Review: Hand Lettering for Everyone: a creative workbook

I've always been a sucker for a good creative book and this lovely piece by Cristina Vanko is no exception. Behold - Hand-lettering for Everyone!:

Heck - even the cover art has me sold. Could you imagine being able to make your own beautiful letters and sayings with your own two hands (well more likely with one hand since very few of us are ambidextrous)? I certainly have high pen pal aspirations for myself and although the extent of my hand lettering at the moment is attempting to print legibly I have been dabbling with more exaggerated handwriting that I stitch up with my embroidery hoops and it is all sorts of fun.  Why not take that lettering to a new level and take a peek at a whole publication dedicated to helping you hone your own pen written style?    

I really like how the pages in this book flow and (as you may know about me and my themed book reviews) I do enjoy a creative workbook.  Cristina starts off this book with the basics and moves over to more sketchbook journal type exercises - all with interesting fonts and images to draw you in, just look at that contents page:

I really enjoy the contrast and use of black and white that helps the beautiful hand written text pop and stand out for its form.  How gorgeous does this round and loop-y page look?

I may be bias for that tea reference - but you can decide what you think for yourself.

Throughout my self-taught designing years I have picked up quite a bit about the history and fundamentals of print and font but it's nice to see it all spelled out for you without being too dry or repetitive. 

I especially enjoy how the author takes each element of lettering styles and shows you how to change up little details to make your own personal font style - like she does here with the serif's:

She even throws in loads of examples and interesting facts to keep you going:

According to this I am an open, visionary, relaxed and artistic type! Oh my! Flattery clearly makes me like this book even more. Haha.

Throw all the information together and in no time you'll be lettering like the best of them!

I totally want to start using these creative techniques and inspirations in my embroidery work and will be sure to keep you posted if I come up with anything amazing (here's hoping anyways).

So my verdict? This book rocks.  It covers enough background and factual information to give you a good design basis and leads you through loads of exercises to stretch your creative bones. Good on you Cristina Vanko! 

So what about you? Do you have your own hand-lettering style? Ready to dabble into more creative font making? 

Review: Start Where You Are - a journal for self-exploration

It's time for more book reviews and today I'm bringing you a beautiful and inspiring new book called "Start Where You Are - a journal for self-exploration" by Meera Lee Patel.  (Available now on amazon (link) and worldwide at awesome book stores).  I'm totally swooning over Meera's watercolours and the cover of the book is no exception:

This interactive book features all sorts of amazing full-colour inspiring quotes and sayings that on their own would be fun pinned up or framed in my craft room!  I apparently need to explore watercolours more often because these washes and lettering are just perfectly imperfect:

To be honest, the first thing I did when I got the book was flip through and read the left hand page quotes and drawings - but after that initial excitement was finished I read the right hand pages and started to work on the journal part of the book.  Although I am certainly not a novice to self-help type media, I am super impressed how much this book made me reflect on my life in a different way.  It encourages creativity and lets you explore what matters most to you.  Yep - sounds a little cheese balls...but I am all over stuff like that. Here are a few example pages:

Pretty cool hey? As with most journaling experiences the book got quite personal pretty quickly so I was feeling a bit hesitant plastering my inner thoughts on the internet - but I got over that pretty quickly.  If you're appalled at my thoughts then perhaps you should reconsider reading this? Here are a few pages I found particularly powerful:

My verdict on the book? It made me feel inspired to become a better person, more creative, and ready to conquer any challenges life faces me with. Seriously though - it was that good.  

So what do you think? Do you ever dive into self-help journaling? Has it changed the way you look at things? And while we're at it - what advice would you give yourself as a child? 

Book Review: Fairy Gardening and Fairy Gardening 101

I'm not one to ever pass up a good book review opportunity- so for today, let me present two wonderfully whimsical books I got the pleasure of checking out for Skyhorse Publishing on the subject of fairy gardening:

 Ok, so that first statement I made isn't entirely true.  I get lots of emails from publishers asking me if I am interested in reviewing their books and I only actually agree when they are on subjects I'm interested in - and since I enjoy gardening (even if I'm not so great at it) and cute mythical little creatures (such as fairies) I figured these books were right up my alley. 

The first book we will be looking at is "Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden" by Julie Bawdin-Davis and Beverly Turner.  As the cover hints, this book is full of inspiring creative little magical gardens with loads of pictures and ideas for making your own.

Julie and Beverly outline the seven simple steps to make your own miniature garden and give loads of tips and tricks for creating focus, movement, and interest in your creation.  I really like how they give you the basis of what to look for when getting supplies but still leaves plenty of space to personalize your garden and tailor it to your taste.  I also really enjoyed all of the big bright pictures in the book that really let you focus on the details and whimsy of each idea. Just look how cute this little guy is with a puppy:    

Beyond the magical creative parts of this type of gardening, it also gives you some solid gardening tips perfect for miniature gardening including how to proliferate tiny succulents:

and a full detailed list of what types of plants work well in miniature form:

I found the plants list particularly helpful since I often try to plant things in pots that really shouldn't be grown in pots which leads to their eventual death... It also left me aching to grow my own dwarf bonsai tree! 

Once you add all of the elements up you can end up with your own mini garden perfect for some charming inhabitants like this Alice In Wonderland themed pot (my personal favourite):

Next up for review is "Fairy Gardening 101: How to Design, Plant, Grow, and Create over 25 Miniature Gardens" by Fiona McDonald.  Once again the purple glittery lettering drew me in and the images on this book really demonstrate the step by step process of making these gardens. 

This publication was excellent at outlining which types of containers and plants work best for miniature gardening and shows the steps to create many different types of gardens.  I like how this book gives you specific sample gardens to make and really spells out the process.  Of course you can always add in your own creative touches, but it is a great starting point for a novice gardener. 

I also really enjoyed the variety of fairy eden's you could make including this standard fairy garden,:

this lovely mexican themed cacti pot,:

and (my personal gardening weakness) a terrarium!:

Fiona also shows you how to create both indoor and outdoor gardens that totally appealed to my inner child (and I imagine my fairy-loving niece would be all over)! This book also had instructions to make your own fairies and fairy accessories.  After searching for my own ceramic magical friends to put in my own miniature gardens I realized that they really aren't the easiest things to find - so making your own is an awesome option.  

In comparison - both books did a marvellous job of opening me up to the world of fairy gardening and each had their own way to helping you create your masterpiece.  The first book offered loads of inspiring images and information even an experienced gardener could put to use while the second showed very clear step-by-step instructions (with pictures) on making specific types of gardens.  I personally feel that Fairy Gardening 101 would be the best choice if you were planning on making a garden with a young child (or perhaps someone who needs a little more direction with their creativity), while the first Fairy Gardening book lets you take it a step beyond and allows you to focus in on the elements to make one heck of a lovely piece!  As always, this is just my opinion - so your best bet is to buy the books and decide for yourself!

So what was my take home message after reading these books? I clearly need loads of creatures in my plant pots at home!  With market season in full swing I haven't found time to make up lots of fairy items (which I'm thinking would be awesome to make our of polymer clay), but I did land this darling little brass deer who seems right at home with some of my succulents:

Ok. I've got a ways to go before I've mastered this art - but as soon as I find some extra time I will be sure to update you on my miniature magical gardens!

So how about you? Did you always try to make little fairy havens when you were a kid like I did? If so - it's probably time to revisit that magic and get crafting! Happy gardening everyone! 

Review: How to be Happy (or at least less sad)

When I was approached to do a review of Lee Crutchley's new book "How to be Happy (or at least less sad)" I was thrilled to jump on the opportunity.  Although it may not be a well known fact about me - I am a long time supporter and believer in self help books and since May is National Mental Health Month there is no better time than the present to get started! As with all my reviews, this is not a paid advertisement but just my honest opinion on what I thought of this book.

As soon as this book arrived in my hot little hands I had a feeling I was going to love it.  As I previously stated I have read my fair share of self help books and unlike the usual touchy/feely and often spiritual themes that I glaze over this one looks super down to earth.  I love the hand written and illustrated style and similar to the last book I reviewed (All the Lovely Things) (link), this baby is a creative journal with loads of exercises to guide you on your journey to happiness. I really like how hands on the approach is and how it actively engages you to take a look at your life and the things that make it happy or sad.  Here are a few samples of some of the workbook pages I found helpful:

The book is engaging and witty in its own way and even though some of the exercises seem abstract they do end up encouraging a shift towards positive thinking.  I also really like the black pages in the book that offer inspirational quotes and images like these:

and my personal fave:

I may even end up ripping that page out and sticking it on my bulletin board as a reminder to slow down when I get overly anxious or stressed (a common occurrence in my life and struggle with chronic illness).

