Saturday 3 November 2012

Books by my bedside


Hello there, please can I say a big thank you for all your sweet blog messages of love and comfort in my last post. I was really overwhelmed with all your generosity and kindness, it took a bit of bravery for me to post it, but I'm pleased I did now.



As you can see I have been playing with lino again, it's rather addictive and very therapeutic after a day at work. My first attempts can be seen here. I also found Linocut boy's blog the other day {and enjoyed having a look at his work} with this link to a lino starter kit in his etsy shop. A little bit pricey but supplies all you may need to begin with, I did also find this link to a cheaper tool set like the one I have borrowed, on Amazon. I bought my little sheets of lino in my local art shop and had the ink lent to me from my artist friend too. I've played around with different inks and some paints we have and it's good fun seeing the effects.



Ok, so back to the books on my bedside. I go through phases with reading which I think is quite common, sometimes all I have space to read and absorb is a newspaper or magazine article and then there are times when all I want to do is be absorbed into a favourite authors world and not look up from my book. Holidays are always good for this.


  
Lately, all I want, is to read, maybe it's the colder weather and pending winter but my pennies have been going on some books that I've "lusted" after for a while. Yes, I did say "lusted" because books books books make me love life even more and I have a very rather long list of those that I'd like to get my grubby paws on.

So, first up is The Long Song by Andrea Levy


A friend from work lent this beautiful book to me telling the tale of slaves and British farmers and their families set in Jamaica during the last turbulent years of slavery and early years of freedom that followed. I really am enjoying reading this hauntingly beautiful novel and would happily recommend it to my friends.



This brilliant book for work, written by Dietitian Dr. Michelle Harvie. I am due to do a workshop on Sensible dietary strategies and lifestyle choices for young women with Breast Cancer at the end of this month and this is a book I would well recommend as an evidence based reliable source of scientific information translated into practical ways which anyone can apply to their lives if they want to make changes to what they eat and how they live at the moment. She is due to have her new research published in May 2013 if you are interested.Exciting news in the world of oncology and dietetics.



I really LOVE this book printed by Thames and Hudson 2012 which I bought at the de la warr pavilion shop last week. It's such an enjoyable and thought provoking book in which Susie Hodge examines 100 works of modern art that have attracted such critical hostility and explains how, far from being negligible novelties, they are inspired and logical extensions of the artistic ideas of their time. 
It's the kind of book that's small enough to carry around with you to dip into whenever you have a spare 5 minutes to read about one of the 100 works of art mentioned here. Not bad for £9.99 either.

Here are a few photo's to tempt you...






And last, but not least a crafty book bought about 3 weeks ago



I spotted this in a a fabric shop in Lewes about 3 weeks ago and after paging through it I decided to buy it because I liked the simple, easy Christmas makes for Alice to try and some for me to try. A book we could equally share and enjoy together as we approach Christmas. It's funny because I don't think I would have bought this on line if I didn't have the opportunity to nosey through the pages before purchasing it. Funny, how that sometimes happens. I like that it's celebrating fabulous bloggers and designers of original patterns and ideas and the templates at the back are great, allowing for the crafter to be creative with these basic designs. It's a Christmas craft book I would happily recommend at £9.99 for kids and parents to share.

Here are some of the pages to possibly tempt you...







So, those are the books on my bedside at the moment
How about you?
Have you any to recommend for me to add to my list of lusty books?
Do tell!
See you soon
xox 
Penelope

ps. If you want a chance at winning some skinny yarn in my little give-away check out this post here I will be drawing for a winner on Tuesday 6th November 2012


16 comments:

  1. Beautiful lino work and a terrific selection of books. Love the creativity winding its way throughout this post!

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  2. I loved Lino cutting at school, keeping meaning take a class. Maybe one day in the future I will get the chance.

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  3. Thanks for letting me know what you thought of Mollie Makes, it really helped me make up my mind and I hate to say it Penelope, but I got it cheaper on Amazon so I didn't mind giving it a go. I really like it to be honest. Lots in it and lovely styling, much better than the magazine in my opinion.

    Interesting seeing you get under way with a new craft. Looking really good.

    X

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  4. penelope not sure whether you got my email? Can you let me know? Lx

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  5. hey penelope, love the bird lino cut out, it is beautiful! would make awesome cards, I think you should keep at this, you have quite the talent for it.
    I could never share my reading pile, ha ha it is so trashy people would be horrified if they knew what junk I read to keep myself sane! You are so cultured!
    Lots of love XXXX

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  6. On my bedside table right now are: Sailing Alone Around the World (which I got from the library on your recommendation, and LOVE); Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (one of a well-researched and quite decently written fictional series by Stephanie Barron featuring Jane Austen as a mystery-solver); and Notes from a Small Island (thoughts on England by American writer Bill Bryson - funny, sometimes crude, often critical but also very affectionately written).

    Your linocut is lovely - what a very tempting craft.

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  7. Hi Penelope..it is a wonderful feeling to have a stack of books to read, I love the anticipation of a good story or some inspiring creativity!

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  8. Some lovely books there! I'm managing my health through diet, my consultant and GP would like me to take a long list of meds so get a little frustrated with me! The thing is, I've done lots or research and really feel this is the best way, for me anyway! I would be really interested in knowing more about the workshop when you've been on it, could you let me know? Thanks :)

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  9. Hi Penelope,
    I love your lino cut birdy....very sweet.
    Your books are interesting . I liked the programme "Diet Doctors" it was amazing to see just how much changing your diet helped with all sorts of conditions.
    Mollie Makes Christmas book looks gorgeous too.
    Jacquie x

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  10. Linocut Boy has a great blog - thanks for the link. I love the effect of linocut and think you are amazing for taking it up - I have no real artistic ability so wouldn't attempt it. Your linocuts are so lovely.

    I also go through intense reading phases and then.....nothing for ages. I have recently started reading again after a very 'dry' year - which began with a heavy reading stage, so maybe I am about to end the year as it began! :)

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  11. Loving your Lino work Penelope!
    Victoria xx

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  12. Got your email.....all good! Wow I am really enjoying this venture into the world of lino-cutting, have bookmarked the 'boy's' site. I get a real visceral pleasure from looking at lino cuts and I feel a diversion coming on - whenI can least afford to be diverted form textiles! I enjoy rubber stamp carving so have all the tools...must get some lino to have a proper go. Oh dear, did I need this right now??????

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  13. Hello Penelope!

    Your adorable lino cut bird has plunged me into my primary school years when we did quite a bit of lino cutting and it was fabulous fun. Your bird is adorable and, for some strange reason, I have a lovely vision of a repeat pattern of lino cut apples in reds, blacks, and greens.

    Penny, I've just read your previous post (we've been away in England for my father's 90th celebration) and, whilst we all have unique stories to tell, I simply wanted to tell you I empathise with your husband's unfair dismissal enormously having been through a similar situation. I wish you both a bright outcome from the court case this week. I'll be thinking of you!

    Stephanie

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  14. Loving the lino cuts you're doing. And thank you for the book recommendations. Of course sometimes your five year old could have done that, just not for the same reasons (or perhaps as well), begging the question are the five year old's reasons any less valid for being less well informed ... ooh do I love mind benders like that ;)

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  15. Loving the lino cutting, it's such a therapeutic form of art to do, plus I love the fact that each one turns out a little different to the last.
    I've been really tempted by the Mollie Makes Christmas book too recently, that and the new Cath Kidston Christmas one, and am glad to hear you like it. It's always nice to get a good recommendation from someone other than anonymous amazon reviewers :)

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  16. Thanks for sharing - I have been thinking of bying the Mollie Makes book too.

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