Slow Season
Slow season is officially upon us, friends. With the darker days and early nights, slowing down during the Winter months just feels so right.
I’m a Summer Girl - through and through. With a birthday in August, I love the long days, the warm sun on my face, bike rides and patio beers. Sometimes I wonder if I’d be happier in someplace where it was warm all year round. But then Fall hits…followed by Winter. And each year I’m reminded by Nature that it’s necessary to slow. the f. down.
Along with taking a social media break, I’ve been intentionally creating things slowly this holiday season. Moving slowly, too. Giving myself grace.
One way I like to embody slowness in the Winter months is through embroidery. From time to time I pick up a small needle and poke myself in the hand repeatedly while I try to later colours on top of each other until they look like lines or like brush strokes. It brings me great joy, and an equal amount of frustration. Embroidery is the definition of slow work.
Last week I participated in an Art Show put on at Studio Clae by Deanna of @mossandmoon and was able to show off and sell some of these slow crafts of mine. It was a lovely time spent surrounded by other creatives, although I will admit I was quite nervous and uncomfortable at times! It can be nerve wracking to showcase your art and creations, and we’re always more hyper aware of our self than anyone else is of us, I tried to remind myself that all day. And hey, life is about doing the things that get us out of our comfort zone sometimes, right? Right.
Anyways, one new way I’ve been creating slowly this past month has been through dehydrating fruit and making salt dough ornaments, then stringing them together to create gorgeous natural garlands to decorate my space and give away to friends and family. I thrifted the dehydrator on Facebook Marketplace for $20, and hit up Costco for big bags of citrus.
Through trial and error, I experimented with different thicknesses, with oranges, lemons and limes. I even cut out cute shapes in the orange peels themselves to try and make the most of my ingredients.
Creating these garlands has brought me contentment and taught me a simpler sense of patience. Much easier than embroidery, I’ll admit. The slices can take days to dry at times, especially when you cut them way too thick the first time (like me). My favourite part about this craft is it doesn’t hurt my hands, and I don’t find myself gravitating toward the perfectionist tendencies that I have within photography and editing at times. These decorations are meant to be imperfect. They are meant to look organic and homemade and I love them!
Decorating my home in these garlands brings a smile to my face every day. The way the light shines through the flesh of each slice differently is a particular kind of beauty that can only come with something homemade.
My living room feels warmer. The house feels festive and alive. They’re also a reminder that I have the ability to set a goal and complete it. Most of all, it’s been fun!
Below you will find some personal photographs of garlands I created and the spaces within my home that showcase this slow craft as well as the process and setting of where they were lovingly and intentionally made. Thank you for reading and being here.
With love, Taylor Ellenne
