Welcome Back
In today’s post, I will be reviewing the following book;
A Compendium of Curiosities
- Author; Tim Holtz
- Publisher; Advantus Corp
- ISBN: ?
I admit, I am a HUGE fan of Tim Holtz’s techniques. A regular visitor to his blog and I already own his two DVDs. Having been crafting, for quite a while and already using several of Tim’s techniques, I wondered how much ‘new’ stuff this book would hold. I feared it would be little more than a catalogue of products, more focused on selling product than technique. WRONG!!!!
Studio
The first section is a look round Tim’s studio (Wish it was mine!!!).
Tools
Here you will find a list of essential tools. Although these are key to the grunge style techniques, if you are just starting out in stamping and paper crafts, they are a very good core kit, for many styles.
Ideas
This is a bit of a product list for the ideology range but it is also far more. Each page features four or five photos of projects showing the items in use. There is a panel on each page describing which item is used where and has new ideas for products.
If you have longed to buy some of the Ideaology range of embellishments but are a little unsure of what to do with them, or how they would look, these ideas will definitely spark your imagination. If you have bought any of the products previously and neglected them, this book will definitely have you rushing to your supplies to get started.
Techniques
This section features over 30 of Tim’s techniques. Each page has 6 descriptive photos, of how to complete the technique. The photos are very well taken, as you can clearly see the lids of inks and lables on bottles, to see which products are used, without the need for lengthy listing of products. If you are a long-standing Tim Holtz fan, you will see techniques that you recognise but there are still plenty of new ideas and the most recent products are used. This is a wonderful reference book for all of Tim’s magic. There are products that I’ve seen but not tried, now I see how they are used I can’t wait to try them out.
Gallery
Eye candy! The gallery section features, books, cards, tags & scrapbook pages. After reading through the techniques section, you will start to recognize the techniques in action, on the finished pieces. SO much inspiration.
Who Is this Book For?
This book, is for everyone who likes Tim’s style of stamping. If you like grunge, you will love this book. I do think this book would be suitable for crafters at all levels, even those just starting out. Tim shows a wide range of techniques and you can build upon them, as your skills improve. I love creating my own background papers using Tim’s style of stamping and colouring. For those just starting, out the advice on core kit, will be very helpful.
For those more seasoned crafters, you may well find you have a lot of the products mentioned, already and this is a great place to learn how to get the best from them. At last, a book that will stretch the seasoned crafter YEY!!!!!
If you have bought any of Tim’s products and then neglected them for ages, not too sure what to do with them. (I did that with Grugeboard for AGES) Then this book is for you. Ideas a plenty and so much inspiration, that you will rush to your cupboard to get your supplies out.
Value for Money
This is a superb book and packs so much into its 77 pages. It sounds expensive, for such a small volume but the amount of ground covered in these pages, is impressive. The front section is great if you have or would like to try a particular Ideology product and are not sure quite what it is or what to do with it.
The techniques section covers a lot of ground. The best thing about this book, is that it is showing you techniques. Once you have these skills, you can take them wherever your own imagination leads. This is so much better than a small list of finished cards/projects, where all you learn are just those projects. With the techniques in this book your only limitation is your imagination.
I was a bit negative, when I discovered this was a spiral bound book, but the paper quality is superb and it’s true that if you are following along with the techniques in your craft space, a book that lies open next to you, is a big advantage. This book is a wonderful compendium of Tim’s techniques and products, a must have for Tim fans and a must have for anyone looking to stretch their skills.
Summing Up
A MUST have book! I’m loving it!
Links
If you have not heard of Tim Holtz (where have you been???) Here are a list of places you can find out more about him and his products. Tim’s book is available through his blog.
Tim Holtz website, full details of the Ideology range.
Tim Holtz Blog
Ranger website for details of products
Best wishes and thanks for reading see you soon
Billie 🙂
Hi Billie –
Sorry I have not visited you lately. I’ve been sick and then PC problems due to power outages. We got hit with 34 inches of snow last week where I live in New York. I’m actually in the office today (shh don’t tell them I am checking your blog instead of working – lol!). Actually on a few minutes break.
You lucky duck – you’ve got Tim’s book! Thanks for the review, now I really must get it.
I’ve not had a chance to look at the video’s you posted on the origami box, but that’s my plan for tonight. Hope you are coming along nicely with the ankle and the back dear?
Hugs
Elaine
Hi Elaine
Good luck with the weather and the computer issues. Terrible isn’t it, we loose a computer and feel like we’ve lost a limb!
Foot trundling on slowly. Have been working on lots of ideas, might need a lottery win to impliment some of them though. New video up on Friday, so it’s a good week for you to be back with me 🙂
Take care
Billie 🙂
What a fabby review babes – now I can’t wait even more for my copy to arrive!! Lol Lynn ♥
Hi GM
It’s worth the wait, you’ll love it.
Take care and get well soon
Billie xx
lets see?? I want the book, but the $$?? I want the products but if I buy the book., I have no money..sigh.. Drats!! The kids do not need to eat!! They can live on crafts supplies 😉
Hi
Glad it’s not just me, I do that all the time. I’m happy to live on cereal in order to ‘feed’ my crafting habit 🙂 Let me help you out. Do buy the book, then you can learn how to do the techniques and aquire the supplies a few at a time.
I fiddled about for years with only a few odds n ends of ink pads. I saved up and over several years now own all the Adirondack dye pads, quite a few of the pigment pads. All the Adirondack Colorwash inks, and just a few of the alcohol inks and a few Acrylic Dabbers. Changed my life BIG time!!! Now I have matching colour pallet across many surfaces. That’s what I LOVE about Ranger, the co ordination of their ranges. With that kind of choice you really do have the freedom to design. Quality is worth the extra £/$ experience has taught me you get what you pay for and you get Quality with Ranger.
Choose about three colours that you like, then buy as many variations of the products in those colours. Then you know you can use them on all sorts of surfaces, build on your pallet as budget allows. Play the long game, it sure is worth it.
Best wishes and happy crafting 🙂
Billie 🙂
I just got the book yesterday, I ordered from Tim’s website and in the beginning an apron came with it! Oh, and he signed it!!
It’s so great, I going slow and jotting down items I want to alter/create along the way.
Hi Victoria
Good for you 🙂 It really does make you have lots of new ideas as you look through it doesn’t it.
Best wishes
Billie 🙂
I don’t much care for books that give you step by step directions for projects, as I don’t like copying things. That is what is so wonderful about Tim’s new book (which I received with my apron this week!).
It gives you skills to use in your own unique way. It inspires and sparks your creativity.
And I agree, that regardless of your level or style, you will learn things from this book that you will incorporate into your own art.
Five stars, in my opinion!
Hi Eileen
Thank you for your visit and your comment 🙂 I know what you mean, I like to learn new techniques but don’t want to be a clone of anyone. The way I view this book is, that it is like learning an alphabet of techniques, it is then up to individuals to make their own words from them. I love Ranger products and lots of Tim’s techniques, I also love to see if I can tweek them to my own style 🙂 That’s the fun of creating, just playing with products and ideas and see what comes out.
Have a great day
Billie 🙂
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