University Witch Cards!

I suppose this isn't an official post, however, who can contain their excitement after designing and ordering their very first business card?

I thought about how to advertise University Witch for the longest time, and to get my name out there. For some odd reason, making a simple business card never came to mind. But really, it was the perfect solution! I could ask to leave them on the counter of shops, or if I ever met someone I felt would be interested in my blog, I could just easily pull out a sleek little card from my purse and bam! Instant advertising.

So what does this cute little card look like? Well, for starters, its purple.

As you may notice, there's a bit of room around the edge, but as it was made with the websites template, it left some bleed and trim room. However, I really love the design, and I tried the sample pack - 50 cards, and all I had to pay was the shipping! How cool is that?

You can get the 10 card sample just by visiting the Moo website and checking it out. It even has pre-made designs for those who are not handy with photoshop. Its great for making comp cards, business cards, and anything else you might need, and really user friendly. Plus, you get all the same options as people who are purchasing the cards. I chose to print mine on some eco-friendly recycled paper!

I can't wait to see these printed out!

Spellcraft 101 - Flower Petal Spell Paper

Its time to break out the fun stuff guys! Magick User's University is all about interesting crafts that can be useful during your travel through the world of Magick. Today, we're going to focus on a project of making Flower Petal Spell Paper today in Spellcraft 101.

+ So what is Flower Petal Spell Paper?

Well, its a fancy name for paper with flower petals in it. There are a lot of great things you can use it for besides spellcraft, such as scrapbooking, making bookmarks, and other crafts. It all depends on how many flower petals you put in it, and exactly what purpose this paper is for.

+ Flower Petal Spell Paper +

The Flower Petal Spell Paper is great for spellcraft and writing, as well as looking generally beautiful for any papercraft you have in mind.

+ Materials +

Flower Petals (in any color!)

Any kind of paper (construction, newspaper, etc)

Scissors

Duct tape

Window screen (or anything like that)

Towels

Bowls

Blender

The Flower Petal Spell Paper will be used for a particular endeavor in particular: making earth spells. For these particular spells, you write out an endeavor, wish, or project that you would like to see come true or flourish, and then you bury the small spell paper in the ground in efforts to promote your desires! Its a great gift for someone, or just to keep for yourself. Below I'll have a few suggestions written out in case you would like to present them as gifts.

+ One: Time for the hunt! Even as witches, most people are more likely to spend their time indoors (I know I do). So, time to go out and take a walk! Collect as many flower petals as you can! In efforts to help with my enthusiasm, I took a few plastic cups with me (along with my darling Lore), and we set out on the journey of collecting flowers.

 Beautiful red flowers! I fell in love with the the moment I saw them!

The mighty Lore Sagemaker, forced to pick cute yellow flowers. ♥

+ Two: After collecting your bounty, head back. Cut out a square of screen, and fold the duct tape around the edges to form a stable frame. If you want, you can use something like popsicle sticks to make a frame and tape around that.

+ Three: Once you've made your screen, tear up some paper and stick it in the blender. Cover it with enough water to saturate the paper. And then! Whirl away, until its a nice, thin porridge/oatmeal like substance.

As for me, I actually don't own a blender, so I got to watch Lore use one of her top-notch cooking utensils and beat away. She did a good job.

You'll actually want it a bit more thin than the end result here... but this was as good as we were getting without a blender. Anyway, it will work just fine, but the paper won't be as fine and thin (though I was surprised at how nice it turned out regardless). At this point, mix in the flower petals with the soupy substance and get it nice and mixed in there. If you have anything else, like seeds, this is the time to do it as well! You can also add a hint of cinnamon in order to make it smell nice!

+ Four: Using a spoon, spoon some of the mixture onto the frame. Smooth it out, using the back of the spoon to press out some of the water through the screen. Make sure to push any of the mixture off the frame and onto the screen.

+ Five: After getting the mix onto the screen, very, very carefully tip the screen over onto a towel (mixture down). Put another towel over and and press down on it to get rid of the excess water. Hold it for at least thirty seconds, continually dabbing. Once you've cone that, very slowly peel the screen away, until on the towel you have this!

Pretty neat, huh? Continue this process until you've finished with all of the paper.

+ Six: Once you've finished, transfer them carefully to a cookie sheet and leave them to dry outside. And you're done! Now you have it! Gorgeous flower petal spell paper!

So what do you do with it afterwards?

