Jump into this year’s spring season by grabbing some paper, scissors, and some glue to embark on a glorious journey and let some crafty thoughts bloom.
“Spring is a great time to do some floral projects, a lot of people also are making spring or Easter quilts, and doing knitting and crocheting projects like that,” says Cc Gilliland the assistant manager at Coos Bay Joann Fabric and Crafts. “If you’re a knitter, get good quality yarns. We have more yarns coming back out of recycled materials which is good, and natural fibers and stuff like that.”
Joann Fabric and Dollar Tree are the most sought after stores for crafts due to either inexpensive supplies or some pre-made kits to make your own.
“I’ve been obsessed with Dollar Tree crafts,” said Stacie Culver, Marshfield High School registrar and craft enthusiast. “I like to make things that don’t cost a lot to make.”
At Christmastime Culver led MHS staff in creating their own Dollar Tree craft projects, and with each season change, the main office at MHS is decked out in new crafts that she enjoys creating.
“We have some kits that are age appropriate for different ages, but a lot of young kids are getting our little crochet kits, and they’re learning from that,” Gilliland said. “More boys are learning how to crochet little projects like animals or characters. For toddlers it’s great to do things that can increase their special awareness and hand-eye coordination and then teens can do more complicated things.”
Fun crafts are always a good way to pass the time solo, or with others while learning new things at the same time.
“I use pinterest a lot and they have a lot, you can actually specify quick and easy crafts for each age group,” says Culver.
Crafts will most likely always be messy. Both Culver and Gilliland recommend planning ahead and staying organized.
“Laying a big sheet of plastic down first is a great idea, then you can just wrap it all up when you’re done,” suggests Gilliland.
She also recommends tubs and drawers for storing your crafting supplies to keep them all neat and tidy. After a while all the crafts you make will start piling up over time. There are solutions for this.
“I usually will post a picture of them on my personal Facebook page and I always have people message me to buy them,” said Culver. “Most of the time it goes to someone else.”
You can also stray away from your traditional paper and glue crafts and go towards something like cooking or baking.
“I just learned about making grapes and raspberries into candies,” said Gilliland. “You use Karo corn syrup and some flavoring oil and some sugar, and you dip your grapes and raspberries into it. It even looks like Easter eggs. The customers here are always inspiring me by showing me their pictures and whatnot.”
Spring crafts don’t always have to be kept; you can also give them to a family member or friend as a little gift. Great little get-togethers to craft with loved ones are also a great idea. At the end, you can even exchange your crafts.
