Under Construction

Reading

It seems to be reading season around here (as opposed to blogging season, crafting season or fitness season). So books. And stuff about books. In a list:

1. I downloaded the (free) Kindle app for my iPhone. I had resisted thinking it'd be confusing or a hassle to set up. It's not! It's WONDERFUL!

    a. iPhone is backlit and silent--perfect for reading in bed/while feeding Oscar

    b. automatically syncs with the Kindle so I can switch devices easily

    c. I pretty much always have it with me so can read a bit here and there

2. I'm loving GoodReads. I mostly follow blog people -- Jonniker and Temerity Jane read a lot and post useful reviews. I never post reviews but still like to keep track of books there and get reading ideas.

3. In paper book form I am currently reading The Fault in Our Stars which I'm pretty sure is going to be 1000% sadder than I want it to be (I'm not really wanting sad books but I didn't know what it was about until I was already interested).

    a. I got it from the library. Loving the library.

    b. Now when 2 or more folks mention a book or author I automatically add it to my library request/to read pile but I never read the back cover or any reviews. I like the surprise (except when it's sad).

    c. This is how I ended up reading State of Wonder (I believe Swistle recommended it). I had zero idea what it was about--just started at page 1--and I liked it! Oh, and Blackout and All Clear as recommended by Lissa I believe. Liked those as well!

4. In ebooks I'm reading Jane Eyre. It was free on Kindle and I've never read it. I usually dislike classics women usually love (sorry, Pride and Prejudice) but 40ish% in I'm really liking Jane Eyre. Go figure.

5. I'm really enjoying "test driving" non-fiction from the library.

    a. Quilt books--I LOVE Block Party. Amazing, unique quilts and the level of instruction is JUST what I like in a quilt book. No fussy pattern pieces, just explanation of technique. I LOVE this quilt below. LOVE.

    b. Cookbooks--I checked out a whole stack but these two stuck in my head.

        i. Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver. Loved how this book looked (the layout, the paper, the art) but the recipes? Eh. Although I did make the deep fried pizza balls which were just as ridiculous/decadent/yummy as they sound. Don't really recommend.

        ii. Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman. LOVED this one. Found myself renewing it and I probably cooked 12 things from the book. I'm going to buy it for sure. Love! But make sure you love the unusual paragraph style recipes. (this is where I'd post a photo of the recipes but having technology issues so, no)

    c. Other non-fiction

        i. I'm reading The Philosophical Baby which I had to return and go get again. It's not exactly gripping but interesting enough I did get it again and plan to finish.

        ii. I picked up some sort of zen/meditation/mindfulness book by Jon Cabot-Zinn (sp?). Haven't read it yet. I sort of got interested in meditation/mindfulness stuff after reading Buddhism for Mothers of Young Children which I liked much more than I anticipated.

And there you have it. The world's wordiest post on books. Let me know if you have anything I should add to my reading list.

A book for you--but not in time for Christmas

Hello! Welcome to my first ever not-exactly-sponsored-but-affiliated-with-a-product post. Excited? Me too!

So, I don't think I mentioned it here but I have a project in a book! A book that came out earlier this month. It's Fabric-by-Fabric One-Yard Wonders (the sequel to the first One-Yard Wonders). Look, it's even on Amazon. My flat screen tv cover pattern is on page 350! How many exclamation points can I use in two paragraphs?(!)

Anyway, let's start with the important stuff--if you want to win a copy of this book leave a comment by midnight on December 23 and I'll email the winner on Christmas Eve and the publisher will send you this giant book full of 101 projects.

THE BOOK

See, giant book! There's a huge envelope of patterns in the front followed by 415 full color pages in a spiral binding that conveniently stays open to the page you want. I always like that in a craft book.

I received the book free (part of my compensation for being a contributor) and it arrived on Saturday. I finally had a chance today to take a closer look. For as much as I sew I only branched out of using quilting cottons within the last few years so I found the beginnings of the sections where they describe the types of fabric quite useful. For example, I had no idea what a "woven pile" fabric was. Turns out it's fuzzy stuff like corduroy, velveteen or chenille. 

