Brightening dark corners

a photo journal of winter crafts

Dec 18, 2023

I feel like I have run out of words this week. So instead of writing a post, I have created a photo journal of all the different things that I’ve been making during the past fortnight.

When the nights draw in and the dark shortens the time I can spend outside, I take comfort in making things. I’m not a Christian and so I don’t celebrate Christmas; instead I celebrate the seasons and the accompanying festivities. Right now, I’m getting ready for the return of the light at Winter Solstice in just a few days. That is my beacon: nature lighting my path.

At home I’ve been making decorations to brighten dark corners. I love bringing in evergreens, to keep a connection to the natural world and for their symbolism. It’s almost like they hold the secret of endurance with their ability to sustain the coldest climates and darkest days. For me they bring hope and the will to endure.

As for the process of making things, it feels like a kind of therapy. That’s not to say that I think paper craft cures all ills, but it’s a joy-filled distraction and a temporary respite from, well, everything.

Most of the projects are from Pinterest except the the wreath-making, which I learned from Hannah Bullivant, who you can find here.

Merry winter and happy making!