We Dare You by the "Dare Girls"

Reported by Emilie Ahern

Okay. Idea books in general don't tend to inspire me too terribly. The thing is....if you buy a book written by one person, even if you adore their work, you get project after project in the same style. And many idea book topics don't appeal to me.

But, at the last CHA, when I had an opportunity to get this book, I jumped all over it. Mainly because I had heard all of the praise about the challenge blog (http://www.efferdares.com/) on which this book is based. But also, I can admit it, because of all of the controversy surrounding one of the authors, CK's Hall of Fame fallen angel, Kristina Contes. Yeah...it's true.

The subtitle of this book is Scrapbook Challenges about Real Life. And this statement is completely true. It is a series of challenges split into differing categories. The categories are...

the Good
the Bad
the Ugly
the Silly, Wacky, Funny
the Random
the Best

Hoochie Hoops, my take based on the Dare titled Bling (pg. 18)

Within each category you will find multiple challenges based on that topic with accompanying layout by (at least) each of the four contributing authors, Kristina Contes, Meghan Heath Dymock, Genevieve Simmonds and Nisa Finn. What immediately appealed to me were the topics. One of the reasons I scrap is because I want to know myself inside and out. These dares cause you to really dig deep and scrap all of the parts of your life, not just the shiny-happy parts, but those are in there too. Some of the dares are titles, themes, scrapping techniques, etc. There is a wide variety to inspire you.

I also found the four designer's work to be very different from each other in many respects. This means that whatever your style, you will probably see something you identify with.

Dear Teenage Me, my take based on the Dare titled Little Me (pg. 64)

Many of the dares included in the book can be re-done over and over again. The topics inspired a myriad of creative possibilities to race through my mind...and, to me, that is the test of a truly great idea book.

With 127 pages, over 25 dares, over 100 project examples and endless possibilities, I found this book to be helpful, informative and inspiring. This book was published by Memory Makers and is available for sale at amazon.com, half.com and memorymakersmagazine.com. It retails for $22.99, but can be found for a more affordable price at the mentioned online stores. It was the cheapest on half.com.

Obsessed, my take based on the Dare titled Obsessed (pg. 14)

I also fell in love with Kristina's work in the process. Her layouts spoke to me every time. No matter what you think of the HOF situation, I think you may gain great insight into this woman's world by checking out this book.

Pros:

• Well thought out challenges which can be used to inspire multiple layouts from each dare.
• Many of the projects include new and innovative techniques that will appeal to the more advanced scrapper.
• Many different scrapping styles mean you will likely identify with a Dare Girl whose style matches yours.

Cons:

• Subject matter may not appeal to all scrappers. If you feel like you are just trying to race to document all of your children's birthdays before they leave for college, this is probably not for you.
• Some techniques in the example projects are for the intermediate-advanced skill level. Some scrappers may find them daunting.

I highly recommend this idea book. It is the best I have ever purchased. I would love to know what you think! Do you have this book and love it/hate it? Do you like scrapping challenges or would you rather just scrap chronilogically?

Paper Transformed by Julia Andrus

Reported by Heather Strenzwilk

Several months ago, I discovered Paper Transformed: A Handbook of Surface-Design Recipes and Creative Paper Projects at a chain bookstore. Written by hybrid artist Julia Andrus, this book is filled with techniques for paper based projects. Most of the projects require 3-6 ingredients and many have under 7 steps and can be completed in 20 minutes or less. I was attracted to the vibrant samples and the easy to follow instructions with supplies I had on hand.

The 176 page softbound book has 8 chapters. Each chapter with a sampler of finished techniques and each sub technique in a chapter gets a brief overview including an extensive tool discussion. More experienced artists might be more inclined to skim some of this background material if they are familiar with the technique. The chapters start with the most basic technique and build on it in subsequent samples.

Here is a list of chapter titles:
Old favorites and new variations: marbling, watercolors, paste paper and pastels
Original designer papers
Metal look-alikes
Special paper treatments: alcohol ink, beeswax, dry embossing
Stamping techniques: inks, embossing powder
Stippling, sponging, and stenciling
Paper finales: finishing, aging techniques, dyeing and staining

The last chapter in the book is called "Sparkling Paper Projects" and unlike the previous chapters which focus on specific techniques, this section highlights completed projects utilizing multiple recipes and techniques. These are very inspirational and offer some ideas for unique embellishments and 3-D items. For the sample below I combined the following techniques: stamped watercolor effects, painted tin and dry embossing (with glaze).



As a long time paper crafter, I can often "figure it out" if I look at a sample or see a supply list. I looked at this book as a springboard to add new twists to time honored techniques such as watercoloring or resist. Andrus offers many tips to help achieve the desired results- for example, a meat tenderizer can make great pitted surfaces. She also notes variations for many of the projects for a different look. When possible, she mentions substitutions that can be made for certain supplies. I found her advice to be sound and some suggestions for using ordinary objects as tools helpful.

