Six Word Stories

Stories, Poems, Memoirs, and Jokes, told in only six words

by Doug Weller

Pub Date 16 Feb 2022

Hebe Publications

Six word stories are new to me. I've only ever seen 100 word stories but knew I would enjoy the severe limitation of six! What fun!

I found some of the entries very interesting, some intriguing, some humorous and some thought provoking. And frankly, some I did not understand. But I think all could be prompts for much, much longer stories. 

I hope to see more!

4 stars

 

Sewing Cozy Craft Projects

Make Adorable Animal Decor, Gifts and Keepsakes

by Olesya Lebedenko

Pub date 16 Feb 2022

Fox Chapel Publishing

The projects in this book are delightful! I love the quilt blocks, stuffed ornaments and animals as flowers! So cute!

Pictorial and written step by step guides and templates are given. The quilt blocks look difficult to get right and would probably be best for quilters with more experience.  The other projects can be done by determined beginners upwards. All the designs would add pizzazz to any sewing piece – your imagination is the limit! They would make really special gifts for a really special person.

Overall, a creative, fun and delightful book and worth looking into for projects that are different.

4 stars.

 

How to Garden Indoors & Grow Your Own Food Year Round

Ultimate Guide to Vertical, Container, and Hydroponic Gardening

by Kim Roman

Pub date 15 March 2022
Fox Chapel Publishing

Such comprehensive information here on how to grow your own food indoors! Highly detailed too, even including how to calculate how much soil that will be needed, how much water, how much you will likely spend, and so on. One thing we might not think about is how well our living spaces can take the extra weight that indoor plants might exert on our floors.- something vital to know if we live in apartments or condos. 

I also like that the book is chockful of beautiful photographs that are relevant and helpful  including one section on creative ideas for indoor gardens. There are also plenty of tables and charts for info at a glance.

The author knows what she is talking about as she holds highly popular seminars and workshops in home and garden shows, garden clubs, and Master Gardener Programs as well as online. She is obviously very knowledgeable, having taught the subject since 2010.

5 enthusiastic stars! HIghly recommended!

 

The Urban Sketching Handbook Color First, Ink Later

A Dynamic Approach to Drawing and Painting on Location

by Mike Yoshiaki Daikubara

4 Jan 2022

Quarry Books

I love this series! Each additional volume just makes it more valuable and useful for the urban sketcher or art journaler.

This particular title was very well presented and written. I almost immediately did a colour first, ink later in my art journal and it looked good. More spontaneous somehow. I intend to use this technique more often, though I might be more picky when it comes to the dripping method which sometimes looks untidy to me.

Still, this is a highly recommended title for me. Mike Yoshiaki Daikubara is a highly experienced sketcher having filled his sketchbooks with impressive art for 15 years. In this series, you definitely learn from the best!

5 stars.

 

Drawn on the Way

A Guide to Capturing the Moment Through Live Sketching

by Sarah Nisbett

Pub Date 21 Dec 2021

Quarry Books

Art journaling is such a wonderful and rewarding hobby to have. Drawn on the Way contains many tips and techniques that would be helpful for the beginner, near beginner and intermediate artist who want to learn and improve what they put in their sketchbooks. I was very interested in the author's suggestions on how to "interrogate" and draw objects, how to look at things as composite shapes, using composition to tell a story, and how to find the "hook", among others. I discovered that I may have been tackling portraits wrongly! Using her technique, I saw some improvement right away. Drawing people is generally very hard though and journalers like me will need to practise a lot for sure!

4 stars

 

Make Cute Stuff with Polymer Clay

Learn to make a variety of fun and quirky trinkets with polymer clay

by Shelley Kommers

Pub Date 07 Dec 2021

Walter Foster

Many cute little projects with step by step pictorial instructions on how to achieve them. They do not look too difficult and so is perfect for the beginner or just anybody wanting to make some whimsical things with polymer clay.

Looking through the book, I got an inspiration on how to dress up some small mason jars. Looking forward to starting the project with the know-how from this book!

4 stars.

 

Fasting & Feasting

40 Devotions to Satisfy the Hungry Heart

by Erin Davis

Pub Date 06 Sep 2022

B&H Books

I fully intend to go through this devotional more slowly as someone who has a rather intense relationship with food due to the need to stick to a therapeutic diet. The first few day's entries already gave me some great insights such as the need to reconsider my thinking that God is unconcerned about what we eat. This question hit me hard too : "have you invited God into the food rhythms of your your life?" So thought-provoking. I anticipate making a lot of notes!

I am looking forward to digging deeper into fasting and feasting and how our relationship with food can reflect our relationship with God. And how we can honor Him and grow in our relationship with Him.

Very well-written and I think a must-have for every believer who needs to eat (everybody!)

5 stars.

 

Making Numbers Count

The Art and Science of Communicating Numbers

by Chip Heath; Karla Starr

Pub Date 11 Jan 2022 

Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster

Now, this is a book that everyone who has to present numbers, statistics and data in one form or another should read.  And that is almost everybody. Numbers can be so persuasive whether at your workplace, school or home, or while arguing and debating among friends! Figures  have the power to change perspectives and decision making processes - but they have to be translated well.

I love the examples given by the authors on how this can be done. As someone who has always shut down when it comes to numbers, it’s fascinating and astounding how tweaking the data here and there and presenting it in a different and yet factual way can make all the difference in the world! The authors teach us the techniques in a most accessible way in this book

I plan on doing a mindmap on the tips  before I forget them.  I’m pretty sure they will come in handy.

The notes at the back of the book will keep number-lovers very very happy and occupied for a long time.

A full 5 stars!