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Weird Books You Probably Shouldn’t Read

March 5, 2015 by Shellie Wilson

book-titles-crazy

I don’t know who these books were/are marketed at except maybe crazy Animal people or people who hate the world. I mean “Radiation Cooking” must have really been a big seller or how about the P.S Your Cat Is Dead Book?

Want to craft with all the Cat hair? Then check out this book on Amazon:

Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat

Or you can pick up the  PS Your CAT is dead book whilst your over there too. If you have been wondering why you cat is always painting then you will definetly need a copy of this book. Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics.

Are you more of a Snake person? Then you will want to know What’s Wrong With My Snake?  next time it gets a cough or a stick shoved down it’s throat whilst wear a plastic latex glove.

Down to the Pantyhose Crafts: Well there is a whole collection of these books and I won’t comment too harshly as my mother used to create Granny dolls using pantyhose (new ones) so I better not call her crazy.

Panty Hose Craft Books

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Comments

  1. Susan Ivey Williams says

    March 5, 2015 at 11:28 am

    Only familiar with one of the weird books…Why Cats Paint. It’s a hoot! Maybe I love it because it’s a send up of art criticism, in the same elitist, pompous tone. And makes about as much sense as art critics do when they ascribe all the fatuous “deeper meanings” to human-made art that they do. Fun book.

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 7:05 pm

      Love the title, my kids want to know if they can get a “painting cat” for Christmas.

  2. Christine B. says

    March 5, 2015 at 11:45 am

    Why Cats Paint is a sister book to Why Paint Cats: both are well done and are wonderfully written, seemingly serious but actually parodies. Read them and appreciate the humor with which they are written!

  3. Stephanie says

    March 5, 2015 at 7:04 pm

    I checked out the Crafting with Cat Hair from the library because it looked weird; but the crafts are actually really cute!

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 7:04 pm

      Yes, I am sure you could make the crafts with felting wool instead.

  4. Becky PS says

    March 5, 2015 at 8:44 pm

    All these books are delightful -especially read in the spirit they are written. Except maybe the pantyhose crafts – it was written to actually do the crafts.

    Try reading the books.

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 7:04 pm

      Becky, I think I could read everything except the snake book. The front cover is giving my nightmares.

  5. Marie says

    March 6, 2015 at 8:24 am

    PS Your Cat is Dead is actually very funny, a play by a guy named James Kirkwood who co-wrote A Chorus Line. The book title is weird, but definitely well worth reading if you can find it. I’m not sure it’s still in print.

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 7:03 pm

      Marie, I am hoping some libraries still have it as lots of our readers are keen to read it now. 🙂

  6. Christine B. says

    March 6, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    The title of this article bothers me: “…You Probably Shouldn’t Read”…I think the author should have actually read some of these books before including them. Some of these books look pretty interesting!

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 7:02 pm

      Christine, The best thing about a book is usually its captivating title. Glad to see it worked on the blog post too. Hope you enjoy the books.

  7. osofine says

    March 6, 2015 at 4:55 pm

    I remember when the Crafting with Cat Hair book came out – I assumed it was a joke book, but a quick scan of the Amazon page informed me that it was a real book for needle felting artisans and other crafters. The book currently has a 4.5 out of 5 rating from 172 reviews. 118 people gave it 5 stars! Most of the complaints are that most of the projects use other materials more than just cat hair (apparently the cute finger puppet on the cover is the only needle felted project that only uses cat hair). For a site aimed at crafters, I think it’s offensive to make fun of a book that the majority of crafters have positively reviewed is offensive and shows a lack of research in your subject. Why shouldn’t a needle felted that owns a cat or cats not use the excess fur they end up with after brushing their pets? One review said that the book gives directions for cleaning the cat hair before using it and points out that we use cleaned sheep’s wool for many, many things. What’s the difference? This kind of mindset is the same as people who eat store bought meat, but would be grossed out if they had to eat meat of farm animals that they saw alive.

    Oh, and on another post on this website (today is my first visit here), the writer typed “concur” instead of “conquer”. “Concur” means to agree with something. “Conquer” means to win or overcome. In this case the phrase was something like “I concur my fears”. That would mean you agree with your fears. Sorry I can’t point you to the post in question – it was in the first few pages of the site in mobile view (so fairly recent). I’m viewing and writing this on my iPhone, so please forgive any typos I may have made.

    This site has some good posts. Unfortunately, I’d have to rate this one as at least a partial fail.

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 6:57 pm

      Welcome to the site !

      If you are new to the site then (I am assuming here) you don’t have a full understanding of how we work, blog and review items. I think you will find the term “offensive to crafters” one statement that never comes our way. We proud ourselves on finding out about all the latest craft gossip and articles that interest and engage our readers.

      Concor, conquer,- many of our bloggers are working from home, cars, school pickups, in their lunch hours, on ipads and laptops. Even I do all my e-mailing via my i-phone usually in the school car-park. So I am sure you can “forgive” any typos we may make.

  8. Dianne says

    March 9, 2015 at 5:01 pm

    I’ve read “P.S. Your Cat is Dead.” The title is certainly quirky and actually very appropriate to the story (a story about one man’s really awful day).

