#local witchy stores

[asphodel-flowers]

most of the witches I know that have been doing this for long enough have long since come to the realization that you don't need Stuff

and especially the older ones remember when you there weren't occult stores and you couldn't get things so easily

so a lot of us just... use what we have. or we get stuff from specific places like if we get the herbs or crystals directly from wherever ourselves

if you remove the word "witch" or otherwise get rid of the fact that it's for the occult, herbs and stuff can get much cheaper much quickly

but that's true of a lot of hobbies and such, that there's that upcharge because it's specialty whatever and the ones doing it for long enough know where to find the good quality stuff

So does anyone know why so many "New Age" shops are like... the way they are?

I mean at this point I feel like most witches who have spent at lease a year or two practicing/researching the craft have had the experience of walking into a store recommended to you by someone well meaning because "you like witchy stuff, right?" only to be hit with the strongest incense imaginable, "smudging sticks", overpriced goods, books by Silver RavenWolf, and crystals you just know weren't sourced ethically. If there was only a small handful of shops like this, I wouldn't be making this post. The problem is, however, that most "witchy" stores only promote and cater towards an audience of beginner witches that don't know better, and people who genuinely don't care about appropriation. Why is this the norm. Genuinely. I know the obvious answer is "because they make money and we live in a capitalistic society", but still. I want to be able to not have my expectations in the Earth's core when it comes to "witchy" shops. I want these stores to not set such bad examples for beginners. And most importantly, I want better for our community. These stores drag the reputation of witchcraft and magic through the mud, when they really shouldn't be. Like do any other communities have the problem? Do fishing shops suck this badly? Or am I just going insane again.

[asphodel-flowers]

rocks 🪨 ✨

so going clockwise from the top right. the ones on the right, Mom got me off temu as part of my birthday present months ago. the ones on the left, I got last night along with the key. and then there's dice I got forever ago to the left of that, and my blue bag of runes in the background.

can't remember what the red is. green looks like jade, purple is amethyst, brown I assume is tiger's eye, and two small smooth pieces of quartz. it's missing lapis lazuli that threw itself down the drain the first night I shadowed a tour at the shop/ company I'm gonna be working with.

the rest on the left I got last night at a local witchy store. well, they appear to have expanded here to New Orleans but got their start in Salem? I went into Omens but apparently they're the sister store to Hex: Old World Witchery. (old world they say, but have voodoo stuff on their shops, smh. xP)

there's a hunk of quartz there at the bottom that's the clearest, and to the left of it is opalite. the black is supposedly jet and the purple with green specks is grape agate?

both the brown one, and the clear one with orange, were in the bin that said aragonite

the bright green with the swirls is malachite and the green with white is apparently tree agate

some more pictures from different angles. the picture with the black background is from last night right after I'd gotten them because that's my skirt, lol

so according to the labels in the shop I got them from:

opalite: to work on self-love, improve mood, & attract business

jet: for divination & "to invoke the Great Goddess"

grape agate: prophetic dreams, visions, & intense meditation

aragonite: to draw upon the energies of "the Earth Goddess"

tree agate: to restore energy, relax, & connect deeply with nature

malachite: for love, balance, guarding children, & protection

Idk how I feel about those descriptions but they definitely jumped out at/ called to me, and for similar feelings to what the description said even if the descriptions didn't feel or seem quite completely the most accurate.

[glamourwxtch]

friendly reminder that you don't need expensive stuff to practice witchcraft. i know most of us are drawn to the witchy aesthetic we see in different pictures and videos but we shouldn't be blinded by the capitalistic image of witchcraft.

it's okay to use the old jars you have at home instead of getting brand new ones. it's okay to use local plants and herbs you have growing somewhere near your place instead of ordering a bunch of expensive plants from other countries. it's okay if you can't have a big altar at home. you don't need 300 different crystals just because they look pretty. witchcraft should be more about the connection to the earth and the universe and feeling that magick instead of the things that just seem aesthetically pleasing. if you feel more magical energy coming from the rock you found on the ground rather than the expensive crystal you got at the store you should trust your feelings and intuition. and if a certain part of practicing witchcraft feels wrong to you you can skip it.

your intentions are always above the rituals and the tools you use. without the right intentions and the conviction behind them they don't really mean anything. so it really doesn't matter if you spend $5 or $500 or if you get something for free. please focus more on feeling the magick instead of just buying it.

