Hello sorry I've not dropped by recently, just been caught up with other things. Just did my reiki 1 last weekend which was great but I've been so tired since then I feel I could sleep for a week!
Loved the wooden athames
Helen. I've also seen some photos of flint blades/wooden handles which I really liked. I'll know when the right one comes along just like you did. Your wooden staves sound beautiful.
Well
Arablue the wand was coming along well and I'd been oiling it with essential oils and carrier oils and really connecting with it but I did think it was feeling a tad light. Anyway had left it on my bed one morning, went upstairs that night, forgot it was there, sat on it & the tip broke off

. Now that says a lot about the size my bottom

but I'm not sure if I'd dried the wood properly or not. It had been lying at the bottom of the tree for quite a while then I brought it straight into a warm kitchen to dry, who knows. I'll have another go and let you know how I get on this time.
No I don't personally think it has to be a fallen branch although I'd probably prefer it to be but some people do feel quite strongly that we shouldn't cut wood for our tools. I think if you approach the tree with respect and ask if you can take the wood, wait for permission and only then remove the wood with due care & give thanks then that's fine. Between you and the tree in question I'd say. I think I'll do some pathworking on the choice of wood and see what comes up and as Tylluan mentioned there is a good guide to woods in the Wand section. Good luck & Bright Blessings