Benefits of Arts and Craft Microvolunteering Actions

The benefits of participating in the arts and crafts are so obvious to

those who participate that they almost become invisible. In these days of social,
economic and environment uncertainty, it is worth considering how the benefits of
participation can help underpin a more sustainable way of living.

All Round Benefits

On an individual level, the enjoyment and pleasure gained from participating in arts
and crafts activities creates an all round sense of wellbeing and happiness, reduces
stress and anxiety and even helps healing in times of ill health. Participation
increases self confidence and self esteem and so improves peoples personal lives
and their ability to make social connections friendship is a vital element of fulfilled
and health living. All these factors are cited as good indicators of quality of life.

Engaging in social interaction through group arts activity is also important because it
increases network, co-operation and partnerships and enables individuals to gain
new skills like team work, negotiation, communication and administration. As a result
they become capable of setting up new activities and groups in the community all
of which contributes to local self reliance and strengthens community co-operation.

Sharing

Significantly too, the voluntary arts and craft arena provide a means for people to
share their culture with others, thereby promoting harmony, understanding, tolerance
and co-operation between different communities.

Voluntary arts and crafts activities can encourage sociability in

areas where social connection has been eliminated by poverty, crime and mistrust
local arts groups enable people to become involved in community activities that are
affordable, close to home, in a neutral and safe environment and appropriate to the
backgrounds and aspirations of the participants.
 Similarly, engagement in the voluntary arts plays an important role in celebrating and
preserving local cultures, traditions and heritage which helps to strengthen local
identify. Residents who feel good about where they live are more likely to become
involved in new community schemes including environmental improvements.

Creative citizens are more likely to recognise synergies, make innovative

connections and use their knowledge and skills in ways that add cultural, social,
political and economic value to their communities. Participation in the arts and crafts
therefore helps to foster peoples engagement in the wider civic process and to form
and develop the sort of communities they want to stay in

Home Based Microvolunteering

So, where does home based microvolunteering fit into all of this. You dont have to
be a member of a group that meets up in a certain place and at a certain time, to
enjoy the benefits of microvolunteering. There are many voluntary organisations out
there, some big, some just being run by one person that invite people to crafts things
in their own home at their own convenience. They operate on the fact that items can
be made at home and then posted off to a central address, from where similar items
all made by independently home based crafters are collected together and shipped
off to benefit a worthy cause.

Weve collected a whole list of these organisations that are waiting for you to craft an
item that can be used to help out a non profits cause. For easy reference, weve
categorised them into various groups. If after discovering whats out there, youre
inspired to set up your own crafting initiative, then pop over to Voluntary Arts who
have loads of information to help you out.

THE SURPRISING HEALTH BENEFITS OF ARTS

AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES {GUEST POST}
Crafts

Guest post
 Health & Beauty

Natasha25th January 20133

crafts, health benefits, mental health, wellbeing
2

image: http://i0.wp.com/serenityyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/dreamstimefree_6969.jpg?resize=320%2C251

source
The Surprising Health Benefits of Arts and Crafts Activities

Taking part in arts and crafts activities is both rewarding and relaxing. It is
challenging but not to the extent that it leaves you mentally exhausted, which
makes it perfect for de-stressing. It is therefore unlikely to come as a surprise that it
possesses a number of health benefits. There arent too many things that are both
enjoyable and healthy but arts and crafts fall firmly within both of these categories.
A study carried out by researchers at the University of Glasgow in 2011 concluded
that arts and crafts aid emotional well-being to an extent that more active pursuits
such as sports cannot, especially amongst old people. Co-author of the study
Jacqueline Atkinson states that crafts provide an avenue for people to take part in
activities that are both engaging and enjoyable, which can help to reduce stress. She
says that certain arts and crafts activities also offer maths and geometry challenges,
which help to keep the brain sharp.
Treatment for Addiction

