Hobbies, Games & Quizzes Books

Book SynopsisCreate cute and realistic felted animals with this fun and easy-to-follow needle felting book.Nothing feels better than a cute, fuzzy animal you can hold in the palm of your hand. Adorable Felted Animals shows you how you can create more than 30 endearing dogs, cats, birds and other animals using a little wool roving, a felting needle, and a few simple techniques. With basic shapes you roll in your hands, you can sculpt the most lifelike miniature animals, using your felting needle to join the individual parts and give them their firm and final shape. With little bits of contrasting wool, you can provide your felted friends expressions that are irresistible. It's simple, creative, and very relaxing. These cute felted animals range from the wonderfully realistic to enchantingly adorable. Included in this book are: Beloved dogs such as Golden and Labrador retrievers, a Pug, a Poodle, and Dachshund and more Exotic cats, like the Siamese and Abyssinian Feathered friends such as the parakeet, cockatiel, lovebird and finch Other household companions like the ferret and hamster Outdoor dwellers like the chipmunk and rabbit The animals range from about 2-4 inches high, and instructions are included for turning a few of your felt creations into fun dangly accessories. A full lesson takes you through one of the projects from beginning to end, covering all the basics to ensure that you have all the skills you need to make any critter you want.Trade Review"The book is set up with pictures of all the projects and then a detailed and illustrated set of instructions for needle felting and making one of the dogs. The patterns for the rest of the animals provide the shapes needed to create the animal as well as the details and order to put it together." --Crafty Moms Share blog"I'd recommend this book for someone that has a little bit of basic experience with needle felting already. Even though the instructions are very clear, some preexisting knowledge is required to really get the animals to look lifelike." --My Poppet Makes blog

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Book SynopsisEat delicious snacks and game-friendly meals in between dice rolls and encounters with this easy-to-follow RPG themed cookbook perfect for every game group.Feed your gamer group with this collection of 75 game-friendly bar bites, finger foods, and easy-to-share meals. With recipes from the passable Goodberries Baked Cheese-wrapped dates to the one-handed Dragon on a Stick Easy-Eat Meat Skewers to the player-favorite Inspiration Points Peanut Butter White Chocolate Pretzels, this cookbook has you covered for any game night adventure. Complete with easy-to-follow recipes and the wit and wisdom of the authors of A Dragon Walks into a Bar and Düngeonmeister, this book will hit the spot for hungry fighters, spellcasters, and anyone else at the table. Additional recipes include: -Goblintzes—Cheese Blintzes -Genasi’s Delight—Masala Peanuts -Remarkably Movable Rods—Candied Bacon -The Picked Pocket—Hamburger Stuffed Rolls -Healing Words—Lavender Cupcakes with Honey Frosting -Shards of Elemental Chaos—Candy Bark -Hex Grid Cookies—Map-Based Sugar Cookies

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Book SynopsisRevisit your favorite scenes from the smash comedy series Friends with these word searches, coloring pages, and memorable quotes.Fans of the hit NBC sitcom Friends will get a kick out of more than 50 themed word search puzzles accompanied by coloring pages with memorable quips and quotes from the show. Hang out with Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, and Joey as you complete the puzzles and color in the pages while reliving your favorite episodes from the comedy series that defined a generation. Word search puzzles are a great way to relax and relieve stress—and a few laughs and happy memories won’t hurt, either!

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Book SynopsisGalison's Serenity Meow 1000 Piece Puzzle is a snapshot of coziness featuring two cats nestled together in a haven of handcrafted textiles and houseplants. Galison puzzles are packaged in matte-finish sturdy boxes, perfect for gifting, reuse, and storage. 1000 pieces, Ribbon Cut Box: 8 x 8 x 1.5, 203 x 203 x 41 mm Puzzle size: 20 x 27, 508 x 685 mm Includes Puzzle Insert with Puzzle Image Minimal Puzzle Dust Puzzle greyboard contains 90% recycled paper. Packaging contains 70% recycled paper and is made responsibly from FSC-certified material. Printed with nontoxic inks

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Book SynopsisDiscover a world of crocheted characters in this playful collection of amigurumi patterns. Meet Amity, dressed ready for any adventure, as well as a trio of sweet little cactus dolls, a busy bee, a shy Grapefruit girl and friends on Safari. Travel to countries all across the globe to meet their mascots in traditional dress, or create a lovable and unique doll for someone special. Featuring charming hand embroidered features, each pattern comes with full written instructions and lots of helpful photographs to guide you on your amigurumi adventure. Sure to inspire and delight children and adults alike.

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Book SynopsisThis exciting new book from Angie Scarr presents a voyage of discovery and inspiration for all miniaturists to delve into. Here, Angie shares the secrets of her amazingly intricate work in a variety of exciting materials and invites us to join in with her passion for miniature food. The projects are more adventurous than ever before and created with extraordinary attention to detail.Follow this master class that is packed full of ideas, detailed information on techniques, tools, materials and is illustrated with easy-to-follow, step-by-step pictures throughout. Find out how to create liquid and translucent effects, glazes, moulding and veining all to mouth-watering effect. Just some of the projects included are: pastry cases, chocolate recipes, toffee apples, fruit tarts, strawberries, melons, cabbage and mushrooms.

