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Criminal Crafts: From D.I.Y. to F.B.I. Outlaw Projects for Scoundrels, Cheats, and Armchair Detectives
This criminally clever craft book delivers more than 30 easy-to-make projects for devious minds looking for ways to artfully display everything from murder weapons made of soap to crime scene outlines on the living room floor.
Criminals attract an audience. People admire the sneakiness and creativity of the profession while cursing the dastardly outcomes. So why not have all of the tricks without the trade? Criminal Crafts brings together illicit behavior and artistic expression with dark humor in this do-it-yourself project book. Author Shawn Bowman focuses on original crafts and recipes themed in noir, murder, retro espionage, pulp fiction, mafia, and voodoo.
Crafters and mischief lovers alike will love this book of 30 projects revolving around notorious criminals and their activities. From John Dillinger's soap gun to Bonnie Parker's gunshot poetry journal, readers will find themselves both amused and intrigued with the devious creativity. Not to mention how impressed party guests will be when they show up to Flaming Amy cocktails and cocktail bars stashed in violin cases. And just wait until you show off your shiv cozy! From the practical to the classically kitsch, Criminal Crafts are art projects readers will love.
Some of Bowman’s notorious crafts are available online at , and you can follow Criminal Crafts at www.criminalcrafts.com and via Twitter and Facebook.
Criminals attract an audience. People admire the sneakiness and creativity of the profession while cursing the dastardly outcomes. So why not have all of the tricks without the trade? Criminal Crafts brings together illicit behavior and artistic expression with dark humor in this do-it-yourself project book. Author Shawn Bowman focuses on original crafts and recipes themed in noir, murder, retro espionage, pulp fiction, mafia, and voodoo.
Crafters and mischief lovers alike will love this book of 30 projects revolving around notorious criminals and their activities. From John Dillinger's soap gun to Bonnie Parker's gunshot poetry journal, readers will find themselves both amused and intrigued with the devious creativity. Not to mention how impressed party guests will be when they show up to Flaming Amy cocktails and cocktail bars stashed in violin cases. And just wait until you show off your shiv cozy! From the practical to the classically kitsch, Criminal Crafts are art projects readers will love.
Some of Bowman’s notorious crafts are available online at , and you can follow Criminal Crafts at www.criminalcrafts.com and via Twitter and Facebook.
144 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2012
3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 17, 2014
This is one of the more FUN and UNUSUAL craft books I've come across lately. It takes dull old objects like felt, straight pins and glue guns to a slightly DARKER place.
There are practical and useful projects like making a soap gun, invisible ink, a voodoo doll, a ransom note kit, and a handy pocket for holding your shiv.
For a bit of whimsy, you can cozy up to a red herring pillow, disguise yourself with a Mexican wrestler ski mask or easily transport your supplies in a nifty violin case.
All that crafting is thirsty work, so luckily, there are recipes for dangerous flaming cocktails. You'll also discover how to hide a file in a cake and "kill" gingerbread men with licorice garottes and tiny cocktail swords.
I can't wait to make the crime scene tape messenger bag and the dead-body-outline area rug.
This book is SO ME!!!
All projects appear to be fairly simple, made from readily available supplies. Clear photos of many of the steps are provided.
If you've got a slightly twisted sense of humor, you'll probably get a real bang out of this book. It's a blast to look at, even if you never make any of the projects. And that's just the facts, ma'am.
There are practical and useful projects like making a soap gun, invisible ink, a voodoo doll, a ransom note kit, and a handy pocket for holding your shiv.
For a bit of whimsy, you can cozy up to a red herring pillow, disguise yourself with a Mexican wrestler ski mask or easily transport your supplies in a nifty violin case.
All that crafting is thirsty work, so luckily, there are recipes for dangerous flaming cocktails. You'll also discover how to hide a file in a cake and "kill" gingerbread men with licorice garottes and tiny cocktail swords.
I can't wait to make the crime scene tape messenger bag and the dead-body-outline area rug.
This book is SO ME!!!
All projects appear to be fairly simple, made from readily available supplies. Clear photos of many of the steps are provided.
If you've got a slightly twisted sense of humor, you'll probably get a real bang out of this book. It's a blast to look at, even if you never make any of the projects. And that's just the facts, ma'am.
