Archive for reviews

Crash Candles

Eco-friendly, soy-based, highly-scented candles in an artist-decorated tumbler. I have one. Want to know what I thought of it, and where you can get one, too?

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The Big-Ass Book of Crafts 2 + Giveaway

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with those severed baby doll heads that seem to collect in your basement, you’ll want this book. What? You don’t have a doll head collection? That’s ok. I didn’t either, but this book has projects, even for us.

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Crafty Crochet Embellishments

My friend Linda Permann of Lindamade, Crochet Adorned, and Little Crochet fame, among many other things (remember Adorn magazine?) invited me to take her online Crochet Embellishments class at craftsy.com and let you all know what I think of it. Well, first let me say, hooray Linda!!  I was so thrilled to get her invitation, that [...]

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Patterns in Polymer + giveaway

Julie Picarello is a talented polymer clay artist with a knack for color, pattern, and texture. Her upcoming book reveals all of the secrets of her brand of mokume gane, and walks you through several attractive projects. Take a peek inside, and leave a comment for your chance to win a copy!

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Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts + Giveaway

I’ve been eager to review this book for some time, but I have been overwhelmed by choice.  Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts is a substantial volume, to the tune of 400 pages, and so much of it grabbed me right out of the gate.  The 250-page project section is organized alphabetically, and [...]

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Perfectly Paired + giveaway

I feel so lucky these past few months, to be getting the chance to flip through some very excellent craft books, often before they officially hit the market.  Today I have to thank Karin, who is a blog reader and also the editor of Patricia Kimle‘s new book, Perfectly Paired: Designing Jewelry with Polymer and [...]

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Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations + giveaway

I have Sherri Haab to blame for all of this.  And by “this” I mean the polymer clay supplies that lurk in many corners of my house, the business I’ve built around clay books + videos, and the piles and piles of polymer jewelry mostly gathering dust in my bedroom.  (You know how that goes [...]

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Built by Wendy Dresses

If you know me at all, you know that in the last few years I have become a skirt fiend (weather permitting), but what you may not know is that in all of my skirtmaking, I have successfully avoided having to do such things as make darts and sew zippers.  All of those pesky little [...]

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Mason Dixon Knitting

Often when I crave a craft book, it is the cover that sucks me in, especially when ordering online.  I’m a pushover for lush photography and the promise of enticing projects within.  Usually, it’s a tendency that serves me well, but in the case of Mason-Dixon Knitting, which lacks a cover photograph at all, it [...]

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Eye candy for the new year

Technically, I am still on my Christmas vacation until Monday, but I had promised to take a day out of my holiday-having to ship Bettina Welker’s new book when it arrived.  I’d been checking the tracking information online every couple of days, but there’d been no change in status since December 15th.  Ack.  So you [...]

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