Well hello to you my reader chums! I don't know about you, but it's easy to spend all of my spare time on screens, whether my phone or the TV, especially in winter, to switch on and watch a film, rather than think of a new activity to keep you occupied, be more creative and present.

I'm a creative person and I've always been someone who loves to write, read, bake and sometimes do a little arts and crafts, but never fully committed. Since my partner and I got together, he has opened my eyes to embrace the joy and calmness in art (even if it's not perfect) and we regularly have creative evenings, away from screens.

If you're tired of watching Netflix or looking for fun ideas to make cold, winter evenings exciting, here are some creative activities to keep you busy. 

Scrapbooking your old memories 

I adore a scrapbook. There's nothing more magical than flicking through and reminiscing on old memories and where I've travelled. Everyone scrapbooks and collects memories differently. I love to print out photos and store them in albums and collect items, such as plane tickets, postcards and trinkets and add them into a scrapbook. I've created scrapbooks since I began collecting items in my teens and they're lovely to sift through and remember memories I've forgotten I've had and get excited all over again.

Painting a picture of each other (can do the same with friends)

The joy of painting is to see how everyone interprets different objects and puts their own stamp on them. My partner and I did this a couple of months ago. You can do it as a date night or evening with your friends to paint an image of each other. It'll certainly make for a lot of laughs as paintings can go one of two ways!

Paint a picture of your favourite landscape

Landscapes are golden and lovely to snap in a camera, so why not paint one? Whether you're a mountain or beach person, there must be a landscape you adore. Buy yourself a canvas or use some paper and paint an image of your favourite landscape. I've done this a few times, with my favourite beaches or destinations I've visited. 

Paint by numbers

If you're too anxious thinking about what you should paint or don't know where to begin with painting, paint-by-number sets are a great guide as the thinking is taken away. You only need to concentrate on using the right colours for the right numbers and achieve a pretty photo at the end.

Embroidery starter kits

I find sewing therapeutic and I'd love to improve my skills. If you're a newbie to sewing, many craft shops will sell embroidery kits with a guide on how to sew. Even though it can be tricky, it's great to do something with your hands as it'll sway you away from scrolling on your phone.

Mend any clothing items.

With the sewing theme, we all have clothes that have holes in or we've been meaning to fix at some point - this is your chance! Buy yourself a set of sewing needles and neutral thread and get fixing. If you're struggling, you can always research how to patch up holes.

Design/draw cards for the next occasions

There's always an occasion coming up, whether it's a birthday, Christmas, anniversary or a new baby. Whatever the occasion, sending a card is the norm. To make the event more fun, create your own cards. All you will need are cards, pencils or paints and create a design you love and the person receiving it will too.

Have a bake-off evening with your friends.

I love to bake, it's my favourite activity! Baking in general is a fab way to get creative, whether it's trying a new recipe or decorating a cake. To make it more fun, why not have a bake-off evening with your friends or bake some cakes and decorate them together.

Vision board making

Vision board planning is incredibly fun and an exciting way to map out your future, whether it's your dream wedding, holiday or house. You can do this with big pieces of paper and old magazines, to cut and stick as you please.

Painting candles/plates/mugs

Keep your home design brain on and enjoy painting anything, whether it's candles, mugs, plates or bowls. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. What's your favourite creative activity?

Thank you for reading <3