Tag: flowers

Positively blooming: New Springtime gardening reads

Tess

Take full advantage of the longer, warmer and sunnier Spring days we are currently enjoying by maximising your outdoor time. Gardening provides a vast array of positive health effects including gentle exercise, intellectual stimulation and therapeutic benefits, whilst also encouraging better rest and relaxation. Enjoy these newly released green-fingered reads, that include gorgeous photographic explorations of famous gardens around the globe, a DIY insect and birdhouse guide, and the story of an extinct plant that was recently re-grown from a 2,000 year old saved seed. There’s bloomingly good backyard inspiration to be discovered! 

Wild gardens : inspired by nature / Mahon, Stephanie
“A celebration of a beloved and unique garden style. The wild garden’s abundant, informal style, a mosaic of wildflowers and shrubs, is a haven that encourages wildlife to live and flourish. This book explores everything from wildflower meadows to woodland gardens and includes gems of practical advice on bringing elements into your own garden, including key techniques for rewilding.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

With nature : garden design by Fiona Brockhoff / Brockhoff, Fiona
“In this beautifully photographed book, Fiona Brockhoff takes us through her gardens in Australia – some never before seen – with tips, design guidance and inspiration to help you create your own sustainable, naturalistic and wholistic gardens. From small-space inner-city gardens to coastal and rural properties, Fiona Brockhoff’s name has become synonymous with environmentally sustainable garden design in Australia.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Gardens of the world : a celebration of the world’s most amazing gardens
“Explore the world’s most stunning gardens and gain expert knowledge that you can use in your own green space. Illustrated with inspiring photography and full of fascinating insights from expert gardeners. From the intricately planned and carefully curated to surrealist jungle dreamlands, these gardens prove that green-fingered ingenuity comes in many forms and thrives in even the most unlikely of locations.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Amazing gardens of the world : spectacular classic & contemporary gardens / Hambly, Vivienne
“Featuring the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, Beatrix Potter’s garden in the Lake District, Monet’s garden in France, and the Tivoli Gardens in Rome. This book celebrates of all types of gardens around the globe and the fascinating stories behind them.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Handmade houses and feeders for birds, bees, and butterflies : 35 havens for wildlife in your garden / McKee-Orsini, Michele
“These handmade birdhouses and feeders, bee hotels, and butterfly and ladybug homes will bring welcome visitors to your backyard.  Featuring an array of beautiful havens to build to attract more wildlife into your backyard. This book takes you through the basic woodworking and decorating skills you will need, with step-by-step project instructions, clear artwork, and stunning photography to inspire you to build your own backyard havens.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Food self-sufficiency : basic permaculture techniques for vegetable gardening, keeping chickens, raising bees, and more / Elger, Robert
“In this fully illustrated book, you’ll learn to create an autonomous, diversified, and sustainable backyard garden and to cultivate and maintain it following the main principles of permaculture. This book will inspire and guide you to move towards greater food autonomy, where you can grow grains, keep chickens, and add beehives to your garden.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The age of seeds : how plants hack time and why our future depends on it / McMillan-Webster, Fiona
“When a 2000-year-old extinct date palm seed was discovered, no one expected it to still be alive. But it sprouted a healthy young date palm. That seeds produced millennia ago could still be viable today suggests seeds are capable of extreme lifespans. Yet many seeds, including those crucial to our everyday lives, don’t live very long at all. In The Age of Seeds Fiona McMillan-Webster tells the astonishing story of seed longevity, the crucial role they play in our everyday lives, and what that might mean for our future.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

From Paper Flowers to Mending Techniques: New Crafts & Hobbies Books

Ria

Get giddy with excitement with our new offering of crafts and hobbies books to break that creative rut and get started on your next passion project. Whether you are a new crocheter wanting to start a few Granny Squares, or an expert trying to understand the rudiments of modern Japanese crochet, there are an assortment of titles to browse and borrow. Likewise, paper flower crafting has never been easier.  With easy, step-by-step instructions to guide even the greenest beginner, you can learn to create an enchanting bouquet that will never wilt.

For both avid machine- and hand-stitchers alike, an array of sewing projects await, from basic mending stitches to botanical embroidery. Say hello to your first meadow napkin! Whether it’s refashioning your pre-loved clothes, or concocting a natural plant fertilizer that is devoid of harmful ingredients, with so many environmentally-friendly projects to jump into you can easily take that first step towards creating a more mindful and sustainable lifestyle.

