Stars Are Not Small Or Gentle. They Are Writhing And Dying And Burning. They Are Not Here To Be Pretty.

FACES

Drawing a face (the circle thing)

How to draw faces

Heads in profile

Drawing heads

A face tutorial

Avoid same facing

Diversify your faces

Face shapes

To make your drawing look like the person you’re drawing

Make your faces look like the person

Expressions

More about expressions

Drawing lips

Lip tutorial

Drawing ears

Drawing eyes

Realistic eyes

Drawing a nose

Drawing kisses

Drawing glasses

Drawing hoods

BODIES

Guide to human types part 1

Guide to human types part 2

Guide to human types part 3

Different kinds of athletic body types

Ladies tutorial (nudity)

Fellas tutorial

Curves on girls tutorial

How to draw necks

Drawing shoulders

Drawing arms

Drawing hands

Hand tips

More hands

Hands tips and techniques

Hands, arms, legs and feet

Legs, torso and expressions

Drawing boobs

How to boob

Boobs and hips

Drawing abs

Beer belly tutorial

Drawing backs

How to draw back views

Legs reference

Drawing knees

How to draw butts

Penis tutorial (nsfw)

Drawing feet and shoes

Sitting reference

Realistic woman body shape chart

Hair

Drawing hair

Hair tutorial

Drawing curls

Drawing braids

ANIMALS & CREATURES 

Canines vs felines

Drawing cats

Drawing cats tips

How to draw big cats

Drawing rats

Basic deer tutorial

Deer sketching

Dog anatomy

Dog anatomy tutorial

Dog nose tutorial

Dog paw tutorial

Basic wolf tutorial

Horse tutorial

Sheep vs goats

Drawing giraffes

Basic owl tutorial

Bird wing tutorial

Drawing bird beaks and faces

Butterfly tutorial

Drawing animal legs on humans

Winged people anatomy

Dragon tutorial

Drawing dragons

Dragon wing tutorial

Fur tutorial

Drawing sharp teeth

OTHERS

Drawing clothes

Clothing folds tutorial

Collars, vests and pants reference

Hats reference

Drawing jeans

Drawing bows

Drawing trees

Tree tutorial

Drawing water

Water tutorial

Drawing crystals

Ice

Clouds

Creating form

Perspective tricks

Character design reference

How to draw better (video)

Learn how to draw better

Art reference & tutorials blog

Tutorial masterpost

How to draw anything

awesome famous artist :

 AbigailLarson

Descriptive words for characters: personality traits (pt 1)

for studying, creative writing, book reviews, essays, fanfiction & other things

Nervous / scared easily

startled

afraid

spooked

tense

high-strung

on edge

fidgety

overwrought

Happy

bashful

in high spirits

elated

contented

joyful

overjoyed

jubilant

gleeful

grumpy/sad

sullen

down

peeved/peevish

cantankerous

querulous

dissatisfied

irritable

cold/doesn’t care

impassive

(wilfully)ignorant

coldblooded

unfeeling

apathetic

unsymphatetic

cold-hearted

blah

flat

unmoved

deadened

angry/reactive/mean

dramatic

enraged

heated

offended

inflamed

provoked

irrated

livid

scornful

splenetic

cranky

belligerent

acerbic

confident/brave

collected

unwavering

certain

composed

steady

has a lot of fantasy/lighthearted/playful

whimsical

light

blithe

eccentric

quirky

joyful

sympathetic

sudden changes/moodswings

impulsive

any way the wind blows

capricious

vagarious

unstable

volatile

changeable

sneaky/evil/secretive

cunning

clandestine

two-timing

insidious

fraudulent

deceptive

shady

surreptitious

wily

devious

you can trust this person/honest

reliable

loyal

respectable

solid

safe

responsible

true-hearted

different from most common/different from norm/strange(some positve, some negative,some neutral)

divergent

non conforming

atypical

heteroclite

peculiar

odd

bizarre

weird

anomalous

ludicrous

cooky

absurd

daft

bananas

Intimacy is the capacity to be rather weird with someone - and finding that that’s ok with them.

Alain de Botton (via thelovejournals)

A Basic Glossary of Herbalism Techniques

Image credit: Sage and Smudge

OK, so one thing that often comes up in Q&A sessions about witchcraft is herbalism. It’s extremely complicated in some parts, and this isn’t helped by the fact that there’s often a lot of new and complicated terminology that can really obfuscate the techniques used to people who aren’t used to it. 

