Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-to-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration
Book DescriptionFor nearly 20 years, home crafters have turned to the pages ofMartha Stewart Livingfor all kinds of  crafts projects, each presented in the magazine’s inimitable style. Now, the best of those projects, including  step-by-step instructions and full-color photographs, have been collected into a single encyclopedia.Organized by topic from A to Z,Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Craftscontains complete instructions  and brief histories for more than 30 techniques, detailed descriptions of the necessary tools and materials, and  easy-to-copy templates. Martha and her team of crafts editors guide readers through each subject, from botanical  pressing and decoupage to rubber stamping and wreaths, with characteristic clarity and unparalleled attention to  detail.Crafters of all skill and experience levels will appreciate the many variations presented for each technique.  For example, candlemaking presents a comprehensive array of poured, rolled, and cutout candles, including  instructions for making your own one-of-a-kind rubber candle molds, floating candles, sand candles, and more.  Each craft in the book takes on charming new dimensions with innovations that could come only from the team  behindMartha Stewart Living.In addition, each entry inMartha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Craftsis chock-full of tips and advice.  Handy glossaries in the entries--such as a comprehensive gem glossary, a glitter glossary, and a color glossary  for making tinted wax--are valuable references that crafters will refer to again and again. What’s more, the  Tools and Materials section outlines the best essential supplies that every crafter needs to have on hand, and  the Sources pages clue readers in to the vendors and suppliers that the magazine’s crafts editors rely on  most.Filled with solid technical know-how, and presented with gorgeous color photographs, this handy guide can be  read page by page and kept as a lasting reference by crafters and artisans alike.Sample Project fromMartha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: Bottle Cap  FramesMetal bottle caps can frame small black-and-white pictures for novel thumbtacks or magnets. Clear resin is  poured into the caps to seal the photos and give them an appealing glossy finish. Twist-off caps are better than  conventional ones because they don’t bend when they’re removed. For appropriately small images, try cutting  details from large photos. Or, if your software has a contact sheet mode, use it to reduce pictures  drastically.Project Suppliesink jet paper1-inch (2.5cm) circular craft punchwhite craft gluemetal twist-off bottle capsclear casting resinbonding cementsmall magnets or thumbtacksHow-ToUsing the craft punch, cut out pictures. Using white craft glue, attach 1 picture to the inside of each bottle  cap. Let it dry. Cover a work surface to protect it from spills, and lay caps on top of it. Following  manufacturer’s instructions for clear casting resin, fill each bottle cap to the rim. Let them dry overnight.  Using bonding cement, attach magnets or thumbtacks to the backs of the bottle caps. Let them dry overnight before  using.