Thoughts

I think I'm too critical.  I sit around the English Office table listening to my co-workers' conversations and I have nothing to say.  It's because I'm too busy thinking how self absorbed these people are.  Maybe it's because they don't want to bring their opinions on social matters into the workplace, but these people have nothing better to talk about than shopping, shitty television shows and the "oh, so wonderful nonsense their kids did."  I don't get it.

Then, if a social/political topic comes up, they have the most asinine opinions of it.  For instance, someone brought up "going green" the other day.  I was elated.  Finally, something I could actually talk about rather than sit and eat my lunch in silence and have them look at me as if I were a mongloid.  I mentioned that Sean and I will be growing our own garden and using our own compost for it.  They looked at me as if I had 9,000 heads.  Compost?  Ew.  That's nasty.  They were also dismissive of organic products, especially organic cleaning.  I brought up the effects of things like bleach on the environment and people and they still thought I was a loon.

It's people like this that are killing our planet and keep me up at night.  I'm the looney tooney hippie of the English Department.  Sue me for wanted to not harm the planet I live on by growing my veggies, create less waste by having a compost pile (in a compost container so it doesn't stick too!), and making my own cleaning products.  Wow.  I must be a moron.

Flower Moon

Tonight is the Flower Moon or the Planting Moon.  The wildlife comes to full awakening in the month of May.  The late spring heat drives life forward and brings forth the early crops of the season.  Many people will enjoy the 3-day holiday weekend picnicing, going to the beach, enjoying parades and (hopefully) remember those who honorably served in the military and all its branches. 

The Flower Moon is a time for expanding and growing, metaphorically and in your garden.  For those of you that planted at the last full moon, it's time to move those plants to larger pots.  For those of you who have grown weary in your mundane lives, it's time to move yourself to another "pot."  Perhaps you need to quit the job that you dread going to every morning or just build up the courage to put in for that promotion.  If you've been out of work, maybe it's time to get back out there with your resumè. 

If you're going to be performing a ritual tonight and you're lucky enough to have nice weather (unlike those of us in the Northeast - thundershowers - whoo!) you may want to draw on that spring energy.  Light a few candles, grab those drums and head outside.  Dance around under the light and power of the full moon.  If you practice with your family, read or act out some spring themed myths from the pantheon you and/or your family feels closest with.


This myth is one of my favorites.  It's not a spring myth, but a moon myth.  Even though my mother's ancestors were Comanche Indians, I still love to read other American Indian myths.  This one is from the Pueblo tribes:

Why the Moon Has One Eye

Long ago, Moon and Sun were made to always keep watch over all of the children of the earth.  They kept their bright eyes on the earth all the time.  

Sun looked down from the sky during the days.  Under his bright light, the flowers and trees and other plants grew.  The birds flew and sang, and the animals went about their way.  The people also worked and played all throughout the day.  And that was good.

Moon looked down from the sky during the nights.  Her eyes were just as bright as those of her husband, the sun.  So it was that there was never any darkness.  Just as it was during the days, the flowers and trees and other plants grew.  The birds flew and sang, and the animals went about their way.  All throughout the night, the people worked and played.  And for a while, that was also good.

But because there was no darkness, it was hard for all the children of the earth to rest.  The flowers and trees and other plants grew without stopping, and they began to grow tired.  The branches of the trees hung down in weariness, and the corn found it hard to stand tall.  The flowers could barely lift their heads.  Because they were always flying and singing, the birds grew hoarse and their songs were no longer so beautiful.  The animals became so tired that it was hard for them to get food.  The people were so worn out from alwas working and playing that they no longer laughed and smiled.  They just walked about as if they were carrying great weights on their shoulders.

The moon and the sun saw that things upon the earth were no longer good for their children.

"We must do something so that our children can rest," the Moon said.

"I will give up one of my eyes," Sun said.  "Then it will no longer be as bright during the daytime."

"No," Moon said.  "It should be bright during the days.  There must be light so that our children can go about their way.  I am the one who must give up one of my eyes.  Then there will be darkness in the nights and things will be good again."

So it was that Moon gave up one of her eyes.  Now the night was no longer so bright as it had been.  All of the children of the earth - the plants, the birds and animals, and the people - could rest during that time of darkness.

