Learning Astrology by
While there are numerous astrology books available, many are decades old and require you to wade through a morass of technical details just to get to the basics. In Learning Astrology, Damian Sharp provides a fun, fresh approach to understanding this ancient art, making it easily accessible to those who are completely new to the subject and/or put off by older, more complicated books. In clear, concise language and an easy-to-follow order, he provides insight into sun signs and planets, houses and aspects and shows us how to actually read an astrological chart, simply and accurately. And if you want the more technical details, Sharp provides those, too. By the end of the book, you'll be discussing conjunctions, sextiles, squares, and trines like a pro. Learn astrology from Damian Sharp and become your own astrologer.
Hiking Michigan by
Hiking Michigan is your complete guide to 146 of the most scenic day hikes in the state. From Upper to Lower Peninsula and all trails in between, you'll experience the spectacular beauty of the Great Lake State In this one-of-a-kind resource you'll find these features: - Detailed descriptions of every hike in every region, including special points of interest, estimated hiking time and distance, and difficulty ratings for each trail - Phone numbers and Web sites, park hours and rules, and available facilities for 77 of the state's most scenic parks and natural areas - Easy-to-read maps for every park and trail to help you navigate your hike and locate landmarks and other points of interest - A convenient trail finder that provides a summary of each trail's features and available facilities Hiking Michigan brings to life the history, terrain, flora, and fauna of each area. And its descriptions of nearby recreational and sightseeing destinations ensure you won't miss anything on your trip. Hiking Michigan is your guide to enjoying the great outdoors!
Piano by
Want to go beyond "Chopsticks?" This visual guide to tickling the ivories will show you the way. By Chapter 2, you'll be playing simple pieces and practicing scales. You'll progress from getting familiar with notes, symbols, and keys to playing basic chords and reading music like a pro. Without getting bogged down in boring theory, you'll learn what you need to know and enjoy playing as you go! Whether you like Bach or rock, jazz or country, golden oldies or new age, you'll love learning to play the fun, visual way. Concise two-page lessons show you all the crucial skills and are ideal for quick review Each skill, chord, or technique is clearly described Concise and understandable instructions accompany each photo Detailed color photos demonstrate proper fingering technique Helpful tips provide additional guidance
Complete Idiot's Guide to Rock Guitar Songs by
The Complete Idiot's Guide songbooks are designed to get novice guitarists playing immediately, and playing the songs that inspired them to pick up a guitar in the first place. Each song in The Complete Idiot's Guide books is preceded by a lesson that focuses on the most important technical and musical features. Fingerings, patterns, and techniques are discussed and broken down to help make learning smooth and simple. Most guitar songs are relatively easy to play, and the arrangements in these books are simplified just enough to show those core, natural guitar parts without being overcomplicated, just the way a friend might show someone how to play a song one-on-one. Learning is made even simpler with each song written in standard music notation plus TAB and guitar chord diagrams. Learning hit rock songs was never so easy! Pick up The Complete Idiot's Guide to Rock Guitar Songs and learn all 30 tunes from acclaimed artists like Cream, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Jimi Hendrix, Green Day, and many more.
How to Play Drums by
"How to Play Drums "offers an exciting new way to learn to play. Its easy-to-follow instructions and systematic approach enable you to develop excellent drumming technique and to achieve the best effects from the instruments. Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate drummer, you'll find helpful advice on: -Setting up your drum kit -Using a practice pad -Understanding notation -Mastering the rudiments of rhythm -Correct technique for the snare and bass drums -Playing tom toms and cymbals -Mastering the tambourine, claves, conga drums, and many other Latin American and hand-held percussion instruments -Playing the timpani and other orchestral drums
The Basics of Drawing by
This title enlightens beginning students on the variety of available drawing media, as well as specific paper textures used in drawing. It proceeds with instruction on rendering basic shapes-spheres, cylinders, cones, cubes, and the like--and incorporating these shapes into still lifes, landscapes, and other subjects for illustration. Students also learn how to produce the illusion of light and create contrasts, as well as how to produce three-dimensional effects by mastering the art of perspective. Titles in the new Drawing Academy series guide beginning students step-by-step through a highly detailed training course in the art of drawing. The books are profusely illustrated in color and black and white. They open with basic instruction, then proceed to analyze the details that make up a successfully executed drawing. Drawing Academy titles are fine self-instruction manuals and are also ideal as textbooks for use in formal art classes.
