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'Diamond painting' is becoming everyone's go-to quarantine craft

It's like "paint by numbers" — with extra sparkle!
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If you find yourself in need of a creative outlet or a way to keep your mind occupied, it might be time to fill your days with arts and crafts projects. And if you've taken a look through your Facebook and Instagram feeds lately, you may have noticed your friends and family working on some sparkling works of art that consist of tiny glimmering gems. The trend is called "diamond painting," and it's becoming more popular than ever.

So what exactly is diamond painting? It's essentially an upgraded version of "paint by numbers." Each set comes with a canvas covered in numbers and letters, as well as tiny gemstones that correspond to those numbers and letters. To create your own diamond painting, you simply use the included applicator tool and apply each gemstone to the canvas.

Once you're done, you're left with a shimmering, textured work of art to display.

Topwoozu Dandelions Diamond Painting Kit

Searches for "diamond painting kits" have surged by 90% in the last month, and online retailer Zulily says it's seen a huge increase in interest from customers.

"This is a great example of a meditative project," Zulily's brand program manager and trend expert Savannah Scofield told Shop TODAY. "Once you're done, I always really find it fulfilling to hang that artwork on the wall. It brings some texture to your art as well."

If you're looking to get crafty, but want a little guidance in the process, diamond painting might just be the project you're looking for. Zulily has a bunch of kits on sale right now, and we've rounded up a few others that might be worth taking a look at.

Bestselling diamond painting kits

1. Diamond Painting Beach By Numbers Kit

This one currently has rave reviews from Amazon customers, with one customer calling it a "great introduction to diamond art."

2. DiamondByZiping Diamond Painting Kit

This Etsy bestseller comes in a variety of sizes, so you can make your work of art as little or as big as you'd like. You can also choose between square or round diamonds.

3. Wizardi Blue Village Lake Afternoon Diamond Painting Kit

Traveling may be out of the question right now, but this dreamy kit might just help you feel like you've taken a vacation to a peaceful lakeside village. The kit comes with all the tools you'll need to get started.

4. Wizardi Green Rainbow Butterfly Diamond Painting Kit

If you need a dose of color in your life, this vibrant butterfly artwork will definitely do the trick.

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