Arts and Crafts Books

Although this is an overview book, there is so much here to recommend it to the artist. I do C&I for my historical group (SCA) and this is such a wonderful source!

This is one of the best books on illuminated manuscripts currently available. The book is hardcover, full color throughout, and many nice reproductions. There is a nice variety in the work shown and good commentary. If you get this at the discounted price, this is a hard book to beat in quantity and quality. Along with A History of Illuminated Manuscripts this is a must-have book.

What can I say? I have been researching this specific field now for the last five years, and rarely find such a magnificent reproduction as this! Excellent job on the colour balance, and many miniatures I have not seen in any other books. Well done.

Best "bang for the buck" period illumination book on the market. Every page is crammed with beautiful, clear color photos of ten centuries of period illumination styles. There are 'leaves' and 'hours' in there that I have never seen before. Best of all (and unlike other books I could name) it's affordable and within the reach of the true 'starving artist' (and it's about time).

What a marvellous collection of Illustrated Manuscripts. A couple of other reviewers stated that this was one of the best books of this kind ever published.I certainly have no dispute with them as it is the best I've seen.
Going through this book gives one the feeling of viewing the greatest illustrated books that were the domain of the rich and powerful from the 7th. Century to the 17th.Century. Unless you were of that class,you had little chance of ever seeing,touching and certainly no chance whatsoever of owning one of these books.
Until the Gutenberg press of the 1450's there were no printed books,which meant that any book had to be drawn and lettered printed by hand,taking years of painstaking and highly talented work.Hence,they were extremely expensive and available to the very few.Even someone who owned or had access to books like these,even they would be very lucky if they saw more than a few in their lifetime.In this book we get to see hundreds of the manuscripts from literally hundreds of these rare masterpieces.They come from all over Europe and from a span of roughly a thousand years.
It'as amazing to think that in the 14th.Century,it was possible to build massive Cathedrals;but a book like this for the masses was not even imaginable.

I ordered it thru a company at 1-800-695-7838. Signed copy, 29.95 and shipping 7 bucks. Arrived in 3 days or so. Read it in one sitting, that is how good it was. Wonderful read. Great tech stuff, outlines on workshop protocol and ideas. I highly, highly recommended it. Took the fear and guesswork out of doing a workshop (either for me or for a group). Thanks!

This excellent popular book seems to have been out of print for some time now, but the good news is that the original publisher Interweave press sells a new print (with new cover art) at their web site for $29.95.

This is one of those books which is much more than a how-to for natural dyeing. Trudy van Stralen writes in a conversational style, yet gives succinct information where needed. Especially helpful are the photos of fibers and fabrics of both cellulose and protein origin, and how they are affected by natural dyestuffs. I find myself thumbing through this book again and again, and recommend it heartily. There is a terrific chapter on how to organize a group dye class with a clear section on how to keep records which make sense long after the dye session is over. A must-have book for a natural dye enthusiast.

I use this as one of my primary reference books for natural dyeing. Trudy has a nice style providing a good framework for beginners to be successful. The color samples on various fibers are excellent. Her percentage of mordant and dye stuff to "weight of goods" method provides consistant results especially since I bought a digital scale. The photos are gorgeous and the text is clear. Bonus is a detailed chapter on conducting a dyeing workshop.

technically out of print, author purchased last few thousand copies...Louet Sales 613-925-4502 is distributing this title

I first checked this book out from the library. I liked it so much, I purchased it. There are several fresh new designs here. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys wire work.

This book is easy to follow with great ideas and good pictures. After recieving it I took a quick trip to the bead store and I am inspired!

This was one of the best books on wire jewelry I've bought. So easy to understand and the projects are beautiful.

Ms Wuller provides step by step instruction with excellent illustrations on the construction of jewelry using wire. Importantly, early chapters begin with simpler to construct pieces, whilst later chapters become increasingly intricate. Her efforts "inspired" me with my work in wire!

I am admittedly the author's sister, but an avid jewelry hobbyist in my own right. The difference is that I am self-taught and my sister actually went to art school at one of the top-notch schools in the country where she learned about jewelry design (among other things).

I mostly buy pre-made wire findings I need for making jewelry -- things like clasps and eye pins. But her book teaches how to make these on your own, which I am going to start to do. Hopefully, I can save some money doing it.

