News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Inside the creative studio : inspiration and ideas for your art and craft space / Cate Prato.
“Embrace your space The professional organizers and editors of Studios magazine give you the tools to create your own one-of-a-kind artistic environment. Learn how to find space in your home, whittle down your stash, and get tips on maximizing your storage and organization. Experts will also show you how to repurpose furniture, recyclables, and vintage items to establish a space with function and personality. Spend less time making your studio work and more time actually creating. Inside the Creative Studio offers imaginative and unique solutions for every lifestyle, regardless of money, time, or space. Artists and crafters of all types-quilters, fiber artists, mixed-media artists, jewelry makers, sewists, painters, and more-share their stories, tips, and images of putting together their customized creative spaces. From spacious oases to cute and compact retreats, each studio offers countless inspirational ideas.” – (Provided by publisher)

Bohemian-inspired jewelry : 50 designs using leather, ribbon, and cords / Lorelei Eurto & Erin Siegel.
“Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry showcases 50 beautiful designs that explore the rapidly growing trend of using cords and ribbon in jewelry. Inside this colorful instruction book are clear steps for incorporating these trendy materials into designs as well as troubleshooting tips for finishing the ends using the right findings and how to care for materials such as 100% silk ribbon. Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry is perfect for all levels of jewelry makers interested in creating beautiful, hip designs. Beginner jewelry artists will learn basic skills including, stringing, wire-wrapping, knotting, and braiding. Advanced designers are provided with a vast range of material and design ideas. Regardless of your skill level, you’ll also learn how to feel confident with more complicated knotting. This is the perfect instructional book for jewelry designers interested in exploring the world of alternative materials in beaded jewelry.” – (Provided by publisher)

101 tees : restyle + refashion + revamp / Cathie Filian.
“The best way to find a t-shirt that suits you to a T is to make one!Popular craft personality Cathie Filian has dreamed up more than 101 ways to embellish, customize, and transform the everyday t-shirt into something truly fashionable. Beginners will find Cathie’s projects wonderfully easy and creative–and the 10 technique-themed chapters give crafters plenty to choose from. Just take a shirt of any type–from crew neck to long-sleeved–and cut and stitch, embroider, paint, dye, image transfer, or add rhinestones, ribbons, and other trim. The result will be gorgeous!” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Mastering the art of fabric printing and design : techniques, tutorials, and inspiration / Laurie Wisbrun.
“This definitive guide outlines everything you need to know to design and print gorgeous fabrics. Inside, you’ll find step-by-step tutorials for designing patterns (both digitally and by hand); a comprehensive section on printing techniques, including screen printing, stenciling, block printing, resist dyeing, and digital printing; hundreds of gorgeous photos; and insider tips for developing your collection and bringing it to the marketplace… Features interviews with established designers such as Skinny laMinx, Ink & Spindle, and Julia Rothman.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

Granny square love : a new twist on a crochet classic for your home / Sarah London.
“Granny Square Love includes many elements of Sarah’s signature style – vibrant colours, fun photography, and, of course, grannies! The book is organized into chapters and the introduction includes directions to crocheting and granny squares with pages of step-by-step photos of the process of making a granny square. Other sections feature projects focused on different rooms in the house e.g. the Living Room includes cushions in two sizes, an ottoman slipcover, a sofa blanket, the holiday stockings, and the lampshade cover, which is one of the favourite projects in the book. The Kitchen includes patterns for the stool cover, the dishcloth, potholders, a grocer’s tote, and an apron pocket. Sarah is known for her use of vibrant colours, and shares some insight into her pairings of different colours. The photographs are great “eye candy” and Granny Square Love is a fun book to look through. It will definitely get your creative juices flowing.” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

Cuddly knits for wee ones / Catherine Bouquerel.
“This book offers very basic patterns for sweaters, hats, booties, including variations in design and colour patterns. If you are looking for cute animal patterns like rabbit, cow, griffle, ducks, etc or trains and boats there are simple designs, directions and charts, clear and accurate to follow.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

