Make Poke-berry Ink for Mabon

I like to make many things I use and I will try just about anything, I found this poke-berry ink recipe and I wanted to share it, I hope you find poke-berries easier than I have
It does really really stain, so be warned. It is toxic also so don't let anyone or critters drink or eat it.
I keep mine in a dark bottle because it is light sensitive
I do like using my inks for my BOS as well as some hand written spells and I hope you will try this recipe too.
Have a blessed Mabon and enjoy the coming fall

How to Make Poke-berry Ink
Poke-weed is a purplish-red berry found in many parts of North America. In the Midwest and most northern states, it blooms in early fall, typically around mid-September -- just in time for Mabon. The poisonous red berries can be used to provide ink for writing - legend has it that the Declaration of Independence may have been drafted in poke-weed ink, although the final version that sits in the National Archives was done in iron-gall ink.

Many letters written by soldiers during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, because it was something that was readily available -- poke-weed grows over many parts of the country. According to the Ohio State University, poke-weed berries get their name from a Native American word for blood, owing to the color of the juice. Legend holds that tribal shamans used poke-weed berries to rid the body of evil spirits - probably because ingestion led to copious vomiting and diarrhea.

With a little bit of work, you can make your own poke-weed ink to use in magical workings, particularly those used in banishing spells. The ink seems to be sensitive to sunlight and browns when exposed to UV rays, so if you're going to store it, use a dark-colored bottle or store it in a cabinet out of the light.

Warning: the entire plant is toxic to humans, so don't try to eat them!

You’ll need:

2 Cups poke-weed berries
1 tsp vinegar
A glass jar or bottle
Mash the berries into a pulp in a small strainer over your jar. This will allow the juice to seep into the jar while the skins and seeds of the berries remain behind. Crush the berries as much as you can.

Once you have the juice in the jar, add the vinegar and mix thoroughly. This will help thin the ink enough to use it in a fountain pen, as well as preventing spoilage.

Use a quill or calligraphy pen to write or inscribe spells and incantations during magical workings. The ink really does have the bright pinkish-purple shade that you see in the photos! Be sure to cap the jar when not in use.

*Note: Some people recommend adding a dash of salt to the ink, or boiling the juice, but so far I’ve not found either of these steps necessary. Experiment a little and see what you can do!

This recipe was found over at http://paganwiccan.about.com/