Welcome!

This site is here to introduce you to many forms of crafts and hobbies. You'll find everything from inspiration to patterns and designs (most are free) to instructions.

If you think that arts and crafts is just about knitting a sweater or making a macrame plant hanger, you've got so much to see. If you think that you're not creative or don't have the "talent" for crafts then you need to understand that most of the time it's just a matter of learning the process and then the inspiration and creativity starts to flow (and sometimes overflow).

Getting involved in a craft (or crafts) is the best stress reducer. How? Well, first of all it gets your mind on something positive and something that you are doing strictly for pleasure. Second of all it is very fulfilling and gives you something to look forward to. I find that anticipating a new project helps get me through the tedious boring times or mundane daily chores (like driving the kids to school, working or waiting at the DMV...Ok! so nobody does that anymore but you get the picture!).

Also, you’ll find that creating leaves you with a great sense of accomplishment! No matter how simple or complicated…no matter how it came out…you put your hand to something and it’s art!

Speaking of complicated or NOT! Aren’t these pendant necklaces awesome? They are made by printing images from your computer, cutting them out the size of the frame and then covering them with clear fingernail polish. That’s making cabochon jewelry. Is that simple or what? So you see that arts and crafts are for anyone and everyone.

Don’t think that crafting is just a stress reducer while you’re doing it either. You’ll find that your mind escapes to designing at other times when you’re away which takes up room and pushes out some of the junk stressing you out!

Also, I use my crafting to repurpose items. It just doesn’t make sense to me to throw things out when they can be transformed into something useful. Not to mention the money you’ll save by doing this and I have been known to be a bit frugal.

As an example of repurposing some of the things laying around your house that you think of as junk and might even be considering leaving on the curb for the trash, check out how this stool was transformed with a little paint and a koi stencil!

Most of all, crafting is just fun! Let’s face it, we work hard and when there’s a few minutes to spare (yeah, right?), it’s wonderful to have something fun to do!

So, visit often, keep in touch and get started having the best time of your life! Just pick a subject from the menu on the left top column and explore. And if you don’t find your favorite topic in that list and want to lend your expertise on that subject, just drop me a note at penny@designsfrompenny.com. After all, I can’t do everything by myself and as you may already know, crafting is a community of great folks like us sharing ideas!

Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting,

Penny