Review: http://www.allfreekidscrafts.com

Craft It Up: Christmas Around the World Review

    

      

Craft It Up: Christmas Around the World Review
Gifted by: Cico Kidz
Reviewed by Christina Hammond, Editor of AllFreeKidsCrafts.com

Christmas traditions around the world vary widely, yet all are just as magical as the last. Whether it's wearing bells around your wrist in Cuba, star gazing in India, or dancing with the Rockettes in New York City, there are many wonderful Christmas traditional around the world. In Craft It Up: Christmas Around the World, authors Libby Arabee and Cath Armstrong have gathered 35 fun crafts projects inspired by their travels around the world.  

You'll love this book; not only is it filled with wonderful Christmas crafts for the kids to make, but the authors have also given us plenty of fun facts about holiday traditions around the world.  Kids and adults are sure to learn something new while making some fun worldly Christmas crafts.  For example, not only will you have fun making a clothespin pom pom angel, you will also learn about Austria's tradition of the “Christkind,” the traditional Christmas gift-giver. And because the book is categorized by region, you can have the kids work their way around the globe. What a fun way to learn about the Christmas traditions around the world while having a blast with your family!

While the projects vary in skill level and use a variety of techniques, each project is beautifully photographed and includes simple step-by-step instructions, helping your little ones achieve delightful results. There are even some delicious treats to make, which are sure to get the kids excited to help in the kitchen. Get the kids involved and let their imaginations run wild as they make some magical and inspirational treasures. All of the projects in this festive book will make fantastic keepsakes or gifts for loved ones. 

No matter what projects you decide to make from this creative collection, everyone is sure to have a blast unleashing their creative abilities and learning about how things are done around the world. Kids will be proud to see their handiwork spreading happiness and the Christmas spirit. Craft It Up: Christmas Around the World is sure to be a holiday book you reach for again and again.

Read more at http://www.allfreekidscrafts.com/Book-Reviews/Craft-It-Up-Christmas-Around-the-World-Review#2cS1gzx3UawWWg3C.99

Reloved Magazine in the UK features 3 of our Christmas book projects!

It's so lovely seeing our projects in magazines. We're so pleased that Reloved magazine in the UK chose our Glacial Lace Hangings, Stacked Christmas Trees and Bondi Beach baubles.

Review: http://craftymomsshare.blogspot.com.au

Monday, November 17, 2014

Craft It Up! Chirstmas Around the World -- Book Review

Disclosure: Ryland, Peters and Small gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. They also sent me a copy to giveaway! As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation. 

Today I am going to share with you a fun Christmas craft book that helps teach a little bit about various countries around the world. In August of 2013, I had the pleasure of reviewing Craft It Up Around the World. Now the same authors, Libby Abadee and Cath Armstrong have a second book published, Craft It Up Christmas Around the World. 

This book is divided into three chapters: The Americas, Europe and Asia, Africa and Oceania. With countries in each area of the world a Christmas craft is shared as well as some information about Christmas in the country. Now I went through the book and marked crafts I thought Hazel and I would enjoy doing together and find easy enough for her to do somewhat by herself. I used green stickies and then I gave her the book and some orange stickies and asked her to mark the crafts she wanted to do. She marked all of them. She even marked the chapter pages and some of the second/third pages of instructions for the same crafts. I then asked her to mark her top three crafts by putting an extra sticky on those pages. I had trouble finding them because our book looks like this:

Before she started marking, we did one craft however. I knew she would love the Rockefeller Ice Queens craft from the United States. We have not added the threads to any of the ornaments we made yet (I have been lazy). 

The craft is an easy one. A template for the skater is provided. I copied it onto cardstock and then we cut them out. The skirts are doilies and then the beads add some decoration. Hazel talked about drawing on faces, but never did. The fun fact was about the opening of the ice rink in Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Our second craft was the "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" Snowflakes representing Argentina. We had fun searching through the beads for clear and white ones and added some silver sparkles as well. Hazel grew bored of beading hers, but I noticed her working on it this morning again. I am thinking we will hang them for her Frozen themed birthday party this year!

Hazel hard at work

 Hazel had fun coming up with patterns for each branch. I love watching her make her patterns like she does in school. The tidbit relating this craft to Argentina is that with the European influence in Argentina, they decorate their trees with cotton and such to represent snow.

The third craft (and last one we finished so far) is the Sweetness and Light Centerpiece representing Colombia. I was a little surprised that Hazel wanted to do this one as one of her top three. We changed it a bit. I knew Steve would not like us using a real candle with felt around it and Hazel can turn on and off the battery operated ones, so we used a white batter operated one. We also did not have purple-red felt, so we used purple felt. We also did not sew the line on the leaves since I could not find my green floss. 

