Best Candle Making
Choose the right soapmaking equipment Blend colors and aromatic scents Create all kinds of soap, from bath soap to facial cleanser Make soaps for holidays and special occasions. Alicia Grosso has been creating handmade soap and toiletries for more than a decade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book taught me how to make soap."
"This is a decent book for anyone interested in soapmaking."
"It is very comprehensive in explaining any information a new soapmaker might need, including safety information, and I believe has enough info included that even someone who's been making soap for awhile might learn something new."
"Excellent book with lots of good information and recipes."
"The book was very informative, easy to understand, told me exactly what I would need to make soap."
"This is an excellent book for beginners in soap making like me."
"So much information.. great for a beginner in CP soap making."
"I like the book very much , It has the basic information + many recipes 👌👌."
In Make it Fizz: A Guide to Making Bathtub Treats, Holly Port will explain the easiest way to make bath bombs so that you don’t have the challenges you may have had in the past with other recipes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"When I found this book through my search, I had to give it a try. The first few pages give a descriptive view on various butter, oil and dry ingredients that could be used in creating delicious recipes you can use for its various purposes - skin kiss plus a little R&R. Recipes like Lemoncello Fizzy, Oatmeal & Milk Winter Fizzy, Herbal Bath, No-Butter Bomb, Tropical Escape Fizzy, Pops-Truffles-and Candy Apples (Dipping & Decorating) are just a small taste of what you'll find in this fabulous book."
"Finally, (and maybe this is a minor point) she recommends cold process soap as a topping for one of her bath bomb recipes. I think it's kind of silly to suggest cp soap for a first project as topping for a bath bomb cupcake."
"I have now ordered things from them and have been very happy with their products and pricing."
"This book has a Lot of specialty and "exotic" recipes for the person who really wants to make bath bombs that stand out from all the rest."
"Very thorough info for making bath boms and other bath treats."
"These recipes are amazing, only thing that i did that is not in this book is try to use a blue shimmer mica and it turned the bath tub blue and my spouse lol you could say he looked like papa smurf :)."
"I was expecting a book with much more content."
"Aesthetically, the book looks very homemade and coming from a graphics background, it should not have a bunch a white space. You can't do a book like this and expect it to work in every climate."
The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners will show you how easy and simple it is to make your very own homemade soaps without artificial dyes and chemicals. Join Kelly Cable, a longtime soap maker, herbalist, teacher, and creator of the popular blog Simple Life Mom , as she shares the simple tips and tricks of her craft in The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners . Using the tested recipes in Kelly Cable’s book, the beginner soap maker will find immediate success, while the advanced soap maker will discover valuable and creative techniques to explore.” ―Christine Dalziel, author of The Beeswax Workshop , creator of Joybilee Farm. She's taken the guesswork out of what plant matters will give you what colors, and her attention to safety sets this book apart as my number one reference on making homemade soap in my homestead kitchen.” ―Melissa K. Norris, author of The Made-from-Scratch Life , host of the Pioneering Today Podcast. Kelly’s new book inspires me to be more experimental and artistic in my soap making!” ―Susan Vinskofski, creator of LearningAndYearning. The recipes are easy to follow and full of natural and herbal ingredients―my favorite kind.” ―Colleen Codekas, creator of Grow Forage Cook Ferment. KELLY CABLE is the soap maker and herbalist behind the popular blog Simple Life Mom .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even if it was just a tiny section, that would be nice for those who are scared of using lye but want to make soaps."
"I asked a friend of mine that made her own soap if she would make some for me with tea tree oil in it. So here it is a year later and I've decided to learn to make soap myself."
"This book has been a treat first start for teaching me the basics of soap making."
"I love it , very informative."
"This is a great book for beginners!"
"I sent this to my daughter and she loves it."
"This book is so amazing."
"tHIS IA A GREAT BOOK FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY SOAPMAKING."
Best Chemical Engineering
Deemed "the best history of oil ever written" by Business Week and with more than 300,000 copies in print, Daniel Yergin’s Pulitzer Prize–winning account of the global pursuit of oil, money, and power has been extensively updated to address the current energy crisis. Following on from there, The Prize , winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, is a comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil. Energy consultant Yergin limns oil's central role in most of the wars and many international crises of the 20th century.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It focuses on the effects of oil on the economies of both consuming and producing nations as well how access to oil affects the political power of nations."
"It makes no sense to export a precious finite resource, and it makes a lot of sense to use our enemy's supply first."
"This is the third copy of this book that I have purchased."
"The sentiments of various people and groups towards oil (good or bad) were negligible in the book which gave it almost a sterile feel. I now have a much stronger understanding of just how oil plays its enormous role in the global society. I can't say enough about how well this book informs its reader in an enjoyable and insightful way. It may at points be dry material, but in no way did i feel like this book was written over my head."
"Fascinating story from the time of ancient people using oil, oil tar, to drilling in Pennsylvania, drilling in the Near and Far East, etc."
"This is a long book, but if you want to write a comprehensive story of oil and its impact on the economy spanning more than a century, it's going to be long."
"This is one of the best histories of the Oil Business."
Best Chemical Cosmetics
Choose the right soapmaking equipment Blend colors and aromatic scents Create all kinds of soap, from bath soap to facial cleanser Make soaps for holidays and special occasions. Alicia Grosso has been creating handmade soap and toiletries for more than a decade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book taught me how to make soap."
