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Erin
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| Posted: July 07 2008 at 9:01pm | IP Logged
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Craft is sadly neglected in our home  the dc are keen but I'm just never organised and I lack great resource books in this area. I know there are some great blogs out there but I'm never organised enough to research. If you had to pick just a few 'must have' books for craft what would you recommend?
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Erin
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amethyst
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Erin, years ago when we lived in that big house in Coffs Harbour I had a craft cupboard in the back room. I filled it with cardboard inserts (from toilet rolls, clingwrap etc), paper plates, buttons, wool, glue, crepe paper, masking tape, crayons, pencils, staplers, straws, yoghurt containers, scissors, play dough, shoe boxes, coloured paper, wallpaper offcuts, scraps of fabric, paddle pop sticks - just about anything that was recyclable or useful.
I was seriously craft challenged, but when it was raining outside or the kids were 'fractious'  I would open the cupboard, put on some music, and leave them to it. They would ALWAYS exceed my expectations with what they could make! When we were reading about Ancient Egypt they would make Egyptian things, when we were doing a Shakespeare play they would make things for scenes, when we had been on an excursion to the Botanical Gardens they would be found making mangrove swamps with assorted fish and birds in a big box that you could look through from one small hole in the side and one at the top for light - a panorama of simple childhood creativity amazed me!
Craft does not need to be a contrived plan - it can be spontaneous if you have a box of 'stuff' available. Kids are incredibly creative all by themselves.
If you want them to stay on a theme you can give them that much, but let the actual brainstorming of what and how be their own.
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Jenny in Australia
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amethyst
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Oh - as they got older I bought books to 'teach' them craft. Whilst that was okay at first, they always became disappointed when theirs did not look the same as the photo in the book (especially dd), so I tossed the books and went back to the old plan of a craft box. Happy and creative kids again.  In fact they are teens now and never short of ideas for things to make. 14yodd designs amazing quilts, and 15yods still collects 'stuff' for his rainy afternoons.
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Jenny in Australia
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Fe2h2o
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*grin*
Don't know whether you're thinking of any ages in particular... but for stuff to suit younger children, have you checked the Playschool website (not a book, I know:-) )?
I really like All Year Around... we haven't done a lot from it as yet, but that's part of my plan for the coming year. On a more 'art' front Art Ideas is something I have used more with Puggle.
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Erin
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| Posted: July 14 2008 at 10:18pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the comments ladies:)
Jenny
I have a craft cupboard that the dc are always accessing, but I also want to introduce them to new ideas and mediums.
Well you certainly can't say you're craft challenged any longer!
Fe
I'll check out the Playschool site.
I have all Year Round, although I was thinking of something a little easier, I'm also craft challenged 
Has anyone other suggestions? I'm even happy to find a couple of good websites,(I'm just trying to reduce time spent on the computer)
Many thanks.
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Erin
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donnalynn
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| Posted: July 15 2008 at 7:09pm | IP Logged
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How about some Klutz books? I sometimes suggest some of the better ones to relatives for birthday presents or Christmas.
We've had good results with the paper flower making kit, fairies (or angels!), and twirled paper - I think those were our favorites so far. There are usually enough supplies to get you started but then if you need more or if it really catches on you can replenish your supplies at local craft stores or online suppliers.
Also - I would simply peruse the crafts section of the library selves - we've done all kinds things from library books - Christmas cross stitch, corn husk dolls, paper crafts, papier mache, some puppetry and more.
My very beginning "craft" books were -
The Nature Corner and Earthways.
"Earthways" is written with younger children in mind but *I* loved all the beginning craft suggestions - many can be adapted to follow the liturgical year - they are grouped by seasons.
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Book recommendations for craft
