Reviews (8)

Essential gift book
We have had this book for years and it is still such a pleasure to go through it! The Essential House Book is a wellspring of ideas on how to make your house a home....with taste, humor and a grounded, down to earth approach. We have given it so many times as a present and are about to do so again. It's an easy choice for a great gift.

THE ESSENTIAL HOUSE BOOK lives up to its name
The Essential House Book:Getting Back to Basics is a must have for anyone that ever wanted to live in a home and make it all your own.Once again, the reigning champion of good design and master of style, Sir Terence Conran delivers the cr�me de la cr�me of home d�cor books. the very best of its kind
This is the best design book in existence.Conran's ideas come off as modern/contemporary, but without the usual coldness or starkness.Think of his designs as simply functional, and without airs or pretense.This is the way we live today.And it's fun! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decoration & Ornament    3. General    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Interior Design - General    7. Interior decoration    8. Home furnishing & decoration    9. House & Home / General   

Editorial Review

Jeff Cox provides the information new gardeners want in Read more

Reviews (23)

Inspiring and informative
Many of my gardening books are useful for referencing the occasional problem or plant profile, but "Perennial All-Stars" was an engrossing read from cover-to-cover.The author has a great deal of enthusiasm for his subject--so much so that I think he picked more than 10 'Top 10' perennials out of his favorite 150.
My favorite guide to perenials
Great book.Very easy read.Best tables I've ever seen-flowers arranged by color, time of bloom, height, etc.

Best gardening book on my shelf
Over the years I've become a quite seasoned gardener, this book is still one of my favorites.As recently as today I took my torn and tattered copy to the nurseries shopping.Excellent information about each plant and the pictures are some of the best around. And, yes, I've been able to grow them so that my plants look as healthy as the pictures in the book.It is the book all my friends ask to borrow, but I just can't bear to part with it, so I'm buying each of them one for their birthdays. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Flower gardening    2. Flowers - Perennials    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Perennials   

Reviews (7)

Mary Muse!
What a scrumptious book! Each page is an inspiration- an indulgent look into Mary's sweetest home. Take a peek at her collections (robots, monkeys, storks, etc) and truly be swept away by her signature style. You will get an eyeful of the rooms in her home, including her incredible attic studio. Collages of colorful and charming photographs fill each page and large text make this a breeze and joy to read. As I moved through this beautiful book, I began to feel as if I were being taken through a personal tour of Mary's home and couldn't wait to put some of the same touches in my home. Home Sweet Home is the perfect book if you want to be inspired to charm up your space or just want to ogle Mary's adorable abode.

Home Sweet Home : A Journey Through Mary's Dream Home
I think this book is fabulous.I would love even more pictures and details.I would love a floor plan to be able to get a better sense of scale.It left me wanting more and that is always good.
A lovely look inside Mary's home!
Do you ever drive by a great house and wish you could look inside? Well...that's what this book is like!Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. House furnishings    6. Interior Design - Style Books    7. Interior decoration    8. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (18)

A must have for every home seamstress
Power Sewing Step by Step is one of my favorite new books for sewing.It has many guidelines to organize your wardrobe and what suits your style and figure.The cutting, fitting and sewing instructions can be used for many garments.The ring type binding makes it lie flat for easy reading -- no flipping pages. The classic basics of any wardrobe are clearly addressed, and wonderful ideas for detailing that sets a garment apart.Her presentation inspires the reader to tackle a project and enjoy professional results every time. I love her tips for dealing with real figures-- for those of us over the hill.
I use this book all the time
This is my favorite sewing book-I take it out whenever I have a project. It's most useful for the advanced beginner or intermediate sewer. It focuses on techniques that either make a project easier or more polished. It's divided into types of clothing (vests, pants, dresses, etc), and Betzina focuses on techniques for that type of project. She explains techniques well and there are lots of full-color pictures. Yes, the clothes are a little out of date, but who cares? The techniques apply to whatever style you choose.
Great book, buy the spiral-bound copy!
This is NOT a book for beginning sewers - the writer assumes you know the basics of sewing and garment construction.I love all of the ways she shows how to make clothing special - Sandra's examples areclassy, but not fussy.There are a lot of useful things like different ways to improve your zipper installation, classier facings, linings (Like WHY to line pants, for instance), easy bound buttonholes, nicer hems, when you should take the time to hand sew, when you can cheat...Basically she is teaching the reader how to make ordinary home-sewn clothing extraordinary using the best techniques.Good section on improving fit, pretty much all useful info. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Dressmaking    4. Fashion    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Sewing    7. Tailoring    8. Tailoring (Women's)    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Sewing    10. Dressmaking & tailoring   