"This is a decent book for anyone interested in soapmaking."
"It is very comprehensive in explaining any information a new soapmaker might need, including safety information, and I believe has enough info included that even someone who's been making soap for awhile might learn something new."
"So much information.. great for a beginner in CP soap making."
"I like the book very much , It has the basic information + many recipes 👌👌."
"I have been wanting to get this book for a while now and I am so happy that I got it."
"Shipping was quick, pictures shown on book were very clear, was amazed."
"I bought this for my recently retired husband who expressed his desire to make soap."
Best Potpourri
By learning about your brain’s natural wiring, what makes you tick, and other successful anger management techniques, you’ll ultimately learn to rein in your emotions and be able to handle anything life throws at you. How your mind works—how and why you get angry in the first place Finding your emotional/anger triggers Proven techniques to manage anger Dealing with anger versus bottling it up Mastering your emotions in an effective way. It works because the methods used in this book are the same ones used by the professionals—although modified based on real-life, personal experiences with anger and emotional control.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is what I need."
"Anger is a big enemy of your happiness and this is a dangerous situation when you are out of control of your self."
"Good exercises that help you to evaluate the extent of your issues."
"Now at least I can think of the things I learned from this book every time the anger kicks in."
"a hoot."
"A perfect book for anger management, this is one of the best book which is well written and easy to understand tips and techniques are proven helpful ."
"Small 37 page book, or short essay rather for 10.00, should have been no more than .50¢. Waste of money."
"This book is the thinnest book I’ve ever seen."
Best Fun with Paper & Wood, Stones & Knives
Make your own custom-tailored and perfectly formed cold-process soaps! Further information, including videos of the soapmaking process, is available at the author’s website.VERDICTFaiola’s enthusiasm for her subject is apparent, and with her guidance, beginners will easily take to this craft.” — Library Journal. Anne-Marie Faiola, The Soap Queen, makes cold-process soapmaking accessible and fun with complete descriptions of the entire process, from selecting your oils to staying safe when working with lye.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The beautiful and stunning directives in this book really turned on my inner creativity, and I was ready to get to business. Firstly, I only used the EXACT ingredients listed by the author, who incidentally owns Brambleberry, which she guiltlessly plugs every chance she gets. The delivery time is unbelievably long, so expect to wait at least a week before you can do any of the recipes you have saved up with those specialty ingredients. I waited a week and a half for one fragrance oil, which was supposedly in stock, but they didn't ship until 5 days after my order placed. It's a basic swirl made by pouring, and I've had enough soap success to figure I could do that one easily. Also, the most useful part of the whole book, aside from color techniques, is an in-depth look at the properties of the oils used in soap making. Basically, the recipes are a nice starting point, but you might check the percentages and double-check the suggested FO to make sure it doesn't accelerate trace. To use the beautiful color patterns listed in the book, you need to have the longest trace possible to give you time to work."
"It has complete recipes and techniques for making a number of gorgeous and varied soaps, and a plethera of facts, tips, and information you can clearly see and easily find."
"My wife and I started making soap a couple of years ago and now we want to start doing some interesting color."
"Some of the projects in this book are similar to the ones on the blog, still I am happy to have this book as a reference and for inspiration."
"Lot's of different recipes."
"Before I ordered the book, I printed out a bunch of info and recipes from her blog and put it in a binder, but ended up ordering this book anyway and I'm so glad I did."
"The quality, glossy paper, photography, detailed instruction and information was excellent!"
Best Basket Making
"The Ultimate Crocheting Guide for Beginners!” contains proven steps and strategies regarding everything that you need to know on how to begin crocheting. This book will teach you the basic stitches that you need to know first including the proper way to wind the yarn to your fingers and the way you should hold your hook.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book started from very beginning with the diagrams which make it easy to understand and learn. She learned it from this book so anyone can learn from it."
"I bought this book for my mother, she loves to make crafts and all that kind of stuff, so I wanted to give her a new way to have fun making crafts."
"What I like about this book are the colored pictures. The book provides a step by step procedure with colorful pictures for each step."
"By the time my mom finishes reading this book, I believe she will have a full idea about crocheting and the different projects she can create during leisure time."
"This is really a magnificent and well detailed guidebook not only for beginners in crochet but also to those who are skilled in this kind of art!"
"She didn't become a crocheting master with this guide, but it is a beginners book, and it is good enough for that."
"What I like with this book is that it contains drawings, illustrations and pictures of the patterns for knitting."
"It has explained everything from the terms, yarn and other things to use in crochet."
Best Toymaking
With just two weeks to go before baby Edward's due date, yarn enthusiast Kerry Lord picked up a crochet hook for the first time and a new obsession began. Kerry Lord is the designer and founder of the TOFT Alpaca Shop, a modern British knitwear company offering exclusive knitting and crochet patterns, alpaca yarns and workshops.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, there are several negatives that kept this from being one of my favorite books. The author happens to be fortunate enough to have grown up on an Alpaca farm and be an owner of a luxury yarn co. All the animals derive their wooly huggable appearance from the texture of alpaca yarn, which is not available to everyone and is not especially practical for children's toys. I thought I might use the patterns to create my own versions, but it is simply too much frustration and there are many other books and patterns available that are much easier to use."
