Cheap, Quick, & Easy! A "Recipe" For A Scrying Mirror

[Rick]

Howdy, Everybody (That's Okie-ese for "Hail the Gods of Our Ancestors!")

Thought I'd share my "recipe" for making a scrying mirror. It's easy & inexpensive.

You will need:
1): Black spray paint (I've been experimenting with blue, brown, & green... they work every bit as well, but it must be a dark color).

2): An inexpensive picture frame from your local department store (or the one that used to hold that photo of you & the ex ;) ). If you live near a Dollar General, they have really cheap frames. Wal-Mart has some nicer ones, usually a few bucks more. Any size you want is OK. I prefer the kind that will stand up.

BE SURE THE FRAME HAS GLASS & NOT PLASTIC!

3): A sheet of "peel & stick" felt, available in many of the same dept. stores, or your favorite hobby & crafts store.

Remove the glass from the frame & wash & dry it thoroughly. Check the glass for nicks & other flaws; if you find any, be sure you paint that side. Prepare the surface on which you will lay the glass to paint (put down old papers, etc. Recommend outdoors, or a well ventilated room). Wipe the glass one last time with a soft cloth, then put it on your "painting" surface. Shake the paint can well, then apply the paint evenly (watch for bubbles, ripples, pooling, etc). Put on as many coats as desired (recommend at least 2). When dry, hold the glass up to a light. Look for really thin places of paint. Hold the unpainted surface to where you can catch your reflection. If necessary, shoot another coat of paint.

When you're satisfied with the glass, cut the "peel & stick" felt to fit, then carefully apply it to the PAINTED side (this simply protects & preserves the paint). If needed, use a razor blade to gently scrape of any paint that might have gotten onto the reflective side.

Replace in the frame, & VOILA'! "Instant" scrying mirror! And probably for less than $5 (US).

Consecrate your mirror (smudge it, bless it, leave it in the Full Moonlight). Scrying is generally best done in a dimmed or darkened room. Experiment with candle placement; it seems to work differently for each person.

Happy scrying!

Rick Runesinger

[Wiccan Maeve]

What a wonderful project. Thanks for sharing. :)

[Rick]

Ya know, I started making scrying mirrors a while back 'cuz I didn't think any of the ones I found at psychic fairs or occult shops were worth $45-$75. I do sell my mirrors, but I retail them from $5 to sometimes $20 (depends on the cost of the frame. And some people are finicky about having a large mirror, or a small one, or it's gotta have a metal frame, etc. I try to offer a large selection of frame styles & sizes, & colors of mirrors). I make a couple bucks, & the customer gets an inexpensive, quality tool (all my mirrors must pass my HoneyGirls' stringent Quality Check) without having to smell paint fumes. ;)

Rick Runesinger

PS: If you want to glue a flower, or fairy figurine, etc, to your frame, then your mirror can look just like the expensive ones :D

[Mariposa De La Luna]

Thanks alot Rick for posting this! That was very nice of you. I don't think those trying to sell them for $40+ would have. :)

[Rick]

Unfortunately, a lot of folks have the attitude "This is the price. Pony up or go away." (Kinda like at the gas pump.) Seems to have nothing to do with a reasonable mark-up above materials. Also, there's this crazy mind-set out there that "If this magical tool wasn't very expensive, it won't work." I always point out that it's only painted glass (scrying mirror), or a stick with a crystal glued to the end (wand), or a couple dozen small carved pieces of wood (Runes), or a set of colorfully decorated pieces of pasteboard (Tarot cards), etc. Reality has to come into play there, somewhere. :smash:

OK, I'm through ranting now. I'm just gonna go over here & lie down in the shade for a while.

Anyone got any of that lemonade I keep hearing about? :sunny:

Rick Runesinger

[Kiya]

Rick, that was really generous of you. Grab a comfy chair some fresh lemonade and - oh! what's this?? - the double choc-chip cookies are back in force.

:D

[Amora]

I will have to give this a shot!! Thanks!!;)

[Rick]

Am I Blushing yet? :bigredgri

You are welcome.

[Rick]

Just wanted to push this up near the top of the forum for a while. ;)

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

~~**BUMP**~~

[SpiDer_AnGeL]

Thats sorta funny cause just about a minute ago I finished "making" a scrying mirror.(its now drying)

[Midnight hunter]

How do you use a scrying mirror?
I just have never come across that before

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Same as you would a crystal ball, or bowl of water, or fire for that matter! :D Lay it flat or on an angle and "Stare" (trance type stare) into the depths, and see what your mind brings to you! :D I think another thread had info on how to scry, but scrying is scrying. :D

[Silver Venus]

Cool!! Ive always wanted one of these!
Thanks Rick ~ Ive made my list, just a little question ~ Does the stickey felt need to be black too... figured it did but just felt like asking ;)
Think Ill decorate my frame with glitter cos its simple and effective ~ you just paint the glue on and sprinkle over! Very girly!

