Craftfulness

Craftfulness is the idea that making things with your hands makes you feel better, and can offer the same benefits as mindfulness and meditation, yoga, running, playing an instrument or singing. Integrating mindfulness, neuroscience, positive psychology, and creativity research, Craftfulness offers a thought-provoking and surprising reconsideration of craft, and how making things with our hands can connect us to our deepest selves and improve our well-being and overall happiness. We should get this out of the way: Craftfulness is not a "crafting book." Rather, it is an investigation of the wisdom generations of men and women know to be true: that making things is a vital means of self-expression, self-realization, and self-help that sparks the mind, touches the soul, and rejuvenates the spirit. Integrating mindfulness, neuroscience, positive psychology, and creativity research, Rosemary Davidson and Arzu Tahsin explore how the simple act of making something from scratch affects mental well-being, and offer a brilliantly reasoned argument in favor of craft. Process, not product, is the soul of a craft practice. Whether you knit, crochet, sculpt, weave, quilt, tat, draw, or bind books--working toward small, attainable goals provides a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and control that is proven to positively impact our mental health and happiness. Davidson and Tahsin illuminate how craft practice re-introduces balance into our lives and our habits by cultivating creativity, carving space for ourselves, promoting focus, creating a safe space for failure, and ultimately, how to make peace with imperfection. Like Matthew B. Crawford's Shop Class as Soul Craft, Ken Robinson's Out of Our Minds, or Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Flow, Craftfulness helps us to see our world in a new way, offering opportunities to disconnect from the world, and pay attention to ourselves.

"The story’s message, that people should choose joy even (and especially) in difficult and painful times, seems tailor-made for this moment. A timely, uplifting read about finding joy in the midst of tragedy, filled with quirky characters and comforting warmth."—Kirkus (starred review) From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel full of heart and hope. Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living. But she wasn’t always that way. Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen. But he wasn’t always that way. And Sam knows it. Because she knew him before—at another school, in a different life. Back then, she loved him—but she was invisible. To him. To everyone. Even to herself. She escaped to a new school, a new job, a new chance at living. But when Duncan, of all people, gets hired as the new principal there, it feels like the best thing that could possibly happen to the school—and the worst thing that could possibly happen to Sam. Until the opposite turns out to be true. The lovable Duncan she’d known is now a suit-and-tie wearing, rule-enforcing tough guy so hell-bent on protecting the school that he’s willing to destroy it. As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love—which is the riskiest move of all. With Katherine Center’s sparkling dialogue, unforgettable characters, heart, hope, and humanity, What You Wish For is the author at her most compelling best.

You never know just what will change your life. Massimo Vacchetta, an Italian veterinarian, provides expert care for large animals—cows, horses, sheep. One day, a friend asks him to help care for something much smaller: an orphaned baby hedgehog. Only a few days old and so very alone, Massimo is struck by her helplessness and connects with her in a way he’s never connected with any other animal. He names her Ninna. Soon, another sick hedgehog lands in his lap. And then another. As Massimo finds these hedgehogs who need his help, he finds himself—and the true meaning of compassion. While his other prickly patients are healed and released, Massimo continues to dote on Ninna like a child, constantly fretting about her health and happiness, not ready to say goodbye. But the cage that once kept her safe soon becomes a prison, and as much as it breaks Massimo's heart to let her go, he knows she longs to be free. Through this life-affirming story of a man and his hedgehog, we learn that there’s no such thing as too small an act, if it’s done out of great compassion and love.

Colour yourself calm in an uncertain world. Start the new year as you mean to go on with A Year in Colour. Beautifully hand-drawn and small enough to take with you wherever you go, you'll find a new illustration for each week of the year complete with a page for your creative doodles and flashes of inspiration, one week at a time. Colouring has proven to be the perfect antidote to a busy life: it is sufficiently distracting that it allows you to simultaneously focus and switch off from the stresses of the day. And it's surprisingly satisfying too. So, whether it is spring, summer, autumn or winter, Amber's intricate and sophisticated drawings are all inspired by the natural world and are perfect to colour in and admire, providing a soothing and mindful experience for those in need of a creative stress-buster whatever the time of year.

The popular craft designer and lifestyle blogger shares a rainbow of new project ideas—all using the creative power of paper. What began as a project collection and viral Instagram hashtag (#CrafttheRainbow) has become an inspiring book featuring all-new paper project ideas. Learn how to make playful party decorations, luscious flowers, amazing cards, and sophisticated wreaths, garlands, centerpieces, and more than you can imagine. Brittany Watson Jepsen is known for the unusually imaginative and amazingly beautiful designs she creates for her website and host of clients (including Anthropologie). In Craft the Rainbow, Jepsen walks readers through the easy basics of transforming simple paper—including tissue, crepe, cardstock, leaves of books, and vintage and recycled paper—into vibrant, fanciful, handmade projects suitable for every occasion.

A visual and creative feast for anyone who wants to imagine and build a more beautiful life. Stylist, designer, HGTV star and fairy godmother of glitter, Tiffany Pratt looks at the world as a blank canvas. With every choice she is presented or every decision she makes, she does it with one mantra in mind: that this--whatever "this" is--can be beautiful. Whether it's sprucing up some old wallpaper, rejuvenating your bedsheets, turning an accidental bleach stain into a multicolored sensation, or even hosting a party and re-thinking how you make lootbags, Tiffany's creative energy is fantastically contagious. In her much anticipated debut, Tiffany brings her vivacious attitude directly to readers, crafters, designers and DIY-ers. She'll guide you through over 45 creative and straightforward projects that will beautify your home, wardrobe, beauty routine, travel style and more. Whatever your taste, crafting skill, budget, or time, you'll find a project that inspires you to make Tiffany's visions your own. Break out the glitter, paintbrushes and colored duct tape! Let Tiffany empower you to create the styled life you want using what you already have. All it takes is a little effort, some love, and a bit of hot glue.

For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure. Beautiful, empowering, and exhilarating, She Explores is a spirited celebration of female bravery and courage, and an inspirational companion for any woman who wants to travel the world on her own terms. Combining breathtaking travel photography with compelling personal narratives, She Explores shares the stories of 40 diverse women on unforgettable journeys in nature: women who live out of vans, trucks, and vintage trailers, hiking the wild, cooking meals over campfires, and sleeping under the stars. Women biking through the countryside, embarking on an unknown road trip, or backpacking through the outdoors with their young children in tow. Complementing the narratives are practical tips and advice for women planning their own trips, including: • Preparing for a solo hike • Must-haves for a road-trip kitchen • Planning ahead for unknown territory • Telling your own story A visually stunning and emotionally satisfying collection for any woman craving new landscapes and adventure.

Mindfulness and calm in an uncertain world. Make your own mindful journey as you travel the globe with Amber Anderson's beautifully hand-drawn World in Colour. Small enough to take with you wherever you go, you'll find a new illustration, each with an inspiring affirmation, for the World's most famous sights, from the Sydney Opera House to the Eiffel Tower, taking in the leaning tower of Pisa, the Empire State Building and other wonders on the way. Colouring is a proven antidote to the stresses of modern life: satisfying and creative at the same time. Let your imagination travel the World with Amber's intricate, unique drawings to create your own oasis of calm in your busy day.