Written by Lola Opatayo; copy edited by Meagan Kus
Did you finish everything on your reading list this summer? Maybe you did, or maybe you didn’t really have one to begin with. Whatever the case, I’ve compiled a list of 10 books you can plan to read before 2021 ends.
Masks are quickly becoming a necessity during these COVID-19 times. Why not protect yourself, look stylish, and support Editors BC all at once?
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Compiled by Amy Haagsma; proofread by Maggie Clark
It’s that time of year again, so with the help of the Editors BC executive, West Coast Editor presents our 2016 gift guide! Here you’ll find a few things that the editors in your life might enjoy. (Psst…it’s okay if that’s you.)
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Written by Jennifer S. Getsinger, Ph.D., P.Geo.; copy edited by Joanne King
Are you wondering what to give all the wordsmiths on your shopping list this holiday season? How about decent pay, a steady flow of work (without having to do too much promotion), and a good computer that doesn’t keep crashing in Microsoft Word? All joking aside, it’s easy to find many more-or-less affordable gifts for editors and writers. Here are some gift suggestions that will delight even the most difficult to please.
Box-standard biscotti. Recipe: Flat Belly Diet Cookbook, page 296.
Exciting poodle biscotti! The smaller, thinner shape requires less baking time than the traditional oblong. Recipe: Flat Belly Diet Cookbook, page 296.
This Christmas, Urban Girl is baking her way through her hostess-gift list. A recent trip to a local flea market turned into a cookie-cutter shopping spree when she happened upon a stash of retro kitchenalia. She’s decided to make low-fat gingerbread wiener-dogs (recipe: The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking) as well as poodle and Scottie dog biscotti (recipe: Flat Belly Diet Cookbook).
Cookies in wide-mouth mason jars, with a twist of eco-friendly twine. Hostess gifts done.
Top tip: hover around the oven when baking cookie-cutter biscotti—the smaller, thinner shapes burn easily.
After burning two batches of her poodle and Scottie dog biscotti, Urban Girl realized that they needed less than half the baking time called for in the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook recipe. Lesson learned.
The items photographed in this spread are the personal property of WCE staffers: WCE does not endorse these items and does not endorse these retailers. Sourcing is provided only as a courtesy.
Funky cookie cutters
While Urban Girl purchased her cookie cutters at a local flea market, she noticed equally funky-looking ones on the Etsy social–commerce site.
Lifetime measuring cups
Urban Girl loves her measuring cups. They have pouring spouts on both sides and can be placed directly on the stove top to melt butter or warm oil.
Spice Jar measuring spoons
Urban Girl swears by her slim-line Spice Jar measuring spoons: each fits into the mouth of a standard spice container, metal or glass. The day after she purchased them, she dropped off her box-standard balloon-shaped measuring spoons at her local Salvation Army Thrift Store.
“Gingerbread People (Reduced Fat)” recipe from The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker, 1997. Recipe on pages 828–829.
“Almond Biscotti” recipe from Flat Belly Diet Cookbook, Liz Vaccariello with Cynthia Sass, 2008.
This biscotti recipe has become an Urban Girl favourite: it’s low(ish) calorie and delicious. Recipe on page 296.
Urban Girl will be going to several Christmas parties this month, all featuring a Secret Santa gift exchange. So what has she decided to buy? Canadian. She’s putting together small gift baskets featuring gorgeous hand-blown Christmas-tree ornaments—made by Vancouver glass artist Malcolm Macfadyen—and tins of specialty teas from Great Wall Tea Company and DavidsTea. All affordable. All Canadian.
The items photographed in this spread are the personal property of WCE staffers: WCE does not endorse these items and does not endorse these retailers. Sourcing is provided only as a courtesy.
DavidsTea.
DavidsTea also has more than 150 types of tea to choose from, which makes Urban Girl very happy. Choice is good.
Glass Craft.
Urban Girl loves blown-glass Christmas ornaments and thinks that everyone else should too. She found hers in a local nursery.
Great Wall Tea Company.
Urban Girl loves Great Wall Tea Company. It carries more than 150 types of tea, including her favourite, the über-pungent black tea Russian Caravan.
Twine spool with scissors
This twine spool reminds Urban Girl of a gigantic spool for thread. It’s funky and functional.
Words and photographs by Jennifer Getsinger
Jennifer “Aunt Broccoli” Getsinger shows you how to knit an artistic-looking scarf with shell buttons, in a couple of hours, using a single skein of yarn.