If you're planning on giving it as a small little gift to a friend, something general and heartfelt is always a great way to go. You can even write them instructions on a separate sheet of paper, telling them what to do with the spell paper. Tear the sheets into thin strips. On the paper itself, in ink, you can write either a notion, or a spell! Listed below are a few ideas. Think about what the person you are giving it to might need and attempt to cater it to them!

Good Luck

Sweet Dreams

Fortune

Good Health

Make a Wish

“Bring _____ (their name) fortune and prosperity, By this spell so mote it be.”

“Buried deep into the earth, Grow the seeds of wishes true.”

You can present it to them anyway you'd like afterwards. The project is a bit of work, but when you see the end results and how beautiful it looks, it will be worth it! ♥

And there you have it! Another great course in Magick User's University, Spellcraft 101. Hope you join us in class again soon!

Questions, ideas, comments? Make sure to follow and contact us on Facebook! ♥

Patron Deities 101 - Poseidon

 Welcome to another Patron Deities 101 class, where Magick User's University brings the gods to you! We hope you enjoy today's lesson on a Greek/Roman deity. Knowing is half the battle. ♥

Today's honorable patron deity is...!

*~ + POSEIDON + ~ *

To the Romans, he was Neptune.

This guy was a love-machine.

+ About Poseidon

Poseidon was the brother of the other infamous gods, Zeus and Hades. To make a long story short, they basically drew straws and Zeus claimed the Overworld, Hades was stuck with the Underworld, and Poseidon was left with the sea. Poseidon was perfectly fine with that. He merely sat back and watched his brothers tear each other to bits over those little earth chunks.

Poseidon not only ruled the sea, but totally dominated it. The waves, foam, and all the animals that inhabited it were at his beck and call. Also, he was kind of an awesome lover, apparently. He had many, many, many lovers (both female and male), and sired a whole bunch of children, many of them gods, heroes, and other mythological creatures. I suppose when you're a god, you don't need to care about gay rights. He was feared by sailors and people of the sea—and respected.

When the Romans moved in, he kept his mighty vigilance and even his station but under a new name: Neptune. You can find Poseidon easily as a topic in a lot of art and literature. Look for a strong, intimidating figure with a long curling beard riding a lot of waves. The tail of mermaid or the tentacles of an octopus are also common.

+ So what makes Poseidon patron god material?

Poseidon is a well-known god, so his name will instantly invoke the listener with the feeling of the sea. His element is water, a very powerful one, which can instill gentle ripples or destructive waves. Poseidon is strong, and can represent not only water, but power and fertility. A great god to invoke for spells in which great force is needed... and even for the most delicate charms regarding love. He is also great for spells regarding the weather, and safe sea travel. A great god to consider!

+ Holy Statistics, Soull!

Name: Poseidon

Alternative Names: Neptune (Roman)

Nationality: Greek/Roman

Type: Water god

Physical Appearance: built like a rock, flowing beard, and perhaps the lower-half of a fish or octopus

Colors: Blue, seafoam green, silver

Day of the Week: Tuesday

Attributes: Water, power, fertility, weather, travel (sea)

Want to see any specific gods or goddess in Patron Deities 101? Leave a comment here, or even follow us on Facebook! ♥

10th Spell - Full Moon Picnic

Earlier I had blogged about finding a perfect spot to perform spells and rituals at.

...Turns out the real perfect spot was actually to the right of it.

While the spot was open and beautiful, perhaps it was too open. When we walked further right, there was another open area, much closer to the lake water, and shrouded by more trees. We decided to use that instead. Not that I minded.

So, that night (under the full moon!), Lore made some delicious apple-cinnamon muffins, brewed some tea, and after collecting that and some water bottles, a shovel, some towels and flashlights in buckets, we headed out into the woods at night, down the trail. Lore walked in front. I followed.

At first, with the moon so bright and the flash lights (and of course Lore with me), I felt perfectly fine. I didn't feel frightened or anything, and I listened to the animal noises and night sounds as we moved through the woods. It was rather calming.

But then I got the feeling that... something was following me.

I started shuffling closer to Lore, but luckily by the time I started getting paranoid, we had made it to the clearing and I felt instantly better. We started setting up camp, so to speak, and collected what we needed to get everything going. I gathered the twigs and dead grass while Lore began making the campsite, piling dirt and rocks into a smooth area and then busting out her tender and lighters...because she just loves lighters.

Remember this?

And it begins! The first flames.

While the full moon and beautiful, suddenly wind started coming in, trying to put out our fire.

