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A Hot Glue Gun Mess: Funny Stories, Pretty DIY Projects – A Humorous Hollywood Memoir with 50 Approachable Crafts for Style and Home
In this beautiful paperback edition featuring French flaps, hugely popular lifestyle blogger, YouTube star, and designer Mr. Kate (Kate Albrecht) offers a stunning collection of step-by-step personal style and home projects—woven in with quirkily hilarious stories and anecdotes.
Do you dream of finding ways to infuse do-it-yourself projects into every aspect of your life and have fun doing it? From the quirky personality behind the Mr. Kate brand comes a not-so-average DIY lifestyle book that will make your dreams of creating unique how-to projects become reality.
Filled with 50 unique and approachable projects, along with hysterical, unfiltered stories from Mr. Kate’s crazy life, A Hot Glue Gun Mess will show how life can inspire art. Growing up with a high-powered Hollywood father and an oddball, down-to-earth mother, Kate Albrecht had a childhood that was anything but normal. From how her first period influenced her to become an artist to how her friendship with a high-priced hooker encouraged DIY beauty products, Mr. Kate’s stories are weird, wonderful, personal, inspiring, and downright hilarious.
Her love of self-expression inspired Mr. Kate to create her own DIY life and a social media platform to connect with young women everywhere. Her projects involve style, home design, and beauty, including DIY nail art techniques, upcycled projects for your old jeans, and watercolor curtains. You don’t have to be a seamstress, metalsmith, or expert at anything to enjoy these projects, all of which are doable in under two hours and require a minimal number of supplies. Now you, too, can become a DIY diva!
Do you dream of finding ways to infuse do-it-yourself projects into every aspect of your life and have fun doing it? From the quirky personality behind the Mr. Kate brand comes a not-so-average DIY lifestyle book that will make your dreams of creating unique how-to projects become reality.
Filled with 50 unique and approachable projects, along with hysterical, unfiltered stories from Mr. Kate’s crazy life, A Hot Glue Gun Mess will show how life can inspire art. Growing up with a high-powered Hollywood father and an oddball, down-to-earth mother, Kate Albrecht had a childhood that was anything but normal. From how her first period influenced her to become an artist to how her friendship with a high-priced hooker encouraged DIY beauty products, Mr. Kate’s stories are weird, wonderful, personal, inspiring, and downright hilarious.
Her love of self-expression inspired Mr. Kate to create her own DIY life and a social media platform to connect with young women everywhere. Her projects involve style, home design, and beauty, including DIY nail art techniques, upcycled projects for your old jeans, and watercolor curtains. You don’t have to be a seamstress, metalsmith, or expert at anything to enjoy these projects, all of which are doable in under two hours and require a minimal number of supplies. Now you, too, can become a DIY diva!
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2015
55 people are currently reading
984 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 10, 2015
This is a very fun set up for a memoir. Each chapter tells a relatively short, well explained story, and then follows it up with a not-always-related crafts project. The crafts projects are fairly easy, and occasionally hilarious. I do kind of want to get plastic geckos and glue them onto the backs of a pair of high heels.
Kate is funny. Her stories have flavor, and sass. She sometimes gets too crass, which for anyone who knows me, you know it takes a lot for me to say anything is too much. But some of these chapters made me wince.
Now that I've gotten the positive out of the way. I really, really, really, really would've liked all of this a lot better if she'd put a disclaimer in the introduction explaining that she is a trust fund baby.
I went into this knowing literally nothing about her. Her crafts projects are Pinterest-esque, yet I've heard nothing of her on that site, either. So my belief was she was another crafts blogger who'd written a book, though clearly it was in memoir style, making it very unique.
Then she starts talking casually about flying to Greece, and yacht trips, and going to Italy and her father's million dollar remarriage, and inconveniences like staying in a motel instead of a four star hotel for her horse riding shows.
So I did a quick google to find out WTF, and discovered she's the daughter of someone. Someone who, according to her, was "forced to resign". Yeah, Google would like her to know she left some details out of that forced resignation story.
