Amy Ray

From stars like Britney Spears and Mariah Carey to classic icons like Yoko Ono, female musicians have long been the target of double standards and toxic labels in the media and pop culture: liar, crazy, snake, diva, slut, b*tch.These words can hurt all of us. The popular expression “sticks and stones” is wildly wrong. And the wounds are everywhere. Lily Hirsch confronts the full range of this sexist labeling as well as the repercussions, concentrating on the experiences of Yoko Ono, Courtney Love, Britney Spears, FKA twigs, Taylor Swift, Kesha, Mariah Carey, and Ariana Grande, among many others. While men can make outrageous backstage demands, women like Carey are punished as “divas.” A sign of supposed genius for men, “crazy” is a word of condemnation for many women—with legal ramifications in Spears’ case.Hirsch dives into the world of these women, looking at their personal lives, relationships and breakups, music, media coverage, public reception, as well as the origins of these toxic labels and how they have caused serious damage. With this focus, the book reveals the inner workings of misogyny and invites us to think about these remarkable women on their own terms—showing us how women have fought back too, sometimes reclaiming these words and their own story through music.

Fun and Relaxing Paper Craft Projects with Easy to Follow, Step-by-Step Instructions to 20 Projects from Simple to AdvancedAre you looking for a calming, relaxing, mindful hobby?Do you feel better when you fidget with something in your hands?Are you looking for a simple yet elegant way to create beautiful art?Paper play, creating origami, might be what you're looking for Making origami artwork is easy, simple, fun, and amazingly calming. I find that folding the paper so precisely puts me in a state of bliss.I have always loved working with my hands to create beautiful art. I have made intricate quilts, handmade jewelry, and now I am crafting simple, fun, and relaxing origami projects from nothing more than an average piece of paper.The wonderful thing about origami art is that you only need paper (any kind that you can get your hands on - literally ) and your hands. That's it There's no special tools or equipment required.Don't be intimidated by complex dinosaurs and folded stars. Making origami does not have to be hard. My book is broken down into three parts: beginner, intermediate, and advanced projects.Start slow. Each section demonstrates a different skill which builds off of the techniques that you'll practice in doing the previous projects.In this DIY Origami Art for Beginners book, I will show you everything you need to know to create marvelous origami art pieces.You will learn: ★We'll start with examining the history of origami★Tools and materials needed (spoiler- it's not much )★Tips for beginners★Defining terms used in this bookWe'll discuss the different skill levels. Feel free to start on whatever project you like in the book, and work on from there.The 20 projects in this book include step-by-step, plain English instructions as well as a plethora of photographs to guide you to every fold.The 20 projects in this book are: Making HeartsA Fleet of BoatsVroom-Vroom RacecarsBack to School PencilsHaving a Whale of a TimeGoing to the DogsSocial ButterfliesGo FishJumping FrogsMen's ShirtA Tie to go with the ShirtBow TiePaper Doll DressPaper HousesSqueaky MouseCute Crawling CrabPirate SwordCat, I'm a Kitty CatSliding Star"Rawr " I'm a Dinosaur Be sure to try the dinosaur, it's my favorite project out of this whole book.For a limited time, when you purchase the paperback book here on Amazon, you will be able to download the eBook for FREE I suggest you go this route because the eBook version has the photographs available in FULL color.Have fun and happy folding

Before cell phones, gadget spinners and the internet, there was a little time called "the 80's." We had Rubik's Cubes, rotary phones and outside adventures on our bicycles.

DIY Guide to Beautiful Wire and Beaded Jewelry Making for Beginners The Simple Step-by-Step Handbook for Starting Jewelry Crafts at HomeIf you've ever wanted to create your own beautiful, hand-crafted pieces of custom jewelry, this book is for you. In DIY Jewelry Guide, I show you how to make unique wearable works of wire art and beaded jewelry.Every step of the way is described with simple, easy to follow instructions in plain verbiage. I have included dozens of illustrative pictures to describe each step and exhibit exactly what your piece should be like.Even though I have given you everything you need to get started with creating handmade wire art jewelry, I also leave the creativity open to you I sincerely hope this book helps you tap into your creative juices. I want to help you unleash your inner bead worker.Throughout human history, jewelry has been an essential part of our culture. In many cultures even today, a women's wealth is displayed by her jewelry.Lands and been bought and sold using jewels and jewelry. Historically, dowries included jewelry. Jewelry is an investment as well as a personal display of fashion, taste, and culture.With this DIY Guide to Beautiful Wire and Beaded Jewelry Making for Beginners you can be a part of shaping your own fashionable, creative, bejeweled pieces of art - even if you have never crafted anything with wire or leather rope Before you pick up those pony beads from your local craft store, you need this essential starter's guide.In this book you will learn: What tools to use when creating wire artWhat wire art isWhat tools to use when working with beadsHow to use a bead loomSome of the history of jewelry artStep-by-step instructionsDescriptive photographs for every step of the wayIncluding several patterns and instructions for wire art jewelryAll of this is in this simple starter guide. I even give you the instructions for these beautifully inspired gift ideas.First of all, you can craft a complete set of wire rose jewelry including: Wire rose ringWire rose earringsWire rose pendantYou can also make simple, customizable beaded jewelry such as: Beaded stud earringsStackable beaded braceletsThe VERY popular beaded wrap bracelet (it's all the rage right now )As a bonus, when you purchase the paperback on Amazon, you can also get the eBook version for FREE Happy crafting

Quilting For Beginners: Learn to Quilt in Just Days Learn to Quilt in Just a Few Easy StepsFrom the time I was a little girl, anytime I was at my grandparent's house, there was always one place you could always find me: on a stool next to my grandma, in her sewing room. It was over those years of spending time with her that I learned about color, patterns, fabric, tools, stitches, and everything in between.Quilting was an entirely different world we would get lost in together. It was like falling down the rabbit hole into a world of closets full of fabric, scissors snipping, shapes, and colors bursting everywhere, tabletops covered with quilt patterns, and needles flying through quilt sandwiches. She gave me the gift of quilting, maybe even the magic of quilting.Not only is quilting the perfect combination of skill, art, storytelling, function, and beauty, It also has a long deep history rooted in places all over the world.Quilting is art with roots tracing back to the Stone Age cave peoples of Mongolia, and Ancient Egypt; one of the earliest artifacts representing quilting as we know it today is an ivory figure dating to 3400 BC found in an Egyptian tomb which is wearing a quilted jacket (The Ivory King, located in the Temple of Osiris, part of the collections at the British Museum).I wrote this guide for those who want to learn the basics of Quilting without getting into too many technical jargons. I know when learning a new craft, it is best to learn to create a base platform first and then build on it. That is how I was taught.I designed the guide in a very easy to follow step by step fashion where I shared many images that you can see and follow the instructions I provided in the book.If you follow what I shared here, I am confident in less than a week you will be able to create some of your quilts that you will be proud of. If you want to see what I covered inside this book, feel free to look through the Table of Content before buying the book.Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of Quilting.

Western paintings oil paintings, watercolors, pen and ink, and graphite drawings by Betty Russell Gates.