[lunarforager]

Beginner Witch's Guide: The Basics

Hello friends and all my beginner witches! Welcome to my Beginner Witch's Guide where I will be sharing my wisdom in regards to the craft! This series of posts will be a set of guides to all sorts of aspects in the witchy world from crystals to tarot to baneful magic.

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Beginner Materials:

(Keep in mind that none of these are necessary materials to practice witchcraft! These are just some ideas for what you can start practicing with!)

Crystals

Not only are crystals insanely beautiful, but they are also super useful for your practice. Some great beginner crystals include rose quartz, amethyst, citrine, and obsidian! Crystals can be somewhat expensive, but these tend to be ones you can find for fairly cheap!

Herbs

So many herbs can be used for the practice, and the best thing is that so many herbs can be easily purchased for relatively little from the local grocery store. Yes! The herbs in those little jars on the shelf can be used in magic no problem!

Salt

Salt has been used in many different cultures in many different forms of witchcraft as protection from negative energies and curses. Salt is a priceless thing in the witchy world!

Candles

Candles aren't necessary (technically nothing on this list is) but many spells will call for candles of various colors but the good thing is, candles can be found for super cheap in places like dollar stores or thift stores! And colors don't matter as much as people might tell you. White candles can used in place of others for pretty much any spell that calls for colored candles.

Tarot Deck (or deck of cards)

Tarot is a great way to start getting into divination and so getting a tarot deck can start you on that path of learning. They can be somewhat expensive, so a normal deck of cards can also be used! There are so many guides online of how to use a normal deck of cards for tarot readings and there are also great guides on how to start getting into tarot.

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Thank you for taking time to read over this post! I absolutely love sharing my knowledge about the craft with people and would love to share more with anyone reading!

Feel free to send me messages or asks about the practice and I'll try my best to answer them, but I also just love talking to people in general haha!

Valete my friends!

[torque-witch]

So happy to be able to work on Spirit Chimes again! They will be getting an upgrade this year/2025.

For those unaware, “Spirit Chimes” are just my re-invention of Door Harps, which originated in Scandinavia around 700 years ago. The ones you see in stores (it at all) are mostly just decorative, but the original idea was to hang it on your front door to repel evil spirits with the sound of the chimes, similar to the hanging of bells.

What I do is blend this idea, plus making them more aesthetically witchy and adding a spiral/wood grain pattern in the background to further confuse spirits (similarly to witch balls and other methods of protection/warding), idea being that the spirit gets turned around trying to find a way in.

Then, I add crystal prisms as the chimes to also act as a sun catcher, which I feel has a protective and positive nature as well! This one needs new strings and a chain, but paint comes first.

All of the door harps I use are thrifted locally, so they’re not always perfect 🤍

[thrashkink-coven]

k

I’m not native american or indigenous to the land I live in. So i can’t speak as an authority on this subject

but I will speak based off of what my indigenous friends and local indigenous practitioners have told me

If you’re concerned about using white sage, if you’re worried it’s closed or whatever but you want to use it, this applies to all herbs by the way,

simply, very simply

BUY WHITE SAGE FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

BUY 👏 WHITE SAGE 👏 FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE 👏👏👏

SUPPORT INDIGENOUS BUSINESSES

White sage is a common herb in hoodoo and other folk practices outside of the indigenous peoples of America, the native americans were not the only ones to use it. It is a very important herb to multiple groups of people. This does not mean to say that it isn’t tragically over harvested by large corporations that expend the very culturally significant resource from actual practicing natives.

SO BUY WHITE SAGE FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

That’s all you have to do. Put some money into the pockets of indigenous people. If you can buy it in person, even better, you can speak to indigenous people and learn a thing or two about its use. Every single time I’ve bought herbs from indigenous people (not just sage, literally anything) they’re always so welcoming and happy that I’m there. They’re excited to share. All of my herbs and tools come directly from small local farmers and artist markets. We have one in my town every Wednesday and one in the city every Sunday. You most probably have some going on where you live too. Take the time to look around.

I consider interacting with these small businesses to be a devotional act, and it’s a million times more fulfilling than buying a bundle on amazon or from the witchy section of the craft store, not knowing whether the shit is quality or even what it claims to be.

