Though not all traces of winter have yet to abate from our area, there are subtle stirrings that let us know spring is on its way once again.

The first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere begins on March 20^th this year and will conclude three months later, on June 20^th.

In some parts of the world, spring is already out in full force, in others, it is a cinch to still build snowmen, and plenty of others fall somewhere in between.

The Spring Equinox brings winter to an end, on paper at least, and coincides for many witches, Wiccans, and Pagans with the sacred sabbat of Ostara.

As with each of the sabbats, however, one may choose to observe it on a different date, if so desired. The general date range to celebrate Ostara spans mid-March to mid-April.

The second sabbat of the calendar year, Ostara is a joyous celebration of renewal, revitalization, fertility, motherhood, rebirth (which is often symbolized via eggs, seeds, blossoms and buds), growth, greenery, merriment, hope, possibility, and balance – amongst other meaningful things.

Just as with its annual counterpoint, the Fall Equinox (Mabon), the Spring Equinox (which is also known as the Vernal Equinox) is about evenness and balance, with the hours of day and light being quite similar in length.

For a few brief months, light triumphs over darkness as we embrace the soft, beautiful days of springtime. Come the Summer Solstice (Litha), we will gradually begin to lose daylight straight on until the Winter Solstice (Yule).

Right here and now though, happily, we have a long way to go until we’re immersed in the heart of winter once again.

To my mind – and I would venture to guess those of many others – Ostara is an upbeat, jovial sabbat.

It celebrates sunshine and flowers, springtime rain showers, the beginning of the harvest season, the birth of many types of animals, growth, and survival.

If we are fortunate to experience a new Spring Equinox, it means that we made it through another long winter and can now look ahead to the blessings and beauty inherent to the warmer months.

If you would like to learn more about the history and meanings associated with Ostara, as well as some wonderful ways to honour the Spring Equinox, check out my post on Ten Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Ostara.

Time for some Spring Equinox and Ostara crafting

This past winter, I shared 50 Awesome DIY Yule Decorations and Craft Ideas You Make for The Winter Solstice.

I received a lot of positive feedback on this post, as well as some requests for similar entries that focused on the other solstices and equinoxes.

With Ostara upon us again, I’m delighted to take this opportunity to do just that with these 35 Wonderful Ostara Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for The Spring Equinox .

Much as with the Yule entries, some of these projects are of a distinctly witchy/Pagan nature, and others are broader and more apt to appeal to those whose spiritual journeys are not witchery or Paganism-based.

Naturally, a good many of these Spring Equinox craft ideas work splendidly for Easter (which falls on April 4^th this year) as well.

The seasons are a part of each of our lives and irrespective of our faith/beliefs, there is something so lovely, meaningful, and important about acknowledging and honouring each chapter of the year as it returns once more to our days.

By imbuing a part of ourselves into the crafts and other projects – from baking to incense making, dressing candles to performing spellwork – that we create as the Wheel of The Year turns, we are deepening our personal connection with the seasons and generating positive energy in the process.

What kinds of crafts for Ostara?

Being, as each of the sabbats is, a time rooted in nature and the cycles of life, growth, and death inherent to each year, Ostara celebrates and honours the outside world.

And it is from such that we derive many of the symbols, images, associations and correspondences of Ostara.

When crafting or decorating (be it your house, altar, backyard, or anywhere else you desire) for Ostara, look to the natural world around you.

Flowers, grass, eggs and chicks, early springtime fruits and vegetables (strawberries, carrots, asparagus, new potatoes, etc), farm animals, and the sun are just some of the natural elements that we can weave into our Ostara craft projects and springtime décor.

Many, though certainly not all, Ostara and Spring Equinox crafts include eggs in some capacity, be it the real deal or representations of eggs in one form or another.

Animals such as rabbits and hares (sacred to the goddess Eostre from whom the sabbat of Ostara gets its name), lambs, goats, calves, chicks and chickens, snakes, caterpillars and butterflies, ladybugs, earthworms, goldfish, starfish, dolphins, and a wide range of birds such as robins, chickadees, and hummingbirds are all linked to spring’s return and the coming months of sweet, life regenerating sunshine.

In terms of mythical and otherworldly beings, dragons, unicorns, pegasuses, faeries, and merpeople (mermaids and mermen) are amongst those who are connected to Ostara.

Most elements of planting and gardening are natural fits for Ostara as well, including seeds, gardening tools, potted plants, blossoms, flowers, grass, and gardening tools.

Scores of flowers are a natural fit for Ostara crafts and decorations, with snowdrops, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, nasturtiums, lilies, vervain, carnations, lilacs, jonquil, pussy willows, clover, violets, daisies, honeysuck, dogwood, and lotus flowers being some especially apt choices.

And likewise, on the herbal front, there are tons of different herbs associated with Ostara. Some of the stars in this field include thyme, lovage, mint, tarragon, dill, lemon balm, parsley, rosemary, tansy, lavender, and marjoram.

Elements of spring cleaning are also at home in one’s Ostara DIY projects and home décor.

For example, you could make or incorporate brooms (why not make some fun little DIY brooms like those featured in my YouTube video 5 Ways to Make Mini Brooms), air dried linens, mending and sewing materials, incense, and cleansing sprays and herbs.

In terms of colours, Ostara’s palette can run the gamut from soft, subdued earth tones like those seen in the landscape as winter melds into spring to bright, punchy sunshine filled colours.

Pastels and flower tones are especially well suited to Ostara, and the colours you normally associate with Easter are just as at home for the Spring Equinox itself.

When crafting for Ostara or the Vernal Equinox, the sky is the limit. You can celebrate fertility and rebirth, sunshine and flowers, bunnies and carrots – whatever your heart desires.

The following selection of 35 different Ostara crafts and spring décor ideas are here to both provide you with plenty of great DIY projects that you can make yourself, and to serve as a springboard for your own creativity on the seasonal crafting front.

35 Wonderful Ostara Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for The Spring Equinox

1. DIY Pagan Symbol Ostara Eggs: Celebrate your Pagan and/or witchy spiritual path this Ostara by creating your own set of hand-painted, immensely lovely Pagan symbol eggs.

You can do so on (hollowed out) real eggs, paper eggs, wooden eggs, paper mâché eggs, or (some types) of plastic eggs, and once your set of Pagan symbol eggs are dried, you will have a gorgeous treasure that can be utilized year after year.

In addition to symbols such as those shown in this lovely tutorial, you could paint things such as runes, astrological symbols, and sigils on Ostara or Easter eggs as well.

2. Raindrop Sun Catchers: One of my favourite ways to honour and celebrate the changing seasons is by working with the weather inherent to each chapter of the year.

In many parts of the globe, spring is typically the rainiest season and whether you bemoan or enjoy this fact, there’s no getting around spring’s association with rain.

This elegantly pretty project utilizes the simplest of materials to make dazzling raindrops that won’t leave you soaking wet and which can be brought out for your spring, Ostara, or Easter décor year after year – no umbrella required!

