REVIEW: Triple Cook and Craft Book Roundup
Today we have a great bumper round up review of three great titles courtesy of Maggy of Red Ted Art. You can find out more about Maggy over on http://www.redtedart.com/ where she regularly shares tutorials and reviews. The following reviews are reproduced with kind permission.
Welcome back to another cook and craft book review! The following three books are all totally gorgeous for different reasons so I am convinced that there is a book here for everyone...
Everything Alice: the Wonderland Book of Makes
By Hannah Read-Baldrey, Christine Leech
Do you like Alice in Wonderland, Tea, Tea Parties, things magical?... answer yes to any of those and you will love this lovely quirky crafty book. I usually judge a craft book by: a) how many things I want to make; b) how many things I am likely to make; and c) how easy it looks...and this books scores highly on a, b and c!
Whilst I was looking at it, Red Ted shouted at almost every page "Mummy can you make that!" "Mummy can you make that too!". Of course, I am wonder woman... but you will find bunny patterns, Queen Alice tote bags, "Drink Me" cordials and giant rose lights. You will find real humpty dumpty eggs and queen of hearts aprons. I just say "ooh" at every one of them.
The majority of makes do not require "specialist" equipment, which is always a big bonus in my view. There are actually 2-3 crafts that have been on my "How To to do list" for a while, so if you like my how tos in general, you will like this book! I think it would make a lovely present too.
- Publisher: Quadrille Publishing Ltd
- ISBN-10: 1844009726
- ISBN-13: 978-1844009725
Make Hey While the Sun Shines
By Pip Lincolne
The first thing about THIS book, that is really appealing is how it is made. Open the book up and on the right hand side you have a wallet with patterns and cooking "cards" on the left you have the book on a ring binder. It has that feel of a book that you get out and really use!
The second thing about this book, is that it takes me back to when I was a teenager - a "key crafting stage" in my life... This book is meant for all, but for me, I KNOW I would have adored it as a fourteen year old (of course I still like it as an adult) but for some reason it really takes me back. Maybe it is the style of the book - there is a hint of retro and earthiness about it.
I really like that it seems to cover a bit of everything, almost like a crafter's manual - it even has basic knitting and crochet instructions at the back. You get to do a bit of everything - from sewing a bike seat cover (oh how my 14yr old self really NEEDED one), to quilting, to gift bags, to bottle totes, to cloth portable chessboards. There are lots of make ideas in here for yourself, your home or for gifts... Lovely.
- Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
- ISBN-10: 1742701310
- ISBN-13: 978-1742701318
The Birthday Cake Book, By Fiona Cairns
Any book that comes with "Maker of The Royal Wedding Cake 2011" HAS to be good. Maybe even a little scary (can I do this?) good... well, I like baking and I would say I am a moderate baker... so I was a little apprehensive. Is this book way out of my league? The short answer is No and it is FABULOUS. Gorgeous and delicious cake after cake.
Also, rather surprisingly there is something for everyone - I can't begin to believe how diverse this book is - from Crystal Skulls to Tiny Rose & Violet Creams to Angel Surprise Cake to Marmalade Syrup cake. Although most of the cakes are, of course, for special occasions, it still has that "for Sunday afternoon Tea" range - Chocolate Brownies, Apricot Almond Cake and Bakewell Tarts.
Back to my a, b, c above.. and of course Red Ted shouting "Mummy can you make this?" - again it meets all criteria and I think the first cake I will have a go at is the one of the cover (Strawberry & Elderflower Cake); doesn't it look stunning? The instructions seem very do-able and then we will go on to make some of the hidden fruit & veg muffins. Perfect.
- Publisher: Quadrille Publishing Ltd (5 Sep 2011)
- ISBN-10: 1844009858
- ISBN-13: 978-1844009855
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