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

The Christmas Magazine UK features our Shine Bright Fairy Lights and Chalk It Up Place Markers

The Christmas Magazine in the UK have done such a fantastic job featuring 2 of our Craft It Up Around The World Christmas projects in their 2015 edition! 

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.

Our beautiful wreath on the contents page of The Green Parent magazine in the UK

Stoked that one of my favourite projects from the book is featured on the contents page of The Green Parent magazine in the UK. This is such a simple but pretty project. And a hot glue gun speeds things up a treat if you're into instant craft gratification. Like me.

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.

Simple no-sew bunting

We made this paper bunting for a magazine shoot. We wanted whimsical and pretty with a vintage feel. We've added some glamour with silver paper circles and pops of colour with the turquoise glittery tape. It looked so lovely hanging from the trees, but it looks equally lovely hanging on the wall. This bunting is so light that you can hang it on the wall with washi tape, so it's perfect if you're renting or if you don't want hundreds of holes in your walls!

We went for a random pattern because that's just the way we roll. We haven't included numbers or measurements because you can just carry on punching circles until you get the length you need or your paper runs out! If you're hanging the bunting outside, allow a metre of twine at each end to tie around the tree branches. 

    

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!

Gracie's washi tape window canvas

Today's project is a collaboration with my awesome teenage daughter. We managed to use materials we had around the studio, so it turned out to be a great holiday activity! The gold sparkle panel really adds something special. Be sure to press your washi tape down firmly to stop paint from creeping underneath it.

'An apple for the teacher' note cards.

How often do you need to grab a little note card for an occasion but don't want to shell out big bucks for a greeting card? We've just printed up a pile of these apple cards for next to nothing. They'd be super sweet for your favourite teacher (and we just happen to have THE best teachers in the world!) but they'd work for every other occasion too! 

If you don't have an ink pad, you can use acrylic or poster paint. You might just lose some of the detail with a thicker paint.

Craft It Up Around The World: Christmas

Unbelievably excited today to bring you news of our beautiful Christmas craft book! Called Craft It Up Around The World: Christmas, it is already available online for pre-order!

How awesome is that! Release date is August.

We had so much fun making the book and we think you're going to love it! Christmas is such a special time and what could be lovelier than making heirloom crafts with your family?

This is what Amazon say about the book...

'Bring Christmas from around the world into your home with these beautiful treasures. Ice-skating in New York? Gazing at starry nights in India? Jingling bells around your wrist as they do in Cuba? Let your imagination take flight, and join in a whole host of celebratory traditions from around the globe by making beautiful treasures, either as keepsakes or gifts. Libby Abadee and Cath Armstrong, both keen travellers, have discovered Christmas traditions from around the world and cleverly adapted them into 35 accessible craft projects, complete with fun facts about each country. Not only will you love making a gorgeous Ice Queen, you will learn when and why the ice rink was installed at Christmas time at New York's Rockefeller Centre. From composing a Uruguayan crib scene to making a Japanese origami gift box, you can indulge your creative ability while learning about how things are done in other countries. Follow the simple step-by-step instructions and clear photographs to achieve delightful results. Christmas is a time of giving and spreading joy among friends and family, and this book presents a magical and inspirational way to help you do just that.'

Revisiting Craft It Up Around The World and an exciting trip!

We've been busy in the office trying to catalogue projects in preparation for a super exciting business trip we're taking to England in the coming weeks. Maybe we'll see the Changing of the Guards and be able to wave our 'One is Amused' Royal Family Wooden Spoon Puppets!

 

At the end of the trip we're hopping over to say 'bonjour!' to Paris, which has to be one of our most favourite cities in the world! Can't wait to stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower and look down at Paris below!

 

Our beautiful book is available from all good retailers and online.

 

http://www.bookdepository.com/Craft-it-Up-Around-World-Libby-Abadee/9781782490388

 

 

Keep your eye out for a super quick travel project coming soon!