5 comments about The Rubber Stamper's Bible.

1. The Rubber Stamper's Bible
   
   Very good book. I wish I knew about it when I started stamping two years ago. If you are just starting to stamp, it explains the differnt inks, cardstocks, tools, techniques, etc. which would have been such an asset instead of my learning bits and pieces at a time. I would have at least knew what people were talking about.



2. One of the most wonderful books for Stampers.
   Very clear and great to have.



3. I just received this book today and read it cover to cover. It has everything. It's well organized, lists items you need to create a project, has step-by-step directions and tips. The pictures show you the process and gave me many ideas to copy. This is a beautifully presented book. You can't go wrong with Francoise Read's book.



4. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. By far the best book I have seen on the subject.



5. The Basics Equipment: stamps and inkpads, plus combined results Tools: the essentials, plus punches, thermal embossing tools, glues, wire tools and more exciting possibilities.
   
   Materials: the embossing powders- glues, colouring mediums etc that take stamping beyond the basics.
   
   Papers: what's out there and how to use it.
   
   Simple Stamping Workshop back-to-basics guide to perfecting the foundations - inking brush markers accurate positioning masking clear stamps simple embossing
   
   Presentation Workshop Basic design: layouts composition presentation Colour schemes: including swatches and finished examples
   
   Applying colour: applying inks, chalks, sponging and more Finishing touches: glitter, ribbon, charms, eyelets etc
   
   Creative Workshop 19 step-by-step, technique-led illustrated projects (mostly cards), plus a gallery of samples each for further creativity Acetate Bleaching Brayering Chalks Collage Cut Away Decoupage and 3D Decoupage Direct to Paper Embellishing Masking Metal Foil Multi Embossing Pearl Effects Resist Embossing Shadow Stamping Shrink Plastic Style Stones Vellum Velvet Paper Suppliers
   
   - Acknowledgments
   - Index

5 comments about The Art of Floral Design.

1. this was a required book for a class I took in floral design. The book covers most aspects of floral design from arranging to marketing. If you are looking to learn how to design arrange flowers this is a good reference book.



2. Used this book for a college class I was taking. I found this book to very easy to understand and helpful in making floral designs. The illustrations pictured, captured exactly what was being taught. A great book for beginners.



3. I teach floral design and use this book in my classroom. It's great. The students like it and it is very helpful for them



4. The content of the book was in good condition, but the cover of the book was split in half and not in A1 condition. I was disappointed in that.



5. The Art of Floral Design
   
   I am curently a student of floral design and i have to say that this book is my bible. It has helped me so much i love it and so do all of my friends even thoughs whom dont attend my class. They have learned so much from it i have a cupple friends that purchesed the book and next year are going to attened the class. the book is simple enough for everyone and yet difficult enough so you dont get bored if it. i love this book, if you want to learn more about floral design i strongly suggest you bye it. thanks for your time and you have my best wishes.

5 comments about Furniture Repair & Refinishing (Ultimate Guide).

1. This is a great introduction book to furniture repair.

   The book is organized in these main sections:
   1. Tools and materials 63 pp.
   2. Structural repairs 98 pp.
   3. Preserving an original finish 20 pp.
   4. Stripping, finishing, and hardware restoration 43 pp.

   The most valuable for me was the section on structural repairs. Over 20 projects that need various repair jobs, each is done, step by step, illustrated with lots of clear, full-color photos.

   This book would well-equip you to handle most repairs of a non-conservation nature (not highly valuable pieces).

   Brian, if you're listening, I'd like to see you do a book this size on touch up, repair and color matching!




2. If you only wish to buy one book on repair of old furniture, this is the book. The author is a true specialist within the field and everything is explained and illustrated excellently. In addition it's a very pretty book with many fine photos. The only little flaw is that the info on refinishing is a little scattered. Anyway, the info is there. Go buy the book!



3. Along with the other book I purchased I should now be able to restore some old pieces that I find or already have. I will be quite busy doing these repair.



4. After my grandmother went into a nursing home 3 years ago, I aquired the old kitchen furniture she had. Consisting of a square table (complete with a green Formica top!), 4 matching chairs and a hutch. Dating back to the late 1950's or early 60's, every piece needed some refinishing. And 2 of the 4 chairs were rather wobbly. This book addressed all of the issues I was concerned with, including clean-up, stripping the old finish, applying the new finish and repairs. When you balance the value, monetary or sentimental, of your furniture against the price of this book, it's as much of a good investment as the furniture itself.
   
   My only gripe, and it's a minor one: A lot of items like aniline stains and upholstery items for chairs are things you're not going to find at your local Home Depot or corner hardware store. It would have been nice if the author had provided a list of reliable internet and mail order suppliers.



