Category: Reading Kits

A Studio Ghibli Marathon Kit

Posted August 16, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 5 Comments

 

 

Oh, Studio Ghibli. Not only are your stories amazing, but your characters are such a perfect combo of magic and true human spirit that they’ve become synonymous with childhood itself for many of us.

Making a marathon kit for Studio Ghibli movies was simultaneously one of the most difficult and most rewarding kits I’ve ever made. On the one hand, there are SO MANY options for what to include that it was downright intimidating. But all the Ghibli movies are so awesome, how can you possibly go wrong? πŸ™‚

In the end, this kit turned out a little bit longer than some of my others, but I’m satisfied that I managed to include the very best. Enjoy! πŸ™‚

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A Reading Kit Fit for a Princess

Posted July 5, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 4 Comments

 

 

There’s a lot of beauty to be found in the book A Little Princess. So many of the sentences are elegantly crafted with lush descriptions. I found myself reading several of them twice just to enjoy them over again (check out the sunset in Chapter 11—you wont’ be sorry!). But even if the descriptions had been sub-par, it would still be hard not to get swept up in the romanticism of vintage lockets, porcelain dolls, and dainty cakes.

Even so, the real artistry of A Little Princess is in how it showcases the beauty of the human spirit. Sara Crewe is gentle and generous while living in the lap of luxury, but this doesn’t change when she encounters hardship. Instead, she works even harder to live her philosophy that a girl is a princess because of how she acts, not what she has. As a result, she draws out the inner beauty of the people around her—from the baker woman down the stree to the ld man next door.

The reading kit below is designed to revel in the lavish lifestyle described in the book…but in true Sara fashion, remember to share it with a friend! πŸ™‚

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Make It So: A Star Trek TNG Marathon Kit

Posted June 7, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 5 Comments

sky, lights, space

 

As noted in last week’s recipe post, we’re departing from our usual book-inspired posts to pay homage to Star Trek: The Next Generation (after 3 months, I figured we were about due for another TV menu). And that means it’s time for another marathon kit! It was tough to narrow down exactly which items I wanted to include in the kit, but after several drafts I think I’ve got the perfect combo of items to help you make it through your next trekky Netflix binge. Enjoy!

 

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A Borrower’s Reading Kit: A Kit for the Tiniest of Readers

Posted May 10, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 4 Comments

This month’s reading kit is based on The Borrowers, and I’m happy to say there were so many options for things to include that I had trouble holding myself back! I knew Arrietty’s iconic cherry tree needed to be featured, along with the tiny scissors. But then I started finding so many borrower-like mini things that the list got SUPER long. I trimmed the kit down to 6 items, but don’t worry—I planned another mini-item themed post for next week!

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The Remarkable Reading Kit: A Series of Unfortunate Events Reading Kit

Posted April 12, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 0 Comments


Making this reading kit was actually a little tough. Not because there aren’t many potential reading kit items in A Series of Unfortunate Events, but because there are SO MANY! I found myself constantly wishing that these reading kits were twice as big so I could include all the SoUE stuff I wanted (Violet’s hair ribbon! A heart-shaped balloon! Gum from Lucky Saws Lumber Mill! Sunglasses! A tribute to Uncle Monty’s cool snakes!). Good problem to have, right? πŸ˜‰ I decided to stick with items that are relevant to the series as a whole, that way this kit would be perfect no matter which of the Baudelaires’ unfortunate life events you’re reading about. Enjoy!

