Ex Penna

It sounds all kinds of wrong that I said I'd be keeping things fresh on this blog--even though the shop is no more--and then I swiftly...did nothing of the sort.

But what I have been doing is pretty massive. Life has gone from a game of Jenga to one of those weird sliding puzzles every kid ends up winning at a carnival game that boasts "A Prize Every Time!"  So, instead of focusing on hustling for progress that could undermine my foundation, I've been moving things around and around until a clear picture starts to form. 

Or something like that.

I'm currently working on a side-business I've got going based on my love of painting custom pewter and plastic figures for role-playing games (if you play, obviously I'm referring to minis). Interspersed with this is my work with the indie comic book group where I've been putting the final touches on a long awaited second issue for my nature-fantasy-comedy series, Deerborne. It's such great fun making comics and Deerborne is everything I'm not, so that's even better.

In between times, I'm hard at work at my regular (and completely non-blogworthy) job while also doing the home-life thing of putting all I can into keeping my husband and our 2 kids happy and well-balanced. And, of course, there's the Fall into Winter set of holidays, rituals, parties, and activities that completely overrun my life starting October 1 and ending sometime mid-January.

Even though I've been drawing and painting much, much more than writing lately and shifting my focus toward physical things and away from spiritual, I still have a lot of ideas percolating, just waiting to be explored with you. Hopefully, you're all still there and ready to talk magic!

In honor of this, I'm feeling like we're long overdue for a giveaway. Who's game? If I get a couple of responses to this post--here, on FB, or otherwise--then I'll set something up that you'd all enjoying winning and post all the necessary info about it so we can all start this new year off right!




Image from:
unitedmonkee.com/2010/03/02/catching-up-on-writing-links

I've been thinking long and hard lately about many topics that are well worth discussing in print, but have since come to no conclusion how I should go about it.  Too much to say for an article, too little for a full-size manuscript.  What to do?

A free e-book, of course!



I have plans for a series of such little books, each one crammed with information that you need and want, but which is rarely discussed in the magical community.  And because these books are designed to be brief, you can print them out and take them anywhere without spending a fortune on ink and paper!  I'll be giving out copies for subscriptions to this blog (plus shares, reblogs, links, likes, and all that stuff) so that we can stay in touch long after you're done reading it.

The first e-book will be called The Everyday Classical Charm Sampler: New Spells in an Ancient Tongue, a selection of original spoken-magic written in Classical Latin!  And for those of who who don't study language--fear not!--each charm has a clear, phonetic pronunciation key.  They're each brief and arranged in groups with bold titles so you can start using these spells immediately and reference them again quickly.

I have many more tricks up my sleeve, but that is all I'm sharing for now.  (cue the sad face!)  If you have a topic that you'd like to see me add to the collection, let me know! 
 

As you may have noticed from my posts on here as well as the obvious listing found at Quill's Occult Supply, I enjoy making and selling spell kits.  But I absolutely don't like the standard kits as found in retail stores. These are usually clear plastic bags containing a candle, vial of oil, a little crystal, and a sheet of instructions. You won't be finding anything like that here.

To be clear, I don't have any problem seeing these kinds of kits on store shelves, nor do I mind that it has become the typical "look" for a purchased kit.  Some shops find them to be the perfect addition to their offerings as a seller of magical goods, and just as many customers enjoy them as an easy and accessible first step into witchcraft.  But they're not for me and if you purchase a kit from my shop, they're obviously not for you either.

The thing is that I do perform small spells like this at times.  There's plenty of days in my home when magic looks like a dressed candle--maybe also dusted or carved--lit with a few words said over it. But it's free for me, quick and simple to work; I don't pay for it or save it for a special occasion.  It's a "quickie" spell for when I want results but it's not essential to throw myself into it.  No, when those times come along, I bring out the good stuff.

Big problems deserve big magic.  To give them less magic is to give their solution less energy than you have to offer.  It's like trying to put out a burning building with a watering can.  You can't just say that you're positive intentions will be enough to bolster your efforts; if you really had powerful intentions, you would have come out fully equipped with head to toe fireproof gear and a massive water hose in each hand.  That, for me, is how to handle magic.  And I do believe that even the less-experienced (the typical customers for spell kits) can handle that.  In fact, I believe they should be given the best we can offer because it's the inspiring pieces of spellwork that show beginners why the rest of us fell in love with witchcraft and why we continue in its difficult study.