Even though her light was less than before, Moon's one eye was still quite bright.  So it was that she decided to close her eye a little bit at a time throughout each month until it was all dark.  Then she would begin to open her eye again.

Although Moon has only one eye, the Pueblo people say that she is even more beautiful than she was before.  The sun is also beautiful, but his yes are so bright that no one can gaze directly at him without feeling pain.  Moon's light, though, is so gentle that even when she is at her brightest, the people can gaze up at her to give thanks for the gift of darkness that she gave through her sacrifice.  

- from The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales by James Bruchac and Joseph Bruchac, PhD. 

Saturday Musings

I've been neglectful.  I'm sorry blog and blog readers.  It's not even that I haven't had the time to write.  I've had plenty of time.  I've just been so tired all the time.  I know why I'm tired, but I'm still confused on how to fix it.  I know I'm not normally too personal on here, but I suppose since I'm sharing my faith in the Goddess and the God, I guess being personal should be more a part of my writing.

I wake up frequently through the night in a panic.  It's been happening for years now.  I was on anti-depressants for over 3 years and a little over a year ago I phased off of them.  I didn't like the weight it put on me nor did I like the shadow I became.  But, I'm still waking in panic.  I've tried to keep the journal by my bedside and write down the things which wake me, but I can't seem to remember/know what it is I'm waking up for.  It's always the same.  I shoot up from a deep sleep, look at the clock, realize it's 2:37AM and I don't have to be awake until 5:30AM.  This process will repeat every hour until I wake again at 5:27AM and curse silently that I could have slept 3 more minutes until the alarm went off.  Then, I don't want to get up.  I'm tired.  I love my job teaching, but I pray to the God/dess everyday that work should start at 9AM instead of 7:20AM.  I think their deaf on the issue as nothing has changed.

So, since I'm tired all the time, physically and emotionally, I've decided to actually do something about it.  I know I need to start going to the gym again and eating healthier (again).  When I became ill 3 weeks ago with the sinus infection, I just made excuses for myself to slack off.  But, I've done all this before and waking panic still plagued me.  So, I thought a little bit of magick, prayer and craft work may help me.  I thought that it was about time I made myself a dream pillow.  I don't necessarily need to have a specific type of dream, but just the ability to dream and rest.  I'll be heading upstate next weekend to go camping and I can hopefully gather some supplies from the store I usually buy my herbs from.  I'd get started this weekend, but there is too much bustling around for birthdays and graduations.  But, the most important part of this is that I have a plan to help myself and maybe just the planning will help put my mind at ease, even if it's just slightly.  

The Hawthorn

On May 4th, the Celtic Tree Month of Hawthorn began.  The Hawthorn tree is the guardian between the realms and is considered a protective and purifiying tree.  The month of May is also considered a month of lust and passion, probably because of the energies of Beltane which begin the month.

For those of you who are looking for love, this spell I found may open your heart or remove obstacles in finding it this month.

You Will Need:
- Some Hawthorn Blossoms or a picture of a Hawthorn tree
- A pink or lavender candle

Light the candle and say:

Hawthorn tree of power this night,
Open my heart to love's delight,
Free my thoughts and cleanse my mind,
And help me find a true love mine.

Then, scatter the Hawthorn blossoms in the wind or burn the picture and spread the ashes.

- Original spell by Mickie Mueller

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!  Even though I'm just a mother of fur children, they did show me some extra love this morning.  However, I know most of my readers have actual human children, so I hope they shower you with kisses and love today (and everyday!).

Today is also a day to honor our Earth mother as well.  Lay in the grass with your arms open wide and hug her, kiss her and whisper into the ground how much you love her. 

Post-Beltane Reflections

This past Saturday I attended my first (large) Pagan group gathering.  A friend of mine was selling her wares at the craft/show portion of the gathering.  I unfortunately did not get to dance around the maypole because I had to proctor the SATs that morning.  Perhaps next year.  I was excited to feel such positive energy from the majority of the people there and I did not really know any of them beyond my small group of friends.

