Decorating Books

Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens

Lena Corwin

Amazon Price: $18.15 List Price: $27.50 In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. By: STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book Amazon Marketplace: 10 new & used starting at $18.15

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

It’s the natural inconsistencies—the accidental differences between one finished piece and another—that make hand-printed fabrics, papers, furniture, and works of art so interesting. The quirks are what show the maker’s intimate involvement in the process, and it’s that unique quality that first attracted textile designer and illustrator Lena Corwin to hand-printing.

Even though decorative prints are more in vogue than ever, there was until now no up-to-date hand-printing guide—no single source explaining the tools and materials that are used today, or reflecting a contemporary aesthetic. Corwin has given us that guide.

Using step-by-step instructions and up-close photos, Corwin teaches crafters everything they need to know to master stamping, stenciling, and screen printing, from making their own printing devices to trouble-shooting when plans go awry. Her inimitable collection of projects ranges from stamped stationery and simple-to-sew pouches, to stenciled tote bags and furniture, to screen-printed bed linens and upholstery fabric. There’s even a silk-screened dog bed. The author has created original artwork for each project (full-size patterns are included in an envelope at the back of the book), so that every crafter can achieve the same beautiful results. Or maybe not quite the same. Remember: It’s the subtle differences that make hand-printing so special and alluring.

Mixed-Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration & Techniques

Cate Coulacos Prato

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $14.25

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

More than self-portraits 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I could not wait for this book to come out. I am always looking for new sources of inspiration. This book is a keeper! The book has a nice selection of artists with different perspectives. There are different self-portraits using different media. Cate Prato has done an excellent job with this book! It is not often that I find an art book that I keep going back to as a reference and for inspiration in what I am currently working on.

It can be a difficult thing to look at yourself in the mirror and turn that into a piece of art. This book gives you a great jump-start on the process.

The book starts out with a bit of history behind self-portraits. Don't skip this part. It was very interesting to me to read about other artists' self portraits. There is a little section on getting yourself out there and on blogging. I am a huge blogger myself. Love to keep one and love to read other artists' blogs.

Some of the artists do not do just one self-portrait. Some do several different ones and some do variations on the same picture. There are all sorts of tips in the book to help you - such as digital imaging. I enjoyed reading the thoughts behind each self-portrait. Some of the reading was very personal. You could see it in the very revealing self-portraits.

As I said before, there are a lot of tips and techniques to help you get started on your own self-portrait. There is even a short quiz to help you think about yourself. There are some detailed exercises to help and inspire you. The techniques are easy to follow.

You do not have to be able to draw to make use of this book. I am a mixed media artist that cannot draw diddly. I used a headshot I had, altered it on the computer, and used that to create several different self-portraits of myself.

I really liked how different materials are used in the self-portraits. The pictures are very large and are in color. I love to work with fabric. I really loved seeing how I could incorporate fabric into a self-portrait quiltie or art doll. I will have to see how I can create my own copper self-portraits.

I loved the details and colors of Kelli Perkin's journal dolls. It was a very original idea that I am going to have to try. Kelli's section on how to draw your own self-portrait looks very fun. I am going to try that and see if my self-portrait comes out as well as hers does.

I recently bought Kelly Rae's book. Her part in this book was an added bonus. She does a wonderful job of layering, making use of textures, and blending colors. Debbi Crane's masks really spoke to me. I thought about the different masks we all wear every day. I do a lot of assemblage and thought it was great that there was an assemblage section to the book. Self-portraits can make use of found objects and be 3D!

Editorial Review:

Featuring artwork from a wide range of contributors, this resource explores creative self-portraits through fun and easy exercises and essays that instruct and inspire artists working in all media. Examples of collage, fiber arts, and mixed-media artwork offer visual inspiration while essays throughout the book act as a guide to personal and artistic self-discovery. Step-by-step techniques and creative prompts are used to direct artists through different approaches to creating self-portraits while exercises utilizing collage, drawing, photography, and stitching will jump-start the creative process and get ideas flowing on paper and fabric, encouraging artists to express themselves in new ways.

Home Quick Planner: Reusable, Peel & Stick Furniture & Architectural Symbols

Daniel K. Reif

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks By: Design World - Model: HQP Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $16.00

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Interior Design -> Decorating

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great Tool 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this for my interior design class. This has proven to be a great asset for furniture placement. The templetes are reuseable

Excellent planning décor and designing tool 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The Home Quick Planner is an excellent way to lay out and discover alternative floor plans, decorating ideas and propose major home remodeling changes. I have found it very helpful.

