Small welcome mat for Jenny:
Crocheted from yarn made from plastic bags, including mulch & soil bags. I hear Stewie loves it.
Book #21:
We Are Their Heaven by Allison Dubois. I like what she has to say - that the dead stick around their loved ones because that makes them happy. I find the examples of readings both from her point of view and her clients' interesting. But she needs a better editor. As someone who puts value in how a book is written, it made me wince. No flow. Chapters, paragraphs, and sentences that could not stay on a consistent subject. Still, I will pass it on to others who may value her message.
A "nelly", microwave heating bag for Mom:
I used a sleeve from an old hoodie for this. A fancier fabric would have been nice, but it has to be all cotton to go in the microwave. Filled with rice, oats, sage, lavender, and lemon balm.
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. I have another book of his, but need to brush up on the original material a bit to appreciate it (Sense & Sensibility). This was quite fun. Based off of Lincoln's journals, Grahame-Smith tells the tale of an axe-throwing hero. The photos are a bit hokey, but the storyline is good and - as someone who is curious about history but not hardcore - I found out details about Lincoln, the political life in DC in that era, and the Civil War that I had not known prior.
Light-bulb vases w/ origami flowers for Tina, Shruti, Mom, Lorraine:
These were fun and easy (for someone OK w/ cracking some glass), I have more light bulb plans...
Welcome to Marwencol by Mark E. Hogancamp. Hogancamp was brutally beaten one night - "left brain-damaged & broke". After, as part of his recovery, he created a 1:6 scale (Barbie & GI Joe sized) WWII-era town in his backyard and photographed the dramas that unfurled there. This is the first installment in the saga of that town - artful though the violence makes me a little sad. There's also a documentary that has wowed the festival circuit. Hmmm need to see if I can find that.
And, finally - a beaded basket for Laura:
I rolled almost all of these beads (with the exception of a few spacers in the bottom rows) from strips of old magazine and catalogue pages. There's got to be between 250 & 300 of them. Note to self - if you want to do a big bead project next year - start making beads well ahead. Just a couple of days makes life quite crazy.
