I don't remember buying this book...

but I'm glad I did.

While reading through some of my other books for my last blog, I found this neat little book. The Witch's Journal (currently out of stock there sorry.) (Don't buy it from amazon its listed as like $64.00 WTF rapist!)  This is a great review of the book :D

So, basically, I pulled all my books off the shelf and checked for the word hand-fasting in the index. Those are the books I kept off for the blog. Now, out of the 7 or so I used 2 for the blog. The reason for this is sometimes in the index it just shows the word hand-fasting is used on a page. For example, one book mentions hand-fasting in a small piece on Lammas. The two I chose to use had small pieces on hand-fasting. This book mentions it on a page about brooms which is what I'm about to share with you! :D I heart brooms.

Jumping the Broom:
This custom, originating from both Wales and Africa, is continued in Wiccan weddings (hand-fastings) today. Following the ceremony, the couple step over the broom to bless their fertility and their union. The broom is typically decorated with flowers and ribbons, and hung in a prominent place in the couple's home after the wedding.

Brooms and Protection:
According to folklore, a broom hung over or near a doorway with the bristles pointed up will protect the home from negative energy.

How to Make a Broom:
You can find decorative twig brooms in craft and home-decorating stores during the fall, but you can also make your own.

1. Soak the bristle material in water overnight. let it dry for a few hours until it is supple but not waterlogged. 
2. Arrange a layer of bristles around the base of the branch and tie tightly with twine
3. Add another layer, building outward until the bristles reach the desired fullness and shape.
4. Add a final layer, with 6 inches (15 cm) of bristle covering the broom handle. Wrap the twine securely around the top layer 3 inches (7.5 cm) from the base of the handle. Fold the bristles over the twine to hide it. Tie a length of twine tightly near the top of the bundle. Tie a second length about 2 inches (5 cm) down. 
5. If you wish, decorate the handle or the top of the bristle bundle with crystals, paint, or carvings. 

Handle Woods: 

The broom handle can be made from a variety of sturdy branches. The following are the most common:

• Birch
• Hazel
• Ash
• Oak

Bristle Materials:

• Straw
• Wheat
• Twigs, such as Willow
• Lavender
• Mugwort
• Thyme