Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things

by Sam Reece, Lizzie Darden (Photographer)

Shitty Craft Club is a uniquely empowering guide that allows burnt-out, pressured people to accept their imperfections and find inner calm with whatever shitty thing they can make.

Did you know that you are a glorious and incredible artist? Wait, really? Well, you are. Through silly and deeply relatable tales from her life, Sam Reece, founder of the Shitty Craft Club, guides you through dozens of craft projects that give you permission to be as weird, wild, and wonderful as you want to be.
 
Melding the nihilistic spirit of millennial/Gen Z humor with Amy Sedaris's gonzo crafting style and a healthy dose of Lisa Frank vibes, the Shitty Craft Club proves there’s no limit to what a craft can be. Making a bunch of pom-poms so you can be your own cheerleader? That’s a craft. Sculpting a rhinestone shrimp out of aluminum foil and a glue gun? A craft. Having literally one sip of water (congrats, by the way)? Yup, you bet—a craft. Because life is hard. So why not spend a bit of time gluing some trash to more trash if it makes you happy?

This is your sign to embrace anti-perfectionism. Join us at the Shitty Craft Club!

SELF-ESTEEM OVER In times of uncertainty, we all need a little more self-compassion. Treat yourself with kindness and care. Shitty Craft Club gives us the tools to cope in a creative and fun way, without feeling the pressure to make everything perfect.
 
A SHITTY  From in-person events at the Ace Hotel and Milk Bar to viral projects on Instagram and TikTok, Sam Reece, the creator of Shitty Craft Club, has cultivated a movement that embraces the weird and wonderful over the perfect. This book captures all that magic of Shitty Craft Club (and hopefully inspires you to start your own). 

FOR FANS OF MAKING IT AND AT HOME WITH AMY SEDARIS : With projects like Rhinestone Wall Shrimp, the Corndle, and the Shitty Trophy, this book will inspire you to pick up a glue gun, buy a bucket of beads, and make your own strange and beautiful creations.

Perfect

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts, Humor, Art, Mental Health, Queer, Self Help

144 pages, Hardcover

Published September 19, 2023

Reviews

[Steph Roemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“…perfectionism is a sign that I’m trying to make art for an imaginary audience that is judging me and deciding my worth..” 😨This is the self-help craft book I’ve been looking for!

*throws glitter everywhere in celebration* 🎉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+++

I’ve absolutely loved Sam Reece since the moment I followed her on TikTok (before she was a viral hit 💅🏼) so when I saw she had a craft book I immediately needed to see it!

This book is shiny, glittery, gold. A wonderful weaving of realistic advice, humor, fun shitty crafts, and lots and lots of beads. Also, it is literally the FIRST TIME EVER I’ve seen a tutorial of a pom Pom maker that actually made sense. That tool doesn’t even have directions on its’ own packaging! 20 million beaded stars for you, Sam Reece!

[sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a new arrival at work and I thought hahaha that's a brilliant title for a arts and crafts book especially since everything else that we've got in that section is the most bland and old fashioned knitting books. then one of my MOST FAVOURITE PODCASTS in the world had the author on as a guest and she mentioned the book and I legit went Awoo? Scooby? Then I started reading it and the author has a really great funny comedic style to her writing (no duh the lady is a comedian irl!!)and all of the crafts were hilariously wacky and the recurring bits (she managed to give a book jokey bits!) especially the thing about water and Grey's anatomy were fantastic. Then I also realized just how much the author looked like like my coworker that love very much and dresses like her and how on brand the shitty crafts thing is for her. THEN I found out that she WAS QUITTING AFTER WORKING FOR THERE FOR YEARS AND YESTERDAY WAS MY LAST SHIFT WITH HER. HEJEJDNDBEBEH.

[MC · Rating 2 out of 5]

the chaos is strong…

2.0 / 5.0 this is just past my tolerance for “eccentric but whatever” and into “WTF am I reading? This is a waste of time.”

I would need to be very inebriated to find much in the way of entertainment or inspiration by this and the crafts presented here. I like the premise, that anyone can do what they want and it doesn’t have to fit a mainstream model to be fine, but a little less junk crafts would have been nice.

I recommend for anyone with a class of elementary school children to occupy for an hour or in possession of a box of mish-mash craft supplies.

Until Next Time,
MC

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freaking loved this book. I will probably make exactly zero of these items but it was the spirit of the book that just charmed me beyond belief. From the ric-rac ribbon bookmark, to the ridiculously silly text and puns, to the chaotic photos, it’s just so cute.

Sam’s hilarious realization of, “oh… turns out I’m queer” and coming out as an adult story arc had me laughing (same, girl, same).

