book & zines

Jacqueline Myers-Cho got in touch recently to let me know about her new work and a book she has coming out soon.  I’ve been a big fan of her artwork for awhile now, and I’m still ridiculously sad I missed out on this amazing painting.

I had no idea that in addition to her gorgeous mixed media pieces she also makes really cool fabric creations as well, like ruffle scarves.  And not only that, Jacqueline has written a book with step-by-step instructions for cool DIY sewing projects.

It’s called STRANDS: Creating Unexpected Fabrics and Fashionable Projects, and it’s available for pre-order now.  Once the book comes out in December, Jacqueline will also be selling signed copies in her Etsy shop, Bob n Stitch.  This sounds so cool, I can’t wait to check it out!

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I just finished reading Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season.  This stocking-stuffer sized book just came out and it’s filled with tons of great tips on how to go green for the holidays.

A lot of the information covered is basic eco-knowledge, so if you know someone who is interested in learning more about how to go green, it would make a great gift.  (The book retails for about $8, making it an affordable gift idea for friends and family, and it’s printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, so no worries there either.)

Some of the tips were things I never would have thought of.  I loved all of the ideas about how to start new holiday traditions focused on activities with friends and family instead of on sheer consumption.  There were tons of green DIY tips on how to make the holidays more special and how to throw less wasteful holiday parties.  There were also some really great ideas about how to get kids involved during the holidays and how to teach them the real spirit of the season.  (I loved the ideas about starting a tradition of going bird-watching as a family on Christmas afternoon and taking kids to a trash dump to see firsthand where all of that waste really goes!)

In the spirit of giving, I’d like to pass on my copy to one of you. If you’re interested in reading Green Christmas, just leave a comment on this post before midnight on Saturday, November 1, 2008 (Central Standard Time - go here to figure out what time that is where you are). I’ll pick the recipient at random from the comments.

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During the time I was stuck without power following Hurricane Gustav, I finished reading the first two Gaia Girls books, Enter the Earth and Way of Water.  This eco-minded series is written for kids & young adults, but it’s the kind of series that can easily hook adult readers too.

I read them with the intention of passing them on to my Little Sister.  I think she’s going to really like the second book, Way of Water, because this book centers around a Japanese-American girl who gets sent to live with her uncle in Japan.  (The Little Sis is obsessed with all things Japanese, mostly due to manga, but I’m trying to stimulate her interest and give her books and info about other parts of Japanese culture as well.)  I especially enjoyed Way of Water because it explored environmental issues affecting marine life, including dolphins and whales.  When I was a kid I wanted to be a marine biologist, and even as a kid I was very aware of many of the issues affecting these creatures, so I hope that the book can inspire kids today to want to protect our oceans.

I really like these books because they hook you first with a great story but also manage to explore environmental issues in a way that is really approachable and easy for kids of almost all ages to understand.  The first book, Enter the Earth, explained factory farming and Way of Water talked about the Japanese dolphin hunts.  I thought that the second book was especially good because in addition to exploring environmental problems, it also introduced a lot of Japanese culture, which I think is really important for kids.  If they grow up respecting and wanting to learn more about other cultures, it will make them less likely to judge others by the color of their skin and more willing to help protect the lands and cultures of people all over the world.  The more kids that realize from an early age how interconnected we all are, the better off we’ll all be.

I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.  There are still two more Gaia Girls to be introduced (representing the elements of air and fire) and then the story is supposed to bring the four girls together to help save the earth.  I saw a review snippet somewhere that compares this series to a sort of Harry Potter for the eco-set, which I suppose is a pretty good assertion.  These books are really enjoyable, and I’d highly recommend them to anyone with young children (or any reader who is simply young at heart).

Speaking of kids, don’t forget to leave a comment and enter the Pedoodles eco-friendly children’s shoe giveaway if you haven’t already!  This Friday is the last day to enter!

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DIY City Mag’s New Orleans issue came out this week. It’s so amazing to see all of these local artists represented in one place! I was already either familiar with or I’m friends with a lot of them, but some of the NOLA artists featured were new to me too.

I wrote a couple of pieces for it. If you’ve ever wanted to know EVEN MORE about all the amazing things that New Orleans has to offer, check it out. I’m so proud to call this city home and share it with so many incredible people.

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I know I’ve talked about Handmade Nation, the indie craft documentary by director Faythe Levine, here before.

