For me – and many the world over – one of the greatest and most meaningful of these fall time.

After waiting with patience and mounting excitement for nine whole months, autumn – sweet, enchantingly glorious autumn – has officially returned.

Today is the Fall Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere. The rebirth of fall, whose conception began with the first stirrings of spring several months prior.

Autumn will remain in place this year until Tuesday December 21, 2021. At which point, the Winter Solstice will overtake fall once again.

Many witches, Wiccans and Pagans who celebrate the sacred sabbat of Mabon chose to do so on the inaugural day of fall.

This is a camp I fall into myself and I take immense pleasure in observing the second of three fall harvest sabbats each year (the other two being Lammas at the beginning of August and Samhain at the end of October).

Most people who know me are aware of the fact that I live for fall. It is my seasonal soul mate, the chapter of the year in which I feel most like my truest self, and the point on the calendar that I personally view as the start of my year (after all, Samhain is not called the witch’s New Year for nothing!).

Fall sparks something utterly magickal in me. It soothes and uplifts, excites and thrills.

I honestly could not fathom a world without the jewel tones, warm spice aromas, and myriad sights, sounds, tastes and other gifts of autumn.

From today straight on until fall takes its final breath for another year, my heart and face alike will wear a smile so wide it will dwarf that of even the largest jack-o-lantern.

In the beloved children’s book Anne of Green Gables, Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote, “I’m so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers.”

This sentiment is one that most fans of fall time enthusiastically agree with – and which the majority of us who adore this time of the year extends to autumn as a whole.

I am immeasurably grateful to live in a world with fall, and it was a recent reflection on this point that spurs me to create the “Thankful & Blessed” ink blended fall forest sunset scene card that stars in this post.

Thankful & and blessed ink blended fall forest sunset scene card

There is a deeply meaningful element of gratitude inherent to the harvest season, which even in the high-tech world of the 21^st century still, thankfully, plays a vital role in helping to feed and nourish the world’s legions of inhabitants.

While the origins are fairly different and the Canadian version is not based on the happenings of Plymouth Rock or the early American pilgrims, much like the only other country that we share a border with, Canada observes its own Thanksgiving.

This beautiful celebration of the fall harvest, togetherness, gratitude, and autumn’s many blessings transpires each year on the second Monday in October.

As such, this year Canadian Thanksgiving takes place on Monday October 11^th.

(Fun side fact, the latest possible date that Canadian Thanksgiving can happen on is October 14^th, which just happens to my and Tony’s wedding anniversary. This means that every few years we get to celebrate Thanksgiving and our anniversary on the very same day, adding all the more joy to both of these important events.)

The harvest season sabbats of Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain, as well as both Thanksgiving and Halloween are massive influences on my paper crafting – and life in general – the whole year through.

They guided my creative process as I designed the card at the heart of this post.

This elegant fall sunset forest scene card would make for an excellent Thanksgiving Day greeting, It also works terrifically for the fall sabbats, as a thank you greeting, or if, as needed, you changed the sentiment up, as a birthday, sympathy, get well, retirement, anniversary card, thinking of you or just because card.

If the woodland silhouette scene stamp here looks familiar, it’s because I blogged about a different card (Relax and Unwind Forest Scene Summertime Card) that I made using the same image last year.

I love, love, love the look of stamped, stencilled, die cut, etc silhouette images against ink blended backgrounds and had been itching to use that particular stamp on a fall card ever since I made the aforementioned greeting with it in 2020.

For the colour palette of this greeting, I wanted to retain some of the vibrancy of early to mid-autumn and marry it with the rich, beautiful earth tones of the harvest season.

Inky forest green, warm shades of flax and orange, cocoa brown, gleaming gold, and subtle pops of dusky blue combined to do just that – along, of course, with the multi-coloured ink blended sky.

Fall sunsets come in as many – if not more – varieties as the crispy, crunchy leaves that embody this captivating time of the year.

This one is rendered Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink. It was inspired by many (gorgeous!) autumn sunsets that I’ve witnessed firsthand over the years here in the interior of British Columbia.

Deer are a prevalent feature of life around these parts. Some traverse our property (and town as a whole) the whole year through and I’ve had the memorable pleasure of seeing scenes similar to the one depicted here in person on numerous occasions.

Such happenings are something that I am tremendously thankful for.

The stamped and ink blended central panel is the star of the show on this card, but a charming fall leaf print paper (which appears on two different layers here) coupled with intricately die cut cardstock layers, and a smattering of festive embellishments catch the eye as well.

Together these elements team up to deliver a serene, richly autumnal greeting that expresses so much of what I adore about fall.

If you are keen to make a fall forest sunset scene card or your own or simply wish to know more about the creative process of how I constructed this harvest season greeting, read on for a supply list and detailed instructions.

Products used to make this elegant handmade autumn card

-Forest (or pine) green, reddish-orange, and dark/cocoa brown cardstock

-White cardstock (such as Neehah Classic Crest 110 LB Smooth Solar White Paper) that holds up well when ink blending)

-Gold metallic cardstock

-Fall leaf print papers (one design was used for layering, a second to fussy cut the fall foliage and berry images from) – Spiced Pumpkin 12 x 12-inch paper pad from Craftsmart (Michael’s brand)

-Notched corner stitched edge nested die set

-Small stitched edge nested circle die set

-Elegant heart edge design die

-Woodland deer scene stamp (unbranded free gift with purchase from an online seller; you can find similar looking stamps for sale online here and here)

-Dark brown ink – Acorn Archival Ink from Ranger (this is the ink that you will stamp the woodland deer scene with, so you want it to be a richly pigment, long-lasting ink)

-Dark brown ink – Dew Drop Rich Cocoa Ink from Memento

-Ranger Distress Oxide Ink in the following colours (all used for the ink blended sky): Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge, Chipped Sapphire, Worn Lipstick, Victorian Velvet, Hickory Smoke, Fossilized Amber, Tattered Rose, Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door, and Carved Pumpkin

-“Thankful & Blessed” sentiment sticker – Celebrate Autumn Element Stickers from Echo Park

-Small orange paper roses

-Earthy gold coloured “sugared” faux berry springs (these hail from AliExpress; craft and dollar stores, as well Etsy, eBay, and as some party supply retailers are also great places to check for this type of product)

-Flax/light gold coloured seam binding – Trophy Gold Seam Binding from Hug Snug

-Natural toned burlap – Burlap Mat Stack from DCWV

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

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

How to make a thankful & and blessed ink blended fall forest sunset scene card

Begin by making a side-fold card base from dark/cocoa brown cardstock. Top this with a piece of gold metallic cardstock slightly smaller than your card base. Then top that piece of cardstock with a slightly smaller piece of Craftsmart fall leaf print paper.

Die cut three of the same shaped pieces using the ornate decorative edge die – one each from pine/forest green, dark/cocoa brown, and gold metallic cardstock, respectively.

Adhere a piece of DCWV burlap vertically on your card base. Then layer the three ornate layers you just die cut in the following order: pine/forest green (arranged horizontally), dark/cocoa brown (vertically), and gold metallic (also vertically).

Top the gold metallic layer with a horizontal layer of DCWV burlap.

Using the notched corner stitched edge nesting set, die cut one piece each from reddish-orange cardstock, the same Craftsmart leaf print paper used already, dark/cocoa brown cardstock, gold metallic cardstock (create a border shaped piece with this layer), and a white cardstock that holds up well when ink blending.

Layer and adhere the layers you just die cut, save for the last two layers (they’ll be added once you’ve stamped and inked your woodland sunset scene).

Stamp the forest deer scene in Acorn Archival Ink. Allow to dry, then ink blend a fall sunset scene using Tim Holtz Distress Ink (or other suitable ink of your choosing).

Allow this panel to dry, as needed, then top it with the gold border layer that you die cut. Adhere the stamped panel to the middle of your card front.

Fussy cut some fall leaves and berries from Craftsmart paper.

Die cut three different sizes of small stitched edge circles, one each from pine/forest green, dark/cocoa brown, and gold metallic cardstock.

Adhere these layers together and top with the “Thankful & Blessed” sentiment sticker.

