Arts and Crafts Books

Populuxe describes the postwar era from 1955-1964 when American consumerism reached its fullest expression. Since that time we have just recycled and re-invented that period's concepts and trends. Mr. Hines points to the product launch of the 1955 Chevy as marking the beginning, as it was the first mid-price car with tailfins, terminating with the staleness of the "future" presented at the 1964 World's Fair that came in the months after the crushing blow of JFK's assassination.

Thomas Hine describes the era as one that simultaneously looked back to the old west and to a space age future. The old west was a useful paradigm because it brought to mind the pioneer spirit; the sense of self-invention involved and the space age came with the atom bomb, sputnik and the astronauts. Fueled by sudden prosperity, shaped by sophisticated advertising and product marketing, embraced by an American middle class rich with dollars and plenty of leisure, it was the time of ever-growing tail fins on cars, the latest kitchen gadget and exuberant roadside architecture.

While the book would be highly enjoyable just for the descriptions of the products and trends of those times as well as the treasure trove of classic photos, Mr. Hines does more than that. He shows how the tenets of consumerism were laid out in this time; from feeding people a readymade identity through the products they purchased to creating new markets by fulfilling consumers desires rather than their needs. A toaster was no longer a machine that grilled bread. It was a space aged accessory that told its purchaser that he or she was pioneer in the land of tomorrow.

Hine's book is a meticulously researched, wonderfully illustrated work on how the American mindset of the 1950s and 1960s created both the consumer culture and the physical environment in which it thrives. All of this is masquerading as an enjoyable, nostalgic, amusement park ride through the world of split-level houses, tail finned cars, and orange Naugahyde-upholstered furniture. It's a fun read for all baby boomers as well as for any of their children who are trying to figure out why their parents think pink and green go together. By the way, I also recommend this book to any Europeans trying to understand American culture. Read this and the short story "The Concrete Mixer" by Ray Bradbury and you'll understand why McDonalds and Wal-Mart can't be stopped.

While the colorful plastic and steel designs of the '50's and '60's lacked the beauty of the bronze and silk Art Deco styles of the '20' s and '30's, they are still full of a spirit of fun and excitement.

Before Thomas Hine invented the term "Populuxe," the hopeful designs found in '50's and '60's fashion, furniture, architecture and automobiles were linked with the Space Age, the mighty atom, Rock 'n' Roll, and a nation in love with its wheels. Looking toward a bright future helped the Western world bear the reality of the shadow of Communism. As a guy with dim memories of this era I can say that this book is great fun to read with plenty of vintage pictures and insight into how the Space Age came to be and what it all meant.

I found this book in college, used as a text for the Industrial Design dept. I was a Criminal Justice major myself, but found this a great look at American culture.

This book could be a blueprint for the whimsical looks at the 50's seen on History Channel documentaries.

Hines book is a fun, unpretentious look at the times that led to the designs. It is refreshing that the author didn't take the easy route and simply churn out a tome laundry listing trends simply to make fun of them. The book shows a great understanding and admiration of the industrial art of the era without any pretense or hubris

Hine's work is a meticulously researched, wonderfully illustrated work on how the American mindset of the 1950s and 1960s created both the consumer culture and the physical environment in which it thrives. All of this is masquerading as an enjoyable, nostalgic, amusement park ride through the world of split-level houses, tail finned cars, and orange Naugahyde-upholstered furniture. It's a fun read for all baby boomers as well as for any of their children who are trying to figure out why their parents think pink and green go together. By the way, I also recommend this book to any Europeans trying to understand American culture. Read this and the short story "The Concrete Mixer" by Ray Bradbury and you'll understand while McDonalds and Wal-Mart can't be stopped.

A great book for paper enthusiasists. No matter you're a novice or an expert, you'll find challenges in this wonderful book. Mr Montroll is really brilliant in this book, the illustration and step-by-step explaination is easy to follow and yet challenging. Take out a piece of square paper and begin folding to appreciate his creation. It's not simply origami, it's truly paper engineering.

This book contains some wonderful models. Being a dinosaur enthusiast (what kid isn't?) in my younger years, this book provided a great amount of fun and challenge.

My sole complaint with these models are their relatively dated perspective on dinosaurs. These greatly resemble older views of dinosaurs where sluggish lizards lumber through swamps and marshes with their tails dragging on the ground. Of course, this gave me ample opportunity to try diversifying my skills by "improving" the final result.

I would highly recommend this book to both beginner and advanced folders. While the models might not be as challenging as those produced by Lang and Brill, the final results are well worth it.

I had the honor of proof reading the diagrams in this book before it went to print. (I'm the second Mark in the dedication). John Montroll is a brilliant author. His style is amazing, achieving maximum model size from the paper. This is a great book for everyone who enjoys dinosaurs and origami.

When i saw a dinosaur origami book i didn't think twice before buying it! I was bored with simple books making kitties and ducks, but these designs are very ORIGINAL! They are tricky and i often get frustrated with the complicated folds, but when i get a folded dinosaur all of my own in the end, I am so happy!! (No, I'm not a child either i just love dinosaurs!) I own a few origami books and have found this one is a favorite pick, besides the dinosaurs, i just love complicated folds! If you love dinosdaurs, origami, and a stiff challenge this book is for YOU!

A book about dinosaurs folded from paper, a simple idea, really. But take a deeper look, and this is one of the most engaging origami books on the subject ever-for that matter, perhaps it is one of the best origami books ever. I know it is one of my top ten books. Enough praise, you want to know what's in it. Well, as Montroll usually does, the beginning models are so easy, I think you could fold them from sheet metal...an egg, mountain, and tree. Soon though, the dinosaurs begin, and slowly but surely the difficulty rises, until culminating with a Stegosaurus. Other dinosaurs include, T-rex, a bunch of gliding dinos, and others such as Dimetrodon and Spinosaurus. I would recommend this to any Dinosaur fan, and/or origami fan. However, a true beginner would find this book to be boring, because after the three 'sheet metal' models, the difficulty rises 2 or 3 fold. If you can make the first 4 or 5, you can probably learn to make them all. In short, a great buy!

This book comes with some great patterns, ideas, and how-to skills.

This is a wonderful book for thoses who love fairies and applique. Linda's techniques are easy for the beginner who has always wanted to applique but has been hesitant to start. In addition to that it is a fun book that can get your creativity flowing.

Since purchasing this book 6 months ago, I have been in 7th heaven. Although not your usual "quilting" book (Miss Poole assumes that you already know how to make a quilt... and most of us DO) this book is a vast resource for Fantasy Images and Backgrounds. I found the fairie stories to be wonderful too. I used a clear self-adhesive plastic to re-inforce the cover to preserve it's beauty and extend it's life.

63 pages featuring the "how to" for eleven fairie tale applique quilts. At the end of this book are seven pages showing photos of completed fairie quilts and the fairies' stories. Author Linda M. Poole has done an exceptional job of showing through words and pictures the "how to" of the applique technique. And then there are the fairies themselves: Rainbow Fairie, Painter of Color, Hopes and Dreams; Honey, the Bee Keeper; Fairie Wing Flyer (teaching birds to fly); Ladybug Fairie in charge of putting the spots on little lady bugs; and many more. Seeing these quilts in person is breathtaking. Having this book is the next best thing.

11 actual patterns + a number of fairy variations to encourage your own creativity. This book is not what I expected - it is different to any other patchwork book I have. Basically, using well documented steps and glue-stick turn-over technique, Poole shows how to create a stunning fairy picture Any fairy-lover would be thrilled with one of these quilts. The fairies (and their backgrounds) are of the Daisy Meadows Rainbow Fairies style - that is, they are more young girls or ladies with wings in an idealised environment (surrounded by butterflies, on a moon, etc). There is, however, a standard fairy + dragon design for those fantasy lovers. Poole includes her own poems or stories to match the quilt.

The patterns and guides are for the fairy pictures only - this s not a quilting book. However, many of the example quilts demonstrate how the pictures can be incorporated into a more complicated pieced quilt as a dramatic feature square.

Would I make one of these quilts? Probably not. There is a tendency for them to be fiddly and time-consuming. As a working Mum with two young children, I do not have the time nor patience. But it is one of those books I'll have in my collection to read every so often and wonder "Do I have the time?", choosing a new design I'll definitely do one day, each time. Right now, I would be choosing
1. "Tippy Toes" - night-time, standing on a moon (simple yet effective)
2. "Rainbow Fairie" - sitting on a cloud and painting a rainbow (the quilt tells a lovely story)
3. "Fire Fairie" - teaching a dragon to blow fire (my niece loves dragons)

I first encountered this book in its original hardback form when rather young -- around 11 years old. It provides a very rich diversity of models and covers a wide range of difficulty levels (although none are as hard as in some "enthusiast" books such as some by Montroll). Many of the models convey a sense of simple beauty. I had lost track of the book over the years, and was very pleased to recently discover that it was republished. I just bought another copy and folded a pigeon (but folding the head according to one of the other bird models since the suggested pigeon head is a little simplistic). It brings back many fond memories of my first encounters with this wonderful craft. To me, this book is a classic.

