Hey everyone, how are you doing in this fine Election Day?  Always exciting to see what happens right?  

In need of some down time, I settled in for a few hours of relaxation yesterday evening with some really fantastic books published by uber talented bloggers and wanted to give them a much deserved shout out today. 

A huge congratulations to John and Sherry of Young House Love on the release of their much anticipated book:  Young House Love: 243 ways to Paint, Craft, Update, and Show your House Some Love. 

Their personalities pop right off the pages and they are their charming selves inside the book just like they are on the blog. The book is filled with so many easy and inspiring ideas for sprucing up your place, you won’t know where to start! 

This is clearly a labor of love by these two who carried us through their book journey.  I was excited to be a teensy tiny part, you’ll find a dresser project I did a few years ago inside the pages too (thanks J&S for including me, proud to be #78!) 

Interestingly enough, John and Sherry published a post this morning with a lot of behind the scenes details on the projects you see on the pages, it’s a great read alongside their book, be sure to put in on your Christmas list or grab it at your local bookstore and right here online!  

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I like to read before I go to bed each night after I catch up on the news.  After all the serious stuff, I look for something lighter to nod off to sleep to and I turn to design books and shelter magazines a lot.  Here’s a roundup of some of the books I’m enjoying right now. 

An ode to my favorite color is BLUE from the pages of House Beautiful which includes tips on decorating room by room and highlights accessories, furnishings, color pairings, and blue hues expressed in all variety of motifs. 

BLUE explores every shade that’s been used by decorators including paint colors and fabrics, and you’ll recognize spaces by Steven Gambrel, Tobi Fairley, Phoebe Howard, Miles Redd and many other talented designers. 

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Blogging for Creatives is a helpful guide for any person (crafting, food, photography, art, design, etc.) who wants to share their creativity through blogging.  The book tackles most of the basics you’ll need if you’re just starting out including the technical side such as choosing a platform, design tips for your blog theme, and tips on writing good content, monetizing, and promoting your blog.  It’s great for beginners or those who’d like to use their blog to better promote their talents.

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I’ve been a fan of Kyle Shuneman for years (read our spotlight interview here) and I’m so excited about his first book.  Kyle is a master at creating stylish spaces on a budget, and The First Apartment Book is perfect for those just starting out or living in small spaces, and all of us who love clever interior design.

Kyle highlights ten different styles of decorating from Preppy to Bohemian and he coaches you through simple ideas from fabric backed bookcases to repairing chipped furniture.  Congratulations Kyle!

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The other day I sat down to read a book I’ve been wanting to read for a few weeks. The mother and daughter design team of Suzanne and Lauren McGrath have answered one of the most important design questions we all ask about making the right furniture purchases for our home – what are the choices you can make that will last a lifetime?

In their informative book Good Bones, Great Pieces: Seven Essential Pieces That Will Last a Lifetime, they explain in great detail why their seven choices are so versatile and timeless they actually will last for decades and through several phases of life, even if you give them a few makeovers over the years!

I’ve been reading the blog Good Bones, Great Pieces for a year now, and I’m always impressed with this dynamic duo.  Suzanne and Lauren are constantly on the go, hunting down incredible finds at flea markets and antique fairs and featuring the best trends in design.  Their spaces keep popping up in all the shelter magazines too, and rightfully so, these two have fabulous taste!

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I’ve told you before that I hoard paint swatches, but did you also know I hoard fabric remnants as well?  Yes it’s true, I have baskets and bins filled with scraps and yardage of fabric I want to use somewhere, someday, whenever I get around to it. My idea of a perfect afternoon involves a good mocha and a warehouse full of fabulous fabric to admire and caress, and to add to my growing collection – I’m sure there are many of you that feel the same.

I don’t do many book reviews, but I was invited to be part of a blog tour for a book all about the process, or the art I should say, of designing and printing fabric.  Hello, sign me up – that’s one topic I find completely fascinating!  I was sent this lovely text Mastering the Art of Fabric Printing and Design by textile designer Laurie Wisbrun, published by Chronicle Books.

The 200+ illustrative text begins with a primer on understanding patterns from floral to geometric to ethnic motifs.  Various textures are discussed and then we’re introduced to the concept of repeat patterns.  You’ll learn all about mirroring, composition, scale, and layout, etc.

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