Fox Chapel Publishing - Simply Wood (Rating: 5)

(This review was first posted in the February, 2011 issue of the LumberJocks' eMag)

Fox Chapel Publishing recently sent me another book to review and offer for a free draw: Simply Wood by Roshaan Ganief. At first glance, my thought was, "Wow, this looks like a great book - right up my alley".

The 40 projects included in the book appear to be relatively easy to complete, if only because of the clear directions and photos of the "how to" process. The designs are beautiful and very powerful, in my opinion. They are simple, "flowing", and artistic. They are divided into the following styles, which gives you an idea of what her work is like: circles, cubic, Celtic, Asian, insect, botanical. The chapters are personal accessories, home decor, wall accents, office accessories. The layout of the book reflects the meshing of artistry with practicality.

Roshaan includes in her book a chapter that discusses everything you need to compete the projects - from safety information to equipment, including a scroll saw. Although I had flipped through the book several times "oohing and ahhing" the projects, it wasn't until I read another review of the book that I realized that it was a SCROLL SAW book. For me, it had been an artistic woodworking book that happened to use a scroll saw to create the pieces. The difference to me is that the focus goes to the project itself, the artistry, rather than the equipment. That may not make sense to anyone else but it does to me and it is a big "mind shift".

The author talks about in her book: how to prepare patterns, how to prepare the wood, how to complete the project and how to apply a finish. Everything is covered from start to finish. I am also very impressed by the photos included. They really help understand the process - great for beginners like myself.

This is a 2-thumbs-up book for me and I can't wait to create the tree of life wall hanging for my home.

My Ratings of The Book
Layout and Appearance: Good balance of photos, plans and instructions. Thumbs Up!
Instructions: Clear step-by-step instructions and patterns. Thumbs Up!
Projects Selection: Great variety - artistic and practical; from easy and complex difficulty
Inspiration: I'd love to make all of the projects. Thumbs Up!
Overall: Thumbs Up!

Note: Win A Free Copy (deadline is March 14, 2011)
To enter your name in the random draw for a copy of this book, check out the "Free Book Draw" section of the February 2011 eMag