Book Review: Homemade Nail Polish by Allison Rose Spiekermann; Ulysses Press

Create Unique Colors and Designs For Eye-Catching Nails

Whether you are looking to match your nails with a specific dress or just have fun playing with shades and hues, this unique guide is the key to stunning original nail art design and featuring one-of-a-kind colors. With step-by-step instructions, detailed photos, and recipes for dozens of different polishes—including cremes, shimmers, glitters, and more—Homemade Nail Polish will have you whipping up ahead-of-the-curve colors in no time.

 

My Review

I have always been a fan of color and design, so naturally I love anything DIY. If it’s created, I’ve thought about what it takes to make it. Nail color and designs are no exception. Do you remember my DIY Nail Art book review?

Nail color is a very easy and fun way to express your unique style. There have been MANY different colors that I’ve seen on Pinterest that I wanted to copy so badly. There are just so many beautiful mixes of colors that I am slightly addicted. Beautiful teals, turquoise, and corals. Sigh…

This 96 page book contains all the information you need to learn how to mix your own shades easily and quickly. Teaching you (and me of course) that we don’t have to be limited to the color choices at the nearest drugstore. Now the possibilities are endless.

There are two sections that are very detailed about the equipment and ingredients that are needed to begin your nail polish making journey. The ingredient list and what they are used for is extremely helpful. Glitter, glitter finishes & shapes, thinners, and bases and what to expect when you want to achieve a certain look.

This book has more than 30 recipes that help with getting used to mixing colors and even adding special effect pigments. There are very detailed pictures along with the instructions so that it IS very easy to follow along.

The pictures look absolutely amazing. Step-by-step follow along pictures are what I like to see in a DIY book, so that I know I am doing the process exactly right. This book definitely gets 2 thumbs up for how clear and detailed the pictures are!

There is even a section in the back to help with applying the polish right so there aren’t any smears or smudges. She takes it a step beyond and even shows how to tackle the techniques I had been dying to try. Most of them weren’t as hard as they look.

I am loving that the nail polish can be made with eye shadow. This makes the options endless. She even shows how to perfectly measure the different types of eye shadows, so that you get the desired color.

I love all the cool nail tricks and techniques in the back of the book. II t covers using scrapbooking punches to make nail decals, using gel pens for nail polish, making tape stencils, and how to get the galaxy look.

I’d always wondered how to perfect the gradient/ombre style. I even bought a dotting tool (before I got this book) and still couldn’t tackle the dotted style. I was pretty sure it was going to be a piece of cake, and the dotting tool failed me lol. I didn’t realize that I could’ve just used bobby pins instead. Oh well, the dotting tool is a nice addition to my nail box anyway.

Before you go running off trying to find the ingredients and the equipment, look in the back at the resources. The best places (with the best prices) are listed, so that you spend less time comparing prices and more time to enjoy MAKING the polish. She even adds an amazing list of nail art inspiration blogs that are a definite must read. I am loving looking at all the nail designs, so make sure you bookmark them!

About the Author

Allison Rose Spiekermann is the founder and creative director of Nail Pattern Boldness, an independent nail polish company based in Burlington, VT, which specializes in unique and innovative products to help both amateur and professional nail polish enthusiasts get more out of every manicure. She lives in Burlington, VT

Get the Book: Homemade Nail Polish 

Stay updated on the recent releases and giveaways from Ulysses Press by following them on Twitter and Facebook!

 

XoXo Jess

DIY Dye: Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring by Loren Lankford ;Ulysses Press

Want an accent streak of fire-engine red? How about forest-green tips? Or maybe you’re daring enough to transform your locks into a rainbow of bright colors? It’s all up to you!
With DIY Dye and some imagination, you can easily personalize your hair with any color and style imaginable. This comprehensive guide offers step-by-step instructions on every aspect of at-home hair coloring including:

• Picking the right dye
• Concocting original hues
• Adding highlights
• Getting an ombre in any color

Whether you’re looking to add color for a day, week, month or longer, DIY Dye shows you how to fashion the look you want using affordable options like coloring kits, chalks, henna, food coloring and even Kool-Aid packets.

Punky colored hair isn’t just for anarchists anymore. These new looks are being rocked by everyone from top models on the runway to regular women on the job. Now, DIY Dye brings together all the latest and greatest ways to create an iridescent ’do into one helpful and handy do-it-at-home guide.

There are countless products for freaking out one’s locks, but woefully little information on how to use them. This comprehensive manual lays out all the options for what to use, explains how to use them most effectively, and describes what different types of hair will do in reaction. Readers will learn all the ways to go from basic blonde to baby blue and to control how long their looks will last. Seeking out a one-night stand? Try the simple, nontoxic recipe for homemade hair chalk. Want a summer fling? It’s amazing what Kool-Aid can do.

 

My Review

 

DIY Dye - Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring You Do at Home ($14.95 USD)  by Loren Lankford. (Also available at Amazon here in Kindle edition and hardcover)

I’ve always loved experimenting with my hair color. The first time I dyed my hair I was like 12. Of course, I messed it up but still. I always loved mixing it up and I’ve probably had every hair color on the planet. When I got this book in the mail, I knew I was going to love it, I just didn’t know how much.

It’s jam-packed with interesting ideas and techniques. If you’ve ever messed your own hair up, you know how great it is to have a few tips on hand. This book is like a hair dye bible. There’s no way that you could say you don’t want this book after you’ve flipped through it. Pure awesomeness.

She really explains in detail how to keep your hair healthy and nourished while dying it. Using bleach is something that definitely needs to be done with care. Bleach and lightening products can really wreck havoc on your hair. Keeping it healthy is a priority to me. I like change but I don’t like damage.

I really love the natural options for color and highlights instead of using dyes that are packed with chemicals. Whether you’re looking for something temporary or something permanent, there is something for everyone.

I also love the little tips and tricks boxes throughout the book. Each one contains useful advice or information that makes me seriously wish I’d had this book when I was younger. I could’ve saved myself a ton of hair tragedies.. lol.

The book is broken down into 3 categories:

The first Get Ready contains everything from materials to color wheel-basics. This is particularly useful for those who are trying to get a specific color of hair for your hair type. It’s common sense that it’ll take more challenges (like bleaching) for a darker hair color to accept bright pigments. I love how well she explains it though. Great for beginners and experts alike.

The second is The Dyes which contains the recipes and techniques for dying your hair. It covers bleaching, hair chalk, kool-aid, colored-hairspray, henna, food coloring and store bought. I love how well she explains each method and how each has a set of pictures that make following along almost dummy proof. She did an amazing job!

Of course there are boxed dyes, but do you know the tricks to choosing which shade? This book covers how to make sure you don’t choose something that will end up grey or orange. Plus the recipes for each technique show you how to choose your own custom colors.

The third is the DIY Style which covers the different styles in dying. Whether you’re looking to just color the tips, go two-toned, ombre, or even rainbow—she explains (with pictures) how to accomplish it.

“With step-by-step instructions for every style from two-tone to ombre to a full head of highlighter-hued hair, this complete guide to the wonderful world of home hair dye leaves no follicle untouched.”

Question: Have You Ever caused yourself a complete hair disaster and what was it? You can post comments below or tag me in any instagram pics @stylishsouthernmom or twitter @aidanadisynsmom.

About the Author

Loren Lankford is a Georgia native, NYU film graduate and current L.A. dweller. When she isn't rescuing dogs from high kill shelters, thrifting items for her online  Etsy shop, Southern Dropout, or editing her crafting website, CraftFoxes, she's doing actual freelance work!

\An early graduate of publishing giants Hearst (CosmoGIRL! and Cosmopolitan), Time Inc. (Entertainment Weekly) and Condé Nast (Jane), Lankford has also written, produced and edited for AOL's Lemondrop.com, NBC's iVillage, Paste Magazine, MTV and several others. She helped launch Fab and Bookish, did all the research for a best-selling memoir and spent time as a community operations admin at Etsy. "Time off" means traveling all over the world for sporting events and film festivals.

Get the book.

