Giveaway Opportunity for 12 Steampunk Books from Quayside Publishing

Giveaway of 12 Steampunk related books from Quayside including the NEW Anatomy of Steampunk, available at the Craftside blog.  Hop on over today to enter for a chance to win this great value of Steampunk books.

Here is a list of just a few of the books:

Anatomy of Steampunk

1,000 Steampunk Creations

How to Draw Steampunk

Steampunk Style Jewelry

Steampunk Chic

and some great cosplay books too!

Stefanie has also posted a great tutorial on how to make a "Steampunk Blaster Gun" from Katherine Gleeson's new book, just scroll down the post and you will see a link to download the tutorial.  And if you are going to be in Burbank, CA on November 15th a 4 PM you can meet the author Katherine Gleason, Donna Ricci and more of the fabulous peeple invloved with Anatomy of Steampunk please join Stefanie, Katherine, and Donna for a fun time at Clockwork Couture.  Dressing in your finest Steampunk wear at the 15th event is encouraged.

Book Review: Precut Patchwork Party: Projects to Sew and Craft with Fabric Strips, Squares and Fat Quarters by Elaine Schmidt

   I love that the new book "Precut Patchwork Party: Projects to Sew and Craft with Fabric Strips, Squares, and Fat Quarters" by Elaine Schmidt utilizes the often overlooked gorgeous precut fabric squares and shows the reader how to use them to make fun and easy projects in a short time frame. What is even more exciting is that this book inspires me to cut old shirts into useable strips that I can apply to projects to upcycle old fabric into something useful. 
     These days, the selection of beautiful fabric patterns that are available in precut fabric squares is amazing. However, I do not have time to make a quilt. Thankfully this book shows the reader how to utilize some of those squares and make them into useful home décor and gift items. Most of the projects can be done in an afternoon, which is about all the time I can spend on a project with my schedule. Here is a list of the projects offered in this cute book:

Home Decor Projects

• Reversible table runner
• Mix and Match placemats, napkins and napkin rings
• Patchwork Table Topper
• Director's chair cover
• Modern patchwork pillow and lampshade
• Window valence and pillows
• Modular headboard and accent pillows
• Tea cozy, trivet, and tea towel,

Accessories, Weables, and Gifts

• Pretty pleated purse
• Reversible tote and clutch bag
• Hobo bag
• Easy, breezy little girl's dress
• Roll and ruffle skirt
• Snuggle Blanket and soft blocks
• Duffle bag and pillowcase
• Bargello Yoga mat bag
• Tisket tasket fabric basket
• Mommy and me aprons, pot holder and oven mitt

    The author, Elaine Schmidt, explains the difference between fat quarters, strips, squares and fat eighths to the reader, as well as how to prepare for sewing. There is also a section on sewing supplies. I really like the way the author kept this section simple.
    There is also a general techniques section that has some great photo's which offer a visual of the various techniques. I especially liked the explanation on how to make box pleats, it was simple and straight to the point. The author made the directions for this are simple and easy to follow, even for a beginner level sewer.

    Precut Patchwork Party: Projects to Sew and Craft with Fabric Strips, Squares and Fat Quarters includes projects that will appeal to a variety of different level sewers. I think that advance sewers would already know a lot of the techniques in the book but might enjoy the fun projects. It is really a matter of what a person is looking for in a project. 

     My daughter, who is a beginner sewer, loved the rosette project. It is a great way to use those left over pieces of fabric.  It would also be a great project for use with recycled fabric from old clothing.

    As you can see it is a simple project that can be completed in less than a half hour with minimal hand sewing skills. Some of the other projects are a little more complicated and I would recommend working with your child if they want to make them. 
    This book also includes a few patterns. There is a pattern for the "roll and ruffle skirt", the pot holders, the duffle bag and the pillow case.  Most of the projects are made from squares or strips, so you do not really need a pattern since the directions are so straight forward and easy to follow. 
Another great example of how is the directions are, is the tea cozy project, where all you need to do is measure the tea cozy and use pre-measured strips of fabric to sew it together.  It is a project that is easily completed in an afternoon.  I really enjoyed reading this book.  The book has a lot of straight sewing and beginner level techniques which provides a nice foundation for my daughter and I to do some of the projects together. There is also a very cute "pretty pleated purse" project that I am hoping to find time to make. That one will take an afternoon.
     I would recommend "Precut Patchwork Party" to any beginner level sewer who wants to be able to complete a cute project within a short time span. 


