58 Crafts for Adults That Won’t End Up in the Trash in Two Months

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Difficulty Level: Medium

This adorable nursery accessory and baby play thing from Craftaholics Anonymous is an excellent way to encourage tummy time for a tot, which means it’s well worth the effort involved in crafting it—be it for the bun in your own oven or as a baby shower gift. Best of all, the tutorial includes a free printable and you don’t need much more than basic sewing skills and a hot glue gun to pull it off.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Eco-friendly and cute as a button—you’ll need one of those—this handmade coffee sleeve, courtesy of Skip to My Lou, boasts a charming patchwork design that can be customized to your liking and sized to fit travel mugs big and small. If you’re looking for a beginner sewing project with a practical application and considerable gifting potential, this one fits the bill.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

This chess set from Artsy Fartsy Mama is a piece of coffee table candy that will impress all your friends and make family game night that much more interesting. Plus, we have it on good authority that most any opponent would feel quite intimidated knowing that you personally crafted gorgeous resin chess pieces by hand. It’s worth noting, though, that this undertaking requires almost as much skill as the classic game itself—so before you try to tackle it, you might want to warm up with some easier crafts for adults that use resin first.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

I love practical crafts for adults and this one from Alice & Lois—a homemade hanging shelf that gets high marks for both form and function—is well worth the effort. Easy to construct and totally customizable (i.e., with wood stain, colorful paint, size modifications, etc.), there’s really no downside to this DIY.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Courtesy of Somewhat Simple, this adult craft is designed to be the star of a kid’s birthday bash—these paper bag pinatas are every bit as attractive as the traditional ones and far easier for a pint-sized person to bust open. Pull this one off with a few, very basic supplies—paper lunch bags, magazine paper, tissue paper, and glue—and every guest will owe you a debt of gratitude for saving their dignity. Bonus: This craft involves making mini pinatas for every guest, thereby eliminating the harrowing spectacle of little kids fighting over turn-taking with a wooden stick nearby.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Transform a snoozy cork trivet into the belle of the ball (or dinner table, as it were) with nothing more than a few large swaths of brightly colored felt and some dainty pom pom trim. This craft from Craftaholics Anonymous is so easy even a kid could do it—except for the hot glue gun part—and the festive finished product is so chic.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

Score some of these special mixed media paints and grab a piece of plywood to make this super impressive piece of photo transfer art. The (incredibly cool) technique, which involves painting over a printed image and then using a matte medium to transfer it to canvas, is very easy to follow and the process leaves lots of room for creativity. Head to Persia Lou for the full tutorial.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Gift this mixed media collage-on-canvas and you’ll score some serious points with the comic book lover in your life. Best of all, this art project from Mod Podge Rocks couldn’t be easier to accomplish—thanks to mod podge and pre-cut wood letters. Word to the wise: Make sure you score your own comic books for the clippings or said comic book lover will be very sad.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Nobody likes ring marks on the coffee table but everyone will love these adorable coasters made with wood slices, stencils, acrylic paint and sealer spray. This crafter at One Little Project uses winter-themed stencils but you could easily make these rustic stencils for any season (how cute would it be with these leaf stencils for fall?).

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

This kid-friendly instrument is so eye-catching it doubles as decor and, since the process involves painting designs on fabric, it’s completely customizable, too. Plus, aside from being irresistibly cute, the fluffy cotton ball drumsticks function well—but not so well that you’ll regret giving your little one this gift. The takeaway? This DIY drum craft from A Beautiful Mess is guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing and the finished product boasts excellent gifting potential.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Calling all Cricut crafters and travel lovers: Happiness is Homemade has an easy project that produces a corkboard upon which future vacations will take shape and past travels commemorated. Simply use your handy digital cutting tool to cut a vinyl map and then clean it up with a neat hook weeding tool before you iron it on to your corkboard. The end result? An ode to wanderlust that will look great in your home office.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

Some seriously fun materials—sprinkles (like the kind you put on an ice cream sundae), confetti and glitter, to name a few—go into the making of this epoxy resin jewelry. That said, this project from A Beautiful Mess does also require some special equipment, like a heat gun or kitchen torch, and epoxy resin takes a little practice to work with. However, once you get the hang of the technique, the whimsical wearable art that results makes this craft well worth the effort.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

This oversized style is totally back in fashion, and it turns out, Persia Lou has a surprisingly easy DIY project. With little more than a quarter-yard of fabric, an elastic band and a sewing machine, you can make your own for way less than it would cost to buy one at the store.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

Some light construction work is required with nails, screws and the associated tools—but you can probably leave the sawing of lumber to the professionals at your local hardware store and skip straight to sanding if you prefer. More good news: If you measure your frame accordingly, a placemat can serve as a no-sew alternative for the fabric seat. In sum, this project from How About Orange is pretty hands-on, but the reward—Ikat-printed eye candy and a place to kick back—is well worth the effort.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Difficulty Level: Medium

