March is National Craft Month

Now none of us really need an excuse to celebrate our crafty, artsy selves but since March is our month to celebrate let's get the party started!

The Craft and Hobby Association estimates that 60 million households, that's over half, participate in some sort of crafting each year.  That's a lot of glue, paper and scissors having fun out there.  Even better, art and crafting have been shown to reduce stress, enhance self-satisfaction, and in kids it can help build self esteem and basic learning schools.  Fun and good for you, it doesn't get much better than that.

Here are a few ideas to bring the celebration home:

• Share your love of a specific craft with someone else by teaching.  Contact a local school, library, retirement or community center or church group to see if there are opportunities to share your expertise.
• Have a craft party.  Gather 5 or 6 of your friends and share an afternoon or evening filled with creativity, conversation and fun.  Check out our tutorials on the blog and the Etsy blog for project ideas. 

Graphic from "Throw an Etsy Craft Party"

• Create for charity.  Noting feels better than giving something back to the community.  The{NewNew} knit hats for preemies last year along with visitors to our booth at the Maker Faire in Queens. Contact local hospitals and community centers to see where your creative talents can be put into action.

• Learn a new skill related to your current craft or design area.  Do you make beaded jewelery? How about learning wire wrapping to mix things up?  Knit?  No time like the present to learn lacework or cable techniques!
• Learn a new craft.  Many stores are offering extra classes and sales this month to celebrate.  In the New York City area 3rd Ward is a great place to learn something new. You'll be amazed how often a new area of crafting, design or art often will meld into what you were previously doing.  I use to crochet then I took a jewelery class and the next thing you know I was making crochet wire jewelry.  One caveat here - make sure all those half-finished projects are done before starting something new, wink wink.

All month long we'll be celebrating here on the blog sharing stories, providing tutorials and ideas and just all around having a good time.  It is a celebration of what we love to do after all!

How are you going to celebrate? Leave a comment to let us know, we love hearing from you.

Party on Creative People!

Holly / EllisDesign