Sneaky Art for Adults and Children Reviewed

Title: Sneaky Art:

Subtitle: Crafty Surprise to Hide in Plain Sight
Available on Amazon

Author: Marthe Jocelyn
Genre: Crafting for Kids
ISBN: 978-0763656485

Reviewed by Elizabeth Tropp

Sneaky Art is a unique book that is perfect for families to use together. It's a cross between crafting and playing practical jokes. What kid doesn't love that?

As the oldest grandchild in my family, I'm often called upon to keep the younger ones entertained during big family get togethers. This thankless job has suddenly become tons easier now that I've been introduced to "Sneaky Art". I feel like this book will appeal to all my young cousins because, even if they aren't that into arts and crafts, they'll love part two of each project which is sneaking it into an unlikely place and waiting for people to discover it (for example, a tiny wine cork boat set sail in a bathroom sink). I just have to make sure the boys don't launch a boat in the toilet bowl.

Each basic craft is simple and can be done with supplies everyone has around their house but more "crafty" or older kids can make their projects more detailed. The book is full of photographs that will get kids excited about the projects and templates to make everything easy. Thanks Marthe! New Year's Day dinner at my Nan's house will be a breeze this year!

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Photograph Reviews Photography Book

The Photographer’s Guide to New Mexico: Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them
By Efraín M. Padró.
The Countryman Press. Woodstock, Vermont.
96pp.
$14.95

Reviewed by R Thomas Berner Professor emeritus of journalism and American studies The Pennsylvania State University


Even before I bought this book, I knew I was going to like it. My wife and I have taken two workshops with the author, one at White Sands and the other in Las Cruces, and are ready for another. I am a big fan of Efraín M. Padró’s.

Because he and I are on a first-name basis, I’ll refer to the author/photographer as Efraín.

Efraín, who’s based in Santa Fe, begins the book with a four-page section titled “How I Photograph New Mexico.” It’s right out of his workshops, and for those of us who want to be better photographers, I can attest that it’s a value-packed four pages. One thing Efraín recommends that I’ve started to do more of: If he’s not shooting something in motion, he usually sets his ISO to 100 and uses a tripod.

One very important section in the opening is a short piece on etiquette when photographing on Native American soil. For those accustomed to being around Amish or other insular groups, the information will be redundant. Nevertheless, it’s worth repeating.

Efraín has divided the book into geographical areas and within the divisions suggested places to photograph. So Northwest New Mexico lists Shiprock, El Morro and Acoma Sky City among the 11 sites. North Central includes Taos and Santa Fe. Albuquerque shows up in Central New Mexico, and the two places Paulette and I have been with Efraín, Las Cruces and White Sands, appear in Southwest and Southeast New Mexico.

The author, who includes many of his own photographs in here, not only provides seasonal ratings for each area, but suggests lenses and filters for shooting certain events. He warns you if you’re going to encounter a low-light situation (and would need a tripod) and he advises on the best times to photograph (morning and evening, which are fairly universal, as he notes). He also suggests where to stand to capture the best light depending on the time of day. Sunrises and sunsets in New Mexico provide different lighting depending on where you’re standing and what the cloud cover is like.

Efraín concludes with his list of favorite sites, which he acknowledges is subjective.

Even if you are not a serious photographer or a wannabe like me, the book is invaluable as a guide to the sites and sights of photogenic New Mexico. About the only thing missing is a restaurant guide, and given the high number of good restaurants in New Mexico, such a guide would be unnecessary.

The revierer is R Thomas Berner, Professor emeritus of journalism and American studies The Pennsylvania State University. He is now blogging at http://rtberner.blogspot.com/ . He is an
editorial consultant, freelance writer, and photographer


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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Trade Secrets for Stitchers

Needlepoint Trade Secrets
Janet M. Perry
ISBN:978-1-4196-6533-2

Reviewed by Michelle Hufford

In her introduction to Needlepoint Trade Secrets, Janet Perry states, ". . . even though I've been stitching for over 30 years, I still discover ways to make my stitching better, learn a new stitch, or rediscover something from times past." On her website, www.napaneedlepoint.com, Janet bills herself first and foremost as a teacher. She wrote the original edition of Needlepoint Trade Secrets in the interest of sharing her discoveries.

And does she ever!

Janet offers fantastic tips on everything from where to find design ideas (your favorite lifestyle magazine is a great place to start!), to color choices (a good color wheel is invaluable), to how to finish your completed canvas easily and inexpensively.

As a 30-plus-year stitcher myself, I must admit that the most daunting question I face with a completed canvas is, "OK, now what do I do with this?" Most stitchers will tell you that their UFO pile is as large as it is because of the expense of finishing. Janet's terrific suggestions include everything from how to beat the high cost of custom framing, to innovative uses for those gorgeous belt canvases.

Although there is a lot in Needlepoint Trade Secrets, Janet's breezy
style makes this 122-page book an easy read. Its short, bullet-filled
chapters make this a fast read. The revised edition's small size (the
original book was 8-1/2 by 11) makes it ideal to keep in your
stitching bag.

Do those ever-changing airline rules make you unsure whether or not you'll be able to stitch on a plane? No problem! With Needlepoint Trade Secrets at hand, you can read about our favorite obsession when you're 50,000 feet up. Be sure to have a pen and plenty of Post-Its handy! You'll need them to mark your favorite tips for easy future reference.
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The reviewer is Michelle Hufford, owner Come to the Point! in San Rafael, California. Janet M. Perry blogs at
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com.