She's Crafty | Yarn On The Big Screen

Have you seen Catching Fire yet?!

I haven't, but already I'm in love with all the beautiful yarn pieces Katniss wears throughout the film.

After flipping through a copy of the Official Illustrated Movie Companion for Catching Fire at the library, I came across at least three pieces I had to search the internet to see if any original designs were available yet or any fan-created inspired patterns.

Enter the Katniss cowl. Probably the most popular piece from the movie if you listen to the internet buzz. The original is woven, which you can read all about in this interview with the designer herself, Maria Dora: Catching Fire Fashion: The Story Behind Katniss' Cowl. 

With a bit of searching, you can find plenty of patterns so you can knit yourself a fashionable Katniss cowl inspired, vest...cape thingy. My favorite so far lives on Ravelry. It's a free pattern created by Lauren McClain, known on the site as LollyKnits. If you're interested in making your own, you can find that pattern here.

The cowl is cool but I'm actually in love with a sweater she wears during the Victory Tour. It has a high-low hem, flattering color-block panels, and trendy thumb holes.

I haven't found a pattern for the sweater yet, but I'm determined. Maybe I'll even try my best at making my own inspired piece. Then again, I may not have to wait long for an official (or unofficial) Catching Fire knits book of patterns. The rumor is, the demand for patterns is HIGH.

This isn't the first time I've gone gaga over a piece of needlework in a movie. After watching Elf for the thousandth time I wondered if there was a pattern for the slouchy white hat Jovie wears while singing outside Central Park. I haven't found the right one yet, but I look whenever I think about the movie.

And, of course, you can't speak about cozy knits at the movies without discussing Harry Potter. House scarves, fingerless gloves, cowls, capes, hats...the movies are a treasure trove of fantastic knits. You can channel your inner wizard or witch with a cozy pair of house socks from Charmed Knits: Projects For Fans of Harry Potter by Alison Hansel, which you can check out from Link+.

So, tell us, what are your favorite big screen cozy pieces? Have you ever made one?

Let us know how you added the ear-flaps to your Jane hat from Firefly. Or how your stripey Tom Baker, Doctor Who scarf turned out. We want to know how efficient that Spock sweater is at keeping you warm.

Kaye & Malia

Just Life | Ice Ice .....

Nope, you guessed it wrong. 

I am not talking about the "Ice Ice Baby" song. 

ICE stands for "In Case of Emergency" on the contact list of your cell phone. 

Lets say that you were in a car accident and you are unconscious. What is the easiest way to contact your next of kin? Your cell phone. Right?(Assuming that your phone isn't passworded.)

So, take a minute today to put your emergency contact info on your phone so paramedics and other first responders can contact your family fast.

Picture from www.swfe.org

 
Here is an example of how to enter it in your cell phone contact list:

ICE Husband
ICE Mom
 
You can even put an ICE sticker on your cell phone informing the first responders that you have your emergency contact info on your cell phone.

You can purchase an ICE sticker from the following website:

http://www.icesticker.com/store

Here are a few facts from this website:

• Millions of teenagers and pre-teens leave their houses every day without ID but most of them carry cell phones.

• According to CDS, in 2006, 1.6 million patients came to emergency rooms and couldn't provide their contact information because they were incapacitated.

ICE might save your life...or the lives of your loved ones.

Baby & child emergency first aid

Infant & child CPR [DVD] : what every parent should know

First aid and CPR  

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

The Wanderlust Librarian | Thanksgiving Time

The big day is here with lots to eat

and after the feast, you'll be tired and beat.

But now, my dear readers, I think you should know

that I'm writing my blog (and I hope it doesn't blow)

I'm off to the City, the one by the Bay.

Not THAT one, the other... the one called San Jose.

The meal will be small, a decent repast

if you read my previous blog post....it won't be a turkey blast.

Potatoes, sweet corn, pumpkin pie and prime rib

It's simple and delicious (I don't want to be glib).

I can't wait to relax after cooking all day

My boredom will be quelled, "Let's play video games", I'll say!

Of course, it won't jibe with the family dynamic,

my brother will whine for football...it'll be awesome fantastic!

This holiday is one that is dear to my heart,

I'll spend it with my family, not shopping at a mart.

I'm thankful and happy for everything so dear.

To my readers, thank you for reading my blog for over a year! 

I wish you the best of your eating endeavors.

And from the Bloggess to you,

Have the Best Holiday Ever! 

:) 

The Library Bloggess

Learning | Natchitoches

Did you ever see the movie, Steel Magnolias? If you saw the original 1989 version, starring Julia Roberts, you saw a cameo of my niece, playing a newborn baby in the hospital--because she had just been born in the building they were using as a movie location.

I'm in northern Louisiana visiting family this week, in a city called Natchitoches; that's where Steel Magnolias playwright Robert Harling was born and raised.  Julia Roberts' character is based on the tragic story of Harling's sister, Susan. 

I've been thinking about that movie, because I always seem to be passing the house that was featured in the film. I hear it is a bed and breakfast now. It's just a few blocks from the Natchitoches Parish Library.

The city of Natchitoches is the setting for the motion picture, but its name has been disguised as the city of Chinquapin. For many years, it was believed that the word Natchitoches meant the same thing as chinquapin (chestnut tree,) or perhaps eaters of chinquapins.  