This 3-rib Salt & Pepper Scarf was knitted on 1.5 cm needles in curlicue acrylic yarn.
It’s too close to the Christmas holidays to knit socks, and you can’t stand the thought of any more shopping. In your knitting basket are a few odd balls of yarn left over from various projects. How do you create an easy and attractive home-crafted gift in a hurry?
Herewith are Aunt Broccoli’s guidelines for making an artistic-looking (and warm) buttoned scarf, in a couple of hours, using a single skein of yarn:
Aunt Broccoli believes in keeping things simple, especially when attempting to knit her way through her gift list.
And nothing could be simpler than rib stitch: columns of knit stitches alternating with columns of purl stitches. (Okay—stockinette stitch is simpler, but you can’t use stockinette stitch on a scarf because it won’t lie flat.) All three scarves shown here can be made by knitting two stitches and then purling two stitches, repeating until the scarf measures the length of your arm.
See instructions.
See materials list.
This 3-rib Salt & Pepper Scarf was knitted on 1.5 cm needles in curlicue acrylic yarn.
This 6-rib Autumn Colours Scarf was knitted on 1 cm needles in a silk–wool blend.
This 3-rib Classic Black Scarf was knitted on massive 2.5 cm needles in an angora–wool blend.
Aunt Broccoli notes that the time required to knit a scarf is inversely proportional to the size of the needle: fat needles = less time. You may have to experiment to get the best combination of yarn, needle size, and completion time.
For her Autumn Colours Scarf in a silk–wool blend, Aunt Broccoli used 1 cm needles and 6 ribs and completed the project in approximately 3 hours.
See photograph.
For her Salt & Pepper Scarf in curlicue acrylic yarn, Aunt Broccoli used 1.5 cm needles and 3 ribs and completed the project in less than 3 hours.
See photograph.
For her Classic Black Scarf in an angora–wool blend—a spiderweb-like, narrow scarf—Aunt Broccoli used 3 ribs and massive 2.5 cm needles (rocket ships or castle turrets?) and completed the project in approximately 2.5 hours.
See photograph.
Top tip: for tighter scarf ends, start and finish with smaller needles.
See instructions.
See materials list.
The exotic-looking shell buttons shown here are invasive purple varnish clam, Nuttallia obscurata.
![Included in Aunt Broccoli's stash are these [name of shells in English; name of shells in Latin]. She has earmarked them for her next project.](http://wcebugle.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/aunt-broccoli_61.jpg)
Included in Aunt Broccoli’s stash are these whelks, Nucella sp. She has earmarked them for her next project.
For all three scarves shown here, Aunt Broccoli used the invasive purple varnish clam, Nuttallia obscurata. (Nuttallia obscurata comes in white to pink to purple, and is very common on Vancouver beaches.) The shells easily slip through the wide holes in the knitted pattern to hold the two ends of each scarf together.
Once she had cleaned and dried the shells, she selected two pairs of contrasting large shell buttons and then tied them together back-to-back with yarn (elastic will work just as well).
Voila. Three more scarves ready for under the tree.
Top tip: the trick to making your shell buttons look shiny-wet is spray acrylic, or lacking that, clear nail polish, both of which dry almost immediately.
See instructions.
See materials list.
Aunt Broccoli’s choices: Salt & Pepper Scarf: 1.5 cm needles and 3 ribs. Autumn Colours Scarf: 1 cm and 6 ribs. Classic Black Scarf: 2.5 cm and 3 ribs.
Aunt Broccoli’s choices: Salt & Pepper Scarf: a curlicue acrylic from her stash. Autumn Colours Scarf: a silk–wool blend from her stash. Classic Black Scarf: an angora–wool blend (70% angora; 30% wool) from her stash.
Aunt Broccoli used the purple varnish clam, Nuttallia obscurata, as buttons for all three scarves.
Words and photographs by Jennifer Getsinger
Jennifer “Aunt Broccoli” Getsinger shows you how to upcycle a thrift-store silk garment into a funky, hand-crafted purse. It’s easy; it’s inexpensive; it’s the perfect Christmas gift for an eco-crowd friend.
The finished product.
