Stencils: an Easy Way to Express Your Magic

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Francesca De Grandis

Sometimes, I want a simple, quick way to creatively express my spirituality.

That’s not my usual mode. Most of the time, I’m a do-it-from-scratch girl. I spin fibers into yarn, then weave the yarn into magical hats to keep me warm in winter. I dye fabric and paint my own designs on it to make altar cloths. I cure a piece of wood for months, if not years, and then sand its rough surface for hours, smoothing it to create a talisman. … Well, it’s not completely from scratch: I don’t harvest all my own wood, rarely concoct my own fabric dyes, and have never raised sheep for the wool fibers I spin.

In any case, sometimes, with my busy schedule, I want a project I can finish quickly. So, when Stencil Revolution offered me free stencils, I was delighted.

I chose four designs, each of which is available in various sizes. Below you can see the sizes I chose:

* DEER ANTLERS STENCIL, 8.5″x11″: https://www.stencilrevolution.com/products/deer-antler-stencil
* CRESCENT MOON STENCIL, 8.5″x11″: https://www.stencilrevolution.com/products/crescent-moon-stencil
* TRIBAL RAVEN STENCIL, 8.5″x11″: https://www.stencilrevolution.com/products/tribal-raven-stencil
* ARROW KIT STENCIL, 5″x6″: https://www.stencilrevolution.com/products/arrow-kit-stencil

Much as I revel in coming up with my own designs, it was fun to work with someone else’s. And Stencil Revolution allows you to bring beautiful artwork into your home without having to pay an arm and a leg. All that’s needed is a stencil, a bit of paint, a paintbrush, and a few common household items, such as masking tape to hold a stencil in place while you apply paint.

… And, of course, an item to stencil. A friend had gifted me gorgeous pieces of weathered lumber.

Not wanting the projects to be costly, I decided a white paint and a black paint would be enough. I chose the 2.25 oz size of Jacquard Neopaque Black and Jacquard Pearlescent White. Those little sizes are enough to do oodles of small projects.

I chose those paints because they’re inexpensive, excellent products, easy to use (simple instructions are on the bottle), and, being a bit thick, are less likely to bleed past the cut edges of the stencil. They’re also suitable to cloth, wood, and other surfaces.

If you apply these paints to fabric, it is washable, once set. Easy setting instructions are on the bottle.

I found the paints at a good price here: https://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/lumiere-and-neopaque.html

I suggest a test run on a piece of paper, thick card stock, or old cloth, just to get the hang of stenciling.

Usually, I tape all four sides of the stencil down to the surface I am going to stencil. But, for the wood projects in this post, the stencil edges extended past the top and bottom of the pieces of wood I chose:

When painting, I pressed down with one hand on the stencil, right by the cut edges of where I was painting, to moosh the edges flat against the wood, so paint wouldn’t run under those edges.

I used too much paint, so some of it crept under the edges. The use of old timber contributed to the bleeding; as gorgeous as the reclaimed wood is, it’s an uneven surface. But I’m still quite happy with how the projects turned out.

The next time I might, instead, use a near dry brush, then remove the stencil, and fill in paint where needed.

Another lovely option is Shiva Iridescent Paintstiks. These gorgeous oils are dry sticks that you rub on, so when you stencil, they don’t bleed, but create sharp, crisp edges. I’ve used them to stencil clothing, and I imagine they’d work well on other surfaces: https://www.dharmatrading.com/markers/shiva-paintstiks.html

When I removed the deer antler and crescent moon stencils, and saw the bleeding, it was tempting to give up and abandon my projects. But I’ve learned that a “mistake” in the creative process is an opportunity to make the project better than I’d originally envisioned it.

I used a Q-tip, toothpick, or X-Acto knife—depending on which worked best where—to scrape off as much of the unwanted wet paint as I could.

Then, for the antlers, I used black paint to draw the outline that had been intended in the stencil. I drew freehand instead of stenciling. Then, to continue covering up the white paint bleed, I extended the black, roughly surrounding the antlers.

I like the effect. Its roughness and hand-painted quality go well with the aged timber. The bleeding was lovely synchronicity. Without it, I never would’ve thought to add the black paint.

The moon stencil was quite forgiving, when it came to bleeding. A few brushstrokes to spread the paint a bit in a couple of places did the trick.

The final results:

The bleeding in the moon project, too, was lovely synchronicity. The Gods are always with us when we’re creating. The outer curve of the moon stencil is a smooth line (see below), but bleeding paint made that edge ragged, which looks beautifully natural, like the moon’s actual bumpy surface. Since the inside curve of the stencil is bumpy, it was nice that the outside ended up matching.

Next, I used the raven stencil and part of the arrow kit stencil on a scarf. I applied a light application of paint, so there was nowhere near as much bleeding. I’ll love wearing the scarf.

In fact, I like the sort of batik look created by the combination of a bit of bleeding and my using a brush that had less paint on it. And, after removing the arrow kit stencil, I was able to, freehand, easily add strokes here and there to make everything look pretty, yaya!

On my walks, I see raven feathers on the ground. I never pick them up. To me—and this is just my personal interpretation, I’ve never read this anywhere—Raven Spirit drops a feather by me when I need a reminder to live in the moment, focusing on enjoying my walk, rather than being distracted by worries, resentments, or the gathering of feathers. When I put on the scarf to keep me warm for my walk, the raven and its falling feathers on the scarf will be an additional reminder.

When stenciling on cloth or paper, lay it on a smooth, hard surface, to avoid bleeding. If stenciling the front of a T-shirt, stick flat sheets of newspaper or something else absorbent inside the T-shirt, so the paint doesn’t leak onto the T-shirt’s back.

I’m a perfectionist. Going with the flow and experimenting allows my high standard to remain without stopping a project dead in its tracks. Not every piece works out but, if I just keep going with it, good chance it pans out beautifully.

Stencil Revolution has all sorts of stencils for the Pagan, nature lover, tree hugger, boho spirit, and DIY Goddess. You’ll find feathers, paw prints, dream catchers, the tree of life, Halloween decor, huge mandalas for the wall, and lots more. There’s even a pentagram: https://www.stencilrevolution.com/products/pentagram-stencil

What an easy way to turn fabric into altar cloths or festival banners, or to adorn a ritual robe or T-shirt.

A last little tip: Once your project is done, and your stencils are washed and dry, keep them flat by storing them in the cardboard envelope in which they were shipped.

The Divine celebrates your creativity. Have fun.

Nwsltr2017B

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Talisman Set 24

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Francesca De Grandis

This talisman set has sold.