Well, the feature length film is currently on schedule to premier at a 2009 film festival (which festival is still to be determined). The other big news is that Handmade Nation, the book, is scheduled to be out in bookstores this November, but it’s already available for pre-order at Amazon.com. I’m so excited… can’t wait to get my hands on the book or see the full length documentary!

You can catch a sneak preview of the film, check out the blog for updates or shop the Etsy store to help show your support for this amazing project!

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I just finished reading Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style, a new book by Christie Matheson. It was a light, fun read but really informative at the same time. While it covered a lot of the same ground as Living Green, the tone is totally different and Matheson manages to bring up a lot of different topics as well. This is definitely a “chick book”… it reads like you’re gabbing about eco-chic alternatives over organic cocktails with your best girlfriend.

There were a few points that I disagreed with Matheson on, specifically the sections on feminine hygiene products and deodorants, but that’s just the thing that she is always very careful to point out throughout the book… every person has their limits when it comes to making green changes (I certainly have my own that I’m working to overcome). It’s impossible to do it all at once, so we each have to choose where to start and keep working from there to add in more changes. The more you do, the more going green becomes second nature.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. As I’ve done in the past, I’d like to pass my copy of Green Chic on to one of you, just like I did with The Wal-Mart Effect and Living Green. If you’re interested in receiving the book, leave a comment on this post before midnight on Sunday, May 18, 2008 (Central Standard Time - go here to figure out what time that is where you are). I’ll pick the recipient at random from the comments.

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I just finished reading Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability. I found out about this book and ordered it through PaperBackSwap, and in a lot of ways it wasn’t exactly what I expected. (But in a good way.)

For one thing, the book focused on the benefits of living naturally and sustainably more from a personal health standpoint than from a strictly environmentalist one. This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. Everybody knows how bad high fructose corn syrup is for you and how it’s in everything these days. (Apparently it’s even in saltine crackers…I just discovered this earlier today while grocery shopping!) And I’d learned about the harmful effects of parabens in cosmetics through Ideal Bite. But I feel like this book helped me gain a greater understanding of all the crazy toxins that are in so many everyday items. I find myself checking labels and being mindful about the ingredients of what I buy more than ever.

The author, Greg Horn, was diagnosed with “multiple chemical sensitivity”, an illness brought on by all of the toxins that are in the everyday items that surround us. He overhauled his lifestyle to cope with this disease and to live a healthier life. This book is a result of what he learned going through that process. I have to think that ridding one’s life of as many toxic chemicals as possible is something to strive for, especially in a time where so many cancers and diseases have been linked to such toxins. (My mom was just diagnosed with breast cancer in January, so this is something that has been weighing on my mind lately.)

I’d like to pass my copy of this book on to one of you, just like I did with The Wal-Mart Effect. My only condition is that whoever gets it has to keep the chain going once you’re done reading it, and you should pass it on to someone else to read, whether it’s to a close friend or using PaperBackSwap or a similar site. If you’re interested in receiving the book, leave a comment on this post before midnight on Sunday, March 16 (Central Standard Time - go here to figure out what time that is where you are). I’ll pick the recipient at random from the comments.

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One of my best friends sent me Creatively Self-Employed for my birthday a couple of months ago. I just recently got around to reading it, and I found all of the stories and experiences of other creatively-inclined entrepreneurs fascinating and inspiring.

This isn’t a how-to book on surviving as a creatively self-employed freelancer, but rather a collection of experiences and perspectives from different people who all make their living this way. They share their struggles, plus tips on how to deal with all of the challenges that being your own boss brings.

I’ve also been really curious about a similar-sounding book (well, with maybe a little more how-to), Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business.

Has anyone read it yet? I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz on various indie/crafty blogs about it, but I don’t think I’ve read a real review of it yet. If it’s worth picking up, I’d love to hear about it!

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I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately (I blame my discovery of PaperBackSwap). Before, I didn’t seem to have the time to read as much as I would have liked to. Now I find myself making the time to read more.

I recently snagged a copy of Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good via PaperBackSwap. It’s the story of how Newman’s Own got started. I love reading about entrepreneurship and the success stories of people who have gone about their business in a less than traditional way.

Of course, I was vaguely familiar with Newman’s Own, but after reading this book I respect the company even more and really admire how Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner stuck to their guns through the whole process of getting everything off the ground. The book was a really easy read and their wit & humor was evident throughout. (I’m pretty sure I laughed out loud at least a few times.) If you want a dose of inspiration about how a great company can be run and be profitable and do good for others all at the same time, I highly recommend it.

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