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I think 2012 could be named the year of DIY blogger authored books. So many fabulous bloggers have come out with phenomenal books. Young House Love, Miss Mustard Seed, Ana White, and The Handmade Home just to name just a few.
For me this is a dream come true. Finally, the beautiful words and photos of my favorite bloggers are now in book format. Here’s a quick round up of three DIY books I think you’ll enjoy. You’ll surely want to add them to your holiday wishlist!
Inspired You. by Miss Mustard Seed, Marian Parsons
This book is such a treat to hold in your hands. The attention to detail is immediately evident. Linen book cover, with a half book jacket printed on cover stock so it doesn’t curl. The Miss Mustard Seeds graphic inside is a nice touch. (Can you tell I have a background in graphic design? 
)
When I opened the book I was greeted by scrumptious high quality photographs. It makes me think that this is how Miss Mustard Seed should always be read. Perusing blog posts is great, but the detail and image quality can’t compare with a printed photo.
Marian threw her heart and soul into this book and it shows. She included beautiful never seen photos of her home and she shares how although her home may look beautiful, there are angles that the camera doesn’t see. The kids’ crumbs and messes are there as well because she lives a real life just like you and me.
I love this quote from the book: “Throw out the notion that good design is expensive, must be carried out by a professional and can only be bought in a fancy story,” Marian said. “I live in a real home on a thrift store budget and have never taken a design class in my life.”
In addition to a book authorship this year, Miss Mustard Seed introduced her own line of milk paint. This gal is unstoppable!
You’ll find tutorials detailing how she decorated and furnished her home. The main message is that you can easily do the same for yours.
INSPIRED YOU (published by Thomas Nelson is available for $19.99)
Handmade Walls. by Ashley & Jamon Mills
Have you ever struggled with your home? Struggled to make it feel more genuine… more like you? Have you ever felt inhibited from what you really wanted by ‘the rules’? What about your own fears? Have you ever been frustrated by the overpriced, overused selections in big box stores? We’ve all been there and had a desire to explore options beyond the expected. Handmade Walls is a simple, inspiring, and realistically approachable springboard for making your home your own. Everything you see in this book was created with the hope that you’ll learn to shake off those fears and love your sanctuary as you create it. Just for you.
Ashley & Jamin have poured their creative energy into yet another project. This time it is this wonderfully illustrated and designed eBook. One of my favorite quotes from the Mills is: “If it’s something you feel passionate about, you can find a way to make it happen. ” If you need the push to help make it happen, grab your own copy of Handmade Walls.
This ebook contains 22 projects, at over 250 pages chock-full of inspiration, creations, and plans for making it happen in your own homes. It’s a realistic, user-friendly fun approach on creating beautiful handmade pieces for your spaces. It’s available for $9.95 in a simple easy-to-use PDF format. Just click, download, and read. It’s that simple.
Three main sections: Frames, Art, and Functional: Handmade Walls builds on your personal skill level and has an easy learning curve. This means there’s something for everyone in this book. Whether you’re a DIY novice, weekend warrior, or just someone who appreciates a fun read, you’ll enjoy reading this eBook from the first to the last page.
Every plan in this book comes complete with step by step illustrations, photography, tips, and tricks. These are to help with those little known, frequently asked questions. Each one is even complete with a cut and supplies list, price bracket, difficulty level, and time required for each project. So you know exactly what you’re diving into before you even begin.
A note from Ashley & Jamon: “Beautiful homes aren’t purchased in one day. They aren’t bought ‘as a room’, and they aren’t thrown together overnight. They probably aren’t even held in a collective grandiose round of applause, given their one of a kind unique nature based on who put them together. Maybe, one of a kind homes are only appreciated by the creator and those who dwell there. Truly beautiful homes are created over time. They’re crafted carefully by an artist who loves to tweak a canvas. They are an honest, illuminating reflection of those who live there. We hope you feel inspired to create a home of your own, and leave your stamp.”
Click here to purchase your own eBook copy of Handmade Walls for $9.95**
The Handbuilt Home. by Ana White
Ana White is my hero. She has inspired me in so many ways this past year. After meeting her at SNAP and Haven I can honestly say she is one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met. And she has very similar goals when it comes to empowering others be able to pick up some tools and make their own furniture!
Ana filled The Handbuilt Home with simple and budget-friendly plans for making some amazing furniture for your home. The book is divided into rooms and has all the information you need to get up and building the same day.
This is another book that I love holding in my hands. The color photos peak my desire to make every single project in the book. From Ana’s famous first build, her farmhouse bed:
To this beautifully rustic kitchen island:
The book even has a getting started section to help you learn how to use the tools and some of the terms used in woodworking.
I highly recommend this book to ANYONE who wants beautiful furniture at a fraction of the cost of retail. It is an all-in-one DIY guide for making stylish furniture. The lessons learned can only catapult you to start designing your own personalized pieces for your home.
The Handbuilt Home (Published by Potter Craft, a division of Random House.)
Retail price: $22.99
** Disclosure: The Handbuilt Home and Inspired You were sent to me complimentary to review. I was not compensated for this post, nor was I told what to write. The Handmade Walls link is an affiliate link. I receive a small percentage of any sales from that link.
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I would love either or both of these books. They are beautiful!! ~Linda
I would love to win! I love the creativity of these wonderful bloggers.
I noticed that the books are pictured on your reprinted chalk paint table…my favorite of your projects!!
Yes please yes please yes please!! Books + awesome DIY… what could be better??
Both of these books are on my wish list right now, so to win either one of them would be absolutely perfect. Thank you for sharing these with us!!
Debora Cadene.
I’d love to win!
I so desperately need these. Hoping to get inspired enough to actually do some of their fabulous projects.
I really would love these books! I like how you present your tutorials on using power tools – you’re very inspirational.
Thanks for the giveaway and pick me!
Would love to have an early Christmas present….2 books….wow! Thanks
I’ve been following these two gals for several years now. Every year they get better and better! I’d love to have their books. Thanks.
Thanks for this giveaway! These books look so well done and seem to have great tips. I’m currently planning to re-do our home that hasn’t had an upgrade since the 60′s, so we could use the help!!!
I’d love to have these books! My darling hubby lacks a handy bone in his body so all DIY projects are me and me alone. I’d love to have these books for more ideas and inspiration!
Since I could use some inspiration right now, I would love to win these books.
They are all so inspiring. Thanks for the opportunity!
The books are icing on the cake- your site has so many great ideas!
I stand amazed at you AND these young ladies who are so unbelievably creative! Thanks for offering us a chance to win these fantastic books!
Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!
I love your piped bench cushion & restore/seal deck tutorials! Thanks for the great giveaway!!!
Oh, thank you for the giveaway! I just had to return Ana’s book to the library and would love to have a copy of my own. Thanks!
Your Kreg jig tutorial helped me tremendously! Thanks!
Would love to win ,Miss Mustard Seed
was the first site I found
when I started furniture painting DIY
I really like your ladder display shelves. I look forward to each new post. I am inspired to try new things in my home. I would love to be a lucky winner of these two fabulous books.
pamela
I love your blog and all the different ideas you present for me to enjoy and hopefully use in making my home cozy and comfortable. I loved your remake of the dumpster table. It is beautiful!! I would so like to win this books. Thank you for the opportunity to win.
Wonderful ideas! I am definitely inspired and ready to make our home a work of art (and love!)
What a wonderful opportunity! I’d love to have either (or both!) of these books to give as gifts this Christmas. What a wonderful way to teach the next generation to make things their own way.
I am inspired by all of you! Would love to have these two books.
I would love either of these, but both? What a great catch that’d be!
DIY projects and books – two of my all-time favorite things (along with blogs!) .
Love your blog! Thanks for the chance to win!
Lisa K.
I LOVE all of your blogs,. I look forward to seeing I have another one in my in box. Every single one is as good as the one before. Nice job. I would like to know where I can buy both books. Thanks for sharing all your tips and tricks!
I am thankful for blogs…I have been empowered to “try” and that is what’s important! Thanks!
What a wonderful review and great giveaway opportunity! Thanks so much!
THANK YOU!!!!!! I actually had a couple of these books on my wishlist already. It would be awesome to own any of these very talented peoples books.
I’d love either of these books, too!
I was just (almost)drooling over “Inspired You” today! Almost bought it, but then decided I’d let Santa (ha!) know about it… I haven’t seen “The Handbuilt Home” yet, but would love to find it – or both- in my mailbox.
You were so clever to have the photo shoot of these books on your lovely craftroom table. That’s my latest favorite of your tutorials. Thank you for the chance to win these great books. Love, love, love how you share your talent and your life through your blog. Thanks for that, too!
I love, love, love your stenciled table. I’ve wanted to do simething like that and your table inspired me to go ahead with it. Thanks for the opportunity.
I would love to win either of these books. They are ALL on my Christmas list and I can’t wait to get my hands on them!
These books look amazing! I’d love to win either!
All of these books look fantastic and I would LOVE any one of them!
Most informative and inspiring to me have been your posts on how to use a Kreg jig tool ( I have one but have never used it!) and your recent post about stenciling the farmhouse table. I have a very similar table and can’t wait to try something similar, thanks for the inspiration!
I would love to win one or both (!) books. There’s nothing like that “new-book smell” that you can’t get from a Kindle….
Pick me! Pick me! Or else don’t and someone else will be very happy
Thanks for inspiring me to START the projects I’ve been dithering about! Just knowing you have wierd stuff happen, but work through it anyway, makes me feel like I can too. P.S. These books are way cool!!
I love you blog and it inspires me to make my home more personal and not cookie-cutter. Thanks for the great giveaway!!
Thanks for the giveaway! I’m already planning on buying a couple of these because I feel like it’s a great opportunity for reference and to give a little back to the blogs I read daily.
LOVE LOVE LOVE! I’ve been “thinking” about starting my own blog for over 2 years now, I think it’s time to stop “thinking” and start “doing”!!!
Im ready to start building beautiful furniture!
Wow, not only would I love to win, I really need to win! My husband and I had just recently discussed that we wanted to learn to build wood projects. This would be great.
Wonderful! Two books I would love to win!
I would LOVE to win these books! Thanks for the chance.
Yes, I would love to win these, this would be a great Christmas gift…….TO ME of course !!