While these words can certainly apply to music itself, this line is sometimes used in the context of death, where for many it takes on an even deeper and more poignant meaning.

Globally, as of 2020 (it is possible that recent world events such as the Covid-19 pandemic have upped these numbers further), approximately 150,000 people pass away each year.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, though, naturally, countless others contribute to that total as well.

This number is substantial unto itself, but when you multiple it by 365 – the number of days in a non-leap year – it skyrockets to a staggering 54,750,000.

You read that right, more than fifty million souls cross from this side of the veil to the next annually.

Yet for all of the death that occurs around us daily, in many parts of the 21st-century world, we remain relatively far removed from this inevitable act – save perhaps for when someone in our immediate life passes.

I could write from now until my own time is up about how I feel we as a society should return to a far greater connection with, and comfort level surrounding, the act of death and our own mortality. However, this post is neither the time nor the place to open up that Pandora’s box of a serious topic.

Instead, it will focus on a pocket letter (the second that I made following a lengthy six-year hiatus from creating this form of paper crafting project; with the first being my Cute Pastel Hued Happy Springoween Pocket Letter last April) that I recently created to send to a dear friend who lost one of their very closest family members.

Out of respect for that individual and their deceased loved one, I will adhere to the strictest of anonymity for both of them.

What I will happily and openly share with each of you is this sympathy pocket letter.

At first glance, it might look quite chipper and cheerful. A far cry from the dark tones and sombre subject matters we often associate with cards and gifts given when someone passes on.

There are, unquestionably, instances when those more solemn approaches are exactly what is needed.

Yet, at the same time, there is no shortage of others when it is just as appropriate to focus on celebrating the life and memory of those who have left this mortal coil.

I did not meet the loved one that my friend lost. I knew a little about them, though, and know quite a bit more about my friend.

They, like myself, have a naturally upbeat spirit and I suspect that their late family member did as well.

I tapped into this point (while also turning to themes that my friend and/or their relative was a fan of) when putting this pocket letter together.

To accompany the PL itself, I selected nine small gifts (one for each pocket of this PL) for my friend.

Some of them were a touch too big to fit into the slots on the clear plastic trading card sleeve itself, so I opted instead to wrap my presents separately and send them along in the same package as the sympathy pocket letter itself.

Death is an extraordinarily personal thing. How we each feel about and interact with this most human of experiences varies from one individual to the next.

At the same time, however, there are certain universal qualities to the act of death and how those we leave behind often feel, behave, and choose to move forward following the loss of someone that they hold dear.

Assuming the deceased was liked or loved (and, you know, sometimes even when they might not have been everyone’s favourite soul), a powerful sense of grief often hits us with the force of a meteorite.

And yet, that does not necessarily mean that as we are wrapped in searing pain and powerful longing we cannot find the ability to celebrate the life, accomplishments, legacy, and memory of those who have passed.

I am a big fan of celebration of life ceremonies or, if such is not possible for whatever reason, simply reflecting on the life of someone who is no longer with us.

There have been numerous times when I’ve held personal celebration of life remembrances both for people in my own circle and for various famous individuals that I admire.

Sometimes, I have also engaged in witchery acts pertaining to both helping the dead to cross over in peace, as well as to aid in the comfort of those they have left in the land of the living.

In this instance, I did not feel that either was called for and so opted instead to pour my focus into creating a lovely pocket letter to send to my friend that conveys a sense of both sorrow + grief and of the happiness that the deceased brought to their lives for multiple decades.

Sweet and cheerful celebration of life sympathy pocket letter

At first glance, one might peg this pocket letter as having anything to do with themes of death.

Upon closer inspection, however, elements that in much of the world have long been associated with death, funerals, and remembrance emerge.

To begin with, dark hues enter the picture via hits of black and navy blue.

Flowers and trees, two of the oldest and most universal connections to both sympathy and remembrance appear here in multiple spots.

Birds, another ancient symbol of death, peace, hope, and brighter days ahead also pop up. In this case, three times in total.

Further, butterflies which symbolize much the same (as well as happiness and transformation) are also tucked throughout this pocket letter.

Various cultures also associate rabbits and/or hares with death or see them as an omen that loss may soon follow.

Arguably far more see rabbits as a sign of hope, positivity, and optimism.

Either way, I feel there is often a place for bunny or hare imagery in the context of death and so decided to include a depiction of this precious creature here, too.

As well, the words that were used are ones that I felt suited the individual who passed, their grieving family, the promise of brighter days ahead, and celebrating the life and spirit of that particular person.

The central sentiment of “For You” indicates that this PL is a gift for my friend – and anyone else in their life that they may opt to show it to as well.

Personally, since childhood, I have associated both the moon and the sun with death (as have many cultures across the span of human history).

The sun is often viewed as the more upbeat of these two celestial bodies, so in keeping with a sense of positivity, I made sure to include a sweet little anthropomorphic sun here, too.

The overall colour palette is one that I feel conveys a sense of comfort and serenity, while at the same time also being chipper and positive. Reminding the viewer that death and life will, so long as hearts beat on this planet, coexist in harmony.

Such has always, and (presumably!) will always, been the case. There is beauty, solace, and inspiration in this fact, and I used each of those things to help propel the creation and overall design of this pocket letter for my sweet friend.

Be it in the context of sympathy/loss or otherwise (as this design certainly lends itself to myriad other occasions and reasons), if you would like to recreate or simply take some general inspiration from this project, read on for a complete list of materials required to replicate this sympathy pocket letter.

Products used to make a comforting, meaningful sympathy pocket letter

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

-Black cardstock

-Textured (or plain) light to medium pink cardstock

-Metallic silver cardstock (light or medium grey cardstock could be used here instead)

-All distressed texture print papers (red/pink, green, and blue, respectively) – The Old World Mat Stack 4.5” x 6.5” Paper Pad from DCWV

-“For You” cut apart sentiment piece – Paige Evans 23 Bungalow Lane Paper from American Crafts

-“Living in the Moment” cut apart word strip – Diamond Layne Sophisticated Paper from Penelope Dee

-“Blessings” cut apart word strip – Antiquities Collection Beloved Paper from Kaisercraft

-“Pretty” cut apart word strip – Vintage Girl Vintage Cards Paper from Photo Play

-Decorative edge scissors – Paper Edgers Sunflower Scissors from Fiskars

-Mini stapler (to attach ribbon pieces to the lefthand side of the PL) – Tiny Attacher from Tim Holtz

-Dark red/brick ink – Stop Sign Ink Cube from Pink & Main

-Olive green ink – Crushed Olive Distress Ink from Tim Holtz

-Turquoise/teal ink – Tumbled Glass Distress Ink from Time Holtz

-Various chipboard stickers (flowers, trees, etc) used throughout this project from an unnamed package of Crafts (Dollarama) brand stickers

-Various die cut pieces (photo corners, birds, flowers, etc) – Handmade Die Cut Cardstock (Pieces) from K & Company

-Various die cut pieces (tags, wagon, sun, etc) used throughout this project from an unnamed package of American Crafts Dear Lizzy die cuts

-White flower (daisy) crochet trim – Vicki B Wraps from Bo Bunny

-Pink velvet ribbon – {Noteworthy} Addie Trims from Making Memories

-Pale olive green ribbon – {Noteworthy} Addie Trims from Making Memories

-Turquoise/aqua blue crochet trim – Botanical Fancy Ribbon from Fancy Pants Designs

-Navy blue seam binding (or ribbon)

-Narrow silver and black ribbon

-Aqua/blue and white feather print washi tape

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

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

How to make your own sweet and cheerful celebration of life pocket letter

Much as with my Cute Pastel Hued Happy Springoween Pocket Letter earlier this year, I feel that the majority of pockets are fairly easy to get the general design gist of simply by looking at them.

That said, some pointers for recreating this specific sympathy pocket letter include the following:

-For each of the three rows of pockets, use the same background cardstock or paper colour (pink for the top row, black for the middle row, and blue/aqua for the third row).

-In the same vein, I opted to repeat the same background paper colours on two out of three pockets on each row, only switching things up with the central pockets.

-While the pockets on this kind of trading card sleeve do have some room to them, there is a rather finite amount of space in each of them.

As a result, if you wish to include bulky and/or larger sized components on your pocket letter – such as, in this case, the central premade die cut frame piece and the white crochet flower trim – it is usually best to adhere them to the top (outside) of the plastic sleeve.

-There are scores of different ways to dress up the “binder side” (the side with three holes) of your trading card sleeve. And, by the same token, numerous ways to attach embellishments and trims to this area of your pocket letter design.

Some of my favourite ways to attach trims, stripes of paper or cardstock, etc to the left-hand side of my pocket letter include sewing, stapling, tying them throughout one or more of the holes, a strong liquid adhesive (hot glue tends to melt the plastic sleeve, however, so I would not use that directly on the clear plastic of your trading card sleeve), brads, eyes, and sturdy washi tape.

-If you wish to conceal the area where you have attached your side trims (etc), you can likewise do so in a number of ways.

These include, but are not limited to, topping that spot with any of the following.

-One or more bows

-One or more flowers

-Fabric or paper leaves

-Large rhinestones

-Large buttons

-Flat back cabochons

-Die cuts

-Chipboard pieces

-Good sized stickers (you will likely want to add further adhesive to the back of the sticker to help it stay securely in place)

-Washi tape

-Metal charms

-Die cut wooden pieces/charms

-Resin/acrylic/(other) plastic charms

-Feathers

-Small bells

-Pop-poms

-A tiny shaker pocket in the shape of your choosing

-If you were making a celebration of life/sympathy/remembrance pocket letter for someone else and did know a fair bit about the deceased, you may wish to weave more of that individual’s interests or other elements pertaining to their life into the design of your PL.

The melody does in fact linger on

Largely regardless of one’s personal spiritual path and beliefs (or lack thereof) regarding what may happen to us when we die, most of us can readily acknowledge the grief and profound impact that losing someone we care about often causes.

Though that individual no longer walks amongst the living, their memory is recalled by those who knew and loved them.

The ability to easily record images and videos (not to mention digital words) of those we care about is a very new happening in the course of human history.

Thanks to modern technology, in some cases at least, people can be remembered not just by word of mouth and well-guarded memory, but also via things such as photos, videos, and social media.

This helps, I find, the deceased to feel all the more like they are still here with us and am very grateful that these forms of technology exist, therefore enabling us to remember the departed with even greater clarity.

Prior to the advent of such inventions, the only ways a person’s likeliness could be visually recorded was in some form of art (painting, sculpture, carving, etc) or the creation of a death mask.

I am strongly of the mind that no matter if a person’s name echoes down through time or not, the universe remembers us as we existed.

Everything in said universe contains energy and, as per the First Law of Thermodynamics, while energy can be changed from one form to another, it cannot be created or destroyed.

In other words, all of the energy that has ever been or will ever be in this universe already exists. It may be recycled, if you will, in various capacities, but it never truly disappears.

Nor, does the melody that softly plays throughout the heavens above for each and every one of us who has ever lived and who will, inventible, pass away in due course.

I know that my friend and their family will long cherish and hold tight to the memory of the relative that they lost.

And that, if at some far-off distant point, that person’s name and recollections of them do eventually fade away, this individual’s life force will still continue existing in one form of energy or another.

Long before modern science, the ancients knew, understood, and appreciated that we were never fully gone and there is no reason why we should lose sight of this fact in the 21^st century.

Have you ever made a sympathy pocket letter? What is one of your favourite ways to offer comfort and support to somebody when they lose a loved one?

The post Sweet and Cheerful Celebration of Life Sympathy Pocket Letter appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

While purple has strong ties to Halloween, (in the Northern Hemisphere) it is arguably most closely connected to spring, followed by summer.

Though lilac season is over for many by this point in the year, plenty of other breathtaking purple blooms continue to dot the landscape. From irises to hydrangeas, pansies to orchids, it is hard not to be intoxicatingly drawn towards this most regal of garden hues.

As touched on in the aforementioned post, my mom’s all-time favourite colour is purple.

Keen to make a card to celebrate one of her latest visits to our humble abode, I deep-dived into the purple end of my craft stash and came up with the greeting featured in this post.

Truth be told, at the time of making this card, I still had a fair number of purple-hued products spread out on my desk in my wee craft room.