A report published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information also states
that arts and crafts can have a positive influence upon recovering drug addicts.
Those seeking help for drug addiction are often placed on arts and crafts programs
in order to facilitate their recovery, as non-verbal creative media have been proven
to be effective at treating them. The therapeutic power of arts and crafts is well
documented. According to Professor Sinnika Pollanen of the University of Eastern
Finland, making things by hand can bring about profound changes in emotions,
sensory experiences, actions, behaviours and patterns of thought, which means that
it can effectively alter the way in which a person perceives the world.
Achieving Flow
Psychologist Claudia Hammond also points out that crafts can be all-absorbing and
help people to attain a state that psychologists call flow in which all worries are
discarded and the hours fly by. She says that one of the main benefits of arts and
crafts is that those doing them have complete control over the difficulty level of the
tasks that they choose to take on. Research has demonstrated that the goals that
people set themselves tend to be the most satisfying for them to achieve, meaning
that creating something that you are proud of can improve your levels of mental
well-being.
Treating Depression

President of the International Behavioural Neuroscience Society Professor Kelly

Lambert states that taking part in arts and crafts activities can help to stave off
depression. She says that partaking in these activities bathes your brain in feel-
good chemicals and creates a kind of mental vitamin. She has also previously
stated that the effects of arts and crafts are more complex than taking
antidepressants and activate multiple brain areas, meaning that they can sometimes
be just as effective as prescription medication when it comes to fighting mental
illness.
Improving Mental Agility

A recent article published in Psychologies magazine suggests that the role played by
arts and crafts is underestimated. The magazine points out that making things is an
accessible means of asserting control within an uncertain environment. The piece
includes a quote by a female store manager who says that since she took up arts
and crafts activities, she has felt significantly calmer and the fact that she can
transform materials into something useful has increased her confidence in her skill
at adapting and dealing with things. This is backed up by the results of a study cited
in the article that concluded that those who devote time to creative activities
experience a growth in mental agility.
Final Thoughts

It appears that as well as being an enjoyable way to while away the hours, arts and
crafts activities can also help to maintain your mental health and improve your
adaptability. They can improve your confidence, make you happier in the course of
your everyday life and even help to fight against depression and addiction. With this
in mind, it is perhaps little wonder artistic and crafts-based pursuits are such popular
hobbies. The main benefit of partaking in them is that they are fun to do though.
They enable artistically minded people to hone their skills whilst partaking in
activities that are both relaxing and rewarding. Everything else is just an added
bonus.

Read more at http://serenityyou.com/2013/01/the-surprising-health-benefits-of-arts-

and-crafts-activities-guest-post.html#gBfC3e1QYOQwbCkk.99

5 Benefits of Arts and Crafts:

1. Bilateral Coordination Crafts such as coloring, drawing, cutting, all require
your child to use both of their hands together. This skill is important in other areas of
 their lives as they continue to grow, such as writing, tying shoes, typing and so

much more!
2. Fine Motor Coordination In order to draw shapes, cut patterns, and hand
writing, your child is required to use their fine motor coordination. These skills
similarly translate to other areas of their lives, such as dressing ,eating, and in the
academic setting.
3. Self Regulation Crafts that require drying require waiting! This is a great lesson
for you child to demonstrate self control and patience. Also, as always things might
not go exactly as we hoped! Crafts are a great way to promote flexibility in your
child. There is no right or wrong way in exploring ones own creativity!
4. Self-esteem booster Although we want to challenge our kids, it is also
important to initially choose arts and crafts that are at your childs skill level.
Completing the crafts successfully will give them a great sense of accomplishment
and pride. As you and your child begin to explore more crafts, you can add in more
and more challenges
5. Bonding and fun-Your kids will love spending time with you and creating
something together!

Great craft ideas to do with your kids this winter season:

Snow Flakes

Start with tracing a circle on your favorite color construction paper

Cut out the circle
Fold the circle in half 3 times
Draw shapes from the edges with a pencil
Use scissors to cut along the designs
Carefully open your circle
Cotton Ball Snowman
 Use glue to make three circles, for the outline of your snow man. Fill in each circle
with glue completely
Stick cotton balls in the glue circles to form your snowman
You can make this more of a challenge by using chopsticks, small tongs, or
tweezers to pick up and place the cotton balls
Be creative and give your snow man a face and accessories (gloves, hat, etc.)
Colored glue
Googly eyes
Pipe cleaner
Felt

Cards for friends and family

Fold a piece of construction paper in half and decorate. Thats it! The rest is up to
you and your childs creativity
Tips and Ideas:
Write your message in pencil and have your child trace
Attach a picture of your child
Use holiday inspired stencils and have your child trace onto the card
Use a variety of materials; markers, paint, colored glue, glitter, beads, scrap
paper, magazines, buttons, and much much more!

