Crafts and creative activities aren’t just for kids. Adults, too, can enjoy creating beautiful things or tinkering. And you don’t have to be an artist to get started. There are plenty of activities that allow you to enjoy yourself and be satisfied with your accomplishment quickly, without having to develop skills over many years. All you need is a little imagination, patience and calm. The hardest part is getting started, after which, thanks to the many ideas to be found on Instagram and Pinterest, inspiration comes all by itself. So here are 12 creative crafts for adults to find recreational ideas!
DIY and tutorials, creative leisure ideas and advice
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1 – Watercolours
Watercolor is a very enjoyable creative activity. It looks easy enough when you watch videos on Instagram. But in reality it’s not that simple.
Don’t hesitate to take a few courses or follow online tutorials to learn the basics and have fun with simple creations.
I like the Happy Chantilly blog, whose free classes I’ve tried out.
I bought a fairly basic color kit to start with and also a book to discover the basic techniques. Then, to perfect your skills, just search for free courses on Pinterest or buy a paid but more complete course.
I recommend Sarah’s book, which you can find on the Mirglis Instagram account. Ideal for learning the basic techniques and indulging yourself quickly.
2 – Making dried flower bouquets
The composition of dried flower bouquets is pleasant and highly creative.
It goes from harvesting the flowers, to dyeing and finally making the bouquet. All in all, it’s quite a long process. From the moment the flowers are sown to the bouquet, it can take several months.
Read my article on dried bouquets: How to make a dried flower bouquet
3 – Diamond Painting (diamond embroidery)
It’s a creative activity that’s very much in vogue in the USA, but apparently quite new in Europe. It’s a very relaxing activity. I think that’s why people like it.
You glue the little plastic “diamonds” onto a sheet of paper according to different numbers or letters. The result is a drawing. It’s a lot like the numbered coloring pages we make children do in primary school.
I’ve written a full review of my diamond painting test here.
4 – Growing plants
Growing plants from seed or cuttings is a very satisfying activity.
Start with succulents or orchids. Find all our growing tips in the blog categories.
5 – Cyanotype printing
I’ve tried out this kit, which can be used to make a wide range of creations. Cyanotype creates pretty blue posters thanks to a chemical reaction between a chemical product and the sun’s rays. I’ll tell you more about it soon in a full article, because this creative activity, accessible to all without any training, is very enjoyable and very satisfying from a creative point of view.
6 – Making a terrarium
When the terrarium is a success, the creation is satisfying and you’re proud of your achievement. But that’s not easy if you haven’t fully understood the terrarium’s “philosophy”.
My first terrariums were a complete failure and uninteresting.
I invite you to read my Tuto on “how to make a pretty terrarium?”
7 – Scrapbooking
Here’s an activity I’m not familiar with, but which seems to excite a lot of people.
Scrapbooking consists in decorating and making your own text book, photo album or any other book that tells the story of your life or an activity you love.
We use photos, collages, drawings…
Scrapbooking kits are available to get you started.
8 – Embroidery
Embroidery is very creative and satisfying if you design your own patterns. To begin with, it’s best to buy a ready-made kit with design and threads. Experience and consistency come with practice. You need to be patient, of course, but if you choose a small embroidery design to start with, you’ll have a beautiful piece of work in just a few hours. It’s faster than knitting.
9 – Knitting
Of all the creative crafts for adults, knitting is certainly my favorite.
Knitting requires patience, but it’s also a very relaxing activity, a kind of meditation. Because if you don’t concentrate, you lose stitches and have to redo part of the knitting.
10 – Making a footstool
It may seem complicated and daunting to make a comfortable footstool yourself. But it’s actually very easy. Once you’ve got all the materials you need, you can make this stool in less than two hours.
The big advantage is that you can choose a fabric that matches your decor and have a unique piece in your home!
11 – Making macramé
Macramé is much easier and faster than knitting or embroidery when it comes to creative crafts for adults. In just one hour, you can create a very pretty and satisfying wall decoration.
In the Macramé category of the Esprit Laïta blog you’ll find several tutorials for beginners.
12 – Weaving
Here’s a new activity I’m starting to try out.
Depending on the loom you buy, you can make small pieces of fabric to make placemats, for example, or small pieces that you can assemble to make a larger one, like a plaid.
There are also looms that are still small but can be used to make scarves.
This is fairly new to me, so I haven’t yet made a tuto to show you how it works and how it works. But it’s coming soon.
Some books on creativity and DIY
Concious creativity : there’s a Book and a Workbook.
Building on the acclaim of her breakout book Conscious Creativity, artist Philippa Stanton invites you to discard traditional techniques and embrace uninhibited creative expression with this interactive workbook.
Celebrating the role of chance and experimentation, this workbook offers a sanctuary for you to scribble, sketch, tear, scratch, fold, and weave—responding to Philippa’s playful prompts in any way that sparks your imagination. There are no rules: dive into any activity from the back or start at the beginning; explore exercises on light and shadow, create your own color chart, or construct a collage from found objects—whatever fuels your creative spirit.
Filled with simple ideas to help us appreciate the beauty in everyday life, the workbook explores themes like randomness, color, texture, and the senses, encouraging us to notice things we might usually overlook. Stunning original photography serves as a catalyst, inspiring us to embrace new ideas, seize coincidences, and discover fresh avenues for creative expression.
