Crafts

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in December

/ cheshirelib / Leave a comment

It may be cold outside, but we’ve got some hot programming  at Cheshire Library this December. Mark your calendars for:

Personal Preparedness

Tuesday Dec 2, 2014, 7:00  –  8:00 PM

Alicia Hanke of the Chesprocott Health District will provide residents with information and tips on how to prepare for potential emergencies. Hanke will focus on 3 components to living prepared: building a kit, making a plan, and staying informed. Register on our website.

 

The Ancient Art of Paper Cutting

Thursday Dec 4, 2014, 7:00  –  8:00 PM

Martha Link Walsh, who has practiced the ancient art of paper cutting for over 40 years, will give a brief overview of its history, present a demonstration, share her “secrets” of the craft, and discuss her book, A Paper-cut Christmas – Legends of the Gift Giver. Register on our website.

 

A Seussified Christmas Carol, with Cheshire Community Theatre

Saturday Dec 6, 2014, 2:00  –  4:00 PM

A whimsical reinvention of Dickens’ most beloved Christmas story in wacky rhymed couplets. With zoot fruited juices and binka bird geese, from Bed-Headed Fred to Timmy Loo Hoo, this is a tale of glorious holiday cheer! Register on our website.

 

Jewelry Jam

Monday Dec 8, 2014, 6:30  –  8:30 PM

The holidays are right around the corner. Come in for a free, fun evening of jewelry making. Kim Larkin, a Cheshire resident and jewelry maven, will teach attendees how to create wonderful, unique necklaces. Attendance is limited, please register on our website.

 

Cheshire Cats Classics Club – The War of the Worlds

Monday Dec 8, 2014,  7:00  –  8:00 PM

The Cheshire Cats Classics Club meets once per month on a Monday evening.  The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells will be discussed at the December meeting.

There is limited seating for this event.  For more information regarding this program, contact Jenn Bartlett at jbartlett@cheshirelibrary.org

 

Music Together Workshop

Wednesday Dec 10, 2014
2 sessions: 10:00 –  10:45 AM, and 11:00  –  11:45 AM

Music Together® s an internationally recognized early childhood music program for infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, kindergartners, and the adults who love them. This research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum strongly encourages adult involvement and emphacizes actual music experiences rather than concepts about music. Register on our website beginning December 1.

 

Holiday Read-Aloud with FEA

Wednesday Dec 10, 2014, 3:30  –  4:15 PM

Come and read with the Future Educators of America (FEA) from Dodd Middle School. Dress in red or green to get in the holiday spirit! There will be stories, crafts, and a snack. For ages 3-6. Register on our website beginning December 1.

 

Holiday Silly Song Sing-a-long

Friday Dec 12, 2014, 10:30  –  11:30 AM

Silly Song Sing-a-long is a mix of popular children’s songs, musical games, dance movements, and rhythms. Children and adults will be encouraged to participate and act silly along with Edward Leonard and his guitars, drums, and maracas. This program is designed for children ages 5 and under, but all ages are welcome. Register on our website beginning December 1.

 

Fab Film Saturdays: Muppets Most Wanted

Saturday Dec 13, 2014, 2:00  –  4:00 PM

There’s plenty of fun for the whole family as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal and the entire Muppets gang head out on a world tour. But mayhem follows the Muppets, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper. Running Time 1 hour, 47 minutes.  Rated PG. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.  Feel free to bring your own snacks!

 

Maker Fun

Thursday Dec 18, 2014,  4:00  –  6:00 PM

We’ll have several seasonal crafting stations around the room and children will be able to make several art projects to take home with them at the end of the two hours. The framework of the program will be very loose, so children will be free to work at their own speeds and do only the crafting that interests them. For children ages 4 and up,  [children must be accompanied by an adult]. Register on our website beginning December 1.

 

Joy to the World: Holiday Music for Classical Guitar & Mandolin

Saturday Dec 20, 2014, 2:00  –  3:00 PM

Local audience favorites Judy Handler and Mark Levesque return to the Cheshire Library with a new concert for the holidays featuring traditional and contemporary holiday music with an international flavor. The audience will have a chance to join in at the end of the program on some rhythm instruments! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

 

 

 

 HOLIDAY HOURS:

The library will be CLOSED Wednesday, December 24th and Thursday, December 25th.

We will be OPEN Friday, December 26th and Saturday, December 27th.

We will CLOSE AT 4PM on Wednesday, December 31st.

We will be CLOSED on Thursday, January 1st.