Not a day goes by that I do not thank my lucky stars for the roof over our heads and the fact that I get to whittle a tiny corner of it out as a dedicated craft space.

However, objectively, it is a rather pint-sized spot and as a result, when I bring out a decent selection of products pertaining to a specific colour scheme, holiday, theme, etc, I often try to make two or more projects with those items before tucking them back in their respective resting places.

While I am being mindful to work with purple a touch more often these days, chances are it will never usurp my beloved usual palette of dark, fall, Halloween, and antique-inspired hues.

And that is all the more reason, I figure, to create multiple projects when I do pull out a summer garden’s worth of purple products.

In addition to purple, some of my mother’s favourite colours include blue, aqua/turquoise, and crisp white. All of which, I should note, look gorgeous on her!

Thick in the heart of sunny season, where nature, fashion, home décor, and sometimes even things like acrylic dishware are rife with these very hues, it felt exceedingly natural to craft with them as radiant sunshine playfully streamed through the quasi-sheer curtains on the sole window in my craft space.

I work with ink relatively often (be it for edging, creating sky backgrounds, stamping, or myriad other uses). However, despite being a huge fan of dry embossing, I do not tend to reach for my embossing folders nearly as often as I should these days.

Pondering this point a little while ago, it struck me that a good part of the reason why is because of the fact that I often like to make larger-sized cards and most embossing folders (let alone those I own) fall short of the size of my card bases.

Really, though, the more I thought about it, the sillier using that point as a means of sometimes keeping my embossing folders on the sidelines seemed. After all, even if a single embossed piece cannot cover most of my card bases, I can still utilize them for a portion of my design.

I was in an inky mood the day I made this card and so set about creating an ombre-esque design with three assorted shades of purple Distress Oxide Ink atop a floral embossed panel of white cardstock.

To up the volume of purple here all the more, I then took dark purple acrylic paint and created some tiny splatters across my embossed and inked panel.

I have to say, I really like how his piece turned out. There is something to its gradient of lush purple hues that calls to mind a stunning summer sunset.

And speaking of sunsets, many of the other colours that appear on this card would be right at home in the summer skies that help guide us gently into the night through this segment of the year.

Though purple, aquamarine, and white are the dominant colours here, nestled amongst them one also finds rich, warm yellows and delightfully upbeat pinky-corals.

If these hues don’t scream summertime, I don’t know what would!

Lovely purple inked and embossed “Together is the best place to be” card

The delicate, yet visually impactful Fine Bouquet Die from Alte & New used here was a gift from an extremely kind and generous friend that I received in early 2021. I have been champing at the bit ever since to use it for the first time.

What better opportunity than a sweetly pretty summertime greeting?

I cut two copies of this die out. One in white, the other in dark purple, concealing the spot where they meet with some fussy cut blooms from the same floral print paper that appears here in a background layer.

In addition to its use on the embossed panel, ink appears here multiple times along the edges of most of the paper and cardstock layers.

Though a sizable percentage of my paper crafting projects involve at least a little bit of metallic and/or glitter paper, there are certain times – such as this project – where neither of them appears.

However, shimmer and sheen are not missing entirely here, as the white pearl + clear rhinestone adhesive flourish piece adds a lovely background hit of precisely that to this upbeat greeting card.

The sentiment cut apart piece reflects how wonderful I find spending time with my mom to be. Any chance we get to visit is not just a good day, but a great one, and I am incredibly thankful that we live a mere hour’s drive away from one another.

This means that (save for the initial months of the pandemic) we are able to see one another on a fairly regular basis and it is not uncommon for her to come visit for a few days at our house.

Interestingly, as do not have the space for a dedicated guest room, when my mom stays overnight here she sleeps on a high-quality inflatable bed that gets put on the floor of my craft room.

Therefore, prior to them coming together to create this card, the elements at work here would have kept my mom company while she slumbered in that area of our house. (Love that thought!)

Should you wish to replicate this card yourself or simply take a few design ideas from it, read on for a complete list of products used on this lovely purple card as well as step-by-step instructions that will guide you through creating one of your own.

Products used to make this sunny season perfect purple card

-White cardstock

-Light purple cardstock

-Dark purple cardstock

-Tone-on-tone light aqua floral print paper – Vintage Summer Basics 1935 from Maja Designs

-Multi-coloured floral print paper – Hello Baby 3”x4” Journaling Cards Paper from Echo Park

-Cut apart “Together is the best place to be” sentiment piece – ???

-Floral outline die – Fine Bouquet Die from Alte & New

-Floral embossing folder – Floral Reflections Cut and Emboss Folder from Spellbinders

-Teal ink – Memento Dew Drop Teal Zeal Ink from Tsukineko

-Three different shades of blendable purple ink – (I used) Distress Oxide Ink in Milled Lavender, Seedless Grape, and Wilted Violet from Tim Holtz

-Dark purple acrylic paint (gouache could be used here instead, if so desired) – Violet Pansy Shiny Acrylic Paint from Folk Art

-Greyish-white pearl and clear rhinestone flourish (Unspecified product name from the Dollarama brand “Crafts”.)

-Purple crochet trim – Noteworthy Addie Trims from Making Memories

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

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

How to make an inked and embossed “Together is the best place to be” card

Begin by making a white card base.

Cut a piece of Maja Designs Vintage Summer Basics 1935 paper a little bit smaller than the size of your card base. Ink all edges with Teal Zeal ink. Adhere to card base.

Cut a piece of light purple cardstock a little smaller than the previous layer. Ink all edges with Seedless Grape Distress Oxide ink. Adhere to previous layer.

Cut a piece of multicoloured floral print paper, likewise, a little smaller than the last layer. Ink edges with Teal Zeal Ink. Adhere to previous layer.

Next, cut a piece of white cardstock a little bit bigger than the dimensions of the Spellbinder’s Floral Reflections Cut and Emboss Folder.

Use the three shades of purple Distress Oxide Ink to make an ombre-esque blended ink panel.

Once the ink is dry, take your purple acrylic paint and lightly splatter small droplets across this panel.

After the paint has dried, place this piece of inked and paint-splattered cardstock into the Floral Reflections Cut and Emboss Folder and run it through your die cutting machine.

Back that piece (as it has small cut-out sections) with white cardstock.

Cut a piece of light purple cardstock slightly bigger than the embossed panel. Adhere embossed panel to purple cardstock, in turn adhering the purple cardstock to the previous layer of your card design.

Cut out the sentiment panel, ink all edges with Teal Zeal ink and attach this piece to the inked + embossed panel using dimensional adhesive (such as Pop Dots).

Adhere the pearl and rhinestone flourish piece to the lefthand side of the card design.

Using the Fine Bouquet Die from Alte & New, cut one piece in white cardstock and another in purple cardstock. Attach these pieces, as shown, along the lefthand side of your card (on top of the embellishment flourish).

Fussy cut a cluster of flowers from the Hello Baby 3”x4” Journaling Cards Paper from Echo Park. Adhere it where the two Fine Bouquet die cuts meet in the middle of the left-hand side of the card.

Lastly, cut two equal-sized pieces of light purple crochet trim. Place each one diagonally across the lower left and upper right-hand corners of all of your card layers (save for the card base itself), as shown.

And voila, just like that you have an easy (and relatively quick) card that is sweet, fun, and ever-so-lovely!

This design – either with the same sentiment or one that better suits the occasion at hand – lends itself well to a wide array of events, including – but definitely not limited to – Easter, Mother’s Day, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, baby showers, new babies, and retirement.

It also makes a great “thinking of you”, “missing you”, congratulations, or even sympathy card.

Welcoming August back into our lives

Rather mind-blowingly, we have reached the year’s eighth month already. In a matter of days, we will hit the halfway point of summer.

Having just observed Lammas/Lughnasadh two days ago (though, as with most of the Pagan sabbats, I usually celebrate for multiple days in a row and am continuing to do so as this week unfolds), my head and heart are both starting to shift towards fall.

Not, mind you, that they don’t already focus on that season the whole year through – because they most definitely do! (As things such as my #MakeHalloween365 hashtag and year-round festive fall/Halloween projects attest to).

However, as much as I madly adore autumn, I am grateful that we still have a few weeks’ worth of sizzling hot (snow-free!) summer to enjoy before the telltale nip of fall returns to the air and the world is suddenly sweater-clad and frost-covered once again.

Chances are that a sizable percentage of the paper crafting projects I’ll be sharing here between August and November will be fall/Thanksgiving/Mabon/Halloween/Samhain themed.

As most of those creations have yet to be made, it is hard to say to what degree purple will factor into them.

I am in the mood, as I type these words at least, for a fun, classic Halloween palette this year, so I could easily see purple potentially appearing in some of my October 31^st related projects. Time shall tell!

Right here and now though, with a landscape that still looks far more like the start of summer than the end of this season, I will keep delighting in the mermaid-worthy hues of palettes such as the one used on this “just because” handmade card for a little while longer.

Once you’ve pulled out a slew of items for a project, do you tend to make additional creations with them as well, too? When does summer start to give way to fall on your end?

The post Lovely Purple Inked and Embossed Together is the Best Place to Be Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Does this apply to everyone? Certainly not, but it has been my experience that no shortage of people do tend to adore the national holiday that transpires around the same time that they entered the world.

In terms of national/secular holidays, Canada Day has long been a firm favourite of mine. Not the top contender (that, as most of you likely know, goes eternally to Halloween / Samhain ), but one that I often rank as my third most beloved (non-Pagan/witchy) holiday.

Both Canada – as the official nation it has been since 1867- and I came into being during the exquisitely warm month of July.

By the time I emerged on the scene in 1984, Canada was a fully established, thriving nation with a strong economy, ever-expanding population, and a magnificent melting pot culture that has, thankfully, only continued to become my diverse with each passing year.

As a youngster, not only did Canada Day serve as the closest holiday to my birthday, but it was the first one to transpire after the school year let out.

In terms of the academic side of things, I usually adored school and was, humbly, a very good student. However, like most youngsters, come late June, the summer break could not get here quickly enough for me.

At the time, where I lived, school wrapped up sometime during the last week of June.

Canada Day returned a few short days later and always felt to me like the true start of the coming two months of school-free enjoyment that stretched out like a glistening ocean embracing the distant horizon.

There was a heady, palpable excitement to both the start of summer and the beginning of our breather from textbooks, teachers, and homework.

Though summer often whizzed by faster than frisbees we threw to one another throughout the roasty-toasty months, when school wrapped up and July began, it felt for a few brief, enchanting moments as though we had an eternity’s worth of time.

Come Canada Day on July 1^st, like many families, mine would usually fire up the barbeque or roast hotdogs, ears of corn, and marshmallows over an outdoor fire pit.

We donned red and white (the colours of the Canadian flag), made our way down to a public park where the town put on festive activities (including providing for free generously sized – and very tasty, as I recall –  slices of frosted vanilla layer cake with the words “Happy Canada Day” piped in red icing on its saccharine surface).

Live music wafted from the mid-century bandstand at that same park. Beachgoers frolicked merrily in the large lake across the street and many a soul, both young and young-at-heart, went in for the free face painting that the town also provided. Patriotic Canadian flags then temporarily emblazed on plenty of cheeks throughout the day.

As night fell, the sultry warmth that is July’s perpetual dance partner enveloped us all.

We would then clamber to find a free patch of sand on the beach or grass at a different park adjacent to that beach and turn our gaze skyward for the beautiful fireworks show that would soon unfold.

This generally happened around 10 pm and the sight of the fireworks being launched high into the air above the warm waters of Okanagan Lake, their multi-coloured hues reflecting with a magical charm on the water’s surface below, was hypnotically wonderful.

Once the fireworks had concluded, many folks leisurely made their way home. Some would carry on to bars, late-night restaurants, friend’s houses, or their own backyards to keep the festivities going.

Others stayed put, stoked small bonfires on the beach and let their cheerful chatter dot the beautiful night every bit as vibrantly as the fireworks we had just witnessed.

Then as now, I love(d) Canada Day.

We here in this country might not always wear our patriotism quite as boldly on our sleeve as those in some other countries are apt to do, but most of us cherish our homeland – or adopted country – something fierce and appreciate that July 1^st gives us an opportunity to let that adoration ring out for at least one day of the year.

Though Tony and I do not have any major plans for it, I am in the mood for Canada Day big time this year (because, let’s face it, as the pandemic lingers on, just about any excuse to celebrate takes on greater meaning and importance than it may ever have done so prior to 2020).

