Reading List: November 2012

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."-Marcus Tullius Cicero

Happy Halloween, everyone! Just a quick update about Hurricane Sandy....we got the wind and the rain, but other than that our area fared really well! We did loose power, though, and are still out....hopefully it will come on soon! Really, though, it's not too big of a problem...we collected enough water to flush the toilets and feed the animals, and we have a generator so we can run the fridge and one other thing at a time...usually the radio or a lamp. :)

This fall is just flying by. :) I honor of the chilly weather and approaching holiday season, I've selected two books that are perfect to curl up with near the fireplace!

A Coal Miner's Bride, The Diary of Anetka Kaminska by Susan Campbell Bartolettie: A part of the Dear America  series, this book, written in diary form, follows the story of 13 year old Aanetka Kaminska. Though just 13 years old, she is forced to leave her native Poland because her father has promised her in marriage to a coal miner in Pennsylvania. Accompanied by her brother and friend, she sets out to form a new life amidst the dirty and dangerous existence that was Lattimer, Pennsylvania in 1896. She faces many struggles, and the story is one that leaves you with a feeling of determination and respect for immigrants. Definitely my favorite of the Dear America books. 

The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer: 14 year old Enola Eudoria Hedasa Holmes, younger sister to Sherlock Holmes, sets out to become her own detective. Very used to being alone (afterall, Enola spelled backwards is alone), she runs away after her mother's disappearance  and her elder brother, Mycroft's, plans to put her in a boarding school. Although independant enough to take care of herself, Enola holds on tight to her last links to her mother; a handmade watercolor book of the language of flowers, and also a small book of ciphers. With only her smarts and wits to help her, she sets off to London and begins unraveling the mystery of the missing marquess...while still struggling with her own questions. The first book in the Enola Holmes series, Nancy Springer does a great job in bringing new dimensions to the long loved Sherlock Holmes mysteries, while still staying true to the original characters and plots. More information on Nancy Springer and her other books can be found here. 

That's it for today! Happy Halloween, Happy November-Eve, and best wishes to you as you work through the effects of Sandy!

Thanks for reading! :D

P.S. I am also linking up to The Glamorous Housewife. Check it out!

Reading List: October 2012

First off, I have to apologize for the lateness of this post: Sorry folks! I've been very busy this month, but I'm hoping to get back into blogging! 

One more note until we get into the good stuff. :) In the past, I've given you five books in each reading list. Although I've really enjoyed providing that much variety, it's been very hard to keep up with. So, from now on I'm going to include anywhere from 1-5 books in each list. Sorry for any inconvenience!

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: I really wanted to suggest a book for this month that went along with Haloween season. I considered doing Frankenstein or The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but, well, they seemed sort of obvious choices. So, I selected one of my favorites (and my mother's first-choice read) Jane Eyre! Written by Charlotte Bronte in 1847 (and published on October 16, so just in time for All Hallows Eve!), Jane Eyre has become not only a classic book, but a beloved heroine, as well. Orphaned at a young age, Jane is sent to Lowood, a cold and miserable school. After graduating and then teaching there, Jane moves on to become a governess at Thornfield Hall. After a rather unexpected meeting with her employer, Mr. Rochester, Jane finds herself falling in love with him. Time goes on, and many circumstances arise that are unexpected, brutally honest, and thrilling. One of my favorite aspects of this Gothic novel is the character of Jane. She has her faults, and recognizes them. She is an honest character that knows herself, is intelligent, and hardworking. After reading this novel, I'm sure you'll realize why I chose it as a Halloween pick!

Happy reading, everybody! Be sure to comment if you read (or have read!) the book!

Have a nice day! :D

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale....

Anybody recognize the title? It's from Gilligan's Island, of course!

My brother and I have collected all three seasons from Christmas gifts (thanks Mum and Dad!) and it's definitely one of our favorite shows!

One of my favorite episodes is in Season 2, where the castaways put on a musical version of Hamlet! Now that I'm actually reading it, of course, I've had they're songs stuck in my head every time I come across a familiar line.... :D Way to much FUN! 

