Synopsis

 

A knitting group’s change of scenery changes lives in unexpected ways

Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.

Uptight Margaret isn’t having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret—grumbling the whole way—to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.

Without the familiar mold, the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community–or will the tangle be too much to unravel?

Sharon J. Mondragon’s debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.

 

 

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Praise

 

“The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a delight! With scenes as vivid and lively as a cozy PBS drama and characters so real they feel more like neighbors than anything else, this book was a joy every moment I spent with it. More than once, I found myself so absorbed in the story that I completely forgot I was reading. Laced with mercy, encouragement, and hope, this novel is a brilliant and lovingly written debut.”  ~ Susie Finkbeiner, author of The Nature of Small Birds and the Pearl Spence novels

 

“I love this book. Extraordinary things happen when ordinary knitters reluctantly move a congregation’s prayer shawl ministry from a quiet chapel to a busy mall. Their encounters with people they would not normally meet made me chuckle, occasionally weep, and finish the story feeling a gentle nudge from the author to ‘go and do likewise.’”  ~ Patricia Sprinkle, author of Hold Up the Sky

 

 

Review

 

I loved this book and devoured it pretty quickly. Sometimes a book just hits you at the right time and that was this book for me.

Four women make up the prayer shawl ministry at a local church and their pastor has set them out into the community to knit their shawls while the chapel is being repainted. Needless to say, Margaret is not pleased with this change. Margaret is something of a control freak and this upsets her strict routine and feels that knitting in public will not allow them to pray over these shawls for those that will eventually receive them. I think we all know a Margaret in our lives and sometimes change is good. The other ladies are more flexible and they don’t let Margaret try and run roughshod over them and change the date or make it a more private location.

While Margaret is the driving force, the other ladies, Fran, Rose, and Jane, are a solid contribution to the group and the story. All four of these women have their own demons to battle and those play into the story and how it brings people to them and how they can all make a difference one person at a time.

I loved how these ladies end up at the mall doing their knitting and that while they may think that they do not bring attention to themselves, they really do and others are curious about what they are doing and why. What these ladies don’t realize is that they did bring their ministry to the people and they were receptive to prayers and even being brought into the prayer shawl ministry circle.  I was encouraged at how they were accepted by the number of prayer requests they received from employees at the mall and it reminds us that even a small change can bring bigger changes to our lives.

The story flows and while there are some “tense” moments between characters, it also shows us grace and mercy, that forgiveness is powerful, and that we all need someone in our lives to be in our corner and root for us whether we know it or not. There are some sparks of love, protectiveness of parents, and getting through to one Dragon Lady that life is too short to hold onto anger and fear and that feelings need to be shared now and not later when it is too late.

This is a feel-good book that will be enjoyed by many. And if you are a knitter, there is even a pattern at the end if you want to give it a whirl. I have to say, this book made me want to try my hand at knitting!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Sharon J. Mondragón writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest.

Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.

Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.

 

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Author: Stephanie Ward

Illustrator: Shaney Hyde

Age Range: 4 – 8 years

Grade Level: Preschool – 3

 

Synopsis

 

Arabella is a beloved only child who has everything a little girl could want. That is, until her brother, Avery, the master of mayhem, comes along. While she certainly loves him, she finds that it’s sometimes very hard to like him. So she spends her days creating marvelous, magnificent things with her magic pencil, and trying to ignore him. But when he spoils her perfectly proper tea party, she decides drastic action is required and she erases him from her life. Oops! But things aren’t the same without him — can she get him back?

Arabella and the Magic Pencil is a charming story, which will appeal to any child coming to terms with a new sibling and to caregivers who are supporting changing family dynamics, as well as those who love fantasy and engaging alliterative language.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * IndieBound * EKBooks

 

 

Review

This book is perfect for anyone that has a child and is expecting another or recently had another child. Or really for any family with siblings.  I was the oldest of five, so I remember not wanting younger siblings especially my youngest sister that born close to my birthday.  Thankfully, that was just when I was younger and I have the best relationship with all of my siblings.

Arabella is an only child and you might say she is a bit spoiled.  That is until her new brother, Avery, comes along.  She quickly learns that having a younger sibling isn’t always calm and peaceful until they aren’t around anymore.

