Lip mag is an alternative ’street’ mag aimed at young women. I dig their anti-consumer message and their focus on ‘reality’ rather than fantasy. They say:

We at lip feel that mainstream magazines do not help young women learn to deal with real life or to become culturally, politically, and environmentally aware people with strong self-esteem and individuality because of their focus on products, beauty and celebrity.

[The] subjects of fashion, sex, relationships, and glamour will be presented in a way that explores reality rather than fantasy, creativity rather than consumerism, and glamour as an inner ideal rather than a public one.

Get hold of lip mag - or contribute

Vintage Vavoom: Romantic Decorating with One-of-a-Kind Finds by The Editors Of Romantic Homes, published by Clarkson Potter (December 31, 2007).

This is a book all about how to create a vintage/romantic style for your home. It includes tips for collecting, displaying and caring for your pieces.

But what really is ‘vintage vavoom’ (apart from a crazy name), its an eclectic style - decorative vintage, romantic, with collections of heirloom objects, vintage linens and crockery, with personal meaning as well. It is an instinctive decorative style - a mix of various eras, that comes together because of the personal meaning underpinning it.

This style is not supposed to be precious, yet obviously there will be treasured items that need looking after. Its a comfortable style - with layers of stories, memories as well as objects and styles. Objects such as vintage linens, faded quilts, an assortment of coloured glassware combined with your collection of animal salt and pepper shakers. It is nostalgic and worn and slightly rumpled.

There is a rather large section of the book taken up with shopping and collecting and getting inspired by shop styling. As well as showcasing shops there are also homes - some of which are more real and practical than others. This style might not be for those with small children running around - with its emphasis on nic-nacks. It is a lovely book, lots of yummy images as well as some practical tips on how to get this look.

Pretty Little Pincushions published by Lark Books (November 1, 2007) is a delightful book. Whimsical and sweet - yet practical too. pincushions are not for nothing after all. But these pincushions do double duty as practical holder of pins and decorative object or plaything (as long as there is no pins in it at the time).

The cover just doesn’t do the book justice - sort of a too cute design (although the project is lovely - just the photography I am complaining about it). The projects inside the book however are pretty much all lovely in their own way. From sweet simply embroidered linen squares by Cassi Griffin (she admits they could do double duty in the nursery), some not so scary zombie pin cushions by Joan K Morris to the very cute little simply shaped ‘pin pals’ plump little cacti stuffies by Toni Weber.

There is a hilarious funky chicken made from a repurposed knitted glove, by Nathalie Mornu, and some googly eyeballs as well as other bottlecap design minis by Jen Seacrest. Amy Karol has contributed a no-sew kitsch pin cushion using vintage teacups as the base. Meg Rooks design, inspired by the cup cake is made from vintage scraps.

I love the fried eggs and bacon by Jen Seacrest, and Cassi Griffins beehive is adorable. There are heaps more adorable projects in here to make use of scraps and to hone some of your skills or find new ones - and lots of room for experimentation.

Nuno Nouveau: Fashionable Felt for Accessories & Home Décor By Liz Clay, published by A & C Black Publishers Ltd (UK December 7, 2007) and North Light Books (USA December 26, 2007) (Allen and Unwin - Australia)

An exploration of traditional nuno felting techniques and experiments with different textural effects. Many of the projects have a natural organic look to them and it is obvious that the author is influenced greatly by natural patterns and textures. Nuno felting is the binding of wool fibres to woven fabrics. The end result is a new fabric with a changed structure enabling various effects to occur. The technique is that of wet felting. There is a very good instructions in the first section of the book, explaining the process and showing with good clear images the steps of each project.

Much of Liz’s work is very fine and light, utilising this quality of handmade felt while creating a strong piece - it is this complexity and versatility of felt that is interesting and explored in detail. The projects in this book are experimentations in texture and materials and as the author says are not technically difficult or require special equipment.

The projects are separated into sections - exploring texture, using pre-felts, cut and stitch, resist work, layering and haberdashery. Each section has a few projects and experiments to get various effects. This is a fabulous craft book with some innovative projects exploring old processes in new ways.

Warm Fuzzies: 30 Sweet Felted Projects by Betz White published by North Light Books (December 10, 2007)

This has got to be one of the most exciting craft books I have seen a long time. This has really got me excited to create. There are so many fabulous projects in here - complete with excellent bold fun photography and lots of clear how-to instruction photos as well.

I knew Betz was clever and original and very cool - and this book just proves it. The, by now, famous woolly cupcakes that she demonstrated on Martha Stewart grace the cover. But otherwise most of the other projects are completely new - lots of original designs, some simple, some more complex, but none of them difficult.

Betz explains the technical aspect of felting woolen sweaters at the beginning and she is obviously passionate about it and has done a lot of experimenting. This book is fun!

I absolutely love the ‘rustic throw’ a bold blanket made up of squares of different colours with some leaf designs stitched on here and there. There are other blankets too for baby, and plenty of cushion designs as well. But apart from these sort of standard designs (Betz is hardly standard - the crazy ‘breakfast in bed pillow is testament to that - but you know what I mean), there are some more interesting uses to put to your woolly scraps. There are sweet little ornaments, gorgeous kids clothes - vest and dress and poncho, as well as a doggie jacket and kitty mat, some super fun things too like hand puppets (these are really cool), variations on the journal/book cover, and a very cute craft apron (the cute part in the little owl face pocket). I love what she does with accessories too - bags and scarfs and hats. There is too much good stuff in here.

The Best of Vogue Knitting Magazine: 25 Years of Articles, Techniques, and Expert Advice, by Vogue Knitting Magazine, published by Sixth&Spring Books (May 1, 2007), a compendium of the best of 25 years of articles, tips and ideas from Vogue Knitting magazine.

A must have resource for knitters of all ages and eras - full of worthwhile and useful articles, as relevant today as any time within the last 25 years perfect for those who like reading about knitting as much as doing it. With articles by the elite of knitting such as Elizabeth Zimmerman, Nicky Epstein and Debbie Bliss - the articles range widely from politics, history, copyright, style, technical discussions and instructions, design principals and inspiration and lots lots more.

The introduction is a fascinating look back over knitting fashion history - with covers spanning the the last 25 years. Then follows Knitting History and a fascinating collection of essays. Fiber and basic techniques, working with charts and schematics, Casting On and Binding Off (many of the different techniques are described here). The section on Expert Finishing Tricks and Techniques includes many interesting essays from some great knitters, including Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen. The Design Process is explored from the point of view of a tvariety of experts. More technical articles on Sizing and Shaping, knitting in the round and Caring for Knitwear. The last sections deal with specifically men who design, eg. Kaffe Fassett. And Designing woman - with profiles of some key knitting designers.

This is a must have for your knitting collection.

I [Heart] Felt: 33 Eye-Popping Projects for the Inspired Knitter by Kathleen Taylor, published by Taunton (February 19, 2008).

A book about fulling, that is the felting process of knitted items. It is pitched at having a huge ‘wow’ factor, and is described as having ‘eye popping’ projects that ‘may cause gasps of disbelief’. All of this buzz had me intrigued - which is why I was slightly dissapointed. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very decent projects in here, interesting and lovely - but not sure about the hype.

This is an usually designed book - what I mean by that is that it has large retro font in the project introduction in groovy candy colours - very cool - but somehow strangely at odds with the style of the projects. Now that I have my bug bear out of the way I will discuss the instructions. And these are very clear, detailed and nicely written, the author, Kathleen has a lovely writing style that is shown off in this section, she obviously knows a lot about her topic and it shows. There are also lots of before and after photos of the felting/fulling process which I really love.

The projects might be ‘eye popping’ for their difficulty level and use of luxury yarn, such as the ‘peppermint stick’ christmas stocking knitted in peruvian wool with fair isle stitch, or the ‘grazing sheep bag’ an intarsia knit in peruvian wool, or the ‘cabled tote’ knit from alpaca/wool, or the ‘big bag’ knit from noro iro with raised rib handles in a contrasting yarn.

I asked advise from a more experienced knitter than myself, and it was as I expected, the projects would not be difficult for an experienced knitter. I guess the ‘eye popping’ comes into it when you knit a cable stitch bag and then throw it into the washing machine to fend for itself. You certainly need a little bravery to take that next step in the process.

Unfortunately I was not really inspired by many of the projects in this book. I found the colour choices off putting and the rather bright cheery studio shots (not the authors fault) terribly fake. I did really like the felted slipper - in a couple of variations rather lovely, and the child’s gingham vest and alpaca toddler earflap cap the highlights of the book.

Bead Simple: Essential Techniques for Making Jewelry Just the Way You Want It by Susan Beal (of west coast crafty) and published by Taunton (March 25, 2008)

The book Bead Simple is a great concept, simple designs which are then made into variations by other designers and crafters who give their own personal flair to the basic design.