“Control your element, Soull,” Lore joked, plopping down in front of the fire while I started collecting more twigs and grass. We struggled for a bit to keep it aflame for a bit against the wind, however, eventually the fire was too strong for the wind to just put out. We did it!

Afterwards, we sat and chatted, ate the muffins and drank tea, and stared up at the full moon.

I thanked our patron gods and goddesses for the perfect night and to bless the space for the future. Lore thanked Kwan-Yin in specific for our venture through the woods (he is known to be a god of protection, amongst other things).

Once we watched the embers of the fire die, we packed everything up, and headed back. A very lovely night. I feel rather good about the new spot. I think it will be a wonderful place for us, and any other witch who wants to join in.

Magickal Entertainment

 List of Magickal Entertainment

I've complied a list of magickal things to do with your time. Perhaps you've already seen or read the following, but if you're looking for a good time (and you have some to spare), these are great sources of entertainment. They are especially great for nights with friends. While there are many great shows and movies that deal with the supernatural that are not listed here, this is a list that is complied that have some sort of focus on witches and magick or some sort, whether real or fantastical.

The list will be updated when more come to mind! ♥

+ Books

Artemis Fowl
The Golden Compass
Harry Potter
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

A Little Princess
The Lord of the Rings

Something Wicked This Way Comes

+ Anime/Manga/Comics

Card Captor Sakura

Kiki's Delivery Service

Madoka Magica

Magic User's Club

Mysterious Thief Saint Tail
Shugo-Chara

The Slayers

xxxHolic

+ Movies

The Craft

The Covenant

Dungeons & Dragons
Good Witch
Halloween Town & Return to Halloween Town

Hocus-Pocus

Labyrinth

The Mummy

Practical Magic

The Princess and the Frog

Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Salem Falls

The Secret of Kells

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

The Witches of Eastwick

+ TV Shows

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Charmed
Merlin

Sabrina the Animated Series

Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Supernatural

+ Places to Go

Universal Studios Islands of Adventures (Islands Lost Continent / The Wizarding World of Harry Potter) 

Scarborough Fair 

Magic Time Machine
Jekyll and Hyde Club

Love,
Soull, the University Witch

Witchin' in the Kitchen - Candied Rose Petals

This is a segment of University Witch called Witchin' in the Kitchen, which is instructed by my girlfriend, Lore Sagemaker. We provide both video footage, as well as written step-by-step instructions for those who like them on “paper” instead. Hope you enjoy!

A Rosy Outlook – Candied Rose Petals

This is a great project for a University Witch. Without the need to use a stove, oven, or any type of heating appliance, these candied treats are easy to make. A word of advice, however: these pretty confections take a long time to dry, so plan ahead if you want them for a certain time or event!

Ingredients:

+ Rose petals (we used pink ones, about three roses)

Used to represent love

+ 1 egg white (alternatively, you can by the kind in a carton)

For fertility and fresh beginnings

+ Sugar

For attraction

One. Place the rose petals in a blow and wash them off in cold water to make sure they are clean. Make sure to be gentle while cleaning them! Place them on a paper towel when you're done.

Two. Pour some sugar onto an empty plate and set to the side.

Three. Crack open an egg into a bowl and slowly filter out the white of the egg by slowly transferring the yolk from one half the cracked eggshell to the other. Throw the yolk and shells away.

Four. Dip a petal into the egg white, coating it lightly and evenly. Then, coat the petal with sugar on both sides. Transfer to a cookie sheet or wire rack to dry (you can also use wax paper!). Repeat until all of the rose petals have been coated. Drying time: Anywhere from 2 – 4 hours, depending.

Once they're done, store them in a dry place! They make a delicious treat decorating cakes, or even floating in your tea!

Thank you for watching, and we hope you enjoyed the the first course of Witchin' in the Kitchen! Make sure to check us out on Facebook! ♥

9th Spell - Prosperity from Nothing

Yesterday was devoted to the hunt.

Lore, my girlfriend, and I waited for our other friend, Kieran, to arrive. And with her arrival, she bore gifts. And not just any gifts! Beautiful hand-crafted amulets. Lore received a necklace made out of green goldstone, which was used by monks in the past as a way to enhance and amplify their abilities. On the other hand, goldstone was thought to have been created by alchemists on their search for a way to formulate gold. One can say its purpose in magick is to bring prosperity from nothing. Its a rather uplifting stone. I keep one in my purse, along with my pendulum.

