5 Ways to Make a House a Home

So it's happened: I've moved in all the boxes, arranged and rearranged the pantry, contemplated organizing my bookshelves better, hung every picture, and moved around furniture until it looks just right.  But with all that in place, there remains quite a bit of work to be done in making my new house a home.

Here, I offer you my top five ways to make a new space more than just a place to crash, but a vital, nourishing sanctuary:

1. Cook.  A lot.  For friends.  For family.  For yourself.  Nothing says home like a meal made from scratch. The first night I was relatively all moved in, I had my special moving helpers--my family--over for a big pasta dinner.  And I had them over again this weekend for a nice cheese tasting and steak dinner--with a pumpkin fudge chaser thanks to Coconut Mama.  I made stuffed acorn squash for myself all week and epic breakfasts over the weekend.  I'll be making Tea a la St. James Tea Room in Albuquerque for a good friend next weekend.  And I plan to keep cooking!  The menu planning, the preparations, the enjoyable get-togethers all bring warmth to a home the way nothing else can.

2. Take a long bubble bath.  Okay, so this might not be for everyone, but after long hours moving, an Epsom salt bath does wonders for the soul.  It's also become a ritual for me to take a super long bubble bath in each new space I move into.  There's something about letting the soapy bubbles wash over you as you get lost in a good paperback that lets you relax and feel like you're in a nourishing space.  If bubble baths aren't your deal (no judgement!), craft your own ritual that allows you to feel nourished in your new space. 

3.  Have a pajama day.  Who says jammies are just for nighttime?  A home isn't a home until you spend time in it--especially down time, where you don't have to go anywhere or do anything.  So set aside a day to putter around in your PJs.  Have no agenda, merely float from cooking in the kitchen to lounging on the couch, to staring out your window to lingering over the titles on your bookshelves.  It's a great way to get to know your new home.

4.  Brew a pot of tea.  Even if you don't make your own tea blends like I do, there is something about putting on hot water for tea and then drinking a pot on the couch as you sift through magazines, knit, or get lost in a good book to sooth the soul.  Tea says home.  And if it's a relaxing herbal blend, it might also say nap on the couch.  Either way, brewing tea connects you to the rituals of your daily life--an essential aspect of making your house a home.

5.  Do yoga or meditate or whatever you do as part of your self-care routine.  During moving, it is easy to let your normal self-care routine (exercise, eating right, sleeping) slip in favor of getting your house settled.  But as soon as humanly possible, get back to that routine.  Fill your home with the tranquil energy of a good meditation session, the clean energy of a wholesome meal, the catharsis of a good yoga that wrings out the aches and pains brought on by hauling boxes.

So there they are--my tips for making a house a home.  They're also useful to reconnect with your space if you've been out a lot lately.  I hope they inspire you to make your living space a sanctuary that nourishes your soul. Happy homemaking!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Everyday Conjurings

Typically, when we think of conjuring magic, we imagine a wart-spattered witch hovering over her boiling cauldron whispering spells on the night of the full moon, attempting to turn the wheel of fortune to her desires.

But real conjuring is at once simpler and more magical than that.  It is the basic act of focusing our energies, setting our intent to achieve desired results.  This time of year, with Halloween at our doorstep, it may be easier to accept magic as a natural part of life. The stirring of red leaves across the street, the rich scent of earth going to sleep for the winter, the little creaks and whispers in the house that lull us to sleep--or sometimes wake us for no apparent reason...all are reminders of the subtle forces that stir around us.  Conjuring is a way for us to become more in tune with these forces, more in tune with our deepest selves.

Think about it: we conjure every time we daydream about our futures, resolve to change something in our lives, or continue with other life patterns. We conjure when we meditate or do yoga.  We conjure when we cook, our intent to nourish and love settling over the food like any spell a witch casts over her cauldron.  In essence, conjuring is being conscious about the energies we choose to allow into our lives.

I've been mulling over this concept as I prepare to move into my new home--okay an apartment--now that I am ready to set down roots in New Mexico.  This is a chance to let go of old ways of being, which for me means letting go of my graduate school days and all the baggage that came with that: long hours, overwork, unhappiness, stress.  It is also a chance to consider the type of energy I want to bring into my new space, the type of life I want to conjure up for myself. 

It has taken a lot of energy these past weeks letting go of old furniture (goodbye futon and IKEA mattress!) and investing in new, more permanent furniture (hello antique tables and shelves, iron-frame bed, and cranberry colored couches!).  With each piece of old furniture or dead kitchen appliance I recycle, I say goodbye to the old stagnant energy of my past life.  With each thoughtful purchase that replaces those things, I welcome in happiness and vitality.  This is my conjuring of a healthier, happier, more connected life.