I was too busy picking up 3/4 of the names she dropped to pay attention to someone of these chapters, and the extreme amount of privilege made me nauseous. This is why I'm never interested in reading memoirs of famous people just because they are famous. She and her never-heard-of-them Boy Band husband run their own business, which is...the Mr. Kate blog. And apparent Youtube channel.
The further I got in the book, the more ridiculous it felt, and I got tired of all of it pretty quickly.
I will say, though, that using wire ribbon as bows for high heels? Yeah, I'm totally doing that.
Received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review.
Kate is funny. Her stories have flavor, and sass. She sometimes gets too crass, which for anyone who knows me, you know it takes a lot for me to say anything is too much. But some of these chapters made me wince.
Now that I've gotten the positive out of the way. I really, really, really, really would've liked all of this a lot better if she'd put a disclaimer in the introduction explaining that she is a trust fund baby.
I went into this knowing literally nothing about her. Her crafts projects are Pinterest-esque, yet I've heard nothing of her on that site, either. So my belief was she was another crafts blogger who'd written a book, though clearly it was in memoir style, making it very unique.
Then she starts talking casually about flying to Greece, and yacht trips, and going to Italy and her father's million dollar remarriage, and inconveniences like staying in a motel instead of a four star hotel for her horse riding shows.
So I did a quick google to find out WTF, and discovered she's the daughter of someone. Someone who, according to her, was "forced to resign". Yeah, Google would like her to know she left some details out of that forced resignation story.
I was too busy picking up 3/4 of the names she dropped to pay attention to someone of these chapters, and the extreme amount of privilege made me nauseous. This is why I'm never interested in reading memoirs of famous people just because they are famous. She and her never-heard-of-them Boy Band husband run their own business, which is...the Mr. Kate blog. And apparent Youtube channel.
The further I got in the book, the more ridiculous it felt, and I got tired of all of it pretty quickly.
I will say, though, that using wire ribbon as bows for high heels? Yeah, I'm totally doing that.
Received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review.
August 20, 2015
No, just no.
July 25, 2015
Chapter 29 - Keeping Up with the Kardashians
"There's nothing rich people love more than owning horses. I mean, you can't put an Hermes saddle on a hamster. When I was a preteen, we moved to Hidden Hills, a gated community outside of Los Angeles where every other household had horses in the backyard. Our close neighbors were the Kardashians (who didn't have horses in their yard, but their asses were the size of a small pony's), and in true 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' form, my parents decided it was a great idea to fly five horses from the lush Irish countryside to live in the desert landscape of our southern California backyard."
These few sentences capture the clever writing style and entitled lifestyle of Mr. Kate, the online identity of Kate Albrecht, the daughter of the former CEO of HBO.
Growing up with privilege has not not made Kate a person who simply buys everything she wants. Oh, no. The three-page essay about beginning to show horses ends with a craft idea: a delicate DIY horseshoe necklace. Each of the 50 personal stories (most of which made me laugh, with a few snortles) leads to a DIY project, many involving a hot glue gun. I was not inspired to produce any of Kate's ideas, mostly because we don't share the same lifestyle; I have nowhere to wear a vintage rhinestone body chain.
Nevertheless, I was fully entertained by the essays and by the photos of the projects, featuring Kate's many outrageous manicures. Then I killed more than an hour watching her videos on YouTube.
Note: I have just skimmed the 25 reviews - almost all 5-star - of this book and discovered that most of them were posted in anticipation of its release, based on the raters' admiration of Mr. Kate's blog and YouTube videos. I think that Goodreads should adjust the postings and overall rating to reflect the reviews, not just the hype. See also: Go Set a Watchman.
"There's nothing rich people love more than owning horses. I mean, you can't put an Hermes saddle on a hamster. When I was a preteen, we moved to Hidden Hills, a gated community outside of Los Angeles where every other household had horses in the backyard. Our close neighbors were the Kardashians (who didn't have horses in their yard, but their asses were the size of a small pony's), and in true 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' form, my parents decided it was a great idea to fly five horses from the lush Irish countryside to live in the desert landscape of our southern California backyard."