Create a multi-loop bow from the flax/gold coloured seam binding (optionally, you can crinkle and dry your seam binding, if so desired, to give your bow even more of a shabby chic look).

Arrange and adhere bow, “sugared” berry stems, fussy cut leaves and berries, and small orange paper roses on the lower left-hand side of the card. Top with the layered sentiment circle.

And there you have it, one charmingly pretty and very seasonally appropriate ink blended fall sunset scene card to keep and enjoy for yourself or to give away to someone special. Whatever your heart desires.

Welcome fall!

If I could throw autumn a ticker-tape parade to celebrate its triumphant return, I gladly would.

Objectively though, Mother Nature does a marvellous job herself on that front care of the sublimely lovely fall leaves she sends tumbling to the ground throughout the season.

Both literally and proverbially, I roll out the welcome mat for fall time and adore the fact that I’m doing so in unison with countless other fans of this gorgeous chapter of the year.

Last year was, weather-wise, one of the briefest autumns I’ve ever experienced.

It began, fittingly, right around Mabon, only to come to a screeching halt about a month later, when snowy winter weather made an extra early appearance.

While a few hearty trees held onto their fall foliage a bit longer after the snow started, for all intents, autumn’s outdoor aesthetic was over by early November.

This, as you might imagine, made for quite the lengthy winter (we got our final snowfall on April 10^th of this year).

It is anyone’s guess – especially after the scorching hot summer with its record-breaking temperatures – that we just experienced as to how long fall will hold out here this year.

Naturally, I’m keeping my fingers, toes, and cozy knit scarf ends all crossed for a generous sized autumn.

They’re rarer than hen’s teeth around these parts, but I have experienced the occasional fall that lingers until late November or even early December before. Suffice it to say, those were extra awesome years as a result!

As with so much in life, only time will tell as to how long this autumn will grace us with its beguiling presence.

No matter the length of its visit, I will lap up every moment and make the very best of my favourite season. For it truly is one of the things in life that bring me the most joy.

I have a bevy of fall-related content (including plenty of new craft projects) coming down the pipeline over the course of this season. All of which I hope you’ll enjoy and find informative, inspiring, or just plain fun – as the case may be.

I encourage you to embrace fall with all your heart as well and to celebrate this enchantingly special season in whatever ways bring you the most bliss.

Wishing you each the safest, sweetest, and most splendidly wonderful autumn possible, dear friends!  

And, of course, for my friends south of the equator, may you have an equally fantastic springtime + Ostara celebration!

What are you most looking forward to about this fall (or spring)? Do you experience gorgeous autumn sunsets in your area?

The post Thankful and Blessed Ink Blended Fall Forest Sunset Scene Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Thus far in this ongoing post series – which will total eight entries when complete – we have explored the Winter Solstice/Yule and Spring Equinox/Ostara. Now it is time to let Mabon have its well-deserved moment in the crafting spotlight.

My heart is warmed by knowing that a lot of you really dig this series. This fact helps to keep my spirits and energy levels buoyed during the multiple days that it takes to create each entry it houses.

This time around, I am thrilled to present you with a sizable slew of DIY project ideas, craft ideas, and fall décor inspiration for both the Fall Equinox and the Pagan sabbat of Mabon.

The latter of which is sometimes referred to as the “Witches’ Thanksgiving”. An apt, beautiful odd to the earth’s many blessings and reasons to be grateful that fill our days as summer drifts into autumn.

In addition, the Autumn Equinox ushers in the return of Libra season.

Which while not the sign I was born under (that would be cancer), it is the sign during which my husband and I tied the knot almost seventeen years ago now. That, coupled with the fact that multiple close family members are Libras, ensures this astrological sign an extra special spot in my heart.

If you are new to Mabon and/or would like to learn more about it, please check out my post 15 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Mabon for more information about this harvest season Pagan sabbat.

When is the Fall Equinox 2021?

This year, in the Northern Hemisphere, the Fall Equinox occurs on Wednesday, September 22, 2021.

The name “equinox” stems from the Latin words “aequas”, which means equal, and “nox”, which is night.

We apply the word equinox to the dates that begin both autumn and spring, respectively, as each of these days house roughly equal amounts of daylight and darkness.

In the case of spring, the weather is beginning to warm up and the days are growing gradually longer until they peak on that front come the Summer Solstice.

With the return of fall time, cooler weather generally begins to fill our days and the nights grow longer.

They will continue to do so straight on until the Winter Solstice. At which point, though it can be hard to tell as much in the dark, icy heart of December, a few more minutes will appear daily straight on until the Summer Solstice returns in the third week of June.

Another point that denotes the Autumn Equinox is the fact that on this date, the sun crosses over the equator from north to south. Hence why, when it is spring in the Northern Hemisphere, it is fall in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa.

What are some common themes and meanings of the Fall Equinox?

Whether one approaches the Autumn Equinox from a spiritual or more secular/non-belief-based perspective, fall’s return is a time that we can all celebrate, embrace, and find personal meaning in as the days grow shorter and the year begins to wind down.

Broadly speaking, the Fall Equinox (much like Mabon – a Pagan sabbat that is observed by many either on the Autumn Equinox itself or within a few days of this beautiful annual event) serves as a poignant symbol of balance and equality in our lives.

It embraces elements of both life and death, particularly in terms of the harvest season. By the second half of September, a lot of crops have been harvested, though some still remain to be brought in and transformed into food for countless folks the world over.

Traditionally, as the harvest (including butchering domestic animals and/or hunting, where applicable) could quite literally make the difference between survival and perishing, it’s safe to assume that death was rarely far from the minds of our ancestors as they prepared and braced for the icy winter months ahead.

While modern farming, greenhouses, and food production techniques can play god, so to speak, to a degree in terms of our ability to produce and harvest various crops, meat and dairy sources throughout the year, the world is still highly reliant on the annual harvest season to help keep the 21^st century food chain running smoothly.

This is neither the time nor the place, however, to debate the merits and shortcomings of the modern food industry, so I shalln’t venture down that path – fear not.

Beyond the literal harvest season, fall’s return can be a superb time to take stock of those areas of our own lives in which we can reap the rewards of our hard work and dedication, as well as to reflect on others that are ongoing and may require our focus in the coming autumn and winter months.

Fall is a time of merriment and thanksgiving, of lingering warmth and light mingling with the mysteries and beauty of darkness.

The Autumn Equinox encourages both hard work and perseverance, as well as the opportunity to rest, relax, and savour some gorgeous seasonal tranquillity.

If you had an especially gruelling, stressful, or otherwise eventful summer, this point can be of particular importance – as can making sure you take time to focus on self-care throughout the crunchy leaf-filled season.

Just as flowers, plants, trees, and many types of crops (as well as plenty of wild critters, too) often start to slow down or go into hibernation during the autumn months, so too can fall be a brilliant time to slow your proverbial roll.

Take time this fall to genuinely focus on what you need, what you want, what makes you happy, what you can ditch from your life, and where you hope to be not only come winter, but at this point next year.

Fall abounds with the sights, sounds, tastes, and festive happenings of the summer’s departure, the harvest season, and plenty of spooky goodness as well.

We associate this season with elements that warm us in body, mind, and spirit alike. From the coziest of knits to the most scrumptious of warm drinks (be they pumpkin spice or otherwise), snugly blankets to glowing bonfires, we find ways to extend the rapidly vanishing warmth of summer in ways that honour the soul of autumn at the same time.

For many of us, fall sets our tastebuds alight as well. We gleefully reach for freshly picked apples, pears, grapes, plums, cranberries, squash, carrots, pumpkins, and numerous other seasonal delights from August to December.

Whether enjoyed straight-up or whipped into a wide array of both sweet and savour dishes, fall’s culinary offerings convey comfort, fortification, and nourishment.

Outdoors, the leaves are changing, the breeze is getting nippier, squirrels and other critters both large and small are gathering food for the coming winter, and the sun is setting earlier each evening.

This is a gorgeous, highly meaningful chapter of the year that ranks as many peoples’ favourite season. Though that need not be the case in order to enjoy and get the most that you realistically can out of fall.

Many of us love to bring autumn indoors, be it with actual pieces of nature or human-made products that represent the resplendent natural beauty inherent to this chapter of the year.

