National Sewing Month

I never realized how awesome the month of September was before...not only is it National Library Card Sign-up Month (which relates to my favorite hobby - reading), I just learned today that it is also National Sewing Month! 

According to the website:

The observance of National Sewing Month began in 1982 with a proclamation from President Ronald Reagan declaring September as National Sewing Month “In recognition of the importance of home sewing to our Nation.”

Sewing is a new hobby of mine that I've only picked up in the past couple of years, but it's quickly risen to near the top of the list (about the only store I love more than a fabric store is a book store!).  I have more fabric and projects that any reasonable person needs in my house...but it's just so much fun!  For some reason, out of the blue, during the winter of 2007/2008 I decided to buy myself a sewing machine and sign up for weekend classes at the local store.  It was wonderful.  I was quickly hooked and loved the thrill of completing a project.  I'm still fairly basic, but I'm slowly expanding into a few more novice projects (hopefully to be showcased here soon) and am even trying my hand at quilting.

I've been slacking lately, waiting and waiting for our basement to get done so that I could make myself a true crafting space, rather than working out of various other rooms in our house.  It's getting closer, and hopefully within the next week or two I'll be able to get my space put together.  In the mean time though, knowing it's National Sewing Month may inspire me to break out the machine yet this weekend and get some of my smaller projects done!

There are a TON of sewing and fabric-related blogs out there if you're interested.  Check out my blog roll for just a few of my favorites.  Happy Sewing!

This Week in Books (September 23)

Books completed the week ending September 23

• Shakespeare's Counselor - Charlaine Harris
• Bit the Jackpot - Erin McCarthy
• Bled Dry - Erin McCarthy
• A Lady Never Tells - Candace Camp
• Sucker Bet - Erin McCarthy
• A Gentleman Always Remembers - Candace Camp
• Heiress for Hire - Erin McCarthy
• Can't Stand the Heat - Louisa Edwards

This Week In Books (September 16)

Books completed the week ending September 16

• Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlaine Harris
• Ill Wind - Nevada Barr (Anna Pigeon #3)
• Chains of Ice - Christina Dodd
• Sins of A Duke - Suzanne Enoch
• Ooh Baby! - Ann Roth
• Sins of A Wicked Duke - Sophie Jordan
• Quinn's Woman - Susan Mallery
• Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris
• Troublemaker Book #1 - Janet/Alex Evanovich
• High Stakes - Erin McCarthy
• Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris
• Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris

National Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month.  I LOVE libraries.  LOVE LOVE LOVE.  In fact I don't think I can say that enough.  I hadn't been visiting my local library system much the past year or two, but over the past six months I've rediscovered how awesome they are.  All those books!  Free!  Available for the borrowing...ahh, it's wonderful.  I have to admit, the Des Moines library system rocks for any number of reasons.  My favorite though, is the pure convenience.  I can go online and request a book (place a hold) and they will pull that book and reserve it for me at whichever location I choose.  Then, when I get a chance, I just swing by and pick up my book(s).  When I am spending a lot of time downtown, I reserve over at the Central branch.  Up at Drake, the Forest Ave. branch.  It just doesn't get more convenient than that. 

Even beyond the books and the opportunities to lose yourself in the pages of a new author or new genre, libraries offer amazing services and programs.  Libraries are too often overlooked for the many services they provide to the community, and are dramatically underfunded.  If you don't have a library card for your local library, swing on by and check it out!  It's free, it's easy, and you'll be surprised at all the library has to offer.

Ape House

I'm so excited for Sara Gruen's new book Ape House.  Released just this past week, it's been getting some good reviews (see here and here and here).  The book's inspiration is located right here in good old Des Moines...the bonobos at the Great Ape Trust.  Gruen launched her book in Des Moines, with a free event as part of the Des Moines Public Library's AVID Series.  It was nice to get a chance to hear an author talk about her book, the work that went into it, and to learn more about the fascinating and amazing bonobos.  My book club had previously read Gruen's Water for Elephants, and a group of us went to the release event.  I picked up a copy there of Ape House to add to my TBR pile.

  
More than anything, I'm looking forward to reading about the bonobos.  The video we saw of the Great Ape Trust was my first real insight into what the Trust does.  Even though I knew it was here in Des Moines and has been for several years, it's not something that we hear about often.  I hope that the book helps bring some much needed support for the Trust, and for protecting and learning from the Great Apes.

This Week In Books (September 9)

Books completed the week ending September 9

• Shadow Zone - Iris Johansen, Roy Johansen
• The Dead Travel Fast - Deanna Raybourn
• Flat Out Sexy - Erin McCarthy 
• Hard & Fast - Erin McCarthy
• The Wild Marquis - Miranda Neville
• Undead and Unfinished - MaryJanice Davidson

This Week In Books (September 2)

Books completed the week ending September 2

• Ravished - Amanda Quick (audio)
• The Duke's Night of Sin - Katherine Caskie
• deeply, desperately - Heather Webber
• Dead Over Heels - Charlaine Harris
• A Fool and His Honey - Charlaine Harris
• Last Scene Alive - Charlaine Harris
• Poppy Done to Death - Charlaine Harris