Review: 'Knit Your Own Dog: The Second Litter' by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne

Knit Your Own Dog: The Second Litter by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, 2012, Black Dog and Leventhal, $14.95, softbound, 176 pages. Cover: good. Category/Genre: How-to, Crafts. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million. 


The follow-up to Muir and Osborne's Knit Your Own Dog and Knit Your Own Cat, this book includes the knitting patterns for 25 more pedigree dogs. 

The authors suggest a number of uses for these crafted canines: you can stage your own miniature dog show; comfort someone who's lost a beloved pet; give one to someone who's longing for a dog of their own; or pay tribute to an old furry pal. 

The authors also include helpful hints and tips on how to make your creation unique. Categories include toy, utility, terriers, sporting, and working dogs.


If you like this one, try: Knit Your Own Pet, by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne (for knitters of all levels). 


You may find the authors on Facebook and Twitter, or buy their knitwear, books, and stationery at Muir and Osborne. 

Review: 'Police Procedure and Investigation' by Lee Lofland

Police Procedure and Investigation by Lee Lofland, 2007, Writer's Digest Books, $19.99, softbound, 368 pages. Cover: pretty cool. Where we got it: bought it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million. 


This is a guide for crime writers, and it's excellent. There's all sorts of information, from an overview of law enforcement in America, to courts and the legal process, to autopsy, to arrest and search procedures. 

Lofland lists courses recruits have to take in the police academy, gives diagrams of different law enforcement hierarchies (police department, sheriff's office, and so on), gives readers an idea of what it's like to be a detective (he was one himself), and tells what prisons and jails are like. 

If you're at all interested in writing about law enforcement, this is the book to have. 

If you like this one, try: Armed and Dangerous: A Writer's Guide to Weapons, by Michael Newton; Code Blue: A Writer's Guide to Hospitals, including the ER, OR, and ICU; and Private Eyes: A Writer's Guide to Private Investigators, by Hal Blythe, Charlie Sweet, and John Landreth. 

You can find Lee Lofland online here: The Graveyard Shift, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WritersPoliceAcademy.com, and CriminalJusticePrograms.com. 

Review: 'Love the Home You Have' by Melissa Michaels

Love the Home You Have by Melissa Michaels, 2015, Harvest House, $14.99, softbound, 213 pages. Cover: meh. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million. 


Melissa Michaels, author of The Inspired Room blog, offers simple ways to embrace your style, get organised, and love the home you're in rather than coveting that other house down the street. 

Michaels offers lots of advice on how to change the way you view your home and your life. She has tips on decorating, organising, and decluttering; she suggests practical and affordable solutions for a variety of home and decor challenges; and she illustrates how to rejuvenate the mood of your home through engaging the senses and highlighting the seasons and holidays. 

There's humour in this book, and it's told largely through excerpts of personal experience, which make the reader feel as if they know and can trust Michaels. And there's plenty of good advice. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

You can find Melissa Michaels online at: The Inspired Room Blog and Twitter.

Review: 'A Career as an Auto Mechanic' by Tamra B Orr

A Career as an Auto Mechanic by Tamra B Orr, 2011, Rosen Publishing, $35.51, hardbound, 80 pages. Cover: good. Category/Genre: how-to. Where we got it: borrowed it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.

Aimed at high school students, this book is an invaluable resource for teens (or anyone, really) who want to pursue a career as an auto mechanic.

Orr lists the kinds of classes you'll need to take while still in high school – math, English, and science (including electronics, computer technology, and physics), plus any classes or workshops on car maintenance and repair or small engine work – and gives you an idea of how to get a head start on your career.

There are certification tests you can take, which will help you become a more skilled mechanic, and which will help you find a better job. After high school, Orr suggests either community college or a post-secondary vocational school.

It's also a good idea to check out the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence online (www.ase.com) for lots of great information about your chosen career. Orr has a number of other resources at the end of the book, plus a handy glossary.

This is a great book for any guy or girl interested in auto mechanics.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Tamra Orr's books may be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Books-A-Million.