This book is magical and will draw young children into a world of make-believe.  I can only imagine what children could come up with if they had their own magic pencil that would bring whatever they drew to life.  It also teaches them to have patience with a younger sibling.

I really enjoyed the illustrations.  They are colorful, whimsical, and depict the story very well.  They help bring the story to life.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

Activities to do in conjunction with the book

 

Teaching Notes

 

Magic Pencil Craft * Paper Doll Craft * Coloring Pages

 

About the Author

 

Stephanie Ward is the author of Arabella and the Magic Pencil. Her next picture book is due for release in 2020, but it’s all under wraps at the moment so stay tuned for details! After many years in marketing, Stephanie now spends her time writing sweet, silly and side-splitting stories for children. Originally from Spokane, Washington, Stephanie currently lives in London, England with her husband and young son.

 

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About the Illustrator

 

Shaney Hyde is an Early Childhood Teacher from Melbourne who runs art workshops for children and draws inspiration from her own playful childhood. Arabella and the Magic Pencil is the first book Shaney has illustrated, fulfilling a long-held dream.

 

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win a copy of this book – open anywhere Amazon will deliver.

 

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Death by Design: A DIY Diva Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Cozy Cat Press (June 20, 2019)
Print Length: 184 pages

Synopsis

DIY Diva Laurel McMillan rejoices when her student Jennifer’s peacock pillow wins a design contest; that is, until Jennifer’s husband Matt is smothered with the very same pillow. When the police confiscate her prize-winning pillow, Jennifer freaks out, and Laurel fears that Jennifer may be more upset about losing the pillow than about Matt’s death. But the police arrest disgraced nurse Edna Elkins, not Jennifer. Begging Laurel to find the real killer, Edna insists she’s innocent, but Laurel’s not so sure, and when Laurel encounters Jennifer while walking her lovable Labrador retriever, Bear, she’s left with more questions than answers. Should the crafty DIY Diva play DIY Detective or does Edna really belong in jail?

Includes recipes and pillow project instructions.

 

Guest Post

Crafting in the DIY Diva Mystery Series

by

Paula Darnell

Most of us cozy mystery readers enjoy trying to solve a puzzle. Although the answer to the whodunit question is at the center of most mysteries, it’s not the only consideration for an author who plans to write a mystery novel. Another major element that authors must take into consideration is the persona of the detective (always an amateur in a cozy), who’s also the main character in the book. In addition to the physical characteristics of the amateur sleuth, the author has to focus on personality, relationships, daily routine, and so on.

One of the first elements I thought of when I was planning the first book in my DIY Diva Mystery series is the occupation of my amateur sleuth, Laurel McMillan. Cozy mysteries often have protagonists who own a small retail business. I like to read these myself because the reader often gets a good idea of the struggles and successes of an individual proprietor, but I wanted Laurel to have more freedom and a more flexible schedule than she would have if she were running a retail business six or seven days a week. Such freedom gives Laurel plenty of time to play DIY Detective when the need arises.

Another factor that played into selecting her occupation resulted from the story’s setting. Since the first book focuses so much on the walled, guard-gated community where she lives (and where the murder takes place), I wanted her to be physically present in the community as much as possible, giving her plenty of opportunity to pick up gossipy tidbits from friends and neighbors.

A work-at-home occupation seemed to fit the bill. Briefly, I considered making her a writer, but then I had a better idea. Why not make her a crafter who has been able to turn her love of crafting into a viable business? Because many people dream about turning a hobby into a business and actually making money and supporting themselves by doing something they love, I liked the idea and decided to go with it.

Another thing I liked about having Laurel making her living from crafting is that I know a lot about several different crafts as well as sewing, which comes in handy when I write about what she’s doing in her business. I also know about writing about a craft or teaching a craft to others, so I was able to add these components to her repertoire.

In the DIY Diva Mystery series, Laurel blogs, writes DIY books on crafts, designs craft projects for manufacturers, teaches various craft and sewing classes at the Hawkeye Haven community center, and sometimes sells some her jewelry wholesale to boutiques. Why so many elements to her crafting business? I believe such variety makes the portrayal of her vocation much more realistic because people who have small crafts-based businesses typically wear many hats, and it’s not unusual to teach, write, design, sell wholesale, sell online, sell at craft fairs, or pursue a combination of these activities.