"Great directions that are clear and concise."
"The patterns online are great but inconsistent in size."
"Fantastic book and patterns."
"My girlfriend loves this book and has made several of the designs that are included in the book."
"ABSOLUTELY LOVE and will be ordering Kerry Lord's other book so I can crochet some wonderful looking birds for my grandbabies!"
"I have found a couple pattern errors and agree with other posts that there could be more pictures for direction and details."
"I wasn't crazy about having to flip back and forth for the directions, but the book would be a million pages long if they hadn't written this way."
Best Wreathmaking
Focusing on technique, authors Kasey Rogers and Mark Wood cover the basics of creating a character wreath, from making the face to adding the sleeves to complete the perfect outfit. Rogers played "Louise Tate" on the popular TV show Bewitched.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I remember seeing Mark Wood on an episode of the Carol Duval show many years ago and made his Scarecrow Wreath back then."
Best Craft Framing
Kistler, a leading framing expert and author of numerous books and articles on the subject, teaches the do-it-yourselfer to frame like a pro. Vivian is the author of numerous books and videos, including the seven-volume Library of Professional Picture Framing. Her monthly articles appear in Art World News, Picture Framing Magazine and Profile magazine.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"While the author of this work sadly passed away a few years ago, the book is not in the least outdated and is as clear and as comprehensive as one could possibly wish."
"I don't know if you could call this the definitive framing publication, but it's a pretty good starter for beginners, such as myself, and should enthuse you to delve deeper into the creation of your own frames."
"Good, easy to read and use guide on framing."
"I joined a local art gallery recently and found that if I sent my photos to be framed I might as well just give the products away."
"A lot of info with great pictures to help you see what is going on."
"If you have framing experience, this book won't tell you much you don't already know."
"A great overview of framing."
"I absolutely love this Guide."
Best Crocheting
With bright, modern, full color illustrations, anyone can quickly learn to crochet, master new stitches and make a selection of cute and easy first crochet projects, including beautiful scented hanging hearts, baby hats, granny squares, scarves and mittens and lots more !. Alison McNicol is an expert in teaching crochet, knitting and sewing, and has written a series of best-selling craft books for adults and children.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I’m a complete crochet novice so I loved the clear and easy to follow illustrations which were so easy to follow."
"Working on Christmas gifts. Thank you for such a easy to understand book!"
"sorry I did not buy 2 or 3 to give as gifts great book for learning how to crochet."
"I like this book because it is simple and it shows step by step how to do the stiches."
"Great book to learn how to crochet."
"Love how easy it sounds to crochet."
"I have been using this as a reference book and because this is the Kindle version it is easy to reference and bookmark."
Best Weaving
Explore warp-face patterning, weft-pile weaving, weaving with fine threads, woven shibori, shadow weave, and the textural effects you can create with different yarns and with wire and conductive thread. "An inspiring and comprehensive resource that holds the hands of beginners and challenges advanced rigid-heddle weavers with a broad range of techniques." Crafters will be thrilled by the possibilities: satisfying tapestry and transparency projects, bead weaving and e-textiles, and dramatic effects using simple finger-manipulated techniques. Syne Mitchell's essential guide explores the full capabilities of these tabletop looms, covering all the basics and offering an amazing array of projects.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you want clear direction direction on how to warp, common weaving problems, explanation of terms, how to calculate what you will need for a project and how to make your weaving look professional and interesting this is a great place to start."
"Concise, cohesive, and packed full of knowledge, this book will get you to not only find your rigid heddle loom but also to explore and use it to its fullest."
"I think this book appears to be the perfect first weaving book for anyone with a rigid heddle loom."
"Such a helpful and informative book with tons of step by step instructions for dozens of great projects!"
"This is the best weaving book!"
"An in-depth treasury of easy to follow techniques."
Best Lace & Tatting
Learn how to work from a knitting chart; instructions for 15 striking shawls are charted and written out Get tips for choosing the right yarn--from fiber content to color--plus tips on using stitch markers, making shawls bigger, and more Make great gifts; find a variety of knitted-shawl patterns to suit yourself and your friends. Find lovely knitted-shawl patterns designed specifically for today's popular sock-weight yarns.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I also love the fact that Jen Lucas had the forethought to add in to each pattern a section on how to make your shawl bigger."
"I particularly like that there are both charts and written instructions for all of them.I have completed several and have found no errors in the patterns -- which is common in patterns I've gotten online."
"The kindle version charts lose all contrast and are difficult to follow."
"Great variety of patterns well written and detailed pics!"
"Great photos, nice projects, and clear directions."
"Did not realize these patterns were for intermediate knitters."
"The pattern instructions are a little confusing since she gives you the lace pattern before the instructions for starting the shawl and carrying on."
"The two color shawl is my favorite one, but I have sat here for 10 minutes and I can’t make heads or tails of that written pattern portion as far as how to order the sections, and I have done plenty of pieces that are as complex as those here."
Best Sewing
Hammocks are one of the most comfortable ways to enjoy the indoors, and make great companions for a long-distance thru-hike, relaxing at a park, a weekend backpacking trip, or an overnight in the woods! Derek Hansen is a lightweight backpacker, Scoutmaster, and "hammock enthusiast" who enjoyed his first hammock hang at age 14 at a Boy Scout high adventure base.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Derek breaks things down to the basics with just enough technical expertise to keep a seasoned hanger intrigued but not too much to lose the novice."
