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UPCYCLING

CREATE BEAUTIFUL THINGS WITH THE STUFF YOU ALREADY HAVE

A solid resource for the eco-conscious, as well as the crafty.

Interior designer Seo (Simply Green Giving, 2006, etc.) produces an idea book on how to grant junk a second life using his crafty “MacGyver-meets-HGTV” skills.

The author has long been fascinated by trash. In junior high, he filled his school's display cases with garbage he’d collected around the building in an effort to draw attention to the longevity and abundance of human-generated waste. Seo now makes his living “upcycling”—i.e., turning one person's garbage into another's eco-friendly functional item—and he opens with some helpful advice on what tools are most essential for accomplishing this task. He then offers nearly 100 upcycling ideas, arranging them into sections for decorating, entertaining, gifting, kid-friendly and nature-oriented projects. For each, the author provides a list of supplies and simply stated directions. A few of the more adventurous projects will require some time and effort to gather the materials needed, such as the Wine-Cork Bath Mat and the Carpet-Sample Patchwork Rug. Most others call for items that readers likely already have, such as the Soda-Can Sequined Tote Bag or the Bathroom-Towel Picnic Blanket. There is enough variety in taste, functionality and skill level for most everyone to find a project to attempt. What is lacking, however, is a dedicated section expounding Seo's philosophy and methodology in project design; such information would have been useful in inspiring newcomers to discover their own upcycling opportunities.

A solid resource for the eco-conscious, as well as the crafty.

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-0-7624-4179-2

Page Count: 224

Publisher: Running Press

Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011

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THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...

Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.

Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").

Pub Date: May 15, 1972

ISBN: 0205632645

Page Count: 105

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972

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NUTCRACKER

This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

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