    • Shellie Wilson says

      March 10, 2015 at 7:01 pm

      Dianne, Thanks for the feedback. I might pick it up next time I am at the library. I

  9. Laurie says

    March 16, 2015 at 11:14 am

    I have the “What’s Wrong with my Snake” book. It has actually been quite helpful in diagnosing when to take my son’s pet snakes to the vet. 🙂

Have you read?

15 Things to Sew for Someone Who Has Insomnia (Tested by Me – A Lifelong Sleepless Wreck)

f you’ve ever stared at the ceiling at 3 a.m., listened to the hum of the fridge from across the house, or contemplated reorganizing your sock drawer again just to kill time until morning, you’re not alone—I’ve been there. I’m a long-time insomniac, and it has taken me years (and a small mountain of trial and error) to figure out a sleep routine that works even a little bit. Along the way, I’ve discovered that sometimes, the simplest things—like a handmade sleep mask or a comforting heat pack—can make the biggest difference. I am also a big fan of Lavender oil, but I have to stop using it every few months and give it a break then use it again. 

Sewing became not just a hobby for me, but a soothing pre-bedtime ritual. It’s the calm before the not-so-calm. And even if I still don’t sleep like a log, I now have an entire collection of cozy, calming, and comforting sewn items that definitely help me drift off faster (or at least keep me comfy while I lie awake counting alpacas).

So if you or someone you love struggles with sleep, here are 15 of the best sewing projects I’ve found—and made—that are perfect for battling insomnia. Whether it’s calming scents, gentle weight, or just pure comfort, these DIYs are all about turning your bedtime space into a soothing sanctuary.

Let’s dive in and sew our way to sweet dreams (or at least better nights)

Blanket Hoodie Free Sewing Pattern

Make Your Own Blanket Hoodie, Just like a Oodie – Sewing Pattern 

Wheat Heat Pack — CraftBits.com 

MAKE A BLANKET HOODIE: How I made my Autism Sensory Cocoon

Make a Weighted Sensory Vest for Adults : 4 Steps (with Pictures) – Instructables 

Weighted comfort  toy 

Weighted, Scented Stuffed Animal : 5 Steps – Instructables

Eye pillow 

How to make an eye mask

Learn to Make Blackout Curtains in Less than 10 Minutes!

How to Make Blackout Curtains – Step By Step Sewing Tutorial 

Lavender Neck Roll 

Free pattern: Cat Nap aromatherapy pillow – Sewing

DIY sensory compression sheet – Heather’s Handmade Life 

DIY Snuggle Blanket with Sleeves for Kids and Adults – Creative Blog 

Here are some more articles from across our blog on Insomnia

How Much CBD Oil Should I Take For Insomnia?  

 Night time Cherry Smoothie For Insomnia and Weightloss – Bath and Body  

10 Bath and Body Recipes that will help you sleep.  

15 Obscure Reasons You May Not Be Sleeping Properly

  1. Your pillow smells weird (to your brain)
    Even if you think it smells fine, subtle shifts in scent can disrupt your brain’s sense of safety and comfort. Your brain is weird like that.

  2. Your magnesium levels are low
    Magnesium helps regulate melatonin and muscle relaxation. A deficiency can cause restless sleep or leg cramps that wake you up.

  3. You’re sleeping in synthetic fabrics
    Some polyester blends trap heat and moisture, which can subtly increase your body temp and mess with your REM cycles.

  4. Your clock is ticking… literally
    That wall clock or wristwatch ticking in the corner? You might think you’ve tuned it out, but your subconscious hasn’t. Hello, micro-stress.

  5. Your bedtime stories are too exciting (even if they’re podcasts)
    True crime, mystery audiobooks, even dramatic fiction can get your adrenaline going—just enough to keep you wired.

  6. You’re sleeping in a “geopathic stress zone”
    It sounds woo-woo, but people who believe in this say underground water lines or magnetic fields under your bed can impact sleep quality.

  7. Your ceiling fan is too fast
    Ceiling fans can dry out your sinuses or subtly make your body think it needs to stay alert. Weird, right?

  8. You’re unknowingly clenching your jaw all night
    Bruxism (aka teeth grinding) doesn’t always wake you up, but it can prevent you from ever getting into deep sleep.

  9. Your blood sugar dips overnight
    This can cause your cortisol to spike, waking you up suddenly with anxiety or sweats at 2 a.m. A small, protein-rich snack before bed might help.

  10. You’re too hydrated
    Sounds healthy, but if you’re waking up to pee more than once a night, you might be overhydrating before bed. Try tapering off liquids after dinner.

  11. Your sleeping direction
    Feng Shui fans swear by sleeping with your head facing certain directions for better energy flow (and fewer nightmares).

  12. Your mattress is full of static electricity
    Especially in dry climates, synthetic mattresses or sheets can create static that subtly irritates your skin while you sleep.

  13. You’ve got light sneaking in through your eyelids
    Even faint light from a charger or hallway can disrupt melatonin production if your eyelids are thin or you’re extra light-sensitive.

  14. Your nighttime supplements are stimulating
    Some sleep supplements contain hidden caffeine sources (like green tea extract) or B vitamins that can actually energize you.

  15. You associate your bed with frustration
    If you’ve had too many sleepless nights in the same bed, your brain might start associating it with stress. Sometimes switching things up (new bedding, rearranging furniture) can help reset that mental link.

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