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Craft Night Ideas for Adults To Make With Your Gal Pals

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March 10, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 4 Comments

Discover 20 craft night ideas for adults that you and your BFFs will love making!

With spring right around the corner, you’re probably itching to entertain again. This time, however, because you WANT to. Not because you have to. Now that the stressful winter holiday season is behind, why not host an event you actually want to attend? Like a ladies craft night! Keep reading for tips on how to host the perfect ladies craft night. Plus discover my collection of the best craft night ideas for adults you can make with your gal pals.

Tips for Hosting a Ladies Craft Night

1. Unless you and your friends are craft addicts, keep the projects you choose for your adult craft night ideas simple and easy. This way everyone can join in – even beginners to your group – without feeling like their crafting skills aren’t up to snuff. (We all started somewhere, right?)

2. Make sure to have plenty of craft materials on hand. There’s nothing worse than starting a project and then not being able to finish it.

3. Be sure to allow plenty of room for everyone to work. While a round kitchen table works great for up to four guests, I turned to my outdoor patio table for larger gatherings. A larger table also makes it easy to create a casual craft filled tablescape with all of your tools and materials. If you don’t have a table that’s big enough, try pushing two tables together so everyone can work together in the same space.

4. You’ll want to also provide drinks and refreshments for your craft night guests. Most of my friends are wine drinkers, so I like to have several bottles on hand. However, you can also make a delightful seasonal punch recipe. I also love to make a charcuterie board filled with a variety of meats and cheese, nuts and chutney. Hummus with veggies and pita chips are also always a win at a ladies craft night. Or make this amazing crowd pleasing black bean dip recipe.

I love using Wine Insiders to supply wine for my guests. They make it easy to offer a wide selection of wines to fit everyone’s tastes. Not only am I able to purchase top rated wines at a large discount, it’s also shipped straight to my door! This saves so much time (and money!) versus hunting and guessing for wines I think my friends will enjoy. If you’ve never shopped with Wine Insiders, you can save $25 off your first $50 purchase! This is not a wine club so you simply make a purchase whenever you like. Check them out!

5. Choose make and take crafts for your adult craft nights. Everyone will have a blast creating their projects. However, it’s not much fun if they can’t take them home at the end of the night.

Once you tackle these adult craft night tips, you’re guaranteed to have a successful craft night with your friends. Keep reading to discover some of the favorite ladies craft night ideas for adults below!

Ladies Craft Night Ideas for Adults

This DIY trinket dish from Average But Inspired is a super cute idea for a make and take craft night project. You can use shallow Dollar Store dishes for this project to save money. Or have guests make their own trinket dishes from oven bake polymer clay. Then simply use Mod Podge to glue on images and designs cut out of patterned scrapbook papers or fabrics. (If you’re wanting to make these for just yourself, I love this collection of geometric trinket dishes.)

Coasters are another easy craft night project that’s perfect for a group setting. These easy DIY tile coasters from Divine Lifestyle are perfect for a spring gathering. They’re made using peel and stick wall decor. However you can also decorate your coasters using other methods such as alcohol ink and Sharpie markers. Or try this easy DIY coaster idea for decorating pressed letterboard coaster blanks with decoupage using scrapbook paper and Mod Podge!

Melt and pour soaps always come out on top with my friends for their favorite craft night ideas. These DIY exfoliating soaps from Country Hill Cottage are fun for friends to make together in a smaller sized group. Made using a melt and pour goat milk soap base, these pretty springtime soaps also contain Himalayan pink salt. Or try one of these other homemade melt and pour soap making ideas! (This moldable painted melt and pour soap making tutorial is one of my favorites!)

One of my favorite craft night ideas EVER was the time my friends and I made custom colored DIY nail polish. While there are nail polish craft kits you can buy, you can save money on this project by buying clear Dollar Store nail polish and mixing in your old eyeshadows slated for the trash bin. Or go pro with beautiful micas and solvent resistant glitters. This beauty project is super easy to replicate and a great way to catch up with old friends.

I also love this craft project for making decorative DIY mason jars. You can save money on this project when holding it as a group event by asking everything to bring their own mason jars or glass containers. Or, simply save those glass jars with lids from your food pantry to upcycle with your friends. Supply some glue, scrapbook papers and elements and you’re all set!

Making needle felted wine bags is another easy yet incredibly fun project for ladies craft night. While this project takes a bit longer to complete, it can still made within 2-3 hours depending on the detail your guests want to put into their creations. I especially love this needle felting project because, not only do you learn a new craft, you also have an end product that makes a lovely handmade gift.

Suncatchers are another great craft night project idea for adults. Made using upcycled CDs, suncatchers are a fun way to brighten up your kitchen window and explore your creativity. You can use mandala line drawings from coloring books to trace an image. Or try creating your own unique design!