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Book Synopsis'This is a joy of a book. I know nothing of sweaters and little of Iceland, and this book used pictures and words to open Iceland and its people for me, using Icelandic sweaters and knitting to do it.' - Neil Gaiman In Iceland there’s a piece of knitwear that everybody has but no one has bought: the lopapeysa, or ‘lopi’ for short. This sweater made from unspun Icelandic wool is a treasured piece of the island’s culture passed down from generation to generation, used and cherished. In this guide, Joan of Dark and Kyle Cassidy take you on an 800-mile adventure around Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes to explore and experience the island’s rich knitting tradition and to show you how to make your very own lopi-style knits. By interviewing local experts, wool producers and knitters they trace the history of the patterns and along the way meet rock stars, professors and designers who share their knitting-related stories and reveal some of their country’s hidden gems. From isolated waterfalls, hot springs and iconic movie locations to beautiful Icelandic horses, giant glaciers and erupting volcanos, the book is full of stunning photographs at every turn. The journey inspired 12 beautiful lopi-style knitting patterns all presented here with photographs, charts and detailed instructions to carefully guide you through each project whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced knitter. So pick up your needles and spend some time in the land of ice and fire! Work your way through the projects from the traditional sweater to gloves and hats, a cosy jumper dress and stylish headbands all while finding out why the lopapeysa is so special and so individual to Iceland.Trade ReviewThis is a joy of a book. I know nothing of sweaters and little of Iceland, and this book used pictures and words to open Iceland and its people for me, using Icelandic sweaters and knitting to do it. -- Neil Gaiman, author of 'Norse Mythology'Lopapeysa is a seamless knitting together of the author's travels in contemporary Iceland with one of that splendidly idiosyncratic island's most highly prized and traditional crafts, the art of knitting itself. -- Lawrence Millman, author of 'Last Places: A Journey in the North'Through the story of their travels and the people they met along the way, Joan and Kyle have lovingly captured both the technical and artistic aspects of Icelandic knitting tradition, and the culture that created it. -- Smári McCarth, former member of the Alþingi, Iceland's national parliamentIf you've ever fancied visiting Iceland, or simply admire its timeless knitting pattern styles, then you'll love this book! * The Knitter *Lopapeysa is part travelogue, part pattern collection, making it something you can curl up with and enjoy reading as well as browsing the designs to choose which to knit first. Outstanding photography makes it perfect for your coffee table too… The combination of text and gorgeous photography is enough to get you packing your bags immediately. * Knitting Magazine *It’s an absolute dream to one day travel up there, buy some local wool, and then start knitting one of the dreamy designs from the book. Until then, I’ll enjoy Lopapeysa from my armchair and keep dreaming! * Blackwell's *Table of ContentsIntroduction Our Route Around Iceland’s Ring Road Travel Guide by Kyle Cassidy It’s Easy to Get to Iceland, You Should Go Iceland’s History of Wool About the Lopapeysa Knitting a Lopi in Iceland Getting Started How Is Iceland Even? The Ring Road Getting Around Iceland The Icelandic Handknitting Association The Waterfall at Helgufoss The Hot Springs at Skátalaug Heavy Metal Horses Designer Profile: Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir Knitter Profile: Pálína (Palla) Gunnarsdóttir Reykjavik is a 24-hour Party Fagradalsfjall, an Erupting Volcano Hestaland, a Horse Farm that Lets you Stay Illugastaðir, the Land of Seals and Ghosts Dalvik Camping, Whale Watching Akureyri Grjótagjá Cave, Mývatn's Underground Hot Springs Möðrudalur: The Farm at the Top of the World Námafjall Hverir, the Mývatn Geothermal Area Djúpivogur Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Skaftafell National Park Black Sand Beaches Vik, Where All the Movies are Filmed Knitter Profiles: Hera, Guðlaug and Anna Halla Knitter Profile: Janina Witzel The Hot River Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach Designer Profile: Védís Jónsdóttir Back Home Coda Knitting Guide and Patterns by Joan of Dark Knitting the Lopapeysa Recipes versus Patterns Sizing Needles Abbreviations Cardigans and Steeking Yarn Important Skills The Patterns Learn to Chart Headband Hot Springs Hat Executioner’s Capelet Everywhere Sweater Hestaland Horse Sweater Puffin Sweater Lakeside Lopapeysa Hiking Gloves Adventure Sweater Waiting Cape Learned Lopi Vik Dress Endnotes Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisWith these 60+ creepy-cute coloring templates, escape to a world of magical forests where ghosts, skeletons, gnomes, jack-o-lanterns, and more await your colorful interpretations. Creepy-cute is a type of illustration born from a Japanese art trend called “kimo-kawaii” that loosely translates to art that is both charming and disturbing; and nobody knows delightful and spooky better than artist Kitty Willow (@wobblywillows), whose adorably haunting, family-friendly illustrations fill Sweet & Creepy Coloring. Perfect for connecting with your supernatural side at Halloween and throughout the year, each coloring design is steeped in mystery, with fairy-like dwellings and eerie yet inviting creatures going about their enchanted lives; all they need is your inspired color choices and artistic intuition. Whether you are an adult or a child, or somewhere in between, press pause on reality and instead: Attend a ghost’s magical birthday party Gaze at a star-filled sky with a chatty snail Finally meet that Frog Prince Chase butterflies with a winged fox As you add color to the sweet, otherworldly images, enjoy the well-known benefits of coloring: reduced stress, improved focus and mindfulness, and boosted creativity. Remove your finished pieces for framing or turn them over to find intricate patterns on the reverse sides for even more coloring time. So grab your pencils, markers, and crayons and start your fantasy journey through all things sweet and creepy.Trade Review"You’ll love the cute mushroom people, expressive skeletons, ghosts and foxes, pumpkins and wolves on backgrounds of trees, plants, flowers, and stars. The artful black-and-white illustrations will motivate coloring for Halloween or any time of the year!" * Imagination Soup *

