#ukwitch

🍂✨🌞🌙

My gorgeous fox skull is finally done. It’s been a journey that’s for sure.

I found this beautiful creature passed away in a ditch and I waited months before I collected the remains that I could carry. I admit it was not pretty, it wasn’t fully decomposed and I wore gloves, mask and double bagged everything!

Over the last (almost a year) the skull has been degreasing and finally it was in a state that I was able to give it a couple of baths in hydrogen peroxide to remove some staining and even out the colour.

I’ve reattached the teeth using PVA as advised by a taxidermist as it means if I ever need to remove them that it’s just a case of soaking it.

The lower jaw which has split into two is being held together with a strong fine thread which is also totally removable.

As this fox is local and was found within a 5 minute walk from my front door I do feel a connection that I can’t ignore. It would have traipsed through the same foraging ground as me, explored the bramble patches and It may have even been seen by myself at some point.

My practice is very nature based and I try my hardest to utilise what my local landscape can provide for me, from the berries on the bushes to the pebbles on the beach and I’m so grateful for this gift and will honour the beautiful fox.

I am in the process of cleaning some leg bones still as well as smaller foot bones which I hope to use in an osteomancy set for myself and in time, one for my son.

We’ve almost all experienced the loss of a button and it’s strange to think that someone may discover it hundreds of years from now and wonder who it once belonged to.

These little objects are often overlooked and I wanted to bring to light a common object that we almost all possess but don’t consider as a useful tool.

Buttons in the present day are predominantly made of plastic but can also be made from shell, horn, bone, fabric, metal, wood, glass and more.

More often than not they are found on clothing and have played a significant role in fashion through history and have been found dating as far back as 2000BC.

I’ve personally been fascinated by these little items since I was a child and took great pleasure tipping my Nans button collection out on a tray and looking at them all one by one.

This collection now lives with me and I still enjoy looking at them and in some cases remembering the garments that they once adorned.

As a collector and a witch I’ve often looked at my colourful collection and pondered the uses.

Uses

● Create symbols (or sigils) on clothing or cloth objects (cushions) by sewing them in place whilst focusing on your intent.

● Use them to give your poppets facial features.

● Use them in silencing spells to symbolise someone buttoning their lip. This is great for stopping someone spreading secrets or lies.

● Use them in binding spells.

● Wooden buttons represent earth and can be a great way of carrying that element with you. This works for shell buttons too as these represent water. If you know the type of shell or wood then these properties can also be called upon.

● Wooden buttons are great for painting and decorating with sigils, words or symbols which can be worn. You can do this on their face or if you’d prefer, on the back where others can’t view them. (Pyrography is great for this as it’s less likely to wear and wash off).

● Because of their inconspicuous nature, buttons are also useful for witches who are in the closet but want to carry elemental representations with them.

● Buttons often represent eyes and sight.

● Connection to the past and ancestral work can be achieved especially if you possess buttons that belonged to someone you wish to connect with. Eg. Buttons from Naval or Army uniforms, wedding dresses

● They work as a nice and thrifty (inconspicuous) alternative to gemstones if you consider colour correspondences.

Many standard household items can be overlooked for their magickal uses.

It’s only when we sit down and really consider them that their light may shine.

If you sew, maybe take a look in your sewing box and consider the other uses your materials may have.