Benefits of Arts to Kids

In: Raise Smart Preschool Child Articles

Print Email
Children naturally love art painting, drawing, making music, the theater. Unfortunately, when
schools cut back on budgets, the arts are usually the first to go. It seems that schools do not
appreciate the importance of art in building a kids brain.

Physiologically, the human brain consists of 2 parts, the left and the right hemisphere. The left
brain is used in logical thinking and analytical processes. This is typically what is trained in
school work that consists of math, reading and science. The right brain is used in emotional
perception, intuition and creativity. It is the right brain that is mainly used when a person is
involved in creative endeavors such as making art. It is this part of the brain that typical school
environment neglects to train.

It is shown that when gifted kids solve problems in their areas of giftedness, there is increased
electrical activity in both hemispheres. It appears that for the brain to be efficient, the two
hemispheres of the brains must work together. By stimulating and exercising the right
hemisphere of the brain, the arts strengthen the connection between the hemispheres. Kids
should be exposed to the arts as their cognitive skills mature so that their right brain will be as
developed as the left, and both hemispheres work in tandem, thus achieving the full potential of
the mind.

Aside from the physiological effects, the New York Center for Arts Education also lists other
benefits of exposing children to art:

Your kid learns to think creatively, with an open mind

Your kid learns to observe and describe, analyze and interpret

Your kid learns to express feelings, with or without words.

Your kid practices problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, dance, music, theater
and art-making skills, language and vocabulary of the arts

Your kid discovers that there is more than one right answer, multiple points of view

School can be fun playing can be learning

Your kid learns to collaborate with other children and with adults

Arts introduce children to cultures from around the world

Your kid can blossom and excel in the arts. Even with physical, emotional or learning
challenges, can experience success in the arts.
 Arts build confidence. Because there is not just one right way to make art, every child can
feel pride in his or her original artistic creations.

Arts build community. Schools with a variety of differences can celebrate the arts as one
community.

According to Kimberly Sheridan, Ed.D., coauthor of Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual
Arts Education, Its not as easy to test the skills that children learn from the arts, but that
doesnt make them any less important. She noted though that participating in a school arts
program increases a childs ability to:

Observe the world carefully and discard preconceptions in order to envision something
and then create it

Go beyond just learning a skill to express a personal voice

Problem-solve and persist despite frustration and setbacks

Reflect on the results and ask what could improve them

Researchers from the Michigan State University have found a very strong correlation between
childhood engagement in the creative arts and measurable success later in life. Children who
were exposed to a wide variety of arts and crafts were more likely to create unique inventions that
is worthy of patents, come up with ideas good enough to start a new company, or publish
provocative papers on science and technology. The researchers suggest that children exposed to
arts and crafts are able to think out of the box since a lot of working with hands involve figuring
out how to solve problems creatively. After studying many scientists Co-authors Robert and
Michele Root-Bernstein reached this conclusion: The most eminent and innovative among them
are significantly more likely to engage in arts and crafts avocations than the average Joe.
Arts education and appreciation were also found to have benefits on young peoples brains. In a
study by researchers from University of Kansas, students who were selected to visit a museum
shows stronger critical thinking skills, displayed higher levels of social tolerance, exhibited
greater historical empathy and developed a taste for art museums and cultural institutions.

The following are tips to make the arts a part of your kids development:

Always make arts and crafts supply available and accessible to your kid paper, pencil,
crayons, etc.

Celebrate your childs artwork hang their drawings on the wall or save it in a folder.
That way, your child feels that her creation is important.

Read books Ask the librarian at your school or public library to suggest books about
artists and the arts.

Notice the arts all around you take your family to museums, concerts, or theater.
Notice the art even in the parks, subways, and open spaces. Start a conversation about
what you see.

Enjoy the arts at home share your artistic skills and interests with your kid. Find out
what your kids love about the art.

If your kid shows great interest, enroll her in arts class.

If possible, remind your kids school authorities about the importance of art in her
education.

Click here for:

Educational Toys and Games to Help Make Your Kids Smart

How to Take High Quality Photos That Will Sell Your Crafts
One of the most important things I have learned about selling crafts online
is that the quality of your photos makes a huge difference. Many new craft
business owners make the mistake of using lower quality photos because
they are in a hurry, dont own a good camera, or simply are not aware of
how much of an influence the photo has on how many things you sell and
what prices you can charge.

