Play It Kits!

​I am so excited to be doing a blog post about the library’s kit collection! The Portneuf Library maintains a collection of kits for checkout. These kits include one or more books on a subject and the necessary equipment to learn about that subject or skill. Each adult card can checkout 1 kit at a time for up to 4 weeks! Our kit collection is currently made up of more than 50 kits with more kits being curated all the time. They are located in the alcove in the main part of the library against the south wall. Let me tell you about some of my favorites!

The Cake Decorating Kit. This kit is for the budding cake decorator! Included are 

• · 2 Blue Reusable Icing Bags
• · 30 Metal Icing Tips 
• · 2 Icing Bag Couplers
• · 3 Icing Smoothers
• · 2 Flower Nails
• · 2-Piece Blue Flower Lifter
• · 1 Decorator Pen
• · 1 Brush

Try out all of the decorating ideas you have! Follow those Youtube tutorials! Have a pinterest SUCCESS! If you decide that you are now a professional decorator, you will have experience with what tools you do and don’t like so you can go out and buy your own! Follow your dream! And if you decide that cake decorating is not for you, no problem. Turn the kit back in by the due date and go on your merry way. You didn’t waste any money on tools that now get to clutter up your kitchen space. Try another kit until you find what suits you!

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The White Box Kit. Have you ever been playing a board game and had an idea? An awful idea? A wonderful, awful idea? Well, Mr. Grinch, tis the season to try out that board game idea with the White Box kit! Included in this kit are:

•  “The White Box Essays”  book                                     
•  “The Bones: Us and Our Dice” book
• “Things We Think About Games” book
• · The White Box: A Game Design Workshop in a Box

The Game Design Workshop includes various tokens, dice, meeples, etc. in order to facilitate your game design dream-come-true. Hone your ideas using the books provided and try out different pieces and parts from the box in order to jump start your kickstarter future.

The Astronomy Kit. Checkout this kit and the constellations! This kit may not tell you the secrets of the universe outright, but it can sure help you find them a little faster with:

• “NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe” book
  
• “A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky” book
  
• A Star Wheel
  
• A Pair of Binoculars
  
• A Telescope
  

If it gets a little too chilly to sit outside and study the stars, then move inside with a cup of cocoa and use the binoculars and telescope through the window. With this kit, the sky is NOT the limit!

The Cookie Decorating Kit. Yes, I know we already talked about cake, but there is always room for cookies, especially with our cookie press! Whether you cut with the themed cookie cutters or prefer the fanciful swirls of the cookie press, it doesn’t matter as long as the dough gets in the oven. Well, most of the dough, anyway.  This kit includes:

• Themed Cookie Cutters                                                 
• The Wilton Preferred Cookie Press with 12 discs
•  “The Complete Photo Guide to Cookie Decorating” book            
•  “Decorating Cookies Party: Celebratory Themes –50 Designs” book       
•  “Betty Crocker Big Book of Cookies” book

Come on. We both know that you have watched those super fancy cookie decorating videos. Using this kit, you can make your own without that unattainable magic the internet people use! Just good old cookie dough, cutters, or a cookie press. You've got this.   

The Sewing Machine Kit. Ah, sewing. You would be surprised how many people don’t know how to use a sewing machine these days, myself included. That’s why I have this kit on hold. It includes:

• “My First Sewing Machine Book”
  
• “Sewing Basics” Book
  
• Brother XR3340 Brother Sewing Machine
  
• And all the fancy parts and instructions that go along with sewing machines
  

    So if you have a project you have wanted to work on, or just want to learn a life skill, this kit is for you. If you recently (or not so recently) moved out and mom isn’t there to fix the tear in your pants any more, this kit is for you. If the little elves are slacking off and haven’t fixed that hole in your favorite shirt yet, this kit is for you. The only requirement is that you handle with care!