Saturday, August 31, 2013

I like to make stuff...

For the past couple of weeks, I've been sewing away. Here's a picture of the dress that I made.
I absolutely love the fabric, which is covered with a pattern that has birds and flowers that are paint by number. It's really cute! I used the Washi dress pattern (http://www.made-by-rae.com/washi/). The pockets are probably my favorite feature of this dress. Plus, it's super comfortable.

 I started a skirt today. The pattern is called  the Kelly skirt.
I'm thinking that this will not only make a great summer skirt, but it will be a nice transition into the fall. I can pair it up with some black tights and boots. Here's a picture of what I've made so far. I cut out the pattern, sewed the pockets, pinned the pleats and I've begun to assemble the skirt. I'm hoping it will turn out okay.


Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Rosie's Magic Horse Review

Rosie's Magic Horse is a gem of a book written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Quentin Blake. Children will immediately recognize Blake's work from Roald Dahl's books. The heartwarming and silly illustrations set the stage for this story, which is about a little girl, who collects ice-pop sticks that she finds on the ground. The sticks wish to be something other. They wish to be something important (after all, who would want to be a used stick in a shoe box), so they become a horse and take the little girl on an adventure to find treasure. The children that I read this story to, absolutely loved Stickerino, which is an adorable name for a horse and they were surprised that the little girl was able to solve her family's financial problems by finding a pirate's treasure. It's a simple story, but one that many children will identify with, especially if their family is experiencing financial troubles. Every child wishes to be a hero and this story fulfills this wish. If you're doing a storytime, pair this story up with "No Fits, Nilson!" by Zachariah OHora and "Should I Share My Ice Cream?" by Mo Willems.  

Colorful Dreamer: The Story of Artist Henri Matisse Review


Colorful Dreamer by Marjorie Blain Parker is the story of Henri Matisse, who has been one of my favorite artists since I was a little girl. Matisse didn't stumble upon his love of creating art until he was a young man. He first started out as a law clerk and the job stressed him out so much that he ended up in the hospital. It was while he was in the hospital that he discovered his true passion, which of course disappointed his family. No one wanted him to become an artist, but Matisse followed his heart and began to create nonstop. This picture book is an inspirational story and it really encourages readers to follow their dreams even if those dreams are not so popular. The illustrations are black and white in the beginning with bursts of color as we look into Matisse's imaginative mind. As the story continues, the colors become more and more vibrant and take over the pages. Matisse's style graces each page as he becomes an artist and the colors become permanent once Matisse is happy and living a creative life. Biographies have recently become very popular amongst elementary school students, especially The Who Was series, but Colorful Dreamer not only has a great story, but also engaging illustrations. I highly recommend this biography. It is a great addition to your library, especially if you're trying to add to your nonfiction or common core collection.