WW/MM. What to write in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. P3/5

So you broke in your book, if you didn't click here to find out about that first!

Now what?  I personally spent time combing through Pinterest and putting together a BoS / Grimoire etc board of

- Prompts (All round ideas).

- Content Ideas (stuff I might like to include in my book).

- Layout & Design Inspiration (How I might like my book/pages/content to look).

- Tools & Materials (Things I might like to use to create in my book like stencils and journaling cards).

- Finally I created a section for my actual BoS / Grimoire for anyone interested in seeing my progress..  

So you might like to follow my board, perhaps make one of your own (public or secret).  Gather some ideas together, similar to how I have or create your own style and way of putting ideas together such as download images and save them to your PC/Laptop/Tablet/Phone.. Sketch your ideas, make lists or wing it!

So you've gathered some ideas..  Or decided to use my collections either is fine!!  What are we going to do now?

Well for me I went onto Evernote and I wrote a list of all the things I wanted to include (probably missed a lot and doubled up on a few) and then tried to organise that into an order of which I might like to put in my book..  

Assuming you wish to work this way.  I know some people may wish to work as they go, using their book as more of a diary/journal working chronologically through the year/sabbats while others may wish to have sections, tabs and organised 'departments', some may have a plan of exactly what and how they want to include information.  For me I'm working from my list being sure to leave pages or add pockets where I know later I may wish to add more about a subject.  Alternative to that would be to add tip-ins (extra addon such as taped in fold out pages or stuck in pockets ect).

A practical idea - I happened to remove some sheets from my book; 50 to be exact (100 pages) to make room for tip-ins.  I took 5 of those, folded them in half and created a little book to use as a pen test.  (some people opt to use the back few pages where as others get a second one of the same book/paper), or one they went wrong and so bought another - fools!!  But doing a pen test or ink / stamp test, marker, pencil, paint, glue etc anything which you want to make sure doesn't ghost (appear on the other side of the page) too badly and definitely doesn't bleed and make a mess, warp or cause the paper to fall apart.  My friend Rhomany has the same book as me and she advised anything with alcohol in it such as copics, pro-marker, sharpie etc are a no go..  And I found out that Versa magic chalk inks do ghost so I may not use stamps as much as I had initially planned..

But from here it's almost like pick a subject and run with it.  Don't forget to use your own works and workings not just cookie cutter everything and copy from others.  You want this to be YOUR book not a copy of everyone else's - not saying don't copy anything sometimes art, lettering, workings, spells etc are going to be the same but try to present them in your own way.  For me I'm going to try to limit the print outs but what print outs I do will be 6x4 with rounded corners and inked edges stuck down in the middle of my page.

Still stuck for where to start?  Well most books start with a book blessing - write your own or copy one from the Internet.  (I wrote my own and it's personalised for me and my book and the intentions I have).  I haven't yet decorated that page.  To create it I simply drew some lines with a pencil and ruler, wrote out my chosen words in pencil, went over with Pilot G2-07 in black ink then once dried I erased the pencil giving me clean and straight wording.  I have yet (as mentioned) to ponder the artwork, perhaps I'll draw a book of shadows at the bottom or something..    But there's no rush to hurry and get it all done right how.  Take your time..  Think and then do!  Ps. There's nothing wrong with tracing images, using other peoples art (as long as your not selling it), using stencils, stamps or even stickers - I will detail all of this in my next post!!

Most books are then followed by a personal dedication, maybe a set of foundations such as Wiccan rede, 10 commandments, 13 goals of the witch etc..  Then for me I'm going to follow this up with an about me, star sign, element, tree, birthstone, zodiac stones, day of the week, number, Chinese zodiac, astrological birth chart..  Etc followed by familiar and other personal details before delving into the stuff I want this book to be about - for me I want this to be a reference book like correspondences and recipes.. I don't need to know about how to set up an altar (I've done that for years) or what tools mean, cos well I know..  Or the basics..  And perhaps I won't write about herbs and crystals because well that's been done and is A LOT to write about..  But perhaps a working that includes a certain herb or stone then that would work fine..  

For you this book can be whatever you need.  A corresponding guide, a journal, recipe book, spell book, record book, a mixture..  Presented in a number of beautiful ways.  For me, as a Goth-y type, I love the dark romance of monochrome, black, skulls, decay a more oldy-worldy look with a more traditional style appeal.    

I hope this has perhaps given you some food for thought..  I know Molly Roberts -HerSpeak has a few prompt videos which you may deem useful, as I have so pinned them to my previously mentioned prompts section of my Pintrest BoS board.  Also RhomanysRealm on YouTube but for more indepth information I recommend you also (for $1 minimum) you can get access to Rhomanys Patreon where she has more indepth posts about starting your new (BoS) books!

