Boredom has a bad reputation, and yet it is a great engine for creativity! Rather than suffering it, what if we took advantage of it to awaken our imagination with a manual activity? Between customization, decoration, gourmet hobbies... There is something for all tastes and all levels. Easy to do and rewarding, manual activities promise to make you (re)discover the pleasure of creating.
Ready to say goodbye to boredom? Discover our 20 creative ideas!
Crafts to decorate your home and clothes
Are you dreaming of a decor that suits you? What if you created it yourself! Revamping your interior or wardrobe with handmade creations is the guarantee of a unique result.
Customize your clothes with embroidery
Embroidery is the new trendy DIY! Decorate a t-shirt, personalize a shirt or embellish a denim jacket, anything goes. Are you a beginner? Opt for a ready-made embroidery kit , it contains all the necessary materials and a pattern to reproduce.
For a more graphic look, try cross-stitch embroidery . This technique is appealing for its retro pixel art effect. You can easily reproduce letters, small patterns or even inspiring phrases.
Make your own polymer clay jewelry
Rings, earrings, pendants... What if your next jewelry was 100% handmade? Polymer clay is ideal for making all kinds of colorful and original creations. This malleable clay hardens in the oven for a resistant and durable result.
Let your imagination run wild: beads, charms, flowers, fruits, geometric patterns... By mixing colors and shapes, you will obtain trendy jewelry that perfectly matches your outfits. An addictive activity that will quickly make you want to create your own collections!
Make a dreamcatcher for a bohemian decor
Do you like bohemian style, natural objects and ethnic touches? The dreamcatcher is a must-have to make yourself. Originating from Native American culture, this object is said to be able to capture bad dreams in its net.
To make it, you will need a wooden hoop (ideally willow), string, beads and feathers. Hung on the wall or suspended in front of a window, your dreamcatcher will bring a pretty natural and soothing touch to your decoration.
Painting pebbles for a natural decor
Looking for a 100% natural and anti-waste activity? Collect some pretty pebbles during your next walk and transform them into decorative objects! All you have to do is clean them and then let your creativity speak with acrylic paint.
Manual activities to share
Because creative hobbies are even more fun when you're doing them together, here's a selection of manual activities to share!
Pouring painting on figurines
Have you heard of " pouring bear "? This decorative trend straight from the United States is all the rage on social media. The principle of pouring art : cover a bear figurine with fluid paint in pop colors. A perfect activity to do as a couple or with family for a creative and fun evening.
To get started, equip yourself with a pouring painting kit with figurine. Protect your work surface and place your bear in a sitting position. Select your fluid paint colors and pour them delicately onto the figurine. Let the paint flow and admire the psychedelic result! Each pouring bear will be unique thanks to the random color mix.
Organize a beading workshop with your children
What could be more fun than sharing a creative moment with your children ? If you are looking for an easy craft idea for children , opt for a bead creation workshop. With a few colored beads and chenille wires, your kids will be able to let their imagination run wild.
Combine shapes and colors to make funny little characters, original animals or pretty bracelets.
Making a herbarium as a family
Are you looking for an activity to do with your family during the holidays or on the weekend? What if you made a herbarium? This timeless activity will delight nostalgic parents and will awaken children to the nature that surrounds them.
Start with a walk in the countryside to collect different plants, flowers and leaves. Take a notebook to write down their names and characteristics. Back home, dry your finds between two sheets of blotting paper. A few days later, arrange them nicely in a notebook with their descriptions.
Create a souvenir photo book with friends
Do you share wonderful memories with your group of friends? Collect your best photos in a scrapbook-style album! This activity is perfect for an evening of nostalgia and laughter between friends.
Crafts for Beginners
Do you dream of getting into creative hobbies but don't know where to start? Don't panic, there are many manual activities that are perfectly suited to beginners.
Diamond painting, the new trend
You have surely already seen on the networks these pretty sparkling paintings made from small diamond facets? It's diamond painting , the new creative trend that is going down a storm!
To get started, choose a diamond painting kit for beginners with a not too complex pattern. Make yourself comfortable with sufficient light and off you go! You will see, the final result is amazing and so satisfying. A perfect activity to relax after a long day.
Coloring mandalas to relax
What if you rediscovered the simple pleasure of coloring? Forget preconceptions, adult coloring books are all the rage! Among all the patterns, mandalas have a special place. These circular rosettes inspired by Indian art are full of details to color for a relaxing and meditative effect.
