Category: How Do We Do That?

  • The Legend of the Crimson Witch of New Orleans

    The Legend of the Crimson Witch of New Orleans

    The Legend of the Crimson Witch of New Orleans

    In the older parts of New Orleans, where iron balconies cast long shadows across narrow streets and the air still carries the memory of candle smoke and river water, there are stories that never fully disappear.

    They survive quietly.

    In family recollections.
    In passing conversation.
    In the way certain names are spoken softly, as though they still belong to the city itself.

    One of those stories is about a woman known as the Crimson Witch.

    No one agrees on her real name. Some said she was French. Others believed she was Creole. A few insisted she came from somewhere else entirely and simply chose to remain in New Orleans after tragedy changed the course of her life.

    But while the details shifted over time, one thing remained consistent:

    People came to her for matters of the heart.

    Not in crowds or spectacle, but quietly, often in the evening after the streets had settled and the city softened into lamplight and music drifting through open windows.

    They came with ordinary heartbreaks.
    Distance in a marriage.
    Love that had cooled.
    Loneliness.
    Fear of never being chosen.
    Relationships strained by misunderstandings and silence.

    And according to the stories that survived, the Crimson Witch approached these situations differently than many others of her time.

    She did not promise domination or control.

    She did not claim to force love where none could exist.

    Instead, her work focused on gentleness.

    On softening tension.
    On encouraging affection.
    On clearing bitterness and allowing warmth to return where it had faded beneath hurt and exhaustion.

    That distinction became the heart of her reputation.

    Those who sought her out described her as patient and kind. She listened carefully before offering guidance. Her work centered around candles, oils, herbs, and quiet rituals meant to support connection rather than overpower it.

    In modern terms, her approach might seem subtle.

    At the time, it was simply understood as effective.

    People returned to her not because they feared her, but because they felt calmer after leaving her home. Supported. Hopeful again.

    And often, the changes came gradually.

    A long-delayed conversation finally happened.
    A partner softened emotionally.
    A relationship that had grown cold slowly began warming again.

    Not dramatic miracles.

    Small human shifts that mattered deeply to the people living through them.

    Over time, the story of the Crimson Witch became woven into the folklore of New Orleans itself. Though no formal records remain, elements of her methods continued quietly through generations. The belief that love responds better to care than force became part of the legacy associated with her name.

    There is also a sadness woven through the legend.

    Many versions of the story claim the Crimson Witch herself lost the great love of her life unexpectedly when she was still young. Some say he died in an accident near the river. Others say illness took him before they could marry.

    Whether true or embroidered over time, the detail explains the tenderness associated with her work.

    There is no bitterness in the stories about her.
    No cruelty.
    No hunger for power.

    Only the sense of a woman who understood how fragile love could be and chose to help protect it where she could.

    That legend became the inspiration for our Red Witch Candle.

    Created in honor of the Crimson Witch and the gentle style of love magic associated with her story, each Red Witch Candle is hand poured with care. The original mold itself was hand made by Parran Matt, giving the candle a unique connection to old-world craftsmanship and tradition.

    The Red Witch Candle is intended for warmth, attraction, emotional closeness, reconciliation, and encouraging affection to grow naturally. Many people use it for rekindling existing relationships, while others burn it to draw new love into their lives in a softer, more organic way.

    Like the woman who inspired it, the candle is not about force.

    It is about invitation.

    About creating space for love to breathe again.

    Perhaps that is why the story of the Crimson Witch continues to endure while so many others fade away.

    Because beneath the folklore, beneath the candlelight and whispered stories, there remains something deeply human at its center:

    The hope that love, when treated gently, can still find its way home.

    In Service,

    Sister Bridget

    spellmaker.com

  • Happy Mother’s Day, Mambo Sam!

    Happy Mother’s Day, Mambo Sam!

    Mother’s Day feels a little different when your mother is also your teacher, your business partner, your spiritual guide, and sometimes the person reminding you at 11 PM that you forgot to answer an email.

