The Hearth Scrapbook

a scrapbook for the wider witchblr community

[thehearthscrapbook]

this blog will be on hiatus for the foreseeable future. not sure when i'll return.

thanks for participating!

[awitchnamedjuniper]

Kitchen Witchery: A little tea magic for the soul

November is a time of hot drinks, and I love crafting and brewing tea. There's something so fascinating about having a little spell in a cup. So here are a few of my tea spells. No measurements. Just adjust depending on your tastes.

Also, throwing this in as another entry for the November challenge (dying embers) over at @thehearthscrapbook (Check them out, join the collaboration. It's fun stuff)

Steady and Sure Tea Spell

To attract steady work.

Black tea

Brown sugar

Pinch of nutmeg

As it sleeps, say;

Sweet as work well done, steady and sure as the setting sun.

Pathway Tea Spell

For protection when you're walking uncertain paths (metaphorically)

Black tea

Rose petals

Pinch of cinnamon and black pepper

Sip before a big decision, saying

May the road beneath my feet be steady and kind

Soft Heart and Steady Hands Tea Spell

A blend for domestic witchery, when cleaning becomes magic

Garden sage

Lemon balm

Lavender

Bit of honey

My home is sacred. With these hands, I create warmth and peace.

Brightest Blessings

To lift spirits, especially as the days shorten.

Orange peel

Chamomile

Cinnamon

Light in my cup, laughter on my day. My world is bright, even when skies are gray.

Strong and Sturdy Tea Spell

For strength and resilience

Black tea

Vanilla

Maple syrup

I prefer taking this outside and breathing in the cooler air.

I embody the oak as I stand sturdy and strong through all seasons.

[thehearthscrapbook]

as a tea enjoyer this is so cool! also why have i never thought about putting vanilla and maple syrup in a tea?

[awitchnamedjuniper]

Kitchen Witchery: Sausage, Cabbage, and Potato Skillet

Putting this in for the second month's challenge from @thehearthscrapbook (theme: dying embers). For me, the theme and this month in general calls to mind a slow time, one that's for rest and warmth and taking time.

For me, it brings to mind comfort food, and this recipe? Pure warmth and comfort.

On the witchy side of things, the ingredients bring in energies great for protection, prosperity, love, and grounding.

1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into rounds

1½ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks

½ medium green cabbage, chopped

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

½ cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high until hot, then swirl in the olive oil. Add the sausage in a single layer and sear until well browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate.

Add the butter to the skillet, then the potatoes in a single layer, and season with about 1 teaspoon salt, the black pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme.

Let the potatoes sear undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until golden, flip, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.

Pour in 1/4 cup chicken broth, cover, drop heat to medium, and steam until just fork-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Push the potatoes to one side to clear space, then add the onion with a pinch of salt to the open area and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant so it does not burn.

Add the chopped cabbage and the remaining salt, toss everything together, and cook 1 minute to start the wilt.

Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup broth, cover, and cook until the cabbage is tender but still bright, 3 to 5 minutes.

Return the sausage and any juices to the skillet and toss over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.

Splash in the apple cider vinegar, mix, and adjust seasonings as needed.

And a little cozy blessing for more comforting meals-

May this food nourish not just the body, but the quiet, weary corners of the soul. May we be fed in every way that matters.

[thehearthscrapbook]

another amazing recipe! thank you for the wonderful contribution

also... now i'm hungry!

[chapelofmyheart]

For @thehearthscrapbook 's challenge theme: dying light.

November: The Month of Purgatory (collage name)

-

Archangel Gabriel: Angel of the Moon Invocation Oil

• Carrier oil of your choice

• Frankincense

• Madonna lily

• Lavender

• Jasmine

• Sweet Orange

• His sigil drawn on the bottle

-

Traditional Soul Cake Recipe

What you'll need:

• 300g plain flour

• 2 tsp ground mixed spice

• A pinch of nutmeg

• 150g diced butter

• 150g caster sugar

• 75g currants

• 2 eggs

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 tbsp oats

• 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 356°F. Sift the flour, spices and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl, then add the butter and rub in with your fingers. Stir in the oats, currants and sugar.

2. Whisk the egg, milk and cider vinegar together until just combined, then stir into the dry ingredients. Bring together into a soft dough, and add more milk if the dough is too dry.

3. On a floured surface roll out to about 5mm thick. Stamp out the soul cakes with a 6-7cm round cutter, and score a cross lightly on the top. Transfer to two greased baking trays.

4. Bake for 15-25 minutes until pale golden brown.

-

Song

Another Life by Graveyard Club

[thehearthscrapbook]

OH MY GOODNESS

the collage is beautiful and everything is so perfect, thank you so much!

