Deborah J. Martin's Blog, page 19

Why I Don’t Write About Magic (much)

Blogs & books about “how to perform magic” or “how to be a witch” [snort] are popular around this time of year. They’re chock-full of instructions on what to do when for what, an ingredient/tool list as long as your arm, etc. I’ve obviously been remiss in this regard as a “public” witch and should probably rectify the situation.

I don’t follow any tradition nor do I work with any deities so my magic is rather simple:

Step One: Question: Have you done all the mundane stuff necessary for desired...

Heaven in a Tub

As you may have noticed from my last post, I’m starting to pay a little more attention to the skin on my face. Following along those lines, I got to thinking perhaps the exfoliating pad I was using might now be a bit too harsh. A couple of hours of following link after link after link on the Internet (you know how it goes), I decided perhaps a sugar scrub might be a better way to go.

Oh. Em. Gee. You gotta try this. I found an easy-peasy recipe that leaves my skin as smooth as the proverbial b...

Natural Skin Care for Smokers

I hate to admit it, but I still smoke (pauses to light up) and I know there are still a lot of smokers out there. Are you like me, using smoking as a crutch to get you through stressful times (“better to kill myself than someone else”); or like my mother, who claims to enjoy smoking while hacking up gobs of brown-colored mucus? Either way, unless you’re illiterate (in which case, you’re not reading this blog), you’ve known smoking is bad for you for at least 46 years: the first Surgeon Genera...

Create Memories

As I’ve mentioned here before, my mother has both Parkinson’s and dementia. Her diseases have progressed rapidly. The woman who was my best friend for the majority of my life is no longer there … I’m caring for someone who only resembles her physically.

I was going to write this in a letter to my kids who now have wee ones of their own, but the spirits said I should share this publicly (and I always listen to the spirits :cough:), so here goes:

Parents, I know you want to create memories for yo...

Castor or Castor?

In doing some research for my next book (on baneful herbs), I came across some … interesting information.

I don’t know about you but when I think of “Castor”, I think of the godawful oil (made from the plant Ricinus communis) Mom used to pour down my throat at the first hint that I might be constipated. Now in later years, the poisonous bean of that same plant, or perhaps the poison Ricin (made from powdered beans) come to mind.

Muddling my way through theUS Dispensatory of 1834 I came across a...

Mrs. B’s Guide to Household Witchery – My Review

I’m a Kris Bradley fan. Her blog, Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom is witty and practical. Naturally, when she announced her book, I pre-ordered it.

While the book is written with her usual sense of humor & practicality, I haven’t swooned over it. It’s full of great recipes and other suggestions but she makes some rather broad assumptions. The first sentence of Chapter 3 is a good indication of these assumptions: “Every domestic witch will eventually look into the subject of finding a househo...

And The Winner Is …

I know it’s after 5pm ET. I had to take a cat urine sample to the vet & just got back, OK?

STACEY CARROLL, you won!

Email me with snail mail info dj[at]herbylady[dot]com and your autographed copy of A Green Witch’s Formulary will be on its way!

Celebration Giveaway!

I didn’t know until I checked my calendar this morning but this is the one-year anniversary of the publication of my book, “A Green Witch’s Formulary”. How time flies!

To celebrate, I’m going to give away a signed copy to one person. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here. I’ll draw a name at 5:00pm EST on Monday, 17 September 2012.

Good luck!

Herbal Shampoo: Results

Awhile back, I found this recipe for a modified herbal shampoo. I don’t have time (or … am too lazy) to make my own shampoo from scratch so I usually purchase a mild commercial shampoo and add essential oils to it, using an infused-cider vinegar rinse. But, I thought I’d give their way a try. The results:

Pros

It cleans just as well as full-strength commercial shampoo.
Combining the herb-infused water & glycerin with commercial shampoo stretches the dollar.

Cons

I have, for years, used a bottle wi...

Of Hornets & Hummers Part 2

A couple of days ago, I asked for help regarding deterring hornets from a hummingbird feeder. A friend posted a possible solution on my Facebook page. (Have you “liked” it yet? You should, you know. We have fun conversations!) I had a chance to try it out Monday afternoon.

Success! (I think.)

Here’s what I did:

3 drops each Clove, Cinnamon, Lemongrass & Lemon essential oils in one dram of fractionated coconut oil as a base. You don’t have to use coconut; just one that has little-to-no scent of i...