Log Homes Made Easy: 2nd Editin Review

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(More customer reviews)Just what it says in his description of why he wrote the book. It is NOT for the owner/builder, however it will make you think. After reading this book any subcontractor or supplier will have to earn his money. I now know what to look for in my future dealings with log home businesses. His contributions to Log Home Living Magazine are invaluable to owners and future owners and dreamers.

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This book outlines what every owner-contractor needs to know before beginning a dream log home -- getting started; comparing price quotes; researching on the Internet; choosing an architect; planning the site, road, well, and septic systems; finding and managing subcontractors; and scheduling and controlling costs. The author also explores the myths and realities of log home life, including maintenance and energy efficiency.

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Coming Clean: Dirty Little Secrets from a Professional Housecleaner Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this book disappointing, especially after reading the description and the glowing reviews posted here. I thought I would get a lot more tips on how to clean quickly and efficiently, but I only found one tip I felt would make a difference. I also thought the book would give a better plan of attack for cleaning the whole house, but the plan was scattered throughout the book. I would have liked to have seen that plan presented in a single place (perhaps as a review at the end of the book.)
I also felt this book just scratched the surface of the hows and whys of cleaning and organizing. I think people would be much better served buying two separate books that go more in depth into both topics. I don't know which book to suggest for cleaning, but for organizing "Organizing From The Inside Out" by Julie Morganstern is the best.

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A book about "work simplification in your home," Coming Clean offers a no-nonsense plan of attack for weekly, monthly, and seasonal chores. As a commonsense approach to the business of running a clean, organized home, Schar Ward champions simple tools and routines. She discusses supplies, equipment, and planning, and focuses on specific areas in the home (including dreaded children's rooms), problem surfaces, and thinking clean when it comes to remodeling.

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Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning Review

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(More customer reviews)Naturally Clean is stock full of useful information about chemicals to avoid in the home. It is truly a must-have for every household, written by the crew at Seventh Generation, people who know their stuff. I now take it along with me when I go shopping and review labels for ingredients with a new-found appreciation for the hazards that are out there on supermarket shelves. I especially appreciate the Resource Guide at the end.
I own a green bed & breakfast and plan to make Naturally Clean part of our new Honeymoon Special. It is the type of book I wish I had owned thirty-five years ago when my children were small. Clean up your act. Get yourself a copy today!

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Compelling evidence links the chemicals in household products to cancer, asthma, allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome—also known as environmental illness—hormonal disruption, reproductive and developmental disorders, and other conditions. Yet cleaning products are exempt from the full ingredient disclosure on product labels as required for food and personal care products and enter the marketplace with little or no testing for potential health risks.

Naturally Clean explains the dangers of traditional cleaners and provides illuminating statistics that illustrate how the chemicals found in almost every home are known or likely to cause a host of serious health problems. The book's easy-to-understand introduction discusses basic household chemistry, concepts of toxicity and types of toxic exposure, and the difference between natural, organic, and synthetic chemicals.

A room-by-room guide provides tips for:

• A healthier kitchen• Keeping your bedrooms safe• Mold, mildew, and soap scum: spotless bathrooms• Special precautions for cleaning children's rooms

Naturally Clean also features a comprehensive product selection guide that analyzes over 300 natural and traditional cleaners: everything from laundry products through oven cleaners, disinfectants, spot removers, carpet cleaners, and bathroom cleaners. This handy, easy-to-use reference rates the household cleaning products found on the shelves of natural food and grocery stores, providing Seventh Generation's pick of your healthiest and safest options. A resource guide tells readers where to find additional information, and an at-a-glance glossary helps understand key terms.

Royalties from the sale of Naturally Clean will benefit the Children's Health Environmental Coalition (www.checnet.org) in their efforts to educate parents about environmental toxins that can affect children's health.

Jeffrey Hollender is president of Seventh Generation, Inc., the leading brand of natural household products, and author of the bestseller How To Make the World a Better Place. He speaks on social and environmental responsibility worldwide.

Geoff Davis is a freelance writer and editor of Seventh Generation's consumer newsletter Non-Toxic Times.

Meika Hollender is an author who specializes in personal care products.

