Monday 1 September 2008

I Love Books

I love all sorts of books.
I love to read cook books and imagine all manner of feasts we might eat.

I love children's picture books with their bold and bright illustrations. I still have a large collection from when the boys were small.
Old favourites.

I love travel books with their promise of exotic places to visit.

And old books with their musty smell and yellowing pages.

I'm a recent convert to Persephone books with their elegant exterior, beautiful end papers and wonderful stories within.

But most of all I can't resist blank sketchbooks and I have far more of these than I will ever fill. There is something about the empty pages waiting to be coloured in or written on that pulls me in every time.

So when I discovered Little Paper Bird I knew resistance was futile! Today I became the owner of this gorgeous little postcard book. It has a subtle printed cover.


And inside there are magically folded pages that hold postcard sized bits of paper in which I can put postcards or paintings or both.
I love my new book!

Another irresistible book was this small sketchbook with a gold leather cover and recycled paper pages which came from the Klimt exhibition. Jude and I were very restrained in the Tate shop and had limited ourselves to pack of postcards each... then I spotted this little book.


I feigned resistance... I couldn't possibly justify another blank book. Jude suggested I could embroider a cover for it inspired by Klimt. She picked one up too... perhaps she could embroider a Klimt style cover. Then I suggested we could both embroider covers and then exchange them as Christmas* presents. And so the gauntlet was thrown and we had ourselves a little challenge... and the perfect excuse to buy another blank book. Come back in four months and you might see the results!
* Apologies for using the C word in September!

13 comments:

  1. i know what you mean, i just love books - i can spend hours in a bookshop - i just love the smell of new books - can't help myself!

    xx

    p.s. as its you i'll let you off the 'c' word - as all three of mine have their birthdays in september i can't think of anything else until at least end of october!!

    xx

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  2. Yep, definitely with you on the books! I can't resist (and it's probably why I like to make them too, you should give it a go...) Glad the book reached you safely :)

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  3. You have some beautiful looking sketchbooks there Gina. I'll look forward to seeing your Klimt inspired cover. I'm off to get tempted!!

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  4. The asterisk is against the wrong word - it should be 'challenge'.

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  5. I'm with you on the book, particularly sketchbook obsession. Great idea with the swop.
    My job is to manage and run the Art College art materials shop ~ need I say more!

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  6. Wow what an amazing little book. I did think I was alone when I start to gush over sketch books and the like. My family think I am crazy and I do get the odd eyebrow raised when I buy yet another one. But hey..... get me to etsy!

    By the way is it just me or does anyone else then feel daunted by writing on the pristine surfaces when you get a new book?

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  7. me too. Books are just the BEST! (I am so going to check out those persephone ones, they look beautiful!)

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  8. Books, books, books! My favourite!!! But then there's fabric and wool and patterns and embroidery threads and buttons - oh buttons!!!!

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  9. I adore books and reading too! You have such lovely hand crafted ones to show here!

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  10. I love books too and NL's "Domestic Goddess" is one of my favourite cook books. The little postcard book looks very tempting!

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  11. I look forward to seeing inside your lovely sketch books.
    I can't wait to paint in mine.
    Also old embroidery books, art books etc.. you can never have too many!

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  12. I love those books. The little ones you made are beautiful and I love the postcard one.
    Your book swap sounds great - can't wait to see the results!

    xxx

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  13. Gumboots Chocolatey Day - one of my favourite children's books ever. That Mick Inkpen is great, have you got Lullabyhullaballoo? Another must have. I have got moire children's books than I care to admit to!

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