Blergh. I cannot, for the life of me, manage to make a sheep that looks decent. For now, I give up. Perhaps in time I'll try again.



I tried to base it on a kit I found on Etsy (big surprise there, right?) but it appears that I'm just destined to fail. The face is too small, the ears are crooked, the tail is pathetic, the body uneven and not round enough. Oh well.



At least I got to use some of the brown wool that I'd purchased for my tree stump. It's luxuriously soft - much softer than I expected. And the Imp seems to like the sheep, even if it does look.. well.. sort of like a dog, really.



Not sure what I'll move on to next. I need to try and make a monkey, I know. And I ought to work on that tree stump. Oh. And my younger niece wants a mushroom house for her birthday (in a couple weeks! eek!). Not to mention the really great book I'm reading (that will actually get reviewed, too!). I also want to try wet felting with the Elf some time. There's a great tutorial here that I want to try out as soon as we acquire some bubble wrap. So many things to do!

Needle felting - Part three

The Beast let me put him down! My hands are free! Though I really ought to wake the Imp. He's just so adorable snuggled on the couch. Due to the unusual quiet, I thought I'd try to wrap up my recently-made-needle-felt-creations posts.

A friend of mine expressed an interest in having a needle felted sheep (she also mentioned a monkey, but I haven't gotten there yet). How could I resist trying?



You can say it (she did) - it looks like an exceptionally fluffy polar bear. Well, it does. And that's what comes from using the same techniques and base ideas for two very different animals. You live, you learn, right?



I have another sheep in the works. My hopes are high that it will look.. well.. like a sheep! In the meantime, the Beast was in need of a mobile. When the Imp was a baby I rigged a mobile out of scraps of paper (colored with contrasting patterns), an old record case/envelope/thing, and some string. It was sad. But he loved it. I couldn't bring myself to be so sloppy this time.

Based on (you guessed it) a mobile I found on Etsy, I decided to make little felt squares with needle felted contrasting patterns. The Elf helped me sew them up before I stuffed them. I'd wanted a better way to connect them to the ceiling, but with the urging of my husband to *just finish it so he can enjoy it!* I rigged it all up to a piece of cardboard with hemp cord. Needless to say, the Beast loves it. He'll lay and coo and giggle at it. This, of course, makes it all worth it.



Thus concludes the backlog of things I've needle felted. Whee!

Needle felting - Part two

I was able to attend a breastfeeding support group meeting this morning. Having the opportunity to discuss some of my tandem/toddler nursing issues and concerns with a lactation consultant (and a group of fairly like-minded women) was.. refreshing. Calming. I feel better able to approach life in general today. So I thought I'd attempt this post while the younger kids are napping. Of course, since typing that the youngest has decided to sleep nowhere but in my arms - which makes typing... special.

After completing the mushroom house I decided to try making a hollow tree stump similar to a sewn one I'd seen on Etsy. By the time I'd gotten the core done, I'd discovered that dying roving brown was harder than I thought it would be. Using things I had on hand I managed really great red-oranges, tan, beige, purple - but no deep browns. So I eventually gave in and bought some from an Etsy seller. This was at least one month ago. I have yet to actually open the bag of wool, let alone complete the tree stump.

One of many things that distracted me from the tree stump was the realization that I needed to make a birthday gift for my father. I don't know how it started, but the man loves polar bears. With that in mind I set out to make him one.



My husband lent his critical eye to help me round it out some. As my first animal sculpture, I think it turned out rather well. Which is more than I can say for my second animal attempt (to be seen in a forthcoming post).

Needle felting - Part one

I've been meaning to post for a while now. It's taken me this long to bother tackling adding photographs here. This is what happens when you've gotten used to one journalling platform, I suppose.

In the recent past I fell in love with needle felting. It was a fluke, really. A lark. But it grabbed me and hasn't let go.

At first I just made dryer balls. I had wanted to buy some through Etsy but couldn't justify the cost. As it is, I hardly ever remember to use the ones I've made. Mostly the Imp plays with them - or the cats do when they're left out unattended. Oops.

For Earth Day I took one of the dryer balls and added blue and green to it to make an Earth ball for the kids to play with. I also made a little green car with wooden wheels (and had plans to knit a road despite my lack of knitting skills).

Eventually I came across a neat video tutorial for a toadstool house. Being an avid mushroom lover, how could I resist? I can't recall how long it took me to completely make the house. With small children it's a wonder it was finished at all. I used roving that I'd dyed myself and a bit of yarn that had come as part of a swap from the amazing Suzanne.

Here are some photos of it. I've learned some things since making this and have thought about going back and touching it up some. The thing is, I've never seen (in person) nor held anything needle felted, so I've no idea if I'm doing things the "correct" way. In any case, I enjoy it. When I get the opportunity to work on these projects I find a bit of peace.

I'm doing it again. I'm losing steam with this whole review thing. And yes, having a newborn (not to speak of the other two monsters) will do that to a person. Mostly I'm just reading for brainless fun. I don't want to have to think, let alone form coherent sentences describing why I do or do not like what I'm reading.

So this blog will be veering. Temporarily? Permanently? Who knows. Life is all about change, right?

Right now my main focus in life is my kids. They're very time consuming. In the midst of all the family craziness, I'm trying to simplify my life. Which is a little laughable since I seem to keep adding things to it (children, crafts, hobbies). But in my own way, I'm working on it. Less junk, less waste, less spending. At the same time, I'm working on more. More patience, more fun, more mindfulness. Clearing out the clutter (mentally and physically) to let in the air. I think it's time, don't you?

Last week I was unofficially diagnosed with migraines (and there's apparently nothing to be done about it while I'm nursing). For the most part, I get some visual hallucinations that last twenty to thirty minutes (this is apparently called a migraine aura) and a slight increase in the headache that I've had for two weeks now. Sometimes, though, I get the awful stereotypical migraine headache pain. This makes for shoddy mothering skills, to speak nothing of my inability to care enough to review books.

I'm fighting a lot of doubt in my ability to be a decent mother, an adequate homeschooler, a reasonable wife. The constant pain clearly isn't helping.

Strangely (or not so much), I have still been managing to read. It helps that I've packed my ebook reader (Cybook Gen 3) with "quick reads" that aren't terribly thought-intensive. I've enjoyed all the books that I've read so far, but I can't bring myself to care enough to actually review them. Suffice it to say, these are good books and you should read them if you get the chance:

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Changes by Jim Butcher
Lover Mine by J. R. Ward
Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier

Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth

I was lucky enough to receive this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. The premise for the book is that Nathaniel Cade is a vampire in the employ of the President of the United States. He's bound to stop the forces of the Other Side.

This isn't a new concept. Think Hellboy crossed with general political thrillers. With a little Heroes thrown in, maybe. But it was still original enough to be intriguing. I didn't expect much from the story and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had a hard time putting it down. I'm fairly certain that I was supposed to become more endeared to Zach as the book progressed. Truth be told, even at the end I still felt that he was a sad replacement for Griff. Cade, on the other hand, was awesome. How could you not like a vampire who has a conscience, but also freely admits to being evil?

I look forward to future novels featuring Nathaniel Cade. The paranormal aspects of this book made the political thriller side of it less dull and predictable. I'd like to say that I have someone in mind to pass this book on to. But most people I know who like politcal thrillers aren't really big on the whole paranormal thing. There's an audience out there for this book, no doubt. I just don't know them personally.

And then there were five.

Well, the Beast was born a week ago Thursday. I'm finding that reading has taken a back seat to life for now. Reviews will resume as I find the time.

I'm still working my way through the fourth (third for me) Indiana Jones book, but it never seems to be conveniently located. My ebook reader is soon to be filled with fast and fun books to read while nursing the monsters - provided I can manage to have my reading glasses handy.

Indiana Jones and the Seven Veils by Rob MacGregor

I first heard about this book when reading The Lost City of Z. It was what inspired me to search this title out. Had it not been for my oldest son, I would have bought this one from the garage sale and left the rest. Boy am I glad I didn't. This particular Indy book was so very disappointing.

Indy and Deirdre set off to the Amazon to find Colonel P.H. Fawcett and perhaps prove that the ancient Druids established a tribe in South America. Sounds good, right? It could have been. It really could have. One of the great things about the Indiana Jones movies was that an element of mysticism was always present - but not over done. That is, until they brought the aliens into it. But you don't want me to go there.

In this book they took the fantastical and blew it so far out of proportion that my disbelief could not be suspended any more. Fawcett was also less than realistic. Perhaps if I hadn't recently read a book about him it wouldn't have bothered me so much. He just wasn't true to type. In some instances he was convincing. In others, he was this completely different person.

