Spirit of Old and Wildwood Knives

Ogham staves and figurines ...

2011-06-20T10:25:00.000+01:00

Native Celtic Woods - Real Ogham Staves
3 sets in stock and available for the special price of
£50 per set plus P+P
Grab them quickly, they won't be around for long!

You can find full details and the option of instant purchase here

~*~

Genuine corresponding woods from sacred sites

Each set of Celtic Woods corresponding ogham staves has been individually handcrafted using the twenty traditional woods from sacred sites within ancient Wessex including:

Stonehenge - water meadows - two sacred springs - barrow cemeteries - hillforts ancient woodland

Silbury Hill - Avebury
Every wood piece is selected with intuition and sustainably gathered with the utmost care and respect to both site and tree.

There have been plenty of new items added to the site since my last post ... runes, ogham staves, dream amulets, pendants and some very, very special pottery altar figures. You can find all the latest items here.

The altar pieces are all crafted from hand-dug clay which has been mixed with sand from Glastonbury Tor. Each item is perfectly suited to magickal use as an altar statue, tealight holder or loose incense burner. The pieces are shaped by hand, fired using time-honoured techniques and, finally, they are finished with natural earth pigments.

Above: Wolf Spirit God altar piece
Below: Horned God altar piece

Above: Goddess altar piece
Below: Moon gazing Hare altar piece - Bring the ancient spirit of the Hare to your altar with this beautiful altar piece. She is crafted from hand-dug local clay which has been mixed with sand from Glastonbury Tor. The Hare was held sacred by the Celts and has long been associated with fertility, divination and, perhaps most strongly, with the moon.

These altar pieces, and more, are listed here ... take a look :~)

and finally ...

Have a wonderful Solstice!

Owl in the woods .. Part 2

2011-05-17T17:13:00.000+01:00

Just a quick owly update though there isn't alot to report. I spoke to the vet a little while ago. He said they x-rayed Spirit's wing this morning and found that there isn't a break, just trauma. He's telephoned an owl centre to ask their advice but they haven't returned his call ... I suggested the best place may be the Hawk Conservancy because they have a specialist bird hospital there and he said he may go to them next. He also added that she's eating well still :~)

I'll phone back towards the end of the week to see if there's any more news. Fingers crossed ..

Owl in the woods ...

2011-05-16T21:53:00.001+01:00

Last week we went foraging in the woods. As we reached the garlic-scented ramsons patch, a clattering and fluttering nearby drew our attention and we saw a large bird trying desperately to fly away. She couldn't ... she merely flapped and ran ...

Andy carefully caught her, cupped her in his hands and we saw that she was a beautiful tawny owl with eyes huge and black, like scrying pools. Such a magickal presence, even with her obvious injury. She turned her head slowly this way and that, carefully surveying us and just a glance was enough to still us and fill us with awe.

Clearly, this owl wouldn't survive a night in the woods and she would make easy pickings for a hungry fox with a litter of cubs to feed. We took her home. On the way, Andy showed me where the owl's talons had dug deep into his hand, down to the bone. It was bruised and bloody. "That owl's certainly got spirit!" he joked ... and that was it, we knew her name was Spirit.

We wondered aloud about what to do - contact a vet, or an animal sanctuary. One look at this poor bird though and we guessed they wouldn't give her a chance so we chose to try to help her ourselves. I must admit that as we placed her in a cardboard box with a towel for comfort, neither of us really expected her to survive the night. Advised by web pages, we fed her thin strips of liver dipped in water and hoped for the best. Surprisingly, in the morning she was very much alive and a little brighter so we fed her a little more, allowed her to rest and then gently wrapped her in a towel to look at her damaged wing.

Spirit's wing didn't appear to be broken, or even a particularly new wound. It looked like it had been struck against an object, a tree perhaps and it had badly damaged the joint. She felt thin beneath her tawny feathers. We bought frozen mice from the pet shop, put up a large, old dog crate stored away and made her as comfortable as we could with perches from some of the many woodland branches we have stored away. I joked that I'd never had a box of mice in the freezer before ... but then I'd never had an owl living in the dining room either!

This beautiful owl, this wild creature of the woods was so calm and laid back about our presence that we wondered if, perhaps, she was tame and brought up in captivity. Maybe her wing became damaged and her "owner" dumped her? As each day passed though, she became a little stronger and more alert. She chose to feed only if it was Andy who held the mouse out to her and even then, only if they were alone. She perched on his hand and allowed him to treat her wing as best as he could. If she became annoyed, she warned him off by clacking her beak, a distinctive clicking sound.

Over the last few days, Spirit has become slowly stronger. The original wounds that Andy had from handling her were joined by scratches and cuts where she skipped up his arm. We read about owls attacking people and tearing their eyes out with their talons and knew it was true ... we could feel her strength. We fed Spirit and let her rest, let her gain her strength ... as she did, she became more feisty, more aggressive and wilder ... more as she should be rather than docile and placid.

Today we made the decision that it was time to pass her on to someone who we hope can take her the next step of the way. We phoned the RSPCA and they told us to take her to our local vet for treatment. I must say, the vet didn't seem at all keen to take her which is worrying ... however, they're apparently planning to x-ray her wing tomorrow and when we left they were contacting the local Hawk Conservancy so we're keeping our fingers crossed.

So, that's the story of Spirit, the owl who blessed us with her company for such a short space of time. I'm lighting a candle tonight to send her healing wishes and to hope that the Hawk conservancy are able to help her.

Two very special wands ...

2011-03-29T13:44:00.003+01:00

As promised, I've added the two wands which were crafted on the Spring Equinox, also known as Eostre or Ostara.
Above and below: Willow Ostara ogham wand which is crafted from naturally twisted willow wood, a rarity! It is carved with the ogham alphabet, following the twist and has an Ostara Sun added to the handle celebrating the new life at this time of year.

Above: Detail of the Willow Ostara ogham wand
Below and also, the top picture of this blog post: Wild Honeysuckle Ostara wand which is crafted from wild honeysuckle wood which has a naturally deeper coloured core which is exposed in natural patterns. The honeysuckle was gathered and crafted on the Spring Equinox, also known as Eostre or Ostara, and the resulting wand feels full of that wild spirit so noticeable in Nature at the time.
Plenty more new items left to come ... :~)

Eostre greening and woodland walks

2011-03-28T17:26:00.010+01:00

What a beautiful week Eostre has been! We were blessed with sun, warmth and bird song :~) As you can see, Andy has been busy crafting ... so busy in fact that I'm having trouble keeping up with the photographing and listing! I've still got another couple of wands to be added in that wonderful, wild style that seems everywhere at the moment ... so full of energy! There are also some Stonehenge Wayfaring Tree staves in a birch bark box, several other stave sets and numerous pendants all waiting their turn to be added.

The pendant above is Bran's Raven. Crafted from warm-coloured alder wood, it marries three traditional associations: alder wood which is connected with the Celtic god Bran and Bran's totem bird, the raven. Bran is an interesting character with links to the Tower of London and the Ravens who live there. You can find some excellent information out about him here.
Another pendant which is newly listed is the Sunwheel shown above, carved from the deepest black Celtic bog oak. You can find both pendants listed here, each with an instant purchase option.

