Leslie Carola is the author of the soon-to-be-released Wrapped with Style, a guide to unique gift wrapping. She has written more than a dozen paper craft books, and her latest will be released on January 6, 2009. In future posts, I’ll review the book, and you’ll also have a chance to win a copy!

The questions in bold below are mine, and the answers are from Leslie.
Why are you interested in unique gift wrapping?
Gifts are an extension of our creative selves. Wrapping a gift in a unique or stylish way adds to the celebration, the festivity and excitement. It brings a …read more

Cynthia Treen, artist and designer who owns an eclectic textiles business, dreamed up her book, Last-Minute Fabric Gifts: 30 Hand-Sew, Machine-Sew & No-Sew Projects. It was published in 2006, and is available online. I got my copy from the library. You know how I love to do that.
Some of the projects in this book will be easier if you know how to sew : ), but Cynthia also takes great care to explain techniques in the back of the book. My favorite projects include:
Coat sleeve bag – Cut off a discarded men’s coat sleeve about 10 1/2 inches from …read more

This lovely book on all things gourd decorating was written by Mickey Baskett. I found my copy of Glorious Gourd Decorating at the library, but it’s also available online.
I’ve never seen a gourd purse in real life, but this book tells you how to make one. Other items you can learn to make from gourds include bowls, baskets, sculptures, birdhouses, clocks, luminaries, vessels, boxes, ornament trees and centerpieces. Pretty amazing. I never realized our gourd friends were that versatile.
Glorious Gourd Decorating also explains how to grow, choose, dry, clean and cut your gourds. There’s not much it doesn’t cover. Many …read more

Yard people aren’t just for the fall anymore. And today’s yard figures have jobs other than scaring away crows. They entertain, amaze and function as pieces of art.

Creative Scarecrows: 35 Fun Figures for Your Yard & Garden by Marcianne Miller with Merry Miller isn’t a new book (published in 2004), but it’s still very much available. I found a copy at my local library.
There’s so much to adore in this book. One of my favorites is the Fence-Post Peekers (pictured below). The scarecrow on the cover is the Stovepipe Hat Rocking Man. The titles are very descriptive, so I’ll throw …read more