Here is a list of things that I would suggest that kitchen witches keep on hand. I know that we get a little caught up in the THINGS of witchcraft, but for the kitchen witch the things are much more simple and easy to come by. Also I feel like kitchen witchery is kind of about these things:
Wand: for a kitchen witch, the wand is one of the super fun items. Because… your spoon is your wand! Pick a favorite metal spoon or a wooden spoon, maybe decorate it, maybe not. Designate that as your wand, and make sure every magic concoction is given a good stir with it. Even use it in non food spell casting! Brandishing a spoon has a very unique and powerful feel to it ;3
Besom: the witch’s broom can take many forms. I like to have 2; a practical broom that I can use to clean and to cleanse, and a little broom for more symbolic cleaning. I’ll use it when I feel particularly yucky and I “sweep” out the air around me. I made mine from willow branches, and wrapped them in a long string to make the handle, and dipped the tip in wax. Easy! The kitchen witch can use any old broom to be their besom.
Cauldron: you’re probably getting the idea. The cauldron doesn’t have to be massive, cast iron, and hang over a fireplace. Choose a pot to be your cauldron. Specify it for magical concoctions. Making a super-charged soup for cold fighting? Pull out the cauldron! You can even use it every day, because magic is best when it happens all the time. I also keep a small ceramic bowl that I use as my mini cauldron, much like my mini broom, it’t for more symbolic workings.
Athame: any kitchen knife can become your athame, but having a special knife set aside for specific plant harvesting is I think a good idea. I also have a neat (and useless) arrowhead knife that I use for symbolic things in spells and rituals,
Empty jars. Lots of empty jars. Spells and storage!
Sewing kit: I really like making little sachets of herbs for various spells, and as a kitchen witch I’m always fixing and making things. Also who hasn’t had a button fall off their favorite shirt?
Herbs: There are a great number of dried grocery store herbs that I think a good kitchen witch will want to keep on hand, both for cooking and for magic. The are thyme, garlic, onion, ginger, bay leaf, basil, oregano, rosemary, nutmeg, cinnamon. Sage is of course the witch’s all purpose cleanser, and lavender is a great herb to have. These may not be as easy to find, however lots of lavender soaps and oils are becoming available.
Cook book: get the most all inclusive, massive, wonderful cook book you can find. Write in it. Find things on the internet and print them out. Build a massive library of delicious things to do with food.
Spell book: This is also your Book of Shadows. Every witch should keep a journal, notebook, and or their own personal book in which they gather information on their craft. Record everything, even things you later don’t believe. Be informed!
Notebook
House plants: House plants are air cleaners, mood boosters, and good friends. Jade and other succulents are extremely easy to care for. I feel that kitchen witches are well suited to keeping little friends, for good spirits and the like.
Candles: keep candles on hand, also for spells. Birthday candles are great for some quick magic.
Hearth: I know that in the modern world, having a fireplace isn’t going to be possible for everyone. Kitchen witches are about the home, and as such I think that we need a “hearth”. For the urban and or poor witch, this can be a stone, a candle, a jar, anything. Make it your center. Make it the essence of your home. This makes cleansing and assessing the energy of your home a little simpler. It’s also a great way to help acknowledge the home as an entity with a heart.
That’s it! Most of these are easy to get, not only inexpensively, but also at pretty much any store. And even so, I want to say again that not all of this is necessary. You just need a kitchen to be a kitchen witch, really!
My life partner calls me “Dollar Store Mama”. There are few
things in life that make me smile more than a good bargain. I have managed to
compile a large amount of tools and resources over the years, and though some
may be expensive (gifts, of course) most of my magickal tools cost 10 dollars
or less.
So here goes nothing, please enjoy my Magick on a Budget
list:
1 Dollar Deals:
Note- I buy these
items from the Dollar Tree (click here for website). Though your local dollar
store most likely carries similar items.
–Herbs. Though
you won’t find more expensive herbs such as bay leaves or lavender, you will
find oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, salt, parsley, and garlic.
–Chalice. My
dollar store has a large selection of nice wine glasses, different sizes and
colors. For the longest time I used a dollar store glass that I hand painted,
with dollar store paint.
–Candles.
Tealights, Altar candles, in jars, out of jars, Tapers, votives. I use dollar
store candles for everything. They have a large selection of colors and scents,
too.
–Candle Holders.
A lot of their candles come with holders, but they also have a variety of
colored and clear holders in different sizes. You can even paint them to add a
nice aesthetic, also, since it is Halloween time as I write this, they have
elaborate Halloween candle holders for tapers. Do it.
-The Dollar Tree by my house also has nice oil burners, just saying.
