About White Ash Tree Wood

White Ash (Fraxinus Americana) is sometimes referred to as baseball bat wood. The wood is white, strong, straight-grained, and the tree is in the olive family. White ash is the largest of the ashes native to North America and is known for being tough. It does not break under large amounts of strain yet is quite light weight. Being one of the toughest and most elastic woods has led to its use in Native American spears, bows, clubs, and snow shoes since time immemorial.

The Metaphysical Ash

The magic influence of the ash tree reaches far back into time, and the properties are numerous. Ash wands or staves are good for healing, general magic, solar magic, to attract lightning, and is used to remove spells or hexes. The ancient World Tree (Yggdrasil) of Norse mythology is commonly thought to have been an ash tree, and the first man formed from the same. Being an herb of the sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Winter Solstice. The wood has traditionally been burned during the Yule holiday for prosperity of the household as the Yule Log. Celtic druid wands were often made of ash and decorated with symbols and sigils. The handle for a witches broom is traditionally made from ash wood, purportedly allowing witches to ride through the air.

 A bit of ash may be worn or kept in your home to protect from general evil or witchcraft, plus venomous animals too. Save the stripped off bark of ash and use for protection or prosperity spells, sea rituals, and health spells. An amulet to protect from drowning and vampires can be made by carving or binding two twigs together into a solar cross (Brigid's Cross). An ash staff or wand placed over the door wards off negative influences. It has also been said that tools with handles made of this wood will enable a person to do more work than could be done with tools whose handles were not of ash; hence the reason that ash wood is generally used as tool handles.

Specially Gathered Ash Wood: In addition to the powerful metaphysical uses for White Ash, many of the wands I craft hold the added power of hurricane winds and the energy of the peaking Full Moon. They were harvested and felled during the September 2008 Hurricane Ike Full Moon (USA). The mother tree still lives, and was quite healthy when these wands were harvested from a large branch that was twisted off by the high winds of a most unusual wind storm event. The wood harvested has never touched the ground. The tree fell just before the peak of the Moon; at 99%, and was harvested with the Moon at 100% full. My husband and myself worked swiftly to stay within the Full Moon time, but enjoyed our blessings with playful fun, hoping to pass that good energy along with the wands.

referenced
*tree: white ash. Photograph. Britannica Online for Kids. Web. 19  July  2012.  <http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-126771>.
*Illustration of white ash (Fraxinus Americana) http://ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/displayimage-6603.html
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_americana
*http://www.answers.com/topic/ash-5
*http://www.angelfire.com/de/poetry/Flowers/Ash.html
* experience and verbal lore

--Tree Pruitt

Art of Wandmaking

 One of the great pleasures of the art of wandmaking is to let the self become open to the voices of Nature, entering a trance like state while crafting. At such times guidance from the inner self or Higher Powers can move through the artist emotionally, and a wand design can seem to create itself. It is in fact a communion with the Divine, and such creative acts are seen by some to be a call to service such as is the priesthood or a nunnery of the Christian faith. As artists we cannot be certain if creativity calls us to wand making or if wand making calls forth the creative Muse; The answer matters little for we do the job we are compelled to do with joy!

How I Make Hand Carved Wooden Wands: Each wand and talking stick by artist Tree Pruitt is as individual as the trees that grow from the Earth. No two can ever be the same in color, grain, or Spirit, when the individual character is allowed to emerge. No power tools are used to make wands, except for the electric wood burner for pyrography details. All of the work I do is by hand using knives, files, or stones to cut and shape the wood. The spiritual ritual tools that I craft are always only worked on in a positive environment with a ritual mind-set using the highest quality materials possible for heirloom quality authenticity.

My Do's & Don'ts

I Do...

