Arts and Crafts Books

Excellent daily practice for those little-ones having a hard task in breaking down "word problems". Not overwhelming, but simple clear exercises. I would recommend this booklet.Daily Word Problems, Grade 2 (Daily Word Problems)

My Child is a bit of a slow, when it comes to reading, and Math that's why a got her this book to help her boost her understanding of Math and Reading.
So far, so good she is doing A lot better, but to make sure she get it is better I sit and help when she get stuck.
Overall this is a great book to help you 2nd greader, with Math and reading.

This was my daughter's favorite book last year. She begged me to get the third grade one for this coming year as well. She liked the different themes every week (she would try to guess the next theme and enjoyed the anticipation). The problems themselves were solid (made the kids think) but not overly tricky. She solved 95% of them with no guidance at all (I will state math is her strong subject though). Overall, this is a great book to get kids enthusiastic about word problems.

My 7 year old loves to work on the daily problems before school. It has helped him become a better math student.

Though I was hoping for a few more items to be knit, I was delighted with the number of well designed and presented ballet-related pieces. The author takes time to address the beginning dancer as well as the experienced one with new and different things to keep her ON HER TOES.Da

I recently begun knitting and I adore ballet. I was in the libraby when I found this book and I am already attached to it! I don't know how to use my sewing machine, but that's OK because I just like to look at the book. I recommend this book for any balletomane or knitter... or anyone!

This is a truly lovely book. It is eye candy for the knitter! My only complaint is that it is mainly knitting - just one or two of each other craft - very nice if that's what you're expecting. The description really doesn't indicate that. I will say that the knitting projects are for all different levels; however, you will need to practice a bit first if you are a beginner. The photography is outstanding, and the ribbon bookmark is a nice touch.

This book would make an excellent Christmas or holiday gift for a young ballerina or child ballet dancer. The photos are beautiful and inspiring.

The Dancer's Book of Ballet Crafts is a fresh and lovely collection of craft patterns for all experience levels. It is beautifully written, directions are easy to follow, and dance lovers young and old will melt into every page! The photography is warm and welcoming and the art work and history of ballet informative. Christina Haskin has shared her love of ballet and crafts with us and dancers of all ages will find this a useful and heartwarming addition to their libraries. Don't pass this one by!!

You've seen all those lovely one or two page articles and photos in the popular magazines about how to do vinegar graining on furniture, boxes, and frames, but they left you wanting more. Well, look no further, for this is THE answer. Loads of pictures with the author working on all kinds of stuff. Lots of different tools to use. Very detailed...this author shares his love for this craft (really artistry) and his sources with you in this book. You'll even want to sign up for his workshop in Philadelphia, PA if you can't get enough here! AND...don't forget to add these to your list as they will round out your selection of decorative painting books/photos/techniques: THE ART OF FAUX by Finkelstein, PROFESSIONAL PAINTED FINISHES by Marx, and FOLK FINISHES by Teles. You won't go wrong by adding one or all of these to your shopping cart. Knowledge is power...and these books give you the power to do great things with glazes and paint!

I've been looking for a book on this topic for a long time. I had seen some examples of vinegar painting in a magazine and was blown away by the wonderful dimensional effects it produces but the article contained no instructions as that artist called the process his "secret". Well, Bill Russell (bless him) is an artist who's happy to tell how it's done. This beautiful book is full color with very complete instructions and photos for creating the dimensional illusions which are the hallmark of vinegar painting. Personally, I think the results exceed most of the time- consuming oil paint approaches. The supplies are basic and affordable and it's a very health-friendly art form. The effects can be varied endlessly to give you completely unique designs that can be used together in a project without becoming repetitious to view. I'm surprised vinegar painting hasn't become more well known to artists as it is surely the most user-friendly way to create sophisticated faux-texture effects. People invariably look at my vinegar paint pieces in amazement and ask how in the world I did that (it looks like it takes forever--it doesn't). Maybe no one else has been able to find instructions either...

If you're interested in creating stunning paint effects that (almost)no one else is doing, you will love this book. I think this is the only book currently available on the topic (I certainly did look) but it really is the only one you need.

