3 comments about Ceramic Tile: Selecting, Installing, Maintaining (Smart Guides).

1. This is a good how-to book. Clear step-by-step photos and instructions that are easy to follow. If you are looking for ideas and tile layouts keep looking.



2. I have been searching for the perfect book on tiling and finally I have found it. I have never done this before and have several projects in my home that I want to complete (floors, countertop, fireplace) and this is the first book that covers each one. This is a brief look into what the book holds:
   1. Tile Basics (characteristics, sizes/shapes, room prep)
   2. Tools and Matrials (prep tools, cutting tools, setting tools, basic materials)
   3. Tiling floors
   4. Tiling walls
   5. Tiling countertops
   6. Tiling tubs and showers
   7. Indoor projects
   8. Outdoor projects
   9. Repairs and maintenance
   The pictures and illustrations are clear and easy to follow. I also like that the pictures are relatively up to date and modern looking. In short, this book has set me up to succeed in all of my tiling projects.



3. The book arrived in average condition at best and was clearly read and the cover was dog-eared and showed signs of typical use. The service was good and was shipped within 48 hours.

4 comments about All-New Hints from Heloise Updated.

1. This book is a must-have if you have kids or pets. A good friend has this book and I called her so often about stain removal I finally bought the book myself. The day after I received this book, it paid for itself after I got chocolate and then gum out of 2 of my son's outfits. It also includes many helpful hints on everyday household problems. The only thing I would change about the book is the organization - now and then it can be hard to find specific things. I always find the item, it just takes a few minutes. Overall, I highly recommend this book.



2. Remembering Heloise's books I received 33 years ago as a bridal shower gift, I turned to Heloise again when I needed a gift for my new Daughter-in-law-to-be AND for my daughter who was also getting married. Soon after the wedding my new daughter-in-law thanked me for the Heloise books and informed me they had already come in handy!



3. I enjoyed reading this book especially because it brought back memories of when Heloise had a column in the newspaper. I remember thinking how inventive she was in renewing/restoring items with local products found in the everyday home! I'm always looking for new ways to approach cleaning !!



4. I got it for my 77 year old mom who works at a Laundry. I thought she knew everything about stains but this book gave her more information and so much more. She loved it.

5 comments about Parenting for Dummies.

1. Who needs credentials! This woman has 4 boys and her experience really shows. Excellent advice, great tips. My views on raising my kids changed after reading this book. Don't pass up this book. It's a great read!



2. We've bought other ...for dummies books before and have been quite happy. But this book was a huge disappointment. Maybe because the topic isn't easily handled in the typical ...for dummies format. Also, the author you can tell is used to writing computer manuals. The book is often preachy and rarely helpful. I definitely wouldn't recommend it.



3. I bought this book while I was pregnant with my first child. He is now three and a half and an awesome kid! We always get compliments on how well he acts in restaurants, other people's homes, movie theaters.....you get the picture. This book made me think about things that I never would have thought of, and I recommend it to everyone who is about to start a family and even to a few that already have kids and they can't handle them! My son is now a wonderful big brother to a baby sister and I could not be happier! I am ordering this book right now for a neighbor expecting her first.



4. Like all of the books in this outstanding series, this text serves as a forum to express again the FOR DUMMIES Books' most valuable concept: simplicity in presentation and info.
   
   Distilling parenting down to its most value sticks and stones, this book runs the gamut from how to potty train to how to deal with the "I don't eat dat" problem with little ones.
   
   Althought not an end-all book, I would suggest that parents will do no wrong STARTING with this book when looking for learning on raising a child.



5. Gave it to my sis-in-law & she says she has gotten soooo much out of it!!

2 comments about The New Decorating with Pictures: Collecting Art and Photography and Displaying It in Your Home.

1. Plenty of books provide advice on how to collect art and what to choose, but to few focus on display techniques appropriate for the home. The New Decorating With Pictures: Collecting Art And Photography And Displaying It In Your Home is the perfect item of choice for any who would collect art and photography and display it in a home, blending Simon Upton's fine color photo examples with Stephanie Hoppen's survey of techniques and common challenges. Divided by subject, chapters are arranged for quick consultation.



2. Making good pictures is difficult, but hanging them well sometimes seems to be equally challenging. I have a growing collection of nicely framed photographs that are standing around aimlessly because I can't make up my mind as to where exactly they fit on the walls of our house. That is why I turned to Stephanie Hoppen's book (which, surprisingly, is one of the very few on the subject.) Hoppen has sound credentials to speak authoritatively: she runs an art gallery in London, writes on interior decoration and has a son, Michael, who established one of London's most renowned photography galleries.
   
