I'm a big fan of subscription boxes, and, over the last few years, have tried quite a few. There's a subscription box for almost every interest these days, and it's fun to receive a box of curated items in the mail! I used to mostly subscribe to make-up and lifestyle boxes, but now my subscriptions are almost exclusively art and crafts related. While I do like receiving different supplies (based on a theme and/or technique) without much direction on what to create, sometimes it's nice to receive supplies and instructions to complete a specific project, especially if it's an art style or type of craft that you're not familiar with.
Which brings us to the Summer 2020 Creative Kawaii Box by Creative Kawaii Crafts! I really love these boxes and have already reviewed the Autumn 2020 box...even though the Summer 2020 box was actually the first one I purchased and, because I did love it so much, was the reason why I purchased the Autumn 2020 box. Regardless, both the Summer 2020 and Autumn 2020 boxes are still available from the Creative Kawaii Crafts Etsy store, so I'm still reviewing it in a timely manner. ...at least that what I'm telling myself.
The Creative Kawaii Box (CKB) is a quarterly arts and crafts box by Creative Kawaii Crafts on Etsy. Each box contains instructions and supplies to complete three different crafts; the types of crafts vary, but each box will include at least one sewing project. Creative Kawaii Crafts is based in the UK, but the box can be shipped to the US (be sure to check out their shop for more info on domestic/international shipping, though). I purchased my Summer 2020 for $33.05 ($24.36, plus $6.41 for shipping and $2.28 in tax); when the boxes are first listed, the projects are a mystery. After the box is released, the contents/projects are shown in the listing, but the price goes up slightly (this box now has a base price of $27.70).
The CKB wasn't technically a subscription box when I purchased the Summer 2020 and Autumn 2020 boxes, but now, starting with the Winter 2020, you can purchase a year-long subscription (which I have!). You do have to pay for the entire year in advance, but I believe you will still be able to purchase the boxes individually as they are released (at the very least you can buy the Winter 2020 box by itself).
As with the Autumn 2020 box, the Summer 2020 box came adorably packed and was full with the supplies and materials needed to complete its three projects. I love the overall color scheme of this box and the attention to theme and detail by Creative Kawaii Crafts. These are expertly curated boxes, and I am extremely impressed with the skill and breadth of talent of the owner of Creative Kawaii Crafts, Nikki!
The Thank You/Info card gives a brief overview of the three projects included in the box; for Summer 2020, there was a Bathing Frog needle felting project, a Sunflower Brooch sewing project, and a Stenciled Bag fabric painting/stenciling project (with a little sewing thrown in).
Since each box includes at least one sewing project, a very helpful Sewing Guide is included. This guide is great for beginners and works well as a refresher for those more experienced. Each stitch has multiple color photos showing you exactly what to do.
There were a lot of materials included in this box and everything arrived safe and sound, with one small exception. You can kind of see it in the photo above, but the bottle of fabric paint for the Stenciled Bag had leaked during transit. The bottle was safely sealed in its own plastic bag, so nothing else in the box was stained or damaged. The leak looks like a lot, but there was still plenty of paint in the bottle for the project.
The amount of materials included are pretty spot-on; you have enough to complete the project without feeling restricted, but you don't have an excessive amount left over. There are also items that are not single-use, such as the felting mat and needles, that can be used for other projects.
I'm interested in what kind of equipment Nikki uses in their studio; they must have something like a Glowforge or Cricut as there are a lot of custom cut and printed materials
Along with the required materials, there were also some freebies in the Summer 2020 box: a cute pen and sticker sheet!
When I took the photos for this review, I wasn't sure how I was going to organize it, so I apologize for the multiple starting material photos that aren't separated by project. By far, the bulkiest material in this box was the wool roving for the needle felting project.
Included are multiple sheets of iron-on paper and some grease proof paper (which I think is parchment paper). Each piece is labelled, which is extremely helpful. As I've mentioned before, there is a lot of attention to detail in these boxes and projects.
There is a paper template for each project to help with sizing and placement, and an extra coloring page! I'm not sure if the coloring page was drawn/designed by Nikki, but it is very cute beach-themed mandala. I like to make copies of these templates so I don't have to cut up the originals; since this box is from the UK, the paper size is A4, so it's just a little longer than my regular printer paper (but the templates are well-designed, and nothing important gets cut-off).
The first project in the Summer 2020 box (you can do them in any order, but I'm going to go through them in the order they are listed on the thank you/info card) is the Bathing Frog needle felting project! This was actually the first project I started and the last one I finished, and it is the reason why I wasn't able to post my review of this box earlier. I really like needle felting (...it's relaxing to stab the wool over and over again until it turns into something) but, as is the nature of the craft, it takes a very long time.
This was such a unique project, and I love how it incorporated more elements besides just the wool! This was also my first time sewing/embroidering details on a needle felted item, and I really like how it looks (mine is a little wonky, but I think the technique works well overall). I love the details, especially the little brush; they really elevate this project and make it look quite advanced.
The next project is the Sunflower Brooch. This was my favorite project in this box, both because I enjoy sewing felt objects and because I think it turned out the best out of the three.
Also, my sunflower looks like it's having an existential crisis. I love it.
The instructions and materials produce a very polished finished project. I did modify it slightly by sewing the two layers of the flower together around the edge to keep them together as I didn't want the front petals to move and possibly show the backside of the embroidery, but this was done a precaution and not as a 'fix'. I actually like how the sewn border looks, though, as it gives it a more 'handmade' vibe. Either way, though, this brooch is super cute!
The last project is the Stenciled Bag. This was the one I was the most unsure about as I don't have a lot of experience with stenciling/fabric painting.
You could chose between the onigir/rice ball or the panda design (both shown on the cover of the instruction booklet). I went with the onigiri because I though it was cuter and more my style. It turned out a lot better than I thought it would, but it definitely looks like it was done by a beginner. The tote bag itself seems to be of good quality (it's made of canvas and is stitched together well), but it's a little too small to really be practical (I'm assuming it's meant to be decorative/to be used to hold art/craft supplies). I don't expect a craft box of this size to include a full-size tote bag, though; it's just something to be aware of if you're interested in purchasing this box.
Along with the bag, you get materials and instructions to complete a bonus matching bag charm! I'm not 100% happy with the expression of my onigiri charm, but it's quite cute regardless.
I did end up coloring the bonus coloring sheet, as well! This was very relaxing; I actually don't usually like coloring mandalas since I have a hard time just...coloring and not being critical of or overthinking my skills and color choices, but I think the theme and simplicity of this one really helped.
Since this box is so well-curated and put together, there's not a lot of extra materials, though I am happy at how much wool roving I have left since I can make something small with it (like a little succulent). I didn't take an after picture, but I also can still use the foam felting mat and felting needles, too (which are of great quality).
I know I keep raving about these boxes and Creative Kawaii Crafts, but seriously, this box is one of my favorite discoveries this year! The projects are fun and varied, the included materials are well-curated and of generally high quality, and Nikki is clearly an incredibly talented and creative person. If you are at all interested in this box (or the Autumn 2020 box, or are intrigued by the upcoming Winter 2020 box) I highly, highly recommend checking out Creative Kawaii Crafts on Etsy.
<3 Thank you for reading!
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