• craft serious tools for serious use in magic and religious ceremony
• make wands of wood with other natural materials
• follow spiritual guidance tempered with knowledge when crafting
• work with hand tools, some are primitive rocks and stones
• craft ritual tools during the Constructive phase of the Moon and only in a positive mind set
• make each wand as its own special creation, a unique work of art never duplicated
• use re-claimed materials; some animal fur may come from vintage or antique clothing, some wand branches may have fallen from the mother tree by wind or rain
• use environmentally friendly varnish on some creations
• clean and heat sterilize away bacteria and insects
• use modern adhesives; my works are inspired by ancient cultures but not intended to represent actual historic "reproductions" (unless otherwise stated in an individual item description) therefore I feel that modern adhesives are fine and very practical to use. 

I Don't....

• harm trees or animals when harvesting materials, (bacteria and small insects are removed when I sterilize the wood)
• make wands as toys or home decor
• use plastic
• craft altar tools when in a negative mood
• mass-produce
• make wands of copper pipes, prefabricated tubes, or hardware store dowel rods
• use machines or turn on a lathe
• take custom orders though special symbols or characters may be added to a wand by request for personalisation (a finished wand must call to an owner as stated in a now Pop Culture phrase ... "the wand chooses the wizard")
• sell used wands... all of my wands are new and have not been previously used
• show in contests, display physically, or let others handle wands... my husband and myself may wave them about to test balance, heft, and energy but we feel that testing them out in actual magick practice would open the bonding process with the wand as if it were our own to keep 

The Thirteen Steps to Making These Ceremonial Magic Wands

1. Felled branches gathered.
2. Branches cut into lengths and cleaned of small out branches. This must be done very carefully to avoid cuttings oneself when working with hand tools. Cleaning was done with a ceremonial bowline knife that is only used for ritual crafting.
3. The new "naked" wands get spread out on a tray and low temp baked in an old oven to remove bacteria; sterilize.
4. Then smoothed down with various grades of sandpaper and/or natural stones.
5. After examining the wand, inspiration and Spirit takes over. A gem stone crystal that matches the form of the end of the wood is selected. It needs to not only fit the physical shape but also the function of the wand.
6. The wood is carved out by hand using eye measurement to allow the stone to fit as tightly as possible.
7. Once the shapes are right a strong glue is added before the pieces joined together. Making sure the fit is tight, the wand is allowed to dry.
8. After several days drying the glue, I swell the wood around the crystal. Small amounts of water are carefully allowed to soak into the grain of the wood, causing it to swell. I check the stone to test tightness and go on to another heat drying. This causes the wood grains to tighten up more than before; like tempering.
9. The next step is to add decoration to the body of the wand.
10. The pommel end is finished. A magic core or tassel may be added.
11. The piece is varnished with environmentally friendly varnish.
12. At the next Full Moon after varnishing the wand is given a welcoming ceremony to mark its finish and cleanse any unwanted energy accumulated during crafting. (see Ritual Tool Cleansing Brew)
13. Step thirteen, sacred number, is for the wand to find a home.

Also click "About" for more information on wands by Tree.

(copyright Tree Pruitt)

The Rustic Knot Wand

Rustic Knot Ash Wand (other items shown not included).

This natural finished wand is ready to emerge from my witches cabinet to begin its search for an owner; a partner in magic. At 15 inches long it is handmade from the same special metaphysical White Ash wood that I've offered before. This wand retains the look of a natural tree branch with small knots that have been smoothed over lightly, showing the warm tone of the wood grain beneath the tree bark. The pommel handle end features a large open healed knot in the wood which, though rustic looking, is surprisingly comfortable to the touch. The hand rubbed finish has a warm golden tone to the natural tree bark colors of red brown.


Name of Wand: Rustic Ash Knot Wand
My Item #: hm058
Primary Materials: White Ash wood
Size: 15" long x 1" plus (in areas) in diameter
Tip: clear quartz crystal, double tipped
Pommel Core: herbal blend (see details)
Finish: natural
Craftsperson: Tree Pruitt
Crafted through 2010 - 2011, with all materials grown in America
$60.00
Click To Shop

Crystal tipped projection end.