My own was a delicate silver bracelet with a huge rock (haha, you know girls and their jewelry) of amethyst.

Amethyst is a stone used for protection, and has been for awhile. Also, a amethyst fades in the sunlight, and is at its brightest during cloudy days. Interesting, isn't it? I also got a very belated, but still very awesome birthday present of the Urban Decay Naked palette, which for those whom are not into makeup, is a very nice eyeshadow palette that consists of mainly nude colors from light to dark.

While we did have errands to run, after we completed them, our mission was clear. We were on the hunt for a certain book, two, actually. One was a journal, a nice, blank journal to write inside, and then, Wicca in the Kitchen by Scott Cunningham, which consisted of a comprehensive list of herbs and spices and other foods that one used in the kitchen, and their meaning when used in Kitchen Witchery. The book was for Lore, but I was also interested in owning it, if only for the sake of expanding my own personal knowledge.

We headed to Half-Price Books, to which, we found the journal I was looking for! At least, something that would do. It was a book that had a cover crafted of tissue paper and glue... a method I am familiar with. At the time, I wasn't completely sure that was the exact method, but that's what it looked like.

I'll cover a bit more on the book, what I want it for, and how I plan to recreate it... once I put together its composition in a Spellcraft 101 post. If it works, of course.

Alas! While there, Kieran and I bumped into the very first book of spells we ever got! I read it while I was in middle school, and I remember feeling so powerful, secretive, and mystic reading it, hidden in books during my Reading class.

It was The Book of Spells by Nicola de Pulford. It was a hardcover book, solid black, with silver writing etched into the front and tied together with a silver ribbon. I remember it being very enticing as a twelve-year-old. Lore kind of watched us gasp and awe over it, before cracking a joke that she felt alone in the whole exclamation over it. It made sense. Lore, in comparison, was relatively new to the whole world of Witchcraft.

The guy at the counter commented on my bracelet, which is always nice, and the three of use headed out after a small conversation of people looking for interesting books for their Book of Shadows, which he also made, but of course, they ran hundreds of dollars, of course. Mine was for something like that... but not quite.

Since the search was fruitless, we made a game of going to almost all the Half-Price Books in the area (having already exhausted Barnes & Noble and Borders, which was shutting down). But alas! Still, nothing on the book. It was a bit disappointing, but we did order it in from another bookstore in case we didn't find it.

While at Hobby Lobby to pick up a few supplies for craft works, Lore reminded me that we still needed to look for a chalice. So! Through the glassware we went.

Now, Lore and I are rather... unconventional. So, instead of finding a “real” glass, we were both attracted by a candle holder.

“But really,” Lore stated as I picked it up, looking it over. “It serves the same purpose. It will hold liquid.”

And it wasn't as if we would be running it through the dishwasher or anything....

So in the end, we found our chalice. I thought it was rather splendid.

It will need a bit of sprucing up (some embellishments on the handle!), but its perfect for the moment. Perhaps that would make another good Spellcraft 101 class!

All-in-all, it was a good day. Though I never found the book I had been looking for, it wasn't a day wasted. I suppose it was a lot like the goldstone I carry around in my purse. I was able to obtain prosperity from nothing. When was a time you were able to do the same?

8th Spell - Secret Paths

It was a very peaceful day, yesterday. It was Friday, and that morning, I woke up to the sound of Lore, my girlfriend, typing on the computer as she finished up some financial work. I checked up on a few social networks, turned in a resume for a job I had found an opening for online, and felt rather accomplished by the time she asked if I wanted anything to eat. Bless the God and Goddess for peaceful mornings.

Delightful smells floated from the kitchen and upstairs as I got dressed, Lore hard at work in the kitchen. I headed downstairs with the laundry, and proceeded to sort it out and get to cleaning. After our brunch was complete, we sat down on the couch, watched a little TV, and started talking about our plans for the day.

The house we were residing in was located decently out in the rural area of Texas. We were at least twenty to thirty minutes away to the small town over, and about an hour from the city. I wanted to go to the bookstore in search of one of Scott Cunningham's works, but by the time we could of headed out, it wouldn't of left us much time to do things. Well, better saved for tomorrow.

As Lore and I sat comfortably on the couch together, I was suddenly struck with an idea.

“Lets go for a walk,” I suggested to her. The area we lived in was absolutely gorgeous. Lore agreed, and after getting some shoes on, we headed out, hand-in-hand.

