5 comments about Plush-o-Rama: Curious Creatures for Immature Adults.

1. Plush monsters are wonderful. You can make dozens of mistakes while making them and at the end of the day you can pretend that they were all intentional. It doesn't matter. This book provides patterns and instructions for making 30 such monsters, some of which I think are very cute, such as Catzilla and the half-eaten gingerbread men, and some of which just don't appeal at all (in my opinion, the Pig/Duck is just creepy). However, the fact that I don't like all of the patterns doesn't bother me because this book is just as useful for providing inspiration and advice on various toy-making techniques as it is for giving instructions. After all, monster making is about making what you want to make, not about following a set of rules.
   
   Each pattern in this book is designed by a different designer, which is great because it means that there is more variety in the patterns that if they were all designed by the same person. In that respect, there are many similarities between this book and "Plush You!" Both books serve as galleries for soft toy designers. However, "Plush You!" failed by only providing patterns for a small number of the toys (the least impressive ones), while this book does not make that mistake.
   
   This is a very good book for beginners. Most of the toys are very easy to make and basic sewing technique instructions are provided for novices. In a number of cases the toys look like they may have been made from cut-up old clothes, so you might not even need to buy fabric. And remember, even if you do make a mistake, just pretend that's how the toy was meant to look. With toys as weird as this, no one will notice.



2. I just love this book! I haven't tried any of the projects yet but it just makes you feel happy when you see that smiling creature on the cover! Maybe I'll even try making one or two! I sent a copy off to my grand-daughters right away.



3. This is a great book for kids and adults some really cool ideas and patterns leads you to even more ideas of your own. Why pay high prices for those strange creatures in our imagination. Make it your own, make it yourself and use your choice of materials. (some of the pre-made dolls are made with shabby materials)



4. The projects in this book are really creative and fun to make. I get the feeling though, that the book isn't specifically designed to help you perfectly recreate the creatures within, but rather to act as a jumping off point for you to create your own.
   
   Don't get me wrong, the book does come with instructions and patterns, but on occasion, I find the instructions to be vague, and the shapes of the patterns in the back of the book aren't always the same as what I see in the photos of the finished products.
   
   If you're looking for a book to inspire you and give you a push toward making your own creatures (and it helps if you have a slightly twisted sense of humor), this book is for you.



5. These are hilarious! They do require someone who knows what they are doing with a needle and thread but they are so much fun. If you or someone you know LOVES stuffed critters then this is your permanent source for all birthday and Christmas presents. You can use it to create them yourself or give them the book for them to choose and make their own. It is just so delightful. :D

5 comments about Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques.

1. Wonderful book and the dolls are just beautiful. These dolls are unusual with the latest savvy! Not your usual Raggedy Ann's. Includes dolls made by many cloth dollmakers and their perspective of their design which is wonderful reading. Excellent patterns and ideas! I highly recommend this book.



2. This is a great book, for the experienced doll maker, and the new beginner. The instrutions, with illustrations are clear and concise. Very easy to follow, very simple to use, and most of all fun. With a gallery of recognized colth doll makers, show casing what they have done with these patterns!
   
   A perfect starter book, this one should be on any soft cloth doll makers shelf.



3. Purchased this paperback and absolutely had to order ALL of the books of Ms. Medaris Culea. Wonderfully illustrated, easy to follow instructions with patterns provided, I'd say the beginner to expert dollmaker would find something of interest. Can't wait to hit the fabric store and find some fun remnants!



4. This is the second Culea book I've purchased, and I got this one primarily because I really like her first one. I'm new to doll making so I find the patterns and suggestions very helpful to get the creative juices flowing. This book also has a doll pattern as well as instructions for creative embellishments. One caveat: While this book is great for me as a beginning doll "artist", I don't think it's for a beginning sewer since the instructions tend to give you a broad outline of each process (not detailed steps.) On the plus side, the book has lots of illustrations to help you understand the instructions. It's also filled with photos of Culea's pattern interpreted by many "guest" artists. For me, this is definitely one of the more fun doll books in print right now.



5. Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques
   
   As a accompaniment to my Creative Cloth Doll Faces book, this book is a necessity to help me create beautiful dolls! I am excited and thrilled to have this book and learn about all the wonderful tips and tricks that can be used to create and embellish my dolls and make each doll unique - with her own personality!

5 comments about Designing the Doll: From Concept to Construction.

1. The pictures in this book are incredible! The multitude of eclectic styles inspire, and while this is not exactly a how-to, it gets you thinking about the possibilities. In the book, Oroyan focuses more on the different options an artist has: planning ideas (and ways to do this), materials, questions to ask when thinking of the concept, elements of design (e.g. form, scale, color, etc), and she includes some sample sketches that illustrate these ideas, showing some do's and don'ts along the way.
   
