As autumn began here in earnest during the final days of September, that means its duration as a snowless season was only about a month long.

While snow has not fallen daily since then, we have had numerous flake filled days and there’s a you-can-bet-on-it certainty that scores of others lay ahead of us as we inch ever closer to wintertime proper.

It is not uncommon for fall to be quite brief around these parts, but this was an especially short crunchy leaf season.

No matter what Mother Nature may be up to, I love to continue honouring and celebrating fall straight on until the Winter Solstice.

In reality, this is something I do the whole year through as well.

There is never a month (or even a single week of the year) when I don’t think about fall, weave it into my daily life in a multitude of ways, and eagerly look forward to the next autumn all throughout the other three seasons.

The scrapbook page that I’m sharing here today isn’t a new project. It was made in 2017, a little over a year after the fire – with a photo that was taken two years prior, back in 2015.

While my current craft stash is relatively modest in size, compared to where it was at about three years  ago, it has definitely grown in leaps and bounds (as craft stashes are apt to do! ).

At that time, while I had (thanks to some money that I received as a gift for Christmas 2016) my current Sizzix die cutting machine already, I didn’t yet have many dies yet.

Now, I don’t use dies (or embossing folders, etc) on all of my projects, but I sense that had I made a page similar to this now in 2020, some die cutting would have been involved.

There are a few other things I might have done differently, too, but that is the nature of crafting. Our skills, styles, preferred aesthetics and various other factors often change or are honed further as time goes on.

I adore this page though, please do not get me wrong. In it, I see elements of numerous layouts and cards that I made pre-fire. As well as a certain emerging fine-tuning, if you will, of my paper crafting style that has typified the majority of the projects that I’ve made in more recent years.

Fall leaves shabby chic scrapbook page

The photo featured on this page was taken at a small lake on the way to a larger lake (named Yellow Lake) in the Southern Okanagan.

I adore the way the still water beautifully reflected the surrounding fall foliage as well as the arid surrounding hills that exemplify the desert landscape of this corner of British Columbia.

To me, this photo perfectly captures what fall often looks like around these parts and I was keen to memorialize its timeless loveliness in a scrapbook page.

While a die cutting machine wasn’t involved here, as touched on above, another of my favourite craft products was: paper punches.

Two of them, to be exact. One for the charming leaf boarder, the other for the doily-esque border.

The colours in this photo were the jumping off point for this layout’s autumnal palette. I pulled shades both earthy and rich in brown, orange, green, and marigold yellow from the picture, pairing them with splashes of complementary shades, such as dusty peach and dark red.

Another of my faves (as you might of guess, I have plenty of those! ) paper crafting products came out to play on this fall time layout: pleated ribbon.

My stars, how I adore pleated ribbon!

I well remember when it was having a serious moment in the paper crafting world a few years back (aided by the offerings at the time from brands such as Webster’s Pages, Teresa Collins, and Melissa Frances).

Plenty of us still reach for this type of ribbon and it has become easier to find in recent years, thanks in part to community marketplaces websites such as Etsy and AliExpress.

There is so much versatility housed in pleated ribbon – which as the large heart shape featured on this layout demonstrates, can be positioned in various arrangements of your choosing.

Everything from circles to squares, ovals to hearts, diamonds to triangles can be made from pleated ribbon – as can gorgeous rosettes and rolled flowers.

If I could, I would have a vast rainbow of pleated ribbon in all manner of colours and fabrics (satin, grosgrain, cotton, etc). My current stash of pleated trim isn’t anywhere near that extensive, but it does house several colours at present.

I reach for them regularly, doing so most recently for my Blessed Harvest Season Card.

I tend to find that I’m especially drawn to pleated ribbon for fall and winter projects, but it really is a year-round material in my books.

How to create this charming fall leaf scrapbook layout

This page begins with a base of golden-orange coloured textured Bazzill cardstock, which was then topped with a piece of woodgrain textured cardstock that I tore and inked the edge of one side.

Some lovely text print paper and another layer of the same woodgrain cardstock were added on top of the base cardstock layers, as were the myriad of distressed, punched, and hand-torn papers on the bottom half of the layout.

Next came the center heart area. I used the same text print paper for the background of the heart, which was then topped with my matted photo, various die cut shapes and assorted embellishments, and finished off with a border of both adorable white mini pompom trim and elegant matte gold hued pleated ribbon.

The title words, a journaling square, and a few more embellishments here and there finished off this festive fall time scrapbook page.

I feel like, in the three years since I made it, some of the embellishments may have shifted a little – including one of the chipboard buttons. That’s okay – especially since I can’t recall exactly where the wandering button may have originally been placed.

(I also noticed that the white pompom trim inched away a little bit from its original placement squarely against the gold pleated trim on one side. That I will fix now that I’m aware of it.)

Scrapbook page tips and tricks from this project

-Keep an eye out for pre-embossed cardstock and paper. These products are a stellar way to cover larger areas with embossed cardstock, the dimensions of which may exceed that of your die cutting machine.

Numerous brands offer pre-embossed cardstock and papers. I’m a big fan of the books of embossed cardstock that you can sometimes find from the Recollections brand at Michael’s stores.

-When tearing/distressing the edges of your paper or cardstock, consider inking some and leaving others bare – especially if the exposed edges are all the same colour or in a complimentary tonal range.

I really like the hits of white of the un-inked torn edges here. They’re a lovely contrast to the autumnal hues of the rest of this fall time layout.

–Go big or go home with trims sometimes! It’s safe to say that one of the first things you’re apt to notice about this scrapbook page is the large heart-shaped frame of pleated ribbon (inside of which is a border of mini white pompom trim) and that is exactly what I was aiming for.

We often think of ribbon and trim as being items we use in small, complimentary doses on our projects. They can – and do – certainly shine in this capacity, but they can also be the star of the show sometimes.

If you’ve got a ribbon or trim that you adore and want to use abundantly, I say have at it! The more the merrier! Carpe diem!

–Cork is a wonderfully versatile material that often plays excellently with fall toned products thanks to its neutral brown colour.

The charming, relatively flat cork butterflies here are premade stickers. If you didn’t have a similar product to hand, you could die cut, stamp and cut out, or even free hand trim some shapes of your own from cork instead.

Products used to make this fall leaves shabby chic scrapbook layout

-Golden orange coloured textured cardstock – Orange Juice cardstock from Bazzill

-Sandy brown textured cardstock

-Dark brown woodgrain embossed cardstock – Chestnut Woodgrain cardstock from American Crafts

-Peachy-orange coloured cardstock – You Are Here Orange/Pink Map paper from Simple Stories

-Brown and white text print paper – French Riviera Collection Respirer l’air de la Mer by Frank Garcia

-Green tone-on-tone leaf print paper

-Brown tone-on-tone leaf print paper – Wild At Heart 12 x 12 inch paper pad from First Edition Paper

-Brown wood grain print paper – Wild At Heart 12 x 12 inch paper pad from First Edition Paper

-Journaling spot + assorted die cut leaves – Samantha Walker Orchard Harvest Die Cuts from Creative Imaginations

-Small acorn die cuts and red sparkly leaf die cuts – Tim Coffey Fall Die Cut Shapes from K&Company

-Leaf border punch – Falling Leaves border punch from EK Success

-Doily edge border punch – Doily Lace border punch from Martha Stewart

-Cork butterfly stickers – DIY Shop Cork Butterfly Stickers from American Crafts

-Chipboard buttons and twine – Spring Market Buttons and Twine from Webster’s Pages

-Leaf stick pins – HF-277 Leaf Stick Pins from Little Yellow Bicycle

-White mini pompom trim

-Gold pleated ribbon

-Memento Dew Drop Ink in Rich Cocoa (brown), Olive Grove (green), and Peanut Brittle (caramel-y brown).

-Dark brown fine liner pen or marker that doesn’t bleed much (for journaling)

-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)

The journaling on this layout says: “Autumn in the Okanagan is spectacular! The desert hues mingle with the season’s enchanting palette. I live for those few fleeting weeks and their bevy of gorgeous fall leaves.”

Not every project share has to be a brand new creation

There are many perks to the internet and social media. However, IMO, one of the downsides to the “share now, immediately rush towards the next project/post” mentality that frequently accompanies life online is that it becomes all too easy to forget that not everything we share publicly has to be brand spanking new.

I would argue that for paper crafters like myself who are not able to craft daily or weekly (or sometimes even monthly), tapping into previously unshared (or even revisiting favourite past shares) projects can be an especially handy + fantastic way to flush out your supply of available content.

It can also be a godsend if you’d like to post for a specific holiday/reason, but don’t currently have a new project ready to go for that event.

Few amongst us would deny that it’s fantastic to share our latest makes. I adore doing so myself and most of the projects I’ve posted here so far were made in the past twelve months.

I see no reason though why I have to limit myself to recently created makes, however – especially given that this blog was just launched on January 1, 2020 (and did not I share my paper crafting projects on social media before that time).