Manga for the Beginner Chibis by
The ultimate guide to creating chibis! They populate manga with chunky bodies, oversized heads, and huge expressive eyes. They're schoolgirls and schoolboys, magical girls and mad scientists, fairies and fighter princesses, cyborgs and sci-fi secret agents, bikers and bad samurais, robots and rebel leaders. They've even got chubby pets and zany monster sidekicks! They're chibis! Excruciatingly cute, highly stylized, and beloved in all manga genres (fantasy, magical girls, shounen, anthro, sci-fi-, and more), without them, manga would barely exist. And now you can learn, step by step, how to draw virtually every chibi out there, how to "chibify" ordinary manga characters-and how to invent your very own designs! Covering facial expressions, those iconic manga eyes, costumes, character interaction, and story settings, Manga for the Beginner Chibis has it all.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die by
Updated with brand-new entries to describe the most recent major motion pictures, this critically-acclaimed volume spans more than a century of moviemaking, concisely describing 1001 of the best films from around the world. New in this edition are entries to describe such film hits as Lord of the Rings, Mystic River, Farenheit 9/11, and Million Dollar Baby. But in fact, this volume's team of critics goes back to 1902, describing such films as The Great Train Robbery, and progressing chronologically across the decades to cover the best cinematic dramas, comedies, westerns, musicals, suspense and horror films, gangster classics, films noir, sci-fi epics, documentaries, and adaptations of novels and stage plays made by filmmakers around the world. Each entry includes a full list of cast and credits, awards won by the film, an essay summarizing the story line and screen-history, and still shots of the film's memorable scenes. At the back of the book, both an alphabetical index and a genre index will help readers find any film they're looking for. Movie fans will find descriptions of great musicals like Singing in the Rain, westerns like High Noon, science-fiction classics like Star Wars, dramas like Chinatown and Schindler's List, and international classics from master directors who include Fellini, Antonioni, Resnais, Truffaut, Eisenstein, Kurosawa, and many others. Here is a volume that belongs in the personal library of film buffs, movie reviewers, collectors of DVDs-and every reader who enjoys reminiscing over great movies of the past and present. Hundreds of movie still shots in color and black and white. "... a great motivating guide to cinema. After reading one of its engaging, often profound entries on a missed film, you want to ... rent it. Best of all, it includes international, silent, animated, and recent films." --Dallas Morning News
100 Projects to Strengthen Your Acting Skills by
Drama school hopefuls who use this book to supplement their training will find themselves on an inside track previously available only to students of the very best professional drama coaches. The author, a retired successful actor on the London stage and currently a renowned drama teacher, presents a variety of effective tutorials that focus on voice, movement, text, and the understanding of character. His instruction relies extensively on the time-proven Alexander technique, an exercise regimen for ridding oneself of detrimental bodily tensions and developing a sense of physical grace and balance. Followed precisely, his tutorials will equip acting students with the wide array of skills they need to pass that elusive audition that gets their career off to a successful start. They focus on preparing monologues, understanding the differences between comic and tragic acting, researching character, working with accents, and much more. In addition, author Jona Howl advises on maintaining health and vitality through exercise and diet, and gives tips on developing positive mental attitudes. The text is supplemented with more than 350 instructive illustrations.
The Complete Book of Vegetables by
Praise for Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit, by Matthew Biggs and others: "Solid gardening tips and tempting recipes ... enough to teach even experienced gardeners new tricks." -- American Reference Books Annual In this encyclopedic guide, master gardener Matthew Biggs shows home gardeners how to grow a broad range of vegetables, from the traditional and most popular to the unusual and rare. In addition, celebrated chef Jean-Christophe Novelli provides delicious recipes that use the abundant harvest. This all-in-one resource features: An illustrated A-to-Z directory with detailed notes on hundreds of varieties that is organized into 80 vegetable families Unusual, exotic and rare vegetables for the home garden Directory of disease-resistant vegetables Hundreds of color photographs Practical gardening tips, including information on planning, soil, fertility, watering, crop rotation, growing systems, propagation and weed and pest control Expert advice on garden cultivation and maintenance, harvesting and storing A history of vegetable growing The ornamental vegetable garden, micro-greens, mini vegetables and making vegetable dyes A comprehensive lists of suppliers and prize-winning vegetables The Complete Book of Vegetables is a comprehensive guide for home gardeners.
Complete Guide to Flower Gardening by
Encyclopedia of more than 450 perennials. Features 630 full-colour photos and 25 one-colour illustrations.
The Wild Butcher by
Learn how-to prepare wild game and fish for cooking.The best-tasting wild game recipes begin with properly cared for meat-big game, small game, upland birds, waterfowl, freshwater and saltwater fish. This new illustrated and complete reference provides hunters and anglers quick, easy-to-follow instructions with plenty of illustrations to show them how to get their game and fish from field to table. By addressing both game and fish, this book gives outdoor enthusiasts one source of information to guide them in preparing wild game and fish for cooking. It will give them information that is easy to understand and quick to use. The illustrated, step-by-step format provides accessible, easy-to-follow instructions for properly butchering kills and arms readers with the technique information they need to go from a successful hunt or fishing trip to a successful meal quickly and easily.
Mini Farming Guide to Fermenting by
Brett Markham, author of Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre, explains how to ferment just about anything you can grow, and reminds us that gourmet cheeses, fancy vinegars, and store-bought wines can be expensive--making your own can not only be fun but will save money. Learn to make sourdough or experiment with making wine using a countertop juice machine. Inside you'll find recipes and instructions with checklists, extensive tables, measurements, and 150 of the author's own photographs.
150 Projects to Strengthen Your Photography Skills by
The ultimate guide to beginner's photography Learn to take the best digital photographs that you can and challenge yourself with 150 amazing digital photography projects! In this helpful photography book, distinguished photographer John Easterby teaches aspiring artists the basics of digital photography. A comprehensive guide to visual storytelling, this serves as a gift or resource for any new photographer. To start, Easterby advises on studying the work of professional photographers in galleries, books, and magazines as an important first step in understanding how to look at photos and set your photography aspirations. Carefully structured lessons encourage will help you develop your own style and explore exciting techniques. Tutorial projects include "remaking" a well-known photo by a famous photographer, shooting a natural light portrait, using backlighting, shooting scenes at night, expressing movement in photos, freezing action, keeping a photographic diary, photographing sports events and crowd scenes, using a series of pictures to tell a photo story, and many others. Covering the process from beginning to end, you'll finally learn how to set up a desktop studio, edit images, and build a portfolio. This comprehensive art book includes: 150 projects to inspire creativity 400+ instructive illustrations for easy how-to help Recommendations for developing your own signature style Tips on posing, lighting, and compositions for stunning photographs Tutorials that cover areas in storytelling, nature, sports, night scenes, and more Guidance on different cameras, lenses, tripods, and other accessories
The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide by
What exactly is a slope? What's the difference between a tile and a plate? Why is it bad to simply stack bricks in columns to make a wall? The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide is here to answer your questions.Focusing on building actual models with real bricks, The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide comes with complete instructions to build several cool models but also encourages you to use your imagination to create your own fantastic creations.Inside, you'll learn: The best ways to connect bricks and creative uses for those patterns Tricks for calculating and using scale (it's not as hard as you think) The step-by-step plans to create a train station on the scale of LEGO people (a.k.a. "minifigs") How to build spheres, jumbo-sized LEGO bricks, micro-scaled models, and a mini space shuttle Tips for sorting and storing all of your LEGO pieces The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide also includes the Brickopedia, a visual guide to nearly 300 of the most useful and reusable elements of the LEGO system, with historical notes, common uses, part numbers, and the year each piece first appeared in a LEGO set.The firm foundation for your LEGO hobby starts here!
Maximizing Minimal Space by
A guide to practical and decorative wood projects to maximize minimal space.
