Four Seasons Crafting EDUCATIONAL SEWING AND CRAFT KIT FOR KIDS [#sponsored Review]

My thoughts:  I raised five children and made most of their clothes and mine. The sewing machine was very frequently in use. My children wanted to learn to sew as well and each adapted to the use of needle and thread, cutting with a pattern, and other skills with various aptitude. Yes, they made their own little stuffed animals usually out of scraps of material I had on hand and mostly free-hand shape for their critters. Some fairly successful and some left a bit to be desired.

This is why I can so very heartily recommend this cute Four Seasons Crafting Educational Sewing and Craft Kit for Kids. It is a terrific assortment of small felt critters that the young child can construct using the great assortment of child-friendly tools.

1. Precut pieces for each critter are packaged separately with its own set of instructions and a plastic needle.
2. A set of metal needles is included that are "child sized" for ease of handling.
3. The pair of scissors are small and non-pointed, they have a ruler along one of the blades, and really do cut the thread.
4. Skeins of colorful thread for sewing the critters.
5. Straight pins are large with larger than usual heads for young hands to manipulate and are in a "wheel" for keeping. Love the little pin cushion that is included.
6. Needle threaders (2) are great for getting thread through the needle eye.
7. Fluffy stuffing to plump up the little critters once sewn
8. A great satin carry bag that will provide much fun even after the sewing projects are completed.

I can hardly wait to gift this set to my grand-girls. There are four in the family and the oldest has been doing some sewing making her own critters and I know she and the other three will have lots of fun with this set. The instructions are great and show how to make the straight, running stitch as well as the blanket stitch. 

Product information (from Amazon): This set includes -  Wild Friends Jungle - Tiger, Monkey, Parrot, Snake, Panda, 120 Pieces

• SCREEN-FREE ENTERTAINMENT! Get your kids away from their electronic gadgets and busy using their creative juices. These kits are the perfect activity for sewing novices and pros, boys and girls alike.
• TEACH VALUABLE SKILLS - Build kids' sewing skills, keep them actively engaged and interacting with friends, teach them the joy of a job well done and they have something tangible for their hard work!
• CUTE, CUSTOM DESIGNS - Our unique, adorable animal designs make kids happy, and our custom name tags allow them to name their new animal friends and make them their own.
• ALL-INCLUSIVE SETS - Offering hours of unsupervised entertainment for girls and boys, Wild Friends Sew and Craft Kits contains everything you need to start sewing - from start to finish. No machine needed.
• LOADED WITH GOODIES - Each Wild Friends Sew and Craft Kit includes: 5 adorable pre-cut felt animals, 7 colors of embroidery thread, 5 kid-safe plastic sewing needles, 5 metal sewing needles and needle threaders, 40 straight pins, pin cushion, safety scissors, stuffing, colorful easy-to-follow instructions, and a colorful soft carrying bag for easy storage and organization.

Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Four-Seasons-Crafting-EDUCATIONAL-Sewing-Kit

DISCLOSURE: I received this product either free or highly discounted to facilitate a #sponsored review. I may have received payment for posting the review on social media. Opinions are mine, alone and are given without requirement for a positive review. I only recommend products that I personally think will benefit myself or a member of my family.

Create!: A Girl's Guide to DIY, Doodles, and Design (Faithgirlz) by Ashley Mays

ISBN: 9780310763161
Ages 8-12, Gr. 3-4
Paperback
ZonderKidz Pub

My thoughts: With summer break from school (unless your kids are year-round-schooled), you most definitely are beginning to think that age-old question of, "What in the world am I going to do with the kids all summer? How am I going to occupy them and keep them from going brain dead or stir crazy?"

Well, grab a handy book like Create! A Girl's Guide to DIY, Doodles, and Design. Well, it says it is for girls, so you'll have to sneak some of these crafty ideas and make a way to adapt them so your boys, without their knowing they came from a "girl's book" (Horrors!), will have something to get their creative juices flowing. The book is, hands down, definitely and totally filled with girl things - artsy, decorative, curly-whirly-girly things to do.

