Leaf pillow

 I had this idea to make a cushion shaped like a life, either for this hard wooden chair at home or for my stool at work. I wanted to use materials I already had on hand so I fashioned my cushion from a shirt, some egg crate mattress pad, and scraps of quilt batting.

First I designed my leaf shape and traced it onto the shirt. Cut out the leaf leaving a good half inch to an inch seam allowance.

Cut the same shape from the foam and quilt batting. I cut two of each to get a nice thick cushion.

 

Sew most of the way around the outline and then turn it right side out and jam the padding inside. My shirt was knit fabric so it stretched to cover the cushion without needing any trimming. Sew the opening shut.

 

At this point my leaf was pretty bulgy so I stitched in the vein lines to hold it a little flatter.

Book review - Strictly No Heroics

 

Title: Strictly No Heroics

Author: B.L. Radley

Genre: sci-fi/dystopia

Similar books: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

                     The Extraordinaries by T. J. Klune

Rating:

 

a bit of a mixed bag

Summary (provided by publisher): A Normie’s guide to staying alive in Sunnylake City:
1. Keep your head down.
2. Don’t make enemies.
3. Strictly no heroics.
The world is run by those with the Super gene, and Riley Jones doesn’t have it. She’s just a Normie, ducking her way around the hero vs. villain battles that constantly demolish Sunnylake City, working at a crappy diner to save up money for therapy, and trying to figure out how to tell her family that she’s queer. But when Riley retaliates against a handsy superhero at work, she finds herself in desperate need of employment, and the only place that will hire her is HENCH.
Yes, HENCH, as in henchmen: masked cronies who take villains' coffee orders, vacuum their secret lairs, and posture in the background while they fight. Riley's plan is to mind her own business and get paid...but that quickly devolves when she witnesses a horrible murder on the job. Caught in the thick of a gentrification plot, a unionization effort, and a developing crush on her prickly fellow henchwoman, Riley must face the possibility that even a powerless Normie can take a stand against injustice.

My opinion: I wished I liked this book more than I do. It starts out in what has become familiar territory - the realization that a world with superheroes probably wouldn't be very friendly to non-powered people. In this case, all of the best jobs, the roles with power and influence, go to people with powers. The "normies" are scrambling to feed their families and have few opportunities for anything better. And the "good guys" take whatever they want, no matter who it hurts. This exploration of what it means to be a hero and who declares someone a villain is fairly commonplace. This book stand out from the crowd in that it doesn't stop there. Sure, the heroes are kind of jerks. But the villains are undeniably evil if fairly ridiculous. As the plot progresses we realize that there are other power structures at play, that the dramas that play out on the news and in the streets aren't exactly what they appear. Those additional elements make this a unique read. I did struggle with it, though, largely due to pacing. There are so many elements, so many pieces at play between family drama, relationships, the details of the job, the efforts to unionize, and the larger plot of the heroes and the town, that the book seems to plod along. This is one that requires some patience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by Net

Pick 6 - Magic

Many readers love a good magical element. Sometimes that's a whole fantasy world populated by faeries and witches. Sometimes it's a small element of magic existing in an otherwise familiar world. No matter how it is represented, magic sparks our imagination and suggests that anything is possible. Here are six books published in the past six months that feature some form of magic.

Six new magical novels

1. Suitehearts by Claire Kann
2. Unfamiliar by Haley Newsom
3. The Carrefour Curse by Dianne K Silerinis
4. Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
5. The Snowcat Prince by Dana Norlund
6. Midnight Strikes by Zeba Shahraz

Book review - Bea and the New Deal Horse

 

Title: Bea and the New Deal Horse

Author: L.M. Elliot

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: Lucky Strikes by Louis Bayard

                      Saving Grace by Priscilla Cummings

Rating:

 

solid and engaging

Summary (provided by publisher): Bea wakes to Daddy’s note in a hayloft, where he abandoned her with her little sister after the stock market crash took everything: Daddy’s job at the bank, their home, Mama’s health and life.
How is Bea supposed to convince the imposing Mrs. Scott to take in two stray children? Mrs. Scott’s money and Virginia farm are drying up in a drought and the Great Depression, too. She might have to sell her beautiful horses, starting with a dangerous chestnut that has caused tragedy in the past and injures her stableman shortly after Bea arrives.
But wrestling with her own hurts and fears, Bea understands the chestnut’s skittish distrust. She sees hope in the powerful jumper—if he can compete at horse shows, they might save the farm, and maybe Bea can even win a place in Mrs. Scott’s heart.

My opinion: The first noteworthy thing about this book is the perspective. Typically books about the Depression focus on the Dust Bowl, on farmers. This book instead shows us people used to privilege. Bea goes from a comfortable home and her own pony to life on the road, hiding nights in barns, as her father fails to cope with his extreme change in circumstances. We see the same stress and loss in the Scott home as the lady of the house and just a few beloved employees try to keep the the taxes paid and the lights on. We see people helping each other and trying to maintain a little dignity even in the worst circumstances. Importantly, we also see racial injustice, failings of government, and the wasteful displays of wealth by the hyper rich. We see cruelty and it's echoing effect on those at the receiving end and on bystanders. While the ending is a bit idealized the parallels between an abused horse and people damaged by circumstance are a solid metaphor for this age group.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Tic-tac-toast

 While scrolling through Pinterest the other day (a really bad time-wasting habit, I must admit) I spotted this pin.

I loved the idea, though the avocado part didn't really resonate with me. So I set out to make my own version. Instead of toast shapes and topping shapes, I opted to make my board toast shaped with jam and butter pieces. I made my set out of scrap t-shirt, a zipper scavenged from an old pair of pants, felt, and velcro.

Book review - Please Return to the Lands of Luxury

 

Title: Please Return to the Lands of Luxury

Author: Jon Tilton

Genre: sci-fi/dystopian fiction

Similar books: The Last Beekeeper by Pablo Cartaya

                      D-39 by Irene Latham

Rating:

 

gives the reader plenty to consider

Summary (provided by publisher): An unexpected treasure. A treacherous journey. A thrilling adventure that will shape her future.
Jane lives on an island of trash. And even though she has to scavenge garbage and deal with sinister robots, she still loves her home. It’s all she’s ever experienced, from her most cherished memories to her foggy past that she can’t quite remember.
But when a doll shows up in the latest batch of garbage, everything changes. Unlike the rest of the junk, the doll is in excellent condition, including its tag which reads, “Please return to Gloria Thatcher.”
Convinced it arrived by accident, Jane vows to return the doll to its rightful owner. There’s just one problem—nobody has left the island before, thanks to the tyrannical robots guarding the Docks, a dangerous place with a mysterious history.
Will Jane find safe passage to the Lands of Luxury? Will she uncover the secrets of her past?
Embark on this thrilling adventure where Jane and her friends discover the importance of hardship and the beauty in sharing stories with life’s greatest treasure—our friends and family.

My opinion: There aren't many authors who address dystopia for such a young audience. When they do, the tend to focus on a single failing, on bad government or cruelty. Simple issues of control are easier for a child to digest and mentally resolve. Tilton does not fall into that trap. This book takes on class disparity, willful ignorance, grief and memory, and the way that bureaucracy discourages individuals from thinking. The book is not without it's faults but is admirable for addressing such big topics in simple, accessible language.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu

Here is a book that promises to blend the glamour of the rising fame of a pop star with the thrills of espionage. There will be the expected elements of mismatched partners learning to respect each other but it could be a pretty exciting listen. Let's find out together.