I'm pleased to announce that Wendy of BirchLeaf Designs is the winner of the astronomy magus doll in the Five Year Anniversary and Giveaway. Bede provided the hat, Lucia drew the name out of the hat, and I provided the little doll. Many thanks to all of you for writing in with your stories, story ideas and songs. (No one opted to explain quantum theory?!) I enjoyed reading them. If I ever locate the books for which you're searching, I'll let you know.
Many blessings,
Farida
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Your Personal Fairy
I am enjoying the comments on the Five Year Celebration and a Giveaway post. You still have time to leave a comment on that post for the giveaway, as it ends February 26, at 6 P.M. Pacific Standard Time.
I am rereading How to Ditch Your Fairy, by Justine Larbalestier. I have a signed paperback copy from when Larbalestier visited the Seattle area last winter. The main character lives in a region of the world called New Avalon (not-United States/ not-Australia) where everyone has a fairy. Some people have common loose-change finding fairies, while others are lucky enough to have never-have-bad-hair fairies or always-know-what-your-children-are-up-to fairies. Charlie is a 14 year old girl at a sports school who has a parking fairy. She hates having everyone make her ride along with them to find the best parking spots, and starts walking everywhere in the hopes of "ditching" her fairy.
Rereading the book just begs for a discussion about personal fairies. Larbalestier posted a few responses from different writer colleagues and there have been lots from readers. I've decided that if I have a personal fairy, it must be a gift-giving fairy. It's not a 100 percent reliable, but I have a high success rate for finding the right gift for a friend or family member. I cheat a little, too: I have a hidden box filled with things I've tucked away for when they're needed.
If you had a personal fairy, what would its specialty be?
I am rereading How to Ditch Your Fairy, by Justine Larbalestier. I have a signed paperback copy from when Larbalestier visited the Seattle area last winter. The main character lives in a region of the world called New Avalon (not-United States/ not-Australia) where everyone has a fairy. Some people have common loose-change finding fairies, while others are lucky enough to have never-have-bad-hair fairies or always-know-what-your-children-are-up-to fairies. Charlie is a 14 year old girl at a sports school who has a parking fairy. She hates having everyone make her ride along with them to find the best parking spots, and starts walking everywhere in the hopes of "ditching" her fairy.
Rereading the book just begs for a discussion about personal fairies. Larbalestier posted a few responses from different writer colleagues and there have been lots from readers. I've decided that if I have a personal fairy, it must be a gift-giving fairy. It's not a 100 percent reliable, but I have a high success rate for finding the right gift for a friend or family member. I cheat a little, too: I have a hidden box filled with things I've tucked away for when they're needed.
If you had a personal fairy, what would its specialty be?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Five Year Celebration and a Giveaway
[Note to those reading this in RSS readers: this is the real blog post.]
Five years ago, I started a storytelling blog. My daughter was not yet two years old and I was still working as a children's librarian on a substitute basis. I had as a goal for that year to learn guitar or sewing, and surprised everyone (most of all myself) when I started lessons for both. Throughout the years, I've learned to know new people through blogging and have even got to meet some of them. Relationships with old friends with whom I'd been out of touch as well as acquaintances who've became good friends have been possible because of blogging.
I'm thankful for all of you. Today's celebration is in thanks for your friendship. I am hosting a giveaway of a doll I made especially for this day: an Astronomy Magus to aid you in storytelling or inspire you as you work.
The doll is made with hand-dyed dark blue wool felt and embroidered with blue and white stitches. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post with a reflection on one or more of the following items:
1. A description of a beloved story from your childhood that you have not yet located. Be as specific as possible, and someone might be able to find the information to reunite you with that story.
2. A song you really enjoy that you don't think a lot of people know. Please provide a verse or two.
3. A scenario of a book you would love to read that to the best of your knowledge has not been written. Only share the story idea if you're not planning to write it yourself!
4. Explain quantum theory as if it were a story.
I will need to be able to contact the recipient of the Astronomy Magus, either through an email address found on your blog/website profile or through a private email you sent directly to me at: saintsandspinners [at] gmail [dot] com. If you send me a private email, please be assured that I will not use your address for any purpose but this giveaway.
"Why an Astronomy Magus?" you might ask. Some of you know how much I love outer space. The science-fiction I enjoy most has to do with interplanetary travel. You might not have been aware that when Carl Sagan says, "The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be," my soul leaps with joy, but you've probably suspected that I watched every episode of the new Battlestar Galactica series. It is my hope that when I bring my first book-length story to completion, it will incorporate stories, songs and textiles into a science-fiction genre. That is why the Astronomy Magus is my gift.
The drawing for the Astronomy Magus ends Friday, February 26, at 6 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. You may comment multiple times, but each name will be entered only once. Parents and siblings of the House of Glee plus Brad the Gorilla are welcome to comment but will not be eligible for the drawing.
Five years ago, I started a storytelling blog. My daughter was not yet two years old and I was still working as a children's librarian on a substitute basis. I had as a goal for that year to learn guitar or sewing, and surprised everyone (most of all myself) when I started lessons for both. Throughout the years, I've learned to know new people through blogging and have even got to meet some of them. Relationships with old friends with whom I'd been out of touch as well as acquaintances who've became good friends have been possible because of blogging.
I'm thankful for all of you. Today's celebration is in thanks for your friendship. I am hosting a giveaway of a doll I made especially for this day: an Astronomy Magus to aid you in storytelling or inspire you as you work.
The doll is made with hand-dyed dark blue wool felt and embroidered with blue and white stitches. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post with a reflection on one or more of the following items:1. A description of a beloved story from your childhood that you have not yet located. Be as specific as possible, and someone might be able to find the information to reunite you with that story.
