The Earth Child’s Handbook - Crafts and
Inspiration for the Spiritual Child
Books 1 & 2
Brigid Ashwood
Genre: Pagan
Parenting, Pagan Kids
Book 1
ISBN-10: 1479265519
ISBN-13:
978-1479265510
Book 2
ISBN-10: 147927108X
ISBN-13:
978-1479271085
Book Description:
The Earth Child's Handbook is
a primer, reference, craft and activity book series for families that follow
Pagan, Wiccan and Earth Based spiritual paths. Designed to appeal to all
age groups (and grown-ups too!), the books address common Pagan beliefs and
practices, explaining the principles and traditions behind them.
Each chapter features:
•
Recipes
•
Instructional craft projects
•
Coloring pages, mazes and word searches
•
Color, cut and assemble projects
Younger children will delight
in the coloring pages and paper crafts. Older children will find educational
fun with word searches, mazes, connect-the-dots and instructional crafts. And
parents might find it a lifesaver with easy recipe ideas and inspiration for
teaching and building Pagan traditions.
The Earth Child's Handbook - Book 1 features chapters on the joy of
family and diversity, honoring the earth and the principles of the four
elements, the universe and Pagan beliefs regarding the Sun and the Moon,
explanation of Deities, and an introduction to Magick and Ritual with simple
spells and exercises.
Special topics include Shapeshifting, Runes, Book of Shadows, Animal
Guides, Chakras, Meditation, Astrological Signs, The Elements, Cycles of the
Moon, Magickal Correspondences, Sun Deities, Moon Deities, Triple Goddess and
Triple God, The Four Quarters and Casting a Circle.
Featured activities include making a Chakra shirt, rain stick, homemade
face paints, herbal infusions, bath salts, a moon phase wheel, moon cake
recipe, a complete "color, cut and assemble" paper altar and
much, MUCH more.
The Earth
Child's Handbook - Book 2 features chapters on the Seasons, the 8 Pagan Sabbats and the Wheel of
the Year. Each Sabbat chapter includes facts, traditions, correspondences and
information about that holiday as well as recipes, altar decorating ideas,
rituals and crafts, coloring pages, mazes and word searches.
Special topics include Seasonal Altars, Solstice Sabbats, Equinox
Sabbats, Quarters and Cross Quarters.
Featured
activities include cinnamon ornaments, Yule wrapping paper, Brigid's cross
weaving, handmade paper, flower beads necklace, Beltaine masks, prayer flag,
magickal broom and much, MUCH more.
My Take: As a pagan parent I loved this book. It can be hard to find activities and crafts designed with the pagan way of life in mind. Especially as we move towards Yule I have to put a lot of focus on how I phrase things around my son so he begins to understand what it is to be pagan.
There are enough projects and coloring pages in these books to keep your kids busy for hours on end. The sections are clearly done and well thought out. I enjoyed how each holiday has a breakdown with not only the key points about it but also interesting facts like when the holiday is in the Southern Hemisphere. Until reading this book it never even occurred to me that pagans in different parts of the world would be celebrating holidays opposite of the US. It of course makes perfect sense but still I just never thought about it.
These books gave me a bunch of great ideas for fun stuff to do with my son. Now hopefully I can get him to stop asking me if I can turn his cousins into frogs!
About the Author:
Brigid Ashwood is an artist, illustrator, blogger and author of various
and sundry titles such as The Earth Child's Handbook (Books 1 & 2), Oracle
of the Tarot Deck and more.
She is a core contributor to Wired's GeekMom Blog and creates freebies
for Geeky Kids with her monthly Printable Fun feature.
Her
artwork ranges from New Brow contemporary, Pop Surrealism, Steampunk, Fantasy
and Fairy illustration, Celtic Knotwork, Witchy Pin-up to New Age, Pagan and
Goddess imagery.