Above is a wand, carved on the equinox and celebrating the sun ...
Walks in Eostre week found such beautiful sights ... Silverweed and lichen ...
... primroses too, all bathed in the warmth of spring. It's been unseasonably warm in England this week and it's a welcome end to the winter.

Above is the finished Eostre ogham wand which will hopefully be listed on the website later on this week. Below, you can see the pussy willow looking so soft against the blue sky.

Softest moss for Faery beds and our faithful big hound the colour of dried Winter grasses ...

... little hound with her spotty bandana, sniffling and snuffling and wagging her tail ...

... ladybirds, venturing out after their winter hibernation and hover flies on primroses ...

... clumps of violets and even more primroses, dotted across the whole of the woodland floor.

Everywhere at the moment, new leaves are breaking out in so many different shades of green. Greening, greening, everywhere ... bliss! :~)

Postage costs

2011-02-11T17:54:00.002Z

I've finally bitten the bullet today and really reluctantly raised the postage and packing costs on the Spirit of Old website. I can't honestly remember the last time we did (if ever?) so it must have been many years ago! I know that gradually I've been watching another hike and another by the postal company and knowing that I'll have to give in at some point.

I hadn't realised quite how out of date some of our postage prices were though until I went to the Post Office a few days ago. The customer had paid the standard Spirit of Old P+P cost of £8.50 and the package turned out to cost £26 to post ... so off I went to repackage it a little shorter and managed to post it on it's way for £13. Another package had £10 postage paid but cost over £18 to send ... so you can see my problem and it was time to pass the horrible price hikes on .. sorry folks :~(

Native Corresponding Runes ... One set available!

2011-02-07T13:03:00.007Z

Imbolc has been and gone ... did you have a good one? It was very grey here ... and still is! Blustery, stormy and just very, very grey! One of our customers in a recent email described the sky as being "grey as a mouse" ... I like that description very much.

I must admit though that this year I feel very grateful to have this kind of weather after seeing so many countries on the news suffering so much. It really brings home the sheer power of Nature ... Australia seems to be being battered by everything at the moment :~(

I think a little of our English grey has even seeped into the photos a little this time as the light was just so poor but I couldn't bear to wait to photograph them! Over the last few months we've had many, many emails about when the Native Woods corresponding rune sets will be available again. We're hoping to gather some new materials for them at some point in the (fairly) near future to make them available for regular ordering again but, for now, Andy (Spirit of Old's craftsman) has gathered the pieces for a one-off set complete with its own rowan bark box.

I'm in the process of adding a few new items to the website over the course of today/ tomorrow but just wanted to post a little note on here first so that if you've been patiently waiting to grab a set you can let me know before anyone else orders it first ;~) If you are interested, you're welcome to email me (Lou) at enquiries@spiritofold.co.uk or you can wait until it's on the main website and I'll add an instant buy button.

Above and below: Native Woods Corresponding Rune set with Rowan Bark box. Item number D113. Price: £90 plus usual P+P. When it's been uploaded the set will be listed here.

Above and below: Wild Honeysuckle Imbolc wand with Ogham Core. The honeysuckle was gathered and crafted on Imbolc and the resulting wand feels full of that wild spirit so noticeable in Nature at the moment ... Item number: W493. Price: £60 plus usual P+P. When it has been uploaded, this wand will be listed here.

Above and below: Avalonian Ogham wand with Mugwort Core. The handle of this wand is hollow and filled with dried mugwort which was respectfully gathered from near to Stonehenge. A neat plug permanently seals the mugwort safely inside and the ogham alphabet scrolls around the wand. Item number: W494. Price: £50 plus usual P+P. When it has been uploaded, the wand will be listed here.

Valentine's Offer ...

2011-02-01T11:31:00.003Z

Valentine's Offer

The perfect treat for someone special ...

30% off all pendants and beads (including wristbands)

10% off dream amulets

~*~*~*~

Offer valid until 28th February 2011
Excludes postage and packing costs
Please click here for full details of the offer

Dreams, divination and buy now buttons ...

2010-12-10T11:54:00.006Z

There are three new treats on the website (with more to follow!) ... all with "Buy now" buttons next to them to make things simpler - after all, if you're anything like me, you're juggling last minute Christmas shopping, finding decorations (I'm still looking ...) and all the usual everyday things on top so anything that can make things a bit quicker and easier are very welcome :~)

Above and below is a rowan wood Goddess dream amulet. She is filled with mugwort, a potent herb and also rests upon a bed of it within her rowan bark box. You can find full details of her here.

Below: Burr Oak Hare dream amulet. Hares are traditionally associated with the moon making this little treasure the perfect dream guide. She is carved from beautifully grained, warm-coloured oak burr wood and is stored within a rowan bark box. You can find full details about her here.

Above and below (and the picture further below too): Native Celtic Woods ogham staves with rowan bark box. As always, this set is crafted from the original twenty ogham woods, all carefully sourced and gathered from the wild in our local area. The picture below gives you a little hint of the range of colours and textures of the various woods and the energies from them are simply wonderful, perfect for divination. You can find full details of the set here.
Below: The staves stored within their rowan bark box.
Below: A closer picture of the Hare dream amulet, just because she's so lovely :~)
I'd be really interested in hearing what you all think about the whole idea of a more automated online ordering system on Spirit of Old (like the one here). It's something we've never really used before because it's nice to have that contact with customers when people order items but maybe it's something people would prefer after all. What do you think? Do you prefer to have email contact and place orders that way or is that too inconvenient? Would you prefer something faster and simpler?

If you'd like to share your views, please either leave a comment below or email me at enquiries@spiritofold.co.uk. Thank you :~)

25% off all pendants!

2010-12-04T20:03:00.008Z

*NEW OFFER*

25% off *all* pendants and beads until the end of December - perfect for Christmas gifts!

Don't forget there is also currently 25% off all wands and athames too.

If you're not in the UK please order before Wednesday 8th December for Christmas delivery (or by Monday 6th December if you need a wristband to be woven), thanks :~)

You can find the main jewellery page by clicking here and full details of the current offers here.

It's not marked on the main website yet, I thought I'd give you advance warning so you can get in quick if you have your eye on something in particular ... I'll be updating the main website this evening.

The photo above is of my two best furry friends playing together in the deep snowfall which has enveloped almost the whole of Britain. It was little Scampy's first time in snow and she wasn't too sure what to make of it when it went over her legs and up to her middle! Before long though she was bombing around couldn't get enough of it!

New pendants with free postage!

2010-12-01T19:46:00.003Z

New beads added to the main website - a selection of hare bone and oak burr ... perfect for Christmas gifts! Plus, if you'd like to order one and quote "BLOGGER" in your email, I'll give you **free postage** on the bead :~)

Huge selection of new knives!

2010-11-13T14:42:00.002Z

Wow, I can't begin to tell you how busy we've been in the last couple of weeks between crafting, photographing and listing ... but I hope you'll agree, it's been well worth it because the new knives are both beautiful and wonderful to work with.

There are far too many to show them all here so I've just picked a select few ...

Above: Walnut Bushcarver Pro with rough out blade

Above: Bog Oak Bushcarver Pro with combination blade. The main blade is suited to rough-out work and the flattened tip is designed for finer detail. The handle is carved from ancient bog oak wood, naturally preserved for thousands of years and stained a warm, deep brown by the tannins.

Below: Burr Oak Bushcarver Pro with combination blade. I adore burr oak because of its simply stunning colours and markings.

