Raising Bookworms: Getting Kids Reading for Pleasure and Empowerment by Emma Walton Hamilton
Room by Emma Donoghue
So look for those reviews coming up.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Out With A Bang Readathon Update
Raising Bookworms: Getting Kids Reading for Pleasure and Empowerment by Emma Walton Hamilton
Room by Emma Donoghue
So look for those reviews coming up.
New work, "Sierra Basin"
My latest mixed media work is called Sierra Basin. It's the third piece that I've deconstructed in the last couple of weeks. You can read more about the process in this post.
Scraping away the initial layers of oil paint was a little tedious, but I really liked how it exposed all the different colors I used.
I have one more smaller piece that I'm working on in this manner. Once I finish it this weekend, my plan is to tackle the large wood panel painting that's been sitting on my easel for months.
Today, my art is being featured on the art blog, The Flopslump. Chris and I connected through Etsy, and it's great to meet another artist who is not only passionate about his own work but the art of others as well. While you browse his shop on Etsy, you should also check out my latest treasury. Christmas has passed, but I still have a long wish list!
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Artists I like: Yukari Miyagi
Line is the most basic element of art, yet it takes an adept artist to render a subject using a few simple lines. I have always been captivated by the organic line drawings of Picasso and Matisse, so it only seemed natural that I would instantly be enamored by the beautiful art of Yukari Miyagi. Her child-like illustrations have been featured in numerous international magazines and books, including this one based on the Little Red Riding Hood.
I always find it exciting when art and product design come together. This classic tote takes on a fresh look with Miyagi's animated lines and colors. See more of her product collaborations here.
Out With A Bang Readathon
I am not participating in the Debut Authors challenge and will be reading whatever books I want.
Click on the logo for more info or to sign up.
Friday, 24 December 2010
My Week
a work in progress :: embroidered portraits of my nephews and nieces
(tutorial to come next week)
this little guy makes me happy
bought at a local scandinavian shop a couple of years ago
yesterday's event :: making gingerbread houses with the girls
(on sushi plates, naturally)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wishing you all a joy-filled Christmas with family and friends!
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Felt gift bags for any occasion
Christmas is a few days away, and the wrapping frenzy has just begun at our house. I normally use kraft paper and twine when wrapping gifts, but odd-shaped items seem to go best in bags. I decided to make some gift bags this year out of felt scraps leftover from my Christmas tree skirt project. The felt is made from recycled plastic bottles, and, best of all, the handmade bags are reusable.
To make your own felt gift bags, you need the following items:
felt
fabric scissors
pinking shears
sewing machine (or you can handstitch)
buttons
embroidery floss and needle
bias tape or yarn (optional)
Instructions:
1. Cut out two identical rectangles (the size depends on your gift). The proportion of length to width should be similar to a brown lunch sack.
2. With right sides together, sew along all the edges except the top.
3. To create a base for the bag, pinch the corners so that the bottom seam touches each side seam. Then run the two corners through the sewing machine, creating new seams perpendicular to the bottom seam.
4. Turn the bag right side out and trim the top edge with pinking shears. The basic bag design is now done!
5. For the button detail, flip down the top edge and cut a slit in the middle of the flap. The slit should go through both layers of the flap.
6. Sew the button(s) onto the bag with embroidery floss.
7. Just add embroidered designs to the front of the flap, and the bag is ready to gift!
Another option, especially if you're running short on time, is to skip steps 5 - 7 and tie the felt bag with yarn or bias tape.
I can see the felt bags being a great project for young crafters. They will most likely need a little help with the sewing (especially the corners). And, instead of embroidery, kids could glue felt shapes onto the bag, like hearts for Valentine's Day.
Jingle the Husky Pup Interactive Storybook & Story Buddy
This is a Great Last Minute Gift Idea - if you still have more shopping to do like me!
When I saw this cute book-toy set in a Hallmark flyer, I thought it was the cutest idea and something every child would love. So I contacted them and they were nice enough to send one along for me to review.
The stuffed dog is really cute, with a really big head that makes it top heavy and a cute little bell around it's neck. My kids love him. He looks just like he does in the book. When you are ready to read, you just press a button in his ear and he's ready to go. Turn him off when you are done to conserve batteries.
The story is a GREAT story. Although it mentions Christmas and you see some of Santa, it's more of a holiday book than a Christmas book. It teaches that everyone deserves a home, especially for Christmas.
An adult or older child should read this book as you have to speak clearly for Jingle to respond. If the words are stumbled over or there is too much background noise, Jingle may not respond properly.
KID TESTED!
