Be Your Own Bob Ross

One of my favorite memories as a kid was watching Bob Ross’s painting show on PBS. He would mix his colorful paints and bring a scene to life in under 30 minutes, his soothing voice saying things like “just a little bit of color” and “make this one a happy cloud.”

Bob’s show made me believe I could paint too. It inspired me to take on increasingly difficult paint by numbers sets. On rainy days and freezing cold winter mornings I would sit for hours patiently filling in all the numbered spaces with the correct paint, until at last all the colors swirled together in the right configuration and a beautiful picture emerged - most of the time (there might have been a few disasters along the way).

Whether it’s creating something from your imagination, or painting by numbers, there’s a calming, meditative quality to any DIY or crafting project that is really appealing. The process of “making” and working with our own hands often lowers stress levels in a way that nothing else can.

Creating is fun and challenging. It stimulates our imaginations and brings us joy – whether we’re refinishing a piece of furniture, sewing a new dress, knitting, crocheting, quilting, jewelry-making or card stamping, it’s an experience we seek out over and over again.

If you want to find your inner Bob Ross (or add to your existing set of creative skills), Creativebug is a great place to start. It’s a vibrant online learning and sharing space for crafters and makers at all levels and ages, with tons of inspiring content and instructional videos by artists and creators with lifetimes of practice and proven teaching techniques.

There’s even an app, so you can tap into your creativity or find inspiration in the moment, wherever you are!

Trudi from Collections