Are you ready to light up the season with a creative spirit? Here are three fun ways to get in the holiday state of mind. Get creative, comfortable, and cozy — right from your own home.
In the Art Studio
Have you tried origami, the art of folding paper? Some of the best-known creations include the origami sumo and the origami crane. This ancient art is a wonderful craft and a fun way to enjoy a winter afternoon. Whether you are entertaining your children or grandchildren, this is a fun way to create things together.
The art of folding paper is easy to learn and a joy to share. One of the great things about origami is that you really can make something out of whatever you have on hand. If you have traditional origami paper, great. But, if you don’t have this in the house, you can easily use regular copy paper.
If you’re out of paper and don’t want to be deterred, you can cut up old receipts, envelopes, or advertisements. If you’ve been exploring other forms of art, you can often use your drawings and paintings as a base. When you do, it’s kind of magical. You’ll discover how the patterns emerge into beautiful designs when you fold your piece.
One of the most popular things to make with this style of folding paper is a crane. If you like cranes, you can make several and turn them into garlands, hangings, or colorful installations. Once you get started…it’s hard to stop.
In the Mailbox
A great way to make things feel like the holidays is to get packages in the mail. Get deals on practical items and enjoy opening fun packages delivered to your door. And here’s the best part. In addition to getting a cool package delivered to you, things like vitamins are often marked up in local shops and health food stores.
When you buy vitamins online, you’re supporting you and your family’s health. You can get the right variety of vitamins and supplements like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, B Complex, and more, all delivered to your front door. Pick what you need to support a healthy lifestyle and get what you’re looking for, without even needing to leave your home.
In the Kitchen
Is the weather outside cold, windy, rainy, or unpredictable? If so, it’s time to turn your focus towards making homemade soup. There’s something about inclement weather that inspires cutting, chopping, cooking, and enjoying the soup. Like origami, it is something you can do in your home, with whatever is on hand.
And also like origami, it is not really about the originality of the outcome so much as the enjoyment of the creative process. What’s your favorite homemade soup? Answers will vary depending on who you ask. If there is one soup that stands out on a cold winter day, you could call it: kitchen sink soup.
This is the most flexible sort of homemade stew, as you’ll use whatever you have on hand. Check the produce drawer and use what you find. Feel free to get creative when adding ingredients to your stew pot. Be sure to chop pieces into about the same size, though, so they cook more evenly.
Toss in onion, carrots, celery, garlic, greens, and mushrooms, then add it into water. This will add a rich heartiness to your soup. Cook it up. Add some herbs, dried or fresh. If you have some miso in the refrigerator, add it to the bowls before serving.
In the Garden
Is your garden under snow? Is your backyard soggy with rain puddles? Is your garden a few sad-looking pots with not much growing? If you’re looking out in the winter and can’t see much to work with, put on your boots and step outside. No worries—you can create beautiful art with what you find.
Here are a few installations that will get your creative juices flowing:
- Gather branches and leaves. Spray with gold or silver paint. Create an outdoor art piece or one to hang on your front door.
- Gather evergreen branches. Wrap them around a metal wreath frame. Add colorful berries, sparkly ribbon, and bells. You’ll have a wreath to hang on the door, entryway, or mantel.
- Gather pine cones. Use as-is, or spray with gold or silver paint. Decorate your holiday table with golden cones. Put pine cones into clear vases as an impromptu seasonal decoration for the living room, dining room, or bath.
Look around your apartment, house, or property. What strikes your fancy? Perhaps there is a way to connect the outdoor installations with some of the origami pieces you’ve been making. What will your decorations be today? No matter what you choose, we’re wishing you a creative and joyful holiday season.
p.s. Related posts:
How to Make Origami Shirukan Throwing Star
Cooking For Kids: Books To Promote A Love Of Food
Cooking Class: Gnocchi From Scratch at Saltbox Farm Cooking School
Children’s Books Celebrating Soup
Plant a Garden with Your Kids to Teach #PlantPower
Get Kids Gardening with Miracle-Gro® Gro-ables!
Yoga for Kids: Rachel’s Day in the Garden
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