Review: 'The Wreath Book' by Rob Pulleyn

The Wreath Book by Rob Pulleyn, 1988, Sterling/Lark, hardbound, 144 pages. Cover: not bad. Category/Genre: how-to. Where we got it: borrowed it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble. 

This book, filled with colour photographs, gives you all the information you need to make the over 100 wreaths in the book, plus any of your own invention. Handy tools are listed, and you're told how to make a base and attach materials. It does take a few hours to learn, so be prepared.

These wreaths are for the holidays, but they're also for any other time of the year, and for every room in the house.

Among the different types of wreath highlighted are 'collection wreaths' for teen rooms; culinary wreaths for the kitchen; quilted and appliqued wreaths for a sewing room; edible wreaths for a party table; and a moth-repelling wreath for a closet door. Plus there are 'Childhood Memento' wreaths for using discarded toys and 'Wearable Wreaths' for brides, hats, and jackets.

The 'Scented Wreaths' use items such as potpourri, cinnamon sticks, and fraser fir; the 'Herbal Wreaths' use elements that are often insect-repellent or fragrant; and there's a shell wreath, as well. Pulleyn also suggests putting a wreath on a table as a centrepiece.

In addition to all the wreaths, you'll learn how to make and use bows; cleaning and preserving techniques; and how to make a wreath with meaning (Pulleyn lists common plant and flower meanings, both secular and religious).

A lot of the projects look like fun, and wreaths can be made as gifts, too.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?  

Review: 'Conquer the Clutter' by Melissa Bigner

Conquer the Clutter: Reclaim Your Space, Reclaim Your Life by Melissa Bigner, 2005, Meredith Books, $19.95, softbound, 192 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: attractive. Where we got it: borrowed it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble. 


Following an overly-long chapter on assessing your situation, this book has some good advice. Purging, the author says, is the first step to conquering your clutter; then you must ask yourself how you want the room to function and plan zones for each function. For example, if you want your family room to have a reading area, an entertainment area, and a work space, you'll want to plan for each area. 

Bigner has tips for sorting, a 'Keeper Quiz,' and tips on selling the stuff you no longer want but that somebody will. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Review: 'The Art of Polymer Clay: Creative Surface Effects' by Donna Kato

The Art of Polymer Clay: Creative Surface Effects by Donna Kato, 2007, Watson-Guptill, $19.95, softbound, 175 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: elegant. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.   


This book is levelled at both the beginner and the advanced polymer clay artist. The basics are outlined, along with essential techniques, making beads, cabochon shaping, and the Skinner Blend. 

Kato also goes over how to use mica powders, how to transfer images onto polymer clay, how to create texture with texture plates and rubber stamps, how to use paints, inks, and pigment powders with polymer clay, how to get special effects using liquid polymer clays, and a bit on sculpture and mold making. 

There are projects to try, and 69 other artists' works are featured, plus there's a list of suppliers in the back. 

An interesting book.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?

Review: 'Eco-Friendly Families' by Helen Coronato

Eco-Friendly Families by Helen Coronato, 2008, Penguin Group, $15.95, softbound, 256 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: fine. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble. 

Written as a guide to help families go green, this book begins with the preparations you will need to take before going green and moves on to the small changes you can make in order to get big results. For example, try replacing your burnt-out bulbs with more energy-efficient light bulbs. 

Coronato also has chapters on setting goals, as well as the Three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Throughout the book, she has 'Five-Minute Makeovers,' such as placing a brick inside your commode tank to help lower the amount of water needed to refill the tank. 

Ideas on how to clean your house using green methods, as well as a 'Room-by-Room Eco-Redesign' are other topics covered. Coronato includes some green websites in her appendix. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Review: 'Digital Macro Photography' by Ross Hoddinott

Digital Macro Photography by Ross Hoddinott, 2007, Photographers' Institute Press, $17.95, softbound, 176 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: great. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble.


This book covers terms required to familiarise yourself with digital photography, types of digital cameras, the care and maintenance of cameras, additional technology, and lenses and close-up accessories. 

Basic techniques are examined, including exposure, ISO, shutter speed and motion, etc. Hoddinott even tells you how to hold your camera, with pictures to illustrate the techniques. 