Another of my favorite craft night ideas is this project for making gelli prints. While kits are available for learning this craft on your own, it’s so much more fun with friends. It’s also a great way to repurpose materials like jar caps, lace and bubble wrap. An easy make and take craft, these DIY gelli prints can then be used for unique wall art or handmade cards.

More Adult Craft Night Ideas to Try

What are some of your favorite craft night ideas for adults? Be sure to share your favorite ladies night ideas in the comments!

To discover more craft project ideas, sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter! You can also follow me on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter, pinterest and instagram.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Project, Lifestyle, Party Ideas Tagged With: craft night, craft night ideas, crafts, diy, easy, entertaining, hostess, ladies, make and take, spring entertaining

DIY Gelli Printing – Monoprinting Without a Press (A Tutorial)

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

September 18, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

Add some pop to your home decor with this fresh and fun DIY Gelli Printing Tutorial! Not only is gelli printing super easy and rewarding, but the availability of all-in-one kits makes this project even easier to dig right into!

My friend, Hillary Hardison, recently ventured into self-employment as a full time artist. In addition to creating her artwork, which includes a mix of encaustic paintings and mixed media collages, Hillary is also teaching art classes. DIY Gelli Printing was the first class she taught as the owner of Hardison Art LLC.

Hillary not only offers Saturday art workshops which enable you to learn a new skill but she also hosts Wine and Art Wednesdays on the second Wednesday of every month. (You can register for upcoming classes here.)

Hillary’s first Wine and Art Wednesday was this past Wednesday. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this event in which she taught DIY gelli printing. Everyone had an absolute blast. Not only was the process of learning how to create gelli prints an informative and rewarding experience, but Hillary’s bright and positive personality made this class a complete gem.

What is DIY Gelli Printing?

Gelli printing is monoprinting using a gel printing plate. Because Gelli Arts® Gel Printing Plate is made out of a gel, it’s extra sensitive surface will imprint any texture that it is sitting upon or covered with. So you can use materials such as bubble wrap, plastic grids, foam stamps, stencils, leaves and string to create unique and beautiful prints.

Made using mineral oil and a hypoallergenic polymer material, this vegan monoprinting gelli plate is both vegan and latex free. As it’s not made using gelatin, which was the traditional method, there’s no shelf life so you are able to use your gelli plate over and over again.

As I enjoyed Hillary’s class on DIY gelli printing so much, I thought it’d be fun to share the process with you all as well. Following is my step-by-step tutorial on DIY gelli printing using the Gelli Arts® Gel Printing Plate.

DIY Gelli Printing with Hillary!

Materials & Tools:

Golden Fluid Acrylics or similar
Gelli Arts® gel printing plate or a starter kit
non-shiny papers

texture tools (such as stamps, leaves, bubble wrap etc.)
spray bottle with water (optional)
stencils
brayer

Instructions:

Begin by gathering all of your materials, then cover your work surface to protect it from paint.

Apply a few drops of acrylic paint to your gelli plate.

Then use a brayer to smooth the paint out across the surface of the entire plate.

Press paper (or fabric) firmly onto the gelli plate with the paint side up.

Then remove the paper. You’ve now created the background for your first gelli print!

For the next step I used a stencil. Once again add a few drops of paint to the gelli plate, then spread the paint over the surface using a brayer.

Place the stencil on top of the gelli plate with the paint side up.

Now press the paper you just printed, image side down, firmly on top of the gelli plate and stencil. (The paint dries quickly so there’s not a lot of waiting.)

Remove the paper from the gelli plate. You’ve now successfully created a second layer to your print.

Your gelli plate will retain the portion of the stencil not printed.

So you can also press a fresh piece of paper on top of the remaining paint on the gelli plate to create a ghost image.

Continue creating your print by repeating the previous steps with different stencils and materials. Alternately, you can also roll paint onto a stamp to add to your work.

Or try adding additional details by painting free hand using a paint brush.

Here’s a shot of me with my first ever gelli print! These are so quick and easy to create that I made several different prints.

Here is an example of some other gelli prints that Hillary made, including the one she is holding, to demonstrate the process.

Another fun thing to try with your gelli plate is to apply rubber combs, stamps and brushes to the painted gelli plate to remove paint before printing. You can also use a spray bottle with water to spray the paint loaded gelli plate prior to printing for a neat effect.

Once you’ve finished making your prints, clean the gelli plate with hand sanitizer and a paper towel. Then place the gelli printing plate between two sheets of copy paper for storage.

You can use the DIY gelli printing method to make handmade cards, gift wrap, fabric patches and pretty much anything else you dream up!

