craftivity by tsia carson: wow

it's not something i'm proud of, but i seem to be going through a phase where i'm not reading as many books as i used to. i can devour books about chefs and cooking like there's no tomorrow but i've been having a hard time getting back into design books. that was until i got my copy of craftivity in the mail.

admittedly, it's not a text heavy book but i think it's quite possibly the best design/craft book i've seen in years. craftivity chose a simple goal and executed it almost flawlessly. they set out to introduce and teach 40 craft projects from real designers and crafters and went above and beyond their mission. i found myself endlessly inspired by the projects they chose (broken up into areas like: knitting, wood working, glass, etc.) and the designers behind them. almost all of them are projects that even i (a non-crafty person) feel comfortable attempting. from sewing a stylishly "moth-bitten" sweater to creating your own handknit backyard hammock, craftivity has your diy needs covered. i found myself drooling over the embroidered screen door (my favorite idea in the book, hands down) and the upholstered tree stumps. they've got an idea for everyone in here and even some great basics (how to do simple cross stitches, basic tool education and even some basics for woodworking). it's the ultimate crafty person's (or aspiring crafty person) guide. i can't recommend craftivity more highly- it's a must read and would make a perfect holiday gift for the creative person in your life. and at only $19.95 it's in everyone's budget. click here to pick up a copy, i promise you'll be glad you did. click here for a few more project pictures from an earlier post [great work, tsia!]