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We’re Busy Crafting with Cat Hair, Thanks to Buster, Shadow & Fuzz

When I announced that we wanted fans of Quirk to send us in their cat hair, I wasn't kidding. Crafting with Cat Hair comes out in November, and we're getting ready, practicing our felting skills.

In fact, Katie Hatz and Margaret McGuire have been keeping themselves busy, working with a wealth of kitty fur that's appeared in the Quirk Books mailroom.

What's the source of all the fur? Well, Christina Yendall was the first to send in batches of cat hair from her three beloved kitties, Buster, Shadow and Fuzz.

We like to thank all the little people (and cats) whenever we can, so we're posting photos of these lovely cats here on the blog. Christina and Co., we thank you!

Interested in sending in your cat hair? We're still accepting submissions, and we'll happily post your kitties on here too! Details on Jezebel.

Posted by Eric Smith

Pride & Prejudice & Dr. Who

Sure, the syncing is a bit off… but come on. This is Pride & Prejudice mixed with Dr. Who! David Tennant would totally approve of this.

Sigh. The end of this trailer is such a tease. I wish the producers of Bridget Jones' Diary and Love Actually would make this film.

Posted by Eric Smith

The Legend of Zelda ’87: Featuring Meg Favreau!

Full of references to Say Anything, Sixteen Candles, & Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the popular Legend of Zelda '87 trailer tells us the classic story of Link and Zelda… told through the lens of an 80's teen rom-com.

In this charming critically-acclaimed tale of first love, Link (Jon Tomlinson), an eternal optimist and adventurer, seeks to capture the heart of Zelda, an unattainable high school beauty and straight-A student (Zane Bauer). He surprises just about everyone-including himself-when she returns the sentiment. But the high school's over-possessive, megalomaniacal Principal Ganondorf (Dominic Moschitti) doesn't approve and it's going to take more than just the power of love to conquer all.

Now, I've seen the trailer dozens of times. But in a recent viewing, I spotted someone I've only recently become familiar with… comedian and author of Quirk's upcoming Little Old Lady Recipes cookbook, Meg Favreau! She appears as Navi, Link's fairy companion in the Ocarina of Time.

"Hyrule is full of guys… be a hero." Way to have the best line in the entire trailer, Meg.

Legend of Zelda '87
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF-7jPXvPEA

 

Posted by Eric Smith

Recycled Books & Video Games: Together at Last

Everyone here at Quirk Books knows about my crippling video game addition. There’s a reason I usually only request off on Tuesdays… because it’s New Game Day. You better believe I took two days off to play Portal 2. What? Don’t judge me. Have you seen this game?

Ahem. But I digress.

I recently stumbled upon dPad, an awesome Etsy shop that features video game inspired art crafted using upcycled books. Like this adorable 8-bit mushroom from Super Mario Bros., or this brilliant (but long since sold) vintage style Duck Hunt painting. I've posted a few more after the jump, have a look!

Posted by Eric Smith

Father’s Day: Top 10 New Geeky Books for Dads

Father's Day is coming up, and if your Dad is anything like mine, he's far too busy to read. Constantly wrangling his grandkids, fussing over the house, planning his well earned "dammit-I'm-retired-I'll-do-what-I-want" vacations.

Or if he's a younger Dad, like any number of my friends, he's swamped between balancing work and raising a new munchkin. Diapers to change, pre-schools to find, babysitters to screen, getting a little video gaming in here and there. Who has the time?

No matter how busy Dad is, there should always be time to squeeze in a little reading. The trick is finding just the right book.

Posted by Eric Smith

Books (Sort Of) On Tape: Old Cassettes Upcycled Into Handmade Journals

Now, the making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts. First of all you're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing. – High Fidelity.

I love me some High Fidelity. And yes yes, I’m aware that I just quoted the film and not the book. But the statement is true. A good mixtape is a delicate thing, an art form. And Somavenus, an Etsy crafter from Portland, takes that concept to a whole new level with her mixtape notebooks.

Posted by Eric Smith