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Craftside Blog Boston Comic Con Huge Pile of Books Giveaway Link

Great news, the Craftside Blog is having a HUGE pile of book and fun prize items giveaway in honor of the Boston Comic Con event this week.  The contest runs until Sunday, August 4 at 11:59 pm.

The Crazy Boston Comic Con Giveaway includes: 

Walter Foster's

How to Draw Zombies: Discover the secrets to drawing, painting, and illustrating the undead (Fantasy Underground)

Rockport's Science Fiction and Fantasy Art and Creating Comics

Fair Wind's Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day!

Quarry's Drawn In, 1000 Steampunk Creations, 1000 Incredible Costume & Cosplay Ideas (2 editions), Drawing Comics Lab

Aurum's Terry Nation: The Man Who Invented the Daleks, and a certificate for an advanced copy of Magic Words: the Extraordinary Life of Alan Moore 

a small sewing kit, two coasters, and decorative pirate garland from Lilla Rogers.

They are using rafflecopter which gives you plenty of opportunities to increase your entries in their giveway.  You can enter the giveaway at the Craftside Blog.

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A Priceless Wedding: Crafting a Meaningful, Memorable, and Affordable Celebration by Sara Cotner : Book Review

I was surprised at how much I liked "A Priceless Wedding", if you are planning a small tasteful wedding that reflects the personality of the bride and groom within a reasonable budget, then this book will help.  Recently, I helped a relative plan a small wedding and this book has proved to be very helpful. We had a small budget to work with. We also needed to take into consideration the likes and dislikes of both the bride and groom (while at the same time taking into consideration their two very different families). 
      At first all those factors seemed overwhelming, however, the book was able to provide us with some very helpful information that made the process much more enjoyable.
      The bride and groom dislike anything fancy and pretentious. So in order to get a better idea of what she likes, we had the bride start with the "Wedding Vision Collage" project recommended in the book.  She soon found herself to be overwhelmed. That clearly gave us insight to the fact that we needed to keep things simple for her. 
      We turned to the "Vision Setting Work Sheets" which proved to be helpful in guiding her efforts to figure what she really wanted in her wedding. Additionally, the questions asked in that section encourage the bride and groom to think about a variety of issues such as the example below:
     "How do you want to spend your time in the days and hours leading up to your wedding, as well as in the hours and days following your wedding?"
     Well, once they thought about it, they decided that their somewhat complicated lives and actual budget meant that they should keep things tasteful and simplified.

     We also liked the "Traditional Elements" checklist. It has elements such as dress, veil, bouquets, etc. The list keeps track of things that can sometimes be over-looked when deciding 

what to keep and what to reject. The book has a section that I found amusing that listed great reasons to reject high-ticket items. For example: Do you need the big crystal covered white puffy dress? It points out that it takes one or more people to help the bride put on that type of gown. It is also hard to dance in, expensive to buy, and you only get wear it once (unless you are really talented in garment reconstruction...then might not matter to you).

     Wedding Cake Topper can get expensive.  This couple bought a Cinderella statue at Disneyland that was the same price as a cake topper they had looked at.  The bride loves all things Disney, so this statue will join her collection and be a loving reminder of their special day.  In this case, it was a better investment to use the statue than use a traditional cake topper (that only gets to be used once).

     "A Priceless Wedding" has some great suggestions and ideas in many aspects of a DIY wedding. This includes: entertainment, table décor, flowers, venues, etc. It encourages the reader to use their creativity in planning different elements of their wedding.  In the photo below, the bride used a table runner and matching ribbon to the tables at her wedding.

To coordinate the look, she put the same runner on all the tables and the bridal table.

The ceremony was an outdoor ceremony, so the bride printed personalized labels (that coordinate with the table decor) for the water bottles that she provided each guest.

She also kept the same theme in the floral swags she made up to put on the chairs used for the wedding ceremony.

At another DIY wedding I recently attended, the bride utilized her own creativity to create photo opportunities for her guests that were affordable and fun.  She started by recycling an old frame.  She painted the old frame and then provided some simple fun props for her guests to use.  This allowed us to get some fun and silly pictures.

The bride also printed out a cute little sign to be used in various "bride & groom" type shots.  It was an inexpensive touch that created a darling photo (and she was able to put the sign in her memory book).

In the photo below, the bride used simple parosol for her and her attendants,

which was an accent that not only looked beautiful but it also afforded some sun protection for 

the bridesmaids during the ceremony.  It also looked beautiful in her wedding photo's.

Overall, it has been a very helpful book. Bottom line, if you are looking for a $45,000 wedding with all the frills, this book is not for you. However, if you are planning a small tasteful wedding that reflects the personality of the bride and groom within a reasonable budget, then this book will help you plan the various features that you may want to include in your wedding. 
    

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500 15-minute Low Sodium Recipes No-Bake Tea Cookie Link

I have been looking for a way to lower the amount of sodium in my families diet, and found that the Book "500 15-minute Low Sodium Recipes" has some great recipes with easy to follow low sodium recipes.

The recipes in this book are easy to make which makes a difference with my busy lifestyle.  However, why not decide for yourself.   Today, Stefanie Girard has listed a no-bake "Tea Cookie" recipe from the book for readers to try for themselves at the Craftside blog.  Give it a try and see if you think it is as good as I do.

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Zakka Handmades Blog Tour 2013 With Give-A-Ways at Every Stop.

Zakka Handmades Blog Tour 2013, begins today and runs through Wednesday, July 17, 2013.  At every stop, readers get a chance to win a copy of the new book "Zakka Handmades" by Amy Morinaka.

The list below are a very talented group of bloggers and designers who are taking part in the Zakka Handmades Blog Tour:

6/24/13 - Kerry verykerryberry  (interview post)

6/26/13  Sachiko Tea Rose Home 

6/28/13  Jeni In Color Order 

7/1/13 – Amber One Shabby Chick 

7/3/13 – Kristen Feeling Stitchy 

7/5/13 – Hiromi Harujion Design 

7/8/13 – Amy nanaCompany 

7/10/13 – Lisa and Sarah A Spoonful of Sugar 

7/12/13 – Mette Erleperle   

7/15/13 – Sarah and Rachel Roxy Creations 

7/17/13 - Anna Noodlehead

Note: They will have a giveaway at every stop so make sure to follow along with the tour!

Feel free to grab the button above at Amy's blog:

このたび、著書の出版にあたり、上記の日程で「ブログツアー」を開催することになりました。ブログツアーとは、懇意にさせていただいている手芸ブロガーさん方のご協力のもと、皆さんそれぞれのブログで私の著書を紹介していただく企画です。

ブロガーさん方のご協力なしでは実現できない、大変有難い企画なのです！今回、快く引き受けて下さったブロガーさんは、皆さん揃ってお忙しい人気ブロガーの方ばかり。お住まいの地域も、アメリカ、オーストラリア、デンマーク、イギリス・・・など世界各地から参加して下さいます。

ブログ中にはプレゼント企画もありますので是非皆さんも遊びにいらしてくださいね。

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Allergy Free "Enjoy Life's (TM) Cupcakes and Sweet Treats For Everyone!"

If you have gluten intolerance's or have to be wary of specific allergens, the book "Enjoy Life's Cupcakes and Sweet Treats for Everyone" will be of interest for you.  The book offers more than 150 recipes that are allergy friendly.   I recently read my friend's copy of the book

"Enjoy Life's(TM) Cupcakes and Sweet Treats for Everyone!: 150 Delicious Treats That Are Safe for Anyone with Food Allergies, Intolerance's, and Sensitivities" and was pleased to find some really easy to follow recipes.  I tried out the Cinnamon Scone recipe and my kids love them.  I have to say that this book has a really good selection of allergy free and gluten free recipes for baked good, cupcakes, scones and more.

If you want to see the sample recipe that I tried from the book, Stefani Girard has posted a great recipe for "Cinnamon Scones" on the Craftside blog for her readers to try.  It will give you a good idea of how good these recipes are for those who need alternatives because of allergy or gluten issues.

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