I think the “white sage is banned point blank period” take is extremely retractive, especially when white people start talking over indigenous people so they can crowd control other white folks.

Most of the harvesters of white sage are indigenous, and it’s silly as fuck to see people harassing indigenous sellers on etsy because it’s “closed”. It sucks to see their sales dip to an all time low because everyone is being told to avoid them.

I wish the popular opinion this entire time had just been “witches who are not native can only use white sage that comes from native harvesters. We’re collectively cancelling big corp herbs and putting all of our attention into uplifting small indigenous businesses.”

All you have to do to assure that you’re not being disrespectful to indigenous people, is support them. This debate is so tired and frankly dumb as hell. It’s so so easy guys. The solution has been in front of us the entire time.

[shinaaposts]

OMG! Thank you so much for the tag @twostarscolliding 💙

Rules: answer + tag nine people you want to get to know better and/or catch up with!

Favourite colour: witchy green(Idk what its actual name is, the green that's associated with the villains mainly) and purple(any shade)

Last song I listened to: Dinner and Diatribes by Hozier

Last film I watched: All of us strangers (I cried for an hour after watching this movie, it's definitely one of my favourites)

Currently reading: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt(I'm loving the book so far)

Currently craving: Cranberry juice(The local store I usually buy cranberry juice from, ran out of it 😭)

Currently watching: Series 10 of doctor who

Coffee or tea: I'm down from anything, but just black. I take black tea mostly with a lot of spices but when I don't get enough sleep, I rely on black coffee.

Tagging these lovely people: @aes-555 @miko-fellco @midnights-wish @manicpixxiedreambitch @wannabemychammakchallooo @strangewomanwithanefariousagenda @stiles-stilinski-luvr @satanistwhore @foragewitch

[coinandcandle]

Non-witchy life tip: get a dvd player and a library card. Streaming services are so wishy-washy and half the time you need an extra subscription to get the good movies and shows anyways.

You can usually find some dvd players in pretty damn good condition at your local thrift stores. You can also find good movies there :>

My library has movies you can check out, and as far as I know most other libraries do.

So go get a dvd player.

And a library card.

[utilitycaster]

actually taking the last bit out of the tags of that post because here is the thing. and I'm going to use specific examples, because I think it's illustrative.

the two groups of people in this fandom who have specifically harassed me have been, as I've said before, imo/dna fans mad I don't find the ship very good, and (to be fair, only on one occasion) shadowido/mauk fans who got mad that I said that tagging ao3 fic about throuples with individual pairs sucks. [hilariously the latter was not even about them at all, it was about me looking for imogen and fearne ship fic that wasn't witchy trio fic and finding it almost impossible to filter].

I do not like these people because they have engaged with harassment. It is not about identity; it is about actions. My closest friend, and the first non-family member I talked to on Wednesday morning, is a bi woman in an open marriage to a woman, with a longterm male partner. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding. The last time I visited her, in September, I was joined by other mutual friends, who are similarly in an open marriage with longterm partners and at least one relationship between two women.

I am entirely secure, in my personal life, that I am kind and accepting to queer women (of which I am one) and to poly people (of which I am not), and so I hope you can appreciate that if someone attempts to attack me on the internet on these grounds because I do not have the same exact opinions on pretend people kissing, my response isn't "oh my god I should go off and die because I'm a terrible person," it's "get a load of this moron making wild assumptions about my personal life based on a single data point in my preferences in fiction; I'm going to make them regret doing this to me, and hopefully anyone else, because this is genuinely a detrimental behavior in the fandom space." And also, you know what. If they were a homeless person on the street and asked for a dollar I would still give it to them if their attacks were merely verbal (yes, I know the idea of someone screaming "YOU'RE A LESBOPHOBE FOR HATING IMO/DNA can i have a dollar" outside the grocery store is rather comical, and I think that is how you need to consider statements like "um actually I won't help pro-shippers." Imagine that conversation happening in an irl activist group. Everyone would be like "uh...anyway, how do we fight back against this hostile bench architecture.")

