Arts and Crafts Books

I recieved this book last night and am absolutely delighted! I read the entire book cover to cover and was so inspired! The beginning of the book is filed with the usual basics about beading supplies, but it is actually quite informative and I learned several new things.

The projects are simply stunning. Very professional and contemporary. Definately some new ideas in here and they are all very wearable and also very adaptable to other styles as well.

The projects do include a lot of chain, which I love, so if you are interested in incorporating chain in your work then this is great inspiration.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! Well worth the money!

That's a really great Jewelry Book! Really great photos and explanations either for beginners and experts!
It's a book tahat you must have!

This book is so helpful and beautifully laid out. I love the way Claire has each project all lined up with pictures of what the materials look like. Her step by step instructions are clear enough for a beginner to understand. There are great wire working techniques in the ring section plus very good tips through out the book. I highly recommend this book!

This is a book that will yeild professional looking jewelry results with the help of Claire's great design eye and fantastic taste in beads. Pick this one up for sure.

I purchased this book through a book club without being able to look at it first. I may have purchased it anyway, but there are probably some other beading books better suited to my style than this one. The main reason being that artist uses metal chain more than I do in my work. Even so, there are a few design ideas (briole earrings and a chunky charm bracelet) that I may use for inspiration in my own jewelry.

The author provides some background information at the beginning that tells about the different types of beads, charms, etc that can be used in designs. There is also information about clasps, findings, tools, chain and thread that beaders may find useful. I found tidbits of information that were new to me. There are also a few pages on techniques, but the majority of the book focuses on designs and techniques specific to those designs. At the end of the book the author includes resources for supplies in North America, Europe and Asia.

Each design project includes a material list accompanied by a photo of some of the components. There are several pictures of the project at different stages to illustrate the techniques needed as well as a photo of the final project. The text explaining the steps is brief, but tips are included as well as descriptions of possible variations to the design. All photos are full-color. Most of the designs use glass, crystal, gem stone, abalone and pearl beads as well as metal chain and accents. The final products look very professional.

Overall, I give the book good marks because I think it is well done.

A reference book that every beader should have. The book is well laid out and the subject information is easily accessible.

Seed Bead Savvy presents simple and sophisticated designs with full color photography, clear illustrations and detailed editorial-tested instructions. Seed beads are tiny beads or building blocks of jewelry design, but in this book they create stunning designs with ornate elements.

If you can't walk past a bead store without going in and buying more beads, then this book is a must-have for your collection. Whether you are just starting to make jewelry or are looking for a new fascinating design, this book has something for every level of expertise, but seems to focus more on artistic interpretations and more complex items like fringed collars.

The first chapter explores the basic types of seed beads and then shows the materials and tools you need for the specific beads you will be using.

A few of the intriguing designs include:

Reading a Pattern - Ideas for reading a geometric tapestry pattern to make a decorative wall hanging with seed beads. The results have an added shimmer effect that you wouldn't achieve with cross-stitch patterns. The Embroidered portrait gives detailed information on how to create your own pattern from a picture or photograph.

Woven Pendant - A loomed pendant with a fringe. Looks very exotic!

Wildflower Purse - Beautiful design for a tiny purse with fringe

Ecuadorian Lace Collar - A gorgeous exotic gold necklace.

Herringbone Collar - An elegant choker with seed beads and pearls. Fancier than just a string of pearls and the colors they use would make this perfect for the holiday season. You could make earrings and a bracelet to match, although patterns are not included for specific matching items.

This would make a perfect gift for anyone who loves beading because there are detailed instructions for basic designs at the start, a few patterns for easy necklaces and then challenges to look forward to when you master the basic techniques.

~The Rebecca Review

This is an excellent collection from Bead and Button magazine. The photos are clear. There is a 'shopping list' for each project and well written directions. Even though I have subcribed to Bead and Button for several years, this is a great collection of seed bead projects.I appreciate the variety of projects. Now I don't have to dig through piles of magazines to find a cool project.

The Best of Bead&Button Magazine: Seed Bead Savvy covers the tiny seed beads that play a big part in beaded jewelry making. They can be used in conjunction with an overall design with other beads or can stand alone as their own creations: this book shows how, from locating seed beads which are perfect for a project to stringing and blending colors. Any library strong in jewelry-making references will find this a fine addition.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I bought this for the beadweaving patterns so was disappointed to discover that there were stringing and other types as well. But on the plus side, I benefitted from the intro material on the seed beads with an excellent page of photos which include bugles and lots of other beads plus another page describing them. Most of the patterns did appear in Bead and Button but still it's nice to have this collection to work from as it's hard to check back through all my issues. First four items are strung. Two loomwork patterns follow. Amulet bag in peyote, bead embroidered portrait, square stitch necklace, another bead stringing, floral centerpiece, fringed collar and 17 more beadweaving patterns. Some are bracelets, some necklaces and one pair of earrings. The choices are good and I plan on making several of them.