This post is therefore meant to clarify a few things about terminology to help people decipher what the hell is going on. It does not go into the effects of herbs (like what the difference is between a sedative and a hypnotic), that’s for a later post. This one talks about actual techniques used to MAKE a herbal preparation.

NB: The terminology I use is the most common terminology and definitions used in Western tradition herbalism. Some terms have different definitions in biochemistry or in other herbalism traditions to the ones they have in Western tradition herbalism (WTH). If a term is likely to cause confusion, I’ll try to put an asterisk (*) beside it.

—

Acetum* ­– A tincture that uses vinegar as its menstruum. The plural is aceta.

Active ingredient – The medicinally active component chemical(s) of a plant; these are what you’re trying to extract.

Aqueous* – An extract that is prepared with water is called an “aqueous extract”, or simply an “extract” (though this is correct, it is vague and therefore should always be clarified as an aqueous extract).

Aromatic* – A chemical that has an easily-discernible fragrance or smell, e.g. menthol from peppermint

Ayurveda – Literally “science of life”, this is a form of Indian herbalism. Included because people often ask what it is and I’m sick of answering.

Cold infusion – A form of herbal preparation in which a herb is steeped in room temperature water overnight as a means of extracting active ingredients.

Constituent – Any component chemical of a plant, regardless of activity.

Decoction – A herbal preparation in which plant matter is simmered in water without boiling until half the liquid has been evaporated.

Double decoction – A form of decoction where the water is evaporated down to a quarter of its original volume, rather than a half.

Elixir* – Any liquid preparation that contains both alcohol-extracted and aqueous-extracted components.

Ethanol – An alcohol with the chemical formula C2H4OH, also known as drinking alcohol and ethyl alcohol.

Extract* ­– Any liquid preparation in which plant matter is left in a liquid solvent for several weeks. The word “extract” can also refer specifically to aqueous extracts.

Filtrate – The liquid retrieved from a physical filtering separation process.

Fluid Ounce – Also known as an ounce by volume, this is a measurement of fluid equal to 1/16th of a pint by volume, or approximately 0.03L metric. Weight-to-Volume ratios measure volume in fluid ounces most commonly. Symbolised as fl. Oz.

Folkloric extract – A herbal extract prepared without measuring weights or volumes of the marc or menstruum. Much more variable in dosage than measured extracts, and therefore more risky.

Glycerine – Also known as glycerine and glycerol. A chemical with the formula C3H5(OH)3, often used in the preparation of sweet-tasting extracts.

Glycerite – Any extract prepared using glycerine as the solvent. Glycerites should be a minimum of 55% glycerine by volume in order to preserve their contents against bacteria.

Hot infusion – A herbal preparation made by steeping plant matter in boiling or boiled water for at least 10 minutes. Less than 10 minutes forms a tea instead.

Inactive ingredient – Any molecule in a plant that does not have medicinal or biological value. A plant will always have more than one inactive ingredient, but a herbal preparation could theoretically have only one (although it never will).

Liniment – An extract, most usually a tincture, which is used topically on the skin rather than taken orally. Also known as an embrocation.

Lipid – Any fat. Often used as a solvent when dealing with fat-soluble compounds, for example cannabinoids.

Lozenge – A herbal preparation in which the active ingredient is made into a thick syrup, heated until candying occurs, and then allowed to cool and harden. Often used to make unpleasant-tasting medications more palatable, such as for children.

Marc – The solid matter in an extract or tincture.

Menstruum – The liquid component of an extract or tincture.

Ounce – A measurement of weight, 1/16th of a pound, and just under 30g metric. Symbolised as Oz.

Pastille – A herbal preparation similar to a lozenge, but unheated and therefore preserving many of the medicinal compounds that are otherwise heat-sensitive. Made by grinding herbs into a powder, and then mixing them with sugar and a binding agent. Maple syrup or honey is often used.

Preparation – Any herbal remedy, of any kind.

Poultice – A herbal preparation formed by mashing fresh, solid plant matter into a mash, and then directly applying it to the skin. Sometimes also involves wrapping the plant matter in gauze or fabric to prevent it coming apart.

Precipitate – The solid matter that forms from the marc when making a tincture or an extract of some kind.

