Amazon Review: Who knew Friskars kids scissors are THE best way to cut fireline? I got The Beading Answer Book from the library to preview, read 1/2 of it the 1st night, decided to buy it and then showed it to the owner of my fave beading store who decided to carry it. The owner and I both gleaned some new knowledge and got interested in new things. That says a lot with us. This was written by a woman who owns a beading store herself and teaches classes, so she knows all those questions ALL levels seem to ask, and has seen the shortcomings common to so many beading books. She decided to distill her knowledge into a very accessible and well-organized book that is a breezy read but information dense. It seems I usually find books that tell me things I need to know but had to learn the hard way before I find the book. Read this before you read anything else on beading and BEFORE you buy any more beads, supplies or tools.

Amazon review: I have been so excited for The Beader's Color Palette to come out that I was almost afraid that I had built it up too much in my head. Turns out I did not build it up enough!! Last year I read (and have continued to study) Margie Deeb's book, The Beader's Guide to Color (see link below). With Ms. Deeb's ability to show the properties and effects of individual colors as well as mixes taken from the color wheel, I discovered that what I thought was my natural eye for color was, in fact, just a tiny glimpse of what was possible. The Beader's Color Palette builds even further on that. It is true that there are amazing projects already in the book as well as dozens of prepared color palettes and these are fabulous and inspiring. The many photos are lush and rich and enthralling. However, I believe the best thing about Margie Deeb's books is her ability to share her gift of vision. Not only does she help reveal the color palettes in various landscapes, pictures, pieces of art, etc, but she helps beaders to learn to discern for themselves the color palettes in the world around them. This is not a book to just read once and then put it on the shelf. Nor is this just an instruction book for wonderful projects. The Beader's Color Palette is a text to be studied, absorbed, and treasured over and over. Because there is so much contained in this book, I have found thus far that I can study it for a while (30 min to possibly an hour)but then I have to go away from it to absorb what I have read. Otherwise, I find I am on "sensory overload."(And yes, my husband thinks that is completely nuts:) To restate what I treasure the most about this book - Ms. Deeb does not just share her gift for understanding color, but she helps the reader to develop his or her own vision. With that vision comes an even greater appreciation for everything in your world.

Amazon review: Designing Jewelry with Semiprecious Beads is hands down my favorite stringing book to come out in a long time. There are a lot of good ones that have come out in the last few years, but this one is the one I'd teach my daughter the basics of stringing from if I hadn't already taught her, and it is the one I'll let her use as a reference book.
It's primarily for beginners, and the bright colors and easy to read text make it fun and easy to follow, the first couple of chapters are the reason I love this so much for learning stringing. The introduction to the tools is pretty short, but don't worry, at the end of the book is a basic techniques section that covers techniques very well with photographs. The next section is about how to buy semiprecious beads, and it's a great resource for learning how and where to buy them. The 24 pages following that are descriptions and photos of semiprecious beads, 3 to a page, organized by color. It's a fantastic resource.
After that, the projects. They are well laid out with good color diagrams. They are simple, but elegant in design and execution and wouldn't be at all threatening to a beginner. Most of them could be completed in an evening or less.The balance and color of the projects make them very wearable, and there are some lovely quick earrings I'm looking forward to making myself.
If you're an advanced beader, this may make a good gift to someone you know who wants to learn the basics of stringing, or a good supplement on your own shelf just for that 24 page stone guide. If you're a beginner to stringing, it's a wonderful book to have.

Amazon review: Mastering the Art of Beading: Essential Tools and Techniques Every Jewelry Maker Must Know is one amazing book! There are instructions for making anything from earrings to necklaces to rings and much more! There are detailed instructions for making everything, complete with full-color pictures, and lots of them! Diagrams for every kind of bead imagineable, charts showing the different necklace lengths, explanations of the different types of pliers... this book has it all! I am very impressed! Complete with 40 different projects, over 800 photos, and over 380 pages, this is an awesome book, and one you will definitely want to have in your library if you want to learn anything bead-related! The pictures in this book are like eye candy. So far I have made my own earrings following the instructions in the book, and I'm so looking forward to learning to make more of this stuff!

Amazon review: Create Jewelry: Stones (Create Jewelry series) is not a beginners book on making jewelry, even though the basics are discussed in the back, but rather a focus on natural stones that are commonly used in today's jewelry designs. I have to admit I am biased due to my background in geology and my own designs using natural gemstones and even common stones. This book appealed to me for that reason but also in how the stones are discussed with minimal but satisfactory info regarding the hardness of the stones, its common sources, and interesting facts...so non-geologists can easily understand the stones and their beauty. The designs are wonderful (some remind me of my own!), but also take in consideration that natural stones are often heavier than glass, crystal, and seed beads. Therefore the earring designs do not pull at the earlobe - a common mistake of some jewelry designs. The combination of stones in several designs are a sight to behold and have opened my eyes to even more lovely color/stone combinations that can be developed by me and other artists interested in using natural gemstones for their own jewelry designs. So BRAVO to the authors for producing this wonderful book of unique designs.