It is precisely that ability to fill our homes with elements of the autumn season that is at the heart of this post.

Whether you opt to follow any of the tutorials shared here or not, it is my steadfast hope that these fifty creative, charmingly fun fall craft, DIY, and décor project ideas provide you with oodles of seasonal inspiration to utilize in whatever ways currently work best for your home and daily life alike.

Note: As tempting as it was to pepper this post with Halloween and Samhain-themed projects, I have refrained – for the most part – from doing so, as those will appear here in a future entry all their own.

That said, depending on your decor style, personal beliefs, and so forth, most of the project ideas highlighted below can easily work for Halloween and Samhain, too.

Just as many of them suit Thanksgiving (be it Canadian or US) excellently as well. Some may also be appropriate for other autumn time holidays, too, such as Dia de los Muertos and Rosh Hashanah, respectively.

50 Awesome Mabon Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for the Fall Equinox

1. How to Make an Autumn Fairy from Natural Materials: Whether one believes in fairies or simply delights in stories, images, and craft projects pertaining to the fae, this enchantingly sweet craft – which is ideal to involve little ones with – is sure to add a welcome dose of whimsical charm to your fall altar, Halloween/Samhain tree, or elsewhere in your home decor.

These precious fairies would also make for marvellous gifts throughout the fall, including for events such as Grandparent’s Day and Thanksgiving.

2. Mabon Dried Apple Garland: We often tend to associate slices, pieces, and rounds of dried fruit with Yule and wintertime in general, but this beautiful way of preserving and celebrating some of nature’s finest sweet treats lends itself superbly to autumn as well.

In this photo filled step-by-step tutorial, we are guided on not only how to make a gorgeous garland like the one shown here, but also on how to prepare and dry the fruit slices required for it.

This is a useful l skill to master and create with for many a year to come – much as how this festive garland can also be enjoyed harvest season after magickal harvest season.

3. Cinnamon Salt Dough Leaf Ornaments: Similar to dried fruit, salt dough ornaments are another project that we tend to associate with winter. Happily, they can be a year-round joy and one that lends itself to autumn – that most cinnamon scented of seasons – excellently.

This lovely DIY post shows you how to make cinnamon salt dough leaf ornaments, which can then be used and/or displayed in many different ways (think tree decorations, place setting decor, dangling from a suitable lighting fixture, and so on).

And if (like me) you or someone in your household needs to keep things strictly GF at all times, be sure to use a gluten-free salt dough recipe instead of one that contains gluten.

4. DIY Wine Cork Grape Ornaments: Whether you opt to go the glittery route or die the cork ends with wine (both versions are detailed in this lovely project post), this super cute bunch of handmade grapes is sure to put a smile on the faces of wine lovers and fall produce fans everywhere.

On the Pagan, front, many different deities from pantheons around the world are closely linked to grapes, wine, and vineyards, including – but not limited to – Dionysus/Bacchus, Silenus, Du Kang, Oenotropae, Sucellus, and Liber Pater.

If you work with any deities of this nature in your practice, this DIY grape project would be a fantastic way to honour that/those gods or goddesses not only during the fall, but all year through.

5. How to Make Fabric Pumpkins: As Lora, the talented creator of this project touches on in her accompanying blog post, fall decor is often all about the pumpkins. While I realize this doesn’t ring true for everyone, of course, for plenty of us, there is no such thing as too many pumpkins and we eagerly enjoy finding new takes on a perennial classic.

This easy-to-make pumpkin project utilizes scraps of knit material, twine, and a few other common items to create handmade plush pumpkins that are all but bursting at their seems with festive fall sweetness and heartfelt DIY charm.

I adore the versatility of these lovely pumpkins and how (with suitable supplies) one could whip them up in just about any colour palette and/or size imaginable.

6. DIY Candy Corn Pine Cones: I really like candy corn and madly adore pine cones, so as you might imagine, a craft project that marries these two things was bound to be an instant hit with me. Just as I know it will be with many of you as well.

Spray paint, (optional) Mod Podge + glitter, and some suitable dried pinecones are all it takes to whip up this eye-catchingly wonderful fall DIY project that – unlike a bowl of real candy corn deal – can be reused autumn after autumn for many a year to come.

(You could also easily attach strings, ribbon loops, or hooks to these darling candy corn pine cones and use them as seasonal tree decor – or turn a batch of them into the foundations of an awesome autumn time wreath.)

7. How to Make Waxed Fall Leaves: Ever wanted to preserve and continue to enjoy the vibrancy of autumn leaves long after they have tumbled to ground? Or, have you longed for durable real autumn leaves that you could use in a variety of craft and DIY projects?

If so, then this clever, versatile approach to preserving fall foliage is apt to tickle your fancy and have you stocking up on paraffin wax in no time.

8. DIY Pumpkin Terracotta Pots: Aren’t these terracotta pumpkin pots too cute for words? Not only are these fun to make and decorate your home with, but they’re also a great way to stash all manner of small items, from candy to craft supplies.

While orange is a natural fit for pumpkins, you could also whip up some terracotta containers in whatever colour works best for your own seasonal decor. From black to burgundy, green to gold, the options are endless and sure to make for dazzling end products in any hue.

9. DIY Fall Apple Candles: If pumpkins are the vegetable that many of us associate most closely with autumn time, then surely apples must be the fruit that takes top billing in that respect.

Long linked with the start of the school year (and teaching in general), femininity, the archetypal Goddess figure (and various other deities, including the Norse goddess, Idunn, and the Greek goddess, Pomona), the fall harvest, divination, magick, wisdom, the soul, love, fertility, beauty, the afterlife, fidelity, vanity, immortality, health and healing (amongst other things), apples are a stellar fruit to work with all autumn long.

This beautiful DIY project leads you through how to make your own apple candles, which are just as at home at Mabon as there are in a few week’s time when Samhain graces the world once again with its powerful presence.

10. Dried Corn Centerpiece: Corn is another beloved, timeless vegetable that is closely intertwined with fall and which can be a visually captivating way to enliven any room.

A few ears of dried corn in the colour(s) of your choosing, dried corn husks, hot glue, ribbon (or burlap, twine, etc), and a suitable vase are all you need to make this elegant centrepiece that would be as at home on a Mabon altar as it would a Thanksgiving table.

11. Fall Acorn Wreath: If you’re a fellow die-hard fan of acorns and craft projects that utilize these classic fall time offerings, then you’re bound to adore this stunning acorn-filled wreath.

It is so enjoyably evocative of nature that you might find yourself leaving it out the whole year through.

12. Dryer Vent Pumpkins: File this one under the “ingenious idea” heading, as that is precisely what these darling dryer vent pumpkins are.

A fun, unexpected material to work with in a crafting capacity, dryer vent hosing/tubing does an impressive job of resembling a pumpkin – especially thanks to its corrugated texture, which instantly telegraphs the look of the grooves on the real deal.

13. DIY Cone-ucopias for Thanksgiving: These fabulous fall time paper cones are a natural fit for Thanksgiving, but there’s no stopping you from making some of your own and enjoying them all autumn long.

Fun, inexpensive, and embued with a sense of yesteryear charm, these paper cornucopias can dressed up or down as desired, and would be a thoughtful gift to give if you are invited to Thanksgiving dinner or any other meal at someone house this fall.

14. DIY Leaf Stamped Napkins: This lovely tutorial is apt to make you want to whip up a whole bundle of sophisticated fall napkins using little more than paint and actual leaves. I know that as a (paper crafting) stamper, it has more than piqued my interest and is a project I hope to try my hand at one day.

This same approach to stamping with real leaves can also be expanded to other textiles (as well as materials such as paper and cardstock). Leaf stamping would be a beautiful way to jazz up and add greater meaning to everything from altar cloths to pillowcases (ensuring the paint was safe for use on bedding), table runners to decorative bunting.

15. DIY Pumpkin Hand Soap: Darling to look at and, naturally, a great way to keep your hands clean (something, that as we all know, has become more important than ever since the pandemic began), these super cute DIY bars of pumpkin-shaped soap are fun, festive, and fab to give as gifts all spooky season long.