My Great-Aunt introduced me to many things - astronomy, biology, and origami. This was in her personal library and when I'd visit we would always pull it out and make at least one of the figures in the book. She had already managed to do nearly every figure but she was patient and I would try my best to keep up. When she died, I looked for the book but it had mysteriously disappeared. I saw that it was back in print and I snatched a copy up right away. This is the best folding book that I have ever run across. It has models that range from the very simple to the VERY difficult. You can fold out of this book for a lifetime and never fail to learn something or see something new. A great book... grab it while you can and fold your heart out!

I really like this book, but you need to have a little experience with origami to use it. I could make cranes, boxes and water bombs before I bought this book. I've learned a lot from it but there have been a number of folds that I couldn't understand until I saw them demonstrated. And there are still lots of things I can't figure out, especially pieces that have to be turned inside out. If you've never folded, this is not the book for you.

The book which launch my interest in origami in the late 60s. If not for the discovery of this book, my interest in origami would have been lost.

The models are still very fresh even for the origamist of today. There is a very good range from traditional models, simple models to the intermediate stage. An excellent first introduction to origami.

It contains works of experts who are not around today. Among my favourites are those by Ligia Montoya. Simple but extremely effective.

Nowadays origami experts tend to concentrate on details making folding the models extremely difficult for a beginner. I prefer to concentrate on representing the subject just right with just the sufficient details to differentiate the model and avoiding the complexity of folding it.

There are also models with sufficient difficulty to challenge the slightly more experienced.

A must for all enthusiasts.

Rejoice, origami lovers of the world: Harbin's "Secrets of Origami" is back on the shelves. One of the first of my 40+ origami books, the old, battered, early 70s hardcover still holds a place of honor on my shelf. This is one of the best origami books EVER published. For the beginner, it opens the door to a wonderful array of simple to complex models, for the advanced folder, it provides a survey of the best Western folding from that formative period of 1960s. Fred Rohm, Adolfo Cerceda, Ligia Montoya - these are names that must NEVER fade from the annals of origami. Buy this book. Use this book. Treasure this book. Very few like this have been printed before or since.

Reading The Way of Story is like having a talk with a trusted, intelligent and interesting friend. The writing style is friendly, easy to read, and inspiring.

The personal anecdotes and quotations Jones uses to illustrate her points are brilliantly chosen.

In The Way of Story, Catherine A. Jones shares lessons learned in becoming an award-winning writer.

The script is the first basic building block of any film, theatre, or television project. "The Way Of Story: The Craft & Soul Of Writing" by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Catherine Ann Jones offers aspiring authors an integrative approach to writing all the various forms of narrative storytelling. Laced with anecdotal stories and personal insights from her own professional experiences as a writer of scripts, Catherine Ann Jones persuasively argues that craft alone is not enough for success in this highly competitive, highly volatile business. There must be an effective integration of storytelling technique and experiential inner discovery as a writer in order to produce scripts that are commercially viable and persuasive when it comes time to pitch them to producers. Of special note are the wealth of practical tips for writing a successful script whether it is for a play, a movie, or a television show. "The Way of Story" is especially recommended reading for anyone who aspires to writing a screenplay, and will provide invaluable insights into both the process and the marketplace.

Catherine Ann Jones work puts all the elements of good writing in perspective, especially the importance of theme in producing a good story.

It was the subtitle of this book about writing that drew me to it: The Craft and Soul of Writing. The use of the word "soul" in connection with writing stopped me in my tracks. I too believe that good writing comes from the soul, yet my writing always has sounded more like a lawyer's brief than a soulful memoir or story. And so I wondered... Might this book free me from my mental prison? My hopes soared when on the first page, I read, "The whole of life can be a meditation, even writing." Clearly, I was in the hands of a philosopher as well as a writer. Here was a book which combined practical guidelines with spiritual experience.

I left the bookstore, looking at the book's unusual cover--a picture of an elderly fellow seated in a large old rowboat, its empty space in the rear crowded with colorful flowers. He uses a single wooden oar to paddle through the wide open sea as sprays of watery foam hit his face and obstruct his view. I see this as a metaphor for the obstacles and endlessly murky situations humans encounter as they row their way through each and every day, experiencing both the beauty they enjoy and the unpredictable vicissitudes that inevitably become obstacles along the way.

Numerous brilliant, relevant quotes by famous people appear on every page of The Way of Story. They remind the reader of the importance of soul to writing, of the path that writing must take in order to include the elusive soul. I read the profound and unique philosophies of such luminaries as Winston Churchill, Rimbaud, Harold Clurman, Lao Tzu, and many more, all of whom guide us to honor the soul. And we honor the soul by listening, by being still, by believing passionately in ourselves. "Passion," Jones writes, "must come first, then craft. The essence of Art is to use the outer form to convey an inner experience. This sacred thread, your innermost being or Soul, binds you emotionally to what you write, and if given respect, will lead you on to the desired end. Stories written from this center will move mountains--and even create livelihoods. Years ago, when interviewed by the New York Times about my approach to teaching, I was quoted as saying, 'We've become lopsided living only in our heads. Writing, in order to serve the Soul, must integrate outer craft with the inner world of intuition and feeling.'"

This book has become my bible because I am among those who are lopsided. And for all those writers who believe they are lopsided, Jones offers excellent guidance. Among the numerous suggestions she offers is a remarkable exercise called Soul Dialogue, in which she guides us to envision our soul, to learn from it what it wants, what it truly wants, and sincerely wishes to communicate to others. This message pervades her book. One of the many quotes I will always remember comes from another spiritual teacher--Butoh, a famous Japanese dancer: "The Soul is the important thing. Form will follow."

Form is the craft; soul, the art and passion. The author insists that the goal of writing is to reach the essence of feeling. She shares stories revealing how she has achieved this. An example was a day when Jones was in an acting class with the famous teacher, Uta Hagen. Jones was playing Ophelia. Having already played Shakespearean roles for a well known director in England, she felt confident that her improvisation was a good one. Until Ms. Hagen shouted, "I want you to play an Ophelia I believe goes to the bathroom!" At the time, she was stunned by her failure, but she carries this lesson over to writing. "Characters," she reminds us, "must be three-dimensional, grounded, and not just an extension of the writer's projected aesthetic imagination."

The essence of the author's advice is to dare to be personal. Jones reminds us that how we remember is how we give meaning to our lives. Lao Tzu asks, "How do I know about the world?" His answer: "By what is within me"--five important words I have placed on my mirror where I can see them each morning before I begin my day.

Catherine Ann Jones does not overlook the supreme importance of craft, and she is nothing less than inspiring in her chapters delineating the various genres. She covers the more obvious and less interesting ones (to me) such as structure, rewrites, outlines and dialogue. But her book is about so much more--about the voice of character and how to convey it, the unexpected synchronicities of writing, the resource of memory, the writer's voice, discovering your personal myth, one woman's remarkable story. She believes we must pay no attention to what will happen to the work, whether it will succeed in the marketplace, whether it will even reach the marketplace, quoting Robert Frost... "All the great things are done for their own sake."

There is no way to do this book justice in a brief review. Like most things in life, this book must be experienced to be fully known and appreciated. I can promise any student of writing, experienced writers, and anyone merely interested in learning more about the craft that this book will make you glad you did not leave it behind in the bookstore.

by Duffie Bart
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

The Way of Story may appear as a deceptively simple memoir/manual, but it is not. Catherine rockets you into the essentials of craft, as well as urging you to dig deep into yourself and transmit your emotions to the page, and the story.

Few books simultaneously pay equal attention to both the architecture AND the soul of the story. Finally, I think the book offers gems to both novice and experienced writers, including advice and a bounty of challenging exercises to get the ideas out of your head and onto the page. I wish I'd had this book when I started!

Few writing books get right to the point. Most take the long route with fluff, long exposition, winded prose that forces you to find insight buried deep.

Not this one.

The Writer's Book of Wisdom serves the main course from the start and tells it like it is.

If you love writing, you'll love this book. It will teach you critical understanding you need to know, will always use and remember. This small book requires a place on every writer's shelf. It delivers critical information to the point without any preamble.

I loved Rule #6. That one rule came at a pivotal moment in my writing - the nasty, stalker critic - and it sang.

Worth every penny.

Wolfe

Great little book to read one rule a day for inspiration or just to think about.

I've read this over and over again. Anyone who lives in a 'writer's world' will be able to relate to this book. From living in a vacuum to believing in your writing even when no one else does - this book will keep you going whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. A few of my favorite chapters include: Embrace the wisdom of opposing views; Ultimately content matters more than craft; Get used to despair; Fail; Write to be great, not rich, and Trust the muse of revision. Writing is the vehicle of truth is another one that I loved. I recommend this to anyone who is in or is entering the world of serious writing.

101 writing rules are presented in short and straight to the point format. Each 'rule' is 1-2 pages. Fun and useful snippets of information and ideas for each chapter(rules).

The book is interesting and attractive with color and designs and on every page. This is a nice little book to have in your collection. I think it's a great little motivator, or something you'd pick up to get yourself refreshed and ready to go again. There are lots of quotes throughout the book. This features a very wide range of writing topics. Advice like 'Work in an inspiring environment, Resist distractions, Don't overuse negatives, Trust the power of your own voice, Art shows up in rewriting' -and loads more! I liked the appendix which is an evaluation guide that has questions to ask yourself about your work.

"Your manuscript should invite the reader in and constantly reward him for his time." -from Rule #99 on Submit a Professional Manuscript.

I've perused the shelves of Barnes & Noble many times, absolutely convinced that some day I would find a book that would give the boost I felt that I needed to become a writer. Recently, I found that book. Did it give me the boost I needed? Wow. Did it ever.

The Writer's Book of Wisdom by Steven Taylor Goldsberry put so many things into perspective for me and really helped me see things in a new light. This book is the PERFECT balance of motivational and educational, being that it is split into three sections:

1. Approach: Mainly intended to just get you motivated to start writing.

2. Language: Grammar and use of words/punctuation/etc. This is naturally my least favorite part, but some of it, I realize, I just need to know.

3. Style: I guess this would be the section that discusses finding your "voice" as a writer. This section really helped me realize how ignorant I've been on my quest for my "narrative voice", shining a new light on the entire issue.

So, in conclusion, whether you're just looking for something to get you motivated and inspired, or if you're looking for something technically educational, this book is just what you need.

This is a wonderful book. I bought a couple of how-to books awhile back and was disappointed that those books didn't offer more inspiration photographs. This book fits satisfies that need exceptionally well. Just page and after page of beautiful woodwork.

When I first got the book, I started reading it page-by-page. It took at least an hour to get through the first half. All of the boxes are wonderful to look at and contemplate.

There is no style depicted. It covers everything from the small trinket holder, to jewelry boxes to turned boxes to the "Well, I guess someone would like that".

All of the photos are in color and are captioned with the artist's name, dimensions of the object and types of wood used to create it. An index is in the back of the book that provides the city and state of each artist.

There is absolutely no discussion of technique.

Time to head back to the shop...I've got a couple of board feet of absolutely stunning bastogne walnut that needs my attention.

If you, like I, can make whatever you see, this is the book for you. It is approx 400 pages of photos. All of which are fantastic boxes (works of art). This book is a must for when you don't know what to make next. It oozes originality. One of the boxes was my inspiration for new kitchen cabinets!

Great collection to make you think and to inspire you to "build out of the box".

Very nice book, lots of great looking boxes. Great for new ideas (woodworker) or if you are looking for something special. Only downfall, is most do not offer a picture of the inside of box.

I have always been fascinated by boxes.An avid puzzle enthusiast,I am always on the lookout for what I call puzzle boxes.These are boxes that have a secret method required to open.They are designed with hidden panels,magnets,bars,bearings,and everything imaginable that keeps them from being opened until the "Puzzle" is figured out.Unfortunately, there are no boxes of this sort in the book;though there are many that could be adapted to include a locking device or mechanism.Design wise these boxes are beautiful artistic objects and a joy to behold.It would be an even greater thrill to be able to pick them up and open them.
All the other reviews are very good and warn that what you get with this book is a picture of the box ,its overall dimensions ,color,some info on the material;but no construction methods.Not that there is any suggestion that construction methods or details are provided,one might think they are.In other words;what you see is what you get.
Anyone who designs and makes interesting boxes should find this book a real gem,and a storehouse of design ideas.
To someone who is interested in buying boxes like these,but not really interested in making them,you might have some success in contacting the artists.In addition to that,I attend a lot of Art and Craft Shows and without fail there are always a few artists who are selling wooden boxes similar to these.Common are inlaids,stacking,burls,sectionals,jewellery,chess,games,and at times I come across "puzzle boxes".

Shephard created a book satiated with texture, woven in embroidery of dyes and rituals. In African Accents, the author shares with us her stories through textiles. She recreates African accents for readers who have formerly collected pieces of cultural tradition and for the newly converted. Scanning through the craft section of any bookstore, one could notice a scarcity of African crafts, house style, and decorating books. With this book, Shephard undertakes a worthy task. The author's time spent in Senegal piqued her already flourishing interest in African design. Shephard prefaces each chapter with anecdotes, the significance of fiber technique, and facts about the fabrics used for the easy to follow hand-made crafts she shares later in the book. The author separates the fabric regionally and explains the social and rich cultural aspects tied into the various designs and processes.
The first part of the book is devoted to recreating the essence of each separate style of fabric, (that is, if you choose to). Some fabric recreations are simple and others are intricate including embroidery and weaving. Shephard cautions that replicating the fabric does not replace the real thing, but could rather deepen one's appreciation for the years of apprenticeship. In reproducing the designs on the fabrics, the book includes actual sized symbols with their meaning. Some of the Ashanti designs on the fabrics, the author indicates, are the equivalent of the European family crest.
In part two of the book the chapters are devoted to each room of your home and the art of gift giving. Secrets and tricks are provided to lend your pillows, clocks and picture frames the professional touch. There is certainly no limitation of "how to" procedures. I tried a few myself and although the suggestion of the staple gun for the kente stool fell short of my expectation (probably the gun itself) I pulled out the old hammer and nail and my stool looked unfailingly as Shephard had promised. Some of the crafts, if you were not handy with a sewing machine would be better left to the local tailor. Yet, there was a time when a sewing machine was a staple in most family's homes. The art of sewing and the practicality of its uses have been forgotten. But if sewing seems impossible for you, Shephard happily offers other easy alternatives.
This is a consummate reason for a recommendation of this slim book to be on the shelves of all art leagues. The book makes it apparent that Spanish and French artists popular in the 19th and 20th centuries have gained much of their appeal with the use of African art infused with their own. Shephard's passion for the continent exudes throughout the book, aquatinting the reader with crafts and fabric otherwise inaccessible. It is a craft-book du nouveau, a comprehensive history lesson, and a full color tabletop book. It is a significant forefront of a happily growing movement. Through this thoughtful undertaking the beauty of the textiles, that have been admired and used for years, could now have intimate meanings and representations. Choosing that kente, Kuba or mudcloth after reading Shephard's book will add new substance to its use.

Yasmain Broady-Soya...

African Accents by Lisa Shepard is more than just another book with homey decorator projects for the Do-It-Yourselfer. As Shepard makes clear in her introduction, her passion for genuine African fabrics is based on admiration for their strong colors and designs coupled an educated appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into their creation.

Since she recognizes that collection of these beautiful fabrics may well be beyond the reach of the average pocketbook, she sets out to teach us how to duplicate the look with affordable materials and then provides detailed instructions for sophisticated decorating projects that are reasonably easy to accomplish.

Make your own stamps with potatoes, compressed sponges or rubber stamps to get the look of Adinkra cloth. Shepard provides over 20 different Adinkra symbols to copy together with their African names and meanings.

Choose from over a dozen images to create unique Korhogo designs (and I dare you to resist trying the panels and floor cloth projects in the book). Try mudcloth, Kuba cloth or Kasaii velvet.

The instructions are clear and the power of the designs would enhance just about any room in your home or office.

They would also be fairly easy for a school group or Scout troop to teach children about the strength and beauty of the cultures they represent. I can easily imagine a group of kids having a good time creating Adinkra stamps at a children's birthday party.

Shepard expresses the hope that working on the projects will increase the readers appreciation for the real thing. A quick glance through this lovely book will convince you.

This was exactly what I was searching for...beautiful, inspiring photos of projects that you can easily do for yourself. If has great graphic designs you can copy and use for stenciling, stamping, etc. Loved the cardboard spear and the textiles.

I must have bought 10 other books on exotic decor, ethnic decor and this is the only one that really thrilled me.

I enjoyed lisa's book but I'm not much of a craftsperson. I love african style, and came away with some good ideas. Some of these projects require more than I am willing to give. I'm into simplistic projects that look like there was alot of effort. The projects range from easy to not so easy. The are some good internet sources but some of them are no longer avalible. I have not attempted any of the crafts in the book but I'm looking foreward to Lisa's next release (coming out in October). I think her next release may be what I'm looking for.

Ms. Shepard's knowledge and appreciation for African textiles and crafts is shown with style throughout this book. The craft instructions are clear and easy to follow (even for a novice craftsperson like myself!) The photographs are terrific also, they act as real motivators to try some of these great decorating ideas. How refreshing to see a crafts and decorating book with culturally diverse appeal!

This is the first doll book I've been interested in. The instructions are funny, simple and easy to follow. I've made the spacey bear and the panda and both are just adorable. Planning on making them all! I wish the full size patterns were included (you have to use a copy machine to enlarge some of them). Happy crafting.

This is a fabulous book for making cute two-dimensional dolls! Since the recommended fabric for these dolls is jersey knit- I use old t-shirts to make them! Recycling and crafting all in one! Most of the patterns in this book are recommended to enlarge on a photocopier- or you can make smaller versions without enlarging. These dolls are great to hand sew- making it a great little craft for all ages!

I have really enjoyed looking this book over, and have chosen more than one pattern to try. the patterns and directions are clear and concise.

I dont know how to use a sewing machine and the instructions in the book were super simple with great results.

In "The Cute Book", readers were treated to patterns for making small felt versions of many of the Aranzi Aronzo characters (if you aren't familiar with the Aranzi Aronzo characters, check out the Aronzo website, '[...] - they're sort of like the Sanrio/Hello Kitty characters, only with more personality). "Cute Dolls" is another book of patterns for making Aronzo character dolls (18 patterns in total), but this time, the patterns are for full sized (8 - 12 inch) dolls, most of which are made from jersey cloth (t-shirt fabric).

As with "The Cute Book", the patterns are very easy to follow. The instructions are fully illustrated, making it so that you don't even need to read the words in order to make these dolls. The book is beautifully presented, with colour photographs throughout and the captions on each of the pictures are hilarious (for example "Make us cute or we'll be angry!").

This is the second book in the Aranzi Aronzo "Let's Make Cute Stuff" series. People who enjoy this book should also consider purchasing the other books in this series: "The Cute Book", "Fun Dolls" and "Cute Stuff".

Ever since living in Spain in 2005 and having the opportunity to visit the fabulous Art Nouveau museum Casa Lis in Salamanca and visiting Barcelona's Palau de la Musica Catalana, I've been in love with Art Nouveau, and I was looking for a way to translate that love into my favorite medium, counted cross stitch.

I was specifically looking for designs by Art Nouveau powerhouse Alphonse Mucha, but Art Nouveau Cross Stitch also offers designs by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Wiliam de Morgan, Gustav Klimt, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others. Whether you're looking for feminine florals, bold Mackintosh roses, a stunning stained glass lake landscape (the same image featured on the recent Tiffany US postage stamp), or a brilliantly blue taste of Persia, you'll find numerous project ideas here from table mats to runners, pillows, clocks, and small motifs specially designed for napkins, greeting cards, book covers, coasters, pincushions and more. There's also a handy selection of Art Nouveau decorative borders for customizing your own projects.

The charts are in color, are very clear and it's easy to read the legends. Larger designs are presented in sections. There's also finishing instructions, and Hammet thoughtfully includes a section on basic techniques (fabrics, needles, general accessories). Many designs feature color photographs of the artwork that inspired them, and Hammet includes tidbits on various artists and on the Art Nouveau movement. Even if you're not a cross-stitcher, this is a beautiful book that offers plenty for art lovers as well as crafters.

I wish there had been more photos of the contents of this book online as the range covered is diverse and better than I expected. I especially love the MacIntosh designs

I didn't know much about Art Nouveau, other than it is ascribed to Frank Lloyd Wright and Tiffany-stained glass. The projects in the book are beautiful and sophisticated-looking. The charts are also large and easy enough to read. The colors suggested are listed by the DMC brand. Artists featured include Mucha, Renee Mackintosh, Klimt, and Walter Crane. (Don't count on a full picture by Klimt though, just a mirror piece that incorporates some of the same colors as in "The Kiss.") The bamboo "stained glass" wooden box on the cover is my favorite, although I will have to special order the light green aida fabric. However, the Mackintosh rose women pieces are also very stunning and unique. The piece by Mucha is a poster lady holding a glass of champaigne. It looks almost like it's almost entirely done in blackwork, with black and gold thread on white. All of the pieces have a crisp, clean look.

I'm pleased to have just discovered some of Mackintosh's beautiful work. His Mackintosh "rose women" have a sophisticated, yet subdued stained glass-y appearance. I wasn't very fond of Walter Crane's "flower lady" (faery-airy looking) pictures, but if your'e into that kind of thing, you'll love those, because there are three them, the daffodil lady, red posy lady, and purple iris lady. They are each about 12 inches square, once completed.

There is also a pretty picture, I think it is called "Wysteria," which resembles a seaside scene framed by wysteria, which looks kind of "stained glass-y." It also kind of reminds me of a French Impressionist painting. It is a manageable size to do, and would look lovely in one's livingroom or bedroom.

The Mackintosh rose women pieces and the bamboo stained glass piece on the cover are my favorites. I was a little bit surprised that there weren't any pieces resembling Frank Lloyd Wright's work. However, the designs in this book are "strong" and interesting to look at, yet the colors in them are soft and subdued like watercolors, so they don't appear too "busy."

All of the pieces can be done on white or ivory Aida cloth, although the book suggests many other lovely colors to coordinate with the designs, like blush peach, light yellow, and barely blue. If you are lucky enough to be able obtain those, they would give your work a special touch. The only thing I was disappointed in, was a project by Renee MacIntosh. It is a picture of two rose lady's with a big, abstract yellow dress. In order to get that effect, you will need some gold gauze fabric, which I cannot find anywhere. It's possible to stitch the entire area in yellow, but that would take forever (and a lot of thread) to do.

This is a beautiful book! I've been inspired to incorporate some of the design suggestions into other works and I'm keen to stitch at least three of the projects from this book. Art Nouveau lends itself to counted work: the use of borders and both asymmetrical and symmetrical designs translate beautifully.

The book includes information about the designers (including Tiffany, Crane and Makintosh) who've inspired Ms Hammet's counted designs. Many of the smaller designs will lend themselves to gifts such as bookmarks, box lids and motifs on napery while many of the larger pictures will make works of art in their own right.

Highly recommended for stitchers who like Art Nouveau work.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This is a fabulous book, very representational of Art Nouveau style (don't look for Frank Lloyd Wright here, his work is considered its own style). Many projects from a variety of artists. Check out the table of contents page link in the book description to get a better idea of the types of projects and artists.

Clear diagrams with both color and symbols make projects a joy to work on - I'm doing the two Rose Pillows (Charles Rennie Mackintosh style) which will be two framed pieces - one is done and one WIP right now.

I'm going to do the flowering box top on the cover (reminiscent of Tiffany's stained glass pieces) next - you can find evenweave or aida fabric in all sorts of colors at your local needlework shop, craft shop, or online with cross stitch retailers and on EBay.

I like that the patterns use almost no beads, ribbons, "treasures" or specialty fibers -- just metallics in a very few designs. All you need is the fabric and either DMC or Anchor floss (design keys are labeled in both) to complete your own work of art.

Also, besides all of the complete designs, the book ends with a pattern library of borders and motifs for you to use in endless variation. Want to decorate some towels? use waste canvas to put a motif on a shirt? make your own spot sampler of Art Nouveau motifs? You have plenty of source material here!

I recommend this book for all levels of stitchers, from the beginner on up, since basic stitching instructions as well as finishing instructions for the projects are included.


Definition:
art nouveau (?r' nūvō') , decorative-art movement centered in Western Europe. It began in the 1880s. In general it was most successfully practiced in the decorative arts: furniture, jewelry, and book design and illustration. The style was richly ornamental and asymmetrical, characterized by a whiplash linearity reminiscent of twining plant tendrils. Its exponents chose themes fraught with symbolism, frequently of an erotic nature. They imbued their designs with dreamlike and exotic forms. The outstanding designers of art nouveau in England include the graphic artist Aubrey Beardsley, A. H. Mackmurdo, Charles Ricketts, Walter Crane, and the Scottish architect Charles R. Mackintosh; in Belgium the architects Henry Van de Velde and Victor Horta; in France the architect and designer of the Paris m?tro entrances, Hector Guimard, and the jewelry designer Ren? Lalique; in Austria the painter Gustav Klimt; in Spain the architect Antonio Gaud?; in Germany the illustrator Otto Eckmann and the architect Peter Behrens; in Italy the originator of the ornamental Floreale style, Giuseppe Sommaruga; and in the United States Louis Sullivan, whose architecture was dressed with art nouveau detail, and the designer of elegant glassware Louis C. Tiffany.