Reviews (2)

Taking the stress out of machine quilting
This book has some excellent patterns.Patterns that are a little different, but still viable for a quilter of moderate ability.What I like best about the book is the section on lap quilting.Ms Bonesteel's methodof putting the quilt together in strips and then quilting it section bysection works out very well for machine quilting, because you are dealingwith manageable segments, rather than trying to wrestle with a large quiltat the machine.They can be very unwieldy.While you have more hand work,the results are very neat and professional looking.

Inspiring and Thought-provoking
Georgia Bonesteel's book, Lap Quilting Lives!, has several innovative ideas for lap quilted designs. Her instructions are clear and well-written.(While I have chosen a quilt from this book to make, I haven't started theproject yet.) Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Patchwork    5. Patterns    6. Quilt Making    7. Quilting    8. Quilts    9. Quilts & Quilting   

Reviews (5)

Great Cookbook with Great Results!
Great cookbook with well written instructions.Practical recipes for the most part.
Good recipes, beautiful photos, but NOT quick!
The photos in this book are really gorgeous and the recipes do work.However -- there is NO WAY one person could make any of the full menus in just an hour!I would say that each individual dish takes at least an hour -- doing a whole Martha menu is a major undertaking.Another problem -- many of the ingredients are hard to find (even in the sophisticated greater Boston area!) and she relies heavily on fresh herbs in practically every recipe, which is just not practical for me. Not only is fresh sorrel unavailable in any store I know of, but evensorrel SEEDS, so you can grow your own sorrel, are hard to find!

come on martha
i purchased this book based on the on-site reviews. although it must have worked for some, not this cook.i enjoy the kitchena lot and consider myself pretty good at it--- just a bit bored and restless with my current menus.this was just way too stuffy. or perhaps the new phrase is "way too martha".yick.the menus are dated and boring.oh well, i tried. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Menus    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Quick and easy cookery    7. Cooking / Quick & Easy   

Editorial Review

Since 1990, Sara Foster has been delighting the patrons of her two NorthCarolina gourmet takeout food stores with refined yet unpretentious fare thatreflects her Southern upbringing and years as a professional cook on the EastCoast. Read more

Reviews (32)

Just as good as Fosters!
As a student at Duke University, my friends and I went to Fosters for brunch EVERY Sunday.The breakfast specials - pancakes, omlets, and the "special" - were always, without fail, incredible.If we made it there later in the day, the soups, breads, and salads were always a hit.
Very Good Collection of Comfort Restaurant Food
`The Foster's Market Cookbook' by Sara Foster, with Sarah Belk King, I bought in my `buy everything I saw on the Food Network' phase, especially after I saw Sarah Foster demonstrate her killer sticky bun recipe on the Food Network's `In Martha's Kitchen' show. This was also in my sticky bun-baking period, before I gave it up as too much work and went back to straight breads.
Fabulous cookbook!
I just received Sara Foster's cookbook for my birthday and I have already made several of the recipes and each one turned out fantastic! One thing I loved immediately about this cookbook is the number of recipes! You certainly get your bang for your buck with this book. There are such an array of recipes from appetizers to soups (lots of really good soup recipes), to vinigarettes, to dressings, to entrees and desserts, any cook cannot be disappointed with this book.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Foster's Market    5. Reference    6. Seasonal    7. Cooking / General   

Reviews (2)

very cute halloweeny book
This is a good book if you just want to get in the spirit of halloween!! It is a really easy read, it took me about a half an hour, so it's good for young children, or the child at heart!! A Merry "Mary" Halloween Treat!
This is a really cute little book very typical of Mary Engelbreit's work.It's well crafted on good quality heavy stock and has all the trimmings and flourishes we have come to expect from this talented illustrator and author.This treasury of Halloween folklore, jokes, artwork and recipes contains an abundance of fun ideas to treat yourself and your children to during the Halloween season. It has 17 charming Halloween poems, facts about witches, pumpkins, origins of Halloween, black and orange, customs and lore, and felines.It has 12 silly riddles and jokes and the legend of the Jack-o-lantern.It has 4 yummy, easy and festive recipes that kids can help to prepare.Best of all, it has Mary's fun-filled colorful illustrations.It's a real treat! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. General    3. Halloween    4. Holidays (non religious)    5. Seasonal    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Cooking / General   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (9)

