I recently finished reading Making Winter a creative guide for surviving the winter months by Emma Mitchell. I’m so pleased I did.
What drew me to this book was, that I had attended a drop in workshop on paper flower making at Anthropologie, given by Emma Mitchell. I was very impressed by her organization skills, it is not easy running drop in workshops. How do you know how many to cater for? How do you divide up your time? She made it work and at the same time ensured it was great fun, and her enthusiasm was contagious. Everyone went home with something hand crafted and beautiful.
So when I heard she was writing a book I decided I had to read it.
First of all let me say the book is beautiful to look at and to hold. As well as writing it Emma has done her own photography and illustrations.
The book is a real necessity for the cold dark winter months. I love the way Emma engages her readers.
From her introduction it is clear that she really knows the effect that SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) can have on us. She explains how as many as a third of adults in the UK are affected by the decrease in daylight hours and colour during winter. Her book came about from the discovery that crafts and creativity helped to lift the mood. Recently scientific research has supported her findings that yarncraft can lead to relaxation or meditation-like response similar to Yoga.
The book is filled with lots of different projects to engage in from preserving leaves, to crocheting, baking and making silver fossil pendants and even making your own firelighters. There are lots of foraged crafts, nothing is too expensive and the book finishes on a high note looking forward to spring.
“Making things during winter is a cunning strategy to help replace the feel good brain chemicals that may falter during these dingier months.’”
Emma describes her book as a survival guide to winter, a means to embrace the drab days and to fill them with wrist warmers and baked goodness.
As she says” Grab your crotchet hooks, yarn and cocoa powder. Onwards into the cold…”
At £14.99 this book is worth every penny spent, buy two copies one for yourself and one for a friend.
Emma Mitchell on instagram as @silverpebble2
Published by LOM ART an imprint of Michael O’Mara Books
creativecolour.org 