The ritual was wonderful.  Janet and Stewart Farrar, author's of the Witches' Bible, acted as High Priest and Priestess.  I could not of asked for a better Beltane gift.  Now, I did not get as emotional during the ritual as many of the other women there, as I have no interest in conceiving ever anytime in the near future.  I felt the magically energy around me during the ritual, but I could barely hear Janet or Stewart speaking.  Maybe it was because I was directly behind the drums or maybe it was for another reason (I wasn't meant to hear it).  I'm not sure if it was just the drums because my friends were also right behind them and could hear perfectly.  I'm more of the mind that I'm not ready to hear the words of a fertility ritual yet.  Let's just say, I wasn't rubbing the maypole for any reason.  I danced around it, but I dare not touch it.


I hope everyone had an amazing Beltane.  I'm still reeling from all the energy sprang from such a large group.  I never knew magic could feel that powerful.

Beltane

May Eve and May Day or Beltane is one of the four fire festivals in the wheel of the year.  It is a celebration of the sexual union between the Lord and the Lady and is the point where the Lady becomes pregnant with the Lord and he will be reborn at Yule.  The May Pole is the most prevalent symbol of Beltane, but there are other ways to celebrate the coming together of the Goddess and the God.  Even though I'm not a technically a solitary, building a Maypole at my parent's house is not exactly feasible, so I needed a few alternatives.  So, I opened up my copy of Scott Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and found a much more do-able ceremony for Beltane.

If you do not own Cunningham's Guide for Solitary Practitioner, I strongly recommend getting a copy.  It was one of the first three books I purchased when I started my "official" path last summer.  Of all the rituals I've read for Beltane, his is my favorite.  He recommends celebrating in a forest or near a living tree and then cast your circle.  The rest of the ritual is posted below:
Create a small token or charm in honor of the wedding of the Goddess and the God to hang upon the tree.  You can make several if you desire.  These tokens can be bags filled with fragrant flowers, strongs of beads, carvings, flower garlands - whatever your talens and imagination can conjure.  Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer and cast your circle. 
Then, say the following blessing:

May the powers of The One,
the source of all creation;
all-pervasive, omnipoten, eternal;
may the Goddess,
the Lady of the Moon;
and the God,
Horned Hunter of the Sun;
may the power of the Spirits of the Stones,
rulers of the elemental realms;
may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
bless this place, and this time, and I who am with You.

Invoke the Goddess and the God:

Gracious Goddess,
You who are the Queen of the Gods,
the lamp of night,
the creator of all that is wild and free;
Mother of woman and man;
lover of the Horned God and protectress of all.
Descend, I pray,
with Your Lunar ray of power
upon my circle here!


Blazing God,
You Who are the King of the Gods
Lord of the Sun,
master of all that is wild and free;
Father of woman and man,
Lover of the Moon Goddess and protector of all.
Descend, I pray,
with Your Solar ray of power
upon my circle here!

Stand before the altar and say, with wand (or hands) raised:

O Mother Goddess, Queen of the night and of the Earth;
O Father God, King of the day and of the forests,
I celebrate Your union as nature rejoices in a ritous
blaze of color and life.  Accept my gift, Mother Goddess
and Father God, in honor of Your union.

Place the token(s) on the tree.

From Your mating shall spring forth life anew;
a profusion of living creatures shall cover the lands,
and the winds will blow pure and sweet.
O Ancient Ones, I celebrate with You!

Enjoy Cakes and Wine and close the Circle.

Blessed Beltane Everyone!

Sinus Infection?

I've been suffering from sinus headaches and a stuffy head/nose/chest since last Thursday.  I'm not a huge fan of the doctor, but I made an appointment for tomorrow.  I'm not sure how much he'll be able to help (they never really do). I've been taking Sinus medications all week, but nothing really seems to help me.  Even my Afrin isn't working which is why I don't think anything a doctor will prescribe is going to do anything different.  Do any of you ladies have herbal remedies that work to clean out the sinuses?  Soup and Tea are all I know.  Help!  I need some green witch ideas to get rid of this thing.

Bloody April Give-a-Way and Natural Cleaning Products

If you haven't checked out Bloody April at the Wizardess Epi's page Go Out Beneath the Naked Night, you should.  Her give-a-way this month are re-usable menstrual pads.  As a Green Witch, I'm always looking for things to help lower my carbon footprint.  Honestly, I had no idea that re-usable pad existed.  I'm really excited about the Wizardess's give-a-way and I plan on making a purchase from Crea8tive Mama's Etsy Shop.

