A Charm for Your Pocket

Starlight

I will be

Chasing 

Starlight

Until the end

Of my life.

~Starlight, by Muse

I’ve always considered myself an individual with a high-functioning-multiple-personality-disorder. There are a lot of us in here. A lot. How many? I keep losing count. But this is not my point, my point is each personality seems to need her/his/its own field of expression: writing, painting, drawing, chasing after dust motes that look like ghosts, etc. Keeps me busy and off the streets. I highly recommend giving in to your creative impulses. It will require some *wrangling capabilities on your part, but I do believe that the **rope burns are worth it.

This post is about my latest creative impulse: Pocket Charms. Below is a record (of sorts) of my project. Making these charms works best if you have some knowledge of symbols and their meanings.

First you need a disc. My preference is wood. For some unknown and wicked reason I chose wood discs that are a mere 1 1/2 inches in diameter. What was I thinking? Yeah. That is one of the drawbacks to following one’s impulses. Things often turn out to be more difficult than initially anticipated. In this case, the discs are very small which makes painting them a bit of a pain.

Wood disc, size 1 1/2″ in diameter by 1/8″ thickness.

Here’s a few. Aren’t they cool? Each one has a different wood pattern. By the way, these discs are scrap. So, the tree that was harmed? Wasn’t harmed again to make these discs.

A few wood discs.

You will also need one of these.

Nail file. Just like (in fact is) sandpaper. You could always use sandpaper (ho-hum). Truth is, I didn’t have any sandpaper when this particular bee flew up my butt. And if that sounds uncomfortable, believe me, it is.

Yes. You really do need the nail file (sandpaper, whatever). These wood discs come with flaws. Mind you, some flaws are cool and should be left alone. Which actually makes them quirks, rather than flaws.

What’s the difference between a flaw and quirk? Flaws are annoying and paint goops up in them. Quirks are charming and talk you out of sanding them away and you only smile when you see paint gooping up in them.

Hmm…since I have these discs and a nail file and paper…

I see faces everywhere (and if they’re not there I’ll make them up), which I suppose is better than seeing dead people everywhere.

Hang on.

Much better, don’t you think?

You’ll also need lots of these.

Paints and brushes. You can sort of see the brushes in the little skull and crossbones cup. The skull and crossbones cup is not necessary; however, a cup to hold your paint brushes helps.

And then not-magically-but-kind-of-with-magic you get a bunch of these

Pocket Charms: finished and semi-finished  (the canvas has been painted on the wood disc, but the design isn’t there, yet).

Sometimes you mess up.

Yeah, I messed up, but it kind of looks like I found it in a treasure chest that sat at the bottom of the ocean for a hundred years. Sort of cool, so I’m keeping it to remind me to avoid messing up in the future.

Messing up is part of the being-a-human deal. Try not to let it bother you. You’ll feel much better after a little…

The failures are worth it when you get one of these…

This particular charm is for feeling good about one’s physical self.

After painting, you will need to coat it with a sealant. Oh, and remember to not only read the directions, but follow them as well.

Turns out “Shake can vigorously for 2 minutes” is actually important. Not 1 minute or 1 and 3/4 of a minute. I don’t know how the contents knows whether or not you’ve shaken the can for the exact 2 minutes, but if you don’t you may get one of these

If you’re not interested in making your own charm for your pocket, purse, bedside table, night cap or egg custard cup you can always purchase one of mine here. Each Pocket Charm comes with a spell printed on 100% recycled paper, and a little 100% unbleached cotton bag.

*No personalities are harmed during the wrangling process. After they’ve been wrangled they can express their thing (whatever that “thing” may be) and then are set free to graze or run wild, whichever or whatever may suit their individual fancy. This is why we all get along and haven’t experienced a revolution in quite some time.

**The rope burns are caused by holding on to the reins too tightly. You can avoid this by giving up the reins entirely. I have not given up the reins, because I really do appreciate the illusion of order.

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