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A Winter Love Letter: 6 Things To Look Forward To

December 21, 2018

Welcome winter! Today is the first *official* day of the coldest season of the four. I feel like most people do not look forward to this season - it’s dreaded by so many. So today - I thought I’d write a short but sweet post offering some fresh perspective - some reasons to LOVE winter. Mostly, I want something positive for myself to refer back to when it’s late stage winter and the holiday magic has long worn off and I’m desperate for it to end and get warmer again (like the rest of you!) 😂I remember last year’s winter feeling particularly long.. I couldn’t wait for it to be over and it felt like it would never end as we kept getting smacked with nor’easter after nor’easter towards the tail end.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the seasons - not just the seasons marked by nature and by the calendar — but seasons of life in general. How seasons come and go, ebb and flow, inevitably changing — and how that has an effect on me and (particularly) my creative process. The natural world is truly wild when you stop and think about! So here are some reasons to love everyone’s seemingly least favorite season:

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In wellness, wanderlust, real talk Tags winter

Candy Cane Christmas Cookies

December 25, 2015

Baking is one of my absolute favorite things to do around the holiday season. I always end up trying to make 70 different things, and it's my pride and joy to craft up the very best Christmas cookie platter that I can to bring over to my grandparents' house for dinner on Christmas day.

I was flipping through an old cookbook (Very Merry Cookie Party) I found the other day - and came across this recipe. I thought they were the perfect little festive cookies! The best part: no icing was involved to decorate - so it was very "fuss-free" and didn't require much skill to pull off at all. ;)

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In food Tags candy cane, Christmas, cookies, winter, baking

DIY Holiday Wreath

December 23, 2015

This year I made my first ever wreath! I've always wanted to try, and this year I finally did. For the last few weeks, I've been collecting various things (pinecones, berries, etc.) from hikes at our local parks and my backyard -- I finally put them to good use!

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In diy Tags crafting, Christmas, holiday, wreath, winter

DIY Sock Penguin 'Crafting It Forward' Collab

November 13, 2015

This month, I teamed up with Crafting It Forward to design this little DIY sock penguin craft. Each month, CIF creates a purchasable kid-friendly kit complete with all the supplies you need to make the new craft(s) for the month - and I helped to design the December kit! (FUN FACT: This little penguin requires ZERO sewing skills! *supa kid friendly*) 

After the craft is completed, CIF includes a mailing label so that it can be sent off to a child with cancer or a senior center! When they reached out to me to collaborate, I was really excited to be able to contribute to a project with such a great cause. I really wanted to create a craft that could not only function as a decoration but also as a cute toy. With the holiday season upon us, I really personally aimed to create something that would no doubt put a smile on people's faces (no matter what their age)!

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In diy Tags Crafting It Forward, CIF, crafting, penguin, kids craft, December, winter, collab

AMYVENTURES

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@AMYVENTURES
planet earth (hallelujah) 🌎🌸🌞🌷✨

#earthday #frelinghuysenarboretum #jerseycollective #njisallgood #northjerseyadventures
sunshine on a cloudy day today at @thelilliehouse’s third annual plant swap 🌧️🌷👩🏻‍🌾🌼🌱

shared some seeds I had saved from my own garden last year as well as some irises I dug up yesterday. the calendula seeds are descendants of @long
april, when did you get so hot? 🥵 easter eve in PA felt more like summer than it did spring (very much like this week in NJ 🫠) - which called for a double scoop cone from @premisemaid 🍦 they have the BEST homemade waffle cones 👌 I got a scoop of
passenger princessing in pennsylvania easter weekend ✌️🦢🌸🌳📸

#pennsylvania #easterweekend #passengerprincess #joyspotting #passengerseatphotography
dinner at @am_thainyc 🇹🇭🥘🍜🔥 cozy & casual with friendly service and lots of vegan & gluten free friendly options 😋

we ordered the pad thai & the green curry 🌶️ and also thai iced teas (one traditional and one infused with pandan)
first time at @loafonpaperny 😻🍵📝 it’s the most spacious and beautiful space (much bigger than the original sister store @niconeco_zakkaya in the east village)

the front half is a cafe, so ofc we had to try the matcha 😉 (ordered the strawbe
dream world is always a dream 🫧🧸🎀💋✨ @haricotvert @inthecraftnook @dreambeanbk 

#williamsburg #joyspotting #junkjournal #charmbar #nyccafe
the chaotic camera roll chronicles of how that giant smiley face balloon ended up @inthecraftnook 🙃🎈

@bigntoasty had the idea to pick up a balloon from @villagepartystore en route to @oldfriendphotobooth. the allen st location’s line was aro
breakfast with the biggest bird on the block 🐦🥯🏙️

stopped at @russanddaughters to grab a bagel omw to @nychighline to bid farewell to “dinosaur” on saturday 🥲 such a fun experience walking up to it on 10th ave, and sitting with it to
one of the first 70 & sunny days after the longest winter called for a beach day 🌞🐚💦

#jerseyshore #jerseycollective #njisallgood #sandyhooknj #beachday
welcome to Chinatown @aokomatcha 🫶💚🍦🍵✨

📍 81 Christie St. (soft opening now; grand opening April 3 🥳)

I ordered the matcha soft serve latte today (an iced matcha latte with matcha soft serve on top 😋) 

they’re known for their matcha ge
backlog of nyc glimmers on my camera roll from the last couple months of winter ✨

blanket of snow in front of @chrisriggsart mural at @orchardstnyc ❄️

@shopofthings cutie hello kitty themed chalkboard sign 🎀

dressing room of dreams @bigbudpress ?
chinese new year / lunar new year highlights 🧧🏮🐴🔥🎊🌕 

