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Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Multiple studies have shown the overwhelmingly positive effect crafting of all kinds can have on your mental health, something you must make sure not to neglect. For those with some time to kill, we’ve compiled a list of challenging, time-consuming projects you can really sink your crafty teeth into. Any you do end up making – or anything you end up making – let us know over on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

1. Quilled daffodils

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Quilling can seem daunting, mainly because it’s a precise and time-consuming technique – but the effects are, as you can see, more than worth it. Try your hand at this intricate method with our clear how-to. Buy quilling strips here.

2. Cascading die-cut sentiments

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

We love anything on our makes that adds a real sense of dimension, and there aren’t many better ways of achieving such a thing than by utilising these nifty cascading dies.

3. Impossible card fold

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

With the magic of partial die cutting you can achieve what looks like a card that simply shouldn’t exist. Once you’ve got to grips with this technique and tried it yourself, pop it on a shelf and watch eyes go wide as the brain tries to figure out just how on earth it all works.

4. Dino slider card

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Slider techniques and dinosaur motifs; the best duo since Laurel and Hardy? We certainly think so. A tricky method until you’ve done it the first time, every time after that is lemon-squeezy. Buy Lawn Fawn’s Critters From The Past here.

5. Snowy shaker card

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Our first response to anyone saying it’s too early to start crimbo crafting – do you even know how crafters work? Our second response would be that while we have an extended amount of me-time, it’s a great chance to get ahead on a seriously important holiday season – a holiday season that looks like it will be more important than ever…

6. Honeycomb pop-up

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

No, your eyes don’t deceive you – that is genuinely honeycomb in a card. An exceedingly sweet, endlessly eye-catching way to mark a birthday or just make someone smile, once you learn the technique you’ll have a relatively unknown crafty trick up your sleeve for future endeavours.

7. Beginners knitted blanket

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: Let's Knit

Consummate knitter or terrified of needles? For anyone in the latter camp, we’ve dug up a brilliant beginner project to ease you into a hobby scientists say can relieve stress levels.

8. Floral gift box

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

A box so clean and nimble it looks like it was constructed in a factory. This project has it all: intricate die-cutting, precise flower shaping and detailed colouring. Buy Tonic Studios’ A Little Something Gift Box Die Set here.

9. Paint pouring

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Try this in-depth, rewarding, and extremely messy technique with Ingrid Vichova’s clear and concise breakdown. Get acrylic paints here.

10. Die-cut Christmas car

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Fancy testing your die-cutting credentials? Have a go at constructing this darling little Christmas car. Get Stampin’ Up! Truck Ride dies here.

11. Origami palm leaves

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Scoring, folding, colouring – does it get more serene? Origami has long been a way for people of all ages to practise mindfulness, a skill that is welcome now more than ever.

12. Pyramage card

Bored? Here’s 12 Challenging Craft Projects To Keep You Busy

Credit: PaperCrafter

Pyramage, to put it simply, is an alternative form of decoupage. It’s not easy per se, but the effect it produces is well worth the effort. Click the picture above to find out everything you’d ever need to know about the technique, along with an exciting project to get you started.

For more crafty inspiration be sure to check out our other blogs .

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A Crafty Guide To… 3D Decoupage
A Crafty Guide To… 3D Decoupage

3D decoupage is a traditional papercraft technique, which allows you to add depth and dimension to your cards. It is the art of creating an image by building up layers...

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