EDIT: Congrats to the winner, Living In Song (Emily!)
Hello friends, and welcome to another Tasha Tuesday! This week we continue to celebrate the beloved author, illustrator and lifestyle icon in the month that she would have turned 105 years old.
Each Tuesday this month, I will have a new Tasha Tuesday post, chatting about something Tasha Tudor related, and also a little bonus treat– I will be giving away a Tasha Tudor related prize each week as well. To enter to win the prize, you just leave a comment here on my blog, and/or on the corresponding instagram post on my instagram feed! You are welcome to comment in both places to increase your odds of winning. I am also so so thrilled to announce that I have a wonderful partner in these giveaways– Anokhi— who make gorgeous authentic Indian block printed scarves like the ones Tasha was famous for wearing. Anokhi is also a small, family run business that is now in it’s second generation. I know you will love them, I have several, and they are all beautiful!
Read through to the end to see what this week’s prize is, and a special thanks to Anokhi for being a part of Tasha Tuesday!
This week I’d like to share a bit about my favorite Tasha Tudor books, and starting a Tasha Tudor book collection–
My Favorite Tasha Tudor Books
Sometimes when I post about Tasha Tudor, I get asked what are the best books to buy about her, or which of her books are my favorite. Tasha has a large catalog of work, and there are several wonderful books about her life written by Richard Brown and Tovah Martin. Sadly, many of her books are going out of print and becoming harder to find than they were even 5 years ago. That might make them more of a challenge to find, but now I consider Tasha books a bit of a treasure hunt, and have had some great luck finding cheap used copies for sale online, at estate sales, library sales and at antique malls. Estate sales are especially good places to find nice quality Tasha Tudor books, because her books tend to be family favorites that are loved and well kept. But I’ve also happily added tattery, much read and even a little marked in library discard copies to my collection.
So if you’re up for the hunt, here are a few of my very favorite books to keep your eye out for, and I hope you enjoy them…
1. The Private World of Tasha Tudor by Richard Brown
Perhaps “the” book about the life and work of Tasha Tudor, this gorgeous book is filled with amazing photographs and beautifully written vignettes about Tasha. It also includes photos of her illustrations and is a wonderful blend of art, photography and story. This is the first book I ever read about Tasha and her life, and it was my gateway to her as a person. It was published in the mid-1990s, around the time that Tasha was often featured in Victoria Magazine. It shows Tasha at her very best, I think.
The book is part biography, part gathering of quotes and loose stories and a ‘year in the life’ study of this very interesting and unique artist. If you’re wanting to learn more about Tasha herself, this book is a fantastic introduction. I’ve heard that it’s getting harder and harder to find now and is perhaps no longer in print. But it worth hunting out, and if you happy upon it, snatch it up! You wont regret it.
2. The Tasha Tudor Cookbook
This book is a family favorite, and the pages of my copy are so smudged and a bit dirty, so that you know it’s well loved. I believe this one has also gone out of print, but it is well worth searching out. Inside, Tasha shares many of the ‘iconic’ Tasha dishes, such as Dundee Cake, gingerbread cookies (two recipes, one for eating and one that’s more for making her famous decorations) and dishes for all seasons and tastes. One of my husband’s most favorite meals is in this book— Tasha Tudor’s Meatloaf is a common request from him for a birthday or anniversary dinner!
This cookbook is very thorough, and it’s fun to read the little introduction to each recipe where Tasha shares how she came to have the recipe. Some were taught to her by her beloved Scottish nanny, and others were passed on by friends of her children (including a granddaughter of Maria Vonn Trapp!). It’s heartwarming to hear her talk with pride about which dishes her children are particularly good at making, and her son Seth and daughter Bethany both have recipes included that are their specialties.
3. A Time To Keep
A Time To Keep is a precious, beautiful book that goes through the whole year in story form about “what we used to do when mummy was a little girl.” It is more or less a retrospective of the fun things Tasha Tudor’s family did while she was raising children, with the characters existing in Tasha’s unique world of old fashioned living, with small glimpses of modern life. You’re not exactly sure ‘when’ Mummy was a little girl, but it’s delightfully nostalgic, and the best of what you’re looking for when you want a good Tasha Tudor story.
