5 comments about Shop Drawings for Craftsman Interiors: Cabinets, Moldings & Built-Ins for Every Room in the Home (Shop Drawings series).

1. This book contains very good drawings of various craftsman details. Everything from front doors to various builtins. The author shows the historic details and how to recreate them with modern construction methods and materials. There are no color photos, but none are need for the type of book it is. I would love to have this author release a book on Craftsman Exteriors!!!!



2. This is a great book for the craftsman wanting to actually build Mission style furniture. While designs for many pieces are not included, the concepts of design and construction can be used to make pretty much any item you can dream up. A craftsman style entertainment center? Stickley would never have dreamed of it. You can combine a few designs and he would be proud of what you conceived.



3. The built-ins shown in this book are just what my old house needs to make it rustically "modern". I've hired a team of Amish carpenters to build them, as I don't trust my skill in that area just yet. Great book!



4. We own a home built in the Craftsman era, and are currently remodeling / restoring it. I have bought several books about home rehab, Craftsman furniture, etc., and was disappointed with every one of them. Then I purchased this book. The level of detail regarding moldings, for example, is incredible. The complete set of dimensions including radius data for the cove are included. Not only are all the major variants of Craftsman design illustrated and specified, the original drawings for cabinets are shown and then separate, updated drawings that conform to modern kitchen design standards are presented. Anyone who is interested in the architectural details of the Craftsman era should own this book. It is a MUST HAVE!



5. If you're looking forward to doing the interior trim of a craftsman or Roycroft style home this is the only book you need. It has page after page of clear shop drawings of all the trim that will need to go in every room of the house, and covers every interior trim eventuality throughout the entire house.
   
   Crown, base, casing, chair and picture rail moldings are shown in detail. Cabinet work for kitchen, bath, dining and living rooms, beams, columns, paneling, and doors are all shown in detail with full construction and assembly drawings.
   
   This book, a few power tools, and access to a lot of oak is all it will take to create comfortable, inviting interiors that look like they're a hundred years old. Even if you aren't finishing off a craftsman house the book is great reading to fully understand the style, and could easily be the impetus for a lot of shop projects.

5 comments about Peyote Stitch: Beading Projects.

1. I cannot express how pleased I am with this book...it provided good wasy to follow directions AND the phoroas were very inspiring!



2. Superb diagrams. Very easy to understand and follow.
   Very tasteful projects. An excellent how-to book for moderately experienced beaders.



3. I liked the pictures, but haven't taken the time to actually do the projects. I would recommend this for anyone wanting to learn this aspect of beading. I've done a little of it before, and it can have some spectacular results.



4. I enjoyed paging through the book and looking at the great photos as well as trying the projects. A new beader will find the book very helpful and seasoned beaders will be able to do the projects handily and take off on their own from there. A great all-around addition to a beader's library.



5. Love this book - most of the publications I end up buying I only work two or three projects, but there are only two or three in this book that I'm not interested in trying. They glaze over the odd count peyote stitch a little and focus on knot tying a little excessively, but it's still an excellent and inspirational book in a world where it's challenging to find much about peyote.

5 comments about Magic for Dummies.

1. (...)
   
   If you're looking for some new magic tricks and a good laugh (Eccl. 3:4), read "Magic for Dummies" by David Pogue. Don't let the title fool you, even experienced magicians can benefit from this book.
   
   The book contains many impromptu effects--things you can do anywhere with familiar objects. For example, you're in a restaurant with your friends and the conversation lulls. You take a packet of sugar off the center of the table and pour it into your clenched fist. Give it a little squeeze and "voila!" there's no sugar to be found.
   
   You could adapt many of the tricks to a Biblical theme. For example, "The Phantom Photo" is an illusion where you assemble an empty picture frame, an audience member selects a famous movie star, and their photo appears in the frame. This same illusion and a little imagination could turn it into a lesson about the major Bible prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
   
   Each chapter has something valuable. The effects are quite strong and unique. Many of the tricks were submitted by over 35 of the top magicians in the world. In addition to the secret, David adds tips and valuable suggested patter to the effects. The book contains several cartoons by Rich Tennant (The 5th Wave). One was especially appropriate for the Christian Conjuror and is included with this review.
   
