Happy Valentine's Day!

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Happy Valentine's Day! *
to all of my Blog Buddies & Crafty's Cup Readers
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I just wanted to take a minute to pop in and say Hi!

and to tell you all how much I Love You!

and value your friendship, support and readership

of me, and of this little blog of mine.

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I also wanted to share some of my favorite

Vintage Valentine's Day Cards.

You can find plenty more on my other blog

Crafty Chick's Retro Fantasy

There you will find about 2 weeks worth of

Vintage Valentine's Day Cards

that are all free for your personal use in

blogging, crafting & collecting.

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Enjoy them!

And I hope that you all are

having a nice weekend as well as a

Happy Valentine's Day

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~Danae, aka 'Crafty'

Herbs Commonly Used For Various Love Spells

One of the most common types of spells used by (and requested of) magickal practitioners, is the love spell. While the Wiccan Rede forbids direct manipulation of another person (meaning, you can't force them to behave in a way they wouldn't want to on their own), love spells can still be utilized to open yourself up to the loving emotions that await you in the world; and to create an evironment conducive to finding, cultivating or maintaining love.
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There are many different methods of conducting a love spell. It can be an elaborate affair, with one or more full-fledged rituals involving a photo, candles, herbs and oils; or as simple as making an amulet or talisman to carry with you. There are also many unconventinal uses for these ingridients in magick- such as using hazelnut vanilla coffee flavoring, in leiu of actual hazel nuts or vanilla beans. Or charming a floor wash, or bath fizzies, as opposed to the more traditional magickal applications. In either case, there are certain herbs and plants that have been known and used for centuries to make any love spell more effective.

Herbs Commonly Used In Love Magick~

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*The common kitchen herbs are highlghted in red,

and the herbs commonly found outdoors in the garden

are highlighted in green, for easy identification;

and most of the other herbs and plants that are easily obtainable online, or at various suppliers, are highlighed in black.

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Acacia: Use the bark and twigs for awakening love and enhancement of physical strength.

African violet: Harmony and love are released from your heart when this is burnt.

Aster: A love herb that's great in amulets in combination with other ingredients.

Balm of Gilead: Amulets and potions work more efficiently when laced with these buds.

Basil: A magical love herb great for spell work and divination.

Bay: Infuse a love potion with these burnt leaves.

Wonderful ingredient to use in culinary Love Magick.

Bistort: Contain this in an amulet to cultivate feminine fertility.

Bittersweet: As per the name, inclusion in an amulet or satchel

will clear away pain and heal your aching heart.

Catnip: Other than driving your feline insane, this herb can be used

in spells for love (and luck) or in amulets for fertility.

Chocolate: Has long been used as an edible in love spells, (and is widely available).

Be creative in its many applications!

Cinnamon: A well known aphrodisiac, this excels in spells of sexuality

and passion and deepens any meditations on love.

Cloves: A staple love spell ingredient- it also bolsters beauty.

(Do not use topically undiluted.)

Coltsfoot: Stuff the leaves in a satchel or use them in a love spell.

Columbine: Especially useful in spells or meditations

that are asking to be reunited with a lover.

Cowslip: Cheaper than a haircut, this can be used in spells

calling for more physical beauty and attractiveness.

Crocus: Used in spells of love and harmonious attraction.

Daisy: This flower is used during divination work to prophesize the future of love.

Damiana: An aphrodisiac, used in spells of sexuality and love.

Dandelion: Used in love spells that call for fulfillment of desires kept secret.

Dill: Used in rituals and spells that seek to bring about longing of a sexual nature.

Fennel: Use all parts of this plant (roots, leaves and seeds) in spells or rituals awakening love.

Geranium: Used particularly in spells enhancing fertility.

Ginseng: An aphrodisiac for masculine sexuality, it can also be used in amulets.

Goldenrod: Used in prophetic love rituals.

Hazelnut: Another ingredient that enhances fertility, it can also be used in prophetic work.

Jasmine: The plant itself is good in spells heightening passion and love

while the oil eases a broken heart.

Juniper: The berries increase sexual potency in love spells.

Lavender: The flowers themselves can be used in satchels

while candles dipped in the oil are used for spell work.

Lemon: The leaves of the fruit are used in spells and potions

that want to evoke longing and love.

Lovage: Use the seeds or roots in spells seeking to bolster eroticism.

Magnolia: This flower in a spell will bring about fidelity.

Mullein: Readings and potions are heightened by the leaves of this plant.

Oak: The bark and leaves will increase feminine fertility and masculine virility.

Orchid: If your psyche needs some strengthening,

incorporate this flower into your spells or potions.

Pommegranite: This fruit has long been asscociated with maternal love

(due to its connections with Demeter nd Persephone);

and is also widely used in fertility magick.

Rose: A standard love spell ingredient, the buds are good for readings

while the oil bolsters courage. A great addition to teas, baths, inscences and oils;

as well as in sachets, wreaths and bouquets.

Rosemary: This herb can be used in potions are amulets to awaken sensuality. Can be used in talismans and wreaths to protect love ones as well as a love relationship. Excellent in Cullinary Magick applications.