Amazon review: The main value of Stringing Style 2 are the instructions of various stringing techniques, some of which were new to me. The designs themselves are understated, which in a way is good. You will be inspired to alter them to make your own creations and not copy a work of art.
One design, a multistrand bead with a center pendant, was really versatile. The center stone was a turquoise bead, a large one. But if you create your own lampwork beads or polymer clay beads or other type of bead, you could easily adapt this design to showcase your creation. That's what I like best about "Stringing Style"--there are great ideas that are like yeast in the bread--something to get the creative ideas bubbling.
The designs are worth making to learn "Beading 101" but the book also has value for the more advanced beader who is looking for design ideas. While not packed with ooh and ahh pictures, this book will have you thinking about what kind of beaded necklace or earring you want to make next.
There is also a front section of a wardrobe of earrings and bracelets--many variations on simple themes. This is bound to help the crafter get good ideas.
Finally, quite a few of the designs looked like things you'd love to own--a fire bracelet--shades of yellow to fire-ruby clustered in a strand. Stunning. There were more. Lots of eye candy here.

Amazon review: Creative Beading Vol. 4 is a must have for any bead artist's library. I already own the first three editions of this series so I pretty much knew what to expect. In my opinion the projects are well written out and will appeal to many crafters. I find the directions easy to understand and the diagrams easy to follow. I would judge the book to be more for intermediate to advanced beaders but I do believe a beginner would get a lot out of the material. I have long wanted to learn the Russian leaf technique so I was totally thrilled to find a wonderful tutorial for Russian Leaves included in this volume. Anyone who loves beads should be very happy with their purchase if they were to buy this book. The herringbone helix chain is another project that is on my to do list. All in all, Creative Beading Volume IV is definitely a keeper!

Amazon review: I was totally stunned by Beading with Cabochons: Simple Techniques for Beautiful Jewelry (Lark Jewelry Books)! I have been wanting to learn to do this for some time now, but could never find a book I really liked. Until this one. WOW! Everything about this book is superb--photos, directions, diagrams, ideas, writing...everything. I was blown away by the quality of the directions in particular.
The directions are clear and concise. You WILL be able to make a beautiful cabochon right from the very start. The photographs are outstanding, and as mentioned in another review, each one tells you exactly what techniques were used to make it. It's not a guessing game. My first cabochon came out PERFECT. My second one came out perfect. So did the third! I was so thrilled at--YES, I will say it--how EASY making a beaded cabochon really is. Many, many books have directions that are adequate, but need to be read and re-read several times before you understand exactly what you're supposed to be doing. Not this one! This is probably the least frustrated I've ever been at learning to do something new.
If you want to make a beaded cabochon this is THE book to buy. If you even think you might want to learn to make a beaded cabochon, this is the book to buy. If you've tried to do this before and were less than successful, this is the book to buy. This is the book that sets the standard. You won't be disappointed.

Amazon review: The title Getting Started with Seed Beads (Getting Started series) should really be "Getting Started AND Continuing with Seed Beads!" The book has everything a beginning beader needs to not only get started, but to successfully complete the projects. I'm NOT a beginning beader but I've still found many of the projects to be ones I want to make--and I have.
Directions are terrific; diagrams are terrific, and the projects are things you'll actually want to do (well, maybe not the sequined Easter eggs, but hey...that's SO minor and just a matter of personal taste!)
The instructions on all the various beading techniques are some of the best I've seen. Wish I'd have had them when *I* started! Life would have been SO much easier!
So YES, this is a "gotta have" book! It'll also make a great gift for your favorite beader!

Amazon review: Beaded Allure: Beadweaving Patterns for 25 Romantic Projects book is for seed beaders who love romantic, elegant, feminine styles. The introduction introduces you to the tools and stitches you'll be using including how to make pretty little picots, a wonderful explanation of a circle stitch technique, diagonal peyote and tubular brick as well as the more common stitches. After that, you get into the projects.
The projects are mouthwatering if you love romantic jewelry like I do. They have easily gotten components such as rivolis and seed beads. The first project is a fringed netted princess length collar that's fairly simple to make, after that, the projects get more complicated, intricate and gorgeous. The Dew Drop Bracelet is a pretty little heirloom lace netted bracelet with a ruffled dimensional flower as the centerpiece and in the center of that, a sparkly rivoli. The Reversible Pendant Lariat features a long net beaded rope finished off with a pair of rivolis on each end that are bezeled so whichever side shows they look wonderful.
Scallops, flowers and netting techniques done with a lot of sparkle are the focus of this book. If it seems like 25 projects aren't that many, it's a nice sized book because the projects are explained and photographed in exquisite detail with new techniques taking pages to explain so it's almost like being taught in person. New seed beaders may find some of it difficult, but they will be able to learn the techniques from this book. People who have been doing it for years will find projects they will love in here and be inspired to mix and match components and techniques to create their own masterpieces.