The text in the book is minimal, so it would make a good book for early readers. It also gives you tons of ideas of seasonal activities to do as a family, which is great. We could all make a year’s supply of candles! Why not!!?! 😉
Another similar book to this is Tasha’s “Around the Year” which also goes through a year depicting old fashioned seasonal activities but it is smaller and doesn’t have a specific narrative like this book does. If you’d like to find other Early Reader books “1 is One” is a great book that also includes counting practice, and “A is for Annabelle” is a lovely alphabet book.
4. Becky’s Christmas
This book I selected as a specifically Christmas book, because I absolutely love it. Unfortunately it is hard to fine and long out of print. My copy is a bit rough because it was obviously a well loved copy in a library, but that’s fine by me….the text and art are still lovely. This book is more of a substantial read and a detailed story about how a little girl named Becky and her family are preparing for an old fashioned Christmas. At one point, Becky goes to her grandmother’s house to work on a big old loom for a gift for her mother— you know I love that!
Becky’s Christmas (and it’s companion book, Becky’s Birthday) are wonderful, old fashioned stories. They are the kind of things I would have loved as a little girl, since I was very into the Little House books and anything ‘old timey’ or pioneer. The story is beautifully showcased by Tasha’s detailed artwork, full of old fashioned living, New England atmosphere and of course, lots of corgis. If you happen upon this book second hand, snatch it up and count your blessings! It is truly a treasure.
If you’re looking for other great Christmas books by Tasha, “The Christmas Cat” by Tasha’s daughter Efner Tudor Holmes (and illustrated by Tasha) is a very sweet book, and is easier to find. You can also find Tasha’s illustrated version of “The Night Before Christmas” fairly easily, as I believe it’s still in print.
I hope this list is helpful to you if you’re interested in collecting the work of Tasha Tudor. I have been collecting her work for many years now, and my collection is far from complete. The fun of it now is the hunt, as sometimes I come across a Tasha Tudor book when I least expect it, and it’s like coming across a dear old friend.
I wish you best of luck as you make your own collection! Maybe you’ll come across your very favorite book!
And now— for this week’s giveaway!
The Giveaway
This week’s giveaway includes another gorgeous scarf by Anokhi, in a cheerful yellow and teal color scheme as well as an 8×10″ print of my own original Tasha painting, Tasha Tudor at Home. To enter to win, just comment on this blog post! You can also post on the corresponding instagram post. Good luck! And— Take Joy!!
Winner will be announced here on Friday. Good luck!!
Sleightholm Folk Art 
This is all new to me — I will have to hunt for some of the titles! Thank you!
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Lovely blog post as always! A Time to Keep and THE private World of Tasha Tudor are also two of my favorites!! Quite a treasure for a lucky winner! Very gracious of you both!
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How did I not know she had a cookbook?!? Are there any welsh recipes? I’ll have to try to find a copy. I’ve read the Richard Brown book, borrowed from the library but don’t have any of her books. Have to change that. Loved this post!
blessings
~*~
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I don’t know that there are any that are specifically Welsh, but most of them are very lovely and old fashioned!
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It is so hard to find tashas books here in australia i was so lucky to be able to buy her garden book many years ago not in australia . And the prices now are out of reach i will keep loking.
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I think my favorite Tasha Tudor books are still Take Joy and Pumpkin Moonshine. I was lucky enough to have bought these many years ago and they have remained well read and loved by me, My discovery of Richard Brown’s book, The Private World , came at a point in my life after my children were older, when I had time to pursue a growing interest in how life was lived well in past generations. We had been reading Tasha Tudor books for so many years, but I knew nothing about her life. Brown’s book was an eye opener of a woman whom I only knew as an artist, was living a life that closely resembled the 1830s. It made me only want to know more and more and appreciate her many contributions . She was a living museum!
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I have many of Tasha’s books and prints. My family has also had the good fortune to have visited her museum.
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Once again thank you for introducing me to Tasha Tudor! I will definitely try and find some of her books, especially the “Becky” books since we share the same name.
