Expert Advice Books - Page 14

Christmas with Mary Engelbreit: The Best Christmas Ever

Mary Engelbreit

Amazon Price: $23.36 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 59 new & used starting at $1.23

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Seasonal
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> General
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

How can you make your holidays more merry? Add more Mary to your holidays! When you invite Mary Engelbreit into your home this Christmas, you'll discover countless new ways to bring even more fun and festivity to the most wonderful time of the year.

Holiday magic is easy to create when you have the help of America's favorite illustrator. Christmas with Mary Engelbreit: The Best Christmas Ever celebrates all the joys and toys, wrappings and gifts, treats and trims of Christmas.

Overflowing with plans for handmade decorations, unique and meaningful gift ideas, and irresistible recipes, this warm and lively collection offers you everything you need to plan the Christmas of your dreams-all presented with the trademark Engelbreit wit, warmth, and sparkle. Among the clever, original, and easy-to-do (we promise!) craft projects are a variety of wreaths, cut-glass ornaments, and a special shopping tote just for Mom. Several projects for kids will keep restless hands active and curious tots too busy to snoop under the Christmas tree. Recipes include a wide range of cookies, cakes, candies, and cocktails sure to make your holiday gathering the highlight of the season.

Mary's merry illustrations bring extra magic to nearly every page of this exhilarating sourcebook.

Mary Engelbreit Cross-Stitch

List Price: $29.95 By: Mary Engelbreit Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $1.97

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Cross-Stitch
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Sewing
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Textile Arts

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Delightful! 5 out of 5 stars.
34 of 34 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book after receiving Mary Engelbriet's "Cross-Stitch For All Seasons" as a gift. I absolutely fell in love with her designs. My only wish is that she would publish more books with cross-stitch patterns of her artwork. This book has many adaptable patterns for a great variety of projects. If you are a cross-stitcher...you have to have her books!

This book has an adorable chart for an Engelbreit santa. 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This first Engelbreit crosstitch book should not be overlooked by those interested in holiday motifs. It includes a wonderful chart for a santa that can be used in a variety of ways. The charts can also be used in needlepoint if the backstitching is omitted. This is a charming collection .

My mother loved what I made her...... 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I had this book for a fews years. And wanted try out the patterns. So, I did a eyeglass case with cherries on them.This book is easy to understand & for doing the projects. This turned out wonderful, and was able to put my mother's name on to personalized it. The patterns are so beautiful, and you won't regret getting this book. They have a wonderful Holiday ideas, these are great keepsakes for you,& your loved ones.

Mary Emmerling's American Country Cottages

Mary Emmerling, Joshua Greene

List Price: $30.00 By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 65 new & used starting at $0.32

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> History & Criticism -> General AAS
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> General AAS
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Expert Advice -> Mary Emmerling

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

So-so 3 out of 5 stars.
17 of 17 people found this review helpful.

This book wasn't as large and the homes featured in it weren't as fresh and interesting as I had hoped. But I love all aspects of cottage design, from home interiors to exteriors. Thanks to another review, I picked up two other cottage books that do a great job. One is Second Home from the Better Homes and Gardens editors----------I love Second Home because it takes me on tours of cottages around the country while also giving me tips I can use for decorating or even building. It's a great book for just paging through also. Big photos, lots of information but yet it quick to read. I also like The Cabin-----------It's a beautiful book to look at but it doesn't offer the wealth of information that Second Home does.

Editorial Review:

This beautifully illustrated book explores the charm of 24 country and seaside cottages from Key West to California. Mary Emmerling and photographer Joshua Greene ventured across America and found decorating ideas and housekeeping solutions that will prove delightful and useful to anyone who enjoys living informally and intimately in small spaces. Full-color photographs.

Mary Engelbreit Cross Stitch for All Seasons

List Price: $29.95 By: Meredith Books Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $3.81

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Cross-Stitch
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Seasonal
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Textile Arts

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Gorgeous Designs 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

The cover of this book gives a taste of the wonderful things to come. The designs are colourful and refreshing, and the charts are coloured and easy to read. I can't wait to stitch the 'Home Sweet Home' sampler. There are also great ideas for using the designs in innovative ways. This book is a classic for cross stitchers. Designs run over all the seasons, and include Christmas designs, things for children, and lovely things for the home. I have enjoyed just browsing through it and reading the helpful ideas and suggestions!

