A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog about coping during the quarantine. This is a subject that I feel very passionate about and thought this week I’d expand on one of the important tips that were shared during that blog post: Self Care. As I mentioned in the previous blog post, “Self Care” looks different for everyone. For many, some type of DIY crafty activity can serve as a huge stress reliever. Plus, when you are done, you have something cool to show off and that builds a sense of accomplishment!
So here is a roundup of just a few suggestions for Self Care DIY projects just to get your creative juices flowing.
Decoupage Photo Collage
I got this idea while packing up items in my storage area of the old shop at 33 Graham St. I came across a push pin board that was the inspiration behind the name “Fresh Nostalgia”. Many years ago I applied for an internship at Anthropologie and along with the application, an inspiration board had to be included. Mine was entitled “Fresh Nostalgia” and I held onto it, despite being turned down for the internship. Several years later, when I was trying to come up with a name for my mobile boutique, I looked back at the board and knew it represented the feel of the brand I was trying to create! So, after finding this in the dusty storage area, getting wrinkled and ruined, I decided to find a way to make it more durable so I could display it at the new shop. Enter, Mod Podge! I can’t even tell you how easy and therapeutic this was!
Paint With Bob Ross on Netflix
I’m not kidding, Bob Ross’s voice is just so calming and I really love how he lets us all know that our creation does not have to be perfect. He doesn’t use the word “mistakes” but instead calls them “happy little accidents” insisting there is no right or wrong when you are a novice painter like most of us are! Plus, since it’s Netflix - you can pause and rewind anytime you need him to show you again how to paint a “Happy Little Tree”.
Learn To Knit
Okay, so this may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you have seen what some of these modern-day knitters are doing, you’d be so inspired! (I follow one very cool account on Instagram, @hellolavenderdesign and she is the whole reason I want to learn to knit) There are so many resources out there just for learning how to knit. One such resource is called Bluprint TV and through May 25 Xfinity TV is offering a free trial. They have so many online class videos starting with ‘Knitting 101’ and they go from there to video tutorials for specific items such as socks & sweaters, to videos about specific types of stitches. Another great resource for this is YouTube. Here you will also find countless videos to scour through, even if it isn’t as neatly organized into categories the way Bluprint TV is, at least it’s free.
Rearrange Your Bookshelves
If you are like me, you probably took the time to create book shelving somewhere in your house that doesn’t just look like a row of books all lined up. You mix in other elements such as picture frames, knick-knacks, little plants, & trinket boxes. The other day, my chore of dusting turned into rearranging the entire two shelves that are located in my living room. I even switched items up from other rooms. Sure, it took longer than when I started but when I was done, not only were the shelves thoroughly cleaned, but I had a fresh view until I get tired of it again.
Make Your Own Spa Products
We all know self-care can definitely include some bath & beauty products so why not make a project out of creating our own? This is one I have yet to try but I love the idea of homemade sugar scrubs. As you can imagine there are tons of free tutorials out there and many of them require very few ingredients. This one here from One Little Project gives a recipe for lemon and lavender. If you are someone who enjoys a nice bath, Bumblebee Apothecary has a great little video on making your own bath bombs here. And how about homemade lip balm? What I love about this tutorial from A Life Adjacent is that it shows you how to upcycle your old lipsticks to make a tinted lip balm!
We Hope You're Taking Care of Yourself!
Remember, self-care looks different for everyone. There are a number of coping tools out there to help you no matter what emotions or thoughts you’re dealing with. In a sense, self-care is trial and error as you have to use the tools to figure out which ones will work best for you. If organization and craft projects help you - please take advantage of them. But also, we hope you know your self-worth isn’t based upon how organized your pantry is or how many crafts you completed during the quarantine. What are your favorite self-care projects? Leave us a comment below or tag us on social media! We love to see how our favorite FNatics are taking care of themselves right now!
Molly, thank you for that insight! I particularly love the idea of “cooking off the cuff”! So often we tend (or at least I do) to look at cooking as a chore I need to get over with but it can be fun to make an unexpected recipe that the whole family can participate in! Hang in there everyone!
I need to get into the woods. The deeper and more remote the better. Cooking off the cuff is another creative outlet. And I’ve always wanted to learn to knit. Maybe that’s next? Stay positive!!