Also, this month’s titles include some ‘crafty’ reads celebrating fashion, culture, and history. Settle down on your favourite couch, sip a freshly-brewed coffee, and marvel at Africa’s textile heritage and ever-dynamic fashion landscape…

Refashion, restyle, restitch : 20 stylish sewing projects from preloved clothes & homewares / Shore, Debbie
“Upcycle unwanted clothes, and learn how to restitch them into 20 stylish home accessories and garments. In a brand-new collaboration between sewing superstar Debbie Shore and her dressmaker-blogger daughter, Kimberley Hind, here are 20 unexpected but amazingly practical, stunning ideas for upcycling and repurposing pre-loved fabrics to make accessories for both you and your home!”–Amazon.com.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Make, sew and mend : traditional techniques to sustainably maintain and refashion your clothes / Banner, Bernadette
“Learn the historically proven stitches every seamster needs with beloved Historical Fashion YouTuber Bernadette Banner. Whether you are just getting started with sustainable fashion and need to alter your new secondhand finds, or you want an introduction to sewing techniques for making your own clothes, Bernadette Banner’s signature voice will guide you through all the traditional stitches and techniques you need to extend the life of your favorite pieces and take fashion into your own hands!” (Adapted from Catalogue) Also available as an eBook

Crafting authentic paper flowers : the beginner’s guide to creating beautiful lifelike paper blooms with step-by-step projects / Longhurst, Sophie
“The delicate art of paper flower craft has been around for centuries, originating in China in 100BC. This beautifully photographed book contains projects for every skill level. Step-by-step instructions and inspiring illustrations will guide you through the process from start to finish. You’ll discover the colour, texture and detail of nature as you learn how to create your own lifelike floral decorations.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Modern Japanese crochet : classic stitches made easy
“15 amazing stitches, 7 simple lessons, and 25 glorious projects. Modern Japanese Crochet casts the classic stitches you think you know in a totally new light, showing them in ways that add striking textures and contrasts to handcrafted pieces. For the experienced needlework enthusiast, this book is a revelation–the perfect introduction to the unique Japanese style of crocheting and charted patterns. Clear instructions, schematics, and charts walk you through exciting Japanese-style projects in this book.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Embroidery : a modern guide to botanical embroidery / Khounnoraj, Arounna
“Arounna will show you how to master the art of the decorative stitch through clear step-by-step instructions that demystify the embroidery stitches and teach you how to apply them through a collection of 20 botanical-inspired projects. The projects include bags, wall hangings, handkerchiefs, cushions and more. Packed with stunning lifestyle photography that draws on Arounna natural style and aesthetic, step-by-step illustrations will clearly show you how to start and finish each project neatly.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Fix your fashion : how to create an ethical wardrobe / Strutt, Laura
“Fantastic fashion that won’t cost you the earth. This inspirational guide is your sustainable sourcebook full of activities and practical tips on how you can cut ties with unethical fashion practices and form new fashion habits that work for you – all without compromising your signature style! Covering topics such as motivational mindset changes, trusted brands to try, buying and selling secondhand clothes, inspiration for upcycles, mending techniques and questions to ask companies before you shop, this is the ultimate book for the closet-curious who want to create a wardrobe that doesn’t cost the Earth.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Africa in fashion : luxury, craft and textile heritage / Nimo, Ken Kweku
“Africa in Fashion explores the kaleidoscope of craft cultures that have shaped African fashion for centuries and captures the intriguing stories of contemporary and avant-garde African brands. It showcases a carefully curated set of the continent’s most dynamic brands and, through interviews with prominent and inspiring designers, offers rare insight into their ethos and design practice.” (Adapted from catalogue)

The wild craft : mindful, nature-inspired projects for you and your home / Seixas, Catarina
“The Wild Craft delights in nature’s abundance and shows you how to create 28 inspirational, comforting and joyful items for yourself, your home and garden.”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Warm up with New Crafts and Hobbies Books

Ria

Winter is upon us and the atua Tāwhirimātea is making his presence known with a series of thunderstorms and biting wind chill in the last couple of weeks. As we say goodbye to barbecues and frolicking on a beach, what better way to usher in this new season than to get lost on a passion project at the comfort of your home!

