Belladonna & Bones

Purveyor of Witchcraft, Magick and Occult supplies for the discerning pagan. I am a Witch who walks the path of baneful herbs and hidden words. Berries picked at midnight and embers coaxed from the shadows are my stock and trade. Come sit by the fire, get lost amongst the flames, perhaps you’ll seek your future there. Or perhaps you wish to ride with the fair folk, running fast through hedge and dale. Gather your courage, for here be dragons my child. I have been walking the path of the witch for 20 years and reading cards professionally for 18 years, My practice has developed strongly as I have developed my skills as a witch and moved onto the path of the poisoner and alchemist. I have a strong respect for the so-called baneful herbs and hedge-riding and shamanistic practices from all over the world.

[mystic-w-o-r-l-d]

[omgthatdress]

Half-Mourning Dress

1910-1912

The Victoria & Albert Museum

[yamino]

What’s a “half-mourning” dress?  Mourning in the front, party in the back?

[borta-deactivated20150310]

Half-Mourning was the third stage of mourning for a widow. She would be expected to mourn her husband for at least two years, the stages being Full Mourning, Second Mourning and Half-Mourning. The different stages regulated what they would be wearing, with Full Mourning being all black and with no ornamentation, including the wodow’s veil, and the stages after that introducing some jewellery and modest ornamentation. When in Half-Mourning you would gradually include fabrics in other colors and sort of ease your way out of mourning. 

Wow, I am happy you made that joke so I could interpert it as a serious question and have an excuse to ramble on about clothing customs of the past, I am a historical fashion nerd.

[yamino]

That’s very informative, but I’m going to stick with my original head canon:

[mumblingsage]

I love both the informed fashion history and the hilariously off-the-wall halves of this post.

[belladonnaandbones]

Contego Protection Balm - Full Size

Begone Spirit, Begone Spell, Banished is that which wishes me ill. Protected am I, Guarded am I, Shielded, Protected, Defended. .. This

Begone Spirit, Begone Spell, Banished is that which wishes me ill. Protected am I, Guarded am I, Shielded, Protected, Defended. .. This Balm is the Samuel L Jackson of witches ointments. Packed with herbs to exorcise, break spells and protect it will warm the heart and give strength to those who seek it's aid and lay the smack down on those who try to do you harm. This balm can be used to give the wearer confidence and strength when in situations that may harm them and damage their aura. *this balm, won't stop hands, or bullets, or knives, like any magic, you need to do half the work, it won't turn you into a superhero, but it will help shield you from the psychic snags, spirits and unkind words we face in our daily lives. *** Do not use this balm with our flying ointments, they are polar opposites, you don't want to offend the spirits you summon by stinking of exorcism herbs. This item ships with tips for use. *Item Size* Full size Amber glass apothecary jar with Bakelite Lid - 35mm x 35mm (new packaging) and contains 10 grams or 14ml or 1/2 fluid ounce (as best I can translate from metric!)

[belladonnaandbones]

Atavus Ancestor Balm - Worship Flying Ointment Full Size

Light a candle, Sing the songs, make an offering. to those now gone. Ancestor, Elder, Atavus, Nine herbs of the dead fall from my hands

Light a candle, Sing the songs, make an offering. to those now gone. Ancestor, Elder, Atavus, Nine herbs of the dead fall from my hands into this balm. Called by the ancestors at the night of Samhain I gathered them, Blessed and smudged and offered up to my own ancestors as the lights burned on windowsill for them. This balm can be created but once a year as the light wanes and the veils begins to thin. This balm is intended for use when contacting the ancestors for aid in divination and spellwork and as veneration when tending resting places and memorial altars. This balm is only created on Samhain (Southern Hemisphere) each year, it is intended for use throughout the following year. .. This item ships with tips for use. *Item Size* Full size Amber glass apothecary jar with Bakelite Lid - 35mm x 35mm (new packaging) and contains 10 grams or 14ml or 1/2 fluid ounce (as best I can translate from metric!)

