The Colouring Book of Beautiful Gift Boxes: Christmas by Sarah Walsh
| The Colouring Book of Beautiful Gift Boxes: Christmas by Sarah Walsh | |
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| Category: Crafts | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: I've never given five stars to a colouring book before, but this one is brilliant and useful. Highly recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? No |
| Pages: 48 | Date: October 2016 |
| Publisher: Nosy Crow | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0857638038 | |
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When you give a small gift, it's often difficult to wrap it appropriately. If you wrap a small object, it looks insignificant and if you've gone to the trouble of finding the appropriate gift for someone that's the last thing you want. If you pad it out a little, it ends up looking like a game of pass the parcel. You can, of course, buy a gift box but they're expensive for what they are and they're hardly individual. The answer lies in The Colouring Book of Beautiful Gift Boxes: Christmas. The cover price is £9.99, so that works out at less than 42p for each of the 24 boxes which - as you're colouring it - will be unique.
Each box is just over 10cm/4 inches wide, 8.5cm/3.4inches long and 6cm/2½ inches high at the base and about 2cm/¾ inch wider and longer at the top. The paper is substantial with plenty of overlaps (so no peeking inside to see what you've been given...), a hook and slit catch and a gold foiled sticker gift tag. Coloured or plain, the result is reassuringly substantial. Construction of the box is easy, even obvious, and doesn't require any great dexterity. All the points which need to be folded are scored so you're bound to get the fold in the right place: all you need to do is fold sharply to give a crisp edge. Honestly, it's a lot easier than I've made it sound!
Now, are you here because you're tempted by inexpensive gift boxes or because you really fancy doing some colouring and at least this way you'll be making something practical? After a certain age you really wonder if it's appropriate to use a magnet to attach your pictures to the fridge, don't you? Well, if you're here for the colouring, you've got some treats in store. I loved the pictures. There's nothing that requires a great level of skill, but everything that I've tried produced a very satisfying result, given that I have the artistic skills of a small dog. Children and adults are going to get a lot out of this book.
The card is of a quality which ensures that even if you're using felt-tipped pens there's no bleed through to the reverse, which is essential as there are designs on both sides to colour. The design for the outside is more complex, but there's something related on the inside, rather than just blank card. It's easier to colour whilst in the sheet, but there's a perforated edge which means that the page comes out of the book cleanly. (Added bonus: want to keep the kids quiet one wet Sunday? Tear a page each out of the book and invite them to be creative. They can even sign their names on the bottom. Grandparents would love this: they get a present and a keepsake box.)
So, what to put in the box? There are even recipes for snowball truffles, gingerbread stars and peppermint creams at the back of the book. Those clever people at Nosy Crow have thought of everything. I'd like to thank them for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
This is the most satisfying colouring book I've encountered and the first to which I've given five stars. For more Christmas crafting we can recommend Christmas Designs by Elaine Hill, Making Christmas Table Decorations by Polly Pinder and Making Christmas Tree Decorations by Judy Balchin. We also loved Christmas Paper Play by Lydia Crook.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Colouring Book of Beautiful Gift Boxes: Christmas by Sarah Walsh at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Colouring Book of Beautiful Gift Boxes: Christmas by Sarah Walsh at Amazon.com.
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