Pros:

• The techniques feature readily available supplies such as Ranger products and many basic supplies that many artists already own. Many techniques can be completed in under 10 minutes.
• Many unique insider tips and ways to use common household objects as creative tools.
• Andrus incorporates a wide variety of styles (altered, grunge, collage, etc) and project types (cards, journals, boxes, vases, etc) to appeal to a wide audience.

Cons:

• The instructions are brief and while adequate for a more seasoned artist, less experienced artists might need additional instructions.
• Many of the techniques in the book have been around for years such as waxed paper resist, marbling, bleaching and polished stone. While there are some new and unique twists on the techniques, more experienced artists might not be as inspired.
• The book should be spiral bound so it will open and stay flat.

The suggested retail price of the book is $24.99 and is available at chain bookstores but is available online at Amazon and straight from her website.

We want to hear from our readers. Have you read "Paper Transformed"? Did you like it? Would you recommend it? Please share your thoughts with us.

Romantic Home Sewing by Christina Strutt

Reported by Tracy Schultz

I'm a self-taught sewer who adores the popular shabby style, so when I received Romantic Home Sewing: Cottage-Style Projects to Stitch for the Home as a gift, I was ecstatic. But my enthusiasm faded somewhat after reading the book and trying out a few projects.

The book is 144 pages long and full of gorgeous photos and ideas on how to infuse your home with easy, cottage-inspired charm. It is divided into several sections: Living room, Bedroom & bathroom, Clothes & accessories, Gifts, Instructions, and Templates. In each section, there are photos and a brief description about each project. In some cases, the author shares with the reader her inspiration behind each project. In other cases, she mentions ways to alter the project slightly, embellish it differently than shown, or recommends a particular fabric to be used.

Some projects in this book are ones I've seen time and time again: fabric headboards, pillows, and tote bags. But there were quite a few projects that were new to me like the hot water bottle cover and fabric pencil cups. Some, like the cutlery roll, caused a light bulb to go off in my head- "Why didn't I think of that? That's such a great idea!"

After reading through the book, I decided to try making a couple projects. The first being the bolster pillow on page thirty-two. I read through the instructions on how to make it listed in the back of the book, cut my fabric out, and began sewing. But when it came time to finish the ends, I had a difficult time getting mine to turn out as they were supposed to. So instead, I improvised and used a ribbon-tie closure.



There were several other more in-depth projects I would have liked to make from the book, like the cutlery roll I mentioned. But after my experience with the bolster pillow, I was afraid they too would not turn out as planned. And I hate to waste fabric!! I stuck to an easy project for my second: the placemat and napkins on page sixty-nine. This is probably the easiest project in the book and I'm happy to report mine turned out just fine.



Pros:

• Gorgeous photos
• Range of projects from simple to more in-depth
• Ideas for all areas of your home

Cons:

• Instructions are a bit vague for some projects
• No full-size patterns
• Limited amount of photos of projects during the sewing process to help readers (like me!) visualize

All in all, this book is a nice source of inspiration to get you thinking of how to incorporate handmade items into your decor and everyday life. I would have liked to see more in-depth instructions and detailed photos to help create the projects in the book. If you don't mind improvising, then this book would be a wonderful addition to your collection. But if you're like me and prefer detailed instructions, then you might want to save your money for another book.

Romantic Home Sewing retails for $25.95 and can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Quiltology.

Were you thinking about buying this book? What do you think now after reading this review? Already own it?? Then I'd love to know how your projects turned out!

The Art of the Family Tree

Reported by: Kimberly Brimhall

Back in February at the winter CHA, I was given a copy of The Art of the Family Tree: Creative Family History Projects Using Art, Fabric & Collage. I immediately loved the cover so of course I kept it. Author Jenn Mason references why she believes she was destined to write this book because she has a big family, her mother made family trees, her family members are interested in family research and she is an artist. She includes tips for getting started from finding and organizing your space to tools and materials.

This book really made me look at the family tree in a different light. Rather than looking at pages of random names printed on paper, Mason shows the art of making a visible record of family members. She outlines step by step how to arrange your family tree, even solving tricky dilemmas for things such as divorce and adoption.

The Art of the Family Tree is filled with so many ideas for making a a visual family tree or documenting it. Some are done on canvases, some in shadow boxes, some in journals. There is something for everyone's style from journaling to collage art.
I decided to make a collage family tree and a library of relatives mini journal collection...
The idea was to take an old hardcover book and remove the pages and use the the outside for the journal holder.



Eyelets were used to string the ribbons that hold the mini journals inside. I made one for each member of my family...here I can record important events, awards, allergies, things that might not go in a scrapbook. I also added a small envelope for little memories such as movie tickets, stamps, things with the date so years from now we can look back on the past.



