Hobbies are a healthy part of any life. Studies show that people with hobbies are far less likely to feel burnt out and stressed.
There are many great hobbies to choose from. In fact, the choices are limited only by your imagination. Paper crafts are great and can be especially rewarding and soothing.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Paper Curling
Otherwise known as quilling, paper curling is a craft unto itself. You’ve seen examples of it on those really expensive cards you find at places like Whole Foods or Papyrus.
Click here to see examples of what it could look like when you get really good. Go here for a useful tutorial on how to get started with quilling.
Paper Weaving
This one is a fun craft to do with the kids and is often used as a place mat. To weave paper, simply follow these instructions: (Go here to view the possibilities.)
● Take a piece of construction paper and fold it in half the short way (like you would if you were making a card.)
● Get a nice sharp pair of scissors and cut from the folded edge in a straight line until you are about an inch away from the opposite edge.
● Continue making cuts about one inch apart until the whole paper is filled with neat, parallel cuts. When done, open it up and lie it flat.
● Choose a different color (or colors!) of construction paper and cut one-inch strips.
● Now weave the strips in and out of the bigger piece of paper. Continue until the whole paper is filled.
● Tape or glue the ends of the strips so they won’t fall out.
● If you are going to use this as a place mat, your best bet is to laminate it for easy cleaning.
Make Your Own Cards
For this one to work, you will need scrapbooking paper in different colors, patterns, and textures. Simply choose a good background color and then cut out some shapes to glue on.
For example, for a baby girl’s shower you could start with a dark pink background. Textured paper is best, but a smooth one is fine if that’s all you have.
Then you could select a lighter pink or a patterned paper with whites, pinks, and yellows, and cut out an open umbrella to glue to the background. Voila! You have a cute front to your card.
If you want to get really fancy you could design the inside on a separate piece of paper, then use a hole punch and some yarn or string to tie the two pieces together. Remember to tie them loosely enough that the card can still be opened easily.
The sky is the limit. Use your imagination and let the creative juices flow! You’ll never spend 5-10 dollars on a card again!
Paper Lace
Creating paper lace and doilies is a fun and rewarding craft once you get the hang of it. Paper lace can be used to decorate centerpieces, name tags, cards, and just about anything else you can imagine.
White paper lace pairs especially well with a brown paper base to create that rustic-chic look that is so popular these days.
To create paper lace you will need some printer paper or tissue paper and some strong, sharp scissors.
Essentially, paper doilies are made the same way you made snowflakes as a kid. The difference is that you will be making more intricate cuts and going for more of an arts-and-crafts look than a wintry one.
Check out this tutorial for some ideas to get you started.
These are just a few of the paper craft possibilities. The sky is the limit, so grab some paper and have some fun!