Gnomes, Grannies, Buttons and Shawls

This collection of whimsical stories are favorites that I've read many times.

Did you know that young girl gnomes are taught the "homely arts" by their mothers and neighbor women? They learn cooking, spinning, knitting and identifying animals of prey. Everything a woman needs to know to run a home!  
To me, nothing is better than escaping into a magical place found on the pages of a book (except of course crochet). 
This week I took some time off from my granny square research to enjoy the delightful drawings and endearing stories of the Forest Gnome. But there's always work to be done (for gnomes and humans) so I got started on a granny square dishcloth in happy, brightly colored cotton.

And just to make sure that I have plenty to do...

This week I joined a CAL over at the Crochet Shoulder Wrappers on Ravelry. What a terrific group this is!  I just couldn't resist the Sweet Eleanore Scarf that is on tap for August. You may recognize the yarn I'm using. It's from the stash and it was going to be socks. Since that never happened, I decided to use it for this funky little wrap. I can't get enough of them. The Juliana Mod is also from a CSW CAL.  I stalled a bit in the sweltering heat, but I worked on her during the opening ceremonies and I can see the end is near! If you've never done a CAL/KAL I really encourage you to give it a try. I've gotten excellent tips and pattern explanations from the group, and they're all so nice!

Finally, a book review for my fellow ravenous readers.

Button Holed, by Kylie Logan
Berkley Prime Crime Publishing, NY
September 6, 2011; 288 Pages

Welcome to the Button Box, a specialty shop located in a converted brownstone in the New Town section of Chicago.  Josie Giancola, the young proprietor is quickly establishing herself as one of the country’s leading experts on all things buttons. She has invested her life savings in opening the Button Box and it looks as if her dreams are about to come true.  Hollywood starlet Kate (the Great) Franciscus has picked Josie to find her custom buttons for her wedding gown. This could be the client who puts Josie and her shop on the map.

Imagine her surprise (horror!) when she finds Kate the Great dead in her shop and an antique button hook looks like it’s the weapon. Now it’s up to Josie and Homicide Detective Nevin Riley to figure out who ended the career of America’s sweetheart right before her royal wedding to Prince Roland of Ruritania.

I picked up this paperback while I was packing. I don’t usually read them, but the buttons on the cover caught my eye, and I’m a sucker for a catchy cover. I was hesitant though, because my recent experience with this kind of book has been less than stellar. By this kind I mean mysteries in which the protagonist is the owner of a craft/specialty shop. There are many about knitters, quilters, foodies and the like, but this is the first about buttons.

This book is the first in a new series by Kylie Logan, and I think she really hit the mark. Josie is funny, spunky, smart and human. She’s believable and I could feel her love and obsession for the buttons she has dedicated her life to.  In addition to Josie, there is a terrific cast of characters at play. Some are specific to this story, but others – like Nevin the hunky detective; her sexy, unreliable con-artist ex-husband Kaz; and Stan Marzcak, her fatherly neighbor who’s a retired Chicago police officer are sure to show up again.

Here’s why I liked it: The book moves quickly, and the dialog is smooth and often funny.  There are twists and turns as Josie tries to put the pieces together to figure out who the killer is even though he’s doing his best to stop her. She finds herself in a variety of situations that I can actually imagine happening. And here’s the best part – I never knew who the killer was until the final pages! That is a big plus for me.

When I closed this book I had a smile on my face. It was entertaining. The author was always a step or two ahead of me keeping me anxious to find out what happens next.  I like Josie and the other people in her life. She reminds me a bit of the early Stephanie Plum, the heroine of the Janet Evanovich series. (The movie version of One for the Money was released earlier this year, and  Notorious  Nineteen is due out in November of 2012.) If you’re a fan of Stephanie and her gang, I’d say there’s a good chance you’ll be hooked by this one!

Now that I've had a chance to tell you about my projects, I'll be heading out to link up and visit with my friends on their blogs. These are  diverse, creative and interesting groups and I always find something that takes my breath away. I'm sure you will too!

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Thanks for stopping by. Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!