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{Tinkered Treasures} Book Review & Giveaway!

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If you’re dreaming of a magical wedding day filled with vintage charm and sweet surprises, be sure to grab a copy of Tinkered Treasures by Elyse Major! This lovely book is brimming over with ideas including more than 35 handmade projects that will add a touch of whimsy to your wedding celebrations and beyond. I’ve long been a fan of Elyse’s charming blog, also called Tinkered Treasures, and was thrilled when I received a copy from Cico Books to review. The official release date for the book is February 14th, but if you can’t wait till then don’t fret, I’m giving away a copy of the book here on the DIY Weddings blog! Simply leave a comment in this post by midnight CST on Monday, February 11th, 2013 for your chance to win!

In the meantime, here are some snippets from the book to inspire and delight you!

Tinkered Treasures Clothespins

I can think of so many uses for these pretty little paper-covered wooden clothespins found in Chapter 1: Tinkering Sundries! Attach magnets to the back for favors, use them to string photos, bunting, or even escort cards at showers and receptions. Or clip them to the top of trinket or candy-filled bags to secure them.

Tinkered Treasures Cupcake Flags & Bunting

Chapter 2: Tinkering Supplies, offers wonderful ways to elevate practical objects like ceramic tiles, magnets, shipping tags, or even the humble toothpick, as in the cupcake flags and bunting shown above. You’ll never look at the office supply store, home improvement center, or even the baking aisle the same way again!

Tinkered Treasures Hanging Spice Jars

Go eco-chic with the fun ideas in Chapter 3: Tinkering Recyclables. Discarded glass spice jars become objects of beauty with a bit of pretty paper, some wire, and a few posies. Tin cans are transformed into pretty containers, and paper lunch bags become stylish favors for your guests.

Tinkered Treasures Journal Cover

Chapter 4: Tinkering Bits & Bobs, shares how to turn all those lovely little scraps we stash away into fanciful journals, fabric garlands, bunting, bookmarks, and loads of other embellished accessories.

Tinkered Treasures Book Cover

 

As a little girl, I loved pretty little bits and pieces, and I still remember the small boxes I used to gather my treasures, and the many happy hours I spent sifting through them and arranging them. Reading Tinkered Treasures is like opening up those boxes all over again and rediscovering the magic and delight that everyday objects can hold. I’m so happy to share this wonderful book with all the readers here at DIY Weddings, and I know you’ll love it as much as I do! Be sure to leave your comment on this post for your chance to win a copy of Tinkered Treasures. Best wishes to all the entrants, and many thanks to Elyse Major and Cico Books for this lovely read!

 

 

 

 

 

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Democratic Republic of the Congo for Kids

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is not the same as the Republic of the Congo. These are both nations in central Africa (and we’ll cover Republic of the Congo next time) and DRC is the second-largest country in Africa. Let’s learn about it!

Democratic Republic of the Congo Facts

  • The first thing to know is that this country goes by a lot of different names. Like DRC, as I just mentioned, but also DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa (Kinshasa is also the capital), Big Congo and confusingly also Congo. Its border by Republic of the Congo (which is also sometimes just called Congo) as well as Angola (which it looks like I skipped when I was in the As, so we’ll have to get that one, too!), South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia. 
  • Most of the country is rainforest, and there are also mountains. 
  • The country is the 11th largest in the world by area, at 905,567 square miles, or 2,345,409 square kilometers.
  • The country is named for the Congo River, which was named after the Kingdom of Kongo and is thought to mean something like a public gathering of people.
  • At the time of its independence from Belgium in 1960, it was named  the Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville to distinguish it from neighboring Congo. In 1964, the president renamed it Zaire (which the river was called in the 16th and 17th centuries). The name changed to Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997. 
  • Nearly 113 million people live in DRC, and Kinshasa is both the capital and largest city. 
  • It has a president and a prime minister and a parliament with two houses. 
  • The official language is French, though other national languages are recognized. 

Democratic Republic of the Congo National Symbols

The flag of Big Congo has a bright blue background, with a red stripe on the diagonal through the center, and smaller gold stripes on either side of the red stripe. There’s a large, gold, five-point star in the upper left hand corner. The flag was adopted in 2006.

The national anthem on DRC is “Debout Congolais” or “Arise, Congolese,” which was originally adopted in 1960 but replaced when the country was called Zaire. It became the anthem again in 1997.

The leopard is the national animal, and is shown on its national emblem, which also has an elephant tusk and a spear along with the national motto in French (justice, peace, work). 

DRC Activities for Kids

Learn more about leopards from National Geographic Kids, and make a fun leopard craft from Learn Create Love. If you want a more involved craft, try painting leopard spots like in this craft from No Time for Flash Cards.

There’s a nice selection of country study information, clip art, fact sheets and more at Teachers Pay Teachers. Peanut Butter Fish Lessons also has a free DR Congo unit study with printables. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, with about 70 percent of the world’s supply. Learn more about what cobalt is and how it’s used (and maybe make some art with the bright blue color that gets its name from this metal). 

Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest and second deepest freshwater lake, is shared with Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia, and Zambia Tourism has a good page about it. DRC also has the world’s second largest rainforest in the Congo Basin, which you can read more about at the World Wildlife Fund website. 

The volcano Nyiragongo last erupted in  2002 and experiences ongoing volcanic activity. It’s a thread to Goma, a city of half a million people. The country is also home to Nyamuragira, considered Africa’s most active volcano, which last erupted in 2010. You can learn more in this video from Naked Science.

Moambe chicken is considered the national dish of DRC. It’s a chicken stew often made with peanut butter and palm oil, which give it its red color. Grab the recipe from Low Carb Africa and try it for yourself.