Stunning New Penguin Book Covers

These new Penguin book covers are just stunning!  Using illustrations hand embroidered by Rachell Sumpter they are works of art and so deserve to be on display.  I want the lot!

HAND embroidered, seriously!  That is a . lot . of . work .  right there.

and possibly my favourite (if I had to pick)

So Inspiring!

Pics from her Flickr photostream here

Flea Market Style

So, I thought I would do another book review.  (and by review I really mean just lots of photos!) I didn't think that I would be doing these on this blog but I just had to share.  The lovely book is Flea Market Style by Emily Chalmers, with words by Ali Hanan and photography by Debi Treloar.

This is one of my favourite interior books ever! - I pour over the scrummy pages all the time.  It is one of those books that you keep finding things you missed and you see and get inspired by something different every time.

While flicking through Book Depository craft books the other day (as you do - and I do far, far to much!) I came across it and it's 61% off!!!! Crazy.  Now I sort of wish I had waited to buy it, but not really as I have had good few years of ogling out of it.  Here are some of my favourite pages and quotes.....

"Some found objects have quirks; some need mending - but give any item a little tender loving care or a fresh twist and watch it blossom into new life."

"Flea-market style is by its nature relaxing and comforting to live with because junk pieces with past lives are never precious, uptight or pretentious; they have been there, done that - and lived to tell the tale." 

"If there are certain items that you are passionate about, you may find yourself buying one more... and another.  Gradually the hunt reaches fever-pitch and, before you know it, you have acquired a collection."

I just love this book so much - the interiors are just so inspiring and timeless.  This 'Flea Market' style is definitely an aesthetic that I really connect with - I would say my own house is pretty much true to this look and my work certainly takes its cues from these ideas.  I am so jealous too of some of the fantastic vintage finds in these homes - it is so hard in New Zealand to just stumble upon gems like this in a flea market.  We don't even have that many flea markets (please let me know if I'm wrong and I've somehow managed to miss a really good one!)  This book has me pining for the fantastic markets in London and Paris - if you ever go to Paris forget about the tourist stuff, go to the Marche aux Puces.  I could literally spend days there!

So have I tempted you? 

Here is the link to the book - you wont regret buying this one - promise!      

                                                         

                                                       

one of my birthday pressies and a stunning book!

So about a week ago it was my birthday - and we are most definitely not going to talk about that (I am still completely in denial over the last few ones!)  Anyway, I was given this lovely new book by Mr Odd One Out.  What that really means is that I bought it myself for him to give back to me! I love, love, love design books and this one is completely gorgeous.  It is by Geraldine James, who has worked at Harrods and now Selfridges as a design buyer - need I say more - she has a great eye. 

It is subtitled 'How to display and enjoy your treasured collections', but I don't really see it as a generic how to book.  More so a feast of visual inspiration - perfect for those who are hoarders of vintage bits and bobs and obscure objects.  Yes, a bit like moi!

I won't bore you with a long winded review - mainly because I haven't read it yet!  But I have pored over the pictures at least 5 times so that is what I will show you.  Anyway I wont lie to you, I always make up my mind about these books based on photos and not text anyway (how shallow!).  It might be dead boring who knows - but at least it is pretty!  James does seem to have a bit of a bent for the Gothic and the distressed.  Taxidermy and Victoriana fill many pages with a bit of industrial and retro thrown in.  If that sparks any curiosity then you will love it!

 

This is not a book for those who love minimalism, in fact as she states in her intro "Cold minimalism has its place, but not at my place"  Here here! 

 

There are also some lovely images of plates on walls - as there should be, so I am one very happy lady!

Oooh, and the book is hardcover and beautifully bound with a very cool textured and faded cover - it would most definitely fit into one of the homes she describes.  I brought this one from Book Depository - free shipping yay! and by far the cheapest I have seen it priced anywhere in NZ.  Check it out here....