But I don't think I've seen a better resource for the lay user than this one. T. Ormiston-smith. Mother Nature's medicine cabinet. In ancient times, the plant kingdom provided our earliest ancestors with the natural healing powers derived from nature. Extracts and essences from plants and flowers were prized for their medicinal, spiritual, aromatic, and therapeutic value, including beauty benefits. Aromatic plants, essences, and oils have traditionally been used during religious ceremonies and observances, beauty care and perfumes, food enhancement, and preservation. Aromatic plants were the basis for herbal and botanical medicines and remedies for thousands of years - they still are. In fact, they’re the root of today’s modern pharmaceuticals. And as lifestyles rapidly changed to meet everyday challenges, and technology progressed in leaps and bounds, herbal knowledge soon fell by the wayside. During the past century, as the side effects of many chemically based drugs come to light - not to mention the exuberant costs, natural healing has come full circle and has gradually found its way back into our homes. The Western World is standing up and taking notice. People are educating themselves about the wonderful uses and benefits of using essential oils, herbs, and spices. Mother nature's medicine cabinet is back, invoking endless remedies and in some cases, cures - without the side effects. Granted. Natural healing may not replace the family doctor or chemically manufactured drugs entirely, but it certainly is a healthy alternative to consider when thinking about your health, beauty, wellbeing, and fitness regime. Bonus: Includes Medicinal Herbs and their uses. Discover the many benefits to diffusing essential oils to achieve optimal health and well-being in your home and workplace. Diffusing essential oils can help you study better, sleep better, enhance your moods and put you in the mood... Essential oils and pregnancy. Essential oils and children. There is also a section about essential oils for pets – which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

    Anna Blandford's easy humor points out cat behaviour at its best, and worst, and why humans still find cats irresistible. Because let's be honest, we're obsessed: if a cat lover is presented with a choice of products and one of them has a cat on it, hands down that will be the one selected. And as Anna asks, 'If it doesn't have a cat on it, is it even worth owning?'Cat lovers worldwide will relate to Anna's whimsical drawings and hilarious insights.

    In the only photo-essay book about the quilts of Gee’s Bend for children, award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin explores the history and culture of this fascinating group of women and their unique quilting traditions. Rubin uses meticulous research to offer an exclusive look at an important facet of African American art and culture.   In the rural community of Gee’s Bend, African American women have been making quilts for generations. They use scraps of old overalls, aprons, and bleached cornmeal sacks—anything they can find. Their traditions have been passed down through the decades. Much to the women’s surprise, a selection of the quilts was featured in an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in 2002. The exhibition then traveled to the Whitney Museum in New York City. “Eye-poppingly gorgeous,” wrote a critic for the New York Times about the exhibition. He continued, “Some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art will exhibit its newly acquired collection of Gee’s Bend quilts in 2017.   Rubin is known for producing well-researched, highly praised, and sophisticated biographies of artists and other important figures. Through similar research, The Quilts of Gee’s Bend shares specifics about this rare community and its rich traditions, allowing children to pause to consider history through the eyes of the people who lived it and through a legacy that is passed on to the next generation.   This book should be of great interest to classrooms, libraries, and those interested in African American art in the United States, in addition to quilting, life in early emancipated colonies in the South, and Gee’s Bends importance in the Civil Right’s movement. The quilts and the incredible stories behind them are powerful motivators for anyone who wishes to accomplish anything. A map, directions on how to make a quilt square, endnotes, and an index round out this stunning nonfiction book.

    Filled with fabulous photographs of every room, plus genius tips, savvy shortcuts, and quick fixes for tidying, decluttering, organizing, adding style, and more, Good Housekeeping Simple Household Wisdom is your go-to guide for turning a house into the home you'll love even more.

