Weekend Condo Project: 8 Trending Crafts for When You’re Stuck In Your Condo

The gloomy weather this wet season is a perfect excuse to stay at home and get productive. When was the last time you had a day off from the digital world? You don’t probably remember, do you? Here’s a crazy idea for you: set a weekend every month when you disconnect from the Internet and do something you’ve not done for a long time. It can be finishing a book, revisiting your CD collection or doing trendy crafts. Sleeping all day is not included. Roll up your sleeves and get busy! Check out these weekend condo project ideas from paper crafts to home décor.

#1: Rustic wood sign decor

Photo courtesy of kissu via Pixabay

One of the latest craft trends to try is the wood sign décor. This is perfect for your rustic vintage-themed interior design.

What you need:

• A couple of wooden pallets – you can buy from a local lumber shop or home improvement store or recycle used pallets
• Wood stain or diluted paint
• Brown paint

How-to:

1. Apply wood stain or diluted paint on each pallet using a paint brush.
2. After the paint dries up, decorate the pallets with a heartfelt quote on family or some inspiration words.
3. You can mount these on your living room or bedroom wall.

#2: Scented candles

Photo courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels

Don’t you just hate it when the fishy odor of last week’s dinner remains in your kitchen? Give your home a wafting heavenly scent with DIY scented candles.

What you need:

• Braided waxed wick rope
• Wick tabs
• Unscented soy candle wax
• Fragrance oil – You can have vanilla, cinnamon or lavender

How-to:

1. Cut lengths of the waxed rope a few inches longer than needed. You will need to trim it later.
2. Tie the end of the rope into the wick tab. You can use needle nose pliers to secure the rope.
3. Heat up the wax under 82 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Fahrenheit) on your stovetop.
4. After all the flakes have melted, turn off the heat and add the fragrance oil.
5. Let the mixture cool down to about 51 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) and slowly pour it into a container. You can use a chopstick to push the tab down to the base.
6. Drop the assembled wick and tab into the container once you notice the bottom and top edges solidify around the container.
7. Let the candle solidify then trim the wick down to about ¼ inch.

#3: Mason jar candles

Photo courtesy of HealthKindness via Pixabay

Have fun with DIY crafts using items in your home. Doing crafts is a genius way of recycling, or upcycling, the many clutter around you. You can make citronella mason jar candles for your balcony to keep mosquitoes away.

What you need:

• Braided waxed wick rope
• Mason jars
• Citronella oil

How-to:

1. Poke a hole in the bottom of the mason jar lids. You can use a hammer and a nail.
2. Cut lengths of the wick rope a little longer than the height of the mason jars.
3. Squeeze in the wick rope through the hole. Make sure it’s a snug fit.
4. Fill each mason jar with citronella oil.
5. Lower the wick into jar. Pull the wick about ¼ inch above the lid.

#4: Decorative painted rocks

Photo courtesy AnnRoss via Pixabay

Make the most of condo living these rainy weekends. Instead of bumming on the couch and stalking people on Facebook, why not create fun crafts for your home? You can do arts and crafts in the Sky Lounge. Don’t forget to bring hot tea and brownies for your snacks. Make some hand painted décorative rocks.

What you need:

• Smooth rounded stone – these are abundant in rivers. You can also get them in craft shops.
• Sandpaper
• A pencil or chalk
• Acrylic patio paint of various colors
• Sealer paint

How-to:

1. Clean the stones with soap and water. Let them dry.
2. Sand down the rough patches with sandpaper.
3. Draw your design on the rocks using a pencil or chalk.
4. Paint the design by starting with the biggest parts, then the smaller details.
5. Let each coat dry before moving on.
6. Use a hairdryer to help the paint dry faster.
7. Add a coating over the painted design using a sealer.

#5: Paper quilt décor

Photo courtesy of She Quilts Alot via Flickr

Do you know that doing arts and crafts is an effective stress buster? A study by Drexel University researchers suggest that 45 minutes of creative activity can significantly lessen the stress in the body whether or not you’re artistically talented or not. For your weekend condo project, make some sewing-free paper quilts.

What you need:

• Four different patterned papers
• 18-inch-square illustration board
• Glue stick
• Frame

How-to:

1. Cut 20 two-inch squares from three of the patterns and 21 two-inch squares from the fourth.
2. Adhere the squares to the illustration board using a glue stick.
3. You can follow the pattern template from Country Living.
4. Put the quilt in a frame.

#6: Chic paper envelopes

Photo courtesy of Ceeline via Pixabay

Got scraps of paper and leftover gift wrappers? Don’t throw them away just yet! You can recycle them into cute and functional envelopes.

What you need:

• Scraps of decorative paper
• Glue stick

How-to:

1. Trace the envelope template onto a piece of paper and cut out.
2. Fold in the side flaps and fold up the bottom flap.
3. Secure with a glue stick.

#7: Stylish tie-dye sneakers

Photo courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels

Condo living is an ideal accommodation for families in the Philippines. DMCI properties are near schools and commercial hubs, and there are safe lifestyle amenities for kids. You don’t have to worry about letting them run under the sun. During the rainy season, you can get your children involved in arts and crafts. This is a good chance to let them disconnect from their laptops and tablets.

What you need:

• White canvas shoes
• Sharpies – Get as many colors as you want!
• 91% Isopropyl alcohol
• Medicine dropper
• Acetone

How-to:

1. Draw dots on all over the shoes using Sharpies. You can use as many colors as you want. You don’t have to worry about not creating identical designs for both shoes.
2. Place the shoes on top of paper towels and a paper bag.
3. Fill the medicine dropper with Isopropyl alcohol.
4. Squirt alcohol on the design to blend the colors.
5. Let dry.

#8: Halloween paper wreaths

Photo courtesy of socialneuron via Pixabay

November is just around the corner. You can start prepping for your eerie home design this weekend.

What you need:

• Black crepe paper
• 14-inch foam in wreath form
• Pins with black heads

How-to:

1. Cut the crepe paper into a four-inch long strip and fold in half.
2. Pin three strips side by side on any spot on the foam wreath.
3. Pin another overlapping row of three strips directly beneath the first row.
4. Continue creating rows until you’ve covered the entire foam.
5. Loop two 24-inch long strips over the wreath and trim the ends before cutting a V into each one.

There’s so much to do at home this rainy season. Don’t let your weekends go by just lounging on your comfy sofa sleeping or lazily browsing online. Get busy with DIY crafts.