Keeping Busy in Winter

Winter Weather Warrior

written by alexa bricker

Kids aren't the only ones who can experience wintertime boredom. The holiday season can be so hectic that transitioning from a busy December schedule into January and February is a hard adjustment.

Practice balance by keeping busy with a new home improvement project or hobby, while remembering to take plenty of time for yourself—you've earned it!

Renovate

You don't need to have your contractor's license to transform your home into the space you've always imagined. Winter is a great opportunity to handle new home projects because you're most likely spending a lot of time indoors anyway. Scour the internet for designs you find appealing, create a vision board, or consult a professional. But there's no better time than the present to get started!


Host

If you're feeling up for it, hosting a winter–themed get-together is a great way to break up the monotony of the season and continue to spend time with loved ones, even after the holidays have passed. It's also your chance to bring out your creativity by making any recipes you weren't able to during the holidays.


Relax

When all is said and done, the most important thing to worry about this time of year is taking care of your mental and physical health, which starts by getting plenty of rest. However, you don't need to hit the spa for the ultimate day of relaxation. Try making a calming face mask, foot soak, or bath bomb with ingredients you already have readily available.


Craft

If you would prefer to start small, tackling a new DIY project or craft is a great way to bring a piece of your personality into your home. This string art design is just one of many ideas for jump-starting your creativity, and it can even be made into a beautiful snowflake pattern that's ideal for winter decorating.

Simple String Snowflake Decor

A snowflake is a quintessential winter decoration, but if you're looking for a different way to display this sign of the season, try a fun string art project!

Simple String Snowflake Decor
Materials
  • Snowflake–shaped template
  • Scissors
  • Masking tape
  • Wooden square, size of your choice
  • Box of 1-inch nails
  • Hammer
  • Sturdy white string

  1. Print out a snowflake shape, and cut out. Attach to the center of the wood square, using the masking tape—making sure the edges of the template are straight.
  2. Hammer nails partially into the wood around the edges of the snowflake shape (about ½ inch apart), and then hammer nails all around the wooden square on all sides, about 1-inch away from the edge and ½ inch apart.
  3. Loop the string around one of the nails, and tie a knot. Start looping the string back and forth around all of the nails in a disordered pattern until the design is to your liking. When finished, tie a knot at the end, and cut off any excess string.

For more winter-inspired activies, visit americanlifestylemag.com/holidays.

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Posted in Article, How-To, January 2018 on Nov 02, 2017