Making a Corn Dolly

YOU WILL NEED
Two small handfuls of corn stalks
Green and yellow wool or cotton
Trailing greenery (ivy or grape vine are ideal)
Appropriately coloured ribbons for the ritual
(e.g. red or orange for Lammas)
METHOD
✤ Take one handful of corn stalks.
✤ Just below the top, bind the stalks with the
yellow cotton, tying securely.
✤ 3–5 cm underneath, bind the stalks again; this
forms the head of the doll.
✤ Carefully divide the bound bundle into four
strands. (The outer two will form the arms,
the middle ones the body.)
✤ Gently bend the stalks which represent the
arms and bind carefully with the yellow
cotton.
✤ Bind the two middle pieces together, crisscrossing the cotton to create a body
approximately 10–15 cm (4 in) long.
✤ Use the green cotton to bind the two middle
lower sections to represent legs.
✤ Ask for a blessing from an agricultural god.
✤ You might say:
God of plenty, bless now this image of your
fertility.
✤ Decorate with the ribbons and trailing
greenery

To represent a feminine deity, leave the bottom section
free so that it looks like a skirt. The representation of
the male god can also be used at the time of Mabon –
the Autumn Equinox – or at Saturnalia in December.
Here is a simple technique for your own use,
which commemorates the Burryman and
shows you how to make use of a corn dolly.
Ideally at Homstrom you would be getting rid
of an old dolly, simply by burning it. Lammas
would be the time to make a new one for you to
keep over the winter.

How To Make a Witch’s Ladder

A witch’s ladder is one of those nifty things we sometimes hear about but rarely see. Its purpose is similar to that of a rosary – it’s basically a tool for meditation and ritual, in which different colors are used as symbols for one’s intent. It’s also used as a counting tool, because in some spell workings there is a need to repeat the working a particular number of times. You can use the ladder to keep track of your count, running the feathers or beads along as you do so.
Traditionally, the witch’s ladder is made with red, white and black yarn, and then nine different colored feathers woven in.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Varied

Here’s How:

Realistically speaking, it makes more sense to use yarn colors that have a significance to you and your working. Also, finding nine differently colored feathers can be tricky if you’re looking for them out in the wild — you can’t just go plucking feathers from local endangered species — and that means a trip to the craft store and some oddly tinted feathers. I’d recommend using either found feathers of any color, or something else entirely — beads, magical uses of buttons, bits of wood, shells, or other items you have around your home.
To make your basic witch’s ladder, you’ll need:
Yarn or cord in three different colors
Nine items that are similar in property but in different colors (nine beads, nine shells, nine buttons, etc)
Cut the yarn so that you have three different pieces in a workable length – usually a yard or so is good. Although you can use the traditional red, white and black, there’s no hard and fast rule that says you must. Tie the ends of the three pieces of yarn together in a knot.

Begin braiding the yarn together, tying the feathers or beads into the yarn, and securing each in place with a sturdy knot. Some people like to chant or count as they braid and add the feathers. If you wish, you can say something like this variation on the traditional chant:
By knot of one, the spell’s begun.
By knot of two, the magic comes true.
By knot of three, so it shall be.
By knot of four, this power is stored.
By knot of five, my will shall drive.
By knot of six, the spell I fix.
By knot of seven, the future I leaven.
By knot of eight, my will be fate.
By knot of nine, what is done is mine.

As the feathers are tied into knots, focus your intent and goal. As you tie the final and ninth knot, all your energy should be directed into the cords, the knots and the feathers. The energy is literally stored within the knots of the witch’s ladder. When you’ve completed the string and added all nine feathers or beads, you can either knot the end and hang the ladder up, or you can tie the two ends together forming a circle.
If you’d like your ladder to be more like a rosary string, I’d highly recommend picking up a copy of Pagan Prayer Beads by John Michael Greer and Clare Vaughn.