I think right now it is vitally important to remember what actual bigotry looks like and what needs to be fought, and the reason I tapped the sign of this post last night is literally that I think you are wasting time and energy engaging with people who think bigotry is "criticizing the pretend guy Ashton Greymoore for concrete but pretend choices they made" when I also think most people criticizing Ashton would, if Ashton were real, still toss them change if they needed it, or are people who currently donate to or otherwise work with local programs that assist nb people, disabled people, or unhoused children.

I like to argue and I like to engage in fandom and I will continue doing that because it is a source of enjoyment and comfort for me, but I really urge everyone to ask yourself "am I arguing about genuinely different readings, or do I think that everyone who doesn't like my blorbo ship is a bad person" because if it's the latter, I think you need to nip that in the bud of online fandom before it grows into something darker and worse. A lot of irl hate and bigotry starts from a place of "everyone who doesn't agree with me and give me what I want all the time is wrong and evil" and perhaps I am too optimistic, but I think many people who say things like that in fandom just are caught up in the drama of it all and are capable of exercising empathy when they stop treating shipping or interpretation like a popularity contest that, if they lose, indicates that everyone around them is irredeemable. But I also think it can be the start of a really bad path.

[selenophiliiaaa]

got a new book from a local witchy store and i am So Excited to read it - its “Secrets of Greek Mysticism; a modern guide to daily practice with the Greek gods and goddesses” by George Lizos,,, im only a couple chapters in but it seems like itll be a really good read !!

[cassiopeiascorner]

How to make your practice more ethical and eco-conscious (and less expensive!)

When we begin practicing witchcraft, and even when we consume a lot of witchy-related content online, it’s easy to get swept up in aesthetics and consumerism and lose touch with the essence of witchcraft: communion with nature. The worst thing that could happen is for our practice to harm the earth more than it heals it. This can manifest in a number of ways: buying endangered herbs and incense, unethically sourced crystals, not cleaning up after your rituals, etc. Here are some ways to make your practice more eco-conscious:

1. Use what you already have.

Your pantry is probably already stocked with a plethora of spices, herbs, oils and whatnot. Instead of buying a “prettier” version of those products, use them as they are or diy something. Ingenuity and creativity are great qualities to nurture as a witch! Need protection? Use dried crushed eggshells. Need to cleanse? Use rice, it absorbs energy! etc. Most of the time, you can find a replacement for the specific item described in a spell in your pantry. Instead of buying tons of books, borrow them from your public library and take notes in your notebook!

2. When you do buy, buy ethically and consciously.

There are so many online shops out there selling ethical products that are the same price or barely pricier than store-bought products, especially regarding crystals (I don’t have any names popping up right now, but they’re so easy to find). This also goes for candles, oils, incense, etc.

3. Be patient.

This sort of follows the last point. You don’t need 16 crystals right as you start your practice, nor that mega pack of candles at the dollar store. Most witches build their kit as time goes by; nobody starts with a fully stocked altar, and nobody expects you to. Be patient, focus on the items that you really want or need, and don’t buy every little thing that piques your interest. Buy less, buy better.

4. Buy locally.

Help your local businesses if you can. Shipping produces a lot of carbon dioxide, so avoid it as much as possible. The market is small and your local esoteric store (if you have one) is probably struggling. They’re also a great way to meet witches in your community and learn about local events! Of course, it’s always good to ask even your local business if they source their products ethically. If they don’t… well, choose the option that causes lesser harm. When shopping online, try to go to shops in your area, or in your country. The further you buy, the more carbon dioxide you produce. You can also find books, candles, scarves, veils and more at thrift stores!

5. Let go of aesthetics.

The internet has us believing that a witch looks a certain way, acts a certain way, dresses their altar a certain way, has a Book of Shadows that looks a certain way. Step away from all that noise, focus on what makes sense to you and go from there. If you already have one (or multiple) empty notebook that you don’t use, use it instead of buying another one for your magical practice (and decorate it!). Dress your candles yourself! Don’t buy into the “witch aesthetic”, it was created by capitalism to push us to buy more. Instead of accumulating, practice! Owning a lot of trinkets won’t make you a witch, practicing will.

6. Avoid endangered herbs and incenses (as well as herbs used in a specific closed practice).

There are a lot more endangered herbs than you know. We often hear of white sage, which is not only endangered but belongs to closed indigenous practice, but that also includes frankincense, sandalwood, dragon’s blood… do your research before you buy something! Do not contribute to the depleting of global resources. You probably don’t “need” that particular endangered herb for your spell. If you can, grow your own herbs for your spells! Their energy will be even stronger and befitted to you.

