Okay, these crafts really are pretty shitty. I was personally hoping for more crafts, slightly less tacky crafts, and less comedic chatting. There is one craft per colorful chapter, with lots of personal story telling and then photos and directions to make the craft. There are 9 or 10 crafts total and they include Pom poms, a fake corn and pearl necklace, a bejeweled fake ear of corn (she’s really into corn), a tissue box you bejewel and fill with pieces of paper saying what you like about yourself, a tinfoil sculpted shrimp you glue pink gems onto and hang on your wall, a trophy you make for yourself with a base like a plastic bottle and tinfoil handles, etc.

I think I did get inspired to play around with jewels and beads and glue something tacky, but I didn’t personally get a lot out of the stories or the crafts. Others are likely to relate and enjoy Reece’s openness and humor (and crafting aesthetic).

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

“Shitty Craft Club” is a fun and quirky read. The crafts were not personally my style, but I loved the authors writing and seeing the crafts, my favorite was the rhinestoned shrimp. I loved that this book inspires you to be creative and stop being a perfectionist. This is definitely more than just a craft book, it’s also a self-help book and comedy, all in one.

Thank you, Netgalley and Chronicle Books, for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a great book for anyone who really wants to craft but knows they're really shitty at it. I loved this book so much!

I thought this book was so fun. I'm a wannabe crafter. My Pinterest board is overflowing with ideas that I'll probably never get to because I'm also a realist and can admit there's no way I have the skillset or know-how. The crafts in this book were totally up my alley. Quirky, fun, cheap materials, and conversation starters. There were a few I could definitely see myself gifting friends.
The photos were also awesome (I'm a sucker for pink). There was so much detail and fun stuff to look at. I liked the reminders to drink water and stretch.
I'm not sure I would've thought to pick up this book at the store, but I'm really glad i had the opportunity to check it out and I'll definitely be using it.

This one was alright. It was quirky and fun but don’t go into this one looking to make actual crafts.

This is more of what I’d call a coffee table book.

Something that was just fun to flip through and chuckle about.

This book is AWESOME. I loved it and I will definitely be hosting a craft night with my friends based off of this book. I will definitely be buying a copy for myself and recommending that my library puts it into circulation as well.

While I didn't personally love the crafts included, I think it will still get frequent use by patrons. We will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

This is more of a book of humorous personal essays than it is a craft instruction book. It's an enjoyable read.

I love the title of this book. I loved the humor and all of the photos of the crafts. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Absolutely hilarious! Sign me up the Shitty Craft Club! The books gives you permission to craft any damn way you please!

This book is utterly brilliant and healed a part of me that became broken during the pandemic. Sam Reece (I had surprisingly had not heard of her until I requested this ARC), is hilarious. I found myself laughing along to her stories before the crafts were shown, realizing that I wasn't alone in my experiences.

My favorite thing about reading this book is that I think I'm finally ready to accept myself as I already am,

I have followed Sam Reece AKA Shitty Craft Club for a while on TikTok, and I love her approach to crafts. Nothing is too off the wall--she gets an idea and figures out how to make it happen. I love her sense of humor, and love of everything bejeweled. Her book Shitty Craft Club captures this very well. It's like talking with your creative, funny friend who always encourages you to try something even if it's a bit silly. The ten chapters of Shitty Craft Club offer some fun crafts for inspiration, but the most valuable parts of this book is Sam's encouragement and humor.

This is not your normal book of DIY crafts, which is what makes it so special. The title makes it clear that we're no longer in the realm of pinterest perfection or designer dupes. Reece focuses on how crafting can be an act of self care, even if the result isn't necessarily something we've been taught to strive for. Creative hobbies can often feel daunting or challenging when we look at them through a lens of perfectionism, but in the end...they should just be something we enjoy doing, whether we're good at it or not. There is joy in creating something silly- or even "shitty".

Very funny! Loved learning how to glue junk to trash and call it a craft! I never thought about it that way. I imagine her crafting sessions are hilarious and very relaxing. No judgements! LOL

Oh my goodness...this book made me smile!! I am a HUGE crafter....I have been since I was a little girl. And I've read lots of craft books and tried lots of different crafting over the years. Some crafters take themselves soooo seriously. This book....did not! It was a hoot! I loved that it reminded me that I can be silly and have FUN while crafting! I enjoyed the pictures and laughed along with the humorous witty instructions. (I also loved the membership card at the beginning and the oath!) So, grab yourself a glass of wine, plug in your gluegun, slide your hand into the crack of your chair/couch and dig out some supplies (old buttons, lint, paperclip...) and have fun crafting!