Much as how a photograph you like/care about can usually be shared long after it was taken, again, by all means, if you have some older projects that you’d like to share, I actively encourage you to do so.

Whether older or newer, chances are that this will be my last fall related project share for 2020. With just a few weeks left to go in a year that few of us are ever going to forget, I hope to get in some winter and holiday season makes.

Fall is forever in my heart and always close at hand when I craft, though, so there’s a high chance you won’t have to wait until August or September 2021 to see more autumn/harvest season/Halloween related projects from me here.

Do you ever post older projects on your blog and/or SM or do you prefer to stick with sharing your most recent makes?

Project share

Pin the image below – or any other in this post – to Pinterest, pop it into your Instagram Stories, post in on Twitter or Facebook, or share it anywhere else you wish to help yourself find it again and to inspire others at the same time.

If you make a project based on or inspired by this scrapbook page – or want to share any of your other handmade crafts with me – please use the hashtags #WitchcraftedLife and #WitchcraftedLifeMakes on social media so that I see can your beautiful creations.

The post Fall Leaves Shabby Chic Autumn Scrapbook Layout appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Yet, it is important to remember that no matter the weather (be it sunny, cold, rainy, grey, snowy or all of the above!), November is still fall time. Indeed, it is the last full month of this enchantingly lovely season.

Interestingly, back in the days of the ancient Romans, the month that we now know as November was the ninth on their calendar and was called novem – the Latin word for the number nine.

In the aftermath of the glowing blue moon, the thrilling energy of both Halloween and Samhain, and the warmer days of early fall, it’s easy to feel a little melancholy. Or to think that the best that autumn has to offer is behind us already.

Such thoughts and feelings are normal – fear not. I’m here to tell you, however, that while it might not have the lingering heat of September or the distinctly spooky air of October, there are still plenty of reasons to adore November.

Whether you need some convincing of this fact or are already smitten with the penultimate month of the year, read on to discover – or be reminded of – thirty reasons (one for each day of this month) why November is anything but lacklustre and why it deserves a special spot in all of our hearts.

(Note: To my lovely readers who live south of the equator, this list is geared more towards those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. If you reside on the southern side of the world and would like to share some of the ways that you enjoy celebrating November, please feel free to share them in the comment section of this post.)

30 Reasons to Love November

1. Sweater weather: Let’s face it, unless you’re fortunate to live in a particularly toasty climate or your area is experiencing an abnormally warm November, this is the time of the year when many of us dive headfirst into our thickest, coziest layers of woollens, fleeces, velvets, corduroy, and other plush fabrics that help to keep the icy bite of mid to late autumn at bay.

2. Stunning fall colours: Now, admittedly, November’s foliage and the landscapes it calls home isn’t always as richly vibrant and jewel toned as that of September and October in many areas. However, unless your corner of the world is already buried under copious amounts of snow, there may still be plenty of lingering fall hues to delight in.

Around these parts, November tends to be the month of earthy brown, inky red and burgundy, and aged pumpkin hued leaves that continue to cling to their branches a wee bit longer. Trampling merrily over them is a special joy unto itself and one of the elements of November that I look most forward to each year.

3. Scoring great deals on Halloween décor, costumes, and perhaps even (more) candy in the days immediately following October 31^st: This can be especially exciting for those of us who fall into the #Halloween365 camp, live for Halloween, and/or who like to use Halloween decorations as part of year-round home décor.

It can also be a fantastic way to snag next year’s costume a seriously discounted price, thus helping to ensure you’re amply prepared well in advance of the next frightfully fun All Hallows’ Eve.

4. Native American Heritage Month: Starting in 1990, November has been designated as National Native American Heritage Month in the United States.

It is a month to honour, celebrate, and learn more about America’s indigenous peoples and their wonderful cultures, beliefs, traditions, crafts, music, food, and history.

(For my fellow Canadians, we have a month that focuses on First Nations Peoples history as well. It is called National Indigenous History Month and takes place annually in June.)

5. November has a poetic soul: Dark, moody, and draped in the fading hues of autumn, November is a contemplative month with a great deal of beauty to the gradually dying embers of its seasonal fire.

Use November’s soulful loveliness to help inspire you on multiple fronts, from writing to photography, art to crafting, home décor to menu choices.

6. Decorating for the winter holiday season: If you celebrate any holiday(s) during the winter months, chances are you’ll be eager to get a jump on putting out your seasonal décor nice and early. Especially if, like me, you’re one of those people who can never get enough of making our homes extra festive as often as possible.

Some years I begin decorating for Yule and Christmas (I observe both; secularly in the case of the latter) on November 1^st, others, it’s closer to the 30^th, and there’s certainly been plenty of points in between, too.

There’s no right or wrong date to start decorating for the winter holiday season, just what works best for your life and feels like it is in keeping with the rhythms of the seasons for you personally.

7. Crackling fires: Indoors or out, November is the time to pile up some logs – or switch on the gas powered flames – and cozy up with a roaring blaze. The welcome warmth is especially lovely against the backdrop of November’s chill.

It also helps to remind us of the fact that until very recently in human history, fire was an essential component to ensuring that our ancestors did not, quite literally, run the risk of freezing to death come the icy days of late fall, winter, and early spring.

Plus, extra bonus points if marshmallows are involved in your November fire! #smores

8. Ice skating season: If you are a fan of lacing up a pair of blades, now is a fabulous time to connect with this much adored pastime/sport.

You need not be able to spin a perfect triple axle to enjoy ice skating. Simply gliding across the ice, living in the moment, and – if outdoors – savouring these precious days of mid to late fall weather is worthy of an Olympic gold medal unto itself.

9. National Caregivers Appreciation Month: The subject of caregiving and the tireless, compassionate work of carers the world over is near and dear to my heart (and is a subject I explored in detail in my post, Magickal Approaches and Self-Care Tips for Caregivers).

It behoves us all the acknowledge, thank, and try to support those who are take on this important job, and to try and ensure that carers get the support and vital self-care time they need.

This November, why not look into ways you could possibly help to make life easier or more manageable for carers in your own life or local community, or volunteer, where applicable, to take on certain caregiving roles yourself?

10. US Thanksgiving: Up here in the woodsy wilds of Canada, we celebrate our Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October.

Our neighbours to the south do so on the last Thursday in November, and I’ve always adored that they have a major holiday during the 11^th month of the year.

It seems so logical to honour the harvest season well into November and US Thanksgiving certainly helps to do that in its own meaningful ways.

Even if you don’t call America home, there’s no reason why you can’t opt to enjoy a meaningful late harvest season feast, if so desired (any excuse for a pumpkin pie is A-okay in my books! ). Or simply take some time to give the deepest of thanks for the blessings and gifts in your life this autumn.

11. Remembrance Day (Canada and other Commonwealth countries), Armistice Day (various countries), and Veteran’s Day (USA): As these important days share much in common, including the date of November 11^th, I am listing them as one “reason” here in this post.

Each of these annual events honours those who have served their countries during WW1, with Remembrance Day extending this same veneration to those who were involved with other battles such as WW2 and the Korean War.

Canada, like most other European and Commonwealth countries around the globe, does not have a separate day to honour all those who have served their countries, as America does via Memorial Day.

This is primarily why, outside of the US, November 11^th extends to pay tribute and give thanks to the valiant men and women who have fought for our freedom throughout the 20^th and early 21^st century.

12. Halloween and Samhain are just eleven months away: Not everyone eats, breaths, sleeps, and lives for October 31^st all year round, but for those of us who do, often the best way to help cope with the passing of one Halloween/Samhain is to set our sights squarely on the next.

Of course, as detailed in my post 31 Way to Celebrate Halloween All Year Long, you can engage with the spirit and joy of All Hallows’ Eve throughout the entire year, too – November very much included.

13. Friday the 13^th: This November houses a Friday the 13^th, which is the second of two such Fridays in 2020 (the first was in March).

While Friday the 13^th has garnered something of a reputation as a day of superstition, bad luck or misfortune, not everyone – myself and plenty of fellow Pagans/witches included – view it as such.

Quite the opposite. We see much to celebrate about the 13^th day of the month falling on Frigg’s day and often rush to work with the potent energy of this relatively rare calendar event (the next one of which will take on August 13, 2021).

14. World Kindness Day: And speaking of Friday November 13^th, that is precisely when this year’s World Kindness Day takes place.

This special day invites people across the globe to mindfully engage in acts of kindness and compassion, be they random or otherwise.

I’m of the mind that there’s almost no such thing as too much kindness and love that plenty of others feel that way, too.

If you ask me, kindness is one of the key reasons our species has managed to survive as long as we have – and goodness knows after the year we’ve all had in 2020, we could all do with some extra kindness (giving and receiving alike) at the moment.

15. The start of holiday season baking: Without fail, my paternal grandma always begins her plum pudding and fruitcake making in early November. In doing so she is carrying on a centuries old tradition across many nations in which certain holiday season foods are started several weeks in advance of Yule and Christmas.

If December includes sweet treats and/or other special foods that you could begin on advance, why not utilize some of November’s easygoing days to get a jump start on your baking, cooking, or candy making?

