the joy of books

via swissmiss

reading right now

:: The Scheme for Full Employment, Magnus Mills
:: Corduroy Mansions, Alexander McCall Smith
:: Jane Austen's Guide to Dating, Lauren Henderson
:: The Case for Books, Robert Darnton
:: Somthing to Tell You, Hanif Kurieshi
:: How to Start a Homebased Craft Business
:: Handmade Nation, Levine and Heimerl


What are you reading?

Phone Boox

Take one unused red phone box. Add shelves, books and sign to make random community book exchange. Equals Awesome.

James Econ, the maker, explains: “I guess the point is you don't have to 'be' anything to make things happen. I'm not a designer, I'm not a bookworm and I'm not a carpenter. I just had an idea, and without really caring whether it would be 'a success' - more just wanting to see what would happen - I got on with it. ... That is exactly what I like so much about it; Socially Beneficial Creative Vandalism. Manifestation to deployment in one lazy Saturday afternoon.”

Phone Boox via springwise

I want this so much my eyeballs hurt from not having it

modern vintage style.

*swoon*

these are a few of my favourite things

Embroidered book covers for 'The Secret Garden', and 'Emma', and 'Black Beauty' too. Designed and embroidered by Jillian Tamaki, commissioned and published by Penguin Books (who I already adore for this series). The idea was inspired by the handmade craft craze that has proliferated on sites like Etsy. Imagine that!

They are beautiful, and could only be improved if they came in packages of brown paper and string, and the words turned into chocolate.

See more here.

etsy love- reading

3D letter S from repurposed book, Book Bundles, Simply Tote Bag, book necklace, Recycled Book Pages Garland, Secret Whisper Earrings, BEAUSOLEIL Black Frame Reading Eyeglasses imported from France, Cozy Wingback Chair, Pale Cream Whimsical Victorian Romance Dress, Patterns and Pages 8 x 8 Print.

We all know how much it's been raining, and rain inspires me to curl up in an armchair with a cat and a cup of tea and a book. Not very productive but very satisfying. (Considering what the rain has been doing to other folk, very very lucky too).

I'm averaging 3 books a week, but am all out until we go into town next week and visit the library. I shall have to do some work. Or re-read Pride and Prejudice. Either way.

books I am reading

I am always reading several books at once, the one I pick up depending on my mood and how long I have time to read and where I am. Does anyone else do that? I thought I'd share what I'm reading right now.

Farewell My Lovely, Raymond Chandler

An old-school detective story, with a main character who drinks whisky and calls women 'dames'. I love these reprinted penguins too.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Anne Tyler
Do you know Anne Tyler? Oh you should, she is oh-so-good. This one has themes of family and what it means and the entire dysfunctional-ness of it all, and how everyone is just trying to do their best, but it doesn't always work. Oh I don't do it justice at all. Read it.

The Dream Life of Sukhonav- Olga Grushin

Oh awesome. I haven't even finished it and I already want to read it again. A beautifully written novel about a guy who abandoned his life as an artist to fit in with communist Russia and is now an important minister, but of course it comes back to bite him in the bum. (This is not how it is written on the back cover, mind).

An Illustrated Life
A peek in artists, illustrators and designers everyday sketchbooks. Lots of cool pictures and bits from each contributor on what their sketchbooks means to them, how they use it etc. Very inspiring.


Cartoon Modern
A book on the cartoonists and animation houses of the 50's and how they influenced modern design. More cool pictures including cartoon advertisements and interesting subject matter.

Mr Darcy Takes a Wife, Linda Berdoll

A sequel to Pride and Prejudice. Interesting, well written in perfect prose, and oh-my giggling unexpected rude bits! Oh Mr Darcy! If you like Pride and Prejudice (and Oh I DO) then do read a bit of this. Try not to read it in public if you have a tendency to blush.

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what are you reading right now?

I would like

this book quite a lot. Thank.you.very.much.

they've got a blog too.

“ What really knocks me out is a good book,

(image)

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that when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. ”

- J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

matchbox belts and fishing lure accessories

Spent some time lazing around today looking at my old craft books, mostly picked up from op-shops for a few dollars, but full of techniques, old and new. I love these buckles, particulary the matchbox and portrait ones (enlarged below).

also a necklace made out of a fishing lure? of course!

Martha Martha Martha!

Do I think it's cheesy? Yes. Do I want it anyway? Yes.

In the mood for a good book. Turn down the lights, pull up the doona, have a cat or two (or three... oops). I need to find another one to start now, after the last one looked promising but unexpectedly turned to CHEESE with a lame plot involving seperated-at-birth twins.. Puhleeese.

When I was at school I would spend hours, days, entire weekends reading. Hundreds of books a year. But then kids books are often excellent, adults books can be tiresome, or a bore, or full of self-importance. Best to avoid those ones.

My usual method is reading the first sentence. Or the first page. If I don't feel compelled to turn the page, it will probably never work between us. A friend of mine tests by reading the last page; I've heard some people just read the blurb, but it's like believing a resume.. better off meeting the person.



(which reminds me of the culmination of many conversations with a bestie of mine. Three questions you should ask yourself of any guy- 'would I employ him?', 'does he have a good hip to shoulder ratio?' (trust us on this one) and 'does he spend more time on his hair than I do on mine?'. The answers should let you know how to continue. With caution or wild abandon!)