we spend way too much time looking at a screen – so today i am going to share with you some activities to do that are tech-free and require little to no experience or skill: crafts! you can make these crafts in the comfort of your home or you can go to a local park or field to enjoy the beauty of nature while you do these!
art is a great de-stressor, and you also get a cool memento to decorate with! don’t believe me? check out this harvard study about how art is therapeutic and helps people relax.
the four crafts i have listed below are little to no cost and i’ve ranked them by difficulty:
level 1: drawing and coloring
no specific time requirement
grab some good old papers and pencils for this one, and doodle until your heart is content! the beauty of drawing is that there are no rules: you can sketch patterns, buildings, animals, or really anything you can think of! as you develop your skills, try out shading techniques to elevate your drawings! check out this link for some guided drawing tutorials or ideas!
i also recommend a sketchbook – it is a nice way to keep your drawings in one place and it is fascinating to see how your skills progress page by page! this one is my favorite!
if drawing isn’t your style: i suggest coloring! coloring is super calming, and you still produce a gorgeous piece of art! you can buy coloring books or even print out individual drawings to color in. my suggestions are listed below!
who doesn’t love coffee and animals!
funny coronavirus coloring book!
level 2: painting
no specific time requirement
now is the perfect time to discover your inner bob ross! like drawing or coloring, painting is an art~form with no limitations. this activity will require a few more supplies, but the final products are worth it! the basic supplies you will need are: paints, a canvas, a few paint brushes, and a paint pallet or paper plate.
i love going to my local lake or mountain outlook and painting what i see – but you can always follow a tutorial to start off your painting career! i am a big fan bob ross’ tutorials – they are very soothing and easy to follow! remember – there are no mistakes in painting, just happy accidents 😉 !
level 3: friendship bracelets
~1 hour
if you have ever gone to a summer camp, i bet you are familiar with the passtime of friendship bracelet making! they are easy to make and can add the perfect splash of color to accessorize your outfit! not to mention, they make great gifts for friends and family!
for this activity all you need is embroidery thread in your preferred colors!
if you are unfamiliar with this craft or want to try a new design check out this tutorial!
i love turning on a movie, listening to music, or chatting with my friends while tying these bracelets!
level 4: embroidery
~1-3 hours
embroidery is the craft i taught myself how to do over quarantine! it definitely requires some learning and patience, but it is worth it!! i have embroidered tote bags and even a pair of sneakers, and they look so much better with a splash of color on them!
for this activity, you will need a piece of cloth to embroider (like a tote bag or piece of fabric), a needle, an embroidery hoop, and some embroidery thread (which you have from the friendship bracelets)! you could also check out an embroidery kit here!
the embroidery kit includes detailed instructions to get you started, or you could follow along a video tutorial like this!
One thought on “crafts!”