"Great intro to hammock camping, with lots of food for thought and tips to make things easier."
"Derek proves a wealth of information in an easy to read and understand format with excellent illustrations."
"I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is thinking about hanging for the first time or even someone with limited experience with Hammocks."
"I am just exploring the world of hammock camping before I make my first purchase."
"I read it on Kindle and had some issues enlarging the graphics enough but that's probably on me."
"Easy, breezy and fun describes this informative guide to the world of hammock camping."
"I bought this book after I got a new hammock and quick went out to hang it in the backyard , my tree's where to far apart so I grabbed a ratchet strap it snapped hitting me in the hand nearly breaking it."
Best Woodworking
One Man's Wilderness, written by Sam Keith from the journals of Proenneke, is a re-released classic that first captivated readers twenty-six years ago. Though few will follow Proenneke's lead, his story can be quite inspiring.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read how Richard Proenneke built his cabin by hand and thrived (mostly alone) in the bush. What This Book Is: - An important introduction to Richard Proenneke's story. - Heavily edited (I would even say rewritten). - A pleasant, easy read (goes great with the 2-part documentary that airs on PBS). - Easy to get your hands on very quickly. What This Book Is Not: - Richard Proenneke's authentic journals, in his OWN words. - Proenneke's story told in his own voice. I was captivated after watching the 2-part PBS documentary, "Alone in the Wilderness". Bottom Line: - I would rate this book ("One Man's Wilderness") 3.5 stars if I could. - I would rate "The Early Years" 5 stars, hands down. - I recommend this book as an easier, quicker read."
"I have been to Alaska and my family made memories we will tell for the rest of our lives, the desire to go back and explore more is a fire that's been fully ignited."
"I was telling my husband about this book as I started reading it. There is nothing dull about this book and I suspect the people who find it dull haven't any interest in living in the wilderness without Blackberries, i-pods, automobiles and restaurants."
"I've read it a couple of times."
"Not because it has a sad ending, I was just sad to no longer share in the adventure."
"Dick could fabricate or make virtually everything he needed...pots and pans out of gas can tins, forks and spoons out of stump wood, tables, chairs, bunk beds, even wooden hinges!"
"If you have never traveled to remote Alaska, you will want to after reading his book."
"A very special book by a very special author."
Best Book Making & Binding
Want to ignite your creativity, boost your gratitude, and skyrocket your happiness in ten minutes a day? This creative and motivational book invites you along as I discovered the Happy Journal method. A happy journal's premise is you drawing images to describe what brings you joy, so you end up illustrating your life. - Notice the little things that make up your beautiful life. - Combat negative mindsets that will kill your happy journal before it starts. - Start your own happy journal with a couple of supplies. - Pass on the gift of a happy journal to your children and friends.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have fine tip pens, gelatos, colored pencils and watercolors that are languishing in their cases."
"This particularly stood out for me since I’ve struggled with how to help my kids focus on the positive, if they had a bad day at school and are only focusing on the negative."
"Wonderful book."
"If you're looking for one simple thing to do to increase your gratitude and awareness of the good in each day, Jennie gives you exactly that."
"It always brings a smile to her face, even though she sometimes chuckles at my drawings :-) If you have ever struggled with finding joy and happiness in your life, you NEED to read this book!"
"And, along the way, you'll begin to notice how seeking out and jotting down these moments changes the way you think about your day to day life, ultimately resulting in your own "happy life"!"
Best Knitting
The knitting projects include: A classic hat made using large patterns An elegant scarf in lacy patterns The ever-popular fingerless mittens Thick socks that can be made using various patterns A feminine collar using round stitching And much more! "You will be stunned by the complexity and beauty of these unique motifs — and the intensity does not diminish as you page through the book. "Roehm translates the imaginative work of Shida, one of Japan's best-known hand-knitting designers, into English for the first time. Shida gained an international following with the Japanese publication of a book of couture knitting patterns a decade ago, and here presents hundreds of other patterns, adding scallops, yokes, and edgings to her offerings … For intrepid knitters looking for a challenge, the pages of stunning stitches will prove well worth the effort." "…experienced knitters will be tempted to give it a go after paging through the handsomely photographed knit swatches, each of which is accompanied by unlabeled charts. She has been teaching, designing and writing books for over 20 years, and her work already enjoys a worldwide following among Japanese knitting fans. Gayle Roehm now devotes herself to fiber arts and happily spends her days with yarn and needles.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is divided into chapters, each with its own small project: Lacy Patterns, Overall Patterns and Crossing Stitches, Pattern Panels, Pattern Arrangements, Round Yokes and Edgings. This is a must have book for anyone who enjoys designing their own knits, loves texture and is a stitch pattern enthusiast."
"I could spend the rest of my life knitting patterns from this lovely book. It takes a bit of time for the eye and mind to decipher the symbols."
"It is a book I go to so often, Sometimes for a pattern idea but often just to browse as the work is so exquisite."
"An entirely new way of thinking about knitting."
"Waited for publication."
"Exquisite is accurate."
"Fabulous designs, can't wait to use them in projects!"
"Just when you thought you couldn't be dazzled any more, "Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible" comes along to blow you away!"
