Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 by Megan
Just like food and shelter, menstrual products are a necessity. Period poverty is a real thing that many folks face. According to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), the high cost of menstrual products keeps one in five American teens home from school each month. Continue reading “Menstrual Products for All @ Your Library”
Posted on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 by Grae
In another installment of Grae finds household objects and turns them into art — a.k.a mundane magic🪄 — today we’ll learn how to make your very own sticker sheets using toner-printed images, packing tape and waxed or parchment paper! This craft has it all: it’s easy and engaging; astonishing and adorable; low-cost and endlessly customizable. Moreover, thankfully stickers never seem to go out of style, which is probably all thanks to Lisa Frank. Thanks, Lisa!🦄 Continue reading “DIY Sticker Sheets 🐸✨”
Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 by Grae
Calling and/or caterwauling all ghouls, goblins, gargoyles, gremlins, and giggling green ghosts: Spooky Season has arrived with all of its ghastly delights and gnarly frights. Hip-Hip-Horroray! Which means it’s time for another installment of Spooky, Not Scary™️, a watch-list of titles for all of us soft goths, tender terrors and nervous nellies. A quick recap for those of you just joining in: while Halloween and all its eerie marvels are my top vibe, I avoid the deeply distressing and downright disturbing imagery and atmosphere of most “scary” movies, tv, and even musical soundtracks, mostly because I have always had an immersively detailed dream and/or nightmare life, which often means I don’t really need the help or inspiration or taunting hauntings that that kind of media provides. Thanks, horror genre, but I can terrorize myself all on my own! 💀
So, to still celebrate this terrifically chilling time of year, I give you the following titles that are avowedly Spooky, Not Scary. Each title is rated on a scale of 0-5 smashed pumpkins. The more smashed pumpkins (which I’ve metaphorically dropped out of terror), the closer the tv show/movie/video is to being truly frightening.
Continue reading “Spooky, Not Scary Watch-List: Volume II aka BOO! 👻”
Posted on Monday, October 16, 2023 by Megan
This time of year is perfect for some creepy crafts, but if I’m being honest I love all things spooky any time of year! See below for some of our favorite spine-tingling projects. Happy haunting! Continue reading “DIY Creepy Crafts”
Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 by Megan
It’s been said that crafting can help with stress, and most of the time I would be inclined to agree. However, I should warn you that this project is one that can send you into a fit of rage, or maybe that was just my reaction when I found out how easy it was and realized I could have been doing it years ago! Continue reading “Upcycle Crafts: T-Shirt Wall Art”
Posted on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 by Grae
Do you love all matter of spooky ephemera, including (but not limited to) asymmetrical gourds, a crunchy walk through leaf-litter at dusk, black cats, swooping bats, a chilly breeze, the moonlit hoot-hooting of an owl, flickering shadows, the curling crackle of a bonfire with friends, your favorite elder’s throaty cackle? 🍠🍂🐈🖤🦇🌬️🌕🔥
Are you into that *swirls hands in the air over imaginary cauldron/crystal ball* distinctly witchy vibe? 🔮🕯️
Are you a young ghoul at heart? 👻
Does your bedroom feature skulls, spiderwebs, and tombstones as year-round decor? 🕸️💀
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you’re among friends (or fiends 😈)! Halloween and all its haunted trappings gives my heart, in the words of young vampire Vlad the Rad, “bat wings” and “sugar-frosted lightning bolts,” but I have a confession: while I love all manner of the occult, I am just too tender-hearted for the harrowing thrills, over-the-top gore, scritchy-scratchy musical panic, and heart-pounding jump-scares that are present in many scary movies (and the horror genre more generally). Which means I have to be extra selective when it comes to figuring out how to best usher and revel in the ghastly glory of spooky season. So this year I’ve come up with a curated Spooky, Not Scary™ Watch-List perfect for anyone who wants to experience a spectre-tacular atmosphere without sacrificing their delicate nerves. Each tv show, movie or video is rated on a scale of 0-5 smashed pumpkins. The more smashed pumpkins (which I’ve metaphorically dropped out of terror), the closer the tv show/movie/video is to being truly frightening. Note: no gourds were harmed in the making of this list. 🎃
You can access the full list here; what follows are my Top 6 with minimal spoilers! Happy Hauntings! Continue reading “Spooky, Not Scary Watch-List”
Posted on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 by Megan
Do you daydream about escaping into the woods and wonder what it would be like to be a woodland creature? Or do you want to know how to give up a boss life for a moss life? We recently hosted a program where we did all that and more! In our ongoing how-to cosplay series, we transformed ourselves and our patrons into fantastic woodland animals. Don’t worry if you missed our program, we’ve got tips below to help you become a majestic creature! And be on the lookout for more cosplay fun in December! Continue reading “Cosplay Tutorial: Woodland Creature Transformation”
Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 by Megan
Summer Reading is upon us! With a theme like “Oceans of Possibilities,” how could we not think of merpeople?
We are so lucky to have our very own siren, Dana! She loves cosplay and makeup effects, so we wanted to share her talent with you in this video tutorial so you can play along at home.
Here is what you’ll need to get started.
If you feel like going all out, combine a costume and a watery location!
We would love to see your finished look! Snap a pic and send it to us at teen@dbrl.org.
Posted on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 by Megan
Happy May the Fourth! I love just about everything Star Wars has to offer — from the amazingly independent Princess Leia to the fierce, but cuddly Chewbacca, to the adorable Porgs, and don’t get me started on my obsession with Grogu (aka The Child or Baby Yoda)! Here are some fun things you can do at home to celebrate May the Fourth and the Revenge of the Fifth.
We’d love to see what you make, so send us pictures or videos to teen@dbrl.org.
