Weekly Challenge #120 - Catch Up

For my first challenge entry, I am tackling the first challenge - Try Something New. For this challenge, I decided to add Hel’s rune to my nails as an offering to her.

The first step was to find a good photo of the rune to send to my nail artist to ensure it was doable. She instantly agreed.

Screenshot_20221029_130731_Google

During my appointment, while she was adding the rune to my ring fingers, I said a silent offering prayer to Hel. I usually give physical offerings like wine, chocolate, flowers, or dead insect/ animal bones, so I wasn’t sure how she would respond to this type of offering.

Here is the final product:

The night I had them done, I had a dream in which several large black dogs visited me. I felt comfort and approval from the dogs. This is how she appears to me in my dreams, so I was excited that she approved of my offering.

Bonus points for being able to educate my nail artist on what the rune was and the meaning behind it. She was fascinated by the idea.


For challenge entry #2, I decided on Celestial Magick. I was slightly lost when determining what I wanted to do for the Celestial Magick challenge. I already make moon water and have rituals that go along with the moon’s phases. I’ve dipped my toes in astrology, which isn’t new to me either. So I do what I always do when this happens…Hit Google for ideas.

I came across the book Moon, Magic, Mixology by Julia Halina Hadas. The ideas presented by the author in this book are as follow:

You will learn how the moon’s power can extend beyond basic rituals or celebrations into potent astral potions that can heighten or even serve as complete energy workings, manifestation magic, spells, and more.

You had me at alcohol!! :rofl: :rofl: :clinking_glasses: :cocktail: :tropical_drink:

I decided to try out a few of the recipes.

Wise Moon Amaretto Sour: This recipe has the following energies: longevity, prosperity, relationship optimism, and wisdom. It is a perfect drink to accompany moons in Aquarius, Virgo, Taurus, and Gemini, as well as a full moon.

Ingredients (serves 1)

  • 2 pear slices
  • 4 medium fresh sage leaves, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
  • 1/2 ounce Simple Syrup (purchase or use the recipe in the book)
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) amaretto
  • 1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur
  • 1 egg white

Directions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the pear, three sage leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg in the Simple Syrup.
  2. Add lemon juice, amaretto, elderflower liqueur, and egg white.
  3. Shake without ice, then add ice to fill and shake a second time.
  4. Double strain into a martini glass and garnish with remaining sage leaf and nutmeg.

Lunar Purification Potion: This recipe has the following energies: purification, healing, and mood booster. It is a perfect drink to accompany the third quarter and waning moons.

Ingredients (serves 1)

  • 1 spring rosemary
  • 3/4 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 1 ounce gin
  • 1/4 ounce Honey Syrup (recipe below)
  • 4 dashes rose water
  • 2 ounces sparkling white wine

Directions

  1. Place rosemary, grapefruit juice, gin, Honey Syrup, and rose water into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake ingredients, also shaking away any negative energy.
  3. Strain into a coupe glass with one large ice cube/sphere.
  4. Top with sparkling wine.

I used full moon water to make large square ice cubes in these cocktails. Some of these ingredients can be made at home, while others are more convenient to purchase. Most of the syrup recipes are straightforward.

Honey Syrup (Yields 7/8 cup)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c water
  • 1/2 c amber honey (I use honey from local hives)

Directions

  1. Boil water in a small pot over high heat. While waiting for the water to boil, place honey in a small, heatproof glass jar. Pray over the ingredients as you wait in any way you wish.
  2. Pour boiling water into the jar with the honey. Stir and let cool for 10 minutes. You can also add any herbs for flavored syrups when adding hot water. Strain these out after 10 minutes.
  3. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use for up to one month.

I was excited to try these that I forgot to take pictures! :woman_facepalming:t2: :woman_facepalming:t2: :dotted_line_face:


For my last challenge entry, I chose the Earth-Friendly Magick challenge.

As a green witch and a scientist, I try to do things as eco-friendly as possible. I shop locally for anything that I can (food, goods, etc.) or try to support small businesses that I know have ethical and eco-friendly procurement processes. If I shop on Amazon, I use my Prime days to have a single package delivered instead of multiples to cut emissions (I like to think this makes a difference, but who knows, lol).

I have started to forage for items I can find around me here in the Houston area. You’d be surprised what you can find if you look! I also grow a few of my herbs (rosemary, mint, kitchen sage, and sweet basil), as well as jalapenos and tomatoes. Well, my vegetables didn’t survive our heat this year, but I usually have so many jalapenos and tomatoes I give them to friends.

