Hobby Industry Association Hosts National Craft Event
Professor David Demko, PhD
AgeVenture News Service
Personal satisfaction and family closeness are the top two reasons why people love to participate in arts and crafts, says the latest research from the Hobby Industry Association (HIA). With this research in mind, HIA begins a new campaign to celebrate the emotional benefits of crafting. "Whether one is a constant crafter or an occasional dabbler, crafting provides real stress relief through the pleasure of creating something with your own two hands," says HIA's Susan Brandt.
The campaign has designated March as National Craft Month, and Saturday, March 25 is the biggest event day of the month. At exactly 2PM EST on Saturday, March 25, approximately four thousand craft stores will host a "Cherish the Moment" family crafting event designed to encourage family closeness and the discovery of life's little pleasures.
This will be the first simultaneous nationwide event to bring families together through creative craft activities. A variety of classes, demonstrations, and hands-on crafting ... all involving family themes ... will capture the attention of grandparents, grandchildren, baby boomers, aunts, uncles, and everyone in between.
Thirty-one hot new crafting tips, one for each day of the month, will be offered to help everyone get even more enjoyment from crafting. These tips will help save time, simplify clean-up, and achieve really impressive results. Grandparents will especially enjoy "Scrapbooking", simple tips to help preserve precious memories. One of the biggest phenomena to hit the craft/hobby industry in years, scrapbooking is fueled by a combination of nostalgia, a desire to preserve photographs and family history, and the gathering with friends and families for scrapbooking parties.
To help launch the national craft campaign in the media, HIA has enlisted the help of Carol Scheffler, an Arts and Crafts contributor to NBC's Today Show. As the event's national spokesperson, Carol will introduce a wide range of crafting techniques and home decorating projects to a worldwide audience. In addition, she appears as a featured guest on various television programs including Home Matters and Hands-on Crafts for Kids. Carol is also Arts and Crafts Editor of Parents magazine, and contributes to national magazines such as McCall's and Better Homes and Gardens Crafts and Decorator Showcase.
Founded in 1940, HIA is a non-profit association consisting of 4,000 member companies engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of craft and hobby products. For all National Craft Month information, craft tips, craft projects, lesson plans and more, log on to the HIA Internet web site located at www.i-craft.com
Image credit: Hobby Industry Association.
David Demko reports on lifestyle issues and trends in Aging America.
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