Other topics are light and colour, still life, natural history subjects, textures and patterns, and post-camera processing. There's a handy glossary and a list of pertinent web sites.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Review: 'Japanese Book-Binding' by Kojiro Ikegami

Japanese Book-Binding: Instructions from a Master Craftsman by Kojiro Ikegami, 1986, Weatherhill, $34.95, hardbound, 127 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: understated, but we don't care for the green. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million. 


This book covers virtually every major binding style in Japan's approximately 1,500-year history of binding. If you are looking to make any of the major, historically important styles of Japanese bindings or traditional book cases, this volume is the one for you.

Firstly, the author goes over the tools and materials essential to this craft; he then outlines the basic binding procedure, a stitched four-hole book. After that are five variations on the four-hole book, four types of accordion book, six kinds of ledger or memo pad, the handscroll, and so on. Three types of book cases are included, as is a chapter on how to mend Japanese books.

For history lovers and craftsmen alike.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?  

Review: 'Backyard Roots' by Lori Eanes

Backyard Roots: Lessons on Living Local from 35 Urban Farmers by Lori Eanes, 2013, Skipstone, $21.95, softbound, 190 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: appropriate. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.  


Advice from 35 urban farmers is found here, from how to legalise chickens to starting a home business. Each of the farmers has a story to tell, and topics range from duck keeping to city foraging, cob ovens to giving up the grocery store. 

Urban farmers also give back to their community. Laura Allen helped change the code governing greywater systems in Oakland, CA. Joan Engelmeyer teaches art class to local kids using her urban farm, which includes a pair of Pygora (pygmy Angora) goats. 

Where possible, book and web resources are given, and the book is filled with lush, full-colour photographs. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?

Review: 'Cool Season Gardener' by Bill Thorness

Cool Season Gardener by Bill Thorness, Illustrated by Susie Thorness, 2013, Skipstone, $18.95, softbound, 182 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: good. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million. 


This book attempts to teach enthusiastic gardeners how to cultivate a garden of edible plants year-round. 

Understanding the weather is of utmost importance in growing vegetables throughout the autumn and winter. So, also, is siting your cool season garden, and Thorness gives advice on both. 

There are ways, Thorness says, to extend your growing season, some of them easy and some advanced. Warming the garden is of prime importance, and there are a variety of ways explored in this book. 

Thorness suggests you choose from a wide number of cool season vegetables, including Asian greens, beets, broccoli raab, celeriac, collards, Europea greens, garlic, kale, and onions. 

Advice on troubleshooting is also given, as well as some building projects you can make. Resources are included. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Review: 'Steampunk Accessories' by Nicola Tedman and Sarah Skeate

Steampunk Acccessories: 20 Projects to Help You Nail the Style, from Goggles to Cell Phone Cases, Gauntlets, and Jewelry, by Nicola Tedman and Sarah Skeate, 2012, Barron's, $18.99, softbound, 128 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: cool. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.  


If, like many steampunks out there, you have a bit of DIY in you, this book may be just what you're looking for to add a little steampunk to your everyday life. 

There is a section on materials and techniques, and the authors go over where to find the materials you'll be using for these accessories. For example, you can peruse your local hardware shop for brass or bronze nuts, bolts, chains, and washers, and local craft or art supply shops will yield beads, jewellery findings and chains; online shops will also provide ample selections of the same items, as well as raw (natural) and antique gold, silver, or brass charms, chains, and pendants. The authors also mention that many online shops now have steampunk sections. 

There's also a handy section on working with leather, which includes choosing leather, aging the surface of your piece, dyeing your leather, and sewing leather. 

In this book, you will find projects such as a vintage billfold, a wrist corsage, an adventurer's belt, bracelets for men and women, a canister case, an eyeglass case, boot liveries, a hat cockade, oculus goggles, and more. 

Templates are included, and the projects are illustrated, though perhaps not in as much detail as the newbie DIY-er would prefer. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?  

Review: 'The Art of Illumination' by Patricia Carter

The Art of Illumination by Patricia Carter, 2008, Search Press, $19.95, softbound, 159 pages. Category/Genre: how-to. Cover: artistic. where we got it: publisher. where you can get it: Amazon, Books-A-Million. 

In this thorough book, Carter not only goes over the basics of materials and colour used in illumination, but also teaches the reader about page layout, gilding, developing a design, shadowing, stippling, and more. 

Next, there is a large section on putting your illuminated designs to use. Carter covers a variety of borders, such as simple borders, floral borders, a maple leaf border, and so on. 

She teaches the reader about illuminated texts, themed borders, and illuminated alphabets. She also offers design ideas for both beginners and the advanced. 

All in all, this is a great book for anybody interested in design. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Review: 'The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques' by Sara Withers and Stephanie Burnham

The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques, by Sara Withers and Stephanie Burnham, 2005, Running Press, $27.95, hardbound, 160 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: detailed. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble.


This book is a how-to course in traditional and contemporary beading techniques. Section One covers tools and materials, such as pliers, wire cutters, threads, and findings. Here the authors also discuss the many different kinds of beads available. 

Section Two outlines techniques, most of which are for jewellery making, but the authors say you can also experiment with making decorative or household items. The techniques discussed are: bead embroidery on fabric and paper, beaded fringing, threading, working with memory wire, making ear wires, chains and pendants, wrapping beads, bead loom techniques, and more. The directions are clear and precise, and come with colour photographs detailing the process. 

The last section is a gallery of works from designers to give an idea of what can be created with beads if you apply your imagination. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?   

Review: 'Making and Keeping Creative Journals'

Making and Keeping Creative Journals, by Suzanne Tourtillott, 2001, Lark Books, $24.95, hardbound, 128 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: quite good. Where we got it: borrowed it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble. 


This book begins by discussing some of the reasons people keep journals, including for health (Tourtillott says journaling with the purpose of making sense of difficult events and emotions helps lower blood pressure), to record a journey (internal or external), for insight, to chronicle events for future generations, and for creative expression.

The author also discusses how to write a visual journal; here one may use photos, memorabilia, magazine reproductions, and personal artwork to express oneself. No-one but you needs to see it, so it doesn't have to be of professional quality.

With the idea that making one's own journal will enrich the journal keeping process, Tourtillott teaches the reader how to make his own journal with various materials.

Several projects follow. Most of the projects for this book were a collaboration between a journaler with a hobby or interest, and a book artist. There's a travel journal, which is durable and portable, with unlined pages; a dream journal with a Coptic binding to make the pages lie flat; poet's journals, the smaller of which is pocket-sized; a gardener's journal with a weather-resistant cover; and many more. 

There's a handy glossary and a small index at the back of the book.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?  

Review: 'Beautiful Animal Dolls' by Miriam Gourley

Beautiful Animal Dolls: Handcrafts to Treasure, by Miriam Gourley, 2001, Sterling Publishing, $24.95, hardbound, 128 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: neat. Where we got it: borrowed it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble. 


This book has lots of information in it, starting with general instructions, which include tools, patterns, and stitching techniques. The tools involved are straight pins, tape measure, fabric scissors, craft scissors, tracing paper or photocopy machine, sewing machine, sewing needle, and coordinating thread. 

(Fabric might also be a good idea . . . )

There are a few stitching techniques to learn: buttonhole stitch, French knot, ladder stitch, feather stitch, blind stitch, backstitch, and satin stitch. 

Painting techniques are also given. 

There are dolls in three different categories: 'Genteel Jungle,' which includes a lion, a frog, and a giraffe; 'Charming Coutryside,' which includes a robin, a hen, and a rooster; and 'Enchanted Forest,' which includes rabbits and a Renaissance teddy bear. 

There's also a gallery in which one may view the creations of several artisans, as well as learn about the artisans themselves. For example, Angelia McLean creates teddy bears that are two and a half inches and under. Melinda Small Paterson has miniatures in the Rosalie Whyel Doll Museum. And Muriel Spencer designed Jaquard's muslin cat, snake, and frog craft kits. 

There are some very nice animals to make in this book, and the gallery is inspiring. 

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?  

Review: 'A Gift of Herbs' by Heidi Hartwiger

A Gift of Herbs: How to Make Easy, Inexpensive and Thoughtful Gifts Using Herbs, Heidi Hartwiger, Illustrated by Susan Tracy, 1993, Downhome Press, $13.95, softbound, 152 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: passable. Where we got it: borrowed it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble. 


The book opens with herb folklore and trivia before moving on to a section on culinary uses and gifts. The author does make a note of caution here: it would be wise for the reader to practise moderation when using herbs, particularly when drinking herbal teas, as some of the herbs in this book have medicinal uses and, therefore, may have side effects, as well. It would be best, the author says, to consult a physician if any unwanted side effects occur. 

A list of vocabulary words is included in the culinary section of the book. Infusion, for example, is the act of pouring boiling water over herbs and steeping them, then pouring the mixture through a strainer in order to remove the wilted herbs. The tea is then consumed. 

With each project, Hartwiger includes a 'Busy Herb Lover Method' as well as a 'Lovingly Long Method.' 

In the culinary section, the reader is introduced to herbal vinegars (which the author says are simple to make), herbal salts, herbed butter and cheese, herb jelly, herbal teas, and crystallising herbs.

Next is 'Herbs for Comfort and Beauty.' Here the reader will find a listing of floral scents, outdoor/fresh air scents, citrus scents, and spice scents from which to choose. There are methods for drying herbs and instructions on preparing an herbal facial treatment; herbs for the bath; herbs for skin care; herbal oils and shampoo; insect repellent; pet cosmetics; and more. 

There's a large section on potpourri, and there are directions for making pomander balls (air refreshers), and all-occasion crafts. Hartwiger outlines the tools, equipment, and materials that the reader will need to make the crafts, along with how to make herb wreaths, a swag, a kissing ball, etc. Plus there are crafts for busier herb lovers: a nosegay (tussie-mussie), magnetic gifts, hot pads, and more.   


If you like this one, try: Suggestions? 

Review: 'How to Etch Glass' by Eric Robert

How to Etch Glass: A Guide to Personalized Glass Etching, Eric Robert, 2012, self-published, free ebook, 22 pages. Category/Genre: how-to/crafts. Cover: Attractive. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: http://www.glassetchingsecrets.com/howtosteps.html


How to Etch Glass is divided into three parts: Part One is a brief overview of various glass etching processes; Part Two illustrates several objects you can etch; and Part Three presents the reader with the basic steps required to etch glass using a few of the most common processes. 

The etching types Robert explores are: cream etching, hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching, engraving, and sandblasting. In spite of the professional results you can obtain through hydrofluoric acid etching, Robert does not recommend it because of the dangerous qualities of this chemical. There are three types of engraving, which Robert explains in brief: rotary, wheel, and hand engraving. Sandblasting, which is safer than hydrofluoric acid etching, produces professional results, according to Robert.

The section 'Etching Product Ideas' covers what sorts of glass items you can etch, such as mugs, wine or champagne glasses, cake dishes, mirrors, lighted displays,and so on. There are a lot of interesting ideas in this section. 

Robert also talks about how to engrave glass using a rotary tool, which basically involves tracing an image with the tool. He then talks about how to etch using cream. For this, you will be cutting out a stencil before applying the cream; then you allow the cream to set before washing it off of the glass. Robert unfortunately does not say whether to wash the cream off with soap and water, a mild detergent, or simply water. 

Next, Robert offers solutions for how to make etched glass stand out if you use the cream method. One solution is to use a wax metallic finish product called Rub N' Buff. Robert provides a link to where you can purchase this product. Diluting the Rub N' Buff helps to make the glass appear as though it has been etched without other additives, according to Robert. 

The last section in the book covers how to sandblast glass. Firstly, a stencil is applied, using a squeegee to eliminate any air pockets; then a handheld sandblaster is used. 

Robert also has extras if you sign up for the free newsletter. The extras include free etching patterns and free videos. There are a few typos and other minor errors in the book, and Robert fails to tell where you can purchase some of the products, such as the engraving tool. Another helpful aid would be listing the tools required at the beginning of each project. Nonetheless, this is an informative and entertaining book for anyone new to the craft of glass etching. 

You may email Robert at: eric@glassetchingsecrets.com.

If you like this one, try: Suggestions?