15 minute Drawing by Heinke Nied

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
 We've probably all looked at a simple line drawing or abstract painting and thought, "I could do that!" But when you try, it isn't as simple as you thought.

This book gives step by step instruction for looking, seeing, and making marks. You'll be amazed at what you create - with this DIY handbook.

Takes drawing to the next level for beginner and intermediate artists.

Master the Art and Craft of Writing by Leon Conrad

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
 A valuable resource for teachers or students of English or writing, from high school through university. From the rhythm of language to usage of specific parts of speech to making your writing come alive for the reader ... here are 150 ways to play around.

I'm going to snag some of the exercises for my Research and Writing courses. Wish I'd had it earlier this year when I taught international university students the basics of writing with good English and style.

Super Dog Tricks: Make Your Dog a Super Dog with Step by Step Tricks and Training Tips by Sara Carson

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

We have one smart dog who refuses to do anything he doesn't feel like doing, no matter what the reward. We also have a not-so-smart dog who struggles to understand anything beyond training us with "if I lay on my back, will you scratch my belly?" And we have a dog who will do anything to please you (except fetch). They walk together on one leash but none of them wants to fetch a ball.

So I was intrigued by the book - and the structures needed to make your dog pay attention first, and then learn commands after that. Well-illustrated and encouraging, this book shows you how to be in charge of a healthy relationships that nourishes your well-being and makes your dog content and ready to follow. I'm working on the basics.

Recommended, especially for new dog owners and those who have a dog but are clueless about setting boundaries or making your creature happier.

Sustainable Wardrobe by Sophie Benson

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

I learned to sew by watching my mother. Then I learned how to use patterns and fancy stitches in junior high. (The alternative class was woodworking, which didn't appeal to me.)

But I learned some tricks and tips from Benson on what kind of clothing to keep and discard. I skimmed through information on where and how fabric and clothing is made before plunging into ideas for reworking and updating my closet with simple DIYs. From sorting and repairing, from acquiring to maintaining, there's a lesson here for everyone.

You'll find out how to replace a button. How to tackle holes and tears. And you'll be surprised at how easy it is because of the many clear photos. Recommended for the beginning and intermediate sewer - or those teaching classes on sustainable fashion and sewing.

The Art of the Line in Drawing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Simple, Expressive Drawings by Frederic Forest

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

This short DIY art manual gives you clear instructions on using lines to sketch, suggest, and express your intentions. The book ranges from setting up your workshop and supplies to step-by-step photos that are easy to follow.

A practical course in a book - and an easy, doable one at that. Pick it up, whether you're improving your drawing or teaching others the basics. Recommended.

Small Business Accounting: Master Accounting In 4 Hours As A Non-Accountant by Abdullah Mamun

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

Ok, I picked this one up and thought, "If a financial idiot like myself can understand this, it's one I want on my shelf." And then, "Why didn't I have this when I worked for myself and had no idea how to keep my books straight?" 

If you're intimidated by the paperwork to run a small business, you need this book. If you've been confused by online ledgers and bookkeeping, you'll want to read it thoroughly. And, if you've ever run across accounting terms and wondered about this new language, you'll appreciate the glossary of definitions.

Recommended for all small business owners, the sooner the better.

Creative Wanderlust: Unlock Your Artistic Potential Through Mixed-Media Art Journaling Techniques by Kasia Avery

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

I'm not sure there's a lot of new information here, but for creatives, the photos and clear summary of the trends in art and junk journaling are valuable. For newbies, it's a treasure trove.

The layout is easy to read, the photos are excellent (lots to copy and learn), and the page spreads make it simple to follow along. The tips are excellent and will save you lots of fussing around. 

This would be great for a crafters or art-supply shop class text in art journaling. Junk journals would have a blast, too.

I'm thinking of buying it for an artsy book group. It would suit as a manual for a weekly/monthly "friends-night-out-with-art-supplies". We'd each get a copy and finish a chapter at a time, working on the assignments between.

Get your own copy if you like to record senses, feelings, or observations around you by interpreting the world in new ways.

Easy Drawing Simple: step-by-step lessons for learning to draw in more than just pencil by Chelsea Ward

 

★★★ ☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

A great manual for beginners who want to move beyond their usually face sketch or "3-leaves-and-no-more". This easy to use book will have you drawing nature shapes, animals, and humans in no time. Recommended for those who draw without perspective or understanding. 

Included are ways to save or frame your work, trendy projects, and just plain fun on a page or canvas. Here you go - put this one within easy reach of your sketchbook.

RHS Gardener's Five Year Record Book by Royal Horticultural Society

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

 Do you remember your garden once you put it to sleep? Do you remember the seeds, seedlings, the soil, and the tools that are waiting in the shed to be used when spring comes? 

I don't have perfect recall - and in fact, I find myself wondering about seed companies and the best hoes and shovels. But with this journal, you'll have a 5-year record of what's worked on your plot. You'll be able to track diseases, bugs, and solutions in the weekly layouts, too.

It's beautiful. It's waiting to be hung in your garden storeroom or tucked into your bookshelf while you pore over garden catalogs. Get your copy - and enjoy the memories of nature, weather, and nourishing your mental and physical self in the garden.

Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story, in Music Lessons by Jeremy Denk

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

 I taught piano and theory (and other musical stuff) for 33 years. First thing I noticed was the cover ... the words should go upward from Every, not down. 

