Skye Rogers - Hardback Harper Collins - NZ $49.99 A$45.00
Skye Rogers has been an illustrator for a good part of her adult life. But the long apprenticeship to her career was her childhood passion: she has been drawing on, cutting up, stamping on and pasting bits of paper together since she was very young. Not so long ago, Skye Rogers spent a whole summer sitting around her lounge room cutting and pasting and drawing and sewing like a woman possessed! Some of the looks she received were on the ‘astonished’ side: this wasn’t productive, this wasn’t what a grown woman should do, this wasn’t ‘making money’. From her fever of creativity that summer came her burgeoning little business, Skye’s The Limit, a unique range of stationery and gifts, each product created with Skye's unique sense of style. As her business grew and expanded, Skye was often asked, ‘How did you come up with/do that?’ Realising that there are so many people out there wanting a few tips on bringing some ideas together in an easy-to-follow fashion, Skye started collecting projects that she had admired or completed herself over the years and developed them into a beautiful book of 30 paper craft projects to do at home to help and inspire others in their creative journey.
Paper Bliss has fantastic paper craft projects for all levels: from those at ‘infants school’ and only at paper-aeroplane level to more advanced projects for ‘paperians’ to get their teeth into, to those at paper high school who want to advance their skills with some more complex and elaborate projects. With some easily sourced items: scissors, cutting blade and mat, glue, fancy fasteners, paper punches, needle and thread and some found, pre-loved, new, hand-decorated, plain or recycled paper, there are hours of fun to be had with these projects. Whether it’s the simple completion of something that inspires you, a gift for a special friend or spending part of a day with the kids away from more pressing demands, you might be surprised by what you find.
About the Author:
A lifelong illustrator, Skye admits she has been doodling since she was a very young kid. It was, she says, the only thing she was good at. A self-confessed self-taught artist, Skye has developed her own style over the years, and in late 2007 she began her own business, Skye’s the Limit (http://www.skyesthelimit.com.au/), printing her designs onto lovely quality card from her desktop printer. Today her uniquely illustrated work graces everything from cards, stationery and soap packaging, and is licensed to many companies worldwide, including Waterstones in the UK. Skye lives in Sydney. Her greatest joy is still playing with bits of paper.
I bought the above stunning book at the superb Potts Point Bookshop
Crown Street Cooks is a beautifully photographed, high quality 200 page cookbook showcasing the recipes of talented home cooks and world-famous chefs Mark Best, Kylie Kwong, Bill Granger, Alex Herbert and Luke Nguyen. More than 25 other local restaurateurs and cafés have also thrown their support behind the book.
Published as a fundraiser for the historic Crown Street Public School, in the heart of the Surry Hills restaurant precinct, all money raised will go towards buying much-needed equipment for the school. Plus, $1 from each sale will be donated by the school to the Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Support Program, also on Crown Street.
I can warmly recommend the fig & prosciutto salad - recipe on page 78. Next I am going to try the mango and prawn salad!
Published by Crown Street Cooks Pty. Ltd. A$34.95
Bought at The Bay Tree, 40 Queen Street Woollahra