The projects are built around a focal cabochon and incorporate seed beads and crystals in imaginative ways. Designers learn to make the jewelry shown in the book, and they also use the techniques learned to create innovative jewelry pieces of their own.

    Female painters, sculptors, calligraphers, and printmakers, as well a growing community of hobbyists, have played a primary role in developing this new mode of artistic expression. The Book as Art presents more than 100 of the most engaging women's artist books created by major fine artists such as Meret Oppenheim, May Stevens, Kara Walker, and Renee Stout and distinguished book artists such as Susan King, Ruth Laxson, Claire Van Vliet, and Julie Chen.Culled from over 800 unique or limited-edition volumes held by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, these books explore the form as a container for ideas. Descriptions of the works are accompanied by colorful illustrations and reflections by their makers, along with essays by leading scholars and a lively introduction by the most famous book artist in our culture, best-selling author Audrey Niffenegger. The exquisitely crafted objects in the The Book as Art are sure to provoke unexpected and surprising conclusions about what constitutes a book.The Book as Art accompanies the exhibition of the same name at the Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., beginning in October 2006.

    And they'll love yours the most, thanks to this festive collection of themes, snacks, crafts, drinks, and decor...all handpicked by the party monsters at Quirk D.I.Y., the Quirk Books community for makers of everything awesome. So roll back the rug, call your friends, and let's get at least one of these parties started! Party Themes include: SPARKLE PARTY, featuring Mini Candy Apples, Holiday Cake Pops, Sweet Surrender Punch, and more. OVER EASY PARTY, Featuring Huevos Rancheros Tacos, Maple Bacon Cupcakes, Golden Hog Cocktail, and more. GIANT PARTY for kids, featuring Mini Corn Dogs, Super-Small Deep-Dish Pizzas, Teensy Funnel Cakes, and more. CRAFTERNOON TEA PARTY featuring Pansy Tea Sandwiches, English Rose Cocktail, homemade Pom-Pom Headbands, and more. THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL PARTY featuring Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, Beef-and-Beer Chili, homemade Plush Penguin party favors, and more.

    A Basic Stitch Guide and clear, easy-to-follow instructions are included.

    Crochet books were largely useless because it is difficult to teach a visual art through words—until now. Crochet for Beginners is full of color photos and diagrams that make it easy not only to learn beginning crocket stitches but really begin to put them into use, making more and more complicated projects, all the way up to crochet afghans. If you already know how to do basic crochet stitches and are looking for crocheting books that can help you take your projects to the next level, this book is also perfect for your needs. This books is very specific about not only how to start crocheting, but how to improve your skills with a range of techniques and crochet patterns that train you to make just about anything you want, quickly and easily. All you have to do is look at the pictures and diagrams and you will be able to make any of the 21 crochet patterns included in the book. This book teaches you to complete every single one of our patterns, even the most advanced ones, in less than three days. To speed up the process, the book also includes a full list of Glossary terms, to explain that crochet terminology that patterns and other crocheters use. There are even ten fast-track tips to get you crocheting fast and a FAQ to answer any questions you might have about crocheting, crochet stiches, what hooks to purchase, etc. You will be a master of crocheting in no time! Here are just some of the benefits provided by Crochet for Beginners: • Learn whether or not crocheting is harder than knitting • 21 different crochet projects, teaching you the skills to crochet just about anything • How to easily start crocheting and build your skills • How to join crochet pieces • And many more! Learning how to crochet is not a difficult or protracted process when you have the right tools. That is what Crochet for Beginners provides, a step-by-step, picture and diagram tutorial for simple and highly advanced projects. Scroll up and get your copy today! Check Out What Others Are Saying... "One thing I really love about the book is the abundance of clear, beautiful photos. They feature colorful crochet stitches done, has got to be one of my most favorite books. Why? Because you don't just read it cover to cover and walk away from it. It is useful, it is a resource, and I find myself referring to it time and time again. You see, I am a crocheter, but I don't crochet constantly so I forget stitches. A to Z Crochet is a great tool to remind me how to do a certain stitch. The pictures are helpful and show progressive steps. If there is more than one way to do something, you can bet it is explained.. I really appreciate these pics!I now have enough stitches to keep me crocheting into the next millennium. Easy instructions and great pictures...makes it hard to do anything other than crochet. For the price, this book is an absolutely incredible value. I expect to use this book as a reference for a long time to come." - Michelle Smith "I've always wanted to learn how to crochet, this book makes it so easy! The diagrams of the patterns were really helpful to me (it doesn't matter how many times someone explains something in words, I'm a visual learner!).

    * Easy to follow How To Crochet illustrations * Fun and simple projects to make * Learn a variety of crochet stitches and skills * Perfect for absolute beginners * Projects include hats, scarves, mittens, baby blankets, scented hearts, granny squares and more! This is the ONLY beginner's book you'll need to start to crochet today!!

    Amy Atlas gained an international following when she introduced the concept of meshing baking and crafting to make beautiful sweets spreads. She has designed tables for Brooke Shields, Electrolux with Kelly Ripa, Gayle King, Martha Stewart Weddings, Mindy Weiss, and O Magazine. Since 2008, hundreds of thousands of readers have flocked to her award-winning blog, Sweet Designs. Now they'll learn how she does it for the first time in her first book filled with brand-new tables, original recipes, do-it-yourself instructions, and dozens of tips and secrets.Sweet Designs includes 15 chapters filled with more than 100 recipes for every kind of irresistible treat, plus over 75 easy, affordable DIY craft projects to make them even more special. Each chapter features an amazing dessert table that reflects themes Amy's clients most often request: a favorite color, design, flavor, destination, passion, or holiday. Amy tells readers how they can make just one item, mix and match items from different tables, or make the dessert tables as shown. For every maid of honor who needs to plan an epic bridal shower (and then later the baby shower), every mom who needs to put together a birthday bash her kids will never forget, and every Scrabble aficionado who wants to throw the game-night party to end all game-night parties, Amy serves up that elusive "wow factor" to make every celebration an event to remember.

    So long, wedding coordinators. Here is the bride's guide to thinking outside that robin's egg bluewedding-industry box. In this, the only comprehensive do-it-yourself wedding book, youll find everything you need to pulloff a personalized celebration. No cookie-cutter weddings here! With how-to info on flowers, invites, food, the ceremony,and more, The DIY Wedding makes it easy to spend less and create an event that is entirely original. Inspiring ideas,countless resources, budgeting tips, contract templates, plus start-to-finish projects ease the planning pressure.

    Hand colored in vivid combinations of painterly hues, Noro yarns are as striking to behold as they are easy to work with. This follow-up to Knit Noro features 32 small projects knitters can complete in a weekend, including Leg Warmers, Cabled Mittens, a Lace Flap Hat, and even an iPad cover.

    In Encaustic Workshop, it becomes much more: a dynamic medium where anything goes and the possibilities are endless.Packed with step-by-step techniques, helpful tips and diverse examples of completed works, Encaustic Workshop brings all the accessibility and excitement of a mixed-media workshop to your own workspace. If you're a beginner, you'll find everything you need to know to get started. If you're a more advanced crafter or fine artist, you'll discover things you never knew you could do with encaustic.Instructions and photos will guide you as you learn to:Apply, layer, color and carve wax to create artwork rich with texture and depth.Create collages that combine encaustic with papers, fabric, found objects, image transfers and more.Experiment with charcoal, inks, watercolors, pastels and other mediums to create unexpected effects in the wax.Then, complete step-by-step projects and an extensive inspirational gallery will show you how you can combine the techniques you've learned to create more complex works.Sign your creativity up for this Encaustic Workshop--then just melt, paint and play!

    Author John Britt, who served as Clay Coordinator at the respected Penland School of Crafts, has personally tested many of the recipes, and carefully reviews every one. He offers a thorough examination of glaze materials, chemistry, and tools, and presents the basics of mixing, application, and firing procedures. There’s a wealth of information on various type of glazes, including copper, iron, shino, salt/soda, crystalline, and more. An exhaustive index of subjects and a separate index of glaze recipes will help ceramists find what they need, quickly and easily.

    With a refreshingly new approach to free-motion stitching, First Steps to Free-Motion Quilting encourages you to make something beautiful while improving your free-motion quilting skills. You'll find 24 projects and quilts that are light on assembly so you can spend most of your time stitching. A handy troubleshooting guide ensures success every step of the way.

    There are even patterns for the family dog and cat.

    She clears your path of all those merciless judgments pronounced by the Quilting Queens. She invites you to make quilts that are full of life. This funny book offers these nine principles for the 20 million quilters in America:           1. Pretty fabric is not acceptable. Go right back to the quilt shop and exchange it for something you feel sorry for.           2. Realize that patterns and templates are only someone's opinion and should be loosely translated. Personally, I've never thought much of a person who could only make a triangle with three sides.           3. When choosing a color plan for your quilt, keep in mind that the colors will fade after a hundred years or so. This being the case, you will need to start with really bright colors.           4. You should plan on cutting off about half your triangle or star points. Any more than that is showing off.           5. If you are doing applique, remember that bigger is dorkier. Flowers should be huge. Animals should possess really big eyes.           6. Throw away your seam ripper and repeat after me: "Oops. Oh, no one will notice."           7. Plan on running out of border fabric when you are three-quarters of the way finished. Complete the remaining border with something else you have a lot of, preferably in an unrelated color family.           8. You should be able to quilt equally well in all directions. I had to really work on this one. It was difficult to make my forward stitching look as bad as my backward stitching, but closing my eyes helped.           9. When you have put your last stitch in the binding, you are still only half finished. Your quilt must now undergo a thorough conditioning. Give it to someone you love dearly—to drag around the house, wrap up in, spill something on, and wash and dry until it is properly lumpy.           "No reason not to have quiltmaking be a pleasure", says Lisa Boyer, who has as firm a grip on her sense of humor as she does on her quilting needles. "If we didn't make Dorky Homemade quilts, all the quilts in the world would end up in the Beautiful Quilt Museum, untouched and intact. Quilts would just be something to look at. We would forget that quilts are lovable, touchable, shreddable, squeezable, chewable, and huggable -- made to wrap up in when the world seems to be falling down around us."

    Start with fresh, beginner-friendly patterns and build your skills to sew snowballs, stars, flying geese, and more. Using precuts from your stash or your own charms cut from scraps or yardage, you’ll learn tips to take the guesswork out of piecing. Modern and traditional quilters alike will fall in love with these quick, clever, and clean designs!