Music Monday - Sleep Theory "Static"
Sleep Theory’s album has been on repeat lately. I just really dig their music and it’s so easy to sing along to!
Sleep Theory’s album has been on repeat lately. I just really dig their music and it’s so easy to sing along to!
As I look outside my window:
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a...
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a...
Healer Anja regularly drinks poison. Not to die, but to save―seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.But a summons from the King interrupts her...
Angelina Yves is a struggling singer/songwriter offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in...
In the gaslit streets of Victorian London, phantoms rule the night, demons dance till dawn, and one supernatural detective dares to be seduced by the greatest...
Reading: I’m so close to finishing House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson. I am loving this creepy cult novella.
Three powerhouse vocalists on one track! I cannot even handle this. It is just so so amazing.
Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, a tight group of friends. The only catch:...
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt’s house in the desert town...
I’m really into female led metal bands lately. Courtney and Spiritbox is amazing! And her collaborating with Babymetal is the perfect combo!
As I look outside my window: It’s very overcast today. Making me feel a bit dreary.
February TBR Pile (16/16):
“America’s funniest science writer” (Washington Post) takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour. The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: the...
After Nancy was cast out of the Halls of the Dead and forced to enroll at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children, she never believed she'd find her door...
Reading: I’m halfway through Mary Roach’s Gulp all about the alimentary canal. I love her dry wit while sharing so much science.
We started off the week thinking that it would be a normal week of a park playdate, dentist appointment for me, academic co-op, and a parent info meeting. Most...
I am always up for new BMTH music. And a collab with ILLENIUM is perfect for their sound. Loving this one!
As I look outside my window: Bright and cold. Winter has returned.
With two Kiras on the loose, L asks Light to join the task force and pose as the real Kira in order to catch the copycat. L still suspects Light and figures...
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a...
Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a...
2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the worst disease outbreak in modern times: the Spanish flu, a story even more relevant today. This dramatic narrative,...
These past two weeks ended up being filled with activities. That meant that we didn’t get as much book work done. But I am glad that we could take advantage of...
I had no idea that these two bands decided to collab for a song! I am digging the throwback to late 90s early 2000s emo rock!
As I look outside my window: Bright, sunny, and way too warm for February.
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a...
From some of the biggest names in horror comes an Advent calendar of short holiday horror stories perfect for the darkest nights of the year. Edited by...
Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest hero: the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and...
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever...
Reading: I picked up one of my Unread Shelf books, The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow. I was super excited to get it from BOTM lsat October. Finally getting to...
ATEEZ’s comeback album snuck up on me. I was so distracted by the Stray Kids concert movie that I forgot about it until Friday. Thank goodness I remembered and...
As I look outside my window: So bright and sunny out. It’s going to be unseasonably warm today and even warmer tomorrow. Nice to enjoy the warmer temperatures,...
Where It Got It: Library
Here's my randomness for the week:
The weather was terrible, which meant that we spent most of the week at home. Plus we had a broken washer that I had to stay and wait on the repair man. This...
2026 is bringing a new Black Veil Brides album and a new Motionless in White album! I am so excited about both of these new releases. Currently the new...
As I look outside my window: It’s still cold out there, but warmer than last week. I will take temperatures in the 20s and low 30s over the below zero temps...
January TBR Pile (13/14):
Clare remembers the cold. She remembers abandoned cars and children's toys littered across the road. She remembers dark shapes in the snow and a terror she...
Spice Rating: 6
Chevelle is one of those bands that I occasionally forget about and then rediscover. I always dig their sound. Not sure why they seem so forgettable. Loving...
As I look outside my window: It’s clear and cold. So so cold… Not looking forward to having to leave the house later.
This is just a story. It can't hurt you anymore.Since she was three years old, Anastasia Miller has been telling anyone who would listen that she's an alien...
Spice Rating: 6
Here's my randomness for the week:
Alex Easton does not want to visit America.They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being...
We managed to get two weeks of school in before taking a break to visit the Great Wolf Lodge with friends. I will admit that we were really dragging our feet...
A new single out from Black Veil Brides! And a new album dropping at the end of the month! I am in heaven right now. Loving the darker edge to the music with...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright but still very cold!
A classic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Crichton, Sphere is a bravura demonstration of what he does better than anyone: riveting...
Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the...
Reading: I’m in the middle of Sphere by Michael Crichton. It’s been so so long since I read this book. I’m thoroughly enjoying it!
An older Pierce the Veil song that I somehow completely missed. I’m really loving this sound and downloaded the corresponding album.
On my bedside table: I have a random stack of library books to dive into soon after reading the book club book tonight. Thankfully it’s a short novella.
Being a sentient spaceship really should be more fun. But after spreading out through space for almost a century, Bob and his clones just can't stay out of...
Spice Rating: 6
When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens to anything but a dream. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years...
2026 Reading Challenges
For 2025, I added some reading challenges to my plan, but didn’t force myself to tailor my reading to those challenges. I had a good variety of challenges, but...
Favorite Books of the Year:
December TBR Pile (11/12):
Spice Rating: 5
Meet River Langston-Lee. In the past 24 hours, he’s dumped his girlfriend, walked out of his SATs, and quit his job at his parents’ cafe in spectacularly...
Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G6 for his language arts this year. While I love H&S, there’s never enough literature in there. Thankfully we have a...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny yet again and not too cold.
Spice Rating: 5
Still really enjoying this series. I loved seeing Persephone start to come into her power and role as Queen of the Underworld. I loved seeing her take...
Spice Rating: 4
Found Kami when she was featured in one of my favorite Instagram poster’s videos. She reminds me a lot of Amy Lee. I’m really digging her vibe.
As I look outside my window: It’s bright, but oh so cold! It is currently 11 degrees. Last night when I came home it was 2 degrees. BRRRRR!!!
Spice Rating: 2
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Very different vibe than her brother’s music, but I’ve really come to like Hannah Bahng’s music also.
Right now I am: Sitting surrounded by project stacks. I need to get some house organization stuff done this morning and prepare for tonight’s Co-op meeting.
Lily—a bored, beautiful twenty-something—wakes up on a remote desert compound, alongside nineteen other contestants competing on a massively popular reality...
It’s 1914. The Great War grips the world—and from the Western Front a strange story emerges…a story of St. George and a brigade of angels descending from...
Reading: In the middle of The Compound by Aisling Rawle. I really don’t know what I feel about this book. Definitely have mixed feelings.
Stray Kids dropped their new album and oh my goodness, I love it so much! “Divine” is hands-on my favorite of the tracks. But really the entire thing is a...
November TBR Pile (11/12):
Hailed in the New York Times as “a naturalist who can unfurl a sentence with the breathless ease of a master angler,” Robert Macfarlane brings his glittering...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the...