Above and below: Rowan Owl Character Knife with detail blade. This Wildwood knife has a convex flat detail blade and a rowan wood handle which has been intricately carved with a beautiful owl, full of character.

Below: Another Character Carved knife. This time it's a Blackthorn Eagle Character Knife with detail blade. Can you see the colours in the handle? They range from pale creams through to rich red-browns.

Above: This is my favourite knife of them all from the news ones added. The handle of this Burr Oak Wildwood Carver with detail blade has such a wonderful range of colours and such depth to it that it's impossible to capture in a photograph. It's one of those rare pieces which would give you pleasure to work with every time you pick it up.

Below: Walnut Wildwood Carver with rough out blade and wonderful markings on the handle.

Above: Burr Wych Elm Wildwood Carver with rough out blade
Below: Bog Oak Wildwood Carver with detail blade

The prices for these knives start at £25 and they would make the perfect gift for the crafty person in your life ( ... or even for yourself ... !). Please don't forget though, if you're ordering from outside the UK you'll need to take the last recommended posting dates into consideration as they're currently around three weeks away for outside of Europe.

As always, if you have any queries regarding the knives please feel free to email me, Lou, at enquiries@wildwoodknives.com.

Thanks for looking :~)

Very special Ogham staves in boxes ...

2010-11-10T20:18:00.003Z

It's been an absolutely beautiful day today - inbetween days of dreary greyness and seemingly neverending rain! We decided to seize the moment and skip off to the woods to enjoy the sun while it lasted and to also photograph these very special ogham sets with their rowan bark boxes. I love the way the woods look in the background of these pictures ... you can almost see the Fae folk flitting here and there!

These wonderful sets contain the original 20 ogham sticks, each one handcrafted from the traditional corresponding wood. Truly correct ogham sets are extremely rare, if not unheard of but we have gathered each and every type of wood to create these beautiful tools to divination.

We work and play in the ancient Celtic heartlands of Britain where the Durotriges and Atrebates tribes ruled in prehistory. These ogham staves are handcrafted ritual tools with real Celtic soul and they retain the feel of their natural spirit.

The staves are stored within a beautifully rustic rowan bark box. Bark has been used by many cultures throughout time to make containers and this sturdy box has been crafted with natural materials including cedar root which is used to sew the join.

Each set is priced at £100 plus postage and packing and you can find full details (including a list of the woods lower down the page) here.

Autumn colours ...

2010-11-10T17:09:00.001Z

Pumpkins, fireworks and new items in the shop ...

2010-11-06T18:00:00.005Z

We've had a busy, busy couple of weeks! Samhain saw our little ones carving out the pumpkin with great enthusiasm! Did you have a good Samhain?

Then, last night was Bonfire Night here in the UK so there were plenty of fireworks. Littlest One was too scared of the bangs and fizzes so we hid behind the door together and peeped out into the night where the slightly Bigger Ones were enjoying it far more :~)

It's also been a busy time for the Spirit of Old shop aswell and we have several new items freshly listed ...

Below: Alder Raven/ Bran dream pendant in a birch bark box listed here for £50.

Above: A very, very special burr oak moon-gazing hare dream pendant in her own birch bark box. You can find her here, priced at £80. She's hard to part with as she's just so beautiful!

Above and below: Two Avalonian bog oak Goddess pendants with spirals on their bellies. Spirals have been used for millennia as a symbol for life and life force. You can find the Goddesses here, priced at £35 each. It's lovely to think that this wood is 6,000 years old and still being treasured. If only it could share its memories!

Above: A new Avalonian bog oak rune set which you can find here for the special price of just £40 which is £10 off the usual listing price of £50. This is very special wood to work with for divination and, who knows? Perhaps it will share its thousands of years of wisdom :~)

As always, thanks for looking!

Happy Samhain!

2010-10-31T11:08:00.001Z

When the year is turning to harvest,

and the wind invites you to ride,

light fires on every hilltop,

and greet those beloved who died.

Happy Samhain!

Etsy and Folksy Ravens

2010-10-27T20:30:00.005+01:00

We've very recently started listing a few of the website items on Etsy and Folksy just to try something different and test the waters a little. Two newly-crafted Raven dream pendants were ready for listing today so we've added the one above to Folksy and the one below to Etsy. For now, they're available through those sites rather than the main Spirit of Old site but if you'd like to purchase either and you're not a member of the sites please email me at enquiries@spiritof old.co.uk.

Above: Rowan Raven dream pendant and birch bark box listed here on Folksy.com, priced at £60. This dream pendant is crafted from pale-coloured rowan wood and is carved into a beautifully detailed raven. Rowan has long associations with witchcraft and protection.

Below: Alder Raven dream pendant and birch bark box listed here on Etsy.com, priced at US$115. Ravens and alder are both traditionally associated with the Celtic god, Bran. Amongst the Celts, the raven was a very sacred bird and they have long been seen as protectors and birds of prophecy.

Both pendants are handcrafted from wood gathered within the Wessex area of Britain. They are threaded onto cord thonging and filled with mugwort which was respectfully gathered from next to the prehistoric site of Stonehenge in southern Britain. They also rest upon a bed of mugwort within a birch bark storage box when not in use.

Mugwort has been used for millennia to aid clairvoyance, lucid dreaming and astral projection. Our ancestors drank tea made from the leaves and it has also been used in incenses or smoked to induce visions. The pendants are infused with the energies of this potent ancient herb from both inside and out and are charged with the spirit of the ancient people of Stonehenge.

They are perfectly suited for those seeking night-visions and dream journeys but are also suitable for everyday wear, a special talisman or a beautiful gift. As an alternative to wearing the pendants, they are also ideal for hanging near the bed for a dream charm.

My walk to photograph the ravens today took me past trees which were full of the colours of the English autumn and I kicked my way through their fallen leaves ... I adore this time of year ... the golden sun was simply breathtaking and you can see it casting its light in a few of the above photos. It's a time for teapots filled with steaming tea, picnics of hot soup and fresh bread and cobwebs covered with morning dew. Keep a look-out for plenty more photos as the weeks go on ... :~)

Shapeshifting fire flames ...

2010-10-26T10:08:00.003+01:00

Can you see the bird of prey in the shapeshifting flames above? He has his wings outstretched, ready to swoop.

New divination sets with ash bark boxes

2010-10-20T14:31:00.006+01:00

Three new divination sets have just been added to the Spirit of Old site which come complete with their own sturdy ash bark boxes, priced at £80 each. They're all so lovely that it's too hard to pick a favourite but I just adore the colours within the Avalonian runes below. It's almost as if they hold autumn within them ...

Above: Rune staves crafted from hazel which was gathered from a copse overlooking the ancient sacred site of Stonehenge in southern Britain.
Below: Nestled in their ash bark box.

Above: Celtic bog oak ogham staves with their ash bark box.
Below: A selection of the ash bark boxes. They're such wonderful little boxes, each with its own character and having an air of the Fae around them. Bark has been used by mankind for millennia for making containers and these are created with natural materials including cedar root which is used to sew the join.

Autumn rambles

2010-10-20T09:20:00.013+01:00

Here's the autumn pictures promised to you yesterday :~)

Stonehenge Hazel Rune set

2010-10-19T14:33:00.004+01:00

A new hazel rune set has just been added to Spirit of Old. It was crafted from wood carefully gathered from the sacred, ancient site of Stonehenge in southern Britain.