Approaching Kit-Making
My spell kits are personalized to the customer's situation for this very reason.  I want to give each person a piece of creative, interesting, vivifying magic.  I want them to forget all about their problem in the face of the stunning beauty of its solution.  I want the empowerment of the moment to be all that there is, all that matters. And so I try to make my spell kits reflect this desire, and I do it through color, scent, sound, and touch.  A good spell should awaken the sleeping senses and once heightened, hold them a willing captive.  That's a tall order but I enjoy the process of attempting it every time.

As a small shop, I have a distinct advantage over larger retailers.  I have the time and resources to discuss a customer's issues with them before they make a purchase.  From these discussions I build a kit that reflects all aspects of their problem.  I don't have to simplify their needs into one word like "love" or "money."  I can be as elaborate as the situation deems necessary.  And I get to choose from a wide variety of spells!  I have quite a collection of spellbooks and classical grimoires from which to work, some of which are rarely touched for my own life.  I know how to concoct a large number of formulas from powders to potions, tinctures to washes.  I don't need to be limited to oil nor to the use of just a single formula.  I'm happy to be able to use my resources to discover the perfect spell tucked away in the pages.  What a pleasurable experience it is to land upon just that right angle, those right words, that right feeling that comes with the spell that was destined to heal your wounds!

Making a spell tailored to the customer can be a real art.  You might not like the idea of wearing a strange-looking talisman around your neck but you'd keep a hand-drawn seal inside your wallet.  I can do that.  You might have too many allergies to feel safe with formulas but you can use a poppet stuffed with hypoallergenic Thistle down.  I can make that happen.  I'm willing to work with a person's particulars to make sure their spell is just what they need and how they need it.  Pre-packaged kits cannot provide that.

The most intriguing aspect of spell kit creation (and, naturally, spellcasting itself) is that of problem solving.  I went into this a little with my post "Why I Sell Spell Kits and Not Spells" but it bears repeating.  The one making the kit is handing power to the one who actually has to cast the spell.  I don't want you to think that you are incapable without someone to do for you; I want you to work and know that what comes of it was by your hand.  Just because another person gives you the paint does not make them the one who creates a masterpiece.

But being the assistant can also be an intensely creative process, especially for a Capricorn like myself. I enjoy putting things to rights and nothing is better than organizing and tidying one's life until it is working smoothly again.  I have spent many years doing just that in my own life and now that things are fairly settled with me, it is a very good feeling to be busy again orchestrating for others.  How many wonderful spells I've been able to put to use that would never have been needed in my own life!  How many interesting and strange circumstances have we weathered together!  I've gained a lot of insight on humanity's real needs through this task and I think it has been one long lesson in compassion.  For that alone, I highly recommend it.

So, on to just what customers receive in their kits.  This, of course, varies a great deal depending on the gravity of the situation, the space or time restrictions of the caster, and their previous experience with magic. But in general, customers can expect a few standards from their order: a core spell, pre-spell items, post-spell items, and full instructions.

The core spell is the heart of the kit; it's why you came here.  Usually I give traditional spells but occasionally I'll use a self-written one that I've used at least 5 times in the past.  I only do that when the situation is really specific, though.  I would much rather you experience magic as it was intended to be, not my experiments.  If a traditional spell is just an okay choice, rather than an outstanding choice, I might bolster it with a few of my beloved formulas.

Next comes the things that will prepare the way for the spell casting.  This is often where we go into cleansings; most of the time when a person is having a lot of trouble--especially when it seems to shift from one aspect of life to another--a good cleansing can declutter one's world to make room for the good things the spell is designed to bring.  If it's a major issue, I'll suggest cleansing the individual, the home, and maybe even the workplace.  Other pre-spell items can be things such as handmade bath salts to prepare the caster for what's to come or mojo bags to constantly carry magic on one's person.  While these objects are starting their work this is a good time for the caster to gather any items only they can provide, such as personal artifacts of the target.  All of these things are discussed before the kit is created and are also clearly described in the directions.  I don't want there to be an uncomfortable waiting period between when the kit arrives and when you can start using it, so we'll begin as soon as possible.