Here's hoping the next book is better.

Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants by Rob MacGregor

My seven-year-old and I found this (and all the other Indy books I own) at a garage sale. We're both big fans of the movies and thought it would be fun to read the prequels, too.

This book was everything I thought it would be. I was looking for a quick read with some action and very little need for active thought on my part. It delivered on all these fronts. I suspect that none of these books will live up to the movies, but it's unrealistic to expect them to.

Indiana Jones has his first teaching job at the University of London. There he falls for his boss's daughter, accompanies his boss (and her daughter) on a dig, is repeatedly attacked, captured by crazy druids, and (of course) saves the day. Oh. And he gets the girl - for the most part.

It was fun. It was quick. It wasn't too much for my very pregnant brain to deal with. In those regards, it was perfect. I have some issues with the way Indy is portrayed. But he is supposed to be younger in the books - so it's probably me with the problem, not the writing.

The Sand Dragon by Michael F. Stewart

This newest novel by Michael Stewart brings a fresh, new (to me, at any rate) angle to the popular dragons and vampires. An uncovered skeleton, presumed to be a dinosaur, sparks a series of traumatic events in a small town. Madness, disease, and terror run rampant as townsfolk are "infected" by an unknown malady. A small group of people remain to save the day, and perhaps the world.

I found the beginning of this book a little jumpy. I often felt like I was missing paragraphs here and there, if not whole pages. Scenes would spontaneously switch and I'd spend a few minutes backtracking, trying to figure it out. At first, I also found the mining lingo confusing - having no prior knowledge of it at all. But that was easily overcome as the story picked up. The characters were real and believable - a rarity in horror novels for me. Kim seems to be the main character throughout the book and I really started to feel attached to her. Jaime was another favorite. His trasformation - both literally and figuratively - was amazing to witness. His fiance, Alice, irked me in many ways but I rather think she was supposed to.

The mythos and legends in this book were lots of fun. They reminded me of the brilliant blending of belief systems in Stewart's previous book 24 Bones. I've read a lot of vampire novels, and this one was definitely unique. The concept of their creation and purpose as well as their evolution was just amazing. The dragons, as well, were taken portayed in a way I've never encountered before.

If you're looking for a new take on some old favorites, I highly recommend this book. It's quick to read, action packed, and ever-so-slightly spooky. I think I'll be haunted by thoughts of the power generator at Kim's mother's house for many days to come.

The Fall of The Kings by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman

Having read the other two books set in this world, I simply couldn't resist this one. Of course, I did somehow manage to put off reading it for a couple years. That's what happens when your "to be read shelf" becomes a "to be read bookcase" instead.

I cannot summarize this story for you. It's simply too complicated. Suffice it to say that it is a story about magic, love, madness, treason, and family. The characters are amazing - as expected. The plot was thrilling and kept me interested even when I wasn't reading. It had such amazing potential. And then, the ending came. It was so disappointing. It felt like the authors got bored and just ended the book as quickly as they could. Essentially, someone swooped in and saved the day. It was just.. so disappointing.

Even with that complaint, I'd still recommend the book to anyone who ejoyed the others.

And I realize this review is less than stellar. But as hugely pregnant as I am (and with my two little monsters at home, to boot), it's the best I could do.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

I've been having trouble writing a review for this book. No fault of the book - just outside influences. Life is busy this Spring.

I bought this book from a used book store at least a year ago. It was sitting on my to-be-read shelf looking sad. So I decided on a whim to pick it up and give it a shot. I assumed it was young adult because of a vague recollection. So bonus, I could screen the book for my seven-year-old (who reads above his level and loves fantasy). Verdict: I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much that I squealed with delight when I found the second book of the series at a used book store yesterday. As for my seven-year-old, I think he'd like it. But I'm going to put it off for a little while. It has a bit of romance that I don't think he'd care for (not to mention the ginormous list of books he wants to read already).

The premise: Sabriel is the daughter of the Abhorsen - a necromancer from the old kingdom. Unlike most necromancers, the Abhorsen does not raise the dead, but rather ensures that the Dead do not return to Life. Sabriel is raised on the other side of the Wall away from the Old Kingdom and must venture back to save her father and, well, the world.

I particularly enjoyed the way Nix described the descent into Death. The river, the gates, the frost - it was very well done. The characters are thought out and well developed (which I find rare in YA books). I enjoyed the characters so much that I was disappointed to find that the sequel takes place a full fourteen years later! My only bone to pick was the ending. It was too abrupt. I felt that a lot of things that could/should have been wrapped up (or at least embellished) were left to hang. That's probably a personal preference, though.

All in all, Woo! This book was fun. I'd recommend it to just about anyone.

Midnight Fires: A Mystery With Mary Wollstonecraft by Nancy Means Wright

I received this book as a part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

Mary Wollstonecraft has accepted the position as governess to the King family in Ireland. In a house full of crazy children and neglectful parents, she is charged with the education of the three oldest girls. Along the way she becomes friendly with some of the Irish tenants living nearby. This leads to murder, mystery, and intrigue - all of which she is determined to unravel.

I don't know why I request, borrow, and read mystery novels. I don't particularly like them. However, this one was rather good. While it is, technically, a murder-mystery style novel, it wasn't as formulaic as others that I've read. Mary was an amazingly written character who brought back memories of a paper I'd written about her long ago in high school. Margaret, the oldest of the King girls was also very well formed. A lot of the "extras" were easy to lose along the way, though. Lord and Lady K were so ridiculous that I had a hard time believing in them. Lady K is portrayed as fairly mentally unstable - one minute thinking herself progressive and educated and the next minute acting the simpering, flirting, airhead. I was never sure if she was not a bit insane.

While there isn't a great deal of suspense, I did find myself wanting to read more whenever I had to set the book down. I was also reminded frequently of Bronte's Jane Eyre though that is likely because I'd read it recently and that it was also centered around a governess.

The book was very enjoyable and I would not hesitate in the slightest to recommend it to others. I gather there will be another novel focusing on Mary's exploits in London and I suspect I will, at the very least, borrow it from the library.

The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte

I have, for the most part, enjoyed every book I've read thus far by Arturo Perez-Reverte. That being said, I'm not sure I liked this one very much. I guess that I should have looked at it more carefully instead of buying it because of the author. This book is a mystery novel. I'm not a fan of classic mystery novels. The story leading up to the big confessions. Clues doled out and then the long monologue by the detective or guilty party. It's just not my thing.

Here's the premise: Julia restores artwork. She's working on a painting called The Game of Chess. There is a mystery about the people in the painting which transforms into a modern-day murder-mystery involving people she knows. Aided by her adopted father-figure Cesar and a chess player Munoz, Julia works to puzzle things out.

I liked the chess and the style of writing. Munoz was an interesting character, though I always felt that he could have been developed a little more. The chess game governing the direction of the mystery reminded me a little of Katherine Neville's books The Eight and it's sequel The Fire.

If you like mystery novels and can wrap your brain around chess moves, you'll love this book. It's a fairly quick read and definitely keeps you guessing.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

This book is the sixth in the Pink Carnation series. I know I've said this before but.. I love this series. It's my guilty pleasure. I look forward to each and every one of these books and think longingly of sitting down with them all over again (preferably with a nice cup of coffee on a brisk, sunny day).

In this book Penelope (Lady Staines) is taken off to India with her new husband Freddy (Lord Frederick Staines). All is not marital bliss between the couple. They are escorted to Hyderabad by Captain Alex Reid and are later joined by Freddy's old acquaintances from England. Romance, intrigue, and unexpected serpents ensue. Meanwhile, in present day, Eloise is determined to find Colin's sister a new boyfriend while uncovering new and interesting facts about their crazy family.

I never do these books justice. The Regency story was awesome. It was everything I expected and more. Penelope was such a great character. She has weaknesses and flaws, but is amazing and strong and sarcastic. Alex complimented her temper perfectly. Descriptions were vivid, too. Here I was, reading in my bedroom (the coldest room in the house) in February and I actually felt the heat of India and the sting of mosquito bites. The modern side of the story wasn't as involved this time around - it was definitely background music.

Would I recommend this to others? Duh! Of course I would. In a heartbeat, if not sooner. My only complaint is that I have to wait until October for the next book!

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I had half of a review written. It was eloquent and everything. And then *POOF!* it was gone. This version is likely to be less than stellar.

Jane Eyre is an orphan. She is raised in a family devoid of love before being sent to a charitable school. There she spends eight years - two as a teacher. Upon leaving the school she becomes a governess for a private residence. And there the "real" story begins.

I don't know what it is about these books written by women in the 1800s. I find it very difficult to review and summarize them. The stories are twisting and convoluted. But at the same time they are linear and terribly predictable. Is it me? Is it them? Once upon a time in high school I wrote a many-paged paper extrapolating that Wuthering Heights and The Great Gatsby were essentially parallels of each other. Was I more fluent then? Or was it only so much crap written for a grade?

I enjoyed this book. Jane was fairly fascinating, though at times I wanted to smack her for her weaknesses. The way she would just give in or instinctively follow orders set my teeth on edge. Her temper and quick tongue did help to make up for it, though. Mr Rochester was a veritable Heathcliff to me (is it unfair to compare the characters of one sister to that of another?) - his moods and tempers were erratic at best. I often wondered if *he* were not the lunatic of the house.

Speaking of lunatics. Is in the Bronte sisters in particular or the time period in general that leads morbidity to be mixed with romance so freely? It is jarring and natural all at the same time and certainly adds... something.. to the work itself.

I'm glad I read this book. I almost passed it by yet again and left it collecting dust on my to-be-read shelf. I'd say that I'd recommend it to people, but I seem to be the last person on the planet (of a certain age) to have read it!

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

The Lost City of Z is incredibly popular right now. I think it just came out in paperback. I remember hearing about this book and having a passing interest in it. And then I saw the National Geographic articles about the new satellite images that show roads and geometric patterns in the Amazon. I've always been interested in ancient cultures and have even visited Mayan ruins. I will admit to always having had a romantic Indiana Jones-esque daydreaming tendency.

The author, David Grann, learns of the famous lost explorer "Colonel" Percy Fawcett and is completely intrigued. Throughout the course of the book, Grann extrapolates the life and adventures of Fawcett using previously unreleased documentation from his descendants. Fawcett is an astounding character - arrogant and sure, determined, innovative. The story of his life and how he came to be an explorer was fascinating. It almost read like fiction - which makes it all the more amazing, because it's all true! Grann brings to life a man that few ever realized existed. In addition to research, Grann also undertakes his own trek into the Amazon to discover the fate of Fawcett and his party. His experiences are amazing to consider an average person embarking on. The conclusions that he comes to are those of an extremely educated and logical mind.

Overall, this book was fantastic. The history mixed with adventure is sure to excite even the most jaded readers. Grann did a remarkable job of showing the cultural and environmental importance of the Amazon while not straying from his main topic. I didn't think this book would grip me the way that it did, but honestly I found myself unable to put it down. It is definitely something I'd recommend to others.

Guest post: The Elf reviews Vampirates.

The Elf's (my seven-year-old home-schooled son) first book review. Dictated by him, translated by me (for coherency and grammar).

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper

After the death of their father, Grace and Connor Tempest steal their father's ship. During a big storm the twins get separated. Two different pirate ships rescue each of the children. Connor ends up with pirates while Grace is taken aboard the Vampirate ship. Each is striving to find the other.

I really enjoyed the fighting scenes with Connor and the pirates. My favorite character was the Vampirate captain. I particularly liked the description of his mask and cape. Overall, I think that the book was excellently paced and would definitely recommend the book to others. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Kitty's House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn

I've always found it difficult to review books when they're fairly far along in a series. With each installment, my reviews seem to get shorter and simpler. Oh well.

This is the seventh book in the Kitty Norville series. The premise is that Kitty is joining a cast of supernatural celebrities (plus a skeptic) at a remote hunting lodge to film a reality show. Things, as usual, go from bad to worse to happy-ish ending.

I found Kitty's "I'm a talk show host, so I'll act like I'm forever on air" attitude at the lodge kind of annoying and a little forced. Gradually, though, it wears off and she acts more like a person and less like a cliche. I especially loved the way she sort of channeled Cormac during the crisis. Cormac has always been my favorite support character in these books. It was nice to have him back, even in that limited capacity.

The suspense was amazing. I actually caught myself daydreaming all of these horrible "there are people outside of my house waiting to ambush and kill me" thoughts. I admit that part of that is due to my overactive imagination (especially while pregnant - like I needed the encouragement to be paranoid!). The end of the crisis - the big save - was way too convenient for me. I won't ruin it by telling you why I think this, suffice it to say that it just seemed phony to me.

All in all, if you've read the first six books of the series, you're going to read this one too. You know you will. And odds are, you'll enjoy it - otherwise you wouldn't have read all the previous books, right?