Artful Ways with Polymer Clay

Average customer rating:

DOTTY HAS DONE IT AGAIN!

Dotty McMillan's Artful Ways with Polymer Clay

Wide-ranged polymer clay instructional book.

Great Book!! Beautiful Projects

Exceptional book!

Artful Ways with Polymer Clay
Dotty McMillan
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1402702825

Book Description

In her follow-up to the popular Creative Ways with Polymer Clay, Dotty McMillan offers more techniques, more tips, and more magnificent projects to delight any crafter. All the basics are covered, with plenty of colorful photos illustrating the details: safety considerations, choosing and preparing the clay, baking, mixing colors, and mastering fundamental principles of design. See how to create incredible image transfers, produce beautiful molds, do simple silk screening, add ingenious inclusions, and glaze, crackle, antique, and more. Fashion a fabulous Knotty Bracelet, Calico Cats, Mini-Kaleidoscope pendants, funky frames, a Treasure Box, a Sparkling Sun Catcher, Stained Glass Eggs, and other exquisite items, some presented by top polymer clay artists.

Customer Reviews:

DOTTY HAS DONE IT AGAIN!.......2007-06-10

This book is written by a lady who is very well known in the polymer clay community. She is extremely talented in many aspects of the clay world. This book is extremely wonderful to follow. It contains so many great ideas and inspirations for the seasoned clayer as well as the beginner. You definately will want to add this book to your clay library. I just love it. So glad I got it, but wish I would have purchased it a long time ago. Would definately been a big help when I was a newbie to claying.

Dotty McMillan's Artful Ways with Polymer Clay.......2007-02-13

This book, which I was waiting for, certainly is living up to its redommedation among clayers. My interest in clay was flagging and this wonderfully illustrated manual revived me.
Newbies to clay and the experienced will treasure it.

Wide-ranged polymer clay instructional book........2007-02-13

This book covers many techniques including molds, stamping, image transfers, silk screening, skinner blends, mokume gane, various canes, antiquing, crackling, gilding, faux materials, punch cutters, inclusions, inks and paints and suface techniques. I especially liked the advice about how to make your own stamps and cutters. The projects were varied and interesting (very adaptable) including knobs, a sun catcher, egg, boxes, purse, photo book, clock and a mask. There were eight jewelry projects and one very interesting project where a mini-kaleidoscope was covered and made into a pendant. This book would satisfy beginners and experts alike.

Great Book!! Beautiful Projects.......2006-07-04

I bought this book yesterday at a local craft store after just glancing at it for a few quick moments. I am so happy that I bought it. It has lots of ideas and projects that I haven't seen before and some that I have seen but done in a different way. Everything is kept fairly simple so even novice clayers can enjoy and use the book. As to the review that states you can't find the items that are needed in the book, there is only one project that you would need to do some work to find the items needed and that is for a kaleidoscope pendant, which while interesting is not something that I will be making anytime soon. As for the cyanoacrylate glue, if you look at most super glues you will see that is what they are made from.

Exceptional book!.......2006-06-04

Dotty McMillan is an exceptionally talented artist, and this book is both inspirational and instructive. The projects range from very simple (clay handles for tools) to complex (dragon skin box)--but all are achievable. This may not be a book for the very beginning clayer, but it is very detailed and metciulous in its instruction. The projects are very beautiful as well--I particularly like her "dragon skin" vessel--beautiful, functional, and again, attainable by the average clayer.

Dotty not only showcases her own talents, but those of guest artists who have contributed projects to this book--including Michelle Ross, whose polymer clay frame adorns the cover.

The only thing I'd ask Dotty to do for future books is to put the details of her projects into "step-by-step" format with plenty of photos rather than in just descriptive paragraphs. For the average reader/clayer, it would be easier to follow.

I do agree that a resource guide would be nice, but the lack of one does not make the book "useless" as one reviewer has claimed. I thoroughly recommend this book!

Average customer rating:
Film maker's guide to Super-8: The "how-to-do-it" book for beginning and advanced film makers

Manufacturer: Sheptow Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0442233442

Book Description

A young princess must avenge the death of her brother while coming to grips with trouble at home and her new role as captain of the guard on the eve of a foreign invasion.