3. Wire Wrapped Bird’s Nests: While many wire wrapping projects require decently (or immensely!) advanced skills in this field of jewelry making, creating your own wire wrapped bird’s nests is not so difficult or intimidating that it can’t be tackled by those with little to no wire wrapping experience (I made my own line of handmade nickel-free jewelry for years, so know from which I speak).

This beautiful project creates a wearable and highly meaningful bird’s nest from beading wire and beads (which you can include as part of a ring, bracelet, necklace, pair of earrings, magickal charm, etc), which would be an incredible project to create, and/or consecrate, on Ostara itself.

Likewise, however, you may wish to make this beading project in advance and then wear it on Ostara – if not the whole year through!

4. Make Your Own Natural Easter Egg Dyes: While there is no shortage of store-bought dyes and recipes for homemade dyes using food colouring and other (potentially) artificial ingredients out there, for those who wish to utilize more natural egg dying options, creating your own dyes is often the way to go.

In this detailed, photo rich post from Leigh Anne Wilkes, you can learn how to do just that using several common materials, such as red onions, blueberries, and turmeric.

For those of a witchy persuasion, a project like this is an ideal time to include some magickal kitchen witchery into your crafting, utilizing ingredients for their known magickal correspondences or properties, and/or what you wish to manifest or focus on via your choice of natural ingredients.

(A handy list with some additional ideas for natural Easter or Ostara egg dyes can also be found on the website Ravenhawk’s Magazine.)

5. Adorable Clothes Peg Flower Fairies: Perhaps no other season is more closely linked to fairies (faeries) than that of springtime.

Whether you’re working with/honouring the realm of the fae or simply want to incorporate some darling fairy imagery into your Ostara décor (or altar), these enchantingly lovely clothes peg fairy friends are fantastic way to do just that.

6. Moss Covered Bunny Canvas Art: If you enjoy making your own wall art and are in the mood for a chic, timelessly pretty Ostara or Easter project, this delightful moss covered bunny might be just the ticket.

(If you are looking to source dried crafting moss, many dollar and craft stores, as well as some big box stores, Amazon, and Etsy are all handy places to do just that. I personally buy most of mine from Dollarama here in Canada.)

7. DIY Bunny Gumball Machines: Altered gumball machines have been experiencing a moment in the crafting world as of late.

Few examples of this – *cough, cough* – sweet trend are more darling or well suited to springtime than these ultra cute DIY Bunny Gumball Machines.

Personally, I’d be inclined to turn one of these altered gumball machines into magickal Ostara time witch’s ball, imbuing each component with my desires and intentions, and then utilizing it as part of a springtime magickal working.

8. Paper Stained Glass Kites: While we often associate various elements of nature with spring (and for good reason), two components of the season that might not be as immediately obvious as, say, cherry blossoms, are sunshine and wind.

Both are celebrated in this eye-catchingly gorgeous stained glass kite project, which honours the wind that helps to hold kites aloft and the spring sunshine that makes stained glass (be it paper or real glass) so incredibly beautiful.

9. Nature Impressions Pressed Clay Craft: As fresh green life sprouts up around us, consider ethically gathering some of the leaves, blooms, and ferns that resonate with you and creating some easy-to-make pressed clay pieces with them.

Once dried, these elegant clay crafts can be used as jewelry (create holes before drying), home décor, tablescape décor, place settings, altar tiles, paperweights, and more.

10. Ostara Egg Shell Candles: A wonderful use of a natural material, these DIY eggshell candles are a meaningful way to celebrate the glorious return of light that spring ushers in, while also honouring the connection to life and rebirth inherent to eggs.

11. Seed Packet Greeting Cards: It’s safe to say that around these parts, we love a cool card making project!

This one, detailed in the scope of an article that highlights several wonderful Ostara-related crafts and activities, is a meaningful way to share in the joys of gardening with friends and loved ones.

Plus, it’s quick, easy, and something that kids can lend a hand with making, too.

12. DIY Easter Egg Button Craft: Like many a crafter the world over, I have a perpetual fondness for buttons. Old or new, large or small, plastic, wood, metal, brightly hued or neutral – you name it, I’m there if buttons are involved.

If you’re also a fan of this versatile fastener turned crafting supply, then this super cute + fun Easter (or Ostara) egg button project might be a great way to use up a wee bit of your button stash.

13. Super Cute No Sew Sock Bunnies: When I was a little girl, I had a darling children’s book that included instructions on how to make stuffed toy pigs from pantyhose or tights. Together my mom and I made a few of these cuties and I have had a soft spot (pun intended) for DIY plush toys ever since.

As you might imagine then, these precious little no sew sock bunnies instantly appealed to me and I suspect that they’ll find favour with many of you as well.

Plus, there’s no reason to limit your bunnies just to spring. Why not whip up a few in colours or patterns that are especially well suited to each season, your home décor, a loved one’s favourite hues, or a special occasion, such as the full moon?

14. Dancing Princess Pipe Cleaner Craft: While these darling pipe cleaner figures can certainly represent princesses, I was immediately struck by what an ideal way they would be to represent the Goddess (be it in her archetypical springtime maiden form or otherwise) or a specific deity of one’s choosing – Eostre herself very much included.

15. Painted Egg Carton Flowers: Chances are, if you die real eggs for Ostara or Easter (or simply eat eggs on a regular basis), you may have some extra egg cartons kicking around.

This fun project puts them to good use by creating a bevy of brightly hued blooms that make for eye-catching spring, summer or year-round home décor (you could also incorporate them into various types of paper crafting projects, such as scrapbook pages).

If you do not eat eggs or don’t have any extra paper cartons on hand, check online for local hatcheries in your area, as some will happily sell you paper egg cartons at a reasonable price. As well, Amazon, craft, dollar, farm supply, and gardening supply stores sometimes also sell empty egg cartons.

16. Handmade Potato Easter Egg Stamps: The classic art of carving raw potatoes into versatile stamps gets the springtime treatment in this lovely project that, while fabulous for kids, can just as easily be used by crafters of all ages.

Why not whip up a few carved potato Easter (or Ostara) egg stamps and, using suitable paints for each of the following ideas, put them to good work on things such as table linens, scarves, wrapping paper, handmade tags or cards, gift bags, or the outside of springtime parcels?

17. DIY Tulip Wreath: This fantastic idea is the brainchild of Kylie from How to Mom and has become a widely shared and frequently created project ever since it hit the internet. And for good reason – just look at how incredibly pretty and bursting with springtime cheer it is!

You can make your own DIY tulip wreath in a similar pastel rainbow colourway or with any colour faux tulips you can find (or spray paint, come to think of it).

If you do, why not make likes scores of others and tag Kylie so that she can see your own fab springtime flower wreath?

18. Easter Egg Painted Rocks: The delightful art of painting rocks is far from new, but it has definitely been experiencing a revival in recent years.

If you’re looking for a fun and festive way to include rock painting in your Spring Equinox celebration, this charming Easter (or Ostara) egg version absolutely nails it!

