Amazon Review: Six Stars For This Book - Must Have for Beginner or Seasoned Etsy Seller Worth It's Weight in Gold. I've been selling on Etsy for awhile; and I'm a vintage seller. I'd like to think by reading the Storque and all of Etsy's updates that I would know everything there is to know. I bought this How to Make Money Using Etsy: A Guide to the Online Marketplace for Crafts and Handmade Products because I knew anyone as successful as marketing guru Tim Adams, may have something worth reading. I can't tell you how glad I am that I did. I quickly realized how much it was I didn't know and probably never would have known if it wasn't for this book.
It has far exceeded my expectations.
The book is loaded with how-to diagrams and screen shots, so that you can understand every step of what Tim is talking about. It's not just about selling on Etsy, that's a big part of it but it's loaded with simple tips and tricks that you can use to market your shop and gain more exposure. It talks about trending, finding your market niche, blogging, and SEO. Basically, it's marketing techniques that are proven to work. Put it this way, I also bought a SEO/marketing book not too long ago this book puts that one to shame.
On top of that there's interviews with Etsy top sellers. Their tips and tricks and secrets. Things you always wanted to know but couldn't ask, well, it's in there.
Here's an example, the first night I was only on page 12-13 when I learned something new - a tool that I should have been using all this time (for years) that is free. I worked on that for awhile, to learn and master that--I could not believe the resources available to me for free that I hadn't been tapping into. Then, I read to page 90 taking in tons of new information. I'm still reading because it's a learn as you go book and Tim shows you how to use the tools he's talking about.
I can't say how much this has helped me as an Etsy seller. It doesn't matter if you sell vintage, supplies, or handmade on Etsy, you need this book. It is worth it's weight in gold.

Amazon Review: As a professional fiber artist creating both 2 and 3d work I have been struggling for years to find a good resource to help me not only understand how my digital camera works but how to use it to take high quality pictures that I know it has the ability to. This book is a fantastic guide to taking photos of of artwork created in any medium whether it be jewelry, sculpture, wall art, fiber, glass or wood.
Photographing Arts, Crafts & Collectibles: Take Great Digital Photos for Portfolios, Documentation, or Selling on the Web (A Lark Photography Book) opens with a nice easy to read and understand overview of digital photography. Types of lenses and cameras are followed by an explanation of image types, aspect ratio's, focusing systems, white balance and more. The chapter on light and the digital studio covers everything from the fundamentals, color temperatures, direction and quality to types of light, light modifiers, measuring light and what color background to use when.
Then the book moves into how to set up and take your photographs with separate chapters for both two and three dimensional artwork. Artists who make 2 dimensional fiber art will find the section on lighting fabric as well as photographing quilts particularly helpful. The chapter on 3d objects covers ceramics, glass, sculptures, jewelry, wearable art and objects that light up. Learn the best way to light and photograph tall objects, short ones and pieces with shiny surfaces.
This book is an invaluable guide for any artist, no matter what medium they work in, who wants to take better photos for juried show submissions, their website, portfolios or brochures.

Amazon Review: Collecting Rocks, Gems & Minerals: Easy Identification - Values - Lapidary Uses is a gem of a book, if you will pardon the pun, and a welcome addition to my collection. I already have seven books on identifying gems and minerals and another twenty or so on where to find them, so what is special about this book? First of all I noticed the pictures, beautiful pictures, but more importantly pictures which I could relate to. In my other books I get an erudite description, but usually the pictures do not look much like the rocks I find or see at shows. Patti has chosen the rocks to photograph so well that they all look like the rocks and minerals I have, or have seen. I found the introductory thirty pages on equipment and practical collecting very clear. If I had never been on a field trip I would now know what to expect: the picture of a flat tire in a remote area is a timely warning that there are risks in our hobby. But it was the 230 pages of examples of uncut materials, polished items and completed jewlery which really caught the eye. The classification and illustration of the various categories of agate is splendidly done as are the other groups and minerals. Bravely Patti has added the 'value' of each item, listed by pound, ounce or gram. This is a very valuable resource, although it may go out of date very quickly depending on the value of the dollar and popularity and availability of each item. It has led me to rethink what rocks and minerals I have now, and to look again at the items which I have partially discarded as my 'yard' rocks. Patti Polk's enthusiasm for our hobby flows through this book and we must be thankful that she has filled a gap in the literature available to rockhounds.

Amazon Review: Boy do I wish that the "Search Inside the Book" included the foreword by the author. The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones: A Complete Guide to Appraising and Using Precious Stones From Cut and Color to Shape and Settings is for JEWELRY MAKERS AND DESIGNERS, not for serious gem dealers or purchasers/appraisers. Little information on how to accurately class stones. There are great tips for those USING the gemstones and what to expect (conchoidal fracture of some stones, cutting recommendations, choosing the right materials). The gemstone family tree is minimal (IMHO). I guess I was hoping for a book with information on how to accurately use a loupe to discern internal details and quality than what this book provided. It was definitely too basic for me - probably since I have a geology/mineralogy background. Perhaps I should take the classes from GIA in order to be able to do what I really want with gemstones (even semi-precious gemstones) than what I can learn from a book. I will try out a couple more books to see what works best for me and then seriously considered taking a formal class. I am still considering sending this book back, or just keep it for general info. Anyway, if I had the appropriate knowledge on gemstones, it can only help me (and others) to purchase stones that are what sellers state and to be able to more fully understand the internal structure when using stones in my own work (whether natural - direct from seller; or if I cut them myself). My background in mineralogy is a help, but gemstones require a better eye and knowledge than the basic to graduate level mineralogy courses in my cache of knowledge.
This book is truly for the general jewelry designer and maker as stated in the forward. Do not get this book if you want more information than the basics. I do want to say that many of the images are spectacular, as well as some of the jewelry designs, and that is a plus. Maybe I should really give it 3 stars due to that. But pretty colored pictures do not provide the information I was looking for in a book on this subject.