Post-spell items are the additional formulas, talismans, and magical objects that will keep your goals on track and influence various side aspects of your situation.  If you need a spell to keep your husband faithful, a post-spell item could be to drive away home-wreckers, create harmony between the two of you, or make you extra enticing to him.  If you want a better job, post-spell items can eliminate competition and make you eloquent when you speak to bosses.

All kits come with detailed instructions, of course, but are also packaged with tissue paper in the color of your objective.  If you don't have an altar or other ritual space already, you can spread out the paper and cast upon it like an altar cloth to enhance its effectiveness.  Also note that I like to be in contact with customers before, during, and after their spell, if they so choose.  I can answer any question and offer tips as desired, up to a week afterward.  After that point, however, it's up to you to keep the magic rolling.  If you don't feel that you've gotten it straight by then, your best option is to watch and wait for changes to the situation before working on it in a different manner.    

Here are some of the kits I've made in the past.  One important note: while I consider myself to be a conscientious caster and I would never divulge a customer's personal information, I do feel comfortable sharing these kits with you for a few reasons.  First, none of them were made through Quill's Occult Supply. They each were done long before the shop was in business and so the names and dates won't be found online.  And second, just in case, I've changed any identifiable information to something neutral to protect the individuals' privacy.


Spell Kit to Curse an Enemy

• Jack Ball kit and accompanying chants
• Hot Foot powder
• Herbal/sea salt cleansing bath
• Curio roots Devil's Shoestring to protect and High John to maintain control

This kit was of a special nature: instead of being out of my hands entirely, the client was present at the casting of the core spell.  This gave him the chance to add his own focus to the work while not feeling overwhelmed by the possibility of accident that many newcomers have with their first curse.  He brought pieces of hair from the target and we wound it around a piece of Poke root before creating a Jack Ball around it.

Once the ball was complete, I gave it to him for safekeeping until he would be able to throw it onto the target's property.  I also offered an elaborate herbal cleansing bath to use after the deed was done.  This helped allay any fears that the curse would come home with him.  A few lucky items for him to keep and a bag of Hot Foot powder in case he saw the target again before the work was done, and the kit was complete.  His enemy ended up moving many hours away in disgrace after a messy break up and losing his job.  Believe me when I say that this person had it coming.

Spell Kit for Renewed Prosperity

• Clearing incense and charcoal
• Exorcism bath
• Money Drawing powder
• Fast Luck oil
• Hand-dipped candles
• Packet of Irish Moss

Spell Kit to Change One's Luck

• Uncrossing spell
• Talisman for achieving goals
• Exorcism bath
• Water of Notre Dame
• Happy-Go-Lucky powder

Images from:
doctorboneslovespells.com
confessionsofcratywitches.blogspot.com

Of all the useless things people have named for them--cocktails and sandwiches and diseases...I'd rather be like Joe Pye.

Joe Pye was an Indian medicine man of Massachusetts, or so the legend goes, with such skill at healing the incredibly difficult disease, typhus, that the lovely Gravelroot was given his name.  Whether or not this was exactly so is a matter of opinion.  There doesn't seem to be a consensus on the matter among scholars (though, if you're as devoted to wild plants as I am you might like to read this in-depth article on just how very far the search for Joe Pye has come), but that doesn't stop the legends from rolling along.  

But, brilliant Indian herbalists aside, who is the Joe Pye you are likely to meet in the present-day woods?  A tall and stately figure with whorls of leaves rising in decreasing layers to meet a crown of fragrant purple flowers.  He is a lovely sight in clusters by the side of a creekbed and impossible to miss in a meadow, towering over the heads of every other plant. The butterflies and the bees love him dearly.  And so does the witch.

