Merry Meet my friends! Hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. Imbolc is just a few days away. As I have posted here, I have been busy with my cleaning and organizing and getting ready to invite the Celtic Goddess Brighid into our home and to celebrate the coming of Spring. Monday, I will do the more “everyday” cleaning like dusting and sweeping and wiping down bathrooms etc. Tuesday I will smudge the house good. Wednesday..Imbolc..which is also the New Moon by the way….I will spend time celebrating with my family. That night I will be doing a ritual and lighting candles all over the house..and throwing open the doors to invite Brighid and all the good that Her coming brings.
When I posted about Imbolc on a previous blog post, I wrote all the correspondences for this Sabbat. When I put together my altar..I kept those in mind of course. My altar cloth was a simple white cotton cloth. I threw a green scarf across it to represent Brighid’s Mantle. I then put all the tools that are always on my altar, my athame, wand, cauldron, elemental representative of candle, incense, salt and blessed water. My pentacle tile and statues of Gaia and Greenman which are definitely appropriate for Imbolc.
I then added my Goddess/God candles..red and my Fire candle is also red. I place crystals of Amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, onyx, moonstone, and red jasper. I have a gorgeous cherry quartz point in the center of my candles. I have a bit of sunflower seeds and some healing herbs there as well. I have a printed picture of Brighid in her Maiden aspect..beautiful as I picture her. A poetry book to represent her being the Goddess of poetry. Silver candlesticks and celtic symbol to represent her being the Goddess of smithcraft and honoring her being Celtic (as am I!). My potted daffodils and cakes and ale will be added when I’m ready to work at my alter. I’m making the Lemon Poppyseed Bread I posted here..and I’m going to have spiced wine to drink. I also have added 7 tealight candles in red and white…those are for one of the rituals I’ll be doing Imbolc night…along with some special sisters of mine. I look forward to working at this beautiful altar which I find magickal and beautiful. 🙂 After looking at this, I realize I forgot my lamb statue..I’ll add that in also..remember Imbolc means ewe’s milk.
I have been spending time when I can adding to my Book of Shadows…it seems to be a never ending process. I am always adding information from books I’m reading, or from my facebook friends or from groups I belong to on facebook, and from the internet. I DO use my computer to make up my pages. Now I know that can be a controversy…many will say it should be all handwritten. But my BOS is a very beautiful, fairly expensive book..and I have terrible handwriting…I want not only for me to easily read what is there..but I plan on passing down this book to my children and grandchildren and I want them to be able to read it as well. I love being able to change the fonts, the print size, add pics and flourishes. There is some of my handwriting in the book..I make notations, add info etc in my own hand.
Here is my BOS and a few examples of some of my favorite pages………
These are just a few of the pages I’ve done….I am getting more creative as I go along 🙂
When I look at my altar and my Book of Shadows…I feel so much pride and inspiration. I try to live my life everyday in a way that speaks to my soul, that makes me happy, that honors the Divine, Mother Earth, the Elements. I am proud of my path! Being a Witch, discovering my true self…has been Goddess sent…I am soo blessed to have the joy of all that this path I’m on entails. I know so many of you know exactly how I feel. When my day isnt’ the best day, or my mood is poor, or I feel overwhelmed, all I have to do is have a sit at my altar, or go outside. Light a candle, or grab a crystal. I can read one of any beautiful inspiring quotes or poems in my BOS or just connect with the Goddess by sitting quiet and listening for Her message. And then there’s the Moon! Ahh the Moon…how wonderful that we are so aware of Her mysteries, Her energy, Her power. How wonderful to be a Witch!
Blessed Be, Autumn
My Moonlit Path..... 
thank you for your insights…so very beautiful in word and feeling…d <*)
Hi sweet friend…thank you so much..I appreciate that you always come and see me 🙂
Love ya, Autumn
Wow you did not leave out one thing!! It is perfectly detailed! Brighid will surely come to u this wed. Your BOS is amazing as usual with all u do I just can not comprehend how u do it all! Thank you for all your informative blogs!!!! Blessed Be dear Sister
Hey Kim..aww thank you so much hun..you are very sweet. I sure hope Brighid comes to bestow her blessings on this house! 🙂
Love you sis, Autumn
Your altar looks great!!! So does your BOS!! Wish I could join you all on your work days 🙂
Hi Huni
Thank you! I sure wish you could come when we work on BOS’s too..but I know that little Lily will not sit still for that! LOL…Maybe when she’s older and wants to help us too 🙂 I could use some of your inspiration on making up the pages for the BOS!
Love you,
MOM
I love your BOS! Very creative! You should be proud of it, and your altar is lovely!
Hi Rain..I’m slow getting to my responses here…Thank you..I love it too and am very proud of it..my BOS. I have alot of fun working on it. A labor of love.
BB, Autumn
LOVE the altar pics! And your BOS is INCREDIBLE! I love it! What a fantastic thing for your descendants to have! Beautiful!
Hi there Owl!
Thank you so much. I love my BOS…its just what I was looking for when I found it! 🙂 I know you aren’t feeling well…get well soon!
Hugs, Autumn
I love your altar and book of shadows. Thanks for sharing! What a magical project to have for yourself or to hand down to others too!
Thank you so much. I think so too..I really love working on it and I picture my grandchildren scheming thru it one day 🙂
Blessings, Autumn
Your beautiful BOS has inspired me to start a new one for myself – I love the fact that you’re comfortable printing and embellishing from your computer. I, too, have less than lovely handwriting! Did you make the outer binder yourself, and do the smaller books slide into it? I’d love to know how you created it. My husband and I had a wonderful Imbolc celebration with dear friends the other night, inspired by some of the ideas I found on your sight. Thank you, kindred spirit!
Blessings, Dragonfly
I was admiring the book you posted – very lovely work – just had to tell you ~BB~
I love your book and I got a new one a bit a go one I really was waiting for and can not wait to enter all my goodies from my other one and more . I like the way you think my friend . Our BOS are for us . Its how we want to do them . Unless you belong to a coven her a trad or Clan or any of the other magickal groups out there we need to do what feels right to us . as you said it is for your family and their families that is important . Many blessings love the blog and you sister . BB )O(
Love you too Marnette 🙂 Thanks so much!! I’d love to see your new BOS 🙂
Where did you get the book on your altar? Its beautiful!!!
Hi Niko….I got it from WitchesMoon.net….It is a beautiful book 🙂 thanks for asking!