5. Another fantastic book on how to repair wood furniture. I was able to correctly, and easily repair several old furniture items. Highly recommend this book for those who are involved in furniture repair, as I am.

5 comments about Origami Design Secrets: Mathematical Methods for an Ancient Art.

1. By far and away the most comprehensive book on origami design and theory that I have every seen. There are thousands of books containing origami models, but few, if any, actually take the time to explain how the models were created in the first place. If Robert Lang didn't already hold a Ph.D., this book could serve as a dissertation. In addition to the theory and concepts of origami model design, this book also contains excellent models that demonstrate the principles covered in each chapter. I have always enjoyed folding Robert Lang's models in the past. They are challenging and extremely rewarding. I am a very good techincal folder but I could never really create my own models. This book has started me on my own path towards creating my own origami models to fold. While this book certainly could be useful to beginning origami folders, it best serves intermediate to advanced enthusiasts.



2. Dr. Lang delves into the hows and whys of origami design exploring origami the way Alton Brown explores food and cooking.
   
   The instructions for creating beautifully made koi decorating the cover are not included in their entirety, notably excluding the sequence for creating the scales. Instead, Lang describes the principles and techniques for creating textures on paper, leaving the creation of the fish as an exercise for the reader.
   
   If you're looking for a recipe book for cool origami designs, then this is not the book for you. Rather, this book is for anyone curious about just how the heck someone makes a cuckoo clock out of one uncut sheet of paper.



3. This book is a MUST HAVE for the origami enthusiast - it begins with excellent coverage of the basics and each chapter builds on the last. When you finish this book, you'll be able to fold anything, except maybe time and space ;-)



4. This book is amazing, if a little daunting. It will take some time but I hope to be creating my own patterns some day. Happy folding!



5. This is a must have book for origami designer as well as folder.
   Robert J. Lang is obviously a great author.
   
   The delivery of Amazon is faster than I experted.
   The book was in good condition when I received it.

5 comments about Creative Embellishments: For Paper, Jewelry, Fabric and More.

1. I received this book in record time; before it was due! Absolutely in excellent condition; I LOVE it!



2. I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend, and I was not disappointed. I have worked on mixed media backgrounds, but this book took me to another level of using embellishments with my backgrounds.



3. Very well written, descriptive, and illustrated. Each subject has it's one descriptions and "gallery" so that you can see various applications and results. Plan on using many of the techniques, now that I have the visuals.



4. I love the book and the colors! There are organized chapters on Tools, Supplies, Techniques, Embellishments etc. Beautiful, wonderful pictures and galleries; Great instructions.
   I would recommend this book to all levels of expertise. There are so many of the techniques I can't wait to try.



5. As Visionary of The Blessing Project I'm always looking for new ideas for our gift products. When I got this magical book I immediately sat down and went through it page by page until the wee hours of the morning--I couldn't put it down. Her ideas are not only creative and beautiful but extensive. I was so impressed by her work that our Creative Director and I went to her next workshop and look forward to continuing work with her. Sherrill is very generous with her ideas and we were delighted to be able to show her how we have used her Angels in our art products. Now we still have the detailed instructions in the book to refer to back at home. Many blessings, Debra Aaron, CEO of The Blessing Project

5 comments about Home Quick Planner: Reusable, Peel & Stick Furniture & Architectural Symbols.

1. I bought this product, as opposed to other similar ones, because of the other reviews/ratings. I thought it was going to be like the Colorforms toys we played with as kids. Instead, the pieces are black and white, very tiny, and hard to stick/unstick. I know it says everything is proportioned but some of the chairs are nearly as large as the fireplace. After trying for about an hour to arrange a single room using this product, I gave up.



2. As an Interior Designer for 20 years, the problem I have with computerized design programs is that you can't take them with you. The Home Quick Planner is one of the few things that really is easier and more efficient without a computer. These planners allow me to easily come up with several different design options for my clients, and perhaps more importantly, gives my clients the flexibility to play around with different layouts and furniture placement on their own. In addition, their 1/4" scale makes them a perfect fit to be dropped right into standard architectural plans. I have found these to be an invaluable, time saving tool. They just work better, and my clients love them!



3. The Home Quick Planner is an excellent way to lay out and discover alternative floor plans, decorating ideas and propose major home remodeling changes. I have found it very helpful.



4. I got this from my husband for my birthday and I was very excited, but once I got to working with the kit I could not finish my project because there were not enough of the wall strips. So if you are doing a large plan this kit may not be what you need without purchasing additional kits, but if you are doing a small plan or single room remodels its fine.



5. I purchased this for my interior design class. This has proven to be a great asset for furniture placement. The templetes are reuseable

5 comments about Serger Secrets: High-Fashion Techniques for Creating Great-Looking Clothes.

