There is certainly a great deal of creativity hiding inside you that is ready to bring wonderful DIY projects to life. So why wait? Start exploring your interests and shaping your talents now!

Many of us discover our skills very early on, others stumble upon them by chance, while still others have no idea which hobby is right for them. There are those who like to try out new activities all the time and get inspired by the ever-changing online trends; while others spend a lifetime perfecting a single hobby and become real experts.
There is no right way, the important thing is to listen to your creative instincts and find your own way of expressing yourself through art!

Find your passion: a journey through the most popular DIY hobbies

Regardless of your skills, it is important to understand whether a particular hobby is right for you. Let yourself be guided by your interests and personality traits.
Would you describe yourself as artistic and creative, perhaps design-oriented? Or are you decidedly practical and resourceful? Are you environmentally aware and love to engage in projects aimed at creative recycling? Or perhaps you are someone who loves working with your hands and loves teaching others new techniques? Do you enjoy making beautiful painted landscapes? Or do you prefer modelling clay?

Whatever the answers to these questions, there is certainly potential in you, it is up to you to discover it and give it a voice. Taking time for yourself is essential not only to reduce daily stress, but also to learn more about yourself.
Art in all its forms, from singing to dancing, from painting to sculpture, is the perfect tool to learn to listen to your emotions and live in harmony with yourself and others.

THE BARRIERS OF CREATIVITY

Thinking creatively helps in every area of life. It often reminds us that we are free and makes us feel alive. Yet getting out of the box is not always so easy, we are rooted to our habits and comfort zones that make us feel safe.
Thinking creatively means facing risks and the fear of failure, knowing that the only failure is not even trying, getting rid of laziness and stopping procrastination, choosing new stimuli and experiencing new things. Thinking creatively means not focusing only on the goal but learning to fully experience the process that leads you to your final project, welcoming hiccups and unexpected events as opportunities to find new solutions.

Although some limitations may be valid and understandable, everyone has the solution and the possibility to overcome them. It is up to you to reflect on and understand your barriers, why they exist and the best way around them.

You can use some of these tricks and tactics to break down these barriers:

• Face your fears and prejudices
• Examine the perceived problem from different angles and choose a new way to deal with it.
• Talk to a friend – confrontation with others is always an enriching gift.
• If you are a person who tends to think too analytically, try exploring intuitive thinking instead, the instinctive is often not wrong.
• Look beyond functionality (what use is the end product?), appreciate the simplicity of beauty for its own sake.
• Change your daily schedule by incorporating healthy habits that nourish your spirit, from mindful movement to creative activities in your spare time.

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE MOST POPULAR HOBBIES

A quick tour through the world of hobbies and creative activities can certainly open up new horizons for you. Whether you are a beginner or want to enrich your repertoire, there is always a chance to find something that gives you joy and excitement.

Go back to your childhood and try to remember, to bring back to your heart, what made you happiest. Take a look at what you are usually most curious about, what you spend the most on – food, fashion, accessories, fine arts, scented bath salts – this might give you an idea of what your interests are. Follow hobby pages to find listings of courses, workshops or craft groups near you.

Some handicraft activities have existed for a long time. Hobbies such as knitting, embroidery, macramé, crochet, carpet or tapestry making date back centuries. Others, such as paint by numbers or diamond painting, are relatively modern.
The important thing is to find an activity that is in tune with one’s personality.

Painting by numbers: this is the hottest trend in the hobby sector today. If you have no idea what it is, we will explain it to you in two lines. It is the perfect approach to painting for those who have never tried it and do not know where to start. In fact, each paint by numbers kit contains a canvas with the chosen design pre-printed and divided into numbered areas, and each number corresponds to a colour. The process is simple, just apply the right colour to each area of the canvas until your painting is complete! The kits are complete, in addition to the canvas they obviously contain the colours and brushes. At Figured’Art, a company that is an expert in the field and has been making quality hobby kits for years, you can find a multitude of designs such as exotic animals, magnificent landscapes and delightful bouquets. There are also plenty of artist reproductions available, you can paint Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Monet’s Poppy Field.
At the end of your work you will have an enchanting painting ready to hang wherever you like or to give as a gift.

If you have a photo you would like to paint, you can order a personalised kit so you can make your own picture and paint the memory of a holiday or any special moment. This is the perfect solution for a gift to a special person.

Diamond Painting: this activity is also very popular and is often called ‘diamond art’. Similar to number painting, it features pre-printed self-adhesive canvases onto which numerous diamonds are applied for a sparkling mosaic or modern cross-stitch effect. If this hobby intrigues you but you have never tried it, we recommend starting with small canvases and simple designs. Here, too, you can choose from various collections and numerous designs!
This hobby is great for training your mindfulness, patience and concentration.

Punch Needle: This is one of the simplest forms of embroidery. The skill levels are basic and the process is quick. A wide variety of objects can be decorated with this embroidery, such as cushions, carpets, upholstery, tablecloths, sheets, bags, clothes and more. Punch needle kits offer a special punch needle, also known as a ‘magic needle’, which is essential for completing embroideries of this type. You can buy punch needle embroidery kits in local hobby shops or online. You need the right fabric (monk’s cloth, linen or jute), the punch needle, the appropriate thread for the needle type, the embroidery hoop and a pre-printed eye-catching design.

The list doesn’t end there, there are also the ever-greens like jigsaw puzzles, cross-stitch embroidery and scratch painting. The latter pastime involves ‘scratching’ a black card to bring out the design underneath, a quick and easy pastime for those who have little spare time but still want to unplug and relax a bit.