For people like me who love to craft, you already know the secret, but the rest of you are in for a big surprise…. crafting is cool!
Crafting is a word many people shy away from because, well, maybe it brings back memories of grandma’s knitted tissue box covers? Or even 7th grade art class which I’m guessing didn’t go well? Some people just turn their heads away from crafting simply because they are afraid of making a mistake (gasp!) but I’m here to tell you, crafting means creativity, which means there is no way to make mistakes because it’s about creating a one-of-a-kind project that only YOU can make. Besides that, if you really feel you’ve messed up, just own it and call it your “craftastrophy”.
The handmade movement really came into mainstream popularity as a recession busting activity. As the economy recovered, crafting became a trend and websites like Etsy and Pinterest boomed. Now more than ever people are calling themselves “craft addicts”.
Today people interested in crafts goes far beyond your art teacher. According to the 2017 (AFCI) Association For Creative Industries, Creative Products Size of the Industry Study, the median age of today’s crafter, compared to the U.S. population age, is getting younger; 28% of crafters are 55 and older while 37% of crafters are 35-54 years old and 35% of crafters are just 18-24 years old. Even better, more men are participating in crafting making up 40% of all U.S. crafters.
Learn about new creative space, Pinspiration:
Handmade, DIY, Up-Cycle, Repurpose, Makers Movement; those are just a few of the words used to describe the process of crafting but whatever you want to call it the art of handmade is not going away. You can get tutorials on how to make just about anything from websites, social media, blogger sites, in-store classes, magazines, and even at the end of this article.
I always say, there is no better sense of satisfaction than when you make something yourself. So catch the crafting bug and go make something today. Soon you’ll discover that crafting really is cool.
Let me help you with your first craft. This DIY Floral Mason Jar Centerpiece is a super easy project to do especially if you are a newbie to the DIY movement.
All you need is a mason jar, acrylic paint, glue, a styrofoam ball, wire cutters and faux flowers.
First, paint the mason jar whatever color you like.
Next, glue the foam ball to the top of the mason jar. To do this, trace around the top of the mason jar and make a grove in the foam with a pencil; this is where the foam will sit on the mouth of the jar. Attach it with glue.
Using wire cutters, cut the stems of your faux flowers about an inch down from the flower. Insert the stems into the ball to create a tight cluster of flowers all over the foam ball.
You can even add the leaves to the base for added feature.
This is a craft you can do all year around by incorporating any color flowers to create a centerpiece for any time of the year.
Catch a cool craft video here:
