To anybody at all interested in Celtic art there is nothing quite as impressive—or as quintessentially Celtic—as the Book of Kells.  Produced in the 9th century, this bright, beautiful and stylized book with its illuminations and "carpet pages" has captivated artists and craftspeople for years.  Celtic art is currently enjoying a wave of popularity, and whatever your project, you are sure to find something in here to inspire you.

You don’t even need to turn the scanner on, as this book comes with a CD of all the designs anybody with a computer can access.  I’ve had these before and am used to small, blocky images but these .tifs are large (usually at least 5") and high resolution (a generous 472dpi).  You don’t have to install them either; they will pop up in Windows Explorer of your chosen graphics program, ready for saving onto your hard drive for use.  Choose from knotwork, figures, fabulous beasts, birds and carpet pages and if your imagination needs a kick start, there are several large color photographs of other people’s work.  There are no staged projects in here, but explanations as to how the objects were made and some materials used.  A pencil case, ceramic pot, book cover, letter rack, greetings card and more showcase what these designs look like when reproduced in embroidery, metal embossing, parchment craft, ceramic painting and more.  A very useful treasure for any crafter’s keeper shelf.

If you cannot find a good range of art and craft locally try SearchPress.com for a list of suppliers.