And the Winner of the Gardener Giveaway is...

...Aimee!

Thanks again to everyone who entered and for sharing your wonderful gardening tips and tricks. :)

Spring Gardening Giveaway!

It's time for a Spring gardening giveaway! In this giveaway there is a mix of items that would be handy for someone who is just starting out in gardening or for someone who is already an established gardener who could use a few extra pretties in their kit.

UP FOR GRABS:

Gardener's Organizer

About The Gardener's Organizer by David Squire from Google Books: 

"In a practical ringbinder format, The Gardener's Organizer, is packed with useful gardening hints and tips. Information is provided on all aspects of gardening, from taking cuttings and propagating new plants, to caring for the fruit and vegetable garden and pruning roses. The binder can be added to at any time, and is divided into six sections, with useful pockets for storing seed packets, newspaper cuttings, and other gardening paraphernalia."

Definitely a nifty way to keep your notes, plans and inspirations organized!

Gardener's Journal

About The Gardener's Five Year Journal by John Ashton:

"This handsome garden journal guides beginners and experts alike through five years of planning and organizing a garden. Informative tips, quotations, personal anecdotes, and a special section for children make this easy-to-use workbook an essential companion for any gardener. The extensive records section is the perfect way to track all your planning, planting, and plant care so that past efforts in the garden will never be in vain. Using and reviewing this functional journal will ensure that you will soon be enjoying the full fruits of your labor. Sections include Planning the Garden, Planting, Plant Care, Plant Inventory, and a "Potpourri" of other items."

This is really a lovely book!

Seeds

I am including 23 packets of different seeds, all which are from my garden. There is an assortment of veggies, herbs, flowers and other beneficial plants:

• Veggies: Red Bell Pepper, Black Krim Tomato, Red Pear Cherry Tomato, Purple Peacock Pole Bean, Blue Jay Bush Bean, Orca Bush Bean, Small Sugar Pumpkin, Butternut Winter Squash.
• Annual Flowers & Herbs: Sunflower Mix, Opium Poppy, Giant California Zinnia, Dark Opal Basil.
• Biennials: Great Mullein, Teasel.
• Perennials: Hollyhock Mix, Siberian Iris, False Indigo, White Cone Flower, Purple Cone Flower, Columbine Mix, Butterfly Flower, Blue Speedwell, Japanese Primrose. 

Beeswax Bunny Mug Candle

A hand poured beeswax candle in a cute vintage mug made in Japan featuring a naughty bunny in the garden. The beeswax was locally sourced, it has a cotton wick and has a sprinkling of lavender flowers, rose petals and chamomile flowers from my garden. 

Incense

Two corked jars of incense, on of my Herbwife blend and one of my Fertile Fields blend.

Garden Tools & Gloves

A hand fork and trowel decorated with pretty purple and yellow flowers and a pair of green waterproof gripping gloves.

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

For those who are interested in entering, all you need to do is share one piece of gardening advice, tool or trick that you can't garden without. All entries must be submitted to the comment section of this post; you can either just type it out there or link to a video or blog entry that is posted elsewhere. Previously some folks were having issues posting in my comment section, so I will accept entries that are emailed to me {unfetteredwood at yahoo dot ca} and I will post them in the comment section, along with listing who the name of the person it is for. The winner will be drawn at random right after the closing date. Below you will see the vitals:

1. Only one entry per person.
2. Entrants must be 18 years or older.
3. The giveaway is open for Canada, US & Europe only {due to the nature of the contents, I don't want to risk the kit being destroyed by customs. Sorry to everyone else!}
4. Should the winner reside in an area where any of the seeds are illegal, I will replace those seeds with others that are legal for them in their area.
5. To enter you are not obligated to purchase anything from me or to subscribe to any of my social media haunts.
6. All entries must be submitted by Wednesday April 1st, 2015 at 3pm EST.
7. he winner will need to provide a mailing address to receive their pretties. The information provided will not be used for any other purpose than to receive their winnings. The information will not be given to anyone else, or sold to a third party.

    *********

Good luck to all of you who enter! 

Sláinte!

Laurel

Gardening Giveaway Coming Soon!

Right now I am in the process of getting everything together for a gardening giveaway, which I hope will be ready to go in the next week or so. Stay tuned!