Freezing or otherwise safely storing those foods that are not doused in alcohol (such as my gran’s traditional plum pudding), which you’ll be tucking into come the winter holiday season.

16. National Origami Day (in Japan). This annual event transpires on November 11^th and is a time to celebrate, enjoy and, if so desired, create some lovely origami pieces of your own.

While, like many youngsters, I dabbled a touch in origami as when I was little, I make no claims of excelling at this impressive folded paper art form and haven’t tried my hand at it for quite a while now.

Perhaps this National Origami Day, I’ll pick up some lovely squares of folding paper and see if I can master a few more designs than back when I was in grade school.

If you’re intrigued by origami and/or are a fellow paper crafter, why not give this incredible Japanese art form a go yourself as well?

17. The return of plenty of our favourite TV and on demand service shows: Granted, and fully understandably, in the face of the global pandemic this year, not as many series will be returning with new seasons this fall, but thankfully some are still able to do so.

No matter if your fave shows are back this fall or not, November – with its ingrained chill and sense of wanting to curl up inside as the mercury plummets ever further outside the front door – is just the ticket if you’ve been needing an excuse to have a movie or TV show marathon, binge that series you’ve been meaning to catch for ages now, or simply hunker down with a beloved favourite and your go-to TV watching snacks.

18. Occult Day: Shrouded rather aptly in an air of mystery, various online sources list November 18^th as being Occult Day. A date on which to celebrate and connect with all things occult and esoteric, if so desired.

Just when and where this annual event got its start may be lost to the ethers of time now. However, for anyone whose spirituality relates to such or who otherwise has an interest in these kinds of subjects, this date is an excellent point in November to connect with the enigmatic, ancient, and magickally charged realm of the occult.  

19. Fall scents aplenty!: Be it the unmatchable aroma of nature itself during the heart of autumn, seasonal candles, scrumptious fall foods, or other scented products that celebrate everything from apple pie to pumpkin spice, candy corn to fall leaves, November is the ideal time to lap up as many of this season’s sublime olfactory delights as we possibly can.

20. NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month, often referred to as NaNoWriMo, has been a literary world institution since its inception in 1999. This month encourages creative writers to take on the challenge of writing an entire novel – or at least 50,000 words of it – in a single month, if possible.

While I am not a novelist myself (my writing as an adult has been almost exclusively of a non-fiction and poetry nature), I have many friends around the world who are, some of whom have participated in various NaNoWriMos, and I have a great deal of admiration for anyone who takes on this lofty goal.

21. Cooler weather: While some folks absolutely thrive during the hottest months of the year and genuinely mourn for the end of summer weather, plenty of us prefer our temperatures a little lower and eagerly welcome the nippier days of fall back into our lives.

Even if you’re more of a sunshine season fan, the refreshing coolness of November can still be a welcome pause before we launch into the bone-chillingly heart of wintertime proper.

22. The Frost Moon: November’s full moon goes by many names, with the Frost Moon and Beaver Moon being two of the most common.

The first honours the fact that frost is often present in many parts of the world come November, the latter – that industrious beavers frequently build their winter damns throughout the second half of autumn.

This year, the Frost Moon/Beaver Moon – which, both interesting and logically, the ancient Celts sometimes called the Dark Moon – takes place on November 30, 2020.

Like each full moon of the year, it is a poignant point in the month that invites us to connect in meaningful ways with the power, ancient beauty, and inherent magick of our cherished Luna.

Some of the other names for November’s full moon include the Snow Moon (though this name is also used at times for some of the winter full moons), the Trading Moon, the White Moon, and the Tree Moon.

23. Making holiday season crafts: Like many a crafter, year after year, I vow to start whipping up my homemade holiday season cards and other projects months in advance.

In reality, life has other plans and so that rarely happens. This means that November is quickly designated as the unofficial Christmas, Yule, and New Year’s card making season at my house.

Not only cards, but other festive projects from wreaths to ornaments also tend to happen in November. And as much as I would love to be able to knock out a lot of my winter holiday season makes ages in advance, I’ve come to rather adore that so much crafty goodness often happens this month.

If you’re a crafter or otherwise a creative soul, and if the circumstances of your life permit, November is a stellar time to deep dive into churning out some fabulous new projects for the coming winter festive season.

24. Follow the leaves’ lead and just let go: This year has been heavy. Not “box of old college textbooks heavy”, but heavy as the weight of the planet itself.

In ways both consciously and subconsciously, 2020 has hit most of us hard. It has turned plenty of lives upside, caused profound loss and pain, and forever shaped the trajectory of human history.

This November, as those stunning fall leaves many of us swoon up a storm over come tumbling down, follow their lead and look for areas of your life, your actions, and your thoughts that you can safely part ways with.

Let go. Just let go.

We do not have to hold onto everything that crosses our paths or our mind.

You might just be amazed by how liberating and beautiful a thing it is to let go and move forward with less of that weight holding you back.

25. Wearing all the opaque tights: Okay, probably not at the same time – though that would certainly help to ensure you stayed warm this month!

No, I mean one pair at a time.

Bare legs are great, no two ways about it, but I’m definitely one of those folks who prefer their gams to be wrapped in hosiery. Few things compare, in my books, to a fabulous pair of thick (usually, but not always) black tights on that front.

They’re practical, stylish, versatile, and virtually guaranteed to never go out of fashion.

26. National Peanut Butter Lovers Month: If you are able to safely consume peanuts, then this entry might just be one of your favourite reasons to melt faster than PB on warm toast for the month of November!

Hearty, delicious and endlessly versatile, it’s easy to see how and why peanut butter landed a whole month of appreciation.

Whether you prefer yours crunchy or smooth, partnered with jelly, bananas, chocolate, or eaten straight from the jar, why not celebrate one of the tastiest foods ever invented and spread – pun intended – the love for peanut butter around this month?

27. Foggy days: Granted, fog is rarely the ideal atmospheric condition for things like driving, bird watching, or skiing in. However, if you’re able to safely enjoy it and don’t find that it’s cramping your plans, the wispy, elegant tendrils – or ample lashings – of fog that sometimes call November home can be a welcome and very beautiful sight to behold.  

28. Small Business Saturday: While Black Friday and Cyber Monday often gets the lion’s share of the limelight when it comes to shopping related happenings in November, there’s another commerce related date this month that you should know about: Small Business Saturday.

This annual event encourages consumers to support small and/or local businesses both in their own area and further afield, and takes place on the Saturday immediately following Thanksgiving in the States. Thus, Small Business Saturday 2020 falls on November 28, 2020.

Countless businesses have been profoundly impacted – and often not in a positive way at all – by the global pandemic that has rocked our world this year. If you have the means and wish to do some shopping this year, consider allocating some of those funds to small businesses.

Now, more than ever, the revenue that most small businesses are able to generate can quite literally make or break them. Let’s all do our part and help those whose livelihoods stem from their small businesses stay afloat during these profoundly challenging times.

29. National button day (USA): While this day – which falls on November 16, 2020 – stems from America, one can certainly hop on the celebratory bandwagon no matter where in the world you live.

I’ve loved buttons my whole life and have enjoyed both (casually) collecting and (frequently) crafting with them since childhood.

Buttons are a common go-to item for me when paper crafting, doing needlework, or otherwise whipping up various handmade products – just as they are for scores of us around the world.

Buttons also play a role in some of my witchy workings and (usually displayed in pretty jars or dishes) as part of our home décor as well.

No matter if you craft with or collect buttons, nearly all of us use this wonderfully handy invention on a regular basis via our wardrobe.

Buttons as we know them today in terms of shapes and functions, date back to at least 13^th Germany, though their origins stretch considerably further in time (it is believed that earlier buttons were usually more ornamental or used as seals).

So why not use National Button Day as a great excuse to sew or craft with buttons, display some of your faves, or slip on a garment whose buttons you particularly adore?

30. The return of holiday season music: I will readily cop to playing Christmas tunes prior to November 1^st, but like many of us, tend to amp up the amount of airplay they get come the 11^th month of the year.

Whether you’re cueing up your favourite festive song playlists, delighting in hearing a treasured tune overhead while out shopping, or attending live holiday season musical performances, November is the ideal time to reconnect with all of the holly, jolly music that stirs up sweet nostalgia and makes our hearts smile warmly in the process.

Is November the best month of the year?

Objectively, it is very difficult to quantify or determine if one month of the year is vastly better than others.

Each has its joys and charms, challenges and perks, reasons to smile, and rightful place in the annual turning of the Wheel of the Year that has gone on since time immemorial.

November is certainly no exception there, as the entries in this post help to demonstrate.

Most of us have a favourite month or two (or twelve!).

For me personally, that month is October. I genuinely feel a sense of sorrow and loss when it passes us by for another year – capping off, enchantingly, with Samhain/Halloween on October 31^st.

I used to get very down when October ended – a sort of heavy mid-fall funk falling over me for a spell. I still experience that to a lesser degree sometimes.