I truly appreciated her humor and her vulnerability (she gives a great big TW in the middle of the book, but it’s told in gentle way, she’s not trying to upset or shock you). It’s such a fun book!

[Jane]

Made me itch to get my glue gun out!

[Cambrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

NET GALLEY REVIEW | Shitty Craft Club by Sam Reece
I’m going to preface this review by saying I’ve been following Sam Reece and her Shitty Craft Club since the days of the pandemic. From following her on Tiktok to Instagram, one could say I am unequivocally a fan of hers. You can only IMAGINE how tickled I was to learn she wrote a BOOK about CRAFTS (two of my very favorite things in this world). Even more tickled, I was able to grab an ARC of said book off of NetGalley (thanks thank you thanks). Now that you’ve got the backstory we’re going to get into the review.
Listen, this book isn’t self-help canon. This book is VERY CLEARLY a work from someone who is trying very hard to be her authentic self by any means necessary and guess what? IT’S NOT PERFECT. It’s rambling at times; but that gives it voice and character. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense - but guess what? Neither does life. The author, Sam, is not trying to convey, in any way, that life should make sense. Life is chaos and your crafts should be too.
Sam clearly created this as a work of her very imperfect but beautifully unique, sparkly soul and I can’t help but be in awe of it. When you dig into the rambling nature, you will find nuggets of raw truth and inspiration for not only crafting but also self discovery. Shitty Craft Club says it’s okay to be not perfect and what’s even better is taking that imperfection and making it SHINY AND FABULOUS [DAMMIT]!
I recommend this book for anyone who is burned out from self-help and self discovery journey books that promise they’re going to make you feel better if you just do xyz. I invite you to pick this up and page through the bright and shiny photos of the crafts it showcases and first be inspired by the sheer beauty of it and secondly accept the friendliness and soft advice that come from Sam’s stories in the chapter prefaces. This book is truly a rhinestoned trinket you can hold close to your heart.
Disclaimer: this book may or may not inspire you to buy a 5 lb box of beads off the internet, run to your closest craft store to buy a vessel to put said beads in and also maybe pick up some pompoms and rhinestones? And then go thrifting to find shit to glue said crafty wares to in effort to cure your current-but-persistent bout of depression because WHY NOT? Not a personal anecdote at all. Just saying.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is more autobiographical comedy than arts and crafts. Parts of it truly are funny. I laughed at some of the craft photos, as they really are sh*tty crafts. I teach adult crafting classes and thought I would get a laugh out of this, and I did. The author is a professional comedian. She is at least a generation younger than me (she was in middle school in 2000) and seems to live her entire life around social media. That just does not appeal to me. I though the arts and crafts humor might make me the target audience for this book, but the millennial(?) perspective dominates this book over the crafting. People in the author's age group might enjoy this more than I did.
Overall, a very quick read. Lots of photos, many of them amusing.
Thanks the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimmie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not sure what to think about this book. Is it a memoir? A comedy? A craft book? It feels like it is trying to do all these things & not doing any of them well. There is some smart writing here & there as well as some craft techniques sprinkled in but they way they are presented doesn’t make it clear if they are a joke or a real project. As a long time crafter this book was a miss for me.

[Lizzy Wizzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

#relatable (derogatory)

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute! Anti perfectionism anthem for 2025!!!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading just the introduction of Shitty Craft Club, I decided that either:

A) I love this lady and want to adopt her so I can send her care packages of vegan cookies and thrift-store rhinestones (and maybe bottled water), or

B) She doesn't exist and this whole book is just the inside of my brain manifesting itself in the physical world.

Either way, I was hooked. She's got this fantastic, conversational style that sounds like your most creative ADHD friend while they convince you to bedazzle your bed's headboard at two a.m.. You can't look away, and you just know something sparkly's going to come out of this conversation.

The projects are completely impractical, and thus: amazing. A glittery rhinestone Wall Shrimp? Check. Sparkly Revenge Corn (not a typo)? Check. At least three projects that utilize aluminum foil and hot glue? CHECK.

There's just this whole vibe of over the top positivity and sparkle about everything. Sam has this way of being encouraging, not just about crafts (shitty or otherwise), but about life. You can't flip through it without feeling a little better about life in general. She encourages you to live your life, to celebrate that life, and to make yourself trophies for it while you're at it.

(Just as a sidenote: She also puts "drink your water" reminders at various points in the book. I read fast, so I closed the back cover feeling hydrated and in need of a bathroom. Consider yourself warned. :D)

If you need to be cheered up, this book's for you. If you're unbelievably fond of beads and exclamation points, this book's for you, too. If you've always wanted a vase that looks like corn...this book's for you.

And if you're just in need of a little more magic in your life, this book's also for you.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun, but at the same time I skimmed a lot of the personal essays, because I was more interested in the can-do attitude toward crafting than the person behind it (no offense meant to Sam Reece).