And the Winner of the Portable Apothecary Giveaway is...

...Witchycrafts!

Thanks to all who entered! I hope to have another giveaway in the near future. :)

Portable Apothecary Giveaway Now Closed

I will be announcing the winner to the Portable Apothecary Giveaway shortly. Thank you to all who entered!

Latest Charms for Etsy

 

Necromancer’s Hagstone Protection Charm

Charm for Growth & Rebirth

Rowan & Hagstone Evil Eye Charm

Seer’s Charm Pouch

Ancestor Charm Bottle

Portable Apothecary Giveaway

 

It has been quite awhile since I did my last giveaway, so I figured I would do another. This giveaway features a portable apothecary that would be great for those who need such a kit for when travelling, who have limited amount of space to work with, or who are just starting to gather herbs and the like for their collection.

Up for Grabs:

 

• Vintage cedar box {I left it "as is", so the winner could customize it to their liking, should the wish}.
• One antique English skeleton key from the early 1900's that has a pretty silver glaze.
• Two Rusty iron "coffin" nails.
• One Scottish hagstone.
• Four different shells.
• Two hand-dipped black herbal beeswax candles {suitable for Ancestor working, necromancy, divination or sorcery}.
• Pretty little moss green pottery mortar and pestle made by Joyce Butler.
• An Herbal Medicine-Making Primer & Wildcrafting Anarchist zine {not pictures}.
• Six empty corked bottles for your own additions.
• Seven of my incense blends in corked bottles {Mistress of Stags, Tech Duinn, Immrama, Three Sacred Fires, Herbwife, Fertile Fields, Dark Daughter}.
• Corked bottles {53 altogether} containing:

Bladderwrack

Blue Spruce Needles

Chamomile Flowers

Cinquefoil

Comfrey Root

Common Tansy

Creeping Charlie

Damiana

Dandelion Root

Elder Berries

Eyebright

Fern

Feverfew Flowers

Frankincense

Goldenrod Flowers

Graveyard Dirt

Hawthorn Berries

Heather Flowers

Hollyhock Leaves

Hops

Hyssop

Juniper Tips

Lady’s Mantle

Lavender Flowers

Lemon Balm

Lemon Verbena

Lilac Flowers

Meadowsweet

Motherwort

Mugwort

Mullein Leaf

Oak Bark

Patchouli

Plantain

Pennyroyal

Peppermint

Periwinkle Leaves

Red Sandalwood

Rose Pedals

Rosemary

Rowan Berries

Selfheal

Spearmint

Staghorn Sumac Berries

Sweet Woodruff

Sweetfern

Thyme

Vervain

Viper’s Bugloss

Willow Bark

Witch Hazel

Wormwood

Yarrow



How to Enter the Giveaway:

 

For those who are interested in entering, all you need to do is share a favourite magical and/or medicinal herb {try to include information on how to cultivate it, it's uses, properties, folklore, and such; you can refer to this post to get some ideas}. All entries must be submitted to the comment section of this post; you can either just type it out there or link to a video or blog entry that is posted elsewhere. Previously some folks were having issues posting in my comment section, so I will accept entries that are emailed to me {unfetteredwood at yahoo dot ca} and I will post them in the comment section, along with listing who the name of the person it is for.  The winner will be drawn at random right after the closing date. Below you will see the vitals:

1. Only one entry per person.
2. Entrants must be 18 years or older.
3. The giveaway is open for Canada & US only {due to the nature of the contents, I don't want to risk the kit being destroyed by customs. My apologies to international folks!}
4. Should the winner reside in an area where any of the herbs are illegal, I will replace those herbs with others that are legal for them in their area.
5. To enter you are not obligated to purchase anything from me or to subscribe to any of my social media haunts.
6. All entries must be submitted by Monday May 26th, 2014 at 3pm EST.
7. The winner will need to provide a mailing address to receive their pretties. The information provided will not be used for any other purpose than to receive their winnings. The information will not be given to anyone else, or sold to a third party.

*********

 

Good luck to all of you who enter!

 

Sláinte!

 

Laurel

New Vintage Pretties in the Shop

After some spring cleaning and purging, I now have some more vintage pretties in the Etsy shop.

