Of all the colours, purple – despite the fact that I find many shades of it to be arrestingly gorgeous – and I have never completely clicked.

Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, a time when the toy market was thriving like there was no tomorrow, (provided more than one colour option was made available) a great deal of the products released for young girls were either purple or pink.

Sure, plenty of them – from Keypers to Popples – included versions in both of those colours, and others could be found in hues such as sky blue, butter yellow, vivid fuchsia, and tropical vacation-worthy coral. Yet, to my mind – and certainly here in North America – it was pink and purple that garnered the lion’s share of the toy market for girls.  

Be it then, prior to that point, or in the decades since, these colours have remained popular with youngsters and chances are, they won’t be fading away from toy store shelves anytime soon.

Reflecting on my childhood, for as far back as I can recall, I was gaga for the colour pink.

One of my first bedrooms had pink walls (topped with a cute pink and green wallpaper border that depicted teddy bears doing ballet – ahhh, the 80s ), a lot of the clothing I wore in my youth was pink, and I found that I gravitated to pink considerably more than purple.

There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but I believe the first strains in the relationship between myself and purple likely took hold when I became a card-carrying member of team pink.

Interestingly, purple is my mom’s absolute favourite colour (though she has never been the type to make their fave colour a centrepiece of their wardrobe or home décor).

I have always been a very independent soul and even in the days of pre-school, I can remember wanting to have different preferences in many instances to those of my parents.

Thus, it is entirely possible that I gravitated towards pink (whether consciously or subconsciously) so as to differentiate my favourite colour at the time from that of my mother.

Purple is a rare, regal colour that for much of human history was one of the most difficult to come by and therefore often amongst the most expensive as well.

Before artificial purple dyes were created scores of centuries later, the primary source of purple dye throughout much of the ancient world came from the mucus produced by a type of sea snail called murex snails which reside in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sources, including Pliny the Elder, tell us that thousands of these snails (which underwent a rather pungent-smelling ten-day brining process in a lead pot over low heat) were required just to make a single ounce of purple dye. Thus, the cost of obtaining items that were dyed purple was something only the wealthiest members of society could even begin to contemplate doing.

As a result, purple has long been associated with the elite, people of power, and, perhaps above all others, royalty.

Shifting from the days of My Little Ponies and Cabbage Patch Dolls to my tween and teen years, societally, purple continued to be a popular colour in many spheres as we inched ever closer to Y2K.

I can well recall several friends – and plenty more of my peers in general – being obsessed with the colour purple during that time.

It came into play with our Kabbodles, Lisa Frank school supplies and stickers, chunky glittery makeup (ahhh, the 90s – surely you saw that coming ), hair accessories (scrunchies, mini butterfly clips, and alligator clips, oh my!), clothing, Trapper Keepers, platform sandals, and so much more.

And throughout all that time, while I certainly never shunned purple, I remained loyal to pink.

As years of middle school morphed into those of high school, I didn’t feel the need to have/wear/decorate my room with “all the pink” anymore – but it still remained my favourite colour.

In some respects, it still is – particularly dusty rose, which is the shade of pink I most adore.

However, over the years, other colours such as black (which, I know, is technically not a colour but the absence of such), grey, red, burgundy, and aged metallics have long given pink a run for its money.

At no point, did any purple hue make my top five – despite the fact the fact that it is a decently common/popular colour in both the vintage and goth fashion worlds (these being the two subcultures that I have been most immersed in from my teens onward).

I tend to strongly favour having a cohesive colour scheme in my home (and wardrobe, too, for that matter). To date, neither of them has yet to feature purple in any major way.

And yet, all that said, I do not dislike purple in the slightest.

In fact, I would go so far as to say I love many shades of it. And purple will forever hold a special place in my heart given that it has been mama’s favourite colour throughout her whole life.

Much as with my clothing and home décor, my craft supply stash tends to lean towards certain colour palettes as well. There, too, purple does not tend to take top billing very often.

I can go multiple months running without a single spec of purple entering any of my craft projects.

This makes it seem like I am at odds with purple. Rest assured that I most definitely am not. Purple just tends to wait patiently on the sidelines until an outfit or craft project calls it up to bat, if you will.

Be it the palest shade of lilac or the richest eggplant (which, along with plum, shares the title as my favourite purple hue), purple is a versatile, dynamic colour that can convey so much.

It can be peaceful and evocative of youth, dark and vampy, upbeat and summery – and much more!

I was reflecting recently on how, for all my undying love of Halloween, I rarely weave purple into my All Hallows’ Eve or Samhain-related craft projects.

Lately, we have been bopping along through Springoween. Now that June has officially begun again, we are teetering on the cusp of Summerween. This point on the calendar seemed like a terrific time to reach for one of both of these season’s most iconic and adored colours.

Instead of pairing it with orange or green, as this colour often is in a Halloween context, I opted instead to lean heavily into the dark, bewitchingly elegant side of purple by teeming it with black, white, and gold.

The end result is a delightfully spooky Halloween card that I can now give to my mom or to one of the numerous other purple adoring souls in my life.

And, as you have likely suspected already, this purple Halloween card also happens to be my June 2022 #MakeHalloween365 project share.

As always, sweet friends, please do not hesitate to use this fun and festive community-focused hashtag anytime you share a creative Halloween project anywhere online.

Gold ghost shabby chic purple Halloween card

In for a penny, in for a pound as they say, so having decided on making a purple Halloween card, I began with a purple cardstock card base and wove this colour into various other components of my design as well.

Much as I had a hankering to work with purple again, so too was I really in the mood for some classic shabby chic paper tearing/distressing that day and therefore it also appears throughout this festive handmade Halloween card.

I am wild about the vintage-style illustration of a ghost rendered in gold metallic ink on the Prima Thirty One Collection paper that provides the star image for my latest handmade October 31^st greeting card.

It is gothy, (quite literally) spirited, and ever-so-pretty, to boot!

To carry the gold theme further, I included both metallic gold cardstock, glittery gold adhesive gems, and some fabulous gold coloured Webster’s Pages (oh, I miss that company!) tulle here as well.

I adore how the tulle resembles a gold-hued take both on spiderwebs and tattered fabric – say that of the disintegrating curtains in a long-abandoned haunted house.

However, as I was aiming to ensure purple remained in the lime (or, should I say, lavender) light, I made sure to pepper this Halloween card with purple.

It appears as the card base, one of the matting layers beneath the ghost images, in a fabulous piece of light purple and black Echo Park bat print paper, in the fun little Prima ephemera pieces, as the only ink colour used in this card, and even shows up in the “Happy Halloween” sticker that I used for my sentiment.

If purple is your jam (err, grape jelly ), that of someone dear to your, or you are looking for a wonderfully gender-neutral colour palette when making your own Halloween cards, read on for a detailed list of the products used in this project plus step-by-step instructions on how to make one of your very own.

Products used to make this hauntingly charming vintage ghost Halloween card

-Black cardstock

-Purple cardstock

-Metallic gold cardstock

-Vintage ghost illustration paper – Thirty-One Collection All the Treats Paper from Prima (I used another portion of this same sheet of paper as part of my recent Happy Springoween Pocket Letter.)

-Black and purple bat print paper – Bewitched Witch Hat Paper from Echo Park

-Wavy stitched edge rectangle nesting dies (Plain, straight stitched, cross stitched, or just about any other type of rectangle nesting die set could be used here as well.)

-One or two different flourish dies (I used two different dies on this project.)

-Light opaque/chalky purple ink – Distress Oxide Milled Lavender Ink from Tim Holtz

-“Happy Halloween” sentiment sticker (This one is from a package of Crafter’s Square [Dollar Tree brand] of Halloween stickers that did not have a specific product name. I bought these stickers within the past couple of years, so they may be available again at Dollar Tree come the Halloween 2022 season.)

-All ephemera pieces used on this project – Rose Quartz Ephemera from Prima

-Black seam binding

-Metallic gold netting/tulle – Vintage Inspired Netting Collection 2 from Webster’s Pages

-Glittery gold gems – Say it Crystals Midnight Garden Self-Adhesive Embellishments from Prima

-Black gems – Balloon Blast Off Self-Adhesive Classic Gems from Forever in Time

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

How to make a gold ghost shabby chic purple Halloween card

Begin by making a card base from purple cardstock.

Cut a piece of black cardstock a little smaller than your card base. Tear the right-hand edge in a random, intentionally imperfect manner. Cut a slender piece of Webster’s Page gold tulle/netting the length of the torn black cardstock. Position it so that this layer is flush with the left side border (aka, the fold of your card). Adhere to the underside of the black cardstock.

NOTE: All paper, cardstock, and netting/tool layers that follow are also to be arranged so that they favour the left side of this card’s design.

Then, cut a slender piece of the Echo Park bat print paper a bit smaller than the black cardstock and likewise tear its right-hand side.

Cut a piece of black seam binding several inches longer than the width of the two pieces you just adhered together. Run it across the upper third of that area and adhere in place. Tie the two ends together into a bow on the left-hand side of the card.

Attach the bat print paper to the underside right-hand edge of the black beneath the bat print paper, then adhere this group of components to the card base.

Cut a piece of the Echo Park bat print paper a bit smaller than the previous layer. Tear its right-hand edge as well. Adhere.

Next, cut a piece of black cardstock a little smaller than the previous layer and, here too, tear the right-hand edge. Adhere to the previous layer using a dimensional adhesive such as Pop Dots or another type of foam squares/tape.

On the right-hand side of that (black cardstock layer) position and adhere a small piece of gold netting/tulle as well as the Prima light purple ruler and ticket stub pieces, as shown.

(Fun side note: While it is in reference to a US location, that lovely little ticket stub has the placename “Vernon” on it, which just happens to be the name of a neighbouring town located less than twenty minutes south of us.)

Using black cardstock and metallic gold cardstock die cut two pairs of matching flourish shapes. Arrange and adhere each matching-shaped flourish together with the black ones as the top layer. Off-center them a little so that a glimmer of the gold layer is still visible.

Tuck these flourish stacks under the lower left-hand side and upper right-hand side of the latest (torn edge) black cardstock layer that you created.

Using a larger-sized wavy stitched edge rectangle nested die, cut a rectangle from the same purple cardstock that you used for your card base. Adhere using dimensional adhesive.

Cut the central ghost panel image from the Prima Thirty One Collection All the Treats paper and ink all of its edges with Milled Lavender ink.

Then cut a gold metal cardstock matting layer a smidge bigger than the dimensions of that piece. Adhere the two together.

Die cut a smaller wavy stitched edge rectangle piece (that is large enough to work as a matting layer for the gold cardstock layer you just made) from black cardstock. Adhere previous gold cardstock + ghost image layers to this piece of cardstock and then adhere it to your previous layers.

Next, cut nested layers (by hand, with dies, etc) of gold and black cardstock, respectively, to mat beneath the sentiment sticker. Adhere those layers together then top with the sentiment sticker (optionally inking the edges of the sentiment sticker with Milled Lavender Ink, as I have done here). Adhere these elements on the lower righthand side of the card.

From the Prima ephemera, arrange and adhere a small alphabet piece so that it is sandwiched between the bottom of the central ghost image panel layers and the sentiment sticker layers, as shown.

Then, tuck a light purple domino and a light purple raffle style ticket under the left-hand side of the sentiment, angling them to the left a bit.

Place one of the largest sized gold glittery Prima gems on the middle of the black seam binding bow (you may wish to add some extra holding power to the adhesive that is there already by reinforcing it with hot glue, strong glue dots, or a heavy-duty crafting glue such as E6000 to ensure this gold gem stays put) and then position one somewhat smaller sized gold sparkly gem on the lower left and upper right-hand sides of the wavy stitched edge purple cardstock layer.

Surround each of these gold gems with two small black gems on either side, as shown.

And there you have it, one eye-catching purple, black, white, and gold Halloween card that can be made in scarcely more time than it takes a ghost to say “boo”.

Compared to many of my projects there are not, relatively speaking, all that many steps nor a huge volume of different materials required to make this eerily fun Halloween card.

If one used a template, paper trimmer, or scissors to cut out the rectangles and, optionally, nixed the flourishes, this delightful ghost-themed Halloween greeting could be made without the need for a die cutting machine.

This design is one that marries sweetness with spookiness (a perpetual fave combo of mine) and which is both timeless and ideal for October 31^st fans of all ages and genders.

From spirituality to coal tar, a (super) brief look at the meanings and history of purple

As much as we tend to associate purple with spring and summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it can certainly work well as a year-round colour.

Purple is a colour with strong ties to many things, including both spirituality/mysticism and creativity/artistry – not to mention a long-standing history of use within the LGBTQ+ community.

Given that it is the lovechild of red and blue, purple embodies elements of both fiery warmth and serene coolness.

For all the pale, pastel shades of purple out there, one finds even more that are bolder and more commanding.

Perhaps that is why – especially when combined with its relative rarity in the natural world – purple leaps out at us in many settings.

It might not be as glaring as bright yellow or orange or as tranquil as a soft blue, but it is apt to grab our eye all the same.

Both in terms of colour psychology and the meanings often linked to purple in the witchy/Pagan realm, this purple can represent such areas as intuition, peace, independence, beauty, sensitivity, understanding, empathy (and empaths), the unknown, power/status, pride, dignity, protection, wisdom, creativity, devotion, enlightenment, health and healing, openness, psychic abilities, the crown chakra, magic(k), and death – amongst numerous other things.

In fact, so closely tied to death and mourning was the colour purple to the Victorians, that it was one of just a few colours that were permitted back into a person’s wardrobe when they were in a period of half-mourning (following various lengths – often depending on the mourner’s relationship to the deceased – of full morning, which was also known as deepest mourning, during which only black was supposed to be worn).

Doing so was made all the more possible by the fact that in the very same era (in 1856, to be exact), one of the first synthetic purple dyes was invented.

Originally dubbed “aniline purple” by its then eighteen-year-old inventor, William Henry Perkin, this dye – which would later be known by the name mauveine – was created out of coal tar.

In the years and decades to follow, many other synthetic purple dyes – some certainly safer than others – came onto the market as well.

As a result, purple began to be a colour that was within the reach of more people and, accordingly, was frequently seen not only in times of half-mourning but in the day-to-day wardrobes of many Victorian individuals (it was wildly enjoyed by both women and men).

Purple also made a splash in terms of home décor, the art world (purple pigments and paints had been available prior to that point, but were often very costly and did not always promise long-term colourfastness), and as a result, was a much-favoured choice in terms of flowers + floral arranging, too.

As time went on, more and more forms of artificial purple dye were invented and used to colour a huge range of goods (including certain food, too, such as candy and grape soda).

And while, these days, purple has still managed to retain ties to the rich and famous, royalty, and religion, it is very much a colour that the majority of people around the world can access, if so desired.

In addition to the purple correspondences touched on above, spiritually speaking, purple is also associated with such things as the element Air, the number seven, the planet Jupiter, the cardinal direction of east, the fae, wands, cauldrons, spiritually significant jewelry and clothing (very much including robes/cloaks), the spirit world, and Pagan pride.

To circle back to where this post began, it is true that purple and I have not always been the closest of friends, but we share a bond that spans my entire lifetime and I have never viewed purple in a negative light or disliked it for a moment.

This is not the first paper crafting project I have made over the years that starred purple (in terms of those since the creation of my current blog, this Shabby Chic Springtime Bloom Card really stands out for me) and it is a safe bet to say that it won’t be the last either.

Especially since, again, this royal shade is my mom’s favourite colour.

Not wearing, decorating, or crafting with purple all that often as makes the times when I do opt to do just that all the more special and standout-ish to me.

Two adjectives that apply abundantly as well to my – and countless other peoples’ – cherished Halloween.

And therefore, that is all the more reason for me to reach for shades of purple spanning lilac to mulberry, orchid to mauve – and, of course, that most witchy approved of purples, amethyst – when creating some of my numerous annual Halloween papercrafting projects.

Are you a big fan of purple? Do you enjoy including this versatile and very pretty colour in some of your creative projects as well?

PS: I am well aware that if you try to say the name of this blog post five times fast, it instantly becomes a tongue twister.

The post Gold Ghost Shabby Chic Purple Halloween Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Eventually, time in the guise of the Grim Reaper catches up with all of us. Before that happens, though, if we are fortunate, we get to enjoy at least a few decades on this side of the veil.

As I was reflecting on the passing of time a little earlier this month, I was struck by the fact that we had hit the point in the year at which my next birthday now lies less than two months away.

I was also stopped square in my tracks to realize that roughly half a year had passed since the last edition of my ongoing Cemetery Journeys blog post series that was launched in the summer of 2021.

We kicked off this series by first visiting Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Then, in the afterglow of Halloween and Samhain, with November’s piercing chill returning to our days once again, we headed a touch further north in the province and spent some very enjoyable time at Mt. Ida Cemetery in Salmon Arm, BC.

In the third installment of this exciting series, we are going to land fairly close to smack, dab in the middle of these locations. Doing so on a delightful spring day where – true to seasonal form – the light frequently shifted from vividly sunny to moodily overcast.

Throughout the previous two Cemetery Journeys entries, I discussed some important points to keep in mind when exploring the cemeteries of Western Canada (British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province and as such has a shoreline that is lapped by the mighty Pacific Ocean).

These include the fact that while settlement by non-First Nations people has only occurred in this part of the world over the past two hundred years or so (and even then, most areas were settled more in the range of 175 – 100 years ago at this point in time), the indigenous communities that filled not only BC, but Canada as a whole, lived in these rugged lands for millennia before the first Europeans are known to have set foot on Western Canadian soil.

Dovetailing with that point is the fact that as a result, there are no truly old non-First Nations burial sites to be had in this province.

Hitting upon cemeteries with headstones that proceed the 1890s – 1910s is worth celebrating and is not something one finds at every community, town, or city here in British Columbia.

Luckily, however, for history adoring taphophiles like myself, our current region of BC has been settled (again, by non-First Nations people) from about the middle of the nineteenth century onward.

As a result, some – though not all – of the burial grounds in this general area include headstones that predate the 1900s. Albeit often only by a matter of years or a couple of decades.

Still, I will gladly take that and usually make a point of trying to find the oldest headstone I can when visiting a cemetery (at least on my first trip there).

Despite living less than half an hour’s drive away from it, quite some time had passed since I last stepped foot on the hallowed ground that is Pleasant Valley Cemetery in the nearby town of Vernon, BC.

What better time to do just that than the early to mid-days of spring, when the natural world is bursting to life again and one can navigate the great outdoors without the need for double digits worth of thermal layers.

Enter our latest visit to Pleasant Valley Cemetery (a name that untold numbers of cemeteries in the English speaking world are called, believe me, I know ), which took place on a mild, subtly breezy springtime afternoon during which the sky bellyflopped back and forth between radiant sunshine and heavy grey clouds looked as though they had a lot to get off their chests.

It was Monsieur Soleil who won out in the end, but the mix of both types of light helped to add all the more of an atmospheric quality to our cemetery outing.

I shall soon invite you all along with me as we take a leisurely stroll across the gently sloping hills and tree-flanked pathways of Pleasant Valley Cemetery. First, however, let us briefly delve into the history of the community in which this burial ground is located: Vernon, BC.

A quick overview of the history of Vernon, British Columbia

Located in the northern end of BC’s well-known Okanagan Valley, which itself is situated in the Southern Interior area of this province, Vernon is a town with a rich history and yet, it often seems to play second fiddle to the larger nearby city of Kelowna.

This makes sense in many ways, of course, given that Kelowna is the biggest city (“biggest” being a somewhat relative term here ) in the entire Okanagan Valley.

However, Vernon is a terrific community unto itself and one that I feel deserves no less time in the limelight than Kelowna.