Strawberry: The actual fruit is an aphrodisiac and used in spells of love or sexuality while the leaves bring about luck. Charge and combine with melted Chocolate (as in dipped Strawberries) for an irresistable love charm.

Thyme: If you are planning on doing any love related dream work, have some of this on hand.

Vanilla: The flowers of the plant are aphrodisiacs and work well in satchels

while the hulls do best in amulets or talismans.

Excelent for use in cooking and baking spells

as well as in perfumes, oils, baths and aromatherapy magick.

Verbena: An aphrodisiac well suited for spells of love and sexuality, readings or wish work.

Violet: An aphrodisiac, works best in satchels and amulets to draw in sexuality and love.
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Enjoy this list with the common precautions taken with all magickal and herbal endevors.

Some herbs are not meant to be ingested, while others are not meant to be used topically, or undilluted. Many people can be allergic to the most common of ingredients (think of peanut or strawberry allergies) and some may be unsafe for use by pregnant women, (such as lavender or pennyroyal). Please excersize common sense as well as ethical sense, as always.

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~Danae, the 'Crafty Chick'

Basic Information On Casting Love Spells

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Ahhh, the season of romance is upon us.

the month of February, Valentines Day,

followed by the coming of Spring, and Beltane

always bring with it the talk of romance, and love.

And commonly,

with Witches and other practitioners of magick-

the ever elusive Love Spell.

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Love Spells are not to be taken lightly or frivilously

-nor are they to be deeply feared or avoided,

as some people would have you believe.

I have some cool Love Spells

and articles about Love Magick

and its related topics that I hope to share

in the next few days and months;

many of these I have used myself,

in one form or another over the years-

most with excellent results.

So I figured a (very) basic introduction

to the topic is in order.

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(*And NOT because I think that my regular readers

need such information per se

-This is more for the random person

who may stumble upon my blog

while googling 'Love Spells' and such,

and may have no prior knowledge of the subject!*)

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How & Why to Cast a Love Spell

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For some of us, lasting love seems elusive.

Be that as it may, wise women and fair maidens

have taken matters of love into their own hands for centuries

by learning how to cast a love spell from their elders;

and more often-

seeking out others more well-versed in such arts.

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Times have not changed all that much;

and many modern people,

Witches or not may also feel a need

to cast a love spell from time to time.

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However, since it goes against the creed of "harming none"

(which really has more to do with being Wiccan-

but that is another topic completely!);

suffice it to say-

that most of us believe that it is wrong

to manipulate another's free will;

and that there are limitations on this kind of spell

that need to be observed.

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The main idea behind 'Ethical Love Magick'

is to first prepare one's self-

to make yourself and your life ready and open for love.

Then, to decde what type of love you are loking for,

and what qualities you woud like to attract and create in that love relationship.

Also- what type of person you hope to attract-

and what qualities you want them to posses.

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Remember, the goal and intent

is to attract the right type of person and relationship to yourself-

NOT to capture or ensnare a particlar individual;

or to be unethical in finding or 'keeping' that person.

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The best way to do this is to NEVER, EVER focus on a particular person

(unless you are already in a commited relatioship with the person

AND you both are working this Love Magick together,

and/or with each other's full knowledge and consent.)

Manipulative Magick usually backfires anyways;

and any relationship you may attract from such means

is not the true and lasting sort that you are looking for.

That is the stuff of unrequited love, heartbreak and stalkers.

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Once you have your goals, or intent fgured out;

and have done the proper prepatory inner work,

then you can decide what sort of Love Spell, methods and ingredients to use.

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With a bit of knowledge, proper intention and the right attitude-

casting spells to find, enhance or bring back love are a peice of cake.

The neccesary ingredients are all around (and within) us-

all it takes is a bit of good old fashioned Witchy know how.

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The Goal

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The first step in any spell work is the goal, or intention-

the 'what' and the 'why' of the magck.

The same is true when casting Love Spells-

actually, the goal may be even more important in this case.

First envision what it is that you are looking for in love.

Are you looking for a casual date, a boyfriend or girlfriend,

or a longer term realationship- such as marriage?

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BTW- Love Spells work the same for hetero sexual people as for LGBT people.

In most cases the ingredients are not gender specific.

But in the case of a gender specific Love Spell,

simply use the gender you hope to attract.

For instance-

if you are a Lesbian, looking to attract another woman to you,

you would use the spell ingredients

that a straight man looking to entice a woman would use.

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Prepare yourself and your Altar,

and focus on a feeling of well being and the warmth

that comes from having a special bond with another.

Then you can work your Love Spell.

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The Methods

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Now you can get to the meat & bones of the Love Spell-

the methods.

Will you be making a Love Oil, a Sachet, a Poppet,

or an edible Aphrodisiac Food or Drink?

Will you be charming a Talisman, Amulet, or doing a Bottle or Petition spell?

(Or more likely-a combination of many of these!)

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Enlist the aid of ingredients, symbols and other triggers

for use in your love spell.

Items such as photos, candles, foods, stones and herbs are commonly used.