I won't bore you with the habitat and growth-cycle business of Joe Pye Weed, nor with its impressive medicinal uses.  I'm certain that many folks enjoy this kind of detail in other witchcraft pages but I regard it purely as packing material for filling out otherwise meager magical information.  And I don't ever like excess packaging.  So we're just going to tuck in to the good stuff right away, shall we?

If you don't have this plant in your stocks now, I suggest you remedy that right away (and not just because I sell the whole leaves in my shop).  If you find it growing wild, so much the better, because every inch of this plant has its own magic!  The leaves are the most commonly used, so we'll start there.  Lay a whole leaf in the sole of your shoe and everyone you meet will regard you with respect.  Tuck a leaf in your cheek (as though it were a pinch of snuff) and your words will be pleasing to the ears of the one whose amorous attention you seek.  Carry it in your pocket or add to formulas and mojo bags to bring gambling luck and general good fortune.

The flowers are another matter altogether.  Their focus is all love: drawing it, keeping it, strengthening it, and regaining it. There is also a lesser known method, noted by Catherine Yronwode of Lucky Mojo, for using Joe Pye blossoms in rites to inspire visions.  Call up spirits to answer questions on love and you'll neatly combine the two.

Before Joe came along, the root was the "big show" and the originator of the common name of this plant. Called Gravelroot, Gravelweed, and Kidneyroot, it is a clear standard for the root's use in treating kidney stones (that's all the medicine I'll talk, I swear).  But for magic, it's more about what's in your pocket than in your kidneys.  This is the part to use when you want money luck, business success, a new job, or prosperity in general. Roots can be carried alone or as part of a mojo.

Gathering Joe Pye Weed is a simple matter.  As always, carefully count the number of plants in any grouping (if you are taking roots or whole plants) and the number of leaves per plant (if only gathering leaves).  Your harvest should be no more than one-quarter of the total.  And I'm completely serious.  Unless the whole of it is about to be mowed down, never take more than is your share.  This ensures that there is enough for other witches, herbalists, and botanists, plus the wildlife who call its habitat their home.

Once you have your Joe Pye Weed at home, inspect each piece and wash where necessary.  Roots will need scrubbed with a stiff-bristled brush and leaves gently rubbed with the hands under cold running water. You will need to allow leaves to air dry for an hour on a kitchen towel before further processing, but the roots can be hung up to dry immediately.  Any area in the home with plenty of circulation will work for this.

If you would like to press your leaves, as you see them in my shop, you can layer them between sheets of plain paper and then weigh it down with large, heavy books.  Let your leaves rest this way for only a few days at a time.  Leaf pressing takes much less time than you think, and leaf molding is faster yet.  So watch your leaves!  You won't spoil them by checking in every other day. When they are quite flat, let them sit in their papers but without the weight so they can finish drying completely.

The other drying method is, of course, much simpler--just let them sit uncovered on a tray until they are curled and crunchy.  Crumble and pack away in a bag or bottle.  Done. This method is what you'll want if your goal is Joe Pye Weed you can add to bags and formulas: quick drying and easy to store on a spice rack.

Joe Pye Weed has become a favorite herb of mine not only because all parts are useful but because I call upon its virtues so often.  I always keep the leaves on hand because of the amount of public speaking I do (large and small) and the number of people I'd like to impress with that speaking.  It's something I keep in my emergency kit, give to our kids for school events, and have tucked in nearly every mojo I have carried. Couple that with its inclusion in my popular magical powder, Quill's Bag of Tricks (currently sold out), and I must keep a good supply year round or face a bewildering span of time until they grow tall again.

But now is the growing season, when all green things are lush and bright, and Joe Pye stands sentinel at his high purple post in the meadow or by the stream.  When you need him you can find him there, always ready to help.



Images from:
wvu.edu
color photos taken by author

You may have noticed the major shift in the appearance of Quill's Occult Supply.  The shop has been open for two years now (amazing, isn't it?) and I felt that it was time for a change.  And, as per my usual, when I change I change big!  

Hocus Pocus, Pittsburg, Penna.