Austrian Folk Art Apron

Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Sign Coasters

Dove & Floral Wreath Cookie Tin

Cast Iron Owl Trivet

Retro Folk Art Peacock Tin

Ornate Cast Iron Trivet

A Policy Update

Unfortunately one of my customers has notified me that their purchase was seized by customs in their country. Due to this, I have updated the policy of the UW Etsy shop.

 

Many of the items that I have for sale are plant-based, and many places have restrictions on what they will allow shipped in to their jurisdictions. It is up to customers to know the laws and regulations for what is restricted or banned in their areas. This means that I will not be offering refunds for items seized by customs.
 

Many governments have clearly defined lists of what is banned or restricted in their areas. Products that I carry that might be of risk include seeds, incense, and other plant-based products.

 

Thanks for reading and to my past, current and future customers!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Some New Charms & Supplies

I have a few new items that I have listed on Etsy including a couple of different types of charms and some destash supply items.

 

Necromancer's Protective Hagstone Charm



Household Protection Charm Bottles

 

 

Primitive Rusty Star Hooks

 

 

Vintage Embroidered Trim







New Charm Listings

I have added a few charm bottle and witch ball listings to the Unfettered Wood Etsy shop:

Ancestor Charm Bottles

 

Safe Travels Charm Bottle



 

Well of Sláine Healing Witch Ball

 

 

Warrior's Witch Ball

 

 

Lust & Sex Witch Ball

 

 

Grían Solar Witch Ball

 

 

*********

 

I am currently working on a few more charms which I hope to have listed in the shop soon.

 

Sláinte!

 

Laurel



Some Early 2014 Updates

 

I hope that 2014 is treating all of you well, dear readers!

 

Our welcoming in the new year was rather late and quiet around here as I was working both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. We had a feast for our Ancestors and incorporated in some traditional Hogmanay practices into our festivities, along with some ritual cleaning {although I have allowed myself the time until Imbolc/Lá Fhéile Bríde to get the rest of the heavy cleaning and organizing done!}.

 

 

Over the next little while you may notice some changes, with much need updates done to both the website and shop, as well as some new additional blog posting topics. One of those topics that should be coming soon is a series on Gaelic folk healing practices, which I already have a few different posts in the works. Should there be a specific type of healing practice topic that any of you may be interested in {i.e. regarding child birth, fractures, certain diseases} please feel free to let me know in the comment section or you can contact me privately.

 

More to come soon.

 

Sláinte!

 

Laurel

New Seed Listings

I have just add more seeds to the Unfettered Wood Etsy shop, some are ones previously favourites which had sold out and others are completely new.

Returning:

Orca Bush Bean
Blue Jay Bush Bean
Purple Foxgloves
Bull Thistle

New Additions:

Hollyhocks Mix
Teasel
Bergamot/Bee Balm
Columbine Mix
Cardinal Flower
Forget-Me-Nots

There are also other seeds available too. Go over and have a look!

Yuletide Blessings

 

I want to wish all of my readers a wonderful holiday season & all the best for 2014! May you have plenty of warmth and merriment during this cold time!

Sláinte agus Beannachtaí,

Laurel

Coming Soon...

I have been making a gaggle of different charms including these witch balls. Coming soon to the Unfettered Wood Etsy shop!

Intentions Behind Making Offerings {Part 2}

This is a follow up to a post I did a few days ago Intentions Behind Making Offerings; there has been quite a bit of discussion over at Tumblr in response to the post over there, which showed me that there was a need for me to clarify a few things, which I am doing over here as well. You can see the discussion over at Tumblr here.

 

*********

 

 I have read all the responses and comments so far to my initial post, and I appreciate all the feedback. Before I respond to other people’s thoughts, I will reiterate that everything that I am writing here is just my own opinion, I am not representing any group or stating that these are the opinions of those who share a similar faith as my own {although I would be especially curious to hear what other Gaelic Polytheists and Celtic Reconstructionists feel on this topic}.

 

After reading the responses I have gotten and re-reading my initial post, I feel that I was not thorough enough to begin with and made some assumptions that others who would be reading my post would already know my overall position on making offerings and have a general feel of my position when it comes to relationships with deities, ancestors and spirits. To save some time in completely repeating myself, I welcome people to read the other post I had linked to here. I will however be going into further detail as necessary.