[belladonnaandbones]

Somnio Psychic Dreaming Balm - Flying Ointment Full Size

To dream, to wander, to know, To hear the whispers of the sandman whence he dwell, .. This Balm is a gentle sweet blend for those who wish

To dream, to wander, to know, To hear the whispers of the sandman whence he dwell, .. This Balm is a gentle sweet blend for those who wish to dream of truths unlocked. Clary Sage Yarrow, Valerian and Eyebright are sweetened with Damiana, Heather, Lavender and Anise to send you to sleep and let you journey in the lands of Dreaming. This balm is highly effective for those who wish to slip quietly through the land of nod and hear the whispers of the dreamers. I have found that my spirit guides enjoy working with the gentle energies of this balm to aid in dream divination. Slip into dream with this balm and keep a notebook handy to record the visions that appear. This item ships with tips for use. *Item Size* Full size Amber glass apothecary jar with Bakelite Lid - 35mm x 35mm (new packaging) and contains 10 grams or 14ml or 1/2 fluid ounce (as best I can translate from metric!) Sample size is available see other listings (size reference in picture 3 - sample jar is white plastic 26mm x 10mm and 3g

[belladonnaandbones]

King Fisher on my walk

[themightycaz]

Men an Tol (Cornwall)

[ohighpriestess-deactivated20150]

Types of Witches: Hedge Witch

Hedge Witch, Hedgecraft: The name comes from centuries ago, when Hedge Witches lived in or near the forest, at the edge of their towns. The edge of the town where it met the forest was called “the hedge.” The Hedge Witch practices alone and is not part of a coven. She does not follow a religion or sect of any form, and does not worship any deities (unless she chooses to.) Her solitary practice is completely her own, and possibly may have been learned from her mother, a close friend, her own experiences, or she apprenticed another witch (usually more common in times past, but not totally impossible now.) This form of witchcraft is considered to be part of Traditional witchcraft. Hedge witches rely heavily on the use of herbs both as medicine and for supernatural or spiritual purposes. These witches are very good with plants, and often have big gardens. They have specific purposes and uses for almost anything found in nature, and they have the natural medicine for almost any ailment. Although the modern Hedge Witch may not live in the forest, she will often be in the forest either for practicing purposes, gathering herbs, or finding peace of mind~

[scarletimprint-deactivated20160]

Serpent Songs: An Anthology of Traditional Craft paperback and digital bibliotheque rouge edition available now. http://scarletimprint.com/books/serpent-songs/

Serpent Songs are the works and words of those who remain untamed, from Cunning Folk to Exorcists to Pellars to Sorgin and Witches and Mystics. A collection of fifteen essays are introduced and curated by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold through whose contacts we encounter the worlds of lone practitioners and tradition holders, from both family and clan, and are allowed a rare glimpse into the workings of the more secretive proponents of the Craft.    Traditional Craft is intimately bound to the spirit of the land. Serpent Songs contains the works of genuine Cornish and Basque witchcraft, the relatively unknown Swedish Trolldom, the persecuted Bogomils, and the oft misrepresented Italian Stregoneria. Members of 1734, Clan of Tubal Cain, a member of the Companie of the Serpent-Cross are among those who choose to share their experiences. Light is shed on such important figures as Robert Cochrane, Evan John-Jones and Andrew Chumbley amongst others, but more than illustrious ancestors, Traditional Craft is revealed as a living throng.    These are the voices of those who work the art and this book details their practices, struggles and wayward journeys. Serpent Songs takes a crooked path through the landscape, from historical studies to practical acts, from lonely stone stiles set between deep hedges to the warm entrails of animals and forays into the caves and woods. These tresses are woven into an undulating nest of serpents.    Serpent Songs is a wide ranging work that deals with the issues of witch blood, taboo, the other, the liminal state, fire, dream, art and need as vectors of the Craft. What emerges is not a narrow definition of what it means to engage in Traditional Craft, but a set of shared characteristics and approaches which become evident despite the cultural gulfs in place and time. This is a book of praxis, beliefs and their own definitions of the art itself rather than those applied to it by outsiders. These are the voices who for the most part operate in silence but now wish to be heard.

Contributors:

Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold; Gemma Gary; Shani Oates; Arkaitz Urbeltz; Stuart Inman & Jane Sparkes; Tony MacLeod; Xabier Bakaikoa Urbeltz; Steve Patterson; Richard Parkinson; Francis Ashwood; Johannes Gårdbäck; Radomir Ristic; Anne Morris; Jesse Hathaway Diaz; and Sarah Anne Lawless.

http://scarletimprint.com/books/serpent-songs/

[belladonnaandbones]

fantastic book :)

[xx-thespiderqueen-xx]

I've seen your post on "Crystals to Avoid Using in Elixirs", and it got me thinking: what crystals can you use in elixirs and what are the effects? Are they sorta like teas and other plant infusions?