My family has been conjuring with me too--adding input to every decoration decision I ponder and getting ready to help move my boxes at the end of this week.  These caring acts imbue my new space with a cozy warmth only family love can give.  I am even happy that I am moving on Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday perhaps more important to us in New Mexico than Halloween.  It is a holiday that celebrates those who have come before us--relatives, loved ones, and, I would add, past selves.  They come to visit, eating sugar skulls and other sweet offerings, bearing messages from beyond.  When I move on this day, I will be able to say goodbye to some ghosts--my past selves that no longer serve me.  This is my conjuring that lets me shed my old skin.

When I dust off my cookbooks and knitted blankets--they've been in storage for quite some time--I will imbue my life with the domestic calm I've always thrived on.  I will cook meals for my family.  I will continue to knit my new blanket, each stitch a link in a woven spell of security and tranquility.  I will write at my big turquoise desk, a pot of tea by my side, feeling the words slip around me and spill out into my new space, coating it in well-being. I will blend my tea.  I will tend my new home. 

I will conjure. No cauldron necessary.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

(Haunted) House Hunting!

Houses retain the energies of those who have passed through them.  The longer a person is in a home, the more the house absorbs the energy of that person--for better or worse.   Over the years, those energies settle into the house, becoming part of its foundation. 

I've been thinking about this lately as I've finished my own search for a new home.  Just as important as the big kitchen or the walk-in closet is the vibe of the home.  How do I feel when I enter it?  Does it invite lightness and good energy?  Or am I feeling anxious and heavy as I walk from room to room?  These sensations matter.  They tell us a lot about the residual energy of past residents--energetic hauntings if you will.

My sister, who is also house hunting with her husband right now, always asks the same question when talking to real estate agents: why are the owners selling this home?  What made the previous tenant decide to move?  Her reasoning is simple: she doesn't want a house that has absorbed negative energy from previous owners.  That energy remains and will then affect the quality of her household.  She listens to the answers, both implicit and explicit: the family needed a bigger house after having their second child, the woman is moving in with her boyfriend--both reasons showing a home of growth and abundance. 

She also listens to the half-truths the agents relate:  the house was too much work, the owners wanted a change.  These empty answers can sometimes inadvertently reveal the unsettled energies of the house--especially when paired with that creepy unfinished basement or the random cubbyhole built into the floor of the closet.  

Recognizing a haunted house is in more than just hearing strange whispers and seeing things out of the corner of your eye.  It is more than the cemetery in the back of the house, or the weird illustrations coating the walls in the attic.  It's about the feel of the house.  More than one friend has told me about an outwardly fine home they didn't like for no other reason than the fact that they felt uneasy in that space.  These impressions tell us that it isn't the right home for us--its energies are not our energies.  Or worse, there is seriously bad juju that saturates the walls, left there by former tenants.

Or course, not all hauntings are bad.  My apartment in Seattle was totally haunted--it was once an old mansion that was converted into an apartment building many years ago, so naturally, it had seen a lot of things and absorbed a lot of different vibes.  And not all the energy was the same from room to room in that building.  The laundry room in the basement, for example, was dark and heavy, as was the greenish corridor with the yellowed sunken-in flooring you had to walk down to get to it--certainly no place I would want to find myself alone at night, even though it was tucked inside a safe apartment complex.  On the flip side, my apartment itself was characterized by lots of friendly light that poured in through giant windows.  It was a happy space, a sanctuary from the heaviness of school.  I'd come to see my one-bedroom apartment as having its own spirit--a light, bright, playful spirit that had no room for droll professors or even more boorish theory books.  I was more than happy with this haunting, as we were in perfect agreement.

I felt the same zing in that apartment as I did in finding my new place here in Albuquerque.  That's how I knew this new home was right.  After months of searching for the right new home, I finally found the one that spoke to me (okay, an apartment!).  It didn't have creepy dark alleyways right behind it, or fake faded flowers outside its door; it didn't have dirty corners and thin walls; it didn't have sterile rooms or cold kitchens.  It was simply bright light and warmth, homey and clean, at once cozy yet spacious.  Our energies were simpatico.

So, is this new place haunted?  Probably, but from where I'm standing, it's absorbed nothing but good energy, so I'm happy with the kind of haunted it is.  I just hope it likes green chile stew and old movies as much as I do.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Nourishing Tea

Tea blending is daily magic in its most basic form: creating a healing concoction of herbs to create well-being. 

The curanderas, or medicine women of New Mexico, have been doing it for years to promote health and prevent, or in some cases cure, illness.  Tea blending draws from the power of the earth to nourish ourselves with the gifts of nature.  I'm not saying that I'm above using Tylenol for headaches or a good antibiotic when I get sick,  but a strong ginger and echinacea tea does wonders to prevent a cold, and Valerian and hops chill me out better than any shot of whiskey.  Plus, taking the time to blend my own teas allows me to consciously imbue my tea drinking habit with self-care.  

I feel like an alchemist when I'm in my kitchen adding a pinch of this herb and a handful of those flowers, thinking about what tastes, colors, and healing properties best work together to create a nourishing brew.