After my initial perusal of the book I dove into actually doing the exercises.  At first I felt a little cheesy writing and drawing out my feelings, but the exercises are written in such an honest and laid back way that it became quite easy and strangely powerful. I have been trying for years to shift all my negative thinking into positive alternatives and this book was like a big kick in a good direction! I'm not about to reveal all the activities and drawings I did (especially the more personal sad things), but here are a few samples of quick exercises I did that left me feeling pretty darned great:

Yay! Looking back I wish I had made myself an award for being a master laundress.  I pretty much always spill on myself and through years of perfecting my skills am getting really good at getting stains out! (Ok...that was a bit of a side track). 

All in all I am very pleased with this book. It is a perfect place to start feeling better and being happier by actively engaging yourself through the series of exercises.  It really appeals to the creative side in me and I especially loved the lack of "fluffy feel-y garbage" lots of other self help books seem to drone on about.  The book comes out today (May 5th) and is a great item to pick up for National Anxiety and Depression Awareness week (also this week)! When it comes down to it - who doesn't want to be happier and less stressed out with their life? So what do you think? Do you seek out self help? What do you do to make your life less sad?

Review: All Lovely Things

A few weeks ago I received an email asking me if I would like to review Lea Redmond's new book "All Lovely Things - A Field Journal for the Objects That Define Us" that is being released today (March 3rd, 2015)! I obviously jumped on the offer (hence this post and review) and am beyond impressed with how well suited this book is for me. I am always interested in books and journals that help me stretch my creative muscles and this one is the perfect resource to prompt all sorts of meaningful and reflective drawings.  It's a wonderful illustrated guide that helps you better understand yourself through the items and objects that fill in the background of the story of your life.  Before I go much further, I'd like to say that this is by no means a paid promotion - I just really, really ended up loving this publication.  Let's take a look:

The first thirteen pages or so of the book outline how to use this journal to document meaningful objects in your life.  Lea takes you through a series of experiments to get your creative juices flowing and to help you connect with special items and important people in your life.  To help you understand the concept of the proposed project even further, she has filled out a few pages of her own to demonstrate ways to use this book to its full potential.  I was particularly drawn to two of the people she chose as I have a certain admiration for them as well.  The first being that all too amazing mid-century modern icon Charles (and Ray) Eames:

and the second being the king of natural selection himself - Charles Darwin:

I'm pretty sure I am not quite as knowledgable on the life and inspiration of either Eames or Darwin but enjoyed peeking into the inspiration they have given Lea to grow into the person she is today. There is even a section later on in the book that lets you reflect on specific objects you've drawn so you can describe how they have contributed to your life.

This book is like a guided tour of your inner thoughts and memories and really helps you identify key items in your life and celebrate them without necessarily having loads of physical "stuff" that clogs up our homes.  It is like a lovely spring cleaning for your soul (and house in many cases) as it lets you connect by sketching, collaging, or describing memorable objects from your life and may help you let go of some items that you don't necessarily want around but still want to preserve the memory of in a special way! The majority of the book is a blank canvas where you can draw portraits of yourself, or people you know, admire, or imagine and connect specific objects to those important people in your life.  I love that there are different words as well as blank spots on the journal pages to help you stretch your creativity and perhaps think about someone or something in a slightly different way. Here's a sample blank page:

Now when I went on to start drawing in my own pages I quickly realized just how personal and emotional you can make the journal and enjoyed a look back on some fond memories of my Grandma:

I then decided to take a step back from the serious and dedicate the next drawing to Humphrey (the stuffed unicorn car pillow Fraser and I make stories up about).  I was shocked at how quickly I had filled up the two pages:

Oh my that unicorn is a character.  I really love how I can draw a little doodle of something that may seem super random but actually tells a whole story about a memory (or in Humphrey's case an imaginary memory) based on the person it is drawn next to. I had an amazing time doing up quick sketches in this journal and will certainly continue to fill it out over time.  I'm thinking  the next entry I will do is drawings of myself at different ages and all the things I loved during those years.  OoO! What fun! 

I'm quite obviously a big supporter of this book and highly recommend picking it up for anyone who enjoys journaling, doodling, or wants to reflect creatively on their life.  Just think how cool it would be to show to your kids one day and tell them all the stories about how Humphrey secretly makes campfires to keep warm in the wintertime (despite his weak ankles)! Hooray! 

