tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55345297097719856582024-03-06T04:56:49.311-04:00Quilts, Books, Recipes and Puerto RicoBook reviews, current quilt projects, what's cooking and our travels here in the beautiful, isla del encanto, Puerto Rico. This blog has it all!Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-37215980872468810492011-07-15T19:40:00.000-04:002011-07-15T19:40:19.296-04:00I finished my three nephew's quilts!Well, their birthday is in September, but I put a rush on finishing them to be able to bring them with me on our trip to Washington. I packed them in the empty dog kennel which we will be filling up on our return with our new Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy, Ginger.<br />
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Here's the first one:<br />
This was the Eric Carle "Brown Bear fabric" and the pattern was free from the fat quarter shop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-yXHnAIxw9opbFTh1WNg_BR2vpE9SV56vG21UDu9Y0XsCT6whMea5wSz9n87nfnVmQbRB2wRrqa5hv1CzGZIv_H8qNGgHc9pDR5TcLiC3EP2cywZ0WvBx7tVTMNJyESBGGkRFJCWYx8I/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-yXHnAIxw9opbFTh1WNg_BR2vpE9SV56vG21UDu9Y0XsCT6whMea5wSz9n87nfnVmQbRB2wRrqa5hv1CzGZIv_H8qNGgHc9pDR5TcLiC3EP2cywZ0WvBx7tVTMNJyESBGGkRFJCWYx8I/s640/DSC_0010.JPG" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Bear Quilt for Brody</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Of course, when I was laying out the quilt to take pictures, Bella, our other Ridgeback, had to join in.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNkxkfMifZC3Z6jkXfHPpQ43SIDQ_NcAbvMjEFQ3wnxVKM5AvvRsVea_EG2IZfVlddkiW4g6wOn9uKRjhHlJHc8HflyC_zWzW57XiIXz3e7oWFoyyAL0PplP5l9_RuDEODN3he6TfBho2/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNkxkfMifZC3Z6jkXfHPpQ43SIDQ_NcAbvMjEFQ3wnxVKM5AvvRsVea_EG2IZfVlddkiW4g6wOn9uKRjhHlJHc8HflyC_zWzW57XiIXz3e7oWFoyyAL0PplP5l9_RuDEODN3he6TfBho2/s320/DSC_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SUhrq8qhaXKcjUJnGP1sseCic5XYGlB6jJOTVwHy7TG7pr8-RnbMotREQxat17WiB1Smgg8-i_nF4uWgmzSS3fvlpPeXcSAUeCbGT1MPYpmiVs8L9FlW8ndK6GaO79LGwh3S8dd8MdYT/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SUhrq8qhaXKcjUJnGP1sseCic5XYGlB6jJOTVwHy7TG7pr8-RnbMotREQxat17WiB1Smgg8-i_nF4uWgmzSS3fvlpPeXcSAUeCbGT1MPYpmiVs8L9FlW8ndK6GaO79LGwh3S8dd8MdYT/s320/DSC_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I actually quilted the whole thing myself. I got better at the meandering as I practiced. I loved my new hoop and extended table. They made it a lot easier.<br />
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Here are the other two quilts. Brevin and Bronson are twins, so I used Moda's Lily and Will layer cakes to make these crazy quilts. I quilted them myself too, cutting down a bit on the cost of the quilt.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJjDkTBu8Hvxvb9ltaDrumMFNftWtl_o27aOh8LxjzDtdwJxZw3GUNFAiAK0R-b9cQlOn-EmzzgOUmOHsc26q6RTukZGiozg380VRYAqweonD_Vs-KhOlHRW49hpGZGn-cuJpMipPREAC/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJjDkTBu8Hvxvb9ltaDrumMFNftWtl_o27aOh8LxjzDtdwJxZw3GUNFAiAK0R-b9cQlOn-EmzzgOUmOHsc26q6RTukZGiozg380VRYAqweonD_Vs-KhOlHRW49hpGZGn-cuJpMipPREAC/s320/DSC_0008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-76288095270603409772011-06-07T10:36:00.007-04:002011-06-27T19:42:27.158-04:00Free Motion Quilting Accessories<div style="clear: right; float: right; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0px;"></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I hate quilting. Now, that kind of statement on a quilting blog may seem odd. I love putting together tops, the harder, the better. I love getting a pattern and learning a new skill to make a really beautiful quilt, but then, I usually send it out to be quilted by long-arm quilter. I recently visited a quilt store where we demo'd three new accessories which may make me a machine quilter after all...we'll see. Using this set-up made it really easy to control my stitches. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Firstly, some advice from the shop owner:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Slow hands, quick needle</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">Draw your design on a piece of paper to "loosen you up" before starting to draw with your needle. Do it without lifting the pen off of the page. </span> (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It works</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">!)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Tools:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><img alt="imgres.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://92E333DD-724F-461D-B081-F5292CAB55D1/imgres.jpg" /></div></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Supreme Slider:</span> This is a 100% teflon sheet that has an opening cut in it, so it fits right over your machine top. This way the fabric just slides along your machine and doesn't get all hung up.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The next product is called a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">quilting halo</span></b></span>. It is a covered, weighted ring that you use to guide the needle around when free motion quilting. You no longer have to wear those gloves! It grips the fabric with its weight and you don't have to muscle it at all. </span><br />
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<div style="font-size: x-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="imgres.jpeg" src="webkit-fake-url://6087A0D5-7A42-41DF-B14A-8B7833581327/imgres.jpeg" /></div><div style="font-size: x-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font-size: x-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-size: x-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The last accessory needed to make this all work is the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Sew Steady Extension table</span>. These plexiglas tables are made specific to your machine and come in a lot of different sizes. The size I liked most was the 18x24 large table. The larger table is needed to have enough room to use the halo. (Unless your machine is dropped into the sewing table - lucky!!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><img alt="tiltabl1.jpg" height="311" src="webkit-fake-url://65E76294-1CB4-4F12-A499-D27600C7A3DA/tiltabl1.jpg" width="400" /></div></span></div><div style="font-size: x-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000066; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica;"></span> </span>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-27102719444005356802011-05-21T07:48:00.000-04:002011-05-21T07:48:34.921-04:00Wizard of OZ<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">We're off to see the Wizard.... </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">(Well, at least the Wicked Witch)</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6g_tP2ctdCjuDE7wYbKSJMmM5jadz-sMIfDH6fNaTqv9ZFg5NmQ1krhoDtZnTQB5dD_PaT_p-56MfMhu4dzp4U_29z-hLuNBffD2cLMygXPC7OsDXJN7iuUoejwYxMmf1MzNCWZWKRyh/s1600/DSC_0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6g_tP2ctdCjuDE7wYbKSJMmM5jadz-sMIfDH6fNaTqv9ZFg5NmQ1krhoDtZnTQB5dD_PaT_p-56MfMhu4dzp4U_29z-hLuNBffD2cLMygXPC7OsDXJN7iuUoejwYxMmf1MzNCWZWKRyh/s640/DSC_0111.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our version of America's Next Top Model photo</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This week was super-hectic, but sandwiched between all of the award's ceremonies was Laura's performance as the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Wicked Witch of the West</span></b> in Ramey's version of the Wizard of Oz. She did an AMAZING job! I was so proud of her. It was hilarious watching someone whom everyone thinks of as a very quiet, soft-spoken girl (I know, how can she be my daughter?) turn into this REALLY scary witch! The munchkins' screams were their best acting! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCcJyucvm27mvBkd9EbGteN43yLbrd9KuGhXpe8WbobrX6tocogRlWkQcKZeYUPyTUqnvJXt8O2NCJ-SUzpHP68ygCgIrHF2SxVNaboQ1nQQAYgASP24jot66LHKNwKXFYbR11CixhY93/s1600/DSC_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCcJyucvm27mvBkd9EbGteN43yLbrd9KuGhXpe8WbobrX6tocogRlWkQcKZeYUPyTUqnvJXt8O2NCJ-SUzpHP68ygCgIrHF2SxVNaboQ1nQQAYgASP24jot66LHKNwKXFYbR11CixhY93/s640/DSC_0141.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring them to me Monkeys!! - Right before she gets melted</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After a month of practices with no activity bus, the production finally occurred. I hope that she goes on to be in other performances because she and the cowardly lion stole the show! Laura's favorite part was getting roses from her dad, at the curtain call. SO SWEET!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAVGeOaylidPuqFkanqXOZroeiVwnCDy_TrjtGu-RSNYXMsbhh8YahuCU5QTwAzFXrgWQzuVXdPbldI79pgfESTQbgI7_n304pYvmwybgmRIZXdg0EPcxCRXONXdoXigKcI8YAHM0jQiu/s1600/DSC_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAVGeOaylidPuqFkanqXOZroeiVwnCDy_TrjtGu-RSNYXMsbhh8YahuCU5QTwAzFXrgWQzuVXdPbldI79pgfESTQbgI7_n304pYvmwybgmRIZXdg0EPcxCRXONXdoXigKcI8YAHM0jQiu/s400/DSC_0194.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura and Marie - (Marie had to duck down for this photo)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-48384034629644496402011-04-15T09:02:00.001-04:002011-04-15T09:04:06.944-04:00Finding Graves in Puerto Rico<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's program for Young Women called </span><a href="https://beta.lds.org/young-women/personal-progress?lang=eng"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Personal Progress</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, Laura and I decided to embark upon grave finding for one of her required projects. (Having a blog for at least six months is one of my projects). She committed to spending ten hours taking picture of graves, writing down all available information and then uploading them to </span><a href="http://findagrave.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">findagrave.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The reason Laura decided to do this project was to help people with their genealogy. Many people have relatives in Puerto Rico, but the government records aren't always well kept. This will give those people some data to have as a starting point, at least.