[Rick]

Originally posted by Silver Venus
Cool!! Ive always wanted one of these!
Thanks Rick ~ Ive made my list, just a little question ~ Does the stickey felt need to be black too... figured it did but just felt like asking ;)
Think Ill decorate my frame with glitter cos its simple and effective ~ you just paint the glue on and sprinkle over! Very girly!



Um, no, actually, the felt backing could be any color you want. You're only limited here by imagination, & budget. I have a friend who does stained glass; I'm gonna see if she can make some with stained glass around the mirror. Should be cool.

Why am I not surprised you'd want a mirror that was kinda girly? Let us know what happens when the new kittens look into it...

[Sequoia]

WOW!! what a great idea!!!

. . . now if only I had $5 8O

hmm for scrying will any mirror work? I have this one mirror that's beautiful, I think she's an antique (and she has one heck of an attitude hehe. . . she kinda gets resentful when me and my boyfriend are kissing and such. . . she thinks she's my guardian 8O ) Are you supposed to do anything special to scry?

thankies for the idea, though!! I'll try it as soon as I can

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Hi Puma,

If you look to the thread: "Um, Scrying?" it gives a detailed account on how to go about it! :D

Happy Scrying! :sunny:

[Sequoia]

thankies!! ^__^

[sarhea]

Thank you=)(yeah, original, I know, but I mean it hehe)
I have been lookoing for a scrying mirror for a while now, but two things have stopped me-one, cash. It's not something I think a lot about, I get my bills paid and eat well,*Smile* after that, who needs it? lol And two, my....trepidation at using something I myself haven't had a hand in making, or at least know who's made it, and what all goes into it=) Now I can make my own, and cheaply woo!*Smile*

[Rick]

Originally posted by Puma Hime
WOW!! what a great idea!!!

. . . now if only I had $5 8O

hmm for scrying will any mirror work? I have this one mirror that's beautiful, I think she's an antique (and she has one heck of an attitude hehe. . . she kinda gets resentful when me and my boyfriend are kissing and such. . . she thinks she's my guardian 8O ) Are you supposed to do anything special to scry?

thankies for the idea, though!! I'll try it as soon as I can

I found a 'recipe' for making glass look smoky using olive oil & some other herbal stuff (OK, it was some time back... sorry, I don't remember precisely), but it didn't work very well (read: didn't work at all).

A 'regular' (silvered) mirror should work. experiment with the lighting in the room. Have the room dark, & maybe backlight the mirror with a candle, or maybe one or two to the sides. A dark surface seems to work best, but you have to have enough light to see it.


PS Thanks, Dadga!

[Silver Venus]

Kittens are already amusing themselves with my cooker and washing machine cos they can see their reflections :) and think its another of their brother's or sister's!

Using a normal mirror ~ I have tried meditiating and puttin an annoited candle infront of a normal mirror before, then just gazing into the mirror through the candle. The first few times it just my eyes go all funny and not much happened apart from the flame dancing madly about...but then as I started working more with candles and gazing I started to see images in the mirror and flame!...
:) Puma why dont you experiment a little ~ this week would be great to begin your scrying work! :)

[Silver Venus]

Just stumbled across this :)

"The use of black mirrors may be traced back over the centuries. John Dee used a black mirror of obsidian.

When using the black mirror for scrying you do not want to see your reflexion. The best is to leave the mirror on a table and look at it from an angle.

Look into the depths of the mirror as though you were looking into a bowl of water. At first it may appear grey than colours will come and go.

With time and practise you will be able to see scried images like still photographs or moving film images. Spirits may sometimes look at the scryer, talk to the scryer or even touch the scryer.

The visions may even exist outside the mirror and surround the scryer on all sides. "

and have a question ~ why dont you want to see your reflection? I have scryed using my reflection and found it effective.

This is from http://www.paralumun.com/mirror.htm
which is great for other forms of scrying too ~ Just scroll down for the menu :)

[Rick]

Originally posted by Silver Venus

...have a question ~ why dont you want to see your reflection? I have scryed using my reflection and found it effective.


I think it's a matter of personal taste. some people like the mirror backlighted, some sidelighted, some directly lighted. doesn't bother me if my reflection is in the mirror; I can use mine in broad daylight...