This book is step by step easy to follow. I am usually not a big "project" person, unless I can figure it out in under 5 minutes, so this book was perfect for me. Mason and other artists are spotlighted in this book. There are visual examples of projects from canvas art to family wreath trees to postcards. If you are someome who has is interested in family history or just want to make a family tree, this book is a good fit. It's easy to follow steps are wonderful for people who are just getting started as well. I enjoyed this different perspective on family history and I am still working on a canvas family tree. Have you taken a look at this book? Let us know what you think!

In Stitches, by Amy Butler

Reported by Nancy Beyer

I love anything Amy Butler. I want to basically dress myself and my house in all her fabrics. She seriously has an almost William Morris like modern day interpretation of fabric that I love. I wish she would have more clothes patterns because if I had time, I would make every single one of them. However, I was a bit disappointed about her latest book, In Stitches. I bought my copy from Amazon for under $20.00 USD but it can also be found at Barnes and Noble and Chronicle Books.

Using this book, I created this kitty tunnel. Simple enough right? It should have taken me about an hour at tops. Instead of faux fur, I used fuzzy wuzzy flannel. See the picture of Mogaley the Cat ( above) modeling the result. It took me four hours due to the directions. At one point, in Step # 5, I really messed up and had to rip out the seams because I was testing to see how well the directions would work without looking at a diagram.

If you read the directions for Step # 5, "with the exterior tunnel wrong side facing out and the fur lining right side facing out....slip the exterior tunnel over the fur lining making ..." you would have not sewed the item correctly. However, if you were to look at the at the mini diagram for Step 5, it doesn't match the written word. The diagram above shows, "wrong side of the exterior and the wrong side of the the fur". This was the critical issue I saw throughout the entire book. Even though the writer would bold the words RIGHT side and WRONG side in an attempt to differentiate between the fabric's "sides", in my viewpoint, those descriptors didn’t make sense at all when reading the instructions. Yes, there is a right and wrong side to every fabric, but again, from a beginner’s standpoint, it would have behooved the author to explain what they really meant. Something as simple as, the "patterned side" of the fabric equates to the "right" side of the fabric, and the "wrong" side of the fabric equates to the "non patterned" side.

I wanted to make sure I was not being to harsh, so I brought it over to my neighbor who is a seasoned sewer. She read the directions about three times and agreed with me that yes, this is difficult - especially if you don't have the terminology ingrained in your head.

I will admit, I was a technical writer - so little picky inconsistencies like this drive me nuts. Will I still finish the rest of the book? Maybe. I am currently eying up an apron and bag pattern. I am sure a good cup of java and a speed dial call to my neighbor will help me through it! Also, I found that Amy Butler's site lists corrections to the book.

Pros -

• Patterns are clear and well drawn.
• The variety of projects is good but I would prefer a rating system on level of difficulty

Cons-

• This is not a beginners sewing book at all, something that shocked me.
• The directions are very hard to follow - in fact - almost hard to comprehend. I found myself rereading the directions, sometimes 4 times. That is what took the longest - reading the directions and than looking at the diagrams to see if they matched.
• Questions for beginners? One had to go to Page 172 to find out information. I prefer to have all information needed on the page that I am reading.
• The diagrams are extremely small and were also hard to follow. They needed to be a bit bigger, especially when one puts five diagrams on one 8 x8 page. For example:

However, if you truly are a newbie at sewing, this is not your book. I would recommend reading like "Bend -the- Rules Sewing" by Amy Karol of Angrychicken fame or "Sew, Sew Everything Workshop" by Dianna Rupp. I love those books and they are extremely helpful.

Tell us what you think! Have you used the book In Stiches?

Knitting for Baby

Reported by Katie Renz

The book I’m reviewing today is titled Knitting for Baby - 30 Heirloom projects with Complete How-to-Knit Instructions by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas and photographs by Ross Whitaker. It is published by Stewart, Tabori, and Chang/New York. I happened upon this book several years ago while I was shopping in my local knitting store and fell in love with it and still love it to this day.

The book is well organized and covers a full gambit of stitches and techniques. This is a list of the chapters: Introduction, Getting Started, Garter Stitch, The Purl Stitch & A New World of Texture, Shaping, Discovering A New World of Color, Circular Knitting Cables & Ribs, Exploring the Possibilities, Yarn Sources, and Acknowledgments.

So, let’s begin with the meat of the book – projects for babies (newborn to age two). First of all, a handmade item especially a knitted one makes a beautiful gift and as the title states on the book – an heirloom. One might think that an 'heirloom' item would have to be extremely complicated and gorgeous beyond belief, but in reality an heirloom item is one that is made from the heart, is a classic, and yes indeed can be simple to make.

First of all, I would like to point out why I was drawn to this particular book. The photos are absolutely gorgeous and the book is filled with them. There are pictures of all the items that can be made, both independently and canvassed on those, oh so cute babies, and a couple of great Mom items too, such as a felted diaper bag and an elegant, yet roomy new mom sweater. There are also a couple of baby toys to knit too. Not only are the items beautifully shot, but they are mostly full page pictures! Along with actual photographs, there are wonderfully detailed, colored illustrations with step by step directions to help you with your projects.

