It’s been awhile (over a year!) since I’ve last written in this space - but I wanted to pop in quickly with a few Christmas crafts that I’ve been working on this year. I love the holiday season for so many reasons - but one of my favorite reasons is the desire to craft ALL THE THINGS. Sometimes it feels impossible to make time to craft everything that you want to during the “busiest time of year,” but last weekend I set aside some time to play and just make some things for fun - and I’m SO glad I did! These 3 crafts are super easy, and the best part is you can use ordinary things you already have around your house without going out to buy (or order) any new supplies. 🙌🏼
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Kindness Rocks
Hi, and happy Earth Day! It’s been a full year since I last wrote in this space. I’ve recently had the urge to start blogging again, but after “falling off the wagon” with it for so long - I haven’t really known quite how to pick it back up again.
A lot has happened in the last year, but I don’t want that to be the focus of this post. In short, I had my first mental breakdown last summer (that involved weeks of panic attacks, hospitalizations, medications, therapy..) and has been followed by months of PTSD / flashbacks / self doubt, etc. To say I felt like I had hit the ultimate rock bottom would be an understatement. Some day, maybe I’ll write more in depth about it all - but for now I’ll leave it at that.
For me, it has been really weird to still be in the process of healing from “fresh” personal trauma while also being faced with the new (global scale) trauma of a pandemic. I’ve just been taking it day by day - and leaning into living slow — and lots of art making.
Today’s post is about the kindness rocks project / movement - which just felt right as a returning blog post topic - all thing’s considered. You can read more about the project on their website if you’ve never heard about it before.
Their mission:
ONE MESSAGE
AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT
CAN CHANGE SOMEONE'S ENTIRE DAY, OUTLOOK, LIFE
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Best of 2015 / Happy 2016!
HAPPY 2016!
Like everyone else on the planet rn, I'm taking a moment to look back on 2015 - I can't believe that it's over! It's crazy how fast time flies.. and naturally, it's a time to take a moment and reflect on "what was" and speculate "what will be."
Today, I wanted to quickly drop in and share some of my favorite posts from the year. 2015 was my first full year of blogging, and that's something I'm personally pretty proud of! While I may not have completed all of my 2015 resolutions (let's be real.. who has?), I'm glad that I stayed committed to regularly writing / creating blog posts. As I've mentioned before, a lot of time and energy goes into running a blog - and it's really nice to look back and see the year's content all in one place. These posts by no means cover every single thing that's happened to me in 2015, but I think they create a nice highlight reel:
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DIY Holiday Wreath
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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DIY Sock Penguin 'Crafting It Forward' Collab
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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DIY Drilled Jack-O-Lanterns
Last weekend, I visited my friend Emily on Long Island and we drilled jack-o-lanterns! I was eager to do something *different* this year, so made the suggestion of "drilling" these guys (as opposed to the typical "carving" of them). It actually was a TON of fun - and was pretty easy / stress free! In the case that you haven't carved out your pumpkins yet, maybe these will inspire you to drill some of your own. ;)
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DIY Drink Pinwheels
Happy JULY! (I know. I shit my pants this morning too. How is it actually July already?!?!) This year is FLYING by! ANYWAYS, I am super stoked because this coming weekend is 4th of July weekend - one of my absolute favorite holidays. I mean, I love all the holidays - but I especially love the 4th! What's not to love about the ultimate summer celebration dedicated to America?! Food on the grill, cold drink in hand, beach / pool lounging, fireworks, sunshine, the list goes on... !
Lately I have been really into making pretty drinks / making my drinks look pretty! Everyone is probably familiar with the classic "drink umbrella." I love putting them in my drinks throughout summertime, but I wanted something a bit more *MERICA* (and less tropical vacay) for the 4th - so I decided to make drink pinwheels!
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DIY Cement Pineapple Planter
As the weather is starting to (finally) get warmer, I find myself having a serious case of green thumb syndrome and wanting to hoard ALL the succulents. As a graphic designer, I feel like I'm a bit OCD when it comes to potting my plants. I look at each plant as a design prompt (LOL) - and always set out to find the perfect "home" for each. Salvation Army and Goodwill have been great for cheap $1-$2 finds, but sometimes I have something specific in mind and no matter how many different thrift stores I hit - I can't find what I'm looking for. I've really been wanting to plant my newest purchase (a little zebra haworthia succulent) in a geometric cement planter, but haven't really found one that I really love (at a price that I also love, lol). So when you can't find the right planter - what's a girl to do? Welp, make one - DUH!
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Valentine Colorventures
Happy Valentine's Day!
I know that I have literally dropped off the face of the blogging world as of lately, but this post is the end of that dry spell! I have taken up quite a bit of exciting personal projects lately since the new year has gotten started, and just haven't made it a priority to sit down and write in awhile.
I started up my own Society 6 shop, which is something that I have been wanting to do for awhile. Come visit me! society6.com/amyventures
In January, I also wrote a collab blog post with Live Like You're Traveling about solo adventuring - which was a lot of fun to write! You should definitely go check it out. ;)
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DIY Gift Wrapping: Gold Sharpie on Kraft
Ideally, I would have had this post up and ready for you all much earlier than this - but I admit that I am a mega procrastinator when it comes to gift buying and wrapping! It's actually a miracle that I have this ready for you today on Christmas Eve (lol) - as most other years I am typically still wrapping the night of Christmas Eve. Chances are most of you smart people are already done with your wrapping, but in the case that you still haven't finished - I'm here to share with you what I did this year! If you have finished, maybe you will find these ideas useful for next year or any other gifts you may be wrapping in the future (birthdays, Valentine's Day, anniversaries, etc.)
This year I decided to do my own DIY gift wrapping. Of all the people in my family, I am probably the only one who truly gets into the spirit of wrapping gifts. Most people in my family think that the extra ribbons are a waste of time / money, but I think that an extra pretty gift (from the outside) is much more fun and exciting to open. With all that said, you can totally dress up your gifts and make them extra special without spending a whole lot of money - and I am here to share with you how I did just that. :)
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