Book Review: Essential Crochet and Linky Party Idea....

Welcome back to Book Day Monday.
Yes, for the time being, until some other whim takes my flighty fancy, Mondays will be set aside to show you my
favourites from my worryingly enormous craft and interior book stash.

Today's pick is by Erika Knight.
Essential Crochet: 30 Irresistable Projects For You And Your Home
and, oh, it's got some loverrrrly ideas.

If you haven't tried crochet before then, honestly, it's easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. Really it is. It's so quick, and there's only ever one stitch to drop, meaning that if you do drop that one stitich, it's just a matter of slipping it back onto your hook.

The trickiest bit, when you're learning to crochet, is at the beginning, when you crochet the first real line into the chain-stictch row. But, pleeeeeeeeease don't let this put you off.

My tip is to just persevere through the first three or four rows, even if they turn out a bit wonky and wayward, and then you can decide, once you get onto the fifth or sixth row, when things will have have settled down, if this is going to be a craft that calls to you.

Some crafts do call to me and some crafts don't. Knitting - bleurgh - leaves me cold, even though I know plenty of my friends love it. But crochet, on the other hand, I luRRRRRRve.

Now, I don't know about you but I've found it hard to track down crochet patterns that aren't a bit...well, dated. Either dated or fifties-retro vintage, neither of which are really me, though they do look very lovely in other people's homes. I know there are a lot of great sites out there that cover the vintage-crochet thing brilliantly, but it's just not my cup of tea.

What I wanted was a modern take on this rural craft.
I'm after some Modern Country Crochet.

So I've taken it upon myself to source the very best crochet books and patterns that I can find....and then to share them with YOU.  

This book was one of the first I found that has patterns for crocheting items that I'd be lusting after if my eagle shopping-eye spotted them on a visit to a little Oxford boutique.

I've done an honest scour of the book, picking out only the projects that I've made or would like to make, and skipping those that just don't do it for me, and the grand total is
eleven out of thirty.

Here's an exaple of a project that I *won't* be making.

At first sight it looks gorgeous, doesn't it? But the big trick with craft books is to look beyooooond the styling....which I find nigh on imPOSSible.
I'm a total sucker for well-styled craftiness.

It turns out that this is a filet lace cushion.

Much, much, muuuuuuch too granny-ish for me.

But, overall, this book is great. It's THE ONE that hooked me back into crocheting after a long break.
It's proof that there *are* good patterns out there,
it's just a matter of hunting them down.

As always, if you fancy buying this book, I've popped it on my Amazon widget in my sidebar to your right. Just click on the book you love, and you'll be whisked away to the land of book-buying wizardry.....

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I think it's about time to do another linky party, don't you?
I had an idea that I just lovelovelovelovelovelove to bits.

I was thinking to myself, wouldn't it be great to do a post that really defined what I see as the heart of this blog: what Modern Country Style is all about.

And then I thought, I bet I'm not alone in thinking that would be excellent fun to put together.....

.......and then, lightbulb moment, I thought LINK PARTY!!
I LOVE doing link parties, but only if I have a lightbulb moment that gives me a real buzz of passion.
And this is such a moment.
{Stand and behold the beauty of the moment, if you please.}

I'm going to call the party 
Define Your Blog.

I thought it would be so cool to read through a post that really defines what your blog is about. It could be a post that you're extra-specially proud of, or it could be a whole post that sets out what your blog is about.

I'm excited already to read yours.

Now, I'm off to make a party button....

Photos: Modern Country Style

Book Review: Made In France

Hello, my daffydowndillies.

Yup, that's what the market-man called me last week. I am officially a daffydowndillly. It's a country English word for daffodil. Completely and utterly in my top ten list of words.

Now, I've been promising you a book review

for a wee while and today's the day.

I feel it in my bones.

I pronounce Mondays, Book Days.

{It might last a week, it might last two, who knows? Only time will tell how I succumb to the whims of my blog-thoughts.}

Today's book is

 Made In France:

Cross Stitch and Embroidery

in Red, White and Blue

by Murdoch books.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, are you in for a treat!!  

