Gardening is fantastic. I myself have a bit of a green thumb. If you are a gardener, I would hazard a guess that you like being outdoors and don’t have a problem with dirt. Maybe you like to go on walks or hikes? Have you considered marrying your two loves and trying wild plant foraging? This is one of those activities that seems daunting to start… especially in the city or someplace like Arizona that you feel doesn’t have a lot (trust me- I know). But, like any other activity, it is easy to start small and expand later if you do not overcomplicate it.

Today I want to go over 5 basic tools to get and how to take your first steps in foraging. Not comparing brands or getting into recipes… just the basics so you have a starting point.

5 BASIC TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Field Guide

The first thing to buy is a LOCAL field guide. I want to stress this again… LOCAL. There are so many field guides out there and some are great for general reference but for ease AND for safety, it is best to get one that specifically focuses on your local flora. Many plants have look-a-likes that can be dangerous to ingest or handle and there are so many varieties of mushrooms, for example, that a general guide may not be specific enough to cover those found in your area. Additionally, if you are reading a local guide, it will help narrow down what you realistically looking for.

Gloves

This also seems fairly straight forward but you will want a high quality, good fitting pair of gloves. These will help you deal with prickers, stickers, and thorns, but additionally consider that some plants out there can cause skin irritation and even if you are not collecting said toxic plant, your target may be near it. I prefer to stick to lighter, breathable gloves for ease of movement but those do sometimes mean less protection from larger stickers or the cold from snow. Consider when and where you will be foraging and maybe go for something more heavy duty if you will be foraging in the winter or from some angry fruit bearing berry bushes.

A Knife/ Pruning Shears

This category can be big or little. Maybe you are a one knife person, or you like to have some variety and pack a couple. It is definitely a preference thing. I prefer to have a couple and use different tools for different jobs, but I also now live someplace where there is a LOT I can forage for a lot of different purposes. I have a couple favorites. The curved foraging knives that have a metal bristle brush on one end. The come as cheap or as expensive on Amazone as you want, fold for convenience, and the brush can be used to clean dirt off a harvested item. Hori Hori knives are my go-to as it can also double as a trowel, and some have notches for measuring as well. Garden pruning shears are also a huge help when foraging for twigs, branches, bark… you get the point. No matter what sharp, pointy objects you decide on, I would recommend investing in good quality ones earlier in your foraging career than later. They will hold an edge better and keep you from getting frustrated with blunt instruments.

Shovel

Some plants you forage not for what is above the ground, but instead what is below. Tubers, roots, etc all require a bit of digging and using a shovel will save your poor hands even if you are wearing gloves. You are more than happy to lug around a full sized one but I find that folding shovel is more than enough for me in most cases and it is small enough to fit in me backpack.

Foraging/Collection Containers

There are sooooooo many options to choose from for containers to use for foraging and each site you visit will promote a different one. I am going to say that I like to have a variety on me even though it may take a while to build up a collection. Here is why though. Things that will be easily crushed need to go in something that will protect them; wicker baskets can work for this. Items that are maybe muddy or do best staying moist while you are collecting do best in something waxed or a plastic, 5-gallon bucket. If you are collecting mushrooms, I would promote using a mesh bag or something similar so that as you walk, the spores can fall out, spread, and more will regrow in that area. You can also consider smaller bags like ziploc’s, jars, backpacks, foraging aprons, etc. I sewed foraging cloaks (would call it an apron but it has a hood) but take along a couple jars, some plastic bags, a mesh bag for mushrooms, a couple glass vials, some newspaper for wrapping things separately, a Tupperware, my backpack, and a 5 gallon bucket (depending on the trip and season). This is because I collect a variety of items for different purposes and not all of them are edible and some are more fragile than others. I have even used my quiver for sticks instead of arrows since I wasn’t actively using it for archery.

TAKING YOUR FIRST STEPS

Once you have a few tools, here are the first steps I would advise in to get you started.

Find a local foraging group.

This really isn’t necessary but there are a couple reasons I would recommend it. First of all, knowledge is power, and the local foraging community will have tips and tricks about the local plants, where to go, things to look out for etc. Second, you may find a new friend to go foraging with and having someone with you if you are hiking in remote areas is not a bad idea. Having someone more experienced with you when you get started will give you a leg up and it often lessens the anxiety of a new experience if you know someone is there to catch what you may miss or correct a misidentified flower.

Decide on what you are looking for.

Start looking through your guide and decide on what you want to forage for. Are you looking for roots, mushrooms, berries? Maybe herbs for teas? Or maybe you are crafty and looking for natural dyes and bits for alternative arts. I usually look for berries, herbs, and mushrooms but will also press leaves and flowers and collect skulls, bones, feathers, dad insects etc for art and other things. Recently I have gotten interested in natural dyes and pretty much anything can be used for that if you like to experiment with colors and mordants. The point is… the trail is the limit. If you find it overwhelming, it may be easier at the beginning to start with 1 or 2 things you are actively looking for but don’t limit yourself.

Decide on where you will be foraging.

Think about where you want to forage and prepare accordingly. Safety first. If you are more interested in urban foraging (like in Seattle where you can pick berries that grow like weeds in even the most urban trails and parks), think about having reflective gear and the like but you can maybe pack a little lighter. If you are going on a mountain trail, prepare like you would for any other safe hike and consider heavier duty gloves, shoes etc. Mostly I just want you to be prepared and cognizant of where you are. On this note… please do not trespass. I know someone who literally breaks into an area or the train tracks that are blocked off because the mushrooms are everywhere and while the mushrooms are very delicious, I worry about the day that he either gets caught or injured.  

Get your good-looking self, outside to forage, learn, and have fun!

Happy Foraging!

Taylor Lasley

So, you’re building a costume. You’re going to a party, or hosting a themed event, or you managed to snag tickets to Comicon or the latest immersive ACOTAR Ball (we get it, and we’re jealous). If you’re new to the costuming game, it can be intimidating with all the over-the-top amazing things you see from the cosplay world these days on social media. But don’t let that stop you.

Below we have compiled a list of our favorite tricks to take your costume from Childhood Halloween Trick-or-Treating straight to something the Hollywood prop department would be proud of. Let’s dive into 5 of our favorite tricks of the trade. As we move farther into this series we’ll be able to share in depth tutorials and have you follow along with projects and costume builds. We’ll be able to tell you when to use sculpting foam vs styling foam and what’s really carboard and modge-podge (It’s never what you think). but for now, these are our 5 best general beginner tips.

If You’re Going to Splurge in Cosplay- Splurge on the Wig

Not all cosplays require a wig. Maybe you already look a little like your character, or you’re reimagining a classic with a twist and you don’t need it. If so, that’s great. But for a lot of characters, hair is a defining trait, and cheap wigs are noticeable and an easy make or break. Most things in cosplay you really can do yourself with a bit of creativity and some dedication.

We have found that wigs are not one of those things. Don’t buy the $2 wig on the wish app, or TEMU. Or even the $15 one on Amazon. They don’t hold up well, they tend to be sparse, and flat and they look like plastic. If you’re going to be bougie for anything in your costume- spend the money on a nice wig that works. It’ll last a long time and they can frequently be used for other characters along the way.

Don’t Get Too Caught Up on Wardrobe or a Particular Character Look

I KNOW this sounds weird when we’re talking about killer cosplay. But there is a logic to this- hear me out. For a single photo or a poster- having that outfit matches the OG character picture might make sense. But, if you are cosplaying at a live event or going to a party where you are going to be in this thing for hours- consider comfort.

I don’t mean “I am going to get to hot?” or “are these shoes going to kill me?” though, to some those may be factors. Taylor and I have both been known to suffer the shoes or the overheating for the sake of a bomb costume.

What I do mean is: If you really love a character and you really want to pull it off but their classic appearance is in a strappy skin exposing anime outfit and you’re not comfortable with that much of your midriff showing….. don’t do it. If your favorite character rocks a strapless piece of armor and you’re not comfortable strapless- take some creative license. Notice I didn’t say don’t cosplay that character?

In my experience- there is always a solution that captures the vibe of the character and make sure people know exactly who it is without you feeling exposed or uncomfortable and miserable- which shows. Make your costume livable for you.

Thrift

YES! We love making things from scratch. We love armor, and chainmail, and a good “I made this 100% from scratch and there were a lot of tears and late nights involved but I did it!”. But not all of us are that person, and not all of us are there yet (If we’ll ever be).

Taylor has much more the skill set to be like “I made this pattern myself with the blood, sweat, and tears of my ancestors and my character’s inner rage”. I however, am just learning to sew. And if you’re just beginning it is much easier and less terrifying to thrift something and turn it INTO something else than it is to make a dwarven tunic from scratch in 1 shot by yourself (not like I’m speaking from experience or anything).

Do not be ashamed to repurpose something into something different. It still takes a lot of work and creativity, and you are still a valid cosplayer if that’s your jam. Its really fun to go hunting for the right pieces. We will never say no to an excuse to thrift. If you’re new to thrifting, Taylor has a really awesome guide of things to consider when you’re out digging- you can find it here.

This is particularly useful for shoes that can be used as a base to be turned into anything cool. My favorites of Taylors were steampunk Tinkerbell shoes from a pair of booties, and Satyr hooves from a pair of boots.

The Devil is in the Dirty Details

What is Aragorn without a little dirt, or Geralt without a little blood? Just a really buff guy in cool clothing, that’s what. What takes a costume from looking like you bought it at party city to a living breathing character? You’ve got to make it look lived in.

The good news is, that doesn’t require you to go roll around in the mud or hunt orcs in the woods for months on end without a bath (though you’re welcome to go the method acting route).

This is where antiquing, patinas, weathering, sandpapering, and scuffing are your best friends. We KNOW you just spent weeks putting this together and it feels sacrilegious to ‘rub some dirt on it’- but go on, rub some dirt on it.

Hot Glue is a Hot Commodity for Details

If you have a great base costume and need to create buildable details like embossing on armor, pieces of large chunky fantasy jewelry, or unique accents, but you need them to be flexible for movement; hot glue is your friend.

The coolest hack I have for making Gems and raised details on anything that needs to be movable once its done is a silicon mold (amazon has tons and silicon cake molds for fondant are the best). Fill it with hot glue and then leave it to dry before painting. Sturdy enough to hold up over time, easily paintable, and not prone to damage.

I’ve used this for mushrooms, gems, fake pieces of thick chain, gemstones, texturing, you name it.

Here in the coming weeks we plan to share more tips tricks, and tutorials for cosplay bits and pieces. We’d love to see your favorite cosplays and costumes and we can’t wait to share projects with you!

See you in the craft room!

Mikaela!

Come have a chat with RavenWerks creaters, Taylor and Mikaela, in their next installment about DnD. Today we talk about scenarios that made our DM’s say WTF, what our dream DnD crossovers are, and what we would like to try in future characters.

[Taylor] Hi! Welcome to RavenWerks Guild Talk. This is our second installment. We are once again talking about DnD. Kind of continueing off of our last conversation. Really quick in case you haven’t seen one of our videos before… we’re your hosts. My name is Taylor.

[Mikaela] Mikaela!

[Taylor] and last time on guild talk, we were talking about DnD, it was about first experiences, first impressions, what we would and would change when we very first started playing DnD. This time Mikaela has come up with a couple more questions that are a little more forward looking; less so about out first experience itself. And before we get into that, I just want to bring up just as a quick plug, check out our website if you haven’t seen it before. We are still adding new product including our stickers, t shirts (like this little guy), and we will be at some markets and things like that. So, we are starting to do candles, that are more…

[Mikaela] Like witchy decor…

[Taylor] witchy decor. More like small batch, very intentional things and those will start to be going up on our website as well. Or we will start putting up on our schedule online when and where we are, so if you are a Washington local, Western Washington, come say “Hi”! Come check out our in person stuff. So, let us move on to the main thing.

[Mikaela] Yeah. That being said, as kind of a follow up on those last questions regerding first experiences and that, my first thing is for you to describe your favorite scenario that made your DM, or Dungeon Master, say kindo of WTF to a scenario that your party was supposed to deal with or that they laid out. Maybe not necessarily that you didn’t do what you were supposed to. Although that definitely certainly happens and can, but as far as like, just something that your character played that your DM look at you like you’re a couple watts short of a full lightbulb.

[Taylor] Or in my case, question whether or not I should be in a psych ward.  So… uh… I guess I should preface this with: I almost always play a, some sort of chaotic nuetral rogue that tends to be more…

[Mikaela] A Kleptomaniac!

[Taylor] more on the creative side. They are not always kleptos. This one particularly was. And so, um, there was lots of situations where my fellow players would either pick me up and bodily move me from places because they could see me getting distracted by something they knew I was going to be like “Ah! Shiny!” And it did lead to some interesting situations. One of them in particular that I can think of is we were harvesting these plants out in the forest which, the DM did not see it going this way but, someone was purchasing them and then we realized it could be used as the DnD equivalent of cocaine. And then we started a drug ring and it was a whole thing. But while we were out there [collecting plants], we got attacked by a guy who was being sort of controlled/possessed by some higher fae entity that we never got answers on and he had this brand that was glowing that we did not know at the time was what he was being controlled through. It was shiny. We killed the guy in defense of ourselves. And I decided that I would cut it out of his neck and take it and keep it. And I put it in my pocket and I also had a habit of taming and keeping rodents and things so… my rat that was in my pocket and myself, because we had direct skin contact with it and were still around it, kind of got possessed by this fae thing. Then the had to [kind of] kill me and bring me back to life to get it out of me. It was a whole thing. There was other stuff. There’s been lots of things. But that’s the one that I think, the DM would was most like… why would you cut this off someones neck nad stick it in your pocket? Like it was very left field.