It is not a beginner's book. Sometime it can be too complex for a normal person to do. If you are intermidate or up then enjoy...

This is an outstandig ballooning book. Captain Visual gets 5 stars from me. After reading this book you can turn any room into a super party fun zone! Congradulations Captain Visual! If I could give this book 100 stars I would. The ballons I made from this book saved me from a crisis when i forgot to get decorations for my sons big birthday party. This book truly lifted my spirits.

This is an outstandig ballooning book. Captain Visual gets 5 stars from me. After reading this book you can turn any room into a super party fun zone! Congradulations Captain Visual! If I could give this book 100 stars I would. The ballons I made from this book saved me from a crisis when i forgot to get decorations for my sons big birthday party. This book truly lifted my spirits.

WOW! This book is a MUST for anybody who wants to learn ballooning! It has everything, from simple to complex! And it's got great diagrams to help explain the process. This is the only Captain Visual book I own, but I've seen others, and they are ALL wonderful. He does some really good stuff. I highly recommend this book!

This is an outstandig ballooning book. Captain Visual gets 5 stars from me. After reading this book you can turn any room into a super party fun zone! Congradulations Captain Visual! If I could give this book 100 stars I would. The ballons I made from this book saved me from a crisis when i forgot to get decorations for my sons big birthday party. This book truly lifted my spirits.

Kay M. Capps Cross's A BLACK & WHITE GARDEN tells how to use a black and white background and variations on themes to make an outstanding quilt. From quilts that are placemat-size to full-size quilts with foundation piecing, A BLACK & WHITE GARDEN pairs patterns with full-page color photos of quilt examples.

This book has great visuals and is full of information. Nice patterns and lots of techniques, great fabric selection tips and materials lists. Detailed cutting and sewing instructions. Overall a great book!
Thanks

The patterns in this book are so charming and give off such energy that they need to be made again and again. The directions are clear, the photographs are great, it is hard to know which quilt to make first! I love it!

There is such delightful energy in this book, in the reading of it, and in the process of creating from it. I find this book to be the perfect mix of directions (how tos) and lots of creative jump off points (why nots)... It's like having a very special secret garden all of your own that the author helps you discover.

I have a large black & white fabric stash and this book had some great ideas on using my fabrics. I really like the directions and instructions; easy to understand and follow.

Ms. Freudenheim has provided us with a very well-written book about how new and developing architectureal styles happen, using the SF Bay Area and the development of the Arts and Crafts style as a perfect example. Ms. Freudenheim's excellant research and engaging style shows, in words and photos, how a web of people and buildings continually interact and thus result in a new style. In this greatly expanded edition of a now hard-to-find great original book, we learn about these people, their interactions, and how this resulted in a new archtectural style. This book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the Arts and Crafts style, either as a home owner, collector, scholar, or as a total observer of the Arts and Crafts movement and it's recent resurgence. Enjoy!

Leslie Freudenheim has captured an era that has given great beauty to our lives. With grace and wisdom she has presented the San Francisco Bay Area as a landscape filled with the richness of the architectural geniuses who gave the area their distinctive creations. The beauty of the arts and crafts buildings complements nature, and bonds our living spaces into it. The author has, with a great deal of style, significantly enriched our experience of this fine period in our history.

Building With Nature, when first published in 1974, brought attention to Bay Region Architecture as a tradition, as the progenitor of simple homes, grounded on the philosophy of Bernard Maybeck and Charles Keeler among others, and as an influence on residential architecture of subsequent generations. In this new and significantly expanded book, Leslie Freudenheim broadens the inquiry toward a wider appreciation of indigenous forms of California architecture, and an understanding of the relation of natural building and environmental sensitivity to the international Arts and Crafts Movement. The book is a must for any Arts and Crafts devotee and architectural history, personal, or professional library.
Robert M. Craig [author, Bernard Maybeck at Principia College The Art and Craft of Building]

This is a very important reexamination of the American origins of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the major contibutions of a small group of Bay Area designers. The central role is occupied by the Reverend Joseph Worcester who created one of the true landmarks of the movement with the Church of the New Jerusalem in San Francisco. The author provides new context and a great amount of new reseach. This book is a major accomplishment.

