The winter brings with it shorter days and dreary weather which makes many of us want to stay indoors. I hate being bored and this time of year always seems to be the worst for that. However, there are so many ways to help you stay entertained during the next few months. Getting creative is a great way to learn a new skill and turn your talents into something productive. Here are a few ideas you could try on a cold, wintery day!
Learn an instrument
Maybe you used to play an instrument but haven’t used it in years. Or perhaps you have always wanted to play a particular instrument but never got round to it. Whatever your reasoning, picking up a musical instrument can be great fun throughout the winter. You needn’t have to invest in buying a brand new instrument. You can consider buying a second-hand one or even renting one for a few short months to see how you get on. There are many online tutorials too for lots of instruments or you might be able to find a local teacher. I used to play the drums and still have my drum kit in my loft so now would be a great time to get back up there and give it a go!
Work on your novel
If you are anything like me, you love books and reading. Turn that passion into something positive like writing a book. Fiction or nonfiction, prose or poetry, whatever your cup of tea pull those ideas out of your head and jot them down on paper. When you finish, you can even think about self-publishing it and what an achievement it would be to be able to say you’ve finished writing your own work. I’m halfway through mine and after a lengthy break, now would be a great time to pick it back up.
Add some sparkle to your clothes
If you love a bit of sparkle in your outfit, then get creative with crystals. Embellish outfits and shoes with some flashy crystals. This is really easy to do and will totally transform your wardrobe. All you need is some E6000 Glue For crystallizing as well as the crystals themselves and you are ready to go. Christmas is all about glitter and sparkles so go nuts!
Practise your cooking
If you love food, then you can use the winter to practise some new and delicious recipes. Try making both savoury and sweet dishes and see what you prefer working on. If you want to get really creative, you could even think about brainstorming your own ideas. Think about what sorts of foods you love and what flavours too and how you can make them compliment each other. You can host dinner parties for your friends and family to show off your culinary skills too.
Get artistic
If you have a creative streak within you that is bursting to escape, take the chance to get arty. Whether you are a painter, jewellery maker or something else, you can create something beautiful. Stock up on supplies to help you in your craft and just get to it. You never know, if you are good enough, you could even turn a little profit by selling your artwork on Etsy.
These are some great ideas! I have been trying to get a bit more creative myself recently, and so have been writing quite a lot of short stories and have been trying to get back into art (I’m not that good at it, but I enjoy it which I guess is what matters!).
Ooh that’s great! I used to love drawing and painting – I painted a lot of Disney characters for a project when I was in sixth form, that was a lot of fun. Would love to get back into doing something arty! That’s definitely most important that you enjoy it – would love to see some of your work! xx
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
Thank you for reblogging (: xx
I am converted already to the endless possibilities of winter. The garden stops calling me out, for a start!
Hehe I do love spending time in the garden during summer but I am a winter lover at heart. I love cold! xx
Some great ideas here! I’ve got a novel draft I wrote last November for NaNoWriMo – it’s about time I did something with it 😉
Go for it! You could have a future best seller sitting there right in front of your eyes (: xx
Haha maybe! And even if not, at least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing I finished it 🙂 x
Is it bad the second I read ‘work on your novel’ it almost seemed like a sign? These ideas are so good especially when it’s dark and there’s horrid weather outside! Guess I’m going to have to kick myself up the bum and start on that novel I’ve been putting off haha
Shona x
Haha, maybe it was a sign! I hope it’s going well? Would love to know more about what kinda novel you’re writing! (: xx
It’s at a stop still at the moment because of university but I still love the story. It’s a young adult sci-fi apocalyptic story with 21st century characters! Xx
Wow! That sounds amazing! I wouldn’t know where on Earth to start with Sci-Fi, I think it’s a huge talent to be able to write those books! xx
Aww thank you that’s really kind of you! Yes it is a hard task but I’m taking it one day at a time so it doesn’t get on top of me! The hardest part is making some of the chapters long enough! Xx
I’m doing two of these things already, so I feel very up to date haha I’m currently on a diet that has me cooking fresh three times a day, every day. (No more microwave food!) And since it’s NaNoWriMo, I am also writing a lot :D!
Great post!
I would love to have the knowledge and the patience to be able to cook a fresh meal 3 times a day. I can’t even imagine the benefits from that! Have you thought about doing some recipe posts of any of your favourites? (: xx
I don’t really have all that much knowledge. I have a cookbook that is specifically made for that. 4 weeks – 3 times a day 🙂 It’s sometimes a bit frustrating, but the portions are pretty big, so you never end up hungry!