The Muppets Big Book of Crafts

I never considered myself a "crafty" person before I got my hands on this book! My roommate got it over a year ago and I had to get my own copy because we soon won't be living together anymore. It is true what the other reviewers have said that there isn't a lot for little kids in this book (though there are at least 20 good things for children) but there are a zillion crafts-for-kids books out there. This book is for EVERYBODY! Really, these projects could be handled by children, but many of them take patience that some children don't have. The projects in this book may take longer than projects in other books, but the end result is probably much better, too. After all, these projects come from the Muppet Workshop, and we all know the Muppets they make are not like ordinary craft puppets. My favorite project in this book is the "Eggshell Mosaic" which involves selecting your favorite drawing/picture (I did Sailor Moon, my friend did Tigger... there is a stencil in the book of Fozzie Bear), making a tracing of this picture onto cardboard, dying eggs the colors you will need to color in your tracing, and gluing the broken colored eggshell pieces into place! It looks like a fancy tile design you might see in a subway station. Everyone who has seen our eggshell mosaics is impressed! All of the projects have easy-to-follow instructions and helpful hints on how you may want to do your project. It is loaded with color photos of examples, and step-by-step drawings. I must have at least ten bookmarks in my copy, all marking projects that I can't wait to do! I can't stress enough what a great book this is. These must be the things Muppet Workshop people do with their children on the weekends. I don't have kids yet, but when I do, I am sure we will wear this book out until it is ragged.

I have a four children and a huge library of children's craft books. There are very few really great children's art books. This is one of them. If you work with children at all, add this to your library, you won't be sorry. This book provides the recipes for many old standby crafts but also offers many inventive and new ways to assemble beautiful works of art. I am a strong proponent of art for children and I believe in projects that produce something the child can be proud of that is long lasting. It is very rare that a children's book is written that has more than two really good projects. Here, they are all wonderful. The section on carving sculptures out of sponges and the muppet recipe for stone is inspiring. I also found this book entertaining with all of the information on muppets scattered throughout the book. It is a great value and a book you will love!

I love the Muppet books because they consistently feature the best projects with the most creative ingredients and exciting results I've ever come across in a craft book for children. The crafts range from the simple to the complex, and result in the useful to the whimsical.Not only does this book feature fun crafts, but it also has numerous examples of art and puppets from the Muppet Studios -- nobody can get enough of those great costumes and monsters! I highly recommend this book for kids young and old, as well as craft-enthusiasts of all ages.

I can highly recommend this book for all ages. With a few adjustments my two year old loves the projects and this book can easily carry you through to adulthood. When I opened it I found several projects I rather wanted to do myself. Mediums covered include working with paper (collage, bookmaking etc), molding and modeling, carving, printmaking, sewing projects, making puppets, costumes, jewelry, dying fabrics, making your own dollhouse and so much more. All of the projects are rated according to difficulty and there are chapters too on safety, setting up your own craft studio and more. Full of color illustrations, interesting facts about the making of the Muppet Show, and humor. I love it. A book with serious longevity - I'm sure that some day my grandchildren will love it too.

This book not only provides excellent, well illustrated craft ideas, but it is peppered throughout with the creativity and fun of the muppets! Not only does the book detail the steps for the activities, it provides suggestions on setting up a work space, as well as safety tips. Each chapter deals with a different medium and within the chapter the projects progress in difficulty. This is wonderful for finding a project in a specific medium for different age/ ability levels.