My Itty Bitty 'Thanksgiving' Book & Autumn Candle Crafting

The candles, bell and book photo shown here were part of my Lammas & Mabon Decorations. (I start with the basics & then add in the specific extras to the Sabbat or Holiday.) Below is a wreath and some of my crystals, stones & bones. I lay them down flat as well as hanging, and sometimes put a candle in the middle to burn on a plate; and rest all of the stones around the little wreaths.
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I make these itty bitty keepsake books from my kid's old board books, which is a great source for cheap art surfaces to alter. You can find nice ones to play with at the 99 Cent Store; and for a bit more, blank chipboard albums can be bought at the Art Store.
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This project is easy gratification art. I can start and finish one of these in an afternoon- (not counting the painting & drying time); but I usually end up making them in little batches. That way I have some for me, and some to give as gifts.
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I start by lightly sanding painting the middle and outer edges of each page, and then decorate each page with cardstock and patterned papers (DCWV). I punch the flowers & corners, and hand cut the owls from my own designs. The little strips say "Coming Home for the Holidays", "Thanks, Fall, Holiday". "Stuffed, Mashed Potatoes and Grapes, Yams, Pumpkin Pie".
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The sayings strips are cut come from sheets of patterned paper, which is another way to get more bang for your buck; as opposed to rub ons, stickers or specialty embelishments. I finish off with a coat of Mod Podge on the cover, and sometimes the pages.

And lastly some beautiful Autumn Pumpkin Candles from Martha Stewart. These pure beeswax candles are moulded from carved gourds and vegetables, nuts and birch bark in a delicate and labor intensive process. What a way to attune with the natural elements, and get crafty at the same time. Visit the site to read in depth article on creating these natural moulds, and beeswax candles.

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Bye All, Have a great weekend!

Danae's Thanksgiving & Autumn Crafty Creations

Hello Friends~

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Thank you for stopping in to take a look at my

Thanksgiving & Autumn Crafty Creations.
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"Autumn's Splendor"

Amber colored Swarovsky Crystals & Carnelian

Necklace & Earring Set

$28.00

ADD TO CART HERE WITH PAY PAL

"Mossy Glenn"

Brown & Green Agate Carved Roe & Onyx

Necklace & Earring Set

$28.00

ADD TO CART HERE WITH PAY PAL

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"The Key To A Friend's Heart "

OOAK Handmade Art Collage on 6x6" Wooden Plaque~$25 *

SOLD
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Handmade Greeting Cards

OOAK individual cards & limited sets

each comes with an envelope

1 for $5.00

ADD TO CART HERE WITH PAY PAL

3 for $12.00

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5 for $20.00

ADD TO CART HERE WITH PAYPAL

12 for $40.00

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*Autumn's Ghost*
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*Watch The Leaves Turn*

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*Thanksgiving's Blessings*
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*Count Your Blessings*

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*Autumn Mosaic*
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*Why Me?*
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Thanks for stopping by, and come again soon.

As always, I thank you for supporting Handmade Art!

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Please visit my new selling blog for lots of other great Crafty stuff.
CRAFTY CHICK CREATIONS
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Have a great day!
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~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'
CraftyChick1221@YAHOO.com

Awesome Autumn Wreaths

Autumn is a wonderful time of year for crafting, as well as the time when we tend to open our homes to our Family and Friends. Nothing says "Welcome" quite as well as an Autumn Wreath on the front wall or door.

There are many options available for materials with which to craft our Autumn Wreaths with. Whether they be natural or artificial, handmade or store bought, a beautiful wreath adds a layer of seasonal interest to the home.

Here are a few of the many Autumn Wreaths that have inspired me this year.

Pentacle Twig Wreath

I figured I would start off with this simple Pentacle Wreath. This is something that can be used as is, or used as a foundation for further decoration. I could easily see this made of different materials, spray painted black, with orange berries and a sweet little witch for Halloween. Or made smaller with cinnamon sticks as the center star. The possibilities are endless.

Dried Flower Vine Wreath
A traditional, yet timeless arrangement of dried seasonal flowers, vines and berries adorn this wreath. Three groupings of dried hydrangea, grasses, berries, and blossoms are attached with wire or hot glue to this grapevine wreath base.

Leafy Splendor
Leaf wreaths are sold in crafts and decorating stores, yet it's easy to make your own. Cover a foam wreath form with moss then use dabs of hot glue to attach preserved or artificial leaves. Try using an unexpected shape, such as a square or rectangular wreath for added interest. The leaves look great alone, or paired with other seasonal foliage. This one has a sweet pumpkin ornament hanging from the center.

Cornucopia
Here's a wreath that can be made as two separate pieces. Start with two cardboard donut shapes. Onto the first attach a spiral of radiating twigs. Then hot-glue dried corncobs and flowers onto a heavy cardboard form that's been covered with Spanish moss (also hot-glued down). Use sturdy U-shaped wire to join the wreaths.

Feathered Friends

Another great material that lends itself well to decorating Autumn Wreaths is feathers. Whether used alone, or as an accent to other materials, feathers add interest and texture to natural art. This one happens to be made of Pheasant Feathers, but as always the possibilities are endless.

Fragrant Foliage
Purple adds an unexpected hue to Autumn Decor. This monochromatic purple wreath combines dried sweet Annie, dried lavender, purple statice, globe amaranth, and large green kale leaves for a decoration that smells as good as it looks. Experiment with different plants to find the colors and aromas you love most.

Catch Some Rays
Attach leaves from your yard to a wooden or wire star frame. Then hang the wreath in a sunny window to get a beautiful translucent look during the day. You can weave in some clear lights to give it nighttime presence, too. I think this star shape works well for other Holidays too. I can easily picture a black feather boa star for Halloween; and a red berry star for the Christmas/Yule season. Even a star wreath made out of nuts and spices would work well for this time of year; and a plain one made of tiny white lights could be used year round. All build upon the same concept.

Forkful
A vintage garden fork gets a second life as a door decoration when outfitted with sturdy ears of dried corn. The corn can be wired onto each tine for easy removal later. The fork or rake also lends itself well to magickal protective purposes as well. Remember Neptune's Trident, or the Stang Altars of the Celtic Druids? All of these energies are present within the modern day representation of this tool.

Color Spray

This last wreath is a stunning compilation of flowers, foliage, feathers, grasses and berries. It's deep burgundy hues are nicely offset by bright yellow-orange and pale blond wheat stalks and dried blooms.

Fiber Art Pumpkins & Pumpkin Pie Popsicles

These adorable fiber art pumpkins are made from wool roving. This is a project I haven't yet tried but is definitely high on my 'crafts I wanna try' list. And such a pretty way to create pumpkins too.

The next Autumn Reciepe to share is Pumpkin Pie Popsicles from the folks at BHG. These sound yummy!

These butternut squash ice pops taste just like the classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup light cream
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. To make a batch, cut a butternut squash into quarters and scoop out the seeds.

2. Boil, bake, or microwave the squash until it's soft. Let the squash cool a bit before scooping its flesh into a medium-size bowl.

3. Add pure maple syrup, light cream, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl. Use a potato masher to mush the squash and blend all of the ingredients.

4. Spoon the mixture into ice pop molds (we were able to fill 10), add sticks, and freeze for at least 6 hours before serving.