Book Description

It 's the questions that drive us.What is real?How do you know what is real?Can we be certain that we are not in a Matrix ourselves?Does free will exist inside the Matrix? Does it exist outside the Matrix?Are our minds just our brains?Are sentient machines possible?Is it ever best to take the blue pill?It 's the questions that brought you here.The Matrix films are not just about Kung Fu and special effects. Rather, they are about knowledge, reality, consciousness, freedom, fate, foreknowledge, good, evil, faith, enlightenment, and the very meaning of existence. In short, they are about philosophy - with some impressive special effects on the side.Like a Splinter in Your Mind guides you through thirteen of the core philosophical questions that are explored in the Matrix films. You will see how Morpheus manifests Kierkegaard 's philosophy of faith, how Neo, the Merovingian, and Ghost exemplify the three major positions on free will, how the objectivity of value judgments are challenged by Agent Smith, and much more.Matt Lawrence brings a philosopher 's insight to all three of the Matrix films, giving us a better appreciation of the trilogy, and a solid grasp of key issues in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of mind, race and gender, existentialism, Taoism and mysticism. And while his focus is squarely on the films, he also shows us how these questions relate to our own lives and our own philosophical journeys.

Customer Reviews:

Unbelievable.......2007-08-23

THis book dives right into the Philisophical side of the Matrix and the ideas behind the Matirx. This book also goes over writings used to help understand other points about Philosophy.

Good for Discussion if Not Consumption.......2007-08-17

Matt Lawrence has joined the scores of philosophers that have endeavored to explore the myriad questions arising from The Matrix trilogy. This is a fortunate contribution to the available literature which can be rather inaccessible to the average reader unfamiliar with philosophical subjects. Lawrence treats one to two philosophical topics per chapter including skepticism, mind/body dualism, artificial intelligence, free will, foreknowledge, time theories, gender issues, ethics, existentialism, Taoism, and eastern meditation. Added to this body of material are a cast list and glossary - both including symbolic elements in the film - as well as a list of the philosophers covered in the book.

Lawrence presents a decent survey of contemporary thought on issues raised by the movie usually including arguments for both sides. Splinter also covers some areas that other books have disregarded - such as gender equality issues and time theories with regard to foreknowledge. Lawrence does a good job pointing out and explaining much of the symbolism found in the character names, places, and even the ships in the movie. His primer on the stories, and his thoughts on several lingering issues within The Matrix mythology are also appreciated.

Despite his claim to be raising questions rather than providing answers, in several chapters he quite clearly pushes more vigorously toward some conclusions over others, e.g., skepticism over what he calls naiive realism, and mind-body materialism over dualism [as confirmed in our conversation]. While it is certainly not unacceptable to argue for specific positions when writing a book on philosophical issues, in this case the author specifically claimed to not be doing so. Further, the positions Lawrence pushes are not always in agreement with those of the film (e.g. materialism and hard determinism). Although these positions may be represented by certain characters, this practice might be confusing in a book sub-titled "The Philosophy Behind the Matrix Trilogy," if by that one assumes that it is only the film's conclusions that are being expounded.

There is also a noticeable dearth of classical philosophers. With the exception of a reference to Plato's Cave and a chapter on Taoism, Lawrence focuses exclusively on modern philosophers (i.e. beginning with Descartes) as if no one prior to the 17th century had anything pertinent to add to the discussions (though this may be due in part to the Wachowski Brothers own philosophical leanings). This lack of consideration is highlighted by sweeping claims that "most" contemporary philosophers / scientists agree on these subjects. This failure to consider classic philosophy helps explain several questionable conclusions that might be found wanting by readers. Lawrence favors skepticism regarding our ability to know reality, materialism with regard to the existence of the soul, the possibility of emergent artificial intelligence, determinism with regard to free will, metaphysical idealism, and gender blindness (including the elimination of "social pressure toward heterosexuality"). He defines faith as "believ[ing] something on insufficient evidence," and advances Kierkegaard's "leap" when he describes Morpheus' faith. Lawrence concludes his book with an appeal to eastern mysticism as a way to transcend the "prison of our minds." He does argue for moral objectivism, which is appreciated, although he fails to adequately account for it. I would argue that much of this is simply the product of modern philosophy which cannot extricate itself from the problems of its own assumptions and methodologies.