   While I have never made a doll, this book has been useful on a few levels. The discussions on scale, caricature (again, with do's and don'ts and how to achieve different goals there), creating abstractions of the form, trying different styles, working with faces and hands, gestures, clothing patterns for the dolls, different materials, anatomy...this book has so much to offer! The images alone earn Designing the Doll 5 stars--everything else is icing on the cake!



2. I own all of Susanna's books and think they are excellent. I would suggest that anyone interested in doll making invest in them, and this is a good one to start with. I honestly think this is 5 star all the way. I use this, and her other books, frequently while working. I am a serious cloth doll maker and usually buy every doll book when it comes out - some I resell immediately, but this one I am keeping!



3. LIKE ANATOMY OF THE DOLL THIS BOOK OF SUSANNA'S IS ALSO A MUST
   HAVE.I AM NOW ADDICTED.



4. Too often craft/art books are whatever the subject is by-the-numbers. Do this, do that, voila you have a finished project just like mine. This is so much more and exactly what it should be. Layers of information. Beautiful examples. A book that inspires you to choose your own path. This is the best type of creativity inspiring book. I purchased this along with "500 Handmade Dolls" (which shares many of the same artists work) and have found hours of enjoyment. Very well done book.



5. great book, wonderful instructions, not for amateurs, more advanced i think. the dolls featured are amazing.

5 comments about Transformers: Identification and Price Guide.

1. This is great reference guide. It shows all the Generation 1 Transformers (84-90). It shows all the pieces and a bio of each character. It also shows the value.
   As kid I had over 50 of the originals and they are worth a ton of money. I use this book as a guide to purchasing used transformers at Ebay.
   I wish he would come out of with with a volume 2 (92-07) which would show all the generation 2, Beastwars, Alternators, Universe,Cybertron, 07 movie, and classics. Which I think are better than generation 1.
   Awsome book. I reconmend this book to all collectors.
   Also check out the G.I Joe guide.



2. This is a great book about the 80's transformers toy line. It has plenty of info on many transformers like their favorite motto to stats. If you are fan and/or collector this book is a must!!!



3. I had heard good things about this author, and this guide, from reviews at other Transformer sites, so I bought it (it was also being sold for half price at amazon.com when I bought it). It was well worth every penny! It is very thorough and gives great details on each type of Transformer and each of the "lines of Transformers" that were made up to 1990. Each Transformer is also given approximate prices for what they are worth as well. Granted, the prices will change over time, but this guide will still be a worthy identification reference for a very long time.
   I would have given it a 5, but there were quite a few grammatical errors in the book, but it won't affect your ability to understand the information.
   My favorite part of the book is that the author appears to have had fun writing it, but takes it seriously enough to make it a very thorough reference guide. A must have for any Transformer fan, from beginner to expert!



4. This is the best Action Figure guide I have ever seen. It is very informative and very accurate, the author even adds his personal take on most of the figures. And talk about bringing back old memories. I actually bought this book for nostalgic purposes and was very pleased. It was nice seeing all the old Transformers from the 80's in one piece. Makes me wish I knew what happened to all my old ones, man I'd be rich if I would have taken better care of them. Hope Mark Bellomo does a guide book for the rest of the Transformers. If you are looking for the ultimate 80's Transformers Action Figure guide, this is it!



5. The Transformers Identification and Price Guide by Mark Bellomo is the greatest for the Transformers, More then Meets the Eye show every action figure created from Gen 1 and more. I have not seen a more detailed Transformers toy book with strenght, weakness, and more in one complete book. I recommend this book if you are Transformers More then Meets the Eye fan.

4 comments about Whoosh Boom Splat: The Garage Warrior's Guide to Building Projectile Shooters.

1. I just received this book in the mail and was so excited that I did a quick scan to see what I could "put together" NOW! There were so many fun things to do in this book. Very inventive. I love the way Gurstelle gives praise to the past by creating a steam cannon designed by DaVinci (which was inspired by Archimedes). I can't wait to build even more!



2. I just bought this, based on experience of Gurstelle's other books ("Art of the Catapult" and "Backyard Ballistics").
   
   I wasn't disappointed at the content, though anybody who has spent time on the internet (especially sites like Instructables or Howtoons) will have seen versions of most of the projects before. The only project that was wholly-new to me was the Mechanical Toe.
   
   What did disappoint was the quality of the book - nice shiny covers enclose dull, yellowing pages. The paper used does not promise long life, and I do not think it would survive if I kept it with the rest of my Making library (in my shed).
   
   So, buy it if you like Gurstelle's style, or if you don't want to spend some time filtering the dross from the Web, but don't buy it if you plan to keep it for several years.



