Along with new craft products that keep filling the shelves in craft stores come the craft books to fill the shelves in the bookstores. More and more of these books have soft covers. Some are the less expensive versions of the original hardcover copies that came out some months ago and others start out as softcovers...all the better to make them a few dollars less costly. In any case, unless your craft store has a special book section, these books will usually be found in bookstores instead of craft stores.
First is an example of the softcover book that was originally published in hardcover . We showed the original some time ago. Now you can obtain Mickey Baskett's Great Paper Quilling (published by Sterling) at a less expensive price (figure A). The contents are the same.
The second book was a surprise. I saw it from across the aisle at HIA and was certain that it was a book about Harry Potter. I couldn't read the small print but there was something about the cover...the colors and the type of artwork that conveyed the idea of magic and Harry. Not so. It had nothing to do with Harry, although it was written by a 600-year-old wizard with three names...Janice Eaton Kilby, Deborah Morganthal and Terry Taylor, and it was published by Lark publishing (figure B). The book itself is filled with magic potions and recipes and lots of concoctions that sound wonderful. There's a recipe for baby unicorn horns along with a guarantee that not a single living baby unicorn was harmed in the preparation of the recipe . There is a recipe for a mold garden centerpiece guarantee to delight your friends or gross them out (figure C). There were "recipes" I remembered from my childhood , like using lemon juice for invisible ink. All in all, it's a clever, imaginative and fun book for youngsters or imaginative adults.
If the last book was about things from another world many, many years ago, the Ultimate Color Printer Craft Book by Susan Krzywicki and Laren Burden is definitely about this world and the here-and-now. The projects are very basic for any crafter --making paper boxes and paper airplanes and such--but the difference is that these are all made using a computer and color printer. If you've not used your equipment for craft projects, this book from Watson-Gupthill Publications might help you get started.
With knitting and crocheting regaining such popularity, it only figures that some books on the subjects would find their way to my desk. Of course, knitting and crocheting books and patterns are always being published, but now The Weekend Crafter series , published by Lark, has devoted an entire book to crocheting. As the title Weekend Crafter implies, the projects are very basic and quick...no afghans or long-sleeved sweaters included (figure D).
The Big Book of Knitting by Katharina Buss is one of those primers that tells all starting with materials, basic techniques and stitches, and then goes on to include tips and embellishments and how to do practically every knit stitch and pattern known to man. Filled with excellent photographs and drawings, it would seem to be a valuable addition to any knitters' library. Published by Sterling, the softcover edition is now available for $19.95 (figure E).
Joining the large number of books on candles and candle-making are two more titled Essentially Candles by Dr. Robert McDaniel and Katherine McDaniel and Decorating Candles by Terry Taylor. Rather than repeating each other, the two compliment each other. Essentially Candles, published by Krause, deals with the many different kinds of candles and how to make them. The book Decorating Candles, published by Lark, is about exactly what the title implies...decorating existing candles, using everything from copper sheets to bottle caps to chenille stems to metallic thread (figure F).
And last...definitely not least, although there was not much time to show it well...is the book The Cat and Dog Lover's Idea Book by Gail Green, published by Krause Publications. It is filled with projects to make for your pets from party hats to beds as well as recipes to please their taste buds (figure G).
Resources Essentially Candles
by Dr. Robert S. McDaniel & Katherine J. McDaniel (ISBN: 0873419960)
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Krause Publications
Website:
www.krause.com
Great Paper Quilling
by Mickey Baskett (ISBN: 0806939362)
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here to order this title.
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website:
www.sterlingpub.comDecorating Candles
by Terry Taylor (ISBN: 157990243X)
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Lark Books
Website:
www.larkbooks.comThe Book of Wizard Craft
by Janice Kilby, Deborah Morgenthal (ISBN: 1579902065)
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Lark Books
Website:
www.larkbooks.comThe Cat & Dog Lovers' Idea Book
by Gail Green (ISBN: 0873492161)
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Krause Publications
Website:
www.krause.com
The Weekend Crafter: Crochet 20 Simple & Stylish Designs to Wear
by Jane Davis (ISBN: 1579902332)
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Lark Books
Website:
www.larkbooks.comUltimate Color Printer Craft Book
by Susan Kryzwicki, Laurel Burden (ISBN: 0823007502)
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Watson-Guptill Publications
Website:
www.watsonguptill.comBig Book of Knitting
by Katharina Buss (ISBN: 0806963174)
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Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website:
www.sterlingpub.com Also in this Episode
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