{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!

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Human brains are pretty amazing, allowing us to think, feel, create, communicate, move and more. But humans aren’t the only animals with cool brains, as Crab Museum explains in the book The No-Brainer Brain Explainer (illustrated by Bruno Valasse).

This book, aimed at kids in grades 1-4, is colorful and silly but also educational about how brains actually work, with billions of neurons sending electrical and chemical signals around the body.

“Everything we think, feel and experience comes from an electrical relay race, with neurons passing chemical batons to each other,” the book says. “The constant chatter of billions of brain cells creates your entire world.”

The book compares the brains of mammals to those of crabs (the book is “written” by a crab after all) and notes that crabs have fewer neurons and of course are much smaller, but they have separate parts of their brains that control their eyes and their legs. Crabs are also capable of remembering things, using tools and solving puzzles.

Some animals’ brains allow them to know more about their world in different ways from humans, such as spiders being sensitive to vibrations in their webs and catfish having an amazing sense of taste, with taste sensors all over their bodies.

It notes that 95 percent of brain activity goes toward things we do unconsciously, like breathing, walking and catching a ball flying toward us. It also talks about dreams, memory, how our emotions try to predict the future, where brains came from and fun facts about brains. For example, did you know a sperm whale is believed to have the biggest brain of any creature that’s even lived? Their brains weigh 18 pounds, compared to just 2.5 pounds for humans.

Information on what creatures have the smallest brains, the toughest brains, the most brains and those who actually eat their own brains will delight kids (and maybe gross them out a little bit). They’ll also enjoy learning about the mycelium network of fungi, which is like a brain without a body, and slime molds, which are like a brain without a brain.

It ends talking about why human brains are so special because we’ve found ways to work together, communicate and build communities on a scale bigger than any other animal.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this colorful, silly and informational book about brains!

About the book: 64 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail price $19.99.

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