Wildcrafted Inks

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Think about how much you write for your spiritual or magickal practice: records of dreams, journaling, chronical of spells, sigil work, and writing of intentions.  Often we think about sacred tools as something permanent – books, pens, quills, but how much thought do we put into the ink we use to fuel them?  Using intentional ink can add a level of personalization, a quality of the sacred, and one more layer of intent into a practice. 

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Because I make these inks for spiritual use, it is important to me to imbue the ink with magickal intent from the start.  I often make them in larger batches as some ingredients are seasonal, with a “blank” intent, set to imbue with the full intent later.  I always start with rain water. I collect rainwater on my property, for use in my garden, in large barrels, but I also put out many containers as well – especially if rain is falling during the full or new moons.  

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From the rain water, I create moon water. I put the water out in covered jars overnight on the evenings of the new, full moons, or eclipses.  New moon water is for new beginnings, goal setting, and manifestation.  Full moon water is for creativity, emotional work, mental processes, and visions. Lunar eclipse water is rare, but helpful in bringing in renewal and significant change to your life and letting go of old cycles and patterns.

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I offer several types of inks:

• Black Walnut: 

  • In the late summer and early fall, the black walnut will start to drop its fruit.  The nuts are enclosed in a bright green husk.  This ink is made from the outer hull and not the nuts.  When collecting the hulls, I always ask permission from the tree to use the hulls for this ink.  I also make it a point to either just take the hulls (from open fruit) or return the nuts for the animals to eat. I only use the walnut hulls that have dropped – they fall off when ripe and you take less risk in damaging the tree. 

  • Black Walnut ink can be used for gathering energy (its great for sigils for this reason), for beginning new projects (black walnut new moon ink is especially potent for this) and removing unwanted things/people/ideas.

• Iron Oak Gall

  • ​The oak gall ink recipe I use is an ancient formula that uses fermented oak galls (which are formed when the oak gall wasp lays its eggs in the tree), red wine, and iron. This was the preferred ink of choice on medieval manuscripts and was used up until the Victorian age. It will go on a dusty violet and quickly turn to a deep black.

  • This is a great all-purpose ink, but is especially ideal for gathering strength, gaining wisdom and knowledge, protection, and balancing.  It’s a great choice for warding sigils and recording spells.

• Acorn Cap

  • The acorn ink is a soft warm grey-brown. Acorn caps are used, and the nuts are left for the woodland creatures. This ink is subtle and smoky and can be used in a pen or with a brush for a watercolor wash effect. It will go on very light, then develop to a soft grey over a few minutes. 

  • Acorns are messengers of “oak knowledge” – knowledge of the harvest, of stories, myths, and connection to our ancestors.  This ink is perfect for work involving those areas and about new growth and unlimited potential.  ​

• Saffron & Turmeric

  • These ingredients do not grow in my garden or forest areas, so I purchase these colorants and spices from reputable and ethical vendors.  I use all organic ingredients for this bright yellow ink. This is an alcohol-based ink, unlike my other water-based inks, using organic grain alcohol as the base.

  • Saffron & Turmeric ink is great choice to use when doing work that involves the sacral charka, luck or prosperity, creativity, sensitivity, sexuality, intimacy, fertility, and emotions.

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