 

Crafting and Costume Guides for Halloween

/ Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

halloween kitty 1Are you one of the people that just loves Halloween? The decorations, movies, and dressing up can be great fun for adults and children of all ages. There are just so many activities and crafts that are great fun this time of year. If you are planning a Halloween party, looking for some good costume ideas, or just want to go crazy with the seasonal crafting, then here are a selection for books to get you started. I have broken the list down into two sections, one for the adults and one to give ideas for using with children.

Books for Adults:

1. Halloween: a Grown-up’s Guide to Creative Costumes, Devilish Decor & Fabulous Festivities by Joanne O’Sullivan. Finally, here’s a Halloween book that’s definitely for adults. It’s brimming with practical and inventive ideas for parties, decorations, and costumes, and with an amazingly atmospheric design that’s a luscious treat for grown-up eyes.

2. Halloween by Matthew Mead. A stylish celebration of Halloween for the entire family presents an array of holiday foods, spooky decorations, and entertaining suggestions that includes easy-to-follow instructions for pumpkin treat holders, personalized candy boxes, black cat cupcakes, black duct tape stencils, and other creative projects.

3. Better Homes and Gardens Halloween Pumpkins & Parties: 101 Spooktacular Ideas edited by Carol Field Dahlstrom. Half of this book features Halloween celebrations and entertaining, while the rest highlights creativity with pumpkins.All-new ideas for both crafters and noncrafters.One-of-a-kind Halloween how-to with detailed instructions, patterns, and recipes.Third in a series of highly successful Halloween books from Better Homes and Gardens.

4. Glitterville’s Handmade Halloween: a Glittered Guide for Whimsical Crafting! by Stephen Brown. A great book for intermediate to experienced crafters, Glitterville’s Handmade Halloween will delight readers as they make their way through the playfully photographed pages of the book, which include full, never-before-published instructions for making some of Glitterville’s most sought-after items, including Halloween candy garland and the studio collection of folk figures.

5. The Big Book of Halloween: Creative & Creepy Projects for Revellers of all Ages by Laura Dover Doran. This complete source book is the perfect treat—with lots of tricks, too! Adults and kids will enjoy the mixture of fun, food, and fright. There are 50 great projects and loads of imaginative ideas—everything from decorations to costumes, party ideas to pumpkin-carving patterns. A wealth of Halloween legend and lore help illuminate the holiday’s rich history.

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Book with Ideas to Share with Children:

1. 175 Easy-to-do Halloween Crafts: Creative Uses for Recyclables  edited by Sharon Dunn. Easy-to-follow directions and full-color photographs show young craft makers how to create frightfully funny decorations, pumpkins, gifts, masks, costumes, and so much more. All of the crafts are made of recyclable materials and everyday items found around the house.

2. Halloween Crafts by Fay Robinson. Provides information about the origins and customs of Halloween, ideas for celebrationg this holiday, and instructions for making a bat sock puppet, a construction paper haunted house, and a treat bag that looks like a coffin.

3. Celebrate Halloween by Deborah Heiligman. Trick or treat? Celebrate Halloween is a real treat. Vivid images and Deborah Heiligman’s lively, inviting text illuminate the spookiest night of the year.

4. Paper Crafts for Halloween by Randel McGee. Provides instructions for making paper craft items for Halloween along with a brief introduction to the holiday and its history.

5. Fun-to-Make Crafts for Halloween edited by Tom Daning. Each of these 150 craft projects for Halloween can be made from easy-to-find materials and the easy-to-follow directions include full-color photographs to help make the assembly simple.

6. Halloween Fun: 101 Ideas to Get in the Spirit! edited by Carol Field Dahlstrom. A spooky guide to Halloween fun contains an abundance of ideas, recipes, projects, and halloween cpl pumpkin 2instructions for creating frightening foods, devilish decorations, scary costumes, and much more.

As always, there are plenty more books about Halloween crafts, costumes, and fun here at the library. This includes scary stories, history, and books for all interests and age groups. Come check out the selection, unless you are scared? Oh, and have a fun and safe Halloween!

Hand-made Gifts For the Holidays

/ Linda / 1 Comment

giftsThe holidays are just 4 short months away!  If you like to make gifts for family and friends, now is a good time to get started – or at least, get planning.  The Cheshire Library has a vast assortment of books on all types of hand-made crafts located downstairs in the Reference Department.

Most popular are books on knitting (located in 746.432) and crocheting (located in 746.434).  Quilting (located in 746.46) is also very popular.

Jewelry is another popular item for gift-giving.  You can choose from books on beading, or soutache, or just general jewelry making.  All are located in the 745 area of Reference.

 

Books on beaded jewelry:

Take a look at all the library has to offer on crafting and have fun with whatever you choose!