Samhain/Hallowe’en Visit: Highgate Cemetery

for more photos click here

Well this is the time of year to think about or ancestors. To remember them and where we have come from because of them. But I was thinking, not only should we remember those directly linked to us but how about those who through their existence have directly or indirectly affected us?

I have always been interested in the cemeteries, places of supposed haunting; I find them peaceful and intriguing. Whenever I am in a new area I visited the local cemetery. Not only is it normally a lovely place for a walk, most having beautiful gardens and tree areas, it is also a place where you can learn things.

Highgate cemetery is local to some of my family and one I have visited over the years quite often. They have in the past held “ghost visits” at Hallowe’en to those brave enough to try them.
Highgate cemetery is in London and has lots of “residents” from the inconsequential to the most revered. Open to visitors, although only when a funeral isn’t taking place, you can visit the graves of those who have had a touch of improvement (or maybe otherwise!) on our world. Whether it be the written influences of someone like Douglas Adams (author of Hitchhikers Guide..) or Farzad Bazoft a journalist, executed by Saddam Hussein's regime, or the work leading to the invention of electric dynamo by Michael Faraday, physicist, through to Karl Marx there is someone there who will make you stop and think. To be grateful of whom we are and how we got to be there. Not to mention it is just the most fantastic place of Victorian Gothic to study!

So next time you are passing one, have a look, the messages engraved on the stones should be enough to make you think, if not at least the surroundings are worth a visit.

Samhain/Hallowe’en Marzipan Canapés

So your guests are turning up for your party and you want to have something for them as they come in, just a little something to make them HYPER!!!! Because what’s a party if it hasn’t got a load of kids bouncing of the walls? And these canapés are just the perfect start. Your Littleun can easily make them without much guidance earlier in the day as you get things ready.

You will need:

250g Gold Marzipan (makes approx 18)
200g White marzipan (makes approx 8)
Red or/and Black food paste dye
Orange paste dye
Green paste dye
Wooden spoon
Toothpick/cocktail sticks

Marzipan Skull Method:

Using a knife carefully cut the block of white marzipan into 8 equal sized squares.
Using your fingers shape each piece into a chunky rectangle. Then squeeze the lower part of each one to make a chin making the edges as smooth as you can.
Taking the handle of the spoon press two eye sockets into each skull. Then use a toothpick to press in a nose and mouth
Using the end of your tooth pick dip into the red or black dye pastes and infill carefully the eye, nose and mouth until really dark.

Marzipan pumpkin method:

Unwrap the block of gold marzipan cut of a corner and wrap and put aside. Place the rest onto a clear smooth surface, take the end of a pick and add some of the orange paste to the marzipan then kneed until all mixed in to dark enough colour (don’t forget some paste colours darken after sitting for a while).
Roll a piece of marzipan to make a small ball, flatten slightly on top. Make the rest into small balls of a size you prefer. Put on plate or tray and set aside
Taking the piece of uncoloured marzipan you had set aside at the beginning repeat colour action but this time with the green paste. When done take small bits and roll into stalk shape. Make a hole on the top of the pumpkin part with a stick and add stalk.
Use the end of the toothpick to press two eyes and a row of teeth into each pumpkin.

WARNING MARZIPAN CONTAINS NUTS SO BE AWARE FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT SUFFER ALLERGIES

Samhain/Hallowe’en Parties things to do

For the first half of October I am mainly concentrating on the things we will be sorting for the Hallowe’en side of the 31st. And for the second half of October I’ll be posting a bit more about what we will be doing for our personal Samhain celebrations. The two in my mind at least being very different from each other.

As such here is something about one of the props we are going to be using; Wizard/Witches Brew.

It’s very simple for all to do though if very Littleuns are helping watch out for splash back as the vinegar can irritate eyes.
You will need:
A clean glass jar/bottle
Clear (distilled) vinegar
Food dyes
Glitter
Washing up liquid
Bicarbonate of soda

Half fill the jar/bottle with the clear vinegar. Add several drops of food dye, then sprinkle a little of the glitter over the top of the vinegar.
Add a good squeeze of washing up liquid to the mix. Gently stir with a metal spoon.
Put the jar/bottle onto a tray (which can be disguised as something else) and then add a heaped teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to the jar. Stand back slightly!

Samhain/Hallowe’en Parties, What do you wear?

Littleun has been invited to a friend’s birthday party and as it is the day before Samhain his friends mum has gone with Hallowe’en as a theme for it. Well looking at his fancy dress box and the fact he seems to have turned into a giant overnight none of it is going to fit him. Unfortunately having a few financial issues at the moment means that I am not capable of buying some of those fantastic outfits you see in the stores so together we are going to make one. And like a few years previous Littleun wants to be a skeleton.

from a couple of years ago

We used:
Some white clothing paint
Paintbrushes
Tape
Newspaper
Old Black long sleeved t-shirt, leggings, socks and gloves

Put clothing on Littleun so that you can mark the elbows and knees with tape and mark the middle of the t-shirt at the bottom vertically.
Take of the clothes and lay flat. Roll up the newspapers and stuff the arms and body of the t-shirt.
Using the paint on bones shapes, don’t worry too much about being symmetrical.
Stuff the leggings and repeat painting.
For the hands paint smaller little bones on each finger of the glove and a bigger filled semi-circle on the area which covers the top of the hand.
With the socks we found it easier to put a small food bag onto his feet first then put the sock on, stopped the foot getting covered in paint.

When all done follow paint instructions for curing the clothing.
Paint up face and have a fun time.

Samhain/Halloween Blog Party

Ok its party time. As the countdown to Samhain starts for us soon we are joining the merry band in participating in Domestic Witches Blog party. Basically a great big way of linking lots of folks post regarding Samhain or Hallowe'en and a great way of learning things and having fun.

The following has been taken from Serenity Athenina's page to tell you a bit about how it all works but do trundle over to her blog yourself for more information and to sign up!

Who Can Participate?

Anyone with a blog and is planning on posting about Halloween/Samhain! I am not going require that anyone submit what they write, but I will require that you sign up using Mr. Linky and leave a comment sharing just how you plan on participating. There is no deadline for sign ups. I will check back periodically for new participants. Another requirement for participation is that you display the banner and link back to me on your blog.

What if I Don't Have a Blog?

While no one is required to submit any posts to me, if you have a great idea and want to share it I would be happy to post it on my blog for you. You can leave me a comment below, reach me at thedomesticwitch@yahoo.com or on my Facebook page. I will list you as a contributor on the sidebar and list any links you have (such as Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter) as well!When is the Blog Party?I will start the blog party on October 1st. On that day, I will post the links to all the participants in my sidebar. I encourage all the participants to blog throughout the month about the holiday but I know that's not possible for everyone. However, if all you plan to do is post the day of Halloween/Samhain your participation is strongly discouraged.

Where is the Blog Party?

Here and at all the participants blogs! How it will work is I will include the title of your latest post along with your blog link in the sidebar. Every time you share a new post, everyone will know about it! Some blog parties require that you submit the posts but this is automated so that means you don't have to rely on me to share your posts. Isn't that wonderful!

Why the whole month of October?

For many Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans, Halloween/Samhain is the most important holiday of the year! The biggest holiday of the year requires a lot of preparation. A blog party is a way to share all your celebration, ritual, decorating, craft, recipe, and costume ideas with each other!