling body, or journalists well trained by seasoned veterans.  They are trained to follow in the footsteps of those leaders.  How?  By example. They watch, they learn, they implement.  And unfortunately, in many cases, they succeed.  Which feeds the Lie Monster over and over in a vicious cycle.

Even worse - these minions are so well trained, they can't function in their daily life without lying.  It's like breathing.  Like a drug.  They lie, resulting in getting what they want - whether it be something material, or something emotional like sympathy.  And with sympathy, they get support.  And with support, they gain power.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive".  So what happens when the web starts to come apart?  I'll tell you:  they lie even more in a desperate attempt to repair those broken threads.  Bigger, better, uglier lies.  It's amazing to watch.  Grossly fascinating, even.

For as the web of lies spins more and more out of control, the web that was once oh-so-beautiful in the eyes of the liar, begins to take on a more grotesque shape.  And they spin harder, faster - more out of control.

At some point, if one is lucky, the web coffers dry up.  People begin to see the ugliness of that "web".  And they stop looking, sadly realizing that what once was beautiful - is really just truly ugly.  Not like a physical ugliness, it's a spiritual ugliness.

When money & power are the driving force, and that layer is taken away - what do we find underneath?

A spiritually bankrupt entity.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Friday, March 25, 2011

Ketchup, Kindles & Kandles!

"Ketchup"
And no, not the Heinz variety.  I mean as in updating this blog because I've been too busy to do so recently.  Lots of wonderful things happening in Snowydom!  I'd like to take the time today and update you all on those happenings.  Although, first things first.  I MUST grumble about the lousy, cold weather we're having!  Where's that darn Punxy Phil?  I want to make Groundhog Ground Meat out of him, with KETCHUP on the side!! 



 "Kindles"
Now onto the FUN stuff!  I have a NEW TOY!  My honey bought me a Kindle!  I *heart* My Honey!  Oh, and even better?  He got me a SWEET Kindle cover that has a built in light!  All this thanks to a newcomer at Eye of Nuit, Lisa. She brought her Kindle one night to our Witches in Stitches Meetup and I fell totally in *heart* with it!  SO many cool features but my absolute FAV is the ability to send yourself .PDF or .DOC files.  Do you know how much of a blast that is???  If you own a Kindle, look into it - especially if you've downloaded ebooks or any reference material that is in those forms - or created an electronic Book of Shadows that you would like to keep handy.  I confess - I put my Ostara ritual (in Word format) on my Kindle and referenced it.  


"Kandles"
The Purple Flame of Healing & Hope candle has been created!  This candle was created specifically for healing work, and is dedicated to a young girl named Kayla who is a very special to us.  She was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments.  Her favorite color is purple, which is why I chose that color for the candle.

We decided to go with the 100% soy wax and put it in container form.  The scent chosen is a blend of lavender, vanilla & a hint of *secret*.  Our candles come in a 3.7 oz jar and are being sold at $3.00 each with ALL proceeds going to the American Cancer Society in Kayla's name.  We have taken orders for over 4 dozen already, and will be hand pouring batches to fill those orders this weekend.

These candles are currently offered in store only.  We are looking into selling them in bulk, just need to price out shipping costs.  So please check out our website, or some other links I'll provide below to get the latest updates.

In other miscellaneous news - we've been developing and perfecting our palm wax line of pillars, soy jar candles, a Fizzy Bath Salts line and some really nice soaps!   We've had GREAT reviews on the bath salts, soy jar candles and pillar candles so far!  Within the next few months, look for some of our products to be available for purchase online!  

I have a few more creative ideas up my sleeve, but I don't want to give ALL my surprises away!  ;-)

Here's the links as promised, and I'm wishing you all a very happy weekend!

and our online store with over 5,000 products at a 10% discount everyday!:



Monday, March 7, 2011

I Need, I Want, I HAVE!

How many times have you found yourself saying "I need...<insert your wish here>" or "I want..."?  I do it all the time!  Or, I'll say "I need to..."  and it will include an action I wish to take to make something in my life better.  Most of it includes having the TIME to accomplish - but more on that later.  

These "I need, want"'s can include a variety of things:  money, a job, to lose weight, to be more kind, to be more assertive, to stop smoking, to get homework or studies done, to get to the grocery store, to update my blog... oh the list goes on and on!


 What exactly does it mean to "need"?  Well hello Mr. Dictionary, thank you for showing up so quickly here!  Let's look at "need" as a noun:
–noun
  • a requirement, necessary duty, or obligation
  • a lack of something wanted or deemed necessary
  • urgent want, as of something requisite
  • necessity arising from the circumstances of a situation or case
  • a situation or time of difficulty; exigency
  • a condition marked by the lack of something requisite
  • destitution; extreme poverty
And what about "want"?  Well according to Mr. Dictionary, I'd say the two go hand in hand:
–verb (used with object)
  • to feel a need or a desire for; wish for.
  • to wish, need, crave, demand, or desire (often followed by an infinitive)
  • to be without or be deficient in
  • to fall short by (a specified amount)
  • to require or need–verb (used without object)
 –verb (used without object)
  • to feel inclined; wish; like (often followed by to )
  • to be deficient by the absence of some part or thing, or to feel or have a need (sometimes followed by for ).
  • to have need (usually followed by for ).
  • to be in a state of destitution, need, or poverty.
  • to be lacking or absent, as a part or thing necessary to completeness.
 GET THE IDEA??
 
THOUGHTS ARE THINGS...
 
Yup, she went there!  That age old adage.  We teach it and preach it ALL the time!  So if thoughts are things, and we continue to WANT and NEED - what does that mean for us?

We will ALWAYS be in a state of WANT and NEED.  Now, what do we do about that?  Of course, we will never have all that we want or need - but can't we start having some of those "wants and needs"?

WHY YEST WE CAN!!  (I heard that - "But HOW?  She's MAD!!")

AHA!  Well here's MY Thought-Thing:  What if we replaced "want" and "need" with "I HAVE".  Hmmm.... another interesting train of thought!

So, if I tell the Universe that "I HAVE the job I need", or "I HAVE the money for <insert wishlist item here>" - does the Universe hear you and bring that to you which you desire?  Or does it have an AWFUL sense of humor and assume that you're good to go, so no action on it's part is necessary?
 
WOW.  Does YOUR brain hurt?  MINE DOES!!  However, here's what I know and what I've decided:
 
I'm going to work very proactively to reduce the amount of times I use "I Want" and "I Need" from my vocabulary - both spoken and unspoken.  I will replace it with words that convey to the Universe that it needs to help me achieve the things I want to bring into my life.  And I will use the "As Above, So Below" thought process.

Sound simple?  It is!  My suggestion is to start noting how many times a day you find yourself saying want/need, and then work towards correcting those statements to reflect a more positive "in-the-here-and-now" state of being.  See?  Easy as pie!
 
Now... since I find my coffee cup isn't providing me with liquid refreshment at this time, I'll bid you adieu as I say: 
"I HAVE COFFEE!"