Unique mothers day gifts like these are great to give but have you ever wanted to make your own book?

I’ve always been intrigued by the process of bookmaking, so I couldn’t wait to read more about it in Making Mini Books. The book has a wide range of ideas and materials to work with and it goes from the easiest to hardest projects. I focused on the books at the front, although the later ones are just gorgeous and I would love to work up to those! Twenty two expert bookmakers contributed to Making Mini Books and I really appreciated each of their unique designs.

I had never considered that I could transform a matchbook into a tiny stapled volume, complete with lovely covers. The Lil’ Rainbow book is filled with pages the color of the rainbow and when it’s elastic band is taken off, it unfolds into a rainbow shape! Many of the books require stitching, but Making Mini Books includes detailed steps to walk you through completion of your miniscule masterpiece.

If you would like to try your hand at Making Mini Books, click here to download a Spring mini book  project!

I taught my daughters to cross stitch at a young age and they have all really enjoyed having that skill and have also made some really beautiful creations. I appreciate how inexpensive the materials are and how I can pick up right where I left off with the project that I’m are working on. I loved the idea of Two-Hour Cross-Stitch that has 300 quick and easy designs.

It is written by Trice Boerens and is set up in a simple and clear way, with the actual finished designs on one side of the page and the stitching diagrams next to them. I like to cross stitch while I watch tv, and the ideas in Two-Hour Cross-Stitch are ideal for me to make while watching one or two programs. There’s lots of beautiful floral patterns, but also other treats like a beehive (my favorite!), an apple tree and even a cute, little garden gnome!

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.