"Crafts make us feel rooted, give us a sense of belonging and connect us with our history. Our ancestors used to create these crafts out of necessity, and now we do them for fun, to make money and to express ourselves." - Phyllis George
They say the best gift a person can give someone else is their time, and the next best gift is giving someone something that you have invested your time in. That said, all it takes is a little bit of resourcefulness and creativity to get things going The best part is that is you do not need to pay huge sums of money to get yourself started, nor do you need to be an expert to unleash your creative side.
These craft ideas are all about experimenting with things that you can find around your house. Simply put, it's time to get uncluttered and organized, while getting creative.
Cues from Nature
Have you raked your garden recently? If not, consider doing it as soon as possible, for that is just your first cue on getting creative. You can use leaves, dry twigs and dry seeds to create something unique and aesthetic. Well, among the things that you can make using these raked leaves include photo frames, artistic decorations, and card holders. You can use broad leaves to create unique cards that can be presented to your loved ones. Besides, you can even use stronger, Y-shaped twigs to create your own musical instrument.
To make a Tambourine/Rattle:
You need -
- Y-shaped twig
- Flattened bottle covers (metal)
- Metal wire
- Strips of rubber/balloon
Drill holes through the top edge of the Y-shaped twig to pass a metal wire through. Using a nail, puncture a hole in each of the bottle covers. Pass these covers through the wire and secure it in place by twisting the wire at the ends. For a firm grip, fasten the rubber strips at the lower end of the stick. And lo! You have your unique tambourine ready.
Bits of Paper
How many cards do you have? It is time to recycle your cards and put them to good use. The glossy shine of the card paper is fantastic to make bookmarks, that can be presented as gifts or favors. These cards and magazine covers work well to make invitations/save the day tags. Spare colored papers can be used to create artistic origami art and flowers. The best part of presenting your loved one a bouquet of paper flowers is that, they will never wilt away.
To make a Figurine:
You need -
- Newspapers
- Glue
- Tissue roll
- Scotch tape
Twist rolls of newspaper and secure it with Scotch tape. Wind these rolls of paper around a metallic frame. Secure the newspaper rolls in place with Scotch tape. Once done, apply glue mixed with a little bit of water to the newspaper, and place pieces of tissue paper on it. Cover the entire frame with tissue paper and allow to dry. When the glue has dried completely, you can paint the figurine in metallic colors to create a unique figurine. Use this as a paperweight or a centerpiece to decorate your tea table, or simply adorn your showcase.
Beaded Pleasure
This is something we as girls enjoy doing. I for one, have a huge collection of beads, both big and small, and whenever time permits, use the beads to create something new. Beads allow me to be creative, and I guarantee that you would love it too. Jewelry tops the list of things you can make with beads. Apart from that, you can create tiaras, headgears and belts. You can also use beads to give a different look to your shoes, bags, and yes, clothes. You can also glue tiny beads to a glass to make your own candle holder.
To make a Unique Headgear:
You need -
- Thin metal wire
- Glitter
- Beads
- Gaffer tape
Cut half the length of the wire into 15" strips and keep aside. Using a tea light as the frame, wind the wire around to form a circular frame. Twist a part of the strip of wire around the frame, such that the wire appears to be radiating from the center. Pass the beads through this wire and secure with glue. Space out the beads so that parts of the wire are visible. The next step is to cover the visible parts of the wire including the circular frame with gaffer tape. Apply a layer of glue to this tape, and sprinkle glitter or tiny beads and leave to dry. Once dry, comb your hair to one side and pin this headgear right above your ear.
Threaded for You
There was a time when all a woman was expected to do was cook, clean, and sew. Thanks to the busy work schedule, women these days seldom find the time to indulge in these pleasures. Well, it's never too late to begin, and indulging in stitching, knitting or sewing as a pastime is a good idea, at least to keep boredom at bay. The list of things that you can make using yarn is endless, however you can make dolls, table covers, headbands and lampshades. You can also make knit or crochet bags, ponchos and clutches. By the way, they make excellent gifts to present your loved ones with.
To make a Rag Doll:
You need -
- Old pieces of cloth
- Washable fabric
- Beads to make eyes
- Wool to make the hair
Use the washable fabric to sketch out the basic figure of a doll. Cut the fabric accordingly, and sew the ends together. Remember to leave an opening, so you can stuff it with bits of old cloth. Attach and sew the head to the main body of the doll. Stitch a tiny dress for the doll and you have a wonderful present to gift someone younger.
Wired for Beauty
Metal wires and old hangers can come in handy to make interesting artifacts to decorate the house with. Among the things that you can make using metal wires are frames for lampshades, interesting show pieces, and games.
To make a Wire Maze Game:
You need -
- 50" copper/metal wire
- Electric buzzer
- 9-volt battery
- Insulated copper wire
- Shoe box
- Masking tape
Create a twisted loop using the copper/metal wire. Secure this loop to the shoe box lid. Cut a 10" strip of the copper wire and create a tiny loop, such that it can pass through the maze without touching the wire. Twist the stripped copper wire to the lower ends of the maze that have been secured to the shoe lid. Connect the other end of the insulated copper wire to the buzzer and then the battery. Place the battery and buzzer inside the shoe box and secure on a plank of wood. There, you have your own 'Do Not Touch the Wire' game ready.
From the Coast
The benefits of staying close to a beach or river bank is that you can collect different types of shells and use them to unleash your creativity. Shells can be used to make jewelry, to decorate homes, and also to make interesting photo frames. A walk along the stores lining the beach will lead you to several stores selling curtains made using shells, which are often highly priced. Making a curtain requires a bit of an effort, but is definitely worth the hard work.
To make a Wind Chime:
You need -
- Different shells
- Nylon cord
- Drill
- Plank of wood/Y-shaped strong twig
- Eye screws
- Masking tape
Drill holes into the Y-shaped twig and fasten the eye screws into place. Mask the shells prior to drilling holes in them so that they do not crack. Pass the nylon thread through the shells and secure them with knots, to keep them in place. Make several such stings of shells of unequal lengths and attach it to the eye screws. Attach a hook to the twig and hang this in your garden or window.
Messy Work
Use clay to make pots, vases, and even to sculpt a figurine. This is definitely no child's play, and will require dollops of patience and endless tries for you to succeed, but the effort is sure to pay off. You can also use ice to create ice sculptures. Another good option is to make carving from wine corks to start with.
Color Palette
How about breathing a fresh hint of life into something that is old? Get out the acrylic paints, oil paints, and fabric paints, and help yourself. Draw an artistic design on your pots, flower vases, mirror, glass, or even wall, and fill it with interesting colors.
That's a handful of ideas for you to implement. You can come up with your own ideas and help us by enlisting it in here.
