Alright so, there is actually a difference between a BOS and a grimoire. Although you don't need to have both, you can just mix them into one book.
A book of shadows contains information, like a guidebook. A grimoire contains all your spells and personal findings, like a personal journal.
You don't need anything fancy, literally just a notebook is enough. Or you can do it digitally with a doc or something. Our first BOS was actually a folder, so we could rearrange the pages by category. Recently we've been remaking it in a smaller notebook now we have all the information we need complied, we can make it neater and sort things out.
Here's some things you can add to a BOS/grimoire:
•table of contents •journal entries •spells •important dates like moon phases and holidays •your birth chart/birthstone and flower •the uses for herbs and plants •information on the pantheons •information about the deities/spirits you work with or are devoted to •crystal, colour and number meanings •the history of witchcraft •your personal journey and label with the craft •information on the fae, spirits, ancestors etc •tarot meanings and readings •what to cleanse and how to cleanse •old folk beliefs from your area •what practices are closed to you and why they're closed •how to read palms •recipes •uses for different kinds of water •familiars and how to find them •sigils and how to make them •artwork •how to break a curse/hex/jinx •places to find/buy the materials you need •rune translations
And here's some inspiration for you:
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Of course it doesn't have to be all pretty and aesthetic, just use whatever you have and make it your own. But if you do want to make it super aesthetic, it's best you plan out how you'll lay out the pages first, so gather your information in a different book so you can organise it all and copy it into a prettier form in your final copy.
It's also a good idea to put some form of protection on the book, just in case. Weather that's a sigil or a spell, whatever works for you.
Pretty simple chapter this time around, have fun making your BOS!
