I work part-time at a local library and I love it. One of my jobs is to teach an Adult Craft Class once a month. I was doing okay, mostly, until we closed to the public for Covid19. I now have to do my crafts via videos.
I try to make the crafts interesting but also try to come up with crafts using items most people would already have at home. My problem is I need new ideas. Many of the ideas I seem to come up with often seem to simple for adults. Can anyone suggest crafts that I can film easily in 15 minutes that they would find interesting to learn/watch? Photos or links encouraged. I have always had great luck with questions addressed to this site. Thanks in advance. (Hoping to resume in person classes sometime in 2021 - the sooner the better!)
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I love gifts in a jar. You could do a series. One month do a soup, next month bath salts, the next month a bread, and so on.
You could also do a candy series.
Thanks for the ideas. I was doing a quilt block of the month in 2020. Maybe for 2021 I can do the jar idea. Always liked those myself. Not sure I have one for bread but I will find one (or 2, or a dozen or so!).
Used to make and sell candies so that is also a possibility. Have to work on the logistics of a "cooking" class on film though.
Thanks for the help.
Basic book sculpting...only used old discarded books...I usually teach the class about what happens when a new book comes into the library...no one ever thinks that libraries have a finite number of books they can hold & the rest are discarded...talk about the possibilities that a book will be recycled in the future...( a few paperback recycling centers do the paperbacks, but I haven't found any for hard cover books) In fact I began these projects when out school district closed a high school and sent all the h/s books to the h/s where the students were sent to...but, no furniture to hold them....they were filling dumpsters with hundreds of books every week...I contacted all the h/s involved & went around on a regular basis to pick up these books.. Then we began book folding for my severely disabled students who could not cut,or draw...they would hold the book down with the elbow they could control & fold with the 2 fingers that they could control on the other hand!! Such happy Art students....ps...before beginning the book art we always talk about the parts of a book plus the recycling centers...we also do altered books, & even use the large books as paper to paint on & keep as a portfolio....
Terri, you are fortunate to have such a ready source for book materials. Book folding has always been very popular when we do it at the library. We even have projects for all of our age groups. Several of the 'students' have gone on to do some complicated projects that look marvelous.
I have also used pages from discarded books (a perk of working in the library is a ready supply of book material!) as paper for other projects - stamped cards, painted silhouettes, etc. I like the idea of talking about the parts of a book and its lifespan. May have to do that. Maybe while making a small journal or something similar.
You are a dedicated teacher and your students are lucky to have you. 8-)
Check out Kelly Barlow Creations on youtube. She has some really cute ideas.
Thank you. Very helpful site.
I love the lamp idea (not with jellybeans--they are for eating) but using buttons or shells. I have a bag waiting for me to have the time for me to do this!
Here is the link:madincrafts.com/
G-d bless you in your ventures!! Keep up the good work!
Cute site. Found several good ideas that might work. Thank you for helping me out.
There are MANY sites on-line for easy adult crafts if you Google "easy adult crafts". Here are some of the sites:
www.favecrafts.com/
These are just a few of the sites, with crafting ideas for everything from wooden bird houses to decoupage to felt projects... just ALL kinds of quick and easy projects. Take a look at some of these sites for inspiration !!! Good luck and have fun!!!!!!
Follow several of these sites but you gave me some new ones to check out. Have done several crafts using ModPodge and have followed FaveCrafts for a long time.
There are lots of crafts to browse on here or you can try Pinterest.
For adults - maybe painted rocks, soap making, hanging shelf, plant crafts, pop pom garland, seasonal garlands.
Repurposing items around the house
Thanks for the suggestions. Painted rocks was a craft I taught back before Covid sent me to doing video classes. It was a big hit. Soap making is on my list but I want to do that as an in-person class, too, so they can make-and-take the results. Have done several types of wreaths but never thought of garlands.
We call this the spinning diamond and they have to do several other shapes before they can do this project. We also made small diamonds as Christmas tree decorations.
