Have fun leaning something new with these books
This month’s theme for the St. Joseph Public Library book reviews is Learn Something New and have fun doing it. The books discussed here are available at the St. Joseph Public Library, at other Missouri Evergreen libraries, or from one of the SJPL eContent vendors. Visit the library’s catalog at https://sjpl.modiscovery.org to find these or other great books to enjoy.
5-Gallon Bucket Book: DIY Projects, Hacks, and Upcycles by Chris Peterson. Have you ever wished for a cheap one room air cooler? This book tells you how to make one from a five-gallon bucket and a couple of other inexpensive pieces. Over 60 easy and inexpensive projects start with a five-gallon bucket. From yard/garden (a pond filter), barnyard helpers (egg incubator) to home hacks (camping and composting toilet), a full list of materials needed and well-illustrated instructions are included for each project.
Making Pottery Without a Kiln: Happy Little Projects to Make for Your Home by Daniela Schmidt-Kohl. Divided into projects for each season modeling clay or air-hardening clay are used to create decorator objects and gifts. The tools for the included projects are few and inexpensive. Many times, household items can be substituted. Many of the techniques used are repeated in later projects. Yet the projects are varied. If you like to decorate gifts, embellish items in your home, or create original, useful items for your home, grab this book!
The New Art of Paper Flowers: The Complete Guide to Crafting Gorgeous Crepe Paper Flowers by Quynh Nguyen. Not the Kleenex and Bobbi pin carnations from grade school. Your results will impress. Twenty-five tutorials and five floral projects will teach and inspire the reader. Crepe paper, wire, tacky glue and scissors are all that is required to begin. Some of the flower instructions included are sweet pea, pansy, foxglove, lilac, and clematis. Instructions are accompanied by detailed pictures and patterns. The pictures of the finished product will inspire you to give this art a try.
Spruce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upholstery and Design by Amanda Brown. Best described as the Bible of Upholstered Furniture, if it is relevant to your needs, it is in this book. Selecting fabric and buying accurate quantities, refinishing wooden parts, having the tools you need. determining the best approach for your piece, using correct supporting components beneath the fabric, proper methodologies for applying fabric and finishing the project are all covered by sensible instructions and appropriate pictures. Appearing rather daunting at first, the user of this book will appreciate its thoroughness.
The Backyard Vintner: An Enthusiast’s Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Wine at Home by Jim Law. A large space is not needed by the home vintner; one vine can yield 2-5 bottles of wine. Beginning with growing your grapes, which grape varieties prefer your kind of soil, checking for drainage, followed by pruning, trellising, picking, will get you started. The second half of the book deals with turning your grapes into wine. Or you can jump to page 71 and make your wine from juice at winemaking suppliers. A good way to try winemaking.