   I found the answers provided to common questions like "How did you do that?" and things you can say when you flub a trick very helpful. Although I wish I never needed to use those lines, reality proves me wrong. It's good to be prepared. To help you become a well-rounded magician, David has also included a couple of chapters on the history of magic, describing some of the most famous magicians and incredible moments in magic.
   
   One appendix provides many places you can contact to continue with your interest in magic. There are many up-to-date internet addresses for information included as well. Unfortunately, the "Fellowship of Christian Magicians" is not listed. I've suggested this to the author for a future edition.
   
   Even if you bought the book and decided not to read it, you could always use the book as a prop in your next show. For comedy effect when a trick goes bad, pull the book out of your bag and pretend to check out the secret. It's always humbling to let your audience know that you consider yourself a "dummy" sometimes.
   
   All in all, "Magic for Dummies" is an excellent instructional book on magic for the beginner or professional. It's filled to the brim with practical illusions that you can do. David's sense of humor really makes the book fun to read. I give it a thumbs up!



2. This book provides the secrets behing some good fun and very easy to perform magic. The tricks are well described and if you are new to magic this is a great introduction.



3. the recipient enjoyed this gift. however, some of the illustrations are hard to follow. aside from that, it is a good first magic book.. or even for seasoned magicians to brush up on some old tricks



4. It was helpful. I am writing a script that requires a small amout of simple magic. I needed the book for helpful hints.



5. This book has some amazing stuff! Although I am an introvert, and certainly not one to be in the spotlight, I have really amazed some friends and relatives with some of the tricks (illusions) I have learned from this book. And it's been fabulous fun!!
   
   Each time I learned a trick from this book, I thought, "Will someone really believe this trick, it's so simple?" But guess what?? Their jaws dropped open, and they asked, "How DID you do that??" (NEVER tell!!)
   
   This book goes beyond just doing a trick, it goes into the psychology and illusion involved, which seems to make a great difference. Have a ball!

5 comments about The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide: Troubleshooting for Any Overlock Brand or Model (Creative Machine Arts Series).

1. If you are new to serging or even experienced, you will find this book a valuable asset in your sewing library. I am new to serging and have found it to be a very helpful. Most owner/instruction manuals tell you how to thread and use your machine but don't get into a lot of detail about the actual how-to of serging or problem-solving. This book covers everything from needles to sewing with various types of threads to troubleshooting with lots of illustrations and photographs.
   
   There is a reason why people buy sergers and never use them. Unlike sewing machines, sergers are a little more complicated and can be down right intimidating, so good reference books are a MUST! This book, along with "The New Singer Sewing With A Serger", have been very helpful to me. Sergers are great machines and reference books such as this will give you the confidence and ability to get through problems and master your serger.



2. My wife was a first time user of a serger that I bought her for Christmas (I know - great Christmas gift - but it was what she wanted!) - anyways, she tells me that this book is very helpful for providing a lot of useful hints past the basic instructions you get with a new serger - she would recommend it for anyone who usually needs just a little more hints tht a basic instruction guide provides



3. I am looking to buy a serger, and this book is helping me decide what features I should look for. I find this book to be very informative and is layed out well for easy skimming. This book came to me highly recommended, and I now can highly recommend it.



4. I had borrowed this book from the local library and knew I had to have one on hand as a reference guide. It's primarily a trouble-shooting book, (you won't find creative techniques or project ideas) so if you know that up-front, you can't find a better book of its type. It covers everything from understanding and making adjustments to tensions to telling you where to look for typical causes of malfunctions. (I could have saved a trip to the repair shop a few months ago if I had this book and known my breaking needle was caused by improper threading -- who'd have guessed!?) It also has a wonderful section of photos showing the use of unexpected threads in the loopers to create decorative finishes and giving tips and difficulty ratings for those finishes. For me, this was a must-have reference book.



5. I recently bought a serger. I have have never used one before and donot have technical backup from the dealer (I bought online). Anyway this book is one of three I bought on serging and it is the best and indepensible to anyone who owns a serger. The photographs and information are clear and easy to use. This book and your manual are all you need to get the best out of your serger in my opinion.