WHAT I (ALMOST) MADE

When I first flipped through the book my immediate reaction was that there were tons of things I'd make. But then, when it came down to choosing something to make for this blog post I actually got stuck. Of course that's more my fault than the book's. I wanted to make something that didn't require  pattern pieces from the envelope, could be made with fabric on hand and could be made in an hour or two.

I have a great stash of knits so that's the chapter I went to. Ignoring the fine, fine project on page 350 which totally fit my criteria :) I opted to make the Speedy Ruffle Scarf on page 336.

HOW I (ALMOST) MADE IT

I used a super soft, super lightweight gray jersey knit. It happened to be 60 inches wide rather than the 45 inches called for in the pattern so I adjusted the number of strips I cut to get the proper total length. Also, I used my rotary cutter and ruler to cut the strips which I estimate was about 4000 times easier than marking the knit and cutting with scissors. Of course, I understand not everyone has a rotary cutter but if you've got it, use it!

From the image in the book I had no idea how the scarf was constructed so my usual approach of going off the photo rather than the written instructions didn't work out. Luckily, the instructions were very clear and easy to follow. The hand sewing was a bit tedious but I had my mom on speakerphone so I got all caught up with the family as I stitched away.

The next step would be to machine sew the ruffled layers but I didn't get there. I feel confident it will work (I put a stretch needle in my machine--I'm ready to go) but it's going to have to wait. I didn't want to be late on my one and only scheduled blog post of the year and it's already after 10 pm! You'll have to come back another time to see my snuggly scarf.

SHOULD YOU BUY THIS BOOK?

If the Speedy Ruffle Scarf pattern is representative of the book, it's clearly written and easy to follow. If you like to do a variety of types of sewing from home dec to toys to apparel this is a great book and you'll certainly find enough projects to make it worth the $30 price tag (more like $20 on Amazon).It's also a very informative book with tips for sewing different types of fabrics.

If you have kids (or sew for kids) this book would be especially worthwhile as there are a number of toys and kids' clothing pieces. I guess kids fit into a yard of fabric better than most adults.

On the other hand, I'm going to be honest, if you're like me and get irritated following patterns this may not be the book for you. I find it tedious to follow a detailed pattern and there are a lot of super adorable projects in here that I simply wouldn't make out of laziness. The piglet stuffed toy on page 302 is a perfect example. Of course with 101 patterns I could just skip the complicated ones. I flipped through the book with a critical eye and still found more than 10 projects I would definitely make and several projects that described a new-to-me technique. Given that, I'd say the book would be a worthwhile investment for your sewing library even for a pattern-phobe.

Of course, you don't even have to make an investment--just leave a comment and you might win a book. And if you don't sew it'd make a great gift.

And with that, I'll conclude the longest post in history with a list of the other blogs on the blog book tour. I'm sure there are several other chances to win books so take a look and the blogs of the other contributors. Thanks for reading!

12/12/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/13/2011 Craft Buds

12/14/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 Patch Work Duck Designs

12/15/2011 A Spoonful of Sugar

12/15/2011 Nifty Kidstuff

12/15/2011 Becka's Project Journal

12/16/2011 Nom Nom Nom Nom

12/16/2011 Quaint and Quirky

12/17/2011 ikatbag

12/17/2011 Two Brown Birds

12/18/2011 Sharon Sews

12/19/2011 LBG Studio

12/19/2011 Carolina Fair Designs

12/19/2011 Under Construction

12/20/2011 Little Blue Cottage

12/21/2011 Craftzine

12/21/2011 Neuroses Galore

12/21/2011 Emily Steffen

12/22/2011 Jenna Lou Loves You

12/23/2011 Spincushion

12/27/2011 One Inch World

12/28/2011 Sew Sew Etc.

January ‘12 Lu Lu Carter

January ’12 Fiberosity

January ’12 Zuhause

January ’12 Obsessively Stiching

January ’12 No Bad Days

January ’12 Craft & Cackle

January ’12 AfricanKelli

Alphabet board book

I got a 4 inch board book for a dollar at Target.

Then I pasted trimmed snapshots of all our family members over the alphabet. I used a very thin coat of Mod Podge.

