Hello Fiber Friends!
I hope this finds you all well. Our country and the entire world is in a state of unknown right now. We are being asked to stay at home. This may be something new for some of you! We live in such a fast paced world that I believe we have forgotten how to slow down and take time to enjoy what is around us…family, friends, the beauty of nature…and I could go on.
Personally I never have a hard time occupying my time. However, there are folks that just don’t know what to do with themselves or their children. If you don’t have a hobby, then now might be the time to rekindle or start one!
What is a hobby? A hobby is something you enjoy doing for fun in your leisure time. Many of us don’t have a lot of leisure time, until now. There are a lot of things we can do; reading, cooking, hiking in nature, crafting. This last one is where I come in!
A great craft is needle felting. It is easy to do, inexpensive to start, and great to do with your children. What can I make?…more on that in a minute but first what are the benefits of doing a hobby such as needle felting?
How can I benefit from doing a hobby? Reasons to start a hobby.
Hobbies help to structure your time. More then likely if you have children you are now working with them through virtual systems for their education. That time is structured but what about after. Hobbies help to hold attention while creating a final project we can feel good about.
Tip: Using cookie cutters as a mold to make your project is a great way to start.
Here is a quick video on it
Hobbies help to promote flow. It will be easy to get caught up in all the news and worry more then we need to and as a result many of us are going to lose sleep over it. When we are concentrating on a hobby time flies and we become fully immersed in what we are doing. Hobbies that stretch our skills foster this desirable state!
Hobbies help you cope with stress. By focusing on a non-work-related task, you are giving your mind something else to think about. When you are really into it you are in a state of flow and your worries fade away…couldn’t we all use that right now!
Hobbies help you unite with others. I’m guessing that if you have children you don’t have much time to actually “do” things with them. You are busy running them to one place or another. Dinner may be a quick run through the fast food! This is a time when you actually have time to spend time with your children and really re-connect with them and get to know how amazing they are all over again.
Hobbies have physical benefits. There are a lot of studies that have shown being involved in a hobby such as needle felting lowers blood pressure, higher levels of positive psychosocial state and lower levels of depression and anxiety!
Most of all it is FUN!!!! Don’t get me wrong, our situation is serious but we need to make room for having some humor and laughter in our lives as well.
To help you get started please take this gift; a free project needle felting project. All you need are the basic tools, felting needles, foam pad, wool fibers and an idea!
Resources: Living Felt Sarafina fiber art
I wish you all health and safety and as always…
HAPPY CREATING!
Anita
Anita's Fiber Art 