Thinking of making a pair of your own simple slouchy socks for your cold feet but don’t know where to start? Tracy Lord’s “A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting: a complete step-by-step course” has 20 workshops and corresponding projects to put your knitting into practice. Likewise, packed with more than 100 patterns with fresh themes ranging from galaxies to terrariums “Fun & Funky Cross Stitch: 160+ Designs, 5 Alphabets, 30 Bonus Gift Ideas” is a must-have on your winter hobby list.

For those keen to learn about fabric craft, the book “Furoshiki : The Japanese art of wrapping with fabric” by Aurélie Le Marec invites you to discover the benefit of this ancient Japanese art of folding and knotting a fabric to carry all kinds of items (guitar case, anyone?). With over 50 projects to try, this creative and versatile craft could be part of your journey to a greener lifestyle. If you find yourself dabbling in flower arranging, don’t let this winter season stop you from enjoying the beauty fresh flowers evoke. Two books in our collection this month, “Floral Evolution: Over 20 displays that make the most of every stem” and “The Little Flower Recipe Book” provide practical guide, step-by-step instructions, along with stunning photographs for budding florists on a budget.

Other titles in this month’s selection includes “The Fashion Show : The stories, invites and art of 300 landmark shows” .  This pink and gold colour motif book is a window to over 50 years of  fashion’s exclusive printed art invitations. In “Anna: the Biography”, author Amy Odell delights us about Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour’s rise to become one of fashion industry’s most powerful women. So curl up with a cup of tea and spice up your winter night with intriguing tales from one of catwalk’s most important figures.

A beginner’s guide to knitting : a complete step-by-step course / Lord, Tracey
“Presents a step-by-step guide to stitches and techniques, from knit and purl to Fair Isle, and includes twenty beautiful projects to make.” (Catalogue)

 

 

 

Fun & funky cross stitch : 160+ designs, 5 alphabets, 30 bonus gift ideas.
“Hand stitch funky designs! Stitch an eclectic collection of funky designs from top cross stitch artists around the world. Includes a beginners guide to the basic stitches, the stitch chart, and supplies lists. Each design has a skill level suggestion and an estimated time of completion”–Page 4 of cover.” (Catalogue)

 

Furoshiki : the Japanese art of wrapping with fabric / Le Marec, Aurélie
“Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, and is used to wrap gifts and create bags for carrying things more easily. There is no sewing involved and, using just a square of fabric, Aurélie Le Marec shows you how to wrap all kinds of items from books to guitars and laptops to wine bottles. You can adapt furoshiki to suit items of all shapes and sizes and, with more than 50 furoshiki folds explained with step-by-step illustrations and clear instructions, you can help to reduce waste by making furoshiki part of your everyday life.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Floral evolution : over 20 displays that make the most of every stem / Foxwell, Catherine
“Author Catherine Foxwell believes that the flowers and beautiful arrangements should be accessible to all, and this book takes you through some simple projects using sustainable techniques to achieve this. She uses readily available, inexpensive flowers in straightforward projects that teach you how to repurpose the bloom into four different displays. With this step-by-step, extremely accessible approach, anyone can arrange blooms like a pro.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The little flower recipe book : 148 tiny arrangements for every season & occasion / Rizzo, Jill
“Beloved florist Jill Rizzo is back, and this time she has turned her attention to charming miniature arrangements. Projects are organized seasonally, and range from a thimble-sized vase of pansies to a tiny teacup holding a bundle of zinnias to a bud vase with a single Japanese anemone. All told, the book contains over 100 easy-to-follow recipes: ingredients lists specify the type and quantity of blooms needed; clear instructions detail each step; and hundreds of photos show how to place every stem.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The fashion show : the stories, invites and art of 300 landmark shows / Webb, Iain R
“The story of the haute couture catwalk, through an exclusive collection of VIP invitations. Spanning over 45 years and 300 shows, each invite opens a window into the key trends and ideas behind each collection.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Anna : the biography / Odell, Amy
“This definitive biography of legendary fashion journalist and media mogul Anna Wintour follows her journey from the trendy fashion scene of swinging 1960s London to becoming the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine.” (Catalogue)

 

 

 

Flowers, needles, and Nordic knitting: New craft and hobby books

Ria
New Craft Books April

Could happiness be just a needle and a skein of yarn away? In today’s age of digital over stimulation and social distancing, this month’s new collection of books is an assortment of unadulterated joy to indulge your creative spirit.