I brought the story to our Spark/Brownie meeting and to playgroup to share. All 12 children total loved it. I was going to send it with my daughter to her JK class but didn't get around to it since she was sick one day but another teacher brought it in and her class of 45 loved it. At playgroup, the older kids listened attentively while the younger ones (under 2) zoned out of the story but perked up every time Jingle made a peep. If it wasn't for Jingle, the under 2s would have wandered off but they started to watch Jingle, anticipating that he would make a sound again. A few times Jingle barked when he wasn't supposed to or didn't bark when he was supposed to but that was because the classroom next door was unusually loud.
My only qualm... Jingle should have responded more. I think he should have had something to "say" on EACH page.
After you fall in love with Jingle, you may be interested to know Hallmark also has a Jingle the Husky Pup keepsake ornament, Jingle webcam greetings and an iphone/ipad app.
*Disclaimer: I was sent the product in exchange for a review. All reviews are honest and are not affected by how I acquired the item.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
The Chimp Who Loved Me And Other Slightly Naughty Tales of a Life With Animals by Annie Greer & Tim Vandehey
Diva Press (2010)
215 pages
20% of sales go to the ASPCA!
Summary: The Chimp Who Loved Me is a collection of true stories from the life and times of Annie Greer, a veterinary chiropractitioner, animal healer, radio host, speaker, farmer's wife and all-around magnet for bizarre animal behavior. [...] if you crave twisted tales of sex, poop, pee and death, where apes throw donuts at chefs during dinner parties and stoned veterinary students dispense bizarre advice to puzzled dog show contestants, then you won't be able to put The Chimp Who Loved Me down...until it hits you in the nose because you're reading in bed. - excerpted from thechimpwholovedme.com
This Book is Hilarious!
No, seriously. I'm so glad I review self-published books or I would have missed this one. To think all these stories REALLY happened to Annie Greer. Oh My Gosh. She really IS a magnet for weird animal behaviour. I must warn this book has some mature language. However it's not in an excessive, totally not needed sort of way. It's also not so much swearing as adult language such as sexual terms, although there is some swearing. Normally I hate swearing but if I was in that situation, I think I would swear too!
I cannot decide which story is my favourite, they were all great. I chuckled or laughed out loud a few times. I wanted to read passages to my husband but he hates when I do that so I restrained.
I'm not sure what else to say other than buy and read this book. I hope it gets picked up by a bigger publisher and gets put on amazon so it's more readily available.
Links of Interest: The Chimp Who Loved Me,
Other Reviews: NONE YET
The Chimp Who Loved Me is not available on Amazon.com [UPDATE: It will be on amazon.com in January, I will provide a link when I get it.] but you can buy it through Lulu. Remember: 20% of sales go to the ASPCA.
Monday, 20 December 2010
You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs
St. Martin's Press (2009)
224 pages
Summary: You’ve eaten too much candy at Christmas…but have you ever eaten the face off a six-foot-stuffed Santa? You’ve seen gingerbread houses…but have you ever made your own gingerbread tenement? You’ve woken up with a hangover…but have you ever woken up next to Kris Kringle himself? Augusten Burroughs has, and in this caustically funny, nostalgic, poignant, and moving collection he recounts Christmases past and present—as only he could. With gimleteyed wit and illuminated prose, Augusten shows how the holidays bring out the worst in us and sometimes, just sometimes, the very, very best. - from GoodReads
Did you read the summary? I have no idea what gimleteyed is but the stories were pretty funny but more in a "I can't believe that happened" sort of way. I received this book almost a year ago for review but due to the crappy mail system, it came AFTER Christmas, like in February and I didn't feel like reading a Christmas book that much after Christmas.
Augusten Burroughs is the author of the popular Running With Scissors (along with other books.) This however is the first book by him I've read. Augusten had a very interesting life and certainly seems to be cursed during the holidays and I'm not even sure I believe in curses.
I'm not usually a lover of short stories but for some reason I don't seem to mind them at Christmastime. However I have to warn that not everyone will enjoy this book. The stories are dark, about alcoholism, AIDS and death. Also although it doesn't matter to me, the author is gay so his relationships are with other men. I know this bothers some people.
PS - I looked up gimlet-eyed... it means sharp sighted according to Merriam-Webster.
Links of Interest: NONE YET
Other Reviews: Reviews by Lola, The Girl from the Ghetto,
Buy You Better Not Cry
at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews
Sunday, 19 December 2010
My art in The Proper
One of my goals for 2011 is to have my art in local Portland shops. So, needless to say, I was thrilled when Tatiana Sakurai of The Proper asked me if I wanted to showcase some of my art in their space. The Proper is a salon/showroom located in Portland's SE industrial district, not too far from where I had my shop. The space is in a historical building, so there are lots of neat features- wood slat ceiling, brick columns, and vintage exterior tiles.