    To describe them all would be to describe the entire history of sewing. In "The Art of manipulating Fabric," Colette Wolff has set herself just this task, and she succeeds brilliantly. Working from the simplest possible form - a flat piece of cloth and a threaded needle - she categorizes all major dimensional techniques, show how they are related, and give examples of variations both traditional and modern. The result is an encyclopedia of techniques that resurface, reshape, restructure and reconstruct fabric. More than 350 diagrams support the extensive how-tos, organized into broad general categories, then specific sub-techniques Handsome photos galleries showcase the breathtaking possibilities in each technique and aid visual understanding by emphasizing the sculptured fabric surface with light and shadow Textile artists and quilters, as well as garment and home decor sewers, will expand their design horizons with the almost limitless effects that can be achieved

    Mary Randolph Carter's newest book indulges our desire to surround ourselves with belongings that impart beauty and meaning to our lives. Whether you are passionate about flea market thrifting, have a collection of pedigreed antiques, or simply find inspiration among the castoffs in your attic, this book is a tribute to making artful interiors with your acquisitions.With her trademark style and love of heirlooms and beautiful old objects, Carter delves into the interiors of real-life tastemakers (antique dealers, fashion designers, artists, and boutique owners) to explore how our homes are the perfect canvas for our self-expression. In these pages, Carter curates a variety of unique interiors, from a couple who restores and displays antique textiles and china to an anglophile with an incredible library of vintage books to an artist who lives with the old photos and maps he uses in his work to an antique dealer known for having multiples of everything. Carter muses delightfully on the universal desire to acquire while imparting her philosophy and tips for living creatively and integrating our passions stylishly into our decor. Chock-full of ideas and inspiration, this book exalts in the beauty of bounty and is sure to delight Carter's legions of fans.

    The decorating magazines and TV shows never seem to talk to you. So what? With some attitude, know-how, and a lot of your own style, your place can be transformed into a fabulous Shangri-La, a swanky venue fit for living and entertaining well. Pad: The Guide to Ultra-Living is filled to bursting with hip, affordable projects for every room in the house and shows how to use basics like lighting, plants, mirrors, and paint to enhance even problem areas. Numerous testimonials from real people with real living spaces demonstrate how a little spaces demonstrate how a little spunk and individuality can overcome the limitations of the average urban dwelling. Offering a complete lifestyle package, Pad has instructions for building your own home bar, ideas for party themes and recipes--and even collateral hangover cures! This total living guide will have your place all spruced up--and the envy of guests--in no time.

    I read all of the customer reviews on my books and appreciate everyone who takes the time to give their feedback; your comments have helped me to see where improvements and clarifications needed to be made, and I am very thankful for your input.This book shows you how to do all of the basic crochet stitches with detailed instructions and step-by-step illustrations. You will easily progress from complete beginner to being able to crochet any of the projects in this book, and beyond!This latest edition includes the instructions for four of my best-selling crochet patterns:- Boot Cuffs Slouchy Hat House Slippers Cloche Hat in addition to the quick and easy original patterns for a spa-style wash cloth, mesh scarf, Kindle cover, flower head band, and a basic granny square motif which can be used as a basis for many other projects such as afghans, cot covers, cushion covers........the possibilities are endless! This is the ONLY beginner's book you will need. Scroll up to the top and click on the link to "Buy Now" to deliver almost instantly to your Kindle or other reading device, and make a start on this wonderful craft TODAY.

    While you’re waiting for your favorite knitting event to appear on the horizon of your calendar, you can content yourself with knitting up some of the best patterns from the fashion show. Every knitter is sure to fall in love with the patterns in this free eBook. A variety of patterns will keep you knitting all year long; these classy patterns will be a welcome addition to any wardrobe, and you’ll have a great time knitting them up and remembering all the fun you had at the last STITCHES show.

    No confusion. Just solid, fail-safe tips for writers to take their dictation to the next level. From the author of "The Writer's Guide to Training Your Dragon", this mini-guide will help you choose the right microphone, transcribe on-the-go with Dragon and put you on the path to sky-high word counts. You will also learn little-known tricks, such as:- Dictating into programs Dragon doesn't support - such as Scrivener;- Preventing a crash from taking your dictated text with it;- Creating a "Quiet Profile" for when you need to dictate without disturbing others;- Using the same profile on multiple computers - and keeping it updated;- Running your desktop Dragon app on an iPad or Android tablet - anywhere, anytime.Designed to get you up-and-running with this powerful software in no time, "Quick Cheats for Writing with Dragon" may make you want to never look at a keyboard again!

    In nature, they're found in fern leafs and corals. In this book, they're found in the pattern for a scarf, the cables of a pullover, and the intricate hemline of a skirt. The pentagon is a familiar five-sided figure that, in nature, can be spotted in the starfish or sand dollar; in this book it's spotted in the yoke of a pullover, the textures of a cardigan, and the shape of a shawl. In nature, water waves and chemical waves abound; in this book, they flow as the patterns in a hat and mittens and in the gores of a skirt.Knitting Nature is a singular book created by one of the most innovative and respected designers working today. Norah Gaughan, who got her degree from Brown in both biology and art, has combined her knowledge to compile this book of 39 fabulous designs inspired by patterns in nature. With each design, Gaughan first explains where in nature the pattern can be found, such as the spiral in a ram's horn or seashell; then with step-by-step instructions she shows how she rendered that pattern in a skirt or tunic or coat. Complete with exquisitely beautiful photographs, this sophisticated book is truly one of a kind.

    Do you like cats? And want to learn simple color pencil techniques fast? - Then this book is for you :) “I'm just saving those for a special occasion”. “They are too hard to color.” “I don't know where to start!”.Are your coloring books still sitting on the shelf? Have you had a creative block? It's when you open a coloring book, flip through black and white pages and just put the book back on the shelf.You don't have to be overwhelmed, frustrated, or feel like you have to do some hard work. Those are the very feelings we want to escape when picking up a coloring book in the first place. Coloring was supposed to be easy and fun, right..? Adult coloring books became so popular these days. Many of us has now bought enough coloring books to gather a mini collection which would last for a year of daily coloring. But here is the thing: most of us, grown-ups, have no idea how to color!“So how do I color?” - this is the number one question asked by people who pick up a coloring book. Adults want need examples, a step by step guide, or even a short crash course in coloring. That's just how adult brain works. Sometimes we have no more than half an hour to spare. When you don't know where to start, it becomes frustrating. When you have to put in a lot of thinking and effort into something that was supposed to be fun, this whole coloring thing becomes not that exciting anymore. This book provides easy to follow, step-by-step examples, and coloring basics. Get a walk through the coloring process with an artist. "How To Color Adult Coloring Books - Adult Coloring 101: Learn Easy Tips Today. How To Color For Adults, How To Color With Colored Pencils, Step By Step Color Pencil Examples Of Cat Coloring Pages"

    A wealth of individual project ideas are featured for ribbed edges, ruffles, lace, fringes, flora, and garters. Color photographs accompany each of the designs, which rely upon readily available yarns and which come complete with line-by-line stitching instructions. Decorate cuffs, finish hems, and customize your own unique sweater. Develop distinctive styles and patterns using ideas such as the feather lace ruffle, bel epoque, garter stitch weave, sea scallop edge, sugar drop and much more.

    This stunning collection of nursery d?cor, keepsakes, maternity wear, baby?s clothing, and more is all breathtakingly photographed as Anna Maria progresses through her pregnancy.Mothers-to-be, grandparents, family, and friends will treasure this collection of sewing projects to welcome home a new baby. Stylish prints and colors combine in unique designs to give you 24 projects ranging from booties and a quilt to an embroidered family tree and a thank you note organizer?and everything in between.Includes seven bonus loose-leaf paper patterns neatly tucked insideIncludes a brief primer on sewing for babies, including fabric selection and safety considerationsOther titles by Horner: Seams to MeSaturated with gorgeous full-color photography, Handmade Beginnings gives new and veteran sewers colorful, contemporary, yet classic, patterns to mark one of life?s biggest milestones.

    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.