Basics — 9
wood when I first got them, so I decided to use pyrography to decorate them, burning veves into them. If you wish to stain your wood, then a coffee stain works particularly well and is full of magical correspondences. Dissolve two tablespoons of coffee in a little water and use a brush or sponge to apply to the box. Test your wash first and add more coffee to darken and more water to lighten. When your box has dried, mix beeswax with coconut oil and rub it into the wood (to help bring out the grain and seal it), buffing with a dry, soft cloth. If you want to add colour to your altar box then I suggest using acrylic paints as the colours stay bright and vibrant, and once dry they are pretty permanent. Decoupage is another way of adding colour and images and can be used on wood or cardboard. To decoupage, find an image you like on paper and cut it out carefully, removing as much of the background paper as possible. Using PVA glue, stick the image down and cover the whole surface in a layer of glue. PVA dries clear so don’t worry about obscuring the image. When it has dried, apply another layer and continue to do this until you have built up a thick, lacquered look and you can no longer feel the outline of the image. There is no right or wrong way, so allow your personal tastes to reign free and allow your creativity and flair to flow!
To Cast or Not to Cast To cast a circle is to create a sacred space in which to do spell work, ritual, and so on. That is one of the first things we learn when it comes to practical witchcraft. Why the need for sacred space? There are a number of reasons —for example, to create a safe working environment, one that you control, a space where negativity has been banished. Casting a
