A Non Book Club Book Club Event

I thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday afternoon this weekend. 

What was so enjoyable, you ask?

I got to continue to celebrate my birthday by making crafts and hanging out with my dear book club buddies.  As this was not an official book club event (Jane was not invited, nor was she discussed), I was not sure that it warranted a  place on the blog, but here it is anyways.

It was a lovely afternoon- the girls brought some delicious Italian themed food (hopefully they will share the recipes here soon), we got to work on some fun sewing projects (them ruffled pillows and me upcycled aprons), we made plans for a future endeavor (more on that soon), and they brought me some super thoughtful and fun gifts.  Top that off with the great company, and it was hard to beat.

Pictures were taken on various cameras, so I have quite the montage.  The girls will have to post their photos too.  One thing that we forgot to do was take the standard timer shot of the four of us.  But, I guess that it was not an official event :)

Dinner started with us almost polishing off a pan of delicious spinach artichoke dip made by Kayla.  She accidentally put in extra sour cream- like that could be a bad thing.  It was awesome.

We eventually ate real dinner: Caesar salad made with fresh lettuce from Kayla's garden and Betsy and Karla's baked spaghetti.  I understand now why it is a family favorite.

Dessert at the end of the evening was a chunk of rich chocolate cupcake and gelato (!).  I had no idea that you could buy gelato in Peoria. This could be dangerous.

Karla wanted to bring Italian Sodas, but found IBC Cream Sodas, which were sooo good.  She stuck them in the freezer to get them really cold...and we left them in a little too long.   FYI, partially frozen soda + glass bottled = mess.  But it was a tasty mess.

As for the crafting, we were all sewing using one machine, so we had to take turns, but we all finished at least one project. 

Kayla made a fun ruffled pillow with a black and white hexagon print.  It ended up having a really cool effect that unfortunately didn't translate in the picture.

 Betsy and Karla worked together and made this off white beauty.  They also made a couple of simple pillows for Betsy's classroom and have the strips all cut out for another ruffled pillow.

And my projects (which were also worked on before and after the girls were there) were these aprons.  They are made from "upcycled" fabric.  The black and pink one used to be two different skirts and the denim and lavender one is made from two old sundresses.  I really like the black one, but the denim one, eh, let's just say the 4-H judges from my past would not be giving it a blue ribbon.  One outta two in an afternoon isn't bad.

Thanks, girls, for the lovely non book related afternoon!

S & S Viewing Party- The Quotes

I was digging through my craft supplies tonight (Um, try 3 months ago! I don't know how I managed not to publish this one. Sorry, readers.) and stumbled upon a couple of forgotten slips of paper with quotes from our viewing party that was.... so long enough ago that I have forgotten the date! Luckily, Google Calendar remembers, and it was February 11th, so since it is now March 22nd, June 25th, that was definitely awhile ago. Anyway, faithful readers, I have for you some (I am sure) long-awaited quotes that are now being revealed to you for the very first time. Enjoy!

(Editor's note: Keep in mind that we were rather out of sorts that night. Kayla had run a bunch of miles that day, and it was actually a very cold day, considering our mild winter, so she was in pain. The rest of us were just tired and out of it, so our quotes may be a little sub-par.]

Kayla- "I just think we're so great."

Betsy- "We are kind of boring tonight."

Kayla- "He's just gotten more stupider... and I know that's not a word."

Kayla- "I just don't know why we aren't married... 'cause we have great brains!"

Katie- "I think this is the negativitst... that's not a word."

Karla- "You should have putten..." (followed by silent, shaking laughter)

Katie- "I'm not putting that on the blog. Don't write it down!" (I wish I could remember what it was she said not to write down! We actually listened to her!)

Betsy- "How about you just leave me alone and let me do my crafting!"

Karla- "You put them [marbles] in the oven..."

Betsy- "I know... and they turn into diamonds."

While we were very confident of our great brains, we still managed to record the use of at least three non-words, and the rest of our conversation was just, well, lacking its usual literary zeal. It was probably a good thing that we ended up shutting off the movie before it ended and going home.

What a night!

Mansfield Park Viewing Party- The Quotations

Dear Readers, 


It's been a few weeks, so I may not remember all of the contexts in which these quotations were stated, but I'll do my best!  You may notice that many of our conversations revolve not around the Mansfield Park movie, but instead they center on craft projects.  We always bring crafts to Book Club viewing parties; well, except for Karla, who is not a crafter at heart.  She tolerates the rest of us pretty well, though. 


So, here they are!  
Enjoy! 


-Betsy

Click on the image for another Blogger's excellent recommendations for the many ways to use Mod Podge.  I am a fan. I love Mod Podge.    

"I think you'll need glitter."  ~Betsy
"I think I'll need glitter." ~Kayla
[Anyone remember what this was about??]


"Is it wrong that I associate the smell of Mod Podge with Book Club?" ~Karla

"Now, do we sign our creations?" ~Betsy [referring to something she had crafted]
"Maybe not that one..." ~Karla

"Just remember, if Betsy read it, you can read it too!" ~Betsy
[in reference to the next book, Northanger Abbey]


"I think that if you are going to sell that [a Mod-Podged Velveeta cheese box] you are going to have to cover the inside... so that it doesn't say mac 'n cheese."  ~Karla
"You are so uncouth!" ~Betsy


"Wait, what just happened [in the movie]?" ~Kayla or Katie [source unknown]
"I assume nothing." ~Karla

The Men of Austen: Edmund Bertram

While the women of Jane Austen’s books are undoubtedly the main characters, the plots would not make it very far without the role of the male characters.  So here continues my incomplete series on the men of Austen.

Let’s talk about Edmund.  He is supposed to be the hero of Mansfield Park.  The kind, chivalrous, moral compass of the rag tag cast.  My Book Club buddy Kayla asked earlier in our reading if Edmund was too good to be true.  After finishing the book, I would say yes.  He reminds me of cotton candy- pretty and sweet, but has a bitter aftertaste and is all fluff when you really need something of substance.

Edmund and Fanny Price, our “heroine”, were raised as brother and sister from an early age.  He is described as her only advocate, the only one who shows any care for her wellbeing or respect for her worth.  Austen tells us, “Edmund’s friendship never failed her.”  He consistently builds her up, and after describing her qualities, said, “I do not know any better qualifications for a friend and companion.”  He defends her to his family, sees to her needs when she is being ignored, and encourages her to see her own value.  He calls her “the perfect model of a woman.”

Yet despite all of this, who does he fall in love with?  Who is the “only woman in the world whom he could ever think of as a wife”?

Mary Crawford.

Mocking, manipulative, materialistic Mary Crawford.  She vocally wishes that Edmund had more money.  Multiple times she speaks her mind against his decision to become a clergyman.  She makes fun of his career and belittles the role of faith in daily life.  At one point, she basically wishes his older brother Tom dead so that he can inherit Mansfield.  She does not support him or share his beliefs.  She rarely speaks to him without mocking him in some way.  And yet, she is who he wants to marry.

I just don’t understand.  The same man who thought, “Fanny was worth it all; he held her to be worth every effort…” doesn’t actually want her for himself.  He encourages her to give Henry Crawford a chance, even though his morals are highly suspect and she feels nothing for him.  No matter, Edmund has a plan and he sticks to it- that is, until his sister runs off with Henry, messing everything up.

Low and behold, he can’t have Mary.  So whose shoulder does he cry on? Fanny’s.  Who consoles him and acts as a voice of reason?  Fanny.  Who does he find to be beautiful and indispensable?  Fanny.  Who appreciates and supports his calling as a clergyman?   Fanny.

So who does he marry?  Fanny.  But instead of feeling triumph and satisfaction at the end of this book, I was annoyed.  Fanny is not my favorite Austen character, but I can’t help but be defensive for her.  The one man who had advocated for her to stop being treated like a doormat her whole life, ends up using her as a doormat himself.

 

Clearly, I am no Edmund Bertram fan, but maybe I shouldn’t have read Emma first.  Mr. Knightly has ruined me forever. :)

I cannot think of anything more iconicly (is that a word?) summer than this picture.

Saturday we left the books behind, packed up our little honorary book club member, Bennett, and headed to the antique sales on Moss Avenue. While most things were a bit over-priced for us, we were inspired by much of what we saw, which will be useful as embark on a new little endeavor in the coming months.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning!

Mansfield Park- The Food

Karla requested a Mexican theme, being that we were meeting for the Mansfield Park Viewing party during her birthday weekend.

Here is the spread:

 Perfect pineapple and yummy papaya, balanced out by delicious chocolate chip cookies and cake. (and of course, the ever present diet coke)

 

Lots of chip choices, including tri colored bell peppers cut into dip sized pieces.

Three kinds of dips, including guacamole, fiesta ranch, and chicken enchilada.

Guacamole:
2 avocados, 1 T minced garlic, couple of shakes of salt, 2-3 T lemon juice, and fresh cilantro.  Blend until smooth.

Fiesta Ranch Dip:
1 tub light sour cream, 1/2 package dry ranch dressing mix, 1/2 package dry taco seasoning mix

Kayla's Yummy chicken enchilada hot dip- she will have to post the recipe, but it sounded pretty easy to make.

And we ended the meal with Betsy's chocolate cake (which was delish) and my favorite summer drink, iced Chai Lattes.  I love me a a good chai latte, but I am not a fan of paying $4 a pop for them.  Here is my cheepo version, which I think is just as good as Starbucks.

Iced Chai Lattes:
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Turn off heat.  Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar (more if you like them really sweet).  Add 3-4 tea bags (I like either Bigelow or Good Earth spiced chai).  Let brew until tea is dark.  Remove tea bags, and put chai concentrate in the fridge.  When it is cool, pour equal parts concentrate and skim milk over ice.  Makes 5-6 lattes. Enjoy!

Mansfield Park- The Viewing Party

In honor of Mansfield PARK- we took our picture outside.  I imagine that the view at Mansfield was much nicer than the view in my apartment yard.