Bookish Betsy and the Craft Blog

If I wasn’t so busy working all day, I would spend my time admiring Craft Blogs.

Craft Blogs are this amazing thing; people (mostly women to be fair) all over the world celebrating the same thing - not just craft, but the whole beautiful art of domesticity. The best blogs share their craft ideas and projects, along with their everyday activities, their favourite new recipes, books, music, all the while championing the delights of domestic traditions.

Alicia Paulson, who has a very popular Craft Blog, Posie Gets Cozy, has just published a new book, Stitched in Time, equally as beautiful and inspiring as her blog. If you love crafting and are looking for some fresh ideas, this gorgeous book is a must. And, if you haven’t yet discovered the world of craft blogs, then Alicia’s home page would be a great place to start.

Bookish Betsy

P.S. If you are already a follower of Craft Blogs, do let me know your favourites!

The book mentioned, Stitched in Time: memory-keeping projects from the creator of Posie Gets Cozy, can be found at Havelock North Library in Adult Non-Fiction 746.4 PAU.

Bookish Betsy's New Year Resolutions

I often romanticize about what it would be like to have Christmas in winter. Rugged up in front of the fire, or at the window impatiently watching for snow, before sitting down to a hearty rich dinner, surrounded by a jolly bunch of family and friends….yes, it is the thing that dreams and classic novels are made of.

On the other hand though, I think we folk down-under have got it made when it comes to New Year’s celebrations. I can’t imagine the strike of midnight on New Year’s without those key ingredients; smarting sunburn, the warm flat dregs of a beer, sand fly bites, and raucous fun.

And those heady New Year’s resolutions made after too much sunshine, chocolate and good times are what keep life spicy – or so I thought. The only problem is I never seem to actually achieve my great and zany aspirations. So, this year, in a bid to be able to tick some boxes on New Year’s Eve, I have kept my list simple.

Resolution 1: Make my resolutions realistic

As I made my hurried book choices at work before heading off for my camping trip this summer, I happened upon two books that were so inspirational they have become the basis for this year’s resolutions, and somehow with them in hand my aspirations are less wacky than usual.

Resolution 2: Learn to run

After reading Kerre Woodham’s brave and colourful account of marathon running in Short Fat Chick to Marathon Runner, I have become obsessed with the idea that I too could bypass any impending crisis by taking up running. I am stretching and flexing my muscles in anticipation as we speak – and am seriously considering the Triple Peaks. Woodham is so enthusiastic and convincing that I am even toying with the idea of ditching my baggy exercise gear for some sleek lycra running garb. I swear she said it was the thing that got her through. Step by slow step, fully clad in fluorescent lycra, I will forge ahead – no doubt providing ample entertainment for on-lookers as I go.

Resolution 3: Learn to love cooking

It is not enough to love cook books, it is now time to move on to producing the goods with some passion and aplomb. Ladies, A Plate: Traditional Home Baking by Alexa Johnston, with its beautiful pictures and old-school recipes, has got me all fired up to become the queen of kiwi baking. I am a great fan of keeping domestic traditions alive, so I will graciously do my bit. I do fancy the idea of becoming a reputed lamington and custard-square creator, and the fact that there will be treats at the end, somehow makes the goal more manageable!

Bookish Betsy Wraps up Christmas

Christmas is by far my favourite time of year.

Although my life is a frenzy of activity at the best of times, Christmas is the one occasion when the frenzy really comes through with the goods. Somehow the Christmas spirit of giving allows me to really unleash my creative side. Surrounded by burning festive candles, listening to good music, and sampling the Christmas sherry (just a little), I am one of Santa’s most enthusiastic helpers.

Ah, the Christmas gifts, the Christmas baking, the Christmas cards I have created in my whirlwind of goodwill and joy.

At Hastings District Libraries we have some great titles that will help you too unleash your inner Christmas elf.

Here is my recipe for a joyous pre-Christmas frenzy:

1. Set the scene with good Christmas music with -

Absolute Best Christmas Album in the World…ever!
Accents: Christmas harp with gentle accompaniment O Come All Ye Faithful – featuring Kings College ChoirHandel’s Messiah – featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

2. Sing while you gather inspiration from -

Tree top Decorations – Emma Hardy
Wreath making for the first time – Pat Poce & Deon Gooch
300 ways to make the best Christmas ever! – Mimi Tribble
Christmas cards: 100 fast & festive cards & tags – Elizabeth Moad
Christmas Details – Mary Norden

3. Pull out the baking tins and create with -

Christmas - Good Housekeeping Institute
Christmas – Australian Women’s Weekly
Classic and contemporary Christmas Cakes – Nadene Hurst
Christmas Made Easy – Mary Cadogan
Celebration: the Christmas Recipes you must have – Kitchen Classics

4. Take a compulsory stop to breath in the pine tree goodness, the baking smells, and admire your creations

5. Reach for the Christmas issue of your favourite magazine and/or add a good Christmas movie to the blend. Try -

It’s a wonderful World
Love Actually
The Family Man
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
The Christmas Specials from The Office & The Vicar of Dibley

6. Christmas is ready and wrapped. ENJOY!

Bookish Betsy grapples with the Graphic Novel

Things have been a bit quiet in my world of late. “Why?” you ask. Well, it’s all because of the Graphic Novel. I simply have no time at all for real life now that I have found this new genre of book.

