String Art Adventure

Art alchemy!

When I first decided that Craft Box Club would go fully plastic free I freaked out a little bit. I was already plastic free on the packaging side, that’s never been a huge problem really. But the kit! Would going plastic free really limit the range of crafts that I was able to offer? Would I be able to keep the ideas coming? Well the answer was a big fat NO! I sat down and wrote a list of plastic free crafts that I really wanted to try, and I got to 15 in just a couple of minutes and this craft, string art, wasn’t even on there!

String art

I’ve got to thanks London studio Make Your Own for the inspiration. I saw this craft demonstrated on an Instagram live and I fell in love. The idea is super simple, all you need is nails, string and wood and you can make an epic piece of art! Real art alchemy! I’ve had quite a few experiments with this now, and it’s been great fun. The image above is my latest creation. Not all there yet but I’ve got the design down now. The next go will the the final design that will go into the kit.

If you’re thinking of having a go at string art here are my top tips. All of these will make it into the final string art video guide, coming soon.

String art top tips

• Plan it out - You might notice that my creation is a bit wonky. For the final kit I’m going to make a template so all the lines are straight and it’ll really tighten up the final look!

• Keep it simple - The simplest designs are definitely the best. Let the texture and the colour do the talking

• Get that string tight - The whole design relies on nice straight lines. Don’t let those strings go floppy!

• Hammer the nails in firm - I’ve had some disasters where I tried to pull the string tight and pulled out a nail! Really annoying!

• Get the right kit - You need to make sure that the nails you’re using are the right length, about 2cm is good, and the wood is not too hard. You need a good solid hammer too. If you’d like us to do the hard work and send the kit right to your door, then join the club and ask for this kit when you get your welcome email.

What now?

I can’t wait to get going on making the video for this craft. I’m having to wait a bit longer for deliveries than usual at the moment but I’m still aiming to have this ready for next month!

Looking forward to sharing the kit with you all. In the spirit of Craft Box Club, I’ll be using recycled wooden pallets so I need to get sawing!

Happy crafting everyone!

Inspired?

It feels awesome getting creative, using your hands and getting off your phone. All our kits are simple and beginner friendly! Ready for your mini art adventure. Join Craft Box Club below…

Why it's brilliant being a beginner!

Why it’s brilliant being a beginner!

Craft Box Club is all about learning the first thing about a craft.  Living in the new!  Picking up something fresh!

Mastering something, yeah that's great, and if you really love a craft you've started, we're here to help you find the experts to make your enthusiasm into a lifelong passion.  

But for now, 5 reasons why it's BRILLIANT being a beginner...

1. You can't go wrong!

Things can only get better right?  You're starting from absolutely level zero.  Nothing.  You cannot fail!  Whatever you do, it's awesome, and it's way better than not having a go at all.  In maths it’s actually infinitely better.  And that’s a lot.  Make a mess, screw it up, chuck it in the bin and who cares.  You're doing great!

2.  Friends don't mind you showing off!

We all have those friends who are good at stuff right?  Really good?  So great they can't stop talking about it, posting stuff on social media, displaying their great achievements all over their house.  OMG what a bore!  Who can stand people who are good at stuff huh?  

"Hey, look at this fine oil painting/concept album/marathon/child/business/lifestyle I've just completed.  Isn’t it a great piece to add to the collection?"

"Shut up, stop banging on about it!"

"Yeah, we know you're a great ... already.  But what about Love Island!?  And isn’t it your round?"

But just think about it, if you pick up something you've never done before, brag away!  Broadcast your heroic status to all around you.  Become a sensation at every dinner party.  And people will love you!  Better still if it's something they've never even heard of.

"Check out my alcohol ink tile!"

"What are you talking about?  Wow that's amazing?  You are so cool.  I wish I was like you in every way!  Let me get you a drink!"

Umm right…

3. It's exciting!

You don't know what's going to happen!  This new thing, you might love it or hate it.  Will it be the thing you've always been searching for?  Will it complete you?  What will you learn?  It's fun to get stuck into something new.  It actually creates new connections in the brain and makes your brain work harder.  You can't fall back on your normal autopilots and you experience life all the more fully for it.

4.  No stress!

No worries!  You're learning something new.  Nobody, yourself included will expect anything from you.  If you can't do it or you hate it, it's not your fault, maybe it's just not for you.  So relax and feel safe in the loving embrace of low expectations!

5.  The power of the newbie

Every beginner has one incredible advantage over the guru, the master, the teacher, the talent, the experienced hand. You bring a new perspective. Savour this, for it's a gift you'll only have once. When you are laden with the curse of knowledge, you'll know how things are done properly. But for now, you can freely experiment and play without judgement. I see this all the time at Craft Box Club. People go off and totally ignore the instructions and make something totally original and unique to them. AWESOME! ⁠⁠

So you want to learn something new…?

My story

My name is Adam and I started Craft Box Club to help you

craft with nature

Well that’s half the story.

I am not an artist

For the last decade I’ve been a catastrophe modeller for an insurance company in the city. It was actually pretty cool. Since I was 8 years old I’ve been kind of obsessed with the weather. So getting to learn about, study and analyse natural disasters was kind of a dream come true. It had been good, but I felt more and more that I needed to create and express myself.

I’ve always been a bit creative. I’ve dabbled with bands and the theatre. I play a few different instruments which I fiddle with in the evening whenever I get a chance. I was, and kind of still am, passionate about bringing data to life using colourful, engaging and err… pretty visuals. But I wanted more and was drawn to visual art and crafting as it’s so tangible. Once you’ve made something, it’s there for everyone to see, forever!

I tried

Youtube art tutorials. Most of them were garbage or aimed at people who were already experts. When I found ones that made sense to me then it was hard to get my hands on the kit and by the time I’d found what I needed, I ran out of time to make. I tried arts and craft classes, but most of them were so expensive I could only really afford to go a few times a year or they were during work hours or weekends when I was looking after my little one. I had a go at muddling through on my own but found a strange, but common, fear of being presented with a blank page. Where should I start? Should I draw or paint or…? What if it looks rubbish? Maybe I’m just not a creative person?!

I’m just not creative

Is something I have heard loads since starting Craft Box Club. In my heart I just don’t believe it. Humans are born and driven to create. It’s part of us! But more on that later.

I want to give people the awesome feeling of making, that is affordable enough to do regularly and where anyone could get a good result. So…

Craft Box Club

was born. Each month I go through the process of researching and learning the first thing about a new craft. Let’s be honest, learning the first thing about anything is the most fun right? I make a super clear and quick how to video to teach you everything you need to know. I source or make the right materials to get you crafting. All of this gets lovingly packaged, plastic free, into a craft box which gets delivered straight to your door.

On top of that I’ll be sharing some hints and tips for how to squeeze more creativity into your life. Sign up to the mailing list to hear all about it!

So now you know the whole story, Craft Box Club is for you, but it’s my journey too. I hope you can join me!

HAVE YOU BEEN CREATIVE TODAY?