I'm back with the next Deciphering the Cauldron post and potion bottle project!
I'm going to post more about the ingredients after my upcoming festival show, ArtoberFest/ Winter Springs Festival of the Arts, this weekend. So look for more of those posts over on Patreon after I've hauled everything back home and had a chance to get a few winks.
If you're a Patron, you know what the "eye" of a plant is from our last post.
And you also know there are several plants that have their own folk names that refer to their looks.
I've drawn the blossom that the plant is from, and it's one that humans have used for millennia.
~Brassica nigra~
black mustard
Nope, not a real newt, but the eye of the plant does resemble a newt's eye. Teensy tiny and black when dried. Black mustard has varied use in folk medicine from colds to inflammation. It can relieve edema by stimulating the kidneys but it can also induce vomiting, so don't try it without an herbalist.
But the question I come to with each ingredient;
Why "eye of newt"?
There are a few ways to go with this, and I think they are all correct.
It has to do with which side you're on concerning the role of the sisters, and the perspectives the author was simultaneously coddling and leaving open.Are they meddling hags, truly supernatural beings like the Fates, or are they a manifestation of Macbeth's inner demons?- Black mustard seed is widely believed to be the seed Christ spoke of in His parable, and even that parable's meaning is debated within religious circles.
- Black mustard seed holds a great deal of potential, energetically speaking, and its seeds germinate incredibly quickly. Once they drop, you'll almost certainly have a plant.
- Black mustard seed is used in conjure work to confuse one's rivals.
This latter fact is the one I'm leaning toward, and also why I was early convinced that the author was not merely using gross sounding rhymes. This herb/spice is straight up used to sew confusion in enemies in witchy work, and the visions in Act IV are right in line.
Whatever option you choose, it's an ingredient that is meant to crank the faith and potential of whatever you throw in after it.
Up next-Toe of frog.Any guesses? Now, on to some light fun.
Snape approved Potion bottles for easy Halloweeny decor
Start collecting bottles~
I gathered a box and instead of throwing them into recycling, I stashed them in there for a while. Another inexpensive option is the Dollar Tree or the dollar bin section of Michaels. I already had a few of these little containers, like the green bottle to the left, that I got for buck or two.
It has a seal and everything, so storing actual herbs/flowers/seeds is an option, or even your loose crystals and beads. I lose the hell out of those, so cute containers are fantastic. But tbh, the seal makes it perfect for making large watercolor washes and not needing to worry about them drying out. If you paint in washes, pick one up for that alone.
Sand paper will rough up the surface so that paint can stick to the plastic. With some plastic bottles, like this orange rx bottle, it looks kind of cool with just the sanded surface.
Craft paints are fine for this project. I made some washes to create a dirty, drippy effect.
If you have sticky labels that won't come off- leave them! IMO, the more texture, the better.
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Things like rocks, twine, beads, etc. to make them look as bog witchy or sophisticated as you please.
Then you're ready to download and print out the labels.
If you're not a Patron and want to design your own, there are so many options!
I love parchment paper, but make sure to use a waterproof pen, or even better a pencil. Otherwise the glue could smear your drawing.
The pdf page is a free download for level 2 Patrons. Individual jpgs will be available for level 3 Patrons soon.
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| (I'm especially fond of this one, b/c the beads I used resemble the hounds tongue flower and a real tongue <3.) |
After you print out your labels, cut them and either use scrapbooking tape (great option if you don't want to leave the labels on year-round) or an all purpose glue and apply with a brush on the back and edges. If your glue was too watery and the ink smears a bit, lightly brush it around for an aged look.
OR you could print it out and start again. Patrons can print their downloads at home as often as they like.
OR you could print it out and start again. Patrons can print their downloads at home as often as they like.
Allow the labels to dry, add any extra decoration you think it needs, and you should be good to go.
My artemisia seeds are going in my Blind Worm's Sting jar, which is good, b/c those things are tiny and were going to get lost in my seed drawer.
Put things inside;
herbs,
the office kitty, secrets you'll take to the grave, etc. |
| I have my bottles on our hearth. Probably to stay. Fun Christmas with the family... |
Visit my Patreon to support nerdy stuff like this & art projects and get weird printables like these.
Toe of frog is up next!
What potion are you making?
~D. Renée
