New Look, New Books

My dear son, Joe, graduated from Franciscan Univ. of Steubenville in December. I've been anticipating his graduation for some time. Not just because he'll be a college graduate but also because he holds a bachelor of arts in English composition. A very handy degree for a publisher. He also has worked for Ecce Homo Press during the summer for the last few years. So Joe is with the company full time and we decided Blue Knights needed a little face lift. Thanks to Joe, we've edited, reformatted and perfect bound the Year 3 and 4 Blue Knights Leaders and Member's Guides. They now have new illustrations, new covers, and the member's guides have new, easy for children to read biographies. The Craft Companion also has a new cover and crisp new photos and illustrations. We also now have memory cards for Years 2, 3, and 4. These are packaged in sets of 10-one for each saint plus one of St. Joseph, patron of Blue Knights.

We'll be featuring these items and more in our monthly newsletters. The newsletters will also have discount codes to get these items at deep discounts. Other items in the newsletters include leader training, idea and craft activities for the groups, and frequently asked questions. If you aren't signed up to get the email newsletter, visit the website at http://www.eccehomopress.com/ and scroll down to the bottom of the page to sign-up. The next newsletter goes out March 21, 2009.

Caution: Craft not for human consumption!

I just wanted to pass on a heads-up from a customer who warned me that the craft in the first year of Blue Knights has a suggestion to use fishing weights to weigh down the front end of the spear. Some fishing weights may contain lead, so if you are uneasy about using them, you might try to use steel ball bearings instead. We used them because we had them around the house for a science experiment on the viscosity of glycerin (huh?) and so we used them instead of the lead and they worked fine. We picked them up at the hardware store.

If you use the lead fishing weights, make sure not to get them mixed up with your snack (same goes for the steel ball bearings, too, for that matter!

New Year, New Club

I've noticed a trend over the last few years of Little Flowers and Blue Knights clubs starting in January rather than September. This has some definite advantages. January is typically a slow month without a whole lot going on. Since it is the start of a new year, a new beginning for a club falls right in line with a new resolution to learn and teach virtues in our families. Since the clubs are flexible, you can start wherever and whenever you want. You can still do one virtue a month, work through the summer and finish by September. Or, you can really dive into the material and make the study last longer. Whatever works for you will be fine for the children involved, I'm sure. 

So if you've been hesitating in starting a club, now's the time to start! Just to give you a little more incentive, EHP will offer a 10% discount on all orders placed from now until December 31, 2008. Just type in the discount code: CLUB09  Orders must be placed online at the website: www.eccehomopress.com 

Have a Holy Advent!

NEW WEB ADDRESS

If you have the old AOL address bookmarked, please updtae it to: www.eccehomopress.com

AOL has completely erased all member websites and we are unable to forward to the new site. Thanks!

To copy or not to copy

Please remember that our small family owned business/apostolate depends on you to survive and grow. We strive to make the materials reasonably priced for large families on a tight budget. As a mom of ten who has seen tight times myself, I understand the need to squeeze as much as possible out of every penny.Because of this, we ask you to respect the copyrights of our materials and not to photocopy pages from the books. This includes member's guides and the art and activity books. They are the heart of the program and each child deserves their own. At $4.50 for each member guide and $3.50 for each art and activity book, they are more than reasonably priced for each child. We have to have these made up by the thousands, so each time they are photocopied rather than purchased, it prevents us from developing more items for Little Flowers and Blue Knights and stifles the growth of all the clubs.Thanks for your cooperation and God bless! --EHP

Scabbard from a Sock

Need a fast scabbard? A lost sock will do the trick!

My son Liam has discovered the Star Wars series. (At last, our geek genes are showing true!) Like Count Grievous, he's collected for himself a rather large collection of light sabers, and one day, he wanted to take them all to a friend's house. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough scabbards to hang them off his belt. We do have plenty of orphan socks, however.

Two minutes, an orphan sock and some scissor work later, he'd made himself this handy scabbard. I thought I'd share his genius with you:


Find a volunteer sock. Smaller ones are better, especially since they stretch.


Cut an inch or two off the top. Discard the rest or use as dusting rags. (My favorite use for the unmatched.) (Liam also likes to do this to make wrist guards.)


Cut about 3/4 of the way through.


If the hole is too big for the saber or sword, you can tie a half-knot to make it smaller.


Thread the belt through and voila! A universal sword scabbard.


Here's Liam modeling the scabbard and wristband.

If you want to read more about our adventures with orphan socks, check out www.fabianspace.blogspot.com.

Changes in Blue Knights "uniforms"

Beginning this fall, we will be changing what we will be offering for Blue Knights uniforms. Previously, we had offered vests and breastplates in a light blue with a dark blue trim. The boys quickly outgrew the breastplates and many didn't think they looked "knightly." So our new breastplates will be slightly larger, made of a heavier gray canvas material with a large red cross on the front, trimmed in dark blue. We will also be offering a detachable cape that flows from the shoulders of the breastplate. It can be removed for games and activities, or worn for more solemn ceremonies and occasions. The capes can be changed each year in a "bridging ceremony." The colors of the capes will correspond with the colors of the badges and books: Year One; blue: Year Two; green: Year Three; red: and Year Four; gold. We should have these new items up on the website by the first week of August.

Year Four Shield Patches are also now available. They'll be on the website in a couple of weeks, or you can call toll free: 1-866-305-8362 if you'd like to order them right away. They are $10/set patches.