#eggshell chalk

I eat a lot of eggs and I always save the shells and grind them up in my mortar for later. And later is now. So I've been conducting little experiments, trying to come up with a formula for my own eggshell chalk. So far pure chunky eggshell powder is winning.

Once I figure it out Imma be gifting them to my friends <3

I often get asked what things I consider essential, so I figure I'll finally start posting about them in a series, each post of which will cover one of my favorite things in my cupboard. Today's is.... Eggshell Powder.

Eggshell powder has an important place in Southern Folk Practices, as well as Hoodoo and Voodoo/Vodou and Santeria (usually called Cascarilla).  Typical uses are protection and purification in both powder form and chalk. Powder to dust yourself or your home, for making barriers, protecting against spirits, or as chalk for drawing sigils. You can even dissolve it in baths to protect against or break some curses. My grandmother likes to put crushed eggshells in her plants, especially her tomatoes. The eggshells provide great nutrients, but on the magical side eggs are often a sign of fertility and can encourage fertile plants and a good harvest. There's about a million ways to make eggshell powder. I've heard baking the eggshells, I've been told you can only do it just after you crack the eggs. Some people say leave the membrane, some say pull it out. I've heard some people mix it with salt and others don't mix a thing. Personally, I pull the membrane out just after cracking the egg, when it is still wet, and then set the shells aside to dry. I got a jar full of 'em on my kitchen windowsill. After they're dry, usually a few weeks, I stick 'em in the oven for a bit, helps make them really dry and easy to grind. Lowest setting for a few hours, or if it is summer I might bump it up to 300 F for half an hour so i can get the house cooled sooner. Then I get to grindin'. If I'm feeling lazy I'll toss them in my coffee grinder, works all the same, but doing it by hand always puts in a special touch, I think. I add a pinch of salt here and there to help things get ground down until it's a fine powder. I strain it then with a bit of cheesecloth only doubled over once, just to be sure I get all the finest bits. There's as many guides online as there is ways to make it. I keep a little in my cupboard and a little in my kitchen. I add it to food, mine and my dogs. It's a good source of calcium, and I feel like it's protective properties get transferred to me by eating it. I make chalk out of it sometimes, or if I'm feeling antsy I'll dust some on the windowsills mixed up with some more salt. Occasionally I use it to draw symbols and sigils if I'm working with the right group of spirits. Just like eggshell powder, there's a million guides on making chalk. Here's one way. " Once you've ground up the eggshells mix in 1 tsp of flour with 1 tablespoon of the powdered eggshell. You can eye it to make sure that you've got an even mixture. The flour is used as binder so make sure to mix them together thoroughly. At this point add in your powders and just a pinch of the herbs you want. Too man herbs will break up the mixture so be careful. Again mix it thoroughly. Make sure to pray over the herbs, powders, and the mixtures. It is also at this point you can add your colors. If you are making a black chalk, I also suggest adding pinch of drawing charcoal.  Add in a tsp of hot water and mixing it in. The mixture will begin to be sticky, but keep mixing to get all the pieces. Squish it all together to make a nice little ball.  Roll the ball in your hands or against wax paper to make it into a cylindrical shape or what shape you want. Wrap this in a paper towel or wax paper and tie it closed. Set this aside for at least three days.