To tell you the truth, until recently I had no idea what a Graphic Novel was. It sounded quite wicked though. Recently I realised that my prudish sensibilities had left me missing out on a whole new aspect of popular culture. Graphic Novels, like their close relatives Comic Strips before them, have a BIG following and I may be one of the last to catch on.

My taste in graphic novels perhaps veers a little from the norm. Asterix and Obelix, with their rock wielding antics, are about as dangerous and dark as I go. But thankfully, in this world there is room for all tastes, and just lately I have found some incredible Graphic Novels that are thoughtful, funny, moving and sad – just how I like a good book. Ethel and Earnest by Raymond Briggs and Jimmy Corrigan: the Smartest Kid on Earth by award winning Chris Ware, are my current favourites. These tales, told in both picture and work, are so stark, vivid, and beautiful in their exploration of the human condition that I am converted for life.

If you are still wondering what a Graphic Novel is, or if you have not yet found our fabulous Graphic Novel collections, please feel free to ask one of your friendly librarians next time you visit.

Bookish Betsy devours NZ books

It’s official. Books are delicious!! Thank you NZ Book Month for saying it loud and clear in this year’s campaign…a good book is almost edible!

I have a hearty appetite for books at any time, but I especially love celebrating NZ Book Month each September. Like you, I have a passion for New Zealand books and writing.

However, I must make a confession; I haven’t always had a taste for New Zealand literature. When I studied it at university, the classic works we looked at were so dark and grim that they sent me into a veritable fit of depression. But now that I am quite grown up I can appreciate the NZ classics. Through their pages we can piece together a picture of our country’s history and of ourselves; the struggles and hardships of the country’s past that make us who we are today; especially our stoic strength and determination, and our deep-seated love of nature.

Looking at NZ Book Month’s top 75 books for 2008, we can see books that reflect those same characteristics. The essence of strength, determination and a love of nature are evident throughout the stunning collection, but the flavour of NZ writing has clearly changed along the way. As a culture we have extended our taste buds, we have travelled the world, climbed mountains in countries other than our own, and have created a new recipe for a literature that is still however so utterly our own.

The NZ Book Month posters and brochures are a smorgasbord of colour and texture, with works as diverse, cheerful and moving as you could hope for. The books showcased are just a taste of what this country has to offer…..and they are truly almost edible!!

Do join us at Hastings District Libraries as we raise our (figurative) glasses and make a toast to our country, our books and ourselves – a nation of readers.

The events still to come are:
Kids Preschool story time (Hastings Library) every Wednesday 10.30am – free entry

Kids NZ story time (Hastings Library) every Sunday for the month of September 2.30pm – free entry

Poetry Writers and Readers Group (Hastings Library) Tuesday 23rd September 5.30pm

Book Sculpture competition (Flaxmere Library) entries close Wednesday 24th September

Book Sculpture Exhibition and winner announced (Flaxmere Library) Friday 26th September 6.30pm-7.30pm

Publishers Book Expo (Havelock North Library) Tuesday 30th September 7.00pm with special guest speaker local author Michael Fowler

Bookish Betsy sings the praises (if slightly out of tune) of life as a librarian

I have vivid memories of being young, swaying backwards and forwards on my swing bellowing away, conjuring up in my mind a great crowd of admirers gathered to hear my song. I was (in my imagination at least) a famous singer – Tiffany or Cyndi Lauper – working the audience with my wacky hair and groovy clothes. Or, on other occasions, I was in front of the mirror practicing my arabesques wowed into paralysis by my own splendor – surely one day I would be Margot Fonteyn at the Winter Gardens. In my imagination I would be all sorts of things when I grew up, but never, ever in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself as a…..librarian.

Why, I wonder, when my childhood nickname quickly became Bookish Betsy, did it not occur to me that being around books all day would be my perfect vocation?

I guess I didn’t know then what I know now: that being a librarian is really good fun!!! That apart from all those amazing books, as a librarian I get a window into a rich, colourful world of art, culture and inspiration. That as a librarian I work alongside some of the most interesting, humorous, innovative people, with the most diverse array of hobbies. That as a librarian, everyday I meet interesting new people with stories to tell. And best of all, as a librarian my darling little polka dot mary-jane’s don’t look too out of place – in a library, I am free to just be myself. That’s something to sing about!

Next week is Library week and we are celebrating libraries and librarians, so do make sure you pop in and see us.

Bookish Betsy