Lamenting the loss of summer? How to find happiness through creativity during the darkest days of Autumn
Every year it catches us out: Summer feels like it'll go on forever, then all of a sudden – it's Autumn! The days are shorter, the nights seem darker, and you never quite know what clothes to wear from day to day.
- 43 inspiring autumn craft projects you'll want to start tonight!
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- 22 cozy living room ideas to embrace the winter season
The change from the heady days of summer to the gloomy autumn and winter months can be tricky for anyone. The lack of sun, which leads to lower vitamin D levels and natural changes to our circadian rhythms, can cause a lower mood in general. If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it can be even more challenging to find the positive during the colder months.
But it's important to not give up hope as soon as the summer is over. Autumn can be a magical and inspiring time of year, but it can take a bit of effort to appreciate the positive things in life during the colder months. Pushing yourself into a creative project and finding ways to spend more time outside can help to break up the drudgery of those dark days.
5 Creative ways to find happiness in Autumn
Stay in and stitch!
When the worst of the weather hits and it's all dark outside, many of us hunker down in our homes and revert to the same old habits – binge watching TV shows and doom scrolling on our phones. But while this might occupy our minds for a while, they rarely provide a genuine sense of satisfaction.
This is where small stitching projects are ideal. You don't need to have a huge supply of craft materials or loads of space. In fact, many people like to stitch on the sofa at the same time as they're watching TV.
Choosing a small cross stitch or embroidery project is great for casual crafting, as you can easily put it down if you get distracted or need a break. Plus, you get a real sense of achievement as you gradually complete your project.
Take a look at our lists of autumn cross stitch patterns and autumn embroidery patterns and find a project that inspires you to start stitching.
Paint all the pretty colours
The spring and summer months are full of life and vibrant colours, but autumn and winter have long been a source of inspiration for artists too. From the moment that the leaves start changing colour and falling off the trees, to the magical light and shadows of snow-covered landscapes, there's beauty to be seen all year round if you look for it.
Autumn especially is a great time to get outside and find inspiration in your surroundings, and painting is particularly well suited to capturing those varying colours and tones. Whether you're heading deep into the forest or looking long into a seaside sunset, there's plenty of subjects to paint – you can see some examples in our list of autumn/fall painting ideas. Remember, if you don't want to paint outside, you can always take a camera with you to capture the scene and then do your painting in the comfort of your own home.
Watercolour paints are an excellent choice if you're just starting out, as they're beginner-friendly and can be done with just a travel watercolour set and paper pad – no easel required! Watercolours are also particularly well suited for more impressionist styles of painting, meaning you don't need to strive for perfection when you're just starting out.
Take a look at our tutorial on how to paint a watercolour landscape to see how it's done!
Welcome winter with warming yarn crafts
When the weather turns cold, it's time to reach for the wool. Learning how to knit or crochet your own winter accessories is a great way to embrace the autumn, as they don't take long to make and you can show off your stylish creations straight away.
A simple scarf is the perfect project for beginners, and working rows of basic stitches back and forth can be surprisingly relaxing once you get into the groove with it. Another craft that you can do sat on the sofa!
You don't need lots to start – just a pair of knitting needles or a crochet hook, and of course, some yarn. If it's your first time, try using a chunky yarn. This not only makes it easier to see and understand the stitches, but also means you're project will work up nice and quickly.
Want to learn more? Our complete beginners guide to crochet and beginners guide to knitting will tell you everything you need to know to get started!
Once you've got the basics sorted, learn how to craft your own winter warmers with our free mitten knitting pattern for beginners.
Find fulfilment in a foray
Many of us enjoy a brisk autumn walk, but it's often about getting from A to B. We rarely take the time to stop and look closely at our surroundings.
With the help of a good field guide book (or app: Seek by iNaturalist is great for beginners), you'll be surprised by how many plants are still flowering or setting beautiful seed heads. Once you start looking closely and learning more, you'll start spotting new things everywhere you look – it's like a natural version of Pokémon!
Try making your own sloe gin using berries from the blackthorn tree (or bush), or picking sweet chestnuts for roasting (or playing conkers with) – there's plenty of traditional recipes you can make from foraged food. Remember to be careful though and never eat anything from the wild unless you're 100% sure it's safe.
You can also use nature's abundance for creative hobbies as well as culinary ones too! It's easy to inspire children with nature, be it making collages with autumn leaves or even trying some pine cone crafts. Both kids and adults can enjoy spending time making a nature mandala out of sticks and leaves, or maybe even making your own natural Christmas wreath. A surprising amount of native plants can also be used to make natural dyes too – winter tie dye anyone?
And if you're into fungi, you can always try looking for Ganoderma applanatum, otherwise known as the artist's conk or artist's fungus. This common bracket fungus is brown on top and white underneath, and is often found near the base of dead trees. When this white under surface is scratched it turns brown, making it perfect for drawing on, plus the markings become permanent when the fungus is dried.
However you're enjoying nature, remember to always harvest responsibly – never take more than half of what you find and no more than you need.
Don't forget that you can admire the beauty of nature without even touching it! Try it out with our mushroom drawing tutorial.
Time to try a class
We tend to think of autumn and winter as being the quieter times of the year. We pack our summer with seeing friends and going out, but in autumn and winter the early nights and cold weather means we naturally have more time to ourselves – and this can be an ideal opportunity to try something you've always wanted to do!
Make the most of your autumn and winter evenings by signing up to a class. From painting to ping pong to pilates – whatever the hobby, having a regular time and day to do something different can help to break up the drudgery of the winter months.
An in-person class is great for getting you out of the house and socialising with others. Sure, you'll need to really push yourself to head to class on those really horrible winter days, but it'll be worth it! Even an online class will provide the pleasure of taking part in a shared activity with other people and can help to add variety and engagement into your life during the latter part of the year
Don't know where to start? Find out how to banish that brain rot by discovering a world of creative crafts to do when bored.
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