This book is really cute, and it’s exactly what you would expect it to be. The crafts are cute, glittery, and kitschy. These crafts would be great in a middle school or high school art room, but in a well funded art room, because a lot of the materials would need to be present in abundance in order for a lot of people to enjoy making the crafts. I say that these would be great for a middle or high school students, because that’s the only demographic that would enjoy having bright, maximalist, and glittery crafts filling up their space. This would also be great for parents with kids that need to give them something to do, I guess it also could be for that very small demographic of adults who don’t mind clutter and want to fill their space with original art that they made.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I had an okay time reading it. I was surprised about it being something like a memoir and not as many crafts. But the crafts included were delightful, as were the pictures, as were the words of encouragement.

I got this ARC from Net Galley.

I loved this!! Shitty crafting is so now my thing!! I already had 3 glue guns,so I just needed the rhinestones. This is so funny and some good projects to do.
I just reviewed Shitty Craft Club by Sam Reece. #ShittyCraftClub #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

"Shitty Craft Club" by Sam Reece is a whirlwind ride into the world of chaotic creativity and crafts, backed with tongue-in-cheek humor and charm that's hard to resist. However, as an enjoyable read as it is, it doesn't entirely hit the mark for me, earning a solid 3 out of 5 stars.

Reece spins amusing tales from her life and intertwines them with craft instructions, creating a unique blend of memoir-meets-DIY guide. These narratives are fun and often relatable, offering some light life lessons along the way.

The "shitty crafts" themselves are as wild and weird as advertised, ranging from pom-poms to rhinestone shrimps made of aluminum foil. The ethos of the Shitty Craft Club - creating for the joy of it, not for perfection - resonates throughout.

However, as a professional crafter, I found the selection of projects a tad repetitive and lacking in variety. There's no doubt that Reece could have expanded her repertoire to include more diverse and less repetitive "shitty crafts," adding more depth to this crafting journey.

Overall, "Shitty Craft Club" is an enjoyable romp through crafting chaos. It's definitely not a crafting guide in the traditional sense, but more a celebration of the imperfect, the weird, and the wonderfully bizarre. So, if that sounds like your cup of tea, give it a whirl!

This is both a crafting book and a memoir. Which honestly for a memoir, this style of book was fantastic. I felt like we really got to know the author and her thoughts and feelings as well as how she uses crafting to help her in her life. The title is hilarious and the crafts insides are pretty shitty - they’re basic but if you take a basic craft idea you can make it your own and it’ll be either more or less shitty, depending on what you’re goal is.

As a memoir, I won’t be rating this book. As a craft book it’s closer to a 3⭐️. Besides the super basic nature of the included crafts, there just isn’t much crafting in it. Of course it is really short so that’s part of it too.

I absolutely loved this book! The author sounds like someone I would love to sit around, glue sparkly stuff to ugly stuff, and drink wine with. Her ideas for fun, shitty crafts were amazing and the directions were clear and humorous. I am now off to buy rolls of aluminum foil to sculpt myself a shrimp. IYKYK!

This is less a book with specific instructions about how to make crafts than an approach to crafting. It's interesting because it's much different than my own approach, which is more about transmitting traditional knowledge and connecting with our forebears. But this approach is just as valid! It's more about self expression and self discovery (some poignant moments in here from the author), letting go of perfectionism, and connecting with your own brand of creativity. I can dig it!

The downside is that the tone is a little too chaotic Millennial for me? Like it doesn't probably doesn't actually use the word "adulting" but it has that vibe, of making humor out of the struggle to like, drink water or do any basic task. Not my particular brand of humor.

As a huge Amy Sedaris fan who proudly displays her copy of “I Like You” in a prominent position on the coffee table, I was beyond excited for this book.

The Shitty Craft Club is a cute read with some funny crafts, but none that were utile or that I would take the time/gather the supplies to make. I might have a different outlook if I were an avid Sam Reece follower on TikTok, but I ultimately felt that the writing and crafts didn’t always flow/connect, making the book seem more like a blog entry with mostly jokey crafts interspersed.

