Exciting
Family Craft Projects
Guest Post by Eva Stephen
With the advent of modern technology
it is all too easy for a happy, healthy family to spend a lot of time together
in the home, without needing to speak to or interact with the other family
members. This is partly due to the wonders of social networking, which allows
us to see, chat with and even share pictures and ideas with friends and family
far away, even on the other side of the world! If you are despairing because
you have not heard your children's voices for days and your husband (or wife)
spends more time tapping on his or her laptop, tablet or smartphone than he
does speaking to you, it is time to take action!
Get the whole family to agree to
spend time together two or three evenings a week, with limited access to technology
– an outright ban is sure to cause an instant rebellion! Once they have all
agreed to give this 'together time' a try, it is up to you to entertain them
for the duration of the exercise!
Make a sheaf of cards
Hand-made cards have a special uniqueness
about them, and what better way to bond with the family than by making six
months- to a years-worth of cards together. Make some specialised cards for grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even cousins, as
well as some general 'Happy Birthday', 'Congratulations' and 'Get Well Soon'
cards to cover most eventualities. Everyone enjoys making things and the
satisfaction will be boosted by the neat pile of completed
cards, ready to be popped in a drawer until needed.
Sassystampchick.com
Something for the walls?
Make a family mosaic or collage,
inviting input from all family members. You can use family photos, pictures of
favourite teams and restaurants, all artfully arranged to make one large
picture from all the smaller ones.
Shapecollage.com
If that kind of project is beyond
the collective talents of the family, start out by jointly solving a jigsaw
puzzle over the course of several evenings. Once it is completed put it into a
frame and hang it on the wall. You will be amazed at how much the sight of the
puzzle will spur reminiscence of the happy times when you were all bent over
the puzzle, laughing and chatting as you sorted through all the pieces.
fineframers.com
Renew your furniture: Upholstery and paint
Young people love to try out new
things! They may roll their eyes and feign reluctance, but this tends to be a
cover just in case they do not pick up the new skill quickly and easily, and
also permits them to back off without losing face should the activity not be
their cup of tea after all. Play the part of the pushy mum or dad and persuade
them to have a go at painting, sanding, varnishing and even simple upholstery!
They may well be very good at it,
having nimble fingers and clear young eyes! If you have been planning to
upgrade a piece of furniture or two, have a look at replacements from the
excellent range at shop4furniture.net,
but do not rush to discard the old pieces; they make perfect projects for
enthusiastic new crafters!
Renew your furniture: Decoupage
Decoupage looks absolutely
beautiful, transforming a plain old piece of furniture into a unique and memorable signature item, perfect for
pride of place in a room, or to fill up a quiet corner.
notjusthandbags.blogspot.com
Start off small and simple, and
practise perfecting your techniques before moving onto the more complicated and
intricate designs.
There are many activities perfect
for a quiet night in for the whole family, and who knows, the skills you and
the family learn during these fun bonding sessions may form the basis of an
enduring hobby, or even turn into a source of income for one or more of you!