That said, if you read music and like a good story, you'll enjoy this one. With a classical playlist and scores inserted between text, you'll wander through the wonderland of musical education and experiences. 

All of us who took lessons - whether the music captured us or was just work - will relate to this autobiography. Have fun with it.

Urban Botanics: An Indoor Plant Guide for Modern Gardeners by Emma Sibley

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Gardeners and DIY decorators, do you ever wonder what plant is thriving on your windowsill? May you have something green turning brown or yellow and need a "how to resuscitate" guide? 

Or do you just want to copy some gorgeous watercolors of botanicals?

Here's your book! Enjoy the  illustrations, descriptions, and helpful instructions. A beautiful practical volume for artists and green-thumbs alike.

301 Things to Draw by Editors of Chartwell Books

 

★★★★★ The publisher provided a copy for review 

Ok, this one is pure fun! and it proves that simplify can be the most powerful. Pages and pages of prompts - the interior is as plain as the exterior, waiting for your creativity. I can't resist showing you one of its 200 pages. Some prompts have a single page, while others share a page.

This book makes me want to pull out all my art supplies and have a great time playing.

You don't have to do these in order. Skip around and see what inspires you. However, in a year's time, if you use one prompt each weekday and skip weekends, you'll have a notebook of inspiration and doodles and painting and drawing and .... well, creativity. 

You could also use these prompts for writing a paragraph, sending a postcard to someone, etc. Use them as food for your creative brain. Highly recommended for those who want to journal something each day.  Buy a copy as a birthday present to yourself or an artsy friend.

Make Your Art No Matter What by Beth Pickens

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review

All those excuses for not making art? Pickens wants them to go away.

Whether it's money, education, relationships, emotions - you name it ... pick up a copy and keep it on hand when you know you should but just can't bring yourself to make something.

The chapters are filled with suggestions, questions, categories of resistance and help, and other fine resources that will get you moving again. 

Get your art supplies out. Then make sure you have a copy on your workspace. GO!

Block Print for Beginners by Elise Young

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review

If you've ever wondered about making your own stamps or blocks, want to put color on fabric or paper, or just want to explore a new craft, you'll enjoy this beginner manual. Young makes it simple with clear instructions, options to customize your work, and drawings. 

Have fun! This is definitely one for my artsy friends to try.

Nature into Art by Thomas Christopher and Ngoc Minh Ngo

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
When words and photography and passion come together, you may grow a garden like this one - and a book as beautiful as it is instructive.

The photography captured my eyes first. Then came the chapters on how and why the garden exists, its borders and specialty areas - and the seasons as they progress through the plantings and backdrop of Wave Hill.

The book is descriptive, with a manual of gardening basics on every page. I delighted in it. And though my garden is now tropical, I loved the beds and borders and intentionality - and the wildness that nature insists on.

Well worth a space on your gardening bookshelf as well as on your coffee table for guests to ooh and aah over.

First Time Sewing with a Serger by Becky Hanson, Beth Ann Baumgartel

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
You bought a machine because it's cool, looks easy, and you thought you knew what to do. Now that it's home, you have no idea where to start. Okay, here you go!

This little volume will introduce you to the purposes, parts, and processes of sergers. The clear pictures and detailed text will help you get started. And from there, you'll have lots of ideas on what your serger is designed for. Have fun - opens the world of clip and sew beyond the sewing store classroom!

Highly recommended. Your #1 go-to once you get that serger out of the box.

A Garden Miscellany by Suzanne Staubach

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

Most gardens have the same basic elements. You expect certain things from a garden. We've all met luxury additions in the landscape, but some things are ... well, what make a space a garden.

And in Staubach's book, you'll find delightful illustrations that feel familiar, no matter where you are gardening. You might find new ideas of how to take your garden to the next level. You may also find out what was missing - that thing that would make your space complete.

This artsy visual encyclopedia of gardening is a delight for the eye as well as the mind. It's equally interesting as a coffee table book, a art illustration idea book, and a gardener's go-to. 

Enjoy it!

Drawing the Head for Artists by Oliver Sin

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
So what's in a face? A whole life is apparent to those who watch our factly and expressions closely. This book will help you observe, focus, and express your observations through drawing and portraiture.

You'll enjoy capturing those you love - as well as those you snap in a photo. Take your art to a whole new level - whether drawing or other mediums are your preferred means of mark-making.

Recommended.

101 More Mixed Media Techniques by Cherril Doty, Heather Greenwood, Monica Moody, Marsh Scott

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
I want to try some of these. Nope - I want to play with most of them. This art DIY volume will bump up your mixed media "I wanna" and your creative "I can do it."

The book offers bright cheer as well as information. You'll look at your tools, your page, and your creative goals in a fresh way. Enjoy this exploration of craft and art - you might even want to take it along on the next girls-night-out and plan an art date with your friends.

Recommended

Painting Masterclass: Creative Techniques of 100 Great Artists by Susie Hodge

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
So how did they do it? You've stared at masterpieces in galleries or on the page - and wondered how on earth you could paint something like that. Maybe you can - and maybe you can't. But it's worth a try to expand your own creative practice.

Hodge simplifies the steps and explores the processes of bringing life to a 2-dimensional format. Worth a look - and worth copying some of the techniques.