Amazing Craft Activities You Never Thought You Could Do At Home

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Craft is seeing a resurgence in popularity recently as people have a newfound yearning for all
things homemade, bespoke and one off. When you mention to the uneducated mind that you’re
a bit of a fan of all things crafty, they probably envisage you stenciling pieces of furniture in a
haphazard way, whipping out a hot glue gun to stick sequins onto card or faffing about with fabric
to try and make a patchwork quilt. Craft is much more sophisticated nowadays. Online platforms
like Deviantart and Etsy celebrate the work of crafters and give the finest creative visionaries the
opportunity to sell their wares and make a name for themselves in the world of art and design.

If you love craft, but you’re not sure what to turn your hand to next, you should consider some of the
ideas that’ll be explored here. Gone are the days of crochet and cross stitch (although these are still
worthwhile activities) to be replaced by metalwork, woodwork, soldering, welding, construction and
paper craft, all of which can be done by you from the comfort of your own humble abode. People
have ditched the mundane 9 to 5 to follow their passion for craft in an attempt to set up their own
businesses. Take a look at these ideas to give you some crafty inspiration.

Jewelry

Many people like to consider themselves as connoisseurs of all things shiny and sparkly. The art of
creating jewelry is in designing something new and original. Everyone has seen a beaded bracelet
or hoop earrings. To make your foray into homemade jewelry a success you need to come up with
something that your potential purchasers have never seen before. By using different materials such
as copper, brass, or fabric, you can create some wonderfully unique pieces. Wooden wedding wings
have grown in popularity as consumers hanker after more sustainable items. If you have the dexterity
and eye for detail, you could be launching your very own line of jewelry.

Furniture Design

Although you might not have done woodwork since you were at school, if you enjoy getting to grips
with a solid piece of pine or wrestling with a glorious piece of walnut, then woodwork could be for
you. You could sign up for a free adult taster course at a local college and see if you enjoy it as
much as you did when you were a teenager. Designing furniture for an interior doesn’t have to
mean constructing massive wardrobes or eight seater dining room tables. You may want to specialize
in chairs, stools or bedside cabinets.

In a similar fashion to other craft activities, you must make sure you have the right equipment to
do the job. A hot glue gun, a wrench and a hacksaw simply won’t do. You need to get the most
appropriate cutting utensil to make your jaunt into woodwork easier on your hands. The range of
saws and cutting implements can be mind-boggling. You might find yourself wondering
what is a hybrid table saw or will a circular saw do the job? Use your trusty friend Google and
investigate all of your options.

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Christmas Decorations

It’s that time of year where it wouldn’t seem right not to mention the craft of making homemade
decorations for the Norwegian Spruce adorning living rooms across the nation this month. People
enjoy having something bespoke and handcrafted especially at this time of the year. While baubles
are ten a penny, you could think outside the box to make something truly festive and unique. How
about using the Danish concept of hygge to ditch the tinsel and create a whole new brand of cosy
soft furnishings bespoke for a Christmas tree? You may want to design your very own snow globes
complete with mini internal Christmas scenes or you might opt to design a range of
festive greetings cards. Whatever it is that you want to create, make it original and unique.

Pet Food

Dog lovers and cat fanatics are a money making market to break into. With people up and down
the country willing to purchase diamante collars for their pooch and boutique booties for their
feline friend, pet owners are willing to shower their animal pals with luxury goodies. You could
choose to investigate the world of pet cuisine. There is a real push to make pet food healthier
as a ridiculous amount contains crude ash and other nasties. You could create a gourmet doggy
biscuit or a meaty stick or a tasty treat that contains nothing but natural ingredients and more
nutrients than you can shake a stick at. You never know, you may be able to market your product
to a local pet store after testing out the delicious morsels on your friends mutts and moggies.