If you’d like to join in on the fun at Hillary’s next Wine and Art Wednesday, you can pre-register for the class here. The next Wine and Art Wednesday is October 11th, 2017 at 6:30pm. It’s a two hour event that is held in the basement classroom of the Aurora Studio Center in downtown Roanoke, VA. Hillary will be teaching everyone to make their own beaded wine charms at the next class! (This is a make and take event.)

Alternately, you can also sign up for her Intro to Encaustic Painting Workshop that is being held on September 23rd, 2017 at 1pm.

If you liked this DIY gelli printing project, then you may also enjoy my tutorial for making DIY Coasters. Made using blank letterpress coasters, this DIY instructs you on how to make fun and functional coasters for your home and to give as gifts.

For more fun art projects and tutorials, be sure to follow my Art Class Pinterest board. You can also follow me on your favorite social media platforms including Pinterest, G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. Alternately, you can also sign up to receive new posts from Soap Deli News blog to your email via FeedBurner so you never miss a post.

And don’t forget to share photos of the gelli prints you’ve made with the hashtag #soapdelishowoff on instagram! I’d love to see the prints that you come up with!

Filed Under: Art & Photography, DIY Craft Project Tagged With: art, art print, artist, craft night, craft night ideas, crafts, diy, easy, fun, gelli printing, make and take, monoprinting, printing

DIY Coasters for a Make and Take Girls Only Craft Night!

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

August 30, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

This DIY coaster project is a fun way to spend an afternoon crafting! Dive into this easy weekend DIY with the kids, host a DIY craft night with the girls or simply lock yourself in your craft room and tackle these DIY coasters solo. Me being me, well, of course I chose to host another girls only craft night.

I started by purchasing a huge stack of blank letterpress coasters. Then I gathered my ridiculous craft stash of paints, washi tapes, scrapbooking papers, glitters and Mod Podge for what was probably one of the easiest make and take craft nights I’ve hosted. Combined with the wine and great company, this is the perfect project if life is weighing you down. Everyone came up with really creative coasters to take home and I felt like it was a great pick me up for all of us!

So get in some awesome adult time making your own functional and fabulous custom DIY coasters that your husband will never remember to use! Then, of course, be sure to share your finished project using the hashtag #soapdelishowoff on instagram so I can see what you came up with!

How to Create DIY Coasters

What You’ll Need:

blank letterpress coasters
craft paints & brushes
scrapbooking papers
clear acrylic sealer
assorted glitter
foam craft brushes
washi tape
Mod Podge Glue & Sealer
scissors or X-ACTO knife

What To Do:

If you want to make washi tape coasters, begin by applying Mod Podge to the top side of your coaster blank using a foam brush. (You can tell which side is up as the top curves down on the side to the bottom whereas the bottom is completely flat.)

Next, apply strips of washi tape across the top of your coaster so they line up and each tape edge touches that of the one beside it. Cover the entire top of the coaster with the washi tape. Once you’ve covered the top of the coaster, use a pair of scissors or an X-ACTO knife to cut off the excess tape from around the coaster.

Now add another layer of Mod Podge over the washi tape. If desired, you can then dust the top with glitter then cover with another layer of Mod Podge. Allow the Mod Podge to dry, then seal your coaster with several coats of a clear acrylic sealer.

To use scrapbook papers for your DIY coasters, flip the paper over so the image side is down. Then trace around the coaster on your paper. Carefully cut out the circle you traced just inside the line you drew. Then, glue the paper to the blank letterpress coaster with Mod Podge, applying one layer to the coaster, then another over the scrapbook paper once you’ve glued it onto the coaster.

Once dry, trim off any excess paper and seal with a clear acrylic sealer.

My friend, Hillary, chose to use a combination of techniques. She used scrapbook papers, washi tape, chipboard elements and paint on her coasters!

And because these DIY coasters were so quick and easy to make, she also had time to paint a matching planter from an unfinished modern ceramic planter that I’d picked up at Target!

(If you like Hillary’s artwork you can discover more via her booth at the Aurora Studio Center on Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke, VA. Alternately, you can view and sign up for Hillary’s workshops or Wine and Art Wednesdays here.)

Once you’ve created and sealed your custom DIY coasters, all that’s left to do is enjoy them!

If you liked this DIY, be sure to check out some of my other craft projects on Soap Deli News blog here. Or visit my Jonesing for Crafts board on Pinterest for more ideas from around the web.

You can also follow me on Pinterest, G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. Alternately, you can sign up to receive new posts from Soap Deli News blog to your email via FeedBurner so you never miss a post.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Project Tagged With: coasters, craft night, craft night ideas, crafts, diy, easy, fun, home decor, make and take, washi tape, weekend project