16. How to Make Fabric Apples (with Free Apple Sewing Pattern): These charming handmade apples are every bit as festive as the real deal – with the added bonus that they can be reused season after season for years to come.

Whether you opt for red, green, yellow, burgundy, or any other colour (to say nothing of the plethora of patterns you could utilize here), these cute apples are a snap to sew up and display throughout the autumn months.

And I cannot help but think that some of my fellow witchy souls would enjoy utilizing these lovely fabric apples as a form of harvest season (non-figural) poppets, sealed spell bags, or fill them with dried herbs/flowers/grasses/etc for a wide range of magickal applications.

17. Pumpkin Pie Felt Garland: Oh my gourd, this is a seriously adorable fall time felt project!

This easy-to-make garland features one of the most beloved fall desserts (and pies, point-blank) of time. It is oodles of fun to make and enjoy throughout autumn, and will surely be a conversation piece with all those who have the pleasure of seeing it in your home.

18. Pinecone and Cranberry Rustic Garland: While both cranberries and pinecones are commonly linked to wintertime and Christmas, each of these natural treasures is equally at home during the autumn months as well.

Think, for example, of cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving and the slew of pinecones that often tumble to the ground during the fall.

This endearingly pretty rustic garland combines pinecones and cranberries to great effect, and has a sweet yesteryear charm to it that I cannot get enough of.

19. Laced Leaf Suncatcher: Preserve a favourite fall leaf (or a selection of leaves) with this creative, splendidly pretty suncatcher that celebrates nature, the seasons, and the weather all in one delightful go.

20. How to Make Painted Gourds: Ever looked at the curvaceous, versatile canvass that is the humble gourd and yearned to add a painterly touch to it?

If so, follow along with Patti as she expertly guides you through the process of painting hollowed-out gourds to create a unique, long-lasting handmade treasure that is so attractive, you may find yourself painting an array of different gourds for all four seasons.

(On the fall DIY front, I also really like Patti’s recent entry How To Make Primitive Fabric Pumpkins.)

21. Fabulous Fall Crocheted Leaf Wreath: Autumn adoring crocheters rejoice, this absolutely beautiful wreath is for you!

A rich fall colour palette, many a seasonal element, and a cheerful design add up to an autumn wreath that is worth learning how to crochet for, if you don’t currently possess this crafty skill – and utilizing your existing needle skills for if you do.

22. Painted Candy Corn Mason Jars: A true staple in recent years on the home decor and seasonal decoration fronts, mason jars are a versatile item to keep on hand for when inspiration strikes or is delivered your way via the web.

I am especially taken with this cuter-than-cute DIY project that transforms classic mason jars into generously sized pieces of decorative candy corn.

Awesome as standalone items or great as seasonal vases or storage containers, these painted mason jars will add the sweetest of touches (pun intented) to your fall decor.

23. How to Recycle Lightbulbs into Twine-Wrapped Pears: Apples might get top billing on the fall fruit front, but pears can – and do – hold their ground every bit as much and are a beloved staple for many of us come the return of autumn weather.

If you’re looking for a speedy and very pretty project that celebrates fall time pears, then this clever use for used lightbulbs may just be the ticket.

24. Floating Acorn Candles: These fun little DIY floating acorn candles are as cute as can be!

They are sure to delight both you and your houseguests (or coven mates) with their itty-bitty size that translates into an immense amount of seasonal charm.

25. Pumpkin Patch Pincushions: Give a wonderful seasonal spin to a sewing supply standard with this sweet, easy-to-make pumpkin patch pincushion project that’s perfect for using up some of those too-pretty-to-part-with fabric scraps many sewers have to hand.

26. Fall Bucket List Painted Popsicle Stick Craft: This is a fantastic idea that produces a literal bucket list of seasonal activities/traditions that you hope to experience to this autumn.

Add in whatever entries suit you and your family, take things in a witchy/Pagan direction, if so desired; or put together a selection of classic fall time happenings and give this darling bucket as a gift.

27. DIY Leaf Mod Podge Bowl: Combine artificial fall leaves with Mod Podge and you get one seriously beautiful bowl that is a work of handmade art unto itself.

Fill your eye-catching autumn leaf bowl with whatever seasonal or day-to-day items – spanning Halloween candy to your housekeys – you wish.

This DIY fall leaf bowl would also make for an excellent offering vessel on your Mabon altar or another sacred space around your home.

28. Acorn Earrings: If fall themed jewelry making is your jam, then this beautiful beading project from Martha Stewart Living is bound to have you prizing your finished acorn earrings with as much gusto as an autumn time squirrel and their cache of nuts.

29. DIY Concrete Pumpkins: If you live in a home with a yard (or balcony) that can be adorned for fall, why not try your hand at making a seasonal project that is apt to last for many years (if not decades) to come?

These DIY concrete pumpkins have a refined elegance coupled with a sense of joyful whimsy and are perfect for gardens, lawns, outdoor altars, decks, and just about anywhere else nature resides.

30. Dollar Tree Pizza Pan Fall Welcome Sign: If, like me, you’re a fan of including cute vintage farm trucks in your seasonal decor (I have a black Halloween farm truck decoration that is one of my very favourite spooky season pieces), then this delightful project starring dollar store supplies is likely to pique your interest and make for a great addition to your DIY fall decoration collection.

31. DIY Leaf Trinket Dish: Chic, sophisticated, and wildly pretty, this fantastic fall craft creates a versatile trinket dish that is ideal for autumn, but no less at home throughout the other three seasons.

Make one (or more) for yourself and extras to give out as gifts, because chances are various people in your life would be elated to receive a gorgeous handmade leaf dish of their own.

32. How to Make Decorative Caramel Apples for Fall Decor: The boundless creativity that exists in the world never fails to inspire and enchant me. Case in point, these wonderfully realistic-looking decorative caramel apples, which are easier to create a batch of your own than you might imagine at first sight.

These toffee apples (as caramel apples are called in some parts of the world) are so lifelike, you might find yourself tempted to take a bite. Naturally, that is not a good idea, but displaying these sweet treat inspired beauties throughout the fall months definitely is!

33. DIY Pumpkin Spice Soy Candle: It’s safe to say that candles and fall go together like winter and pine trees. If you’re in the mood to DIY some gorgeously scented autumn time candles of your own, this terrific tutorial is for you!

I would suggest making extras as, if you’re anything like me, you will quite literally burn through a bevy of autumnal candles between now and December.

(And, on the fall scent front, be sure to check out this tutorial on the same blog that shows you how to make wonderfully appealing Apple Scented Candles with Sprinkles.)

34. How to Make a DIY Fall Wreath from a Picture Frame: Have a picture frame that lost its glass or a dated frame you’re not using anymore? What about a plain, versatile frame you thrifted or picked up for a song on sale?

Wherever your frame hails from, if you’re looking to breathe new life into it this autumn, then Aubree’s wonderful fall foliage wreath may just be the DIY project you need. The end result is a stunning seasonal wreath that is, very fittingly, every bit as pretty as a picture.

35. Autumn Harvest Knit Pillow: A splendid palette of rich, earthy fall tones combine with timeless seasonal imagery in this knit pillow project that cozies up autumn all the more and which is sure to become one of your favourite cushions.

36. Falling Leaves Sensory Jar: Perfect for youngsters, but no less applicable to grownups, sensory jars and bottles are akin to snowglobes, but are aimed at helping to provide a sense of calm and comfort to anyone in need of such.

This particular sensory bottle celebrates the entrancing beauty of fall and is a great tool to help manage things such as stress and anxiety, again both in kids and adults alike.

Plus, when they’re teeming with autumn elements like this charmer, sensory bottles and jars make for wonderful seasonal decor as well.

37. Candy Corn Button Art: If, like many a crafter around the world, you love to horde collect buttons and are looking to use more of them up this year, why not try your hand at making a splendidly sweet autumn button art project like this no-sew version that creates a darling candy corn image?

38. Rustic Fall Cinnamon Broom Wreath: While relatively common in America, cinnamon brooms are surprisingly hard to come by up here in Western Canada (much to my witchy, fall adoring heart’s chagrin).