Yeah, could have done a better job with the trimming but I didn't have much inspiration tonight so it is what it is.

As always with this "make a thing a day" deal it was hard to get going late at night after work but I'm glad I got this done. It really only took 30 minutes and it'll be a fun little gift for Oscar under the tree.

What a cutie!

Vaccines and summer reading

Perhaps he would have preferred getting tetanus or diptheria?

Oscar had his 2 month appointment today (a few days late) and weighed in at a whopping 14 lbs 1 oz. Sheesh! I thought he was getting heavy. He also got 3 shots, an oral vaccine and a dose of Tylenol. Then he went to sleep but I'm thinking it'll be all Moby wrap all day to keep him semi peaceful. He settled down pretty quick after this photo.

Mr. H and I are both pro-vaccine and, to be honest, can't quite figure out the anti-vaccine crowd. Vaccines don't cause autism, folks! Oscar's nurse said they have several patients' parents who decline or modify vaccine schedules which they (the doctors) find annoying. If you want to read something totally unrelated to vaccines but that will make you think they're a good thing, try At Home by Bill Bryson. Chapter 16 has a piece on smallpox and let's all be glad that's one disease we don't need to worry about!

And, speaking of reading, At Home is counting as my non-fiction book for the library summer reading bingo game. For the second year in a row, Biscuit is playing for blackout but is losing steam. Yesterday I was picking up some books on hold and I decided what the heck, game ON. I am going to whip her at summer reading and get to blackout first. Yes, they do have an adult version of the program so I'm not going to whip through Mr. Popper's Penguins and call it a day.

I put a good dent in her commanding lead with simple ones like: download the library app (done by Mr. H, iPhone haver), subscribe to booklist, check out language database, read to someone else, etc etc.

Today I am dying wool yarn with instructions from a very cool book I happened to spot while looking for something else entirely: The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes by local(ish) author Sasha Duerr. Blackberry dye in the works (both fruits and leaves in separate pots). I'll report back.

So, while Biscuit is on a Fancy Nancy and Amelia Bedelia kick, I seem to be into YA Fantasy (one of which I am totally counting as Science Fiction even though it's not entirely accurate...). I need quick reads if I'm going to win. Anyone want to recommend a mystery? And is Little Bee any good? My mom didn't seem to think so but I requested the Play Away (one bingo square) and if I listen I can attend the audiobook book club later this month (another square). That seemed more realistic than reading Alexandria by tomorrow evening's historical fiction book club meeting :) What about a short, readable "classic"? I was thinking Little Women or Jane Eyre. Got 'em both free on Kindle but I'm open to ideas. I've got a few graphic novels requested thanks to recommendations in this post by Melissa Wiley. And I'm reading Little Audrey, a super short book suggested by a friendly librarian who saw my stack and realized I'm totally cool with reading children's books. And if I can read all that before Biscuit finishes Mr. Popper's Penguins and listens to an audio book I should be all set. Right.... I'd better go read.

Bouquets, Books and Stripes

I have rediscovered the faux-moby as a place Oscar likes so I can type two handed. So, here goes, a three part post before he wakes up or my parents show up. (I need your advice in part 2b).

Bouquets

Inspired by Emily I went into my yard (which does not have a cutting garden per se but does have, you know, plants) and picked a few bouquets.

Princess Roses (bought this plant for Biscuit at the start of her Princess phase--it has lived and bloomed despite disease and ZERO attention)

Oregano gone to flower and yarrow for the kitchen. It seems oregano can be practically invasive around here but it's so tasty and pretty I'm not bothered. Less pokey than the invasive blackberries.

The first sunflower(s)

And my bouquet picking assistant. He actually wasn't all that helpful :)

Books:

Biscuit is going to kill me for this but it made me laugh because it's exactly how I was when I was little.

:: edited, I put in the photo and took it out--too embarrassing. But I'll tell you about it anyway. She was reading while sitting on the toilet ;) ::

Here's a different, funny, reading photo. In a box.

Recently Biscuit started reading Little House in the Big Woods. A book I was 95% sure she wouldn't get through and 98% sure she wouldn't comprehend due to vocabulary.