The other reason that I love, yes LOVE this ,is the fact that I can pick it up after a year of not knitting and find a project that I can complete. Now mind you, I pick items that are time sensitive and in my mind easy to do which would be hats, blankets, and booties. I almost always have to refresh my memory regarding the correct stitches and some of the basics, but it’s so effortless to do because the information is easily accessible and easy to understand.

Which then leads me to my final reason I think this book is so great. I consider myself an intermediate knitter that only knits sporadically, yet I can pick up this book and pick out a simple, yet timeless pattern and create a beautiful 'heirloom' to give as a baby gift. But, when and if the extra time appears and I want to create a more intricate garment, there are plenty to choose from. Anything from a beautiful cabled sweater, a lacy topped little girl's dress, or more detailed color patterned sweaters.

Here is an item that I have made plenty of. I love that it is a hat (simple), yet this hat has a fun twist to it with the ear flaps. There is some sewing to this particular pattern (attaching the ear flaps to the main head piece), but really very simple. The suggested yarns in this book are wools, cashmeres, or mixes of natural fibers. If you have a local knitting store, they are sure to have a wide selection of luxurious fibers, but if you are on a budget, a visit to your local craft store will have plenty of choices that will work with these patterns. This particular hat was made with Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease in Avocado and took less than 1 skein which I purchased at my local Joanns store.


Pros:

• Gorgeous full size photographs of the items that can be made
• Easy to follow directions for a beginner knitter
• Lots of great baby and toddler projects

Cons:

• This really isn't the book for you if you are looking for contemporary baby gifts to knit
• Not necessarily for the advanced knitter, if you are looking for a huge challenge
• Limited baby blanket patterns

Knitting for Baby can most likely be found in your local knitting store, but here are some online sources:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Powells Books

Retail Value for this book is $24.95, but can be found for a variety of prices.

In conclusion, I really had to pull at straws to think of any cons to this book. It really is for all levels of knitters and provides excellent projects for the new baby in your life. If you have this book, make sure to let us know what projects you have made or would like to make.

Japanese Craft Books

Reported by Susie Ziegler


My confession today is that I am a Japanese Craft Book addict. I know that I am not the only one. Other craft books are great and we all like having varied craft book libraries, but you know how it is when you get a new book or magazine and you really only like one or two projects and the rest are just… meh...not so great? Well, in these books, it’s like craft heaven. I pretty much want to make every single thing. The projects are simple, gorgeous, cute, and a celebration of a life filled with handmade things. Projects are both contemporary and timeless with tremendous visual appeal.

Just look at this! I could get my preschooler to wash the windows if only she had just the right handmade crochet “Magic Scrubber”!
Here, a felt mascot boy and girl take a felt teddy bear on a little perfect picnic all made in miniature.
Pattern books aren’t all of the “Cute” variety such as the mascot books above, although that is what I am personally drawn to. Some books feature “zakka” (zakka= general merchandise) of all kinds. In fact there is a whole series of books titled “Handmade Zakka”. Cotton Paint and Cotton Time are bi-monthly publications full of inspiration and patterns for all kinds of handmade things.
I have a great collection of these books and I do go a little bit crazy when it’s time for me to make a new order for more. I force myself to craft from several books before I let myself buy any new ones.

I know what you are thinking: I don’t read Japanese! How can I possibly use those books? That’s the amazing thing! You don’t need to be able to read them! The instructions are printed visually, step-by-step. If you have a basic knowledge of a craft like crochet, felt craft, embroidery, or sewing, a Japanese pattern book in that medium will not be difficult. Measurements are given in metric, and numbers are always in our familiar Arabic style. Sometimes the books read from “back to front” but I see that as an exciting novelty and not a problem.

Okay, so sometimes the books with pattern inserts are intimidating. If you have strong visual/perceptual skills, you can figure these out.

Many books are much simpler with instructions like these:
If you simply must know what these books say, you can use this handy Japanese pattern help pdf posted at My Little Mochi.

Browse around at Crafting Japanese. This site was very quiet for awhile, but is back up and running with current photographs and links to blogs with photos, projects, and ISBN numbers.

Also check out the Flickr groups, "crafting in japanese" and
"inspiring images from craft books". Both groups have well over 1000 members and several thousand photos of books and projects to keep you salivating for days and days.

Ready to buy and start your own collection? Brick and mortar sellers include Kinokuniya on the east and west coasts of the USA, and Mitsuwa in other locations. Your city or region just might have a Japanese bookseller or market, but you'll have to check your local yellow pages.

Shopping online is much easier. You can order directly from Japan at Amazon Japan. People use them all the time and I know you can get the pages translated into English, but in this case, the Japanese freaks me out a little bit. I prefer to shop at YesAsia. At YesAsia, they offer free shipping for orders in the USA over a certain amount. Expect your orders from these sellers to take about a month to arrive from overseas.

