Tiger Pool Crystal Art (A Timberdoodle Review)

My mother-in-law is super crafty. When I say crafty, I mean retired elementary art teacher, the woman who made high-quality teddy bears and sold them at art fairs—crafty. She is forever introducing my kids to new forms of art, and crystal art was no exception. When she saw this craft hit the market, she began buying out all of the craft stores and stocking up for the grandkids. The first one she showed me was a completed soccer ball that my five-year-old nephew completed. I was floored! How in the world did a five-year-old have the attention span to complete such a seemingly tedious project? If the five-year-old could do it, then my pre-teen certainly could, so she gave my oldest son one for his birthday. He was hooked! He absolutely fell in love with the concept. Fast-forward a few years, and his younger brother wanted to give it a try. I ordered him the Tiger Pool Crystal Art from Timberdoodle with hesitancy. I know his older brother loved this craft, but I was sure my rising 9th grader would have the patience for it—I was wrong! He absolutely loved it.

This kit comes with a quality canvas that has the design printed on the front. There is a handy tray for the crystal beads, straw-like tubes to pick up the crystal beads, and a variety of colored beads for the project. There is a film covering the top of the canvas that you pull as needed, revealing a sticky surface for the beads to be placed.

Spacing the project out over a span of two months, my rising 9th grader had a wonderful, hands-on activity that he could pull out at any time. If he ever seemed bored, I would simply remind him of this craft that he could work on, and he would excitedly get to work on it. I would even see him grab it on his own at night when the little kids were in bed so they would not mess up his project. The key thing was to keep it up high in a location where the kids wouldn't accidentally knock it down and spill the beads, so we had to make sure we had a designated spot for it.

He worked so hard on this activity and definitely felt a sense of accomplishment when he was done. Each and every bead had to be carefully placed in just the right spot. Once it was finished, we found the perfect location to hang it on the wall so the whole family can now admire his artwork.

What makes the Tiger Pool Crystal Art kit stand out from the other ones that my kids worked on is the sheer quality. This is something that you absolutely want to hang up on the wall as a keepsake. This isn't just a craft that you hand to your kid, hang up on the refrigerator, and then throw away in a few weeks. This is on a durable canvas that is meant to last a long time. These would make the perfect gift for grandparents or other relatives. Pick some up now, and your child will have plenty of time to complete them for Christmas gifts!

Disclaimer: I received the above product in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

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Thrift Schooling

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