Book Review- All Things Paper

Usually I'll put my disclosure at the end of a review, but this time I'm going to start with it. Ann Martin's All Things Paper  blog is a favorite,  because she loves paper even more than I do! She links to some incredibly awesome things you wouldn't believe are made from paper, she's a quilling enthusiast who shares her love and some great projects, and it's one of the most inspiring blogs out there. So when she wrote to me to ask if I'd like to review this book for GoodReads, I went kind of fan girl. Ok, REALLY fan girl. Took me a full ten minutes to answer YES! and much of that time was spent trying to compose an answer that wouldn't make her decide I was a crazy craft stalker.

So, now for the review (and the version that will be posted on GR and Amazon will skip that whole first paragraph and have the nice more professional disclosure at the bottom.)

All Things Paper is a book of paper crafts by various artists that is curated by an expert in the field. Ann Martin is enthusiastic about paper, and it shows. These are 20 projects that truly showcase the range of paper as a material for artists and crafters to create things. From realistic paper flowers to beautifully bound books, this book is a fantastic collection.

There are all sorts of paper used in the projects shown. Some are upcycled from things you have around your house already, others use specialty papers. Paper is very affordable, and most of the projects in the book can be tried and practiced with plain paper before you cut into the more expensive sheets.

The instructions are all very clear, with lots of photos of the steps to illustrate. The photos are well done and well lit.

The projects are separated by use.
Home Decor covers projects that are used in the home, such as simple to make and elegant luminaries, realistic lilacs, a Japanese inspired stationery box ,a silhouette portrait and a few others. My favorite project in this chapter, surprisingly isn't the stationery box, which is gorgeous and a practical gift; but the silhouette art because of the way it combines with a pretty cut paper background to make a truly frameable personal piece of art.

Fashion Accessories surprisingly only has two projects, but that's only because Jewelry is another chapter! Between the two chapters, you'll see a tote bag, a Tiger Lily fascinator, some gorgeous quilled pieces by Ann Martin, and learn a new technique for creating something almost like paper mache but stronger that can be braided and shaped. My favorite project in these two chapters is easily the Antique Key Pendant because the basic idea key design lends itself to all sorts of adaptations to make a very special pendant.

Correspondence is the stationery chapter, and this includes cards of course. There are also instructions for a neat journal project that would be a good gift for anyone. The cards are miniature works of art, and frameable. I love the clear and concise instructions with a lot of photos for making a journal, and my favorite card is hard to choose. There is the very elegant cut out paper tree card, but there is also a fun and colorful 3d flower card.

At the end is great gallery, and also information and websites for all of the contributors to this great collection.

I really recommend this book for paper enthusiasts, especially for beginners and intermediate crafters.

You can get it at Amazon, and using my affiliate links helps pay for this site and my book addiction.

U.S.A. U.K.

Peace Symbol Printable Paper and Gift Boxes

I hope you like these! More peace symbol printables. Click on the images for larger versions.

I have some things available for sale on Craftsy. It's PDF only, so if you want to buy blank templates in transparent PNG, JPG or GIF format, you'll have to do that on Etsy. But if you want to buy some of my bead patterns (except the limited edition ones)- you'll get an instant download instead of having to wait until I check my email!

Anyway, the reason I'm mentioning it is because I was debating printable circle tags and journal circles that could be cut out using a 2 inch circle punch that had fillable fields, and possibly calling cards like these bat themed calling cards. I'm just not sure if people like the fillable field PDF printables. So, what's your take?

Book Review- Start Scrapbooking

I have a secret to tell all of you.
I don't scrapbook. I want to, take tons of pictures, plan layouts in my head and occasionally buy scrapbooking magazines. But I don't actually scrapbook.
So that's where the book Start Scrapbooking comes in. It's written for beginners, for people who are just getting interested in preserving memories more artistically and in more detail than just keeping boxes or SD cards full of photographs.
The book starts with an introduction to scrapbooks, what scrapbooking means past just putting pictures into an album, some of the reasons to scrapbook and some of the things you could make a scrapbook for. Important memories, friendship, events.
The next chapter is about the tools to get started. Punches, cutters, papers, embellishments, brads, adhesives and album types and how to use them. Lots of great photographs and explanations.
Chapter 3 is about journaling, which is an important part of modern scrapbooks. Telling the story you want to preserve with your images. A message written with a photo of a child of what you were thinking or feeling, or what they felt. A quote, a quip, a bit more detail. The author shows a bunch of different ways to do it in both style and format.
Chapter 4 covers designing a layout. Showing how balance, color and everything else work together to create the mood or memory you want to preserve.
Chapter 5 is all about bringing together all the elements to work in themes.
The book has resources through it, a lot of ideas, and for me, it was a great introduction. It wasn't overwhelming. Some of the most effective layouts are very simple and seeing how they go together is inspiring.
There isn't a specific chapter on digital scrapbooking, but the same principles apply if you have a graphics program you are comfortable in.
The book is available from the publisher, Memory Makers Magazine, along with a lot of tips and techniques that are on the website, or you can get it from Amazon.com below. The link is an affiliate link and helps pay some of the costs of maintaining this site.

Book Review- Decorating With Papercraft

Decorating with Papercraft : 25 Fresh and Eco-Friendly Project for the Home by Clare Young is a new and fun collection of paper projects.
The introduction includes a bit on the history of paper and the tools and techniques you'll need to complete the projects in the book.
Then you get to the projects. The projects use all sorts of paper, from tissue paper to card stock, re-purposed paper like from pages of books, newspaper or maps. They are diverse. Really showing this wonderful medium to it's best advantage. The projects are well explained with complete supply lists and templates.
Techniques include paper mache, folding, cutting, piercing, piecing, decoupage, sewing, folding curves and others.
Some of the projects are things you'd expect, pinatas, stab bound books, and photo cubes.
But then there is a lot of whimsy that would be wonderful for decorating. A cute airplane covered with old maps that would look great in a child's bedroom. A mobile of pretty little birds in patterned papers. Delightful decoupaged dimensional letters that would look good on a shelf. Many kinds of flowers made out of different materials, and a wonderful tissue paper wind sock that would blow and move very easily even indoors because it's so light.
There are also designs that are very stylish. Simply but impeccably made, they would look gorgeous in any home.
Lampshades, mobiles, candle shades, bowls, books, and sculpture, this book has a lot of great ideas.
I liked every project in this book, and found it inspirational for gift giving ideas, projects to do myself, and projects that I could do with my teens. My favorite projects are the Asian Flying Fish wind sock, the Airplane Mobile and the Simple Bowl.
You can get the book directly from the publisher here, or you can get it from Amazon.com (The link is an affiliate link and helps pay some of the costs of maintaining this site.).