Kara Creates has a sewing project that involves stitching an array of grosgrain ribbons into a colorful pillowcase. The materials required are pretty basic (a sewing machine, batting, ribbon, etc.) and the craft is highly customizable and fairly easy to accomplish, even if you’re only a beginner when it comes to sewing.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Difficulty Level: Easy

You know all those favorite T-shirts you relegated to the rag pile after a stubborn oil stain took them out of circulation? Well, you can thank Crafts by Amanda for this brilliant upcycling idea. Just grab a pair of scissors and upcycle your fashion sense with a colorful keychain that boasts nostalgic friendship bracelet vibes.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

To say this craft involves upcycling egg cartons would be an understatement—because seriously, would you have guessed used cardboard could look so lovely? (Answer: the genius behind Craftaholics Anonymous.) Indeed, those flowers are 100 percent egg carton—snipped, painted and hung from twine to great effect. Try this for a quick and budget-friendly craft that’s easy on the eyes.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Got one too many gourds on your hands? Don’t get down on your green thumb; instead, put the bounty to good use with a clever birdhouse craft, courtesy of Happiness is Homemade. With some help from a power tool (i.e., hole saw) and a can of spray paint, this one is a breeze—and the finished product boasts major backyard appeal to boot.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

These spiffy flowerpots from Happy Go Lucky boast an adorable flamingo pattern, but you can spring for a different design if you choose. Either way, this project promises to give any hum-drum terracotta pot a bold new look and, even better, it comes together with nothing more than mod podge and fabric. Easy peasy.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Take a hard pass on generic desk organizers from the office supply store and get creative with The Crafted Sparrow’s upcycled tin can project instead. This straightforward craft requires little in the way of materials—decoupage craft paper, foam brush, X-acto knife and craft glue—and the end result will forever change the way you look at an empty oatmeal container.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Good for you for saving the denim scraps from those cut-off jean shorts you made yourself last summer—because you can turn that fabric into a colorful beaded bracelet in the blink of an eye if you follow this tutorial from Crafts by Amanda. Round up a sewing needle and some jewelry making supplies—clasp, stretchable cord, beads—and ready the hot glue gun for a straightforward craft that promises yet another comeback for your favorite pair of jeans.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Ah, the wooden bench—a mainstay of flea markets and antique stores that, more often than not, is begging for a makeover. Fortunately, that undertaking is made easy with this clever decoupage craft from Mod Podge Rocks: Just sand and clean up your bench to your liking, deck it out with decorative paper (thank you, mod podge), and voila—a once weathered-looking piece of wood with a whole new lease on life.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

When your morning cup of coffee isn’t quite enough of a pick-me-up on its own, a cheery drinking vessel like this one from Studio DIY may just be the extra boost you need. OK, your DIY mug might strike you as obnoxiously ironic at first, but once the caffeine kicks in, that hand-crafted decor is sure to inspire both a sense of pride and well-being. (You know, the kind that comes from knowing you can wake up a hot mess and still rally for a P.M. polymer clay project.)

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

If you want to make sweet music with a mason jar, just polish off the last of the jam and upcycle that empty jar with this wind chime craft from Crafts by Amanda. You’ll need some chunky glass beads to string on wire, a couple of standard tools and a little focus, but the process is straightforward enough that even a beginner can succeed.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Ever wanted to skip the snoozy part of the wine tasting ritual (i.e., swirling and holding your glass up to the light) and proceed straight to sipping? Same. Good news: These glitter dipped wine glasses make it possible—necessary—to do precisely that. In other words, this easy mod podge project is a craft from Happy Go Lucky we can all raise a glass to.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Fans of wine and upcycling (raises hand) will be pleased as punch with this super simple craft from Crafts by Amanda, which involves using three different types of paint to quickly transform the evidence of last night’s boozy indulgence into an eye-catching vase with a swoon-worthy modern aesthetic.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Don’t be a square: Stick a family photo in a cylinder instead. These mason jar frames from Crafts by Amanda boast a frosted appearance we love—namely because it promises to spice up the standard photo display with an antique effect for extra visual interest. Best of all, you need little more than frosted paint, marbling medium and an empty jam jar to make the magic happen.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Borrow this idea from Design Improvised and give a boring picture frame a cheerful makeover with colorful rick rack and miniature pom pom trim. A pair of scissors and some glue are the only other supplies you need to pull off this exceedingly simple craft and the finished product is bound to brighten up any photo display.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

You’ve got a CD collection that’s been gathering dust since the early 2000s, but you can’t seem to part with it. (We get it.) The solution? Break out the Mod Podge and get started on an upcycling craft, courtesy of Crafts by Amanda, that promises to breathe new life into the obsolete whilst yielding a set of funky, customized coasters.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Difficulty Level: Easy

Hit up the dollar store to score some cheap white plates and then give them a whole new and delightfully colorful look with this breezy craft from Studio DIY, which requires nothing more than ceramic-friendly paints and a handful of Q-tips.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Bamboo paper straws, scissors, a wooden craft ring and a hot glue gun are all you need to make a striking wreath that looks like fancy, store-bought wall decor. Best of all, this cut-and-paste craft from Design Improvised is a breeze from start to finish—just snip the straws to your desired lengths and glue them down. (The hardest part is deciding where to mount your masterpiece.)

