Let’s celebrate Love!… more importantly, self-love and self-care this Valentine’s/Winter season. Why not start the New year off right by creating art and showing yourself some love in the same way you would a partner or friend? After all, every day can be self-love day! Setting aside a day, or even a few moments, to show yourself some extra love and compassion is a great way to put yourself first and practice self-love. This can be a great Valentines and new year gift to yourself by prioritizing time for beneficial arts and crafts, which can help improve mood, reduce stress, and boost self-esteem. Completing an art activity can give you a sense of accomplishment and studies show it is proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Art helps Improve your mental health and well-being and aids in improving fine gross motor skills, as well as improving and enhancing cognitive abilities. Increase your socialization through art by having a festive art celebration creating with others, or the one(s) you love and whom enjoy the similar creative activities. An Improved sense of purpose and fulfillment can transpire from art-making, especially with others.
Creative expression provides a safe outlet for emotions that may be difficult to articulate, promoting emotional release and self-awareness. By fostering a love of creativity (that will last a lifetime) it can help individuals come up with creative new ideas and solutions in all aspects of life. Arts and crafts help with emotional development. By engaging in creative activities, it helps change the focus of attention, diverting our minds from stressors or anxieties.
Also, taking time to plan a fun family activity is a great way to make the holiday feel special and it gives you time to bond through a new family tradition. Activities can also be very therapeutic and stress relieving, especially for kids who could use an excuse to take a break from homework or other stressors. As Valentine’s Day approaches, consider doing activities like painting or crafting as a family.
Art activities, such as the activities listed below, play a role in controlling stress and enhancing relaxation. Art enable us to fail safely and handle our emotions at the same time. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, art facilitates a social activity for many individuals who are at risk of social isolation, especially during the Winter season. Let’s celebrate life together through art! Art heals and the possibilities are endless.
Enjoy creating some of these Valentine and Confidence boosting, Self Love, and empowering heART activities on your own or with loved ones this season (and see all corresponding images):
-Awesome Affirmations Heart Jar/Box: Write positive affirmations, or attributes you love about yourself on colorful heart-shaped paper and place in your hand decorated jar/box daily and at the end of the month read them as a self-love boost and reminder. You are loved and you are awesome!
-Self-love Book/Gratitude Journal: Each day create a page in your art journal with different prompts and positive affirmations. Art journals allow space for you to express yourself daily by writing, drawing, or decorating its pages. This is a great and uplifting gentle reminder to prioritize self-care and self-love each day and a great goal for the new year.
-Self-Portrait poster/love themed Collages: Create a special and fun work of art that is a tribute to yourself and tells a story. You may use various mediums and fun crafty items for this activity. It can either be a collage on canvas that may include drawing, painting and embellishments, or you can trace your full body outline onto a poster sheet (see image example). And include those positive self-love words of affirmation into your self-portrait, which you can color or paint.
-A collage/vision board to do on your own in the new year or with family for the holiday is always a great expressive, mindful, relaxing, and crafty activity and is also really great fun for all ages. It is also a great, playful introduction to art using various mediums and elements, including painting and crafting with different soothing and stimulating sensory elements, such as feathers, cut-out images, photos, keepsakes/trinkets, stickers, pom poms, etc.
This is a great fun activity where the family can come together, adding their own special touches to the artwork which they can cherish forever, along with the colorful memories.
-Heart-Shaped Dream Catchers: There are a variety of ways to create a dream catcher which can be explored. The primary symbol of love and affection is a heart. The main purpose of creating this lovely craft idea is it is designed to symbolize and attract positive energy related to love, compassion, and heartfelt dreams. The dream catcher can capture the loving and supportive dreams, and can also act as a reminder to focus on the positive aspects of life while filtering out negative energy.
-Heart-shaped clay painted, gem, jeweled mosaic bowls: Both kids and adults alike love this activity! There are many benefits to utilizing clay (and mosaics) as it is calming, meditative, and can help reduce stress and anxiety. You will start by sculpting a heart-shaped pinch pot out of air dry clay, which can be painted with acrylic paints while wet. Then you will gently push decorative items into the clay, such as gems/mosaic pieces, in a pattern and design in and all around. It will dry hard in several days and is a lovely keepsake or gift of love.
The possibilities of art-making are endless and
I hope you Love trying these activities and Keep Creating!
DIANA SHABTAI, “MISS DEE” PYY.D, ATR-BC is a board certified art therapist who obtained a masters degree in clinical art therapy, MA in marriage & family therapy & a doctorate degree in MFT. She is passionate advocate for bringing awareness to the therapeutic benefits of art. Experience studying, working, & educating in the field of psychology & the therapeutic arts for nearly 20 years. She is a contributing writer to Jlife magazine.