Located about 440 kilometres (270 miles) to the northeast of Vancouver, the area that is today known as Vernon was initially discovered and settled by members of the Interior Salish Okanagan people.

The name for Vernon in Salish was Nintle Moos Chin, which roughly translates to “jumping over creek”.

This title stems from part of a local body of water (now called) BX Creek which was narrow enough in some spots to jump straight over from bank to bank.

In the 19^th century, as missionaries such as Father Pandosy who we met when chatting about the history of Kelowna, began to make their way into the interior of British Columbia, Nintle Moos Chin would be renamed Priest’s Valley by the local English speaking community.

During at least part of the 1870s, it also went by Forge Valley in reference to politician, businessman, early Okanagan settler and rancher, Price Ellison’s blacksmith shop. In 1884, Price married Sophia Christine Johnson, Vernon’s first school teacher.

Today the Ellison name lives on throughout various corners of the Okanagan Valley, including both the lovely unincorporated community of Ellison and Ellison Provincial Park.

As that same century wore on, the area’s English name would again change, this time landing on the one that it holds to this day: Vernon.

A name which was bestowed on the community in honour of Mr. Forbes George Vernon, an early member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, who along with his brother Charles Vernon, owned one of the largest early ranches in the area.

Just as you will find many people residing in these beautiful areas today, the original First Nations inhabitants of Nintle Moos Chin/Vernon often lived in close proximity to the two lakes that this city houses: Swan Lake and Okanagan Lake

The latter is the largest lake in the whole Okanagan Valley, spanning the continuous distance from Penticton in the Southern Okanagan to Vernon in the Northern Okanagan (the two are about 1.45 hours drive apart from each other).

A few decades before intrepid missionaries and other early non-First Nations inhabitants started to set up the seeds of a township in what is now present-day Vernon, the area was explored in the 1810s by fur traders.

It is believed that a few decades later, a man by the name of Luc Girouard was the first permanent white settler in Vernon. He built a cabin in the area c. 1861 and would go on to plant Vernon’s first commercial orchards as well.

Little by little, the community began to grow, getting a sizable push towards developing from a small fur trading camp to a full-fledged community thanks to the 1863 discovery of gold in some of the eastern corners of the Okanagan (such as Mission Creek, Cherry Creek, and the Monashee Mountains, respectively).

Some feel that Vernon really got its start when, in 1863/64, the land that would become that township was purchased by Mr. William Campbell, who began – but did not complete – building the community’s first store.

This business-in-the-making was bought up by a stonemason named  Mr. John Imlay, who had such illustrious projects under his belt already as working on the Parliament Building.

Much as in Kelowna to the south and Salmon Arm to the north, early Vernon was peppered with numerous ranches and, as time went on, no shortage of orchards either.

Speaking of which, in 1890, Lord and Lady Aberdeen – whose contributions to and influence in shaping the early history of the Central and Northern Okanagan areas lives on in numerous forms to this very day – purchased the Coldstream Ranch from Forbes Vernon. By 1892, they had planted at least a hundred fruit trees at the ranch in the hopes of accelerating the orchard industry in the area.

It is from the name Coldstream Ranch that the community that came to exist around it would later be named The District of Coldstream. Today, this community continues to thrive and is part of the Greater Vernon area.

In no time flat, Vernon and its surrounding communities would indeed succeed as a thriving fruit-growing (and later also viticulture) corner of Canada. Sun-kissed produce offerings grown in the hearty Okanagan soil are enjoyed by locals and shipped to food merchants around the globe to this very day.

Interestingly, throughout part of the 19^th century, what would become the downtown core of Vernon was known as Centreville, a name that is rarely mentioned anymore and certainly no longer formally used in any capacity that I am aware of.

That downtown core would go on to form the city’s first business district, which came into being in 1885. This same year Vernon got its inaugural post office and a proper townsite was laid out and established for the city.

In addition to having a post office, Vernon was starting to blossom care of other firsts including a schoolhouse, hotel, and general store. A mere two years later, a Hudson’s Bay Company Store appeared on the scene as well.

Thanks in no small part to the abundance of cattle ranches that Vernon housed at the time, the area rapidly became a popular and successful economic hub for the Okanagan Valley.

Numerous forces drew early settlers to Vernon from corners near and far of Canada, as well as America, Europe, and elsewhere in the world.

The booming cattle and fruit-growing industries were two of the largest. Though, I am sure that the balmy summer weather that this region is so well-known for only helped to sweeten the deal for some of those early newcomers.

Growth and development in the area were aided all the more when the Canadian Pacific Railway (aka, the CPR) laid track that ran through parts of the Okanagan and on into the Shuswap, which is the region immediately following the Okanagan to the north.

Things did not stop hopping there in the 1890s, however! A mere two years later, a sternwheeler by the name of the S.S. Aberdeen (named for Lord and Lady Aberdeen) began to ply the waters of Okanagan Lake.

With both the railway and water travel now a part of daily life in the Vernon area, it was possible to bring in people, supplies, and animals considerably more quickly (and sometimes, more easily as well).

Also during the bustling 1890s, Vernon was officially incorporated as a city on December 30, 1892. Nine years later the first city hall was formed. It included both a public reading space and a fire hall.

Though it would, in time, be usurped on this front by Kelowna, back in those days, Vernon was the largest municipality in the Okanagan.

It was the first in which a telephone was installed and where a bank was built, amongst other things that Vernon accomplished sooner than any other part of the region.

As one drives into or exists through present-day Vernon from the south end of the city, they are bound to catch sight of a military camp and surrounding training grounds located there (which are often used for Cadet related purposes).

A military presence has been a part of Vernon’s landscape since 1908 when the Okanagan Mounted Rifles military program was established.

Later to be known as the 30^th Regiment BC Horse – or more commonly, the Okanagan Mounted Rifles.

Throughout both World War I and World War II, Vernon’s population expanded further due to the influx of military personnel and their families who settled – be it temporarily or longer-term – in the area as a result of the army training that took place in Vernon.

Traversing the same stretch of highway that runs through the military training area in Vernon, you will quickly catch sight of the Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

It is a large, multistory medical facility that serves not only Vernon itself but also the residents of many other smaller towns and communities (ours included) in the general vicinity.

This hospital was established in the 1900s and remains the only one in Vernon to the present day.

One piece of Vernon’s history that very few people are aware of is that for a time this city was home to what we would today call something along the lines of a mental health treatment centre, but which at the time was known as a mental asylum.

Originally constructed as a jail, the building operated as a mental health facility from c. 1902 – 1912. After which point patients residing there were sent to the Provincial Insane Asylum in New Westminster. In the years to come, this same building was used as an internment site during WW1.

Its use between the end of that war and its demise due to a fire that happened circa the early 1940s is not well documented. Today, the WL Seaton Secondary School stands on a spot that – often unbeknownst to many who spend time there these days – surely saw no shortage of sorrows, suffering, and injustice during the first four decades of the previous century.

Throughout the 1910s and beyond, other elements that often help a community to grow and succeed were also set up. These included such services and amenities as a high school, sports stadium, and a bit further into the 20^th century, an official library, and a modest-sized (to say the least! ) shopping mall called Village Green Centre.

While there is a bustling downtown business core, various plazas, numerous supermarkets and other shopping locations throughout Vernon, Village Green remains the city’s only mall.

(For better or worse, the Okanagan Valley is not rife with shopping malls and most of those that do exist here are scarcely large enough, IMO, to be crowned with that title in the first place.)

As the 20^th century rolled onward and the province of British Columbia as a whole continued to expand both in terms of its population and its transportation routes, Vernon would go to connect with three different provincial highways. These are Highway 97, Highway 97A, and Highway 6, respectively.

Much as with the Okanagan Valley as a whole, Vernon experiences hot, sunshine-filled summers and cold winters that often reside in sub-zero temperatures from mid to late autumn straight onto early spring.

The gorgeous months of warm sunshine have long helped to ensure Vernon was – and still is – a popular tourist destination, attracting many visitors to its arid climate, gorgeous lakes, and a plethora of surrounding mountains (some of which morph into popular ski hills such as Silver Star Mountain come the winter months) each year.

And speaking of the snowy side of the calendar, each winter Vernon comes alive care of the Vernon Winter Carnival, which was officially established in 1961. Though its roots stretch back to February 23, 1893, as that was when the first recorded winter carnival in the area took place. They would occur periodically between then and 1961, from which point onward they have been an annual event.

Today, Vernon’s is the largest winter carnival in Western Canada and the second biggest in all of North America (behind the well-known and much adored Quebec Winter Carnival).

On the flip side of the year, one finds the Vernon Sunshine Festival, an annual event that takes place in the downtown core of the city. This lively occurrence includes artisan booths, food trucks, live music, children’s events, and various other enjoyable happenings.

As with most parts of British Columbia, Vernon’s commercial structures and homes are a mix of old and new (with plenty that currently fall in between the two).

Downtown, on 30th Avenue (which is often considered to be Vernon’s main street), as well as elsewhere in the city centre, one finds an assortment of older buildings that have stood for numerous decades running.

The arts are well fostered and celebrated in Vernon, with, at the time of writing, no less than 27 different murals depicting scenes from the area’s history appearing on the sides of various buildings throughout the downtown core.

In addition, there is an excellent performing arts centre called the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre, as well as the Powerhouse Theatre which is home to a great community theatre programme.

Located in what is arguably the city’s most beautiful public green space, Polson Park, one also finds the Vernon Community Arts Centre.

And just a few streets over locals and tourists alike can catch a film at the Vernon Towne Cinema, which was built in 1929 – 1930.

Much to the delight of early 20th-century architecture and history buffs, this movie theatre (which served in various other arts and entertainment capacities before becoming a cinema) retains much of its art deco design and charm.

And for those like myself, who swoon up a storm over all things creative and crafty, if you should happen to be in Vernon as spring sits on the cusp of summer, you can visit Chaos Crafts.

This annual event is the largest summertime craft show in Western Canada, attracting vendors and attendees alike from across BC, Alberta, and further afield.

Vernon has witnessed continued population growth for the majority of its lifetime and that has certainly rung true in recent decades.

In 2021, the population of Vernon proper came in at some 44,519 people (who are known as Vernonites). This number swells into the 60,000s, however, when surrounding communities are factored into the equation as well. Together, these areas form what is known as Greater Vernon.

Prior to moving to Armstrong (a town located about twenty minutes north of Vernon) in 2018, I had visited Vernon many times throughout my life (much of which has been spent in the Okanagan).

And once, for an ultra-brief matter of weeks in my teens, I even lived in Vernon.

In the years since we relocated to Armstrong, both Tony and I have gotten to know Vernon considerably better.

It is the nearest city to us (Salmon Arm, located north of our town, is the second closest) and as Armstrong lacks a lot of amenities (or at least any sort of variety of them), we often find ourselves spending time in Vernon – which neither of us mind at all.

Ever since I was a little girl and my family would take summertime road trips to various corners of the Okanagan and Shuswap Valleys, I have felt a connection to Vernon.

From its gorgeous heritage homes such as Campbell House and Mohr House to its equally lovely (unofficial) main street, its lakes (including the stunning Kalamalka Lake located on the southern edge of the city, which was once listed as one of the top ten most beautiful lakes in the world by National Geographic) to its arts and culture scene, Vernon has a good deal to offer both locals and visitors alike.

Kalamalka Lake takes its name from a highly revered First Nations man named Chief Kalamalka, who may have been born around 1800.

An early hotel in Vernon also shared his name and while it has not seen overnight lodgers for quite some time now, part of that building is still going strong. These days it is a popular local sports bar known as The Kal.

Should the occasion to do so arise for us one day, I would likely have no qualms about moving to Vernon. It might not be as big or have quite as much to offer as those larger BC cities that start with the letter V (aka, Vancouver and Victoria), but it is still substantially bigger than itty-bitty Armstrong.

While at the same time, in my personal opinion, it retains more of a cohesive community feel and spirit than that of ever-expanding Kelowna.

This makes all the more sense given that the Greater Kelowna Area more than doubles the population of the Greater Vernon Area.

Like most towns and cities around the world, as Vernon’s population began to grow, it was only natural that a cemetery would be required.

Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Vernon

Just as with the previous two cemeteries that we have spent time exploring so far in this post series, Pleasant Valley is the largest burial site in its respective community.

Fascinatingly, however, Vernon’s first cemetery was not the one we will be wandering through together today.

No, the first cemetery in Vernon, BC, was located in the 3700 block of 35^th Avenue on land donated for this very purpose by none other than Vernon’s first permanent white inhabitant, Luc Girouard.

This community burial ground came into being during the 1880s and had been known by a slew of different names such as “Vernon Cemetery”, “Old Cemetery”, and “Old Vernon Cemetery” before being given, on May 8, 1975, its current title of Pioneer Park Cemetery.

The first body to be buried at the Vernon Cemetery was, heartbreakingly, a one-year-old child named John William Hozier, who was laid to rest there in 1885.

As is apt to happen as communities expand, it did not take very long for Vernon’s relatively small original cemetery to become quite full (as well as, unfortunately, rather unkempt).

One or two years into the start of the 20^th century, in either 1901 or 1902 (I have seen sources that cite both of those years), the City of Vernon opted to purchase land for use as a new cemetery.

The land to do just happened to be located on Pleasant Valley Road, which naturally is where Pleasant Valley Cemetery derives its name from.

However, at the very beginning of its life, this location was known as both the Vernon Cemetery (just like its predecessor) and the Vernon Municipal Cemetery.

Once this new cemetery had been established in Vernon, Pioneer Park Cemetery was closed for burials. In the decades since, all of the burial plots have now been removed (with many being reinterred at Pleasant Valley Cemetery).

And in a lovely nod to the history of that piece of land, some of the grave markers were used to build a memorial wall at the east side of the old cemetery, which is today a small public park called Pioneer Park Cemetery.

Others – much like those laid to rest beneath them – were moved to Pleasant Valley Cemetery. And it is very cemetery that we will now be diving straight into exploring together.

Located at 4311 Pleasant Valley Road, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, Pleasant Valley Cemetery has been in continuous operation for an impressive 120 – 121 years and counting at this point (that being 2022).

Those wishing to visit this cemetery can do so year-round during the following times:

March 15th – October 15^th: 8 am to dusk

October 16^th – March 14^th: 8 am to 4 pm

One enters Pleasant Valley Road Cemetery through a wide, somewhat low wrought iron gate attached to two stonework columns. Upon doing so, you will instantly be greeted by a serene (drivable) pathway that is heavily flanked on both sides by tall, lushly verdant trees.

From the outset, one might not expect Vernon’s main burial ground to be as large as it is when you simply pass by it on your way to somewhere else.

However, one need only walk a few metres into Pleasant Valley Cemetery to begin to get a sense of the expansiveness of this immensely lovely final resting place of more than 17,000 individuals and counting.

Vernon’s Pleasant Valley Road Cemetery is divided into two sections: Evergreen and Maple, both of which are then broken down further into blocks, rows, and plots in which ones finds a wide array of different marker styles spanning some that were moved there from the original Pioneer Cemetery straight on to burials as recent as the same season you are visiting.

If you plan to walk around the cemetery, I would suggest wearing comfortable shoes in which your feet will not begin to ache quickly as you will be covering a decent amount of ground if you wish to see the whole of Pleasant Valley Cemetery on foot.

Naturally though, if one lives nearby or will be in the vicinity for multiple days, you could opt to explore various parts of the cemetery on different days.

When this cemetery was established at the start of the 20^th century, it initially covered an expanse of seventeen acres. However, it did not actually take very long for that space to be used up.

Therefore, as time went on, more of the adjacent land was purchased over the years to accommodate new burials (today it comes in at about thirty acres of land).

Prior to that point, however, in 1909, Pleasant Valley Cemetery witnessed a truly dark day when a fire at the Okanagan Hotel took the lives of eleven people.

A memorial was erected to honour a man named Archie Hickling, who perished in the blaze while helping to save others. In addition, a stone marker commemorates the victims of that tragic event which rocked the community of Vernon.

While Pleasant Valley Cemetery does not house anyone famous enough to likely be a household name the world over, it is home to a number of notable early residents and/or some of their family members. Amongst them is one of Price Ellison’s daughters.

There are some strikingly beautiful older monuments and headstones (and a few wrought iron plot fences) to be had in Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

A good number of which were the work of skilled Scottish stonecutter William Inkster, who moved to Vernon in 1903 – a mere one year after the (then) new cemetery was opened.

Mr. Inkster (I love that last name, BTW) founded the Vernon Granite and Marble Company, with some of the earliest granite coming from the properties of the Lefroy family and that of Price Ellison, whose daughter was just mentioned.

That granite can still be seen today in the antique headstones that still stand at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, quite a few of which include – as one would expect, especially for the time period – an array of Christian symbols and religious/spiritual inscriptions.

From very early on in its history, this cemetery has included a section that was/is designated for Chinese burials. Most of the markers located there are, naturally, in Mandarin or Cantonese.

While vertical headstones continue to be erected for some of the newer burials at this cemetery, the bulk of the recent cremation burials (as opposed to casket burials) are designated by small horizontal shaped markers that lay close to the ground.

Many peacefully pretty trees (including plenty of pines) coupled with an array of flowering bushes call this cemetery home as well.

Their presence offers an additional element of tranquillity and helps to create an even more beautiful setting for those buried at Pleasant Valley Cemetery and those who visit it alike.

As touched on earlier in this post, one of the standout features of this cemetery is the sweeping and rather majestic view of the city and the mountains on the opposite side of Vernon that can be viewed from some spots throughout the grounds.

I have had the joy of visiting many cemeteries throughout my lifetime and I can confidently say that few had/have views quite as breathtaking as this deeply peaceful one.

In addition to an area being designated early on for the burials of Chinese citizens, separate sections were also portioned out early on for members of civic clubs (including the Oddfellows), as well as for infants.

Following WWI, a spot was set aside to be used specifically for members of the Great War Veterans Association.

Areas were also singled for those who died while in the (devastatingly wrong and unjust) internment camps that were set up in the North Okanagan during both WW1 and WW2.

An October 2019 Vernon Morning Star article states that the first person to be buried in the city’s then newly established cemetery was a woman named Mrs. Ellen Johnson Wilding Weeks.

Originally from Shrewsbury, England, Ellen was born on January 22, 1847. She married a fellow named Thomas Weeks in 1867 and, nearly three decades later, the couple moved to Vernon with their five children.

Rather interestingly, the home that Thomas Weeks built for his family to live in is still standing to this day. It is now known as the Rice House and can be seen on 20^th Street in Vernon.

Sadly, on October 5, 1901, Ellen passed away from tuberculosis (then commonly called “consumption”) at the age of just 54 years old. Three days later she was laid to rest in Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

Less than two year on, her husband Thomas, aged 60, passed away from liver disease and was buried in the plot immediately alongside that of his beloved wife.

And while none of Ellen and Thomas’s children are interred at this cemetery, two of their grandchildren joined them at the family plot later on in the century.

(Note: If indeed that date was Ellen’s correct date of death, then it would imply that the cemetery was opened in 1901, not 1902. Though I am still trying to get some definitive answers there as both years are readily cited in various historical sources and online articles.)

However, due to the fact that some of the grave markers from Vernon’s very first cemetery were moved to Pleasant Valley, Ellen’s date of death is not the earliest to be had at this location.

These belong to some of the members of the Johnson family who passed away on various dates in the two decades preceding the creation of the original Vernon Cemetery.

I am likewise trying to determine if these individuals’ bodies are interred at Pleasant Valley Cemetery or if markers have “just” been placed there in memory of these early Vernon pioneers.

Sadly, the earliest death that appears on these markers is that of James O. Johnson, who was born on August 23, 1861, and who perished the very next day.