I am definitely a fan of crafting, but working with some people who create amazing things in their free time (as a librarian, I work with many skilled knitters), sometimes I feel a little demotivated because I know I don't have the time or patience to be that dedicated to what is essentially a stress reliever for me, so I love that Reece's whole attitude is about making crafting fun for you, however that looks. Her attitude about making reuse a huge part of crafting also gave me a lot to think about.

If you love sequins and maximalist design in general, this book is such a joy to look at, and her ideas for crafts are so accessible that you can start making immediately with whatever you happen to have lying around. This is just a lot of fun.

[Manda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way funnier than expected!

I love crafts. Well, I love the idea of crafting. Should be “self care” right? Art, beauty, glue guns…but that requires finding all the supplies and having the creativity in my exhausted brain to come up with ideas.

Shitty Craft Club not only supplies ideas, but also confidence and humor to inspire the creative effort. While I’m still confused about Sparkly Corn, I fully embrace the shine and glitter involved. And who doesn’t love permission to be perfectly imperfect.

All in all, a great time whether you want to make a Soul Mate Bracelet or not.

Thank you to the publisher and ARC for allowing me to preview and review this book. All opinions and review are my own.

[Megan Bey · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Shitty Craft Club” is a fun and quirky read. The crafts were not personally my style, but I loved the authors writing and seeing the crafts, my favorite was the rhinestoned shrimp. I loved that this book inspires you to be creative and stop being a perfectionist. This is definitely more than just a craft book, it’s also a self-help book and comedy, all in one.

Thank you, Netgalley and Chronicle Books, for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kayla Tamney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Reece I have such a big fat crush on you

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like there was less “talk about feelings” than actual story. I think I had different expectations for the book than what was actually written. It’s funny but not a “read”. More like a “skim”.

[M Delea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book with actual craft how-to’s!

[Erin Bookishness · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is peak Millennial humor, so naturally I loved it. Also we all need reminders from time to time that perfectionism is the enemy of getting shit done and hot gluing rhinestones to lumps of foil seems like a great way to practice not being a perfectionist.

The pictures were absolutely fantastic too.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun!!!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute and fun! I find so much inspiration looking at Sam's work and I have my own little Shitty Craft Club growing with some friends now. I love her outlook and explanations and I'm glad I have this book to look at once in a while for motivation when I'm in an art slump

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Shitty Craft Club” is an absolutely glorious and incredibly refreshing take on the world of crafting and creativity. Sam Reece, the comedic genius behind the TikTok sensation, offers a hilarious and empowering guide that encourages you to embrace chaos, find inner calm, and unleash your inner artist, no matter how unconventional or "shitty" your creations may seem.

This book is a delightful departure from the traditional crafting guides, as it celebrates the spirit of trying your best rather than pursuing perfection. With a whimsical mix of step-by-step instructions and side-splittingly funny anecdotes from Sam Reece's life, it's a crafting journey that's as weird, wild, and wonderful as you want it to be. Imagine the nihilistic humor of millennial/Gen Z culture, the offbeat crafting style of Amy Sedaris, and a generous sprinkle of Lisa Frank-inspired vibes – that's the essence of "Shitty Craft Club."

From making pom-poms to sculpting a rhinestone shrimp out of aluminum foil, the book challenges your notion of what a craft can be. It reminds us that life is often hard, and sometimes the most therapeutic thing you can do is glue some trash to more trash, all in the name of happiness.

Sam Reece's Shitty Craft Club has created a phenomenon, resonating with a world that's stressed out and yearning for creative outlets. This book captures the magic of the club and inspires you to start your own. In a time when self-compassion is needed more than ever, "Shitty Craft Club" offers the tools to cope creatively without the pressure of perfection.

If you're a fan of DIY crafting or looking for a unique approach to self-care and mindfulness, this book is a gem. It's a quirky and inspiring addition to the crafting world, ideal for fans of "Making It," "Nailed It!," and "At Home with Amy Sedaris." Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a beginner, "Shitty Craft Club" is a breath of fresh air that encourages you to let go of expectations and enjoy the wonderful messiness of creativity. It's not just a craft book; it's a permission slip to have a great time being you. Perfect for gifting on any occasion, this book is a treasure trove of creative joy.

[Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in one sitting, snort laughed, painted my bathroom bright yellow( the shade is Kernel of truth, unintentional corn bathroom!) then went out and bought approximately 13287 shiny beads.

[giselle ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

well, the pages were pretty to look at lol

[Madeleine Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow this chick on Instagram and love all her tacky crafts, and read this book less as a follow-along crafting guide and more just as a humorous memoir about creativity and the struggles that creatives face.

