{"id":12746,"date":"2016-08-01T01:10:21","date_gmt":"2016-08-01T06:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=13384"},"modified":"2019-05-01T17:22:24","modified_gmt":"2019-05-01T22:22:24","slug":"thriftcrafting-witching-on-a-budget-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2016\/08\/01\/thriftcrafting-witching-on-a-budget-29\/","title":{"rendered":"ThriftCrafting: Witching on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

Book Review: <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>Witchcraft on a Shoestring<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Thriftcrafting\"<\/p>\n

Merry meet.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

If this column has been of interest to you, then Deborah Blake<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/span>s book, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span>Witchcraft on a Shoestring: Practicing the Craft Without Breaking Your Budget,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span>is worth a read. The 200-page paperback published in 2010 by Llewellyn Publications offers inexpensive suggestions for everything from altars to wands.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There are chapters on a variety of craft mediums to make a variety of items including clay (pentacle plaque), fabric (protection charm for the home), wood (a speaking stick) and glass (scrying mirror). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>There are directions for making rune stones and parchment spell paper, and recipes for feast foods for each of the Sabbats as well as cakes and ale options for full moons. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

From decorations to tarot cards, she suggests thrifty alternatives that don<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/span>t compromise practicing the Craft. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Witchcraft on a shoestring is as much an attitude as it is a way to save money,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span>Blake writes in the introduction, explaining that she and her friends in Blue Moon Circle coven <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>spend as little money as possible.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[The] only two things you truly need to practice Witchcraft <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2026 <\/span><\/span>[are] your heart and your mind,<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d <\/span><\/span>she explains at the start. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust because a book says, <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/span>Take a pink candle and a cup of rose petals,<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019 <\/span><\/span>for instance, doesn<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>t mean that those are the only possible items to use for that particular spell. If you don<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>t want to spend the money on rose petals, for example, you could use a less expensive flower, a single rose, or even a picture of a rose. If you are given flowers (or buy them for yourself), you can get in the habit of saving the petals from any that have magical uses, and drying them for later use,<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d <\/span><\/span>she wrote.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Her tone is relaxed and friendly as she shares her favorite finds (essential oils by Nature<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s Alchemy) and gives tips based on experience (use the smaller mozzarella balls that come in a tub rather than the prepackaged kind made for lasagna). You<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>ll find the instructions clear and simple. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One of the last chapters lists 50 ways to practice witchcraft for little or no money, from walking in the rain and communing with an animal to keeping a journal and taking a bath.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you have to buy it at the cover price of $15.95, it<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s worth it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n