Book review: Love Kills Slowly

You will adore Love Kills Slowly Cross-Stitch, a collection of charts based on designs by legendary tattoo artist Ed Hardy. Promotional materials note,

Each design in Love Kills Slowly Cross-Stitch includes a full-color picture of the original, a pattern key, and a picture of the final cross-stitch product. And for those who want to learn, there is a how-to introduction to teach the basics.

This book is all about the designs. And they ROCK!  You may not realize it (if you’re as old and/or unhip as I am), but you see Ed Hardy designs all around you. The cool kids at the bus stop are probably wearing Ed Hardy t-shirts. Your child probably scooped up Ed Hardy folders in this year’s school-supply rush. Even the stars of Jersy Shore have been caught wearing Ed Hardy attire.

His images have the color vibrancy and popularity that Lisa Frank’s once had, but the graphics are a bit harder edged, the subject matter more fierce, and the age range of the appeal much wider. The book offers butterflies and birdies that little girls will love to daggers, skulls, and dragons that will suit the sensibilities of even the most macho fellow.

Use the Rose Banner to embellish hand towels for your trendy friend’s wedding shower. With waste canvas, apply the Rainbow Butterfly to the knee of your daughter’s jeans. Frame the Flaming Skull to ornament the cube of your favorite rebellious systems engineer.

Released by Andrews McMeel Publishing, the book is a phenomenal value at US$ 14.99. ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-9761-3. ISBN-10: 0-7407-9761-1.

The publisher has generously provided four copies of this book for CraftGossip to give away. Enter the contest.