August 10, 2020
I was looking for a book on Halloween crafts and came across this. It has some cute ideas, like the voodoo doll pincushion, the violin case transformed into a carrying case for all your spy stuff (or craft stuff, or alcohol!), and the sugar skull bath bombs (iced with actual sugar so that seems kinda weird but OK). Not so much a fan of the Bonnie Parker bullet hole journal though. Nothing that I can really use for Halloween, but a bit of fun.
August 28, 2017
A ittle book of charming craft ideas, that failed to deliver in depth.
July 13, 2018
A lot of fun!
This book has lots of interesting fun things to make! Rear view sunglasses, crime scene messenger bag! It’s pretty hilarious to read too!😁🕶☠️
This book has lots of interesting fun things to make! Rear view sunglasses, crime scene messenger bag! It’s pretty hilarious to read too!😁🕶☠️
January 24, 2021
Bleh
Not sure what i wqs expecting but it was not this. Most of this was just junk. Found 2 things i could actually use which was the ink and finger knitting
Not sure what i wqs expecting but it was not this. Most of this was just junk. Found 2 things i could actually use which was the ink and finger knitting
May 22, 2012
This is is one of the most amusing themed craft books I've ever seen. The theme is criminally inspired crafting, and it covers a broad range of crafts. The crafts are clever and most of them are very inexpensive to make as gifts or for your own enjoyment.
Each project starts with a brief introduction explaining the inspiration for the project. Some are inspired by real criminals, others are more generally inspired.
The projects are all written so craft novices can follow the instructions.
The chapters are separated by type according to how it's used. The projects themselves use a variety of techniques including but not limited to paper craft, hand sewing, stamp carving and duct tape.
Chapter 1- Criminal Intent has things with practical use, like the John Dillinger inspired gun shaped soap or the wonderful Ransom Note Kit that can be made with minimal cost and would be a great gift for slightly twisted paper crafters.
Chapter 2- Accessories to the Fact is accessorizing at it's sneaky, criminal inspired best. I really love the Case the Joint Craft Caddy made from a used violin case and the Crime Scene Tape Messenger Bag. The simple sewn orange and striped fleece poncho named for the craft world's most famous criminal had me laughing out loud.
Chapter 3- Recipes for Disaster is cooking and cocktails with a crafty, witty flair. My favorite is the Crime Scene Gingerbread Men all dead in creatively morbid ways. There is also the obligatory cake with a file in it!
Chapter 4- Home is Where The Heart is... and the Left Leg and the Spleen is home decor items. I love the noir silhouette Concrete Slippers Window Shade. My daughter loves the Barefoot Bandit Grass-Head Cellmate that's made from a discarded sock.
A really fun book with full of great gangster inspired crafts. This is a great book for my teenage daughter and I to work on things together and one I really recommend for sharing craft nights with friends and loved ones. Since most of the crafts can be completed in an evening, they would make a great themed party. Get your favorite gangster film, your glue gun and glue bandolier (instructions in the accessories chapter) and have fun.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my craft blog- Don't Eat the Paste. My reviews are always my honest opinion]
Each project starts with a brief introduction explaining the inspiration for the project. Some are inspired by real criminals, others are more generally inspired.
The projects are all written so craft novices can follow the instructions.
The chapters are separated by type according to how it's used. The projects themselves use a variety of techniques including but not limited to paper craft, hand sewing, stamp carving and duct tape.
Chapter 1- Criminal Intent has things with practical use, like the John Dillinger inspired gun shaped soap or the wonderful Ransom Note Kit that can be made with minimal cost and would be a great gift for slightly twisted paper crafters.
Chapter 2- Accessories to the Fact is accessorizing at it's sneaky, criminal inspired best. I really love the Case the Joint Craft Caddy made from a used violin case and the Crime Scene Tape Messenger Bag. The simple sewn orange and striped fleece poncho named for the craft world's most famous criminal had me laughing out loud.
Chapter 3- Recipes for Disaster is cooking and cocktails with a crafty, witty flair. My favorite is the Crime Scene Gingerbread Men all dead in creatively morbid ways. There is also the obligatory cake with a file in it!
Chapter 4- Home is Where The Heart is... and the Left Leg and the Spleen is home decor items. I love the noir silhouette Concrete Slippers Window Shade. My daughter loves the Barefoot Bandit Grass-Head Cellmate that's made from a discarded sock.
