This past week has been super difficult. Personal and family stress have really been taking a toll on my mental health. I’m stressed and cranky! ! So, this morning as I prepared for a much needed day of crafting therapy:
It occurred to me how crafting really helps my mental health.
Whenever I spend my morning planning what crafts I’m going to work on that day, my mood improves and I begin to look forward to the day ahead! I quit thinking about the negative stuff and start focusing on the fun stuff!
On my table right now, I have 2 great stress reducers that are also fun beginner friendly crafts anyone can do.
Plus I know of a 3rd great craft that I love to use to destress and unwind. So, I thought I would share these craft ideas with you 🙂
Focus on the Positive and Start your Day Right By Taking Some Time to Plan a Mental Health Craft Break!
Here are 3 great crafts to try!
3 Crafts to Help You Destress and Improve Your Mood:
1. Spin Stress Out on a Turkish Spindle
Spinning on a Turkish Spindle is a great way to relax and destress. It’s so enjoyable to watch the fibers wrap around themselves as they tighten together and make yarn. It’s like watching fish in a aquarium, so relaxing!
It’s an easy and accessible hobby to start. YouTube has a great selection of beginner tutorials. I would also suggest becoming a free member at ravelry.com, a great site for any hobby fiber related, including spinning.
Turkish Spindle Basics – Amy King:
2. Braid Your Worries Away with Fabric Scraps
Braiding Fabric straps is a relatively new hobby I’ve discovered and almost beats spinning as a great stress way to instantly destress. Recently, I found myself subconsciously braiding a rope as I calmed myself down after a super stressful conversation with my mother lol.
It worked great! And now I have a great coaster for my coffee and cookies when I destress over our next conversation! 🙂
You can find fabric scrap braiding tutorials on YouTube. Some search terms to try are: how to braid fabric scraps; how to braid scrap rug; no sew braided scrap rugs.
But if you know how to braid hair, you can braid a scrap rug. Give it a shot!
This Mug Rug Tutorial gives you an idea, but I don’t sew the fabric coil together. I use a hot glue gun. Even more fun, imo!
I also don’t like sewing the fabric scraps together as I go, so I join them by cutting a hole in both ends of scraps and then pulling the tail of the top scrap around and up through the hole. This YouTube videos shows this no-sew technique, as well as how you can make a bigger rug from t-shirt scraps:
Making it a no-sew projects makes it a totally easy craft to pick up whenever you need a few minutes to keep your hands busy and/or calm down.
Give Fabric Scrap Braiding a try this weekend to have a fun little mental health craft break away from whatever is stressing you out! (is it your mother too? lol)
3. Make a Scrappy Flower!
And of course, there is no better way to destress then scribbling on some recycling from the bin and making a fun paper flower. I’ve linked here to the Scrappy Flower Fun Craft Page.
Making Scrappy Flowers is so easy and fun, especially when you scribble your stress out on some scrap paper. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s silly and fun and makes something pretty!
Spend 30 minutes making a scrappy flower or any craft, and have some fun!
Make a nice bouquet of Scrappy Flowers for your desk at work and reduce the stress from it! a win-win hobby! 🙂
I hope this inspires you to take a Mental Health Craft Break soon!
If you do please share your stories and crafts! I’d love to hear what helps you destress!
What crafts and hobbies perk you up and make you look forward to the day or reduce your stress? Let me know!
Please comment below or use the contact form on the website to connect with me.
Or connect with me on Social Media. Tag your posts #scrappyflowercampaign to share your wonderful inspirations!
Happy Crafting!
Lainie
Founder, Project Manager, Crafter
The Scrappy Flower Campaign
Leave a comment