    For many of you, Mambo Samantha has been part of your lives for years through readings, candles, classes, prayers, Sacred Circles, books, and long conversations during difficult moments. But to us, she is also simply “Sam.” The person who built Spellmaker through decades of hard work, faith, stubborn determination, and a genuine desire to help people find hope when life feels heavy.

    Spellmaker did not appear overnight from an influencer trend or a viral video. It was built one candle, one prayer, one package, and one client at a time. Long before social media existed, Mambo Sam was answering letters, teaching classes, studying, praying, lighting candles, writing lessons, and trying to create a place where spirituality felt approachable instead of frightening or fake.

    One of the things people often notice when they speak with her is that she does not promise impossible things. She has never believed in frightening people into spending money or making wild guarantees. Her approach has always been rooted in honesty, compassion, tradition, and the understanding that real spiritual work walks hand in hand with real life.

    That spirit shaped Spellmaker from the beginning.

    Over the years, we have heard from people going through heartbreak, grief, illness, loneliness, fear, uncertainty, financial struggles, and moments where they simply needed someone to listen. Some came looking for candles or oils and stayed because they felt seen. Others arrived curious about spirituality and found a community instead.

    Behind the scenes, Mambo Sam has spent countless hours helping people through some of the hardest moments of their lives while also being a mother, caretaker, teacher, writer, and business owner. None of that work is glamorous. Most of it happens quietly. Answering messages late at night. Checking on clients. Castings. Readings. Teaching students. Planning rituals.

    Encouraging people who have nearly lost hope.

    That is the side of spiritual work many people never see.

    Motherhood itself carries a kind of sacred strength. It is protection, endurance, wisdom, sacrifice, patience, fierce love, and the ability to keep going even when exhausted. In many ways, those same qualities shaped the heart of Spellmaker over the past thirty years.

    This Mother’s Day, we wanted to pause for a moment and simply say thank you to Mambo Sam for the work she has done, the people she has helped, and the community she has helped build through kindness, honesty, and faith.

    And to all of the mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, spiritual mothers, caregivers, and nurturing souls in our community, we celebrate you as well. The world is held together more often by quiet acts of love than grand gestures, and many of those acts begin with women who continue showing up for others day after day.

    Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Spellmaker.

  • Fet Ghede/Ancestor service!

    Altarancestor

    If anyone would like to share images of their Fet Ghede/Ancestor service, we would love to see them! We may even share them (with permission and anonymity, of course!) in our next newsletter! If you would like to share, please send to Faith at customerservice@spellmaker.com  
    Ayibobo! 
  • Famous Red Mummy Candle Tutorial with Mambo Sam!

    Famous Red Mummy Candle Tutorial with Mambo Sam!

     

  • Ancestor Candle Making!

    Hello dear readers!

    As most of you probably already know, we have begun making ancestor candles and offering them in our Etsy shop!  Parran Matt is hand making these candles and we are consecrating them in the names you provide for ancestor service. Each and every candle is handmade, hand poured, specifically for the person who orders it.   Even though we always think of the ancestors at this time of year, we certainly will be offering this candle year round, as anytime is a good time to work with and honor your ancestors.  

    The making of these candles has been such a fulfilling experience!  We ask each person to send in names of their ancestors when they order the candle.  Then using an "ashes to ashes" type of mindset, we burn those names and offer up a prayer of honor to your ancestors.

      Candleashes

    After the ashes are burned and the proper prayers have been said, the ashes are then added to the candle wax of your candle.

    Candleashesinwax

     

    Your candle is then poured into the skull mold and allowed to cool and then get ready for shipping to you along with incense, a little bottle of Fet Ghede potion, and instructions on how to use your candle for ancestor service.

    If you don't know WHY you are serving your ancestors, let me just say that you must thank them for life itself… without them, there is NO YOU!  If you are going through tough times, feel lost, have problems you cannot find the solution to,  call upon your ancestors.  If you are doing well, prospering, and living a happy life, then thank your ancestors!  

