Arts and Crafts Books

The techniques in this book are so painstakingly explained with text and photos that it's almost as if the authors are looking over your shoulder as you work. The reader will notice many extra tips and suggestions along the way in margins, charts, stylized boxes or picture captions. One feature called "Masterstroke" contains ideas for one a bit more advanced or ambitious.

Mastering Fine Decorative Paint Techniques might be a bit overwhelming for someone who's never tried any of the techniques. It's probably better suited for someone who's done some experimentation with these techniques previously. This is not a book for someone who just wants to sponge a jewelry box or closet wall. At the other end of the spectrum, even an advanced painter should find things of interest here to help him/her fine-tune some techniques.

I bought this book in preparation for painting rooms in our first home. Having always rented, I didn't know what all was required in preparing your surface or how to choose the proper application tools. This book started from the beginning and included these topics. The examples throughout the book are marvelous and the directions for achieving such great effects, as stenciling, colorwashing, stippling, sponging, ragging, etc. are easy to understand. The instructions also include applying the these techniques to not only walls, but objects like picture frames, candlesticks and furniture if appropriate. A must have for anyone who is redocorating their home and wants to stretch their budget a little further by using paint techniques.

I am currently reading this book as I prepare to redecorate my home using painting techiques. This book is excellant in the volume of information it contains from a discussion of colors, paints, glazes, brushes, and tools to specific techniques such as sponging, ragging, stippling, color washing, etc. I found the contents to be very specific yet simple enough for a beginner like me. The best feature however is the variety of color pictures that accompany each topic. Once I have mastered the simpler techniques, this book will allow me to move on to the more advanced techniques which are also included. Happy painting!

I am a professional faux finisher/muralist, and I really enjoyed this book. I have literally dozens of books on decorative painting techniques, and this is one of my favorites. It's like an encyclopedia- lots of different techniques explained very clearly, with good general info. If you're not sure what type of finish you're looking for, this would be a good book to invest in. Also has a good color reference for help on mixing your own paint colors. Another nice feature is that there are finishes in both water and oil based paints. Some Faux books only deal with oils, which i personally don't like to work with because of the smell and clean-up, etc... If you're looking for a more advanced book, I'd suggest "The Art of Faux" by Pierre Finkelstein.

I bought this book as a just in case my other book didn't have all the information I needed but I ended up using this book as my main book to do my house. Great illustrations and explanations.

I make all my own cards for all occasions. This book has great artwork on a CD that make my cards look like very expensive ones. It has pictures of all sizes and tons of borders. The color quality is great. I have the Christmas and the birds a butterfly book.

Great product. I own several of these books. I made cards, package tags, wrapping paper and t-shirts from this book. The images are easy to use and resize.

I have been using the vintage holiday images from this book/cd combo to make some of my holiday cards this year. The images have a good print quality and are pretty as they are--but I like to embellish with flocking, glitter, ribbon, brads, etc. Very pleased with this purchase!

Love these cds. Vintage graphics that are great for crafts, scrapbooking, cards etc... The company gave me directions for using, as I had trouble understanding the directions on the case.
I use Windows XP, and here is the directions I use.

To view images:
Click on Start
My Computer
Double click MOL Christmas (D:)
Click Next Page and choose pages.

To print images
Start
My Computer
Right click on MOL Christmas (D:)
Open
Click on 250 dpi
Click folder with page number and image you want to print
Click file, continue, print, choose size of print.
Hope that helps!

I have also got the Animals cd, and enjoy it also!

SO worth it! You can use these images for cards, scrapbooks, altered books, the options are endless! You'll need them all (ok, WANT them all) ;)

A very beautifully written book, with fine photography. A great resource

I thought that this book was beautifully written by Risa Palazzo. While giving much valuable historical perspective, the spirit of the periods covered was wonderfully captured with great feeling.

A terrific book on antique china, silver and glass that was well-written and beautifully photographed. I felt like I was part of the periods discussed.

Risa Palazzo has truly captured the feel of the periods covered and made me feel as if I was there! A very good book.

I thought Risa Palazzo's writing was beautiful in this book. I gained a real understanding of the eras covered, especially for the way that women lived and entertained during the 1920s and 1930s. A very worthwhile book for anyone interested in table accessories.