The Domestic Witch's Spring Cleaning continues this week with kitchen cleaning tips.  Her kitchen blessing is excellent and is worth bookmarking for your own use.  I've also spoken about doing away with harsh, unatural cleaners from my house, well, my mother's house.  Mainstream cleaning products are full of chemicals that are dangerous to you, your pets, your family and even more importantly, the Earth.  However, many alternative, plant based cleaners (which are great) are very expensive and for many people, money is something that is hard to come by right now.  Making your own green cleaning products is cheap, sometimes cheaper than those chemically products, and a great way to bring yourself in balance with Nature.  What could be more pagan?!

Here's a few easy cleaning recipies:

Surface Cleaner - counter tops, tile, ranges, etc.

You Will Need:

• a spray bottle
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water

1. Combine vinegar and water into the spray bottle.
2. Use on any surface in your home.  The vinegar smell will dissipate when the vinegar drys. 
3. For really stained/dirty surfaces, heat up the solution in the microwave or on the stove. 

Toilet Cleaner, Shower Head Cleaner or Laundry Rinse 

You Will Need:

• undiluted white vinegar.  

1. For the toilet bowl: dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.
2. For Shower Heads:  Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish.    
3. For Laundry: Add one cup of undiluted white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle instead of commercial fabric softener. White vinegar softens clothes and cuts detergent residue.

Bathtub Scrub

You Will Need:

• Baking Soda
• Sponge

1.  Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to scrub away rings in your bathtub, shower or sink.
2. For bad stains, make a paste with the baking soda and water, apply and let stand for 20 minutes.  Then, rinse with hot water.

Smelly Garbage Disposals 

You Will Need:

• Baking Soda
• Lemon, Orange or Lime peels (optional)
• White Vinegar

1. Pour about 1 cup of baking soda down your garbage disposal.  
2. Then, pour about a cup of vinegar down the disposal for the chemical reaction.
3. Put the citrus peels in the disposal and operate the disposal.  This will leave a nice odor in your drain.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

You Will Need: 

• A spray bottle
• 1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Mix all of the above together and clean away!

Furniture Polish

You Will Need:

• A spray bottle
• 1 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup lemon juice 

Mix together and shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

And now my craft is in

the rock garden!

Plus, I love the idea that Catpriestess from eWitch gave me about making one for all of the Sabbats.  I think this will become a Sabbat tradition.  When the hubby and I finally purchase a home of our own, we plan on having a stone fire ring:

These stepping stones would be placed around the yard or near the fire ring.  Plus, I just was reading through my Ostara lessons from about.com and got another awesome idea.  Since the Ostara stepping stone has glow in the dark stars, I could use it in a Magical Moon Garden.  The ideas are just flowing this weekend!  I'm excited!

Crafting is Done

As part of my first spring cleaning event for the home, I created an Ostara Garden Stone.  I wanted to share the pictures with you!

I was originally going to use the "fully homemade" method from my book, but when I went to Michael's they had kits for under $20.  So, being this is my first time making one of these, I went with the kit.

A rare picture of me.

Another of me.  Just look at that pathetic pony-tail.  Hopefully my hair will grow out soon!

 Spreading the cement in the mold.

Half-way done! Pssst!  The glass stars are glow in the dark!  Oh, I am a nerd!

FINITO!

Now I wait for the mold to dry.  In three days I will see how it came out and post the pictures.  I may make a few more after this one.  Maybe I can use them in eventual giveaways when I have more blog followers . . . Hmmmm.  Ideas. 

Ostara Blessings

We are very blessed here on the East coast.  It will reach 70 degrees here again today and it is perfect Ostara celebration weather!  I am feeling crafty today, so besides the normal ritual celebration of the Sabbat, I will be making something for Ostara this year.  I have taken my craft from The Way of the Green Witch by Ann Murphy-Hiscock.  Although there are some errors and misinformation about Green Witchcraft in her book, I tend to look past that and take the useful information (which there is a great deal of).

So, besides coloring some Ostara Eggs tonight, here is another crafty project that you may want to tackle!  It is pretty involved, but I think it is a cute fun project, especially if you are starting your garden this weekend.

