Petit Collage: 25 Easy Craft and Décor Projects for a Playful Home by Lorena Siminovich

Today’s book review comes to us courtesy of guest reviewer Brittany Banis, a former nanny and a soon to be graduate from UCSD. Brittany is pursuing a career in business. In her free time she enjoys crafting, organizing and baking.

As a nanny I was constantly looking for new ways to create fun yet organized environments for my little ones to enjoy. Trying to find a way to store games and toys where they are accessible to kids AND in such a way that the kids can easily put them away is easier said than done. That’s why I was immediately excited when I came across Petit Collage: 25 Easy Craft and Décor Projects for a Playful Home (Potter Craft, $24.99) by Lorena Siminovich. While it does contain a few crafts for kids, most of the projects are meant for adults to build and kids to enjoy.

The book is broken up into three chapters. “Room to Grow” includes projects for decorating and organizing children’s rooms or playrooms. “Family Life” has organization ideas for the whole house. And “Playtime” offers crafts that kids can help with and then use for play. Templates are available for many of the projects in the back of the book. The best part is the projects are designed to use mainly materials most of us already have at home!

One of my favorite projects was called “Masterpieces.” The step-by-step instructions help you create a family gallery where you can display all of your children’s artwork and schoolwork. I don’t know about you, but I was always at a loss as to what to do with the kid’s schoolwork … I wanted to display it somehow so they would know how proud I was of their accomplishments, but there is only so much space on the refrigerator. With the family gallery you can create a board that matches your home décor and proudly shows off your children’s best work!

Another great craft was the “All in the Family” memory game. Here you create a set of memory cards using family pictures. I think this game is perfect for toddlers and elementary school aged kids! It allows children to sharpen their pairing or memory skills while reinforcing family relationships. I would be sure to include photos of family members who live far away as a way to remind the kids of their extended family.

Whether you’re interested in decorating on a budget, or simply adding some wow to a worn-looking wall, Petit Collage is a great resource for parents and caregivers in need of a little creative inspiration.