All if which is my way of saying that I've been tinkering with a new tea recipe.  I've been marinating on this idea of nourishment--how do we feed ourselves, our souls, or minds, our bodies?  What we ingest both physically and psychically determines our sense of personal well-being.  So with this in mind, I went to work in my kitchen, playing with herbs that would both soothe and nourish for my latest blend.

This new tea has got chamomile in it, the ultimate all around comforting flower.  It is known for soothing restless minds and minor aches and pains in the body.  To boost the soothing properties of my tea, I also added the happy flower calendula aka marigold.  This flower brings a burst of golden color to my blend, along with skin soothing and heart healing properties. The key nourishing ingredient in my blend is alfalfa, which is chock-full of vitamins A, E, K, B, and D, and minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium to name a few.  The final touch to this blend is fennel seed.  It helps balance the grassiness of the alfalfa with its subtle sweetness--and let's not forget that these little seeds aid digestion.

I made a cup of this tea for my mom when she was frazzled after a sleepless night.  What a change it caused! Twenty minutes after a cup of this nourishing blend, she was back to her tranquil self, restored and ready to tackle the day's adventures. 

I'm including the recipe here and hope that you will try it.  You can find these herbs at your local herb store (mine is actually called "The Herb Store") or online at Rose Mountain Herbs. I look forward to hearing about the results! 

Ingredients:

1 cup chamomile flowers

1/2 cup alfalfa leaves

1/2 cup calendula (marigold flowers)

1/4 cup fennel seeds

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container.    Keep away from direct sunlight and heat.  To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water.  Makes 2 1/4 cups. Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Lingering Effects of the Harvest Moon!

I'm sitting at my vintage secretary style desk from the late 1800s, sipping from a fall themed mug and writing. 

I was able to get off work a little early to enjoy the crisp air and the golden late-afternoon sunlight.  It is a sweet gift.  Earlier in the kitchen, I played with my herbs.  I think I'm on the brink of a new tea blend--a pinch of alfalfa, an even bigger pinch of chamomile, a smidge of fennel seeds, and two or three calendula buds.  I let these healing herbs mingle in hot water and savor the earthy sweetness of the blend. 

That's me. 

I love quiet moments in the kitchen, tinkering with a new soup recipe or tea blend or body butter.  I love snuggling in my jammies and reading a good fantasy novel at night (yes, with a cup of tea).  I love crafting and will literally coat just about anything in glitter if left unsupervised.  I love carving out time in my day to relish these simple pleasures of self-care and domestic bliss--not an easy feat considering that a teacher's job can easily go on and on and on....if I let it.

But I don't.  Why?  Because I believe in the power of self-care and enjoyment to make the workday smoother, the weeks bursting with the fullness of living a balanced life.  Yeah, it can be hard sometimes to carve out that time, but it's worth the effort.  

I'm turning these thoughts over in my head as I reflect on the bounty of this year's harvest moon or the full, golden moon that hovers in this sky every autumn equinox.  Legend has it that the harvest moon is a beacon of abundance for the coming year, symbolizing the plenty of both the literal farmer's harvest and the ephemeral harvest of spiritual well-being that comes from living a balanced life.  It is the moon of transitional energy, shifting away from the outward moving cycles of summer towards the inward, more contemplative activities of fall and the coming winter.

This year's harvest moon is especially important to me, as it was under this prophetic moon that I made an important transition myself.  Overworked, sick (first a cold, then allergies), I found myself completely spread thin between adjusting to my first full-time teaching job and attempting to keep my tutoring business afloat.  I loved both jobs dearly, but somewhere between a bowl of chicken noodle soup and struggling to grade my first round of student essays, I realized something: these wonderful opportunities were beginning to feel like horrible burdens as I attempted to give 110% to both things, which is saying nothing of my desire to have an actual personal life.  

It was clear something had to change.  When I first moved back to New Mexico, it was so I could teach and live a full life in the Land of Enchantment.  Yet here I was, living the frantic life of my graduate school years: too much work, too little self-care.  When I was in school, I didn't always have a choice about my workload, but now, I realized, I did.  So I made a change--I let my tutoring go.  It was hard at first to give up something I had spent so much time and energy bringing into the world, but as the weeks went by, I felt better, was happier teaching, and found myself with more delicious moments when I could stare out at the Sandia Mountains and just breath.  After all, so much of my philosophy as an educator is centered on helping students find that proper balance between school, life, and work...so I have to practice my creed if I want to continue being a nourishing educator and happy person. 

I am grateful for this harvest moon and the wisdom it offered me as I made my transition: it taught me that to find that joyful abundance of our lives, we have to let go of things that no longer serve our sense of personal well-being.  In doing so, we create space for healthier, more productive ways of going about our lives.

It isn't always easy to find balance in your life, but if you take the time to pause, even just to linger over the golden sunlight filtering through the slowly turning leaves, there is everyday wisdom and enjoyment to be found.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!