Pavèl Van Houten

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

Vermont

Practising Creativity in Contemporary Arts Education

Wicked Arts Assignments are bold, unusual, contrary, funny, poetical, inspiring, socially committed, or otherwise challenging. Everyone who teaches art knows them: the assignment that is seemingly simple but which challenges participants, students and pupils to the max. Many artists and arts teachers have that singular, personal, often-used assignment in which everything comes together: their artistic vision, their pedagogical approach and their love for certain techniques or methods.00The almost hundred arts assignments collected here connect to the visual arts, performance, theatre, music and design, but more importantly: they encourage cross-disciplinarity. They reflect themes and ways of working in contemporary arts, offering opportunities to learn about ourselves, the arts and the world.00The first part of this book provides a theoretical view on arts assignments from historical, artistic and educational perspectives, complemented by interviews with experts in contemporary arts and education. The second part consists of the actual wicked arts assignments. These can be carried out in various contexts: from primary schools to higher education, from home to the (online) community, and from Bogotá to Istanbul. They are meant to spark the imagination of both teachers and students, contributing to new, topical educational and artistic practices.

Wicked Arts Assignments

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Megan Auman

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Reframing the Boundaries of the Elite Art World

What does it mean to be an artist and who gets to call themselves one? In this intriguing blend of research and self-reflection, artist and creative business coach Megan Auman unpacks the myths and legends surrounding the idea of artist and dives into the history behind prevailing art world boundaries. Drawing on her own experience as an artist - and as the daughter of an artist - and backed by explorations into the dogma that still colors many people's perceptions, Auman encourages readers to break free from tired art world definitions and gives every person who calls themselves a creative, a maker, a designer, or a crafter permission to be an artist. Features essays on the following topics: Identity Value Education Location Labor Permission

Permission to Be an Artist

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Elizabeth Gilbert

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

Committed

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Elizabeth Letts

The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America

NATIONAL BESTSELLER . The triumphant true story of a woman who rode her horse across America in the 1950s, fulfilling her dying wish to see the Pacific Ocean, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Horse and The Eighty-Dollar Champion

"The gift Elizabeth Letts has is that she makes you feel you are the one taking this trip. This is a book we can enjoy always but especially need now."-Elizabeth Berg, author of The Story of Arthur Truluv

In 1954, sixty-three-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins embarked on an impossible journey. She had no money and no family, she had just lost her farm, and her doctor had given her only two years to live. But Annie wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. She ignored her doctor's advice to move into the county charity home. Instead, she bought a cast-off brown gelding named Tarzan, donned men's dungarees, and headed south in mid-November, hoping to beat the snow. Annie had little idea what to expect beyond her rural crossroads; she didn't even have a map. But she did have her ex-racehorse, her faithful mutt, and her own unfailing belief that Americans would treat a stranger with kindness.

Annie, Tarzan, and her dog, Depeche Toi, rode straight into a world transformed by the rapid construction of modern highways. Between 1954 and 1956,the three travelers pushed through blizzards, forded rivers, climbed mountains, and clung to the narrow shoulder as cars whipped by them at terrifying speeds. Annie rode more than four thousand miles, through America's big cities and small towns. Along the way, she met ordinary people and celebrities-from Andrew Wyeth (who sketched Tarzan) to Art Linkletter and Groucho Marx. She received many offers-a permanent home at a riding stable in New Jersey, a job at a gas station in rural Kentucky, even a marriage proposal from a Wyoming rancher. In a decade when car ownership nearly tripled, when television's influence was expanding fast, when homeowners began locking their doors, Annie and her four-footed companions inspired an outpouring of neighborliness in a rapidly changing world.

The Ride of Her Life

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Heidi Clements

If you ever wondered what 50 would look like on a former alcoholic tattooed shoe addict who eats cake out of her garbage can and secretly prays to her vagina to die on a regular basis - well wonder no more and Welcome to Heidi. This collection of stories culled from over 300 blogs and rewritten for your pleasure will take readers on a journey they never expected and perhaps never knew they wanted to go on. From dating, to how to tame Jewish hair, getting a pot license at 52, and surviving what is perhaps the worst Hollywood job ever - Welcome To Heidi will remind you to laugh at life's most inane moments - even when those moments are happening to you. Welcome To Heidi says everything you wish you could say but can't and proves that having it all is possible - as long as the "all" is shoes. Take a trip inside the mind of a sarcastic, dysmorphic, slightly mental, completely fashion addicted, single woman who's trying to live the second half of her life with zero apologies and massive debt. Welcome to Heidi - you'll never want to leave.