Don't let the title fool you.
This book is for anyone who does decorative painting, not just furniture.
I just recieved my copy and am having a ball experimenting with all the great information I have found in this book.
Most of my painting is on the paper mache objects I create, but I see more wonderful possibilities for more vinegar painting.
Like the room divider/screens I purchased for a steal this summer
at yard sales. I kept wondering what can I do to make these screens look unique and different. I found my answer in this great book.
I highly recommend this book. It's a real treasure!

Many years ago I was at a stranger's house (maybe the house was for sale or for rent), and I saw the most beautiful painted piece of furniture. This armoire was finished in a variety of rich brown textures, and I asked the woman how it had been done. Although she was the artist, she was very secretive, admitting only that she had used a wine bottle cork to produce one pattern.
Since then I've been looking for a book that would show me how to create these results. I've bought at least a dozen 'paint your furniture' books, but they focused on flat applications of paint. Admittedly pretty, I wanted instead to produce the illusion of depth and exotic wood grainlines that I had seen.
Yesterday I received Bill Russell's book, and this book reveals the secret! The pictured projects are gorgeous, the illustrated instructions are some of the clearest and easiest to understand that I've ever seen in hundreds of how-to books, and the necessary supplies are explained in detail.
Bill uses a variety of tools to manipulate his paint, but not a cork. Yet following his explanations I can see how to use one, both on its side and using the end. Bill suggests making sample boards out of inexpensive cardboard to test colors and techniques. What would happen if I used a sponge? A piece of crumpled cloth or lace? Based on his solid basics, a decorative artist could have a ball exploring the possibilities. But one doesn't have to be an artist to produce lovely results using Bill's suggested colors and combinations. What a fantastic book!

This is truly a terrific book on zhostovo technique. Ms. Redick covers everything from choosing your tools (brushes, palette, paints, etc.), to the final coat of varnish - and everything in between is covered in exquisite detail. Heather explains everything (and I mean everything!)in very fine detail. Each step or technique is very descriptively written and fully accompanied by loads of photos, so that one only has to concentrate and follow step-by-step.
Many (if not most) painting books assume that the reader will understand what is meant by "put your word or technique here". I find that Ms. Redick makes no assumptions about what we do or do not understand by a given word or description. There is text and accompanying photos to describe pretty much anything and everything that this book covers. It does a very thorough job of covering everything from choosing colors, blending colors and how to paint each type of stroke. Every flower and leaf is broken down into stroke-by-stroke description and picture. Given that the reader is motivated to put in at least a moderate effort and amount of practise, it is what I would describe as a "no fail" painting book.
I most surely hope that she plans to do another!

After studying Zhostovo painting in Ontario, Canada, with Heather, I found this book to be of great benefit to refresh my learned skills. It has explicit instruction on leaves, flowers, and designing your own linework borders which are very beautiful, yet the guidelines are easy to construct using a compass. The book is easy to follow and her technique is of the finest. You will master brush control if you follow her detailed instruction on strokes. How to load a brush is detailed in depth and no stone is left unturned in this area. I can feel the rhythm and movement in the clear illustrated pictures. A great book to study from...a great teacher to show you how!

After studying Zhostovo painting in Ontario, Canada, with Heather, I found this book to be of great benefit to refresh my learned skills. It has explicit instruction on leaves, flowers, and designing your own linework borders which are very beautiful, yet the guidelines are easy to construct using a compass. The book is easy to follow and her technique is of the finest. You will master brush control if you follow her detailed instruction on strokes. How to load a brush is detailed in depth and no stone is left unturned in this area. I can feel the rhythm and movement in the clear illustrated pictures from her book. A great book to study from...a great teacher to show you how!

This book certainly fits the bill. Heather Redick's work is beautiful and inspiring, and her teaching style is detailed and informative. She provides instructions on composing your own designs,and provides a range of projects for all levels of difficulty, and on plenty of surfaces. I wish she would have included some history of the Zhostovo style, and perhaps some more patterns. Overall I've had great success with her techniques.

The pictures are outstanding. This is an easy to use reference guide with over 150 patterns, all alphabetized for quick and easy referance.