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Book SynopsisA beautiful collection of brand new Tilda projects, featuring seasonal designs in Tone Finnanger's quirky style. Each chapter is themed on a classic children's story, such as Pinocchio, Bambi, The Nutcracker and The Princess and the Pea. Projects include new doll designs (ballerinas, princesses, soldiers and various animals), as well as gifts and decorations using the latest range of Tilda fabrics and products.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Materials; Techniques; Swan Lake (Ballerina, Vintage Roses, Ballerina Stocking, Mini Boards); The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Little Ballerina, One-Legged Tin Soldier, Decoration Ideas); Teaspoon Lady (Teaspoon Ladies, Teapot, Homemade Pie; Kitchen Ideas); The Nutcracker (Nutcrackers, Letters); Pinocchio (Pinocchio Doll, Long Stockings); Bambi (Bambi, Mushrooms, Mini Animals, Theatre, Decoration Ideas, Princesses); The Princess and the Pea (Nightdress Princesses, Play Carpet, Make-Up Purses, Little Hearts); The Fox's Widow (Foxes, Angel Hens, Decoration Ideas); Templates.

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive guide to everything about bag making features the very latest techniques and tips from expert bag designer Samantha Hussey, aka Mrs H. As well as the techniques there are full-size patterns for eight bag projects: choose from a dainty clutch right through to a large overnight bag perfect for a weekend away.

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Book SynopsisA woodcarving book devoted solely to magical little gnomes and other charming creatures! The perfect source of inspiration for beginning and experienced whittlers and carvers alike,Learn to Carve Gnomes, Trolls, and Mythical Creaturesboasts a menagerie of 15 woodcarving projects that range in difficulty from easy to more challenging. With complete plans and step-by-step instructions and photography, use just one knife to carve charismatic characters and objects, from a mushroom house, unicorn, and gnome to a wizard, dragon, fairy, cauldron, and much more. Sara Barraclough is a master carver and a regular contributor toWoodcarving Illustrated Magazine, as well as the author of the incredibly charmingWeekend Whittling Projects.

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Book SynopsisBased on The Times Bridge column, an extensive bridge guide aimed at the less experienced or social player who longs to improve their game, with instructive deals and tips, as well as a helpful Index.Trade Review“No one else has the capacity to explain Bridge more clearly than Andrew.”Omar Sharif “If you want to be better, buy the book.”The Spectator

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Book SynopsisIndulge in your love for sweet treats with these delectable cakes to wear or collect. These delicious confections will satisfy your appetite for creativity as well as your appreciation of sugary things. There are 30 scrumptious projects to choose from, so you can enjoy all your favourite cakes in calorie-free miniature perfection. The projects have clear step-by-step instructions and are beautifully photographed to whet your appetite. The book also includes an extensive techniques section telling you everything you need to know to embark on these intricate projects.

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Book SynopsisFind inspiration for reconnecting to the earth by creating the garden-based handicrafts, edible and medicinal recipes, and beauty care products found in A Woman's Garden. Trade Review‘ A celebration of femininity in the garden and an innovative and important book, this will expand the horizons of seasoned gardeners, while being accessible for beginners.’ -- Jack Wallington * RHS The Garden *Table of ContentsIntroduction THE EDIBLE GARDEN 1 | The Kitchen Garden Deanna’s Garden Gallery of Homegrown Produce Creating a New Vegetable Garden Pallet Strawberry Planter Growing Salad Greens A Berry Delicious Garden Low-Maintenance Edibles 2 | Edible Flowers Jan’s Garden Gallery of Edible Flowers Edible Flowers in Your Garden Edible Flower Planter Floral Ice Cubes Edible Flower Frittata Lavender Shortbread 3 | Culinary Herbs Rekha’s Garden Gallery of Culinary Herbs Growing Culinary Herbs DIY Herb Spiral Herb-Infused Oil Three-Mint Mojito Herb-Embedded Pasta HEALTH AND BEAUTY 4 | Plants For Skin care Tanya’s Garden Gallery of Skin Care Plants Growing Plants for Skin Care Creating Botanical Extracts Rose Petal Facial Mist Herbal Bath Fizzies Lavender and Alkanet Soap 5 | Herbal Medicine Giovanna’s Garden Gallery of Medicinal Plants A Home Herbalist’s Garden Growing Chamomile for Tea Chamomile Tincture Calendula Skin Salve Lemon Balm Cold Sore Balm HOME AND CRAFTS 6 | Herbs For The home Ashlie’s Garden Gallery of Plants for the Home Growing a Home Garden Raised Garden Bed Rosemary and Citrus Kitchen Spray Natural Wood Furniture Polish Soapwort Multipurpose Cleaner 7 | Natural Plant Dyes Teresinha’s Garden Gallery of Plants with Natural Color Growing a Dye Garden Using Dye Plants Dyeing Yarn with Onion Skins Naturally Coloring Handmade Soap 8 | The Crafty Garden Melissa’s Garden Gallery of Creative Garden Makes A Creative and Low-Cost Garden Fossil Imprint Stepping-Stone Pressed Flower Candles Papier-Mâché Leaf Lanterns A Word of Thanks About the Author Index

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Book SynopsisFor more than 40 years, this book has been the definitive guide to the art of leather braiding!

