The Joys of Crafting

Crafting throughout the years has not only aided my mental health, it has brought me endless joy.

I started my crafting journey by making Christmas cards for relatives and friends. Over the years, my crafting abilities have improved and evolved. I have a far better sense of the tools I am comfortable working with than I ever have before, and I understand my limits. I have also had to continuously exercise patience, because glue and paint very rarely dry instantly.

The thing I love the most about crafting is that I think of nothing else when I am working on a project. My focus suddenly becomes unbreakable, my thoughts remain more or less on a single track, and my emotions are soothed.

I have learned to trust the process. A recent craft saw me attempt to make a jewellery dish from air-dry clay. I made several mistakes at the beginning, meaning I had to correct things along the way. I persevered, and still managed to meet my specifications. The dish is mostly held together by its resin-coated underside. That doesn't matter though; no-one sees the underside, including me. I use that jewellery dish on a daily basis.

My recent crafting adventures led me to miniatures. Crafting dollhouse-scale items is tricky, but with some ingenuity, creativity, and some paint, one can turn a screw into a miniature candle. Making miniature rooms is also fun; I have a model whale from a gashapon machine, and in a moment of spontaneous creativity, decided he (affectionately known as The Whale of Wisdom) needed a room to hang out out in. The result is a little corner of fun and personality, and what I consider to be one of my crafting triumphs.

Crafting miniatures has been one of my most recent adventures. While making dollhouse-scale items can be tricky, it’s also incredibly rewarding to turn everyday objects into something whimsical—like transforming a screw into a miniature candle with just some paint and creativity. When I created a room for the “Whale of Wisdom,” a model whale from a gashapon machine, I didn’t make every single piece, but that didn’t lessen the joy. There are so many pre-made miniatures available online, from toy companies like Mini Brands and Mini Verse, which help bring these little spaces to life. In the end, it’s the personal touch and vision that makes the project truly unique, even if not every part is handmade.

Another rewarding aspect of crafting is the tangible result at the end of the process. Whether it’s a bookmark or artwork to display at home, there’s something satisfying about holding a finished piece that you’ve envisioned and brought to life. Every brushstroke, every coat of glue, every small effort becomes a testament to the time and energy you’ve invested. And no matter how small or simple the project, the feeling of accomplishment is always the same.

Crafting gives me the opportunity to slow down, reminding me that mistakes are part of the journey. I’ve come to embrace the idea that true charm lies in imperfection. Leaning into that notion has helped me not only in crafting but also in finding self-acceptance. And from that acceptance, joy naturally follows.