There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.
With that in mind, facing a snowstorm is just another opportunity to put together Wow! winter wear. The city looks absolutely magical in the first hours of snowfall, why shouldn’t you? As the storm picks up, you kick it up.
Here are some tips to keep your cool while the world is freezing:
2. Bake something. Nothing keeps you cozier than a house that is filled with the scent of homemade cookies. Nothing goes better with that nice big mug of hot chocolate.
3. Call your mother. She is probably walking around in her fuzzy slippers and would love to hear from you.
4. Adopt a snowball. Go outside, make a nice big crunchy snowball and put it in your freezer. It will make you smile when you see it in July.
5. Light a candle. I cannot think of a more poetic or romantic image than watching snow fall by candlelight. Makes your eyes glow.
6. Soak in the bathtub. Go ahead and light up some more candles before you step into a hot bubble bath. Snow days are perfect spa days at home.
7. Make a playlist. We remember special times in our lives by the music of the day. Find all of the songs that make you want to twist and shout and create a playlist that you can remember this snow day by.
8. Call a friend or two. Or three. Go ahead. Get comfortable with that cup of hot chocolate and get in touch with a friend. What is better than a little gossip to keep you nice and warm?
9. Check out the spring collections. Me, I start with shoes. Here’s a funky little shoeblog to tickle your toes.
10. Go outside. That’s right. Bundle yourself up and take a brisk walk in the snow. Enjoy this wintry experience!
11. OK, that’s enough. Brrrrr…. come back home and start from the top.
I adore winter and always pray for snow days, just like every kid in school. Have fun with this snowstorm!
Get more Wow!
If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:
Getting to Wow! to feel good, do good and look good
Nonprofit Knitwear for all things knit and nonprofit
Style Notes from me, your artspy
Hoong Yee
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Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.
Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?
Time to take a good look at yourself and say, “Oh my God, where do I begin?”
You didn’t get to living, feeling or looking the way you do now overnight. No, darling. You indulged, splurged, luxuriated and procrastinated your way to today. And all of that takes up a lot of your time.
But you know what? I have a wonderful secret to share with you since I, too, need to do something besides write those silly New Year resolutions.
All of us have a list of big life transforming goals like – learn Portuguese, read all of Charles Dickens, lose twenty pounds forever. These are things that will take a long time to do. Hours, days, years. Chunks of time that are not so easy to find.
But you can change the world in five minutes. How?
Look at your list of small things that make a big difference
take a picture of the sunrise and send it to a friend (too early for you? how about a sunset?)
put every pair of your favorite shoes that need some TLC in a bag for the shoemaker
research a new foundation
do two simple yoga stretches
call your mom
look in your medicine cabinet and toss out anything that is expired
pair up your knitting needles
sew on a button
put coupons in your wallet
eat a crunchy apple
All of the above and more can be done in five minutes and give you a spark of accomplishment throughout your day.
Get more Wow!
If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:
– Forward the link to someone you think would be interested
– Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @hylkrakauer)
– Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.
Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?
Sky walked into the kitchen where he knew there was always something to eat. However, if you had to open a jar or take something out a bag, Remy would probably starve. Food had to appear on a plate ready to eat and right under his nose. Sky made himself a bowl of cereal with milk and tossed some strawberries on top. He hesitated slightly before sitting down at the dining table.
Everytime I allow myself the sinful luxury of feeling sorry for myself because of a hard day putting out fires, putting up with an endless stream of problems and feeling fat,
- the universe chuckles knowingly and slips me a cookie.
It is a great thrill to be able to share with you the video, Spindle 7, created as part of my project of the same name that took me back and forth on the #7 train with my spindles and wool in 2008, meeting people and teaching spinning between Main Street in Flushing (Queens) and Times Square in Manhattan.
While the project itself lasted most of a year, the video was made over the course of three intense days of filming and riding the train with intrepid cameraperson, Marcia Connolly. She did not allow oncoming trains, urine puddles or irate commuters get in the way of the perfect shot. It was edited into a cogent whole by the sensitive and deft hand of Susan Forste. She also conducted the interview that provided the voice over you hear for much of the film.
Spindle 7 was made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Queens Council on the Arts.
Many thanks to both Marcia and Susan for their efforts, as well as to the all the spinners who participated in the project and talked to me about their lives, and to the riders of the #7 train who put up with that crazy lady and her spindle.
Click on the link above to see the 7 minute film.
With warmest regards,
Robyn
I am proud to say Robyn is a Queens artist and her project was supported by a grant from the Queens Council on the Arts. My mother-in-law, Mildred Phyllis Krakauer, would have added,
Geh verdreh zich dein kopf (Yiddish for “go spin your own head”)
Go ahead, take a bite!
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If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:
I thought it best to make a little video for you. Well, what are you waiting for? Grab your needles and find a baby.
Oh, if any of you want to knit a pair of booties and donate them to a charity, please let me know. Frances and I will be collecting donations up to December 1st and if any of you out there have been more naughty than nice – And You Know Who You Are! – this is an excellent way to position yourself higher in the gift food chain.
Email me.
Get more Wow!
If you want style notes and more for people who change the world, please check out:
Beware ofwomen roaming the streets of Chicago carrying pointy needles and a reckless desire to knit booties.
The rumors are true. Two cabloads of needle clicking women left the Westin Hotel, site of the Grantmakers in the Arts 2010 Conference, pulled up to Loopy Yarns on West Polk street and invaded the premises shrieking with delight over the wonderland of cashmere, silk, wool, buttons, notions and every tchotchka(Yiddish for thing. Usually means more dusting and who needs that?) you could ever imagine invented for knitters and crocheters.
Thanks to my dear friend and nonprofit knitting ninja, Frances, we gathered a small group together for a Monday night Dine-Around/Knitting Circle.
“I can transfer all the money I have in the world into my checking account and spend it all on crochet hooks which I know is a bad idea but I’ll do it. Someone please take me out of here quick!” Beatrice’s eyes were glazed and her voice robotic as she added more and more tchotchkas into her basket.
Janice and Seth
Frances nudged all of us out of harm’s way and into Bar Louie which was thankfully right next door.
Rose Ann’s hands
Over drinks and food, we sat around a table knitting and doing way more laughing than knitting. I think Janice must have ripped out and started her first bootie over at least three times. Of course, I gave everyone my cell phone number should they need knitting 911 during the conference.
Something magical happens when you are happycrazy making something with your hands and your heart. A little bit of knitting, a small group of nonprofit knitters, a tremendous amount of fun creates great energy among good good friends.
display of knit altar pieces at the National Museum of Mexican Art
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