I don’t know who coined the “90s summer” trend, but I keep seeing it everywhere – and with good reason.
Summer is the perfect time to go old school, lose the tech and focus instead on having fun without the little rectangular boxes that get way too much of our time and attention.
At our house, we’ve been diving deep into arts and crafts like we’ve time-traveled back to summer camp days of yore. Playing in the creative arts arena is nostalgic, fun and good for our mental health. Plus, you can’t be on your phone while you’re two hands deep in beads, sparkles and clay.
My kitchen table has been converted to a temporary art studio where beading projects, bedazzling kits and more are left out to entice us to play and create during any blocks of free time. It’s magical – so far, it’s working like a charm!
Here are some of our favorite summer craft projects so far. We have many more planned, so expect future updates here!
- Beaded, bejeweled plants – I love houseplants, but I’m notorious for either over- or underwatering them. That’s why these beaded, unkillable plants are the gorgeous alternative I’ve been searching for. I first saw them in videos on TikTok and Instagram, and I fell in love. These plants are so much fun to make with sparkly supplies found at Michael’s or on Temu – and once they’re done, they bring color, charm and whimsy to any room. I’ve made one beautiful plant so far, with plans to create many more for friends and family.
- Air-dry foam clay crafts – I saw promos for Claymoo clay craft kits on social media and thought it would be a fun family night activity. While my teen may have been skeptical at first, she ended up making three little guys from her kit and we have plenty of clay leftover to make more. We all had fun creating with clay, and the colorful little guys we made are a fun addition to my whimsical kitchen decor. I highly recommend these kits, or you can just pick up some foam clay at Michael’s or another craft shop and get creative. It’s actually more fun when you deviate from any pre-set notion or design and just do your own thing.
- Bedazzling everything – There is a literal bedazzling renaissance going on right now, and I’m proud to be smack-dab in the middle of it. I’ve always loved glitter and sparkly things, and the nostalgic aspect plus getting completely absorbed by something that is not a phone, are huge benefits. I find bedazzling relaxing, it’s a great creative outlet and a terrific way to achieve a zen-like flow state, and best of all it’s another way to decorate my home with sparkles and whimsy. There’s literally no downside – unless you accidentally dump a tray of tiny sparkles in your excitement. Yes, that really happened. Get yourself a bedazzling kit from Amazon or your local craft store and start bedazzling today.
Summer fun doesn’t have to involve sweat and sunshine – it can also include arts and crafts that take you back to a simpler time. What creative projects have you been working on this summer? I’d love to hear in the comments below or over on Instagram or Facebook!
