IN Peters Township Spring 2014 | Page 28

PE TE RS TOWN SH IP L IBR ARY NE WS eters Township Trash to Treasure Thursday, May 8, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Cost: $10 Presented by: Nancy Vejlstrup, Penn State Master Gardener and Exhibit Designer for Phipps Conservatory, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Science Center of Pittsburgh Come and be inspired by this all-new “Trash to Treasure” program and learn to look at everyday objects differently. Just because an item can no longer be used for its original purpose doesn’t mean that it should be headed for the trash pile! Three different pieces will be transformed into clever creative planters, complete with green and blooming plants. You will become the envy of your neighborhood as you learn how to create your own Trash to Treasure unique containers. Participants will receive handouts with ideas/suggestions along with photographs to help them get started on their own repurposed planters. Each of the three charming planters created during this program will be auctioned off at the end of the class, with all proceeds to benefit the library. As part of “Trash to Treasure” event at the library, Nancy will be creating a centerpiece (from a birdcage) for our lobby to be raffled the evening of the program. Raffle tickets will be available for $5 per ticket or 4 tickets for $15. Each participant registering for the “Trash to Treasure” program will be given a free raffle ticket at the time of registration. Civil War 150! Women in the Civil War Thursday, May 22, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Presenter: Dr. Elaine Frantz Parsons, Associate Professor of History at Duquesne University The Civil War reshaped cultural ideas of what it meant to be a woman. A small but influential group of northern women had launched a women’s rights movement just a few years before the war’s beginning: the war posed both challenges and opportunities for these reformers. Women’s rights advocates helped with the war effort, and used the war to make a case for further political, economic, and legal rights. The war disrupted traditional 26 Peters Township households, often allowing, or requiring, women to take on new roles. At the same time, the disruption of the war made many men and women, northern and southern, nostalgic for a return to traditional ways. Many freedpeople rushed to assume the and interesting to watch, they also can help control your pest insect population, pollinate plants, and even keep weeds under control by eating the seeds! In addition to providing extra food and water to welcome birds, consider building them a mini garden loom, which can hold extra snacks and nest-building materials. A garden loom is a fun and easy project, does not require special tools, and is a great way to recycle many items and add an ever-changing decoration to your outdoor space. Participants will make their own garden loom to take home. Art / Craft Programs Introduction to Crochet domestic life that they had so long been denied. This talk explores the tensions between the reformist and traditionalist impulses. Dr. Parsons’ work focuses on social movements and popular culture in the nineteenth-century United States, with a focus on the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Her first book Manhood Lost: Fallen Drunkards and Redeeming Women in the Nineteenth-Century United States (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002) explores the social meanings of saloon violence. She is currently completing a book about the Ku Klux Klan, “Constructing the Ku Klux: The Ku Klux Klan and the Modernization of the Reconstruction-Era South.” She is the recipient of a Harry Frank Guggenheim Fellowship for the study of violence in culture. Peters Township Public Library is one of three sites throughout the United States to receive an additional Civil War 150 programming grant. Civil War 150! is a collaboration between The Library of America and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This project is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. During spring 2014, we will host two programs focusing on Civil War themes. The next program will be on Thursday, June 19 and will feature Dr. Faith Barrett, Associate Professor of English at Duquesne University, who will be speaking about American Poetry and the Civil War. Please see the website for more details. Help the Birds – Make a Mini Garden Loom Monday, June 2, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Cost: $25 for supplies Instructor: Andrea Marquis Did you know there are many benefits to attracting birds to your yard, porch, or garden? Not only are birds beautiful 4 weeks, April 7 – 28 OR May 5 - 26 Mondays, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Cost: $30 per 4-week session (includes a start-up kit with crochet hook and yarn) Instructor: Cathy Layton Join us for a 4-week class to learn the basics of this old, now-new-again art of crochet. We’ll enjoy learning about the originality of this craft and see how to use it in decorative and creative ways that are limited only by your imagination. It’s not just about afghans! Learn Even Count Peyote Stitch Saturday, April 12, 1 – 4 p.m. Cost: $30 for supplies Instructor: Karen Krohner Learn the even count peyote stitch while making a bracelet. All materials will be supplied. Please bring reading glasses and a task light with extension cord if you have one. Project will not be completed in class -- students are encouraged to attend a Beading Club meeting (3rd Wednesday of the month, 6 – 8 p.m.) for additional beading time and assistance. Odd Count Peyote Stitch Saturday, May 17, 1 – 4 p.m. Cost: $35 for supplies Instructor: Karen Krohner Learn the odd count peyote stitch while making a bracelet with Swarovski crystal embellishments. All materials will be supplied. Please bring reading glasses and a task light with extension cord if you have one. Project will not be completed in class – students are encouraged to attend a Beading Club meeting (3rd Wednesday of the month, 6 – 8 p.m.) for additional beading time and assistance.