(NAPSA)—When you think of at- home hobbies, blacksmithing may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But there is an increasing interest and revival in the art of blacksmithing as a hobby and art—and both men and womenare getting into the act. People who enjoy blacksmithing say it’s a simple, rewarding craft anyone can enjoy in their backyard or home workshop—even beginners can produce useful and beautiful projects on their first try. Anew book may help: Called The Backyard Blacksmith (Quarry Books, $24.99), it shows how—with some patience and a working knowledge of metals, basic tools and techniques— blacksmithing can be easy to learn and a rewarding hobby. Through instructions and illustrations, readers learn to make simple tools and useful items, such as nails, hinges and handles, and also an interesting mix of artful projects, such asletter openers, door knockers and botanical ornaments. The Backyard Blacksmith: Features detailed, step-bystep, full-color exercises that teach all the universal skills and techniques used to forge iron Provides a detailed understanding of the properties and characteristics of forging hot metal, making the craft accessible to those without previous experience Includes more than 20 beautiful and functional projects organized by difficulty level. They ae Eo er litional eit ta for the Modern Smith ae a me Aa SIMS @ At-home blacksmithing is becoming a popular hobby across the allow new blacksmiths to progress at their own pace and master the skills they learned in earlier chapters, such as a pot and utensil rack, a leaf letter opener and a scroll candleholder. The book is written by Lorelei Sims, an artist and blacksmith who specializes in creating handforged functional ironwork. Her public art commissions include the Omaha Botanical Gardens in Nebraska, Lincoln Log State Historic Site in Illinois and Fordham University in New York. In addition to teaching blacksmithing classes and workshops, Lorelei has been a featured demonstrator for blacksmithing conferences throughout North America. For more information, visit www.QuarryBooks.com. Available where booksaresold.
