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Crafts & Hobbies

These days, the word "hobby" evokes a sense of blase interest. Children have hobbies; bored housewives might have a hobby or two; the rest of us can scarcely be bothered. The original connotation was much different, however—a person's hobby was their avocation, not a primary sense of income, but certainly the focus of passion and interest.

To put it in perspective: Rene Descartes was a mathemetician by trade, but his hobby or avocation was philosophy. Not everyone with a hobby is going to change the course of Western civilization, but the point is that Descartes' hobby wasn't a mere back-drawer doodad he pulled out when he was bored and lonely, it was a motivating force in his life.

We're not suggesting hobbies need to take over your life, like robots in some creepy sci-fi movie. Just the opposite, in fact—hobbies should keep us from surrendering to the doldrums of existence, make us excited, provide an opportunity to exercise our creative talents and explore our interests. They shouldn't be simply a way to pass the time, because that's just another name for boredom.

At the same time, making your hobbies (whether they include cooking, weaving, woodworking, book-binding, or origami) the focus of all your attention is just as harmful. If you find yourself only working to fuel your interests, your hobbies (however harmless they were to begin with) have become your idols and you need to put them aside and learn to prioritize. Still, you need to have interests outside of work, and they need to be cultivated and not just casually dabbled in from time to time.

Why do we take hobbies so seriously? Because what we spend our free time doing reveals a great deal about who we are. If your primary activity when you aren't at work or cleaning the house or whatever is buying clothes, then clothes are what's important to you. The same is true for playing video games, watching reality TV, and bare-knuckle boxing.

It's important to choose hobbies that are constructive. As Christians, we're to do everything to the glory of God, and while some activities done in moderation might be fun, doing them all the time is more a sign of selfish addiction than simple enjoyment. Hobbies should be relaxing, of course, but they should be good for something, and good for other people.