A really fun book with full of great gangster inspired crafts. This is a great book for my teenage daughter and I to work on things together and one I really recommend for sharing craft nights with friends and loved ones. Since most of the crafts can be completed in an evening, they would make a great themed party. Get your favorite gangster film, your glue gun and glue bandolier (instructions in the accessories chapter) and have fun.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my craft blog- Don't Eat the Paste. My reviews are always my honest opinion]
January 1, 2016
I love a clever writer. I laughed until my sides split when I read this book. Even the preface and the author's biography were hysterical. Anyone who enjoys spy, crime, or pulp genre fiction will adore this book. Honestly, anyone with a sense of humor will adore this book.
But, wait. This is a craft book. Know that the crafts in this book are ingenious and equally side-splitting. Just browse the photographs of finished projects to see; think of rear-view sunglasses, Day-of-the-Dead bath fizzies, exploding drinks, and crime scene gingerbread people, to name just a few. All the projects I tried were easy to make with items easily found around home or a local five-and-dime. (My big investment was a $10 glue gun for making the luchador masks.) The author used to be a pastry chef, and I've used her delicious gingerbread recipe repeatedly.
This book is too fun not to share. I ended up hosting a criminal crafts party, hand picking projects that would be both adult- and kid-friendly. One friend pronounced the event "funamazing." A second party may be in the offing, as there are more projects I'd like to try. Criminal Crafts offers projects for the more skilled crafters as well. There is something diabolical and fun here for everyone.
But, wait. This is a craft book. Know that the crafts in this book are ingenious and equally side-splitting. Just browse the photographs of finished projects to see; think of rear-view sunglasses, Day-of-the-Dead bath fizzies, exploding drinks, and crime scene gingerbread people, to name just a few. All the projects I tried were easy to make with items easily found around home or a local five-and-dime. (My big investment was a $10 glue gun for making the luchador masks.) The author used to be a pastry chef, and I've used her delicious gingerbread recipe repeatedly.
This book is too fun not to share. I ended up hosting a criminal crafts party, hand picking projects that would be both adult- and kid-friendly. One friend pronounced the event "funamazing." A second party may be in the offing, as there are more projects I'd like to try. Criminal Crafts offers projects for the more skilled crafters as well. There is something diabolical and fun here for everyone.
January 6, 2013
One of the things I liked best about the book is that many of the projects make use of recycled and repurposed objects such as brown paper grocery bags, seat belts, and old, unloved socks. There are several fun cocktail recipes — including an atomic bomb-inspired drink that dissolves into a mushroom cloud and a Bloody Mary-type drink that involves a beef jerky voodoo doll being set on fire — that I think would be really great additions to parties. The Barefoot Bandit Grass-Head Cellmate would be a great project for kids (and cats).
Read the rest of my review here: http://beckyajohnson.net/2013/01/06/c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://beckyajohnson.net/2013/01/06/c...
April 27, 2015
A fun compilation of various craft projects and recipes that should appeal to fans of mystery and detective fiction. Some sound more complicated than others, but the step-by-step instructions make everything fairly clear. Sources for some of the more specialized ingredients are given. This book reminded me in some ways of Dilys Winn's classics Murder Ink and Murderess Ink. Those who enjoyed this book are encouraged to see out those volumes (there were significant differences between the hardcover and paperback editions of Murder Ink, so, ideally, you'll want to read both) as no mystery fan's library is complete without them.
July 24, 2012
This was certainly a different twist on a craft book. There are a few suggestions that I look forward to trying, like the Crime Scene messenger bag, pulp fiction pendant, and crime scene gingerbread men.
September 25, 2012
Found a pattern for a craft that can be shared between parents/teachers/grandparents & kids. Barefoot Bandit Grass-head Cellmate - this is how to make a grass-head from a old sock, decorate it and watch it grow. Haven't done this since I was in public school and it caught my interest.
July 2, 2013
Imaginative and super fun! Makes you want to have a mystery themed party. The invisable ink worked really well (just use thick paper). My son really wanted to make soap in the shape of a gun, but I didn't want to buy a mold for that... Totally worth the read.
October 29, 2016
This is not your sweet, felt and glitter, sip-some-tea-while-reading craft book. This is a hilarious, dark and devious, sip-a-flaming-cocktail-while-reading craft book for adults and young criminals-to-be. Even if you don't do all the crafts, you'll enjoy the reading.
August 23, 2012
Super fun, clever.
September 14, 2012
Not the type of crafts I am even remotely capable of, but I know two people this book is MADE FOR. The projects are super fun.
November 10, 2013
Very, very cute! Lots of fun stuff for a mystery dinner.
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June 26, 2014good
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews