This article was updated 21 August 2023

Looking for ways to embrace your creative side? Perhaps you’re keen to learn a new skill? Try one of these art and craft project ideas for adults that will boost your creativity, help you practise mindfulness by focusing on one task at a time, and give you a gorgeous new artwork, frame or scrapbook to proudly display in your home.

Macramé Wall Hangings

Macrame wall hangings are a great art and craft ideas for adults that double as decor

The ’70s are back – not the bell-bottoms, thankfully, just the clever macramé wall hangings and plant holders. It couldn’t be easier to craft one of your own: all you need is cotton macramé cord or rope, a wooden dowel or stick to hang it from, a tape measure, scissors and plenty of patience as you master the different types of knots that meld together to create patterns. There are loads of YouTube videos to help you get started – and after that, the only limit is your imagination.

What To Try

Decorated Vases  

Add colour to plain vases, or reuse tins and jars you would otherwise throw away, by decorating them creatively with an afternoon arts and crafts project. Clean the vessel thoroughly and allow it to dry before unleashing your creative vision: paint them, wrap them in washi tape or ribbons, or decoupage photos or sketches onto the surface.

What To Try

Calligraphy

There’s something elegant about receiving an elaborately addressed envelope in the mail – and you can imbue that feeling in your next lot of post with some clever calligraphy. For beginners, using Tombow dual-brush pens is a mess-free way to get a feel for different strokes; applying little pressure on any up strokes for thin lines, and harder pressure for down strokes to create thicker lines. Practice the alphabet in a visual diary until you’re happy with your hand. For guidance, there are plenty of online tutorials that can help you find your own creative style.

What To Try

Flower Pressing

Flower pressing is a beautiful art and craft project for adults that can also be given as a gift.

Did you know flowers have their own secret language? A red rose can symbolise love and devotion, while a yellow one can suggest jealousy; a hydrangea represents gratitude; and rosemary is linked with remembrance. Turn this delicate speech into an artwork by pressing a variety of flowers, then using them on cards, in frames or as stunning displays. Simply collect your flowers (ones with only a single layer of petals work best), and lay them between two pieces of absorbent paper, such as paper towel. Leave them for up to three weeks to completely dry and flatten out, then store them in airtight containers for your next art and craft project.

Air Dry Clay Pinch Pots

Think of it as playdough for grown-ups. Experiment with making little bowls for your keys, trinket trays for your jewellery or pots for tiny succulents. Take a large chunk of air dry clay and shape into a ball, then make an indent in the centre and push the hole out to the edges to create a bowl shape. Keep smoothing and shaping until you’re happy with the appearance and size. Once completely dry, paint them if you desire.

SEE ALSO: Polymer Clay Modelling for Beginners: An Expert Shows Us How

Paper Bunting

Make your decor more sustainable and swap out balloons for some colourful bunting. All you need is coloured paper you cut into large isosceles triangles; a hole punch to create holes in the two corners of the shortest side; and some string to thread your finished shapes onto. Once you’ve got the knack, try papercutting some beautiful designs into the triangle to make it look like lace.

 What To Try

DIY Frames and Mirrors

Turn dusty, unused wooden photo frames and mirrors into glorious works of art with a little creative thinking. Sand back any rough wood and then go wild with paints that match your interior colour scheme. Alternatively create a bespoke frame as a gift for a friend or family member by sticking on feathers or other decorations with a glue gun, or writing a stylised message around the frame.

What To Try

Painting Pots for Indoor Plants

Paint a pot for your succulents for your next art and craft project

Upcycle an old terracotta pot by giving it a fresh lick of paint and your own creative designs. Clean and dry the pot thoroughly and sand back any bumps, then get to work with acrylic or spray paint, stencilling or decoupage. Try painting a repeating pattern around the circumference of the pot, or paint it all one solid colour and use a letter stencil to indicate the type of herb you plan to grow in there.

What To Try

SEE ALSO: DIY Painted Terracotta Pots and 6 Other Adult Craft Projects

Photo Scrapbooking

It’s one of those things we always mean to do – print our digital photos and sort them into albums. Give yourself a little motivation to get it done by creating a scrapbook rather than just a traditional photo album: add mementos that help capture an event or memory, such as birthday cards or ticket stubs, little drawings and funny notes, and put groups of photos together in a specific way. For instance, you might make a single scrapbook dedicated to one child’s birthdays, or the last family holiday you went on.

What To Try

Bespoke Stationery

Custom stationery can be expensive but you can create the same effect for your correspondence with a creative art project. First, invest in notecards, cards and envelopes in thick paper stock – the heavier weight will immediately make it feel more premium. Then, using your calligraphy skills, add your initials to the bottom corner of the cards, or even decide on a drawing, stamp or seal that best represents you and duplicate it across each one.

What To Try

Flower Wreaths

A flower wreath is an art and craft project that can be done solo or in a group

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas or Halloween, or just want to take advantage of stunning spring flowers, a flower wreath is a different way to display them than just sticking them in a vase. Gather your flowers – including plenty of greenery – as well as a metal hoop, a glue gun, flower wire and some ribbon. Arrange your flowers around the hoop and when you’re happy with how it looks, stick them in place using the wire and glue gun. Once firmly stuck, tie a ribbon around the hoop to act as a hanger and – voila! – a gorgeous wreath for your front door.

‍What To Try

Hand Lettering

Different from calligraphy, hand lettering is about drawing, rather than writing, letters. There are scores of different styles, from bulbous bubble letters to script-like cursive and watercolour decoration – all you need is paper and the marker, pen, pencil or paint of your choosing to find and practise your favourite. Once you find your niche, you can use the lettering to adorn cards, invitations or create mini artworks for your home.

What To Try

Canvas Art

Simple yet extremely impressive, creating your own canvas painting ideas are a great way to exercise your creativity and decorate your home in a unique way. Why not experiment with one of these great ideas?

SEE ALSO: Family Craft Projects: Jewellery Box