RAINY DAY HAS GONE JAPANESE

The window is looking lovely with 2 beautiful antique Japanese kimonos hanging on bamboo and some lovely Ikebana arrangements of Clivea. 

There are several other kimonos for sale hanging in the shop from $20-$30 each and are in wonderful subdued colours in quality fabrics. Small, medium and large are available but get in early for the best choices. They make great Christmas presents, wonderful fo male dressing gowns.

There are also some amazing books such as Japan houses, Japanese kimono designs, The cooking of Japan, Suki’s kimono, Japanese folktales, Dictionaries and many others.

Call in and say Kon’ichiwa to Meryll, she might even have some soothing Japanese music playing.

SHOES, SHOES, GLORIOUS SHOES

Shoes and books, what a strange combination.

This week sees Rainy Day Books expanding its horizons with some lovely shoes for sale (and a pair of moccasins as well.)

There are also many books about the history of shoes and the indulgence of shoe buying.  We all have a little of Imelda (Marcos) in all of us and just love to buy really nice shoes.

Jeanette Bird, a local artist, has done a sumptuous window, very red and lush with some wonderful fiction books as well as facts about shoes. 

Come and see the two tone (red and white) 1960s Niblick golf shoes, just for a laugh.

CHRISTMAS TIME

This year there is an amazing window display at Rainy Day Books where only used recycled pages and books have been used to make decorations.

There were no useful books harmed in the making of the display, just Reader’s Digest condensed books and some old music scores that had fallen apart.

A huge 1.2 metre Christmas tree, small trees and also chains of hearts, birds and stars are all made from paper.

Christmastime, that season of excess, over packaging and waste.

Why not try second hand books as a present and use the purest form of recycling that there is.

No changes needed to the books that I stock, they go out of the shop in the same form as they come into it.

Come in and look at the window and I will help you find the perfect gift for the most difficult people on your shopping list.

Thanks for your support during this year and I wish you a healthy, holy and happy Christmas and all the best for 2015.

Happy reading

Meryll

'FOREVER CLOVER" Swap Cards for Little Girls

The latest news from Rainy Day Books is that we are stocking the beautiful new range of "Forever Clover" Swap Cards for little girls.   This range of swap cards has been created in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and are bright, colourful and celebrate young girls and their friendships.

With a Sticker and Activity Book, plus an Album to keep the cards in, a small collection soon grows.  There are various series of cards so that if more than one of the same card is collected, then being able to swap with friends to obtain a new card will become easy to do.

For little girls between 4 and 10, these are a beautiful gift idea for someone special.

It's Beginning to Feel Like Christmas!

December has come around so quickly.

Christmas gift buying is suddenly becoming the main focus in people's thoughts.   This is the time for choosing something really special for those we love.  And what is more special than a book.

It may be a special author, it may be a book on a subject that you know will fascinate someone special. Perhaps a set of collectible Dickens?     What about Enid Blyton's Noddy?    Stephanie Alexanders "The Cook's Companion"?   Gardening Books?   Fiction?  Non-fiction?   There's a book for everybody!

When you visit the bookshop, do take time to have a look at the beautiful hand-folded Christmas Tree in the Window with a small angel sitting on top.   This hand-folded Christmas Tree is the work of Meryll in her spare time!   It's amazing just what you can make from old books!

TAKE TIME TO VISIT THE BOOKSHOP AND BROWSE.

YOU'LL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT WHAT YOU FIND

IN THE BOOKSHELVES AT RAINY DAY BOOKS.

PACKING FOR A HOLIDAY

The following article appeared in the Melbourne Sun-Herald last week.  

"Books beat e-readers when it comes to literature to take on holiday, a survey of 2000 readers has found.

As much as 71 per cent of travellers prefer a real book to an electronic version.  Most said they enjoyed the feel of a real book.

Sixty-seven per cent said they turn to friends and family for book recommendations".

So it seems that "real" books are a must when it comes to packing the suitcase for a holiday.  

In fact "real" books are a must for any occasion and any season as far as many of us are concerned.

It was also interesting to read that 67 per cent of respondents to the survey said they turn to friends and family for book recommendations.  

What a good idea to make a "wish-list" of authors and book titles and provide them to all your friends and family members as suggestions for gifts at any time of the year.   Then you'll always be sure of getting the book that you want!   Whatever season.

....... 2013 R'mary, regular visitor to Rainy Day Books

KEEPING YOUR PLACE!

If you are an avid book reader, then possibly you will be reading more than one book at a time.   For those who don't understand the world and philosophy of a book-reader, then they would never understand how we can do this, and still keep track of each individual story unfolding.

This is where it gets a bit tricky at times.   We tend to use old shopping lists, a scrap of newspaper, an old Christmas card, perhaps a business card or plane ticket, to keep our place in any book that we're reading.   Too often these small scraps of paper slip out of the book and we become frustrated!

But this need never happen again.

Rainy Day Books has a lovely little selection of hand-made beaded bookmarks.  Just the thing to buy for yourself or to buy and give as a gift.  