[awitchnamedjuniper]

Cozy Witchery: Fiber Artist Blessing Spell

I haven't had a lot of time to work on any of my crochet projects lately, but I know this time of the year is when I tend to really want to keep my hands busy.

So, this is a little spell I like to do when working on a project, especially when it's something I plan to give to someone. While I typically work with crochet, this can be used for any fiber art out there- knit, weaving, quilting, embroidery, etc. If this calls to you to try, you were meant to use it.

Materials

Your current project

A white candle

Directions

Before you begin, set your project out before you and rest your hands on it. Take a moment to let time soften around you. This is the moment where the mundane becomes magical.

Take a deep breath, and when you're ready, light your candle and say

By flame and fiber, I steady my hands

Patience now guides where thread expands.

In each loop, each stitch, each seam,

I weave my will, my love, my dream.

Think of what blessing you want to work into this project. Say a little blessing. For example:

For creativity, I might say, "New ideas bloom within the threads."

For peace, I might say, "May warmth and comfort make your mind at ease."

Let the candle burn as you work on your project.

When you finish for the day, say

Work is done, and the magic stays

Woven through the waiting days.

[Note: submitting this for the second challenge, dying embers, held by @thehearthscrapbook as the prompt reminds me very much of a time for slower, gentler magic]

[thehearthscrapbook]

this is so cool!

[awitchnamedjuniper]

A Candle For Rest

November brings a bit of a lull in my energy. I've always found that from this time until spring, I like to take it a little easier. This is a good candle spell I made for this time of year (or, really, any time you want to encourage a softer, more restful energy).

Dress a candle with lavender and chamomile. I prefer brown candles for this, for their more grounded energy.

Prepare yourself a cup of warm tea and light your candle. Say

The fields now sleep, and so shall I

With my heart at ease and my spirits high.

Let the candle burn while you sip your tea and just relax.

Remember that rest is such a sacred act in and of itself.

[thehearthscrapbook]

the first substack post is up! if you're looking for some autumnal inspiration for your craft, please give it a read.

page i - the autumn hearth

what have witches been up to in october?

[thehearthscrapbook]

page ii - dying light

welcome to the second scrapbooking challenge! this one will last until the end of november. the theme is dying light - so anything to do with dusk/twilight is good inspiration, but feel free to get creative!

✧ how to join

this project is open to everyone. think of it like a shared altar: we each bring something small and meaningful, and together it becomes a fire worth gathering around. you can:

share your own art, poetry, or photography

create a digital collage, moodboard, or altar

post an image, song, or quote that feels like this theme

a spell or astrological reading

a divination reading

a guide for something to try around the theme

something else!

make sure your post mentions the page or the theme, and please mention me so i can reblog it here. if you would rather be credited anonymously when i do the round up, just send your inspiration into my ask box instead.

✧ guidance for this page

if you’re not sure where to start, here are a few search terms for inspiration.

“dying light”

“fog”

“twilight”

“dusk”

“november energy”

“blue hour”

if you have any questions, feel free to send me an ask! i'll update here when the page is closing (and has closed) and collated on the substack.

--

this blog is dedicated to Hestia Prytaneia - keeper of the shared flame. may she bless this project and all who work on it, and may it guide us to be closer and stronger as a community. i ask her light guides the hands that type, and may the flame of this project never go out.

[witchescollection]

psa

there have been an uptick in fake fraud scams on tumblr.

i recently was sent a message claiming someone had accidentally reported my account, and they sent me this screenshot:

i very good-naturedly thought this person didn't realise this was a scam, but i wasn't sure if they were in on it and so i asked them what they wanted me to do.

surprise surprise, it was contact this person on discord. when i said i'd email tumblr staff, they just sent me that bit of the email circled.

this is a reminder that tumblr staff don't operate on discord, and people can be convincing. this person spoke and look like a tumblr user, so much so that i wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt they didn't know.

please block and report these people, and stay safe out there folks!

[thehearthscrapbook]

that's the end of the first challenge! i'll get everything collated on the substack over the weekend, and share it here when it's done.

i'll announce the new challenge/page next week - if anyone has any suggestions for the theme send me an ask.

thank you all for participating!

[awitchnamedjuniper]

A Time of Slow Unwinding

The air is different as we approach the end of October. The last of summer is shaken off, and the earth seems to exhale a slow, almost sleepy breath. For many, this is a season of endings, a slow unwinding that feels tender and necessary.

In my experience, letting go isn't something that comes easily. We tend to prefer to hold on to what comforts us, even when it doesn't necessarily help. It's also easy to hold on to things that no longer serve us just because they are familiar. Sometimes this can be as extreme as clinging to to a toxic habit or mindset because its easier than unlearning it, or as simple as keeping clothes that you never wear because what if that perfect occasion finally comes up after three years of owning that nice blouse?

