Our Blog

It’s a universally agreed upon fact: you never grow out of loving dinosaurs. Using plastic dinosaur toys from the dollar or party store to add a little pre-history chic in the home or office. Grab a few tools, some glue, and a sense of awestruck wonder at the majesty of Jurassic beasts, and you’ll be ready to get crafty!

Comic book superheroes are a strange class of folks. Is there anything more unusual than a flying man wearing his underwear on the outside of his leggings, or a giant green behemoth with the language skills of a toddler, dressed in a pair of purple shorts, smashing everything in his path? The League of Regrettable Superheroes rebuttal: Yes! Even among the cape-and cowl set, you'll find much stranger characters (which is one of the reasons superhero comics are so great). And among LORS elite roster of oddballs, here are a few of the weirdest superheroes ever published–which makes them the oddest of the odd.

Image via www.coolinterestingstuff.com 

Every Wednesday, we offer advice and strategies to survive all of the most dire and urgent circumstances, as well as some of the more common scenarios we all deal with.

This week we've got an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors. School is ending, summer is starting, and camping season is up and running. Any good woodsman (or woman) knows that preparedness is key. We all know how to deal with bear attacks and long car trips, but what about the real threat out there in the wild? What about… BIGFOOT?! Hopefully this guide will save you from becoming a Little Splat under a Big Foot. 

We know a doomed character when we read one. Of course, we would never be dense enough to go down that dark alley alone looking for clues, or decide to take a shower right after being chased through an old hotel. But is surviving a muder mystery really that easy? Inspired by the new anthology, Manhattan Mayhem, edited by Mary Higgins Clark, here's a flowchart to test your sluething metal and measure your chance of survival in a gritty murder mystery. 

Wildflowers, a favorite of Marianne Dashwood, and tentacles, both feature elegantly in Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Tentacles curled around wildflowers make delightful hair fascinators and are perfect for pleasant afternoons spent picnicking and/or battling monsters of the deep. These flowery accessories are easy to whip up with just a few supplies!

Gather your materials:

1. Barrette bases – Almost every kind of craft barrette works well for this project; but avoid the kind that have to bend back and forth to close. This can cause the decorations to snap off.
2. Fake flowers – Small silk or fabric flowers from your local craft store work perfectly.
3. Lightweight clay – I used Model Magic for this project, but you could also use a polymer clay like Sculpey.
4. Assorted paints – Any acrylic craft paint and small brushes will work.
5. Hot glue gun – Hot glue is perfect for this project; it sets quickly and provides a sturdy base for the decorations.

Directions

Step 1: Mold your tentacles. Roll a small amount of clay between your palms to form a long strip that narrows at the end. Curl and pose your tentacles into shapes that will wrap around your flowers. Fit each tentacle to the shape of your barrette base, molding them to meet the base. 

Step 2: Let your tentacles set. If you are using an air-drying clay, allow your tiny sculptures to dry undisturbed. If using a polymer clay, bake them according to instructions on the packaging. 
Pro-tip: curl your tentacles around small objects to hold their position as they dry. If you are concerned about stability, roll a wire in the center of your clay before you begin sculpting.

Step 3: Paint the tentacles.  Creatures with tentacles can often change colors, so choose any colors you like! You can even add glitter paint or nail polish for an aquatic glimmer. Try painting small circular suction cups to the underside of a tentacle for added depth and texture. 

Step 4: Secure your tentacles. Once the tentacles have dried, use your hot glue gun to glue them to the barrettes. Don’t worry about any wispy strands of hot glue you might see, it’s easy to clean those up after your project is finished.

Step 5: Add your flowers. Arrange flowers one at a time, placing them in the grasp of your tentacle and using your hot glue gun to secure. Trim any lengthy stems before gluing the flowers in place. 
Pro tip: use leafy greenery or extra blossoms to cover any visible portions of the barrette.

Step 6: Finish and wear! Let the fascinator cool and dry, reinforce any weak spots with glue, and gently remove any remaining threads of hot glue.

Wear a subtle sea monster barrette to the office, or celebrate cephalopods with a big, bold fascinator out for an afternoon in the sun! Snap a picture of your projects and tweet them to us at @QuirkBooks.

It’s another busy week for literary events in New York City. Check out the latest installment of the Franklin Park Reading Series, or watch Emma Straub host her fake talk show with fabulous guests.  Celebrate some debut novelists, or hear about new books from Kate Atkinson and Jami Attenberg. Make sure to tweet at us to let us know where you went!