Becky Lamb gets it: no matter what some people may say, crafting stuff out of wood pallets will continue to be popular. Her love of the humble shipping staple started a long time ago with a DIY shelf. Her love affair has culminated into a complete book packed with 25+ rustic projects using them, and they just might be the inspiration you need to finally start making stuff out of those pallets you've...

A few years ago, designer/maker Christopher Stuart hit the ground running with his book DIY Furniture: A Step-by-Step Guide. I reviewed it for Curbly, giving it a glowing shout-out. When Christopher's followup book appeared in my mailbox last week, my first thought was, "more of the same?" The answer to that

To be honest, when the prospect of reviewing Lauren Elise Donaldson's new book MASON  JAR CRAFTS from Ulysses Press was presented to me, my first thought was, "What could possibly be in the book that I haven't seen before on the Internet?" Turns out the answer to that question is a lot. More than 30 projects in fact. 

Lauren breaks down the book into

When John Murphy wrote his first book Stupid Sock Creatures, little did he know he would start a sock creature revolution. People everywhere were so inspired by the eight creatures contained within, they began making sock creatures of their own. John then invited these loyal readers to become guest designers for his latest work, Return of the Stupid Sock Creatures (Lark Crafts, October 2012, 132 pages). 

The book is divided into two parts. The first breaks down

The new title from Better Homes and Gardens, DIY Ideas, Projects and Tips for Every Room (Wiley, 264 pages) is so jam-packed with amazing photos, tips and projects, I’m not sure where to begin. Seriously. When I first opened the book I immediately suffered from inspiration overload. My problem was trying to take it all in at once. Not good. Better would have been to approach this incredible wealth of information 

From blankets to bowls to wallpaper to teepees (yes, teepees), Rebecca Proctor's new book single-handily revises "make do and mend"  to "make do and recycle." Entitled, RECYCLED HOME, Transforming Your Home Using Salvaged Materials, the book has something for every skill level who has a penchant for re-use. Divided into seven sections (Living, Sleeping, Bathing Dining Utility, Kids and Outdoors), the 50 featured projects are complete with concise directions and full-color pictures. Here's a project that caught my, an Upcycled Chair Seat, as

Lorene Edwards Forkner’s book Handmade Garden Projects is filled with  step-by-step instructions for over two dozen projects that will keep you busy for this growing season and beyond. Featherweight planters (made of peat and cement), vinyl wall flowers (made of LPs), a vintage-y outdoor chandelier (made of wire edging), a pergola (made of plumbing pipes) and much more, there’s something for every garden and every DIYer. You can snag it right now at Amazon for about $14.

 With the permission of Ms. Forkner’s publisher, Timber Press, we’re pleased as punch to share two original projects from Handmade Garden Projects. The first is this Gabion-Style Cocktail Table.