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Thank you for the time you put into the Tasha Tudor posts…….it’s lovely!
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I linked over from Laura’s Favorite Things, and what a coincidence! I literally just ordered The Secret Garden illustrated by Tasha Tudor for our home library. I love her art, and I love your, too. I remember when she was the Artist in Residence years ago for Victoria Magazine.
I need to see if I can find a copy of the cookbook. I bet it is fantastic!
Also, one of my blog friends from Wisconsin posted about Tasha Tudor this week. She featured some of her gardening art.
Thank-you for hosting these sweet giveaways!
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Any time I find a Tasha Tudor book in the wild, I try to buy it, even if I already have a copy! I am stocking the extras in my girls hope chests and giving them as gifts. A Time to Keep is our absolute favorite- so beautiful on every page and inspiring with simple ideas for good, wholesome activities. Thank you for these generous giveaways!
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The Private World of Tasha Tudor is the first book I read to learn about her right before her passing. I had just learned about this fascinating woman and was trying to read as much as I could about her. Her illustrations are beautiful. I was able to get Seasons of Delight last Christmas ( one I’d been wanting for a long while) for my girls. We love it!
The scarves are beautiful, too! Thank you so much for such a beautiful giveaway and for putting together such lovely posts about Tasha.
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I have been collecting Tasha Tudor books at thrift stores and yard sales my whole life. We had A Time to Keep growing up and I was in love with it. This post has me all jazzed up about finding the ones I don’t own yet. So. much. Loveliness.
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I adore Tasha’s artwork. Just her being positively herself and owning it. Thank you for sharing all your thoughts.
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Hello! I’m now on the “hunt” for some of these titles, thank you!
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Thank you for introducing me to Tasha Tudor!
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My favorite Tasha Tudor book to read when my daughter was growing up was A Doll’s Christmas. My daughter would ask for it over and over, and now we will get to share it with my baby granddaughter!
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A Time to Keep is my favorite. My Mom got that book for me when I was very little. My Mom used to hunt for that book as a gift whenever someone was having a girl. She always found one in good condition 💖
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I wish we’d had Tasha Tudor books when I was growing up! I drove my mom crazy with my old fashioned style. 😆 So happy to be able to share a little Tasha love with my own kids.
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I just picked up The Private World of Tasha Tudor at an antique store on Saturday! And I’ve had my eye on her cookbook for a while. I guess I need to just buy it! Thanks for sharing your favorites!
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Oh I love this blog post. She is so inspiring.🌿
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This is such an interesting post! I had no idea there were so many books. Your love of Tasha Tudor reminds me of a blog I used to read, Storybook Woods-she also loved and spoke often(and fondly) of Tasha Tudor. I am enjoying these posts. I’d like to live in one of your paintings.
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“Drawn From New England” by Bethany Tudor is also wonderful!! And I grew up reading Tasha’s Mother Goose book—it was actually given to me at birth by my great-aunt and uncle.
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I have 3 of these books, but I’m missing Becky’s Christmas! Your print is perfect!
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I’m really loving reading these posts! Thank you!
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I love all her books and can never get enough!
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I have been on the hunt for her cookbook for about a year.
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I found a new Tasha book for my collection right after reading this post. It was at the thrift store I stopped at after dropping my oldest off at classes. It was sitting right there propped up as if it were waiting for me. Yay! I also enjoyed this lady’s video having tea with recipes from Tasha Tudor and talking about her work. https://youtu.be/6tFbuScmXbc
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oh that is so lovely!!!!! I believe I have the first 2 books but will have to look for the others!!! they look like LOVELY cozy reads!!!! your give-aways are so lovely and thoughtful! thank you for bringing such joy and beauty to our lives through your blog and IG account and of course your paintings!
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I was given “A Time to Keep” as a little girl – it’s a lifelong favorite. I will definitely have to start hunting down some of these other titles!
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I am a big fan of Tasha and have or have read several of the books you mention. Thank you for your post and wonderful give away
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A dear friend gave my children The Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalm illustrated by Tasha Tudor. I think I loved them more than the kids, I’m waiting for grandchildren to pass them on.
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