Well-designed book covers urge you to pick up a book – this one hollars at you with a bright, fun, and captivating cover. It’s why I picked it up at the library, and it did not dissapoint.

In this beautiful curation from Joy Cho’s design business, “Oh Joy! 60 Ways to Create and Give Joy” translates beautiful interor design and crafts into tangible, doable concepts that inspire even the most un-creative people to consider what they can make that will bring joy for someone else.

This book is bursting with pro tips and creative (but fairly simple) craft ideas. I especially appreciated the design know-how Joy included to help give readers a basis for how to think about creating “happy” design around them.

Below are a few of the design tips I found to be really helpful (thanks, Joy!):

“I love using analogous colors (those that are next to each other on the color wheel). Using varying shades of blue, green, and yellow offers a fun array of colors that naturally work well together.”

Joy Cho, author of “Oh Joy!”

“After putting together the base palette, I always like to add an unexpected pop of color… whether it’s a super bright color, a metallic (shiny gold is my fave), or a hint of something sparkly.”

Joy Cho, author of “Oh Joy!”

“When you mix two patterns, one should be a little more simple, so you are not creating an optical illusion…Using two patterns with an overlapping color helps tie them together while giving the eyes room to breathe.”

Joy Cho, author of “Oh Joy!”

“Art prints and interesting vessels can give that extra wink to any room. If it makes you smile, it will make others smile, too.”

Joy Cho, author of “Oh Joy!”