I did have some new photos of fungi and autumn leaves which were taken on recent ambles through the woods but Blogger is kindly playing up and won't let you see them for now ... well, I'll leave you with the promise of them next time :~)

~ New offer! ~

2010-10-11T13:15:00.004+01:00

*~* New Offer *~*

25% off marked prices of all wands

25% off marked prices of all athames

Until 31st December 2010. Offer does not apply to postage and packing charges.

Perfect for Yule gifts ... :~)

Introducing Wildwood Knives

2010-10-07T13:16:00.007+01:00

Wildwood Knives is a brand new range of British-made craft knives designed and created by Spirit of Old's very own craftsman, Andy Eyles, who has 30 years' experience in woodcarving. Born out of a need for a high quality, British-made carving knife which stands up to every day use, we are pleased to offer the Wildwood Carver, the Bushcarver Pro and also a range of character carved knives.

Each knife is individually made from carefully selected wood and high carbon steel blades. They are finished to a high standard, with great attention to detail. Whether they are used for whittling or detail carving, Wildwood knives will do the job.

I'll be making a few (minor!) changes to this blog to combine updates for both Spirit of Old and Wildwood Knives so if you'd like to be kept updated you can subscribe to this blog if you haven't already or, alternatively, there is a new Wildwood Knives page on Facebook.

www.wildwoodknives.com

If you go down to the woods today ...

2010-07-28T16:35:00.008+01:00

The pics above are from a stroll this afternoon, looking for inspiration amongst the trees. The tree fern was about five foot tall which is pretty impressive!

The top picture shows a twisty tree in its natural form. The twist is made by wild honeysuckle vine entwining around the trunk or branch as the tree grows and it then digs in over time, forming the twist.

It's a beautiful day here in England today, blue skies, sunny and not too hot :)

New divination sets added

2010-07-28T14:15:00.004+01:00

Two new items added today ... the top picture shows a wild apple rune set which comes with a birch bark storage box and the bottom picture shows a set of juniper ogham staves. Beautiful!

We stumbled across a crop circle!

2010-07-21T22:10:00.005+01:00

We were driving through the countryside this afternoon and spotted a crop circle in a wheat field next to the road. I haven't walked inside one for years! You can get an idea of the size of it from the picture above - one large centre circle with eight smaller ones around the outside. The outside circles were all interconnected with a thin ring, shown below.
You can find some more information here on an interesting website called Crop Circle Connector. You can find a good diagram of the circle layout here. Our littlest boy is now completely wowed by the idea of crop circles and ufos ... what's your theory on it all?

When I look through these photos I realise just how beautiful the land is around us! A very English summer's scene :)

Dream pendants, runes and ogham

2010-07-21T11:30:00.007+01:00

There are lots of treats in store for you all today ...

Top picture: A new wild apple rune set which comes complete with a handcrafted birch bark storage box. It's not listed on the main site yet so you have the chance to have a sneaky peak and grab it first :) The item number is D100 and it will be priced at £90 plus the usual postage and packing costs.

Second picture above: Ancient yew owl dream pendant

Above: Juniper Owl dream pendant with birch bark box
Above: My personal favourite of the new dream pendants - he is wonderful! A beautifully detailed owl crafted from ancient oak.
Above: Juniper ogham staves. Again, they're not yet on the main site so if you'd like to grab them quick, you can! Item number D101, priced at £40 plus the usual postage and packing costs.

Below: Ancient yew moon-gazing hare dream pendant

Above and below: Ancient yew owl dream pendant

I simply adore these new pendants! They are all handcrafted from wood gathered within the Wessex area of southern Britain. They are threaded onto cord thonging and filled with mugwort which was respectfully gathered from next to the prehistoric site of Stonehenge in southern Britain. They also rest upon a bed of mugwort within a birch bark storage box when not in use.

Mugwort is one of the nine herbs mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charm from the Lacnunga manuscript and has been used for millennia to aid clairvoyance, lucid dreaming and astral projection. Our ancestors drank tea made from the leaves and it has also been used in incenses or smoked to induce visions. The pendants are infused with the energies of this potent ancient herb from both inside and out and are charged with the spirit of the ancient people of Stonehenge.

They are perfectly suited for those seeking night-visions and dream journeys but are also suitable for everyday wear, a special talisman or a beautiful gift. As an alternative to wearing the pendants, they are also ideal for hanging near the bed for a dream charm.

We have a winner!

2010-06-21T20:48:00.003+01:00

You may recall that we were holding a draw to win a set of Native Woods Corresponding ogham staves worth £59.99. Well, it's the Summer Solstice and we've just held the draw (traditionally picked from a hat by 5-year-old Finn) and the winner is ...

Mr. Rogers from Portsmouth

Congratulations!

Thank you all for your custom over the course of the draw ... it's been exciting! We may just have to do it again one day :)

Happy Solstice to everyone too - I hope you've enjoyed your day, however you've spent it!

New pendants and beads

2010-06-15T18:00:00.005+01:00

At long last, there are a vast amount of new pendants and beads added to the main site this afternoon. There are some very special pieces, just a few of which are shown above ... for full details of all the new items listed please click here.

Don't forget, there are only a few days left to enter the draw to win a set of corresponding ogham staves! Please see here for full details.

Finally, enjoy the Solstice however you choose to celebrate it!
...

Competition draw!

2010-04-12T11:34:00.003+01:00

Competition draw!

Every item purchased between now and 20th June will get you one entry into the Spirit of Old draw to win a set of Native woods corresponding ogham staves! For full details please go to the main offers page ..

Good luck!

Flowing springs and Celtic Triskels ...

2010-04-05T11:26:00.008+01:00

New items have been uploaded to the main website recently, including the Avalonian Triskel pendant above. The pendant is crafted from midford sandstone found naturally upon Glastonbury Tor and is carved with a Vesica Pisces on one side and a Celtic triskel on the other.

Above: Avalonian sandstone spiral pendant A beautifully simple and timeless pendant carved with a spiral, an ancient symbol of life and lifeforce.

Below: Avalonian sandstone Tree of Life pendant

Above: Rowan and slate athame

Below: Oak and slate athame Two simple athames where the the natural beauty of the materials really shines out. The slate is a deep, rich grey colour with hints of purple in the light.

Above: The reverse of the Oak and slate triskel athame showing the plain side of the blade and the shaping of the handle.

Below: The detail of the Triskel decoration on the slate blade
Below: The detail on the blade of the Rowan and slate Tree of Life athame

Above and below: Two Petite Avalonian sandstone and Rowan athames. These are such wonderful pieces, so unusual! The sandstone occurs naturally on Glastonbury Tor and the blades are shaped from small pieces it and then coupled with Rowan wood handles. The pictures above and below show the variation that can be found between different trees - both handles are Rowan, but one is cream-coloured with no obvious markings and the other shows off plenty of warm colour changes.

These athames are two of my own favourite items on the website, full of wonderful energies. Each of them will make a wonderful working tool.
We had a wonderful trip out yesterday to gather materials for sets of the corresponding ogham staves and stopped off on the way home at a little village called Cheriton. Near the village is a spring which is the source of the River Itchen and it was in full flow which was lovely to see. It feels like it's been a very long, drawn out winter this year but springtime is here at last!