This is a wonderful guide to depression glass.Each page is devoted to one pattern and lists the different colors,pieces in the collection and the estimated values.It is a small,pocket book size but has 190 pages!So there is A LOT of information packed in this smaller package!!!A wealth of info and beautiful color photographs.Also,there is a section at the back about reproductions on certain patterns.VERY in depth!A must for collectors!

Excellent...great photos and complete listings of pieces in many patterns. Also light and easy to carry...I take it to auctions with me...very helpful. I would recommend it to anyone interested in depression glass.

I recently started collecting depression glass. At the time, I realized how much I didn't know! This book has been my constant companion. The material is clearly presented. The photography is fantastic. The price guide along with the description of each piece of EVERY collection is invaluable. I have become a better educated consumer and glass collector since I keep this within reach. Highly recommend!!

The book if fun for the kids but it does have a tendcy to wrip due to kids having too much fun with it. More of an older girls book like maybe 6-7. We did have fun using other paper dolls in it too.

My 4 year old daughter received this as a gift for Christmas and she loved it so much she brought it to preschool for sharing. It was such a hit that we have purchased them as gifts for all the girl's birthday parties we have gone to since.

I ordered this book for my daughter after seeing it in a bookstore near our house. She loves paper dolls, Princesses, and anything that goes with them and has an imagination that I'm sometimes jealous of so I wasn't surprised when she begged me for this. The stage for the book has kept her busy for hours, she has created "show" upon "show" and it's fun to watch her mind at work. It's also become a stage for her Polly Pockets dolls and any other doll that fits. I laminated the paper doll "actors' that came with the book, otherwise I don't know how long they would last, but overall we couldn't be happier with this which is nice, because sometimes Disney Princess books leave much to be desired.

Wouldn't pay the list price but on sale this is a great book/activity- Theater folds out and there are paper doll type figures that can stand up. Comes with scene changes and a play book. My daughters 7 and 5 both like this although use their own imaginative play more than the play book. With parental help, they will love putting on the plays! Really cute- a very OOOOHHHHHHH present for at a birthday party!

This book is terrific. The patterns are clear and easy to follow, the book is bright and the dogs pictured are adorable! It has come out just in time for me to finish projects for the holiday gift season. Can't wait to see my friends and family putting these cute outfits on their dogs.

I just got this book and it's wonderful. There are some great new techniques and some really cute new designs. The hat with holes for the ears and an attached scarf to wrap around is so adorable. I can't wait to knit that one. There is also a new snuggle bed pattern that I'm sure my cat will love. If you like pet knits, this one is worth the money for sure.

I just took a peek at this book yesterday evening at my LYS. The patterns in this book are uniquely clever. The photos of these pooches are adorable. I can't wait to make the hat and scarf set for my little pup. Too Cute!!

I thought this book was very well written and the patterns are stylish and simply wonderful. Not your typical simple sweater patterns for dogs. I don't have a dog but will be making sweaters for friends....many friends.

My favorite pattern is the hoodie and even has a pocket.

For those of us who admire, collect, make and renovate 1920s and 20s-inspired art dolls, Susanna Oroyan has written a thoughtful volume focusing on boudoir dolls from the Art Deco period. Although the topic is covered better visually in another of my favorites, "The Magic and Romance of Art Dolls" by Stephanie Farago, the strength of this book is in Oroyan's excellent research, writing and wonderful storytelling ability. Her fresh and fun-loving writing style shines in this book (the illustrative drawings also are quite good.)

Unlike her other fine books, which focus more directly on the art, design and mechanics of doll-making, this book is a loving tribute to a period, aesthetic and style of doll that she very much values, appreciates and knows well. And for that we can be thankful, as Oroyan has contributed so largely to the doll-making world, with her vision, her instruction, and her art.

Highly recommended as another fine book to add to the resource library of "students of the doll."

In Dolls Of The Art Deco Era, dollmaker Oroyan provides a survey of the history, makers and collectible items of the art deco era, providing both a step-by-step set of instructions for reproducing the style of doll popular in the era and covering the history of dollmaking during the era, and restoration techniques after. Packed with ideas crafts and collectors alike will appreciate.

a real authentic and easy way to understand and MAKE dolls.
mrs.Oroyan must be a magician to write so many books,so variabile & so full of culture & reserch that is related to the art, craft, etc...
the book is reach, easy and wonderfull for the dollmaker! even
for the beginer! www.geocities.com/pushadolls/

there is no other book that gives so much information on bed dolls called boudoir dolls. This is like a "bible" for doll collectors. You do not need another book if you have this one.

This is a spectacular collection of beautiful quilts and pillows. It is definitely not for a beginner quilter. There are a lot of pieces for almost every project in the book. I was disappointed that the paper piecing templates did not have color placement guidelines. Painless Paper-Piecing is a new way to paper piece without having to rip off all those pesky foundation papers. Preparation is necessary, but the results amazing.

Jennifer Rounds and Catherine Comyns' A DOZEN ROSES: BEAUTIFUL QUILTS AND PILLOWS offers some eight quilt projects from a sampler and baby quilt to a coverlet, plus four coordinating pillow designs to be used with such quilts. Packed with full-page photos of finished quilts, inspirational roses from real-life, and diagrams and patterns, A DOZEN ROSES comes filled with different ideas and variations perfect for quilters who love flowers.

It is rare to find a quilting book that has more than one or two projects that appeal to me. In "A Dozen Roses," there are six that I'm already buying fabric for! The quilts are beautiful and reflect an artful style that is easy to achieve for quiltmakers who buy this book. There are instructions for coordinating projects - simple but which add just the perfect touch. Knitters will love the knitted pillows. The authors have put together a fantastic book, with great tips and techniques. Love it!

This book is so lovely and it contains a wide variety of quilting and sewing projects for people of all ability levels. The photography is beautiful and the instructions for each project are very detailed and precise.

One great thing about this book is that there is a wide range of projects for everyone. Some of the projects are traditional (such as the Bed of Roses Baby Quilt) and others are more modern and funky (such as the Roses and Ribbons Strips Pillow). There are projects that could take several months to finish and others that could be completed in a matter of an hour or two.

The authors also explain the inspiration behind their projects and give interesting background information. For example, the Rose of Havana Quilt was inspired by Azulejo tiles from the Moorish period in Spanish history. There are also many interesting legends relating to roses scattered throughout the book.

I love this book and enjoy flipping through it to look at the gorgeous projects. I think my first project will be the Rose Petal pillow to add a romantic touch to my bed.

This is by far one of my favorite beading books. In fact, I have two copies! The designs are beautiful and the materials used are really lovely, but what I like most about the designs is the way they are laid out. There are clear details about how to make each project, along with detailed component lists, as well as where to buy the components, sometimes line drawings showing in detail the patterning and placement,and beautiful color pictures. I also like that the author indicates an approximate price range for the piece (like this will cost aobut as much as a movie ~$20) and the approximate time it will take to put it together. Although the designs are not very complicated they are very lovely and they are really good for the beginning or casual designer. But they are also varied enough that I can use them as a starting point in my own jewelry designing. Great book to have as a reference in your jewelry library.

This book is a terrific combination of simple techniques and artistic merit. The diagrams are a pleasure to follow as they are printed--and inspire the reader to improvise and make variations according to personal taste.

I am a beginning beader and I found this book to be wonderful! I purchased this book because I enjoyed just leafing through it and looking at all of the projects inside. Many of the designs offered me inspiration for my own jewelry creations. One thing that made this book stand out when I looked through it was that the margins were used to show the jewelry and point out what kinds of beads were used in each design. This made it really easy to see the design impact of different types of beads and help me to select what elements I want to use in my own jewelry.

The book also contains instructions on how to create the jewelry and lots of helpful hints and background information. She includes comments on such things as what to consider when purchasing beads over the internet and where to find the tools you will need (maybe in the toolbox in your garage!). Lots of good, practical advice.

I found this book to be very informative and inspiring. I can't wait to get back to my beading!

I have a lot of beading books and this is my favorite. I love the author's style and have found so much inspiration in this book. There's also good, detailed information for beginners.