Cassi Griffin is celebrating Christmas Book Advent on her craft blog, Bella Dia.  She'll post a book (or two) and a corresponding project to do with your kids on each day leading up to Christmas.  The first book is Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin (illustrated by Mary Azarian; Houghton Mifflin, 1998); the project:  cutting snowflakes, of course.

Today's post features my favorite Robert Sabuda book, Winter's Tale (do I have to note that it's a pop-up book? It's Robert Sabuda!).  This one was inspired by the artist's walks in snowy Michigan woods.  I love the woodland birds and animals he recreates in these intricate white paper pop-ups:  owls and foxes, reindeer and squirrels.  Learn how to make some simple pop-up cards at Sabuda's website:  my favorites are the Christmas Tree and Bird House (the bird flies away when you open the card).  Paper magic!