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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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65 Items found Print
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Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8)
Alphabet Art
by Judy Press
from Williamson Publishing Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
$6.50 (1 in stock)
Anna's Garden Songs
by Lena Anderson
from Scholastic Reference
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Beatrix Potter Mask Book
by Beatrix Potter
from Frederick Warne & Company
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Peter Rabbit & Friends (Location: FIC-PETER)
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)
$6.76
Big Book of Tricks and Magic
by James R. Blackman
from Random House
for 2nd-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Botanical Gardens - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Dot Barlowe
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$4.24
Bumper Book of Nature
by Stephen Moss
1st edition from Crown Trade Paperbacks
for 1st-Adult
in Hiking & Outdoor Adventures (Location: NAT-HIKE)
Carving for Kids
by Robin Trudel
for 2nd-6th grade
in Carpentry for Kids (Location: SS-CARP)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Civil War Paper Soldiers in Full Color
by A. G. Smith
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Civil War Era (1850-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Colour Schemes for the Flower Garden
by Gertrude Jekyll, introduced and revised by Graham Stuart Thomas
1983 revised edition from The Ayer Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Flower Gardening (Location: SS-GAR)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Common Weeds - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Stefen Bernath
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$5.09
Concoct it
from Walter Foster
for 2nd-5th grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Cork & Wood Crafts
by Arden J. Newsome, illustrated by Nancy Coner
from The Lion Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Creative Lettering and Beyond
by Gabri Joy Kirkendall, Laura Lavender, Julie Manwaring, & Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn
from Walter Foster
in Calligraphy (Location: HAN-CALLIG)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Cut, Crease, Create Snowflakes
from Melissa & Doug Toys
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
Dazzling Designs - Coloring Book
by Koichi Sato
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.39
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 (2 in stock)
Eddie's Tent and How to Go Camping
by Sarah Garland
from Frances Lincoln
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Famous Figures of the Early Modern Era
by Cathy Diez-Luckie
from Figures in Motion
for 1st-7th grade
in Modern History (Location: HISW-MOD)
$21.95
Famous Figures of the Middle Ages & Renaissance
by Cathy Diez-Luckie
from Figures in Motion
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$21.95
Favorite Roses - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ilil Arbel
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$5.09
Favorite Wildflowers - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ilil Arbel
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$5.09
First Word Search: Reading for Beginners
by Gary LaCoste, Illustrator
from Sterling Publishing Co.
Word Search Puzzles for 1st-3rd grade
in Brain Teasers & Puzzlers (Location: LOG-PUZ)
Floral Bouquets - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Charlene Tarbox
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$3.39
Flower Garden - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Ruth Soffer
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$4.24
Garden Flowers - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Stefen Bernath
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$5.09
Garden in the City
by Gerda Muller
from Dutton Children's Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Gardener
by Sarah Stewart & David Small
from Sunburst Book
Realistic fiction for Kindergarten-4th grade
1998 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.49 $3.60 (1 in stock)
Gizmos & Gadgets
by Jill Frankel Hauser
from Williamson Publishing Company
for 1st-8th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
Green Thumbs
by Laurie Carlson
from Chicago Review Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$14.95 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Greenhouse Gardener's Manual
by Roger Marshall
from Timber Press, Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Gardening (Location: SS-GAR)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
I Spy
by Carol Devine Carson, Jean Marzollo, Walter Wick
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
$12.74
I Spy Christmas
by Jean Marzollo, Walter Wick (Photographer)
from Cartwheel Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
$12.74
I Spy Epic Adventure - 10 Book Set
by Jean Marzollo, Walter Wick
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
I Spy Fun House
by Jean Marzollo, photos by Walter Wick
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
I Spy School Days
by Jean Marzollo
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
I Spy Spooky Night
by Jean Marzollo
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
I Spy Treasure Hunt
by Jean Marzollo
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Look and Find Books (Location: PIC-LOOK)
$12.74
Indians Knew
by Tillie S. Pine, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Language of Flowers - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by John Green
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$3.39
Look What You Can Make With Boxes
from Boyds Mill Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Paper Crafts & Origami (Location: ELE-ORI)
Look What You Can Make With Paper Bags
from Boyds Mill Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Paper Crafts & Origami (Location: ELE-ORI)
Look What You Can Make With Paper Plates
from Boyds Mill Press
for 2nd-6th grade
in Paper Crafts & Origami (Location: ELE-ORI)
Made to Play
by Joel Henriques
from Roost Books
for 1st-Adult
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Magic Made Easy
by Larry Kettelkamp
from William Morrow & Company
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
More Sewing Machine Fun!
by Lynda Milligan, Nancy J. Smith
from Possibilities
for 1st-6th grade
in Sewing, Knitting & Crocheting (Location: SS-SEW)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
My Book of Little House Paper Dolls
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperFestival
for 2nd-6th grade
in Little House Materials (Location: LIR-LHM)
$14.99
Optical Illusions - Coloring Book
by Koichi Sato
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-Adult
in Abstract & Mosaic Coloring Books (Location: COL-ABS)
$3.39
Printmaking
Crafts for Children
by Harlow Rockwell
1st edition from Doubleday & Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC)
$13.00 (1 in stock)
Quilting Bee
by Gail Gibbons
from HarperCollins
for 1st-3rd grade
in Sewing, Knitting & Crocheting (Location: SS-SEW)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Recycling Things to Make and Do
by Emily Bone and Leonie Pratt
from Usborne
for 2nd-5th grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Redoute Flowers - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Charlene Tarbox
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$3.39
Riddles Around the World
from E.M. Hale and Company
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
Rose in My Garden
by Arnold & Anita Lobel
from William Morrow & Company
Rhyming Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Sneakiest Uses for Everyday Things
from Andrews McMeel
in Dangerous Books for Kids (Location: SS-DAN)
Starting Chess
by Harriet Castor
from Usborne
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Brain Teasers & Puzzlers (Location: LOG-PUZ)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Sunflower Houses
from Workman Publishing
for Kindergarten-6th grade
in Gardening for Kids (Location: SS-GAR)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Super Science Concoctions
by Jill Frankel Hauser
from Williamson Publishing Company
for 1st-6th grade
in Science Experiments & Activities (Location: SCI-EXP)
The Swamp
Lucky Luke's Hunting Adventures
by Kevin Lovegreen, illustrated by Nathan Boemer
2nd edition from Kevin Lovegreen
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Tropical Flowers of the World - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
by Lynda E. Chandler
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
in Flowers & Plants Coloring Books (Location: COL-BOT)
$4.24
Turkey Tales
Lucky Luke's Hunting Adventures
by Kevin Lovegreen, illustrated by Margarita Sikorskaia
from Kevin Lovegreen
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
by Kate Messner
from Chronicle Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Neal
from Chronicle Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
$9.99
Usborne Peek Inside the Garden
Usborne Peek Inside
by Anna Milbourne, illustrated by Simona Dimitri
from Usborne
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Nature Study & Journaling (Location: NAT-GEN)
What Shall I Do Today?
by Ray Gibson
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Crafts & Hobbies (Location: SS-CRA)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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