Craft
Almost any craft is possible with the help of YouTube, Pinterest and Dollar Tree. Know your crowd—don’t let the skill, cost, or time of acquiring craft supplies be an impediment to people coming. I’ve only listed crafts that can usually be done for under $5/person (usually less) and that even the most aesthetically challenged person can usually manage to create. I use the term “craft” very loosely – any fun activity that brings women together and allows for deeper conversation works well.
Possible ways to cover cost:
- Pay for it yourself. (Plan on spending $10-30/month.)
- Have a donate jar and ask people to pay for the supplies if they are able.
- Members of the group take turns purchasing supplies.
- Everyone is responsible for providing their own supplies.
I’ve listed some ideas for crafts that you can consider. For more complex crafts, make sure someone in the group can teach others the craft, or you can learn it yourself beforehand so that you can lead the group through it. You don’t need to be an expert, just knowledgeable enough to guide everyone through the project.
Spa Night
Simple: have everyone bring nail polish to share. Provide cotton balls, nail polish remover, emery boards, etc.
Elaborate: bowls for foot soaking, exfoliating sponges, Epsom salts, candles, sugar scrubs, etc.
Campfire
Provide elements for Smores
Adult Coloring Books
Available at Dollar Tree. Provide or have people bring colored pencils, crayons, markers, gel pens
Earrings
Supplies: small wire cutters and clampers, hook earring backs, eye pins, jump rings, (easy to find in jewelry section of hobby store); new beads or old costume jewelry
Have people bring old costume jewelry (almost everyone has some—no matter how ugly it looks, it can probably be repurposed) to disassemble and create new earrings.
Pumpkin Carving/Painting
Buy pumpkins for everyone, or have everyone bring their own. Provide pens, knives, and scoops for drawing and carving. Can also find designs on the internet for ideas on what to carve.
Recipe Exchange
Ask that everyone bring recipe(s) to share. Have everyone share a story about a favorite recipe.
Wreaths
Dollar Tree is your friend. Look on Pinterest for simple ideas.
Clothes Swap
At the end of the season, have everyone clean out their closets, and have a clothes swap.
Chalk Marker Word Art
Supplies: Dry Erase Markers, Chalk Marker or Paint, New (Dollar Tree) or Used Picture Frames.
Write the Word or Expression you want on the frontside of the glass with Dry Erase Markers, once it looks acceptable, copy/trace your art on the back with chalk markers or paint. Erase temporary marker when finished.
Wooden Letters
Supplies: Wooden Letters, Paint, Paintbrushes
Jigsaw Puzzles
Provide either one large jigsaw puzzle to work, or perhaps several smaller ones.
Available at Dollar Tree.
Cocktail Night
Everyone contributes ingredients. Know your audience. Sometimes a little bit of alcohol can help lighten the mood, especially in the early days of meeting together.
Painting
Supplies: Art Canvases, Acrylic Paint, Paintbrushes
Think “Modern Art” and even the least talented person can have a blast. Art canvasses and supplies available at Dollar Tree.
Glass Etching
Supplies: Etching Powder, Stencils (hobby store);
Wine Glasses/Tumblers/Pyrex/etc. (Dollar Tree)
Embroidery
Supplies: Embroidery hoops, embroidery thread, fabric scraps, embroidery needles
For the example shown here, print an outline of Kentucky, trace onto fabric, and use simple back-stitch.
Plant Exchange
If you have several women in your group who enjoy and grow house plants, chances are they would be willing to get a lot of starters going to share with the group. Provide pots and soil (Dollar Tree) and everyone can take home a potted plant.
Or in the spring or fall, have all the outdoor plant enthusiasts of the group bring their extra plants that need split (lilies, hostas, irises, etc.) from their garden to share.
Paint-by-Numbers
My kids have been gifted several kits. I’ve been really impressed with the results.
DIY Night
Bring your own project – for all those small things you’ve been wanting to do forever but keep putting off. People can bring their shoes to shine, bills to pay, notes to write, scarf to knit, etc, etc, etc
Other Craft Ideas
- Christmas Ornaments
- Rock Painting
- Derby Hats
- Sugar Scrubs
- Origami
- Henna
- Christmas Gift Exchange
- Knitting, Crocheting
- Macramé Art
- Terrarium Art
- Dried Flower Pressing
- Felt Flowers
- Thinking of You Cards
- Scrapbooking
Return to page 2 for conversation questions…
Holy Tension 