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Llewellyn's Practical Magick
Spell Crafts: Creating Magical Objects
Feel the energy that flows through everything you do. Tap into that power! Carve a symbol, dip a candle, mix fragrant herbs, sculpt clay, and make your life all that you want it to be. When crafts are used to create objects intended for ritual or to symbolize the divine, the connection between the craftsperson and divinity grows more intense. This second edition of Spell Crafts , the much-loved and oft-read guide to magical handwork, features new illustrations and a new preface by David Harrington. Learn how to create and use all of the
216 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2000
47 people are currently reading
2007 people want to read
About the author
Scott Cunningham
110 books1,289 followersScott Douglas Cunningham was an American writer. Cunningham is the author of several books on Wicca and various other alternative religious subjects.
His work Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, is one of the most successful books on Wicca ever published; he was a friend of notable occultists and Wiccans such as Raymond Buckland, and was a member of the Serpent Stone Family, and received his Third Degree Initiation as a member of that coven.
His work Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, is one of the most successful books on Wicca ever published; he was a friend of notable occultists and Wiccans such as Raymond Buckland, and was a member of the Serpent Stone Family, and received his Third Degree Initiation as a member of that coven.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 23, 2025
Scott Cunningham and David Harrington’s “Spell Crafts: Creating Magical Objects” is arranged in three parts: Beginnings, The Ways, and The Tables. This book dives into some elementary crafts that can easily be done with children.
God’s Eyes, sand paintings, potpourri (the “Money Simmering Potpourri” is divine!), and numerous other ideas are provided, along with step-by-step instructions. The instructions come with some photographs, but for readers who need a lot of visuals the lack of extensive photos for each and every single step might prove to be a handicap. However, the instructions are extremely clear.
Cunningham and Harrington show that even the minutest of activities can be made sacred. One example of this is in the chapter on Spell Boxes. In the directions that the authors give, they show how you can manifest energy and keep building that energy over time until one is finally ready to release it.
God’s Eyes, sand paintings, potpourri (the “Money Simmering Potpourri” is divine!), and numerous other ideas are provided, along with step-by-step instructions. The instructions come with some photographs, but for readers who need a lot of visuals the lack of extensive photos for each and every single step might prove to be a handicap. However, the instructions are extremely clear.
Cunningham and Harrington show that even the minutest of activities can be made sacred. One example of this is in the chapter on Spell Boxes. In the directions that the authors give, they show how you can manifest energy and keep building that energy over time until one is finally ready to release it.
December 10, 2011
I really cannot say it was good. I was disappointed, They spoke like Witchcraft is a religion which is incorrect. Their ritual setup was very outer-court Wicca and was quite annoying; What can you expect for a publisher like Llewellyn?
August 12, 2014
SPELL CRAFTS
The title pretty much explains it all. This book is about making spell crafts and in easy enough language so that anyone trying to read it will understand. Since the beginning of time man has used his hands as tools of magic. Power flows through the hand and it is hands that transform things. Man has also used hiss hands to build thing and carve things. Magic power also transfers through the hands especially the right hand. The left hand is more about receiving.
Magic is the transference of energy toward a specific goal. Another definition is the changing of reality according to ones will. The power can be derived from personal power, from elements such as air, water, earth and fire. Power can also be borrowed from the deities. Visualization is what programs the energy and tells it what to achieve. When visualizing a goal visualize yourself as having obtained the object you want or doing the thing you want to do.
Magic has four steps. the first step is rousing the energy, then programming the energy. Then you release and direct the energy. Rousing is raising or awakening, programming is using visualization to infuse a magical goal. Releasing the energy from our bodies. Directing puts the energy into an object. You can raise the energy while you are making your project or you can put your energy into the project after it is done. For attainment always move clockwise and counter clock wise to get rid of something.
The book gives step by step easy to follow instructions on how to make your spellcrafts. Their purposes range from making projects that will protect yourself and your home. Others are aimed at finding love. While some of the other ones help you obtain employment. Some of these project include witch bottle, yarn works, sand painting and claywork.
There is lots of emphasis on natural ingredients. The magic is folk magic and tends to rely on personal power or elemental power. This is not necessarily Wiccan magic as Mr. Cunningham has explored several cultures and while some of them are culturally sound others are his own variation whciih are no doubt effective. Mr. Cunningham also gives over the history behind the different magical projects.
