My Samhain Altar - Blessings to all on this Samhain!

Samhain is upon us and if you listen with blessed intent you just might hear an ancestor calling out to you. :)

This is my Samhain altar. I was putting my finishing touches on my altar tonight with pictures of my grandparents and my father in the center. He has been with me all week. He visited me in a dream a few nights ago. We held hands and visited. :) It was a very comforting dream. Also, things have been flying off the shelves this past week. I get this strange feeling I am being visited by someone...dad? Tonight, as I finished my altar I could have sworn I heard drums in the distance. My windows were closed at that moment so I decided to open them so I could hear better. As I opened my window the wind was still, it was raining. I still heard them. All of a sudden the biggest gust of wind kicked up and blew through me and into my altar room. I quickly turned around and noticed the only picture that fell was my fathers. I know he is here with me now. :) I honor all of my ancestors who made me who I am today and welcome them with open arms for a very special visit and maybe even tea. :) What a wonderful feeling!

Few quick notes. The picture of Jesus was in my father's room for as long as I can remember. I kept it after he passed away. :) Also, the citrine cluster and heart-shaped rose quartz are from Hibiscus Moon! I am so happy with them and I am so connected to them already. Thank you Hibiscus! The lighting is a bit dark. Sorry! I also have pictures of my grandparents and pets who have also passed on.



Happy Samhain everyone! Peaceful blessings....

My new collection....mermaids

So for some reason I've started collecting mermaids. I mean, I don't know why...I'm terrified of drowning. Hmmm.....well here is my small collection and I'm sure it will grow in time. :)

My newest purchase! I love them....they are just gorgeous!

A picture I bought while back home on a visit. I absolutely adore this.

I've had this statue for years and I can't remember where I bought it. Isn't she pretty?

And my working candle holder I've had for years as well. :)

Sorry for the grainy pics guys. I've done something to a setting on my camera again! I'm so technically challenged. I usually just push buttons until I get it right but tonight I just couldn't figure it out. Lol!

Ready for Samhain?

xoxo

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

These were such a nice childhood memory for me. I haven't made them since. I think this year I will. :) How about you? We're continuing the Halloween party over at The Domestic Witch! Swing on over and see what else she has cooking up. :)

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

Preheat oven to 300.

Combine 1 T oil or melted butter plus ½ t salt per cup of seeds. If you like, you can add other spices like pepper, paprika, and/or garlic.

Toss seeds with oil mixture until well coated.

Spread evenly on a cookie sheet.

Bake until golden, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Let cool on paper towels and ENJOY!

A Little Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread?

To continue the party over at The Domestic Witch I thought I'd present a little pumpkin bread with chocolate chips. I can't seem to make any dessert without chocolate!

A little about the magical pumpkin....

The Magickal Properties of Pumpkins: Used for fertility and contacting the Spirit World. Since most pumpkins are large, they also represent abundance or being plentiful. Also, by lighting your Jack-O-Lantern you are sure to bring good luck to your household!

PUMPKIN BREAD WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup fat-free vanilla pudding

4 large egg whites

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Now don't forget to stop on by The Domestic Witch to see what other ghoulish ghosts are up to at this monster fun mash!

The Witches Broom

Mine sits by the door waiting for All Hallows Eve when I will hop on with my cats, casting spells as I fly across the moon!

And the blog party continues at The Domestic Witch! Swing on over and check out the festivities and everyone who's participating!

Mexican Mocha Pudding with Whipped Pumpkin Cream

So I subscribe to the Vegetarian Times online and I get these awesome recipes in my email! This one happened to come the day before yesterday and oh my gosh...I have never had whipped pumpkin cream, let alone with Mexican Mocha Pudding! I am for sure trying this for a get together!

Mexican Mocha Pudding

1/2 cup sugar, preferably natural brown sugar such as Sucanat or maple

3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 Tbs. arrowroot powder

1 Tbs. instant espresso powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. New Mexico chili powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large egg

2 egg yolks

2 cups milk

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whipped Pumpkin Cream

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, cocoa powder, arrowroot powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, chili powder, and salt in bowl. Whisk together egg and egg yolks in separate bowl. Stir egg mixture into cocoa mixture.