Bob Johansson didn't believe in an afterlife, so waking up after being killed in a car accident was a shock. To add to the surprise, he is now a sentient...
Another two weeks down! We’re getting closer to our Christmas break here. Managing to get a lot of work in during this in-between month.
I was listening to a podcast Bang Chan and Felix from Stray Kids created for Apple Music in 2024 and they highlighted this track by CL. I had no knowledge of...
Like everyone else in the settlement of Mistaken, Greer Mackenzie is trapped. Founded by an ambitious lumber merchant, the village is blessed with rich natural...
Reading: Another random library read with A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig. I went in blind and am so glad that I did.
Every once in awhile, Apple Music gives me a recommendation that I actually really love. This one definitely peaked my interest.
As I look outside my window: Within two days, all the leaves on the trees fell. We went from beautiful fall colors to nothing. I’m a bit sad that they didn’t...
Here's my randomness for the week:
This House Is Haunted is a striking homage to the classic nineteenth-century ghost story. Set in Norfolk in 1867, Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess...
Reading: I randomly picked up This House is Haunted by John Boyne from the library shelves. It’s a homage to Dickens and gothic ghost stories. I’m really...
This is actually two regular weeks and a Flex week all in one. But as expected, the end of October was crazy busy and we had to adjust. Now that we’ve reached...
K-Pop summer is over, but don’t worry, I’m still listening to K-Pop all the time. For November, I’m swinging back to metal as my comfort music. This week I had...
At the age of seven, in a London workhouse, newly-orphaned James meets ten-year-old Peter. Mysterious, mercurial, thoughtless to the point of cruelty, Peter...
Spice Rating: 6
The plague that devastated Asia and Europe in the 14th century has been of never-ending interest to both scholarly and general readers. Many books on the...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
October TBR Pile (26/30):
Here's my randomness for the week:
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast, but definitely not as much as yesterday.
The story begins in 1618, in the German duchy of Württemberg. Plague is spreading. The Thirty Years' War has begun, and fear and suspicion are in the air...
Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve...
Throughout history, books have inspired, informed, entertained, and enriched us. They have also kept us up through the night, thrilled us, and lured into their...
Spice Rating: 7
Reading: I grabbed Alma Katsu’s new book, Fiend, hoping for another great horror read. I’m about a third of the way in, but it’s not quite hitting the mark. We...
Another week full of fall fun. We didn’t get a ton of school work done, but did make some progress on certain things. But we had a ton of fun with friends and...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy. But today, I’m switching...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny but definitely fall temps today.
Some houses are merely haunted. Carrow House is something else entirely.
Spice Rating: 7
Despite being sent to another world as a Savior, Tsukina has managed to stay out of the spotlight and run her book cafe. With her marriage to her fiance Il on...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Tsukina has been keeping her great magical powers under wraps, content to spend her time with her book cafe and her fiancee, Il. And now that a new Savior,...
After being transported to another world by an orb that calls itself "God," Tsukina used her newfound magical powers to open up a cozy book cafe. Now that...
Since being transported to a new world Tsukina has made a cozy life for herself, doing magic and running a book cafe. She's even grown closer to Il, a handsome...
Tsukina is a single, thirty-something office worker who's favorite thing is curling up with a good book. When a god tells her that she must go to another world...
Fall is such a busy time for us. Between homeschool, the switch from enrichment to academic co-op, and fall activities such as Vala’s, we have lots of packed...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
Right now I am: Ready to leave for Junkstock! I had to miss May’s Junkstock, but thankfully my friend is free today to go.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from...
After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her...
After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her...
After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her...
After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her...
After a horrific carriage accident, Stella Violetta awakens in a Gothic mansion to find that her saviors are gorgeous young men. The manor’s residents let her...
Reading: After hearing about it from retreat friends, I picked up Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli. It’s a whole fantasy enemies-to-lovers YA story. Not...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast and rainy today. Thankfully the temperatures are going back down to acceptable fall temperatures.
Spice Rating: 4
Do you dare read this collection of terrifyingly gruesome tales? In this gripping volume, author Jen Campbell offers young readers an edgy, contemporary, and...
Spice Rating: 6
Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So...
September TBR Pile (13/14):
We’ve actually had our first Flex Week and a regular week these two past weeks. Our Flex Weeks are unplanned curriculum weeks that we can use to catch up with...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
As I look outside my window: It’s dark outside… the day really got away from me. So many tasks to be completed and errands to run.
Since Anabelle’s mother left for Earth to care for her own ailing mother, her days in New Galveston have been spent at school and her nights at her laconic...
Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide...
A mesmerizing biography of the brilliant and eccentric medical innovator who revolutionized American surgery and founded the country’s most famous museum of...
Spice Rating: 6
Here's my randomness for the week:
An ordinary family man, geologist, and Mormon, Soren Johansson has always believed he’ll be reunited with his loved ones after death in an eternal hereafter....
The Antidote opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing—not just under the weight...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
Sickness derailed our activities plans, but it did allow for us to get a ton of school work done. This leaves us with more time for activities in the next few...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
Here's my randomness for the week:
Nature abhors a straight line. The natural world is a place of curves and softened edges, of gentle mists and welcoming spirals. Nature remembers deviation;...
After the publication of her short story “The Lottery” in the New Yorker in 1948 received an unprecedented amount of attention, Shirley Jackson was quickly...
In terms of bookwork, we had a lighter week. Activities got in the way a bit, but we still managed to accomplish most of what I had planned. We are still...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
As I look outside my window: Another bright and sunny morning. Thankfully the temperatures aren’t going to be super high today.
Demeter just wants to do her job: shuttling humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri. Unfortunately, her passengers keep dying—and not from equipment failures,...
Spice Rating: 3Following one’s heart isn’t easy when family honor is at stake.As the right hand of her father’s hedge fund company, Fa Mulan knows what it...
Reading: I randomly picked up Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara truelove off of my Unread Shelf. And I must say that it is a delight. It’s a strange mix of...
Four weeks in and I feel like we are finally in the groove. I’m still a bit frustrated about some attitudes, but we got through a ton of curriculum. And we...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
August TBR Pile (14/17):
Finally! We get to see Persephone as the Queen of the Underworld. I’ve been waiting for eight volumes to see her come into her power. After a terrible trial...
At this rate... Junghyeok Yu will die today. Dokja has his hands full dealing with relentless monster attacks, as well as the Landlord Coalition’s tyranny. But...
IF YOU HAVE A SHRED OF PRIDE LEFT, STAND UP AND FIGHT!Inside the ruthless scenarios of TWSA, something as simple as getting a meal is a life-or-death struggle....
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 3
Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city....
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
We might be finally getting our footing for this year. We ended up doing schoolwork three out of the five days without much complaint and fuss. We completed...
“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter...
