Jane Austen's Sewing Box by Jennifer Forest

Jane Austen's Sewing Box:
Craft Projects and Stories from Jane Austen's Novels
by Jennifer Forest

Published: 2009

Paperback: 224 pages

Genre: Crafts

Rating: soon to come...

Inspiration: Everything Austen Challenge hosted by Stephanie's Written Word


Description from amazon:
Jane Austen's Sewing Box opens a window into the lives of Regency women during a beautiful period in arts, crafts and design. Jennifer Forest examines Jane Austen's novels and letters to reveal a world where women are gripped by crazes for painting on glass and netting purses, economise by trimming an old bonnet, or eagerly turn to their sewing to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. Based on Jane Austen's novels and with illustrated step-by-step instructions for eighteen craft projects, this beautifully presented book will delight Jane Austen fans, lovers of history and literature and craft enthusiasts alike.

Author interviews about this crafty book at Jane Austen in Vermont and Women's Nook

My thoughts:

In-a-word: soon to come...

Everything Austen Challenge Note:
I've been visiting fellow participants of the Everything Austen Challenge at Stephanie's Written Word and have been inspired with the some of the creative things that people are going to be doing. I'm going to add something crafty to my line-up too!

Here's what I've found so far in the Everything Austen blogosphere:

Stitchers:

Reading and Stitching - stitch The Daughters of Longbourn by the Stitching Parlor

With My Needle - stitch the Mansfield Park sampler by The Sampler Girl

eHandcrafts Stitching Room - stitch samplers from The Sampler Girl’s Companion Booklet

Stitch Girl Stitch - stitch two Austen related designs

The Crafty Oma - stitch Jane Austen inspired sampler and prepare a Jane Austen inspired Tea

Yesterday's Tuna - stitch Portrait of Jane Austen

Prattlin' Pins
- Stitch Mansfield Park Sampler by The Sampler Girl
- Stitch Return to the Sea With Jane Austen by The Sampler Girl


Other creative ideas:

Books and Bards - write Austen fan fiction

Tildequilts - recipes from The Jane Austen Cookbook and Fassets of Austen quilt project

Austen Pride - Austen-related YouTube video creations

Not Fashionista. It's Stylista - design or rather sketch a whole collection of outfits inspired by Jane Austen, her stories and her life

Loves Romances - tea from Tea With Jane Austen by Kim Wilson

The Dreamstress - Regency garments and accessories

With My Needle - Patterns for Jane Austen-era Needlework project ideas

Yesterday's Tuna - Paint a copy of this awesome new graphic of Pride and Prejudice made by Ruben Toledo on a large canvas to hang in my apartment

Stitch Across the Border
- Visit a Jane Austen related site while vacationing in England

- Purchase "Jane Austen's Sewing Box" and do a project from it
- Do a drawing of an outfit from the Regency time period


Please Note: I couldn't open some of the sites listed on the Everything Austen Mr. Linky, so if I missed your post including a creative or crafty idea please comment below with your link.

Along with picking out a crafty item from Jane Austen's Sewing Box book, I was considering stitching a sampler or maybe trying my hand at one of these absolutely cute Jane Austen dolls (pattern is at etsy):

Catching Fire Dress

If books were dresses...

(a weekly post where I create fashionable wear with book cover art)

Catching Fire
(Hunger Games Series #2)
by Suzanne Collins

Release date: September 01, 2009

Description from amazon.com:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

I want this book.

Got it. - my review

*source for silhouette

If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews

If There Be Thorns
by V.C. Andrews

Genre: Horror
Published: 1990
Paperback: 384 pages
Rating: 2

Inspiration: Part 3 of the Dollanganger series. I'm in for more wacky horror. Also, I'm working on my VCA Challenge

Description from amazon.com:
Chris and Cathy made such a loving home for fourteen-year-old Jory -- so handsome, so gentle. And for Bart,who had such a dazzling imagination for a nine year old. Then the lights came on in the house next door. Soon the Old Lady in Black was there, watching them, guarded by her strange old butler. Soon she had Bart over for cookies and ice cream and asked him to call her "Grandmother".

And soon Bart's transformation began...

Fed by the hint of terrible things about his mother and father...leading him into shocking acts of violence.

Now while this little boy trembles on the edge of madness, his anguished parents await the climax to a horror that flowered in an attic long ago, a horror whose thorns are still wet with blood, still tipped with fire.

My thoughts:
In-a-word(s): Good golly, no more.
I was struggling through this reading which is my second read-through. When I read this way back when I really enjoyed it. Maybe I'm just not in the mood. Anyhoo, I got annoyed with how Cathy was acting. Also, Bart's brainwashing sessions with the butler was hard to read. I don't think I'll continue with this series. However, note that I did read the next two books when they came out so I'm not missing out. I vaguely remember them as being alright.

Waiting on Wednesday - 5

I'm waiting for...

Gone
by Lisa McMann

Release Date: February 9, 2010

-because I saw this on Dissecting Perfection yesterday and got really excited to see this new cover. But most especially looking forward to this book because it is part of the Wake trilogy.


About the book cover from Lisa's blog:
Fun story -- When I was on tour for FADE, I was in talks with my editor Jen Klonsky and the artist who did my first two covers, Sammy Yuen (who rocks, right?) about what sort of cover we were going to do for GONE. Anyway, Sammy had an idea to use an empty chair for the cover, which works SO GREAT with the story (you'll find out why when you read). They asked me to send pictures of chairs I liked so that we could get style ideas. So when I was at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco I saw this cool, simple chair in a spotlight in the lobby. I loved it, so I took a photo of the chair on my cell phone. Sammy created the cover based on that chair.

The other cool thing is that the Clift Hotel was the same hotel whose manager let me keep Miss Spoobin. Aren't they a great group? read more

* Waiting on Wednesday
was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Becoming Jane soundtrack

Becoming Jane

Movie Soundtrack
Audio CD: July 31, 2007

Original Score: Adrian Johnston
Performers: Anthony Pleeth, John Lenehan, Lynda Lee, Vicci Wardman, Aidan Broadbridge, et al.
Conductor: Paul English
Composers: Adrian Johnston, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Rating: 3

Inspiration: Everything Austen Challenge hosted by Stephanie's Written Word

My thoughts:
In-a-word: Longing
I'm starting off my challenge with listening to the tunes from the movie Becoming Jane. I watched this film last year and really liked it. The CD conveys the longing and beautiful landscapes and scenes of the movie well. However, they seemed like snippets of music - 23 tracks. I would have liked some longer pieces. The one song I really like is Nozze di Figaro/Deh Vieni Non Tardar (From: Le Nozze di Figaro). After listening to the CD, I'm inspired to re-watch the movie. Also, can't get enough of James McAvoy!

Now, on to some reading...
I'll be starting The Dashwood Sisters' Secrets of Love by Rosie Rushton which has a Sense and Sensibility theme.