How crafting can make you happier!

I first started making things back when I was 6 years old. I loved drawing and would make funny silly little books about cats! From there I progressed to making trains out of cardboard boxes, using colourful sand to create pictures and attempting to sew. I didn't realise it at the time but making all of these things made me really happy - it kept my mind active and it made me feel productive and satisfied even if my day overall hadn't been the best.

It was only when I left university and suddenly didn't have the time for making - that I realised how much crafting had given me in terms of having a positive effect upon my mental health. Just think about it. In the age that we live in where technology means that our lives are a constant hum of notifications and emails and updates. It can be hard to step outside of the 'noise' and take a few moments for yourself - that don't involve a screen and don't even necessarily have to involve other people! When you make something with your hands - you get into something called flow state (I'll do another blog post on this at some other time to explain more!) But essentially flow is a state where you are concentrating so much on doing just one activity or task - that as a result the rest of your body subconsciously relaxes. It doesn't matter what the outcome is of your crafting (although I think we can all agree when it all comes together it is amazingly satisfying!) What matters is that you have given yourself that time to relax and just focus on one thing for a while. You get in the zone! Even if it's only a project that you pick up for a couple of minutes before bed or for few minutes before breakfast.

Thats why I started making again - and since then I haven't stopped, even when working on Ellbie Co. craft kits, I will always have a few small side makes on the go. Just for myself to be able to step away from work and have a bit of time thats mine. It can be all too easy to fall into the trap of putting a lot of pressure on the outcome of crafting sometimes - and it can be daunting to start a new project. Just in case the finished product isn't perfect enough. But what if the outcome was also that you just felt a bit happier, less anxious and a sense of pride? After all it's about the crafting journey not just the creation! If anybody is currently on a crafting journey or has any projects that they have just started please get in touch with me via hellothere@ellbie.co - I'd love to see what you are up to. Make happy! Becci xox