That said, I’m still rating it 3 stars because, while it would seem I am not the ideal audience (and would not purchase this book for myself), I can see others who follow Sam enjoying it.

Thank you for the E Arc Netgalley and Chronicle Books. This book is most definitely about shitty crafts and how to “make” them but I guess I was expecting something a little different. There is a lot of commentary in here that is probably unnecessary and while the author writes with humor most of it fell flat for me. I didn’t hate it but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Sam Reece did such a great job putting this book together around a really tricky theme. From personal letters to funny stories this book could be shelved in a lot of different places, but for me by the end of this book I actually would put it in self help and improvement section rather then under the hobby section.

There were so many moments when the conversation was on mental health, personal growth and healing that had nothing to do with the actual act of crafting but rather on the end result of creating something out of what is around you.

The pictures were all fantastic and the actual crafts themselves were easy to follow and really heartwarming. But for me it was the compassion and open mindedness around mental health struggles and navigating moments of internalized perfectionism that really stuck to me, Reece made me laugh throughout this book and I cant wait to see what other things she will do next.

-Thanks to Sam Reece and netgalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for a review

I won't deny that undoubtedly the reason I grabbed this book is due to the name. In a world full of "5-Minute crafts" that claim to be useful but are actually ridiculous, I was so excited to see what this book would bring and if any of it would be useful or just fun. While the word "useful" may not describe everything in this book, it is most definitely fun! The craft descriptions are clear, the tools and supplies needed are largely things any casual crafter will have on hand, or at the very least, don't cost much, and at the end of it, you have your very own "shitty craft". This craft book is perfect for anyone with kids, or anyone who is just looking to kill some time and make something gaudy, silly and fun. I love it, and I look forward to making more crafts!

sometimes i stroll through netgalley and i’ll find a little gem outside of my usual reading preferences that catches my eye.
Shitty Craft Club was a bright and colorful one I needed to see what kinda artsy shenanigans it would walk me thru.
this book is part self-help awareness-ness, reflections on mental health, and the call of the junk draw full of strings, pom poms, and beads.

i absolutely enjoyed the crafts which include—beaded BFFS bracelets (duh), a corndle (candle made of corn beads), and. if you have a loved one allergic to shellfish, ahem like i do 🥴, a shrimp wall hanging 🦐🦐🦐

kooky& funny & reflective this one’s for the kids who took to their sewing machines to recreate a lady haha costume aka me

tysm @NetGalley and @itsamreece for this kitschy lil book of inspo!!!

I liked this for the sheer delight of not putting any pressure whatsoever on the end result. Basically just celebrating living life! Awesome.

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I dare you to go through this book without smiling. It’s such an earnest and joyful expression of creativity. The images are beautiful, the activities are unique, the format is engaging, and the narration is relatable (though Gen Z may feel it’s too millennial cringe). I highly recommend this book to those who are in desperate need of inner child work or simply an activity to replace being a tv zombie (it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me). What a great activity book to remind ourselves it’s never too late to try something new - even if you know you’ll suck at it.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was around 3.5 stars for me.

What appealed to me about this book was the idea of crafting, but the crafts listed in this book were not my style. Instructions are included for things like fake shrimp, bedazzled corn, and a trophy. That being said I think the strength of this book is looking at crafting as an expression that doesn't have to be perfect and other ways of self care. Reece talks about celebrating the small wins and how doing something - even if it's shitty - is better than not doing anything. Not what I expected crafting-wise, but there's some nice advice and photos of the crafts.

As the title implies, a humorous book about crafting. Anyone who has ever crafted, if you liked it or not, can most likely relate to something in these pages. Just don’t purchase it hoping to get ideas on a gift to make for your mother-in-law (or maybe do?)!