The old images of my shop were pretty much par for the course as far as magical businesses go: old world, dusty attic, dark corner shop on an abandoned street.  That sort of thing.  This is how we generally put forth the idea to other witches of Serious Magic.  "This is the big kid stuff and I don't want you to mistake me for a minute," we say with our hands on our hips.  But after all this time I began to wonder--why on earth is that so popular? Why do we communicate in terms of age and secrets?  And what else can I do besides that?

To appear to have swept cobwebs away from the scene just before the shutter was snapped is the very vision of most magical retailers, from online businesses to brick-and-mortar ones.  We desire to have our eyes dazzled, our senses overwhelmed, and our minds reeling with the thrill of discovery.

Mystical Horizons, East Lime, Conn.

While I do find this good fun (and have experienced it myself a good many times, feeling quite the explorer in a shop despite the fact that there really was nothing "new" to be found), I don't think it works very well for the customer.  I've been to many places that so confuddled me I ended up leaving without buying what I really needed.  I felt dizzied, bewildered, and a little irritated that everything seemed to go by so quickly.  Shutting the door behind me as I left was like touching down from a skydive.  It was a helluva rush, a sight to remember, but how much did I accomplish?

The Village Witch, Milton Regis, Kent, England

Perhaps my Capricorn mind desires things of a literal nature a bit more than the average. I know that most magic folk have the idea that the truly interesting part of the arcane is that it is hidden and secret.  To me, however, it is the knowledge part of it that is paramount.  Whether a spell from a thousand years ago or just last Tuesday, whether a freshly printed book or a scrawled tome from a forgotten hand--this is magic. Every bit of it is fascinating, every bit filled with possibility.  Naturally, the old works delight me (and they are certain to have better written rhymes) but the new still have the blush of innocence that wells up joy in this reader's heart.  They are both worth collecting, sharing, and experimenting with.  That is how we continue to move forward in our culture, in our literature, in our trades.

And that leads us back to my shop's new style.  Instead of treading the same worn path, I decided to go a different, almost opposite, way.  I wanted something clean, smart, and every bit as worldly as its dusty predecessor.  My clout never came from the charm of secrecy anyway, but from time-tested knowledge and the sincere desire to share it simply.  I needed to kick off the old, heavy wool cloak and come out in something smooth and bright for the breeze to blow through.  I dreampt of white-painted druggists with their marble counter-tops, apothecaries with rows of bottles and jars labeled in careful block lettering, and the fantastic herb shop in "Bell, Book, and Candle," all light and glass and a white-coated man behind the counter.  If in some beautiful future Quill's becomes a storefront, the first thing I will do is buy all my staff crisp, white coats.  Until then, I have done my best to translate this feeling into the finished product of this simple online shop.

The lady behind the counter at Quill's

It is surprising how very much such things mean in this business.  One would assume that the only thing needed for a magical shop to thrive was good wares at good prices but, as in any other industry, that is far from the truth of the matter.  Magical folk are a fickle crowd and their tastes are as varied as they can be. To inspire those who already practice witchcraft, a shop must appear knowledgeable far beyond the scope of the average individual.  To inspire those who don't practice (or dabblers who don't practice much), it must
appear enticing--or just harmless fun--but not too serious or threatening.  Depending upon how you work, you will draw in either one kind of customer or the other.  It may be greedy, but I desire both.  I welcome any and all who are interested in magic!  None shall be turned away, no matter your intentions. You may debate me, question me, and pick my brain for ideas.  You may request special items or suggest new goods.  And always you will receive straightforward answers, well-researched information, and careful work.  I see now that because those have always been my methods, this should have always been my presence.

Making spell kits is some of my favorite work.  The chance to interact with people on a personal level, helping them with what matters most to them right now, empowering them to make change happen--it's something I will never tire of.

I do still let it open as part of my local practice that I am available to cast spells for others, but I rarely do it anymore.  I have found that, unless special precautions are taken, customers can become more anxious about their situation, not less, as they await the outcome of another person's work.  That's easy to understand considering that they have taken no part in the change and therefore fear that it might go awry, take too long, or worst of all, never have been done in the first place.  A customer of any professional witch is rarely present for the actual casting of their spell, so there's a lot of trust that must be established before money changes hands and witch and client part ways.  I don't mind when people watch me perform magic on their behalf (and it does happen on occasion) but not all spells can be done at the same time they are requested.  So a customer is always left to trust and hope and wait.  Some are happy with this arrangement, letting their problems safely rest in the hands of another, but some are not.

