Magickal Oak Gall Ink

This recipe creates a black ink that grows darker as it ages. Oak Gall it was used in midievil times and is still easily legible hundreds of years later. What better to use in your Book of Shadows for a family to use for generations to come.

To make Gall Ink:
*a handful of oak falls. (These are found on the stems of almost every oak tree. They look like brown wooden marbles and are created by the larvae of a wasp. Only take galls with tiny holes in them. This means the larvae have left the gall.)
*half a pint of water
*Some very rusty nails (or iron ore)

1. Grate the oak falls as finely as possible - a nutmeg grater will do.
2. Put the galls, water, & iron in an old pan and boil gently for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. If you can heat the ink outside, do, because it does not smell at all pleasant while boiling.
4. Cool, strain through a coffee filter paper & store in a dark jar. You may find mold grows on top of the ink. Simply strain again & rebottle. This ink lasts indefinately & continues to darken in the bottles.