2 comments about Yard: The Life and Magnificent Jewelry of Raymond C. Yard.

1. I had not seen this book "in person" and am often disappointed in the quality of other art books I have purchased. Not so with "Yard: The Life and Magnificent Jewelry of Raymond C. Yard". It was meant to be a gift, but I must confess that I devoured the elegant photographs and the interesting copy before I wrapped this special book up for its new owner!



2. For a moderately priced book of a semi-obscure jeweler this book completes its goals. However, those looking for an actual in depth history of the business and its founder will not find it here. Lushly photographed and info-heavy on a few of Yard's more famous clients-it entertains and earns its price tag.

4 comments about Beadwork Creates Beaded Bags: 30 Designs (Beadwork Creates series).

1. Another excellent book put together by Interweave, a must for all beaders, so many patterns, so little time to do them all.



2. I agree with other reviewers that this shape of book is not the easiest to read, but I flattened my copy and put a weight on it to hold it open while working... no big deal. It's what's inside that counts!
   
   The 30 exquisite purse and bag designs in the book, shown in full color photographs, are contributed by different artists, and each is extremely unique in its design and method. Several of the purses are knitted, and some are crocheted. Some have strands of beads couched onto fabric. Some are created with peyote stitch or on a bead loom, then sewn together. One is sewn onto a metal purse frame. One I partricularly like has strands of beads glued (using special sticky tape) onto a purchased tote in a gorgeous design. Some are large and shopping-baggish, and others are small amulet bags or clutches. Every one of them is gorgeous, and you will not find anything like them in any store, unless it is an expensive boutique. They look like collectors' items.
   
   There are no quick and easy projects here. They require time, commitment to read through the instructions and follow them step by step, and skill with the hands. The written instructions are fairly easy to understand, but experienced crafters will follow them more easily. There are illustrations, but a few more would be helpful.
   
   The last section of the book shows how to do all the different stitches and techniques used in the projects, but for knitted bags, you will already need to know how to knit. Hand and machine sewing skills are required for some of the projects.



3. I have to first say that the photos and projects in this book, as well as the others in the Beadwork series, are gorgeous. They are not your typical jewelry items: they show unique colors and mixtures and ideas. Love that part. What I hate about the book is the format...it is long and skinny with a tough spine. In other words, extremely difficult to hold, much less do a project from. It's so narrow that the inside page closest to the spine often cuts off certain words. I tried going to office max to have one drilled to be loose leaf, with the spine cut off, but it still makes for awkward work. Why they couldn't make this a full size book with a lay flat spine is beyond me.



4. Jean Campbell edits Beaded Bags, a survey of 30 bag projects designed to appeal to all levels of beadworkers. These aren't just the usual rectangular bags; they are especially notable projects in presenting a diversity of bag styles and designs, from clutches and drawstring purses to wrist bags and market bags. Techniques range from embroidery and loom weaving to bead crochet, with plenty of colorful photos and step-by-step clear instructons.

4 comments about Build Your Own Stonehenge (Running Press Mini Kits).

1. this little model is very well done and when assembled it looks like the real thing. Very enjoyable indeed.



2. so much detail went into the creation of this product! I'm so impressed with it I'll be buying it for friends as well! Anyone who loves miniatures will go nuts for this tiny kit!



3. Yes, it's tiny. It's supposed to be tiny, that's the point. The whole thing fits in a tiny box, it's the same with the rest of the Running Press Mini Kits. But, like most of their other kits, this is a lot of fun and really cool. You get a tiny model Stonehenge to build and display in your home/office/whatever. If you're quirky, eccentric, or just into this kind of thing then you'll love this. I do!



4. Pay close attention to the Product Dimensions: 3.2 x 3 x 1.3 inches. It's very small, with TINY pieces.

5 comments about Jackie Style.