Those who are not comforted by this are no less trusting, of course, nor less a believer than those who let a spellcaster tend to his/her business.  They just need some involvement, emotional release, and clear resolution.  This kind of person, it turns out, makes up most of the people who request spells. 

For those of you who have never ordered a spell kit from me, I'll take a little side-step and tell you what this work entails---

I have never felt very strongly about the standard "candle, oil, and sheet of paper" type kits that are pre-made for retail shops.  They might work wonders for some, but for myself I just cannot get that magic thrill out of such lackluster spells.  It is because of this that I work with the customer to find out just what they would like to happen and then fill their kit with all the necessary items for specific traditional spells to address their issues.  Many times I include cleansing formulas to be used prior to the "main event" spell.  It's been my experience that most problems either begin with or are made worse by a blockage in the flow around that person.  So we free up the space in your home and self first, then we can direct the exact changes you need from there. Once you have the road cleared, you can drive anywhere you like!

I like to work with formulas in my own practice, so my customers get to use lots of them too!  The ones I most often add to kits are handmade powders, oils, tinctures, (sometimes) incenses, or dry blends with instructions for making potions, baths, and washes.  The spell itself often includes some combination of herbs, talismans, candles, poppets, cords, charms, bags, and/or occasionally stones.  I have a fairly large variety of spellbooks old and new to work from and I like to pore over them until I find what would suit best.  So your spell could contain any combination of these items or others not listed here.  My magic room contains lots of odds and ends I've gathered over the years just waiting to be put to use!
Whether I'm making spell kits or doing the casting myself on behalf of a petitioner, I first go to my magic room to check the shelves, dig through cupboards, and find just the right components.  What better way to enjoy the fruits of years of traveling, collecting, and rambling in the woods than to use them to help others?

Unfortunately, that does not always work out for the best.  Case in point (and an excellent example of why I don't often work this way anymore), my most recent foray into casting for another.  It was just before I opened Quill's Occult Supply.  A young man came to me, desperately in love with a fickle young lady who was turning up her nose at all of his sincere overtures.  I gave him practical advice for free--show her some strength of self and make her rethink those assumptions of him being the nice guy to finish last.  She was playing with him like a cat with a mouse, and to stand up to her would be the only way to get her attention.  I read the cards for him and they supported and expanded upon my statements.  With his insistence, I moved on to researching the perfect spell for his situation and cast it in the best possible timing.  I was quite pleased and ready to let the whole thing quietly fall into place.

Sadly, he was not of the same mind.  He wrote me the next day to say that he had done the complete opposite of everything I'd suggested!  He wrote and called her several times, showed up at her door unannounced, and steamed with jealousy as she paraded other men in front of him.  She wasn't responding to his adoration, and maybe even drifting further away.  He feared the spell had not worked.  I explained the best I could, reaffirmed my previous advice, and then began again.

This time I brought out the big guns.  I summoned a spirit by name to assist him and bring to him the woman he desired.  Yeah, I know, lots of folks will disagree with this method, but it's what I did.  I told the young man to be mindful of the spirit's influence and to act as he was directed.  With the spirit bound to him by a wooden sigil, I mailed the lot to his home with clear instructions.  I thought that now I might rest easy.

But soon again I received a message from him that since smothering this girl with desperate pleas didn't work before...he had decided to do it again.  *sigh*  He sent her flowers and gifts, and left message after message on her phone.  I rubbed my temples.  I bet the spirit was rubbing his own, as well.

What a disaster!  Here was a wonderful person, sweet and affectionate with so much love to give.  And yet, he couldn't make it work.  And neither could I.  Everything I did was constantly being undone by the very person requesting it.  I felt sorry for his situation and I regretted being an agent of more anxiety and desperation in his life.  But above all I just wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him!