19. Quilted Easter Egg Placemats: I mean, come on, are you honestly going to tell me that these quilted Easter egg placements aren’t off-the-charts cute?

I love that while some sewing is involved here, this is not an overly complex or difficult project. This makes it all the more appealing to those of us who aren’t the most advanced of sewers (a camp that I myself fall squarely into).

You can whip up a set of these splendid springtime egg-shaped placemats in any colour(s) and pattern(s) you desire. And I cannot help but think how awesome one would be as an altar cloth or otherwise included on an Ostara altar.

(And speaking of quilted Easter/Ostara table related projects, this adorable Flip and Sew Carrot Table Runner is all kinds of fabulous as well!)

20. Ostara Mini Wildflower Bouquets: More ephemeral in nature than most of the other crafts in this post, these lovely little Ostara wildflower bouquets utilize real wildflowers and a few simple craft/household items to create mini bundles of springtime joy.

21. Rustic Wooden Bunny: This project is a bit more involved (re: you need a chainsaw or other power tool method to slice through wood) and might not be doable for everyone. That said, if you have access to the materials and tools involved, it creates one seriously darling wooden bunny that you can use as part of your indoor or outdoor springtime décor.

If you’re not game to bust out the chainsaw, you could use this wooden bunny’s design and some precut pieces of wood in different sizes (sometimes found at places such as craft, hobby, and hardware stores, as well as on Amazon and various craft supply websites) to create your own take on this charming Ostara/Easter season craft idea.

22. Baker’s Twine Easter Eggs: Much like buttons, baker’s twine is a beloved product that you’ll find in many crafters’ stashes. Inexpensive, versatile, and available in a wide range of colours, this handy product is a year-round pleasure to work with.

Come the return of spring, why not jazz up some basic plastic (or wooden) eggs by enrobing them in baker’s twine?

A bowl, basket, dish, or jar of these cuties makes for an instant and very attractive springtime centrepiece or inclusion in a larger festive display (while also being awesome on one’s Ostara altar).

23. Fresh Greenery Butterfly Craft: If you or your little ones are a fan of gathering fresh leaves, herbs and flowers, this sweet, simple butterfly-themed project is apt to strike a chord.

If you’d like to create something (potentially) more permanent, utilize leaves, herbs, and flowers that are already dried instead of using fresh greenery.

How wonderful would a page like this be in one’s Book of Shadows, Grimoire, art journal, or used as part of a scrapbook page or handmade card?

24. Paint Chip Easter Egg Garland: Far beyond their intended purpose of highlighting a plethora of paint colours, paint chips can provide a goldmine of uses to crafters and creative folks everywhere.

In this easy project, you’ll utilize a rainbow (or the colours of your choice) of paint chips to create an eye-catchingly and surprisingly beautiful springtime garland that delivers all of the charm of real dyed eggs, with none of the work (and potential mess) of actually dying eggs.

25. Carrot Treat Bags: Perhaps no other vegetable is more associated with the start of spring, Ostara, and Easter than the humble, versatile, and very delicious carrot.

In this step-by-step sewing tutorial from Make It & Love It, you’ll learn how to whip up a garden’s worth of these handy, adorable carrot treat bags yourself.

You can use these carrot bags for everything from hiding candy eggs to including in happy mail for your fellow crafty friends to Ostara spell and mojo bags.

26. Egg Shell Place Card Holders: Green and cottage witches rejoice, this one is for you! But that isn’t to say, of course, that plenty of others won’t be drawn to this beautiful way to mark the places around your spring feast table as well.

Real egg shells (though you could likely use hollow faux eggs, too), microgreens, potting soil, and something (such as thin wood or bark) to write each diner’s name on is all you need to make these fantastic springtime place cards.

27. Make Your Own Easter Tree: Whether decked to the max or understatedly lowkey, Easter trees and Ostara trees are a marvellous way to inject a big dose of seasonal beauty and symbolism into your home décor.

28. Easy DIY Victorian Easter Eggs: It just wouldn’t be a craft project roundup post if my love of all things vintage and yesteryear didn’t shine through in at least one or two inclusions.

Case in point, these gorgeous Victorian-style Easter Eggs from Jennifer at Celebrating Everyday Life. These lovely eggs are sophisticated, captivating, and apt to become instant family heirlooms.

29. Crocheted Easter Eggs: I’ve said it before, but I’ll happily say it again: while not a crocheter myself, I adore this craft and like to keep my eyes open for creative free crochet patterns to share with my readers.

Naturally, given that Ostara and Easter are both rounding the bend, a free crocheted Easter Egg pattern was in order.

Enter this gem from Cheryl at Crochet 365 Knit Too. It is cute, versatile, and would make for such a sweet, thoughtful springtime gift.

30. Natural Ostara Altar: It is easy think that altars have to be grand, elaborate, and potentially expensive affairs. Goodness knows that social media would often have us believe as much. Happily though, this is a million miles from being the case.

An altar can be as ornate or simple, decorated or unadorned as your heart desires and your current resources permit.

This lovely nature-based Ostara altar from the Penniless Pagan blog is just the thing to inspire you as you set up your own Spring Equinox season altar this year.

31. Mini DIY Easter Egg Pinatas: File this one under the headers of both “That’s genius!” and “Why didn’t I think of this before?!”.

Fun, festive, and an incredibly logical match for Easter and Ostara, mini egg-shaped pinatas are a great way to deliver sweet treats to friends, relatives, coworkers – you name it!

32. Lovely Mrs. Easter Bunny Tea Cosy: Just because the worst of winter’s chill is behind us (in the Northern Hemisphere) for another year, doesn’t mean that it’s time for our beloved teapots to go into hibernation.

If you’re a knitter who enjoys a warm cup of tea during the spring, then this elegant Mrs. Easter Bunny Tea Cosy might be just the project to whip as the sunny days return (that said, this tea cosy/cozy so lovely, I’d be inclined to use it the whole year through).

33. Moss Covered Easter Eggs: You didn’t think this moss loving witch was going to stop at just one mossy craft did you?

From the beautifully named Love Grows Wild blog, comes this whimsically charming take on the classic springtime egg. I adore it and may have to whip up a carton’s worth of my own.

34. Spring Carrot Door Hanger: I am smitten with the idea of using one springtime symbol (in this case tulips of the faux flower variety) to create another: a big bushel of carrots.

Not the edible type, but the kind that you can hang on your door (or elsewhere around your home) to inject a cheerful hit of springtime loveliness to your décor.

This project is a breeze to make and looks thoroughly impressive – not to mention gorgeous – once displayed.

35. Feather Easter Eggs: There is something so strikingly beautiful, earthy, and elegant about these feather adorned (faux) eggs.

The marriage of feathers with eggs is as natural as they come and creates a décor (or altar) piece that honours the symbolism and spirit or springtime itself exquisitely.

Which of these Ostara Crafts and DIY projects is your favourite? Are there any that you are eager to try your hand at creating?

