{Tinkered Treasures} Book Review & Giveaway!

If you’re dreaming of a magical wedding day filled with vintage charm and sweet surprises, be sure to grab a copy of Tinkered Treasures by Elyse Major! This lovely book is brimming over with ideas including more than 35 handmade projects that will add a touch of whimsy to your wedding celebrations and beyond. I’ve long been a fan of Elyse’s charming blog, also called Tinkered Treasures, and was thrilled when I received a copy from Cico Books to review. The official release date for the book is February 14th, but if you can’t wait till then don’t fret, I’m giving away a copy of the book here on the DIY Weddings blog! Simply leave a comment in this post by midnight CST on Monday, February 11th, 2013 for your chance to win!

In the meantime, here are some snippets from the book to inspire and delight you!

I can think of so many uses for these pretty little paper-covered wooden clothespins found in Chapter 1: Tinkering Sundries! Attach magnets to the back for favors, use them to string photos, bunting, or even escort cards at showers and receptions. Or clip them to the top of trinket or candy-filled bags to secure them.

Chapter 2: Tinkering Supplies, offers wonderful ways to elevate practical objects like ceramic tiles, magnets, shipping tags, or even the humble toothpick, as in the cupcake flags and bunting shown above. You’ll never look at the office supply store, home improvement center, or even the baking aisle the same way again!

Go eco-chic with the fun ideas in Chapter 3: Tinkering Recyclables. Discarded glass spice jars become objects of beauty with a bit of pretty paper, some wire, and a few posies. Tin cans are transformed into pretty containers, and paper lunch bags become stylish favors for your guests.

Chapter 4: Tinkering Bits & Bobs, shares how to turn all those lovely little scraps we stash away into fanciful journals, fabric garlands, bunting, bookmarks, and loads of other embellished accessories.

As a little girl, I loved pretty little bits and pieces, and I still remember the small boxes I used to gather my treasures, and the many happy hours I spent sifting through them and arranging them. Reading Tinkered Treasures is like opening up those boxes all over again and rediscovering the magic and delight that everyday objects can hold. I’m so happy to share this wonderful book with all the readers here at DIY Weddings, and I know you’ll love it as much as I do! Be sure to leave your comment on this post for your chance to win a copy of Tinkered Treasures. Best wishes to all the entrants, and many thanks to Elyse Major and Cico Books for this lovely read!

As if Diwali weren’t colorful and fun enough, The Festival of Lights: A Lift-the-flap Diwali Celebration by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Darshika Varm, makes it even more fun to read about with flaps and things to lift and pull to see more information or details in the illustrations.

The book is a story about a family getting ready for Diwali and what happens on the different days of the five-day celebration. There’s cleaning, shopping, crafting, food preparation and getting the home altar ready for the big day.

It covers decorating the outside of the house with rangoli, diyas and lanterns, buying sweets to share with family and friends, the sights and scents of the mandir (home temple), getting dressed up in new fancy clothes, the story of Diwali and celebrations with relatives.

Flaps (there are more than 140 in all) give you vocabulary words for different foods and definitions, as well as fun things like what’s inside the shopping basket or where the cat is hanging out. They also help illuminate the story of Diwali, which is the triumph of good over evil as Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravana to save his wife, Sita.

This pretty and colorful book helps kids understand what Diwali is and how it is celebrated, regardless of whether they practice it at home. This would be a nice book to keep in a classroom (it’s rated for kids ages 3-7) or to have at home to teach kids about Diwali even if it’s not something you celebrate. Where I live there are a lot of people from India so we are probably exposed to Diwali more than some other regions of America, but it’s a nice holiday to know about wherever you live.

Combine with the book Diwali and check out some fun lantern crafts and printables for kids to round out your experience.

About the book: 24 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail prices $22.99.

Have you read?