#trashcraft

Made a mini book out of leftover playing cards and a field book.

Steve: *Pulls out a stone hoe* Will you be my hoe?

my lil contribution to travel altars/witch kits: this is my travel witch kit that is small enough to fit in my pocket. most of the materials are pretty cheap, subtle, and easy to find/replace. it contains:

my three keys charm: for protection and secrecy

a shed parrot feather in a glass vial: air element, representation of life and growth

a crown shaped ring: charged with energy that only activates when i wear it (and thus packs a punch)

tumbled piece of quartz + two quartz chips: clear quartz is the universal crystal and can be used for cleansing, charging, protection,  amplification, etc

zirconia diamond: synthesized diamond. im of the opinion that man made materials are just as valid materials in witchcraft, and i think how these diamonds are made imbues them with a lot of power (tldr, it involves water, copper, radio waves, and a lot of heat)

a small shell: water element, and also works as a small bowl

a bobby pin: a small and readily available tool, great for crossing/uncrossing, cursing/curse-breaking, storing/releasing energy, and sympathetic magic if its been used

a penny: yes/no divination, easy offering, and can be charged and spent to spread the spell as far as possible

a dollar coin: a base for spellwork or burning candles/cone incense

a thin piece of aura quartz: actually a bead that i use as a wand

mini salt and pepper packets: because salt and pepper.

a piece of string: for knot magic

tea tags: paper that has been soaked in tea (in this case mint) to write sigils on and burn. soaking the paper in tea lets you use the properties of the herb without needing the herb in your kit

a pentacle (made myself with copper wire): 

everything fits into a small cloth jewelry pouch that fits in my pocket. the clip is charged to keep people from snooping and lets me clip it onto my bag.

not pictured: a lighter (fire element and to burn things), and a pen (to draw sigils)

potential things to add:

tiny vial of purified water (moon, storm, river, etc)

dice (divination)

symbols of deities (those little japanese puzzle erasers come in just about every animal imaginable and are cute and cheap)

One great way to add protection or an enchantment to your home when you live in a city is through sigils. On the sidewalk, near the doors, in alleys, by the mailboxes, on the gates... there are countless places you may need to place a spell and don’t feel like you have to use a sharpie and just hope you don’t get caught. There are lots of stealth/cheap alternatives to spray paint or paint markers. 

1. Chalk - cheap and cute, this may only work in a dry climate where you don’t experience much rain, or you will have to refresh it quite often. But if you live in a neighborhood with a lot of children, chalk can be a great stealth option.

2. Oil/chapstick/wax - especially w/ a meaningful scent, these greasy markers can last a lot longer and be almost undetectable. Depending on where you put it, it may only need to be refreshed every 6 months which is a LOT better than the chalk. 

3. Paste-ups - Sugar+flour+water painted over a printed graphic will stick to an outdoor surface for a very long time. If small, this street art technique an be utilized without angering landlords or residents. Especially when placed under the mailbox, or on top of a gate or the like. Keep in mind if you live in a neighborhood with snails, they will eat the paste. Also some water-based inks will run when applying the paste, so be mindful of the ink you are using. 

4. Duct tape/Electrical tape -  w/ sharpied sigil can be placed in unseen locations and blend in easily. 

5. Chewing gum - Stealth as hell, as no one will suspect a wad of chewed gum as witchcraft, and very unlikely anyone will want to try to pry it off, this may be an option depending on the kind of place you live in. I don’t suggest sticking your nasty gum on the side of your building, but in the alley, on the sidewalk, road, or parking lot may be a perfectly reasonable option. Just be sure to remove it when you move out because otherwise, that’s kinda just like litter, dude. Chewing gum can be extra powerful since it is saturated w/ your personal saliva and can have extra empowerment from color or flavor (cinnamon being great for banishing/empowerment, mint for good fortune, bubble gum for happiness etc...) Once stuck, you can press your magic mark into it, or just say/think your spell into the gum with each chew before sealing it to an object. 

Tips:  1. Take some time and scope out your location before you decide where exactly you are going to place your spell. It is going to be doing an important job and it is worth your time to consider all the various factors that may result in its failure or success. Be sure to consider: sun, wind, rain, if it is at eye level or not, if it is at the level of kid’s hands, in the way of the mail worker, or maintenance worker, behavior of neighborhood wildlife, bike or car traffic, what is visible from windows near by.... 

2. Practice. Practice your sigil with any incantation at home with nonmagic* materials over and over before you go out to place your spell. It will come out better and you will feel more confident in it. Practicing will also help build power in the spell before it is unleashed. Try setting a specific number of times to practice. Is your magical number 7? Do you associate the number 4 with protection and you are going to place a protection sigil? Explore numerical meanings even if you aren’t used to using them, as you may find them empowering. 

3. Place your spell during the day. I know it may feel exciting and more stealthy to do it at night but if someone DOES see you, you’ll look suspicious as hell. Also in the light of day, it’s easier for YOU to see if someone noticed you or not, and you can always pretend to have dropped something and walk away if need be. Where as at night, if you don’t notice someone is watching, you are a bit more likely to get caught.