If you're like me, and this is the kind of thing that really makes your day, then please enjoy these snappy musical numbers! :D

Ophelia's Song

Polonius' Advice

To Be Or Not To Be?

Thanks for reading!:D

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Autumn Charm

Hello Everybody! Sorry for falling off the face of the earth for awhile there....I was getting pretty good at always posting something new, wasn't I? Well, school, skating, and LIFE seem to be keeping me pretty busy, which has meant putting the blog on the back burner. 

Here in lovely New Hampshire, all the leaves are turning brilliant colors, the air has a positive chill to it, and inside we have a lovely fire going in the wood-stove. Autumn has arrived! With that thought in mind, I thought I'd share some photos I've been saving in my 'Wardrobe Inspiration' file that highlight every girl's autumn staple: Sweaters!

I just love the double breasted one on the bottom left! And the hat in the outfit above it is so charming.

I believe this picture is from that new movie about Marilyn Monroe....I just love this outfit. Golden rod sweater and gray plaid cigarette pants? Score!

Who doesn't want a stripey sweater with adorable buttons?

I just love how the collar matches her hat.....jump over to Casey's Elegant Musings to see how to make a detachable collar!

I just love all the texture in this outfit! a pleated skirt with a tucked in, cable-knit sweater!

I know, I know....I haven't gotten the October Reading List out yet! Hopefully that will be happening soon. :)

Thanks for reading! :)

A Modest Fashion Show...Come To Tea?

Can I just start by saying how excited I was for the Vintage them at Through the Lilac Bushes and Simple Delights? Most of you probably already know that I ADORE vintage, so, as I'm sure you've already guessed, I had tons of fun doing this post!

About the title....don't ask. I was trying to come up with a catchy-vintage phrase, and this undeniably British comment popped into me lil' ol' head. Ahem, moving on...

I put a lot of thought into this outfit...many of the other ensembles I've put together for the Modest Fashion Show were vintage-inspired, so I wanted to make this outfit stand out and SHOUT vintage!

Gotta love the cat...

Anybody recognize the sweater? I also wore it for the Flowers theme, in my Goodbye Summer Calico post! Check it out in my archive, do. 

That Darn Cat! :D

Here's the head-to-toe rundown!

Hat: Faneuil Hall, Boston.
Blouse: No idea whatsoever....I've had it forever.
Sweater: Thrift shop.
Skirt: Christmas gift from Mum and Dad. I believe it came from JC Penny....
Gloves: Gifts from a church friend.
Shoes: Sorry you can't see them! I was wearing black peep toe heels, just for the record....Mardens, discount department store.
Choker Necklace: Craft fair.

I'm considering wearing this outfit for church on Sunday...rather fun, don't you think?

Thanks for reading! :)

All Dolled Up

Just wanted to show you one of the little projects I worked on over the summer. :)

In an effort to start early on Christmas presents, I started sewing this little rag doll for my 5 year-old cousin. My little cousin is a true girly-girl, who absolutely loves tea parties and is just starting to really enjoy playing with dolls and making up little stories. :)

I decided not to use a pattern, and instead just took one of my old dolls that's put together in a similar way and modeled it after that. I did enlarge it though, as I wanted her to have an 18 in. doll since that seems to be the average size for clothes.

One of my favorite things about this is that it's a true rag doll...everything was created from scraps and leftovers. Even the yarn hair was given to me, since one of our 4H moms was given bags upon bags of leftover yarn. 

After sewing the body, I sewed a simple jumper-dress that was loosely based on a doll clothes pattern. I added a snap to the back, then sewed a separate sash to tie around her waist. The face is hand painted, as well as the traditional 'I LUV U' on her body. Adding the hair was fun....I threaded it through a darning needle, punched it through the fabric, then tied it in a knot. 

All in all, the doll was super easy to make! The most challenging part was putting the dress together, but it was fun working on it without the help of a pattern. This is a great Christmas gift that's not only homemade, but also affordable and easy to personalize as well. I'd definitely suggest going through your fabric stash and constructing this little doll for all those little princesses on your list!

Thanks for reading! :)