The title pretty much explains it all. This book is about making spell crafts and in easy enough language so that anyone trying to read it will understand. Since the beginning of time man has used his hands as tools of magic. Power flows through the hand and it is hands that transform things. Man has also used hiss hands to build thing and carve things. Magic power also transfers through the hands especially the right hand. The left hand is more about receiving.
Magic is the transference of energy toward a specific goal. Another definition is the changing of reality according to ones will. The power can be derived from personal power, from elements such as air, water, earth and fire. Power can also be borrowed from the deities. Visualization is what programs the energy and tells it what to achieve. When visualizing a goal visualize yourself as having obtained the object you want or doing the thing you want to do.
Magic has four steps. the first step is rousing the energy, then programming the energy. Then you release and direct the energy. Rousing is raising or awakening, programming is using visualization to infuse a magical goal. Releasing the energy from our bodies. Directing puts the energy into an object. You can raise the energy while you are making your project or you can put your energy into the project after it is done. For attainment always move clockwise and counter clock wise to get rid of something.
The book gives step by step easy to follow instructions on how to make your spellcrafts. Their purposes range from making projects that will protect yourself and your home. Others are aimed at finding love. While some of the other ones help you obtain employment. Some of these project include witch bottle, yarn works, sand painting and claywork.
There is lots of emphasis on natural ingredients. The magic is folk magic and tends to rely on personal power or elemental power. This is not necessarily Wiccan magic as Mr. Cunningham has explored several cultures and while some of them are culturally sound others are his own variation whciih are no doubt effective. Mr. Cunningham also gives over the history behind the different magical projects.
January 29, 2015
As a hand crafter I was intrigued by this book. The crafts are spiritual but are based on many different traditions. Some of the crafts seem easy enough others need materials rich people couldn't afford. I did wish they had simpler options like with the spell box. They said it should be made out of wood. Well not everyone is a carpenter so I wonder if cardboard would serve just as well as its mostly a wood product. Things like that. At least it's different from most books out there so definitely worth a look.
April 10, 2015
This is a fun book! It has quite of few ideas for crafting magickal objects such as mandalas, potpourri mixes, sand painting, spell boxes, flower garlands, spell bottles, and much more! It's a great reference if you have kids and want to get them crafting with "nature."
December 12, 2014
Rating: 3.5
Review to come.
Review to come.
May 15, 2025
This is first book of magic I’ve read since I was in my mid to late twenties (c. 1995 - 1999) and the first book of its kind (a book written specifically about the creation of magical objects) I’ve ever read.
I don’t know either author (Cunningham and Harrington) at all so I couldn’t tell the difference in narrative voice. That said, the narration, the voice, is very easy to follow. The book has a cozy feel to it that invites the reader to read the pages. At the same time, I did find myself drifting off to sleep a few times. Perhaps I was tired at those points.
The instructions for creating the objects are fairly detailed, which is a good thing for some of the more complicated crafts. That cozy voice lends to the easiness of following, though. The authors seem to assume the reader knows something of common kitchen or garden herbs and flowers and gemstones but little or nothing of the combination of such things in spell-making. Yet, they don’t talk down to the read. These are instructions from teachers to students.
The one theme that’s repeated throughout the book is visualization at the heart of magic. The idea seems to be, as I’ve interpreted it, the spell is only as strong as the magician’s visualization. In other texts, I’ve read a similar idea in relation to intent. One needs to know their intent and to keep it firmly in the mind, even when speaking it aloud during spell casting. This seems to also be true of visualization.
This was a good book for me, for re-introducing myself to magic for usage in witchcraft. I had been, and as of this writing, am still wanting to make my own wand from a limb of a Rowan tree. I hadn’t considered that to be “crafting” in the same way as making jewelry or sewing or painting or, as is my craft, writing. Now I know better.
I would recommend this book for those magic users (whether witches or other) who want to create their own magical objects. It’s a good instruction, inspiration, and reference.
I don’t know either author (Cunningham and Harrington) at all so I couldn’t tell the difference in narrative voice. That said, the narration, the voice, is very easy to follow. The book has a cozy feel to it that invites the reader to read the pages. At the same time, I did find myself drifting off to sleep a few times. Perhaps I was tired at those points.
The instructions for creating the objects are fairly detailed, which is a good thing for some of the more complicated crafts. That cozy voice lends to the easiness of following, though. The authors seem to assume the reader knows something of common kitchen or garden herbs and flowers and gemstones but little or nothing of the combination of such things in spell-making. Yet, they don’t talk down to the read. These are instructions from teachers to students.