Two years ago I shared a charming shabby chic red, cream and gold Canada Day card that I made.

This time around, we have retained the red (albeit in a different shade) but opted for a different palette. One that nods its head happily to the Victorian and Edwardian eras, but which is more than timeless enough to ensure it is au courant at the same time.

Beautiful rose-filled true north strong and free card

Much like grilled foods, sizzling hot sand, and exuberant fireworks, one of the things that I will forever associate with early summer is roses.

At most of the homes I lived in as a child and teenager, roses grew either on rickety trellises – their paint peeling and aged to shabby chic perfection – or in short, sturdy bushes.

The first roses of the season usually took up the reigns from the local lilacs, emerging at some point in May. Though it was by no means uncommon to see both smiling in the springtime sunshine at the same time.

They often got a second wind around early July, their unmatched aroma fanned by the hot summer breeze.

In my mind, roses and Canada Day are rather synonymous – particularly if those sublimely fragrant blooms are red or burgundy. Their hue a delightful nod to one of our nation’s two national colours.

The line “true north strong and free” is amongst the best known and most beloved from our country’s national anthem.

It reminds Canadians far and wide of how fortunate we are to live in this country and of the sacrifices many have made over the years (including during both World Wars) to help ensure that sentiment remained factual.

These words, cut from a sheet of Photo Play Oh Canada Eh! paper, were the jumping-off point for this Canada Day card.

I also took a colour cue from that same festive paper, composing a somewhat darker, more refined colour palette for this celebratory greeting.

In addition to various hues of grey, I employed teal, pale mint green, aged pine green, white, and deep shades of red worthy of the most magnificent of real summer-grown roses.

A slew of die cut maple leaves upped the festive feel of this handmade Canada Day card, as did an adorable background layer of moose print paper that is just too darling for words!

In addition to maple leaves and moose, another element that is often associated with Canada (in no small part due to lumberjacks and lumberjills) is plaid, so a lovely dose of that also joined the team here.

This is an oversized horizontal slimline card, and much like various other oversized projects of mine (such as the delightful Cottage Spooky Cottage Sign that I shared here earlier this year), it was a bit tricky to photograph in my small, rather basic quality lightbox.

Nevertheless, happily, I managed to get a few usable shots in the end, which you see peppered throughout this post.

I adored making this (if I may say so myself) gorgeous card and, in the process, conjuring up many positive July 1^st memories both from my youth and adult years alike.

If you are keen to make your own version of this elegantly festive Canada Day card, read on for a complete list of the products used on this project plus detailed step-by-step instructions to assist you in doing just that.

And, should you dig the design by not wish to take this paper crafting project in a Canada Day direction, you could easily swap out the sentiment for one that worked for a different occasion. Say as a birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even Valentine’s Day card.

In addition, you could easily use this card design for things like thinking of you, just because, get well, missing you, and congratulations (very much including congratulations bestowed on those who have, or soon will, achieved Canadian citizenship).

Products use to make a Victorian inspired Canada Day card

-Charcoal grey (or black) cardstock

-Medium grey cardstock

-Light-medium grey cardstock

-Dark red (or burgundy) cardstock

-Light mint (or light aqua) cardstock

-White cardstock

-Canadian national anthem print paper – O Canada True North Paper from Photo Play

-Moose print paper – O Canada Eh! Paper from Photo Play

-Teal plaid paper – the backside of the same moose print paper from Photo Play

-Two different ornate oval frame dies, one larger than the other (they do not have to be the same as one another)

-Scallop edge oval die

-Two sizes of scallop edge circle dies (or punches)

-Larger maple leaf die

-Slightly smaller maple leaf die (for the dark red maple leaf in the middle of the card)

-Corner rounder punch

-Teal ink – Tim Holtz Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink from Ranger (regular or oxide, as you wish)

-Dark greyish-brown ink – Memento Dew Drop Espresso Truffle Ink from Tsukineko

-Two sizes of dark red (or burgundy) paper roses

-Faceted clear buttons – Modern Avalanche Buttons from Bazzill

-Earthy forest (or olive) green hued seam binding

-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 layered, shabby chic Canada Day card

Begin by making an oversized horizontal slimline card base from dark red cardstock.

Cut a piece of teal plaid paper slightly smaller than the card base. Round both of its bottom corners with a corner punch or corner die, then ink all four sides of this piece with Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink. Adhere this layer to the card base.

Cut a piece of pale mint (or pale aqua) coloured cardstock a touch smaller than the previous layer. Round both of the bottom corners on this piece and ink all fours sides of it as well, then adhere it to the previous layer.

Next, cut a piece of medium grey coloured cardstock a little smaller the previous layer and round both of its bottom corners, too. Adhere to the previous layer.

Take the moose print paper, cut a piece of it that is (again) a little smaller than the previous layer. Round both of its bottom corners.

Then, cut the moose print paper into a few equal-sized pieces, trimming the pieces down, if needed, to allow a small vertical opening between each piece.

Ink all of the edges on each of the moose print pieces with Espresso Truffle ink. Arrange and adhere them down evenly across the piece of medium grey coloured cardstock.

Using the larger of the two sizes of scalloped circle dies (or a good-sized scalloped circle punch) cut out two circles from white cardstock and two from medium grey cardstock.

Use the smaller-sized scalloped circle die to cut two circles from the “True north strong and free” text print paper.

Arrange the circles starting with the white, then the grey, then the text print layer, so that some of each layer is visible. Adhere the layers together and then (one grouping apiece) to each side of the center of the card, as shown.

We are going to get extra Canadian here next. Die cut two maples apiece from the white, mint green/pale aqua, light-medium grey, and dark red cardstock.

Create two layered stacks of maple leaves starting with mint green/light aqua, dark red, white, and light-medium grey. Splay the layers out a bit so that each of the colours of maple leaves is visible.

Attach the layers to each other and then place one maple leaf stack on the lower portion of the scalloped circles on the lefthand side of the card. Adhere.

Repeat with the other stack of maple leaves, however, this time, you’re adhering them down on the upper right-hand side of the other group of scalloped circle pieces.

Die cut an ornate oval frame from dark grey, charcoal, or black cardstock (I used charcoal cardstock here).

Die cut a slightly smaller scalloped edge oval from medium grey cardstock. Adhere it to the ornate charcoal grey circle.

Next, die cut a decorative border-edged oval piece from white cardstock. Back that oval with a piece of mint green/light aqua cardstock so that the green/aqua cardstock shows through the openings on the edges of the white cardstock oval, but does not extend out past them at any point.

Adhere that piece to the previous oval.

Die cut a scalloped edge circle from light-medium grey cardstock with the larger of the two scallop circle dies. Adhere it to the previous (oval) layer.

Then die cut a smaller scalloped edge circle from the “True north strong and free print paper”. Adhere to the previous (circle layer).

Die cut a single maple leaf from dark red cardstock and adhere it to the centre of the last circle layer that you created.

Use the small banner/label shaped die to cut out a banner from white cardstock.

Fussy cut out a portion of the text print paper (used throughout this project) so that you have a small strip of paper that says, “True north strong and free”.

Ink all four sides of this piece with Espresso Truffle ink and adhere it to the white banner/label piece.

Gently bend the white banner/label piece so that it bows upward a little in the middle. This creates a greater sense of depth and visual appeal for the sentiment area of this Canada Day card.

Adhere both sides of the white banner/label down across the bottom of the central oval and circle layers, as shown.

Using a medium to dark shade of earthy pine (or olive) green seam binding or ribbon (I used seam binding here), make two slightly larger single layer bows and two single-layer slightly smaller sized bows.

Adhere the larger seam binding/ribbon bows to the outer edges of the center of the moose print paper, so that one larger bow appears on each side of the card design.

Repeat the process with the smaller bows, on this time, center them right beside the central ornate charcoal grey oval piece.

Take two small and two somewhat larger dark red (or burgundy) paper roses. Attach one small rose in the center of each of the larger seam binding bows.

Repeat the process by placing the two larger dark red paper roses in the middle of the smaller-sized green seam binding bows.

Lastly, place and adhere four clear faceted buttons around the smaller green seam binding bows, as shown.

And there you have it, one sophisticated, beautiful, and thoroughly festive Canada Day card for you to use as part of your celebratory décor or give to someone special before/on July 1^st.

O Canada! Our home and native land!

While patriotic music has been penned and sung on the soil of this nation for over two centuries now, the Canadian anthem that is familiar to those of recent generations is actually somewhat new.

The national anthem of this country is called “O Canada” and it begins with the same words that I used for the header above.

It was written by a French-Canadian-American chap named Calixa Lavallée in 1880. However, it would not be until 1980 that an Act of Parliament declared it as the country’s sole national anthem (as since 1939, the country had had two different national songs; the other was “God Save The Queen/King”).

Oh Canada was in use from at least the 1930s onward though, so those of both my parent’s and grandparent’s generations, along with my own, grew up memorizing and singing its stoically beautiful words.

The line “true north strong and free” is perhaps my favourite element of Canada’s national anthem, as I know it for many others as well.

Freedom is not something any of us should ever take for granted, no matter where we live in the world. We need only look to this planet’s history to see countless examples of times when peace was shattered and freedom either stolen or greatly jeopardized.

Much like at Mabon, Thanksgiving, and various other points in the year, I use Canada Day as a time to reflect on how lucky I am to call the world’s second-largest country, geographically speaking, home and to live in a land that is, in a lot of respects at least, quite free and respectful of its citizens’ rights.

No country is perfect – Canada included, of course – but at the end of the day, it is objectively a great nation overall and one that I am truly grateful to call my own, eh!

To all those observing Canada Day this year, may you have a splendidly enjoyable, safe, and festive July 1^st – and to everyone else, may the same hold true for the start of the year’s seventh month on your end, too.

Does your country have a national holiday to celebrate its founding? If it does, do you enjoy making craft projects for that special day?

The post Beautiful Rose-Filled True North Strong and Free Canada Day Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Daily (often multiple times) for weeks now, I have been checking to see if Bloglovin’ was back up again this month. As of the time of writing, it still is not.

Prior to adopting Bloglovin, which is a free service with no cap (that I am aware) on the number of sites users can follow, I used Google’s feed reader.

This was a terrific feed reader and I would still likely be utilizing it were it not for the fact that Google shut it down ages ago now (despite impassioned pleas from users for them to keep it alive).

There are certainly other feed readers beyond Bloglovin’ out there. However, the majority of them only allow you to have a relatively small number of blogs that you can follow for free with their service (25 – 100 tends to be the norm across freemium feed reader providers).

Beyond that cap, they want to charge you to upgrade in order for you to be able to follow a greater number of sites. Such costs are typically applied monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Ideally, I would prefer not to have to pay for a feed reader. That said, if Bloglovin’ continues to be down for long periods (or never returns altogether), I will have to come up with some sort of alternate solution here – be it free or paid.

As will, no doubt, many others who have stuck with the Bloglovin’ platform over the years – even after its mid to early 2010s heyday.

To add insult to injury, not only is the feed element of Bloglovin’ down, but the very same error message (in the screenshot above) appears when I click over to the page that normally shows me the extensive list of blogs that I follow.

Nooooooo!!!

Therefore, if I cannot gain access to that list (which I do not have recorded anywhere else), I will need to refollow those of you who comment here through whatever alternative to Bloglovin’ that I end up going with.

I am hoping that things don’t come to me having to abandon Bloglovin’, but by the same token, missing out on commenting on many of your sites in recent weeks is not something I want to continue experiencing all summer (or longer!) by any means.

If I am a regular or even semi-regular commenter on your blog, could you please leave me a comment below with your site’s URL so that I can start composing a new list of my regular blog reads to use if/when I do have to switch to a different feedreader? (Thank you very much in advance!)

And by the same token, I know that a fair number of you follow this site via Bloglovin’. So that we don’t risk losing touch, please feel free to sign up for my newsletter (located on the upper right-hand sidebar of this site).

At present, this simply emails each new post I publish on Witchcrafted Life to your inbox, so you won’t be inundated with actual newsletters (though, one day, I may start sending the occasional one out) and will still be able to follow along here if you are not planning to decamp to a different feedreader yourself.

