Book Review - Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause

Out of all the craft books that we've gotten in the last year, this is one of my favorites and it is my daughter's favorite.

Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause by Jade Sims

The theme of the book is crafting for charity, giving people hope with items made with love and care. Each project has a sidebar note about a charity it would be appropriate for, as well as a list of other charities including local groups that would appreciate the gift. Addresses and websites are included.

The projects themselves cover different skill levels and abilities, and are inexpensive to make. Some of them can be made by re-purposing items.

There are a lot of projects to make for children in need. Easily smocked dresses, bandanna pants, pillowcase skirts, stuffed animals with information about organizations like SOME, Little Red Wagon Foundation and many others of which you may not have heard.

The projects include melt and pour soaps, stuffed animals, hats, purses, scarves, fingerless mitts, a strung necklace and use such techniques as sewing, knitting, macrame, stamping, applique, stenciling and dyeing.

What I liked most about the book is that the projects are easily made and nice looking as well as the suggestions for ways to use them locally. That makes it a great book for scouting troops and other youth organizations that want projects that teach people how to make things that are also good for local donating.

In keeping with the spirit of the book, a dollar for every copy sold is donated to Global Impact.

Be sure to check out Jade Sims' site, CraftHope.com 

You can get this book directly from the publisher, Lark Crafts My reviews are always my personal and honest opinion. You can read more about my review policy here.

Printable Quote Card

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
-Thornton Wilder

I hope you enjoy this printable card. Because of the size, 2 cards will fit on 1 sheet of US letter sized card stock, and one envelope will fit a sheet of paper. I do recommend paper for the envelope. It's left plain. Click on the images for larger versions, print each to fit the page.

Rest now Kim, thank you for everything

My friend passed away this morning after a very long week, it's because her fellow classmates at the Career Academy moved so fast that we've all had the time to say goodbye to her, and I'm incredibly grateful to all of them for that.

Not that's easy to say goodbye, it's never easy.

Kim and I met in 1994, and she just knew we were going to be best friends. I was pretty baffled by why she was being so friendly and persistent. But she was right.

We've done a lot of very foolish things together, people do when they are growing. We've shared tears and laughter, we've grown together and I know that I'm a better person for having known her.

She took life in great big bites. Where I tend to live too much in my head, planning out projects and reading, she was out there grabbing life in both hands, trying new things, going places, and charming people where ever she went. That combination of sincerity and enthusiasm that too many people outgrow. She was the kindest, most patient, and caring person I've ever met. If she could help, she did. Every time.

She's been my biggest cheerleader through those years. Encouraging me to draw my cartoons when I was doing that, to paint, to learn. She was constantly learning. Always new things she wanted to know, taking classes on a regular basis.

It's really hard to imagine not being able to pick up the phone to call her, to not leave and get voice mails that just say "I was thinking of you. I love you. Call." and knowing that we would talk soon about everything going on in our lives.

Love should, if it's real, help you to become a better you. Help you reach heights in goodness, love and understanding that you might not be able to reach on your own. You reach them for love, or because love lifts you to them.

After a week on life support, her husband made the very hard decision to take her off. She went on breathing for sometime after that. She was surrounded by people who loved her. I said goodbye that day then came back the next day after I had the tears under control to read to her for a bit. She always knew we would be friends until the end. The end came much sooner than anyone could have expected.

For that last week, she had her husband, family and friends around her constantly. She's touched so many lives deeply.

Please, say a prayer or send a good wish for her husband and friends. This is a very hard time for him, for all of us.

I'm beyond grateful for her friendship through the years. It's been a blessing and an honor to have been in her life.

Rest now Kim, thank you for everything. You'll be in my heart always until we meet again.

Star box and coloring page

Happy Birthday Carl Sagan!
I hope you enjoy this star themed box and coloring page and printable quotes. Click on the images for the bigger versions. Download to print, for printing directly from a browser, as usual, I recommend Chrome. As always you can use my coloring pages for embroidery and other crafts as well.

The coloring page is a braided star design using 3 8 pointed stars for 24 points total. The box and quotes are also done with 3 8 pointed stars, with more stars surrounding and centered in the design.