These few sentences capture the clever writing style and entitled lifestyle of Mr. Kate, the online identity of Kate Albrecht, the daughter of the former CEO of HBO.
Growing up with privilege has not not made Kate a person who simply buys everything she wants. Oh, no. The three-page essay about beginning to show horses ends with a craft idea: a delicate DIY horseshoe necklace. Each of the 50 personal stories (most of which made me laugh, with a few snortles) leads to a DIY project, many involving a hot glue gun. I was not inspired to produce any of Kate's ideas, mostly because we don't share the same lifestyle; I have nowhere to wear a vintage rhinestone body chain.
Nevertheless, I was fully entertained by the essays and by the photos of the projects, featuring Kate's many outrageous manicures. Then I killed more than an hour watching her videos on YouTube.
Note: I have just skimmed the 25 reviews - almost all 5-star - of this book and discovered that most of them were posted in anticipation of its release, based on the raters' admiration of Mr. Kate's blog and YouTube videos. I think that Goodreads should adjust the postings and overall rating to reflect the reviews, not just the hype. See also: Go Set a Watchman.
May 20, 2019
I actually really like some of the craft ideas in the book, but the personal anecdotes that make up the core of the book range from what I’d consider a passable ‘seventeen’ magazine article to downright abysmal. I hate to leave a mean review but I don’t think this uber privileged white lady needs to be dispensing tips about gluing feathers to a ‘crown’ after reminiscing about that cute time she violated sacred Native American grounds by disrespecting their beliefs. Some of her stories were so out of touch. A cringe worthy attempt.
August 13, 2017
Wish I could give this more stars. Easily one of my favorite autobiographies. Hearing her stories of being a rich kid were insanely interesting and just made me in awe of the way the other half lives. But on the other hand, her other stories were so hilarious and relatable. I loved the sex, cat, and body stories. The crafts were fun too!
Absolutely would recommend to anyone wanting a fun book to laugh their way through.
Absolutely would recommend to anyone wanting a fun book to laugh their way through.
February 12, 2017
Those short stories were fabulous and I can't wait to craft. I hate all these reviews just saying that she was a spoiled rich kid. She obviously lived a high life but she didn't choose it and I think her stories that she got out of her childhood were unique and fun. I am a huge Mr. Kate fan and this book just made me love her even more.
December 3, 2017
I wasn't really a fan of this. There weren't detailed enough pictures or instructions for any of the crafts, therefore they were hard to follow or do too much of any extent. This was a funny set up for a memoir like this, but not really funny in a good way. Overall, it was kind of okay, but I mean, I personally would not recommend it.
December 23, 2015
I got this book through inter-library loan, probably because it featured crafts and supposedly humorous memoir-vignettes. Sure, the crafts were cute, if not exactly practical, but what I really want to get critical about are the prose bits. I suppose I should start by saying that I had no idea who Mr. Kate was prior to picking up this book. After reading a few of her stories, I started wondering about her background. As it turns out, she comes from an extremely wealthy family, which explains the fancy international vacations and gated communities. Some of the stories are amusing enough, but the extreme privilege gets tiresome very, very quickly. Take, for instance, her tale of vacationing with a friend whose family owned an enormous yacht. Teenage Kate, determined to find the perfect "yacht-warming" gift, winds up heading to Rodeo Drive and buying $250 beach towels for each member of her friend's family. Because normal kids have that kind of money coming to them around the holidays, right? And the story gets better (by which I mean worse) as she relates an episode where she and her friend decide to wake the yacht's chef at three in the morning to make them chocolate mousse. Ha ha ha, it's funny to be a spoiled brat. Basically, I couldn't relate to Mr. Kate at all and I doubt anyone else I know would either. I found myself being more annoyed than anything.