2. Scald milk in saucepan over medium heat until milk is steaming. Remove from heat. Whisk ı/2 cup hot milk into cocoa mixture. While whisking, pour cocoa mixture back into hot milk, and whisk until smooth. Return to medium heat, and continue whisking for 5 to 6 minutes, until pudding starts to bubble. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Transfer pudding to bowl, and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto pudding; refrigerate until chilled.

3. To make Whipped Pumpkin Cream: Cook pumpkin and brown sugar with cinnamon medium skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl, and cool to room temperature.

4. Whip cream in stand mixer or with handheld beaters on medium-high, until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Fold whipped cream into pumpkin until no streaks remain. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve pudding dolloped with pumpkin cream.

If you want to checkout more recipes from Vegetarian Times go here! They have such a wonderful and informative site! Have fun!! I also have another recipe I will be making Saturday in honor of Halloween! Stay tuned!

Spider Web Hurricane and an Award!

Just got back from Montana yesterday. It wasn't the day I thought it would be to just come home and relax. Instead, I got home and found my cat in an asthma attack (the house sitter said she wasn't like this earlier so it must have just come on before I came home) and I had to rush her to the emergency vet. *sigh* We just discovered she had asthma about three weeks ago (another vet emergency visit). After taking x-rays to determine that she had this condition (and she's only a year old) they treated her with a steroid shot. I hated that but I had to do what was best for her. This time they sent me home with an inhaler. YES, an inhaler. I didn't even know animals could have asthma. I'm meeting with a naturopath at my regular vet to see how we can treat her naturally. In any event, I'm finally winding down from everything tonight. :)

So, to wind down and to continue the October blog party hosted by the Domestic Witch I thought I'd make a very haunted Martha Stewart craft. It was so easy too! The spidery hurricane! You can find her directions here! I couldn't find a frosted hurricane but the clear works just fine!

Also! As promised, I won an award!! Thank you, Marzel my very good friend (and in real life) over at Play of Light and Shadow. :) Thank you, Marzel!! You're awesome! I also received this award from Suzie over at Cat in the Moon (she has the cutest blog!). Thank you, Suzie! Oh gosh....and I wanna say someone else awarded this to me but can't remember. SO SORRY!! I have been foggy the past couple of days with everything that has gone on and being back from vacation made me forget where I left off! Lol! If anyone else awarded this to me, please let me know so I can give you proper credit!!

I am to pass this Award along to six wonderful Artists! Here are the rules for the Over the Top Award. Copy and change the answers and paste the it on your blog. One word answers! Once you have filled it out pass this award to 6 others. Alert then that they have been awarded! And have fun!

1 Where is your cell phone? Purse

2 Your hair? Long
3 Your mother? California
4 Your father? Ashes

5 Your Favorite food? Sushi

6 Your dream last night? Boyfriend

7 Your favorite drink? Iced tea
8 Your dream/goal? Author

9 What room are you in? Witchy

10 Your hobby? Crafting (meant in two ways)
11 Your fear? Drowning
12 Where do you want to be in six years? Happy

13 Where were you last night? Vet
14 Something that you aren't? Unhappy

15 Muffins? Chocolate

16 Wish list item? Horse

17 Where did you grow up? California

18 Last thing you did? Craft

19 What are you wearing? Sweats

20 Your Tv? On
21 Your pets? Cats
22 Friends? Close
23 Your life? Happy

24 Your mood? Melancholy

25 Missing someone? Yes

26 Vehical? Kia
27 Something your not wearing? Earrings

28 Your favorite store? HealthyPet
29 Your favorite color? Pink
30 When was the last time you laughed? Today
31 Last time you cried? Awhile
32 Your best friend? Several

33 One place that I go over and over? Michaels
34 One person who Emails you regularly? Brother

35 Favorite place to eat? Sushibar

OK that's it!

