library and other words that start with b...

i recognize that some people are uncomfortable with being reminded that this room exists, but there is always a short stack of books in our bathroom. so much so that it is commonly referred to as the "library" around these parts. sadly, this has become the only space within our home where i can force myself to read for any extended amount of time. many a "quick trip" has turned into an hour-long stay, and there are (oddly) moments when i dip in there just to sit and read the next few pages of some text that has completely captured the imagination. best of all, i am not alone in this insanity, as one or two of the books in the short stack are usually his.

i have always been what is usually termed a "voracious reader". then undergrad happened, and that second major in Literature left me almost nauseated by the prospect of picking up yet another book. i was just falling back in stride with the binge-reading lifestyle, when grad school happened, and i have absolutely not been able to return to the habit of sitting down (either on the bed or in a corner of my favorite sofa) and reading for hours at a time just for fun. that is where the bathroom library comes in. it began with simple things—knitting magazines and the like—and gradually shifted to non-fiction reference books on whatever interest caught my fancy at that moment in time. the current short stack includes a book about yarn design and a thick book about breeds of sheep, as i eagerly await the start of wool shearing season. i expect a few books on gardening to make an appearance in the coming weeks.

we tend to buy each other books as gifts—by which i mean buying books for oneself, then declaring them as gifts from the "other". half the fun comes from finding out what you "bought" when the bell rings.

him: that must be the mailman with the book you bought me.
me: what did i get you this time?
him:  a book of Elvira pictures. it's a late birthday gift. oh... and you also bought me a guitar... shaped like Mojo Jojo. 
me: i see.

are we incredibly dull people? that is very likely the case. do we really care? not in the least.

we made some recent additions to our respective collections. they appear in no particular order, and there really is no need to point out who owns each book, as he is a B-movie obsessed animator, and i enjoy all things murder and sheep.


this is a very typical Amazon purchase around here.

he has a sizeable collection of "art of" books, most of which were gifted to him by his younger brother, who happens to also be an animator. i am sure both parents were excited when their eldest son announced that he was abandoning the family drywall business to pursue a career in animation... then his little brother, their last hope in life, decided to do the same. seriously... they are both really good at what they do.

the best part? The Art of Zootopia...

includes drawings of a sheep! that made me smile.

which brings us back to Yarnitecture. Jillian Moreno is a teacher after my own heart. her approach tends to focus of explaining why you do something, as opposed to merely demonstrating how it is done.

Dyeing to Spin & Knit does not offer much new content for the seasoned dyer, but it is still a worthwhile addition to the craft library. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook, however, is a MUST HAVE for anyone who even likes to fall asleep counting sheep.

it has heaps of information about different breeds of sheep, like the Bluefaced Leicester, my all-around fave breed!!!

there is also tons of info about the fleece quality of each breed. this is porn to my people.

i got Socks from the Toe Up, since someone has concluded that he is worthy of such hand-crafted things. [that object behind the book will be the subject of tomorrow's post.]

Horrorstör: A Novel is a thriller/horror set in a big-box furniture store. any resemblance to a certain Scandinavian furniture multi-national is purely coincidental. i did actually buy this one for him, mostly because i liked the cover. i am so weak.

Mama Kitty appears to like a bit of gore.

The Art of Loish: A Look Behind the Scenes is by Dutch Illustrator/Animator, Lois van Baarle.

i like the drawing on the back cover of this one.

the Loish book was purchased from our local used bookstore, along with yet another classic murder mystery by Dorothy Sayers, and a mini collection of the work of Illustrator Tim Biskup.

i want a breezy summer dress made with fabric covered in this particular Biskup design.

the favorite recent purchases however, have to be Elvira Mistress of the Dark, which was part of my birthday gift to him {updated to add Elvira photos, plus a better photo of the Norah book}.

it is a book of photos of Elvira. what more needs to be said?

... and the new bible of knitwear design, Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook, because she really is the master of such fantastic things. i can seriously gush about this woman for days. she will always be my fave.

now, pardon me while i return some of these books to the bathroom library.