[Rick]

nudge

[Kahlan]

Thanks for the info Rick! Great for the bargin hunter pagan!!:D

[Pheonix]

umm qustion....

I have shied away from mirror scrying cuz I wastold awhil ago that it wirks best with concave glass and I don'tknow where to get any. Is this true,is th method above work just as well.

Sometimes I think I should just stick to my simple tarot ways...

[Rick]

Phoenix, I can't answer about concave glass, 'cuz I never heard of that... I can personally attest that the mirrors I've made using the method described above work just fine... seems using a concave mirror would make any images look 'short & squatty', like in the fun house mirrors... 8O :T :rotfl:
OK, just kidding about the 'short & squatty' effect...

[Pheonix]

lol I will definately give your idea a shot. Besides it's not like i know where to get any concave glass. Might as well be flexible.

Hope this works etter than water scrying lol. Thanks rick.

[Rick]

My experience sez scrying probably isn't gonna produce much the first time, & maybe not the second or even the third time... it's kinda like exercising a muscle... ya gotta build up to it...

[Silver Venus]

Bump for Nect :D

[Nect]

Thank you, Silver Venus! :D Off to shop for the supplies!

Nect

[Silver Venus]

Cool :boing: hope it goes really well, and you get some great results :)

[Brujaverde]

I've always felt that by making your own tools it gives you the mental imprint thereby making it a more powerful tool. I'm not a pocketbook pagan (one that uses money to buy expensive tools to use as status symbols) personally I feel that is fake.

[SoulCatharsis]

Here's to the pocketbook watchers of the world, and thank you Rick for the cool craft idea.

I absolutely DESPISE those pagan authors who give the following advice for buying supplies: "Don't worry about the amount of money you spend on your magickal tools; the quality of the piece is important." Um, hello. I work at a grocery store for practically minimum wage. I can't just go out and spend bukoos of money on supplies! .... I'm starting a thread on this, now that I'm all hyped up.

[Rick]

Originally posted by SoulCatharsis
Here's to the pocketbook watchers of the world, and thank you Rick for the cool craft idea.

Aw, gawrsh! It weren't nuthin'...

[Silver Venus]

bump with this link with direction also
http://www.angelfire.com/on/wicca/Mirror.html

[Rubi Waters]

thanks Rick ,for telling us about this..i've seen those expensive ones and of course didn't buy them. Thanks to you i can now have one (homemade at that).

[Flar's Freyja]

This one's always worth bumping up:)

[Flar's Freyja]

bumping for Shnen :)

[Lavender]

Did anyone make their scrying mirror? Would love to hear how they turned out.

Rick, I have a lot of coloured glass for stain glass work. Instead of painting the glass, do you think it would work with any dark coloured glass?

[Rick]

Originally posted by Wildchild
Did anyone make their scrying mirror? Would love to hear how they turned out.

Rick, I have a lot of coloured glass for stain glass work. Instead of painting the glass, do you think it would work with any dark coloured glass?
Well, MINE turned out great!!! 8O :T :rotfl:

Um, RE: the colored glass... put it on something opaque, then catch a light directly in the glass... how reflective is it? My best mirrors are those that are the most reflective... if the glass is dull & unreflective, it won't make a good mirror...

[Lavender]

Ok! Thanks, Rick! :)

Guess what I'm planning to do this weekend? heh!

[Flar's Freyja]

Bump

[Rick]

Bumpin' this one up, 'cuz what's Halloween without a magic mirror? :D

[)O( ~ Khara~ )O(]

OK here is how mine turned out. I found this really old wooden frame with the but ugliest picture at a yardsale for $1.00. I brought it home, trashed the picture, sanded the wood and cleaned the glass. I am currently in this moon sun and stars phase so I painted the frame a dark midnight blue and the glass the same. Around the corners directly on the glass I put these moon-pent symbols I saw at a psychic fair a while back. I then glued suns moons and stars all over the frame that I had printed off of my computer. I used regular paper at first but pulled those off and ended up using photo paper. In the end I gave the frame 3 good coats of clear varnish.

Frame and glass $1.00
Blue Paint $4.50
Clear Varnish $3.00
Gold Paint Pen $1.75
______________________
Total $10.25

Now the funniest part is I took it into the Metaphysical bookstore I work for to show it off and sold it within the hour for $15.00 just from sitting behind the counter. I am now on the lookout for another great frame ugly picture cheap combo!! Thanks Rick!!

[Flar's Freyja]

bump for fire_raven

[Rick]

Bumping

[)O( ~ Khara~ )O(]

bumping for Belladonna.....