Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Earth Childs Handbook ~ Brigid Ashwood


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.




Facebook page for book:
Art & Blog


Wired Blogger author Page





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.

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