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3.72 of 5 stars
Join Martha Stewart for a celebration of handcrafted holidays all year-round!
 
New Year’s – Valentine’s Day – ... read full description

reviews

Feb 15, 2012
Erica - rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for NetGalley.com
I'm a sucker for any Martha Stewart craft book. The books always have at least one or two projects I want to try. It seems that Martha Stewart and her helpers can make a craft out of almost anything. As with other Martha Stewart craft books this one does not disappoint. As a librarian who does crafts with kids, this will be one of my go-to books for ideas. All of my Valentine's Day crafts for a recent program came from this book.

The book is organized by h More...
Feb 15, 2012
Erica rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for NetGalley
I'm a sucker for any Martha Stewart craft book. The books always have at least one or two projects I want to try. It seems that Martha Stewart and her helpers can make a craft out of almost anything. As with other Martha Stewart craft books this one does not disappoint. As a librarian who does crafts with kids, this will be one of my go-to books for ideas. All of my Valentine's Day crafts for a recent program came from this book.

The book is organized by ho More...
Dec 21, 2011
Deborah rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Here's the Scoop:

There is no question that Martha Stewart has long been the reigning queen of DIY home crafts and decorations. In this holiday-centered book, she has gathered the best of her ideas, giving us up-close and fully realized directions on how to create extraordinary crafts and gifts for home, family and friends. Martha doesn't disappoint her fans, and anyone is bound to find something beautiful to create in this holiday crafting book.

Major holidays are segmen More...
Dec 06, 2011
Luanne rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Oh, I fully admit it - I love crafting and making stuff. When I get my hands on a book like Martha Stewarts' Handmade Hoiday Crafts, I wait for just the right time to read it. I then flip through randomly stopping at ideas that catch my eye first time through. When I pick it up the second time (again at the right time) I read it from cover to cover.

And there are some fantastic ideas in this latest Martha offering. The book is geared towards crafts for all the major holidays - Valentine More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Oct 30, 2011
Melissa added it
This book is exactly what it looks like... a Martha Stewart craft book. I admit that sometimes Martha's perfection often puts me off when it comes to crafts, but the ideas her people come up with are usually eye catching and interesting. This book is no exception.

As with what you often expect with Martha, it is more a book of celebrating with others. You have all the major holidays which is geared mostly toward a US audience. So, you have the 4th and Thanksgiving included. And altho More...
Oct 20, 2011
Jennifer rated it: 4 of 5 stars
The Good Stuff

Some very practical crafts using leftover supplies which is nice to see, as very environmentally friendly
Would buy this book for the section on Easter Egg decorating alone
Pictures are lovely just to look at
Something for every different skill level
Crafts for both adults and kids
Buyers Guide is quite nicely detailed (but it's American based
Clip art and templates section is fabulous
Excellently organi More...
Oct 10, 2011
Jennifer rated it: 3 of 5 stars
As always, the pictures are lovely and the completed crafts unique and dazzling, but sadly, I wasn't very inspired.

First off, there are a lot of thinsg to buy, many of them pricey and only found at craft stores and second, many of the crafts don't seem very durable, so basically you'd only have them for the one holiday and once you took them down they'd go straight into the garbage, frown.

Her are some examples of these disposable crafts:

Gilded pears - take some pear More...
Nov 29, 2011
Sara rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Martha Stewart never fails to please with her craft books. There is always something for everyone in each of her collections. I enjoyed looking through the crafts and have a few slated to be completed over the next month.
There were many things I loved about this book - it had a variety from easy to do with the kids to something elegant and showstopping. She hit all the major holidays and gives us projects for the whole year.
What I didn't like was how quick some of the instructions we More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Dec 21, 2011
Caren rated it: 5 of 5 stars
OK I have to admit I have been a 'follower' of Martha Stewart's craft projects since I married. The Gilded eggs, from blowen eggs, have been on my tree since I made them 8 or 9 years ago when it was published in Martha Stewart Living. They are just as lovely as they were then.
Like the magazine, Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts has step by step directions and beautiful photos to go with each project. Some projects are a little out there. I don't know anyone who wants to make stri More...
Dec 30, 2011
Kassiah rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I meant to do a review of this book before Christmas--sorry! The great thing about it is the awesome projects for so many holidays. I loved so many of them, and definitely feel inspired by lots of things in here.

I really liked the pictures and how many holidays are covered. I did not like that the directions and a separate supply list for each project was not provided.

Several people said that many of the supplies that are recommended are expensive, and I agree. Howeve More...
Nov 14, 2011
EeeJay rated it: 4 of 5 stars
So here's the thing, I realize that this was an ARC and the publisher had no responsibility to send in the best version of the book to the readers but for a book which is meant to draw a customer in using graphics and photographs, the ARC was a terrible print with the photos in a weird resolution. It made even Martha Stewarts' project look - well - cheap for one thing and amateur for another. Apart from this issue however,I found the book to be interesting and catering to a wide audience. The pi More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Nov 10, 2011
Elisabeth rated it: 4 of 5 stars
My husband was a little surprised that I checked this book out- kind of surprised myself actually. I got a piece of paper and thought I'd write down four or five ideas from the whole book. I barely got through the first third of the book and had written down lots of ideas. I told Jeremy I would have to buy the book eventually (when it's cheaper) instead of writing everything down. I showed him some of the projects I liked and he admited they were pretty good. It's a fun book to look through with More...
Nov 04, 2011
Tanja rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Martha Stewart's Handmade Holliday Crafts

A good craft book chock full of great ideas. I made the Gourd Candles and they were fun and beautiful. I received a lot of compliments. I also used the pumpkin carving tips and carved the coolest pumpkin.

