Rural crafts Books

Book SynopsisLearn over 80 ideas for making soap for every skin type! Handmade Soaps 101 will teach you the basics of making soap, along with ways to get creative with the process. Using the over 80 lessons inside, you will learn how to make soaps for specific skin types and how to add fragrances, herbs, and oils to match any personality or taste. The book also touches on the history of soap and the methods for making it. Author Suzanne McNeil is passionate about hands-on creativity and has published 230 craft and hobby books, making her the perfect guide for your journey into soap-making. Recipes in the manual include the supplies you will need, instructions and helpful tips, along with pictures illustrating the process. All of the supplies in the book should be easily obtained from your local craft, fabric or variety store but as an added courtesy the book includes suppliers your store can order the supplies from if necessary. These supplies include the essentials (soap, coloring, fragrances), plastic molds (muffin tins, Jell-o molds), additives (herbs, toys, vegetables, fruits, oils, honey, powdered milk, buttermilk), and tools (microwave safe cup, spoons, craft sticks, measuring cups, measuring spoons, mixing bowl, wire whisk, drying rack, sharp knife, food processor, hand-grater.) The melt and pour soap crafts are a particular treat, instructing readers in the art of making marbled soaps, confetti soaps, layered soaps, embedded surprise soaps, cookie cutter soaps, molded soaps, loaf soaps, herbal soaps and soaps on a rope. There are also specialty soaps for special occasions called Holiday Loaves for holidays including Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day and The Fourth of July. The activities in Handmade Soaps 101 could be fun and instructional for children and adults alike. Even hard-to-please teenagers enjoy making the artsy soaps such as the Citrus Slices soap which look like actual slices of oranges, lemons and limes. Keep an eye out for the bonus sections on bath salts, oils and gift wrapping!

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Book SynopsisBringing an eccentric creativity to the romance of the beach, Marlene Hurley Marshall shows you how to use shells to bring a sea-infused decorative flair into your own home. Lavish photography, profiles of contemporary shell artists, and simple instructions for 35 remarkable projects will inspire you to get crafting. From adding a few shells to a picture frame or lampshade to encrusting a small bathtub with an eye-catching assemblage, you’ll be astounded at the variety of ways you can brighten your home with shells.

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Book SynopsisDon’t toss those old sneakers into the garbage! Fill them with potting soil and transform them into clever, eye-catching planters. This fun activity book features 40 inspiring projects that will have you turning faded blue jeans, worn-out sweaters, and grocery bags into beautiful and functional objects. From mobiles made from scraps of tinfoil to paint-can stilts, Laura C. Martin’s engaging projects will not only get you crafting, but help develop a heightened awareness of the importance of minimizing waste.

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Book SynopsisMake exquisite papers right in your own kitchen. With a few pieces of basic equipment and a small harvest of backyard weeds, you can easily create stunningly original handcrafted papers. Helen Heibert’s illustrated step-by-step instructions show you how easy it is to blend and shape a variety of organic fibers into professional stationery, specialty books, and personalized gifts. You’ll soon be creatively integrating plant stalks, bark, flower petals, pine needles, and more to add unique colors and textures to your paper creations.

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Book SynopsisCreate picturesque pine needle baskets, miniatures, trays, pencil holders and more. Special sections address dyeing needles, making lids and handles, and gathering and storing materials. “Mallow is an excellent teacher with a gift for keeping the subject entertaining and easy to follow.”—Small Press. “Beginners can create a basket by coiling and stitching together pine needles.”—Country Decorating Ideas.

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Book SynopsisFrom an idyllic lakeside cabin to a sophisticated urban apartment, decorative woodland accents can bring a unique charm to any home. Artist Marlene Hurley Marshall shows you how to how to capture the beauty and serenity of nature in stylish wreaths, frames, and furniture. Featuring dazzling photography by Sabine Vollmer von Falken, Woodland Style will inspire you to creatively use pine cones, moss, bark, and river rocks as you fill your home with a welcoming, rustic look that is completely your own.

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Book SynopsisThe essential guide to creating your own underwater world.Sunken Gardens is packed with everything you need to plan, design, and maintain a planted freshwater aquarium. Karen Randall shares her years of expertise and makes this enchanting hobby accessible to everyone. You’ll learn everything from the biology of aquatic plants and basic aquarium chemistry to tank maintenance and troubleshooting. Plant profiles highlight the best options for a range of tank situations, and a chapter devoted to aquascaping styles provides basic design principles and inspiring examples. With hundreds of color photographs and clear, reliable advice, Sunken Gardens is an essential introduction to a fascinating pastime.