The expression “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” means that you can’t make something luxurious out of inferior ingredients. It was said by Mr. Neverout, a character in Jonathan Swift’s 1738 work Polite and Ingenious Conversation, in Several Dialogues. In those days, sows’ ears must have been easier to acquire and less expensive than silk. But things have changed, and, in 2012, finding an affordable piece of silk fabric is much easier than finding an equivalent piece of pigskin. (Aunt Broccoli has heard rumours of pigskin for sale for only $3/square foot at Tandy Leather Factory in Surrey, BC, and will be launching a field expedition to investigate.)
Notwithstanding the rumours of $3 pigskin and the fact that it actually is possible to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear (in 1921, chemists from management-consulting firm Arthur D. Little made two silk-like purses from 100 pounds of sows’ ears that had been reduced to 10 pounds of glue, made into gelatin, spun into strands, and then woven into fabric), Aunt Broccoli will confine herself to making a silk purse from an upcycled silk garment. Not only is it easier, it doesn’t require a degree in chemistry and is significantly more frugal.
Herewith, Aunt Broccoli’s directions.
The brown silk skirt used in this project is probably shantung.
Walk, cycle, or drive to the nearest thrift store and look for a 100% silk skirt or pair of pants with the following features:
Don’t worry about labels that declare “Size 4” or “Dry Clean Only”; these warnings are irrelevant to the project.
Recently, I purchased a brown silk skirt with 157 mother-of-pearl buttons around the hemline for only $5.99 at the Kerrisdale Salvation Army. Frugalista that I am, I used the silk for this project and set aside the buttons for future projects. (Cards of two mother-of-pearl buttons were going for $1.99 at Dressew Supply, so I “saved” $300 with my thrifty buy!)
My local favourite is Sunny Seconds, located inside Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children in East Vancouver, BC, with its $5/bag days on the first Wednesday and Saturday of every month (hours: 10h00–14h00). The lilac silk capri pants shown in the background of these photographs (but not used in the project) were among the loot in just such a bargain bag.
You must first complete a purification ritual for anything that comes home from a thrift store to rid it of unwanted guests and stains: wash garments by hand in hot, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. (Palmolive dishwashing liquid was recently ranked right up there with Woolite in a well-regarded consumer magazine in a study of handwashing, so go right at it.) Yes, some dye will go down the drain, but so what? This small amount of dye is nothing compared to the pollution caused by textile-dying factories. Saving the Earth is why you are upcycling fabric and not buying new stuff, remember?
Hang garments outside to dry and then press smooth with an iron.
Step 2. Use your sharpest fabric scissors to cut a rectangle from the garment.
Step 2. The resulting rectangle of fabric. Remember to leave room for a narrow seam allowance.
Step 3. Sew the rectangle closed “as is” with a narrow seam, wrong sides together.
Sew the rectangle closed “as is” with a narrow seam, wrong sides together. (The lining will be sewn right in with the outer fabric.) Choose either a matching thread or one with a colourful contrast; black is always appropriate.
While the construction of the purse can be done either by hand sewing or by sewing machine, Aunt Broccoli prefers hand sewing as it’s much quieter and uses no electricity at all.
See photograph.
Step 4. Sew another seam, right sides together, hiding the raw edges.
Open the zipper and turn the bag inside out. Sew another seam, right sides together, hiding the raw edges. If done correctly, this will result in a tidy effect called a French seam.
See photograph.
Step 5. Your silk purse is ready for a few finishing touches.
Turn the material right side out again. Voila! Your lined, zippered silk purse is complete and ready for a few finishing touches.
See photograph.
Finishing. These real mother-of-pearl buttons come from Aunt Broccoli’s upcycling stash.
The thrift-store skirt has yielded a unique zippered purse, embellished with real mother-of-pearl buttons and a bit of faux fox fur. (Aunt Broccoli confesses that it’s not actually faux fox or faux anything but a gift from Mr. Sciurus or Ms. Procyon. And no, she did not pull the tail off the unfortunate varmint but found the fur swatch under a tree in her local park.)
For final touches—or to hide those rogue darts or waistbands—consider embellishing your purse with buttons, embroidery, appliqué, bits of fur, feathers, rhinestones, chains or other hardware, ribbons, and shoulder straps. You or a neighbour ought to have a box of collected frills and finery on hand at all times anyway in case you require a last-minute fascinator for a royal wedding.
I recommend taking full artistic advantage of any inherent asymmetry in the finished purse by clever placement of unusual elements. For this project, I used real mother-of-pearl buttons (real gastropods made the material from which the buttons were drilled, by extracting CaCO3 from sea water), a grosgrain ribbon, and a bit of upcycled fur.