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Reading: I finally dove into Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint series. I’m really enjoying it. Unfortunately, the library only has the first four volumes. I will...
We’ve officially started our 6th year of homeschooling and I will admit that it’s been difficult. For whatever reason, the boys had a really hard transition...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.
As I look outside my window: Bright, sunny, going to be extremely hot today. I think I will stay inside thank you very much!
Here's my randomness for the week:
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy. Let’s embark on my Top 5...
Spice Rating: 8
THE ENDLESS TRAGEDIES OF THIS WORLD ALL BEGIN WITH THIS CHARACTER.Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse is Dokja’s favorite novel, or it was...until it became...
Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay...
Reading: I finally started a dark romance, Feathers So Vicious by Liv Zander, that a friend recommended to me months ago. There are definitely multiple content...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy. Let’s embark on my Top 5...
On my bedside table: I have a stack of library books that I need figure out which one to read first. And I have a few more manhwa volumes for my current...
AT THAT MOMENT, MY LIFE TOOK ON A DIFFERENT GENRE. As a struggling office worker, Dokja Kim’s sole joy in life is an online novel so obscure that he’s its only...
July TBR Pile (24/26):
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 5
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy. Let’s embark on my Top 5...
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Reading: I have officially fallen down the fan fiction rabbit hole. A friend and I have been sharing our favorite stories, series, and authors. It has wrecked...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy. Let’s embark on my Top 5...
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Hannah Cho had the next year all planned out—the perfect summer with her boyfriend, Nate, and then a fun senior year with their friends.But then Nate does what...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—vanishing from a room within a heavily...
It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy. Let’s embark on my Top 5...
Right now I am: Leaving for our Homeschool Co-op Steering Committee Meeting at a local coffeehouse. It shouldn’t be a long meeting, but we still have things to...
You already know Mr. Darcy—at least you think you do! The brooding, rude, standoffish romantic hero of Pride and Prejudice, Darcy initially insults and ignores...
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.He’s the headmaster...
Spice Rating: 7
Spice Rating: 7
“ONE OF YOU HAS TO DIE IN THE END.”Just when all hope of unearthing Raeliana’s memories seems lost…enter Iosa Ben! The dark priestess has the ability to awaken...
“THE ONLY ONE WHO MAKES MY HEART RACE EVER SO IS YOU.”Raeliana is off to save Noah from the terrorists’ trap, gun in hand and ready for action! But when the...
“IF SHE APPEARS BEFORE YOU…WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME THE SAME?”As the first snow of the year descends in luscious flurries on Chamus, so too follows a romantic...
A PLACE TO RETURN— NOT FOR THE RAELIANA McMILLAN WHO WAS…BUT FOR ME.Raeliana is putting on her detective cap! Set on unraveling the secrets behind her strange...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
As I look outside my window: Bright, sunny, and hot day. I am not a fan of this weather. The humidity was killing me.
“IF BEATRICE DOES SHOW UP…WILL HE KEEP LOVING ME?”Raeliana is being held hostage! Well, sort of. After being summoned to the palace by Noah’s half brother,...
It’s off to the temple for the torch-lighting ceremony! But what should be a mundane ritual is turned on its head when the legendary priest Heika Demint takes...
Raeliana McMillan thought she was escaping death through her fake engagement to Duke Noah Wynknight…only to realize that he’s a whole different kind of danger!...
The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While the robots were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction with only their...
Eunha Park thought she was getting another chance at life when she awoke in the world of a novel. The only problem? Raeliana McMillan, the character she was...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion....
June TBR Pile (29/34):
Next week I am going to reveal my Number 1 Stray Kids song. But first, I thought I would do my Top 5 subunit and solo songs. Can you guess my bias?
It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight,...
Spice Level: 5
Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 18In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and...
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Spice Rating: 4
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!Now that he’s officially a...
Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!Still trying to get his...
Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!Yu is formally enrolled in...
Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!Yu is whisked away to...
Every night, a young man hears children playing outside his boarding house—but the alley below his window is fenced off from the world. Then, when a young...
Spice Rating: 4.5
Countless tombstones stand in rows throughout a small community, forming a bizarre tableau. What fate awaits a brother and sister after a traffic accident in...
A vengeful family hides an army deserter for eight years after the end of World War II, cocooning him in a false reality where the war never ended. A pair of...
Reading: I got back into the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series. And holy cow, the story took a turn this week! I am floored.
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and going to be very hot today. I’m staying in doors.
Four people intent on killing themselves meet through the suicide website Black Paradox: Maruso, a nurse who despairs about the future; Taburo, a man who is...
The floating smell of death hangs over the island. What is it? A strange, legged fish appears on the scene... So begins Tadashi and Kaori's spiral into the...
Try not to be noticed when you eat the secret nectar, otherwise you’ll get smashed… What horrific events happened to create the earthbound—people tied to a...
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will...
Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
On my bedside table: More manga (mix of horror and fantasy), new Emily Henry book, new Abby Jimenez book
On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will...
Spice Rating: 5
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
What destiny awaits them after the screaming?After abruptly departing from a train in a small town, a couple encounters a “weeping woman”—a professional...
Reading: I’m deep into Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao for the retreat book selection. It has a beauty dreamy quality to the story. I’ve hit a bit of a...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny yet again. And the temperature is supposed to climb. I’m staying indoors today.
May TBR Pile (24/27):
Spice Rating: 3
Here's my randomness for the week:
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic,...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
The master of horror manga brings the world's greatest horror novel—Frankenstein—back to life.Junji Ito meets Mary Shelley! The master of horror manga bends...
As I look outside my window: It’s dreary today. Fits my mood I think.
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the...
This striking collection presents the most remarkable short works of Junji Ito’s career, featuring an adaptation of Ranpo Edogawa’s classic horror story “Human...
A woman walks alone at the foot of Mount Sengoku. A man appears, saying he’s been waiting for her, and invites her to a nearby village. Surprisingly, the...
Reading: I’m deep into the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series. I want to read a few more volumes before we start the anime.
They call it Faction Wars. The ninth floor. Nine armies, each led by rich and powerful aliens from across the galaxy. Each team has one objective: to capture...
Arbor Day Farm
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny although we are supposed to get rain later.
Ryusuke returns to the town he once lived in because rumors are swirling about girls killing themselves after encountering a bewitchingly handsome young man....
To fix the world they must first break it, further.Humanity is a dying breed, utterly reliant on artificial labor and service.When a domesticated robot gets a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Reading: I’m almost finished listening to the next Dungeon Crawler Carl book, The Inevitable Ruin, by Matt Dinniman. I only have about 2 hours left. I have...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
Right now I am: Getting ready to make brunch. Before then, I am hoping to get a bit of reading in.
A tumor shaped like a man’s face slowly moves across a woman’s body. The sea shoots glowing balls into the sky, much to the distress of beachgoers. And a girl...