[Mikaela & Taylor] *Laughing*

[Mikaela] Fair. That is a fair response.

[Taylor] Like there’s other ones that he kind of *hhhhmmm* but he could logic through why it had popped into my head, where it’s like “oh! It’s shiny. Okay, you could grab this. I can see where you are going with it.” This one it was very much like “do we need to have a conversation meta? Like why did this even occur to you?” So yeah, I think that is my biggest one.

[Mikaela] Um, I think mine actually, and you may have heard, if you guys follow the blog, I did bring it up in a previous blog post because it is one of my favorite unconventional interactions. In my very very first DnD campaign, we were playing with Thomas’ (AKA Mikaela’s husband) brother and a couple of their friends and my brother in laws girlfriend was our DM. And we were supposed to be scaling to the top of this mountain and there was a temple that basically gave you access to the inside of, I mean it was the inside of a mountain, but it was essentially like a multi level dungeon, like, network of tunnels and we were looking for this group of dwarves that had been being, like, kidnapped and taken hostage. This was this thing with like possessing children. It’s a long story. But, on enroute to the top mountain, we came across a camp. A relatively large camp of goblins. And it was, it was implied that said goblins would be hostile and impede access to the top of the mountain. Which would usually lead to combat with said group, because, um, Thomas’ brother played a VERY enthusiastic paladin. Umm… But two of our party members were already at half health. It was our, it was Thomas’ and I’s very very first campaign so we were incredibly low level and it had been a rough day. So we used a combination of mage hand, my characters pygmy dragon (Pipsqueak), a little tiny frog totem that we had picked up in loot some place else, and a very good illusion to convince said band of goblins that one of our party was their god. And convinced them more or less to joyously through themselves off of a cliff as a blood tribute to us. Um, so, we didn’t get the experience points that we really needed to then help complete the rest of the dungeon so then technically it was creative but we also kind of stabbed ourselves in the foot.

[Taylor] And we had just been talking too… the frog totem thing reminded me that at one point I had to act out a thing that I did where I was in a frog hoody and I zipped it up and seduced a water elemental. So, umm, that one was more of a what the #*%$ for me though. I think he just really wanted to see me…

[Mikaela] He wanted to see how far he could push it.

[Taylor] Yeah. Me sexily ribbiting in a frog hoody.

[Mikaela & Taylor] *laughing*

[Taylor] Yeah. So… moving on to the next one. So, what is your dream DnD crossover and I’m not going to bring up the examples on here because I know Mikaela’s going to use a couple of them and one of them is kind of mine too sooo…

[Mikaela] Crossover. So like as far a, rather than playing just, like, standard DnD world or traditional homebrew. I mean, any of these would have to be homebrews, but as far as using other formats and like, fandoms and things that are out there… ummm… I have to put on the list Lord of the Rings. Because that is my all time high fantasy, like, cannon. Um, if we are going stereotypical, I want middle earth! But outside of that, my two favorites (ideas) are … if you know what the Fraggles are, and if you don’t, I’m sorry, I can’t help you. I… I want. It’s like the muppets but better and I think it would be hilarious to have a group of your friends have to create their own muppet. Not muppet but like Fraggle and knowing how they behave and, like, the zaney culture of the Fraggles. I think would ensue in some really great shinanigans.

[Taylor] I wanna be a Doozer.

[Mikaela] See! And I’m like I wanna be a Doozer! And another one, like silliness aside, short of the Lord of the Rings, my all time favorite book series is the Symphony of Ages. And if, again, if you haven’t read the Symphony of Ages, and haven’t heard of it, go find them. They are #&$^ing fantastic.

[Taylor] Yes.

[Mikaela] I think that that world crossover… The author, Elizabeth Hayden, has layered so much believable, authentic fantasy, but through the laws of fantasy realistic lore that I think there are some really cool class possabilities. I think there are some really awesome quest possibilities, just the end of the book series itself. There are so many upcoming problems that like, it could be thousands of years in the future and your parties problem could be to solve one of those ongoing issues.

[Taylor] Literally the whole thing.

[Mikaela] Umm, I think that there is so much potentialthere and it would be in some ways like my inner child high fantasy dream come true. So I think those for me are it.

[Taylor] The roots… Being in the roots of Sagia. (Mikaela agreeing) The whole thing. That would be like a whole arc all on it’s own. Totally different world.

[Mikaela] Yeah. [And] They have like some species crossovers so like instead of your traditional Elves, um, you would have to go, like, Lirin. But they still have got Firbolg. They’ve got like the Dracians.

[Taylor] I just think there would be a lot of really cool things.

[Mikaela] Yeah. There’s just so much you could pull from.

[Taylor] And like, some of the NPC’s that could be pulled that were, like, long living just, like, would be really fun as a DM.

[Mikaela] Part of the premise of the books without giving it away, is due to some weird worldbuilding situation stuff, there  is a group of people that are bordering on immortal. And we are talking, like, an entire generation from all different species of people have this weird thing happen to them where they stop aging. So, like, there’s so much potential there.

[Taylor] I would want to do it like later, like after the book series, because it could be like…. anyways, I am digressing.

[Mikaela] *theatrical whispering* And like the book series ends like 2 or 300 years after the thing… *unintelligable mumble gestures as Mikaela tries to imply stuff*

[Taylor] I know.

[Mikaela] That last book really like, right in the %^&$ing heart.

[Taylor] I didn’t read the last one. I know you told… and I just don’t… cuz I would cry the whole time.

[Mikaela] Yeah… you would.

[Taylor] Yeah. But anyways… so, um, anyways. My own answer. Sorry we went down a little rabbit hole right there. My own answer, so one of her examples on here I am currently in.  And that probably would have been my go to answer until, you know, I am already in it. One Piece! Because that’s a whole world! Like it’s an expansive world with multiple islands, different cultures. Like it’s very built out and very layered and Oda is a freaking genius so there’s like just so many different things to pull from. (Mikaela making faces because we do not share this fandom and she has to hear all my rants and soap boxes and lecture) Don’t get me started. Anyways, I’m a huge One Piece fan. I have been watching it forever. Umm…

[Mikaela] We will always disagree on this one.

[Taylor] Yeah. I know right. I have been watching One Piece for liek 20 freaking years now at this point. So um, and reading, and everything. Just… One Piece. So that would be a thing but obviously I am in a campaign currently and have been for a little over a year so, I am living out that lovely DnD fantasy at the moment. And then I really agree with the Fraggles. And without giving too much away because she’s in my campaign, I have managed to integrate that in there somewhere. But I am not going to tell them who and what they are so if she figures it out, great but, uh, concepts are in there. That is coming up. And then…

[Mikaela] *whisper* Just don’t make me kill Fraggles.

[Taylor] Just don’t mindlessly kill.

[Mikaela] That’s not me. Talk to Victor.

[Taylor] Talk to Victor. Yeah. You guys are going to have to reign the bard in. And then I actually really love the idea of a Harry Potter world BUT Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. So, focusing less on Harry Potter and Voldemort and that. I mean you can like bring those up and, like, have that be cannon in that world. But, I would much rather go, like, slightly more Victorian, like somebody, like when they are figuring things out. Like in Harry Potter and you read those books and that, they, they, bring up all of these cannony, like, people in their history books…

[Mikaela] Well, especially with how long lived wizards are. There’s possability there. That could be fun.

[Taylor] So, I jsut feel like I would want to go more that route and make it a little more steam punky because they do have stuff, right?! Like the, um, (My brain just shut off and is rebooting) just some of the different machines and that they have. They are obviously magical based, not steam, but kind of going that route.

[Mikaela]  But like technology meets magic crossover. They do have a fair a bit of that.

[Taylor] Yeah. Some of the real world world stuff but it’s kind of twisted a little bit. A little bit darker.

[Mikaela] And that would be cool because that gives you a fine blending of like, you’re in a weird way, your isekai world crossover fascination, where you get just enough of the real world to be able to pull from reality, like mundane reality.

[Taylor] Yeah. And she know’s I am a sucker for the isekai, like, falling into a different world concept anyways.

[Mikaela] That could, as much as I love Harry Potter, if you didn’t go stereotypical like, Harry Potter generation, they are all alive, and you are in that plot, then I think that could be super cool. Because, there is a lot of meta lore you could like pull from.

[Taylor] Yeah. Well even just like locations. Like you could still have, you know, Hogwarts etc. It’s jut like different people there because it’s… I would want to go prior to Harry Potter.

[Mikaela] Even like pre marauders.

[Taylor] Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pre that. Very like, they are still figuring things out. Maybe even when the original house masters were there. Like Godric Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, like, that would be a cool era to be in.

[Mikaela] I like how the only founder whose name you know is your own house. So… pbt!

[Taylor] I know the others (Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin). I do know the others, but he gets a pedestal.

[Mikaela] Okay.

[Taylor] Anyways.

[Mikaela] Fair.

[Taylor] And then…

[Mikaela] I think last question. I will let you interpret this to some degree because, I know you. Um… what character or type of character would you want to build or play next. It could either be like the type of characteryou have never ever played before or if you already have a specific character in your mind that you want to be able to build out and act.

[Taylor] Yeah. Cuz there’s cool ways to take somebody like, I don’t know, Darth Vader, and make a build around that. I would not, BUT… I mean I would but that’s not what I am going with this…

[Mikaela] DENIED!

[Taylor] No. I know somebody who is possibly doing that so I am not messing with that one. Um… so , I feel like I tend to go very dark, sassy characters. A little standoffish. I like going chaotic neutral and just, and I am really, really prone to, um, rogues. And that’s just because I find it easy to fall into that character.

[Mikaela] She likes to live vicariously through her DnD characters.

[Taylor] Just a little bit. And so, I would want to try something new. Something different. Maybe something a little bit more challenging. I feel like my current One Piece character, my closest class, since it’s a bit of a homebrew thing, would be kind of a druid. And I had considered do that. It’s very different for me and is a lot more difficult but I feel like I still have that somewhat snarky, dark character, like, character itself. Personality? And so I would want to…

[Mikaela] From what I have heard, yes, you are a murder doctor.

[Taylor] I am. Just a little bit and, like, I might hurt you. I might help you. I don’t know. And I do get really pissed at you and chop you up, I know how to stitch you back together so it’s fine. So, I feel like I would want to go, something…  (*both of us laughing*) it’s fine as long as you don’t die. Um, I feel like I would want to go something that would be harder for me to play character wise. So, something bright and bubbly and heppy and go lucky… kind of like a fluffy carebear character. I don’t know that I know necessarily what class but I would just want to play with a character that would be very, like, difficult for me to stay in character. I feel like that would…

[Mikaela] You want a challenge. Okay.

[Taylor] A growth thing. Yeah. Something that’s a challenge.

[Mikaela] Well, a challenge for you. Hahaha. See, and this is where you can tell that, yes, we are related. We have some very different personalities because on the flip side of this question, most of my characters, as opposed to her chaotic chaotic…

[Taylor] *whispers* Chaos…

[Mikaela] have been lawful good with a very strict moral code. It might not be everybody else’s moral code but they HAVE a very strict moral code. Um, and I am more or less, a squishy in real life (side eye from Taylor… because this is half true) so I feel like all of my DnD characters have been things that’s first reactions have been to, um, hit first and ask later. Um, I think my next DnD character… I will take a two pronged thing with this because technically speaking, the next character that I would really want to build, I technically have. I just haven’t gotten to play him yet beacause it’s for her (gestures to Taylor) campaign that we are getting ready to start. Um, and the cahllenge with one is going to be that it is an adolescent-ish aged, 24 year old, perpetually mutated, magically stunted, pygmy dragon sorcerer and not only have I never played a magic weilder- I am usually a barbarian or a ranger- but als, if you know me, my nickname is motor mouth for a reason. And, he can’t talk. So I am going to have to figure out how…

[Taylor] I mean he can, just not in anythnig that the other players will understand.

[Mikaela] Yeah. Unless one of my party members happens to speak draconic or dwarvish through a weird twist of backstory, nobody will be able to understand me. And even then, he doesn’t have fully developed vocal chords yet because he’s still considered young, so he’s learning to telepathically communicate short blips of information. But for the most part, my chatty ass is going to be reduced to pantomiming…

[Taylor] *sarcastic rawr*

[Mikaela] *nervous laugh* … which will be fun. But outside of Pip, like, if I was going to create a brand new character, I’m going to say, if we are going with angle of Mikaela getting her Symphony of Ages crossover, I want to build the closest thing that I could to Grunther. Um, which in that book series is a half Firbolg, half Bengardian, like gienat behemoth of a worrior. But he’s also kid of like a natural protector. He is the “Ultimate Authority To Be Obeyed At All Costs” is what one character has named him.  So I think I would do a half Orc, half Firbolg, but instead of – as much as he could be a tank- I think instead of building him as a barbarian or like a berserker, I would go cleric (or maybe Paladin?). Beecause, especially if we are taking place after the end of the Symphony of Ages story, I know where that series leaves off and then there would be so much room for my character to have to deal with the challenges of the stigma associated with Firbolg and those species still. And then, just get to constantly surprise the shit out people, which I think woujld be cool.

