No comments about Family Guide to Emotional Wellness: Proven Self-Help Techniques and Exercises for Dealing With Common Problems and Building Crucial Life Skills.

4 comments about Sew the New Fleece: Techniques with Synthetic Fleece and Pile.

1. I really liked the details outlined in the book. If you are looking to do some creative, individualized garments, there are some fun ideas in the book. The garments in this book include the usual jackets you expect from polarfleece, but also go beyond that into the realm of everyday wear -- dresses, skirts, hats. Very fun stuff!



2. This book gives good basic information about fleece, its content, the manufacturers, the history of fleece and sewing tips. But what sets this book apart is the way in which Rochelle uses fleece - she uses it the way a designer would use fine wool - she does not limit it to the standard fleece jackets, blankets, and accessories. Using very nice photographs of real clients, Rochelle inspires the modern sewer to try something new with this marvellous fabric - sculpture it, add nylon accents to it artistically, trim it, use it in garments that are functional yet also extremely fashionable. A must-have book for the fleece sewer.



3. This book gives all the basics for sewing fleece, and while it shows some terrific clothes, there are no details to explain how to acheive these looks. The author suggests "modifying" a pattern for a dress or jacket, but never gives specifics on which patterns, what modifications were made, etc. Very frustrating if you have fallen in love with one of the photos and are interested in reproducing the look. You'll have better luck with the Polarfleece Adventures books by Nancy Cornwell.



4. I read this book and Nancy Cornwell's "Adventures with Polarfleece" simultaneously. Much of the content overlaps, but I felt that this book had more detailed information on construction techniques for fleece used in commercial ready-to-wear garments, and things to look out for. My goal is to make functional outdoor clothing and not fashion oriented garments or baby buntings.. The Cornwell book seemed a little too oriented toward the fashion side.

2 comments about Another Use For . . .: 101 Common Household Items.

1. I picked this up for a new frugal newsletter I've started and most of the things just never dawned on me. It's a complete book listing other uses for common items you probably have around the house from a simple cube of ice to worn out garden hoses. Very helpful for recycling for free. One thing I wondered dawned on the author, almost everything cleans chrome.



2. I picked this book up from the library, and now I'm looking for a copy to purchase. I started reading this 143 page book, and by page 15, I knew it was hopeless because I kept finding helpful tips that I had never thought of but that I wanted to remember. However, there was too much, and I couldn't remember any of it, so I decided that I needed to have my own copy for reference. Not everything in it is helpful or applicable to me, and yes, crome does pop up frequently, but there is enough advise that I need to make it well worth it. It's also very diversified in useful utensils and in purposes, so I am sure that this book would prove just as helpful to anyone even if they thought none of the stuff I appreciated helpful and only wanted the advise that I threw aside. I haven't seen the 2004 edition, so that may be even better, I don't know.

1 comments about Recycled Home.

1. waste of money, does not give practical ideas like the description suggests, nice pictures, but useless in home decorating

No comments about Stickin' To, Watchin' Over, and Gettin' With: An African American Parent's Guide to Discipline.

5 comments about Vintage Style: Buying and Wearing Classic Vintage Clothes.

1. This book is really aimed at vintage fashion neophytes. For any one with more than a passing knowledge of vintage fashion save your money. As an aesthitic experience the book is great, lots of pretty pictures. However, there is nothing really of interest in the book. As a test if you know who courreges is do not buy this book, there is nothing here you don't already know.



2. This was an ambitious project, by all means: over two hundred four-color pages and a jacket blurb that proclaims the book "nothing short of a money-saving source guide and an inspirational blueprint for understanding how to wear vintage clothing with style". Alas, Vintage Style fails on both counts. While some of the photographs display lovely vintage pieces--a terrific off-white Dior ensemble from the 50's, for example--the majority of these vintage-ensembles-as-mainstream-choices would draw unwanted stares at best, and embarrassing comments, at worst.

