crafts

Crafts Hacks for makers; a digital vision board with clever tips, ideas, techniques and materials for DIY creations.

Wearing My Gems & Overcoming Anxiety
I can’t imagine a future where I do anything but music. Songwriting enables me to put into art and make sense of every internal feeling that I have trouble putting into simple words. Music helps me understand myself and my often-intrusive thoughts; it is the language of my heart through which I communicate most effectively with the world around me. Singing and songwriting have been an outlet for coping with my mental health struggles, such as OCD, anxiety, and ADD. I’ve been singing since age two, although by then, I had over 20 ear infections, and doctors weren’t sure if I could hear from my left ear (later, my hearing improved). Music also helps me join the diverse parts of my life and who I am: a mestizo, first-generation U.S-born and (future) college graduate, Nicaraguan, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
By Gabriela Ortega5 years ago in Lifehack
The Stories My Scissors Could Tell
I absolutely love celebrating special occasions!! And for me, having bright and flamboyant decorations is a must in making an event special. It’s the fluttering birthday banner hanging across the room, the glitter encrusted ribbon on the gift, or the carefully crafted decor atop the decadent cupcakes that make an event stand out and transform a blank room into a stage of festivity. From the time I was a child, I dreamed and drew pictures of these special events: the lace ornate wedding with a 6 tiered cake, a birthday party bursting with streamers or the pastel painted baby shower filled with beautiful decorations. Even more, now, as a mother, I have loved making decorations for my children’s birthdays. I have hand made strawberry, Cookie Monster, ballerina, Ninja Turtle, and Frozen birthday themed decorations.
By Julie Watts5 years ago in Lifehack
Oh those sticky grocery bags!
Just a regular day behind the register, hunderte of plasticbags being filled with what ever comes down the belt. Nothing out of the ordinary, exept some of those bags just don’t want to open up. They stick to each other like glue, clinch in a strange embrace of unyelding plastic.
By Anja Frick 5 years ago in Lifehack
Tying Up Loose Ends
I just redid my room. I painted the walls and changed the curtains. I was very satisfied at first, but as I was sitting on my bed one morning, watching the sunlight peak through the window, I looked over at the many plants encumbering my shelfs and I cringed. The décor in my room was off; it was missing something. I opened my computer and searched ‘’Macramé plant hanger’’. Instead of finding online stores to purchase macramé, the result pages overflowed with DIY how-tos and tutorials. I was working two jobs and thought I didn’t have the time to start a craft project. The plant hanger would most probably not be done before weeks, and because I am very impatient, I was in a hurry. So, I sighed and searched ‘’Macramé plant hanger for sale’’ and found out that the prices ranged between 10 and 70$. After browsing for a while, I realized that the most fitting pieces, the most beautiful and perfect ones were of course on the higher side of that range. But since I was paid minimum wage, I had a tight budget.
By Ames5 years ago in Lifehack
Hobby Goodness
Snip snip go the scissors morning noon and night. Snippedy snipping every chance they get. The tingle buzz of the pleasure of creation, of forming shapes familiar to the eye of imagination. Bringing dreams to life. So goes the joy of hobby once adulthood ascends and every second of life starts to be precious and counted, counted by the snippedy snip.
By Kevin Mitchell5 years ago in Lifehack
My Muse Sings
Sometimes I like to wear my favorite gold Fiskars on a long gold chain around my neck. Not just for the undeniable swagger. I want my tool of choice within reach. Wearing my scissors on a chain acts as a signal to my muse- I am ready! Come on by! And for me, the more often the muse comes by- the better. I love creating! Plus I love a great idea! Whether I am sewing quilts, making stop motion animations, or constructing life-sized paper doll clothes; proxy to my scissors is paramount.
By Saree Robinson5 years ago in Lifehack
The Best Way to Recycle Liquor Bottles
I'm not an electrician. That is something I feel I should let you know from the start. I enjoy making bottle lamps and have gotten plenty of compliments for them. Because I am not an electrician, I will not be giving you instructions on how to make your own bottle lamps. This is the story of a grown man's love of making bottle lamps.
By Keggercast5 years ago in Lifehack
"And, don't forget the scissors!"
When the pandemic struck in the early Spring of 2020 and everyone else was gathering toilet paper and bottled water, my mom’s first instinct was to force my sister and me into the car and drive straight to the craft store. “There’s no way, I am spending the foreseeable future trapped in the house with the two of you and no crafts,” she lectured as we roamed the aisles throwing everything from painting canvasses to pony beads into a shopping cart. As we made our way to the check out, she called out, “And, don’t forget the scissors!”
By Edmund Cain5 years ago in Lifehack
Out of the Ashes
My journey into the world of textiles began as an effort to preserve my sanity when I was a young mom, home with my children all day. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a mother, but I’m a creative, ambitious person and I needed more in my life besides diapers, cooking and play-dates. I wanted to do something from home so I could still focus on my primary role as a mom. I landed upon the idea that I would like to design quilt fabric (I was a mural artist prior to having children). The only catch was that I first had to develop the skills to create digital artwork, something I never even knew was possible. I bought a computer and design software, and set about teaching myself how to use them. During that period, I would put my kids to bed each night and head to my room for hours of late-night learning. When I had developed just the basic skill set needed to submit a portfolio of design work, I was rewarded with a contract to design fabric with a manufacturer of quilt fabric.
By Emily Taylor5 years ago in Lifehack
Crazy
"Hey, what are you working on?" my niece asked. It was time for "The Test." I tossed her one of the quilt squares and held my breath as I waited for her reaction. I didn't have long to wait. "How cute!" she cried after looking at it for about 3 seconds. She handed it back and turned back to the movie we were all watching.
By Nicole Calbout5 years ago in Lifehack
Craftiness and kindness
I would like to invite you in to my crafty world to tell you all about some of my crafting activities over the years. Crafting, for as long as I can remember has always been a part of my life. I find crafting meaningful and useful, as well as the obvious, exiting and fun. I have made cloths and accessories for my dolls when I was young. I made jointed teddy bears when I was a teenager as well as children's novelty working clocks. As I got older I tried to take my crafting to a different level and began to learn about paint effects which led to painting furniture and using great new mediums tools and techniques. Some techniques were learned through college tuition some from books and TV, a lot through trial and error and so much more these days through media such as YouTube. I love to learn new things in this crafty world. It is a never ending happy adventure.
By Tammy Dunnan5 years ago in Lifehack
Recycling The Good Times
There’s nothing quite like opening a new notebook. The cracking sound with the turn of every stiff page not yet softened by time and use; the smell of processed paper, still slightly chemical; and, of course, gliding a pen along a line, crossing a new page for the first time.
By Luiza Araujo5 years ago in Lifehack