When I grew weary of flipping through the book, I decided to see what other readers had to say here on Goodreads. I was very surprised to see a 4-star average rating. A brief scroll through the reviews reveals that nearly all of the 5-star reviews are from "readers" who apparently created Goodreads accounts just to rate the book prior to its release. The vast majority of the reviews indicate that they simply "can't wait to read the book". Clicking on any of these reviews shows profiles with absolutely no other books. In other words, Mr. Kate urged her followers to go to Goodreads and give the book a good review to drive sales. I have very little patience for such antics. It's disingenuous and misleading, especially since this book is already in questionable taste. Don't bother with this book.
When I grew weary of flipping through the book, I decided to see what other readers had to say here on Goodreads. I was very surprised to see a 4-star average rating. A brief scroll through the reviews reveals that nearly all of the 5-star reviews are from "readers" who apparently created Goodreads accounts just to rate the book prior to its release. The vast majority of the reviews indicate that they simply "can't wait to read the book". Clicking on any of these reviews shows profiles with absolutely no other books. In other words, Mr. Kate urged her followers to go to Goodreads and give the book a good review to drive sales. I have very little patience for such antics. It's disingenuous and misleading, especially since this book is already in questionable taste. Don't bother with this book.
August 6, 2017
Mr. Kate is a lifestyle blogger, a killer interior designer for the most famous of the YouTube set, and a DIY diva of stellar proportions! She did the interior design on the bedroom and office of my favorite famous YouTuber, Lilly Singh aka 'Superwoman', earlier this year. I was stoked to see; I was going to meet Lilly later, in person, in April! Me, I am such a huge fan of Mr. Kate, my nickname for her is the Queen of Schmall! "SCHMALL" is a word her and hubby, Joey, have made up to fondly poke fun at her five foot tall stature. In this book, she has included much; fifty DIY's with instructions for creating unique how-to projects. Her projects involve her 'creative weirdo' style, home design, and beauty, including DIY nail art techniques, upcycled projects for your old jeans, and watercolor curtains.
She includes hysterical, unfiltered biographical stories from her personal, crazy life: growing up with a dad who ran HBO and an free, boho mother, Kate Albrecht had a childhood that was anything but normal. Mr. Kate’s stories are weird and wonderful, however, it is the chapter where she reveals that she once met Tiger Woods, and that they had a wild time together, THAT was the one that got MY attention!! Haha, YOLO! The book and photos was supreme...! I need another book, but she is so busy, I know she hasn't any time to write another....
Everything this lovely touches is gold! She is the best! She continues to put out exceptional content on her channel for all us hardcore creative weirdos out there! Kate is so talented, every time I see her show, I wanna purge my stuff and start redesigning my room...
She includes hysterical, unfiltered biographical stories from her personal, crazy life: growing up with a dad who ran HBO and an free, boho mother, Kate Albrecht had a childhood that was anything but normal. Mr. Kate’s stories are weird and wonderful, however, it is the chapter where she reveals that she once met Tiger Woods, and that they had a wild time together, THAT was the one that got MY attention!! Haha, YOLO! The book and photos was supreme...! I need another book, but she is so busy, I know she hasn't any time to write another....
Everything this lovely touches is gold! She is the best! She continues to put out exceptional content on her channel for all us hardcore creative weirdos out there! Kate is so talented, every time I see her show, I wanna purge my stuff and start redesigning my room...
September 12, 2015
This book happened across my desk and I was in the mood for something funny so I picked it up.
It was hilarious. I would have read it all in one sitting if time allowed, because I never wanted to put it down.
I'm not particularly crafty. Her DIY projects were more of a gimmick than anything else, imho. Crafty people would be disappointed in the pedestrian nature of most of them. Her style is very "O, wow, that looks interesting" not at all, "hey, let me actually try that at home". Except for the nail art. I mean, really, I still expect nail art to be the craft that brings womankind together universally. Eventually.
