“That according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being.” Ephesians 3:16
Get up, go to work, take your lunch break, go back to work, go home, do chores, eat dinner, go to bed, and repeat the process all over again.
Day after day, five days a week.
It is easy for the days to start to blend when you are stuck in the same daily rhythm of the corporate lifestyle, cooped inside the office for eight-hour chunks. While we can break the monotony by going out with friends, partying, working out, or cleaning the house, it can still feel like something is missing, especially for creatives.
You are missing that tactile, hands-on hobby that lets you create something whimsical and personal, while also tuning out the logical, scrutinizing part of your brain that you use at work.
YOU MISS CRAFTING.
In this post, I lay out the top activities that are perfectly suited for those 30-minute crafting sessions between your evening activities like laundry and prepping dinner.
Table of Contents:
Weaving Or Crocheting
Weaving was one of the first crafts I did as an adolescent. It can be modified to fit every skill level, whether you are a beginner or an experienced artisan. You really don’t need a lot of material to get started; a few basic supplies can open up a world of possibilities. There’s also a variety of weaving methods, so if the big loom weaving does not seem appealing to you, you can give finger or rug weaving a try, both of which can be incredibly satisfying and provide instant gratification.
Additionally, there’s a wide variety of materials you can use, including fabric scraps, yarn, wool, and even unconventional items like plastic bags or twine. This makes it easy to start weaving with whatever you have on hand and encourages limiting clutter by repurposing materials. At 11, I started making friendship bracelets with cardboard looms and spare string from my mother’s sewing box. Weaving can be done with whatever you have on hand.
Junk Journaling Or Scrapbooking
This is a great option for people who aren’t very good with their hands or want something less detail-oriented. This is also a great method for making paper art, especially if drawing is outside your particular skill set. Additionally, this is a great bonding activity for friends, family, or social events. My college girls’ ministry had a scrapbooking night, where we created pages using photographs from that semester’s events.
If you are trying to get started on a budget and don’t have the money to print a ton of pictures for a scrapbook, try making a junk journal instead. This is just scrapbooking with more miscellaneous materials. In other words, you utilize the “junk” you can collect throughout your week (fast-food packaging, flyers, magazines, labels, etc.). All you really need is some junk, any blank notebook, and a good glue stick. Just don’t use any junk with food residue. That can get really unhygienic very quickly.
Sketching Or Coloring
This is a great option when you don’t have a ton of time to plan a project or gather a bunch of different supplies. All you need is paper and some colored pencils or fine-tipped pens. You don’t even need a fancy adult coloring book. You can just create abstract doodles on some blank paper and color them in, as simple as that!
Coloring is also wonderful for people who feel like their creativity and cognitive ability have hit negative digits by the time they get home from work. It requires little to no thinking, and you are literally thinking inside the lines, so no need for any significant creative thinking. There are some really cute adult coloring books on Amazon for less than $20, and they make great presents to get or give during the holidays.
Making Jewelry Or Trinkets
For those who enjoy a bit of bling and want to explore the DIY side of jewelry and trinket-making, this might be a fun hobby. A quick trip to Hobby Lobby or Michaels might set you back around $50 to $60, but you can get all the tools and supplies you need to start designing and creating your own jewelry and trinkets.
This hobby works especially well after a nine-to-five because it doesn’t require large chunks of time. You can create something small in under an hour and end the day with a finished piece. For many people, that sense of completion feels grounding, especially when work tasks seem never-ending or open-ended.
Painting (Acrylics Or Watercolors)
If you enjoy coloring but want something a bit messier and freer, painting is a great option to explore. You don’t need fancy supplies or formal training. A small palette and a cheap brush can be enough to help you unwind and explore.
Acrylics are forgiving and bold, perfect if you want to layer or experiment without worrying too much about mistakes. Watercolors, on the other hand, have a softness that encourages letting go of control. The colors blend on their own terms, which can be strangely comforting on days when everything feels rigid or structured.
Sewing (Embroidery Or Needlepoint)
I know that sewing has a reputation as a grandmotherly activity, but it can be incredibly relaxing! Hand-stitching crafts are for nights when you want to slow everything down to half-speed. Embroidery lets you build tiny artworks one stitch at a time. Needlepoint gives you a pattern to follow so you don’t have to think too hard. Sewing enables you to turn old fabric into something new, which always feels a little bit like magic.
Nowadays, you don’t just have to embroider tea towels. Brighten up a pair of old jeans, shoes, or a tote bag with some cute embroidery of your favorite flower, animal, or random doodles. Also, if you are looking to upcycle old fabric into something new and functional, sewing is the perfect way to add a bit of your own personality to your clothing or accessories.
What To Remember About Trying These New Hobbies
At the end of the day, hobbies don’t need to be big or bold or Instagram-worthy. They just need to help you reconnect with yourself after spending all day doing things for other people.
Try one, try all, or mix and match as you please, depending on your mood. Even a few minutes of making something with your hands can soften the edge of a long day and remind you that your life belongs to you after five o’clock.
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Until next time!
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