Customer Reviews

Craft Corps: Celebrating the Creative Community One Story at a Time

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The interviews in this book are all very inspirational. The individual biographies ring true for all crafters I know. We have all been affected by craft and design at different times in our lives. We have all made pictures with beans and paste in kindergarten, some of us made numerous crafts in girl scouts, been taught by our mothers and fathers (woodworking is a craft too!), created in wood or metal shop in high school, continued crafting at various times in our lives. Reading these craftographies takes me back to my childhood where memories live of glue, wood and beans. I highly recommend this book for anyone who crafts but more so for anyone thinking of taking on a crafty life:P

From a quick glance at the cover, title page and photos, it looked interesting because it was full (really full) of true stories about other crafters' lives and how they got their start in business. It's a fascinating read, giving anyone who enjoys creative pursuits a sense of belonging to a welcoming community with a rich history that embraces a whole spectrum of crafty expression and innovation. What's even better is it led me to the Craft Corps site, where visitors are invited to share their own stories and become a member of the Craft Corps. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down until I'd read it from cover to cover--it's that interesting!

Craft Corps is a book that will let you learn about over sixty different celebrity crafters and designers. You'll learn about who they are, why they craft, what they like, what challenges them and what recommendations and suggestions they have to offer you.

Each chapter is set up like an interview with a different crafter. The interview includes a photograph and how the author knows them or their work. The author goes through a variety of questions that really let you understand who the crafter or designer is and how they came to be who they are. There are also beautiful color photographs of pieces that they've created and a photograph of their craft room along with information about their favorite craft items, etc. You'll also have a link to go to in order to see more of what each person creates.

My favorite part of this book is that scattered throughout the interviews with famous crafters and designers are *Words to Craft By* which are little introductions to a variety of every day crafters and their blogs. You'll learn about who they are, their favorite crafts, where they live and what their blog link is so you can go connect with them and learn more.

I have had so much fun with this book. It's the perfect way to get inspiration or to spend a couple hours on a rainy afternoon. The way the interviews are written really lets you get to know the crafters. Including the links to sites and blogs means that I can connect with the people I feel can offer me more inspiration. Listing their favorite crafts means that I can search out people who enjoy the same types of crafts that I do. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are a variety of male crafters included in the book as well. This is a great way to spend the afternoon!

Vicki Howell has placed the love people have for knitting and crochet in one big book. This will explain why people knit/crochet, why they design, how they got started, etc. It's almost like being at a knitting/crochet convention without actually being there.

CraftCorps

Vickie Howell

Lark Books

There are books you peruse slowly, picking them up now and again, taking small polite bites of information. They are nice books, well mannered books, happy little books you enjoy and then promptly forget. Then there are books like CraftCorps. It's the kind of book you can't stop devouring from the moment you open the cover and when you've finished reading you're hungry for more. I got my advance copy this week and although I had a pile of other things on my plate that were screaming for attention, as soon as I cracked open the cover I was hooked. I kept saying to myself, okay put the book down and get back to work...but every time I tried it was only a moment or two before I had the book in my hands again.

Vickie Howell is a tour de force in the craft community. She's not only written a brilliant and inspiring book, she's become the pied piper of a crafty revolution. This series of interviews with a wide variety of craft and creative industry celebrities is riveting. Every person has a fascinating story to share and the threads that run through them all speak to the innately human desire to create. Each interview is a peek into the trajectory of a career of a creative person who figured out that we really can do what we love and have the money follow and when we do life becomes a celebration. Every person in the book stood in the face of the people who told them, "You can't." and said, "Oh yeah, watch me." These stories will inspire, entertain, educate and amaze you. The additional profiles of up and coming crafters scattered throughout the book make it clear that this movement is here to stay.

This book asks again and again the nebulous question, "What is the difference between 'art' and 'craft'?" and the answers given defy conventional wisdom. Ultimately this isn't merely a book about crafters or crafting, it's really a road map to creating success by defying the rules. Every person in the book has stood at the crossroads of the road less traveled and taken the wild path. Anyone who longs to break free of their pedantic existence will be inspired by this book. If you've often wondered what might happen if you ignored the naysayers and did what made you happy, you'll find out what might happen here. Anyone who crafts for fun or a living will be kicked in the ass by this book, in the best possible way.

The people featured in this book along with the author are all creating their own realities on a daily basis. They'll make you laugh and they'll make you cry and most of all they'll make you think. Deeply. This is the kind of book that changes lives. There is a power in creativity that transcends definition, but this book manages to not only define it, but to show the reader how to harness that power for good.

Margot Potter

Author The Impatient Crafter Series, Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed and Bead Chic

For anyone who loves to craft, this is the book that documents what current crafters--professionals and amateurs--are doing and enjoying. What I love is that it shows all the different crafts out there and where everyone is from. It's inspiring to read everyone's stories.

An inspirational read for anyone who is trying to make a living from their art and/or crafts.

Craft Corps is a wonderful book to show what is happening in contemporary crafts - the lifestyle, the emotion, the design, the inspiration, all of it. I'm am truly honored to be one of the artists included. Each story is inspiring and though-provoking thanks to Vickie's keen interviewing skills. If you want a book to get you motivated to carve your own niche in the art and craft world, this is it. Each and every one of us are card-carrying members of Craft Corps!!! Thank you, Vickie, for such a cool book!

Let me preface my review by saying, yes, I am a part of Craft Corps(chapter 4!) but I will give an unbiased review! Vickie Howell has compiled a wonderful collection of interviews and the results are fun and inspiring. The stories from all the artists in the book will show you how people who have made a career being creative have themselves been inspired and motivated. For anyone who is or wants to be creative, I think it's a must-read. I was happy to read how some of my peers were influenced by similar things growing up, like when Jenny Hart mentions MAD Magazine! I think it's timely, cultural, and thought-provoking. And a fun read. Thanks Vickie for allowing me to share some of my stories with you and your audience! Everyone, pick up the book!

Ed Roth, Stencil1 author of Stencil 101 and Stencil 101 Decor