(Note: All 35 images used above are copyright of their respective creators. Please follow the coordinating link in each list entry to be taken to the craft project shown and described therein.)

Welcome the light back into your life

For many of us, the road to Ostara and the Spring Equinox has been a long, often icy one.

We may still have a wee while to go until the last vestiges of winter vanished from our areas, but we’re getting there thanks in large part to the longer hours of sunlight and trend towards warmer temperatures.

As much as Imbolc is a celebration of the return of light, so too is Ostara. Indeed, the Spring Equinox is a portal of sorts to the sunny months of warmth and golden, life-giving light that lay ahead.

Instead of having to symbolically create a lot of the light that we need, Mother Nature takes care of illuminating our days for us.

That is not to say, however, that things like candles, balefires and bonfires aren’t at home on Ostara – they certainly are. But rather that we are able to avail of literal sunlight more now than we have been able to during the fall and winter months.

Letting the light back into our world happens both literally and symbolically. Just as we may throw open the curtains and blinds in our homes, so too can we choose to focus on areas of our lives that spark joy and let our inner light shine out most brightly.

Part of the reason why colours like white, yellow, and pastels are so at home during Ostara is that they help to reflect light.

They are not inherently heavy colours, but rather ones that have a soft, gentleness to them that seems to brighten and expand all they come in contact with – much like how the returning sunshine of spring will spread over the natural world and coax it back to life once more.

I hope that you enjoyed the 35 Ostara craft project and home décor ideas highlighted in this post and would love to hear in the comments below about any Spring Equinox DIY ideas you may have.

From my heart to yours, I wish you each a bright, beautiful, happy, healthy, and abundantly blessed Ostara.

Now, let us make like an adorable bunny rabbit and hop to crafting, creating, and decorating for the spring’s first sabbat!

The post 35 Wonderful Ostara Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for The Spring Equinox appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

As I recently said to my lovely friend Sue from The Witch at One and Seventy, I honestly feel in my heart of hearts that one of the reasons why I was put on this earth was to be an ASMR creator.

There are not a lot of things in my 36 years of life that I would make such a bold declaration about.

As such, it really drives home all the more just how much this matters to me and why I must give creating ASMR videos a fighting chance.

Now, on with the show for today!

Now truth be told, I debated whether or not to pen this post, as it is centred around the latest video that I put up on my YouTube channel prior to announcing that I will be changing my YT focus.

However, these mini brooms are oodles of fun to make and I know plenty of my readers are fellow fans of Halloween (and/or witchy) crafting. Plus the video is already up on YouTube, so I figured, why not?

5 DIY Ways to Make Quick and Cute Mini Brooms

Unlike most project shares that I’ve posted here to date, I am not going to provide you with detailed written instructions on how to make these adorable little mini brooms, as they are shared in my video.

Nor have I taken styled/polished shots of my finished examples.

That said, I do have the following iPhone images, which detail the exact materials involved with each of these five different mini broom projects. (That info is provided in the video as well, but I thought it would be handy to have a quick visual reference to it in photo form as well. )

Reasons to make your own DIY mini brooms and besoms

There are many reasons and occasions to make sweet little brooms like the five highlighted in this video. Some of which include:

-Fall time

-Thanksgiving

-Halloween

-The autumn sabbats of Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain (or any of the sabbats or monthly esbats)

-Thank you and thinking of you gifts

-Weddings and handfastings (especially if a traditional broom jumping is involved)

-As gifts for witchy and/or Halloween adoring friends and relatives (not to mention, if applicable, one’s coven members)

-For use one one’s altar, as part of a ritual and/or spell, or to otherwise adorn your magickal environment with

-As adornments for wreaths (I’d keep them indoors or otherwise fully protected from the elements though, as these mini brooms are not water or weatherproof, though you could certainly create them with different materials that would make them more weather resistant)

-Hung as decorations on a seasonal tree, be it for Halloween, Yule, Christmas, Valoween, etc

-As some, or all, of the dangling decorations on a home décor mobile or wall hanging

-Multiple mini brooms attached to a string/chord/ribbon/etc and used as a garland

-As placeholders or otherwise utilized as table décor

-Included in a tiered décor tray

-Sent in happy mail (especially around Halloween time)

-As part of gift wrapping (for example, you could attach a small tag to your DIY mini broom with a message for your recipient on it)

Other materials you can use to make handmade mini brooms

Likewise, the sky is the limit when it comes to different and/or additional materials you can use when making your own mini brooms.

The following is but a handful of possible options to use when creating mini brooms and besoms:

-Actual broom straw or broomcorn

-Suitable dried grasses and/or herbs (such as sturdy sprigs of rosemary, lavender, or heather)

-Dried corn husks

-Gift wrapping ribbon

-Crepe paper

-Tissue paper

-Cardstock

-Paper (including scrapbooking paper, mulberry paper, and wrapping paper)

-Embroidery floss

-Ribbon, lace, and trims of all sorts (pieces of sequins trim used for the “straw” of a mini broom looks gorgeous!)

-Strips of fabric (including muslin), burlap, or thin cork

-Larger feathers (to use as the “straw” of the broom)

-Suitable found (aka, wild crafted) sticks and small branches

-Crystals, seashells, acorns, small pinecones, dried flowers, artificial flowers, wax seals, beads, charms, cabochons, die cuts, stickers, chipboard pieces, mini sized Halloween decorations, and small bells all make for delightful ways to embellish your mini brooms

Let your imagination run wild when designing mini brooms.

By following the general techniques used in this how-to craft video, you can utilize a wide range of different materials to create small, versatile brooms that work great for many occasions.

Keeping my existing YouTube content up as I move forward on the ASMR front

Following my previous blog post, I received some email and DM questions regarding my existing YouTube channel. One of which was if I was/am planning to keep my existing video content up.

As things stand at the moment, the answer there is a resounding “yes”.

I can’t promise that I will leave those videos up on an ASMR channel forever, but for the time being they are staying put.

Once I start publishing ASMR content a little later on this year, I will likely just add wording such as “Non-ASMR video” to the titles of my existing YT content.

Delightfully, a video such as the one shared in this post could easily be filmed as an ASMR video, too.

This ties into what I was saying in my last post about how it is likely that some of the content I would have put up on a non-ASMR channel may very well appear on an ASMR one all the same.

I’m really happy about that fact and plan to weave both witchery and paper crafting alike into the larger body of ASMR videos I create.

Thank you again, everyone. I really cannot stress just how much your support and kindness mean to me and this powerful, long-held dream of mine.

The post 5 Ways to Make Cute and Easy DIY Mini Brooms appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

I was not raised in a house with Paganism or witchery, and neither my parents nor anyone else in my family took much note of the Winter Solstice. Nor – especially beyond the very earliest grades – do I remember it being focused on in a classroom setting.

Yet, I knew that in the Western Hemisphere Yule meant the very gradual return of precious minutes of daylight each day. And that, as snow-heavy as this chapter of the year is, at its heart, one of the key elements of the Winter Solstice is the sun.