Have done this but the most popular was the large heart, followed closely by the linked hearts. Some day, when there is nothing else going on in my life, I want to tackle some of the books folded to make village houses. Would be a great holiday display. Again, someday!
Hey ! I understand ! I am 10 and teach sewing , maybe I can share a few ideas ! 1. Little animal keychains 2.Cute hairbands (supa e-z , tells the recipes later ) 3.little bags 4.warm pack !
How to make animal keychain : Cut a shape of an animal , sew it together , stuff the cotton..done ! How to make a hair band : cut a rectangle, use a ribbon to tie the middle , use superglue to glue the bow on any normal hair bands How to make little bags : cut a square , sew it together , sew On a button ...done ! Warm Pack : Sew a pouch and insert rice in in , microwave for 3 mins , done !
Gee!
All of this at 10 years old and you're all ready a master!
Sounds like you really like making these things so why don't you think about doing a blog or YouTube episode of your own?
Have fun whatever you do...
Take care and stay safe.
Betty
Cute ideas. I haven't taught a hand-sewing class in a while and almost everyone has a needle and thread at home so they could follow along.
I have taught machine sewing classes starting with a pillowcase. I could scale that down to the little bags. The animal keychains, or even initials, would be good, too.
Thank you for the ideas. & way to go teaching at 10. Good luck with your future classes.
Tin food cans, they make great pencil ,office supply holders. You can also use them as planters, by drilling a hole from the bottom. Cover the outside with fabric ,card stock, wallpaper, or even wrapping paper for a different look. This is a good project for those food cans and helps keep our earth greener.
Empty cans have been in my craft supply kit for a long time. Most recently made luminaries by freezing water in the cans then using a nail to punch holes in a design. Add a candle and you have a cute decoration.
Also recently did bird feeders for small birds. The large birds often scare off small birds from normal feeders but they are too big for the horizontal can feeders. I have a soft spot for the underdogs of the world!
Our library is decorated with many 'pencil' cans made by our children's librarian in her classes. Be glad when we can hold in-person classes again for some new ones.
I know that it is much easier to demonstrate crafts in person but if you have all of your supplies ready and practice a few times this can work for you and hopefully it will only be for a short period of time. Occasionally extending the time to 15 minutes can be difficult so always be ready with a little 'snap' idea to fill in.
So many links and suggestions already given, I feel sure you will be able to fill in until everything is back to normal.
I have always loved doing decoupage as it can be done on so many different items and you can use so many different types of covers - fabrics, paper, pictures, children's art work, etc.
modpodgerocksblog.com/
It seems that Mod Podge is used in so many craft doings so hopefully your class members like working with it
Another craft that is popular is Bath Bombs.
www.favecrafts.com/
I have not tried all of these but they look interesting:
craftsbyamanda.com/
homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/
diycandy.com/
modpodgerocksblog.com/
Thanks 'Grannie' for the ideas. I personally haven't done any decoupage for years but used to enjoy it. That would be an easy one to demo on camera, too. With so many people into journals and scrapbooking it may be time to revive my very rusty skills. For some reason, a hatbox springs to mind. No idea why but would be fun to do.
Made bath bombs with my pre-teen daughter and her friends during a sleepover more than a decade ago and cleaned up ingredients for weeks afterward. Think food fight with salt and cornstarch. (I just left the room for 3 minutes - tops!) Time to face my nightmares and try them again; especially with all the wonderful essential oil so readily available now for scenting them. Good to do in spring before Mother's day, perhaps.
Thanks also for your kind words to the 10-year-old seamstress! Teaching at age 10. I was just learning to crochet and embroider at that age.
I remember when I taught classes that doing family pictures on 'something' was always a favorite and digital pictures have evolved since my time.
I also did the cups with nail polish but that is kinda tricky and you have to hand wash the cups so it's not all that popular. I used mine for give away plant cuttings with small rocks in the bottom and loose soil and everybody liked that.
The Epsom Salt project is new to me so I might think about trying that.
You sound so interested in doing this so I'm glad you have received such high response from all ThriftyFun members.
Have fun and stay safe.
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