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Actual stained glass projects are admittedly not for the faint of heart, which is why I'm happy to report that there’s a way to create the same stunning aesthetic without the intimidating glass-cutting tools. Crafts by Amanda has a pretty neat hack that involves glass stain paints. Note: This project is not hard to execute, but definitely choose a boxy candle holder for your canvas, lest your craft turn out to be a runny mess.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

An inexpensive desk lamp gets a major upgrade from liquid leaf in this one-step DIY from How About Orange, which is a gamechanger for anyone who loves the look of antique brass lamps, but not the price tag. Just be warned: You will absolutely want to paint everything bronze after you see the finished product.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

No weaving skills are required to make an eye-catching (and decidedly happy-looking) hammock—just score a boring white one at the store and commence this Studio DIY tie-dye project for a transformation that will breathe new life into your leisure time routine—a benefit you’ll be able to enjoy as soon as the creative work is complete (read, completely dry).

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Add visual interest to a blank wall with another Studio DIY idea that produces a rainbow wall hanging with both visual and textural appeal. Bonus: This decorative piece—which consists of brightly colored braids of yarn, rope and cotton piping hung from a wood dowel—is a cinch to construct and requires no gluing or sewing whatsoever.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

You can never have too many storage containers, and these DIY rope baskets from Happiness is Homemade are a particularly stylish (and sturdy) solution for any organizational need. Best of all, you can make them in any size you want, and all you need is a glue gun, some parchment paper, a wheel of cotton piping and a bucket or bin to give your basket its shape. Nifty.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Overhead lighting can be so harsh and mood lighting so expensive—half a dozen chic lamps can really add up. Well, I just found a solution over at A Piece of Rainbow with this DIY origami lamp. This craft comes together with nothing more than a pendant cord and (wait for it) a paper grocery bag. Don’t be fooled by the humble materials, though—the end result is absolutely gorgeous.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

Tackle this DIY from A Piece of Rainbow to turn a bland white fridge into a pastel mint conversation piece with loads of retro charm. The process requires quite a bit of work—multiple coats of primer, two coats of paint, and some spray paint for a finishing touch—but the reward is a work of art that won’t lose its finish (no matter how many trips to the fridge you make).

• Time Commitment: 1.5 hours
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Everyone’s favorite sweet snack from youth (i.e., animal cracks, but the frosted and sprinkled kind) has been reimagined as a throw pillow and we’re completely on board with it. You’ll need felt, rainbow-colored pom poms, stuffing, a hot glue gun and a sewing machine (or no-sew glue) for this Studio DIY project, but the process itself is straightforward and the end result looks, well, good enough to eat.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

First, channel the Studio DIY spirit. Next, hit up the hardware and fabric stores for the (very few) supplies you need to start crafting this fringed chandelier. The project itself is not nearly as complicated as you’d think, and the payoff—a playful conversation piece and a feeling of pride—is pretty sweet.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

It turns out a little fabric ribbon and some hot glue are the only materials you need to turn boring terracotta pots into boho-chic accent pieces for all your indoor plants—and that’s very good news for anyone seeking a crazy easy craft that’s 100 percent worth keeping. (Thanks, Design Improvised.)

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

Bet you didn’t know you could weave colorful T-shirt scraps together on a cardboard (or hula hoop) loom to create a vibrant, boho rug. (Neither did I.) If you’re looking for a DIY project from A Piece of Rainbow that will blow your mind and impress all your friends, this is the one.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Difficulty Level: Medium

Alcohol ink is the coolest medium you’ve never heard of (and a fine one to use if you’re pining for an actual drink during Damp January). Here, the novel process art technique from Persia Lou allows you to transform snoozy plain ceramic coasters into vibrant works of art with some help from a few additional art supplies and a drinking straw. Neat.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Difficulty Level: Easy

Celebrate the season by decorating the wall with this Craftaholics Anonymous idea that comes together with some help from a (printable) quote, special watercolor printer paper and a little artistic skill. The process is easy as can be and the decorating part is oh-so relaxing. Plus, If you have a whole stack of watercolor paper and a printer, you can keep at it until you’ve discovered your inner Monet.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