Garden Stepping Stone

You will need:

• Newspaper
• Aluminum Foil Pie Plate (at least 2" deep)
• Small bag of concrete mix (quick setting or a special stepping stone blend)
• Water
• Measuring Cup 
• 1 foot x 1 foot piece of screening
• Rubber Gloves
• Bucket
• Paint stirrer
• Obsidian stones (Michael's and AC Moore have beads made from natural stones - and they are 40% off this weekend!)
• One Tbsp. each of three protective herbs (try angelica, rosemary and cloves)
• Optional Old Serving Spoon
• Optional Twig or Popsicle stick
• Optional Acrylic paints and brushes
• Optional Clear Varnish (spray is the easiest) 

 How to Make

1. Spread the newspaper over your work surface.
2. Cut the screening to fir inside your pie plate.  This will reinforce your stepping stone once it is dry.  Put aside.
3. Blend your herbs together using your mortar and pestle.  Set them aside.
4. Pour the concrete powder into your bucket.  Add the water.  Using the paint stirrer, mix them together.  Follow the directions on your bag of concrete for how much water to the concrete (it's usually 5 part concrete to one part water).  The mixture should be thick and wet, but not splashy; more like drop-cookie dough than cake batter.  Do not use the entire bag.  Only use enough to fill the pie plate (a small bit extra to be safe is fine).
5. Pour or spoon the concrete mix into the aluminum pan.  Fill until it is half-full.  Tap the mold to release air bubbles and use the paint stirrer to smooth out the concrete.
6. Lay the screening on top of the concrete in the mold.  Pour more concrete on top of the screening, filling the mold approx. 2/3 full.  Tap the mold again to release air bubbles.
7. Sprinkle the herbs on the top of the concrete.  Remember to visualize their protective energy while placing them.
8. Pour more concrete on top of the herbs.  This time you will fill the mold completely.  Tap the mold again to release any remaining air bubbles.  (3 is also a magically number)
9. Leave the mold for about an hour.  This will allow it to set slightly and give a firm surface to place the stones.
10. After the hour has passed, place the obsidian stones into the mold.  Make any shape you'd like.  A starburst shape in the middle of the stone is a good shape for the repelling of negative energy or using them for the points on a 5 pointed star is another good shape.  You can trace the star with a stick with the popsicle stick/twig.
11. Now, set the mold aside for 2-3 days to fully dry.  You may want to leave it a little longer to ensure the mold won't crumble.
12. Once the mold has fully dried, pop the stone out of the mold onto the newspaper.  Gently loosen the sides and peel the aluminum pie plate away from the stone.  Turn the stone over so that the obsidian is on top.
13. If you'd like you can paint the stone with acrylic paints.  Once the paint is dry, coat the stone with a clear varnish to protect it from the elements.  Then, you can place the stone in your garden!

I'm going to try to make this today.  When my stone is completed, I'll post the finished product.

Ostara Blessings everyone!

Spring Cleaning: Phase One

Spring Cleaning with The Domestic Witch starts this Sunday.  I'm actually starting a little bit early, but I am following her schedule:

Week ~ Area of the Home ~ Area of Life
Week 1 ~ Home Exterior and Repairs ~ Health and Fitness
Week 2 ~ Front Porch/Entryway ~ Personality and Self-image
Week 3 ~ Kitchen and Dining Room ~ The Heart of Your Life
Week 4 ~ Living Areas ~ Entertainment and Social Life
Week 5 ~ Your Bedroom ~ Love Life and Relaxation
Week 6 ~ Kids' Bedrooms ~ Fertility and Parenting
Week 7 ~ Bathroom ~ Beauty and Hygiene
Week 8 ~ Home Office/Den ~ Career and Finances
Week 9 ~ Back Yard ~ Connecting with Nature
Week 10 ~ Front Yard ~ Living Green
Week 11 ~ Garage/Attic/Basement ~ Emotional and Mental Clutter
Week 12 ~ Laundry Area and Closets ~Your Shadow Self

I don't own my own home yet, but I will be helping my mother clean hers.  Since The Domestic Witch's first Week is focused on personal health and fitness, I started by eliminating all harmful cleaners and beauty products.  I've been replacing them with plant based, green products and  I wanted to recommend one of them to all of you out there in blog land.  The company is called Onesta and they make all natural hair products.  The best part is that they are vegan (no animal products used) and cruelty free (no animal testing).  Everything in them is plant based.   It's not available for purchase except in salons, so I'm not sure how easily any of you can get it where you live, but their line of hair products, especially the shampoo and conditioner, are wonderful.  Check out their website and see if a salon near you sells their line of product.  Any pagan would appreciate their pledge for green living as well as their contributions towards cancer research.