–Offering dishes. The
Dollar store has a lot of small bowls and holders. I have used clear bowls,
white sauce holders, and even colored votive holders to hold offerings and my
salt and water.
–Bells. Some
spells or rituals call for bells. Every season has something you can use for
bells. Fall has nice door hangers with leaves on them, Winter has Christmas
bells, and Spring and Summer has wind chimes. Either take the bells off or
paint/redecorate the whole item. Either way, bells are a nice witchy touch.
–Scrying bowl.
During full moon water scrying you need a black bowl. I bought mine at the
dollar store.
–Ribbon/Cord. The
craft section always has a variety of nice ribbons, cords, ect. They come in
different colors and sizes, and can be used for a multitude of things. Buy a
few here and there and hold onto them. Remember, white can be used for any
other color.
–Sachets. Though
this is more of a two or three dollar find, all components are at the dollar store.
Buy a sewing kit. Buy a bandana, shirt, or wash cloth in whatever color you
need. Sew it. Tie it closed with some of that cord you bought earlier. Done.
–Altar cakes. Depending
on your dollar store, you can find some yummy things. Buy a pack of dollar
snack cakes. Or, buy a bread/cake mix. You will need the eggs and milk if you
choose to bake your own, but the mix is a dollar! Also, they usually have those
little disposable foil baking trays.
–Incense. the
dollar store has these. But most head shops/new age shops carry a better
variety, and everywhere I have been they are sold 5-10 for a dollar.
–Altar Decorations.
Although I prefer to go out and find acorns, leaves, flowers, and other
seasonal things…I do realize that many of you don’t have these things available
whether it be by climate or city. The dollar store always has seasonal
decorations that work. Glittery plastic snowflakes, fake sunflowers, paper
autumn leaves. Though they are not real, they represent that season and make
acceptable decorations.
–General Glass
Bottles. Want to hold a potion or some dried herbs? Go to the dollar store.
They sell packs of little containers with screw on lids. Some are glass, some
are plastic, all are useful and cheap. They may also sell mason jars a dollar a
piece. They also sell blank stickers for labels in the office supplies section,
just an fyi.
There are of course tons of projects you do from dollar
store items that work for the craft, try searching the web a bit more, or just
browse the aisles a bit. I am all for weekly dollar store trips. Seriously. And
I will eventually make a post about that, too.
5 Dollars and Under-
–Jars/Containers.
I know that WalMart sells mason jars at a dollar or two a pop. Obviously buying
in bulk is more equitable, but you may not need 24 jars. Michaels has jars as
well. Target right now has beautiful jars in their “dollar” section for autumn,
and little beakers and potion jars (3-5 dollars). Check it out.
-Most other spices and
herbs not mentioned in the dollar section are available for under five
dollars at any grocery store. I even found a large container of lavender
flowers at Target for less than five dollars. When you have a few extra dollars
go to the spice section and stock up.
-Google new age store and craft fairs in your area. Common tumbled stones are usually under 5
dollars and are well worth it. Also, check out Michaels/A.C Moore, go to their
jewelry section. They sell strands of semi-precious
stones (be wary of dyed/artificial
stones… read your labels. Also, some of these are more than 5 dollars, but go
on the website and grab a coupon)
–Speaking of
Michaels…they sell real bird feathers
(some are dyed) that will be of use to most of you.
-YARD SALES and FLEA
MARKETS!!!!!!!!! Do yourself a favor and go to a few. I cannot possibly
list all of the wonderful things for my craft I have gotten at yard sales, but
here are a few:
Candelabras.
Those are the things that hold multiple candles, and are usually for tapers. I
have gotten them for free, for 1 dollar, and for as much as 8. Just go out and
look.
Athame– Mine cost
me exactly 9 dollars and 50 cents at a flea market. I needed to clean the blade
with vinegar to shine it up a bit, but that beats most of the prices I’ve seen.
Of course it wasn’t sold as an athame, it was a simple double edged knife with
a wooden handle, but I love it. And, 9.50 was one of the more expensive ones.
You need to be of age to buy one, of course, but cheap blades are readily
available.
Altar cloths–
When the elderly pass away, all of their expensive table cloths and little
scarves are sold at sickeningly cheap rates by their children/grandchildren.
They make beautiful altar cloths. And sachets, actually. And they are never
sold for what they are worth. (I have gotten boxes of these things for free at
estate sales)
Altars. ALTARS!
Old wooden end tables. Old wooden coffee tables. Old wooden desks. 10 bucks. 5
bucks. FREE. If they are scratched up, sand it down and restain it, or use an
altar cloth. Either way, you can easily obtain a decent sized altar for as low
as free. 99. For years I worked on a tiny altar that I bought for 8 dollars at
a second hand shop, my current altar is three times the size and was FREE. I
sanded off the ugly coat of stain, and hand painted it. It is a lot of work,
but not a lot of money, and it turns out to be a very rewarding process.
