Summer is finally here, abundant and alive—yet so fleeting.

Its magic lies in its impermanence, how it urges us to savor each sun-soaked day.

Summer joy for me means gardening and weekend trips to the farmers market. By midsummer my herb garden is overflowing with parsley, basil, chamomile, lavender, mint, and more. A mix of herbs and flowers makes a magical summertime bouquet that you can enjoy fresh for a few days and then hang up to dry. I harvest herb bunches, tie them into bundles, and hang them up to dry too.

If you want to dry your own flowers and herbs, you’ll need something to hang them on. An herb and flower drying rack can be anything as simple as a peg in the wall, but if you’re like me, simple isn’t always enough. I want to make everything extra pretty and extra magical, and if it attracts a fairy or two, so be it! Whether you gather from your own garden or choose to harvest from the farmers market, this tutorial will show you how to create a gorgeous herb and flower drying rack to dry—and show off—all your most shimmering garden delights!

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• One 12- to 15-inch stick, 1 to 2 inches in diameter
• Dried and preserved moss
• 6 to 8 stems of dried and preserved ferns, caspia, baby’s breath, or other greenery of your choice
• Dried flower heads
• A crystal of your choosing, measuring from 1 to 3 inches
• 1 package or roll of natural twine
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• 4 wooden clothespins
• Scissors

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: With scissors, cut 4 separate lengths of twine measuring about 36 inches each.

Step 2: Loop one length of twine around the stick, using what is called the lark’s head knot: Fold the twine over itself to form a loop. Pass the loop behind your stick. Take both ends of the twine and pass them through the loop. Tighten around the stick.

Step 3: Repeat step 2 with the remaining lengths of twine. Position the lengths of twine an equal distance apart along the stick.

Step 4: Make a bouquet of greenery, filler, and herbs approximately 8 inches long. Layering different kinds of greenery and filler will give it a full, natural look. Tie the stems together with cording. With scissors or floral shears, trim the stems so that an inch is visible.

Step 5: Arrange the bouquets with stems in the center of the stick and overlapping. Both sides of the stick will now be covered with greenery.

Step 6: Cut 10 inches of twine and wrap twice around the center of the stick and stems. Secure them in place by tying a tight knot with the twine, then trim the excess twine.

Step 7: Hot-glue a cluster of moss in the center to conceal the knot.

Step 8: Add a generous amount of hot glue to the bottom of your crystal (here I used an amethyst cluster) and press down in the center of the moss, holding in place until it feels secure.

Step 9: Hot-glue flowers around the crystal however you like. You can add as little or as much as you want.

Step 10: Make the hanger for your drying rack. First, cut two separate lengths of twine, each measuring 28 inches.

Step 11: Using the lark’s head knot described in Step 2, loop each length of twine to one end of the stick.

Step 12: Bring the ends of the twine together, then tie them. Pull tightly to secure the knot.

Step 13: Clip a clothespin to each length of twine hanging down. These will allow you to quickly and easily hang bundles of flowers and herbs to dry.

Now go forth and gather your own favorite herbs and flowers to hang for this beautiful, fragrant—and practical—home decoration!

I’ve always been fascinated by witch balls, pagan crafts and their origins—especially the art of making wards, which are magical items intended to protect.

Researching the history of these tools allows me to feel a stronger connection to my magic practice. One cherished example is witch balls, a kind of ward that originated in England during the 1600s. They are used for protection against evil spells, hexes, negativity, sickness, and ill fortune. Plus, they’re gorgeous. They are definitely among my favorite things to make—and are sure to be yours too!

Legend has it that the beauty of mystical witch balls attracts negative spirits thought to be threatening a home’s tranquility. An orb’s swirling colors and uniqueness mesmerize the evil being. After a spirit touches a ball, its malevolent energy is trapped within the webbed strands of glass inside the orb, which prevent the spirit from affecting its surroundings.

Traditionally, witch balls are hung in an east-facing window. But really, any area around your home—whether in a window, on a desk, or even on a porch or elsewhere outside in a garden—is suitable for placing a witch ball to ward off (and possibly trap) negative energy.

Making witch balls is still a popular pagan craft and can take only minutes per ball. They make lovely ornaments for Yule as well as gift giving. Family and friends will love them as special handmade ornaments and will be captivated by the history and magical meaning. Maybe best of all, creating a ball will give you a greater connection to your witchly craft.

I like to begin mine with the clear glass ornaments carried in craft stores. These are especially easy to find around the winter holidays. I add flowers, herbs, spices, crystals, and charms that correspond with a specific intention, such as protection, happiness, good fortune, or peace. You can fill your witch ball as much as you want with your chosen ingredients. I like to fill mine halfway so I can see the individual items inside.

Once you have all your materials gathered, you’re only minutes away from completing your own mesmerizing witch ball.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Ingredients can vary depending on your specific intentions. It’s totally up
to you!

