For spells, rituals or offerings!

I just made some offering boxes to put into the wickercreature at Castlefest, so I wanted to share some ideas! I had this idea for a while and finally found some time and energy to make some.

What you need:

🔥 Pretty patterned paper (I got some paper blocks from the dollar store)

🔥 Spell ingredients/Offerings (anything goes as long as it burns)

🔥 Cord/wool/linnen ribbon (remember: natural fibers)

🔥 Optional: pretty flowers for the top!

What you do:

Find a favourite tutorial for an origami box online. I used this one. And fold your pretty papers into a box. If you want, decorate the box a bit more. I made three: one for the Goddess Baduhenna, one for Nehalennia and one for the Horned God. I designed bindrunes for them and put them on the bottom of the boxes.

I got some fresh flowers from my garden and wrote down some poems (and made my own) to dedicate to the Gods. Then I added some herbs, lots of Marjoram as a taglock (my name means Marjoram) and even a bit of my favourite perfume. I wanted to make it as personal as possible.

Now simply close them and tie them shut. I used wool in the colours that matched the deities I’m making them for. I also tied some pretty flower to the top!

The remaking of Galdraskræða by Arnar Fells

The history of magic spells in Iceland is very old and highly influences the native population. Sources of spells go back to the middle ages in old Norse sagas, which are a unique part of Icelandic heritage. In ancient times, the magic spells were as vital to Icelanders as food is to the body. They existed in every aspect of life and came as second nature to man, through his desires and fears. An individual’s longing to understand and control his destiny, as well as the power of nature, is reflected in the spells.

Galdraskræða Skugga was first published in the year 1940. The book is a collection of the old Icelandic spells, the first one ever published in Iceland. It is written by the author Jochum M. Eggertson who is better known under his pen name “Skuggi”, meaning “shadow”. Galdraskræða, which was illustrated and handwritten by the author himself, was originally only published in a limited edition of 150 numbered copies. It is a collection of nearly 200 spells and an ensemble of magic rune letters. Galdraskræða Skugga was nowhere to be found for about 40 years until Bókvarðan published it without a formal publishing permit in the year 1982. That edition was very soon taken off the market. Galdraskræða Skugga is now published with permission for the first time since the first edition.

Respect to the original work of Skuggi was crucial in the reproduction of the book. The graphic design was simplified and the representation was made more clear. The imagery is expressed in red color, which is symbolic of the ancient ritual of using blood in the making of letters while casting a spell. The use of blood was necessary to carry the individual’s intent of the spell, as well as enhancing the outcome of the spell.

- Arnar Fells Gunnarsson

My technique for making runes has improved a bit since I last made them (with glass fishbowl marbles and sharpies about ten years ago, lol).

Pezzottaite

Sapphire

Opal