Creativity is a characteristic that anyone can harbour, artist or not. It’s a trait that can be applied to different circumstances, enriching it. But there isn’t a prime cause or source of creativity. However, there are a few ways to help you get started with exercising your creative muscles—like crafts.
1. The Relationship between Handcrafting and Creativity
Being hands-on which your approach to creation, literally, can potentially unlock parts of your thoughts you typically do not access by thinking or speaking. It forces you to confront new techniques and perspectives, so you are more likely to procure new ideas and innovations.
And much like other means and methods of art—you provide yourself a vessel to express thoughts and emotions. By tapping into your emotions and creating a physical manifestation of it—you are engaging in your creativity.
2. The Benefits of Crafting
The benefits of crafts aren’t limited to the breaking of creative boundaries, its positives extend to various other areas, like the following:
A Happy Pill: When you create, you feel productive. This can give you a sense of purpose and fulfilment—to have a solid understanding of direction, or even something to look forward to after your day job, is “significantly associated with lower[ed] levels of depression and anxiety”, as this blog from APA denotes.
Builds Community: Finding a new craft to indulge in, provides the opportunity to share your creations to the world. In doing so, you’re likely to find others who share the same interests as you. You’ll have a group you can ask crafts advice from, but more importantly—community helps you feel less isolated. Humans are social creatures, so it’s good to have nice company occasionally.
Cultivate your Cognitive and Motor-skills: Crafts are easy to get into, but it can be difficult to master. With enough practice and effort, you’d improve exponentially—and due to how Crafts require focus, attention and coordination, you would be exercising these skills as well. This hobby kills multiple birds with one stone—it harnesses creativity, keeps your mind sharp and improves your dexterity.
3. 5 Crafting Activities to Keep your Creativity Alive
Back to the topic at hand—creativity. Crafts are the barest form of self-expression, we’ve established so. It can help unearth emotions, provides a safe space for exploring your thoughts and promotes innovation—and for the most part, these benefits come from easily accessible crafts.
1. Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking involves taking pages of an empty book, to fill up with memorabilia, photos, art and smaller crafts. By keeping this journal, you’d have a place to keep your memories that doubles as a method to get handsy in the way you express yourself. It also acts as a way to preserve memories and thoughts—which in itself gifts you the opportunity to find creative inspiration in old experiences.
2. Birdhouse Building
Birdhouse building comes with various benefits: the act of planning, sawing and assembling, can be therapeutic—but the end result might just be the most rewarding part of it all. Seeing birds fly in and out, residing in the house you have built for them can be a fulfilling experience indeed. Reconnecting with nature this way can help clear your mind as well, allowing you to observe your thoughts healthily.
3. LEGO
It's the most expensive craft on this list—unarguably so. But what can be argued is that it’s a worthy investment. Whether it be a set with a ready-made instructional sheet or a box of assorted building bricks, watching something come out of nothing will always be satisfying. And more importantly, it is reusable. You can rebuild or reinvent it as many times as you dismantle it.
4. Pottery
Sign up for a pottery throwing class or simply buy yourself a cheap packet of air-dried clay to get started. It is undeniably a messy craft, but it forces you to be present and pay attention, relaxing your mind. You’re able to fully redirect focus onto your art—clay dries up, so it’s best to stay acute. Better yet, your creations likely have everyday use. Just be wary of what varnish you’re putting on your kitchenware.
5. Knitting
Whether it be through bright patterns or intricate weaves, knitting allows you to fully express yourself in multiple forms and colours. Take advantage of the vast range of materials at hand to uncover unique combinations, to your liking. Additionally, the repetitive hand motions of this handcraft can be therapeutic—it’s a healthy way to indulge in your creative aspirations.
Conclusion
Handcrafts have the special ability to soothe and to express. It’s a hobby with endless possibilities, and you have all the time in the world to explore them. Remember that creativity is a powerful tool, so seize it and create opportunities for yourself.
Author Bio
From Malaysia, Leia Emeera is a writer at TESSR, and a published author. She has been putting pen to paper ever since she learned how to, and has an anthology to her name, titled 'Ten'. Leia loves music, games and her beloved labrador retriever, George. She aims to further her studies in English Literature and Creative Writing the moment her gap year ends. 'Till then, you will find her sitting behind a desk, writing with TESSR.
Connect with her on LinkedIn: Leia Emeera
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