Tag Archives: craft books

The Lost Art of Towel Origami – Alison Jenkins

When my husband I went to Mexico last fall, I was charmed by the view, the ocean, and the towels. Every day our towels were twisted and folded into different creatures. I’d never seen anyone do that with a towel before. I found it very whimsical and fun. Last week I spotted The Lost Art of Towel Origami in the bookstore. This book by Alison Jenkins gives instructions for all sorts of fun folded towel projects: fans, windmills, sky scrapers, palm trees, lotus flowers, hearts, lady bugs, angel fish, a birthday cake, a gift basket, a lady bug, a monkey, … Continue reading →

Snowball Launchers, Giant-Pumpkin Growers, and Other Cool Contraptions – Tom Fox

Snowball Launchers, Giant-Pumpkin Growers and Other Cool Contraptions by Tom Fox really does have cool contraptions. Yet I hesitate to show the book to my children. Most of these are not instant projects. Most of them would require a trip to the hardware and maybe the electrical parts store. I do think they would they would be worth the effort. These projects are just the types of things to capture the imagination. There are directions for creating a secret drawer lock that can only be opened by passing a 9 volt battery in front of it! Another project is building … Continue reading →

Plush-O-Rama by Linda Kopp

Well I must be immature because I find Plush-o-rama: Curious Creatures for Immature Adults hysterical and completely charming. The book includes projects for monsters, creatures with tentacles and third eyes, star shapes, cushions with teeth, octopus, gremlins, a cross between a pig and a duck, a “catzilla” and a bipolar cloud. Apparently monster plushes are a growing trend. You can find then in art shops and even in museums. I love the creative aspects of these projects. They are truly one of a kind creatures. Each project has an example creature with their own name and background stories and personality. … Continue reading →

Country Living Merry & Bright: 301 Festive Ideas for Celebrating Christmas

I love to look through decorating and craft books, especially at this time of year. I had a marvelous time browsing through Country Living Merry and Bright: 301 Festive Ideas for Celebrating Christmas. The 301 ideas for transforming a home into a holiday setting are shown in full color photos and are fully described. The book is grouped into decorating projects, entertaining and tabletop decorating, craft projects, and holiday baking. The decorating chapters show all kinds of fun ways to use ornaments in unexpected ways – as tiebacks for curtains and as centerpieces. They even have unique ideas for ornaments … Continue reading →

Crafts For Little Kids – Better Homes and Gardens

In my fourteen years as a mother, I’ve browsed through a lot of craft books. It’s rare that I find one with what I consider to be unique ideas. Crafts For Little Kids: (101 really, really, really fun ideas!) from Better Homes and Gardens has some great and unique ideas for bringing out small children’s’ creative sides. The projects are aimed for kids aged three to eight. But some of the projects are so clever that I think even adult crafters would find them interesting. I love the Valentine cards made out of air-dry clay with embedded beads and jewels. … Continue reading →

Shapes, Sizes & More Suprises – Mary Tomczyk

Looking for something to keep preschoolers busy? Shapes, Sizes & More Surprises by Mary Tomczyk is one of my favorite craft and art books for preschoolers. Each of the more than sixty projects comes with directions and a list of needed supplies. Most of the activities only require basic household items. The activities are educational. Preschoolers will learn about numbers, letters, shapes, and colors but in a fun, exploring kind of way. The activities also include any safety concerns and precautions the adult needs to be aware of. My favorite part of the projects are the “More Surprises” sections where … Continue reading →