[Taylor] I loooove a good reaction from people. Like, even in an anime or that, like, part of the reason that I for a lot of the ones where it’s like the under dog, like whatever… and it’s such an overdone trope to some extent. But I will never not love it because I love when they pull something just out of left field and there’s such a good reaction to it.

[Mikaela] Well, and then you get the possability, at least with that character build, I would get the possability of like still being that terrifying, intimidating thing. So like with party interactions, my group would b e able to use that facade to scare the crap out of people and then physically I would still have the abiliy based off of just sheer size…

[Taylor] Intimidation rolls through the roof.

[Mikaela] …to, if I need to,  pick somebody up and chuck ’em. But at the end of the day I could focus on being a nurturer and a healer and I’ve never gotten to play a cleric. And ironically, in every party I have ever played, we  haven’t had a cleric so if somebody got injured, we were kind of “dude, you’re screwed.”

[Taylor] So that’s something I’d like to talk to in a future thing as well, with like character creation- is like, to some extent, your races, they already have bias’ against them. Maybe or maybe not depending on the world!

[Mikaela] For instance if you are a tielfing. Right?!

[Taylor] Yeah. And I love when you’ve got a character class, sometimes it can be annoying when they are completely the opposite (more like it isn’t believable) of like what that race would be. (insert a lot of um, like, like- because aparently I had a valley girly moment). You know what I mean?

[Mikaela] It’s unrealistic.

[Taylor] Yes. It’s unrealistic. You know some races tend to just be more dark and if you make them so they are super bubbly… but if there’s like some layer there, where they are super bubbly but they still retian some of the dark, you know what I mean? There’s like a fine line and I love that, being able to play with that.

[Mikaela] That’s why I’m excited to do- we have a blog post coming up about like, how to build a playable character DnD character and a believable one. Because there’s a difference- without us getting too much into a rabbit hole- there’s a difference between creating a cool character in your head and then being able to execute it.

[Taylor] Yeah.

[Mikaela] So…

[Taylor] And I love talking about character creation, even with NPC’s. Anyway’s… But I’m going to go down a rabbit hole because that’s what I do. So… mums the word.

[Mikaela] We’ll get that.

[Taylor] *literally just repeating what Mikaela said*

Um… *awkward pause* I think that was all three of our questions. I think, that’s the end of it. Don’t be a stranger, like I said. Check us out online. Check us out at market if you are local and…

[Mikaela] We will post the ones that are coming up so that you, you know, know ahead of time.

[Taylor] Yup. And if you haven’t notice, I have done a lot less of the, like, blog posts recently. Mikaela has been kind of chugging along with that, but you are about to see a little bit more of me on there again. So, uh, just keep an eye out.

[Mikaela] We have some exciting partnerships hopefully coming up soon that we’re, again mums the word at the moment, but like when the moment’s right! And hopefully things pan out, we will be able bring you some new stuff soon. And we are still kind of chugging along and kicking as far as like making career moves to really put us in a position to really kind of take this from grass roots growth to hopefully, like, really good trebuche launch.

[Taylor] Yeah. Well, and partnerships, we are talking products. We are talking maybe getting some people in here for interviews. Lot’s of good stuff coming up and ALSO… if, if, I don’t know if I mentioned at the very beginning, but part of our long term goal with our brick and mortar is to have a bar there. We did open up another instagram specifically, since I personally work as a bartender and now I do freelance bartending, so take a look at that too. It’s @ravenwerks.bartending, you can find it on our main instagram (@ravenwerks_guild) and there’s going to be a lot of tips and tricks, new recipes, and things like that.

[Mikaela] Yup! So, I think last notes are, do us a favor- Follow. Subscribe. And then if you have a moment and are feeling so inclined, in the comment section below, if you would do us a favor, I mean we would love to A. hear your answers to these things, because that’s part of the whole excitment with DnD, is that community and the connection. And you sometimes get some cool character ideas from people. But also, if there is a specific area of DnD, if you are looking to want to play and you aren’t sure where to start or you haven’t seen that blog post yet, if there are any particular questions that you would like answered, we love hearing those. It helps not only point us in the correct direction for future blog posts of beginner base line things that we can help you with, but also you may then get to see your question featured in a future video.

[Taylor] Yeah! Don’t be a stranger. Have a good one!

[Mikaela] Toodles!

Let’s go back to debunking the idea that bread is hard. It’s the end of February, which means everything is rainy and wet here- so I’ve been on a bit of a bread making kick. One thing I will always stay adamant about is that baking bread isn’t as hard as a lot of people now believe it is. So today I want to share a recipe for Ciabatta.

Once you understand the basic chemistry behind bread, it’s really quite easy. It’s a bit like a good relationship: If you pay attention to what you’re doing, you can’t really do it wrong. If you haven’t seen our Bread 101 post you can find it here– this will point you in the right direction for all the basics of bread.

Ciabatta is one of my favorite breads and ironically a type that a lot of people I talk to seem to think is more complicated to make. It’s not. In the recipe below I’ll give you two variations of it. One is a fresh style with no preferment if you’re short on time or not quite sure on sourdoughs (though I would strongly urge you to check out our post on sourdough, because again, it’s not as hard as it sounds). The other is a sourdough ciabatta because sourdough is king. Let’s get right to it.

Mis En Place (Get Your Shit, and Get it Together)

Fresh Dough Ciabatta

• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 240 grams of warm water (roughly 92 degrees), water should not be hot enough to hurt or it will kill your yeast.
• 300 grams All Purpose Flour, sifted
• 1 tsp of kosher salt

Sour Dough Ciabatta

• 1 Cup Active Starter
• 350 grams All Purpose Flour, sifted
• 225 g of warm water
• 1 tsp of kosher salt

Other Items Needed

• Olive Oil, As Needed
• Metal baking sheet
• Parchment Paper
• A spray bottle with water

Directions for Ciabatta

Fermenting

1. For the fresh method: combine water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit 5 minutes. For the sourdough method: add 1 cup of the flour to the starter in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP FOR EITHER VARIATION.
2. Combine Flour and salt with yeast mixture and mix on low for 2-4 minutes to allow gluten to begin forming. Mixture will create a loose, VERY wet dough. Continue folding until no clumps of flour remain and wet dough is mostly smooth. (Dough is at roughly 80% hydration so don’t be alarmed that its loose- that’s intentional).

Rissing

1. Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and transfer ciabatta dough into it. Cover with a fitted lid (or plastic wrap) and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Remember the warmer the room is the faster the fermentation will happen (the quicker the rise).
2. Stretch and fold. We’re going to repeat this process 3 times. It will take about an hour and a half total. For each stretch and fold, get some oil or water on your hands to prevent sticking. I prefer olive oil, but water works just fine too. Do not use canola or vegetable oil as it messes with the flavor and will give the crust a funny texture.
   • With wet or greased hands, gently stretch and fold the dough every 30ish minutes by lifting carefully from each side and pulling the dough to the middle, one side at a time.
   • By the end of your stretches and folds the dough should have roughly doubled in size.

Shaping

1. Transfer to a floured surface. Dough with be sticky, but this is what we want. Using gentle fingers, tuck the ends and sides in until you have a loosely rectangular shape, being careful to not squeeze out air cells. Use a knife or bench scraper and cut the dough into two or four equal pieces.
   • 4 will yield sandwich size loaves.
   • 2 will yield larger traiditonal loaves.
2. Repeating the beginning part of step 5, shape each portion of dough gently into a rectangle and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Very lightly, sprinkle top of each loaf with flour and cover with a tea towel. Then set aside and let rest 30-40 minutes.

Baking

1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Fill a large baking dish with water and place it in the bottom of your oven (bottom rack). Close the oven and let it fill with steam while it preheats.
2. When the oven is preheated and the dough ready to go in, slide the sheet tray directly in the oven and spray with water immediately. Close oven and set a timer for twenty minutes.
3. Check for doneness (bottom of loaf will sound hollow when tapped with a knuckle).
4. Remove ciabatta from oven, transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool 90% of the way before giving in to temptation and slicing. DO NOT SKIP THE COOLING STEP. YOUR GLUTEN AND AIR CELLS NEED TO SET. I know it’s hard, but you did not spend hours baking bread to ruin it at the last moment.

Have fun! Let us know how it goes!

Happy Baking,

Mikaela

Happy Friday! With bridal season starting back up, and us working on a few events for this year, sustainable event planning has been on the forefront of our mind lately. Event hosting (especially weddings) can be a big source of waste if we’re not mindful. In many cases, things are purchased, used once, and discarded. Its never sat well with us, and that’s part of the idea behind the kind of events that RavenWerks wants to host. Today we want to share ways to help you plan a more sustainable wedding.

The Green Bride Guide states that the average wedding produces 400 lbs of garbage and 63 tons of CO2. With an estimated 2.5 million weddings per year, that is about 1 billion lbs of trash and as many emissions as approximately 4 people would produce in a year, in just one single day (link).

Consider Reusable Décor

This can mean a lot of things. You could go the route of renting, which means it doesn’t end up in a landfill, and you don’t have to store it afterwards. There are a lot of different services out there that provide linens and specialty dishware as well as other things.

If you have a very niche theme, this can seem more intimidating, but don’t let that deter you. You can do a lot if you’re creative enough. If you’re a Washington local you can also reach out to us, that’s kind of what we do. We love to help create custom events for alternative décor styles and take the stress off of you. You can learn more about that process (here).

Create Legacy Pieces

Another idea in this area is to choose décor that you can reuse in your home later. As an example, I planned on reusing all the frames we made for my wedding to display our wedding photos in our home. It worked out really well, and I now have a really unique collage full of memorabilia. We turned the silk flowers we used for part of our decor into a chandelier in our dining room. My gnomes are now in my garden, and my D&D dice are, well, my D&D dice. A more sustainable wedding doesn’t have to mean that you skip out on creating an intentional experience.

Donating Decor

You can also donate your wedding décor if it’s something that isn’t name specific. Thrift stores are always an option. But a lot of wedding planning companies also take donations to help them build their inventory of what they can offer to others. You just need to find a planner/ rental company that matches your style of décor. If you have décor that matches their style you can support a small business and keep things out of landfills. If you’d like to donate, you can reach out to us at info@ravenwerksguild.com.

Hire Sustainable vendors

Your vendors and the people helping you on wedding day are a huge factor in how much waste is produced. Talk to your vendors as you book about what their practices are like (I know, it’s one more thing to consider, but it’s worth it). Some states and areas even have vendor groups of companies that are vetted. Zola and the Knot have a filter you can use if you are using a service. If you’re a Washingtonian, check out Emerald Hour Wedding Society, they offer amazing information.

In some ways, the easiest thing you can do to plan a more sustainable wedding is hire vendors that have practices in place, as that is where the bulk of wedding waste is.

Let your Bridesmaids/ Groomsmen Thrift their Attire

This can be harder to do for groomsmen depending on your style. However, where possible I highly recommend it. Another back up is to rent it, especially if you’re going more formal. This is one of the simplest things you can do on this list.

The days of mandatory matching dresses are over. Many modern weddings opt to have bridesmaids all wear different dresses in the same color or color palette. With the way the fast fashion industry contributes to ladfills and carbon emissions, I strongly urge brides to let their bridesmaid’s thrift or buy consignment for their gowns. Being a bridesmaid can be expensive and that can be hard for friends; even if your best friend wants to help on your big day. Allowing your friends to thrift their clothing can also make things less stressful for them. It can also make for a fun wedding activity to do together.

This helps merge a more sustainable wedding with a touch of individuality. AND it ensures that each of your bridesmaids will get to wear something that they feel comfortable and good about themselves in. Very few things are worse than being forced into clothing that makes you feel exposed or bad about yourself for hours on end in front of lots of people. Especially when you KNOW pictures are going to be taken that will probably be on someones wall for all time.

Shop Consignment for Your Wedding Gown.

Don’t freak. I know that for some people and cultural groups there are superstitions around this (mine included because I had to have this conversation with my mom). But consider for a moment the environmental fallout from how many wedding dresses are thrown away every year. It’s momunmental the number of dresses that are purchased to be worn once and never put on again. There are also the millions of dresses that never get purchased, and get discarded.

Consignment is not what many people think it is. Many consignment boutiques do carry local consignment (dresses that have been worn by brides and then consigned). These dresses are vetted thoroughly for condition, style, and quality. Additionally, most consignment boutiques mostly carry over stock and discontinued sample dresses. Meaning they are typically only a year old and have never been in an actual wedding, just a show room floor.

This is not only a way for you to help keep something out of a landfill, and support a small business, but also save money planning your wedding. Most consignment bridal shops are selling 20-40% off original retail. You can always tweak your dress in alterations and then you still get the option of keeping your dress after, or consigning it back if you want to recoupe some money.

In Washington, we love Astraea Bridal in Mt Vernon (we’re biased, that’s where I bought my dress and sometimes help out at). Laura, Leslie, and Megan really know what their doing and create an amazing personalized experiences that really make you feel comfortable and safe. We’ve also heard great things about Brides for a Cause in Seattle, if you’re more in that area.

