Do you need a unique gift to give someone? Do you have an old bottle or basket sitting around that you don't want to get rid of but aren't sure what to do with? Need an item of beauty that looks just right for your style? Do you want to learn one of the easiest and most affordable of crafts? Upcycle with Decoupage is for you. There's even an interactive Facebook page in case you need to ask questions, get some inspiration or just have a look around We're very user friendly over here.

This revised edition of an award-winning resource celebrates the lives and works of 35 Latina and Latino authors who write for today's young readers. Expanded to include 12 additional authors, updated information on the original 23 authors profiled, and 135 new titles, this comprehensive reference tool helps teachers, librarians, and parents stay current on one of the most dynamic areas of contemporary literature. Both established and emerging voices are profiled. Personal quotes and photographs introduce each biographical essay, presenting information gathered through interviews, personal communications, and research. A complete list of all books and works written by the author is included along with publication information. Annotations are provided for most of the titles, along with information on major themes, awards won, and recommended age levels. Evaluating Books for Bias provides helpful guidelines for examining and selecting books from a pluralistic perspective. Appendices offer further helpful information about the field, including special awards honoring books by Latinas and Latinos, a calendar of holidays and special days celebrated by the Latino community, and listings of related resources and organizations. The author has also compiled ideas for classroom activities and ways for librarians to extend the literary experience. A title index and extensive topic index—including themes, curricular areas, and genres—help in planning story sessions and study units. This is a multipurpose resource for anyone who wants to help young readers connect with contemporary literature in a meaningful way.

Discover how to upcycle to make unusual and unique homeware with Creating the Vintage Look. Upcycling is about taking something old, vintage, treasured, or possibly even broken, and giving it a new lease of life by turning it into something new. It's a thrifty way of decorating and enhancing your home that avoids waste, but is also stylish. Here, Ellie Laycock shows you how you can make truly beautiful objects from things you might otherwise have thrown away. Be inspired by the ingenuity of her projects—including turning old tin trays into chic magnetic noticeboards, using teapots as quirky planters, transforming a vintage fruit crate into a rustic bedside table, and converting metal jello molds into tea light holders. All of the 35 projects have clear instructions and artworks to guide you on how to make them, and are grouped on a room-by-room basis, plus a helpful techniques section will teach you any skills you need to know.

Breathe new life into old furniture and thrift store finds Upcycling Furniture For Dummies shows you how to revitalize old furniture, with just a little effort and imagination, and maybe a few coats of fresh paint. Upcycling furniture is affordable, good for the environment, and a whole lot of fun! This easy, step-by-step guide shows you how to get creative and put your own unique flair on your designs. You'll gain the knowledge and confidence you need to select items that are worth transforming or restoring and learn specific techniques to give old pieces a new lease on life. Learn the process of upcycling dressers, tables, chairs, and other furniture Enjoy the fun of sourcing items and increasing their value with your creativity! Update your décor with gorgeous, upcycled furniture Express yourself and find out how to flip your creations for a profit! This Dummies reference is great for anyone with an interest in turning trash into treasure.

Remake the ordinary into the extraordinary—crafts for kids ages 8 to 12 Watch kids' eyes light up as they roll up their sleeves and transform ordinary items. Upcycle It! Crafts for Kids shows tweens how to take objects destined for the recycling bin and breathe new life into them to make room decor, organizers, school supplies, and so much more. What sets this apart from other kids' activity books: 25 purposeful projects—Exciting arts and crafts like Awesome Earbud Case, Cute Critter Cardboard Hangers, and Splatter Paint Sunglasses allow kids to create something that is both useful and fun to make. Easily accessible supplies—The crafts in this book repurpose everyday items you likely have lying around, so there's no need to spend lots of money or schedule a trip to the store. Clear instructions—Kids will have no trouble tackling these crafts thanks to simple directions that are paired with beautiful pictures to guide them through the process. Inspire ingenuity and eco-friendly habits with Upcycle It! Crafts for Kids.

Craftivism is a worldwide movement that operates at the intersection where craft and activism meet; Craftivism the book is full of inspiration for crafters who want to create works that add to the greater good. With interviews and profiles of craftivists who are changing the world with their art, and through examples that range from community embroidery projects, stitching in prisons, revolutionary ceramics, AIDS activism, yarn bombing, and crafts that facilitate personal growth, Craftivism provides imaginative examples of how crafters can be creative and altruistic at the same time. Artists profiled in the book are from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Asia, and their crafts include knitting, crocheting, sewing, textiles, pottery, and ceramics. There's the Brooklyn writer who creates large-scale site-specific knitted installations; the British woman who runs sewing and quilting workshops for community building and therapy; the Indonesian book maker and organizer of a DIY craft center; and the Oxford, England, cultural theorist and dress designer. A wonderful sense of optimism and possibility pervades the book: the inspiring notion that being crafty can really make the world a better place. Betsy Greer is a writer, crafter, researcher, and the author of Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social and Political Change Stitch by Stitch. She also runs the blog craftivism.com and believes that creativity and positive activism can save not only the soul, but also the world.

Get crafty and help save the planet too! With easy step-by-step instructions Cool Paper Projects offers kids a chance to get creative by turning their trash into handmade treasures. All projects feature common everyday paper items to reuse in a fun new way. From woven paper bookmarks to scrap paper curtains, kids will love making useful crafts and helping the environment. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.