As we head into February and have more cosy winter days to come, there’s never been a better time to start a new craft project. One of the best things about crafting is that it also offers ways that we can be more environmentally conscious in our lifestyles. Today, we share some exciting arts and crafts projects for adults that are as earth conscious as they are enjoyable. So, if you want to test your crafting skills in an eco-friendly way, we hope you enjoy this list of inspiring, creative projects!
1. Sew a reusable shopping bag
This project is both practical and earth friendly. Start by cutting two pieces of fabric into the shape of a bag. Sew the two pieces together, leaving a small opening for turning inside out. Turn your bag inside out and sew up the opening. Then, decorate your new shopping bag however you like!
Not only will this project save you from using disposable bags, but it’ll also make you stand out from the crowd with its unique style!
Would you like more inspiration for how to hand make a reusable shopping bag? Take a look at this helpful YouTube video for a tutorial and further tips: How to Make Reusable Shopping Bags
2. Paint with homemade watercolours
This is one of our favourite craft projects and is so much fun. If you’re into painting then you know just how beautiful watercolours can be. But with this project, you create your own paints that both look amazing but are also great for the environment.
You can use things like rose petals, fruit and even old makeup to create rich colours without the need to buy from the shop.
The process typically involves combining your pigment with water and a gelling agent like silica. You boil the pigment in water before then adding your gelling.
You then need to leave the final mixture to sit for a couple weeks and before you know it, you’ll have natural watercolours to create your art with.
As it’s still winter, we recommend using darker colours like blue and purple with pigments like blueberries. For more guidance on how you can make your own paints, take a look at the following helpful tutorial: how to make watercolors from flowers and fruits
3. Homemade potpourri
Potpourri is a great way to add a splash of colour around your home and is also incredibly rewarding to make.
To start you need to collect some flowers. This is even better if the followers have some sentimental value to you. Then you can trim away any stems to just keep the pretty colours.
Next you’ll need to dry the flowers out completely, this can be done by simply air drying them or you can even dry flowers in the oven.
Once they are dry you can cherry pick your favourites and put them together in a container with some essential oils so that your potpourri smells great.
Finally, you can proudly display your potpourri in your home or even give some as a fun present idea. Take a look at this tutorial for more step-by-step guidance: homemade Potpourri DIY | How to Make Potpourri at Home | DIY Dried Flower Tutorial
4. Make a nature collage
Last but certainly not least is a nature collage. What better way to show your love for the planet than by creating a collage with all recyclable materials?
All you need is some paper, glue and scissors as your tools and basically anything you want to create your art. This could be natural things like leaves or flowers as well as recycled materials like shopping bags and newspapers.
Once you’ve got everything you need for your collage, just start glueing them together on your paper. It’s an incredibly soothing activity and encourages us to be more observant of our natural world, carefully selecting what materials we would like to use for our art. Take a look at the following tutorial for more advice on how to get started with your nature collage: Wildlife Wednesday: Make a natural collage!
Summary
So, hopefully now you have plenty of ideas for some fun projects to get busy with over the next few months. We’ve included some Youtube videos as a guide to help you get comfortable with these skills. But if you’re looking for more inspiration for soothing activities, creative workshops and uplifting things to do, then The Joy Club might just be the perfect place for you.
The Joy Club is an online activity club for people who enjoy keeping busy trying new things and meeting new people in retirement. We host over 40 live online events every month, with everything from creative writing workshops to talks with wildlife experts – there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Premium membership costs just £5 per month and all new members get a one-month, no obligation free trial.
Interested? Click here to find out more and sign up for free today!