A new chapter... so to say

I've begun a “new chapter” in my life, so to say (ha ha). Today being my Inspiration Wednesday, I was in my craft room this morning looking for something that inspires me to post about or surf for today and I noticed that I have started to amass quite a few vintage children's craft and activity books. So, I thought, well wouldn't that be a wonderful resource to share with people? I get quite a few ideas for crafts from these books, both for me, my daughter and for Brownies, that it seems rather selfish of me to keep them all to myself.

So many of these crafts and activities get recycled after a few decades into new books and magazines I think it is fascinating to see them in an earlier incarnation.

So, I started a new Group on Flickr called Vintage Children's Craft Books which will store what will hopefully become a wealth of vintage craft ideas and activities for kids. Please stop by and join. Please stop by and post your own books, magazines, pamphlets, craft sheets... And don't forget to post pictures of your creations, inspired by these wonderful resources. Even better! Post pictures of what your children create!

So, for my first book. The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book, written by Camille Sokol and illustrated by her husband Bill Sokol.

This is a very cute booklet copyright 1964, my copy was reprinted in November 1972. It is called "The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book" written by Camille Sokol, pictures by Bill Sokol, published by Scholastic Book Services. I got my copy for free from my daughter's school which from time to time places great stacks of books in the hallway for anyone to help themselves. We've been helping ourselves a lot this year! A search on Google netted the delicious fact that both Wee Wonderfuls and Turkeyfeathers have a copy of this book as well. Lovely people to have something in common with. I also found an ISBN or reference number: B0007I8NL8 PAPERBACK-CG.


Sew-it-yourself

The full pages of this project "Make an Apron" (which I post in honour of Amy at Angry Chicken, whose Tie-One-On inspires me so much) are available at the Flickr Vintage Children's Craft Books group or in my Flickr album.


Apron craft

The search also revealed that the Sokols authored/illustrated another book that I would like to see called “How to be Mother's Helper”. According to Alibris.com, it is contains “Simple instructions on knitting, cooking, gardening, making collages and other things for the home from available household articles.” published by Platt & Munk in 1968. (There are a few pictures from the interior shown here , just scroll down and click on the picture of the book and a pop-up will reveal a few charming pages.


Mother's Helper

A search of Bill Sokol also revealed that he illustrated quite a few children’s books with his delightful style.

I have more books to come. So stay tuned.

I'm off tomorrow and Friday with Lina, maybe this could be something we work on together?

Please let me know if anyone's kids make the apron, and I will link to them here.