The jewelry I make is usually strung on tiger tail or leather. This book takes me beyond pushing beads on a string and, starting at an easy level, teaches me to think more creatively about the "architecture" of the piece. Her instructions are very detailed and clear and easy to follow.

Her book starts out easy, so it's great for people like me who are just starting to explore new ways to make jewelry. The book ends with some pretty complicated pieces, so it's also good for people who know a lot already and are looking for a little inspiration.

What a beautiful book. Full page, full color photos, with many of the pieces being shown larger than life. Original drawings of the same pieces are shown on a facing page. I wish that some of the photos of people and places had been reproduced larger, but the original old photos may have been very small to start with, and may not have blown up well bigger than they were originally printed. All in all an absolutely drool-worthy book.

I ordered this book from Half Price Books from Texas, as Amazon did not have it. The book arrived very fast, and very well wrapped and boxed. The book was listed as used-good with dented corners and scuffed dust jacket. Wrong. It looked brand new. I would order from them again. And the book was half the price of the other sellers.

This is by far the best book ever produced on Lalique's jewelry. The photographs in the book document nice close up details as well as front and back shots of his jewelry. Also nice to see is photographs of his beautiful jewelry renderings and nature studies. This book is a must for any Lalique fan. I highly recommend it.

For lovers of the Art Nouveau movement, this book is a must! Lalique was an amazing artist/jeweler, and this book covers the jewelry portion of his career well.

So you missed the exhibit in Dallas? True, this exhibit is possibly the only time these items from private collections will be on display. But do not despair. There is still a wonderful catalog out there to be had.

When my friends and I went to see this exhibit, we were so enamoured by the beauty of the jewelry, we wanted to carry it all home with us. The catalog was the best we could do.

The items in this exhibit that were designed and made by Rene' Lalique moved classicism to modernism. Although the luminosity of the jewelry is certainly lost in the book's photographs, like the sheen of the perfectly matched opals and the glow of the glass enamels, the level of detail is not.

The exhibit was set up to light the plique-a'-jour from the rear of the pieces as well as from the front. Plique-a'-jour is similar to cloisonné. Both techniques use glass enamels separated by cells created from metal, but cloisonné is applied onto a metal surface, whereas plique-a'-jour is openwork, more like a stained glass window. The difference in effect is that plique-a'-jour has a glow that lights up the jewelry, whereas cloisonné receives its shine from the metal behind it.

The plique-a'-jour technique was not new, having been used during the Renaissance but had been virtually forgotten. The influence of the relatively new trade with Japan opened up the eyes of those artists who were participants in the new arts & Crafts movement centered in London. In fact, Lalique studied in London and picked up on the Japanese influences. In addition, there was also a religious movement centered in Germany at this time that centered more upon appreciation of nature than a single deity.

These influences combined in Lalique's jewelry that stunned the world when he unveiled over a hundred pieces of bijou at the Exposition Universalle in Paris in 1900. Critics of his work charged that he was merely trying to provoke the public. The public crowded around the exhibit during its run nonetheless, although not all of the items in the exhibit sold during the Exposition. The opal necklace that all of us loved when we saw this exhibit in Dallas was one that did not sell, surprisingly enough.

So, if you simply could not get to Dallas, then the catalog rates a good look so that you can study Lalique's breathtaking style. He was never matched and, in fact, abandoned making jewelry for glass when cheap, shoddily made knock-offs began to appear. Lalique felt he had gone as far as he could go with jewelry and became a direct Tiffany competitor.

This book is a great resource for anyone interested in not just art nouveau jewellery but master jewellers of this period.I had not seen lalique's work before and was completely besotted with the pictures in this book,it includes intial design sketches alongside the finished pieces and discusses his work in great length.Great book when I need inspiration.

Well, I'm not ready to throw away my 1972 printing of Strunk & White's Elements of Style, but I've got the Craft of Clarity right next to it on my desk. So often style and grammar gurus are pedantic and painfully dull. Not Knight. Easy to read; clear and precise. The best primer available that I know of -- after Strunk and White.

As an editor/publisher of books for journalists, I read a lot of books about writing. Bob Knight's excellent book focuses directly on the key issue most writers need to work on - clarity. Knight emphasizes that journalistic writing means writing clearly and concisely, and he shows the reader how to do that. If more writers -- journalists, business writers and even amateurs -- read this book, life would be a lot easier for readers everywhere!

