Miniatures Books

I love houseplants and the pictures in this book are a great inspiration to try new arrangements with my plants.

Received this as a gift and found it so well written and photographed that I ended up buying a few as gifts for others. Fabulous book design and layout. Beautiful pictures. Great container ideas and very clear information for ongoing care. The grass garden section was especially neat. The author suggests new takes on indoor gardens such as using mini primroses in a flat basket. I've always planted them outdoors but never imagined how nice they would look inside the house.

I purchased this book several months ago and have been thrilled with it's beautiful photography, clear instruction and easy (yet clever) ideas for gardening indoors. My home is not set up for big outdoor gardens, so these small container and tabletop gardens have been a godsend! I had never thought of decorating my kitchen and bathrooms with live plantings, and wow, what an improvement! I am buying copies for my friends and family. This makes a wonderful housewarming gift. Don't miss it!

This is a very narrow topic. By definition these are gardens that are very limited in size and scope. Having said that, i was still very disappointed in this book. It doesn't take much shopping around, thumbing through other books and checking the Internet to find dozens of good ideas for tabletop gardens. And any garden writer worth her (or his) salt can come up with "how to do it" and "plants to choose" text to make the ideas a practicality. So why the paucity of ideas? Why are we treated, on pages 52 and 53, to a two-page close-up of gravel?

Don't waste any time on this very ordinary book about ordinary plants in ordinary containers.

This striking book is an excellent choice for those of you who simply can't stop gardening, no matter what the season or location. While apartment dwellers will especially benefit from the tabletop gardens, everyone could find a place in their home for these beautiful examples. Everything from dry gardens to bogs is covered. Each example includes information on lighting, water, temperature requirements and average life span.

I have never had much success with indoor plants, but I am tempted to try out a few of these, including the ones growing simple grasses in pretty containers.

My exgirlfriend gave this to me, back when we were still dating. Its a great little book, filled with lots of beautiful quotes and song lyrics from the show. There are anecdotes about his childhood and about things he learned during his life. Its a very lovely book. If you grew up with Mr. Rogers, its a perfect addition to your library. If your children don't know much about Mr. Rogers, its time to show them what they've been missing. The book *is* very small, but that means it can be tucked into a purse, hip pouch or even back pocket to be taken along on trips, rides, waiting in line etc. A must have.

I knew that it was small, but I didn't know it was this small. I don't think I've ever even seen a book this small before. The front has a cool mirror, too, which is a huge bonus.

I like how it's organized. It's broken into themes of what Mr. Rogers stood for.

It's mostly a book of quotes, but they're good quotes. One that was really interesting was how Mr. Rogers parents, at a very early age, let him use the piano to express whatever emotion he was feeling, and how he thought that was a really good way of dealing with emotions.

After mine arrived and I loved it, I ordered about ten as gifts for my friends.

A special little gift for a very special Mom.

I have fond childhood memories of watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. He made his audience feel loved and accepted and very special. I am glad the shows still air on public television so my children can grow up with him as I did. This book is just the right size for toddler hands and my children love to look at the pictures and talk about what they see.

For those of you who do not realize it, don't make the same mistake I made. The book is not a large book. It is great if your looking for a pocket size Mr. Rogers but not exactly something to put on the coffee table.

Even though I was discouraged by the size, the quotes in the book are still great, and just show how great of a man Fred Rogers Actually was

Would that this book were still in print. It is a marvelous collection that made a fabulous gift for anyone enamored with Mickey and his friends.

are you planing a new ediction of that book?I got one, but it is writen in spanish and it isfrom 1995 - I need an updated one - best way:in german. Please inform me, where I can get thelatest version as soon as possible. Thanxs!

