Category Archives: Picture Book Crafts

the snow queen advent calendar + craft giveaway!

12.02.2014

12 DAYS OF STORY

I wanted to make an advent calendar for This Picture Book Life that would work for anyone and everyone. Turns out it’s more than an advent calendar. It’s a story activity that could be used other times, too!

12 installments of a tale unfolding where the story is the treat! Wondering about it. Guessing the next part. The delayed gratification of the very end. (Can you tell I’ve been listening to the Serial podcast? I’m obsessed. Are you?)

“The Snow Queen” fairy tale is a favorite of mine and super great for the holiday season. It’s wintry, of course. Not only that, it’s really about love and friendship, the bond between a boy and girl who are best friends. Their special connection is the only thing strong enough to overcome the iciest heart.

(Also, kid lit fans might want to check out Anne Ursu’s middle grade novel, Breadcrumbs, a wonderful take on “The Snow Queen” for older kids and a great read aloud too.)

Here’s how you can make yours:

*Download the following PDF. Click the link and print it out and you’re pretty much ready to go!

12DaysofTheSnowQueen_ThisPictureBookLife

*Cut up each day’s section and tuck it into an envelope. (We made origami envelopes out of pretty papers, but any one would do.)

*Label the envelopes according to the days, one through twelve.

*Tie your envelopes together, stack them, put them up with clothespins on twine, or carry them with you!

*Read the section of “The Snow Queen” from each envelope aloud every day until the end! You can start any day in December (or beyond).

I adapted my abridged version of “The Snow Queen” from An Illustrated Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales illustrated by Anastasiya Archipova. (Stay tuned for a giveaway of that book very soon!)

I hope you’re inspired to make this Snow Queen advent calendar! Send me a photo for sure if you do! Or enter to win this very one for your home or classroom!

Enter to win my handmade 12 Days of Story by using the rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Giveaway ends Thursday, December 4th; open to N. America only—sorry about that, far-flung international readers! I’ll email the randomly chosen winner for their mailing address.)

hug me + cute little cactus craft

Picture Book Crafts

09.30.2014

Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo.

This picture book follows the most adorable cactus named Felipe. It had me at cactus named Felipe! Also, those rosy cheeks!

Felipe wants something, as the title tells us. A hug. But his family isn’t huggy. You know the kind. Poor, Felipe!

Felipe has to look outside his circle of succulents for a hug. Only that doesn’t work out too great either.

One of the things I like about this picture book—aside from its adorableness!—is that it’s honest. Felipe doesn’t fit in his family. And his family doesn’t change. Instead, he needs to find his own kindred spirit, which is sometimes the truth. So I want to give Simona Ciraolo and Flying Eye Books a great big hug for that!

Eventually, Felipe finds someone else who’s in need of a hug too! And that someone else won’t be bothered by Felipe’s spiny physique! I guarantee the last page of this spread will make you want to give your friend, your child, your partner, or your pet a heartfelt squeeze immediately.

Hug Me is a book about being yourself, getting your needs met, and finding a kindred soul. All in a super cute package. Well done!

Thanks to Flying Eye Books for images!

Felipe the cactus is oh so cute, I had to craft a cactus character to hug in real life!

And this one’s not prickly at all! A felt Felipe also serves another purpose. That little cactus is a reminder to hug someone you love and not worry about the cacti who are too prickly to give you a fair shake.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut a square piece of felt into a rectangle. (Mine was about 6 x 9.5″)

2. Draw Felipe’s face on the middle lower portion of the rectangle. (I used a fabric marker but I’m pretty sure a Sharpie would work.)

3. Trace two small circles on the tissue paper and cut them out. (I traced the marker cap for sizing.)

4. Cut out a small square of tissue paper and wad it on one end so it resembles a flower.

5. Glue the circles onto the cactus’s cheeks and the flower onto its head.

6. Cut a piece of thick twine and coil it. Then tie a knot around one part of the coil. (There’s a lot of finesse in this craft rather than it being precise. Play around!)

7. Finally, fold and tuck the felt into a cactusy-paddle shape and insert the bottom into the twine. Voila! (I realized afterward that you could stuff the cactus shape with tissue paper if you desire.)

What a cutie-pie cactus who deserves a mini-hug!

the adventures of beekle + marshmallow beekle craft

Picture Book Crafts

09.02.2014

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat.

What a magical book. A heartwarming book. A brave, enduring character, that Beekle.

click image(s) to enlarge

An imaginary friend looking for the friend who’s going to imagine him. Traveling all the way from his imaginary friend world to the real world. The real, gray world. (Except it’s colorful and bright where kids play! The use of color in this book is masterful and such a joy to behold.)

A celebration of imagination and play and the inventiveness of a child’s mind. And a celebration of friendship, even the kind nobody else can see, but is the real deal.

I’m confident you’ll see when you read it (or read it again). Yes, you will.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Beekle has elements of two of my favorite picture book creators, Shaun Tan and Oliver Jeffers. It’s like Lost and Found meets The Red Tree meets Santat’s particular magic. Agree? Either way, Beekle is an original and full of almost unimaginable wonder.

Thanks to Dan Santat for images!

Could this be the easiest craft ever? Okay, maybe not, but it’s pretty simple. Not only that, but you get to keep an adorable marshmallow Beekle around as an unimaginary friend. For real.

