This is the book I bought myself a couple days ago. I was once very in to beading, I have a whole fishing tackle box full of seedbeads to prove it.
We’ve had three copies of this book in the store since I started 3 months ago, and no one (except me now) has bought a copy. I’m starting to wonder about this city, because we’ve had 10 copies of Craftivity just sitting there, and I’m the only one to have bought that, but I digress.

I thought I was over beading and jewelry, I really did. But then I looked in this book. Maybe I like it because it doesn’t use those teeny-tiny demon beads. There are two projects that convinced me to get the book:

They are called ‘Little Yellow’ and ‘Green Goddess’. I’ll let you figure out which is which.
The yellow one I find is just such an inspiration. It’s so simple, making a loop for a big bead to go through as a decorative closure. I can just imagine it in so many different styles and colours.
The green one is just fun and exciting. It was this book, and especially this necklace that made me finally see the point in those crimp beads.

The book overall is very well photographed, the are clear photos of everything, and some fun photos of all the bits for a piece in a nice divided tray (I’m a sucker for those) before making it up.

The instructions are clear, and have fun little schematic drawings. I scanned part of one, so you can see the style (but not make the project for free!)

(the teardrop thing is a blob of glue! So cute!)

This book is getting me so enthused about jewelry-making, I can’t wait until I have some time (and supplies) to really sit down and play.

The projects are simple, yet stunning, and as I have said over and over: Inspirational.

I leave you with a few more projects I like.

(anyone know where I can get buttons like that?)

ISBN: 0307345726 (bring this in, your booksellers will love you!)

I got some quilt books out of the library today. Just what I don’t need, another hobby.
I finished the top of my mitten yesterday evening, and if I stop procrastinating and fold this laundry soon, I may finish the thumb tonight. I didn’t finish yesterday, because I baked bananananana bread, and then cinnamon buns. Yummm.
The books I borrowed were Quilting for Dummies and Modern Quilt Workshop. I love all the patterns in that book, and can’t wait to start. My small, tiny really, problem is that I don’t know how to use my sewing machine. I have used sewing machines in the past, but haven’t in years, and even then, it was reluctantly.

The book link I want to leave with you today is Spellbinding Quilts
Harry Potter in quilt form. There’s wizards (all bearded though, no little boys), dragons, castles, centaurs, owls, a sphinx, giants/trolls, you name it. So incredibly enchanting, they certainly cast a spell over me. It’s a rather dangerous spell, it’s making me think I can do it. I don’t know how to sew, remember? One day, I will make a wizardly quilt. I love the one with all the motifs in.

I tried taking pictures of my mitten so far, but this whole daylight savings thing means that by the time I get home and eat dinner, it’s dark out. And in tonight’s case, snowing.
Let’s just say it looks very much like mitten #1 did at this point:

The thrums are slightly more colourful, as now I’m using the replacement roving I was sent. It’s mainly the same colours, but some are a bit brighter.

But, what I really want to talk about is my job. I’m a bookseller. I was recently put in charge of our store’s craft books. Thus, I now have an excuse to sit and surf the internet for craft books. I’ve found all sorts of gems, most of the best (including the one I’m going to feature) we don’t seem to be able to order, at least at this time, in Canada.

The publisher (Octopus Publishing Group) has this to say about it: ‘Fleece Dog’ gives step-by-step instructions on how to make a miniature replica of your favourite dog. 20 popular breeds are illustrated from a Bernese mountain dog to a chihuahua. It contains a directory of sources to explain where to buy everything to make your miniature mutt.

All I have to say is that if that little guy’s face isn’t a reason to start needle-felting, I don’t know what is. I immediately thought of mixing in a (small, very small) bit of dog hair with the wool, so you do have your own authentic minature Fluffy. Honestly? I had dreams when I was little that I could make these little tiny dogs that looked just like that. Only I was some electrical genius too, and they were animated and could walk. The book doesn’t have instructions for that, but it will get me that much closer to my destiny.

It also reminds me a kids book I read once, and could never find again, that has become this sort of mystical, magical thing in my head that no one else knows about. I wish I knew what book it was.

Unfortunately (at least for us North Americans) this book is so far only listed as being released in the UK and Australia (coming out sometime this month, if it isn’t in stores already). If you’re going to look for it, do your local bookseller a favour and give them the ISBN: 1-84533-289-X. It’ll make their day much better.

Categories: Books_

Anyone out there heard anything about ?

It looks interesting, and it amuses me to no end that Carmen Electra is endorsing it. I don’t know, it’s just funny.

The bikini bottoms on the from look like Kidsilk Haze. Now, I’m knitting River with this yarn, and I love it, but for that area? Much to fluffy and hazy and furry. Itchy, even.