Most of the illustrations are rather weak interpretations of the mouse. There are, however, several excellent ones especially "Vincent Van Goghs to Disneyland" by Bob Buccella

un libro straordinario, che mostra l'immortale fascino del personaggio disneyano che dai cartoon ha invaso - come icona globale - il mondo intero. ironia, sarcasmo, un pizzico di delirio nelle opere riprodotte, che rivisitano luoghi altri della Cultura, dalla politica (Ronald Reagan) alla pittura (van Gogh) alla psicoanalisi (Sigmund Freud), in un caleidoscopio poliedrico ed irresistibile.

This is a delightful little tome that every artist and wanna be artist would enjoy. Only about the size of a small paperback, but the book is chucky jam full of wonderful art. Mickey, that ever loving mouse as portrayed by the world's best artists. My favorite is Andy Warhol's painting. I like Mark Newgarden's drawing of Mickey on line paper and I also like Ben Verkaaik's oil on wood of Mickey. Heck I like 'em all. I'm a huge Mickey and Disney fan and if that description fits you, you'll enjoy this book.

In this tiny book are brought together a limited choice of the most exquisite medieval miniatures from 1230 ( artist William de Brailes ) until 1522. Other important artists are Jan Van Eyck, Jean Fouquet, and Simon Bening.

Of course in large manuscripts most of the illuminations could hardly be called miniatures but were full paintings, so to speak, with their own set of aesthetic rules. The format of the Books of Hours are ideal to study miniatures. You will find in this little book ( approximate the same size as the miniatures included ) an amazing collection of breathtaking miniatures with very vivid and beautiful colors. It's eye candy, I agree, but that made the Books of Hours popular in the Middle Ages. Let's face it, the success of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages depended - for a substantial part - upon the cultural wealth that was displayed in churches and cathedrals, in the Vatican and its sumptuous Library, and in the Books of hours with their initials decorated with burnished gold.

Indeed, you could say that the luminous colors of the miniatures in this collection are making the Dark Ages less dark.

I'm an art student, and we often study books of hours, but it's always just slides, so we don't get to hold an example. This little book is a wonderful example of the actual books of hours from this time period. It really gives you an appreciation for the craftsmanship of the artists; the intricate detail is so delicate and tiny, and it's clearly printed in this book. I highly recommend it!

Although this is literally a miniature publication from Phaidon, it truly encompasses the character of the Book of Hours. Historically, these were popular items, especially among pious woman to "show off" their devotion to God. The illustrations are just beautiful and so intricate. This is a true gem. A compact way to view illuminated manuscript.

A very small book containing 85 color plates of miniatures culled from various books of hours. The plates are reproduced at or near their original size, giving an idea of just how truly small most of these pictures actually are.

The plates come from the best manuscripts owned by several museums. Most of the art is Franco-Flemish from 1475-1525, but there are a few earlier works and/or Italian works represented, as well.

There is very little text. This book is intended, I believe, to provide just enough information to pique the curious. The art is splendid, though, and a better, more portable visual reference could not be found. I liked this book so much that I bought two copies; one to use as a reference when painting, and another to just enjoy perusing.

Lovely tiny book with absolutely gorgeous illustrations from real medieval books of hours, with jewel tones and lovely compositions. The binding should be different to allow it to more easily open fully.

I first got this book when I was 8 and still love it. Every time I look at it I find somthing new. It has very good instuctions and is good for all ages. All the projects are with very available, inexpensive things. I'm very happy I have this book and it is very fun to put into use.

I was 11 when I was given this book by my parents. That was all it took for me to become completely obsessed with creating these little worlds of tiny people. Granted, this isn't the most sophisticated of all books on the subject, but it is extremely accessible. Now, 14 years later, I still have most, if not all, of the furniture I made by using patterns from this book. The materials are inexpensive and very easy to find - on a child's allowance I was able to do a lot. This is still, hands down, my sentimental favorite.

i found this book by chance in waldens. i have always had a fascination with miniatures and dollhouses, maybe because of my modest childhood. however, my interest in miniatures was sparked by the discovery of this book. boulton does an excellent job with explaining the miniture making process. as always, the DK company provides clear and colorful illustrations on making miniatures. i love this book and would recommend it to anyone who is an advanced miniaturist or novice.

