Okay, okay... so I haven't finished the altar table yet. But I did finally finish everything that will go on and around it. Click on the picture to get in close enough to see everything. I have more details below, oh and this is quite a long post with lots of pictures, sorry.
I made a book of shadows today with a pentagram on the cover and gilded edge pages (the book doesn't open, it's all polymer clay). I knew I wanted a pentagram on the book, but I didn't know how I was going to do it. I didn't want to just draw it on, I wanted some texture to it. I searched the Internet and decided to buy some pentagram charms that seemed the right size... they just came in the post today... after I finished the book, just my luck, and patience. I also researched embossing and bought supplies so that I could draw the pentagram with an embossing pen and then emboss it to get that raised effect, didn't end up doing that method either. I ended up making a reversed stamp out of clay (took many, many tries). I used my needle tool to draw the pentagram in the uncured clay, baked it, dusted it with tons of powder, stamped it onto a rectangle of uncured clay, shaped the rectangle around the already baked "page block", added the spine details, baked it, painted it, and voila! What do you think?
I ended up using the embossing technique (needs more practice) on the pentacle altar tile. My painting skills are atrocious so don't look too close :)
I finished painting the rest of the potion bottles (and found one buried in my carpet!) and I gave them all labels. I repainted the Ouija board too, it was too dark before. You can't see it too well in this picture, but I also made a bell. Don't lift it though, it doesn't look like a bell underneath :).
I added ties and wax seals to all the scrolls. Some I tied with twine, some with ribbon, one with leather.
These are my absolute favorite! I made two types of candles. Some fat pillar candles with talisman/amulet images tied to them (for protective spells). And then some skinny black candles with labels. Aren't they great! I'm going to make a bunch of these and post them on Etsy by the end of this week.
Now come the herbs and flowers. I made my lavender a bit different this time, more detail. I like this way much better, although it does take a really long time! I filled one of the offering bowls with dried herbs too.
I made a sage smudge stick, great for purifying. I wrapped it with some lovely purple embroidering thread and placed it in the other offering bowl.
Here is a close up of some of the flowers, I don't know what they are, I just picked some pretty pictures and made them. I changed some colors too.
Here are the dried (drying) roses. I wanted them to hang so I had to make this primitive hanging rod. It came out kind of lumpy because I had to try and hide the wire armature. I was very impatient at this point.
Here is a close up of the roses. I didn't want them too dark, and I nicked and wrinkled them quite a bit to try and get the right look.
Well that's it. What do you think? Now I have to make the table. I'm awfully tempted to buy one, but I promised myself I would make as much of this myself as I could. Besides, I want a certain rustic and hand carved look. Wish me luck though, I'm terrible with wood!