She had a very moneyed upbringing, which could have led to an insufferable book. But she had a few of advantages - her hippie-dippie mother, her philandering father, and her own robust sense of the ridiculous. Thus you get stories of diarrhea at Italian chateaus.
I was very impressed that all the stores in her "resource guide" are places that normal people shop. Her parents did something right raising her.
After reading the book, I looked up her youtube channel. I was so glad I read the book first. Because if I had seen her videos first, I would have assumed I was not in her target audience. Her videos seem like they are aimed at tweens. The book is NOT for tweens - there's lots of sex and drugs.
I highly recommend this for a laugh.
It was hilarious. I would have read it all in one sitting if time allowed, because I never wanted to put it down.
I'm not particularly crafty. Her DIY projects were more of a gimmick than anything else, imho. Crafty people would be disappointed in the pedestrian nature of most of them. Her style is very "O, wow, that looks interesting" not at all, "hey, let me actually try that at home". Except for the nail art. I mean, really, I still expect nail art to be the craft that brings womankind together universally. Eventually.
She had a very moneyed upbringing, which could have led to an insufferable book. But she had a few of advantages - her hippie-dippie mother, her philandering father, and her own robust sense of the ridiculous. Thus you get stories of diarrhea at Italian chateaus.
I was very impressed that all the stores in her "resource guide" are places that normal people shop. Her parents did something right raising her.
After reading the book, I looked up her youtube channel. I was so glad I read the book first. Because if I had seen her videos first, I would have assumed I was not in her target audience. Her videos seem like they are aimed at tweens. The book is NOT for tweens - there's lots of sex and drugs.
I highly recommend this for a laugh.
December 2, 2015
Maybe I’m too old or maybe I’m just not cool enough, but A Hot Glue Gun Mess didn’t really inspire me. There are a couple of cute projects that I may try, like the heels with bows or the mercury glass vase, but I really don’t need a feather crown or pom-pom cushion. The photos are all well-done and the layout is nice. It’s kind of a memoir meets DIY book. The book is full of short stories from Kate’s privileged life, each followed by a craft project that may or may not be related. Most of her stories are from her childhood/teen/college years and though some were amusing, eventually I just didn’t care. She drops names and shares more than I really want to know. Actually, I quit reading them and just looked at the pretty pictures.
I enjoy crafts and there are a few here I’d like to try. Maybe I’ll just photocopy those pages and send this book on to someone who might enjoy it more than I did.
I enjoy crafts and there are a few here I’d like to try. Maybe I’ll just photocopy those pages and send this book on to someone who might enjoy it more than I did.
June 11, 2015
I just read this book in one afternoon! It's entertaining, clever, funny, irreverent, artistic, real, and fabulous!! I loved reading the stories and appreciate the candor in which Kate invites the reader into her world. Her honesty, humor and love (with all it' frustration, laughter, beauty, and poo in bags) for her family, friends, and husbbbbeeennnn is inspiring.The DIY projects are beautifully displayed as well as unique. I want to try them all!!! And wear them around town and re-do my house!! This book is also beautiful to look at. The art direction is on point. The photos, projects and all over layout is a clean design that I would happily display on my coffee table for the world to see. A FABULOUS READ!!!!
August 9, 2015
I'm so excited to read this book! I've been following Mr. Kate's blog and have been a huge fan of her fun DIY projects and her beautiful jewelry line for a few years. Now, she's written a book! Her blog posts are always cute, funny and full of awesome #OOTD, DIY and beauty ideas so I'm sure her book will be even better. I can never get enough of Mr. Kate so I'm really excited to DEVOUR her book (figuratively speaking) and be inspired to do a few DIY projects she has featured in her book. And I'm excited to read her own personal stories -- which I'm sure will be full of laughs and fun. Have I mentioned I'm excited to read 'A Hot Glue Gun Mess: Funny Stories, Pretty DIY Projects' by Mr. Kate?? YAY!
September 10, 2017
This book was half short stories and half DIY projects.