I was disappointed over the quality of the minatures featured in this book. They seemed way too amateur-ish and uninventive. I feel the author could have tried a little harder in making more creative and sophisticated designs rather than boring, suburban-lazy type she displayed in this book. The designs reminded me of those ugly crocheted blankets you see in the typical housewife or granny's home. It's a great hobby with alot of potential; unfortunately, the only people who take it up have no sense whatsoever of aesthetics.

The up side of this book is that it includes alot of color photos and detailed instructions, if you are inclined to make these dull pieces at home.

My Mother gave her copy of the book to my granddaughter who is 8 yrs old. Now she can't wait to get home from school to work on her latest project for her dolls or doll house. Sometimes it is a Mother-Daughter project but not always.

This book is really cute. It is petite and small, I was expecting it to be bigger but it's a really good book for my 18month old. Plus we try to act out things in the book that Bert and Ernie do. Another Sesame Street book she likes is called Shake a Leg. It's cute and active as well.

I bought this book at a garage sale when my daughter was 14 months old. She LOVED it, more than other little books that were NEW! A year later, I keep it in the armrest of my car -- this is the book that buys me at least 15 minutes of quiet EVERY TIME. I think she likes that the characters are familar to her, and I like that she is seeing "kids" engaged in active play, even if they are older than she...

My one year old son loves this book so much that he wore it out! We bought another one and he picked up right where he left off!

This is an adorable little sesame street book. It is a very small size, but this is just perfect for my toddler. It is really well done with little rhymes on every other page. The pictures are adorable. The child can relate to what the book is saying by seeing the pictures. An all around nice book to add to your sesame street collection.

It is very cute, but jumping rope, skating, swimming, diving, washing dishes at the sink, cooking an egg, etc are some of the things that ernie and bert are shown to be doing and it is just NOT appropriate to ask an under 3 -- can you? any of those questions, since they tend to take them literally. my son is 16 months old and doesn't get that he can't, so, i don't know when he will get the concept that he can "pretend" to do these things, so you might want to wait until they understand "pretend".

This book will definately inspire you to try making a few of these critters designed by a very talented clay artist. My favorites are Rocky Raven - and Cocoa Moose!

I look forward to the next book this author puts out!

-CP

This book will definately inspire you to try making a few of these critters designed by a very talented clay artist. My favorites are Rocky Raven - and Cocoa Moose!

I look forward to the next book this author puts out!

-CP

this book does not even compare to other books on clay projects. It apparently hides behind a couple of religious quotes as a reason to over-charge for a minimal treatment of polymer clay projects.

This book is a must-have for people of all ages who enjoy working with polymer clay. The instructions for making cute critters in this book are very easy to follow, and fun!

My favorites are Rocky Raven and Cocoa Moose.

I can't wait for Joshua's next book!

If mom's are allowed to write a review, I would like to encourage other moms to work with their kids and help them achieve their dreams and goals in life. I am very proud of Joshua, and how far he has come in the 3 years he has been sculpting and teaching others. Joshua's book is excellent in design, lay-out, color, and easy to understand instructions for kids and adults. Joshua has even taught kids with learning disabilities to sculpt with wonderful results. If you are an amateur or a pro at sculpting, Joshua's book will be a delight to all who try their hand at his adorable critters.

This book is so handy to keep you out of etiquette trouble. The huge etiquette books are terrific references but impossible to carry around on a daily basis. This little book fits in a purse, glove compartment, satchel, etc.

I bought this book for my daughter and she really enjoyed it and found it very useful. She has a European boyfriend and they dine out nearly every night. She really appreciated this book

Well written and organized. The small size makes it irresistible, everyone wants to pick it up and read it. Perfect for grads moving out into the business world as the emphasis is on the applied use of table manners. There is enough history, a few pictures and it is concise enough that even the most hurried can finish reading it in under an hour.

When I first saw the book I started laughing. I didn't realize the book was going to be so small. When it says a "little book" it means a little book. Once I started reading the book I was amazed. All the little no-no's, I was doing. I even did a class presentation based on dining etiquette, and I used pointers from the book for a hands-on demostration. Our grouped received an A+ on our presentation. Many of my class mates have also ordered this book as well. I really wanted to know more about dining etiquette and this book did the trick.

I received this charming "little" book as a Christmas gift a few years ago. My friend and her husband had taken note that I like etiquette books, and they kindly added to my collection. But this book isn't the heavy, voluminous Amy Vanderbilt/Emily Post for my coffee-table-only book. This book couldn't be more portable and is chocked full of great information. Do you know the differences between Service a la Francaise, Service a la Russe, Service a L'Anglaise, and Restaurant/American Style forms of food presentation? I certainly didn't!

(The author, etiquette guru Dorothea Johnson, is the grandmother of Liv Tyler. How cool!)

Although I love etiquette books, I'm the first to admit that I don't follow etiquette guidelines to a T (especially in casual company--I'd look a little odd if I did!), and my manners, while decent, are far from perfect.

As an aside, my sister had a hearty laugh when I told her I had started reading etiquette books (my first etiquette book was Etiquette Grrls: Things You Need to be Told). She said, "But you're a Crane. Why would you read an etiquette book?" (It's a family joke that the Crane side of my family is known to be more than a little crude, while my mom's side is the more refined. Luckily, my sister and I have our mom's side to somewhat offset the Crane genes :-)

This was the first book I ever bought on polymer clay. I barely knew what polymer clay was - I looked in the book, thought "I can do that", bought some polymer clay and by that evening was making fabulous roses. This was the perfect introductory book - the books I have subsequently purchased and used would have scared me off. This is the basics, how to condition the clay, roll it into balls, make the shapes, assemble them, bake, and maybe paint a little. No color palettes, skinner blends, no fancy equipment - just clay, your hands, some wax paper, cornstarch, scissors, toothpicks and an oven. The instructions are incredibly detailed, the pictures perfect - Quast doesn't leave you to try to figure out a single thing. No matter how "uncrafty" or unartistic you are, the projects in this book will make you think you were born for the art of polymer clay. The book covers roses, dogwood blossoms, daisies, cherry blossoms, pansies, daffodils and irises, and ends by showing you some great jewelry and decorative household items you can make.

Step-by-step instructions on how to make seven different flowers using polymer clay. Detailed diagrams and tips (from tools and materials to color blending). Good book for beginner flower artists in the polymer clay medium. Provides list of sources and references.

I have many books on polymer clay and this is one of my favorites! The techiques show here can be applied to any sculpture but what impressed me was how lifelike these projects look! And with such detailed explanations and illustrations it is an easy jump to use these techiques to create flowers of your own choice. I have made figures from polymer clay for 7 years now and most books are repetitive to me, I found this one re-energized my creative juices and gave me something new to make, I now make minature flowers to adorn some of my figures and have been pleased with the new dimension it adds.

This is the only book on this subject that I know of, so it's better than nothing. But it's frustrating throughout because the photos depict the author's hands better than the items she is holding. The verbal instructions are fairly good, but in this topic better pictures are a must. Maybe there will be a second edition with this problem corrected. Meanwhile, enjoy her pretty hands.

This is a must-have book for anyone wanting to learn to make beautiful miniature flowers. It is great book for all levels, even those who have never worked with polymer clay.

At first glance I though it would be hard and very time consuming. I was wrong. I was amazed at how easy it really was. In less than two hours, I had a very impressive looking rose bud.

The author first covers materials and how to work with polymer clay. Included templates help you judge size & shape. Each part of every flower is then explained step by step. Numerous color photos help to guide you.

Flowers covered include roses, dogwood, daisies, cherry blossoms, pansies, daffodils, and irises. There are a few projects in the back showing you how to frame the flowers and make jewelry or ornaments out of them.

Very well written book, the pictures are visually stunning and so intruiging for those who love books.

