Arts and Crafts Books

Ms. Ridley provides instructions for many settings, but many of the techniques and projects could be used anywhere, such as the flooring or stove used in the Scandinavian room or the instructions for making blinds in the modern room. The pictures are great and really help explain what's going on. NOTE: includes ideas for creating a modern room -- rare in miniatures!

The only book that shows you how to create luxurious Colefax & Fowler interiors in miniature. 'The Yellow Drawing Room' is a superb variant of Nancy Lancaster's famous, full-scale classic. If you like stately English houses, this book is a Must. Not a book for beginners.

This book provides ideas and directions to create the wonderful room scenes Ms. Ridley has designed. It also provides detailed instructions and tips about a variety of other subjects of interest to the minaturist such as working with polymer clay and converting common household items into exquisite 1:12 scale pieces. The detail included is extraordinary and inspirational. I highly recommend this book!

Jessica Ridley has miniatures in her genes. After all, her grandfather was the designer and builder of Queen Mary's Dollhouse. :-) She is a miniaturist and faux painting artist who incorporates her specialty in her projects, giving the reader alternatives to the usual approach to dollhouse decorating -- namely siding for the exterior and wallpaper for the interior.

She teaches techniques for faux finishes, customizing and building furniture and accessories, as well as using interesting and unusual materials. The instructions are illustrated with plenty of color photographs, so you can see how the project looks at the different stages.

I highly recommend this book because I think that it stirs up your creative juices and inspires the miniaturist to try something new and personalized in their projects, while at the same time saving money. Who could ask for more!

this was my first dollshousebook ever, and still is my most favorite one, very claer instructions-foto's.

I really love this book! It has a bunch of fun fresh designs for more novice embrioders. I first rented this from the Library and I loved it so much that I bought it! I highly suggest this book!

This is a wonderful book for beginners, or those like myself whose skills from childhood are extremely rusty. The projects are beautifully photographed and encourage you to dream of the beauty you can create with very simple stitches artfully done! This would make a great gift.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in embroidery at all. The patterns are stylishly simplistic and are really up to date. There are lots of different project ideas. The instructions are thorough and easy to follow. A great buy!

The projects in this book are simple, but elegant. Just a little bit of work adds a personal touch to anything in the home. Also wonderful ideas for gifts.

This book has some wonderful, tasteful embroidery ideas. I highly recommend it. The instructions are clear...I completed some of my first projects out of this book (including the pillowcases illustrated on the cover!) ENJOY!

This book is a must have! It is one of those beautiful books you add to your collection and look at when you want inspiration.
The arty photos themselves are enough to keep you entertained for awhile. Set in a beautiful European city, feels like you are looking at the pages of your favorite fashion magazine. Not to mention the gorgeous fashion sketches you always wished you could draw.
But then wait, the text is good too! They are direct, playful, hip-to-the-day instructions, which are actually easy to understand. The best part is, these are pieces you might really wear!
I love this book and the reason why is...these beautiful books you add to your collection are few and far between, this one is a perfect addition.

I just got this book a few days ago and knew right away that I wanted to make the pedal pushers. The tips and techniques section was really helpful for me because I am not a seamstress, just a girl with a crafty spirit who's looking for some cool summer togs. I love my "new" trousers. Now, if I could just get the sun to shine....

I love fashion and just bought this book, because I loved the cover and the publisher's description. I am NOT disappointed. The projects are not the kind of clothes that look homemade in the negative sense of the word, but the kind of clothes that look handmade in a positive way, they are gorgeous designer threads, that look like they sell for $$$ but you can make with no budget. This book is hip with a nonchalant French look. There are projects for all the skill levels and different styles, with descriptions from a designer's viewpoint, to get the right look that is also eco right. Right now I feel like I am on a shopping spree, but I've go to stop writing and start sewing and I'm going to make those cargo pants!

Nancy Minsky's Denim Revolution is a fabulous book! I loved the idea of recycling my soft old jeans. I couldn't wait to get this book and was thrilled when it arrived. The book made me feel like I was part of the creative process; it is a resource of ideas, simple instructions, high fashion illustrations, and amazing photos. There is something for everyone in this book. This book got my creative side thinking about what I could do with my old Levi's. This book shows infinite possibilites with denim.

This is a book that reaches out to all ages. I myself as a grandmother envisage working through a few of the designs with my ten year old granddaughter. The illustrations and the accompagnying instructions are clear and concise. The book itself is pleasing to the eye and inspires a sense of design and fashion, encompassing the ever increasing need for a "greener" society. For those people who take pleasure in design, fashion, and sewing, this is a book that you can truly enjoy. It also makes a good gift.

I have solved many mysteries of Depression Era Glass patterns on unmarked pieces through the use of this wonderful, well documented guide. Although this guide presents a small insert of colored pictures the bulk of the pages provide "drawings" in black and white which are actually quite helpful in determining the pattern you are matching. In addition, pattern names, manufacturers and years of manufacturing are provided.

As a dealer I find the value guides helpful and they are separated by item category, color and value range. The author is honest enough in the introduction to advise you to depend on other references for value accuracy in the ever changing market, particularly with the advent of internet auctions. This book has been extremely helpful as a reference guide and is a welcome addition to my glassware book library.

I found that the values were very helpful, but since mostly all that was shown pattern-wise was the plate, it was a bit difficult for me to identify some other pieces.

I have many other books that show depression glass and all of them are great. But this book shows the patterns in line drawings. Sometimes pictures of glass patterns are not as clear as they could be. This book shows a drawing of each pattern and lets you really study it. I found it very helpful in sorting out the initial confusion that new comers sometimes have. Now that I am an 'old pro', I still find myself using this book just to be on the 'safe' side.

Now in an expanded and fully updated fourth edition, Depression Era Glassware Identification And Value Guide, glassware specialist Carl F. Luckey is a straightforward guide enabling the reader to competently and confidently recognize and fairly price classic works of 1930s glassware artifacts. While most of the glassware illustrations are in simple black and white, Depression Era Glassware is impressively enhanced with an insert section of superb color photography, all combine to present a variety of patterns from the era in unmistakable relief. The price guide is extensive and lists price ranges for individual pieces of varying sizes. Depression Era Glassware is an excellent, indispensable, authoritative resource for dealers and collectors.

As a new collector of depression era glass, I found this book to be incredibly helpful with identification. The line drawings are clear - the reader has no doubt of the pattern (sometimes photos can be unclear due to the nature of glass). I also appreciate the value ranges given and, of special value to me, each pattern has info on what pieces have been reproduced or reissued.

As of date, built the cedar lattice & pine bracket birdhouse illustrated on the cover. I enjoy working with cedar, using cheap cedar fencing which I put through a planner bringing out a smooth nice wood grain finish. A coat of Tung Oil further brings out the wood grain and seals the wood.
Electric tools I used were bandsaw, drill press, 12" planner and belt sander.
The instructions are easy to follow. All 20 birdhouses are of unique design and easy to make. I will probably make most of these just to add variety and color to my yard.

The adjective that leaped to mind when I firsst read Designer Birdhouses by Richard T. Banks was: impressive. This book is a visual phenomenon...with instuctions. Whether one is a master carpenter unequalled or a would-be carpenter challenged by a hammer and nail, Designer Birdhouses is unrivaled in its beautiful illustrations, ease of understanding as well as clarity of instructions. In a brief perusal of the book, it becomes readily apparent that Banks executed a brilliant accomplishment in his ability to tie together the relationship between birds and their nesting habits. This relationship is imbedded in the many birdhouse designs.
Banks is a professional architect, author and artist. There is some evidence in the pages of Designer Birdhouses that he has accepted Southern culture, language and some of the humor, e.g. in the design element called "Baffles" he wrote "it's from below that you need to thwart those clinbing critters." For the unfamiliar, "climbing critters" may be squirrels, possums or cats. Later on, in forgiving the would-be carpenter's faulty transgressions he wrote "birds are creatures of he wild...they don't go about measuring holes or potential nesting boxes. So, Mr. spprentice, stop worrying about your mistakes.
Designer Birdhouses covers all aspects of design, building and placement of the completed birdhouse. Note the clever idea of starting many of the designs with a "basic box". this concept would show the apprentice carpenter that he has the ability to recognize and build a "basic box" then move forward with various design embellishments. To assist the apprentice carpenter even further, Banks asks the question, "What makes a good birdhouse?" He answers that question in simple relevant terms. Wow! What more can one ask for in a specialty book such as Designer Birdhouses.
Designer Birdhouses sets a new standard and ranks in the summa cum laude category. It would make a wonderful gift for bird enthusiasts as well as do-it-yourselfers and other hobbyists.

I can't believe this book didn't come up as one of the first when I was looking for birdhouse building ideas. If you like contemporary innovative designs this is the book for you. The designer is an architect and it shows in the original designs. Colorful photos and detailed instructions. I highly recommend.

I recieved this book as a christmas present and I love it. It's really easy to follow, the pictures and diagrams are wonderful. My favorite birdhouse is the Board and Batton Shingle house. I recommend this book if you enjoy interesting and stylish birdhouses.

Great for grandparents to make a special project with grandchildren. You can premeasure & cut as needed depending on their age and ability. The houses are made with common materials which makes them very do-able. The designs and colors are fantastic. Inspirational for all!

This is a wonderful book, just like the first one. As soon as I get my new version of Photoshop Elements 6.0 for the Mac I can work with it more. I've already taken a class with Renee and it was great. Her instructions are always very clear and concise, and the goodies on the CD are wonderful as well. They can be used in so many different ways and the embellishment that can be created on your own are endless! Well done Renee!

Considering I've been in Digital Scrapbooking for all of a week, and I've already learned how to make my own backgrounds and embelishments, that goes to show you that this book is amazing! Renee does such a great job of going step by step, it really makes it so wonderfully easy to follow. I definitely recommend this book to anyone getting started in Digital Scrapbooks. It's a great investment!

This book is great for designer beginners with little working knowledge of Photoshop Elements. The instructions are very simple to follow and easy to remember when re-creating on your own. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested designing digital kits of your own.

This book was an impulse buy about three weeks ago. I took Renee's class "Doin' it Digi" at Big Picture Scrapbooking in April, but didn't do anything with PSE except organize my pictures afterwards. I was still interested, but very intimidated. Then, as I was getting ready to check out of Hobby Lobby, I saw the book and the author and I grabbed it.

Her instructions are VERY VERY clear and easy to follow, and I was able to create a fantastic layout that will be in my family albums using only the things in one of her tutorials -- in less than 45 minutes -- while reading through the instructions for the first time -- and being interrupted by children.

This book was the lightning strike I needed, and I've now conquered that initial vertical learning curve of Photoshop. I now am capable of SO much with the program that every new thing I learn gets an "Oh, COOL" reaction from me instead of further intimidation. This book gave me the tools I needed to know that yes, I really CAN do this.

This book uses a specific software product to teach you digital scrapbooking in a hands on, step-by-step process. As a self-taught digi-scrapper, I can look at this book objectively and tell you that it is chock full of excellent information. This is a great book for beginners, while still having plenty of good information for experienced digi-scrappers.

I am very glad that I ordered this book. It has very detailed illustrations to help me get a handle on drawing my fairys.

This step-by-step drawing book illustrates ten different characters -- the fairies Beck, Bess, Fira, Lily, Prilla, Rani, Tinker Bell and Vidia; the sparrow man Terence; and Queen Clarion. Best for older elementary-school to early high-school kids, it has easy-to-follow illustrations but goes into lots of intricate detail. Budding artists can use it to create full figures as well as portraits, each in four steps. The sections for Tinker Bell, Rani, Beck, Fira and Vidia also show how to draw portrait details such as shoulders, hair and eyelashes. Throughout the book, sidebar sketches display details such as noses, lips, eyes, clothing and wings, and show both proper and improper techniques. The book itself is printed on quality gloss paper stock, and nicely illustrated with soft floral backgrounds and leafy borders.

One final note: The female figures here all share the impossibly tiny waists common in cartoons and, for that matter, fashion illustration, but they don't have exaggerated bustlines or hips. And though the faces have plenty of personality -- Vidia bears a striking resemblance to Meg, from Disney's "Hercules" -- there's no cleavage, and none of the skirts or dresses shown are very high cut.

This is the best book of drawing Fairies I have ever seen. My three granddaugthers are all seven years old and they were able to drawing the fairies.

Nice book. A little complex for kids under 10.

it shows u how to draw the fairys heads and then a separate pic of their full bodies. and it has some tips to show u how individual fairys are drawn like tinks cheeks always look like this - not this and so on . great for little artist :)

Very beautiful, easy, and fun designs for every one. I love Donna Kooler books and this one is a must have. I love the borders, if you are looking for some beauties, there in this book.

The designs in this book are colorful and imaginative. The pages are laid out well, in a similar fashion to her other books. Designs could easily be combined into a sampler or something similar or used by themselves. I am glad I bought this book to add to my collection.

Donna Kooler by far is one of the best needle work artists/designers to come along in a long time. Her designs are simple to do for nearly every level of stitcher. If you love to stitch personal items for gifts this is a great component book. Everything is easy to read, clearly marked and always offers suggestions about embellishments and specialty threads. This is one book that every stitcher should have in their reference library.

This is a great book for both the beginner and the seasoned stitcher. There are more than enough designs to do one by one or to combine into wonderful gifts and keepsakes. Donna Kooler's books are well laid out, easy to rechart and very easy to read. This book is a must for any serious stitchers library of design books.

I checked this book out from the library, and am here to buy it. The designs in this book are absolutely lovely, and I can't wait to get started on new projects. It is a little confusing for a new cross stitcher to figure out exactly how big a piece of material is needed, and some of the stitches are more complicated than you might be used to. Also, since the main pattern spans several pages, you have to either copy and piece them together, or be able to work across several pages. I would recommend this book for the intermediate to advanced person.

This book is great. Many good ideas for making Cross Stitch Christmas Stockings. Excellent pictures and directions. Could use more books like this one. Thank You.

One of my hobbies is cross-stitching Christmas stockings. This book of Donna Kooler's offers superb patterns. Victoria from MA

Great book! Has many sort after stockings with charts.

can not wait to get started on the stockings....the patterns can be used for all ages...which is a good thing as I make them for my grandchildren

I LOVE CHRISTMAS! This book gives me 15 reasons to celebrate the season. There are dogs, cats, snowmen, forest animals, Christmas globes, Santas, sledding, Vintage, toys, Noah's ark, bears and, of course, the Nativity for the themes.

Each pattern is two pages so seeing the counted cross stitch graph is not too hard. A color photo accompanies each project. All you have to do to get the template for the stocking itself is enlarge one of the color photos 169%. A copy store can help with this. There are two pages of general instruction that show what the symbols mean and they also explain how to create each stitch.

My only problem was I didn't know which one to start with. Hopefully, you will be able to choose one! My needle and I will be working into the night on these wonderful projects.

I saw this book recommended in Drawn.ca. I expected something for children but also enjoyable for adults who like to doodle. Unfortunately, it's a product for children and only for children, so i will have to keep it until i have one :-)

Found this at an art museum on my travels and thought it would make a much better souvenir than a t-shirt for my 6 year-old son. He loves it! And so do any adults that pick it up too! Doodle All Year is 365 days of coloring pictures or adding creatively to the scenery as the artist asks you to. Starting in Spring Taro Gomi's cute basic outlines and instructions lets your child be creative, not just rote "staying in the lines" type of coloring.

A definite hit! and worth every penny.

Neverending on imagination and creative play, this five-star book for children is only one of our doodle books by Taro Gomi. We have every book by Gomi and one per child. Our kids are two years apart and they all love their Gomi books. And, what better way to keep a journal of all your children's artwork together than a book that is already bound? Brilliant!

I was given this book as a present for my daughter and I want to keep it myself! It is a completely different approach to a coloring book. Sparks the imagination, makes you feel a little silly and wonderful at the same time! My daughter loves it.

I have bought this and other Taro Gomi books. They are all wonderful books that help you and your kids expand your imaginations. Lots of fun - more than traditional colouring books. And this one is a good size for tucking in your tote bag to take on the road/restaurants and the like. Highly recommended.