~Kind of. To make an elixir, you would just put the stone in water and let it sit for some time (maybe put the bowl under the sun or moon for a stronger effect) but that post was talking about:

~Some stones have metals or chemicals in them that can be harmful if ingested.

~Some stones can get discolored or wear away in water, the sun, or the moon.

~But obviously, you would take the stone out of the water before drinking the water, or putting it on your body. If you are not sure if a stone is safe to use, or is ok to be in water, you can use 2 bowls of different sizes, or a bowl and a small glass. Put water in the larger bowl, and put the stone in the smaller bowl/glass. Put the bowl/glass with the stone in it into the larger bowl. If it’s light enough, it should float. Or you can just fill the larger bowl enough so that the smaller bowl will have water around it, but won’t get flooded with it. Clear glass would work best, as it won’t obstruct the “view” of the stone and the water. 

~But once the elixir is made, you could either drink the water, or put a few drops on your body. Let’s say you needed some luck before a test; you would make the elixir with some kind of luck stone. Take the stone out and drink the water, or you could put some of the water on your hands (if it’s a written test), your mouth (if it’s an oral test), or your feet (if it’s a race or something). Maybe put some on your temples too, near your brain. You could also carry the stone with you for extra energy. It’s pretty simple. Some people will also make an elixir before a ritual, then dab some of it onto their bodies or drink it as part of the ritual.

~Tea and plant infusions work for physical issues, like stomach aches, insomnia, etc. But elixirs will work for things like luck, love, muscle aches (rub it on the muscle, but you could just do that with a plant infusion too), etc. They work for things you can’t get from tea or plant infusions. They’re also good because if you’re allergic to some kind of plant, but want the benefits of it, if you can find a stone with the same properties, you can make an elixir instead of drinking the tea. Tea might be stronger for some things though, as you’re actually drinking the plant. With elixirs, you’re just drinking the stone’s energy (and the moon’s/sun’s energy if you used them). But for things you can’t get with tea or plant infusions, elixirs work well.

[belladonnaandbones]

This is good information

[inabittersea]

John William Waterhouse, Magic Circle (1886)

[you-r-nature]

[annihilorak]

"Encuentro de la serpiente Inwayvilu y el Macho Cabrío: convergencia de dos tradiciones mágicas y el inicio de una tradición común."

Imagen de portada de “Maleficio: Historias de hechicería y brujería en el Chile colonial” de Eduardo Valenzuela. _______________

"Meeting of the Inwayvilu snake and The Goat: convergence of two magical traditions and the beginning of a common tradition." 

Cover image of "Hex: Stories of sorcery and witchcraft in colonial Chile" by Eduardo Valenzuela.

[xx-thespiderqueen-xx]

Crystals to Avoid Using in Elixirs

—I made a few posts before about making elixirs with crystals by soaking them in water and leaving it under the moon (that’s just one method) and others. Then taking the crystal out and putting the mixture on your body or drinking it. I didn’t think about the fact that some crystals won’t be good to put on your body or ingest.. oops! Please look through my archive page to find the elixirs posts (there’s some good stuff in there) and then look at this post to see which crystals you can’t use, and try substituting for another crystal if you need to. Now again, as I found this on the internet, I’m not sure how accurate this information is, so please be safe and look up other information about your specific crystal if you need to (also, if you are allergic to some metals, you should definitely look up a crystal to make sure that metal isn’t in it. It’s not safe to put any metals in your body, but you can put them ON your body if you’re not allergic to it.  If you are, it’s safe to handle the stones for a bit for spells and stuff, but you shouldn’t put an elixir made with that stone on or in your body). Anyway, here’s the info and the list:

—There are many crystals that should never be used to make elixirs or be ingested. The basic rule of thumb is that any stone containing metals should not be used, EVER! This includes most brightly colored blue and green stones as these often take their coloring from metals, and metals can be toxic in humans. Water leaches the toxins from the stone, which would then be ingested by you. Also avoid any shiny, metal-like stone because, again, most metals are toxic to humans. —Please refer to the list below when making an elixir to make sure that you do not select a stone that can cause you harm. When in doubt - do not use the crystal to make an elixir! There are always other crystals that will possess the same properties as the ones below and are safe to use. —The list below is by no means to be considered complete. There may be other harmful stones that aren’t on this list. please look up a stone if you’re not sure, or don’t use it at all. It’s best to play it safe! If you already know the basic make-up of a stone, go and check on an elemental table to see what all the parts are that make it up. Even small make-ups of metals taken internally can hurt you. We all know that all of the elements are important to our health and well being, even the metals…but in the right doses. —There is an advantage to wearing or laying on of crystals though when you are experimenting. In particular, they can be quickly removed and its effect will fade much quicker. If there is a specific area you are targeting, laying on the gem would be preferred. In most cases, a gem and an essence will compliment each other well when used together.

—You need to use caution with anything you ingest, read about warnings. Never, ever, EVER use Malachite (green stones), Lapis (dark blue stones), or any with sulphur/acid bases to take internally. You can be dead before you hit the floor!  —You really need to understand the chemical make-up of what you’re mixing up or it can be fatal, deadly fatal. That said, properly made essences may be taken internally or applied externally, can be used for a variety of things, and can be very healing.  —The Good News:  Now don’t get excited, not all gems are bad to use. There are many that are very beneficial when used in an elixir. ~Some examples to safely use topically would be Amethyst for acne, Blue Lace Agate for puffy eyes, Moss Agate for athletes foot, Rhodonite for minor cuts and abrasions, and Rose Quartz for burns.  — DO NOT Use Any Crystals From This List For INTERNAL Use!:

• Amazonite - Contains Copper

• Antimonite - Contains Lead

• Atacamite - Contains Copper

• Auricalcite - Contains Zinc and Copper

• Azurite - Contains Copper

• Barite - Contains Lead, Zinc, and Barium

• Boji Stones - Contains Sulfur

• Bronchantite - Contains Copper

• Chalcantite - Contains Copper

• Chalcopyrite (Peacock Stone) - Contains Copper and Sulphur

• Cinnabar - Contains Mercury and Quicksilver

• Conichalcite - Contains Copper

• Conichalcite - Contains Copper

• Copper - Poisonous

• Chrysocolla (Venus Stone) - Contains Copper

• Cuprite - Contains Copper

• Dioptase - Contains Copper

• Gem Silica - Contains Copper

• Galena/Galenite - Contains Lead (almost 90%) 

• Garnierite (Genthite/Falcondoite) - Contains Nickel

• Halite - Not suitable, as it will dissolve in water

• Hematite - Not suitable, as it will rust in water

• Lapis Lazuli - Pyrite inclusions contain Sulfur

• Magnetite - Not suitable, as it will rust in water

• Malachite - Poisonous

• Markasite - Contains Sulfur

• Mohawkite - Contains Copper and Arsenic

• Petersite - Contains Aluminum

• Psilomelane - Contains Barium

• Pyrite (Fool’s Gold/Inca Gold) - Contains Sulfur

• Quantum Quattro Silica - Contains Copper

• Realgar - Contains Sulfur and Arsenic

• Stibnite - Contains Lead

• Smithsonite (Galmei/Zinc Spar) - Contains Zinc and Copper

• Ulexite - Stone loses its luster in water; contains asbestos

• Vanadanite - Contains Lead

• Wulfenite - Contains Lead and Molybdenum 

—B.D: Well then.. it seems like A LOT of these have copper in them. Good to know! Haha And at least one of these contains nickel, which I am allergic too (it’s a common allergy, so make sure you aren’t allergic to it before using it outside your body. Whether you are allergic or not, DO NOT drink it). Again, if a stone isn’t on this list, please look it up to make sure. Please look to my elixirs posts too, for some ways to make and use elixirs. Stay safe, and have fun! :)

*Source: http://www.howlatm.com/elixer_warnings.html *Image: http://tuesdayswithlaurie.com/tag/elixir/

**Taken and edited from Facebook page: Paganesque. 

[belladonnaandbones]

VERY IMPORTANT!

[belladonnaandbones]

Wrapped my wand with vintage silk tonight so I could attach my chalice well charm. The wand is pear from a local grove that is over 100 years old. 

I've made the loop permanent so that other charms, amulets and talismans can be attached as needed.

[belladonnaandbones]

I went to the gem show yesterday, Real citrine is so much more beautiful than heat treated citrine. I Didn't walk away with the large peice I wanted because 4 small chops of dark dark gem quality smokey quartz caught my eye. I think there is some jewelry making in my future.

[likeafieldmouse-deactivated2015]

Mona Hatoum - + and - (1994-04) - Steel, aluminum, sand & electric motor