Nevertheless, I enjoy knowing that I could take inspiration from this project and simply use a different type of broom in place the cinnamon version, if they continue to remain elusive north of the 49th (that said, some years, I have spied them at stores such as Michael’s and Canadian Tire, and hope to grab at least one or two should I ever see them at either spot again).

This project creates a fall decor piece that is bursting with seasonal charm, elegance, and – if you’re fortunate to have access to cinnamon brooms – the timelessly appealing aroma of one of fall’s most iconic spices.

(If you are using an unscented broom, you could always try anointing it with cinnamon essential oil or nestling a few richly scented cinnamon sticks amongst the bristles of the broom.)

39. Wise owl crocheted ornament: Ultra adorable and ever-so-ready for autumn, this scarf clad crocheted owl ornament is perfect for fall time now and just as at home, in a few week’s time, tucked amongst the branches of your winter holiday season tree.

40. Rustic Glitter Woodland Pumpkins: If your decor tastes run on the glam side, this chic take on classic fall pumpkins may set your heart aflutter!

Little more than suitable craft paint and glitter are needed to transform everyday plastic pumpkins into unforgettable stylish autumn adornments that add shimmer and pizzazz to any setting.

41. Easy Mason Jar Scarecrows: It is nearly impossible to gaze at these adorable mason jar pumpkins with their button eyes, burlap hats, and straw hair and not smile from ear-to-ear.

Sweet, fun, and much easier to recreate than you may imagine, these mason jar scarecrows look like they might have cost you a pretty penny if purchased from a store or craft fair, but can in fact be made at home with everyday craft supplies that need not break the bank.

42. Knit Apple Dishcloth: No corner of your home has to go untouched by the enchanting loveliness of autumn – not even that kitchen workhorse, the humble dishcloth.

Add seasonal flair to washing up care of this super cute apple-shaped knit dishcloth which is so charming, you may find yourself whipping up a whole bushel of them!

43. DIY Owl Fall Door Hanger: There’s just something about an unadorned door that makes me want to instantly place a wreath or door hanger on it. Never is that more true for me personally than during my beloved autumn.

This super charming DIY owl door hanger would be an especially apt choice, as we’re sometimes blessed to have owls reside in the lofty evergreen trees of our backyard. Plus owls are amongst my all-time favourite animals, as well as being a wild critter that I have shared a close spiritual bond with throughout my life.

If you’re likewise keen on owls and are looking to enhance any door in your home, why not give this rustic, elegant, and very cute door hanger a go?

44. DIY Wire Wrapped Pumpkin Earrings: Whereas some types of wire wrapping projects can require a fair bit of experience and expertise to master, these chic meets adorable pumpkin earrings are quite approachable for new and less advanced makers of wire wrapped jewelry.

These fall time perfect handmade wire wrapped earrings are lightweight, sophisticated, and sure to garner no shortage of compliments (not to mention questions regarding where you got them from!).

45. Fall Wood Bead Garland: Be they for autumn or any other season/occasion, garlands are a versatile, fantastic way to add instant charm to any room in your house. They can adorn mantles and shelves, be part of tiered tray displays, snake across dresser and vanity tops, help a centrepiece shine all the more, and myriad other great uses.

This very sweet version utilizes yarn, wooden beads, and a wood pumpkin die cut piece to create a timeless fall garland that is so pretty, you might just be tempted to wear it as a necklace!

46. Handmade Felt Pears: Perfect grouped together as a centrepiece, tucked between fall foliage on a mantle or shelf, or interspersed in fun spots around your house, these elegant, easy to sew up felt pears are a terrific celebration of one of the season’s most appealing and beloved fruits.

47. Crocheted Falling Leaves Throw: Autumn time and cooler temps go hand-in-hand for those in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere and as such, we often associated fall with coziness of all kinds.

Stay warm and celebrate the natural beauty of autumn leaves care of this gorgeous crocheted throw blanket, which is so attractive you may just find yourself leaving it out all year long.

48. Easy No-Sew Ribbon Acorns: Equal part cute, sophisticated, and pretty, these darling no-sew ribbon acorns are just as lovely as the real deal and make for a marvellous fall time decoration that looks like it would be a blast to whip up a whole basket’s worth of!

49. Easy DIY Yarn Pumpkins: I love a great, inexpensive, easy-to-make fall craft and this fun take on pumpkins nails it big time on each of those fronts.

Whether you opt for orange, cream, pink, green or any other colour of yarn that your heart desires, these sweet little handmade pumpkins are bound to bring a smile your way all throughout the autumn months.

50. Mabon Corn Dolly Tutorial: This excellent guest post entry (from Ruthie Hayes) on the blog Nitty Gritty Life is chocked full of information about the history and meaning of both corn and corn dollies/figures as they apply to Mabon and the fall harvest season.

It caps off with step-by-step instructions to help you create your own beautiful corn dolly, which can then be enjoyed and/or worked with in a magickal capacity this fall and for many an autumn to come (thanks to the long-lasting properties of dried cornhusks).

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.

And should you be looking for more seasonal craft ideas this autumn, pop on by my posts 45 Special Occasions and Fun Reasons to Make Cards (and Other Paper Crafting Projects) For This Fall and 5 Ways to Make Cute and Easy Mini Brooms.

Harvest a bumper crop of fall time inspiration

There’s just something about cooler nights, leaves hued like Bartlett pears and Red Delicious apples fluttering in the wind, and the promise of Halloween/Samhain’s return that stokes the fires of my creativity something fierce. (See: #MakeHalloween365 – which can 100% be used for fall crafts and other creative projects in general, too.)

I am by no means alone here. Fall DIYs project ideas abound online and are a firm favourite of many crafters, for autumn often stirs inspiration, artistry, creativity, and joy in a good many of us.

Whether you grin over jack-o-lanterns, are sweet on candy corn, hoot joyfully about owls, fall for tumbling leaves, or adore apples a bushel and a peck, there is something for nearly everyone to be inspired and delighted by during the fall months.

Lean into that sense and use it to make seasonal craft projects or something else entirely. Creativity and inspiration can be abundant, but one’s muse isn’t always in the most giving of moods and you will be glad that you struck, so to speak, when the proverbial iron was hot.

And if you’re looking for oodles more awesome fall inspiration and ideas, check out my Pinterest account, particularly my boards pertaining to the following:

–Fall time in general

–Lammas

–Mabon

–Samhain

–Thanksgiving recipes

–Vintage Thanksgiving

–Fall and Thanksgiving cards

–Halloween

–Halloween costumes

–Halloween recipes

–Halloween cards

–Vintage Halloween

As well, please don’t hesitate to follow me on Instagram, where I celebrate and post (grid + Stories) about autumn all throughout the year.

And should you be on the hunt for books about Mabon, be sure to check out my recent blog post, Your Ultimate Guide to Books on The Pagan Sabbats, which includes multiple entries pertaining to Mabon/the Fall Equinox.

Mabon is a merry, ancient, blessed, and extremely beautiful point on the calendar.

Yes, we are parting ways with summer and that can certainly be rough for some of us, but we are stepping into a breathtaking chapter of the year that is rich with seasonal messages, meanings, and joy.

Embrace the sense of balance inherent to the Fall Equinox, revel in the pleasures of pumpkin season, and allow yourself some time to craft (or decorate) to your heart’s content.

Autumn comes but once a year and deserves to be celebrated in ways both big and small, from the first to the very last moment.

I sincerely hope that the Fall Equinox and Mabon DIY ideas highlighted in this post will assist you in doing just that.

Which of these 50 fall craft projects is your favourite? What are you hoping to make (crafts, recipes, seasonal décor, etc) this autumn?

The post 50 Awesome Mabon Crafts, DIY Projects, and Décor Ideas for the Fall Equinox appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

For many of us, however, autumn’s unofficial start took place earlier this week on September 1^st.

And for others still, fall commenced even earlier, at some point (such as Lammas) in August.

No matter when you opt to officially roll out the red (or would that be orange and black? ) carpet for fall, it’s a safe bet to say that many of us jump at the chance to celebrate and make the most of this gorgeous chapter of the year.

For my fellow paper crafters – and indeed, crafty and creative souls of all kinds – fall provides boundless inspiration for our projects.

