Banned Books!! printable mini poster

 It's banned books week again!! 

Here's a simple mini poster you can print, and if you're really patient, color. I hope you enjoy it.

Click on the images for larger versions.

Small jpg version:

Large (better quality) png version: 

Banned Books cross stitch bookmark pattern

It's Banned Books week! You can find out more about banned and challenged books at the American Library Association site here or by checking out Banned Books Week.

I excerpted part of a quote from President Kennedy on this pattern.

If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all — except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty.

-John F. Kennedy, Saturday Review (29 October 1960)

This is designed to be stitched on 18 count fabric, and will fit a bookmark at least 1 3/4s inch wide and 7 inches long that's 18 count. Use a single strand for the back stitch. Click on the image for a larger version to print!

Cross stitch a book quote

This is a cross stitch pattern that I drew up for my son. The quote is from the ever popular Song of Ice and Fire series and was said by Tyrion Lannister. It's a simple pattern all in full stitches and one color. So pick your favorite color to stitch it up in! The finished size on 14 count is about 9x12 inches.

Print chart to fit page.

If you like this, you can buy this e-book that's formatted for e-ink and will work just fine on your mobile devices or borrow it with Kindle Unlimited or Prime. It's 5 quick to stitch skeleton keys that make a nice decoration. 

Madeleine L'Engle printable quote about books

"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe."

Madeleine L'Engle

I do love to read, and hope you enjoy this printable quote about reading. Print at 8x10 inches on your choice of papers! Click the image below for a larger version. The version above can be shared at my Facebook page.

Ducks, geese, and World Book Night (photo post)

Last night was World Book Night. The second annual one, and my family had a blast doing it last year so we signed up again this year.

It's a great project, and if you go to the site you can sign up for the newsletter and apply to be a book giver for 2014.
Even though we did it last year, my dad, once again didn't understand the concept. The stumbling block for him is the idea of me giving away books. He knows me too well. They aren't my books. They are published expressly for giving away, special editions, paid for by various publishers, printers and contributors. The authors give up their royalties for this special printing. You choose from a list of books which contains all sorts of things, classics like Mark Twain and current best sellers like Tina Fey's Bossypants. You pick 3 books, and agree to read the one you get if you haven't read it yet. The list has had books we've read before both times. Last year we choose Stephen King's The Stand, which my husband and I had read, but the kids hadn't. So they had to read it before giving it away. I bought them each a copy, and they knuckled down and both finished in time. This year, Rick Riordan's book The Lightning Thief was on the list. This is a book that TATG can give away very enthusiastically because he's her favorite author. To be fair, he was her favorite author BEFORE he put a photo of her on his website.(she's Anubis) But that just sealed the deal. So that was my first choice.
It was a drizzly, freezing rain, but that didn't deter anyone. We had so much fun doing it! If you do sign up for it, check out their resources. Sometimes it's very hard for some people to understand the idea of something for nothing. They think there has to be a string attached of some sort. If you're doing it with your family, practice conversation starters. Dress for the weather and pick a safe spot to give away books.

After we handed out books, we decided to go get something for dinner. On the way we spotted the surest possible sign of spring in Anchorage. All these photos can be clicked for more detail. I did not edit them other than cropping and resizing, so you can really get the effect of the drab, grey and brown mud. Ah SPRING!

Are they looking for spring?

Wanna see some ducks digging in the mud?

Not retouched. The legs are really that bright!

 I have another Kindle book out.

It's 5 cross stitch patterns for keys, and you can find it here. 

Wear the old coat printable reading quote

"Wear the old coat and buy the new book" -Austin Phelps

The image above is shareable on FB from my page. (which recently hit over 900 fans WOOT!)

The image below is printable. Click on the image for a larger version and print it! As usual, I recommend Astrobrights paper. Mostly because it's what I use for all my black and white quotes and it's so cheerful and pretty.

My husband will tell you that much to his annoyance, that's exactly what I do. I have sweaters that are darned in mismatched colors and sometimes look very much like a tatterdemalion in my long skirts, old sweaters and worn out shoes. But given 100 dollars and a choice of things, I'd rather have a half dozen books than a few new shirts. It's where the choice between crafty items and books comes up that it gets hard. My old coat is still warm. 

I also posted some brick stitch bead patterns on BellaOnline Beadwork for St. Patrick's Day.

I love books!

I love books and love to read. I have my nose in a book or would the modern equivalent be "my eyes on the screen" regularly. You know that I review mostly craft, cooking and beading books. It doesn't mean I don't read fiction too. Today I ordered this fantastic book themed shirt* from the Threadless 9.99 sale.*

"Books are a uniquely portable magic" -Stephen King

Here's the quote art if you want to print it, click on the image for the larger version and print on landscape settings. The version above is printed on Astrobrights paper, and as usual, there is a share version on Don't Eat the Paste Quotes.

Happy busy day

Duct tape Anubis mask on TG

Today was a book signing with Rick Riordan. Since my family are fans, we had decided as soon as we heard about it that we were going. TG made herself a costume using cardboard boxes and some of her yarn and fabric stash. She decided she would be Anubis. Her mask and pectoral are completely her own design and execution.

While she didn't win the costume contest, she did get an honorable mention. 

You know, major writers very rarely come to Alaska. Our local best selling authors do book signings up here of course, but we rarely get NY Times best selling authors who aren't Alaskan. 1200 people had shown up at least. Probably more. The book store, which started handing out wristbands for a place in line at 9:00am had a line around the store when we go there about 10 minutes to 9. 

There were craft tables, and like with the Harry Potter book release parties, a sorting area. Only instead of finding out what your house was, you got to find out your God parent and special power. Eyes closed, pulling out slips from a basket.

The 4 of us all picked. William and TG both got Healing as their special gift. William had Ares chosen as his parent. He thought that was hilarious. TG picked Hestia, which triggered her doing the Xena-lookalike Hestia thing. (my family of geeks!). I got Divination and Aphrodite, Michael got Necromancy and Hephaestus. 

TG had fun strutting for the costume contest, and lots of people asked to take her photo. While some people came dressed as the Kanes, she was the only one who chose to be an Egyptian god. 

It was so crowded, but the store handled the fact it was so much busier than expected very well, and Mr. Riordan was wonderful and said he would go over the number of autographs he had originally agreed to. Since we were in the 3rd group of 100 people, we finally got out of there around 2. Mr. Riordan complimented TG's costume, and told her that he hoped she got lots of photographs of it. She'll probably be posting more information about how she made the mask on her Cut Out and Keep page. 

After that, we went to Free Comic Book Day at Bosco's Comics. John announced yesterday on the FB page that the store would allow 10 comics instead of the usual 5 to anyone who came in costume. My darling husband found his Green Lantern mask, which he wore with his GL shirt and ring. TG's costume of course counted, and she had a blast picking out her free comics.

After hours of standing in various lines and doing so much, we are all pretty wiped out now, but it was a lot of fun! 

I like Mr. Riordan's books because they are full of action from the start, the female characters are pretty strong and independent and he keeps very true to the original mythology while writing in an entertaining, contemporary way that engages modern juvenile readers. The current Olympian series is exploring the differences between Greek and Roman myth, and the Kane series is about Egyptian mythology. I'm a big fan of anything that can get youth reading the classics. It will help them to appreciate English poetry as well since so much classic poetry and plays references Greek, Roman and even at times, Egyptian mythology. 

Read Something (printable word art)

On 4-23-12, my son, daughter and I are going out for World Book Night to hand out copies of The Stand by Stephen King. World Book Night is a literacy project with a focus on encouraging adults to read fiction for pleasure. They offered a list of 30 books including lots of wonderful titles, you picked 3 that you had read and enjoyed. They tried to give everyone their first picks. I chose The Stand because it's my husband's favorite book. One he picks up time and time again, and knows so well he'll open it at random and start reading from there. It is an "old friend" book.

