SEE  YOU SEPTEMBER 20th with New Blog


AUGUST 2016 BLOG

Welcome!  Whether you are joining us for the first time or you are a long time follower I welcome you.

Why Is August, August?

I picture August lying on its side with a tongue hanging out exhausted from the summer heat, hectic vacations, and unfortunate fires and floods. But it has a grander background than that. 

As our month of July, August is named after a Roman. This time it is for the great Emperor Augustus after he defeated Marc Anthony and Cleopatra and became the emperor of Rome. The Roman Senate decided he should have a month named after him.  Since he entered Rome in victory three times and since Julius Caesar had a month thirty-one days long so should Augustus. So here we are, after all Augustus couldn't have an inferior month.  Gee, how scientific!  By the way, that extra day was taken from February so February is stuck with 28 days most years. Poor February!

Now the flower for August is actually two: the Gladiola and the Poppy with lots of meanings: the Gladiola for strength of character, sincerity, generosity, natural grace and for the Poppy eternal sleep, imagination and oblivion. 

Remember the Wizard of Oz when they all fall asleep in the poppy fields? But the poppy like the gladiola is a pretty flower.  Let's forget the opium dens of old and negative uses of this flower and think of the people this

flower has helped.




The August birthstone is the peridot, the light lime, gentle gem that  is also known as the Evening Emerald.  The stone is legended to ward away evil and nightmares, giving one peace and progress in life. It is also considered the perfect gift for a couple's 16th anniversary. It was found in ancient Egypt and called the Gem of the Sun.  Although I'm not born in August I love this gem that reflects different shades of green with a dash of yellow in it.

DON"T FORGET YOUR 20% DISCOUNT.  LOOK FOR THE DISCOUNT CODE IN SOME PART OF THIS BLOG AND CASH IN!




SILK FROM A SPIDER 

This is a story about silk but the famous silk worm will not be mentioned.  How can that be you are probably wondering?  Well just keep reading and discover a fascinating story about another silk-making critter I'm now going to introduce you to. It is a spider known as the golden silk orb-weaver. It genus name is Nephila which in Ancient Greek means "fond of spinning". This spider has existed on this earth for 165 million years with an known fossilized specimen. This species are widespread in warmer regions all around the globe including Australia, Africa, Costa Rica, Asia, and areas of both North and South America.  In the United States they have been found throughout the coastal southeast and from North Carolina to Texas. Rats! I was hoping these spiders could be found in the warmer parts of Arizona, especially where I live in Phoenix.  But apparently not so I can't go spider hunting and find one.

What gives this interesting spider its name is simple: the yellow threads of their webs shine like gold in the sunlight.  This spider use this yellow color to attract bees and in shady areas can act as camouflage. Apparently research shows that the golden silk orb-weaver can adjust the pigment intensity from light levels and color to deeper shades.

Their webs are wonderful creations but due to wind, rain, etc. the spider is kept busy replacing damaged areas of the web. Yes, be careful if you are spying on this spider as its venom is not lethal but can trigger allergic reactions and respiratory troubles or even muscle cramps.  But you know us humans, we have to experiment with "stuff".  And the web of the golden orb spider has received its share of tests.  What was discovered is the silk is strong, strong enough, to be an excellent scaffold material. There are fishermen on the indopacific coasts that roll these webs into balls and throw them into the water where it opens up and catches bait fish.  Ingenious!

Even more ingenious are the experiments to produce garments from this spider silk but it will never be financially feasible to produce silk garment en masse.  Simon Peers, a textile designer and another gentleman in 2004 worked three years with 1.2 million golden silk orb-weavers that were nicely let go after their silk was gathered while these clever men were able to produce a shawl that was on exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in 2009.  A few years later they created a cape, that along with the shawl, were on exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  I don't know about you but I would have loved to be there. Well, with that background on this special spider I hope you enjoy the photos of the cape made the silk of the Madagascar Golden Orb spider.  I hope you are as amazed as I was.

Below in honor of silk, I've listed a number of books on silk of all kinds.  Sorry no books on spider silk.

Cox, Ann - Beginner's Guide to Silk Ribbon Embroidery - This classic teaches how to create beautiful flowers using silk ribbon embroidery techniques that includes foxgloves, roses, hydrangeas, delphiniums, primroses, geraniums, irises, poppies and much more. Only a few stitches are needed to create exquisite designs. All the techniques are explained using step by step photos and instructions. There are also full instructions on how to paint and stencil fabric backgrounds. Suitable for beginners and experienced embroiderers. This classic has been redesigned to appeal to the modern embroider.  $12.95

Editors of Sixth and Spring Books - Noro Silk Garden - Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Noro's popular Silk Garden yarn with this elegant collection. Made in Japan, Silk Garden is a truly unique yarn consisting of 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, and 10% lamb's wool. Featuring sweaters, hats, scarves, shawls, and more, these designs all showcase the yarn's hand-dyed, vibrant colors and luxurious texture.  $24.95

Hansen, Valerie - The Silk Road: A New Documentary History to 1400 - What was the Silk Road exactly? It conjures up a hazy image of a caravan of camels laden with silk on a dusty desert track, reaching from China to Rome. The reality was different - and far more interesting. Our author describes the remarkable archeological finds that revolutionized our understanding of these trade routes. Hansen explores eight sites along the road, from Xi'an to Samarkand, where merchants, envoys, pilgrims, and travelers mixed in cosmopolitan communities, tolerant of religions from Buddhism to Zorastrianism.  This book offers a selection of excerpted primary sources in each chapter. The wide-ranging sources include memoirs of medieval Chinese monks and modern explorers, letters written by women, descriptions of towns, legal contracts, religious hymns, and many other things. A final chapter provides coverage of the Silk Road during the period of Mongol rule.  $49.95

Hanham, Clare - Beginner's Guide to Silk Shading - Learn how to transfer a design, prepare the fabric, frame up and then work silk shading. Learn to create four exquisite designs, featuring climbing leaves, tulips, a butterfly and dog roses. Both beginners and experienced embroiderers will be inspired by this beautiful guide to silk shading.  $15.95




Meller, Susan, Don Tuttle, Photographer, Robert Kushner, essayist - Silk and Cotton: Textiles from the Central Asia That Was - The traditional textiles of Central Asia are an unknown treasure, now revealed in this book. Straddling the legendary Silk Road, this vast region stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Gobi Desert in the east and is home to hundreds of tribes. Whether nomadic or sedentary, its peoples created textiles that related to every aspect of their way of life, from ceremonial objects marking rites of passage to everyday garments to practical items for the home. Author Susan Meller has spent years assembling the extraordinary collection of 590 textiles illustrated in this book. She documents their history, use and meaning.  $60.00


Miller, Lesley Ellis - Selling Silks: A Merchant's Sample Book 1764 - I featured this book sometime ago, but I thought this was an appropriate time to bring it back.  In 1764, British Customs confiscated a book containing hundreds of silk samples of different qualities from French agents who were attempting to sell them illegally in London.  The merchant's sample book acquired in 1972 by the VandA may be this very book, a fascinating record of the 18th century French and English silk industries and their commercial practices. Along side a faithful reproduction of the whole album, Lesley Miller sets in context the role of the book as a marketing tool from the premier European silk-weaving centre of Lyon and as a model for Spitalfields manufacturers. This publication makes accessible the contents of an extremely rare and fragile object. Translations of French inscriptions, identification of how samples have migrated from one page to another, and technical analysis of some of the silks, as well as a glossary and biographical data on the Lonnais suppliers make this an invaluable resource for historians, collectors. and designers.  $60.00