   "The New Decorating with Pictures" is not about turning family pictures into kitchen clocks and shower curtains. The book has a double focus: it wants to help in building an art collection and in showcasing it tastefully in a homely setting. The discussion and examples are not limited to photographs only but to anything artistic that can be stuck to a wall (including paintings, drawings and mixed media works).
   
   There are four main parts: "Choosing pictures", "Choosing subject", "Framing" and "Displaying". Clearly, Hoppen favours a thematic approach, where pictures are collected around a given subject matter. A significant part of the book is devoted to discussing and showing examples of art around four main themes: "people", "art & architecture", "the natural world", and "leisure". "The natural world", for example, divides further into subthemes such as landscapes, animals, gardens, etc. Personally I think this approach is a fairly weak point of the book - the more so as it takes up a significant number of pages - as many people will collect art because they like an artist or a medium, and not because they are looking for a thematic thread or a narrative in their collection.
   
   Hoppen focuses the discussion in the "Framing" and "Displaying" section on two points: the material used to frame and display pictures and suitable proportions between the frame and the space around it. In terms of really practical advice, the discussion is fairly thin. Hoppen is reluctant to formulate hard and fast rules. Her main advice is: "get a specialist to help you out, or, if you want to do it yourself, try lots of things and have lots of patience."
   
   Despite these shortcomings, the book is a pleasure to browse and read. Its real value lies in the many inspiring pictures of interiors that illustrate the first and last two sections of the book. There's an excellent mix of period, modernist and contemporary interiors, with corresponding styles of framing and displaying of paintings, drawings and photographs. The settings go beyond the living or dining room and include kitchens and bathrooms as well. It is rewarding to scrutinise these case studies as they encapsulate lots of experience and learning by their owners. Personally I find it exciting to see how a real picture of, say, Irving Penn or Michael Kenna finds its place on a wall. Hoppen's captions are instructive as they always mention all the artists that figure in a given setting.
   
   All in all a rewarding book that lends itself to both casual browsing and a closer study of its rich collection of splendid interiors.

1 comments about The Complete Sleep Guide for Contented Babies & Toddlers.

1. This is an excellent book to help you with any sleep issues your baby/toddler is having. There is common sense step by step guides to multiple sleep situations, and sensible case studies that one can easily relate too and follow the advice for their own situation. My baby is 7 months and happily sleeps from 6.45pm to when I wake her at 7.30ish the next morning. Based on Gina's advice, my husband and I have our evenings together, and a happy contented baby during the day. Perfect! This book helped iron out the kinks in our schedule and I am sure it will be a handy reference guide for the future if any other sleep situations arise.

4 comments about Cabinetmaking Procedures for the Small Shop: Commerical Techniques That Really Work.

1. As a professional furniture maker building his first kitchen, I found Fristad's book the most useful of the three I read - the other two being the best sellers. This book is about production; how to make money; how not to make mistakes; how to streamline the process; how to get the sequence right. It covers both frame and frameless cabinets. No pictures, but lots of good drawing that are really all that are needed. While you need to know the information contained in the other books, this book fills in all the gaps that the others leave out. I recommend this book both to pros and people building a kitchen only for themselves.



2. Nor should it be your first. The authors have more than 20 years of experience in cabinet shops. They have good advice and smart tips. This short book (96 pages) strikes me as being a great employee training manual. If you are new, this is a good place to begin learning how to build cabinets. The authors explore issues like face frame cabinets versus Euro or frameless case constrution. But there is not enough detailed instruction for a novice to design or build cabinets based just on the information in the chapters.

   If you are experienced, this book will remind you of the many things you are suppose to know. For instance, make sure your cabinets will fit through doorways and up stairs. The authors remind you to account for the floor material so a dishwasher will still fit under the cabinet when the 3/4 inch flooring is installed. There is a brief discussion about schematics and how to measure jobsites.

   The authors discuss business practices, contracts, estimating, shop drawings and equipment choices. This is a lot of ground to cover in a few pages so they can not go into much detail about any aspect. The reader can find books that have more detailed instruction on cabinetmaking and other books that cover how to run a woodworking business. If the authors of this book are a bit overly ambitious, I respect their solid advice and practices based on hard experience in the field. They have a refreshingly positive attitude that makes the book a pleasure to read.




3. The title of this book is spot on. The book is a detailed procedure for making cabinets in a small (1-3 people) shop. The authors give detailed advice on the procedure they have used for many years to make a profit and still have time to spend with the family.
   
   But that is also the limitation of this book. For example, the authors glue face frames to the cabinet and they give great advice on this. However, there are other popular methods, such as biscuits and pocket screw holes. Both of these methods warrant only a superficial discussion. And both of the methods are popular and have pluses and minuses. But alas, the authors only really cover dowels and gluing.
   