5 comments about Dream Sewing Spaces: Design & Organization for Spaces Large and Small.

1. I ordered this book to help get some ideas to set up my new sewing room. I found a lot of useful ideas inside this book to help me create my own space to work in. It also gives you ideas to use items that you currently own in your house.



2. A sewing instructor recommended this book, and she was right. It has everything you need to know to set up a sewing space complete with measurements and layouts and recommendations for low-end and high-end materials. This will be in my library waiting until I have the money to build a really good studio in future. In the meantime, when I am ready to make a purchase, I can refer to this to make sure I am buying the right thing for my size and space.



3. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend. It is full of color pictures, diagrams and various chapters on how to set up your dream sewing space. It is very easy to read and understand, and I am so glad I was able to get my hands on a copy!



4. This book is one to dream over. I like the example rooms listed with floor plans for sewing spaces. Even if you only have a closet, it shows you how to utilize the features of a closet space for sewing! I have a storage/guest room I want to turn into a sewing area, so this gives me and my hubby lots of ideas on how to do it in the future. I am sure I will use this book to look over and over again. Happy Sewing Room Planning!
   
   This book also includes serger/sewing machine configurations. I also have a knitting machine that I plan to put in mine--just adding that table to the room is easy enough for planning--I may just need a little more space. Also, you can use this book's ideas for a quilting area/center as well.



5. I'm in the planning stage for turning a small home office into a sewing room. This book contains both layout ideas and guidelines for determining appropriate heights for sewing, cutting, and pressing areas based on personal measurements. After looking for some time, I don't believe there's a better resource available to get you dreaming and designing!

5 comments about Ruth B. McDowell's Design Workshop: Turn Your Inspiration into an Artfully Pieced Quilt.

1. I have been experimenting with my own designs and representating them in a more artistic point of view. My desire is to create work that pops with my perspective. This book is already showing signs of distress as I continue to go back and examine the methods and the examples. This book is for a quilt artist who wants to set goals and methodically achieve them. Written with a solid perspective that yes you too can accomplish master work. I believe quilters or fabric artists can add this book to their library and know it won't gather dust.



2. Good book, well worth the time to read for any innovative quilters. Ruth does a really workmanlike job on her books.



3. This book by Ruth B. McDowell is amazing. It contains many suggestions, with demonstrations, that can encourage individualism with designing your own quilts. I love this book and it is worth every penny that I paid. This information is not offered in the general, informational, quilt books. Thanks again, Ruth!



4. This book is inspiring and precise. Each step of the process of creating challenging curved pieces is clear. Just love her encouragement and helpful hints. I have learned so much following her clear directions.



5. Another book from Ruth with exceptional information regarding quilt design, use of fabric and techiques.

2 comments about The Cardmaker's Workbook: The Complete Guide to Design, Color, and Construction Techniques for Beautiful Cards.

1. This is a great book for all card makers. I'm not sure where to start... I like the way it discusses major color principles and theories, it helped me put together colors I wouldn't have thought to put together before. It also gives 'Designer Swatches' and then shows a couple of different cards created with those colors, which is great for new ideas. I love the "Designer Model" cards, they look so complicated, but Jenn breaks them down step by step so they will be easy to re-create. She also gives tips on how to simplify design for those 50 Holiday cards or party invitations you need to make. All in all there's something in here for card makers at all levels. Not only does it showcase some beautiful cards, there are also helpful reasons to send cards, "Sorry about your splinter" is definitely deserving of a card, and not one I would have thought about before...lol...



2. this is a good book but not a step by step . only shows finished designs for us to make.

5 comments about Designer's Guide to Furniture Styles (2nd Edition).

1. I found the book to be a good overall reference and extremely
   useful in explaining period furniture to my design clients. I would like to have seen more coverage of Mid-century Modern, especially the work of Edward Wormley and DUNBAR.

   Definitely worth the money - should be all designers reference
   libraries...




2. This book has brief history lessons on furniture from the begining of time! It's a great reference when you need an answer about a design period- quick! A must for every Interior Designer!



