A wonderful and adorable instructional book for papier mache! This book gives a straightforward, but detailed overview from needed materials, methods, and a variety of projects. Beautiful, colorful, step-by-step pictures accompany all of the unique projects. Some of the projects include: planter, ornaments, bracelets, birds, etc. This is a perfect place to start if you're looking to learn papier mache. I only wish this book was longer! Though the projects include provide a huge variety of methods/materials that can be used in whatever project you think to create.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

Review to come February 27th on blog/goodreads.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

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It has been many years since I last did Papier Mache so I was curious about this book and especially that adorable project on the cover! However, I have to say the writer's papier maching (is that a word) is WAY different than what I learned in elementary school. Haha, we just blew up balloons in various degrees, had that sticky stuff, newspapers, and went to wrapping newspapers in strips around the balloon, then add the sticky stuff as we did so, then wait, more waiting and pop the balloon and get it out, paint your creations and done.

So I haven't done any of the projects as I barely have any of the materials at home that are required by this book. This one requires A TON of items. Hot glue guns that I don't have (as the hobbies I have don't require that), you need paperbags + something called shop towels (I still have no clue what those are), you need sealant in various sorts, you need paint, you need cardboard, you need, well I guess you get the idea. I am just not sure if this is a hobby I want to pursue, not to mention, at the time of writing (January 29th) POSTNL (our postal service) is totally overworked and packages don't always get home. I cannot go to the stores, not to mention that even if stores are open I would need to travel to a nearby city to find a crafts store that may have the items. That is just not safe. If only this book was about papier mache the way we kids did it at school and at home. Balloon + newspapers or fun coloured papers + that watery mache stuff, and done.

But I did enjoy reading the book and the projects are truly great fun! They are definitely not boring, instead I was very curious about trying them, but alas I cannot. But they are adorable (like those birds, or that cheer team you could make (which I could definitely use)) or useful. I wouldn't mind making a cute planter for my plants. Now that I got my own home my windows downstairs have all the plants and a cute planter would make everything even more fun!

The projects are easy to follow with simple step by step instructions including pictures along each step. There are also tips and hints and suggestions. I also love that at some points the oven times were both in Celsius and Fahrenheit. Thanks, because I live in the rest of the world and we use Celsius. Haha. :P

So, if you are looking into investing in a whole new hobby and you got the money and the means to do so, I would definitely recommend this book to start your projects! Fun projects, easy to follow, and tons of cuteness!

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

A delight to read. The author explained all of the steps, tools needed, as well as, a wealth of examples. An instruction manual is considered great if it provides clear and easy to follow steps, along with photos so that the crafter can check their process. Many kids and adults will have a marvelous time creating fun.