The Witching Hour
Crafter creator of magic since 2012
Located in the heart of the Vosges mountains, my little workshop likes to draw its inspiration from the magnificent landscapes that surround me, but also from the magic and mystery that lurks in these places. There is nothing more inspiring than a wisp of mist that intertwines in the immense fir forests that cover our beautiful mountains.
Passionate about occultism and paganism, I also like to adorn my creations with all sorts of esoteric symbols from renowned books, ancient grimoires, or sometimes invented by myself in an intuitive way.
Far from mass production and all forms of assembly-line manufacturing, I have chosen to make all my products by hand, in small quantities. Because in this world of over-consumption, I prefer to take the time to offer you quality, hand-made products that will accompany you in your daily life or within your occult practices.
My greatest desire is to allow you to put a little sweetness, dream and magic in your daily life!
Who is behind The Witching Hour?
Melliarine
My name is Melliarine, this is my artist name but my real name is Emmanuelle. I have been passionate about art, occultism and creativity since my early childhood, and I have always felt a deep need to live out these passions. In my eyes, life should be filled with art, emotions, poetry, and creativity. We owe it to ourselves to see the beauty of the universe around us, to savor its immensity, but also its fragility.
Born into a family where occultism and art were very present, I was quickly fascinated by these two fields. But it was when I reached adolescence that I discovered a world that has changed my life: gothic culture. At just 14 years old, I fell into this big cauldron and discovered a dark musical style, a rich and profound culture where old cemeteries, haunted castles, vampires, and other creatures from the shadows coexist. I found myself completely immersed in this world where everything is sublimated. From then on, my path was clear: I had to create, to immerse myself in this atmosphere that I cherished so much.
My teenage dream was to become an artist. I wanted to draw to share the richness of my inner world. Unfortunately, life being what it is, I wasn't allowed to pursue this path. Art wasn't considered a real profession by society.
So I left high school with a degree in custom clothing, a field I had been steered towards and hat I accepted for lack of anything better, telling myself that becoming a clothing designer might be nice in the distant future. My need to create remained; it was stronger than me.
Then, after doing a series of jobs that felt like torture, to the point where I gradually sank into depression, I ended up telling everyone and everything to get lost. I was suffocating. I had to get out of this life that so-called right-thinking society had imposed on me.
I stopped listening to other people's opinions about my career choices. My family and employment counselors kept telling me that I should get a “real” job, but I didn't give up. In March 2012, I created The Witching Hour, and from then on, I worked tirelessly to achieve my dreams.
I started out making jewelry in a tiny workshop in my small studio in Picardy, and gradually expanded my collection and product range by engraving runes and offering tumbled stones and crystals. When I changed my life by moving to the Vosges mountains in search of peace and greenery, I began to train in woodworking so that I could make occult and pagan tools such as Ouija boards, wheels of the year, and divination boards.
It took a lot of work and effort, but today I have realized my dream: I create and share my universe.
But this long journey is far from over, because dreams evolve and new projects are added. The Witching Hour has changed a lot over the years and will continue to change. This company follows my journey, my evolution, and that's what makes it alive.
To all those who have a dream, don't give up! And to those who support my work, thank you so much for giving me the chance to live my dream.
Your humble crafter, Melliarine.
Behind the doors of the workshop
It all starts with a drawing, an idea scribbled on the corner of a page following a sudden inspiration.
This quick sketch is then laid down on graph paper to define the exact dimensions of the future jewel, the most suitable location for the stones or rings, all in a harmonious and judicious way, since these elements will then influence the way the jewel will stand when worn.
This rigorously dimensioned drawing is then used to create a three-dimensional sculpture, an exact replica of the future jewel, which is then used to create a mold in which the pewter can be cast. A whole process then follows to give the jewel its shiny finish and black relief. Only then can stones, rings and chains be added.
All our jewelry is handcrafted using only the finest materials. That's why we use 97% pure pewter, which complies with European standards and contains no substances potentially harmful to your health. This pewter is also hypoallergenic, which means that the risk of being allergic to it is extremely low.
As our commitment to animal protection is very important, we make it a point of honor not to use any products of animal origin, such as leather, fur, natural feathers, mother-of-pearl, cultured pearls or abalone. You won't find anything of animal origin on our creations.
Handmade occult supplies and decoration
All our esoteric materials and decorative objects are made in our own small workshop.
We take the time to draw all our designs by hand or sometimes on computer, before engraving them on the various objects we offer on the store. All our designs are totally exclusive to our brand!
We categorically refuse to simply copy photos from the Internet, even for custom orders. This loses all creative interest, not only because you'll generally find the same designs in several craftsmen's workshops, but also because it's akin to plagiarism, which goes against our ethics.
Besides, what could be more wonderful than creating a design from scratch? To start with a blank sheet of paper, and to set down a story through symbols and characters? That's what we like to do: invent!
Completely hand-painted creations
You'll also find some of our creations entirely hand-painted. Of course, this requires a great deal of time - sometimes even a whole day's work, depending on the model - but it also allows you to acquire a unique little work of art! Because freehand painting can never reproduce a design exactly.