Then, as now, it was not that I disliked winter. Quite the opposite! As challenging a season as winter can be for many of us at times, I experience a powerful kinship to the darkest, coldest chapter of the year.

Winter feels in a sense like the oldest of the seasons. Its existence helps to bring the other three segments of the annual calendar into being. For, as in so much in the universe, light and life can only exist when they do in tandem with darkness and death.

Growing up in Canada, I can well recall days in which we both entered and existed school in the inky, not-quite-black, not-quite-grey sky of winter. Our only glimpses of daylight visible during recess and the lunch hour.

Later, as is the case for many people the world over, the first working years of my life saw me indoors for even longer hours. In those instances, I often went for months at time with my only daytime exposure to the sun being on the weekends or other days that I had off from my job.

These days, I am fortunate to be able to spend considerably more time outdoors during the winter and to lap up what little light manages to squeeze its way in between the snowflakes.

I still look forward to Yule’s return with the same gusto though. Indeed, even more so, because as a Pagan witch who embraces the Wheel of the Yule, I delight greatly in the traditions, meanings, lessons, joys, and blessings of the Winter Solstice.

And while I do celebrate Christmas as well in a secular sense, Yule (which I observe both on the Winter Solstice – as many Pagans/witches do – and throughout the days surrounding it) is the main holiday in December for me personally.

Just as it is for many a fellow Pagan, witch, and Wiccan around the world. Yet one need not adhere to any of these paths to enjoy and honour the Winter Solstice.

As with the Summer Solstice and both the Fall and Spring Equinoxes, these seasonal shifts occur regardless of one’s beliefs or spirituality.

Much like the rising and the setting of the sun, the ebb and flow of the tides, and the natural cycle of life and death inherent to all living things, the changing of one season to the next was here long before we arrived on the scene. And, chances are, it will most likely be here for eons after we’re gone.

At Yule, we celebrate the fact that, little by little, the days will grow longer and that, in a few weeks or months’ time (depending on where you live in the world) the earliest signs and stirrings of spring will grace our world again.

In the dark heart of the year, it is natural that we want to adorn our homes festively. Winter’s landscape is not without its charms – and a vista blanketed in pristine snow can be nothing short of gorgeous – but it is almost as though many of us crave and need reminders that greenery and warmth will return once again.

We bring heavenly scented evergreen trees and boughs into our homes, hang mistletoe, adorn doors with leave and pine cone filled wreaths, sing songs that venerate such wintertime plants and holly and ivy, and create foods in the shapes of various plants and trees (i.e., Yule log cakes and holly shaped sugar cookies).

For even in the high tech, mile a minute world of the 21^st century, we are still made of ancient star stuff and it is hardwired in us to seek out nature.

This year, the winter holiday season – whatever that entails for you personally – is apt to be different in at least some respects. The collective soul of the world has taken one mighty blow after another and we have all endured a great deal to make it this far into 2020.

Assuming that doing so is realistically feasible and you feel in the mood to do celebrate, I see the challenges of this year not as a reason to shy away from being festive this December, but embrace the joys, traditions, and meanings of this season all the more.

One of the loveliest ways to connect with the winter holidays is to create some of our own decorations or to make festive crafts that we can either keep for our own joys or bestow on others in the hopes of elevating theirs.

Many of us are watching our pocketbooks more than ever due to the impact of the pandemic on our lives. We may be forgoing giving presents or scaling back if we do opt to give out presents this year.

The virtues and heart-touching importance of handmade presents cannot be overstated. Nor, if you ask me, can the benefits of decking one’s halls – boughs of holly optional.

With each passing year, I strive for a simpler and less commercial Yuletide season.

The sights of a family of deer traversing the new-fallen snow in our backyard, the intoxicating aroma of warm winter spices, and the blessing of knowing my loved ones are well each matter a great deal more to me than anything that could ever fit into a stocking or be bought at the mall.

We don’t have, nor to we need, throngs of decorations. Those that we call our own are treasured though, and I greatly enjoy creating handmade Yule and Christmas ornaments and decorations to help inject even more festive cheer into our December.

I know that many of you feel much the same way, too, and with that in mind, I wanted to share with you 50 winter holiday season craft projects created by talented, resourceful individuals around the world.

Each of these DIY projects includes instructions, meaning that if you want to give any of them a go, doing so should be a lot easier than trying to reverse engineer how something was made from a photograph alone.

Most of these Yule craft projects can easily be used for Christmastime as well – just as a lot of them can be enjoyed all winter long.

The majority are relatively low cost or perhaps even free, depending on what supplies you have on hand or can easily source from nature.

I should note that while not every one of these craft projects was shared by their original creators as being intended for Yule specifically (many are geared towards Christmas), they all share in common the fact that they are wonderfully suited to the Winter Solstice.

Indeed, the fact that these lovely, resourceful projects work so well for Yule is what landed them on this list in the first place.

And so, with that said, let’s jump with both (winter boot clad) feet forward into exploring…

50 Awesome Yule Decorations and Craft Ideas

You Can Make for the Winter Solstice

1. Clear Quartz Winter Solstice Ornaments: Stunning to look at and packed with the energy of both clear quartz and the Yule season itself, these beautiful decorations are equally at home on a tree, hanging from a mantle, or dangling from various doorknobs around your home.

2. Embroidered Felt Holiday Trees: The winter holiday season and needlework are natural partners in my mind, and I’ve long enjoyed creating both handmade stitched presents for others as well as some of our own décor over the years.

Few things symbolize the Yuletide period quite like pine trees. If you’d like to whip up a forest (or just a single tree) of your own that is apt to last even longer than real evergreens, than this splendid embroidered felt project has you covered. 

3. DIY Clay Moon Ornaments: Understatedly gorgeous and easier than sugar cookies to whip up, these charming DIY clay moon ornaments can be left au naturel, painted, dipped in glitter – whatever your creative heart desires. And, either during or after the December holiday season, they would be fantastic as part of an altar or other sacred space setting.

4. Scrap Ribbon Christmas Tree Ornaments: If you are a fellow crafter, fan of decorative gift wrapping, or simply enjoy a good sewing notion, chances are you have some ribbon scraps on hand. If so, why not put them to good use in this sweet, wonderfully easy to make Christmas tree decoration that is bursting with timeless appeal?

And, should you want to make this project but not have any suitable ribbon to hand, thankfully, ribbon can often be purchased very inexpensively from places such dollar stores and thrift/second hand/charity shops – or simply ask a crafty friend for some, it’s quite likely that they have plenty to spare and share.

(Melissa also has a similar project post that will help you make beautiful Primitive Scrap Fabric Tree Ornaments, too or instead of the ribbon iteration above. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention her cute meets timelessly classic Beaded Candy Cane Ornaments as well.)

5. Painted or Burned Wooden Round Yule Ornaments: Endlessly versatile, this lovely Yule ornament idea can be customized to your heart’s content.

