Staff Of Beauty

ג' באייר תשס"ח
Mab 4

This past Sunday afternoon I found my witch's staff and de-barked it. Then after letting it rest for a few days, this evening I did my initial carvings. I am planning on filling up most of the surface with mystical and symbolic designs.

I have no idea what kind of wood the staff consists of, but it is a hard pale wood. When I decided this past weekend that the time was right to go look for the wood with which to craft my magic staff, I found it immediately, within 1 minute after exiting my car and entering the forest. My staff of beauty measures 58 inches long and is shaped like a tzadi sofit (the fifth of the final letters).

In between cycles of carving (and before sealing it with a protective varnish), I am going to treat the wood with a herb, resin and red ochre pigment mixture in a base of almond oil. I haven't decided on the exact recipe yet. Maybe tomorrow.

I've placed a small clear natural crystal point in one of the top ends of the staff. Other things may be added after the carving, (and initial) protective pigmenting treatments and varnishing are complete.