In each book in the series, Laurel is writing her own book. In Death by Association, the first book in the series, she’s busy researching and writing DIY for Dog Lovers (she has an adorable chocolate Labrador retriever for inspiration). To tie in with the theme, I include four recipes for dog treats in the back of the book. along with two projects for readers’ own favorite canine companions: a reversible, fringed dog scarf and a no-sew dog bed. In Death by Design, the second book in the series, Laurel is teaching a class about how to make pillows and writing her next book, DIY Perfect Pillows. Included at the back of Death by Design are instructions for a suede or leather (faux or real) fringed pillow and a lacy neck roll pillow.

Another tie-in to the craft theme is that, in Death by Design, Jennifer, one of Laurel’s students, wins a design contest with a beautiful peacock pillow she makes. Unfortunately, Jennifer’s prize-winning pillow is used to kill her husband Matt.

Book three in the series features a different craft, but I won’t give it away yet, as it concerns the plot of the book, too. The third book in the series should be out sometime in late fall, if I get back to my computer and finish it soon!

 

About the Author

An instructor at five colleges over the years, Paula Darnell most often taught the dreaded first-year English composition classes, but she’s also been happy to teach some fun classes, such as fashion design, sewing, and jewelry making. Paula has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Like Laurel, the main character in Death by Association, Paula enjoys all kinds of arts and crafts. Some of her memorable projects include making a hat and a cape to wear to Royal Ascot, sewing wedding gowns for both her daughters, exhibiting her textile and mixed-media artwork in juried art shows, and having one of her jewelry projects accepted for inclusion in Leather Jewelry, published by Lark Books. She sells some of her jewelry and hair accessories in her Etsy shop.

Paula’s interest in DIY craft projects and fashion led to her writing hundreds of articles for print and online national publications.

Living in a guard-gated community governed by a homeowners’ association gave Paula the idea for the setting of Death by Association. She finds that residing in an HOA community can be both a blessing and a curse. A Happy-New-Year greeting from her community association called on residents to “start the new year by reviewing your Rules and Regulations booklet,” something unlikely to top anyone’s list of New Year’s resolutions.

Paula lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband Gary and their 110-pound dog Rocky, whose favorite pastime is lurking in the kitchen, hoping for a handout

Website * Twitter * Goodreads * Pinterest * Etsy

 

Giveaway

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Drop Dead Ornaments (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Self Published
Print Length: 209 pages

Synopsis

Anastasia Pollack’s son Alex is dating Sophie Lambert, the new kid in town. For their community service project, the high school seniors have chosen to raise money for the county food bank. Anastasia taps her craft industry contacts to donate materials for the students to make Christmas ornaments they’ll sell at the town’s annual Holiday Crafts Fair.

At the fair Anastasia meets Sophie’s father, Shane Lambert, who strikes her as a man with secrets. She also notices a woman eavesdropping on their conversation. Later that evening when the woman turns up dead, Sophie’s father is arrested for her murder.

Alex and Sophie beg Anastasia to find the real killer, but Anastasia has had her fill of dead bodies. She’s also not convinced of Shane’s innocence. Besides, she’s promised younger son Nick she’ll stop risking her life. But how can she say no to Alex?

Guest Post

The Difference Between Cupcakes and Crafts

I write the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries. As the name suggests, this is a craft-themed mystery series. Anastasia is the crafts editor at a women’s magazine. After the untimely death of her husband in Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in the series, she finds herself, thanks to her husband’s well-hidden gambling addiction, trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collectors, her husband’s bookie, and the detectives who think she murdered the magazine’s fashion editor. Throughout the series, as Anastasia works to whittle down massive debt and keep from having to move her family into a cardboard box on the street, she also finds herself dealing with dead bodies on a fairly regular basis.

Crafting mysteries often include craft projects, just as culinary mysteries often include recipes. The big difference between the two sub-genres is that the crafting mystery author is limited in the type of crafts she can include. Recipes don’t need patterns, but many craft projects often require them. Patterns don’t work in e-books and print novels. So in my series I have to come up with craft projects that can be made by only following written directions. I also want projects that are easy enough for even the most novice crafter.