I've been watching Mr.Kate's channel on YouTube and I really enjoyed and still do like those videos. This book just gave me an entirely different view of her that I did not like, from her videos you don't realize she grew up absurdly privileged and is very crude. I also felt the DIY projects were lacking, one was literally hot gluing hair barrettes on a jean jacket.... no thanks.
I will still watch her videos though.
I've been watching Mr.Kate's channel on YouTube and I really enjoyed and still do like those videos. This book just gave me an entirely different view of her that I did not like, from her videos you don't realize she grew up absurdly privileged and is very crude. I also felt the DIY projects were lacking, one was literally hot gluing hair barrettes on a jean jacket.... no thanks.
I will still watch her videos though.
November 25, 2020
Thought it was gonna be a fun DIY project book.
What I got was a memoir-style book with small blurbs about DIY projects (that weren’t that great).
What put me off the most was how raunchy, not funny and uncomfortable the stories made me. A lot of them were about sexual experiences of hers as a child...which I just found really uncomfortable.
Also, TRIGGER WARNING: eating disorder
Not cool.
What I got was a memoir-style book with small blurbs about DIY projects (that weren’t that great).
What put me off the most was how raunchy, not funny and uncomfortable the stories made me. A lot of them were about sexual experiences of hers as a child...which I just found really uncomfortable.
Also, TRIGGER WARNING: eating disorder
Not cool.
December 16, 2018
I would have liked it more if the stories were a little bit more in order. It was weird to go from high school trips to 8 year old and back again and again. Knowing Kate, it was on purpose but it wasn't very cohesive.
I also feel like this was a 'look at me I'm really a bad girl' despite the clean image I portray on YouTube. These stories didn't feel like they were from the same person,
I also feel like this was a 'look at me I'm really a bad girl' despite the clean image I portray on YouTube. These stories didn't feel like they were from the same person,
Read
July 31, 2015I don't do DIY but I read this because her husband Joey is my cousin's son and because I love memoirs. She's a riot! There is a lot of name-dropping, which might bother some, but I enjoy such stories - about things I will never experience myself.
August 5, 2015
It went between really disliking the author, and thinking she was decently funny. There was only one project of the crafty section I would do (and I am an avid crafter).
April 17, 2020
I love her youtube channel and reading about her crazy life made me love her even more. With DIY’s for any occasion and stories to keep you laughing. This book is perfect!
August 22, 2018
I recently stumbled upon Mr.Kate on YouTube and have been sucked in ever sense. I am not a crafty person, nor do I have the itch to decorate, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying her videos.
When I found out she had a book I didn't think I would be interesting thinking it'd just be another crafting book. Once I realized it was full of stories as well I figured I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did because it entertained me just as much as her videos. One thing I love about her is how she doesn't seem to mind speaking her mind. But the thing I think I like the most is how down to earth she is. She'd rather be thrifty and unique, then just go with what everyone else finds interesting.
There were a few points in the book that I found unbelievable (I'm looking at you Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton), a few points I found absolutely cringey (I'll never look at vanilla chapstick the same way again), but most of the time I found myself laughing my ass off and Awww-ing. She definitely didn't pull any punches and went all in when writing this book. Some stories ever reaching TMI territory, but honestly those stories were probably the best.
I loved getting a look into Mr. Kate and Joey behind the scenes and a peak of how they met and it all began.
It's crazy to think that Kate grew up rich because of how down to earth she is. I mean she shops at thrift stores and is always DIY-ing something.
Even though I'm not a crafty person some of those crafts looked easy and cute enough for me to try. If I ever catch the crafting bug that is.
When I found out she had a book I didn't think I would be interesting thinking it'd just be another crafting book. Once I realized it was full of stories as well I figured I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did because it entertained me just as much as her videos. One thing I love about her is how she doesn't seem to mind speaking her mind. But the thing I think I like the most is how down to earth she is. She'd rather be thrifty and unique, then just go with what everyone else finds interesting.
