Lovely senior life

For Seniors: Simple and Lovely Crafts – A Collection of Take-Home Project Ideas for Day Service

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

If you can take home the pieces made at day service centers and other senior facilities, you can display or use them at home, adding a little extra enjoyment to everyday life.

Many older adults also enjoy focusing on the act of making things.

So this time, we’ve gathered ideas for projects you can take home.

We’ve included practical items you can use at home, like small organizers and photo frames, as well as pieces you can simply display and enjoy!

The materials are easy to prepare, and we also make use of recyclables like empty jars.

Crafting involves using your fingertips, which can stimulate the brain and help prevent cognitive decline, while also providing a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment from creating something.

Please have fun making these projects!

[For Seniors] Simple and Lovely Crafts: Day Service Take-Home Project Ideas (21–30)

Felt teru teru bozuNEW!

Sure to be sunny: Teru-teru bozu made from felt

Felt teru teru bozuNEW!

A soft teru teru bōzu mascot made with felt—its gentle look seems like it could invite sunny weather.

First, cut the felt into a circle, place a ball in the center, wrap it up, and tie it with string to shape the teru teru bōzu.

Next, attach decorations like a ribbon to hide the tied section, add a face and other details, and it’s done.

Since the basic shape is simple, it might be important to create a festive look through the decorations.

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Felt cat bookmarkNEW!

Felt Cat Bookmark with Free Pattern – Small Felt Crafts to Make: DIY Felt Cat Bookmark

Felt cat bookmarkNEW!

A bookmark adorned with an adorable cat mascot sounds like it would make reading even more enjoyable.

The cat motif uses felt, and the different colors are expressed by layering, creating a soft look.

Because the steps are simple—cutting out the cat shape and attaching the parts—it also feels like there’s a wide range for customization.

Decide what color cat to make and which color ribbon to pair it with, and proceed while considering the overall color balance.

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photo frame

[Handmade Video] Hands Hint Club at Home: “Let’s Make a Photo Frame from Cardboard” [Official Hands]

photo frame

Many people like to decorate their rooms with photos and reminisce about those times.

Displaying such photos in a photo frame can further highlight your attachment to those moments.

The process is very simple: layer a piece of cardboard with a photo-shaped cutout over another piece of cardboard that has a frame to hold the photo in place, and then decorate it.

Use origami or construction paper to decorate the frame, making sure to cover the base cardboard completely so it doesn’t show.

If you already know which photo you’ll display, it could be fun to design decorations that match the scene.

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Lampshade made of paper

[100-Yen Shop DIY] Paper Lamp Shade

Lampshade made of paper

Why not try making a lampshade inspired by seasonal flowers? A lampshade is a shade that covers a lamp or bulb, and the materials and designs you use can create many different kinds of light.

This time, let’s make one using shoji paper and washi.

Tear the shoji paper and washi, or fold them into flower shapes and cut them out in advance.

Dilute craft glue with water and brush it onto an inflated balloon.

The key is to apply the glue over an area that matches the size of the shoji paper you’ll attach.

Once you’ve covered the entire surface with shoji paper, add the flower pieces made from washi.

Finally, coat the entire surface with the diluted glue, let it dry, and then pop the balloon.

You’ll have a beautiful spherical lampshade.

It’s also nice to place a dollar-store LED light inside for display.

Seniors are likely to be very pleased with such a lovely creation.

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Two types of vases made from a single wireNEW!

With Design [Wire Craft] Make with a Single Piece! Two Simple Vases [How-To]

Two types of vases made from a single wireNEW!

Just having flowers displayed in a room can make the space feel delightful.

Glass or plastic vases are nice, but vases made from wire can give your room a different kind of charm.

Since it becomes a three-dimensional piece, it might be better to draw an outline of the vase first and shape the wire to match it.

Alternatively, you can shape it to fit a real vase.

Some steps are a bit complex, but that effort lets you create a lovely piece that looks like something you’d find in a boutique.

You could also place a vase inside the finished wire vase and arrange flowers in it.

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Wire art butterflyNEW!

[Feeling Alive with Wire] How to Make a Wire Art Butterfly / First Half Highlight – wire butterfly

Wire art butterflyNEW!

A lifelike butterfly in three-dimensional form that looks ready to take flight at any moment.

It may seem difficult because it’s 3D, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually easy—so why not give it a try? Draw a butterfly on paper as if it’s flapping its wings, and bend the wire along the lines.

Leave about 5 centimeters at the tip and start by making the hind wings from the center.

Once you’ve shaped the hind wings with smooth curves, hold the center with pliers and form the forewings.

When you return to the center, repeat the process to make another set of hind and forewings in the same way.

By creating two identical wings, you’ll end up with a symmetrical and beautiful butterfly.

The steps are simple and beginner-friendly, so give it a try at least once.

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A retro light bulb made with wire craftNEW!

[With Pattern] How to Make a “Retro Light Bulb” [Wire Craft]

A retro light bulb made with wire craftNEW!

One of the charms of wire art is that you can shape it into all sorts of forms by hand.

You can also create slightly unusual pieces, like those in the shape of light bulbs, with a refined, retro feel.

Follow the sketch you drew on paper and bend the wire accordingly.

If you also make the lines inside the bulb—the filament—it will look like a real light bulb.

Try making several bulbs out of wire and displaying them side by side.

Without any cover like a shade, they resemble simple bare bulbs with an incandescent bulb attached directly to the end of a cord.

The style might even evoke memories of a Showa-era living room, bringing a sense of nostalgia to older people.

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