Thursday, August 6, 2015

Inspired by Reading: Swamplandia!

So, let me start off with a confession... I did not actually read this month's book club selection, Swamplandia! by Karen Russell.  In my defense, I did try when it first came out but, despite the quirky and interesting premise, I just couldn't get into it.  I know I should probably have given it another try for book club, but with everything else I had going on, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  It's pretty seldom that I abandon a book (seriously... it took me over two months but I did finish The Children's Book!) so I'm going to stand by that decision.


I still don't know why I couldn't get into the story since it sounds like something that would be up my alley.  Here's the book description from Amazon:  Thirteen-year-old Ava Bigtree has lived her entire life at Swamplandia!, her family’s island home and gator-wrestling theme park in the Florida Everglades. But when illness fells Ava’s mother, the park’s indomitable headliner, the family is plunged into chaos; her father withdraws, her sister falls in love with a spooky character known as the Dredgeman, and her brilliant big brother, Kiwi, defects to a rival park called The World of Darkness. As Ava sets out on a mission through the magical swamps to save them all, we are drawn into a lush and bravely imagined debut that takes us to the shimmering edge of reality.

You may be wondering... if I didn't even read the book, why is there a blog post about it today?  The truth is that I hate missing out on a challenge... especially my favorite ones!  I couldn't resist making something alligator inspired!


I had picked up some pewter rings that have a texture that reminds me of reptile skin that seemed like  a perfect starting point... I made some dangles from dyed fire agate that felt a little bit alligator and a lot swampy.  I kept them pretty simple adding blackened and dull silver findings.

This is a blog hop too... please stop by Andrew's blog HERE to see what people who actually read the book had to say about it and what they were inspired to make!

6 comments:

  1. Hey Sarajo, I know what you mean about missing a challenge. I hated that I just couldn't get it together last month. Thank goodness for audio books - I was able to get ahead on my "reading" during the 10-12 hour drive to NY (and the return trip).
    I love these fun, swingy earrings. Very appropriate for the story!

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  2. It wouldn't be book club without you! You could have fibbed and said you read it, because your earrings are perfectly alligatorish! Love them!

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  3. I love it that you didn't read the book but still made something perfectly inspired by it!! Your earrings are great and absolutely bring scenes from that book to my mind.

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  4. We all have months where things just get so hectic and it's hard to squeeze in a book, especially if it doesn't jump out at you. I applaud you for finishing The Children's Book. It took me awhile to get through it too, and then at the end, I was like, "Shoot. I should have left off when it was all fairytale charm and sweet innocence and not all this war stuff." In any event, I think your alligator earrings turned out great! I read next month's book already, but I'm going to listen to it again. Thanks again for participating!

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  5. I think you found a great texture to represent the gators and made a very fine pair of earrings. I agree that it would not be Book Club without you!! So glad you found a way to participate.

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  6. Beautiful pewter rings and agate beads – very gator-y. Love your choice of ear wires for this project.

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