Best Needlepoint
Take a cue from entertaining expert. Amy. Sedaris and host an unforgettable fete that will have your guests raving. "In A t Home with Amy Sedaris , Ms. Sedaris offers deliriously twisted takes on the homemaking skills she skewered in her books I Like You and Simple Times ." The fourth disc contains a PDF file with all 76 recipes for her "15-minute meals in 20 minutes," which were read aloud on the previous discs, in addition to 70 more "Jackpot Recipes." The actor, caterer, film star, comic, and sister of David Sedaris charms, seduces, entertains, instructs, amuses, and just plain invites readers into her somewhat eclectic life. Readers will revel in the more than 100 recipes with menus for dozens of occasions (or not), from blind date at home to table for one (an evening alone, that is, with steak and salad). Her recipes, by the way, are no rivals to the Culinary Institute of America; for instance, the directions for "carrot coins" call for slicing carrots so they look like coins and sauteing with butter, salt, and pepper.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Serious recipes interspersed with "serious" humor read by Amy in her adorable voice."
"Visually, the layout is great and the art is varied and fun (I can't decide which I prefer: the photos or the illustrations). What I learned from the book was about relaxing, whether in terms of cooking, entertaining or just life in general. I was never an uptight cook or baker but I often felt that entertaining was a lot of pressure. My teachers ranged from my mother to Martha Stewart, neither of whom would suggest a sombrero with a brimful of chips = Fiesta Night."
"This is the second copy of this I have had to buy."
"There are numerous references to material by page number which are useless here. So, with graphics that are incomprehensible and text that zig zags all over the place, it's a testament to the authors enormous talent and my perseverence that I give this book 4 stars."
"so why would i have a book like this? it is the most amusing, funny, clever, delightful, helpful, informative book about ANY subject i've read about anything!"
"I found this hilarious book in the stack of reading material at my dear friend Linda's house (well, okay, it was in her bathroom) during one of our girl pal weekends in October."
"Irreverent Sedaris humor is to be expected in this perfect hostess book."
Best Needlework
A crochet border is the perfect finishing touch on the edges of any fiber project, but creating one often means shaping the edging around an unforgiving 90-degree angle. Edie Eckman is the author of Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs , Around the Corner Crochet Borders , Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs , The Crochet Answer Book , and Christmas Crochet for Hearth, Home & Tree , as well as co-editor of Crochet One-Skein Wonders ® and Crochet One-Skein Wonders® for Babies.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book would have been improved with a picture index of the borders available collected on a few pages at the beginning OR a numerical index of which borders are found where on the covers (as some doily books are known to do). Next, the borders are different from what I have seen in other books. I have at least 10 border and edging books, and the ones here were different. At least half of the borders have what I would call a "good" corner--a special treatment of the corner to make it stand out or a true right angle corner. The other half of the borders do say what to do at the corner, but the corner treatments are basically to work the border along the entire edge, add a few very boring stitches to keep the corner from cupping, and then start the next edge. (With the border described, I might put 9dc in the center of the 3sc group and have the skip 2 stitches before and after the border preceded by a sc, then 5dc)."
"This is a very clever little book with all kinds of borders as well as instructions and tips for crocheting around corners."
"Very useful little book!"
"I just love crochet books, whether they be for full patterns or as this one for edging."
"This book has a lot of interesting patterns."
"great information, actually ordered one for my grandaughter i thought it was so informative."
"These will look gorgeous on fabric, knit or crochet patterns."
"Borders for every project."
Best Leathercrafting
Aetheric ray deflector solid brass goggles Calibrated indicator gauges Ferromagnetic self-scribing automated encyclopedia (or, the Steampunk book drive) High voltage electro-static cannon (or, the lamp gun) Tesla-pod chrono-static insulating field generator (or, the mobile device enclosure) Altitude mask with integrated respiratory augmentation Armoured pith helmet Mark I superior replacement arm with integrated Gatling gun attachment. Thomas Willeford has degrees in physics, history, and art.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The pages hidden between the lovely covers are full of fun and amazingly well layed out projects created, innovated and presented in a wonderfully easy to follow and incredibly well written and thought out style."
"Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts. I've bought lots of DIY books, and read many steampunk books."
"Willeford's step-by-step, cautions and how-to hints are a treasure and we are all the better for his opening the doors of Grimmelore Manor to show us what's inside that genius brain of his."
"It's really remarkable how some of those concepts eventually materialized (portable wireless communication devices, flying machines, trips into outer space, etc.). This book - Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, And Gizmos - is a great look at the designs, and means to create and build your own, Steampunk styled stuff."
"This book contains 12 step-by-step projects for building your own steampunk artefacts from the essential goggles right up to a steam powered artificial arm with gatling gun."
"I started getting into steampunk and wanted a book with some info to make steampunk accessories."
"Really nice to organize my make up and personal items in a small space."
"Also, the cannon on the helmet decoration can be substituted with a different item, or you can find a how-to video on YouTube of Mr. W showing how to make a mini cannon out of a brass rod!"
Best Home Decorating
Your Modern Guide for Planning a Wedding that’s Perfectly You. Wedding planning can be a bit overwhelming, but with the helpful how-tos and insider advice in this handy wedding book, you can forget the stress and focus on creating a day that truly reflects you as a couple. Get a head start on being the best MOH ever and give her this essential guide to bridal everything from the creators of inspirational site Lover.ly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My fiancé jokingly says that this book, the Loverly Wedding Planner, may have been written as a “wedding planning guide for the guy”."