 

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All for One and One for All: A Three Musketeers Reading Kit

Posted March 8, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 3 Comments

elaborate-sword-hilt

Reading kit time! These are steadily becoming one of my favorite things to post. I love picking out the most iconic items in a story and hunting down cool versions of them for a kit. And The Three Musketeers has loads! Below you’ll find a list of items you can buy to build an awesome musketeer reading kit for yourself…or your three best friends! So don your feathered cap and get ready for an adventure! πŸ™‚

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The Truth is Out There: An X-Files Marathon Kit

Posted February 9, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 3 Comments

 

You may recall that last month I premiered a new type of monthly post: reading kits! I’m planning to do one for every menu I make this year, which I’m not ashamed to say has me super excited. I LOVE finding just the right mix of things related to my favorite books (or in this case, TV show). Since X-Files doesn’t involve much reading, I’m rebranding the kit as a “marathon kit” this time, but it’s basically the same thing: a compilation of 6 items inspired by our menu of the month. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so why not make a kit for that special X-Files fan in your life? I know I’d love one! πŸ™‚

What items would I include in an X-Files marathon kit? I’m so glad you asked…

These alien bookends for storing all your abduction research

Alien Abduction Bookends

This gray alien to keep you company while you watch the show.

This mug to help you keep the faith

 

I like my coffee like I like my government conspiracies: world-changing and masterminded by aliens.

 

This rainy day X-files activity book for when it’s too cloudy to hunt UFOs

The X-Files Rainy Day Colouring & Activity Book
Just try not to spill any sunflower seeds on your masterpieces.

These totally rad Mulder and Scully plushies for you to cuddle during the scary scenes

This super-mega-ultra comprehensive set of ALL the X-Files seasons and movies!

Because NOT spending the entire weekend binging on X-Files is for suckers.

 

What would you include in YOUR X-Files marathon kit? πŸ™‚

 

The Once and Future Reading Kit

Posted January 5, 2016 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 2 Comments


Howdy, folks! Welcome to our very first 2016 book of the month: King Arthur! The theme is King-Arthur-in-general rather than a specific King Arthur book, since there are so many and I have no idea which one is my favorite. Since the bright and shiny New Year newness hasn’t quite worn off for me yet, I thought it would be fun to start things off with one of our new additions to the blog this year: a reading kit!

I posted a few homemade reading kits on Real Life at Home last year, but now my plan is to make reading kits here on the blog for every Book of the Month. What’s a reading kit, you ask? It’s basically a compilation of items mentioned in a book or related to the subject matter, often including a copy of the book itself (I first heard of the idea on Epic Reads). When I make a kit, I like to include a snack, three items related to the book, and the fanciest copy of the book I can find.

I’ve included links to each of the items below, making it easy to whip up a kit for yourself or an avid reader in your life. So grab your kits and read on, my valiant Knights of Wonderland! πŸ™‚

 

What items would I include in a King Arthur reading kit? I’m so glad you asked…

 

This awesome Camelot mead to serve at your legendary medieval feasts

click map
This is actually the wine the Mister and I served at our wedding. We’re big honey wine fans, and this is our favorite brand. The Mister is actually working on brewing his own right now!

 

And of course you need something to drink your mead out of.

Dark Roast Dragon Mug
Well aren’t you just the cutest burninator of them all?

 

A dessert fit for a king: King Arthur Flour cake mix and a dragon cake pan

 

This utterly regal pen holder to remind you that you’re sovereign of all you survey

Executive Knight Pen Holder
Resist the urge to sign everything “Supreme Ruler of Everything the Light Touches.”

And don’t forget this gorgeous book to end all gorgeous books.

For the low, low price of $12,800 you can own this jaw-droppingly beautiful illustrated copy of Le Morte D’Arthur. That’s not too much to pay for a book, right? But if you’re like me and don’t have an infinite book budget, this hardcover from Barnes & Noble is pretty gorgeous too.

 

What would you include in YOUR King Arthur reading kit? πŸ™‚

Reading Kits: Easy DIY Gifts for the Reader in Your Life – Real Life at Home

Posted August 19, 2015 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 0 Comments

Reading kits are an easy, cost effective way to make one-of-a-kind gifts for readers. Here are 3 kits based off of classic books, links to items included!

Source: Reading Kits: Easy DIY Gifts for the Reader in Your Life – Real Life at Home

 

I’ve just published my next guest post for Real Life at Home! In the post, I show how to make reading kits for three classic books: Little Women, Treasure Island, and Peter Pan. They make awesome gifts…or special treats for yourself! πŸ˜‰

Click here to view the post at Real Life at Home.