   Recently, I was asked to design an entire kitchen of cabinets. I used this book a lot to answer some very specific, detailed questions regarding carcass construction. The example drawings are pretty darn good.
   
   The authors' discussion of door building is a bit brief. They state that it is really important to keep doors flat. Duh. Any suggestions for making sure they are flat? Jigs? What about procedures for gluing up 15 doors at a time? Any idea regarding storage racks? They suggest having a third party do all of the work. Sorry, but my clients want me involved every step of the way including selecting appropriate grain and making sure there is continuity.



4. The book is easy to read and gives you an overall idea about cabinets construction, good advices & tips, however if you are new in the business starting your own shop you will need additional infomation to move forward to build your own cabinets.

5 comments about The Cats' House.

1. Photographer Bob Walker and his wife, writer Frances Mooney, love cats. So much so that they've turned their San Diego, California home into the cat-friendliest place on the planet! The reader is invited along on a personal tour of this customized feline Paradise, room by room -- and what a colorful, wonderful tour it is! Climb the spiral cat staircase or scratch the floor-to-ceiling pink sisal scratching post; run along the catwalks that connect room to room via special cat doors high in the walls; experience the golden Pyramid of the Sun, feline style! These and much, much more can be found within the multicolored pages of THE CATS' HOUSE -- but be forewarned: once you've visited, you'll want to return again and again! A GREAT gift and a wonderful coffee-table conversation piece, THE CATS' HOUSE is a must for every cat lover.



2. Could have shown more indeapth on construction and lay out, to simpistic of book



3. I have ordered this book twice, so far, for 2 other mega-Cat Lovers I have met:
   
   One lady rescued a mom-cat and her 5 kittens; and, instead of splitting up the brood, has kept all 5 kittens as her new family. Another lady shared stories with me, of her 4 cats at home, who are part and parcel of her life. How nice a way, to pay tribute to the Cat Lovers in YOUR life, with a copy of this endlessly entertaining, endearing book.



4. This book helps us to focus on what would be possible. We are now honing our woodworking skills to put up many shelves and ramps. Those without woodworking skills or aptitude might want to get a handyman.
   
   But there are many relatively simple ways to increase your cats' territory and excitement. They love to be up high. All cat owners know that. There are companies you can find online, google cat shelves, that will build them for you and send with installation instructions. We have more time than money, plus enjoy doing these projects.
   
   AS others have written, there are ideas here that I never could have imagined.
   
   Plus it's a beautifully photographed book.



5. I would love to make over my townhouse with some of the wonderful enhancements this couple has made to their San Diego home to make it a dream house for cats.
   
   Don't make the mistake another reader made - this is not detailed instructions on how to make over your home into a Cat's house. They do, however, include some blueprints in the back, and some cautionary suggestions (like containing the construction area in plastic to minimize the dust in the rest of the house...). It is more the story of how their family grew and their home evolved to delight and accomodate their furry children.
   
   Lots of fun and wonderful photos!

2 comments about Creating Concrete Art Furniture.

1. I ordered this book because I've become interested in the process of sculpting with concrete. There is so little information out there! I read this two times, from cover to cover, in one sitting. I currently sculpt with metal, so this book just helped everything fall into place. By watching a project unfold, I was given insight into timing projects, possible disasters, and the vast potential of this medium. This was money well spent, and I can't wait to get into the studio and start playing.



2. excellent book, takes you step by step (with plenty of pictures) all the way through one project, from conception through final finishes. explains all tools, materials and processes. got one for myself and another for a gift.

1 comments about Lathes and Turning Techniques (Best of Fine Woodworking).

1. We have purchased other Lathe books but this one helped our 14 year old and his parents fine-tune their lathe skills. Great choice.

3 comments about Rustic Garden Projects: 28 Decorative Accents You Can Build.

1. This book has photos of some neat projects, however, there is one page of basic 'instructions' which is not helpful at all. There is no advice on selecting wood/branches, bending them, curing them, finishing/varnishing etc., nor is there instruction (except for screws and a very basic tenon on the aforementioned instruction page)on how to attach the pieces. The only 'directions' are simple illustrations of what order to put the pieces together in. A real disappointment.



2. I just attended my 3rd course with Dawn King. If you can take a course with her it is well worth it! The book is easy to follow and the projects actually end up looking like the pictures in the book!! Dawn is a super teacher with a light hearted approach. 5 stars for her and her book.



3. Great book. Has good instructions and lots of projects. I have already built a 2 trellises based on this book, and am getting ready to start on some chairs.