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During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
Your Family At Home
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News alert March has been designated National Craft Month. Expect your local craft stores to offer special classes, demonstrations, tips and projects. The festivities will finish up with a one-day event on March 25 with “A Kid’s Craft Day,” where “retailers nationwide will offer a variety of fun-filled craft activities to introduce families and kids to the joys of crafting.” Check out www.craftplace.org/eventscontests.html to learn more. The Numbers Game According to the Craft and Hobby Association, the size of the industry in the U.S. grew to $29 billion in 2002. The number of U.S. households to participate in crafts and hobbies was 60% in 2002. Heavy users spent an average of $1,552 in 2002. The most common use of craft projects? Seventy-nine percent of crafters reported using their crafts as gifts, 69% for personal use, 61% for home decorating, 43% for holiday decorating and 15% as items to sell. Source: Hobby Industry Association’s 2002 Consumer Study at www.craftandhobby.org. Life is so hectic these days. Baseball games and practices, homework and school activities, work schedules and family obligations are enough to send a family spinning out of control. Toss in a birthday here and a dance recital there and you’ve got a recipe for chaos. If you’re looking for ways to slow down and enjoy the ride, consider this: Crafting is a great way to relieve the day’s stress. No matter what you create, the time spent as a family can calm things down, build up self-esteem and inspire conversation and creativity. The best part of all? You get the satisfaction of making something with your own hands – as a family. There’s more. The Craft and Hobby Association found that teachers report “hands-on projects help students understand basic ideas (90%), as well as broader concepts (86%), and 82% of teachers said that handcrafted projects help their students apply information in new and different situations.” Finding ideas Before you start accumulating your supplies, decide on what kind of craft you would like to do. Give consideration to whether the project is age- or child-appropriate. For example, you may not want your preschooler slicing into cherished photos for a scrapbooking project. Can’t think of anything? Check out www.craftplace.org for a detailed listing of project ideas, instructions and the supplies you’ll need. Getting started Now that you have an idea of the items you’ll need for your project, you can make a quick visit to your local craft retailer. Scissors, glue guns, glitter and pipe cleaners are stocked in great abundance at these places. But, even your neighborhood drugstore is going to have the basics on hand. Setting up If you are able, set up a craft table in an out-of-the-way place. Chances are, you won’t finish in one sitting and will need to come back to your project once the paint has dried or the Paper Mache has properly set. Close the door on your mess and return to it when you are ready. If not, a kitchen or dining room table will do, but use old newsprint to catch spills. Having fun Once you’ve finished, there are dozens of fun and cherished uses for your new creations. Grandparents are especially fond of handmade treasures, so consider spreading the wealth on holidays and birthdays. Enjoy! Kerri S. Mabee of Temecula is a regular contributor. |
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