Margot Potter’s new book is out, Bead Chic and available on Amazon.com. Here’s the description:

Bead Chic, Chic You

Bead Chic will show you how to take inspiration that you love and forge your own creative path. After learning basic jewelry techniques, you’ll be launched into 36 gorgeous projects. Each project comes with a variation, so you’ll learn how easy it is to adapt virtually any project to suit your individual style, making you your own designer.

• Each of 36 stepped-out projects features an inspiring variation, including some from today’s hottest jewelry makers, including Jean Campbell, Tammy Powley, Cathie Filian and more.

• Clear step-by-step photography and instructions allow beaders of all skill levels create projects exactly “as-is” in the book, while variations show how swapping out just one or two elements can make an entirely different look.

• You’ll get to play with beads, a variety of stringing materials—from coated wire, to shapeable wire to commercial chain—and findings, all easily found at local and online craft retailers.

Let Bead Chic bring out the designer in you!

I have to admit that I have been anticipating this book for a while because (a) I made some variation pieces for it and (b) I know that Margot took a different approach with this latest book, and I have been very curious about what she did exactly. I literally got my copy the other day, and I’m looking forward to relaxing this weekend and sticking my nose in this awesome book.

But, I may not be the only one enjoying a good bead read; you may be too very soon if you enter this super easy, no-brainer blog give-a-way:

Starting today and ending through Friday September 3, 2010 12 midnight eastern time, post a comment answering the following question and you will be automatically entered to win a free copy of Bead Chic:

Margot’s book focuses a lot on these design concepts: scale, color, texture, pattern, foundations, and focal elements. Of these 6 concepts, which do you tend to focus on the most and why?

Comments will be held for approval, so it may be a little while before yours shows up as I have to release each one in order for it publish.

I will randomly draw names from all those who posted. Make sure you include an email because that is how I will notify the winner. If the winner does not respond 5 days after being notified, I will draw another name from the comments list. Only one entry per person, please.

Ah, the day is starting to get away from me, and I have so much to do! Our Sunday mornings around here are normally pretty relaxed. We enjoyed some yumo Yorkshire Pudding this morning for breakfast. The recipe came from Jamie Oliver’s latest book, Jamie’s Food Revolution. As you can see, we (as in I) put a big dent in them already and it’s just shy of noon! Now it is time to get something accomplished today, and I’m starting with some great crafting links.

About Family Crafts
Sherri has fond memories of making and playing with paper dolls when she was young. Perhaps that is why she was so excited to create these printable paper dolls.

Aileen’s Musings
Aileen is offering a crafty blog giveaway. She offers 4 different ways you can enter to win her Tic-Tac-Toe 3 in a Row Blog Giveaway! Hurry over and enter today!

Carmi’s Art/Life World
Carmi creates some glamorous shaker cards with her sewing supplies.

Cathie Filian
Surf’s up and Cathie has a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a beach towel roll up. It even has a secret pocket!

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside announces the new Qbookshop.com along with a chance to win a copy of 1,000 Poses in Fashion; there is also a tutorial on how to make a rubber stamp out of a garden kneeling cushion and a couple of quilt border ideas.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here are some more ideas from Eileen for decorating canvas tote bags.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has a copy of The Fine Art of the Tin Can to give away! Pop on over and sign up to win!

Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
See how I used the stitch doodle technique from The Big-Ass book of Home Decor to embellish a skirt with a jackalope.

The Crochet Dude
Drew unveils the July purse from his Purse Pattern of the Month club. And it looks like there is still room to sign up!!

Right before diving into my summer school classes, I had a chance to finish one last book during my leisure: The True History of Paradise: A Novel by Margaret Cezair-Thompson. This probably would have been a nice book to bring on the cruise I went on, if it had been quiet enough anywhere to actually read, but I’m so glad I managed to squeeze it in before my “fun” reading slows down considerably.

The book is definitely a work of fiction but is mixed with doses of Jamaican history, ranging from the early Arawak settlers to the government upheaval in the 1980s. Because of all the violence going on around, some of which she has personally had inflicted on her, the main character, Jean Landing, is leaving her beloved home, Jamaica. As she takes the long drive to meet the airplane, which is probably going to be piloted by drug runners, she weaves her story and those of her ancestors, a mix of Asian, Spanish, Indian, African, German, and Scottish decent.

Other than the fact that this is just a plain old good story, I was most impressed with Cezair-Thompson’s mix of point of view and verb tense. As Jean leaves, the story is told in present tense and the narrator is limited omniscient; we get inside of Jean’s head for the most part. Then as characters from history are introduced, the text changes into italics, and the story is past tense and told in first person. Then we are back to Jean and present tense, and so on, basically moving back and forth through the whole book.

