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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Vanderbilt chapter.

 

Can you imagine… in a week we will all be free! Finals will be over and summer will begin; no schoolwork or serious obligations besides maybe a part time job or morning internship. But how are you going to fill your time the rest of the day? And what are you and your girl friends going to do after you’ve gone shopping, tanning, and to the nail salon 5 times already. It’s called productive creativity, artistic bonding, or simply crafting! Whether it’s for your little or your new dorm room, there is always something to be crafted. Here are some tips for your crafting success!
 
1. Craft with friends. Nothing is better than getting your craft boxes together and combining your efforts with friends. You can only make so many trips to Michael’s before breaking the bank, but maybe your friend can lend you some paint in return for your ribbon. And as cheesy as it might sound, being with friends may inspire creativity. Also, if you have lapses in artistic ability, some of your friend’s talents may come in handy!
 
2. You’ve got nothing but time. All good things take time, and you’ve got a whole summer. Your little will appreciate the time and effort you put into her crafts when they are more elaborate and special! Don’t feel rushed to do crafts that you start, and if you hit a bump in the road, start a new craft and come back later to the other one. Craftiness can’t be forced or rushed.
 
3. Make it personal. If you’re crafting for yourself or your future dorm room, make sure to put your own style into some of those suggested Pinterest crafts. Especially after you’ve done 3 or 4, you’ll start to become an expert and may even be able to come up with a craft all on your own. Otherwise, choose crafts that are practical and will produce something that you will actually use in the future.
 
4. Have fun with it! Not every craft can turn out exactly like the picture, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t successful. Sometimes the changes you make to the craft are what make it special. Crafting is supposed to provide an artistic outlet to relieve you from a long workday- it is not meant to stress you out and make you strive for absolute perfection.
 
Once you’ve learned the tips and tricks, you’re ready to start crafting. So here are some easy and basic ideas to start with! 
 
Thoughtful paintings for your future little: 
 
 
 
Photo collages and decorated corkboards for your dorm room: 
 
 
 
 
 
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Stacey Oswald

Vanderbilt

Stacey Oswald, originally from South Florida, came to Vanderbilt as a member of the class of 2015 and got involved with HerCampus her freshman year. She became assistant editor that year and is now the Campus Correspondent for Vanderbilt HC as a sophomore. Stacey is currently a columnist for Ask Miss A- Nashville and the life section of The Hustler. She's also very involved in her sorority, Kappa Delta, as well as Invisible Children. Outside of school and her extracurriculars, Stacey finds happiness in many sources, the most crucial being exercise and the sun. She loves to attend exercise classes and is an avid runner; she recently completed the Country Music Half Marathon. She also loves Vitamin D, especially when on the beach- though of course, she only soaks up the sun after applying SPF. A few of the things Stacey couldn't live without? Good food (especially from Sweet Cece's, Bricktops, and Samurai Sushi), great books (The Hypnotist's Love Story is a recent favorite), her family back in Florida, her wonderful boyfriend, and all of the great friends she's made at Vanderbilt.