Welcome to Heidi

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Jen Sincero

How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

Offers a blunt and irreverent guide to achieving the money, relationships, career, and happiness that one desires through recognizing and doing away with self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors.

You Are a Badass®

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Libby DeLana

Navigate Earth, Mind and Body. Step by Step

One morning in 2011, Libby DeLana stepped outside her New England home for a walk. She did the same thing the next day, and the next. It became a daily habit that has culminated in her walking over 25,000 miles - the equivalent of the earth's circumference. In Do Walk, Libby shares the transformative nature of this simple yet powerful practice. She reveals how walking each day provides the time and space to reconnect with the world around us; process thoughts; improve our physical wellbeing; and unlock creativity. It is the ultimate navigational tool that helps us to see who we are - beyond titles and labels, and where we want to go. With stunning photography, this inspiring and reflective guide is an invitation to step outside, and see where the path takes us.

Do Walk

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Francine Shapiro

Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy

A totally accessible user's guide from the creator of a scientifically proven form of psychotherapy that has successfully treated millions of people worldwide. Whether we've experienced small setbacks or major traumas, we are all influenced by memories and experiences we may not remember or don't fully understand. Getting Past Your Past offers practical procedures that demystify the human condition and empower readers looking to achieve real change. Shapiro, the creator of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), explains how our personalities develop and why we become trapped into feeling, believing and acting in ways that don't serve us. Through detailed examples and exercises readers will learn to understand themselves, and why the people in their lives act the way they do. Most importantly, readers will also learn techniques to improve their relationships, break through emotional barriers, overcome limitations and excel in ways taught to Olympic athletes, successful executives and performers. An easy conversational style, humor and fascinating real life stories make it simple to understand the brain science, why we get stuck in various ways and what to do about it. Don't let yourself be run by unconscious and automatic reactions. Read the reviews below from award winners, researchers, academics and best selling authors to learn how to take control of your life.

Getting Past Your Past

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Brené Brown

How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

The #1 New York Times bestseller. More than 2 million copies sold! Look for Brené Brown’s new podcast, Dare to Lead, as well as her ongoing podcast Unlocking Us! From thought leader Brené Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”—Theodore Roosevelt Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable or to dare greatly. Based on twelve years of pioneering research, Brené Brown PhD, MSW, dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage. Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment, and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She writes: “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.” Daring Greatly is not about winning or losing. It’s about courage. In a world where “never enough” dominates and feeling afraid has become second nature, vulnerability is subversive. Uncomfortable. It’s even a little dangerous at times. And, without question, putting ourselves out there means there’s a far greater risk of getting criticized or feeling hurt. But when we step back and examine our lives, we will find that nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous, and hurtful as standing on the outside of our lives looking in and wondering what it would be like if we had the courage to step into the arena—whether it’s a new relationship, an important meeting, the creative process, or a difficult family conversation. Daring Greatly is a practice and a powerful new vision for letting ourselves be seen.

Daring Greatly

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Marianne Cantwell

Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills

Free Range is the new career changeTrapped in a job that's 'just not you'? Always dreaming of your next vacation and counting down to the weekend? Imagine getting paid to do something that brings you alive, without ever having to walk into an office again. It's all possible with this smart guide that breaks you out of the career-cage and puts you in control of your life. Be a Free Range Human is a breezy, energizing and straight-talking guide to creating an amazing lifestyle and a great income, doing what you love (on your own terms).Packed with inspiring case studies from people who've done it, this book shares unconventional ideas and practical steps to:·Discover what you really want to do with your life·Create a 'free range' career tailor-made for your unique personality and interests·Ditch the job and still make as much (or more) as you do now·Get time and location freedom (make money travelling the world or hanging out in your favourite café)·Get started in 90 days, for less than £100 (you don't need an MBA, funding or stuffy business plan to do it)·Stand out from the crowd and do things your way!

Be a Free Range Human

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Elizabeth Ball

Life Lessons from the Operating Theatre

Under the Knife

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Cecily Macdonald

Melissa LaBarre

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

25 Knitted Caps, Berets, Cloches, and More

Embrace the hottest head-turning fashion accessory: the knitted hat.

