This book is made to tickle your funny bone but also get you to start thinking creatively at the same time while you learn some techniques that aren't necessarily difficult but also aren't what you normally might think about when it comes to jewelry making.
My lovely co-host for the book release party Rachel Hobson of Average Jane Crafter wrote a book review that made me beam with pride. Plus this one has lots of pictures from the book!
Let's talk physical attributes: The book is square - it's a great size, and its colorful, crazy, kitschy design is off-the-charts fun.
The amazing Barbe Saint John whipped up a review on her blog as well as her blog for Craft Gossip.
This first glance is just the tip of the color saturated iceburg that awaits you inside its glossy covers-so much so, my dog and I made an emergency pitstop at Starbucks so I could sit and go thru this book right there and then.
I just did a super fun interview with the fantabulous Lisa Clark this week about The Naughty Secretary Club Book and more! It was a fun interview to do because there were questions like what would I go back and tell my teenage self, how do I feel about the color pink and what makes me jump in the air happy plus I confess that I have a bad case of potty mouth. New and exciting questions I have never been asked!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008, 11:49 AM CST [General]
You could buy my new book, or you could roll the dice and try to win a free copy! There are 3 contests going on at this very moment one of which ends in 2 days so you best shake a tail feather....
The contest with a deadline soon approaching is the Creativity 350 contest! This contest let's you use your creative skills for a good cause: to help stop global warming! By participating in the Creativity 350 challenge you can help creatively spread the word about what scientists and advocates are now calling the most important number on the planet: 350. Learn all about the number 350 and then create something that helps represent that number, enter it in the contest and then win yourself not only a copy of The Naughty Secretary Club but goodies from Sublime Stitching, Coats & Clarks, Envirosax and more!
Cozies. Cosies. However you choose to spell 'em, your challenge is to make a cozy with irony. What does that mean? Well, that's up to you to decide! All you have to do is head over to Craftster and enter to win yourself a copy of The Naughty Secretary Club.
According to Craftster's research team (uh, ok, a quick trip to this Wikipedia entry) the original intent of a "cosy" was a cover for a teapot and they were made of cloth or wool and were meant to insulate and keep the contents of the teapot warm. Perhaps you could make a jewelry travel cosy? A book cosy, man I used to love paper book covers in grade school. Make a project from the book like the Whistle at Work gnome necklace and make little plastic gnome cosies. The possibilities are endless whether you glue, knit, sew or solder!
The next contest let's you win not just the Naughty Secretary Club, but 11 other books from North Light like Glam Knits and Pretty Little Things. Win A Year of Crafting from MyCraftivity! Dang dude I wonder if I'm allowed to enter this one too, I want to get a new craft book every month for a year!
Sorry to be book crazed this week, but can you blame me for being excited. Thanks to everyone who has been buying copies. The Naughty Secretary Club Book is apparently the 19th most popular book on Amazon in jewelry, whoo-hoo! Can you believe it! People must like their doll house furniture and toy tin typewriter jewelry. If the book goes to number 1 I might just freak out and start giving away lot's of free stuff on the blog. Oh wait I am about to do that later this month anyway.
I wouldn't say today is the official release date as much as I would say this is the official release week of my new book The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry. I've never been entirely clear about the exact day the book came out, but according to Amazon it was yesterday!
If you love kitschy jewelry and especially love making it yourself then might I suggest you run right out to your local Borders or Barnes and Nobles and snag yourself a copy (remember if they don't have a copy PLEASE ask them to order one, chances are they will then order more for the store too), order it off of Amazon or get a signed copy at Naughty Secretary Club!
Also if you could help me spread the word about my book I would love you forever and ever! Send out a My Space Bulletin, Twitter about it, if you make some jewelry from the book add it to our Flickr group, if you have the book and heart it please leave an Amazon review, mention the book on your blog. Every little bit helps!
If you are going to be in Austin on August 30th, please stop by Craft-o-Rama from 3pm-6pm for the Naughty Secretary Club Book Release Party! We are co-hosting the party with Craft Magazine who will be there celebrating the release of issue #8 with us!
As if this were not enough excitement we are having a 25% off everything sale at Naughty Secretary Club. Just enter the word BOOK into the coupon/voucher field when you check out. You could snag a piece of jewelry like a Big Bucks Baller Necklace or Tardy Bracelet that makes an appearance in the book or some of the supplies for projects in the book like a Naughty Secretary Club T-shirt or a jar of Crafty Curios.
The fantabulous Venus Zine out of Chicago just ran a review of The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry. Hooray they liked it!
Rock your own Secretary Chic Jennifer Perkins tackles publishing with the release of The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girl's Guide to Handmade Jewelry By Marilyn Perez Published: July 25th, 2008 | 11:10am
Here is the dilemma: You have this amazing retro-looking yellow-and-purple-polka-dot dress that you want to wear to the company picnic but you can't seem to find a funky-enough necklace to go with it. Have no fear, Naughty Secretary Club founder Jennifer Perkins is here! And she's bringing more jewelry ideas that will make your head pop!
Perkins shares her crafty knowledge on her blog (naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot.com), DIY Network shows Craft Lab and Stylelicious, and now with her new book, The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girl's Guide to Handmade Jewelry from North Light Books. This how-to book brings an unorthodox approach to creating jewelry and charms outside the box, or cubicle, if you will. It takes a special type to rock a "Hotel Key Necklace" or a "Tin Typewriter bracelet."
The former administrative assistant-turned-jewelry designer has been making jewelry since she was a little girl. Perkins developed a unique style that has been featured in Elle Girl, The New York Times, Teen Vogue, and much more. Her success comes from her ability to turn almost anything into a top-of-the-line coveted piece of chic jewelry. In her book, Perkins walks you through more than 50 fun projects while keeping her quirky, humorous, and upbeat voice.
The Working Girl's Guide comes in three difficulty levels or, as she refers to, "Job Skills." "First Day On The Job" is entry-level easy - snip this, glue that. Next is "You Deserve A Raise," where you have mastered the basics and are up for more of a challenge. Finally, you are "Running The Show" for those comfortable with resin, hammers, dremels, as well as a longer list of supplies. It's easy to follow along with the step-by-step instructions and great photos that accompany each project. Her personality jumps out of the book as she walks you through, giving out "hot tips" and including sidebars sharing music to listen to at the office, unique uses for a coffee filter, and addressing office romances.
Ultimately, it is all about the blingage and how to make great one-of-a-kind pieces for you or a lucky gift recipient. And don't worry, there are plenty of projects that call for bright, funky charms and beads to play with. It wouldn't be a Naughty Secretary Club book without them! The back of the book provides patterns to use and pictures to include in items like the "Secretary's Delight Bracelet & Ring" set, blog links, and other great resource listings.