What You Need:

Yarn or cord in three different colors
9 Feathers or other items to braid into your ladder

‘How to make a blessed necklace ‘

You will need the following items for this spell:

Visualization
Believe
A necklace
Your hands
A emotional bond with the necklace (optional but makes it stronger)
A wish

Go to a place where you wont be bothered and sit down. Close your eyes and put your hands around the necklace. Dominant hand first. Visualize the way your hand are around the necklace and then think of the thing you want he most. Do you want to have good luck? Or maybe you want to be loved. Just think of the one thing and say it out loud.

”I want this necklace to (thing you want [can also be ”I want
(crush name) to love me”]) and here by I am praying to the god and goddess to bring that to me. This is my will so mote it be!”

Then visualize a light with the color of the theme your wish is in (Love wishes red/pink, luck green, protection gold, and if you want to curse someone you visualize it black.) form into a orb in your chest right at your heart and then go through your dominant handed arm into the necklace. Keep going until you feel like the necklace is full and then visualize a (color of wish themed) glow around it. open your eyes and take a deep breath. Then you can do whatever you want to do with it.

Bride-of-the-Sun Salve

Ingredients

1 handful wild garlic 1 cup marigold blossoms 9 rosemary blossoms 9 lavender blossoms 1 cup goat butter, olive oil, or neutral base
Use olive oil or goat butter over a low flame for a base. (Or purchase neutral salve base at your health store or a pharmacy).

Over low flame carefully mix in an earthenware or an enamel pot, marigold blossoms, rosemary blossoms and lavender blossoms with a wooden spoon.

Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Cover and store in a cool place.

The next day heat again over low flame, gently stirring for 7 minutes.

Cool to body temperature and strain through gauze cloth.

Fill glass or earthenware container, cover tightly and store in cool, dark place.

Apply thin film of the salve to affected area. Do not use heavy application, rather repeat treatment more often.

This salve is also recommended for boils, scar tissue and insect bites. 

Luck & Prosperity Jar

Every now and then, we could all use an added boots of luck in our lives. Be it for that job interview, sales for our small business, whatever the case may be. For me, luck and prosperity go hand in hand, and together they make a dynamic duo. If you need an extra boost in your current situation, try out this jar!

Supplies:
✤ Jar
✤ Basil
✤ Bay Leaf
✤ Cinnamon
✤ Ginger
✤ Green Candle

Directions:
Layer all your supplies into your jar neatly, in whatever order you see fit. All the while, think positively about drawing luck and prosperity into your life. You DESERVE this after all. Listen to some upbeat music, create it in your work space, even wearing green while making it could also be a fun option. When done, seal with green wax and keep on hand either in your work space or near your front door! 

How to Make a Witches Ladder

To make your basic witch’s ladder, you’ll need:

Yarn or cord in three different colors
Nine items that are similar in property but in different colors (nine beads, nine shells, nine buttons, etc)
Cut the yarn so that you have three different pieces in a workable length – usually a yard or so is good. Although you can use the traditional red, white and black, there’s no hard and fast rule that says you must. Tie the ends of the three pieces of yarn together in a knot.

Begin braiding the yarn together, tying the feathers or beads into the yarn, and securing each in place with a sturdy knot. Some people like to chant or count as they braid and add the feathers. If you wish, you can say something like this variation on the traditional chant:

By knot of one, the spell’s begun.
By knot of two, the magic comes true.
By knot of three, so it shall be.
By knot of four, this power is stored.
By knot of five, my will shall drive.
By knot of six, the spell I fix.
By knot of seven, the future I leaven.
By knot of eight, my will be fate.
By knot of nine, what is done is mine.

As the feathers are tied into knots, focus your intent and goal. As you tie the final and ninth knot, all your energy should be directed into the cords, the knots and the feathers. The energy is literally stored within the knots of the witch’s ladder. When you’ve completed the string and added all nine feathers or beads, you can either knot the end and hang the ladder up, or you can tie the two ends together forming a circle.

Magical welcome doormat

tems needed

a doormat (whatever one you like)
paint
oils
salt and rosemary mix
After gathering the items, you should place a symbol of protection on the back of the doormat (or you can write a chant on the back) if you are placing the mat on a cement driveway, I would suggest using chalk and writing the things underneath the mat.
Grab the oils and pour a bit of the scented oil on the mat.
Next, grab the salt and rosemary mix and sprinkle some at the front of the door.
Chant this when you are ready “All those who I love and cherish shall enter freely and happily without harm. All those who I hate and fear shall be sent away and forbidden to enter and will not bring any harm inside.

Easy Pipe cleaner Pentacle Ornaments

Use chenille stems in your favorite color to create one of these. They’re easy, and your kids can do it once you show them how to bend the stems. You’ll need three pipe cleaners, or chenille stems, for each pentacle.

Bend the first stem into a circle, and overlap the ends by about an inch, so you can twist them closed.

Take the second stem, and create three arms of the star inside the circle. Be sure to twist it around the circle as you make the points, because this will keep it from sliding apart.Take the last stem and create the final two arms of the star. Use the remaining length of stem (don’t snip it off) to twist into a loop so you can hang your ornament.

Ritual Soap Spheres

Using a very sharp, thick-bladed knife, cut a four-ounce bar of castile soap into very small pieces no larger than 1/4 inch square-the smaller (as long as they are cubes) the better. Place these in a heatproof nonmetallic container. Heat slightly less than 1/3 cup water until nearly boiling. Pour the still-hot water over the cut up soap. Let it sit until the water has cooled sufficiently to allow you to handle it. Mix the soap and water with your hands. This will moisten the soap chips, but they shouldn’t be floating on the surface of the water. If they are, add more soap.

Let the soap and water sit for about nine minutes until mushy. If the soap cubes are still hard, set the bowl in a pan of water and reheat it gently until the soap is soft. While the soap is melting, mix together the oils and empower them with your magickal need. Then add 20-50 drops of the combined oils to the soap/water mixture. Very warm water evaporates the oils, so wait until the water has cooled. Mix them in thoroughly. The scent should be strong; if not, add more oils.

The quality and strength of the oils you use determines the quantity needed to overpower the natural, rather antiseptic scent of genuine castile soap. Just add them until you can smell the oils. Divide the scented soap mass into three or four parts. Form these into spheres with your hands. Place each on a nine inch square piece of cotton cheesecloth. Pull the ends tightly around the sphere. Tie the ends closed with strong string. Repeat with each sphere.

Hang the soap spheres in a warm place for three days, or until the soap is completely hard. When the spheres won’t give to finger pressure, remove the cloth wraps. The soaps are ready to be used in ritual baths. Or, they can be wrapped in clean cheesecloth, labelled, and given as gifts.

Isis Soap

3 parts Myrrh 2 parts Frankincense

1 part Lotus Bouquet

Use before any Egyptian or Isian ritual. Also, wash with this soap to develop spiritual awareness. If you wish, substitute rose water for the water in which the soap chips are melted.

Love Soap

4 parts Geranium 3 parts Palmarosa 2 parts Neroli 1 part Ginger

Wash with this soap to attract love, or prior to love rituals. And again, rose water may be used in the same proportions as plain water in preparing the soap.

Luck Soap

2 parts Vetivert 1 part Orange 1 part Nutmeg

Wash to change your “luck” or to bring positive energies into your life. Orange flower water may be used in place of plain water during soap manipulations.

Money Soap

3 parts Patchouly 2 parts Peppermint 1 part Basil

1 part Pine 1 part Cinnamon

Wash your hands daily with this soap to attract money, or use prior to money-drawing rituals.

Moon Soap

3 parts Sandalwood 2 parts Camphor 1 part Eucalyptus 1 part Lemon

Use before rituals on the Full Moon to attune with its energies.

Protection Soap

4 parts Rosemary 3 parts Basil 1 part Frankincense

1 part Bay 1 part Mint

Wash daily with this soap when you feel the need for protection, or before such spells.

Psychic Soap

3 parts Lemongrass 2 parts Bay 1 part Cinnamon

Wash with this soap to increase your psychic awareness, especially prior to divinatory or psychic workings.

