making nests and wearing vests

wintering volume 8

oh hey friends.

we are nearing the end of this series and I hope it’s been a cozy little comfort for you this winter. I look forward to this all year and truly, truly love writing and curating these letters for you. I have dreams of growing this community and turning this into a bigger project, but for now, I just hope you’ve enjoyed this.

let’s winter a little bit longer.

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in this wintering volume :

something to read
something to do
something to play
winter outfits that sleigh
winter where you are

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via paperprettyink

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something to read :

Books that have beautiful illustrations and sweet, simple stories are always going to be at the top of my list. The Stardust Elves is a book of poetry and the illustrations are just …. *chef’s kiss *

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Something to do :

I don’t know how the winter goes for you, but for me February and March are the most challenging months mentally. I start seeing people in slightly warmer climates going outside and getting the first tastes of spring and it’s still cold, gray, and dead in Massachusetts. I get so restless and frustrated and tired of being in the house. I’m sick of soup, sick of the wood stove, sick of my boots, and tired of salting my steps!

One thing that’s really helped me at the tail end of winter is to curate little places in my home that bring me joy. I think it’s particularly important, when you live somewhere that isn’t pretty, to make your home a place that you visually enjoy looking at and physically enjoy being in. I live in the city. I’m surrounded by buildings and houses and sirens and sidewalks. When I look outside, I see dead trees, brown grass, a shopping plaza, and a busy intersection. It’s just not … enjoyable. So I try to make my home a place that is nice to look at.

This week, your something to do is to find a corner of your home to make visually appealing to you. It can be a shelf, your fireplace mantel, a chair, a corner of your bedroom, your kitchen sink. It doesn’t have to be a big project and you don’t even have to buy anything. Just find a way to turn a piece of your home into something that makes you happy. Think of your home as a little winter nest. We’re just making it a cozier, happier place to rest our little heads until the sun comes out again.

I like to browse pinterest and find something that makes me think, “ooh I like that.” And then I try to see if I can pull it together. This is what I’ve been working on this week. I found a bench on facebook marketplace and I *think* I have some hooks I can install, so we’re gonna try to pull this together. This is a bigger project for me, but one that I think will make the last few months of winter a little less UGH and a little more, FIIIINE. Know what I mean?

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something to play :

Ok, I have to admit, I haven’t actually played this yet because setting it up took an hour. And I enjoyed every literal second because it’s just so beautiful. But it’s not just beautiful, it feels good. The texture of the cards, the shape and weight of the eggs, it’s just nice. I’m hoping that after my book launch is over, I’ll have some time to sit down and learn how to play. I think it’ll be one of those games that becomes my whole personality for a little while. Here’s a video of me unboxing everything. Sound on for ASMR. ;)

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winter outfits that sleigh :

Listen we need to talk about the puffer vest situation. I have been living in this. It pretty much goes with anything and it’s so cute. This was a tiktok shop purchase, but I found a similar one on amazon.

I tried to go through my photos and find photos that look more natural and less posed because you can make anything look good if you stick your leg out and point your camera the right way, but does it look good if you have awkward posture? Does it look good from the side? Even though i’m of the firm belief that the back of my head is none of my business, I don’t want to be horrified if I catch a glimpse of myself from the back and it doesn’t look as cute as I think it does from the front. It matters, ok?? haha. But I think a puffer vest can’t help but look cute from all angles.

You might recognize this photo of me from a certain reel that went viral recently … 😅

The outfit below is what I normally wear with the vest. At least once a week, this is how you’ll find me : a pair of leggings, a brown sweater, and either. my madewell chelsea boots (found them on poshmark for 1/3 of the price!) or my target birkenstock dupes. It’s cute, it’s warm. It’s giving all the layers that we millennial girlies love, but without the lacy tank tops going down to our mid-thighs.

some other puffer vest outfit inspo :

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winter where you are :
this part of the wintering series is submitted by readers. thank you for showing us how you winter!

I’m Elizabeth, and I live in Seattle, Washington. Winter in the Pacific Northwest, is typically characterized by grey, dark, and rainy days. Despite the gloominess, there's a unique beauty in the geography of this region - we have natural landscapes of both water (lakes, and the puget sound) and mountains (Olympics and Cascades). To get through the winter, I've discovered the importance of finding solace both in the outdoors and by creating warmth within the confines of my own spaces and activities.

One of my favorite strategies for combating the winter blues is to get outside. For some reason, even when it’s cloudy and wet, being near water has a calming effect on my mood. I live near a small urban lake, Green Lake, and I love taking a walk around it at sunrise, or heading to the Puget Sound to take in the water and a view of the Olympic mountains. 

Alternatively, I love getting out into the mountains. We are so lucky here that between the evergreens, moss, and ferns, the forests are green year-round. I feel grateful that we can easily access the snow, but don’t often have to deal with it in our day-to-day (in Seattle, at least). Getting up into the mountains to ski, hike, or snowshoe also has the added benefit of seeing some sun (and maybe a view of Mt. Rainier!), if you’re at the right altitude! ☀️

Indoors, I like to transform my living space into a cozy haven. Think ALL the twinkle lights and sooo many candles. I like to light a candle as soon as I get up, and often at night will burn candles in our fireplace and mantel to make things extra cozy. I also love seeking out cozy bars and coffee shops if I’m feeling stir-crazy. A favorite nearby bar is called the Cozy Nut and has dioramas with woodland creatures - a fun vibe when I’m getting stir-crazy! 

And finally, having “winter projects” helps me look forward to the darker months - especially January and February, when holidays are over. I have many creative hobbies and house projects that I often don’t make time for during the rest of the year, but are a perfect fit for the hunkering-down months. This year, I’m hoping to reupholster some chairs and sew my first dress!

Here’s to a great winter, y’all ♥️

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That’s it for today! Have a great week!