Reading and Me

Things have been pretty busy chez moi these last few weeks. I got my corruptions all techied out and then it just got busy busy busy. A trip to London, a trip to get the eyebrows fixed and a trip to get the roots done. Its hard work being high maintenance or at least trying to tread water.

It was so busy I really should have skipped Le Challenge this month, it is after all a fun no pressure thing. But a theme of Reading. This was made for me. How can I skip this? I have always been an avid reader, from a family of readers. My mother used to say "you are never alone with a book" and "a good reader never loses her place". I took it personally when I lost my place, she had to persuade me it was ok to lose your place occasionally.








My paternal grandparents read, they put a high whatsit on education and reading. The house was full of Biggles books, and Jennings and Billy Bunter. All rather stereotypical, chauvinistic books for boys. I read all those and then worked my way through the works of  Agatha Christie on Saturday afternoons at Granny's house. My grandmother had 11 children, how she had time to read I don't know with all that baking, cleaning and making clothes, but she did. Last year my father was unwell, I knew he was feeling better when he requested a book on famine in Ireland his mother had read in the 1950s. He was comparing the emigrant's flight from Ireland in the 1800s with todays Syrian refugees. See granny, your theory on reading never being wasted was a good one.

Last year my bestie Liz and I took part in the 52 book challenge. She read 70 odd and me a meagre 38. The website we joined was rather too earnest for us, so this year we just post our books on instagram and write the odd round up blog post.

Hence my make, a little note book to record my reads in. Liz has always recorded her reads, not for her buying the same book twice. Yes, I have done that.


So, my make.... Made from scrapbooking papers. Cut a 12" sheet of card into 3 x 4" strips. Fold the strips into 4 equal pieces. Fold these into valleys and troughs, hills and dips, ups and downs.
Make a cover, slightly bigger and attach. And there we have it, as the chef says on tv.


These are brilliant wee books. I just filled one with photos of my mother for my sister. They make great little birthday card notebooks too. Fill them with favourite poems, recipes, jokes. Whatever you want.



Helen x
you'll find me on instagram @helenmidgetgem and my books are listed on #bookishhelen
linking up with le challenge

Comments

  1. I LOVE your bookcase! I love to read. Though since I started focusing on my quilting and blog I have so let it fall by the way side. I need to pick up a book again. I use to have a few books going at a time. I would laugh when people asked how I did that. My response was, can you only watch one TV show until it's finished? Maybe I'm not in the mood today for a thriller, I need a comedy.

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  2. Such a good idea Helen, I'm not much of a reader myself although I do love books, of the craft variety though.
    Interesting your fathers thoughts on refugees, different times, different reasons...same problems.

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  3. Love the reading record book! Won't take you long to fill it! X

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  4. There has always been a double row of books on the shelves at my parent's house. If I wanted a book as an extra present it was always a yes. Good way for teaching children to love books!
    I ADORE your handmade notebook!

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  5. Love this!! I too am a lover of books. Here are a couple of suggestions for fellow book lovers.
    The Reading Promise, My father and the Books We Shared and
    The End of Your Life Bookclub
    Grab some tissues when you pick these up.;)

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  6. I'm amazed that you have time to read and accomplish so much sewing too. The only thing I was reading last month was a knitting pattern which was a whole different language!

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  7. Like Tish my reading time has been eaten into by my blog time. I still read every single day but usually only for 15-30 min before bed, so it's taking me longer to get through a book. I've kept a list and brief, sometimes not so brief, summary of books I've read (book nerd I am and damn proud of it) for nearly 2 decades, first in coiled scribblers and now on the laptop. I love your little book!! So clever and creative.

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