Editorial Review:

Whether you're building, remodeling, decorating, or just fantasizing, the Home Quick Planner helps you design the perfect floor plan. Go ahead - knock down walls and move furniture, cabinets, appliances, windows & doors - all with one finger. 700 precut, reusable peel & stick furniture and architectural symbols 1/4-inch scale home furniture, every standard kitchen cabinet and appliance, extensive assortment of bathroom fixtures and cabinets, windows, doors, walls, switches, outlets, lights and much more 5,600 square-foot floor plan grid Reusable symbols stick to floor plan grid or directly to your own plan Design details: critical dimensions & clearances Fun and easy way to design your plans and make changes

Fabulous Fabric Beads: Create Custom Beads and Art Jewelry

Kristal Wick

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $12.75

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

For Fiber and Jewelry Lovers 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Fabulous Fabric Beads: Create Custom Beads and Art Jewelry by Kristal Wick published by Interweave Press ([...]) focuses on using fabric to create as well as decorate beads. It is actually surprising how many different types of beads you can make with fabric as either the primary material, from simple roll and glue fabric beads to more involved cross stitch beads and even mini-quilt beads. To read my full review, copy and paste this URL into your browser:[...]

Editorial Review:

A spectacular combination of beading, scrapbooking, fiber arts, and mixed-media techniques, this amazing handbook describes how to create 30 handcrafted beads from rolled tubes of silk, muslin, or ribbon. With more than 20 easy embellishment techniques incorporating glitter, paint, crystals, or wire, these projects result in stunning beads that can be created with inexpensive and readily available supplies and tools described in this guide. Detailed discussions on choosing appropriate fabrics and creating a variety of surface designs are coupled with well-documented instructions on how to cut, roll, dip, and dry collage beads, and how to cover inexpensive wooden and plastic beads to easily achieve different shapes. Additional sidebars and tips include bonus information on selecting successful color palettes and 10 simple stringing techniques.

Lotta Prints: How to Print with Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum

Lotta Jansdotter

Amazon Price: $19.95 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Chronicle Books Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $12.63

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Lotta Ideas 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I love this book for the ideas! It's fun to look through for the patterns and design ideas that are within. It gives great instructions on numerous products and many printing techniques. I love that it gives picture and word instructions for all the projects. As an artist I don't really enjoy art books that are all words in the instructions. This is a great book for anyone. If you have kids, there are some fun projects that could be done as a family, and if you are a professional artist that loves design, you will get inspiration as well!

Editorial Review:

Beloved Scandinavian designer Lotta Jansdotter shows how easy it is to print patterns on all sorts of surfaces. Using stencils, rubber stamps, homemade screens, and other easy techniques, the projects and processes range from simple prints easy for beginners to more involved projects for experienced artists. Stencil leaves on the walls, stamp flowers on wrapping paper, screen-print on a skirt the sky's the limit. Beautiful photographs inspire while step-by-step instructions and illustrations explain the basics. Plus, Lotta has included eight ready-to-use stencil pages with hand-drawn patterns, so crafters can easily achieve her signature style. Our innovative format, with perforated stencil sheets and a catchall envelope at back, makes this a fantastic resource for any aspiring printer.

Jewelry Studio: Wire Wrapping (Jewelry Studio)

Linda Chandler, Christine Ritchey

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 30 new & used starting at $14.48

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Wire wrapped projects you want to wear 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

A beautifully photographed book with very wearable projects, I was pleased to see that this book is not a beginner's book as many wire wrapping books are. However, each project's instructions are so detailed that a beginner would be able to follow them and could make the projects with some practice. So far, this is one of the best wire wrap books I own!

Editorial Review:

Compiled with advanced beginners and intermediate designers in mind, this guidebook starts with the basics of wire wrapping and builds skills progressively as aspiring crafters work through each project. The easy-to-follow instructions emphasize safety first and list all the steps required to get started, with a detailed discussion given to using tools such as pliers and wire cutters—wire wrapping does not require a soldering torch—and selecting appropriate materials such as copper, brass, and sterling silver. Finishing these stunning projects are a snap with the tips, tricks, and techniques shared within—jewelry crafters will delight in the resulting pieces that include beautiful bracelets, Celtic earrings, wire wrapped rings, and a wire-wrapped cabochon.

Mixed Mania: Recipes for Delicious Mixed Media Creations

Debbi Crane, Cheryl Prater

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $15.61

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Other Media -> Mixed Media

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great book for these times 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great book, beautiful pictures and conversation and ideas. What I like best is that so many of the projects draw on what things we save, like old calendars, bits from tag sales, etc. Very inspiring.

Cookin' Up Some Creative Projects! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Set up loosely like a cookbook (just for fun), the book begins with easy projects that get a little more sophisticated with each "course". Not to worry though because the instructions are clearly written, have lots of pictures, and use easy to pretty common supplies for artists at least a little familiar with mixed media. Even if you have been doing mixed media for years, I highly recommend reading the instructions to the projects, for neat tricks and advice, and lots of humor. We can always learn something new and if not, we can laugh along knowingly. (Impatient artists know that heat guns are your best friends! Isn't that true?!)