1. Jackie Kennedy's Francophile roots made her a unique style icon as the US First Lady. Her appeal mesmerized the public because of the distinctions of her mannerisms, dress, and general image unlike many of her counterparts past and present. Jackie's timeless style appeal is a great place to start for ideas on creating one's own look inspired from a classic icon. The best style is your own and makes the most of your natural looks. Depending on the message you want to give the world ... Jackie and Sophia and Audrey Style are great resource to start.



2. I liked this book alot. I have read numerous volumes about Jackie and this one makes a refreshing change. The approach is both light and informative. The information given is different from the usual stuff and is presented in just the right amount of detail. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes about Jackie's life during the eighties and early nineties, also the insight into her interior decor taste. The detailed illustration credits were also appreciated. The book is good quality and enjoyable to read.



3. This is a interesting book about JKO, but certainly not the best on the shelves. Keogh makes to many shallow assumptions throughout but, the reader can feel that the author maintains respect for JKO. It is also interesting how she decribes JKO's interior designing style, which I loved. She even has pictures of JKO's dressing room in the White House and her drawing room at 1040 Fifth Avenue, which is a VERY beautiful room. Keogh encompasses many aspects of JKO's style, her love of literature and art, and most of all- her family. A good read, worth the price.



4. I was attracted to this book by its feel and the promise of learning more about that certain "something" Jackie radiates. After mentally debating the price, my lust for more Jackie style information won out and I purchased it. It is a substantial book in many ways but weak in others. The beginning of the book is awkward as the author describes what Jackie was thinking after her husband won the Presidency. How could the author know? The authors assumptions immediately made me question the rest of the books authenticity. As I read through the book however, the author changed tactics and began to describe the first lady using research that was factually supported. She discusses Jackie's upbringing, her role as young woman, and beyond. Though most of the information has been written about before, several aspects were elaborated on to add a new twist and make them more interesting. For example, I had read many times about Jackie winning Vogue magazines Prix de Paris competition, but never in the detail Keough gives. There are a number of photographs in the book but unfortunatly the way they are presented lacks impact. Many are black and white, others small for the page, few are new, and in general they don't have the luster that they could. For example, p.182 has a full size, black and white photograph of Jackie with flowers fully covering her face. If this is one of the never seen photographs Keough promises well I can see why. Another page is devoted to a full color photo of Ari Onasis. Since the full color photos of Jackie are few why not make it one of her? Pamela Keoughs previous book Audrey Style had a much better selection of pictures that made an impression! There are also some line sketches of Jackie in a pillbox. The sketch looks more like Anjelica Houston. The information in the book is broad. The author has obviously done alot of research and she relays the information with her fresh perspective. But many readers will wish for more information about Jackie's STYLE not her life history. For those just beginning to read about Jackie this will be a good introduction but to those familiar with her and the books about her this will be a rehash and retelling.



5. Pam Keogh's clear and stunning portrait of Jackie Kennedy Onassis gives the reader aspects of this complex and intriguing woman from the inside out. It is a warm and visually beautiful view of JKO that goes beyond what she wore where. If you want a glimpse of the private Jackie, buy this book!

1 comments about Visual Merchandising & Display.

1. I like this book very much. It is full of information and useful for my business.

5 comments about T-Shirt Makeovers: 20 Transformations for Fabulous Fashions.

1. I purchased this book after Generation T; hoping for something more creative and challenging. I found Generation T a little too simple for my redesigning tastes. However, this turned out to be a little more than I bargained for. Just keep in mind:
   
   THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE WITH SEWING.
   
   Unlike Generation T, where 1/3 of the designs are No Sew, T Shirt Makeovers requires a substantial amount of experience, and for several designs, a sewing machine.
   
   Also, if you are a person who likes to cover themselves rather to wear anything revealing, or a person is self-conscious of how they body looks (esp. overweight) you will probably find yourself not recreating the designs in the book.
   
   If you are a senior/advanced sewer with a sense of fashion and not epidermis-shy, you will probably find this book a golden edition in your DIY library.
   