 

Something else I failed to be clear on in my initial post was what types of Pagans, polytheists and magical practitioners I was originally talking about, which were those who feel they practice some “Celtic” based or inspired faith. I have tried to find the original article that I had alluded to and unfortunately have not been able to find it on Tumblr anymore. It was called something like “Offerings Celtic Style” and was originally posted on Tumblr around July or August. If anyone remembers that post and it is still around, please feel free to share it.

 

There are people from different traditions and faiths that have responded to this, most notably people from a Kemetic path {a timely discussion is going on right now, which I recommend other people read, as it is quite interesting, which can be seen here}. I will not pretend to have even the slightest clue what it is like to deal with the Gods of people from a completely different spiritual path than my own, and it could very well be that what I consider to be bribes is perfectly acceptable to their Gods and their value-system. I am comfortable saying though that I do not think that this approach is acceptable with the deities that I have a relationship with nor is this an approach that fits into my own world view.

 

Some folks have mentioned the idea of a “gift for a gift” and someone had also used the word “reciprocity”, which I feel both encapsulate what I am trying to get at here. The spirit in which I see these terms is in complete opposition to some people who think that they can take without giving back or only give something to manipulate someone to get what they want.

 

Someone mentioned if we don’t get something back from the Gods then what is the point? Indeed. There is something I feel I get back including guidance, protection, wisdom. I may ask for something that I feel I need or ask on behalf of someone else, that does not however mean that my Gods are here to fulfill my every whim and demand.

 

Long before I start asking for things, while I am still in the early stages of developing a relationship with a deity or spirit, I will make offerings, take actions to demonstrate my intentions, to show hospitality. If and when a relationship is established, then I may ask for something.

 

While I do not pretend to be “equal”, I do espouse to treat my Gods, Ancestors and the Spirits I work with as I would someone who is dear to me. They are not here for me to use. That said, I do of course get something back for having a relationship with them. If I did not, much like a one-sided friendship, eventually ties would be severed.

 

It is difficult for me to clearly define how I see my deities, although, at least in part, I see them as mentors and kindred. If I were to have a wise person in my life teaching and guiding me, there would be an automatic amount of respect that I would have for them; anyone who I feel is my kindred, I have an automatic amount of respect for them.

 

Besides what I already get out of a relationship with a mentor or kindred, I may ask that person for a favour. The may agree to grant that favour, or they may not. I would still respect them either way and I would try to avoid manipulating them, giving them ultimatums, or bribing them as I see these things as disrespectful.

 

For me offerings are made with a generous heart; they are just one expression of the values that I see as sacred, the values that I try to uphold in every day life.

 

I hope that I have somewhat clarified my position and I welcome further comments and discussion, whether you agree or disagree.

 

Sláinte!

Laurel

And the Winner of the 2013 Samhain Giveaway is...

...Kat!

Congrats Kat, your name was randomly selected and I will be sending you your goodies ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who participated and I hope you will all join me again for the next giveaway. :)

Laurel

Samhain Giveaway Now Closed

The Samhain Giveaway is now closed. I will randomly draw a winner soon and will post the results within the next few days. Thanks to everyone who entered!

2013 Samhain Giveaway

Samhain is almost here, so it is time for a giveaway! This is what is up for grabs for the 2013 Samhain giveaway...

• Ancestor Jar Candle
• Witchy Flask
• Ancestor Charm Bottle
•  Barm Brack Kit
• Samhain Herbal Blend
• Tech Duinn Incense
• Dark Daughter Incense
• Immrama Incense
• Ancestral Graveyard Dirt
• Dark Arts Wortcunning Powder

Ancestor Jar Candle

This is a hand poured black beeswax candle in a pretty mason jar containing wormwood from my garden, Ancestral graveyard dirt, and scented with sandalwood essential oil. Tied around it is a black ribbon with a pretty skeleton key.

Witchy Flask

A stainless steal flask for your spirited drinks when out on a haunt on a chilly Samhain eve!

 Ancestor Bottle Charm

 

I made this wee charm bottle for connecting with Ancestors and can either be carried on your person or left on an Ancestral shrine/altar. Inside the corked bottle is Ancestral graveyard dirt, dandelion root, mullein seeds, periwinkle flowers, bittersweet nightshade berries, tansy flowers, and poppy seeds. The bottle was sealed with black beeswax and has a little skull tied to it with black string.