This book undertakes an interesting era in jewelry and brings information together in an interesting and easily understandable style. Lots of pictures which always makes a book more interesting for me. I recommend it for people who want to learn more about contemporary jewelry from the 1940's on.

I am a collector of American mid-century jewelry and this is the most informative book to date! Marbeth Schon is an authority on topic and has generously shared her knowledge with us. View of signatures of artist in back of book is also a great reference!

Finally, we have a compendium of history, facts, photos, and values. Marbeth Schon has done the research for us, and now we can put this wonderful information to work. For collectors and dealers, this is a must have work of beauty and scholarship. The organization makes it a valuable reference source, while the photographs make it an invaluable reflection on the 'Art Movement' of 'American Modernism'.

From the well known to the obscure 'Modernist Artists', their works and their place in history has now been beautifully documented by this wonderful research author.

My wife makes me read most of her dozens and dozens of jewelry books so I can help her out occasionally, but this one didn't need more than a quick browse to get me started.

Modernist Jewelry, it seems as though there has never been enough information. Christie Romero's Warman Jewelry and Messengers of Modernism were great aids. The Author's online Modern Silver Magazine has provided insightful information on dozens of Modernist artists, as as her webpage.

Now we have the most complete source of information available anywhere. Studying the art, the histories, the influences, and especially the artists has finally become possible from this scholarly work. The photography is top-notch, the values are reasonable, timely, and well researched, and the writing is clear and concise. All-in-all it is simply a Masterpiece!

Marbeth has the unique combination of an artistic eye, personal research knowledge and market experience that makes this book such a treasure. If you love Modernist Jewelry, this book will re-kindle your passion... and if you are not familiar with it, this book will light your fire! As a dealer and collector, I own hundreds of books on jewelry, and this is one of my top-10 favorites. Buy it now and enjoy it for years to come.

The book is beautifully presented with exceptional diagrams and step by step instructions. There are many different varieties of flowers not found in other books, exotic orchics and beautiful butterflies. I love it.

I received my book very quickly, Amazon kept me informed via email that the order was received and when the book was sent. Great service.

I've been working with beads for many years, and creating french beaded flowers for at least 20 years, and I STILL was very impressed with this book (which isn't easy to do!) The instructions are clear and the designs are wonderful! It's hard to say if a beginner would view it the same since I have been working with this art form for so long, but I believe it would be an excellent instructional guide, and a fantastic addition to every beading artist & hobbyist's library.

I bought Dalene's first French Beaded Flowers book and used it extensively. I was happy to add the second one to my collection. It is a very project-based book like the first one. I have made a number of the flowers already. The instructions are clear and concise. A good book for beginners.

Dalene's second book of French Beaded Flowers is a welcome addition to her first. I've already made several of the flowers! Her instructions are clear, and the flowers are just beautiful. Good work, Dalene!

I've had Kelly's first book (as a section of a larger beading book) for a while and have had great fun with it. The flowers in this second book are just as beautiful. The instructions are clear and relatively easy to follow. I've already done a couple of the projects and they've turned out well.

Now for the caution flag. Kelly's first book is titled 'French-Beaded Flowers: New Millennium Collection'. This second book is titled 'More French Beaded Flowers: 38 Patterns for Blossoms, Leaves, Bugs & More'.

However, there is another Kelly book that you may see, titled 'French Beaded Flowers'. Be aware that this seemingly THIRD Kelly book is the UK's version of the second book. The only differences between the two books are the cover, the longer title and the publisher. The project content is exactly the same. Judging from the dates of the reviews written for the UK version, it seems to have been published first. Maybe the publishers of the U.S. version decided to add the word 'MORE' to the title just to be different. Or maybe it was some type of legal thing. The one thing it IS, is confusing to the consumer.

So, please don't be fooled by the cover, like I was and buy both of them. As far as I know, there are only two books by Dalene Kelly on French Beaded Flowers, not three.

MORE TAPESTRY CROCHET by Carol Ventura is a beautiful book; glossy pages, B&W pics throughout plus a center section of colored pics. Large direction pictures and clearly written out instructions (no abbreviations). If you are interested in the history of textiles you will find this book well worth having. There are patterns for round projects (eyeglass cases, change purses, shoulder bags, etc.), also hats, baby blankets, yarmulkes, hackysacks,a scarf and a flat tapestry.

