Christchurch The Transitional City Part IV
Edited by Barnaby Bennett, Irene Boles and Eugenio Boidi · Reviewed by Jo Drysdall
In the wake of the Christchurch quakes many books have been published about the destruction, the losses and the humbling human response in the days that followed each set of shakes. This work captures something else: the artistic, political and social response of Christchurch
With Bold Needle & Thread: 1920-1960. Vintage Needlework from the Rosemary McLeod Collection
Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga
O Waikato, 15 March–15 June 2014.
Reviewed by Jo Drysdall
Wellington-based writer Rosemary McLeod is recognised as a columnist and commentator, but she is also well known in the maker movement as a knowledgable speaker about – and collector of – domestic handcrafted items…
Reclaiming Style: using salvaged materials to create an elegant home
By Maria Speake and Adam Hills · Reviewed by Jo Drysdall
The title and cover of Reclaiming Style are promising: a clever storage space is finished with panels of reclaimed weatherboard, their timeworn surfaces creating a characterful finish and promising, with the superimposed text, a treasure-trove of ideas for outfitting your home in repurposed goodness.
Coming Up Roses: The Story of Growing a Business
By Cath Kidson with Sue Chidler
Reviewed by Katy McRae
Cath Kidston is famously quoted as saying her shops provoke a ‘Marmite reaction’ – “People either love it and want a little bit of it very much, or want to stab us.” Regardless of whether or not her aesthetic makes you homicidal, you have to admire the woman…
Piano Rock: A 1950s Childhood
By Gavin Bishop · Reviewed by Anne Mortimer
With a “to be read” queue that will take me easily into retirement, Piano Rock immediately drew me in thanks to the beautiful silhouettes, line drawings and watercolour illustrations that pepper the bite-sized chapters. However more importantly, this was 1950s spelt correctly, with no superfluous apostrophes thank you very much.
The Art of Handmade Living
By Willow Crossley
Reviewed by Katy McRae
It’s fair to say that Willow’s aesthetic is not minimalist. In her own words, “I don’t really make things that anyone might need, just things that enhance your life (or at least the way it looks).” In fact, she appears to be on a one-woman mission to decorate the bejesus out of everything…
Whittaker’s Passion for Chocolate
By J. H. Whittaker & Sons Ltd · Reviewed by Andy Heyward
The very instant I picked up this book I wanted to eat it. The book is so sumptuous looking I was tempted to lick the pages. The rich chocolatey brown and sepia tones, coupled with the golden inlay and type, made me feel like Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory carefully peeling back the cover to show a hint of gold below.
Home Sewn
By the New Zealand Fashion
Museum · Reviewed by Jo Drysdall
I still remember the thrill of being allowed to look through my mother’s wardrobe of home-sewn clothes when I was a little girl. As a fashionable young woman, my mother had sewn most of her own outfits: party frocks with fitted bodices and flared, flirty skirts, neat little shift dresses, and tailored, timeless Chanel-style suits. Home Sewn begins with a brief historical overview that places these homemade treasures in their Kiwi context…
Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects & Activities for Dads & Kids to Share
By Ken Denmead · Reviewed by Andy Heyward
I always judge a book by its cover and this cover appealed to me in a blokey, nostalgic sort of way. The orange and yellow colour scheme reminds me of the old electronic user manuals I would find lying around my own dad’s workshop. He was a sparky for the power board and would have countless, unfinished repair jobs on the go to poke around and explore.
Crochet Workshop
By Erika Knight · Reviewed by Jess Soutar Barron
There’s something delicious about an object that abides by the rule of form following function BUT ALSO is beautiful and useful. Books that are thoughtfully designed to work in a practical sense, and inspire in a more abstruse one, are precious because they are the reason why the internet cannot take over completely, libraries will not fade away, bookshelves will always be needed.