Collecting of Ingredients

 When I was younger, I thought that I needed these fancy ingredients to craft my spells and rituals and often would spend a lot to have successful outcomes.

With the ability to research more, I don't feel this is the case anymore. Witches of the past didn't have the fancy tools or ingredients that modern witches have and their works were closer to intentions and invocations into the items they had on hand.

Below are some ingredients I collect from things I do every day:

Eggshells - In Hoodoo, these dried, membrane removed, and powdered is called Cascarilla powder. I label my bottle as this since I like the name Cascarilla in comparison to just eggshell. It can be turned into a chalky paint for sigils or circles.

Bones - Depending on the bones, they can be used in spells or for bone throwing divination. As I mentioned in my previous post, divination is something I am still researching so I may add bone throwing to it in the near future.

Pits/Stones/Seeds of Fruit - can be used in spells depending on the type of fruit it came from. Often I have peach pits which represent protection. Make sure to clean and dry them before storing or you will end up with mould growing in the bottle.

Feathers - these are said to hold the qualities of Air and can be used in spellwork to represent this element. It can also be a form of divination as the colour of randomly found feathers can indicate where your path is going.

Sticks - These are so versatile. You can make a poppet or effigy, fashion a wand, or create any other tools you need. Types of sticks can also hold properties of the tree it came from.

Rocks/Stones - Another versatile ingredient. You can create your own set of runes, paint sigils on them, or use them in spellwork. You may be lucky and find a hag stone that is said to have connections to the spiritual realm.

I also collect shells. Broken shells get crushed and powdered into shell powder. I collect sand as well if it travels home with me from a trip to the beach. My thought is to use them to represent the element Water in spellwork. I need to research shell use more tho.