Check out my post on girldrive by Nona Willis Aronowitz and Emma Bee Bernstein over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on Power of Gardens by Nancy Goslee Power over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Dahlia!

Dahlia won by two votes over the other names I proposed for this gal. I'm pleased with that result, so Dahlia it is.

These photos picture her modeling one of the new dresses I made this weekend (and by weekend I mean yesterday and today - I work Saturday and Sunday), the Hot Pink Hottie Dress.

My goal was to make a shorty dress but still make it a little bit fancy. I think the ribbon trim at the hem and the starburst sequin embellishment on the bodice accomplishes that nicely. I made the skirt quite full which also adds to the effect. As you can see I also finally got some socks for her!

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on Feminine Knits by Lene Holme Samse over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on Gardening with Shape, Line and Texture by Linden Hawthorne over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

So I need to choose a name for my new-to-me Blythe. Her model name is Mademoiselle Rosebud and I like the idea of naming her for a flower. I put up a poll (on your left), so please vote and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear further ideas and opinions in the comments, too.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post about Kanzashi in Bloom by Diane Gilleland over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Stray Sock Sewing: Making One-of-a-Kind Creatures from Socks by Daniel, photography by Liao Chia Wei

We're all familiar with the ever-popular sock monkey, but these critters are a different animal (ha) altogether. Daniel has created a sweet collection of cuddly creatures made from socks, thread, buttons and a variety of fun findings. He uses embroidery floss to add details, almost the same way an illustrator would use a line of ink. There are cats, bears, pigs, elephants, and even a punk zebra. My favorites might be the Sock Doll Tweens, who are emo, slouchy, and sort of reminiscent of The Doubtful Guest (though his scarf is striped and their bodies are).

While the stray socks you'll find around the house will certainly not measure up in cool-looking-ness, the projects pictured here are definitely very doable for anyone who has (or is willing to learn) some basic hand sewing skills. As far as craft materials go, shelling out a few bucks for some cute socks isn't bad. Add a Stray Sock Creature to my crafty to-do list.

Reviewed from library copy.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

It's been awhile since we've been able to keep up with the movies coming out in the theater, so this weekend we made it a point to see one Saturday (K lucked out and got out of work a little early, woot) and another Sunday. Canton Cinema was hopping! Clearly we weren't the only ones with that plan.

Anyway, Saturday we saw The Book of Eli. In a nutshell, it's the story of a guy who is compelled to walk West in a post-apocalyptic world in which gangs of thugs rule and many people have resorted to cannibalism to stay alive (*shudder*). The guy, played by Denzel Washington, is Eli. He has in his possession a book, namely the King James version of the Bible, which is most likely the last copy in existence. The book is really important to Eli and coincidentally he happens to walk into a town run by self-appointed SOB-in-charge Carnegie (played by Gary Oldman) who is desperately searching for, you guessed it, a copy of the Bible. Of course this means that Eli gets pulled into the lives of the people in the town and, since he's now off his path (the walking West quest), things inevitably go to shit.

The movie has some striking scenes and there are some impressive action sequences. Washington and Oldman both play their parts well, despite the fairly stock nature of their characters. Given that the Bible is the focus of so much of the film I expected there to be plenty of preaching, but it was actually pretty minimal - enough that I was able to mostly ignore it. I'd recommend seeing it in the theater because it's pretty on the big screen, but I wouldn't see it twice.



Sunday we finally saw Sherlock Holmes. From the previews I expected it to be all action but there was enough deduction to keep my interest. Robert Downey Jr. is a good fit for this incarnation of Holmes. He's cocky and a smartypants, and in this case Holmes is also in peak physical condition, so RDJ got to show off his abs of iron. The story wasn't the most compelling Holmes mystery I've seen but it was serviceable, and they wrote it to lead neatly into future installments. There were a number of fairly cheesy lines alluding to the potential future misuse of this or that technology, but what else can you expect from a big-budge studio deal like this?

Though both of these movies were satisfying views, I have to say that the best thing about seeing them was the fact that we managed to make it through two entire movies in the theater and NOT have any of our seat neighbors whip out their cell phones or talk loudly through the film. It is sad that this is a major exception to the norm, but I'll take it where I can get it.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on the Locavore Way over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

We have an unfinished basement, but there's one room that was partially finished when we bought the house: CraftyTown. It has drywall up on the walls and the floor is carpeted, but that's all that's been done. The ceiling is unfinished and we put up a light fixture in the one central receptacle, but the room badly needs more light and a real ceiling. For all these photos, please ignore the boxes and junk on the floor that I couldn't be bothered to clean up.

The walls were decorated with a HockeyTown motif and splatter paint effect (oh, the 1980s) when we moved in, and though it took five coats of primer, the hockey rink and Wings logos are almost entirely hidden. I haven't wanted to paint the walls another color, figuring that white will reflect the most light and anything else would make it darker in there. We also tacked up some cheapo white tablecloths over the ceiling beams in hopes that the white fabric would reflect more light. The ceiling in here is also quite low, as the room above it is sunken.

The next step will be to get the electrician to come install more lighting. In this regard, the fact that the ceiling is unfinished is in our favor, as he'll hopefully be able to give me light in all the areas I want it, and we won't need to tear anything out. I'd like it to be bright as all get-out in there so I can really see what I'm doing when I'm sewing and know that I'm seeing the actual colors of fabric, thread, and so on. After the lighting is in we could think about finishing the ceiling.

I don't love the carpet in this room, but I can definitely live with it. It's fairly clean and it's pretty comfortable to stand on so the padding must be adequate. I wouldn't want to shell out the dough to replace it until we really need to. I'd like to paint at least some of the walls another color - something light but not white. Once I have enough lighting I'll see what I think.

