Top Five Crafts For You This Season
by Virginia L.
by Virginia L.
Well, hello there, reader. Bored, and looking for something to do…? Need a present for someone, but you’re broke…? Artistic, but don’t know what to make…? Well, then I have the perfect thing for you! I have these fun, functional, and quirky fall and winter activities for all kinds of people, so sit down and find the perfect thing for you to do this season.
1.) Duct-taping: Wallet and Hoodie Duct-taping in general is a LOT of fun, but the duct tape hoodie is one of the best duct tape creations out there. Plus, it’s warm and waterproof, so you’ll stay dry and toasty this season! I’m actually making one myself, and it’s somewhat time consuming, but if you’re very precise and do everything correctly, I’m sure you’ll do just fine. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it if it’s your very first time duct-taping, though, so I’d start off with something a bit more basic, like the duct tape wallet. Materials for the duct tape hoodie include scissors, a razor (a knife or craft knife works just fine), a Sharpie, a yard/meter stick, masking tape, a large flat surface (a rotary mat works perfectly), and 150+ yards of duct tape, not including extra colored duct tape being used for embellishments. I know that that’s a lot of duct tape, but no worries; you can get all of that duct tape for around $15, you don’t have to buy fancy professional tape! Materials for the wallet include scissors (or a knife of sorts, I prefer a knife), duct tape (a roll is good enough, you don’t need a whole lot), and a small clear plastic sheet (optional:for an ID slot).
A great place to get more information on the hoodie is: http://www.instructables.com/id/100-Authentic-Duct-Tape-Hoodie-110-yards-of-duc/
A great place to get more information on the wallet is:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Duct-Tape-Wallet
2.) Beading!
Beading is a great way to make presents for anyone and everyone. Some people use stretchy plastic cords, put the beads on, and then tie or knot the end, but this kind of jewelry, specifically bracelets, are less permanent; they tend to break a lot. This is why I prefer putting the beads on wire, crimping them, and putting lobster or toggle clasps on the ends. Unfortunately, though, that method requires tools such as round-nose pliers, crimpers, etc., which may get a bit costly. Whatever floats your boat! Some great places to get beads, beading supplies, and beading information would be Joann Fabrics, Michael’s, Circle of Stones (This store’s a bit costly though, so I usually go to Joann’s or Michael’s), etc. Great seasonal/holiday beads are also sold at these locations. A better explanation of these types of beading are below!
A great place to get more information on beading with wire is:
http://www.making-beaded-jewelry.com/
A great place to get more information on beading with stretchy cord is:
http://makebraceletsblog.com/2010/11/26/how-to-make-stretch-bracelets/
Beading is a great way to make presents for anyone and everyone. Some people use stretchy plastic cords, put the beads on, and then tie or knot the end, but this kind of jewelry, specifically bracelets, are less permanent; they tend to break a lot. This is why I prefer putting the beads on wire, crimping them, and putting lobster or toggle clasps on the ends. Unfortunately, though, that method requires tools such as round-nose pliers, crimpers, etc., which may get a bit costly. Whatever floats your boat! Some great places to get beads, beading supplies, and beading information would be Joann Fabrics, Michael’s, Circle of Stones (This store’s a bit costly though, so I usually go to Joann’s or Michael’s), etc. Great seasonal/holiday beads are also sold at these locations. A better explanation of these types of beading are below!
A great place to get more information on beading with wire is:
http://www.making-beaded-jewelry.com/
A great place to get more information on beading with stretchy cord is:
http://makebraceletsblog.com/2010/11/26/how-to-make-stretch-bracelets/
3.) Knitting and Crocheting:
Obviously, you can’t just learn this skill in a day. It’s a really great thing to know, though, for the future, especially around the holiday season; hats and scarves are great presents to whip out. It’ll take a while of learning, but it’s worth it!!! Some places to get yarn and needles are also Joann Fabrics and Michael’s.
A great place to get more information on knitting is:
http://www.wikihow.com/Knit
A great place to get more information on crocheting is:
http://www.wikihow.com/Crochet
Obviously, you can’t just learn this skill in a day. It’s a really great thing to know, though, for the future, especially around the holiday season; hats and scarves are great presents to whip out. It’ll take a while of learning, but it’s worth it!!! Some places to get yarn and needles are also Joann Fabrics and Michael’s.
A great place to get more information on knitting is:
http://www.wikihow.com/Knit
A great place to get more information on crocheting is:
http://www.wikihow.com/Crochet
4.) Art!
Any kind of art, whether it’s drawing, painting, sculpting, photography, origami, anything, is great for presents! Loved ones especially love to get things like this for the holidays. Paintings, drawings, sculptures (especially beautiful and functional ones), photo albums, paper cranes are all spectacular. Again, Joann Fabrics and Michael’s are great for this sort of thing: they’re pretty handy stores!!!
A great (but somewhat advanced) place to get more information on these crafts is:
http://www.finearttips.com/paint-draw/
Any kind of art, whether it’s drawing, painting, sculpting, photography, origami, anything, is great for presents! Loved ones especially love to get things like this for the holidays. Paintings, drawings, sculptures (especially beautiful and functional ones), photo albums, paper cranes are all spectacular. Again, Joann Fabrics and Michael’s are great for this sort of thing: they’re pretty handy stores!!!
A great (but somewhat advanced) place to get more information on these crafts is:
http://www.finearttips.com/paint-draw/
5.) Using Recycling!
Everything around you has potential. Great crafts include pen/pencil holders made out of cans, earrings, belts, etc., made from pop tabs, anything’s fair game. Feel free to get really creative with this one!!!
Everything around you has potential. Great crafts include pen/pencil holders made out of cans, earrings, belts, etc., made from pop tabs, anything’s fair game. Feel free to get really creative with this one!!!