In Drop Dead Ornaments, the seventh book in the series, I feature Christmas ornaments that anyone can make, even someone who doesn’t know the difference between a fishhook and a crochet hook. These are no-talent-required projects that use easy-to-find supplies available at any craft or fabric store and many big box stores or online. They also take very little time to make. Here’s one of them:

Metallic Braid Ornament

 

Materials

Clear glass ball ornament*

5-yds. 5mm braided metallic cording (choose silver, gold, or 2-toned combination colors such as red/gold or black/silver)

9”-12” of 1/4”-1/2” wide satin or grosgrain ribbon in a complementary color

Note: If you can’t find 5mm braid, you can substitute a different diameter. You’ll need less braid for a thicker diameter and more for a thinner diameter braid. You can also substitute yarn, twine, thin braid, or a thin strip of fabric for the ribbon used for the hanging loop.

Directions

Carefully remove the metal cap from the glass ball. Feed the metallic braid through the opening into the ornament. Reattach the metal cap. Tie the ribbon through the loop for hanging.

* This is a great project to make with kids, but depending on their age, you might want to substitute clear plastic ball ornaments for the glass ball ornaments.

 

About The Author

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.

Website * Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Newsletter

 

Giveaway

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Off the Beadin’ Path (Glass Bead Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Vetrai Press (March 11, 2017)
230 Pages

Synopsis

Jax O’Connell and her friend Tessa have no idea what challenges await them when they head to the small town of Carthage to take a glass blowing class with Marco De Luca, a famous Italian glass artist. While Jax loves melting glass to make beads, she discovers that standing in front of the glass furnace’s inferno frightens her.

After the first night of class, Tessa sees a dead body through the water-streaked window of the studio. The next morning there’s no sign of Marco—dead or alive—and one of the studio owners is also missing. The local sheriff doesn’t take the disappearance seriously, so Jax and Tessa take matters into their own hands.

Jax must face her fears to find the body, track down the clues, and uncover the killer—and do it all before another life is shattered.

Off the Beadin’ Path is the third book in the Glass Bead Mystery series.

Guest Post

A Day in the Life of Jax O’Connell

The Main Character in Off the Beadin’ Path,
Book Three in the Glass Bead Mystery Series by Janice Peacock

Hi there! My name is Jax O’Connell, and I live in Seattle, the Emerald City—not because of how lush the landscape is, but because of all the green Starbucks signs everywhere you look. I love it here, not just for the coffee, but because Seattle is a mecca for glass art. I make glass beads for a living by melting slender rods of colorful glass that I sculpt using a 2,000 degree torch. I use the beads I make to create handmade jewelry that I sell at local shops.

When I inherited a bungalow from my Great-Aunt Rita in this glass-loving city, I left Miami behind. I can say without a doubt that I don’t miss the hurricanes or the jumbo-sized bugs. Several years ago, my great-aunt split her house down the middle to create a duplex. I live in one side of the house and Val lives in the other. I’ve lived next door to her for nearly three years now, and they have been some of the best in my life. Val is enormous in every way—big red hair, big bones (I say with the utmost tact), and big jewelry—the glitzier, the better. Oh, and she’s a science-fiction fan girl, but that’s too complicated to explain right now.

On most usual days, I’d get up and pull the beads I’d made the day before from the kiln. It’s always fun to see how everything turns out and decide what I want to work on next. Then I’d head down the hall to the kitchen, where my cat Gumdrop would be impatiently pacing back and forth. I’d pull out a green ice cube from the cute pink plastic tray in the freezer and pop it into the cat’s empty food bowl. As soon as Gumdrop saw the frozen cube of catnip, he’d go wild, jumping on the bowl, and skidding across the hardwood floor into the hallway. While Gumdrop enjoyed his treat, I’d usually make a big pot of coffee, and enjoy the first of many cups of the day.

But today is not a usual day. My best friend, Tessa, spent the night, and what a night it was! She and I are taking a glassblowing class at Old Firehouse Studio in the little town of Carthage about a forty-five minute drive from here. I was excited at the prospect of taking a glassblowing class, but once I stood in front of the furnace’s inferno, I knew I would never be able to blow glass with any confidence, if I had the guts to do it at all.