 Since we did not use a real candle we also used a paper plate as our bottom instead of a cork circle. As a result we had to add a flower. Hazel had fun cutting the fringe for the fringe flowers while I cut the other pieces and did the hot gluing. She is so proud of this craft and has been telling everyone about it. The candle related to Colombia since the official Christmas season starts in Colombia with the Day of the Candles--December 7th. 

 We also started her third favorite which is "Make a Scene" Terrarium representing the Czech Republic. Since it is a more detailed craft that is going to involve more from me, we did not get very far. We made the snowman for her terrarium so far. Next we will make the skater and then find the right jar to put it all in. The connection to the Czech Republic is that ice skating is very popular there at Christmas time. 

I have to recommend this book for anyone who likes fun crafts and especially Christmas crafts. We have had so much fun making the few crafts we have already done, and I know we will be making more from it. Although I do not feel like it shares as much information about the countries as the first one, I do like the Fun Facts they do share. It gives just a tidbit of the information, but that is always enough to spark interest and perhaps do a bit more research to learn more about each country. Many of the craft ideas are new and fresh and not what I see everywhere. As you can tell from how our book looks, we will be working on more of their ideas over the next month and a half.

Tiny Table Top Tree

This Tiny Table Top Tree was one of the biggest Christmas hits of last year. Start collecting pinecones now and you could have these sweet Christmas trees running down the centre of your Christmas table. For sparkle, dip the edges in glitter, or use some silver thread for tinsel.

Craft It Up Christmas available now!

Our beautiful book Craft It Up Christmas Around The World is available now online and from all good bookstores.

This would be a fantastic addition to a pre-Christmas craft party. Just add wine...or milk and cookies!

I can see it rolled up in a stocking too. So maybe tip off Santa now? Or play Santa and buy it for all your pals!

Craft It Up Around The World and Craft It Up Christmas Around The World by Abadee and Armstrong are available from all good bookstores, online and also from our publisher.

http://www.rylandpeters.com/ourshop/craft/craft-it-up-christmas-around-the-world

http://www.rylandpeters.com/ourshop/craft-it-up-around-the-world

Reader craft: Estonia. Stack It Up Christmas Trees

I love it when readers send in photos of the craft they have done from the books! It's especially exciting when it's from the new book. These button trees were made by 2 lovely boys in England. Love your work boys!

Love this post from our publishers CICO books!

Posted on August 16, 2013

School's Out!

Week four of the school holidays and time might be starting to drag, as it seems a different source of entertainment needs to be plucked from thin air with each passing day!  Here at RPS and CICO books we have ideas galore to get you and the kids through the last two weeks of the holidays!

A Perfect Day For a Picnic

How does a teddy bear picnic sound? Or a seaside snack? Take advantage of the gorgeous weather with a picnic of home-made sausage and squished tomato rolls. Turn the preparation itself into an activity by encouraging your children to join in, or whip up a feast and invite all your family and friends. Just don’t forget to invite Teddy!


Craft It Up Around the World

If you’re stuck inside during the holidays, try making these wonderful butterfly fridge magnets – or even if it’s still sunny, make them out in the garden and pop them on the fridge to keep the essence of summer alive all year round!

You will need:

• Florists’ wire
• 2 wooden dolly clothespins
• Glue
• Acrylic paints of your color choice
• Paintbrush
• Black permanent marker
• Coffee filter papers (large and small)
• Paper towel
• Food coloring
• Magnet

1. Cut a length of florists’ wire in half and wrap it once around the neck of a dolly clothespin. Twist it, and secure it with a small dab of glue to the back of the clothespin.



2. Paint your clothespins. Be sure to paint in between the clothespin legs because the bottom part will remain visible. Allow the paint to dry and then, using a permanent black pen, mark in facial details such as eyes and mouth.



3. Use an extra dolly clothespin to curl the florists’ wire you have attached to the first two clothespins to make butterfly antenna shapes.



4. Take two coffee filters and on one draw a large wing and on the other draw a smaller wing of the same design. Cut them out leaving the bottom join of the coffee filter paper intact.



5. Put your filter papers on the paper towel and place drops of food coloring onto the opened papers. Keep the design symmetrical by doing the same to both sides. Repeat the process for your smaller butterfly wings.



6. When the colored papers are dry, place the wings together and push them up between the clothespin legs. Glue a magnet on the back of the clothespin.



You can find the original post here:

http://www.rylandpeters.com/US/blog/schools-out/

Happy Thursday!