There were a few points in the book that I found unbelievable (I'm looking at you Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton), a few points I found absolutely cringey (I'll never look at vanilla chapstick the same way again), but most of the time I found myself laughing my ass off and Awww-ing. She definitely didn't pull any punches and went all in when writing this book. Some stories ever reaching TMI territory, but honestly those stories were probably the best.
I loved getting a look into Mr. Kate and Joey behind the scenes and a peak of how they met and it all began.
It's crazy to think that Kate grew up rich because of how down to earth she is. I mean she shops at thrift stores and is always DIY-ing something.
Even though I'm not a crafty person some of those crafts looked easy and cute enough for me to try. If I ever catch the crafting bug that is.
October 25, 2017
This is not the usual book that I read, but I was intrigued when I heard about it. I've watched Mr. Kate's YouTube channel and she has some cool DIY projects/decorating tips. The structure of the book is not uncommon, as she tells a short story and then breaks it up with photos - except in this book, the photos are a DIY project that you can do.
There are 50 different stories and accompanying projects. While the DIY's are meant to relate to the story that Mr. Kate just finished telling, they're generally pretty nebulous and only remotely related. I personally found around 10 to be interesting, but that will vary from person to person. They're not just crafty projects, but beauty tips and fashion.
The stories themselves are also very varied, from cute tales about meeting her (now) husband to crude ones that won't appeal to everyone. She also is from a very well off family, so readers may be put off by her constant name-dropping or rich-kid woes. I wasn't completely turned off by it, but I also was 99% there for the crafts and didn't really borrow the book so that I could be engrossed by the stories.
Overall it was a cute book, but probably not one that I would go out and buy. I'll just borrow it from the library if I ever decide I want to do one of the projects.
There are 50 different stories and accompanying projects. While the DIY's are meant to relate to the story that Mr. Kate just finished telling, they're generally pretty nebulous and only remotely related. I personally found around 10 to be interesting, but that will vary from person to person. They're not just crafty projects, but beauty tips and fashion.
The stories themselves are also very varied, from cute tales about meeting her (now) husband to crude ones that won't appeal to everyone. She also is from a very well off family, so readers may be put off by her constant name-dropping or rich-kid woes. I wasn't completely turned off by it, but I also was 99% there for the crafts and didn't really borrow the book so that I could be engrossed by the stories.
Overall it was a cute book, but probably not one that I would go out and buy. I'll just borrow it from the library if I ever decide I want to do one of the projects.
June 29, 2022
I felt compelled to post a review on this one. After finding Mr. Kate on YouTube, I was pretty pleasantly shocked by her in this book. Most of her videos I can watch with my kids in the room and not worry about anything they shouldn't see or hear. This book is the opposite. I appreciate her more now, she's not this perfect little rich girl turned decorator.
Most of the negative reviews talk about her privilege and growing up rich. And honestly, did that help in starting her pretty popular blog and youtube channel? For sure. But she didn't ask to be born into a rich family and I don't feel like she should be punished for that. I enjoyed the "rich people" stories as it's a life I know nothing about lol
Crafts are cute, good for someone like me because it's a lot of glue gunning.
Most of the negative reviews talk about her privilege and growing up rich. And honestly, did that help in starting her pretty popular blog and youtube channel? For sure. But she didn't ask to be born into a rich family and I don't feel like she should be punished for that. I enjoyed the "rich people" stories as it's a life I know nothing about lol
Crafts are cute, good for someone like me because it's a lot of glue gunning.
April 1, 2020
What...
What.. was.. that..
This was a mess indeed. Super wordy and not to mention weird. But not in a good way. Her explanations for the projects often had me raising and eyebrow and wondering why we possibly need that information..
Maam i want to craft not be your therapist..
Extremely awkward or maybe she was trying to be funny but failed. I don't know
Good grief...
Found 3 things i want to make with simple enough instructions so thats why she gets a 2
Also most of these "crafts" dont even require a glue gun
What.. was.. that..
This was a mess indeed. Super wordy and not to mention weird. But not in a good way. Her explanations for the projects often had me raising and eyebrow and wondering why we possibly need that information..