Regardless of one’s sewing ability, anyone can benefit from YouTube star Laura Coia’s second book, Sew Very Easy Patternless Sewing : 23 skill-building projects : bags, accessories, home decor, gifts & more. From simple scrunchies to complex projects like featherweight case cover, this book is a fun and quick way of creating something amazing from scrap fabrics. Likewise, crocheting projects do not need to be a time-consuming endeavour! In Quick Crochet : no-fuss patterns for colourful scarves, blankets, bags and more, Kate Rowell presents 28 colourful projects that are grouped according to their completion time.

Needle Felting Teddy Bears for Beginners is a “must-borrow” book for fellow creatives who would like to learn simpler techniques and seamless process in producing adorable, fuzzy, little teddy bears.

The repetitive and rhythmic flow of knitting can be a delightfully meditative process. Brandi Harper invites readers to venture into her personal knitting journey in her book, Knitting for radical self-care : a modern guide. Readers are encouraged to indulge in gorgeous projects, stunning visuals and honest musings on self-care and creativity. On the topic of knitting, we also suggest The Nordic knitting primer : a step-by-step guide to Scandinavian colorwork. Its wonderful images go hand-in-hand with its straightforward instructions and charts to guide anyone looking to start doing colorwork.

Floral enthusiasts, rejoice! Lucy Hunter’s The Flower Hunter: seasonal flowers inspired by nature and gathered from the garden offers not only inspiration but also practical tips in floral design, flower drying and other creative projects. With the author’s wit and grace in the narration, this enchanting book is a visual feast not to be missed!

Sew very easy patternless sewing : 23 skill-building projects : bags, accessories, home decor, gifts & more / Coia, Laura Ann
“YouTube sew-lebrity Laura Coia returns with 23 projects, now available as printed, step-by-step instructions for the first time. Stitch up beautiful bags, accessories, and home decor with no pattern pieces”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

 

Quick crochet : no-fuss patterns for colorful scarves, blankets, bags and more / Rowell, Kate
“In just a few short hours, you can create vibrant accessories, cheerful home decor items and handmade gifts that are guaranteed to brighten up every space and occasion! Crochet designer Kate Rowell combines simple stitches and smart techniques to bring you this stunning collection of eye-catching projects that work up in next to no time.– Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

Needle felting teddy bears for beginners / Balchin, Judy
“Needle-felting is an easy and fun technique, requiring little in the way of expensive materials or equipment. Its accessibility means it’s becoming more and more popular, and award-winning authors Judy Balchin and Roz Dace show how to make 20 wonderful little teddy bears using this tactile technique.” (Catalogue)

 

Knitting for radical self-care : a modern guide / Harper, Brandi Cheyenne
“There is no such thing as being kind-of a knitter. The wobbly scarves and that oversized sweater you tried to shrink all count too. Each contribution that you make to the world through knitting is meaningful, but maybe you’ve slowed your commitment to this craft, or you can’t seem to find the time to be creative. There’s a lot to be distracted by, and the path forward isn’t always clear. Brandi Harper aims to bring those challenges to the forefront and help you unearth the immense benefits that knitting has to offer. In her debut book, Knitting for Radical Self-Care, Harper offers tips and suggestions for carving out time for creativity, alongside beautiful patterns to try yourself.” (Adapted from Catalogue) Also available as an ebook.

The Nordic knitting primer : a step-by-step guide to Scandinavian colorwork / Drysdale, Kristin
“Gorgeous Scandinavian knitwear is within reach for knitters of all levels with this collection of timeless patterns and essential techniques… Inspired by Kristin’s Scandinavian heritage, these designs combine traditional patterns and motifs with stylish, easy-to-wear shapes. Knitting with multiple yarns creates a warmer knit fabric for high-quality garments and accessories to gift or wear all year long”–back cover.” (Catalogue) Also available as an ebook.

The flower hunter : seasonal flowers inspired by nature and gathered from the garden / Hunter, Lucy
“Lucy’s evocative, gently humorous words accompany her glorious photographs and exquisite floral arrangements, as she encourages the reader to marvel at the intricate cycles of the natural world, develop their own innate creativity, and to look for beauty in the everyday. Her garden provides the raw materials for Lucy’s floral artistry-breathtaking naturalistic arrangements with all the painterly beauty and flourish of a Dutch still life. Simple projects accompany Lucy’s text, from drying garden flowers for an autumnal wreath to making your own journals and natural dyes to assembling lavish arrangements that showcase the voluptuous beauty of garden roses.  The Flower Hunter will encourage you to find your own creativity and help it to blossom”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)