The Color Printer Idea Book
by Kay Hall

Publisher:  No Starch Press
ISBN:  1886411204

Computers, color printers, and software add a whole new dimension to traditional homemade crafts. While you may be familiar with using your computer to create iron-on T-shirt transfers or personalized greeting cards, you can now do many more craft projects by combining traditional and computer supplies.

In this computer-crafting book, Kay Hall has 40 fun projects that you can make using your inkjet printer, almost any type of graphics or page layout software, and a few extra craft supplies. Customize a clock face, make jewelry, print personalized sticky notes, or do needlework without needle and thread.

Kay has written about computer-crafting for publications such as ComputerUser, Dynamic Graphics, and Home Office Computing. In this book she shows you actual projects and techniques that she has developed and perfected over the years.

For those new to the world of computer-crafting, in the first few chapters Kay describes the type of hardware, software, and crafting tools that you'll need to get started. At the end is a comprehensive resource list of the vendors and the supplies used for the projects.

The bulk of The Color Printer Idea Book is devoted to the projects themselves with a full color spread showing all the completed crafts. In one or two pages per project, Kay shows the work in progress, lists the required materials, and explains how each craft item can be created. Some instructions are software specific but easily adaptable to your favorite program.

Ideas range from the practical (wrapping paper and bookmarks) to the fun or fanciful (matchbook notepad and photo pin jewelry.) A few of the projects utilize computer and craft tools in unusual ways such as embossing powder to "print" white on black or transparency film to create holographic business cards from your desktop. Other projects are deceptively simple -- oversized poster or memo pads. But, as Kay says:

"...use the projects as springboards for your own creations: Mix and match materials and techniques as you follow your imagination."

I concur. The Color Printer Idea Book is both a great how-to book and a tool for generating ideas and exploring your own creativity. In addition to being a source of project ideas for crafters, small business owners looking for ways to market themselves creatively on a budget may find inspiration for unique gifts to customers or giveaway items for prospective clients.

Jacci Howard Bear, your Guide for Desktop Publishing