Lettergirl

Material Obsession 2 + December giveaway.

 
Material Obsession 2 by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke

More amazing inspiration!  For their second book, Kathy & Sarah started with ten themes (and you know how much I love a theme) and then they each made a quilt based on those ten concepts -- such as using a specific fabric or building a quilt around a center medallion.  The result of their shared inspiration is a collection of quilts with entirely individual interpretation.

What I love most about this book is that it is about the process of quilting, and of being inpired.  My favorite is the Calling it Curtains quilt:

 
I also love the Maple Leaf Rag.  Oh, and Fruit Tingles!

If you're like me, and it's not in your nature to duplicate someone else's project, but rather be inspired by the color or pattern or stitching, then you will love the detail photos.  I love the Heather Bailey fabrics against the muslin background and the hand-quilting in this one:

 

If, on the other hand, you prefer a pattern, the instructions offered in the book are darling:

 
Which brings me to my December giveaway.  I think you need this book tucked under your tree this year, so I'm giving a copy to one lucky reader!  Just leave a comment on today's post by December 15th with your answer to the following:

Check out all the STC Craft books here and tell me which one you're adding to your list.  (For the record, I have at least half a dozen of these titles and all are splendid.  On my wish list right now is Wee Wonderfuls, which I waited patiently for at the library, and now need to have my very own copy, it's that good.) 

On my wishlist.

 
 
 
 
 

My creative manifesto, in a nutshell.

Imagine my surprise, my delight, when I chose a random book from the shelf to keep me company while I waited at the corner for the schoolbus, and opened it to read this:

 
I picked up The Autobiography of William Carlos Williams at a used book sale in the neighborhood this summer, because I've been enamored with him for a couple of years now but still don't know much.  (Learn a little more here and here.)

He goes on to say, "If the fit was on me...I would be like a woman at term; no matter what else was up, that demand had to be met.  Five minutes, ten minutes, can always be found."  And this is just in the preface.  These nuggets alone are so satisfying, I may put off reading the rest of the book until winter.

If you missed it the first time around, you can read about my creative manifesto starting here.

Kid lit: audio.

Lisa's comment yesterday got me thinking about all the excellent audiobooks out there.  My daughter's hands-down favorite has got to be The Thief Lord, narrated by Simon Jones.  His voice is commanding, yet melodic.

And we have a set of Ramona Quimby tapes given to us when J was still a toddler.  Stockard Channing is an amazing narrator.  (Sometimes I find myself saying,"Chapter 5: Ramona's Engagement Ring" in her lilting drawl, for no reason at all.)

Other favorites through the years have been Harriet the Spy, Because of Winn-Dixie, the Harry Potter series, any other Beverly Cleary we could get our hands on (most narrated by Johnny Heller and Neal Patrick Harris), No Dogs Allowed...come to think of it, we have listened to so many, I can't even think of them all!

Do you have any favorite kid lit audiobooks?  Please share!

This book was all the rage when my daughter was in 4th grade.  (There's a second one too, called The Wright 3.)

When I started my summer of kid lit, my first step was to get ideas from my girl.  She suggested -- and I enjoyed -- Once Upon a Marigold.  (There's a second one too, called Twice Upon a Marigold.)

I appreciate all of your book suggestions too, thank you for taking the time to share your recommendations with me!

Worth the wait.

So peaceful to read about optimism, perseverance, loyalty.  Has anyone read his book Sing Down the Moon?

And, if you're in need of a free-something, I have a giveaway going on this week (along with many others) at modblog, in support of Child Rescue.  Good luck!

This week: kid lit.

This year I've given myself a theme for summer reading:  kid lit.  As you may remember, I'm a slow reader.  ("They lived in a yellow house."  Stop reading, imagine yellow house.)  One of my favorite things about young adult books is that with an average book length of under 250 pages, I can actually read more than one in a month.

I finished Holes last night, and passed it on to my daughter, saying, "For a book with almost no action, the tension is incredible."  I was so tempted to peek at the end, but with only 200-ish pages, I really didn't have to wait that long for resolution.

This weekend I'm heading up to the north shore of Lake Superior for our annual week with my husband's family.  I have three kid lit books waiting for me at the library.  I would love to know your young adult favorites, so I can add one more to my stack!
 

Giveaway #5.

I will be sad to see my Anniversary Week (and all your lovely comments) come to an end ... and yet so very happy to be on my way to Alabama today to meet Natalie Chanin and spend a weekend sewing with her.

Today's giveaway:  a hardcover copy of Natalie's first book, Alabama Stitch Book.  If you enjoy sewing or cooking or reading or looking at pictures, you will love this book.  (For the record, I first saw the Alabama Chanin collection at Barney's in the middle of May, 2008 -- two years almost to the day of my trip this weekend.)  Next week:  stories + pictures from my journey.

Today's question:  have you had a mentor in your life?  Your mom, an older friend, a colleague at work, another parent?  Tell me more!

Books 2009.

All these posts about books over the last month nudged me to create my 2009 summary for my Book album:

Can't wait for this one to come in at the library.  (I think I'm now at number 3 on the reserve list.)  Wishing a little bit that all these wonderful girl patterns had been created when my girl was still, well, a girl.  I may just be able to sneak a few more cutie patootie outfits in, but just barely.  To that end, I picked up a modkid pattern that only goes through size 7.  Also giving some serious thought to the AG doll version.

Where there's a will, there's a way, right?