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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!

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 Gifts- P & P Viewing Party

I (Katie) loved this gift, Kayla!  Simple, beautiful, and very memorable for our Book Club adventures.
Betsy, I also am super excited about my new hardback edition of Mansfield Park.  Hardbacks are lovely...but I don't have a picture yet to add to the blog :)

The Projects- P & P Viewing Party

I (Betsy) spent a while on the not-so-exciting task of measuring, cutting, and tying (Thanks for the help, Kayla!) embroidery floss for 17 students to make friendship bracelets during a special event at school this week.  I am just hopeful that the students will be able to follow the directions that I show them and not all of the bracelets will end up in knots.

 

I (Katie) worked the whole time on my Christmas cards...and only got about half done.  Here is the finished result.  It took a couple more days, but they are finally ready to mail.

I love the mess that we made over the course of the evening :)

One of the things that I (Betsy) love about our Book Club is how we have utilized the idea of keeping our hands busy while we visit and discuss our books or watch the movies.  We feel useful when we can multitask and work on projects that we enjoy while also maintaining good discussion and fellowship.  

When my dad asked how our day was yesterday, I told him how we were all working on various craft projects throughout the afternoon.  He was unimpressed, but I argued that our craftiness was not unlike how our ancestors would have spent their time crocheting, mending, knitting, snapping peas, etc. while visiting with their neighbors and catching up on each others' lives.  

In our technology-driven world of Facebook, cell phones, and so many other forms of impersonal communication, I'm thankful that we can take a few hours a month to sit with each other and enjoy face-to-face discussions.  The fact that we are able to creatively use that time to work on projects makes it all the more richer, in my opinion. The projects on which we were working will become gifts for our family and friends, who will hopefully be blessed by our handiwork, in the same way that we each were blessed by one another's company while we made them. 

My Common Work (I Mean Laundry) Basket