Furoshiki Bags

These work so well and will hold a lot of heavy items!

Taurus Full Moon

Kitchen Witchery - You Don't Know Jack...

Hello and welcome to my blog posting for The Bewitching Home Blog Party.
Thank you Tanaé for coming up with this fun event!

For today's post I thought I'd share what happened in my kitchen as I whipped up a few batches of Pumpkin Solid Lotion Bars for an upcoming Halloween Craft Show I'm selling at. I call them "You Don't Know Jack". They are great for eczema and super dry skin.

First and most importantly you need a pumpkin. I found this little cutie at my local Superstore this afternoon... (a used Jack-o-lantern works well for this if you can wait until after Halloween)

I took out the seeds and goo, chopped him in to pieces (poor pumpkin), simmered him in my cauldron (aka my lotion making pot) with oils, butters and a few spices for about 4 hours...

(here it all is before the butters melted)
after letting it all marinate I strained it and added my bees wax. Poured it into my mold popped it in the fridge and sat down with a cup of tea to wait...

And voila - here they are! I took them out of the mold a little bit sooner than I should have so I could snap a photo so they aren't perfect (the friends and family batch :)

Why Pumpkin?

• Pumpkin skin contains vitamin A, C and zinc, potassium, alpha-carotene, beta carotene, and lutein all great for the skin.
• Duke University researchers concluded that when applied daily, Vitamin C can keep the skins elastic fibers, or collagen, from breaking down.
• Pumpkin nourishes tired or dry skin instantly - apply it to chapped hands or a rash and you'll see what I mean.
•  Because of the zinc content in pumpkin flesh it has been touted as being good to help clear up acne
• Pumpkin soothes, moisturizes and acts as a carrier, assisting the other lotion ingredients to absorb more deeply into the skin 
• Pumpkin is great for people with sensitive skin (like me) it is also great for childhood eczema, and in lotions and creams for people who want to reduce facial lines and nourish dry skin (make a fresh pumpkin puree mask! - blend up a little pumpkin and honey and slather it on)

The Bewitching Home

I'm getting ready for the Bewitching Home Blog Party tonight. Come back at midnight PST or all day tomorrow to see what I've been up to! For links to all the blogs taking part visit
The Witch of Howling Creek's site

Flu Soup

It seems everyone I know (including me) is down with the flu right now. If you are too tired to fix anything fancy and want a good clear your sinuses soup give this a try...

4C of cold water
1 bag Asian frozen veggie mix
1 thumb of ginger (to taste) chopped
4 cloves of garlic
sizeable squirt of red rooster hot sauce
1/3C Plum Vinegar
sizeable squirt of braggs liquid amenos
1 package of rice noodles (the Asian kind that come in little squares)

Put water, ginger, garlic, vinegar, hot sauce, liquid amenos in a large pot bring to a rolling boil turn down heat to medium add full (medium sized bag) of veggies let cook for 3-4 minutes then add noodles. Turn down to simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Simple, full of flavour and easy to make when you are feeling under the weather. I'll post a photo when I'm feeling better. Hope it works as well for you as it does for me!