Why not try painting to burning a set of ornaments with the witches runes on them? Or what about a handful showing some of the local flora and fauna that are common in your area during the winter months?

Celestial bodies such as the (very apt) sun, moon, stars, and planets would be fabulous as well.

6. Spun Cotton Mushroom Ornaments: A little more advanced in terms of the technique involved than some of the other entries on this list, but not necessarily difficult, the end results of this spun cotton craft is nothing short of breathtaking.

The humblest of materials are transformed into a fairyland-worthy sea of sweet, shimmery toadstools that can be used on the tree, mantle, in centrepieces, as part of your holiday season gift wrapping, gathering into a decorative bowl – the ideas go on and go.

7. Salt Dough Spiral Countdown Calendar for Yule: Growing up as a child, my family used the same adorable Avon Christmas mouse Advent calendar each year (see an example of this darling 1980s fabric advent calendar here).

All throughout the lead up to December 25^th, my two siblings and I would take turns moving the wee little grey mouse from one date to the next. This tradition was amongst my favourite of the festive season and it helped to spark a lifelong love of calendars – be they advents or otherwise – in me at an early age.

Advent or countdown calendars, as they are also known, can be used to mark the progress of days leading up to any event you desire. They have a natural affinity with December, and while many are associated with Christmas, they are just as open to Yule as well.

If you’re looking for a wonderfully easy to make, visually and spiritually impactful Winter Solstice countdown calendar, this charming Salt Dough Spiral may be just the ticket.

8. DIY Mini Cranberry Wreath Place Cards: For centuries now, people have decorated for December by stringing various natural or manmade edibles (popcorn, nuts, candy, etc) into lengths both short and long.

This particular project is equally parts darling and elegant, and sees plump garnet red cranberries strung together to create simple wreaths that can be used for place card holders, as well as dangled from the branches of your Yule or Christmas tree, if you should fancy.

9. Adorable 3D Painted Woodland Ornaments: Whether you’re wild about all things forest-inspired, swoon over darling décor, or have a wildlife lover in your life who would enjoy these super cute ornaments, chances are, you’re going to want to make a whole forest’s worth of them!

10. DIY Pinecone Kissing Ball: Mistletoe is a perennial favourite. However, if you’re looking for a fun and festive alternative to adorn your ceiling with come December, may I suggest this thoroughly beautiful DIY Pinecone Kissing Ball instead?

11. Felt Poinsettia Decorations: Whether you favour red, pink, or white (or, in craft form, any other colour your heart desires), one thing is for certain, poinsettias are widely adored mainstay of the winter holiday season.

If you’re keen to create some of your own this year from commonplace crafting supplies, this wonderful tutorial from Katie at Made to Be a Momma will have you churning out a hothouse’s worth of felt poinsettias in no time. (And while there, check out Katie’s super cute DIY Pinecone Christmas Trees post as well.)

12. Rustic Twig Star Ornaments: As timeless as the stars in the night sky themselves, this beautiful project celebrates the earthy blessings of nature and is a cinch to put together.

And, for those of a Pagan/witchy persuasion, the finished projects have a distinctly pentagram look to them that is right at home in the spiritual paths many of us follow.

13. Mason Jar Oil Candle Lamps: The flickering of a candle flame, soft, comforting, and familiar is one of the most endearing elements of the holiday season.

This year, why not branch out and try your hand at creating a classic oil lamp candle in a mason jar? Not only can these festive candles help illuminate your own holiday season, but they make for absolutely wonderful gifts, too.

14. Let It Snow Scrabble Tile Ornaments: Whereas once, pretty much the only way to acquire Scrabble tiles was to buy a complete Scrabble game, these days various sources for Scrabble letter tiles abound online, as well as at many craft and dollar stores. Plus, bags of second hand Scrabble tiles can sometimes be found at sources such as thrift/secondhand/charity shops and yard sales.

This clever and wonderfully festive DIY Scrabble tile ornament spells out a popular Christmas song line and is all kinds of adorable!

You can easily take this idea and run with it if you’d like. Instead of “Let It Snow”, why not spell out words such as “Yule”, “Winter Solstice”, “Blessed Be”, or any other message(s) that resonate with you?

15. Double-Sided Winter Solstice Wooden Tree Ornament: With a glowing yellow sun on one side and a frosty blue snowflake on the other, this festive handmade wooden tree ornament is a meaningful way to honour the returning sunlight that the Winter Solstice ushers back into our lives. As well as the abundance of snow that calls this chapter of the year home in many corners of the world.

16. Embroidery Hoop Buffalo Plaid Mini Wreath: As this recent Christmas card project share post of mine discussed, I’m head-over-heels for black, red and green as a holiday season palette.

If you’re feeling it too, then this terrific little buffalo plaid + embroidery hoop wreath might beckon to you every bit as much as it called my own name.

17. Cinnamon Stick Tree Ornaments: Crafters – paper and otherwise – rejoice! Here is a fun and festive way to put some of our abundant button stashes to good use.

Cinnamon sticks and some faux greenery, partnered with those aforementioned buttons, are at the heart of this cute, cheery, and wonderfully scented holiday season decoration.

18. Glittered Clothespin Snowflakes: It never ceases to delight and inspire me when I see the humblest of everyday items turned into a gorgeous piece of holiday season décor.

These glistening snowflakes are made with nothing more than two different sizes of clothespins (aka, clothes pegs), white paint, two types of glue, and coarse crystal glitter.

The end result is enchanting, and would be stunning on any festive season tree, hanging in a window, or on a Yule altar.

19. Cinnamon Stick Candles: Candles and Yule (much like Candles and Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza, respectively) have been BFFs for ages at this point time, their flickering flames a comforting and poignant reminder that the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of longer periods of daylight between now and the Summer Solstice/Litha.

Likewise, cinnamon and the winter holidays go waaayyyy back as well. Pair these two beloved elements of the festive season together in this easy, elegant, and scrumptiously scented DIY cinnamon stick candle holder from none other than well-known fashion blogger Louise Roe.

20. Yule Season Witch Balls: Much beloved the whole year through by many a magickally inclined soul, witch balls – which can be created for many purposes, protection being one of the most common – can easily double as (or be made specifically for the purpose of) Yule tree ornaments or Winter Solstice season décor elsewhere in your house.

21. DIY Rustic Acorn Marble Ornaments: If, like me, you adore it when some of your fall time home décor items can easily transition into ones that suit winter every bit as nicely, then you may be a big fan of this sweet, beautiful way to craft colourful acorns that might just prove so popular, you’ll leave them out all year round!

22. Winter Cardinal Shadow Box: For those who enjoy making 3D crafts, this darling winter cardinal shadow box is a beautiful way to celebrate one of winter’s most iconic and beloved birds, while also adding additional festive cheer to your home décor.

Cardinals have long been linked to winter. Their fiery hues a welcome splash of colour in an often pale and snow-covered landscape.

