I created this bundle to mark the longest night and because I wanted to make a Zine. For those of you unfamiliar with zines, they are handcrafted booklets that contain anything the maker desires. They’re ways of expressing ideas, experimenting with form, sharing your artwork, photography, poetry & stories or creating something entirely new. I like to think of them as little portals into another’s mind.

Zines are great because they are, or at least they can be, small projects. They can be inspired, ‘in-the-moment’ creations that don’t necessarily require lots of planning or pre-thinking. For this reason they seem to capture moments, impressions & feelings, where a book presents well-developed ideas and carefully constructed stories. And so, at least for me, zines can often feel more organic, ephemeral and intimate.

Along with a zine made especially for the Winter Solstice, I’ve included a few other treasures in this bundle to help you make space for reflection in the dark. Ritual is something I’ve been trying to cultivate more of in my life. Rituals exist in my culture & my surroundings, but not many of them truly resonate with me. Think chocolate eggs at Easter (though who doesn’t like chocolate!). I’ve felt for a while some element of these rituals is missing.

So I’m creating my own rituals, derived from my influences, experiences and environment, and of course what people before me have done.

Within the Solstice bundle I’ve added a few of these personal tools or suggestions for you to experiment with your own connection to ritual. I invite you to make of them what you will. If you have any personal rituals you’d like to share, feel free to leave a note in the comments.

Wishing you warmth and wonder for the colder seasons,

Amy

Maker at Juniper Perfume