Look how lovely and thick it is.

176 pages of unadulterated scrumptiousness.

This book is perfectly, and I use the word carefully, styled. Flicking through it is like looking through the pages of your favourite magazine (although not if your favourite is Computer Pro, or Scientific American, I should add...).

I don't know about you but all the books I've tried to find on cross-stitch and embroidery have generally been dated and fuddy-duddy. Bleeeurgh.

I want my craft-books to be enticing and seductive.
I want them to inspire me increase my skills.
 I want them to call me on to a better place.

This is one such book. Oh, it's sooooooo deliciously lovely.

This is the blurb on the back:

A little thread, some linen, a needle, a few easy stitches, and more than 50 pretty projects worked in cross-stitch, stem-stitch or French knots - let yourself be seduced by the simple art of embroidery. Elegant and timeless in red, white and blue, these exquisite needlecraft motifs can be used in a multitude of ways to create unique gifts and home accessories.

Oooooooh, you little temptress you.

Of course, I bought it immediately,

sucked into a whole new world of delightfulness.

And now for the science bit.

Because you're worth it. Ha.

At the start of the book, is the teaching. Clear instructions show you all the stitches and techniques you need to complete the projects. Then the rest of the book is split into three parts: red, white and blue.

The red section has a Scandinavian feel.

The white section is all natural linen with delicate white thread. Pure Modern Country.

And the blue section has a definite beachy vibe.

Each of thesechapters has the pictures of the beautiful projects at the front, styled to the nines, and then the patterns at the back.

The patterns are presented pretty basically, with literally only the odd guiding word but because of the great instructions at the start, this isn't a problem.

In fact, I think it's led me onto wanting to create my own patterns, as I don't feel rigidly bound by following strict instructions.

All in all, this book is a little slice of craft heaven. 

Buy it right now

if you know what's good for you....

see over on my sidebar?

I have a li'l Amazon shop that

you can click straight through to

if you so desire to buy this or
any of the other books I've reviewed. 

If you're missing your dose of Belgian Style,
Part 3 begins on Wednesday.
See you there, my daffydowndilly.

{Overkill, I know. I can't resist it.}

Oh, and thank you so much to the lovely Le, at Third On The Right for inviting me to chatter on at her blog last week.

All photos: Modern Country Style

I'm linking to my favourite parties listed in the sidebar.

Book Review: Blogging For Bliss by Tara Frey

It's high time there was another Modern Country book review, don't you agree? ....Today's book in the spotlight is Blogging For Bliss: Crafting Your Own Online Journal by Tara Frey. I was so excited to buy my copy a couple of weeks ago. I've read it cover to cover now so feel I can give you a good overview.

It calls itself 'a guide to crafters, artists, and creatives of all kinds.'

Let's see if the book delivers, beyond the undeniably great graphics....

I've put this on my new Amazon carousel in my sidebar if you want a closer look at more reader reviews or to click through and buy it...

 (which I think I get paid about 2p for!).

Blogging For Bliss is divided into seven chapters. Each of those chapters has a selection of eight or so blogs presented like this:

Each highlighted blog has a general overview as well as a few choice snippets from its author.

It spotlights bloggers such as Alicia Paulson (Posie Gets Cozy), Gabreial Wyatt (Vintage Indie), Emily Martin (Inside A Black Apple), Lidy Baars (Little French Garden House), Heather Bullard (Vintage Inspired Living), and Serena Thompson and Teri Edwards (The Farm Chicks).

One thing I was quite surprised at is the blogs picked to be highlighted. I'd hoped to find lots of new delights to devour but not many of them have really grabbed me enough to search them out...

That's not a complaint exactly, I just thought the choice lacked variety...I guess these are picked out by Tara Frey so it's only natural that they'd all reflect her taste.

Just a little niggle....

Let's take a closer look at the layout, shall we?

