3 comments about Encyclopedia of Designs for Quilting.

1. I have been a quiltmaker for 6 years now, but have yet to become a good quilter until I read this book. In just one evening, I was able to draft a border pattern using the box from Stovetop Stuffing and draw it on my current quilt project, a double 9-patch. I actually teach quilting but never got very intricate with my quilting stitches. I can now do feathers and cables with ease. I will refer to this book forever and will never need another for designing quilting patterns and getting ideas for future quilts. This book is entirely focused on the quilting stitches where most quilting books give you that info. as an afterthought. Thanks Phyllis D. Miller! I will now have some real heirlooms for my children.



2. New quilters to seasoned hand quilters will benefit from this book. The how-to part of the book is thorough and plentiful. Keep in mind that it was published in 1996, and the tools and methods described are traditional, similar to those used by our ancestors in quilting.
   This encyclopedia of quilting designs completes what B. Brackman started with her encyclopedias on pieced and appliqué patterns. I will definitely bring this book with me to future documentation activities. This book will help train my eye to see the various patterns on a quilt and identify them in my memory so that I will see all the patterns on a quilt. A more in-depth look will be my gain.



3. This is an excellent "how-to" on just about everything pertaining to quilting designs. Instructions are illustrated and written not just on how to draft the design/s - but how to mark your quilt with the design - suggestions on where they might fit appropriately on your particular quilt top. She gives you a listing of the tools you will need to do each particular design, helpful hints, and much more. The variety of designs ranges from the common to the more unusual. The manual also includes a numerical listing of the quilt designs using a numbering system similar to the one used by Barbara BBrackman in her "Encyclopedia of Applique." If you only plan on purchasing one book of quilting designs you can't go wrong with this one!

1 comments about The Art of Skiing: Vintage Posters from the Golden Age of Winter Sport.

1. This book has great visuals, from all different countries, and is a perfect gift for the skier you know who likes old-school stuff. I actually bought this for someone who doesn't understand English, but the artwork stands on its own.

5 comments about Presidential Dollars Collector's Portfolio.

1. I was very pleased with the article. Also, very pleased with the delivery.



2. The portfolio is nice. A little disappointed that there was not a space for both a Denver Mint coin and a Philadelphia Mint coin. Good buy for the price.



3. I was surprised at the size of the Portfolio. It is huge. This is not a Portfolio what will be easy to fit onto a bookcase.



4. This item is very functional & sturdy so it serves the purpose, but the coin holders have to be pried out to insert the coin ,sometimes this is difficult.It is a good value for the money though.



5. This Portfolio is 16" x 11" which isn't easily put on a shelf. No wonder that wasn't in the description. A Brad was in top right corner of the cover, for reasons unknown. While it will do the job it wasn't what I thought when I ordered it.

5 comments about American Junk.

1. American Junk is not a how-to book as its subtitle suggests. Far more specific advice about hunting and haggling is available in flea market directories, and there really is no rescue or transformation involved: items acquired move directly to the table top, shelf, desk, floor, wherever. This is a celebration of cheap old stuff that others might ignore or take pains to avoid, an annointment of its value by someone of influence (the author is a vice president at Ralph Lauren, I believe). It's a quasi aesthetic, with loving photographs of the items in assembled in haphazard tableaus. It is of an innocent age, published before e-bay seized collectibles from the trash, before absolutely everybody got into flea market hunt, before Antiques Roadshow--and that was less than 10 years ago! The author does not explain to a doubter's satisfaction how one lives and cleans with so much stuff. Not all of it is really junk, of course--a vintage set of Zane Grey novels, some folk art carving, old textiles are not what I'd call junk. Dirty old Tupperware or small harvest gold appliances that no longer work are what I call junk and they are not to be found in this book. Ah, well; it is fun to give or receive, but take the author's approach and try to get it cheap.



2. This book was great on pictures--pictures that showed the "after" of transforming junk. The book, though, lack information on exactly to transfer that junk. It did not get down to the "down and dirty." I have seen better information given on the television show, Decorating Cents, on HGTV.

   If you like pictures and use them in your transformation, this is the book for you. If you want detailed instructions, there are other well-informative books that can do a better job.




3. Colorful picture book boasts fine loving photographs of junk collected in American junk shops by the author, a self confessed junk junkie. The minimal text is sometimes awkward, the author is a more accomplished photographer than she is a writer, and the hundreds of photos are brilliant eye-catching motifs of both, truly collectible antiques and other people's garbage, like amateur paint-by-numbers paintings of dogs. Although the author pays very little for her vast array of objects; $20.00 seems to be the average price, she seems to purchase a home every time she runs out of space to display her treasures, and her constant references to places like "the summer home in Millenton" become a bit daunting.



4. This book was the first book of a "trilogy" (as Mary calls them) regarding "JUNK COLLECTING". The author began her reasearch for this book in 1991, and so she was one of the very first authors to write a book on (what later became) "flea market style". So in a way, she was a pioneer in this field when it comes to writing books about the now more famous "flea market style".
   
   This book is filled with TONS of photos of junk stores, flea markets, antique shops, and of course JUNK! Each Chapter focuses on a special "junker/collector of junk" and the photos show how the "collectibles" were used in their homes.
   
   The way in which the book's collectors display their (often strange) junk items, may not appeal to everybody, but still...I really enjoyed seeing what all these collectors' homes looked like inside.
   
   Also, within each chapter, the author categorizes her junk photos by rooms, and then by types (for example: GOLD STUFF, ANIMAL STUFF, etc.).
   
   Once again, this book may not appeal to everybody, but I really appreciated all the photos of collectors' homes, because I felt like a voyeur into their lives.



5. If you're a garage sale junkie, love thrift stores, or just check out junk for the fun of it, this book may be of interest to you.
   
   While I think the author has too much time on her hands, and spends way too much money, looking at photos of her junk was interesting.
   
   I'm facinated with the 'things' that Americans use, discard, and reuse, and this book will stay on my bookshelf!

1 comments about R. Atkinson Fox & William M. Thompson : Identification & Price Guide 2nd Edition.

1. You need to know that there are NO color pictures in this guide. This book has small b&w photos of what must be nearly all of R.A. Fox's prints with a price guide. It's great to know all the names of the pictures that I have, and the one's that I've seen that I would like to have. However, this book is better for someone with better eyes than I have. For me, the b&w photos are too small to distinguish much of the detail.

1 comments about The Classic British Rook and Rabbit Rifle.

1. This is an excellent reference at a bargain price!
   Well written and the photos are worth the price of the book

5 comments about The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds.

1. THE PLAYMATE BOOK is a tastefully presented heavyweight coffee-table edition book which showcases every woman who appeared in PLAYBOY between 1954 (Marilyn Monroe) and 1996 (Victoria Silvstedt). The photographic quality is superb. The history of the magazine is well-documented. The book does skimp on many of the capsule biographies of the 512 beautiful women who grace these pages. The Playmates of the Year, perennial favorites such as Bettie Page and Pamela Anderson, famous Playmates such as Stella Stevens, and Playmates who met infamous ends (Jayne Mansfield, Claudia Jennings and Dorothy Stratten come to mind), are given far more coverage than the average, perhaps fairly so.
   
   THE PLAYMATE BOOK brings humanity to these otherwise often anonymous pin-up girls, many of whom suffered social ostracism (particularly in the early days of the magazine) for daring to bare all, and shows the Playboy Playmates to be an eclectic and interesting group of women with widely divergent lifestyles. Some of their stories are wonderful, some are tragic, some involve jets, yachts and 'beautiful people' while others involve kids and picket fences. There is no one 'definitive' Playmate.
   
   The book's greatest failing is its inability to bring it all together. More than just a "family album" THE PLAYMATE BOOK should be a social history of women over four decades, but sadly does not editorialize even briefly on "what it all means." It's a bad oversight on the part of the editors, and takes away from the finished product.
   
   It's fun to see the evolution of the Centerfold over time, the changing styles, the increasing daring. It's also fun to find your favorite Playmate(s) and discover what she is/was doing (circa 1997). Hopefully, PLAYBOY will update this book periodically, and add new Playmates as they appear.



2. This book starts out with pictures of Marilyn Monroe. Every playmate of the month from the fifties to Miss December 2004, have a small paragraph about where they are now or how they got into Playboy. The pictures are beautiful and tasteful.



3. very well shot pictures&tastefully done. Playboy has always had Beautiful Women pose as Centerfolds&this Book does a very Good Job of capturing the best shots. I've always been a fan of Playboy.



4. This book is the definitive collection of all the Playmates since the very begining. For the collector, or even the fan, of all things Playboy this serves as a great guide to all the beautiful women who have graced the pages of the magazine. Not only are the photos stunning, but the short-but-sweet stories of where they are now and what they've been doing since appearing make for enjoyable reading. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of the ladies and getting this book autographed is like getting your yearbook signed...by all beautiful women.
   
   One caveat though: if you've got the previous edition (the 40th) you'll find the only change is the addition of the last ten years of Playmates.



5. I think your ordering procedures have dramtically changed for the worse over the last few months. I find it is very easy in reviewing an order from Amazon, to duplicate an order just by reviewing the item, particularly when going back to check on something. This has happened to me twice and I was able to catch it the second time. I realize the buyer has to be paying close attention but this was not the case in the past with amazon. It seems that your ordering procedures make it extremely easy to double order something. I am not happy about these changes.

No comments about All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update : Adam II to Zodiak (Marvel Comics).

5 comments about Oriental Rugs of the Silk Route: Culture, Process & Selection.

1. Gregorian's book is compelling stuff and speaks about a part of the world where bargaining is as much an artform as the rugs themselves. Gregorian is an expert on buying, using extremely sophisticated, yet seemingly simple, methods developed over generations. It reminds me of what the owner of the most expensive men's clothing store in America once told me, "I make more money buying the fabrics than I do selling the suits."

   Being an author myself ("Why People Don't Buy Things"...the new science of selling products, services and ideas based on over 50,000 interviews), I'm fascinated by the time-proven methods employed by Gregorian. Obviously, they've been passed down by his family and work as well today as they did years ago.

   This book is well worth the read even if you're not into rugs. It could help you save money the next time you're buying an oriental rug, an expensive painting or a luxury automobile.




2. Finally, a niche book with character that focuses on the highest quality carpets. Beyond the pictures it chronicles the Gregorian family experience with this genre and brings us back to the days when the original treasures were more readily available - not that long ago! A must for the serious collector or the simple enthusiast.



3. In Oriental Rugs Of The Silk Route, John Gregorian draws upon his years of expertise to provide an illustrated tour of modern day oriental rug-making centers. The informative, often fascinating text is beautifully and profusely illustrated with superb color photography, complemented by vintage bland-and-white images of Middle-Easter villages and cities, the rug-making culture and process. The reader will find a wealth of expert advice for buying an oriental rug, how to evaluate quality and price, buying and trading customs (with tips on negotiating a purchase), and invaluable ideas respecting interior decoration with original rugs. Oriental Rugs Of The Silk Route is enhanced further with a glossary of oriental rug terminology and a helpful appendix on oriental rug cleaning and repair. Oriental Rugs Of The Silk Route is rewarding reading for the oriental rug enthusiast, and a highly recommended introduction for the novice.



4. We are avid rug collectors and found this book to be a valuable resource. Even though we are fairly knowledgeable about rugs, we still learned from this book. It's the kind of book we wish we had when we were first starting our collection. The author reveals so much in a truly delightful way -- it's kind of like having a close friend or family member with many years of experience guide you through the whole world of oriental rugs. It's hard to say what we like best about this book because it is such a quality piece of work -- from the thoughtful and interesting writing, to the stunning color and black and white photographs, to the fine typesetting, layout and binding. This book is a work of art in and of itself, much like a fine oriental rug. We especially like the colorful stories about the rug weavers, their culture, and way of life. Art is often a great window on another culture, and the author gets this across in a beautiful way.



5. I recently purchased John Gregorian's book with the anticipation that it would resemble his father's earlier book that is among my favourite "rug books".(I have been a collector for over 30 years.) I was disappointed and must add it to other texts of recent years that do not offer a balanced view of present day rug production.
   Iran still produces many beautiful and exquisite pieces that until recently were embargoed by the USA. Fortunately for those of us that reside outside the USA we can obtain these pieces but they no longer appear in many recent books. While rugs from Pakistan, India, China, etc may copy Iranian originals, they rarely use the same dye colors and lack the mastery of the originals.
   To all budding authors out there, "can we please have a truly representative modern rug book free of political prejudice and exclusion?"

5 comments about Mary Engelbreit'S Home Companion: Collections.

1. What simple pleasures we seem to find in collecting. To gaze through the pictures and pages in this book, you may find bits and pieces of items you enjoy saving. Unfotunately, you may also stumble upon a new item that you just have to have. There is always room for just one more little lovely isn't there?

   Mary Engelbreit has added a dandy to this series of books on decorating your home. If you love this book, pick up her PLATES and PAINT books too!




2. On the plus side, Collections does feature lots of lovely photos of pretty things. Sadly, it didn't really give me what I wanted, which was ideas on displaying diverse collections. Most of the photos either show only one of an item (this is a collection?) or just plunk the items down on a shelf (thank you, I could think of that myself.) The book wastes lots of space on collecting tips (price suggestions/figuring out the age or maker of a piece/etc.) which aren't very helpful -- too detailed and boring for someone who doesn't collect that particular item; not nearly detailed enough for someone who does.

   Buy the book for the pictures, but don't expect too much...




3. If you're like me and love to collect, this book is for you. The pictures are luscious and it's loaded with great information. It brought back so many memories of my childhood (things I kept and things I wish I had kept). It also gave me great ideas on new collections. I settled in on a rainy afternoon to browse the book and before I knew it, it was over, much to my dismay!! I only hope Mary plans a sequel - with many more collections!



4. This is a cute, fun, little book (check the dimensions before ordering so that you aren't disappointed). For the list price it should have been twice the size, but at $6 it's an excellent buy. I love some of the collections, but too many photos are close-ups and you can't see how they are displayed. I prefer Better Homes and Gardens "Collector's Style" which has some of the same attitude, but more bang for the buck.



5. 
   This book is part of a series that Mary Engelbreit issued a few years ago. The book series is comprised of these nifty little books filled with great ideas, depending on the topic. The photos in this book are absolutely amazing, just as all of M.E.'s books have wonderful photos. Very inspirational.
   
   This particular book, though, from Mary's series is LESS "how to" and more of a picture book. Thus, I wish she had included more photos of people's collections.