In the years to come, three other Johnson family members would also pass away at devastatingly young ages, their names, in turn, appearing on this same stone as well.

Another marker that will tug at the heartstrings of many who come across it is the inscribed memorial stone that was put in place as a memory of those who passed away between 1948 and 1961 in the Vernon-based BC Provincial Home for the Aged.

This marker came to be in recent times thanks to the hard work of two members (Alice Lee and Gilda Koenig) of the Vernon and District Family History Society who raised funds in order to have this stone created and placed at the cemetery.

Of the roughly 500 people who died in that government-run senior citizen’s home, it is believed that about 377 of them are buried at Vernon’s cemetery. However, only seventy or so of those people are laid to rest beneath headstones/markers, with the rest residing in unmarked graves.

Not uncommonly, little to no information whatsoever is now known about these individuals, so it is all the more important that their memory not be lost entirely in the mists of time.

As such, in addition to the monument rock, forty-one other rocks have been placed in a row to commemorate this group of people further – many of whom died and were, unfortunately, buried alone (that is to say, without any of their family present).

Today, burials (be they of bodies or cremated remains) continue to take place at Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

However, according to a 2019 article in the Vernon Morning Star newspaper, the city believes – and is making advance plans for the fact that – there is likely only about 25 to 30 years of space left for new burials at this location.

While no new (burial) ground is being broken quite yet, the city – which owns the current cemetery – will strive to get a jump on the day when Pleasant Valley is at max capacity by starting work on a new cemetery at least five to ten years in advance of that estimated point in time.

I have not heard or read, but like to assume that when that day comes, the City of Vernon will continue to maintain Pleasant Valley Cemetery.  

Time shall tell, but I for one will be keeping my fingers and toes tightly crossed when Vernon’s current cemetery reaches its limit and a new one is opened, Pleasant Valley will continue to stand as the beautiful, tranquil, and historically important spot that it is for many more generations to come.

The similarities and differences of cemeteries everywhere

Though this cemetery shares a moniker with scores of others around the world and there are additional common points to be had as well, like most burial grounds, it is not a carbon copy of any other out there.

This North Okanagan burial ground holds elements that help to set it apart and, in the process, endure it all the more to the hearts of many who spend time at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Vernon, BC.

Ultimately, even when various cemeteries and/or graveyards are rather similar to one another, it is vital to remember that they will forever be differentiated from one another by the fact that different groups of individuals were interred at each one.

Save for those very rare cases where part of a body was laid to rest (or their ashes sprinkled or housed at) at one cemetery and another/the rest at a different one, it is very uncommon for one individual to reside at two different cemeteries.

Vernon is the oldest community in the Okanagan and while its present-day cemetery is not the region’s largest or most senior, having been established roughly 121 years ago and presently clocking in at about thirty acres, it is certainly amongst them.

I feel very fortunate to live in a part of the country that is peppered with fascinating, beautiful, and diverse cemeteries up and down the region and to get the chance to visit some of them periodically.

For, after all, as I began this post by saying, the passing of time will eventually lead us all to our last breath. I have no idea if anyone will remember me after I am gone and my living relatives at the time have also crossed over.

Whether anyone will or not, while I am on this side of the soil, I make it my mission to remember and honour the lives, spirits, hopes, dreams, and accomplishments of all those who rest in eternal slumber at the cemeteries I am able to visit in person.

So long as my health permits, plans are in the works to spend time at some others around our region this year. It is a safe bet to say that future Cemetery Journey posts devoted to those equally poignant places will transpire here in due course as well. (I can hardly wait! )

What is your favourite season in which to spend time at cemeteries/graveyards? What was the last burial ground that you visited for non-funeral-related reasons?

The post Cemetery Journeys: Springtime in Bloom at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Vernon, BC appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Little by little, the last vestiges of winter are melting back into the seasonal ethers.

For some, spring weather and new life begin as early as February. For others, it gradually inches its way out in March, April, or even May.

No matter when spring begins in your particular corner of the Western Hemisphere, it is safe to say that the dark, soulful, mysterious days of autumn may not be the first thing on everybody’s mind.

Exceptions made for those of us who are fall-obsessed and rarely, if ever, go a day without thinking about our beloved autumn.

At first glance, these fresh days of mid-spring might not seem to have a lot in common with autumn – let alone with the month of October.

Sure, they both lean towards lovely temps and a hearty mix of rain + sunshine, but beyond that, they are, admittedly rather different creatures.

And yet…

Much like opposite sides of a colour wheel that compliment and have a natural affinity for one another, so too do spring and autumn jive surprisingly well.

And I am not just talking about Springoween (awesome as that is!).

The present season of spring starts or recharges much of the natural world anew and autumn witnesses its eventual demise. One houses Beltane, the other Samhain.

Mid-spring and mid-autumn are linked by the poignant fact that both are highly liminal times. Periods of transition and change, when the veil between the world thins and, in some instances, reality can be perceived differently or feel altered in various respects.

Both time and places can be liminal. In the case of the latter, they are often called liminal spaces – though this term, can somewhat confusingly (especially for those who are new to the concept of liminality), also be applied to liminal time periods.

Like many a modern word, “liminal” has its roots in ancient Latin. Stemming in this instance from “limen”, which means threshold.

Practitioners of witchery, Paganism, and magically inclined paths often view liminal times as being a threshold between this world and that of the next, and/or of spirits, fairies, elementals, and other beings that are both of and outside of our own mortal realm.

Liminal times (including the annual solstices and equinoxes, cross-quarter dates, and leap years) are exceptionally well suited to working and communicating with ancestors, the departed in general, faeries, spirit guides, and other entities of a nonhuman nature.

As well as a terrific period in which to engage in acts such as meditation, astral travel, divination, hedgeriding, spellwork, sacred rituals, dumb suppers, visiting burial grounds, and starting or wrapping up shadow work journeys.

In the Northern Hemisphere, many view Samhain as the most liminal chapter of the year. I hold this view myself, but have long felt that at least a few other points in the calendar came quite close to Samhain on the liminality front.

Samhain’s partner sabbat (that is to say, the sabbat that sits directly across from it on The Wheel of the Year and which occurs in the Southern Hemisphere as we are celebrating its partner sabbat on this side of the globe) is Beltane. As such, there is a great deal of liminality to this sacred Pagan date.

Now, Autumn, I hear you thinking, this is interesting and topical (given that many who observe it will be celebrating Beltane tomorrow), but what does it have to do with the book that this post provides a detailed review for?

Excellent question, my inquisitive friend.

Given the liminal nature of the days surrounding and housing Beltane, it is natural to think about and work with the spirit world (be it in literal, archetypical, or metaphorical form).

One of the most engaging, well-researched, and delightful books I have read on the subject of some of the entities which call the other side of the veil home is Susan Owen’s highly acclaimed, Ghosts: A Cultural History.

This in-depth look at the history of spectres was first published in 2017, making it a relatively young book still.

While it will no doubt hold particular appeal for many a fellow witch/Wiccan/Pagan, The Ghost: A Cultural History is in no way targeted specifically towards this audience.

Instead, this book is a historical peek behind the curtain – or would that be the white bedsheet? – at how the concept of ghosts has impacted and shaped history, literature, art, and daily life in general for many a century now.  

Book Specs

Name: The Ghost: A Cultural History

Author: Susan Owens

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Page Count: 288

Binding: Hardcover (also available in paperback)

A hauntingly engaging look at the history of ghosts… in the United Kingdom

A sleek, elegant cover in shades of mysterious black and equally beguiling white greets the reader as they approach The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens.

Though not a huge book in terms of page count, this title has some heft to it thanks to the thick, high-quality cover and paper that the pages themselves are printed on.

Make no mistake, this is a beautiful-looking book. It is one which you may be inspired to not only post a cover shot of on social media, but to display prominently on a bookshelf, coffee table or elsewhere in your humble abode.

The title of this book would, at the onset, lead most readers to assume that The Ghost: A Cultural History cast a wide net in terms of the geographical locations it covers.

However, for all intents and purposes, the focus of this book is squarely on the history of ghosts throughout the British Isles.

Occasional mentions of ghostly happenings in continental Europe and other international locations are made throughout the book. However, again, the United Kingdom is where we find ourselves for the bulk of The Ghost: A Cultural History’s 288 pages.

The Brits have a long-standing history of ghosts. Throughout the UK, apparitions have made countless appearances in literature, art, plays, films, folklore, the popular imagination, and the lives of many a living soul – both past and present – alike.

Though I do think a more accurate subtitle for this book would have been something along the lines of “A British Cultural History” or “The British Ghost”, I understand that it may not have appealed to as broad an audience had it been billed outright as such.

I would not call the title false advertising per se, but do feel that the omission of wording pertaining to the UK or otherwise specifying that this book is not a global history of ghosts would have been a more factually accurate approach.

Putting that point aside and diving straight into this book, it is easy to quickly fall head-over-heels for The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens.

As this book touches on, even in the fast-paced, electronically driven 21^st century, ghosts – or, depending on who you ask about the subject, the archetype of apparitions – are still with us in a litany of forms. And, likewise, ghost sightings show no signs of slowing down.

Whether ghosts spook, terrify, thrill, delight, perplex, comfort, or amuse us, there is little denying their ability to weather the passing of time, pervading religious views, and scientific scrutiny alike.

Nor can one easily discount the inspirational springboards – not to mention money-making potential – ghost sightings, haunted locations, ghost stories, and other spirited going-ons have long provided for innumerable books, plays, movies, works of art, and Halloween, over the course of time.

This book does not set out to prove or disprove the existence of the spectral entity that we generally refer to as ghosts. Nor, by any means, is it a ghost hunting how-to guide.

The Ghost: A Cultural History instead presents a relatively unbiased look at how ghosts have impacted and influenced British culture for many hundreds of years.

Arranged chronologically, this title brings ghosts to life, so to speak, via not only historical accounts and the author’s own insight, but also through a vast array of cultural figures whose work tackled the subject of ghosts in one form or another.

No less illustrious names than William Blake, Shake sphere, Mary and Percy Shelley, Samuel Pepys, Henry James, Emily Bronte, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Wilkie Collins, and – naturally – Charles Dickens, amongst others, all visit us from the other side of the veil care their own words and works.

In addition, one finds a curated selection of relevant artwork from centuries past right on up to our own lifetime housed in this book.

Beginning in the Middle Ages (although ghostly happenings during earlier ages are touched on at times as well) and floating straight on into the start of the 21^st century, The Ghost: A Cultural Review is a riveting exploration of how and why ghosts have embedded themselves so much in the lives and minds of Britons for a great many years now.

This book examines why that is, where some of our common beliefs about ghosts arose from, how the concept of apparitions has changed over the years, and ultimately ponders why ghosts will not just go gently into that good night which is our collective human history.

In addition, the evolution of the ghost story itself is explored, with due emphasis given to the immense popularity that ghost stories enjoyed during the 1700s to early 1900s. A popularity, which as this book discusses, is still with us in a wide range of forms to the present day.

Throughout The Ghost: A Cultural History a steady course is plotted that shows how the perception and appearance of British apparations have changed over the course of the last millennia or so. And, in doing as much, also asks how it may continue to redefine itself for future generations yet to come.

In this book, author Susan Owens posits that ghosts can be seen as a sort of mirror for a society, its beliefs (both religious/spiritual and secular), customs (including such things as burial attire), and the perpetual question of if there really is something waiting for us on the other side of this mortal coil.

Sandwiched between an introduction and a heartfelt postscript (as well as a bibliography, source notes, and an index), one finds seven chapters (each with a few subchapters apiece) in The Ghost: A Cultural History.

The chapters are as follows:

1. The Living and the Dead

2. Questionable Shapes

3. Ghosts for a New Age

4. Terror and Wonder

5. Appearances and Disappearances

6. Haunted Century

7. Re-inventing Ghosts

As someone with an immense lifelong passion for history, I greatly enjoyed that this book kicks off in the 11^th century and across the course of those seven engaging chapters, leads us all the way up to the 2010s.

I have a particular penchant for history that spans the 18^th to the mid-20^th century, so was especially pleased that Owens paid these periods no shortage of attention.

Delving into (as she does throughout the book in general) the cultural role that spirits and ghost sightings have played throughout those years, as well as how they helped to influence a wide range of artists, writers, playwrights, and plenty of other folks, too.

As we reach the 19^th century, topics such as séances, Spiritualism, and spirit photography are all covered. As one would hope for and expect in a book about the history of British ghosts (or ghosts in general).

Upon getting to the 20^th and 21^st centuries, I really appreciated that Owens explored the shifting face and nature (in some contexts at least) of ghosts as they have been portrayed through mediums such as film, TV, literature, and the internet.

I was also very pleased to see her raise the point that as ghosts began, for a time at least, to hold less cultural sway during the early to mid-20^th century, aliens and the concept of a different forms of life other than our own took hold all the more in (Western) society’s collective mind.  

The Ghost: A Cultural History does a wonderful job of merging scholarly research and a corresponding academic tone with friendly, lively writing that feels akin to a lecture on the history of ghosts from the kind of professor one would instantly adore taking any course from.

How The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens rates with me

The Ghost: A Cultural History probes deep into the heart of the past to explore why ghosts matter, how they have adapted and changed with time, and what fate ghosts may experience in the thus far unwritten future.

This book is not a sensationalistic, hokey, slapdash, or heavily recycled look at the age-old subject of spirits. Rather, it is a respectful and insightful investigation of the topic that gives ghosts their rightful place alongside the (then) living over the course of many centuries.  

Whether you are a skeptic, firm believer, or rather agnostic when it comes to the possibility of actual phantasms, if one has even the slightest interest in the history and cultural significance of ghosts, this book is for you.

Ghosts and the spirit realm have fascinated me for my entire life. I have experienced what I believe to be ghost/apparition encounters on multiple occasions, and involve both the concept of spirits and the other side of the veil that they inhabit extensively in my spiritual practices all throughout the year.

At this highly liminal time, with Beltane returning here and Samhain reappearing in the Southern Hemisphere, I feel intuitively all the more connected with the spirit realm. Therefore, it does not surprise me that some of my own ghostly encounters over the years have occurred right around this poignant date.

Coincidence? Possibly, but the connection remains all the same and as such, I have come to associate apparitions nearly as much with mid-spring as I do when they take centre stage come October.

Despite its title, as touched on above, The Ghost: A Cultural History is not a global or even single continent-based look at the history of spirits.  

Once you move beyond that, however, this book is rife with thought-provoking discussions, as well as myriad excellent quotes and works of art from some of history’s most famous names. All coupled with a thorough sociological overview of how and why ghosts, despite their ethereal nature, are firmly cemented in our collective conscious.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens 4.5 stars out of 5.

Have you read The Ghost: A Cultural History? Do you have any ghostly encounters of your own that you’d like to share?

The post Book Review: The Ghost: A Cultural History by Susan Owens appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Personally, I lean towards April 30^th, as it feels more natural to me to celebrate this exciting spot on the calendar at the end of the month, given that Halloween itself transpires on the final day of October.

Plus, I observe Beltane on May 1^st, so my focus tends to be on that beautiful springtime Pagan sabbat come the inaugural day of the year’s fifth month.

Not, of course, that I mind combining secular and Pagan holidays together. I happily do so each year for Samhain + Halloween.

A number of years ago now (if not longer still), the term “Halfoween” (aka, Half-O-Ween) was coined so as to give the halfway mark until All Hallows’ Eve its own name.

Another very charming – and clever – title that I have seen used for the halfway point to Halloween is “Neewollah“. Aka, the word Halloween spelled backwards. How fun is that!

Plenty of fellow #EverydayisHalloween souls have shared content online over the years pertaining to Half-O-Ween.

Here are but a few that have caught my eye:

-A great roundup of horror movies to watch at Halfoween from The Spooky Vegan

–Halfway to Halloween: 10 Ways to Celebrate the Unofficial Holiday from Mr. and Mrs. Halloween

–How to Celebrate Halfoween from Spooky Little Halloween

–Six More Ways to Celebrate Halfoween aka Half Way to Halloween from Mr. and Mrs. Halloween

With Halfoween rounding the bend again in a matter of days, it seemed like high time I made a papercrafting project to honour this delightful date – as well as to celebrate Springoween at the same time.

Springoween, as I detailed in my 2021 post, Sweetly Spooky Oversized Slimline Springoween Card (Plus, What is Springoween?), is an amalgamation of classic springtime elements (be they Easter/Ostara related or otherwise) and the dark, spooky, hair-raisingly marvellousness of Halloween.

If you are new to the concept of Springoween, pop by that post and get the 411 on this hauntingly fun way to embrace (and decorate for) spring.

(Lol! Who else remembers when the expression “Get the 411” was all the rage in the 1990s and early 2000s? )

It struck me a few days ago that it had been a very, very long time since I last made a pocket letter.

If memory serves me right, we are talking 6+ years (it was unequivocally pre-arson fire).

At the time, pocket letters were wildly popular within the papercrafting world. Numerous groups and forum sections devoted to pocket letters were to be – and still are in some cases – found on various websites and social media platforms (i.e., Scrapbook.com and Facebook, respectively).

I fell in love with pocket letters at first sight, though only got a chance to make around three to four (sadly, no photos survive of them) before that fateful night back in October 2016.

Jump ahead to the present month and I suddenly got the BIGGEST urge to make a pocket letter again.

So that is precisely what I did, choosing to celebrate the concepts of both Halfoween and Springoween within the borders of nine wonderful little adjacent rectangles.

Cute Pastel Hued Happy Springoween Pocket Letter

Back in early 2019, I picked up a pack of Ultra Pro Platinum Series 9-Pocket Trading Card Pages, anticipating that sooner or later, I would make pocket letters again.

Some three years on from then, I finally got a chance to do just that and, OH MY WORD, let me tell you, I am completely and entirely in love with pocket letters!!!

I recall very much enjoying the tiny number I made back around 2015. Creating one again this year was like connecting with the dearest of old friends.

Though the heyday of pocket letters may have passed somewhat, plenty of folks still like to make – and in some instances, swap – them or include a PL as part of some happy mail.

Count me amongst those ranks and prepare to see future pocket letters here now that I have rediscovered the joys of this wonderful form of paper crafting.

In fact, I am already brainstorming a future post all about the ins and outs of pocket letter making.

Until then, however, for those who may be new to the concept, allow me to briefly go over what a pocket letter (usually) is.

Generally speaking, pocket letters begin with nine slot trading card sleeves (or you can make your own version using a fuse tool such as the Photo Sleeve Fuse Tool and Fusable Clear Sheets, both of which are from We R Memory Keepers).

One then creates pieces of cardstock, paper, etc – often with some embellishments swirled into the mix – and tucks them into the front of each of those pockets.

If sending the pocket letter off in the mail or otherwise presenting it to someone else, many people opt to include small gifts on the backside of the nine slots (and sometimes on the front as well).

Examples of these gifts that fit the bill well include such things as washi tape samples, sequins mixes, flatback charms/cabochons, beads, die cuts, stickers, tea bags, and candies – amongst scores of other possibilities.

You can decorate both the inside and outside of the slots on your pocket letter, as desired. I have placed elements both inside and out on the pocket letter highlighted in this post.

Much as with just about all forms of papercrafting, the sky is the limit in terms of how to make pocket letters. Let your creativity run wild when whipping up a multi-slot PL!

Being a huge fan of cohesiveness, I usually pick a general theme and corresponding colour palette for my pocket letters.

In this case, the theme was Springoween + Halfoween and the colour palette was a classic mix of springtime pastels coupled with white, black, and hints of metallic gold throughout.

Tending to favour fall tones and dark colours, I wouldn’t say I have a ton of pastels or springtime themed items in my stash. However, as soon as I hit on the theme + hues for this darling Springoween pocket letter, I knew that I had only to reach for some of Prima’s Halloween offerings to score the aesthetic I was after.

