There and Back Again

I took a week off. For the first time in four years, I actually took a vacation. Road trip to the wilds of Illinois, to meet my sweetie's folks, and explore some of the historic sites, hauntings, and legends of the Prairie State.
To be honest, I came away with more questions than answers. Little cemeteries hidden by the wayside, gorgeous old homes falling into ruin, skeletal remains of stories half hidden in the mist.
We went searching for the "Ghost House", said to appear on certain nights on a lonely crossroad in McDonough County, and the hidden history of Crybaby Bridge.

All in all, I came back wonderfully relaxed, with a plethora of research material to sort through. I missed you guys!

The shop is back up and running full tilt, and we're shipping out on the regular schedule now. I've also put in a Sales & Specials section in the Etsy shop. Handknit Tarot bags, dream pillows, and Pagan garb are 20% off right now!

-Carmin

May Giveaway Winner!

Indigobjects is the winner of the Come to Me minis! Shoot us an email with your shipping address at lodestoneandladysmantle [at] hotmail.com

Thank you all for entering!

Spreading the Love: May Giveaway

Come to Me mini spell candles copyright Lodestone & Lady's Mantle

"The month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom, and to bring forth fruit."

-Thomas Malory

Well, it's the tail-end of May, but maybe your heart is running on Pagan Standard Time ;)

This month, we're giving away a set of our handcrafted Come to Me mini spell candles!

From our site:

"Come To Me is a famous (or infamous) Hoodoo formula, used to attract and seduce a lover.Unapologetically sexual, this powerful attraction formula is handcrafted and all natural, made with soy wax, natural cotton wick, organic herbs, organic roots, organic spices, and natural organic high quality essential oils. These richly scented votives are topped with organically grown rose petals."

To enter to win, leave a comment on this blog post. The winner will be drawn via random number generator June 2nd.

"But What Do I Say?"

Charms, Chants, and Spoken Spells.

I wrote this to address a problem that many new spell casters face, and a question that has been posed to me many times. "What should I say when casting a spell"?"

Rhyming chants seem so much a part of the archetypal spell. When many people say witch, the first image to pop in their mind are Shakespeare's trio, cackling "double, double, toil and trouble".

But how necessary is a chant in spell casting?
First, it's main purpose is to focus your intent, raise, and direct energy. Spells work best when they are personal and tailored to your need, and this is one aspect of the successful spell that is most easily customized to your situation.

Working a spell by rote is fine if the symbolism jives with you. As magic is so much about your own inner workings and landscape, if a chant as written doesn't appeal to you, ditch it and write something better. Rhyming couplets are popular because they are easily memorized after a few repetitions, and your conscious mind doesn't have to focus on them. You can get down to the nitty-gritty of magic while giving your "monkey mind" a bauble to play with.

It all depends on how your senses are aligned. Are you more of a visual person, more attuned with scent, sound, or touch? Always play to your personal strengths, ( whatever they may be), and emphasis those in spell casting.

Basically, you won't get in trouble with the powers that be for flubbing a line, so relax and get to work :)

A little Something Sweet...

for your Valentine:
Buy the set and save 10%!

We have other lovelies to stoke your heart fire; Sweet Heart Bath Salts, True Love Powder (a wonderful formula dating back to the Middle Ages), Aphrodesia (an exquisite floral solid perfume) Theo Broma, a chocolate kyphi style incense, and the ever-popular Come to Me candle and Come to Me oil.

Blessed Imbolc!

A belated, blessed Imbolc to you!
This is one of my favorite fire festivals, a time to nurture the "fire in the belly"; ideas and plans for the coming months. Though the overtones of the festival are heavily focused on physical fertility, this is a great time to cultivate a fertile mind and spirit, clean out the old, and await the growth sure to come.


-Carmin

Van Van Candle Giveaway Winner

Winner for the candle giveaway is Rowan! Please send you shipping info to us at lodestoneandladysmantle[at] hotmail.com


Thanks!