Over the Counter #254

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? Well we're gettin' crafty this week...

First up is CraftFail: When Homemade Goes Horribly Wrong by Heather Mann.

From Workman Publishing:

"Poor Bridgit, who overestimated the size of her head—her homemade frilly lace shower cap came straight down to her chin. And who can blame Lindsey for thinking “glitter shoes” sounded like a cool, easy project instead of what it turned out to be: a puddle of sparkling glop. And really, whoever posted that incredible Spaghetti-Stuffed Garlic Bread on Pinterest should be sued. When Mindy pulled hers from the oven, it looked like a “hot mess of intestines streaming out of doughy flesh.” Mmmm, thank you, Pinterest!

Written by Heather Mann, publisher of CraftFail.com, her hilarious blog with millions of page views and hundreds of thousands of followers, CraftFail celebrates the creative process, but from the other side. This is the stuff that gets the “A for Effort” and LOL for outcome. But once the laughter dies down, it also inspires a warm feel-good respect for crafters who aren’t afraid to fail. After all, even if there’s not a mortal alive except Martha who can make a Waxed Heart worthy of hanging in your window to catch the sun, why shouldn’t many try? When it goes wrong, why shouldn’t the rest of us enjoy this Epic Fail? And then look at all the full-color photos that document it.

Home decor fails, fashion fails, holiday fails, food fails, kid crafting fails— as one anonymous crafter said: “It wasn’t supposed to end this way.” Luckily for us, it did."

Next up is Dazzling Duct Tape Designs: Fashionable Accessories, Adorable Décor, and Many More Creative Crafts You Make At Home by Tamara Boykins.

From Ulysses Press:

"A colorful and creative guide to today’s hottest crafting trend — making fashionable accessories with duct tape!

Duct tape is no longer just for gaffing down cords, holding together pieces of pipe, and fixing everything that’s broken. Now available in vibrant colors and exciting patterns in craft stores nationwide, it’s at the center of a wildly popular crafting craze. Teaching readers to take this roll-of-fun phenomenon to the next level, Dazzling Duct Tape Designs shows how to turn duct tape into adorable fashion accessories, cute home decor, and even entire outfits. This unbelievably versatile tape is clean, durable, and safe; it withstands temperatures from 10° to 176° F; plus it sticks to paper, wood, concrete, metal, fabric, plastic, brick, and, best of all, itself! It’s the perfect crafting material for children, parties, classrooms, rainy days, and road trips. Dazzling Duct Tape Designs includes step-by-step instructions and photos of dozens of amazing projects, plus patterns for drawstring bags, party hats, sandals, wall art, wallets, and more."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)