DIY Dye: Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring You Do at Home $12.97

-Jessica

Book Review: The Web Designers Roadmap by Giovanni DiFeterici; O’Reilly Media

The Web Designer's Roadmap is a full-color book about the creative process and the underlying principles that govern that process.

While other books cover the nuts 'n' bolts of how to design the elements that make up websites, this book outlines how effective designers go about their work, illustrating the complete creative process from start to finish.

As well as how-to content, the book draws on interviews with a host of well-known design gurus, including Shaun Inman, Daniel Burka, Meagan Fisher, Donald Norman and Dan Rubin.

A non-academic book, this is a fun and easy read packed with practical information.

 

My Review*

The Web Designers Roadmap is a book about the creative process behind web design. One of the most challenging problems with design is knowing where to start, where to get ideas, and how to turn the ideas into actual web design whether it’s a website, app, or blog design.

This book focuses more on the actual structure of the design process. It doesn’t really let us jump into the HTML/CSS code and learn HOW to design. The book focuses on thought process and the different ideas and structure of beauty.

The book is written from the perspective of a designer who works inside a studio. So, it’s different from myself because I work alone and from home, but the information was interesting. I learned some interesting facts and ideas, so the book is for anybody- whether you’re already a designer or an aspiring one.

I’d say the book was good information for a designer and easy to follow. It wasn’t what I was expecting though. I thought there’d be some design elements thrown in, I love to see how to code different things, so it was a bummer it’s only design related and doesn’t HTML/CSS.

If you’re looking for inspiration or want to learn the history of design, this book is definitely for you!

About the Author

Giovanni has a BA in studio art and is currently completing a degree in graphic design. He is an accomplished illustrator and designer. He’s the go to guy when it comes to developing creative solutions to complex visual problems.

Get the Book: The Web Designer's Roadmap 

Print- $39.95     Ebook-$29.00

 

Jessica Renee

 

Book Review: Cake Balls: More Than 60 Delectable and Whimsical Sweet Spheres of Goodness by DeDe Wilson; Harvard Common Press

Just as delightful to eat as they are portable and fun to make, cake balls have been making appearances across the country in bakeries, upscale restaurants, children’s parties, and weddings. Innovating mom and prolific home baker, blogger, and author, Dede Wilson ushers in this popular trend in baking with over 60 delicious and decadent recipes.

What is a Cake Ball?

Cake balls are a combination of crumbled cake and frosting rolled into generous bite-size rounds and then dipped in a coating, usually dark, milk, or white chocolate. There is a cake ball for every party, holiday, bake sale, and any other occasion, and these sweet treats are sure to be a standout in an array of ordinary baked goods.

Cake Balls begins with nine basic cake recipes and ten basic frostings, ganaches, and glazes, which Wilson spins, with some design tricks and extra ingredients, into 63 distinctive creations, each handsomely photographed in full color.

DeeDee helps us ditch those recipes that call for boxed caked mix and canned frosting, which I love. She approaches cake balls the right way with from-scratch cake and frosting! There are a variety of cake balls in this book, and such a variety- this is definitely a must own book for anybody who would love to learn or add to their recipes.

Ch.1 Baking & Creating Fabulous Cake Balls provides the basic cake ball making techniques, tools, and ingredients. Also includes:

How to create your own unique cake ball recipe, All about cake ball decorations & Storage Tips

Ch.2 The Basic Recipes is split into two sections. The first section is basic cake ball recipes while the second covers frosting, pastry cream, ganache, and other “binders” to combine with the cake recipes (base).

Ch.3 The Cake Balls -More than 50 recipes for fabulously delicious cake ball recipes.

Ch.4 Cake Ball Creations 10 recipes that teach us to use cake balls to make show stopping desserts on a grand scale.

 

The Recipes

The recipes include kid-friendly ideas, such as Jam-Filled Cake Balls, Smores, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Balls; sophisticated treats like Cocoa-Dusted Truffle Cake Balls and Cranberry-Toffee-Walnut Cake Balls; and whimsical creations like Teddy Bears, Cake Ball Pumpkins, and the statement-making Cake Ball Tower, made of cream puffs. Wilson offers inspiration for baking pros with tips for original cake ball inventions, and guidance for rookies and bakers-on-the-go with tips on making cake balls from a mix.