My cool caravan : an inspirational guide to retro-style caravans / Jane Field-Lewis + Chris Haddon ; photography by Hilary Walker.
“A weekend away in a stylish caravan provides the perfect antidote to 21st-century living, and more and more people are now breathing fresh “retro” vibes into the humble recreational vehicle. Old-style campers also tap into the nostalgia/retro market and the desire for a simpler lifestyle. “My Cool Caravan” aims to inspire a new generation of camper owners and provide an idiosyncratic sourcebook for the design conscious. This book looks at 30 styled campers in detail, covering themes such as Country Cottage, Rustic, Romany, Funky 1970s, Airstream, Trailer Park Treasures, and Recycled.” – (adpated from Syndetics summary)

Fleamarket chic : the thrifty way to create a stylish home / Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell ; photography by Simon Brown.
“This hunting and foraging how-to features collections of china, jewelry, kitchenalia, frames, mirrors, fabrics and furniture arranged in innovative interiors. Mixing, not matching, is extolled and family heirlooms mingle with IKEA. Clever tricks of the design trade are plied with confidence and skill as a home’s floorboards are painted with a tile motif from the Alhambra. Even a leather sofa is painted red: “if you haven’t paid much for them in the first place, then you have much less to lose.” Investment tips are shared on vintage and modern collectibles and there is sound buyer-beware advice on Internet purchases.(Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.” – (adapted from Publisher Weekly summary)

http://www.wcl.govt.nz/tools/opac-link/?search=bid&terms=0001060740
“Author/gardener/cook Christine Dann looks at the ways in which food production, distribution, preparation and service are being brought back home to produce superior food with minimal environmental impact. Christine’s journey starts with the rediscovery of home food gardening traditions of both Maori and Pakeha, and ends at the dining table where a delicious healthy feast is being served. Her route takes her to community gardens, farmers’ markets, artisan food producers, the Slow Food Movement, organic orchards, school gardens, backyard edible empires, the Spud in a Bucket programme, foraging, freeganism and fine ecological dining. And along the way she shows how everyone can get a piece of this delicious action.” – (adapted from Fishpond summary)

Greenhouse gardening / Peter Blackburne-Maze.
“Packed with advice and tips, this practical book explains how to get the most from your greenhouse. By first looking at the design and site of the greenhouse, it leads the gardener through the joys and opportunities of growing a large range of plants, both edible and ornamental, under glass that would be impossible in the open.” – (adapted from Fishpond summary)

A calm brain : unlocking your natural relaxation system / Gayatri Devi.
“…With a warm, lucid voice, Dr. Devi shares stories from her medical practice of ordinary people – suffering from migraines, neck pain, gastrointestinal upsets, and sleep deprivation – trying to work through life’s difficulties. With practical advice she shows just how to promote a higher “vagal tone,” and delivers the best news yet, you don’t need more drugs. Here are the keys to more tranquil, productive, and enjoyable life…” – (adapted from Book cover)

Teaching your child with love and skill : a guide for parents and other educators of children with autism, including moderate to severe autism / Joyce Show.
“Parents of children with autism can often feel out of their depth when it comes to nurturing their child’s learning and development. This book helps parents to make sense of the confusing array of educational interventions available, and shows how to combine and adapt different strategies to meet the specific needs of their child, including those with moderate to severe autism…” – (adapted from Book cover)

The human right to health / Jonathan Wolff.
“The quantity and quality of health care to which all human beings are entitled is a much-debated question. Wolff begins with the ways the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights frames each individual’s right to health. He recounts the various ways that the right to health has been understood in both developed and developing countries… – VERDICT An accessible and informative exploration of the relationship between health and human rights as it has been construed on both national and international levels.” – (adapted from Library Journal summary)

Clean : the revolutionary program to restore the body’s natural ability to heal itself / Alejandro Junger.
“A medical director of Palm Spring’s We Care Holistic Health Center presents an integrative approach to detoxifying the body of harmful chemicals introduced through everyday sources, in a guide that outlines comprehensive and medically safe processes for neutralizing and eliminating toxins from the body.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Eat what you love, love what you eat, with diabetes : a mindful eating program for thriving with prediabetes or diabetes / Michelle May, with Megrette Fletcher.
“…with uncommon sense and a powerful mind-body approach to healthy living, Dr. May helps you rediscover when, what, and how much to eat without restrictive rules. You’ll learn the truth about nutrition and how to stop using exercise to earn the right to eat. You’ll finally experience the pleasure of eating the foods you love – without guilt or bingeing…” – (adapted from Book cover)