More than anything else, Robert Knight's "The Craft of
Clarity" jogs the writer's memory: "Oh, yes. That's
what I set out to do - communicate, tell a story, get
another human being to read, understand and be
affected by something I've written."
It's an easy goal to lose sight of, especially when pitted
against the goal of getting the facts out there. Author Bob Knight argues that the two need not be in competition
and reminds writers that getting the facts "out there"
is futile if the "out there" fails to tempt the
reader. With humor, examples and exercises, Knight gives writers ways to avoid those murky writing swamps that are so easy to get bogged down in and so effective in keeping readers away.
Written for all writers, "The Craft of Clarity" shows how using the tools of good journalism can help in all communication. It covers everything - from how to shape a story and write
a lede, to how to avoid the passive voice,
jargon and cliché. It also addresses some often overlooked but essential aspects of writing powerfully, including how to not only write honestly but appear to be writing honestly.
Knight's enthusiasm for clear writing and love of the English language come through each page of the book, and cannot help but infect and inspire.
A University of Colorado, Boulder, J-School graduate, Knight currently teaches journalism and English composition at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. He is a veteran reporter who worked in Denver and Albuquerque, and served as senior editor and broadcast editor of the City News Bureau of Chicago.
- Review by Yasmin Hahn, reporter, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Angel Fire, NM USA
- NOTE: Marcia and Guy Wood are co-publishers of the Sangre de Cristo Chronicle in Angel Fire, NM and are so impressed with Knight's book that we've purchased 3 copies to give to our reporters, including Hahn. A great tool for working journlaists, whether greenhorns or grouchy with green eyesahdes.

Knight sets forth not just principles for clearly expressing what you say, he offers proven guidelines for first determining what you want to say. It's all about writing, yes; but more importantly, it's about getting read. The author gets all the proven basics right, plus he offers fresh insights into what this discipline called communications is all about. It's also a great read, full of illuminating stories and expamples. Even battle-hardened journalists will get a little something from this book. The rest of us will get much more.

Knight can write. He also can teach his readers how to write clearly, effectively and convincingly. The first two chapters are the most interesting. In the first, he explains the difference between good and bad writing. The second chapter shows how to get started, which often is the hardest part. His main advice is to make it interesting and to get to the point early. He shows how with explanations and examples. The third chapter might be the most useful. It shows how to avoid all those traps that make writing dull. Knight specifically takes aim at misplaced modifiers, dangling participles, redundancies, wordiness and weasel words. They make readers feel as if they were walking through mashed potatoes. Read this chapter and you'll never make those mistakes again. His antidote is to write with precision -- to say what you mean. He shows how to right the wrongs of bad writing. My favorite chapter is the one on originality and how to achieve it without falling into traps like cliches and jargon. I would position this book somewhere between a textbook and a self-help book. It's more fun to read than a textbook and more professional than a self-help book. It's really an updated version of Strunk and White's classic "The Elements of Style" and in some ways better because of all its examples and exercises. Don't be put off by the reference to "journalistic" in the Knight book's title. It's about good writing -- by which he means clear, supple and precise writing. If you'd like the sharpen your prose, this book is for you.

I regularly teach 4th trough 6th grade kids on Sundays where they expect to have some kind of craft to do each week, which is not easy to come up with every week. I have used several of the level 3 crafts from this book, which were well received by the kids. I think that I will get a few more good crafts out of this book. The level 1 and 2 level craft are too simple for this age group, but I am sure would be fine K through 3rd grade kids.

This is the most useable kids art lesson book I've ever seen! I like the creative ideas that use things I have on hand or are inexpensive to buy!

I love this book for art projects for my homeschooled K & 2nd grade girls. The activities have levels and you can look in the back of the book for projects grouped by level or medium. I have taken some of the activities and changed them to work for everything from K-3rd grade. The projects use basic supplies and have instructions and then further ideas on how to use the ideas presented.

Teachers and parents, don't miss this art resource for your kids! The author has done a wonderful job of compiling a variety of activities using a variety of materials, at a range of skill levels. I have completed a few of these projects with students aged 6-16, and they have turned out great. The materials are easily obtained, the projects generally uncomplicated, and the instructions clearly illustrated and easy to follow.

