Its getting to be holiday season so I thought a few crafty books might be a good option this month. These might be good to get you in the mood to decorate for the holidays or as idea starters for gifts.
Washi Tape: 101+ Ideas for Paper Crafts, Book Arts, Fashion, Decorating, Entertaining, and Party Fun! by Courtney Cerruti
When I found this book, I thought it would be kind of cute but it turned out to be quite clever. The photography is lovely and the book includes not only projects but also tips for the best tools for writing on washi tape and storage of washi collections as well. If you are someone like me with WAY too much washi tape (or you know someone who owns way too much washi tape), you might want to pick up a copy of this book. While many of the ideas might seem obvious once you look at the book, its nice to have a pretty little resource for quick and easy ways to dress up your surroundings with all your wonderful washi tape. I scored this book secondhand which is a fine way to purchase books if you have that option. You could easily combine this book with a couple rolls of washi tape and it would make a lovely gift for a friend of loved one too.
BiblioCraft: The Modern Crafter’s Guide to Using Library Resources to Jumpstart Creative Projects by Jessica Pigza
I picked up this book a few months ago and have really enjoyed the diverse mix of projects inspired by ideas you can find in your library. I also like some of the reference material included in the book about copyrights and how to find resources at your local libraries including online resources and special collections. It’s just a great resource for finding new sources of inspiration and information to inspire you, even if the craft projects might not necessarily be your cup of tea. I think any book that helps people better leverage library materials near and far for creative endeavors of any sort is a good thing. IF you can turn those into an embroidered cushion, knitting project, wall hanging or inspiration for your next art project than that’s even better! I found my copy at a local secondhand book shop for a few bucks and it was money well spent.
Draw Paint Print like the Great Artists by Marion Deuchars
I mentioned this book on an episode of Art Supply Posse recently. I borrowed the book from my work library but ended up buying a copy because I liked the book so much. It is filled with projects based on techniques of famous artists like Any Warhol’s bloopy pen drawings, Matisse’s cut paper collages and so forth. Throughout the book there are spaces to try out the exercises, workbook-style and there are pages in the back that can be removed to use for the cut paper exercises. The text is all handwritten and all the tools are hand drawn beautifully. The chapter titles are done in a beautiful, loose brush script and the whole book is printed on a soft newsprint-like paper making it feel un-precious and playful. A co-worker said they found a copy of the book in their local bookstore in the kids section and several people who’ve looked at it have commented that it would make a great resource for introducing children to some of the techniques used by famous modern artists as teaching tools. If you know an art teacher, this would make a great gift for sure. Or if, like me you are a bit of a kid at heart, you might need a copy for yourself.