Marco de Luca, our teacher, was hitting on one of the pretty young women in class and he’d had just a little too much to drink by the end of the evening. So, once we finished our lesson, Tessa and I both wanted to get out of town, and fast. While we were driving home, Tessa realized she’d left her cell phone at the studio. Since Tessa can’t live without her phone, I turned back, during a downpour, no less. I waited in the car while Tessa ran to the studio. She tried the door, but it was locked. She peered in the studio window, then turned and ran faster than I’ve ever seen her move.

She jumped in my car and told me the shocking news: She had seen a dead body in the studio through the rain-streaked window! Tessa was certain it was our instructor, and was sure he was dead. Not knowing what else to do, I sped away while Tessa called 911. I parked at the other end of town, and we waited until a sheriff arrived. And, I’ve got to say, the sheriff did not inspire confidence. He sent us home, promising he’d check out what Tessa saw at the studio, though I think it was equally likely he’d do nothing of the sort.

After our long drive home, we ate far too many oatmeal cookies, provided to us by my neighbor Val, who is becoming a better cook day by day.

This morning Tessa and I both felt like we had hangovers, but not from drinking—from those darn oatmeal cookies. I thought oatmeal and raisins were supposed to be healthy. I guess all the sugar that holds them together is what makes my stomach feel so awful. I poured myself a giant cup of coffee and one for Tessa. Once she was up we were going to need to call the studio and find out what happened last night.

Had Tessa really seen a dead body? And who was it?

 

About the Author

Janice Peacock decided to write her first mystery novel after working in a glass studio full of colorful artists who didn’t always get along. They reminded her of the odd, and often humorous, characters in the murder mystery books she loved to read. Inspired by that experience, she combined her two passions and wrote High Strung: A Glass Bead Mystery, launching a new cozy mystery series featuring glass beadmaker Jax O’Connell.

When Janice isn’t writing about glass artists-turned-amateur-detectives, she makes glass beads using a torch, designs one-of-a-kind jewelry, and makes sculptures using hot glass. An award-winning artist, her work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of the Corning Museum of Glass, the Glass Museum of Tacoma, WA, and in private collections worldwide.

Janice lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two cats, and twelve chickens. She has a studio full of beads…lots and lots of beads.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Amazon * Goodreads

 

2 Giveaways!

The first giveaway is open internationally since it is an eBook set!

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

March 15 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

March 15 – My Journey Back – REVIEW

March 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

March 16 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

March 17 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

March 17 – Books,Dreams,Life – INTERVIEW, SPOTLIGHT

March 18 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

March 18 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

March 19 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 21 – Varietats – REVIEW

March 21 – Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST

March 22 – Book Babble – REVIEW

March 22 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW

March 23 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW

March 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

Synopsis

Keep your children’s hands busy during church services with Bible Origami. Instead of folding the service programs into paper airplanes, they can fold Noah’s ark, an oil lamp, or Joseph’s coat! As you develop the unique skill of creating these simple-to-intermediate origami designs, you will find opportunities to use them with all ages for lessons, activities, crafting, and everyday fun!

Q & A with Todd

Where did you get the inspiration to write a book on origami?

I have an amazing wife, Jill, who when I told her my idea told me to, “Go for it.”  She is amazing creative in her own right and she has always been supportive.  Whenever I would get stuck, she was there to encourage me.  She inspired me and inspires me.  I also have four great kids, Kylie, Jolie, Sophie and Dean who have been my guinea pigs when it came to practicing my different models.  They would tell me if it was too hard, or didn’t look like what I was trying to portray.  They were also part of my amazing team.

Who is this book written for?

First, I think origami is a wonderful teaching tool for kids as it combines following instructions with a hands on approach that kids enjoy.  Plus, the end result is always an accomplishment that the folder can look at as something they have created.  I can see origami being used in church schools and home school programs, as well as with family for fun activities on Sundays.  It requires very little in preparation, just paper.  I’ve also heard of it being used with older youth in missionary activities where they leave notes for people on some of the designs.  Rather than a post it note with a reading assignment, the person being taught is left with the assignment written on a dove or oil lamp.