So, for the quick tour, we have the sewing table:

And the cutting table:

And the computer area (this PC is reserved for iTunes only - it is several years old and can't handle much more reliably):

And my fabric rack:

This rack was originally intended as shelves for a bathroom, but I re-purposed it to hold all my Blythe dress fabrics. This way I can see what I have in any given color and easily see patterns and colors that might compliment one another.

I feel good about having organized most of my raw materials. The drawer bins I mounted on the wall are really great for keeping track of all the little buttons and sequins and stuff, and the thread racks make it so much easier to see what I've got. I think I like the arrangement of the room pretty well. As I keep saying lately, "it's getting there!"

More pics (and notes to identify things) on Flickr.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

I made quite a bit of time for sewing this weekend and I'm so glad I did. I really need to make a concerted effort to do so more often. Sewing is so satisfying for me and I feel like I'm teaching myself new tricks and techniques and it's so fun to learn new things.

For starters, I made this Pink Pooch dress:

I love the dog fabric and I was so pleased that I happened to have on hand this pink polka dot fabric that matched perfectly. I was originally just going to use it to line the bodice (which I did) but then decided that I wanted to make a second layer of skirt to show it off. I think it turned out quite well. Here you can see my new-to-me (and yet-to-be-named - suggestions welcome!) Mademoiselle Rosebud Blythe (thanks again to my pal Kristen for letting me take her off your hands!) modeling it and hanging out with her own pooch.

Next is the Aster dress:

Isn't this flower fabric awesome? I love that it's retro but not over the top and I think it works really well as the skirt of this dress. I sewed beads on at the center of each flower (which on the fabric is the same color blue that the beads are) and then added two on the bodice where buttons might otherwise be. This dress is pretty simple but I'm quite pleased with the result.

Then we have the Sew Buttons dress:

When I saw this fabric I knew I needed to make a Blythe dress from it. To me it's crafty without being too cutesy - I think the 70s color scheme makes it work. I love the little bits of lime green in the pattern and I think the ribbon I put around the hem brings them out nicely. I also attached yellow and orange buttons where they occur in the print - I'm so pleased with the effect. I named this one for Sarah, who I think will appreciate this dress.

Finally, there's the Sweetheart dress:

Valentine's Day is coming up and since I don't really exchange valentines with people anymore, I felt that making some Blythe clothing was a perfect opportunity to indulge my attraction to this heart fabric. And you can't go wrong with rick-rack!

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

One of the librarians in the adult department at my library asked me recently if she could borrow some of my knitted items for a display she wanted to create. I was totally flattered that she asked me, and I have to say that the display turned out beautifully! My KOs look so much more elegant displayed so nicely.

I'm just so pleased to have my knitting featured like this. Thanks, Deb!

More photos at Flickr.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Gardener's Latin: A Lexicon by Bill Neal

I picked up this book because I'd like to learn more of the Latin names for the plants in my garden. I always take note of them if the plant cards or seed packets list them, but they never seem to stick in my head. I'm hoping that by exposing myself to some of the definitions of the Latin words, I can make some connections that will help me remember.

This little book is definitely one that I will end up purchasing for my own personal collection. It includes countless definitions and each page has a fact or two, and sometimes a diagram, that draws a real-world connection between a plant's name and it's historical or cultural significance.

Here's one that struck me d'uh, but I'd never realized it before and I'll certainly remember it now: impatiens means impatient, as in throwing seed when ripe. Cool!

Highly recommended.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Paint It Black: A Guide to Gothic Homemaking by Voltaire

This sort of adorable, tiny book is a guide to home decorating for the dark and spooky. Did you know that there are just three steps to turning just about anything goth?

1. Paint it black
2. Slap a skull on it
3. Release the bats!

These steps hold true for home decor but can also be applied to cooking, tricking out your PT Cruiser, and even planning your wedding. Who knew? I can't fail to mention that also included are instructions for customizing your own hideous goth doll. Peppered liberally with tips for dealing with your hateful parents who just do not understand you, this book includes a wealth of tips for the wannabe crafty goth. Get ready to decorate your walls with dead roses and crusty old ribbons!

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

My latest dress for Blythe is this, the Songbird Dress:

I found this supercute birdie fabric at JoAnn (I know!) and the trim is from a mixed bag I got at the dollar store (even better, right?). I lined the bodice with a red w/white polka dot fabric that I think provides a lovely contrast. I'm still learning how to get good shots with the light box, and I haven't quite gotten the lighting to where I'd like it yet. It's getting there, but I can't seem to get it bright enough inside the box without flash glare. I have two 3000K 110V lights on either side (they came with the box) and a halogen desk lamp pointed in at the box. If I use the halogen I have to hold a piece of tissue paper in front of it in order to avoid glare and shadows, but without the halogen it seems too dark. Any photographers out there have any suggestions?

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on Men's Knits by Erika Knight over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on All New Homespun Handknit by Amy Clarke Moore over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Princess Hyacinth {The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated} by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Lane Smith

Growing up Florence Parry Heide's books about Treehorn (illustrated by super mega favorite Edward Gorey) were some that I went back to and re-read over and over again. So when I saw that she had teamed up with the amazing Lane Smith, I was very excited.

I was not disappointed! The illustrations and design of this book make for a very satisfying read. Text floats off the page and the stylized characters and scenes feel royal, even when Princess Hyacinth is floating around in her underwear. At times the Princess looks a little Charlie-Brown-ish which feels right and endears her to the reader even more.

This is a relatively text-heavy picture book and not one that little ones are likely to sit still for - it's the older kids who'll take the time to notice all the details in each scene and will identify with the friendship the Princess finds with Boy.

Recommended. Reviewed from library copy.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.

Check out my post on Fairy Tale Knits over at CPL.

Originally published at LibrariAnne.