Other online sources include Etsy, ebay, SuperBuzzy, and KittyCraft. Crafting Japanese has an online guide to sellers HERE.
You'll need to know the ISBN number to do any searching at YesAsia or Amazon Japan. I find that doing keyword searches like "craft" "crochet" or "felt" yield very limited results. It is much better to search by ISBN number, but leave out the letters in your search and use the numbers only. You can also browse around these sites by clicking on the "Customers who bought ---- also bought ----", crossing your fingers that you'll see the specific one you want.

Pros of buying at big online sellers like YesAsia:

• Wide Selection of books
• Excellent prices
• Free shipping depending on your location

Cons

• Difficult search engines don't handle the language barrier
• Listings only have very small cover photos
• Slow delivery takes several weeks

You can expect more photos and some personal service at smaller sellers, but prices will vary widely. Some sellers will even special order books for you. One ebay order I made before discovering YesAsia was very expensive, but it was packaged in the cutest way!

Prices for these books range from around $6 to over $50 for must-have out-of-print books. Publishers are getting wise to the Japanese craft book trend and are beginning to publish some books in English language versions. There are Aranzi Aronzo, Sock and Glove, and some amigurumi crochet books to name a few.
Inspired? We hope so! Let us know if you'd try out these highly inspirational books!

Bend the Rules Sewing

Reported by: Martha Bonneau

Are you new to sewing or have limited experience with sewing? Are looking for a book to help shed some light on all of your questions? Well, look no further than Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. Many crafters may already be aware of Karol through her popular blog Angry Chicken. This book is written in a friendly, informative way that makes the reader instantly feel inspired to tackle the projects within. With it's easy to read text and hand drawn illustrations and patterns, it is very user friendly and less text-book like than many of the other sewing books I have tried to use in the past...this format immediately put me at ease.


This book is divided up into the following sections:

1. Learning to Sew 101
-Bending the rules in sewing
-Bending the rules in life
-Your attitude about mistakes

2. Let's Get Started!
-The sewing machine
-Basic sewing tools and notions
-Your sewing area

3. Start Your Machines!
-Sewing vocabulary 101
-Using the patterns in the book
-The Basics

Sections 4-6 are divided up into multiple projects ranging from tote bags, fashionable dog collars, curtains and pillows as well as cute items for children. Patterns and templates are also included.

The fun, colorful pictures of the finished projects in this book make you want to sit down and start sewing immediately! I have been wanting to make an apron for quite a while and was inspired by the Vintage Apron project to make this one:


I even felt confident enough with the instructions to add the optional pocket. This is my first attempt at an apron, so is it perfect? No. Is it pretty darn close to perfect? Yes! Karol lets you know that sewing is a process and that you should "throw caution to the wind", learn a few basics and find your favorite methods. If you finish a project and it looks homemade, well that's a good thing and not something to beat yourself up over. This is definitely a book for beginners. If you already know the basics and are looking for projects that will stretch you, this may not be the book for you. But if you need that first step to get your feet wet in the world of sewing it's definitely worth checking out.

Pros:

* Easy to read and understand
* Fun colorful pictures of finished projects
* Templates for projects are included
* Lots of helpful hints and tips...Sewing Vocabulary 101 is very helpful

Cons:

* Some of the templates and patterns are not to scale and must be enlarged
* Spiral bound would be nice as I found myself referring back to it several times during my project and losing my place

Where to buy:

I picked up my copy at Barnes & Noble, it can also be found at Amazon and Borders. It retails for $21.95 and in my opinion, was worth every penny! I would love to see Karol come out with another book with more advanced projects for those of us who want to build on our newly acquired sewing skills.

The Designing with Recipe Book by Autumn Leaves

Reported by Simone Collins

To me, the best part about recipe books are the great pictures, fool-proof instruction and delicious outcomes. This new book by Autumn Leaves, The Designing with Recipe Book is everything you need to cook up some amazing scrapbook pages.

The first very simple thing that I absolutely love about this book (and hope that all idea books from now on follow suit) is that it is spiral bound, making it so easy to flip to a page and have it lie flat on your worktable while you are inspired. That alone made me love this book even before opening the cover.

The team of designers is another key component to this book. With so many styles in scrapbooking, it is hard to find a nice mix of designers that not only compliment each other but can inspire a large group of people. This book does just that with some layouts being very simple and clean such as those done by Jennifer McGuire as well as more artistic creations by Emily Falconbridge. The well balance mix of designers really makes this book versatile.



With sketches, tools and product lists carefully shown for each layout, this book is appealing to not only the avid scrapper but also the beginner as well. Some of the descriptions of their "method" of making their layouts were missing some information or seemed a little confusing so that may be a little difficult for some beginners but the sketches alone are priceless. The chapters are also broken down by the number of photos on the layouts, so you can search for an idea based on the photos you are working with. And the layouts in this book do not feature only the newest product, there is plenty of older supplies being used in amazing ways that can help some hoarders use up some of their collection.