But, really, all he needed was to have something to do.  In the absence of a way to help, his hands could only harm.  He had requested not to be involved in the working because he feared making a mistake, but if I'd sent him a kit, full of instructions and simple spells, he might have had the confidence and calm to let it really work for him.  Instead I just kept adding stronger and stronger magic to the pot, thinking that there must be a tipping point where spellwork itself would overcome the fearful actions of those who don't see that magic is change.  You have to be willing to change in order to receive it.  But without a hand in it, he just didn't get the message. 

So now, tired but wiser, I get the message too.  And it had better be damned important for me to cast spells for someone else without their assistance.  Working alone is no problem for me; working alone in a disaster of the customer's creation is another matter altogether.


Images from:

http://www.pinterest.com/minimaria/miniature-witch-and-other-magical-stuff/
http://licklebear.tumblr.com/

March has barely begun and I'm dreaming of the warm weather.  Not really for myself, however.  I don't mind winter weather or winter grey.  I like the snow and the ice, even when it's on the ground in front of me.  Just last week I slipped while shoveling and landed flat on my back on the pavement, shovel still in hand, while cars drove by and admired my form.  lol  But that's not the winter's fault; it's just that thing that sometimes happens to people when they think they're being bright by shoveling wet snow and cooking dinner at the same time.

But I do think about the warm weather for you.  Or, at any rate, those of you who loved my dried wild herbs so much that my supply is all gone!  When the weather is fine I'll be back out the the woods and fields near my home, hopping across moss-covered stones in creek-beds, wading through briars and underbrush, kneeling by a deer path, seeking out the very best of what the land is offering.

And maybe I will find something new!  Isn't that a crazy thing to hope?  I don't buys shoes or purses and I can't see the excitement in going to the mall unless there is something I'm particularly wanting to find, but I love the treasure-hunt feeling of walking in the woods and not knowing what may be there today that wasn't there before.  And that is one of the wonderful things about owning a shop: I do for myself as I do for you, and vice versa.  When I'm gathering herbs to sell, I'm also learning more about those herbs, their habits, their preferences, colors, and variations.  When I find something I've never seen before, I identify it and learn its name, it's habits and all that, bringing it into the brood with the others and selling it to those who need its virtues.  

But winter still has a little more time left before any of that.  Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring and the whittling away of snow has not been replaced with fresh cover, so though we may not have too long to wait, we do yet have time to plan and dream.


Image from:  http://uknowispeaksense.wordpress.com

Sometimes it's fun just to bring out a blank slate and put down the chalk without having any idea of what will come next.  Being a Capricorn, I don't usually pull such capers as writing/painting/performing/attending events/public speaking, etc. without full knowledge of what I will do, how, when, where, and why, plus a complete agenda and outline.  But my shop is teaching me to let go of that, if only a little.

So I walk into a store or I wake from a dream or I see some long forgotten bottle or jar of something-or-other on a shelf in my workroom, and *flash!*--inspiration!  I've got an idea and I want to run with it.  I don't know what I'll do next exactly, but I've got the seed.  I start putting things together, arranging colors and supplies, researching ideas for more designs and more choices.  But I don't think about prices or consumer demand.  Those things are only secondary to the passion of creating something new.

Not to say that I don't think on a daily basis about pleasing my customers and bringing in the kind of items they express interest in, as soon as I can.  I do, and even now I'm hard at work on fulfilling some customer wishes.  But the chance to fulfill my own--especially when they weren't even conscious wishes until a moment before--is too exciting to ignore!

And yet the last thing I want to do is create for the sake of creation.  I love functionality!  I want it to have at least two uses, if not more.  I want customers to see a world of possibility in what I've made.  And not just a world I dictate, but one that is the child of their brain, one I couldn't have foreseen.  That, to me is the best outcome of my imagination.

