Year: 2023

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Simple Steps to Finding Inner Happiness

Sometimes life can feel a little bit difficult and overwhelming; it’s impossible to be happy all the time, nor would it be healthy to try to be. However, there are steps you can take in order to embrace all of life’s ups and downs to feel a deep sense of contentment and inner happiness. Today we’re talking about what we can do to improve our overall feelings of satisfaction in our daily life.
Here are some simple tips which won’t cost anything other than a little bit of your time each day, that will have a huge impact on your inner happiness:

Practice Gratitude Daily

Many teachings regarding inner happiness focus heavily on being present and being thankful. These two states of being are paramount to living a happier life; practicing them often and getting into a routine of doing so is a great place to start when developing your inner happiness. Making this ritual part of your day is a great way to view life from a different perspective. Throughout your day, express gratitude for that cup of tea you’re drinking, express gratitude for your loved ones after you see them, for your pet for keeping you company. At first it may seem silly, but expressing gratitude for even the little things is a great way to increase your natural mood and feel more at ease. We get so wrapped up in what’s coming next or what’s just happened that we rarely recognise the present, which is where the contentment lies.

Let Go of What is Weighing Heavy on Your Mind

In order to move through life with ease and resilience, it is so important to deal with things that are bothering us, making us anxious or getting us down. This could be by talking about what is bothering you with a loved one, or perhaps a counsellor or therapist if the subject matter requires it. It could also be as simple as keeping a mood journal in order to keep your feelings from spiralling out of control. Bottling things up is a direct route to overwhelm, so it’s important to have an outlet for those feelings, even if it means writing on a piece of paper and burning it afterwards as a way to ‘release’ those emotions. This builds emotional resilience and you will become more confident when dealing with feelings of stress, fear or anger when you practice releasing regularly.

Find Stillness in Busy Moments

Similar to practicing gratitude, it is important to recognise when life gets stressful and overwhelming. Remember that regardless of the situation, there is always time for a long breath. Take a second to find stillness by taking a big inhale and a long, extended exhale; you can do this while stuck in traffic, getting your morning coffee, or brushing your teeth. Finding stillness in little moments will increase your resilience to external circumstances in future. If you feel inclined, carving out time to meditate is a great way to improve your mental health, ease anxiety and as a way to deal with confusing emotions. You could use tarot or oracle cards to guide the meditation if this is something that resonates with you also.

Work on Your Authentic Self

Here at Welsh Witch HQ we are all about showing up as your authentic self. Working on showing up as someone you feel comfortable in being is so important in developing that inner happiness. Starting this journey might have a lot of uncomfortable changes and transitions, but this is all a part of finding that true version of yourself. It may come to light that you need to shed old friendships, relationships, or even ideals in order to grow as a person into your authentic being, so it doesn’t come without sacrifice. Set intentions each day as the sort of person you’d like to show up as in the world and then work towards those intentions. Some examples of intentions could be ‘acting with kindness in everything I do’ or ‘feeling sure of myself and knowing I am on the right path’. Coming up with a mantra for the day based on what you truly feel and aiming towards it is a good way to set into motion goals that align with your v

Remember: No Two Journeys Will Look The Same

Of course there are many things you can do and encourage into your life in order to find inner happiness. There is no one-size-fits-all guide; it is a personal journey which is individual to you, therefore it won’t look the same as someone else’s. That is part of the joy of finding your inner happiness and working towards it, the journey is as much a part of it as the destination is. Enjoy the ride and take simple steps each day to feel at home in your own body, whether that is daily gratitude, finding stillness, or setting daily mantras and intentions.

Just know that however your journey looks, it is worthy. You are valued and you are loved.

With love and light,

Welsh Witch HQ x

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Summer Foraging in the Welsh Countryside

This time of year is a beautiful chance to explore our abundant mother nature during these summer months. Getting outside and harvesting local foods is a great way to feel grounded and connected to nature. Not to mention, there is so much on offer during these delightful summer months that we’re going to give you some tips on foraging in the Welsh countryside (or anywhere else in the UK!). Now, let’s see what you might find on a wander through nature at this time of year.

Blackberries

What would August be without blackberries? During this time towards the middle-end of the month, hedgerows are abundant with juicy blackberries. Why not try grabbing some next time you head out on a walk? Blackberries are great for all sorts of recipes; make them into a syrup, icecream, blackberry cake, a delicious pie, pop some in a gin or enjoy them on their own as they are! Our Welsh Witch Imbolc Gin is filled with an abundance of blackberries for that delicious sweet, berry flavour; they are a fruit sacred to the Celtic goddess Brigid, the inspiration behind this gin.

Elderflower and Elderberries

Another staple of the summer and sweet, fragrant florals come from the elderflower plant. This deliciously sweet flower is a perfect addition to any summer home kitchen. When these flowers are picked, you can stew some and make an elderflower cordial: add this to your G&T, with some lemonade or with ice cold water for a refreshing summer beverage. The flowers are in full bloom from spring to mid-summer, before the flowers bloom in to deliciously dark and juicy berries. A note on elderberries: they are mildly toxic to eat raw, so they will need to be prepared first by either drying, cooking or processing otherwise. There are so many fruity recipes to try out with elderberries, such as crumbles, pies or even elderberry syrup, which can be taken as a remedy for cold and flu season with autumn just around the corner!

If you love elderflowers as much as we do, we have an elderflower gin – Welsh Witch Litha Gin which delights the senses with that fragrant and floral deliciousness of the summer.

Strawberries

We can’t forget strawberries; a perfect summer staple just about anywhere in the UK. The supermarkets are filled with the red, fleshy berries but what’s better than picking your own? While wild strawberries can be foraged, they’re not as commonly found as elderflower or bramble bushes. So you might need to do a bit more investigation if looking for wild berries, and remember to pick only plants which you can confidently identify. If in doubt, lots of places offer ‘pick your own’ experiences, where you can spend a summer’s day picking deliciously ripe strawberries to use and enjoy at home; not to mention you’ll be supporting a local farm, too!

Damson berries

During July and August, you might notice some dark blue, almost purple, berries around hedgerows in the UK. Taking on an almost blueberry and grape-like shape and colour, damson berries are a great little berry packed full of flavour. Most foragers of damson berries enjoy making them into a delectable jam or preserve, to enjoy through the winter months. They can also be made into a cordial or syrup to add some tart fruitiness to summer drinks and tipples. Why not try adding a few spoonfuls of damson syrup to a Welsh Witch G&T?

Dandelions

What most see as just a common weed is actually a very diverse plant which can be made into many different recipes. Dandelion honey is a great alternative which is super inexpensive to make and tastes similar to the real deal. The flowers themselves are thought to reduce inflammation and is also a great antioxidant, making them medicinally useful too! Dandelion honey is so easy to make, just add several handfuls of washed dandelion heads and two slices of lemon into some hot water on the stove until boiling, then cover leave to steep overnight. The next day, strain the liquid through a strainer or muslin cloth, then weigh out the liquid and an equal amount of sugar. Place the infused water and equal sugar into a pan and boil for around 20 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the honey gels when placed on a cold plate or back of a spoon.

 

Keep in the fridge when cooled and use in hot drinks, porridge, or drizzled over cakes; delicious!

Forage Responsibly This Summer

Remember when foraging: only take what you need and leave enough for others, don’t uproot any plants to preserve the plants for next year, and treat the environment with respect. Maybe pick up some litter if you’re there and see some on your walk too. Especially with dandelions, make sure you only pick them if there is an abundance of them in the area: they are great pollinators, bugs rely on them so it’s important to pick them responsibly so we keep our pollinating friends thriving. If you head out this August, show us your foraged haul by tagging us on Instagram @welshwitch_craftspirits (bonus points if you include any in a Welsh Witch drink!)

This time of year is a perfect time to get outdoors and cherish nature in all its glory; give thanks for your foraged goodies and celebrate with loved ones the abundance of delicious offerings the world gives. You can check out our full range of Welsh Witch craft spirits here, where we make tipples inspired by the Welsh countryside and locally inspired ingredients.

Love and light,
Welsh Witch HQ x

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5 Vodka Cocktails for summer and beyond

If you are planning that perfect summer BBQ, party or want to wow dinner party guests we think our new Lammas vodka will do the trick.

Our premium vodka stands proud as a crowd-pleasing spirit; an unfussy accompaniment to any mixer of your choice to create a luxurious taste journey.

The quintessential and classic flavour of our triple distilled vodka, paired with the unique knowledge of Welsh traditions and folklore, is an enchanting spirit and drinks shelf staple for any cocktail making enthusiast.

Vodka is one of the world’s most popular spirits because of its neutral flavour, crystal clear colour, and versatility in cocktail recipes.
Check out some delicious crowd-pleasing vodka cocktails to try out below:

Wrexham Mule

With our now famous town on the map thanks to the Hollywood fairy tale surrounding our football club we couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to create a local twist on a classic vodka cocktail.

Wrexham is also famed for the quality of its underground water reserves, which gave rise to its previous dominance as a major brewing centre. Both Welsh Water and the first gain celebrated by Lammas are at the heart of our new Vodka.

Ingredients you’ll need:

To garnish

  • Lime
  • Splash of grenadine

Pour the vodka into a metal mug, julep tin or tumbler. Load up ¾ full of crushed ice, then fill to the top with the ginger ale and stir gently to combine. Add a few dashes of ginger bitters.

Serve with splash of grenadine to add the Wrexham fiery red colour and finish with a squeeze of lime and the wedges on top.

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Summer Breeze

On a beautiful summer day, you can’t beat a light, chilled, refreshing cocktail, and they don’t come more refreshing than a summer’s breeze.

Ingredients you’ll need:

To garnish

  • Garnish with a lime wedge

Take a chilled glass (coupe glass preferable). Shake and strain the ingredients with lots of ice cubes and then pour. Finish with orange zest shavings.

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Cosmopolitan

You can’t talk about vodka cocktails without including the very classic Cosmopolitan, with its famous sweet with just a touch of tang taste.

What’s more how else would you describe sipping cocktail at a summer get-together other than ‘how very Cosmopolitan!’

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 45ml Welsh Witch Lammas Vodka
  • 20ml Cointreau
  • Splash of cranberry Juice
  • Squeeze of lime

To garnish

  • Garnish with a lemon twist

 

 

 

Combine all the liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled martini or nick & nora glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

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Welsh Vodka Fizz

This refreshing cocktail is a trifecta of sweet, minty, and tangy. This is a great cocktail to enjoy on a hot summer day by the pool.

Ingredients you’ll need:

To garnish

  • Garnish with a lemon slice

Pour vodka, lemon juice, and mint simple syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake. Strain into a glass filled with ice and top up the glass with club soda. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

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Espresso Martini

And finally……we couldn’t leave out the Espresso Martini as one of the great vodka cocktails to come out of the 1980s. Invented by famed bartender Dick Bradsell, some say he first shook one up for super model Kate Moss.

Ingredients you’ll need:

To garnish

  • 3 Whole Coffee Beans

 

 

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add Welsh Witch Vodka Lammas Vodka, Kahlúa, and Espresso. Shake well to get the foam on top and strain it into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish by placing three coffee beans on top.

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You can shop our whole range of Welsh Witch Craft Spirits here.

If you decide to try out any of these cocktails, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @welshwitch_craftspirits to give our whole team food envy! Happy cooking!

Love and light,
Welsh Witch HQ x

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How to Pair Welsh Witch Gin With Meals

Food is delicious, gin is delicious – but how do they fit together? Today we’re diving into pairing gins (and our other spirits) with foods and which ones work well together. Let’s take a look at some of our spirit flavour profiles and find out which ones compliment certain foods. This way you’ll be able to enjoy your tipples with dinner while enjoying all the delicious botanical flavours as you eat.

Why Should You Match Your Gin With Food?

Why not just wait until after dinner for your gin? Well, sometimes a good pairing of a G&T with your meal not only is enjoyable, but enhances the flavour palette of both your food and drink. If you’re a flavour enthusiast, doing this is a must – especially if you’re a gin lover and haven’t yet been enjoying the magic of flavour pairing! It’s like food and drink alchemy, and we implore you to try it.

Flavour Pairings to Try

If you’re new to pairing gins with meals, our Original Dry Gin is a good place to start, since it’s unassuming but high-quality flavour palette is a good all-rounder when it comes to pairing with food. The delicious aromatic botanicals will pair well with most things, from refreshing salads, to barbeques, to pasta and pizza!

Our Beltane Gin is a floral yet citrusy refreshing gin with a fiery kick of cinnamon to celebrate the fire rituals of Beltane. Pair this gin with something like an earthy goat’s cheese tart or a seafood such as salmon or seabass to compliment those light citrusy flavours. You could also pair our Beltane Gin with something richer, such as a casserole, a stew or a hearty soup, since those warming notes of cinnamon will bring bundles of comfort for those cosy winter evenings.

Try a G&T With Curry Night!

Bear with us on this one: why not try a lovely gin with your next curry? At first the combination may seem a little strange, but if you think about it – it works! Curries are packed full of aromatic flavours, such as cumin, garam masala and herbs; a perfectly botanical gin will complement these flavours well while offering a refreshing beverage to pair. Any curry will work well with our Welsh Witch Original Dry Gin due to the combination of gorse flower and coriander seed along with that aromatic juniper flavour to compliment all those delicious herbs and spices you’ll find in a curry.

Graze Away With Nibbles

Another great way to pair spirits with food but you’re perhaps not wanting to cook a full meal, is by creating a grazing board. Extremely easy to make and perfect for summer, a grazing board is a fun way to add some nibbles into your evening. Things like garlic and herb olives work well here, especially with our Beltane or Original Dry Gin. If you’re feeling fancy, add some charcuterie too, since the botanicals in our gins will compliment the herbs and spices in cured meats nicely too. Rich cheeses such as stilton and camembert will pair delightfully with aromatic gins such as our Welsh Witch Original Dry Gin as well, enhancing those deep, luscious, and cheesy flavours.

Don’t Forget Dessert!

And of course, dessert! This one makes the most sense to people and a G&T or alcoholic tipple while your meal wraps up with pudding is a common practice. A sweet, floral gin such as our violet Ostara Gin or our blackberry infused Imbolc Gin will work here with desserts such as pavlova, crème brulee, or cheesecake. The light and refreshing botanicals work well with light and creamy flavours for that extra bit of magic at the end of your meal.

For a heavier, richer dessert such as a chocolate torte or sticky toffee pudding, our Welsh Witch Spiced Rum will make a warming, sweet and spiced accompaniment if you fancy something a bit sweeter. If you fancy incorporating your tipples into your food, we posted a recipe last year for a Spiced Rum Butter Sauce to pour over your favourite desserts, yum!

Of course, cocktails too are like a dessert in themselves! We’ve got lots of gin and rum cocktail recommendations on our Witch’s Journal Blog for inspiration on your next dinner party cocktails to try out.

You can shop our whole range of Welsh Witch Craft Spirits here.

If you decide to try out any of these meal pairings with one of our gins, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @welshwitch_craftspirits to give our whole team food envy! Happy cooking!

Love and light,
Welsh Witch HQ x

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Our New Welsh Witch Vodka

Our new vodka

Happy summer witches! This is a very exciting time for the Wild Moon Distillery, as we are ready for a special launch which has been brewing away in preparation for our next Wheel of the Year addition.

If you didn’t know, our enchanting Wheel of the Year spirit range is ever expanding, and our repertoire already includes: Imbolc Gin, Ostara Gin, Beltane Gin and Litha Gin.

Those of you following our social media pages (@welshwitch_craftspirits) might already know; so make sure to follow us so you don’t miss any future releases!

Welcoming our Welsh Witch Premium Vodka

It is with delight and a handful of magic that we bring to you… our Welsh Witch Premium Vodka! Perfect for our Lammas Wheel of the Year sabbat. This has been an exciting feat in the making and we are so thrilled to share with you the potion you have all been waiting for.

Made with the best quality Welsh inspired ingredients, healing water from the Ffynnon Beuno Welsh mountains and reiki charged with aquamarine, amethyst, and moonstone crystals to create a perfectly balanced tipple ideal for luxe spirit enthusiasts. Brewed with care and triple distilled in North Wales, we’re looking to put Wales on the premium spirit map – you can read more about our hometown in our blog article ‘Welsh Witch on Wrexham’. A combination of love, expertise, and attention to detail come together to create this luxurious crowd-pleasing spirit that will surely become a staple in any collection.

How to Enjoy Our Magical New Potion

Our vodka is unassuming and an unfussy accompaniment for any of your mixer choices. Which, in essence means: pair it with what you love! There’s no discrimination here. That being said, we do recommend a high-quality premium mixer for the best flavour experience, such as a botanical cola (we love the Fever Tree cola for that delicious aromatic flavour!) or premium lemonade.

Our high-quality Welsh Witch Vodka is now available to purchase, as well as the rest of our Wheel of the Year spirits.

If you’d like to keep up to date with our new launches, as well as learning new cocktail recipes using our spirits, you can sign up to our newsletter here and if you enter before midnight on 6th August, you’ll be entered into our giveaway to win lots of goodies including our new vodka.

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How to Celebrate Lammas

Firstly, What is Lammas and How is it Celebrated?

Lammas is a celebration on the 1st of August marking the equal distance between the summer solstice and the autumn solstice. It is representative of the time around the first harvests of the year and is a festival of all things grain. Therefore foods rich in wheat, grains and barleys are common in Lammas traditions. As we know, summer (especially in the UK) is a time producing a delicious abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, and Lammas is a pinnacle point of gratitude for plentiful crops and bountiful produce. Take a walk outside and admire all of the plants and trees bursting with colours; these summer festivities are honouring just that!

Let’s have a look at some of the ways we recommend spending Lammas (or any of August) to get the most out of this magical time of year. The month of August is usually a time of fun, good weather and embracing your inner child, which is exactly what we encourage! This is a great time to enjoy the fruits of your labour and look at how far you’ve come this year. The seasons remind us that everything is always changing, so it’s important to be present and grateful for the right now.

How to Celebrate Lammas This Year

1. Bake Something Delicious

One of the best ways you can celebrate this time of harvest and abundance is by utilising these ingredients! Try baking some fresh bread to honour grain and wheat harvests during Lammas, try out a new recipe and share with loved ones. There’s nothing better than getting together and connecting with friends and family while enjoying some home-cooked goods. Try out a sourdough loaf or a yummy stuffed tear-and-share bread or go sweet and try out a seasonal strawberry and peach pie; the choices are unlimited! Wrap up your loaf or sweet treat and head to the beach or your favourite picnic spot and enjoy a lovely outdoor feast, giving thanks to the Earth and for the abundance it provides. Not to mention, there’s nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread, right?

2. Decorate with Fresh Flowers (Bonus Points if You Pick Them!)

This time is a perfect opportunity to decorate your sacred spaces with the abundance of nature, including flowers and floral decorations. Perhaps head to a sunflower field if you have one near you that offers a ‘pick your own’ style harvest and make extra memories frolicking through the flowers! Grab a buddy and make a day of it; that’s all part of the fun. If that’s not an option, try heading to a local florist and supporting a small business by buying a bouquet of high quality and seasonal flowers. Decorate your spaces with them and play around with some different displays. Some people love to create themed altars for the sabbats, so if you feel called to you could try that too. Use seasonal ingredients and natural items and say a little prayer of gratitude too once you’re finished. It’s also fun to save the flowers and press or dry them after you’ve enjoyed them for a while too.

3. Offer Something Back to Nature

Since we’re using this time to appreciate and show gratitude for all nature does for us, it’s important that we also give back too. Getting outside is a great way to do this, since we can really connect with the Earth when we are outdoors amongst the trees, ocean and sounds of wildlife. An offering can be anything of your choosing, as long as it is given with good intentions and you have gratitude in your heart. For example, you might choose to scatter some birdseed in your garden or set up a feeder to help your little community of birds. You could go as far as making a hedgehog house and filling it with food (hedgehogs are in great decline in the UK so this is a good one!) or installing a bug hotel to help bees and butterflies. On the other hand, the offering could be more of a spiritual one: perhaps burying one of your favourite rocks or crystals in the ground as a symbolic offering to mother nature. You could make a bouquet of dried flowers or herbs and place it somewhere in the woods or in your garden as it decays and returns to the earth. Get as creative as you like; the idea is to give thanks to Earth and repay it with kindness!

4. Honour the Full Moon(s)!

What is special about August is that we have two full moons this month, one falling on August 1st (Sturgeon Moon) as well as the 31st (Blue Moon). The second is called a blue moon because occasionally we get lucky enough to experience two full moons in one calendar month (hence the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’). This intense month of August brings with it the perfect opportunity to seize a new opportunity and watch it come into fruition with the two full moons symbolising a complete cycle. On August 1st, start a new journey or challenge, and see how far you’ve come on the 31st when we are met with another full moon. This could be a physical challenge (such as walking every day, or starting a new creative hobby) or equally a mental challenge (such as practicing meditation every day, or journaling how you are feeling each evening). The limits are endless; this is a great way to try out something new for 30 days and see how you get on!

5. Connect With Loved Ones

This celebratory time is often a time of weddings, parties and gatherings, so it’s a perfect time to connect with loved ones. Get together with your nearest and dearest, bring some drinks and snacks and enjoy long summer evenings. On Lammas you could host a dinner or garden party, where you each bring your favourite seasonal treats and discuss things you are grateful for in each other and in the world itself; not only will this create beautiful memories, it harbours a lovely sense of gratitude and positivity. If you’re looking for some tipples for your summer parties, our 3 for £90 spirit deal might just be for you if you’re looking to try our magical new Welsh Witch Vodka!

However you choose to spend Lammas, as we always say, it’s important to do what feels authentic to you. We are all about showing up authentically here at Welsh Witch HQ and that means doing what feels magical to you. Essentially, spend your Lammas honouring the magic of nature, (which is a lot of the keystone beliefs of pagan tradition!) and spend time with loved ones and use this time to be reflective of the cyclical and ever-changing seasons.

Love and light,
Welsh Witch HQ x

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What is Intuition and How to Strengthen it

This week we’re delving into intuition; what it is, how to use it and also how to tap into that inner intuition and strengthen it for spiritual and life guidance. Here at Welsh Witch Craft Spirits, we are passionate about living authentically, showing up in a way that aligns with your goals and honouring your inner magic. That being said: take what resonates with you and work with that to begin, and feel free to explore more if you wish.

First let’s dive deep into what intuition is…

Ultimately, your intuition is a sense of inner knowing, an instinctive feeling that guides you towards what you know to be true, the right path or the best option. It is categorised as both a physical and mental sensation of being aware of which choice is the right one to take, or knowing if a certain thing is going to happen. Everyone has a sense of intuition to a degree, but it is something you can work on to strengthen in order to have less doubt and more certainty in yourself. Have you ever had a sense that something just wasn’t right? Your whole body was telling you that no matter how much reasoning or logic you gave yourself, that thing or situation just was giving you a bad vibe? Well, that gut feeling is a prime example of your intuition – or inner knowing – giving you warning signals to avoid the situation.

Similarly, it can work the opposite way, and you just know when something is the right thing for you. Everything feels aligned, your body feels at ease or ecstatic – that is your intuition affirming that you are doing exactly what you are meant to be.

Now, how do we strengthen our intuition?

Learning how to strengthen your intuition is no easy task, and nor will it happen overnight. This is something that must be worked on consistently to see improvements and deepen your trust with yourself. Your intuition draws from previous experience and situations, so you must first acknowledge that your intuition will have its flaws. Let’s take a look at the ways in which we can begin our intuitive growth journey:

Analyse your past intuition experiences

In order to strengthen our intuitive powers, we must learn from previous mistakes. Our brains are clever things, and they will seek patterns in the experiences we have. If there are any times that you thought ‘This is absolutely the right thing for me’ and it turned out to be a bad experience, or vice versa, take some time to sit with this experience and unpick why you think you had those feelings. Once we address the current thought patterns and habits we have, we can begin to work on strengthening those thoughts to make the right decisions for us instead.

Meditate frequently to recognise your inner voice

One of the most important techniques you can use to strengthen your inner voice, and thus intuition, is by meditating. Taking time out of your day to sit somewhere quiet, take some deep breaths and drop into yourself. Listen to what comes up: is it worry, self-doubt, anticipation? These thoughts are often just busy brain activity – take a moment to tell these thoughts that they are valid; they will come and go. Eventually, find a place where you mind becomes settled, the chatter of thoughts like ‘I should really wash that rug,’ or ‘I need to book a dentist appointment’ will fade. This is the time that your inner voice will begin to shine. Of course, this takes practice – but the more your practice this technique, the stronger your inner voice will get, which is key to developing that intuitive power.

Learn to trust yourself and understand your symptoms

Intuition is based largely on inner trust. Once you have addressed any mistakes you have made in your intuitive journey, you can work on progressing and thus building trust with your inner knowing. This unshakeable trust is where your intuition will begin to bloom; it will come naturally and without thought. With enough practice, this inner trust will be your intuitive compass which will let you know through somatic symptoms whether a something is right or wrong. It is important to really pay attention to how you are feeling: if a situation or opportunity is wrong, it might make you feel sick, anxious, give a quickening heartbeat, stomach ache, and so on. If a situation feels right, it might promote symptoms such as euphoria, smiling, deep feelings or calm or excitement. These cues are crucial to understanding that inner knowing; tap into them and listen to what they are telling you.

Have fun with it!

The most important part of doing any kind of inner work, personal development or deep healing is doing it for yourself. Life is serious enough as it is; use this as an opportunity to have fun with it. Grab your friends and tell them to hide a crystal (or any object!) in one of their closed hands; see if you can guess – and feel somatically – where the object is. Remember that not everyone will get it right every single time, and that is part of the beauty of being human: we are imperfect! Once you embrace this, the journey of strengthening your intuition becomes one of joy and self-discovery.

Becoming more in tune with yourself is a very powerful tool in a world where everything acts as a distraction: constant information, data and technology makes it easy for our inner knowing to take a back seat. Find a way to take back your power, get to know yourself again and rekindle that trust in yourself we all deserve. At the end of the day, you are your greatest power! Finding comfort in your own decisions and knowing what is best for you is a way to show up authentically in this world as your wonderful self.

We hope you have learned something interesting today; check out our Witch’s Journal for more magic about showing up as your authentic self, recipes and magical stories about our Welsh Witch Jade and her spiritually charged and folklore inspired craft spirits.

Love and light,

Welsh Witch HQ x

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Celebrating Summer with Welsh Witch Craft Spirits

Summer is officially here: grab the beach brollies, some strawberries and cream and pop the Wimbledon on! The UK is revelling in the freedom of summer holidays, al-fresco dining and enjoying all the festivities the hot weather brings. So, let’s give you some ways you can celebrate summer with our inspiration from Welsh Witch Craft Spirits, from garden parties, to seasonal recipes and ways to connect with your loved ones.

Get outside into nature

Use this delightful weather to inspire your senses and inner explorer. Grab a pal or take a solo adventure. Visit a place of natural beauty nearby, whether that’s the beach, some gardens, the mountains, it doesn’t matter! Get outside and enjoy some of the fresh air while the weather is good: studies show that getting outside, even just for a 10 minute walk outdoors, boosts your mental health and mood significantly! Find time to take a dip outdoors, in a river, the sea or even a lake if you have one nearby; this time of year the water is so refreshing and ideal for a soothing dip on a hot day.

Host a garden party or barbeque

Summer is often a time of weddings, parties and celebrations. Grab your nearest and dearest and host a summer gathering to remember. If you don’t have a garden, hit up your nearest park, beach or community garden and host a picnic, a ‘bring a plate’ party or a barbeque (if the community space allows!). Finding time to connect and relax with loved ones is a perfect way to soak up the sunshine this summer and enjoy those memorable moments. Don’t forget to top up your tipple stash with our 3 for £95 spirit deal, and you can check out our blog for lots of summer cocktail recipes to enchant your guests and spread some sparkle.

Try out some new recipes

Summer is such a beautiful time for seasonal fruits and veggies, making it a great time to try out some new recipes, prepare some preserves for the winter months or to just have fun with loved ones. Strawberries are an excellent example of a fresh seasonal fruit on offer at the moment; nothing beats UK strawberries in the summer! Try out a strawberry shortcake recipe, a strawberry and feta salad, or check out our recipe for a Strawberry & Elderflower Smash gin cocktail.

Summer Cocktails

Embrace the beautiful summer energy

The summer is always such a beautiful to go out there and do. Use this time to be inspired by the abundance of nature and tap into your inner magic; this is the time to try out new things, explore a new hobby and do that thing you’ve been putting off! Now is the time to strike, with summer in full flow we are encouraged with the solar energy to find time to play, release our inner child and find wonder in this magical summer season. Try some yoga outside, host a game of rounders with friends or spend a day making recipes you’ve been meaning to. It’s so important to nurture that inner child, so what will you do this summer for fun and play?

The exciting summer times always bring a sense of wonder and joy, the warmer weather is an invitation to step outside and revel in the sunshine and just do. So, embrace that solar energy and dive into something new, host a party or take a long trip out into nature.

Here at Welsh Witch HQ, we are wishing you a magical summer, filled with sunshine, good times with good people, and of course a delicious tipple here and there!

Love and light,

Welsh Witch HQ x

 

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Rum Cocktail Recipes to celebrate World Rum Day

Our favourite Rum Cocktails 

Do you know what’s happening on Saturday? If you didn’t, on the 8th of July it is World Rum Day! Fear not if you didn’t get the memo, we’ve got some delicious rum recipes you can try out this weekend with our mystical Welsh Witch Spiced Rum. 

Check out some delicious crowd-pleasing rum cocktails to try out below:

1. Rum Old Fashioned 

A perfect drink for the classicist in your life! Good old-fashioned flavours and simple, delicious notes of aromatic spices make this one a winner for spiced rum enthusiasts. 

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 2 parts Welsh Witch Spiced Rum
  • 2 dashes Bitters
  • 1-2 tsp sugar
  • Cubed ice

To garnish

  • Orange Peel

For a classic spiced rum beverage perfect for any classic cocktail fan, mix together the sugar and Bitters in a whisky or rum glass. Add in a single ice cube and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add a few more ice cubes, half of the rum and stir for a minute. Then, add more ice, the remainder of the rum and stir generously once more. Take an orange peeling and twist over the drink to ensure that delicious orange oil infusion is added to your drink. Stir the orange peel in and enjoy. 

2. Magical Dark & Stormy

Ahh, Welsh Witch Spiced Rum and ginger beer; a match made in flavour heaven! This Dark and Stormy is a perfectly refreshing tipple for a hot day.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 60ml Welsh Witch Spiced Rum
  • Freshly squeezed juice of ½ a lime
  • 150-200ml botanical ginger beer

To garnish

  • A lime wheel 

Add the rum and lime juice to a tall glass filled with ice and stir. Pour the ginger beer over the top and garnish with the lime wedge and enjoy the harmonising flavour of our Spiced Rum with a delightfully refreshing ginger beer. 

3. Spiced Rum Mojito

Enjoy a little spicy twist on a summer mojito with this Spiced Rum Mojito; perfect for beating the heat this summer with an abundance of fresh mint leaves. Bonus points if you can pick the mint fresh from your garden! Mojitos are very customisable, so feel free to add any fruit puree you might like in there too; perhaps some strawberry or pineapple and add this at the muddling stage at the beginning.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 3 parts Welsh Witch Spiced Rum
  • 1 part simple syrup
  • 4 lime wedges
  • 6-8 mint leaves
  • Small slice of fresh ginger
  • A dash of bitters

To garnish

  • A lime wheel 

Muddle together the lime, ginger, mint leaves and any other fruit you’d like, along with the simple syrup, in a tall glass. Filled with cubed or crushed ice and top with the rum and bitters and give it a good stir. Top with more ice if you desire and garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy our spiced take on a classic mojito. 

4. Dreamy Spiced Rum Milk Punch

For something a bit different, why not try a Milk Punch? This cold and milky beverage is an evening iced latte, if you will. Cool, creamy, and refreshing, this is perfect for summer evenings in the garden or as a nightcap before bed. Of course, this can be made with any milk of your choice, experiment and see which ones you like the most – we recommend coconut milk for the creamiest flavour.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • 50ml Welsh Witch Spiced Rum
  • 90ml milk of your choice
  • 20ml simple syrup, maple syrup can also be substituted here
  • 1 dash of vanilla extract
  • Handful of ice

To garnish: 

  • Freshly grated cinnamon
  • Freshly grated nutmeg

Add the spiced rum, milk, simple (or maple) syrup and vanilla extract to a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice and shake until well combined and chilled. Strain into a chilled glass with several cubes of ice, then garnish with freshly grated cinnamon and nutmeg. 

If none of these tickle your tastebuds – you really can’t go wrong with a classic Rum and Cola…

Delightful if you ask us! We’ll definitely be trying one of these on a hot summers’ evening.

We hope you have a magical World Rum Day and celebrate in true Welsh Witch style: with lots of magic, laughter and joy. Hopefully we’ve given you some rum inspiration to try out some new tipples this weekend.

You can shop our award-winning Welsh Witch Spiced Rum here.

Love and light,

Welsh Witch HQ x

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Honouring July’s Buck Moon – Welsh Witch Explains

On Monday the 3rd of July, we will be blessed with a beautiful full supermoon characterised in July as the ‘Buck Moon’. Named, aptly so, after this time when antlers of male deer are at their peak growth during this month. Stags shed their antlers each year to grow a bigger, more impressive set the following year. Therefore, it will come as no surprise that this supermoon is used as a time of growth, transformation, and shedding negativity. We’re going to have a look at some of the best ways you could spend this day of lunar wonder.

Ways you can celebrate the Buck Moon

Since July’s moon is a supermoon (and the first one of 2023 at that!), meaning it orbits slightly closer to the Earth than normal, it will appear bigger and brighter in the night sky than a normal moon. This means it’ll be very hard to ignore the light and lunar energy radiating from the Buck Moon; get ready to use this time to supercharge your life this July. The other supermoons of the year will be happening in August (one on the 1st and one on the 31st) and on the 29th of September, so this summer is going to be filled with lots of beautiful feminine energy. There are lots of things you can do to honour the energy of a supermoon (or any full moon!), whatever you choose to do should feel right for you and remember to remain true to your authentic self.

Now, are you ready for some inspiration for what to do?

1. Plan a new dream, project or goal

This Buck Moon is often seen as a symbol of fertility – due to the full male antlers signifying mating season, but whether that means literally or symbolically is up to you! Characteristically full moons are seen as times to sit back and enjoy your hard work, but the masculine nature of the stags this time of year shows that now is the time to go for it! Use this fruitful time to start a new hobby, tick something off your bucketlist or cultivate a new friendship. Seeing your little seed grow into a greater plant in a few months’ time will be so rewarding if you put things into place during the Buck Moon. Nurturing is a very important process during this transformational lunar energy; what will you nurture this July?

2. Celebrate the moonlight

If it wasn’t obvious, the light from this Buck Moon is going to be pretty intense! You can honour this light by celebrating it however feels authentic to you. Perhaps meditate during the full moon with a guided visualisation, or practice gratitude while bathing yourself in the moonlight. If you’d prefer company, hold a supermoon ceremony or join in a women’s circle or witch’s circle. Use this time to honour the light, give thanks for mother nature and the cyclical events that give us life. If you’d like, use candles to make this celebration of light even more magical.

3. Shed anything that’s holding you back from growing

Just as the male deer would with their antlers each year, use this time as a metaphorical purge of your own antlers. What is holding you back from growing bigger and stronger? Use a journal or in your head think about what is keeping your from progressing further and becoming your best self. If you hold onto any negative emotions that are stopping you from healing, use this time to let these go too. Visualise yourself physically purging these emotions. Similarly, you could write them on a piece of paper and (safely!) set them alight in a controlled environment.

4. Connect with your feminine energy

While the moon’s counterpart the sun emanates masculine energy, the lunar energy is feminine, meaning this is a great time to tap into that feminine energy and honour this sacred time to nurture, venture inwards and reflect. Honour that feminine magic inside each and every one of us and use this time to welcome feelings of gratitude, compassion, and unconditional love for all. Spend time with loved ones or enjoy a self-care evening with all your favourite things; there is no right or wrong way to honour your feminine energy!

When you look up at the moon on Monday, remember how truly connected we all are. Each day is a magical opportunity! However you decide to enjoy the magical supermoon, we hope it is filled with magic, joy and comfort for your soul. May this be a time of calm amongst chaos and let it remind you how special your place is in this big, beautiful world of ours.

Love and light,

Welsh Witch HQ x