I have a number of original works and prints currently hanging in the window display of The Proper. Mixed in with the art is a menagerie of vintage, found, and handmade items, including Tatiana's beautiful jewelry designs. I featured a pair of her earrings here. She also started making again these lovely solid perfumes that we used to carry in our shop. This one is called City of Roses, and I picked one up for my mom for Christmas. If only the picture was a scratch-n-sniff!
If all of this doesn't entice you to come down to The Proper, then how about a display of crocheted portraits by Portland artist Jo Hamilton?
Uh-mazing. And you've got to see her crocheted cityscape of Portland here.
Chippy Chipmunk: Parties in the Garden by Kathy M. Miller
Summary: Photos of a cute chipmunk in a backyard taken over 2 years are compiled into a story book that entertains and teaches.
Chipmunks are SO cute. The author has put together these very clear and detailed photographs with text that matches. It's a fun way to see how chipmunks live but also introduces some great vocabulary words such as vibration, bounded, drainage, foraging, scrumptious, vigorously and more.
The inside of the back cover contains some point form chipmunk trivia. Great picture book for ages 4-8.
Links of Interest: Chippy Chipmunk,
Other Reviews: Chicken Spaghetti,
Buy Chippy Chipmunk
at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews
Saturday, 18 December 2010
My process of reusing wood panels
I don't have a problem with painting over a painting, especially if I'm not emotionally attached to the work anymore. This week, I "deconstructed" three of my wood panel works because they had yellowed over time. The yellowing was not a total surprise; I was forewarned that this could happen if painting medium was used as a final coat on a painting. You can especially see the yellowing effect in the work shown below. On the left is what the work looked like when I completed it a year ago. The photo on the right was taken yesterday.
I found out that storing the paintings in the dark most likely made the yellowing worse. Supposedly, extended exposure to sunlight helps bleach the yellowing factor of painting mediums. Hmm, I will test this out with one other painting that I have. Fortunately, I only poured painting medium on top of a select number of pieces, so it wasn't a huge loss of my time, creative energy, and resources.
To deconstruct these pieces, I have been using an xacto knife to scrape away the top surface. When pulling the top layers off of the cathedral painting, I rediscovered a simple line drawing that I had done on the wood panel (shown in right photo above). It's so common for artists to work over their drawings or paintings that it's easy to forget what lies underneath.
Here's a closer look at my "new" painting, Mist. After peeling away the top layer, I glued a segment of a drawing to the wood panel. (It's actually part of the same drawing shown on the other small wood panel.) There were cuts already made in the paper, and I liked how the textures of the wood showed through those open spaces. I painted on top of the watercolor and marker drawing with acrylic and ink. And while the acrylic was still wet, I took the end of my paintbrush to "carve" into the painting and reveal the bright colors underneath.
I just added it to my Etsy shop, so you can see more pictures of it here.
For the Love of Salad by Jeanelle Mitchell
I have lots of cookbooks to review so every Saturday for the next little while I hope to post a cookbook review and link up to Weekend Cooking. Some will include giveaways and most will include a sample recipe from the book.
Whitecap Books (2010)
176 pages
Nonfiction - Cooking
Summary: For the Love of Salad is a comprehensive guide to a dish we eat (or should!) almost every day. From leafy greens to pasta salads, this book addresses them all—and them all, with flavorful dressings that will take all your salad creations to a whole other level. - from Whitecap Books
I didn't think I was a big salad eater but that's mostly because I think of lettuce when I think of salads. But there are so many other types of salads.
After some tips for successful salads (that's 19 pages of tips!) you'll find recipes in the following categories:
- Leafy Green Salads
- Garden Vegetable Salads (Hold the Lettuce)
- Grain, Pasta, Rice & Bean Salads
- Meat & Chicken Salads
- Seafood Salads
Some of the topics covered in salad tips are: Buying and Preparing Leafy Greens, Buying and Preparing Fresh Vegetables, Fresh Herbs, Salad Extras, Dressing, Kitchen Equipment and recipes for three homemade dressings: Maple-Glazed Pecans or Honey-Glazed Walnuts, Basic Vinaigrette and Basic Creamy Dressing.
I'd like to share a recipe:
Five-Spice Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Noodle Salad
© 2010 For The Love of Salad. Used with permission. pg 132
4 to 6 Main-Course Servings
This Asian-inspired salad is delicious and unique, with intriguing flavours and textures in every bite. Lean pork tenderloin is easy to grill when butterflied; you can also substitute chicken or shrimp. Whole wheat pasta is a good source of fiber and has an appealing chewiness.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh orange juice
1/4 cup (60 mL) low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 mL) unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated fresh ginger
2 tsp (10 ml) five-spice powder (see tip)
1 tsp (5 mL) orange zest
1/4 cup (60 mL) grapeseed or safflower oil
10 oz (300 g) dry whole wheat spagehettini
2 cups (500 mL) bean sprouts or shredded napa cabbage
1 ripe mango, diced
1 small cucumber, cut in to thin matchsticks
2 carrots, coarsely grated
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh mint
1. For the dressing (and pork marinade): combine orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, and orange zest in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil until well combined. Set aside.