However, over the years I’ve come to adore and appreciate November in countless ways and to wholeheartedly delight in the wonders of this splendid month.

After all, for a Canadian lass like me, the fact that November is still a full month of autumn is worth cheering for on that fact alone!

We’re in for a long stretch of sub-zero temps, mile high snowfalls, and plenty of icy morns and even chiller nights over the next few months.

Just as a good many people in various corners are the globe are as well, of course.

Before we turn hot cocoa into a food group unto itself, bundle up like arctic explorers, and deck the halls with mistletoe and holly once more, let’s celebrate the often overlooked and underappreciated perks and joys of November.

It might not have October’s pizzazz and haunting spirit, but it is still a gorgeous chapter of the year and one that allows us to savour our treasured fall for a few more weeks.

If that isn’t worth raising a pumpkin spice latte in celebration of, I don’t know what is!

Which of these reasons to love November is your favourite? What are some others that never fail to make you happy to see the 11^th month of the year return again?

The post 30 Reasons to Love November appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Later this month, my maternal grandma is on track to do just that.

My grandma – or Grannie (she prefers to spell it with an “ie” ending) was in 1930 as the Great Depression was just starting to get underway.

Her parents came north for the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s and, even though they didn’t strike it rich, loved the untamed Yukon wilderness so much they stayed there for decades after the final waves of eager gold-seekers had crossed the Chilcot.

She was the last of eight children – seven girls, and just one son. And as such, heartbreakingly, these days she is the sole surviving child of her family.

Like many people, my grandma is multi-faceted induvial. Strong and, at times, stubborn. Caring, nostalgic, loving, and tough as an ox.

She’s had to be that way. Life, from her birth in the freezing arctic to battling and overcoming cancer for the first time in her 80s as been anything but a cakewalk.

Severe chronic illness struck her early in life – proceeded by tuberculosis (which, much like breast cancer, she was able to beat). Widowhood entered her life at the age of just sixty, proceeded many years prior by the untimely death of her only son.

She has lived in various spots across North, Central and South America, can draw far better than she lets on, never remarried, is a packrat in the extreme, played a mean game of tennis for decades, and makes the best darn orange chiffon cake I’ve ever tasted.

At (almost) ninety, my grandma still lives on her own in the same house she’s called home since the early 1960s.

She drives (during the daylight hours), volunteers, has never had a smartphone, and savours her near-daily walks along a street that, over the decades, has morphed from a sleepy rural road to a multi-lane thoroughfare.

There are many ways in which we differ, but no shortage of others that we share in common. Through thick and thin, my grannie has never failed to inspire me and be a source of unwavering strength in my life.

Sadly, due to the need to social distance and remain as safe as possible, a family birthday celebration of the kind befitting nine decades of life will not be possible.

We’ll still do all that we can though, of course, to help ensure that she feels loved, celebrated, and honoured come the big day.

Card, gifts, flowers, phone calls, and other forms of socially distanced connecting will stand in for the birthday fete that up until the pandemic struck, we’d long imagined holding for this awesome occasion.

October Birthday Girl Heritage Scrapbook Page

My Grannie is rarely one for fuss, pomp, or pageantry. Her style is understated, somewhat tomboyish, and fairly classic.  

In creating a scrapbook layout to honour her October birthday, I wanted to celebrate the season, while staying true to this style.

There are layers and details, but I intentionally kept things a bit refrained – opting to let this vintage photograph of her, taken sometimes around the late 1940s, sparkle as the deserving star of the show.

For the background of this scrapbook page, I turned to one of my oldest and most favourite tricks in the paper crafting book and used a piece of corrugated cardboard as the base layer.

Sometimes I do this when I know that I’ll need a lot of strength to support all the layers and embellies on a given project, and sometimes I do it simply because I love the look and texture that classic cardboard offers.

Over the years, various companies have sold precut pieces of cardboard (some of which were even billed as being archivally safe), but I’ve rarely purchased them. Cardboard is plentiful in most peoples lives or can easily be obtained, if you don’t have any to hand.

That said, if creating a project that is archivally safe is paramount to you, I’d highly suggest either buffering the cardboard with a base layer of acid free cardstock or paper, tracking down acid free cardboard, or using an archival preservation crafting spray, such as Archival Mist (product and brand share the same name) or Make It Acid Free from Krylon.

As my grandma’s birthday falls in the heart of October, I went for a full-on autumn colour palette, leaning heavily on earthy tones that are reminiscent of nature while also leading the layout a vintage feel that is in keeping with the yesteryear photo used here.

How to create this autumn themed family history scrapbook layout

This layout began with a 12 x 12 inch sized piece of cardboard which I lightly distressed, inked and painted the edges of (black ink, gold paint).

Once dry, I topped the cardboard with layers of black and orange cardstock, turning down two of the corners and tucking pieces of tulle + small chipboard circles beneath the folds.

Next came the layers of patterned paper, including the central decorative shape piece which I painted the edges of with grey acrylic paint.

I added the trim, matted and selected a position for my photo, scattered various stickers and embellishments around the design, created my title, and handwrote my journaling on a piece of polka dot print paper.

This layout came together quickly and is not very complex, which I feel really suits the type of person my grandma is: no nonsense, lovely, and timeless.

I adore how the floral print on the decorative edge central piece of paper brings a ton of visual interest to this layout, with zero added bulk. I’m all for dimension as a general rule, but sometimes it’s fun to scale things back a tad on that front, which is what I did with this LO.

Scrapbook page tips and tricks from this project

-Make friends with cardboard! As touched on above, I adore working with the material in my paper crafting projects. Be as it an entire 12 x 12 inch base, a small accent, a die cut shape, or anything in between, the sky is the limit!

You can distress, sand, paint, stain, ink, stencil, embellish and do oodles more still to cardboard. And of course, you can leave it as is – either with the top layer of thin brown/kraft paper removed or simply as it stands intact now.

I like to save clean, not too thick pieces of cardboard from packaging, mailing materials, and suitable boxes. That way, when a project arises that could benefit from some cardboard, it’s always at the ready.

-Don’t hesitate to dress up decorative shaped papers all the more. In this case, the scrolling/scalloped edge piece of Kaisercraft paper was gorgeous, but I felt it could use a little something-something extra. Acrylic paint to the rescue!

A purposely shabby chic style coating around the edges was all it took to jazz up this elegant paper and help it feel more individual to my own project.

–Have fun with photo corners! I’m a big fan of photo corners and utilize them often on my layouts. They can work like a charm with pics from any era, but when crafting with antique and vintage photos, they have an extra special ability to look fantastic.

In no small part, this stems from the fact that photo corners were a mainstay of the albums where many images from decades past were originally housed. As such, they can instantly help to lend a lovely yesteryear feel to most any project.

Whether you buy premade photo corners, use a die or punch, or freehand them (hint, basic triangles, as with the golden orange paper used here, do the job fabulously!), photo corners might just be what your next project needs for a bit of extra pizzazz.

-Layer your trims. A great way to add subtle – or not so subtle, as the case may be – interest, colour, and texture to a scrapbook page is to layer two or more trims.

In this instance, I began with a thin layer of tulle, followed it with a wide layer of open design gold hued trim, then topped that with some fun and funky blue and green fringe trim in a colour palette that looks as though it was borrowed from a peacock.

When layering trims, try to ensure that some of each layer remains visible. A mix of solid and airier trims, as used here, can look especially fab, but all open weave or all solid trims can rock just as well, too.

-When using multiple word and/or letter stickers on the same page, aim for a degree of continuity between them. Colours, sizes, fonts, etc can all help. This lends your finished page a cohesive, beautiful look.

Though, that said, sometimes it’s great to mix things up, toss the rules out the window with your lettering and word stickers and just have a blast mixing things up.

-Butterflies and feathers might not instantly scream fall to the same degree that they do spring and summer, but that’s no reason not to utilize them in autumn related projects – especially if they’re in seasonal hues like the earthy browns and blues here.

If you don’t have premade fall coloured butterflies or feathers, consider stamping or die cutting and colouring some in the fall shades that best compliment your project.

Products used to create this fall birthday scrapbook page

-Piece of brown/kraft coloured cardboard measuring 12 x 12 inches (30.5 x 30.5 cm)

-Black, golden orange, and pale aqua cardstock

-Fall tree real photo print paper – Fall Harvest Paper Pad from American Crafts

-Cream and mustard yellow polka dot print paper – Autumn Crisp 6 x 6 inch Paper Pad from American Crafts

-Decorative scalloped edge paper – Hidden Treasures Collection Token from Kaisercraft

-Black ink pad – Dew Drop Tuxedo Black Ink from Memento

-Orange chipboard flourish and both circle shaped chipboard pieces – Autumn Song Chipboard from Bo Bunny

-Various word and image stickers – Rhapsody Element Stickers from Photo Play

-Hello Word Sticker – Bloom Element Stickers from Photo Play

-Fall word bunting banner sticker – A Perfect Autumn Afternoon Element Stickers from Echo Park

-Orange letter stickers – Citrus Alphabet Stickers from Bo Bunny

-Gold glitter letter stickers – Marquee Love Letter Stickers from Heidi Swapp

-Gold acrylic paint – Gold Metallic Paint Dabber from Ranger

-Grey acrylic paint – Gray Wolf from Martha Stewart Crafts

-Gold and cream damask print washi tape

-White tulle trim

-Fringed blue and grey trim

-Wide gold oven weave design trim

-Yellow painted metal flower charm – Timeless Memories Metal Trinkets from Recollections

-Grey marker/felt tip pen (used for journaling)

-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)

The journaling on this layout says: “My maternal grandma, Bernice J. Schill, was born on October 14, 1930, in Dawson, Yukon, Canada. By total coincidence, 74 years later, in 2004, Tony and I married on that same special date.”

One day, three importance celebrations

My grandma’s 90^th birthday is unquestionably the milestone highlight of October 2020. Interestingly, and coincidentally, however, it is not the only special event that falls on the 14^th of this month.

That date also happens to by the birthday of my dear Uncle Bill, as well as mine and Tony’s wedding anniversary. Plus, just two days later, my beautiful sister’s birthday returns as well.

As you can imagine, traditionally, this has made for a week of ample family gatherings, celebrating, and feasting.

Especially when you consider that, when it falls on the latest possible date that it can, Canadian Thanksgiving technically takes place on October 14th once every few years.

Talk about one full and exciting date!

None of those events are going to unfold this time around they usually would.

Yet, much as with my Grannie’s birthday, we’ll do what we can to honour the spirit of these meaningful occasions and (especially) the loved ones who are at the heart of each important mid-October event.

Right here and now though, as the 10^th month of the year gets underway, I must dash. 90^th birthdays come but once in a lifetime and I’ve got a festive card to whip up and mail out.

Project share

Pin the image below – or any other in this post – to Pinterest, pop it into your Instagram Stories, post in on Twitter or Facebook, or share it anywhere else you wish to help yourself find it again and to inspire others at the same time.

If you make a project based on or inspired by this scrapbook page – or want to share any of your other handmade crafts with me – please use the hashtags #WitchcraftedLife and #WitchcraftedLifeMakes on social media so that I see can your beautiful creations.

The post October Birthday Girl Heritage Scrapbook Layout (in Celebration of My Grandma’s 90th Birthday) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

As touched on in 10 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Ostara, this series is not being published in purely sequential order. Nor will each entry appear here in the span of a single year.

Today’s post, in which the spotlight is shone upon the resplendently lovely sabbat that is Mabon, will be the third in this series.

(The first, 10 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Imbolc, appeared as a guest post that I wrote for The Witch of Lupine Hollow, earlier this year.)

As time marches ever onward, I intend to cover all eight of the sabbats – so be sure to watch this space for future economy-minded ways to embrace and make all the more of your Pagan holidays.

In the weeks leading up to Mabon 2020, I brainstormed a slew of possible post ideas for this year’s second harvest season sabbat.

And while many of them tickled my fancy (and are now tucked away in my post inspiration file for possible later use), a voice inside kept driving me back to writing about ways to embrace and make the most of Mabon that cost little to nothing.

Let’s face it, this year has not been kind to many people around the world. From layoffs and lost jobs to steep medical bills, increased costs of living, and so much more, belts have been tightened and pennies pinched in countless ways by a good many of us.

I am nothing if not a witch who listens to her intuition, so it was with pleasure and thanks (to the universe for nudging me in this direction) that I recently sat down to write this list of 15 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Mabon.

Read on to learn about these fun, festive approaches, plus info about what Mabon is, when Mabon falls, and more!

What is Mabon?

Mabon is the second of three harvest season Pagan holidays/sacred days that take place annually.

It falls between Lammas in early August and Samhain at the end of October.

As with each of the eight sabbats that comprise the Wheel of the Year, Mabon’s roots run deep into the bedrock of the past.

However, Mabon as it is observed today, in the 21^st century, is essentially a modern Pagan practice.

That said, countless cultures around the world have long celebrated the harvest season in myriad ways throughout the late summer and fall months.

Mabon draws richly on some of these traditional harvest time/fall equinox celebrations, particularly those from the British Isles, Ireland, Nordic and Germanic lands.

Interestingly, the word Mabon, in its neo-Pagan context, was termed in c. 1970 by New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn founder, Aiden Kelly. It is a reference to a Welsh mythological figure named Mabon ap Modron.

While the word Mabon tends to denote a Pagan/witchery harvest festival and the Fall Equinox or Autumn Equinox as both the astrological event and the more secular observance of such, some people happily use the two names interchangeably.

Other names for Mabon include Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair, An Clabhsúr, Alban Elfed, and the rather lovely, Harvest Home.

Mabon, much like its counter-sabbat Ostara, is a time of immense balance, as the night and day are roughly the same duration on the Fall Equinox.

From Mabon until Yule in the second half of December, the days will continue to grow ever darker, as we prepare for the long, cold winter months ahead.

At the moment though, at least a hint of warmth still remains in the air for many north of the equator. Far from being an overly solemn event, Mabon is a time of beautiful thanksgiving, inner reflection, harmony, balance, planning, and reflecting on what we’ve reaped or harvested in our lives over the past year.

Mabon is also an excellent time to take a well-deserved break. To relax, slow down, and honour both the shifting seasons and the bountiful harvest of autumn, as well as what we’ve helped to nurture and grow into being in the scope of our own daily existence.

September is one of the richest and most abundant months in terms of food crops, so it is quite natural to include feasting in your Mabon festivities, if so desired.

Not everyone personally identifies with the classic Triple Goddess archetypal iteration of the Maiden/Mother/Crone (and that is 100% okay).

Amongst those that do, however, Mabon is often seen as the point in the year when the Goddess/Divine feminine shifts from her role of Mother to that of the sagely and very powerful Crone.

When is Mabon?

Many, if not most, who observe Mabon in the Northern Hemisphere opt to do so in unison with the September Equinox.

The September, or Fall/Autumn, Equinox, denotes the moment when the sun appears to traverse the celestial equator on its exciting journey south.

It is also – excitingly – the first official calendar day of fall in many parts of the word.

As with Spring Equinox and both the Summer and Winter Solstices, the Fall Equinox can fall within a tight window of days each year. In the case of the Fall Equinox, that window spans September 21^st to September 24^th.

This year, the Fall Equinox is on September 22^nd.

Thus, if you’re wondering when is Mabon 2020, the short answer becomes September 22^nd.

However, that said, when and for how many days, one opts to observe a given sabbat is a highly personal choice. Plenty of witches, Pagans, and Wiccans will celebrate Mabon on the Autumn Equinox itself.

Doing so is not a requirement though by any means. Broadly speaking, September 20^th to September 30^th is considered to be Mabon season – though, in some ways, this season extends until Samhain, at the end of October.

I strongly encourage you to follow your heart and instincts when it comes to celebrating (or not) each of the sabbats and the days that you personally choose to observe them on.

While I generally observe the sabbats that correspond with solstices and equinoxes on the official dates that these events occur, I’ve been known to begin my Mabon celebrations + magickal workings as early as the start of September and to carry on with them well into the highly spiritually charged days of late October.

Is Mabon just for witches, Wiccans and Pagans?

Happily, the sabbats are open to those of all faiths and beliefs. They are days that mark important points in the ever-turning wheel of the year – something that impacts every single person’s life, regardless of their spiritual path or where they live on the planet.

If you feel called to observe and celebrate the Autumn Equinox/Mabon, then by all means have at it.

Life needs all the cheer, positivity, gratitude, and reasons to make merry that we can possibly muster.

After all, it is not without good reason that Mabon is sometimes called the Pagan Thanksgiving or Witches Thanksgiving.

However, I personally believe that the Fall Equinox has the ability to serve as a universal Thanksgiving Day for anyone around the world who wishes to focus on the blessings of the harvest season.

How to celebrate the Fall Equinox/Mabon

In the list that follows this section, numerous specific ways to celebrate Mabon are laid out. However, these are but fifteen of the limitless approaches one can take to honouring the harvest season.

Mabon is an excellent time to focus on thanksgiving, blessings, gratitude, warmth (what remains from the sun’s rays and that which we foster in our own lives and relationships), harmony, serenity, the liminal nature of the equinoxes, and other aspects of the season that resonate with our own hearts.

You may wish to create or decorate an existing altar for Mabon, hold a Mabon feast – be it for one or one hundred, take a leisurely nature walk, decorate your home for fall time (one of my personal faves!), reach out to people you hold dear to thank them for the ways in which they enrich your life, harvest some fruit, vegetables, herbs or other plants of your own, visit a corn maze or pumpkin patch, make seasonally related jewelry or other craft projects, create corn dollies, watch the leaves fall, or have a lovely bonfire at this point in the year.

Celebrate Mabon in the way(s) that feel right and natural to you and your spiritual path, that realistically work within the parameters of your daily life, and which, hopefully, bring you both happiness and an even deeper sense of connection to the wonders of fall time.