1. By far, my favorite serger technique book. A must for those who want to learn serger tricks and techniques.



2. I found this book very useful especially since I am a novice at using my serger. I found techniques in it that I didn't know existed. The pictures are very clear. A must have for sewing refernce library.



3. I am fairly new to serging; I had accomplished the basic skills and purchased this book hoping to discover some new techniques and to get step-by-step directions for other techniques I had seen or heard of but wasn't quite sure of how to accomplish them. It wasn't quite what I expected - there aren't too many creative, innovative techniques you won't find elsewhere, but what you will find is very detailed and easy to follow information on basic techniques of garment construction. I was amazed at the ease in which some of the tasks you've traditionally done on the sewing machine can be converted to a serger in techniques that are much faster, less trouble and with really professional results. The writing is clear and concise and very easy to follow and the pictures are remarkable. Although I don't make a lot of clothing projects, I'm sure I'll get a lot of use from this book. For anyone who primarily sews clothing and is learning to serge, this book will be an absolute treasure. There's also good information on some other basics that we all need to know - how the serger works, care and maintenance, thread choices and much more. This is a good book to have on hand and I'm sure I'll refer back to it often.



4. I ordered this book because of its description and because I wanted to determine my need for an updated serger machine. Serger Secrets: High-Fashion Techniques for Creating Great-Looking Clothes gives very clear directions, multiple photos of cut pieces, stitching, and the finished product. It uses insert lists for settings and materials, with Fast Fix notes for troubleshooting. I am finding it very helpful in seeing all that I can do with my present serger and hope to purchase a new serger after I've saved more money. The High Fashion techniques show how the professional readywear is made. It was just what I was looking for in this book.



5. I'm new to serging and wanted to know what kind of tasks my new machine will accomplish. This book fills the bill very well. Although I'm not necessarily going to try to repeat some of the featured projects, they do offer a good selection of ideas and demonstrate how much you can do with your serger. For home sewers used to only a sewing machine, it's an eye-opener.
   
   Absolute beginners will want another book to supplement this one; it doesn't have much to say about set-up and mastering basic stitches.

No comments about Mother Earth's ABC: A Quilter's Alphabet and Story Book.

4 comments about Foxfire 10 (Foxfire).

1. Both my husband and I enjoyed this book. He is from W.N.C. and enjoyed reading about areas near where he grew up. I liked it also, having lived there for four years.



2. The Foxfire books are a wonderful thing and we are so lucky to have them. Many of the ways, crafts, planting lore, animal lore, and as the book says "affairs of plain living" are preserved here. This particular volume includes oral histories of the Great Depression, CCC Camps and their impact on the local areaa and ecomomy, folk art, chair makeing, and of special interest to me, gourd art. This is a wonderful recording of life the way it was and probably never will be again. The book is quite well written and has faithfully recorded even the dialect of these wonderful people, from which so many of us sprung. That is a big part of the charm of these works. This book includes actual interviews with folks from that region of the country which I am sure are long dead now. Their knowledge would be completely lost without works such as this. Another generation or two and it will all be completely gone. This book will cetainly be of great interest to those, like me, who are interested in the depression era and in the CCC in particular. Thank goodness we have recordings such as this. Recommend this one highly.



3. It's a great deal of fun to read about the historical needs and solutions of the Appalachian people that applies as well to my own history. There are great reminders of a simpler and maybe happier life.



4. I have been collecting and reading the Foxfire series for several years now and I consider them as some of the best reading that I have found.I think that they are a direct link to our mountain heritage as well as American history. I have learned many skills and lost arts from these books and I would highly recommend them to anyone who has such interests.

5 comments about Design!: A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists & Craftspeople.

1. The book is well-written and the examples include some stunning and unusual pieces of art and craft (including painting, photography, pottery, needlework, quilting and more). It is an excellent introduction to design for beginners (artists, craftsmen and art-lovers) but even intermediate readers will find it useful.



2. This book is a very good choice if you are looking to broaden your horizons in design. There are lots of pictures for examples, and the text is easy reading.



3. As a beginning student of design, I've been looking at a number of texts. This is the best I've come across so far. The concepts are presented concisely and in a well-organized format. The illustrations are superb, drawing from a number of crafts, media, and styles. The tone is friendly and encouraging. Recommended highly!



4. Great book. Easy to understand and use.Great for anyone yearning to learn about design in the 3d aspect.



5. This is a great reference for any artist or art teacher. I learned design as a freshman in college. That was about 20 years ago. Design is still a very important part of what I do especially since now I must teach it. This book will help any artist improve her/his work. It will also enable teachers to better instruct their students in the elements and principles of design. Highly recommended.