I am the first person to not just jump, but pole vault when it comes to creating craft projects for special autumn events and holidays such as Thanksgiving (both Canadian and American, respectively), Mabon, Halloween, Samhain, Día de los Muertos, and Remembrance Day (November 11^th).

However, sometimes one wants to shake things up and make cards or other paper crafting projects that are fall-related, but not strictly for the major holidays.

You can, of course, bestow a fall theme onto nearly any type of paper crafting project – from birthday to get well cards, mini albums to tags. Goodness knows I do so with gusto!

It can be a lot of fun though to have a cool launching pad for your creativity that you might not have drawn inspiration from often, if ever before.

To that end, I have compiled a list of some of my favourite classic, unique, poignant, and just plain charming happenings and beloved events that can deliver big time on the fall paper crafting inspiration front.

Each entry is accompanied by a paper crafting item that corresponds to the topic at hand. Naturally, in many instances there are others on the theme to be had as well, so don’t be shy when it comes to Googling for what you’re after.

Whether you are making cards, scrapbook pages, mini albums, canvasses, art journal pages, traveller’s notebooks, pocket letters, MemoryDex cards, home décor item, or any other type of paper crafting project, I hope that the following list helps to stoke the (bon)fires of your creativity all the more this autumn – and for many more to come.

45 Special Occasions and Fun Reasons to Make Cards (and Other Paper Crafting Projects) For This Fall

1. The harvest season: A boundless treasure trove of inspiration lies in the autumn harvest season and the scrumptious bounty that it produces.

Apples, pears, grapes, figs, cranberries, corn, squash, parsnips, cabbage, beets, garlic, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, pumpkins, wheat, barley, and honey are just some of the many delicious fall harvest foods that can serve as a fantastic source of inspiration not only for your meals and seasonal décor, but also for your paper crafting projects.

2. Spirit Day (October 15^th): This annual event draws attention to, and strives to provide support for victims of, the continued widespread abuse and bullying faced by many LGBTQ+ youth around the world.

Use Spirit Day (which is represented by the colour purple) as an ideal time to send cards of support or good cheer to the young LGBTQ+ people in your life.

3. Native American Day (USA; 4^th Friday in September in some states, 2^nd Monday of October in South Dakota and Wisconsin): The roots of this important celebration of Native American culture stretch back to 1939.

Native American Day deserves widespread recognition and observance. It serves as the perfect time of the year (though doing so should be an ongoing lifelong happening, especially for those who live in North America) to further educate oneself about, and celebrate, Native American history and culture both past and present.

(Note: For those in Canada, a similar observation, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, occurs annually on June 21^st.

4. Oktoberfest: Though the ongoing global pandemic has caused the cancellation of Oktoberfest again this year, the spirit that it embodies can still be celebrated all the same.

Whether one enjoys a hearty pint of lager or simply wishes to pay tribute to their German heritage (where applicable), Oktoberfest – which is a sixteen to eighteen-day event that begins in mid and runs until the first Sunday in October) is a time of merriment, hearty food, and plenty of beer.

One need not drink, however, to celebrate Oktoberfest, be it in real life or in paper crafting form. I myself do not drink (or more specifically, have been unable to drink alcohol of any kind for two decades now due to medical reasons), yet as someone with a hefty slice of German ancestry, I use Oktoberfest as a time to reflect on and honour this part of my family tree.

5. International Mountain Day (December 11^th): The world as we know it would be a radically different place if it was devoid of mountains and the ecosystems that these vital natural structures house.

Hailing from a part of Canada (the province of British Columbia) that is all but overflowing with mountains, I have quite the soft spot in my heart for these majestic marvels of nature and have frequently used them as a source of inspiration in my paper crafting.

Whether you live in the Rockies, Swiss Alps, or the flattest part of the globe, it can be a blast to incorporate mountains into our paper crafting both on International Mountain Day and all throughout the rest of the year.

6. Monthly birthstones: While, naturally, often thought of in the context of jewelry, birthstones can also be a marvellous source of creative inspiration (think birthstone colours, rhinestones, and sentiments such as “You’re a gem”) and a memorable way to help celebrate someone special’s birthday.

The following are the most common modern-day birthstones for each of the fall months:

-September birthstone: Sapphire

-October birthstones: Tourmaline and opal

-November birthstones: Citrine and topaz

-December birthstones: Turquoise, tanzanite, and blue zircon

7. Grandparents Day: When I was growing up, Grandparents’ Day seemed to be observed more often here in Canada and I fondly remember making cards and gifts for my grandparents throughout my youth. While, rather unjustifiably, if you ask me, not as well known or widely observed as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, respectively, Grandparents’ Day takes place on various dates in different countries around the world.

Here in Canada, as well as in the US, Grandparents’ Day takes place in the first half of September. Interestingly, officially, Canada did away with Grandparents’ Day in 2014. However, it is still observed by many, most of whom simply use the US date to mark this meaningful celebration.

This year, Grandparents’ Day falls on Sunday, September 12^th in the States. You need not wait though for this day to honour and celebrate the grandparents in your life. Why not send a heartfelt greeting to your nana, pawpaw, bubby, or granddad this autumn and let them know they’re in your thoughts all season long?

8. World Card Making Day (1^st Saturday in October): Really and truly, you could not find a more apt day to day to create cards on, or for, than World Card Making Day itself.

A beloved annual event amongst crafters around the world, this delightful celebration of all things card making related took root at least a decade ago now and continues to grow in popularity each year.

9. National Taco Day (USA; October 4^th): I don’t know about you, but personally I haven’t met too many people thus far who didn’t enjoy at least one or two types of tacos

If you flip your shell for a great taco or know someone else who does, use National Taco Day as a charming reason to serve up a taco themed card, tag, or other paper crafting project. It’s bound to house all of the fun of the real deal, with none of the risk of your taco shell breaking!

10. The Fall Equinox (September 22^nd): For many an autumn lover the world over, the Fall Equinox alone can power our creative engines all season long – and for good measure!

Fall is an exquisitely beautiful and highly meaningful chapter of the year that offers us a welcome respite between the extremes of summer and winter, and which can be translated in countless ways through our craft projects, be they be paper-based or otherwise.

11. World Post Day (October 9^th): Much as with World Card Making Day, World Post Day is ideally suited to paper crafters.

This annual fall time event was established in 1969 and aims to bring awareness of, and recognition to, the many important roles that the postal system plays in the lives of billions of people around the globe.

As a paper crafter, I see this as the epitome of a great reason to send out some “happy mail” to fellow crafters and plenty of “thinking of you” mail to friends and family around the globe.

12. Bonfire Night (UK and Ireland; November 5^th): Also commonly known, when observed on the 5^th of November, as Guy Fawkes Night, this post-Halloween celebration is a mainstay in parts of Europe, though less so elsewhere in the world.

If you live outside of a country that officially takes part in Bonfire Night, why not use the crisp, chilly days of early November as a wonderful time to celebrate bonfires (and heart fires, too) in general?

For example, in order to do so via paper crafting, you could make a card or tag for someone featuring an image of a fire, fireplace, or glowing candle with a sentiment such as, “You warm my heart” or “You light up my life”.

13. National Cat Day (USA; October 29^th): This meaningful day aims to raise awareness about the many thousands of cats that need rescuing across America. Though this issue is, of course, is a widespread global one as well.

Cats are closely associated with fall (in particular with Halloween and Samhain), so why not use this autumn as an excellent time to spread awareness about rescuing cats via your paper crafting (and/or by adopting a precious new fur baby yourself)?

14. A sense of balance: This one pertains to the Fall Equinox/Mabon in particular, but is also applicable to autumn as a whole.

As one of just two days of the year (the other being the Spring Equinox/Ostara) in which the hours of light and dark are roughly equal, the Autumn Equinox helps to remind us of the importance of seeking, creating, fostering, and celebrating various forms of balance and harmony in our lives.

Use the serenity of fall and the blessing of balance as a meaningful springboard for various creative projects this season. In addition, you may wish to utilize fall’s sense of balance in your self-care and wellness-focused activities, too.