"My sister in law is also planning her wedding and so this book will get a lot of use out of it."
"This is all along with recommendation on how far in advance you need to get it done ( for example while the wedding is 12 months away, 9 months, etc)."
"I thought this book will help a couple decide where to begin with wedding planning and to really express what is important to them including budget , where to hold the wedding and who are you inviting."
"This book will walk you through all of the planning processes for having a wedding. Planning a wedding can be a very stressful time, but this book will help you out a lot."
"It was also really nice that this book had places to write down your thoughts or worksheets that helped to guide you through the wedding planning process."
"It has photos, checklists, ideas, tips for choosing venues, tips for pitcures and anouncments, setting the date and much more information which is useful for those about to get married. Lots of great info a must read if your planning to get married."
"In addition to being a great guide, it can also become something of a keepsake, as you can write notes at the end of each chapter."
Best Flower Arranging
From Erin Benzakein, a leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm, Cut Flower Garden is equal parts instruction and inspiration—a book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. - Stephen Orr, editor in chief, Better Homes and Gardens. "One of the leading voices in the farmer-florist movement, Erin is a tireless advocate for locally-grown flowers. "I met Erin Benzakein more than ten years ago when she was a young mom growing sweet peas and dreaming of making her living from flowers. And now she's sharing that dream with the world - everyone from fellow flower enthusiasts to emerging farmer-florists to veteran designers yearning for a new, seasonal and sustainable model of floristry. In her debut book she not only introduces us to the basics of growing our own flowers, she shares her deep love and understanding of gardening in a way that will leave even the most doubtful grower feeling inspired to get their hands in the dirt." Her first book is deliciously gorgeous and incredibly comprehensive- combining practical advice alongside a huge overdose of seasonal inspiration. Erin Benzakein's gorgeous new book, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden, is equal parts inspiration and education. The layout is simultaneously appealing and practical; Floret's signature lush photographs beautifully illustrate all stages of cut flower production and design through the seasons. Filled with clear growing techniques, detailed harvesting instructions and other tips of the trade, this book is a true gift to anyone wanting to generate good income from the craft of flower farming on a small-scale.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"broken down into flowers of the season... author gives several varieties of her favorite flowers."
"What a book, just about everything you need to know, and her years of experience have been put into this book."
"Beautiful, inspiring, complete, thorough, full of heart and current guide, that can be adapted to farms of all sizes."
"I was so inspired after reading this book that I took a leap and bought my first dahlia, now that I know how to take care of it."
"I don't even have a yard/garden right now as I'm renting but this book has been so fun to read and to dream!"
"If you love flowers, you will love this book."
"I wish I bought this as a digital copy so that I could carry everywhere to read."
"Love this book!"
Best Craft & Hobby Painting
This beautifully illustrated and inspiring guided watercolor-a-day book is perfect for beginning watercolor artists, artists who want to improve their watercolor skills, and visual creatives. “To the outside observer, Jenna Rainey’s work seems completely effortless, but it is in fact built on an extremely solid foundation of techniques, materials, and color theory.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In EVERYDAY WATERCOLOR: LEARN TO PAINT WATERCOLOR IN 30 DAYS, author Jenna Rainey gives us a step-by-step approach to learning how to paint. By Day Thirty, we are finalizing our “Jungle Piece.”. So all in all, I found EVERYDAY WATERCOLOR to be an outstanding book. All it takes is practice, a lot of passion, dedication, and most importantly, patience.”. The author concludes the book with this encouragement: “Keep painting and dedicating this practice to yourself as an artist and creative individual.” I appreciate the author’s helpfulness, and warm encouragement."
"In this technique, you paint in the darkest part, then use clean water to wet the lighter areas, and a final stroke joins the two to create a bleed of the dark into the wet areas. In the lessons, you learn how to paint various leaves, flowers (roses, paradise flower), plants (trees, cacti), fruit (papaya, dragon fruit), animals (chickens, hummingbird, toucan, elephant, macaw), and several landscape or collage-like paintings using these objects. She frequently urged "add lots of water," leaving it mostly up to the reader to figure out how to keep the paint from escaping the desired bounds."
"However, what I found more important is that it doesn’t only teach but also entices you to start practicing: – It gives a defined time frame “30 days of watercolors”, so you can see the goal. – The example images are not intimidating and portrait only what you are supposed to learn (not astonishing pieces that obviously required more knowledge than what they teach and you go “no way I can do something like that” and give up). It doesn’t focus on making you achieve a specific stylized design, but if you want to build solid foundations in watercolor and go beyond the examples provided, then go for it!."
