New Ideas from Books

The local library is a great place to go for ideas and inspiration. This week I found two books which interested me, and I couldn't wait to get them home and start reading and looking at the images.

The first is Crafty Birds edited by Kristy Conlin. I was immediately enticed by the cover of this mixed media book. It has articles about jewellery, collage and mixed media, written by various contributors. I liked the interesting mixture of subjects, and found some good ideas, beautifully illustrated with clear photos. As a bonus, I was the first person to take the book out of the library!

 The second is Inspired to Quilt-Creative Experiments in Art Quilt Imagery by Melanie Testa.This book is about the process of art quilting. Melanie Testa gives lots of ideas, exercises to follow and advice about creating art quilts with a variety of methods. I really like it, and have had it out of the library a couple of times before!

This week's Book

This week I am looking at Maggie Grey's Raising The Surface With Machine Embroidery.

I absolutely love the photo on the cover, and there are a lot more colourful and textural photos inside. There is a lot of information about a variety of machine embroidery techniques. Another must have book for your collection!

Books

 I have been looking at these books this week, Silk Paper for Textile Artists by Sarah Lawrence is full of mouth watering photographs and interesting ideas for textile artists. You may remember me posting about Sarah Lawrence earlier in the year, and her book Stitch, Cloth, Shimmer and Shine . Sadly Sarah is no longer with us.

Stylish Papercraft by Clare Youngs is another great ideas and projects book. I really like Clare's work, and you may remember I have blogged about her in previous posts.

Book of the week;-Mixed Mania, Recipes for Delicious Mixed Media Creations

          

 This book, Mixed Mania, Recipes for Delicious and Mixed Media Creations by Debbi Crane and Cheryl Prater is full of ideas for mixed media and is written in a very humourous way.

Books I am reading at the moment

We are in the middle of a heat wave in the UK, and have had a few weeks of glorious sunshine. It is just the weather for reading in the shade in the garden with a nice cold drink, and dreaming of future projects.

I am reading two very different books at the moment. The first is Collage Unleashed by Tracie Bautista. I really like this book, it is full of mixed media ideas for collage. Tracie Bautista creates pieces using everyday objects around in the house, such as paper towels,and childrens' crayons as well as more traditional art materials. Her introduction speaks for itself " I am inspired by everything and everyone that enters my path. I find art in everything and everything finds its way into my art" . It is another must have mixed media techniques book for your bookshelves!

  

My second book is a creative patchwork book, Flower Power Patchwork by Anne-Pia Godske Rasmussen.  I find myself naturally drawn to Scandinavian style, and the Danish            creations in this book are stunning, with beautiful, vibrant photographs.

Wire Knitting

 I dusted down the cobwebs from my bookshelf and took out this book Knitting With Wire by Nancie  M. Wiseman, an old favourite of mine. Watch this space to see my wire knitting !

Book -Clare Youngs Christmas Crafting in No Time

I have bought another book by Clare Youngs-Christmas Crafting in No Time. I was so thrilled with the ideas and techniques in her Papercrafting In No TIme book, that I wanted more! There are another 50 projects in her Christmas book .There are cards and gift wrap, decorations, gifts and cooked treats . I was very interested in the variety of crafts in the book. The only problem is I want to make all these, as well as the 50 in the Papercrafting book! Big mistake buying both books so close together, as I keep looking at them and can't decide what to do first!If you like Clare Youngs' books, she has actually written several more, but I am not going to buy any more at the moment!