i found the book inspirational and beautifully put together. i think i can definitely use some of the suggestions to suit the direction i hope to move in with my jewelry design work. i had hoped the book would offer more information on cold connections. i was a little overwhelmed with some of the technical approach - the instructions were clear and concise over all, and if i get to the point of wanting to approach soldering, sawing, and the like, i feel the information in this book will be a great help.
beautiful photos.

This book is really easy to follow and understand. The pictures are fabulous and the directions are clear. I highly recommend it!!

This would have to be the best jewellery book I've come across for making jewellery using found objects. The photos are so inspiring. The sketches showing the techniques are very good and easy to understand too.I love Susan's work and there is so much of it to see in this book. It's the next best thing to being able to take one of her classes, which I hope to do one day. I've utilized lots of the techniques in the book but still been able to retain my own style. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who likes unique jewellery.

Susan's book is an absolute "must have" for anyone who enjoys working with metal and or beads
as well as the collectible "coffee table" topper!

There's a lot to be learned about cold joins and other techniques. Much information is given along
with unsual and very creative pairing of various materials.

For me, the book is a treasure trove of beautifully photographed works of art along with many
inspirational ideas.....Bravo!!!

Susan Lenart Kazmer's, "Making Connections" is not only a comprehensive treatment of cold joins, it's also a beautiful book to look at. Mixing simple, straightforward technical information with lovely photography and drawings, Kazmer's book is a rare find - a treat for the eyes and the mind.

The tone is set at the book's beginning with a chapter on the "Alchemy of Susan Lenart Kazmer." An innovative artist using recycled and altered materials, Kazmer focuses on the process rather than the outcome. A conceptual artist, Kazmer's jewelry may not seem beautiful to some, but that's not the point, she creates to elicit a response. I would beg to differ with those who question the beauty of her work and so will you after you see this book.

Nine chapters cover materials, tools and every cold join you can imagine. Chapters detail wire attachments; staples, tabs and prongs; rivets, hinges and attachments with movement just to name a few. I'm particularly inspired by the chapter on staples, tabs and prongs seeing new ways to use sheet metal with the glass cabachons I make. The tips sprinkled throughout the book are insightful and feel like a treasure she's left for you to discover.

If you're serious about learning cold joins or if you're serious about jewelry, Kazmer's book wins on both. You'll find yourself looking through it again and again feeling like you're uncovering another little piece of treasure.

I have a huge collection of metalsmithing and jewelry design books, but this is one of my favorites...a book I return to again and again for inspiration when my artistic muse is being less than cooperative! The illustrations are excellent as is the photo gallery of works by other artists. For those who dislike or are uncomfortable with soldering, this book on cold connections is invaluable. Susan has an eye for taking objects that would otherwise be discarded as refuse and transforming them into works of art. This is commendable in a wasteful world of disposables. Kudos to Susan on a very well written and informative book!

This beautiful book is an object for repeated gazing. And if, like me, your interest in jewelry is based on looking and puzzling and asking "How did she do that?" Susan Lenart Kazmer's book is the best, because in all cases she not only gives you fabulous images to look at, she tells you how she did it and how you can do it too.

The photography is gorgeous and inspiring. The text is clear and intimate and full of Susan's strong true voice. The reader learns not only about cold connections but about the many sources of meaning lying in wait for Susan and her students and fans. What appear to be descriptions of different kinds of cold joins are really journeys into worlds of symbols and the physical objects that become their vehicles.

The techniques are clearly illustrated, and clearly explained. Whether you are a fabricator of ornaments for the body, a wearer of ornamental objects, a fan of Susan's troupes of dancers, singers, jugglers and vaudevillians, or a seeker of meaning and amusement in the curiosities found on the ground, in flea markets and sawed, attached and stacked together, there will be something for you in this wonderful book!! You know you need to have this book for your very own!! Since I got it and started looking at the pages, I have twice dreamed about fabricating meaningful pieces of jewelry for myself and others out of curious things. You won't be sorry when you get your hands on it. You will want to run outside and start picking things up! You will be inspired, and if you're like me, your life as an artist will never be the same.

I am a huge fan of Susan Lenart Kazmer's work, so I was so excited to get this book. The pictures are gorgeous and inspiring. She gives you a glimpse into her sketchbooks and her thought processes on many pieces. She also gives instruction on many cold connection techniques. If you love altered art jewelry, this will be such an inspiration for you.

This is not a book of how to make a piece of jewelry from start to finish. Rather, it is a book focused on the technique of the actual cold join. And more.

Susan's book is actually 3 books in one- first, it is a handbook of not only cold joins for metal and other parts in jewelry making (as the title implies), but it is an actual starting point for the individual that wants to take their jewelry from craft to art.

It is also a showcase of her fabulous individual style in design; with photographs of her work including her personal talisman necklaces and some of her exhibited Circus Troupe series.

Lastly, part of the book shows like a gallery style coffee table book for the works of other well known mixed media artists and jewelers, with photography of their items of the quality usually reserved for the catalogs of larger museums and libraries.

I cannot stress how highly I reccommend this book. Whether you are looking to upgrade your jewelry or mixed media; or you just love the artform itself, this book will not disappoint.