These considerations should not be taken lightly. Splinter clearly targets those unfamiliar with philosophy (Lawrence himself uses it as a college-level introductory textbook), and while both sides of the issues are often presented, they are not always presented without bias, or in a way that Christians should find satisfying. Overall, Splinter serves as a good launching pad for delving into the questions that for some time have only interested philosophers. It is a good book for introducing beginners to the questions of philosophy, but should be read with caution considering many of the answers that it offers.

Very nice philosophy book.......2007-08-13

This book looks at many philosophical themes contained in the Matrix trilogy to explain them with a very clear language.

The book also succeeds in giving a rationale for some scenes and aspects of the movie, in a very brilliant way.

Philosophy compend.......2007-05-09

This book really shows the philosophical concepts that support the matrix trilogy. For any philosophy and matrix entusiast, like myself, this book will be a useful tool when thinking about matters of reality, of perception, of consciusness, and even of faith. Really a book highly recommendable

Best book on philosophy and symbolism behind the Matrix.......2007-04-25

This book not only covers the first Matrix movies, it covers the video game, all three movies, and the Animatrix! It covers possible philosophical questions in easy to read detail, exploring a wide range of philosophers and ideas. It also points out fun biblical allusions and symbolism within the movies you almost certainly missed! It is by far thee best book on the Matrix our there.

Customer Reviews:

ELVIS, JESUS & STRAUSBAUGH ROCK!.......2007-07-30

Elvis and Jesus; possibly the most influential personalities on the social record. Strausbaugh is obviously a fan. His fascinating, funny, razor sharp "reflections" range from a look into the mind and heart of the Elvis worshipper, the yearnings of the Elvis impersonator, and then zoom out to the impact of Elvis on popular culture, not only in America, but worldwide. I've read several of Strausbaugh's books, including Black Like You: Blackface, Whiteface, Insult & Imitation in American Popular Culture, and Rock Til You Drop: The Decline from Rebellion to Nostalgia and was thrilled to find E: Reflections. Anyone who is interested in Elvis, anyone who is interested in human nature and the impact of rock & roll and all types of music and personalities, will love this book! Strausbaugh has a new book, which I've already pre-ordered,Sissy Nation: How America Became a Culture of Wimps, Simps, & Woosies. FYI, there's also, Alone with the President, which describes (with photos) an outrageous meeting between former President Nixon and The King. Elvis was offering his services in the War against Drugs, and wanted a federal narcotics agent's badge.

A-Uh-Huh!.......2005-04-30

This examination of "Elvism" is an amazingly thorough sociological study as well as a good read. Strausbaugh's approach and conclusions may upset E-fans (the book opens with "Elvis is a....modern pagan god"), but he is not making fun of them. Impersonators, the twice-annual "pilgrimages" to Graceland, Elvis sightings, and Elvis' own life and mystical beliefs are all discussed in the context of the formation of a genuine new American religion that is, thus far, an outgrowth of Christianity. Strausbaugh believes Elvism is as legitimate a faith as religions like Santeria and Wicca, and he makes his case well. If this doesn't sound blasphemous or insulting to you, give this book a shot.

Evhohi, li'l Momma!.......2004-05-08

John Strausbaugh is always a riot. In "E - Reflections on the Rebirth of the Elvis Faith," JS gives us a guided tour through the development of the devoted and protective cult (and I don't use the term in a derogatory way) that surrounds the life, image and persona of Elvis. From taking part in Elvis Week at Graceland to exploring the historic precedents of taking a mere mortal and "deifying" him, Strausbaugh explores a fascinating phenomenon. He draws comparisons between Elvis and the cults of Dionysus (the obvious comparison) and Orpheus the bard/demigod who has more in common with Elvis than Dionysus. The most fascinating comparison, however is with Antinous - a male paramour of Emperor Hadrian - whose mysterious drowning and deification inspired a grass-roots cult that long outlasted the grieving Hadiran. JS compares the more avid Elvis Impersonators with Voodoo and Santeria rites that involve the loa mounting the practicioner during the ceremony.
Only a truly humorless person would dimsiss this book. It is not a bizarre recruiting tool or a drab, colorless dissection: It is an entertaining yet half-serious romp that explores the public's tendency to immortalize or flat-out deify a celebrity. Staunch monotheists who are revolted by the concept should reflect on their errant youth and recall whether or not they had a private "shrine" in their bedroom exalting a favorite athlete ("Be Like Mike,") musician ("Clapton is God,") or actor ("The Divine Bette Midler?") If not, bene. If you did... GOTCHA! ;)

As a companion to this book, you may also want to read John Strausbaugh's "Rock 'Til You Drop." It is a merry evisceration of the altars we erect for the leather-faced rock stars who refuse to pack it in... COUGH! mickjagger COUGH! keithrichardspetetownshendjohnnyrotten COUGH! *ahem* There we are...

50 Year Old Authors Should Die or Retire.......2001-08-30

Based on the fact that JS has a new book in which he dogs rock stars over 50, etc., I don't think anyone should read his .

An Excellent Look at American Pop Culture.......1999-05-21

Strausbaugh does a remarkable job of exmaining the fine line between popular culture, celebrity and religion meet in America.

Customer Reviews:

A ANTIQUE TO OLD TIME BROADCASTERS........2007-09-01

When I started my career in broadcasting, this book whas one that helped me understand the mechanics of the midia. Forty years later, it's a enjoyable reading, bringing memoirs of a very good time in my life.

Product Description

Carolina hates her name, feels stifled by the mores of the mining town where she lives and fears the superstitious customs of her Italian family. As she 'comes of age' in this oppressive environment, she aspires to the 'other' world that she knows exists outside the city limits. Set in the thirties and forties, THE LAST BUS TO HILLERY becomes a metaphor for her wants and desires.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Southern Historical Association on February 1, 2002. The length of the article is 516 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Pensacola during the Civil War: A Thorn in the Side of the Confederacy. (Book Reviews).(Brief Article)
Author: W. Robert Houston
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Refereed)
Date: February 1, 2002
Publisher: Southern Historical Association
Volume: 68 Issue: 1 Page: 188(2)

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

A Must Read Book!

Biased but Necessary

Well written.

Great Read

Disturbing

Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three
Mara Leveritt
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Almost Home: My Life Story Vol 1

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Blood of Innocents: The True Story of Multiple Murder in West Memphis, Arkansas

Last Pentacle Of The Sun: Writings In Support Of The West Memphis Three

ASIN: 0743417607

Book Description

"Free the West Memphis Three."
Maybe you've heard the phrase.
But do you know why their story is so alarming?

Do you know the facts?

The guilty verdicts handed out to three Arkansas teens in a horrific capital murder case were popular in their home state -- even upheld on appeal. But after two HBO documentaries called attention to the witch-hunt atmosphere at the trials, artists and other supporters raised concerns about the accompanying lack of evidence. Now, award-winning journalist Mara Leveritt provides the most comprehensive look yet into this endlessly shocking case.

For weeks in 1993, after the murders of three eight-year-old boys, police in West Memphis, Arkansas, seemed stymied. Then suddenly, detectives charged three teenagers -- alleged members of a satanic cult -- with the killings. Despite stunning investigative blunders, a confession riddled with errors, and an absence of physical evidence linking any of the accused to the crime, the teenagers were tried and convicted. Jurors sentenced Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley to life in prison. They sentenced Damien Echols, the accused ringleader, to death. Ten years later, all three remain in prison. Here, Leveritt unravels this seemingly medieval case and offers close-up views of its key participants, including one with an uncanny knack for evading the law....

Download Description

"On the evening of May 5, 1993, in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, three eight-year-old boys disappeared. The next afternoon, the naked bodies of Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore were found submerged in a nearby stream. The boys had been bound from ankle to wrist with their own shoelaces and severely beaten. Christopher had been castrated. The crime scene had yielded few clues, and despite Christopher's castration, there was a remarkable absence of blood. The police were stymied, and citizens' alarm mounted as weeks passed without an arrest. Finally, a month after the murders, detectives announced three arrests -- and a startling theory of the crime: that the children had been killed by members of a satanic cult. Detectives attributed their break in the case to a former special education student, seventeen-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr. Although Jessie insisted he knew nothing of the crime, after eight hours of questioning, police announced that he had implicated himself and accused two other teenagers, eighteen-year-old Damien Echols and sixteen-year-old Jason Baldwin. Damien and Jason both denied Jessie's account, and Jessie himself recanted it within hours, but by then all three had been charged with the murders. With no physical evidence connecting anyone to the crime, prosecutors contended that the murders bore signs of ""the occult"" and that the three accused teenagers possessed a ""state of mind"" that pointed to them as the killers. As proof of the defendants' mental states, they introduced items taken from their rooms -- such as books by Anne Rice and album posters for the rock group Metallica. Jurors found all three teenagers guilty. Jessie and Jason were sentenced to life in prison. Damien was sentenced to death.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read Book!.......2007-10-08

Highly recommmended - the author does an excellent job of writng in a clear, concise manner. Understandably slightly biased in the defendant's favor. Very well-written and easy to follow. I also recommend Paradise Lost & Revelations, available on DVD, in conjunction with this book for a better understanding of the crime, evidence, etc.
In closing, if you don't have to travel to Arkansas, DON'T! I have no idea what this particular jury was thinking (or not), but I saw no evidence at all of any kind, and still three teenage boys were convicted, one sent to death row. Dozens of my friends have also read the book and viewed the DVD's, and the consensus is pretty much the same across the board - someone has gotten away with murder.
A must read for the true crime fan!

Biased but Necessary.......2007-09-24

Although the chief complaint is the fact that the book contained biases, it still needed to be published and it still proves a point. There is nothing biased about the fact that there was not enough evidence to prove that these three men were guilty. How does a prosecution come off so strong when the police completely ruined the evidence and coerced a mentally challenged boy into a false confession? It is because the town has biases of its own. Also these people were quick to pin the crime on somebody due to its intensity. Now, fourteen years later, the people who committed this homicide still have not been caught. Perhaps they could have if the focus had been taken off the wrong suspects.

Well written........2007-06-14

Very detailed book that goes into much more depth than the documentaries. Gives the reader an insite on all aspects of the case. Again it seems so straight forward that the WM3 are not guilty. What will it take for the people with power in West Memphis to realise this. If you are interested in the case then this is a MUST read.

Great Read.......2007-03-09

If you saw the documentaries you'll love this book. Hard to read, knowing that the WM3 are still sitting in jail. But intriguing nonetheless. How John Mark Byers was never charged astonishes me.
Highly recommended.

Disturbing.......2007-02-14

I heard about the West Memphis Three case some time ago, but it wasn't until I moved to Walls, MS, a few miles south of Memphis, that I decided to read more about it. I stumbled across this book in a Memphis bookstore, scooped it up, and began reading it that night. I finished it in a couple days, constantly pouring over the text and the reference notes.

At times Leveritt could be somewhat emotional and unabashedly on the side of the defendents. After a thorough examination of the evidence she presents it is not hard to see why she writes with such conviction. [...]

As the results from more extensive DNA testing are starting to come back from the labs now, in February of 2007, this is the perfect time to begin reading about this case. Hopefully there will be an end to the story soon. I can only hope that it ends not only in the release of the West Memphis Three, but also in the discovery of the TRUE murderer. The three young boys, Branch, Byers, and Moore, deserve that much.

Since reading this book I have bought Damien Echol's own "Almost Home: The Story of My Life, Part I", and ordered both documentaries. I think about Damien, Jason, and Jessie every single day and they haunt my dreams at night. I almost wish I had never read Mara Leveritt's book so I could remain in blissful ignorance about the American justice system. Reading this book marked a pivotal moment in my existence and I fear from now on I will be able to consider events in two distinct categories: before I discovered the West Memphis Three, and After I Knew The Truth.

I am convinced these boys are innocent. That makes this required reading for every American.

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