15 free and low-cost ways to celebrate Mabon

1. Gather natural treasures. While spring and summer might see more live greenery, I’d argue that no season offers quite the bounty of natural treasures that autumn does.

Even in the heart of sprawling metropolises, fall still shines radiantly and proudly via the changing leaves and early morning frost.

If you’re able to do so, head outside and take a leisurely look around for offerings from Gaia that you can bring home with you to use for all manner of purposes. From decorating your home and altar to (when applicable) eating now or storing away for the coming year until fall returns once again.

As always, ensure that anything you source is done in a legal and ethical manner, and that you are not greatly disrupting the local ecosystem by removing any elements from a given surrounding.

Some wonderful things to keep your eyes on high alert for during the crisp, gorgeous days of early to mid-autumn include dried leaves, strips of shed bark, seed pods, pine cones, chestnuts, acorns, walnuts, hazelnuts (filberts), seasonal wildflowers, corn husks, safe to eat wild foods (fruits, berries, vegetables, roots, herbs, mushrooms, etc), shed animal skins and antlers, empty bird’s egg shells, and feathers.

Give thanks for each treasure that you find and consider leaving an offering, picking up trash in the vicinity, or otherwise honouring the area that you’ve been forging for fall time nature finds in.

2. Engage in banishing magic. Banishing is something that aligns powerfully with the harvest season, as one distinct chapter of the year (the growing season of spring and summer) transforms into the harvesting, resting and renewing period that is fall and winter.

This year, most of us are feeling the need to weave some banishing work into our spiritual practices now more than ever.

If you’re keen to do just that, I highly recommend this Apple Magick Banishing Spell for Mabon that I penned as another of the guest posts that I had the pleasure of writing for The Witch of Lupine Hollow.

This spell is simple, meaningful, and, in my personal experience, highly effective. It also supports the spirit of the Autumn Equinox, which invites us to part ways with was and to gather strength and renewed focus for the coming chilly months.

3. Learn a new skill or further your education. While many a year may have passed since you last sat behind a school desk, one of the greatest gifts in life is that we have the ability to keep learning long after our days of formal classroom education are behind us.

In many parts of the world, the new school year begins in August or September.

Growing up, I adored the start of the school year and often find myself missing the heady rush of resuming classroom learning, a backpack bulging with new pencils and notebooks slung over my shoulder, when September returns.

While I won’t be raising my hand during rollcall again anytime soon, one way I can help temper this longing is to throw myself into learning or honing a new skill or area of interest as fall returns.

Sometimes my focus is squarely Pagan/witchy related, at others it may pertain to crafts, my health, the culinary arts, photography, or a multitude of other topics.

If there’s something you’ve been keen to learn more about, a class you’ve been wanting to take, or a subject you’d like to brush up, the Autumn Equinox is a superb time to honour your mind and enrich your life in the process.

4. Practice leaf divination. Formally known as phyllomancy, divining via leaves is an ancient practice whose roots (pun intended) likely stretch back to the early days of human existence.

Leaves are abundant in most parts of the world, so it stands to reason that they were a probable source for early peoples to turn to when engaging in divination. Historical records tell us that phyllomancy was used by cultures such as the ancient Greeks, Assyrians, Romans, Celts, and Chinese, to name but a few.  

There are various ways to look for omens, signs, meanings, and answers in leaves. They include listening to the sounds, such as rustling, that they make, interpreting their shapes and colours (as well as if a leaf has fallen face up or face down), reading the veins and characteristic markings of a given leaf, using groups or piles of leaves in much the same way as tealeaf reading (tasseomancy), interrupting images seen in burning leaves, and mental impressions that present themselves to you when looking at autumn leaves.

5. Donate to a local food bank or other food-related charity. While fall is known as the season of plenty thanks to the abundance of agricultural crops that are harvest at this point in the year, the sad truth is that even in a world teeming with food, not everyone gets enough to eat and/or has an ongoing sense of food security.

If you have unexpired non-perishable foods to share, the means to make a monetary donation, and/or ability to volunteer some of your time to help out at a local food bank, soup kitchen or similar facility, Mabon is an excellent time of the year to do so.

If this is not possible, think about other ways that you might be able to share some of the bounty – be it modest or vast – of your own food stores with others.

For example, do you have an elderly neighbour who would appreciate a hearty homemade pumpkin bread, a pot of delicious acorn squash soup, or basket of perfectly ripe apples from the tree in your backyard?

As in many areas of life, it is often possible to give and enrich the lives of others without breaking the bank – or, in some cases, involving any money at all.

6. Create a crystal grid for Mabon. Crystal grids are incredible ways to harness the power, energy and benefits of working with crystals.

I adore putting together blessed and charged crystal grids for the Pagan holidays, often leaving them on one of my altars until the next sabbat approaches.

The sky is the limit when it comes to designing and laying out a crystal grid for Mabon.

You could opt to include only crystals, stones and/or rocks or may wish to involve other natural or manmade elements as well.

Numerous crystals are associated with Mabon. These include, but are not limited to, citrine, aragonite, jasper, sunstone, garnet, amber, cat’s eye, orange calcite, carnelian, pyrite, aventurine, peach selenite, rhyolite, and peach moonstone.

In addition to crystals and stones, I love including natural materials – particularly those that I’ve gathered myself – in my Mabon crystal grids.

Some great additions are sunflowers and their seeds, marigolds, dried summertime flowers, pumpkin seeds, mini pumpkins and gourds, apples (fresh or dried), pears (fresh or dried), ears of dried corn and/or corn husks, sheaves of wheat, fall leaves, acorns, chestnuts, seed pods, and feathers.

7.  Recycle old candles to make new candles. Let’s face it, most of us witchy and Pagan folk love a good candle – or fifty! And while plenty may be burned until completion, chances are that you have some partially used candles laying around the house as we speak.

This Mabon season, to honour the warmth and light that helped to create the bountiful fall harvest, to prepare for the coming months of autumn and winter darkness, and to celebrate the fact that the fall equinox is a day of balance between the eternal sources of light and darkness, why not make some candles from existing ones that you have on hand?

The web is rife with tutorials on how to turn old candle ends, bits and pieces into new candles. YouTube is a great place to watch videos of how to do just that.

Check out How to Make New Candles from Your Old Candles Tutorial, How to Melt Old Candle Wax into New Candles to REUSE Candle Wax!, and How To Make a Candle from Old Candle Pieces to get started.

While a small number of basic candle making materials may be required for some of these techniques, the outlay in cost can usually be kept to a minimum – especially if you don’t plan to turn candle making into a major hobby or business.

Fall is a fantastic time of the year to sweep away, clean up and declutter the old, parting ways with what we can, while recycling and revamping in other areas. Handmade candles are one shining – again, pun intended – way to do just that.

8. Reflect on loss, death and the natural cycle of life. It’s safe to say that 2020 has driven these themes home for many people in powerful, perhaps for some individuals even unprecedented, ways.  

It is beyond the scope of this post to even so much as skim the surface of grief processing and management or to delve into the extraordinary degree of loss + suffering that the world has endured this year.

Whether you chose to reflect on how death has touched and shaped 2020 or these subjects as they pertain to other areas of your life/spiritual path is entirely up to you. There is no right or wrong here at all.

Of all the sabbats (as they transpire in the Northern Hemisphere), none is as closely linked to death, the spirit realm, ancestors, and imagery pertaining to the dead than Samhain.

Yet, Mabon, which proceeds Samhain by just a few short weeks, is another point in the year when the veil thins and workings (and thoughts) pertaining to death are especially appropriate.

After all, what does the autumn equinox mark but the death of summer. Even if the warmth and radiant sunlight of the former season lingers a while longer, as far as science and the calendar alike are concerned, summer is officially over.

While one might feel full on grief over the loss of summer – and, conversely, plenty rejoice when this point arrives – it is worthwhile to reflect on the season that was and to thank the universe for the chance to experience another summer.

Consider performing rituals and workings pertaining to some aspect of death, be it seasonal, connected to departed people or animals, or the general theme of death and the roles it plays in each of our journeys through life. 

Visit a graveyard or cemetery, hold a dumb supper, connect with ancestral spirits, do tarot or oracle reading that relates to death, engage in death positive activities, or do anything else pertaining to death that feels right (and safe!) to you this autumn.

9. Dress is fall time colours. While black and grey (and to a lesser extent, dark brown) are have been the powerhouses of my wardrobe for years now, fall’s colour palette has a starring role in my closer the whole year through as well.

When autumn itself returns, I leap headfirst all the more into donning rich, earthy, elegant shades of everything from maroon to saffron, pumpkin to olive, cocoa to crimson and plenty of others.

Each colour in the visible spectrum connects to elements of nature, has meaningful spiritual correspondences and connections, and can impact everything from our mood to how people perceive us.