The one theme that’s repeated throughout the book is visualization at the heart of magic. The idea seems to be, as I’ve interpreted it, the spell is only as strong as the magician’s visualization. In other texts, I’ve read a similar idea in relation to intent. One needs to know their intent and to keep it firmly in the mind, even when speaking it aloud during spell casting. This seems to also be true of visualization.
This was a good book for me, for re-introducing myself to magic for usage in witchcraft. I had been, and as of this writing, am still wanting to make my own wand from a limb of a Rowan tree. I hadn’t considered that to be “crafting” in the same way as making jewelry or sewing or painting or, as is my craft, writing. Now I know better.
I would recommend this book for those magic users (whether witches or other) who want to create their own magical objects. It’s a good instruction, inspiration, and reference.
August 16, 2019
It has a lot of great info and how tos but for me at least, I don't plan on using most of them. There were a few relevant projects that will prove useful but nothing that I either didn't already know or things that couldn't have been found in other books. Either way, I'd recommend it for the variety of projects and tables, and it is a great book I'll reference again.
I give it 3 stars because I was hoping for more....in depth crafts?
I give it 3 stars because I was hoping for more....in depth crafts?
February 12, 2021
As with all most of his books I can see now how they are problematic and sometimes odd. A “product of the time” we say. They do have some good info (never thought about purposeful spell boxes consciously until this book) if you have a discerning eye and understanding. Just take it with a grain of salt and use his words as a catalyst to do better research. Ngl I grew up reading his books so they are comforting in a sense but the lease in which I view them is so much different now.
February 7, 2019
Not as "crafty" as I was hoping. I know it's an older book, but felt that there could have been more exploration of knitting, weaving, even cooking and creating tinctures that could have been incorporated.
December 16, 2023
If you are crafty and want to and make your own magical items than this book is invaluable and I highly suggest it. This is one of those books that I like to give out to all of my friends who are like-minded!
December 7, 2017
This book was written by Scott Cunningham. The cover was painted by Lissanne Lake. David B. Harrington is a fraud. Avoid.
December 6, 2021
It's Cunningham, enough said. Buy them all, you won't regret them. My little 90s copies of the entire series are pretty battered but still going strong.
July 6, 2022
Not my favorite of Cunningham's books.
December 12, 2022
Good book! It gave me back ground and meaning along with instruction for each of the crafts. I will keep this book on my bookshelf.
November 14, 2024
Perhaps it's unfair of me to rate books my ex left and I don't really agree with, but nevertheless I did read this and didn't like it.
August 20, 2016
I LOVED this book. If you are someone who is crafty or is looking for inspiration on how to get a little more crafty this book is for YOU. I live in a small city, where there are no Pagan supply shops so this book became an invaluable resource because I could not just go and purchase my supplies (this was before the awesomeness of the Internet- yes I am THAT old). The book is full of great ideas, easy instructions and supplies you can find in nature or on hand. The crafts and recipes are fun and easy to do and Scott's voice is clearly defined and heard throughout the book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to do some witchy crafting.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to do some witchy crafting.
August 5, 2018
If the reader thinks going to Joanne Fabrics and writing spells is a fun time then this book was made for them. Cunningham explains how to make witch bottles, knit eyes of god, and paint sigils onto any surface. Whip out the glue gun and start crafting a new book of shadows. These are just some of the activities included. There are different crafts for every skill set. Got a bored kid? I'm sure there is something in this book that will annoy them.
October 8, 2015
Some of the crafts were a bit off off my spiritual path and a bit to time consuming or advanced but I could see some of them being done. The book it's a bit weird somehow and too new agey for me but it was worth a days casual reading and I got a few ideas from it.
January 4, 2025
there were some bits I disliked, especially in the first half when talking about magic and the authors got too wiccany. overall though, lots of useful information and ideas to help expand your craft and get creative with it.
January 21, 2011
Reread. More crafts along the lines of corn dolls, garland and little things. Another good little book packed full of info.
February 23, 2008
ok so, I like two of his books...dosen't make me a fan...
March 2, 2008
I own this one and it is a wonderful book which teaches the novice to the expert how to make magical objects for protection and assist with life in general.
July 24, 2013
I love his simple K.I.S.S. to folkish magic. It is simple, to the point and geared towards protection. Very good for beginners.
October 24, 2015
This book has so many fun craft ideas for people of all ages. Very fun read and activity idea book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews