You've got something someone could use. Likewise, they may have something that would help you out. To help get over this economic hump, let's share. This month's exchange items are book bags, backpacks, lunch boxes and all things needed for school. You may drop your items off beginning one week prior to the exchange day and receive a certificate to use on September 8th between 10:00AM and Noon. Save a couple of bucks and still make the students happy with items new to them. Only items in excellent condition will be accepted.

If you enjoy Halloween, are very theatrical, or just interested in the way people dressed way back when, check out Costume History at the Costume Discounters website. Each link takes you to different sites that highlight period dress from Ancient Egyptians up to the 1950s and some even include links for patterns for recreating the specific type of dress highlighted. Happy dressing!

Here's a chance to play with the art! Artist Andy Malone returns to the DIA this Sunday, August 22 to demonstrate games he has designed as well as allow visitors to play with some of the games. Andy's interactive creations have been previously exhibited at the DIA and galleries around Metro Detroit. Sunday's exhibit runs from 12:00-4:00PM

Books, bands and big smiles will all be a part of this silly program at the library. Kids will make a craft, and their own edible silly-band, and enjoy some stories and jokes together. Come enjoy this fun program before the school year starts. Kids can come wearing their silly bands and leave with a new silly band for their collection.
Where: Purple room
When: Wednesday, September 1st
1st and 2nd Graders from 10:00 - 10:45   Register Now!
3rd and 4th Graders from 11:30 - 12:15    Register Now!

Selecting the perfect destination for a quick getaway or even a long weekend has never been easier. Find a unique blend of hotels, restaurants, attractions and events all concentrated within one area of many flavors — the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Experience the allure and inspiration of a town that will remind you of life’s potential. Relax, re-energize and unwind. Indulge your palette with world cuisines, and engage your senses with a broad array of arts, culture and world-class entertainment.

One-yard wonders : look how much you can make with just one yard of fabric! by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins ; photography by John Gruen ; photo styling by Raina Kattelson

Ever find yourself with just a yard of a truly excellent fabric but no idea how to use such a small amount of material? Wonder no more - this book is filled with over one hundred projects that use no more than a yard of fabric. There are things to wear and use around the house, and lots of clothing and items for children. Don't miss the very first project in the book, written by metro Detroit local Bethany Nixon of Reware Vintage and Handmade Detroit.

No boys will be allowed at this campout held at Preservation Park on Friday, August 13 at 5:30PM. Ladies can start tent setup at 3:00PM and activities including a scavenger hunt, games, stories, campfire meals, and a gourmet S’mores station start at 5:30PM. All activities are weather permitting.

Visit the Rubber Stamp Show this weekend — Saturday, August 7^th and Sunday, August 7^th at the Rock Financial Center in Novi. Exhibitors will be displaying and selling supplies for art rubber stamping, scrap/memory books, card-making, paper crafting, book arts and calligraphy.

University of Michigan Museum of Art has some beautiful Kimonos on display as part of their special exhibits. The exhibition runs through July 25th, 2010. Head out and enjoy the display.

Teens in grades 7-12 and Tweens in grades 5-6 can create awesome creations out of duct tape July 15th from 2:00-2:45PM. All materials will be supplied.

Hey friends! If you are in Kindergarten to 2nd grade, register on or after Thursday, July 8th for our Birdfeeder program being held on Thursday, July 22nd from 11:00 to 11:45AM. We will have a great time learning about birds and you'll get the chance to make a birdfeeder to take home and enjoy. See you there!

June 30th from 2:00-3:00PM Teens in grades 7-12 and Tweens in grades 5-6 can get your hands and feet ready for your summer sandals with manis and pedis. For more information, or to register, click here.

Built by Wendy dresses : the Sew U guide to making a girl's best frock by Wendy Mullin, with Eviana Hartman

Like Wendy Mullin's previous books, this one offers easy-to-follow instructions and patterns for a few basic designs which can be played with and expanded on in a myriad of ways. She includes three essential dress styles here, the sheath dress, the shift dress, and the Dirndl dress. From these, you can make as many unique dresses as you can imagine. The instructions are simple to understand and clearly illustrated, making this a great book for a beginning sewer, and a delight for those more experienced.

Confessions of a compact camera shooter : get professional quality photos with your compact camera by Rick Sammon

Looking to improve your snapshots? This book has a wealth of tips and tricks for the amateur digital photographer using a compact digital camera. Wondering if you need to use flash outside on a sunny day? The answer is probably yes, depending on where the sun is in relation to your subject. Ever wonder if all those modes your camera provides are actually useful? They can be very handy if you know how to make the most of them. These tips and many more are included in this easy to use guide.

A rainbow of stitches : embroidery and cross-stitch basics plus more than 1,000 motifs and 80 project ideas by Agnès Delage-Calvet ... [et al.] ; photography by Frédéric Lucano

Organized by color, this book offers a tremendous number of ideas for embroidery and cross-stitch projects and motifs. The designs range from cute to elegant, craftsy to modern, satisfying a wide range of tastes. I have been wanting to learn more about embroidery for awhile and I think this book will be a great place to start.

Appliqué your way: 35 pretty sewing projects and patterns by Kayte Terry; photographs by Jennifer Causey

This book is chock full of stylish projects you can make yourself from easy to find materials. There are items you can wear, to decorate your home, and to give as gifts. There are also easy-to-interpret instructions and some patterns and templates are included. My favorite project is the Woodland Felt Ornaments which remind me of some handmade tree ornaments we had when I was a kid.

Need a gift for mom but don't have any cash? Teens in grades 7 through 12 can come decorate a vase and fill it with a bouquet for Mother’s Day on Saturday May 8th at 1:00PM. Registration is required!

We're celebrating Earth Day all week (April 18 - 23) and want you to join us! There will be events for adults, teens, tweens and children, including:

• Earth Week Mural Art Creation — Sunday, April 18, 1:00-3:00PM
• Recycled Crafts — Tuesday, April 20, 5:00-5:45PM
• How to Become a Master Gardener — Tuesday, April 20, 7:00-8:30PM
• A Michivore Life — Wednesday, April 21, 7:00-8:30PM
• Energy Alternatives — Thursday, April 22, 7:00-8:30PM
• Scrapbox Fun! — Friday, April 23, 10:00-11:00AM

Also, be sure to share your green tips and tricks with the community by posting on the Electronic Green Board.

Swedish knits : classic and modern designs in the Scandinavian tradition by Paula Hammerskog and Eva Wincent; photos by Rikard Westman
This book has the usual introduction to the basics of knitting, but also includes more detailed information on garment construction and a number of advanced techniques. It also has a great section on what to do when something goes wrong - your cable twists the wrong way, something turns out too large or too small, and other common problems. There is also quite a bit of info on interpreting patterns and on making your own. Finally, the sweater patterns are beautiful. This book is a treasure trove of information for knitters.

With a little ingenuity, some quality tools, and the right raw materials, you can create a noteworthy living/work space from scratch. Yes, you!

It seems like every blog out there has featured posts lately about making and/or hacking furniture and decorations. Here are some of the best:

• Dollar Store Crafts highlighted a wonderful $15 makeover of a renter's kitchen
• Unplggd has 5 Ways To Make Your Office Chair Suck A Little Less
• They also have a guide for How To Choose the Right TV Wall Mount
• ikea hacker has great new ideas all the time
• Lifehacker readers have been posting their workspaces to this Flickr pool
• wikiHow has an interesting page about