Hi Crystal we have reviews on two of the series here:
Texture:
http://scrapbook-bytes.com/cgi-scrip...icle_516.shtml
nature:
http://scrapbook-bytes.com/cgi-scrip...icle_512.shtml
They all offer something completely different, and useful - but if you can't stretch to the bundle I'd actually recommend Impact - largely because it will allow you to bevel, do metal and jelly type stuff in DIP ( there was a tut in the ezine for making glass embellishments) - all things you will get a lot more use out of even if you dont design.
http://www.alienskin.com/ec5i/ec5i_examples.html
As for bows, I overlap pieces, use a bit of the distort brush to bulge and shrink and use the dodge and burn brush to add creases.
Even tho this is an old tutorial, teh basics are still teh same
http://scrapbook-bytes.com/cgi-scrip...icle_148.shtml