Oh My! Gift Guide: Book Week

Oh My! Gift Guide | Book Week

This holiday season, we’ve asked some of our favourite creatives, bloggers, makers and OMHG members to join us in rounding up great gift ideas. This week, we’re all about books – books for little people, books for big people, books for creative people. Books, books, books! Make sure to read all the way to the bottom of the post, where you’ll find a fun surprise! But first, here are the books we think will make great gifts this holiday season:

Show Your Work

Kim’s Pick –  Show Your Work by Austin Kleon

“Showing off what we make – for fun, for sale, for other people – is the way we get our creations noticed. Artist and writer Austin Kleon lays it all out in this tiny, perfect book: why sharing is important, and how to do it so it makes you happy. This book would be a great gift for anyone you know who makes stuff, especially if they blog about it, do it for a living, or want to blog about it or do it for a living.” – Kim Werker is an editor, writer, and podcaster, and the author of Make It Mighty Ugly.

JuliaChildRecipeCard

Lyndsay’s Pick – Julia, Child by Kyo Maclear and Julie Morstad

“This is a magical book of two little girls cooking their way to understanding the world. My two year old son and I both love it equally. It shows them making terrible mistakes in the kitchen (fallen tiered cakes, escaping octopus tentacles, burnt fish) and then continuing to learn and try, eventually coming up with beautiful simple french dishes that give adults back their sense of childhood. It’s a story of friendship, cooking and discovery. The illustrations are what makes the book truly special – Julie Morstad is an artist and illustrator and I’ve always loved the vintage children’s book feel of her artwork. I also simply adored any books with drawings of food or cakes or dessert when I was a kid – they’re the books from my childhood that stand out, so I hope this one will stand out for my son when he looks back.” – Lyndsay is a baker, blogger, freelance writer and photographer. Her main focus is Coco Cake Land, a modern cake and desserts blog featuring original cake tutorials, recipes and simple modern party ideas. She lives in Vancouver amongst the mountains, ocean and urban life with her husband and toddler son.  

lettering books

Shauna’s PickCreative Lettering and Beyond & Hand-Lettering Ledger

“Creative Lettering and Beyond is a great beginner’s how-to guide to learning lettering. (Though I’m a bit biased as this is my book!) And the Hand Lettering Ledger by the super talented Mary Kate McDevitt is one of my favorites in terms of inspiration. I love looking at her gorgeous lettering and love that she shows how-to steps.” – Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn is a hand lettering artist and illustrator living in Orlando, Florida. She loves vintage typography and emphemera and has an unhealthy obsession with purchasing books that she doesn’t have room for. Her work can be seen at www.shaunaparmesan.com and prints can be purchased at www.shaunapanczyszyn.etsy.com

Easy Gourmet

Marisa’s PickEasy Gourmet by Stephanie Le

“I love pretty much all kinds of books but I have a serious weakness for beautiful cookbooks. Easy Gourmet is filled with tantalizing taste combinations and stunning pictures that will leave your stomach growling. From the simple to the sublime, the spaghetti to the shrimp rolls, Stephanie’s recipes challenge you to get creative in the kitchen while producing gourmet dishes that don’t need to be saved for special occasions. I think this book would be a wonderful addition to any cookbook collection.” – Marisa Edghill is the author of Washi Style (UK edition / US edition) and a featured artist in Pinterest Perfect. 

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Jessika’s Pick – Goodness in Unexpected Places gift pack from House of Anansi Press

“Marisa tweeted me a link to this set last month and I immediately bought the books for my 10 year old Ila but also so I could read them first. The Cat At The Wall by Deborah Ellis is about a little girl who finds herself reincarnated as a cat into a Palestine village in a house with a small boy who needs help and finds the answer to how one cat, or any one creature, can make a difference. In A Simple Case of Angels by Caroline Adderson it is the holidays but no one in Nicola’s town seems very happy. After her dog gets in trouble Nicola winds up volunteering at a local seniors home with a friend and they find out some of the residents are being held against their will. Freeing them brings out the very best in both Nicola and her badly behaved dog June Bug. Both of these books will make hearts of any age grow three sizes bigger, all filled up with goodness, giving, and grace.” Jessika is the cooperative director of Oh My! Handmade, learn more about her here

Creative Block

Shauna’s Bonus PickCreative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas by Danielle Krysa

“This is a go-to book for sure. I love this because it makes me feel less alone when I get artist block as well as giving me ideas on how to push past those blocks.” Filled with advice and projects from 50 successful artists, this would make a wonderful pick for artists and creatives in your life.