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We have gone out the past three Saturdays and have taken pictures and written for about an hour at a time. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtxz6mhy7aqAO_YDIhtIyRMBx05kzUIKQnjJOaq3KPfU8Os2DnCn0hMqVf5tjOcH7G9iVL9EPFPWDm9slGkaN5_ZULvfB0VZwPbrKIVv_QxbstAHjsnst56XPaz8NTxyZO4hoDya9kzhj/s1600/DSC_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtxz6mhy7aqAO_YDIhtIyRMBx05kzUIKQnjJOaq3KPfU8Os2DnCn0hMqVf5tjOcH7G9iVL9EPFPWDm9slGkaN5_ZULvfB0VZwPbrKIVv_QxbstAHjsnst56XPaz8NTxyZO4hoDya9kzhj/s320/DSC_0149.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Then we come home and upload the information. It is a very peaceful time. We have taken pictures of over 300 graves so far. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjew_DBB2r3M6WBU5TsgDZ5tMle7cqh86QijJrDxCpV7ScT3ePf4wmt_QuE7ZRJPPRLX8WkxtYHgQPy-ETL_plTZbFqRMGc3DEs7fL6B8PYKr-1himGr-raih6QCBu7zG_Sb6FF2ktEk7r/s1600/DSC_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjew_DBB2r3M6WBU5TsgDZ5tMle7cqh86QijJrDxCpV7ScT3ePf4wmt_QuE7ZRJPPRLX8WkxtYHgQPy-ETL_plTZbFqRMGc3DEs7fL6B8PYKr-1himGr-raih6QCBu7zG_Sb6FF2ktEk7r/s400/DSC_0074.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Something interesting about Puerto Rican graves is that very few have birth dates on them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">(Rec. de esposa y familia means "Remembered by wife and family")</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Another interesting thing is that many of the graves are just marked with an aluminum name plate and death date like the one below. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_CJsY2TuWR-EMIcKjDxoVR_WW7BZa3fymMUdFDsSrkunJXnPHnVSGjmYbZQnBchXwiO2Lndxg64NLONgR4RX6H1iujXtBkqMN8txDMWDUF0tTVAUjPuzh9dvs8LR4NXvMm55IAyvJvi-/s1600/DSC_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_CJsY2TuWR-EMIcKjDxoVR_WW7BZa3fymMUdFDsSrkunJXnPHnVSGjmYbZQnBchXwiO2Lndxg64NLONgR4RX6H1iujXtBkqMN8txDMWDUF0tTVAUjPuzh9dvs8LR4NXvMm55IAyvJvi-/s400/DSC_0070.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0ZJlRng8WO70LuJCFQm03yupMbJhIn1WQJ4XJNhrAn3j2lRG1kJfKXgp-4RgQLc9mEkaQjvf0wLQoVfZ1MHOAf2-ompcmyuDe8bUVFxQw3VJCdOCBoTV8qItaDH4-UpkzSXpf18QFtcw/s1600/DSC_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0ZJlRng8WO70LuJCFQm03yupMbJhIn1WQJ4XJNhrAn3j2lRG1kJfKXgp-4RgQLc9mEkaQjvf0wLQoVfZ1MHOAf2-ompcmyuDe8bUVFxQw3VJCdOCBoTV8qItaDH4-UpkzSXpf18QFtcw/s320/DSC_0076.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_CJsY2TuWR-EMIcKjDxoVR_WW7BZa3fymMUdFDsSrkunJXnPHnVSGjmYbZQnBchXwiO2Lndxg64NLONgR4RX6H1iujXtBkqMN8txDMWDUF0tTVAUjPuzh9dvs8LR4NXvMm55IAyvJvi-/s1600/DSC_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>You can also see how close the graves are together. Many people are buried in the same plot. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The part of the cemetery that I am working in seems older, although most people appeared to be buried in the late 60's. Many of the graves have sunk with the shifting earth and some are buried altogether. The one below, I had to dig away the dirt just to see a little of the name.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcre2c8wrx2NnFQkKka3kJGyulJNhdjT9id562kmfq0BRIb-EUgu9oov1YUTbVH3m4u0sAn5gPvecHFnVm6umcW2Vbp6VTtt7FKnvE9eAjECa0hcl3iwfKtpBqJPLXZr77MWeLLLh9ZFUR/s1600/DSC_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcre2c8wrx2NnFQkKka3kJGyulJNhdjT9id562kmfq0BRIb-EUgu9oov1YUTbVH3m4u0sAn5gPvecHFnVm6umcW2Vbp6VTtt7FKnvE9eAjECa0hcl3iwfKtpBqJPLXZr77MWeLLLh9ZFUR/s640/DSC_0173.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4seqg7a5pCORhfAZa3kxWwdm4eS7kDePFA50j_TlJXbqlJafvmUjF6vlvqUGR7K6ImjCUsoNFmW8W0C8ua8ltCYtQkvPCmILuLbcbjRsf2VeSGl4CJH7v9qZJpJozQzSRIogT3k0Fj_Wp/s1600/DSC_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4seqg7a5pCORhfAZa3kxWwdm4eS7kDePFA50j_TlJXbqlJafvmUjF6vlvqUGR7K6ImjCUsoNFmW8W0C8ua8ltCYtQkvPCmILuLbcbjRsf2VeSGl4CJH7v9qZJpJozQzSRIogT3k0Fj_Wp/s400/DSC_0082.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The picture below demonstrates the shifting ground as well.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGprwhEYVbye_TG0YT7K3ILI4f_kTrKzSI7PM4HoRHRFf9mxmdY6D1LimX-d0GtbBii1pjYG1BLlTy7pKrgEpGjD6ZG50Q6PO3qv98j2X8-9zYdQl05NtiYvB2u60x4_XuvRv6aIWnRnDq/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGprwhEYVbye_TG0YT7K3ILI4f_kTrKzSI7PM4HoRHRFf9mxmdY6D1LimX-d0GtbBii1pjYG1BLlTy7pKrgEpGjD6ZG50Q6PO3qv98j2X8-9zYdQl05NtiYvB2u60x4_XuvRv6aIWnRnDq/s640/DSC_0089.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</div>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-55192528558741004902011-04-15T08:35:00.000-04:002011-04-15T08:35:01.631-04:00Brown Bear Quilt - So Precious! - Part IISo, all of my fabric finally arrived and I cut up the Brown Bear panel and here's my step-by-step:<br />
1. This pattern and all of the fabric was found at <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/store/stores_app/Browse_dept_items.asp?T=1&Store_id=499&page_id=17">fatquartershop.com </a><br />
2. I like to cut all of my pieces first and then sew. It keeps me better organized and I can clean up (a little!) in between.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENuz7FPRFnM5W0y5E6mjdzTclbkMbzPhzdI_fBQ6wwoatCnCm_gev5g-KQRs4boaw6aTex0tJGufOsLVBf5WiXGwNF9WYrMjCwDKBgKAY1dDTU4EenNke_CXUFAeP9lBbvPKZAgcujjDA/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENuz7FPRFnM5W0y5E6mjdzTclbkMbzPhzdI_fBQ6wwoatCnCm_gev5g-KQRs4boaw6aTex0tJGufOsLVBf5WiXGwNF9WYrMjCwDKBgKAY1dDTU4EenNke_CXUFAeP9lBbvPKZAgcujjDA/s400/DSC_0012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. I organized all of the blocks and put all of the ones that were supposed to be grouped, together. (I did mine according to the actual flow of the book. The pattern doesn't show it that way though. I thought it would be more fun to read the book aloud while sitting on your cool blanket.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74Sa_tcEE73vnM0pZeCn29Yw6fnp_TriEYUyiXdnOt8Ptv6VvYx1l0qnkhyvQGcIUbOyCS848V6NQCgT4Gm7zsH6Q20GLLzsVxGCV_oYiqnOBll1e0bj9KklKnNUdf56fJvm8LuD2zF-N/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74Sa_tcEE73vnM0pZeCn29Yw6fnp_TriEYUyiXdnOt8Ptv6VvYx1l0qnkhyvQGcIUbOyCS848V6NQCgT4Gm7zsH6Q20GLLzsVxGCV_oYiqnOBll1e0bj9KklKnNUdf56fJvm8LuD2zF-N/s320/DSC_0013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. I sewed the blocks together using a 1/4" seam</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2K0RKBIcxsIZ-vH5qYjMsj-Tr3TrznMEznSebNyIrLoBxb7hOWAI1lvV8cQCF2ibqmg5HmnHtx6oR2s3RqxUySTfPcg7i_TPZ329mCi2Zo0j6g5pIfpQOUTU_fP1mgYXkEapUy54cnbE/s1600/DSC_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2K0RKBIcxsIZ-vH5qYjMsj-Tr3TrznMEznSebNyIrLoBxb7hOWAI1lvV8cQCF2ibqmg5HmnHtx6oR2s3RqxUySTfPcg7i_TPZ329mCi2Zo0j6g5pIfpQOUTU_fP1mgYXkEapUy54cnbE/s320/DSC_0014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. I laid out the entire quilt in the order I wanted to sew them</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivplKfBPettSm21eHdLmGFC9bmavVIL4DRS1B8_d3zQodF4sGfHHfduG47mLXbsd0ysEUa4cykh321yTunROF8i7TWtNdWgFVbYwkeQgkVMH25kBQ9wpoB_ZUgVvw8xGEbOEyug3EsUw6w/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivplKfBPettSm21eHdLmGFC9bmavVIL4DRS1B8_d3zQodF4sGfHHfduG47mLXbsd0ysEUa4cykh321yTunROF8i7TWtNdWgFVbYwkeQgkVMH25kBQ9wpoB_ZUgVvw8xGEbOEyug3EsUw6w/s320/DSC_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. Then I connected them all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpT2cdzkGk56oVwDdulHAy_CI6XUZsaSWJ6tmq9dq42RywSs5uK4k-qHfod-ttZuW39ziVz8dP1YVlf4XzhIdZfS7e5BmXHEus9ZZOber32om07rfnF5bT_J9Yq0HIs-uTs7Mydc83zg4/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpT2cdzkGk56oVwDdulHAy_CI6XUZsaSWJ6tmq9dq42RywSs5uK4k-qHfod-ttZuW39ziVz8dP1YVlf4XzhIdZfS7e5BmXHEus9ZZOber32om07rfnF5bT_J9Yq0HIs-uTs7Mydc83zg4/s320/DSC_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7. Here's my completed top</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4464-Lwy8AOBZfK-uyLKMAN7PUFxFPxbcErYlSSdLF_q3CVUL7Lx-O4Pfw7Ou3pHNsH7DyvoJdCKVs-wtUXiVDcXSNM9LaFIPLzAzVnbfxvCe95jh9YNAMm6pvGJdF8kgKCB3uLZoHPV6/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4464-Lwy8AOBZfK-uyLKMAN7PUFxFPxbcErYlSSdLF_q3CVUL7Lx-O4Pfw7Ou3pHNsH7DyvoJdCKVs-wtUXiVDcXSNM9LaFIPLzAzVnbfxvCe95jh9YNAMm6pvGJdF8kgKCB3uLZoHPV6/s400/DSC_0017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8. I used fusible batting because I hate to baste and am currently working on quilting the whole thing. I really don't like quilting it myself because I am far too critical of my work, but I figure for this one I could practice some free motion. I will post some examples when I finish. At this point, I have to MAKE myself work on it for 15 minutes at a time and then am allowed to work on another project. (Right now the Roses of Remembrance Block of the Month is taking up my time and I LOVE IT!) I'll blog about it later. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-6228087053780791072011-04-15T08:06:00.000-04:002011-04-15T08:06:52.234-04:00Tie Dying with the GirlsThe girls all had the day off from school the other day, so we decided to break out one of their tie dye kits from Christmas. It was far easier than I thought it would be (thus the grand delay in starting the project in the first place)! <br />
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1. Buy white t-shirts from Sam's (or wherever) and pre-soak them in the powder included in the kit for about 30 minutes.<br />
2. Pick the colors that you want to make. You are given red, blue and green and then recipes for making other colors. We picked green, blue, pink and purple.<br />
3. Prepare the area (outside). We put garbage bags down and then put a plastic grocery sack at each position too. Rubber gloves are recommended for everyone because it does stain your skin. You will also need paper towels.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_gNuSvHexh0x3RewMTo50b-tSWctnB_LxMUQu3akMGjVpe8fC1XSx-8FFK-q4gYzEeaBrCLrMuyyndpws6Q3w9ZU0wgQ0U_DWpZ87MHffHhbWwzzUk8MrXA0m0FfHU_-H_6RwfgUvBp9/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_gNuSvHexh0x3RewMTo50b-tSWctnB_LxMUQu3akMGjVpe8fC1XSx-8FFK-q4gYzEeaBrCLrMuyyndpws6Q3w9ZU0wgQ0U_DWpZ87MHffHhbWwzzUk8MrXA0m0FfHU_-H_6RwfgUvBp9/s320/DSC_0033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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4. Use rubber bands to make different patterns on your shirt.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAAsYa2cf7RPgMMcSnfArFl1N4fhqouH91TPmucRX3YFtzeSn-CVIW_pSJfp7T6JCa8rpFNge1t59ZYiTIz05Os6aWhyphenhyphenNWQhHElur1zogMw0J-LM77WIVlymjGsyyn6h93xuNn4gYn4Dl/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAAsYa2cf7RPgMMcSnfArFl1N4fhqouH91TPmucRX3YFtzeSn-CVIW_pSJfp7T6JCa8rpFNge1t59ZYiTIz05Os6aWhyphenhyphenNWQhHElur1zogMw0J-LM77WIVlymjGsyyn6h93xuNn4gYn4Dl/s320/DSC_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a> <br />
Laura: She picked up her shirt from the middle and then rubber banded about six times in succession.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJawH7UK9VU7JdDKI57V1PfgQrRfIvUaf3ct6sGvLNGPzti-Yml_6PNh0MhN6MK47awGoGsKJH1srmz4wkYaJ2JcIDhi_GN5eLx8WLJc319kDClpUiPpVEwgIQIEgnEEtERTy0oydnblgb/s1600/DSC_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJawH7UK9VU7JdDKI57V1PfgQrRfIvUaf3ct6sGvLNGPzti-Yml_6PNh0MhN6MK47awGoGsKJH1srmz4wkYaJ2JcIDhi_GN5eLx8WLJc319kDClpUiPpVEwgIQIEgnEEtERTy0oydnblgb/s320/DSC_0021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Marie: She did the classic swirl. You start from the middle of the shirt and twist it while it is flat until you have a kind of ball. Then you put three or four rubber bands on it so it looks like a hockey puck with different sections.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MbSBeKRSpKlifs6Kh8ePMoGL3Hewh3Tc44K3-V6jOGioHwk5K_YrWf0-2J2bqjp5QZpnOKSotX-HV-O2nkYNNqjNn31EMKKWUAvKvS9JEnu9t7kl7dggXDyoXbQmnAuD3eiWqpYayfpE/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MbSBeKRSpKlifs6Kh8ePMoGL3Hewh3Tc44K3-V6jOGioHwk5K_YrWf0-2J2bqjp5QZpnOKSotX-HV-O2nkYNNqjNn31EMKKWUAvKvS9JEnu9t7kl7dggXDyoXbQmnAuD3eiWqpYayfpE/s320/DSC_0022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Jenny: She wasn't having any of that instruction stuff. She just made rubber bands wherever she wanted to, all over her shirt.<br />
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5. You make up the dye (VERY messy, use gloves)<br />
6. Then you take the dye and, using squirt bottles, you place the dye where you want it on your shirt. I recommend coloring each section separately. Saturate, but don't oversaturate. (It will bleed from one area to another if there is more color than the shirt can absorb. <br />
7. Put shirt inside plastic grocery bag and leave it for at least an hour.<br />
8. Rinse out all of the dye until it runs clear.<br />
9. Dry on the line (from left to right: Jenny's, Laura's and Marie's)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm_yZFZ513R6_0kn1qSCRdgnXk0iv7k4CFf5YpTKLvmiqR-cZTEFt-PnOkNfXOtYLXJ6q2CStMbyFgKyhn5PliMhZgDu3qw5GZBFGPzC1MSG08FfozZVgiGuWZ5_P3uNTpoLDeqGaqLj4/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm_yZFZ513R6_0kn1qSCRdgnXk0iv7k4CFf5YpTKLvmiqR-cZTEFt-PnOkNfXOtYLXJ6q2CStMbyFgKyhn5PliMhZgDu3qw5GZBFGPzC1MSG08FfozZVgiGuWZ5_P3uNTpoLDeqGaqLj4/s400/DSC_0026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>10. Wear with pride! I also used a Shout Color Catcher the first real washing, and they don't seem to bleed at all now. <a href="http://www.shoutitout.com/coupon/06-10-shoutsample/">Here's a link for a free sample.</a>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-50823595242418668112011-03-13T17:01:00.000-04:002011-03-13T17:01:01.399-04:00Family Fun Activities<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today in our Young Women's lesson at church we designed Family Fun bags. All of the girls decorated their bags and then we filled out pieces of paper that had ideas for fun family activities on them. There were some great ideas. Now each YW has a bag full of ideas for their family to do when they need a little more "family time."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grey Wolf:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> A variation of hide-and-seek. One person hides (and is the grey wolf). Everyone has to leave the base to go looking for the grey wolf. When you see the wolf, you shout "GREY WOLF" and run as fast as you can back to the base. If the wolf catches you before you get to base, you are it. This is really fun after dark. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Eureka:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> This is a great one for family walks. The kids have to run ahead of the adults and hide somewhere on the path. If the parents see a child, they say "I see you John (or whatever the kid's name is). If the parents walk by the kid without being spotted, the call "Eureka" and they get a point. The kid with the most points at the end of the walk wins. (This was invented by my in-laws as a great way to walk without kids listening to every word spoken). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Family Cook-off</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">: Each family member can compete in cupcake decorating, in cake making, in chili recipes, etc. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">4. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sardines:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Another hide-and-seek variant. The person who is "it" hides. If you find "it," you hide with them until the last person finds the group and they become "it."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Walk to get ice cream: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Self-explanatory, but pick a location to walk to that has a pot of gold at the end. Walking for ice cream, pizza, roller skating, etc. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">6. <b>Snorkeling:</b> Obviously, this is not for every location, but living in Puerto Rico, we forget that we have beautiful waters to explore.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">7<b>. Scum (President) Card Game</b>: This is a fun card game that can be played with a bunch of people. As I'm not the best at describing card games, here's a link to describe it. Thank you Bruce Gourley. </span><a href="http://www.brucegourley.com/scumparty/rules.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Scum or President Card Game Rules</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">8. <b>Skip-Bo:</b> Another card game. Here are the instructions courtesy of Mattel. </span><a href="http://www.mattelgames.com/rules/skipbo(eng).pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rules for Skip-Bo</span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">9. <b>Monster:</b> This is a great outdoor game to play on a family sized jungle gym. One person is the "monster." They cannot touch any part of the jungle gym with their feet, but may run around the ground as much as they want. The victims of the monster are not allowed to touch the ground, but must stay touching the play equipment. Especially with larger groups of people, this leads to much hysterical laughter </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">10. <b>Movie Night</b>: Pick a theme and break out your best G or PG movie for everyone to enjoy. Popcorn enhances this activity.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">11. <b>Tea Party:</b> Break out the cucumber sandwiches, scones and clotted cream, mini muffins, cheese slices and peppermint tea for a fun picnic cum tea-party.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">12. <b>Flash-light tag:</b> Another after-dark game. Only the person who is "it" has a flash-light. Usually we get in a field or an open area to minimize injuries and then it is just like regular tag, except if the light hits you, you are "it."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">13. <b>Spud: </b>You need a tennis ball for this game. You assign everyone a number and then you have someone who is "it." They have to throw the ball straight up in the air and call someone's number. If they call your number, you have to run as quick as you can and get the ball and call "SPUD!" If you don't have your number called, you need to run far, far away very quickly until you hear the person's whose number was called yell "SPUD!" and then you freeze. The "it" person can take three giant steps towards the closest victim and then try and hit them with the ball while they are frozen. If they get hit, the person they hit gets the letter "S." If they miss, they themselves get "S." You play until someone has spelled "S P U D."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">14. <b>Blob Tag:</b> This is a variation on tag where when you get tagged, you are stuck to the "it" person until the last person is caught. Fun Games Kids Play has this site that is dedicated to Tag and all of its variations. <a href="http://www.fungameskidsplay.com/taggames.htm">Varieties of Tag</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">15. <b>Pass the sign or Animal</b>: Each person in your group picks an animal sign that they make with their hands (eg: one finger sticking out of your forehead, could be unicorn, etc.) After each person has a sign, you pick someone to be in the center of your circle. Have them close your eyes, and pick who will go first. Then have them open their eyes. The person going first, must make their own sign and then the sign of someone else in the circle without getting tagged by the center person. When they pass the sign, that person must make their own sign and then the sign of someone else. Play continues until the middle person catches them giving a sign. If the play passes fast enough, it is very hard for the person to tag them even if they can see whose sign is being called. This is really funny too. Here is another variation on the game. <a href="http://lds.about.com/od/familyhomeeveninggames/a/fheg_animal.htm">Animal game variation</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I'd love it if you have other games that you play with your families that you can share on here. I know that by spending time in joyful activities with my family, we become closer and create amazing memories. </span>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-3036879514307605852011-03-05T21:03:00.000-04:002011-03-05T21:03:09.564-04:00Tropical Orange Spider - Do you know what kind it is??<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We were doing yard work the other day and I put a bunch of coconuts into the bag and this disgusting...I mean super cool example of nature popped out of the bag. BLEH!! </span><br />
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</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Do you know what kind of spider this is? It was about as big around as a baseball or a little smaller than the palm of my hand. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bougainvillea in our yard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw this rainbow driving home from San Juan</td></tr>
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</span>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-18936695485954700942011-03-05T20:00:00.002-04:002011-03-05T20:28:03.035-04:00Just Finished my first Crazy Quilt!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_gatkfoiSrEDwKlz4Evd_qzmtgi1-ZF4XeeL1VQaf6wQ0M6sZ8mVDD8D5CMutw2MoK38HUDDnEmaxya67TzQ7QmXWk7NGr691hWKtJoFfekEmN7TK2cRZkgiN-z3xtomu1RiLhUF1tXc/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_gatkfoiSrEDwKlz4Evd_qzmtgi1-ZF4XeeL1VQaf6wQ0M6sZ8mVDD8D5CMutw2MoK38HUDDnEmaxya67TzQ7QmXWk7NGr691hWKtJoFfekEmN7TK2cRZkgiN-z3xtomu1RiLhUF1tXc/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_gatkfoiSrEDwKlz4Evd_qzmtgi1-ZF4XeeL1VQaf6wQ0M6sZ8mVDD8D5CMutw2MoK38HUDDnEmaxya67TzQ7QmXWk7NGr691hWKtJoFfekEmN7TK2cRZkgiN-z3xtomu1RiLhUF1tXc/s640/DSC_0209.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This is a quilt for one of my nephews. I used the book </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Shortcut-Quilts-Marguerita-McManus/dp/0896895475?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Crazy Shortcut Quilts" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0896895475&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0896895475" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Shortcut-Quilts-Marguerita-McManus/dp/0896895475?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Crazy Shortcut Quilts</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0896895475" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Marguerita McManus and Sarah Raffuse for the basic method, and it worked out great!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I started out with Moda's Layer Cake (40 10x10 pre-cut pieces) from Bunnyhill Design's Lily and Will Collection.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><img alt="lilywillbluegrid.jpg" height="320" src="webkit-fake-url://C71A6C76-ED18-4685-A456-C769D9B1595A/lilywillbluegrid.jpg" width="211" />(Picture courtsey of Fabric Patch)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I picked out my pattern for how I wanted to cut my layer cake and then I cut all of the pieces exactly the same. Then I mixed and matched all of the different ways that I cut it and came up with some super-cute blocks. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ymXwXP2sNUpBy_Y47SpJy-oLfPYN8u6rceW3paW3RPVph5bq7QLEai8AAR2fPXpCBXz2KKfy3KWvunVpwebWYOH87eI9zqwEqSv8dmbY83taN8VC_SeTb-WFpJqlb1tDsIS0bBjzntex/s1600/DSC_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ymXwXP2sNUpBy_Y47SpJy-oLfPYN8u6rceW3paW3RPVph5bq7QLEai8AAR2fPXpCBXz2KKfy3KWvunVpwebWYOH87eI9zqwEqSv8dmbY83taN8VC_SeTb-WFpJqlb1tDsIS0bBjzntex/s320/DSC_0210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I pieced them all and then layered them and used the Crazy Shortcut Quilt method of quilt-as-you-go to actually quilt my own project. (Usually I outsource the quilting parts). It actually was really easy and I think it turned out really well. It was also a great opportunity to use all of those nifty stitches that I never try out. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjFudiChNWTMIVw74gZpfabAVBuG6wcSTORijBKvDwWNCa5pxVFF5Pi-gasHMX5WK1-_gJapk_-fboad2nX-dSpSNMjp00er49oEDbZqXiALf5D_aSpH0fArirh72wKNm4TRMHzKC5hVP/s1600/DSC_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjFudiChNWTMIVw74gZpfabAVBuG6wcSTORijBKvDwWNCa5pxVFF5Pi-gasHMX5WK1-_gJapk_-fboad2nX-dSpSNMjp00er49oEDbZqXiALf5D_aSpH0fArirh72wKNm4TRMHzKC5hVP/s320/DSC_0211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8sBFS22tVbOsiEWqQ-cFK99totONzoc2KbMHvjEmvbhndRQ9Xp9rRiXlKzrhhDPet4pDLgF2MxzxUcFG7gQnv7S_4sv6xDhl4tmedQyc25hBes_D2ow8eissJMQhxgoIup6bueMM7LM_/s1600/DSC_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8sBFS22tVbOsiEWqQ-cFK99totONzoc2KbMHvjEmvbhndRQ9Xp9rRiXlKzrhhDPet4pDLgF2MxzxUcFG7gQnv7S_4sv6xDhl4tmedQyc25hBes_D2ow8eissJMQhxgoIup6bueMM7LM_/s320/DSC_0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I am going to start another one for my second nephew using Moda's Lily and Will Green and Brown layer cake. I think I might try a Kaleidoscope method. </span></span></div>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-83730924726466217002011-03-05T19:09:00.000-04:002011-03-05T19:09:01.688-04:00Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza - Our Recent Visit<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIoYHP0grZUOr8xO8q0rrin3Hz_Or04IO_ukC8Ddf-KyeRIbG_2dajlAT9cDjW2a7RjuoZj7ftkoD-CS3TGvs50a_rd8hgqs-gx1Z-E5OKqlWzdeoANeJOJRbqpPwY0Q2OBzw2_I3bSAD/s1600/DSC_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIoYHP0grZUOr8xO8q0rrin3Hz_Or04IO_ukC8Ddf-KyeRIbG_2dajlAT9cDjW2a7RjuoZj7ftkoD-CS3TGvs50a_rd8hgqs-gx1Z-E5OKqlWzdeoANeJOJRbqpPwY0Q2OBzw2_I3bSAD/s320/DSC_0049.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lounge Lizards</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoLvlsSa-ce5d2p4Y818w46mJ6F2G5ksuMYGDSiAFsL2EGjzb-pJpu23lGb17TeiUl04vGr8-Wvn_YvPdApHNcNRr6S8913RCArQFJPGOXsU2Vbg1pWExplrNC3dhWtdj8KiX0qBB-9xr/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoLvlsSa-ce5d2p4Y818w46mJ6F2G5ksuMYGDSiAFsL2EGjzb-pJpu23lGb17TeiUl04vGr8-Wvn_YvPdApHNcNRr6S8913RCArQFJPGOXsU2Vbg1pWExplrNC3dhWtdj8KiX0qBB-9xr/s320/DSC_0048.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this the coolest chair EVER??!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoLvlsSa-ce5d2p4Y818w46mJ6F2G5ksuMYGDSiAFsL2EGjzb-pJpu23lGb17TeiUl04vGr8-Wvn_YvPdApHNcNRr6S8913RCArQFJPGOXsU2Vbg1pWExplrNC3dhWtdj8KiX0qBB-9xr/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>My daughter lounging in the Conrad's Lobby. They had a beautiful fish tank with tropical fish and even a nurse shark! If you want to "find Nemo," this is the place! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSyMU_PNzKejKbtO9z4-NrOJx7T7CId-W5dohXC8IcS01QsNrIL4tHAih08zGvj8W4DlG9_1alUlHdK43_bqguXjxzdVIBhy8_QegwOsRPAE4DLBD9DFyp0IdG4WBOEJsNM5XXC0eKqfR/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSyMU_PNzKejKbtO9z4-NrOJx7T7CId-W5dohXC8IcS01QsNrIL4tHAih08zGvj8W4DlG9_1alUlHdK43_bqguXjxzdVIBhy8_QegwOsRPAE4DLBD9DFyp0IdG4WBOEJsNM5XXC0eKqfR/s320/DSC_0038.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful tropical aquarium in the lobby</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I realized that I put Puerto Rico in my Blog title and yet haven't talked at all about our time here. I guess I'm busy quilting! Recently, our family was able to visit the Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza hotel in San Juan. It is a breath away from Old San Juan and the cruise ship terminals too. We really enjoyed our two night stay at this Hilton hotel located at 999 Ashford Avenue, San Juan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The room was very spacious. We had one with two full size beds. The closet was located in the bathroom and you were wishing for a maid or valet to dress you in the mornings. The shower was IMPRESSIVE!! It was a completely glass box set in the middle of the room. The decor was very modern in the rooms with large, black and white flower pictures. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our kids' favorite part, of course, was the pool. They had three pools including a hot tub. The pools were too cold for me, but the kids didn't mind at all. There was also a beach for the hotel just steps away from the pool. The best part was a water slide that was modeled after El Morro. In fact, my kids could have skipped El Morro itself and just visited the water slide. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAe1UUtkNfcLtP9eFnI7Bd8X_CGaQzbTUec9QJ61JLsNny5P6haBR828uTqhnXWS5mOH3MoCmoLpCnZAivXBCb0AgXCQPk2T1uU-CpK_RHPDSZVItwaKwPrrdPtM57arbSp4AE5OIAqp1/s1600/DSC_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAe1UUtkNfcLtP9eFnI7Bd8X_CGaQzbTUec9QJ61JLsNny5P6haBR828uTqhnXWS5mOH3MoCmoLpCnZAivXBCb0AgXCQPk2T1uU-CpK_RHPDSZVItwaKwPrrdPtM57arbSp4AE5OIAqp1/s320/DSC_0174.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTsaKITp4HDhYMOoXMq0iHQ6ItM65OkOlFy2uH_uOAQELuW1AVDKhW4A0V4hrdfbDYcAEWmVOtKg08I1-vhzEikKKFHkmO0STo3pCtukKrY177rkpasASxUI2PwVCxheh8jVdDJYUoH7A/s1600/DSC_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTsaKITp4HDhYMOoXMq0iHQ6ItM65OkOlFy2uH_uOAQELuW1AVDKhW4A0V4hrdfbDYcAEWmVOtKg08I1-vhzEikKKFHkmO0STo3pCtukKrY177rkpasASxUI2PwVCxheh8jVdDJYUoH7A/s320/DSC_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Food was pretty expensive at the hotel, but there was a Chili's within walking distance and a Starbucks on the ground floor of the hotel if you just wanted a sandwich. There was even a Cold Stone Creamery just down the block. (Can you tell, we miss eating brand name food? They don't have too many of those on our side of the island.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; width: 161px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; word-spacing: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza" border="0" height="23" src="http://www.condadoplaza.com/images/condado_plaza1.gif" width="127" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; word-spacing: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="" border="0" height="11" src="http://www.condadoplaza.com/images/point.gif" width="161" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; word-spacing: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="" border="0" height="68" src="http://www.condadoplaza.com/images/point.gif" width="34" /><img alt="999 Ashford Avenue San Juan 00907 Puerto Rico N. America Tel 888-722-1274 Int'l/PR 787-721-1000" border="0" height="68" src="http://www.condadoplaza.com/images/condado_plaza_text1.gif" width="127" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; word-spacing: 0px;" valign="top"><img alt="" border="0" height="24" src="http://www.condadoplaza.com/images/point.gif" width="161" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-26073640420776870772011-03-01T21:37:00.001-04:002011-03-05T17:46:17.810-04:00My choices for the book challenge1. Male Point of View <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hole-My-Life-Jack-Gantos/dp/0374399883?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Hole in My Life" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0374399883&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0374399883" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hole-My-Life-Jack-Gantos/dp/0374399883?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hole in My Life</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hole-My-Life-Jack-Gantos/dp/0374399883?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"></a>2. ALA Booklist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach-Yearling-Newbery/dp/0375850864?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="When You Reach Me (Yearling Newbery)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0375850864&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0375850864" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach-Yearling-Newbery/dp/0375850864?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">When You Reach Me (Yearling Newbery)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0375850864" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
