Witchy Crafts

Looking around Amazon I found several book on crafts specific to witches. So yes I bought them all. Well the first one is Witchy Crafts, 60 Enchanted project for the Creative Witch, by Lexa Olick. If you are a crafty person or not this is a fun book with something for everyone.

Lexa covers all areas of life and purposes in this book. There is a project to help you for almost anything. She begins with giving you some basic information about the different crafts in the book. She then goes into each month with what you could create to bring forth those monthly energizes.

Then come the projects, each one has a black and white picture. All the supplies you will need and well thought out instructions. There are crafts fro jewelry, candles, clay, sewing, crocheting and much more. If you are the crafty person then this book is for you. With not only 60 + projects, but also the endless supply of ideas. I do hope you make this one of your favorites in your library.  

Beltane Wreath

For the Beltane craft challenge we are to make a arrangement of flowers. These flowers could be fresh or silk and they are to be in a basket. Well at craft chat I had asked if we could do this as a wall basket. The answer was I could interpret that how I saw fit. So this is what I came up with.

So for Beltane I decided to take a wall basket and attach it to a grape vine wreath. For a while I have been wanting to create a different wreath for each Sabbat season. I haven't gotten to doing that just yet. Well that is until know.

So what I did was I attached the basket to the wreath in three places to keep it from moving. When I was a florist there was a floral foam called Sierra. This foam was used for silk and dried arrangements only. It doesn't hold water but it does work just like the wet counter part Oasis.

After I got the foam in place I added some ivy. Ivy is one of this Sabbats symbols, which makes perfect sense with it connection to love and marriage. I next created the bow and attached that and weaved it in and out of the wreath going upward.

The next flowers that are symbols for this holiday are roses, love and friendship. Daisy love and attraction, Lily of the Valley also symbolizes love. All of these flowers have other attributes to them but the ones I am using them for are listed above. Since this is the Sabbat of the great marriage these make the most sense.

I did have some other flower that I added for color and definition. I think it came out very well. I left the ribbons long to be reminisce of the wish or prayer ribbons that you attach to a hawthorn tree. So come Monday I will bless and dedicate this wreath. Then I will place out side on the front porch. My goal is to now make one for the rest of the remaining Sabbats.

The Witch's Book of Shadows

A couple of years ago I received a book called The Witch's Broom. It's by Deborah Blake and it is a wonderful book if you wish to know everything about broom and besoms. Well this year Santa brought me the book The Witch's Athame. Then I picked up the book The witch's Book of Shadows. If you haven't guessed Llewellyn has started a new book series. There are two more that I have yet to purchase to complete the series. They are The witch's Wand and The Witch's Mirror. They are all wonderful little books for the subject's they contain. It's a wonderful reference to learn more about each witch's tool.

We are actually here to talk about only one of those book's. The Witch's Book of Shadows by Jason Mankey. He is a new author for me and I enjoyed his work. He went through history and specific authors through history that created some of the most famous Books of Shadows. Through out the book he give you suggestions on what to put in your book. Since every witch is different, just as each witch's path is different. So too would each witch's book of shadows.

So what would a book about Book's of Shadows be about? Well I'm glad yo asked. There are a total of ten chapters focusing on history. What types of books there are, what you may wish to include in your book. A discussion on the history of magical books, words and symbols. Actually putting together a book of shadows. Different fonts, alphabets, inks and symbols. Gods and Goddesses pertaining to books and knowledge. Using your book in ritual, cleansing and consecrating your book. Jason also discusses Book's of Shadows that aren't in paper form.

This is a nice little book for anyone who wishes to learn more about Book's of shadow's. Or some who is new to the bath and really has no clue where to begin. Jason covers all the bases in a well written and thought out way. I hope you will venture into The witch's Book of Shadows and enjoy a wonderful walk into the world of recorded magick.

Crystal and Gem Show

Today one of the local Lions club chapters held a crystal, mineral show and we went. Ed has said he has been to it in the past and it was very large when he went. Well this year, it being at a local high school it wasn't as large as past shows. Or at least what he remembers when he went to them.

I actually did very well with finding some fun stuff. I picked up a gem quality opal. I believe it to be a Golden Opal, it is very pretty and caught my eye. I also got an Irradiate quartz, Shiva Lingham (I have seen them in the past and found them to be pricey). An a Apache Tear, Prenite, two Tremolites (not sure why two), Bismuth, Pyrite.

I also picked up a grab bag, in traditional grab bag fashion you have no idea what you are getting. I think I did really well with this bag. I got two Amethysts, the one is regular and the other is specked with Red Hematite. I also got some Calcite, a bag of tumbled stone and some Sand Selinite.

All in all I think I did really well with every thing and had a wonderful time. I enjoy going to those types of events. So when they come up I try to go if at all possible.

The Second Book of Crystal Spells

Well, Ember Grant has hit it out of the park with her Second Book of Crystal Spells. The second book is just as informative if not more then the first. So not to be repetitive Ember explores different crystals, minerals and such.

The Second Book of Crystal Spells has full chapters on salt, tarot, special points, special rocks and minerals. There is a new chapter in this book on crystal grids which is actually of a simpler design. Ember also includes a chapter on the chalcedony group of stones, one on using crystals to enhance your intuition and she even supplies rituals to include crystals in your Sabbat and Esbat rituals. Ember also includes quotes from Love is in the Earth, by Melody. This book was well thought out and with a large diverse amount of usual information.

As with her first book there is a very large appendix with definitions, metaphysical properties, colors, chakras, and much more. If you have Embers first book or you would like learn more about crystal and how to use them. Then this is a book for your collection. I hope you let the crystal world into your life. An let a little earth magick take you to new heights.