Proof* – As it related to alcohol, this is a measurement that is equal to either two times the alcohol percentage (US definition) or is equal to 1.75 (4/7th) times the percentage (UK definition). Almost all sources use the US definition, but all sources will also use the alcohol-by-volume (ABV) metric, which is a simple percentage.  

Residue – The solid matter left in the filter after a physical filtration separation.

Solubility – The ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent.

Succi ­– The preserved juices of a plant. Alcohol is the most common preservative.

Syrup – A decoction that has subsequently had sugar added to it, and is then simmered down further until it forms a thick, sweet liquid. Mostly used for making herbal preparations that are unpleasant-tasting easier to swallow.

Tea – When boiling water is added to plant matter and is left to steep for no more than 10 minutes. If it is left for longer than 10 minutes, it is described as a hot infusion.

Tincture* – Any liquid extract in which alcohol is the solvent. The word tincture is often used interchangeably with extract in herbal sources, but they are actually different things.

Weight-to-volume extract – Any extract in which the marc and menstruum are actually measured out before manufacture. This is a little more complicated, but makes the dosage much less variable and therefore much safer to use.

—

This took bloody ages to write, so I hope like hell that someone finds it useful!

– Juniper

128 Words to Use Instead of ‘Very’

So I found this cool website for learning ancient languages

go wild

50 Simple Charms

Basil at the door, windows, or scattered in the home will increase money.

Lay thorny branches on your doorstep to keep evil from your dwelling.

Eat a pinch of Thyme before bed, and you will have sweet dreams.

Place chips of Cedar wood in a box with some coins to draw money to you.

Carry an Anemone Flower with you to ward against illness.

Hang a bit of Seaweed in the kitchen to ward evil spirits.

Keep a jar of Alfalfa in your cupboards to ensure the prosperity of your house.

Burn Allspice as an incense to draw money or luck to you, as well as speed healing.

Cut an Apple in half, and give one half to your love to ensure a prosperous relationship.

Carry an Avocado pit with you to let your inner beauty shine outwardly. Avocado is also an aphrodisiac.

Strawberries are an aphrodisiac.

Place a piece of cotton in your sugar bowl to draw good luck to your house.

Celery is an aphrodisiac.

Place Almonds in your pocket when you need to find something.

Scatter Chili Peppers around your house to break a curse.

Carrying a packet of strawberry leaves will help ease the pains of pregnancy.

Scatter some sugar to purify a room.

Throw rice into the air to make rain.

Carry a potato in your pocket or purse all winter to ward against colds.

Eat five almonds before consuming alcohol, to lighten the effects of intoxication.

Place a pine branch above your bed to keep illness away.

Chew celery seeds to help you concentrate.

Carry of chunk of dry pineapple in a bag to draw luck to you.

Ask an orange a yes or no question before you eat it, then count the seeds: if the seeds are an even number, the answer is no. If an odd number, yes.

Eat olives to ensure fertility.

Toss Oats out your back door to ensure that your garden or crop will be bountiful.

Eat mustard seed to ensure fertility.

Place Lilacs around your house to rid yourself of unwanted spirits.

Eat Lettuce to drive lustful thoughts from your mind.

Rub a Lettuce leaf over your forehead to help you sleep.

Add Lemon juice to your bathwater for purification.

Eat grapes to increase psychic powers.

Carry a blade of grass to increase your psychic powers.

Smell Dill to get rid of hiccups.

If you place a Dill sachet over your door, those who wish you ill can not enter your home.

Place cotton on an aching tooth, and the pain will ease.

Burn cotton to cause rain.

Place pepper inside a piece of cotton and sew it shut to make a charm to bring back a lost love.

Carry a small onion to protect against venomous animals.

Eat grapes to increase fertility.

Place a sliced onion in the room of an ill person do draw out the sickness.

Place an onion underneath your pillow to have prophetic dreams.

Place morning glory seeds under your bed to cure nightmares.

Walk through the branches of a maple tree to ensure that you will have a long life.

Mix salt and pepper together and scatter it around your house to dispel evil.

Smell Lavender to help you sleep.  (Lavender makes me fall asleep so fast).

Hang a pea pod containing nine peas above the door to draw your future mate to you.

Eat a peach to assist in making a tough decision.

Carry peach wood to lengthen your lifespan.

Carry a walnut to strengthen your heart muscle.