Given the widespread popularity (especially in recent years) of what is sometimes dubbed Pasteloween (aka, utilizing a pastel colour scheme to decorate, craft, etc for October 31^st), I picked up some of the papers from Prima’s Thirty One Collection line a while back and was extra glad I did as it proved to be a great option for this particular pocket letter.

While I did feel a bit rusty on the pocket letter making front, happily and thankfully, it didn’t take long for me to find my grove as I went about creating this project.

I have no doubt that the classic “it’s like riding a bicycle” quality of reconnecting with something you have engaged in doing previously will deepen all the more with each fresh PL I create from here on out.

Theme and colour palette sorted, I set about rummaging through my stash for a bevy of suitable embellishments and trims to partner with these (mostly) pale hues.

Pocket letters are an awesome way to utilize a wide array of those kinds of materials – as well as to potentially use up paper/cardstock scraps and do some stash busting in the process.

Once I had everything gathered, I took my time and composed the various rectangles and exterior embellishments of my pocket letter. After I was pleased with the look, I set about adhering everything together and making a few more design tweaks along the way.

Humbly, I am tickled (pastel) pink with how this adorable Springoween pocket letter turned out and have already started pulling out items to make my second pocket letter of 2022 in the not-too-distant future.

It will be a gift for a dear friend and while it is spring/summer inspired, that one is not going to be Springoween or Summerween themed pocket letter – though it is a safe bet to say that I will very likely make more of those as time goes on.

Products used to make this charming pastel hued ghost themed Springoween pocket letter

-Nine pocket trading card sleeve – Platinum Series 9-Pocket Trading Card Pages from Ultra Pro

-Peachy-cream coloured cardstock

-Pink cardstock

-Black cardstock

-Metallic gold cardstock

-Black and gold floral print paper – Love Story 4.5” x 7” Paper Pad from Recollections (Michael’s brand)

-Various Halloween cut apart pieces – Thirty One Collection Magickal Haunt from Prima

-Various Halloween cut apart pieces – Thirty One Collection All The Treats from Prima

-Pinking shears or decorative edge pinking scissors – Mini Pinking Paper Edgers from Fiskars

-Black ink – Wicked Black Archival Dye Ink Pad from Color Box

-Tiny Halloween word stickers – Trick or Treat Stickers from Echo Park

-Itty-bitty ghost and pumpkin puffy stickers – from American Greetings (No specific product name appears on the packaging.)

-Light pink rosette with purple button center – Button Pinwheel Stickers from Forever in Time

-Tiny pink enamel heart stickers – Tiny Hearts Shape Sprinklers from Doodlebug Design Inc.

-Glossy gold enamel heart stickers – Heart of Gold Shape Sprinklers from Doodlebug Design Inc.

-White and gold foil alphabet stickers – Swing Gold Foil Chipboard Letter Stickers from American Crafts

-Black Foam “Happy” word sticker – this one hails from the Jot brand of products sold at Dollar Tree (No specific product name appears on the packaging.)

-Assorted Halloween stickers from Crafter’s Square (Dollar Tree brand; no specific product name appears on the packaging.)

-White resin frames (The ones used here were purchased a few years ago from an Asian home goods store in Toronto; they are remarkably similar to those produced by Prima a while back.)

-Orange, black and white Halloween sequins mix – Sprinkletz Embellishments (specific product name not listed on packaging) from Buttons Galore & More

-Tiny gold heart sequins – (specific product name not listed on packaging) from Pretty Pink Posh

-White sequins

-Black sequins

-Iridescent pink sequins

-Mini pink clothespins

-Pink embroidery floss (If using, you will need a sturdy needle with a decently large eye on it so as to be able to fit all six strands of the floss through at the same time. Alternatively, use a sturdy pink thread and either machine or hand sew the shaker pocket shut that way instead.)

-Pre-made mini orange bows (or very slender orange ribbon to make your own)

-Gold coloured seam binding

-Black seam binding

-Black lace trim

-Black and white text print ribbon – No. 3 Trim from Graphic 45

-Pink ricrac trim – Fancy Flushed Lace Wraps from Fancy Pants Designs

-Pink velvet ribbon trim – Fancy Flushed Lace Wraps from Fancy Pants Designs

-Black and white striped washi tape

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

How to make a super fun pocket letter for Springoween (or Halfoween)

While I usually provide detailed step-by-step instructions for most of the papercrafting projects that I post here, this time around I am not going to break things down to that degree.

Many pocket letters are, in my opinion, quite easy to dissect, so to speak, just by looking at them. I feel that statement applies in the case of this hauntingly fun Springoween pocket letter.

Instead, I will mention a bit more about its design coupled with some general advice regarding making pocket letters.

(That said, if you have any questions pertaining to how to make this exact PL that are not covered here please do not hesitate to ask them in the comments below or via the email contact form located on the header bar of this blog.)

To make cutting out the correct size of cardstock/paper/thin chipboard/felt/etc for each slot of your pocket letters, I suggest you measure the dimensions of each slot/pocket (in most types of playing card holders, these slots will be uniformly sized) and then make a reusable template based on those measurements.

I did that prior to putting together the specific aspects of this Springoween pocket letter, opting to use some medium-weight chipboard to create one template the length and width of three pockets and another the length and width of a single pocket.

Now, anytime I want to make a pocket letter using the specific card holder sheets that I currently have on hand, I need only trace the outline of these templates on my desired material, cut them out, and I’m good to go.

I have labelled my templates and placed them mere inches away from my crafting desk (it is a small desk without any drawers, therefore most of my craft stash is stationed elsewhere in that similarly wee room).

So easy and so handy!

If you regularly work with the same size pieces for any of your crafting applications, I highly recommend making reusable templates.

When making a pocket letter, keep in mind that the see-through pockets themselves are not usually very roomy from front to back. This means that there is a definite cap on the types of embellishments (and number of layers, etc) that you can fit into a given pocket.

If you wish to include larger/more 3D embellishments, it generally works best to attach them to the outside, not the inside of your pockets.

While the standard pocket letter size is three rows by three rows, I have seen other sizes over the years as well.

These include “mini pocket letters”, which are commonly between 3 – 6 pockets in total size (often cut down from a 3-row x 3-row playing card holder sheet), Project Life type pages with various numbers and sizes of slots, and other configurations created by either sewing or creating slots with a fuse tool.

If you want to shake things up, don’t be afraid to experiment with different sizes. You could also attach two or more nine-slot card holder sheets together and create a mega pocket letter!

Or, leave them separate but carry the same theme/colours across two or more pages for another form of extra-large pocket letter.

When making pocket letters, it is common to attach or thread things such as ribbon, twine, lace, seam binding, tulle, string, charms, and washi tape to one or more of the (three) holes on the left-hand side of the page protector.

This can jazz up your pocket letter further, while also helping to tie your design together to an even greater degree.

If you – or your recipient – are likely to store the pocket letter that you have created in a binder, duo-tang folder, or scrapbook album, it is usually best to either make those components easy to remove or to leave enough space in the holes for them to still be able to accommodate binder rings and the like.

Though that said, technically, one could store the most common sizes of pocket letters in a 12 x 12-inch scrapbook album with corresponding 12 x 12-inch page protectors.

Whether you will be tucking gifts, letters, etc or not into the back of your PL, it can be a really lovely touch to ensure the backside of your pocket letter is attractive looking as well.

You may wish to repeat some of the same papers/cardstocks used on the front sans most (or all) embellishments. Or you can opt to use a single colour of a paper/cardstock.

There really are no rules, so as with the front side of your pocket letter, let your imagination soar and have a blast while creating this fabulous type of paper crafting project.

Happiest Halfoween wishes!

As returning readers may likely have guessed, this festive Springoween pocket letter is my #MakeHalloween365 project for the month of April 2022.

As always, I encourage you to use this hashtag anytime you share a Halloween-related creative project of any kind online (be it papercrafting related or otherwise). It can be on your blog, website, or social media – anywhere a hashtag comes into play, have at ‘er!

When it comes to those of us who live for Halloween – or who otherwise adore this most spooky of holidays – there is something powerfully exciting about reaching the point in the year from which, for the next six months onward, we will be closer to our beloved October 31^st than further away from it.

Springoween strives to imbue springtime as a whole with a hair-raisingly delightful sense of Halloween’s mysterious spirit.

Halfoween, is a single day (or two – should one want to celebrate it on both April 30^th and May 1^st). A pivotal point on the calendar that propels us into that very six-month countdown.

Even if we have no desire for the next half a year to whiz by faster than a flock of bats flying against a harvest moon-filled sky, for Halloweenoholics, we cannot help but cross off the days until October returns.

Growing all the more gleeful that with each fresh sunrise – or, perhaps more aptly for the darkly inclined, each fresh sunset – at that very prospect.

If you are jonesing for plenty of inspiration and ideas to help inject even more Halloween happiness into your days the whole year through, may I suggest my roundup of 31 Ways to Celebrate Halloween All Year Long as well as the following selection of my Pinterest boards?

–Springoween

–Summerween

–Fall time in general

–Lammas

–Mabon

–Samhain

–Thanksgiving recipes

–Vintage Thanksgiving

–Fall and Thanksgiving cards

–Halloween

–Halloween costumes

–Halloween recipes

–Halloween cards

–Vintage Halloween

As usual here, expect to see plenty of Halloween related craft projects from me in the coming half a year (and beyond, natch! ), as well as other posts pertaining to my – and many peoples’ – most cherished holiday.

Right here and now though, as we head towards May and the return of Halfoween, know that I am wishing you the happiest of Halloween countdowns and a safe, enjoyable, creativity-filled second half of the (Halloween-based) year.

Do you take note of Halfoween? If you have done so before, when was the last time you created a pocket letter of your own?

The post Cute Pastel Hued Happy Springoween Pocket Letter (It’s the first PL I have made in six years!) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity. – William Samuel Johnson

Since launching this quarterly blog post series in 2020, I have often begun my “Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me” entries with a quote pertaining to the forthcoming season.

There is no shortage of excellent quotes to be had about this revitalizing time of the year. However, while we are technically two short days away from the start of springtime, a different season, so to speak, has fallen upon the earth once again: that of profoundly devastating war.

I know and am the first to acknowledge that, heartbreakingly, there have been wars in one part of the world or another pretty much continually since time immemorial. The preceding (and present) years of the 21^st century fully included.

No serious conflict is without suffering, loss, injustice, hardship, sacrifice, and long-lasting devastation. Yet few wars since the final days of WW2 have, mercifully, brought with them the imminent possibility of another large-scale global war.

That is until the world’s biggest country (geographically speaking) decided to wage battle against a peaceful neighbouring nation for absolutely no good – or moreover, even remotely justifiable – reason.

Generally speaking, I go out of my way to avoid the news (especially as an HSP and an empath), knowing that if something is big or important enough, I will surely find out about it one way or another.

However, like a great deal of us, I have been glued to news reports regarding the horrific conflict in Ukraine.

Tears fall from my eyes like shrapnel of the soul. They are shed in unison with the millions that tumble from the exhausted, frightened, and utterly perplexed eyes of countless Ukrainians. To say nothing of the rest of the world, too.

As with most tragedies, there is a powerful sense of the surreal to what is happening in Eastern Europe right now.

Surely, we will all wake up tomorrow or the next day or the day after that and realize that the past three (going on four) weeks have been a hellacious nightmare.

Yet, as is so often the case, the very worst nightmares stem not from our sleeping minds, but from the atrocities that are carried out by certain individuals, groups, or nations when we are acutely awake.

I need only climb a few short branches back in time on my family tree to quickly come face-to-face with ancestors who hailed both from Russia and what is present-day Ukraine + Moldova. Some of whom immigrated to Canada as recently as the 1930s.

I knew and loved a few of these people firsthand before their respective passings during the early years of my childhood.

They were not far-off relations from centuries-long past. They were amongst my grandparents, great-grandparents, and great aunts + uncles. They embraced their new homeland with gusto but never lost sight of the culture, traditions, and memories they had grown up experiencing on the other side of the world.

As is the case for most people, it should go without saying that I am 100% on the side of Ukraine (and that of the Russian citizens who are strongly opposed to this incredibly brutal conflict).

It would be unconscionable in my books not to be.

This is not the first time in their nation’s long and fascinating history that Ukraine has come under siege or been unfathomably brutalized in other ways. For example, (WARNING: the following link includes graphic subject matter and images that may be difficult/disturbing for some viewers – especially younger ones) the Holodomor that occurred under the tyrannical reign of Joseph Stalin.

I have no doubt that many people in Ukraine knew prior to this war’s onset that they were strong, proud, capable individuals.

However, both inside and all the more so outside of the country itself, it is safe to say that few could have imagined just how incredibly strong and resilient 21st-century Ukrainians would prove to be.

The quote that begins this post stems from one of America’s founding fathers, William Samuel Johnson. It is no less true today than it was in the 18^th century. If anything, it may in fact hold even more weight nowadays.

Of course, though this colonial-era quote houses male pronouns, it is safe to say that Ukrainians of all genders are showing amazing fortitude and bravery in the face of their nation literally being razed to the ground.

So long as nuclear and biological weapons are not introduced into the fold, I continue to believe that Ukraine has a very real chance of winning this sham of a war.

Not a sham in the sense of it being make-believe (sadly, nothing could be further from the truth), but rather a sham because of its senseless and unprovoked nature.

As many of us keep a watchful eye on news updates viewed on TV, cell phone, tablet, and computer screens, the ravages of war growing ever more horrendous with each passing minute, it can be hard to shift our focus to lighter matters.

For not the first time in my life, tragedy drives home an intensely strong sense of what, at the end of the day, really matters and what can at times seem rather trivial and/or happy-go-lucky by comparison.

Just as it is doing for countless other souls across the globe right now as well.

We go on though, our hearts heavy with emotions such as grief, anger, and fear. We keep trying to live the lives that we are immeasurably blessed to have to the best of our abilities.

Ukraine is never far from our minds – nor is the looming threat of global war – as we do so. We have been starkly reminded of how, objectively, any of our own countries could theoretically find itself in the same sort of situation.

Thousands of miles away from Eastern Europe, snow still dots the landscape around our corner of British Columbia.

Springtime has phoned and made reservations, but it has not checked into its suite just yet.

It is coming through. The ever-earlier arrival of sunlight each morning, the orchestra of bird songs that have begun to fill the air once again, and the first brave crocuses that proudly stretch their necks above the frozen ground all assure us that spring will be here before we know it.

With just two days to go until the official start of spring in the Western Hemisphere, it is time for a fresh new edition of this reoccurring post series.

As usual, the Winter 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me is a link love post featuring online content that caught my eye during the past three months, coupled with a peek into what has been transpiring lately in my own life.

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

–Advice for the Beginner Witch: It is scarcely a secret that witchery has seen a massive rise in popularity both over the past few decades and all the more so in recent years.

Naturally, this has led to the presence of a good deal more newbie witches and/or those who may have flirted with the craft previously, but never dedicated themselves to it and now feel a calling to do just that.

It can be – especially in this day and age of social media – challenging to start out as a new witch. It seems like there is so much to know and do and learn. Getting overwhelming or feeling like you must keep up with the witchy Joneses (many of whom have been practicing for ten, twenty-five, forty – you name it – years at this point) can easily happen.

Go easy on yourself, dear witchling, and find both advice and encouragement from this lovely post that guides new witches through some very useful approaches to beginning your beautiful journey into witchhood.

–Cute Witch Art Projects for Kids: Save for our six-year-old nephew (who lives in Italy), there are currently no young kids in our immediate family. If there were (and they lived nearby), I would love to spend a fun-filled afternoon with them making the simple, budget-friendly witch-related art projects that are featured in this charming post from Moody Moons.  

(Another recent post from Moody Moons that really resonated with me is her terrific tutorial on how to make DIY Green Witch’s Runes with Wood Rounds.)

–50 Signs that You’re an Old Soul: In my experience, many old souls inherently know that they are precisely that. However, sometimes a person may not be aware of their beautifully aged soul or, if they are, they might like to learn more about the subject. Finding, in the process, shared traits and experiences with plenty of their fellow old souls.

If you consider yourself to be one – or know somebody who does – be sure to pop on by Other Worldly Oracle’s excellent look at 50 ways to tell that you are an old soul.

–How to Make a Lovely Herb Drying Rack: Now, granted, this link could have gone in the more generic crafty column above. However, given how many witchy/Pagan folks are deeply interested in herbology, I figured that this link would be at squarely home in this section, too.

While most herbs (especially those grown outdoors) have not rebloomed again yet this year, in due course they will. If you have been itching to find an effective way to dry more of them yourself, this lovely tutorial on how to make a hanging herb drying rack has your back all the way.

–Make a Tiered Herb Planter with Dollar Store Buckets: And carrying on with the herb growing theme – because, if you can’t go all out on gardening-related topics in the spring, when can you? – this fantastic and very wallet-friendly approach to making a tiered herb planter with inexpensive buckets from the dollar store is a great approach for those on a budget or anyone looking to save some green (see what I did there? ) on the herb growing front.

–7 Reasons Why Self-Love is Spiritually Empowering: These days, most of us are familiar with the concepts of self-care and self-love. Ideally, we try our best to successfully make time in our busy lives to focus on these important areas. In doing so, however, have you ever stopped to think about the connections that can (and often do) exist between self-love and your spirituality?

This great post from Reroot Your Life explores that very subject and offers up seven excellent reasons why self-love is spiritually empowering.

–The Ethics of Divining World Events: It is human nature to look for answers, insight and (ideally) comfort when times get not only tough, but downright brutal.

For those who engage in various forms of divination, it can likewise come naturally to us to seek (possible!!!) answers with the cards, runes, or most other methods of divining.

This thought-provoking post from esteemed witchery/Paganism blogger + author John Beckett (I cannot recommend his book The Path of Paganism highly enough) delves into the pros and cons, ethically speaking, of doing just for major world events.

No matter which side of the fence you fall on when it comes to this subject, John’s fairhanded article is well worth reading during these tremendously uncertain times.

Cardmaking, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

–A Simple Lavender Wreath to Celebrate Spring: While “simple” in terms of the number of products required and ease of creation, rest assured that this elegant spring wreath is a head-turningly beautiful way to add extra seasonal pizzazz to any door (or wall) in your home.

–Cuddly Pompom Easter Bunny Tutorial: If you are in the mood for a melt-your-heart adorable springtime craft that is both easy and fabulously festive (not to mention a great gift idea), allow me to suggest this delightful pompom Easter (or Ostara) Bunny tutorial.

(For more awesome spring, Ostara, and Easter craft ideas, be sure to check out my post 35 Wonderful Ostara Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for The Spring Equinox.)

–DIY Flower Butterfly Wings: In my latest project share post (Delightful Butterfly-Themed Happy Ostara Shaker Card for the Spring Equinox) I discussed how butterflies are a harbinger of spring’s return that I – like many of us – can never get enough of.

If you have ever wanted to make a pair of your very own wearable butterfly wings, this photo-filled DIY project post will guide you through how to do just that.

The inclusion of dried flowers/leaves makes these wings especially enchanting. Not to mention more than lovely enough to proudly display, when not being worn, in your home as the work of magical art that they are.

(I cannot help but think how fantastic this project would also look with jewel-toned fall leaves, should you wish to make different seasonal versions of wearable butterfly wings.)

–DIY Gold Foil Vintage Bee Birthday Cards: Much like butterflies, bees are another winged friend that helps to signal spring’s return and who does so much to help keep nature in bloom year after year.

If you are in the mood to celebrate bees in papercrafting form during the upcoming season (or anytime), this gorgeous gold foil card project from Diana at Dreams Factory is a stunning way to do just that.

