Seaside Tinkered Treasures – Giveaway!

   You might think it’s a bit early, but to my mind it’s high time to start getting ready for the best summer holidays ever!

   I bet right now you’d love to ask me – how do you get ready for summer in March? Well, the best thing you can do is try to win the latest Elyse Major’s book “Seaside Tinkered Treasures”. Read on and find out how to join this lovely giveaway presented by Cico Books.

   By the way, our book review is followed by one more little surprise – Elyse has kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions!

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Seaside Tinkered Treasures – Book Review

   If you aren’t familiar with the first Elyse Major’s book “Tinkered Treasures” by now you are probably wondering what tinkering is. Well, Elyse’s invention – tinkering is “transforming everyday nothings into wonderful somethings”. If you’re ready to find out how this happens, you’d better be prepared to unleash your creativity!

   In her newest book Elyse has presented 35 simple projects that will help you to bring the seashore home. She has made a list of very simple tools and materials that you will need (for e.g. scissors, glue, fancy paper etc.) and included heaps of photographs and illustrations that will guide you through the whole tinkering process. Even if you aren’t into crafting, I’m sure that you will find at least a few projects that will inspire you to spend a few hours cutting, gluing, decoupaging.

   What are your summers like? Do they involve at least some time spent by the sea paddling, building sand castles or beach combing? Even if you don’t live on the coast now you can prolong this special and relaxing experience by bringing these beautiful memories back and transforming them into real treasures. Here are some of Elyse’s ideas – rustic wind-chime, beach hut birdhouse, fanciful flip-flops, summertime clock, tinkered terrariums, petite treasure boxes.

   This book will definitely inspire you to sit down and to breath in summer. You won’t need to spend much money to create your own paradise. Elyse fondly remembers her summertime with “striped umbrellas dotting stretches of beachfront, picnic lunches laced with gritty sand despite our best efforts, and amusingly quirky roadside souvenirs fashioned from seashells”, what are your nicest memories that you would like to preserve and keep forever?

   Summing it up, I don’t think I could describe this book any better than it has already been described –  this is a “guidebook for a neverending, all-ages summer camp”!

“Seaside Tinkered Treasures” by Elyse Major is published by Cico books at £12.99 and is available from CICO Books.

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A Short Interview With the Author

Congratulations on your second book about tinkering! That’s a very creative term that hides something that’s probably even a bit more than crafting. As you’ve mentioned in your previous book it’s “making a little time to add playful details to your life”. When did you first start tinkering and how did it become more than a hobby?

“Thank you and yes, “tinkering” is very much about trial and error and figuring out what happens as you progress, which is very much how this all became more than a hobby for me. As far back as I can remember I have been making little somethings out of nothings. Through my blog (tinkeredtreasures.com) I discovered that I enjoy the entire process of making, writing and sharing equally. This lead me to pitching tutorials to magazines and eventually developing a book proposal.”

Where did the idea for your second book come from or how did you decide to tinker seaside treasures?

“Days after wrapping Tinkered Treasures it was the first day of summer and I was at the beach with my boys, collecting shells and sand like I always do. I immediately began working out ideas with these collected supplies and so it was a natural progression. I’ve always dreamed of furnishing a small beach cottage with all kinds of knick knacks and souvenirs and this book is filled with projects that can do just that.”

I’m sure that your “Seaside Tinkered Treasures” will be very popular this summer. I can see lots of crafters spending sunny hours painting, cutting, gluing and decoupaging. Which project or maybe projects are your favourite in this book?

“I hope so! I’m really pleased with how the craft stick cottage turned out; that might be tied with cover girl Marine Antoinette as book favorites; although looking through all of the beautifully styled and photographed pages (Nel Haynes, Claire Richardson), I love them all!”

What are your plans for the future?

“In addition to my regular work as a communications consultant and home/décor writer, I want to promote my books with events while gathering notes and ideas for a next book.”

Thank you for agreeing to answer our questions.

“My pleasure! Thank you for your support and thoughtful questions!”

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And here’s something that you’ve probably been looking for. To win Elyse Major’s beautiful “Seaside Tinkered Treasures” simply leave a comment bellow telling us how you imagine your perfect summer or (if you have a Twitter account) reply (or just RT) to one of  our tweets about this lovely giveaway. The winner will be announced on Saturday (8th of March, 2014), so there’s plenty of time to join in. We are looking forward to hearing your ideas!