5 comments about Vintage Vavoom: Romantic Decorating with One-of-a-Kind Finds.

1. This book is basically for the "beginner decorator" that wishes to decorate in the more "romantic style".
   
   Advanced decorators might find most of the information redundant.
   
   However, if a person is a "beginner" in this area of decorating, then they will find this book very inspiring.
   
   The photos are simply amazing---just as the photos in the magazine ROMANTIC HOMES are.... Colorful, large and bright!
   
   The book begins with an information chapter, explaining the purpose of this book.
   
   Basically, this book is like a mini-workshop because it shows the reader how to put together a "Decorating Journal", in order to organize their decorating style , from start to finish.
   Thus, each Chapter in this book covers an area that is linked to the decorators' journal.
   
   Most advanced decorators (of the romantic style) already know what they like, so this is why I state that this book is mainly for the beginning decorator.
   
   This book is quite expensive, so if you can find this book "on sale", I think it would be worth while, even for the advanced decorator...Why?----Answer: because of the amazing photographs.
   
   I think the photos in this book are what are truly amazing. The information itself, is slightly too basic though.



2. Thank you so much for a wonderful book. I received it as a gift shortly before my wedding. When I went to my florist to check on the centerpieces I was devastated to find the shop suddenly went out of business. I had no idea what to do. My sister came over and together we looked through your fabulous book and were able to put together our own centerpieces using your ideas. This book is the best!!!!



3. Some pretty pictures, but not much else, and all of the pictures started to look the same to me after a while. The writing style is grating: "vavoom" really is kind of a ridiculous word and gets old fast. The advice is the same-old, same-old. I love a pretty book, but I didn't even finish looking through this one. Buy a magazine and use your savings to buy one of those one-of-a-kind treasures. I don't like to be negative, but I also don't like to spend my money on something that's just not that great.



4. Got this book for my birthday, and I love it. Pictures are from the magazine, but they are so wonderful. Text is great, with wonderful ideas for making your home and life Vintage Vavoom.



5. Refreshing look at vintage style done well! Excellent step-by-step guide on how to obtain this look in your own home. The photos are gorgeous as one would expect from Romantic Homes and even the copy is beautifully written. There are many home decor books out there today from which to choose that range from cutesie to pathetically self-important. How nice to find a treasure like this one that really provides solid information and creative ideas that marry nostalgia with good taste and can even do so while being mindful of the average home owner's budget. Vintage Vavoom is destined to become one of my all-time favorites!

5 comments about The Stagecraft Handbook.

1. my students chose this book out of 3 i had ordered from amazon for the required book for my stage guild class.
   
   my students wanted to get this book because of all the amazingly detailed drawings and descriptions. i know that referring to this book will save me time and energy explaining things over and over to the kids.



2. I just purchased this book, and while I am satisfied with it, there seems to be missing information. I enjoy the background on the history of theatre and some of the detail in the text. However, the author missed giving more depth to the actual procedures section. It seems like the author spent too much time in the early chapters and lost steam when it came to the true content that readers want...how to build scenery. It is a good reference to add to the collection and is good for students who like to read detailed instructions. But for the builder who needs a quick reference, you would be better off with "The Backstage Handbook" instead.



3. This is not the "Backstage handbook" That bible of the technician is out of print. This, however is a good sub. Excellent for the "first-timer" and useful for those already in theatre.



4. The book I ordered was delivered with speed and is in excellent condition. My thanks to the seller. I look forward to our doing it again.



5. Item was as described. I wish there was a book like this that focused more on the stage construction of movie sets.

5 comments about Making Marks: Discovering the Ceramic Surface.

1. I purchased this book as a gift and it was absolutely perfect for an up and coming potter who has the building techniques down but would like to move to the next stage of creative pottery design.



2. Hi,
   I am the author of this book. The first review in the list of five gives a glowing report and yet rates only one star! I feel that this is a mistake. All the other reviews give the book five stars. This might be detrimentally affecting sales. I feel sure that the reviewer did not intend the single star rating with the review that he or she has given.
   
   Perhaps you can check this out. Thanks



3. Making Marks is an excellent reference book that both beginners and advanced potters can benefit from. It delves into all aspects of potting, and not only illustrates the results that can be achieved, it provides the "how to" for many of the processes. Any potter who has this book in their library will never run out of ideas for creating unique pieces.



4. This is an exciting book, it is not just about painting marks on surfaces. The list of options is quite comprehensive from liquid slips, clay colour modifications, carving, underglazes, slip-trailing, lustre-ware and of course impressions and incisions made by tools. Robin Hopper is a master of clay due to the years he has be absorbed by it. He has used good quality work by various potters to display the different forms of decoration.
   
   Surface decoration is always something you need to think in advance about before making the piece. You need to be clear what you want to see in the end, these choices will affect how smooth you want the surface to be and of course the decoration needs to be a custom-fit aesthetically for each piece. Discourse about these matters is found throughout the book.
   
   Glaze technology is discussed in this book, though not to the depth a total beginner would like - total knowledge could be gained in a technical course.
   
   This is one of those books that you can keep using as your understanding grows depending on where you are. Always interesting and inspiring to read about other surace decoration forms gaining knowledge all the way.
   
   This book would also be good as a guide in a set course, chapter by chapter you could do projects eg Chapt 1: Drawing, Chapt 2: Sign & Symbol, Chapt 3: Pattern & Space, Chapt 6: Marks of Slash, Scratch, Carve & Cut etc.
   
   All in all, a wonderful storehouse of so many ideas to have at hand !



5. While I'm relatively new to the art and craft of pottery, I beginning to find my own voice in my work. This book is helping me to think about differnet ways to express myself in my work. While I will probably never go out and buy a sand blaster or work with lusters, I know I have the inital reference source I need should I decide to go that way.
   
   Possibly one of the most valuable (but not necessarily exciting sections) is his intial discussion of drawing and line. I come from a background of hard science (chemistry) and know little of formal art or the principles of "line." He explains why this is important and how to start thinking about it.
   
   Finally, the book is a visual orgy. My husband (non potter) and I frequently sit and flip through the book to look at the examples of the various works. It becomes intoxicating. We can sit and discuss what makes one peice have that "come hither" look while another, while technically excellent, has little or no appeal to us. It has become a spring board for me in terms of astectics.
   
   While this book will not teach you how to sand blast or give you important clues about the proper layering of airbrushed glazes, it will help you think about all of the different types of marks you can make on clay and choose the ones that call to you.

4 comments about 2008 Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices (Official Gun Digest Book of Guns and Prices).

1. This product was for my husband. He found most of his guns listed in the book. It was harder to find the older guns, though. All in all, we are pleased with the book.



2. The information in this book helps us collectors, traders, and shooters compare relative values and learn some of the history of what we own and are considering owning.



3. Excellent resource for the price. No pictures and limited descriptions, but the purpose of this book is only to provide prices of firearms and it accomplishes that very well.



4. Comapred to what is avaialble, save your $$$$ on this one.....too limited and not informative al all.....get more info on, off the Web and best to wait until Midway Arms has the Blue Book on sale around April....

5 comments about More French-Beaded Flowers: 38 Patterns for Making Blossoms, Leaves, Insects, and More.

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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!

5 comments about Antiquing for Dummies.

1. Very helpful for the antiquing "debutante" in the overwhelming world of antiques, including tips for negotiating with dealers, what to look for on certain items, even ideas of what one might want to collect. Definitely worthwhile purchase.



2. Antiquing for Dummies is a cheerful primer for those of us who were antiques-challenged. Learn what to search for and what to avoid when confronted with the possible pitfalls of flea markets and antique malls. Find out how to differentiate trash from treasure. The text is very readable, filled with puns and mnemonics. A must-read for budding antiques enthusiasts!



3. Antique lover I am HOWEVER, knowledge is minus, MINUS! ANTIQUING FOR DUMMIES was given to me as a gift and MAGIC has been created. My brain is now functioning in the antique mode. How proud and delighted I am. I will be forever indebted to having the opportunity to own such as informative treasure. In fact this book will be on my future "gift purchasing" list for my "hard to please" friends. Again, THANK YOU, from Dallas, Texas.



4. I have collected, sold and even appraised antiques and artwork for 25 years. This book is well written, and has valuable insights and tips for the beginning or the intermediate collector. It has very good illustrations, good anecdotes and hints, and is all in all a delight to have and read! I learned a couple of things myself, and have bought copies for my antique collecting friends and colleagues as gifts. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to gather practical and easy to understand tips and facts from authors and experts who obviously have many years of study and work in the field of antiques, collectibles and fine art. For this price, it is worth more than many of my big fancy books on single topics within the field of antiques or antique collecting. This is easy to read, humerous and fun to read, and offers good basic information on many kinds of antiques and fine art which are being collected, inherited and sold. Bravo to the writers and to Dummies!



5. Whether you are someone who breaks for garage sales or the serious collector of rare antiques, Antiquing for Dummies offers information, tips, insight and inspiration. Zoglin and Shouse help de-mystify the world of antiques and collecting and leave you feeling like you, too, can confidently and successfully find treasures that fit your lifestyle and needs. The tips on negotiating are especially helpful and I have never seen them appear anywhere else. Zoglin has spent three decades in the antique business and knows what he is talking about. Whether you are interested in antiquing or not, this book provides an entertaining read, and you will likely not look at a teacup or Granny's old desk again without a deeper appreciation of its history.

No comments about The Official Beckett Price Guide to Football Cards 2009, Edition #28 (Official Price Guide to Football Cards).

5 comments about Everyday Fashions of the Fifties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs (Dover Books on Fashion).

1. Whenever I take this book out, people fight over a peek into its glossy pages. It covers everything in fashion from the fifties, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict fashions, from dresses to shoes, hats and gloves to maternity wear; the women's hairstyles, makeup, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric, color, and price. There are some pictures of teenage, male, and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful.



2. I was born in early 1953 so many of the fashions still mean something to me. I have to admit that I'm still drawn to the femininity of the period but I have my dreams and you have yours and we'll leave it at that. This is a good book for the money. Not too detailed, the reproductions can get a little bit fuzzy and there is no color; but this what you get for $15 these days. If you like what you see here, there are other resources to persue. It's a pretty good starting point.



3. I truly enjoyed reading the old advertising copy while looking at the old ads. Some of the fashions I remember my grandmother and mother wearing. Lots of fun reading.



4. This is a primary source book that tells the prices and materials, which are very helpful to a costume designer. I also enjoy the book Fifties Forever, which is similar except it's color photos of actual vintage stuff (the color does help, but the Sears catalogue is still great without it).



5. I thouroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was packed from start to finish with pictures. The book gives an excellent overview of what the average woman was wearing in the 1950's, unlike many similar books which focus on important designers.
   While it is very light on text I still feel that it is a must for anyone interested in this period.

No comments about Miller's Collectibles Price Guide 2009 (Miller's Collectables Price Guide).

1 comments about Scott 2008 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: Countries of the World: G-I (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 3 Countries G-I) (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 3 Countries G-I).

1. Just what the doctor ordered - I was interested in Berlin stamps - the Germany section does indeed include all Berlin stamps.