The book is very well laid out - excellent introduction and beginner instructions section at the front, very detailed “how to get started” and technical know how - perfect for the beginner beader. And there are lots of projects in here - this is a big book full of projects and their spin-offs. Lots of inspiration in here for the beginning beader

Susan’s idea with this book is to give the user a basic concept of what is possible with beading techniques and to encourage them to go out and create. There is probably not too much here for the more experienced beader, the projects are really quite plain and really rely upon the end user putting their own personal touch onto the designs. There are some exceptions to this of course, I did love the vintage button projects and the wearables - beads and ornaments stitched and incorporated into clothing and apparel are really inspired. I thought the charm bracelets to be quite charming and the belts terrific too. Other projects I thought stood out from the crowd were the ‘hardware store bracelet’ made using washers and jump rings and heavy brass chains found at the hardware and fishing tackle supply store.

Amanda Soule, author of the recently published book The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections and of the blog soulemama, has kindly answered a few burning questions about her book, her blog and parenting. [and read on for a chance to win a copy kindly donated by shambhala press]

The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule, published by Trumpeter (April 1, 2008)

Amanda’s new book is a little about craft and a lot about parenting - this book has made me excited to be a parent again.

Amanda: Oh gosh, that’s just about the best kind of ‘review’ words I could ask for! I do know that it is so easy to get dragged down by the mundane of our days sometimes. Surely it was my hope that this book could be one of those little reminders for us (yes, me too) of how amazing this time with our families can be. So, thank you!

Kath: Amanda you have just finished book no. 2 how exciting - can you tell me what this one is about - is it a follow on or completely different? there is so much more you could have included in this book - so I am really interested to see where you go next.

Amanda: I think readers will find it to be a natural second book, though it is quite different from the first. It’s definitely more of a ‘craft’ book than The Creative Family, which is really a parenting book. The second book is full of craft projects for the family home, all with a focus on re-purposing. There’s some ‘lifestyle’ writing in there, as well as lots and lots of photography. I’m still in the process of working on that book, so it will be released in 2009.

Kath: Your blog has an enormous following these days - congratulations - there is obviously a lot of people out there attracted to your lifestyle choices and really interested in knowing more, and your writing style is so friendly and personal it really does get people interested. Do you find it overwhelming having so many readers commenting on your daily everyday life - on the state of your curtains and your children’s gorgeous creativity? your blog has come a long way since the early days when you started it as a homeschooling (unschooling) document? is that why you started it? and has it ever been a chore to keep it going? I know that you have said it has been an invaluable tool in honing your writing skills - do you ever feel it gets in the way of family life and creativity?

Amanda: Oh, thank you! Yes, it has grown quite a bit. I did start it to keep in touch with people, to record our days, and to have a ‘reason’ to write. It continues to be all of those things, and of course, many more now. In general, the number of readers doesn’t overwhelm me – I’m quite honored that so many people spend a few minutes of their day reading it. I don’t really pay attention to the stats much – none of that has ever had much importance in blogging for me.

Blogging fits rather nicely into my day – the time that it takes has found a place in my day that works – often at night when my babes are sleeping. Sometimes, though, I’ll start a few posts in one sitting, so it’s not even everyday that I’m doing the actual writing. When it begins to feel like a chore or I feel uninspired, then I know it’s time to do something different – a photo project, different kinds of posts, a guest blog, etc.

For me the challenges to blogging are a small few: Negative feedback never feels good, though it has become easier to let go of with time and frequency. And the biggest challenge I feel is wanting to have more time to respond to the lovely emails and comments I get each day. Truly – those words from readers are so meaningful to me, and I always wish I had more time to say ‘thank you’ individually.

Kath: Lets talk about the book. I love that it is really your voice that comes through loud and clear - good honest practical advice. Not preachy or overly sweet - just everyday stuff - you discuss a little about your days being filled with your children’s creativity - can you tell us a little how you structure your days - you homeschool the children - unschooling is that right? do you have a daily structure that you follow or does the day does take its own form?

Amanda: Our days don’t really have a ‘schedule’ per se, but I definitely feel a rhythm to them. I feel my role as ‘guiding’ that rhythm along – with a lot of paying attention along the way to feel out what’s working and what’s not working for us individually as a family at home. Every day starts out with each of us talking about what it is that we want to do most that day, and our day weaves around working together to make that happen. Today, for example, Calvin really wanted to build a new ramp for his bike, Ezra wanted to do a Sound of Music performance, Adelaide said she wanted to paint outside, and I said I really needed to wash all the windows (I know, sometimes it’s not always something very thrilling!). So those four things were our ‘focus’ for the day, with some of the everyday things woven around those – baking, cleaning, reading, writing, drawing, etc. “What” we do changes a lot with the season, and whatever outside activities we may have going on.