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The Soulwork of Clay: A Hands-On Approach to Spirituality Review

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(More customer reviews)"We are," writes Marjory Bankson, "creatures of the earth and creators of possibilities." In The Soulwork of Clay, Bankson explores creation and possibilities on two different levels: working with clay, and approaching that work as "soulwork."
Bankson's instruction is more invitation than manual--each chapter provides exercises in shaping clay objects, from small unfired bowls to rattles, vases, etc. Readers are also invited in each chapter to reflect on the potential and meaning in each act: using the repetitive and "mindless" task of kneading clay as an opportunity for centering, seeing the work of shaping clay on a wheel as a dialogue between a creator's desire and the potentials in the object; firing as a practice in loosening control and patience. References throughout the text and at the end of the book provide readers who wish to go further--in pottery or reflection--next steps for their exploration.
Bankson brings clarity and authority of experience to her writing--she has been a professional pottery, a seminary student, and president of a national Christian ministry. Her current work includes the creation of unfired burial urns, designed to dissolve and release the ashes of the person they contain back to water or earth.
Bankson's approach grounds her discussion of spirituality in a medium and metaphor that is basic, familiar, and approachable. "We were all mud-loving children once," she writes--pointing out that claywork was discovered and developed in every human culture.
I bought a copy for myself, and it has fired in me a desire to sign up for pottery classes in my local community; another copy is going under the Christmas tree for a relative who is an accomplished potter, and who I hope enjoys the invitation to view this work through another lens--as soulwork.
"Working with clay," writes Bankson, "is a way to get our hands dirty and our minds clear. To reclaim an elemental sense of connection with the earth itself. To bring us home to our bodies. To express our soul's longing for life. To reclaim the sacred act of creation as essential to our wholeness." Who wouldn't want that?

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Let go of your pretensions--squeeze, shape, knead & play your way to spiritual growth."I am being formed by the clay. I am reconnecting with the earth, and with the other basic elements, too--air, water, fire--and life itself. Every gesture leaves its trail in the clay. Every fingerprint, a message. My breath fills the cavity. My touch curves the wall of a bowl. And inwardly, I am being formed by the outward practice. I am learning to trust the process, to lean into the possibilities rather than striving for some predetermined goal. I am being hollowed out, stretched and constricted, trimmed and sometimes reworked entirely."-from the PrologueDrawing from her first-hand experience of working with clay, Marjory Zoet Bankson takes you through the seven-step process of making clay into a pot, drawing parallels at each stage to the process of spiritual growth:Grounding--Connecting with our core elementsKneading--Awakening to the inner realmCentering--Gathering everything togetherShaping--Focusing inner and outer pressuresFinishing--Trimming away the excessDecorating--Adding a playful touchFiring--Committing to transformationThis simple connection with the earth has the potential to put you in touch with the whole of creation and, at the same time, your soul's longing to participate as an artist, creating something new and unique.Through reflective questions in each chapter--along with a wealth of unique clay projects that even beginners can do--Bankson invites you on a journey of spiritual discovery, a path of reconnecting with your body and spirit, and with the earth itself."Pairs insight with play in this invitation to inner awakening through creative time with clay. Guides us to embody an almost childlike awareness of the present moment while engaging in the mature work of becoming our fullest selves--for our own sake and that of the world."--Grace G. Ogden, director, Sacred Circles spirituality program, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. "Rich with wise reflections on the art of living with congruence and integrity so that the outer shape of our lives accurately reflects the inner space. You don't have to become a potter to benefit from this book."--Rev. Thomas Ryan, csp, author, Soul Fire: Accessing Your Creativity"Draws powerful parallels to our own process of spiritual growth, showing us why `the potter and the clay' is one of the most ancient and deep-reaching of all spiritual metaphors."--Parker J. Palmer, author, A Hidden Wholeness

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Kitchen Remodeling For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)The majority of this book was painful to read. I mistakenly assumed that "For Dummies" meant that it was going to cover all aspects for all skill levels. Instead, the author made a point to decide what you are capable of understanding and undertaking. There were "Call a Pro" icons peppered throughout the book indicating that the reader does not have the skill level or the brain power to possibly get his hand around specific tasks. I think that a responsible DIYer has the capability to determine what is and what is not in their skill set. Just because you have never done something does not mean you cannot do it. I have no problems with warnings, but to not share information because the author feels the reader cannot handle it is just poor writing.
Here is a passage that illustrates the tone of this book (discussing installing sub flooring):
"You do this by installing blocking between the floor joists from below. If you're not familiar with this type of work, contact a professional to do it right. If you are familiar with it, you'll know what I'm talking about and how to do it correctly."
If you know how to do it than why are you reading a book on it? Everyone has to start from somewhere - even the pros. I knew nothing about electrical but I can install a new service panel if I needed to now. How? Information and experience - I was not born with the knowledge, neither was the author.
The unsuccessful use of humor in this book only served to clutter the pages and take away any amount of credibility that the author had as a professional. Furthermore, there were several points that I disagreed with him on. For example, he made a point to say DO NOT install your new flooring under the cabinets, instead install around them. His point was that you lose a valuable 1/2" between the countertop and the bottom of your wall cabinets. Forgetting even about aesthetics, have you ever tried to remove a dishwasher that was below your floor level? Trust me - it's no fun. Also, materials such as tile serve to protect the sub floor from water damage (which can happen to anyone).
This book did have some trivial information that I found interesting (like where the "d" in "10d nails" came from). Other than that, I found it a waste of money.
Look elsewhere for your kitchen remodeling information needs.