When I see Beekle, my mind immediately goes to marshmallows! Puffy, lovable marshmallows. (Also, while totally artificial, they smell really really good!)

Just looking at this little guy makes me smile. And remember the magic of the book. (Isn’t he sweeeeeet?)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut two toothpicks in half (remove and discard the sharp side so no one gets poked).

2. Slide a flat side of toothpick into small marshmallow; do it again with the other one.

(Again, be careful not to get poked.)

3. Insert toothpick/feet into jumbo marshmallow.

4. Draw Beekle’s face with a Sharpie.

5. Fold/cut gold paper into a crown by cutting it into a strip and cutting out triangle shapes along one edge; then fasten it together with tape.

6. Put the crown on Beekle’s head and tada!

The great thing about marshmallows is, well, they’re probably not going to rot! I’ve got my Beekle on a bookcase in my apartment and every so often I just want to give adorable Mr. Puffy a little squeeze!

*warning: this craft is not edible despite being made from marshmallows*

hooray for hat + super festive hat giveaway

Picture Book Crafts

08.05.2014

Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won (2014).

Ever been grumpy? This book will address that. It’s practically the definition of joy.

Each animal character starts out in a grumpy mood, signified by a black scribble above his head. What helps every single one dump the grumps? A hat! From a friend!

click image(s) to enlarge

I love this picture book for its pops of color. For its wild hat(s). For the way it celebrates the true uplift of friendship and kindness. For its perfect design and beautiful type. For the way that original stacked-up-amazing hat appears in a box at elephant’s door without explanation.

It’s not exactly the hat that solves everything (though hats are awesome). It’s the gift part and the giving.

Seriously good, right?! HOORAY FOR HAT!

Thanks to Brian Won for images!

I was inspired to make a crazy fun whimsical hat to hooray for after reading Hooray For Hat! So with major help from my guy, davishandmade, we did! And we’re giving it away to one reader of This Picture Book Life!

I recently won a fabulous party supply giveaway from Meri Meri through Design Mom, so we invented ways to use those supplies, gathered stuff from around our apartment, and took one quick trip to the 99Cents store.

And …TA DA!

It’s one giant hat. Or three separate hats. With lots of little details hidden around! Come see.

We were inspired by the cup holder sticking out of elephant’s hat and the bird cuckoo-ing from the other side. So we kind of combined them and stuck a straw and bird on ours.

Yup, there’s a bird’s nest hidden inside and you can only see it if you peep through the hole on one side. The nest is raffia and the eggs are felt balls. As this project’s been sitting on my desk for a couple of weeks, I’ve peered in on that nest a number of times to peek at those pretty eggs.

And another hat surprise! Say hello to panda underneath the coned shaped hat! She’s queen of that stripes on stripes cap.

The top cone-shaped party hat is straight from Meri Meri, only we added a feather to the top.

We had so much fun with the little details: ribbon, cut paper, washi tape, and twine.

It’s vaguely child-sized; the top hat opening measures about six inches across.

Comment on this post and tell us who you’d give this hat to wear for a chance to win!

A birthday girl or boy? A classroom helper? Do tell!

I’ll contact the randomly chosen winner by email for your mailing address.

(Enter until Monday, August 11 at midnight; open to North American residents only—sorry about that, far flung international readers!)

And if you want to make your own party hats, Brian Won’s got an activity page on his website with hat instructions; the sky’s the limit with what you can round up for supplies! And you must see Brian’s recent book party where incredible replicas of hats from the book were worn by all!

bonjour camille + fortune tellers

Picture Book Crafts

07.08.2014

Bonjour Camille by Felipe Cano, illustrations by Laia Aguilar.

Coming from Chronicle in August 2014, this book is pure play! (I mean, the endpapers are yellow on yellow polka dots!)

Camille’s “battledress” is a tutu and top hat. And Camille has “so many things to do!” But not to worry, none of them feels like a burdensome task. Quite the opposite.

click image(s) to enlarge

One of the things Camille has to do is give the waves names (above). Another, eat lots of cherries. She has to choose a new favorite color, of course! And let’s not forget all that jumping on the bed to fit into her schedule! So much jumping on the bed to do.

Illustrator Laia Aguilar is best known for her children’s clothing line, Bobo Choses. Those clothes are out of this world cute and inventive. Just check out this swimsuit to see what I mean.

The illustrations are captivating. Black, bold, almost Sharpie-like strokes. Simple and super full of whimsy. And partway through, one page is a solid color (Camille’s new favorite) and the effect is fabulous. The prints and patterns throughout are not only pleasing, but tell a story of their own.

This is kind of a perfect book for, well, everyone of course, but perhaps specifically kids who may claim to be bored. Camille will surely inspire them with something playful to do!

Check out the original Spanish version with a green cover instead of pink. Also, the clothes that were made in conjunction with the book!

Thanks to Chronicle Books for images!

I received a review copy; opinions are my own.

My dude and I just had to make fortune tellers inspired by Camille! After all, there are so many things to do!

Here are some basic instructions for making a fortune teller. We rounded up paper, cut it into squares, and then folded away according to the directions (and it all felt a little familiar from grade school). Next, it was stickers, markers, and glue to complete the fun.