3. Poll Loser <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tell-Love-Then-Gallagher-Girls/dp/1423100042?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1423100042&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1423100042" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tell-Love-Then-Gallagher-Girls/dp/1423100042?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1423100042" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
4. Mystery <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weed-That-Strings-Hangmans-Bag/dp/0385343450?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Novel" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0385343450&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385343450" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weed-That-Strings-Hangmans-Bag/dp/0385343450?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Novel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385343450" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
5. Fantasy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Kristin-Cashore/dp/014241591X?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Fire" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=014241591X&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=014241591X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Kristin-Cashore/dp/014241591X?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fire</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=014241591X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
6. Dystopia <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Arena-Lise-Haines/dp/1599905213?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Girl in the Arena" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1599905213&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1599905213" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Arena-Lise-Haines/dp/1599905213?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Girl in the Arena</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1599905213" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
7. Printz Winner <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ship-Breaker-Paolo-Bacigalupi/dp/0316056219?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Ship Breaker" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0316056219&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316056219" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ship-Breaker-Paolo-Bacigalupi/dp/0316056219?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ship Breaker</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316056219" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
8. New Release <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outside-Harlequin-Teen-Maria-Snyder/dp/0373210116?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Outside In (Harlequin Teen)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0373210116&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0373210116" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outside-Harlequin-Teen-Maria-Snyder/dp/0373210116?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Outside In (Harlequin Teen)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0373210116" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
9. Book in a Series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mockingjay-Final-Book-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023513?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0439023513&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023513" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mockingjay-Final-Book-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023513?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023513" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
10. Graphic Novel<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Percy-Jackson-Olympians-Lightning-Graphic/dp/1423116968?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel (Percy Jackson & the Olympians)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1423116968&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1423116968" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Percy-Jackson-Olympians-Lightning-Graphic/dp/1423116968?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel (Percy Jackson & the Olympians)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1423116968" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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11. Author Debut <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Singer-Songs-Chanters-Tremaris-Trilogy/dp/0439554799?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Singer of All Songs (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0439554799&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439554799" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Singer-Songs-Chanters-Tremaris-Trilogy/dp/0439554799?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Singer of All Songs (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 1)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Singer-Songs-Chanters-Tremaris-Trilogy/dp/0439554799?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439554799" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
12. Set in a foreign country <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Meggy-Swann-Karen-Cushman/dp/0547231849?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Alchemy and Meggy Swann" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0547231849&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0547231849" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Meggy-Swann-Karen-Cushman/dp/0547231849?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alchemy and Meggy Swann</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0547231849" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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This should be a lot of fun. Many are novels I wouldn't have chosen without the challenge. <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0374399883" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-12536169469927714752011-03-01T19:05:00.000-04:002011-03-01T19:05:03.609-04:00Coolest Reading Challenge EVER!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My Young Adult Goodreads group just issued a quarterly reading challenge. Here's the reading challenge...</span><br />
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Duration: <em>March 1, 2011 - May 31, 2011</em>.<br />
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We are an YA Book Club, so all books should be <em>young adult</em>.<br />
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You have 3 months to read <em>12 YA books</em> that satisfy following requirements:<br />
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1) Read a book which is a <em>Printz</em> winner or honoree. The list of all winners and honorees can be found <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/printzaward/Printz.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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2) Read a book that is a new release published in March, April or May of this year. Goodreads offers lists of the most popular new releases by month, they might help you to make your choices - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/popular_by_date/2011/3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">March</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/popular_by_date/2011/April" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">April</a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/popular_by_date/2011/May" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">May</a>.<br />
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3) Read a book that is a part of a series.<br />
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4) Read an author's debut novel.<br />
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5) Read a book that is on one of the ALA's <em>Best Books for Young Adults</em> lists. Pick any year. The lists can be found <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/bbyahome.cfm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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6) Read a book set in a foreign country.<br />
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7) Read a book which is a book-in-verse, a graphic novel or epistolary (written in a form of a diary, letters, notes, etc.).<br />
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8) Read a book written from a male POV.<br />
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9) Read a book which was nominated for a month's pick in our group, but never won. Our old polls are <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/3551.YA_Book_Club?type=group" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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10) Read 3 books that belong to 3 different genres of your choosing. You can pick from: science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, dystopia, mystery, urban fantasy, chick lit or horror.<br />
