wintering

I have come to really like winter and look forward now to the quiet months of January and February. I always have big plans for what I will do with those months. Somehow, with the holidays over and it being winter it seems I have more time to do these things. However, I'm still working full time, so I'm not sure how much "extra" time I really have.

I love this collage by catwalk

So far this month I have been able to do some decluttering and reorganizing, but it has not been nearly as much as I need or want. Meanwhile, here it is Saturday and I'm doing a blog post. I'm hopeless!

I've been wanting to do a zine about winter for some time and what I like about it. Every year I do some writing, but I have yet to get it out. I need to declutter my to-do list!

Laura from the Welcome to Bend zine just made a zine about winter and her favorite things about it. It was a lovely read this morning over my Earl Grey tea. You can find it here.

Hope you are enjoying the winter. There's lots of great things about it. Someday I'll tell you more about about that. <3

make your place

There is a new book out from Microcosm Publishing that is based on several zines. It is called Make Your Place - Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills.

First off, it is adorable. I mean, really, the cover could not have been designed better to make me want it and the illustrations inside are so great. This book charms you into taking it home and you are only better off for giving in.

Make Your Place is filled with how-to help for things like making your own cleaning supplies, getting rid of bugs, gardening and making salves and other ointments. It would be a great gift for a young adult first out on their own or anyone who wants to do it all themselves.

The book claims that is help for people who want to live more simply, well....I guess that would depend on what you mean by simple. Getting all these ingredients that I have never had the need for and mixing up buckets of homemade cleansers isn't really more simple then picking something up at the store - but I am guessing it would be more rewarding in a few different ways.