winter

Holiday Hygge

Published on December 22, 2024 by Skylar M. Beck2 Comments

It’s the coziest time of the year again! The holidays bring so much joy and warmth, especially into the home. It’s a time of year where it seems like things speed up and slow down at the same time. This is my favorite time of year to make my home extra cozy with holiday decor, layers, lots of textiles, and holiday scents.

I’ve talked about hygge a lot this year and tried to be intentional with incorporating important elements of hygee, such as, candles, textiles, seasonal elements, layers, and cozy corners into my home.

Similarly to last year, this holiday season I focused on ways to incorporate crafts and handmade decor touches. I love creating and collecting things for the home around the holidays that feel crafted and provide a nostalgic touch.

I wanted to share some simple steps for two of my favorite “diy” elements around this time of year, an orange garland and a simmer pot.

dried orange garland

thinly slice 1-2 oranges (1 is plenty for one garland)
dry each slice with a paper towel to remove some moisture
place orange slices on a baking pan
bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours checking occassionally to flip
oranges will be done once slightly brown or harden

winter simmer pot

add water to a pot or dutch oven
cut and add 1 thinly sliced orange
cut and add 1 thinly sliced apple
2-3 cinnamon sticks
sprinkle of cloves or nutmeg
splash of vanilla extract
add a handful of cranberries
for an extra touch, add rosemary or pine
bring pot to a boil and lower to simmer for 30+ minutes

wishing you all happy holidays! x

View of living area from the dining room

DIY ornaments with leftover fabric material

Spring Hygge Inspiration

Published on May 8, 2024 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Throughout the winter season, I embraced the danish notion of hygge, which simply means making things more cozy and homey. This is a practice I would like to continue incorporating into other seasons throughout the year. We are already close to the end of Spring and I have enjoyed finding small ways to make my spaces at home and engage in activities that embody hygge. Here are some of my tips and ways I’ll be embracing hygge for the rest of spring.

Hygge Inspiration to Incorporate this Spring

Add greenery or flowers to my indoor and outdoor spaces
Make a spring simmer pot
Spend time outdoors
Bake spring inspired treats
Watch the sunset or sunrise
Have cozy breakfast rituals on the weekends
Add color to my interior spaces through accessories or art
Enjoy morning coffee with new garden space
Have an outdoor picnic with friends
Create a spring bucket list
Plan a weekend trip

Adding more colorful touches to the sunroom space

How to Romanticize the Winter Season

Published on January 7, 2024January 7, 2024 by Skylar M. Beck1 Comment

Now that the holidays have passed and the new year has begun, slow season is upon us. This time of year can be hard with winter in full swing, shorter and darker days, cold temperatures, and not many breaks or holidays to look forward to.

During the last few years, since working full time especially, I have found one way to make this season a little easier is to romanticize it! Romanticizing to me, is making something more beautiful or highlighting the beauty in our daily life, even the mundane moments.

I’ve been reading The Little Book of Hygge, Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking. It focuses on the presence of Hygge, the danish term for essentially homey or coziness. Throughout the book, Wiking focuses on how danish people thrive in the winter season and slower months because of the concept and feeling of hygge. It further inspired me to incorporate hygge into my life throughout this new season and embrace the winter instead of dread it.

Some ways I’ll be incorporating coziness and romanticizing my life this winter:

Candles– helps with the darker nights and creates a warm inviting space
Lots of cozy layers– blankets, pillows, etc on the couch and bedroom
Books– reading a new book, cozying up on the couch after a long day
Making fun meals– I love making fun breakfasts or dinners during the week to have something different and “weekend like” to look forward to
Plan fun winter activities– walks in the snow, making a new soup, building a snowman, ice skating etc.
Plan a trip– a winter trip is one of my favorites! and it brings that feeling of something to look forward to
Incorporate seasonal elements– bring in cool tones (whites, cool neutrals) into the home and small valentines day touches can make the home feel in line with the seasons
Create a winter bucket list– creating a list of things to embrace in the winter and work towards can make the season more fun
Spend time in the snow– you either love or hate the snow but it’s definitely something to try and embrace during the season (especially if you live in a place that snows often).
Cherishing time indoors– this season is all about staying warm, and cultivating a space inside that brings joy and comfort

One of my favorite parts about romanticizing a season or time of life is that it usually doesn’t require material things or an excessive amount of effort. We can romanticize our lives and seasons with what we already have and what we already do. Challenging our mindset about a particular season or time of life is the biggest way to shift how we feel. Cheers to embracing a new season and the start of 2024!