An unknown planet emerges from inside a wormhole, and its discoverer, Dr. Oguro, christens the body “Remina” after his own daughter. His finding is met with...
What destiny awaits them after the screaming?A pair of twisted siblings—Yuuma, a young man obsessed with the devil, and Chizumi, the worst little sister in...
An old wooden mansion that turns on its inhabitants. A dissection class with a most unusual subject. A funeral where the dead are definitely not laid to rest....
We completed one regular school week and then a few days of another week before leaving for Indiana for Alex’s graduation. So I decided to combine these two...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
On my bedside table: The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
Tomie Kawakami is a femme fatale with long black hair and a beauty mark just under her left eye. She can seduce nearly any man, and drive them to murder as...
This volume includes nine of Junji Ito’s best short stories, as selected by the author himself and presented with accompanying notes and commentary. An arm...
Here's my randomness for the week:
April TBR Pile (32/33):
The conclusion of the fight against the Pillar Men! It has been a long and perilous journey for JoJo and his allies. Many battles have been fought and many...
JoJo and Caesar face their most powerful foe yet—the leader of the Pillar Men! Armed with the ability to create a weapon from any part of his body, he is more...
Based on my new obsession, I decided to do a Top 10 series of my favorite Stray Kids songs. There are so many songs, but I keep coming back to the same ones...
As I look outside my window: It’s a dreary day out there.
The battle against evil takes a diabolical twist as more Pillar Men awaken! Now it is up to Joseph Joestar and his new ally Caesar Zeppeli to try and stop...
The beginning of the Battle Tendency Arc! The Joestar family is called upon to do battle against evil again! This time, it’s Joseph Joestar, the grandson of...
Spice Rating: 4
The legendary Shonen Jump series, now available in English for the first time, in a deluxe edition featuring color pages and newly drawn cover art! JoJo’s...
The legendary Shonen Jump series, now available in English for the first time, in a deluxe edition featuring color pages and newly drawn cover art! JoJo’s...
The grand finale! The big finish! The climax! We speak, of course, about this, the end of the award-winning, boundary-pushing, taste-challenging SEX CRIMINALS....
Suzie and Jon have that special something—when they have sex, they freeze time and do crimes. Well—they HAD that special something. In the aftermath of what...
The legendary Shonen Jump series, now available in English for the first time, in a deluxe edition featuring color pages and newly drawn cover art! JoJo’s...
Reading: My reading brain is still a bit broken and so I’m all about horror manga right now. I checked out so many Junji Ito story collections for the next few...
We pushed through and finished a pretty normal week for us. My body decided to make me cancel Friday’s hike, but we did engage in a few other activities this...
Loving the new song from a favorite band of mine.
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that...
In 1947, photographer and war correspondent Janey Everett arrives at a remote surfing village on the Hawaiian island of Kauai to research a planned biography...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 6
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna were lost and scattered about. Should...
We had a normal week and a flex week. Basically it means that we came other the end of my preplanned weeks. I like to take a flex week to catch up on anything...
Completely missed that The Lumineers had a new album out.
As I look outside my window: It’s fairly sunny outside but the wind is still pretty high.
Contrary to popular belief, our predecessors had all sorts of obscene hobbies long before Christian Greyhit the scene. In this enlightening romp, learn about...
MONSTER TWIST: Shinichi vows to destroy Goto, one of the deadliest of the alien parasites that have invaded Earth-and people's bodies. But at the moment of...
ENDGAME: Shinichi is both man and monster. He's an ordinary high school student whose body has been invaded by an alien parasite. And he alone knows a terrible...
ENEMY MINE: Shinichi has been hiding his true nature from the world: His body has been colonized by an alien being, and now he's half-human, half-alien. The...
MONSTER: Shinichi was just an ordinary high school student, until his body was invaded by a parasite, a horrifying alien being. Now Shinichi is a monster with...
Where It Got It: Library
In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about....
Reading: Finally got and started reading Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert. Not sure if it is one of my favorites in this series, but I am enjoying it.
Fun collab between a band from Japan and one from Mexico.
As I look outside my window: It’s chilly but sunny today. Unfortunately, I am absolutely exhausted.
Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now...
In the war-torn London of 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora are evacuated to a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War....
SIXTH SENSE: Shinichi, an ordinary high school student, is the only one who knows that aliens have invaded Earth and are controlling the minds of thousands of...
Here's my randomness for the week:
ALIEN NATION: Aliens parasites have invaded Earth and taken over the minds of ordinary people. Shin has been infected with a parasite, but he still can think...
PERSONAL DEMON: Shin looks like an ordinary high school boy, but he has a terrible secret: an alien parasite has infected his body. This mysterious creature is...
March TBR Pile (24/25):
After a March filled with weird weather, this week finally cooperated and we took full advantage. Our schoolwork was shortened to spend multiple days outside...
I just absolutely adore her voice!
As I look outside my window: Another pretty gloomy day…
Everybody's favorite sex-having, time-freezing, bank-robbing crew of lovable love-misfits come together and ask themselves the big question: are we still into...
Where It Got It: Library
So it turns out Jon and Suzie aren't alone — other people around the world, like them, freeze time when they climax. A self-appointed group wants to regulate...
The second storyline from the Eisner-award winning SEX CRIMINALS finds the honeymoon to be over for Jon and Suzie. Once the thrill of new lust fades, where do...
Suzie's just a regular gal with an irregular gift: when she has sex, she stops time. One day she meets Jon and it turns out he has the same ability. And sooner...
Kira, Samm, and Marcus fight to prevent a final war between Partials and humans in the gripping final installment in the Partials Sequence, a series that...
SILENT INVASION: They arrive in silence and darkness. They descend from the skies. They have a hunger for human flesh. They are everywhere. They are parasites,...
Reading: My brain is a bit broken and so I have turned to manga to help myself out. Currently, I’m reading multiple series, but my current obsession is...
We had a full week planned with multiple activities and the last week of Academic Co-op. Unfortunately, a blizzard hit us on Tuesday night cancelling our...
How about a cover for today? I really love BMTH doing Oasis!
As I look outside my window: We’re alternating between sunshine and clouds with a lot of wind. Just a normal spring day here in the Midwest.
Spice Rating: 6
Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the cornerstone of CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal...
The next volume moves location and time once again. I found the switch to be a bit jarring and had to reorient myself. I didn’t really like how Lou’s story...
I read the first trade in this series back when it published I think and somehow forgot about it. I was going back through my records and decided to finish the...
After discovering the cure for RM, Kira Walker sets off on a terrifying journey into the ruins of postapocalyptic America and the darkest desires of her heart...
Another week full of regular schoolwork, co-op, and a few activities. Very very normal.
A band that I immediately liked the first time I heard it on the radio. Loving it!