I’m leaving this post here anyway, exactly as is, because
1) It discusses a vision that inspired a series of shamanic necklaces. I’d love to share that vision with you.
2) Most of my sets are shown through private viewings, e.g, my newsletter. I list a few sets here to introduce my sets to site visitors.
————————————————————————————————————
This one-of-a-kind set is available exclusively to one of my newsletter subscribers. Crafting amulets only for folks traveling alongside me feels true to who I am. If you don’t subscribe yet, click here for a free subscription: https://www.outlawbunny.com/newsletter/.

Consisting of two unique handcrafted talismans, the set is suited to one buyer who’ll think, “This is mine.”

I ritually blessed both amulets in a major Faerie rite.

The set includes a one-of-a-kind Faerie Shaman necklace titled Fey Memories of Future Days.

It is pictured above and in photos below.

Fey Memories of Future Days is the third piece in a series called Hidden Power Places. I expect the series to consist of a small number of talismanic necklaces. Here’s how the series started:

I had a vision in which a necklace appeared and told me what its magic would be. It said, “I am the spaces in between, the hidden places of power, safety, and beauty. Wear me to be in those places.

“You can live in them throughout the day, live your mundane life in safety, beauty, and power, without it being obvious to those without the eyes to see, or those to whom your essence should not be revealed.

“I’m not meant to adorn the loud flashy Pagan who has more volume in speech than actual power in deed. Instead, I am the amulet to foster the power, safety, and self-realization of the quieter practitioner—the Fey soul who strives to live magic.

“I’m the dark rainy day that most people complain about, but in which you find ecstasy. I am the gray days of winter that most people dread, but in which you find peace. I am the magical circle between the worlds. I am the heart full of joy in solitude.

“I am the road you wander, thinking yourself lost, until the way before you opens into the primordial forest, where Fey welcome you. I am all hidden places that are goodness. Adorn yourself with me to receive the blessings those places confer.

“Know I am bestowed upon you by Goddesses often viewed as one-sided, as only fierce or frightening. You know that those who hold such limited views miss immense Divine blessings.

“The Snow Goddess brings death in winter, but She also brings snow-dusted winds sparkling with enchantment that ignites hope and fortitude in even the weariest heart. She is also a springtime Goddess, bringing pale budding greenery and sweet blossoms of new beginnings. She is only one example of Goddesses viewed in too limited a manner. Here’s another: many a dark Goddess, lauded for dangerousness or ferocity in battle, is known by too few as a gentle, kind healer and peaceful companion, loving us in the dark maternal safety of Her starlit womb.

“I will help you walk with loving Goddesses in Their full power and all Their caring for you.”

I ritually imbued this set’s one-of-a-kind necklace with the powers described in the vision.

I was delighted to receive additional visions of a few more Hidden Power Places necklaces. Each has an entirely different-looking design, yet all have the same magic shown in the first vision. Each distinct design represents a different doorway into the powers described in the first vision.

And each doorway has its own additional magic, which I wove into that doorway’s corresponding necklace. So let me tell you about the necklace in this set. Fey Memories of Future Days:

Faerie Shaman, your DNA holds memories that promise your day can be beauty. These memories are a door to hidden places of power. As are your whimsy, lightheartedness, down-to-earth attitude, and love of Nature.

This necklace is a blend of new and old beads, which I wove together, while also weaving magical power into the necklace.

Almost all the beads are designer beads. It takes time to find the right looking beads, let alone with large enough holes for what I do. Even tiny designer seed beads might be costly. Time and money spent are worth it because I try to create dreams with jewelry. I don’t want the wrong beads to pull someone out of the dream. Modern bead makers have amazing techniques. For example, beads can be etched or subtly multicolored, as if time had weathered them, creating an aged look that can be perfect for my designs. Or a luscious patina can add an otherworldly feel.

The pendant is moss agate. Above it is a moss agate bead, then a rosey-pink Bali recycled glass bead, then a luminescent-honey, faceted bead with a pink blush at the top rim when the light hits just so, and then another moss agate.

Here is information about some of the other beads. Past the pendant and aforementioned beads, one side of the necklace starts with wee, round, green stones that I was told might be aventurine. They also look like they might be quality jade. I’ve no expertise in gemstones identification, so my guess holds no weight. But they really look that way to me, and were part of a destash that had some fine pieces. In any case, these sweet green beads have an ancient, lovely, calming yet vivacious energy that runs smooth as a quiet pond’s surface. If memory serves, I acquired that destash about 12 years ago, so who knows how old these green beads are. If they are really old, it’s more likely they’re fine jade.

I often save beads until I find just the right use for them—even if that means them sitting in my stash for decades—so it’s lovely to tell you about old beads so you know how special these talismans are to me.

I’ve possibly had some of the other beads 10 or 15 years, but I’m not sure.

There are also two oak wood beads I made. The last bead on the side of the necklace with those two oak pieces is a Swarovski crystal.

Oak symbolizes strength, prosperity, protection, and overall blessings. Oak is also a door into Fey realms and their mysteries.

I associate oak with the Green God, often known as Herne, and with the green Goddess, often known as Elen of the Ways.

If you enjoy using a wand, the pendant is a fine keppen. (A tiny wand is called a keppen). It is a general purpose wand, but you could also gently tap yourself with it, to be enfolded by the power this talismanic necklace bestows. Simply wearing the necklace will do the same thing, but it’s a nice and different experience to do it with the wand.

I left the top part of the necklace simply braided and bead-less because that looks nice, is more comfortable, and makes the necklace hang nicely.

The necklace is woven with waxed linen cord.

To benefit from the power of the necklace, when you don’t want to wear it, put it on your altar.

This set also includes an elder wood threshold talisman to protect and bless the home.

This lintel amulet will do its magic when hung by or above the door, another opening to the outdoors, or elsewhere in your dwelling. You could instead use this threshold charm as a protection and blessing for a space other than a home.

Elder wood can add power to your magic, facilitate change, protect from evil spirits, and be used in exorcisms.

Elder is sacred to Goddesses Freya and Holda, as well as to the Crone Goddess. I myself experience elder as invoking the Great Goddess, Creator of All Things. Some folks, myself included, meet a Goddess called “the Elder Mother” living in the tree.

One reason I started woodworking was to discover mystical powers a specific type of wood might have that go unmentioned in any books, blogs, etc. When woodworking, I experience a wood firsthand and at length; this intimate, direct experience creates a chance for the wood to speak to me, sing to me of its powers, and bless me with them. When sanding elder, it appears primordial to me—the original archetype of a tree mystically.

Elder wood’s energy—as distinct from the energy of elder berries or elder flowers—is suited only to a person who
* serves a Goddess (other than the Goddess within oneself. I am not diminishing the importance that viewing self as deity has for some people. I’m instead stating what’s needed to work with elder wood.)
* works hard on surrendering to that Goddess
* strives for humility
* and devotes substantial time to serving humans (as opposed to serving non-corporeal beings. My emphasis on humans doesn’t diminish the importance of serving spirits. I’m simply stating what’s needed to work with elder wood).

