I first started seeing diamond painting everywhere a few years ago. I purchased a Christmas themed diamond painting from a local craft store with the intent to complete it with my kids. They all enjoyed it as well, but I loved it. If you’ve ever read this blog, you know how much I love reading. My favorite thing to do lately is to connect my headphones to a good audiobook and sit down with a diamond painting. Right now I’ve got a 65 hour audiobook I’ve checked out from the public library (Texas, by James Michener)
I’m not sure what it is about diamond painting that is so captivating, but it is. The diamond painting subreddit – r/diamondpainting – has over 175,000 subscribers. I sometimes scroll this subreddit for what seems like hours.
What seems like a child’s craft is captivating to almopst all of the adults who try it. The simple repetition of matching the little plastic “diamonds” to the adhesive covering the paint-by-number style guidelines is relaxing. Combine that with the beauty of the little shiny reflectors, and you’ve got a hobby.
I can’t wait for baseball season to start, so I can listen to games and diamond paint. As a child, I would watch as my dad would tinker out in the garage while listening to the Astros on the radio. and I’ve loved listening to games while I keep my hands busy with something else ever since.
Popular Hobby
Since I’ve started diamond painting, I’ve come across so many people who enjoy the hobby, as well. For a relatively young product – I think it goes back less than ten years, at least in the United States, it’s had an almost universal reach. Twelve years ago, the idea was invented and patented by a Chinese company. Now, the internet is flooded with diamond painting shops.
Adhesive doesn’t last forever, and without sealing the diamond painting you risk pieces falling off over time. I went to Amazon and found the sealant with the most five-star reviews. If you need some, click this link or the ad below.
Where to buy
There are many websites that sell diamond paintings. Most websites also sell personalized versions, where you can turn a picture of yourself, your pet, or your favorite work of art into a diamond painting. I’ve found most individual websites and craft stores to be significantly more expensive than Amazon. I recently bought a pack of 9 (pictured below) for less than $30. They’re all 12×12 so they can be framed and hung up around the house.
Finished Products
Here are the two I’ve finished in the last three months. I hope you enjoy diamond painting as much as I do. Leave me a link to your diamond painting photos in the comments below. I’d love to see them!
I can’t wait to finish the (cough ten cough) diamond painting kits I have already purchased! I’ll share them when I do.
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