::Oops, baby woke up. Down an arm. end punctuation::

so recent conversation:

biscuit: do you know how to make butter?

me: yes. do you?

b: yes. first you kill the baby cow with a gun...

m: huh? oh, do they kill the baby so they can use all the milk from the mom?

b: no, they need the stomach

m: huh?

b: for the rennet. they use a long gun. the kind for animals, not for people

m: yes, a rifle. and i think you are telling me how to make cheese, not butter

b: ok, cheese. i will read to you how to make it.

so she did. and i learned rennet comes from a calf stomach. and now she is reading Little House on the Prarie.

More Books

I'm pretty sure I should be preview reading Little House on the Prarie (something about Indians? I don't recall) but I don't feel like it.

So, I need book ideas. I love to see what other folks are reading and get ideas so here goes. Based on what I've got on GoodReads I apparently like memoir/essays. Got any more suggestions in that genre?

::Several hours have gone by. parents have come and gone and I have two arms free again. Iced coffee in hand I return to my task::

Here's what I've read recently according to my GoodReads list.

• Anne Lamott: Traveling Mercies and Operating Instructions
• Sarah Vowell: The Partly Cloudy Patriot and Assassination Vacation (really liked Assassination Vacation)
• Ruth Reichl: Garlic and Sapphires (really liked all of her memoirs, read the others last year)
• Michael Connelly: Chasing the Dime and The Brass Verdict (these were from my father-in-law and after two attempts I don't think a huge Connelly fan. I gave my father-in-law Assassination Vacation and he'll read anything but I'm not sure he'll like it despite reading a lot of history books)
• Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk with Me (he's funny on This American Life but the book didn't do it for me)
• Emma Donoghue: Room (liked it but creepy)
• JK Rowling: re-read of the entire Harry Potter series (seriously. so. good. I had forgotten a lot of the details so a re-read was perfect)
• Banana Yosimoto: Kitchen (weird but an interesting look at Japanese culture. if you read it, it's TWO stories. there will never be a connection between the two so don't be looking/disappointed)
• Ellen Raskin: The Westing Game (didn't like it as much as I wanted to. It's no Enders Game)

Now I'm reading

• Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman which I found randomly on my bookshelf and realized 1. it's memoir and 2. I really liked her other book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. One essay in and it seems pretty good.

Books I could not complete due to sad baby/kid parts and postpartum hormones

• Pamela Schoenewaldt: When We Were Strangers. It's not even that sad but there was a single scene about a little girl who's family dies and I had to return it to the library.
• Something else I've already forgotten.

So, any non sad memiors, biographies, autobiographies or other good books?

Finally, Stripes:

Is three stripe patterns too many?

My mom tries to choose clothes for Oscar and she has asked several times, "you like stripes, right?" Apparently so.

Journal wrecking

My dad gave me a boxed set of Keri Smith's books for my birthday. And ever since they've been waiting, still in plastic, for inspiration to strike.

Today was just the right day. Mr. H is out of town, I was tired and grumpy and Biscuit was full of enthusiasm.

Turns out journal wrecking is an activity just made for five year olds.

After the morning bath we went to two different parks and worked on journal destruction! (among other activities)

"Results"

Biscuit jumped up and down on the book on the lawn to fully smash in the found objects. "Lucky we're supposed to wreck this, huh?" she said as the cover got bent and crushed. Now the book smells nicely of lavender.

We just jumped around and completed activities as the mood struck. The entire process was very fun and liberating. And Keri's mentality of experimentation fed into another project we worked on this evening.

Where we started (very boring but inspired by this activity)

Our new "process" inspired by the fact that the damp paper towel I was using to clean up looked better than our deliberately painted cloth.

The "results"

Even more interestingly, the colors continued to run and bleed as the fabric dried so the final result (which is in the dryer now--hopefully not turning my dryer blue) is different than the image above.

Fun times!

Oh, and a super pretty flower on a tree. It's a dogwood, right? I had no idea these grew in California.