I drive my husband nuts by saving jars to keep things in instead of buying new ones. I prefer to find items for my altars or offerings at thrift shops or Goodwill.

I try to find little ways to stay green. It might not be much, but I believe that if everyone did just a little, we could improve our planet’s health.


https://forum.spells8.com/t/weekly-witchy-challenge-catch-up

7 Likes

@BryWisteria, the three challenges I did are:

  • Try Something New
  • Celestial Magick
  • Earth-Friendly Magick

I figured I would put them here separately from the post for easy identification. Thanks for all you do!

6 Likes

I’m the one who should be thanking you, Amaris- you are very thoughtful and I greatly appreciate it! When folks clearly label their chosen challenges I can’t say enough how helpful it is when it comes time to tally up who has earned which badge. Thank you, thank you, thank you times 3! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Your nails came out gorgeous- you have both a talented and very supportive nail artist! :nail_care: :blush: It sounds like Hel was impressed with your offering too. May you continue to wear Her rune with pride! :two_hearts:

The Wise Moon Amaretto sounds very seasonal and warming with the notes of pear, sage, nutmeg, and elderflower- ohhh, pour me a glass of that! :yum:

Actually, I’d take a glass of the Lunar Purification too- sounds like it’s time for a witches’ night at Amaris’ place! :clinking_glasses: :mage: :laughing:

Thanks for sharing the wonderful recipes- they all sound amazing!

I can tell that being eco-conscious has been built into your practice and lifestyle- it sounds like you go above and beyond with finding ways to be earth-friendly :earth_africa: :sparkles: And how fun to find treasures around you- nature truly is abundant! :blush:


Beautiful work with your challenge entries, Amaris- thank you so much for sharing your work and for joining in the challenge! :heart:

7 Likes

All of the recipes in here sound amazing. I told my hubby we need to stock up our liquor supply so I can try more. :rofl: :rofl: :tropical_drink: :woozy_face:

You can get the book for free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimted: Moon, Magic, Mixology. If you want the hardcover, it’s less than $15 USD.

I joke that I have to offset my hubby. He will do some things, but others he scoffs at. So even if I can just make our household neutral, that is progress.

4 Likes

Once again Amaris I’m blown away by your challenge entries. I’ve never done my nails as an offering to a deity but I have added sigils to my nails before! I love this idea :blush:

If I drank, I would be down to try all of these – they sound delicious! I wonder if I could make them without the alcohol :thinking: probably!

This is the type of motto I live by. One of my favorite eco-friendly YouTubers (Shelbizzle!) used to sign off her videos with “You cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good that you can do!” And I just love that so, so much :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

3 Likes

I don’t see why you couldn’t make them w/o alcohol. You can use sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine for the Lunar Purification potion. The hard one to replace will be the amaretto. A quick google search showed there are non-alcoholic versions and amaretto-flavored syrups; it will just be a matter of finding them.

I love this quote!! Thank you for sharing it. I am now going to find her channel.

4 Likes

Maybe for New Year’s Eve I’ll make some of these recipes :thinking: thank you!

I realized I forgot to actually share the link to her channel :rofl: here it is! → https://www.youtube.com/@Shelbizleee

4 Likes

Amaris_Bane All three Challenges are fantastic. I wanted to comment on your Challenge Try Something New, I have a nail license and I wanted to comment on how great your nails look. Good job. Honestly, I do not do the $40.00 acrylic full set nails anymore only because the $3 to $4 dollar Press-Ons look just as good. Blessed Be.
Medea

4 Likes

Thank you! I love my nail artist. She works out of her home now after the salon she worked at closed during COVID. She is very professional and has an amazing talent. I’ve yet to come across a design she can’t do.

I consider my nails a self-love investment. It gives me a smile to get them done so I treat myself.

3 Likes

I love that “Self-love investment”(Bane, 2022) Well, she does an excellent job!

Blessed Be
Medea

4 Likes

Alas, I don’t have Kindle Unlimited at the moment- but $15 isn’t bad at all for a 216 page book with 70 magickal recipes. Don’t mind if I just add that to my book list~ :laughing: :+1:

Thank you for the recommendation, @Amaris_Bane! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: Cheers! :clinking_glasses:

4 Likes