5 comments about The Everything Kids' Puzzle Book: Mazes, Word Games, Puzzles & More! Hours of Fun! (Everything Kids Series).

1. My 8 year old grandson loves this book that we got him for Christmas. He works on it all the time. Would like more Canadian stuff in it but not really a huge problem. Would buy this for the others when they are older.



2. What an awesome book! For kids who loves puzzles, mazes, and word games, this is the perfect gift. I'm giving this to my son, who is 11, for Christmas -- I know it's going to be a winner!



3. I've purchased this item for 11-13 year olds. It is an interesting, varied, not-your-run-of-the-mill activity book, with cute illustrations. A caveat is a large scatter of difficulty among activities, which created frustration when activities could not be figured out (it would've been better to mark activities with level of difficulty so children knew when they were approaching the most difficult ones), and some unusual and rather idiosyncratic answers that were difficult even for adults to come up with or explain. Overall, good fun.



4. nice layout, could have used better quality paper and more color print, but all in all a good series of books, great for older kids.



5. Nice activity book but would not recommend for younger children (ages 6-7) as many of the activities are too difficult for that age.

5 comments about Natural Knits for Babies and Moms: Beautiful Designs Using Organic Yarns.

1. I couldn't care less if the animal or plant my yarn came from was given spa treatment before harvesting. That said, this book is a must have if you like heirloom-quality patterns or are a fan of Debbie Bliss and/or Erica Knight.
   
   With the exception of the adult-size sweaters, the patterns are mostly done in DK weight yarns, on straight needles (including the hats), and in needle sizes typical to the yarn and patterns (sizes 3-6).
   
   There is a boy version and a girl version for 6 patterns. Singular patterns have an equal number of boys patterns and girls patterns. Yarns can easily be substituted.
   
   The adult sweaters (one for maternity and two for nursing) are pretty in their symplicity and practical in their use (the maternity sweater has ties on the side bottom to let out as your tummy gows. The nursing sweaters have buttons down the front on each side like princess seams to make easy-access nursing.) They are done in Worsted Weight yarns, on size 7-8 straight needles. There is also a nursing shawl done in a hole-y leaf-lace pattern.
   
   
   Don't let the lack of circular needles deter you. Some people--including us experienced ones--just like to do it the traditional way on straight needles. And professionals know that seaming makes for stronger, longer lasting seams--which is what "Heirloom" is all about.



2. I like this book better than "Knitting for Two" book. I think this one has some easier patterns in it along with better idea of what the pattern looks like, etc. I hope to make a couple of items from this book when I can find time!



3. I'm all for simplicity and styles that will last through time. This book it it! As a fan of Debbie Bliss, this one fits perfectly in my collection... and I don't even have kids! I bought it for making gifts for my friends having children and my cousins. It's simple, classic, pottery-barn style stuff that is sure to please. I LOVE the hat and booties... they make the best gifts to give a loved one. And the fact that they included a few designs for moms is totally great and they are beautiful. If you don't have this book, get it! I can't even believe that a few people gave it a bad review.



4. I did not receive this book. The USPS state they delivered it on 4-28-08, but I never got it. I have been told someone must have stolen it from my front porch. I really enjoy the author as she creates very interesting and easy to follow knitting patterns.



5. I didn't care for this book as much as I had hoped. I like the finer knits for babies and this one used dk and worsted weight yarns instead of the fingering yarn I was looking for. If the cover had stated that I would not have bought the book. However since I like most of the patterns I am going to adapt the patterns to the yarn that I like.

3 comments about A New Twist on Strips n' Curves: Featuring Swirl, Half Clamshell, Free-Form Curves & Srips n' Circles.

1. Paper piecing is not a new method but since the book is I was very
   disappointed when I realized that in the 90's I had purchased a book with the same pattern in it. I guess I expected to buy a new book with new patterns and this is my reason for being disappointed. If you are new
   to paper-piecing this book would be somewhat helpful.



2. mind you I haven't made this very complicated project yet.
   
   but her ideas certainly solved a design problem I'd been having.



3. Creative ideas don't get any better than this. Sit down with a cup of tea, a sketch pad and get great thoughts. I wouldn't be without this quilting book in my library. Not your everyday, cut and sew book.

1 comments about The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens: Design, Plan & Install a Dream Kitchen (Black & Decker Complete Guide).

1. Our house is now about twenty-five years old and we've recently begun overhauling and replacing a lot of stuff. Painting is easy, and laying tile isn't too difficult to learn, but tackling bathrooms and kitchens is notoriously difficult. This volume in the "Black & Decker" series is pretty good, walking you through all the pats of the kitchen -- cabinets, countertops, fixtures, appliances, floors, lighting, etc -- identifying the options for each, and showing you how to calculate costs. And, for that matter, helping you decide which parts you can probably do yourself and which you really want to call on a professional for. (Personally, I'm not about to take on electrical or plumbing systems!) There are a huge number of detailed color photos, especially for key operations like leveling tile, floating a floor, and installing under-cabinet lighting (something my wife really wants). They'll also show you which specialized tools you really need to use. An excellent book in an above-average series.

3 comments about Creative Wedding Decorations You Can Make.

1. The book has some neat and wonderful creations but deals primarily with silk flowers for the crafts and it doesn't fully offer explanations or detailed instructions on some of the crafts. Most arrangements or crafts are primarily traditional older ideas, nothing with a contemporary touch for the 90's.



2. I'm so sorry that i didnt read the costomer review before i buy it, it is so disapointed and all what the costomer says about it is true, blus no any creative idea, this book didnt provide you with any idea that can make your wedding party special, dont waste your money on it and try to find another book.



3. Each craft comes with a list of needed materials--very good. I see this as a basic 'how-to' for untrained crafters/high school wedding party on the cheap. If you think of changing some of the ideas for prom night, the real customer for this book is a high school junior

2 comments about Haeckel's Art Forms from Nature CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art).

1. The illustrations in this book are a wonder for the eyes. The biologist who did the illustrations was more than a scientist, but also an artist. These images can be found on the web in many places, but the benifit to buying the book is to have the quality printed pages and a disk for easy use.



2. The book is all that it says it is. The images are beautiful but all in all they are pretty low quality.

5 comments about Flameworking: Creating Glass Beads, Sculptures & Functional Objects.

1. I am a new lampworker, more interested in soft (Moretti/Effetre) glass, so this book wasn't as helpful as I had hoped since it focuses solely on "hard" glass. But the techniques and instructions are well written and would be very helpful.



2. I like the book a lot and am more than pleased with the projects. I love that there is a progression of more difficult projects that build skills. Unfortunately, the writing and pictures are not set up alongside each other, and where the directions are not easy to follow, the photos are not right beside the text (rather, they are on a different page) to clarify the directions.
   This book is a lot better than the couple of books I have read in the library which had lots of pictures but no really clear directions to help a person make the projects they describe. So, I give this one a 4, and I do recommend it to people who do basic bead making and glass fusing and know a number of the simpler techniques. This book will take you further and make flameworking and fusing many times more fun.



3. I am new to flamework. I ordered this book to prepare me for a seminar. It was ideal for this purpose. It is written clearly. The photographs help to illustrate the author's points. I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to flamework. To be fair, the book does not focus on beadwork. It provides an overview of flamework including the making of beads and figurines.



4. As a novice flameworker this book has given me the desire to move forward and do more than just beads. It provides detailed instructions with pictures to move into other types of glassworking.



5. I haven't had the opportunity to take any flameworking classes and I progressed quickly through the skills described in the beginning lampwork books. I felt like I'd stalled in learning with lampwork. I saw lampwork by artists that I wished I knew how they'd done that and this book finally crossed that bridge for me. It's rather advanced and requires a larger torch than I have but at least I can see things to work towards.
   
   I like this book.

3 comments about Victorian Houses (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. I just purchased these Dover COloring Books for my mother and she loves them. The detail is out of this world and the variety of colors you can use are only limited by your inagination. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



2. This coloring book has highly detailed, architectural pictures for grown-ups who still love to color. And while children might possibly enjoy this type of coloring book, the finely detailed, intricate pictures would definitely be more fully appreciated by older teens or adults.



3. Since I've already completed Victorian Fashions Stained Glass Coloring Book (Dover Pictorial Archives) by Marty Noble, this truly fabulous collection of almost thirty Victorian homes is a natural companion!
   
   What makes this particular Dover Publication so fascinating to me is the fact that these amazing houses are real houses from Baltimore, Newport, San Francisco and more. You are only limited by what your imagination dictates to make each and every one your own!
   
   Victorian Houses (Dover Pictorial Archives) is a joy to own and make your own with any media you choose!

5 comments about Perfumes, Splashes & Colognes: Discovering and Crafting Your Personal Fragrances.

1. Some Amazon reviewers seem to miss completely the point of the books they are rating. One example: among the reviews of a book on yoga for (very) fat people, some commentators criticize the author for changing some of the classical positions. If one can work out the correct positions, why is he(she) meddling into, and messing up, the references for less fortunate people?
   
   This book is another case. It clearly states that it is for beginers (and, by the way, never claims to be solely about 'natural' perfumes). A couple of reviewers criticize it for containing a classification of popular commercial perfumes into the categories of scents that is used in the text.
   
   Is it really that difficult to figure out why such a table is useful for someone that is seeing a perfumes classification scheme for the first time? For those that still don't get it: it's because you exemplify each category with a scent that the reader either very probably knows (since he's reading a book on perfumes, chances are he knows the most common commercial ones) or can easily go to a nearby drugstore and try it.
   
   Not only that, but we can all presume that one of the pleasures of learning the basics of perfume-making is when, for the first time, you make a "perfect copy" of commercially successfull product.
   
   This is the sort of explanation that naturaly comes to anyone that approaches a book with a clear, good-natured mind. People who are unable to put themselves into the targeted audience's shoes would do better avoiding the confusion they create with their self-centered opinions.



2. Good exposition of history of perfume, basic types, and so on. Good instructions on how to start making your own.



3. This book arrived on time and was exactly as described. It's been fun playing around with making my own fragrances and not having to pay top dollar to smell good (smile). Will purchase from this company again!



4. I pretty much knew nothing about perfumes before I read this book. I know quite a bit about aromatherapy, but not perfumes. For me, this book was easy to read/follow and I liked the history that it included. The recipes in the book were pretty basic and were fun and easy to try out. A "must read" for anyone wanting to start learning about perfumes.



5. If you are just starting out this is a great book. It breaks down a lot of info and gives you some great recipes to try on your own.

5 comments about Fabulous Jewelry from Found Objects: Creative Projects, Simple Techniques (Lark Jewelry Book).

1. Marthe Le Van has put together a fun collection of easy to locate "found objects", the designs are usually funky and are achievable if you have a gerneral understanding of jewellery making. With written directions only, no pictures of the step by step, this is not for a beginner. There is a good introduction, listing the tools and terms together with basic instructions at the start of how to do certain tasks - i.e soldering, wire wrapping etc. Loads of ideas from pencils, to toothpicks,fur, bone and broken records etc. I especially liked the Check it Out section contained in each project, this section gives a brief overview/history of the material used. Not all projects have a Track it Down Paragraph, but when it is listed it is very handy, listing ideas such as "The electrical wire in the brooch came out of an old radio". Gallery was good but not brilliant as it could have been. Overall a nice book,glad I added it to my collection. I am sure my Mixed Media Jewellery students will appreciate it.



2. I found this book to be interesting and fun but not as inspirational as I had hoped. I'm sure that I will use the techniques in the future however.



3. This was a gift for a friend who is always looking for ways to be creative. She also wanted to learn some basic jewelry making methods, and this seemed to fit the bill. She says she loves it and learns a little something new each time she tries a new project or modifies a project from the book!



4. This book is a well written, easy to follow tutorial on how to make art from what others may consider junk. Great photos, inspiring ideas and good writing make this book a must have for innovative jewelry designers.



5. This book is okay. There are some fun pieces, but a lot of the jewelry looked more like "found objects" than like "fabulous jewelry."
   
   Note: I think "okay" should be three stars, not two, but I couldn't figure out how to change that!