The beginning covers all the basics of getting going...

from choosing your platform (Blogger, Typepad, Wordpress...)....

through putting thought into picking a good name and the process of setting up your blog.

Blogging For Bliss doesn't shy away from teaching some basic html, which is sooooo useful for a bit of blog-fiddling. I finally learnt how to add the © sign.

Yes... I did it!! 

Then it moves on to talk through making your blog visually appealing...taking great photos....

designing your banner, cropping and sizing images (in for the iPhoto and Windows)....

choosing fonts....

 and sorting out your sidebar.

Blogging For Bliss talks you through building up your blog traffic via giveaways, Search Engine Optimization, your Blog roll and Subscriber Feeds.

Chapter Seven focuses on linking in your business to your blog. Not in any great detail but the information provided seems pretty sound.

 And last but not least, there's a great resources list for everything blog-related from backgrounds and wallpapers to domain names.

Throughout the book the hints and tips that Blogging For Bliss gives are reinforced by screen grabs from other blogs showing how they've carried Tara's pointers through to their blogs.

Having the theory and practice side by side helps you to remember all that's being said very effectively.

I love Blogging For Bliss and am really pleased I bought it, even if it is a little on the sparse side with useful information at times. Aside from learning how to do this: © ......(don't be surprised if I copyright everything in sight now!!)....Blogging For Bliss starts from the absolute beginnings of blogging and take you through to the upper echelons of the bigger bloggers.

{So....what do you think?}

I had a fabulous weekend getting crafty. I've made a BRILLIANT cushion (even if I say so myself!) out of.....

an old pair of school trousers

and a tea towel....

Can you believe it? I hardly can myself!

I can't wait to share with you how it turned out.....

Until next time, *warm hugs*, have a lovely day.

Modern Country Style book review: Home Design Ideas

Howdy there! I'm hoping you had a splendiferous weekend. It was our wedding anniversary and Mr Modern Country whisked me away for a surprise night away. Oh, I do so love being whisked away.

I do believe it's time for another Modern Country Style book review. It's been a little while since the last one here, hasn't it? I've been so caught up with letting you know about the kitchen. More on that soon, I promise. Today's choice is Home Design Ideas: How to plan and decorate a beautiful home by Caroline Clifton-Mogg (love that name!), Joanna Simmons and Rebecca Tanqueray.

It's another book by the publishers Ryland, Peters and Small who, in my humble opinion, do the very best interiors books and they do A LOT of them! You won't be short of interiors books once you discover this publisher. A veritable feast of loveliness.

Home Design Ideas is divided by chapters into rooms, as you can see:

Each of the chapters has information pages on Design and Decoration, Planning, Lighting, Storage and Flooring (basically, trying to cover all aspects of the room design), as well as specifics appropriate to each room (Baths and Basins, Beds and Mattresses...).

At the end of every section, there are a plethora of styles tailored to that room. For example, the Living Room chapter has a feature on Modern Country Style (yay!), Romantic Florals, Grown-up Glamour, White Nights and Modern Retro.


While the bathroom section has a whole different bunch of styles: Traditional Style, Classic White, Coastal Style and Hotel Glamour:


Herein lies what I see as the problem with Home Design Ideas. Each author has written two or three chapters and the book doesn't feel terribly cohesive from chapter to chapter beyond the ways in which I have described above. The editors have obviously tried to incorporate the basics into each chapter but it's hard to know who this book is trying to appeal to. The featured styles are different in each chapter so it isn't really for anyone wishing to specialise. But it's not laid out in a particularly user-friendly way to allow for beginners to easily find their niche either.


Having said that, the pictures, as ever with Ryland, Peters and Small are GORGEOUS and, on the whole, right up my Modern Country Style street. Restrained colour, very little clutter but obviously loved and lived in (who'd *really* want to live in a show home?). And it's these photos that go a long, looooooong way to redeem the book's faults. In fact, there's so much redemption from the photos that, after getting the book from the library, I ordered it from Amazon.


Don't you just love this desk chair?


Not one of my favouritest ever choices but certainly a keeper.