Off-mint

Slightly off-mint.

Off-mint.

Slightly off-mint.

In a book full of possibilities for anyone who loves lettering there are ornate outline capitals to colour in or copy, sample typefaces for inspiration, quotations from great designers, a glossary of typographical terms and lined and dotted pages for doodling, designing or even writing a journal.

Jalapeño, Scotch bonnet, Japanese Hot Claw... This set of notecards features 16 different chillies, with illustrations by Caz Hildebrand from her book An Anarchy of Chillies. The notecards are blank inside, with white envelopes, and presented in a rigid card box.

Featuring ten sheets with ten different hot chilli designs, this wrapping paper and the twelve matching gift tags are based on illustrations from An Anarchy of Chillies by Caz Hildebrand.

This calendar of events that have taken place in London over the centuries runs from 1 January 1660, when Samuel Pepys began his diary, through every day of the year to 31 December 1999, when the London Eye was formally opened. For every date it gives a fact, fiction or personality associated with some part of the metropolis. A fold-out reproduction of the map on which it is based is included at the back.

With poignant photographs, verses and sentiments, these postcards were either sent to soldiers at the front by families and sweethearts or offered ‘news from the front’ and ‘a line to father’ from servicemen abroad.

Onward Christian Soldiers, Sandy, Boy and Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty are among the lyrics printed, along with coloured artworks and photographs, on the First World War One song cards reproduced in this little book.

In a course that progresses from the level of junior operative to double agent, Spy School aims to sharpen your mind using techniques developed to train Russian intelligence agents. Following the story of a counter-intelligence operation, the book presents a series of documents and diary entries along with instruction on memory formation techniques, practical exercises, tasks and questions on the central plot. This Russian bestseller was translated by Svetlana Shcholokova.

Blue Peter, the world’s longest-running children’s television programme, is known for its famous ‘makes’ – creative projects which transform everyday household objects into toys and gifts. This collection reproduces some of the most memorable designs, including the Advent Crown, the Doll’s House and Tracy Island, and has a foreword by Valerie Singleton and contributions from former presenters and the ‘Queen of Makes’, Margaret Parnell.

Extolling the virtues of motorcycles for ‘lady war workers’ and ‘absolutely waterproof’ trench coats for soldiers, the advertisements collected and discussed here illustrate how the First World War offered companies new commercial opportunities and fundamentally changed British society.

First published in 1920, this manual reveals a golden age of elegant dining. Advice on table settings and decorations, etiquette, food and wine is complemented by menus for breakfasts, al-fresco luncheons, wedding receptions and garden parties. A chapter on ‘freak dinners given by wealthy people’ offers a glimpse into the decadent world of the Jazz Era.

Rooting out etymological links between words that, at first glance, appear to have nothing to do with each other, Graeme Donald unearths much more than simple definitions: an investigation of ‘Achieve’ and ‘Handkerchief’ starts with Roman gladiators and ends with the introduction of snuff; ‘Cockpit’ and ‘Cocktail’ encompass ship’s surgeons in wooden warships and horse-racing; while ‘Panties’ and ‘Pantechnicon’ takes us back to 303 CE and the martyrdom of St Pantaleon.

Some language rules are worth knowing – but which ‘rules’ just make clear communication harder? The editor of the Guardian’s style guide cites authorities including Shakespeare, Bart Simpson and Kirsty MacColl as he explains the grammatical principles (not ‘principals’) that will help to perfect your writing. He also advises on the correct choice of words and urges us to resist jargon, euphemisms and the journalistic mistreatment of ‘ironic’ and ‘iconic’.

There are four striking bird designs in this set of greetings cards – Oystercatchers, Puffins, Gannets, and Stilt and Stints. The 15x15cm cards are blank inside, for use on any occasion and have matching envelopes in four colours. Presented in a sturdy card box. There is no glue on the envelopes.

With the ‘When Puffins Go Shopping’ design on its cover, this gift wrap book contains twelve folded sheets of wrapping paper in four Puffin and Oystercatchers designs, and twelve round stickers. Each sheet measures 594x440mm and has a gummed edge for easy removal.

The very smart address book is white with a blue spine and is covered in birds, each sitting on its letter. Inside, there are lined white pages, a blue silk marker and the A–Z of birds, from Avocet to Eggs, Yellowhammer and Zebra Finch.

The covers of this notebook are pale grey with four swallows sitting on a line, and a lone swallow on the back. Inside, there are orange endpapers and silk ribbon and lined white pages, with the occasional swallow sitting on a top line.

Puffins fly towards us in an Air Force blue sky on the covers of this study little notepad. The good-quality plain white pages are bound into very tough card covers with bright-orange endpapers, elastic closure and pencil.