12 Craft & Event Ideas for Your Next Catholic Gathering
Gather your friends, family, or Parish community to foster handmade & human connection. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Pressed Flower Decor
These make beautiful gifts! Hobby Lobby and Amazon sell pre-pressed flowers. I found these gorgeous ornaments on Amazon, but have seen similar frames at Home Goods.
A really simple craft for all to enjoy!
Decorative Wreaths
My friends loved this craft! The eucalyptus wreath is from Amazon. The florals are from Michaels and Hobby Lobby. We snipped the flowers and hot glued them to the eucalyptus wreath. Easy peasy!
Watercolors
This is such a relaxing activity! Hobby Lobby and Amazon sell tutorial books as well as watercolor “workbooks” which are great for advanced artists and beginners alike.
Mini Mary Gardens
I did this with my Parish, and it was a hit! The glass fixtures are from Amazon, florals and moss are from Dollar Tree, gravel from PetSmart. You can find the full tutorial here.
Hand Painted Jewelry Trays
My friends and I loved this craft! We found these trays in Hobby Lobby for $5 and sketched our favorite flowers onto them in pen. We used permanent acrylic paint and then used a paint brush to paint glossy Mod Podge on top of the flowers to seal them.
Welcome Mats
This craft was another winner! I grabbed Coir Mats with a pattern that could be “colored in” from Hobby Lobby. We used permanent / outdoor-use acrylic paints and then sealed them with Gorilla Spray.
Wood Chopping & Bonfire
Something for the men! With winter coming, there’s probably an excess of wood to be chopped somewhere. Gather a group of men to hang out around a bonfire, taking turns to chop wood. Bonus: Each friend gets to take some home for his fireplace!
Pumpkin Carving Party
The perfect Fall get-together. Picture this: Families. Potluck. Pumpkin Carving. Bonfire. Rosary. Grab your free Catholic Pumpkin Carving Templates here.
Handmade Swap Party
Every November, I host a swap party with friends. Each guest makes a gift and brings 1 for each guest (for example, 20 rosaries, or 20 cookie bundles, or 20 candles) We put our creations on the table, collect 1 of each gift item, and leave the party with a basket of thoughtful gifts! 10/10 recommend!
Clay Magnets
This is a great one for kids! We baked the polymer clay hearts and adhered the magnets (Dollar Tree) ahead of time using E6000 (I like the minis). Then the kids decorated with acrylic markers. Voila!
Rosary Making
Admittedly, I stink at making rosaries. But there are plenty of tutorials online if you want to create your own using beads or knots! Add some tea & cheese and you’ve got a recipe for a great Girls Night Out!
