Lisa Mantchev's Blog, page 25

Costuming Suggestions (with no ulterior motive whatsoever, really!)

Halloween approacheth, and you might need some ideas for a costume, yes?

I am contemplating prizes for people who send in pics of themselves dressed as characters from Eyes Like Stars, because prizes are Always Good. In any case, a few suggestions and links:


Blue hair extensions:



Pinstriped Corset:



Nate:

Pirate shirt: (scruffy chin and chest hair not included, but HIGHLY APPROPRIATE)

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plus dark pants, boots, and a cutlass.

Ariel:

Couture. Lots of ironing, probably.




(No, this is not an excuse to ...

October traditions

I love this time of year. LOVE it, with the mad passion of a thousand pieces of Halloween candy.

Dangit! That's what I forgot in the poll. Fun-size candy bars. Oh, and caramel apples. *gives up trying to cram all the October goodness into one poll*

Last year, we actually created the new tradition of "feed the starving trick-or-treater pizza delivered to us in the street between houses." It was remarkably less messy than you might think. *NOM*

The child decided, after an epic struggle, on a Ha...

Cybil Nominations Open!

via devarae

Nominations for the Cybils (aka the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards) are now open here. Kid's books published between Oct. 16, 2008 and October 15th 2009 are eligible.

You have until October 15th to nominate! :)

Everyone's A Critic

Because the child refused to clean up her Legos, she forfeited the right to pick the next lazy day movie... so I popped Phantom of the Opera into the DVD player.

She was initially riveted. I think it reached out and grabbed her when the chandelier lit up, and the organ music about made her jump out of her skin. She thought the ballet dancers in chains belonged "in the dungeon." Then she pronounced Erik "creepy" with a "terrible voice." I'm not sure if she's being all judgy about Gerard Butler'...

Oh, my twitchy witchy girl

I am jabbing at the internet, trying to figure out how a tired hermit should put together the SugarBean's first birthday party for 12 little monkeys under the age of 5.

My baby is going to be five. O_o

 

The light at the end of the tunnel? I mentioned to her that we could make it a Coraline party. That's the movie that dethroned all others in the DVD player lately (which thrills me.)

So, if you're a fan, or have seen the movie, lemme know what you think about this:

The kids are going to be...

You be the judge!

The lovely webninja hath coded the entries end we've decided to let YOU come pick the winner of the Fairies Vs. Demons Contest.

STEP THIS WAY, PLACE YOUR VOTE, MESS WITH FATE!

Well, look at you with your cute little highway robbery

On a whim (and by that I mean "procrastinating because I'm stuck in a scene and I've got sort of a headache and it's better for my waistline than mainlining Nutella straight from the jar") I typed my name into eBay's search function and pulled up the various auctions for copies of Eyes Like Stars. Some of them are for signed first editions--and while I'm not thrilled that my sig is on the internet, I guess that's proof the book is signed and to be expected.

The part I frown upon is that one se...

Places that Echo

Via melissa_mifeng, a slideshow of abandoned theaters. My very favorite is the first in the set, titled "Stages of Decay" by Julie Solis. Very beginning of Phantom of the Opera-esque...

And SPEAKING of Phantom of the Opera... Check THIS out!



I want to see THIS version of PotO.  Now now now. Mine mine mine. Go go go.

Bookplates!

Handmade by my fabulous friend Heather of
And what do you need to do to get one, you ask? You just need to send me a self-addressed stamped photo mailer... the one that will hold a 4x6 picture. Drop me a line for my mailing address:  lisa...

A Nook of One's Own

In a fit of housekeepery, we moved an extra tall table downstairs and I've set up a dedicated workspace in our front living room.



Farewell, sweet dining room table. And welcome back 78 rpm record player... moved out of the corner, we plugged you in and now the melodic strains of "The Very Thought Of You" fill the house.