If the above requirements are met, elder wood can safely provide all the marvelous magic described in the three paragraphs that kick off with “Elder wood can add power.” For anyone other than the type of person I described, elder wood energy might automatically backfire harmfully on them. So I dare not sell an elder wood talisman without cautionary statements.

To readers who lack confidence: if you underestimate your devotion to the Goddess, the importance of the service you provide your community and/or family, your surrender to Her, and its humility, then your under-estimation might not let you realize that you can use elder wood when many others cannot.

Magic is everyone’s birthright, but not every magic is right for everyone. I’m comfortable with elder, adore it, but I couldn’t work with a garnet stone if my life depended on it.

If you think elder is safe for you though you don’t fulfill the requirements listed, trust yourself. My belief in elder’s restrictions is purely my own. I’ve never seen it in lore. It is something the Old Gods of the Druids told me directly. Even if it appeared in traditional material, lore is not law. You are the ultimate authority on you.

Lore provides food for thought. Though my theory that elder wood use is restricted to certain persons isn’t spelled out in traditional material, I analyzed lore and found it congruent with my ideas. If you’d like to read that analysis, go to https://www.outlawbunny.com/2018/12/20/the-magic-of-the-elder-tree/

You might consider spitting on the ground outdoors, as a one-time offering to the Elder Goddess and the Great Mother, before you first hang this elder wood amulet in your space.

Lore tells us to never burn elder. Many folks, myself among them, believe that includes pyrography.

I want to add that the serious, hard-working Elder Mother is also lighthearted, gentle, and merry, if you get to know Her. A far cry from the dour depictions often given of Her, She enjoys my joy and whimsy.

Above the elder lintel charm is a large piece of copal, and below is lavender-colored Bali recycled glass. The two wee blue pony beads were in my stash ballpark 15 years, waiting for the right use.

Elder has a soft pithy core. I hollowed it out, to put a string through it so you could hang this talisman on your wall. The core was off center, so the elder hangs at an angle. That natural hollow is a channel through which magic can travel to this realm.

Cost for the set is $130 plus $8.20 shipping. I ship only to U.S. non-military addresses, USPS using a tracking number. Scroll down to pay securely with PayPal:




Your set will arrive with simple care instructions for your amulets. I’ll also enclose a print up of this PDF.

All wood was ethically harvested and finished with a natural beeswax and oil treatment. The lintel charm is strung on waxed cotton cord.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Classes, Books, and Other News, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Dragon Woke Up!

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Francesca De Grandis

The dragon woke up! Having a high standard is lovely. … Being a perfectionist isn’t lovely. 

A few years ago, I had to cut back a wild rosebush because it was threatening the wiring on a utility pole. I seasoned some of the wood, for talismans.

The other day, I looked at a crooked stick of wood from that culling and saw a dragon. 

After I cut the dragon away from the rest of the stick, I sanded that magical creature till some of it was smooth as sin. I couldn’t get every last part that way. Perhaps someday I’ll have that skill. But all parts were nicely sanded. 

Examining what I’d done, I saw a few nicks on the dragon’s belly and the underside of the neck. The imperfections were barely noticeable, but I removed them anyway. That meant starting the sanding all over again with a heavy grade of sandpaper and working my way through to the finest sandpaper again. And that’s when the dragon came alive, thanking me for stroking its neck and rubbing its belly. Wow. Alive. I knew it was alive, but hadn’t experienced it yet, at least not in this way. Having a high standard is lovely.

Another time, it might’ve been good to leave the flaws in, if doing otherwise would have constituted a crazy-making fit of perfectionism. Perfectionism can keep you from noticing the dragon, even if it’s purring at you. 

But this time, the dragon loved the results of my polishing away the flaws, and so do I. I might even try to figure out how to make every last bit of this like glass. … No, trying that would be the perfectionist crazy-making moment because this item, just as it is, feels perfect in my hand, a tactile delight, I can’t stop fondling it. I don’t want to destroy that. Sometimes trying to make something perfect ruins it. Besides, supposed flaws can make an item better, and knowing when that’s the case is part of both craftsmanship and the magic of talisman-making.

I intended the dragon to be used as an ancestor meditation. It’ll be great to handle when contemplating ancestral matters. If I sanded it more, perhaps I wouldn’t enjoy holding/touching it as much. I love it the way it is, so I’ll keep it as is, at least for now. Dragon is happy with the way it is, too. 

When I first started working on this piece, I thought I might add pyrography, envisioning scales and swirls and other wild dragon-y lines. (Pyrography is the art of burning designs into wood. A lot of the wood talismans I make have pyrography. The photo below shows a pyrography example. It is on the rest of the stick from which the dragon was cut. I did pyrography on the straight part to make a talisman to protect and bless a home.)

Much as I love that vision, I’ll add no pyrography, at least for now. The dragon is complete. Pyrography might make the wood not as amazing to touch. Yes, the dragon is alive, good—not to mention happy—exactly as it is. 

And my vision? The scales and swirls and other lines remain in my mind’s eye, always part of my dragon friend. They needn’t be visible to the mundane eye. (Dragons like their secrets. And my vision will eventually end up on another piece of wood, probably.) Living fully, loving well, craftsmanship, and good talisman-making all require honoring a vision but knowing how to follow through on it.

Hello, dear dragon. Thank you for coming into my life. You’ll tell me if you ever decide you want pyrography or further sanding, I’m sure.

Hello, dear dragon, thank you being a link to my Fey ancestors.

********

Dear reader, I don’t know how long I’ll do it, but right now I’m crafting one-of-a-kind wood talisman sets available exclusively to my newsletter subscribers. This is part of a shamanic journey I am on. If you don’t subscribe to the newsletter yet, click here for a free subscription: https://www.outlawbunny.com/newsletter/.

Written Oct 2018.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Magic Jewelry, Divine Madness, and Waxed Linen Cord

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Francesca De Grandis

Since September, I’ve been learning how to use waxed linen cord, and experimenting with it for sacred jewelry-making. 

Developing my own style of using waxed linen cord was necessary to make necklaces I’d envisioned. I not only studied techniques for waxed linen cord, I also created a few myself. Then I practiced them all.

Creating techniques required experiments, which resulted in some necklaces that took a lot of time to construct but were not up to snuff. Though I took them apart, the mistakes I made taught me how to do things right. That is the way of experiments. 

Doing everything outlined above allowed me to create talismanic necklaces I love wearing, and to start making some to sell. The above photos show a necklace I made for myself. Wearing it makes me happy, so the months I took figuring out how to make a necklace like that were worthwhile. 