While working with ideas for a teeshirt to make for my kids and I, one of my rejected ideas was a bunch of quotes about reading. The reason I rejected it is because the quotes are too small for a teeshirt, but I think you might enjoy it to print and hang. PDF format- READ SOMETHING!

Here are some of the quotes in it.

Wear the old coat and buy the new book. - Austin Phelps
The ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.- Malcolm X
 He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, as in all fortunes.-Barrow
Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books. - Bell Hooks
 All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality -- the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape.  - Arthur Christopher Benson
The habit of reading is the only enjoyment in which there is no alloy; it lasts when all other pleasures fade. - Anthony Trollope

Books are incredibly important to me. I read a lot, both the books reviewed here and fiction.

My favorite writer is Robert Heinlein. His books are my "old friend" books, the ones I grew up with and know so well that I can open them to any page.

My favorite fiction release this year is Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. It's absurd and clever and I laughed almost all the way through it.

If you have tweens or teens, I recommend Rick Riordan's books, like the Harry Potter books, my whole family read the Percy Jackson books and discussed them. My daughter is a big fan who is very excited he's coming up to do a book signing next month.

If you like fantasy and fairies, you might like Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, set in a small liberal arts college in Minnesota in the early to mid 70s, it's a beautifully written modern retelling of the ballad of Tam Lin, with lots of Shakespearean references.

My family's tastes run strongly to science fiction and fantasy.

Things I'm Loving Right Now

The Illustrated Hassle-Free Make Your Own Clothes Book  -I love this book, and it's currently 1.99 in Kindle format. Don't be fooled by the cover, with it's clean cut young lady from the late 60s- early 70s sewing. This is a non-fussy, completely groovy, peace, love, happiness and a pair of scissors hippie sewing book. It's instructions on how to make caftan patterns and tells you that you can sew yourself outfits completely by hand. The text reminds me a lot of my mother and her friends sitting on big floor pillows, with incense burning and a mix of fondue pots. My daughter loves this book as well. For 1.99, it's worth the risk to see if you'd like a physical copy.

Marian Call's Something Fierce- I woke up this morning with one of the songs from this album stuck in my head. The name of the song is Dear Mr. Darcy, over 1000 words long, it's the song which inspired the title of the album. "If you peel back the polite, there might be something fierce inside." - Marian's music has cross-generational appeal, it's a bit of coffee house, a bit of jazz, a bit of folk, and always intelligent. At times it's laugh out loud funny. She's a favorite singer of my family, and we go to as many all ages shows as we can. Check her website to see if she'll be in your area, she tours extensively.

Jerry Lawson and the Talk of the Town- The Persuasions were part of the soundtrack of my youth, but to be completely honest, I think I like the Talk of the Town better. This is another one of those groups that my whole family likes, a Capella with a  strong gospel influence.
(all of the above are Amazon.com affiliate links)


Garden planning! We are .5 inch away from the snowiest winter on record since Alaska became a state. But it's starting to thaw, and things are showing back up in my yard which gives me hope. I'm planning to put in more perennial herbs that are zone 3 hardy this year. Any suggestions?

Mod Podge!

Apple green with the shade of pink I use for so much of this site. I'm currently making a friendship bracelet using those colors.

Hair toys! The peacock feathers were a gift from a friend. She's considering making more for sale, and I'll let you know if she does. The colored shells on hemp I made, and they click and clack against each other.

AND.. last but not least-
Monday Peeps will be on sale for roasting to make Peep S'mores, and so will Easter egg dye for coloring your natural fibers and feathers.

Book Quote Cross Stitch Pattern

"There is no such thing as too many books. However, there is such a thing as not enough room"

William said that one day when I was talking about going out book shopping. My husband said "Don't you have them all?" And I said "NO! and there is no such thing as too many books!"
I told my son it should be a cross stitch pattern. So it is! I based it off an old pixel bookshelf that I made years ago. Click on the image for a larger version. Print to fit page. It's 140x140- so 10x10 inches in 14 count.

Book Coloring page

I love books. Really really love books. So I drew this coloring page. I hope you enjoy it. Click on the image for the bigger version. Can also be used for embroidery and other craft purposes!