Projects include designs and pictures made with paint, glue, string, sand, cut-out paper shapes, markers, foil, beans, macaroni, glitter, plants, fabric. Techniques include drawing, experimenting with shape, line, texture and color, contrasting shapes and colors, stamping, splatter and spin, weaving, shadowboxes, 3-D sculptures of various materials, crayon resist, sponge painting. Not only can all these projects keep your kids being creative, they really turn out attractive. I have several art books for children by this same publisher and they are all excellent.

Fabulous and fantastic!!! I teach K-8 at a Catholic school and this book is an invaluable resource. The projects are incredibly fun and easy to understand ( with step-by-step instructions and illustrations also rated with a level for different ages and abilites) and at the same time very educational in teaching color, design, and texture.

As a children's librarian, I bought this book for my library based on reviews and the pictured cover. When I buy my own cookbooks, I look for color photos of the recipe. The pairing of the recipe and final product are truly appetizing and certainly sell, not only the food, but also the cookbook. However, open Kids Cook! and find colorless pages! In fact, it truly looks like a coloring book. At first, I was really annoyed. Children also deserve color photos. Then I reread the reviews and re-examined the cookbook. OK, true, it is a fine little cookbook, easy to read, easy to follow.

With those things in mind, I came up with a way to write a totally positive review. After (you and) the child puts the product in the oven, s/he can sit down and color the recipe page! I suggest keeping nearby a big box of colors--one with bunches of choices in order to get the colors of the food just right. Unless the cook has homework, what better way to use the time while the food cooks?! Pairing a second creative talent with the first! Not only that, but the child can keep up with what has been tried at a glance. On the inside cover, create a chart of good/bad and all between ratings and then mark each colored recipe accordingly! What fun!

The perfect cookbook for kids, kids and parents, and parents alone! Great recipes for all ages. Nutritional tips and info are a wonderful plus for kids learning to cook. Be sure to try the chicken salad recipe.

What a great cookbook! Real food for real kids and their real parents. Not only is the layout easy to follow, the book contains good basic info on measuring, cooking techniques, and equipment. It also has invaluable information (in the margins on every page) on safety, nutrition, and other fun facts. The recipes are rated easy to more difficult so that cooks of all levels can enjoy this book. I may even get one for my cooking-phobic sister-in-law!

I bought this for our kids weekly "kids cook night" and they (9 and 10) had very little kitchen experience. This has a nice variety of dishes and gives very detailed "kidese" directions.

"Kids Cook!: Fabulous Food For The Whole Family" by Sarah and Zachary Williamson is a compilation of more than 150 delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes specifically designed to be 'kid friendly' and thereby allowing children to learn the joy of cooking in their family kitchens. From breakfast dishes that include 'Easy French Toast' and 'Breakfast Sundaes', to luncheon favorites like 'Chicken Shirt Pocket' and 'Roast Beef Super Sub', to savory salads including 'A Whale of a Fruit Salad' and 'Veggies and Shells', to snacks like 'Jammed Potato Skins' and 'Nacho Nibbles', to special treats such as 'Easy Hot Fudge' and 'Orange Creamsicle', to dinner entrees like Pizza Originale" and 'Stuffed Burgers', to simply wonderful desserts including 'Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes', and 'Autumn Apple Crisp', "Kids Cook!" offers a wide and savory range of make-it-yourself dishes that would grace any family table. Also very highly recommended for children's cookbook collections is Deanna F. Cook's "The Kids' Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fund Around The World".

This book could also be titled "Bicycle Repair for Dummies" and is on a par with that classic book on auto repair. The easy-to-read content includes basic information that every bicyclist (young or old) should know, but that most don't. If you ride a bike, you need this book. Also, the illustrations are superb and greatly help the reader identify parts, discover problems, and perform certain repair and maintenance techniques.

This is a creative book with delightful and practical illustrations. In an entertaining and instructive way, it teaches children responsibility to take care of their bikes. It also teaches important safety rules. Any child getting a new bicycle would benefit greatly by receiving a copy of this book. Even parents whose child owns a bicycle would benefit from reading this book. It is a great book for parents and kids to read together.

"Kids' Easy Bike Care" is a wonderful, thoughtful book authored by Steve Cole. Mr. Cole addresses all of the fundamentals of bike ownership and maintenance, and hass thoughtfully geared the book for the inquisitive youngster (and his or her parents) who is about to begin bicycle riding for the first time. From hand signals to the "five step tune-up", Mr. Cole covers all the bases. Moreover, Mr. Cole responsibly emphasizes the importance of "Safety First!", which is a crucial message that needs to be communicated to every child who sets upon a bike. The text of the book, coupled with clear and informative diagrams and illustrations (drawn by Sarah Rakitin), is easy to understand for kids and adults alike.

