So many beautiful crafts to make for every holiday. Although you cant really find cheap quality materials at our dollar stores... The pictures crafts aren't cheap & tacky so I guess you have to pay a little extra to match what is in the book.

Also the items you have to sew, I wouldn't have a clue how to make, even with the codes provided!

But it does give a buyers guide & clip art & template things at the back so that's a bonus. ( )

I may not necessarily love Martha Stewart but the craftiness she puts out is definitely a win! I have created some of these fun things and they have been a hit as gifts and decorations. Also a great book to have on hand for those rainy days when kids are stuck inside! There are step-by-step instructions and pictures so you know how what the outcome is supposed to look like. ( )

Name: Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Publication Date: 9/27/11
Completed Date: 7/15/12
Reviewed by: Kathy Brandt

Wow! Lots and lots of ideas for New Years, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas! She has all the holidays covered!

If you are a crafter you probably have most of this stuff at home, if you are not a crafter everything she uses is readily available. Full instructions and supply lists are included. There are even templates in the back of the book.

I received this book free from the publisher for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. These opinions about this book are my own. ( )

Here's the Scoop:

There is no question that Martha Stewart has long been the reigning queen of DIY home crafts and decorations. In this holiday-centered book, she has gathered the best of her ideas, giving us up-close and fully realized directions on how to create extraordinary crafts and gifts for home, family and friends. Martha doesn't disappoint her fans, and anyone is bound to find something beautiful to create in this holiday crafting book.

Major holidays are segmented and ideas for crafts, home decorating and gift giving are shown for each one: New Year's, Valentine's Day, Easter, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas...and all others in between! The large spread photographs are lovely, the ideas are not expensive, but are easily accessible; and, the resulting crafts present bright, festive, magical, and even enchanting pieces.

Here's What I Liked:

Valentine's Day:

Red tulips in double glass vases with red cinnamon candy hearts were vibrant, beautiful and made an easy presentation for a dinner arrangement.

Also, a carnation heart made of multiples of pink carnations on floral foam to make a centerpiece is quick and gorgeous!

Easter :

Fabulous egg-dyeing techniques using natural formulas made from coffee, cabbage, blueberries, beets and spices made incredibly beautiful and exotic eggs. And, Martha gives specific directions for marbleizing eggs! Actually, most of her egg crafting was exceptional.

Thanksgiving :

Gourd candles made from hollowed out mini gourds with colored, melted candles are just amazing little jewels! Pumpkin carving is fabulous!

Christmas :

I loved the cookie cutter ornament ideas made from various paper goods, family pictures and such. The gilded, and verdigris Polish inspired eggs, and the ribbon poinsettia wreath was just to die for.

Hanukkah :

Paper packages, a menorah, and satin stars are glowing and sparkling in Martha's hands.

Here's what I found lacking:

Often the crafts are more complex than one would want to become engaged in.

The directions are not clear cut; that is, they are not in a "recipe/materials" format, but are listed in text, which I found to be more difficult to follow. I needed to break it down for myself on my own paper.

Diagrams sometimes took too much for granted, or at least seemed to expect the more experienced crafter could "fill in the blanks." I wasn't up to some of that!

Several projects were quite time-consuming for very little return or impact.

And, finally, I found the pictures too small in the working segments.

Overall Rating: 3 stars ~ I can't highly recommend it, but it's a good book to check out of the library... ( )

Oh, I fully admit it - I love crafting and making stuff. When I get my hands on a book like Martha Stewarts' Handmade Hoiday Crafts, I wait for just the right time to read it. I then flip through randomly stopping at ideas that catch my eye first time through. When I pick it up the second time (again at the right time) I read it from cover to cover.

And there are some fantastic ideas in this latest Martha offering. The book is geared towards crafts for all the major holidays - Valentine's Day, Mother and Father's Days, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, hanukkah, New year's, Easter and yes the one that is fast approaching - Christmas.

And not every one is geared towards adults. There are lots of child friendly crafts that you can do with a small person in your life. There were some excellent ideas that I can see being used at the library - a doily as a stencil, thumb print hearts, heart and lollipop flowers and more. Ideas for colouring eggs? Oh boy, there were soooo many! I think I'll try decopaging some this coming year. Cards for every occassion with patterns for the pop ups featured. I'm not sure I could duplicate some of the elaborate pumpkin carving designs, but they're fun to look at. I have a bunch of buttons just begging to be used - the Mother's Day card is perfect.

And lots of suggestions for Christmas and New Year's. There were some easy ideas for gift wrapping, cards and tags. And a really cute idea using wide ribbon as a gift bag for a gift certificate.

I tried one of the gift tag ideas, using shipping tags, painting them and sticking on a piece of greenery. (The one on the left really needs a gold star on top)And I picked up some cookie cutters from the dollar store too. You could put some pretty Christmas paper behind to make ornaments. Or a photo, as I did - to remind a certain 20 something son of his time as one of Santa's elves! A great reference book to have on the shelf year round. ( )