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You can join the Goodreads group <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/3551.YA_Book_Club">YA Book Group</a> if you want to. I'd love to hear your progress here. I'll post mine as I decide on my reading list.Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-39265266685959818292011-02-28T10:59:00.000-04:002011-02-28T10:59:37.599-04:00Hana's Suitcase - Such a Moving Story<div align="center"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hana's Suitcase<span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0807531472&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0041JLUJQ&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Hana's Suitcase was an AMAZING retelling of a museum curator's journey to find the owner of a suitcase they received for display in their Holocaust museum. All the suitcase said was "Hana Brady - Orphan." This amazing Japanese woman, persevered to find not only more about Hana and where she had come from, but she managed to reconnect with Hana's brother who was a survivor. Hana's dream was to be a teacher, now she is teaching thousands of Japanese children about tolerance. I haven't seen the DVD, but would love to sometime. The book would make a great read-aloud in a Holocaust unit. It also would be good if you were teaching about genealogy because it shows the depth of research needed sometimes to get answers to your past. This was a moving tribute to one of the six million who died.</span>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-12981567605849655182011-02-22T19:53:00.003-04:002011-02-22T19:57:16.267-04:00Dystopian YA Fiction ReviewsWikipedia defines Dystopian fiction as a society characterized by poverty, squalor, or oppression. My personal definition also involves an unknown leadership group who oppress to make the society more perfect in their eyes. Usually, the YA fiction focuses on a main character who discovers the charade, and escapes the walls of the society to see what else is out there.<br />
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My first experience with Dystopian fiction reading Orwell's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nineteen-Eighty-Four-George-Orwell/dp/0452284236?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Nineteen Eighty-Four</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0452284236" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> in high school. I don't even think I really read it very well, because I wasn't very good at required reading then. I was much more about completing the papers as quickly as I could. Then, in 1997, I read Lois Lowry's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giver-Lois-Lowry/dp/0385732554?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Giver</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385732554" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> as an assignment for my Master's in Education. Not only was it one of my first YA books that I had read as an adult, but also it was the very best book I read that year. I loved the open-endedness of the story as well as all of the questions it brought up regarding what societies need versus what they want. What makes a perfect society? Why do the "sheep" need protecting? Who gets to pick whether you are a sheep, sheep dog, or a wolf?<br />
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Some of the other Dystopian books that I have enjoyed are<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uglies-Trilogy-Book-1/dp/0689865384?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Uglies (Uglies Trilogy, Book 1)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0689865384" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uglies-Trilogy-Book-1/dp/0689865384?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Uglies (Uglies Trilogy, Book 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0689865384&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0689865384" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Scott Westerfeld. </div>I really like it when an author takes an idea and follows it to its logical conclusion. What would happen if everyone had to get a surgery at age 16 to become "Pretty?" Would everyone want it? What would it be like? What about the kids who didn't want it? Westerfeld explored each avenue in a fast-paced series appropriate for middle-schoolers. Discussion for this book would definitely include the question of what is pretty? Why does pretty matter? Does it matter? What about being the same? What are some positives about sameness? Individuality?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/City-Ember-Books/dp/0385736282?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The City of Ember (Books of Ember)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385736282" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/City-Ember-Books/dp/0385736282?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The City of Ember (Books of Ember)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0385736282&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385736282" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Jeanne DuPrau</div>I also liked <i>City of Ember</i>. This novel really held closer to the Wikipedia definition, where in a post-apocolyptic world, most of the people are poor and supplies are limited. One of my favorite parts of this book was when the main character gets a blue colored pencil. I love the rich imagery that DuPrau draws for us. I recommend the book over the movie (as usual), but don't look for any giant insects or some of the other strange additions from Hollywood.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Obernewtyn-Chronicles-1-Isobelle-Carmody/dp/0375857672?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Obernewtyn: The Obernewtyn Chronicles 1</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0375857672" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Obernewtyn-Chronicles-1-Isobelle-Carmody/dp/0375857672?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Obernewtyn: The Obernewtyn Chronicles 1" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0375857672&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0375857672" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />by Isobelle Carmody</div><br />
This was a book recommended by a great friend for a book group a few years ago. This book is set in post-apocalyptic Australia (or something like Australia) and this book also has a main character who discovers that Oz is not all it is purported to be. This whole series is quite good, but book 1 was my favorite of them.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unwind-Neal-Shusterman/dp/1416912053?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Unwind</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416912053" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unwind-Neal-Shusterman/dp/1416912053?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Unwind" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1416912053&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416912053" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Neal Shusterman</div>This book was one that made me keep thinking about it long after I had finished reading it. Set in a society that no longer has abortions, but instead, between the ages of 13-18, your parents or guardians can choose to have you unwound if you are not meeting your potential. Being unwound involves donating your body and all of its parts to society for them to use for those needing organ donations. Every part is used, so the party line is that you don't really die, you become more useful. There are also people who have had a lot of children, who choose to tithe a child as a way of giving back to society. This book was AMAZING! Shusterman takes us through three different character's journeys through the Unwind system. I loved how deeply this issue was explored. I would really recommend this book for an adult or YA book club.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Knew-Susan-Beth-Pfeffer/dp/0152061541?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Life As We Knew It</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0152061541" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Knew-Susan-Beth-Pfeffer/dp/0152061541?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Life As We Knew It" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0152061541&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0152061541" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Susan Beth Pfeffer</div><i>Life as We Knew It</i> takes you through the apocalypse itself. I found this book to be quite frightening. You will find yourself buying more and more canned goods while reading this book. Our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) recommends having a year supply of food. This book gives you a realistic situation in which that would be necessary. You will really find yourself attracted to the survival section at Borders after reading this book. The book is written in diary style and starts following a teenaged girl and her HS concerns until a meteor hits the moon, moving it much closer to Earth. This sets off tsunamis and earthquakes world-wide, electricity is knocked out everywhere, and since many volcanoes have erupted, the sun is blotted out by a dust cloud making plant growth impossible. WOW! Is this book heavy. It is not pleasure reading, but it follows one family and all of the choices that they make during this emergency. It too would make good discussion.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Maze-Runner-Trilogy-Book/dp/0385737955?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Maze Runner (Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 1)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385737955" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Maze-Runner-Trilogy-Book/dp/0385737955?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Maze Runner (Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0385737955&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385737955" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by James Dashner</div>Maze Runner was more like Lord of the Flies than some of these other books. Only those boys of teenage years are found in this society and each day some of them need to go out an run the maze to discover clues to how to escape. This is until a new kid shows up and he has knowledge that they need. I really enjoyed seeing the primitive society that these boys set up including their policing and punishments. This was a really creative book with some neat twists.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023521?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023521" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023521?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Hunger Games" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0439023521&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023521" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Suzanne Collins</div>One couldn't go through a list of YA dystopian fiction without mentioning the series that took us by storm the last few years...The Hunger Games trilogy (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023521?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023521" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Fire-Second-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023491?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023491" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mockingjay-Final-Book-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023513?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0439023513" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />) Thankfully a movie is coming out and the producer has actually read the book and sounds committed to keeping the core of the book in the movie script in his interviews. (Unlike the farce that was <i>Lightning Thief</i>). I found it really hard to recommend this book to people because when you find yourself saying it is about kids having to fight to the death in order to win their town food for the year, it really doesn't sound that appealing. Collins handles this VERY well, and it is not near as gruesome as it sounds. I think this was one of the best books I read in 2009. I laughed and cried during this book. At one point, it was embarrassing, boo hoo crying too. I mean, really. I think if you are into YA fiction and you haven't read this series, you are sorely missing a true piece of literature.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Inside-Clare-B-Dunkle/dp/1416924221?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Sky Inside</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416924221" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Inside-Clare-B-Dunkle/dp/1416924221?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Sky Inside" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1416924221&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416924221" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Clare B. Dunkle</div>My most recent foray into the Dystopian fiction society was <i>The Sky Inside</i> by Clare Dunkle. I really enjoyed her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hollow-Kingdom-Book-Trilogy/dp/0805081089?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Hollow Kingdom: Book I -- The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0805081089" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> which was about a girl going to a goblin kingdom. This book was nothing like that, but I liked the quick writing style and the cool world she created. This world is "perfect." The stork brings the genetically engineered babies to the people who don't need to work because the bots do it for them. So, they are paid and encouraged to watch a lot of television and buy things that are advertised. They even sing commercial jingles at school to occupy the children because they are the "lucky ones." Then, our hero does a little digging and finds out (per usual) that all is not right with his world. This book ends with a WIDE opening for a sequel. I recommend this to middle-school aged kids and up.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Arena-Lise-Haines/dp/1599905213?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Girl in the Arena</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1599905213" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Arena-Lise-Haines/dp/1599905213?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Girl in the Arena" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1599905213&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1599905213" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />by Lise Haines</div>Lastly, is a book I haven't yet read. (I'm still waiting on my library copy to become available). My old book club is going to be reading in a few months. This book follows a girl who is a professional gladiator where their blood sport is televised for the masses. The premise reminds me a little of <i>Running Man</i> meets <i>Hunger Games</i>. I'll do a more thorough review when I've actually read it, but Goodreads gives it a pretty low average of 3.08. That's a little worrisome, but we'll see.<br />
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Girl in the ArenaQuiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-73942913520950437022011-02-19T19:15:00.000-04:002011-02-19T19:15:03.905-04:00Soulless was a Steam-punk Treat.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0316056634&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soulless-Parasol-Protectorate-Gail-Carriger/dp/0316056634?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Soulless</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316056634" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> </i>was recommended to me by a good friend whose taste in books I have always enjoyed. I started this on while we were cruising through the Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas. I loved this book. I found it funny, romantic and the enjoyed the vampire/werewolf meets Victorian England twist. It actually made me laugh aloud a few times. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20.16px; line-height: 25px;">"Without a morsel of exaggeration, its publisher describes this debut novel as "a comedy of manners set in Victorian London full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking." At the center of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20.16px; line-height: 25px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20.16px; line-height: 25px;"><em>Soulless</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20.16px; line-height: 25px;">'s "parasol protectorate" is Miss Alexia Tarabotti, a young woman who lacks not only a suitor but also a soul. And those are not her only problems: When she accidentally kills a vampire, it begins a series of events that she must set out to resolve without the help of any proper authorities. A charming mass market original (Goodreads.com)."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20.16px; line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: large; line-height: normal;">All-in-all, I found the book to be delightful. It was a nice change from the other books I had been reading and it was a very quick read. There were a few too many pseudo-sex scenes for me to let my daughters read it, but they were easy to skip over. I loved the author's obsession with tea-time. Thank goodness I was on a cruise ship while reading this. I drank a lot of mint tea and ate scones with cream and jam every afternoon while finishing this book. I highly recommend baking prior to sitting down with this one. I am about to start the second book featuring Miss Alexia Tarabotti, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Changeless-Parasol-Protectorate-Gail-Carriger/dp/0316074144?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316074144" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-1301514052629319182011-02-19T18:48:00.000-04:002011-02-19T18:52:53.871-04:00Suspicions of Mr. Whicher Disappointing<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0026IBY9K&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="color: #181818; font: 18.0px 'Al Bayan'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I just finished <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1747896.The_Suspicions_of_Mr_Whicher"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective</span></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> a non-fiction book that was supposed to read like fiction. Well, whoever wrote that quote, obviously does not read a lot of fiction. The book is a retelling of an actual murder that took place in England where a three-year-old was taken from his bed and killed. This book walks you through EVERYTHING that the author was able to find regarding this case, one which rocked Britain at the time. I love the Victorian time period and I love mysteries, so I thought this one would be right up my alley, but I was mistaken.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 25px;">OMGosh was this SLOW! I had just finished <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Strange-Norrell-Susanna-Clarke/dp/1608190862?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1608190862" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> which I thought was the slowest book ever, but I was wrong. This is why I don'’t read non-fiction books. I think if the author had written this more like a novel supported by her copious research, it would have been so much more readable. Instead, it reads like a well-researched Master'’s thesis on this murder case. I did find some of the etymology of sleuth vocabulary interesting, but as a whole, it fell flat. I didn'’t care about any of the characters, not even the poor detective. I'’ve never read any of the turn of the century mysteries that she refers to and she didn'’t really spark any desire in me to do so. For now, I’ll stick with fiction.</span></div>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-62393529406874725632011-02-15T08:51:00.000-04:002011-02-15T08:51:28.527-04:00Progressive DinnerThere is going to be a Progressive Dinner this Friday night for 35 people. I am supposed to bring appetizers to serve 24. I found a cheese ring recipe that sounds really good. I will take photos when I actually finish it. I'll also let you know the buzz on how it actually tasted.<br />
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<strong>Cheese Ring with Strawberry Preserves</strong><br />
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese - Grated<br />
