A Few Things That Make Winter Feel Better

A dreamy color duo, thoughts on wintering, and a peek inside February's mail.

Feb 23, 2026

Happy Monday, and welcome to Feeling! Magazine’s Monday Letter! This is a once-weekly letter made to feel like a magazine flip-through, purposefully designed to help you feel joy. Be sure to check the comments for a greeting card giveaway!

Leave a comment

It’s probably not proper to start a newsletter with an apology, but I’m sorry! Monday Letters have been few since the start of the new year. In early February, I had a deadline for the largest illustration project I’ve ever had. You could find me on planes, trains, and automobiles, attempting to meet this looming deadline that absorbed every spare minute I had. But…I made the mark! Soon I will get to tell you what the secret is! And now, finally, we are back on track for Mondays.

For members of the Color Club, this same deadline interfered with how quickly I got out January/February’s mail to you! March & on will be coming earlier in the month, and I appreciate your patience at the start of the year.

A look at February’s mail! Currently in the hands of USPS

If you choose the “Color Club” subscription, for Feeling! Magazine ($89/yr), you receive one year of mail. Every month, you get an envelope filled with a “color of the month” selection, a postcard/art print for use as a letter or to frame, and a greeting card with its own envelope.

I just announced last week that I will be starting a new business, Feeling! Press, so many more greeting cards are to come! But the only place to receive a package every month AND have total access to Feeling! Magazine is in the Color Club. More details on how to sign up or upgrade your subscription are found here.

February 23rd: Still Wintering

I have beef with the groundhog. I am writing this with my heater blowing on my legs, my cat trying to stay warm next to me, and a blizzard forming outside my window.

I’ve tried to embrace the season for what it is — time indoors.

Grocery store tulips, Genevieve in her turtleneck

Trips out and about have been few. Short walks to grab groceries have become an event. I am most definitely a “summer.” I love to lie in the sun, light up at the chance to jump in a body of water, wear brighter colors, and enjoy the seasonality of social events over the summer months. I am still learning how to winter, but I am starting to see the magic in it.

Redecorating (again), Game night with the girls

It’s forced me to focus on my interior world. I am reorganizing, cleansing, and making my environment feel better. Cozy game nights, dinners in apartments, and time with dear friends have been plentiful. There’s something really magical about New York in the winter. Taking the train to someone’s apartment, throwing your coat on their bed, and sharing a warm meal — it feels like an honor to participate in the snow globe of the city.

The photo booth started taking pictures before we were ready, Valentine's Day tea at the Crosby Hotel

It’s romantic and cozy, and maybe I like winter? Maybe I need to be forced to look inside and slow down. My natural pace is certainly not slow. But this time of year draws me to blankets, to journals, and to do a little less. It’s a push I probably need.

The black & white version of the film, This tree in Brooklyn that someone meticulously decorates for every major and minor holiday

Here are some very specific things I’ve discovered that make winter feel a bit lighter:

Watching movies from the list of movies I’ve always wanted to see, but never have! From classics to recent releases, I’ve taken advantage of early sunsets to watch films.
Drawing and illustrating in bed. I prop up a bunch of pillows and draw for hours. Could swap out with your hobby — knitting, writing, crosswords, needlepoint, etc.
Making countless cups of tea a day. Current rotation is a morning london fog, an afternoon matcha, and an herbal tea latte with honey at night.
Play board games! Connor and I have played some fun two-player games, and have invited friends over for cards many times this season.
Taking brisk walks. Having a dog helps me get outside multiple times a day, even in the snow.
Intentional coffee dates with friends. It can feel a bit stir crazy sometimes. I’ve tried to be thoughtful in incorporating opportunities to get out and connect over warm drinks.
Starting up new creative projects and ideas. I’m stuck inside, I might as well!
Baking, duh. Banana bread muffins have been on repeat for me.
De-cluttering my closet and cabinets and donating items I no longer use.

Colors of the week: Envelope crease + wax seal. A nod to some upcoming branding changes I’m excited to reveal.

Some inspiration of the duo in home decor:

And in fashion:

✸ Chiquita Banana released new sticker designs from Brooklyn-based artist Jiaqi Wang that highlight Miss Chiquita as an icon of pop culture.

✸ Design your own trinket mobile on self.img’s new website. Be sure to explore her new collection of mobiles released yesterday.

✸ Here is a tutorial detailing how to make flowers grow on a Google Sheet page to make your to-do lists pop! Some light coding/digital creativity.

✸ I found a tutorial for stitching your initial into your journal to customize it, and it looks therapeutic.

Silver Shelf: I picked up three of these small shelves from IKEA ($20!!) and have enjoyed styling them with my favorite plates, candles, and art books. Such a great way to add some interesting texture to your space — a metallic instead of another wood piece!
My Everything Bag: I carry this M.Z. Wallace bag everywhere I go. It fits my laptop (MacBook Air), two journals, a scarf, and whatever quantity of lip gloss I am currently carrying. I get so many compliments on it. But I really love how durable it is, because I am kind of rough on my totes.
A New Tea Discovery: My sister-in-law had this Earl Grey matcha on her counter, and I became bewitched by it. Absolutely delicious with foamy milk. Perfect tin of tea to have out and then ask guests, “Would you like a cup of tea?”
What Makes My Laundry Smell Like a Coastal Hotel: You already know I am a Dedcool enthusiast. I LOVE the Xtra Milk scent. But I tried their collaboration with Ouai, and it is heavenly. It’s rose-forward, but comes out very fresh and subtle. My clothes/sheets smell like a coastal resort. I have my clothes on a drying rack, and my entire apartment smells like a breezy summer hotel.
My Favorite Valentine’s Day Gift: Connor got me a REAL PEN! Sweetest boy in the world — he got me the “gelato” pen with a note saying I’m his favorite writer. Ugh. I can’t wait to write a million things with it. It writes like Alysa Liu skates.
The Shirt I Can’t Stop Wearing: This tomato top from Reformation is cropped in all the right places, and I love it. Will especially love it when the blizzards stop and I can wear my favorite clothes once more.
My Current Matcha Rotation: Dona’s ceremonial matcha is perfection. I’ve been using it every afternoon for a latte.

✸ I started a new column for on-the-ground design reporting. I am really excited about it, frankly. I write it like I am basically FaceTiming a friend with the colorful, exciting things I have found. Especially small businesses and independent artists, whom I love introducing to you!

✸ I made a list of things to do when you feel terrible. No paywall — just hopeful it meets you where you are at, and it’s maybe something you can use to help encourage someone else.

✸ I’ve been working on a large piece about friendships; it’s been top of mind. I found this thoughtful work from little bird poet on the breaking of friendships and thought it was beautifully written.

✸ Kitty Cotten made a Beginner’s Guide to Knitting, which I am memorizing, because I’ve found I am not a natural in the yarn arts.

✸ If you are in a creative rut and need a little boost, I made this list of ideas as a reference.

✸ The Good Trade had me on as a guest writer over the weekend — I talk about my alternative to the “Brick” device for screentime, and thinking about things through the lens of seasonality

Thank you for reading and supporting Feeling! Magazine. I’ve decided to pursue this dream (making the magazine I always wished existed) harder than I ever have this year. I hope you’ll consider supporting. The best is yet to come!

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?