@welcome.to.chinatown lny market at @kamman.canal 

lny spongie (apricot orange) from @spongiescafe 

lo bok go (turnip cake), fa gao (steamed cupcake), and flat rice noodles at home

painte
matcha shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar, drizzled with white chocolate, and sprinkled with crushed freeze dried strawberries 💫🍵⭐️🍓✨

#shortbreadcookies #matchastrawberry #matchawhitechocolate #matchacookies #bakersgonnabake
planet earth (hallelujah) 🌎🌸🌞🌷✨

#earthday #frelinghuysenarboretum #jerseycollective #njisallgood #northjerseyadventures sunshine on a cloudy day today at @thelilliehouse’s third annual plant swap 🌧️🌷👩🏻‍🌾🌼🌱

shared some seeds I had saved from my own garden last year as well as some irises I dug up yesterday. the calendula seeds are descendants of @long
10/10 recommend staying at the park through a rain shower 🥹 it made all the people flee and it was just me, the birds, and the blossoms for a little bit 🐦🌸🌧️

the last clip was from last year - the trees were so much fluffier and fuller. the heat
april, when did you get so hot? 🥵 easter eve in PA felt more like summer than it did spring (very much like this week in NJ 🫠) - which called for a double scoop cone from @premisemaid 🍦 they have the BEST homemade waffle cones 👌 I got a scoop of passenger princessing in pennsylvania easter weekend ✌️🦢🌸🌳📸

#pennsylvania #easterweekend #passengerprincess #joyspotting #passengerseatphotography dinner at @am_thainyc 🇹🇭🥘🍜🔥 cozy & casual with friendly service and lots of vegan & gluten free friendly options 😋

we ordered the pad thai & the green curry 🌶️ and also thai iced teas (one traditional and one infused with pandan)
first time at @loafonpaperny 😻🍵📝 it’s the most spacious and beautiful space (much bigger than the original sister store @niconeco_zakkaya in the east village)

the front half is a cafe, so ofc we had to try the matcha 😉 (ordered the strawbe dream world is always a dream 🫧🧸🎀💋✨ @haricotvert @inthecraftnook @dreambeanbk 

#williamsburg #joyspotting #junkjournal #charmbar #nyccafe the chaotic camera roll chronicles of how that giant smiley face balloon ended up @inthecraftnook 🙃🎈

@bigntoasty had the idea to pick up a balloon from @villagepartystore en route to @oldfriendphotobooth. the allen st location’s line was aro breakfast with the biggest bird on the block 🐦🥯🏙️

stopped at @russanddaughters to grab a bagel omw to @nychighline to bid farewell to “dinosaur” on saturday 🥲 such a fun experience walking up to it on 10th ave, and sitting with it to
a full flip through of the little zine I made during “swap & scrap” (& yap) hosted by @artgurl__ yesterday @inthecraftnook 💖

my favorite part about these types of crafty events is the variety of materials there are to work with
one of the first 70 & sunny days after the longest winter called for a beach day 🌞🐚💦

#jerseyshore #jerseycollective #njisallgood #sandyhooknj #beachday
a little spring refresh 🌼 - swapped out the snowdrop hand soap for lilac and plugged in @mrsmeyerscleanday’s new lavender scented oil diffuser 💜 makes our tiny bathroom smell like a spa day 😌🫧💧🪻✨ #mrsmeyerspartner 

#spring #springcleanin
DIY origami seed packets ♻️✂️🌱

my favorite way to reuse paper shopping bags / food takeout bags (but you can use any paper you have)

great for sharing seeds with friends or exchanging  seeds at your local community seed swap 🥰

* originally learn
welcome to Chinatown @aokomatcha 🫶💚🍦🍵✨

📍 81 Christie St. (soft opening now; grand opening April 3 🥳)

I ordered the matcha soft serve latte today (an iced matcha latte with matcha soft serve on top 😋) 

they’re known for their matcha ge backlog of nyc glimmers on my camera roll from the last couple months of winter ✨

blanket of snow in front of @chrisriggsart mural at @orchardstnyc ❄️

@shopofthings cutie hello kitty themed chalkboard sign 🎀

dressing room of dreams @bigbudpress ? chinese new year / lunar new year highlights 🧧🏮🐴🔥🎊🌕 

@welcome.to.chinatown lny market at @kamman.canal 

lny spongie (apricot orange) from @spongiescafe 

lo bok go (turnip cake), fa gao (steamed cupcake), and flat rice noodles at home

painte matcha shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar, drizzled with white chocolate, and sprinkled with crushed freeze dried strawberries 💫🍵⭐️🍓✨

#shortbreadcookies #matchastrawberry #matchawhitechocolate #matchacookies #bakersgonnabake
the second blizzard of the month just when we were starting to see the grass again 🥲 it’s pretty, but I’m desperately longing for warmer days 😅🌸🌿 luckily @mrsmeyerscleanday rose room freshener is making the inside of our cozy abode sm
can’t wait for the snow to be higher than my boots again 🥲

#dogwalkersofinstagram #dogwalking #dogwalkinglife #olympics #milanocortina2026

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Amy Chen (unless otherwise stated). If you decide to reference anything from my blog / website, please give proper credit. Thank you! :)


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