Kidding aside, folks, this book is right up a parent's dream alley of gems to be placed on the "acquisition list" and placed in the hands of your kiddies. Glance through it and be sure you have some of the stuff needed already on hand so no time is lost when that spark of creativity ignites.

For the time when a Bible verse hits home they can begin doing some sketching and lettering  that helps cement the idea firmly in their mind for later. Or they can take a pair of jeans and re-purpose them into a really fun tote bag. And the book doesn't just have ideas, there are instructions to direct the actual project and some pictures to visualize how to go about doing it and how it might look when completed.

Definitely consider getting one for your girls to have on hand for those hazy, lazy,  crazy days of summer.

About the book: Ready, set, create! Whether you’re an aspiring artist or a just-starting-out doodler, Create! A Girl’s Guide to DIY, Doodles, and Design is the perfect book to inspire your creative side. From coloring pages to quick-and-easy crafts—like photo frames and duct-tape bags—and everything in between, this full-color book from the trusted Faithgirlz brand provides step-by-step guides to more than 50 fun and easy projects. Learn how to make your own DIY projects, create one-of-a-kind jewelry, and draw like a pro. Perfect for individual use or for sleepovers, birthday parties, and more, Create! is sure to bring out your inner artist.

Content includes:

• DIY décor, photo frames, duct-tape purses, and more
• Pages of quotes and designs to color
• Easy-to-follow doodling and drawing guides
• Jewelry making for friendship bracelets, earrings, and more

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from BookLook Book Review Program on behalf of ZonderKidz and the author to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone and are freely given.

Press Out and Color: Christmas Ornaments (crafting) illustrated by Kate McLelland [Review Giveaway USA/CANADA]

ISBN: 9780763696184
Ages 7-10 years

My thoughts: Children love the make things - especially when they are pretty, can be utilized, and are gift-worthy. This book with press-out pieces that easily become lovely decorations will certainly provide hours of coloring and construction time. The construction would simply be the interlocking (slotting together) of pieces.

The product is a pressed board that is sturdier than cardboard one usually finds in such projects. The pages are white with gold foil - YES! LOVELY GOLD FOIL! Even the drawn lines decorating the ornaments are gold foil. What a treat for brightening wintry days in preparation for the Christmas season.

I highly recommend this for groups of children, families, and just anyone that wants a bit of lovely fun.

About the book/craft: Each of the twenty press-out Christmas decorations in this book can be easily slotted together to create cheerful hanging ornaments to adorn the Christmas tree or to add a festive touch to any space. Perfect for all ages, these gorgeous ornaments look elegant in white and gold, but even more glorious when colored.

GIVEAWAY

Christmas Ornaments (craft)

2 Winners

October 23

November 13 @ 12:01 a.m. EST

Open to USA & CANADA

No P.O. Boxes accepted

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a complimentary book/product from Candlewick to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and are freely given.

Gift Boxes to Decorate and Make: Christmas illustrated by Sarah Walsh

Children absolutely love to color and teens and adults are now getting into the relaxing coloring act with a plethora of sophisticated coloring books available. With Christmas fast approaching and colder days when staying inside is more the plan, children need activities that engage their interest and satisfy.

So now there is a "coloring book" that serves as a project to create one's own boxes in which to place those treasured Christmas gifts. The book  is 11" by 10" and has 50 pages to color and fold into boxes with an intended audience of ages 8 to 12. The book is a great resource for creating 24 gift boxes and there are lovely "gold foil" gifting stickers to use, also.





Each box will have beautifully intricate pictures to color on the inside and outside providing an opportunity to really embellish the box with beautiful colors of one's choice making it uniquely theirs as a gift to the recipient. The little boxes can also  be kept so the child can keep his or her own treasures in a beautifully individualized box.

At $15.99 (imprint retail pricing) this book will provide 24 boxes for "gift wrapping" at about $.66 each. Current Amazon pricing would make the little boxes about $.50 each.

About the book/product: Each page of this brilliant book can be colored and made into a box! Simply tear out and fold to create a gift box perfect for storing all kinds of Christmas treats. The boxes are beautifully decorated with festive black-and-white designs, which you can color in with pens or pencils to make sure your gifts are extra special this Christmas. 

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Candlewick Press to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and freely given.