See more books we love over on our Pinterest board!

But wait, before you go – a special announcement! To spread our love for Books, we’re declaring this week Book Week! We’ve teamed up with publishers and purveyors of awesome things to bring you a week of giveaways. Each day we’ll be sharing a new and exciting giveaway! Here’s a hint of what’s to come and where to find it…

Oh My! Book Week | 5 Days of Bookish Giveaways

Monday – that’s today! See details below.

Tuesday – Does colouring bring you great Joy? Find Tuesday’s giveaway over on the Oh My! Handmade Instagram account.

Wednesday – While Pinterest might not be perfect, it is bursting with creative inspiration. Wednesday’s giveaway will be found on our Pinterest Books Board.

Thursday – Making doesn’t always have to be pretty, in fact, sometimes it’s better when it’s ugly. Join us on Facebook on Thursday for this mighty fun giveaway.

Friday – A special surprise for one and all! Make sure you’re following Jessika on Twitter so you don’t miss out on the fun!

Oh My! Book Week | Day 1: Creative Lettering & Beyond + Jet Pens Sampler - enter on ohmyhandmade.com

We’re giving away a copy of Creative Lettering and Beyond featuring our very own Shauna Lynn + a set of 5 brush pens from Jet Pens * – Shauna’s favourite pens for lettering!

*In case of a Canadian winner, Jet Pens prize will be a $25 gift certificate.

Giveaway open to US / Canada only. Winners chosen at random on Monday, December 22.

Enter here by letting us know your favourite books for gifting (or a book you’d love to receive!) in the comments. Get an extra entry for sharing one of our giveaway graphics on your website, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!

This giveaway is now closed – Congratulations to Catherine Denton for her winning comment! 

Special thanks to Walter Foster, Jet Pens, Peter Pauper Press, Omiyage, Sasquatch and Scout Books for supplying us with all these awesome goodies to share with you!

80 comments

  1. Meegan says:

    Books are my favorite gift to give an receive. I’ve got more than a couple of the books on the gift listed on my wish list for under the tree the year. This year I’m gifting my mom the Outlander series, and my nephew some of his favorite Goosebumps books among so many others. I’m delving into the world of hand lettering and would love to win a copy of Shauna Lynn’s new book! (PS – sharing on IG!)

  2. Catherine Denton says:

    This looks like a fabulous giveaway; I love lettering and new pens!! “Drawing with Children” by Mona Brookes is one of my favorite books to give away. My family and I had a good time learning from it (it’s great for young and old ~ a simple entry for anyone who wants to learn about drawing).

  3. Tara Lisciandro Hornich says:

    Love your choices for gifts! I also love giving any of the books by Usborne! they have great ideas and images! they’re super creative and allow (big) and little kids LOTS of creative space!

  4. rdb says:

    My favorite books to get are crafty-instructable books because I never buy them for myself. I don’t give books as presents very much, yet I when I do, I like to couple it with something to do… kind of like your coloring books + colored pencils combo.

  5. andreakw says:

    It isn’t a crafty book but I have given copies of ‘Long Way Round’ to several friends over the years, mostly guys. This book is about a motorcycle trip from London to New York undertaken by actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman a few years ago. There was a TV series too but the book is a great read for adventurous people, or those who wish they were!

  6. Sarah (sarahjanesroom) says:

    My favourite books to give to my children are ones that I loved as a kid – Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables (our oldest is getting her first Harry Potter book this year! Can’t wait to read it again with her for the “first” time!).