7. Source your information ethically!

Unless an author has specified they allowed readers to, do not pirate their books. Support your fellow practitioners, first, and second, the author might have put a hex on their book intended for pirates. Jason Miller definitely does (I’ve learned it the hard way). Also, do not buy books just for the purpose of having them. Having a stocked library does not make you a knowledgeable witch, reading does. Your local public library probably has dozens of books that relate to your practice: esoteric books as well as books on local flora and fauna, meditation, cooking with local ingredients, gardening, seasons, mythology, your local religion, the history of witchcraft/witch trials, etc. A lot of authors also have blogs where they post articles and advice outside of their books.

Side note: Audiobooks are a fully valid way of reading witchy books. Spotify Premium has complimentary audiobooks from Scott Cunningham, Ray Buckland, Jason Miller, Harmony Nice and more.

8. Do NOT use ChatGPT.

ChatGPT emits 8.4 tons of carbon dioxide per year, more than twice the amount that is emitted by an individual, which is 4 tons per year, not to mention each message you send to ChatGPT produces approximately 4.32 grams of CO2. Using ChatGPT to help you verify information, help you build a routine or write a spell is incredibly polluting and harmful to the environment. It also steals content from honest creators and steals revenue from them. Stay away from AI as much as possible.

That’s all I have for now. If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to add them to the post. Treat your land with respect, clean after yourself, and try to leave this earth better than you found it!

[magickkate]

Hey there, magical beings! 🌟 Whether you're just starting out or have been on your witchy journey for a while, it's super important to keep safety at the forefront. Here's a comprehensive guide to ensure you brew your potions and cast your spells with care.

Know Your Ingredients Understanding what you’re working with is crucial. Always research every herb, oil, or component thoroughly. Some plants are toxic, especially when ingested or applied to the skin. For example, while belladonna is a classic ingredient in many historical potions, it’s highly toxic and should be avoided unless you have extensive knowledge and experience handling it. Recommendation: Create an ingredient list with detailed notes about each item’s properties, uses, and potential dangers. Use reputable sources and consider consulting an herbalist or experienced witch for guidance.

Proper Storage Proper storage isn't just about neatness; it's about safety. Keep your ingredients in labeled, airtight containers to maintain their potency and prevent contamination. Recommendation: Invest in dark glass jars, which protect contents from light and extend shelf life. Store your supplies in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, children, and pets. A well-organized storage system will save you time and prevent dangerous mix-ups.

Safe Mixing Practices Mixing potions and crafting spells should be done in a clean, dedicated space. Cross-contamination can ruin your preparations and pose health risks. Recommendation: Designate a specific area for your magical workings. Use tools and containers reserved exclusively for this purpose. Ensure your workspace is well-ventilated, particularly when dealing with strong-smelling or potentially hazardous substances. Protective gear, like gloves and aprons, can shield you from accidental spills or splashes.

Testing and Application Before you apply any potion to your body, always perform a patch test. This simple step can prevent serious allergic reactions. Recommendation: Apply a small amount of the potion to your inner wrist or elbow and wait 24 hours to check for any adverse reactions. For spells, ensure you understand the energy and intent behind them fully. Misapplied spells can lead to unintended consequences.

Disposal of Unused Potions Improper disposal of magical materials can harm the environment. Recommendation: Dispose of unused or expired potions in a way that respects the earth. Never pour them down the drain. Instead, dilute them significantly and pour them into a garden or yard if they are non-toxic. For toxic materials, follow local hazardous waste disposal guidelines.

Clear Intentions Being specific with your intentions is key to effective and safe spellcasting. Recommendation: Spend time meditating and focusing on what you truly want to achieve before starting any spell. Write down your intention clearly and revisit it throughout the process to stay aligned.

Protective Measures Creating a safe space for your magical work helps protect you from negative energies. Recommendation: Cast a protective circle before starting your spellwork. This can be done through visualization, drawing a physical circle, or using protective herbs and stones. After casting, ground yourself to release any excess energy. Visualization techniques or physical actions like touching the earth can help with this.