To do this, let alone to do it well, is really tricky. I have read numerous books which have simply tried to use multiple narrators and point of view and just couldn’t pull it off, but this author does. I bought into these other voices, and I was fine with flipping back and forth between present and past. I will go so far as to say that it really made the story for me.

Now, this book isn’t perfect.  Some of the ends of the stories the author weaves are pretty lose. Jean is leaving, so yes, we know from the beginning that the end of the book should show her leaving. We expect this. However, this doesn’t actually happen. Instead of the car she has been sitting in during the entire book, all of a sudden she’s in a taxi. It is assumed (I think) that she is still heading towards the plane, but I really wanted to see her on the plane and lifting off, and that never happened.

Other dangling story threads are also left undone. A very good friend of Jean’s is fighting for her life in the hospital. At one point, it looks like Jean will stay because of this, but she doesn’t. Again, we know this is going to happen because she’s in the car. However, what about the friend? Did she live? Did she die? I went so far as to go back and reread sections near the end because I thought I had missed something.

I still recommend this book, but I can’t help but be disappointed that the ending didn’t have the same moment and strength as the rest of the book had.

One of my summer reads recently was a book by Azar Nafisi entitled Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In fact, I did my best not to race through it because I didn’t want it to end too soon.

This memoir covers the author’s life while trying to deal with the Islamic Revolution in Tehran. Her story is assembled around a sort of home-bound book club made up of women who once took university literature classes from her but now meet in secret to discuss books, many banned by the new powers that be. The book is actually divided into sections for books and authors, Gatsby, Jane Austen, Lolita, and so on.

Though not in complete chronological order, Nafis covers a time period ranging from the 1970s to about the mid-1990s. I’m in my mid-40s, so while I was aware something was going on “over there” during the 1970s and 80s, I was too young to care that much or have any comprehension about it. So this alone was a history lesson for me and helped me understand or at least have some context (I still don’t get it all) for what continues to happen in Iran today.

This book has something for literature lovers, feminists, and historians. It is one of the few contemporary books I say should be on your “must read” list.

It’s that time of year at Interweave’s on-line shop, time for the annual hurt book sale! But the window of opportunity to score some slightly bruised books ends tomorrow. I have purchased books a number of times during this company’s hurt book sale, and I have been surprised to find that none of the books I ordered looked damaged in any way. So, I think a lot of these are just overstocks too! If you have wanted to treat yourself to some craft book titles from jewelry making, beading, fiber arts, or whatever it is you like to do, now is the perfect time! Click on either the ad above or below to get you over there.

Last Monday, I gave my 25 cents about Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa Lee. After reading that novel, which I really enjoyed, I decided to go ahead and keep with the China theme and read another See novel, Shanghai Girls: A Novel. This book, like most of See’s, is also a fictional story woven with historical references and set in China’s past, but it also expands to America as well as two sisters, Pearl and May, are forced to leave China during WWII and find themselves in Los Angele’s Chinatown in 1938.

The historical background included in the book is impressive, and this is obviously something the author uses in most of her work. If you look at some of the reviews of her other books, like Peony in Love, this historical weaving with narrative is her “thing,” and she does it well.

As far as this book goes, I can’t say I liked it as much as the first one I read, but it was a good read, just not a great read. Most of the storyline I found to be predictable, but unfortunately, that is something I find is the case for me when it comes to most contemporary fiction and one reason I tend to stick to the classics. Without giving away details of the book that would ruin it for anyone who hasn’t read it, let’s just say there were multiple times that an event or incident would happen in the book, and I would think, “oh, I bet x, y, z.” Then two or three chapters later, I’d discover that my assumptions were correct. Once or twice isn’t a big deal as many books will have predictable events, but it happened a little too much for me in Shanghai Girls.

Other than the historical backdrop, the other strength of this novel is characterization, especially when it comes to the sisters. Pearl is the oldest sister by just a few years and tells their story. May is her baby sister, BFF, and lifelong partner. It is a complex relationship, you want to know what happens to these women, and all kinds of stuff happens to them. The story reads pretty fast because a lot is going on.

Finally, my only other issue with this novel is that I felt a little let down with the ending. I almost wonder if this is supposed to be part one of a two part story. It does end, and many issues are resolved, but not all of them. There is more to Pearl and May’s story, and I felt a little cheated that I didn’t get it all.

If you have enjoyed any of Lisa See’s other novels (and it looks like she is pretty darn prolific), then I think this is a good summer read.

My summer reading list is monstrously long, and I know that in reality I won’t be able to read all the books I’d like to during my summer break. However, I have gotten off to a promising start with this first book by Lisa See, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel.

It is the fictional story of Lily, a 19th century Chinese woman, and her lifelong friendship with “her same,” Snow Flower. Lily is probably considered lower-middle class. Her family is not educated or rich, but they are not so poor that she has to work in the fields either. She lives in a world where there is a clear “man’s world” and a clear “woman’s world,” and traditions must be kept above all else. These traditions clearly outline her role as a woman, and this role is extremely limiting and many times physically and mentally painful to fulfill.

