50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants

November 21, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

50 beautiful deer-resistant plants : a gardener's guide to the best annuals, perennials, shrubs, ferns, bulbs, herbs, and grasses by Ruth Rogers Clausen ; photography by Alan L. Detrick — It can be extremely frustrating to plant something new in your garden, only to have it chomped away by deer. Lovely as these creatures may be, we want them to find snacks away from our gardens. This book has plenty of ideas for plants deer will find less appealing, and rates each plant on a scale of one to ten to show how resistant to deer it is.

Sew Up a Home Makeover

November 17, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

Sew up a home makeover : 50 simple sewing projects to transform your space by Lexie Barnes — This book not only contains a wide variety of sewing projects, it also includes important information on how to plan for a makeover. It's easy to get inspired but forget to think about the function of the space or to plan a realistic budget, and those items and more are covered here. Home makeover projects often involve not only your sewing kit, but items from your tool bench, and this book makes it easy to plan for those needs. Included are ideas for children's rooms at various ages, a craft room, as well as many a la carte projects.

High-Impact Low-Carbon Gardening

November 14, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

High-impact, low-carbon gardening : 1001 ways to garden sustainably by Alice Bowe — Most of the time when I choose plants for my garden, I go by what their blooms look like, what fruit (or veg) they will bear, and how they will complement the other plants in my garden. This book looks at it from another angle: will the plant improve my garden's ecological credentials? will it help manage water? Also included here are tips for choosing sustainable materials, eliminating perennial weeds, substituting more eco-friendly alternatives for classic favorite plants, and more.

Grow Herbs

November 10, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

Grow herbs by Jekka McVicar — This guide to herbs has info on a lot more than just growing them. It also includes some history, basic information about what herbs are, designing an herb garden, propagation and harvesting techniques, a list of 100 top herbs for use in the kitchen,  recipes and instructions for use in cooking and throughout the home (for cleaning, remedies, relaxation, and more).

Sewing 101

November 3, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

Sewing 101 : a workshop in a book by [editors of Creative Publishing, International] — Are you looking to learn how to sew, to refresh your skills, or to expand beyond the very basics? This book can help with all of these things. Many basic sewing books stick to instructions for working with cotton or fleece, but this one includes several projects and how-to tips for working with knits. It also features garments for adults in addition to the stand-by aprons, pillows, and placemats.

The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible

October 31, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

The vegetable gardener's container bible : how to grow a bounty of food in pots, tubs, and other containers by Edward C. Smith — Do you like to grow in containers but haven't done much with vegetables before? Don't have a lot of space but still want a veggie garden? This book has lots of information about how to grow various vegetables in containers, including how to choose which plant to put in which pot, how to amend the soil for optimal veg growth and development, how to care for container gardens, managing pests and disease, what to do with your container veg gardens at the end of the season, and more.

Knitting Vintage

October 27, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

Knitting vintage : 30 knitting projects inspired by period fashions by Claire Montgomerie — Many of us admire vintage styles, but it can be challenging to find actual vintage knits in good condition in the right size for a reasonable price. This book offers patterns for sweaters, hats, and other accessories in vintage styles inspired by the twenties through the eighties. It may be difficult to think of the 80s as vintage, but the Striped Mohair Sweater is not to be missed.

A Chicken in Every Yard

October 24, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

A chicken in every yard : the Urban Farm Store's guide to chicken keeping by Robert and Hannah Litt — The title of this book refers to the idea not that every yard must have chickens, but that every yard could. You can raise chickens virtually anywhere, and this book shows just how to do it. The authors have included a wealth of information gleaned from their own experience, including choosing the right breed, building a coop, feeding, preventing and treating diseases, recipes to use your chickens' eggs and more. They also include an all-important section on working with neighbors, family, and authorities to make your chicken-raising experience successful and positive for everyone.

Growing Fruit Trees

October 20, 2011 | Anne Heidemann

Growing fruit trees : novel concepts and practices for successful care & management by edited by Jean-Marie Lespinasse and Évelyne Leterme ; illustrations by Jean- Marie Lespinasse ; Kitren Glozer, consultant for North America ; authors, Gilles Adgié ... [et al.] — This book includes information on growing fifteen types of fruit trees including stone fruits, seeded fruits, dry fruits, and others. Each type of tree, including apple, cherry, olive, peach, plum, and many others, is outlined in great detail, including history and origins, characteristics, its annual cycle, soil and climate limitations, how to choose and train a tree, and more.

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