   As for being a source guide, money-saving or otherwise, the book merely lists (on the final few pages) a handful of vintage dealers in each of the general regional areas of the United States, with the majority being in the New York and New England areas (surprise, surprise). The disclaimer states "A complete list would be impossible to compile". Apparently so: if you're a resident of The South, we're informed, there are only two vintage sellers of which the authors are aware: one in Miami and one in Atlanta. Well, that's news to us Southern girls! Furthermore, no price points are mentioned (these would help steer the vintage shopper to boutiques whose merchandise she could afford) and no information on the stores' areas of specialization (i.e. designers and eras represented) is given either.

   Although there are plenty of color photographs, the majority are strangely styled and badly out-of-focus. A puzzling eight-part treatise on hacking up a (seemingly) perfectly good black lace dress with a pair of scissors concludes with the wearer looking less Comme des Garcons than extremely silly. And there is a disappointing shortage of accessory shots: don't those New Yorkers like vintage jewelry and handbbags as much as the rest of the nation?

   Yes, you'll see some designer outfits shown on non-models in Vintage Style. But for about $37 less, you can flip through the society pages of W magazine and have a similar experience.




3. tiffany dubin really knows her stuff and doesn't get too lofty for the average person who just wants to see what all this hype about vintage is about. she shows fun ways to mix and match your existing wardrobe with cool finds. this book is a perfect guidebook, fun to look at and has some amazing rescources as well as a fun group of what must be friends showing the clothing off. A+



4. As an introduction, I am not a "fashion expert", or knowledgeable about vintage fashion to any depth. That said, I believe I have a good sense of style, and wanted to learn more. Almost every page of this book left me wishing for more; as I turned the pages I went from excitement [at seeing something new] to boredom [at another impracticable idea] to interested [there are many historical gems in this book] to unbelieving [at another picture/idea that looked completely wrong to me] to contented [sometimes short sections of the book just came together because the author has a very nice writing style].

   Most of the book is a list of 37 clothing styles (36 for women, one for men, with examples of business, casual and evening variations for each) and most of these did not live up to their potential. Each style usually takes 5 pages to explain, with lots of pictures. For a non-expert like me, there was not enough explanation on what made each style different and appealing. Most of the pictures, rather than explaining and amplifying the style, were "fashion shoots" showing the owners in their clothes, posing in various stylish ways - the emphasis was on the person, not the garment. I would have appreciated more controlled pictures of the clothing, and close-ups showing its advantages. Many times the author says It's about "The linings, the detailing, the tailoring. It's about workmanship. It's about the way it fits and the way it moves." However, there is not one picture or one paragraph explaining any of these things for any of the 37 clothing styles!

   For some odd reason, the author is stuck on the decades also. As other reviewers noted, most of the book is 1950's and later. Many times you will read: "In what decade was it made? What difference does it make?...", yet attached to each picture is a decade. More frustrating, there is very little explanation why one picture is "50's" and the one next to it is "70's". Some of her ideas just seem crazy or outlandish, like wearing shorts & pajamas in a conservative work environment. (You won't stand out as long as you wear your Chinese pajamas under a sport coat and match the colors in the Pucci shorts with your blouse!)

   I appreciated that real people are wearing these clothes, and not the latest supermodel. For me, the best part of the book was the end with little vignettes on classic styles, vintage finds, & shopping. Again, most of the shopping section should be extra for anyone who reads the paper, shops at the mall, and has an idea of what garage sales and flea markets are all about (but for beginners there are a few additional bits of information in there).

   After reading 37 examples of how everything can be acceptable anywhere, as long as you are stylish, you should feel encouraged to go out, buy something different and try it on. To critique this book, there should be much better books out there, for both beginners and vintage experts; however, this is one of my first books so I just don't know which ones they are.




5. I was very disappointed in this book; I had hoped to find a nicely laid out book that presented lovely or interesting vintage pieces that regular people have worked into their wardrobes. I thought I'd see particularly fine examples of some classics and maybe some more unusual pieces. This is not the book for that. Some of the pieces are not even vintage (!!) but are rather meant to represent a 'classic' type of clothing. For example, one woman is shown wearing a no-sleeve turtleneck sweater which, we're told, is from the 90's but "could have come from the 50's." Whaaaa? And while the authors are obviously shooting for sending the message that vintage pieces can be timeless and that well-crafted clothing works in any time, I think that message is already well-known to vintage clothing lovers who would presumably be interested in this book. I wanted to see people doing interesting things with 50's swing coats or perhaps showing how they wear classic 30's or 40's style without it looking costume-y. If you're looking for this, don't buy this book!
   