(If you do not happen to have the tools, such as a laminator, that she uses here, I suspect a somewhat similar look could be achieved by using a good-sized bee stamp, clear embossing ink, and a rich metallic gold embossing powder such as Princess Gold from Ranger.)

And from the same blog, I adore this post on How to Make DIY Spray Inks in Any Colour.

–Four Ways to Organize Your Sticker Addiction: This post is a few years old, but I just hit upon it this winter and felt that it would be right at home in the next edition of this link love series.

Sticker storage can often be a challenge for those of us who cannot get enough of this charming craft product. Yet finding effective ways to store our beloved stickers is often considerably trickier than amassing them in the first place.

In this post, the author weighs the pros and cons of four different approaches for storing planner-related stickers. However, these same ideas can easily translate into just about any kind of sticker your heart desires.

–Oh Romeo Mini Quilt: As I have mentioned a time or two before, I am not a quilter. However, I adore this awesome fabric craft all the same.

I find there are numerous similarities between quilting and papercrafting and am continually inspired by many different types of quilted projects.

Case in point, this fabulously creative “Oh Romeo Mini Quilt” is an enchanting fabric art ode to one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays.  

–3-D Paper Eggs: Where would spring be without a bevy of eggs and all manner of craft + décor items depicting them?

Whether you are keen to ditch dyed eggs or would like a fun project to accompany that classic springtime act, this super easy-to-replicate tutorial guides you through how to make three-dimensional paper eggs that can be hung around your home for an extra sweet dose of seasonal cheer.

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

This winter passed, as they pretty much always do around these parts, in a flurry of snowflakes, bone-chilling temps, parkas, and warm woollen mittens.

Three cold snaps punctuated the already frozen air, though none saw the mercury drop below -30C/-22F.

Believe me when I say that by Canadian standards, that really isn’t too bad.

As I mentioned here a few blog posts ago, my sister contracted Covid this winter. Thankfully, she did not become extremely ill and/or require hospitalization. While she is still in the process of healing and regaining energy, I am grateful beyond measure to report that she is doing a fair bit better these days.

None of our other loved ones came down with Covid this winter (nor did Tony or I), which we are also endlessly thankful about. One can only speculate as to if that same statement can be made in another three months – let alone at the end of the year.

Also a few weeks ago, Tony and I received our booster shots (aka, our third vaccinations) and will continue to be the first in line for any future Covid vaccines that may be offered to the Canadian public.

Even though I personally think it is too soon to do so, earlier this week the BC provincial government rescinded the law mandating that masks be worn in most types of businesses and other enclosed public spaces.

I am starkly aware of the fact that a huge percentage of the population will, if not toss their masks away outright, then at least banish them to the back of the closet.

It is very easy to understand why and just as I have maintained since the get-go with the pandemic, to each their own when it comes to navigating the challenging waters of the Coronavirus.

Personally, however, as someone who is immune-compromised, I will continue to sport a mask to all the same types of places I have been doing so for the past couple of years. Far better to be safe than sorry.

With so much uncertainty in the world right now – and with the pandemic still going strong – we have not made much in the way of plans yet for the coming spring and summer months.

And after the especially brutal wildfire season that ravaged BC last year (it stands as one of the all-time worst on record here), we are already feeling a bit of trepidation regarding what the coming sizzling hot months may hold in store for our province this year.

Much as I wish with all my might that I could state the polar opposite, I do not have any positive updates regarding the serious and incredibly perplexing “new” medical issues that I have been battling since 2020.

Diagnoses are still proving wildly elusive, as is anything even approaching the degree of health care that I should be receiving to help get to the bottom of what on earth is impacting me.

I am no stranger (far from it!) to fighting tirelessly for diagnoses and the overall state of my health. I have been doing that for twenty, going on twenty-one years straight now.

Not, however, let me clarify, for most of these latest health issues themselves, but rather for just about all of my other chronic illnesses that preceded them.

Ever since these new medical challenges entered my life, at the start of each new season I find myself looking towards the end of it, hoping beyond measure that there will be some form of positive health-related changes by then. Some desperately needed help. Some sign that instead of continuing to worsen, things are stabilizing – or perhaps even showing a flicker of improvement.

And though my body and overall state of health continue to deteriorate and weaken further with each passing week, I am resolute in my hope and in my unceasing drive to get the medical answers, help, and treatment(s) that I NEED no matter how long I must battle for each one of those vital things.

On a far more upbeat note, the Spring Equinox is just two days away!

That day is when I will personally be observing the heart of the Ostara season. And while (as is often the case) I will do so in the company of lingering wintertime snow and ice, I am wonderfully excited to celebrate the newness, positivity, rebirth, and fresh possibilities that spring houses.

Then, come the first week of April, we will celebrate my mother’s birthday. I am hopeful that – after two years of not being able to safely do so – we can spend in person with her (just as we were able to do for my own b-day last summer).

I have said it before, but I will happily say it again: my mom’s birthday is akin to a second start of spring for me and always heralds the return of bloom, baby chick, and rainbow season all the more.

And speaking of my birthday, it is now less than four months away. A fact which I can scarcely believe!

First, though, we get to experience the beauty and wonder of spring, as the natural world breaks free of its lengthy wintertime hibernation and brightens our days both literally and figuratively in many enjoyable ways.

I have a lot of ideas for fun, informative, and inspiring blog posts here in the coming months – including, all things willing, a brand-new edition of the Cemetery Journeys post series that I launched here last year.

A number of you have emailed to ask me when that would be happening, so I am striving as hard as I can to get the next exciting journey up this spring.

And now, sweet dears, on with a smattering of assorted links that leapt out at me over the course of these past three snow-covered months.

–Emily Brontes’ Lost Second Novel: It is safe to say that Wuthering Heights stands as one of the best known and most beloved novels ever published.

Tragically, its author died young at the age of just thirty years old. Leaving, at the time, an unpublished second manuscript that we know with a good degree of certainty existed at one point, but which has sadly been long lost to the hands of time (or perhaps, as some strongly suspect destroyed by one of her sisters).

This engaging article takes a gander at Emily’s iconic inaugural novel, while also digging into the mystery surrounding what her second book may have been about as well as what fate might have befallen that now (presumably) long-lost second manuscript.

–11 Ways to Wear a Bat Bow: Whether you would only rock a bat bow in October or could easily – and gleefully – do so the whole year round, this charming post suggests eleven fun ways to inject some sartorial bat-themed goodness into your attire as often as your heart desires.  

–Goth Fast Fashion and Why It Isn’t Always a Good Thing: Regardless of your preferred personal style(s), this post – from Gothic Charm School author Jillian Venters – poses some insightful and important points that apply to a sizable percentage of clothing consumers in many parts of the world.

Fast fashion may be de rigueur in the sphere of 21st-century attire, but as Jillian wisely argues, it is often far from the choice we should be making – at least on a regular basis.

–Lost Women of Science Podcast: This recently launched podcast series (from New York Times reporter Katie Hafner) is on a mission to shine the very well-deserved spotlight on female scientists whose work, and in many cases, names, are little known despite the important contributions they made not only to the field, but to life on earth, point-blank.

The first scientist to be featured is Dorothy Andersen, a physician and pathologist who forever changed the lives of many people around the world when, in 1938, she discovered and defined cystic fibrosis.

As a passionate lover of science (and staunch advocate for women in STEM), I eagerly looking forward to seeing what other women will be featured in future editions of this much-needed podcast.  

–Metal Pens Pre-17^th Century: Much like the link pertaining to sticker organization shared above, this post has a few years under its belt.

It remains a gem all the same and, being a lifelong writer myself, I could not help but share it here – especially since the concept of metal pens is not something many of us associate with times preceding the Victorian era (let alone prior to the 1600s!).

As this article clearly demonstrates, however, they are invention that stretches centuries back in time prior to that point and which have been evolving for hundreds of years now.

–The Top Ten Strangest Snakes in The World: If you happen to have ophidiophobia, please be advised that chances are this link is not for you.

If, on the other hand, you are not afraid of snakes and would like to learn more about some of the most unique and (often) rarest of our slithering reptile friends, read on a very cool selection of ten unforgettable types of serpents.

–Metal Pens Pre-17^th Century: Much like the link pertaining to sticker organization shared above, this post has a few years under its belt.

It remains a gem all the same, and as a writer myself, I could not help but share it here – especially since the concept of metal pens is not something many of us associate with times preceding the Victorian era (let alone prior to the 1600s!).

As this article clearly demonstrates, however, they are an invention that stretches centuries back in time prior to that point and which has been evolving for hundreds of years now.

–Toronto Based Startup is Combatting Deforestation with Tree Planting Drones: There is no denying the profound importance of reforestation in the battle against the ever more alarming climate crisis that our planet is besieged with these days.

While there are various ways to plant and grow new trees, few are as innovative or original as that from Canadian Flash Forest, which is using drones to plant new trees.

How many trees, you may ask? At the time this article was written last year, no less than 300,000 seed pods had been dropped across specific parts of Canada.

One can only wonder how high that total will continue to climb – and hope, all the while, that this clever technique rapidly catches on around the globe.

Bonus link: Last October I shared a post here called 13 Awesome Cemetery Focused Blogs Every Taphophile Should Be Following.

In that post, one of the blogs that I featured was of renowned author Loren Rhodes, whose work spans both the fiction and nonfiction spheres.

Those who enjoy books pertaining to taphophilia-related topics may be familiar with Rhodes’ work, including her wonderful books 199 Cemeteries to See Before Your Die and This Morbid Life: Essays.

Thanks to that post, Loren and I connected for the first time ever and have remained in touch since (which is the coolest thing in – pun fully intended – my books, as I have been a big fan of her work for quite some time now).

Loren emailed me a few days ago to share that she would be launching a Kickstarter campaign (which is now live) to help back her newest release: Death’s Garden Revisited: Relationships with Cemeteries.

The title brings together personal reflections from numerous people around the world who have strong connections (for a myriad of different reasons) to cemeteries.

As a passionate taphophile who finds few experiences in life more enjoyable, spiritually fulfilling, and inspiring than visiting cemeteries, you can imagine how delighted I was to learn about Loren’s latest writing project.

Whether you enjoy genealogy, history, the art and design of cemeteries, or just about anything else pertaining to burial grounds, this book is apt to be right up your alley.

If you would like to help bring Death’s Garden Revisited to the point of publication, I encourage you to please consider donating to Loren’s Kickstarter campaign.

Hold Fast to Dreams

Though it has only been three short months since the Autumn 2021 edition of this post series appeared, for reasons both global and personal, it feels more like two years have elapsed between now and when we said farewell to fall.

Exceedingly few amongst us could have predicted when this winter began that less than a single season later, the world would be rocked once again by an unthinkable tragedy of epic proportion.

That is what has happened though and as with everything that leaves a stamp in indelible ink upon human history, we as a species will be forever impacted by the war in Ukraine.

Assuming, that is, that our species is able to keep going beyond the current generation.

I am nothing if not an optimist, but I am also the poster child for realists everywhere.

Since my early youth, I have studied the first two world wars to a degree that I cannot even begin to measure.

My eyes have taken in hundreds, if not thousands, of books and hours of programming alike pertaining to these world-altering conflicts – especially WW2 and the holocaust.

Beyond those two massive conflicts, I have been drawn to studying and trying to make sense of war, famine, genocide and other forms of the worst possible things human beings can do to one another for as far back as I can recall.

Everything that I have learned, viewed through lenses both philosophical and pragmatic, and laid awake at night thinking about, currently braces me for even more brutal days ahead.

Just like the citizens of Ukraine and countless others around the globe, I hold tight to the belief that the guns will be silenced, the bombs returned to their hiding places, and that the carnage and devastation will end before we as a collective whole do things from which there is no coming back.

As a young girl, one of the first pieces of poetry that I remember learning by heart in school was Dreams by the wonderful American poet, Langston Hughes. It goes as follows:

Hold fast to dreams 
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

Some thirty years on from when I committed those poignant and powerful lines to memory, they remain with me verbatim.

As I lay my head down to sleep each night and again when that ever-brighter dawn wrestles me from slumber, I find Hughes’s words echoing through my thoughts.

They live in my heart and will remain there for as long as it continues to beat.

The dream, in this instance, is one of unwavering hope for an end to the war in Ukraine, the suffering on both sides, and the ability for the survivors to be able to one day piece their shattered lives back together again.

Their futures will not be the same ones that lay before them a few agonizingly short weeks ago, but there is still hope and the prospect of some sort of stability again.

We, as a planet, did in 1918 and again in 1945. Now, before WW3 truly does erupt, let’s stop this madness and do it again in the spring of 2022.

The very fate of the world may be riding on it.

As we look towards the coming season – be it spring on this side of the equator of my beloved autumn for those south of it – there are not words enough to convey how much I hope that you are able to have a safe season wherever you call home.

My deepest wishes for wellness, happiness, and peace to each of you, cherished friends – and to everyone who calls this remarkable planet of ours home.

The post Winter 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

There is no denying that many magazines (and newspapers, too, for that matter) have seen a drastic decline in readership in recent years.

As a result, some have folded, others have scaled back the number of issues they put out each year, and others still have opted to exist in digital form only.

Of course, some of the big names appear to still be going strong. Yet even there, we have witnessed quite a few bow out in the last 5- 10 years or so.

For that and many other reasons, I am happy to see small, independent creators (aka, they aren’t under the control of a huge conglomerate such as Condé Nast) brave the potentially treacherous waters of the publishing world and bring a physical magazine into being.

It takes a lot of faith, determination, hard work, and passion to do just that.

Gaëna da Sylva, the founder of the bilingually published (English and French, respectively) independent magazine The Forget Me Not Chronicle has all of those things in heaping spades.

Presently on its fourth issue, The Forget Me Not Chronicle is a resplendently beautiful and enchantingly soulful publication that invites readers to step back in time for a spell and delve deep into the heart of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries (along with some older and newer eras as well).

To quote The Forget Me Not Chronicle’s official homepage, “The Forget Me Not Chronicle was born between the strange days of 2020, in this distraught time we are passing through. Between the pages of this publication, will be nestled treasures of delicacies. Words of today, written by sublime souls, words of yesterday from old articles collected between the covers of these magazines from the last centuries that are part of my collection gathered over the years, unearthed here and there in flea markets, online and sometimes donated by generous souls.”

The introduction to this magazine continues on that page and I encourage you to check it out – just as I do the current, past and future issues of The Forget Me Not Chronicle.

Amongst no shortage of life’s challenges and stresses last year, a lovely and uplifting offer landed in my inbox one day.

It came from Gaëna da Sylva herself, who was already familiar with my writing. She was curious to know if I would like to contribute an article to her magazine’s winter 2021 – 2022 edition.

My heart leapt with joy at this exciting out-of-the-blue opportunity.

I was not previously acquainted with this Canadian publication, but all it took was a few moments of exploring “The Chronicle’s” website and YouTube channel to instantly fall head-over-heels in love with this beautiful magazine.

And, in turn, to eagerly and gratefully reply to Gaëna’s inquiry with a very resounding “yes”.

Gaëna shared more with me about the overall theme of this latest edition of the magazine (each edition has an overriding theme that runs through the various articles and images it houses) and suggested what type of general path she wanted my article to go down.

Namely, a connection, situated in days past, between the seasons of autumn and winter.

It took but a microsecond, as I read her specs, to hit on the topic that I knew I wanted to write about: the fact that between the 18^th and early 20^th centuries in particular, sharing ghost stories throughout the winter had been a long-standing and much-adored practice in some parts of the world.

Of course, the telling of ghost stories far predates that point and continues to the present. The heyday of this hauntingly charming activity – especially in the UK and ROI – was, however, the period mentioned above.

These days, the majority of us likely associate ghost stories with fall (especially Halloween and Samhain), campfires, and Hollywood productions.

And while books pertaining to wintertime and Christmas ghost stories continue to be published here and there (such as The Valancourt Book of Victorian Ghost Stories and Ghosts of Christmas Past: A Chilling Collection of Modern and Classic Christmas Ghost Stories), it is likely safe to say that most of us do not typically spend icy winter evenings regaling one another with hair-raising tales of otherworldly happenings.

To those in the 21st century, arguably the most famous and well-known exception to that statement would be Charles Dickens’s beloved classic, A Christmas Carol.

As I expanded on in my article, though, as wonderful a tale as A Christmas Carol is (indeed, it is my very favourite piece of Christmas-centered fictional writing), it is by no means the only wintertime or Christmas themed ghost story out there.

I loved getting a chance to delve into the topic further and to do so in such an elegant, yesteryear-focused setting, to boot.

Some of you are aware that during the years spanning 2009 to 2017, I ran a (humbly) rather popular vintage fashion and lifestyle blog.

Between the roughly 1,500 blog posts I penned for that site, some of both the professional freelance and ghostwriting I have done throughout my life, social media, and various other platforms, I have been writing about historical topics for a long time now.

Doing so usually comes easily to me, as history and vintage related topics are some of my all-time favourites to both learn and write about.

I have often greatly missed having a platform in which to do just that after my vintage blog retired.

Sure, I can – and sometimes do – inject a hearty dose of history into some of my posts here on Witchcrafted Life (for example, those in my Cemetery Journeys series). Just as I have frequently covered historical topics on my Instagram account.

Yet, neither of those spheres are quite the same as writing about history/vintage for an outlet that focuses primarily on such.

With joy in my heart, I penned my piece titled “Ghosts of Christmas Past: Exploring the 19th and Early 20th Century Passion for Holiday Season Spooky Stories” for the latest winter edition of The Forget Me Not Chronicle.

You can read my article in its entirety through the photos below.

I was (and remain!) ecstatic to have had the opportunity to contribute to such a lovely, passion-driven independent magazine.

Little did I know that Gaëna would be so pleased with my intitial contribution that she would invite me to be a regular contributor to her publication.

This offer – much like the one that preceded it – touched me deeply.

I did not have to contemplate her offer at all. Once again, I said yes in a heartbeat and will now be contributing to The Forget Me Not Chronicle on a regular basis.

My column in this publication is called “Witchy Musings”.

This, as some of you who follow me on Instagram may know, is a term and hashtag I have been using there for the past few years. As a result, it felt like a natural choice when Gaëna asked me what I might like the name of my column to be.

Excitingly, I recently penned and submitted my article for the spring 2022 issue, so it won’t be too much longer until my second article appears in this publication.

Gaëna aims, when possible, to release four issues of The Chronicle annually. In other words, one per season.

At present, The Forget Me Not Chronicle is available only in print (aka, not digital) form.

I would be hard-pressed to overstate what a fantastic publication this magazine is.

If you – or somebody that you know – has even a modicum of interest in anything to do with days gone by and/or living a creativity fuelled life, I cannot recommend highly enough that you consider picking up a copy of The Forget Me Not Chronicle.

Those who wish to do so can currently order copies – both of the Winter 2021 – 2022 edition and previous issues of this magazine – from Blurb.

At present, they retail there for around $18.00 USD.

Now, I am the first to acknowledge that $18.00 is a fair amount to pay for a magazine (though I have certainly seen plenty with far steeper price tags than that). However, it is important to keep a few points in mind. They include the following:

–This is not just any old magazine. It is a true work of art. Every page contains stunning vintage photos and/or illustrations, gorgeous typefaces, and well-researched + eloquently written content.

In addition, the quality of the paper that this publication is printed on far exceeds that of most magazines, be they mainstream or indie.

-The Forget Me Not Chronicle is currently run and produced by Gaëna herself, with fresh articles each issue from various writers who are kindred history-loving spirits.

As, what could arguably be called, a one-woman production, naturally, Gaëna needs to make enough to justify both her time + hard work and to cover the costs associated with printing a magazine through an on-demand publisher such as Blurb.

