How To....

Ever wondered how to make that besom, witch-bag, wands etc...? Well here I hope to share with you some tips that I have gathered not only through friends but also through my own trial and error. As some have said - and I agree - there is a real sense of satisfaction in using something that you yourself have made, in essence it holds a little bit of you and who you are.
Some of the ingrediants can be found round the house or local woodlands, others can be bought at Craft Shops and Chemists.
Oh, before I forget....it helps to have a first-aid kit handy!!

Besoms
(original idea and making
courtesy of Cerridwen Dragonoak)

Handy things besoms.....great for sweeping leaves of the lawn and path and chasing the kids from the kitchen! In some areas couples would jump over the besom to become wed, in others a besom was often built into the wall of a house in the hope that it might bring good luck to the occupiers. So it's not just for flying on (could never get mine kick-started!!)
To quote Cerri.."I finally understood why Hogwarts students buy theirs from a shop!"

Items needed:
A four and a half foot long branch - Ash or Oak - about 1 1/2 inch thick (cleaned and bark removed),
Strong hemp or cotton twine for binding the bristles to the handle.
Birch twig branches - about two foot long.
Warm water
Sharp scissors/secateurs.

Method:
1. Soak the branches overnight in the warm water then dry slightly - they're more pliable and easier to bind if damp.
2. Lay the branches round the handle about 6/8 inches from the bottom with the cut ends facing up the handle.
3. Start binding tightly with the twine about 2inches from the top of the branches, when the first layer is complete bind again about 2 inches further down. Depending how 'bushy' you want your besom carry on adding the layers.Make sure that the binding is tight and secure.
4. If a tidy finish is wanted then provided the branches are still damp and are not to thick you can gently bend the tops over by the top binding and then secure just below the fold with more twine.
5. Trim the bottom of the brush to even it out a bit and then leave the besom to dry.
6. Decorate if wanted!
Happy sweeping!

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Witch-bags
(kindly supplied by Ithilgore)

This is a description of the construction and use of witch bags.
These witchbags were used by the coven and several others. Their design described here and their use was passed onto the coven from an old hereditory witch, who lived in the English Midlands in the early 1900's.
The witch bag is a small canvas bag about 2" square (tea bag size) lined with cotton. It is usually decorated by stitch work. The witch bag would be stitched to a cord with others, this cord would be attached to another cord and worn around the waist. These would typically be worn at festivals and rituals, but individual witch bags could be worn at any time.
The bag would be filled with items dependant on their use. Once the witch bag had been filled, a candle spell would be performed on the bag, and it would be sealed by dropping candle wax into the bag. The bag would then be stitched shut permanently.
The bags contain the essence of what was, and is a way of holding onto and providing a link with the natural energy of what they represent. They can be used in rituals and spells.
The bags are quite small, so parts of the items, rather than the complete item, could be used to fill them. Fleshy items should be allowed to dry before inclusion into the bag

A seasonal witch bag could be made, one for each season, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and sealed on the appropriate Sabbat.
Typical contents of seasonal witch bags could include....
Spring : daisy, bluebell, blossom, leaflets,
Summer : beach sand, seaweed, sea water (dipping the bag should do this), shells, summer blooms, wheat/oat/barley heads, lichen
Autumn : fallen leaves, poppy seeds and heads, dried berries, twigs, moss, fungi.
Winter : snow, earth, ivy, berries.
All seasons: Moonlight, animal bones, feathers, stones, crystals.
Festive witch bags could also be made for such festivals as the harvest.
Human witch bags would contain such things as human hair, skin, blood, sweat, nail clippings, saliva. A similar bag could also be made for a loved animal.

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Wands

A wand (even the Fairy God-Mother had one!) does not have to be an expensive tool for rituals etc, and many now are trying their hand at making their own. Here's a simple (very simple) idea for a wand, you can decorate or carve it as you want.

Items needed:
A branch or piece of wood (even dowling rod) about 12/18 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
Strong glue...I prefer araldite.
Leather or suedes strips for the handle (optional)
Fine copper wire (optional)
Crystals, feathers, ribbons anything that you want for decoration.

Method:
1. Make sure the branch/rod is clean.
2. Make a slight hollow at one end for the crystal to sit, then glue into position.
3. Decorate, carve sigils and signs as you wish!
Hey I told you it was simple!
Tip: If you carefully rub linseed oil or bee's wax into it - it really brings out the markings of the wood.

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Candles

They can cast a warm light on romantic dinners, help you relax after a hard day, be used during rituals or to assist meditation and come in real handy if there's a power cut!