When you call in at the bookshop, take time to wander around and see what else may be there and just be the answer of what to give someone as a birthday or other celebratory gift.

A MAN and his SHED

It's easy for children and many women to tuck themselves up on a favourite chair and to enjoy reading a book at any time of the day and any time of the year.   With the cooler weather an excuse is never needed to add to our selection of books for late night reading or for that matter any-time reading!

There must be many men who do likewise, but in the majority of cases it seems that men prefer hiding themselves in their backyard sheds during the cooler days.   Some may even get out their tools and DO things!

The latest window display at Rainy Day Books highlights Woodworking in its many facets, and the start of the cooler weather could be the ideal time for the menfolk to start thinking of Autumn/Winter projects that they can start, or maybe even finish if they happened to begin them last year about the same time!

Books of this nature are ideal gifts for the man of the house at any time and who knows what wonderful woodworking creations will be created out in HIS shed!

Rainy Day Books delights in presenting "conversation pieces" as far as its windows are concerned, and this latest display continues the trend.

Books on all sorts of subjects line the walls of Rainy Day Books, and Meryll will be pleased to order in particular books on any subject through her worldwide network of contacts.

SPRINGTIME in the "DANDENONGS"

Suddenly it's Spring.   People have been flocking to the many Open Gardens - the Rhododendron Gardens at Olinda, the Daffodil Farm at Menzies Creek, Tesselaar's Tulip Farm at Silvan.  And it's not only to the gardens that people have been trekking to the Dandenong Ranges - hundreds have been making for the "best little bookshop in the hills" - Rainy Day Books at the Basin.

Regular window displays always bring compliments and encouraging comments.   The books selected for each window display are chosen with care, and highlight the theme of the moment.

The latest theme is Spring - of course!   Books of all kinds complimenting Springtime are available at Rainy Day Books, and Meryll is always eager to find a rare or out-of-print book for her customers.

Take time to visit the Dandenongs, and more importantly take time to browse around Meryll's bookshop - Rainy Day Books.

TIME TO SNUGGLE UP WITH A GOOD BOOK

Winter time seems to be having a great time in staying around.  While it means having to rug up in order to keep warm, it's also an opportunity to find a big, comfortable chair, wrap yourself up in a throw rug, and settle down with a good book or two, or even three.  Don't bother even turning on the television - there's too much to enjoy in the simple fact of reading.

The bookshop has a great selection of "cosy reads", as these photos from the new window display show.  A great variety of authors, with many different styles, but all assured to meet your expectations and hopes.  Mysteries and more general styles.   Don't miss out on buying a gift or two, especially if you know an author that your loved one or friends really enjoys.

CHOICES!

Quite often you'll go to a bookshop seeking a certain book, and there may be only be one on offer.  

When you go to Rainy Day Books however, there are times when the selection almost overwhelms you.   You can choose from so many of the one title.   It's always worth a visit to Rainy Day Books, hail, rain or shine.  (Even the days when it's snowing!)

Take for instance the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.   What a choice!

Another idea for Christmas!

It's only occasional that someone comes up with a great idea that has to do with books.  Not writing or selling books but something that can enhance the bookreader's life.

A new product on the market, and available through the bookshop, is the Book Seat.  A great little invention, simple in concept, but has countless ways of making the life of a bookreader even more enjoyable.

This little but smart Book Seat supports books and magazines.   Be able to read - "hands-free".

Think along the lines of a craftsperson trying to follow a knitting or craft pattern and having to pick up the instruction book every few minutes to check what they're doing;  think along the lines of a person in hospital who loves reading heavy novels but the books are too thick and heavy to hold for lengthy periods;  think of someone cooking and again having to check the recipe book laying flat on the bench.   And for the young Mum trying to feed her Bub who decides to take his/her time in feeding, how can Mum hold even a paperback in one hand while holding the baby and feeding him/her in the other?  

There's never quite enough hands to do these simple jobs.

The Book Seat answers all these questions, and many more.   A child who is laid up in  bed with a cold perhaps but who wants to read their favourite book - the Book Seat is the answer here too.

It's available in a variety of colours, and has a special little device that will allow you to hold the pages in place but just as easily allow you to turn the pages, all without having to take the book out of it's little "seat".

A uniquely Australian invention.     Contact Meryll and have a chat about this lovely little gift idea.

BUILDING UP TO CHRISTMAS!

I love the build up to Christmas, for me the excitement and the planning are the best part of the time. I have been planning the shop display and collecting decorations that match together for a special window. 

There are also gifts other than books (though books do make the best presents). I have bone china mugs with lovely old book spines as decoration $10, a great new type of book mark that stays put in the book without getting lost $6 and nice book plates to stop the whole book from being lost when you loan them $3. My special trick for lending books is to write my name and phone number right after the end of the book in PENCIL. That way when my best friend finishes reading a special book I have loaned her she knows to return it promptly and stays my friend!

There are plenty of new books as gifts but I am sure that a carefully chosen pre-loved book can mean as much as a brand new book.

....... Meryll