Have you taken a stroll through the 745s lately? While I do enjoy cruising Pinterest for neat craft ideas, some days it's easier to step away from the computer and browse the shelves of the library. Would you like to make your own temporary tattoos? Perhaps you'd like to revisit crafts of your childhood by fusing some beads or making some bracelets. What I picked up today was Make & Give.
Authors Erin Jang and Steph Hung met while working at Martha Stewart Living. Their goal for this book is that it "will inspire you to make and give something, and make someone smile." I think that is why I recommend this book, even more than the individual projects within. While it's fun to knit a blanket or paint a picture, if you can share that creation with someone who will enjoy it, it makes it so much more fun. Also, rather than being obligated to wear/use/display something just because it was a gift, like a sweater from Grandma, this book gives you tips on how to tailor your craft to the recipient so they're sure to enjoy it.
There are a number of interesting projects I'd like to try out. "The Personal Storybook" is a board book filled with questions the young reader can fill out about themselves and their family. The fun part is the pages are dry-erase paper, so the book can be filled out a different way each time it's read. "Family Tree Embroidery" is simply a family tree made of embroidery hoops holding the embroidered outlines of various family members hands. The "Thank-You Wallet" is a step up from a homemade coupon book. You create a wallet from an envelope and fill it with thank you money and gift cards.
The only downside is purchasing some of the supplies, but I think with planning and creative substitutions, you could bring a lot of smiles to people's faces by making the projects inside. For a similar book that is more giving than crafting, check out Make & Share Random Acts of Kindness: Simple Crafts and Recipes to Give and Spread Joy.