“Keep Calm and Craft On” is a catch phrase I like to say to the group Crafting with Kim. Crafting has certainly helped me over the years, with everything from boredom to stress to depression. I’m so glad to share the crafting skills I have with students at Le Moyne, as they will have these skills for a lifetime. No one is perfect, we’re all different, and so are our projects. That’s something I let the  group know when they feel they’ve made a mistake in their work.   

My favorite part of crafting with students is seeing them get that spark in their eye and having a sense of accomplishment; when something clicks and they go from “ I can’t” to “I can,” and then “I am.” At the beginning of this year, we learned to crochet. We made hats and scarves that were donated to Onondaga County for refugees that were spending their first winter in Syracuse. We’ve also made jewelry, used alcohol ink on ceramic tiles to make coasters, tie dyed wood frames and tee shirts, and crocheted hats and blankets that will be donated to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Crouse Hospital for preemie babies.

Our most recent project is a tic-tac-toe board we’ve donated to the Dolphin Den! We meet every Thursday and Friday from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. at the Wellness Center for Health and Counseling in Seton Hall.

Along with crafts, friendships have been made. Students get together to talk about their day, classes, or whatever may be going on in their lives at that moment. One of my students said “coming down here is the best part of her week because it’s so relaxing.” Life as a college student can be difficult at times and being able to join with peers in this kind of supportive environment and talk about mutual struggles is extremely helpful. Being able to provide encouragement to each other can help us develop resilience and the ability to problem solve within all areas of our lives.  

The group’s last project of the year is an activity that reflects this very process…but now paying it forward to the Le Moyne community at large. Our group has been painting and decorating rocks with motivational and inspirational messages in hopes of spreading positivity across campus. We view this as the “art” of connecting, whether it’s connecting people through an awareness of each other or just connecting them back to themselves.  

So, if you find one of these funky looking rocks, take a selfie with it and post it to the Le Moyne College Wellness Center Facebook page or Twitter account. If you do, you’ll be eligible to win some fun prizes—so get those selfies to us by tomorrow, April 28!  

And if you want, replace the rock so someone else may be inspired. Sometimes, finding just the right message of inspiration at just the right time might change everything!