Dear Blogger
Message and lots of ideas to do if you are stuck indoors for weeks and weeks with `Cabin Fever`.
Yoland has enlisted the aid of Little Ness Craft Club to help you manage your social isolation period. I've put these links and ideas together which I hope you find helpful in these testing times.
Think of the things you always fancied doing but didn't have time. Well now you do have time you might be able to give them a go, or try something new out of sheer boredom..it might become a sanity saver, a new hobby and creativity is also an excellent way to combat stress and boredom. Have you got old craft projects half finished under the stairs or in the attic? Now's the time to finish them off and be proud of yourself.
You can always go on line to Amazon, ebay or a dozen other sites on the internet and order a jigsaw or a craft kit of some sort and that's terrific if you know what you want to do, but supposing you don't? Well, here are some ideas, using stuff you'll probably already have in the house.
Creative writing. That can be as simple as writing a journal or a blog. Writing down how you feel and what's happened in your day, is a proven method of boosting your well being and sense of perspective. Maybe you'll feel inspired to try a short story or a poem and the best bit is you don't ever have to show anyone else your work, it's just for you.
Gardening...yes, gardening (providing you have one) As well as getting out there and doing those spring jobs, did you fancy a little rockery, veggie patch or pond? Perhaps you just fancy a change. Start making a garden plan: sketch out where you want things to be, research plants, get the seed catalogue out and make a list.
Sketching. We live in a beautiful area, do you have a favourite view? Why not try and capture it, either from a window or outdoors. A few hours in the fresh air trying to get the tower right on St Andrews church could be just what you need.
Kids stuff. Are you at home with children? What creative stuff do they have? As well as doing that with them, you can also borrow their stuff and do your own thing. Play doh, fuzzy felts, paints & pens, Lego...I miss my sons Lego - wish I still had it. Doing this for yourself is very relaxing and taps into our inner child which reduces anxiety. It takes us back to simpler times. So don't be embarrassed to use their stuff (when they are in bed!)
Photography. Camera or phone, doesn't matter. Indoors or out. You can take pictures of everyday objects at unusual angles or magnificent panoramas of the local area. Play with composition and light.
Scrap booking. Have you kept lot of old greetings cards & memento's? Going through them will bring back great memories and you could arrange them into a memory box or a scrapbook.
Paper craft. This is an amazing YouTube video. Remember you don't need to have exactly what they are using, be creative, see what you've got that you can use instead.
Origami. This is upping the paper craft gear a bit, but is very rewarding!
Sashiko (thanks to Yoland for this, it's new to me!) An embroidery technique that you can use on any fabric, with any thread and needle. Ideal for brightening up plain fabric and very simple to do.
Recycling. There are lots of videos on YouTube of how to turn everyday objects into something else, but this one making a bird feeder out of a plastic bottle caught my eye.Go onto YouTube and type in "ideas for recycling... " or "idea's for leftover...." then add whatever it is you want to use up. That could take a few hours in itself!
For all you crafters out there who use cross stitch patterns, I came across a great free site which will convert any photo or picture you upload into a cross stitch pattern. Ideal if you are looking for a new project.
The best source of inspiration and patterns on the internet is Pinterest. If you haven't been on there, get a cup of tea and a biscuit because you might be there for some time.
Finally don't forget about virtual crafting - on your tablet and phone there are apps in the play store for jigsaws, colouring pages, dot-to-dot and other types of puzzles and games that will while away a few hours and are relaxing!
I hope you made it to the end of this email and that it's been useful. If you do take up a new craft or hobby, please share it with the rest of us, we might like it too. Little Ness Craft Club will be back as soon as we can and we'll look forward to seeing you.
Stay safe,
Karen
Cabin fever refers to the distressing claustrophobic irritability or restlessness experienced when a person, or group, is stuck at an isolated location or in confined quarters for an extended period of time.