Not quite what I expected 1 out of 5 stars.
9 of 12 people found this review helpful.

I am very surprised at the high ratings this book has been given, the new "Look Inside" feature is wonderful,if I had the chance to look inside the book before ordering it,I definitely would not have bought it. Most designs are thematic:christmas, halloween,mother goose and puppies. I only liked some of the garden designs. To be fair I should say that the layout of this book is very good along with its well defined charts, other than that it's over-rated.

Editorial Review:

This title features 70 projects from 12 popular designs by Mary Engelbreit. Covering beginner to difficult levels of stitching, it contains colour charts for finishing the project. It also includes clear, concise instructions.

Mary Engelbreit's Classic Library: The Secret Garden (Mary Engelbreit's Classic Library)

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $9.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: HarperFestival Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $2.94

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( B ) -> Burnett, Frances Hodgson

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Disappointed... 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I was a bit disappointed with this version. I was hoping for more illustrations by Ms. Engelbreit and there really aren't many at all. Pretty much just the cover illustration and a few doodles at the start of each chapter (not even really pictures, but more things like flowers and large letters). I love The Secret Garden. It's my favorite book of all time and I already own several copies. Had I realized that this one didn't have the illustrations in it as I thought, I may not have purchased it. But since it's packaged with a necklace, there was shrink-wrap on it and you can't thumb through it.

So while I love the book, I'm disappointed with this version.

Editorial Review:

A house with a hundred rooms is a house full of secrets. That's what orphaned Mary Lennox finds out when she comes to live in her uncle's mansion on the Yorkshire moors. At night, she hears the sound of crying down a long corridor. Outside, she meets Dickon, a magical boy who can charm and talk to animals. Then, one day, Mary discovers the most mysterious wonder of all—a secret garden, walled and locked, which has been forgotten for years and years. Is everything in the garden dead, or can Mary bring this special place back to life?

Fabric Savvy: The Essential Guide for Every Sewer

Sandra Betzina

List Price: $17.95 By: Taunton Amazon Marketplace: 13 new & used starting at $6.79

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> General AAS
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Needlecrafts -> General AAS

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

Great Resource for Sewing Various Fabrics 4 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This was a great book for providing tips on sewing various fabrics. It contains a 2 page spread for each of the "85 different fabrics" available to the sewer. It includes info about recommended thread and needles, presser foot to use, best cutting method, pressing instructions, closures to use, facts about the fabric and the most suitable garments to make with the fabric.

In the back of the book, starting at page 174, there is an appendix which describes (with illustrations) the various seams, detailing, closures and hems. What would have made this a 5-star was if the book contained slightly more information for the advanced beginner sewer, such as:

~ how to determine the nap on fabric like velvet
~ covered swimsuit fabric
~ glossary of terms used in the book, i.e. mush layers together to marry naps or marry sequins; underlining with silk organza (does this mean put in a lining?)

There is a glossary, but it does not address some of the terms scattered throughout the book. I am giving this book a 4.5 star rating.

Editorial Review:

From arctic fleece to velveteen, Sandra Betzina walks the home sewer through the wonderful world of fabrics. Fabric Savvy features 85 different types of fabric and takes the guesswork out of choosing the proper threads, stitches, seam finishes, hems and closures.

Landscaping with Roses: Gardens Walkways Arbors Containers

Jeff Cox

List Price: $27.95 By: Taunton Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $5.59

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Expert Advice -> Jeff Cox
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Gardening & Horticulture -> Flowers -> Roses
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Gardening & Horticulture -> Flowers -> General AAS

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

Practical and Useful 4 out of 5 stars.
23 of 23 people found this review helpful.

There are many books about roses but this is one of the better ones. Written by well-known garden host (HGTV and PBS) Jeff Cox, it is a beautiful yet practical book that delivers exactly what the title promises.

The first couple of hundred pages give you ideas for using roses in a whole range of different garden settings. The remainder explains how to buy, plant and care for roses. The advice is excellent for the novice or intermediate gardener. I give the writer full marks for not just providing a "directory of roses" - a cop-out all too often used to fill pages in garden books. Instead he shows how different types of roses can be used in the landscape.

The book has plenty of colour photographs showing roses used in different settings. I have to say that I was turned off by the hype on the cover. This is not a "ground-breaking book", the effects are not "dazzling" and as a guide it was useful rather than "inspirational". However, the writer has produced a practical, workman-like guide to effective landscape design using roses.