-Much as it is usually fair to expect to pay more for a handmade item, say at a craft fair or on Etsy, than a mass-produced one, so too is not unreasonable to pay a bit more for a wonderful indie magazine that has been, no two ways about it, handmade in its own right.

-By supporting independent and small-scale magazines, you not only help to keep someone’s (or multiple peoples’) dreams going strong, you contribute to the overall magazine industry and, in a tiny way help to keep that very industry afloat.

Just as many of us have continued to favour physical books over digital ones – or at least enjoy a mix of the two – so too do a fair number of us still delight in the tactile experience of holding a paper magazine in our hands.

From the weight to the scent of the paper to the way that some of us feel we absorb/connect with written material more in physical form, there is a great deal to love and benefit from when it comes to printed magazines and books.

The Forget Me Not Chronicle is a million miles away from your everyday magazine. It is, in a lot of respects, more akin to a stunningly illustrated book covering historical topics.

Indeed, one could easily frame and display many of the pages in each issue on their wall, if so desired. This magazine really is that breathtakingly beautiful.

I am grateful from the bottom of my heart to have the opportunity to contribute on an ongoing basis to The Chronicle.

Not only does doing so allow me to write more on history/vintage related topics again, but Gaëna’s initial request led me to discover her breathtaking magazine (which, again, is available in both English and French editions over on Blurb) and in turn to share about it here will all of you.

I can hardly wait to see what themes Gaëna will propose for future editions of The Forget Me Not Chronicle and, likewise, am champing at the bit to contribute more content to this deeply special and immensely inspiring magazine.

To cap off this post, I will leave you with another quote from The Chronicle’s homepage, “The magazine is a work in progress and will evolve through time, hoping [for] it to be an inspiration, a little treasure to enlighten the days.”.

That, let me assure you, sweet friends, it does to the highest and most delightful of calibre.

Have you heard of The Forget Me Not Chronicle before? Do you enjoy reading indie and small-scale magazines?

The post Old Ghost Stories and New Opportunities, My Position as a Magazine Contributor for The Forget Me Not Chronicle appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Harsh years can, I find, often elicit one of two states. Either you enter the start of a new year browbeaten, worn very nearly to your last nerve, or they stir up a powerful sense of wide-eyed optimism.

Both are understandable, normal, natural.

They are not the only two possible states, of course. I have experienced enough January 1^sts now at this point in my life to know though that they are amongst the most common.

As someone whose ingrained instinct is to see the glass as half full (though, at times, it does depend on whose pouring ), I often veer towards the optimistic side of things.

2021 put me and my husband – along with countless others around the globe – through the wringer and then some.

Was it, mercifully, the most brutal year of our lives? No, thankfully, it was not.

But it was deeply challenging, highly stressful, and a very far cry from ideal.

Like all years that I have thus far experienced, it still housed some positives, too. I’m not sure I would say that they outweighed the difficulties, but they certainly did their part to balance the scales a bit more.

Interestingly, I often find that the rougher and tougher a year was, the more I leap with Labrador puppy enthusiasm into the rebirth of January.

The year’s first month received its English name via Latin. It means the month of the Roman dietary Janus (who presided over doors, entryways, and beginnings).

One particularly noteworthy facet to the God Janus is that he is often depicted and described as having two faces. One looked the past squarely in the eyes, the other stared ahead, always ready to tackle the incoming future.

We as mere mortals down here on earth often embody a similar sense of duality as one year takes its final bow and the next comes barreling into town.

Looking back, we reflect and contemplate the twelve months that we just experienced. We know that all we went through then will contribute to who we are for the rest of our days.

There are some years we wish we could tightly cling to with all of our might and others that we are happy to drop faster than a bad habit.

And certainly, there are a good many that fall somewhere in between.

It can be hard, I readily acknowledge, to embrace January with intense optimism or hope – especially if the year that just transpired was a particularly challenging one.

Yet, much as it is not fair to assume that a new romantic partner might embody negative or undesirable traits or actions of an ex, so too should be given each fresh year a chance to prove itself before we jump to any judgements or conclusions.

We need to give the new year time to show us how different or similar it may be to the last twelve-month calendar we retired.

The first day of January does not, of course, erase all our troubles or set every wrong in the world right (if only!).

But is a fresh start, an intensely powerful liminal period, and the chance to begin again in some respects.

Yesterday evening, as clocks the world over chimed with the sound of midnight being announced, 2021 gave up its ghost.

We must let it go. Passing years are like breaths of air, we only continue onward because they occur.

I was thinking recently about the fact that each year has a ghost of sorts all its own. Some are friendly spectres, whereas others may, sadly, haunt us for the rest of our days.

In reflecting on these points, the idea sprung into my head to make a punny New Year’s card starring phantoms and a graveyard.

And so, as the final days of 2021 ticked away, that is precisely what I did. Creating and photographing the New Year’s card that stars in this post as December was preparing for its inevitable end.

Adorable Happy Boo Year (New Year’s) Card

After the year we just collectively endured, it would not have been out of place to go for a solemn, almost sympathy-like card for a theme such as this.

However, (and here’s that natural propensity for optimism at play again) I wanted instead to convey a sense of cheerfulness and newness.

In this card we see three tremendously cute ghostie friends hovering above a cemetery as snow – one of January’s common features in many parts of the world – waltzes all around them.

These are chipper ghosts. They have no ill intent or malice in them. They’re friendly spirits of the sort that, if one was to spend time with a ghost, you would be happy to call your friends.

The graveyard they are chilling in (winter pun intended) begins with a classic wrought iron fence – as well as a lock.

This lock was placed not in the centre of the gate, but to one side. This signifies that the proverbial gates have been opened on a brand new year (or maybe it also means these darling ghosties have a bit of mischief in them ).

I wanted there to be tombstones on this card, but not for them to steal the show. To achieve this, I stamped some tombstones in two different shades of ink. One barely-there grey, the other black. I then used both a taupe-y grey coloured marker and a silver Wink of Stella pen to outline the black tombstones.

The pale grey grave markers are intended to have a ghostly, shadowy air about them, so were not outlined or otherwise jazzed up.

To help the tombstones look they were grounded, not floating (much like the ghosts themselves) in midair, I hand drew and lightly coloured a hill using an icy shade of blue-grey marker.

The falling snow comes via a paper with that pattern on it. I did not enhance it at all. If you didn’t have a paper like this to hand, you could emboss cardstock or paper with a dotted pattern, hand draw dots with white ink (or paint), or use a polka dot stencil to create a similar effect.

Our precious little ghosties friends were all created using metal dies and white cardstock. I backed them with identical die cuts made from brown cardstock to give them a sense of depth and shadow, then outline each of these three cuties with the same silver Wink of Stella pen.

I’m on a mission this year to weave more techniques I either do not use often or have yet to try before into some of my paper crafting projects.

One technique that I’ve not utilized in a good while is die cutting words from printed paper. I opted to do so here with the word “Boo”, which I cut from the same black, brown, and grey plaid paper that appears in a background layer on this card.

To up the presence of snow all the more on this design, I placed a few silver metallic cardstock snowflakes around the ghosts. I also used AB rhinestone felt-back snowflake embellishments in six spots on this haunted graveyard card.

I adore how this card came together! It houses so many elements that I adore, such as spookiness/ghosts, graveyards (I am a massive taphophile after all), wrought iron, a gothy colour palette, snow (what can I say, I’m Canadian ), plenty of layers, and hits of shimmer and sheen.

Last year we took explored spooky takes on various seasons and holidays. Namely Valoween, Springoween, Summerween, and most recently, Creepmas / Cryptmas.

A spooky, Halloween-influenced New Year’s has yet to become a thing on quite the same level as those happenings, but I for one am really hoping that Boo Year’s will catch on in time as well.

Who knows, perhaps this card itself can help to get that (snow)ball rolling all the more.

If you’re feeling the spirit of this frighteningly charming New Year’s card and wish to create one of your own, read on for a list of all the supplies used as well as detailed step-by-step instructions.

Products used to make a haunted winter graveyard New Year’s card

-Lightly textured (or plain) white cardstock – Snow White cardstock from Colorbok

-Matte black mirror cardstock – Black Velvet Mirror Card from Tonic Studios

-Silver metallic cardstock – Silver Foil Cardstock from Recollections

-Grey kraft cardstock (or a suitable light grey cardstock of your choice – Grey Kraft Cardstock from Recollections

-Light grey cardstock (different from above)

-Sandy brown coloured cardstock

-Grey and plaid print paper – Christmas Plaid 12” x 12” paper pad from Craftsmart (Michael’s brand)

-Grey and white falling snow print paper – White Christmas 12” x 12” paper pad from Craftsmart

-Wrought iron gate die – Graveyard Gate Die Set from Stampin’ Up

-Ornate rectangle nested dies

-Elegant snowflake border die (or a snowflake design paper punch)

-“Boo” word die (or letter dies to spell “boo” with)

-Horizonal oval tag die

-Small ghost dies

-Small snowflake die or paper punch

-Light grey ink – Shadow Grey Archival Ink from Ranger

-Black ink – Jet Black Archival Ink from Ranger

-Silver shimmer pen/marker – GI Silver marker from Wink of Stella

-Brown-grey, blue, and grey markers

-“Happy New Year” sentiment stamp (you will be using the “Happy” and “Year” portions on this card)

-Tombstone stamps – Graveyard Gate Stamp Set from Stampin’ Up

-Felt and AB rhinestone snowflake embellishments (sourced from AliExpress)

-Glue gun and glue sticks (optional, but handy for attaching the felt snowflake embellishments)

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

How to make an adorable ghost-filled Happy Boo Year card

Begin by making a card base from white cardstock.

Cut a piece of matte black mirror cardstock ever so slightly narrower but a touch taller than the card base. Adhere.

Cut a piece of brown and grey plaid paper slightly smaller than the matte black mirror cardstock layer. Adhere.

Using white cardstock cut the largest size ornate rectangle from your nested die set.

Using light grey cardstock cut the second largest size ornate rectangle from your nested die set. Adhere the two layers you just die cut together, centering the small die cut on top of the larger one.

Cut this die cut stack in half (unless you’re using a very tall slimline die set that would reach from the top to the bottom of the card) and adhere one half in the upper center of the card (let it jut out a tad beyond the top edge of the card base) and the other on the bottom center of the card.

Next die cut two pairs of ornate snowflake borders from white cardstock and two from silver metallic cardstock (or light grey cardstock, if you prefer). Arrange one of each colour so that the silver is on top of the white. Offset them a little to give a dimensional look.

Adhere each pair of snowflake borders together and then adhere one pair on each side of the center of the card base layers, as shown.

Cut a piece of matte black mirror (or plain black, as desired) cardstock slightly smaller than the piece of grey and brown plaid paper. Adhere to previous base layers.

Next, we’re going to create the snow-covered graveyard scene.

To do so, start by cutting a piece of “falling snow” print paper slightly smaller than the previous matte black mirror cardstock.

Run your silver Wink of Stella pen around the inner edges on all four sides of that piece of paper.

Using stamps from the Stampin’ Up Graveyard Gate Stamp set, stamp a few tombstones with black ink and a few with light grey ink.

Use taupe-grey and grey markers to add dimension to the black tombstones you just stamped, but not the light grey ones.

Using a grey-blue marker, hand draw the top shape of a hill. Use that same marker to lightly colour in the hill, leaving a small border uncoloured around all of the stamped tombstones.

Adhere this layer to the previous base layers.

Die cut three ghost shapes from white cardstock and three matching ghost shapes from brown cardstock.

Edge the ghosts all the way around with your silver Wink of Stela pen. Arrange the white ghost layers on top of the matching brown cardstock ghost layers, offsetting them slightly for added dimension. Adhere ghosts to falling snow layer using dimensional adhesives.

Using silver metallic cardstock, die cut two larger snowflakes and three smaller snowflakes (all sof them hould be on the tiny side though, so as to not steal the show from the ghosts). Adhere them around the ghosts as shown.

Die cut a wrought iron gate from matte black mirror cardstock using the Stampin’ Up Graveyard Gate die. Then, using scissors or a sharp craft knife and a suitable cutting mat, cut vertically down the middle of the gate to create two equal-sized halves of the gate. Adhere each half to the falling snow layer.

Using silver metallic cardstock, die cut a lock from the same Stampin’ Up die set. Attach through the bars of the gate on the left-hand side.

Die cut an oval tag-shaped piece from white cardstock. Rim the edges all the way around with silver Wink of Stella.

Die cut the word (or letters to spell the word) “boo” from the same grey and brown plaid paper we’ve used already on this project.

Center word in the middle of the die and, once you’re happy with the placement, adhere the letters down.

Next, use your “Happy New Year” sentiment stamp and black ink to stamp the words “Happy” and “New Year”. If you have one, I highly suggest using a stamping platform here so as to get the placement of these words right on both sides of the “Boo” die cut.

Adhere sentiment oval in the center bottom of the wrought iron gate die cut.

Lastly, arrange and adhere six felt and rhinestone snowflake embellishments around the card, as shown in the photos throughout this post.

And there you have it, one uber-cute ghost-themed New Year’s card that you can send or give in-person to someone special.

Happy 2^nd birthday to Witchcrafted Life

Precisely two years ago to the day, I launched this blog.

In that time, more than a hundred and fifteen posts have been published, readership and monthly visitor counts have grown substantially, and I have been fortunate to find my blogging voice again (after retiring my previous blog in early 2017).

This time around, the focus is on Paganism and witchcraft, paper crafting, taphophile, books, crafting in general, and more. These subjects are very dear to my heart and I delight in sharing about them here with all of you.

Little did I know when I hit the “publish” button on Witchcrafted Life’s first post that the world would soon be engulfed in a global pandemic that would still be going strong two years later.

I was unaware as well of the myriad fresh challenges (including serious health issues for both myself and my husband) that would lay ahead.

And likewise, I did not yet know that we – like a lot of people – would find ways to cope, grow more resilient, and even find silver linings amongst the profound changes to the way many of our lives had previously been lived.

When we slipped on our first face masks in early 2020, who amongst us could have guessed that the pandemic would keep going for two years and counting?

That it is and, sadly, this brutal illness (and its ever-emerging variants) shows little sign of slowing down any time soon.

Even with Covid still raging though, there is more to life than the pandemic. Serious, of course, as it is though, no two ways about it.

All around the globe, there continue to be births and deaths, weddings, holidays, achievements, heartaches, and reasons to smile.

The moon and sun still greet us daily, the seasons engage in their eternal dance throughout the year. And though it has been greatly altered in some ways, life continues onward.

Our planet takes a beating, but we’re not down for the count yet.

There is still hope, still (if only just barely) time for us as a species to save Mother Earth.

Just as there is hope for this brand new year.

I am anything but naïve or pollyannish. I know that 2022 will not be without its substantial challenges and hardships. Some can be predicted; others will likely hit us like a comet that no one saw coming.

Yet through it all, we will persevere.

It is human nature to keep going, to adapt to just about anything life throws our way, and to hold fast to hope.

Here, on the blogging front, I look forward to continuing to (all things willing!) bring you an average of 4 – 6 new posts per month.

Those entries will cover plenty of fresh craft projects (including monthly #MakeHalloween365 project shares – for which this haunted graveyard card is my first #MakeHalloween365 creation of the year), reviews (be it book or otherwise), interviews with fascinating individuals, self-care related subjects, inspiring ideas, helpful tips, holiday and sabbat happenings, Cemetery Journey adventures, updates on what’s transpiring in my life, and plenty more.

I would also like to collaborate with more companies and indie sellers here as well. If you have a business that you feel would be a good fit for this website’s audience, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me anytime (my email is: autumnzenithwitch@gmail.com).

One very exciting thing that I will be sharing more about here soon is the fact that I was recently asked to write a magazine article for an incredibly beautiful publication. Following which I was invited to become an ongoing content contributor to that magazine. This is a profound honour and something I know will help to enrich 2022 for me.

Whether you have been here since Witchcrafted Life’s first day of life two years ago, are discovering this blog here for the first time now, or anything in between, I thank you from the bottom of my immeasurably grateful heart for the support and kindness you have blessed this blog with.

I view my readers as friends and I am thankful for each and every one of you who shares your time with me in any capacity – be it here, on social media, via email, or otherwise. You are an integral part of the backbone of this blog.

It is safe to say that 2022 is not apt to be a walk in the park for most of us. Hopefully though, when all is said and done, we make it through and be able to join together at this same time next year to look ahead to what another fresh round of twelve months holds in store.

Joyful New Year’s wishes, sweet dears! May this year be a time of wellness, serenity, happiness, safety, creativity, meaningfulness, and no shortage of hope for all of us.

Do you have any predictions or gut feelings about 2022? What kind of content would you be especially interested in seeing here on Witchcrafted Life this year?

The post Adorable Happy Boo Year (New Year’s) Card + Witchcrafted Life’s 2nd Blogging Birthday appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

The inaugural post took an in-depth look at Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery. It also delved the history of Kelowna itself, as well as that of cemeteries as a whole in Western Canada.

If you are unfamiliar with the history of non-First Nations burial grounds in this part of the world, I highly encourage you check out that post. The information it contains is applicable to many different cemeteries from around these Canadian parts and will continue to apply to most (if not all of) the various entries that this post series will house.

Despite the various challenges both of the ongoing pandemic and those that have been present in my own life throughout 2021, I am delighted to say that I’ve had a chance to visit a few different cemeteries this year (some, even, for the very first time ).

The respite, happiness, serenity, spiritual connections, education, and enjoyment alike that each visit brings my taphophilia adoring soul knows no bounds.

As Tony – bless his caring heart knows – there are few more effective ways to bolster my mood and help set my world right again (or at least temporarily suspend some of my worries and stresses) than time spent at a burial ground.

Knowing this, when I’m really struggling, worried, fighting extra hard on the physical or mental health front, or otherwise in need of a pick-me-up, he often drives me to various cemeteries throughout our region. The time that I spend at them never fails to help ground me and lift my spirits (pun mildly intended, sentiment no less sincere).

Naturally, I often visit cemeteries when things are not as rough as well. The same benefits still come my way in spades and are no less appreciated whether I’m on cloud nine, hovering above rock bottom, or anywhere in between.

It means the world to me that Tony understands how much visiting cemeteries means to me and the powerfully helpful impact that doing so can have on my health, well-being, and spirituality alike.

Awesomely, he also really enjoys spending time at and photographing burial grounds. Thus, our visits to such locations are frequently ones we savour side-by-side. Making the experience all the more enjoyable and memorable for both of us.

Our springtime jaunt to Kelowna took us an hour south of our wee town of Armstrong. In the second of our cemetery journeys, we’ll be heading about half an hour north to explore the serenely beautiful Mt. Ida Cemetery in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

But first, let’s get to know this sun-kissed, Shuswap Lake-filled corner of BC – which has been a tourist hotspot for many decades now – a bit better.

A very brief history of Salmon Arm, British Columbia

To those unfamiliar with Salmon Arm, its name may, understandably, raise an eyebrow or two.

After all, salmon, like fish in general, do not have arms.

Lest you think that some sort of Blinky-worthy salmon plies the waters of this province, let me assure you that the name Salmon Arm has nothing to do with appendages on fish.

Instead, it pertains to the fact that the large body of water called Shuswap Lake that Salmon Arm is located alongside has four “arms” (they are Shuswap Arm, Seymour Arm, Anstey Arm, and Salmon Arm, respectively). Each of which, historically, experienced large runs of salmon that used to fill the creeks that empty into Shuswap Lake.

This lake – one of the loveliest and most visited in the province – drains, via Little Shuswap River, into a smaller body of water called Little Shuswap Lake.

