Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids [Paperback]

Jenny Doh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2012

“Mommy bloggers” are a hugely popular source of advice for parents on everything from discipline to which stores have the best deals. And one of the top trending topics is crafting with your kids. Hand in Hand offers the best of the best: 20 superstar parenting bloggers share exclusive, photo-rich insights into their creative lives along with a favorite how-to craft for parent and child to make together. The 20 projects feature a well-balanced mix of techniques, materials, colors, and styles for a range of ages.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“What is more beautiful than an afternoon spent teaching a child to create, to be creative, to express his or her own unique vision? I don't do it enough, and the stories from these talented women--inspired mothers--inspire me to do better. Not only is this a book of tutorials for fun crafts to do as a family, it is a collection of unique perspectives on the drive to create, the joy of involving children in creativity, and approaches to balancing motherhood and art.” --Aesthetic Nest

“The projects in the book are simple for little hands and entertaining enough for older kids. What is completely unique about this book (in comparison to other kids crafting books that I can recall) is the fact that the projects are created by 20 extremely creative mothers (many well known in the online blogging world). Not only that, but they share their stories of creativity and how they relate to their children...The projects are simple but fun. Anyone can tackle them.” --A Little Hut

“The book is full of fabulous and creative DIY idea...Even if you don't have kids, this book is full of fabulous ideas and great inspiration - to use yourself or with the children in your life.” --The Creative Place 

 

About the Author

Jenny Doh is the former Editor-in-Chief of Somerset Studio magazine and is the President and Founder of crescendoh.com. Jenny serves regularly as a keynote speaker across the nation delivering messages on creative passion, authentic leadership, effective communication, and focused compassion. Jenny was recognized by Folio magazine as one of the top 40 leaders within the publishing industry. Jenny's previous books include Signature Styles and Where Women Create: Book of Inspiration. She lives in Santa Ana, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Lark Crafts (April 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1454702400
• ISBN-13: 978-1454702405
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jenny Doh is head of www.crescendoh.com and author/packager of numerous art and crafting books. She is former Editor-in-Chief and Director of Publishing for Somerset Studio magazine and its sister publications. For her leadership in publishing, Jenny was recognized by Folio magazine as one of the top 40 leaders within the publishing industry.

Jenny received her Masters in Social Welfare from UCLA, and her undergraduate degree in Political Science from UC Irvine. She lives in Santa Ana, California. She loves to crochet, knit, stay fit, and play music.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars 50/50 projects vs. lifestyle suggestions... Crunchy mom primer that preaches to the choir? November 20, 2012

By C. Frederick

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I wanted to love this book.

I have to agree with the reviewer who characterized the book as being more about the bloggers than about the projects. While there are some fun projects in this book that I plan to try, it's maybe 50% or less about the projects and ideas, if you start counting pages. Much of the content of this book is overearnest hagiography: full-page photos of attractive young alt hipster moms with their charming kids in back carriers and handknit sweaters, and those moms' very general, *gentle*, soft-focus musings from their blogs about mothering, playing and working with kids, homeschooling, appreciating nature, creative lifestyle etc.

Some of that can be inspirational, and individually I do admire these photogenic-yet-normal women and their creativity, but overall I found the balance of content of the book to be far too heavy on the biography and over-generalized waxing philosophical about motherhood and kids and crafting. To spend 15% of a page's real estate, page ten for example, to put in a sidebar with big subheaders, telling me in two chunks of text that making soup or jam can be fun and creative with kids (without offering anything novel or specific) seems forehead-smackingly obvious, trite, and annoying. Do I really need to see half a dozen photos of each mom just hanging out with her kids, totally unrelated to the project described?

The project descriptions are brief. They give a little guidance, and a list of suggested materials, but mostly seem to gently prod one to "try quilting" or "play around with old boxes"... This kind of general fuzzy 'direction' being offered makes this book seem a little too content-light for those of us looking for specific ideas of unique, fun crafty things to do with our kiddos. If I'm creative and unscheduled enough to design my own craft projects, I'm not sure I actually need this book. I expected, and would have preferred, that 'how-to-be-a-crunchy-mom' biography aspect more as a sidebar about the author of each project, with more actual projects from each author, and specific suggestions on how to complete specific craft projects. Instead, what you see in the book preview is actually what you get! Unfortunately, each 'mom' in the book only presents one project, and presents it briefly and in fairly general terms.

I was hoping for a best-of-the-web compendium of craft projects for families here, but apparently I'll have to keep searching the web for the rest/best of the book. I suspect the concept of the book was to promote these ladies' blogs? Personally, I buy books about creative project ideas because I want to spend LESS time in front of the screen. The author is a promoter and 'packager' of craft books, and I definitely fell for the packaging on this one. Great idea but not enough BEEF.

If you're not a crunchy mom but want to play one on TV, this could be your study guide. If you're already pretty crunchy, it will read a bit like parody at times. Not much edge or humor to be found here. And not that many projects for the page count. Try to get this one out of the library or just go online. Sorry, Jenny.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great projects for kids! April 27, 2012

By CuteEverythingcom TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

Hand in Hand , written by Jenny Doh and published by Lark Crafts, has gathered together kid's crafting ideas from twenty of the top parenting bloggers. There are so many excellent suggestions of ways to connect with your children through creative play and crafts. The projects run the gamut from a mom who hangs on to her children's outgrown clothing to make special keepsakes to making potato print ornaments to decorate the house with, not just at the winter holidays, but all year long!

I enjoyed seeing all the photos of the moms with their children making all kind of homemade fun and just loving on each other. When my daughter first looked through it, she decided we should make the Cardboard Cityscape, which is made from recycled boxes with cellophane added for the windows. Add some paint, and you have yourself some awesome looking skyscrapers, perfect for playing with dolls. Hand in Hand was filled with delightful ideas from start to finish.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Hand in Hand May 17, 2012

By Bails

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Seems more about the bloggers than about the projects. Not great. ART LAB FOR KIDS has a lot better projects with clear instructions.