Good stuff

Recent sources of inspiration:

Two books

Crafting a Meaningful Home I'll admit, I had low expectations for this book based soley on the cover image being of Lisa Congdon's lovely (but overexposed) plate wall. Still, I decided to check it out at Borders and was pleasantly surprised. I found several innovative ideas I actually wanted to try. One was to take rubbings of embossed metal things around your city (ideally things that say the name of your city). Biscuit and I struck out on finding anything especially cool but had a nice walk around midtown and did rubbings of several standard issue sidewalk covers.

Print Workshop by the Yellow Owl Workshop folks. Their stamp kits are awesome and their book was even better. (again, took a look for free at Borders). An excellent mix of inspiration, useful techniques and guidance to do your own thing which is exactly what I like in a craft book. I find I don't use very prescriptive pattern books but prefer to see ideas and learn the techniques behind them so I can adapt to my own tastes. We bought some supplies for a project from the book during our sidewalk rubbing walk. I'll report back on our success.

Speaking of learning techniques, Abby of While She Naps is doing an amazing series on soft toy construction.

And speaking of great things on the internet, my pal, the artist, Lauren, is offering a really amazing giveaway on her site. An original painting/postcard. I'm already signed up so now I can send you over to sign yourself up. I hope you get one--her work is awesome.

And a few blogs I've been loving lately: Bookhou and Poppytalk. Always fun places to check in.

 

Not sewing

I have a lot of sewing projects in mind but I can't stop reading. I think I'll blame the library since I spent the last three days obsessively reading The Magicians so I could return it on time (it was on hold by another patron so renewal was out of the question). Mr. H said I should have just ponied up the 10 cent fine. But oh, the guilt. Someone was waiting!

I should have left a note inside the cover letting the next patron know that the book was alright but they might want to wait until 2011 when the sequel will be published.

I think this reading obsession started in January. I had a New Years Resolution to read at least 12 books this year. One a month seemed doable. But somehow I've overshot and according to my GoodReads account I've already read 25 plus 2 chapter books to Biscuit. This in contrast to 2009 when I probably read 6 books. Four of which were Twilight.

So, since there's no sewing to share, how about book reviews? I personally love learning about books from Lissa, Andrea, Laurie, Linda and all the other bloggers I read. A few favs from 2010 so far:

Ender's Game--Sci Fi aimed at the teenage set. I totally loved this. Quick read and imaginative story.

Ruth Reichl books--I've finished Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples. I really liked them both. Need to get on with the third in the series. I also read Molly (from Orangette)'s book A Homemade Life and Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential because apparently this is the year of the food memoir. But I think Ruth started the genre and she does it best. The shrimp curry recipe in Comfort Me with Apples is easy and yummy. I've already made it twice (I add potato and butternut squash to stretch the expensive shrimp).

Hunger Games--It's a relief the final book is out and I could finally finish that trilogy. Set aside a weekend and have all three books on hand. Totally addicting.

Let's see. What else?

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was a quick read with a very interesting viewpoint. I think I read half of it while waiting for Biscuit to be done in the library one day. Took it home and finished it in no time. I'd recommend.

I've also been into audiobooks (especially while training for that half marathon). Jen Lancaster has a funny blog and her memoirs are perfect for fun listening. Although right now I'm listening to the Odyssey on audiobook because I figured maybe I could get literate and fit simultaneously. The audiobook is pretty good. But I haven't heard much of it. Oops.

Ok, let's wrap this up with a kid book.

Andrea recommended Toys Go Out on her blog. I read it aloud to Biscuit and actually found it a bit plodding to read but now Biscuit and I find ourselves referring frequently to the characters. We spotted Tuk Tuk in an advertising photo at Home Depot the other day. A very nice story for the 4-5 year olds.

Now I'm heading to bed to read. The Magicians has been returned and I can get back to the other book(s) I'm midway through. Maybe tomorrow will be productive....

Problem? Meet solution. (part 1)

I've noticed that I've been on Twitter/FB less lately and when I do check in, it's usually to post some sort of problem/complaint. And then I never report back. Not that anyone especially cares but occasionally on FB some kind person will post suggestions for me which is so nice and makes me feel guilty.

So, in case you are facing similar, random, not-at-all-important crises, some solutions.