I had so much fun with this book. The cake balls look so delicious yet so beautiful. The perfect treat for many occasions. There were so many of the recipes that made my mouth water like crazy.

Cappuccino Cake Balls, with additional details on making a Mochaccino Cake Ball.

Rocky Road Cake Balls which is made with a fudgy brownie base. (yum)

German Chocolate Cake Balls

Peppermint-White Chocolate

There are just so many more that I could mention. I can’t wait to try all of them. The book is absolutely amazing and I am so glad I’ve added it to my recipe book collection, it’s priceless.

It’s something not only that we can do, but that we can get help from our kids. They remember the small stuff, and just baking some amazing cake balls and playing a game after or something. Let them help you choose the cake mix or which type of frosting as well. We will definitely be doing this!

Download the recipe for Confetti Cake Balls

Download the recipe for Apple Pie Cake Balls

Download the recipe for Crème Brûlée Cake Balls

The Cake Ball decorations are super adorable. Whether it’s a Christmas Tree at your Christmas party, a princess for your daughter, Egg for Easter, or Pumpkin for Halloween.. they have it all. I love them!

Get Yours: Cake Balls: More than 60 Delectable and Whimsical Sweet Spheres of Goodness

$12.31

Harvard Common Press Independent publisher specializing in cookbooks, childbirth & parenting,

Jessica Renee

 

Book Review: The Crocheter’s Companion Revised and Updated by Nancy Brown; Interweave Publishing /F+W Media #HolidayGiftGuide2013

Explore a guidebook with over 65,000 copies sold! Get more stitches, over 70 new illustrations, and step-by-step techniques in this new edition of The Crocheter's Companion.

This indispensable resource includes all of the essentials, plus a few exciting extras you've been longing for: more tools, stitches, and techniques, as well as updated yarn information, complete abbreviations and symbols, and additional information on reading stitch diagrams. Also, due to popular demand, the section on Tunisian crochet has been expanded.
Still in its handy pocket-sized, spiral-bound format, the updated edition covers all the basics (and then some!). Thread and hook charts, stitch instructions with clear illustrations, and lots of helpful hints from one of crochet's most experienced authors will inspire beginners and serious crocheters alike. With impeccable illustrations, an easy-to-understand format, and the most updated information available, The Crocheter's Companion will soon become the only crochet resource you'll need.

The Crocheter’s Companion is a pocket sized spiral bound reference book that every crocheter needs in their project bag. The spiral bound design allows the book to lie flat while working on a project, which I love. Usually I have to add paper weights on both sides of the pages to keep the book on the page.

This book is definitely packed with all the essential information that every crocheter needs, whether beginner or advanced. It has clear illustrations and detailed easy to follow instructions, so that even someone who has never picked up a crochet stick before can manage to follow along.

Step-by-step instructions on all the crochet stitches from basic to advanced. Beginning the foundation chain, chainless foundations, & single crochet and taking it up a notch to double crochet, treble crochet, extended double and treble crochet, and ending with the slip stitch.

I know how to crochet but not at an advanced level. I can make stitches and figure out how to put them together to actually make something out of it. I can make totes, bookmarks, tech cases and stuff. I haven’t managed to learn how to make clothes or anything that requires measuring anybody yet. This book has really take crochet to another level for me.

It has taught me so many interesting advanced techniques and finishes that I’d been trying to learn. Most books are just patterns or teaches the essentials but don’t go in depth to the more advanced stitches.

This shows how to make buttonholes, how to block, add edging, and working with seams. How to add in the decorative touches that really make crochet amazing such as cords, braids, buttons, pompoms, fringes, etc.

If you can manage to teach yourself the most essential stitches and use that- you’ll be crocheting up a storm in no time. That’s how I taught myself. I’d take it one stitch at a time, and just kept practicing! Before you know it, you’ll be putting patterns together in no time.

This book shows you how to work rows of stitches, in rounds, joining in new yarn, and how to shape pieces. This book explains in detailed instruction and illustration on how to do each stitch. This is the next step to learning the essential beginning stitches.

