I know I don't do this as often as I should, but here is a book review that I am truly excited about...Creative Embellishments by Sherrill Kahn is in a single word -
indispensable. Now, I am the one that loves to order books, loves to look at the pretty pictures for a few minutes, and then puts the book up on the shelf, never to be seen again by human eyes...
This is NOT that book.
Although certainly not a new book, it was new to me and it completely changed the way I look at embellishments and what they are made of, as well as what can be done with them, what you can use to make one, and how to use what you have made. I keep this book on my work table, right within reach because the pretty pictures in this book have actually taught me something, and more importantly, opened my mind to the complete world of embellishments. I had always just thought of embellishments as a way to add to my total art piece, but this book taught me that each embellishment is also a work of art within itself. I really love making and using my very own embellies that are unique, that are never going to look like cookie cutter, mass produced embellishments that anyone can go buy. This whole idea is so awesome to me for some reason, probably much more than most people because I get excited about silly things that others take for granted. Anyway, this book has instructions for making the various and widespread types of embellishments, and encourages us to look beyond the page, beyond the pre-cut, and helps us say, "Why not make my own and make them suit me?" Below, you can see what I did in my first endeavors to make my own embellishments using clay, fibers, old jewelry, beads, papers, and a little imagination...I love the way these turned out!
 |
| oven baked clay figure and heart, yarn fibers |
 |
| old earring, fibers, oven baked clay disc with engravings and textural pieces, pearls and beads |
 |
| clay heart, beads, key, papers, round yellow clay disc |
 |
| clay "love" element, round clay heart design piece, two metal earrings |
 |
| stamped out clay disc with heart shape in the center, plastic bead |
 |
| round clay disc with face |
All of the atc's above have handmade clay embellishments, and they really went fast in the open swap I was entered in on "The Art Colony", the only NING site just about, that I am still active at...but these atc's are just the beginning stages of what is probably going to happen....I will be excited and overdo myself, making myself sick, and then, I will suddenly not want to ever make anything like it again! Hopefully, you will love this book as much as I have and still do. I bought my copy at Amazon. I am pretty certain that there are more copies to be found on there. I hope you purchase one, and get as much enjoyment out of it as I have. I literally had an epiphany (lol) about these embellishments, this book, and all of the ideas that came flooding in concerning this style! Enjoy, and Happy Creating!!
Laura
"Laura's Uniques" on Etsy.com
http://laurasuniques.blogspot.com
my other blog at