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Metal Work

The industrial look is very much en vogue at the moment. People are swapping their mahogany
bookcases for metal shelving and their floral light shade for a vintage metal pendant lamp. If you
want to get in on the act, you’ll need to get yourself a blowtorch and set yourself up with a studio
in your back garden where you can solder and create to your heart’s content. You might want to
design some metal modern art type sculptures or focus on incorporating metal into household
objects such as lighting and storage. You might even want to purchase items that have seen better
days and upcycle them, giving them a new lease of life. Make sure you go on a training course if
you have little or no experience and heed all of the safety advice that you are given.

Embarking on a foray into the world of craft can be life-affirming and hugely satisfying. Creating
something from scratch that other people love and will ultimately spend their hard earned cash on
can become addictive which is why the explosion of entrepreneurial crafters shows no sign of
slowing. Why not get in on the act and set up your own money making craft business.

4 Things Home Decor Influencers Don't Tell You

Over recent years, “influencers” have -- as one might expect from the name -- had a huge impact
on our culture. For those influencers that operate in the home decor and lifestyle category, the doors
are thrown open, and their lives are shared with their loyal followers. Instagram is the most popular
platform for these influencers, but plenty of specialist home design blogs also exist-- you may even
follow a few of these yourself.

As nice as these influencers’ feeds and blogs are, it’s vital to remember that what is being shown
is probably not an authentic representation of their lives. Many followers have tried to replicate the
look and feel of an influencer’s home, only to find themselves struggling-- and feeling rather
despondent as a result. This issue is compounded by the expense of trying to achieve these perfect
homes.

What’s really going on

These home decor influencers are not revealing the full picture of how they live. In a way, it’s
similar to the tricks that the beauty industry uses to sell makeup. Beauty advertisements are known
for confusing realities, such as advertising a mascara with a model who is clearly wearing false
eyelashes. These tricks are often seen as a grey area in advertisements, which are heavily
regulated-- but there’s no such regulation for influencers.

The result of this problem is that you may find yourself scrolling through your Instagram feed or
visiting your favorite lifestyle blog and feeling… a little inadequate. Influencers seem to have the
perfect home all the time, which can be disheartening if you’re living in a home that’s surrounded
by clutter, and your “areas I want to renovate” list is spirallng out of control. People describe
themselves as seeing their homes, and their lives, as somehow inadequate as a result of the
exposure to such perfection from influencers. If you have ever experienced this, then you’re going
to want to read on.

So the next time you see a photograph showing a gorgeous home that looks like it naturally repels
dirt, it’s worth reminding yourself of a few things…

#1 - Every single photo is staged

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No matter what the caption says, you should always look at any images you see of an influencer’s
home with a skeptical eye. Influencers stage photos; and to an extent, you can’t blame them for
that-- though the ones that don’t admit to doing so are a little more ethically dubious. For an
influencer, there’s no such thing as a ‘candid’; everything is always managed to perfection, adjusted
and altered, situations created out of nothing. It’s no different from how professional photographers
stage a scene to create the perfect image, even if influencers are doing this in their own homes.

In no area is this more obvious than the kitchen. Kitchens are practical rooms; they are there for a
purpose, meaning that they see a lot more mess and disruption than anywhere else in the house.
Bear this in mind the next time you see a photo of a gorgeous kitchen that makes you want to
entirely renovate your own. It’s one thing to browse through Tap Warehouse and treat yourself to a
new sink because you want to; that’s a good decision, but the decision should always be yours,
rather than powered by an influencer’s photo that is staged anyway.

So while you can enjoy photographs of beautiful homes, it’s important to remind yourself every
now and again that the image is beautiful because it’s been staged to perfection.

#2 - Photos are always edited

If you were to go and snap a photo of your kitchen right now, it wouldn’t matter how good the decor
was-- it still wouldn’t look like the images you’ll see from influencers. The reason for that is simple:
photo editing.

Most of us think of photo editing in terms of airbrushing, which is used to change a model’s body
when advertising clothes or makeup. However, photo editing is used in another way by influencers.

