4 comments about Making Natural Milk Soap: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-199 (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-199).

1. Learn the time-honored secrets of making moisturizing, skin-nourishing soaps with milk!
   Create this sought-after soap at home using the specialized yet simple techniques Casey Makela has developed in more than 15 years of soapmaking. Covers how to make moisturizing milk-based soaps like Oatmeal, Peaches and Cream, and specialty soaps.
   Contents include, but are not limited to, making molds, working with lye, preparing the milk, basic equipment, scents, ingredients, specialty recipes, preserving and packaging. This book contains excerpts from another book written by Makela - "Milk Based Soaps."



2. There is very little information in this 32 page pamphlet that you cannot find free on the net. The soapmaking technique (blending) is a little scarry, to me. With the added cost of shipping & handling, you could buy a much more informative hard cover REAL book for the same price at your local book store.



3. I am new to this hobby and like books that can simplify the process of making the gentle soaps. Lot's of recipes and well written.
   I would recommend.



4. This book introduces milk soap making at the beginner's level and includes some basic recipes

No comments about Shelves, Cabinets & Bookcases.

1 comments about Lincoln Cents Folder #1, 1909-1940.

1. The nice, lock-in feature prevents your coins from falling out of the folder, while holding them in a nice layout. The only drawback is you cannot see the reverse of the coins when they're in the folder.

5 comments about Flowers: The Complete Book of Floral Design.

1. I love the book, and there is some great advice in it but I was looking for abit more of a "how-to" type of book. The book is mostly photos of her work with a black and white section of some instructional aspects of making bouquets, etc. There is also a small encyclopedia-like section of flowers which explains some aspects to the flowers but does not include general price range. I was hoping it would be the only book I needed to buy to do my wedding flowers, but I don't think it will be.



2. This is a great book for visual pictures of different arrangements and ideas you may want to put together!! Lots of pretty pictures!



3. This book is a good tool for anyone interested in learning how to arrange flowers. It has beautiful pictures and good explanations on mechanics and how to do most of the arrangements, however, the most difficult and therefore prettier do not have much instructions, so you also need to use a little imagination.



4. I sent this to a florist friend as a gift !! It is a huge hit. They love the photos and are recreating many of the arrangements. I highly recommend this book for flower lovers and florists alike.



5. Paula, what a wonderful book! I have it on hand in my store for customers to peruse though. I would recommend this book to all who appreciate flowers, and the art of floristry.
   
   Magnolia Village Florist, Inc.
   Seattle, WA

5 comments about Shop Drawings for Greene & Greene Furniture: 23 American Arts and Crafts Masterpieces.

1. Having purchased two other books of this nature by Mr. Lang, I placed myself on the waiting list at Amazon and waited months the get the book in my hands. I did not hesitate to break it out of the packaging and dove right into it. The first forty-five pages were dedicated to the history and other background information necessary to get a good understanding of the Greenes' design concepts and the practical methods used by the Hall brothers to construct the pieces. I was very disappointed with the scant number of details that one might expect from such a technical manual. There are a few photographs that show some of the processes (most of us know how to use a shoulder plane) but what was lacking were drawings to reinforce or to make clear some of the principles Lang was trying to describe. The book read like a series of essays rather than a substantive, technical manual with supporting details.
   
   The actual measured drawings are just that as they lack certain pertinent construction details. I am a fairly skilled woodworker, having started the craft at the age of fourteen and have continued until today, even after a successful career in architecture; and what I have concluded is that this book was hurriedly put together to meet some preset deadline. It is my opinion that if more time and thought was given by the author to the details it would have resulted in a much better book.
   
   So I am sorely disappointed with the contents and the lack of detailing and would not recommend this book to anyone but very experienced woodworkers. Mr. Lang has missed the mark this time and what a pity.



2. The two previous reviews by "experienced" craftsmen are laughable at the very least.
   
   A book of shop drawings is that. And this one is one of the best. It is not a tome for beginners or for those who do not have the ability to infer and who do not have spatial orientation necessary to derive results from DRAWINGS.
   
   The two previous reviewers must be very unhappy individuals to have to be led by the nose so much.
   
   As to this book. If you truly are a woodworker, this is a fine reference work. Not only that but it also deals somewhat with the philosophy of woodworking. That is always a good touch.



3. "Shop Drawings" is little more than it says it is. It would have been nice if it were more but it doesn't claim to be. If you have a background similar to Mr. Lang's as I do with drafting, then there is all you need to reproduce the Greene and Greene designs, at least from a dimensional stand point. You will however need to figure out the details on your own or reference some of the magazine articles on reproducing the Greene and Greene furnature. As Mr. Lang states in his book, it's not a how to guide. It's still a very good and informative book however and one you will want if you have visions of building some of this unique furnature.



4. This book is a welcome add to the many showing the arts & crafts furniture designs. The text and drawings are first rate and guide you through the design process. The author certainly has done a complete investigation to put together this fine review of the many arts & crafts furniture era.



5. This has to be the most beautiful book in the series of Arts & Crafts style shop drawings from Robert Lang, and I have them all. I have to say, almost every piece in this book is one where you have to decide that you are going to devote between 6 months and a year of your life to making. I have not yet made this committment, but I already see how reading this book has influenced some of the details on my other work. Gorgeous color plates of these masterpieces are included and everything is printed on archival quality glossy paper. Drawings are clear and descriptive text is concise and well written. Overall I recommend this to any student of Greene and Green (and Peter and John Hall, the craftsmen who actually built most of these pieces for them!)

4 comments about Quilts On The Double: Dozens of Easy Strip-Pieced Designs.

1. By the time I had gotten to the second page of this book, I was HOOKED. I thought "Finally, someone who makes quilt blocks easy AND they can be put together in so many ways". This will be a book that our guild can use over and over as we make our charity quilts for Habitat for Humanity and Love and Hugs.
   
   The book shows 15 quilts but I'm going to bet that those 15 are just the tip of the iceberg with what can be done with these easy to make blocks. Showing how the basic block is made takes only one page to explain while in depth directions follow. Six pages show various ways to put the blocks together to make different designs. The authors include a section on choosing fabrics and explaining about fat quarters and their equivalents. They show fabric values and how one color can be many shades.
   
   While you can make many, many designs with the basic block, the authors add another color triangle to the basic block which really gives you lots of possible designs. By cutting the triangles for each quilt, you will have pieces left over to make another one, thus the name, QUILTS ON THE DOUBLE. There are directions for making only one but if you are spending the time to cut for one, why not have pieces cut for a second without having to spend extra time to do it?
   
   Each quilt is shown finished and its size is given. The materials list shows what is needed for making one or both. Cutting and finishing instructions are clear and graphics show what the directions are talking about. Finishing is left up to the maker. Quilting basics are covered for a new quilter or to refresh your memory if needed. And the final page gives a bit about each author.



2. One of the best ideas I have seen. Can't wait to have a go at making the quilts in this book.



3. This is not just a book about variations in color and/or fabric style. The quilts you can design using the simple (yes, really simple) sewing and cutting methods are so varied that it's hard to believe they came from just 2 strips sewn together. The design possibilites remind me of the many ways there are to set together log cabin blocks; the difference here is that by beginning with 2 different sizes of strips sewn together,you end up with blocks that look really different from one another. You'll have top triangles, tail triangles and side triangles. And then the fun of designing begins.
   The book has very clear and detailed instructions, many illustrations, and advice for using prints, solids and stripes. (There is a great section on the specifics of using striped fabric successfully, something I've struggled with before.) Bravo to the authors for giving us all access to this great design concept!



4. Judy Hooworth and Margaret Rolfe's QUILTS ON THE DOUBLE offers dozens of easy strip-pieced quilt projects which tell how to convert one group of strip sets into two quilts. Easy eight-block pieces and fat quarters offer opportunities for literally dozens of designs. An excellent addition to any quilting library.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Disney's FamilyFun Crafts: 500 Creative Activities for You and Your Kids.

1. I have bought Family Fun magazine for years just for their craft section. They have great crafts for all ages, many made of inexpensive and easily available materials. I have not only used the crafts with my grandkids but also use them with my Sunday School class, with an age range of 4-13 years old. Many of their crafts make easy and attractive gifts for children to give at Christmas, etc., and they have a collection of things to make for school parties. I highly recommend this book.



2. this book only has about 20 crafts and almost all oif them use thread or pipe cleaners. They should have all of the supplies in the book but they make you go to the store and buy it. The crafts are not interesting and very boring. I suggest you don't buy this book.



3. Contains a good range of projects to keep the little ones interested and on-focus.



4. As an aunt of two nieces and two nephews and a volunteer library assistant, I've gone through MANY craft books, trying to find a good one since the girls especially seem to love creating their own toys.
   This series, and the other books in it, are WELL WORTH the money and shipping time, and what were what originally got me started shopping on Amazon.com.
   It's got plenty of illustrations and photos, the kids in it look like they genuinely enjoy the activities instead of just posing for the cameras, and the materials for most, if not all of them are cheap and easy to find for the most part at your local Wal-Mart, K-mart or craft shops.
   I recommend the entire series for busybody moms, dads, grandparents, godparents, aunts and uncles everywhere, as crafts and building together area GREAT way to bond with your little ones, and I have yet to see an unsafe craft in the books, so no worry about hazards either. Unless of course.. your kid has a taste for glue. XP



5. I bought this book quite a few years ago to entertain my grandchildren when they visited. The crafts are so easy and so much fun for all ages that I ordered a new one for my daughter-in-law to use with my grandson who is 3. Would recommend it to anyone who enjoys quality time with their children.

1 comments about Twentieth-Century Fashion.

1. I bought this book for my daughter who is studying Fashion Design as a freshman in high school. I think I may enmjoy the book more than she, especially the part about the 60s! The section on WWII is very interesting; did you know the reason men lost their turnups on trousers was due to rationing of fabric? I finally found out what utility fabric was and saw a picture of a demob suit! Not loads of pictures but those that there are are good and illustrate the text well.

No comments about 50 Nifty Quilled Cards.

5 comments about Felted Knits.

1. I started teaching myself to knit a few months ago. I have knitted several purses from the book Pursenalities by Eva Wiechmann.
   I am very excieted about Felted Knits because it offers several differemt projects from small to large and I can hardly wait to get started. The pictures are wonderful and the directions are clear and I can understand them. Also, the book has great information about felting and different yarns.



2. A good friend of mine has this book so prior to purchase, I was able to look at it. I enjoyed the variety of patterns as well as sizes, so, I decided to get one. I've made many pairs of the ballet slippers and right now, that seems to be where my main focus is. (You know, all of your friends see them and soon everyone wants a pair:0) There are mittens that are on my list to try next as well as a beautiful felted vest. There are some great bag patterns, as well as home furnishing patterns. The book is easy to read and the patterns easy to follow. I also love how the items are photographed, very country looking backgrounds that are used throughout. Two thumbs up for felted knits!!!



3. This is a great book even for a fairly new knitter. I made the oven mitt and it turned out just like it should. The info about felting in the washing machine is very complete. I only wish the directions for making the oven mitt had been a little bit more complete like letting the reader know to switch ti double pointed needles when shaping the mitt at the top.



4. I purchased this book because my sister highly recommended it. We have both gotten into felting. I love it. Except for pillows, I want to make everything in there. I am very pleased that I purchased it.
   Connie Flynn



5. Although I'm a moderate to experienced knitter I had never done felting. So the simple projects in this book were a nice and safe way to start with. Everything is described and explained clearly and thoroughly. I needed a bag and the first project I started with was the purple/red 'pocket bag'. It was easy and I am looking forward to the felting process. However, it would have been so nice if the recommended amount of yarn would have been sufficient.
   
   This book really has all the information and instructions on felting as far as I can see. I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact that I ran out of the purple before it was finished, and the red I'm working with now doesn't look too promising either.
   
   Other than that, I am looking forward to the other projects and I will purchase more than the recommended amounts of yarn ... ;-)