Kath: I really love how you talk about ’slowing down’ and observing and nurturing and how it is the process rather than the end result that is important. Can you talk a little about how you have come to this … is the way you are raising your children a lot different than how you were raised? and what led you to your current parenting philosophy?

Amanda: I was raised in a fairly traditional home environment, but I think I always had different ideas about how I wanted to do things. Even before having children, I read lots of books on education and child development – it just really interested me as I was forming ideas about what I wanted for my children. That continued as my children were born – lots of reading and lots of talking to other parents. I took bits and pieces of what I liked from many different philosophies…and then just followed my gut, I suppose, about what felt to be the right thing for my family – and now, for each child individually. It feels a bit like a combination of knowledge and intuition – I’m sure many parents identify with that – both are important in parenting.

Kath: I am really interested in how this book is a little bit about parenting and a little about creativity but mostly it is about how it all comes together - and how much we learn from our children - what are the main lessons do you think you have learnt from your children?

Amanda: Oh, gosh. A lot! Rachael Carson said, “One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, ‘What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?” And that – children’s ‘seeing’ of the entire world for the first time is such a lesson for me in looking at things differently.

Kath: There are few projects in the book - not as many as i expected - but i wasn’t disappointed at all - there is so much else in this book and in a way i am glad it is not just another ‘craft’ book but a book about living. can you tell me how you chose the projects you did and which ones you were sad to have left out?

Amanda: One of the first things I said about this book when talking with my editor at Shambhala (who agreed wholeheartedly) was that I really didn’t want it to be ‘another kids craft book’ – there are so many wonderful resources already out there for that. I really wanted to focus on the why and how of creating with children, with some practical applications of that sprinkled throughout.

Craft projects won’t ‘work’, be successful, or even fun for parent and child if they aren’t done in a relaxed way that is supportive of children’s creativity. So, yes, the book does include more about that end of it all.

There were only a few projects that didn’t make it into the final book, and the only ones I was sad about were the pregnancy/birth related crafting projects. Looking at the book in it’s entirety, I don’t think they fit very well after all, but I do think I’ll find the right space for them sometime.

Kath: I love how you say ‘don’t be afraid of mess’ and to just ‘be in the moment’ it is so true that many creative ideas get stifled because we are afraid of the aftermath - can you tell me who cleans up in your house? you don’t talk about discipline in this book - which in a parenting book is very unusual - with your life style and slow pace there is no need to rush and hurry everywhere - which is usually the cause of conflict (in our house anyway) can you tell me what your discipline methods or style are - or aren’t?

Amanda: We all do a bit of the picking up. Of course, the older the children are, the more they’re able to do. Meaning, of course, that those over the age of 30, do a LOT of it. While I may not address ‘discipline’ head-on in this book, I do think our parenting approach comes through. I’m not sure that I’d ever really want to write a discipline book. The way we handle conflict is always evolving – I’ve read a lot of parenting books, I talk about parenting with many friends, and we talk about what we’re doing as a family too. As the children grow and as new challenges come up, the specific ways in which we handle things change – taking the best of what we like from the ‘advice’ out there, and listening to our hearts for most of it. My favorite parenting book is Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn. In times of need, I find a lot of comfort in their words.

Kath: How do your children feel about this book and being part of your creative project?

Amanda: It was really such a family effort to get this book (and the second one) out the door, so they’ve been a part of the process in many aspects – from inspiration to photography subjects to editors, in a way. They’re a little young, I think, to really understand what it all means, though they’re the first to jump up and down with me when the book arrived for the first time. Or when we spy it in a bookstore. I do hope that when they’re a bit older this book will be something they’re proud of, and something that will tell them a bit of the tale of these years of our family’s life together. I work really hard at finding the balance between sharing what we do, but not sharing too much of ‘them’ in a way that they might be unhappy with in later years. I suppose time – and they - will be the ones to tell if I’ve been successful at that!

get involved: theres a flickr group

My thoughts on this book: I love this book - if you have children then you need this book. If you only buy one book this year - make it this one.

More: see amanda on this online interview/tutorial about the book and one of the projects in the book - she might be embarrassed by this - I think she was a little nervous. but I thought it was really lovely

Win a copy of this book:

comment here about your own family creativity - comments will close Tuesday … and will be drawn wednesday.

Images: images in this post are from Amanda’s blog. The top image is Amanda’s embroidery, second image some freezer paper stenciling and the third image her children creating at the family table and lastly Amanda herself in the snow wearing her own snow beret.

edited: winner announced - chosen by my random number picker Laura Weber

When I was young, my mother was one of those hands-on get dirty have fun kind of Moms. From gardening to cooking to sewing, we would do everything together. Now that I have a child of my own and a hectic full time working schedule, I find myself drawn to same hands-on approach. My daughter and I sit down to bead, or make an old shoe box into a dog house, or bake, and it gives us time to stop our crazy schedule and enjoy each other - while creating something lasting (or in the case of baking, not so lasting!) together. Thanks, Soulemama for giving us some new creative ideas, and reminding us of what’s important.

A Fine Fleece: Knitting with Handspun Yarns by Lisa Lloyd, published by Potter Craft (April 8, 2008)

I love knitting and have been knitting for many many years. My first experience of knitting was of finger knitting - or chain stitch, I graduated from that to a cotton reel with 4 nails in the top and another nail to help lever the wool over the nail. Next were a couple of broken knitting needles and playing making a “scarf”.

I guess I experimented with knitting quite a bit over the years, making small things here and there. When I started knitting seriously was probably as young mother, knitting darling little jackets and booties for my babies, I don’t remember any books being available on knitting like the one I am about to discuss. Most were just a photo and instructions in a small paperback.

Back on track to telling you about this book - A fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd . Lisa begins with saying “Knitting with the yarn that been spun by hand is an exquisite experience. Every knitter knows how handknit sweaters differ from store bought ones knit by machine” I will add another of my own “Nothing beats a garment you have knit yourself from wool you have spun yourself.”

Lisa goes on to speak of the pleasure and adventure of collecting and spinning the wool and considers that is only the beginning of the garment that will be finally knitted and proudly worn. She says Remember that knitting is a journey filled with stories and lessons learned along the way. Enjoying the process and being thankful for the opportunity to work with wonderful fibers will enhance your journey. A lifetime told with sweaters is a lifetime of joy, for you and anyone who shares your stories by wearing your sweaters. I will also add that someone you love will hopefully eventually wear this garment and appreciate the love and caring that went into its making.

After the first chapter - with the design concepts and wool appreciation section, chapter two goes into the world of hand spinning using the hand spindle as well as a spinning wheel - I personally find spinning to be an adventure in its own right. This chapter discusses the interesting breeds of sheep and the wool they produce as well and what she calls the exotic fibers ie mohair , llama , alpaca etc

To say the first chapters are interesting is an understatement, the rest of the book are patterns well illustrated from intermediate and beginner patterns to the most beautiful cables and lace. Instructions come with beautiful photos and drawn layouts including sizing charts and with each of the patterns. The instructions are really very good and make knitting from this book a pleasurable experience. Very inspiring.

I highly recommend this book as both a good read and one you will use time and again to all knitters from beginner to absolutely accomplished.

More: book website : author website

About the reviewer: Janette loves all crafts and has experimented with everything from pottery to folk art, she particularly loves yarn crafts like spinning and felting but always comes back to her first love of knitting. She spends her retirement playing with yarn and making things for her grandchildren.

AntiCraft: Knitting, Beading and Stitching for the Slightly Sinister by by Renee Rigdon and Zabet Stewart published by North Light Books (November 30, 2007) [want more visit the web site]

You should craft in a medium that understands you

[Renee and Zabets Antifesto]

Anticraft is a glossy black book with rough type and a rude feel. Curious? Well, Anticraft is the ’sellout’ (they say that themselves) book from sinister crafters Renee Rigdon and Zabet Stewart. Its a complete package - witty authors comments, comic strips, crafty facts, patterns galore and glamorous fashion shots. One could almost forget that it is a craft book at all. At times the dark humor gets the better of the craft, which makes reading directions for a project
slightly difficult when laughing so hard.

The combination of mediums, not only through the design, but the variety projects offered makes sure that there is something for everyones liking. Will it be the gaff tape corset or recipe for Hellfire Heartburn Chick Pea Soup that will tickle your fancy? Although they say they only put 5% of their time into writing, this collection of patterns and ideas is comprehensive enough to fuel the imagination for many a read. Accompanied by illustrated useful tips in the back for those that have never crochetted or knitted or beaded before, Anticraft makes an excellent addition to any bookshelf.

About the patterns: my fave project - the Whilameenas - Nothing like a creppy softie to adorn the mantle piece. Definitely one to make for the person that you can’t live without. Strangest - the Skylla - the menstrual cup cozy shaped like a squid.
It really bent my imagination, but was cute at the same time. I would fear an unsuspecting guest would pick it up and get quite a surprise. The worst project - but only from where I sit - The Captains Daughter… just a little bit too soft for a cat-of-nine tails… maybe its the photo or the unconvincing noise whipping wool makes?

The design is heavy throughout the book. Definitely not for the faint hearted. It has a well thought out but complicated structure makes it an interesting read from whichever page you start. I found it hard to follow all the information without getting sidetracked and the lack of colour through the project pages made it all blur together a bit. The photography varied, the idea of stripping out the colours except for the project piece is a nice one… except when the piece is black.
Perhaps it is the matt paper that soaks up the ink that leaves the photos a little flat.

In the introduction the book, we are introduced to the concept of a journey through the work of 19 designers, and that is what it is. A complete smorgasboard of work from a variety of crafty disciplines, some projects have been around a while, but here they are presented with a twist. And basically that is the book, craft with a cynical sinister twist.

About the reviewer: Heather is a designer and illustrator who loves to make things - she has a suitcase full of vintage fabrics, ribbons and papers and sews away on her grandmothers old singer sewing machine. She is a subversive crafter at heart and resides in Australia.

At a Crossroads: Between a Rock and My Parents’ Place by Kate T. Williamson and published by Princeton Architectural Press; 1 edition (May 1, 2008) by the same author as A Year in Japan.

From the first illustration, Kate Williams captures the essence of what it is to be at a crossroads in the often confusing journey of the world. The awkward daughter arriving back on the doorstep of her parents house. The pink bedroom. The desire to learn all the words to a favourite song. Williams is open and honest in this graphic novel which is an introspective look at a herself during a time when she was at a crossroads.

The illustrations are frank in the same manner in which she approaches the issues which arise with moving back to the place she grew up in. “At a Crossroads” beautifully illustrates everyday scenarios everyone will be able to relate to - enrolling in a ballet class for children, or attending a concert with your mum. Aside from the illustrations, Williams is making a point about choice in todays world. That there is alot to do, and nothing is right/wrong/or a bit too daggy to investigate. A great graphic novel that takes off from where “A Year in Japan” left us.

This book, with its relaxed visual style could be interesting to anyone. The storyline is merely suggestive and invites a reader to think about times or situations they have found themselves in which may be similar. It is definitely geared towards the female reader seeing that the main character is a woman. This is not to say that a
man would not find her illustrations lovely or engaging, just that the themes seem more sympathetic towards crossroads in a womans life. It is for lovers of illustration, for anyone who has the time to look and take a moment to think.

Being brutal, I find these style of graphic novels are hard to justify as purchases. I find I read them in 15 minutes, 2nd round is looking at the artwork and then thats about it. At a Crossroads did make me stop and think about some similar situations, but I still felt as if I was reading a diary and that there would be no real reason to go back.

However its lovely engaging way of telling a story provides insight into the authors world. Although she is brutally honest about all her shortcomings and struggles with the time she is at in life, its really not much more than an illustrated diary. Its purpose may be just that. To illustrate that problems slipping back in are similar regardless of age, country, place etc

About the reviewer: Heather is an illustrator and designer - in a crossroads of her own. She lives in Australia.

Our Farm: A Year in the Life of a Smallholding by Rosie Boycott, published by Bloomsbury 2007. Distributed in Australia through Allen and Unwin.

Pigs have personalities, moods and a sense of humour and are generally adorable, something that I did not realise before I read Rosie Boycott’s account of A year in the life of a smallholding. Reading “Our Farm” will probably have the same effect as viewing the film “Babe” did for the pork industry – sales of bacon and pork will plummet for a while. (For sensitive readers I would suggest skipping out the pages which describe in some detail the slaughter of her pigs by electrocution, so be warned.)

The complex politics of trying to battle the arrival of a major supermarket chain (being promoted by the local town council) from ruining the livelihoods of small shopkeepers in her adopted community is the other recurrent theme. If ever there was a case for shopping at farmer’s markets and small local shops with local produce, then Boycott makes it in spades. This unusual book is somewhat like a diary of “how we did it” more than “how to do it” The exact and frightening costs of setting up the mixed farm are listed in detail to the last penny, and would be very useful for any prospective self sufficiency enthusiast to know in advance.

According to the jacket, the author has been many things in her past life, including mother, magazine editor, TV presenter, junky, alcoholic, divorcee and hippy. The book starts with the acquisition of a property in Somerset and brief allusions to the past, including her marriages, the accident that nearly cost her a leg and a too brief skim through her somewhat murky past, I expected details would be expanded upon, but were not. Perhaps much of it was too painful to recall in detail or even difficult to remember. The venture into farming is a real attempt to reinvent herself and get away from the poisonous life style that had nearly claimed her life.

After a big investment in capital, very hard work and lots of paid and unpaid help, the farm finally yields a modest profit, more than a year after beginning. The sense of achievement is enormous and Boycott finds the peace to appreciate life again. She experiences the surrounding nature with wonder and delight and gets pleasure from simple small everyday events and the friendship and acceptance of locals. While I quite enjoyed the book - the interesting agricultural and political content, unfortunately I thought it was rather hastily put together.

About the Reviewer: Dace Shugg is an editor and researcher, she spends her retirement on various projects - from working with the Cystic Fibrosis Organisation in Tasmania to sewing for her grandchildren and looking after her extensive garden - she resides in Tasmania Australia.

Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads by Stephanie Sersich , published by Interweave Press (April 1, 2008).

I am not quite sure why I was so surprised by how much I actually like this book. Maybe it is the too clean, almost stark uninspiring cover that just didn’t catch my imagination. But upon further inspection I am really quite delighted in this book.

Firstly though - this book is not about making glass beads, rather how to use glass beads you have purchased (or made). The begins with an essay on the history of glass beading and then moved on to an explanation on the various types of glass beads - how they are made etc and then a discussion about the elements of design, looking at colour and contrast, repetition and texture.

The main part of the book is full of projects, some techniques and some artist showcases on various types of bead making and some fabulous images of the author in her bead making studio hard at work. There are some quite unique pieces here, such as the Trapeze necklace - which has a combination of fibre, bone, shell and glass beads. I also quite like the whimsical and simply designed ribbon necklace and the more ornate pearly collar (pictured).

I really enjoyed the colourful designs and the simple way the projects are explained and broken down. Highly recommend.

Author website

The Art Of Wooing, a new book described by author Kaz Brecher as a mixed media art and poetry book with a story told through email exchange”, is totally original and exciting! Kaz has created this beautifully illustrated book all about (you guessed it) the art of wooing, and everything that that entails. An autobiography of sorts, the artwork and poems illustrate the ups and downs of an 18 month long relationship Kaz had with her kickboxing instructor.

Many people use artistic expression and journaling as an outlet to help keep themselves focused and anchored. This book a fabulous example of just how effective a practice it can be! The book is self-published and available exclusively through the website.

(This Thursday evening, 2/28, there will be a book release party in Los Angeles at Fresh Pressed. Come meet Kaz and pick up a copy of the book for yourself!)

Boho Baby Knits: Groovy Patterns for Cool Tots by Kat Coyle published by Potter Craft (November 13, 2007)

First of all - this book is not for beginner knitters, you must have some knitting experience to be able to attempt the easiest of these patterns - and there are plenty of challenges for more experienced knitters.

The book covers knitting patterns for newborns to toddlers (4yrs old), and I think it is great to have this limit - not every style is suitable for all ages - although I am sure experienced knitters can extend some of the patterns to fit slightly older children.

The book is very cute, funky photography and stylings (perhaps just a wee tad too cute! with too clever names for the patterns?) but gorgeous photography, adorable children modeling the outfits - good instructions and illustrations (although once again not for beginners - as some knowledge is assumed).

Regarding the patterns - I must admit that I loved most of them - some more than others - such as the self striping poncho - but not really sure how practical a poncho is for a 2 year old. I did like the lacy A-line skirt with elastic waist, and the knitted bloomers/wool soakers (do these work?) look fab, so comfortable looking - great design.

There were some flimsy whimsical patterns - such as a knitted very delicate fairy wings great idea - they look amazing - but for a toddler? I must admit to be struck by the ‘poet coat’ knitted in linen stitch with collar, cuffs and tails - so so adorable. In fact there are some very unusual and likeable patterns in here for boys - worthy buying for that fact alone. The coat and the ’studio lounger’ lounge pants knitted from side to side in self striping yarn are fantastic too.

As well as clothing there are also funny face bonnets, knitted picture book, and toys too. As will most knitting books there are some duds - but surprisingly few - recommend.

When I was a little girl I loved doing crafty projects with end results that I could be proud of. I was no stranger to tie-dyeing my own tees, papier-maché, making kaleidoscopes out of toilet paper rolls, you name it! There is a fab new book from Black Dog Publishing called Making Stuff for Kids by Victoria Woodcock, Ziggy Hanaor & Safiya Waley which is jam packed with art projects for the whole family! The book is broken down by age, beginning at 3, making it easy to find appropriate activities for all the members of the family! There are new versions of projects that you no doubt did, which I think is really exciting and brings a nostalgic twist to crafting with your kids! There are projects ranging from utilitarian (Pinboard Wizard, pg 116.) to just plain silly and fun (Totally Tutu, pg. 104). Each project includes easy to follow patterns and instructions to make the day go smoothly! You will only have to worry about having too much fun!

What I think is a great added bonus to this book, is the “How To . . .” section in the beginning defining all different forms of fabric crafts, including Applique, Knitting and Felting, with step by step instructions. There are even pages dedicated to easy and popular sewing stitches. I certainly learned a few things while perusing the pages, and cant wait to share this book with my niece!

Country Living Crafting a Business: Make Money Doing What You Love (Country Living) by Kathie Fitzgerald published by Hearst (January 1, 2008)

This book is quite an inspirational read. Filled with the stories of women who have made their handcraft passion into their livelihood. From weavers to cake decorators to book binders the women in this book are all passionate about what they do. There are mothers who turned to working from home out of a need to be with their children and women turned to crafting their business after a career elsewhere that left them empty. The stories of how these women became or are on their way to becoming successful are interesting and insightful and show what it actually takes to make crafting for a living actually financially viable. (lots of hard work and a passion for what you do)

There is a great deal of advice throughout, as well as a summing up at the end of each section and at the back where there is an excellent resource including how to write a business plan, marketing and sales and financial management and more.

Some of the women who are mentioned in the book include designers, shop owners and artisans: such as Liz Alpert Fay - textiles (rug hooking), Phyllis Leck (country weaving), Kaari Meng from french general , Amy Butler (fabric design), Crispina Ffrench (re purposing wool), Lisa Norris from Made by one girl (book binding) and lots more including caterers, fashion designers, flea market tours, cowgirl non-traditional vacations, florists and floral garden designers, interior designers and childrens clothing designers. Such a range of fantastic and inspiring women - a great read and resource.

Natural Dyes (Textiles Handbooks) by Linda Rudkin, published by A & C Black Publishers Ltd (August 20, 2007), distributed in Australia through Allen and Unwin.

This in an interesting technical guide to natural dyeing. Lots of information in one place - with extensive info on mordants and dyestuffs as well as some information on the process, materials and health and safety. The bonus is that the second half of the book has sample boards of the different dyestuffs used on various materials and used with different mordants.

My only complaint (well two really) I am not exactly sure about the accuracy of the colours, some pages seem to dark or dull or else overly bright - and as this is a book giving examples of what various plant dyes look like this is a bit of a downer. Another annoying thing - is what appears to be a design fault with a printing error at the top of every page.

Knit.101: The Indispensable Self-Help Guide to Knitting and Crochet (Vogue Knitting) by Editors of Knit.1 Magazine, published by Sixth&Spring Books (March 1, 2007)

My initial reaction to this book was that it is trying a little too hard - the patterns are just slightly unusual enough to not really appeal to a wide audience, yet not quirky enough to appeal to the young/hip/punk audience. They sit uncomfortably somewhere in between. (Also I found myself really annoyed by ‘K.1′ appearing in most of the patterns.)

However getting all of that out of the way - there is a small audience of groovy teens or quirky dressers who will love this book. Also it has some really good basic instructions (illustrations and photographs) that are pitched at the beginner. The projects also take you through the various steps, beginning at easy and moving on to more difficult patterns. The first project in the book - is in fact a bulky scarf titled ‘guy’s scarf’, strangely modeled by a half naked man pretending to knit with gigantic needles. As more advanced stitches are explained and illustrated the projects and patterns are appropriate to the knowledge gained.

As mentioned above this book does have more than your average awful projects (knitted clock and oversized cowl neck sweater for example). But sometimes unusual can be good, like the novelty laced up leggings and the pedicure socks (pictured), I also really liked the shape of the cropped sweater (not sure about the intarsia guitar sweater though).

The first half of the book is knitting the second half crochet, and as with the knitting half, knowledge is not assumed. Again there are some hideous projects here (mesh poncho) but equally some fun ones too (cat toys and crochet felted checker board - pictured below).

Overall, this is a book with not too serious projects but some serious instructions. Appeal more to a younger audience.