I will be the first to admit that I am not a person who enjoys crafting. Many friends have invited me to partake in their DIY activities while they plan their wedding or baby shower. I’ll go because I enjoy the social aspect and catching up with friends, but deep down, I really could care less about the craft project.
However, we have many staff members at the Delaware County District Library who love crafting! We also have plenty of patrons who enjoy it. Just take a look at some of our most popular programs – Adult Paint Night, Pinterest Crafts and Crafterday, to name a few.
Recently, we have added a unique resource to our library of online classes and video tutorials. Meet Creativebug, an easy-to-use platform with high-quality videos of experts who love to create and inspire. Your library card grants you an all-access pass to explore 1,000-plus classes and be on your way to a craftier lifestyle. Classes never expire, and you may view as many as you’d like at your own pace – there’s no limit.
The team at Creativebug believes that everyone has a creative side – even me. I have to admit that after watching just a few of their holiday-inspired videos, I feel the itch to get my pipe cleaners and felt and make something! Not only do the videos walk you through the steps on how to create the final project, but they also provide you with patterns, templates and recipes to download.
To begin, visit the library’s website at delawarelibrary.org and click on “Research.” From the Research page, click “C” to find Creativebug, then click “Use this resource.” You’ll be redirected to the Creativebug website where you just need your library card number to login and get started.
Let’s say you’re interested in learning more about quilting. The 90 quilting classes they have can be filtered to show only videos for beginners, videos showing specific techniques, quick classes, or multi-part classes with step-by-step instructions. If you don’t know where to begin, try the “Inspiration” tab. This month you’ll find series like the Daily Ornament Challenge: 25 Crafts to Trim Your Tree or Holiday Cricut Crafts: 30 Festive Projects.
Expect to see some inspiration from these videos showing up in some of our upcoming library programs this spring, and happy crafting to you!
If you’d like to pair your video watching with some books from our collection, here are some new and recommended items from the Home, Garden, and DIY subjects.
• “Handmade Houseplants: 30 Remarkably Realistic Plants You Can Make with Paper” by Corrie Beth Hogg. A well-illustrated, detailed step-by-step guide to crafting 30 houseplants (such as monstera, fiddle-leaf fig and philodendron) from paper that also contains a tools and materials section and templates.
• “A Touch of Farmhouse Charm: Easy DIY Projects to Add a Warm and Rustic Feel to Any Room” by Liz Fourez. Step-by-step projects organized by room plus photos overflowing with burlap, wood, and wire will offer ample inspiration. Projects include Herb Planter Box, Botanical Wall Hanging, White and Wood Dresser Makeover, and a Wire Laundry Hamper.
• “Salvage Style: Decorate with Vintage Finds” by Leslie Linsley. Inspiring ideas and photographs will help readers decorate their homes with vintage and repurposed items, including barn doors, factory lamps, and hand-forged iron hooks.
• “The Little Book of Big Decorating Ideas: 287 Clever Tips, Tricks, and Solutions” by Katy McColl. A collection of ideas from Country Living magazine that includes decorating ideas, storage solutions, new uses for old things, garden inspiration, and do-it-yourself projects.