The quality of your photos absolutely affects the success of your online
craft business. You need to be taking good, clean and attractive photos in
order to succeed at selling handmade products online. It simply wont
happen unless you do.

Here are some tips for taking high quality photos that will sell your crafts.

1. Use a decent camera.

You dont have to have an expensive camera, or be an expert

photographer, to take good photos of your craft products. Basically, you
need a camera that will take sharp photos that show off the detail of your
work. A smart phone with a good, 8 megapixel camera will do.
When you use an inferior camera, you run the risk of not being able to get
clear, focused photos. Photos with lots of shadows, grainy backgrounds or
that are out-of-focus will detract from your work. You might as well list the
item for sale without a photo rather than list it with a poor photo, because a
poor photo will absolutely discourage a customer from buying.

2. Shoot your photos in good light.

The best way to ensure that you get really good photos of your crafts is to
shoot them in good, direct light. There are a number of ways that you can
accomplish this and you wont need any fancy or expensive equipment.

The easiest way to get good lighting for your photos is to take your camera
outside on an overcast day. A slightly cloudy or gray day will give you direct
light thats not too bright or glaring, which usually results in stunning
photos.

If its raining, or you dont have a good place to take pictures outside, you
can get a similar effect by shooting in a windowsill. A white windowsill with
no curtains or blind makes an ideal place for taking pictures of your crafts.

Further, if you want to ensure good lighting but the weather isnt
cooperating, or you need to take photos at night, you can build a light box
very inexpensively. You can find lots of tutorials for building them around
the Internet.

3. Use simple backgrounds.

When photographing your craft products, you want your creative work to be
the star of the photos. Shooting photos with a very simple background will
ensure that the focus is on your handmade products and not on whatevers
behind or underneath them.

Plain white walls and hard surfaces make wonderful backgrounds for
photos of your crafts. You can also use simple backdrops like flat stones,
brick walls and grassy fields. But avoid busy and complicated backgrounds
like colorful flower gardens or patterned fabric that might distract customers
from the real purpose of the photo.

4. Use a limited number of props.

The concept of using a limited number of props in your craft photos goes
hand in hand with the simple backgrounds. Sometimes a prop or two will
help enhance a photo and show off an item but other times props just get in
the way and distract.

For instance, a good prop to use when photographing a handmade ring is a

metal ring sizer or a mannequin hand. Bad props, which might distract the
customer from the main attraction, might be other rings that are not for sale
in that listing, piles of other jewelry or a full mannequin figure.

A good rule of thumb to remember is: keep it simple. This way you can
ensure that potential buyers will be focussed solely on the item for sale and
not on the props.

5. Wearable products should be modeled.

When youre selling wearable handmade products, such as scarves and

hats, jewelry, or sweaters, you should have these items modeled in your
photographs. Being able to see what an item will look like on someone
really helps to sell the garment or piece. Think about all the clothing
catalogs and Web sites you have used in the past to purchase items. All of
the items are modeled, arent they?

You dont have to hire a professional model to get good photos of your
wearable items. Anyone can model and do a great job, they just need to
look clean, presentable and happy. You can ask friends or family members
of all ages to model for you.

Models wearing simple clothes , neutral colors and minimal makeup and
jewelry will help to keep the focus on the items you are trying to sell.

6. Edit your photos.

Once you have taken a good selection of photos, upload them to your
computer and use an editing program of your choice to make them even
better. A few simple changes can make a big difference in the quality of
your photos.

Cropping the photos can help to really focus the photo on the craft product.
Cut out any extraneous background or anything that shouldnt be, or
doesnt need to be, in the photo.

Adjusting the lighting of the photos can help too. Brighten photos a little to
enhance the colors, especially if they appear different in the photo to how
they appear in real life. You want your photos to offer the most true-to-life
presentation of the product as possible.

With these simple tips, you can easily learn to take great, high quality
photos of your craft products. Remember to take your photos as seriously,
or even more seriously, as you do your descriptions, pricing and everything
else involved in selling online.

The photo is probably the first thing a customer will see. Make it a photo
that they wont easily forget so theyll want to see more.

