Making Things
Makers Rose Pearlman and Erin Boyle met in 2018 and immediately struck up a friendship, united by a reverence for everyday objects. Their approach towards craft reflects a shared commitment to sustainability and accessibility – as they write in Making Things’ introduction, “Craft can be exquisite and exacting, the result of formal training and years of practice, but it can also be experimental and messy and not quite perfect.” Scouring sidewalks, stoops, and thrift stores, the authors repurpose materials to create projects that range from functional to fun and frivolous. Step-by-step guides make it simple to start and finish each project, while the book’s stunning photographs show how each craft can fit within an organized, thoughtfully curated home. As Making Things demonstrates, relying on a limited range of supplies and repurposing the same materials can spur our creativity, encouraging us to look at a pile of junk on a stoop and see endless possibilities. Now available wherever books are sold!
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Advance Praise
"This book teaches the reader how to make all kinds of beautiful things, but also how to make meaning. It is an antidote to the alienation created by a life of screens, reminding us that we have bodies, and preferences, and are more able than we've grown to believe."
—Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud Incredibly Close
"This dreamy book has my head spinning with future project possibilities! I am inspired and ready to create!"
—Leanne Ford, interior designer and creator of Feel Free magazine
"A magnum opus of fun, clever, aesthetically pleasing projects for home and family! Beautifully presented and bound to become a classic."
—Melanie Falick, author of Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live
"This is not your ordinary crafting book, but a beautiful reminder of all the handy and practical things we can actually make ourselves — everything from pot holders to market totes to storage baskets caddies — items that will help us organise our homes and simplify our busy lives. I am brimming with ideas after reading this."
—Courtney Adamo, writer
"Making Things is a delightful book full of wonderful crafts and home projects. Erin and Rose have such a distinctive style, and I'm so happy to have some insight into their creative process. Their thoughtful approach to materials is accessible and broad, and they have kindly spelled out every step of each project with beautiful photography for those of us who are easily-flummoxed!"
—Sandeep Salter, owner of Salter House and Picture Room
"This book is bursting with creativity and resourcefulness! By transforming ordinary materials like torn t-shirts, shipping boxes, and rope we can make a bevy of beautiful objects. Erin and Rose celebrate the opportunity to make everyday life more sustainable, resourceful, and delightful too."
—Katrina Rodabaugh, author of Mending Matters and Make Thrift Mend
"This is a book for me. Rose and Erin inspire me to slow down and connect with my creativity daily. As I move away from buying new materials, I'm always looking for ways to put to use what I have on hand. Making Things shows us a way of living — seeing possibility all around."
—Lena Corwin, designer and author of Made By Hand
Events
MASS MoCA | Member Experience: The Plastic Bag Store + Book Signing
North Adams, MA
Saturday, June 15 | 1:00 PM
Workshop open to MASS MoCA Members; book signing at R&D Store open the public.
Tourists Welcome | Book Signing and Crafting Demonstrations
North Adams, MA
Sunday, June 16 | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Free and open to the public. Books and craft kits will be available for sale.
TOAST Brooklyn | Wire Basket Making Workshop
Brooklyn, NY
June 22 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Drop-in workshop. Free and open to the public.
A. Mano | Origami Workshop
Brooklyn, NY
June 27 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Ace Hotel Brooklyn | Picnic Crafts Workshop
July 09 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Advance tickets and registration required. Signed books will be available for sale.
High Season Market | Book Signing and Craft Demonstrations
St George, ME
Friday, August 9 – Sunday, August 11 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Details to come!
Salter House | Brooklyn, NY | Macramé Basket Workshop – Sold Out
Thursday, October 24 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Advance tickets and registration required. Signed books will be available for sale.
Primary Essentials | Brooklyn, NY | Paper & Fabric Box Workshop
Sunday, November 10 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Advance tickets recommended. Signed books will be available for sale.
Simple Matters
For anyone looking to declutter, organize, and simplify, author Erin Boyle shares practical guidance and personal insights on small-space living and conscious consumption. At once pragmatic and philosophical, Simple Matters is a nod to the growing consensus that living simply and purposefully is more sustainable not only for the environment, but for our own happiness and well-being, too. Boyle embraces the notion that “living small” is beneficial and accessible to us all.
Filled with personal essays, projects, and helpful advice on how to be inventive and resourceful in a tight space, Simple Matters shows that living simply is about making do with less and ending up with more: more free time, more time with loved ones, more savings, and more things of beauty.