Home, Garden, and DIY
November 2020
Be the best you with our Personal Development Reading Guide
Are you trying to lead a more healthy, sustainable life, or attempting new challenges and hobbies? Librarians recommend great reads to help you in the important work of being your best self.
  • Find great reads in our Personal Development Reading Guide
 
Recent Releases
The new gardener's handbook : everything you need to know to grow a beautiful & bountiful garden
by Daryl Byers

An expert from the New York Botanical Garden provides a comprehensive overview of gardening basics about soil, plant selection, propagation, planting and mulching, watering and feeding, pruning, and weeds, pests and diseases.
How to detox your home
by Lisa Butterworth

Looking for chemical-free ways to clean and maintain your home? Curious about incorporating non-toxic products into your daily routine? Full of alternatives to environmentally unfriendly items that might be in your cupboards, unique recipes for creating your own products, checklists for detoxing each room, this book will help you make informed decisions about how to sustainably nourish your home and lifestyle. 
Children's birthday cake book: Celebrate childhood memories with this 40th anniversary edition of Australia's treasured book of children's birthday cakes
by Book Author

A generation of Australian and Kiwi children have grown up with the cakes from the Australian Women's Weekly and this anniversary edition is full of ideas and birthday cake favourites.
The beauty of home: Redefining traditional interiors
by Flanigan, Marie

Marie Flanigan's interiors are timeless and soulful and yet reflective of her client's individual stories. There are nine elements that define her work, including archi­tecture, illumination, composition, and surprise. 
Sew a bag: A beginner’s guide to hand sewing
by Amy Karol

Sew a Bag introduces readers to hand-sewing, focusing on the basics and the techniques most applicable to sewing that can then be extended to a wide variety of projects in the future. 
The modern cottage garden: A fresh approach to a classic style
by Greg Loades

A look at the traditional cottage garden and ways to create a modern twist by mixing traditional plants with grasses and perennials.

 
Creative woodburning: Projects, patterns & instruction to get crafty with pyrography
by Bee Locke

This book features: an introduction to pyrography and the tools you need to get started ;expert advice on how to choose the right materials and how to create a safe working environment ;20 projects, including a jewelry box, a cutting board, a wooden egg, a clock, and a gourd birdhouse ;more than 180 patterns, from animal and nature designs to borders and geometric and decorative shapes ;techniques for shading, adding color, and sealing your projects.
A table for friends: The art of cooking for two or twenty
by Skye Mcalpine

Sunday Times columnist and cookery author Skye McAlpine shares the secrets to her stylish and relaxed way of hosting, setting you up for success whether you're cooking for two or twenty. There are recipes for every occasion under Stars, Sides, Sweets and Extras. f
Grow yourself healthy: Gardening to transform your gut health all year round
by Marianne Majerus

Find out how to grow 50 vegetables, fruit and herbs to maximise their nutritional value. This includes 11 easy projects, with planting plans and best varieties and 13 recipes for fermented foods to multiply the benefits and enjoy all year round. 
Living with wood: A guide for toymakers, hobbyists, crafters, and parents
by Seri C. Robinson

This book offers a general overview of the material with topics including the best uses of wood in the home, finishing and colouring, woodworking machines, and unsafe woods. Use this guide to master any creative, cleaning, decorating, or furnishing projects you may have.
Street food: Mouth-watering recipes for quick bites and mobile snacks from around the world
by Ryland Peters & Small

 As you delve into the recipes in this book, you and your kitchen will be transported to taste deliciously different street food. From An Asian Adventure to Experience India, European Cuisine to Tastes of the Americas you'll discover how to create the exquisite yet everyday dishes that each culture does best.
The flexible family cookbook
by Jo Pratt

A cookbook to suit the whole family's differing wants and needs. Jo Pratt provides flexible adaptations for each recipe to account for allergies, intolerances and lifestyle choices.
Creative pottery: Innovative techniques & experimental designs in thrown & handbuilt ceramics
by Deb Schwartzkopf

Learn how to make innovative functional forms, from teapots and juicers to serving trays and cake-stands. 
Decorative macrame: 20 stylish projects for your home
by Shufunotomo

Decorative Macrame helps you creating your own unique pieces, perfect for your space. Included are 20 projects ranging from small accessories to hanging statement pieces and are simple enough for beginners and satisfying enough for practiced knotters.
Urban gardening for beginners: Simple hacks + easy projects for growing your own food in small spaces
by Marc Thoma

Even if your space is limited, Urban Gardening for Beginners can help you get grow at home, with advice for cultivating fresh sustainable ingredients from chamomile to zucchini. 

Contact your librarian for more great books!
Christchurch City Libraries
Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
PO Box 73045 Christchurch 8154
+64-3-941-7923
christchurchcitylibraries.com