We're celebrating our gorgeous book Craft It Up Around The World today! It's in the top 100 Crafts for Children books on Amazon in the US and the UK!

You can buy a copy from our publishers:

http://www.rylandpeters.com/ourshop/craft/craft-it-up-around-the-world

Book review from www.mummyslittlestars.com

The awesome Fiona from http://mummyslittlestars.com/ has written us a great review! '

 

We love hearing what you've been trying out from our book and Fiona's daughter Miss M has done a brilliant job with our 'Three (Salt Dough) Coins in the Fountain'. We love that she's linked it to stories of her travels and a little educational maths play too!

 

And what's not to love about a rainbow craft project!

 

Thank you Fiona and Miss M and we hope you continue to enjoy the book and the projects on the blog!

 

Craft It Up Around the World – Fun Travel Inspired Craft ideas – Book Review

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Mummy's Little Stars    

With Miss M being a huge fan of anything craft related, we were really pleased to receive the new Craft It Up – Around the World book by Cico Books.  The chapters are broken down into continents with themed craft ideas for a selection of countries within each continent.  Each craft is beautifully illustrated over a couple of pages in a high quality book.
With Miss M having just finished her foundation year in school, one of the major topics she covered in the final term was different countries and cultures around the world.  This book gave us lots of talking points and ideas which not only broadened her crafting skills but helped build her knowledge of the world and different countries.
We had a look through and were inspired by many ideas – we have a constantly growing list of ideas that Miss is keen to try from the Greek Paper Crown Wreath, to the Snowman from Finland and the Austrian Paper Dolly Choir.

The idea that Miss M most wanted to try first was the Coins in the Fountain, an idea inspired by the Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy.  This was quite close to my heart as I had visiting here with daddy before the children were born, so I dug out some pictures and we had a little talk about Rome and Italy and some of the famous sites you can see there.

The idea of this craft is to make Salt Dough (using just salt/flour/oil – all of which we had in the house) and then cutting out some coin shapes to represent the coins that you would normally throw into the Trevi Fountain.  These are then painted and can be used for any sort of imaginative play or for number work – a key thing for Miss M right now as she is learning the basics of addition and subtraction.

First of all we mixed the ingredients to make the dough, then rolled it out before using a cutter to make the coin shapes.  We then used the blunt end of a small paintbrush to create holes and number designs across the coins.  Once completed these were baked in the oven until hard.  Miss M absolutely loved doing this and was totally enthusiastic eager to be involved at every stage.  She did let me help with the numbers but did instruct me what number to put on each coin!

Once the salt dough was baked and cooled we then had the exciting part of painting it.  Miss M decided that she wanted rainbow coloured coins so set to work painting her designs.

Once they were finished and dry, I have to admit that they did seem quite impressive.  Miss M had spent a whole day crafting to create them.  They are quite strong and should last with reasonable play.  Miss M intends on using hers for maths and adding up the numbers on the coins.  She has also laid them all out across the floor to make number lines in order and the five times table.

I love these salt dough coins.  I have never tried salt dough before but am impressed with how easy it was to form a dough, and think that it’s a great idea to bake it to create permanent artwork.  Our coins are brightly coloured and Miss M loves using them to practice her numbers and simple maths.  A great craft that I’d never have done without the inspiration from the book, and salt dough is definitely something you can use to make other crafty pieces.

The book Craft It Up – Around the World is full of inspiration from around the world of things to make that your children will love.  We have a list of things to make next and love that there’s an educational aspect too.  With each new project, is a new country, bringing new topics for Miss M to think about and she is always full of questions about the topic we are covering.  We’ve love the Craft Around the World book from Cico Books and it will continue to inspire us for many further months.

All reviews are my own and my family’s opinions. We are not paid for reviews although we do receive the product to try out and enable us to write the review.

Three cheeky peeks to brighten your Monday!

 Canada: 'The Mounties Always Get Their (Gingerbread) Man'

 Brazil: A Flutter of Colour

 United States of America: 'Stick With Me' Magnet Pencil Tin

We're so proud of our book that we want to show you how gorgeous each page is! Here are 3 projects from Chapter 1, The Americas and Antarctic, to inspire your week!

Book release day in Australia!

We shared our book release with some wonderful friends at the fabulous Prints Charming Studio in Annandale. (Thanks Cath!)

To check out the wonderful courses run by Prints Charming (we were on the screen printing course) visit their website:

http://www.printscharming.typepad.com/

To see the range of extraordinary cakes at Buttercreme Lane (thanks Danni!), hop on over to:

http://buttercremelane.com.au/