Van Niekerk, Di - Little Flowers in silk and Organza Ribbon - This great step-by-step project book is all about making little flowers in silk and organza ribbon. Using a combination of thread, ribbon embroidery, stumpwork and other techniques, you can produce gorgeous poppies, sweet strawberry blossoms, delightful daffodils and a ring of daisies. Or create magnificent wild roses, chamomiles and meadow grass in 3D, lisianthus and lavender, with butterflies and ladybirds and so much more. For both beginning and advanced . All completed projects are smaller than A4 size and templates of all the original designs are included, with easy0to-follow instructions on how to layer the embroidery and stumpwork to achieve the exquisite three-dimensional effect. She includes an extensive range of step-by-step photos as well as a complete gallery of stitches make it virtually impossible to go wrong.  $24.95 

Yasuda, Anita - Traditional Kimono Silks - This swatch book is an inspiring visual tour of elegant fabric designs using beautiful  historic kimono remnants from Japan's Showa Period (1926-1989). More than 400 photos and detailed captions provide information on motif identification, Japanese history and cultural traditions. The book is organized around favorite Japanese motifs, including cherry blossoms, peonies, maple leaves, bamboo shoots, waves, and clouds. It will be a source of ideas and inspiration for collectors, designers, quilters, and historians. A glossary of related terms, antique fabric resources, and a substantial bibliography point the way to further reading and study.  $34.95

If you want a good story about silk here it is:

Estes, Kelli - The Girl Who Wrote in Silk - The smallest items can hold centuries of secrets. Inara Erickson is exploring her deceased aunt's island estate when she finds an elaborately stitched piece of fabric hidden the house. As she peels back layer upon layer of the secrets it holds, Inara's life becomes interwoven with that of Mei Lein, a young Chinese girl mysteriously driven from her home a century before. Through the stories Mei Lein tells in silk, Inara uncovers a tragic truth that will shake her family to its core - and force her to make an impossible choice. Inspired by true events, Killi Este's brilliant and atmospheric  debut serves a poignant tale of two women determined to do the right thing, and the power of our own stories.  $14.99

POTPOURRI OF NEW BOOKS

Needlepointers Alert!!

I borrowed the picture from Carole Lake's site so I could show you these two great books she and Michael Boren collaborated on:  Twisty Stitches: String Art for Needlepoint:  Vol. I was all about the Amadeus-Jessica Stitches - twisty stitches that are often referred to as "Hilton Stitches". This first volume contains the Amadeus Stitch through the Jessica Stitch.  $54.95
(discount code: Ken16)

Twisty Stitches: String Art for Needlepoint: Vol. II - contains the Mistake Stitch through the Walnetto Stitch. These two volumes are full of curve stitching. As these authors explain this technique was invented by an Englishwoman in 1904, that produces curves and other flowing shapes by means of a series of perfectly straight lines.

As in all the Boren, Lake books there are wonderful directions, color graphs and both are spiral-bound for easy use. 

The second book will be released on September 15th 2016 and if you order BEFORE August 30th the retail price is only $41.95 after that date it will be $54.95.    All copies will be shipped right after the release date on September 2016.


SPEAKING OF JEAN HILTON......

I received a message that a new book is available that combine's Jean Hilton's 18 Little Guys with Tony Minieri's border, Rockaway in a single volume. For years you had to buy these separately and pick one of the Little Guys and now you can get the whole package for only $50.00.  Give me a call and don't forget your 20% discount.  Just find the discount code in this blog.



Bates, Susan - Beautiful Stitches: Over 100 Freestyle Embroidery Motifs - Susan turns her design talent to free-style embroidery. The designs in this book illustrate her love of color, pattern and detail. This book contains over 100 motifs and focuses on a variety of subjects, such as birds, flowers, and

the natural world. She also includes trendy motifs that feature lettering, fashion accessories and travel. The book uses simple stitches, all clearly explained in the tools and techniques sections. The diagrams are in full color and each project is beautifully photographed.  For all levels of stitches.  $21.95

Carlessi, Maria Angela - 3D Origami: 15 cute creatures to making using modular paper triangles - 3D origami is a new and original technique that doesn't require and special skills - just a little patience. While traditions Japanese origami is a well-known technique, this clever adaption uses individual triangular folds to construct impressive, modular designs. Our author shows you how to create a colorful range of animals and creatures. There are 15 projects to choose from including rabbits, owls, squirrels, dogs, cats and even a tortoise. Each project comes with detailed instructions making them easy and fun for papercrafters of all skill levels.  $13.95


Fassett, Kaffe - Kaffe Fassett's Bold Blooms - This renowned textile explores flowers as a source of inspiration for patchwork and needlepoint in this new quilting guide and needlepoint pattern collection. For the first time ever he shares a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating creative process, shedding light on how he creates the vibrant fabrics, quilts, needlepoints, and ribbons, floral displays, and paintings. He brings us a passionate ode to flowers in the form of 18 quilts and 7 needlepoints divided into color moods ranging from neutrals and soft pastels to rich, dark tones. Accessible to all skill levels, the designs on each page will inspire you to see how much more colorful and alive your needlework, quilts, and creative projects can be.  $35.00

Fraser, Stephen - The Spoonflower Handbook - Designing fabric, wallpaper, and gift wrap used to be the stuff of dreams. Only a few select creative got to do it, and it required formal training and significant financial investment. But times have changed, and today anyone with a computer, internet connection, and ideas can upload a file and order their own fabric or paper, printed affordably one yard or more at a time. At the forefront of this revolutionary DIY movement is Spoonflower located in North Carolina. They have produced designs for hundreds of thousands of users worldwide. This book is written for both new and experienced users of this print-on-demand technology and covers everything from equipment to software to working with photos, scans, repeats, vector files, and more. $27.50

Kennedy, Katherine - Alphabets for Swedish Weaving and Huck Embroidery - Adding names and dates to these techniques create a unique one-of-a-kind item that is sure to be cherished for years to come. Whether you are just beginning or have been stitching for years, you will find this book to be an invaluable resource for customizing your hand-stitched pieces for yourself or to give as a gift. There are 11 unique and fun projects in this book plus numerous border patterns that can be used to embellish any number of pieces.  $21.95

Pailles, Lionel - Chanel: The Art of Creating Fragrance: Flowers of the French Riviera - Since Chanel No. 5 is one of the perfumes I love (the others are Ombre Blue, Ombre Rose and Tabu) I had to include this book. Chanel No. 5 has been made with flowers from the same picturesque patch of land between the Alps and the Mediterranean, known as the Pegomas Valley, since the perfume was created in 1921. Every year hundreds of pounds of flowers are cultivated, picked and distilled, following secret traditions. For the first time, the artisanal techniques used to create the world's most coveted perfumes are revealed. The six-volume collection contains a book on each of the main five flowers from which all Chanel perfumes are made - centifolia rose, iris, jasmine, geranium, and tuberose - with the first book profiling the creators and detailing the process. This beautiful and lavish gift set offers a fascinating look into the storied brand of Chanel and the art of making perfume. $200.00 

Summer, Rachael - Stitched Textiles: Birds - Birds are an enduring theme in art and textile work and this book will appeal to any textile artist interested in exploring their design possibilities. Featuring a range of birds including much-loved garden blackbirds, characterful chickens, cute and curious puffins and cheeky seagulls, this book captures these feathered friends in a range of habitats.  It covers the design process itself, from inspiration to final design, and provides information on the materials used and step-by-step demonstrations of a whole range of techniques including dyeing, using dissolvable fabric, using found objects, piecing, and stitching.  This book is broken down into three chapters: Creating character, depicting a scene and Telling a story. Each chapter contains two-step-by-step projects and a gallery of other inspiring, vibrant pieces. The purpose of each chapter is to capture a different aspect of the characters of the birds we love to watch, either in our gardens, as pets, or in the wild. Very much aimed at the contemporary textile artist, this beautiful book is designed to inspire and encourage.  $29.95



Murder, Murder, Read All About It! 

It is so fun to "bump" into an author that is original and interesting with a eye for the different.  I was looking for a particular book and I stumbled over Christine Trent.  Since she writes historical with a mysterious twist I had to find out more about her.  We share similar traits: at three she drove her mother crazy with wanting to be read to ALL the time. Like my mother, Christine's mom got her going on books on her own. Like Christine I have a huge collection of book (not counting the ones I stock for you).  I am jealous of her two-story home library - mine is all on one story. She loves libraries but doesn't use one as she HAS to own books (as I do)so she spends more time at library sales than in the stacks.  I don't own a Kindle or the likes because I have to be surrounded by books and consider them very precious.  Christine too, considers books valuable and has taken the time to add a huge library onto her house.  I love her attitude.

She also writes historicals and since I love them too (and have one with an editor), I had learn more. Her latest mystery/historical series she's written, I've included below. I find the Victorian heroine, an undertaker absolutely fascinating.  Christine thoroughly researches her facts and her and her husband travel to England regularly for her research. She has received wonderful reviews for all her books so I'm diving into the series. If you want to learn more about Christine visit her website: christinetrent.com.

AN INTRIGUING SERIES ABOUT A LADY UNDERTAKER IN 1860's LONDON BY CHRISTINE TRENT


Lady of Ashes - In 1861 London, Violet Morgan is struggling to establish a good reputation for the undertaking business that her husband has largely abandoned. She provides comfort for the grieving, advises them on funeral fashion and etiquette, and arranges funerals., Unbeknownst to her, Graham, who nurses a hatred for America since  his grandfather soldiered for Great Britain in the War of 1812, becomes involved in a scheme to sell arms to the south. Meanwhile Violet receives the commission of a lifetime: undertaking the funeral for a friend of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. But her position remains precarious, especially when Graham disappears and she begins investigating a series of deaths among the poor. And the closer she gets to the truth, the greater the danger for them both.  $15.00

Stolen Remains - After establishing her reputation as one of London's most highly regarded undertakers, Violet Harper decided to take her practice to the wilds of the American West. She and her husband are summoned back to England, where she is honored to undertake the funeral of Anthony Fairmont, the Viscount Raybourn, a close friend of Queen Victoria's who died in suspicious circumstances but his body disappears. She and Scotland Yard begin the search for his earthly remains Violet own investigation takes her from servants' quarters, to the halls of Windsor Castle, to the tombs of ancient Egypt to get to the truth. As Publisher Weekly says, "Rich with historical incidents and details." Mystery Scene Magazine raved, "A book you can sink your teeth into, with characters you'll fall in love with."   $15.00

A Virtuous Death - Queen Victoria, still mourning her long-dead husband Prince Albert, has found solace in John Brown, an enigmatic palace servant who dabbles in the occult and keeps the grieving queen entertained with his tarot card readings. Undertaker Violet Harper is invited to attend one of Mr. Brown's infamous readings, during which he implies that Buckingham Palace will soon be shrouded in death's dark veil. Well acquainted with death, Violet shrugs him off as a charlatan until his sinister divinations begin to prove true.  $15.00

The Mourning  Bells - As one of London's most respected undertakers, Violet Harper has the new duty of accompanying coffins from various undertakers on the London Necropolis Railway for respectful funerals and burials in Surrey. But on her first trips, the mournful silence of the train is shattered by the shrill ringing of a coffin bell - a device that prevents a person from being buried alive. Inside the noisome coffin Violet finds a man wide-eyed with fear, claiming he was falsely interred. When a second coffin bell is rung on another trip Violet grows suspicious. She voices her qualms to Inspector Hurst of Scotland Yard, only to receive a puzzling reply that, after all, it is not a crime to rise from the dead. Is this all merely the result of clumsy undertaking, or is there something more sinster afoot. Determined to get to the heart of the matter, Violet uncovers a treacherous plot and villains who will stop at nothing to keep a lid on her search for the truth.  $15.00

Death at the Abby - While on a much-needed respite with her husband in Nottinghamshire, undertaker Violet Harper is summoned to Welbeck Abbey by the Fifth Duke of Portland to prepare a body. His Grace is known as the "mad duke" and Violet has more than an inkling of why when she arrives at the grand estate and discovers that the corpse in question is that of the duke's favorite raven, Aristotle. Many of the duke's servants believe a dead raven is a harbinger of doom, and the peculiar peer hopes to allay their superstitious fears with an elaborate funeral for his feathered friend. But Aristotle's demise is soon followed by the violent murder of one of the young workers on the estate. Wishing to avoid any whisper of scandal, Violet wonders if the manner of the raven's death might provide a crucial clue in solving the crime.  $15.00

A Grave Celebration - Undertaker Violet Harper and her husband are attending the long -anticipated opening of Egypt's new Suez Canal, which has been masterminded by the brilliant French engineer, Ferdinand de Lesseps. Fireworks, galas, and canal cruises are all part of the planned festivities at stops along the way. But when two men are found murdered, it becomes obvious that there are malevolent forces among the revelers who will stop at nothing to keep Violet from discovering the truth.  $15.00

Other Mysteries to Solve

Bolin, Janet - Seven Threadly Sins - Fashion turns killer in the latest novel of this series. While Willow Vanderling has certainly never wanted to be a model, here she is, voluntarily strutting her stuff in a charity runway show in outrageous clothing, all to support the Academy's scholarship fund. But the lascivious, mean-spirited director of the academy, Antonio, is making the fashion show a less-than-fabulous affair. After Antonio plays a shocking prank on Willow and her friends that doesn't exactly leave the ladies in stitches, he mysteriously winds up dead--and someone is trying to pin the blame on Willow. Now she must do whatever it takes in order to clear her name, even if it means needling around other people's secrets.  $7.99

Buckley, Julia - Cheddar Off Dead - (Undercover Dish Mystery #2)- Caterer and cook Lilah Drake is up to her elbows in deadly trouble in this latest mystery by the author of The Big Chili. The Christmas holidays are one of Lilah's favorite times of the year, filled with friends, family, and, of curse, tons of food orders for her covered dish clients. But Lilah's Yuletide cheer ends when she sees a most Grinch-Like crime; the murder of a Santa in a school parking lots. It turns out the deceased Kris Kringle was a complicated tangle of naught and nice, with a long list of people who might have wanted him dead. And whoever did the deed wants to make sure that Lilah keeps quiet. Now, Lilah's will have to team up with her former fling, Detective Jay Parker. to unwrap the mysteries of a deadly Christmas killer and stay alive long enough to ring in the New Year.  $7.99 