But nature teaches us a different lesson. The trees don't cling to their leaves just because they're familiar; they trust that they can let go and bloom again. The fields also rest after a harvest, healing in that soft time between seasons.

Even now, in the Southern United States where I'm from, the air may hum with lingering traces of summer warmth, but the world turns. The season changes, and even the most stubborn of summers knows it has run its course and lets go.

This is a time of laying things to rest gently. Old grudges, projects that no longer bring us joy, the weight of trying to be everything all at once. Remember: endings are not failure. They become a compost, something that allows us to nurture the soils we plant our new seeds in. Maybe we walk away with lessons that teach us to do or what not to do. Maybe we bury an old job, but we have found new skills that help pave the way as we move forward. I believe there's something beautiful in this, a quiet sort of courage to let go, to learn, and to keep moving forward.

The magic of the season (and, I believe, life itself) is knowing that after the end comes the dreaming, and that the dreaming gives way to new life.

So what can you do? Let the leaves fall. Let the air grow quiet and still. And most of all, let yourself rest in the in-between until it is time to bloom again.

[Note: a little journaling piece I'm doubling as an article for the first challenge from @thehearthscrapbook ]

[thehearthscrapbook]

this is gorgeous and i feel honoured to have read this!

[thehearthscrapbook]

the first challenge will close on samhain (31st october) at 8pm EDT / midnight GMT! please keep posting all your lovely entries.

[thehearthscrapbook]

two more days!

[thehearthscrapbook]

btw if anyone would like to write or share a prewritten post on the substack please get in touch! it doesn't have to be a theme, just a cool article.

[awitchnamedjuniper]

Kitchen Witch Recipe: Black Bean Soup

Another entry for the first themed challenge (autumn hearth) from @thehearthscrapbook

To me, nothing screams autumn like a good soup. I could happily spend all my time making gumbos, soups, chowders, stews. Soup-making is such a cozy and loving sort of magic.

This soup is delicious and filling, with just enough heat to really gel together nicely with the cooler weather.

On the witchy side of things, beans invite prosperity and abundance, the onions, garlic and chilies offer protective energy, and the tomatoes do a bit of both.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices

3 (14 ounce) cans black beans drained & rinsed

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies with juices [you can also skip this by swapping regular canned tomatoes out for Rotel with chilies)

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Add the oil and onion to a soup pot and sauté it over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, followed by the broth, diced tomatoes, beans, green chilies, red bell pepper, and spices.

Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot with the lid slightly open, reduce the heat, and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Using either an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend most of the soup. If you want a smoother soup, blend all of it. I personally like it to be a little chunky.

Stir in the lime juice, and season with salt & pepper as needed.

Serve plain, or top with things like crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or cheese.

[thehearthscrapbook]

thank you for this! this is a beautiful recipe!

[thehearthscrapbook]

okay asks are now on! sorry folks, i thought that i had pressed that button when i set it up!

[awitchnamedjuniper]

Autumn Witchery: Cozy Confidence Sweater Spell

A little cozy spell I made for the first little themed challenge (the autumn hearth) by @thehearthscrapbook

I decided to channel the cozy aspect of fall and my love of sweater weather into a spell to enchant your favorite sweater for confidence.

Timing

Whenever you need to wrap yourself in a little extra warm confidence.

If you want to utilize planetary timing, though, I'd recommend Sunday (confidence) or Friday (self-love)

Materials

Your favorite sweater, hoodie, or even scarf.

Oil or perfume you associate with comfort (I love vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar types of scent for this)

Sea salt

Pink candle

Directions

Find a quiet moment and prepare your space. Lay your sweater out in front of you. Light your candle, reflecting on the soft sort of self-love it represents. Focus on the flame, imagining the warmth washing over you.

Sprinkle a little sea salt around (not on!) the sweater, visualizing any old or heavy energy fading away while saying:

"Salt and spirit, warmth and light

Cleanse the fabric of shadow and blight."

With your oil or perfume, anoint your sweater/hoodie's collar, cuffs, amd heart area. (If using a scarf, anoint both ends and the middle), focusing on your intention. Whisper your intentions to your sweater as you breathe in the scent of the oil or perfume.

When you're ready, hold the sweater to your chest. Say:

"Woven with warmth and each stitch blessed

Confidence dwells where my heart rests"

Whenever you're ready to wear it, whisper your intention to it before putting it on.

[thehearthscrapbook]

i love this!! and i will in fact be doing it this afternoon! thank you for making this <3

[thehearthscrapbook]

ten days until the end of the first challenge! please share anything you can!! <333