Ethical Practices The ethics of magic are personal but crucial. Avoid spells that harm others or infringe on their free will. Recommendation: Reflect on the ethical implications of your magic. If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution. Consider the potential impact of your actions not just on yourself but on others and the environment.

Keep Records Keeping detailed records helps track your progress and learn from your experiences. Recommendation: Maintain a Book of Shadows or a magical journal. Document each spell and potion with its date, ingredients, process, and outcomes. Reviewing these entries can provide insights and help refine your practice.

Understand Consequences Every action has a reaction. Recommendation: Be mindful of the energies you are working with. The principle of cause and effect is strong in magic. Reflect on the potential consequences of your actions before you begin, and be prepared to accept the outcomes.

Continuous Learning Magic is a lifelong learning journey. Recommendation: Stay curious and continually seek knowledge. Attend workshops, read widely, and engage with other practitioners. Sharing knowledge and experiences can greatly enhance your understanding and practice.

Respect Nature Nature is a key element in many magical practices, and respecting it is paramount. Recommendation: Practice sustainable magic. Use ethically sourced materials, avoid over-harvesting plants, and honor the earth. Being mindful of your environmental impact is an integral part of responsible witchcraft.

Seek Guidance Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Recommendation: Build a network of trusted mentors and peers. They can offer support, answer questions, and provide valuable feedback on your practice. Joining a magical community can be incredibly enriching.

Enjoy the Journey Embrace the magical journey with an open heart and a curious mind. Recommendation: Celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes. Every spell and potion is an opportunity to grow and expand your understanding of the magical world.

[teawitch]

Candle substitutes

(This is to answer an ask but because I go on forever, I've made it its own post)

Because I've seen this become contentious in the past, I'm going to start with a little witchy secret - if you've been to a public ritual or event where there were candles burning on the altar and you didn't see them lit - they were probably battery operated and being used to adhere to the fire regulations. Sometimes witches are practical.

For me the answer to candle substitutes comes down to - why would I be using the candle? Because different reasons might have different answers.

Altar or Shrine

On an altar or shrine to represent fire or honor a deity, a battery operated candle or even small attractive lamp might be what you're looking for. Some witches do not want electrical cords or similar intruding into their magical space so lamps would be out. I figure at this point, with wifi and such flowing through air, nothing is really without interference. But if that is the case, you could even just hold up an unlit candle or a wand to signify air. (I've never had a deity object to a really cool lamp in their space.)

Cleansing

Incense and smoke cleansing substitutes. I don't think we give enough credit to the ability for sound to cleanse spaces. It could be a bell or, more popular than people realize - play really loud head-banger rock music to clear the space then something gentler to reset everything at a calmer tone.

If you want a scent-based solution, there are diffusers available but you can also just do a simmer pot of the stove. Or buy one of those mini-crockpots and use it. Or put a bit of scent in a spray bottle and spritz the space.

Fountain Foggers Misters - cheaper than you'd expect on Amazon or your local Halloween store. Put one in attractive bowl or container and add a bit of scent. It will create a wonderful mist that you can watch swirl above the bowl.

The Emergency Tea Solution. This is my hotel room trick when I check in only to find the room feels a bit off. It also works in any place that gets very restrictive about what you can do - no candles, no warmers, no diffuses, etc. Make a cup of hot water and drop a tea bag or your favorite loose herbs into it. Walk the space using your hand to waft the steam around the room. Repeat as needed. (I've used the free Earl Grey tea provided by the hotel for this and it works. Free hotel coffee is probably horrid enough to scare away anything.)

Spells

Rewrite the spell or write a different spell. The purpose of burning things in a spell is to send energy out (or up). If you burn something, you transform the energy in that thing into spell energy. You just need another way to do that.

Breath and speech are vibrations. So chanting or speaking the words of spell will send their energy out.

Write the words on something that will biodegrade and tie it to a tree. Or for something long-lasting, like protection, write it on a windchime and hanging it in the wind.

Write the words themselves in water or alcohol and let them evaporate into the air.

And there's nothing like speaking or chanting the words while pouring a libation (alcohol is good if available) on the ground. Most gods, guides and spirits appreciate a drink now and then.

(Oh, the whole candle colors thing is fairly modern because candles being easily obtainable in a wide variety of colors is fairly modern. So feel free to be creative in your color use.)

