Easy-Does-It Fun with Crafts and Hobbies
Ever seen that beautiful nice rug in your friend’s fireplace? Or how about the knick knacks on her coffee table? Or perhaps that nice scenery cross-stitch hanging on her living room? Well, what would you do if I tell you that they’re all hand-made and that you can do them yourself? Yep, from cross-stitch designs to handmade rugs to quilts and knitted sweaters to hand-made, personalized jewelry to paper maches and recycled shoe box containers – these are just some of the favorite hobbies and crafts that you can explore while sitting down and lazing away the afternoon. What better way to pass the time than to make use of those creative juices and be productive!
There are a variety of products and knick knacks that you can make from used pieces of fabrics to pools of yarn to beads and semi-precious stones to dried leaves and twigs, even to dried coffee grounds and coffee cans. Many crafts and hobbies need not be expensive. Most of them make use of recyclable materials or anything that you can find in your closet, cabinets, kitchen, backyard.
Young teens and fashion-conscious individuals might want to explore jewelry making. Beading jewelry can be fun and very creative. Start with necklaces and bracelets as they are easier to do. You can try making a simple pendant of turquoise-colored beads slipped on a silver chain with an adjustable silver clasp. For a simple earring design, look for a matching turquoise-colored bead or charm. Buy earring findings and jump rings of the same color and shade. Open the jump rings, slip in the charm and close it with pliers (of course you need this one). Slide in on the earring hoop and whalaah, you got yourself an earring.
For the techno whiz kid out there, you can try digital scrapbooking. Digital scrapbooking allows you to manipulate, edit, crop, enhance, change color, add texts and captions and change the background of your pictures with the use of computer programs like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, Microsoft Picture It!, Paint Shop Pro and ULead Photo Impact. Of course, this requires skill and knowledge in these programs, but the possibilities of scrapbooking are endless once you get the hang of these programs. You can edit those pictures, enhance them, print them on good quality photo paper and paste them in traditional scrapbooks. Or if you want, you can store them in your CDs and make them available to your friends and family online.
Teach kids the value of reading and have them make bookmarks for their books. All you need is a colored cardboard or heavy construction paper, sequins, markers, feathers or other accessories, glue, laminated plastic, yarn, hole punch and scissors. Cut out the cardboard into the desired size and shape. You can even explore different designs or you can make a Pooh or a Mickey Mouse bookmark by tracing Pooh or Mickey Mouse’s shape.
Decorate the cardboard with your sequins and other accessories. You can add glitters or lace or small cut-out drawings. Laminate the cardboard or you can also simply cover the cardboard with plastic. Punch a hole at the top of your cardboard and tie a yarn through the hole to form a tassel. In 10 minutes you have yourself a book mark you can use for reading. You can even modify these bookmarks and use stamps instead. Stamp in your name, or a design, or even emboss the image if you have tools.
A coffee lover? Here’s what you can do with those empty coffee cans: You can recycle them into storage containers and pen holders. Punch a couple of holes at the bottom of the cans and string ropes or twines to make them stilts. Or you can use them as pots for raising backyard melon or pumpkins. Brewing coffee? Here’s what you can do with those used coffee grounds. Steep them in hot water and you can use them as a dye in making parchment paper. Dried coffee grounds can also be used in making pin cushions. It can also be used as a nice costume add-on. Smear on face cream on cheeks and chin and pat the dried coffee grounds for a stubble beard look.
These crafts and hobbies need not be expensive. They need not be grand. All it takes is a dash of resourcefulness, a sprinkle of imagination, an ounce of creativity and buckets and buckets of fun.
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