This is primarily seen in terms of light. Have you ever wondered how influencers manage to
achieve such light, bright rooms? The answer is simple: they don’t. Instead, they take a standard
image, and then turn the brightness up in PhotoShop or similar programs. Some influencers may
even go a step further, and remove clutter or unsightly objects from an image. It’s therefore important
to bear in mind that any image has been edited, so you cannot expect your home to ever look the
same.

#3 - Angles are very cleverly chosen

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If you look at the photo above, you’ll see that it shows a large expanse of a gorgeous room-- but
you don’t know what’s going on behind the camera. The kitchen surface could be a mess; or the
TV could have wires protruding at every angle-- but you can’t see that, so it’s like it doesn’t exist.

Influencers use angles as a kind of manual editing tool; always remind yourself of this when looking
at their photographs.

#4 - “Reviews” may actually be paid sponsorships

Finally, a moment to discuss a sad reality. If an influencer is paid to feature a product on their blog
or social media, they are supposed to disclose this fact to their readers… but many don’t. Buzzfeed
found that 93% of celebrities don't disclose sponsorships/freebies properly, and the number is
likely similar for the less-famous influencers.

So if you see your favorite influencer extolling the virtues of a new product, it’s worth wondering if
their opinion is genuine, or if it’s been paid for. At the very least, make sure you check out a few
other reviews before you spend.

To Conclude

Influencers produce stunning images and can provide wonderful tips on how to manage your home
and decor, but they are not necessarily representative of real life. Before you consider upgrading
areas or your home or feel downhearted about your current decor choices, remember the points
above, and you’ll always be sure to have the right perspective in mind.

5 Things in Your Home That Are Worth Upgrading

When we talk home upgrades, we usually talk about things that are either minor improvements or
things that are great for luxury but not practicality. As much as we’d all love to beef up our homes
by adding fancy flooring, wallpaper, appliances and furniture, the reality is that we need to pick and
choose our upgrades.

If you want to get the most out of your next renovation or upgrade, then here are a couple of
fantastic home upgrades that are worth every penny.

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Home Decor

You might not think that decor matters much, but it actually plays a huge part in how you perceive

your home and how much comfort you have. After all, no one wants to look at poorly-kept walls
with flaking paint, do they? While it’s a slight exaggeration, it should get the point across. Having
something to look at which invokes a feeling of warmth and comfort is far better than a plain or
broken wall.

How to Save Money When Shopping Online

Online shopping is, without a doubt, the fastest, cheapest, and most convenient way of buying whatever it is you need. You save a ton of time by not having to get dressed and drive anywhere. You also save money on fuel and plastic bags while also doing your bit for the environment as a result.

But, did you know that you could be saving a lot more? There are numerous methods and websites that facilitate the opportunity for you to save some money for the next haul. Listed below are the three main ways you can save some cash before you checkout.

Coupons

Everyone knows about those paper coupons that are often found in magazines or newspapers, but did you know that online stores also offer occasional coupons? These usually come in the form of discount codes that are posted on social media, sent to mailing lists, or found on the website itself. Once you have the code, you can type it in on the checkout page where you’ve placed your order.

Many websites usually offer a “welcome bonus” or a special code as an incentive for signing up to their website. But there’s always the chance that you missed one or didn’t receive it because you never saw the post. That’s where dedicated coupon websites such as ecouponshub.com come in handy, offering a comprehensive list of coupons available for redemption on a variety of websites.

End of Season vs Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sales

This only really applies to fashion but is definitely worth noting. Those “amazing limited deals” in November may seem enticing, but a lot of the time they’re just the usual price or slightly below, with the original price being marked up, giving you the illusion that you’re saving a ton of money when in reality, you aren’t.

Fashion is cyclical, and retailers need to get rid of the previous season’s stock before the next season’s stock comes into the store. This is when they’ll actually mark down the prices of their items in order to make space for the new stock. So rather wait a few weeks for the next season to arrive, buy this season’s stock at a discounted price.

Making Use of Wishlists

For this, it pays to have a dedicated email address to avoid getting your primary one spammed. Sign up on each website and add what you want to your wishlist or cart. This way when those items go on sale, you’ll get notified.

By making use of the methods above, you can save yourself a pretty penny in the long run. Be vigilant and keep your eyes open for the deals that are worth your money. Be sure to avoid impulse buys and spending money on things purely because they’re on sale though. You’re only fooling yourself if you do that.

The general rule is to only buy what you’ve wanted to in the first place unless you’re going to flip that discounted item for a neat profit. Then, by all means, go ahead. 

Start Your New Year's Goals Now

It feels like New Year’s resolutions are impossible to keep at, and as we usually see in these kinds of cases, there’s some scientific research behind the prospect. So when it comes to keeping to self improvement goals we might be in need of a few tips. There’s usually no harm in not sticking to a goal you’ve set yourself to begin when the clock strikes midnight, but it doesn’t make us feel any good!

So Christmas is almost upon us, but that doesn’t mean we have no time for anything else! There’s plenty of ways we can get a jump start on our New Year’s resolutions a little early, because let’s face it, decisions that big deserve a some forward planning!. It means we’ll better stick to our goals, and be more prepared to put the time and effort in for the long term. Here’s some ideas for the more common, and harder, resolutions and how to keep at them.

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Choosing a Resolution

You’re going to need to be honest with yourself. A resolution can only be stuck to when you genuinely want to keep at it, and if it’s doable. There’s no point penciling a new hobby or workout routine if you can’t keep up with the physical or mental strain. Instead, you could prepare for that and build up to it.

We feel bad when we can’t stick to our resolutions, maybe for the third, fourth, or fifth year in a row. Miss the disappointment; try not to immediately set yourself up for a fail, and take baby steps with what you want to do for yourself.

If You’re Up for Some Weight Loss

Now this can be done a variety of ways, but getting yourself into a routine is a key stage of it. If you want to make that easier to get into, and we all need to do that, you’ll need to take it up earlier than usual!

If you choose your meal plans now, you can get yourself into a better rotation with them. So you can start eating a little healthier, and reserve Christmas day as your cheat day, or start doing some heavy lifting for your arms and legs.

Always remember that help is out there! There’s a positive to every equation, so on the plus side, if you’re looking to see it go a little faster and smoother, you can use supplements from links such as https://www.isaelite.com.au/isagenix-weight-loss-premium-pack/, which could be a good investment if you’re not sure where to start. Using these kinds of products more in your diet could be a good place to launch off from.

Maybe You Want to Take Up a New Skill

Everyone has skills no matter where they come from, and even if you feel like you’re not proficient in anything, you have talents to you! However, that doesn’t mean we can’t invest our time and effort into playing a guitar, or learning a new language, or brushing up on our drawing and painting skills. Having a skill in something more traditional always looks good for resumes and if we’re looking to spend a snitch more time creating.

Look into advice from places like https://www.fastcompany.com. Then you can ask for the necessary materials for Christmas, or you can buy them yourself now, there’s no harm in getting yourself a good present that no one else would think of!

Looking to Spend More Time Around Loved Ones?

This is where cutting out your schedule and pasting new parts in and rearranging the old comes in. If you want to be able to spend more time with your family, or see your friends more, or have a few more date nights with your significant other, look to you diary now and start preparing.

Ask your friends and family weeks in advance what they’d want to see from you, and the kind of experiences they want to have with you. If you have a good idea of activities, instead of working off of nothing, it’s more likely you’ll get quality time with your loved ones rather than just a simple quantity measure.

Remember that New Year is a time of celebration, so make sure you remind yourself of everything you’ve done well in the past year prior to now. Spend it with people you love and those who make you feel good about yourself, and then get stuck into your goals. Take it slowly, and have fun with it!