Customer Reviews

Mixed Mania

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Set up loosely like a cookbook (just for fun), the book begins with easy projects that get a little more sophisticated with each "course". Not to worry though because the instructions are clearly written, have lots of pictures, and use easy to pretty common supplies for artists at least a little familiar with mixed media. Even if you have been doing mixed media for years, I highly recommend reading the instructions to the projects, for neat tricks and advice, and lots of humor. We can always learn something new and if not, we can laugh along knowingly. (Impatient artists know that heat guns are your best friends! Isn't that true?!)

Some of the best things I like about this book is that a variety of mixed media projects are given included paper, fabric and assemblage. Personally, I work only with assemblage and paper, but the beautiful fabric projects seem too tempting not to try! --- I also like that the book is written by two very talented, very funny women with different personalities and art styles and the projects reflect this. There is something for everyone!

Great book, beautiful pictures and conversation and ideas. What I like best is that so many of the projects draw on what things we save, like old calendars, bits from tag sales, etc. Very inspiring.

A very entertaining and useful book. The basics to creating mixed-media things are clear and include imaginative substitutions made with things people would likely have on hand. Even if the reader doesn't chose to make similar things to the authors', this book has an inspiring feel to it and makes it obvious that we can do whatever we want with our creativity.

All of the reviews (so far ;-) I read tell me that the readers are themselves fun creative types!
Seems all throughly enjoyed not only the extremely well written directions, inventive ideas for projects-- but the CLEVER banter back and forth between the authors was DELICIOUS!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing the authors personalities come across so clearly! Makes this book more real -- and REALLY fun!
I could have have a ball just reading about THEM!
How about a sequel?
When is the MOVIE?
Are they going to drive off the (art) cliff together holding hands?
I want more!

I have bought many how-to books only to be bored or not really inspired. Some just plain old intimidate! As an artist, painter, and all around person who loves to make "stuff"....this book grabbed my attention immediately.
I WILL do these projects as they are easy enough to try-- but they open up the possibilites to take them wherever I want to go!
They were created in a way to inspire each artist to GO THERE!

The authors are like friends who like the same stuff you do and encourage you to JUST DO IT!
I Love this book-- thank you Debbi and Cheryl!

With its cookbook-like format that starts with Artistic Appetizers and then moves into Main Courses and Sweet Treats & Special Occasions, you'll find lots of projects to inspire you in this book. Start off with an appetizer of fun paper dolls, doodles and mini collages called scrumptious squares. Then dig into a main course and feast on fabric journals, keepsake boxes, mixed-media dolls and art quilts. But that's not all this book has to offer. You'll find artsy board games and a very fun mixed-media apron gallery along with lots of surface design techniques and sidebars that give you a look into the relationship between these two talented artists.

Debbi and Cheryl's voices will have you smiling all the way through their inspirational cookbook. It feels like they've pulled up a chair for a long chat on your front porch, so break out the lemonade. The fun projects will form the basis for any modifications you choose to make. Ideas are suitable for beginners who want to make the leap from simple scrapbook crafts to something more artsy, but there is also a mondo serving of delicious inspiration for the "seasoned" artist. Deb and Cheryl take the cake!

Debbi Crane and Cheryl Prater cooked up a fun and interesting cookbook of mixed-media recipes. While I didn't find all the projects visually appealing (for instance I found the doll made from salvaged junk truly ugly), they are very varied and unusual, not what you'd see in most mixed-media books. There are a lot of ideas for weird and maybe wonderful stuff you can create. The techniques and media the book covers are also wide-ranging enough to interest both beginners and more seasoned crafters I think.

The projects are divided into 3 sections:

+ Artistic Appetizers - quick and easy projects like doodling, patterned paper, paper dolls and mixed-media backgrounds.
+ Main Courses - more complex projects including mixed-media dolls, art quilt with transferred image, fabric journal (with instructions for sewing the binding) and dimensional collages.
+ Sweet Treats and Special Occasions - ideas for unique handcrafted items like a board game,

There are also the Pantry (an introduction on tools and materials and what you can use as substitutes), Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (a gallery of apron art from various female artists - symbolic of the fact that women are not longer tied to society's apron strings and can now make art) and tit bits of advice, inspirations and real recipes sprinkled throughout the book.

This is a fun book and one with whimsy. I enjoyed the colour photos and the blurbs about everything. One to keep on the tabletop to keep looking at and getting inspired.