Let yourself be carried away by these harmonious and symmetrical patterns, and choose the colors that inspire you. Dare to make bold combinations or stick to soft shades. A mandala coloring session and you'll be relaxed and light-hearted. The secret of Zen attitude addicts!
Make origami bookmarks
Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. An ancestral technique that allows you to create all kinds of three-dimensional creations from a simple sheet of paper. Origami is all the rage and seduces with its magical and soothing side.
To get started gently, try making bookmarks. You will find many models on the internet suitable for beginners, such as hearts, stars or flowers.
Create Brazilian Bracelets
Do you remember those pretty friendship bracelets we used to exchange in the playground? It's the right time to reconnect with this childhood memory by making your own Brazilian bracelets. An ideal activity to get started with DIY!
To make them , you need cotton threads of different colors and a little patience. Follow a tutorial to learn how to make the basic knots then let your creativity run wild by varying the colors and patterns. You can add beads or charms for a personalized finishing touch. Enough to adorn your wrists with your unique creations!
Useful crafts for the home
What if your next DIY creations were both decorative and useful? That's the whole point of Do It Yourself activities: making pretty objects yourself that will make your daily life easier.
Sew washable makeup remover wipes
Want to reduce your bathroom waste? Swap out your disposable makeup remover pads for homemade washable wipes! Not only are they better for the planet, they'll also be gentler on your skin.
Choose fabrics with patterns that you like, preferably made of natural fibers such as cotton or bamboo. Cut out squares of about 10 cm on each side and assemble them two by two, right sides together. Sew all around, leaving an opening, turn inside out and close by hand. And there you have pretty wipes ready to use!
Knitting a scarf for winter
Looking for a project to keep you busy during your winter evenings? How about making your own wool scarf? A perfect activity to learn the basics of knitting while creating a warm accessory for winter.
Get yourself some beginner-friendly needles and a ball of colorful yarn. Then follow a pattern explaining garter and stocking stitches. Work your way through row after row while watching your favorite series and you'll soon have enough length for a soft scarf.
Make a tawashi, the zero waste sponge
Tawashis are these small Japanese sponges made with crochet. They are perfect to replace disposable synthetic sponges and give a second life to your orphaned socks!
To make a tawashi, recycle a sock by cutting it into thin strips and tying them together to make a thread. Then, with a crochet hook, make a crochet circle, gradually increasing until you get the desired size. You can use colored socks for a peppy result that will brighten up your kitchen.
Create Fabric Baskets for Storage
Storage is often a headache... What if the solution was on the DIY side? By making pretty fabric baskets yourself, you can store and organize your interior in an aesthetic and practical way.
Choose fabrics that match your decor or dare to use original prints. You can choose your baskets in different sizes to store your accessories in the bathroom, your toys in the living room or your favorite magazines in the bedroom.
Crafts for Foodies
Do you like spending time in the kitchen preparing delicious meals? What if you put your creativity at the service of your sweet tooth?
Make cookie cutters for original biscuits
Tired of classic cookie shapes? Unleash your creativity by making your own cookie cutters!
The good tip? Use tin cans! Take a pair of scissors and cut out the lid and the bottom. Then, using pliers, shape the metal to create the shape of your choice: heart, star, letter... Your cookie cutters are ready to shape a batch of fun and original cookies.
Make your own personalized chocolates
What if you made your own chocolates to impress your loved ones? It's easier than it seems! Melt some couverture chocolate in a bain-marie, add spices, nuts or flavorings if desired. Then pour your preparation into silicone molds with original shapes.
Leave to harden for a few hours in a cool place and carefully unmold your chocolate creations. You can pack them in pretty bags with a hand-written label.
Create labels for spice jars
Do you prepare your own spice blends or do you like to store your herbs in glass jars? Personalize them with pretty homemade labels!
There are several techniques available to you: write calligraphy directly on the jars with erasable markers, write on self-adhesive labels to stick on, make small engraved wooden blocks to hang up, etc.
Make mosaic-style coasters
Have your cork coasters had their day? What if you replaced them with new, creative and durable pieces? The mosaic technique is ideal for creating colorful coasters.
Collect broken earthenware dishes or small colored ceramic tiles. Assemble the pieces on a square or round support, gluing them with a suitable adhesive mortar. You can create geometric patterns or leave it to chance for abstract compositions. Clean the joints, wait 24 hours and that's it!