I love breaking rules. Anyone who leaves a comment to this post gets the award and questions! Have fun and play along!!

Vacationing in Montana

Hi all!

I'm away on vacation for a few days..relaxing in Montana with my family. A nice train road overnight on the Amtrak was fabulous! I couldn't get any decent flights out of Oregon without only spending a day and a half with my family. Taking the train gave me a day and a half longer. Go figure! Getting your own sleeper cabin is the only way to go.

Champagne was promptly brought to me when I settled in my cabin. Complimentary when you get a cabin...and it's STILL cheaper than the airlines!

And little touches like chocolate just make my day!

This is our cabin! Waiting for my sis, brother-in-law and niece to arrive from California.

For less money you can get this tee pee to stay in. Kidding.

And seven dogs to greet us. These are a few. I've been slobbered! :)

Be back soon all!

P.S. I have not forgotten about my award!! :) I will be posting soon with all my answers!

Nutter Butter Ghosts!

So, for our ghostly meeting coming up this October (after our investigation on the 18th!) I am planning on making these adorable cookies in honor of Halloween and the ghosts we may discover on the investigation. Lol! Very simple and combining my two favorite flavors, chocolate and peanut butter!

Nutter Butter Ghosts

Ingredients:

Nutter Butter brand peanut butter cookies
White chocolate or dark chocolate
Decorative tube frosting in white or chocolate
mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Very simple guys. Simply melt your white chocolate or dark chocolate (which ever you prefer and I prefer both!) over a double broiler. Dip the nutter butter cookies into the chocolate. Place on wax paper or drying rack. Once cooled, use the mini chocolate chips for the eyes and/or tube frosting! How simple is that?

Enjoy! I know I will. :) BOO!

I will let you know how the investigation goes. Fits so well into the month of October, doesn't it? Oh and I got the gummy pumpkins at Michaels! :)

Favorite Halloween Candy

I am NOT a traditionalist when it comes to Halloween candy. I know that candy corn is probably the most popular BUT.....I, myself, love the gummy pumpkins. :)

What is your favorite Halloween candy?

The Blog Party Continues!

Tonight I am watching one of my favorite Halloween movies, I Married a Witch with the alluring Veronica Lake. In my opinion, she was one of Hollywood's most beautiful witches. :) Who's your favorite Hollywood witch? Also swing on over to the Domestic Witch, our magical hostess for this great party!

Second day of October Party ~ Got My Giveaway Package from Rue & Hyssop

Well all, welcome to the second day of The October Blog Party hosted by the amazing Domestic Witch! Swing on by her blog to see the list of participating blogs! It's long, I warn you! :)

Today, decorations are in order. Just a few I pulled out of the closet. :)

Also, I got my package today from Rue & Hyssop (of course it took me forever to get to the post office to pick it up)! I was AMAZED! Truly amazed at the gifts I received. I was literally beside myself. The cats had to hold me up when I opened the box because I almost fainted. Lol! Look at all the goodies! Thank you, thank you Rue & Hyssop!!! You are a truly giving person and I have truly enjoyed following your wonderful blog! Check her blog out when you get the chance. You will be delighted! I promise.

The package had so many goodies in it. Chocolate covered blueberries, chocolate covered cherries, an adorable tea towel, two ceramic tea bag holders, Ceylon an adorable teddy bear skeleton (which Quincy ultimately took off with), a sweet fairy card with a very kind written note inside..oh my gosh and so many other goodies!

Look at how perfect it looked when I opened it. It had a sweet Autumn flower inside. :)

And this beautiful fairy card! The card is sitting on my altar right now for a little fairy energy. :)

Just look at all this! It was like Christmas!

And this sweet note. :)

Giveaways are so much fun. I'm on vacation in Montana with my family for half the week next week but about mid-October I am planning to have a Vintage Sage Giveaway myself! Stay tuned! Thank you from the bottom of my heart Rue!! It made my day!!

Happy October 1st all!!