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Real estate, building, and remodeling surveys reveal that the one project likely to give you a 100 percent return on the dollars invested is a kitchen remodel. And whether the project is as involved as gutting the room back to the wall studs or as simple as applying a fresh coat of paint, each project is an investment in your home's value and, ultimately, in your enjoyment of using the space.
Remodeling a kitchen is a big job, but it's not so big that anyone – with the right guidance and understanding – couldn't feel comfortable tackling at least some parts of the job. Kitchen Remodeling For Dummies is the reference tool to use if you
Want to use the kitchen more efficiently
Want to replace outdated, energy-gobbling appliances and gadgets
Have attempted at least one or two home repair projects
Are comfortable using both power and hand tools and probably own a few of each
Want to know how a project should be done and then hire someone to do it.

The kitchen in today's home has become a focal point for the family, as well as for entertaining. For those reasons, you want the room to be as functional as possible, without breaking your bankbook. With Kitchen Remodeling For Dummies in hand, you'll get the lowdown on the following topics and more:
The kitchen remodeling process (knowing this makes you a smarter consumer)
Critical design issues
Working with the pros: architect, designer, contractor
Establishing a budget and sticking with it
Evaluating your plumbing, electrical, and ventilation systems
Selecting and installing cabinets and countertops
Choosing sinks, faucets, and appliances
Working on walls, windows, and floors
Hot trends and easy upgrades

This handy guide shows you how to take your kitchen (no matter what shape it's in now) and remodel it so that it not only fits your wants and needs but also becomes a room you can be proud to use and show off.

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Understanding the Global Spa Industry: Spa Management Review

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(More customer reviews)This book, from the trustworthy Butterworth-Heinemann publishers, is the most comprehensive guide I have found on spa management and marketing. It is equally useful as a college textbook or an industry reference guide.
It is a shame that the method of packaging this book resulted in a wrinkled delivery that affected all 466 pages(it was just stuffed in an envelop rather than the usual quality boxing of Amazon purchases) but that doesn't take away from the value of the information contained. It's condition, however, would degrade its cost if this were a used book - and for the cost of a new book, its condition is a disappointment.

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The spa industry is currently the fastest growing segment of the hospitality and leisure industry with revenues exceeding those from amusement parks, box office receipts, vacation ownership gross sales and ski resort ticket sales.Understanding the Global Spa Industry is the first book to examine management practices in this industry and offers a groundbreaking and comprehensive approach to global spa management, covering everything from the beginnings of the industry through to contemporary management and social and ethical issues.With contributions from internationally renowned business leaders, practitioners and academics, this unique book is packed with case studies, examples and advice for all those working in, and studying, the international spa industry.Understanding the Global Spa Industry brings an analytic lens to the spa movement, examining past, current and future trends and the potential for shaping wellness and health services in the 21st century.. Spa services and the development of the spa business from its historical beginnings to the size of the market today.. Business development and planning, spa operations and business models.. Spa products and technologies, retailing and the application of branding and marketing strategies.. Infrastructure, design and environmental issues including sustainability and social and environmental benchmarking.. Human resources issues from education and training to professional and regulatory issues and professional and corporate ethics and values.

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Building Your Own Greenhouse (Greenhouse Basics) Review

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(More customer reviews)Too old info, there is too much New greenhouse information left out here. It seems the author has a desire to help but does'nt know of any of the new break-threws in this industry. Greenhouses have changed 100% from the wooden A framed house. Now they have many different designs thst can save heating cost 50%. Get some new info on greenhouse and you'll have more FUN.

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The fundamentals of assembling a greenhouse and custom designing it to the gardener's needs, from simple cold frames to large free-standing and attached-to-the-house structures.

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