Barm Brack Kit

I purchased this adorable barm brack kit from From Home Spun Ireland, which comes with a recipe, charms to go inside your cake, a pack of Barry's Tea, and a little pouch that say Oíche Shamhna on it. Samhain barm brack {an Irish fruit bread} charms would be baked inside the bread, which were used to predict what to expect in the year ahead. To find out more head on over to the Home Spun Ireland listing.



Samhain Herbal Blend

 

Use this intoxicating herbal blend to scent your Samhain festivities as a simmer potpourri, as an offering, or in your Samhain spellwork. This blend contains dried local apples, mugwort, cedar and wormwood from my garden, along with patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver.



  Tech Duinn Incense 

 

Tech Duinn, or the House of Donn is one of the places in Irish lore where the deceased go to. This loose incense has a combination of plant materials that are appropriate as a burnt offering to the Beloved and Mighty Dead, including sweet smelling sandalwood. The winner will receive 1/2 ounce in a baggie.

 

Dark Daughter Incense

 

 

This loose incense is a mixture that I created to give as a burnt offering to the Irish Goddess Macha, and has various plant materials associated with divination, sorcery and battles. The most notable smell is the heady scent of wormwood. The winner will receive 1/2 ounce in a baggie.

Immrama Incense

 

 

 Named for the immrama, or the voyages to the Otherworlds found in Irish mythology, this incense has been crafted for travel, both in this world and the spirit realms. Burn for protection whether journeying by spirit, land, sky, or sea. It contains mugwort, often used in dream work and spirit travel, as well as plants traditionally associated with safe travels in Gaelic lore, yarrow, comfrey and birch. {partial ingredient list}. The winner will receive 1/2 ounce in a baggie.

 

Ancestral Graveyard Dirt

 

A 1/2 cup of sifted graveyard dirt that came from the graves of some of my Ancestors in a small Northern Ontario village cemetery. For Ancestor & Chthonic Deity rituals, or workings involving divination, protection and hexing.

 

Dark Arts Wortcunning Powder

 

 

This is a nourishing offering powder for plants that are entheogens, or associated with death, divination, cursing, ancestors, chthonic deities, and spirit travel.

Use as an offering to plants that you harvest from in the wild, plants in your garden or houseplants. To use sprinkle on top of the soil at the base of the plant and then water, use as a fertilizer tea, or work in the soil before planting seeds, transplanting or repotting.

 

The winner will receive 1 ounce in a baggie.

 

How to Enter the Giveaway

 

For those who are interested in entering, all you need to do is share a spooky story {this could be something that happened to you, someone you know, a legend from your area, or a favourite piece of folklore}. All entries must be submitted to the comment section of this post; you can either just type it out there or link to a video or blog entry that is posted elsewhere. Previously some folks were having issues posting in my comment section, so I will accept entries that are emailed to me {unfetteredwood at yahoo dot ca} and I will post them in the comment section, along with listing who the name of the person it is for.  The winner will be drawn at random right after the closing date. Below you will see the vitals:

Only one entry per person.
Entrants must be 18 years or older.
The giveaway is open for all countries.
To enter you are not obligated to purchase anything from me or to subscribe to any of my social media haunts.
All entries must be submitted by Sunday October 20th at 3pm EST.
The winner will need to provide a mailing address to receive their pretties. The information provided will not be used for any other purpose than to receive their winnings. The information will not be given to anyone else, or sold to a third party.

 

*********

 

Good luck to all of you who enter!

 

Sláinte!

 

Laurel

Some Updates

One of the types of seeds that will be in store, teasel.

This post is just to just touch on a couple of things and pass on some updates.

First of all, after my last post sharing some of my mushroom harvest, some people have contacted me asking if I will be making flying ointments for sale. I will not be selling any, so if you are on the look out for some quality wares in that department, I suggest checking out the shop of Sarah Lawless {previously known as the Witch of Forest Grove} or Alchemy Works.

I have been crafting new items for the UW Etsy shop and will have more seed varieties available soon.

 

Also stay tuned for a Samhain giveaway which I will posting about in the upcoming days!

Sláinte!

Laurel