What happens after you order
- Straight awayYour order arrives from Etsy with your wish, exactly as you wrote it, and it goes to my table.
- The table is laidSalt, cloth and the objects of the The Kept Shavings, chosen for your wish.
- The working is castYour name is set, the working is spoken and sealed, and every pass is kept for the record.
- Your record arrivesThrough Etsy messages, and as a PDF for the longer strengths, usually the same day.
Who the Creativity & Inspiration Spell is for
For the blank page, the stalled project and the ideas that will not come. It opens the first mark so the rest can follow.
- I stare at the blank page and nothing comes.
- I have a project I love that has stalled halfway.
- I used to make things easily and the flow has gone.
- I want to start writing, painting or composing and keep delaying it.
How your ritual is made personal
This working is called The Kept Shavings. A new pencil is sharpened over a clean sheet and its first strokes write your name and the name of your work, leaving the rest of the page blank, beside an orange candle. The shavings are gathered into a small envelope, sealed and kept, never thrown out, as Ottoman calligraphers kept theirs: the effort is honoured, and the next mark is yours.
- Knowing your workI begin with what you tell me: your name, your date of birth and the name of your work, whether it is a novel, a painting, an album or a craft. If it has no title yet, I use the words you use for it.
- A pencil that has never writtenI take a brand new pencil and sharpen it over a clean sheet of paper, letting every shaving fall onto the page. The Ottoman calligraphers kept their pen shavings all their lives, as a record of their labour, and this working follows them.
- The first markWith the fresh point I write your name, and beneath it the name of your work. These are the only words on the page; the rest is left blank on purpose, waiting for you.
- The orange candleAn orange candle, the colour of movement and making, is lit beside the page, near my plate for abundance, where effort meets its reward. I read your wish aloud in your own words.
- Gathering the shavingsThe shavings are gathered from the paper into a small envelope. Not one is thrown away, because effort is never thrown away.
- The sealThe envelope is closed and kept. The pencil is not sharpened again for this working: the second mark on that blank page belongs to you. Your written record then follows by email.
The six strengths
Every strength is cast personally and every one comes with a written record. What changes is how many nights the working is carried and how long the record runs.
| Strength | What you receive | Arrives | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Casting | One night: a new pencil sharpened over a clean sheet, its first strokes writing your name and your work's name, the shavings sealed in an envelope beside an orange candle. Record by message. | Record the same day | $4.90 |
| 3x Casting | Three nights: three pencils, three first strokes, three envelopes, for a block that has held for a long time. PDF record. | Record the same day | $11 |
| 7x Casting | Seven nights, one stroke added to the page per night and the shavings kept, with the record written as the page fills. | Record the same day | $26 |
| Fast Results | Sharpened and written in one sitting with a second envelope sealed, and the record written and sealed the same hour. | Same hour | $43 |
| EXTREME Results | Seven nights with a second sheet begun for the work after this one; the fullest reading of both pages. | Same hour | $53 |
| ULTIMATE RESULTS | Everything in Extreme, the envelopes kept unopened for a fortnight; recorded in twelve parts. | Same hour | $68 |
What I need from you
- Your full name and date of birth.
- The name of your work, or a short description of it.
- What feels stuck, and what you wish for, in your own words.
Signs people notice afterwards
- Returning to an unfinished piece and seeing where it goes next.
- An idea arriving while you walk or wash up.
- Fresh curiosity about a new technique or medium.
- No longer flinching at a blank page.
Read more about this working
Frequently asked questions
Is there a spell for writer's block?
The Kept Shavings was made for it. A blank page is the heart of a creative block, so this working puts the first mark on it and leaves the rest for you.
Why keep pencil shavings?
Ottoman calligraphers never threw away the shavings from their reed pens; they kept them as a record of their craft. Keeping them honours the effort that every piece of work is built from.
Can a creativity spell help an artist or musician?
Yes. Painting, music, design, crafts and writing all begin with a first mark. Tell me what you make, and your work is named on the page.
What colour candle is best for creativity?
Orange is the traditional colour of movement, energy and making. It is the candle I light for this working.
How is my creativity & inspiration spell delivered?
Your written record reaches you through Etsy messages, and as a PDF for the longer strengths. Most records go out the same day the working is sealed.