• 1 3-to-4-inch clear glass or shatterproof DIY ornament
• 1 or 2 4-inch cinnamon sticks
• 1 to 3 sprigs of lavender
• ⅛ ounce preserved moss
• Small dried flowers, ferns, pine cones, crystals
• 8 inches of natural twine
• 5 inches of cording
• Hot glue gun with glue stick
• 10 inches of ribbon
• 1 magic charm

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Remove the hanger from the top of the ornament. Set aside. Before adding anything, I like to smoke-cleanse the inside of the ball with a stick of incense.

Step 2: Carefully, a few pinches at a time, add the preserved moss. Step 3: Put your other elements inside one by one.

Step 4: Add the hanger back on the top of your ornament by squeezing the two metal progs together and sliding them inside till the hanger snaps back into place.

Step 5: Add a tiny spot of hot glue to the base of the hanger and press the end piece of twine in place, gluing and wrapping the twine around the top. Cut excess twine.

Step 6: Tie on a magical charm and add ribbon to the hanger. Your enchanting witch ball is ready to hang in your home—or a friend’s!

Find more of Lemmon’s creations at etsy.com/shop/thewitchnthegoddess, or follow her on Instagram @thewitchandthegoddess.

Broom Spell
“Sweep, sweep, sweep the ground,
All negativity shall be bound.
I banish all that is profane,
Only positivity shall remain.”

One of my absolute favorite things to create is a floral besom. I’ve been making them for years, and every single one is unique. I never know how one will look until it’s done. Each is more magical than the last. They’re perfect for practicing witches, but they also blend in as pretty home decor for those still in the “broom closet.”

To create these besoms, I combine different dried flowers, herbs, crystals, and charms. I use foraged sticks for the handles and decorate them with ribbons, twine, dried fruits, pinecones, flowers, and any other natural element that has personal meaning. Every flower, herb, and component has its own special correspondence, and combining them with the symbolism of the witch’s besom leads to a magical piece of art that is personal, intentional, creative, and meaningful.

It’s easy to make a besom of your own, as I show in this tutorial. It doesn’t take much in the way of materials or special skills—if you can make a bouquet of flowers, you’re already halfway there! Finding the perfect stick for your handle is one of the best parts of the experience: Take a walk through the woods, explore your local park, or just look around your backyard to find a truly unique stick that calls to you. After all, every witch needs a broom. Why not make yours personal and meaningful, full of lovely things that speak to you and you alone?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• A stick suitable for a broom handle, found or foraged, 1 inch to 1½ inches in diameter and at least 15 inches long
• 1 or 2 bunches dried or faux filler, such as baby’s breath, caspia, or broom bloom
• 5 to 8 stems, dried or faux flowers
• Accents, such as crystals, single flowers, pinecones, bells, charms, etc.
• 5 feet, strong twine
• 2 feet, hemp cord or waxed linen
• Heavy duty scissors or floral cutters
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks • Preserved moss

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1:
Gather your materials and assemble on a large workspace.

Step 2:
Make a large bouquet with your filler and flowers, mixing and layering as you would a bouquet of flowers. Assemble it so that most of the florals will be visible from the front and sides.

Step 3:
Hold the bouquet at the bottom with one hand and trim excess stems with scissors or floral cutters, leaving the stems about 3 inches long.

Step 4:
With your bouquet on your workspace, carefully separate the stems to make an opening for the handle.

Step 5:
Place 4 inches of the stick (the broom handle) inside the stems of your bouquet.

Step 6:
Using your hemp cord or waxed linen, tie the bouquet tightly 3 inches up from the bottom of the stems, wrapping it around several times. This is your first tie, to keep the bouquet together while you tie it a second time with twine.

Step 7:
At this point you can carefully turn and adjust your handle so it will lay flat for hanging. Check to see if your bouquet is lined up on your handle as you would like it. If it lies nice and flat on your workspace, it will hang nicely on your wall.

Step 8:
Using your twine, tie a knot in the same place you tied the first knot with the cording. The knot should be in the back, with a tail hanging down 8 inches.

Step 9:
Start wrapping the twine tightly around the stems while holding the tail in place. Wrap as tightly as possible to keep your bouquet and handle in place.

Step 10:
Once you’ve wrapped the stems, leave about a half inch of stems unwrapped. Tie a tight knot with the remaining tail of the twine. At this point your broom is assembled, and you can start adding your magical accents.

Step 11:
To add a crystal, create a base for the crystal by hot-gluing a small amount
of preserved moss to the bouquet right below the handle. Hot-glue or tie your crystal to the broom.

Step 12:
Add more flowers or accents with hot glue.

Step 13:
Wrap twine at the top of the handle for hanging.

Step 14:
Decorate the handle as you like by wrapping ribbon around it and gluing on natural elements like dried fruits, flowers, crystals, etc. There are endless possibilities to make it your own magical creation!

Find more of Lemmon’s creations at etsy.com/shop/thewitchnthegoddess, or follow her on Instagram @thewitchandthegoddess.