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| Crafting in 2020 In our fast-paced, always-connected world, the act of creating is both relaxing and empowering. Many crafters view their hobby as an act of self-care or a way to be intentional about how they spend their time. Crafting can also serve as a means of escaping disposable, fast-fashion culture in favor of a more sustainable way of living. The ability to sew, repurpose, and repair clothing opens up a world of reuse and recycling and helps keep textiles out of landfills. The Craft Industry Alliance, a trade association for craft industry professionals, lists "eco crafting" as one of the major trends of 2020, driven by young adults who are questioning, and often rejecting, consumerism. Eco crafting includes mending and repurposing rather than buying new, purchasing craft materials secondhand, and using sustainable dyes and embellishments, such as eco-friendly glitter. Another trend mentioned by the Craft Industry Alliance is "craft dabbling," where crafters try out a variety of different crafts without taking a deep dive into skills and techniques. Retro crafting remains popular, especially among nostalgia-happy Gen X-ers and Millennials. Punch needle, a craft that was last popular in the early 1980s, is on the way back, and needlepoint is poised for a comeback. Interest in cross stitch has exploded, and books of patterns featuring feminist slogans, tiny pixelated rock stars, and ironic blends of curse words and old-fashioned sampler motifs have captured crafters' attention. Get crafty with these titles |
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| Books on the Air An overview of talked-about books and authors. This weekly update, published every Friday, provides descriptions of recent TV and radio appearances by authors and their recently released books. See the hot titles from the media this week. |
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| Alex George Alex George is a writer, a bookseller, a director of a literary festival, and a lawyer. He was born in England, but presently lives in the midwest of America. Alex read law at Oxford University and worked for eight years as a corporate lawyer in London and Paris. He moved to the United States in 2003. In addition to writing, he owns an independent bookshop, Skylark Bookshop, in downtown Columbia, MO. He is also the founder and director of The Unbound Book Festival. Past guests have included Michael Ondaatje, Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, and George Saunders. He is also a practicing attorney in his spare time. Alex has been named as one of Britain's top ten "thirtysomething" novelists by the Times of London, and was also named as the Independent on Sunday's "face to watch" for fiction in its Fresh Talent feature. Alex is married to the writer, professor, and critic, Alexandra Socarides. They live in Columbia, Missouri with their four children. Check out his books here. |
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| Library Reads May 2020 Library Reads harnesses the value of “library staff picks” into a single nation-wide discovery tool, a monthly list of ten newly released must reads. Check out the top ten books -with the addition of Hall of Fame authors-published this month that librarians across the country love. |
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| Books are a uniquely portable magic.-Stephen King
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