   For the newbies, I reccomend Generation T; which is as basic as you can possibly get.
   
   The designs are appealing and sexy, and the Sistahs coach you on fashion secrets, color, and body types. I, myself do not plan to create any of these designs, (with the exception of the first one) but it's been good inspiration for me, and I am satisfied with my purchase.



2. i love it. i've made several shirts for friends from this book- even put one in a fashion show!
   
   i love the texture, quality, photography, and the models of color in this book. One of my favorite and most recommended reconstruction books.
   
   Peace



3. Very disappointed with this book, designs reveal lots of flesh, will work for only the very thin.



4. EXCELLENT book! if you have a creative eye you can really create things from their templates...i see what all the hype is about!



5. I love this book, the instructions are clear and very precise. I have made almost every shirt in this book and when I wear them I always get a compliment! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves one of a kind garment and who like to dress outside the box.

4 comments about Memory on Cloth: Shibori Now.

1. I just took a workshop with Yoshiko Wada, the author of this book, and she used it extensively as a reference. Much of what we did in the class is detailed in the book and I am going to use it to keep working on many of the techniques on my own. I feel that the instructions are clear and the illustrations helpful. There is a wealth of information in the book, and I enjoyed how Yoshiko Wada applies the techniques and concepts of traditional Japanese shibori to contemporary materials and new methods. If you are interested in textile design, shibori, dyeing, or fashion, you will enjoy this reference.



2. I was hoping for more instructions on how to create shibori pieces...this is not the book for that.



3. This is some book. This goes beyond your normal techniques. It was mindblowing with the endless possibilities for manipulation of all sorts of fabrics.



4. Shibori is the Japanese word for resist-dyeing. There are three shibori techniques: tie-dye (those Sixties hallucinoform tee-shirts); clamp-resist (being pressed between two boards or tied tightly around a pole), and wax-resist (batik). It is an extremely old technique, perhaps the first to impose upon cloth a pattern that wasn't woven there.

   Fragments of shibori-like textiles found in Africa date from as far back as 700 BCE. Purely Japanese textiles date from the Yayoi period (200 BCE-250 ACE). Yayoi people wove garments on portable looms. The making of cloth depended not so much on the mass of the wearer's body as on how the movement of the wearer's body will determine what the loom must do. In Yayoi times weavers used portable loom that could be easily set up by tying one set of warp ends around the waist and the other to a tree. The weaver's body width fixed the width of the fabric. That most Yayoi textiles were about twelve inches wide says much about the size of the Yayois.

   Japan did not embrace clothing as an expression of social delineation until the Asuka period (552-645), an era when Chinese crafts, and customs were eagerly imported. Over the centuries, surface designs became steadily more complex as garment silhouettes became steadily more simple. These tendencies merged into the kimono and have stayed there ever since. With the xenophobic policies of the Tokugawa Shogunate, all things foreign were shunned. The Japanese turned inward to their own tastes and aesthetics.

   By the Edo period (1600-1868), complex layerings of color, patterns, and resist dyes all contributed to a great culmination of textile design. Into the canons of design came surface complexity ranging from colors so saturated they dazzle the eye to so subtle they are almost indistinguishable. Japanese textile art embraced a dozen or more dyeing techniques, embroidery and appliqué, painted pictures, hammered gold and silver patterns, calligraphy. Out of these chirped an aviary of decor-plum blossoms, pine boughs, flowers on trellises, rice sheaves, snowflakes, paired shells, swallowtail butterflies, quince flowers, waves, interlocked squares, medallions of chrysanthemum and wisteria and gentian, cranes, lightning, hemp leaves, scrolls of peony, woven circles, basket work, fish scales, mountains, clouds, flowing water, waves, checkerboards, circles.

