1 comments about Proven Shop Tips (Fine Woodworking On).

1. It is a collection of tips garnered over the years. Enough of them are really good to make the purchase worthwhile. Most of them will require a certain amount of experience to understand how to implement them.
   
   I thought the book was fun and I look forward to using some of the tips, especially for the drill press, router, and table saw.

5 comments about Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design: Fearless, Fabulous Decorating.

1. I have never been a fan of Christopher Lowell, but I borrowed the book from the library on the off chance of getting ideas on using colors. It turned out to be extremely helpful and is filled with great ideas on the use of color and making the most of a room. I have now purchased it for myself and my daughter-in-law to have available for future decorating projects. A word of caution, to really get the most out of the book read it, don't just thumb through the pages looking for ideas. You need to read and understand his Seven Layers for optimum use.



2. Very helpful. Well written. Easy to read. Great ideas!



3. Love this book. It breaks down the elements of decorating in a way that is easy to follow yet effective. More importantly to me..this book gave me enough guidance and encouragement to break free of my very, very tall white walls! I followed his advice on color selection and coordination and the results were great!



4. Anything by Christopher Lowell is going to be worth the money and time to read it. Highly recommend.



5. When I moved into my first apartment, I bought this book, and even though I couldn't paint or change the floors, it still helped me make my apartment look like my home.
   
   I gave the book to my sister a few years ago, but I've got the layers memorized, and every time I've wanted to redecorate, the first thing I've done is write down the 7 layers on paper (I did add an extra one for appliances and electronics, so I've got 8 layers) and get busy brainstorming.
   
   My husband and I recently bought our first home, and again, the very first thing I did after we closed was make a page for every room in the house, and write down my ideas for each layer. When you write it out like that, it's easy to imagine what the finished room will look like.
   
   My favorite thing about this book is that it doesn't just show you pictures of pretty rooms and go "This would be a good idea". It tells you how you can organize your own ideas to make a space for you. Other books tell you what you need to do to get a certain "look", but this book lets you design your own look. Every room I've ever decorated using the "layers" has not only looked spectacular, but looked like "my home".
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who has ideas about how they want their home to look, but doesn't know where to start.

1 comments about Paint Style: The New Approach to Decorative Paint Finishes.

1. I've only had a chance to look through this book once. However it does seem to have information on water based paints, which I use exclusively. Mostly in technic. I'm glad I purchased it.

No comments about Lowe's Complete Kitchen Book (Lowe's Home Improvement).

No comments about Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living.

5 comments about Betty's Book of Laundry Secrets.

1. If you think you know it all just because you separate your whites from colors, you don't know nothin'! This book is a must have for anyone who wants clean clothes. The tips are helpful, easy to apply and fun. Every college student should have a copy.
   Who thought laundry could be so much fun?



2. ...Betty's Book of Laundry Secrets is a life saver. I bought it instantly upon seeing it at my local book store. After flipping through the pages I tossed it in my basket and brought it home. Full of tidbits like turn your pants inside out when ironing them, and then flip them outside out to iron in the crease. Or the right way to iron a shirt (I could never quite get it right), and why you should iron everything while damp.

   Betty knows her laundry, and I'm SOOO glad I know about Betty. I cannot reccomend this book highly enough. My girlfriend loves it too. We take it to the laundry room with us just in case, often referring to it when we're not sure what pile to put what in, or what to wash in cold or hot, or what to hand wash (and how). Then an hour later we consult it on how to fold fitted sheets, or pants, or shirts.




3. Good advice, especially for beginners, however I knew most of this. Seems a little dated...never mentions the new oxygen cleaners or liquid detergent(she only talks about powdered detergent). Does offer good suggestions for generalized stain removal. Great for college students or newlyweds.



4. Lovely book for those who know not about laundry if ever there was a handly little reference book this is it. I enjoyed from beginning to end and refer to it often as well as my daughter. The best is the clothesline........



5. At my age, I've done more piles of wash than I'd care to imagine. However, there was plenty of stuff in this volume to add to my established techniques. Betty's Book of Laundry Secrets will help you get done quickly and efficiently from pre-wash to folding and putting the last sheet away.
   
   This book is an excellent gift for a college student or any young person going out on her/his own. And, if you're interested in perfecting your skills, you'll find a lot here to use.

No comments about Know Your Home Furnishings.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Floorcloths: Designs & Techniques for Painting Great-looking Canvas Rugs.

1. I borrowed this book from a friend and had to buy a copy for myself. It gets your right-brain in high gear. If you're looking for the cutesy, folksy arts & crafts flowing out of China these days, forget this one. But if you like to create and like the unique, this is it. Even if you've never did a cloth before, this book will show you step by step and lead you to create a work of art!



2. I love making my own decorations but I like to finish projects that look tasteful and as nice (or better) than anything I could buy. You can't go wrong with this book, whether you are just starting out or looking for a larger challenge. There are some easier projects as well as ones that are more difficult. You could spend years using this book and not run out of ideas. Plenty of full-color photos, step by step directions and techniques. Worth every penny you spend on this one!



