Today our Guest Star on CraftTestDummies is Tammy Doyle. We welcome her as a guest star, and we’re so glad she’s here! Text from book: “Bring the magic of a fresh snowfall into your own home with this gorgeous collection of crocheted snowflakes. Spend an hour making an ornament or two, or take a weekend and crochet a whole blizzard.” Book Details: 128 glossy pages Soft cover Colorful, detailed, full-sized photos along with detailed stitch charts for each snowflake pattern […]
Book Review: 30 Minute Necklaces by Marthe Le Van
Book Review: 30 Minute Necklaces by Marthe Le Van From the back of the book: Ready to be beguiled? Intrigued? Energized? The super stylish necklace designs in this book will capture your undivided attention for the 30 minutes it takes to complete them. Got wire? Of course! How about leftover copper sheet, beads, wallpaper, or jump rings? Then get creative! Not only are the necklaces simply stunning, each project will help you build your skills, showcase your talents, […]
Book Review: Shrink! Shrank! Shrunk! by Kathy Sheldon
Who remembers the original Shrinky Dinks? Ahhh the ’70’s. Just so ya know I didn’t have the Glow in the Dark Shrinky Dinks. Lame. I know. And yes, I realize that I’m showing my age when I remember the ’70’s so darn well. Book Review: Shrink! Shrank! Shrunk! by Kathy Sheldon From the back of the book: “Popular with kids for decades, shrink plastic is back and all grown up as an exciting trend in jewelry […]
Book Review: 30 Minute Earrings by Marthe Le Van
Book Review: 30 Minute Earrings by Marthe Le Van From the back of the book: The earring designs in this book will WOW you, INSPIRE you, and MOTIVATE you to drop everything else for 30 minutes and create a pair of SUPER STYLISH earrings. Beyond the obvious (gorgeous) rewards, each project will help you IMPROVE your skills, BELIEVE in your abilities, BREAK OUT of your routine, and GROW as an artist. 30 Minute Earrings is the third […]
Laura Murray Designs and “StarBuilder Inspirations”
Last year when I attended the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo here in Cleveland, I saw a lot of the same-old-same-old. However, there is one booth- one designer, really- who speaks to me year after year. I love Laura Murray Designs and her focus on surface design. (She’s where I first learned about foiling on fabric and also how to use Shiva Paintstiks on fabric!) Laura didn’t disappoint this year, either- she’s come out with an new book and rubber […]
Craft Book Review: Glitterville’s Handmade Halloween: A Glittered Guide for Whimsical Crafting!
I LURVE me some Halloween. I’m not sure if it’s the flirting with the dark side, the spooky fun, the costume, or my general fascination with the macabre, but I do love it. So when I was offered a copy of Glitterville’s Handmade Halloween: A Glittered Guide for Whimsical Crafting! by Stephen Brown, I was all like, “Heck yeah!” You may recall that Stephen Brown, the author is also a judge on TLC’s Craft Wars. So let’s learn a bit more about […]
Book Review: 30 Minute Bracelets by Marthe Le Van
Book Review: 30 Minute Bracelets by Marthe Le Van From the back of the book: Do bracelets make you HAPPY? Are you PASSIONATE about cuffs? Wouldn’t you LOVE more bangles? Good thing it takes just 30 MINUTES to make each of the FABULOUSLY FASHIONABLE projects in this book! 30 Minute Bracelets is another book in the 30 minute series like the 30 Minute Rings I reviewed a couple of weeks back. And like that book, this […]
Craft Book Reports: Ring Jewelry Books from Lark Jewelry and Beading
As I mentioned the other day when I did my “book reports” on Beaded Jewelry, I have certainly had an influx of amazing eye-candy in the form of books lately. Today I want to share two more books on the theme of “rings” : Ring a Day: 700 Photos from a 365 Day Jewelry Challenge and Showcase 500 Rings: New Directions in Art Jewelry (500 Series) Let’s dig in! Both of these books are on the topic of rings as an art […]
Craft Book Review: The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started and Stay Inspired by Randel Plowman
You can imagine that I get a lot of book solicitations from publishers- but only now and then will I get them from the actual AUTHOR. Such was the case with the The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started and Stay Inspired This was interesting to me because while collage is VERY hot in mixed-media right now- specifically as a scrapbooking format- I’d never taken more than a by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach to collage. And to be perfectly honest, I wanted to […]
Craft Book Reports: Beaded Jewelry Books from Lark Jewelry and Beading
Lately, I’ve had a LOT of eye candy hit CTD WHQ- including an influx of beautiful books on beaded jewelry. A few of them are just inspirational, coffee-table style books, and one is SO FAR out of my league I couldn’t do it justice. So since we are in back-to-school mode here, I thought it would be fun to talk about Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry: Photographs of Beautiful Contemporary Beadwork (500 Series), Maggie Meister’s Classical Elegance: 20 Beaded Jewelry Designs […]