    Ancestor service is certainly not unique to the Vodou life; many, many cultures and religions offer honor and service to their ancestors.  All Souls' Day, Dia de los Muertos, and many other celebrations all offer honor to our ancestors. However, as Vodouisants, we believe that not just one day is for ancestor service, but rather we always want to keep our ancestors in mind.  Our hierarchy is:  God, ancestors, the lwa.   So your ancestors are considered even more important than the lwa themselves; if you call upon the lwa, you should also be honoring your ancestors! 🙂

    Your ancestors know you; they can protect you, guide you, and walk with you.  All you need to do is call on them and offer them the respect that they so richly deserve. This particular candle is one way to do just that! 

    If you need it by Fet Ghede (November 2, 2014), then please order by 10/24/2014.  However, the candle can be used anytime!

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/207245046/maman-brigittes-ancestor-memorial-candle

    Love, light, and peace,

    Mambo Samantha Corfield

    www.spellmaker.com

     

     

     

  • The Making of a New Oil – Holy Spirit Psalm Oil

    Hello everyone,

    Hope your summer is going great so far!  People often asks how we do things… oil making is definitely one of those things that people ask about. I thought using our new Holy Spirit Psalm Oil as an example would be a good way to explain how we do it. We have this oil available both on the website and in our Etsy shop.

    First, new products are added as we see a need for them.  Nothing we sell at www.spellmaker.com is arbitrary. Nearly every product has been created because a number of people asked for it.  Obviously, since 1995 there has been a lot of asking.

    Holy Psalms for Magic UsesThere is a lot of interest in the Psalms of the Bible both for religious and magickal reasons.  The idea was born to make an oil that could be used both ways; it is appropriate for religious practices and also for magickal practices.  All of the nine ingredients in the oil are mentioned somewhere in the Bible.  This includes things like mustard seed, rose, olive oil, etc.  

    Second, with all of our oils, there is a "mother."  The mother is the first batch of the oil with all of its herbs, stones, resins, etc.  Usually this is made in a glass jar of some kind.  Every Spellmaker oil that you have used had a mother.  Naturally, over the almost 20 years, the mother has been absorbed into most of the oils but we continue to use the same containers and keep the essence of the oil alive over the years.

    With the Holy Spirit Psalm oil, we started out with our dry ingredients not mixed with the wet ingredients.  Everthing was consecrated and dedicated separately and left to absorb the consecration energy for three days.  On the third day, the ingredients were mixed and two jars of mother oil were made.  These were then left for 7 days to steep and create their own spectacular energy.  The oil turned out to be amazing!!

    This oil is great for praying with the Psalms in a religious way and in a magickal way (and we provide you with a PDF of the Book of Psalms and also a PDF of how to use the oil in candle burning as well as with certain affirmations that go with certain Psalms).  It is also perfect for protection, blessing, anointing… just about anything, really, for which you would want to use a good all-purpose oil.  

    If you have a problem with things of a "Christian" nature, then all I can say is don't use it!  But remember, the Psalms, historically speaking, predate the birth of Jesus.  In fact, many theologists, including yours truly, see some of it as a prediction of the birth of Jesus.  But that is a discussion for another day, I suppose.  

    Magickal usage of the Psalms has been around for more years than any of us really know. Particular Psalms are prayed for particular things.  Many books have been written about the magickal usages of the Psalms! If you look at the page referenced above where the Psalm oil is listed on our website, and take a look at the document about Candle Burning and Affirmations, you will get the idea how the Psalms are used in magickal practices.  (It's free to download the documents.)

    Anyway, hope this gives you an idea of how we have always made our oils!

    Love, light, and peace,

    Mambo Samantha Corfield

    www.spellmaker.com

    Ingredients

    Ingredients!

     

     

    Holy Psalms for Magic

    The Mothers