The clever designs of Weekend Hats will have enthusiastic knitters everywhere rejoicing in yearâe"round hat style. Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa LaBarre have brought you the best in designer knit hat patterns all in one beautiful and fun-loving collection. Inside you'll find:

   * Expert advice to spark the interests of a variety of skill levels with special attention paid to exploring cables, lace, color, and texture.
   * Twenty-five contemporary designer hat patterns that range from the distinctly feminine to the sporty gentlemen, including cloches, berets, beanies, tams, snoods, and more!
   * Tips and tricks on how to maximize the use of specialty yarns and accessories to add a little panache to your designs.


All the designs in Weekend Hats are ideal projects for travel, gifts, or sneaking in between larger knit projects. Whether you're interested in comfort, style, or just knitting enjoyment, Weekend Hats is your all-in-one resource for creating want-to-wear knitted caps.

Weekend Hats

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Ann Patchett

Essays

The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. "Any story that starts will also end." As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores "what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self." When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks' short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman--Tom's brilliant assistant Sooki--with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer's eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo's children's books (author of the upcoming The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz's Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author's grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark--and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time.

These Precious Days

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350 Appliqués borders cords and more!

Knitted Embellishments 

Deepak Chopra

Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life

Describing the hidden mysteries that are contained within each individual, the best-selling author of The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire examines fifteen of these secrets--including "Life Hurts When It Is Unreal" and "There Is No Time But Now"--that hold the key to enlightenment, transformation, and personal fulfillment. Reprint. 125,000 first printing.

The Book of Secrets

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Paula Hayes

Richard D. Marshall

beautiful coffee table book about the glass/ terrarium artist Paula Hayes

Oversized Hardcover (4 to 6 lbs)

Artist Paula Hayes is most famous for her exquisite, high-end art terrariums of organically shaped, handblown glass, but her affinity for all things green extends to full gardens as well. She has created over twenty full gardens for private clients around the country. This volume, the first monograph on her work, is structured in a two-part format that devotes equal attention to both. A fixture of the New York art scene for over twenty years, Paula Hayes's popularity among art collectors and the public has swelled dramatically over the past few. Her installation in the lobby of MoMA, Nocturne of the Limax Maximus, garnered much critical acclaim and landed her a feature on CBS Sunday Morning. She installed an oversized terrarium in the lobby of Lever House in New York City, and a solo exhibition on her work was held at the Wexler Art Center in Columbus, Ohio, where she also installed a permanent garden adjacent to the museum's main entrance.

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Tovah Martin

Kindra Clineff

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature

If you live in the city but want to be close to nature . . .
If you call the countryside home but have no time to step outside . . .
If you are confined to an office fifty hours a week . . .
If your home needs the soothing touch of the natural world . . .

In The New Terrarium, Tovah Martin, one of America's favorite gardeners, introduces you to the whimsical yet practical world of gardens under glass-a no-fuss way to bring snippets of nature indoors. Wherever you are, in whatever little time you have, terrariums are the perfect tool for nature lovers and gardeners everywhere.

With gorgeous photography, The New Terrarium reveals how this classic garden tool has been reimagined in a modern way. When encased in glass, plants thrive with almost no help from outside their little enclosed world, so you can host a plant almost anywhere-in your apartment where the air is dry or in your cubicle where there's little natural light. Tucked inside something crystal and contained, the bounty of the forest or treasures from the beach or the meadow can merge seamlessly into your home or office environment. It's amazing how some frothy fern fronds or colorful blossoms can transform a room by giving it a burst of vibrant green life.

With clear, simple step-by-step instructions and photographs to inspire and guide you along the way, Martin shares her years of experience growing and tending terrariums and shows how terrariums can enrich your life, including-

. different venues for cultivating your terrarium
. plants that flourish in these gardens under glass
. ideas and designs for creating your first terrarium
. how to care for and maintain the environment you've made

Martin has designed a unique range of imaginative terrarium projects, including ones that are suitable for children, enliven the seasons, incorporate plant propagation, and show off a nature collection. Whether you are a gardener or city-dwelling nature lover, The New Terrarium is the perfect way to spark your creativity, while helping you to bring your favorite plants into your home and giving them a place to thrive.

When nature is out of arm's reach and you crave a little greenery, The New Terrarium can show you how to bring all the benefits of the outdoors close to you.

The New Terrarium

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A faceblind reporters  journey into the science of  sight memory and imagination

Do I Know You

Vermontworm

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