When it comes to fall time dressing, some great colours choices include:

-Burgundy and maroon

-Reds, especially darker shades (such as scarlet, brick, and cranberry) and those with blue undertones

-Muted or, conversely, intense shades of earthy pink and peach, such as puce, salmon, and dusty rose

-Oranges, including rust, pumpkin, marigold, copper, persimmon, and terracotta

-Yellows and golds, including honey, saffron, sunflower, camel, brass, bronze, and mustard yellow

-Earthy greens like chartreuse, olive, sage, and moss

-Darker greens such as spruce, pine, forest, and hunter

-Deep, inky blues such as navy, midnight, dark denim, teal, and peacock

-Purples such plum, berry, sangria, bordeaux, eggplant (aubergine), and dusty shades of purple

-Browns, particularly medium and darker toned shades, as well as those with golden undertones, such as caramel, nutmeg, butterscotch, and toffee

-Greys in general, though darker shades spanning slate to charcoal are especially appropriate

-Silver and gunmetal

-Muted whites, creams, and ivories

-Black and colours so dark they almost look black (e.g., black cherry)

You do need to look like a walking poster for fall 24/7, of course (though, I’ll be the first to welcome you to team fall fashion, if you do! ).

From small splashes – say a scarf, pair of boots, bracelet, or hair accessory – to full-on ensembles and everything in between, you can rock as much or as little of autumn’s color palette this season.

And, in doing so, know that you are aligning yourself all the more with the energy and natural palette of this beautiful chapter of the year.

Likewise, these colours are all stellar choices for fall time altars, candles, home décor, seasonal décor, party colour schemes, craft projects, and even the foods you prepare throughout the autumn months.

10. Create an outdoor Mabon altar. If you have a safe, private place to do so, consider creating a seasonal altar outdoors for Mabon or adorning an existing outdoor altar in ways that align with Mabon and your spiritual path.

The wonderful blog Raising Knights and Fairies has a great post How to Make an Outdoor Mabon Altar, if you’re looking for some handy inspiration for your own altar Fall Equinox season altar.

Your altar need not be massive. You can base it off of small outdoor table, a stable rock or tree stump, or simply a cleared spot of land.

During the years when I lived on the 23^rd floor of a high-rise apartment building, I often made lovely little outdoor altars throughout the year on our balcony in (or on top of) small recycled wooden and plastic crates.

Another possible place – assuming doing so wouldn’t risk damaging anything you may have planted – is to create altars in planter style window boxes.

Plus, a hanging altar can also be constructed from things such as planters, macramé, or woven baskets, if elevating your altar is a more feasible or desirable approach.

11. Make sun prints from leaves or other seasonal items. The process – aided by a little bit of chemical alchemy – of crating prints using the sun and natural (or manmade) objects is known as cyanotype. It is a form of non-mechanical, aka camera-less, photography that’s creates a cyan blue coloured print.

This process helped to name the act of making blueprints, as cyanotypes were a relatively easy way to create copies of drawing before the advent of more advance copying and image reproduction methods.

Cyanotypes often have a serene elegance to them, and the finished product – be it on paper or fabric can make for gorgeous home décor or be put to work in craft projects.

Creating cyanotypes will likely incur the expense of the materials needed, so it is not the absolute lowest option on this list. However, most kits (or individually sourced and utilized materials) create multiple prints, which helps to keep the costs down on a project-by-project basis.

If you’d rather skip the outlay involved, there are other methods such as preserving leaves with wax paper that are apt to cost you little to nothing (if you have waxed paper to hand already).

As well, the classic act of simply placing fall leaves beneath drawing paper and rubbing a wax crayon, pastel stick, or pencil crayon overtop to produce a rubbing of the leaves never goes out of style and can bring back a lovely hit of nostalgia for those of us who made leaf rubbings during our school days.

With any leaf art related project, consider displaying the end result on or near your altar/sacred space or otherwise giving it pride of place in your home this fall.

12. Gather up and record your favourite recipes. I’m a passionate home cook and kitchen witch the whole year through, but the moment the first fall leaf drops, I make a beeline for the pantry + stove like there’s no tomorrow!

Many of us associate the colder months with comfort food, nostalgic dishes, and fond memories of the eats we adored (or otherwise ate) when we were growing up.

If you’re not already recording some of your favourite recipes – or haven’t updated your recipe book in a while – fall is the ideal time to jot down those dishes that make your heart, stomach and soul alike all happy.

If so desired, feel free to include notes on any magickal workings or other spiritual elements that you’ve preformed or associate with your recipes.

Let your loved ones know about your treasure trove of recipes and don’t be shy about sharing copies of them. Passing along recipes is a time-honoured tradition and one that feels all the more at home come the season of potlucks (potlatches), Thanksgiving, Halloween/Samhain, and fall feasting.

13. Make your very own corn husk witch doll. I gasped, audibly gasped, when I first saw this beautiful DIY project online. With a few craft and household supplies, you can create what has to be one of the most perfect, witchery approved corn husk related crafts of all time: a corn husk witch doll.

Not only is your finished corn husk witch doll a wonderful representation of the spiritual bond we share with fall, but it can become a treasured piece that you either bring out each autumn or leave on your altar or elsewhere in your house the whole year through.

As well, I cannot help but think what a splendid gift for your fellow witchy and Halloween adoring friends one of these special corn husk dolls would be.

14. Go on a fall time picnic. Unless you are fortunate enough to live somewhere that never gets truly cold, chances are that pristine al fresco dining weather will soon be drawing to a close in your area.

Before it does, why not prepare or purchase and pack up a scrumptious picnic to be enjoyed in the majesty of the great outdoors (be it a safe public setting or the comfort of your own backyard)?

For extra fall time fun, correspondences and meaning, you could opt to feature a menu comprised of seasonal foods such as those involving pumpkin, squash, apples, plums, pears, grapes, cider, perry (pear cider), mead, wine, honey, pomegranates, corn, squash, leeks, onions, garlic, cornbread, hearty breads, oats, nuts and seeds, salmon, turkey, venison, and warm spices such as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, mustard, and cardamom.

15. Set intentions for the coming year. Samhain is often seen as the witches New Year. I myself view and utilize it in this meaningful capacity. Yet I have long been doing much the same with the return of fall as well.

The ball may drop on time square at the stroke of midnight on January 1^st, but for myself and plenty of others, different points in the year feel like more natural or intrinsic starts to the next year for us.

Fall’s return is my new year and as such I make a point to be brutally and lovingly honest with myself about what it is I would ideally like to accomplish between now and the following Mabon.

I set intentions big and small, access how those from past years are doing, and accept that some past intentions either will not come to be or may no longer be realistic.

You can do the same through thoughts alone, by writing your intentions down, doing intention related spell work, making a vlog style video about your intentions, or utilizing another method that jives with your life.

Think big and dream broadly, but remember to keep at least a toe or two planted firmly in the reality of your current existence.

And keep in mind too that, much like traditional New Year’s resolutions, you will generally have to actively work to make your intentions and goals come to fruition.

Hope, luck, and faith all have their place, but so does self-propelled manifestation.

Reaping the blessings of Mabon

Much like the balance of light and dark that Mabon houses, the second fall harvest sabbat is a meaningful blend of joy and somberness. It celebrates life and thanksgiving, while also honouring death and, in some instances, rebirth as well.

Samhain might be the rock star of the Pagan sabbat world in the eyes of many, but Mabon holds its own, too, and is a powerful, spiritually charged, beautiful chapter of the year.

Yes, we’ve officially bid farewell to summer, but that just means we get to enjoy the next several weeks of fall weather before plunging into the icy heart of winter.

Mabon, much like autumn itself, is a time of both productivity and rest. It invites us to banish what no longer serves our lives and spiritual practices, while also providing us with comfort, joy, inspiration, beauty, magick, and merriment aplenty.

The blessings of this season are abundant. They shine out in every leaf and tendril of chimney smoke, greeting us via smiling jack-o-lanterns and scrumptious fall time comfort dishes. They are present in our communications with the departed, our evening walks through jewel toned carpets of crunchy leaves, and the dreams + goals we make for the year ahead.

May this Mabon bring unlimited goodness, support, safety, and enchantment your way, dear friends!

The post 15 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Mabon appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

The month that ushers in fall – sweet, enchanting, utterly gorgeous fall time – is upon us again and I know that I am far from alone in jumping with enthusiastic joy over this fact!

Naturally, to get the ball rolling on the seasonal crafting front, I couldn’t help but share a handmade Thanksgiving Day card here with you today.

While it is not as widely known internationally as its US counterpoint, Canada has its own Thanksgiving Day as well.

Our nationwide harvest season celebration shares many traditional foods in common with the US day of thanks, and both take place in the autumn, but beyond that, the two have fairly different origin stories.

Interestingly, and quite logically given that we’re two different nations, Canadian Thanksgiving has nothing to do with Plymouth Rock or the early American pilgrims.

While various harvest and fall celebrations had previously been observed by various groups of both First Nations Peoples and early settlers alike, the first official Canadian Thanksgiving did take place until November 6, 1879.

It would take the better part of another century though until, in 1957, a date (the second Monday in October) was set and Canadian Thanksgiving was officially declared a national holiday.