Thor's Hammers, staffs and runes in boxes!

2010-02-15T15:58:00.014Z

New offer

10% off all pendants and wands

Offer excludes postage and packing costs

Offer ends 31st March 2010

Above and below: Hazel Nine Worlds staff
This staff has been crafted from Hazel wood. It is deeply carved with the Norse Rune of the Nine Worlds and also has each of the Elder Futhark runes inscribed. The bark is left intact and polished to a deep shine to bring out the beautiful warm brown colour of the wood. It's naturally a perfect, comfortable shape and weight for walking with and would make a good, magickal travelling companion. To order, please visit the main staffs page at Spirit of Old.

Length: Maximum posting length 1.4m (may need to be shortened slightly)

Item no: S048

Price: £50

Postage and packing: Within UK - £12.50

Above: Hazel Nine Worlds staff

Below: Twisted Birch Safe Travel Staff
Below: Twisted Birch Safe Travel Staff

This staff has been crafted from naturally twisted Birch wood. It is deeply carved with three bindrunes: two different ones for protection and one for safe travel. The bark is left intact and polished to a deep shine to bring out the beautiful red colour so characteristic of Birch wood. To order, please visit the main staffs page at Spirit of Old.

Length: Maximum posting length 1.4m (may need to be shortened slightly)

Item no: S047

Price: £60

Postage and packing: Within UK - £12.50

Above: Mistletoe Rune Set with Birch bark box

This beautiful rune set contains the full 24 Elder Futhark runes and is crafted from warm-coloured, naturally windfallen Mistletoe wood which grew upon an oak - a partnership considered sacred by Druids.

The runes are stored within a traditional Birch bark box. Birch bark has been used by many cultures throughout time to make containers. This box has been crafted with all-natural ingredients including handmade nettle cordage and pine resin glue, both created using methods dating from pre-history. The base and lid are crafted from Apple wood. To order or view more photographs please go to the main runes page at Spirit of Old.

A perfect gift idea for someone special in your life - or even just to treat yourself ;)

Rune Size: 0.75 inch/ 1 cm (approx. - varies slightly)

Box size: 4.5 inches/ 11.5 cm high

2 inches/ 5.25 cm diameter (approx.)

Item no: D083

Price: £100

Below: Bog Oak Rune Set with Birch bark box

This unusual rune set contains the full 24 Elder Futhark runes and is crafted from deepest black bog oak dating from around 200BC.

The runes are stored within a traditional Birch bark box. Birch bark has been used by many cultures throughout time to make containers. This box has been crafted with all-natural ingredients including handmade nettle cordage and pine resin glue, both created using methods dating from pre-history. The base and lid are crafted from Apple wood. To order or view more photographs please go to the main runes page at Spirit of Old.

A perfect gift idea for someone special in your life - or even just to treat yourself ;)

Rune Size: 0.75 inch x 1 inch/ 2 x 2.75 cm (approx. - varies slightly)
Box size: 4.25 inches/ 11 cm high
3 inches/ 8 cm wide (approx.)
1.5 inches/ 4 cm wide (approx.)

Item no: D082

Price: £80

Above: Avalonian bog oak Goddess bead

This beautiful bead is crafted from Avalonian bog oak and is carved with a Goddess. It can be purchased on a piece of thonging as a necklace or, for an additional £5, woven into a wristband from black cord thonging for a chunky wristband or deep brown flax for a thinner one (while stocks of flax last). To order, or for more photographs, please go to the main Avalonian Wares page at Spirit of Old.

Bead size: 4 cm/1.5 inches long (approx.)

Item no: PE733

Price: £40 as a necklace or
£45 as a wristband
Above and all below: The new range of Thor's Hammer Mjölnir Pendants

Thor's hammer, also known by its Norse name of Mjölnir or Mjöllnir, features in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of levelling mountains.

The Prose Edda (an Icelandic saga full of Norse mythology and written at the end of the Viking age) gives a summary of Mjölnir's special qualities in that, with Mjölnir, Thor:

... would be able to strike as firmly as he wanted, whatever his aim, and the hammer would never fail, and if he threw it at something, it would never miss and never fly so far from his hand that it would not find its way back, and when he wanted, it would be so small that it could be carried inside his tunic.

Today, Thor's hammer is often used as a symbol of protection.

Prices for these particular pendants range from £40 - £70. For more information or to order please go to the main Thor's Hammer page at Spirit of Old.

Busy, busy ... and a special offer!

2010-01-28T10:57:00.013Z

This week has been an incredibly busy one here at Spirit of Old with plenty of carving and crafting. Four new pendants were uploaded late last night with a 3-day special offer on them - £10 off until the end of Saturday. There's also free postage offered until the end of January so that's a saving of up to £16 if you get in quick!

Above and below are some photos of the birth of a beautiful Crow pendant carved from Rowan wood. First the basic shape is created, then the design is marked out and shaped until, finally, the detail can be added and a good coating of beeswax-based polish is applied.

Below: The finished Rowan Crow. A bird of the Shaman, the Crow has worldwide associations with birth, death, healing and resurrection.
Below: The detail on the Crow's back
Below: Overlapping feather detail. As you can see, this is a very special piece with alot of attention to detail and is beautifully finished. You can find full details on the main website. The price of this pendant is £65 but, as part of the 3-day offer it is offered at £55 until the end of Saturday 30th January.
Below: Celtic Raven Moon pendant crafted from deep black bog oak dating from around the Celtic period. You can find full details on the main website. The price of this pendant is £65 but, as part of the 3-day offer it is offered at £55 until the end of Saturday 30th January.
Below: This wonderful stylised Norse Raven bead crafted from warm brown Avalonian bog oak. The wood dates from around 6,000 years ago and is from Somerset, considered by many to be the site of the fabled Isle of Avalon. This rare and beautiful wood is a deep, warm chestnut in colour and feels full of positive energies. You can find full details on the main website. The price of this bead is £50 but, as part of the 3-day offer it is offered at £40 until the end of Saturday 30th January. If you'd like it to be woven into a wristband please add an additional £5 to the price.
Below: Hare bone stylised Celtic Hare bead. You can find full details on the main website. The price of this bead is £50 but, as part of the 3-day offer it is offered at £40 until the end of Saturday 30th January. If you'd like it to be woven into a wristband please add an additional £5 to the price.

The Hare was revered and held sacred by the Celts who associated them with moon deities and deities of the hunt. Killing or eating one was forbidden throughout the year, except at Beltaine when he ban was lifted and a ritual hunt and consumption was carried out.

The Anglo-Saxons also venerated the Hare and a ritual Hare hunt was a feature of the Spring festival of the goddess of Eostre, or Hretha. Folk survivals of these rituals still exist today.

Until the end of the 18th century on Easter Monday (originally Beltaine), a Hare hunt took place in the Dane Hills, near Leicester, England led by the mayor together with hunters and hounds. This hare was associated with Black Annis, a fearful hag said to live in a cave in the hills known as Black Annis's Bower, which she gouged out of the hillside with her own claws. Black Annis may actually be the Goddess Anu.

The Hare is strongly associated with the Moon in many different traditions and cultures including Buddhists, the Norse, Chinese, Europeans, Mexicans, Indians and Egyptians. It also has a strong association with the rising Sun, new life and fertility.