3. While I'm not handy with my hands, my sister-in-laws husband is, and they have a son that I got this for. It has a lot of really good projects that can be done with things like PVC pipe, and that boys will love to play with afterward.



4. Fantastic little book! Full of historical little tidbits and notes, mixed in with common sense instructions about a lot of fun "guy" projects that even girls could have fun doing! Loved it. Bought one for a grandson, then bought one for a friend. Might buy another one, too.

5 comments about Breyer Animal Collector's Guide: Identification and Values (Breyer Animal Collector's Guide).

1. Lots of great pictures, but values are off. I would not use this to determine the value of what I'm selling. The values are often less than what the going price is, and occasionally more than they're worth. Great pics and book to see what is out there nonetheless.



2. This goldmine of information is necessary for both the serious collector and for anyone with interest in the Breyer collectables. It's straightforward pictoral guide is easy to use and the fair market values are just that...fair. Don't shop for a Breyer without it!



3. There is a wealth of information on the various types of Breyers and great descriptions. However, many of the color photos are off, with a lot of orange tinting. You need to go by the written description rather than the actual photo. Also, I was extremely disappointed in the pricing. As an avid collector and owner of over 180 traditional Breyers, the prices are rather low. You could not use this book for insurance purposes or buying prices. I have seen many of the Breyers listed in the book go for much higher prices than what is quoted in this 5th edition. It is still a good reference book.



4. Describes everything I needed to find out about the Breyers. Sometimes it was a little difficult since I had the horses and had to search individual pages until found... no ID no. on horse, or some other method



5. I have used each edition of this book as my Breyer Bible. It keeps getting better with each edition and is very well formatted. Lots of great information on the molds / models as well as up to date values.
   And the photos are incredible. I wouldn't be caught without it!

5 comments about The Pop-Up Book: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating Over 100 Original Paper Projects.

1. Wonderful projects. I do wish the directions were a little clearer. Best for intermediate-to-advanced card makers.



2. No, this book doesn't have luscious designs for you to copy & make.
   
   What it does have that makes it a superior book on the subject are logical. easy to understand directions on how to design & make your own versions. This book also alerts you to problems that might appear if you ignore underlying structural mechanics.
   
   Of the books I own on this subject, this one has been the springboard that has allowed me to design my own successful and creative pop-ups.
   
   If you want to make someone else's designs, this isn't the book for you. If you want to express yourself using imaginative pop-ups that are your own designs -- and that work -- then I recommend this book!



3. Nice book with lots of pictures. What it could use in my opinion is an explanation of the more complex or less common pop-up methods. Now I have to figure a lot out myself because it is not in the book.
   
   I'm not tatally satisfied with this book and will definately need another one to complete the pop-up book i'm making.



4. I became the shipment very quickly. The book is good for someone who never had make paper creations with pop-up techniques before.



5. Unusual additions to cards, and scrapbooks! Eye catching to say the least! Never knew how easy a pop up could be!!!!

5 comments about Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff).

1. In "The Cute Book", readers were treated to patterns for making small felt versions of many of the Aranzi Aronzo characters (if you aren't familiar with the Aranzi Aronzo characters, check out the Aronzo website, '[...] - they're sort of like the Sanrio/Hello Kitty characters, only with more personality). "Cute Dolls" is another book of patterns for making Aronzo character dolls (18 patterns in total), but this time, the patterns are for full sized (8 - 12 inch) dolls, most of which are made from jersey cloth (t-shirt fabric).
   
   As with "The Cute Book", the patterns are very easy to follow. The instructions are fully illustrated, making it so that you don't even need to read the words in order to make these dolls. The book is beautifully presented, with colour photographs throughout and the captions on each of the pictures are hilarious (for example "Make us cute or we'll be angry!").
   
   This is the second book in the Aranzi Aronzo "Let's Make Cute Stuff" series. People who enjoy this book should also consider purchasing the other books in this series: "The Cute Book", "Fun Dolls" and "Cute Stuff".



2. I have really enjoyed looking this book over, and have chosen more than one pattern to try. the patterns and directions are clear and concise.



3. This is a fabulous book for making cute two-dimensional dolls! Since the recommended fabric for these dolls is jersey knit- I use old t-shirts to make them! Recycling and crafting all in one! Most of the patterns in this book are recommended to enlarge on a photocopier- or you can make smaller versions without enlarging. These dolls are great to hand sew- making it a great little craft for all ages!



4. This is the first doll book I've been interested in. The instructions are funny, simple and easy to follow. I've made the spacey bear and the panda and both are just adorable. Planning on making them all! I wish the full size patterns were included (you have to use a copy machine to enlarge some of them). Happy crafting.



5. I bought the Cute Book and loved it so I decided to buy this one as well. Same characters and a few new ones only bigger. Great instructions and photos. Any one who loves to make cute thing will love this book.

