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The Handmade Grimoire: A creative treasury for magickal journalling
The path of a modern witch is filled with learning and discovery, gathering knowledge that is recorded in the Grimoire - a Witch's personal journal of their craft. A grimoire is a magickal encyclopaedia, a living document and extension of the witch creating it - a unique expression of their magickal journey.
In The Handmade Grimoire , Laura Derbyshire introduces readers to the joy of creating a personal grimoire from scratch, and encourages them to seek out new ways to engage with their craft through creative self-expression. Combining witchcraft and crafting, The Handmade Grimoire celebrates a magpie mind, shows readers how to approach their magickal practice with endless curiosity, and how to find the little moments of beauty all around them.
Filled with suggestions on what to include in a grimoire, layouts to try, tips and tricks for where to find materials to use, The Handmade Grimoire gives the reader permission to experiment and have fun with crafting their own grimoire, and to really engage with it as a mindful activity, that carves out space for their practice in a busy, distracting world. Practical step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to make more elaborate features to incorporate into their grimoire are supplemented with beautiful colour photography of Laura's own grimoire.
Included in the book are illustrated papers and images to be cut out and used in the reader's own grimoire, starting them out on the crafting path and giving them permission to make the art they see in the world around them something truly their own. With a variety of patterns and motifs to choose from, the 80 pages of beautifully patterned papers make it easy to start crafting a personal handmade grimoire straight away.
In The Handmade Grimoire , Laura Derbyshire introduces readers to the joy of creating a personal grimoire from scratch, and encourages them to seek out new ways to engage with their craft through creative self-expression. Combining witchcraft and crafting, The Handmade Grimoire celebrates a magpie mind, shows readers how to approach their magickal practice with endless curiosity, and how to find the little moments of beauty all around them.
Filled with suggestions on what to include in a grimoire, layouts to try, tips and tricks for where to find materials to use, The Handmade Grimoire gives the reader permission to experiment and have fun with crafting their own grimoire, and to really engage with it as a mindful activity, that carves out space for their practice in a busy, distracting world. Practical step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to make more elaborate features to incorporate into their grimoire are supplemented with beautiful colour photography of Laura's own grimoire.
Included in the book are illustrated papers and images to be cut out and used in the reader's own grimoire, starting them out on the crafting path and giving them permission to make the art they see in the world around them something truly their own. With a variety of patterns and motifs to choose from, the 80 pages of beautifully patterned papers make it easy to start crafting a personal handmade grimoire straight away.
160 pages, Paperback
Published July 11, 2023
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 16, 2023
I wrote it so I’m biased. I really hope you all enjoy it 🤍
April 5, 2024
A beautiful and inspiring book with some great ideas. I just wish there had been more "how to" instructions.
I read the ebook version, and was able to download a file from the publisher's website containing some gorgeous art by the author to print and use in my own magickal journalling. This was a lovely bonus!
I especially liked the section about creating sigils as the method that I was taught is quite different. I'm looking forward to using this new technique.
I read the ebook version, and was able to download a file from the publisher's website containing some gorgeous art by the author to print and use in my own magickal journalling. This was a lovely bonus!
I especially liked the section about creating sigils as the method that I was taught is quite different. I'm looking forward to using this new technique.
September 3, 2023
As most witches do, the author has spent many years writing down tons of notes in her private grimoires, but she admits her grimoires were uninspiring and the constant notetaking always felt like a chore. This book offers a solution! Embrace your creative side and turn the task of grimoire journaling into “an absolute blast” of art, play, creativity, and joy.
I enjoyed reading this book. The information it contains is beginner-level knowledge, but even as a practiced witch, I still appreciated reading the author’s personal thoughts and points of view. I found it interesting that this book basically offers a brief introduction into a popular crafting hobby called “junk journaling,” but the author never comes out and calls it that. Mentioning junk journals would have been a great way for readers to find additional resources elsewhere once they’re finished reading the book.