Best Craft Dye
Create mixed-media art quilts starting from your digital photographs. ( Down Under Textiles, Issue 25 ). Wen Redmond has been experimenting with different styles and techniques for many years, and this book distils her work with digital images and various materials. The book is helpfully divided up into sections such as using fabric or paper as substrates, using Pre-Coats (such as InkAid) and basic Digital Photography printing before moving onto more experimental chapter, using acrylic mediums, overlays, creating textured surfaces for blending or printing over and using nonporous substrates. Inkjet printers can be used to print on a variety of substrates, and mixed-media artist Redmond shares how best to combine printed fabric or paper with paint, photographs, and art supplies such as gel medium to create one-of-a-kind works of art. This stimulating guide to combining digitally altered photos and surface materials to create mixed-media designs centres around artist Wen Redmond's passion for photographs and fabric. With stunningly illustrated ideas for digitally printing/layering images onto fabric, paper and other surfaces suing a variety of techniques, it is jam-packed full of information covering computer software and scanner/copier techniques, layering and blending images, printing processes and paint methods. Whether you're interested in photo quilting, fabric and paper art, digital and mixed-media art, photography or art and design, you can't fail to be inspired by the transformational approaches in this book. Wen Redmond, a distinguished quilter and mixed media artiest, experiments with manipulating and printing digital images on a multitude of substrates including fabrics and paper. Showing complete familiarity with the tools, techniques and products she describes, Wen's inspirational combination of textiles and digital images will surely motivate the adventurous-spirited reader to compose, create and print innovative textile art too. Wen Redmond is a mixed-media artist whose work embraces digital printing, surface design, fiber art, and collage.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"gets into detail about using the computer to make digital fabric art."
"Wonderful instructional material."
"Easy to follow and the photos are wonderful."
"This book is filled with wonderful images from this talented artist."
"Great guide for working with digital photos to create art quilts - many great pictures for creative motivation."
"I own a few of Wen Redmond's pieces and love her book too."
"Lots of digital collage techniques to work with."
Best Metal Work
Makers, get ready: This is your ultimate, must-have, tip-packed guide for taking your DIY projects to the next level—from basic wood- and metalworking skills to 3D printing and laser-cutting wizardry, plus the entrepreneurial and crowd-sourcing tactics needed to transform your back-of-the-envelope idea into a gleaming finished product. Hackett likes his coffee strong and his physics Newtonian, and he is a firm believer in “build it, then measure it.”. Founded in 1872, Popular Science is the world’s largest science and technology magazine, with 6.7 million readers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I feared this would insult her intelligence (she has some class and professional training with tools) but changed my mind after seeing the practical advice from the author, Chris Hackett."
"This is a cool book to read and look through."
"Well written (but with a couple of editing mistakes), funny, clever, and full of great advice on how to do it, and do it safe."
"I did not know how many things could be made....a bit of a handy guys book, combined with OH NO!"
"I haven't tried, but really want to is the homemade welding apparatus (basically 4 car batteries a pair of pliers and a metal rod)."
"Fantastic book covering the basics of most garage projects."
"Nice book if you know absolutley nothing about tools."
"Great book of projects to work on by yourself or with your children."
Best Craft Patchwork
Grab this easy. beginner quilting guide. and get 3 fun. quilt patterns. with complete step-by-step instructions that anybody can use to. make a quilt. , even if you have never sewn before! Three complete quilt patterns: Quilt-as-you-go table runner, Rail fence lap quilt, and Double four-patch baby quilt. She is always looking for and writing about simpler and faster ways to quilt.Felicity is currently working on her second quilting book, and contributes to the quilting blog Quilter's Diary.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Overall it is an excellent book to start quilting!"
"I like the size of the book, and I knew as soon as I opened it, I had really gotten the quilting book that I had been looking for all along."
"I like the book for beginning quilting & want to give a 5 rating but it needed editing/updating on pages here/there (one was on the instructions #3, where is the mention of the yellow fabric)."
"great book for Beginners,"
"this as a gift & she likes it & picked a pattern fir her 1st quilt."
"Since I know nothing about quilting, this book was extremely informative...."
Best Lapidary
Simple Guide to Over-the-Air Free TV sets itself apart by providing non-techs with over 110 pages of useful cord cutting information and a step-by-step guide to successful cord cutting. Simple Guide to Over-the-Air Free TV explains how supplementing OTA TV with streaming media players like the Roku 4, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, in combination with streaming media services like Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, HBO Now, Amazon Video and Sling TV, can create personalized, inexpensive options to bundled cable or satellite programming packages. If you are looking for a straightforward how-to manual to help you cut the cord, read Simple Guide to Over-the-Air Free TV and to learn how to save money and start enjoying TV on your terms today!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've already ordered a Mohu antenna which will have a trial run next week in my son's apartment."
"Roku 3 love the free "Crackle" channel; 3. Subscription to SlingTV (may upgrade to add HBO when that becomes available) and took advantage of their free Roku Stick offer (for MIL's TV)."
"I was thinking I wished someone had written something like this as I was crawling through the options one by one - and lucky for me, someone did."
"Applying the ideas in this book and purchasing some of the suggested products for two different homes has ended up saving a total of $2640 per year in Cable TV cost."
"Great, short overview of one way to simplify your life and still get what you need."
"Well written and informative in a language that makes it easy to understand."
"An excellent book for anyone who is considering going to a over the air antenna or who is interested in lowering the cost of TV."
"For the total newcomer to OTA use it provides many insights and links to more information."
Best Textile Arts
Paracord Project Inspirations, a book that combines knots and ties of the past with knots and ties of the present, so you can launch your paracording skills into the future! Lenzen is the creator of the highly acclaimed YouTube channel '''Tying It All Together'' and the producer of over 300 instructional videos.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great addition to the ever expanding paracord world."
