Behold: My custom Apollo-themed wand that I named “Phoebus”. This gorgeous piece was crafted for me by Muhmar, the creative craftsman behind WANDS & Co.
This wand has a rather interesting history. It began with me being inspired by my friend, Henny (aka King of Rainbows on Instagram). He’s been making his own wands for a while now, using branches he’d find while exploring or driving around. I TRIED several times to find a branch around Legazpi Active Park and Washington Sycip Park and other places I frequented in Makati City, but to no avail.
But just when I gave up… I found it.
It began at Aguirre Street, Makati.
Then I found an interestingly-shaped branch propped up against the roots of a tree at the corner of Aguirre and Trasierra Street. I ALMOST ignored it, thinking I was imagining things. It couldn’t be THAT easy, right?
Well, it WAS that easy. I picked up the branch and carried it with me to my appointment at a nearby salon. If anyone noticed the odd stick jutting out of my bag, no one said a word.
Finding that branch at Aguirre Street is personally significant to me. That street has many tall, old trees lining its sidewalks. Makati isn’t exactly deprived of greenery, but I always noticed how lush the Aguirre Street trees seem to be. I always liked walking through that street. It always felt oddly calming.
One night, my husband and I got stuck on Aguirre Street while walking home. The rain was wild and the winds were howling. At some point, I stared up at the trees, at the falling rain, and began a little chant in my head: “Let up, let up; please let us go home.” I repeated it a few times, like a mantra. After a few repetitions, the rain actually DID let up. And as soon as we got home, it started raining hard again.
I think someone was listening to me in those trees. Whoever it was, I owed them one. So as soon as I dried off and got to my altar at home, I lit a candle and said a little prayer of thanks.
And months later, I find that branch propped up against one of those trees. Coincidence? Perhaps. A sign? Maybe. All I know is finding this stick made me HAPPY.
Then there were attempts at DIY.
I picked that stick up with the intention to turn it into a wand myself. So I did a bit of the work — I whittled off the outer bark, cut off the rough knots and stubs, and sanded it down.
I even had some crystals that I was planning to put on it: a Lemurian quartz point from Park Rose Crystals and a citrine point from Chakras.ph.
But… whittling and sanding was as far as I got. I honestly didn’t know where to go from there. So my precious stick sat idle for MONTHS.
THANKFULLY… Muhmar posted about his craft in the Occult Library PH Facebook Group, and agreed to continue the project for me!
Then Came WANDS & Co.
When you give Muhmar the theme for your wand, you can really trust that he does a lot of research and keeps your personal preferences in mind throughout the entire process. Muhmar is very open and collaborative craftsman who really listens to his customers’ specifications and ideas.
His attention to detail and knowledge of woodworking really shone through as he worked on the design for my wand and made recommendations. I wanted to use my Lemurian quartz point for the wand’s tip, but Muhmar warned me the stick was far too old and brittle to handle the weight of it. So the slimmer citrine point went on the wand’s tip, while the Lemurian quartz went into the handle as Muhmar suggested. He also designed it in such a way that the wand would still be balanced and easy to hold (though he did still warn me to be extra careful when handling it).
Chatting with Muhmar and bouncing ideas around actually sparked a LOT of other ideas in my head; I have concepts for at least FIVE different wands now, though I don’t have the funds to have them all made just yet.
And here we are.
The final product is so GORGEOUS I let out an audible GASP while recording the unboxing video I posted on Instagram and TikTok. Muhmar’s work is so intricately detailed, and you can really feel that the wands he makes a truly labors of love.
He absolutely did his research and thoughtfully incorporated symbols referencing Apollo (the sun, a musical note, and laurel leaves) into the design for my wand.
(Side note: I actually had TWO wands made, but I’ll save the other one for another post.)
Get your own wand made!
I do believe Muhmar is the first wandmaker in the Philippines, or at least the first woodworker to specialize in wandmaking here. If you want a wand of your own, now’s the best time to commission one! Muhmar is offering lower introductory prices until the end of October only! The base price is currently at only 1500 PHP, though this may increase depending on the complexity of your design. Message @wandsandcompany on Instagram to inquire!