Words just about escape me when I try to explain this book but I will try. It is a work of art, packed full of very fascinating history of crochet, and the illustrated directions are so clear and easy to follow, including left and right hand directions. Oh the purses in here are just beautiful and yes it does have the full instructions for them!! It also shows a very, new to me anyway, crochet technique that I just can't wait to try. This book is a great addition to any crocheters library.

This "Labor of Love," as she calls her book, is truly a gem. Designed and published by Carol herself, the book is colorful and well illustrated. A former Peace Corps volunteer as well, I know the hardships that Carol endured as a volunteer in Guatemala in the late 70's. I also know that passions that grow for colorful cultures, so unlike our own, by the sheer intensity of living and serving others in their unique milieu. The book shows the depth of study Carol has undertaken for her topic and a maturity in her design concepts, since her first book, "Tapestry Crochet," was published in 1991. In addition to the exciting projects, there is a wealth of knowledge about tapestry crochet and its history; natural fibers; examples of ethnic pieces from different corners of the world; right and left-handed instructions and her incredibly useful and unique graph paper. Dr. Ventura lists come great resources for crochet enthusiasts and includes a website where color photos of all the projects can be seen.

More Tapesty Crochet is a step up from her first book "Tapestry Crochet" -- it delves in deeper into the history of this unique craft and explains its many different cultural applications.

The patterns given in this book are very similar to the first book, it also gives a very detailed explanation of developing your own designs and patterns. The Author has learned a lot from her own mistakes and experimentation and tries to relay all that information to the reader so they can get going more quickly.

If you only buy one of the author's Tapestry books -- I recommend this one (it provides all the information of the first plus more detail), but the original book still provides different designs and ideas that compliment this one quite nicely.

This book is very interesting...I've made two projects from it already. The beginners will like this because you only need to learn a few basic stitches (chain, single crochet)and then follow the very complete directions to complete a project....some will take hours, some will take weeks.
The advanced crocheter will appreciate the history included in the book and also learning a new technique. Creating pictures by carrying the thread across a row is different for many crocheter's as we usually use bobbins....you'll enjoy reading about the author also.

Not everyone will enjoy this book. If "cute" is the highest praise you can imagine for your art, then maybe you should look elsewhere. However, if you like challenges, art that makes you think (about yourself and life), and fabulous, fascinating artistic expressions, this book is a must-own. Rich, insightful text, and full-color examples of cloth dolls by a variety of well-known fabric artists. Best of all, a copy of the pattern that all of the dollmakers used for their work. If I had only three books on my bookshelf, this would be one of them. I don't re-read it weekly or anything, but there are times when I need this inspiration, desperately! At least ask your public library for it. It's that good.

elinor's book wasn't meant to be a pattern book, rather a book that gives you the permission to submit to the creativity that may dwell in us but that most of us suppress while we live the tedium. Her creative writing and search for self is incredibly inspirational using the method of playing with dolls as therapy for alot of women, in particular, who may feel that they contribute little. I really enjoyed the profound thoughts and poems by a remarkable individual who obviously relishes in the unique qualities we all have as women.

elinor's philosphy on life, family and doll making comes through making this an entertaining and uplifting book on creativity and life in general. I re-read it periodically when I feel the need for reassurance that it's okay to indulge in my version of play...

The dolls made by the guest artists are very interesting - especially as some have changed their style dramatically since this book was published.

Thank you elinor, keep up the good work!

This book had great meaning for me. I started making dolls as a child and was always happier making and creating them than playing with them. Often at flea markets I rescue folk dolls because they seem to speak to me as an object of the creativity of another and a link to that person or that time. I have hidden the part of myself that needs to create and appreciate the creation of others. Now as Elinor says, I have permission to play. If you also need permission then you need to read this book.

Elinor Peace Bailey is a wild and wonderful doll maker. Her book "Mother Plays with Dolls" I think is intended to bring out the creative doll maker in all of us. I have found some of the patterns Ms. Bailey does to be a bit tedious. However, once you get into the swing of things and realize that you really can't make a mistake you will have fun, and come to know that playing with dolls is such an important part of life! Enjoy the wonderful illustrations, and get busy doll making.

My six year son, who has mildly autism, got a birthday book from his grandmother. This is an excellent book for him because he still needs to work on drawing a picture. With this book, he is able to follow the directions easily. After he finished a picture for me from the book, I felt that he did one of his drawing pictures. In fact, it was a perfect timing before he needs to include his picture for his Direct Writing Assessment next week.