   In the wrong hands such a tumultuous vocabulary would end in chaos. But from the great costumes of the Noh to the hundreds of treatises on kimono design to be found in Japanese bookstores and libraries today, there always existed in the Japanese garment imagination a more fundamental quality: drama. It is no surprise to find that the garment's greatest period of elaboration came after it was adopted as the principle costume by groups of itinerant entertainers who evolved into the most enduring of Japanese theatrical styles, the Noh.

   The Memory on Cloth story begins after World War II. Before the War, textiles and garments were major engines of Japan's economy-the equivalent of transistor products and autos today. The quaint, consuming, painstaking art of shibori was nearly extinct by the 1960s. Modernity-craving Japanese put their old kimonos into the tansu and bought Missoni and Prada and The Gap. Shibori's spiritual home, in Arimatsu and Narumi on Honshu island, was ignored even by the railways, which built no sidings there. Too few fabric dyers were left to fill a boxcar with goods.

   But valiant was the tenacity of the industry. Arimatsu-Narumi's response was to invent. When the market for kimonos dwindled, they made neckties. Even so, by 1972, one of Japan's oldest industries had dwindled to two elderly practitioners. Then along came people like Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada, one of so many artists who bootstrapped ancient crafts out of extinction by globalizing them in the same positive way that world fusion music has globalized innumerable melody forms. Shibori was turned around. Today it is an internationally recognized art form.

   It also can be a vibrant modern art form. Memory on Cloth features work by artists from Africa, South America, Europe, India, Japan, China, Korea, the USA, and Australia. It encompasses fabric design, wearable art and fashion, and textile art or various sculptural forms. Described are works by more than seventy innovative designers, including Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Jurgen Lehl, Jun'ichi Arai, Helene Soubeyran, Genevieve Dion, Asha Sarabhai, Junco Sato Pollack, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Marian Clayden, and Carter Smith. Each artist shares details on the processes they have created, making this an invaluable source of inspiration for artists in fields outside of textile design.

   Japan never made a distinction between craft and art. Indeed, even in the West that demarcation arose only over the last few hundred years as a manifestation of the post-Renaissance preoccupation with individuality. In Japan the unity of art and craft was not because Japanese textile makers shunned egocentrism, but because of their tendency to focus on process more than product. The Japanese Zen garden of raked stones is Exhibit A in contemplative surrender to process.

   Like so many arts that globalization salvaged at the edge of extinction, shibori inspired a modern revival laden with legend and freighted with technique. The progress of Japanese textiles is stuttery, sitting in place one moment, leaping forward the next, the artists either appropriating or inventing as chance comes calling. The result is a continually evolving collaboration between past and future. Today's mingling of synthetic and natural fibers, organics and metals, hand and machine, are in keeping with the try-anything heritage of the country's garments.

   Yoshiko Wada is an endearingly good writer: lucid, logical, tight, to the point. She teaches shibori aesthetics and techniques in her home city of Berkeley, California, and around the world. Thanks to her, shibori was transported to Africa and inspired a vibrant local industry in Mali and other Sahel countries. Of her it can truly be said that the word `shibori' is now an international currency.

1 comments about A Grammar of Japanese Ornament and Design (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. This is the type of book you want to own if you are involved with design. It's great for those times when you need to create something that relates to this school of design - it is also pure inspiration. Surprisingly for a design book, this comes with a text part that contains a refresher on Japanese design.
   
   Geetesh Bajaj/Indezine.com

No comments about The Story of the Supremes.

2 comments about Sticker Dolly Dressing Princesses (Sticker Dolly Dressing).

1. I bought this for my four year old girl and she has spent hours playing with this sticker book, moving the sticker outfits and room decor from page to page. She is even imagining stories that go with her creations. Much more thought provoking and creative than the sticker books we get at the pharmacy.



2. Our daughter received this as a gift for her 4th birthday. She LOVES it. There are so many dolls to dress and so many accessories that it can't possibly all be done in one sittting. She's had it for over 2 months now and still loves to pull it out and dress the dolls. It's a wonderful activity for little girls that are into princesses.