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans<br />
1 cup (or a little more) mayonnaise<br />
1 small grated onion<br />
Salt/Pepper/Tobasco sauce (to taste) <br />
Strawberry preserves.<br />
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1. Toast pecans in oven and then chop<br />
2. Grate cheese and onion in cuisinart<br />
3. Mix cheese, mayonnaise, onion and salt/pepper/Tobasco<br />
4. Form into a ring and then press chopped pecans all around it.<br />
5. When you serve it, put a small dish of strawberry preserves in a bowl in the center. The sweetness and cheddar really complement each other.Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-15804168327588708052011-02-14T17:46:00.000-04:002011-02-15T08:56:27.828-04:00Brown Bear Quilt - So Precious!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0805087184&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am going to make my sister-in-law this sweet Brown Bear quilt inspired by Eric Carle's Beloved tale. The fabric is 50% off this week at ABC's of Quilting (<a href="http://www.abcsofquilting.com/">http://www.abcsofquilting.com/</a>) They are offering 50% off a lot of different fabrics for their Valentine' specials. Here's what the finished quilt will look like:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.fatquartershop.com/Free-Quilt-Patterns/images/WhatDoYouSee-large.jpg" /></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They also offer a kit of it at fatquartershop.com </span></span><a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/Brown-Bear-Brown-Bear-Fabric-Andover-Fabrics.asp?Store_id=499&T=1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">($54.99 + backing)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> but the 50% off price is cheaper if you can get it on sale. Usually this fabric runs $9.99/yard. The finished quilt will be 44 3/4" x 55". </span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Debbie Taylor "What do you see?" pattern above is available as a free download from Andover and the fat quarter shop. The link can be found at </span></span><a href="http://fatquartershop.com/Free-Quilt-Patterns/files/WhatDoYouSee-Pattern.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Free Pattern</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and includes all fabrics needed, measurements and cutting and piecing instructions. I can't wait until mine is done. I am not the best at doing the quilting itself, but feel like a small baby quilt like this will be good to practice my free-motion quilting.</span></span></div>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-23355637446773113132011-02-11T10:43:00.000-04:002011-02-11T10:43:16.102-04:00Red Rock Threads is a GREAT store!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_hi" data-height="212" data-width="238" height="212" id="rg_hi" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSeAwwG0uA6laZwNcM4cLygjmMrPyM8FDqG4v3zg9gLJD7mrfHlw" style="height: 212px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 238px;" width="238" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose of Sharon Aurifil Thread</td></tr>
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Recently, I was looking for a specific thread to accompany my Rose of Sharon quilt that I'm going to be making. I looked and looked and found a few in the $90 range. Then I came across Red Rock Threads <a href="http://www.redrockthreads.com/">http://www.redrockthreads.com/</a> and not only were their prices AMAZING, but their shipping was only $4.00, even to Puerto Rico. I can't stand it when people try and charge us International shipping here when we use the USPS and I have a regular zip code. I think charging extra for Alaska and Hawaii is silly too. But, I found this company to be SUPER FAST, COURTEOUS and they had GREAT PRICES!<br />
Here's the Aurifil thread I bought. The colors are rich, the thread is smooth and I can't wait to start.Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-39366983951658933672011-02-11T10:32:00.000-04:002011-02-11T10:32:57.112-04:00Bright Young Things a Total Bust - SPOILER ALERT<div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Young-Things-Anna-Godbersen/dp/006196266X?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bright Young Things</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=006196266X" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></div><div class="reviewText mediumText description" style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Young-Things-Anna-Godbersen/dp/006196266X?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Bright Young Things" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=006196266X&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=006196266X" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></div><div class="reviewText mediumText description" style="text-align: center;"><span></span>** spoiler alert ** This book was ridiculous. I remember starting the Luxe stories, but stopped because they too were silly. Firstly, we start off the book where one of the characters is getting married and then immediately decides to leave for NY. I mean, why get married at all? Could she be more selfish? Then we have the two girls, alone in NYC for the first time, and they not only find housing, a job/a father, but nothing really goes wrong. (and one of the girls didn't even bring any money with her?) From stories of actresses who move each day to NYC, we see that it is never this easy. Thirdly, an estranged daughter presents herself to her gangster father and all is well? He didn't seem like a very savvy businessman to have accepted her at face value. This book was more like the author wanting to try on some characters in the 20s. It was an indulgence with little plot to back it up. They come into the book as Ohio girls who don't drink or smoke, but do have sex (at least one of them) and then all of a sudden are total lushes? The author also really glamorizes both smoking and drinking which isn't the message I want sent to any young adults that I know. <br />
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Adopting a greyhound? What?? If you're worried about your next meal, you aren't getting a dog. (Especially when you are living with roommates). Also, coming from a farm in Ohio, I doubt the character would have been all that concerned with animals. When animals cease to be utile, they are killed. The author evidentally watched some Charlie Chaplin films and read a bit about the era, but totally neglected the political situation of the country at the time. I mean they are three months from the stock-market crash in this book. Also, having all of the story take place over a three week period is simply crazy. I can't really recommend this book to anyone. </div><div class="like_it" id="like_it_146976429" style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"> <a class="lightGreyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/flagged/new?resource_id=146976429&resource_type=Review&return_url=%2Freview%2Fshow.html%3Fid%3D146976429" id="flag_link146976429" rel="nofollow" title="Flag this review as inappropriate."><span style="color: #d7d7d7;">flag</span></a> </div><div class="grey500BoxBottom"></div><br class="clear" />Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534529709771985658.post-38890767165493433072011-02-01T20:18:00.000-04:002011-02-01T20:18:49.508-04:00Loving Megan Whalen Turner!<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thief-Queens-Book/dp/0060824972?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Thief (The Queen's Thief, Book 1)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060824972" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thief-Queens-Book/dp/0060824972?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Thief (The Queen's Thief, Book 1)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0060824972&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060824972" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />The current series I am currently reading is Megan Whalen Turner's Thief of Attolia series. The first book was the Thief, the second The Queen of Attolia <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Attolia-Queens-Thief-Book/dp/0060841826?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, Book 2)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060841826" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Attolia-Queens-Thief-Book/dp/0060841826?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, Book 2)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0060841826&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060841826" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />and I'm reading the third installation The King of Attolia. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Attolia-Queens-Thief-Book/dp/0060835796?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, Book 3)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060835796" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Attolia-Queens-Thief-Book/dp/0060835796?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, Book 3)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0060835796&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0060835796" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />The books are set in a fantasy, medieval-esque setting. The main character is Eugenides who is found in a dank prison awaiting the king's punishment. The first book follows Eugenides on a quest for the King using his skills as a thief. The author weaves classical mythology with her own flavor to really leave us with something original. The fourth book will be released in spring, 2011.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Kings-Megan-Whalen-Turner/dp/B004F9OV4S?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Conspiracy of Kings</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=widgetsamazon-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004F9OV4S" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Kings-Megan-Whalen-Turner/dp/B004F9OV4S?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="A Conspiracy of Kings" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B004F9OV4S&tag=widgetsamazon-20" /></a>Quiltingreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17104836227332365692noreply@blogger.com0