If you’re keen to learn more about this subject, I highly suggest checking out Canadian Encyclopedia’s in depth post on The History of Canadian Thanksgiving.

Canadian Thanksgiving is still about six weeks away, falling as it does on Monday October 12^th this year.

That doesn’t mean though – in true paper crafter fashion – that I’m not already whipping up cards and other projects pertaining to the first non-Pagan holiday of the season.

You can bet your last slice of pumpkin pie that I am!

To get the ball rolling on what I plan to be an autumn chocked full of festive seasonal project share posts, I’m kicking off September with this charming greeting that is most likely going to wing its way across BC to some of my relatives.

Rustic woodland inspired “Thanks” maple leaf Thanksgiving Card

Canada Post has a rather low height (thickness) cap on what they consider lettermail. Anything above two tiny centimeters (not inches, centimeters) is viewed to be a parcel, not a letter, and one is charged exorbitantly for it.

This can make sending a thicker (dimensional) card, even a national level, cost prohibitive. As such, I try to be very mindful of keeping the depth of the cards I plan to mail out on the flattish side.

(One exception there would be if I was mailing a card as part of a larger package for which the card itself would have little to no impact on the dimensions and shipping costs of said parcel.)

I’ve talked about this issue with Canada Post’s lettermail size cap before, but as someone whose cards are often teeming with depth and dimension, I cannot help but feel the need to touch on it when I share flatter cards here.

The starting point for this card design was the beautiful stitched maple leaf die from Pretty Pink Posh that leaps out at you from the center of this design.

I’d been itching to create with it since the moment it landed in my stash last year (if memory serves me right).

What better time than fall, with its magnificent rainbow of crunchy leaves and sense of gratitude that this season stirs in many of us, to do just that.

While Thanksgiving itself is a rather North American tradition, celebrating and honoring the harvest season is something countless cultures have done in various ways since time immemorial.

Whether you do so in a Pagan/witchy context (such as via the fall sabbats of Lammas, Mabon and Samhain), that of another spiritual path, or secularly, fall is an awesome time to open our hearts fully to the season and to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for in our lives.

This year, perhaps more than ever for many of us, each blessing, gift and positive we’re fortunate to have has taken on even deeper significance.

I wanted to convey a sense of timeless with the design of this card. It isn’t the most embellished, thickest or fanciest card I’ve ever made, but it’s far from lackluster, if I may say so myself.

From the inked and embossed background to the stitched die cut “thanks” maple leaf, the real feathers to the cute owl charm, this card still manages to have a fair bit going on.

Yet, I think, it also has a serene, easygoing woodland inspired vibe to it that suits the tranquility of a peaceful autumn day to a tee.

Putting this woodgrain embossed Thanksgiving Day card together

Before sitting down to craft this Thanksgiving Day card, I had a pretty clear picture of how I wanted it to turn out in my head.

Happily, the end result was just as I’d hoped it would be and, I’ve got to say, I rather love this festive make.

To begin with, I made a base from cocoa brown cardstock. Next came a layer of tone-on-tone green printed paper, a layer of cream cardstock, a layer of plaid print paper, and the star layer – the embossed and die cut main panel.

To create this panel, I first die embossed a piece of earthy brown cardstock using a wood grain embossing folder.

This was followed by inking of the edges of the panel, inking lightly across the whole panel, and spraying some diluted brown paint splatters randomly across the whole thing to give it even more of an aged, rustic quality.

Once my panel was dry, I die cut out the “Thanks” maple leaf outline. For the body of the stitched “Thanks” die cut, I used cream cardstock to help it stand out against the darker browns of this card design.

I know I’m not alone in associating plaid with all things fall, nor in adoring using it on seasonal crafting projects, and adore seeing how others utilize plaid in this context, too.

With those layers in place, I attached a coordinating strip of plaid paper, topped that paper with a layer of two different trims, die cut some leaves in the same green paper and cream cardstock used already, created a stitched die cut sentiment label, layered a few pretty fall hued feathers, and finished by affixing a cute aged brass style metal owl charm to one side.

There’s just something about owls, much as with plaid, that sings out with the spirit of fall time to me.

A smattering of clear rhinestones arranged in a diagonal direction completed this fast, fun, and thoroughly festive Thanksgiving Day card.

Card making tips and ideas from this project

-Don’t hesitate to apply multiple techniques to the same panels/sections of your cards. Embossing, inking, paint splattering, and die cutting – plus the clear rhinestones that top it – all came out to play on my central panel here.

There are many other techniques that you could similarly utilize as well, such as watercolouring, chalking, stamping, hand colouring, stencilling, texture paste, rub-ons, border and shape punches, and much more!

-Brown toned paper and cardstock are both a great way to convey a sense of nature, as well as a nod to vintage items. This can be all the more true if you ink, distress, tear, or otherwise “age” your paper or cardstock.

Brown is also a very grounding, soothing colour and it is one that partners awesomely with a wide range of fall time hues.

-Combine bird embellishments with feathers. The pairing is a terrific, whimsical combo, with each one supporting the other wonderfully.

While real (found or bought) feathers work great in that respect, die cut feathers, feather stickers, stamped feathers and other alternatives to actual feathers can be every bit as fabulous as well.

–If you’re working with a large embossed area on a card that you’re making, consider keeping patterned papers on the lowkey side.

Subtle patterns and small to medium sized pieces/areas of them can help prevent the lovely qualities of the embossing from getting lost or overwhelmed on a given design.

-No metal bird charm? No problem! You could easily swap out the metal owl charm here for a wood, cork, plastic, felt, foam, die cut, or sticker bird shaped piece instead, if you’d like.

–When you’re aiming for a rustic look, turn to neutrals, earth and fall tones. Distressing, inking, splattering, and the use of nature-themed elements really help to convey this feel as well.

-Treat yourself to a woodgrain embossing folder. If you enjoy embossing and like (love!) the look of woodgrain, I highly recommend picking up at least one embossing folder in this classic pattern.

Numerous brands such as Sunny Studios, Creative Expressions, Sizzix, and Darice sell them, and most are fairly reasonably priced.

I find that my woodgrain embossing folder is amongst the folders that I reach for most often all throughout the year. It can work in the context of any season or holiday, as well as a myriad of other events and occasions – very much including when it comes to making cards for guys.

Products used to make this rustic woodland Thanksgiving Day card

-Cocoa brown, light brown (or kraft), and cream card stock

-Green tone-on-tone print paper

-Brown plaid paper – Cider Woods 6X6 inch paper pad from DCWV

–Stitched edge Maple Leaf Thanks Die from Pretty Pink Post

-Leaf dies

-Tag or banner die (used for the “gather together” sentiment area of this card)

-Woodgrain embossing folder – Birch embossing folder from Tim Holtz for Sizzix

-Thanksgiving Day sentiment – Gracious Elements from Authentique

-Cream crochet trim

-Rustic skinny natural coloured twin (it tops the crochet trim on this design)

-Brown ink pad – Rich Cocoa Dew Drop Ink from Memento

-Brown acrylic paint – Real Brown Satin Acrylic Paint from Folk Art

-Small clear acrylic rhinestones, dew drops, or enamel dots (you could also use sequins here as well)

-Metal owl or other bird charm (a crow, raven or turkey would all be fan here, too!)

-Small earth toned feathers

-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)

Gearing up for Thanksgiving

Card making and paper crafting in general aren’t the only areas of my life where I begin to prepare for Thanksgiving well in advance.

Come the start of August, from Lammas onward, everything from my seasonal home décor to the recipes I prepare for our daily meals to many of the spiritually focused activities I engage in becomes focused on the harvest season.

Autumn is, by a wide mile, my favourite and most beloved time of the year (just as I know it is for many of you as well).

Fall time is when my soul sings in ecstasy, and I feel most alive, most spiritually attuned, and happiest.

That said, paper crafting is definitely a bit part of this season for me and one that I have been known to get a jump on well before the first ear of corn or pumpkin has appeared in the local farmer’s fields.

I can’t help it – and why should I?

When we adore something – especially something that only happens for 1/4^th of the year – we owe it to ourselves and to that season to celebrate it every chance we get.

That is exactly what I plan to do again this year, both online and off. I’ve got a slew of diverse, thoroughly festive project shares and other types of posts planned for this fall and can scarcely wait to share them all with you.

May the coming autumn (and spring, for those south of the equator) months be a time of abundance, serenity, wellness, positivity, joy, and ample time to engage in all of our favourite seasonal activities!

Project share

Pin the image below – or any other in this post – to Pinterest, pop it into your Instagram Stories, post in on Twitter or Facebook, or share it anywhere else you wish to help yourself find it again and to inspire others at the same time.

If you make a project based on or inspired by this card – or want to share any of your other handmade crafts with me – please use the hashtags #WitchcraftedLife and #WitchcraftedLifeMakes on social media so that I see can your beautiful creations.

The post Rustic woodland “Thanks” Maple Leaf Thanksgiving Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.