5 comments about World of Knitted Toys.

1. This book is packed with adorable animals to knit. I am knitting the Kangaroo right now for a gift for a two-year old little boy, and it is coming out really cute so far. My recommendation is to take the pattern and write notes, line by line, to keep track of how many stitches you should have on various rows and what the number in Parentheses should be (it might say, "with the number in parentheses 1 less each time or 2 more each time). I wrote out line-by-line instructions for myeself and use a stitch counter and am doing well with this pattern. Her pictures are beautiful and she is so creative!!! A must have for any knitter who likes to knit toys.



2. This book is packed with wonderful patterns and projects. There is every type of animal in all range of sizes. Best of all the designs are wonderful and detailed so that you can easily tell which animals are which (other patterns I've seen you can't tell a dog from a bear). These are great! What fun for the knitter and the person receiving the knit gift of love!



3. As a doll and critter knitter from way back, I have a shelf full of knitted toy and doll books and loose patterns, but this one tops them all! What a great collection of well illustrated, patterns, clear and easy to follow. For those of us addicted to 4 dpn knitting in the round, most of the head-body and leg and arm directions are easily adapted to that method as. Patterns call for double knit yarn but also work well with sport weight yarn. I've learned a few new and very useful tricks as well. Somewhat experienced beginners should have no trouble turning out critters they'll be proud of, and the rest of us will knit critters we never expected to. I've only made 4 so far, but am well on my way to at least a year of knitting fun with this book.



4. There are already 20+ reviews for this book, so what can I add? As an Australian, I often rate "animal knowledge" by whether you really know what a kangaroo, wombat or platypus looks like. So what are Dalmeny's like? The platypus' bill is too small, the wombat looks more like a stunted grizzly bear and the kangaroo's head is too big - but overall not bad. I would make them for an Aussie child. So the animals themselves are pretty good.
   
   Other information of interest-
   - this book was first published in the UK so needle sizes are given in metric, european and US (unlike many US books) and tension squares are specified as x-stitches over y-rows using z-needles.
   - basic techniques, making up and decorative touches are provided but only over 4 pages - more space for content...
   - a useful difficulty guide - Dalmeny specifies difficulty (easy to challenging) with a quick index at the beginning dividing the patterns up but - the lovely part - when a difficulty is given with the pattern we are told WHY eg Grizzly Bear - challenging - "The pieces aren't complicated but the adult bear is quite a big project - a real armful for a small child! If you haven't got much time, try knitting the cub, which is rated as straightforward, instead."
   - some variations of patterns are suggested to make them more interesting for the experienced knitter eg "invent your own snake patterns with cable stitch or perhaps Fair Isle designs in subtle greens and browns."
   - patterns suit the beginner (a snake!) to the more experienced (a snake using fair isle).



5. I love knitting. I've been an avid knitter for 25 years. And I found this book to be delightfully creative. The layout is wonderful. There are pictures of each project at completion, which is something I look for in knitting books. I like to have that visual in mind as I knit. There are ratings for each project ranging from easy to straightforward (involving a bit more complexity) to challenging. The ratings also include helpful information such as age appropriateness of the finished project.
   
   I did find that piecing together the items was a bit awkward at times. I think that, using some different stitches, the pieces could be shaped so that there is not so much sewing at the end. However, this has no bearing on the appearance of the completed project.
   
   I've used this book quite a bit for making gifts, and the recipients are always thrilled.

5 comments about Crafty Mama: Makes 49 Fast, Fabulous, Foolproof (Baby & Toddler) Projects.

1. I love this book....the kid on the cover is adorable and I already made that hat for my kids, it is so cute and so easy to make. All these projects are amazing and so much fun. I love being a crafty mama. You must have this book if you have children. You will love all the things you make and be so proud of yourself (also you can make great gifts for the grandparents).



2. I got this book as a gift and I love it! The pictures are great, the writing is funny and the crafts super clever!
   A must for all new families!



3. I've already bought this book for two other friends because it makes a very uncrafty mama like me into an oohs and ahs mom around the neighborhood. I've got people asking where things are from and I'm proud to say "I made it!" Easy instructions, great crafts and a must have for any mom (or dad).



4. I got this book after seeing the author on a news show. She was so freaking cute I wanted to fold her up and put her in my pocket. Then I got the book which is even cuter. It's so well written, the projects are adorable and the best part is that the crafts are EASY. (I mean, what mom, no matter how crafty, can devote doing a project that takes longer than 2 hours?) The creativeness of this book and the obvious love that the author has for crafts (and kids!) comes through on every page. I just found my staple baby shower gift!



5. This book is fantastic. I saw the author on the local news and she seemed brillant, crafty and fabulously fun. The ideas are easy to do and adorable. A great gift for mom and baby!