Items needed:
Wax of some sort ...granules or blocks (you can use wax crayons to add colour)
Cotton wick...varying thickness's and lengths, the larger the candle the thicker the wick.
Double saucepan ( not the best set!)or a metal can over a pan of simmering water
Essential oils and/or herbs of your choice
Various containers...cardboard tubes (with one end blocked), tin cans or to be really creative try using a large shell! It helps later if the moulds are lightly greased with cooking oil before you use them.

Method:
1. Dissolve the wax gently in the top of the double saucepan, add bits of coloured crayon to achieve desired effect. Warning- be careful not to overheat the wax!
2. Cut a bit of wick about twice the lenght you'll need, dip it into the melted wax then hang and leave to dry. Once dry attach one end inside the container with plasticine or modelling clay and the other end to a stick or pencil which can lay over the top of the container.
3. Before pouring into the mould add the incense and/or herbs, gently stir.
4. Gently pour the wax into the mould and leave to cool, if it shrinks just add more wax.
5. Gently pour the melted wax into the container, and leave to cool. Once cool remove from moulds and .....enjoy!

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Ink

What better to go write in your B.O.S then your own home-made ink? Here are several recipes for homemade inks, all different colours, some easy - some not!

Dark Inks

Walnut-shell Ink

Items needed:
1 old sock
1-2 dozen or so walnut-shells
Half a tsp vinegar
Pint of water
Quarter ounce gum arabic
Hammer
Old saucepan
Half a tsp salt

Method:
1. Put the shells in the sock and beat into small pieces with hammer.(Good stress buster!)
2. Add the shells and water to the pan and bring to the boil then simmer for about hour. Leave to cool over-night.
3. Strain the liquid into a pot, add the gum arabic and vinegar and stir well.
4. Store in jars with tight fitting lids. Will keep for several weeks in a cool place. Shake before using!

Oak-Gall Ink

Items needed:
6 ounces of Oak Galls (these are formed by the Gall Wasp on Oak trees)
2 pints of boiling water
Essential oil - of your choice
3/4 ounce of gum arabic
1 and a half ounces of sulphate of iron (ferrous sulphate)
An old container

Method:
soak the galls in the boiling water for 24 hours, strain. Add essential oil to the water plus gum arabic and sulphate of iron. Stir thoroughly and bottle in dark containers. Keep in a cool place.

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Witch-balls

Witch-balls...traditionally made to not only protect homes but to insure good luck/health for the occupants. Nowadays seldom seen and in some places hard to buy so I got my thinking-cap on and after some experimenting came up with this....hope you like it!

Items needed:
Several large, clear or slightly tinted glass xmas balls (the ones with the little metal cap)
Herbs of choice i.e. protective, good luck etc.
Silk ribbons (about a yard/metre of each)- blue, white, red, green/brown - to represent Water, Air, Fire and Earth.
Some silk thread
Small crystals (optional)
Glue

Method:
1. Gently remove the little caps to reveal the hole.
2. Add herbs of choice,several small strands of thread (to entangle and confuse any negative spirits)
3. Add crystal of choice if wished.
4. Gently reseal metal cap with glue and leave to set.
5. Put the ribbons together and tie into a knot about 4 inches up, lay on table with the four ribbons spread out.
6. Place the ball ontop of the knot in the middle and proceed to glue the ribbons onto the ball- from bottom to top, so that the ball is divided into four and each quarter is represented.
7. Thread the ribbons through the small loop on the cap - two from either side and knot (this provides extra support for the ball when hung)
8. Plait the ribbons- or knot at regular intervals of about 3 inches (this allows for the ball to be hung at different heights). The loose ribbon at the bottom can be trimmed flat or tied into a bow.

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B.O.S

Book of Shadows, diary, Grimoure.... no matter what it is called the book is an integral part of of many of our lives. Many use ring-binders and here is (I hope!) an easy and effective way of changing a ring-binder into something that is both personal and individual.

Items needed:
Ring-binder
Polyester fleece (enough to cover R.B when opened, but not overlapping the edges)
Fabric of choice to cover R.B and leave a 2 inch overlap
Glue
Two pieces of coloured card
Ribbons (about 18 inches in length) and small piece of material- optional

Method:
1. Open the R.B and lay it on the fleece, mark round and cut to size.
2. Do the same with the material but make sure to leave a two inch border.
3. Cut the card to fit the inner sides of the R.B (front and back) but one inch smaller all round.
N.B. Now is an ideal time to decorate the material with any stitch-work, writing etc
4. Glue the fleece onto the front of the R.B, then lay on the fabric, pull the overlaps evenly over the edges and glue to the inside of the R.B (make sure that it is not too tight so that the book can be closed!)
5. Glue the card onto the insides of book (front and back) to cover the material edges
N.B. If you'd like book markers then you could try the following:
Lay the ribbons out so that about 1 to 2 inches overlaps the top of the book spine on the inside- glue into place. Stick the extra piece of material over the top to cover any edges.

You could also decorate the front of the book by sticking on dried herbs, flowers, feathers etc.

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Dream Pillows

The sweet scent of dried herbs to aid your sleep. Here is a basic method to making a 'dream pillow' - sweet dreams!

Items needed:
1 pint of dried hops
1 pint of dried rose petals
Half a pint of dried chamomile flowers
Quarter of a pint each of orangeblossom, lavender and jasmine.
2 teaspoons ground orris root
1 teaspoon frankincense powder
4 - 5 drops of melissa essential oil

Mix all the ingrediants together and store in an air-tight container, leave in a warm, dry place (airing cupboard is ideal) for about a week. Shake the box gently every couple of days.
While the herbs are merging you can make the 'pillow'. All that is needed is the following; a piece of cotton fabric (recycled pillow-case is an option) about 16 inches by 10 inches, and a piece of velcro about 5 inches long.
Fold in half and sew two of the edges of the cotton together, hem the open side and stitch the velcro onto the edges- this provides a way that you can change the herbs if needed without undoing a load of stitching!
Gently pour in the herbs and push the velcro together, if you want you could make an outer pillow-case to put the main bag in.

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Infused Oils
(thanks to Beirn)

Infused herbal oils can be made with many diverse types of herbs flowers and plants, there are three main method of making infused oils. You can use fresh or dried herbs - remembering to double the quantity used for fresh over dried (most recipes given are for dried).
When using fresh herbs - dry out for 5-6 hours to reduce water content.
I would recommend that flowers are used fresh except for gardenia, daphne and boronia - all whose perfume actually intensifies with drying.

Solar method:
This is my favourite if lengthy method.
I make my arthritic/rhuematism oil this way and it has excellent results, better than any other method. If I need a mix fast then I use the water method below.

Ingrediants and method:
15 gm (1/2 oz) dried or 30 gm (1 oz) fresh herb or any mix of herb blend up to a total of 15g dried or 30g fresh.
1 cup oil - sunflower or almond (you can use more herbs/flowers/etc using this method, if you want to make a strong oil.)
The trick is to use a smallish bottle with tight lid, put in herbs, then cover to rim in oil.
A tablespoon of cider vinegar/white wine will aid the process.

Put the herbs in a jar with a tight fitting lid and pour over the oil. Make sure the herbs are completely covered with oil. Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white wine to help break down the plant material. Leave the jar to sit in the sun all day and in a warm cupboard at night for two weeks. Strain through muslin half way through and add fresh herbs and another tablespoon of vinegar.
This process can be repeated two to three times to give a stronger oil. The final product should be strong enough to leave an aroma when massaged on the skin. Always test infused oils on the skin. Don't rely on just your nose.

Heating over Water:

Ingrediants and Method:
15 gm (1/2 oz) dried or 30 gm (1 oz) fresh herb or any mix of herb blend up to a total of 15g dried or 30g fresh.
1 cup of oil
Add the correct amount of herb to 1 cup oil and mix in a good bowl. Gently heat floating in a larger pan filled with water or a double boiler should you have one (for about 4 hours). Do not allow the water to boil.
The oil/herb mix should be covered, and watched carefully so it does not get too hot.
Strain through muslin, until all trace of herb / flower is removed. this is important or oil will degrade over time.
Store in tight-lidded jars in a cool place.

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Robes
(thanks to Plymtom)

I had in recent times become aware of feeling uncomfortable wearing my mundane clothing during ritual, so I thought about wearing a robe but as these can be expensive I thought about making my own. I realised I had suitable material at home - a dark blue velvety material (originally curtains!) The choice of material used is - of course - up to you.
I searched on the net and through books for ways to go about doing this, and having some experience with a sewing-machine decided to give it a try! A robe is a surprisingly easy garment to make and as with anything that you make yourself there is a significant benefit of having poured your own labour and effort into making something.
I used a sweat-shirt (one that was loose enough not to stretch when being taken off) as a guide to the pattern so that I could get in and out of my robe easily.
I had decided to make my robe 'v' necked so any jewellery I wore at the time could be easily seen.

