An idea I’ve been toying with for a while… Not everyone can have a skull of their familiar on their altar nor can they have a live one as a pet (wild animals should be in the wild) – so why not bits of them with a carved wood fetish of the creature instead to be used to call the spirit of the familiar? From left to right: Robin familiar vessel with egg shell, foot, wing and breast feathers, and Rowan egg and Robin head fetiches; Barn Owl familiar vessel with a feather, a bone, Elder wood beads, and a Goat Willow wood fetiche; Deer familiar vessel with an ear bone, a tooth, and a Goat Willow wood fetiche with deer hide ears; and also a Crow familiar vessel with breast feathers, a toe, 2,000 year old black glass beads, and a Blackthorn wood fetiche… All in glass bottles with wax-sealed corks bound with wool. I’m still working on ones for Mountain Goat, Bee, and Butterfly and plan to make even more for snake, fox, toad, cow/bull, duck, spider – based on whatever bits I’m able to come by.
The Deer and Crow ones speak to me immensely! Over the past five years, I keep having very close encounters with deer, a female deer, a massive very mature buck/stag AND a whole family of crows. The crows show up in our yard, our pine tree, fly out of trees as I take walks in the woods and as for the deer, it’s just odd.
I am a farm-girl, spent much of my early life on a Bluegrass farm and so am not truly totally silly about animals, but all these things keep happening over and over again and many times I have wished for more ways to get closer, so to speak to deer and crows.
Your work is stunning and leaves an impact on one’s heart!
Thank you,
Jae
Wonderful work, and a great idea. Where do you get your little bottles?
I have made fetish bundles before, but never jars. I’ve also worked with zuni stone fetishes, but that is pretty heavy magic, and I have found the spirits resistant to allowing me (non-First Nations) to work with it. I’m being forced to find my own method. Not that the spirits are not generous providing parts and pieces, but the manner of working with such found objects is slow in revealing itself. I have learned by trial and, mostly error, not to be too hasty in such matters. Sometimes an object sits in my sacred space for over a year before how to use it begins to come to me. I have many pieces still awaiting transformation. This has truly inspired me and sparked the wheels turning. Thanks again!
Jon
I think these are a great idea. It’s much more easy to transport then trying to carry skulls. It would be perfect for outdoor workings. I will be asking my ancestors for much help soon, so if you ever are thinking of selling your barn owl one I would be very interested.
CR
I didn’t even think of that use when I made them! Indeed they would be good for outdoor workings! If you send me an email I’ll be able to reserve the owl one for you Christa
Slainte!
Sarah
I love this idea!!! As Christa said above, excellent for working outdoors – I am always worried about small skulls breaking when carrying them for rituals.
I love jars in general, so I think these are inspired!
I bought a bunch of mini-salt shakers at the $ store once and made F***y ward-jars with pins/seeds/glitter/little soldiers/etc… but your carving, as always, is in a class by itself.
Thank you all very much for your wonderful comments! I’m glad that you love my little creations and that they’ve inspired some of you to get crafty as well! Happy witchcrafting!
Hey Sarah!
What a powerful idea, your carving always perfect and your inspirations too.
Its hard to have such inspiration living in a 6 million habited city…
Greetings from the tequila land!
Max.
This is such a wonderful idea! How much will you be selling these for? I am interested in the Butterfly and Crow vessels. Would you ever consider custom orders (the Frog, just curious lol). You are very talented, and I can tell a lot of energy and work went into these.
*~Nik.
Hi Nik!
I’ll be selling them for $45 each – if you’re still interested you can send me a note by email (the contact button) or through my Etsy shop to set up a reserved listing for you
Slainte!
Sarah
nice variant on fetishes – really makes me itch to make some of my own
thanks for sharing!