I believe that "Kids' Easy Bike Care" is a perfect gift (holiday, birthday, or otherwise) for bike-riding kids -- and I would especially encourage parents to purchase this book both for the novice bicyclists within their family, as well as for their own information. While I learned a lot from reading "Kids' Easy Bike Care" as an adult, I would have found this an invaluable resource as a child still learning to ride and take care of my bike. Great work, Mr. Cole!

It is evident to me after reading this book, as a senior citizen who just bought a new bicycle, that the contents of this book are not just for kids. It was extremely helpful to both me and my husband who are SENIOR kids. This book would be a very appropriate purchase for anyone regardless of age who owns or is contemplating buying a bicycle. After reading this book, children of ALL AGES would gain the confidence to maintain and use their bicycle safely. This book should be available at all bicycle shops.

This book really tells you everything you need to know about caring for your bike including repairs, tune-ups, safety tips, etc. As other reviewers have said, it's a great resource for adults and kids alike. Sarah Rakitin's illustrations are both cute and helpful. A great addition to anyone's library!

I love all her books. Very content rich, but they are becoming harder and harder to find. I has to go to mabelwhite dot com to get her books that are sold out here. Her videos are the best investment I have made.

I have a friend who gives this book as a gift at any wedding or to any homes she sells to new buyers. It is great and now I follow her path. It contains many cute ideas to make expensive looking gifts at cost, as well as basics for the kitchen. It has salad dressing recipes as well as dip mix recipes I find very handy, among other attributes.

The Kitchen Arts Collection which is a great collection of gift recipes for putting into jars and containers to give as gifts. This one even features a grocery list that you can print off and use. It is divided into several sections including: Amish Friendship Starter Yeast Recipes, Mabel's 10 Best Spice & Dip Recipes, Stacked Recipes in Mason Jars, Stacked Cookie Recipes Volume II, Stacked Cookie Recipes Volume III, Stacked Dinners in Mason Jars, Stacked Cake Mixes in Mason Jars, Basic Stacked Granola Recipe, Cakes Baked in Pint Sized Jars, Breakfast Bake for a Crowd, Hors D'oeuvres by the Dozen, Make Your Own Energy Bars, More Gifts in Jars, Hot Dry Drink Recipes, Festive Gifts, Old Fashioned Popcorn in a Mason Jar, Gumballs Presented in a Mason Mug, Gone Fishin' Munchin' Mix and 25 table Setting Ideas plus a Table of Equivalents and Measures. Some of the recipes you will find in this cookbook include: 5 spice powder, Cowboy Cookie Mix in a Jar, Hawaiian Cookie Mix, Sand Art Cookies, Caramel Popcorn Kit, Apple Granola Bars, Wild Rice Quiche and Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti to name a few!

D. Adams, Bella's On Line

I bought this book a year ago, because I had been buying her books through ebay and her wonderful website. I was so happy to see that she combined all her books into one. This is so great, I have bought many copies to give to my family for gifts..

I think I am one of the first to receive the Mable White Dot Com Books, years ago, and to catch the Web Site, when learning to make homemade soaps. I could not have asked for a more pleasant experience. And what makes it even more fun, when questions arise, communication is wonderful. Have created soooo much and had sooo much fun doing it! Great Site!!!! Keep Up the Good Work!!!!

Connie Terry
San Antonio, Texas

All of Debbie's knitting books are easy for beginners and more knitters. She is a avid knitter herself.

IF YOU ARE INTO SHAWL'S THIS IS THE BOOKLET FOR YOU
ALSO A COUPLE OF BABY ITEMS TOO
GREAT PATTERN BOOKLET

my mom is a big fan of debbie macomber so she does enjoy these book for knitting projects she will highly recommed these book
Linda and Becky

I enjoy Debbie Macomber's books and having a knitting book companion makes it every more interesting. I lead a group for charity knitting so enjoy sharing with my group. Thanks for the good work!!

While I have not yet made items from this knitting book, I have used Debbie Macomber's patterns in other of her books in this series. These patterns are all and more than good in their content and the results obtained.