Instructions:
The instructions I followed are as follows;
Measure yourself from wrist to wrist with arms outstretched - this gives a minimum width of material required. For the hood part I again cheated and simply drew around the hood part of a hooded sweat-shirt!
Then measure yourself from the nape of your neck to the ground - this is half of the amount of material required.
Fold the material in half and mark out the template with chalk, cut along the marks which should leave you with a rough 'T' shape, the exact dimensions will depend on you - as I said I used a sweat-shirt as a template to ensure I didn't make it too small width-ways.The final adjustment of the length can be done after trying it on.
Pin the hood (if required) into place and again sew.

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Natural Dyes

Have you ever noticed how certain fruit and vegetables manage to turn your hands (and sometimes clothes!) weird and wonderful colours? Well an idea bloomed after a friend said about home-dyed easter eggs (thanks Nerthus!!)
I decided to have a rummage for ways to home-dye clothes, altar clothes, robes etc, here is a list of foods that will have (I hope) the effect and also a method. The best fabrics to use muslin, cotton and wool. (Don't forget the rubber-gloves!!)

Tip: Flowers should be in full bloom, the berries and nuts should be ripe.

The fabric will have to be soaked in a fixative before dying, this will help the dye to set. There are two ways of doing this:
Salt Fixative: - for berry dyes
a) 8 tablespoons of salt to 4 pints of cold water
Vinegar Fixative: - for plant dyes
b) 4 parts cold water to 1 part white vinegar

Method for Fixing:
Add fabric to the fixative in a large saucepan and simmer for one hour. Remove and squeeze out excess fixer. Rinse in fresh water until water runs clear.

Preparing the Dye:
1. Chop the plants into small pieces and place in a large pot. Add double the amount of water to plant stuff. Bring to boil, then simmer for about an hour.
2. Strain well, and return liquid to the pot.
Now add the damp fabric to the dye. Simmer together until the desired colour is obtained.
N.B: Remember the fabric will dry a lighter shade, also home-dyed material is best washed in cold water and seperate from other clothes.

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Runes

There are several different ways of making your own rune sets- for example; pebbles, circular cuts of wood, rounded crystals and clay. To use the Elder Futhark you will need 24.

Pebbles:
You will need 24 pebbles all about 1 and a half inches in size (one of my daughters made hers with pebbles that were slightly flattened).
Using an acrylic paint and a fine paint-brush, paint each pebble with one of the runic inscriptions. My daughter sealed hers with a clear varnish, this not only protects the paint but also protects the pebbles from chipping and scratching when in a bag.

Wood:
You will need a branch or piece of wood which is approximately one and a half inches in diameter, carefully saw into coin-shapes about half an inch thick.Using a soldering iron (I used an old kebab skewer!) carefully burn the inscriptions on the discs. To protect the wood and show the grain you could then rub in some beeswax polish or a good quality wood oil.

Clay:
For these I used the clay from craft shops that can be hardened and dried in a home oven, or left in a warm place for 2-3 days.
Shape the clay into balls about one to one and a half inches across (if you wish you could add herbs relevant for each rune to the clay balls while rolling), gently flatten to make discs about half inch thich. With a damp sharp pencil or other sharp object mark the inscriptions in each one. Leave to dry by what ever method you prefer.
When dry paint the inscriptions carefully, dry then seal with varnish.

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Staffs - Stangs

Staffs can be simple or decorative, used as a walking aid and/or a form of alter. Some are made from living wood, some from dead wood but it needn't be hard to make your own. All you will need are the following:

Items
1 branch : approximately 1 and a half - 2 inches in diameter and between 5 - 6 foot long
(mine is under 5' because I'm short) Choice of which wood is personal, mine is a beautiful Birch.
Either varnish or a mixture of oils and wax - I used a mix of pure bees wax and herbal oils
Leather thongs and whatever decorations you wish to use.

Tip: If using green wood then leave it too dry and harden slowly in a dry room, if dried too quick it may split.

When dry or if you have a piece of dead wood then you can either carefully take the bark off or like myself leave the bark on. Carve decorations or runes on it if wanted then either varnish with a good wood varnish or using wax/oils start applying them in thin layers allowing time between each for the varnish to dry or the oils/wax to soak in.
When finished decorate with thongs/beads/feathers etc or leave plain.

Enjoy

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Rune.gifs courtesy of TaraHill