As I look outside my window: It’s been a rainy weekend here. A storm rolled in on Friday night and the clouds stuck around. We definitely need the rain, but I...
Spice Rating: 4.5
Our Nerdy Bookish Friend selection for May (it got bumped from March). It’s been on my TBR for absolute years. I finally got around to it and I’m not sure...
The Secret Lives of Color tells the unusual stories of seventy-five fascinating shades, dyes, and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way...
It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord...
Reading: I’m almost finished reading Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s our book club selection this month and I have some mixed feelings. Waiting...
We had a pretty normal week. Lots of schoolwork, a few activities, but also weather that interrupted some plans. We had a big blizzard blow through on Tuesday...
And a turn to a band that I’ve been listening to for almost 30 years…
Spice Rating: 4
All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for...
We had a week of a ton of activities. Seriously, we only did book work school one day between a birthday party, a parent meeting, co-op, and the Valentine’s...
Another new-to-me artist that I stumbled upon. Reminds me a bit of Within Temptation.
On my bedside table: No idea yet… I’m currently reading five books, so I should finish those first. And I did start War and Peace, which will take me months to...
Spice Rating: 5
February TBR Pile (22/23):
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to...
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to...
Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died...
New-to-me artist that I stumbled upon.
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to...
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to...
When a mysterious tower appears in the skies over England, thirteen strangers are pulled from their lives to stand before it as a countdown begins. Above the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt's grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it...
Spice Rating: 5Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiancé and his derailed...
Absolutely amazing… and when Joan Jett came on stage, I thought everyone was going to just lose it.
As I look outside my window: The snowfall from Wednesday has stuck around and the wind has kicked up. It’s beautiful if I don’t want to drive anywhere.
For Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is also their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis. He will retain most of...
The Viking warship of King Cnut the Great. Henry VIII's the Mary Rose. Captain John Franklin's doomed HMS Terror. The SS Gairsoppa, destroyed by a Nazi U-boat...
Spice Rating: 5
Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not...
Reading: Finishing reading The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang for Dirty Book Month for book club. I actually have liked it a lot more that I was expecting.
Another week of winter 2025, another sickness impacting our scheduled activities. I really hope that we can get back to some activities this next week. As a...
Something very different for today… I love this mash up for NSYNC and Stray Kids from the AMA’s last year. Enjoy some fun K-Pop.
As I look outside my window: It’s alternating between cloudy and sunny, but it’s still very cold. Just another February day.
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to...
Spice Rating: 8
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 5
During the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father was executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz...
I think we are officially back on track for the spring semester. We managed to balance school work, some errands, and a bit of play this week without too much...
Almost a stripped down song for Badflower, but I’m digging it.
On my bedside table: I have the next three volumes of Alice and Borderland, a book about shipwrecks, and War and Peace (yes, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy).
Spice Rating: 8
January TBR Pile (19/22):
The world is about to end. Again.Ever since the first Storm wreaked havoc on civilization as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been holed up in...
Spice Rating: 8
Spice Rating: 8
Reading: Currently in the middle of a Book of the Month, Unread Shelf book The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. It’s the spooky ghost story that I was really needing...
More of our week was spent in your usual flow with school, co-op, and activities. I think that we ended the week in a really good place, I did implement a more...
Spice Rating: 5
In the Before, when the government didn't prohibit large public gatherings, Luce Cannon was on top of the world. One of her songs had just taken off and she...
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The woods are stirring again. . . . Lucia and her sisters grew up on the edge of Mockbeggar Woods. They knew it well—its danger, but also its beauty. As a...
Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of...
We got over the sickness and went back to our usual schedule. We had some school days, I had a dentist appointment, and we restarted co-op.
A new singer and slightly new sound for Anberlin. Another early 2000s band coming back!
On my bedside table: I’ve got a stack of library books to prioritize. Not quite sure which one I want to read first.
Spice Rating: 3
Spice Rating: 8
In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing...
Spice Meter: 3A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love, and finding your voice—the highly anticipated third installment of in the acclaimed and...
Isabella Waverly only means to comfort the woman felled on a London street. In her final dying moments, she thrusts a letter into Bella’s hand. It’s an offer...
The entire family came down with that norovirus that’s been going around the country. And let me tell, it was horrible. We had plans for activities and...
Looking forward to the new album dropping in March from Coheed and Cambria.
Spice Rating: 8
Jules is a young man barely a century old. He's lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three...
Spice Rating: 4
2025 Reading Challenges
House Goals/Resolutions
For 2024, I brought back reading challenges into my life. My overall challenges stat isn’t great, but look at that overall spots stat! I really managed to...
Favorite Books of the Year:
Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my...
December TBR Pile (21/24):
Spice Rating: 5
1990, Red Onion Mountain, Southwest Virginia. A bright flash of light slashes through the night sky. Something crashes on the mountain near the infamous "pot...
Spice Rating: 4.5Bowen Penhallow has always been a loner, studying dark and ancient magic on a mountaintop in Wales. He prefers it that way. But when his...
Spice Rating: 5
We wrapped up our fall semester in a great place. We managed to cover a ton of material while engaging in so many activities and fun outings. We are so ready...
Spice Rating: 5
Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my...
On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen...
Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to...
The Under the Mistletoe Collection is comprised of 5 original short stories presented through the Amazon Original Stories program. Stories from any of the...
Very exciting to have Adam back. It’s like the early 200s all over again.
Spice Rating: 3.5
The theory of evolution unites the past, present, and future of living things. It puts humanity’s place in the universe into necessary perspective. Despite a...
Spice Rating: 4
Here's my randomness for the week:
Still reeling from a recent tragedy, Erin Connolly knows she needs to start living, but has no idea how. When she accidentally donates her favorite book—a...
Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my...
Back to our normally schedule program. We managed to fit in a decent amount of school work along with a few activities with friends. Trying to make the most of...
Always love women rockers.
Right now I am: I am deciding what to make for brunch. I’m thinking either cranberry orange pound cake or pecan pie pound cake for today.
Spice Rating: 4
Spice Meter: 5
Twin sisters, divided by envy and magic, set against one another on a fateful Christmas EveLight and dark—this is the cursed birthright placed upon Clara and...
Spice Rating: 4 (couple of explicit scenes, but short and easy to skip)
The local radio station keeps playing this song. I finally really paid attention.
Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my...
Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.
November TBR Pile (18/19):
Spice Meter: 5
Where It Got It: Library
As summer comes to an end, Evie Von Rathe is determined to begin the search for her parents in earnest. Armed with her knowledge of the otherworldly, her mom’s...
A flex week and a regular week all rolled into one post. I took to heart my November goal of Take It Easy. We have continued our activities, but I lessened the...
Takes me back to college…
On my bedside table: I have a few more non-holiday reads left in my library pile. Up next is The Gargoyle’s Captive by Katee Robert.