I do wish the book had included more instruction. The world of junk journaling is VAST. Learning to create an envelope, bookmark, etc was fun, but this book would have been even BETTER if there were introductory tutorials on using distressed inks, decoupage, creating pockets and tags on journal pages, experimenting with creating different textures, etc. The book mentions binding your own books and creating paper from scratch, but doesn’t give the reader even the most basic idea of how to actually do so.
Roughly half of the book is made up of beautiful, well-designed art pages for the reader to use in their crafting. The reader is encouraged to tear out the pages and use them, in any way imaginable, to spice up their personal grimoire. These pages have a lovely green-witch vibe.
Overall, this is a fun, creative book that shows you that embracing art and creativity is the way to take your grimoire to the next level, but be prepared to turn to the internet for additional instruction and to lean technique.
I enjoyed reading this book. The information it contains is beginner-level knowledge, but even as a practiced witch, I still appreciated reading the author’s personal thoughts and points of view. I found it interesting that this book basically offers a brief introduction into a popular crafting hobby called “junk journaling,” but the author never comes out and calls it that. Mentioning junk journals would have been a great way for readers to find additional resources elsewhere once they’re finished reading the book.
I do wish the book had included more instruction. The world of junk journaling is VAST. Learning to create an envelope, bookmark, etc was fun, but this book would have been even BETTER if there were introductory tutorials on using distressed inks, decoupage, creating pockets and tags on journal pages, experimenting with creating different textures, etc. The book mentions binding your own books and creating paper from scratch, but doesn’t give the reader even the most basic idea of how to actually do so.
Roughly half of the book is made up of beautiful, well-designed art pages for the reader to use in their crafting. The reader is encouraged to tear out the pages and use them, in any way imaginable, to spice up their personal grimoire. These pages have a lovely green-witch vibe.
Overall, this is a fun, creative book that shows you that embracing art and creativity is the way to take your grimoire to the next level, but be prepared to turn to the internet for additional instruction and to lean technique.
August 21, 2023
A book full of inspiration, snippets of information, and endless possibilities. What a delight is was to flip through the pages of this book and be met with soft tones and peaceful intent.
My brain is bursting with ideas, and I can't wait to get started on my own Grimoire.
The second half of the book is full of beautiful papers to cut out and stick and layer in your own Grimoire.
My brain is bursting with ideas, and I can't wait to get started on my own Grimoire.
The second half of the book is full of beautiful papers to cut out and stick and layer in your own Grimoire.
July 14, 2023
Beautiful book, but I wish there was more.
September 23, 2025
I was advised that this was a "gentle" introduction to Grimoire and indeed it is. I love all the illustrations and information as well as the papers at the back. A gem of a book x
July 13, 2023
A gentle and inspiring ideabook for creating your own grimoire. A little bit of magic, a little bit of what you may want to include, and some tutorials make up the first half of the book. The second half is patterned papers you can use in your handmade grimoire.
Other books go into detail about the history of grimoires and what should be included. This one focuses on you creating the grimoire that's best for you and being creative with it. For anyone feeling overwhelmed at the idea of starting a grimoire--especially if they've been looking at pictures on Instagram and Pinterest--this book will help them recenter and start creating no matter what their art skills may be like.
While this book is obviously about making a visually-appealing grimoire, it does go into the magic and the meaning of what goes inside. Aesthetics are just part of the product and the magic of visuals and creativity are important to the process. This isn't an art journal that's being discussed, but an actual magical text.
Other books go into detail about the history of grimoires and what should be included. This one focuses on you creating the grimoire that's best for you and being creative with it. For anyone feeling overwhelmed at the idea of starting a grimoire--especially if they've been looking at pictures on Instagram and Pinterest--this book will help them recenter and start creating no matter what their art skills may be like.
While this book is obviously about making a visually-appealing grimoire, it does go into the magic and the meaning of what goes inside. Aesthetics are just part of the product and the magic of visuals and creativity are important to the process. This isn't an art journal that's being discussed, but an actual magical text.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews