5 in 5 - December 2015 - 5 BOOKS FROM MY SHELF

                                         Welcome to '5 in 5' where on the 5th of

each month I post 5 photos that I have

taken in 5 minutes. 

If you follow my blog you will know that making handmade books is a passion; and that I have book shelves and boxes bursting with books. I know I am not the only one, and that many of you love books as much as I do.  So for this months photo challenge I thought I would share some books that I have enjoyed reading or plan to read. In the spirit of 5in5 I gathered five together and set my timer....

The first three I collected from my bedside table:

I read this book and spoke briefly in a previous post about how the KonMari method has helped me. I plan to put the ideas into proper practice in the new year but meantime I can still feel the change. I no longer pile my shopping trolley with bargains or things I fancy but instead stop to think when or how I will use things not on my 'to buy list'.  I look forward to reading it again and decluttering in earnest. Every journey starts with small steps....

My next choice is another book I have read and will come back to. Liz Gilbert  writes honestly about her own journey and experience as a writer, and not only do I love her style of writing but her words are reassuring and resonate with me as a fellow creative. 

And now for something completely different! 

After thoroughly enjoying 'Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children' I couldn't wait for the sequel, Hollow City. It is just as gripping and surreal and a great book to snuggle up with in bed. This book is not a 'light' read, but one I can't put down and don't want to end. 

My final book choices are ones I have not yet read.  I bought 'US' in a charity shop, and it has good reviews:

'An uncanny ability to make us laugh out loud, but also care passionately about his characters'  Daily Telegraph

I look forward to reading this next. When you have a good book to look forward to it makes the ending of another easier.

And finally, 'The Tao of Pooh & The Te of Piglet'. I bought this book for my daughter on her 21st birthday. The inscription inside the cover tells me so. It's one of the books she never took with her when she moved into her own home and one I have dipped into but not read cover to cover.

But I plan to. 

I love quotes and philosophical approaches to life, and sometimes it is important to slow down and breathe gently. It's interesting that the book cover shows Pooh holding on to the end of a kite, gently flying in the air. At an NLP meeting recently I was asked to visualise an image that would help me deal with something I found challenging, and I saw myself holding the string of a kite and letting it go.  I hope this book will help me to keep light hearted and playful, but unlike Pooh, I hope it will also keep me grounded!

One of my aims is to read books I already have rather than keep buying more so these here are a good start. I'd love to know what books you are reading or have lined up.

This is my last 5in5 for 2015. It's a time for reflection as well as celebration and I will be carrying on with this photo challenge into the New Year. Thank you to Eileen, Maggie, Helena and Melanie for joining in last month, and to everyone else who has done so during the year. 

And I'd love for you to join in too! So if you have time to pick up your camera for 5 minutes this is what you do:

 

  1.  Choose a location.

2.  Have your camera ready.

3.  Set a timer for 5 minutes (I use my mobile phone).

4.  Take as many photos you can until the time is up.

5.  Choose 5 photos to download and share by using the link tool below. 

   Please note: 

You have until the 25th of the month to add your photos to the link

and you can take  your photos any time. They do not have to be taken or posted on 5th!

If you'd like more details please go here.



KNIT AND NATTER - GAY DOGS AND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Among the vintage patterns I was recently given were some that triggered memories such as the knitted swimsuits, and thoughts of knitted tea cosies, fashion trends, and socks.    

But this pattern made me chuckle and think of my blog friend Julie Kirk at notesonpaper. Not because she has a gay dog, or any dog for that matter (she is more into zebra's!) but because she has a great sense of humour and I'm sure this pattern would have made her smile. 

And it also made me think of about how the use of words has changed because in a former life I was Brown Owl and one of the Brownies favourite songs was about a kokaburra.  Do you know it?
This was the version in our song book:

Kookaburra sits in an old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Sing Kookaburra, sing Kookaburra 
Gay your life must be. 

I've sometimes wondered whether the words have been changed now that 'gay' has taken on new meaning. I thought I would check on Google. I found an Australian version of the song and discovered this has a different last line: 'sing your song for me'. I wonder if this is the original or when change happened?  What ever the case if you watch the video be warned, it is a catchy tune and might have you singing along or it playing in your head all day!

It also got me thinking about meaning of other words that have changed over time, and at this time of year a phrase you often hear associated with Christmas is:'naughty or nice'. It is the title of a film where Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) keeps a book listing whether the children have been good or bad. Something that has recently been introduced into UK from America is the idea of Elf on the Shelf.  This character moves into the home on 1st December to watch if children are 'naughty or nice' and to report back to Father Christmas. And you can find out which list you are on because I found a list of questions which will give the answer...  don't let on! There is time enough to put things right unless you have been extremely naughty, and you might want to complete it yourself. I did, and apparently my halo is slightly wonky but I am on the nice list. If I tidy my bedroom my halo might straighten!

'Naughty but nice' is also something you might think or hear this time of year. It means something indulgent, that we like but shouldn't have too much of. Christmas pudding or sherry trifle with lashings of cream, for example.  

I started by saying how over time some words have changed meaning. Well, naughty is a word we use to describe something bad. But did you know that once upon a time it meant that you had naught or nothing? 

And nice, a word that we use to describe something we like?  This once meant 'silly, simple or foolish'. Nothing like how we use it today!

I was going to say that the gay dog looks nice in his crocheted jacket, but perhaps I won't. I might go on the naughty list and get naught in my stocking! And if my stocking is knitted it would have started with a clue (or clew) because this word once meant a ball of yarn! If you want to find other words that have changed meaning I found an interesting list and Ted video. 

But right now, I have nattered enough and it is time to tangle with tinsel and put the wool down. Which reminds me? Did you see Kirsty Alsopp's Handmade Christmas this week on Channel 4? I was pleased to see the winning Christmas tree was decorated by hand crocheted baubles and garlands - beautiful!!
If you want to crochet decorations for your own tree I found some patterns and here is another for a knitted Christmas bauble.
I hope your own Christmas plans are taking shape and would love to hear about your own handmade Christmas, or thoughts on how meanings or words have changed.  Thanks for popping by, see I'll be back tomorrow with this months 5in5.