Miniature books, those tiny treasure measuring not over three inches in height, length or width, have fascinated for some 4,000 years. Some of these books as those exhibited recently in Toledo, Spain, are so small that they can only be seen through a magnifying glass. Current prices for these books vary, and some dealers specialize in them. Today, there is a miniature book society, an international non-profit organization, providing a forum for collectors and interested parties.

Now, everything you wanted to know and more is available in this compact, beautifully illustrated volume by rare book dealer Anne C. Bromer and collector Julian I. Edison. The book is dedicated to Stanley Marcus, an avid collector of miniature books and contains a foreword by him in which he said that miniature book collecting gave him the greatest pleasure. He also noted that these small volumes "enlarged my field of knowledge to a wide variety of subjects ranging from pornography to philosophy, religious topics to small books for children." And so it is for aficionados.

Richly illustrated, Miniature Books includes chapters devoted to illuminated manuscripts, religious topics, politics, children's literature, and more. In addition, there are listings of sources for miniature books as well as mention of those in libraries.

Author Bromer notes that she first laid eyes on miniature books some 35 years ago and has been entranced with them since them. So have many - enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

Rare book dealer Anne C. Bromer teams up with scholarly bibliophile and book collector Julian I. Edison (who for more than 40 years has served as the editor of 'Miniature Book News') to present "Miniature Books: 4,000 Years Of Tiny Treasure". This is an elegantly illustrated, 216-page compendium showcasing tiny books showcased in an exhibition at The Grolier Club which, founded in 1884, is America's oldest and largest society for bibliophiles and enthusiasts in the graphic arts. Featuring more than 260 full-color photographic illustrations of miniature books (being 3 inches or smaller in size) from around the world, the examples proffered range from Shakeseare's plays, to Christian bibles, to children's books, to all manner of fiction. Some of these are gemmed, tooled, locked, illuminated, and a few are illustrated by such legendary artists as Picasso, Miro, and Gorey. A work of impressive scholarship and research by Bromer and Edison, "Miniature Books" is a bibliophile's treat and would make a superb Memorial Fund acquisition selection for academic and community library collections.

Very readable, loaded with information and ravishing actual-size photos of tiny books through the ages to the present. The authors transmit their enthusiasm for the history and aesthetics of miniatures. Some of these books are made of tooled and embosssed leather, others resemble jeweled lockets, and their workmanship is spectacular. An excellent source book even for the general reader, and especially readers who are drawn to miniatures.

What I found delightful in this survey were the books from the recent past. Obviously the authors rightly cover historical items (and with beautiful photos, too) but books right up to the turn of the new century are included.

Some of these really look beautiful like the 1988 colorful polycarbonate covers from Maurice Dufrene's `Florilegium' or the wraparound cover to Frank Dobie's 1979 `White Mustang', created with several different leathers. Both books are only two and a half inches tall.

The nine chapters, in words and images, give an overview of tiny tomes and it was nice to see that most of the books features are displayed actual size. Perhaps missing from the text was a brief description of how many of the books were printed. There is an interesting photo on page 106 of an uncut sheet from 1752 `London Almanack' showing twenty pages (and a gatefold of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Palace) which were no problem to print but the precision was in the binding such small items, if the craftsmen were a fraction out part of a page could easily be missing. Judging by the amount of commercially printed books included from the last hundred or so years binding machinery can handle small pages easily.

The last chapter covers oddities including a 1991 German medical companies little book with a dummy heart pacemaker as part of the package. A sidebar is devoted to hidden paintings, printed or individually artist painted, on the fanned out fore pages. `A Small Book of Flies' printed in 1983 includes actual fishing flies (under a piece of glass) in a book two and three quarter inches by one and three quarters.

It is this coverage of books besides the usual fine art ones that made the book come alive for me. Incidentally the production is first class, with gold blocking on three sides (when was the last time you saw that on a book?) printed in 175dpi screen and a handy silk bookmark.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.