I highly would recommend for any children who needs to work on creating the pictures. Even better, any kids can surprise their teacher with their homework project.

I surely hope on the next book II would include: pictures of classroom supplies (pencils, books, board, desk, chairs), house furnitures and zoo animals.

This book teaches fundamental drawing skills in a fun, instructive, and engaging style. It is the book I would have loved to have as a child learning to draw. The illustrations are great!

Ms Lipseys "I Love to" series is exceptional and should be in every
library and school. She has a gift for explaining that even the most
untalented child or adult can benefit and be creative. Highly recommend.

Excellent book!! Both my five and nine year old daughters love it! It's the favorite in my eldest daughters class and it has increased their artistic skills tremendously! It's so easy to learn from that I can even draw!

The artist/author did an excellent job creating an instructional and fun book to learn how to draw. My children love this book and have gained confidence in their artistic skills by using this guide. I highly recommend this book to all you parents who are looking for a way to make art easy and exciting for your kids.

I'm never quite sure what to expect from books that center on crystal beads like Swarovskis and faceted fire polished beads, a lot of times they seem to have a lot of variations on a theme in them. This one is different.
It's really got a lot of different projects that range from fun to elegant, modern to very vintage looking. My personal favorite is the hair slides on page 23.
The techniques used also vary, beadweaving, embroidery, and stringing. The first part of the book describes the techniques, tools, color choices, and bead types. This first chapter is well done and logical. It explains how to read the diagrams in the book, has a brief section on lengths for necklaces and bracelets, and information about the tools used and how to use them.
Then there are lots of projects, all wonderfully photographed in color and diagrammed. Some of the projects are very quick, but challenging enough for an experienced beader to enjoy and be inspired by, and the results are simply stunning. This is jewelry everyone can wear, there are bold pieces, and sparkly delicate pieces. I'm really in love with this book and the ideas in it.
The book title says Necklaces, Bracelets, Brooches and Rings, there are also hair slides, earrings, pendants, and the techniques and motifs can be used for other things, recombined and used in lots of other projects. It's a wonderful book for beginners who want to be challenged or for experienced beaders who want ideas and inspiration.

This is a good example of the French way of beading using crystals and nylon thread. I plan on using c-lon or fireline with a beading needle. Before the projects are a few pages explaining the materials and method.Everything is clearly explained step by step with good illustrations and color photos. The projects are in sets; e.g. ring, bracelet, earrings, necklace, etc. There are 13 sets. Instructions call for two needles when beading with needles. My favorites are Ocean lace, romance and southern stars which is a 6 point star. Color choices are lovely. Both this book and her earlier one highly recommended. Very reasonable book well produced.

I just finished making the necklace, earrings, and ring for the "Romance" project of this book, and had to sit down and write a review to say how fantastic this book is. Every project in this book is just lovely, and the authors do a wonderful job of providing clear directions that are very easy to follow!

One of the strengths of this book is that it provides coordinated pieces of jewelry, if you like to wear matching sets, as I do. Each design/color combination is given a name and has several coordinating jewelry pieces that you can make for that design (earrings, necklace, etc.).

Although I've been beading for three-and-a-half years, I have to admit that I was a little nervous when the book first arrived since several of the projects called for using two needles, which I'd never done before. Using two needles was very easy, though, since the authors provide not only diagrams, but also a clear list of instructions. In the past, I've been frustrated by Japanese books that only use diagrams since they can be hard to follow, but this book has excellent diagrams that are fully complemented by the detailed written instructions.

Another strength of this book is that the authors give a very specific list of materials at the start of each project. They list the exact color of Swarovski crystals used, which makes it very simple to order the exact crystals you need to make an identical piece. Of course, you can always use different colors than those used in the book, but I always enjoy having a good starting point with color selection. The authors also use Japanese clear thread, but using waxed Fireline seemed to work just fine.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this book, and I highly recommend it! I'm already looking forward to making my next set of pieces with it!

This book features many projects using Swarovski crystals. The projects are easy to accomplish and quick to make, involving weaving the crystals and other beads together. The final results are gorgeous, and you will be proud to wear them or give them as gifts. Both teens and adults of all ages will enjoy wearing the jewelry made from this book. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. I highly recommend it.

