For many of you, the school year has finished and you are well on your way to three months of summer. Although some of you are surely working long hours at internships, jobs, or summer classes, summer days are also filled with relaxing hours on the beach, hours watching TV and long days in bed. Even though all of these things sound great, there comes a time when the boredom kicks in. Here is a list of four crafts to pick up to help those boring times feel productive and creative.
1. Embroidery
Embroidery is fun, because although it is long a tedious like sewing, you are given the freedom to decorate anything you want. You can't put logos, initials, patches or cute designs onto old tees or jeans. Reinvent your old closet and revive those pieces. As it is summer, you could use embroidery to decorate cute towels for family or friends. These make great gifts if you plan on staying with anyone. Embroidery does take time and patience so make sure you have a good chunk of time and you can even multitask and embroider while watching the latest episode of "The Bachelor."
2. Make your own make-up.
This is a craft I feel is very underrated. I used to make my own lip balm when I was younger and I think I would enjoy it even more now. There are plenty of online recipes to show you how to easily create your own lip balm. You can make the color you just can't seem to find in stores. There are also little kits on perfume making which could be a fun summery project.
3. Painting
Painting is best in the summer because your inspiration can come from outside. It is warm enough to take your paper and watercolors or acrylics to the park and sit for a couple of hours. I prefer to use canvas boards which come in affordable packs at craft stores like Michaels. If you're traveling this summer, keep a small blank notebook in your bag and make a few sketches or paintings in there to remember your trip.
4. Soap
Soap is fun and easy to make. Again there are plenty online recipes and "how to" articles to show you how to make soap in all different scents and shapes. You may need to purchase molds or certain ingredients, but nothing that will break the bank. These unique soaps also make really nice gifts if you plan on staying over at a friends house.
All of these crafts are fun to do and will keep you from getting that summer boredom. They will also make your time more productive and creative as opposed to spending hours glued to the couch watching TV. If you're not in need of any of these crafts, remember to use them as thank you gifts: They're both thoughtful and unique!