This book is chock full of gorgeous charts for a variety of topics such as nuptials, love, home, samplers, florals, and hearts, just to name a few. Each one is printed in color and accompanied by clear instructions, as well as a materials and supplies list. In addition, each project has been beautifully stitched and photographed for inspiration.

There's a particular project I consider just one my many favorites, as well as probably the most challenging, called "THE FLOWER SHOP," in which the design is worked on two pieces of fabric and utilizes a combination of several different stitches (besides those of cross stitch) to arrive at a pretty spectacular piece of work. I was both excited, and I must admit, a tad intimidated to try it. If a cross stitch book can arouse this type of reaction out of me, I consider it a definite "keeper" for my library.

"...STITCHING PRETTY..." also contains patterns with instructions for the use of metallic and silk threads, a variety of beads, ribbon, etc. Speaking for myself, I love it when cross stitch books include patterns which call for the use of these items as part of the design, for they only enhance what I am capable of creating with just thread alone.

I happen to adore books with projects dedicated to the different skill levels of counted cross-stitch, especially those geared toward the more experienced stitchers. Very rarely do I see cross stitch books containing patterns for intermediate/advanced stitchers and in my opinion, there should be a lot more of them.

If you're brand new to cross stitching and are just learning the basics, though it DOES include "how-to" illustrations for all of the stitches required to do each project, this book will still probably be a bit too advanced for you. However, if you plan on sticking with it, please purchase the book because I'm sure it will serve as nothing less than an inspiration for you to continue with the craft.

If you're already an intermediate to advanced stitcher, purchasing this book will result in smiles and excitement, as the most troublesome thought you might have is trying to figure out which design you'd like to stitch first!

P.S. Merely just a suggestion...with each chosen pattern, you may want to copy it on a photo copier prior to stitching. It's a very nice quality book and I'm sure you won't want to "age" it prematurely with constant handling. Happy Stitching!! :)

Small designs on every subject and for every occassion. The designs can be used well on household items, to decorate clothing, for ornaments, bookmarks and small gift bags and tags. Color charts. Chapters include:

Florals; For Little Ones (children); Symbols of Love; Christmas Fun; Santas and Snowmen; Borders and Patterns; Country Patterns; Americana; Year-Round Holidays; Nature Designs; Animals; Alphabets and Numbers; Sports, Professions and Pastimes; Cross-Stitch Basics; From Start to Finish (tips and techniques); Specialty Stitches; Patterns & Instructions; Extensive Index

This book is perfect for the stitcher that likes to take various motifs, and put them together in her own way rather than for the stitcher that likes to have a complete project to stitch and finish "just like the picture." I like the myriad of designs, but find that when I use the book, I need to make a working copy that I enlarge to make reading the charts easier. I've used some of the Borders and Patterns for creating bookmarks. There are lots of great idea starters here.

If you aim higher than simply finding a more attractive job, forget the book. It's not for you.

Now, let me tell you about the book itself. Carol Eikleberry obviously worked hard on it. She has given her best to make the book as appealing and interesting as possible. However, every time I open and read it, I just can't help the feeling that the career advisor Eikleberry is much, much better than the writer Eikleberry. If you have a chance to talk to her in person, I advise you to do it. Besides of the obvious point that the author pays very little attention to the possibility of being one's own boss, she also concentrates too much on her own type of unconventionality. I fell in a pretty different category in her personality test and there's hardly any advice for my type in the book. That's what I meant by saying that the book is for conventional people with small ambitions.

Now, I can well understand that Carol Eikleberry had the largest possible audience in mind while writing the book. Surely, she knows from her solid professional experience which types are more frequent. Probably I'm just too different from an average unhappy American. I really can't blame her. But I can return the book - in fact, I did, for it was useless for me.

The two good things in this book are a very interesting personality test - a kind you probably haven't seen before, and tens of job ideas, some of which might be pretty surprising for you. Otherwise, it's just plain mediocre. It well deserves three stars.