There are many ways to make your wand. These are only suggestions to get you started.

The 'traditional' length of a Wand is that length from your elbow to the tip of your middle finger.

Copper Wands

You can choose a length of copper tubing (copper is a conductor) and a crystal that will fit into the end of it. Some split the copper tubing and use a crystal slightly larger than the wand diameter. If inserting it directly it can be held in place with hot glue, if splitting the copper it can be carefully closed over the crystal leaving the desired length exposed. You can wrap the tubing with leather if desired and even glue or wrap gemstones along its length. Some even soldier gemstones directly to the copper rod. You can add feathers, colored embroidery thread or whatever you feel your wand needs. Some choose to fill the hollow rod with herbs sacred to your life goals or the wands purpose/goal.

Some create more than one wand, each for specific purpose.

Natural Wands

Use a branch from a tree that is fairly straight and the right length for a wand. Preferably this should be one that needs to be pruned, when you take from a living tree, you explain your need and purpose and ask the tree's permission. If you get a strong feeling that it's wrong to cut that tree, don't do it. All ritual tools you make should be made and/or consecrated only during the Waxing moon. The time from one day after the new moon to and including the night of the full moon.

Always, leave an offering of thanks when you take from any living thing. Tobacco or cornmeal is often chosen as an offering by Native American traditions. Wicca and NeoPagans, may choose to leave apple juice or a small crystal that has been charged for the trees growth. If you purchase items consider this... these items, Dow rods, stones etc. are still gifts of Mother Nature, even if you don't gather them yourself. Mother Nature still created these things. A offering given to her regardless of where the source of the materials came from simply shows respect and gratitude. You don't have to be where the items came from to honor her gift.

Some Celtic traditions insert a steel rod through the middle of any wooden wand (extremely hard to do!) or wrap a coil of thick steel wire around it's handle a few times, like a snake, this makes a grip and contributes to the energy flow. Other ways to express polarity include painting one half black and half white or half gold and half silver. Those who follow the Kabbalah (Qabalah) may use the colors of Red and Blue associated with Chesed and Geburah to represent the masculine and feminine pillars of the tree of life. Some choose to wrap their wands with leather or embroidery thread representing the colors of the rainbow. (Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) Some decorate them with stones, feathers, beads etc. Some carve/paint symbols of Deity, symbols related to the purpose of the wand, or their magickal name into them, some choose to leave their wand natural. If you choose to leave your wand natural it's a good idea to 'seal and stabilise' the wood to prevent it from loosing too much moisture and cracking. This can be done by using a matt varnish thined with Turpentine or Bee's wax thined with Turpentine to make a cream. Wipe off any excess. Decorating and carving is best done first. How you do yours is ultimately up to you.

Elemental Wands

• Wand of Air - Lilac branch
• Wand of Fire - Cherry branch (or Oak)
• Wand of Earth - Dog Wood branch (or Oak)
• Wand of Water - Willow branch

Specific Purpose

• Love Magick - Apple
• Money Magick - Seven Barks
• Faery Magick - Elder
• Nature Magick - Oak
• General Magick - Willow
• Lunar Magick - Willow

You should choose the crystal if you use on on the end the same way i.e..

• Love Magick - Rose Quartz
• Spiritual Guidance or contact - Amethyst
• General Magick - Clear Quartz

Virgin Woods

Hazel, Ash and the wood of fruiting trees such as Apple produce first year branches that have neither flowered nor fruited are considered Virgin Wood posses qualities of potential yet unexpressed.

Shave the bark off you branch and gouge a bit of wood out of the tip of the wand to help hold the crystal. You may need to hot glue the crystal in to get it to hold. Its easiest to remove the bark and carve out the hole to hold your crystal when the wood is still green, but it holds better to glue it in once its dried. Either way allow the glue to sit and dry completely. You may decide to wrap your wand with leather strips, embroidery thread or cord to match the purpose of the wand. This will also help to secure your crystal. To do so, put hot glue on the sides of the crystal and top of the wand and wrap towards the base. Whether you choose to go full length or only the area around where the crystal and wand meet is again up to you. You may also choose to make a grip. Simply do the same thing at the other end but carry it to about 4 inches.

Scott Cunningham, suggests that before using and consecrating it, we should show it to the rising Moon, rubbing it with lavender and invoking the Goddess, and with fresh leaves at the rising Sun, invoking the God, so that it's imbued with both energies.

Wands By The Lunar Tree Calendar