I need some inspiration!!

[Teaspoons and Tiaras]

Hey there! I volunteer at a day centre for people with MS, I come in and supervise craft groups but I am running out of ideas for things to do!!

The people I work with are in wheelchairs and have difficulties using their hands. They are 40+, and I don't want to patronise them, so the projects have to be adult-friendly.

Does anyone have any suggestions for things we could do? I'm especially interested in stuff with recycled materials, because our budget is teensy!

xx

[imera]

I'm trying to think of something you could do but I'm not really sure what. You could visit a library and look in the craft books, and you could search both on this forum and on the internet for recycled crafts.
Sorry I can't be of more help

[Teaspoons and Tiaras]

Thanks, I will try that. The recycled section of this website is awesome for ideas!

[crafts4others]

This I think is a pretty good book, you can use the link below to look inside the book. You can see if your local library has it.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Therapy-Techniques-Applications-Practice/dp/1849058067/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1302403625&sr=8-14

[SiakelA]

What if you find a craft that makes things that can be donated, that they can work on? Off the top of my head, I'm thinking clothing, toys, or blankets for kids.

That way you can go to stores with a list of supplies that you need, and hopefully get supply donations. It helps to have paperwork and citing the specific place you'll be donating them to.

[kittykill]

What about taking some crafts that are kid related and alter them for adults. Plastic canvas might work, maybe embellishing frames.

[cassiem]

I don't know if this would be a good idea, but something that occurred to me was something like making puzzles - taking a picture, pasting it to cardboard, and cutting it with scissors (or, if it would be safe, X-actos) into shapes?

The other one, and I actually feel like this one might be more iffy, would be making mosaics.  Using small tiles, or pieces of plastic (either stuff like cut up frisbees and plastic plates, or something else) to make whatever patterns and pictures they wanted to.

No idea if what I just said made sense, but both seemed like ideas that they could do without having to worry too much about poor manual dexterity.

[itsSEWcrafty]

 have them paint on newspaper with their feet .then you cut  it into squares and sew it together like a quilt. call it "foot prints"

-crafty katie

[chez artiste]

Last spring I worked at a community fair and hosted a little gardening craft booth.  The two projects I introduced were really cute and did not require a great deal of ability, but could also encourage those with lots of inspiration to go to great heights.  These were also fun projects because they reused/recycled items.

Project #1--Bird Feeder

Take an empty plastic bottle with a handle (large vinegar or milk bottles work best), remove the label and cut a large hole or window in the side opposite the handle. Decorate the outside of the bottle using Sharpee markers, stickers, foam cutouts, etc.  Use heavy wire or a wire clothes hanger to form a hook around the handle. Fill with bird seed and hang outside in a tree.  Watch the birds gather.

Project #2--Blooming Seed Planter

Take an empty can (the large ones for canned tomatoes or pumpkin work best), remove the label and the top lid completely.  Punch holes in the bottom lid.  Decorate the outside of the can using Sharpee markers, stickers, foam cutouts, etc.  Fill the can with potting soil or compost.  Plant seeds in the soil and water.  Take foam egg cartons.  Cut out each egg segment into individual cups.  Color each cup to look like a flower.  Punch a hole in the bottom of the cup.  String a pipe cleaner through the hole to make a stem.  Bunch together the completed egg carton flowers and wrap around the top of the can.  Alternatively, you can push them into the soil so they look like they are growing, just be careful not to put them on top of the seeds.  Place the can in a sunny window or outside on your porch.  Water regularly and watch the real plants grow!