The ends of this wand hold special features of their own. On the projection tip is a natural clear quartz crystal. The crystal was hand collect in the American West and has a small second point growing off to one side; this stone is active and ready to work! It's set into place with my own tested methods using no power tools; the wood was hand carved to match the shape of the stone like a puzzle piece. The pommel end is shaped simply for comfort. The magickal core is on this end, and is sealed closed with natural paper clay. The ingredients of this core are all plant totems, my Ritual Tool Cleansing Brew, so this is an animal friendly wand.

Pommel end.

Overall this wand has the sturdy feel of a work tool yet also a balance of energy suited for all magic uses. A balance of masculine to feminine energy also exists physically in the stick because the wood was gather by my husband and myself plus the shape is reminiscent of both genitalia. Male energy is symbolized by the long projection end and female energy is represented by the "Yoni" like opening of the knot on the pommel, or receiving, end. When the metaphysical properties of the materials are taken into account with the energy the wand seems to exude it could be described as a steady work-horse for all-purpose spells from spiritual protection to healing, evocations and invocations, weather work to Circle casting and more.


 * This is the ash wood that previous customers have referred to as the "Hurricane Ike Wood", because it was felled from strong winds created by the storm that reached all the way up to Ohio. This wood has never touched the ground and was gathered with magic in mind.
 All of the spiritual ritual tools that I craft are always only worked on in a positive environment with a ritual mind-set using the highest quality materials possible for heirloom quality authenticity.

*Use metaphysical information as suggestion and at your own risk.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Phoenix Medicine Ash Wood Wand

Named the Phoenix Medicine Wand this compact 10 3/4" x 1/2" ash wood stick features a magical core of ingredients similar to a those found in medicine bags and bundles, as well as other unique aspects. The size and feel of this neoshamanic wand is sturdy; not that it's unbreakable, but it could handle being stuffed into a Harry Potter style pocket for magic on the go.

The wood itself is a specially gathered White Ash (more info). One of the many magical uses for Ash Wood is for working with or warding away lightning, associated with the Phoenix or Thunderbird. The tip is capped with a fine miniature clear quartz crystal point from the American Southwest, set clean and firmly into place. The smoothed back layers of tree bark near the tip create a pattern reminiscent of a red feather, though the overall color is more brown than seen in the photographs. On this end of the wand a gently smoothed knot revealed a natural sacred spiral design in the bark and others similar to eyes or Yoni symbols. The Yoni like marks were created from the claws of fire red Cardinal birds having perched on the living branch, and the tree healed itself.

The pommel end contains the core. Within the natural stem cavity metaphysical ingredients have been placed to attract energy similar to the legendary Phoenix or Thunderbird. The materials include: Red Pheasant feather, a bit of Brown Bear hide, a bit of Red Fox fur, Mugwort herb, White Sage, Rosemary. This core was then sealed with natural paper clay, and the entire wand was lightly coated with a protective gloss varnish.

#HM054 Phoenix Medicine Wand, check availability here.

Bird Yoni Natural Ash 9 1/2 inch Wand

This sturdy little wand may be used 100 % natural as is or personalized by an owner with their own crystals, beads, or other accessories. It's an attractive compact wand of white ash wood with hand smoothed ends. A section of the bark has Yoni symbol shapes that were created by red cardinal bird claws landing on the branch. The mark healed but also left behind three bird foot print marks inside the Yoni shape.
 The shape curves at one end creating a natural handle. It has been cleaned and buffed but still has the red colored tree bark intact. The projection end tapers to a smooth point that is open, due to the sap line channel inside of the branch. This can be filled in by the owner or allowed to remain open to project energy. The wand is small and light weight yet durable and ready to work magic!

Name of Wand: Bird Yoni Ash Wand #hm056
Craftsperson: Tree Pruitt
Primary Materials: White Ash wood
Size: 9 1/2" long x 1/4" in diameter
Tip: wood tapered to a point, open slightly on end for projection of energy
Pommel Core: none
Finish: natural hand rubbed
Crafted 2011
US $9.00
Click To Shop

* This is the ash wood that previous customers have referred to as the "Hurricane Ike Wood", because it was felled from strong winds created by the storm that reached all the way up to Ohio. This wood has never touched the ground and was gathered with magic in mind. See "White Ash" tag in the sidebar for more information on this wood.