As well, if you happen to use or know of any reliable, enjoyable feedreaders that are either free or very well-priced, likewise please share it/them in the comments below.

(I will be investing a number of Bloglovin’ alternatives featured in this post on the subject, but would love to hear more about your faves and recommendations, too!)

And, as you likely deduced after reading the above paragraphs, this is the sole reason why I have not been leaving blog comments on many of your sites over the past 3 – 4 weeks. I am very sorry about that, everyone, and really hope to get this issue sorted out ASAP!

Now, on with our latest edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me.

In Leo Tolstoy’s renowned classic, Anna Karenina, he penned the line, “spring is the time of plans and projects.”

This is a sentiment that I very much agree with. However, I do feel that it usually rings even truer for me during the fall.

After all, they don’t call Samhain / Halloween the Witch’s New Year for nothing! And what new year would be complete without a few new hopes and ambitions?

As winter waned and the first telltale signs of spring returned – despite the ever-worsening state of my physical health (I do not have any positive updates to report there, unfortunately, and so will say no more on the topic for the time being) – I was suddenly struck with one of the biggest waves of creativity that I have ever experienced.

It struck me like a bolt of lightning sent down by my muse and, I am very happy to say, is still going strong.

I have been floating on a crafty cloud nine all spring long and have jotted down literally hundreds of possible project ideas over the past few weeks.

This has been a joyous state to experience and one that is doing wonders in the process for my mental health, which is a terrific added bonus.

Periods don’t like this don’t come along every day for a lot of us and I am trying to soak up and be grateful for every second of amped-up creativity.

Weather wise, despite the fact that snow stopped falling in our neighbourhood a touch earlier than most years (late March vs the usual some point in April), we had next to no proper spring this time around.

Cool weather tinted in shades of worn pavement and faded blue flannel filled the bulk of our days. Enough rain to have one wondering if Amazon sells ark kits torpedoed itself at the ground for days – sometimes even weeks – very nearly on end.

Now, to be fair, I rather adore cool, grey weather and share Wednesday Addams’ sentiment that it is, “so nice and gloomy”.

Yes, I am one of those souls who tends to find damp weather, mild temps, and the need for multiple layers well into June to be an enjoyable experience.

That said, I am not averse to sunshine and can scarcely wrap my head around the fact that with the Summer Solstice/Litha having come and gone for another year, the days will now grow shorter until winter’s rebirth at Yule.

I don’t know if I would personally go so far as to say that I feel seasonally shortchanged, but I am definitely looking at my receipt very closely as I exit the weather store.

To my mind, the best positive to experiencing a far damper and cooler spring than usual is that it has done wonders to keep the annual horrific wildfire season that consumes (quite literally) much of BC in its fiery bite each spring/summer/early fall largely at bay.

So long as I live, I doubt I will ever forget the incredibly vivid red and orange coloured skies of last year’s forest fire season, as we spent days on end hosing down our house and yard to try and keep any live embers in the air from igniting our property.

(See this post of mine for unedited photos of exactly what I am talking about.)

All the while, sitting for about a month on evacuation alert, our most important documents, electronic devices, and a few treasured items neatly piled near the front door to grab at a moment’s notice had an evacuation come in.

Mercifully, that did not happen. Nor was our home or yard damaged by the huge blazes that roared loudly mere kilometres away.

However, the record-shattering heatwaves last year did do damage to some of the lofty evergreens in our backyard, with a decent smattering of their branches still bleached a distinctly rusty brown hue.

This spring was unquestionably a nippier than usual one, but that does not necessarily guarantee that we will be in for a gentle next three months.

Few things can turn more quickly on a dime than Mother Nature’s mood and it is anyone’s guess as to where the temps, total hours of sunshine, and wildfire levels will each land when all is said and done for another summer.

In the introduction to the Winter 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me, I made the war in Ukraine the focus of those initial paragraphs.

Though I was hoping beyond measure that come the next edition of MCM&M, his horrific conflict would be over, the realist in me knew that such was, objectively, quite unlikely.

And as we surely all know, this devastating sham (on Russia’s part) of a war still rages on fiercely. Its end even less certain than the outcome of a whole season’s weather report.

Though media coverage (as it is apt to do) has let up a bit regarding this bloody conflict, I continue to follow credible news sources very closely regarding the war in Ukraine and have every intention of doing so for as long as the fighting continues.

Far closer to home, this spring has not been without its fair share of serious happenings as well.

As some of you may recall for the spring edition of this series, my sister came down with Covid in the winter. Thankfully, she did not require hospitalization and was gradually able to recover. However, no sooner had she started to feel a bit more like her usual self again than she contracted this terrible illness for a second time.

Very luckily, it was milder for her than the first experience and she is once again on the road to recovery.

Still, it is almost unbelievable that she fell ill with Covid twice in such a short time frame. Though no doubt her immune system was weakened by the first bout (as surely just about anyone’s would be) and that made her more susceptible to contracting this virus a second time.

Again, while my sister is doing fairly well at this point all things considered, sadly, I cannot say the same for my paternal grandfather.

Earlier this month, completely out of the blue, he suffered two very serious strokes in rapid succession. Tests quickly revealed a blood clot in his brain which is too large to safely be operated on and so will need to be managed through medication.

Right now, his medical team is optimistically saying that in time, with PT, meds, and so forth, he may be able to regain about 70 – 80% of his pre-stroke abilities and motor skills.

Naturally, everyone in our circle is hoping and praying for that to ultimately prove to be the case, but it is far too early on at this stage to know for sure.

He and my grandma are both in their early eighties and have been married since the 1950s. They have weathered their fair share of serious health issues over the decades, but this is definitely the very worst medical situation to strike either of them so far.

I worry not only for my grandpa himself but also for my grandma and know this will, understandably, take a very serious toll on her.

Everyone who can is rallying around them and trying to help in any way possible.

Given that once a person has one stroke (let alone two), your odds of experiencing another one are quite decent, I don’t think any of us will ever feel like my grandpa will be safely out of the proverbial woods on this front.

Hopefully, though, he will be able to make a sizable recovery and continue to be active and enjoy life (including gardening, which is one of his biggest passions) for a long time still to come.

There is scarcely any good way to segue out of such a heavy topic, so instead of switching subjects again in this intro section, let us proceed with the Spring 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me.

Which, for those of you who are joining this series for the first time, is a link love post featuring online content that caught my eye during the past three months, coupled with a peek into what has been transpiring lately in my own life.

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

–How to Make Your Own Scrying Mirror: Scrying is one of my favourite forms of divination and ways to enter into a meditative state of mind alike.

Should you wish to try your hand at scrying or are already a fan who is looking to add a new scrying mirror to your spiritual toolbox, this lovely, easy-to-follow DIY scrying mirror tutorial from Moody Moons has you covered.

–How to Write Powerful Poetry Spells: Long one of my very favourite ways to utilize the written word in my spellwork, magickal poetry is a powerful, expressive, and deeply personal approach to creating spells that anyone – whether they consider themselves a poet already or not – can engage in freely.

This eloquent and insightful look at the subject is bound to have you reaching for the nearest quill and paper.

–Signs a Deity is Calling You: Not all witches/Wiccans/Pagans believe in and/or work with deities, but a decent percentage currently do or would like to integrate this element into their practice.

If you have ever wondered about how to know if/when a goddess (though the general premises laid out in this post apply to the gods as well) may be reaching out to you, this wonderfully in-depth look at the topic has got your back!

–Ten Reasons Tarot Is Super Effective and How To Make It Work For You: Over the past decade or so, I have enjoyed witnessing tarot (and oracle) cards skyrocket all the more in popularity. While, perhaps not surprising then, at the same time the general public is gradually becoming more aware of what tarot actually is (a powerful tool for insight, growth, guidance, and divination) and what it isn’t (a magical fairy tale type of way to instantly know the future).

In this post on the official Llewellyn website, author Sasha Graham guides tarot newbies through some of the wonderful perks of working with this much-beloved tool. And, by extension, reminds seasoned card slingers of some of the reasons why we are such devoted fans of this awesome item.  

–Threshold Magick for Troubled Times: A supportive and thoroughly apropos – given all the immense problems that are rife in the world these days – look at a great form of magick that can easily be utilized by just about anyone who has access to a (safe) threshold.

–The Secret Names of Magical Herbs and Plants: This enjoyable piece delves into the subject of why, historically, certain plants + herbs were known by alternative folk/magical names and how both those who may still need to conceal their practice today (as well as others who are out of the broom closet) can utilize these old school monikers for some of the world’s most magical green offerings.

–Witchy Apps to Keep on Your Phone: Truth be told, outside of a select few, I have never been the biggest of app users (or, for that matter, cell phone users, point-blank). However, there are a handful of apps that I adore and I am always open to adding more entries to that list.

Penned last October, this handy post from the blog #Lazy is a terrific roundup of some of the best and most relevant phone apps for those who veer in a witchy/Pagan/contemporary spirituality direct.

To no one’s surprise, I’m sure, given that I am a Cancer, the Moon app in particular nabbed my eye. Which one leaps out at you the most?

Cardmaking, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

–Altered Vintage Bottle Tutorial: As of late, I have felt a strong pull towards making altered items. While not new to the act, I haven’t created too many of them in recent years and (much as with pocket letters) have been missing doing so.

Having recently read Anna-Karin’s tutorial post for how to make a vintage-inspired altered bottle, I am chomping at the bit all the more to hopefully make some “off the page” papercrafting/mixed media project this year.

If you are as well, swing on by her post and lap up the creative gorgeousness at work there.

–DIY Farmhouse Candle Holders: It is safe to say that contemporary farmhouse décor had taken off like wildfire in recent years and that it is a trend which is fast becoming all the more of a classic in its own right.

Though my personal décor tastes don’t veer too much in that direction, I admire the style and find that smaller farmhouse-y pieces can often be a cinch to weave into a wide array of home decorating styles.

The selection that Andrea rounded up in this post is inspiring – especially since there is no stopping one from following the general premise but putting their own creative décor spin on these great DIY candleholders.

–Easy Repurposed Antique Chair Spindle Wind Chimes: Like many a crafty/artistic soul, I tend to be drawn towards finding ways to reuse, repurpose, or otherwise find uses for items of all sorts that still have life left in them.

By far one of the most ingenious projects of this nature that I have hit upon in recent months is this super creative approach to turning old chair legs into beautiful wind chimes. B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T!!!

–How to Make Beautiful Tissue Paper Pompoms: Beautiful is an understatement! These generously sized DIY tissue paper pompoms are flat-out gorgeous – while also being relatively easy to make.

You could whip up a few for year-round décor, create sets to cycle throughout each holiday season, use them for parties and weddings, or gift a bouquet’s worth of tissue paper pompoms to someone special in your life.

(On the same blog, Crissy’s beginner’s tutorial on How to Make Fabric Covered Flowerpots also leapt out at me.)

–How to Make Affordable Scrapbook Paper Wall Art: Though this post is currently eleven years old, the idea – turning beautiful pieces of scrapbooking paper into wall art – is no less at home in today’s DIY décor arena than it was in the 2010s.

–How to Make Paper Bead Jewelry: Much as with dried pasta, in our childhoods a fair number of us whipped up creative jewelry that involved making paper beads.

This resourceful type of DIY bead tends to cycle in and out of vogue a bit but has remained popular amongst plenty of crafters and jewelry wearers alike – especially when you end result is as lovely as the examples Amy shares in this great tutorial post.

–101 (free) Fall Sewing Tutorials: Much like the staff at many magazines, crafters often work on projects months in advance of a particular season.

With that thought in mind – and being a lover of all things autumn related – given that fall’s return is a mere three months away, I wanted to share this wonderful roundup post which features 101 different free autumn sewing tutorials for the sewers amongst my readers.

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

Having covered some of the heavier things that occurred in our lives this spring in the opening portion of this post, I will switch to more upbeat fare instead.

As mentioned above, my creativity has been going a mile a minute lately! And while my health does not allow me to keep pace with all of my crafty ideas, I have still managed to get in some paper crafting this season with (very realistic) plans for more as summer unfolds.

In addition, I have deep-dived again into another craft that I have adored and participated in since I was about 5 or 6 years old: cross stitching.

I love, love, love cross-stitching!!!

For me, it is relaxing, super enjoyable, and conveys a sense of the time-honoured tradition of needlework that has been an important part of countless peoples’ lives over the centuries.