Overall, putting aside a few dollars a week can help you
obtain a pretty great collection. Hit the dollar store, and fill in the blanks
from there. Good luck with your endeavors, and don’t be afraid to be frugal!
♠ Concrete – use in spells you want to be concrete and rock solid
♠ Brick – use in home/building spells and blessings, as well as in rough and tough spells or curses.
♠ Envelope – use in communication spells, to seal spells, and to hold herbs and other ingredients.
♠ Remote Control – use to “control” poppets, to press people’s buttons, and to direct energy like a wand.
♠ Baby Teeth – use as tag locks, any spells needing a piece of you.
♠ Mirrors – use in spirit work to get rid of or call spirits, use to reflect your desires.
♠ Magnifying Glass – use to magnify your magick, seek out small details, and in spells meant to reveal the truth. Break them in cloaking spells.
First off, when you see witches like myself that have tons of fabulous witch stuff, do understand we didn’t get it all the week we discovered paganism or witchcraft. We have been putting our collections together for years. It is not a game of catch up. If you are just starting out, you don’t need to blow several hundred on supplies. There is a huge advantage to gathering things slowly. In that you will have ample time to become familiar with each object and its inlying spirit.
Wanting some special new supplies isn’t all bad either. When I decided I wanted to do this witch thing innowen tried to dissuade me from buying a mortar and pestle when a bowl and spoon would do. I would not be dissuaded and I bought one from a new age store. Now of course the thing was crap and bits of black enamel broke off in my herbs. But I did learn that I loved grinding herbs in it and I was able to decide what type of mortar and pestle I wanted next and ask for it for yule.
But onto the point. Where does all this stuff come from? How do you get plugged in and develop a great collection?
1) Befriend other witches and pagans, even if they practice way different than you. I can’t say this enough. A good deal of my witchy things were gifts or trades with other witches, pagans and new agers from in person and online. Its easy to get snobby and not want to hang out with the love and light types or to abhor folks who are a bit darker than you on principal. But interactions with others an be your greatest teacher about who you are and aren’t. And most pagan types who have been doing it longer than you have an old tarot deck and a few beginner books they need to rehome anyways. You’ll pay it forward someday.
2) Thrift shop. Don’t go in with anything in mind. Just look for witchy pagan stuff in the isles of the local charity shop. Usually something jumps out at me. Whether it a wall hanging of a pudgy kid with grapes for a bachanal type altar. A candle holder or even a few grab bags of cotton yarn for making charms, something will probably be manipulated for witchcraft and it might only cost a few dollars. I am amazed at what some casual thrifting has turned up for me. Old perfume bottles shaped like hummingbirds? Witchcraft!
3) Mention general stuff you are looking for to thrift gifty friends. Hey thrifty friend, let me know if you see and antlers out thrifting-garage saleing so I can come snap it up. Chances are you friend will delight in surprising you with gifts of their finds. Return the favor and you are golden. My brother is always turning up with loch ness monster themed things for me. I adore him, and the resulting collection.
4) Nature and natury friends. Learn your local trees and stop the car, bike or get of the bus now and then when you see something. This time of year my eyes are peeled for rowan trees and there bright orange red berries. I will take off a sock or my hat to fill up with them and a few branches to take home and make rowan on red thread charms. Get other nature inclined friends to scope out spots for you. Some might even pick up bones and antlers for you. Who knows?
5) Join in on swaps online. After you’ve bought a few things, gotten some gifts, picked up outside, you will someday have extra. Join swaps. Offer whatever you can and take near anything thats offered in exchange. If you don’t like it, gift it to another friend or offer it in an unrelated swap another time.
6) Check your house. I’ve a wand and a few favorite cute witch storybooks from childhood. A nice illustrated Wizard of Oz is a witch treasure! My dad had a cast iron pan in our camping gear. My mom has Irish themed cook books and gardening guides. We even had a few random greek myth books and something on ghosts of Ireland.
7) Halloween clearance sales. The cool stuff I have picked up the day after hallowen at craft and costume stores at 75% off is phenomenal. Always get your black candles this time of year, otherwise they are hard to find.
8) Save money aside for special purchases. Then stalk etsy, ebay and various other websites for just the thing.
9) Ask at holidays for specific things you could witchify. A perfume making kit, playing cards, fairytale books, blank leatherbound journal or sketchbook, nature guides, and etc. You don’t havevto tell your grandma you are a witch to adk her for a rock collection for your birthday.
10) Be observant, patient, give it time, and be giving to other giving people. You will have too much stuff before you know it.
teakepp 