Crafting a Meaningful Home: 27 DIY Projects to Tell Stories, Hold Memories, and Celebrate Family Heritage by Meg Mateo Ilasco

Crafting a Meaningful Home: 27 DIY Projects to Tell Stories, Hold Memories, and Celebrate Family Heritage Reviews

• 
  Mir

  It's nice that people craft things that are meaningful to them, things that reflect their heritage, their lives, or the memories of loved ones. And it's nice that they keep these crafts for themselves and their relatives and friends, for whom they have personal meaning, and don't share their ugly-ass creations with me because man, I would not display most of these items if you paid me.
  
  This book seemed like a vanity project. Many of the contributors were from the same area and I got the impression that they were all connected to one another through friendships, marriages, etc. Which is nice, but I'm not sure why other people would want this book. Sure, someone might get an idea from one of the examples, but there are lots of better craft/decor books out there. This had a small number of rather specific (Like, "here's a way to display your sentimental collection of vintage fabric remnants" that everybody has) projects.
  
  
  
  Also, I noticed the instructions often seemed harder than they needed to be. For instance, applying 20 layers of latex to make a mold of an object. Waiting for each layer to dry. You know there are molding materials you can use for that, right? If there was a specific material reason to use latex instead it wasn't mentioned. In fact, I would expect latex to be more likely to stick or otherwise damage the surface.
  
  The few projects that I could see people doing for themselves were not very original. Making paper silhouettes of family members, making a coverlet out of old shirts -- not original.
  
  
  
  You know what would happen if I had this rug? I would trip over it every damn day.
• 
  Em

  I'm not sure I would make any of these crafts, but most of them look pretty. Each craft is quite specific, and requires a lot of items that I don't already have.
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  Jessica

  Some of the DIY craft ideas included in this book were interesting and had potential for me to actually try them out on my own, but other were just silly, tacky and cheap looking. I guess that different people have different tastes...
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  Megan

  This title caught my eye at scrap B more. But I decided to get from library. And I loved the introduction of why each artist chose the piece I was moved to recreate any project myself. They had a great group of artists - thrilled to see Rae Dunn!
  
  Photos and directions appeared to be well written.
  
  
• 
  Michelle

  I really enjoyed the range of crafts...anything from sewing, to decoupage, to painting, to simply framing love notes. I think the best part is the background information on all the individuals who made the crafts...the reasons why they cherished these crafts in the first place. I will definitely be taking some ideas out of this nifty book!
  
  I feel like the book is a great jumping off point. Perhaps you don't have hand-me-down shirts from a loved one...you can always make that coverlet out of gently used baby blankets. Don't have love notes to frame? Frame recipe cards from your Great Aunt Sally! There are a billion ways to customize the spiffy stuff from this book.
  
  [Edited for spelling. Whoops!]
• 
  Lisa

  Lovely and sweet! Each project is accompanied by photos of the creator(s), and preceded by a little story about the inspiration for the project. I haven't tried the projects yet, but I love this book's thoughtful approach.
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  Emelda

  Not really my cup of tea besides two projects- the jewelry tree and the button garland (finally, something to do with a jar of buttons!).
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  Mandy

  This was so cool! I don't think I will make anything now, but I will in the future.
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  Kate Davis

  I liked "Dad's Patchwork Coverlet", the "Memory Wall" (p 49), and the "Cityscape Collage" (p 115)
• 
  June

  Some good ideas to personalize your home. Especially liked the first project, Folk Art Replica. Worth a look.
• 
  Katrina

  I thought it was a nice collection of ideas. I noticed a few that I would like to make.