These days I am visiting Facebook less and less. Excluding all the wonderful craft pages, people and groups, most of the folks there are just complaining. Complaining about being locked at home. Complaining about the official’s ideas of how to deal with the situation. Complaining about how difficult their life is now. Complaining how they feel like prisoners…
Prisoners!? Really?! Maybe it sounds crazy, but one full year of quarantine will not be enough for me to complete all the craft and home tasks in my list. I really enjoy my lockdown. I have got out of so many unnecessary meetings (which will give the same result if they happen online), cut out so many unnecessary activities like – sorry for this example, girls! – window shopping, reduced so many money spending activities, labelled “just because I like it”, walking around the Malls, driving to the office, to the kids’ school, to the gym or the yoga class… My cooking hasbecome more crafty, my home is cleaner, my work space is decluttered and organized and I have finished two huge craft projects, one of which is this Flowering crepe paper cactus masterclass.
The time benefits
Now we have this amazing extra time to create all the things we’ve been dreaming about. Do you remember saying, “Oh, if I just had time..”. You have it now. I clearly remember the last time when I said “Oh, I want to have not less than 3 months without flying anywhere!”. And Bam! God gave it to me! All these little minutes which I was spending before here and there and on my way to somewhere (especially in a taxi in traffic!), they are mine now! I am home and ticking boxes on my Dream list.
The Dream list
Do you have a Dream list? Do you have in your mind these “oh, if I just had more time”, wonderful ideas to complete? Do you have delayed projects?
I am always saying that crafty people are happier and healthier than others. We can isolate ourselves in an amazing Universe of wool, watercolours and brushes, beautiful textiles, crochet hooks, miracle piles of colourful papers… Writing about this my heart is beating faster! If you are reading this article, you are probably one of these people. Do you have your Dream list? If not, make it today! Take a piece of beautiful paper, decorate it if you want, write with big letters on the top “Dream craft list”. And write down your dreams – about yourself, about your business, about craft projects.
The craft principles
If this quarantine period gives us extra time, let’s use it. The important thing is to not forget to craft ourselves too, not only with the materials in our desks. We have to start doing the exercises we didn’t have time for before. We have to start learning these beautiful languages, which we were swearing last time when travelling, that we will learn how to speak before the end of the year… We have to improve our knowledge in our and other areas of interest. Sorry, but sitting in front of the TV, while watching the news with a ball of wool and two hooks in your lap is not “crafting yourself”. Instead of tv, start listening an audiobook.
So, see my main quarantine time craft principles, which will make the time well spent:
Principle 1
Realise how comfortable you are while sitting at home and how many unnecessary activities you are saved from.
Principle 2
Organizing your craft space, following minimalist principles, will increase your creativity and will help you with the lack of some tools and materials. Or, if you don’t feel so revolutionary, follow the capsule craft principles. This organizing process will also help you if you start piling up unnecessary craft supplies. If your are curious, check the book in Amazon:
Principle 3
Make a list with at least one big and one small craft project for the week.
Principle 4
Make time every day for crafting. I know, now you need more time to clean and to wash clothes and medical masks, also to wash all the products which are coming home, but try to put aside an extra ½ hour every day for crafting. Also, why not reduce the amount of junk food (such as chips and soda) tht you’re buying, which will reduce the number of the items you have to wash. And will also make you eat healthier. Craft your cooking! I will tell you something: only by doing a short exercise period every day and eating food, cooked from scratch, I lost 2 kilograms in the last 3 weeks. No diets, no punishing my body!
Principle 5
Repurpose instruments. This is one of my favourites! I love repurposing and it always works well!
Principle 6
Purposely reduce online buying.
Principle 7
Work online with other crafters. Create projects together and support each other’s online presence. Or just allow yourself to be inspired by someone, who is creating in a different field. I have some projects like this – I made an Easter greeting card and embellishments, inspired by a cookie master and now am making paper flowers for a friend of mine, who is a jewellery maker.
Principle 8
Learn how to explain your craft in a different language and how to express yourself about your work. Also – how to write and pronounce the names of your main techniques and instruments. This will give you a great base for learning that new language and find craft friends from different countries around the world. Maybe never before in human history has something like this happened – to put in the same position people from all parts of the Earth with the opportunity to be connected. These difficult moments will change our world for the better, I am sure!
Principle 9
Follow at least one online lessons class and learn something new. I followed Domestica and bought a wonderful masterclass for 3D book making – a course by Silvia Hijano Coullaut, Editorial Designer. Now the steps for these lessons are the cherry of the top of the cream of my days! When everything else is done, I am travelling the world of the 3D books making! Amazing!
Principle 10
Try to teach others something. It is great to share your knowledge and experience! Write about what you know! Explain techniques! Share your creativity! Who knows, maybe this will become an entirely new road and business for you…
I hope this article will be helpful for you and will make you create a new daily craft schedule. I will be very thankful if you share your ideas with me.
Be safe and create!
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Thank you for helping me! ♥
If you like paper flowers, why not to see this article about How to make Iceland poppies… More detailed instructions – in my Etsy shop:
