Hoops Hooray! -- a Crafty Sundays Review

Disclosure: Leisure Arts sent me a copy of this book in return for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. The links are affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage of any purchases made through them at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

Hoop art is extremely popular these days. It is so easy and fun to do too. I don't know if you ever caught any of the ones I featured in Crafty Weekends in the past. There have definitely been some creative and beautiful ideas shared! Today I am going to share a book with tutorials to make your own hoop art. It is Hoops Hooray! by Ashley Millhouse.

Crafty Sundays -- Quilt Art Chinese Style Review and My First Attempts at Paper Quilling

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This week I have been focusing on organizing my craft room. I'm about half way there! However last night I felt a strong urge to make something. I pulled out a cheap paper quilling kit I bought awhile ago (maybe at AC Moore before it closed). The kit taught how to make three different style flowers. I decided to give it a try. Here is my first one.

Fun with Watercolor Resist -- Covid-19 Art Activity

One of my goals is to get back to doing some crafts and nonreview posts. With all the stay at home orders and trying to flatten the curve it seems like the perfect time to do these kind of posts. We are all staying at our home. Many times a day the three of us are on our separate technology (my laptop, Steve's desktop or work laptop and Hazel's iPad) or on separate phone calls. I have been working on bringing some organization to my craft room with the hope of being able to actually use it for our crafts rather than just for storage. I am also really getting rid of craft supplies that we know we won't use. Hazel has outgrown so many that we never got to. I also have been making face masks. I donated about 40 of them to local hospitals. Now I'm making them for family and friends. I keep adjusting my pattern. Let me know if you would like me to share with you what I am doing. I know there are so many tutorials out there I wasn't going to unless someone asks. I have combined several things I have seen and have worked out what I think works the best. I am also sewing buttons on 2-inch and 3-inch pieces of ribbons for the healthcare workers. Apparently some of them are having issues with the elastics bothering their ears since they have to wear them so long now. It is an easy thing to make and a great way to give back. Have you found ways to give back and support the people going to work to support us? I would love to hear them.

Hazel has one hour a day of lessons with her teacher and classmates using Google Classroom. Then she has her work to do and turn in. Her art teacher assigns a new project every week as well. The one due this week was to make two different watercolor resists. I thought it would be fun to do my own while she was doing hers and fun to share with you as an activity you can do with your kids. The teacher sent the kids videos of the two techniques and they had to make under the sea paintings using the techniques. To make all of them you need crayons and watercolors with a jar of water and various brushes as well as preferably watercolor paper (however printer paper will work). One of mine I also used salt. 

Sewing Books for National Craft Month

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in return for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. The links are affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage of any purchases made through them at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

I am continuing with my craft books reviews. Today we are focusing on sewing. I have three books that include home decor, clothes, and doll clothes. I know I have plans to do some more sewing now that I am stuck at home. We will start with home decor. 

2 New Picture Books Perfect for Women's History Month

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

How are you surviving this crazy new social distancing? School buildings here are closed until at least May 4 and now lessons are on-line for all students. It is a strange time. I have several friends who are nurses at hospitals and both have told me about the lack of face masks. Although I believe the supplies are slowly coming I decided to do my part and make some face masks. Now we all know that homemade face masks will not stop COVID-19 like the N-95 face masks that the hospitals desperately need, but they will help protect some and certainly can be used in other parts of the hospitals. I pulled out the fabric scraps from past quilts and ones my mother gave me. I did some research. I found this article and its links to be very helpful. I combined a few tutorials and had one of my nurse friends try them on so I knew which was best. I used two layers of good quality quilting cotton fabrics and a layer of either a good t-shirt or flannel. 

Finger Knitting for Kids Review

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am going to share a fun craft book for kids aged 7 to 12. It involves finger knitting. Finger knitting is a fun activity for kids. We learned about it back when we attended classes at the Waldorf School. All they need is some yarn. Today I am sharing Finger Knitting for Kids: Super Cute & Easy Things to Make by Eriko Teranishi. 

It's Raining Cat and Dog Books

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Well it is raining out, but inside I'm surrounded by cat and dog books literally. Last week we celebrated National Cat Day and somehow I didn't get this review written in time. So sorry. I did celebrate by sharing these previews of Statement Canvas Wall Art on my Thirty-One Facebook page. (Note: I am an independent consultant of Thirty-One and will receive a commission from any Thirty-One purchases through my website.) These are our two fur babies. 

Sewing School Fashion Design -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: We were sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Welcome to Crafty Weekends!! Life here has been busy, but I have exciting news. Starting tomorrow Hazel is an official writer/book reviewer here at Crafty Moms Share. Since I have gotten so behind on my reviews and many of the books are for Hazel's age level (or younger) she is going to start writing her own reviews. The first one will be published tomorrow!! So please come check it out!

Today we are sharing a book that is written for tweens. It is from our favorite kids' sewing series--Sewing School. This one is Sewing School Fashion Design by Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle.

Quilting with Precuts Handy Pocket Guide--a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: C&T Publishing sent me this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

I am happy to report my sewing machine is working again. I'm not sure what was wrong last week, but with a quick clean and reinstalling the bobbin it worked fine today so I can share with you the Handy Pocket Guide: Quilting with Precuts compiled by Gailen Runge.

Crafty Weekends

This week I had big plans to share a fun new book, but between my tiredness (and making mistakes) and my sewing machine acting up, it is not going to happen, so we are going straight to the party!!

Black Inventors

As I thought about Black History Month and the Blog Hop, I wanted to find something fun to share with you. I reviewed two great books for grades 3+ for Black History Month last week, so I was looking for something more of a lesson and research.  I am lucky. I have a former colleague who is black and was a history teacher (now a vice principal) and every February he shares 28 posts about black history. I considered taking some of the people and events in his posts to share with you, but as I started researching some of them I found all these amazing inventions we use almost every day that were invented or helped to be invented by black people. So I am going to share some black inventors and their creations with you.

Sew It! a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Do you have a tween or teen who sews or quilts or wants to learn how? Tonight's book is perfect for him or her. It is Sew It! by Allison Nicoll. 

Chapter Book Extravaganza! Beginning Reader Through Young Adult Part 2

Disclosure: I was sent these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own or Hazel's. 

Yesterday we started our chapter book extravaganza. We shared the first group of books for ages 5 to 12. Today we are going to get through the rest of them. As I mentioned yesterday, most of these books I have not finished (some Hazel did) so we will be providing limited reviews. Hope you enjoy them and find some new books to read!!

Reindeer Fun Facts and Craft Round-Up

Can you believe Christmas is only a week away? To get you in the mood and perhaps to entertain your kids, I am sharing some fun facts about reindeer and a craft and activity round-up.

Doll Dress Boutique -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Have you entered my current giveaway yet? Only a few days left to enter!!

Disclosure: C&T Publishing sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

It has been a crazy week like usual. I have been really wanting to try one of the patterns in today's book, but have not pulled out my sewing machine in quite awhile. Today I am sharing a new doll clothes pattern book. It is Doll Dress Boutique by Erin Hentzel. 

Sew Cuddly -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: C&T Publishing sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

We have been having a busy weekend. My Thirty-One career is taking up more time than I planned and this weekend we kicked off the amazing December specials and new products. Then I woke up today not feeling too well and Hazel seems to be coming down with something too. Ugh!! Anyway today we get to share a fun sewing book with you. Do you know all those super soft and cuddly fabrics that are out now? Well this book takes them and makes them into fun and cute products to have the softness on your or near you. These are perfect for the winter and holidays!! The book is Sew Cuddly by Judy Gauthier.

Holiday Wreaths & Ornaments with Supplies from Dollar Tree -- a Crafty Weekends Link Party

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I have been in such a holiday mood. I don't really like Halloween, so I think I have been trying to skip over it and get to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Plus the amazing Christmas products at Thirty-One are only available in October and November so I have been trying to let people know about them and am planning a holiday shopping party in the beginning of November. I was thinking it would be fun to have some door prizes and just prizes to make the party more of a celebration. What better prizes than homemade ones and I made some with supplies from Dollar Tree. I made two wreaths and some different ornaments.

Joyful Stitching - a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: C&T Publishing gave me this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? Last week we shared a wonderful resource for any sewer. Today we are looking at a different type of stitching--embroidery. The book today is Joyful Stitching by Laura Wasilowski.

Sharing Saturday 18-28

We are back to weekly Sharing Saturdays!! It is time for Sharing Saturday!! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And if you have any cultural or diverse posts be sure to share them over at Multicultural Kid Blogs Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop. A new one started on Sunday!

The Sewing Book -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party #NationalSewingMonth

Disclosure: DK Publishing sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links where I will receive a small portion of any purchases made through them. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? For free sewing projects be sure to check out NationalSewingMonth.org. It only seems right to share an amazing sewing resource with you in September. I am going to share a book that is amazing for the beginner sewer or for people who want to improve their sewing skills like myself. It is the new edition of The Sewing Book by Alison Smith.