Re-post Part 2: Pagans/Witches what is your favorite arts 'n' craft projects?

I am about as uncreative as a person can get. The exception being that I do sew and sew quite well.

But, one pagany craft that I do love is making paper. Probably because it's exceptionally easy. (and I have no delusion that I'll get best answer for this :) )

But, here's how you do it. Take newspaper (or other paper) and tear it up. Put it in a blender or food processor and add water - blend until smooth. You can add liquid starch or even a bit of glue - this helps bind it.

The fun part is to add some herbs and this is what makes it "Pagany". Add different herbs for different batches and then you have say Lavender paper or cedar paper, or you can blend herbs. I've added essential oils too as that makes the smell stronger but you have to use them sparingly since the oil really messes with the consistency of the paper if you use too much.

Once your paper mix is blended you need a screen of some sort. An old window screen is best, but you can also make a square or rectangle out of a clothes hanger and stretch a nylon stocking (pantyhose) over the frame. Take your paper mix and spread it out on the frame making it as smooth as possible. Set it in a dry, warm place and let it dry. Once dry, peel it off the frame and you have paper. You can cut it to whatever size you want. I roll it into little scrolls, tie appropriately colored ribbons around them and give them as gifts often. I like to use this kind of paper for magical uses much better than any old scrap of paper lying around.

Candle making and soap making are fun too, but I don't know the instructions for those off the top of my head.

Most of my crafts aren't religious, but some are:

One of my favorite arts 'n' craft projects is to make chainmail. So far I've made a gauntlet, a watchband, and a ball. I'm currently making another gauntlet, a shirt, a coif, and contemplating making bracelets for my friends. One of the people in my Heathen group wants a gauntlet for ritual purposes. I'm tempted to make a book cover, though I'm not sure I'd like lugging a text book with that around--they're heavy enough as they are, lol!

There are many instructional sites out there for chainmail. Here's one that I found helpful when I was learning: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/trevor.barker/farisle...

and this website: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Chainmail but it appears to be down at the moment.

Another one of my hobbies is glassblowing. I mainly do the sculpting side. It's purely a hobby though, so I use my dads oxyacetylene torch. The bad part about oxyacetylene is it burns way hotter than propane. I could probably do a little more research and take the acetylene take out and put a propane tank in, but I haven't seen if I can do that with his torch yet.

I also like to paint, if that counts. Oil and acrylic. wee =)

One of the strangest things I've done of late is create candles. I say this is strange because of the way I made them. Instead of melting the wax like normal, I crushed it using my pestle and mortar, put it in a jar, and them poured some melted wax on top.

I got the idea of crushing the wax from some tea-light candles I bought from Wal-Mart. I noticed that on top they were solid wax that had been melted, but if i pealed the metal casing off I found that the lower part of the candle consisted of beads of wax pressed together.

I always save the remenants of wax from spent candles in a container. I took a little bit of this at a time and ground it up with my pestle and mortar (worth the buy if you dont have one already. lovely for making incenses and stuff). I put the crushed wax in a container with a zink-core wick with a metal base. Every inch or so, I poured some melted wax from a lit candle onto the top of the crushed wax, waited a few seconds for it to cool enough to touch, and then pressed it to compact the crushed wax. Be careful not to burn yourself if you do this. When you have the candle to the desired height of the container, pour some melted wax on top of it to hold the crushed wax down and also keep the candle from sputtering.

I also sew, knit, and crochet. I've sewed a few altar cloths for people, as well as ritual clothing. My significant other is currently wanting me to help sew some ritual robes for the Grotto when they get more people.

I plan to pick up rune carving when I get more free time.

I make all kinds of things - I can weave, spin, embroider, crochet, cross stitch.

Right now, I'm making toys - i recently bought patterns to make milk cap dolls, dragons and other assorted things. They are crocheted, the milk cap is inside the head! (Peggytoes on Etsy.com)

I'm also working on some cotton crocheted washclothes, baby doll bassinet/purses out of crochet and butter containers (have to type the pattern up, but if anyone wants it, let me know), and I will be making a bunch of huck embroidered dish towels next week.

I made candles a few weeks ago - lol- when it was 90 out- silly me.

I don't make anything specifically religious, but I do put a bit of myself in each piece, if you know what I mean

I like to make my own candles for ritual and decoration. You melt the wax in a double-boiler and add the necessary additives--stearic acid (for hardening), dye chips, and fragrance oil--then you pour it into a mold/container and insert the wick (or vice versa, depending on the type of mold). Sometimes I like to put herbs, potpourri, stones, flowers, or leaves in them. I have even put pine needles in the ones that were pine scented.

It can be a hot and time-consuming process, but to me it is worth the heat and time. Making my own candles (for ritual or decoration) is a special experience for me. Homemade candles also make great gifts.

I usually buy my supplies online. http://www.peakcandlesupplies.com/

I consider myself a very crafty person (pun intended) and enjoy making a lot of different things. Usually I make my own loose incense for rituals, in order to gear them specifically for it. Last Yule I handmade topsy-turvey dolls of the Maiden/Mother and Oak King/Holly King as gifts. I could give you instructions for the topsy-turvey dolls but I would have to scan the patterns in and don't have them with me. If you want them let me know and I can scan them over the weekend and email them to you.

My favorite is cross stitching. I love to cross stitch pagan/witchy artwork for my walls.

answer: I've carved and decorated drinking horns. Handcarved our Kindred Oath ring from a cedar log. I do loom beadwork and embroidery for tunics and harrow clothes. I also do wood burning on our blessing bowls, harrows, boxes to hold runes and cups. I also carve runes.

Lets see, what else...... lucet weaving for cording to hang our banners and for clothing.

I like having my hands busy.

making my wand was the most fun for me, as I had never had handled a saw before.

Also, making my wand pouch, I crocheted.

and making my magickal things I take great joy in making, as I knit and crochet alot.

I make alot of my own clothes,too.

i draw, usually women, they are much more interesting to draw

and go on and off making bracelets

nothing pagan or religious tho

but i do have a few pagan pics and witches to draw in the future

Broom decorating, of course!

Aargh... its not Sunday school.. or VBS. Anything I make is for a purpose...