Cahoon, Lynn - A Story to Kill (Cat Latimer Mystery) - A new series from the author of the Tourist Trap Mysteries! Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado hosting writers retreats in the big blue Victorian she inherited, much to her surprise, her carousing ex-husband. The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among the first guests. Cat's high school sweetheart Seth, who's fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat brings on mixed emotions for Cat. But it's her uncle, the local police chief, whom she'll call for help when there's ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun.  $7.99

Cochran, Peg - No Farm, No Foul (Farmer's Daughter Mystery #10) - This is set on a picturesque frame in Michigan, where Shelby McDonald runs a popular lifestyle and cooking blog, "The Farmers Daughter", Shelby McDonald is growing her audience as she posts recipes, gardening tips, and her experiences raising two kids and running Love Blossom Farm in the small western Michigan town of Lovett.  Her peace is shattered when the minister's wife is murdered on Shelby's property during a fund-raiser for a local church. Shelby's good friend veterinarian Kelly Thacker emerges as the prime suspect. Shelby decides to dig in and find the murderer by herself.  $7.99

Coyle, Cleo - Dead to the Last Drop - This bestselling author brings us another mystery in her Coffeehouse Mysteries. When the White House asks coffeehouse manager and master roaster to consult on a Rose Garden Wedding, she uncovers long-simmering secrets that threaten to boil over. First a State Department employee suspiciously collapses in her coffeehouse. Then the President's daughter goes missing. After another deadly twist, Clare is on the run with her NYD detective boyfriend. Branded as enemy of the state, she must uncover the truth before her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness come to a bitter end.  $7.99

Day, Maddie - Grilled for Murder (Country Store Mysteries #2) - Robbie Jordan may have had reservations about the murder victim, but she still needs to turn up the heat on a killer if she wants to keep her new restaurant open for business. Our author is a doctor in Linguistics and an Agatha nominated and Amazon-bestselling author and is a talented amateur chef.  $7.99




Flowers, Jean - Cancelled by Murder (Postmistress #2) - Cassie Miller returned to her sleepy hometown in the Berkshires to start over as the new postmistress. But she soon finds that dead letters are nothing compared to murder victims. With a massive storm about to hit North Ashcot, Massachusetts, threatening floods and widespread wind damage. Cassie is forced to close up the post office along with the rest of the local business owners and residents, who are battening down the hatches and bracing themselves for the worst. Although the storm proves not to be as bad as predicted, fabric shop owner Daisy Harmon is found dead, seemingly killed by a fallen branch. But the police quickly determine that her death had nothing to do with foul weather and everything to do with foul play. After Daisy's widowed husband approaches her to help solve his wife's foul play.  47.99

Gerber, Daryl Wood - Grilling the Subject - Things heat up for bookstore owner Jenna Hart in the latest Cookbook Nook mystery from the Agatha Award-winning author. As the Wild West Extravaganza rides into Crystal Cove, California, Cookbook Nook store owner Jenna Hart is ready to indulge her appetite for grilled and barbecued treats and maybe even try the Texas skip. But when the body of one of her father's neighbors is found the next morning smoldering in a bonfire,
the rodeo revelry is extinguished. Sylvia Gump had acquired plenty of enemies with her practice of illegally encroaching on her neighbors properties including Jenna's dad, who was off fishing by himself and has no alibi for the murder. Now it's up to Cary Hart's dutiful daughter to clear up his name before the killer turns up the heat and rakes someone else over the coals.  $7.99

James. Miranda - Digging Up the Dirt -This New York Times bestseller is back with more of those sleuthing Southern belles, the Ducote sisters.  Angel and Dickce Ducote, busy with plans for the Athena Garden Club's spring four of grand old homes, are having trouble getting the other club members to help. The rest of the group is all a-flutter now that dashing and still-  eligible Hadley Partridge is back to restore his family mansion. But the idle chatter soon turns deadly serious when a body turns up on the Partridge estate after a storm. The remains might belong to Hadley's long lost sister-in-law, Callie who everyone thought ran off with Hadley years ago. And if it's not Callie, who could it be? As the Ducotes begin uncovering secrets, they discover that more than one person in Athena would kill to be Mrs. Partridge. Now Angel and Dickce will need to get their hands dirty if they hope to reveal a killer's deep-buried motives before someone else's name is mud.  $7.99

Sweeney, Leann - The Cat, The Collector, and the Killer (Cats in Trouble Mystery) - This New York Times bestselling author is back. A cat collector is suspected of murder. Jillian Hart and police chief Tom Stewart are enjoying peaceful, newly weeded bliss in Mercy, South, Carolina, until a woman is found wandering the streets one night. She's in her night clothes, disoriented, and carrying a kitten in a tote bag. A search of the woman's house reveals many more cats, a maze of cardboard boxes and a dead man. Although the evidence suggests the frail woman is the killer, Jillian doesn't believe she's capable of such a crime. The dead man had many enemies in town, which means finding the real murderer may prove to be its own cat and mouse game.  $7.99


Maddock, Nancy - Paint the Town Dead - From the national bestselling author of "Basket Case" comes the second mystery starring the crafty and cantankerous Silver Six. Leslee Stanton Nix thought moving to small-town Lilyvale, Arkansas, would be about as thrilling as watching paint dry. But keeping up with her retired Aunt Shrry and her troublemaking housemates collectively known as the Silver Six has proved to be as exciting as it is exasperating. To kick off the grand opening of their craft shop, the handcraft Emporium, Nixy and the Silver Six invite Doralee Gordon to teach a gourd painting class. Doralee's spirit gets squashed when her ex-husband crashed the class with his new fiancee, but things really messy when the bride-to-be later turns up dead. Now it's up to Nixy and the silver Six to use their melons to find the killer before someone else gets painted out of the picture.  $7.99

Vallere, Diane - A Disguise to Die For - No sooner does former magician's assistant Margo Tamblyn return home to Proper City, Nevada to run Disguise Delimit, her family's costume shop, then she gets her first big order. Wealthy nuisance Blitz Manners needs forty costumes for a detective -themed birthday bash. As for Blitz herself, his Sherlock Holmes is to die for - literally - when, in the middle of the festivities, Margo's friend and party planner Ebony Welles is caught brandishing a carving knife over a very dead Blitz. Margo is left to play real-life detective in a town full of masked motives, cloaked secrets, and veiled vendetta,  $7.99

Vallere, Diane - Suede to Rest - The author skillfully blends two mysteries in this smart and engaging tale that will keep you guessing to the end. Her knowledge of the fashion business adds an extra layer of authenticity.  $7.99






I couldn't resist adding this fascinating historical novel: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - Engaging the service of a miniaturist to furnish a cabinet-sized replica of her new home, 18 year old Nella Oortman, the wife of an illustrious merchant trader, soon discovers that the artist's tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways.  This all takes place in 17th century Amsterdam.  The wonderful reviews go on for pages for this first-time writer.  $16.99





Introducing Ruth Kern Books

I hope you enjoyed your visit. If you haven't visited us before I'd like to introduce you to our business. We've been in business nearly 23 years and have set up needlework bookshops at both the ANG and EGA national and regional seminars and other needlework groups as well as being available on the web.

Can't find a certain book? Give us a call Monday thru Saturday at 602-943-0738 and if I don't answer I'm probably in the middle of helping my husband, Mark with M.S. or at the post office mailing books, so please, please leave a message and I will return your call ASAP. Or you can e-mail us at: rkern3@mindspring.com or rkernbooks3 @gmail.com. To reach us  by mail: Ruth Kern Books 7235 N. 9th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85021.  Love to hear from you.

Important!! Don't forget to find the discount code in this blog that gives you a 20% discount on any new book you order.

Have a good month.  Enjoy the rest of summer.  See you in September.

AUGUST BLOG WILL PUBLISH ON AUGUST 22nd 2016
                            SEE YOU THERE!

                     JULY BLOG 2015 

 

 

July is stuck in the middle of summer. We celebrate on the 4th and then on to complaining about the heat and humidity. What would we do without weather to talk about?

July does have an interesting and strange history.  If you remember last month I wrote June was named for a god, but July for a man, Julius Caesar, after he was murdered.  His birth month, Quintilis,  was renamed July. The strange part is Quintilis means the fifth month of the year but as you know our July is the seventh. If you are not confused enough the early Roman calendar had a month called intercalans, that was 27 or 28 days in length and was added once every two years after February 23rd. When this month was included the last five days of February were omitted. Julius Caesar was responsible for a year being 365 days long and for us having a leap year. Thank goodness, our calendar is a little simpler than it used to be.

The gemstone of July is the ruby, fiery red like the heat of the month. In past legends this stone symbolized the sun and because of its glow it was thought that the ruby would shine through any amount of clothing. These legends also said if thrown into water the fiery ruby would bring the water to a boil. Even today the ruby is thought to have amazing properties like stirring the blood and increasing energy of the wearer. (Boy, there are some days I could use that!)

Ruby is one of the four precious gemstones that also include the emerald, the sapphire and the diamond. Natural rubies all have imperfections known as "silk". To tell a synthetic ruby from a natural one hold the stone up to the light. If it is real, the light will shine off the "silk" in different ways.





      PUT SOME COLOR IN YOUR LIFE
                 "Color speaks all languages."       
                                                          John Ruskin                  


Have you ever tried to picture the world in black and white like the old movie? After a while you get used to looking at the colorless movie and you forget it's not in color until the lights go up. Once outside and in the daylight your eyes hurt from the light and color they have been deprived of. In a minute or two the entire world comes back to you; the blue of the sky, the white of the clouds, the green of the grass, and in the colorful signs that surround you. In fact it is almost overwhelming.  How this makes you feel emotionally depends on your culture and personality.

All colors have symbolic meaning and painters, decorators, needleworkers and designers are all very aware of that. Dealing with color, selecting it and using it is not only confusing but scary as well. What if I get finished with the large needlework project I've spent many hours on and am disappointed in the colors I chosen? What if other people criticize what I've chosen?

At these moments what we lack is color confidence - we don't trust our own judgment. (I know, I've been there. Color theory sounds so complicated taking years of study and then the amount of colors to choose from is staggering. What to do? When that point is reached it's time to get in touch with our color confidence. Time to begin at the beginning and ask ourselves first what colors do we fell strongly about? And why. What do these colors mean to us? There is definitely more to color than complementary sections on a color wheel or basic color schemes.

Michele Hufford, owner of Come to the Point in San Rafael, Ca., wrote an interesting blog in her 12.19/12 blog I kept in my reference material because  I found it so interesting.  She writes:

"A few week ago I stumbled onto a fascinating documentary on the Discovery Science Channel entitled, Do You See What I See?
The subject was color; how do we perceive it, and what influence does it really have on our daily lives? As someone whose mission is to put as many beautiful colors of thread into as many hands as possible, the premise hooked me.

The primary color discussed was red. The question posed by several scientists on the program was  are we hardwired to see the color red, or is it a skill we've acquired over the course of

evolution, as a survival and/or pleasure enhancing mechanism?

The experiment that intrigued me the most was conducted by Dr Beau Lotto of the University College, London. He was interested in determining human perception of color vision. He gave 150 individuals of all ages and genders 49 tiles to arrange as they chose. He discovered that participants arranged the squares in predictable patterns based on clues received from nature. The study concluded that an individual's age, gender and social status influence color perception.

I was fascinated by this "piecing" experiment. As fiber artists, we ask ourselves every day what color goes where, and does it work with the surrounding colors. When I asked customers why a canvas would up in the UFO stash, the primary reason was, "I don't really like the colors." Red often proved the sticking point.  The result of many experiments discussed in the program was that the concept of "red" is a learned one. Love it or loathe it, it's part of our culture."

I have a long-time friend who is color-blind. Not just red- green color blind but she mostly sees in blacks, whites, greys and shades of. I can't imagine being unable to see all the beautiful colors we see in the world.  I'll take not liking certain colors as being a minor problem compared to that.  To help us enjoy the colors around us more I've included a number of books to peruse. Hopefully you will find a book or two that will open new doors on your color journey. 


Burr, Trish - Colour in Embroidery - How does color effect embroidery? How can it bring needlework to life? You will uncover the possibilities in this unique, in-depth exploration of color in embroidery. From color selection and blending to choosing complementary colors and creative contrasting and shading, it highlights a variety of techniques for surface and counted thread embroidery projects. More than 200 stitched samples with DMC thread keys, plus color schemes and projects such as roses, fruits, and birds will inspire stitchers.

Dow, Arthur - Composition: Understanding Line, Notan, and Color - This book focuses on harmonic relations between lines, color, and dark and light pattern. This manual has influenced generations of artists. Practical and well-illustrated, it conveys its insights in a convenient workbook format.  $16.95  This book has been a classic since the turn of the 20th century. $16.95


Edwards, Betty - Color: A Course in Mastering the  Art of Mixing Colors - This classic by the author of New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain provides of harmonizing combinations of colors through the use of techniques tested in her intensive five-day color workshops. This book is illustrated with more than 125 step-by-step images including how to see what is really there rather than what you think you know about colored objects as well as the psychological meaning of colors.  $18.95. 

Fassett, Kaffe - Kaffe Fassett: Dreaming in Color: An Autobiography - Nobody handles color better than Kaffe Fassett and his life has been a rich colorful one, in fact it has been called extraordinary and to make a great life better he is a great storyteller. In this book this knitting and textile artist shares detailed stories about his lifelong creative journey as well as hundreds of glorious photos taken along the way.  $40.00

Greenwood, Kathie - 100 Years of Color - This beautiful book features 100 carefully chosen images from the graphic arts, each representing a color palette for every year of the 20th century. Palettes are displayed in a number of ratios demonstrating the different effects achieved when altering the dominant color. Ten palettes per decade gives an authentic overview of the hues of an era. and as a fascinating compendium of 20th century imagery, this book aims to please at more than one level. RGB and CMYK numbers are used with each palette to make them easy to replicate.  $29.99

Opara, Eddie and John Cantwell - Color Works: Best Practices for Graphic Designers: An Essential Guide to Understanding and Applying Color Design Principles - This is the go-to guide for designers as it outlines and details they essential color design skills needed to create skills needed to crate successful, meaningful, and aesthetically compelling designs, Along with hands-on-projects. it offers unique insights into strategy and business when working in the real world with real clients. This book starts with basic information on color practices and fundaments, and then delves more deeply into theory and application on a project-by-project basis. Illustrated with real-world projects and case studies, this book offers a behind-the-scenes take on the design process and the necessary step to go from a concept to final outcome, including the challenges encountered along the way.  $40.00

Tebbe, Friederike - Understanding Color: Hear Green, Think Yellow - This writer and designer invites you to explore various ideas on color and your own personal color spectrum, aiming to promote design competence through a more conscious approach  to color. Practical exercises and pictorial analyses help the reader to gain an understanding of chromatic nuance.  Due in November but can be ordered now.  $34.95

Triedman, Karen - Color - The Professional's Guide: Understanding, Appreciating and Mastering Color in Art and Design - This writer, designer and educator in the field of color design and visual merchandising. This is a comprehensive color manual beautifully illustrated with over 300 color images, also offers informative techniques, examples, inspiration, and exemplary solutions to fit the designer's every need, whatever their discipline. The author goes beyond color theory and into the every changing way color has influenced our choices. Learn how to harness the power of color.  $45.00  Due in November but can be ordered now. 

Vejar, Kristine - The Modern Natural Dyer - Thousands of natural materials can produce glorious color - the cochineal insect produces pink, maroon, and purple, and more than 500 species of plants produce indigo blue. Now in this book, our expert shares the most user-friendly techniques for dyeing at home with foraged and garden-raised dyestuffs as well as with natural dye extracts. Demystifying the "magic" our author explains in straightforward, easy-to-follow detail how to produce consistent, long-lasting color. With stunning photos of the dyes themselves, the dyeing process, and 20 projects for home and wardrobe, this book is a complete resource for aspiring and experienced dye artisans.  $29.95   Due in October but you can pre-order now. 

OUR AMAZING, WONDERFUL HANDS
            "When you do something with your hands, it

              a different thing than simply conceiving it.
              You do it with your whole body"
                    Painter - Gerhard Richter

I've been thinking about hands a lot lately. I'm working on my laptop, writing this in bed.  It is very late and I'm watching my fingers jump from key to key taking orders from my brain to hit the right keys time after time. (Well, nearly all the time. Once I think about typing -oops! The fingers begin making mistakes.) It got me thinking about all the things hands can do and how I take mine for granted.

Hand do all the work: plant a garden, drive a car, hold a baby, paint a picture, cook a meal, do needlework and wash the dishes (that's one I could do without). The brain thinks of new ideas, remembers and sends messages but the hands create what the brain dreams about: architects draw plans, writers write, artists draw, musicians play, surgeons operate, and needleworkers stitch.

I've always liked to look at other peoples hands. Some are work-worn, some are well-manicured, some are slim, others plump, some crippled, but all beautiful.  I dream of all the hands down through the centuries. 

When I was studying anthropology and archaeology I was fascinated by ancient man's habit of making handprints on the walls of caves. I could visualize them standing back from their print and saying that's me! After all, they had no pictures of themselves to look at.  Maybe they could see their reflection in the water but to see part of themselves on the wall must have been incredible to them. A kind of magic.

I read an article in an old National Geographic about decoding hands on the walls of 30 caves in East Kalimantan, Borneo, that have some kind of coding on them.  Some hands are linked together or separate and have some kind of dashes and dots and lines signifying the researchers have no answer for as yet. Some hands are connected by long curving lines to stitch figure people or animals. One researcher thinks it might be family lines or some type of connection to each other. They do know the pictures date back over 10,000 years ago and are found in the highest, most dangerous caves to reach.  Perhaps the hands are symbolic of bravery and initiation rites.  We can only imagine.  If you want to read the article: Hands Across Time: Exploring the Rock Art of Borneo it is in the August 2005 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

To learn more about our amazing hands I've included two fascinating books on the hand, how it works and its care and repair.  We shouldn't take such a gift for granted.

Wilgis, E.F. Shaw - The Wonder of the Human Hands: Care and Repair of the Body's Most Marvelous Instrument - This book put out by John Hopkins University Press with sixteen experts from the renowned Curtis National Hand Center combines interesting anecdotes with scientific explanations as it examines the unique role that the hand has in relationship to the very nature of being human. This is a great layman read that is of interest of needleworkers, musicians, artists, and anyone that wants to prevent problems of the hand or find treatments for hands.  $24.95

Wilson, Frank S. - The Hand: How Its Use Shaped the Brain, Language, and Human Culture - The author was an early contributor to the development of performing arts medicine in the United States and Europe in the 1980's. Dr. Wilson, a neurologist, makes the striking claim that the unique structure of the hand its cooperation with the brain are the reasons why "Homo Sapiens" became the most intelligent animal on the earth. Since the publication of this book Dr. Wilson has presented his work and his ideas at national meetings of many professional organizations, and to a wide community of artists and educators who share the opinion that the human hand and brain are an anatomically and behaviorally integrated system - biology's not-so-secret formula for individual human intelligence, creativity, and autonomy.  $17.00   (Discount code: Paul17)

AND WHEN IT COMES TO HANDS NO ONE USED OR DREW HANDS BETTER THAN M.C. ESCHER

Maurtis Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) born in the Netherlands was a genius in graphic design and famous for what have been referred to as "impossible constructions.  While he lived he drew over 440 lithographs, woodcuts and engravings, as well as 2000 plus sketches and drawings all with his left hand as did the famous artists Michelangelo and Leonardo de Vinci.

But Escher didn't stop there. He also illustrated books, murals, postage stamps and even designed tapestries. He was a high school failure but when on to the School for architecture and Decorative Arts in Haarlem, Netherlands. After he finished his schooling, where he was recognized for his graphic works, he traveled throughout Italy and ended up living in Rome until 1935.

After a visit to the Alhambra in Spain in 1922 he became obsessed by the regular division of plane and "played"

 

with that concept and drew an astonishing 137 Regular Division Drawings in his lifetime.

His work is magical and marvelous and shows us a different way of looking at our world.  I'll let his drawing speak for themselves.  By the way, a number of his designs are available on line for needlework. 


Escher, M.C. - M.C. Escher: The Graphic Work - The graphic genius of this Dutch artist showcases impossible staircases to tessellated birds. He crafted a unique graphic language of patterns, puzzles, and mathematics. His work is at the same time decorative and playful, toying constantly with optical illusions and the limitations of sensory perception. His early works were focused on landscapes and nature that were regularly exhibited. It was on a trip to the Alhambra Palace in Spain in the 1920's he discovered his niche while sketching the patterns of the palace's Moorish architecture and became captivated by the codependency of forms within and next to each other. This book taps into Escher's brilliant mind with key works from his restless investigation of image and perception. You'll find fish morphing into birds, lizards crawling off the page, infinite mazes, and some of the most-mind-bending images of 20th century art.   $14.99

Schattschneider, Doris - M.C. Escher: Visions of Symmetry - This classic done originally in 1990 is the most penetrating study of Escher's work in existence, and the one most admired by mathematicians and scientists. It deals with one powerful obsession that preoccupied Escher: what he called the regular division of the plane.  $42.50

Taschen, Angelika - Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher - Long before the first computer generated 3-D images, Escher was a master of the third dimension. His lithograph "Magic Mirror" dates as far back as 1946. Mathematician Bruno Ernst visited Escher every week for a year, systematically talking through his entire uvre with him and gave Ernst access to the life and conceptual world of Escher. Escher's work refuses to be pigeonholed whether scientifically, psychologically, or aesthetically alone cannot do it justice. The question remains. Why did he create the pictures? How did he construct them? What preliminary studies were necessary before he could arrive at the final version? And how are the various images Escher created interrelated? This book, complete with biographical data, 250 illustrations, and explications of mathematics of mathematical problems, offers answers to these and many other questions.  $14.99

Watson, McCarthy, et al. - M.C. Escher Pop-Ups - Produced in association with the Escher estate, this book presents some of the artist's most intriguing works in original three-dimensional pop-ups. These marvelous paper constructions allow us to appreciate in new ways the artist a impossible geometry and his themes of infinity and paradox. The book also features quotes from Escher on the original pieces of art as well as reproductions of a number of his other works. 

EMBROIDERY CALENDAR FOR 2017

Yes, its only July but the next year is taking  giant steps
towards us. I can hear the thunder of his boots coming nearer.
To get us embroiderers ready for the new year a new calendar is now available. Stunning originality elevates Australian artist Meredith Woolnough's embroidery to fine art as she recreates nature's patterns and inspires us to rejoice in the world's simple beauties. The calendar, Embroidered Nature 2017 wall calendar,  features twelve dazzling embroidered specimens, including the alluring "Coast Pennywort" on the cover. Also included are: "Golden Ginkgo Square," "Amazonian Water Lily," "Scribbly Gum Leaf," and more. To create these extraordinary, intricate motifs, Meredith uses the simplest setting on her sewing machne to cover water-soluble fabric with layers of thread. As she stitches more layers, the work grows into remarkable 3D structures. Dissolving the soluble base then transforms the machine embroidery into delicate, awe-inspiring artwork.  $14.99


POTPORRI OF NEW BOOKS 

Kemball, Deborah - Euphoria Tapestry Quilts: 40 Applique Motifs and 17 Flowering Projects - Create a quilted tapestry of sumptuous flowers with Deborah who teaches you to applique 40 realistic flowers and 17 sophisticated projects like pillows, table runners, wallhangings, and bed quilts. Hand stitch motifs from her award-winning Euphoria quilt, or mix and match flowers to create your own detailed masterpiece. With clear instructions and helpful photos, this collection includes full-size patterns and others that are ready to enlarge on a photocopier.  $29.95

Kemball, Deborah - Twilight Garden Quilts: 2 Wall Hangings, 22 Flowers to Applique - Tips for Silk and Cotton - Juxtaposed against dark backgrounds, the florals featured on these two patterns pop. Create a variety of lovely silk or cotton quilts with 2 full-size applique patterns featuring curving blooms, petals and vines. Plus, you can use the blocks individually from the 9-block quilt to make pillows, table runners, smaller quilts.  Complete instructions and 2 full-size patterns for wallhanging quilts, 22 floral elements linked in flowing elegance. Use any applique method you choose: hand or machine, turned-edge, or raw edge, instructions are given for hand applique using freezer paper templates.  $17.95


Kubiniec, John - A New Spin on Drunkard's Path - He includes 12 innovative projects and simple techniques where he goes even beyond the basics and discover how using pre-pieced units like rail fences, half-square triangles, and sixteen-patches can completely change the Drunkard's Path look. Take it a step further with creative sashing and add-ons to alter the finished layout. The end result looks complex but is actually easy to sew. $24.95

Robinson, Rosi - Creative Batik - Learn how to create beautiful batik designs and pictures by a world-wide expert. She teaches all the techniques required through 9 step-by-step projects. From making simple marks and drawing with wax to dipping and painting with dyes, etching cracking, discharging and more, this boo contains all you need to create beautiful batik. The history of batik set the scene and then there is detailed advice on all the materials and preparations required. There is artistic advice on using color and how to use hard wax, stamps and brushed through a series of neat projects. Skill are built with each project and all templates are provided. A gallery of beautiful batik artworks provides inspiration for beginners and experienced artists alike.  $19.95

Vogelsang-Eastwood, Gillian - Encyclopedia of Embroidery from the Arab World - The author is the director of the Textile Research Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands has brought us the first reference work to chart the history of embroidery from Ancient Egypt to the present day and to offer an authoritative guide to all the major embroidery traditions of the region. It maps the diversity of embroidery from the Maghreb to the Gulf states, from Turkey to Sudan; traces the impact of trade, commerce, politics and religion on the materials, colors, styles and fashions; introduces the embroiderers, their materials, equipment and techniques; and highlights the artistic and design influences of embroidery, thorugh to its use by modern fashion designers. Richly illustrated with 850 images (750) in color of clothes, accessories, cushions, bed linen, curtains, floor covering and wall hangings, may of which have never been published before.  $299.00  (10% discount only)

Mystery Corner 

MYSTERIES  WITH A PAST BY BRYNN BONNER

Yes, Brynn is a woman, not a man and an interesting writer. This is only one of two pen names she has written under. Her other pen name is Ellen Harris but her "real" name is Brenda Witchger. She writes she grew up in Alabama and now resides in North Carolina. She's been a mother, high school teacher, and a university professor before she took up her pen and wrote. All her fiction reflects her southern heritage and if you like character driven stories Brynn is your writer. She emphasizes her characters and their relationships and place in this world.

Her series below features a female genealogist whose field of expertise teaching the proper methods in keeping family history scrapbooks.  I will be checking this out as I have tons of family history I need to organize - all I need is time!  Brynn put out a call on her website (where she gets posts) for old love letters from the war years. If you have any she'd love to hear from you.  I've got tons. My parents wrote to each other since they were teenagers and all through the war after they were married.  I find it strange to read about myself as a little girl and learning about when I learned to walk, talk, and lots of other things I did (not all angelic!).  Her website is: brendawichger.wordpress.com.

If you are into family history I hope you enjoy her books.

Death in Reel Time (Family History Mysteries) - When Sophreena McClure and Esme Sabatier are hired to trace the family tree of Olivia Clement, they think the job will be an easy on.  But then Olivia's son-in-law is murdered. As the investigation begins, an ill wind of suspicion sweeps through the small town of Morningside, North Carolina. And as Sophreena and Esme delve into Olivia's family history to find out more about her father's disappearance back in the 1940's they discover that the events of the past are proving to shed light on the present.   $7.99 



Picture them Dead - This family history mystery- When genealogists Sophrenna McClure and Esme Sabatier are called on by Detective Jenny Jeffers to help figure out who the corpse in the backyard of her father's house is, they reluctantly agree. Known for figuring out the unusual, these two and do their best to uncover the mystery behind the corpse, and the glass coffin he's buried in. This leads to people of Morningside to adopt the corpse and begin leaving mementos for him. But when the body of a young woman is found near the memorial, the duo has another task on their hands: to dig into the past of the house's previous owners. Could the clues to a recent murder finally help this soul rest in peace?  $7.99


Dead in a Flash - Family History Mystery- It is not just politics as usual when genealogists Sophreena McClure and Esme Sabatier are hired to create scrapbook tributes for a former North Carolina senator's intricate family heritage and illustrious career. Sifting through the ashes of his past, they discover his baby brother perished in a suspicious fire that burned down his childhood home. Still saddened by his late parents steadfast conviction contrary to the evidence that the fire was to cover up a kidnapping, the senator wants this rumor put to rest once and for all. So with only snapshots of the evidence, the two are determined to smother all speculation about the decades-old tragedy. The party lines are drawn when a shocking present-day murder turns up new candidates for the crime including some suspects from the senator's inner circle.  $7.99


IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR FAMILY TREE YOU
MIGHT WANT TO PERUSE THESE

American Genealogical Research - How to Trace Your Family Tree - This hands-on guide for neophyte genealogists explains everything you need to know to trace your family - including how to begin, where to go for help, and how to organize your findings.  $19.95






Chater, Kathy - How to trace Your Family Tree: Discover Your Personal Roots and Heritage: Everything From Accessing Archives and Public Record Offices to Using the I -
This book offers accessible and clear advice on discovering your family's history in the UK, explaining the best research techniques, and the processes of tracing and finding ancestors. Unlock the secrets of your family heritage with this expert guide to geneology.  15.95

Poplar Books - Our Family Tree: A History of Our Family - This leatherbound  hardcover book engraved with a beautiful copper-colored tree will become an invaluable keepsake for any family. A family record is more than names, dates, and places. It is about peoples what they did, the "why" and "how". This book is designed so you can record forever, in one volume, the history of your family and your ancestors. With sections for the origins of your family, family photos, and memorable events. Also a section on how to obtain records, and what institutions are available for further assistance.,  $9.99



NOW ON TO MORE MYSTERIES




Adams, Ellery - Murder in the Secret Garden (Book Retreat Mystery) - There is a hidden garden bordering the  grounds of Jane Steward's book-themed resort -  a garden filled with beautiful but deadly plants such as mandrake and nightshade. Tucked away behind ivy-covered walls and accessible only through a single locked door, as described in the pages of Frances hodges Burnett's classic novel, the garden is of special interest to Jane's current group of guests. The Medieval Herbalists. But when one of them turns up dead, Jane must discover whether a member of the group has come to Storyton Hall to celebrate their passion for plant lore or to implement a particularly cruel means to murder. With thousands of books at her disposal, Jane believes she has the p roper materials to solve this deadly problem. If she's wrong, however, she may lose something far more precious than the contents of Storyton's secret library.  $7.99

Cass, Laurie - Cat with a Clue - (Bookmobile Cat Mystery) - The national beselling author of "Pouching on Murder" returns as librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat Eddie discover there's a true crime story unraveling in their own nonfiction section when she discovers upon a body. Authorities identify the woman as an out-of-towner visiting Chilson for her great aunt's funeral. What she was doing in the library after hours is anyone's guess. Luckily, Minnie and Eddie are traveling the county in their bookmobile, and they'll stop at nothing to find the spineless killer before the final page is turned on someone else.  $7.99  This has been a best-selling series.


Cox, Bryan - Death Among the Doilies (Cora Crafts Mystery #1) - For thirty-something blogger Cora Chevalier, small-town Indigo Gap, North Carolina, seems like the perfect place to reinvent her life. Cora is pouring her talents and most of her savings into a craft retreat business, with the help of her close pal and resident potter Jane Starr. Between transforming her Victorian estate into a crafter's paradise and babysitting Jane's daughter, the new entrepreneur has no time for distractions. Especially rumors about the murder of a local librarian.  But when Jane's fingerprints match those found at the grisly crime scene, Cora not only worries about her friend, but her own reputation. She must rely on her creative chops to unlace the truth behind the beloved librarian's  disturbing demise.  The author is an award-winning writer and poet.  $7.99

DiSilverio, Laura - The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala (Book Club Mystery) - One sleuthing book club finds themselves in the midst of a gothic-esque mystery as they read Du Maurier's "Rebecca" in the lasts from the author of "The Readaholics and Poirot Puzzle." Reading the gothic classic "Rebecca"  already has the Readaholics spooked, and the chills only get worse when someone in town actually gives up the ghost. Amy Faye Johnson has her hands full coordinating the Celebration of Gothic Novels in Heaven, Colorado. The festivities start off smoothly, but the weekend is soon cursed with large egos, old resentments, and uninvited guests. Matters become truly grave when a dead body is found at the gothic-themed costume party. The out-of-town authors claim not to know the victim, but Amy-Faye has doubts. With skeletons turning up in all of the suspects closets, Amy-Faye and the Readaholics must tap their knowledge of gothic literature to find a killer who lurks in the shadows.  $7.99

Hollis, Lee - Death of a Pumpkin Carver (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries) - For Hayley Powell, food and cocktails columnist for the "Island Times," Halloween is all about costume parties and holiday treats until a killer crashed the party. The haunted holiday is about to get a whole lot scarier after Danny's (her ex) moonshine making uncle is found lying dead next to a tombstone in a cemetery and Danny quickly becomes a prime suspect. To prove her ex is innocent, Hayley will have to dig deep into her own bag of tricks to unmask the real culprit before anyone else including her ends up in the graveyard. Includes seven delicious recipes. By the way, the author is actually two people - a brother and sister writing team. Both have won awards for their writings. $7.99

Holmes, Julianne - Clock and Dagger - (Clock Shop Mystery 2) - Expert clockmaker Ruth Clagan has another murder on her hands. Ruth has three days to pull off four events including the grand reopening of Cog and Sprocket, the clock shop she inherited from her grandfather so she doesn't have time for Beckett Green's nonsense. The competitive owner of a new bookstore, Green seems determined to put other businesses "out of business" by also carrying their specialty items. He's trying to steal Ruth's new watchmaker, Mark Pine, not to mention block her plans to renovate the town clock tower. When she discovers mrk's body Ruth needs to watch her back as she investigates on her own. Despite the danger, Ruth won't stop until the killer is behind bars and serving time.  $7.99

Kelly, Diane - Death, Taxes, and a Satin Garter: A Tara Holloway Novel) - Can IRS Special Agent Tara Holloway break up a clever ring of tax cheats who love money, dishonor the IRS, and disobey the laws of justice. When Tara agreed to be her best friend's maid of honor, she knew it would be a ton of work. But planning a bachelorette party is a piece of cake compared to her latest mission for the IRS. Her target is radio host Florence Flo Cash, star of the Flo Cash Flow Show. Not only has Flo been giving her listeners shady advice, she's set up an elaborate barter system that leaves Uncle Sam out of the equation and Tara tied in knots. The author is a former state assistant attorney general and tax advisor.  $7.99 

Martin, Nancy - Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything -  In this delightful series debut, Sunny McKillip lands in Texas-sized trouble caring for Miss Ruffles, the small dog who inherited a large fortune when her owner was murdered. Suddenly Miss Ruffles is in grave danger and it is up to Sunny to protect her at all cost. With a killer on the prowl and a handsome cowboy lawyer and an eye on her every move there's clearly more to Honeybell's death than Sunny could have imagined. Nancy Martin has been nominated for the Agatha Award.

Meier, Leslie - Candy Corn Murder (Lucy Stone Mystery) - When the remains of her husband's friend Evan are found in a truck opened by a catapulting pumpkin, Lucy Stone must investigate to prove her husband innocent and find the real murderer.  $7.99




Vallere, Diane - Silk Stalkings (Material Witness #1) - Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe can get tangled up in textiles, but it is murder that really throws her for a loop. The time has come for San Ladron, California's annual Miss Tangorli beauty pageant, and poly has agreed to use Material Girl's inventory of shimmery silks to create embellished gowns fit for a crown. But when millionaire Harvey Halliwell the man who revived the city's citrus trade with his imported tangorli tree is found dead days before the pageant contestants are announced, something sour takes over the town. To make matters worse, her friend, mechanic Charlie Brooks, is soon caught up  in the crime, having been seen in the company of the cases's prime suspect. Now Poly's on a mission to squeeze out the truth. But as she searches for a pattern, the killer seems intent on cutting up the evidence.  $7.99




WELCOME TO RUTH KERN BOOKS

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