Cut It, Paste It, Sew It: A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook (Quarry Books, September 2010, $17.99, paperback) arrived in the mail and I immediately read it straight through. This book is so inspiring.

The book is a collection of artist interviews, sneak peeks into studios, and beautiful documentation of all of their work.

Oh of course I love this book. It’s a little touch of everything I love to dabble in: tutorials to learn the basics, projects to try out, and photos to tantalize the senses.

Each issue of Crochet Today! is filled with a mix of garments, super cuteness, and and home decor. More than any other crochet magazine, I tend to actually want to make most of them. They also include these great articles on crochet themed ideas. Check out the rest of this month’s issue…

It was too much for one post, so I broke my bookish happiness into two. Part 1 was how to make time, part 2 is about affording it.

When I really get in a reading mood, I can blaze through a book or two a week. At $10-15 each, books can add up. Honestly, that’s just not an option. Here is how I keep my hunger for books fed and affordable:

This past Saturday my friend Crystal passed on what she called a “craft leftover” from the 70′s craft book. It’s such perfect timing since the July issue of Craft Leftovers Monthly is about using fabric scraps. This short book of just 132 pages is stuffed with whimsical patterns, advice, and tips on using up your [...]

I was cleaning out my studio yesterday and a print out of this quick dishcloth pattern fell out from between two knitting magazines. Perfect! The Garterlac Dishcloth by Criminy Jickets on ravelry here and on his blog here.

I’m having a hard time finishing this book because about every other paragraph I’m compelled to run off and jot something down. Committing to my idea list inspired ideas that keep raising to the surface. I love this book, it’s so inspiring. So what is it all about?

The meaning of making is always an issue for those of us who create…who make. That sentence feels like a circle. When you choose to forge your career out of making things, you make a lot. And personally, there are a lot of questions that come up during that process. My friend, collaborator, and mentor [...]

House cleaning is a hassle. Period. And no book will ever change that. Period. That being said, reading No Hassle Housecleaning by Christina Spence left me feeling like  cleaning could be less of a hassle than it currently is. I’ve been working with the fly lady system of housecleaning for awhile now. I have to admit [...]

This past year Diane of the CraftyPod and I decided to collaborate on a short and sweet little ebook on what to do with those leftovers related to giving gifts. Five months later, this amazing ebook has turned in to a 63 page resource on paper making, collaging with fabric, and combining that annoying curling [...]