Much as with the rest of my craft supplies and finished projects, the arson fire that we experienced in October 2016 annihilated my cross stitch stash and what was, up until that point, very nearly a lifetime’s worth of work. Dozens of projects spanning my childhood to my early 30s were gone in the blink of an eye.

And, though in hindsight I have no clue why I didn’t do so (perhaps because I started stitching many years before digital cameras hit the mainstream market? ), I had never taken photographs of them. Therefore, the only place they live on now is in my memories.

Life might knock me down, but I always spring back again and that sentiment applies to the majority of my long-standing passion as well.

Though I have done a small bit of cross stitching in the ensuing post-fire years, the bulk of my crafting attention has, objectively, been devoted to paper crafting. Rest assured that I do not see that changing anytime soon.

However, it can be a lot of fun to alternate between two or more different craft pursuits (which in this case, can sometimes even overlap – such with handmade cards that feature small cross stitch designs on them or stamp sets that mimic the classic Xs we all associate with cross stitchery) and I love that this recent surge of creativity has led me to connect with cross stitching again all the more.

Now, as a crafty witch operating on a very tight budget, I have been happily trawling the web for free and low-cost patterns that align with my current tastes in cross stitch designs.

Having hit upon a number of great sources (which I am thinking would make for a fun post here unto itself) and with some aida cloth and embroidery floss that I picked up a few years back, I now have a couple of fun new WIPs (works in progress) on the go.

I have also been binge-watching the cross stitchery side of YouTube as of late, where many who post about this passion tag their videos with the charming word “Flosstube”.

Doing so allows others with an interest in the subject to search for this term and be greeted with more video choices than there are colours in DMC’s current colour palette.

In time, as I have hopefully completed more projects, I plan to share some of them here with you – especially since I know that there are plenty of fellow cross stitchers amongst this blog’s readership.

In other news, this Friday was my little brother’s birthday (though as he is currently living outside of the country, it is not possible to celebrate it in person with him). A mere sixteen days from now, my own (GF) cake day will return.

Yep, we are both Cancers. Though being fairly close to on the cusp, I feel that he actually embodies a lot of Gemini characteristics.

Then, twenty-six days beyond that point, my sweet hubby will get to blow out his own set of candles.

The three of us are pretty much the only summer birthdays in our immediate family, which is a lovely point to share in common.

Fun, related fact: Hand on my heart, I was conceived on Halloween 1983.

Really, is it any wonder then that I would grow up to live a life where I #MakeHalloween365 and celebrate my most beloved (and spiritually significant) point on the calendar the whole year through?

And speaking of All Hallows’ Eve, from the day after my birthday onward, I gear up for spooky season all the more. Pretty much viewing July 11^th to October 30^th as one long, fabulously exciting countdown to the BIG DAY!

Which reminds me, with everything that has been going on in our lives and in the world at large so far in 2022, I have scarcely had a moment to sit down and ponder my Halloween costume for this year. Will I bust out a past fave again or opt for something new?

That is a question that I will hit upon an answer for in the next few months, as I prefer to have my Halloween ensemble planned out well in advance.

If you dress up for October 31^st, how early in the year do you tend to start thinking about your costume choice?

Alrighty, as few things in the universe make me as happy as Halloween season, this seems like a good place to wrap up discussing some of what’s been going down in my/our life lately.

Now, let’s hop with both feet forward into a fun mixed bag of various online stories that caught my eye, inspired me, or otherwise stood out over the past few months.

–Embroidery Artist “Paints” Lush Landscapes Using Only a Needle and Thread: Prepare to pick your jaw up off the ground when you gaze upon these stunning works of embroidery art created by the immensely talented Jade Deanna.

–Five Organization Tricks for Highly Sensitive People: Being an HSP myself, posts that relate to this topic are ones I tend to lap up with gusto. As well as often nodding along in agreement as my eyes scan from one paragraph to the next.

That was certainly the case for me when I read this Apartment Therapy piece absolute some great ways HSPs can successfully organize their homes.

–How Stanley Tucci’s Big Night Helped Kick off an American Dining Revolution: No doubt like many other people, I can clearly remember a lot of the more “grown-up” movies that my parents allowed us to watch when I was little.

For me, at the age of 12 – 13, one of those was The Big Night.

Though life (aka, my health) took my future in a different direction, growing up I was deadest on becoming a professional chef with their own restaurant(s).

As such, the plot of this now-classic film from 1996 imprinted itself in my memory all the more and The Big Night still remains one of my favourite movies twenty-six years after it was released.

This look at how The Big Night impacted something far broader – the modern food revolution – is an engaging piece that has a lot of merit to the premise it puts forth and which is apt to resonate with foodies, chefs, and fans of both contemporary dining and modern cookery TV shows alike.

–19 Ways to Get a Little Self-Care Outside: This post is a wonderful look at a plethora of different ways many of us can experience/engage in realistic self-care in the great outdoors. In addition, it is a lovely reminder to all of us that few places are more peaceful, soothing, or enjoyable than when we are in the arms of Mother Nature.

–Six Different Types of Stones Used for Graves: This one is for all my fellow taphophiles, history lovers, and family genealogists out there – as well as anyone else who may be keen to learn more about a handful of materials that were used to construct headstones throughout the centuries.

–10 Famous Authors and Their Favourite Libations: This charming post takes a gander at the favourite tipples of ten world-famous authors (from Maya Angelou to Oscar Wild) and may very well have you reaching for your own personal fave by the time you’ve finished reading it.

–13 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything For Your Wardrobe: Living in a small house with laughably little in the way of closet space, I try to be very mindful of what I buy as I know wardrobe real esteem is at a premium.

Though I do not follow the “one item in, one item out” approach religiously, it does come into play sometimes – as do a number of the points in this handy post that is a must-read, IMO, for fashion fans with closets of all sizes.

The Promise of Brighter Days Ahead

It has long been said that hope springs eternal. One need only look at the course of human history to see the truth in that statement.

Many of us have an ingrained sense of hope that runs so deep it might as well be part of our DNA.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that we are pie-in-sky optimists, wildly pollyannaish, or naïve. Rather, that we hold tight to the possibility that the majority of difficult/stressful/even seemingly dire circumstances we encounter will prove to be ones that can ultimately be overcome or able to be well managed.

Hope has long made me think of sunrises. Just as our good friend Sol comes barrelling back into our lives each morning, so too does hope have an incredible ability to reappear time and time again.

It is a form of comfort, resilience, and self-preservation. We need hope and, in order to exist, hope itself in turn needs us.

Hope has been out in full force all the more across many of our lives in recent years. Between the pandemic, numerous serious global conflicts, the soaring cost of living (which inflation has failed – in much of the world at least – to keep pace with for decades now), a wide array of natural disasters, and plenty more, if hope was a tradeable commodity, it would be the hottest stock on the market.

I love hope. It has genuinely saved my life on more than one occasion and is something I steadfastly hold tight to in the face of just about any situation. Worst case, it doesn’t help. Best case it does and in the process, hope makes getting through dark, difficult times a little less challenging.

Spring and summer are seasons that lend themselves all the more to hope and the ability to look at the glass (of lemonade) as being half full.

In the sun-bathed months, it is sometimes a touch easier to deal with our worries and troubles, anxieties and stresses. Now always, and not for everyone, of course. But for some of us, that is the case and no doubt plays into why we are particularly fond of the balmy side of the calendar.

I adore each season and lean into the perks of all four. While at the same time, continually growing and learning as a person thanks to the challenges inherent to every one of them as well.

Summer’s return unto itself is rarely enough to set every wrong right. Thankfully though, it can help to lift our spirits and provide us with wonderful new memories, languid days of relaxation, and, I find at least, scads of nostalgia.

Both literally and figuratively, summer comes with the promise of brighter days ahead.

Rare is the summer my mood is not lifted at least part of the time and even the most difficult summers of my life have been peppered with fantastic experiences that I look back on with great fondness.

It is anyone’s guess as to what the state of the world or of their own lives will look like when, in roughly three months’ time, the summer edition of this post will appear here.

Hope tells me that at least a few things may be better. Or baring that, not considerably worse off than they presently are.

And in the process, it enthusiastically reminds me that we are a mere three months away from the return of pumpkin season!

No matter what the coming sizzling hot weeks may throw at us, that fact alone is darn near enough to keep a perpetual jack-o-lantern-worthy smile on my face all summer long.

At the same time though, I will try to savour the present season and appreciate the blessings and challenges alike that it holds in store for us.

From the bottom of my heart, sweet friends, I wish each of you a tremendously safe, happy, wellness-filled summer that is illuminated as much by hope as it is by sunshine.

Which of the links above caught your eye the most? What are some elements of summer (or winter in the Southern Hemisphere) that you are most looking forward to experiencing?

The post Spring 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me (Also, is Bloglovin’ Dead? – Please Read!) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Presently, we have the joy of being so to our sweet dog, Annie. (Who you may recall from my scrapbook page project share Only Love Let’s Us See or from my various Instagram posts about her over the years.)

After a string of places that either did not allow pets at all or permitted cats, but not dogs, we were elated when the home we moved to in February 2012 (the house that would, tragically, be lost about 4.5 years later in the devastating arson fire that we experienced) was dog friendly.

Both lifelong dog lovers, Tony and I were eager to add a canine companion to our lives and began keeping an eye out for a precious pup that would fit the bill.

Jump ahead to March of the following year. Tony spied a listing from someone a few hours south of us selling puppies that really resonated with him. Or, I should say, with both of us.

Though the timing wasn’t the best (I was mere weeks away from a fairly substantial surgery and its ensuing post-op recovery), we had a feeling that we’d found our dog, so decided to take a leap of faith, drive down to the city where she was located, and see this cuter-than-cute pup in person.

She was the last of her litter – all of which were incredibly cute – by the time we arrived.

Aside from clearly being harassed a bit by an adult chihuahua that lived in the same house, she was in fine spirits, looked (and was) wonderfully healthy, and melted our hearts faster than one could say “we’ll take her”.

Driving back home that very same day, our sweet pup snuggled in my arms throughout the ever-darkening night as Tony and I conversed for a good while on what to name our new bundle of furry joy.

Many possibilities were raised, stemming from ones based on her colours (black and white) to the city that she hailed from (Delta).

Ultimately though, it was the date itself that steered our final choice.

Tony and I celebrate both our wedding anniversary (in October) and the anniversary of the day that we first met back in 2004.

To differentiate between the two, we affectionately refer to the day we met as our “loveiversary”.

As we picked up Annie on the day before our loveiversary and had already decided that she would be our gift to each other that year for our special day, I proposed the name “Annie” – as in “anniversary”.

We both felt the name click and settled on it immediately.

Officially, her full first name is Annabelle (a subtle Poe reference, albeit with different spelling, that I adore) and we do call her that sometimes, but more often than not, she’s Annie.

Or Miss Annie. Or Puppers. Or Snoop (because her colouring reminds us of the classic Peanuts character, Snoopy). Or any one of a zillion other nicknames she’s had (and continues to have) over the years.

Annie was the first dog that either of us had owned as adults and it is safe to say that her early years were an eye-opening learning experience for all involved.

She was a major chewer for the first 1 – 2 years of her life, which wasn’t the easier thing ever to handle, but thankfully, between our training and her simply maturing in due course, Annie outgrew those tendencies (save for things like plush toys and throw pillows, which we still have to keep an eye on her around).

It was immediately obvious to us that Annie was as smart as a whip. She learned most of the commands we taught her very quickly, soon settled into the routine of our daily life, and knocked our socks off from the get-go both with her energy levels and her incredibly sweet, caring heart.

These days, our beloved Miss Annie is likely heading towards – to borrow a term from my Pagan path – her crone years.

As I type these words, she is just shy of 9.5 years old. Thankfully and joyfully, she still has the energy and stamina of a dog several years her junior and shows little sign of slowing down anytime soon.

While not a hard and fast tradition, some years, when possible, Tony and I love to give Mother’ Day and Father’s Day cards and/or gifts to give to each other as a way of thanking one another for the great job (humbly) that we both do of taking care of Annie.

The card featured in this post is the one that Tony will be receiving today. It is a shabby chic design rendered in a masculine colour palette of blues, browns, white, and muted gold.

But before we delve further into the specifics of this charmingly fun handmade Father’s Day’s card, allow me to share more about Annie with all of you.

