The maker movement is all about creating things from scratch. Whether it’s food, fashion or a craft project, making is often cheaper, healthier and better tasting than buying ready-made products. From artisan bread to homemade pasta to your own ice cream or skincare, it’s possible to make many items that are sold in stores from simple ingredients. The key is finding the right recipes, tools and techniques for each type of project.

Using a mix of pipe cleaners, hot glue and little pom poms to decorate a candy cane into a reindeer is a fun craft for kids or adults that makes a festive Christmas decoration. It’s also a great way to recycle old candy canes you might have lying around the house, and could be made into a garland or tied onto the top of a gift.

Cooking from scratch is one of the easiest things to do, and making your own pasta or a batch of homemade tortillas will not only save money but can be far healthier for you than store-bought versions. Adding your own flair to the dish will also improve its flavor and texture. It is not difficult to learn how to make your own pasta or tortillas, and there are many recipes online that can help you get started.

For a more nutritious treat, it’s easy to make your own ricotta cheese. All you need is milk and something to separate the curds from the whey. Kitchn has a simple recipe that uses just a colander lined with a clean tea towel, and the finished product is much more cost effective than buying packaged ricotta.

Alternatively, you can use a glass bottle and some tissue paper to make a fun bubbling activity for kids or adults that’s a good way to reuse plastic bottles that would otherwise be trashed. You can also decoupage the bottle with Mod Podge or paint it and add hearts, circles or other decorations to it to make it look more festive.

Crafts, art and other creative activities are known to stimulate the brain in many ways. In addition to the satisfaction of creation, they can also boost self-esteem and reduce anxiety and depression. They can also aid in memory, especially drawing which taps into different modalities of memory (visual, kinesthetic and semantic) than other forms of memorizing.

So, the next time you are feeling down or just want to make something, try to think outside the box and get your hands dirty with some making. You may be surprised at how enjoyable it is, and the difference that a handmade product can make in your life. The best thing about making is that you can do it with almost any material you have lying around the house. Below is a list of ideas organized by material that you can click through to find more specific suggestions. If you’re inspired to start your own DIY project, let us know about it in the comments.