Maam i want to craft not be your therapist..
Extremely awkward or maybe she was trying to be funny but failed. I don't know
Good grief...
Found 3 things i want to make with simple enough instructions so thats why she gets a 2
Also most of these "crafts" dont even require a glue gun
April 11, 2023
So many funny, intriguing, and embarrassing stories! Plus, I enjoyed how each story was connected through some fun wordplay into a unique DIY idea.
I've been following Kate's journey for around 10 years! YouTube has a funny way of making you feel like you know someone. This book topped off that one-sided relationship with the feeling of sitting in a room with Kate while she goes on about her crazy life experiences (aka great writing voice!). She still has no idea who I am, but I love the weird and unconventional way she does everything. She's inspirational in the best weird ways!
I've been following Kate's journey for around 10 years! YouTube has a funny way of making you feel like you know someone. This book topped off that one-sided relationship with the feeling of sitting in a room with Kate while she goes on about her crazy life experiences (aka great writing voice!). She still has no idea who I am, but I love the weird and unconventional way she does everything. She's inspirational in the best weird ways!
April 3, 2024
I am utterly confused as to the target audience for this book. The personal stories contain a lot of talk about sex and drugs, yet the crafts are more geared for a preteen girl. I didn't find a single craft that I would use in my adult life. I would pass this on to a family member who would love those crafts, but the adult nature of the stories prohibit me from doing so. For me, it was a waste of money. The stories aren't even relatable, as "Mr. Kate" is lives a very privileged life with funds not available to most.
January 7, 2018
Rude, crude, and glued
I like craft books and that is my only excuse for picking up this book. The “crafts” were not that great and the stories that the author shared had me feeling uncomfortable like when someone over shares. I do not feel that I am the target audience for this book. However, if you are an over privileged, under disciplined name dropper with a penchant for glue guns, knock yourself out.
I like craft books and that is my only excuse for picking up this book. The “crafts” were not that great and the stories that the author shared had me feeling uncomfortable like when someone over shares. I do not feel that I am the target audience for this book. However, if you are an over privileged, under disciplined name dropper with a penchant for glue guns, knock yourself out.
June 10, 2018
I feel bad giving this book such a low rating because it WAS a fun read. It just isn't the kind of book that holds my attention. The creative parts of the book were great, but the stories didn't always grab my attention.
This book took me a long time to read because the book was kind of all of the place. If you can handle books like that, I recommend it. But this kind of book isn't really my thing.
Even still, I love Mr Kate <3
This book took me a long time to read because the book was kind of all of the place. If you can handle books like that, I recommend it. But this kind of book isn't really my thing.
Even still, I love Mr Kate <3
February 20, 2024
Oof. I wanted to like this. The title was appealing, she has quirk, it seemed like a great book. Then I started reading it. I just cannot relate to over-the-top wealth (“At fifteen I went to visit my friend on her yacht in the Mediterranean.” WTF) ALL of the stories were pretentious and just NO.
She had some cute crafts, but nothing I wanted to make.
I literally felt like I was reading another pretentious book by Anna Kloots 🙄 It’s a hard pass for me.
She had some cute crafts, but nothing I wanted to make.
I literally felt like I was reading another pretentious book by Anna Kloots 🙄 It’s a hard pass for me.
December 9, 2017
She gives fair warning about the content, so don't be shocked when she actually talks about bathroom humor and the like. I find her hilarious and adorable and I love almost everything she does. It's really more about her life than the DIYs, so if that's what you're reading it for then just go to her youtube channel.
March 14, 2018
Mr. Kate's bohemian glam style and DIY projects are accessible (lots of glue gun, no sewing) and on point, but her life stories are not to my taste.
Can understand why she has such an internet following: beautiful styling, sex-positive messages, and packed with personality. This book is probably best for those fans.
Can understand why she has such an internet following: beautiful styling, sex-positive messages, and packed with personality. This book is probably best for those fans.
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