  7. Beth Slater Mason says:

    My favorite gift to give is a book that the recipient will find interesting. Books make splendid gifts, but maybe I believe that because I’m a writer and editor. “Creative Lettering and Beyond” would be a delightful gift to receive — I’m friends with Shauna and her work is always an inspiration.

  8. I love giving books that detail a bit of history about the city the recipient lives in, or photo books about a favorite pastime, hobby, or lifestyle. Books are the gift that keeps on giving in my eyes!

  9. anchorend says:

    Giving books is probably my favourite. My favourite book to give right now is Silhouettes by Olly Moss! It’s a collection of pop culture silhouettes and it’s creative and funny. My six year old loves it, and my grandmother loves it. A little for everyone 😀

  10. Shelley Seguinot says:

    I love to give Classic books at baby showers. I feel it gives the baby a jump start on a reading adventure and I, single handedly, keep the classics alive!

  11. I’ve always enjoyed creative lettering books. Some examples would be The ABC’s of Creative Lettering by

    Lindsay Ostrom. This was my first lettering book I ever received when I was a kid and it’s still one of my favorites to look back on for inspiration.

  12. Julia Lavigne says:

    My favorite books to give (and receive) are children’s books. I guess it’s because I’m an illustrator so I know the work and loving care that goes into each page. This year I’m giving some childhood friends Little Golden Books I know they loved as kids. 🙂

  13. Melissa says:

    I love giving and receiving books as gifts! I love to give non-fiction books about their town, a favorite place they like to visit, where they grew up, or any place that they have a connection to.

  14. lisa says:

    Oh wow- this book is on my wish list! I love design books and learning new things from the pretty pages. I love giving craft or cooking books based on what the recipient is into- they are always so pretty!

  15. Karen Jones says:

    Lately, I have been gifting children’s books. The last two books I have gifted were Bibles to my oldest two kids. I would like to give insightful books as well as classics to my kids like Little Women, Huck Finn, Ann of Green Gables, etc. Historical fiction and non-fiction books are good too.

  16. Joy Charde says:

    So exciting! I love giving books (especially to myself ☺️) I’m always buying picture books for the little guys, but secretly they’re for me to enjoy… children’s picture books are one of my favorite kinds of books to give!

    Thank you for this giveaway, Marisa! Happy birthday, Jess!

  17. Megan says:

    I nearly always include a book in my gifts! This year my niece is getting Anna Bond’s beautiful Anne of Green Gables to start her big girl book collection, and my kids are getting One Hen to kick off a convo about micro financing. Still on the hunt for the perfect title for my brother.

  18. Natalie says:

    Made By Hand by Lena Corwin for the creatives! “Press Here”
    By Herve Tullet is amazing for preschoolers. Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton is perfect for the new baby. Anything by Roald Dahl for the preteen. Smitten Kitchen or oh she glows or thug kitchen for the cook. “The watchmen” graphic novel for your teen. The walking dead compedium for the fan.

  19. Lis Boriss says:

    I’m a bit obsessed with the Tiny House movement, so ‘d love to receive Lloyd Kahn’s “Tiny Homes : Simple Shelters”. OH, and David Mack’s book “Dream Logic” because he is an AMAZING comic artist & illustrator. Seriously, go check him out!

  20. ★ keri ★ says:

    Thinking about it, I most often give cookbooks as gifts! My friends and family all seem to enjoy cooking and like getting cookbooks with unusual themes, so I aid them in their collections, though I’m not really into cooking at all myself. This year’s cookbook has been Cooking With Intuition (http://intuitioncookbook.com), which is not only a book filled with recipes that all use beer in one way or another (from beer-braised shortribs to brussel sprouts in beer to beer cocktails and sauces) that have been sourced from regional chefs and bartenders – Intuition is a Jacksonville, FL based microbrewery – but the proceeds from the cookbook go to what was formerly known as Second Harvest NEFL. The book is a beautiful object, and I can vouch that the recipes work well even without Intuition Ale Works beers, if you can’t get them 🙂

    As for receiving books…until the last two years (because I have no room for more), I sign up with LibraryThing’s Secret Santa and get surprise books based on a theme request. The last one I did was “absurd plots” and got a lot of fun novels like “To Say Nothing of the Dog” and “The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse”. It’s always so much fun to see what other readers will suggest!

    Last year, I got calligraphy tools from my parents, so if I don’t get lucky to win this giveaway, I’m going to be asking for the two lettering books Shauna has shared. They look like a lot of fun!

  21. I absolutely love giving books as gifts, as I definitely see them as a gift that keeps on giving! I often like to look for books that might spark interest in a new hobby or subject someone I love would be interested in. I always love receiving books as gifts as well, as it tells a lot about the person giving the gift while the book can also be a catalyst for a new interest!

    When picking out a book, I always love to add a few little extras with it to complete the gift– whether it be some nice coffee or tea with a mug, or supplies that would come in handy to put some great ideas found within the book’s covers!

  22. Shelley McDowell says:

    My favourite book for gifting is “Zen Shorts” by Jon J. Muth … lovely watercolour illustrations and, although a children’s gook, great lessons/stories for all ages!

  23. Amanda Eatherton Horton says:

    I think I’d love to receive one of each! This Christmas I will be gifting a book of beginning illustration to my burgeoning artist nephew!

  24. Janet Salmons says:

    I often give the “America’s best” series– short stories, mysteries, etc., depending or recipient’s interests. See my list on http://www.ink2pen.com for some novels, short story collections and memoirs I’ve enjoyed this year. I would give any of these books to a reader!

  25. GeorgineB1 says:

    I would lovethe lettering book! Both my daughter and I would have fun with it. Most of the books I give go to children. So of my favorites are TOO MANY TOYS, SCAREDY SQUIRREL, THE SECRET LIFE OF SQUIRRELS and KLUTZ books. Thanks for the opportunity to win!

  26. thobgood says:

    The other awesome book by Austin Kleon, “Steal Like An Artist,” is a great gift. “The Animator’s Survival Kit” is a fabulous look at the technique of animation for either artists or historians of the form. And Richard Scarry’s new “Best Lowly Worm Book Ever” is just flat-out adorable.

  27. Krystal Best-Pickup says:

    I love giving book as gift. It really depends on who the book is for. As for me. Ancient history, cross stitching, crafts and makeup books are the most appreciated.

  28. Sara DiMantova says:

    I love giving funny books or books I know the person will like. My fiance’s grandpa loves historical non-fiction + I really love hunting down something good for him every year. Then once he’s read it, I love listening to him tell me all about it 🙂

  29. Lizzy Selzer says:

    I love giving “my life in France” by Julia child. It is such an amazing book to lift anyone’s spirit. Reading about her life and how she was able to put a positive spin on almost anything always puts a smile on my face and reminds me to always keeps nog forward, regardless of the pace, and to always be happy 🙂

  30. Giova Brusa says:

    Books make the best gifts! It is hard to name only one, but some favorites are; When things fall apart by Pema Chodron, The little Prince by St. Exupery. I was recently given Persuasion by Jane Austen and I loved every single page!!

  31. Heather Barnwell says:

    I was just at the mall looking for a lettering book. I’m doing Kim’s daily challenge and interested in doing some typography. I’m pretty excited I had just bought two of the picks in this list!

  32. Nicole says:

    I love finding just the right gift for each person. My husband is getting Randall Munro’s What If?. I would love Creative Lettering and Beyond. Looks wonderful.

  33. visualheart says:

    I’d love to get Creative Lettering and Beyond, for personal growth, to advance my skills as a designer and offer something new to my clients. For gifts I love giving any book by Austin Kleon, he’s so awesome and inspiring. For cook books, I’m really in love with Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson, the book is so incredibly beautiful.

  34. Audrey Sheldon says:

    Two books I always give are “Baby Love” and “Girlfriends” both by Susan Branch. I also like to give “Smashbooks” because they allow you to be creative. I’d love to win Creative Lettering so I can create!!:} Thanks for the chance:}

  35. Ellen Woodfin says:

    I give Miss Rumphius,written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney, to graduating seniors. Love the message; all of us can leave our mark and make the world more beautiful and compelling for others.

  36. Kimberly_L says:

    I love giving books! I treasure mine so I want to give others that joy. I love gifting Sticker books. (80s child at heart) I also love giving cookbooks. Their are so many beautifully illustrated books right now! I would love to up my game with penmanship. Could be great for letters from Santa. I would also live it for scrapbook projects. Xo

  37. Geraldine Vivier Johnston says:

    I always gift books to my wondertwins(age 9 3/4) and this year it has proved challenging as they are both avid readers…the Judy Blume set won out …I think its time to share her…are you there god, its me Margaret…I grew up reading her novels and am excited to introduce them this holiday season.

  38. Jessica Cook says:

    I love to give cookbooks and quilt books. My sister buys the kids a popup book from Robert Sabuda every year and it has become our tradition that they can open the. On the 24th and read in bed while waiting for Santa!

    Jess
    Storiedyarns at yahoo dot com

  39. Alison @ The Petit Cadeau Blog says:

    I love to gift books! This year my 3.5 year old daughter is getting the book “beautiful oops” – all about creativity!!

  40. Nina Jones says:

    I have a book that I gift year round: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is a story that encourages you to follow your dreams. It inspired me once, and I like to give it to others so that they are inspired as well. I think it is such a great gift for all of us- we all have hurdles that we are scared to tackle.

  41. MGC says:

    I love to gift books! I too have been giving a lot of children’s books lately, and my favorite is “Little Owl’s Night” by Divya Srinivasan. It’s beautiful. I also love to give nice copies of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. -Christy

  42. Lorrie Everitt says:

    I am gifting books with (bar) drink recipes as hostess gifts as well as a creative writing inspiration book for a daughter that loves to write. I love to receive creative books that inspire and/or teach. The creative lettering book is on my list to “receive”.

  43. Cody says:

    My favorite books for gifting are the scribble books, with half made doodles for kids to finish, or the books with craft tutorials for kids! I LOVE giving books! 🙂

  44. I have so many books I love, I don’t even know where to begin! There are books that changed my life, like A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. There are books that inspire my green thumb, like Extreme Gardening and Gaia’s Garden. There are books that have inspired me in my creative journey such as The Declaration of You by Jessica Swift and I just like to Make Things by Lilla Rogers. Then there are alllll the books I still want to hold in my hands and sift through, like the one mentioned above, Creative Lettering and Beyond! A few more on my wishlist are Wild Money by Luna Jaffe, The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary and The Upcycled T-Shirt by our very own Jenelle Montilone!

  45. Magda Marsh says:

    My 7-year old just read “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” and got me to read it and I enjoyed it so much! What a great book for kids teaching about love.

  46. karla hernandez says:

    Right now I am very into the books that talk about a woman’s journey creating her very own small business. Due to the fact that I intend to start my own small biz very soon. Therfore, all books hands-on and creative are my kind of books. But don’t forget about books in general. It is always a good time to sit and relax and read a good book with a story that draws you in. With that being said a lettering book has been on my list but I could never seem to buy one because I never knew which one was the right one.
    Thank you for your website that has provided me with so many ideas and information!!

  47. Lelainia Lloyd says:

    If the person I am buying a gift for is an artist, then I try and buy a book written by one of my artist friends. I think as a Creative, it’s important to support one another.

    My favourite book right now is Syllabus by Linda Barry. It’s especially cool because it’s like it’s been made from a composition notebook and has yellow legal pad style paper in it. You can see it here:

    http://www.amazon.ca/Syllabus-Accidental-Professor-Lynda-Barry/dp/1770461612/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419119751&sr=1-2&keywords=linda+barry

    All of her books are delicious eyecandy.

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