Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Book Review: Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry

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ancientmodern
Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay + Wire Jewelry  by Ronna Sarvas Weltman

  • Paperback: 136 pages
  • Publisher: Interweave Press (June 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1596680970
  • ISBN-13: 978-1596680975

I was blown away when I saw the cover of this book and HAD to have it.   This distinctive jewelry book artistically combines polymer clay and wire into  organic, sophisticated, and contemporary jewelry.  Bead crafters and jewelry makers will learn a number of innovative techniques in designing beads and components from polymer clay, making wire work elements, clasps and ear wires, wire bead caps, polymer clay tipped head pins, and more.  The author has a very distinct  modernist primitive style that I personally LOVE, and if this is your style  as well,  you will be making some amazing  jewelry.

Ancient Modern discusses the fundamentals of jewelry design as well as what makes a piece “primitive” and how to achieve an organic effect through color mixing and textures.  There are 15 one-of-a-kind detailed projects and a gallery of more stunning jewelry to be inspired by..

The book starts with an introduction to deigning jewelry, color inspiration, the tools used with wire, wire techniques, creating clasps, and all about polymer clay. In that section she goes over how to cure clay, tools, various techniques like canes and marbleing and how to make a simple bead.  Then its on to the projects.

The projects range from Lush Sonata Necklace, Three Ring Circus Brooch, to Dancing Bells Earrings and Embrace Me ring. All have very detailed photos and instructions.

This book is truly one of a kind polymer clay book. I”m inspired to pull out my old polymerclay (hope its still soft!) and try out these techniques.

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Book Review: The No-Brainer Brain Explainer

Human brains are pretty amazing, allowing us to think, feel, create, communicate, move and more. But humans aren’t the only animals with cool brains, as Crab Museum explains in the book The No-Brainer Brain Explainer (illustrated by Bruno Valasse).

This book, aimed at kids in grades 1-4, is colorful and silly but also educational about how brains actually work, with billions of neurons sending electrical and chemical signals around the body.

“Everything we think, feel and experience comes from an electrical relay race, with neurons passing chemical batons to each other,” the book says. “The constant chatter of billions of brain cells creates your entire world.” 

The book compares the brains of mammals to those of crabs (the book is “written” by a crab after all) and notes that crabs have fewer neurons and of course are much smaller, but they have separate parts of their brains that control their eyes and their legs. Crabs are also capable of remembering things, using tools and solving puzzles. 

Some animals’ brains allow them to know more about their world in different ways from humans, such as spiders being sensitive to vibrations in their webs and catfish having an amazing sense of taste, with taste sensors all over their bodies. 

It notes that 95 percent of brain activity goes toward things we do unconsciously, like breathing, walking and catching a ball flying toward us. It also talks about dreams, memory, how our emotions try to predict the future, where brains came from and fun facts about brains. For example, did you know a sperm whale is believed to have the biggest brain of any creature that’s even lived? Their brains weigh 18 pounds, compared to just 2.5 pounds for humans. 

Information on what creatures have the smallest brains, the toughest brains, the most brains and those who actually eat their own brains will delight kids (and maybe gross them out a little bit). They’ll also enjoy learning about the mycelium network of fungi, which is like a brain without a body, and slime molds, which are like a brain without a brain. 

It ends talking about why human brains are so special because we’ve found ways to work together, communicate and build communities on a scale bigger than any other animal. 

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this colorful, silly and informational book about brains!

About the book: 64 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail price $19.99.