These gorgeous birds are associated with serenity, passion, creativity, balance, commitment, prosperity, goodness, hope, strength, and happiness – all themes that most of us gladly welcome into our lives with open arms at the Winter Solstice. 

23. Cute Pinecone Winter Gnome Ornaments: Gnomes are anything but new on the winter décor scene. It’s fair to say however that they’ve been having a rightly deserved moment in the spotlight in recent years.

If you’re keen to add a few felt versions of these mythological beings to your festive décor, then this handy DIY tutorial from Better Homes and has you covered

24. DIY Paper Bag Stars: If you enjoy the art of cutting out snowflakes from folded paper, then this beautiful spin on that classic practice is likely to appeal to you as well.

These stars are chic and charming, festive and fun – and can definitely do double duty as part of both your New Year’s and Imbolc décor, too.

(Plus, I was instantly struck by the thought that stars cut from yellow paper would look a good deal like the sun, and thus be an especially apt version of this project for Yule/the Winter Solstice).

25. Pipe Cleaner Pentacle Wreath Ornaments: Witchy meets mid-century kitschy in this super easy, wallet-friend decoration that is big on both Pagan symbolism and festive cheer. (Be sure to check out the other terrific Pagan Yule decoration ideas on this page as well.)

26. Mason Jar Lid Mini Christmas Wreaths: This is another awesome example of a few everyday items combining to create one seriously eye-catching and fabulously fun holiday season decoration.

Mason jar lids, twine, and a smattering of festive embellishments are all it takes to make these adorable little decorations, which can just as easily be made into Yule wreaths, Hanukkah wreaths, or simply all-season wintertime wreaths, if you prefer.

27. Simple Bell Noisemakers for New Year’s Eve: But wait, Autumn, I hear you saying, isn’t this a post about Yule appropriate decorations and crafts?

That it, is my dear reader, but allow me to put forth the suggestion that this cute meets chic holiday season noisemaker could easily be incorporated into one’s Yule celebrations and magickal workings as well.

How about ringing/shaking it rhythmically while chanting, in prayer, or as soft background noise at a coven ritual? Simply letting its bells ring loud and clear as way of proclaiming the rebirth of the sun, the return of the Oak King (who triumphs over the Holly King, until they swap places again come the Summer Solstice)?

Or why not use it as a means to set the energy tone before beginning your Yuletide workings?

28. Farmhouse White Berry Felt Ornaments: Classic and sweet, these pretty felt decorations have a timeless appeal that lends them staying power not only at Yule, but straight onto the final days of winter.

Indeed, I cannot help thinking how beautiful they would be as part of one’s Imbolc décor or altar.

29. DIY Mini Wreath Garland: Glitz and glamour undoubtedly have their rightful place in the canon of holiday décor, but sometimes you just want simple, understated, rustic, and sweet. This elegant mini wreath garland delivers big time on all those fronts and is perfect to leave up well into the coming winter months.

30. Wishing Ornament or Mini Yule Log: That beloved winter jack-of-all-trades, the humble pinecone stars in this festive craft which can be used as both a wish/intention spell and/or a mini yule log. (Amanda also shares five other wonderful DIY Yule projects in this same post, which you’ll certainly want to check out as well.)

31. Rustic Twine Wrapped Candy Cane Ornaments: Much as with Christmas, those who celebrate Yule usually have certain décor and/or altar item styles that we’re particularly drawn to.

Personally, I tend to favour those of either a woodland, vintage/antique/Victorian, primitive, or rustic nature. So when I recently spied this dreamy rustic take on candy canes, it was love at first sight.

If you’re a fan as well or know someone who is and might enjoy a set of these easy to make twine wrapped candy canes as a gift, hop on over to Natasha’s photo rich post for all crafty details.

(Candy canes themselves are not generally thought to have distinctly Pagan roots, though their sweetness can represent the hopes, dreams, goals, and positive things we hope for at Yule and in the coming year, while their colours can easily be a part of seasonal colour magick.)

32. Simple Greenery Filled Ornaments: This is perfect Yule season ornament project for anyone who enjoys incorporating nature-based/woodland elements into their seasonal décor.

These timelessly pretty decorations can be customized to your heart’s content and left out, if you wish, all winter long (you can place them in a bowl or vase after the tree comes down).

33. DIY Forged Triangle Christmas Tree Wreath: Round wreaths are a beloved favourite the world over, but sometimes one wants to shake things up and go beyond the traditional Christmas (or Yule, etc) wreath shape.

If you’re in the mood for a chic, modern and very attractive holiday season wreath, this forged triangle-shaped version is a fantastic option.

34. Victorian Gilded Walnuts: A once highly popular Christmas season decoration that has largely fallen out of fashion over the past several decades, gold-hued gilded walnuts were quite the in-thing during the Victorian era.

Aside from their historical connections and inherent beauty, I adore how the gleaming gold hue is a wonderful representation of both the sun’s gradual return and of the warmth of spirit we strive for during the Yule season.

This splendid tutorial – complete with numerous historical quotes that reference gilded walnuts – from Lina at Sew Historically will have your Yule or Christmas tree (or a bowl on your favourite table) filled gilded walnuts in no time. 

(Her recent post on how to make gilded leaves is another fab project to check out if you enjoy using metallics in your holiday décor.)

35. 12 Nights of Yule Salt Dough Ornaments: This is a deeply meaningful winter craft project that is great to involve little ones with, if applicable.

It entails creating a set of twelve different salt dough ornaments to honour the Twelve Nights of Yule, and is bound to become a treasured part of your annual Winter Solstice season celebration.

Note: If, like myself, you have Celiac disease, a gluten allergy, gluten intolerance, or otherwise need to avoid gluten, you can easily make gluten-free salt dough ornaments instead.

36. DIY (Faux) Deer Antler Wreath: If ever there was a Yule season wreath that is apt to appeal to may a nature adoring/worshiping Pagan and witch, this awesome DIY project might just be it!

Starring pinecones, feathers, and resin faux deer antlers, this eye-catching wreath is so stunning you’ll want to leave it out all year round.

37. Sweet Little Almond Bird Ornaments: It’s hard to look at these precious little felt birdies in their cozy winter toques and not say “aww” out loud – especially since their bodies are based on unshelled almonds.

Why not create a few for your own winter décor? They’re apt to have all those who see them chirping with festive cheer.

38. Felt Yule Goat Ornament Tutorial: The Yule Goat has been a part of various Northern European and Scandinavian traditions since early Pagan times, later being adopted as part of Christmas celebrations as well.

Traditionally, Yule Goats were often made from the last sheafs of wheat that were harvested during the fall and saved specifically for various Yule season purposes including this one.

The connection between Yule and goats may stem from the Norse god named Thor, who traversed the sky in a chariot pulled by two goats named Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr.

Those who are of Scandinavian, Germanic, or Northern European ancestry and/or who follow a Heathenistic spiritual path, may find that the inclusion of a Yule Goat in their Winter Solstice décor is an especially apt one.

This festive barnyard friend can be a part of anyone’s holiday celebration though, and remains as one of the most popular Christmas decorations in various Central and Northern European countries to this day.