The Book http://www.earthchildshandbook.com
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/brigidashwood
Amazon Author Page:
www.amazon.com/author/brigidashwood
Facebook page for
book:
Art & Blog
Wired Blogger author Page
Twitter: http://twitter.com/skwerlgrrl
Tumblr: http://www.skwerlgrrl.com
Excerpt from The Earth
Child's Handbook – Book 2
Fall/Winter – Samhain
Other Names: Third Harvest, Day of the Dead, Old
Hallowmas, Shadowfest, All Hallow’s Eve, Martinmas, Witch’s New Year,
Halloween.
Northern Hemisphere: October 31st November 1
Southern Hemisphere: April 30 -May 1
Herbs: Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Oak
leaves, Sage, Straw, Rosemary, sunflower, pumpkin seeds, pine needles, garlic
Incense: cinnamon, sage, mint, nutmeg, rosemary
Colors: black, orange, white, silver, gold, brown,
rust
Decorations: gourds, apples, cats, Jack-O-Lanterns,
brooms, pumpkins.
Foods: apples, nuts, cider, squash, corn,
soup, pumpkin
Gods: Herne, The Hunter, Anubis, The Sage
Goddesses: The Crone, Hecate
Spirit: Family, remembrance of the dead, introspection
Samhain is
sometimes celebrated as the Pagan New Year. It is considered a night when the
veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest.
This doesn’t have to be a scary thing. In fact there are many Samhain traditions
that are a lovely way of remembering those we love that have passed on. Some
families set a dinner plate at the table for every loved one that has passed
over. They set out pictures and photos albums of them and tell stories
remembering the ones they miss.
This holiday,
much like Yule, is a great time for resolutions. Write down what you hope to
accomplish in the new year and put it in a bowl on your Samhain altar.
Afterwards keep the slip of paper in a safe place, check it often to remind
yourself of your goals.
Samhain is a
wonderful Sabbat in its own right, but perhaps is even more popular because of
its close association with Halloween. Many Pagans celebrate both holidays. Some
have separate celebrations for each, dividing the serious topics from the
lighthearted; others incorporate the two together for a fun and inspiring
celebration. Whatever you choose I hope you have a fun and safe time.
Enjoy yourself
by decorating and making costumes but don’t neglect to consider the more
serious side of Samhain, and take a moment to remember those who have gone
before. Even if you have not lost anyone close to you, we can all find brave
and worthy people throughout history and in our local communities who deserve a
moment of quiet remembrance in honor of their good works.
Samhain Altar
The Samhain altar is an altar bursting with texture and
color. For this holiday you may want to drag out the full altar set up. If you
have a cauldron display it proudly. Fill it with candy, or floating candles.
Drape rich fabrics in gold and black across your table.
Prints with stars and moons echo the dark decoration of the Samhain night sky.
Witches on brooms are no stranger to Halloween decorations, but maybe you can draw
a portrait of one you know personally and display them at your table. Set up
framed pictures of loved ones, living and deceased. Pumpkins, and gourds make
great decorations. Carve a pumpkin in a fabulous design and set them up indoors
as well as out. Sprinkle flour around to give your table a dusty spooky look, and
set your broom up in the corner.
Samhain Recipe – Pumpkin Bread
Make a delicious bread to share from one of the best treats
of the season!
3 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 cups sugar
6 eggs
4 3/4 cups flour (all-purpose)
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 1/2 tsps salt
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
2 regular size bread loaf pans or muffin tins with muffin cup
liners.
Have an adult preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease your
bread loaf pans or spray them with oil spray.
In a large bowl mix the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and oil
together. In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Stir this mixture into the pumpkin mixture bowl and stir everything well. Pour
the batter into the two loaf pans being sure to divide it up evenly. Bake the
loaves for about 45 minutes to an hour and have an adult check them to see when
they are done.
If you are making muffins you will bake them for only 30
minutes. You can add raisins, nuts, chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to
your loaves if you like. Wrap your loaves in plastic wrap to store them.
No comments:
Post a Comment