A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They're the same thing really.'Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scot is an unusual girl. She can talk to...
From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But...
Spice Rating: 8
I finally got around to the beginning of this series and it was very enjoyable. Written as a scientific memoir, we follow Lady Trent on her first adventure...
Emo-pop? Um yes! I need some right now.
Right now I am: Enjoying my coffee before needing to go pick up Arthur from his first sleepover.
First-century Rome: A ruthless emperor watches over all—and fixes his gaze on one young woman...
Spice Rating: 5
The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her...
After the whirlwind that was August, September, and October, we hit November and everything slowed down. So so helpful for us. We grabbed a few minutes to...
Um… weirdly I’m digging this song this week
On my bedside table: Um… I have a ton of library checkouts, but not sure what I want to read next. I’m deep into a historical fiction right now.
Spice Rating: 6
Eighteen-year-old Ryohei Arisu is sick of his life. School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future feels like impending doom. As he struggles to exist...
Spice Rating: 8
Spice Rating: 3She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or...
Reading: I finally started reading the November book club selection, To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. I’m really intrigued by the story.
We celebrated the last fun bits of autumn before the weather turned. Two last visits to Vala’s, a fun Halloween night, and more outdoor activities. We even...
How did I miss that Snow Patrol has new music out? I really used to love them.
On my bedside table: The last spooky season reads and the beginnings of the holiday romances.
Evie Von Rathe has been home for only a few weeks from her adventure in the strange world of seven houses when Blight Harbor’s beloved ghosts begin to...
Let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.
October TBR Pile (26/27):
Spice Rating: 5 (although not really until the end)
An exquisitely talented young British author makes her American debut with this rapturously acclaimed historical novel, set in late nineteenth-century England,...
I got my hands on this volume pretty quickly after its release date. And we finally get some movement in the story. It’s less about the will they, won’t they,...
I had to combine two homeschooling weeks into one post. We were just too busy for me to get around to documenting. Fairly last minute, I actually planned the...
I keep coming back to this song lately…
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny but chilly. Perfect fall day!
Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. He is the founder, owner, and manager of The Hitchcock Hotel, a sprawling Victorian house in the White...
Spice Rating: 5
Eunice lives her life by three simple rules: One, always refer to Cinderella as family. Two, never let Cinderella gain access to rats or mice. Three, never...
Wells has come to Graves Glen to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded as well as to make a new life for himself after years of being...
Another find from the radio!
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and...
Spice Rating: 5
Evie Von Rathe lives in Blight Harbor—the seventh-most haunted town in America—with her Aunt Desdemona, the local paranormal expert. Des doesn’t have many...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower...
Spice Rating: 4Sometimes to truly know a person, you have to read between the lines.
My title sound really scary, but the big changes I am referring are actually great things. We officially started our new Academic Co-op. (More info later in...
Did I just find new artists to follow? Yep, I just did. Loving this song right now.
Upshot's hit series Year Zero returns with four new harrowing tales of survival from around a post apocalyptic world, set several months after the events on...
Ben Percy (Wolverine) and Ramon Rosanas (Star Wars: Age of Resistance) team up to present an epic tale that offers a global look at the Zombie Apocalypse. A...
Fixated on her.
Stephen’s god died on the longest day of the year…Three years later, Stephen is a broken paladin, living only for the chance to be useful before he dies. But...
For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the...
Spice Rating: 7
Reading: I got back into comics with Year Zero, a series about the zombie apocalypse.
Today’s post actually includes a Flex Week and a normal week. We’re deep in Vala’s season, so our weeks are a bit shorter and bit busier than usual. Still, We...
Lovely this collaboration! Such a great mix of two bands.
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny, but thankfully cooler than yesterday. It reached 96 degrees yesterday and I could feel it at Junkstock....
In this action-packed prelude to the hit series, acclaimed horror writer Daniel Kraus (George Romero's The Living Dead, The Autumnal) unveils four...
Overall, the stories behind the horror movies are pretty uneven. A few were very detailed and sufficiently creepy. I loved the chapters that detailed the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.
September TBR Pile (20/21):
Some major 90s angst this is new Halsey song. I think I might just love it!
I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year.
As I look outside my window: Bright and fairly warm. Our proper fall weather has warmed up again.
Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, stealing both her bird and her...
Another fun creepy Darcy Coates book for my Spooky Season. I didn’t realize that this was actual a novella and a few short stories. But I still really enjoyed...
Spice Rating: 5
There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and...
Cordelia knows her mother is . . . unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house—and her mother doesn't allow...
This week is our current normal: a few activities, some days of schoolwork. We got to visit Vala’s for the first time this season and it was amazing. The boys...
I’m really digging this new Linkin Park with Emily joining her massive vocals.
So very disappointed by this book. I was intrigued by the summary and interested in reading a dark magical story featuring a scrappy protagonist. What I got...
I also enjoy a Darcy Coates book for some spooky fun. This one involves a sunken ship and lots of creepy creepy scenes. I will say that every Coates book is a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Destry's life is dedicated to terraforming Sask-E. As part of the Environmental Rescue Team, she cares for the planet and its burgeoning eco-systems as her...
Finally I grabbed this volume of one of my favorite comic series. I loved how the story actually moved forward in this volume. The last one did not move the...
Oddly this past week just feels very meh for me. We covered a decent amount of schoolwork and had a few activities. But we also had a big car appointment and...
The two major sides of my music personality - metal and pop ska - together in one song. Plus, it’s a band from the 90s that I still love and a current band...
On my bedside table: All the spooky books! I have The Hacienda by Isabel Canas and Book of Night by Holly Black on the short stack.
Spice Rating: 6
Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the...
July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what...
Denver Bryant’s passion for pie has sent him across Wyoming in search of the best slices. Though he dutifully posts reviews on his blog, he’s never been able...
Reading: I’m currently deep into Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. It’s giving me all the spooky vibes that I was looking for....
This was our off week for co-op and we took advantage catching up on bookwork. We also ended up having a very light activity work. It was actually pretty nice...
Caught this song on the radio and realized how much I enjoy Bring Me the Horizon.
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny. It’s looking to be a warmer day than yesterday. I yearn for fall over here…
I finally picked up this book that’s been sitting on my shelves for a few years. We chose it as a book club read this fall. I was very intrigued by the...
A wonderfully creepy graphic novel version of a classic story. The art is decidedly vague when it comes to the count and the horror and very clear when we...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Where It Got It: Library
I always love reading “spooky” books during the fall. These books can be hard core horror or just very atmospheric. They could be mystery, romance, or fantasy....
Q’s History
Always love new music from Nothing More and I think this is my favorite song on the new album.
Let’s check in on August’s goals and my progress.
August TBR Pile (18/19):
Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where...