Some of the best things I like about this book is that a variety of mixed media projects are given included paper, fabric and assemblage. Personally, I work only with assemblage and paper, but the beautiful fabric projects seem too tempting not to try! --- I also like that the book is written by two very talented, very funny women with different personalities and art styles and the projects reflect this. There is something for everyone!

Editorial Review:

Featuring a wide range of mixed media projects, this outrageously fun craft primer takes a decidedly unstuffy approach to an immense range of art methods. Projects—including art quilts, painting, collage, bookbinding, assemblage, doll making, decoupage, and image transfers—are divided into three main sections: Artistic Appetizers, Creative Main Courses, and Sweet Treats and Special Occasions, with each addressing a different level of time invested and difficulty. Whimsically laid out like recipes, each project includes detailed ingredients (materials), instructions (what to mix and add), and tasting tips (how it should look).

It's a Wrap: Sewing Fabric Purses, Baskets, And Bowls

Susan Breier

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: That Patchwork Place Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $12.71

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

So much fun!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is awesome. Great gifts and so much fun to do.
Made a basket and it is so pretty and useful. Totes and baskets make good sense around the house.
Can't wait to make more different shaped baskets and even some trivets for the table. Who knew a hank of rope and some 1" fabric strips could be so pretty and useful. Well, I just found out. Try it you'll like it.

Easy Peasy Bowls 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book and could not wait to get started! I made one bowl and showed it to my friends in our local ASG and they made bowls for an auction and they have not stopped dreaming up new color combinations and styles. The bowls make up so fast that I wish I had someone to wrap the fabric for me so I could just spend all my time stitching them together.

It's a Wrap 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I had briefly seen this book at a quilt shop recently and was pleasantly surprised to find it on Amazon at about half the price. It's a great book with a lot of new, innovative ideas for using long, thin leftover fabric scraps. The photos are clear and explicit as are the instructions for making things with simple clothesline and fabric and a sewing machine. I am enrolled in a class in a few weeks to learn the process as well and this book was recommended by the teacher.

Editorial Review:

Helps you sew fabric strips into containers. Start with a plate shape to learn the technique, and experiment with four basic container styles to create round, oval, square, and other shapes.

Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski: 65 Sparkling Designs with Crystal Beads and Stones

Laura McCabe

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Creative Publishing international Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $15.65

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Elegant, old-world jewelry with modern style.

Working with world-famous Swarovski crystal beads, author Laura McCabe creates luminous necklaces, earrings, pendants, and rings for beaders of every skill level. The author provides complete step-by-step instruction for 20 projects (10 for beginners) -- and presents 45 more in a photo gallery of design variations, teaching readers how to vary colors and shapes to create custom effects. All 65 designs are made with only three simple beadwork techniques: flat peyote stitch, tubular peyote stitch, and spiral rope. Laura McCabe also provides a chapter on making decorative embellishments, such as bezels, picots, berry clusters, and branch fringe. The concise instructions are illustrated with easy-to-follow illustrations.

• Beaders of any skill level can create their own high-end, boutique-style jewelry
• Goes beyond stringing to teach readers three basic beadweaving techniques and principles of design
• Only book on market endorsed by the worldÆs leading manufacturer of cut-crystal beads

Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth: Stamp, Screen, and Stencil with Everyday Objects

Rayna Gillman

Amazon Price: $18.45 List Price: $27.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: C&T Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 31 new & used starting at $17.53

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fun techniques, great instructions and photos 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

All work has come to a standstill here now that the mail carrier arrived with Rayna Gillman's new book, "Create your own hand-printed cloth: Stamp, screen & stencil with everyday objects." I am fighting the urge to lock myself in a room away from my kids (they can forage for their own lunch, can't they?) and read the whole thing non-stop. Gillman covers stamping and stenciling with found objects; random screen printing; gelatin plate printing; screen printing with thickened dyes; discharge painting; soy wax batik; and rubbings.

For each technique, there are lots of detailed directions and excellent photos to accompany them. She also provides supply lists (and websites where you can buy the supplies).

Within a week after getting this book, I met with a group of fiber art friends and we played with stamping using found objects, guided by the book. The results were great. This is a book I will really USE. And I can't wait to try more of these techniques.

Editorial Review:

Eight techniques, endless possibilities

* Create fabric that expresses the artist within

* Great for cotton, silk, and rayon

Discover your inner artist--and the deepest bowels of that junk drawer--with this practical guide to fabric design. The eight easy techniques, explained in clear step-by-step directions and photographs, are stamping, stenciling, random screenprinting, gelatin plate printing, deconstructed screenprinting, discharge printing, soy wax batik, and rubbings. Use one, two, or more to make gorgeous, utterly unique fabric for fashion, home décor, or crafts.