The above should give you a brief insight into the Hare and was taken from a highly recommended book called "Familiars - Animal Powers of Britain" and written by Anna Franklin.

Hares, skulls and plenty of snow!

2010-01-14T14:32:00.004Z

For the last couple of weeks, Britain has been deep in wintertime with heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. The perfect excuse for sledging and hot chocolate! It's also been a great time for curling up in the warm and crafting ... Hare bone and wood ... perfect!

Please find the pics below - the Hare bone beads can be found here, the Rowan wand can be found here and the Mistletoe wand can be found here. Thanks for looking!

2009-11-20T17:14:00.004Z

At long last, the new pendants are finally uploaded and ready for browsing! There are some very, very special pieces as you'll see below. Above, if you look very carefully (or sensibly click on the pic to enlarge it!), you may just see an enormous Faery ring, camouflaged amongst the leaves.

Below you'll find a whole range of beautiful new pendants: Inscribed pendants, carved pendants, an Avalonian Goddess bead and, of course here's also a link to the wristbands mentioned the other day.

Scrumptious new wristbands and bracelets!

2009-11-18T15:56:00.002Z

A gorgeous new selection of wristbands and bracelets have been added to the main website today! I've juggled the pendants section around a little as it's now more of a jewellery section and you can find the wristbands page here.

Wristbands make great gifts for Yule or Christmas (or for yourself!) and we're happy to craft custom wristbands or bracelets. The top two wristbands shown above are woven from cord thonging which gives a thicker weave and the bottom one is made from Irish flax which is beautifully delicate-looking and is very long-lasting.

Don't forget if there's anything you see that you'd like and would prefer to exchange goods in a trade, make us an offer :)

Next to be added to the site is a whole selection of wonderful new pendants ... watch this space!

Trades offered!

2009-11-16T20:36:00.002Z

We welcome trades!

Would you like to buy some Spirit of Old items but don't have the cash this year? As the credit crunch is in full swing, we're happy to offer trades this Christmas.

If you make or sell quality items which you'd like to trade, please email with details and photos and we'll be in touch! We'd be especially tempted by suitable things for presents for children ranging from 4 - 15 but will consider whatever you'd like to offer.

Time for a rethink ...

2009-10-29T20:56:00.004Z

Important announcement

After long consideration we've decided to stop accepting orders to copy the majority of previously made/sold items (please see exceptions list below) from the website until further notice. We are however, happy to continue accepting custom orders. Admittedly, there's bound to be a grey area between custom items and copies so if in doubt, please ask anyway.

One of the things we pride ourselves on at Spirit of Old is the individuality of the items and the fact that they're not mass-produced but as things progress, more and more time is spent copying previous items and it leaves little time for make fresh new ones. Each piece of wood collected has its own natural spirit and beauty and simply copying items instead of following that creative spirit to make fresh ones tends to kill the sense of creativity.

We sincerely hope that our customers will understand this. It may change again in the future but for now, it should mean you can look forward to seeing far more truly uniquely crafted items added for sale.

Exceptions list - Made to order items we will still be currently crafting:
D051 - Native Celtic Woods - Corresponding Rune sets
D060 - Native Celtic Woods - Real Ogham Staves
D080 - Selected Native Celtic Woods - Real Ogham Staves
TC001 - Celtic Tree Calendar staves
DB005 - Handcrafted leather ogham or rune bag
WB001 - Velvet wand bag

Autumn offer

2009-10-19T14:09:00.002+01:00

Autumn Offer

£5 off orders over £50
£10 off orders over £100

Any combination of items
Excludes postage costs

Ends 30th November

New forum!

2009-09-16T22:33:00.003+01:00

There's a new Spirit of Old forum up and just about running. Come and have a look, join in, you're all very welcome :) If you do happen to come across any glitches and annoyances, please let me know by pm on there ... it's so new ;)

I'll be adding a link to the main website in the next few days once I've ironed out any problems but for now you can register early at http://spiritofold.49.forumer.com/index.php

See you there!

Ancient Oak Rune Set with Birch bark box

2009-09-07T10:20:00.003+01:00

Ancient Oak Runes with Birch bark box

This gorgeous set is very special ... the runes are crafted from naturally windfallen wood from an ancient oak. The wood is incredibly beautiful - full of warm red-brown hues and wonderful shapes.

The set is stored within a traditional birch bark box which is completely handcrafted using prehistoric methods and materials. Even the scent of this box is wonderful! A rich aroma of the natural oils in the birch bark along with beeswax and pine resin from the ancient recipe glue used. Scrumptious!

You can find details of the runes and box on the main Runes page.

I've also listed new pendants recently and didn't get the chance to add the details on here (end of the school summer holidays madness!). you can find them here on the main Spirit of Old website.

Bushcraft weekend

2009-07-30T20:23:00.005+01:00

What can be more perfect than spending a long weekend in an English woodland? We've been lucky enough to enjoy a few weekends away this year, all to the Swift Valley bushcraft meet. It's an informal get-together held roughly once a month and it's such great fun!

Last weekend, we did have a few torrential downpours (hey, this is a very typical summer!) but even that didn't put the gaggle of children there off racing round at full speed. They made swings, climbed trees, played hide and seek and had the times of their lives. We drank too much and stayed up into the wee small hours laughing our socks off round the fire. Fun all round then! :)

Ice Age antler and Celtic Tree Calendar bracelet...

2009-06-10T20:58:00.004+01:00

Above: Celtic Tree Calendar Bracelet
The Celtic Tree Calendar begins and ends at the Celtic new year of Samhain (Hallowe'en) at the end of October. Each moon throughout the year corresponds to a different tree, it's energies and teachings.
*
This unique bracelet contains one bead each of all thirteen woods of the Celtic Tree Calendar and it can be used as an aid to meditation or attunement with both the wheel of the year and with the trees themselves. It would make a beautiful and unusual gift for a special person, or simply for yourself!
*
The bracelet is designed to wrap around the wrist twice and has a tie closure.
*
Bracelet size:
Total length (not including ties) 39 cm/ 15 inches (approx.)
Each bead measures 1 cm/ 3/8 - 4/8 inch long (approx. - varies slightly)
*
Item no: RN009
*
Special introductory price: £50

All of the above: Ice Age antler spiral pendants
These wonderful pendants are crafted from Red Deer antler dating from the last ice age, around 11,000 years ago. They are carved with spirals, an ancient symbol of life and are supplied with a leather or cord thong.
*
Item no: PE697, PE690, PE691, PE692
*
Special price: £30 each

More pendants finished and should hopefully be added in the next couple of days ... phew!

Celtic Tree Calendar and a blog mention!

2009-06-09T22:26:00.003+01:00

Above and below: Celtic Tree Calendar staves
The Celtic Tree Calendar begins and ends at the Celtic new year of Samhain (Hallowe'en) at the end of October. Each moon throughout the year corresponds to a different tree, it's energies and teachings.
*
This unique set contains the thirteen staves of the Celtic Tree Calendar, each one handcrafted from the traditional corresponding wood. As each new moon arrives, the corresponding stave can be used as an aid to meditation or attunement with both the new month and the tree itself. The staves can also be used for divination in the same way as the ogham or runes.
*
Each set of Celtic Tree Calendar staves has a brief introductory sheet included with information about the tree calendar and the uses of the staves.
*
We work and play in the ancient Celtic heartlands of Britain where the Durotriges and Atrebates tribes ruled in prehistory. These tree calendar staves are handcrafted ritual tools with real Celtic soul, something with real spirit and as each set is individually made, no two are ever the same.
Supplied with a simple muslin bag or a handsewn leather bag can be purchased separately.
*
Size: 4 inches/ 10 cm long (approx.)
*
Item no: TC001
*
Special introductory price: £35

Above: Celtic Tree Calendar Necklace
This unique necklace contains all thirteen woods of the Celtic Tree Calendar and it can be used as an aid to meditation or attunement with both the wheel of the year and with the trees themselves.
*
Necklace size: Each piece measures 3.5 cm/1.5 inches long (approx.)
*
Item no: RN008
*
Special introductory price: £50

Above: Alder Unicorn pendant
This wonderful pendant is crafted from warm-coloured Alder wood and is carved into a Unicorn twist. It is supplied with a leather or cord thong.
*
Pendant size: 8 cm/3 inches long (approx.)
*
Item no: PE686
*
Special price: £25
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Below: Mistletoe Unicorn pendant
Pendant size: 8 cm/3 inches long (approx.)
*
Item no: PE685
*
Special price: £25

On a slightly different note, last autumn I traded a beautiful patchwork skirt made by a wonderful lady called Brenna who has a lovely Etsy shop called Sutara. I sent a set of the Native Corresponding runes and a leather bag in exchange for the skirt. Brenna emailed today, out of the blue, to say that she mentioned the runes in her blog so I took a look and was bowled over! What a wonderful review! I'm truely touched that she's enjoying them so much ... you can read the blog post here and find the rest of Brenna's blog at Way Know How.

There are still more items to be added tomorrow at some very special prices for the summer ... next on the list is a rather gorgeous Celtic Tree Calendar wristband :)

Special offers for Summer!

2009-06-08T22:25:00.003+01:00

Special offers for Summer!

Above: Twisted Blackthorn wand
This beautiful wand has been crafted from naturally twisted Blackthorn wood, a rare find, and is tipped with a quartz crystal point.
*
Length: 16 inches/ 41 cm (approx. - can be shortened if preferred)
*
Item no: W483
*
Special price of £30

Above: Oak Rune Staff
This wonderful staff is crafted from windfall Oak. The character this staff has is simply amazing! The natural hollow in the wood is decorated with a zig-zag pattern and it is also inscribed with the Elder Futhark runes. A beautiful one-off piece.
*
Length:
1.2 metres
Please note that due to postage restrictions this staff can only be posted within the UK
*
Item no: S046
*
Special price: £50

Above: Petite Avalonian Athame
The handle of this beautiful, petite athame has been handcrafted from ancient Avalonian bog oak. The blade is crafted from slate and the whole piece has a wonderfully tactile feel to it making it a very special tool.
*
Overall length: 20.5 cm/ 8 inches
*
Item no: A045
*
Summer special: £30

Above: Celtic bog oak and slate Athame
The handle of this beautifully shaped athame has been handcrafted from ancient Celtic bog oak. The blade is crafted from slate and the whole piece has a wonderfully tactile feel to it making it a very special tool.
*
Overall length: 33.5 cm/ 13 inches
*
Item no: A044
*
Summer special: £30

And more ...

Over the next few days there will be plenty more offers coming ... including some very special Celtic Tree Calendar items ... keep watching :)

Limited time offer!

2009-05-26T14:58:00.010+01:00

Limited time offer!
*

Native Celtic Woods
corresponding Ogham staves

£50
(plus usual postage and packing costs)
*

5 sets in stock and ready to be posted!
*

Please click here for further details

Hurry - offer only valid for the five sets in stock!
*

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Don't forget, there's still 10% off all pendants but only for the next few days - offer ends 31st May

New wands for Spring ...

2009-05-12T21:00:00.004+01:00

Above: Stonehenge Hazel Skull wand
A simple and beautiful wand crafted from Hazel wood gathered from a copse overlooking the sacred site of Stonehenge. The handle is carved with a detailed skull.

Below: Quartz-tipped Elder wand
A beautiful wand crafted from naturally twisted Elder which is so rare that it's almost unheard of! The wood is pale in colour and it is tipped with a quartz crystal point.

Above: Rowan Ogham wand
A beautiful wand crafted from Rowan wood which is naturally twisted, a rarity, and is hand carved with an Ogham band. Rowan is a highly protective wood making it very powerful for use when casting, or within, a circle. It can be used for invoking spirits, familiars, spirit guides and elementals.

Below and bottom: Savernake Elder Ogham wand
A beautiful wand crafted from naturally twisted Elder. The warm-coloured wood is intricately carved with leaves and an ogham band. It is tipped with a quartz crystal tip and has a piece of shaped sandstone inserted near the handle.

Don't forget ... there is currently 10% off all pendants but only until the end of May!

Beltaine week ...

2009-05-12T20:46:00.004+01:00

Above: Three Beltaine Hare in a field ... perfect!

Above: Bluebell wood, below: old Roman road

Ice age pendants and more ...

2009-04-07T23:50:00.002+01:00

Carved pendants, inscribed pendants and one Mistletoe Goddess pendant ...

Plenty more pendants and a very special ogham set ...

2009-04-04T20:47:00.003+01:00

The wonderful ogham set pictured above is made up of carefully selected pieces which have been gathered together over several years. Most of the pieces are slightly different, in shape or texture, from the standard corresponding staves and the set is full of natural twists, knobbles, triple tips, graining and lichen, all bringing out the full character of each type of wood. You can find full details here.

The pendants shown directly above and below have to be my two favourite ones out of this bunch. You can feel the age of them, the sense of the wildness of their time. They're wonderful to hold and I would imagine they're even more special to wear. Both of the pendants have been crafted from ice age red deer antler which is around 11,000 years old. The one pictured above is decorated with a neolithic shooting star and the one below has a prehistoric spiral pattern. You can find details of these pendants, and all the other carved ones here.

The Runewheel shown above has been carved from ice age mammoth ivory, again around 11,000 years old. The whole pendant is gently curved showing the original huge size of the animal's tusk. You can find details of this pendant, and the Ice age antler ogham ring pendant shown directly above it, here.

Avalonian wand, Spring pics and a dog ...

2009-04-03T22:43:00.003+01:00

Above: Robin, below: Spring river

Above: Wood anemone, below: Couldn't resist adding a pic of our gorgeous puppy!

Above: New hazel leaves, below: Avalonian and sandstone wand

Spring is here ...

2009-04-03T08:26:00.002+01:00

I took pics of these beautiful bluebells yesterday when we had a lovely trip to the woods photographing lots of new items. The first items, a set of Mullein ogham staves and wand were added yesterday with plenty more to follow in the next few days. The Mullein is very special ... it grew atop a Bronze age roundbarrow within sight of Stonehenge and was carefully gathered on the Equinox. You can find details of the ogham staves and wand here.

Scrumptious new pendants ...

2009-04-01T18:48:00.002+01:00

Take a look ... a whole range of scrumptious pendants to choose from ...

Stonehenge visit and lots of pottery ...