What is the connection between origami and your career as a counselor?

I really do not use origami when I am counseling other although I have heard of some people doing that.  The only real connection is that origami provides a nice break for me from my work.  After a few hours of intense counseling sometimes it feels good to sit at my desk, take my mind out of counseling mode, and fold a couple of fun models to change things up a bit.

Review

What a fantastic idea to keep younger children occupied during church but to do something with a message.  This book shares many stories from the bible and each page has a “Did You Know” at the top of each page with a fact that you may or may not have known about the bible.

I’m only a semi crafty person, but my stepson has done Origami before so I asked him for his assistance in trying some of these pieces.  I could handle most of the level 1 and level 2 took some time.  He was able to do various level 3 pieces with ease.  The drawings are explicit and show you step by step how to recreate the different pieces.  While mine looked ok, I’m sharing some pictures from the author of the different origami in the book.

 

We think this is a great book and give it 5 paws up!

About the Author

Todd Huisken is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Irvine, California.  He had a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University, a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego and has been in practice for 21 years.   Todd has served as the Assistant Director of Disaster Mental Health Services for the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  He has worked with victims from the San Diego Fires, Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, and spent two weeks in Haiti following the earthquake in 2010.  He’s a writer, a runner and a paper folder.  Todd has been married to his beautiful wife for 26 years and they have three daughters and a son.  In their free time, the Huiskens try to make Disneyland their second home.

Website * Facebook

 

Synopsis

Doing fun activities with the family gets expensive, but now with Meggan’s $5 Family Fun, you can make, bake, and do incredibly fun things with your young family for under $5. Using dollar store finds, free local services, generic bands, and common household items, you can make every day an adventure. Gather your whole family together for inexpensive family fun activities and memories that last forever.

 

I am so excited to share UFO day from Meggan’s book.  Sure UFO day is in July, but how fun is this for your little space adventurers?!  If you visit her blog, Instagram or Pinterest page you will find more crafts and ideas.  Or scroll down and purchase her e-Book.

UFO Day – $5

Keep your eyes to the skies on July 2^nd because it’s World UFO Day.  Believers and skeptics alike will have fun with these out-of-this-world fun balloon and food craft projects.

Glowing Alien Balloons – $2

Supplies:

• White Balloons from the dollar store – $1
• Green Glow Sticks (bracelet size) from the dollar store – $1
• Black Permanent Marker from starter kit – $0

Directions:

1. Break glow sticks to activate.
2. Begin to blow up balloons to medium size.
3. Insert a glow stick in each as quickly as possible to avoid much air loss.
4. Continue to blow up the balloon to its fullest capacity and tie off.
5. Draw large alien-like eyes onto your balloons with the black permanent marker.

Cookie UFOs – $3

Supplies:

• Large Cookies (whatever your taste preference) from the dollar store – $1
• Gumdrops from the dollar store – $1
• White Icing from the dollar store – $1

Directions:

1. Use the icing as your “glue” to attach the gumdrops to the cookies. You don’t need to use a kitchen baggie as a makeshift piping bag.  Just using a kitchen butter knife, spread a little icing to the flat side of each gumdrop and use to affix to the underside of the cookies.  Allow a few minutes to dry & set.  This will create the legs to your UFO so it can stand on your plate.
2. Using icing and more gumdrops, affix one or more gumdrops (use your imagination) to the top of the edible UFO.

Note:  If you have any leftover glow sticks, create your own ceiling fan flying saucer.  Break glow sticks to activate and using the masking tape from the starter kit, (while the fan is turned off) overlap the glow stick ends with the top side of the fan blades and secure into place with masking tape.  Turn off the lights and turn the fan on high.  Sit on watch your glowing flying saucer spin above your head.

About the Author

Once she had a family of her own, Meggan Spicer discovered just how easy it was to spend $50 on family activities or outings without even batting an eye. As a result, the concept of $5 Family Fun was born. Meggan is a recruiter by profession, a wife, and a mother, and resides in the Little Rock, Arkansas, metro area. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas, and she enjoys cooking, watching movies and crafting.

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