15. International Bacon Day: If bacon is your jam (or if bacon jam is your jam ) then why not take a hearty bite of inspiration from one of the world’s most beloved pork products and celebrate International Bacon Day on September 4^th with a project that incorporated a crafting version this very moreish meat?

(Naturally, those who prefer non-pork bacon, such as beef, turkey, or chicken, as well as vegetarian and vegan bacon options can just as easily raise a fork to International Bacon Day, too.)

16. Canadian and American Labour Day (September 6^th): While not necessarily the first holiday that may spring to mind as an occasion to make cards for, Labour Day can in fact provide a wealth of paper crafting inspiration.

Use this annual event to create a scrapbook layout, mini album, card or other type of project that honours either your own career path or the profession of someone special in your life.

17. International Volunteer Day (December 5^th): This important annual event celebrates and raises awareness of the work that volunteers around the world contribute to society.

Utilize International Volunteer Day as an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and thank the hard working volunteers in your own life and/or community.

18. Fall leaves: I know that autumn flowers and foliage appear as an entry elsewhere on this list, but much as with pumpkins and the broader harvest season, so too do fall leaves deserve their own entry.

Synonymous with autumn in much of the Western Hemisphere, crispy, crunchy earth and jewel-toned leaves are a gorgeous element of fall and a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature both of the seasons and of life in general.

Awesomely, no shortage of leaf-themed products (from stamps to metal dies, stickers to stencils) exist in the paper crafting world, many of which suit the splendours of fall time foliage to an absolute tee.

19. World Kindness Day (November 13^th): On the list of things that there can never be too much of on this planet, kindness ranks extremely high up there in my books.

If you’re equally keen on kindness, I encourage you to use the middle of November as a fantastic time to acknowledge and thank some of the people in your life whose kindness and care have made a lasting impact on your days.

20. National Ampersand Day (USA; September 8^th): If you’ve ever looked at the humble, elegant, and very hardworking ampersand (aka, the “and symbol”) and thought that it deserved its own special day of recognition, then National Ampersand Day is for you!

Plenty of paper crafting products (particularly stamps and dies) feature ampersands, which means that should have no trouble coming up with lots & lots of charming craft project ideas that feature or include this beloved symbol.

21. Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October): As one of the most common cancers in the modern world, rare is the family that has not been touched in some way breast cancer.

If you have a cancer patient or survivor in your family, friend group, or elsewhere in your life, October can be an excellent time to let that person know you’re thinking of them as they’re battling this extremely challenging disease or that you are super proud of all they’ve accomplished in their fight with breast cancer.

As well, you may wish to look into if any of the oncology departments or clinics in your area accept handmade cards, and, if they do, create some supportive greetings for strangers who are battling not only breast cancer, but cancers of all types.

(On the cancer awareness front autumn is also home to both prostate cancer and ovarian cancer awareness in September, and stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer awareness in November.)

22. National Pumpkin Day (USA; October 26^th): I know, I know, pumpkins definitely fall under the first entry on this list, but as one of the most iconic and universally beloved symbols of fall, there’s no way I could deprive National Pumpkin Day of its own entry here.

Be they classic or cute, silly or spooky, pumpkins and the grinning jack-o-lanterns we carve from them are one of the best and most enjoyable ways to instantly convey fall time fun in your paper crafting projects.

23. World Tourism Day (September 27^th): In this time of serious ongoing global challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, most of us are not doing a great deal of international (or even national) travelling. That doesn’t mean, however, that we can’t still celebrate our passion for adventure via our paper crafting.

Whether you make a project pertaining to your own travels or a card for a wanderlust-filled loved one, this fall is a terrific time to acknowledge highly meaningful role travel plays not only in our own lives, but in those of countless others across the globe.

24. Fall time flowers and foliage: It is natural to associate spring and summer with lush, gorgeous gardens teeming with blooms as far as the eye can see. However, fall is not without its own wonderful crop of flowers and greenery as well – any and all of which can provide a host of inspiration to crafters everywhere.

Amongst the star players when it comes to autumn flowers you’ll find such beautiful offerings as chrysanthemums, sunflowers, flowering kale, dianthus, shrub roses, cosmos, autumn sedum, heuchera, goldenrod, croton, black-eyed Susan, hydrangeas, snapdragons, purple fountain grass, amaranthus, marigolds, beautyberry, helenium, cornflowers, pansies, violas, and plenty of hearty varieties of roses.

25. International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19^th): Ahoy, maties! If it’s the pirate’s life for you, then your timbers are apt to be shivered and your creativity fuelled by this thoroughly fun annual event, which provides no shortage of paper crafting inspiration.

26. The Northern Lights: While the Northern Lights (aka, the Aurora Borealis) can be seen throughout the year in various parts of the world, according to NASA, if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you are twice as likely to spot this breathtaking natural event during the spring and fall months than you in the winter and summer.

Though many people do not live in areas that are northerly enough to witness the Aurora Borealis in person, happily, we can whip up our own dazzling Northern Lights displays via our paper crafting, particularly via ink blended and/or stamped skies.

27. National Beer Lover’s Day (USA; September 7^th): Raise a pint to one of the world’s most beloved and frequently consumed beverages by brewing up a card or other paper crafting project that pays homage to the sudsy tipple that is beer.

28. Fall fashion: Cozy sweaters, chunky knit scarves, fleece shirts, warm coats, opaque tights, and cute gloves are but a few of the fabulous fashion elements that call autumn home.

If, like me, you tend to (vastly) prefer dressing for the cooler half of the year or if you know someone who does, then fall is the ideal time to celebrate your passion for autumnal fashion via not only your wardrobe, but also your paper crafting.

Think cable knit patterned embossing folders and papers, adorable sweater-themed stamp sets, and super cute stickers depicting scarves, to name but a few creative possibilities on this fun and festive front.

29. World Teacher’s Day (October 5^th): Fall and the start of the school year have, in many parts of the world, gone hand in hand for centuries. Autumn is a wonderful and very fitting time to celebrate and honour the teachers in our lives and families, as well as to reflect back (such as in scrapbooking form) on those educators whose impact remains with us to this day.

30. Pumpkin spice everything: Though I’m the first to acknowledge that not everyone flips their lid for pumpkin spice flavoured foods and beverages (be they coffee-based or otherwise), for those of us who do, we’d gladly consume little else from the first day of September right on until the Winter Solstice.

If pumpkin spice makes your heart skip a beat, try whipping up some fun, festive fall themed paper crafting projects that embrace your – or a friend’s – passion for this thoroughly beautiful flavour melange.

31. National Women’s Friendship Day (USA; third Sunday in September): Yaaasss!!! As someone who is a massive proponent of women supporting women and the importance of friendship amongst women, I am 110% in favour of National Women’s Friendship Day.

I’ve quickly some to adore using this annual event as inspiration to make and send cards out to some of my cherished female friends around the globe.

You can easily do the same, too, and do not need any special supplies to create cards or other paper crafting projects for the gal pals in your own life.  

32. Fall time farmer’s markets and produce stands: Growing up, my family had a treasured annual tradition of visiting some of the beautiful and abundantly stocked farmer’s market produce stands in a tiny community less than an hour’s drive south of us. Later on, when as an adult I returned to the same town I spent much of my youth in, I continued this tradition with my husband.

Though we now live considerably further north in the same region and don’t make it that far south most falls, we continue to seek out, celebrate, and support local produce stands and farmer’s markets throughout the autumn months. And rare is the year that some, if not all, of the pumpkins, gourds, squashes, ears of corn, apples, and pears we purchase for Halloween/Samhain don’t hail from such sources.

Whether you are fortunate to have your own local sources for autumnal produce or not, you can easily celebrate this fall time mainstay via the plethora of seasonal paper crafting products that tap into autumn farmer’s markets and create projects that are no less invitingly gorgeous than the real deal.

33. International Rabbit Day (the 4^th Saturday in September): Did you know that, following cats and dogs, rabbits are the third most common pets in numerous countries?

And for good measure! These cute, clever, and charming long-eared animal friends are beautiful creatures that deserve our respect and love, whether we opt to keep one (or more) in our house or not.

The paper crafting world houses, rather fittingly, a proliferation of cotton tail related products, meaning that you can just as easily create rabbit-themed projects in the fall as you can come springtime (the season many of us associate most closely with bunnies).