Just like the fictional Chinquapin, Natchitoches has a Christmas festival that draws visitors from great distances.  If you have a taste for Christmas light displays, you might consider putting a visit on your bucket list.

Facts about Natchitoches:

It is the oldest continuous settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. It's 300th birthday will be celebrated throughout the year 2014.

Its name is hard to pronounce, because it's a French transliteration of a Native American word.  Residents pronounce it either NACK-a-tish or NACK-a-dish.

The city was established on the banks of the Red River, but the river changed course, leaving behind a long, skinny lake that is now known as the Cane River Lake.

Natchitoches is famous for its meat pies.

She's Crafty | Giving Thanks

When I decided to sit with a pile of card-making books I picked up from the library to help me plan my holiday greeting cards, I got distracted from the objective by a section about Thank You cards. An excited and bouncy thought popped into my head, "What about thank you cards for Thanksgiving?!" So, the objective now is to write a personal note to each recipient explaining how thankful I am that they are in my life and for being an awesome person. 

Thankfully, I have a half-made set of Thank You cards I started years ago that just need a little fixing up and they'll be ready to hand out. Score! I went to the craft store to pick up some stamp pads and came across a Thank You card kit. I walked by it once telling myself I didn't need it--come on, I have the set at home! I walked by it again, and again...and finally I just grabbed it. Now I have a mix of greetings to give.

Kit card on the left, my design on the right.

While I was at the craft store I came across a plethora of options to make quick work of giving thanks:

• Grab a set of blank, folded cards with envelopes (they come in various sizes). Write, stamp or print Thank You on the front. Then write your message on the inside.

• Make postcards out of cardstock, decorate the front, and write your sentiment on the flip-side. 

• Paper tags in little paper bags as place markers at a dinner table--write their name on the bag and the thanks on the tag. 

• And, of course, you can go super inexpensive and use any kind of paper you have at home along with some kind of writing implement and get creative. Break out the construction paper and the crayons for the young and young-at-heart for a fun activity!

For some inspiration and how-to guidance, check out these titles we have about card making at the library:

• Handmade Hellos by Eunice Moyle & Sabrina Moyle

• 10-Minute Cards To Give & Share by Tanya Fox

• Fast, Fun Cards by Emma Hardy

Thank you for being the awesome reader you are. Without your support, we wouldn't have anyone to blog to about crafts and share our passion for craftin' with. And, if you are interested in reading more about the many benefits of gratitude in your life, here are a few titles on that subject:

• 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik

• The Joy of Appreciative Living by Jacqueline Kelm

• Thanks! by Robert Emmons

• The Gifts of Gratitude by Elizabeth Baker

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kaye & Malia

Bleach-ed Out Manga

Greetings and salutations, fellow comic book readers!

 Today we will take a detour into the wonderful world of Japanese comic books (otherwise known as Manga) to introduce a title that is extremely popular with people of all ages around the world. A veritable pop phenomenon:  Bleach! One of the best selling manga titles of all time, selling something like 80 million copies in Japan alone. That is a lot of comics! It has been around since 2002, collected in the weekly manga magazine Shonen Jump. Since it has been introduced, Bleach has inspired an animated television series from 2004 to 2012, four animated feature films, seven rock musicals(?/!), and numerous video games, as well as a plethora of related merchandise! It is a title that has officially hit its mainstream stride, appearing in North America on Cartoon Network.

The First Issue!

                                                         

The story revolves around, Ichigo Kurosaki, a young man who obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper (literally, "Death God") —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper. Not a bad gig, I know, but Ichigo's powers force him to take on the duties of defending humans from evil spirits and guiding departed souls to the afterlife. Professor O finds this a pretty good deal, but what if you do not like the people you have to save? Meh, we will let Ichigo decide that one, he is the Soul Reaper.

A recommended read, dear readers! It is Punk Rock with a dash of Highway To Heaven…and swords. The manga is gloriously read back to front as the original Japanese version, but unlike the original Japanese version it is in English. Professor O has seen you browsing the manga shelves at the SSJCPL, he has witnessed you ogling the titles while making sure no other adults see you, but dear reader, you need to go on, give it a try!

Until next time, fellow readers! 

Professor O

Just Life | Heaven's Public Library

The other day, my boss was complaining to a co-worker that there were too many good books and not enough time to read them all in a life time.

I protested.

How about reading books after life?

Eternity is the perfect time to read at least a few thousand books or so.

Don't you think so?

I told her not to worry and I assured her that Heaven should definitely have a pretty good size library with an impressive collection.

Personally,  I'm counting on reading peacefully in the afterlife.

FYI to my husband: when the time comes, please bury me with my book bucket list.

In Heaven, do they use the Dewey decimal system? I wonder!

But wait a minute, what if I end up in hell. 

Mmmmmmm, I guess I'll have to go to Hell's Public Library, with the broken down shelves and a pretty hot collection of books such as: Fifty shades of Grey 

Picture from www.digital-art-gallery.com

Since it is pretty hot in Hell, I think reading would take my mind off of melting in a  fiery cauldron.

Who knows, maybe, they even have a Nolo press book called " How to win your way back to Heaven."

Hey, even if they deny my petition, I bet I can still receive some heavenly books via ILL (Inter- Library- Loan). 

So what do you think? 

Are there any libraries up there or in the underworld?  And what do the late fees consist of?  I shutter to think!

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha