#both daffodils and butterflies represent rebirth and hope

[butt-puncher]

🦋🌼🦋

finally finished this piece!! hazel in a field of white daffodils and butterflies

[raviollies]

BOUND TOGETHER

Stained Glass depicts a family tree with the father's side being broken and Lorelai's portrait weeping, a depiction of Lorelai's past as she had accidently killed her father.

The Skull has fangs, the nature of vampirism being tied to undeath, the Black Roses surrounding reinforce the theme of decay, death and dishonour. The Blood dripping from behind it is the price she paid by spilling her father's blood for her vampirism.

Blythe is depicted Dancing - a call back to her nature as performing to make herself liked and play a character to hide her true self.

Pomegranates, an allusion to the Greek myth about how Hades tricked Persephone to be chained to the underworld using pomegranate seeds, Theta tricked Blythe to become a hexblood to chain her to herself

Butterflies and empty cocoons are found in the Daffodils, both are symbols of rebirth, new beginnings and metamorphosis, tying back to Blythe's journey from Elf to Hexblood, and the eventual possibility of being a hag.

The Tied Magpie in the Mirror is reflection of Blythe's true self, a bird being captive by Theta, Magpies are considered an omen of bad luck, believed to have a drop of devil's blood underneath their tongue

Broken Elven statue is Raha's ties to his cultural identity are broken and decayed. The Creeping Vines symbolize the lack of upkeep to preserve this past. The flowers surrounding it are the Spring Snowflakes, known to bloom at the end of winter/beginning of spring - a new beginning to life and hope.

The Empty nest is representative of him having lost his family, and leaving behind the Elven commune he stayed with afterwards. Having left, and no one in his family being alive, all that's left is an empty nest.

A Borzoi is running from the statue, symbolizing Raha running from his past and wishing to distance himself from what hurt him. Dogs are often tied to symbols of loyalty, love, and protection, all things that are true to Raha's character as an individual.

A Red Ribbon surrounds them, the red string usually symbolizes the old myth of the red string of fate, binding people together.

[the-witch-with-red-hair]

Another Magical Monday!

Good morning, my witches and warlocks! 'Tis I, Zinnia, bringing you another Magical Monday blog post! Today, we are going to be looking at one of the eight sabbats - Ostara!

Ostara, also known as Eostre, is the Spring Equinox which occurs every year around March 21st. It is the turning point from winter to spring, where life begins to reawaken. Night and day are of equal length and in perfect equilibrium - dark and light, masculine and feminine, inner and outer, in balance. The natural world is coming alive, the Sun is gaining in strength and the days are becoming longer and warmer.

Ostara takes its name after the Germanic goddess, Eostre/Ostara, who was traditionally honoured in the month of April with festivals to celebrate fertility, renewal, and rebirth. Some Pagans/Witches still choose to celebrate this Sabbat even today in honor of what it symbolizes in nature, following the yearly cycle.

Symbols of Ostara

As you might have guessed, the symbols for this sabbat are the hare and the egg. In Celtic tradition, the hare is sacred to the Goddess and is the totem animal of lunar goddesses such as Hecate, Freyja, and Holda. The goddess most closely associated with the Hare is Eostre, or Ostara. The nocturnal hare, so closely associated with the moon which dies every morning and is resurrected every evening, also represents the rebirth of nature in Spring. Both the moon and the hare were believed to die daily in order to be reborn - thus the Hare is a symbol of immortality. It is also a major symbol for fertility and abundance.

The egg contains 'all potential', full of promise and new life. It symbolizes the rebirth of nature, the fertility of the Earth and all creation. In many traditions, the egg is a symbol for the whole universe. The 'cosmic' egg contains a balance of male nad female, light and dark, in the egg yolk adn egg white. The golden orb of the yolk represents the Sun God enfolded by the White Goddess, perfect balance.

Ostara Correspondences

Symbolism: rebirth, new life, new beginnings, resurrection, fertility, balance, youth.

Symbols: rabbits, bunnies, eggs, chicks, daffodils, tulips, baskets, sprouts, lambs, ribbons, butterflies, bees.

Colors: pastel green, yellow, pink, gold, grass green, robin's egg blue, red.

Food/Drinks: hard-boiled eggs, deviled eggs, honey cakes, dairy, leafy green vegetables, flower dishes, sprouts, fish, hot cross buns, sweet bread, milk, chocolate, jelly beans/eggs, lemonade, fresh fruit.

Herbs: acorn, celandine, crocus, daffodil, dogwood, easter lily, ginger, hyssop, linden, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, narcissus, peony, rose, violets, woodruff, forsythia, spring flowers.

Deities: Eostre, Ostara, Aphrodite, Athena, Cybele, Gaia, Isis, Persephone, Venus, Maiden, Pan, Cernunnos, Green Man, Adonis, Mars, Osiris, Thoth.

Crystals/Gemstones: amethyst, aquamarine, rose quartz, moonstone, bloodstone, red jasper.

Animals: rabbits, hares, chicks, robins, lambs, snakes, unicorns, dragons.

Magic: Ostara is the sabbat of new beginnings and life. Fertility magic and garden/seed blessings are commonly performed during this time. Use this Sabbat to perform magic to break away barriers, start new projects or inventions, and breathe new life into your home/garden. This is also a great time to celebrate balance. You can also use colored eggs to attract different things such as love, fertility, wealth, and prosperity.

10 Fun Ostara Activities

1. Dye eggs! It is always a fun activity - try dyeing them with natural food colorings. Using beets will color your eggs pink/red. Onion peel will color your eggs orange. Turmeric will color your egg yellow. Hibiscus will color your egg dark green. Purple cabbage will color your egg sea blue.

2. Make Ostara baskets!

3. Hide eggs and do an egg hunt!

4. Go outside and look at all the baby animals and blossoms. See life in nature being reborn and springing to life!

5. Grow grass in pots. Start preparing your garden by planting seeds inside and watch them grow!

6. Decorate your house for spring! Hang up flower wreaths, place decorative eggs around, hang up pastel colored ribbons, etc.!

7. Read up on the history and lore surrounding Ostara.

8. Talk about new beginnings. What would you like to start new?

9. Make some Ostara art! Draw a spring field, bunnies, etc.

10. Honor the birds. Leave some seed out for them, go birdwatching on a hike, etc.

Wrapping Up

There are so many wonderful ways you can celebrate Ostara. Even if you don't have much to offer, you can still take part by simply lighting a pink candle on your altar or write down on a piece of paper what spring means for you.

I hope you all have fun this upcoming Ostara. Until tomorrow!

May the Sun guide your way at day and the Moon guard you as you sleep. Blessed be!

_____

References:

Eostre - Wikipedia [en.wikipedia.org]; Ostara | The Goddess and the Greenman [goddessandgreenman.co.uk/ostara/]; Flying the Hedge [flyingthehedge.com/2016/03/ostara-correspondences]