Continuing creativity @ home: 3 easy makes

By Anastasia Natania, Toaster Ambassador and Food Science Major at CFANS

The Toaster Team is back again with three easy ways to spark some creativity, or kill some time, while we anxiously await the re-opening of the Breakerspace.  

Below you will find three easy at home makes: 

• 3-Step Collage 
• Lucky Paper Stars
• To do list (simplified!) – Excited by this entry? Try your hand at Bullet Journaling virtually April 16th from 1-2pm with the Breakerspace

Share your ideas! Send your ideas to toaster@umn.edu in the format outlined in the projects below.  

Up next – Cooking in Quarantine with the Toaster Team
Stay tuned for some fun and easy at home recipes. In the interim, quench your thirst with a couple of drink recipes that have inspired me this week: Dalgona Coffee and Strawberry Milk.

See more Toaster posts via Continuum, follow our Instagram, and check the Toaster calendar for upcoming virtual workshops.

---

3-Step Collage

What you will need:

• Sheet of paper or sketchbook page
• Markers or pens
• Scissors or a cutter
• Glue or tape
• Cut outs from newspapers/magazines/books/postcards

Directions:

1. Cut out pictures from magazines or books (anything really!) with scissors or a cutter.
2. Arrange the pieces on a sheet of paper (or sketchbook) and paste or tape them in place.

1. Decorate!

---

Lucky Paper Stars

What you will need:

• Paper of choice (make sure it is not too thick)
• Scissors 

Directions

1. Cut a piece of paper to about 0.5 inch wide and about 8 inches long.
2. Loop the paper as shown below and tuck the short end of the paper into the loop. Fold the short end into the “pentagon”.
   
   
3. Wrap the paper around the “pentagon”, making sure to maintain the shape. Repeat until the long end of the paper runs out.
   
4. Tuck the remaining paper into the pentagon and pinch the sides until it puffs up. Repeat for all remaining sides!
   

---

To-Do Lists (Simplified!)

Being productive while being at home can be quite a challenge and thinking about all the tasks that should be done in a day can get quite overwhelming. Taken from Ali Abdaal’s productivity tips video, his simple to-do list method practices gratitude and aims to list down daily tasks in a simpler fashion. 

What you will need:

• A journal or notebook (or even a productivity app such as Notion)
• Pencils or pens or markers
• Additional materials decorate 

Directions: 

1. Write an H (highlight), G (something to be grateful for), and L (something to let go) on separate rows.
2. Think about a daily highlight, the thing you are focusing on most today, and write it on the H row. In Ali Abdaal’s words, think: “The one thing that I want to get done today to make today a win.” Complete this process for “something you are grateful for” and “something to let go” in the other rows as well.
3. Add the concrete things that you are doing today on separate bullet points.
   
   
4. Decorate your journal page however you’d like!