"Good for beginners."
"Good book."
"I found the them in the decorative fusion knots book to be correct and easy to follow and the knot tied very easy for me."
"Excellent book and illustrations."
"Good book."
Best Fashion
Is your closet jam-packed and yet you have absolutely nothing to wear? "it never hurts to take inventory of what's in your closet already in order to make good decisions when you're staring at a pile of "yeses" in the dressing room. [she] is dedicated to helping women curate their perfect wardrobes using all kinds of handy charts, infographics, and lists that make the process less emotional and more data-oriented." – Glamour.com "Fans of the author's blog, Marie Kondo devotees, and anyone who's tired of having a full closet but 'nothing to wear' will treasure this superb resource." "Lifestyle blogger Rees’s first book, based on the blog Into Mind , is a fun and practical guide to discovering one’s personal style. The goal is for women to easily choose an outfit that they like every single morning, to wear a large portion of clothes from their closet, and to be able to dress for their own lifestyles. “In a world inundated with fast fashion and rapidly changing trends, it’s easy for our closets to become graveyards of misguided purchases. Anuschka Rees’s The Curated Closet is a smart, straightforward manual that encourages readers to discover what they like and to develop a wardrobe that makes getting dressed easier. She has a master's in social psychology from the London School of Economics and has spent years studying the intricacies of human decision making, which she's used to develop her unique system of personal style-defining techniques.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd be a bit lost on color, personalized style words, and garment basics without the prior read of Bobbie Thomas, The Power of Style (similar approach with clearer guidance on personal style & color palettes), Nancy Nix-Rice, Looking Good Every Day (required text for FIT NY Image Consultants), and Jennifer Scott, Lessons From Madame Chic (light-hearted stories underscoring and explaining personal style, quality, upkeep, yep, no quizzes her either). Having read those books, Anuschka is exceptional at the final mechanics of building and updating a wardrobe that meets YOUR needs and style personality. Madame Chic -- put me in the proper mindset. Looking Good Everyday -- provided the nuts and bolts. The Power of Style -- prompted detail work on my style personality, color palette, and clothing details. The Curated Closet -- solidified my rules, set my outfit formula, and established an on-going "curating" approach."
"For years I did the whole “buy whatever I like on clearance” routine – only to wind up with a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, because nothing matches or it turns out a shirt I loved for 30 seconds in a dressing room (that was on sale of course) just doesn’t fit quite right at home. Less focused on having a minimalist wardrobe (although that’s part of it), this book teaches the reader how to develop a personal style that works with your budget and how to be a smarter shopper. One of the biggest mistakes I was making was just having a general idea of a piece I needed –say a blue shirt- and then going shopping and finding something (on sale) that more or less fit the bill. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that finds themselves with a closet full of close and nothing to wear, or who is ready to develop a personal style and become a smarter, better shopper."
"She asks you to take pictures of your outfits for two weeks and then looks at your FAVORITE outfits, that you felt the best in, and helps you analyze them to figure out WHY you love them and then build your whole wardrobe around those elements. This is different from every other challenge I've looked at, which have you look at all the clothes you WORE and build your wardrobe around the pieces you wore, which is NOT the same as building it around your favorite outfits."
Best Quilts & Quilting
With an illustrated index, 70 free-motion quilting designs, crystal-clear instructions, and gorgeous full-page photographs, this is the go-to resource you'll want handy before starting any quilting project. Noted long arm quilter Walters is here to help with her engaging new book, detailing quilting designs to fit specifically into squares, triangles, circles, hexagons, and borders. Angela Walters is a prolific writer on free-motion embroidery and her books are always worth a mention being well explained, illustrated and executed. Here there are squares, triangles, circles, diamonds, hexagons, negative space and borders and they are all great designs, ready to combat ‘quilter's amnesia' for those times where you look at a shape and cannot think of the best way to quilt it.The author provides clear and simple instructions which are useful in enabling some complex patterns to be broken down into lines and stages. Angela Waters has quilted for fabric designers, authors, and pattern makers and has been published in numerous books and magazines.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At Last a how to book that tells you, how to...I have so many other quilting idea books and none of them come close to this one."
"Beginner quilter here, so i bought to use for practice free motin quilting."
"I have enjoyed the book "Shape by Shape Free Motion Quilting" very much."
"Modern free motion quilting guide."
"Fair book I wish I could figure out where to start, stop and how to travel."
"Love Angela Walters ideas for quilting, These give me lots of designs to practice on my quilts."
"received on time and in new condition...Angela makes things seem very easy and has very practical and easy to understand instructions."
"A must have book for quilters .Angela has it well. organized according to the shape of the block and even included design ideas for borders."
Best Hobby Model Trains
This book provides ideas for the model railroad enthusiast to develop automated signal projects. The first book is titled Arduino Heat Transfer Science Fair Projects and the second book is titled Arduino Force Pressure and Acceleration Science Fair Projects.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After having issues with the first project, the author assisted me and I am happy to upgrade my review to 5 stars."
"Note I'm not a model railroad person, I wanted to see yet another application of Arduino technology."
"I liked the arduino model rr specific discussion and coding suggestions but was hoping for a bit more depth and other applications."
"Great book!"
"Somewhat simplistic and not very comprehensive in scope."
"This book is a really good reference for arduino and how you can use it for model railroading."