Ostara Prayers

stara Prayers

I've been getting Ostara lessons for the past few days from About.com and I felt a strong attachment to three of the prayers sent to me today.  I thought I'd share them with you for Thursday's blog.  First is a Garden Blessing, so for all of you starting gardens and planting seeds, this is something you may want to say while you plant.

The earth is cool and dark,
and far below, new life begins.
May the soil be blessed with fertility and abundance,
with rains of life-giving water,
with the heat of the sun,
with the energy of the raw earth.
May the soil be blessed
as the womb of the land becomes full and fruitful
to bring forth the garden anew.

There is also a prayer for the Goddesses of Spring that I liked.  I don't worship all of the Goddesses mentioned in this particular version, but I'm sure you can insert Goddesses that you have an attachment to.

Hail, and welcome!
Green life returns to the earth
blooming and blossoming
once more from the soil.
We welcome you,
goddesses of spring,
Eostre, Persephone, Flora, Cybele,
in the trees,
in the soil,
in the flowers,
in the rains,
and we are grateful
for your presence.
 

And lastly, this prayer will be helpful, especially if any of you still have snow on the ground.  This prayer is for the resurrection or waking up of the Earth.

The death sleep of winter has slowly faded,
the rigor of the ground loosens,
and the earth is once more reborn.
Like Mithras and Osiris,
reborn from death,
life returns again to the land,
springing up as the snow melts away.
As the soil warms and the days grow longer,
dew forms along new sprouts of grass,
bringing life back.
Awaken! Awaken! Awaken!
And rise!
Let the earth come to life again,
and welcome the light of spring!

Ostara Altar Ideas

stara

I thought my first Ostara post should be about altar ideas.  Whenever I set up my altar, I take my inspiration from the season itself, then I add the traditional symbols of the holiday.

Altar Cloth Colors
Everyone always typically picks pastel colors for spring.  Personally, I cannot stand pastels.  The closest I get to using a pastel is using a pale green for my Ostara altar cloth.  However, draw your own color ideas from what you see outside.  Another color I tend to use is violet because it is the color of the tulips outside of my house and they are the first flowers I see in spring.  You can do the same at your house.  Don't remember which color flowers come up first?  Then go with whatever color feels right to you.

Flowers
I also tend to decorate my altar with plants and/or flowers which reflect the season.  Tulips and Daffodils are early spring flowers and I will often use them in my set up.  Plus, if you'd like to get really symbolic, they both look like phallic symbols (tulips representing female; daffodils representing male). 

Spring Symbols
Growing up a Catholic, there were always egg and bunny decorations all over my house.  They are still there since I still live with my parents (I'm married too - imagine how much fun that is!). Interestingly enough, none of the decorations my mother has put up this year say "Happy Easter," but say "Happy Spring" instead.  Now to your altar.  Because this time of year was always rabbits and eggs, I continue the same theme on my altar.  The Christmas Tree Shoppe has tons of cheap, cute holiday decorations.  I highly recommend taking a stop in there if you have a store near you.  You can also make many of your own decorations.  I still color hard boiled eggs and place them on the altar.  I'm still working on Earth friendly, home-made dyes.  If they don't work out, food coloring and vinegar still works.  After my ritual, I put them back in the fridge for breakfast the next morning.  

                   Other Home-made Altar Ideas: These are all great, especially if you have little ones.

• Home-made butterflys or caterpillars
• Lambs
• Mosaics - great as a hot plate for your cauldron! 
• Stained Glass projects - AC Moore and Michael's have these or try this link to make one from melted crayons!
• Birdhouses
• Nests with eggs
• Tissue Paper flowers

Other Items You May Want to Include:
Honey and Milk are also spring symbols and you may want to include a glass of one or both on your altar.  Milk is obviously a symbol of fertility and motherhood.  You can pour the glass of milk outside as a gift (much like an Imbolc ritual) or offering to the Lord and the Lady or to the Fae.  Honey is a symbol of abundance.  Spring is a time that is abundant with life both physically and metaphorically.  The honey can be used later in cakes and wine or as part of an Ostara dinner or even in a nice cup of herbal tea.

I hope everyone enjoys these ideas!