Guest Author - Jill Florio

The title of this book is actually Simply Handmade - 365 Easy Gifts and Decorations You Can Make. The pages are just FULL of great pictures and ideas. The book is user-friendly with tabs at the top for either the "make it in minutes" or "step-by-step" plans.

I love the gorgeous Christmas decoration ideas: there are cool plans for making stocking stuffers, centerpieces, tree ornaments, door trims, luminaries, peppermint wreaths, and much more. There are also lots of decorating and gift ideas for Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring and Summer. For example, there is one set of instructions for making Pumpkin Globes out of clear Christmas ornaments and etching paste. Why NOT make a Halloween Tree? We now have Easter Trees becoming popular, after all.

Lots of reuse ideas abound for the thrifty and recycling inclined. The Vintage Button Wreath idea is a pretty cool re-use idea. You can use extra copper wire with old beads to make lovely napkin rings, or reuse clear glass containers as centerpieces, holding small pretty collections of metal things like spoons, cookie cutters or silver bells. Vintage scarves make nice lamp shades (line them with beaded string), scraps of ribbon with beads can become nice bookmarks, and old children's book covers can be framed as classy decorator gifts.

The Gifts For the Birds ornaments pages are really neat. There is a picture of an outdoor pine tree with seed-covered apple and bagel bird treats, dangling corncob ornaments and garlands of cereal. This is a great way reuse stale bread (make into bird ornaments with cookie cutters, peanut butter and seeds) and to use yarn scraps (use it to hang ornaments and the birds can use it in their nests later on).



Make Holiday Decorations from Fabric Scraps
Re-used Ornaments and Decorations for the Holidays
Book Review - The Scented Christmas
Environmentally Friendly Holidays