Those flashes always come so fast and with such a brilliant light that I am compelled to get to work right away.  Which is a handy thing since the rest of the process is very, very long in comparison.  With an idea and a sketch that took 60 seconds, I can spend the following week in organizing the needed details (sources for materials, comparing prices and sizes, picking colors, correcting problems, drawing tons of design sketches...), and after that, I get to actually create the item (the sitting-still-hand-cramping part of the job).  As an Etsy seller (much as I do love it), the longest part is taking photos and creating listings.  Photos are fun to set up when you're trying for atmosphere, but a little tricky to pull off well.  To strike a compromise between clean, plain images and interesting ones is tough but always worth the effort.  I like the writing part best, naturally.  I try to craft short descriptions of my work that (hopefully) draw the reader into feeling a bit of that same excitement that spurred its creation. 

Being able to see each of these little projects to their end and then send them out to be a part of someone else's world is a real feeling of bliss for me.  And the more I do it, the more often come those great flashes of inspiration that shock me off my feet in surprise.  I see a little object or two colors side by side and *flash!*--there it is again!  Now I have a ever-growing folder full of these flashes, and I'm slowly working my way through them.  Some are ideas that customers have sent me, others are dreams or memories that I haven't thought of in years.  A few are pieces from my first manuscript that I'm working on getting published (cross your fingers for me!)  But most are just from some incredible moment when what I was doing and where I was standing seemed suddenly fortuitous, and a thrilling new idea was born.

Maybe this all sounds a little too grand for such a tiny corner of the world as my shop can market, and a tiny shop it is, but it is a joyful feeling to me to be able to open my mind to such experiences again and again, pluck from them something surprising, and then send them out to you.

I'm so super proud of this beautiful new item in my shop, I've just gotta brag!  No one on Etsy offers brown cascarilla powder--until now!

Making brown cascarilla is more than just crushing shells of brown eggs.  Instead, white shells are flattened and then slow toasted for hours in the oven until they turn brown.  This is a long and very...fragrant...process (okay, honestly, hot eggshell smells awful!  It's like a roadkill casserole!  Bleck!  But, lucky for you, once cooled they are scentless).  After the shells cool, I grind them superfine by hand in my big marble mortar and pestle with chants and charms to drive away evil.  A lot of work goes into this little bag!

Cascarilla powder is such a potent cleansing and protecting agent that it can be used in any number of ways to guard from evil, malicious magic, and disease:

• If someone leaves a trick on your doorstep or you find some suspicious item in your home from an enemy, dust your hands well with this powder before picking it up.  This keeps the evil from transferring to you, and you can dispose of it safely.
• Add some to your bath water or sprinkle in the wash bucket for scrubbing the floor to disperse negativity. 
• Use cascarilla powder to make symbols on the floor or altar during ritual or spellwork. 
• Add a bit of water and use it to paint symbols on your skin or use it dry to dust your body for all-over protection.

All this magic talk has my mind percolating.  I'm in the mood for some spells--I'm off to my workroom for provisions!  Happy Equinox to you!

Related reading includes  The Magic of Iron,  Who is This "Joe Pye"?,  What's in a Spell Kit? 

That's what they say, of course.  I say it too.  But do I mean it?  Wouldn't it be the perfect omen of a good thing if it came without effort, without tears?  Well, the old saying happens to be true for this blog and also for many of the other things I have brought into the world. (children included!)  I won't, however, use a tired expression and call it a "labor of love."  No, it was a labor of determination.  There was no way in hell that _________ (fill in the blank with whatever happens to be trying my patience at the time) was going to best me today!  Sometimes a dose of irrational stubbornness/stubborn irrationality is just what you need.

So here we are, together at last.  Welcome to this nest for the many bits of magic that no longer fit in my head, the ideas I'd like to share, the photos and the formulas, and--yes--scraps of Latin that you need to hear.  I am a huge fan of Latin, which is, at the moment, becoming my third language.  "Ex Penna" means "from the quill," a little nod to the Latin tradition of puns.  "Penna" is also the old abbreviation for my home (and current) state, Pennsylvania, for those of you who like to weave webs of association.

I am a witch in the grand tradition of spellcasters, curse throwers, card readers, magic sellers, and healers. I'm an entrepreneur, teacher, coven leader, writer, mother, wife, and homemaker.  In here you'll find herbs, talismans, spells, formulas, advice, secrets, thoughts about the past and questions for the future.  Ask me anything and I will tell you.  "Cross my palm with silver," as they say, and the magic is yours.