Witchvox Article

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Posted: April 9th. 2000
Times Viewed: 6,520

Welcome to the world of us non-crafty Pagans. I'm referring, of course, to those of us who don't have the ability to look at a bunch of silk flowers and they are arranged, not to those of us who don t practice the Craft. In what follows, I hope to give you guys some ideas about how to throw together some great tools for your altar, and some cheap ritual garb. In each section, I'll list the supplies needed and approximate cost (for me here in Oklahoma, your mileage my vary). In most cases, the supplies can be found around your house or at a store such as Walmart or Hobby Lobby.

A Pentacle

A pottery plant saucer ($1.00)
One or more colors of acrylic paint ($1.50)
Cheap craft paint brush(es) ($1.50)
A ruler or string (if you want straight lines on your pentacle)
Masking tape (if you want straight lines on your pentacle)
Pencil

Use the pencil and ruler or string to draw the pentacle on your saucer. If you really want nice straight lines, use the masking tape to create borders where you don't want the paint. Paint the pentacle in. If you want to do something fun, try to come up with different designs to paint on or around the pentacle, but for us uncreative people, what is basic works just fine.

A Wand -- the traditionalists are going to kill me on this one...

Something of the appropriate length, preferably a stick that you picked up on a walk
Ribbon or Yarn ($0.35-$2.00)

Wrap the ribbon around the stick. I believe that there may be a particular way it is supposed to be wrapped, but I don't know off the top of my head. :) Why do I say the traditionalists are going to kill me on this one? Well, my wand isn't a stick, it is actually a metal part that I saved from a printer that I destroyed a couple of years back. I wrapped the wand with some leather cord ($3.00) to make it feel/grip right before putting on my ribbons.

Candles

Paraffin (find at local grocery store in the canning section, $3.00)
Coloring and scent (find at local hobby store ($5.00)
Wicks ($3.00)
Pan with water over low heat
Glass jar to melt wax in
Something to make candles in (Votive holders is what I use-- $0.75)

Melt wax in pan over low heat, using an electric skillet works nicely. Put in the coloring or scent if you want too, It really doesn't take much to do the job. Put wick into the holder and slowly pour wax into the holder. Let the wax cool some and then pour in more to fill in the dimple. You can also make dip candles if you have a taller jar to hold the hot wax and a long wick. To make the dip candle, just hold onto the top of the wick and dip the candle in the wax, let the wax cool and repeat until the candle is a thick as you want it. If the jar with wax in it starts rattling in the pan, put a popsicle stick or two under the jar.

An altar cloth

Check out the remnants bin at a fabric store ($.75-$5.00)

I'm lazy, so I don't usually hem my altar cloths, I just fold them neatly over my altar. Usually in the remnants bin, you can find both the ends of a bolt of fabric or fabric that is off-season. This makes for a great way to do altar cloths that change with the cycle of the year.

A chalice, bowl, etc... This is for the more daring of non-crafty Pagans.

A trip to the local green ware shop ($5.00-30.00)

Here in my town, we have a little shop where you go and paint pottery (called green ware, I believe) and then they fire it for you. This can be a great way to make your own chalice, bowl, or pentacle. Just remember to use several coats of paint or it streaks. :)

Ritual Robe

Old sheets
straight pins ($1.75)
pencil or pen
Sewing Machine (borrow from a friend if you don't have one... $200)
OR hand sew with a needle and thread ($3.50)

I started to write instructions for this one myself, but then I confused myself so badly that I figured I should find some for you guys on-line. So here is a happy link to some robe making instructions. The site is a subpage of Servants of the Light: School of Occult Science. I don't know anything about the group, but the robe making instructions look simple enough, and there are some graphics to help you out.

Ritual Jewelry

Beads ($1.00-10.00 depending on your taste)
Tiger Tail (This is a plastic coated thin wire-- $2.00)
Crimp beads ($1.00)
Clasp ($0.50)
Needle nose pliers($5.00)
And anything else that you may want to throw in.

Jewelry is one of the few places where I can get truly creative. It is also one of the places that I have found it to be true that anyone who puts there mind to it can come out with some awesome and unique stuff. Here is some instructions for the equipment that I have listed above. Cut a length of the tiger tail, shorter for bracelets, longer for necklaces and waist chains. Be sure that you have 5 to 7 extra inches of working room. Slip one to two of the crimp beads on to the tiger tail followed by one end of the clasp. Loop the tiger tale back through the crimp beads so that the clasp is is the loop. Use the needle nose pliers to squeeze the crimp beads closed. You are now ready to slide the beads onto the tiger tail. I usually use seed beads because they are inexpensive and come in lots of bright colors. If you want to put out a little bit more money, you can do the entire necklace using larger beads. Also, you can purchase small charms and what-not to put on the necklace also. When you have finished stringing the beads, put two more crimp beads on the necklace followed by the other end of the clasp. Again, you loop the tiger tail back through the crimp beads so that the clasp is held securely in the loop.

Some Pagan Gift ideas

Do you have any extra AOL disks laying around? Take some acrylic paint and paint over the side with the advertisement. You can use runes, pentacles, whatever. These can be used to make hanging ornaments, mobiles, and other things.
If you are any good with a sewing machine or an embroidery needle (or even if you just know a basic stitch or two) you can take some scraps of material left over from your robe making and make small pillows for all of your friends. Use your embroidery skills to put some happy Pagan symbols on them.
Don't use all that fabric yet! Many of us have some sort of Book of Shadows. Make your friend a cover for her notebook! Take a notebook and lay it open on a flat piece of fabric. Fold the sides in over the note book and pin them. Sew along the top part, turn the cover right side out and voila! A note book cover. :)

That about tops off my Pagan crafty ideas that can easily be shared in this form. I'm going to close with a couple of notes about shopping. And trust me, I hate shopping. :) As you become more proficient at making the things described above, I'm sure that you are going to want to branch out. I urge to not just shop at Hobby Lobby and Walmart for your supplies. Go to the local flea market and look around for old necklaces, sheets, etc. This can be a great way to find cool beads, fabric and other fun stuff. And while their you can keep your eyes open for some of those ritual items that you can't easily make such as an Athame or Cauldron. Do you know where your local head shop is? You know, its the place where you can get great black light posters, not to mention those innocuous little baggies to protect your coins. :) Head shops can have great things along the lines of imported bedspreads, bells, and charms. Import shops in general can be great places to find cool things for your crafts. Happy Hunting!

Peace,

Sunset Owl

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