Consider your paper waste

Is all the paper necessary? Do you need a program, and place holders, and a pamphlet about the bridal party? Pare down what isn’t applicable to you. It’s always been weird to us that in a world where we understand that we use far too much paper, we still hold on to certain wasteful practices in the name of tradition. Companies like Zola and the Knot also allow you to have people RSVP online. This not only saves you from having to manually count and keep track of your answers, it also eliminates RSVP cards.

What stationery you do need, go for natural fibers and recyclable material. Or consider compostable materials and seed papers. They are still high quality, and heavier weight papers, but without as negative of an impact to the environment. Planning a sustainable wedding doesn’t have to mean that you use NO paper, just be smart about what you choose.

Transportation and Venue

A seemingly smaller thing to consider is cutting down your guest list if possible. This reduces your costs, but also the per capita waste on every single thing in your wedding. Less food, less party favors, less paper products etc.

Another thing is to have your ceremony and reception in the same place if you’re not getting married in a church or religious building. This cuts down on carbon emissions from having to shuffle everyone around (and saves you from having to organize transportation as an added bonus).

Tackle Your Registry with Intentionality

While some very established couples choose to forgo a registry altogether, being environmentally conscious and choosing to plan a more sustainable wedding, doesn’t mean you have to. There a number of things you can do to make this more eco-forward.

Look into a company like Everlastly. This company offers more traditional wedding registry items for couples that still need the more traditional things. However, they are sustainably made, transparently rated, and vetted through a process designed to promote honesty from vendors. We love them.

You should also consider what you need and what you don’t, and talk to your guests. We know that talking to people about asking for gifts is an uncomfortable topic for a lot of people, we totally get it. But it doesn’t have to be if done with authenticity.

A lot of people will just buy something from the traditional wedding gift list if they aren’t sure what to do. When putting your registry together consider things in your life that you really want or need. Many online registries will allow you to open group gifts so people can contribute to something bigger that you may need instead of a butter dish that you only pull out once when they’re over.

Consider what your goals are as a couple.

If you both decide you don’t really need anything, be transparent with your guests about that. “We don’t really need more stuff, your presence is all we need. However if you really want to contribute to the start of our next step ________blank is really important to us and we’re saving for __________.” Maybe you’re both working to pay off student loans, or purchase a home. Maybe you haven’t taken a trip in forever and you’d really love to take a special trip. Letting guests that want to give you something for your wedding, contribute to something bigger that is important to the two of you is a perfectly acceptable thing to do.

Consider your Flowers

There are two different approaches to this. One is to go the Wooden flowers route then you have a unique way to keep and preserve your flowers. If you’re like me and still just want the simplicity of natural flowers, the other option is to make sure that you are picking local, in season florals. This is better for the natural grow cycle, supports local business, and cuts down on CO2 emissions as the travel for transport of imported flowers is eliminated. This in part comes back to your vendors. Have a conversation with your florist about where they get their product from and who their suppliers are.

If you go the second route, then they are either compostable, organic material, which goes right back to mother earth or you can have them dried or preserved if you’re more of a memorabilia person.

Dinner Ware

Depending on your style, this might have a bit of overlap with “vendors”, however, it bears mentioning.

If you are having a more formal get together, consider renting dishes or see if your venue will provide them. We’ve seen a few people do the thrifted unique dishes as well which is really quirky depending on your theme, and what your plan for them afterwards is.

If you’re having an outside wedding, or something a bit more laid back (but still nice and put together), opt for compostable dishes over regular disposable paper or plastic. Many paper plates aren’t compostable or recyclable because of the coating on them. Plastic ware finds itself in the same boat. Compostables have come a long way and there are a number of different styles and types available that range from uber casual to natural or more polished looking. You can even buy them on amazon if you aren’t sure where to start.

Consider your Wedding Favors

Many couples are choosing to forgo this part of a wedding altogether, and we’re totally here for simplifying and minimizing the consumer behemoth that has become commercialized weddings.

However, my inner Hobbit’s need for elevated hospitality completely understands the decision to cut a different part of the wedding in favor thanking my guests. At the same time, it’s silly to waste your money on something that honestly nobody needs, will cost you money, and end up in a landfill (we’re talking to you overpriced bride and groom wineglass. We don’t really need dinnerware with someone else’s name on it).

There are some really unique and environmentally friendly ways to express gratitude to your guests for coming. Put your heads together for something inexpensive that is reflective of you, and the authenticity will make it mean more to your guests as well. If it’s handmade or edible- even better.

A Few Favorites We’ve Seen

• Miniature loose leaf local teas with honey sticks
• Reuseable aromatherapy heat packs
• Little wooden Ornaments
• Custom Cookies
• Hand rolled candles.
• A print of the bride and grooms favorite picture with each of the guests (these we’re printed at Walgreens with a little note. We’ve also seen a variation of this done as a cool thank you note- the bride and groom’s favorite picture from their wedding with each guest for their thank you cards).
• Chocolate truffles
• Homemade preserves
• Tiny soaps
• Little succulents
• Sample jars of honey
• Sample bags of coffee
• Homemade bird seed ornaments
• Little air plants
• Pet rocks (this sounds bizarre but it was weirdly adorable and people were tickled)
• Evergreen seedlings

Rethink Your Send Off

If you’re doing a formal send off or goodbye, there are a couple versions we wish people would skip for various reasons. Please don’t use rice. Despite being biodegradable, birds eat it and it’s really terrible for them, it can even kill them. Skip the glitter and plastic confetti. Quite frankly, glitter is an abomination and people shouldn’t use it for anything. A quick google search will reveal the tip of the iceberg where the hazards of microplastics are concerned, but the far reaching consequences of them goes even deeper.

Try opting instead for dried flowers like lavender, or jasmine. Paper confetti is also an option if you get a compostable or non-acidic type. We’ve seen bird seed used and we also knew a couple that had a wedding in the fall and hole punched dried leaves for confetti, which was really unique.

In Our Opinion

Weddings should be intentional, personal, and unique. While yes, you are hosting an event you are also celebrating a major life-decision, step, and life long commitment. You are celebrating your relationship with your best friend and partner. There are so many possibilities and ways to make things unique even on a budget. As passionate about that as we are, we truly don’t believe that doing that requires us to sacrifice on our ethics, or the environment.

These are our favorite ways to incorporate sustainability into planning a beautiful wedding (that will hopefully take some of the strain off your pocketbook as well). This list is by no means comprehensive, and we’d love to hear your ideas as well. You never know who else you could help (and of course the planet). We’re constantly striving to improve our services and the way we do business. Collaboration and education is a big part of that.  Let us know if there is something else people can do to lessen the environmental impact that hosting a wedding can have.

All the best, Always,

Mikaela

Good evening stargazers! Today our Astrology 101 series continues with talking about the elements, qualities, and polarities of the zodiacs and houses.

I keep saying that there is more I want to talk about before getting into the zodiacs themselves. This is for a couple of reasons.

1. I feel like there is a LOT of information on the 12 zodiacs and interpretations but less so on the rest of the chart.
2. If you understand the HOW of getting your zodiac and what it means in relation to everything else on your natal chart (for more information on what a natal chart is click HERE), the zodiac will have more meaning to you.

That being said, I believe this will be the last Astrology 101 post before I start doing deep dives into each of the zodiac. In the meantime, this will help give you a general vibe for each sign without memorizing a ton of details.

ELEMENTS

Depending on the context, there are a set number of elements. If we are talking chemistry, we have 118 elements on the periodic chart. If we talk fantasy… it just depends on the story. For astrology, we use the 4 classic elements of water, earth, fire, and air. (“…but that all changed when the fire nation attacked”) There are 3 signs per element and each elemental group is called a triplicity.

Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces

Water signs are emotional and can be very sensitive and/or mysterious. Very intuitive; the friends you say or psychic and quick to pick up on vibes. They tend to take in others’ energy. This manifests in different ways. Cancer uses this to be a very nurturing sign. Scorpio has its ability to see through to the truth and not be swayed by the surface level BS. Pisces is like a chameleon, absorbing others’ energy like a sponge.

Positive keywords: deeply emotional, sympathetic, empathetic, nurturing, calm and peaceful, sensitive, compassionate, imaginative, intuitive, psychically aware, refreshing, charming, mysterious, private.

Negative keywords: emotionally insecure and unstable, shy, timid, lacking in confidence, oversensitive, easily influenced and manipulated, withdrawn, uncommunicative, vindictive, and vengeful, takes everything personally, moody and depressed.

Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

A good way to describe the earth signs is solid, grounded, or steady. They want security. Because they tend to be practical and realistic, they often need to be very sure that their choices are correct, so they sometimes get type cast as slow or stubborn, but it is just caution. With Taurus in particular, this looks like stubbornness. Virgo is an analyzer. Capricorn is all about having an organized plan and sticking to it.

Positive keywords: practical, efficient, organized, realistic, patient, self-disciplined, hard-working, productive, enduring, persistent, dependable, grounded, reliable, loyal, stable, good common-sense.

Negative keywords: slow, stodgy, lacking in vision, unimaginative, petty, excessively conventional, narrow-minded, stubborn, resistant to change, hoarding, ultra conservative.

Signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Just like flames, these signs can be impulsive, passionate, and sometimes temperamental. They are zesty and fast to act. They are movers and shakers. The risk takers. Think big energy, big aspirations, and even bigger personalities. They can consume those around them but also bring a warm light with them. The fire element gives Aries their energy, Leo their need to lead, and Sagittarius their adventurous soul.  

Positive keywords: extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, inspirational, visionary, high-spirited, simple, direct, physically active, dramatic, courageous, warm, strong emotions, passionate, achiever, interesting.

Negative keywords: overly active to the point of burnout, restless, impatient, selfish, insensitive, willful, hasty, lacking in perspective, thoughtless, impulsive, reckless, extravagant, wild, temperamental.

Signs: Aquarius, Gemini, Libra

Air is a very mental element. They are all about communication, spreading ideas, conceptualizing, and learning. They are thinkers but that can mean they get stuck in their heads. Gemini are very intelligent and curious, but it pulls them in too many ways. Libra is all about intellectual partnerships. Aquarius are the communicators, making them popular and a great champion for causes.

Positive keywords: articulate, objective, mentally clear, detached, capable of forethought, understanding, socially adept and adaptable, cooperative, fun, creative, idealistic, adventurous, relational.

Negative keywords: unemotional, lacking in sympathy, impractical, disassociated from the body and the physical world, over-adaptive, abstracted, glib and facile, airheaded, hyperactive.

QUALITIES

There are 3 qualities with each quality being associated with 4 zodiacs (1 of each element) and being referred to as… you guessed it. Quadruplicities. You will also see these qualities referred to as modes or modalities. These qualities are how each zodiac expresses their element, so it is their “mode” of expression. The 3 qualities are: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable.

CARDINAL

Signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn

Cardinal signs are initiators. They tend to be assertive and natural leaders. The reason it always seems like there is something happening around them is because they are always starting something. They respond well to new ideas and flourish in a crisis. You may also note that these zodiacs are in the first month of every season.

FIXED

Signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius

These signs are the stable, self-contained, sustainers. This stability can seem passive or stubborn but this resistance to change can also be their strength. Their resistance often leads to lateness for different reasons, but they will get where they need to be eventually. These signs are the middle month of each season.

MUTABLE

Signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces

Mutable signs are the most easily influenced by their environment. They are considered unstable, but this helps facilitate their role of loosening structures to make it easier to transition from the old to something new. These signs tend to be flexible to the extreme, but that lack of stability can also stress. These signs are found in the last month of a season.

POLARITIES

The last set of categories that zodiacs can be sorted into is the polarities. These can be referred to as male/female, positive/negative, active/receptive, or yin/yang.

The 6 fire and air signs are masculine/yang/assertive/positive. These can generally be described as direct, outgoing, extroverted, giving, and active.

The 6 earth and water signs are feminine/ yin/ receptive/negative. These can be described as indirect, passive/reactive, introverted, withdrawn, and receiving.

Is it all starting to come together yet? If you go through and start finding your zodiac’s element, quality, and polarity, does it start to sound like what you have read in generic zodiac descriptions or better yet… like you?

Looking back at your chart, you may start to notice patterns. Where do the planets sit on your chart. Are they mostly in a certain element or modality? If you have most of your planets in a certain element or modality, you may see certain parts of their personality much stronger or if they are all spread out, you may have a more balanced personality.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to visit RavenWerks and I look forward to doing deep dives into individual zodiacs next!

Until next time,

Taylor

CHECK OUT THE FULL ASTROLOGY 101 SERIES:

• What is Astrology? Where Does One Start?
• Astrology Symbol Reference Page
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Huzzah Adventurers! Always lovely to have you in our Guild. Oh…. You have more questions after Mikaela’s post on creating unique and playable D&D characters? Well then, are you in for a treat today?! That is rhetorical since I already know that you are, in fact, in for a treat.

You have painstakingly created your character and backstory, are ready to play your first session, and BAM! You realize you aren’t sure if you can properly bring your character to life! What if they fall flat (like a 2D piece of paper- bum-dum-tss!)?! What if they are just a statistic (or at least a page of them)?! NEVER FEAR!!! Elder Taylor is here! Never call me that though… it’s rude to point out a woman’s age.

