• Annelise Capossela

Winter is coming, and the cold is deep; the dark is more. Whether or not you suffer from ye olde seasonal affective disorder, it can be helpful to have some tricks for occupying yourself indoors when the out-of-doors is looking grim. We've assembled some of our favorite projects for wholesome winter fun to last from the first frosted leaf to the last melting heap of gritty snirt — that's snow plus dirt, flatlanders.

The Never-Ending Scarf

Instead of counting knits and purls and agonizing over your scarf's perfect dimensions, just keep going. Whether you've got Netflix cued up or prefer to stare out the window, this project will keep your hands busy until spring!

Cranky Show TV

The power goes out. What're you gonna do? Luckily, many cardboard boxes are about the same size as television sets. With this old-timey storytelling craft, you can make your own entertainment using a simple scroll mechanism and drawing supplies. Bonus: This way, you can star in your own reality TV show just like you've always wanted.

Cross-Stitched Messages

A domestic tradition, with a twist! Use needle and thread to spell out messages for neighbors and the odd passerby. Suggestions include pirate skulls and requests for snacks. Alternately, make an SOS banner to wave from the roof in case your house is engulfed by snow.

Memorabilia Box-Fort

Build a temple to your past! Make a home inside your home! Remember that paper you wrote in college about the economic theory of emotion in Robinson Crusoe? Rescue it from the depths of that musty box in your basement, turn the box into a fort and wallpaper it with your brilliant words. Repeat with all other boxes in your basement.

Maracas

Sometimes, when the snow is falling softly, and you haven't heard the voice of another person in days, the silence can be deafening. Shake it up with this homemade noisemaker! All you need is a mason jar, that wine glass you accidentally shattered against the woodstove and some Gorilla Glue.

Newspaper Rope

We're giving you a head start here: You can transform this very newspaper into handy rope with endless applications. How? Google it; there are, like, a hundred videos.

Bathtub Bubbly

Empty the contents of your liquor cabinet into the bathtub. Give one good stir, and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Invite your friends over, distribute straws and see what happens next.