The wood that I craft my wands from is always ethically gathered, such as those that the wind has brought down or that come from general yard maintenance -- no trees are ever harmed for harvesting. I do not use power tools -- all of the work is done by hand. I only use branches and twigs that are free of disease, and not previously "dead", so that the wood remains strong. Heat is used to both sanitize and temper green wood, which further adds to the strength. Because they come from Nature no two of my handmade wands can ever be the same.

All of the spiritual ritual tools that I craft are always only worked on in a positive environment with a ritual mind-set using the highest quality materials possible for heirloom quality authenticity.

*Use metaphysical information as suggestion and at your own risk.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

Includes the printed tag shown below.

Witch Whats products by Tree Pruitt.

Rowan and Plum Wood Tribal Fairy Wand



The tip & center of the wand.

This wand was crafted from two different types of wood. The top portion, without tree bark, is the fruitful plum tree for abundance and the sweetness of magic. The lower portion is the sacred Rowan of the Druid and Fairy folk tales. With red bark and partner sage green lichen, the design emerges from the natural. The two sections of wood have been carefully hand joined into a single sturdy, yet delicate, wand to represent the magic of two worlds combined; the mundane human and magickal Fey. The entire wand has been coated with environmentally friendly varnish to protect the bark surfaces. 
Name of Wand: Tribal Fairy Wand
Main Materials: rowan wood, plum wood, quartz crystal & amethyst gem
Item #: hm02
Length: 9" long
Available: No



The entire wand is shown.

 A wand of rowan is known to be used in binding spells and to remove spirits or ghosts. The two types of wood further represent the concept of, "two coming together", by their original growing locations; the Rowan wood is from the Western USA and the Plum wood from the Eastern. The fine point tip holds a polished clear quartz crystal pebble, well fitted into place. Further down, a natural amethyst gem stone has been embedded into the wood grain; The shape is near to a triangle, pointing the dreamy energies of amethyst to do the wielders bidding. The handle end is uncapped and signed by the artist with a simple letter "T". The wood burned band, on the same end, could be used to tie colorful ribbons or beads for special events. No power tools were used, except for the electric pyrography wood burning tool; all work done by hand.


The wand shown facing the other direction

Slender Plum Wood Wand

Click images to view enlarged.

This sleek wand is crafted from a plum wood stick that was lovingly pruned from a tree that I grew. The slender form fits comfortably in a small hand. I carefully capped the projection end with a small clear quartz crystal point. Both ends of the wand are sealed and smoothed with natural Paperclay product for a tidy finish. Having been a young branch it has no thorns but still retains the plum red bark. Acrylic paint was carefully matched to the natural color of the bark so as to visually blend the pale colored Paperclay into the wand. The surface was then coated with a clear protective varnish, which also gives the wand a nice buffed shine.

Magic Uses: This wand can be used in rites of protection, fertility, creativity, healing, dispersing evil and/or negative energy, said to be an all-purpose magic general use wood especially for an artist or other creative person, and also within self-help magic.

Name of Wand: Slender Plum Wood Wand
My Item #: HM030
Craftsperson: Tree Pruitt
Primary Materials: Plum wood, quartz crystal
Size: 13" 1/4" inches long.
Finish: low gloss protective clear varnish
Click to Shop -->

The wood that I craft my wands from is always ethically gathered, such as those that the wind has brought down or that come from general yard maintenance -- no trees are ever harmed for harvesting. I do not use power tools -- all of the work is done by hand. I only use branches and twigs that are free of disease, and not previously "dead", so that the wood remains strong. Heat is used to both sanitize and temper green wood, which further adds to the strength. Because they come from Nature no two of my handmade wands can ever be the same.

All of the spiritual ritual tools that I craft are always only worked on in a positive environment with a ritual mind-set using the highest quality materials possible for heirloom quality authenticity.

*Use metaphysical information as suggestion and at your own risk.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.