Sabbat Soap

4 parts Sandalwood 3 parts Rosemary 2 parts Patchouly 1 part Cinnamon

1 part Myrrh 1 part Bay 1 part Lemon 1 part Ginger

Use during ritual baths prior to the Sabbats or as a general magickal cleanser.

Witch’s Soap

3 parts Rosemary 2 parts Pine 1 part Cinnamon 1 part Orange

Wash with this soap before rituals of all kinds to increase your personal power.

Pagan Crafts: How to make a Set of Worry Dolls

Worry dolls are commonly used in Central America by children, but this doesn’t mean that adults can’t use them too!

The legend states that if you tell one of your worries to each of your worry dolls before you go to bed, then place the dolls under your pillow and continue to sleep with them there, then by the time you awake in the morning, the doll’s will have taken your troubles away (or at least lessen them!).

To make worry dolls, you will need:

toothpicks
several colors of embroidery floss or yarn
craft glue
small wads of paper

1. Wind embroidery floss or yarn, in the colours of your choosing, around the toothpicks. Do each arm and leg first. A touch of tacky glue or paste holds the ends of the embroidery floss in place.

2. A small wad of paper separates the legs and forms the base of the head.

3. Attach arms and legs to the body of the doll with some more twists of your thread.

4. Wind the yarn around the top of the wad of paper to make the heads. (you may want to create facial features, but this is up to you!) Add some loose peices of yarn to the heads to make hair.

It is better to make an entire set of the dolls, each with different “costumes” , as it is likely that you’ll have more than one worry! 5 or 6 of the little worry dolls should be sufficient!

It is common practice to keep your worry dolls in a little straw box, but you may keep them in a bag or purse if you wish! Worry dolls also make a nice little gift for friends and family!

Pagan Crafts: How to make Spell Protection Boxes

Spells are cast by constructing a spell box, which are enclosed altars or tableaux.

In general, a spell box is filled with power items necessary to achieve a goal, although you should follow directions given for specific spells.

It may be a cumulative spell done in increments: items are gathered one by one and added to enhance the power of the box.

Sometimes a special box lends itself to a magical or spiritual goal. The box itself can become an intrinsic part of the spell.

Attach and incorporate the power items to the box itself, such as charms, beads, shells and feathers.

Paint images on the outside or inside of the box to correspond with the spells goals.

Embellish with sigils or other symbols using magic ink, henna or other natural dyes.

Protection Box

You will need:

heather,sage, pine or cedar incense
a box
white wrapping paper
a sprig of rue
a holly leaf
a tiger’s eye bead
a piece of dragons blood resin
Scotch tape
a pen with red ink

Light a stick of heather, sage, pine or cedar incense.

Hold the box over the smoking incense to thoroughly saturate it with the scent.

Hold the herbs, bead, and resin in your hands.

Charge them with energy, focusing on protection and safety for all who dwell within your household.

Visualize a web of protective light encasing your home.

Then put the ingredients into the box and close the lid.

With the pen, draw protection runes on the box, and wrap it in the white wrapping paper.

Hold over the smoking incense again and say:

Amidst the Autumn’s darkest nights

Our home be bound by brilliant light
A web of hope and joy and peace
Be woven now, all danger cease
By watchful eye, by lock and key,
Protect our home, so mote it be.

Pagan Crafts: Witches Inspiration Jar

The purpose is to bring on inspiration. For creativity.

Items you will need:

1 mason jar
1 small crystal
dried orange peels, two thirds
dried mint one third
2 drops orange oil
1 drop mint oil
a square piece of black cotton fabric
a rubber band
orange fabric paint or orange acrylic paint
orange ribbon

Note:

The color orange is the color of creative energies.

The shading of how dark or how light the orange is that you use will denote the level of creative energies you wish to channel.

A dark orange will take you deep into the creative energies while a light orange is less intense.

Moon cycle:

No moon cycle is selected for this spell because all phases of the Moon hold different levels of creative energies, including the dark Moon.

If you follow Moon phases, choose the cycle that fits your purpose best.

Instructions:
Gather all items.

With a clean and dry jar before you place the mint first and then the orange peels inside, filling it up about two thirds of the way.

Add two drops of orange oil and one drop mint oil.

More if you are using a large mason jar. Stir ingredients together.

Take the small crystal in your hand and saying these words:

‘Creativity
Come to me
In whispers and dreams
And visions that gleam.’
‘So mote it be!’

Now, place the crystal inside the jar with the potpourri.

For the lid, cover the opening of the jar with black fabric so that the side of the fabric hang down over the edges about 2 inches.

With a pencil, mark the center top of the fabric. Take the fabric off the jar, lie it flat on a hard surface.

Using orange paint, acrylic or fabric paint, paint on a spiral.

While the paint is drying, cover the jar temporarily with a lid so that it does not get spilled.

Spiral:

The spiral is a symbol of the dance of life. It shows the continuous cycle of ourselves going inward within ourselves and then going outward expressing ourselves.

Black:

The black fabric in this spell is used as an absorption colour. Black absorbs all colours and all energies.

By placing the orange spiral on this we are signifying just what those energies are that the black is absorbing, all creative energies.

Once the paint is dry, place the fabric on the jar once again.

The spiral should now be on the centered top of the jar’s mouth. Holding the fabric in place, wrap the rubber band around the sides to hold it in place.

Next, tie the orange ribbon overtop of the rubber band.

Keep this inspiration jar in your work area, where you do your writing, painting, drawing, or keep it by your bed to bring on inspiring dreams.

Pagan Crafts: How to make a Sacred Salt Jar

This is not only great to have for oneself, but it makes a nice gift to someone special if you happen to know what scents they like or stones they like.

Since what you put into it is “yours”, it is like giving a part of yourself, too.

This mixture is excellent to charge stones in and to “simmer energies”.

I’ve had mine blended for years now and it has actually become quite powerful in itself.

Once it has blended for a few months, a pinch can be added to rituals, etc., bath water or as a gift to Mother Earth.

You can also make a “starter salt” as a gift for a friend.

You can also give of your own sacred salt mixture to a special friend to help blend powers and energies when they make their own sacred salt mixture.

The mixture should be made and kept in a covered stone or Earthen jar, but can be made and kept in a covered glass jar until you find one that is suitable.

I actually discovered that I like the glass jar as I can see the stones and all in it every time I walk past it.

There are thoughts on what kind of salt to use. Some use rock salt, some Earth salt and some sea salt some even use normal table salt. I used sea salt in mine.

Whatever salt you use, make sure that it is “natural” and not iodized. Y

ou blend the salt with chopped or ground herbs tiny crystals, small stones nuts seeds, jewelry locks of hair, ground incense and a few drops of your favorite oils….anything that you wish.

Even rose petals and other flowers.It so happens that I saved a lock of my son’s hair from his first haircut.

A bit of that is in my sacred salt mixture also.

When I have cleansed and charged stones and crystals by Sun and Moon, I place them in this mixture to store until I wish to use them or give them as gifts.

Often, I will simply take the top off and inhale the fragrance and feel much the better for doing so. Of course, the larger the jar, the more things you can continue to add.

Pagan Crafts: How to make a Simple Besom

Collect handfuls of plants to use such as:

Yarrow
Cedar
Juniper
Fruit tree sprigs
Oak tree sprigs
Birch or ash sprigs

Bundle plants together and tie, cut ends together.

The bundle may be Tied to A Branch if a longer handle is desired.

Use the broom to sweep away Negativity And to sweep your magic circle clean.

Witches Good Luck Sachet

Supplies needed:

1)small bag or panty hose…

2)vanilla incense

3)frankincense

4)items to go into sachet. Here are some items for good luck.

Acorns, jade, four leaf clovers, parsley, cloves, gold, silver, copper, hickory nuts, rabbits foot, red hair, Image’s of rainbows..

5)sea salt

6)matches or lighter

7)wand

A) Sitting by your altar light the frankincense and in a complete circle clockwise direction walk with your incense to create sacred space.

Smudge yourself and all your supplies you have chosen for the spell.