This is the first book to truly explore the origins of the American Arts & Crafts Movement. A group in San Francisco began constructing simpler buildings and furnishing them with what eventually was called Mission furniture. This lead to the nationwide popularization of Craftsman homes and furniture by Stickley and others. If you have an interest in Architecture or the "Arts & Crafts" you should read this book.

Generously adorned throughout this book are beautiful photographs of classic Bungalow homes from across the nation. I flipped through this book at Borders, in the hopes of getting it at Amazon later, but fell in love with it too much to wait for the cheaper internet price. The cover, of course, is eye-catching, with all the rich fall colors, and that same craftsmanship is consistent throughout the book. Job well done!

Bungalow Nation is a truly sumptuous and detailed look at American bungalows.With color pictures on every page, this book is a wonderful balance of text and graphics. The author's text and the photographs by Alexander Vertikoff together present a well-rounded introduction to bungalow style through brief looks at over 75 specific examples of bungalow architecture.

In a chapter called "In The Land Of The Bungalow" the book starts with a brief history of the origins and growth of the architectural style and its place in American history. This chapter is followed by brief treatments of specific aspects of bungalow style: the outside, porches, the inside, fireplaces, built-ins, and furnishings.

Then the author and photographer take us to five different cities to look at examples of bungalows in each. Sample bungalows in Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Chicago and Washington DC are highlighted in two to four page spreads. Each house has a description and history of the house and some information on the current owners. This is followed by some photographs of specific features with captions describing each.

The book ends with a bibliography and lists of organizations and architects in each of the five areas highlighted.

This is a lovely book. The bugalows are beautifully photographed. The endpapers are sheet music for the song "In The Land Of the Bungalow" by George F. Devereaux. The cover has a color print of a crewel embroidery of dragonflies. It is a labor of love that is a delight to read and a treat to the eyes. If you love bungalows, this is the book for you.

I got this book because I am planning to remodel the kitchen and bath of my 1930 bungalow and was looking for ways to do so while retaining the original integrity of the house. This book has given me the ideas I need to move forward with confidence.

I live in a California Craftsman bungalow and therefore gravitated immediately to this book when I saw it in Builders Booksource in Berkeley, CA. It's absolutely lovely: the story of 75 bungalows in LA, Seattle, Chicago, DC, and Minneapolis. I was surprised that Berkeley wasn't included, but the homes shows epitomize America's love affair with these cozy, well-built structures. Included are features on porches, fireplaces, numerous built-ins, furnishings, landscaping, and interior/exterior decoration. You'll love this book, as I do.

When I bought a 1920's bungalow a year ago, I checked out every arts and crafts and bungalow book I could get my hands on. This one rose to the top. Perhaps I'm a little biased because a good portion of the homes featured in the book are located in the Twin Cities, where I live. But the thing I really like about Bungalow Nation, besides the lovely quality of the photograhps, is that it provides excellent inspiration for the interior decoration of arts and crafts style homes.

If you have a bungalow, or just love the style, you will adore this book.

The bungalow is uniquely suited to the homeowner of today: solidly built of good natural materials, unpretentious, yet capable of modification and expansion; usually set in a pleasant and roomy yard, and big enough for the "typical family of four" to inhabit without getting in one another's faces. For these reasons, many cities have seen a "bungalow boom" that has driven up the price of these cozy houses. If you're thinking about a bungalow but aren't sure you want to invest all that money, this book may help you decide. Chock full of all-color photographs, it shows the variations in style and modification possible to the type, the lovingly created details typically found in it, and the ways in which many bungalow owners have contrived to furnish their homes authentically. With a book or two about Craftsman or Stickley furniture, it should provide you with ideas galore about what's possible to a bungalow. And if you simply enjoy looking at pictures of small, simple, yet well-made American houses, it's a volume you're sure to enjoy. For restorationists, decorators, historians, and architecture buffs, it's a beautiful and indispensable volume.

This book was the required text for a workshop at North Bennet Street School in Boston. I needed a good reference book and this is it. It's expensive, so I got my library to get a copy through Inter-Library loan so that I could see if it was worth the money. It has gobs of information. I bought the newest (the fourth) edition. It's well-illustrated for those of us who are visual learners. Well worth every penny!