The One-Minute Organizer Plain and Simple by
Bring order to your hectic life, quickly and efficiently. Donna Smallin offers innovative ideas and effective solutions to the busy person's daily battle with both physical and mental clutter. This easy-to-follow guide includes 500 strategies that will help you make your world a more orderly place so that you can spend more time enjoying the things that really matter. Even if you don't have time for a top-to-bottom organizational makeover, you can still unclutter your life . . . one short minute at a time.
200 Best-Ever Recipes with Just Four Ingredients by
This fabulous collection of over 230 recipes is the ultimate cookbook for anyone who loves simple, easy-to-prepare food.
Martha Stewart's Cooking School by
Imagine having Martha Stewart at your side in the kitchen, teaching you how to hold a chef's knife, select the very best ingredients, truss a chicken, make a perfect pot roast, prepare every vegetable, bake a flawless pie crust, and much more. In Martha Stewart's Cooking School, you get just that- a culinary master class from Martha herself, with lessons for home cooks of all levels. Never before has Martha written a book quite like this one. Arranged by cooking technique, it's aimed at teaching you how to cook, not simply what to cook. Delve in and soon you'll be roasting, broiling, braising, stewing, sauteing, steaming, and poaching with confidence and competence. In addition to the techniques, you'll find more than 200 sumptuous, all-new recipes that put the lessons to work, along with invaluable step-by-step photographs to take the guesswork out of cooking. You'll also gain valuable insight into equipment, ingredients, and every other aspect of the kitchen to round out your culinary education. Featuring more than 500 gorgeous color photographs, Martha Stewart's Cooking School is the new gold standard for everyone who truly wants to know his or her way around the kitchen. This best-selling cookbook originally inspired Martha Stewart's beloved PBS series of the same name and includes some of the recipes the show featured in its first seasons.
Weekend Sewing: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects by 
Hand Sewing Magic by
With an overview of essential tools and materials, a comprehensive dictionary of stitches, instructions on key techniques, and 10 easy projects, Hand Sewing Magic is your source for all things stitching.
The Woodwright's Guide by
For thirty years, Roy Underhill's PBS program, The Woodwright's Shop, has brought classic hand-tool craftsmanship to viewers across America. Now, in his seventh book, Roy shows how to engage the mysteries of the splitting wedge and the cutting edge to shape wood from forest to furniture. Beginning with the standing tree, each chapter of The Woodwright's Guide explores one of nine trades of woodcraft: faller, countryman and cleaver, hewer, log-builder, sawyer, carpenter, joiner, turner, and cabinetmaker. Each trade brings new tools and techniques; each trade uses a different character of material; but all are united by the grain in the wood and the enduring mastery of muscle and steel. Hundreds of detailed drawings by Eleanor Underhill (Roy's daughter) illustrate the hand tools and processes for shaping and joining wood. A special concluding section contains detailed plans for making your own foot-powered lathes, workbenches, shaving horses, and taps and dies for wooden screws. The Woodwright's Guide is informed by a lifetime of experience and study. A former master craftsman at Colonial Williamsburg, Roy has inspired millions to "just say no to power tools" through his continuing work as a historian, craftsman, activist, and teacher. In The Woodwright's Guide, he takes readers on a personal journey through a legacy of off-the-grid, self-reliant craftsmanship. It's a toolbox filled with insight and technique as well as wisdom and confidence for the artisan in all of us.