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Book SynopsisDo-It-Yourself Projects for Bowhunters is a detailed reference book including dozens of useful woodworking, antler, bone, and hide projects that are practical for camp and home. This guide also features articles, diagrams, and illustrations on field dressing, skinning, and quartering deer as well as information on planting successful food plots to attract game to your property. Among the many projects included are instructions for making antler knife handles, an archery workbench, game poles, tree stands, storage sheds, an archer’s bookcase, bow and arrow practice holders, bow and arrow wall racks, a bowhunter’s storage box, and more. Expand your hunting knowledge with complete steps to field dress a deer, quickly remove the hide of a deer, and quarter a deer.Projects include: Arrowhead Game Plaque Archer’s Picture Frame Premier Tree Stand Boot Storage Bench Paper Tuning Stand Reusable Practice Target And more! This is the ultimate D-I-Y project book for any avid bowhunter or archer.

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Book SynopsisCrafts and Skills of the Mountain Man is a fascinating, practical guide to the skills that have made the mountain men famous worldwide as outdoorsmen and craftsmen. Readers can replicate outdoor living by trying a hand at making rafts and canoes, constructing tools, and living off the land.Learn key skills like:Building a strong fire.Learning to hunt and butcher your meals.Creating a safe and solid shelter.And much more!Whether you’re an avid outdoorsman or a novice hiker, Crafts and Skills of the Mountain Man is your handbook to not only surviving outdoors, but flourishing. The style of the mountain man is unique and popular, especially among young people, historians, and those with a special interest in living off the land. The mountain man has been successful outdoors for ages, and now you can too with the skills, tips, and tricks included in this handy manual.Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Book SynopsisRelease your inner child and step into the fairy world by creating your own enchanted garden, no matter how much space you have! Fairy gardens are increasing in popularity and Fairy Gardening 101 provides you with all the information necessary to design, plant, and care for your very own miniature garden oasis. Author, artist, and fairy gardener extraordinaire Fiona McDonald introduces readers to the history of fairy gardens and then provides step-by-step instructions, photographs, and illustrations for you to follow—or draw inspiration from—when starting your own project.Learn which types of plants and containers are most successful for a fairy garden, as well as how to develop a focal point for your enchanted mini Eden. Fairy Gardening 101 also provides important information on caring for your garden, on designing gardens for both indoors and outside, on using artificial plants to make your garden last a lifetime, and much more! You’ll also find inspirational photos from fairy gardeners around the globe as well as a list of suppliers. You don’t need to be a master gardener or to have a particularly green thumb to successfully plant and maintain your tiny fairy garden. All you need is a few miniature plants, some thoughtfully placed accessories, a fairy or two, and a love of whimsy and imagination.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating introduction to a variety of Native American projects and history!Learn everything there is to know about Indian crafts and lore. Julian Harris Salomon takes you on a breathtaking journey of Native American customs and traditions. Originally published in 1928, this book is filled with dozens of illustrations portraying Indian art that will help you learn about traditional creations and customs. See why camp directors and leaders of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts look to Indian lore to enrich their programs in handicrafts, ceremonial studies, and geography. Some of the many projects featured include: Crafting eagle-feather bonnets Building campfires Making bow and arrows Constructing tipis and wigwamsAdults and children alike will learn about the history behind each and every project. Why are dance ceremonies an integral part of Native American culture? Why did the Indians prefer using a bow and arrows for survival in an age when muskets were the norm? Explore the numerous methods and instructions for an assortment of games and sports, such as lacrosse, football race, and toss and catch. These particular games and dances weren’t just for entertainment; they were also performed to avert disaster, heal the sick, and summon rain.The Book of Indian Crafts and Indian Lore isn’t just an instructional piece, but an anthropologist’s companion. It is a book of wonder containing valuable research and information you won’t find anyplace else.Trade Review“This most fascinating and instructive book on the subject of Indians that I have read since my early studies of Catlin . . . a perfect guide book to Boy Scouts and others.” —Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement“This most fascinating and instructive book on the subject of Indians that I have read since my early studies of Catlin . . . a perfect guide book to Boy Scouts and others.” —Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement

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Book SynopsisLearn to make stunning crafts with these beautiful sea gems!

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Book SynopsisLearn to make stunning crafts with these beautiful sea gems! Sea glass is the beautiful result of broken glass being naturally polished and smoothed by the ocean’s currents for extended periods of time. These beautiful jewels become weathered and frosted from abrasion and erosion in salt water, giving them a distinctly beautiful, jewel-like appearance that is perfect for all sorts of crafting! Sea Glass Crafts includes more than twenty step-by-step projects for you to create beautiful works with your collection of sea glass. Accompanying each project are beautiful full-color photographs that visually aid readers in the instructions as well as display of the finished product. From jewelry to other lavish lifestyle crafts, this book will give readers the skills needed to learn the art of creating beautiful homemade pieces. Sea glass can be purchased in bulk online, but it is way more fun to collect on your own. On your next trip to the beach, when you find yourself swimming in these treasures, be sure to utilize the lessons in this book to create something truly homemade, unique, and beautiful. It’s a perfect activity for anyone interested in jewelry making or crafting, or for someone looking to learn a new hobby.

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Book SynopsisHand Hewn is a gorgeous celebration of the traditions and artistry of timber-frame building, a 7,000-year-old craft that holds an enduring attraction for its simple elegance and resilience. Internationally renowned timber-frame architect and craftsman Jack A. Sobon offers a fascinating look at how the natural, organic forms of trees become the framework for a home, with profiles of the classic tools he uses to hand hew and shape each timber, and explanations of the engineering of the wooden joinery that connects the timbers without a single nail. Inspiring photos of Sobon’s original interior home designs, as well as historical examples of long-lived structures in Europe and North America, make this a compelling tribute to the lasting value of artisanal craftsmanship and a thoughtful, deliberate approach to designing buildings.

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Book SynopsisSkills and Knowledge to Survive in the Wilderness“Having this book in your backpack just may save your life one day.” ―Jesse Weiland, National Park Service ranger#1 Bestseller in Safety & First Aid, Hiking & Camping, Natural Disasters, and ReferencePrepare for all the worst-case scenarios mother nature might throw at you with Mother Nature is Not Trying to Kill You―the only survival guide you need in your backpack.Survive the unexpected. Statistically, you’re more likely to die from a vending machine than a shark. But, Rob Nelson knows many shark survivors. His college girlfriend was attacked by a crocodile and his roommate by a grizzly bear. His wife was sucked by a wave down a blowhole, he was left stranded at sea after a storm sank his sailboat, and the list goes on and on. To Rob, these “improbable” altercations are “random acts of nature,” and he’s learned how to survive them.Confront the natural world with skill and confidence. An excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn more about living and surviving in the great outdoors, this comprehensive survival guide is your year-long crash course for ultimate disaster management. Learn bushcraft skills including building shelters, starting fires, and wilderness navigation. Get tips on surviving wildlife encounters (bears, snakes, sharks, moose). And, learn how to deal with natural distasters including earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires.Inside find: Real-life stories of survivors 52 challenges and exercises to develop your wilderness survival skills Step-by-step instructions, diagrams, survival tips, and more! If you enjoyed books like Bushcraft 101, The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs, The Ultimate Prepper’s Survival Bible, or SAS Survival Handbook, then you should own Mother Nature is Not Trying to Kill You.Table of Contents● Introduction - Note that we have 52 Things, one a week helps give you the skills you might need in case the improbable happens. - Why I’m doing this - Examples of some things I’ve had happen to me - How this book is different - it’s according to the best science we have. - Pop culture examples like Jaws and The Revenant Briefing 1. It may happen one day ▪ It happened to me ▪ It happened to a friend ▪ Luck meets preparedness 2. Your Directive ▪ daily practice, learn, change your mindset, get outside 3. Your basic kit ▪ Diagrams with a short explanation. ▪ Cutting tool / shelter / rope / navigation / first aid 4. How to proceed ▪ ie. How to use the book ▪ Guidebook plus stories (according to science) Know This before Starting 1. Advanced Gear Knowledge a. Knifes b. Rope c. Extra Kit 2. Primitive Fire Starting 3. Basic Shelter 4. Key Knots a. Clove Hitch b. Bowline c. Trautline d. Overhand Knot e. Trucker’s Hitch f. Square Knot How to Survive... Random Wildlife 1. Sharks 2. Venomous Snakes 3. Brown Bears 4. Constrictor Snakes 5. Crocodiles 6. Portuguese Man-o-War 7. Box Jellyfish 8. Piranha 9. African Killer Bees 10. Wolves 11. Eating Insects 12. Poisonous Frogs 13. Cougars 14. Tigers 15. Polar Bears 16. Lions 17. Moose Attack 18. Yellow Jackets 19. Electric Eels 20. Hippos 21. Mosquitos (The deadliest of them all) 22. Black Death : Bubonic Plague 23. Elephant Stampede 24. Eating a Deadly Mushroom 25. Toxic Plants Random Natural Events 26. Nuclear Fallout (the only man-made disaster here) 27. Avalanches 28. Tornados 29. Tsunami 30. Hurricane 31. Lightning 32. Giant River Crossing 33. Flash flooding 34. Stranded at Sea 35. Rip Current 36. Giant Waves 37. Quick Sand 38. Dust Storms 39. Cave Collapse Random Extremes 1. On a tropical island 2. In the desert 3. In the snow 4. On a mountain 5. In the Rainforest Your Mission is Never Over (Conclusion)

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and inspiring guide small-scale fiber farming and wool crafting. Fiber crafts—such as knitting, weaving, and crocheting—continue to surge in popularity, with sites like Ravelry (a social media community for the wool obsessed) gaining more than six million members. Artists are seeking quality raw materials in greater numbers. The cottage industry of supplying not only raw fleece, but handcrafted yarns, is strong. Janet Garman has a small fiber flock (including Pygora fiber goats) and shares her expertise, as well as interviews, tips, and advice from fiber farmers and craftspeople across the country. In these pages, readers will learn the basics of properly raising sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and rabbits, with tips on selecting animals, feeding, housing, breeding, and healthcare. From there, instructions are provided for shearing, sorting, skirting, washing, picking, carding, combing, and spinning the wool. Enthusiasts will also find recipes and instructions for natural, plant-based dyes and advice for selling your finished yarn. The proper care of fiber animals leads to a superior yarn product. Lapses in good care can show up in the fleece. As the demand for quality yarn and fiber grows, more people are becoming concerned with the animals’ treatment and care. Give your animals a good home and a happy life and enjoy superior fleece and yarn products for your own homestead or to sell.

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Book SynopsisConceived of by artist Amy Goldin, “flowstones” are crafted by moulding a sheet of polymer clay around a smooth river rock. With a beauty all of their own, they impart a sense of calm to the holder, grounded by the weight and soothed by the smooth surface. In Flowstones, Goldin shares photographs of the stones she has created and includes step-by-step illustrated instructions so we can all enjoy creating these delightful objects.Trade Review"This little book features stunning images of flowstones..." -- The People's Friend

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Book Synopsis“Morning altars” are colorful mandalas that combine nature, art, and meditation. Incorporating the natural world into the everyday encourages positive well- being, even with the simplest of the earth’s gifts, such as leaves, flowers, berries, feathers, and stones. These stunning pieces of art are a peaceful and creative avenue to express gratitude for nature, to practice mindfulness, and to add meaning to daily life. In this book, Day Schildkret guides readers through the creation of morning altars, a seven- step process that includes wondering and wandering, place meditation, clearing space, creating, gifting, walking away, and sharing his art with others. Since his first morning altar, Schildkret has built hundreds more. His work has been warmly received on social media and he teaches workshops on altar building, all with the intention of sharing the positivity and beauty they have brought to his life.

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Book SynopsisSeashells are tiny treasures, each one completely unlike any other. Their variety of shapes, colors, and sizes makes collecting—and even searching for—seashells a favorite pastime of avid and occasional beachcombers alike. As she did for the ocean’s other jewels in Sea Glass and Sea Glass Seeker, photographer Cindy Bilbao captures the ridges, striations, and hues of delicate shells everywhere she finds them. Displaying sun- bleached fragments, glittering, cantaloupe- colored nacre, and scallop shells washed by the tides, Bilbao’s photographs embody magic and mystery. From weathered quahogs and mussels on the cooler shores of New England to a rich, chestnut-colored Florida Fighting Conch shell nestled in the sands of its namesake state, she describes in intricate detail how these shells are formed and why they look the way they do. Complete with Bilbao’s expert tips for finding the most unique shells and enjoying the hunt, Seashells is the perfect gift for any anyone who loves the beach.

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Book SynopsisFrom blue- green to purple and pink, flower-shaped to squat and spiky or tall and fuzzy, the variety, versatility, and low-maintenance care of succulents makes them go-to plants for home gardeners. Here, succulent stylist Rachael Cohen shows that these traits also make succulents the ideal material for living art. Tiny, jewel-like succulents can be clipped and replanted in infinite combinations, and unlike cut flowers, they thrive in these arrangements. When planted in corks, they become charming living magnets; when placed in seashells, they are a delightful reminder of a day at the beach. Succulents can also grow nestled in moss, creating an opportunity for even more creativity: arrange them atop mini pumpkins or adorn a headband or a tiny wreath. In addition to illustrated step-by-step instructions for more than a dozen crafts, Cohen explains which succulents are best for each project, how to clip and prepare rosettes and leaves, and what to do when the plants outgrow their art pieces. Lush photographs throughout capture the natural beauty of the plants and boundless range of possible creations.

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Book SynopsisThis is a complete guide to growing herbs, with an informative directory and over 120 recipe and gift ideas. It offers practical advice on every aspect of growing herbs from designing your own herb garden and raising healthy herbs, to propagation, pruning and training. It is a botanical A-Z of over 150 herbs, with information on uses, cultivation and detailed descriptions of each variety. It features over 80 tasty and innovative herb recipes from summer soups, tasty snacks, and rich casseroles to light desserts, refreshing punches and soothing tisanes. It offers a wealth of attractive craft gift ideas including scented candles, table decorations, bath lotions and much more. For centuries, herbs have been used in gardening, perfumery, folk crafts and cooking. This book combines the range of skills needed for herb cultivation with hundreds of inspirational ideas for appetizing herb recipes and attractive craft ideas. The first half of the book is a practical guide to growing herbs successfully. The second section identifies over 150 herb varieties, providing cultivation tips as well as essential information on their medicinal, culinary and scented properties.An irresistible collection of recipes follows, including dishes for every taste. The book ends with a treasury of projects for scented displays, gifts and beauty products.

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Book SynopsisFrom botanical cookies, acorn coffee and wild green pesto, to making your own calendula salve and building a bird house The Wild Craft is filled with seasonal nature-based projects designed to reignite your love of the natural world and connect you to the earth.Each of the four seasons is divided into three sections: In The Kitchen, Making and Gardening. Every project will celebrate the wonder and beauty of nature and encourage readers to slow down and reconnect to the wild in a holistic and gentle way. With step-by-step instructions throughout, Catarina Seixas will take you through each project, so that even beginners can enjoy the mood-boosting benefits of a craft-filled year.Peppered with information on seasonal plants to look out for and stunning photography, The Wild Craft will inspire the reader to develop their connections with the world around them and and bring the spirit of nature into their own home.

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Book SynopsisIn an age when people are in search of new and more fulfilling experiences to replace screens and bring families together, this book explores 100 ways to connect with nature and discover the benefits of forest fun. From bushcraft activities like whittling and firelighting to spiritual pursuits like forest bathing and meditation, forest educator Jennifer Davis has brought together activities for people of all ages, helping them to connect with their forests and woodlands, while discovering the healing and restorative benefits of a life lived outdoors.

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Book SynopsisCandles is a celebration of candles and the making process, showing you how to create a collection of 18 sustainable, seasonal candles to be enjoyed all year-round. Ebi and Emmanuel will teach you everything you need to know about soy wax, essential oils, wicks and scent blending. Once you have mastered the techniques, put your knowledge to the test through the 18 projects featured in this book. From taper candles and scented tea-lights for summer evenings to fragrant aromatherapy candles and crackling wood wicks for autumnal mornings – there is something for every occasion. Candles help us create calm in our homes. They are a symbol of warmth and can transport us to far off places with their scent. Discover the secret of blending scents that suit your mood and be inspired by beautiful lifestyle photography that captures the very essence and joy of making your own. This is a craft for all so snuggle up and make candles you can enjoy when seeking a moment of cosiness.

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