It's book season. Well, every season is book season for me, but there's something about cold weather that really makes curling up with a book a major part of my routine. I sometimes start feeling sad when I'm reaching the end of a good book, and feel a sense of loss while I flounder around looking for my next read. So I thought I'd ask other book lovers out there — how do you decide what to read next? More

It's the 50th anniversary of Ian Flemming's James Bond, and Bond is in the ether: a new Bond film just opened last week and there was an exhibit in Great Britain last summer titled Designing 007 at the Barbican. There was always a Space Age/Jet Set style to Bond, especially in those early films, which lifted him out of the ordinary and into imagination. Let's look at some film stills. More

I have a secret. When it comes to children's books, I'm horribly guilty of judging them completely by their covers. If it's a picture book, then that cover illustration better draw me in close and whisper sweet messages of great adventures to come. I'm not ashamed to admit it anymore, and I'm betting some of you are right there with me. I'm sharing a couple of my current favorite covers — I haven't read these books yet, but the reviews are good, the covers are awesome, and the plot lines intriguing. More

Three of my favorite holidays, back-to-back: Halloween, Día de los Muertos, and now, Bad Dads 2012, the annual exhibit of Wes Anderson-inspired art. It's the most wonderful time of the year! More

As an artist who lives and works in a thriving community filled with artisans and makers, I have enjoyed following Jennifer Causey's blog, The Maker's Project. For those of you that are unfamiliar with it, Jennifer is a photographer living in Brooklyn who has spent the last two years documenting Brooklyn-based artists, designers and craftsmen in their workspaces through gorgeous, detailed photographs. More

To pull together our ultimate gift guides this year, we're asking the experts: YOU! What are the best design, art, or interiors books you've read this year? Which ones do you hope to unwrap? From coffee table beauties to DIY guides, let us know what's worthy of the space on your shelves!

So readers, share with us in the comments: what art and design books do you recommend? More

Enough with the buying of the books. How 'bout you get busy and make some books? Here are 5 tutorials to get you started on your child's library of personalized books. More

Name: Jennifer Cooper
Online home: Classic Play!
My favorite children's book and why I love it: Ahh! I have so many, but I'll try to narrow it down to one. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl was the first chapter book I ever read. I remember feeling quite proud of myself when I checked it out of the school library. Pretty sure I walked a little taller that day. The book itself was so full of adventure and absurdity. I was immediately hooked. More

My kids like a very wide array of music, but not your typical nursery rhymes. In an effort to cultivate this musical curiosity I searched for different types of children's music. I found a book one day, called "Un dimanche à Kyoto" ("Sunday in Kyoto", the English version, which has Patrick Watson interpreting a few songs, hello!). It was accompanied by a CD on which very prominent local artists were featured interpreting Gilles Vigneault's music (Gilles Vigneault being one of the biggest icon, and most amazing songwriter and poet from Québec). More

Name: Stacy Hart
Online home: Hart + Sew
My favorite children's book and why I love it: When I was little I loved Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. It was like playing an I Spy game with all of my favorite story time characters and would always pull me into a fun imaginary world. More recently I fell in love with Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett. It combines my love of handmade with a little bit of the extraordinary, and is a book I wish I could read to my children for the first time over and over again. More