I wrote the following right after starting to explore waxed linen cord:

I’m thrilled with how my first attempt at using wax linen cord turned out.

I have a single gold hoop earring I almost always wear, and I often hang a little talisman from it. If you know me, you know I live and breathe amulets.

I’d made some tiny beads out of elder wood. Wee items hold huge enchantment. I wanted to hang one of the beads on my gold earring and, though I usually use brass or copper wire, neither seemed right for this.

Then I thought of the linen cord I recently purchased for another project I haven’t had a chance to do yet.

With no patience for using a pattern, and an almost complete inability to follow one, I simply braided three pieces of linen cord. Instead of braiding their entire length, I braided their middle section.

To stabilize the cords so my braiding wouldn’t come out messy, I tied a loose knot where the braid was going to start. When finished braiding, I undid the knot. Simple.

Next, I tied the two ends of the braid together (or perhaps I tied them right below where the braid ended), creating a loop to hang the talisman on the earring.

Can you see in the photo how tiny yet neat the braid is? I’m proud of that.

Next came hanging the elder bead on the portion of the cords that extended below the braided loop. The hole in the elder would’ve slipped right over any knots, so I added a smaller bead on both sides of the elder.

Since I’d folded three strings over to make the loop, I had six little dangling cords, which went through the elder and the bead on each side of it.

That left those six cords hanging below the beads. So I added little dangles, one per two cords. The dangles are all beads I’ve had for a while; it’s special to use treasures I collect that have sat unused for years.

The top dangle looks like it might be agate. It has a lot of detail and is, I suspect, a portal into a Fey forest. Anything wee with a lot of detail is a treasure. The leaf is quartz crystal. The flower is comprised of a glass bead and a manufactured crystal that might be Austrian.

I’m thrilled. For one thing, waxed linen cord truly surprised me; it is a creature unto itself; there are all sorts of things I’m going to be able to do that never quite worked with wire, waxed cotton cord, or anything else. Wow, so much potential!

I can’t imagine what I made working structurally with anything other than waxed linen cord. E.g., if I used something else, I might have had to put glue on the knots, and I avoid glue in my jewelry because I always add too much and end up with a big obvious blob. Another example: I don’t think I could’ve made such a tiny yet neat braid, if it hadn’t been waxed linen. This cord is only .4mm, yet totally manageable, cooperative, and more. As I said, I can’t imagine anything else making this piece work.

The other reason I’m thrilled is I came up with a simple pattern I can use again and again. I have a new pattern in my repertoire that I’ll apply a lot of ways.

In the above pic of the elder wood beads I made, you can see how tiny they are, if you look at the penny next to them. Am I crazy to have done all the work needed to create tiny wooden bits? Divine madness! I even sanded the ends so edges would be soft-looking instead of blunt. Divine madness! (The two larger beads were much easier, even though they’re small when it comes to woodworking.) I’m happy. Wee objects hold special magic.

Wearing my new talisman, I feel the Elder Tree Goddess blessing my spirit.

—————————-

Dear reader, I make one-of-a-kind wood talisman sets, available exclusively to my newsletter subscribers. Crafting amulets only for folks traveling alongside me feels true to who I am. If you don’t subscribe yet, click here for a free subscription: https://www.outlawbunny.com/newsletter/.

Please note: The person from whom I acquire most of the amazing wood I use is no longer a supplier. Despite months of searching, I haven’t found other sources for the diversity and quality of wood I require. So I don’t know how long I’ll continue crafting wood talisman sets. Also, making wooden talismans is part of a quest I’m on. I don’t know if I’ll continue to craft the sets when the quest ends. Before the quest, I only made a few wood charms, now and then.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Magic of the Rowan Tree

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Francesca De Grandis

Rowan is one of the trees considered sacred by ancient druids and has also been held supreme by many a witch over the years.

I once felt rowan wood’s dominance as the witches’ wood undeserved, and its power greatly overrated. And … well, I felt modern use of rowan was simply trendy. Oops! My bad! Eventually, I understood rowan’s many benefits, and why it deserves its prestige. I’ll address two of its traits here.

But first, two photos, so that you get to actually see the gorgeous wood of the tree under discussion:

Rowan protects from evil magic. That’s commonly known but, duh, Francesca, so important for witches because they are constantly in the realm of magical doings! Plus … drumroll … I intuit rowan fosters the ability to spot evil magic.

Why the drumroll? Ability to spot negative mojo and protect oneself from it is pivotal to me because I’ve repeatedly seen great suffering for witches who either didn’t realize the prevalence of nasty magic or recognize it when it manifested in their own life. I suffered myself until I learned to spot it more consistently and protect myself from it more effectively. Sadly, I’ve learned that discernment regarding evil magic and protection from it need more attention than some Pagans realize.

As an example, my warnings of negative Fey and their human agents tend to be ignored or minimized. I have repeatedly experienced, after explaining the prevalence of Unseelie (Unseelie is the term for evil Faeries) and other negative spirits, someone not quite hearing me. They respond that they are sophisticated and insightful—or quite intuitive and experienced magically—so not easily duped. Fact is, they’re no one’s fool, but they don’t understand how easily mal-intended magic can slip past even a consummate psychic unrecognized. Or they’ll understand my warning in one context, but not in others.

I am sophisticated, I am intuitive, I was raised in a family tradition of witchcraft. I nevertheless fell prey to evil magicians before I learned better.

Overconfidence isn’t the only reason some Pagans don’t realize they might need help spotting negative energy. To continue using my example of negative Fey, a person might not know the Unseelie weave a glamour to hide their true nature. Another person might not be able to admit when someone’s deeds are thoroughly and consistently evil; such a reality can be just too much to bear. Yet another person might not understand the magical realm is, like the mundane world, a constant weave of good and bad; so during the day it can be hard to notice all the evil threads the Unseelie weave into the fabric of the enchanted world that day.

The list of reasons go on and on, but I’ll stop here. My point is that the ability to recognize evil magic is not as easy as most magical practitioners believe, and far more important than most magical practitioners think.

Sidebar: Unseelie are highly invested in distracting us from our true selves, including our true Feyness, go to great lengths to create such distractions, and are quite skilled at it. They and other negative spirits with whom they keep company will lead a person on a wild goose chase for decades, convincing that seeker they’re traveling a rare path to power, while in fact they are on the road to complete self-destruction. That’s only one example of the harm Unseelie cause.

Ask the Faerie Queen, also know as the Seelie Queen, to protect you from Unseelie. And wear rowan. End of sidebar.

Rowan gives good witches an edge, fostering the discernment to spot evil magic of humans and of otherworldly beings, and providing protection against it. Rowan even helps you spot when a person is harried by a negative entity.