2. Cut tenderloins in half lengthwise, almost but not all the way through; open like a book. Place in a Ziploc bag or in a shallow glass bowl with half the dressing and let marinate for 30 minutes, or for several hours in the refrigerator.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add spaghettini and cook until al dente. Place in a large serving bowl, toss with remaining dressing, and set aside.
4. Brush a barbecue grill, indoor grill, or grill pan with cooking spray. Preheat barbecue or grill to medium-high. Grill tenderloins for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until no longer pink inside. Remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes. Slice tenderloins into thin strips.
5. Toss bean sprouts, mango, cucumber, carrots, green onions, cilantro, mint and grilled pork with noodles. Can be served at room temperature or chilled. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
TIP: Five-spice powder is a blend of ground fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. It is available in the spice section of well-stocked supermarkets.
My Take on the Recipe
Okay so if you've been reading my other Weekend Cooking posts this last month, you will know that I almost never follow a recipe as written. I like to experiment and substitute. My husband is really picky and I'm picky too so I did the salad differently (with much less veggies) but I made the tenderloin as described except for using regular vegetable oil in place of grapeseed or safflower oil and dried ginger instead of fresh. I already had to buy two new ingredients (Five-spice powder and rice wine vinegar) so I didn't want to buy even more new ingredients I wasn't sure I'd ever use again. Also I don't own a zester so I just used a knife to scrape off the orange part.
The meat was DELICIOUS. I was hesitant as I don't normally like sweet tasting meat but even with the orange juice and brown sugar, it wasn't all that sweet but just right. We weren't thrilled with the noodle salad part but we didn't make it as written either. I plan to make the meat again this way, perhaps just used in a different dish.
Links of Interest: NONE YET
Other Reviews: NONE YET
Buy For The Love of Salad
at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews
Friday, 17 December 2010
Brain Fuel: 199 Mind-Expanding Inquiries Into the Science of Everyday Life by Joe Schwartz, PhD
Random House (2010)
288 pages
Nonfiction
Summary: As with Dr. Joe’s previous best-selling books, Brain Fuel informs and entertains on a wild assortment of science-based topics. But this is not "science trivia." [...] simply wondering why the birth of Prince Leopold was so different from Queen Victoria's previous seven; or why an iron rod that went through a man's head is now on display in a museum in Boston; or why white chocolate has such a short shelf life; or why eggs terrified Alfred Hitchcock – and what all of this means for the rest of us, and why – then bingo. - from amazon.com
Do you have any questions about science related matters? Not the technical part of science, but the everyday science.
Maybe you want to know how safety glass was discovered? The benefits of spinach?
Maybe you've heard that the military used Silly String but you're not sure for what. Or you've noticed that workers who pick pineapple have to wear gloves and you wonder why.
The book's subtitle is 199 mind-expanding inquiries into the science of everyday life. That's exactly what this book is but it's a bit different than I was expecting and wasn't quite as good as I was hoping for. Remember how I asked if you wanted to know how safety glass was discovered? Well even if you do, you wouldn't find it worded like that in the book. The question reads: "In 1903 a French chemist dropped a glass flask. It shattered, but the fragments did not fly apart. What had he discovered??" The problem with wording it this way is that as you are flipping through the book the questions don't capture your eye as much.
I love science but the book just didn't capture my attention the way I hoped it would.
The topics are separated into 8 chapters: Potions from the Past, Food Stuff, To Your Health, Toxic Relationships, Mysterious Connections, Chemicals in Action, Just Amazing and Curiouser and Curiouser.
Links of Interest: YouTube video of Dr. Joe Schwartz, Brain Fuel at Google Books (for preview),
Other Reviews: NONE YET
Buy Brain Fuel
at amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews
Thursday, 16 December 2010
The intricate art of Gretchen Wagoner
I have never met a butterfly I didn't like. They are delicate, have amazing wing designs, and they flit. Earlier this year, I came across artist Gretchen Wagoner's latest series, Butterfly and Knot, and I was instantly charmed. The mixed media series showcases butterflies amid knotted rope- an allegorical juxtaposition of profound human emotions. Gretchen states, "having butterflies or knots in your stomach may physically feel similar but evoke completely different emotional connotations."
Many of her Butterfly and Knot works are monochromatic, either white gouache on light paper or graphite on dark paper. I love this idea of imagery that changes with shifting perspective.
As I explored Gretchen's website, I discovered her recent collaboration with one of my favorite Portland designers, Gretchen Jones of MothLove (who just won the latest Project Runway competition). These images are just dreamy!
