"She's Always Got Her Nose in a Book"

Yup, Mom, nothing's changed much!

Here's what I've been reading lately.

100 Unforgettable Dresses
by Hal Rubenstein
207 pages
Where else are you going to find Lady Gaga and Jacqueline Kennedy in the same book?  The author gives the behind-the-scenes info about each dress and includes dresses from many different eras.  Gorgeous photos, fun and flippant commentary, and insider knowledge about the fashion industry.  A great coffee table book with substance for anyone interested in fashion, gossip, clothing history, or design.

Retro Revamp: Funky Projects from Handbags to Housewares
by Jennifer Knapp
123 pages, 39 projects of widely variety difficulty
I enjoyed this book.  It’s got great energy and fun tone.  The aesthetic is a bit kooky and not every project has photographs, though, so it’s not for everybody.  I want to note it here so I can check it out again when I have time to make the ribbon clutch, although I might adapt the pattern to magazine strips….

Making Glorious Gifts from Your Garden
by Marie Browning
127 pages
Detailed information about herbs (and a few flowers), including preserving, crafting, eating, decorating with, and even packaging.  She's got everything from room sprays and bath oils to cleaners, garlands, decorated soaps, greeting cards, and facial scrubs.  For me, there were too many extras to buy like various oils, orris root, etc., but she is detailed and knows what she is doing.  I like the idea of simmering lavender or other herbs in hot water to add fragrance to a room or a bath.

Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World
by Kelly Coyne & Erik Knutzen
310 pages
I don't usually put a book up here until I'm done with it, but I'm hooked... making your own soap, tooth powder, mead, vegetable stock... We've already successfully made laundry detergent and I want to try microgreens, making our own peppermints, and growing sweet potatoes as edible houseplants.  Stay tuned....