2. A song you really enjoy that you don't think a lot of people know. Please provide a verse or two.
3. A scenario of a book you would love to read that to the best of your knowledge has not been written. Only share the story idea if you're not planning to write it yourself!
4. Explain quantum theory as if it were a story.
I will need to be able to contact the recipient of the Astronomy Magus, either through an email address found on your blog/website profile or through a private email you sent directly to me at: saintsandspinners [at] gmail [dot] com. If you send me a private email, please be assured that I will not use your address for any purpose but this giveaway.
"Why an Astronomy Magus?" you might ask. Some of you know how much I love outer space. The science-fiction I enjoy most has to do with interplanetary travel. You might not have been aware that when Carl Sagan says, "The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be," my soul leaps with joy, but you've probably suspected that I watched every episode of the new Battlestar Galactica series. It is my hope that when I bring my first book-length story to completion, it will incorporate stories, songs and textiles into a science-fiction genre. That is why the Astronomy Magus is my gift.
The drawing for the Astronomy Magus ends Friday, February 26, at 6 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. You may comment multiple times, but each name will be entered only once. Parents and siblings of the House of Glee plus Brad the Gorilla are welcome to comment but will not be eligible for the drawing.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Five Year Blogging Celebration Planned
Sunday, February 21 is my five year anniversary for blogging on Saints and Spinners. I have a little celebration planned that includes a giveaway. Please join me! My post will go live at 12:01 AM PST on February 21.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Bill Harley in Washington State
I'm so pleased that musical storyteller Bill Harley is coming to this part of the country. On Saturday, February 20, Harley will play a free concert at the Hilton Hotel in Bellevue, Washington as part of the 2010 Pacific Northwest District Assembly. I first heard Harley tell stories at King County Library System's StoryFest in August 2000. I remember thinking, "That's great that he uses the guitar with his storytelling. I wish I could do that."
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Snow Child tutorial on NaturalKids blog
I'm glad to be able to present for Crafty Thursday a tutorial on the NaturalKids blog about how to make a wood and felt snow child. The pattern and tutorial comes courtesy of Beth Curtin of Acorn Pies and the Etsy shop Primroses.Do you know how labor intensive tutorials are? I tried to do one last year when I made a felt lion for that year's class auction progress, and quickly lost steam. I realized that if I ever got a tutorial together, I would need to start with a simple project. Anyway, tutorials like the one linked give me a renewed appreciation for the process of teaching.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Briefest of Updates
The "wheels spinning in the mud" metaphor is apt for my current mode of thinking. I know that emerging from a hard place takes a certain kind of mindset that allows for gentle pressure of the gas pedal plus a goodly amount of spare cardboard to put under the wheels (wasn't it lucky that I had cardboard the last time the car got stuck in the mud?). Still, I'm a little amazed that when it comes to writing, my mind just goes blank. I can't even come up with original metaphors! I was glad when a customer gave me inspiration for a series of dolls to do for the NaturalKids "spring challenge." Here are four Blossom Princesses:
By the way, my five year blog-anniversary, sometimes called a "blogiversary," is coming up on February 21. That's a little over two weeks from now, and I'd like to do something nice for you all to celebrate.
In other news, my daughter had her first public performance last Friday. The assistant kindergarten teacher gave a concert where she sang and friends accompanied her on instruments and vocals. Lucia sang "Hey Ho, Nobody Home" with the teacher for the last song. She enjoyed herself on stage and was beaming for hours afterward.
By the way, my five year blog-anniversary, sometimes called a "blogiversary," is coming up on February 21. That's a little over two weeks from now, and I'd like to do something nice for you all to celebrate.
In other news, my daughter had her first public performance last Friday. The assistant kindergarten teacher gave a concert where she sang and friends accompanied her on instruments and vocals. Lucia sang "Hey Ho, Nobody Home" with the teacher for the last song. She enjoyed herself on stage and was beaming for hours afterward.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Math Windows
From Fish to Infinity by Steven Strogatz is a New York Times opinion piece that's the first in a planned series about math.
From the article:
I’ll be writing about the elements of mathematics, from pre-school to grad school, for anyone out there who’d like to have a second chance at the subject — but this time from an adult perspective. It’s not intended to be remedial. The goal is to give you a better feeling for what math is all about and why it’s so enthralling to those who get it.
I'm going to follow this series. My math foundation is shaky. Test scores indicated that the aptitude was there, but I could have benefited from math teachers who knew how to teach children who struggled with math. (Smaller class sizes would have helped, too.)
I would like to find a book that helps grownups review and redo their math educations properly. I've looked through some books from the library and perused reviews online, but was wondering if a reader had recommendation for books they've actually used and liked. In the meantime, I'll be hanging out with the Math Gnomes.
Thanks to Year of the Dungeon for the link.
From the article:
I’ll be writing about the elements of mathematics, from pre-school to grad school, for anyone out there who’d like to have a second chance at the subject — but this time from an adult perspective. It’s not intended to be remedial. The goal is to give you a better feeling for what math is all about and why it’s so enthralling to those who get it.
I'm going to follow this series. My math foundation is shaky. Test scores indicated that the aptitude was there, but I could have benefited from math teachers who knew how to teach children who struggled with math. (Smaller class sizes would have helped, too.)
I would like to find a book that helps grownups review and redo their math educations properly. I've looked through some books from the library and perused reviews online, but was wondering if a reader had recommendation for books they've actually used and liked. In the meantime, I'll be hanging out with the Math Gnomes.
Thanks to Year of the Dungeon for the link.
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