   Another thing I didn't like about the style is that the authors often sound snobbish, dropping names right and left without giving any background information on why these are famous names in the first place. Personally, I don't give a flip whether something is made by Pucci. If it looks good and is well-made, the label only adds to the expense.

3 comments about Sandra Betzina Sews for Your Home: Pillows Window Treatments Slipcovers Table Coverings Kids' Accessories.

1. I received this book as a gift and am buying it for a friend. I found the instructions down to earth and based around how to create patterns for furniture, windows, pillows etc in a non-intimidating way.

   Some creative ideas that I haven't seen before (like a house for kids designed to fit over a card table.




2. Sandra Betzina is wonderfully talented when it comes to garment contstruction. I have several of her books and love them. However, her expertise and creativity do not seem to extend to home sewing. The projects in this book are not inspiring. The fabric choices are questionable. It is difficult to glean the 'tricks of the trade' as this book is organized entirely by project, not technique. Save your money. If you are truly interested, check it out from the library before you invest in this publication.



3. As with any "project" book, the projects featured in this book are pretty specific to certain styles or needs. However, unlike a lot of project books, it is easy to take the basic concepts and techniques and apply them to your own unique requirements. I am combining techniques from several different projects in the book to make a large window seat and coordinating valance for my kids' room. The instructions and photos have been very helpful to me, a novice sewer.

3 comments about Seven Secrets to Raising a Happy and Healthy Child: The Ayurvedic Approach to Parenting.

1. Wow! I am so happy I've read Seven Secrets to Raising a Happy and Healthy Child before we start having children. It's an inspiring book that will change the outlook you have on family and children. Even for those of you who are skeptical about an holistic approach toward life will be amazed at the logic and sense that this book speaks. Really and truly, read this book before you decide on having children, you've got nothing to lose and so much to gain from it. Great book!



2. Ms. Seyburn's book is a grandmother's vision for parenting, using timeless ayurvedic principles and spiritually grounded concepts. She makes it easy and clear to apply what she is saying and it is a powerful read for those whose souls are open to the message. An important book for conscious parents.



3. Ms. Seyburn's book helped me understand why it is so important to have healthy habits when raising your child. My little boy Jon had many alergies and I was all confused by the complex directions of my traditional doctors, They wanted to put him on alergy shots, etc. Ms. Seyburn's book helped me determine that my child was a Kapha body type and if I would eliminate all dairy and then try stimulating his diet through herbs and vegetsbles eventually his alergies would diminish. He never wanted to play sports or run with the other kids but once I read that that exercise would stimulate his metabulism. So, I insisted he pick a sport to play. He chose scoccer. He feels great when he exercises and he has lost weight and is more balanced than ever. I want to thank Ms. Seyburn for her wise yet simple advise. Thanks again!
   Tasha Jones

3 comments about Stand Up for Your Gifted Child: How to Make the Most of Kids' Strengths at School and at Home.

1. I have read many books on the subject of parenting gifted children and trying to meet their academic needs -- this is one of the better ones, and certainly one of the most practical. It will help parents navigate the school system and advocate for their child's educational needs. Reading this book was like talking to a friend who has "been there." It is full of good reference/resource advice and is easy to read.



2. Smutny covers the basic concepts and issues facing the families of gifted kids. Better yet, she provides concrete, detailed strategies for parents as they negotiate the best possible education for their gifted children. Lots of real-life stories, lots of nuts-and-bolts advice, right down to the questions to ask and the things to _avoid_ saying.



3. Not a very large book, only 190 pages, but chock-full of crucial advice and helpful perspectives. The layout is friendly on the eye, but I never felt like I was cruising through a bunch of bullet points. The author knows how to write. I am so very happy that I got my hands on this.

1 comments about Sewing Pants That Fit.

1. Shows you how to move beyond the limitations of the "lengthen or shorten here" guide on the pattern. Practical and easy to follow.