My friend just got this book and now I'm buying it too. The projects are beautiful, there are instructions for sets of jewelry, and the instructions are clear and not too hard.

There are a lot of high quality photographies of very wonderful netsuke, interesting design, good advice how to do the photographies of small netsuke better! This book is very good for beginning carvers, galleries!

Symmes does a wonderful job of composing this text. He gives a nice history of netsuke, covering the span of time from feudal Japan to the present. He includes a small section on netsuke manufacture, and another on photographic techniques for macro photography and design, and then the text opens into a wonderful collection of full-page photographs of several varied and incredible pieces, some dating back to the seventeenth century. He includes brief descriptions of the netsuke, although he could have elaborated on the Japanese (and Chinese) fables that inspired many of these creations for Western audiences. Many of the pieces in this book are available today in reproduction form, and the netsuke are composed of several different materials, not just the "typical" ivory or wood. This text is a must have for any collector, beginning or advanced, as it will inspire readers to research their private collections as well as create the desire to build them! The reproduction of detail from the photographs is amazing!

Between the introductory text and the stories attached to each picture, this book serves to both educate and whet the appetite. I struggled with the desire to own each of the pieces that Symmes so lovingly photographed.

As author Symmes says, netsukes have the "power to influence people and pocketbooks." This statement is true in several aspects. First, the collector of netsukes will find that they are expensive. Second, the purpose of a netsuke is to fasten an "inro," or case holding valuables, to an obi or belt. "Ne" translates as "root" and "tsuke" translates as "to fasten." An inro's cords are held tightly by an "ojime," or bead, to keep it closed and the netsuke keeps the inro from falling off of the wearer.

The highly-detailed photographs of netsukes are in harmony with the scenery and objects surrounding them, so lusciously artistic that you may consider framing them.

HIH Prince Norihito of Takamado, who wrote this book's foreward, says he looks for "warmth, wit, and a certain twist" in his own netsuke collection. To fully appreciate a netsuke, "hold it, feel it, and examine it closely in one's hand."

Netsuke figures have stories associated with them. Many figures are puns in which the same word may have several meanings. For example, monkey is "saru" which is pronounced the same as "to leave," so it would be unlucky to marry in a monkey year.

If you are not familiar with Asian astrology, this book will teach you much about the associated legends. One tale that fascinated me was about Daruma, the 28th patriarch of Zen Buddhism. Daruma meditated for 9 years, sitting so long that his legs lost their strength. My sister, who lived in Japan for many years, sent me a wooden Daruma doll with two blank eyes. When you knock over the Daruma doll, it pops back upright, reflecting an undaunted spirit. Here's what you are supposed to do with a Daruma doll: you color one eye to make a prayer, then you color the other one when the prayer is answered.

You'll learn much about Japanese life and legend from studying these tiny netsukes -- and Symmes provides us with a fun way to learn.

This book is a lot like the netsuke themselves. At first, it looks like it might be something interesting, so you pick it up, look a little closer, and...you are inside a whole different world. Something deceptively simple shows itself to have hidden depths.

I had been interested in netsuke for awhile, ever since buying a little ivory sumo in an antique shop in Japan one day. There was something about the miniature wrestler that fascinated me, and I found myself going back to the shop over and over again, just to look at it. I finally knew that, even though it was expensive, it had to be mine.

This is much like the feeling that author Edwin Symmes describes, leading me to believe that it must be a universal experience amongst netsuke appreciators. He is someone who loves the stories behind the tiny figures, who tries to find their personality rather than figure out their rarity or value. In "Netsuke: Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature", he combines his fascination with his skills in photography, creating small vignettes incorporating the figures with appropriate settings, such as an ivory tiger emerging from real bamboo, or a wooden Daruma nestled inside a rock cave. Next to each image is a story, detailing the legends behind the figure, or maybe a little something about the carver, something that you wouldn't know just by looking but which deepens the understanding and appreciate of the figure.

What this book is not is a collector's guide to netsuke. Anyone new to the art form, and looking for a "How to.." guide to give them tips as what to look for, isn't going to find that here. Not that it is entirely lacking in practical information. There are sections describing the history of netsuke, their original use and their evolution, but that is not the focus. To those who's interest lies in photography, Symmes includes a fascinating section on photographing netsuke. But the real joy lies in looking at the pictures, reading the stories, and sharing the love of netsuke that radiates from this book.