Recently my contact at Chronicle Books in San Francisco was nice enough to send me a copy of Lotta's Printing Studio, which is more like a kit, and it arrived this morning which was a nice way to begin a new week. Lotta's Printing Studio was my morning read that I enjoyed as I had breakfast, and bonus! Because it's very light reading and compact I finished it in about an hour. Yippee! I love a book that is simple and quick when it comes to crafting. If it gets too wordy, I'm likely to not make it beyond chapter 3. This booklet was great and I hope that more craft books go down this path of booklets because they're so easy to toss in a bag and show your best friend over lunch and they just feel accessible - quite the opposite of some of those crafting bibles out there that often leave me overwhelmed and feeling a bit like I signed up for something I cannot commit to. Or worse, I go out and buy the long list of supplies that the craft project calls for, then I fizzle out halfway through and never go back to the project again. Sure, some things I'll take my time on like quilting, my last quilt took me a year but it was worth every cut and stitch. However when it comes to an afternoon craft project, I want it quick and dirty. :) Here are a few views of this great new booklet with other goodies on my work table...

In this newly released kit you receive a 48-page booklet, stenciling sponges (2), a set of carving tools with two different blades in case you want to try lino-block printing at home, and custom stencils drawn by the talented Lotta Jansdotter who lives and works in Brooklyn. I'd like to note also that the booklet was photographed by freelance photographer, Jenny Hallengren, who is based in Stockholm. I've included a glimpse of her work below too.

This DIY decorating kit will certainly give you many creative ideas and a ton of inspiration, you'll be stamping your aprons, curtains, walls, clothing and handbags in no time. And at $19.95, it's a terrific value. Carving tools alone can run you half of that price, but also consider the stencils included and the sponges. This is a great budget option and would be a perfect gift for a friend who needs a little creative push because it suits beginner and intermediate crafters (though I wouldn't suggest it for advanced stencil pros and printers, it's basic and not really meant for those who have years of experience). Enjoy!

And by the way, Chronicle gives me nothing for posting this - they send me books from time to time and if I like them I review them, if not, I don't. Of course, I get to keep the book but that's it!

(images: top four: holly becker for decor8, bottom grouping: jenny hallengren)