What are some easy but fun things to make by hand? or ways to not look at a screen as much?
So im looking for things i can make or do that dont invole a compute ror my phone, i feel like i need to stop staring at a screen as much. i dont have money either and ive been wanting to go to craft fairs but im not sure what to make or how to not look at a screen as much.
also i have depression so i lack motivation to do anyhting, but i want to be motivated im just not sure where to start also i tend to repeat questions because in a werid way, that helps me learn, but it seems to annoy others.
For music instruments, you can get books aimed at beginners if you want to reduce your screen time.
And for arts and crafts, like I said, you can try water color, pencil drawing, knitting, etc
I like to sit around and tie knots. It keeps my hands busy and I feel like it's something that could actually be of use too. First Class Amateur on YouTube is a great way to start.
Ropes, strings, cords, whatever you want to call it, can all be found just about anywhere and are pretty inexpensive
There is also the wide world of weaving/braiding bracelets and things. Google Macrame and boondoggle knots
There is a really great app called Knots 3D that has fantastic animations showing you how to tie knots. I believe it's about 6$ however. I have found it extremely useful.
I make tiny towns out of paper, and foam. Based on unfinished wood rounds and painted with craft paint. Very cheap but rewarding.
With the low cost, it’s low stress as even a failure only puts you out a few bucks.
Building Gaslands cars is similarly fun and cheap. Get some Hotwheels cars and glue junk to them to make Mad Max cars.
And for more free time outside. Hiking is cheap, and some sun (with sunscreen!) is good for you and your mood. Hat, water pack, cordless silicon earbuds and play something on your phone and walk. Seriously, sunlight is positive for helping with depression in a ton of ways.
Cooking is fun and you can eat the results. Find a recipe or a dish you've always wanted to try that is a little hard for your current cooking level but not impossible and spend a fun afternoon , in my case making chocolate eclairs from scratch. Mine look like turds but taste amazing, can't wait to try again.
So about a year ago I was having issues with eye strain, turns out playing video games that have bright deserts with a high default gamma on an already bright display causes temporary problems. I had a hard time looking at a screen for about a month. So I decided to start playing over the board chess at the local club and still do. Great way to hang out with people without screens involved.
You can also make chess pieces, boards or whole sets and probably make some good bank if the work is good.
I recently got into making foam inserts for my board game collection. Startup cost is low, just need a flat surface to work on and some patience. After measuring, cutting and gluing for a few hours, waiting for a few more for things to dry, then finally being able to assemble everything so it all fits "just right" is incredibly satisfying!
Origami is pretty fun and cheap, and can be taken to craft fairs I suppose. You can find guides pretty much anywhere, and you can start making cool-looking stuff right away without fancy materials.
You can use normal paper for the simpler stuff -- just cut it to square by folding it into a right triangle first and folding the little leftover on the one side and cutting it off (or ripping it carefully).
Thin paper helps for the more complicated pieces, and you can get cool-looking patterns... but it's totally not necessary to get started.
To avoid looking at tutorials on a screen and if money is an issue. If you've got basic things like pen and paper. Drawing/doodling is a great place to start. Doesn't matter if you don't think it's good, just experiment.
You could try things like writing (especially if you're struggling with mental health issues) whether that be a sort of diary or wiring a story that tries to explain your feelings/struggles. My therapist actually recommended this to me and I found it incredibly helpful, especially as someone who has always hated writing. You can tear it up afterwards as well.
Knitting/Crochet is probably a little more than expensive, especially getting the tools, but is really good for giving your brain a break and falling into a rhythm.
Gardening, sounds odd, but you could buy some seeds for very little and try growing some things. It'll be slow, but it will get you outside and it's been proven to help improve mental health.
Walking without music. Just focus on your senses and what your seeing. Can be a great way to get your mind free of anxieties and stresses.
Puzzles - it's an activity that will also keep you busy and also isn't too strenuous.
Macramé just requires string and knowing how to make some types of knots. No special instruments needed (although in actuality a clip to hold the string is very useful and others to hold parts if you get super complicated). Something interesting off the bat is a david and goliath type sling big enough to toss a tennis ball if you have a dog.
I really enjoy woodcarving and whittling. All you need is a knife and some wood! Look up Doug Linker on youtube fit some starter ideas. I made my whole family tiny santas for Christmas
Came here for this. And basic stuff like hats and scarves is bonkers easy. I literally taught myself enough to make my first scarf in one afternoon on YouTube without ever having seen someone actually knit before. (A bunch of people in my family crochet. I can't make anything with a crochet hook except a mess.)
I am pretty similar to you. I started looking around my home for things that need fixing, or could maybe be improved. I didn't really want to spend a lot on any of that, so I've redneck engineered a lot of things. Turns out I'm pretty good at it. Glue, string, cardboard, wire. Any scraps you have lying around can probably be used on something.
Quilling can be fun. You just need to cut thin strips of paper and shape it. It’s kinda easy if you have decent hand eye coordination. It can be easy to start if you have paper, scissors, and some glue laying around. It looks like 3D art and is beginning friendly.
Is there a good place to learn how to start? I've been finding self-sustaining ecosystems amazing for quite some time and have been meaning to try myself. I don't know where or how to start though..and I've been probably too lazy to put in some actual research.
I like doing cross stitch! It’s very simple and easy to get into since you can buy cheap kits that come with everything you need, it doesn’t have a steep learning curve and you get to enjoy the end result.
origami! all you need is a paper and infinite possibilities await you. you can go as simple and as complex as you want and they make great little random gifts for those around you
jo nakashima has some great and easy to understand tutorials if you are wondering where to start
Model train kits can be cool, especially with a good manufacturer. 30 dollars (plus shipping) can buy you a pretty unique item. All you need is a steady head, an exacto knife, and super glue.
Bake cookies. It's really simple. Not overly time consuming. You get a tasty reward. You can gift them to neighbours and coworkers to make people happy.
Other people here have already said it, but the only thing that gets me undepressed is being outside in "nature" .. a park, the woods, anywhere that's not totally man-made. A walk in a woods is magic, I can last for days after that even though getting to the woods is difficult. Just walking round town is great. And it's free!
Bruce Chatwin wrote that walking can cure anything. Though it didn't cure his AIDS, which he had in the very early days before much was known about it, I think he's almost right .. walking makes me come alive.