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It's time to discover your new passion. Maybe it's pottery. Maybe it's diamond art.

Winter is one of the best times to really hone in on your crafting skills. The weather (and shorter daylight hours) means you're likely stuck inside MUCH more this season. So let's get your hands busy in a way that isn't just doom-scrolling, shall we? Try your hand at stuff like cross-stitching, pottery, and even paint by stickers, if you're feeling like you wanna start out easy. 

Promising review: "Purchased a few of these to give as birthday gifts this summer for 9–11-year-olds and it was a HIT every time. Who doesn't love Squishmallows? I like that many of the newer Squishmallows are represented in the charms in this set. We also have a larger set that I bought for my own daughter about six months ago, but it only had the 'classic' squish as charms, this one is much cuter and has more variety in terms of beads." —Jenny M

Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper.

Promising review: "The company is very supportive and their kit is great. It has everything you need to start working with wood. Additionally, I have really appreciated the professionalism and customer service received from them." —Sam

Get it from Amazon for $27.99 (clip the $5 off coupon on the product page for this price). 

Promising review: "Came with all the gems 💎 and supplies needed to get this done! I only used one of the red sticky pads and hand-placed them one by one. It took me about a month and a half to complete because I did it on and off when I had free time. It is truly therapeutic and good for mental health, and super satisfying when completed! 👍" —Allyssa Allison

Promising review: "The designs and colors are the same as shown on Amazon. Finished coasters sparkle, and the vibrant colors create eight very cute cats. There were plenty of beads to complete the project, and adhesion was excellent. Letters and numbers were sharp and easy to follow. I am delighted with these coasters." —PackLeaderJ

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in four styles). 

Promising review: "I remember doing this craft in art class as a kid. I purchased this for a 5-year-old and she had a great time making paper that she is going to use as covers for books and other projects! Definitely recommend buying as a rainy day project!" —LB

Check out a TikTok of the Lego bouquet in action.  

Promising review: "This is a great gift for anyone who loves flowers. They are as sturdy as they get since they're Legos, and although they do take a while to build, it's a very fulfilling process. Love it and would set aside as something to gift to several people at any point. They look beautiful!!" —Gaby

This beginner's kit comes with thread, printed fabric, needle, step-by-step instructions, and a 3-inch plastic hoop,

WorldCatlas is an Ottawa, Canada-based small biz. 

When I got Bek O'Connell in a draw for BuzzFeed Shopping's Secret Santa in 2024, I went on the hunt for a cute Etsy cross-stitch pattern and found this one! It was a super clear PDF I was able to instantly downloaded and this might be my cutest cross-stitch creation to date!!!

Download the pattern from WorldCatlas on Etsy for $4.14.

The kit's three paint-by-number canvases include two landscapes and one portrait of Bob. You'll also get an instruction sheet and a mini book all about Bob!

Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and What a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" —slb m

The company provides the paint and a code to use their tech to turn any pet photo into a "paint by number" template, so you will need a printer to generate the image! Also, this was one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2023!

Promising review: "This was so much fun! I tried three different photos in the tool they give you. It shows you a preview of each painting, which is really helpful when deciding which image to go with. Not every picture came out as good, so definitely try a few! Easy to use, and fun to paint — excited to frame it! Actually have some paint left over and will try to do another one!" —Jonathon Kebert

The Cherry Blosson US is a North Carolina-based small biz. 

Promising review: "This is the cutest embroidery kit! I purchased this for my mom who's just been placed in a nursing home, and she loves cross-stitching. I can't wait for her to see this. I know she'll love it!" —Janae

Get it from The Cherry Blosson US on Etsy for $16.19+ (available in nine designs).

Each kit comes with a pottery wheel machine, a power adapter, eight sculpting tools, two paint brushes, three packs of air-dry clay, and 12 paints. 

Promising review: "I am amazed how well thought through this product is. It is very compact and has everything you need to get started and try your hand at pottery! My kids immensely enjoyed using it and were very excited with their creations. It's very compact, built with very good quality materials. The wheel is very stable, and you can control the speed as you get the hang of it. It's well priced for a starter kit and overall a great kit." —Synghal

Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! 

Promising review: "It’s honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It’s definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that’s a given. I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" —Amazon Customer

It has enough supplies to make at least four little creatures. 

Promising review: "I was really excited when I got this kit. It comes with all the tools you need, including a variety of colors, and it inspires such fun creature ideas! It also includes a QR code that that’s takes you to several (short) tutorials for different shapes, and teaches you the basics of needle felting! I thought it was going to be much harder than it was. (You don’t even need to watch the whole tutorial to pick it up.) I actually bought the same kit for a friend, who loved it also!" —Kt

Tina's House is a Sydney, Australia-based small biz. 

Get it from Tina's House on Etsy for $57.59+ (available in three colors).

Check out a TikTok of the watercolor palette in action. 