The most inspiration I found in this book are the little tips or hints listed with each page from the designer. Little suggestions like what to do with trinkets you collect or how to cheat when sewing flowers on to paper are really the hidden gems here. These little one liners are like getting insider tips from some of the best scrappers around.


Even if you are not a person who uses sketches or someone like me who doesn't really follow step-by-step directions very well, the layouts alone will easily inspire some pages. The page above by Jennifer McGuire with the punched circles inspired me to create this page. And even though it is not exactly like her sketch, it is also framed and uses that awesome punched circle idea.




Pros:

• Great layouts in a variety of styles.


• Sketches for every layout.


• Spiral bound.

Cons:

• Some ingredient lists are missing information.


• Only 100 layouts.


• Some recipes are incomplete or a little confusing.

The suggested retail price of this book is $20 and is available at 2peas, scrapbook.com and HSN.

As a recovering book junkie, this is the first book I've bought in 8 months and I am sure it will have a permanent place in my collection and be referred to many times in the future.

Do you have this book? Read it? We'd love to hear what YOU think!

CardMaker's Sketch Book

Reported by Julie Campbell

Have you ever needed a last-minute card, but found yourself short on time and even shorter on ideas? I recently came across a fantastic resource that has 'saved me' on several occasions! The Card Maker's Sketch Book is a compilation of 45 card sketch ideas by Tami Mayberry (edited by Tanya Fox). Each sketch is accompanied by four full-colored sample cards created by a variety of well-known designers.

This book is perfect for both the novice card maker and the seasoned crafter. Each sketch can be flipped, rotated, or slightly modified -- allowing for endless design possibilities!

The CardMaker's Sketch Book is divided into chapters based on card size (4" x 9" - 4.5" x 6" - 5" x 5" - & 5.5" x 8"). There is also a section at the back of the book of printable envelope templates to coordinate with each card size.

Each card design is presented in a clean, linear format. The sketch below can be found in the 4.5" x 6" chapter. I typically make a standard-sized card (4.25" x 5.5"), so you can see that it is very easy to adapt a sketch and card size to meet your needs.




I like to think of a sketch as the skeleton of a design. The sketch below was intended to be a 5" x 5" card design. One great thing about this book is that each design can be modified to create something entirely new. By simply building on this skeleton, these layouts can be used to make projects such as scrapbook pages, home decor, or gift packaging. I expanded the dimensions of this sketch to create an 8" x 8" page with a removable recipe card.


Pros:

• Great for all skill levels of card makers.
• Full color photos provide great inspiration.
• Designs are very versatile. Each sketch can be rotated, flipped, or altered to create a completely new layout.
• Sketches will stand the test of time, so the book will always remain a great resource.
• Book is very affordable.

Cons:

• Card designs will eventually become 'out of style' (although the sketches will always remain current).
• There is currently no second addition to this book. (I'd love to see more of Tami's sketches in a publication.)
• There is no section for cards sized 4.25" x 5.5". Although all sketches can be adapted to this size, I'd love to have an envelope template for this type of card too.
• I would love to have an additional section at the end of the book with all of the sketches displayed in a smaller, printable version. This would make layout selections even easier and less time consuming.
  

The Card Maker's Sketch Book can be purchased through Annie's Attic for $14.95 ($17.95 Canadian) and through Amazon.com for $10.17 USD. I think this is a fantastic resource at an incredible price. This is a book that you will want to turn to again and again. Even though card styles will change, a sketch can always be adapted to the current trends in paper crafting. I hope this is just the first book of many in the Card Maker's Sketch Book series!

Please let us know your opinion by leaving a comment here!

Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making With Photoshop Elements

Reported By Julie Fei-Fan Balzer


If you have ever thought about doing anything with Photoshop Elements, you must buy Patty Debowski’s book, Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making with Photoshop Elements. It’s a long and inelegant title, but this is the first book I’ve ever seen that covers absolutely everything in plain English.

The monster manual-style book (it’s 384 pages) comes with a DVD, which is packed with digital elements, actions, brushes, and coupons for lots and lots of discounts. In her introduction to the book, Patty writes, “Learning to digi-scrap, for me, was a very long and frustrating experience. I spent many hours surfing the web and reading anything on the subject I could get my hands on….After buying every book available on Photoshop Elements, I finally found a Photoshop Elements Adult Education class. The books and class taught me how to edit my photos and make slide shows, not how to make a scrapbook page or a card.” Thus, this book was born.

In this book you will find beautiful color screen shots, easy to follow step-by-step instructions, and a comprehensive index. There are also keyboard shortcuts and it's all told from a scrapper's perspective.

The book is divided into the following sections:

• Questions Every new Digi-Scrapper Has
In this section, Patty covers topics such as “Why Photoshop Elements” or “If You’re Using a Mac.”

• Getting Started
Patty covers the basics on installing Photoshop Elements.

