CRAFTING WITH COOKIE MOLDS

Watson, a writer of several books about innovative crafting, offers a thorough introduction to a clever new craft.

The author’s charming guide presents advice on creating decorations and useful household items from polymer clay with the help of an unexpected set of tools: cookie dough molds. The book, which is divided into two sections, is appropriate for crafters at every level. It begins with tips on materials, including a comprehensive list of mold brands and where to find them. Items like these are relatively uncommon in contemporary kitchens, but crafters who might be daunted by the idea of using them to work with clay will be reassured by Watson’s detailed instructions on their employment and maintenance. Readers will find it hard to resist Watson’s excitement throughout these pages: “It’s a match! Cookie molds and polymer clay are perfect crafting companions!” Still, her eager outbursts are tempered with levelheaded advice about clay safety and meticulously researched information about different types of materials, adhesives, and tools. In the book’s second part, Watson describes 32 projects that will allow readers to practice the skills they’ve just learned. They include an easy, one-piece Halloween basket charm and a more intricate majolica box, and each project’s difficulty is ranked on a scale from Beginning to Intermediate to Advanced. Shepard, Watson’s husband, has photographed her creations at every step of their construction, making even the most complicated projects accessible for ambitious crafters. With easy-to-follow instructions and more than 170 photos, Watson’s book is the authoritative guide to a relatively obscure crafting art, as well as a treat to read.

A comprehensive, organized, and deliciously readable manual that provides instruction with enthusiasm and ease.