crafters delight

Let me just start off by saying that I am completely in LOVE with the newest book I am reviewing from Blogging for Books!

If you and your children love crafts, this is the book for you!  Paper Goods Projects by Jodi Levine is the ultimate fun craft heaven.

This book covers everything from toddler crafts that are super adorable to older children crafts that are cute enough to give away as gifts.

The first line of the Forward section had me hooked. "The first rule of crafting is Don't Drop the Glitter" If your husbands are anything like mine, spilled glitter is the end of the world. He despises glitter and any and all things that have to do with it. Of course that means I have to buy it in bulk and use it on every craft project that I do with my 4 year old daughter.

coffee filters and cupcake papers have their own section in this delightful book and you guessed it, its the first chapter! I have always wanted to try out some of the coffee filter crafts I see on pinterest but have not been brave enough. Now I have the tools to guide me through it with fool proof step by step directions. From flowers to cards and gift tags and a few things in between (I wont ruin the surprise for you) this book will have you seeking out the cutest cupcake papers in town.  I mean, who would have though mini cupcake papers would make the cutest little dollhouse accessories?

If your household is anything like mine, there is always extra paper plates left over after parties that get put up in the top of the cupboard and shoved to the back where they are forgotten about.  More are then purchased for the  next party only to have them left over and added to the hidden stash once the party is over.  Now that I have this amazing craft book, those left over hidden plates no longer have to stay stashed away. There are some amazingly adorable crafts that will use them up in no time.  When party time comes around, there is always a need for dessert stands and none to be found. Now with all of those excess paper plates laying around, you can whip a few up in no time and proudly display all of your tasty treats to be gobbled up. Team those up with some fun paper plate masks for your party guests in the designs of lions, birds, or bunnies for the boys and perhaps some tiara's for the girls and you have a complete party set up made out of left over party supplies.  Hard to go wrong with any of those ideas, especially when they come with detailed step by step directions and supply list.

Balloons...who doesn't love them? I know I do, well until they pop that is. My daughter loves to blow them up and promptly pop them and then just laugh and laugh. I am hoping that once we complete a few of the balloon crafts in this book she will no longer feel the need to do the popping stage.  Pair a few balloons up with some dyed coffee filters, straws, paper plate or construction paper and you have the cutest little clown. lion, giraffe, ballerina, birds (I am in love with the birds) or planets.  Follow that up with some cute little twisty letters to spell out words and you will be in balloon cuteness overload.

the last section of the book is "The Recycle Bin" and on my goodness are there ever some adorable crafts to make in this section. Im not sure if my husband will let me hang the sea creature mobile in our "ocean" themed bedroom but you better believe I am going to try!

The back of the book has templates for anything and everything you will need to complete the crafts in certain sections of the book with directions on what type of scissors to use and were to use them at. What percentage to enlarge what photo. Where to make a slit, what sections need to be overlapped, and where and what needs to be folded.

Jodie Levine has done an amazing job of mapping out exactly what you need to complete each craft, and step by step direction on how to create it. Jodie used to be on the staff of Martha Stewart Living magazine as a craft editor and once you get through this book you will clearly see that she was an amazing craft editor and that job suited her well.
Each craft comes with amazing photos by Amy Gropp Forbes. Each photo shows the craft in a way that makes you want to complete each one to see how cute your own will turn out.

I couldn't be happier with the selection of this book and cannot wait even more to start completing each one of these crafts with my daughter so we can both keep them as well as give them away.