B)Now sprinkle sea salt in the same manner. Remember to use visualization and it only takes a little sea salt.

C) light your vanilla incense.

Smudge all your supplies including yourself.

D)Sitting in front of your altar add the supplies you have chosen for your sachet. I personally like using at least 3 items. I would use acorn, cloves, four leaf clover.

E)As you tie the sachet up visualize good luck energy in the colors of the rainbow going into the sachet.

See yourself laughing and smiling cause you feel the good luck racing thru your body.

Feel the powerful energy coming from above and below racing through all 7 chakras and out your hands as you hold them over your sachet empowering it with good luck.

F)Tap with your wand and say,

“So Mote It Be”!

G)Leave the Sachet on your altar.

Making Coloured Sachets For Rituals

Making sachets for rituals is very simple.

If you are good at sewing, fold a rectangle of cloth and stitch the sides together, using a running stitch.

Alternatively, just place the herbs in the centre of a square piece of cloth, gather the corners together and tie them with three, six or nine knots.

The colour of the cloth should be appropriate to the healing need.

For a sachet to carry with you, your square of fabric should be about 10 cm by 25 cm (4 in by 10 in).

Make it larger if you want to hang it at home or keep it in a drawer.

Use a natural fabric, such as felt, wool or cotton.

Experiment with different sizes – you can make really tiny sachets to hide in a corner of your bag or in your undergarments or in the lining of a coat, and the size of the sachet has nothing to do with the potency.

Even a teaspoon of mixed herbs can be endowed with positive intent to protect, heal and give hope.

Fill your sachet with herbs that have been empowered.

For extra power, add a small crystal of the same colour as the cloth.

If you do not add essential oil in the empowerment, you may wish to add a drop or two of an appropriate fragrance before tying the sachet.

You may want to include a herb of protection in sachets made for other purposes, although most herbs do have a protective property along with their main magical use.

Carry sachets until they lose their fragrance. If the sachet represents a long-term objective, replace the herbs regularly.

Open the sachet, scatter some of the old herbs to the four winds, burn a few, bury some and dissolve the rest in water.

A sachet for a pet can be hung above its bed.

If you are healing absent people, animals or places, then you can wrap the herb sachet with a picture or symbol in white silk and keep it in a high place or put it in a small wooden box on your healing table.

Replace the herbs regularly, empowering new ones as before.

You can make herbal sleep pillows containing lavender, hops and aniseed and if you charge the herbs you can drive away bad dreams.

Make Your Own Besom

While it’s easy to just buy a broom, it’s also pretty easy to make one of your own out of different types of wood.

Although the items that follow are for the more traditional style of besom, you can use nearly any types of branches available to you. You’ll need:

A four-foot length of ash or oak for the handle.

Thin branches of birch for the bristle part (you can substitute a woody herb like mugwort or thyme for the bristles if you like)

Lengths of willow or heavy cord to bind everything together

You’ll also need scissors and a bucket of warm water.

Whatever you’ll be using for the bristles — whether it’s birch, an herb, or some other wood — should be soaked in the warm water overnight to make them pliable, as should the willow binding, if you’re using it.

Crafting Your Besom

Lay the handle on a table or the floor, and place the bristles alongside it, lined up about four inches from the bottom.

Point the bottom of the bristles towards the top of the broom, because you’re going to flip the bristles in a minute.

Use the willow branches or cording to wrap the bristles around the broom.

Add as many as you want to make the broom full.

Make sure you tie the cording off securely so your bristles don’t come popping out later.

Now, take the bristles and fold them down over the willow binding or cording so that they’re pointing towards the bottom of the broom.

Tie them down again at the base of the broomstick to secure them.

As you’re wrapping the cord in place, visualize your intent for this besom.

Will it be strictly decorative?

Are you going to hang it in place over a door?

Perhaps you’ll use it ceremonially, or maybe even for physical cleaning.

Focus on what you’re going to be doing it, and charge it with energy.

Make your broom as fancy or simple as you like – the possibilities are endless!

Let your broom dry for a day or two, and when it’s all done, consecrate it as one of your magical tools.