I’ve been jumping around between a lot of the local libraries, borrowing like mad in an attempt to push their borrowing statistics up as they are in danger of being closed down due to cuts – all to no avail because apparently 16 libraries in Fife will be closed permanently. Well – I tried my best. Anyway, what do you think of my most recent library haul?

I’ve always been interested in 1950s fashion and design so when I spotted Fifties House by Catriona Gray at Kirkcaldy I just had to take it home. I was born at the back end of the 1950s but I remember some of the furniture and accessories from childhood. In fact I’m still severely disgruntled that my mother got rid of her beautiful 1950s golden oak dining suite by Beautility – whilst my back was turned when I was in Germany. She replaced it with a gateleg formica ‘teak’ table and a teak room divider/wall unit which nobody wanted when the inevitable house clearance took place some years ago. I would have gladly given house room to the golden oak! You can look inside the book here and see some of the contents if you’re interested.

Homemade Gifts by Sarah Moore was the next one which I picked up. Since moving house last year I’ve done hardly anything in the way of crafts but I’m hoping to get back into the swing of it before much longer. I have an ever growing fabric and ‘stuff’ stash so it’s about time I used some of it. You can look inside some of this book here.

The shirt off his back by Juliet Bawden was next, the title tickles me but as I have a bag full of Jack’s old shirts which are past wearing and he doesn’t need any of them for wearing whilst doing DIY/painting, I plan to use some of them to do projects in this book which you can look inside here.

Lastly – and don’t all shout at me for this, yes it features the ‘C’ word, Christmas of course. Tilda’s Christmas Ideas by Tone Finnanger was on their new books shelf so I’m the first person to get it out and I swithered about it, but the thought that it would almost certainly be unavailable to borrow nearer Christmas swayed me towards borrowing it. I love the Scandinavian looking Santas on the front cover and I have lots of red material so I plan to at least make those. You can see some images of the Christmas projects inside it here.