Greetings, shaneyboy, don't imagine that the carving would require a boline, I merely used my best kitchen knives (!) and pyrographed my wand using a very large darning needle heated in a candle flame ( at the time I didn't have a boline, nor a pyrography tool ). I would certainly leave an offering if harvesting your wand from a tree or bush, this is what I did upon taking a straggly branch from my own holly bush, it has since had the most tremendous amount of berries last winter, more than it's ever had the whole time we've lived here! As if it knows the purpose of the harvested branch- amazing! Of course if you find a good piece of fallen wood, that would probably be preferable.
I don't know that the handle has to be white, it seems to be written into many books on the subject, but I think if you come across an implement that feels comfortable-go for it.
BBx

Thank you both so much. cant wait to get searching for what feels right :D.

blessed be
)O(