Book Review :: DIY greatness

In a time of economic uncertainty and high stress, we as creatives strive to take control of what we want to put in our homes and constantly look for that money saving or recyclable project that can really make our spaces unique and comfortable. DIY is the best remedy for this, and it doesn't have to be a big project, that can take up to two weeks to complete. For instance, see what Lotta Jansdotter is cooking up now in her newest book/ stencil kit for all things surface printing. What can I say, I'm a big sucker for Lotta's work and I've already purchased curtains to print on, now I have the trouble of deciding which lovely stencil design I want to use from this really informative kit of her's!




not only does Lotta give you access to 10 of her own designs via reusable stencils, but she really illustrates and guides you through different techniques and surfaces that you can print on in a very well organized step-by-step guide.




Another crafty lady we all know and love, the very talented Kathreen Ricketson of whipup.net has gained a lifetime of inspiration. After reading her intro, I had a sense of relation to her crafty experiences growing up with her grandmother, a quilter/crafter. I to grew up with a variety of craftsmen (ladies) in my family, my grandmother was a quilter, my grandfather, did stained glass when he retired, my Papa was an architect and my mother, my DIY hero, seamstress... actually anything she gets her hands on is a crafting work of art. This book is a homage to those who have inspired us to use materials that are right under our eyes and turn them into another functional delight... people like my mother, who took apart her mothers wedding dress and reconstructed a totally different gown for her own wedding.





Kathreen includes some great whimsical pattern pieces for you to try and really explains the basics of sewing so even those like me who would love to run their sewing machine more, can just do that!

Both these great books are published by chronicle books and are available now so go get yours and get your craft on!