Let us talk about how to bring your character to life through roleplay. It’s in the name of the game. Literally. TTRPG is an acronym for Tabletop Roleplay Game. You can choose how roleplay heavy you want your sessions to be but A TTRPG without ANY roleplaying is basically a boardgame. Still fun, but not a TTRPG. And you can choose whether to just talk through what your character is doing OR you can really get the full TTRPG experience and ROLEPLAY what they are doing.

Notice I didn’t say D&D? That is because D&D is just one TTRPG. There are MANY TTRPG’s such as Lancer, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, and homebrews. I firmly believe you can use any of the tips or ideas below to help you in any TTRPG.

Are you sick of me saying TTRPG yet? TTRPG. TTRPG. TTRPG.

For the sake of ease and because it is a very popular TTRPG, I will just reference DnD from here on. That being said, I am most familiar with DnD and homebrew campaigns so most of my examples are from those games BUT like I said before, applicable to any….

TTRPG. Just kidding! I promised I would stop saying that.

All kidding aside, there are 4 things that I personally find help me more effectively roleplay during a session and I am here to pass those on. You don’t have to do everything on this list (though I do recommend it if you want to elevate your game). You can do as little or as much of it as you want or even take it further. If you do something different, please share in the comments as we would love to expand on our list, and I love trying new things.

(1) Decide How to Make Decisions

Mikaela touched on this a bit when she talked about creating your character. Maybe it wasn’t worded the same but there is going to be a lot of overlap here. This first area to focus on is really about knowing your backstory and then taking that a step further. When different situations arise, you want to react to them not how you would, but instead as your character. Sometimes this means not playing in the most beneficial or strategic way and it can be tough to take meta (real life) you out of a decision. So, here are a couple of things I do to help me decide on my actions and what I will or won’t say in character.

How Does Your Origin Affect Your Personality/ Knowledge/ Reactions?  

Think about your character’s backstory. This may seem a bit obvious, but I want to dig a little deeper on this one. I get that you came from place X and were a poor thief with a drunk for a mom or that maybe you were the daughter of a noble who wanted freedom and to prove you were meant for more than an arranged marriage. But how does that actually affect how you act? Are you more likely to be comfortable with seedy taverns or are you going to maybe be scandalized because you were very sheltered? Do you tend to be good at negotiation because of your cunning and practice or maybe more frugal because you know what it is like to have nothing? Maybe because you came from a lot of money you are good with it as you were home tutored in economics OR maybe you are ‘out of touch’ with no street smarts because everything was provided, so you are easily scammed. Think about your characters day to day and what their family is/was like. How would that affect them today?

How Do NPCs View Your Character… From Your Characters Perspective?

This may sound weird but stick with me. How you act is often a reflection of how others treat us. This seems like a no brainer. But equally, how you act is, in some part, affected by how you believe others perceive you… whether or not it is accurate. I have met MANY people who act with a confidence that I applauded only because I respected how deluded they were. On the other end of the spectrum, I know a number of people that overthink every interaction they have because they think that they speak too much and annoy others OR they think that others judge their appearance, so they dress in a certain way to hide a perceived flaw. … even if that is untrue. In both situations, the people are reacting to how they THINK others view them, whether or not it is substantiated. How does your character think others see them? Additionally, you can play with a character that tries to put on a certain persona to control how others see them.  For example, I played a rogue for a couple years that was quite intelligent and thought things out but as a coping mechanism and to stay safe she acted like she had one foot in the looney bin on purpose. Everyone thought she acted erratically and didn’t take her seriously except those who stuck around long enough to see her occasional character slip into her true self.

How Does Your Character View/ Treat Others?

How does your character treat people of different castes? Are they social standing snobs? How about other races? They could be racist or maybe they have just never met another race, or they obsessively fangirl over another race. Think about how quickly they trust another. Maybe they are slow to trust others or maybe just distrustful of a certain sex. Think about whether they are outgoing or shy. Are there certain professions they see as below them?

What is Your Alignment?

This is another staple of what to consider when roleplaying. I will not go into too much depth here as Mikaela was pretty detailed in her last DnD article. Check it out HERE if you want a breakdown of what your options are and what they really mean with examples of pop culture characters.

What is Your Race?

Next, I like to consider my race and how that would affect how I play my character. How do they fit into the world in both a physical and social sense. Let’s look at a couple races for examples. Tieflings physically have dark vision, horns that hypothetically could be used creatively, etc and those could be factors that affect how you roleplay a situation. Socially, depending on the world setting you are playing, they often are discriminated against. In a different situation, as a dwarf, physically you may have to roleplay situations to cater to your height (or lack thereof) and socially maybe you have a dislike of dragons and elves that colors your interactions with them. I play a 1-foot-tall stoat (think tiny, angry, adorable weasel) in a campaign currently and it has led to some very interesting roleplay… like how to open a normal sized door and how I talk to others and get super pissed off when someone calls me small or cute or, heaven forbid… the party’s pet!

What Are Your Motivations & Goals?

In Mikaela’s last article she talks about the fact that these should also be considered during character creation. She also references a book, “The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide”, as having some great insight into what inspires your character. I would have to agree that this book is a fantastic tool for not only creating your character but determining how you will play it going forward. On page 45 there are some prompts that help you think about how your end goal or motivation can drive decisions. For example (not in the book), imagine you are a hostage. The bad guy offers you freedom from your restraints and power in exchange for your obedience and maybe a few choice pieces on information on your party from time to time. If power was your kink and all you cared about was getting stronger regardless of who you hurt on the way, you might take the deal. You could want this power for your own nefarious plans or for revenge on another evil.  On the other hand, you would probably refuse if you were more focused on true freedom and making your own decisions or if loyalty was one of your biggest motivators.  

What Are Your Weaknesses & Flaws?

Picking out some weaknesses and flaws for your character gives them more depth. Playing with them causes some of the most memorable moments. I love when something is triggered, I have to turn to my fellow players and say, “sorry in advance”, and I HAVE to act on a weakness or a flaw to stay in character. With one of my characters who has kleptomania (mostly drawn to shiny things) and a penchant for adopting animals in ally’s (rats, racoons, scavengers, etc)… it has led to a mule by the name of Barnabus living in our apartment, the start of a fantasy plant based drug ring, the springing of traps, goofy chase scenes and even (unpredictably) heart felt moments just to name a few. My stoat character with the issue of being called a pet? She is a doctor and was trying to be covert and sneak in somewhere by pretending to be a pet… and subsequently could not hold back her anger when it was successful so she went rogue, basically had a Godzilla level tantrum, burned down/exploded like 10 buildings, killed at least 10 people (final number of casualties never confirmed) in a couple minutes, scared both sides in a war and accidentally still completed the objective before running back into her party who has no idea why the locals look a bit scared of their adorable doctor.

Do A Personality Test as Your Character.

Here is where we get more into the presession prep. There are SOOOOO many free personality tests out there. I like to take a couple but answer everything as my character. I figure out what Hogwarts house they are, their aesthetic, what color suits them best, their IQ, zodiac…. Heck, what character from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. they are! Literally any tests at all. The point is that it not only gets you into the headspace of answering questions as them, but it also helps you narrow down their vibe to something more relatable. I always do Hogwarts houses because I am a huge fan, and it really talks to me about my character. But maybe you are a huge gear head and characterizing your character by the type of car they would be is more your speed.

Let the Dice Decide

Say you have gone through this whole list already, but a situation comes up that you are still torn on how to roleplay. Let the dice decide! If you have a couple options that you feel your character could believably choose, assign meanings to a dice at random. If it is between just 2 options, role a d6 and say that getting 1-3 means you will choose option A while 3-6 means option B. I also find that because I am chaotic neutral most often, I can throw some random options in there and see where the dice gods take me. Plus… as I have said in the past, I love a good reaction. When my teammates see me randomly role, I can visibly see them shore up their imagination because they know chaos is about to ensue.

Make up your own rules for interactions (don’t tell people what they are)

What I have really enjoyed doing in previous campaigns is making up social rules for myself. I never tell others what they are off the bat, and I wait to see how long they figure them out. Sometimes it is a rule like, if offered free food, my character immediately bonds to that “person” or that they will have a compulsion to lie about why they were in prison before. Those could be explained by the previous exercises. But here is an idea I am currently using in a campaign… you do not always bond with people in your party at the same rate or in the same way in real life. So, I have been arbitrarily giving or taking away points for each character every time we have an interaction. Some things (like giving me my favorite foods) have a set point amount. Some actions depend on the player and how meaningful it is given their current point or maybe my mood. Players with higher points I treat differently as we are closer and at a certain point, I start sneaking things into their packs. First, a way to track me when I disappear and then later, bits and baubles. The other players have figured out they have points assigned to them and know what they do to some extent (it has been over a year), but not the point system.

(2) Decide On Voices

So now we have talked about how we would act and what we would say. But how would you say it? This is something I have talked about recently in a video because I wish it was something I had played with more in previous campaigns and am looking forward to practicing more in my upcoming games. Having a different way of talking for your characters will help you separate them from yourself; both for yourself and for those interacting with you. Think about jokingly pretending to be someone you know or a different social group. Really quick, try this exercise. In your head, imagine you pretending to say these things as the different characters. You can totally do this out loud as well.

1. You are a Southern Belle and say, “bless your heart, darlin.”
2. You are a flamboyant fem boy and say “SLAY!”
3. You are in Braveheart giving his famous speech to hype up his warriors.
4. You are in 300 doing the iconic “FOR SPARTA!!!”
5. You are the Terminator and say “I’ll be back.”

Did you just say them straight faced, no accent, no inflection… or did you automatically put yourself into those roles? Was there extra sass in your slay and a questionable accent while you pictured yourself with blue face paint? If you just said bless your heart without any inflection, you wouldn’t get the context and the character behind it. You lose part of the impact.

I am here to say… do not be afraid to play with a different way to speak.

Equally, do not think that you need to be an amazing impersonator or always talk in an accent. In fact, I am horrible at accents, and they are not my preferred way to do voices. Yes, they can be iconic and an easily recognizable character builder BUT there are many more things you can play with in your voices that are a little less intimidating. These are some possibilities:

• An Accent: The obvious one but in my opinion, also the hardest for me to keep up.
• Pitch: You can pitch your voice higher or lower to denote age or gender. Think guys trying to do a female impression or vice versa.  
• Volume: Is your character shy or boisterous? Play with talking quietly all the time vs very loud.
• Emphasis: Changing how emphatically you speak or what words you emphasis completely changes your vibe.
• Syntax: Different people have different vocabularies due to their origins, nationality, education level etc.
• Sounds: Can you think of any characters that have a verbal tic they always use? It can just be a sound… maybe your character always smacks their lips or sniffs at the end of a sentence. Or you can take it a step further and it can be a word interjected randomly. Anyone watch Anime? Great examples are Naruto, towards the beginning always saying Da ttebayo! Or what about a rabbit character always saying pyon at the end of sentences? It is literally the sound for hop so if you take it literally, it is superfluous, but it adds flavor. Or Nyan for cats? You get the point.

I shared 2 videos when I talked about creating NPC’s in my article about DnD world building. I would also like to recommend you look at these to help with your character since it is still applicable. They are not super long, but they ARE very detailed and give a TON or ideas and a more inclusive list than I do.

• How To Create 100 Distinctly Different Voices by “Improve Your Voice”
• Laban’s Eight Efforts demonstration by “David Bareford”

(3) Practice Some Prompts

Like any other skill or hobby, roleplay takes practice. In my opinion, this is more about knowing the character without thinking and also being comfortable in your own performance. Get out of your own way! People are afraid of not doing well so they do not fully commit. What I recommend is that you practice on your own, so you feel more comfortable being your character in front of others. It will help you practice scenarios and your voice, mannerisms, etc. Here are a couple of ideas.

The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide

Check out the book that Mikaela and I keep talking about. The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide has a tone of prompts and scenarios and then guides you on how to address them and asks questions about the who, what, when, where, and WHY. It really makes you think outside the surface level and I will never stop recommending it.

Look At One Shots and Run Through Them in Your Theatre of The Mind

Similar to looking at the book, I will also look through free online one shot and as I read through the different scenarios, I picture in my mind how my character would respond.

Talk Out Loud About Your Back Story or Through a Situation as Them

Does anyone else give mini lectures, or rants, or have hypothetical arguments with their boss in the vehicle on the way home to absolutely no one? This can’t just be a Lasley thing. When you are by yourself in the vehicle, on a walk, cleaning, etc., try to talk like they would in a conversation. Explain your backstory in your voice. Or pretend you are in a tavern, who do you approach or what argument would you have? OR on your drive home, still rant about your boss but do it from your character’s perspective in their voice.

(4) Cosplay and Props

This is an extra and I feel like it is often overlooked. I talk about it a bit in our first DnD video as well. I love an excuse to dress up anyway but in the context of roleplaying your character, I feel like this does SO MUCH!!!! It helps set the ambience for yourself, your fellow characters, AND your DM. It is so much more fun interacting this way and even makes me feel less goofy about acting. It is also a great reminder in my case of the scale of things. Some of my props seem oversized because I tried to make them so they would be proportioned correctly compared to my 1 ft tall character. If I know I will need something in a future session, I will also make things like notes because it is such a fun touch to actually whip one out to pass to another player. I find that some of them (like the vivre tracking card in our One Piece campaign), other characters will hold onto and bring up later in our campaign and it helps ALL of us immerse ourselves deeper into the actual world.

