Friday, December 31, 2010

2010 in Retrospect and Plans for 2011



Top 5 books I read in 2010 (in no particular order):
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Resolution postcard by Andy Babb
My New Year's resolution is to read more nonfiction books. My other resolution is to read the books I already own but haven't gotten around to reading (this will decrease my book hording ways--hopefully).

Obligatory New Year quote by Neil Gaiman:
"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

Happy 2011!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Holiday Inspiration

Hopefully you've finished all your holiday shopping. Here are some gift wrapping ideas!

Garland made from pages of old books via Knotty Bride (not a gift wrapping idea but I like how festive it looks)

Use pages from books/magazines/newspapers as wrapping paper via Birch + Bird

Library themed gift wrapping via papernstitch

All My Friends are Dead free printable gift tags via Chronicle Books

Free e-cards from Fossil


Happy holidays!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

More Gift Ideas

If you're still pondering what to get for the book lover on your list, here are some ideas!

1. Mslk Designer Bookmarks ($15 for a set of 5)
2. Hare Bookmark ($12)
3. Library Gift Tags ($7)


4. Books Print ($16)
5. Book Clock ($39 $35)
6. Library Kit ($20)
7. Pictorial Webster's: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities ($35)


8. Notable Novelist Card Game ($10.95)
9. Attack of Literacy T-shirt ($18 $12)
10. Dodo Case for Kindle or iPad ($49.95)

ChronicleBooks.com Discount Code
Get 35% off your purchase and free shipping. Use the promo code HAULIDAYS during checkout (offer expires December 16th). Check out Chronicle Books now!


*All images are from their respective websites.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Gift Guide: Bookish Holiday Cards

  1. Happy Holidays Library Cards (set of 6 for $9.50)
  2. A Literary Christmas (set of 15 for $14.95)
  3. Booklover's Holiday Card (set of 10 for $15.95)
  4. Victor Borges Quote Letterpress Card ($4)
  5. Library Themed Christmas Card ($3.50)


If you're planning to send out some holiday cards, why not use these vintage stamps from Verde Studio. I purchased a batch, and they're really lovely!

Or these Sunday funnies stamps from the USPS website (or your local post office [if you're in the U.S.]).

*All images are from their respective websites.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Gift Ideas: For the Writer

Throughout the month I'll be putting together bookish gift guides. The first installation: gifts for writers. Enjoy!
Pencil case by Sam Made ($14)


Pencil set by Paper Pastries ($10)


Lamy Safari Rollerballs from See Jane Work ($28.00)


Ecosystem Notebook from Barnes & Noble ($10.95)


The Writer's Pack from Chronicle Books ($29.95)


 Typewriter Eco Wallet from FluffyCo ($25)


*All images are from their respective websites.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Chronicle Books: Happy Haul-idays Giveaway


Chronicle Books is giving away $500 worth of books to one lucky blogger! All you have to do is post a list of books from Chronicle valued up to $500 that you'd like to win. And one commenter of the winning post will also win all the books on the winning blogger's post. You can increase your chances of winning by commenting in other blogs that have already entered (e.g. this one!).

Here's my list (in no particular order):
  1. Paper + Craft ($19.95)
  2. Reprodepot Pattern Book ($24.95)
  3. How to be a Graphic Designer without Losing Your Soul ($24.95)
  4. 642 Things to Draw ($16.95)
  5. Volume ($24.95)
  6. Graphic Design for Nondesigners ($22.95)
  7. Letters from the Avant-Garde ($24.95)
  8. Swimming with Strangers ($22.95)
  9. Paris Out of Hand ($22.95)
  10. This is NPR ($29.95)
  11. The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects ($24.95)
  12. How To ($9.95)
  13. The Official Nancy Drew Handbook ($16.95)
  14. Fast, Fresh, and Green ($24.95)
  15. New Vegetarian ($19.95)
  16. Yum-Yum Bento Box ($16.95)
  17. All Cakes Considered ($24.95)
  18. Cupcake Kit ($19.95)
  19. The Small Object: Today is Super Journal ($10.95)
  20. Greetings from the Onion ($19.95)
  21. Greetings from the Ocean's Sweaty Face ($19.95)
  22. Romance Pulp Postcard Box ($2.99)
  23. The Art of Vintage DC Comics ($18.95)
  24. San Francisco Greetings ($9.95)
  25. Oh Joy! Mix & Match Stationery ($8.95)
  26. Lotta Jansdotter Notes & To-Dos ($12.95)
My sub-total: $498.74

The deadline to submit your entry is December 10th. If you've entered the contest, post comment! I'd love to see what's on your wish list.

Discount code
Get 35% off your purchase and free shipping by using the promo code "FRIENDS" (offer expires December 5th December 12th!).

Linky links:
Visit Chronicle Books
Learn more about the giveaway.
Official rules & stuff.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

An Evening with Rainn Wilson


On Thursday I got the chance to attend a book reading/discussion/Q&A/signing for Rainn Wilson's book SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions, which is the companion piece for soulpancake.com.

Where "spirituality meets creativity," SoulPancake is a project that emerged during the time Rainn Wilson was gaining recognition for his role as Dwight Schrute on the sitcom The Office. According to Rainn, he wanted to create a place (soulpancake.com) where people can converse and debate issues about life, philosophy, spirituality and everything in between. SoulPancake (the book) is like the existential adult version of Highlights—encouraging readers to write, draw, or take apart the book (or you can just read it while on the toilet). The book also has a lot of great contributions from artists.


Co-authors Golriz Lucina and Devon Gundry (Rainn Wilson contemplating life's big questions in the backgroud)

Rainn Wilson was hilarious (as expected), but I was surprised the co-authors didn't add much to the discussion. When getting my book signed, I asked Rainn if he had any book recommendations. "Yes," he said. Then he went to the art section of the bookstore and came back with 30,000 Years of Art: The Story of Human Creativity Across Time and Space. He gave copies of this book as Christmas presents.

And for your viewing pleasure, here's SoulPancake's book trailer:


Rainn Wilson // SoulPancake Book // Video Trailer from SoulPancake on Vimeo.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Multipurpose Book Storage

Ex-libris
If only I had an office...


Rotate It by Sherry An
A good storage solution for dorm rooms.


Trick by Sakura Adachi (via dornob)
Awesome!


Bookcave also by Sakura Adachi
I might be too claustrophobic for this...


Lost in Sofa by Daisuke Motogi Architecture
Just imagine all the loose change you'll find in there.


Bookinist by Nils Holger Moormann
And it even has a secret compartment!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Bored to Death: Opening Credits

From hbo.com:
"The offbeat comedy series 'Bored to Death,' created by Jonathan Ames, follows the misadventures of a fictional Jonathan Ames as he pursues his quixotic dream of emulating his heroes from classic private detective novels."






Just watched the first season on Netflix. Very funny and amazing cast!

Visit the Bored to Death website.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Mike Stilkey is a Guy who Paints on Books

Mike Stilkey is an artist who uses discarded books, which would have ended up in a dumpster, as a canvas for murals and sculptures. Watch the video below to see his process.


Mike Stilkey's Reminiscent from Daniel "YB" Ybarra on Vimeo.

See more examples of his work: MikeStilkey.com

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

The Exquisite Book

The Exquisite Book is collaboration between 100 artists and is based on the game Exquisite corpse (I remember playing a variation of this game in my English class in junior high). With each artist contributing one page, the books is divided into 10 chapters. Each page is connected by a shared horizon line. Collaborators only have the page preceding their own to reference to.

Watch the video below for a better explanation:


The Exquisite Book from ALSO on Vimeo.

Win a copy! 
Mint is giving away a copy of The Exquisite Book and sketchbook on their blog. All you have to do is leave a comment (deadline to enter is Tuesday, November 9th). Why not try your luck?

Buy the book! 
Purchase the book at Chronicle Books and receive 25% off plus free shipping (sweet!) when you enter the promo code EXQ.

If you're holiday shopping, this is a great book for any art lover!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Halloween Post!

The Critterati contest is an annual event (appropriately taking place during Halloween) that encourages people to submit pictures of their pets dressed as a literary character/figure. Here's one of this year's winners:

 Gromer is the spitting image of Evelyn Waugh!
(image source here & here)

See the other winners here and the rest of the full gallery here. If only I had a nonhuman pet to dress up... sigh.

If you still haven't come up with a Halloween costume (tsk tsk), check out Lit Drift's 10 Literary Halloween Costumes. I'm favoring the J.D. Salinger costume: "Take extreme measures to part your hair with the utmost meticulousness. Then don’t leave the house at all."

But if you're not keen on dressing up, get into the Halloween spirit by reading a book from the Horror Writers Association's Horror Reading List.

...Or carve an Edgar Allan Poe jack-o-lantern (via Think Geek).

Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Olympia Le-Tan

You may have seen embroidery inspired by literature and the popular book purse.

Olympia Le-Tan combines both concepts to recreate classic and familiar book designs into embroidered masterpieces that also serves as a clutch/bag. 

 Image Credit: Olympia Le-Tan

I'm very tempted to buy one!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Mind Design: Chopped Books Art Piece

This art piece by Mind Design is constructed from curved books to resemble locks of hair. A very clever interior piece for a hair salon!

(Image credit: Design Mind)

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Littlefly: Literary Jewels by Jeremy May

Through a unique process of "laminating hundreds sheets of paper together," Jeremy May transforms what were just pages from a book into captivating pieces of jewelery. Each piece is unique and a definite conversation starter!   


Image credit: Littlefly

{via swissmiss}

Friday, August 27, 2010

Monday, August 16, 2010

Better Book Titles

Something to lighten up your Monday...

If you're someone who doesn't have time to read reviews, summaries, or skim through books before deciding to read it, Better Book Titles is the blog for you. Book covers are redesigned to show a short, to-the-point summary. What a time saver!


 (Image credits: Better Book Titles)