And I'll be posting this in several parts to satisfy my friend Allison who complains if I don't post. Hi, Allison!

My problem posted June 24:

Aaaand the iPod has stopped playing my audiobook. I was halfway through. So frustrating and I CANNOT seem to fix it.

After much googling of "my iPod plays audiobooks too fast" and "my audiobook stopped working on my iPod" I slept on it and figured it out!

Don't sync the iPod!

More detail for fellow sufferers:

My library offers free audiobooks. You download using a program called Ingram Media Manager. Once the book downloads onto your virtual bookshelf (where it remains for three weeks) Ingram gives you the option of putting it on an iPod or playing directly from Ingram. If you click iPod, you have to have your iPod plugged in at that exact moment and the book goes onto your iPod and into your iTunes library. You can play it direct from either location.

BUT if you go back later to charge/sync your iPod it automatically syncs with the iTunes version of your book which will. not. play. leading to great frustration.

So, if you happen to use Ingram, once you get a book onto your iPod turn off audiobook syncing if you need to connect your iPod to your computer again. Or just don't sync your iPod until you're done.

On the up side, the iPod holds your spot wherever you stop listening.

On the down side, if you download two books simultaneously and both have chapters labeled 1, 2, 3 etc the books will organize themselves numerically so you'll have 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, of alternating books leading to a lot of skipping about. Still, free audio books. Love it. And the audiobook version of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was excellent.

Stay tuned this week for more posts (with photos!) of upholstery and apricot problems.  Oooh, sounds scintillating, no?

Bookish

Yesterday I took Biscuit to the library to sign up for their summer reading program. We met a super nice librarian who was very pleased to sign up a little one for summer reading and then recommend several easy readers she might enjoy.

I had tried to explain summer reading to Biscuit and described the summer reading program of yore that involved a theme and a little marker with your name on it moving around a trail on the wall of the library. One square forward/book. First to the finish (or the one who gets farthest?) wins!

Around here, the summer reading program is a bingo game where you have to read certain types of books to fill in a bingo square. For each bingo you get entered into a drawing for a big prize. And you get a free book for participation. It's less about quantity of books read and more about reading a variety of books.

I also learned that there is a summer reading program for adults (!) so of course the Escondido Public Library summer reading champion (c. 1983) just had to sign up for that.

I was very pleased to see that the adult bingo cards include "listen to an audio book" so my strategy of listening to an audio book while running (and only while running) is paying off in both 1. making me run more/longer 2. helping me complete one stinkin' bingo square.

Meanwhile, Biscuit's primary goal seems to beat me at this game and considering she got her first bingo tonight there's really no competition. But her books are totally short! I'm going to make the kid go for blackout while I struggle to complete my first bingo. And I'll have to go with a diagonal to include the free center square for signing up.

I'm reading:

• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (my current audio book, free from the library!)
• Kitchen Confidential (not technically a biography but I'd like to count it for that square. Maybe non fiction? No square for memior)
• The Westing Game (I get a square for reading a mystery but not sure if a mystery written for 10 year olds counts. Plus I seem to have lost the book in the bathroom remodel upheaval. The librarian recommended "The Cat Who..." books for my mystery requirement. Any alternate recs?)
• Ok, yes, I just finished The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. (unable to resist Twilight stuff. And it was free! Unclear if I can use it to win at bingo)
• I also read Warriors of God this month (I'd like to use it for my non fiction square but I technically read it before signing up for summer reading and I don't want to cheat to beat the kid. Dang morals. Maybe I will count Kitchen Confidential after all)
• I'm really enjoying Goodreads for keeping track of my book reading since "read 12 books" was one of my New Year's resolutions

Kid has already read (since yesterday!):

• Award winning book: Madeline's Rescue (Caldecott)
• Librarian recommended book: Little Bear
• Fairytale: Tinkerbell (kind of a stretch but I let it count)
• Book about things that go: Boats, Boats, Boats
• ABC Book: ABCs of Thailand
• Book about animals: Curious George at the Aquarium
• Book about numbers: Berenstein Bears Go Up and Down
• Book about dinosaurs: Ten Terrible Dinosaurs

Gee, competitive much, kid?