Beautiful designs, and not too complicated.
It is amazing how Debbie Bliss can create new designs, and still keep clean simple lines.I don't really like 'fussy' or cutesy sweaters, so this book is perfect.Most of the designs are like you would find in an upscale children's store, BUT the patterns are actually pretty simple.I would give the book 5 stars, but there aren't any schematics in the book (which I find very useful).

Great Book
I love every pattern in this book. They are all pretty trendy and updated fashions.

Schematics????
I do wish more of DB's books had diagrams.Schematics are essential for gaining a quick understanding of shape and fit of a pattern.Many of her patterns feature photographs that do not adequately reveal details such as the type of sleeve join. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's clothing    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Knitting    6. Needlework - Knitting    7. Patterns    8. Sweaters    9. Crafts & Hobbies / Knitting   

Features

• Bargain Price

Reviews (8)

Small Spaces
I browsed this book first at my local bookstore and wasn't interested at first but then just decided to buy it and i've been very satisfied. It's not your "usual" interior design book with just lots of beautiful photos - this one offers case studies with actual floor plans as well plus good information about the projects.
#3 out of 7 "Small decor" books rated
I place this 3rd among the 7 "decorating small spaces" books I bought.This is the only exception to my objections about those focusing on European dwellings. Conran features London & Paris apts (plus Hong Kong & an Italian stable!), but unlike others, some ideas are adaptable in America. Most units are 300-400 sq. ft.; the largest is 1000. Photos are helpful, except for a few so arty they require a double take to figure out what you're actually supposed to be seeing. Charming Intro portrays creative "expansion" of tiny areas-everything from a 1940s mobile van to a treehouse.

I expected more creativity
Banal works. This book is not what I was expecting. Poor creativity to deal with small spaces. Don't spend money with this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Interior Design - General    7. Interior decoration    8. Interior design    9. Residential Interior Design    10. House & Home / Decorating    11. Bargain   

Editorial Review

By now most readers even marginally interested in home decorating are familiar with the democratic principles of decorating elaborated in Rachel Ashwell's first book, Read more

Reviews (39)

A Wonderful Guide.
I find this book incredibly useful for tips in buying things, old and new, for my home. The handwritings in this book are readable, and I am not a native speaker! And it is interesting to see how Ms. Ashwell's taste and eye get more and more refined over the years. I appreciate work by other great interior designers like Jacques Grange and the late David Hicks and my style is not very much shabby chic at all. But for everyday living, I find Ms. Ashwell's advice to be adaptable and elegant. This book does not disappoint.

Beautiful!
Ms. Ashwell continues to inspire me with great collecting and decorating tips.She actually shares her sources, which is refreshing.

Inspiration for those who love vintage things
Before I even finished the book, I had to rummage out my odd selection of cream pitchers and glasses to fill with wildflowers.The photos inspire you to enjoy vintage fabrics, china and furniture in a fresh way.
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Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. House furnishings    7. Interior decoration    8. Interior design    9. Secondhand trade    10. Art / General    11. Home furnishing & decoration   

Reviews (3)

Great little Christmas book
After Martha Stewart went to prison, I guessed that perhaps the price of her books would go down due to lack of demand for them.
Martha the great
If the cookie crumbles, Martha will make pie crust crumbs out of it, just as she is doing in prison (COUGH).Her recipes are wonderful, her holiday spirit contagious...what can you say about a woman who bakes with Elmo and Miss Piggy for her Christmas specials?
This book MUST be in your cookbook collection!
I have read this newly-published cookbook from cover to cover today and I LOVE IT!It's not surprising Martha Stewart could put together a collection of recipes representing the Christmas holiday.Some cookbooks only focus on Christmas cookies or only Thanksgiving, but this cookbook highlights sophisticated recipes from drinks (I hadn't seen a Ramos Gin Fizz in a cookbook ever!) to entrees and of course, desserts.Sure, there are only so many things you can do with cranberries, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pumpkins, but these are not tired, redone recipes just so she could publish yet another cookbook.This book is polished, much like the format of her h'ors d'oeuvres book.Beautiful photographs, great recipes.Anyone who loves cooking during the Christmas holidays, and not just bake cookies, will definitely love this cookbook! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christmas cookery    2. Christmas cooking    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Food Science    6. Holiday - Christmas/Hanukkah    7. Holiday - General    8. Cooking / Holiday   

Reviews (16)

Shift in Focus to Parties, Away from Home Decorating
Maybe "Elegant Shabby Chic" would have been a better name for the book.The photos are gorgeous.The events the author created are lavish affairs for Hollywood socialites.The reader can find inspiration from these and depending on the budget, create your own event.
Beautiful picture book.
I was in great anticipation of this book because I found her previous ones (with the exception of the Gift Giving one which I have not read) to be beautiful, inspiring and filled with great, new to me, information. I wasn't expecting another book like the first ones and had I, I think I would have been disappointed. What I was expecting, however, was just another beautiful book filled with wonderful images to give my brain a creative spark. And it did just that.
best cottage style reference
If you like the casual comfortable look of overstuffed slip covered furniture, this is the best reference you could buy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Decorating    2. Decorating - General    3. Design - Decorative    4. Dining rooms    5. Entertaining    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Interior Design    9. Interior decoration    10. Party decorations    11. Table setting and decoration    12. Etiquette & entertaining    13. Home furnishing & decoration    14. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (4)

Jerry's book of garden solutions
Great book!A gradening book with humor and great "old-fashion" advice that actually works.What more can you want from a book.Easy to read, fun to read and very informative.I recommend it highly!

jerry bakers giant book of garden solutions
i really liked the book and found it very user friendly

Great Resource for gardening tips
As with many other Jerry Baker books, this one is filled with unique recipes that are easy to make.He also gives out a variety of tips on gardening in general, and then on a variety of plants. The scope of this book is broad as he covers getting your beds ready, chosing what to plant, what to plant next to each other, and how to keep your garden growing well.He also tells you how to harvest, store your veggies, and he even tells you how to cook some of the items that come out your garden.
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Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Home Gardening    5. Organic    6. Reference    7. Techniques    8. Gardening / Techniques   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (26)

Great Overall for Beginners
I have been knitting for the past five years and found this book to be a wonderful resource for beginners patterns and reference for basic knitting.The sketches of finishing stitches really helped me perfect my finishing, which I had been having trouble perfecting with other knitting books.The patterns are beautiful and modern, although if you are not using Debbie Bliss yarns make sure to use comparable yarns as far as the ply is concerned.The only reason that I wouldn't give the book a 5 is that there are several mistakes in some patterns.Some more recently printed copies have these corrected, but after receiving your copy I would reccomend double checking the print against the corrections noted on Debbie Bliss' website.Aside from that this is a wonderful book and I highly reccomend to beginning knitters.

What a surprise!
I bought this book sight unseen as a "twofer."To my surprise it is THE best book full of practical, simple patterns for babies from newborn (a hard size to find) through 24 months.I highly recommend it for your knitting library.

Terrific designs for beginners
I hadn't knitted in over 20 years and now that I'm expecting, I saw a Debbie Bliss pattern in the UK parenting magazine "Junior" and thought the sweater was so cute that I'd give it a try. I bought some Rowan yarn from a local shop and started knitting. (You can use other yarns, but you need to make a tension square as she instructs you to in the beginning.) The sweater turned out so cute that I bought this book, in spite of the warnings that her patterns are hard to read, and I have already made the hat and booties and have ordered some of her yarn for the blanket and another sweater.
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Subjects:  1. Clothing    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Infants    6. Infants' clothing    7. Knitting    8. Needlework - General    9. Needlework - Knitting    10. Patterns    11. CHILDREN'S CLOTHING    12. Crafts & Hobbies / Fashion    13. INFANTS_CLOTHING   

Reviews (2)

Norm is my American Idol!
Since purchasing and renovating a turn of the century farmhouse I have read everything I could get my hands on, including almost every back issue of TOH magazine. I could not put this book down until I finished it. I didn't even know what a joist was when I fell in love and decided to buy a house in the country. I learned so much by reading this book. Thanks Norm!

A Cut Above the Rest of Home Improvement Books
This is an excellent book..answers questions to many (very many) questions on home improvement.A great book for novice and expert alike (trust me, you're never to old to learn).basement, doors, ventilation, Oh, my...I liked it.Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Do-It-Yourself - General    3. Dwellings    4. General    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. Houses    8. Maintenance and repair    9. Miscellanea    10. Remodeling & Renovation - General    11. Repair   

Reviews (5)

Sweet but dated...
In 2006 this book looks quite dated.The photos don't seem quite... modern.I can tell that this was published more than a decade ago just by looking at the super-annuated home fashions.Pretty but not of today!!!!!

Color:Natural Palettes for Painted Rooms by Donald Kaufman
This book was recommended to me by an Interior Designer.I have literally spent pleasurable hours studying this book in preparation for decorating and ten years later redecorating our home.It is absolutely THE BEST source I have found and I have shared it lovingly with others.
I was a little disappointed....
that there wasn't more info on what pigments the author used to create the colors for each of his beautiful palettes .Read more

Subjects:  1. Color in interior decoration    2. Decorating    3. Decorating - General    4. Decoration    5. Domestic    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Interior Design - Style Books    9. Interior design    10. Interior walls    11. Residential Interior Design    12. Home furnishing & decoration    13. House & Home / Decorating   

Reviews (3)

Hannah Broitman - Avid Knitter
The baby patterns in this book were good.In fact, the reason for buying the book was because of the baby patterns.However, the patterns for the adults were not exciting.

Practiced beginner projects that make you look experienced
I haven't knitted for 15 years (which basically makes me a beginner again) and wanted to pick it back up now that I'm home with our new baby. Because I didn't want to spend months just knitting scarves but knowing I wasn't ready to attempt complicated designs, I tried this book. I practiced some stiches on scrap yarn, then started with one of the infant sweaters. It was fairly easy as long as I took my time at some of the shaping areas. The outcome was wonderful even though I used less-expensive yarn (Debbie Bliss yarns are beautiful but expensive) that had the same gauge. All of the designs are charming - most are for infants and toddlers with a few for adult women. The patterns are easy to read and I especially like that she includes finished measurements so that I could knit in a few extra rows for my daughter who is a bit taller than the standard measurements. So if you are a beginning knitter who is now comfortable with common stitches you can knit these designs and end up with more than just another scarf in your closet.

Another Winner!!!
I LOVE this book. I must admit that I do own all that Debbie Bliss has published-- but this is really a great book. I am already making the Fair Isle Dress for my daughter-- and I LOVE the mohair pillows and throw. Also some adorable layette items,Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Fashion    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Knitting    6. Needlework - Knitting    7. Patterns    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Knitting   

Reviews (1)

Project for every level of quilter!
If you're one of Alex Anderson's fans and can't get enough of her on the television program, Simply Quilts, you have an opportunity to experience twelve timeless projects for the nursery, and get a "snapshot" of Alex as a child at the same time.
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Subjects:  1. Children's quilts    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Patchwork    6. Patterns    7. Quilt Making    8. Quilting    9. Quilts & Quilting    10. Quiltmaking   

Reviews (7)

Great color charts
I saw a video of Jinny's quilts and was impressed with her color coordination. The book shows many examples of "tumbling blocks" quilts which are really impressive. The book's color charts provide swatches that you can match at the store when buying fabrics. This makes it easy to coordinate colors to your home decor. (The original book I received did not contain the chart; but with a quick call to Amazon, a replacement was shipped to me within 2 days.)

Excellent Resource
Colour theory has always fascinated me and I have read many books about it.This is the first I have come across which deals so comprehensively with the art of using colour in patchwork.Some things I discovered I was doing instinctively, but this book has clarified the process and broadened out my understanding of what works and why.The format is easy to read, the exercises are fun to do whilst stretching the quilter to do things differently to what they have been accustomed.The inclusion of the colour cards in the back of the book is a real bonus and an excellent tool for playing with. I highly recommend this book as a tool for anyone interested in colour; I plan to give it as a gift to others who enjoy the craft.

Beautiful results from understanding the "logic" of color
Wow! Jinny Beyer unlocks the secrets of color. This text provides a very clear, straightforward and logical approach to choosing color palettes. Anyone can take advantage of the ideas in this book and I recommend it to anyone looking for a source of inspiration. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Quilts & Quilting    5. Crafts & Hobbies / Quilts & Quilting    6. Patchwork & applique    7. Quiltmaking