[pastafossa]

Thanks to EVERYONE'S recommendations on my post about How Do I Get A Knitting Circle To Adopt Me - A Woodcarver - Into Their Group, I have discovered:

My local library has a knitting/crochet club that welcomes other crafts, too! I will be attending that tomorrow, so maybe they'll adopt me!

There's a local woodcarving group that has monthly meetups! Granted it meets at a senior center and membership is encouraged which I can't do obviously but I'm going to see if that's like, a hard line or not

There are a couple small, independent craft stores that might have leads on more groups, I'll be trying to hit those up in the next few weeks and see if they have any leads!

My witchy shop used to have crafting meetups, I saw it on old FB events! That will be starting back up again soon, so I can hit that up too!

And here's a tentative one - there were so many others like me who expressed the same sadness of not being able to find a little crafting group where we could all work on our respective crafts and just have fun with crafty friends and learn neat things. So I'm talking to a friend about how complicated it would be to set up a discord server for us, because gd it, I know we all live far apart but if there's a way for all of us to do a craft night together once a month or whatever and become crafty friends, we should be able to do it, along with showing off our interesting things we make in between! So put a pin in this one, since I've only ever used discord, not really run one, but if I can make it work, I'm going to try when I have some time.

[followingtheladyofthesacredflame]

Tools That Feel Important in My Practice

Candles

Considering I'm a Catholic and I also work with a fire goddess, it's completely unsurprising to me that candles are a big part of my craft. I've always used candles in veneration, so candle magic was a natural next step. I absolutely love using tealights and birthday candles as well as dollar-store pillar candles - cheap, accessible, and easy to use.

Rosaries

Again, Catholic. Rosaries are a great way to do contemplative prayer and/or meditation, and they help me add power and intention to my spellwork. They can be made of all kinds of stones and crystals, too - my current favorite has amethyst beads.

Tarot cards and runes

I've been working with tarot and runes for years, originally under the guise of "just for fun" and "it doesn't do anything but it's interesting." I've since fully embraced them as tools for communication with my deities and representation in my workings. I have a lovely little pocket deck and rune set, but I'd someday like to get/make another deck and set.

Herbs - specifically rosemary, cinnamon, and rose

Green/kitchen witchcraft felt right at home when I started my spiritual journey last year. I already loved herbal tea blends and gardening - incorporating these things into my faith has been fun! Rosemary is a wonderful multipurpose herb, cinnamon is so warm and comforting for abundance and wealth, and roses have always been my favorite flowers - I'm pleased to work with Mother Mary, who loves them as much as I do.

Salts

In the same vein as above, salts seemed like a natural addition to my working. Table salt is a great base for lots of different kinds of magic (and can be used in kitchen witchery with ease!), and black salt is wonderfully protective (don't use this one in kitchen witchery, though).

Cauldron

My cauldron was an unexpected add to my working tools - I found it, a little brass thing, at my local antique shop, and felt so called to it that I went back to get it after deciding against it the first time. I have interacted with Lady Cerridwen, who brought cauldrons to my attention, and to be honest, I love their classic witchy image. It's convenient to have on hand when I want to safely burn something.

[grey-dog]

stuff I’m excited ab for my hogwarts dr. . .

Snow !! Especially with christmas decoration. It doesn’t snow where I’m from AND christmas is during summer for me, so I’m so excited to live that experience ‘locally’

Hogsmeade trips: I scripted there’s a thrift store and cute cafes, so I can’t wait to visit them

Fashion: I know this might some strange, but I like to think fashion would be unique and fun in the wizarding world, besides your typical styles of clothing. Funky jewelry, witchy outfits, mixes of patterns, fun makeup. Give me all

Making friends and getting to know people ! Like I mentioned in a diff post, I don’t fully know all the marauders lore and I’m shifting for the vibes and magic, so I’m excited to meet everyone and hang out

Parties: I’m not a huge party animal in this reality, and house parties aren’t really common, but I CANT WAIT to go to house parties over there. The vibes, the music, the outfits. Agh I love it. Not only that, but also parties at bars n stuff, while a band plays yk? So good

Flying a broom: I need to fly one. Nuff said

The aesthetics: have you seen that castle?? The nature?

Classes, magic !

Smelling the amortentia potion: I haven’t scripted a s/o but I’m really excited to smell them(? in my potion hihi