3. I love making my own decorations but I like to finish projects that look tasteful and as nice (or better) than anything I could buy. You can't go wrong with this book, whether you are just starting out or looking for a larger challenge. There are some easier projects as well as ones that are more difficult. You could spend years using this book and not run out of ideas. Plenty of full-color photos, step by step directions and techniques. Worth every penny you spend on this one!



4. I love making my own decorations but I like to finish projects that look tasteful and as nice (or better) than anything I could buy. You can't go wrong with this book, whether you are just starting out or looking for a larger challenge. There are some easier projects as well as ones that are more difficult. You could spend years using this book and not run out of ideas. Plenty of full-color photos, step by step directions and techniques. Worth every penny you spend on this one!



5. I lost my floorcloth books in Katrina and this is the only one that I'm going to replace. I don't need anything else! The authors give you ideas for simple and more difficult floorcloths. Their instructions for various techniques are precise and easy to follow. The other reviewer was right, saying that she would be using the ideas from this book for years!

5 comments about Wavy, Curly, Kinky : The African American Child's Hair Care Guide.

1. I expected more pictures not so many stories, they way it was presented it what a book about a hair needs, pictures



2. This book has several good points, however it was hard to keep focused due to bad printing. There were several pages with light print. This made it diffcult to follow the book. I know errors can happen, however it wouldn't hurt to have a preview staff on hand.



3. The other reviews were right on target. I'll add: little substance, spelling/proofreading errors, unfocused photos, and very little useful information. I'm not impressed and I'm getting my money back. The only marginally useful part was the list of brand-name products and tools at the end. For a momma committed to my daughter's natural hair health, this book has way too much about chemical treatments.
   
   My most used references: It's All Good Hair (Michele N.K. Collision) and Kinki Kreations (Jena Renee Williams). This just isn't worth the shelf space on my bookshelves.



4. First of all, the author was CLEARLY biased against kinky hair and clearly favored what she described as "wavy" and "curly" hair. I was also apalled to read comments in where she refers to the delicate hair that very young children have as "angel hair" and then wrote that this "angel hair" turns into "something else," clearly attaching a negative connotation with kinky-textured hair.
   
   She also used phrases like "training your childs hair" and endorsed relaxers and texurizers as if they were safe and possibly healthy; even insinuating that they become "neccessary" as the hair becomes more of a challenge with age. How irresponsible and misleading.
   
   Another disturbing revelation of this book is that Lily generally limited kinky-haired girls' styling options to braids which I found apalling. As a natural woman with very kinky hair who wears her hair out [and has been complimented] I find this irresponsible and damaging. She made it seem like kinky haired girls should never wear their hair out; meanwhile the "curly" and "wavy-haired" girls had their hair out in many photos.
   
   In fact, the only time she really showed kinky-haired girls with their hair out was when...you guessed it...the hair had been straightened with a pressing comb or permed. As I said her favortism toward curly and wavy hair was very obvious.
   
   Also, not to be predjudice, but many of the little girls appeared to be mixed, a few even looked part asian. Of course if you're mixed with white or asian your hair is likely to be looser curled! I do not feel it is fair to portray biracial textures as black textures when a different race has directly influenced the texture of the child's hair.
   
   And as a sidenote, I found the pictures of made-up, pageant-looking girls a little off-putting. She should know that mothers are likely to read this book and maybe seeing a 5 year old wearing a ton of makeup and posing like a grown woman wouldn't sit well...
   
   Overall, Deborah Lily's book reeked of the old-school, grandma "we gotta train this bad hair" mentality. She should be embarassed.



5. This product was not what I expected. For me it was a waste of my money. Did not give me the insight on how to care for my child's hair.

1 comments about The Art of Marquetry (Schiffer Book for Woodworkers).

1. My (now ex-)wife made a terrible mistake one day and went with me to my local woodworking store. Bored, she sat in the book section and found this book. The next thing I know she is so excited about doing inlay work she is carrying the book around everywhere and studying every page over and over. She is asking me how well I can plane wood or if I can make veneers. (She didn't even know what planning or veneer was before.) She did her own research on the tools required. I was stunned! My wife interested in tools! :o)
   
   The projects in this book generally follow the simple, understated Japanese. A style my wife greatly admires.
   
   The book is full of illustrations detailing every step in the four main project presented. With eight to 12 photos per page, the projects details are presented as captions to the step by step photos. It is well organized and covers using scroll saws as well as hand fret saws.
   
   Some may find some of photos that go along with the project a bit redundant, repeated from a previous project. I find this duplication *very* helpful and useful. Each project stands on it's own.
   
   Frankly, I thought inlay work was a bit beyond me. I might have the patience to do 10 dovetail drawers at one sitting, but I didn't think I could ever do this. This book changed that. The techniques are presented in make anyone feel they can do real art. My wife and I "fight" for space in our shop now and I am incorporating her marquetry into my, er, our furniture projects.
   
   I only gave it four stars because I felt that it could have done a better job introducing the tools at the beginning. If half stars were available on this rating I would give it 4 1/2. A good scroll saw book would be a good companion.