"Witch" Crafts
 

Wicks and Scent Balls

CANDLE WICKS

The herb Mullen was used centuries ago to make wicks for candles. You will have to find the seeds for Mullen and grow them yourself. Mullen is a tall straight plant with a hard stem. When the plant is  fully grown and ripe, cut and remove the hard outer stem. In the centre of the stem is a vegetable cord like substance. Remove the cords and twist carefully, tying at top and bottom, then hang with a small weight like a pebble attached to the bottom. You can plait several cords of Mullen  together to make the thickness of wick you require. Leave to dry for several weeks, then use in candles as normal.
 
 

 SCENT BALLS
Scent balls or scent pastilles are made from scented flowers and herbs melted together with a resin into a shapeable mixture and can be any size or shape, and can be sculptured to produce belt buckles, broaches, bracelets, pendants, or just simple beads, ovals or disks. The mixture dries hard and can be polished or shaped by turning on a  lathe. They retain their subtle perfumes for a very long time, years in fact.   Use only DRIED herbs in these recipes not fresh.

STANDARD RECIPE
Powdered Orris Root - 3 oz
Cassia - 1 oz
Lavender flowers - 1 oz
Cloves - 1 oz
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Ambergris Musk - 6 grains.

(this can be changed to 6 drops of tincture of benzoin, a tsp of rose essence, or rose oil, or even rose water, if you find ambergris too expensive or difficult to find. Amber oil is also a good replacement or any musk oil fragrance you like. If using oils use 6 drops).

You can adjust the scent by using your own choice in flowers, herbs, or seeds. Once the mixture becomes doughy and sticky form into balls or any  shape you wish. Put a hole through the beads for stringing by using a  needle. Polish and rub the beads once they are dried. Dry in the fresh air, do not put them into anything plastic to keep,  that makes them soft again and eventually they will go moldy.

SIMPLE RECIPE
A simple bead preparation is just add to flowers and herbs, rose water, and enough mucilage of gum tragancanth to make a sticky dough, shape and when dry, polish. These are not as successful or long lasting as the recipe above but will give a nice bead without to much expense.  If you can add powdered orris root, it makes a much more easily shaped bead.

 ELDER FLO BUCKLES PENDANT.
scented wood, in sawdust or small chips - 1/4 oz
Rose water
orange zest
lavender flowers
Gum Tragacanth

Using a double boiler, melt and mix. Leave to cool until its comfortable  to hold. Using a bottle roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into circles, using a cutter. Stamp or draw a design on the front of the  disc. Put a hole in the disc where the cord or thread will go. Leave to dry in fresh air.  These discs can also be used for scenting laundry drawers, sheets, underwear etc or worn. The perfumed ingredients can be replaced by those of your own choice.

QUEENS PERFUME.
This is one of Queen Elizabeth the firsts recipes for scent balls.
Sugar - 2 flat tsp
Rose Water - 8 tsp
Sweet Marjoram - 1/2 oz
Gum Benzoin - 2 pieces
enough Gum Tragacanth to mix in

 Put the rose water and sugar into a double boiler and bring to the boil. Add all other ingredients, turn off heat and as the mixture is cooling blend and melt them all together. add more heat if necessary.  As soon as the mixture can be handled comfortably start to make and shape  your jewelry, either beads, or whatever shape you like, this would often be made into a pomador about the size of a golf ball, polish and thread a cord  through the centre to hang as a pendant, it was usually worn on a cord  that was waist length.

POMADOR OF CLOVES.
Using a small firm orange, cover the skin in patterns using clove seeds.  Push the cloves in firmly. Leave the finished pomador to dry in heat.  Leave room on the skin for a cord or ribbon to be tied round, both across and over the fruit. You can do this before the cloves are pushed in if you wish. Tie a knot at the top of the fruit, and leave enough ribbon to  make a  long thread to put round your neck. or to hang in cupboards, toilets, wardrobes, etc.
 

ROSE BEADS
Beads can also be made out of rose petals without adding any extras. Make sure your roses are picked dry, and preferably in the morning when  the oils are strong. Collect gently and don't crush the petals.  Chop the petals finely using a chopping knife, mixer, or pestle and mortar.  But I wouldnt advise pestle and mortar unless you have an old one as it will stain the pestle badly. Don't chop on wood, use plastic or tiles as  it will stain the wood. Keep them in a loosely lidded jar or box until they become paste like. Make your beads about the size of a large pea or larger. Using rust   proof pins (or needles), push a pin through each bead and into a piece of cardboard or foam, making sure the bead does not touch the cardboard or  foam.  Put them into as dry a place as you can, an airing cupboard is ideal. Don't keep in a kitchen or bathroom as they will go mouldy. Also keep them out of direct sunlight. Tiny beads will take 3/4 days to dry, the larger shapes longer.   When they are dry and hard to the touch, polish well with a lint free  cloth  until they shine. You can even use a little fine sandpaper to smooth them  first if you wish. Larger shapes can be turned or polished on a lathe.  The resulting beads will always be dark ebony or deep brown in colour, and some with a redish sheen depending on the petals. Keep them in a dry place, as too much humidity will eventually turn them mouldy. Although the simple beads with no fixative keep their scent for quite  some  time, the scent is stronger and longer lasting if you use Gum, or orris  root.  They make wonderful gifts, especially as you have taken the time and the  trouble to make them yourself, and the polished beads are very  attractive indeed.