50 Reasons

     This post was inspired by a project that my local UMaine chapter of Active Minds put together.  During the fall semester, members of Active Minds asked students to write down positive things that tomorrow could bring on squares of paper.  They collected 1,100 squares, one for each student in the U.S. who dies by suicide each year, and assembled the squares into a quilt.  According to Sarah, President of the UMaine chapter of Active Minds, the goal of creating the quilt was to, "inspire hope, positivity, and optimism for the endless possibilities of tomorrow.  It's finished project symbolizes at least 1,100 reasons to stick around for another day."  The quilt, which was displayed at Fogler Library, provided a powerful visual reminder of what good the future could bring.  Some of my personal favorite suggestions were Halloween, cats, and playing Pokemon GO, but there were all sorts of ideas from foods to activities to goals that people could look forward to.

The quilt on display at Fogler Library

     Filling out some squares was cathartic for me and I thought it might be nice to adapt a smaller scale version of this project for my craft blog.  All of us have our rough days and it can be nice to have a visual reminder of the things we have to look forward to.  I came up with a list of 50 things I like and goals I have, but you could come up with any number of reasons that works for you.  I originally wanted to arrange the squares in a quilt, but I didn't have enough space on my wall, so I arranged them around existing artwork.  You could arrange them in any pattern you'd like.

Materials:
*Sticky notes
*Marker or pen

Directions:

*Write things that you like or goals that you have on sticky notes.  You can do this yourself or with a group of friends.

*Arrange the sticky notes in whatever pattern you would like to.

Googly Eyes Staple Remover

     When I was younger, I had a staple remover which I named Mr. Meanie Mouth because it looked like it had a fanged mouth.  When Brian brought home a staple remover, I named it Mr. Meanie Mouth II in honor of my old staple remover.  I thought it might be fun to give it some eyes, so here we are.  This craft is fast, easy, inexpensive, and may prove highly amusing.  I'm already considering giving the new stapler a face.

Materials:
*Staple remover
*Googly eyes
*Permanent marker or paint that is the same color as your staple remover
*All purpose adhesive

Directions:

*Draw angry eyelids onto the two googly eyes.

*Glue googly eyes onto your staple remover.

How to Survive a Zombie Attack Poster

     Okay, so this one isn't so much of a craft as it is a printable PSA.  During these difficult times, it's essential that we all know how to protect ourselves.  There are a lot of nicer looking posters out there (I have zero artistic skills, so I skipped the graphics), but the info on this should be pretty solid.

Materials:

*Paper
*Printer (if available.  Otherwise a pen will do)

Directions:

*Print a copy or copies of the above "How to Survive a Zombie Encounter" poster.  If you don't have access to a printer/electricity, grab a pen and jot these tips onto any spare paper you can find.

*Post or distribute wherever you think they're needed.  Give one to your Valentine(s).  Make the world a safer place for us humans.

Zombie Newspaper Luminaries

     It's harder keeping up my posting schedule during the apocalypse than I expected!  Candles provide a cozy vibe for any Valentine's Day celebration (and once we run out of batteries for the flashlights, candles are what we'll have to work with anyway).  As an added touch, if you have any newspaper left on hand, make some luminaries for your tablescape.  If you want to shy away from zombie themed cutouts for obvious reasons, you can always cut hearts or other Valentine's Day related shapes from the newspaper.

Materials:

*Newspaper
*X-acto knife
*Scissors
*Candle
*Pencil
*Tape

Directions:

*Cut off a strip of newspaper that is as wide as you would like your luminary to be.

*Sketch the design you'd like for your luminary.

*Cut out the design.

*Tape the ends of the newspaper strip together to form a cylinder.  Make sure the candle fits inside with some extra room to spare.

*Once everything is ready, light the candle and then place the luminary over it.

Zombie Valentine's Day Paper Doll Chain

     Looking for some way to decorate for Valentine's Day now that the world has been thrown into chaos?  If you haven't burnt the newspaper left over from last week's tablecloth DIY for warmth, why not make some paper doll chains.  I made mine into zombies as an homage to my pre-apocalyptic Valentine's Day crafting tradition, but if you don't have the stomach for zombies anymore (totally understandable), then you may just want to make regular paper dolls.

Materials:

*Newspaper
*Scissors
*Pencil
*Pen
*Black marker
*Crimson paint (optional)
*Paintbrush (optional)

Directions:

*Take a strip of newspaper and fold it accordion style.

*Sketch half the outline of a person along one edge of the paper.  The figure's arm should be outstretched and should reach roughly the center of the paper.  Draw a second half outline which is holding hands with the first.  You may want to sketch the silhouettes in pencil and then go over them with a pen.

*Cut out the silhouettes and then unfold to reveal the paper doll chain.

*Draw on faces with a marker.

*If you're going for the zombie look, add blood splatters and maybe snip off some limbs.

Zombie Valentine's Day Recycled Tablecloth

     Welcome to Amber's Post-Apocalyptic Craft a Week Blog.  I know a lot has changed in a short amount of time, but we can't let the hordes of invading zombies stop us from being our craftiest!  Valentine's Day is a little over a month away now, and what better way to celebrate than with a romantic candlelight dinner with your special someone?  Or a candlelight galentines dinner with friends? Or a relaxing candlelight dinner for one because few of us have consistent access to electricity anymore.
     The main thing you'll need for this craft is newspaper.  Where we live, The Weekly is mailed to everyone for free.  Or it was, until . . . you know.  The postal service hasn't been keeping up since the zombies came.  Anyway, a lot of people toss their copies of The Weekly into recycling immediately.  Brian and I had scavenged some copies so we could burn them for warmth, but then I realized that they also had a lot of crafting potential.  If you don't have any newspapers on hand, check your local supermarket or your neighbors' houses.  In a pinch, magazine or book pages could work as a newspaper alternative.
     You'll also need some candy wrappers, which I imagine you have an ample supply of now.  If not, head to your nearest convenience store immediately (with some well armed friends) and start stocking up on them before they're gone.  Red or pink wrappers are ideal, but really, any will do. If your valentine criticizes you for using non-Valentines colors in your tablecloth, you should probably turn them over to the zombies.
     The other supplies you'll need are tape, scissors, and glue.  If you don't have these on hand, head on down to your nearest craft supply store (with your well armed friends) and grab some.  There's a good chance no one has thought to raid their candy section yet either.

Materials:

*Newspaper
*Candy wrappers
*Scissors
*Tape
*Glue

Directions:

*Tape together as many sheets of paper as you need to cover your table.  Don't be too worried about lining everything up perfectly.  No one's going to see it very well by candlelight anyway.

*Cut out heart shapes from candy wrappers.

*Glue the hearts to the newspaper.

Now you're well on your way to having the post-apocalyptic Valentine's Day of your dreams!  Come back next week and I'll show you how to make a centerpiece or decorate with body parts, depending on how my week goes.

DIY Power Outage Activity Kit (with Ideas for Coping with Anxiety)

     For some people, power outages are an adventure; they provide a chance to step outside of one's routine and try new things.  For other people, it's hours of boredom.  For me, power outages amp up my anxiety, especially if the cause of the outage is a major snowstorm.  I need things to keep me occupied so I don't fixate on the "what ifs," but when I'm close to panicking, it's hard for me to think of things I can do.  With winter storms on the horizon, I decided to make myself a "power outage activity kit" in hopes that it will make our next power outage a little easier for me.  As I was working on it, I thought maybe some of you could benefit as well.  Most of the ideas could be applicable to anyone, but there are a few suggestions that are more specifically for people with anxiety.
     Your kit doesn't have to be a physical collection of objects (although it certainly can be).  It can be a list of things and activities that you have on hand that can help you through the power outage.  The important thing is that you know where each item in your kit is located before the power goes out.  Here are some ideas for supplies to keep in your power outage activity kit:

*Deck of cards
*Books or magazines you've been meaning to read
*Humorous books.  If I'm laughing, it's harder for me to feel anxious.
*Board games
*Notebook + pen for jotting down story ideas, sketches, journaling, whatever is helpful to you
*Book of ghost stories for reading with friends/family
*Flashlight with extra batteries and/or candles and matches
*Fully charged phone.  If your phone is something you use to help relieve your anxiety, make sure you have access to everything you need offline.  If meditation exercises are helpful, Excel at Life has some relaxation audios which you can download to your phone.  They also have some panic and anxiety assistance audios which you can also download.  Find a new podcast and download a bunch of episodes.  Brian and I listened to the Darkest Night podcast during the Halloween power outage and that helped keep me occupied.
*Backup battery for your phone
*Battery powered or wind up radio
*Fully charged or battery powered music player such as an Ipod, MP3 player, or CD player.
*Rescue Remedy can help with panic.  It doesn't work as well for me as I'd like it to, but for some people it works wonders.
*If you have any medications you take for anxiety or other medical conditions, make sure you have them on hand.
*Pen + stationary to write a letter.  It can be to a friend, family member, a pet, someone famous, anyone you want to write to.  When the power outage is over, you can choose to send it or not, but the key thing is keeping yourself entertained in the moment.
*Nail polish.  Painting nails can take time, so why not use the power outage as an opportunity to add some sparkle to your day?
*Coloring book + colored pencils, gel pens, crayons, glitter markers, etc.
*Craft kit.  If you have a crafty hobby like knitting or cross stitching, a power outage can provide you with some extra time to work on your craft.  Even if you don't feel super crafty, you can pick up little craft kits, often seasonal with pom poms and pipe cleaners and whatnot, for a few dollars.  You can also scour Pinterest in advance of the impending storm and find some DIY or craft activities that you can do with the supplies you have on hand.  Even if your crafting supplies does not extend beyond cereal boxes and toilet paper tubes, there is something you can do with them.
*Mad Libs
*Glow sticks
*If you have a tablet, make sure it's fully charged and that you have some games on there that don't require an internet connection.  Agent Alice and Best Fiends can both be played without internet.
*Musical instruments that don't require electricity.  Singing works too.
*Exercise mat and/or exercise equipment

What do you do during a power outage?  Let me know in the comments.