Surviving Cabin Fever

Contributor post by Sheila from BeadyEyedBird

Crafting and developing new skills is a great way to survive the winter doldrums.

Here at the Christmas in July team, we thought there couldn’t be a better way to beat the winter blues than to share our respective ‘survival tips’ with each other. Here’s what some of our team members have done and created while ‘trapped’ inside.

Sherri from ButterflyFeetDigital says:

This is my new listing – and an example of what I LOVE about January. We have snow on top of snow, but I enjoy being inside and doing some creative doodling! I guess my only tip is that winter will last til it’s over, might as well do something you enjoy.

Texture Digital Paper, Printable Scrapbooking, 12 designs, I… ButterflyFeetDigital $2.25 USD

Carola Bartz from CarolaBartz says:

When it’s cold and gray outside I love to cozy up on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa and a good book. Reading takes me in a different world. One book in particular, Eowyn Ivey’s “The Snow Child”, fascinated me very much. It takes place in the cold winters in Alaska and inspired me to create this painting that also has the title “Snow Child”. I really loved how my way to “survive” the winter blues took me to creating something new.

Snow Child Mixed Media Painting, Original Artwork on 8 x 8 W…
CarolaBartz
$70.00 USD

Evelyn and Lucy from artsyEVE say:

Snuggling up with a cup of tea, a quilt and a good book is a wonderful way to beat the blues!

BIG SALE Baby quilt, pink and white, appliqued with hearts
artsyEVE
$30.00 USD

Sue from SuesAkornShop says:

Knowing we’re into January and and Easter are right around the corner, I thought since there’s cold temps and lots of snow I’d stay inside and start work on Easter items.

Bunny Hand Towel, Easter Towel, Easter Decor, Easter Bunny …
SuesAkornShop
$8.00 USD

Stock Lane Studio from StockLaneStudio says:

This winter is not too bad yet, but it’s far from over. Last year, though was a completely different story. Here is a photo of New England Blitz 2015.

So I over prepared for this winter season. Our Christmas stockings were full of warm fuzzy socks and presents under the tree included adult coloring books and needle point. We still have our ‘game table’ set up so we don’t have to move the Monopoly Game or puzzle around.

New Hampshire Winter Photography, New England snow travel ph…
StockLaneStudio
$7.00 USD

Sue and Misty from shabbyshopgirls say:

When it’s cold, gloomy, windy and the power has gone out, with all the snow and ice stacked up, pick up a pack of playing cards and learn how to play a new (old) game such as Canasta! A fun and entertaining way to spend the day with the family!

Vintage Canasta Playing Cards by Congress – Pheasants Quails…
shabbyshopgirls
$19.99 USD

Annie from DesignedbyAnneliese says:

It is summer at the moment for me, so I tried to think back to what I made during the last winter. These pinwheels came to mind. I made them with bright coloured paper ready for spring and parties!

Bright paper pinwheels, colourful, party decor, card making,…
DesignedbyAnneliese
$9.22 USD

Wendy WN from WoodNotions says:

During the winter, after the holidays have passed, I spend my time designing. I have a list of requests/ideas that I create during the holidays. Since designing cards and ornaments is my passion, I look forward to these quiet times to relax and lose myself in the process.

I’ve just completed my first 2016 design project that I did for a pair of dog parents. I thought this one was particularly satisfying, during these winter months, because the dogs name was “Sunshine”, AKA “LMS” (Little Miss Sunshine). They sent me photos of their cute, cheerful and rambunctious, miniature Australian shepherd. It’s so nice to capture a happy face, that makes you smile every time you work on it. I made a large wood-cut for them to frame and display year round, and a smaller ornament, that they were happy to allow me to add to my shop offerings.

My survival tips for the winter doldrums: Dress warm and get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Start making plans for small and large projects, and figure out how to tackle those challenges of this past holiday season.

Dog ornament wood-cut dog decoration miniature Australian sh…
WoodNotions
$6.00 USD

Ina from InaSudjana says:

It’s summer here down under;  but when the cold hits hard I reckon nothing that a cuppa cannot heal. Here are my felt coasters all designed by me on one cold winter morning while thinking about summer (hence the bright happy colours) and looking forward to placing my cuppa on them.

Cactus – Pure wool felt Coasters (set of 2), tableware, thic…
InaSudjana
$14.19 USD

Gwen Jones from GwensHomemadeGifts says:

With a Bath & Body Gift Shop, I can always keep winter boredom at bay, because there is always soap to pour, bath salts to mix and lotion to make. And my house always smells like heaven! Winter is the perfect time to work on new recipes and combinations of ingredients for new product lines too! But what I really like to do is stock up my crochet items! Netflix, herbal tea and miles and miles of crochet cotton and I’m a happy girl. Let it snow!

Bright Mod Blue Soap Sack, Crochet Soap Pouch, Soap Saver, M…
GwensHomemadeGifts
$6.00 USD

Woolly Momo from WoollyMomo says: 

After a relatively mild winter, it recently turned very cold in London and it’s freezing outside!

So this weekend that just passed I stayed in nice and warm and kept myself occupied within the same walls all day by knitting up this scarf.

I originally made this with orange pom poms for a friend at Christmas; it went down so well with her nursing colleagues who were working with her on Christmas Day that I thought I’d make another one, and last weekend was the perfect opportunity!

 

Navy Blue Merino Scarf. Navy Blue Chunky Knit Scarf. Navy …
WoollyMomo
$36.73 USD

Debbie Gilbert from License2Craft says:

Only in Florida now for 2 years, my memories are still sharp as to life back in my home state of Maine with those long, cold winter months. Memories of harsh winters, days where it got dark so early, and “skating” on icy roads with the car! The worst winter I remember was when the “Great Ice Storm of 1998” hit Maine. It caused massive damage to our trees and electrical infrastructure all over the area, leading to widespread long-term power outages. Personally, the road that I lived on was without road access and power for 3 weeks! We stayed with our neighbor, passing the days playing games and telling stories in their home, as they had wood heat.

Just thinking of the hours of being in the cold and hours of shoveling snow makes be shiver! Nothing like curling up on the couch after, grabbing a hot pack and settling in for some snuggle time or a great book…

Heat therapy rice bag, Microwave heating pad, Rice bag, Heat…
License2Craft
$17.95 USD

And that’s how we do it! Thanks to everyone who contributed!