So, What Now?

At the end of the day, I can give you lots of tips and tricks, but you just need to go out and do the dang thing! Roleplay is a learned skill, and nothing will help you believably play your character more than just learning as you go. And remember, you do not have to do all of these things at once. Start picking one or 2 things to integrate into your own games and see what works for you.

As always, we love hearing from the community. Leave us a message below. We want to hear about your experiences and if you have any other methods that work for you!

Until next session,

Taylor

As we hit the middle of February, some of us green thumbs (and aspiring green pinkies!) start looking forward to warmer greener months and what we might like to grow. Maybe we are looking for a visual feast and are picking out our flower varieties. Some of us are looking for a more traditional feast of some home-grown veg. I personally like growing a combination of the two… which is part of what we will be talking about today.

I know I have mentioned companion planting in the past (most recently in our last sustainability article that you can find HERE) and I am pretty sure that Mikaela has brought it up a couple of times as well. Obviously, it is on our minds a LOT and for good reason. There are a lot of other innovative and fantastic methods for growing amazing gardens and crops that I want to talk about soon. Just like I love mixing and matching what we grow, I love mixing and matching and even hybridizing different techniques to match the situation and need. For now, though… let’s focus on just one thing.

Strap in because this may become one of my longest articles (I love planning gardens, food forests etc!). So, let’s look at what it is, some of the pros and cons (both scientific and ethical), some mistakes to avoid, and some good and bad companions.

A Quick-ish Definition

Companion Planting: Noun: The close planting of different plants that enhance each other’s growth or protect each other from pests.

– Oxford Dictionary

So, I could just leave you with the Oxford definition but the reason this is a “Quick-ish” definition is that I wish to add a bit more before we move on. I won’t go into what it can do since that will be covered in our pros, but I do want to clarify this definition more. Companion plant is a form of polyculture (versus monoculture crops where there are fields of just one crop). I also want to point out that companion planting should be for a MUTUAL benefit of both plants or COMMENSAL (beneficial for one and neutral to the other) … otherwise you are just looking at a parasite and a host which doesn’t even sound nice in this context.

Pros: Why We LOVE Companion Planting

I am going to TRY (key word- try) to keep my bullet points brief because this could easily become a novel (actually there ARE books on it). I will try to do this in the other sections as well. Also, I am really going to try sticking with more commonly held beliefs and facts that I can back with science. I will get more into my preferences and my own planning in a future post.

Increased Yields

I am putting this first as it is the biggest recurring benefit in every book, blog, and article I have seen thus far on the subject. The HOW of this varies by the combinations and honestly this is a product of a combination of most of the other points on this list.

Maximizing Space

One of the more obvious ways this maximizes space is that planting different species in the same area means you have to spread out less. Another thing to consider though is that we live in a world that is not flat. I am not going to get into the whole flat world debate right now. What I mean by this is that there is a Y axis peeps! Or for the less mathematically inclined…. There is an up and down, multiple layers, you can build up, OR further under the ground etc. Trellises aren’t a new concept, but you can really expand on this concept in other ways.

Soil Health

Plants have evolved their root systems in different ways; shapes, secretions, and uses vary widely and affect the soil differently. The concept of crop rotation (also a technique I endorse) is partially built around this knowledge. Companion plant allows you to take advantage of this on a micro scale. For example, planting legumes like beans, peas, or clover will help nitrogen to the soil and are an attractive option to plant with Nitrogen greedy plants. Root veggies like carrots or radishes displace soil as they grow and will help prevent it from getting compacted.

Repelling/Attracting Pests

I realize that putting repelling AND attracting pests seems counter intuitive so please hear me out. Certain plants release chemicals and oils that are unattractive to pests. It doesn’t poison them or block them… it just makes the habitat less attractive. An example would be Marigolds (especially French marigold, Tagetes patula– Bonus points that this is an edible variety) releasing Alpha-terthienyl from their roots that helps inhibit the development of some nematode eggs such as the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.). Additionally, a lot of aromatic herbs contain compounds such as estragole, linalool, eugenol, etc. which is unappealing to taste/smell for many (not all) pests. Just remember that some of those plants need to be around for at least a year to see the results (like the Marigolds). On the flip side, knowing how to use your pest attractants is also useful! For example, I sometimes see Nasturtiums (pretty and edible) listed for managing pests is companion planting. They help but not how some beginners think and can be a negative if used incorrectly. Aphids LOOOOVE them. They are what we call a trap crop/plant and are used as a more attractive host plant, so the Aphids are less likely to bother your more valuable crops.

Attract Beneficial Predators

Not all insects are bad. Ladybugs, Lacewings, Preying Mantids, Hover Flies, Predatory Beetles, Syrphid Flies. The list of good ones is looooong and if you are gardening you are going to have to come to grips with the fact that THERE WILL BE BUGS. So why not try to make a good home for the ones you want? Some plants to attract the good guys are Dill, Anise Hyssop, Blooming Cilantro, Mint, Chamomile, and Bee Balm are known for other reasons (edible, pollinator attractant, etc.) but they are also catnip to a lot of insect predators because of leaf cover, fragrant blossoms, and sometimes even the nectar in a few omnivorous cases. The point is though that many of these predators will help control your pest population. Aphids, Mites, Thrips, Squash Bugs, Cucumber Beetles, Tomato Horn Worms, and Cut Worms better watch their… back? Thorax? Segment?

Attract Pollinators

The last bullet point transitions nicely into POLLINATORS! This is a really hot topic for a lot of people with the whole save the bee movement. Planting attractive plants for a variety of pollinators as companions will help maximize your yield. We do want to attract bees to help propagate our plants but let me throw this thought at you…. We aren’t necessarily primarily looking for that classic black and yellow bee the newbs are thinking of.  Expand your consideration to more native bee species, aculeate wasps, some fly species, ants, butterflies, moths, beetles, bats, and even some birds (hummingbirds duh). Depending on where you live, this list may vary a bit and definitely depending on the plant, some of these pollinators are more relevant.

Repelling Weeds

I will be transparent on this one that I know less science on this point. I do see it is a pro for companion planting if accurate and if this is proven incorrect, I am not losing anything by planting more plants. What I have read is that some plants release chemicals from their roots that can be toxic to weeds. I was having trouble finding the real science to back many of these claims. The most substantiated claim I found was that of Sunflowers since they can release Heliotropin, sesquiterpene lactones, and phenolic acids… the problem is that they can also be harmful to some plants you want as well (the exception being the three sister’s combo we will talk about later). A more useful application, in my opinion, if used correctly is that of ground cover companions in between crops, that block out and outcompete their weed companions.

Provide Shade

Companion planting with taller, more sun hardy plants can offer needed shade in areas where it is lacking. I am from Arizona and often ran into issues with TOO MUCH SUN! It can be just as damaging as not enough.

Living Trellis’

I mentioned before when talking about maximized space, that this style of planting allows you to also maximize your vertical space. This is a bit more specific though. Some plants grow strong upright and others need something to use as a trellis. You can just buy one at the Home Depot or the Tractor Depot… OR you can companion plant. For example, Corn and pole beans work as a fantastic team with the pole beans growing up the stalk of the corn.

Aesthetic

A pro of this type of planting can honestly also just be aesthetic since it often means staggered flowers and fruits for an extended period, so I feel you get a longer period of enjoyment out of your garden.

Saving Time

Don’t you think having less pests and weeds to deal with would save you time?

Polyculture:

This is something we have spoken about in a couple different articles and contexts. We are big on polyculture instead of monoculture farming on an industry level. So why wouldn’t we count this as a pro and support it on a smaller, more local level. You can even take this a step further and turn it all into a food forest (I swear I will be talking about all these other techniques and garden layout styles SOON).

Increased Biodiversity

Companion planting allows you to have more plant biodiversity which will, by extension, attract and support more wildlife biodiversity.

Cons: Things to Consider

I struggled a bit on listing true negatives to companion planting. I can’t find anything particularly damaging or harmful about it (if done correctly) over any other garden planning style. Instead, my list was more like things to consider before jumping in with both feet. Cautionary words maybe?

You may also notice the list is a lot smaller. I have been openly biased more heavily on the PRO side of companion planting, so I decided to play devils advocate and try digging into this a bit more actively. It was still a struggle still struggled. I few other blogs touched on things briefly and will mostly likely have a similar list. There wasn’t much in the way of conclusive studies though (which I will get to) no matter what university or professional journal I turned to. That said, let’s look at what I was able to come up with.

Takes Time to Plan

I actually enjoy this and can sit around for hours planning for hypothetical gardens I may never see. For some though, this may be a drawback. It takes research, planning, knowing your environment/soil/climate, and a clear idea of what your final goal is.

Not All of It Is Supported Scientifically

As I mentioned above… there are not many studies to back a lot of companion planting info out there up. I tried to (and will continue to) use examples that have some more backing. I have a science background, so it makes sense to vet info and if you are telling me to do something, I want to know the how and why. A lack of scientific study doesn’t mean it is all hogwash though. Many of the claims of why certain plants go together have been passed down through the years for a reason. But also because of that you have to consider how the info may have been warped through the years or how it may have varied results in different gardens or climates… which leads into my next point.

Environmental Variables

Temperature, soil moisture, soil pH, sunlight, and nutrient availability all affect plant growth, are variable for each plant, and are constantly changing. Some species are not adapted to live in the same places which might limit things depending on where you are. Also, those variables may hinder some plants, effectiveness.

Not A Cure All

Remember when I mentioned French Marigolds ability to help control root-knot nematodes? Notice I said, “help to control” not “cause root-knot nematode genocide”? That is because companion planting is not going to cause you to have no weeds, no pests and auto-unlock the ability to grow squash the size of your cocker spaniel with no blemishes. It is a tool to help in the garden, not the magic eraser of gardening world chaos.

Not All Plants Are Compatible (ie sunflowers)

This is on here because something to consider is that while companion planting can be a positive, if the incorrect plants are together, you may notice one or more of them suffering.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

PROS. Check. CONS. Check? If you are still reading, I am going to assume you are still interested in companion planting. Further down, I will go over some good and bad companions but first, let’s look at some common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Using Trap Plants Incorrectly

Trap plants attract pests to hopefully keep them off other, more prized crops but they can be more detrimental than helpful if not used correctly. I am going to use Nasturtiums as an example since I mentioned them earlier. They attract aphids. But aphids can take over easily and quickly if left unchecked and the population will outgrow your plant and easily spread to others in the area, negating the good intent of companion planting or even making it worse than it would have been. You still need to kill the aphids. You plant your trap plant and when the pests are drawn to it, you treat the concentrated group of pests however you prefer.

Allelopathic Plant Combos

Some plants are what we call allelopathic, meaning they inhibit the growth of another plant or organism due to a chemical release into its surrounding environment. It usually hinders growth or germination. Some of these only affect certain plants or affect most plants and have just a few exceptions.

• Highly allelopathic plants include perennials like black walnut, rhododendron, sumac, and elderberry.
• More mild ones can be found in garden vegetables like mustards, fennel, sunflowers, and buckwheat.

Clumping Crop Families

Try to avoid large clumps of similar plants in the same family. They tend to attract the same pests and it will just compound the issue. The onion family tends to be an exception since they mostly repel pests but some families to think about breaking up are:

• Brassicas: kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mustards, radish
• Solanaceae: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes
• Cucurbitaceae: cucumbers, melons, zucchini, summer squash, winter squash
• Amaranthaceae/ Chenopodiaceae: chard, beets, spinach, quinoa

Planting Too Close

Think about not only how big your plant starts but how big it will become. If you plant too close, more aggressive growers or larger plants can choke out crops.

Conflicting Maintenance Needs

So, it seems obvious that conflicting needs lead to… conflicts. Duh. But consider the following.

• Water Needs: Some plants need more or less water or drainage. Take this into consideration when picking neighbors. Additionally, remember that plants with deep root systems will “steal” water from veggies and plants with shallower roots like carrots or tomatoes. This can be mitigated to some extent by keeping soil consistently moist, using mulches, and utilizing soaker hoses and/or drip irrigation.
• Soil Needs: This is where it is good to know what type of soil you have and what your plants prefer. Without completely replacing soil, it is difficult to make huge changes to it and even harder to have a huge difference between multiple chunks in close proximity. Plants will be unhappy in the wrong soil textures or pH so do some research before hand to help you decide what to grow.
• Nutrient Competition: some plants need a LOT of nutrients in the soil for growth and then to fruit. Avoid neighbors that are less aggressive like herbs or spinach. You can consider ones that need little nutrients and/or put some back into the soil, like legumes. Additionally, don’t be afraid to add nutrients to the soil if you have poor soil. Composting or slow-release fertilizers are always an option.
• Planting Style: One article I read on “Epic Gardening” had a fantastic example of what to avoid. “[…] Potatoes need to be hilled to keep their tubers underground. If they were planted next to broccoli, cucumbers, or strawberries, those crops could end up buried or suffering from stem rots due to excess soil mounded up at their base. It would also be logistically difficult to get your shovel or hoe into the space to mound up the soil around the potato plants.”

Overshading Companions

While some plant combos benefit from the taller one giving the shorter one partial shade (i.e. Tomatoes and Lettuce), you need to be cognizant of the fact that there is such a thing as too much cover. Plants need to photosynthesize which means that they need light. If you let your smaller plants, be completely overshadowed, they will suffer. You can help avoid this by trellising anything that vines and paying attention to when and where the sun hits your garden to better plan where to put your more (or less) sun greedy residents.