NET GALLEY REVIEW | Shitty Craft Club by Sam Reece
I’m going to preface this review by saying I’ve been following Sam Reece and her Shitty Craft Club since the days of the pandemic. From following her on Tiktok to Instagram, one could say I am unequivocally a fan of hers. You can only IMAGINE how tickled I was to learn she wrote a BOOK about CRAFTS (two of my very favorite things in this world). Even more tickled, I was able to grab an ARC of said book off of NetGalley (thanks thank you thanks). Now that you’ve got the backstory we’re going to get into the review.
Listen, this book isn’t self-help canon. This book is VERY CLEARLY a work from someone who is trying very hard to be her authentic self by any means necessary and guess what? IT’S NOT PERFECT. It’s rambling at times; but that gives it voice and character. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense - but guess what? Neither does life. The author, Sam, is not trying to convey, in any way, that life should make sense. Life is chaos and your crafts should be too.
Sam clearly created this as a work of her very imperfect but beautifully unique, sparkly soul and I can’t help but be in awe of it. When you dig into the rambling nature, you will find nuggets of raw truth and inspiration for not only crafting but also self discovery. Shitty Craft Club says it’s okay to be not perfect and what’s even better is taking that imperfection and making it SHINY AND FABULOUS [DAMMIT]!
I recommend this book for anyone who is burned out from self-help and self discovery journey books that promise they’re going to make you feel better if you just do xyz. I invite you to pick this up and page through the bright and shiny photos of the crafts it showcases and first be inspired by the sheer beauty of it and secondly accept the friendliness and soft advice that come from Sam’s stories in the chapter prefaces. This book is truly a rhinestoned trinket you can hold close to your heart.
Disclaimer: this book may or may not inspire you to buy a 5 lb box of beads off the internet, run to your closest craft store to buy a vessel to put said beads in and also maybe pick up some pompoms and rhinestones? And then go thrifting to find shit to glue said crafty wares to in effort to cure your current-but-persistent bout of depression because WHY NOT? Not a personal anecdote at all. Just saying.

This book is just plain fun. I’ve been trying to infuse more creativity into my life and this was such a great reminder that creating something silly for the joy of it is not only worthwhile but necessary for my mental health!

This book is more autobiographical comedy than arts and crafts. Parts of it truly are funny. I laughed at some of the craft photos, as they really are sh*tty crafts. I teach adult crafting classes and thought I would get a laugh out of this, and I did. The author is a professional comedian. She is at least a generation younger than me (she was in middle school in 2000) and seems to live her entire life around social media. That just does not appeal to me. I though the arts and crafts humor might make me the target audience for this book, but the millennial(?) perspective dominates this book over the crafting. People in the author's age group might enjoy this more than I did.
Overall, a very quick read. Lots of photos, many of them amusing.
Thanks the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute-Quirky-Fun-Funny!

I enjoyed the positive message, positive affirmations and overall positive vibes of this book.

Reads like a humorous memoir and a bit like a diy self help crafters workbook.

Love the use of puns and double entendres. Sam is a very funny super creative writer.

After reading this book I wanted to learn more about Sam (sorry Sam…I never heard of you or your “shitty craft club”).

Be sure to follow her on social media. I ended up spending way too much time “procraftinating” watching her videos and scrolling her Instagram page =that’s a good thing!!!

"Shitty Craft Club" by Sam Reece is a side-splittingly hilarious and wonderfully unconventional take on the world of crafting. Reece's irreverent humor shines through as she guides readers through a collection of less-than-stellar craft projects.
The book's genius lies in its ability to turn ordinary craft projects into laugh-out-loud experiences. Reece's witty commentary and playful instructions lead readers through absurd, intentionally unimpressive creations. Each craft is a comical journey that leaves you chuckling and shaking your head in disbelief.
This book is a fantastic way to break the mold and add a dose of fun to your creative endeavors. It's perfect for those who appreciate offbeat humor and enjoy embracing imperfection. "Shitty Craft Club" isn't about mastering crafting skills; it's about embracing the joy of creating, even if the end result isn't Pinterest-worthy.
Ideal for light-hearted entertainment, this book makes for a perfect gift for your crafty friends who can appreciate the absurdity of subpar crafting. It also presents a unique twist for a girls' night in, fostering laughter and camaraderie as you attempt (or maybe intentionally fail at) the whimsical projects.
Overall, "Shitty Craft Club" is a refreshing and delightful departure from the traditional crafting guides, offering a good-natured escape into the realm of the intentionally absurd and uproarious craft projects.

“…perfectionism is a sign that I’m trying to make art for an imaginary audience that is judging me and deciding my worth..” 😨This is the self-help craft book I’ve been looking for!

*throws glitter everywhere in celebration* 🎉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+++

I’ve absolutely loved Sam Reece since the moment I followed her on TikTok (before she was a viral hit 💅🏼) so when I saw she had a craft book I immediately needed to see it!

