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Cute & Easy Crafts for Kids

Craft Books – Eco Friendly Crafting & Teeny Tiny Crochet

Eco-friendly Crafting with KidsEco Friendly Crafting with Kids, Kate Lilley for MiniEco

Well! I am SOOOO excited to hold this wonderful book by Kate from MiniEco in my hands! I have long been a fan of Kate’s website MiniEco – she has great crafts, wonderfully executed and beautifully photographed –  a fabulous combination for any craft blog. Not surprisingly she is hugely popular on pinterest AND has just brought out her very first craft book for kids.

Another of my much favoured Ryland Peters & Small books, this book really pleased me on all levels. Kate chose a wonderful selection  of what I would call “core childhood crafts” – not only are they what every child should make at some point, but they are eco friendly too (a topic close to my heart). She proves that “eco”, does not have to be  boring or ugly. But that it is just as beautiful as anything else. So. Not only do you find the childhood classics (such as homemade playdough, writing with lemon and colouring flowers), but you get treated to what I call MiniEco specials – simple crafts beautifully designed for you to enjoy at home – for example a fabulous cardboard castle, jumping paper beans, a packman mobile or lovely shadow puppets. I really don’t want to sit here and list all the crafts (there would be no surprise for you then). But they really are lovely – and there is always a fantastic Kate twist to them (Kate – I love how you presented the homemade water colours and I will SO be doing them with my kids. Red Ted will love it!). They all look great and make me want to have a go straight away. I have already bookmarked at least 3 of them…

You know what is even better? You get to win your very own copy!!!
All you have to do, is visit MiniEco’s Tutorial page, have a look around and tell me which craft you would have a go at first!

  • Come back, tell me all about it in the comments and you could WIN!
  • Open to the US and UK only (sorry everyone else 🙁 )
  • Closes 1 May 2012. Winner will be selected at random.

 

Teeny Tiny CrochetTeeny Tiny Crochet, by Catherin Hirst

As some of you may know, I am a crochet beginner. Well, I taught myself to crochet probably about 18 months ago and the key to things like crochet and knitting is to keep doing it, so you don’t forget how! So, I do love any new crafty books relating to crochet. And what better than “teeny tiny” crochets? Though smaller projects can be fiddly – you need to increase and decrease loops etc – it is a fantastic way to find your crochet confidence – as you learn quickly AND you get the benefits of the craft quicker – i.e. you can make something in 10 or 20 or 30 minutes, rather than say an “easy” blanket, which can be repetitive and boring and can take hours to make!

I need to get myself a 1.4 and 1.5mm hook so that I can get started.

In the meantime, believe it or not, the book has inspired me to get crafty and I made a whole FIMO tea set for Pip Squeak’s dolls house. The sign of a good craft book for me.. is when you go off and make something. And this book did! Now to get some hooks.

In the meantime, I would love to leave you with this adorable video by the author.

Comments

  2. Kelly says

    I actually used the shadow puppet tutorial last week with my 4 year old. Great fun for parents and kids! So my next venture would have to be the magnetic fishing game.

    Reply

  3. Leoni says

    I already made some cute mini paper crackers at christmas but I would like to make the recycled crayons, they’re cool 🙂

    Reply

  4. Anna says

    i am going to make the sewing cards today for my 4 year old. So cute, and she has been wanting to join in lately!

    Reply

  5. pam barker says

    Sidewalk chalk is the first craft Presley and I would . Its warm out and we love to draw with sidewalk chalk all over the sidewalk and porch and have drawing contest!! We love to go to our park and me and my 3 kids draw in big areas inspritial things for people to see and read!

    Reply

  9. Mari valleau says

    I’m a homeschool mom and a nanny, any of the projects on the mini Eco site. But hoot hoot is the one that draws me personally.

    Reply

  11. Karla says

    I follow mini eco already and would love to win the ebook! I’ve done several projects, but want to do the sewn paper garland one of these days.

    Reply

  13. Chelle says

    Recycled crayons have been on my pinterest board forever. So that would be first, but I reckon the natural dyes playdough will be a winner too. And the sewing card… To be honest… all of them. I can’t really choose!

    Reply

  15. Tracy Nixon says

    I would want to try them all! I love creating!!! I would choose to look at the Macrame Owl tutorial first though as it look like a little challenge and I love challenges!

    Reply

  16. Rachel Ray says

    Wow! What an amazing website! I’d probably try magic potion #2 first. I can imagine my 3 years olds reaction…we’d be repeating that experiment a lot!

    Reply

  19. Geri Johnson says

    Hi! I already love the Minieco site also & have pinned many of her ideas for future use. My 3 year old grandson enjoys doing “crafty things” with me & I’ve been looking at her fishing idea called “here fishy fishy”. It’s so bright & colorful and my grandson loves anything to do with water play so he’s sure to love this. Now that Texas is enjoying a few spring like days before the oppressive heat and humidity of summer kicks in, it would be a perfect time to try this one!

    Reply

  23. Carrie says

    I’ve just seen the pencil crayon jewellery, fantastic idea I’ll be trying that on the next day of April showers (Nothing showery about it, our rain’s aways in for the day)

    Reply

  31. Jennifer E. says

    Balloon bongo, rice shaker & güiro! My daughter loves instruments. She would have so much fun making some of her own.

    Reply

  38. byrney says

    I actually found mini Eco not long ago for the 3d shapes (paper gems) I’ve not got around to them yet so they’ll have to stay top of my list, but there are lots of others I love too…

    Reply

  40. Eilidh says

    Hello, thank you for the giveaway and for your great blog. I’ve already made the string tie envelopes and have pinned lots of other things. I love the look and feel of all Kate’s projects and have her book on my wish list to buy when I go back to work.

    Reply

  41. Anna says

    I love MiniEco and am so excited to get this book… I would be even more excited to win it! I have long been a fan of this blog and have tried lots of the tutorials on her list with my daughter and some of the children I care for… We have tried, the Tin Can Drums, we printed out the Lace Up Cards, made our own Fishy Game, Dyed Playdough, and made Shadow Puppets.
    I’ve had those string-tie envelopes on my list for quite some time, I think it’s time to check them off the “to do” and add them to the “have done.”

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply

  47. Nancy says

    I have a 2yo boy and another little one on the way so a fantastic resource like this one to have on hand would be fantastic. I’ve been wanting to make the fishy fish game for my little boy, a version that he can play during bath time. Thanks so much for the chance to win.

    Reply

  48. Emma Jackson says

    The recycled crayons look great so I’d go for them but I’ve got lots more ideas bookmarked to try from there. thanks 🙂

    Reply

  49. Jodie says

    I would love to try the Bird Feeder , think my chidren would really enjoy the after effects! months of fun!

    Reply

  58. Helen Aiken says

    I think perhaps we’d try hama bead weaving as my daughter loves making things with hama beads, but so many to choose from – Also love the look of the Paper Diamonds, Paper Gems and crackers.

    Reply

  59. Andrea says

    Galaxy Crayons look great, I have tried making recycled crayons but not with glitter in I will have to give it a go
    @UptonAndrea

    Reply

  63. Grace M says

    I really LOVE the pop-up cards – we have just made heart pop-ups for Nana – and we have a whole two months of birthdays for big and little boys so the new Space Invaders template is a winner for us!
    I just found MiniEco yesterday and the book looks like a must-have for the summer holidays!
    Good luck everyone and thanks for the chance to enter!
    Gxx

    Reply

  64. Paul Witney says

    Wow – so many to choose from. I am sure my daughters will love to have a go at the Pixelated pop up heart.

    Reply

  67. Anne Peyton says

    My grandson would love to make the easter garland. He loves miffy and never goes to sleep without her? 🙂

    Reply

  68. Kate Bristow says

    I love the 12 point origami star. Have bookmarked though as there’s quite a few I like the look of 🙂

    Reply

  71. Ceril Roberts says

    I love the idea of recycled crayons but also writing with lemons. I am hopeless at coming up with ideas of what to do craft wise andthis book sounds amazing!

    Reply

  73. Helen Aiken says

    I’d probably try either the paper diamonds or paper gems first with my daughter, though loads of them look really good and I’m sure she’d love to try them all.

    Reply

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