Incorrect Timing

Think about how fast things grow. For example, if you want a plant to be on a live trellis like corn, the corn needs to be established a couple of weeks before you maybe transplant instead of location seed your cucumbers. And some plants aren’t useful at attracting pollinators until they are flowering which takes time.

Wasted Space

This is me talking about trellises again. But honestly! One of the biggest benefits of companion planting is maximizing space so why wouldn’t you trellis if you can? On a slightly different note, this is also about timing because you can think about the fact that while some plants are smaller (before they grow up), there is a lot of unused space in between that you can grow quick crop in and harvest it before it is an issue. For example, while tomatoes are young, you can grow radishes or lettuce and harvest them before the tomatoes start blocking the sun.

Aggressive Growers

Some plants grow VERY fast and will take over. Mint, Clover, Rosemary, Bambee, Thyme, Bee Balm, Blackberries, and Morning Glories, Asparagus and Rhubarb will quickly take over other plants. Stick to having them in their own separate beds, pots, or contained margins.

Forgetting Ground Cover

Don’t forget your ground cover! They help block weeds, keep soil insulated, keep ground fruits off soil, add cover for beneficial predators, sometimes act as a barrier against certain pests, and help conserve water among other things. Side note… a lot of plants great for this role are edible and also useful as a substitute for grass lawns. Creeping thyme, sweet alyssum, and dichondra are favorites of mine for this reason. Mint would be as well but not with veggies, and it will choke them out.

Mixing Annuals and Perennials

Keep annual and perennial beds separate (though they can be near for benefits) otherwise you will have beds with plants that stay year after year and become woody and established that you have to disturb yearly for your annuals. You are just asking for a mess. If you have a perennial plant and are struggling to find a good companion, think Lavender, Sage, Mint, Rosemary, Rudbeckia and other coneflowers, Yarrow, and Daffodils.  

Weird Shaped or Shapeless Gardens

This is totally up to you but there is a reason that farmers grow crops in rows. It makes it easier to weed, see what is going on with crops and gauge spacing needs.

Good and Bad Combos

By this point, I have thrown a lot info at you, but I have not given you a clear-cut list of what plants you should and should not put together. This is because, as mentioned before, this is not always an exact science. What I would recommend is to start with lists like those found in the farmers almanac, free charts you can find online, your local nursery, or the lists down below, but DO NOT TREAT THESE LIKE GOSPEL. Do some research. Know your climate and soil. Experiment. I have a list of sources at the end of the article but my two favorite I personally love to reference when planning are from Cornell University and the Farmer’s Almanac. Also the lists I have next are by no means exhaustive… there are so many more options and combinations and you might find that some work for you and others do not or that you discover something completely different you need to share.

Good Combos:

• The Three Sisters: Pole Beans, Corn, & Winter Squash. It is so popular that it has a name. The winter squash provides ground cover and the corn acts as a trellis for the beans.
• Cabbages and Aromatic Herbs: cabbages are catnip for pests (trust me). Planting aromatic herbs (like basil or rosemary) in the vicinity will help repel some species.
• Cucumbers, Radishes, and…… Sunflowers: The sunflowers will provide some much-needed shade for the other two and can be used as a trellis for the cucumbers if you pick them before they get too big or if you stake your sunflowers up (not a bad idea regardless). I know sunflowers are allelopathic, but they affect some plants (like pole beans and potatoes) much more heavily. This combo should be one of the least affected.
• Tomatoes, Marigolds, & Basil: I read in some places that basil can help improve growth and flavor of your tomatoes. I couldn’t find scientific documentation of this (just a lot of blogs claiming that there is proof). You will have to try for yourself. What I can tell you is that it is said to repel some insects including mosquitos and be a light antifungal. Marigolds we have established can repel some predacious nematodes. You lose nothing by trying this combo and if it is true then you get more, bigger tomatoes.
• Cucumbers and Nightshade plants: To be more specific, if you plant seedlings rather than seeds of nightshade plants such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers near cucumbers, they will benefit from less weeds in their area. Cucumbers are actually allelopathic so they will release cinnamic acid into the soil which will stunt germination but if your neighboring nightshades are already germinated, you get around this pesky issue.
• Crimson Clover and Fruit Bushes (like Blueberry): Clover can take over, but fruit bushes are big enough and hardy enough that this is not an issue. The clover is Nitrogen fixing and will also attract pollinators and then sustain them when your fruit bushes are no longer in bloom.
• Lettuce with Sweet Alyssum and Yarrow: Yarrow is a mellow companion and ideal for most combos but can grow a lot/take over like Dill. In combination with Alyssum though they will attract braconid parasitic wasps that will kill aphids and caterpillars that ravage your Lettuce. The Alyssum can go in and around the Lettuce with Yarrow as an edging crop nearby.
• Marigolds and Alliums: Remember me talking about French Marigolds and how they disrupt nematode life cycles (only really noticeable benefits after a year of having the marigolds there)? They also help with Onion Maggot Flies. Both pests are a hazard to your onion, leek, and chive crops.

Bad Combos:

• Tomatoes and Cabbages: I am specifically putting this here because I have read that tomatoes will repel cabbage moths; they are both heavy feeders so they will compete for nutrients. They are also susceptible to some of the same disease and can pass them back and forth.    
• Plants within a singular plant family. For example:
  • Brassicas: kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mustards, and radish
  • Solanaceae: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes
  • Cucurbitaceae: cucumbers, melons, zucchini, summer squash, and winter squash
  • Amaranthaceae/ Chenopodiaceae: chard, beets, spinach, and quinoa
• Strawberries and members of the Brassicas (Cabbage) family: Strawberries will hinder the growth of your broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, etc. Strawberry plants can be attractants for snails and slugs which the cabbages are particularly weak to AND they tend to like more acidic soil than cabbages.
• Strawberries and members the Solanaceae family: Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant are susceptible to the disease Verticillium and can pass it to your strawberries.
• Onions and Beans: They need different growing conditions, and the onions are more forgiving so in the incorrect setting, they will easily outgrow and hinder the growth of your beans.
• Cucumbers and Aromatic Herbs: Sage and other aromatic herbs release oils (not contested by anyone) that are said to either hinder growth or change flavor of cucumbers when grown in close proximity. This is one I would like to test because I question its validity, only because different sites say different things.
• Potatoes and Asparagus: Potatoes and asparagus rhizomes occupy the same space so when digging up the potatoes you would damage the perennial asparagus rhizomes.
• Corn and Tomatoes: They are both nutrient greedy and sun loving. They will constantly compete for both and suffer accordingly.
• Carrots and Dill: These are in the same family and so will attract the same pests; carrot flies, spider mites, and aphids. Additionally, the Dill bolts, while they are a great companion for some plants, they will overshade your carrots and compete for root space.
• Sunflowers and Potatoes: I keep saying it… Sunflowers are allelopathic. Potatoes seem to be one of the plants that affect most.
• Blueberries and Veggies: Blueberries like really acidic soil which is usually out of the veggie comfort range.
• Rhubarb and anything low growing: Rhubarb gets HUGE and will block out sun for your shorties.
• Pole Beans and Beets: Bush Beans and Beets are fantastic together due to compatible size and beans adding extra nutrients like Nitrogen to the soil. If they vine though, they can block out much needed sun so the roots stay small and the leaves turn pale.  

If I missed something (I know I missed lots) that you feel is relevant or want to impart some wisdom on the rest of us, please leave a message below! This is meant to be a community and that means sharing information and learning from each other.

Until next time!

Taylor

Some The Sources I Used & Reference

Benefits of Companion Planting (Julian Selemin, reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD)
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/benefits-of-companion-planting#1-2

Epic Gardening (Logan Hailey ) 15 Companion Planting Mistakes to Avoid This Season https://www.epicgardening.com/companion-planting-mistakes/

Epic Gardening (Logan Hailey ) Companion Planting Gone Wrong: 21 Planting Combinations to Avoid https://www.epicgardening.com/plant-combinations-to-avoid/

Companion Planting (Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Chung County)
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/lincolnmcpherson/Cornell%20Guide%20to%20Companion%20Planting.pdf  

Is Companion Planting Scientific (Jeff Schalau, Associate Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County)
https://www.cales.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/companionplanting.html

The Myth of Companion Plantings (Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State Extension)
puyallup.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/companion-plantings.pdf

Companion Planting (Robert Beyfuss and Marvin Pritts, Cornell Cooperative Extension)
www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/ecogardening/complant.html

Companion Planting: Basic Concept and Resource (George Kuepper & Mardi Dodson, The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service)
www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html

Better Together: The New Science of “Companion Planting” [Cynthia Nations, Maggie Mah, The University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR)] https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=53468

What is Companion Planting? (Amber Kanuckel, The Farmers Almanac)
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/companion-planting-guide

The Ultimate Companion Planting Guide + Chart (Daniel Sjöberg, founder and CEO of Walden Labs, a certified permaculture designer) https://waldenlabs.com/the-ultimate-companion-planting-guide-chart/#casestudy

A bigger lie was never told to the American population than how they should and shouldn’t eat. Yes, I know- this is coming from someone who claims to love food science. And I do. It is precisely that reason that the American Food Chain System frustrates me so much. Today I want to talk about having a healthier food lifestyle.

There is so much misinformation out there about what ingredients are good, which are bad, what will help you shed weight quickly, what will balance your gut bacteria, etc. that its easy to get lost in the ‘data’ if you’re not paying attention and you’re not an informed consumer.

This misinformation changes so constantly that it shouldn’t be surprising how many people have little to no idea what they’re putting in their bodies. It is politisized, capitalized, and propaganda’ed to death. Which leads to swaths of people with eating disorders, malnutrition problems, and a great many other issues. Today we’re going to cut through all the red tape. This is a political, propaganda free space. Below is a list of 7 things that I use as pillars in my dietary choices to have a healthier food lifestyle.

Disclaimer

This is one of those topics that I can end up on a soap box about and by the end of the soap box people are reminding me to breathe when I talk. You’ve heard me talk a bit about this in our post on Kitchen Sustainability and Nutritional Paradigms and I’m excited to dive deeper. I get passionate about a number of food topics and this one is right up there with people cutting any form of filled doughnut in half. I could spend hours, days and even weeks talking about all the different levels and complexities of the American food system. In fact, I plan too. That’s kind of the whole point. But today, at least, I wanted to give you a brief overview of my overall stance on food, so that as we build on topics, you know where I’m coming from.

You don’t have to agree with me, in fact, I’m hoping some of you won’t because I love discussions. Much of what I currently believe has come from discussions with other people in conjunction with my own experiences and learning- my views are much different than they were when I was younger. All I ask, is that you come in with an open mind. Afterall, these are my opinions and experiences, and I’m sure my experiences will differ somewhat from yours.

I’m Not a Doctor- What I am sharing is My Opinion Based on My Experience and Education

The easiest thing to do is tell you what I believe, and why. From there we can build on and discuss different areas in depth in the coming months. As I have said previously, I am not a doctor– and for any topic specific, truly in-depth medical advice, I would urge you to talk to a doctor and nutritionist/ dietician (I did). But I believe we are smarter as a community when there is collaboration and I see no harm in sharing baselines and guidelines.

At my core, my food beliefs are simple and few, and I will try to pass it on that way as I think most things in life are easiest to adopt when kept simple. I think most people would have a better overall quality of life if they had a healthier food lifestyle. And we’re all about quality of life here.

A Healthier Food Lifestyle Means Everything in moderation

This applies to all my other opinions/ beliefs on this list as well. Heck, it’s solid life advice. Even when you make a less than perfect choice, its not a huge deal if you do not overindulge. It removes much of the pressure, and I never want someone to feel pressure or stress when eating. Also, you can have too much of even the ‘healthy’ things, which makes them not so healthy. In everything- moderation is key. So many times its not a matter of good food vs bad food but too much or too little. A healthier food lifestyle is about balance!

There Are No Bad Foods In A Healthier Food Lifestyle

This is a more complex concept and people tend to balk at this. There are things that are less healthy, there are things you should reach for first. There are things I try to minimize in my life or avoid 99% of the time. A healthier food lifestyle cannot exist in an environment where we are vilifying foods and food parts.

Food is fuel. Carbs are not bad. Fat is not bad. Chocolate is not bad. Gluten is not bad. Sugar is not bad. Things in EXCESS are bad. Is there a right way to eat carbs/gluten/sugar/fat etc.? You betcha. Are there specific individuals who due to allergies/medical conditions/ etc. need to avoid certain things? Yes, myself included. But that does not rule those categories out for everyone. Blanket bans on foods are a red flag for me. When we get into marketing, food psychology, and fad diets- you’ll see what I mean.

Erase the Word Diet From Your Vocabulary

Diets suck. I do not believe in diets. The phrase ‘I’m on a diet’ or ‘I’m watching my diet’ implies temporary. It implies restriction. It usually comes with a groan, an eyeroll, or a wave of sadness over pastries left un-eaten. “Diet” is a noun, not a verb. The second you tell yourself you ‘can’t have’ something- you want it three times more.