Happy crafting.
Do you have an event planned (or know of one) that you’d like to appear in these listings? Send us the details.
Do you have a completed manuscript ready to pitch to a literary agent or a partially completed manuscript ready to be put through a Blue Pencil or tested at an open mike? Then check out the Kamloops Writers Fair, which “welcomes writers of all genres, as well as published and emerging writers.”
The keynote speaker will be Anthony Dalton, author and past president of the Canadian Authors Association.
Want to get a head start on your holiday shopping? Reserve your tickets for this year’s Circle Craft Christmas Market. Browse the works of 280 Canadian artisans; create your own blown-glass tree ornament; see pottery and wood-turning demonstrations; watch performances by the Royal City Youth Ballet Company and the Anna Wyman School of Dance.
Here’s an opportunity to get a head start on your holiday shopping while experiencing the “sights and sounds of Christmas in a traditional Edwardian mansion.”
Christmas at Hycroft is organized by The University Women’s Club of Vancouver. It is the club’s biggest single-event fundraiser of the year, with funds going to promote education, “rights and opportunities for women through advocacy locally, nationally and internationally, as well as ongoing stewardship of the grounds and buildings.”
Can you explain how a transitive verb differs from an intransitive one or how a phrase differs from a clause? Can you tell a client or your colleagues what is wrong with a sentence that “doesn’t sound right”? Note: this seminar will be held in Kelowna.
In this seminar, instructor Barbara Tomlin will guide you to a better understanding of sentence structure and grammar terminology through exercises, discussions, and group activities. You will learn about common errors that can mar otherwise good writing and leave the seminar feeling better about your grasp of the language that you use by instinct every day.
Whether you feel anxious when you hear the word “grammar” or are eager to address gaps in your knowledge, you will benefit from this review of how English works—and sometimes doesn’t.
Topics will include:
About the instructor: Barbara Tomlin began working in the publishing industry more than 30 years ago, first for educational and trade book publishers, and then for magazine publishers. Since then she has edited, copy edited, and proofread a wide range of material for a variety of clients. She is certified as an editor in life sciences and is a past chair of the Editors’ Association of Canada Certification Steering Committee. She has also been an instructor for SFU’s Writing and Communications Program for more than 20 years and has developed writing and editing workshops for many organizations. She is a founding member of West Coast Editorial Associates.
What do syntax and CSI have in common?
What do syntax and CSI have in common? Find out in this fascinating glimpse into the world of forensic linguistics. Did a series of text messages sent before a fatal car crash constitute legitimate suicide notes? Can we tell if a 911-call transcript has been altered? In a series of letters, where does the author go from creep to stalker? Dr. Lorna Fadden, linguistics professor and consultant in the field of forensic linguistics, will tell us about these and other cases she has worked on. She’ll also discuss what she and her colleagues look for in their work, and how she came to be a language detective.
About the speaker: Dr. Lorna Fadden is an assistant professor of linguistics at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Over the past decade, her research has focused on discourse analysis, mostly of police interviews, and the methods and ethics of dealing with language evidence. She has consulted on numerous cases in Canada and the United States. She’s also SFU’s First Nations languages coordinator and a regular moderator for SFU’s Philosophers’ Café.
In this workshop, instructors Robert Mackay and Margo Bates will teach you how to develop your ideas, characters, storyline, and story outcome based on research.
This workshop is hosted by the Canadian Authors Association (CAA).
Each year, the Jewish Book Festival attracts a large and varied audience to the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver for lectures, workshops, film screenings, book launches, and more. This year, more than 20 established and emerging Jewish and non-Jewish writers will be speaking at the event about subject matter ranging from literature and philosophy to history and current events.
Looking to experience an authentic German Christmas market while you shop for traditional German Christmas decorations, toys, pottery, food and drink, jewellery, and crafts? Fancy a stroll through “romantic rows of little wooden huts decorated in pine branches and illuminated with strings of little white lights”? This market is for you!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYPjFvJnecs?rel=0&w=640&h=360]© Vancouver Christmas Market
Want to write for West Coast Editor’s 2012 Holiday Gift Guide? We’re looking for Christmas- and holiday-themed gift featurettes and cartoons. Contact us at westcoasteditor@editors.ca to discuss your ideas.