How to Start a Craft Business

The business of making and selling handcrafted products has become
extremely popular over the last few years. With the growth of online
handmade marketplaces like Etsy, you could say that after decades of
being seen as tacky or inferior, handmade has at last come into its own.

But how do you start your own craft business? Starting your own business
can be one of the most exciting things you ever do. But it can also be
terrifying. Being self employed is no easy feat and its certainly not for
everyone. Theres a reason people say, Dont quit your day job. The key
to being successful with your craft business is to think and plan ahead. As
with any task or goal, a well researched plan of action will get you off to a
good start.

Here are some basic tips on how to start a craft business from the ground
up.

1. Choose a product line.

One of the first things you should do when starting a new craft business is
to decide what it is you want to make and sell. Many new craft sellers make
the mistake of trying to start with too many ideas. The best way to build a
business is to begin with one or two good ideas, and then expand from
there in time.

To help you decide what products you will sell first, think about your specific
skills. What crafts are you best at? For instance, if you are an expert at
quilting, but you also dabble in knitting or needle felting, start with quilted
items. You want to put your best foot forward, so you should make your first
available merchandise of the very best quality that you can produce. This
will help your business to start off with a great public image, which will in
time build your reputation. You can always add new product lines once you
have been established for a while.

2. Choose a business name.

Your business name is generally the first thing that potential customers will
see. It identifies you as a merchant, gives customers an idea of what you
sell and gives a little insight into your personality. You should think very
carefully about your business name because you want it to make an
impact.

A lot of new business owners like to use their own name in their business
namesuch as Katies Cute Quilts. While theres nothing inherently wrong
with this idea, Katie is a wasted word. Why? Because no one knows, or
cares, who Katie is. Potential customers are not going to be searching for a
business based on a first name. They are going to be looking for things like
specific products, locations, crafting techniques, etc. Cute is a wasted
word as well, because the term is fairly subjective. What one person thinks
is cute, another might just as easily think of as tacky.

Try to incorporate specific, descriptive words into your business name. This
way, you will draw more traffic to your Web site or more customers to your
craft table. Think about the impact of a business name like Greenville
Country Quilts. This business name tells customers specifically where the
company is located, what products they make, and the style of the
products. Its much more precise than Katies Cute Quilts.

3. Choose a selling venue.

Where and how you choose to sell your handmade products is also a major
decision to make for any new craft business owner. Many people choose to
sell exclusively online, while others prefer to sell at craft fairs and other
events. You may also be interested in getting your products into local shops
on consignment. There are many different ways of selling your wares. So,
how do you decide which method of selling is best for you?

Research is key to choosing the right selling venue. If youre interested in

selling online, look at several different online craft marketplaces or social
media platforms and find out what makes each one unique. If you can, talk
to other sellers on those sites to get an idea of how happy they are with
their experience. You can also look at reviews of these Web sites around
the Internet. Or you could join a crafting forum to talk to other crafters
around the world about how and where they sell online.
If you want to sell at craft fairs, the best place to start looking for events is
by searching online. However, dont forget to look into local events that may
not be advertised on the Internet. You can often find out about local fairs by
checking newspapers, reading announcement boards at libraries, or simply
asking around. A lot of fellow crafters are happy to share their experiences
with various craft fairs.

Getting your handmade products into local shops can seem intimidating.
But its really not that difficult a process once you know where to start.
Gather some good photographs of your work and create a portfolio, or pack
some samples of your work neatly in a presentation case or box. Take your
work or photos to any local shops youre interested in and ask them if they
take consignment. Many shop owners will happily look at your products and
give you a form to fill out so that you can get started selling with them. If
your products are good, theres no reason to be timid about asking.

4. Register as self employed.

The final step, and probably the most important, is to get your taxes in
order. Some countries require you to register as self employed before you
begin selling, while others will allow you to simply file your self employment
tax return at the end of your first year of business.

Its vital that you follow the tax laws of your state and country if you want to
run a successful craft business that will grow and thrive for years to come.
Theres no excuse for not filing your taxes, no matter how much of a pain
you may find it to be. Its always better to have your paperwork in order.

In conclusion, the Internet has made it easy for almost anyone to start a
craft business. In fact, in todays economy, many people are choosing self
employment as a more certain way of earning money. If you love crafting
and youre good at it, youre in the perfect position to start your own
business. Just remember to start with a good, solid plan.