Hey Mama Bree, I know you use a lot of powders in your work, but do you ever make curse jars? If so, do you have any advice on how to make and maintain one?
I have in the past, yes. I haven't had a need to make one recently, apart from occasionally adding a name to the Timeout Pickle Jar.
This is an example of a curse jar that I came up with some years ago. It was for vengeance at the time, but it could just as easily be turned to other purposes by adding herbs or items that correspond to the desired effect. I always recommend sealing the jar with wax or duct tape to avoid leaks or spills.
There are some curse jars that are meant to be kept and maintained or used, like a jar full of nails that you shake whenever someone is an asshole to you. And there are others, like the one linked above, that are generally meant to be made and then discarded with your trash. The only reason I'd keep that type of jar around would be if I had some inkling that it might need to be disassembled or reversed at some point, in which case I might opt to go with a binding rather than a hex. (Personal preference, your mileage may vary.)
Practically speaking, if your jar starts to stink or leak or if it cracks or breaks, throw it away. This is less for magical reasons and more for cleanliness. A curse jar that cracks or breaks on its' own MAY be an indicator that something is going awry, but it could just as easily be an indication that the contents have decayed and built up pressure that eventually caused the container to fail. A bit of divination may help to determine whether there's a problem with the spell, keeping in mind that all divination is subjective, but I tend to assume a mundane cause before a magical one.
Hope this helps!