The story is told in an autobiographical first person format, very similar to another book I’ve read (and loved), Memoirs of a Geisha. In fact, there was a great deal about See’s book that I found to be similar. Both start when the female Asian protagonists (one from China the other from Japan) are young girls, then moves on throughout their lives until they are elderly. As they tell their stories, historical and cultural details are woven through the narratives. Granted, we are talking about two totally different cultures, but I enjoy a good story that includes these types of details, and I know that See spent a great deal of time researching Chines culture and traditions. The research definitely paid off.

Now I will say that Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is probably not up to the level of Memoirs of a Geisha, but it was pretty darn close in my opinion.  As far as the connection goes between the two books, they have similar flavors, and think if you liked one, you would like the other. If you haven’t read either of them, well, you should.

I have another Lisa See book on my list, Shanghai Girls: A Novel. Hopefully, it will be as enjoyable to read as this book.

Looks like I’m not the only designer with a new book on Amazon. Drew Emborsky, aka The Crochet Dude, has a brand spanking new book out as well, and it is available for early ordering: Crochet It! Love It! Wear It! Here is the description from Amazon:

“Just for the ladies, Drew Emborsky, aka The Crochet Dude , has created 13 cutting-edge fashions in luxurious crochet. Fashion-conscious women are always searching for the perfect Little Black Dress, and Drew has one, plus an incredible selection of other must-have wardrobe pieces. Designs include a party dress, cabled and ruffl ed cardigans, fl irty skirts, a vest, trendy tops including a baby doll style, an asymmetrical long coat, an opera jacket, and a keyhole scarf. The designs are crocheted using a variety of beautiful yarns; the majority are made with sumptuous, organic/natural yarns in worsted or sport weight and are highly textured with enticing post stitches. “

Black Dog Publishing has a new book out called In the Loop: Knitting Now, and because this publisher knows that I have some yarn lovers over here, I was sent some information about a special offer. Readers of Crafty Princess Diaries can get 40% off the cover price simply by doing the following:

• Send an email to the publisher’s rep Jessica at jess@blackdogonline.com
• In the subject heading put “Crafty Princess Diaries Offer”
• Include your delivery address

Jessica will get assist you with putting in your discounted order for the book.

Here’s also a description of the book from the press release I was sent:

“In the Loop: Knitting Now explores the progression of knitting, a craft which has come a long way from its fuzzy image of thick socks, long shawls and embarrassing motifs on Christmas jumpers. Now there are knitting groups that meet in quirky venues throughout the country, as well as hundreds of clubs and contemporary artists intent on reclaiming the craft. In the Loop maps knitting’s journey from solitary hobby for old maids to mainstream, contemporary trend.

Including visual essays by contemporary knitters, artists and academics, with chapters such as Rethinking Knitting, Narrative Knits and Site & Sight: Activist Knitting, In The Loop explores the diverse topics of knitting in art, international knitting traditions, knitting as social activism, the oral history of knitting and knitting technology—providing a fascinating insight into the world of loops, stitches and casting off!

Through case studies, essays and photographs, In The Loop documents the work of artists using knitting in their work, public responses to knitting over the years, the rise of contemporary knitting groups such the internationally renowned ‘Stitch and Bitch’ and the burgeoning popularity for ’Knit Lit’ and do-it-yourself, environmentally friendly crafts.

Lavishly illustrated with images of contemporary knitting, In The Loop is an attractive volume with a fresh, modern and appealing design in keeping with the vibrant and creative subject matter. As such, In The Loop is an essential book for anyone with an interest in contemporary crafts, trends and textiles.”

Though the economy still isn’t doing that well and publishing, like so many industries, has been struggling, I’m happy to say that there are still a lot of great jewelry books coming out these days. Here are a few jewelry making book reviews I’ve published on my About.com Jewelry Making site over the past few months in case you missed any of them:

A Bead in Time by Lisa Crone includes 35 beading projects plus tips for designing jewelry using inspiration found all around us.

Seed Bead Fusion: 18 Projects to Stitch, Wire and String by Rachel Nelson-Smith brings together wire techniques and seed bead stitches to create some truly unique jewelry designs.

The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques: Plastic, rubber, metal and more are covered in this technique-heavy jewelry that examines contemporary jewelry making.

Enchanted Adornments is a mixed media book written by Cynthia Thornton covers a mixture of metal clay, wire, resin, and more.

Beyond the Bead: Making Jewelry with Unexpected Finds by Margot Potter is a mixed-media feast for jewelry makers who are ready to move their skills beyond bead stringing.

Totally Twisted: Innovative Wirework and Art Glass Jewelry by Kerry Bogert combines simply wire techniques with colorful lampwork beads.