Keep occupied with these classes, puzzles and at-home projects

While face masks can be bought from chemists, hardware stores and some additional retailers, it's also pretty easy to make your own version at home. Don't worry if picking up a needle and thread gives you conniptions; we've rounded up four ways to make a mask that require absolutely no sewing at all. Better yet, these masks can all be made from objects you've probably already got lying around at home.

With many of us spending more time just pottering around the house, there’s never been a better time to try your hand at being a literal potter. A bunch of ceramics studios have adapted their businesses so you can get busy moulding your own mugs, vases and assorted sculptural vessels at home.

If you haven’t picked up a paint brush since a high school art class, a blank canvas sitting before you can be a bit of an overwhelming prospect. Thankfully, ‘sip and paint’ studios are now offering at-home options so you can have an instructor on hand to guide your creative spark (it’s just up to you to keep your wine glass topped up). 

ClassBento has a plethora of classes you can choose from: make a quarantine coffee scrub, scent some soy candles, dabble in Turkish mosaic, and, if you're feeling like getting into the festive spirit, learn how to felt an Easter bunny (not a chocolate one). It's fun, communal, and a chance to allow your hands to weave some artisanal magic in your own home. 

See that lemon sitting on the countertop, the afternoon light striking its skin just so? That's a still-life waiting to happen – if you've got the photography skills for it. The Australian Centre for Photography (ACP) is the latest to pivot to offering online classes while we're all indoors for the time being. 

People who were previously ridiculed for making sourdough in their spare time are now used as troubleshooting resources for people who previously thought they were too good to play with flour. Time Out's resident bread nerd, Jess Ho, graciously shares the 13 reasons why your sourdough isn't working.

Some people are just born green-thumbed; they know exactly how to make their flora thrive. Then, there are those among us who are less successful when it comes to taking care of leafy chums. If you’re a disaster-prone plant lover, a delivery service might just have a solution for you.

Being self-sufficient is a brilliant step in the right direction for sustainability and filling in all those extra hours in the day. But it is even hard for the most advanced gardener to achieve. Growing your own food is not as easy as throwing a few seeds into a pot and feasting in a fortnight.

A cluster puzzle is a puzzle that uses Escher-like tessellations instead of typical jigsaw-type puzzle pieces. They're usually quite pricey, made from wood and often not found in Australia. 

 

 

Interested? You can preorder it on Booktopia here.

Too hard? You can also snag this 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle of Melbourne.

Time Out’s Love Local campaign is supporting local food, drink and culture businesses in Melbourne. Find out how you can help save the places that make our city great.

Personalised pet content is the hot thing right now (take these personalised pet face masks, for instance). So we’re leaning in, and we thought you’d like to know you can get a personalised puzzle with a photo of your pet via this Australian website.