Now I can devote more time to my nutcracker. I must think of a name for him. I've almost completed the braid on his hat in Balger metallic--alternating vatican (102) with one of the newer golds (of course I can't remember the number.)
Vero Beach is fortunate to have a wonderful independent book store, the Vero Beach Book Center. It is a family-owned business that has been in Vero for about 35 years (it was here when we arrived in 1981). It has a children's store, a large second-hand area and of course the separate building devoted to new books. They are on the circuit of authors so several times a month they have book signing parties. Another of their features is a rental library where you pay about 6.95 to rent a best seller for a week. This is a great option when I'm impatient to read some of my favorite authors. This past week it was Lee Child's Wanted Man, his latest Jack Reacher novel. When I returned it last Saturday, I remembered to inquire about Kaffe Fassett's Dreaming in Color autobiography. What a gorgeous example of bookmaking. I had to treat myself to it. The paper is weighty (I think clay-based for better reproduction) and the colors are magnificent. It is just great eye candy. I'm letting myself savor the story, reading about 15 pages a day so I can really enjoy his designs. My only carp is and always has been that when he designs needlepoint, he uses too coarse a canvas mesh. He's such a versatile designer.
