Our Blog

October 23, 2012

Crafting

Three Adorable Literary Costumes You Can Make For Your Kids

So Halloween is almost here.

Busy parents everywhere are scrambling for costumes for their kids and attempting to convince them that yes, they can totally wear that costume from last year, no one is going to remember (NO OMG THEY TOTALLY WILL MOM AND DAD!). And chances are if you waited this long, all that’s going to be left are hundreds of Angry Birds outfits.

Luckily, for the literary minded, there are plenty of DIY solutions for the crafty costume maker. Below, I’ve rounded up some of my favorites from around the ol’ Internet. Enjoy!

Posted by Brady Dale

October 22, 2012

Music

A Halloween Playlist: Some of Our Favorite Creepy Songs

Photo by Pierre Tourigny

It’s the time of year when people are going to Halloween parties. The Jack-O-Lanterns are carved and lit, the punch is full of dried ice and the candy bowl packed. There is something missing though. No Halloween festivities are complete without a kick-ass playlist full of creepy songs. I know that there are some tried and true songs of the season i.e. Monster Mash, Thriller, I Put A Spell on You and anything from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

This playlist is about those songs. Below you will find some of the creepiest, most evil songs ever on the planet. Each one of these songs has at least one element to them which is perfect for the season.

Give ‘em a spin and see what you think.

Posted by David Winnick

October 22, 2012

Cats

Four Of Our Favorite Feline-Friendly Authors

Have you ever tried to hug a cat? I’m talking really hug and squeeze one. It’s damn near impossible. These feline-friendly authors have at the very least attempted to give their kitty a nuzzle.

Posted by Danielle Mohlman

October 19, 2012

Crafting

Freaky Friday: Monster Babies from Microcrafts!

Welcome back to Freaky Friday, where we’re dishing out some fun Halloween tips through the month.

So far we’ve showed you how to make Witches Brew from Witch Craft and Pumpkin Cupcake Toppers from Craft-A-Day. Next up, we’ve got these adorable monster babies from Microcrafts by Alicia Kachmar, Margaret McGuire, and Katie Hatz.

We’ve included the tracing template below. Feel free to save it and print it out. Enjoy!

Posted by Eric Smith

October 18, 2012

Cookbook: Baking, Cookbook: Desserts, Cookbook: Snacks, Fiction: MG & YA

Ten Of Our Favorite Foods From Literature That You Can Actually Make Yourself

For those that love words and those that love food, the combination is heaven. I first learned how literary food could make my mouth water and tongue slurp like Wile E. Coyote through Dr. Seuss. Green Eggs and Ham, man. Then, I remember reading how Edmund couldn’t resist Turkish Delights and loved how an author could make a sugary treat sound so tempting. I don’t need that much convincing, but it’s always pleasant to experience lovely language mixed with food. Preview: Dainty slapjacks garnished with honey and puddings made of delightful creaminess.

In short I became very ravenous, especially for pudding, figuring out which literary recipes to present. You might too.

1. Turkish Delight (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe): In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Edmund inhaled the Snow Queen’s Turkish Delight (pictured above!) and betrayed his siblings! Then, he had the gall to ask for more. Sheesh.

Turkish Delight is comprised of sugar, gelatin, water, and cornstarch, and it is commonly flavored with rosewater, lemon or mint. History says a Turkish man named Bekir Effendi, who opened up a confectionary shop in Istanbul in 1776, unveiled the delicacy in his sweet boutique. Legend has it that an Englishman stumbled upon the treat and began shipping cases back to Britain calling it “Turkish Delight.”

Soon, it became a ritual among socialites to exchange Turkish Delights wrapped in silk handkerchiefs as gifts. [Recipe]

2. Pickled Limes (Little Women): The youngest sister, Amy, in Louis May Alcott’s Little Women was crazy for pickled limes. Pickles limes were the iPhones of today, the Tamagotchis and Pogs of the nineties.

“Why, you see, the girls are always buying them, and unless you want to be thought mean, you must do it too. It’s nothing but limes now, for everyone is sucking them in their desks in schooltime, and trading them off for pencils, bead rings, paper dolls, or something else, at recess. If one girl likes another, she gives her a lime. If she’s mad with her, she eats one before her face, and doesn’t offer even a suck.”

So, you see, anyone who is anyone eats pickled limes. [Recipe]

Posted by Elizabeth Knauss

October 17, 2012

Handbooks: Worst-Case

Worst-Case Wednesday: How to Survive a Trip Over a Waterfall

With the weather getting colder, the time for jumping into a deep, refreshing lake (possibly off a small cliff and/or waterfall) has long since passed.

So chances are, if you’re about to take a plunge off a waterfall these days, it’s accidental. Or you’re at some exotic location on vacation. If that’s the case, why didn’t you bring me? Jerk.

Anyhow, it’s best to be prepared. So here’s how you survive a trip over a waterfall, thanks to the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht.