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Icy Sedgwick

Fantasy fiction & folklore!

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Home Protection the Folklore Way: Apotropaic Magic

February 6, 2021 by Icy Sedgwick 6 Comments

Home protection now involves tech, but in earlier times, people resorted to magical means. Click here to learn more about their methods...

People have tried to deter malevolent spirits over the centuries. From planting rowan trees by their door to keep witches out, to hanging horseshoes above the door to keep evil out, people have used a range of protective devices. Known as apotropaic magic, these items were their first line of home protection defence against both […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: #FolkloreThursday, folklore, home protection, houses, protection

Star Gazing: Constellation Origin Myths and Star Superstitions

January 30, 2021 by Icy Sedgwick Leave a Comment

What ancient stories and legends do the stars spell out for us? Find out with these constellation origin myths, based on the Greek tales.

Humanity has gazed up at the stars for thousands of years. What are they and why do they appear in that pattern? Can they predict events here on earth, and can we build a relationship with them? Turns out there’s far more to star gazing than just the origin myths of the zodiac! The other […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: astrology, zodiac, zodiac origin myths

The Origin Myths of the Zodiac’s Water Signs

January 23, 2021 by Icy Sedgwick 1 Comment

The signs of the Zodiac have their own origin myths. Let's look at the legends behind the water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces!

As we’ve seen throughout this blog series, there’s more to astrology than newspaper horoscopes and star signs. In fact, we’ve been looking at the Greek origin myths of the signs in the zodiac. Who or what gave their name or image to each sign? What are the myths behind the famous names? We’ll look at their […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: astrology, Greek mythology, mythology, zodiac, zodiac origin myths

The Origin Myths of the Zodiac’s Air Signs

January 16, 2021 by Icy Sedgwick Leave a Comment

As we saw last week, there’s more to astrology than newspaper horoscopes and star signs. In this blog series, we’re looking at the Greek origin myths of the signs in the zodiac. Who or what gave their name or image to each sign? What are the myths behind the famous names? We’ll look at their […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: #FolkloreThursday, astrology, Greek mythology, mythology, zodiac, zodiac origin myths

The Ghost: A Cultural History [Book Review]

January 10, 2021 by Icy Sedgwick Leave a Comment

This is a review of The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens, published in 2017 by TATE publishing. Find out if it's worth a look!

The Ghost: A Cultural History (2017)Susan OwensLondon: TATE Ghosts offer a curious phenomenon for those who would care to look. Their longevity is astonishing, with tales of hauntings dating back to the writings of Pliny the Younger. They also feature an astounding evolution in form, motivation, and effects, changing as they do to suit the […]

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Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: book reviews, books, folklore, ghosts

The Origin Myths of the Zodiac’s Earth Signs

January 9, 2021 by Icy Sedgwick Leave a Comment

The signs of the Zodiac have their own origin myths. Let's look at the legends behind the earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn!

As we saw last week, there’s more to astrology than newspaper horoscopes and star signs. In this blog series, we’re looking at the Greek origin myths of the signs in the zodiac. Who or what gave their name or image to each sign? What are the myths behind the famous names? We’ll look at their […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: #FolkloreThursday, astrology, mythology, zodiac, zodiac origin myths

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Who is Icy Sedgwick?

icy sedgwick

Icy is a folklore blogger and host of the Fabulous Folklore podcast. She is based in the north east of England, where she was born and raised amid the folk tales and legends of Tyneside and Northumberland. Icy is fascinated by history, cinema, art, and the occult, and griffins will always be her favourite mythical beast. She also writes dark fantasy novellas, Gothic short stories and the occasional weird Western, and she holds a PhD in Film Studies!

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