Ziggy Hanaor

There is an old English proverb that goes "a man without a moustache is like a cup of tea without sugar." In our calorie-conscious age, tea has tended to come sugar-free for many years now, but the moustache is making a comeback! In fashion, in craft and on the upper lips of hipsters everywhere, the moustache--the soup strainer, nose neighbor, lip tickler, face foliage, slipped eyebrow--is back and here to stay. The Inspirational Moustache is a humorous survey of the millennial moustache boom. Edited by Ziggy Hanaor (of Making Stufffame), it features photographs, illustrations, short, witty texts, a handful of moustache-related craft ideas, a summary of key moustache styles (pencil, handlebar, walrus, Fu Manchu, etc), plus funky visuals of such key cultural moments as Movember (i.e. November: moustache awareness-raising month), finger moustaches and of course the World Beard and Moustache Championships.

Taxidermy is back in fashion again. It seems that almost every bar, restaurant or new boutique you walk into these days sports the mounted head of some animal or other gazing down from on high. For those of us who are--for whatever reason--reluctant to decorate our walls with the heads of decapitated mammals, a happy alternative has finally presented itself. Now, using sewing, crochet, knitting and papier-mache--and, in some cases, just cutting and pasting--the spirit of taxidermy can be summoned with none of the morbid overtones. Combining the twin pleasures of craft and taxidermy, "Craftydermy" presents the reader with a cabinet of curiosities to amuse, delight and inspire. Projects include a knitted fur stole, papier-mache antlers, a crocheted moose head and a felt tiger rug. The book is edited by Tracey Benton, a well-known figure in the UK crafting community who runs the Atelier Gallery in Southwest England and has been curating and exhibiting the work of emerging craft-oriented artists--including ceramicists, textile artists and sculptors--for the past ten years. Fun and offbeat, "Craftydermy" follows on from--and has a similar tactile feel to--"You Are Awesome: 21 Crafts to Make You Happy," and is sure to appeal to the gift/craft market.

A young kangaroo called Alexander lives in his mum, Nancy's pocket. Alexander loves his mum, but there's one thing she does that really drives him nuts. She is always putting stuff in her pocket. Alexander tries to keep things neat, but the more he tidies, the more stuff she shoves in there. When he complains, his sister calls him a baby - it's time to leave the pouch anyway. But Alexander loves it in there - it's warm and cosy and smells of mum. Then one day, it gets really bad. Twelve bobby pins, a tube of toothpaste, a bottle of water, a packet of chewing gum, two bus tickets, some keys, a toy car and a cookbook all find their way into Nancy's pouch. And that's just for starters. Finally Alexander's had enough. 'I can't take it any more!' he shouts. 'I'm moving out!' So Alexander moves into the room next to his sister's. They make it all cosy, with a furry blanket and shelves for all his stuff. So it's just like his mum's pouch. Almost. The penultimate spread is Alexander sleeping with all his stuff strewn around him. The final spread is Nancy clearing out her pocket with a wink. It was time for Alexander to go. This is a heartwarming tale about a connection between a son and mother and a journey towards independence, beautifully brought to life.