There are many craft ideas for every Holliday from Hanukkah to the Fourth of July. The crafts are fun and creative. But, this is not a book for beginners. The instructions aren't always clear and the pictures are needed, so you More...
Aug 14, 2011
Mandy rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Typical of Martha Stewart, there are some wonderful projects for decorating your home or preparing for a party, including for children's parties. Most of the projects can be made primarily with items you already have around the house, making them excellent for families trying to make some meaningful decorations without spending much money. It's definitely worth thumbing through at your local library to see if any of the seasonal ideas inspire you.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was p More...
Oct 06, 2011
Robin rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Just what you would expect from Martha Stewart: a beautifully designed and photographed book featuring 225 elegant handmade crafts for 10 different holiday seasons. This book strikes a good balance of inexpensive/expensive crafts and easy/very difficult crafts. If you subscribe to "Living" you may recognize projects, as everything in this book was in the magazine. Fun to flip through and use as inspiration for a project. Bonus: good tips on "basic techniques" in the back, as More...
Oct 29, 2011
Autumn rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I liked this one better than Martha's Encyclopedia of Crafts, really. Many of the projects use techniques that are transferable to non-holiday specific use. Of course, there's an emphasis on glitter, ribbon and other supplies that Martha wants to sell you. And some of the projects are only for true overachievers. BUT you can depend on Martha's designers for inventive, interesting, classy projects year round.
Feb 20, 2012
Ita rated it: 2 of 5 stars
Most DIY craft books consist mostly of impractical, ugly, difficult, and/or expensive-to-make stuff. This one was refreshing because a good 40% of the stuff was reasonable looking and fairly easy to make (i.e. a twiddlethumbs like me could do it.).

It covers all the major USA holidays (10) and has lots of great pictures. At the end are sections on basic techniques, sources, clipart, and templates.

Sep 26, 2011
Kathy rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I think I own most of the books that Martha Stewart and her staff have released and I treasure every one of them. This is a wonderful craft book filled with wonderful ideas for holidays from Easter to Halloween to Christmas. It is wonderfully illustrated. Another treasure from the editors of Martha Stewart magazine. Be sure to add to your collection. It will be released tomorrow.
Sep 19, 2011
Marian rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I might have liked this better if it did not have quite so many holidays represented, but this is primo Martha fare. The crafts afre mostly, simple, lovely and elegant. Inexpensive? Not so much. Only if you know how much cupcake liners cost would you think crafts that use hundred of them are cheap. Or the expensive fine glitters or silk velvet ribbons, see what I am getting at?
Oct 15, 2011
Leslie rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Another typically neat Martha Stewart craft book. There were some familiar crafts, seen on her website, and new ones that make you want to run out and get supplies to start crafting. The usual care is given to explanations and photography of each project. Much more coverage of Easter and "eggy" crafts than I've seen before, kind of nice for spring.
Nov 19, 2011
Erica rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Of course everything in here was really pretty and fun, but also complicated and always a little over the top. I do not have parties where I make special table mats and place settings and center pieces and all such stuff. I did like cute doily Christmas decorations and was hoping to make something similar to decorate the library.
Nov 10, 2011
Lauren rated it: 4 of 5 stars
This isn't the type of book you read cover to cover. It is a wonderful reference of crafts from Valentine's Day - New Years, and all the big holidays in between. I've yet to find a Martha Stewart book I wasn't in love with (I'm a bit biased). Martha Stewart's Holiday Crafts is definitely a book to have close at hand throughout the year.
Dec 07, 2011
Jennifer rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Martha Stewart's Handmade Holday Crafts is a wonderful book for the home crafter. It is full of ideas for fun projects, many with things you would already have at home or could get at the grocery store. The book is set up by holiday and follows the calendar year. I will definitely put it on my Christmas list!!!
Nov 09, 2011
Marcia rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I was looking for holiday decorating inspiration, and I always find it with Martha. A beautiful book, with typically MS elaborate projects and great attention to detail. The major holidays are covered, with the Christmas section giving lots of coverage to wrapping--an area where I need improvement.
Nov 26, 2011
No matter the time of year, it's always time to start a new craft! Create Christmas decorations, seasonal table settings or creative gifts everyone will love. The pictures are great references with easy to follow directions. Novice to expert crafter. -Sara G
Oct 17, 2011
Jean rated it: 4 of 5 stars
this craft book covers all seasons. each has very easy crafts and good directions. I have reviewed the Christmas season's crafts in preparations for my bazaar.
Oct 07, 2011
Mickie rated it: 2 of 5 stars
Meh. Felt like a lot of recycled ideas here. Just me or have I seen theses before?
Sep 25, 2011
Jennifer rated it: 4 of 5 stars
lots of interesting ideas - excited to try them out!
Dec 02, 2011
Roxy rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Loaded with awesome craft ideas for the holidays. Can't wait to try some of them out.
Dec 31, 2011
Colleen rated it: 5 of 5 stars
WOW! Chock full of excellent holiday decorations/party favors, templates, clip art, tips, techniques, resources, and a buying guide, this is a fabulous resource for any lover of crafting.

In my opinion, this book is worth the purchase if only for Martha's comprehensive pumpkin carving techniques that put my favorite resource, Pumpkin Masters, to shame! But there is truly a plethora of easy and elegant crafts for any holiday that can be easily adapted for any special occasion.

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