Ten fast facts about our dog, Annie

1. While many people confuse her, understandably, with being a Border Collie due to her size and colouring, she is in fact half Labrador Retriever and half American Bulldog. This mix is, adorably, called a “Bullador”.

2. She is a very high-energy animal and, like many of her canine peers, delights in playing fetch, going for long walks, hiking, and playing at the dog park.

Speaking of which, as a true extrovert of an animal if there was one, Annie usually has zero trouble getting along swimmingly with other dogs and often assumes the role of (temporary) pack leader, if one is not already firmly established in a given setting.

3. Her BFF is our neighbour’s Shepherd mix, Nova, who they rescued as a puppy in 2019. Nova really looks up to Annie and clearly worships the ground she walks on (which is the cutest thing to witness). The two have been inseparable mix since the first time they met and enjoy multiple playdates in our backyard every month.

4. As is relatively common amongst dogs, especially medium and large-sized breeds (Annie’s height and weight classify her as being a medium-large dog), unfortunately, Annie developed cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) issues in both of her back legs that required major surgeries to help repair.

The first leg was impacted in the winter of 2017 – 2018 and surgery was swiftly performed. The second back leg showed the same telltale signs in the winter of 2018 – 2019 and again, the same surgery was rapidly undertaken.

Both procedures required extensive recovery periods during which her activity levels had to be severely restricted so that the injured limb could heal.

Thankfully, in both cases, with a few months of taking things super easy and providing at-home physiotherapy to her, Annie made a full recovery. You’d never know to see her these days that she has the canine equivalent of two hip or knee replacements.

5. Annie is very sensitive to other peoples’ moods, states of mind, and physical well-being, and will immediately spot if someone is down or feeling unwell. At which point, she all but velcros herself to them and does her best to lift their spirits.

6. She has an incredibly powerful bite. So much so that, while not intending to destroy them in seven seconds flat, Annie does inadvertently wreck most types of toys that she’s received over the years (even those from numerous brands that bill themselves as being nearly indestructible). Exceptions to this include some Kong and Chuckit products.

7. While experts say that highly intelligent dogs can learn up to 250 words, we are genuinely convinced that Annie may understand somewhere in the range of 300 – 500+ English words.

If this is true, we credit it in part to her extremely high IQ and also to the fact that both Tony and I have worked primarily from home her whole life, so she’s been around us (and other sources of audible language, such as music, video calls, and Netflix) for a huge percentage of her waking hours.

8. Annie is an excellent guard dog who alerts us the second anything that she deems a potential threat (local deer and ravens included ) comes to her attention.

9. By the same token though, unless it was to protect one of us against a serious threat or to defend herself in a true dog fight, Annie wouldn’t harm a fly. She gets on awesomely with other dogs, cats, and humans of all ages (and she adores kids to no end; happily, most of the ones she encounters love her back in return).

10. Annie’s favourite foods are salmon, peanut butter, eggs, any type of beef, cucumber, and watermelon (seedless, of course, for safety’s sake). Plus, naturally, bones, bones and more bones.

She eats a diet comprised of high-quality store-bought and homemade meals in which we try to include plenty of her favourites throughout the year.

(Interestingly, while she’ll gleefully eat them, Annie doesn’t do well gastrointestinally speaking with chicken and turkey. Of the two, she handles turkey better, but knowing this, we severely restrict her consumption of either.)

Masculine shabby chic happy Pawser’s Day card

And now, a fun fact about me…

I absolutely adore puns and other clever forms of wordplay. It is borderline ridiculous how much I enjoy these things and like many a paper crafter, I delight in weaving puns and wordplay of various types into some of my handmade projects.

(If puns are your cup of tea as well, I highly recommend the excellent book, The Pun Also Rises by John Pollak.)

I did not invent the term “Pawser’s Day”, but as I had not yet created a project featuring it, doing so for Tony’s ninth’s Father’s Day as a “puprent” felt like a spot of wordplay that was long overdue.

Creating cards for my sweet hubby is all the more pleasurable because he enjoys a wide range of styles, colours, themes and so forth.

This gives me a great deal of much appreciated creative freedom and means that the elements that comprise my signature paper crafting style are still able to come out and play when I make a project for Tony.

Naturally, though I stay mindful of what colours and other elements are apt to tickle his fancy in particular and like to weave our mutual tastes together in the crafts I whip up for him.

The colours for this Happy Pawser’s Day card were inspired by the returning summer weather and the earth beneath our feet at dog parks, nature trails, and our own backyard alike.

The blue and white represent the sky and clouds, the shades of brown are dirt (something most dog owners are intimately acquainted with ), and the muted gold symbolizes the glowing sunshine of June.

A fun doggo print paper enters the fold as well. It sports a similar colour palette and does not distract from the other elements at play here.

In an ode to Annie’s unceasing passion for bones, a quartet of them appear in the form of die cut shapes that I painted with Tim Holtz Picket Fence Crackle Paint.

Pre-fire, I owned most of Tim’s paints, these days, I just have a couple so far. Thankfully, it is hard to find a more versatile colour of paint than white, so it’s easy to alter Picket Fence’s hue, if needed, once it is dry.

You can do so with various mediums including inks, alcohol markers, dye markers, Wink of Stella markers, watercolour paints, and glitter glues such as Stickles and Nuvo Glitter Drops.

Keep in mind though, that the thicker and/or darker the medium you top white crackle paint with, the less the crackle effect may show through.

I left the paint in its natural state here, as white was my intended colour for the cute little die cut dog bones.

Adding cardboard is a great way to up the masculine look of a project, so I included a distressed piece of it as a lovely, rugged counterpoint to the abundance of teal glitter cardstock.

While I don’t have a cutting die that is a dead ringer for Annie, I had a fun trio of dog silhouette dies in my stash and used all three at the top of this Father’s Day card.

The center dog, while perhaps somewhat more Golden Retriever looking, does resemble Annie a bit and the wee pup on the righthand side definitely reminds me of Annie when she was a youngster.

As I didn’t have a die or stamp with the word “Pawser’s Day”, I turned to a tried-and-true trick of mine for occasions when I don’t have a premade product featuring a specific word or sentiment and simply spelled out what I wanted to say with mini letter stickers.

To create the tiny comma between the “r” and the “s” in Pawser’s Day, I simply hand drew one myself using a white gel pen.

This card was oodles of fun to make. I really hope that Tony gives it two big thumbs up. Just as I like to think it would get two approving paws up from Annie, if she could weigh in with her vote.

Should you be looking to replicate or take inspiration from this card yourself, read on for a full list of materials used and detailed step-by-step instructions for creating your own Happy Pawser’s Day card.

(Naturally, you can swap out the sentiment and utilize this design for a wide range of other occasions, too. Birthdays, anniversaries, retirement, thinking of you, congrats on your new pet, Mother’s Day, and both spring and summertime in general would all be great fits for this doggo themed card.)

Products used to make an adorable dog themed Father’s Day card

-White and dark brown cardstock

-Teal blue glitter cardstock – Glitter Silk Premium Cardstock from Darice

-Natural/kraft colour cardboard (this piece was recycled from a shipping box)

-Brown wooden board print paper – Kiss The Cook Baked Fresh paper from Bo Bunny

-Two-tone blue or turquoise floral print paper (or another pattern of your choice; polka dots would be fab here as well)

-Dog print paper – Dachshunds paper from Recollections (Michael’s house brand)

-Pawprint and bone rectangle frame die (I purchased this die on AliExpress a few years ago. A fairly similar-looking bone and pawprint frame die is currently available at the time of writing on eBay. As well, Whimsy Stamps sells an awesome Paws and Bones Border Die Set that I would absolutely love to add to my stash one day. You could use the dies in this set to create your own rectangle shaped frame.)

-Small sized dog silhouette dies

-Elegant frame die with curved corners (or another frame die of your choice)

-Scripty font “happy” word die (or use single letter dies or stickers to create this word instead)

-Fancy edge border punch – Flourish Scroll Border Punch from EK Success

-Teal blue ink – Dew Drop Teal Zeal Ink from Memento

-Medium grey ink – Dew Drop Grey Flannel Ink from Memento

-White crackle paint – Distress Crackle Paint in Picket Fence from Tim Holtz

-White gel pen – Uniball White Gel Pen from Signo

-Brownish rose gold coloured mini alpha stickers – Necessities Metallic Alpha Stickers from My Mind’s Eye

-Flax/muted gold coloured seam binding

-Glue gun and glue sticks (option, but helpful for securing heavier elements here such as the cardboard)

-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 masculine shabby chic Father’s Day card

Begin by making a card base from white cardstock.

Cut a piece of the dog print paper slightly narrower, but at least ½ an inch taller, than your card base. Ink edges of this piece with grey ink and adhere to card base.

Cut two thin strips of brown wooden floorboard print paper, two thin strips of teal glitter paper, and one piece of blue/teal floral print paper. Ink edges of floral print paper using teal ink.

Arrange and adhere the floral print paper in the center of the card. Adhere the teal glitter strips, then the brown wooden board print strips, on the top and bottom edges of the floral print paper.

Using the dark brown cardstock, die cut a curved corner frame die and adhere it to the previous layers.

Cut and lightly distress a piece of brown/kraft cardboard. Adhere to previous layers.

Top the cardboard with a piece of dark brown cardstock (lightly distress edges, if desired), a slightly smaller piece of dog print paper (ink edges with grey ink), a frame cut from teal glitter cardstock and the same elegant frame die used above, a piece of wooden floorboard print paper, a frame cut from the pawprint and dog bone frame, and a piece of white cardstock (to back the opening of the pawprint frame with).

Arrange and adhere these layers as shown in the photos.

Die cut the word “happy” from teal glitter cardstock and adhere to the white center portion of the pawprint frame.

Use brownish rose gold coloured mini alphabet letter stickers to spell out the words “Pawser’s Day”. Then use a white gel pen to create the comma on the letter “s”. Adhere below the word “happy”.

Die cut one set of dog silhouette shapes from brown wooden floorboard print paper and another from teal glitter cardstock.

Adhere the teal glitter shapes slightly offset to the brown floorboard shapes. Arrange and adhere at the top of the card, as shown.

Create a bow from flax/muted gold coloured seam binding (pre-scrunching/crumpling and drying seam binding beforehand, if you wish).

Lastly, die cut four small bone shaped pieces from white cardstock (or thin chipboard) and apply a medium-thick layer of Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint.

Allow paint to fully die, then adhere bones around the corners of the pawprint frame.

And there you have it, a delightful Father’s Day card that celebrates one’s passion for pups, marries cute with sophisticated, masculine with shabby chic, and which is sure to find favour with any pet parent or lover that you bestow it upon.

Fatherhood comes in many forms

Much as with motherhood, fatherhood is not a one size fits all situation.

While, in a human context, we tend to think of words like “dad”, “papa”, and “father” in the context of being a parent or guardian to fellow people, this word can also be extended to those who are pet parents.

I know that this makes some folks cringe, but personally, I don’t have an issue with it.

From day one with both Annie and our (late) cat, Stella, Tony and I have referred to one another as “mommy” and “daddy” in the context of raising and taking care of our pets.

In fact, as Tony and I rarely address one another by our first names (preferring nicknames or terms of endearment such as “sweetie” or “honey”) but will often say “daddy” or “mommy” when referring to each other around Annie, I’d bet you a jar of Annie’s favourite all-natural peanut butter that she thinks those are our names.

Tony is an excellent pet parent. Care, love, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to our animals are just some of the many positive traits that help to make him one.

He adores Annie with every fibre of his being (as I do) and relishes the responsibility and honour of getting to provide her with the best life we possibly can.

At nearly 9.5 years old, we know that Annie almost certainly has fewer years ahead of her than those she has already experienced.

We accept this heartbreaking fact and try not to dwell on it too much. There’s little sense in letting the natural course of life rob of us the joy of experiencing the present moments that we are blessed to have with Annie.

Right here and now, she is healthy, spry, energetic, (super) playful, and doing great overall. Be it on Father’s Day or any other day of the year, this is an invaluable gift.

As is having a partner in life who cares about and loves animals every bit as much as do (which is why I wanted to celebrate this fact via Tony’s Father’s Day card this year).

Not all of us are dads, of course. Nor do we all have relationships, for whatever reason(s), with our fathers.

This day can be challenging for some people. More than I could ever adequately put into words, believe me, I get and relate to this myself.

I sincerely hope though that it is possible for you to still enjoy Father’s Day or at least not find it unbearable. Think of those dads you’ve known throughout your life (be they family members or otherwise) who excelled in this role.

Reflect on favourite fictional or celebrity fathers, the way (if applicable) your partner is a great papa to your kid(s), and all the fantastic pet parents you may know.

Beyond that, there is the universal element of the divine masculine, male deities pertaining to fatherhood, and the fact that not a single human being would have come into being were it not for the combination of (biological) male and female DNA.

To all those celebrating, honouring, or remembering dads and father figures or archetypes today in any capacity (pet parenthood very much included), I hope that you have a terrific time doing so and that all the papas in your life enjoy a very happy Father’s Day.

A wish that, I have no doubt, Annie seconds all the way.

Do you celebrate the pet parent side of Father’s and/or Mother’s Day? What are your favourite occasions to make pet themed paper crafting projects for?

The post Masculine Shabby Chic Happy Pawser’s Day (Father’s Day) Card – Plus Get to Know Our Dog, Annie appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gold ghost shabby chic purple Halloween card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Products used to make this hauntingly charming vintage ghost Halloween card

-Black cardstock

-Purple cardstock

-Metallic gold cardstock

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Black seam binding

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

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

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

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

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

How to make a gold ghost shabby chic purple Halloween card

Begin by making a card base from purple cardstock.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We are even closer to All Hallows’ Eve now and as a result, I have been massively in the mood for classic Halloween colours and imagery.

Whereas plenty of folks make winter holiday season cards all throughout the span of the calendar, as many of you know, I create Halloween cards and other spooky season themed crafting projects all year long.

They bring me bliss and further strengthen the bond I have with my favourite (and most sacred) day of the year: Halloween + Samhain.

Plus, come those knee-weakingly gorgeous days of early to mid-autumn, doing so means that I usually have numerous festive Halloween cards (et al) ready to give to friends and family.

And, they are also the ideal way for me to utilize the #MakeHalloween365 hashtag that I launched last year so that Halloween adoring creatives of all types could share their work and be inspired by that of other people.

As you might guess, this fun vintage themed Halloween card is my #MakeHalloween365 project for the month of May.

Creating it in the heart of Beltane season – which is the corresponding sabbat to Samhain on the opposite side of The Wheel of The Year – felt especially meaningful to me.

The Witching Hour adorable vintage image and classic fall colour Halloween card

Knowing that I wanted to go with a timeless fall + Halloween colour scheme for this delightful project, I selected a palette of pumpkin-y orange, aged cream, deep gold, and midnight black.

And how fitting the latter is when you consider the sentiment that appears on this card.  

It reads the “The Witching Hour”, which while some people place later in the night/early morning (in the range of 3 – 4 am, when the dark heart of the night is still beating strong and dawn has yet to crack the sky’s surface once again), many others view this time as occurring from midnight to 1 am.

The concept of the witching hour, while certainly intertwined with Halloween + Samhain, applies to every night of the year and is an extraordinarily powerful and poignant point in the day to carry out activities pertaining to one’s witchery, Paganism, or spirituality in general.

And if you can do so bathed in the moon’s silvery light, all the better (though that is by no means essential, of course).

When I was but a wee lass, my (very talented!) mom made me an adorable witch’s costume from Halloween print fabric. A sturdy orange trash bag was utilized as an attached cape – which is all kinds of clever in my books (especially given the very real possibility of rain or snow that we faced on October 31st).

I wore that handmade witch costume on at least two, possibly three, different Halloweens throughout my youth. A few years later, my little sister would go on to sport it as well.

While to the best of my knowledge, this costume was likely either given away to other youngsters or lost to the hands of time at some point, I still have a scanned photo (care of my sweet mama) from the 1980s of me wearing it.

It was this very costume that I was thinking about as I set out to make my latest handmade Halloween card.

And in a flash, I remembered a sheet of Authentique Twilight paper I had picked up a while back that stars some fantastic vintage Halloween images. One of which was a sweet little girl dressed as a witch herself.

The fact that this image tied in excellently with the colour palette I had already determined was the icing on the cake – or should I say, the caramel on the apple.

As, this far out still from October 31^st, I am not sure yet if this card will be mailed or delivered in person, I opted to keep its depth below the minute two centimetres that Canada Post permits letter mail to be before it crosses into parcel territory (regardless of the other dimensions and weigh involved).

Naturally though, true to form, I wasn’t about to sacrifice too many layers or embellishments.

Doing so came together by building up a base of numerous layers of cardstock and paper to which I added a piece of cream-hued crocheted trim, two felt bats (I gave them cute little gold rhinestones as eyes), a button + rhinestone topped selection of trims, and quartet of gold rhinestones around the outer corners of the central image.

And just about as fast a real pair of bats – or a darling little Halloween witch on her broom – could zip across the enchanting Halloween night sky, my card was complete.

This design is quite easy and all things considered, not too brutal on the ol’ pocketbook – especially if you already have most or all of the types of supplies used on this Halloween card project to hand.

Should you be keen to whip up one yourself or use it as an inspirational jumping-off point for your own festive Halloween cards, read on for a complete list of the materials used plus detailed step-by-step directions on how to make this super cute vintage-inspired All Hallows’ Eve greeting.

Products used to make this charming “Witching Hour” Halloween card

-Black cardstock

-Pumpkin/dark orange cardstock

-Dark cream or taupe cardstock

-Metallic gold cardstock

-Stitched edge (or any other type you wish) rectangular die

-Ornate edge rectangular (or square) die

-Pinking sheer decorative edge scissors – Mini Pinking Paper Edgers Scissors from Fiskars

-Flax/muted gold-hued plaid paper – Fall Breezy Stripes Paper from Photo Play

-Pumpkin print border strip paper – Spook Hill 8”x8” Paper Pad from Recollections

-Witch’s broom print paper – Haunted House Witching Hour Paper from Carta Bella

-Vintage witch girl image paper – Twilight Eight Paper from Authentique

-Golden brown ink – Peanut Brittle Memento Dew Drop Ink Pad from Tsukineko

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

-“The Witching Hour” sentiment sticker – Halloween Town Element Stickers from Echo Park

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

-Orange seam binding

-Black seam binding

-Cream or ivory crochet trim

-Black felt bats (I bought these on AliExpress a few years back; similar can often be found at craft and dollar stores come the fall or cut from a bat die and thin black felt with many modern die cutting machines.)

-Orange button

-Black button (That is large enough to be topped by the orange button and still have its sides remain visible.)

-Two sizes of coloured rhinestones/gems (ideally one should be quite small as it will be used as eyes on the felt bats)

-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 witch themed vintage-inspired Halloween card

Begin by making a card base from cream/taupe colour cardstock. Ink all four edges of the front (and for that matter, the back, too, if you would like ) with golden brown ink.

From the Spook Hill 8”x8” Paper Pad cut out a slender pumpkin print border strip and adhere it vertically to the left-hand side of the card base.

Using pinking sheer decorative edge scissors (or actual pinking sheers) cut a piece of black cardstock a little smaller than your card base. Adhere to card base.

Cut a piece of orange cardstock a wee bit smaller than the previous layer. Adhere to previous layer.

Using the same decorative edge pinking sheer scissors, cut a piece of gold metallic cardstock just a whisper tinier than the previous layer. Adhere to previous layer.

Cut a piece of Haunted House Witching Hour paper from Carta Bella the same width as the previous layer, but just under half of its. Adhere to previous layer.

Then, using the Fall Breezy Stripes flax coloured plaid paper from Photo Play, repeat the same process as above only this time the plaid paper will go on the bottom half of the card, as shown. Before adhering it down, ink the visible edges with golden brown ink.

Die cut an ornate rectangle piece from metallic gold cardstock. Run a piece of cream/ivory crochet trim across the middle of this piece, wrapping its ends underneath. Adhere to the back of the die cut gold cardstock rectangle and then adhere that to the centre of the existing card layers.

Use the pinking sheer decorative edge scissors to cut another piece of metallic gold cardstock, making it a bit smaller on all sides than the Carta Bella broom print paper.

Before adhering that layer down, tuck and adhere one of the black felt bats partially underneath of it on the upper left-hand side, as shown. Then adhere the orange cardstock rectangle to the previous layers.

With the stitched edge rectangle die, cut a rectangle from orange cardstock. Adhere to previous layer.

Next, cut the adorable vintage witch girl image from the Authentique Twilight Eight Paper.

Using the same cream/taupe cardstock as the card base, create a very slender mat for the vintage witch girl image. Ink the edges of this piece of cardstock with black ink (brown or dark orange ink would work nicely here as well).

Adhere vintage witch girl piece to the cream/taupe cardstock.

Cut a piece of black cardstock a tiny bit bigger than the cream/taupe cardstock. Adhere cream/taupe cardstock to the black layer and then adhere the black layer to the previous card layers.

Fussy cut two brooms from the Carta Bella Haunted House Witching Hour paper. Adhere one each to the left and right-hand sides of the central image panel, positioning them so that each one is at an angle, as shown.

Take the sentiment (“The Witching Hour”) sticker and lightly rub the lettering, which is white in its natural state, with golden brown ink to tint the letters so that they better match the colour palette of this card. (Alternatively, you could use a suitable marker or even a coloured pencil to do the same thing as well.)

Adhere sentiment to the bottom center of the vintage witch girl panel.

Take one relatively small piece each of flax/muted gold, orange, and black seam binding, layer them together, fold them in half, and adhere them on the left-hand side of the lower half of the card.

Take your black button, top it with an orange button, and then with a gold rhinestone. Adhere these elements together and then to the “fold” area of the seam binding.

Place one of the larger of the two sizes of gold rhinestone embellishments around each corner of the black cardstock central panel so that it sits partially on that layer and partially on the orange cardstock layer below it.

Adhere the second black felt back to the upper right-hand side of the card, as shown.

Lastly, adhere two teensy tiny gold rhinestone embellishments to each of the bats so as to give them eyes.

And just like that, you have one sweet, classic, and very versatile handmade Halloween card to give away or keep and use as wonderfully festive home décor.

The comfort and inspiration of nostalgia

Though not everyone – myself included – had a Cleaver family style childhood, I am tremendously grateful for the positives that my youth did house at times.

Few come close on that front than the Halloweens that I experienced while growing up.

They were earnest, cheerful events filled with handmade costumes and decorations, Unicef boxes, bracingly cold Canadian night air, and a sense of exhilaration that no special event – my birthday included – could top for me back then.

Nor to this very day. I continue to get no less giddy now at the prospect of another brand new All Hallows’ Eve than I did all those decades ago.

I think about Halloween, be it past, present (year), or future, just about every day of my life – often many times a day for that matter.

It is vital that we each have things in our lives that speak to our hearts, souls, and creativity alike.

Halloween is one of the biggest and most important of those for me.

The roots of this passion took hold back before that photo of me as a wee youngster with her classic plastic pumpkin pail of sweet treats was even snapped. And it is safe to say that they have only continued to grow further every day of my life since.

I adore using Halloween memories to inspire current craft projects (not to mention other things as well, such as October 31^st menus, costumes, and decorations) and when you swirl vintage – another lifelong passion of mine – into the mix as well, I am on cloud nine.

In the coming countdown to Halloween months, you can look forward to plenty of festive content including – all things willing – no shortage of additional brand new spooky season 2022 papercrafting projects from me.

Right here and now though, it is still Springoween and as eager as I am for Halloween’s return, I am grateful for the sunny side of the year and the time it grants me – and crafters everywhere – to make a slew of festive fall projects in the lead up to that bewitchingly awesome holiday.

When do you tend to start your October 31^st related crafting? Be it pertaining to Halloween or otherwise, do you like to use treasured memories as inspiration for some of your creative projects?

PS: Did you know that there is a paper crafting challenge group dedicated solely to making Halloween projects the whole year through? I caught wind of it a little while ago and have been meaning to take part, but so often seem to forget in the midst of creating, photographing, and blogging my projects.

I am head-over-heels with Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge Blog and am entering this project into it as my inaugural foray into that challenge site.

If you have not yet discovered them yourself and also adore making Halloween paper crafts, be sure to zip on over and give them a peek!