A few ways to bring rowan’s enchantment into your life: wear a piece of rowan as a pendant, tuck a piece into your pocket, put rowan on your altar, or hang it in your home.

Dear reader, I make one-of-a-kind wood talisman sets, available exclusively to my newsletter subscribers. Crafting amulets only for folks traveling alongside me feels true to who I am. If you don’t subscribe yet, click here for a free subscription: https://www.outlawbunny.com/newsletter/.

Please note: The person from whom I acquire most of the amazing wood I use is no longer a supplier. Despite months of searching, I haven’t found other sources for the diversity and quality of wood I require. So I don’t know how long I’ll continue crafting wood talisman sets. Also, making wooden talismans is part of a quest I’m on. I don’t know if I’ll continue to craft these pieces when the quest ends. Before the quest, I made few wood charms, only now and then.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Magic of the Elder Tree

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Francesca De Grandis

Elder wood can add power to your magic, facilitate change, protect from evil spirits, and be used in exorcisms.

Elder is sacred to Goddesses Freya and Holda, as well as to the Crone Goddess. I myself experience elder as invoking the Great Goddess, Creator of All Things. Some folks, myself included, meet a Goddess called “the Elder Mother” living in the tree.

Before I talk further about the magical properties of elder wood, I want to explain that I do woodworking as a shamanic rite, making amulets for myself and others from various woods, including elder. All photos of elder show one-of-a-kind talismans I’ve designed and made. One reason I started woodworking was to discover mystical powers a specific type of wood might have that go unmentioned in any books, blogs, etc. When woodworking, I experience a wood type firsthand and at length; this intimate, direct experience creates a chance for the wood to speak to me, sing to me of its powers, and bless me with them. When sanding elder, it appears primordial to me—the original archetype of a tree mystically.

Elder wood’s energy—as distinct from the energy of elder berries or elder flowers—is suited only to a person who
* serves a Goddess (other than the Goddess within oneself. I am not diminishing the importance that viewing self as deity has for some people. I’m instead stating what’s needed to work with elder wood.)
* works hard on surrendering to that Goddess
* strives for humility
* and devotes substantial time to serving humans (as opposed to serving non-corporeal beings. My emphasis on humans doesn’t diminish the importance of serving spirits. I’m simply stating what’s needed to work with elder wood).

If the above requirements are met, elder wood can safely provide all the marvelous magic described in the three paragraphs that kick off this post. For anyone other than the type of person I described, elder wood energy might automatically backfire harmfully on them. So I dare not sell an elder wood talisman without cautionary statements.

To readers who lack confidence: if you underestimate your devotion to the Goddess, the importance of the service you provide your community and/or family, your surrender to Her, and its humility, then your under-estimation might not let you realize that you can use elder wood when many others cannot.

Magic is everyone’s birthright, but not every magic is right for everyone. I’m comfortable with elder, adore it, but I couldn’t work with a garnet stone if my life depended on it.

If you think elder is safe for you though you don’t fulfill the requirements listed, trust yourself. My belief in elder’s restrictions is purely my own. I’ve never seen it in lore. It is something the Old Gods of the Druids told me directly. Even if it appeared in traditional material, lore is not law. You are the ultimate authority on you.

Lore provides food for thought. Though my theory—that elder wood use is restricted to certain persons—isn’t spelled out in traditional material, I analyzed lore and found it congruent with my ideas. Here’s that analysis:

Lore forbids cutting from the elder tree without its permission. There is also a tradition of saying, before cutting into an elder tree, “Lady Ellhorn, give me some of your wood, and I will give you some of mine when I grow into a tree.” There’s also a tradition of spitting on the ground by the elder tree, to protect oneself from the tree.

However, I myself, when harvesting from a plant, might spit by the plant to give it some of myself in exchange for its giving some of itself to me. This practice is something I came up with myself, but I intuit—and it just makes logical sense—that spitting by the elder tree gives some of one’s own “wood” to the tree. In other words, spitting gives part of yourself as an offering to the tree, just as I do when I spit by a plant.

I also experience my own spitting by a plant as giving myself to the service of the Great Mother. A forgotten tradition of spitting by an elder tree with that motive would be congruent with the attributes I sense are in the individuals who can enjoy elder wood’s magic, especially given the following:

To help alienate people from the Old Religion, the Christian church created new lore supporting the falsehood that elder trees are evil. Spitting to protect oneself from the tree could easily have been part of this alienating lore and a bastardization of spitting as an offering to the tree. Not that I know of any lore saying that you spit by a tree as an offering to it, but I think there’s a good chance that idea could be found in lore. After all, if I came up with the idea of spitting by a tree as an offering, other people must have had the same idea ever since the first trees existed, in which case my/their idea could have entered lore.

One could, of course, argue my line of reasoning. I may totally change my mind about elder, someday. However, my theory about elder’s restricted use is based in my actual interactions with the Elder Mother, as well as in related observations that spanned a few decades. Only after those interactions and observations led to my theory did I analyze it in terms of the lore I’ve mentioned. (Let me tell you a tiny bit about those experiences and observations. Elder wood is not the sole magic suitable only to the sort of individual I’ve described. I practice many of those types of magics safely. Yet I’ve watched them used by a good number of individuals, including skilled practitioners, who do not meet the requirements I described, and those magics backfired big-time on those folks.)

You might consider spitting on the ground outdoors, as a one-time offering to the Elder Goddess and the Great Mother, before you first work with elder wood magically.

Lore tells us to never burn elder. Many folks, myself among them, believe that includes pyrography. (Pyrography is the art of burning designs into wood. As examples of pyrography, here are more one-of-a-kind talismans I’ve designed and made:)


I wood burn designs on many of the talismans I make but, luckily, elder wood is lovely as is. Even if a piece of it has no pattern, its color is usually scrumptious enough to make it fabulous looking. Not that a piece of elder has to be pretty in order to be a good talisman. But, for me, beauty has its own magic. Besides, in some ways, I find every last piece of wood in existence gorgeous.

I want to add that the serious, hard-working Elder Mother is also lighthearted, gentle, and merry, if you get to know Her. A far cry from the dour depictions often given of Her, She enjoys my joy and whimsy.

Making amulets is a joy for me. My talismans are available exclusively to my newsletter subscribers. Crafting amulets solely for folks traveling alongside me feels true to who I am. If you don’t subscribe yet, click here for a free subscription: https://www.outlawbunny.com/newsletter/.

Posted in Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Talisman Set #17: Wild Cherry, Rowan Root, and Ivy

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Francesca De Grandis

This talisman set has sold. Read this post anyway to learn about one-of-a-kind sets. Most sets are shown through private viewings, e.g, my free newsletter. I list a few sets here to introduce them to site visitors.