Now, while I love Mother Nature and all its glorious things, I am a city girl through and through. So, me asking to just randomly take a walk through the woods is usually odd. However, because of the new area we had been walking around already a few times, so for the moment it wasn't an especially odd request.

But the God and Goddess had been whispering, perhaps, and it urged me to go.

Lore and I made our way through the forest trail, listening to its soft noises, and walking through its tall grass and under its secretive trees. Its paths always seemed to call out to me, but today, especially so. They seemed so much more magickal today, with their spindly tall blades of emerald green grass, and the hint of gold patches that gleamed across the path as the setting sun beamed through. The bark of the trees was almost silver, and every little blooming spring flower was precious and charming.

The weather was wonderful. Today, we decided to take another path down the trail, up a hill, past a little dock that looked as if it hadn't been used in some time... and finally, I pointed down a trail that curved into soft green, tall grass and trees.

“Lets go that way,” I suggested, feeling particularly jovial, and Lore and I turned the corner and down the trail—and that's when I saw it.

It was beautiful. I wish I had my camera, but my cell phone had to do, for the moment.

The trees had suddenly cleared away, showing off the vast lake. A perfect path was cleared off, but it seemed that, despite this, no one passed through the area all that often. Deer prints had been spotted in the dirt. Most likely, many of the walkers veered down the other trail that lead around the lake.

I could imagine a small fire in the dirt patch, and Lore and I dancing under the moon. Beltane had already passed, but come June would be time for the Midsummer, and this looked like the perfect spot to celebrate. Lore commented on how it looked nice to have a picnic there. We moved around the area; there was a sweet, earthy scent that clung to the spring air, giving the spot a heavenly aroma. We moved around, closer to the water, where it was surrounded by a small cage of trees growing out of the shallow water. I felt safe within its hold. Lore hunched over by the water, running her fingers through it as I stared out at the water, the sun layering the choppy waves in a golden-orange blanket.

“This place is perfect! And so beautiful!” I let out, and suddenly, my desire to go out and explore the day all became clear.

“I feel accomplished,” Lore stated from her spot by the water, and I looked over at her.

“...Me too,” I admitted.

7th Spell - The Lore of Names

When you pick up books on magick at your local New Age section in a bookstore, sometimes you find familiar names such as Scott Cunningham or Silver RavenWolf. So what are the differences in those names?

I could point out the silly answers, but leaving behind all the jest, one is a Craft Name. A Craft Name can be used for the sole purpose of practicing magick, apart from your real name, such as Soull for me. While its not necessary to have one, some people feel a sense of separation from their mundane life while using it.

The Ancient Egyptians believed that a person's name (the Ren), was a part of their soul, and so there were great lengths taken to protect it once the person reached their end. They believed that, when the person departed, as long as their name was read and spoken, the soul would stay alive. For that purpose, it was written in as many places as possible, and "wrapped" in a cartouche (magickal rope) to protect it.

Do you have a magickal name?

My girlfriend didn't for the longest time. While we lay in bed together, I suddenly spoke up about it.

“You should have a magickal name.”

“Why?” She spoke, suddenly off-put.

“Well, why not?”

“I dunno. I just... don't think there is anything that would fit me yeah?”

At that, I explained how someone came up with a Craft Name, and suggested some. She knocked them all down as stupid, so I finally picked up a paper and pen.

“Name off some things that represent you. Anything that comes to mind,” I stated. “It doesn't have to be name material. Just give me something to go off of.”

After writing them down, I went and looked up a few other words that made good matches for them, or held the same meaning.

In the end, we had a list that looked something like this:

“Okay,” I stated. “Now... take this list and try combining names. If there are others write them down as well. I marked a few with a dash because I felt like they'd make good suffixes to other words.”

My girlfriend came up with a few mash-ups.

Saga-Scholar

Sage Papyrus

Sagemaker

“Sagemaker...” I stated slowly, rolling it off the tongue.

“That sounds like a good last name,” She mused thoughtfully.

Creating Sages since 2011.

“What about a first?” I asked.

We tried paring a few of the other words with it, but none seemed to work. Not really.

We took a break that night, but the following, it came to me.

“Lore...” I let out faintly as I laid beside her. My girlfriend turned over and looked at me.

“...What?”

“I almost called you Lore, a few minutes ago,” I stated. “...Lore.”

“...Lore Sagemaker...” She let out.

...

I think she liked it.

The same method can be used to find a Craft Name, as well as many others. But remember this: its your Craft Name. The only one who has to like it, is you. ♥