Then it takes it up another notch with the more advances stitches (which are just combining several beginner stitches). These would include shell stitch, popcorn stitch, cluster stitch, picot stitch..etc. Then it adds the different ways to crochet; bead crochet, aran crochet, filet crochet, multicolored crochet..etc.

It also adds in Tunisian crochet, which I’d never tried to master before. This is also called afghan crochet which is a blend of crochet and knitting. Then the end consists of troubleshooting and helpful hints. This helps with any problems you may run into or questions you may run into.

I love this book! I am glad that I have gotten the chance to add this to my collection! This would make an amazing gift for someone wanting to learn crochet, someone who knows how but would like to learn more, or someone who’d like a reference book!

About the Author:

Nancy Brown is the author of the original edition of The Crocheter's Companion, and her work has been featured in Interweave Knits, Scarf Style, and Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarns(all Interweave). A crocheter for almost 40 years, Nancy served as executive vice president of the Crochet Guild of America and was the West Coast representative for Skacel Collection Inc. She lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Interweave/F+W Media, Inc; $19.95

* Amazon:

* Barnes & Noble:

* Interweave:

 

-Jessica

Perfect Party Dresses: 12 Superb Dresses to Smock and Sew edited by Susan O’Connor; Interweave Publishing

With beautiful photographs to inspire you, Perfect Party Dresses will be your guide to making party dresses dreams come true.

The easy to follow instructions for 12 glorious smocked dresses and 3 petticoats include more than 180 step-by-step photographs, full colour smocking graphs, detailed construction diagrams and multi-size liftout patterns.

Learn how to expertly tie a perfect sash bow, and discover helpful hints and tips for finishing touches and care of smocked and embroidered garments. Full-color smocking graphs, detailed construction diagrams and multi-size lift-out patterns.

Learn how to expertly tie a perfect sash bow and discover helpful hints and tips for finishing touches and taking care of smocked and embroidered garments. From birthdays to weddings, this beautiful collection of stunning smocking designs in sizes 2-10 years is sure to provide something spectacular for every special occasion in a young lady's life.

There is absolutely no better way to celebrate a party than with a new party dress. Every girl MUST know this right? The book Perfect Party Dresses is a beautiful collection of 12 really gorgeous dresses for little girls. Most of them have a very vintage feel to the look, which are all striking!

These dresses are beautiful, but they aren’t for beginners. The patterns are advanced, so you’ll need some experience with dress making before tackling any of the projects in this book! The instructions are very detailed and easy to follow along with. Each dress has at least 3-4 really amazing pictures of the dresses on girls so you can get a grasp of the flow of the material and how it looks once it’s completed.

Each dress has the ages that the dress is targeted to (ex. 6-8 years old) so that you know before you have to take measurements. It shows the fabric, notions, AND thread needed to complete each dress. I really appreciate this because I’ve started projects before and had to stop mid-way through because the book or instruction didn’t list a certain notion or a type of thread that I didn’t have and was essential to making it.

The full pattern to every dress is on a huge pullout sheet at the back of the book. This makes it 10x easier for me. I would rather trace patterns from a full pattern. I dislike scanning the smaller patterns and having to zoom and piece the pattern together with paper! That way there are NO creases or pieces running off printer paper. :/

Some of the dresses include embroidery (usually on the bib or sleeves of the dress). Even if you aren’t sure how to embroider the instructions take you step by step (picture and written word).

I love that the back of the book has instructions on how to make sleeve puffs, how to finish a bodice with lace, and how to care for/clean the dresses after they are made. It also gives detailed instructions on French seams, neckline piping, sashes, and so much more!

This book isn’t for beginners, you’ll need sewing experience before whipping anything up out of this book. If you do have the experience, this book is definitely a book you’ll want to add to your collection! If you KNOW someone who enjoys sewing, this book would make an amazing holiday present for them!

Get it: Perfect Party Dresses $22.73

Interweave, Barnes & Noble, & Amazon

About the Author

Susan O'Connor is a world-renowned designer, teacher and the former editor of Australian Smocking & Embroidery (AS&E), and her magnificent smocked garments have been published for 20 years.

 

 

-Jessica