Fascinatingly, Little Shuswap Lake is the source of the South Thompson River, which is a branch of the Thompson River – itself a tributary of that lengthy, serpentine body of water that flows throughout a long swath of British Columbia, the majestic Fraser River.

The word “Shuswap” stems from the Shuswap or Secwepemc First Nations People, who are the most northerly of the Interior Salish Peoples. In their own language, the Shuswap call themselves ʃǝxwépmǝx.

Salmon Arm is located in the Shuswap Regional District of the Southern Interior region of British Columbia. Though established as a town more than a century prior, it was not until 2005 that Salmon Arm officially became a city.

Do keep in mind, my dear readers, that the term “city” is used somewhat generously here throughout Canada. With a 2016 population of just over 17,700 inhabitants, Salmon Arm won’t exactly be vying on the population front with places such as Tokyo, New York, San Paulo, Cairo, or Moscow anytime soon.

Nevertheless, a city Salmon Arm is all the same and its modest population size only helps to add to the small-town charm of this gorgeous location.

In the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, British Columbia was awash with metal rushes, particularly those pertaining to silver and gold.

The importance of these events, the throngs of prospectors and other people they brought to British Columbia, and the towns that they helped to establish all contributed greatly to the present-day population and layout alike of this province.

In the mid-1860s, the Big Bend Gold Rush along the hefty Columbia River saw an influx of prospectors traversing the interior of BC, some of whom journeyed through the Shuswap region.

The general area was noted by famed explorer David Thompson a few decades prior however, when in 1815 he recorded a lake called “Shuswap” in his travel writings.

The first non-indegious peoples exploration started in earnest throughout the area in the mid-19^th century.

In 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway surveyed this corner of the province. In due course, track was laid and gradually settlement sprung up in the area throughout that decade and ever onward.

As one might imagine, the first corners of the Shuswap region that were settled housed the greatest potential as agricultural centres, as well as being both accessible and logical as routes in and out of the community.

The District Municipality of Salmon Arm was officially incorporated in 1905 and though it would, for a time during the mid-20^th century be classified as a village again, it did not take long for the municipality status to return in 1970.

Throughout the first years of the 20^th century, Salmon Arm established a well-deserved reputation as being an excellent producer of various types of fruit – particularly apples, pears, and plums.

This orchard industry helped the budding community to grow all the more and, in the process, made it a hub of both the immediate area and of this general region of the province as a whole.

No single individual or group was solely responsible for the creation and expansion of Salmon Arm and its smaller surrounding communities (such as Westwold, Coldstream, and Enderby).

Naturally, as with most communities, various early settlers left important marks on the area and some of their names are still familiar to many locals and those with an interest in BC’s history to this day.

Amongst this group of pioneers, settlers, prospectors, entrepreneurs and others one finds individuals such as overlander Alexander Leslie Fortune.

Mr. Fortune pre-empted some land that now sits slightly south of the present-day community of Enderby – which, at the time, was called Fortune’s Landing after Alexander himself.

Prior to coming west, Fortune married a woman named Bathia Ross and the two remained wed during the twelve – yes, you read that right, twelve – long years that he was out west and she was back east in Lancaster, Ontario.

Once reunited in person, the two lived in the North Okanagan-Shuswap area for decades, where they were well known for their kindness, hospitality, generosity, and civic-mindedness.

Their important contributions to the development of this part of the province and their surname alike continue to reverberate through various corners of the region, including in the name of Fortune Creek, which runs between Enderby and Armstrong.

In 1885, during the construction of the local railway (which was completed the following year), a brewery and gambling house called Dutch Charlie’s opened its doors. That same year, the first house in Salmon Arm was built by a German settler on what is today Beatty Street.

Dutch Charlie’s would be a relatively short-lived operation, however, with provincial police shutting it down in 1890 after an unsolved murder occurred on the premise.

In 1907, the first local newspaper – The Salmon Arm Observer – went into production. It remains in operation, including in digital form, to this day.

The Shuswap District (aka, Shuswap Region) sits immediately atop the Okanagan Region and to the East of the Thompson-Nicola District (in which one finds the city of Kamloops, which, with a population just shy of 100,000 inhabitants, is the province’s 12^th largest municipality).

Much as with Okanagan Lake to the south, Shuswap Lake experienced a good deal of travel via boat, with the S.S. Marten (a Hudson’s Bay Company-operated steamer) being the first commercial boat to set sail on the sparkling waters of this lake.

This occurred back in 1866 and while Shuswap Lake have not been used as a primary means of transportation or commerce in the area for a number of decades now, it is still enjoyed by many pleasure crafters, swimmers, kayakers, paddleboarders, and others every year.

Salmon Arm has experienced continued population and industry expansion for many years now. As the largest community in the Shuswap region (and one that is situated on the majestic 89 kilometre/55 mile long Shuswap Lake), it is no surprise that tourists and those looking to relocate to the area flock to this picturesque corner of BC.

These days, Salmon Arm’s economy is guided by numerous sources, including tourism, lumber (sawmills have operated in the area since the late Victorian era), dairy farming, orchards, and manufacturing.

Visitors and residents alike enjoy the beaches, walking paths, and other amenities offered by Shuswap Lake, as well as the city’s museums (including the wonderful RJ Haney Heritage Park & Museum, which I’ve shared photos of over the years on my Instagram account), art gallery, local theatre group, assortment of both chain and independently operated shops, and the stunning outdoor scenery that surrounds and fills the town.

Salmon Arm is flanked by numerous lofty hills and mountains, and it is from one of the latter that the city’s primary burial ground, Mt. Ida Cemetery, takes its name.

Mt. Ida Cemetery in Salmon Arm

British Columbia’s cemeteries might not be the oldest in the world, but they must surely be amongst the most picturesque and peaceful.

A good many were built in areas that remain rich with breathtaking natural scenery to this day. Abundant trees, small hills, wildflowers and other natural charms often share space with gravestones whose dates span a century or more at this point.

This is precisely the case when it comes to Salmon Arm’s oldest and largest burial ground: Mt. Ida Cemetery.

This idyllically pretty Shuswap District cemetery is located at 2290 Foothill Road SW, Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

It is open between 7 am and 8 pm daily, year-round.

Mt. Ida, the actual mountain, is believed to have been named in the 1870s (possibly by a Mr. J. Richardson) after Mount Ida on the island of Crete.

It should be noted that Mt. Ida in Salmon Arm, BC, is not related to the identically named Mt. Ida that is located in Kakwa Provincial Park, BC. The latter of which, at an impressive 3,192 metres tall and boasting a classic pyramidal shape, more than earns its nickname as the Matterhorn of the North.

In addition, it is important to remember that Mt. Ida is the name that the mountain in the Shuswap was given by white settlers. In the language of the local First Nations Peoples, this hill is known as Kela7scen, and it is considered a sacred site to indigenous communities of this area.

As a population began to be established in Salmon Arm and its smaller satellite communities, a cemetery naturally became a needed element of the township.

Once a suitable location was determined on the (then) outskirts of town, Mt. Ida Cemetery was opened and saw its first burial in 1894.

Two years after passing away from tuberculous at the age of just 26, Mr. Charles McGuire was reinterred at the Mt. Ida Cemetery. He was the son of Sarah Agnes and Alexander McGuire, two of the area’s earliest non-First Nations inhabitants.

After its closure as a public house, it was Charles McGuire who helped to turn Dutch Charlie’s into a locl trading post, all the while working to secure the burgeoning community’s mail contract.

The family’s name lives on in the area to this day via McGuire Lake and the adjacent McGuire Lake Park in Salmon Arm.

At the time of its opening, Mt. Ida Cemetery was a modest one acre of land that had been purchased by the local Methodist community with the (presumed) aim of it being a Methodist focused burial ground.

The Salmon Arm Reporter tells us that in 1909, ownership of Mt. Ida Cemetery was transferred to the municipality of Salmon Arm, under whose care it has remained ever since.  

As one might expect, a fair number of the area’s first settlers and some of their descents have been laid to rest in Mt. Ida Cemetery over the years.

The earliest sections of the cemetery are now more than 125 years old and numerous headstones exist there which date from the 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, and 1920s. With continued burials from that point onward to the present day occuring throughout the grounds of this cemetery.

While the whole of Mt. Ida Cemetery is now considerably larger than its single acre beginnings, it is not so huge or challenging to traverse that one cannot explore the whole of it in a single outing – time, weather, and other circumstances permitting, of course.

The Old Section of the cemetery, as the original section is known by locals, includes a captivating array of grave markers and headstones.

These include such styles as tabletop markers, tablet stones, set-ins, ledgers, obelisks, urns, open books, lambs and doves (typically used for those who passed away at a very young age), and numerous sizes and types of crosses, including Celtic crosses.

This portion of Mt. Ida Cemetery is located on a tranquil grass knoll that basks in the refreshing shade and beauty of numerous maple trees, all of which reside at the foothills, so to speak, of Mt. Ida itself.

In addition to those of Northern and Central European ancestry, amongst Mt. Ida’s earliest residents, one finds members of the Chinese Canadian community as well. Later interments include those from many different parts of the world and numerous grave markers appear in languages other than English.

Mt. Ida Cemetery is maintained by the city of Salmon Arm and like many Canadian burial grounds, includes a section specifically for members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

In addition, a touchingly lovely memorial cairn has been placed to the right of this section of the cemetery with small plaques bearing the names of fifty local veterans.

According to the Findagrave.com entry from Mt. Ida Cemetery, as of the time this post is being written (in November 2021), there are approximately 5,302 memorials on the premise. A space that sprawls across about 110 acres, only nine of which have been deemed suitable for internment usage.

Annually, about 75 to 80 new individuals are being housed at Mt. Ida Cemetery.

In addition to in-ground burials, the city of Salmon Arm recently put installed a new 24-unit columbarium for cremation internments.

Interestingly, as Mt. Ida Cemetery is now nearing the maximum number of burials that are permitted in the suitable ground that is available, the city has obtained a new piece of land and is developing the Shuswap Memorial Cemetery on it.

This newly constructed 25-acre cemetery is located at the southeast end of Salmon Arm at 2700 20th Avenue SE. It provides grave plots, scattering gardens, family vessels, and columbariums.

A peaceful early autumn visit to Mt. Ida Cemetery

In the first days of this fall, Tony and I decided to take a late afternoon drive up to Salmon Arm.

More than a year had passed since we had last stopped in to visit Mt. Ida Cemetery while in Salmon Arm and the start of what is both of our favourite season seemed like an ideal time to do so again.

While I have photographed parts of Mt. Ida Cemetery on previous visits, I’ve not yet shared many (if any) of those images publicly (though hope to do so as time goes on).

All of the images of Mt. Ida Cemetery housed in this blog post were taken by me with my iPhone in September 2021.

The day we were there was chillier than one might expect for the very start of autumn and rain had fallen prior to our arrival at the cemetery.

A few brief spits tumbled down while we were there, too, but not enough to send us fleeing for the car.

The sky overhead summersaulted between hues and intensity of light. One moment it was a mix of dusty periwinkle and aged sand, the next glisteningly blue, and the next still as grey as the antique headstones that dot the property itself.

All around us, the many trees, shrubs, and other greenery of Mt. Ida Cemetery were embracing the current season and glowing resplendently in their early fall colours.

Much of the earth and bark mulch at Mt. Ida has a warm, naturally reddish-brown colour to it which was brought to the fore all the more by the damp conditions and accompanying fall foliage.

I will happily visit a cemetery at any point in the year, but especially welcome the opportunity to do so during the autumn months.

Not only does the local landscape stand to be awe-inspiringly gorgeous, but the powerful connection between the departed and the weeks that span the Pagan sabbats of Mabon and Samhain provide an even greater spiritual connection, as the veil thins to its most gossamer point in the year.

On this visit, knowing that I would be blogging about the history of Mt. Ida Cemetery, I was keen to cover as much ground there as I realistically could before the day’s light gave up the ghost.

While, interestingly, I did not spy Charles McGuire’s headstone (I will be keeping an eye out for it on future visits), I did have the pleasure of documenting many other early grave markers belonging to some of the area’s first settlers.

When visiting a cemetery, my interest and focus generally lies with pre-circa 1960s inhabitents. However, I make a point of exploring as much of a given burial ground as I possibly can. And, in the process, reflecting on and paying my respects to both the more recently departed and those who have been laid to rest for a good many years now.

If you are planning a visit to Mt. Ida Cemetery in Salmon Arm, BC, and wish to explore it thoroughly, I would suggest allotting anywhere from 2 to 4+ hours to do so.

Having been there before, I had a lay of the land already (including knowing where the Old Section is located) and that helped to save time.

There are no washrooms on premise (objectively, few cemeteries I have ever been to included public washrooms), however, there are a small number of benches around the property if you wish or need to stop and get off your feet for a while.

The terraian is a mix of unpaved and paved paths, as well as ample grass and bare soil covered ground.

If you visit from about May to mid-September (or later still if it is an especially warm autumn), please note that the mosquitoes on the property can be brutally thick.

A previous summertime visit saw me inundated by more mosquitoes than at almost any other time and place in my entire life.

All that to say, if you pop by Mt. Ida during the warmer months, use bug spray and wear clothing that covers as much of your body as possible.

Much to our delight and relief, nary a single mosquito was spotted while we were there at the start of this autumn.

As well, once the snowy season returns it becomes trickier to traverse the whole of the cemetery on foot unless one is sporting suitable wintertime footwear, such as snow boots or even snowshoes.

However, that said, the paved and unpaved pathways (some of which cars are permitted to drive on) should be a bit easier to tackle even in the snow.

Given its relatively close proximity to our house, the fairly large number of interments, and the rich history that this burial ground contains, it is safe to say that will continue to visit Mt. Ida Cemetery from time to time.

Especially during the fall months, when this historic Shuswap District cemetery presents a celebration of both departed human lives and the last days of the year’s mesmerizing foliage.

Have you ever visited Salmon Arm’s Mt. Ida Cemetery? Which of the grave markers featured in this post sparked your interest the most?

Explore additional burial grounds that have been visited in the Cemetery Journeys post series:

–Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery, Kelowna, British Columbia

The post Cemetery Journeys: Enjoying Early Autumn at Mt. Ida Cemetery in Salmon Arm, BC appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Cemeteries and graveyards in some parts of the world have been closed to the general public during these highly challenging times, but many have remained open – frequently with Covid safety measures in place.

As a passionate taphophile, I have been visiting cemeteries since my youth. These sacred spots of eternal slumber are amongst the most serene, comforting, enjoyable, inspiring, and beautiful I have ever known.

Another irony is that cemeteries often make me feel more alive. They conjure all manner of thoughts and emotions pertaining to death, as well as to the gift of life.

Cemeteries are not amusement parks, and while there is no shame at all in feeling happy or content at a cemetery, it is important to always remember the somberness and loss they signify for many on this side of the veil who have endured the passing of a loved one.

When I spend time at a cemetery, I make a point to reflect not only on the lives of those interred there, but also on the impact their passing may have had on those who knew and cared about them.

Not everyone who dies is buried or interred in a cemetery or graveyard. Yet, no matter our final resting place, we are all connected from the very first human to the last who will ever exist by the unifying certainty that is death.

Visiting cemeteries outside of reasons such as funerals, genealogical or historical research is not everyone’s cup of tea.

I acknowledge and respect this fact. We are each different, each called to by various places and passions throughout our life.

Whether you define yourself as a taphophile or not, if you have even an inkling of an interest in graveyards, cemeteries, and the like, I hope will enjoy a new periodically occurring post series here in which I take you along with me as I explore (and sometimes reexplore) cemeteries that I have visited in person.

I am dubbing this post series “Cemetery Journeys”.

This name is both literal in the sense of that it will document trips/journeys to various cemeteries around Canada (and who knows, perhaps further afield, too ), as well as being a respectful homage to the fact that, ultimately, we are all on a journey to the grave.

Launching a series like this is something I have been keen to do since Witchcrafted Life began last year.

Now (with the first harvest sabbat of Lammas under our belts and the exciting journey towards fall, Mabon, and Samhain upon us) seemed like the ideal time to do so. And what better cemetery to begin with than one from our very own region of British Columbia: the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.

But first…

An extremely brief history of Kelowna, British Columbia

As the largest city in this province outside of the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia, it is only natural that Kelowna serves as a hub for the valley – called the Okanagan Valley – in which it resides. Doing so, quite conveniently, in the center of this region.

Many thousands of years before the earliest Europeans set foot on the arid soil of the sun-drenched Okanagan Valley, the area was inhabited by the Sylix/Okanagan People.

This part of BC was not entirely unknown to Europeans – chiefly those involved with the fur trade in Western Canada –  in the 18^th and early 19^th centuries. However, it was not until 1859 that the first non-First Nations settlement was established in Kelowna.

This effort was led by a man whose name is now embedded in the area and who is still spoken of affectionately to this day by generations who never got the chance to met him: Father Pandosy.

Two other Oblate missionaries, Father Richard and Brother Surel, respectively, also had key roles in establishing a mission in what would one day become the city of Kelowna.

The formation of this mission helped to entice settlers from elsewhere in the province, country, and further afield to the budding community. Following that, it wasn’t too long before Kelowna’s roots as a city were firmly planted.

As the century began to tapper, Kelowna got a further boon when in 1893 the Governor-General of Canada, Lord Aberdeen, purchased a substantial amount of land in the area. Much of this land would be used for orchards, which did a great deal to bolster the area’s economy (the Okanagan Valley in general is one of North America’s largest fruit and viticulture growing centers).

As the 20^th century emerged, Kelowna’s population continued to be on the smaller side of things, sitting at about 600 inhabitants. However, that was still enough to land Kelowna status as a city in 1905.

The name Kelowna derives from an Okanagan First Nation word for grizzly bear. A majestic creature that feels like an especially fitting animal to associate with a city nestled in the heart of a wild, desert-like landscape that is famed for its breathtaking nature beauty.In the days before roads, highways, and even railways, snaked their way to the Okanagan, much of the traffic to and from Kelowna was carried out via sternwheeler boats that plied the abundant waters of Okanagan Lake.

With mining thriving in various parts of Central and Northern BC during the early 20^th century, it wasn’t long before the Canadian Pacific Railway came calling.

A touch east of Kelowna, track was laid across a beautiful chasm called Myra Canyon. From the years spanning 1916 to 1972, CPR trains traversed Myra Canyon and in doing so, helped to open up the area, bolster its economy, and put Kelowna on the map all the more.

These days, Kelowna has a population of just over 132,000 people.

Compared to many cities around the world, that might seem fairly small. However, for a province that only been inhabited by European (and other international) settlers for about two centuries now, Kelowna is quite a decent size.

Indeed, many corners of BC were not established (as the towns and cities that they are now) until the late 1800s or early 1900s.

As such, the fact that Kelowna got its start in the mid-Victorian era helps to make it one of the oldest continually settled corners of the province – especially north of the Fraser Valley/Lower Mainland area of the province. (The first white settlement in British Columbia was established in the 1790s at Fort St. John in northeastern BC.)

Naturally, as with most communities, it did not take too long for Kelowna to require, and in turn construct, a cemetery of its own.

Kelowna has had, and continues to have, various cemeteries throughout its lifetime. In this post, we are going to explore the largest of them, the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.

Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery

Located at 1991 Bernard Avenue in Kelowna, British Columbia, the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetary spans a rolling, beautiful 50-acre space at the foot of Dilworth Mountain. It is immediately adjacent to the Kelowna Golf & Country Club, and the relative serenity of both make them well-suited neighbours.  

For those wishing to visit, the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery is open 365 days a year from 7 am – 8 pm between March 16^th and October 31^st, and from 7 am to 5 pm from November 1^st to March 15^th.

At various points in the year, Kelowna Museums offers reasonably priced guided tours that focus on a particular aspect of the cemetery’s, and by extension Kelowna as a whole’s, history.

This summer’s tour is “Kelowna’s Forgotten Chinatown”, led by local historian Bob Hayes.

Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery got its start as an Anglican Church burial ground at the turn of the last century, blossoming in the ensuing decades into a sprawling multi-cultural, historically rich cemetery with, at present, more than 25,000 memorials.

A cursory glance of the grounds that comprise the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery can be a touch deceiving. At first sight, the cemetery may not seem as large as one might expect for a city the size of Kelowna.

However, it takes but a few minutes (especially if they’re spent on foot) to quickly realize that this is anything but a small cemetery.

Fifry acres is nothing to sneeze at and while it is certainly possible for one to traverse the whole of Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery in a single (good-sized) visit, you may wish to split seeing the entire cemetery across multiple days.

That has been my approach. Done both because of the size of this burial ground and because I truly like to take my time and connect with each cemetery, and its inhabitants, that I have the joy of visiting.

Cemeteries in British Columbia, Canada

As it is safe to say that most of the cemeteries that I highlight here in this engaging new blog post series are apt to be ones located in British Columbia (where I live), we should touch on some points about cemeteries in BC in general before proceeding further.

As a collective whole, Canada is, from a non-First Nations Peoples standpoint, a very young country.

We officially became a nation in 1867, though our non-indigenous history stretches back a few hundred years earlier. Nevertheless, we’re a relative newcomer on the world stage compared to many other countries and this fact is reflected in Canada’s cemeteries.

Extremely few Canadian cemeteries proceed the mid-1700s and many are far newer still, having been established in the 19^th or 20^th centuries. (An unmarked burial site in the Maritime province of Nova Scotia is believed to house European settler graves that may date back to around the 1680s.)

Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, the vast majority of Canada’s European population was located on the Eastern side of the country – which still houses the largest portion of this nation’s inhabitants.

Gradually, western expansion and exploration unfolded. From the long treks of a small number of intrepid adventurers, hearty explorers, and fortune seekers alike, followed waves of more what might be termed more generalized migration to British Columbia.

With a shoreline nestled against the mighty Pacific Ocean, British Columbia is Canada’s most westerly province.

Before the days of planes, trains, and automobiles, it could only be reached by water travel or a lengthy overland journey which often encompassed crossing the formidable Rocky Mountains.

As a land of diverse climates, ample opportunities, and staggering natural beauty, once the western expansion ball got rolling, it didn’t take too long for BC to flourish.

New communities, towns, and cities alike sprang up rapidly through various parts of the province during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

Some – particularly when mining was involved – were relatively short-lived. Plenty though were able to not only survive, but thrive, and now account for why BC is Canada’s third most populous province.

While no shortage of fortunes were made (and plenty lost) in BC’s early days, by and large, the population that settled here was comprised of hardworking everyday folks eking out a living, building families and community ties, and helping to turn this province into the wonderful place that it is today.

What, you may be asking, does this have to do with the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery and BC’s cemeteries in general?

The answer lies in the relative humbleness and understated designs of the grave markers and other memorial elements that comprise most cemeteries in British Columbia (and to a degree, throughout much of Canada in general) – as well as the size of the cemeteries themselves.

Are there exceptions to that statement? Absolutely! One need only look, for example, to Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver or Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria to see expansive cemeteries that include an array of more ornate memorials. Many of which date to the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

However, as a whole, BC’s cemeteries are humble affairs. Few teem with the iconic colonial-era headstones of some of the graveyards in the Eastern United States or the jaw-dropping artistry and grandeur of cemeteries such as Kensal Green and Highgate in London, England.

Yet, even so, it is safe to say that each of British Columbia’s cemeteries has a heartwarmingly enduring beauty all its own.

They, like most cemeteries and graveyards the world over, also rarely lack for history – whether that past can quickly be learned about in books, museums, and online or if much of it has now been enveloped by the murky ethers of time.

A springtime visit to Kelowna Memorial Cemetery

On one of those mid-spring days when the weather has more sides to it than an octagon, my husband, Tony, and I decided to spend an enjoyable afternoon visiting the Kelowna Memorial Cemetery.

Covid rules were (and still are at the time of writing) in place and we made sure to respect them fully.

Despite the relatively mild weather that was flip-flopping from overcast to briefly sunny and back again, we saw almost no other visitors to the grounds the whole time we were there.

That isn’t to say that there weren’t potentially some there. Simply that the vastness of the 50 acres of this cemetery easily allowed us to walk for hours without encountering another living soul on that particular day.

Our visit was a general one. We didn’t come with any specific goal or research purpose in mind.

This outing was about shaking off some of the cabin fever of winter, spending time getting to know the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery (which is located just over an hour’s drive south of our small town) better, and taking photos of some of the graves and other structures on the premise.

Many a headstone and grave marker calls the Kelowna Memorial Cemetery home. In addition, cremations are housed in cremation niches, crypts, and columbaries, particularly in a part of the cemetery called the Legacy Gardens.  

Like a lot of taphophiles and graveyard adventurers (though not all, of course), I find myself – a lifelong lover and student of history – drawn to older graves.

Thankfully, Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery is happy to oblige those with a passion for the past. Various portions of the cemetery are divided into lettered sections, with the first, Section A (also known as the Pioneer Section), being dedicated to some of the oldest inhabitants.

Amongst which various founders of Kelowna are laid to rest, including a chap named Bernard Lequime who, in the 1890s, laid out the original townsite of Kelowna, and Arthur Booth Knox, after whom Kelowna’s gorgeous and highly visited Knox Mountain is named.

The Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery also houses areas specifically dedicated to both early Chinese and Japanese citizens as well.

In 2014 a granite monument was erected in the Pioneer Section on behalf of the BC Legislative Assembly to acknowledge the wrongdoings done against many early Chinese Canadians by past provincial governments.

Many more recent graves also call this cemetery home, as do an abundance of tranquilly lovely trees and many gorgeous, well-manicured flowerbeds.

As with plenty of cemeteries (of all sizes), the grave markers at the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery are in varying conditions. Quite a few are presently holding up well for their age, whereas others have succumbed to the ravages of time, moss, and weather conditions.

In general, though, I find a good percentage of the older tombstones to still be fairly legible. Some are nearly as crisp as the day they were first etched, others are clearly showing their age, but (again) remain readable.

On this visit, we did not see the whole of the cemetery – nor did we make a point to inspect every single grave in each area that we did spend time in.

Both Tony (a fellow taphophile) and I love to have more to explore and acquaint ourselves with further on future visits.

No post pertaining to the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery worth its salt would be complete without mentioning some of this burial ground’s best-known inhabitants: various members of the Bennett family, including the famously outspoken former BC Premier W.A.C Bennett and his wife, May.

Both are interred at this cemetery and in addition, the Bennett Memorial Columbaria provides above-ground monuments for the placement of private cremation remains (totalling 576 cremation niches, each of which is able to house two urns).

There is much more to see and explore at the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery beyond what appears in this post.

I hope to photograph and share additional parts of it with you in future editions of this series (as well as on my Instagram account, where I’ve been posting photos from various cemeteries for a number of years now).

This cemetery is a beautiful, well-maintained, peaceful, inspiring, and enjoyable one. I feel at ease there and love that it, like most of the cemeteries that I have the honour of visiting, resonates deeply with my spirituality as a Pagan witch.

If you should have the opportunity to visit the Kelowna Memorial Cemetery, I highly recommend doing so.

At 50 acres and more than 25,000 final resting places (be they graves, urns, scattered ashes, or memorials without actual remains), this historically rich corner of Kelowna is one that is sure to appeal to taphophiles, history buffs, genealogists, and many a goth soul alike.

Not to mention those who find solace and comfort in cemeteries.

I fall into every one of those camps myself and am excited to hopefully share many more cemeteries journeys around BC (and hopefully elsewhere as well) that I have the pleasure of undertaking. (Pun intended, sentiment no less sincere.)

Have you ever been to the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery? What was the last cemetery or graveyard you visited?

The post Cemetery Journeys: A Visit to Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Or at least it is for me.

And yet…

The card featured in this post might just be my favourite I’ve ever made.

Not just this year, not just in the past few years, but during the whole of my time as a paper crafter.

Definitely in the top five for sure and, again, very possibly my absolute favourite to date.

I had a vision of how I wanted this card to look in my mind’s eye and the end result exceeded my hopes and expectations. The whole project flowed beautifully and I am pleased as punch with how it turned out.

I have dubbed this gothic-inspired card “Summertime Sunrise Over the Cemetery”, as that is the scene it depicts. (Though a similar sight could be observed in the spring or very early fall around these Western Canadian parts as well.)

Passionate taphophile that I am, I’ve spent many an early morning (and late night and afternoon… basically all hours of the day ) witnessing breathtaking sunrises break in the heavens above various cemeteries and graveyards.

It was to these meaningful memories that I turned when creating this sunrise, weeping willow, and headstone filled greeting.

A card that just happens to suit Summerween to a tee. (And which I’m sharing here as my #MakeHalloween365 project share entry for July.)

That’s right, my dear friends, it’s time to delve into another fabulous Halloween-inspired take on a holiday or season. So grab an ice-cold drink (may I suggest black lemonade) and come along as we explore the ins and outs of Summerween.

What is Summerween?

If you’ve seen my Valoween or Springoween blog posts, you may be familiar with the fact that I’m wild about embracing each and every October 31^st inspired holiday and season possible.

You might also have deduced by now (based on its name) as to what Summerween entails.

In short, Summerween approaches summer and looks for ways to inject as much of the spooky spirit of Halloween as possible into the hottest chapter of the year (on this side of the equator).

Perhaps, however, of all the annual events and seasons that can “Halloweenifed”, so to speak, Summerween often remains the most lighthearted.

Summerween is the beach goth of the seasons.

It is a fun-loving way of merging the sizzling hot days of summer with the eerie, iconic, and wonderfully enjoyable elements of Halloween that many of us hold dear.

As with Valoween and Springoween, I did not invent #Summerween myself.

Much like those two spooky happenings, from what I can find, Summerween seems to have largely come about organically from multiple sources, fuelled greatly by those of us who proudly belong to the #EverdayisHalloween crowd.

Interestingly, the concept of Summerween being a specific holiday instead of a season-long theme got a helping hand from the animated cartoon series Gravity Falls.

In episode 12 of season 1, we see the townsfolk preparing for, and then celebrating, Summerween on June 22^nd.

Why are they doing so? Because, like many of us, the good people of Gravity Falls adore Halloween so much they feel the need to celebrate it twice each year.  

Hugely relatable, let me tell you!

In the real world, some people may prefer to celebrate Summerween as a single day (or weekend), whereas others are all about pumpkins, bats, and ghosts the whole season long. Rest assured that either, or anything in between, is A-okay.

Halloween-inspired takes on existing events and seasons do not come with any hard and fast rules, and can be embraced however one desires. Indeed, that’s part of their charm and fun!

How to get a Summerween aesthetic

A fa-boo-lous place to get inspiration and ideas when it comes to Summerween is the blog Spooky Little Halloween, where the author, Miranda, has shared numerous Summerween related posts over the years.

(I especially adore her Summerween recipe posts, including those for 11 Halloween S’mores Perfect for the Campfire and Easy 4 Layer Halloween Ice Scream Cake.)

Be sure to also check out Miranda’s social media accounts as she shares plenty of terrific Summerween inspiration there as well.

I love to do the same myself too and have a Pinterest board dedicated solely to Summerween, which you’ll want to visit for lots more hauntingly enjoyable sunny season inspiration and ideas.

Summerween is a delightful way to marry summer with notes of spookiness. You can, for example, pick a general theme such as a haunted road trip, a dreamy tropical beach, a hair-raising summer camping trip, or a gorgeous sunny weather garden and “Halloweenify” to your heart’s content.

Some of the ways that you can achieve a Summerween aesthetic for your home, a party, or most any other reason include the following:

-Carving various summertime fruits and vegetables into jack-o-lanterns. As demonstrated in these two posts, watermelons and pineapples lend themselves especially well to getting the jack-o-lantern treatment.

And speaking of pumpkins, why not decorate with a palette of summertime coloured options.

You could utilize vibrant, even neon, shades; take things in a soothing and relaxing direction with whites, light greys, mint green, and soft pink, or look to the seas and go with a nautical colour scheme of reds, whites, blues, and sandy beiges.

-Draw (or cut out and adhere) a jack-o-lantern face on a beachball or volleyball for a smile-inducing summertime take on fall pumpkins.

-Include summertime flowers amongst your more traditional fall décor. Why not use a plastic (or real) pumpkin as a vase for some of your favourite summertime blooms?

Or you could create a centrepiece of flowers and pumpkins, partner the season’s first sunflowers with pumpkins or other Halloween elements, or design a wreath that included summer blooms and iconic fall pieces (such as skeletons, witch’s brooms, ghost figures, headstones, bats, spiders, owls, or skulls).

-Decorate a Halloween witch’s hat with summer blooms and use it as a centrepiece or décor item elsewhere in your house.

-Serve summertime drinks in Halloween cups and mugs (or vice versa). Add cute paper umbrellas, swizzle sticks, and tropical fruits to each glass for a fabulous summer meets October vibe.

-Purchase or make some delightful Summerween themed art. Summerween is catching on, especially with diehard Halloween lovers and as a result more and more fantastic Summerween themed art (as well as other products, including enamel pins, clothing, and beach towels) is hitting the market.

Some Etsy artists who are currently selling art prints that either specifically focused on Summerween or which work splendidly for a Halloween take on summer include:

–Carrie Anne Hudson Art (who also sells Summerween perfect enamel pins, such as this awesome tropical drink cauldron pin.)

–Fred Lanthier

–Ghost Girl Greetings

–Mythical Studios

–Spooky Ghost Shop

–The Littlest Spook Shop

As well, Spooky Yeti Studio has adorable summer ghost postage stamp shaped stickers and Hannah of Fall Trades offers cute and cheerful Summerween bookmarks (which would be perfect for your favourite beach reads!).

Summerween décor can be just about anything you can dream up. The key is to inject a sense of October 31^st into the sun-kissed months in whatever way(s) you wish.

Let your imagination take flight and have a blast celebrating the awesomeness of All Hallows’ Eve all summer long.

Now, let’s take a gander look at how you too can make your own summer sunrise over the cemetery card like the one featured in this post.

Products used to make this Distress Oxide Ink blended sunrise over the cemetery card

-Black cardstock

-Four different shades of light to dark grey cardstock

-White cardstock (for the card base – or use a premade 5×7 inch white card base instead)

-Thicker white cardstock (that takes well to ink blending) – Ultra White Smooth Premium (100lb) Cardstock from Spectrum Noir

-Silver metallic cardstock

-Weeping willow tree frame die

-Tree lined hill die (or, alternatively, you could achieve a similar look by applying different shades of grey ink through a tree covered hill design stencil)

-Headstone lined hill die

-Headstone die

-Victorian frame inspired embossing folder – 3D E3D – 017 Oval Accent Embossing Folder from Spellbinders

-Various shades of Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink, as follows:

For the yellow sun: Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber, and Antique Linen

For the sunrise: Black Soot, Chipped Sapphire, Hickory Smoke, Weathered Wood, Milled Lavender, Tattered Rose, Pumice Stone, and Victorian Violet

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

Note: To create a mask for the sun portion of the ink blended sky, punch or die cut two small nested circles from cardstock or paper. I used the Spellbinders Nestabilities Standard Large Circle Dies set to die cut the two circles I needed for this project.

How to make a gothic summertime graveyard card

Begin by making a 5×7 inch card base from white cardstock (or use a premade card blank/base of the same dimensions).

You can then make the other elements of this card in whatever order you prefer.

I created my Distress Oxide Ink blended sky – with a masked and then inked glowing sun – before proceeding on to the die cuts (including one weeping willow frame made from silver metallic cardstock and another from very light grey cardstock) and the embossed frame.

For the ink blended sky, aim to have a halo of lighter coloured ink around the sun, so as to heighten the realism of a sunrise filled sky.

Next, arrange and adhere the layers of hill die cut shapes starting from lightest to dark, as this mirrors how objects in the foreground and background, respectively, often appear – especially in low light settings such as the early morning sunrise depicted on this card.

Arrange the weeping willow frames so that their branches overlap and create a lovely arch of foliage. To do this, you will flip the light grey cardstock die cut weeping willow frame over and use the backside to create a mirror image with the same piece cut from silver metallic cardstock.

Once you’re happy with the placement of the weeping willow frames, adhere them in place and proceed to arrange and adhere the headstone die cut between the trucks of the two weeping willow trees.

Using black cardstock, emboss a Victorian inspired frame piece and attach it to the cardstock. I opted to distress my black frame in various spots to give it even more of an aged, gothic look. You can leave your pristine, if you prefer. Either way will look fantastic!

Adhere the frame to the cardstock and top it with the ink blended + die cut covered panel.

If you wish, you can die cut a third weeping willow frame and use it to adorn the interior of your card (as shown above).

And there you have it, with a bit of ink blending, die cutting, and embossing, you have one serene, spooky, and splendidly Summerween appropriate card ready to go.

Send it out now, or, if you prefer, wait to give this sunrise at the cemetery card to a fellow Halloween loving soul (or taphophile) come October.

Birthday celebrations, now with even more Summerween!

Tomorrow just happens to be my birthday (I’ll be 37, for those inquiring minds out there ).

Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to have a Halloween-themed b-day. Now, thanks in no small part to the advent of Summerween doing so is now all the more possible.

With the pandemic still going strong and the fact that not everyone in our circle (myself included) has received their second Covid vaccine yet, my b-day this year is going to be another very lowkey one without a big party or public gathering.

However, together Tony, my mom and I will happily make the best of it and are going all-in on the Summerween side of things.

Or should I say, the Birthdayween side of things!

After all, there are only 113 days separating July 10^th and October 31^st.

What Halloween lover amongst us wouldn’t want to have an All Hallows’ Eve related celebration little more than 3.5 months before the big day itself returns?

We’ll be doing a Halloween jigsaw puzzle (I’m an avid puzzler), playing Halloween themed board games (including the Disney Hocus Pocus boardgame, which my very thoughtful mama gifted me with last fall), watching some of our fave Halloween shows and movies, and eating delicious Halloween related foods.

Basically, my dream way to celebrate my birthday.

I’d love to share in the festivities with more of my friends and relatives, but the three of us (plus, our darling dog, Annie, of course) will have a blast all the same.

And with a bit of luck, hopefully, come this time next year, a larger group of our loved ones will be able to get together for birthdays, holidays, and everyday hangouts alike again.

As I blow out the candles on my GF pumpkin spice cake tomorrow, you can bet that a swift end to the pandemic will be one of the things I wish for most of all.

And, on a less somber note, an early autumn that lingers late into the year will be another.

No matter if that comes to pass or not, thanks to Summerween we can celebrate Halloween all sunny season long. An act that helps to ramp up one’s excitement for the actual return of October 31sts all the more, especially as summer is the last season before fall’s arrival.

Thus, Summerween becomes an extra fun and festive way to countdown to Halloween and is perfect for those amongst us who love to get our All Hallows’ Eve on year-round.

Have you heard of Summerween before? What are some of your favourite ways to inject spookiness into the summer months?

PS: Fun – and rather cool – fact, this year my birthday coincides with July’s new moon.

I am using this point to focus many of my current magickal workings on new starts, banishing, healing, serenity, and renewal – and invite you to do the same as well, if so desired.

The post Spooky Summertime Sunrise Over the Cemetery Card (Plus, What is Summerween?) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.