• Equipment
Patty covers Cameras, Computers, Scanners, Printers, and Wacom Tablets.

• Organizing Your Photos, Digi-Kits, Ideas, Time & Extras
This is just what the title describes.

• The Really Technical Stuff
In my opinion, this is the beginning of what sets Patty apart from other authors. She explains it all: “What’s a Pixel?” “How Big Are My Images?” “How Do I Resize a Scrapbook Page To Upload To A Online Gallery?” And so on.

• The Photoshop Elements Editor
This section is all about shortcuts.

• Tools, Commands, & Tips
Sections in this chapter include “Tools That Move You Around” and “Tools That Make Shapes.” Patty really thinks the way a scrapbooker does and so each chapter is organized that way. And it’s great as a reference book because I can just look up, “Tools That Erase” or whatever else I’m having an issue with.

• Layers
Patty covers absolutely everything you would ever want to know about layers in this chapter, from linking layers to clipping masks.

• Filters & Blending Modes
Through lots of helpful screenshots, Patty shares what every single Filter and Blending Mode in Photoshop Elements does!

• Fixing Your Photos Quickly
This is a very brief section on the “Quick Fix” feature in Photoshop Elements.

• Design, Color, & Journaling
This is a brief overview of some common sense design principles and contains some helpful links to a variety of scrapbooking and card-making sites.

• How to Do The Basics
As you might expect, this section covers how to create a basic scrapbook page or card.

• Templates
This sections opens with “What is a Template?” and continues by explaining how templates work, how to create a template, how to use various templates, etc.

• Cool Stuff to Do With…
Love the title of this section! Basically, Patty covers, “Cool Stuff to Do With Text, Shapes & Mats” – such as multi-colored text and embossing words in a photo – “Cool Stuff to Do With Brushes” – such as make your own brushes and how to make a rubber stamp looking brush – “Cool Stuff to Do With Color” – such as change a color photo to black and white and tinting a photo – “Cool Stuff to Do With Photos” – such as change your photo into a puzzle and how to make a magazine or book cover.

• Shopping, Downloading, & Installing
Among other things, Patty takes you through the various steps involved in downloading scrapbook kits and installing them on your computer.

• Printing Your Pages & Cards
Patty reviews the pros and cons of printing at home or commercially.

For the sake of full disclosure, I feel that I should share that this book was sent to me by Patty when I became a member of the Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine Dream Team. I already knew the basics of digi and hybrid scrapbooking, but she really took my work to a whole other level. I use this book as a desktop reference and whenever I get stuck, I use the index to un-stick myself. Patty has a great website and she offers free weekly tips and tricks on the Scrapbook Dimensions blog.

I highly recommend Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making With Photoshop Elements ($39.99). It is the most comprehensive digi-scrapping book I have ever read. Here are a few digi pages that I recently created:




Is this book on your shelf and do you love it as much as I do? Or do you know a book that sounds comparable? Please share your opinions!

Rubber Stamped Jewelry

Reported by Sara McKenzie

I purchased Rubber Stamped Jewelry a few years ago at a local craft store which has since, unfortunately closed. The good news is that it is still available through Barnes & Noble, or Amazon, at a range of $15-22.

If you are not familiar with the author, Sharilyn Miller, she was editor-in-chief of "Somerset Studio" magazine for a number of years, and she created and launched both "Belle Armoire" and "Art Doll Quarterly" magazines. She has since ventured off to write and teach jewelry crafting. You can check out her work and other details here.

In her art, Sharilyn explored many mixed-media art forms, including collage, painting, bookmaking, fiber arts and jewelry. This particular book explores jewelry making with various materials, all incorporating the use of rubber stamps to create unique images and designs. The first 53 pages describe materials and methods in excellent detail, including clear, full-color photos and close-ups. It covers basic jewelry-making instructions, including how to use wire tools correctly, description of types of wire, and even how to make your own jump rings. (Which, by the way, is VERY simple, and comes in handy when you are trying to hang embellishments on your art work!). The instruction section goes onto describe various methods of working with polymer clay; making fiber art embellishments; and decorating shrink plastic to incorporate into jewelry.

The remaining 70-or so pages are devoted to specific projects. Sharilyn called upon many talented rubber stamp artists to contribute to the Project Gallery. this was a great approach, as it resulted in a number of different styles and looks for the finished jewelry projects.

This is a terrific reference book to have on your shelves. Sharilyn has covered a variety of basic approaches that you can explore, insufficient detail that you can feel comfortable to embark on something that you've never tried before. The step-by-step photos are clear and close-up enough to understand the well-written instructions. The added bonus is the inclusion of 20 jewelry projects. You can copy these or use them as a starting point for your own creations. A few are shown below.


Copper sheet jewelry
by Doris Arndt

Soldered glass
by Suzie Heinzel

Polymer clay
by Debbie Shipley

Shrink Plastic
by Sherrill Kahn

(another of my favorite
rubber stamp artists!)

I tried my hand at making a necklace from shrink plastic, but went in a different direction than Sherrill Kahn, in that I used black shrink plastic, and added brilliant colors with Lumiere acrylic paints after shrinking.


I cut random, free-form shapes of black shrink plastic to create the elements that would dangle from a leather cord. A 1/4" hole was punched at the top of each piece before shrinking with my heat gun. Immediately upon shrinking each piece, while it was still quite hot and soft, I impressed it (using VERY firm pressure) with a rubber stamp to create a textured image. Various colors of Lumiere paint were applied to highlight the design and I edged each piece with my Krylon gold leafing pen (one of my all time favorite tools!). A jump ring was added to the top of each piece, and I used a black leather cord for stringing, alternating the shrink plastic pieces with colored glass beads. I finished the ends with an S-hook type clasp.



Pretty simple, and pretty stunning. Use this book like I did to explore a new technique, and create some wearable art! And if you have already ventured into the world of Rubber Stamped Jewelry, share what you did and didn't like about the book!

Bead & Button, Ribbon & Felt Jewelry

Reported by Donna Lannerd

I first mentioned this book, Bead & Button, Ribbon & Felt Jewelry, here at Craft Critique back during the holidays. It was on my Christmas lists of gotta haves that I already owned and thought it would make a great gift as well as be a guide to making great gifts. I still think so and it's one of my favorite books full of great ideas with really simple supplies. It is published by CICO Books and authored by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell.

The photography is superb. It is crisp and clear and the pieces are shown to you close-up. The only down side to this is that nothing is shown worn. Although we get great shots of the items we don't know how a necklace made from ribbon is actually going to hang on a person. One other little thing that I didn't like was I wish they had included instructions for the crochet circles they used for some of the pieces.

The instructions are kept simple using well drawn color diagram so you can make the items shown. On the other hand, I like the book more for its inspiration while incorporating some of its techniques. For example, the earrings below were made based on a necklace. I used shank-style buttons instead of regular buttons. I've sewn them each to a yo-yo or as the book calls it a "patchwork circle."

Another project I made is based on the several necklaces and bracelets made with beads and buttons together. I put together the bracelet shown below with 3/8" organza ribbon, red glass beads and 3/8" shirt buttons. This took much less time than the earrings and I already had the supplies on hand except for the callottes, which holds the ribbon ends together to attach the clasp. Instead, I sewed the clasps to the ribbon ends by hand. This is a very elegant bracelet that only took me 20 minutes to make.


Overall, this is a book perfectly suited for the crafter who has that eclectic stash of buttons, beads, ribbon and fabrics. By just using these items and adding some jewelry findings, if needed, you can have a beautiful piece of jewelry in no time.

Pros:

• Beautiful photos
• Easy-to-follow instructions with clear diagrams
• Supplier list included with websites listed

Cons:

• Projects not shown on people or even mannequins
• No instructions for the crochet circles and flowers used
• I didn't have time to make all the pieces

The book can be found at Hobby Lobby, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Stitchncraft beads (for those in the UK) for $19.95 U.S./25.95 CAN .

If you have this book, what are your favorite projects? If you own a similar book you love, please share it with us and tell us why you love it so much.

Simply Cards Today

Reported By: Mary Chong

I really love this book published by Scrapbooks & Cards Today Inc. the same publishers of Scrapbooks & Cards Today Magazine*. The books smallish size (8"x8") makes it easy to keep on your desk OR to carry with you when you are at your 10th hour of cropping and you need some quick inspiration.

*Scrapbooks & Cards Today Magazine is a free publication published 4 times a year (spring, summer, fall, winter) and is available through retailers across Canada and in some states in the US and Netherlands. It is also available for free download on their website.

If you are a follower of the magazine, you will notice that the art direction of the book is of similar quality. Also, you will recognize that the magazines design team also appear in the book.

Simply Cards Today is a 130 page book of card eye candy separated into 9 chapters:

• Simply Spring
• Simply Summer
• Simply Fall
• Simply Winter
• Simply Sketches
• Simply Unique
• Simply Masculine
• Simply Techniques
• Simply Sealed

Each page in the book features 1 photo of a card, a close up detailed photo, manufacturers products used and instructions including some measurements. I must say that the photography is really nicely done with each card staged with various props in an appropriate setting. The cards showcased are easily adapted to other papers, colours and themes.

The chapters of the book are nicely thought out. I love the fact that they have separated the book out in seasons as well as masculine cards and unique (shaped) cards. The Simply Sealed section includes envelope templates and even a recipe for home made envelope glue.

Every so often throughout the book there are tips, suggestions, facts and quotes to compliment the chapters. I thought that the quotes were really original and would be great for journaling cues on scrap layouts or for verses to add to your cards. The quotes come from all sources too - from old literature to even a quote from actress Drew Barrymore!

There were a few ads within the book - which is odd given that this is a book and not a magazine. The ads are interesting to read though, well disguised and also probably one of the