Alternacrafts: 20+ Hi-Style Lo-Budget Projects to Make
Grade 8 Up-Vitkus has done a good job of creating interesting crafts that can be made out of recycled household items. Teens will appreciate the relatively simple page layout and informal writing style. The ideas are organized into things to wear, projects for the home, and gifts. Old pants are transformed into a purse, and pop-bottle lids become pendants. Some projects, like converting a pair of jeans into a skirt, are quite involved, while others, like pin-prick cards, can be accomplished in a few minutes. Each idea contains clear, step-by-step instructions geared to beginners. Unfamiliar terms are defined in context or in sidebars. Full-color photos show the finished products and the essential steps in the process. Some projects also include diagrams. This is a good choice for crafty teens. However, middle schoolers and preteens may prefer Kathy Cano Murillo'sThe Crafty Diva's Lifestyle Makeover(Watson-Guptill, 2005), which has some of the same basic ideas, but has brighter, busier pages complete with cartoon craft divas.-Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.