Basic Pottery Making by
Step-by-step instructions complete with color photographs. Includes a chapter on bisque firing, waxing, and glazing. 4 basic pottery projects for the beginning potter: The art of pottery making is described in detail for the beginning or experienced potter. Complete with a chapter on tools and materials to get started, this easy-to-use guide explains and illustrates how to wedge clay, use a pottery wheel, shape and trim pots, determine clay thickness, add handles, and a host of other pottery-making techniques. It also contains a chapter on bisque firing and glazing, the final steps in creating beautiful and functional pottery. Includes complete instructions for making a large bowl, three styles of mugs, and a sugar bowl and creamer set. AUTHOR: Mark Fitzgerald is an expert potter whose work has been featured on the Martha Stewart Show. He and his wife own Fitzgerald Pottery in Dillsburg, Pa. Linda Franz is a writer and reporter in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She is the editor of Basic Basket Making. 600 colour photos
Gardening Your Front Yard by
Learn how to treat your front yard like a backyard without sacrificing beauty, from choosing the right plants to building walkways and setting up a front yard patio. In Gardening Your Front Yard, author Tara Nolan (Raised Bed Revolution) of SavvyGardening.com uses her unique combination of DIY/building savvy and gardening expertise to weave you past the main pitfalls you may encounter when trying to fit a garden or gardens between your home and the street. This beautifully illustrated and comprehensive resource shows how to accomplish several hardscaping projects, such as laying a mowing border and building a walkway; provides inspiration to create a rain garden; and gives DIY instructions for making your own raised beds, a bench, a privacy screen, and more--all custom-designed for the rigors of front-yard gardening. Gardening Your Front Yard is a gardening book in every sense of the word, however. Choosing the right plants is even more important when you are dealing with a small, highly visible area sometimes with less than ideal growing conditions. You will find advice on: Planting around foundation walls Dealing with road salt Planting boulevards/hell strips Shade gardens Privacy screening Security dos and don'ts How to intermingle edibles and landscape plants And much more With the sage advice and step-by-step projects of this comprehensive guide, convert your front yard from a bland grasscape to a vital living space.
The Art and Science of Figure Drawing by 
Art for Self-Care by
Discover the healing power of making art--learn how you can process feelings of stress, change, uncertainty, grief, and fear as you create. In Art for Self-Care, artist, designer, and online instructor Jessica Swift outlines a path to healing through artmaking for both artists and non-artists alike. Going Inward offers guidance on how to get quiet, embrace the swirl of emotions and nonlinear thoughts without editing or judging, and identify and tune in to one's authentic inner voice, along with prompts for expressing those messages. Inside Out shares advice on mediums and techniques to try, finding inspiration, and incorporating personal symbols, and emphasizes the value of simply showing up, allowing for mistakes, and focusing on the process rather than on the finished piece. Integrating and Honoring reveals how to accept healing and honor one's truth and make a commitment to engage in an intuitive art practice. Strengthen your relationship with your inner voice and begin to change your life, one piece of art at a time.
Italian Cooking for Beginners by
Learn to cook authentic Italian food without all the fuss. Always wanted to make a pesto that your family begs you to make every week? Tiramisu that your neighbors dream about? But you don't have time for cooking classes or the lengthy and complicated recipes from other Italian cookbooks? Italian Cooking for Beginners, adapted from the best-selling Let's Cook Italian!, gives you the tools and recipes to start cooking classic Italian dishes at home with simple, easy-to-follow recipes for even the most inexperienced home cook. With an emphasis on fresh ingredients and hands-on preparation, chef and director of the cooking school "La Scuola della Cucina Italiana" Anna Prandoni presents recipes for authentic Italian starters, first and second courses, vegetables, desserts, and snacks. Simple classic recipes include: Cheese Focaccia Potato Gnocchi Stuffed Zucchini Steak Pizzaiola Bruschetta Tiramisu Spaghetti Carbonara and more! This is the perfect cookbook for the both the beginning home cook and those inexperienced with authentic Italian cooking. Impress your family and friends and make them happy by satisfying their appetites with delicious Italian classics that will leave them wanting more.