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Anyone seeking to learn mahjong, improve their skills, or especially, play the game while visiting another nation, is enthusiastically recommended to immediately add a copy of The Great Mahjong Book to their personal library." --Midwest Book Review"Mah jongg instructor Rep, a Dutchman, casts a wide net to provide general background on the game and explain how it is played today and has in the past been played around the world. [The book] is clearly written and well illustrated with numerous examples." --Library Journal

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Book SynopsisOver 1 million subscribers return to Bernadette Banner's popular YouTube channel for Victorian and Edwardian garment profiles, reconstructions and history lessons. Make, Sew and Mend is infused with her charming, informative voice to teach readers how to use historically proven sewing techniques to hem skirts, patch holes and sew gussets to add space to garments. As people learn the environmental and economic toll of fast fashion, they are turning toward more sustainable fashion practices like mending. From running and herringbone stitches to basting, pleats and buttonholes, Bernadette breaks down techniques with step-by-step photos to show people with any level of sewing skill how to achieve the most lasting results for every stitch. Whether readers are looking build and maintain a vintage wardrobe or merely want to phase out fast fashion in favor of more sustainable practices, Bernadette has the basics covered for every kind of seamster.

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Book SynopsisLittle Felted Dogs offers instructions to recreate a variety of breeds, including a bulldog, poodle, shiba inu, corgi, dachshund and many more. Each project includes step-by-step instructions and diagrams, making this book an accessible introduction to the beginner-friendly craft of needle felting.

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Book SynopsisThis book contains lots of little cross stitch motifs which are quick and easy to stitch. It was inspired by the trend for making very small cross stitch items which can be used to adorn jewellery, such as pendants, bracelets and earrings. You could also make them into little pictures by mounting them into a small hoop or a tiny picture frame. There are designs which can be used to decorate mobile phone cases too. The designs cover a variety of themes, including flowers and cacti, gardens, birds and butterflies, seaside motifs, tropical motifs, and animals. The designs are colourful and pretty and will take crafters no time at all to stitch!

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Book SynopsisAmong the many treasures of The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, are hundreds of games pieces dating from the seventh to the nineteenth century CE. Intricately crafted in a rich variety of materials, including ivory, wood, ceramic, glass, jade, and agate, these tiny objects not only mark the evolution of familiar games into their modern forms, but also evoke the imperial palaces, military camps, and herders? tents in which they were played over many centuries.Some of the most beautiful are a famous group of rock-crystal chess pieces that were kept in a monastery church in northern Spain for more than 800 years. They are presented here alongside other spectacular examples, some of which have never before appeared in a publication, including both early figural chess pieces that originated in India and the Sasanian empire and the more abstract forms that later became popular throughout the Islamic world. Other games pieces, such as dice and pachisi sets and an important medieval Arabic treatise on chess, complete the collection.This volume provides the definitive catalogue of this outstanding group of games pieces, some of which scientific testing has dated with precision for the first time, and includes more than 300 striking images.Trade Review'Stunning' - Arab WeeklyTable of ContentsForeword by Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Part One: Early Development of Chess and Backgammon Pieces • Essay: Chess and Backgammon in the Iranian World; Catalogue Section A: Figural Chessmen • Part Two: Abstract Chessmen, Backgammon and Other Games Pieces • Essay: Nishapur and Early Islamic Games Pieces; Catalogue Sections: B) Ivory and Bone; C) Wood and Jet; D) Ceramic; E) Stone; F) Rock Crystal and Other Hardstones; G) Glass; H) Other Games and Related Items • Part Three: Chessmen and Other Games Pieces in Museum and Private Collections

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Book SynopsisIn her second book, Lucy Hunter invites us to join her on a personal journey to the places and spaces that she loves best, and which inspire her work as a floral artist and garden designer. Lucy explores the drama of the mountains, the ever-changing light of the coast and the enduring romance of the countryside, and even finds natural beauty in the most urban of places before returning home to tap into the creativity inspired by these different landscapes. In The Flower Hunter: Creating a floral love story inspired by the landscape, Lucy shows how we can all draw inspiration from the natural world and scale it down to create floral arrangements, dried and pressed flowers and even natural pigments for mark making. More than just a guide to flower arranging, the book encourages us to pause and look, to observe detail and open our minds and souls to the beauty of nature, allowing it to spark our creativity and encourage a sense of experimentation. Follow in Lucy’s footsteps and fill your world with flowers, craft and beauty.Trade ReviewIt reads much like a novel and often transports the reader to Lucy’s world of wafting, romance, nature love and inspiration. I have a lot of flower books, but I’ve already read this one cover to cover and know that I will reference it and reread much of it for years to come - TJ McGrath of of TJM Design A stunning celebration of nature and creativity - Wildflower magazine A lovely, easy-to-follow book for readers looking for ways to capture the allure of nature around them - Library Journal Encourage[s] the drive to create and also embrace[s] an appreciation for the natural world - Publishers Weekly In her new book, The Flower Hunter: Creating a Floral Love Story Inspired by the Landscape, Lucy Hunter wraps her arms, heart, and mind around places and recreates them in her studio. Light, romance, and drama are distilled into a vase – Slow Flowers Journal

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Book SynopsisCovers the techniques perfected by 16th and 17th century masters, studying portraits by Titian, Caravaggio, Reubens and Rembrandt and many more. This book shows demonstrations the variety of oil painting techniques perfected by the old masters.