The post The Witching Hour Adorable Vintage Image and Classic Fall Colour Halloween Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Allow me to elaborate, dear readers.

While spring might technically commence during the third week of March, in reality, the season rarely gets underway in any sort of serious way where we live until around mid-April to early May.

It is not uncommon for snow to linger on the ground and/or keep falling well into April around these Canadian parts.

So while plenty of corners of the world have been enjoying spring’s return since February, March, or April, I often associate May with the full-on start of this energetic season.

Spring is usually comically short-lived in our corner of BC (much as it is in a lot of Canada). It is not uncommon for us to go from temps in the range of -25C to +35C in the span of just four to eight weeks.

This means that spring – in its idyllic, mild weathered, new bloom-filled sense – is often over before you can even slip your rain boots on.

As layer upon layer of ice and snow gradually retreat, cocoa hued brown earth still damp and chilly from winter’s receding deep freeze meets us beneath our feet.

Overhead, skies so blue it almost seems as if someone took a fluorescent highlighter to them cradle fluffy, cotton ball-esque clouds and the promise of a few brief months of warm weather before we are thrust back into the snowy season once again.

While winter houses plenty of enjoyable outdoor activities unto itself (skiing, sledding, snowman making, etc), it is in spring when a lot of us reconnect with our favourite activities that are enjoyed in nature.

Last year my mom bought her first e-bike. Like many of us, she learned to ride a bike as a young child and while she has owned numerous bikes throughout her life, she’d not had one for a decent while now.

She immediately fell in love with her new set of wheels, quickly embarking on rides with both friends and with my husband, Tony (who is an avid cyclist himself) throughout the spring and early summer.

Save for the absurdly warm heatwave that struck much of British Columbia around the end of last June/start of July, it wasn’t the temperature that put the breaks (pun mildly intended ) on cycling for many folks around these parts last year.

Instead, it was the genuinely dangerous air quality stemming from the plethora of brutal wildfires that swept through this province during 2021’s toastiest months.

By the time the smoke had dissipated, the fires had burned out (or very nearly so), and the risk of evacuation was behind us once again, it was pretty much fall already.

Rides, as you might imagine, were quickly savoured by many a cyclist during that all-too-brief window between summer’s end and the return of snow.

Now spring is back and that means my mom, Tony, and countless others who like to cycle can hop on their bikes – be they e-bike, traditional bikes, recumbent bikes, or any other form of bicycle – and take to the open roads and nature paths once again.

For Mother’s Day (which transpires on Sunday May 8^th this year here in Canada + US), I wanted to make a festive card that tapped not only into my mom’s rekindled passion for bike riding, but also the earth and sky colour palette of springtime that is surrounding us at the moment.

Early Spring Colour Palette Bicycle Themed Mother’s Day Card

By my layer + embellishment adoring standards, this card is neither chock-a-block with such things nor did it take very long to make (less than three hours – which for me personally, is very speedy on the paper crafting project front).

Much as with the elephant card that I made my mom for her birthday last year, it was not until I sat down to craft a cycling themed card that I realized how few bike related products are in my current stash.

Surely, I would have guessed beforehand, I must have at least one stamp set that includes a bike. Nope, not as far as I could unearth that day, at least.

Okay, what about metal dies? Save for a small-sized penny-farthing die, again, nada.

Hmm, this is getting interesting, I thought. Will patterned paper come to the rescue?

As you can no doubt see from these project photos, that it did. Big yays all around!

But even then, this was the only cycling themed paper I could find in my stash (and that includes going through any 6×6, 8×8, 12×12, etc paper pads that might possibly have included a biking related print or two).

Given that both Tony and my mom are keen cyclists, going forward I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more bike riding related products.

The banner/bunting-shaped pieces here were simply cut from rectangles of brown cardstock and blue floral print paper, respectively.

To achieve the desired banner/bunting shape, flip your paper or cardstock over so that the backside is facing you. Take a ruler, align it with on bottom corner and at a 90 degree (or so) angle, make a straight line until you’ve reached the halfway mark of that piece of paper or cardstock.

Repeat the same thing from the other bottom corner, joining the two lines. You should now have the shape of a wide vee. Following the pencil lines you just marked, cut out that wide vee shape and, presto, your banner/bunting piece is good to go.

If you wish to create two or more layers of bunting/banners that will be stacked on top of each other, repeat the same process using gradually smaller-sized rectangles to create your banners/bunting pieces.

According to the Teleflora blog, approximately 1/4^th of all flowers sent annually on major holidays are purchased and delivered for Mother’s Day.

That is no surprise, really, as flowers are often one of the first things many of us both associate with Mother’s Day and which we are apt to give our moms come this special day that is held in their honour.

I was especially happy then that blooms appeared twice on the bike image that I fussy cut from a piece of Jillibean Soup bike patterned paper.

Not only do the flowers tap into that connection, but they speak to the eternal connection between spring/summer and blooms on this side of the globe.

Unlike real flowers, however, these beauties are not apt to fade anytime soon (which is another point in their favour).

I have always enjoyed working with brads in the context of my paper crafting projects but had not done so in a while. This prompted me to dive deep into my collection to see if I had any brown brads on hand.

Delightfully, the answer to the question was “yes”, and these good-sized cocoa powder hued cuties from We R Memory Keepers fit the bill to a tee.

A strip of heathered cream twill ribbon, complete with a matching bow, provides further dimension and visual interest to this fun Mother’s Day card.

Swap out the sentiment here and there is no shortage of other occasions that this same sort of card design would suit.

Birthdays, Easter, Father’s Day, thinking of you, happy travels, graduation, missing you, retirement, congratulations, or just because cards would all be good fits, amongst others.

If you are vibing with this charming bike themed card and would like to create one of your own, read on for a complete list of products used plus detailed step-by-step project instructions.

Products used to make this sweet and cute biking card

-Textured (or smooth) dark brown cardstock

-Textured (or smooth) mustard yellow cardstock

-Cream cardstock

-Blue-on-blue floral print paper

-Cream/flax and brown floral/damask print paper – Portrait of a Lady Collection Grace paper from Graphic 45

-Bicycle print paper – Spoonful of Soul Trust the Journey paper from Jillibean Soup

-Nested oval die set

-Tag/label die

-Circle design border punch – Double Bubble border punch from Fiskars

-Mother’s Day sentiment stamp

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

-Dark yellowy-orange ink – Memento Dew Drop Ink in Cantaloupe from Tsukineko

-Dark blue ink – Archival Cobalt Letter It Stamping Ink from Ranger

-Brown brads – Neutral Painted Brads from We R Memory Keepers

-Heathered beige coloured twill ribbon

-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 wonderfully fun bicycle themed Mother’s Day card

Begin by making a card base from textured (or smooth) cream coloured cardstock. If working with smooth cardstock, you could also run it through an embossing folder with an understated design for some added texture as well (such as small dots, hearts, lines, leaves, flowers, or stars, for example).

Cut a piece of dark brown textured (or smooth) cardstock a touch smaller than your card base. Adhere.

Cut a piece of Jillibean Soup bicycle print paper slightly smaller than the dark brown cardstock layer. Ink all four sides (edges) of this piece of paper with Memento Dew Drop Cantaloupe Ink. Adhere to the dark brown cardstock layer.

Take the blue-on-blue floral print paper and cut a rectangle a little over 1/3^rd the width of your card base. Ink all four sides (edges) with Ranger Archival Cobalt Letter It Stamping Ink.

Adhere this piece of blue paper horizontally in the middle of the card layers that you have assembled thus far.

Cut a rectangle of dark brown textured (or smooth) cardstock slightly smaller than the piece of Jillibean Soup bicycle print paper.

Use the Fiskars Double Bubble border punch on the bottom edge of that piece of cardstock. Adhere piece to previous layers.

Cut a piece of cream/flax and brown coloured Graphic 45 paper slightly smaller than the previous (brown cardstock) layer. Use the same Fiskars border punch on the bottom of this piece of paper as well. Adhere this layer to the previous brown cardstock layer.

Next, insert brown We R Memory Keepers brads through the top and bottom corners of these two layers, as shown. Adhere this stack of two layers to the previous card base layers.

Cut a rectangle of dark brown cardstock and a slightly smaller rectangle of blue-on-blue floral print paper. Turn the bottom of each piece into a banner/bunting shape using the method described in the section immediately above these instructions.

Ink the piece of blue floral print paper on all sides/edges with dark blue Ranger ink.

Adhere floral print paper on the dark brown cardstock. Then, take a small piece of mustard yellow cardstock, use the Double Bubble border punch along its bottom edge and adhere this piece of cardstock in the uppermost portion of the “vee” shape of your banner/bunting layers.

Adhere these banner/bunting layers to the previous card layers.

Run a piece of heathered cream twill ribbon/trim across the middle of the card, tucking its ends beneath the first dark brown cardstock layer of this card’s design.

Create a bow from the same twill ribbon/trim and attach it on the lefthand side of the middle of the card, as shown.

Die cut an oval from mustard yellow cardstock. Adhere to previous card base layers.

Die cut an oval from dark brown cardstock and adhere it to the mustard yellow oval piece.

From the same Jillibean Soup bicycle print paper that we’ve already used, fussy cut a single bike and adhere it to the brown cardstock oval.

Die cut a label/tag shape from cream cardstock. Stamp the Happy Mother’s Day sentiment in the middle of it with dark brown ink. Attach a slightly smaller sized (if you have two different sizes on hand, if not another two of the same size that you already used is A-okay as well) brown brad to each end of the label/tag.

Lastly, adhere the label/tag so that it overlaps slightly with the centre bottom portion of the oval pieces.

That’s all there is to this splendidly sweet card that is perfect for biking fans, lovers of spring, nature enthusiasts and plenty of others as well.

Given its relative simplicity and the speed that it takes to make this card, it would be a good design if you needed to make multiples for an occasion or event (including invitations).

Let’s ride!

As much as I wish I could, riding has been beyond the scope of my health for about twenty years now.

One recent summer, thinking maybe, just maybe, I could bear the immense pain + symptom flare-ups that cycling causes some of my chronic illnesses, I purchased a bike and rode it a couple of times.

Sadly, that was all it took for me to realize that no amount of hoping and gritting my teeth through the discomfort was going to make that possible in the long run. So, with tears in my eyes and heart alike, the bike was swiftly returned to the shop from which it was bought.

Thus, while actually jumping on a bike and hitting the open road is not feasible for me, thankfully, I can still delight in cycling vicariously through Tony, my mom, and other relatives who are avid bikers.

Plus, I can enjoy the ride in spirit via fun paper crafting projects like this, watching cyclists zip through our region of the province (including as part of the annual Ironman Triathlon that is held each summer about two hours south of where we currently live), and care of the tales about their rides that loved ones regale me with throughout the sunny season.

Whether you are a keen cyclist, have (as I do) fond memories of riding earlier in your life, or just enjoy images of bikes, I encourage you to take to your stash and whip up a biking related project or two this year.

They suit spring and summer marvellously and can be an awesome way to make meaningful projects that tap into the interest of friends, relatives, colleges, neighbours, teachers – your name it!

Are you a bike rider yourself? Do you enjoy making cycling themed craft projects as well?

PS: To all those moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and others of all genders who take on the role of being a mama, may you have a radiantly beautiful and abundantly happy Mother’s Day tomorrow.

The post Early Spring Coloured Bicycle Themed Mother’s Day Card appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are but a few that have caught my eye:

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

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

–How to Celebrate Halfoween from Spooky Little Halloween

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cute Pastel Hued Happy Springoween Pocket Letter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Peachy-cream coloured cardstock

-Pink cardstock

-Black cardstock

-Metallic gold cardstock

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-White sequins

-Black sequins

-Iridescent pink sequins

-Mini pink clothespins

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

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

-Gold coloured seam binding

-Black seam binding

-Black lace trim

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

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

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

-Black and white striped washi tape

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So easy and so handy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happiest Halfoween wishes!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Springoween

–Summerween

–Fall time in general

–Lammas

–Mabon

–Samhain

–Thanksgiving recipes

–Vintage Thanksgiving

–Fall and Thanksgiving cards

–Halloween

–Halloween costumes

–Halloween recipes

–Halloween cards

–Vintage Halloween

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It would be unconscionable in my books not to be.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cardmaking, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hold Fast to Dreams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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