The book is well-designed and easy to read. I would recommend it to anyone who was thinkinf of incorporating roses into their garden.

Editorial Review:

Filled with practical design advice for incorporating roses into virtually every kind of landscape, this timeless, inspirational guide is destined to become a landscape gardening classic. Learn how to purchase and care for roses throughout the year.

Special Occasions: The Best of Martha Stewart Living

Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Amazon Price: $13.60 List Price: $20.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 77 new & used starting at $0.44

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General AAS
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> Holidays

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A book for all occasions 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

The menus planned in the book are delicious. Each is catagorized under a different event or holiday, but I've used them for not so special events too. There are also wonderful decorating and entertaining ideas for all seasons. The paella is wonderful!

One of her worst - a cut & paste job 1 out of 5 stars.
4 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This is old articles from her magazine and the advice was not very good. There are better books.

One of my favorite books for entertaining 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Well done and illustrated, these are features from the early days of the magazine. I can personally vouch for the pear bread pudding and the torta di riso--a lot of work but like a lot of things, WELL worth the effort. I don't know if I could do all of those things at once for one activity, especially the wedding at home. But in addition to all the recipes and chapters, it's idea-inspiring. Which is what Martha is all about (that, and the stock market!)

Editorial Review:

Hundreds of the best ideas for 12 holidays throughout the year--from New Year's to Halloween--collected from the pages of Martha Stewart Living. Each menu is lavishly illustrated and explained with step-by-step instructions. Sidebars cover such topics as lighting an outdoor party, dyeing Easter eggs, and the perfect cakes to make every occasion memorable. Full-color photographs.

Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook

Susan Spungen

Amazon Price: $26.86 List Price: $34.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: William Morrow Cookbooks Amazon Marketplace: 62 new & used starting at $2.86

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Culinary Arts & Techniques
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Recipes. Cooking all comes down to the recipes -- those ingredient-by-ingredient, technique-by-technique, step-by-step instructions.

In Recipes, Susan Spungen, founding food editor and editorial director for food at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for twelve years, presents her own easy, unfettered ideas for cooking simple food rich with freshness and flavors to share with family and friends.

Recipes is organized by technique, explaining why sautéing is great for two or four but when feeding a crowd braising is the better choice. "Prepare" focuses on the basics, from making a vinaigrette to roasting garlic and peppers. "Chop" includes not just salads, but gazpacho and a Provençal sandwich that requires knife skills. "Sauté" explains how to pan-sear fish and make a layered omelet. "Grill" shows proper techniques for cooking scallops, asparagus, and steak over an open fire. "Roast" offers the perfect roast chicken and a roasted squash salad. "Bake" features a variety of pizzas as well as mushrooms baked in parchment paper. "Simmer and Braise" coaxes the most flavors from soups and lamb shanks. Finally, there's "Indulge," a selection of desserts from simple brownies and peach melba to a fruit crisp and a rich chocolate cake.

Susan believes that one of the most pleasurable parts of a meal should be the making of it. Recipes encourages home cooks to become confident cooks.

Swedish Style: Creating the Look

Katrin Cargill

Amazon Price: $21.13 List Price: $28.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Frances Lincoln Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $14.91

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Design & Decorative Arts -> Graphic Design -> Commercial -> General
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Design & Decorative Arts -> General
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Design & Decorative Arts -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Beautiful interiors 4 out of 5 stars.
17 of 17 people found this review helpful.

This is a lovely book with beautiful color pictures from what I think is authentic interiors. The author walks us through the essence of swedish style via colors, fabrics, accessories and furniture. I miss not having typical interiors and suggestions of how to decorate individual rooms such as hallways and kitchens etc. The main focus is on livingrooms and bedrooms. I still think it's a good purchase and this book gives me a lot of inspiration.

Editorial Review:

With its emphasis on light-infused interiors and fresh painted surfaces, Swedish interior design is easy to live with, traditional and yet contemporary in its appeal. Katrin Cargill distils the chief characteristics of a look that embraces the cool colo rs and modest proportions of Gustavian interiors and the unpretentious charm of country nostalgia. Five practical chapters – The Essence of Swedish Style, Color and Paint, Furniture, Fabric and Accessories – show how you can adapt and recreate this style in your own home. The photographs, many of little-known Swedish interiors, feature rooms where the look has been successfully recreated and some of the period houses that provide the inspiration.