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Book SynopsisSungsook Setton learned ink painting techniques from Chinese and Korean masters in her native South Korea; now she brings them to you in The Spirit of the Brush. Chinese ink painting is one of the oldest continually practiced art forms in the world. First appearing in China in the fifth century, it soon traveled to Korea, and then to Japan. As old and deeply rooted in East Asian aesthetics and meditation as it is, ink painting is credited with influencing the development of modern Western art. Its minimalist approach to painting continues to have enormous appeal. Author, artist, and teacher, Sungsook Setton is now bringing her years of experience to you with The Spirit of the Brush. You will learn traditional disciplines for holding and using the brush, as well as how to turn these techniques into inner meditation which will help your own world; city views, music, and the essence of contemporary life.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Letting the Brush Lead Spirit : In Search of Qi Tools and Materials Technique Preparing the ink Holding the brush Loading the brush First Exercises: basic use of the brush Basics The Four Noble Plants: orchid, bamboo, plum, and chrysanthemum Landscape Painting: trees, foliage, rocks, mountains, rivers and waterfall Composition Spring Willow tree Forsythia with bird Pond with ducks Summer Avalon garden: Echinacea and dragonflies Dunes Palm and banana trees Fall West Meadow Beach Silver birch tree Maple tree Winter Snow-covered pine needles Central Park Misty, stormy, windy day Painting music Mounting and Seals Gallery Conclusion Supplies Index

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Book SynopsisPresents an analysis of the career of Ana Mendieta, a Cuban-American feminist artist who came to prominence in the late 70s and early 80s, in terms of gender and performance theory. This work is useful for those involved with the production, criticism, theory, and history of contemporary art.Trade Review“This book offers a more rigorous historical and cultural analysis than earlier texts on Ana Mendieta. It adds usefully to one’s understanding of Mendieta’s work and will contribute to her insertion into history.”—Mira Schor, author of Wet: On Painting, Feminism, and Art Culture“This is a very important study of one of the most ambitious and intriguing artists of our time. Blocker’s work brings together performance theory, historiography, art history, and biography in order to illuminate some of the beckoning caves and shadows of Mendieta’s art and life.”—Peggy Phelan, author of Mourning Sex: Performing Public MemoriesTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Where Is Ana Mendieta? 1. Fire 2. Earth 3. Exile 4. Travel 5. Body Conclusion: Writing toward Disappearance Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisCreate beautiful, natural soaps without leaving home!Ever wonder what''s really in your store-bought soap? Once you start making your own soap, you''ll never have to wonder again! The Everything Soapmaking Book, 3rd Edition is a comprehensive guide to making all kinds of soap, whether you want to decorate your home or pamper your or your family''s skin. Homemade soap is not only an easy project for any level craft lover, but it''s beautiful, too!Completely revised and updated with information on natural and organic ingredients, this easy-to-use guide shows you how to: Choose the right soapmaking equipment Blend colors and aromatic scents Create all kinds of soap, from bath soap to facial cleanser Make soaps for holidays and special occasions You''ll also learn how to beautifully package your soaps and sell them at farmers'' markets, local retail outlets, and online craft sites. With these simple-to-follow rec

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Book SynopsisValuable hints from a veteran botanist and weaver on dyeing fibers and fabrics, what soap plants to use for cleaning textiles, advice on fragrant plants to scent and protect fabrics, plant materials to use as tools, suggestions for planning and creating a garden featuring cotton, flax, indigo, and much more. Includes an abundance of illustrations.

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Book SynopsisEmbrace the freedom and creativity of improv quilting with award-winning quilter Laura Loewen (@QuiltFortCo). ?The asymmetrical designs offer a refreshing departure from standard quilting fare... This is sure to get quilters? creative juices flowing?.Publishers WeeklyAre you ready to embark on an exciting quilting adventure?Discover the joy of ruler-free cutting, explore the world of color play, and dive into fun, fearless creative piecing using Laura''s expert guidance.This book is a must-read for confident beginner quilters eager to discover new skills and looking for a vibrant, playful quilting experience, but any level of quilter can use this book to begin their improv journey. Laura showcases her own working methods - from sketches and fabric play to painterly color movement - covering all the necessary techniques in detail, and helping you to create a solid base of color knowledge before you launch into combining color play with improv shapes.Inside you''ll find: 10 stunning colorful step-by-step quilt projects thatbuild your skills as you work through the book Techniques throughout, from building harmonious color schemes and value sorting to going ruler free and working with curves Stunning photographs and easy-to-follow illustrations, as well as key guidance on quilting essentials including basting, quilting and binding Confidence-building prompts for your own improv quilts Coloring sheets so that you can work out your colour schemes on paper before committing to fabric This book is your ticket to fearless, fun, and utterly unique improv quilting. Discover inspirational finished pieces,prompts to begin your own individual improv projects and new ways to design quilts through the mouthwateringly colorful projects inside.Laura has exhibited quilts at QuiltCon (#quiltcon) in 2019 and 2020, and in 2020 her More Is More quilt won 1st Place in the Appliqué category.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive guide to making strong, reliable splices in braided rope, using step-by-step photographs and clear instructions to help readers master this important but tricky skill.For any seafarer, splicing rope is an essential skill. But the traditional 3-strand rope is fast disappearing. So how do you splice braided rope?This is the ultimate guide to this crucial knowledge. Most of the techniques are easy to master and also fun to do. See why splices are better and stronger than knots or shackles for joining or shortening rope, and follow the photographs and steps to find out how to splice efficiently.In this fully updated second edition, you will learn how to: Select ropes in the materials that best suit your on-board requirements Customise your ropes to make your setup easier and safer Optimise your deck layout and save weight on board Taper your sheets for ease of handling Splice an extra cover on your ropes to give better grip in clutches, avoid chafe and make them last longerWhile a knot can reduce the strength of a rope by as much as 50%, a well-spliced rope loses only 510%. The techniques, insights and suggestions within these pages will be invaluable to all boaters, whether recreational or commercial. This refreshed new edition has been updated to take in to account developments in fibre technology and includes new splicing techniques and updated photography.

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Book SynopsisUnlock your inner artist and create a stunning, everlasting floral arrangement with The Bouquet in a Book This innovative press-out and make book of ready-to-use paper pieces offers step-by-step instructions to help you craft an exquisite paper bouquet that will never wilt.

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Book SynopsisThe lavish new book from bestselling author and renowned textile artist Moy Mackay. From concentrating mainly on the felting techniques described in detail in her previous books (Art in Felt & Stitch and Flowers in Felt & Stitch), this latest title by the prolific and popular felt artist now shows you how to find inspiration for your own felt painting creations. Delve into the catalogue of Moy’s beautiful, colourful sketchbooks and photographs and learn about her own design process and influences, through which your own artistic abilities can be explored. Moy takes you through every step of the felt-making process then shows you how to put together four fabulous felt paintings of various subjects. There is also guidance on stitching – both hand- and machine-stitching – as well as how to use colour and introduce texture in the form of different fibres and threads. There are numerous examples of Moy’s work throughout the book, inspired by the dramatic scenery of the Scottish Borders where she lives and works, providing further inspiration for your own gorgeous felt paintings. From inspiration and design to the finished vibrant picture, Moy’s third book explores the development from initial thoughts through to the essential embellishments that add life and character to her work.Trade ReviewFollowing her two previous successful books, this latest title from Moy explores some new ideas for combining felt and stitch and is bursting with examples of Moy’s colourful and inspiring felt works, depicting many beautiful Scottish scenes, and other subjects. Suggestions are given for the fibres that can be used in felting and the wet-felting process is shown with clarity. Moy demonstrates how the detail is then added using extra fibres and threads, with hand or machine embroidery, to give perspective and dimension to each piece. There are four projects, with step-by-step instructions, for the reader to try, and a gallery for additional inspiration. This is a beautiful book for those who already love felting, or for anyone wishing to try something different, as, such is the nature of the technique, each piece of work produced will be as unusual and unique as the maker. Highly recommended. * East Kent Embroiderers’ Guild *I have always enjoyed using different media in my artwork to create sumptuous texture in my paintings. In this book, the artist offers up all of her knowledge and experience of using different fibres and stitch to create texture and depth. I hadn’t heard of feltings before reading this book. They are the use of fibres to create a painting, a felt painting. The artist takes you clearly through materials and equipment to start with. Lots of pictures accompany some of the unfamiliar bits of equipment, which was very helpful in the beginning. I found lots of new ideas to try and plenty of inspiration for projects in the dedicated chapter which included lovely quotes and picture showing the steps in the creation of a project. Felting techniques are covered extensively and the artist takes a very practical approach which I found easy to follow. The final part of the book sets out step by step several different projects to try yourself, all of which would produce a stunning result. -- Alex ScottMoy Mackay is a true master of her craft. Her generosity in sharing her skill, and encouraging others to tap into their creativity through this book/guide, is a testament to Moy's role as champion of this very distinct art form that she has made wholly her own. Moy Mackay can rest assured that she has shown the world that fibre and felting, in her hands, rightly deserve a place at the high table of art -- Kathleen Soriano, Independent curator and Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year JudgeThe book buyer at the Hutt Public Library must be a textile artist – there are a whole lot of new and yummy titles on the shelves at the moment. The cover of this gorgeous book caught my eye, even though my felting prowess leaves something to be desired. Moy Mackay is a Scottish artist and the work in this book is what she calls ‘painted’ felt pictures. The painting is not on the felt but she uses a palette of coloured wools, silks, and embellishments to create landscape pictures. This could be twee, but Moy’s skill with colour makes them atmospheric and startling. The examples she makes use of in the book are relatively small (mostly less than an A4 size) so the process is manageable for a kitchen or small studio. The process of wet felting supplemented with needle-felting, machine, and hand sewing, is described well, with a good description of equipment (and workarounds if you don’t have the best). There are several projects that are worked through step-by-step. Even if you are not a felter – and wet-felting is not for everyone – there is a lot of good material here about colour and working with samples to perfect your composition, tips on perspective, selection of colours to reflect a mood, mixing threads to achieve the colours, and presentation. Her work reflects the often sombre moods of the Scottish highlands with dramatic Prussian blue skies, scarlet and orange sunsets, and purple hills. It probably won’t appeal as much to those who like pastels, but it was glorious eye candy for a wet week. -- Caroline Strachan * Thread Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction 6Materials & equipment 10Inspiration 22Developing ideas 36Colour 48Composition & perspective 58Texture & embellishment 62- Mark making 64Felting techniques 78- Choosing your colours 70- How to card? 71- Carding colour charts 74- Wet felting 76- Needle felting 85- Freehand or Free-motion embroidery 88- Hand stitching & embroidery 92- Finishing 94Projects- Landscape Loch Lomond 88- Animals Highland Cow 94- Still life Vase of Flowers 108- Architecture Doorway 122A final word 158Index 160

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Book SynopsisA modern take on a baby memory book and journal, 'As You Grow' stands out from the crowd of baby books with its elegant, chic and timeless design. The gender-neutral artwork with guided sections provide space for every family to record moments from pregnancy to age five. Author and illustrator Korie Herold pored over every page, adding artistic detail and flourishes that work to create a book you can interact with now and look back on for a lifetime. This chic design promotes longevity, as this keepsake book is intended to be shared and displayed for years to come. 'As You Grow' is inclusive of every modern family.Trade Review“A beautiful, modern-day take on baby books…It's got a sleek, linen cover and gender-neutral design in a lay-flat book so it's easy to write in and add photos. It's got all the prompts and places to store memories from pregnancy through age 5.” - Romper

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Book SynopsisFolk art is a major trend and can be seen influencing everything from fashion to interiors. Now you can incorporate this trend into your home in a contemporary way with this collection of stunning modern folk art inspired embroidery designs by leading designer, Nancy Nicholson.Nancy''s distinctive style, which draws on Scandinavian and Eastern European motifs, perfectly captures thefolk art trend and will appeal to stitchers of all ages and abilities. This collection shows you how to use the designs to create beautiful and practical home decor items and accessories.The stitch techniques will be shown using Nancy''s unique and comprehensive stitch library so they will be extremely easy to follow whether you are an experienced stitcher or a newbie. There are also plenty of suggestions for creating your own designs if you are feeling inspired.Table of ContentsContents Intro Stitch library Combining stitches Stitching motifs Projects: Pin cushions Brooches Doll Geometric hanging decorations Table runner Circles cushion Dress Wrist Cuff Felt samplers Fabric samplers Tote bag Braided Cushion Bolster

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Book SynopsisCelebrate the frosty Winter with this festive collection of 100% wool hand dyed felt, linen, yarn and fabric creations. In this book you will find Woodland felt brooches, sleeping felt Mouse tucked up in her peapod bed, felt Badger all dressed, ready for some frosty winter walks, decorative Rabbit with velvet ruffled collar and many more.

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Book SynopsisWith helpful tips and easy to follow step-by-step lessons, The Complete Beginner's Guide to Drawing is the perfect resource for artists looking to hone their drawing style and technique.The Complete Beginner's Guide to Drawing is a comprehensive guide to drawing a vast array of subjects, from landscapes and flowers to animals and portraits. This helpful resource begins with a thorough introduction to the essential tools and materials artists need to get started, including different types of pencils, sketchbooks, papers, and other tools. Additionally, artists will learn the fundamentals of drawing, as well as a variety of drawing techniques, including rendering realistic textures, creating volume, and capturing perspective. The Complete Beginner's Guide to Drawing guides beginning and intermediate artists through a series of easy-to-follow, step-by-step projects covering a variety of subject matter. With helpful tips and beautiful artwork to inspire, The Complete Beginner's Guide to Drawing is the perfect resource for artists looking to hone their drawing style and technique.