Good luck.  - I'd love to see what you do!  And feel free to follow me and my progress on Instagram

@
www.instagram.com/missimoinsane 

🖤 Imogen


--- .Mini Witchy / Pagan Book Series. -------------
Part 1. Finding your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 
Part 2. Breaking in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.
Part 3. What to write in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 
Part 4. What to add (visually) to your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.
Part 5. When should we be adding to our Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 

WW/MM. Breaking in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. P2/5

I'm sure we have all been there..  A new diary, journal, sketchbook, canvas..  The blank page staring back at us, us knowing if we mess it up we perhaps can't just start over, hit undo or jump in our TARDIS and head back in time to before we messed up!

So how do we break that fear?  - Well I found the best way is to deliberately mess up!!  What!!  Yes!!

If you're going to mess up anyway then what difference does it make?  Fearing messing up to the point where you procrastinate and so don't ever use your book (a waste) or just generally not enjoy your book because of that 'what if'.  So let's get it out the way!  Now!

For me (an ill and disabled woman on a serious budget) I took my pretty book with its new altered cover changing the price of my book from £6 odd to a good £11 odd not forgetting days of my time and energy put into altering it complete with ribbons and a charm!  Time and energy put into cleansing, consecrating and pouring my intention and desire as well as a week sleeping with this under my pillow..  I didn't want to mess up and have to start over so I just went for it!  I decided to messily ink up all the pages with distress ink, I over stamped my stamp on the first page deliberately as well as messily heat embossing, I printed out the Wiccan Rede and 13 Goals of The Witch, cut, inked the edges and stuck in.. And you can see those inked edges ghosting through the page...  And now here we are a few pages done and I've broken in my new book.  Now I feel it doesn't matter if I mess up from here as I can tape over, collage over, glue something else over the top, turn it into art, paint over it..  Be imperfectly beautiful and creative...  Oh the possibilities to be creative!!  And as a creative type it makes my BoS / Grimoire much more me!!

So I guess it's like that film The Cinderella Story when referring to baseball "don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game!" - love that quote!! 

Good luck.  - I'd love to see what you do!  And feel free to follow me and my progress on Instagram

@
www.instagram.com/missimoinsane 

🖤 Imogen

For more advice on starting a new BoS etc why not check out Rhomany's Patreon..  

--- .Mini Witchy / Pagan Book Series. -------------
Part 1. Finding your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 
Part 2. Breaking in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.
Part 3. What to write in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 
Part 4. What to add (visually) to your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.
Part 5. When should we be adding to our Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.

WW/MM. Finding your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. P1/5

So I thought I would do a short brief intro.  Over the next 5 days I will be doing a short introduction to starting a BoS / Grimoire or other Pagan / Witchy book.

First of all I just quickly want to say that my goal here isn't to dictate how something SHOULD be - I'm just throwing out some ideas..  Second I hope I am not treading on anyone's toes..  Seems a lot of people have deemed this month the month of starting over with their books..  Almost like a early dark night hobby especially my fellow UK friends.

I'd like to kick start this lil series by saying that while all these big beautiful books that somewhat resemble that of Charmed, Practical Magic or some other well known TV show/film book looks amazing its not necessary nor ironically is it practical.  Your book should reflect you and can be a simple notebook, a small diary, a ring bound folder or binder, a sketchbook, Evernote, PC word document, a folder on your Mac, a bible journal, a Filofax or a number of these it doesn't even have to be just one!!  I know I have a lot of working notebooks and Evernote, a blog and folders on my desktop PC and I'm now looking at moving into a Bible Journal..!!

Perhaps when picking your space you might want to consider "Do I need to take this anywhere/carry it around?" "How much do I want to put into this?" "Can the contents easily be transferred at a later date?" "I am left handed would the rings be in the way?" "Do I want to add more pages at a later date?" "Do I want to be able to print things and add them to my book?" "What size writing do I have? - You get the idea..  Size may actually matter in this instance!!  

For me I initially printed everything and put it in a binder, then my printer broke and I couldn't afford another so just used my PC and then I was introduced to Evernote which is available across phones, tablets, pcs, web browsers and more..  Which is perfect for me..!  But now I want something more traditional, something I can write in and is still portable but that I can draw in or be creative..

After size you might want to think about paper: type, grade (thickness), colour, texture, quality, type, material.. "Will my favourite pen bleed/skip/ghost badly on this type of paper?" 

And then onto things like mediums..  Do you want a scrapbook? Journal/diary? All text or include pictures or items..  Will you be drawing, painting, colouring, inking etc etc.  Adding mixed media, collage, 3D item like pressed flowers or found objects, photos or journaling cards, will you be stamping, using stencils, paper punched pieces etc..

Bookbinding: sewn signatures, post bound, ring bound, loose leaf etc..  

I think that is enough for now..  Throwing you into a lot of thought there on what you may wish your book to be.  Remember you can always alter the cover..  There's some amazing altered books, binders and even handmade ones too on YouTube.

Once you choose your book you might want to cleans, concentrate and bless..  You might want to sleep with it under your pillow, give it a dedication ritual (or perhaps this is something you do while writing a dedication or blessing etc in the book!) do whatever it is you need to do to give this book its purpose, make it your own and have it serve you.

Make the book personalised by as mentioned altering the cover perhaps add ribbon bookmarks, a charm, some beads, pockets, a closure, a pen loop and dedicated special pen, ink up the pages, stain the pages, distress the pages, paint the edges of the book... Oh the possibility to customise and make this book yours...

So your book is ready and now you're sat looking at a blank page scared to touch pen to paper encase you mess up?  Well fear not for tomorrow I'm going to tell you how to break that fear or at least what I did..

Good luck.  - I'd love to see what you do!  And feel free to follow me and my progress on Instagram

@
www.instagram.com/missimoinsane 

🖤 Imogen

For more advice on starting a new BoS etc why not check out Rhomany's Patreon..  

--- .Mini Witchy / Pagan Book Series. -------------
Part 1. Finding your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 
Part 2. Breaking in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.
Part 3. What to write in your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 
Part 4. What to add (visually) to your Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc.
Part 5. When should we be adding to our Book of Shadows / Grimoire etc. 

- Toadstools can make you wish you had never been bo-ooo-rn...

...Never been born!  - Ivor Cutler.  

(A blog entry about people and relationships.)

Photo of fungi at Stanley Park Blackpool photographed by me on 1st October 2016 
© Imogen Cane - missimoinsane 2016

By now it should be obvious to most that we do not willy nilly walk along eating any fungus we see regardless of where they may come from, what they may look like, if everyone else is doing it or indeed if they're 'good for us' at all. 

Yet we blindly walk through life befriending strangers and in some cases stuffing our faces and engorging on them like an obsessive compulsion to absorb everything about them; almost like we wish to become one with them!  Some of these we never know until it's too late just how poisonous or even deadly they may be.. despite their deliciousness, sensational aroma, or even plain and simple misleading and/or enchanting appearances. 

Perhaps we should be taught much earlier on about how to tell the good from the bad and not just follow blindly or with pure ignorance to the dangers laid before us.  If only we humans had some form of mycologist, but for people..   Someone who would not only tell us about what we may or may not encounter and where, but the effects and probable outcomes of indulging in such.   Elaborating on where this fungus grows, how it evolved and adapted, how it can be misleading and easily mistaken for something good for us when really it's increasing toxicity becomes what kills us in the end.  Or of course those that flat out poison us from the start.  

I take a step back. 

I look at my surroundings; this concrete jungle that man has created.  As we grow and spread like spores of a black mould destroying or at least corrupting everything in its path, manipulating to survive no longer simply living off the land but destroying it.  I look at what it's grown, what came to be, what grew and evolved, what adapted to the surroundings, what only came to be because of what we did.  I see what was chemically grown, what struggled to survive and what died off.  I see what's endangered, what festered from what we left behind, what is growing like an untreated yeast infection.   I see what is cleverly surviving despite everything, what managed to cling to its ancestors and still be beautiful despite all the change. 

I look at the people, they have no faces, just like mushrooms.. A relatively gathered bunch of the same or similar organisms banded together under a collective name yet still differ in texture, appearance, colour, size, shape, abilities, toxicities... Some addicting making us feel the most magical things.  While others literally rotting us to the chore.  Then as mentioned those that just flat out kill.  

I'm feeling so primitive; blindly trying out all the fungi..  narrowly escaping the inevitable with each new course.  Watching those around us make the wrong choices and die leaving behind a hollow shell.  Watching those around us who make bad choices but find a cure.  Watching those around us make the right choices and living on such a high.  Watching those around us make choices which simply sustain, nourish or at least allow to be well fed even if only temporarily.  Watching those around us as some discover or even create new threads of subspecies..  watching as they grow.. develop..  Some like a cancer.. others blooming as though they're wrapping around us like a cool breeze on a humid summers eve. 

I take a step back. 

I wish there was someone who could identify what would do us good from what would do us harm.  I grow tired of this fungi roulette; it's not fun!!

"Toadstools can make you wish you had never been bo-ooo-rn, never been born" - Ivor Cutler.

Imogen x

 - Exploring what's in my head.
www.missimoinsane.webs.com