Life coaching activities and powerful questions : a practical workbook for life coaches and all involved in personal development / Phyllis Reardon.
“Life Coaching Activities and Powerful Questions has been designed for a dual purpose; first and foremost it is a working book for the life coach; it is also designed for the individual who wishes to make changes in their life using the Life Coaching Process. Parents, managers, teachers, career coaches, school counsellors and anyone involved in human or personal development, this book is a great asset. The Life Coaching Activities Exercise Workbook takes you through the Life Coaching process in terms of definitions, quotes, activities or exercises and Coaching Questions as designed by CoachPhyllis.com Inc. Use this book to focus on your life and make it the best it can be.” – (adapted from Global Books in Print summary)

E is for exceptional : the new science of success / Rob Yeung.
“What qualities raise high achievers in business, sport and entertainment above the crowd? How do exceptional people overcome setbacks and stay confident? Why do successful individuals not only earn and achieve more, but also feel happier and more fulfilled? Psychologist Rob Yeung has interviewed hundreds of remarkable entrepreneurs and leaders from the worlds of advertising, banking, fashion and sport to gain insight into the minds of exceptional people. Combining this knowledge with cutting edge scientific research, he shatters myths and outlines new lessons about how to achieve your goals in both work and life. By uncovering the secrets and science of successful people, E is for Exceptional provides proven techniques and a foolproof route map so you too can learn to come out on top.” – (adapted from Book cover summary)

The thing you think you cannot do : thirty truths about fear and courage / Gordon Livingston.
“What are we afraid of and what can we do about it? Fear – of change, of intimacy, of loss, of the unknown – has become a corrosive influence in modern life, eroding our ability to think clearly. Exploited for power by politicians and for money by the media, it has become embedded in the way we think about our lives. Overcoming our fear, says Gordon Livingston, constitutes the most difficult struggle we face. Dr. Livingston, a psychiatrist, has increasingly found himself prescribing virtues like courage to his patients instead of tranquilizers or antidepressants. Now he tells us all what we need to do to develop personal virtues in the face of societal fear and our own individual fears.” – (adapted from Global Books in Print summary)

The charge : activating the 10 human drives that make you feel alive / Brendon Burchard.
“Burchard, a world-renowned motivational speaker and bestselling author, makes a compelling case that it’s time for an entirely new approach to understanding what drives human ambition and achievement today; it’s time to change the conversation about what it takes to succeed and feel alive and fulfilled in a stressful, chaotic, distracted world. In The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives that Make You Feel Alive, Burchard, using pioneering studies from the fields of positive psychology and neuroscience, as well as great stories from his own experience, identifies the ten simple drives of human emotion and happiness: Control, Competence, Congruence, Caring, Connection, Change, Challenge, Creative expression, Contribution, and Consciousness. The Charge provides the keys to understanding and activating these drives in clear and concrete ways that will inspire and help everyone find the one thing we all are searching for: more life in our lives.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The gifts of imperfection : let go of who you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are / by Brené Brown.
“Each day we face a barrage of images and ideas from society and the media telling us who we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only change those flaws by looking perfect and leading a perfect life, then we’d no longer feel inadequate. In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown, Ph.D., the leading expert on shame, reveals that it is actually our imperfections that connect us to one another as human beings and make us who we are. In this fresh guide, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits in finding the greatness in our flaws and evolving our self-perceptions through fifteen guideposts, from embracing our mistakes to letting go of our fear of rejection to an authentic, WholeHearted life. Each guidepost to live by is illustrated with essays, stories, inspiring quotes, meditations, and dynamic creative exercises designed to help us develop the skills to accept our humanness with compassion and practice empathy with ourselves and others.” – (adapted from Global Books in Print summary)