2009-03-22T18:04:00.004Z

Did you enjoy the Equinox? We were lucky enough to have a wonderful day ... we packed up all five children and the dog and visited Stonehenge. The weather was perfect for Spring and the sun shone for the whole day. I wanted to share these photos with you ... above: the beautiful sunset, below: a perfect example of the landscape in the area

Above: Silbury Hill, the largest prehistoric man-made mound, below: view of Stonehenge showing the hellish A303

I've had a very busy day today adding more pottery to the website. There are some lovely pieces ... above and below are filled witch bottles. They're packed to the brim with herbs carefully gathered at sacred sites and then sealed with wax.

The picture above is a handfasting bowl. It has been sealed with melted beeswax so it can be used as a ritual cup filled with wine and it can also be used for burning loose incense, cones, candles of smudging. The bindrune is considered to bring everlasting love ... perfect!

Links for these items: Pottery Goddesses, altar lamps, incense bowls, smudging bowls, witch bottles, candle holders and handfasting dish

Witch bottles

2009-03-19T21:42:00.003Z

Witch bottles are protection "charms" traditionally buried in areas of the house where negative forces can enter - doorways, hearths, etc. Witch bottles dating from the 16th and 17th centuries are sometimes still discovered concealed within old houses in England. The usual contents of these bottles includes iron nails or pins, hair and urine. Other ingredients such as small bones, thorns, pieces of wood and, in a few cases, pieces of fabric cut into the shape of a heart are sometimes found.

Today, in keeping with tradition, they could be buried or simply placed on a shelf or somewhere safe where they will attract positive energies into your home and help to dispel any negative ones.

An interesting example of a historical witch bottle can be found here, some info at Wikipedia can be found here and another website containing information can be found here.

Plenty more pottery to follow over the next week ...

Enjoy the Equinox ... have a wonderful time however you celebrate!

Skulls and Ice Age pendants ...

2009-03-17T21:29:00.007Z

The gorgeous little skulls below have all been added to the site today ... lovely, aren't they! The first two pictured below are made from ancient bog oak from Somerset, long considered to be the fabled Isle of Avalonian so we call it Avalonian bog oak. It's a beautiful rich brown colour, stained by the peat in which the wood has been hidden for lifetimes. If you look carefully at the pictures you can see how the sunlight has brought out the different shades of colour from the blackest brown through to almost gold, amazing considering how long they were sealed in the darkness.

The skulls pictured directly above and below are carved from Yew collected from a local ancient tree. Millennia ago, it's said that village elders or tribal leaders were buried beneath yew trees because the trees are so long lived. The tree was asked to preserve the knowledge of the elder and keep it for the village. Village people would then visit the tree to seek guidance and advice.

I have fallen in love with the spiral pendant above - it is crafted from deer antler dating from the last Ice Age around 11,000 years ago. The colours, pattern and feel of it are simply wonderful! The natural colouration on the surface reminds me of lichen creeping across an ancient stone and speaks of age and stories untold. There are many items I love on the website but I must admit, this is one of the most special ...

The pendant below is carved from bear bone, also dating from the last Ice Age. The Bear has been held sacred by mankind since time long forgotten and there have been grottoes found containing cave bear skulls and ceremonial hearths going back to around 100,000 BC. A fascinating page packed with information can be found at the OBOD website here. Also, on my search for some credible bear info, I stumbled across a Finnish band called Ancient Bear Cult. The blurb on their website says:

Ancient Bear Cult is a Finnish folk music band that draws its inspiration from prehistoric and early medieval soundscapes. All of the instruments used by the band have a history of hundreds of years, so it is possible that similar bands have existed in the distant past. Since no music has survived from those times, neither as sheet music nor any other form, the members of A.B.C. have composed most of the songs in the band's repertoire by themselves, with the exception of performing also some old European folk tunes.

You can find some samples of their music here. Well worth a listen :)

Even more pendants!

2009-03-07T16:33:00.006Z

Even more pendants for you to browse through! These ones are all beads crafted from different woods including yew, rowan and some very special Celtic bog oak (pictured above). As always, they can be purchased as necklaces or woven wristbands.

The bog oak dates from around 400 - 200 BC and was discovered during an archaeological dig in London. The wood is beautifully black and feels full of wonderful energies. On the subject of London, I had an interesting time browsing the internet earlier for tales of early London (I wanted tales around the time that the bog oak originated) to tell you and I was horrified to see that almost all the sites I came across claimed that London was founded by the Romans! Most imply that there was simply nothing there at all before the Romans came but, of course, there was human activity in the area going back into the mists of time ... anyway, I did stumble across this fascinating website which has kept me happily reading all evening. The story of Brutus is not one I've heard before ... enjoy :)

Three Aetts pendant and Hare bone beads ...

2009-03-04T13:37:00.003Z

These beautiful beads are carved from Hare bone. The Hare can be found in folklore and mythology throughout history and from tales around the world. With strong associations with Eostre, fertility and the moon, the Hare is an important symbol of Paganism and especially fitting for this time of year. You can find further information at this lovely site which ends with this poem by Walter de la Mare:

In the black furror of a field
I saw an old witch-hare this night;
And she cocked a lissome ear,
And she eyed the moon so bright,
And she nibbled of the green;
And I whispered "Whsst! witch-hare,"
Away like a ghostie o’er the fieldShe fled,
and left the moonlight there.

The unusual pendant pictured above is crafted from mistletoe which grew upon a local Oak tree and was blown down by strong winds. The pendant is carved with the Elder Futhark runes, divided into the traditional three aetts. Mistletoe has long been held sacred by the Druids but especially so when it has grown upon the Oak.

Information can be found at Wikipedia regarding Pliny the Elder, writing in the first century AD and describing a religious ceremony in Gaul in which white-clad druids climbed a sacred oak, cut down the mistletoe growing on it, sacrificed two white bulls and used the mistletoe to cure infertility:

The druids - that is what they call their magicians - hold nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and a tree on which it is growing, provided it is Valonia Oak.... Mistletoe is rare and when found it is gathered with great ceremony, and particularly on the sixth day of the moon....Hailing the moon in a native word that means ‘healing all things,’ they prepare a ritual sacrifice and banquet beneath a tree and bring up two white bulls, whose horns are bound for the first time on this occasion. A priest arrayed in white vestments climbs the tree and, with a golden sickle, cuts down the mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloak. Then finally they kill the victims, praying to a god to render his gift propitious to those on whom he has bestowed it. They believe that mistletoe given in drink will impart fertility to any animal that is barren and that it is an antidote to all poisons.

A heap of new pendants added ...

2009-03-02T18:23:00.005Z

I've added a whole selection of new pendants today crafted from oak, burr oak, larch, Celtic bog oak and the most delicious deep brown walnut. They're all inscribed with bindrunes or Awens and are well worth a look. Many of the pieces are wooden beads which can either be purchased as a necklace on a piece of thonging or, for £5 extra, they can be woven into a wristband-style bracelet.

Oh, I should mention too that we currently have a special offer on which gives you £5 off orders over £50 or £10 off orders over £100 so happy browsing ...

First of many ...

2009-02-25T20:52:00.003Z

Hello from Spirit of Old! I figured it was about time that we ventured into this whole blogging idea and began our very own one. This will be the place to get notified about updates to the main website ... new items in stock, new products available and also perhaps some general bits and pieces about us, Lou and Andy, the people behind Spirit of Old - that's if any of you are interested anyway!

The picture above is of a bog oak pendant due to be added to the website very soon ...