3. I was not impressed when I received this book, with the quality of the paper or the overall presentation. I thought some of the photography left much to be desired quality-wise. However, it is quite a comprehensive book and I leaned on it considerably in my studies of furniture and design. So don't let me put you off. I just think that, with all the research and hard work involved, and considering the price, a better quality might have been forthcoming.



4. Based on the reviews of this book I decided to buy it! To my absolute shock, I dont understand who wrote these great reviews??? They were probably written by the publisher or author of this book.
   What a waste of time and money. Being a designer myself, i ve got every possible book on interior design, and furniture styles that are out on the market. Based on the price of this book, and good reveiws, I figured it would be a great addition to my collection of books and references. Its poorly printed, very bad paper quality, no detailed shots of the furniture pieces, and not worth the price whatsoever. I mean if the publisher is charging this price, then the least they could do is print it on good paper and have clearer pictures.
   I am extremely dissapointed and returning the book asap.
   If u enjoy throwing your money away on a small book with poorly printed pictures(aside from the info, which is fine)then this is the book to buy . But if you are looking for details of furniture, including the background and history, and worth every penny, then i suggest you buy (Furniture: World Styles From Classical to Contemporary by Judith Miller )



5. This book is wonderfully educational. It takes you back to the beginning of furniture and walks you through the centuries providing you with the intial inspiration through Modern design. Great pictures too.

5 comments about Aranzi Cute Stuff.

1. I can't praise this book highly enough. The basic projects are simple to make, but also highly functional. The emphasis on "making things the way you like" gives this book a welcoming feel.
   
   There are few projects in this book that you can't add a felt appliqué to, making it easy to personalize your projects.
   
   In addition to the great projects and patterns in this book, the book itself is a joy to read-- if you're anything like me, the writing will have you in stitches (pun intended)!



2. My 13 yo has ripped through Aranzi's Cute Book this summer. After years of doing craft projects that were fun, but not fun enough that she wanted to repeat, she has found one she wants more and more of: making Aranzi's charming little characters. A happy bonus is she's caught up on thank you's, mailing off sophisticated little creatures (holding message signs she cuts out of felt)to every adult who ever did her a kindness, and making them for children she babysits too.
   
   Last week she asked me to order another book so she can do more, but this book offers nothing new - the characters are almost all recycled from the Cute Book. They are applied to accessories in this book, but these are uninspired and predictable. We're so disappointed, after the freshness of the Cute Book.
   
   I'm trying to keep in mind that these books are written for very beginner sewers who lack the confidence to make their own patterns, but everything Aranzi does really could be designed by anyone capable of sewing them up, and I'd encourage everyone to try. Look at the cover of this book, and just pick up a couple rectangles of fabric and go for it. I bet you will come up with successful projects that are every bit as fun and cute as these.



3. This book is ideal for a beginner! The patterns are easy to use and the directions are very simple to follow!
   
   I love this book!



4. i love this book. the projects are simple, and the instructions are very detailed. i haven't had any problems making anything in this book so far. and the results are TOO CUTE! it's a great book for a crafter of any level. :)



5. I love every Aranzi Aronzo book I have, but this one is just great for my daughter and I both. Lots of Japanese style mascots and crafts, and many of them are made with felt and can be done by hand. Tissue covers, easy running stitch embroidery (that's just impossibly cute), water bottle holders, and lots of bags. There are some simply adorable keyring patterns I can't wait to try. It's fun and inspiring. I think I'm going to have my daughter decide on a project, then draw her own character up we can make a pattern for.
   The instructions are well written and very cute, and there is a conversational feel to the project descriptions that made me laugh out loud at times. I'm glad I got it.

2 comments about Foxfire 9 (Foxfire).

1. The entire Fox Fire colledtion should be required reading for all people of this country. You would get a feel for where we came from and our heritage. The books show a deep respect for each other, God and country. Very good.



2. I bought the book because it has one of the best sections on fire pit firing of homemade pottery that I have seen, complete with excellent photos, as well as step by step info and historical info. The section on Quilting - The Joy Of My Life - Auntie Arie Carpenter is extensive and even has templates you can copy and use for making your own quilts. There is also a wonderful section on the country store, which as I read it seemed to be a combination of pay with cash or goods, like eggs, crops etc. Very worth the expense and a book I will treasure.