34. Fall time weather: Just as rain showers can symbolize spring and sunshine is the epitome of a natural fit for summer, so too can we look to the weather for autumn paper crafting inspiration.

Blustery wind, golden rays of sun, vivid autumn sunsets, and even the first frost can all lend a helping hand on the creativity front when looking for themes this season.

35. National Pasta Day (USA; October 17^th): Much as with tacos, rare is the person who doesn’t like at least a few varieties of pasta!

Be it made with wheat, gluten-free alternatives (such as corn, rice, quinoa, buckwheat, or chickpeas), almond flour, shirataki, or other types of ingredients, pasta is a beloved staple in many cuisines and households around the world.

Let this versatile and thoroughly tasty food make for a delightful source of inspiration when dishing up a fall time paper crafting project.

36. The full moons of fall: Perhaps no other full moon is more famous than the breathtaking harvest moon of early autumn (technically the harvest moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the Fall Equinox). Yet each of autumn’s full moons is a gorgeous sight and occurrence that is worthy of being celebrated in paper form.

The year’s monthly full moons are all known by various names across the world. In English speaking countries, some of the most common names for the fall time full moons include:

-September: Harvest Moon, Autumn Moon, Corn Moon, Full Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Falling Leaves Moon (also used at times for October’s full moon), Rutting Moon, Child Moon, and Leaves Turning Moon

-October: Harvest Moon (if the full moon closest to the Fall Equinox transpires in October), Hunter’s Moon, Blood Moon, Sanguine Moon, Falling Leaves Moon, Frost Moon, Migrating Moon, and Dying Grass Moon

-November: Beaver Moon, Frosty Moon, Mourning Moon (this name is most commonly applied when November’s full moon is the last full moon before the Winter Solstice), Digging Moon, Freezing Moon, and the Oak Moon, though the latter is also given at times to December’s full moon.

-December (some years – including this one – the full moon falls during the fall time portion of December): Cold Moon, Oak Moon, Moon Before Yule, Long Night Moon, Snow Moon, Drift Clearing Moon, Midwinter Moon, and Hoar Frost Moon.

There are oodles of moon-related paper crafting products out there that can make celebrating the full moons of autumn all the more possible, though one can certainly do the same with some basic paper crafting supplies, such as circle punches, ink blended skies that include a moon, or moon themed stickers.

37. International Day of Sign Languages (September 23^rd): Globally, more than 300 different sign languages are spoken.

The meaningful annual observance of International Day of Sign Languages (the date of which was selected to coincide with the founding in 1951 of the World Federation of the Deaf) honours and celebrates sign language, and is an excellent motivator to learn more about this diverse, incredibly important form of communication.

38. Dictionary Day (October 16^th): And speaking of language-related entries, how about celebrating Dictionary Day via your paper crafting this fall?

This odd to lexicology takes place on October 16^th (the birth date of Noah Webster, the founder of Webster’s Dictionary) and is the ideal time to bust out your favourite dictionary related scrapbooking and card making supplies, or simply celebrate the important role that words play in our paper crafting projects the whole year through.

39. Candy Corn Day (October 30^th): In my experience, much as with raisins, people tend to either love or loath candy corn. Personally, I adore it – not just eating the real deal, but creating with craft versions of this sweet, adorable fall time staple as well.

Thankfully, one need not enjoy consuming candy to do the same. Plenty of paper crafting brands offer candy corn-themed goodies that are just the ticket for making some of the sweetest fall time cards, scrapbook pages, and other projects around.

40. International Daughter’s Day (September 26^th): This observance strives to acknowledge daughters around the world and, in doing so, to help raise awareness of the challenges, struggles, and plights experienced by many female children and adults globally.

It can also be an excellent time to honour one’s own daughters and/or, if applicable, the fact that you are a daughter yourself.

41. Vintage fall and Halloween: From campy, fabulous movies (see: Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein, for example) to highly collectable yesteryear Halloween décor, looking to the past as inspiration for present-day autumn craft projects can be an awesome way to imbue a strong sense of nostalgia into one’s fall time creative makes.

42. National Cookie Day (USA; December 4^th): It’s only fitting, if you ask me, that National Cookie Day transpires in the same month as many of the best known and most beloved winter holidays (for which cookies are often an integral sweet treat for a lot of folks).

Falling on December 4^th, however, National Cookie Day is still squarely in the realm of autumn and can be a fantastic time to whip up some delectable cookies (aka, biscuits for those in various parts of the world, such as the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand) – be they the real deal or those rendered in equally welcome paper crafting form.

43. Fall zodiac signs: This autumn begins on the last day of Virgo and spans, as each fall does, the signs of Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. If you or someone in your life has a birthday during the autumn months, why not look to the stars for some celestially guided paper crafting inspiration?

44. Button Day (November 16^th): Rare is the textile or paper crafter who hasn’t worked with buttons at least a time or two. For many of us creative folks, buttons are a beloved mainstay in our craft supply arsenal.

This November, embrace your love of this charming fastener by whipping up a project or two (or ten!) that includes buttons – be they the real, die cut versions, button themed stickers, stamped button images, or anything else your creative, button adoring heart can dream up!

45. International Coffee Day (October 1st): Feeling a bit knackered from all the exciting paper crafting you’ve been doing this fall? Then why not brew up a hefty cup of your favourite java and use this delightful event to celebrate your – or a fellow joe adoring friend’s – passion for the beloved pep-inducing drink that is coffee?

*Bonus 46^th reason* #MakeHalloween365: The super fun hashtag #MakeHalloween365 that I created and launched earlier this year.

I am all for using hashtags as inspiration for our crafting, as the projects we share with them can, in turn, help to delight and inspire others.

If you’re not doing so already, I welcome and encourage you to use the hashtag #MakeHalloween365 anytime you share any sort of creative project, blog post, or photo online that pertains to Halloween.

I check this hashtag regularly and love to feature posts that use it on my Instagram stories.

Let’s band together and help #MakeHalloween365 grow and become all the more of a thriving hub of spooky season creative inspiration for fellow All Hallows’ Eve fans around the globe.

Note: The dates listed here for national and international observances are for the year of 2021. Dates may differ in future years but are apt to still fall around the same general points on the calendar.

Please also note that images used in the above list are copyright of their respective sources. To learn more about a particular image and/or the product that it features, please click on the link in the caption directly below a given image.

Welcome September, welcome autumn!

Personally, my mind, spirituality, and heart begin attuning with fall come Lammas, at the beginning of August.

However, there is just something about the first day (and week) of September that instantly makes it feel like fall has begun, regardless of whether the temperature outside is still hot enough to fry pancakes on the sidewalk or chilly enough to make ice cubes out back once the sun has set.

Like many of us, I am elated that September has returned and am embracing fall’s resplendence with the most open of arms. Not only for its own marvellous merits, but also because this summer has been quite the doozy on multiple fronts and I am eager to soon file the current season away and move onward both with the year and with my/our life as well.

I will save going into further detail there for the next edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me (which should be appearing here shortly before the Fall Equinox). Suffice it to say though, that for a multitude of reasons, this will be a summer that I won’t soon forget!

I’m hoping that when all is said and done, I can make the same statement about fall 2021 – however, ideally, for considerably more positive reasons than those that made this summer quite the standout!

As many of you know, I am absolutely, hands down, no two ways about it madly obsessed with autumn!!!

This point is reflected in both my online and offline life all throughout the year, but I try to let it shine even more powerfully come the enchanting days of fall time itself.

With any luck, autumn 2021 will be no exception there. I’m all but bouncing off the (festively decorated) walls with excitement to share a slew of seasonally related blog content with all of you. Just as I am tremendously excited to see and be inspired by your own awesome fall shares.

Here’s to the hope for a safe, happy, relaxing, beautiful, and thoroughly inspiring autumn, dear friends – may it be amongst the loveliest that we have ever experienced!

Which of the fun and unique fall happenings mentioned above jumped out at you the most? What additional autumn time entries would you add to this list?

The post 45 Special Occasions and Fun Reasons to Make Cards (and Other Paper Crafting Projects) For This Fall 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.