People are being affected by our economy's severe downturn on every level. Rising fuel costs have impacted everything from the price of groceries to the cost of getting to work everyday. Joblessness is up and the discretionary income is down. But some of the most telling signs of the times are the changes in the way people spend their leisure time. We’ve all read media reports about the trend away from vacations and toward “staycations,” where people stay at home instead of traveling. Along the same lines, there’s a significant trend toward finding recreational activities that can substitute for more costly alternatives. What are the emerging trends? Crafts for kids, quilting, and gardening.
It makes sense when you think about it. After all, kids’ activities like gymnastics lessons and karate lessons can take a chunk out of the family budget – both in terms of fees and in terms of the cost of gas to shuttle kids around to their extracurricular activities. For adults, the cost of lattes, nights out at the movies, and going out to dinner really add up. Plus, when times are tough, families tend to stick closer together and look for ways to spend quality time with one another. On every level, crafts fit the bill.
As a result, parents and grandparents are on the lookout for kids’ craft projects that will engage children and keep those little hands busy. Thankfully, there are many inexpensive books that are filled with ideas. For example, you can find books that outline crafts using play dough, how to make flower figures, and even Christmas crafts. In fact, you can even find books that provide ideas for making Christmas gifts that fit in a jar. From crafts for preschool-age children to pastimes for older kids, these idea books provide a wealth of options for engaging children’s imaginations.
As for adults, two trends are emerging. Just as knitting and sewing enjoyed a resurgence during the past decade, the latest “old world” pastime to hit the big time is quilting. Although it looked as though the art of quilting was on the endangered list, hobbyists are bringing it back to life and enjoying the detail and craft involved in making a quilt. As a result, there is a wealth of helpful new books on quilting projects, including how-to books, quilting patterns, and quilting designs.
The other emerging trend for adults is gardening. Since people are spending so much more time at home, they’re finding that gardening is a great way to inexpensively spruce up the yard – and get an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.
The recent resurgence of interest in crafts is not only a matter of economics. It’s also a reflection of people’s new environmental sensibilities. The concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle are the cornerstone of crafting. Tidbits laying around the house can be put to use in crafts for kids, pieces of fabric can be put together to make gorgeous quilting designs, and some types of waste can be composted and used as fertilizer in gardening. Save money and save the planet? It’s a winning combination!
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About
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Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon
International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2008 (Sun Aug 03 2008)
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