———————————————————————————————
This one-of-a-kind set is available exclusively to one of my newsletter subscribers. Crafting amulets only for folks traveling alongside me feels true to who I am. If you don’t subscribe yet, click here for a free subscription: https://www.outlawbunny.com/newsletter/.

Consisting of three unique talismans, the set is suited to one buyer who’ll think, “This is mine.”

Each talisman is a different wood:

I ritually blessed all the amulets in a major Faerie rite.

This set includes a threshold talisman to protect and bless the home: pyrography on wild cherry wood.

(Pyrography is the art of burning designs in wood.)

This lintel amulet will do its magic when hung by or above the door, another opening to the outdoors, or elsewhere in your dwelling. You could instead use this threshold charm as a protection and blessing for a space other than a home.

I like to learn the magical properties of trees directly, instead of secondhand. To that end, I woodwork and sit with trees. Here’s what wild cherry has told me about itself:

“I bring you strength and comfort. I bring richness to your days—richness of wealth, of fulfilling activities, of lush surroundings.

“Not all extravagance is purchased. Enjoy the extravagance found in the dark depths of the forest. Plunge into winter’s icy ocean water, so its chilled currents can thrill your skin. Hike into the mountains and keep going higher, until there is no one but goats and sheep and Fey Folk and you.

“Sing an extravagant song of praise for the hustle and bustle of an urban street.

“Enjoy an extravaganza: study everyone who passes you on a city street and realize each of them is a cosmos unto themselves.

“Be adventurous. The strength to do so is within you.

“My wood is a talisman to help you do all I have described.”

From the middle of the cherry to its top, Ogham letters spell out the Gaelic word for love. That seemed a perfect word for an amulet to safeguard and bless because the Old Gods take good care of us in Their love for us, and because love in a home is among the greatest blessings.

The pyrography is my original one-of-a-kind shamanic design that adds to the cherry’s powers. Home decor with mojo. My pyrography is done ritually to add yet more power.

This set also includes an amulet pendant crafted from ivy wood.

Ivy is commonly known as sacred to the Green God. This ivy wood could give you vitality and free your energy, so your confidence, determination, and overall power come forth more fully. Ivy also revs up your sexuality.

Since ivy “belongs” to the Green Man, I think it should also belong to the Green Woman: Elen of the Ways. For me, She has all the powers of the Green God. My sense of Her also is that, for those who want nature’s power but need it channeled to them gently, She can do that for them. He can too, but sometimes a person finds it easier to accept that gentleness and sensitivity from Her.

Since the Green God and Green Goddess both embody living fully, I feel this ivy amulet would help you be in the moment.

This is good jewelry to wear in honor of the wild Green God and Goddess.

Toward the bottom, I pyrographed the Ogham letter that corresponds with ivy. Again: the pyrography is executed ritually.

The set also includes an amulet pendant crafted from Rowan root.

I am delighted to share that this pendant is rowan root. I’ve become obsessed with tree roots. Here’s what I sense about tree roots I’ve encountered:

Those tree roots had energy almost visible to the eye. Their energy bypasses time and anything else that could completely block or even delay one’s goals. In that vein, using tree roots magically (which could mean simply wearing a tree root pendant), I experience the archetype of magic: miracles come to pass against all logic and reason. This occurs in a specific manner:

Obstacles to the fulfillment of my wishes become a non-issue. I reach goals regardless of obstacles, and without acknowledging them or otherwise dealing with them.

I’m not suggesting tree root magic, in ignoring an obstacle, blasts through it without even noticing. I’m saying I needn’t concern myself magically with an obstacle to my desired goal—needn’t remove barriers, circumvent barriers, or deal with them any other way. I needn’t limit myself by fixating on the route to my goals (in the sense of believing I must remove blocks in order for the route they are blocking to open for me); magic will get me there along the route that magic chooses. Roadblocks are a non-issue because, even if all impediments remain in place, my wish is fulfilled because tree roots are truly magic, the essential archetype of it, fulfilling my wishes against all reason, helping me live in a world where I’m not hemmed by in living in the logical world—and the road blocks it insists will hinder me—but can instead trust in an enchanted world.

My experience that tree root magic can bypass obstacles without necessarily even removing them affirms my belief about life overall: I find it vital, when at all possible, to leave the parts of life that aren’t “mine” as is; that includes neither removing blocks or otherwise dealing with them, but just going my merry way; a focus on removing blocks or otherwise dealing with them distracts me from living my life and working toward my goals. Of course, there are times we have to remove blocks, but I’m not addressing those times here.

When I told a student of mine (who prefers to remain unnamed) that I felt tree root magic bypasses obstacles without even removing them, he immediately had an brilliant insight: roots, as they grow, move around stones and other impediments, which become part of the foundation of the tree, holding it firmly in place. I love that idea. It affirms my desire to leave what isn’t “mine” as is, and affirms my belief that everything has its place so if, in my magic or another part of life, I fuss with something that’s “not mine,” I might actually harm myself in the long run, e.g., pull a foundation out from under me. I don’t move something to get it out of my way or to make it part of my foundation. (There are, of course, exceptions to this.)

I once felt rowan wood’s dominance as the witches’ wood undeserved, and its power greatly overrated. And … well, I felt modern use of rowan was simply trendy. Oops! Eventually, I understood rowan’s many benefits and why it deserves its prestige. I’ll address two of its traits here.

Rowan protects from evil magic. That’s commonly known but, duh, Francesca, so important for witches because they are constantly in the realm of magical doings! Plus … drumroll … I intuit rowan fosters the ability to spot evil magic.

Why the drumroll? Ability to spot negative mojo and protect oneself from it is pivotal to me because I’ve repeatedly seen great suffering for witches who either didn’t realize the prevalence of nasty magic or recognize it when it manifested in their own life. I suffered myself until I learned to spot it more consistently and protect myself from it more effectively. Sadly, I’ve learned that discernment regarding evil magic and protection from it need more attention than some Pagans realize.

As an example, my warnings of negative Fey and their human agents tend to be ignored or minimized. I have repeatedly experienced, after explaining the prevalence of Unseelie (Unseelie is the term for evil Faeries) and other negative spirits, someone not quite hearing me. They respond that they are sophisticated and insightful—or quite intuitive and experienced magically—so not easily duped. Fact is, they’re no one’s fool, but they don’t understand how easily mal-intended magic can slip past even a consummate psychic unrecognized. Or they’ll understand my warning in one context, but not in others.

I am sophisticated, I am intuitive, I was raised in a family tradition of witchcraft. I nevertheless fell prey to evil magicians before I learned better.

