Carrie Brown (2) (1955–)

This book has a truly staggering number of trees and even more crafts projects. Most are quite attractive. The only truly horrifying tree is visually appealing, but Who. On. Earth. would use live, unburned matches to create ornaments for a flammable tree?! Pretty ornaments, but still. "Matchstick Red Tree" - don't do this at home, folks.

The Paperwhite Tree, decorated with various cut paper and origami ornaments in pure white, wins my applause for including the pattern for origami balloons or lampshades - a simple and effective piece of paper-folding which I learnt as a child, forgot, and have been in search of for decades. (The issue turned out to be that I learnt to make a "balloon" and it is more frequently known in English as a "water bomb", so I was using the wrong search term -- but trust me, it makes a better balloon, really.) The pincushion tree, adorned with assorted vintage "tomato and strawberry" pincushions and other pin, sequin, and button themed treasures, is charming. The Woodland Tree is magical - it looks like prime faery habitat. Each of the other 20 trees has something to recommend it. Great fun!… (mehr)