One of the most critically acclaimed and bestselling horror books of 2021 returns for its shocking second act—and now is the perfect time to enter the house!...
Reading: I’m deep into Kate Quinn’s new book The Briar Club. This is a different type of book for her. Still historical fiction, but this time we have a murder...
A’s science and ELA
I’m totally digging the Twisters soundtrack right now. A bit of departure from my usual music, but I’m loving it.
Such a disappointing read! I was hoping for some great cli-fi horror involving snails and an otherworldly presence. I was hoping for something like...
Right now I am: Heading out to the last academic co-op working meeting before we start in October. We still need to make a decision on location and some...
Labeled as romance. Let me tell you that this is not romance. There is no HEA here. There is not mutually respectful relationship between adults. There is a...
Spice Rating: 6
When an IT mix-up grants her access to her entire department’s private emails and DMs, Jolene knows she should report it, but who could resist reading what...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Reading: After social media pressure, I started reading The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. I’m not quite sure what I think about the book so far, but I will say...
We hit the ground running on Monday with a full week of curriculum and activities. My focus word for the year is balance. Last year, I felt like we let...
Not usually a huge fan of country, but I do love Lainey Wilson’s sound. Very old-school country.
But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar...
Newitz travels to all four sites and investigates the cutting-edge research in archaeology, revealing the mix of environmental changes and political turmoil...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I saw this book featured on an episode of The Big Door Prize and of course I had to grab it. I knew that it was going to be some cheesy young adult vampire...
Spice Rating: 5
A very old song that I rediscovered on the radio. I just really love their sound. Takes me back…
As I look outside my window: The sky is cloudy, but it’s still super humid. Not the best weather today.
Everyone who was invited to the house knows Walter-well, they know him a little, anyway. Some met him in childhood; some met him months ago. And Walter’s...
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Rating: 5
Really digging this collaboration.
In this account of America’s first women astronauts “Grush skillfully weaves a story that, at its heart, is about desire: not a nation’s desire to conquer...
Instead of a summer bucket list, we are just taking the weeks as they come. But we ended up having many adventures this month.
Let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
July TBR Pile (19/19):
New music from Something Corporate with Andrew McMahon! It’s been way too long.
Spice Rating: 5
Right now I am: Prepping for the Homeschool Seminar I’m hosting today. Lots of people are planning on coming (like 25), we’ll see who actually shows up.
Such a disappointment. I loved Albert’s Hazelwood series and was hoping for more dark fantasy. This one started very very slow and failed to go anywhere for...
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Education is not solely about acquiring information and skills across subject areas, but also about understanding how and why we believe what we do. At a time...
In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s...
New music from Palaye Royale. Very exciting!
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast this morning. Definitely rained last night. I would be fine with it as the temps are a bit cooler, but the...
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Rating: 5
To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every...
Historically, major women artists have been excluded from the mainstream art canon. Aligned with the resurgence of feminism in pop culture, Broad Strokes...
Reading: I’m deep into The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett for this month’s Nerdy Bookish Friends pick. I’m really enjoying this murder mystery set in am...
Song is great. The video is even better!
Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the...
Jasmine Yang arrives in New York City from her rural Chinese village without money or family support, fleeing a controlling husband, on a desperate search for...
Glass Town is an original graphic novel by Isabel Greenberg that encompasses the eccentric childhoods of the four Brontë children—Charlotte, Branwell, Emily,...
Spice Rating: 5Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a...
Last week I featured a song from Scott Pilgrim This week I’m featuring a band named after a character in that comics series. This one has such a great beat
After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage...
Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed. ...
Spice Rating: 4
‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’
Instead of a summer bucket list, we are just taking the weeks as they come. But we ended up having many adventures this month.
Reading: Getting ready to dive into the 3rd book in The Illuminae Files series, Obsidio. I am really enjoying this series.
Let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress.
Why do I keep coming back to old music? Still love it!
June TBR Pile (17/20):
I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year.
Well, that was decently fun. After two duds of books, I was really hoping for something fun and exciting that wouldn’t make me think too hard. This was just...
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him...
Set in a dangerous near future world, The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk...
A very old song and yet I pull out old Slipknot and Stone Sour at the most random times.
As I look outside my window: Very blue skies with no clouds. It’s going to be another scorching hot day.
On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker, happens to...
Spice Rating: 4
Spice Rating: 5 1/2 (due to all the murder)When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something...
September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to...
Reading: I’m almost finished with the current Nerdy Bookish Friends pick Annie Bot by Sierra Greer. I can’t say that I’m enjoying it, but it is interesting.
A YouTube discovery for me. Loving the sound.
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. The year is 2575, and two...
Another proper space horror adventure! I really enjoyed Barnes’s previous book Dead Silence and was hoping with would be another good horror adventure....
Here's my randomness for the week:
There’s the world you can see. And then there’s the one you can’t. Welcome to the Morningside.After being expelled from their ancestral home in a...
Most women can expect to have hundreds of periods in a lifetime. So why is real information so hard to find? Despite its significance, most education about...
A new discovery for me. Loving this more pop-rock sound.
As I look outside my window: Clear and bright. Thankfully the temperatures have decreased slightly…
It had seemed like a dream offer. Paint a mural. $15,000. How could Duke not jump at the chance?
Meet handsome prince, the jealous queen, and the beautiful girl as you’ve never seen them before . . . Sarah Pinborough’s charming, provocative, and adult spin...
In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently...
I spied this on a library featured shelf and immediately snatched it. I was hoping of a creepy fun ghost adventure. And that’s exactly what I got! We dive...
Reading: I’m slowly making my way through Blood by Jen Gunter. Just like one of her previous books, The Vagina Bible, I am learning so much! A must read.
We finally made it through our regular year of curriculum. We never really stop schooling, but we have finished with this year’s big curriculum pieces. For the...
And some new music for Nothing More. Apparently it’s the season for new music!
As I look outside my window: The big storm has rolled through this morning. I think the sun is now trying to come back out and shine.
Let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.
May TBR Pile (18/20):
Spice Rating: 4.5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t...
Reading: Finally diving into The Morningside by Téa Obreht. This is one of the retreat book club selections and I’m leading the discussions. I wanted to read...
Always up for new Black Veil Brides music.
Right now I am: I still need to decide what to make for brunch. Maybe coconut banana bread?
San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a...
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Meter: 5
A folk cover of a Vampire Weekend song. Love it!
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.In a dark and dusty...
"If you control our sleep, then you can own our dreams... And from there, it's easy to control our entire lives."January is a dying planet—divided between a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but...
Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his...
I seriously love his sound for when I want something not metal.
A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The...
Spice Rating: 6
Spice Rating: 5
Reading: I’ve been diving into A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall. I really been loving the atmosphere and the mystery of this book.