Overconfidence isn’t the only reason some Pagans don’t realize they might need help spotting negative energy. To continue using my example of negative Fey, a person might not know the Unseelie weave a glamour to hide their true nature. Another person might not be able to admit when someone’s deeds are thoroughly and consistently evil; such a reality can be just too much to bear. Yet another person might not understand the magical realm is, like the mundane world, a constant weave of good and bad; so during the day it can be hard to notice all the evil threads the Unseelie weave into the fabric of the enchanted world that day.

The list of reasons go on and on, but I’ll stop here. My point is that the ability to recognize evil magic is not as easy as most magical practitioners believe, and far more important than most magical practitioners think.

Sidebar: Unseelie are highly invested in distracting us from our true selves, including our true Feyness, go to great lengths to create such distractions, and are quite skilled at it. They and other negative spirits with whom they keep company will lead a person on a wild goose chase for decades, convincing that seeker they’re traveling a rare path to power, while in fact they are on the road to complete self-destruction. That’s only one example of the harm Unseelie cause.

Ask the Faerie Queen, also know as the Seelie Queen, to protect you from Unseelie. And wear rowan. End of sidebar.

Rowan gives good witches an edge, fostering the discernment to spot evil magic of humans and of otherworldly beings, and providing protection against it. Rowan even helps you spot when a person is harried by a negative entity.

About the beads: I love them. I’ve been hunting down designer beads that I can use in talismans to create the looks I envision. I do mean hunt because it takes time to find the right beads, let alone with large enough holes for what I construct.

Even the smallest of these beads are designer. That costs me more but I want to create dreams with jewelry, and the wrong beads might pull someone out of their dream.

Most of these beads were artfully crafted to have an aged look. E.g., the larger bead reminds me of old glass that acquired a shimmering patina by being buried in the earth for years.

I pyrographed the rowan Ogham on one side. Both sides are lovely wood so either can be worn facing front.

To benefit from the power of either pendant, when you don’t want to wear it or otherwise carry it on you, put it on your altar.

Cost for the set is $130 plus $7 shipping. I ship only to U.S. non-military addresses, via USPS priority. Pay securely with PayPal:




Your set will arrive with simple care instructions to keep your talismans beautiful. I’ll also enclose a print up of this PDF.

All wood was ethically harvested, finished with a natural beeswax and oil treatment, then strung on waxed cotton cord.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Classes, Books, and Other News, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Talisman Set #11: Gorse, Alder, Willow

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Francesca De Grandis

This talisman set has sold. Read this post anyway to learn about one-of-a-kind sets. Most sets are shown through private viewings, e.g, my free newsletter. I list a few sets here to introduce them to site visitors. Subscribe to my free newsletter if you want to purchase any sets: https://outlawbunny.com/newsletter/

—————————————————————

This one-of-a-kind set is available exclusively to one of my newsletter subscribers.

Consisting of three unique handcrafted talismans, the set is suited to one buyer who’ll think, “This is mine.”

Each amulet is a different wood:


I ritually blessed all three amulets in a major Faerie rite.

The willow piece in this set is a lintel ward to bless and safeguard your home. This talisman will do its magical work placed by or above a door, another opening to the outdoors, or anywhere else you choose in your home.

The talisman will also work for a building other than a home.


Willow protects and blesses those who are fey-touched and childlike, and empowers their magic and other endeavors. I think these magics perfectly suit a threshold piece for someone who is Fey-touched. (These magical sensibilities in Lady Willow are ones I perceived myself; I’ve never read about them in a book or heard of them anywhere. I love getting to know the magical properties of wood through visions and other direct experiences.)

Lady Willow also provides a threshold into Faerie—a place between the worlds—and safety while there. Using Willow as a threshold protection and blessing seems to me a lovely pun and enchantment. Again, I’ve not read or otherwise heard of the functions of willow mentioned in this paragraph, but for decades Lady Willow has performed them wonderfully for me.

Ogham letters going down the center of the willow spell out the Gaelic word for love. That seemed a perfect word for an amulet to safeguard and bless because the Old Gods take good care of us in Their love for us, and because love in a home is among the greatest blessings.

The pyrography is my original one-of-a-kind shamanic design that adds to the wood’s powers. My pyrography is done ritually to add yet more power. (Pyrography is the art of burning designs in wood.)

On the back, I pyrographed the Ogham that corresponds with the willow tree:

This set also includes a gorse wood pendant.

As I said, I learn the metaphysical properties of a tree directly from it or its wood. What gorse has told me, and here says to you:

“You are beautiful exactly as you are. Your face, your body, your DNA, your mind, your feelings, your bones, your veins, your breath, your heart, and your soul are beautiful.”

When you need a reminder of that message, and magic to reinforce it, wear this gorse charm.

Gorse also said:

“Serve others generously; whatever you have, give; use whatever you have in service; every part of you is beautiful, so do not worry about whether what you give of yourself is good enough.” Wear this amulet to help you live as gorse suggests.

On the top, I wood-burned the gorse Ogham:

The set also includes an alder amulet pendant.


When I tune into alder, I sense the essence of magic that runs through all things. I also notice a sensibility of being magic rather than doing magic. (I love doing magic, I do magic all day long. But being magic is entirely different and core to my existence.) Hence, an alder amulet helps you be magic and tune into the essence of magic.

I sense alder’s magic is powerful, rich, and complex, but also subtle, not flashy or obvious. It is below the surface. Someone whose magic is akin to alder’s can seem like there’s nothing enchanted in them at all, that they might not even have the potential for magic. Alder can remind such a person of their power and boost it.

When I asked Alder Spirit if it protects the person whom I’ve described above as akin to it, Alder said, “Yes.”

I pyrographed the alder Ogham on the back of this nice thick chunk of wood. … And maybe you want to wear the back as the front. The wood is gorgeous either side.

To benefit from the power of either pendant, when you don’t want to wear it or otherwise carry it on you, put it on your altar.

Cost for the entire set is $130 plus $5 shipping. I ship only to U.S. non-military addresses. Scroll down to pay securely with PayPal.




If this set calls, grab it. I’m constitutionally incapable of repeating my designs.

Your set will arrive with simple care instructions to keep the wood beautiful. I’ll also enclose a print up of this post.

All wood was ethically harvested. Each amulet is finished with a natural beeswax and oil treatment, then strung on waxed cotton cord.

I put my heart and soul in these pieces because I’m an old-fashioned witch who believes I was put on this planet to serve you. Now the amulets will flow to whomever they are meant to serve.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Classes, Books, and Other News, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Surrender Creates Victory

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Francesca De Grandis

Roadblocks, Accidents, and Synchronicity:
Surrender Creates Victory in the Creative Process and the Rest of Life

After lucking out by acquiring gorgeous, large, old turquoise beads, I decided to make myself a somewhat monochromatic necklace. Sorting through my other beads, I found perfect pieces, but needed one more style of beads for the necklace to really kick, so I started making them, by felting.