Review: The Complete Photo Guide to Beading

l was recently given a copy of the crafting book "The Complete Photo Guide to Beading" by Robin Atkins to review, and I must say I am thoroughly impressed with the depth, quality, and clarity of this publication.  As a pretty well versed crafter, I have dabbled in beading projects in the past (heck, I even took a beading class when I lived in Nelson) and this book has excelled far past my expectations and is truly an invaluable resource for all your beading projects, regardless of your expertise level. Take a peek:

The book itself is quite lovely to flip through. As the title indicates, it is full to the brim of beautiful full page images of beading tips, techniques, and projects and is an ascetically pleasing dream for any beaders out there. This guide does an awesome job of introducing you to the fabulous world of beading and continues on to clearly expand upon stinging, stitching, crocheting, knitting, weaving, and embroidering with beads.  If there's a beading teqhnique you'd like you learn (or master), this book is certainly a perfect go-to reference and is sure to help you figure out pretty much anything bead related. 

I love how each technique is introduced with a bit of history (perfect for any academic geeks like me), then clearly and thoroughly explained with step by step procedures and lots of helpful images. It certainly provides a well rounded approach for teaching new skills that would appeal to all sorts of crafters with different learning strengths. There are even projects designed to teach the beading techniques and make beading easier and more fun!     Hooray! I also really like how it explains even the basic methods like hand knotting and gives you great tips to help you master it! As a mostly self taught and internet tutorial knotter, I really liked learning more about how to tie the perfect tight knots in a necklace and found the instructions incredibly clear and the images extra helpful:

Even though not all of the projects were my cup of tea (there wasn't a single smiling bacteriophage to be found), I can certainly see using this guide as an inspiration point for all sorts of fun bead projects and loved seeing all the different beading techniques in action! Here are a few of methods I can't wait to execute in my own way:

OoOo! I love how this book has inspired me to take a trip to my favourite bead store and add a little extra bead fun to my crafting and I'm excited to see the results of my efforts! I actually ended up loving this guide so much that I picked up "The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet" this weekend and am stoked for even more crafty learning! Oh my! 

Review: Snail Mail My Email

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a publisher to review a new book that was written to reignite the lost art of letter writing, called Snail Mail My Email! I jumped on the opportunity since, as many of you know, I am a huge advocate of heartfelt mail and have written loads and loads of posts rambling on about it (link). A few short days later I was sent an advance copy and was even more excited about the project when I got to see it in printed form:

The premise is quite simple. Ivan Cash, a San Francisco artist and ex-advertising exec, decided to set up a website inviting anyone to electronically send him a memorable email they've received that he would write out by hand and and mail it back (usually with some sort of artistic embellishment, for free. He then compiled the most heartfelt and entertaining letters in the book for your enjoyment. 

The project was a hit and over 10,000 people sent emails to Ivan to receive in artistically interpreted and heartfelt physical form.  Ivan realized he could  no longer do this on his own and over 200 volunteers helped send out masses of amazing post.  The letters ended up spanning the globe and reaching more people than he ever thought was possible!

Now onto the good stuff - the book and the letters! As I mentioned earlier, I was already pretty thrilled and excited about trying to bring back the wonderful thoughtfulness of handwritten letters, but the finished product certainly did not disappoint. I loved flipping through the hundreds of glossy colourful pages and absorbing all of the different cute, silly, and romantic messages.  I sort of felt like a post mistress reading other people's incoming postcards (or at least that's how I imagine matronly old post mistresses) and snooping at such unique and creative letter creations. Here's a peek at just a few I was particularly impressed with:

It is truly an inspiration to bring back the post (and pen pals while we're at it) and remember to take time to share thoughts on paper.  It gave me lots of ideas for jazzing up my own letter writing as well which is wonderful for a crafty gal like myself and is an excellent source of motivation for getting those letters in the mail! Hooray!

I really feel that Snail Mail My Email is a fantastically artistic and positive spin on the Post Secret books (link) that gives you all the joys of appreciating the written word in mail without any of the negativity associated (to me at least) with secret keeping.  It's so sweet to see what messages people would rather have received in physical form and really makes you think about pulling out some stationary and taking a moment to make a message more memorable. Hooray for post!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants a peek into the softer side of humanity to flip through, admire, and read.  Heck, you could even order the book online from Amazon and start your own trend of lovely mail when it arrives at your door too (link)!  

As icing on the preverbal cake, there was an adorable little @ symbol snail logo they created for the book and feel like he sums up the premise (and a cute and appealing way) so perfectly:

Now if only he had a little smile....

Much better. There we go Ivan - next time you take on this project ad a little gimpy smile to your logo snail and you'll be golden!