Cooking Light 5-Ingredient, 15-Minute Recipes by 
From No-Knead to Sourdough by
"Cleverly combines science, history, and personal touches to make homemade bread accessible for everyone, no matter his or her level of experience." --Meredith Leigh, author of Pure Charcuterie Is there any food that evokes pleasant memories and warm feelings more than bread? It's the most basic of foods, yet many of us are intimidated by the prospect of making our own. "Artisan" bread, craft bakeries, and wood-fired pizza are gaining popularity--imagine creating these fabulous breads at home. With From No-Knead to Sourdough, author Victoria Redhed Miller blends her own journey toward self-reliance with her fascination for traditional homesteading skills and love of good food. From making simple yeast breads, to learning how to bake a wide variety of sourdough-based breads, the author's curiosity and fearlessness come together to share with readers a simpler approach to the pleasures of bread-baking. Topics include: Fitting bread-baking into your schedule Low- and no-gluten baking, including GF sourdough breads Using a wood-fired oven Recipes for every comfort zone, from flatbread to sourdough "Sexy science talk" sidebars for those interested in the science of baking. From No-Knead to Sourdough will inspire the beginner and the accomplished baker alike to find their own comfort zone and move on to new skills when they are ready. Pizza and bagels, flatbreads and loaf breads, even gluten-free breads--you become the artisan when you make your own bread. "There are few things more soul-satisfying than the taste of homemade sourdough, and even fewer things as healthful to keep your mind and body tuned and balanced. Victoria's detailed but uncluttered recipes make that argument, delectably." --Stephen Yafa, author of Grain of Truth
Street Photography by
To Andrew "Fundy" Funderburg, street photography means hitting the streets with a simple camera (or even a phone) and capturing everyday life. To do it well, the photographer has to be part of the action--part of the moment. He or she must be willing to be yelled at, and brave enough to pick up that camera and point it at a stranger. And when the moment is perfect, magic happens; the viewer can see into the moment and the soul of the person in the photograph, and that split-second exposure becomes a slice of history, frozen in time. In additional to being an artform, however, street photography has the power to preserve the history of a city or neighborhood and bring its citizens together. It has the power to save the story of the time, place, and people--and sometimes even prove the value of a place that is worthy of preservation. After all, it's not usually the people going to work in giant office buildings that give a place it's character--it's the bartenders, the waiters, the street vendors, the lifetime residents, and even the homeless characters that make a town truly come alive.
Shooting with Soul by
Shooting with Soul is glorious and beautiful book for anyone who loves to take pictures. Whether you are an aspirational photographer, artist, creative mom, or blogger, you will enjoy expanding your understanding of this medium by exploring 44 weeks of unique and reflective prompts and exercises aimed to demystify seemingly "techie" topics and enhance your creative self-expression. No matter what camera you own, an SLR, point and shoot, or even a camera phone, this book offers tips and methods for any device that snaps a photo. New technology is making it easier to share photography, and interest in photos is being fueled by the popularity of photo-based apps and social networking sites such as Pinterest, Instagram, Hipstamatic, Flickr, and tumblr blogs. Sharing photos with friends and family has become as easy as pushing a button, however, finding the right photos to take and coming up with creative concepts for jaw-dropping photos remains something that needs to be explored and fostered. Shooting with Soul teaches successful photography methods through an approach that is very much like journaling. By putting deep thought and feeling into the process, and into the exercises, which focus on personal exploration and autobiographical information, you will become able to create images that are infused with soul and that connect you with your viewers more deeply, whether they are friends and family, a professional art audience, or followers of a blog or website.
Creative Lettering and Beyond: Timeless Calligraphy by
One-part inspirational reference and one-part instructional how-to, this is the perfect resource for both aspiring and established calligraphers and hand lettering artists, typography enthusiasts, and designers.
1000 Japanese Knitting and Crochet Stitches by
The ultimate Japanese knitting and crochet stitch bible--now available for English-speaking crafters! 1000 Japanese Knitting & Crochet Stitches is a treasure trove of needlecraft patterns and motifs for experienced knitters and crocheters seeking to create and better understand the infinite variety of their craft. This Japanese reference work is beloved by knitters the world over, and the English version will allow even more crafters to enjoy these techniques. This dictionary includes 700 original knitting stitch patterns and 300 original crochet patterns that have inspired many modern Japanese knitwear designs. You'll find classic lacy, cable, Aran, Fair Isle, Nordic, ethnic patterns; geometric, botanical and animal motifs; and so much more. This one-stop reference has detailed stitch diagrams showing how to execute over 60 different knitting stitches and over 40 different crochet stitches. Each pattern is charted with a delineation of the pattern repeat. Like Tuttle's other bestselling Japanese knitting dictionaries--including Hitomi Shida's Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible—this one includes an introduction by Japanese knitting guru Gayle Roehm, which helps those who are new to Japanese knitting navigate the differences between the Japanese and Western styles of knitting and crochet.
Polymer Clay Jewelry by 
Designing Board Games by
Designing and playing your own board games can be a lot of fun. Through simple text written to foster creativity and problem solving, students will learn the art of innovation. Large, colorful images show students how to complete activities. Additional tools, including a glossary and an index, help students learn new vocabulary and locate information.