In case you missed it, acrylic pouring is a simple but crazy cool technique that can be used to achieve the visual effect of liquid, marbled color. This paint-on-canvas, fluid art masterpiece from Persia Lou is easy to make and hard to take your eyes off of.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Mason jars are a commonplace kitchen item with considerable crafting potential—as seen with this acrylic pouring craft, courtesy of The Country Chic Cottage, which turns the surface of an oversized mason jar into a work of art. The end result? A glass jar that looks as beautiful empty as it does filled with a fresh bouquet of flowers.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

If you want to spruce up an outdoor planter, skip the fabric and opt for this polymer clay craft from A Beautiful Mess, which involves using a palette knife to embellish a ceramic flower pot with petal-shaped pieces of multi-colored clay that can be dried in your kitchen oven. The task couldn’t be easier, and the resulting craft is tough enough to withstand the elements and pretty enough to make your garden feel sunny no matter the forecast.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

It might not be the most glamorous craft supply, but it turns out the humble toilet paper tube can do quite a lot. Case in point, this dainty and eye-pleasing floral wreath—made entirely from (you guessed it) the bones of the bathroom staple. You’ll need to collect quite a few tubes to complete this decor idea from Happiness is Homemade (think, 15 to 20) and a can of spray paint is required to achieve a classier finish—but once that’s done, your budget-friendly craft will look like a million bucks.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

If you’re a craft enthusiast who hasn’t already taken a deep dive into the world of Pinterest decoupage projects, our already numerous references to mod podge may have confused you. Allow us to explain: Mod podge is a magical decoupage medium that boasts the ability to glue, seal and finish all manner of crafts in one fell swoop. (Just ask the devotee behind Mod Podge Rocks.) Here, an ideal craft for your decoupage debut: A foolproof mod podge project that yields magnets with charming (scrapbook paper) design.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Keep your hands busy by beautifying that thing you have to, um, keep your hands busy. Let’s be honest, everything you own stands to benefit from your personal touch—and fidget spinners are no exception. A digital cutting machine is required for this craft from Happy Go Lucky—but beyond that, all you need to do is gather any fidget spinners you find floating around your home and give them the Cricut treatment for a quick and satisfying craft.

• Time Commitment: <1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Everyone loves fresh flowers, but their beauty is so fleeting. Good news: The Crafted Sparrow has an idea that will allow you to enjoy the cheerful flower effect without going broke from buying new bouquets on the regular. This easy coffee filter craft requires precious few materials (floral wire, floral tape, scissors and food coloring) and produces an oh-so pretty bouquet of peonies with staying power.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Watercolors and rubber cement don’t play nicely together, and it turns out that’s a very good thing. This painting project from Persia Lou involves using the two mediums to achieve vibrantly colored, intricate designs. In other words, once the creative work is done and the rubber cement removed from the page, you’ll be looking at an I-can’t-believe-I-made-that kind of masterpiece.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Yep, there are so many ways to add visual interest to a clay flower pot. Here, a clever decoupage craft, courtesy of Crafts by Amanda, that repurposes empty seed packets to lend bold photographic imagery to brightly painted pots. The process is every bit as easy as it sounds, and the finished product is downright adorable.

• Time Commitment: >1 day
• Degree of Difficulty: Pro

No registry item can rival a handmade gift when it comes to thoughtfulness and keepsake potential. Here, a beautiful and highly customizable quilt that’s sure to get plenty of mileage, and might even become the baby’s blankie of choice. That said, the process itself might be a bit much for a total novice to manage; I suggest trying this Little Red Window craft if you have already mastered some basic sewing skills and are looking for a fresh challenge.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Medium

Yep, we are suckers for succulents—especially baby-friendly ones that you can’t kill with overwatering. Indeed, there’s nothing fussy or prickly about this adorable oversized plush cactus from Studio DIY, which is designed to sit up in a pot and destined to make a major decorative statement in any nursery or playroom. Best of all, you only need basic hand and machine sewing skills to pull it off.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: Easy

This beginner-friendly painting craft from A Piece of Rainbow relies on a forgiving medium (watercolors) and a seriously cool crumpled paper technique to create a pretty spring landscape with plenty of visual appeal. In other words, you don’t have to be the next Picasso to make something worthy of a spot on the wall.

• Time Commitment: >1 hour
• Degree of Difficulty: easy

Yep, A Beautiful Mess has the ultimate calming craft. These bath bombs are a breeze to make with basic household ingredients (and citric acid, which is easy to procure online) and they boast a beautiful fragrance, thanks to the addition of essential oils. Best of all, when the craft is complete, you can treat yourself to an oh-so relaxing soak in the tub.

Canvas or wooden monogram letters and a vibrant palette of paint are all you need to complete this laid-back process art project. There’s no right or wrong way to paint your letters, so feel free to use this Persia Lou craft as an opportunity to experiment with color combinations and the textures that different brush strokes create until you achieve something pleasing to the eye.