Thrifting the Witchy Way

Welcome to the Samnhain edition of Thrifting the Witchy Way!

The fabulous Jenn ( round of applause for the hard working staff here- they deserve it and more!) has promised me that the pictures from our last installment should be up this time around so please take a look at that so that you don’t think I’ve been doing imaginary projects!

So for my first Samhain (or for those of you out there who go a bit more secular- Halloween) edition of Thrifting the Witchy Way I thought I would keep it light and bring you one of my favorite crafts –Miniature Witchy Brooms!

Now this project is a ton of fun for witchlets of all ages (This time of year certainly makes me feel like a kid again!) and is absolutely fantastic for hostess gifts, party favors, kids craft time, or just to decorate your own witchy pad!

So here’s what you will need:
A. Wooden dowels (1/4inch thick, about 12 inches long- you can get them in a package at your craft store)
B. 3yrds of ribbon (This is where your hunters eyes at the thrift store can score you large bags of ribbon for a couple dollars, or keeping a keen eye on the sales at craft stores like Micheals or JoAnn’s can get you some awesome deals on designer ribbon)
C.  A package of pre-dried corn husks (I use the ones that you get from the grocery store for making tamales usually about a dollar for a large bag)
D. A bowl of water  large enough to soak the corn husks in ( I sometimes also soak the husks in a nice tea blend or, especially if I am having an attack of autumn, I throw a couple of packets of apple cider mix in so that the husks soak up the scent and get a subtle aroma)
E.  A drying rack (I use a cookie sheet with paper towels on it)
F. Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Now here’s how you do it:
Step 1:

Soak the corn husks in the bowl of water until they are soft and pliable.
Step 2:

Take one of the corn husks and tear it into thin strips (you will need 2 husks per broom, more if you want it really full)

Step 3:

Start wrapping the corn husks around one of the dowels with the thin end lined up to the end of the dowel, leaving the wide end laying along the length of the dowel.

Step 4:

Using one of the thin strips of husk; tie the strip around the thin ends about 1/4 of an inch from the end of the dowel.

Step 5:

Push the dowel down until about another 1/4 inch is showing below the husks.

Step 6:

Now begin to fold the husks down over the tie, until the other end of the dowel is now clear of husk and the end that you just pulled down in Step 5 is now hidden in the husks. This is a good time to tear the husks so that they seem fuller and more broom like.

Step 7:

You’ll use your other thin strip and you will tie the strip around the husks about 1/2-1 inch below where they meet the dowel. This will really make it look like a broom.

Step 8:

Let them dry. I suggest over night, sometimes longer if you have a particularly thick set of husks.

Step 9:

Usually, as soon as they are dry, use a hot glue gun to glue the upper (folded over) part of the broom to the dowel ensuring that it won’t move around.

Step 10:

Decorate! I use ribbon to wrap around the dowel and the “broom tie” so that mine end up looking like this:

This one I used 2 different colors on (orange and purple) in the Halloween spirit. Or they can look like this:

This one I used a patterned ribbon on and it looks a bit more country witchy.
If I’m going to use this as a gift or a decoration I also like to add a little folded envelope(you can find a great tutorial on the one I use here) and stuff the little pockets with protective symbols or small stones, or anything that sets my purpose. I then punch holes in the top and string a ribbon through it and hang them from the brooms.
These can be just simple decorations, or you can charge them with intent and hang them as charms, or you can even use them as home made altar besoms for those of us who have limited ritual space. Also herbs or potpourri can be put into the envelope or can be hung from inside the “bristles”.

Painting or drawing on the bristles is also a great way to customize them.

It’s one of those multi-purpose crafts that I, and my pocket book, love!

And keep your crystal balls tuned in for our next installment of Thrifting the Witchy way as I’ll show you one way to make your very own Thrifting Journal for all those prowls through the thrift shops.

So see you next time- same witchy time, same witchy channel!