Here are merely 3 common ways to utilise these ingredients in Love Spells-

with more specific Love Spells & methods to come in later posts.

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The Aroma of Love

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Many herbs stimulate the brain through their olfactory properties.

Pheromones are chemical messengers that communicate

with the brain to increase hormone production.

Herbs that may induce this phenomenon include

vanilla, ginger, damiana, ylang-ylang,

patchouli, sandalwood, rose, violets and many others.
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You can either charm your favorite scent

or ready made perfume with magickal intenton

to find (or keep) love; or you can make your own.

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To make a Love Oil...

You can add a few drops of a blend

of botanical essential oils, such as jasmine, vanilla, cinnamon,

clove, lavender, yarrow, chamomile or white pepper

to a base oil, such as almond or grapeseed oil.

Basically any unscented massage oil.

(Regular vegetable or olive oil will also work fine in a pinch)

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Then, you annoint yourself, and/or your Sachets, Amulets,

and any other Love Magick accoutrements

with this oil while focusing on your intent,

and chanting a little rhyme for this purpose.

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The Love Potion
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To concoct a love potion...

In a kettle or saucepan of 2 cups pure spring water,

add a pinch of the following:

vervain, lavender, vanilla bean and sea salt.

Recite a love spell chant of your choosing

while stirring the ingredients.

After 30 minutes, strain the infusion into a clean jar

and wear a few dabs on your body for the next 7 days.

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Candle Magick

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To practice candle magick to bring love into your life...

Anoint a pink or red candle

with a love-promoting essential oil,

such as vanilla, rose, jasmine, or lavender.

Then light the candle and visualize

the kind of person you would like to become your life partner

(remember, no one specific- you are merely

calling into your life a person with this essence and qualites.)

When the candle has burned completely,

bury its remains outside in the earth.

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Crafty Witch Files: Some Super Simple Love Spells

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People who practice

the arts of magick and witchcraft

are most sought out by others

for the purposes of casting a love spell.

No matter how experienced

someone else might be at casting spells,

the truth is that they'll never be able

to put as much energy

into a spell as you will with your own desire.

Try casting your own love spells

in the privacy of your own home.

It is not only easy and lots of fun-

but it is always best

to perform your spells for yourself.

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*As always, please use common sense and ethics

when practicing any form of magick and spell work*

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Love Talisman Spell

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Perform this on a Friday

when the moon is new.

Use a three-by-three inch sheet of aluminum foil,

and three kitchen herbs: basil, rosemary and dill.

Set the mood by lighting a pink candle

and burning some incense.

Envision yourself surrounded by pink,

loving energies, as long as you can.

Take the herbs and envision

those loving energies filtering into them.

Place the herbs onto the foil.

Fold it to seal in the herbs.

Roughly shape it into a heart.

Keep the talisman in your pocket, wallet or purse to attract love.

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Rekindle Romance Spell

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Perform this every night for seven days.

The final night should be when the moon is full.

Make a pact not to say an unkind word

to each other for the seven days.

Set up an altar atop a dresser or night stand.

Place three candle holders on it.

Place a red candle in the center, unlit.

On the first night, take two white taper candles,

one for each of you.

Carve each of your names

and astrological sigils onto

and annoint your candles with lavender oil

while thinking about how much you care about the other

and how much you want a healthy, loving relationship with them.

Place the candles on the holders,

setting each on opposite sides of the altar.

Each of you lights your candle, chanting together,

"As I light this candle,

may it bring me closer to you,

so that love and romance will spark anew."

Sit before each other, take each other's hands, and meditate.

Envision the love in your heart for the other

as an energy that travels down your right arm

and into the other person's left arm.

Imagine the energy going to his heart

and mingling with his love for you,

down his right arm, into your left arm, back up to your heart.

Envision energy cycling through you both,

like a current, until the candles burn down an inch.

Snuff out the candles.

Repeat this for six more nights,

each night moving the two white candles

closer to the unlit red candle.

Take your white candles on the seventh night

and together light the center red candle with them.

Allow it to burn out on its own.

Snuff out the white candles and have a wonderful evening.

(*Alternately, I like to move all 3 candles together,

placed on top of a sheet of alluminum foil,

and let them burn down together;

either in a very close triangle,

or actually touching each other.

*THIS MUST BE WATCHED CAREFULLY-

DO NOT LEAVE THIS UNATTENDED

EVEN FOR A SHORT TIME!*)

When the candle(s) are finished burning,

look at the shapes made by the wax for divination;

and then bury all of the spell remenants.

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Enchanted Passion Brew

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Perform this spell under a full moon.

Pour three cups of red grape juice or red wine

into a non-reactive pot.

Put it on low heat.

Add the ingredients, one at a time.

Stir nine times clockwise after each addition:

½ cup of honey, three cinnamon sticks, three cloves,

three pea-sized pieces of peeled, bruised ginger,

and nine red rose petals.

Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Take the mixture out under the moonlight

and allow it to capture the reflection of the full moon.

Strain the liquid and pour it into a bottle.

Cap it tightly.

Help yourself, or serve it to anyone

when you wish to stimulate passion and desire.