Cottagecore, in my opinion, is the only trend so far that has blown all the other recent ones out of the water. I mean, deep down it must be everyone’s secret dream to just pack only the essentials and move away to some fairytale cottage in the heart of the woods, to start life all over again. Here are some great cottagecore activities for you to try out, especially with the weather getting warmer.
Baking
Cakes, muffins, bread, cookies, biscuits. You name it, then bake it. If there’s anything being vegan taught me, it’s always to expect milk powder or eggs in the most random products ever *cue internal screaming*. It’s a great thing that there are so many recipes out there on the web for vegan cakes, cookies, and biscuits that can always be made that little bit healthier, without taking away from the idea of them being a treat. For one, Peaceful Dumpling has hundreds of vegan dessert and bread recipes!
If it’s a nice breakfast your looking for, try baking your own flapjacks or granola. You could be saving yourself a lot of heartache (and stomach aches) by creating them from scratch, and it’s always nice knowing exactly what’s gone into them too. Since vegan pastries are near enough impossible to find here in the U.K., save for the Just Roll pain au chocolats and cinnamon rolls, it would be nice to get your hands sticky and learn how to make your own pastries. Apple pie was the first thing I made as soon as I bought myself a good and sturdy pie dish. Let’s just say it was worth the effort, especially with the vegan cream on top.
Vegan Rose Pistachio Cake—very cottagecore!
Sewing and/or knitting
Did you ever sit with your mum or grandma as a kid and watch as she mended or tailored clothes, and you just played around with scraps of material by sewing them together? Those were the good times. Invest in a good sewing machine (it doesn’t have to be brand new, well cared for second-hand machines will do just fine) and mend your own clothes or alter them once they get too small. It’s amazing how relaxing it can be to just sit and really focus on something that’s fun and doesn’t feel like work either. Another added bonus is that you might not have to throw away that torn cardigan, or that polka dot dress that can be tailored into a tunic. #sustainableliving
If you want to try a hand at knitting, go for it! (Here’s a beginner’s guide that should get you started.) Just a word of warning from someone who has tried it before, it’s a lot harder than it looks, but the results must be so rewarding. It must be nice to be able to knit yourself a blanket or a scarf for those colder seasons.
BONUS: If neither sewing nor knitting sound that interesting to you, why not give patchworking quilting a go. Instead of throwing away that old blanket you fell out of love with, give it a good wash and a makeover with a gorgeous assortment of patchwork squares to really spruce up any room in your house. Patchwork is definitely a must for cosy cottage décor.
Decoupage
Decou- what? Decoupage is a type of arts and craft work where you decorate objects by gluing patterned paper cut-outs onto the surface. It might sound weird to some people but, honestly the things that have been made are incredible. If you like the idea of upcycling things, then this might just be for you. Instead of restoring an old desk or wardrobe, you can redecorate a jewelry box or an old wooden hairbrush instead. If you’re really into DIYing your house, decoupaged items would make a very quaint and unique touch to your decorations. Still not convinced? Look up some pictures of what people have made, that might change your mind about giving it a go.
Jam making
What’s a good slice of bread or a soft piece of homemade vanilla cake without freshly made jam too? I know jam is super cheap to buy but, that doesn’t mean every once in a while you can’t experiment with flavors. If you’re looking for something beyond your standard raspberry, strawberry, or apricot jams, making it from scratch leaves you with endless opportunities to play around. When I was a kid my mum once made a chocolate and plum jam and let me just say, it was incredible. Have some fun with different combinations, and once you’re done making them you can store your jam in some sustainable glass jars labelled with cute stickers. That’ll brighten up your pantry and your breakfasts.
Gardening
Would this really be a cottagecore related list without gardening on it? I didn’t think so either. Growing fruits and veggies will make you feel like you’re responsible for something, and it really gives you a sense of pride knowing that some of the food you put in your bowl came straight from your garden. But how about growing some nice flowers too? It can be so rewarding to step outside into a garden you’ve tended and landscaped by yourself. It’ll be a nice space for a morning cup of tea and some breakfast, or to read a book in when the weather is nice. If you’re going to grow fruit and vegetables though, make sure you look up which produce grow better next to each other, and which you should avoid putting together (and don’t forget some environmentally friendly and natural pesticides too).
Also by Adrianna: Quarantine Fatigue Is Real. 10 Morning Habits To Get You Going
Get more like this—Sign up for our daily inspirational newsletter for exclusive content!
__
Photo: Mike Erskine via Unsplash; Wikipedia Commons