This book is great for obtaining an extensive background in carpentry in general, or even as a great reference for the advanced. It contains a lot of pictures and descriptions to rely on. Incredible overall!

Carpentry is the most comprehensive book on the subject out there. I bought my copy in 1986 when I was building my house and found every answer to every job I was doing. When the building inspector came for the rough inspection, his coment was " if the contractors in town did this good of a job, my job would be easy". Today I am searching for this book for my brother inlaw who like myself, before I bought the book, has no clue of how to build it right.

This is the book to own if you do any type of carpentry. Carpentry is one of the best manuals I've seen. Reminds me of my college text books.

This book is great. It has definitions of the buzzwords of construction, discussion of all aspects of construction, and hundreds of drawings detailing what you need to know.

I have plans on becoming a world class carver one day. If Floyd keeps putting these books out im afraid the competition will be to much for me to handle! In all seriousness its a great book! Thanks!

Very informative book, I would recommend it. Lots of good photos and very detailed step by step instruction. I'm using this book to teach 3 beginning students to carve birds of Prey. Floyd Scholz books have been among the best. Thanks

Floyd Scholz has developed into a world class carver and his books reflect that care and precision with excellent instructions.

GREAT BOOK FOR THE POWER CARVER. HAND CARVERS CAN ALSO USE SOME OF THE TIPS AND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. HIGH A++

This is the best of the 'Carving & Painting' series of books, and should be on the shelf of every serious bird carver. Not only does it cover carving and painting techniques, but it provides some beautiful reference photos of male and female kestrels. It also discusses wood choices, tools, patterns, and design and composition. It's a lot of information at a very reasonable price!

This book is very informative, full of ideas to get one started into woodcarving. I'm 56 and I benefited greatly from the information to this hobby, that is new to me.

Great little book - it's actually for my husband, who is a begging woodcarver. It has some great basics.
Book is in very good condition.

Excellent book for the beginners. My 8 and 9 year olds loved it. This is a must have book for kids.

Purchased to accompany a Christmas gift of a small pocket knife for a six-year old grandson who expressed an interest in whittling, Carving for Kids is written at the appropriate level, well illustrated and includes a suitable range of projects from simple to challenging. He immediately selected a project and went right to work on it.

Parents and their kids will find CARVING FOR KIDS: AN INTRODUCTION TO WOODCARVING an intriguing project guide holding eleven skill-building projects for kids ages 4-17. Not only does the author teach woodcarving as a volunteer: all four of his kids are carvers too: his book is packed with color photos and clear techniques.

This is a great book; people with a "reverence for wood"(Eric Sloane)will really enjoy this. Most of the projects are done with hand tools alone. There is a quiet contemplative spirit to the kind of woodworking demonstrated in this book. Good book for winter reading. Buy it and make a mess of shavings on your floor!

Being from a Birch growing state and having used birch in various craft and projects, I absolutely loved the subject matter and information. Being knowledgeable in woodcraft and carving, I would not recommend for the person looking to pick it up and start crafting for the first time. Just not enough room or photos to make that happen. Not that it is short on photos, but some of the more intricate crafts need greater detail. If you are a crafter already, you may be able to perform more. I likened my experience with the book to watching a demonstration and getting a good explanation of whats going on. The historical information and importance of this tree, is a pleasant read. A great book by Fox and the good folks at the North House School.

The North House Folk School was created to encourage lifelong learning through teaching traditional crafts, and here they celebrate one of the oldest trees used in woodcrafting, the birch. Biology, ecology, and some twenty projects using birch, from a carved box to a wooden bowl, are presented in a woodworker's guide which holds wider appeal than your usual woodworking book, and thus is recommended for any library catering to either crafters or home owners. CELEBRATING BIRCH: THE LORE, ART, AND CRAFT OF AN ANCIENT TREE packs in color photos and step-by-step instructions on every page, making it an exceptional presentation.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

For those who live in birch country, this is a book to cherish. It is artistically presented, photographically superb, and factually very accurate. I've worked with birch for years, both botanically, ecologically, and as a craftsperson, but I learned alot in this book. The joy and passion for their work these teachers at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN share with us is outstanding.

Living in the northwoods & being a wood artist, I love Birch and have used it for many years with my pyrography. I have experimented with the bark and tried to understand how to use it best, which this book explains clearly. Unfortunately for all of us who love this tree/wood, many of our birch are dying off from drought/fires/etc. If you are a person in search of a light colored, strong, easy to work with wood, this book will tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful and completely practical tree.