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Book SynopsisIn this new and extended edition of her best-selling book in the 'How to Paint' series: 'Colour and Light in Watercolour' (first published 2010), Jean Haines has produced a book even more inspirational than the first. With 40 per cent new material in the form of new hands-on demonstrations, examples of her work and extended text, Jean provides a valuable insight into the materials and techniques she uses to inject colour and light into her stunningly beautiful, award-winning watercolour paintings. Jean's enthusiasm and passion for art is evident throughout the book, which is packed full of ideas, useful tips, expert advice and over 20 step-by-step demonstrations. with subjects ranging from atmospheric winter landscapes to bright colourful cockerels, all painted in Jean's loose and expressive style, artists of all tastes and abilities will not fail to be inspired by her imaginative and exciting use of light and colour.Trade ReviewSummer 2016, Issue 2 This is a new edition of Jean Haine's first and bestselling title.We have included it for people who want to go a little bit deeper into painting and learn more skills and techniques. Just like Paint Yourself Calm, this is also large format and full of colour. It's not intended for absolute beginners but there are certainly no concepts or requirements that make this impentrable to someone new to watercolour painting. * Cygnus Review *July 2016 This is a reissue of Jean's first book which originally appeared as part of a series aimed at beginners. It was never well suited to the format and length always made the artist's work feel constrained. A redesigned and more than doubled extent have give it wings that are more in keeping with her later books. Extended re-issues do not work, authors move on a what they wanted to say on the subject in question was usually there in the original. Additions can feel at best bolted on or, at worst out-takes that should have stayed on the cutting room floor. This emphatically is not the case here. The original has promise and that has been realised now, the result being a triumph. * The Leisure Painter *The range of its capabilities, it shows in numerous illustrations, instructions and important advice on watercolours. We see exotic dressed people, foreign cityscapes, delicate flowers, fruits and animals repeatedly. But looking at the sun-drenched images, the indicated details, the harmony of color selection arouses enthusiasm. However, learning this particular style of painting requires fundamental knowledge. Painters who represent very realistically and in detail, will have difficulties with the implementation. The experimental artist, however, will have the courage to do so and the casual use of the brush is love, this technique can be learned easily. The prerequisite is to develop each chapter of the book. To better understand the painting Jean Haines shows detailed examples to brush selection and their handling. Many mixtures of their eleven favorite colors are presented, with which it has this book also painted most of the pictures. In the chapter "light and how we see it" it gives an insight into their distinctive way of representation of light and strong contrasts. Known techniques such as wet-on-wet, glazes, salt, negative painting, spraying technique, are demonstrated. But what good is the perfect mastery of basic skills, if in the end produced a boring image? Only the composition makes the picture into a unique and unusual artwork. From their many years of painting experience knows the artist that before painting the thinking is. First we have to decide what we want to paint. As the object is lively and compelling? What foreground and background should we choose? What colors cause a harmonious whole? How are the brush strokes are performed? Only after these preliminary we should start painting. In the penultimate chapter "Summary" shows Jean Haines progressive image formation on the example of two taps, a fleeing rabbit and a Seascape with boats. The detailed imaging that brief but informative texts and useful tips make Technique clearly and comprehensibly. What I personally have missed something, is the lack of photographic pictures. I would have been interested in whether the artist paints with no pictures or sketches and photos to help take the reaction of light and shadow, the search for interesting details not easy for me without visual aids. For the advanced experimental watercolourist looking for a loose style of painting, the book is recommended "Colour and light". In der überarbeiteten Neuauflage ihres Buches „Colour and light“ widmet sich die Künstlerin Jean Haines dem Thema „Farbe und Licht“. Die Bandbreite ihres Könnens zeigt sie in zahlreichen Abbildungen, Anleitungen und wichtigen Tipps zum Aquarellmalen.Die vielfältigen Eindrücke ihrer Fernreisen lässt sie in ihre impressionistisch wirkenden Bilder einfließen. Wir sehen exotische gekleidete Menschen, fremde Stadtansichten, zarte Blumen, Früchte und immer wieder Tiere. * Kreative review *Jean's passion for art shows as she guides you through a variety of exciting projects. With subjects ranging from atmospheric winter landscapes to bright colourful cockerels you are sure to be inspired! -- The SAA * The SAA Catalogue 19/20 *I'm not normally a fan of revised re-issues. Artists move on and what they wanted to say on a subject was pretty much perfectly formed at the time. Unpicking a thread and trying to make it into sommething else all to often lands up with a mess. But... and it's a very big but. Jean Haines and Search Press have done a superb job here. This was Jean's first book and it appeared in a beginner's series to which it and her style, were never really suited. Jean belongs to the broder canvas, as it were and her loose impressionistic style needs room to breathe. Basic instruction and 48 pages felt more like an eagle in a cage - you could see the potential, but not the spread of the wings. For this version which has enlarged the format and more than doubled the extent, there's been a complete redesign that's in keeping with the later books. The paper is bright white just like the original paintings and it shows the colour and its subtle tints, hues and washes much better. The larger paint size means that nothing's reduced down to where you can't see the brushwork. On top of that there's additional material and more demonstrations. This is no longer a book that hints at what might be possible, but one which celebrates Jean's work and what can be done if you're brave with watercolour. The result is a triumph and something you'll want even if you have the first version. * SAA Paint *Well, this is a first! I've seen books dragged out of well-deserved retirement, kept current by revamped covers and re-issued as "classics", but I've never seen one given a complete makeover that doubles the original extent. I had reservations about this when it first appeared. It's not that it wasn't good, or that I didn't like it, just that I didn't feel that Jean's loose and somewhat idiosyncratic style fitted comfortably into a series of what were largely technical manuals. All that clearly didn't harm sales and Jean has, of course, gone on to become a bestselling and highly respected author. Later volumes have given her work the freedom it needs and it's blossomed as a result. Re-workings of what for the moment we'll call juvenilia are rarely successful. Authors move on, their style develops and things that are largely historical are best left as pieces of history. If that means they're a footnote, so be it. It's often better than being something everyone comes to regret and has to make excuses for later. And now, gentle reader, I'm going to eat my words: both my previous reservations and my suspicion of the re-vamp. This is everything the book should have been in the first place. It hasn't been shoe-horned into a series format, for a start. Series are great and are often a way of introducing new authors who may not have the gravitas to stand alone, but can be carried on by the momentum a series provides and given a toe-hold in the water (yes, I do know that's a mixed metaphor, but it was kind of you to mention it). It's also been completely re-designed and there are vastly more illustrations. Now, it has room to spread its wings and to breathe, which is exactly what Jean's work needs. She's not about small illustrations that populate a detailed text, she's about illustrations, illustrations and illustrations. You need to see her work full-page and preferably on a crisp white background and that's what you have here. I haven't done a word-by-word comparison, but I'm pretty sure this is the original text and it now becomes an adjunct to the pictures, rather than the other way round. The best art books usually lead on the paintings and use the text just as a caption to explain what you're looking at when you need a nudge or it isn't immediately obvious. This is a hard trick to pull off because, if the original book was any good, it'll have been properly put together and be a perfect sphere it's very hard to pull apart. No matter how much you want to, it is, as I've hinted above, usually better to leave well alone and start something new from scratch. So, congratulations to Search Press, whose editorial and design teams are on a bit of a roll at the moment, and to Jean too. With this many new illustrations, she's had a pretty large part in the exercise as well. You need this book. * Artbookreview.net *

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Book Synopsis'Vogue Knitting' presents Rosemary Drysdale's essential guide to one of the hottest trends in knitwear today - entrelac, a modular technique that results in striking basketwork designs of rows within rows and interlocking diamond patterns. Using only simple knit-and-purl stitches, knitters can create eye-catching pieces with incredible texture. Entrelac introduces both the history and how-to of this fun style, along with 20 patterns for a variety of garments, home decor items and baby accessories. Comprehensive instructions and a wide array of swatches provide endless possibilities in lace, colourwork and much more.

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Book SynopsisThis guide helps artists learn to draw natural-looking figures. Hart portrays everyday, real-life gestures on human-looking foundation figures: standing, sitting, kneeling and reclining, with arms folded, ankles crossed, hands on hips and more, all shown from various angles. He also explores deeper concepts such as perspective, illusion of depth, casting shadows and foreshortening, and provides step-by-step tutorials that take artists through complete, naturally posed figure drawings from start to finish.

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Book SynopsisLine is an essential component of textile art. When used effectively, it can convey texture, tone, form, movement and mood. Drawn to Stitch is a practical guide to the uses of line in embroidery and textile art, presented as a structured series of exercises designed to help the reader explore line’s potential and develop their own creativity. It covers line and mark-making tools, materials and processes – including printing and mixed-media techniques – and then moves into stitch, explaining how to interpret different line qualities from crisp and sharp to soft and diffused, from raised and overlaid to recessed and inlaid. Full of inspiring ideas, the book is illustrated with stunning examples of stitched-textile work.

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