[Erica Guerdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't deny that undoubtedly the reason I grabbed this book is due to the name. In a world full of "5-Minute crafts" that claim to be useful but are actually ridiculous, I was so excited to see what this book would bring and if any of it would be useful or just fun. While the word "useful" may not describe everything in this book, it is most definitely fun! The craft descriptions are clear, the tools and supplies needed are largely things any casual crafter will have on hand, or at the very least, don't cost much, and at the end of it, you have your very own "shitty craft". This craft book is perfect for anyone with kids, or anyone who is just looking to kill some time and make something gaudy, silly and fun. I love it, and I look forward to making more crafts!

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hilarious art (if that's your thing) from rhinestone wall shrimp to hydrated-bitch-day menorah, the corndle (an epic corn candle holder made from yellow pony beads -- brilliant & very funny; would make a great April Fools or white elephant gift), & sparkly revenge corn, and corn & pearls necklace. Not a ton of content craft wise, but what's here is wry & oh so elegantly corny (pun intended).

Plus the author is a Vegas girl, so there's that splendidness as well. I really want to start a local chics shitty craft club now. Anyone?

[LG · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy the spirit of the book more than the execution.

[Alycia]

Fun book! (Follow me for more smart, surprising reviews!!!)

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Shitty Craft Club is a warmly humorous multi-craftsy inspirational romp by Sam Reece. Released 19th Sept 2023 by Chronicle Books, it's 144 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is such an incredibly enthusiastic, bubbly, fun, and freeing book. Sam is like the coolest babysitter, who made popcorn and let you stay up and watch *almost* scary movies when you were 12 years old. She's quite funny, and so relatable, slightly off-kilter but genuinely and enthusiastically dedicated to making crafting accessible and *fun* for everyone.

Humans need creativity. Living ever more specialized and busy lives, quite often more isolated from one another (especially with and after the pandemic) has left most of us struggling to find time to do anything creative. This book is a nice reminder to grab some crafts supplies and "just do it".

Spontaneity is foremost, and the process is a significant part of the therapeutic value of crafting. This book is *full* of sparkle and glitter and very colorful. The aesthetic is youthful and fun, occasionally frenetic, but always fun.

Chapters are arranged somewhat thematically: an intro (with discussion of her crafting philosophy and how-we-got-here), you-can-do-it crafting even for people who don't think they can, appreciating the things readers do in their daily lives and building community by showing everyone procrastinates, defeating perfectionism, pom-pom crafts, beads, community, personal attributes (being gay is a craft), holidays (sort of), corn (!?), and social events/crafting with friends.

In addition to the stream-of-consciousness humorous monologue, which actually often shades into near profundity, each chapter contains one or more tutorial projects. They, much like the book, are enthusiastic and colorful. I don't know how many I would really want to display in my actual house, but the point of the book is for readers to free themselves to embrace creativity without too much perfectionism, and in that, it succeeds spectacularly.

Four stars. Funny and fun. Probably more suited to young urban 30somethings than to serious artists doing art and not having much fun doing it.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things by Sam Reece is currently scheduled for release on September 19 2023. Did you know that you are a glorious and incredible artist? Wait, really? Well, you are. Shitty Craft Club gives you permission to have fun and be as weird, wild, and wonderful as you want to be. It’s about trying your best, not perfection. With step-by-step instructions and funny, deeply relatable tales from her life, Sam Reece, founder of the Shitty Craft Club movement, hilariously guides you through dozens of projects. Making a bunch of pom-poms so you can be your own cheerleader? That’s a craft. Sculpting a rhinestone shrimp out of aluminum foil and a glue gun? A craft. Having literally one sip of water (congrats, by the way)? Yup, you bet—a craft. Because life is hard. So why not spend a bit of time gluing some trash to more trash if it makes you happy?

Shitty Craft Club is a fun and enjoyable read. Are the crafts in the book my style? Nope, but I think that is kind of the reason I read this book. The encouragement to craft things just because it is fun and you deserve to do something you enjoy is fantastic. I have been doing different types of arts and crafts all my life, and I admit to falling into the trap of needing things to be just right or as close to perfect as possible before letting it been seen. Making myself a trophy for getting through the week might have sounded silly before, but maybe that is just the reward I need. Not the final result necessarily, but the making and doing of the craft for no good reason other than I want to and can is something we could all stand to do a little more, especially when (hot glue gun burns and clean up aside) there is no harm or downside in giving yourself the space to do this type of thing. I thought the authors voice was very honest and funny, making this book a joy to read. The emphasis on being health and happy, and working with sustainable and recycled supplies was an added bonus. I think this book is a great read for crafters and perfectionists of all kinds, and is definitely worth the read.