Modern Yule Goats are often made of straw. This adorable DIY iteration sees them spring to life via felt and thread, and makes for both a terrific holiday season ornament and handmade present.

39. Easy DIY Finger Crochet Garland: Love the look of chunky knits? Adore crocheted crafted, but have never given crocheting a go yourself?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, then this fun, beginner-friendly tutorial is here to help guide you through making a beautiful finger crochet garland of your own this holiday season.

40. Fragrant Herb Chairback Decorations: Aromatically and visually pleasing in equal measures, these elegant bundles of fresh herbs can just as easily adorn chairs as they can the mantle, tied to open railings on stairways, or as part of your festive Yule season altar/sacred space.

(Warning: Please ensure that any herbs you use are safe and non-toxic for children and/or pets, if you will be placing these bundles anywhere where either could potentially reach, and potentially injest, them.)

41. Handmade Family Tree Ornaments: Decorate a tree, line a mantle, or place a few of these heartwarmingly beautiful photograph-filled decorations down a runner on your dining room table.

They are a sweet, meaningful way to honour both your ancestors and living loved ones throughout the winter holiday season.

42. Pine Needles Keepsake Ornaments: Preserve some of the needles from your holiday tree, gathered from a wintertime woodland walk, or collected from your own backyard, team them with air dry clay + Mod Podge and you’ve got these gorgeous handmade keepsake ornaments.

(I also really like Tara’s tutorial post on how to make Pinecone Nature Confetti Shakers for New Year’s Eve.)

43. Rustic Cinnamon Stick Ornaments: Cinnamon sticks are truly one of the multi-purpose wunderkinds of the winter holidays.

From jazzing up delicious beverages to appearing in seasonal potpourri blends, and being a popular mainstay in many a festive craft, there’s seemingly no limit to what this wonderful spice can do!

Case in point, these darling glitter adorned cinnamon stick ornaments which can easily work on trees, mantles, hang in various spots around the house, or used as embellishments of holiday season gifts.

44. DIY Glitter Dipped Deer Silhouette Decorations: Whether of the more everyday kind or those who call the North Pole home, deer are amongst the animals most closely associated in many parts of the world with wintertime, Yule, and the Christmas season.

This timelessly pretty craft project requires but a few products to whip up a glitter-adorned deer (or two… or ten!) that is thoroughly festive now, but not so on-the-nose wintry that it couldn’t easily be left out all year through.

45. Holiday Magick Yule Pomander: At Three Pagans and Cat, Pathos blogger Gwen has put together a meaningful and endearingly lovely witchy iteration of the classic holiday season Pomander which is the kind of spellwork that’s perfect for the often all-too-busy days of December. These sophisticated pomanders also have the added bonus of smelling sublime!

46. Rosemary Mini Wreaths: Quick and clever, this fun holiday project sees a beloved herb turned into beautifully scented little wreaths that you can hang on the tree, use as napkin rings or placeholders, or tuck atop of a prettily wrapped gift for someone special.

47. Winter Solstice Outdoor Ice Ornaments: While lights are strung, wreaths hung, and various lawn decorations are placed outside come December, we don’t generally think to decorate our properties with ice itself during the chilliest season of the year.

As this creative and rather delightful project demonstrates, it’s high time we gave doing just that a spin – especially if you live in a climate where the temperature will ensure your handmade ice ornament creations are not apt to melt anytime soon.

48. Barnwood Ribbon Star Wall Hanging: Sometimes simple really is best and this strikingly pretty winter home décor project drives that point home in spades.

Ribbon, screws, and a suitable wooden backdrop (though, you could use small finishing nails or sewing/craft pins and an artist’s canvas instead) are all it takes to whip up your own eye-catching beautiful ribbon star wall hanging.

49. Yule Countdown Log: Another deeply lovely Pagan take on a Yule season countdown calendar, this 21-day long version includes the use of a handmade candle (though a store-bought one could just as easily be utilized as well), plenty of tea lights, and a suitable surface to place them on.

50. Cinnamon Dough Ornaments: Way back in time when I was just a few years old, my mom, siblings and I made a slew of cinnamon dough ornaments shaped like gingerbread people one Christmas season.

Each was decorated with glitter glue and included a narrow strip of ribbon tied to its top so that it could be hung from the tree. Incredibly, after more than twenty-five years, not only do some of these darling handmade Christmas ornaments still exist, but they have retained their beautiful cinnamon scent to this day. #truestory

Cinnamon dough ornaments are a beloved holiday season craft and one that is every bit as open to Pagans as it is to non-Pagans.

Indeed, for my fellow witchy and Pagan folks, culinary magick can be imbued via the ingredients used in this ornament dough recipe. As can things such as etching/shaping your ornaments into spiritually meaningful shapes, involving sigils, press leaves/branches/flower petals into them (as in this specific project), or creating a set of cinnamon dough runes.

This lovely blog post from (fellow British Columbia blogger) Stephanie Rose gives you all the dets to make your own cinnamon dough ornaments, which, with any luck, will also last – and retain their enchanting aroma – for decades to come.

(Note: All 50 images used above are copyright of their respective creators. Please follow the coordinating link in each list entry to be taken to the craft project shown and described therein.)

The importance of creating our own light

One of the most important things that Yule reminds of us of is that even the darkest chapters end at some point. Light will return one more. It may be gradual and hard to see at first, but over time things will get brighter, life will spring anew.

As we lean into another lengthy stretch of ice and snow, chattering teeth, and warm woollen mittens, it can be beneficial to remember that we often have within us the ability to brighten our own lives and days in a myriad of ways.

Gratitude and kindness are two of the greatest means by which to do just that, but they are from the only ones.

By making our homes cozy and festive, ensuring our spiritual journey is an ongoing focal point of our lives, doing our best to support and help one another, and holding tight to the hope of a pandemic-free future, the winter days are apt to feel considerably easier to get through.

It has been many a year since I was last a little girl, yet my heart gets no less giddy as Yule returns.

I welcome the light, while also embracing the darkness of winter. Both provide stability and comfort, and each is vital to life on this planet.

The craft projects highlighted above are wonderful ways to help make your home and your holiday season a little brighter and, hopefully, all the merrier as well.

Plus, amidst the hustle and bustle of December, sometimes a few quite minutes or hours of peaceful time spent focused on creating something – whether it is a Yule decoration, Christmas wreath, batch of delicious Hanukkah sufganiyot, or festive centrepiece for New Year’s – can often be a meaningful and comforting gift unto itself.

Do you enjoy creating your own winter holiday decorations or gifts? Which of these Yule craft projects appeals to you the most?

PS: Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, where I frequently pin a wide range of witchy and Pagan crafts, as well as tons of posts pertaining to each of the eight sabbats – including Yule. Along with many other interesting Pagan and witchcraft related topics.

The post 50 Awesome DIY Yule Decorations and Craft Ideas You Can Make for the Winter Solstice appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.