A Little Witchy Guide About Auras

Hello Witchy Darlings! I hope you had a wonderful New Year and I can’t wait to spend another one with all of you! :D

I figured I’d make a little guide to Auras since I’ve gotten quite a few questions about them. Please add on to this if you feel I left some things out!! :)

Brightest Blessings to you all! )0(

An aura is the energy field around all each matter that takes space (excluding air itself), whether that is a person, plant, animal, or an object. Each color represents a different aspect of that matter. Reading auras can be useful in determining whether you should confront a person at a certain time; what you can do to improve your present condition; tune you in to illnesses and conditions around you, and many other benefits. Everytime you come into contact with someone, your aura reacts to theirs. If your aura’s frequency is close to theirs, you will feel close to them quickly and drawn to them. If not, you may feel an instant dislike towards them. Everything has an aura. We have been “trained” not to see them, but with a little practice many people can successfully see and read them. Below I’ve listed what the different colors of auras mean, but first you should learn how to read them. When you begin, you may have a hard time seeing the colors. A lot of times, beginners will see pale colors such as white, yellow, and light blue. As time passes, and with practice, you will see that the colors seem to become brighter to you and easier to read. A little bit of patience can go a long way.

ASTRAL AURA The astral aura extends about eight to twelve inches from the physical body and appears as brightly coloured rainbow clouds. The astral aura is the bridge between the physical world and the spiritual world.

ETHERIC TEMPLATE AURA The etheric template aura extends about twelve to twenty four inches from the physical body and appears as a blue print form. There is an empty groove in the etheric aura aura into which the etheric aura fits. The etheric template aura holds the etheric aura in place. It is the template for the etheric dimension.

THE CELESTIAL AURA The celestial aura extends about twenty four inches from the physical body and appears as a brightr shimmering light of pastel colours. This is the level of feelings within the world of our spirit. Here we communicate with all the beings of the spiritual world.

KETHERIC TEMPLATE AURA The ketheric template aura extends about thirty six to forty eight inches from the physical body and appears as an extremley bright golden light that is rapidly pulsating. This aura takes on the form of a golden egg that surrounds and protects everything within it.

HOW TO SEE THE AURA Everybody has the ability to see the aura. For beginners a low light is the best way to start. Turn out the lights and lay on the bed. Leave the window curtains open and let the natural light flow in. As you are laying on the bed hold your hands out at full distance in front of you. Dont stare hard but rather just gaze at your hands. Moving your hands slowly, bring your fingertips together until they are almiost touching. You will notice a cloudy blue haze appear around your finger. This is the etheric aura. 

 FEELING THE AURA Draw a circle on your left hand using your right fingertip. Dont let your finger touch your hand, keep it at a distance of about a half inch. Move slowly. You will feel the power of your aura.

Colors of Auras

Here are the most common colors and their meanings in an Aura:

Red- strength, strong passion, and will. Dark red may symbolize quick temper and someone who is nervous or impulsive. All red colors mean nervous tendencies.

Orange- warmth, thoughtfulness, and creativity. Browner shades may mean pride or vanity, while brighter orange means self-control.  

Yellow-Mental activity, optimism, new learning oppurtunities and wisdom. A Bright yellow means the person takes care of themself. A darker yellow may mean that its owner is shy.

Green- sympathy and calm may be very good with healing arts and is very reliable. Dark shades of green may mean someone who is jealous or uncertain.

Blue- quiet and calm. Blue is a good color to have in the aura; deep blue is the best. This mean the person has found his or her work in life. Many are spiritual minded as well. Blue may sometimes represent a tendancy to be moody and depressed.

Indigo and Violet- one who is seeking something in life. Represents an ability to handle affairs with practicality. Dark shades may show that the person has obstacles to overcome and is feeling misunderstood.

Black-The color of protection. Thr person who is hiding something. May possibly indicate imbalances as well.

Here are some other colors that may be seen within the aura:

Pink- love, represents compassion, and maybe a love of art and beauty. Darker or muddier shades of pink may denote an individual who is immature.

White-Usually one of the first colors you will see in an aura. However, when it is a true and strong color of the aura, it reflects purity and truth.

Brown- a person who is very “earthy” and that a person is establishing new roots.

Silver Lights or Twinkles- may mean that they are pregnant, or have been or may soon be. However, this is not always so. This may indicate a person who has great creativity in their life.

Black Spots-may indicate that it is imbalanced in some areas. May mean that the person has some negative habits that he or she should change. Meditation helps reduce these spots, as does things like exercise and sunlight.