People quit diets; and the second you stop your ‘diet’ things go back to the way they were- weight, sleep, energy levels, brain function, sex drive, etc. I don’t do diets. I believe in lifestyles, intentionality, and eating things I love. Having a healthier food lifestyle starts with consistency. And consistency requires it to be something sustainable.

There are No Shortcuts to A Healthier Food Lifestyle

This is a hill I will die on. No matter how many times I get my hopes up, time has taught me- if you want it sustainable, healthy, balanced, and attainable- there are no shortcuts. There is no magic food to make you drop pounds quickly. Quick fixes don’t exist. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and you should run for the hills. It took time to make you the way you are today and it will take time to make you into anything else, whatever that may be.

No Two People’s Diets Are the Same, Nor Should They Be

No two people are the same, so why do we have a one size fits all approach to food historically? This is where I say- talk to an expert. Learn what’s right for YOU. And WHY those choices are right for you. When you know WHY you’re doing what you’re doing- it’s a lot easier to do. I personally also believe this would eliminate 60% of fad diet crazes.

Ever heard “My cousin _______ has been doing keto and she lost like 50 pounds, maybe you should try that.” Or my personal favorite “you really should go gluten free, it would help with ______” 2000 years of mankind eating bread as a staple of our diet and all of a sudden EVERYBODY thinks gluten is satan’s favorite food. The gluten isn’t the problem, but we’ll get to that. Are some people gluten intolerant? Absolutely, but not everybody is. See where I’m going with this? A Healthier food lifestyle requires acknowledging your body as a unique individual, learning what those uniques individual needs are, and listening to them.

Whole Foods

Taking into consideration “everything in moderation” and “There are no bad foods”, I still reach for whole foods as often as I can because those are the best options for me. This is the difference between Food and Edible Food Products. Bell pepper= food. Oreos= Edible Food Product. I still pick up Oreo’s from time to time, but I try to go 90/10 in favor of foods that are exactly the way nature made them. Whole grain vs white bread, macaroni from scratch vs the kraft box.

My rule of thumb is: If I can’t say it- don’t eat it. If I don’t know what it is- don’t eat it. It’s not as hard as it sounds. I would rather you take pleasure from time to time in a homemade cheesecake or the extra queso you made from scratch to go with your burrito bowl than eat the box of hamburger helper or the prepackaged ‘dietary’ TV dinner (yes, I mean even the ‘healthy’ ones.).

So many people think they already have a healthier food lifestyle because they’re picking up the SmartOne instead of the Kraft Mac n Cheese. But the truth is- if you read the ingredients tab, they’re still loaded with things that aren’t meant to be in your body; they’re just low calorie or carb balanced (we’ll get to food marketing later because that’s a whole different animal).

Remember to Not Food Shame

Edible food products aren’t evil and can be enjoyed, I’m a terrible sucker for Girl Scout Cookies, They are in season and I have a couple boxes of Thin Mints in the freezer and several boxes of Samoa’s, Do-si-Do’s and Tagalongs hidden in the closet where my husband can’t get to them and eat them first. The point is everything in Moderation!

Meat is Not Bad

Yes, I know that this kiiiiind of fits in with “no food is bad”. And Yes, I know I just lost some of you. BUT it’s a big enough food schism that I think it warrants its own bullet point. I’d also like to remind you that I asked for open mindedness and that these are MY beliefs. They don’t have to be yours. If you are vegetarian or vegan- I do hope you keep reading. Not only because there are still other things in this section of our blog that are of value and will still be relevant to you but also because I think these kinds of discussions are important to working on that visceral schism.

I do not have a problem inherently with vegetarianism or veganism- though again, I believe there is a right and a wrong way to do both. However, I’m never going to be offended or bothered if someone chooses to not eat meat. If eating animals or animal bi-products bothers you emotionally or morally, I can accept and respect that so long as you afford me the same courtesy.

So here’s my stance on meat vs no meat in a healthier lifestyle:

Scientifically, we as humankind are omnivores. That means you are biologically designed to eat meat AND plants. It’s why you have front sharp teeth for the tearing of meat and flat back molars for grinding and chewing plant matter. Kind of like bears or wolves. That’s why you have one stomach and the intestinal structure you do instead of a crop like a bird or 4 stomachs like a ruminate. Plant protein is physically different than animal protein, and you are genetically designed to need BOTH. I personally do not believe in arguing with the natural order of things, mother nature knows best. I also happen to like how most meat tastes.

However, I’m picky about the meat I eat. Having a healthier food lifestyle means being a responsible consumer. I’m picky about where it comes from, how the animal is raised, its quality of life while alive. I’m picky about giving thanks, and making sure to call a spade a spade. If you’re going to eat pork, acknowledge it was a pig.

Additionally, I believe in moderating meat consumption- If China alone ate the amount of meat that the U.S. does- we would need 2.5 planets just to grow the amount of corn needed to feed the cows (see also, I don’t think cows should be fed corn products in feed lots, I only buy grass fed) that’s insane. We do not need nearly as much meat as modern society has trained you to consume. The rest of the world does not consume meat at nearly the same rate that we do.

In Conclusion for My Love of Food and a Healthier Food Lifestyle

Obviously, I’m very opinionated when it comes to food. I tried to pare down my biggest beliefs in their most generic and simple ways, knowing that we have all the time in the world to peel back layers and explore specific topics. I’m very excited to get to share nutritional tidbits, debunk theories, share recipes, discuss, dive deep, and learn more with you.

If you have a passion for food like I do- I would offer one parting piece of advice. Check out the Master Class by Michael Pollan. He presents a very straight forward and impartial view of several food topics and really stretched my critical thinking muscles and challenged some of my thoughts in a fresh and respectful way. He also articulates much better than I can and said something in that class that basically covers it all in the simplest of terms better than I ever could. I’ve been keeping it in my pocket as my easy to remember sentence for talking to people but also to help me make decisions about my food throughout the day: Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.

All the best, Always.

Mikaela

Today we’re going to combine two of my favorite things: Crafting and Herbology. In light of the Imbolc Holiday I thought it would be a good time to teach you how to make Sleep Sachets. The beauty of this project is that it’s something you can easily do in the comfort of your own home. There is something therapeutic and old-worldy about working with herbs. It’s calming and I find it helps clear my mind.

Herbology

Herbology and Kitchen Witchery are one of the oldest forms of science in the world. Cultures and nations from all regions have their own herbal remedies and beliefs. Frequently lumped in with “Grandma’s Kitchen wisdom”; they are cures and concoctions that are frequently undervalued.

While modern science may have evolved past herbology in many cases, there is still much that can be done with well-placed plants. Many common ailments and issues find simple clean solutions in the kitchen that can keep you out of a doctor’s office and feeling your best. And they are easy. I promise you- it’s not complicated. Don’t let anybody make you think it’s rocket science, because its not. As you get farther into your study of plants you will discover that not only are there lots of things you can do with plants, but there are also lots of things you can say with plants.

Getting into herbology was one of the easiest things I have ever done. I was already constantly in the kitchen and loved the ‘slow food’ & ‘clean cooking’ concepts. Then I went through this period of finding out as much as I could about specific diets for certain conditions and illnesses after I got diagnosed with lupus. Educating people about their food is a strong passion of mine. Combine that with a sister that has the BIGGEST green thumb in the world- and it just seemed like a natural conclusion. But I digress…

Sleep Sachets for Dream Weaving

Some people will tell you that there is no credence behind dreams and their meanings. However, I have had just a few too many personal experiences with dream journeys to not listen when the universe is trying to tell me something.

Come on, we’ve all had those dreams where we woke up feeling like we witnessed something. Like something was trying to show you a path or point you in the right direction and you wake up going ‘huh?’ and reaching for your dream interpretation book. Then again, some dreams need no translation because you wake up saying ‘message received, loud and clear’. I’ve even had periods in my life where I dreamed in consecutive episodes and each night I got a little further into the story. I know Taylor has had similar experiences. It will be exciting in the future to get into dream interpretation with you all, but that is a project for a different day.

History of Sleep Sachets

Sleep Sachets have been common in some cultures and beliefs since the 16^th century. they were used widely throughout Europe for a variety of purposes. The aromas and energies of certain plants can help induce and maintain deep sleep, lucid dreaming, and even help relax the mind. If you’re one of those people that struggles to let go of the day’s tension to even drift off- then this is for you.

Sleep sachets are a good stepping stone because they can be both generic, and then easily built upon to personalize their influence once you know the basics.  The practice is simple: Create your sachet and then sleep with it under your pillow or in your pillowcase. You can always buy sleep sachets online from places like Etsy. However, sleep is a personal experience and as such; is one of those things that I prefer to make myself. To me, setting the intentions is the most important part.

Most of the common ingredients are things that most people keep stocked in their spice cupboard. If not, many are readily available online. If you like the personal touch like me or knowing where the plants came from- there are a few of my favorite herb shops listed below as well. This is by no means a comprehensive list- especially since in a lot of ways, Dream work, and herbology is open to some level of interpretation.

Herbals for Sleep Sachets:

Lavender:

Probably the queen of all sleep herbs, definitely the most soothing in most kitchen witch gardens. It may seem stereotypical since its modern resurgence, but there is both cultural truth and scientific truth to that. Lavender can calm anxiety, invite deep restful sleep, and ease tension and headaches. Lavender has been a cultural go-to since the Middle Ages. It’s also a great cooking herb and I frequently use it in my incense, so I always have some handy. If you are looking for sleep, Lavender is your friend.

Chamomile:

Chamomile has many medicinal properties when consumed as a tea or infusion. However, the energies and aromas are also attributed to cleansing of negative energy, purifying and calming. They have a slightly sweet apple like scent and are a great building block for sleep sachets.

Rosemary:

With a wide array of medicinal uses, and culinary uses- there is always Rosemary in my kitchen. Rosemary is used to amplify all kinds of magic as well as promote memory and protection. You can add Rosemary to amplify what you already have, but more importantly to protect you from bad dreams, and help you remember your dreams if that is something you struggle with. A member of the mint family, Rosemary is a fragrant perennial and is easy to find anywhere.

Eucalyptus:

Another plant that has its fair share of medicinal purposes, which is what makes it a staple in so many homeopathic kitchens. Eucalyptus is also known for its strong refreshing scent. A little goes a long way, but Eucalyptus has been known to stimulate the immune system, provide clarity in dreams and help induce creativity- if you are looking to add a bit of vibrancy to your resting hours.

Mug Wort:

Is one of my absolute favorite herbs. It is versatile and easy to grow should you choose to do so. Some unknowing people even consider it a weed. Since Mugwort is used in a variety of cuisines around the world it is fairly easy to find in most Natural food stores. She does contain a chemical called thujone that can induce a sense of being “high” in large quantities, as such- some people consider Mugwort to be dangerous. Mugwort aides in providing a restful nights sleep when drank as a tea or tincture, but used in a sleep sachet can also invite lucid dreaming. If you are trying to work through a particularly difficult dream sequence, using Mugwort for lucid dreaming is an excellent way to be able to affect different choices you may need to work through.

Rose Petals:

Most people associate roses with love magic, and there is something to be said for that. However different parts of the Rose flower have a myriad of uses. Roses also invoke creativity, and are again a subtle way to invite creativity into your dreams. My sister learned how to grow beautiful roses of all colors and types from my Uncle Alois when he was still alive so I usually have easy access to different colors of rose petals for different purposes. (you can also just buy rose petals at the floral section of any grocery store or buy them dried either online or from a local shop).

Herbal Shops:

I have a few herbal shops I am familiar with and really like, some of which ship nationwide if you are not sure where to start:

Happy Health High Horny Herbs:

Don’t giggle at the name, just trust me. This store is in Tempe, AZ but also ships nationwide. Their main website is Plant Pleasures (rbbotanicals.com) but you can also find them on a brief google search or on Instagram. I like their web format because you can sort different plants, resins, etc. by what you are trying to do and I think that is a great feature for beginners if you are just learning what does what.

Tenzing Momo:

For my Seattlites- this shop is a local favorite. Located in Pike’s Place they sell a lot more than just bulk herbs. I’ve never had a bad interaction there, the people are great, and it smells amazing. Not only that, but if you are looking for some instructional material (on everything from herbs to mushrooms, and a range of spirituality books), this is the place for you. These guys also ship; however if you are in the area- I highly suggest you go in person. Tenzing Momo | Tenzingmomo.com

Moddejonge’s herbals:

This woman does not ship that I know of, but I highly recommend if you are local to the Seattle area. This private shop does have limited hours (Tuesday- Saturday 12P- 5P) but I not only love the shop but the owner. She is educational, and very kind. You can find her on Facebook @ Moddejonge’s Herbals.

Reminder:

The important thing about making sleep sachets is to set your intentions as you make them. The plants themselves have set properties, yes. But never underestimate the power of energies and intentions. Magic is, in and of itself, the art of manifestation. Sleep sachets can be made from anything: Cheesecloth tied with twine or ribbon, I have a collection of small drawstring bags I have either found or were packaging for gifts, if you are really dedicated to the experience I also know a friend who sewed/ crocheted her own bag and then embroidered it to further set her intentions (plus it was fun). The possibilities are endless.

Hopefully, this helped give you some ideas, or sends you in the right direction. Please feel free to chime in, share your thoughts, or share your projects. If you’re a skagit local, you can come find us at the Mirkwood Magical Bazaar as we’re adding a new set of sleep sachett for begginers to our wares.

All the best, Always,

Mikaela