Each set comes with a 100-color palette, a sketch pencil, a sponge, a swatch sheet, and three water brush pens. Pick up a watercolor paper pad because this medium requires special paper. 

Promising review: "I'm starting to hate TikTok because it's making me buy all these products, but I absolutely love this one!!! I travel for a living and love to paint and this set is wonderful. I love that it comes in a metal tin, so I don't have to worry about it breaking, like most plastic ones. The colors are vibrant and I love that there are so many within the container. The container itself is the size of two make up eye palettes, so you can definitely fit it in a purse or backpack. It comes with a swatch section too so you can paint the colors and compare later on when you paint. I'm a huge fan now of this brand." —pixxi88

Promising review: "This was a perfect craft for me. The finished product is very appealing. It took only one evening plus 15 minutes to finish the next day." —zenMom

Get it from Amazon for $23.99 (available in five designs).

Promising review: "Not only is this introductory book beautifully put together, but the author also helps you to build your own beautiful style! She provides easy-to-follow guides and plenty of room to practice. Overall, she provides the tools a new hand lettering artist needs in their toolbox and references for different alphabet styles that I continuously look at to practice lettering. I’ve been practicing lettering for awhile and have picked up a couple of books here and there to practice with, but this book really took my hand lettering to the next level physically and with confidence. I also really appreciate that the author used good quality paper to practice on, as I’ve used other books with poor quality paper that has ruined some of my pens. Definitely recommend this to any and especially new hand letterers!" —Melissa

Each package includes 720 pieces of wax seal beads in 24 colors, one wax seal stamp, one wax seal warmer, one sealing wax spoon, one set of tweezers, 10 tea candles, and two metallic pens.

Promising review: "I’ve been on a letter writing kick, and I thought that wax seals with throw it over the edge. I love this kit, it has everything you need to make your own wax stamp. I like all of the colors of wax that easily melts into its own pattern. I enjoy the creativity of making a special stamp for who I love. I bought extra stamps for variety, but I love what the kit contains. The wax melter is great, and it comes with a little spoon to melt the wax in and markers to color, and your embossed stamp to make it stand out. I have been getting it so many compliments on the wax sales that I’m sending with my cards and I am bringing back snail mail, one wax seal at a time." —Stina Garbis

Promising review: "This is so much fun and so relaxing. Even if you are a beginner, this product will help build some skills. The quality is the same as the food kit and worked great for me. I love that I can be creative and keep the patterns and make whatever I want. Absolutely brilliant concept and fun project. I made a crow from the owl pattern and plan to make a winter bird as well." —Lissa

Mister Domestic is a queer-owned Etsy shop from creative phenom Mathew Boudreaux. I started following them on Instagram awhile back and though I'm not up to the level of crafting to do this afghan (just yet...who knows with this winter!), I love their social media presence and am endlessly entertained and inspired. They also sell lots of other dreamy patterns (like this heart one) and quilting supplies on their shop. Boudreaux is also the owner of the online sewing school SEW U, which is def worth a visit if your'e wanting to expand your creative horizons.

The kit includes the yarn and needles. The PDF pattern will be sent to your email. 

Promising review: "This is a great project. There are many pieces and it takes a while to put together. The pieces fit together well and the intructions are easy to follow. Younger kids will need a little help but great for older kids and adults." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "This was my 1st ever miniature project. The instructions were clear and all parts were present. If you are patient, you can do this. Very please with results. I continue to add little things as I find them in shops (like a welcome mat, a kitty, more baked goods)." —Basketball Mom

Each comes with 12 posters and the stickers to complete them, including iconic travel posters from gondolas in Venice to the pyramids in Cairo.

Each kit includes seven beeswax sheets with six lavender flowers, two cinnamon sticks, two dried orange slices, burlap thread, white lace, cotton wicks, two decorative bees, and instructions. To create the colors seen in the review image on the left, grab some candle dye with your purchase. Also, Candleology is a small business!

Promising review: "I purchased this set for our Hanukkah celebrations this year and made the candles with the kids. Super easy directions, and we love the outcome (pictured above, right)!" —Amazon customer

BeanDaikon is a Hanoi, Vietnam-based shop specializing in crafting kits.

Get it from BeanDaikon on Etsy for $34.66+ (available in a variety of colors).

Promising review: "I cracked it open and built a terrarium! I had the glass bowl and the cactus clippings on hand and hoped everything else would be there. Indeed, all you need including a little plant food and a brush. Took me hardly anytime at all and it came out great. Highly recommend as a fun craft for young and old alike." —Kimm Parker

Get it from Amazon for $7.49+ (available without a container or with a variety of containers).

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Elizabeth Lilly is a deputy editorial director with more than a decade of lifestyle journalism spanning a range of subjects under her (tool) belt that includes four and a half years at a home improvement magazine. 

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.