Are you better than a book character?

It's amazing to me how we simply fall in love with people in books, but we (me at least) aren't nearly as quick to find good in the real people around us. One Year Novel  producer Daniel Schwabauer says that we like book people because we see how they react to stress. Through the course of a book, they are put in uncomfortable situations, and their virtues are shown in how they act in those situations.
Do we act as nicely as our protagonists when we go through troubled times? I believe that most of the time we do not. Occasionally we may meet someone who really can handle hard times, but I, for one, don't do very well with day-to-day life, much less real difficulties.
:) Just a thought that I had.

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12

~The Dryad

DIY Postcards

I made some postcards the other day with some friends.
You can find the tutorial here.

~The Dryad

Book Spine Cuff Bracelets

I saw a picture on Pinterest of these bracelets made from the spine of a book, but the link didn't work. I was really bummed.
Some of you may hate me for doing this to a book. I'm sorry. I do love books, but I think the purpose of books is to bring joy to people, and to teach them things, so these bracelets are like I'm advertising a book and saying how good it is. The beauty of a book is not in the bright new cover, but in the wisdom it conveys.

Let us begin. All you need is a hardback book, and a knife, and a bowl...and water...but hopefully you all have water at your houses.

First cut the book back off of the book. Before doing this, make sure that your book is really hardback and has cardboard on the spine. The Reader's Digest books do not. Their spines are just fabric and glue, so you can't use them for this craft.
To cut the back off, you need to take a knife and slice between the first page and the paper glued to the front cover of the book. Do the same on the back, and then cut the spine from between the front and back covers.

Then you trim any little bits off of the spine, and dip it in water, making sure it is fully soaked.

Now wind it into a circle, preferably smaller than your wrist. It will expand as you wear it, so you want to teach it to be small.

Blow it with a hairdryer until it dries and keeps its shape. If there is glue on it, make sure that the glue doesn't get too warm and start sticking it together. Otherwise, the glue is not a problem.

Bum ba dum! Wear that bracelet, people. Tell all the world of your beloved books.
By the way, you may want to store it curled, with a rubber band around it. That's what I do.

~The Dryad

These are a couple poems I wrote after reading a bit of a book about a schizophrenic over my mom's shoulder.

The Man and His Shadows

The man swept away silence

As he chomped his dinner

Thinking over the day's work.

He thought of the shadows

He saw hovering there

They curled around him to lurk.

Maybe he imagined it

Perhaps they were not there

He held his warm mug closer.

He didn't doubt they were real

Of course, they had to be.

Alone..he needed a hug.

Petrol

Blue petrol splashing

In waves away from my feet

It spilled

No use crying now

It will be expensive

My mind slowly reverts

Back to the real world

Away from the splashing petrol.

They aren't my normal style, especially 'Petrol.' I rarely write free verse. The influence of the book was upon me, I believe. 

~The Dryad