In this productivity-obsessed world, it can be difficult to set aside time to just power down and engage in activities that are not intended to generate money. Research shows that hobbies reduce stress, promote mental health, improve relationships and boost overall well-being. Here are some low-cost, easy-to-learn craft hobbies that you could try if you’re looking for something fun and creative to do during your downtime.
Creative craft hobbies to try
Knitting and crocheting are one of the most common and enduring hobbies enjoyed by the young and old alike. Both are affordable and a relaxing way to create beautiful handmade items like scarves, blankets, sweaters, gloves and more. The ideas are endless including gift items that are sure to be a hit with friends. They’re both easy to learn courtesy of the many, many tutorials online and all you need is needles and thread. The Benefits Of Knitting And Crocheting
Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper. “Oru” in Japanese means ‘to fold’ and “Kami” in Japanese means ‘paper’ so it translates as ‘to fold paper’. It’s an extremely enjoyable hobby that gives a great sense of accomplishment after folding it. Online instructions are easy to understand and follow and all you need is paper.
Calligraphy translates as ‘beautiful writing’ in Greek. It’s the art of creating beautiful and elegant handwriting with a pen or brush. You’ll need a pen, paper, and ink. You can also consider buying a calligraphy starter kit online and from hobby stores. It has a bit of a learning curve in the beginning, but with practice from online tutorials, you’ll soon be practising this hobby every chance you get. If you stick with it, you’ll soon be creating beautiful and unique, cards, invitations, posters and more.
Painting is a great way to explore your creative side, plus it’s very relaxing and it feels great to have a beautiful, finished product at the end. If you’re feeling courageous, you can just follow online tutorials to paint images of your choice. If you’re a little hesitant and distrustful of your abilities, you can try painting by numbers where you’re guaranteed to produce a picture that mirrors what you’re attempting to pain. With paint by numbers, you have an image with different numbers indicating paint colors, so you just paint the right colours in and voila, you’re a bonafide painter.
Scrapbooking: Conventional photo albums just display the images, scrapbooks tell stories and present the photos with texts and artistic designs. Photos are glued onto the scrapbook and decorated with stickers and other matching photos. All you need are just your photos, glue and the desire to preserve and showcase your memories. Scrapbooking is a really great way to creatively document and remember special moments and events.
Papier Mache is one of the most enjoyable hobbies for children and adults. It’s a great medium for creating a variety of art, most notably sculptures and masks. You’ll just need paper and it’s incredibly environmentally friendly because you can use recycled materials. It’s also easy to learn from online tutorials.
Pottery: If you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, pottery may be the thing for you. You can follow tutorials online to shape clay into beautiful bowls, vases, sculptures and more. Handmade items that you can use at home and even gift to friends and family.
Check out
7 Cool Hobbies Everyone Should Try
The Mental Health Benefits Of Having Hobbies
Lifestyle: Mental Health Benefits Of Doodling And Why You Should Start Doing It
6 Activities To Engage In That Are Good For Your Mental Wellbeing