The books you'll find below won't tell you what your hobby should be. They will, however, help you develop the skills related to certain hobbies so you can pursue them to the best of your ability. In a world that excuses lack of excellence and even defends poor quality, we need to work even harder to do our best, whether in our vocations or our avocations.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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All New Square Foot Gardening
by Mel Bartholomew
3rd edition from Cool Springs Press
for Adult
in Gardening (Location: SS-GAR)
$24.99
All-New Woodworking for Kids
by Kevin McGuire
from Lark Books
for 5th-8th grade
in Carpentry for Kids (Location: SS-CARP)
American Boy's Book of Sports and Games
from Lyons Press
for 3rd-8th grade
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
American Boy's Handy Book
by Daniel Beard
from Dover Publications
for 4th-9th grade
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$12.95
American Girl's Handy Book
by Lina & Adelia Beard
from David R. Godine
for 4th-9th grade
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
Animated Origami Faces
by Joel Stern
from Dover Publications
for 4th-8th grade
in Paper Crafts & Origami (Location: ELE-ORI)
$5.95
Anna's Garden Songs
by Lena Anderson
from Scholastic Reference
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Backyard Homestead
by Carleen Madigan
from Storey Publishing
for Adult
in Self-Sufficiency (Location: SS-Self)
$18.95
Beginner Book: Warfare by Duct Tape
by Steven Erickson
from Chinquapin Press
for 4th-Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$11.95
Bentwood Box
by Nan McNutt
from Sasquatch Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Native Americans (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Best of Sewing Machine Fun for Kids
by Nancy Smith & Lynda Milligan
1st edition from Possibilities
for 4th-8th grade
in Sewing, Knitting & Crocheting (Location: SS-SEW)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Big Book of Geometric Designs and Illusions to Color
by Koichi Sato, Spyros Horemis
illustrated edition from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$7.95
Book of Perfectly Perilous Math
by Sean Connolly
from Workman Publishing
for 4th-10th grade
in Math Games & Activities (Location: MATR-GAM)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Carving for Kids
by Robin Trudel
for 2nd-6th grade
in Carpentry for Kids (Location: SS-CARP)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Casting and Fishing the Artificial Fly
by John W. Ball
from Caxton Printers, Ltd
for Adult
in Hiking & Outdoor Adventures (Location: NAT-HIKE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Complete Book of Birdhouse Construction for Woodworkers
by Scott D. Campbell
40th edition from Dover Publications
for 7th-Adult
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$1.00 (1 in stock)
Concoct it
from Walter Foster
for 2nd-5th grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Contest (Everest 1)
by Gordon Korman
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.99
Creating Books with Children
by Valerie Bendt
2nd edition
for Preschool-1st grade
in Practical Home Schooling (Location: HSR-PRAC)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Cut & Assemble a Medieval Castle
by A. G. Smith
from Dover Publications
for 4th-7th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$12.95
Cut and Make Space Shuttles
by David Kawami
from Dover Publications
for 4th-9th grade
in How Things Work (Location: SCIREF-HOW)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Dazzling Designs - Coloring Book
by Koichi Sato
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Do People Grow On Family Trees?
by Ira Wolfman
from Workman Publishing
in Genealogy (Location: XFA-GEN)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Dolls' House Fireplaces & Stoves
by Patricia King
from Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd
for 8th-Adult
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Down & Dirty
by Ellen Zachos
1st edition from Storey Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$19.95
Easy Carpentry Projects for Children
by Jerome E. Leavitt
from Dover Publications
for 1st-6th grade
in Carpentry for Kids (Location: SS-CARP)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Fizz, Bubble & Flash!
by Anita Brandolini
from Williamson Publishing Company
for 3rd-8th grade
in Chemistry (Location: SCI-CHEM)
Fun with Easy Origami
by Dover
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Paper Crafts & Origami (Location: ELE-ORI)
$9.95
Gardener
by Sarah Stewart & David Small
from Sunburst Book
Realistic fiction for Kindergarten-4th grade
1998 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Gardening Wizardry for Kids
by L. Patricia Kite
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Geek Dad
by Ken Denmead
from Gotham Books
for Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$18.00
Get Crafty
by Jean Railla
from Broadway Books
for Adult
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$6.50 (1 in stock)
Giant Encyclopedia of Art & Craft Activities
by Carrie Barnes
from Gryphon House
for 4th-8th grade
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Gizmos & Gadgets
by Jill Frankel Hauser
from Williamson Publishing Company
for 1st-8th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
God of the Garden
by Andrew Peterson
from B&H Books
for 10th-Adult
in Creating Culture (Location: XCU-CRE)
$17.99
God's Special Tent
by Jean Stapleton
from Christian Focus Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Bible Activities for Kids (Location: BIBR-ACT)
Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself
by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt
from Nomad Press
for 4th-9th grade
in World War II (1939-1945) (Location: HISA-20WW2)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Green Thumbs
by Laurie Carlson
from Chicago Review Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
Handy Dad
by Todd Davis
from Chronicle Books
for Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$24.95
Home Machinist's Handbook
by Doug Briney
1st edition from McGraw-Hill
for 10th-Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
Improve Your Survival Skills
by Lucy Smith
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Joy of Signing Puzzle Book 1
from Logion Press
in Deafness & Sign Language (Location: FL-SIGN)
Joy of Signing Puzzle Book 2
Reprint from Logion Press
in Deafness & Sign Language (Location: FL-SIGN)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Kids' Building Workshop
by Barbara Robertson, Craig Robertson
from Storey Publishing
for 4th-6th grade
in Carpentry for Kids (Location: SS-CARP)
$16.95
Kids' Multicultural Cookbook
by Deanna F. Cook
from Williamson Publishing Company
for 4th-6th grade
in Cooking for Kids (Location: COOK-KID)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Knight Book: Warfare by Duct Tape
by Steven Erickson
from Chinquapin Press
for 4th-Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$20.95
Language of Flowers
by Kate Greenaway
from Dover Publications
for all ages
in Poetry Anthologies (Location: POET-ANTH)
$6.95
Leonardo's Mirror & Other Puzzles
Mastermind Collection
by Ivan Moscovich
First Edition from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 7th-Adult
in Brain Teasers & Puzzlers (Location: LOG-PUZ)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Lip Smackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'
by Christine and Tim Conners
from ThreeForks
for Adult
in Vegetarian and Vegan Cooking (Location: COOK-VEG)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Maze
by Christopher Manson
from Henry Holt and Company
for 3rd-6th grade
in Brain Teasers & Puzzlers (Location: LOG-PUZ)
Medieval Times - Activity Book
by Linda Milliken
from Edupress
for 4th-6th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
More Two-Minute Mysteries
by Donald J. Sobol
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-7th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums
Mysterious Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart
from Little, Brown & Company
for 5th-10th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$9.99
My Book of Little House Paper Dolls
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperFestival
for 2nd-6th grade
in Little House Materials (Location: LIR-LHM)
$12.99
My Little House Crafts Book
by Carolyn Strom Collins & Christina Wyss Eriksson
from HarperCollins
Arts and Crafts for 3rd-6th grade
in Little House Materials (Location: LIR-LHM)
$13.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
NOLS Cookery
by National Outdoor Leadership School
from Stackpole Books
for Adult
in Miscellaneous Cookbooks (Location: COOK-MIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Old Ways
by Robert Macfarlane
from Penguin Books
for Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Op Art - Coloring Book
by Jean Larcher
First Edition from Dover Publications
for 4th-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$4.99
Optical Illusions - Coloring Book
by Koichi Sato
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Orchard Mason Bee
by Brian L. Griffin, illustrated by Sharon Smith
1st edition from Knox Cellars Publishing
for 10th-Adult
in Gardening (Location: SS-GAR)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Outdoor Handy Book
by Daniel Carter Beard
from Skyhorse Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Hiking & Outdoor Adventures (Location: NAT-HIKE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Pulled Thread Embroidery
by Moyra McNeill
1993 reprint from Dover Publications
for 8th-Adult
in Sewing, Knitting & Crocheting (Location: SS-SEW)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Puzzling Optical Illusions
Dover Game and Puzzle Activity Books
by Thomas Crawford
from Dover Publications
for 7th-Adult
in Optical Illusions and Magic Tricks (Location: LOG-PUZ)
$3.00
Rose in My Garden
by Arnold & Anita Lobel
from William Morrow & Company
Rhyming Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Simple Foods for the Pack
A Sierra Club Outdoor Adventure Guide
by Claudia Axcell, Vikki Kinmont Kath, Diana Cooke
3rd edition from Sierra Club Books
for 9th-Adult
in Miscellaneous Cookbooks (Location: COOK-MIS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Sleeping in a Sack
by Linda White, illustrated by Fran Lee
from Gibbs M. Smith
for 3rd-6th grade
in Hiking & Outdoor Adventures (Location: NAT-HIKE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Sneakiest Uses for Everyday Things
from Andrews McMeel
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
Spicy Camp Cookbook
by M. Timothy O'Keefe
from Menasha Ridge Press
for Adult
in Miscellaneous Cookbooks (Location: COOK-MIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Square Foot Gardening
by Mel Bartholomew
from Rodale Press
in Gardening (Location: SS-GAR)
$12.00 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Steve Caney's Toy Book
by Steven Caney
from Workman Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Sunflower Houses
from Workman Publishing
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Sunset Western Garden Book
8th edition from Oxmoor House
in Gardening (Location: SS-GAR)
$34.95 $20.00 (1 in stock)
Survival Handbook - The Official U.S. Army Guide
by Department of the Army
from Dover Publications
for 7th-Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$14.95
Trailside's Trail Food
by John Viehman, Editor
from Rodale Press
for Adult
in Miscellaneous Cookbooks (Location: COOK-MIS)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Two-Minute Mysteries
by Donald J. Sobol
Reprint from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-7th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$6.99
Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions 2
by John E. Thomas & Danita Thomas
from B&H Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Starting Gardening
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Cheryl Evans, Sue Johnson
from Usborne
for 3rd-6th grade
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Visual Illusions - Coloring Book
by Spyros Horemis
from Dover Publications
for 4th-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.99
Walking with Spring
by Earl V. Shaffer
from Appalachian Trail Conservancy
for 7th-Adult
in Hiking & Outdoor Adventures (Location: NAT-HIKE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Wild in the City
by Michael C. Houck, M. J. Cody
2nd ed. from Oregon State University Press
for Adult
in Pacific States (Location: HISV-PNW)
$22.50
Woodcarving Basics
from Sterling Publishing Co.
for Adult
in Carpentry for Kids (Location: SS-CARP)
Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
by Joshua Piven & David Borgenicht
from Chronicle Books
for 7th-Adult
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
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