March is National Craft Month. When I was growing up I disliked doing anything with crafts and would rather stay busy thinking of other things to do or dreaming of places to go. Now that I’m a mother with children who actually like to do crafts, I have resigned myself to doing crafts with the help from one of my very crafty mom friends.
Crafts require a great deal of patience which is probably why I did not like anything about them when I was younger. I have a little more patience now, plus I enjoy watching my children have so much fun.
Now I’m going to try to turn you into a craft-a-holic with beads, flowers, buttons, paint, yarn, photos, glue, material, cotton, rocks and pipe cleaners, naming just a few craft accessories that can turn into great pieces of art and create good memories. Magazines filled with crafts for holidays, birthdays and everyday fun can be a great resource library for crafters of all levels. Some great magazines are Martha Stewart, Family Fun and Hallmark. You may also want to check out their websites – Marthastewart.com, familyfun.com, Hallmark.com and crayola.com all have tons of crafts for FREE! You should also visit our local Michael’s craft stores with aisles of craft items and a Michael’s Kids Club in the store every Saturday from 10am-Noon with 30-minute sessions. Classes are designed for ages 5-12 and the cost is only $2.00 (this includes the cost of supplies). They also have adult craft classes.
Great craft stores for you to check out in our area are Michaels for general supplies, Joanne’s for sewing, crafts and scrap booking supplies and the Bead Shoppe for Jewelry Supplies. Don’t forget about your neighborhood Wal-Mart, who carries smaller amounts of all the above supplies. If crafting is your passion but your budget doesn’t allow a lot of extra cash in that area, stop by your local 99 Cent Store. They have crafts and supplies that will get you started for a minimal amount of cash.
No matter what your age or your level of craft experience, go unleash that creativity that’s locked up on the inside. Who knows -- you might get famous with your creative flair. Remember, a great place to take your crafts is to a senior home. The seniors love the visit, as well as the craft, and you’ll leave with a smile on your face.