Jewelry Book Review: Beading with Gemstones by Valerie MacCarthy
I always love when I get new jewelry making books to review. Back when I lived in New Mexico I took a geology class and I’ve been fascinated with gemstones, fossils and other “rocks” ever since. When I saw Beading with Gemstones by Valérie MacCarthy I was excited for the chance to get to know a little more about gemstones. Semiprecious stones are the main focus of “Beading with Gemstones” and right in the beginning you will […]
Craft Book Review: Creative Doodling and Beyond by Stephanie Corfee
This may come as a surprise to you but… I’m not much of a doodler. I think I was, when I was younger, but somewhere along the line I lost my doodle. I’ve been thinking about how I might get it back. It seems that it would fit so well with some of the things I’m creating lately and I adore the doodles of other artists I see but I’ve been holding back. When I saw this book recently I […]
Jewelry Book Review: Chains, Chains Chains by Joanna Gollberg and Nathalie Mornu
I have to admit that “Chains Chains Chains: 25 Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings” by Joanna Gollberg and Nathalie Mornu sat on my TO BE REVIEWED shelf for a little while. Basically because I was afraid that the projects might be too hard. I mean, I’d never MADE my own chain before. Now I just feel silly. There are several projects in the book that are kind of over my head and I don’t have the equipment to make BUT there […]
Book Review: Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams by Kerin Gale
Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams Mixed-Media Projects in Epoxy Clay by Kerin Gale is a book that features Epoxy Clay, as you may have guessed. I have to tell you, when I received the Apoxie Sculpt Epoxy Clay (read the full review of that product by clicking the link) from Jenny along with the book. I was a little intimidated so I put the book on my “To Review” shelf. Finally, I pulled it down this week and decided that I […]
Book Review: A Bounty of Bead and Wire Earrings by Nathalie Mornu
A Bounty of Bead and Wire Earrings by Nathalie Mornu is full of 50 fun, fast jewelry projects. In the introduction Nathalie says that your face is the first thing people notice about you so why not dress it up with pretty earrings. Makes perfect sense to me! A Bounty of Bead and Wire Earring starts out with 22 pages of basic instruction for beginners and the instructions are broken up by pages of photos of earrings from […]
Book Review: More Fabric Art Collage by Rebekah Meier
I had a few minutes to chat with fellow CHA Designer Rebekah Meier this past January at the CHA Winter Show and found out that she had a new book coming out. When I found out it was about fabric collage I offered to review it for her here on CTD. How could I resist some new fabric collage techniques while helping a friend promote her book? I couldn’t! Rebekah’s new book “More Fabric Art Collage” is the follow up […]
Crafty Field Trip: Original Sewing and Quilting Expo
One of my favorite annual crafty field trips is to the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo, held locally at the Cleveland I-X Center. Beside the fact that it’s held really close to my birthday each year, it gives me the opportunity to catch up with some sewing friends, check out trends, and maybe even try something new at a make-and-take or class. First, here’s a bit about the Sewing and Quilting Expo: We bring inspiration, motivation, education, shopping and personal satisfaction […]
Book Review: Diane Fitzgerald’s Favorite Beading Projects
Diane Fitzgerald’s Favorite Beading Projects from Lark Jewelry and Beading A few things you might want to know about this book: Hard cover – lays flat for easy reference 126 pages Diane Fitzgerald’s Favorite Beading Projects includes 24 projects There is a project gallery at the end of the book for further inspiration The MSRP is $27.95 (USD) and can be purchased for $17.69 at amazon.com. This book contains 24 projects that Diane has taught over the years. […]
Book Review: Making Flowers from Wool by Nan Loncharich
As a gal who started out in Floral Design I was really excited when I got this book to review. I. LOVE. FLOWERS!! AND as an extra bonus I’ve been collecting wool here and there when I’m out on my thrift store jaunts. I haven’t really done much with any of it so I was super excited about finding a new way to use what I have. Perfect! A few things you might want to know about this book: Soft […]
Book Review: The Impatient Beader Gets Inspired by Margot Potter
Margot Potter is one of those crafty rock star personalities who are big on personality AND talent. I met her at the Summer CHA Show in July of last year (2010) when she was promoting her newest book (which I’m sure to be reviewing in the not to distant future!) The Impatient Beader Gets Inspired by Margot Potter  A few things you might want to know about this book: Soft cover 127 pages The Impatient Beader has 6 major […]
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