This book is shiny, glittery, gold. A wonderful weaving of realistic advice, humor, fun shitty crafts, and lots and lots of beads. Also, it is literally the FIRST TIME EVER I’ve seen a tutorial of a pom Pom maker that actually made sense. That tool doesn’t even have directions on its’ own packaging! 20 million beaded stars for you, Sam Reece!

The title - Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things - caught my interest, as did the art project on the cover. Diving into the book, the tone was definitely funny and sarcastic. The book was very random, going from project to project with banter in between. The introduction had crafting essentials, but it seemed like the "anything goes" approach would work well.

The chapter titles are as follows:

Be the Champion of Anything
Shrimposter Syndrome
You are the Artist and Your Art is ProCRAFTination
Pom-Poms to Pom(p) You Up!
Therapy Can Be a Jug of Beads!!
Having One Thousand Soulmates? A Craft!!
Being Gay is Actually a Craft
Holiday Crafts, I Guess
Corn, For Some Reason
Be Your Own Shitty Craft Club

It goes to show you that anyone can be an artist, as this book tells readers to be proud of who you are and what you make. There are step-by-step guidelines and many options for making crafts your own. This book is more like a memoir with crafts, almost cathartic writing for the author. Shitty Craft Club is not a book for everyone, but definitely has an audience who will find it worth reading.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, Chronicle Books. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

Some things to know:
1) crafting gives me serotonin
2) I’m not good at crafting
Which makes this an ideal book for me to read! The book’s main message is to ignore perfectionism and do things that make you happy, even if you aren’t necessarily good at them. It is an important reminder for anyone trying something new for the first time. Though I don’t plan on doing the majority of the crafts in her book, I was inspired to buy a bunch of beads, gems, and glitter glue. Can’t wait to see what I make with them. Also, Sam Reece is a gem and you should check out her videos on instagram or tiktok. Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

A fun and unique crafting book! I really enjoyed the spirit of the book, focusing on the joy and creativity of crafting instead of a perfect final product.

If you’re on the hunt for detailed DIY projects and sophisticated techniques this isn’t the book for you. It’s exactly as advertised… shitty crafts.
The best thing about this book, and Shitty Craft Club in general, is the invitation it extends to create for the sake of creating. This book suffers from trying to be too many things at once (memoir/personal essay collection, self-help, DIY instruction) without truly nailing any of them. While there is not a ton of meat on the bones of this book Sam’s charm and the joy of making something stupid just because makes this a worthy read.
Recommended for those already familiar with the Shitty Craft Club concept.

This book was like a breath of fresh air. It was vibrant and funny and down to earth. The crafts were actually spectacular and I am going to make all my friends join me in shitty craft club shenanigans.

Part DIY, mega memoir, I loved it! I did not have prior knowledge of Sam Reece, and found this to be a fun read! The crafts remind me of Amy Sedaris style crafts, (I say this with love bc I am a kitschy tacky girl) tacky and fun. A very “slap some glitter on it and we’re good” attitude. I love her personal stories and I found her to be extremely relatable.

This is definitely more of a silly, humorous, turn-trash-into-more-fun-trash kind of how-to book, rather than a book for serious crafters. Whether you’re a serious crafter in need of a break to laugh at your art, or you’re like me- the craft-impaired - this may be the book for you, it would also be great as a coffee table book your guests can giggle over at parties.

Thank you Sam Reece, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Part memoir, part self help, part craft book. I really like the lack of perfection this book encourages. It is really easy to pick up a craft book and get really disappointed when what you make doesn't look at the pictures. This book supports pinterest fails.

I loved the photos and the layout of this book! It was really delightful and such a fun way to consider self-care and not trying to be perfect all the time (What better way to do than to do it with shitty crafts and trash). This book is absolutely geared towards millennials/gen-z but that’s not a bad thing. I enjoyed reading this, the graphics and photos were what really stood out in this book and made it so much fun.

The crafts are certifiably silly, including a wall hanging of a shrimp covered in rhinestones, but the essays interspersed between the tutorials have heart-warming messages about important topics like self acceptance, survivorship, and impostor syndrome. I will recommend to makers and crafters looking for self-care books, and fans of Amy Sedaris, especially "Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People" and people who enjoy crafting memoirs that touch on emotional topics like "Hooked" by Sutton Foster. Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle books for digital review copy.

This book had me laughing and snorting all the way through to the end!