I made six felted beads. I wanted them to be just plain turquoise-colored for the monochromatic look I’d envisioned. But the Corriedale Turquoise wool fiber I’d bought from Living Felt was temporarily hiding in my very messy crafting area.

I love it, though, when something limits me in my creative process, since whatever I do to circumvent the problem usually produces something better than my original vision. It always affirms that I needn’t let blocks stop me in any endeavor, whether creative, romantic, spiritual, financial, magical, or other.

The only pale blue wool I had from Living Felt (LF) was more like a baby blue, probably LF’s Corriedale Ice. So I needle felted that, using one of LF’s pink-handled needles (I think pink handle means their 36 triangle, but you can check that on their site). I needle-felted around a shish kebabs skewer, to make the beads’ holes.

Once the pieces were very roughly felted, I took apart yarns of various greens and blues and wrapped them around the beads, letting a lot of the pale blue show through. Luckily, I had a tiny bit of turquoise yarn, which I think made a difference.

Then I added wisps of one of LF’s dark greens, probably their Fir Merino top. Next, I wet felted, rounding the pieces into balls and firming them up, keeping the skewer in them to stop their holes from closing.

I’d hoped a portion of each bead would be turquoise-colored, and hadn’t expected what happened instead. Imagine my delighted shock when the colors and patterns that emerged made the felt reminiscent of turquoise. The resemblance was not strong enough to make the felt beads look like sleazy imitations of turquoise. Instead, the felt mildly echoes the necklace’s real turquoise, highlighting it. I mean, this is one of the necklaces I’m most proud of having made. And I feel elegant wearing it.

This happy accident was a wonderful reminder for me about how to deal with blocks in any part of life: instead of getting all frustrated, I went with the flow. Feeling frustrated is natural. But sitting in my frustration endlessly instead of going with the flow is unnecessary. Remembering that is always so freeing for me.


Going with the flow does not mean being a doormat. For example, often, when I surrender to the flow, it opens the door for the Goddess to create a pattern better than anything I could’ve come up with, whether it’s a pattern on a wool bead or a pattern for living. Going with the flow when a challenge hits any part of my life might help me come up with a pattern for overcoming that challenge.

The creative process informs the rest of my life.

As a witch, I strive to align with the flows that course through my day because there’s much magic in them.

Even when I almost died from multiple sclerosis in my early years of it—my utter feebleness and impending demise like a nightmare from which I just could not wake—leaning into that horrifying “flow” best I could (which was not very well, I’ll be honest) and trusting there was a Divine hand in it, brought me to a much happier place in my life than I’ve ever been in before.

Going with that flow, even though I couldn’t do it well, also helped create a mindset and events that made my health bounce back and will allow me to keep going well into my late senior years. I intend to enjoy every magical moment of it.

2018 note: this piece was written in 2016, but I hadn’t the chance to post it yet. Then I came across it today. It served as a good reminder for me. I’m not a pacifist. I fight for my rights and for the rights of all people. And I need constant reminders that spiritual surrender makes me a better fighter.

Nwsltr2017B

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Talisman Set #9: Birch and Elm

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Francesca De Grandis

This talisman set has sold. Read this post anyway to learn about one-of-a-kind sets. Most sets are shown through private viewings, e.g, my free newsletter. I list a few sets here to introduce them to site visitors. Subscribe to my free newsletter if you want to purchase any sets: https://outlawbunny.com/newsletter/

——————————————————————

This one-of-a-kind handcrafted set is available exclusively to one of my newsletter subscribers.

Consisting of two unique talismans, the set is suited to one buyer who’ll think, “This is mine.”

The talismans are each a different wood, from a tree sacred to the Celts:

I ritually blessed both amulets in a major Faerie rite.

The birch piece is a pentacle for your altar.

A pentacle will protect and bless the home, add power and protection to your rites, and honor your wild witchy spirit.

Whether on the altar or elsewhere in your dwelling, this pentacle will safeguard and bless the home. I display my wood pentacle by leaning it against a pretty vase.

A pentacle also symbolizes the wisdom and free ways of witches, and honors sexuality.

Birch trees hold the magic of new beginnings and renewal.

The pyrography is my original one-of-a-kind design that adds to the birch and pentacle’s powers. Home decor with mojo. (Pyrography is the art of burning designs in wood.)

The design is my usual insistent asymmetry. I won’t even make a pentacle symmetrical, usually.

If you rotate the pentacle, you’ll notice the design can be viewed any-side-up.

I pyrographed the birch Ogham on the back. I wish the photo showed how smooth it is.

I left the bark on because it’s beautiful. It might come off since I refuse to use a polyurethane finish or the like. I applied a lovely, natural, beeswax blend instead. Whoever buys this sacred artifact can enjoy its bark for as long it lasts then, if the bark comes off, still enjoy a lovely talisman.

The elm wood piece is a pendant talisman.


Elm is a high tree, so no surprise it traditionally represents seeing the large picture and being objective. My sense of the wood, when I hold it and tune in, is that elm helps me experience my feelings more fully and comfortably instead of suppressing them, so I can assess a challenge or other situation more accurately and wisely, and am proactive rather than reactive. I also intuit elm helps me stay down to earth when exploring strong emotions, remember my true goals, and act on them.

I thought all those traits might be desirable for someone who wants birch for new beginnings.

I looked forward to wood burning my first piece of elm but, when I finished sanding, the wood was so beautiful that I hesitated to cover it up with pyrography. Moments later, I learned that burning elm is verboten in lore. Interesting. I left this magical jewelry simple, showing its gorgeousness.

To benefit from the pendant’s power when you don’t want to wear it or otherwise carry it on you, put it on your altar or wall.

Cost for the set is $130 plus $5 shipping. I ship only to U.S. non-military addresses. Scroll down to pay securely with PayPal.




If this set calls, grab it. I’m constitutionally incapable of repeating my designs.

The birch is my first large, detailed piece. It was exciting to have developed my skill enough for this project and to obtain a large enough piece of wood. My sets have previously consisted of three pieces. Since the birch is a large and detailed, and I don’t want to raise my price, I’m offering this two-piece set. Is it yours?

Your set will arrive with simple care instructions to keep the wood beautiful. I’ll also enclose a print up of this post about the set.

Each amulet is coated with a natural beeswax and oil treatment. The pendant is strung on waxed cotton cord. All wood was ethically harvested.

Posted in Art, Writing, and Music, Classes, Books, and Other News, Spirit, The Whole Thing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment