Book Review: Collage Carnival

Lizzie Lees’ book Collage Carnival is a real gem of cool creativity. A book that calls you to cut, colour and paste to your hearts content is a dream for anyone who wants or needs some quick messy making in their life. Imagine a cross between the wreck this journal series and gloriously designed adult colouring books with your favourite childhood bumper sticker book and you’re getting closer to what Lees has created. In short it is a glorious messy rule breaking bundle of rebellious bookish joy!

Within it’s pages you will discover a mixture of suggested collages, complete with pre-drawn cut-outs (one of my favourites is the llama design), oodles of pattern pages, creative prompts that challenge and delight, illustrated scenes of London and New York to reimagine and, naturally, some colouring in pages. The style is fun, quirky and contemporary.

Now I for one have always struggled with the idea of destroying a beautiful book – even if that is the precise aim. They say the first cut is the deepest and it’s a pretty stressful experience cutting into pages as pretty as these. BUT as Lizzie’s manifesto, which I have dutifully signed, states ‘I will not be scared! I will embrace! I will create!’ To me that seems like a pretty good manifesto for life! Rock on collage kings and queens!

Thanks craftafternooncarbetclub for such a lovely review!!! You made my day! xxx