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It's no secret that crafts can have a positive impact on our mood by stimulating the mind, boosting creativity and even reducing stress. You don't have to be an expert crafter to derive joy from these easy crafts for adults, ranging from simple paper, yarn and painting projects to genius upcycling ideas that make the most of what you've got lying around the house. The best part? Once you've finished your craft, you'll have something beautiful to either cherish or pass off to a loved one as a homemade gift.
While we've included some projects that require a bit more time (like a DIY side table), most of these projects can be completed within an hour. Find tutorials and step-by-step instructions for a range of fashion accessories, self-care essentials and gorgeous DIY home decor. Think hand-painted bangles, rose petal bath salts and a butterfly frame, just to name a few standout ideas. Scroll this list to find simple projects for beginners, as well as more challenging options (like crocheting a pillow) to put your skills to the test.
If you're hunting for a seasonal craft idea, there's no shortage of inspiration — explore our roundups of summer crafts, easy fall projects and DIY Christmas decorations. Keep in mind, these relaxing craft ideas are intended for adults, but we've got plenty of craft ideas for kids too.
1
Leaf Imprint Jewelry Dish
Collect a few cuttings from your favorite houseplants or neighborhood trees, then use them to create beautiful jewelry dishes. The hardest part is rolling the imprint onto air dry clay using a rolling pin.
2
Floral Stencil Tote Bag
Turn a solid tote bag into a one-of-a-kind accessory with a few floral stencils and acrylic craft paint. You can also invest in alphabet stencils to spell out an inspirational message or name of a loved one, like "Mom."
3
Rose Petal Bath Salts
Turn your bathroom into a luxurious spa by making your own bath salts. Not to mention, this recipe will give your dying rose bouquet a second purpose!
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4
Rainbow Doormat
Every time guests step through your charming entryway, you can point out your handcrafted doormat. All you need is a natural coir mat and a few outdoor acrylic paints, plus paint brushes to draw on the design!
5
Colorful Jenga Game
Give this classic wood game a colorful upgrade! Using small foam paintbrushes and acrylic paints, simply paint the sides of each Jenga block. It shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes.
6
Paper Flower Gift Topper
Whether it's for a birthday or special holiday, these striking paper flower toppers make any present feel more personal. Once you nail it, you'll use this easy paper folding technique all of the time!
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7
Mid-Century Modern Side Table
Most mid-century modern side tables cost at least $100 — but this DIY option is way less. There's even a round cake pan, which can be painted any color of your choice, that provides hidden storage.
8
Rainbow Bangles
Let your imagination run while as you paint and stencil your favorite patterns onto wood bangles. They're so fun to wear knowing you've made them yourself, but you can also paint one for a friend.
9
Pressed Flower Lanterns
Decorate your home with these gorgeous flower lanterns — or make them in bulk for an upcoming party. You can definitely press your own flowers, but save yourself time by picking up a pack online.
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10
Cubby Cabinet
Inspired by vintage apothecary cabinets, this farmhouse wall shelf costs less than $15 to recreate. Dress it up with everything from seasonal decor and office supplies to vintage trinkets.
11
Bumble Bee Bookmark
Bookworms will adore marking pages with this smiling bumble bee bookmark. Plus, this tiny craft is a great way to use up any felt scraps you have lying around from previous projects.
12
Colorblock Vase
With a bit of spray paint and painter's tape, this homemade decor project is a breeze! The hardest part will be deciding what color to paint your flower vase.
Get the tutorial at Lolly Jane »
RELATED: DIY Home Decor Ideas for Instant Personality
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13
Floral Candles
Decorate taper candles to make your home more inviting, especially if you're hosting a party. For this craft, we used paint markers (acrylic paint works too) for the floral designs.
Follow these steps:
- Use a clean cloth to wipe the candles with rubbing alcohol. This will remove lint and debris for a smooth surface.
- Use paint markers or craft paint to draw a series of dots, flowers and patterns.
- Work on one side and let it dry completely before moving to another side.
14
Easy Landscape Painting
Love painting, but you're not a painter? Follow this step-by-step video to make a masterpiece with ease. Display the final result in a thrifted picture frame, and you've got yourself a truly one-of-a-kind creation.
15
DIY Lavender Soap
Give yourself permission to use the fancy soap… by making it yourself. You’ll need just a few supplies: goat's milk melt and pour base, dried lavender, lavender oil and silicone soap molds.
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16
Tassel Earrings
Here's an adorable craft idea that'll take less than five minutes. You'll need a few supplies, including silk tassels, gold end caps and earring hooks to create these unique earrings.
17
Decorative Pinboard
Create a personalized or seasonal display by hanging photos, greeting cards and your favorite artwork from an old window frame. Add small bulldog clips with a hot glue gun to complete the vintage-inspired look.
18
Accordion Paper Flowers
Green thumb or not, you can still grow an everlasting garden. Download these templates and follow the steps below to make paper flowers in various shapes, sizes and colors.
- Cut out four pieces of yellow or white paper (depending on what color daffodil you would like) using the first template.
- Fold the paper in half both vertically and horizontally and open again. Fold the bottom up about ¼" and crease it down.
- Flip the paper over and fold all the way to the top until you create an accordion.
- Fold the accordion-folded paper in half and attach the two middle pieces together with double-sided tape.
- Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining three pieces of paper.
- Connect all four together with a strip of double stick tape to create a flower shape.
- Cut out a rectangle of orange paper about 2" x 1.5" and cut little points on one of the long edges.
- Roll the rectangle loosely to make a tube shape and connect with a small piece of double-sided tape, folding the bottom edge down to create a flat bottom. Glue the little cup you made into the center of the flower to finish your daffodil.
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19
Colorful Coupe co*cktail Glasses
Make these eye-catching co*cktail glasses with just a bit of scrap adhesive vinyl and cheap glasses from Ikea or the dollar store. This project is super easy, but will create a dazzling result your co*cktail party guests will be sure to admire.
20
Woven Coasters
Burlap coasters add a layer of texture and warmth to a display, all while keeping your table protected from spills and water marks. Give plain burlap squares a more finished look by stitching a colored border or pulling at the thread along the edges to create a fringe detail.
Alyssa Gautieri
Associate Lifestyle Editor
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
Mariah Thomas
Assistant Editor
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
