Potpourri: The Perfect Fall Spell

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The Love For Fall

Fall is in the air. I know that many of us are decorating our homes, offices, and spaces in general. Fall is truly one of my favorite seasons. I love decorating and shopping for decorations. The activities! I love how it’s just cold enough for a sweater but not freezing. I don’t know about y’all but I know my wardrobe game gets better in the fall time. It’s like I dress so much cuter even though I am more covered up. I can finally wear my silk press without sweating it out. And I know my natural girl can feel my pain on that one.

There is nothing like cuddling up with a fuzzy blanket. A good book and a nice hot cup of tea are perfect when it is nice and cold outside. It is almost as good as snuggling up with a book when it’s raining. Fall is just a different type of season that fills my heart. Yet I am a Libra and this is very much so our season. Fall is actually linked to Libras, Sagittarius and Scorpios. 

I know a lot of us are either lazy witches. We don’t like to do many spells or rituals. Some of us like everyday magic. It’s something little and small. We can just throw it out there with our intentions in the air. There are even some of us who can’t openly and proudly practice. Which is why I like little activities like the one I’m introducing you to today. I am not the original creator of this idea, but it is something that I Implement and I love. 

My Own Little Two Scents

One thing that I really truly love and enjoy is DIY crafts. With this, I can take my DIY ideas. I can combine them with my love and knowledge of witchcraft. It makes me feel like I’m on a different level. Now that can sound snotty, and even sound pretentious. But it is that you choose to take it, baby this is my jam. Fall gets me so excited. I need yall to picture me squealing. 

Now one of my favorite things to do in the fall is to put out my own Potpourri Bowl. It is an easy way to make my home smell like fall. It also helps to bring some of that energy into the home. Whenever the seasons change, I like to update the candles, incense, and air fresheners. This helps match the scent of the season. (I change out everything like a reset honestly it helps keep away stagnant energy).

With that being said I am not a pumpkin spice girly. I’m not a fan of the smell, the taste, the obsession. I have not tried to work with pumpkin in the potpourri bowl before. If any of you do please comment down and let everyone know how it works out. Maybe, just maybe you will convince me to give it a try. 

The Bowl and Its Placement 

You need a bowl or a vase. If you don’t have one dedicated for potpourri, you can use a pretty one you have already. If you plan to switch yours out with each season like me you might want to invest in one. Shallow bowls are great if you want to make it more decorative or place a candle in it. Tall and deep bowls or vases are better if you want to hide something in the middle of the potpourri. You can hide a petition or a doll or anything really.

Also make sure you have a spot in mind for the bowl. Although a normal person isn’t going to be rummaging through a potpourri bowl, little kids might. The family crackhead might. Ya nosy auntie will definitely if it looks fancy, she gonna wanna see what’s in yours. She might want to go home and ‘out do yours’. I keep mine on a shelf I have under the tv, yet that’s mainly because I host a lot. I don’t want guests moving it around to make space on the coffee table. It is a spell after all and we don’t have time for someone to be affecting our workings.

The Bowl and Its Direction 

Nosy family members aside, placement can also be helpful in terms of direction. Direct sunlight can often cause things to wither faster. Dried herbs can expire. Glass or ceramic bowls and vases can chip or become damaged. The direction of north, south, east, and west is also helpful things to keep in mind depending on your traditions. I will be real, I don’t look at location.

I redecorate and rearrange my home too much for that. Sometimes I feel claustrophobic when things don’t get moved around, I think its the energy that settles. I want to provide useful knowledge. This is for those who don’t feel the need to rearrange a room in their house every month. This knowledge could actually help them.

How to make the Bowl

Find herbs, plants, spices, or flowers that are in season. It gives things an added boost when you work with the earth, not against it. (Plus that’s what’s going to have your house smelling like fall.) If you don’t already have in season things on hand that’s okay. Go and forage the items, walk around nearby wooded areas or fields. If you are not about that life, you can buy things at the store. If money is tight, that’s okay too. Don’t stress. I am Hoodoo, we believe in working with what you got. Plan to get them in time for next year. No need to go out your way and buy it. 

If you’re getting fresh things, make sure to dry them in your oven first. This applies either by foraging or shopping at the grocery store. Setting out fresh items for long periods of time will lead to mold. Make sure that your items are fully dried before you use them. Partially dried items will mold, although maybe not as quickly. The goal is for this to last the whole season.

Once you obtain your items, you’re just going to take your regular potpourri bowl or vase and cleanse it. I prefer to clean AND cleanse mine. To clean is to get dirt and dust off. I cleanse it to remove any attachments. This gives it a fresh, clean new slate. You can do this by adding Florida water to the sink water when you wash it. Alternatively, use an incense to smoke cleanse it after drying.

How I create mine

I often buy fresh herbs or I forage so I do have to dry my herbs out. Once everything is nice and dry, I place them in a very large jar. I let them sit there for a while so that the aroma can set in. This process only takes a couple days though the longer the better right? (I think they come out with a stronger scent but I could be making things up). Before I start creating it, I blow tobacco smoke on my herbs. This helps set my intentions and thank them for their help.

When I get to the actual creation part, I like to take a very shallow but wide bowl. I place a medium votive candle in the middle of it and then build around it. This kind of helps let the smell burn off a little bit stronger when the candle is lit. The aroma comes off the herbs without them actually being lit.

I move in a counterclockwise position if I am repelling something. And a clockwise motion if I am bringing something in. For example, I might start with placing herbs on the right side of the candle. Then, I move towards the front and to the left. I continue to the back and end up at the right again. Repeating this action until the bowl is full. That would be me moving in a clockwise motion. 

Finding the intention

If you aren’t completely sure what to make of your intention(s) for the bowl, think about Fall. Remember that Fall is often linked with abundance. It is also linked to accomplishment. Then there is also war, death, and goals. Home, crone magic, manifestations, and money are other associations. Sorrow and transformation are included as well. Some of these I would use the intention to either repel or to get through it. For example, if I was to lean into the death intentions, I would use that energy. It would help bring things to the end of a cycle. Death doesn’t have to be scary, there can be something beautiful in letting things die. But I’m morbid, so. 

I think it is easier to find your intention(s) first and then find what is in season second. Once you know your intention(s), identify what items can be used for that intention(s). Then, see when those herbs and flowers grow. I have a list from several sites I found online. I am not sure how accurate they are. They seem legit, might depend on the area you live in though.

What’s in Season?

Now before yall get into this list I gave y’all EVERYTHING i found that is in season for fall. For me personally I stick to items that are brown, red, orange. Ya know, fall colors. You do what you want for your bowl and your intentions. 

Apple

Turnips

Kale

Mushrooms

Pumpkins

Cauliflower

Beetroots

Broccoli

Brussel Sprouts

Sweet Potatoes

Pomegranate

Cranberries

Common Fig

Grapes

Pears

Squash

Sage

Rosemary

Thyme

Chives

Lavender

Cilantro

Mint

Acorns

Pine Cones

African Daisy

Calibrachoa

Petunia

Nemesia

Salvia

Sunflowers

Sweet Alyssum

Verbena

Lantana

Large Firecracker Plant

Globe Amaranth

Purple Fountain Grass

Japanese Anemone

Russian Sage

Stonecrop

Anise Hyssop

Garden Mums

Hardy Fountain Grass

Bluestar

Reblooming Azalea

Bluebeard

Butterfly Bush

Panicle Hydrangea

Reblooming Hydrangea

Firecracker Bush

Camellia

Parsley (flat Italian/curled)

References

27 Best Fall Flowers – Blooms for your autumn Garden | Proven Winners. (n.d.). Proven Winners. https://www.provenwinners.com/learn/fall-flowers

Michael. (2024, September 16). Fall Food List – Seasonal Fruit & Vegetables – Out of Milk. CheckPoint. https://outofmilk.com/ideas/fall-fruit-vegetable-essentials/

Plants, B. (2011, August 29). Plant these herbs in fall. Bonnie Plants. https://bonnieplants.com/blogs/garden-fundamentals/herbs-in-fall-yes-some-love-cool-weather


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