I'd never heard of Sam Reece or the Shitty Craft Club - but omg, sign me up -- this was a hilarious, part self-help part shitty craft book that was thoroughly entertaining!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

✨ Review ✨ Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things, by Sam Reece

Want to feel inspired to be crafty without spending tons of money or actually being good at it? Then THIS is the book for you.

The book is full of photos and exploding with color. It's really beautifully done!

With directions to make everything from pompoms (out of literally anything) to a rhinestone shrimp to awards for adulting, this book isn't your traditional crafting book. The author writes with humor, reminds you to do basic things like drink water (thank you), and creates just such a delightfully silly book that's a perfect gift for your girlfriends that don't quite have their lives together.

Genre: Crafts & Hobbies + Humor & Satire
Reminds me of: literally nothing I've read before lol
Pub Date: 19 Sep 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ crafts but you're not really great at them
⭕️ chaos and laughing at your life

Thanks to Chronicle Books and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

A silly and sarcastic illustrated craft book. You probably will not want to make ANY of the crafts in this book but you may connect with her words and relatable mom situations.

This is a hilarious manifesto of teaching yourself how to find joy in anything again. The author, Sam, writes in a relatable style and the photography is perfectly paired. Sam reminds everyone that crafting can be fun and more importantly that perfection is a myth.

"Shitty Craft Club" is an absolute delight, deserving a resounding five-star rating. Sam Reece, the comedian behind this TikTok sensation turned book, invites readers into a world of creativity that's wonderfully chaotic and refreshingly imperfect.

This book, with its humor and unconventional approach, delivers a powerful message: everyone is an artist in their own right. Reece gives us permission to let loose, embrace our quirkiest ideas, and have fun without the pressure of perfection. This can be difficult for me so I really appreciated the encouragement. It's about celebrating our unique artistic expression, no matter how unconventional it may seem.

With step-by-step instructions and hilarious anecdotes from Reece's life, the book provides a roadmap for creative adventures that are both fun and relatable. The book perfectly combines the spirit of millennial/Gen Z humor with the whimsical crafting style of Amy Sedaris and the colorful energy of Lisa Frank. It's a vibrant celebration of creativity in its purest form.

From making pom-poms to sculpting rhinestone shrimp out of aluminum foil and glue gun magic, Reece proves that anything and everything can be a craft. Even simple tasks like taking a sip of water can become a craft in this playful world. Life is undoubtedly challenging, and this book encourages us to find joy in gluing "trash to more trash" if it brings us happiness.

In conclusion, "Shitty Craft Club" is a lighthearted, inspiring, and wildly entertaining journey into the world of creativity. Sam Reece's witty guidance reminds us that artistry can be found in the most unexpected places, and it's okay to embrace the imperfect, the whimsical, and the wonderfully weird. This book is a five-star celebration of creativity and the joy it can bring to our lives.

Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things by Sam Reece is currently scheduled for release on September 19 2023. Did you know that you are a glorious and incredible artist? Wait, really? Well, you are. Shitty Craft Club gives you permission to have fun and be as weird, wild, and wonderful as you want to be. It’s about trying your best, not perfection. With step-by-step instructions and funny, deeply relatable tales from her life, Sam Reece, founder of the Shitty Craft Club movement, hilariously guides you through dozens of projects. Making a bunch of pom-poms so you can be your own cheerleader? That’s a craft. Sculpting a rhinestone shrimp out of aluminum foil and a glue gun? A craft. Having literally one sip of water (congrats, by the way)? Yup, you bet—a craft. Because life is hard. So why not spend a bit of time gluing some trash to more trash if it makes you happy?

Shitty Craft Club is a fun and enjoyable read. Are the crafts in the book my style? Nope, but I think that is kind of the reason I read this book. The encouragement to craft things just because it is fun and you deserve to do something you enjoy is fantastic. I have been doing different types of arts and crafts all my life, and I admit to falling into the trap of needing things to be just right or as close to perfect as possible before letting it been seen. Making myself a trophy for getting through the week might have sounded silly before, but maybe that is just the reward I need. Not the final result necessarily, but the making and doing of the craft for no good reason other than I want to and can is something we could all stand to do a little more, especially when (hot glue gun burns and clean up aside) there is no harm or downside in giving yourself the space to do this type of thing. I thought the authors voice was very honest and funny, making this book a joy to read. The emphasis on being health and happy, and working with sustainable and recycled supplies was an added bonus. I think this book is a great read for crafters and perfectionists of all kinds, and is definitely worth the read.