A’s ELA and Math
Right now I am: heading out to lead a meeting for our new homeschool academic coop. Hoping the conversation goes well.
A recommendation from a friend who has been finding this book life changing. I was most intrigued to see how this book could help me understand my autistic...
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on April’s goals and my progress.
April TBR Pile (19/21):
A pantheon of forgotten gods. An old grudge between a talk show host, an heiress, and the man they shattered along the way. A rapidly deteriorating AI system....
Spice Rating: 5
Everyone has wanted their favorite book to be real, if only for a moment. Everyone has wished to meet their favorite characters, if only for a day. But be...
Spice Rating: 5
We had a week of schedule changes and weather issues. We rescheduled the park playdate for the next day. Unfortunately coop could not be rescheduled and we had...
On my bedside table: Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham; Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
Moscow has resurrected the mammoth. But someone must teach them how to be mammoths, or they are doomed to die out again.Dr. Damira Khismatullina, an expert in...
In January 2314, Rowena Savalas – a curator of the vast archive of the twenty-first century’s primitive internet – stumbles upon a story posted in the summer...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a...
We ended up taking it a bit easy this week. My body was in a lot of pain, so I eased off our workload. Instead, we spent more time with some easy activities.
Right now I am: Prepping for brunch. I’m think about making Pecan Pie Pound Cake with eggs and bacon.
A book club selection this month. I was pulled in by the summary. It’s been awhile since I have read a good World War II novel and I had hoped that this would...
It’s been three months since Ollie made a daring deal with the smiling man to save those she loved, and then vanished without a trace. The smiling man promised...
Spice Rating:
I still really love this series, but it’s hitting a bit of a low point I think. The will-they-won’t-they portion is feeling a bit tired. And I’m not very happy...
A’s ELA, Math, and Science
As I look outside my window: It’s windy but at least the sun has come back out.
In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers...
“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the...
Reading: Diving into The Housemaid by Freida McFadden for upcoming book club. It’s a thriller, but I’m actually enjoying it right now.
Let’s check in on March’s goals and my progress.
March TBR Pile (25/31):
I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year.
Meet the mystical women and nonbinary people from US history who found strength through the supernatural—and those who are still forging the way today. From...
After many lonely years, Abby’s just gotten married. She met her new husband―a recently widowed dentist―when he arrived in town with his young daughter,...
From the day that old Nana Reja found a baby abandoned under a bridge, the life of a small Mexican town forever changed. Disfigured and covered in a blanket of...
Until next time. That was chilling promise made to Ollie, Coco and Brian after they outsmarted the smiling man at Mount Hemlock Resort. And as the trio knows,...
Spice Rating: 5
Q’s ELA
As I look outside my window: Sunny and bright but pretty cold. March’s weather is all over the place per usual.
Spice Rating: 5
In the Empire of Migdal Bavel, Cherry is married to Jerome, a wicked man who makes a diabolical wager with his friend Manfred: if Manfred can seduce Cherry in...
Here's my randomness for the week:
September 1896: An aspiring archaeologist, Smith College graduate Betsy Hayes travels to Athens, desperate to break into the male-dominated field of...
Spice Rating: 5
We ended up taking a bit of a break for W24. All three of us were a bit burned out and needed to scale back our school work to reenergize. For W25, we were...
Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore—she just wrote the world’s first comprehensive of encylopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets...
Spice Meter: 5
A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly...
Best friends and high school seniors Sadie and Logan make their first mistake when they ditch their end-of-year field trip to the amusement park in favor of...
Reading: I grabbed the new Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett and I am so in love with it! There’s an element of cozy fantasy in this...
When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless—straying from...
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
At the moment when Voyager 1 is launched into space carrying its famous golden record, a baby of unusual perception is born to a single mother in Philadelphia....
From multiple Eisner Award winning writer Tom King and up-and-coming artist Elsa Charretier comes the first volume of a thrilling, genre-bending romance/horror...
Our week went well and we accomplished a lot of school work. But, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we needed a bit of a break. Makes sense in the we haven’t...
A collaboration that I didn’t think I needed, but apparently I did. I love Adam’s voice and it is really well matched to John’s voice.
As I look outside my window: It’s super clear outside and supposed to be almost 70 degrees, but windy. We’re having book club outdoors instead of stuck in a...
When Melisande Stokes, an expert in linguistics and languages, accidently meets military intelligence operator Tristan Lyons in a hallway at Harvard...
Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.
February TBR Pile (26/28):
.Finally grabbed the second book in the Midsolar Murders series and enjoyed it. I must say that for a portion of this book, I was very annoyed by the lack of...
University student Mimi and her boyfriend Naoto encounter one chilling mystery after another. There’s the enigmatic neighbor woman dressed in black from head...
Reading: I finally got the second Midsolar Murders book, Chaos Terminal, by Mur Lafferty. I’m really digging these murders in space books.
Art and music time!
Another band back together and making new music. Love it!
As I look outside my window: Bright and clear with just a bit of cool temps.
Punk rock found itself at a crossroads in the mid-90’s. After indie favorite Nirvana catapulted into the mainstream with its unexpected phenomenon, Nevermind,...
Spice Rating: 8
Here's my randomness for the week:
Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that...
Antsy is the latest student to pass through the doors at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children.When the school’s (literally irresistible) mean girl...
So excited that Green Day is back making music. Still love them 30 years after discovering them.
Right now I am: Taking a break from a very busy day.
Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an audacious retelling of...
Evelyn is a witch with a perfect storm of impulses: terrible taste in bed partners, sticky fingers, and a lust for danger. After she steals from her vampire ex...
Attention. Attention. The gates are down. The hunters are loose.Run, Run, Run. A lush jungle teeming with danger. Savage dinosaurs seeking blood. A fallen...
Scotland, 1272. Connor MacKiernan, a descendant of the Fae Prince, is a warrior who lives only for honor and duty. Though he’s vowed never to marry, that’s...
It’s winter in the town of Eerie-on-Sea, where the mist is thick and the salt spray is rattling the windows of the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Inside, young Herbert...
Reading: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft. I picked up this fantasy Regency-inspired young adult novel. I’m only a few chapters in, but it is entertaining...
My example project
Another amazing collaboration!
Curator of paleontology Dr. Simon Nealy never expected to return to his Pennsylvania hometown, let alone the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History. He was just a...
As I look outside my window:
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a...
And we come to the end of the Sinister Summer series! And it was utterly delightful! I loved this play on A Series of Unfortunate Events with references to...
Spice Meter: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 5Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of...
Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a...
Apparently I’ve really been into women led hard rock bands lately.
Found this slim graphic novel on a library list for Fairy Tale books. I grabbed it and sped through in an afternoon. This is a beautiful little story about...
No, I didn't kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn't dump the body in the station mall.When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows...
I’m not usually a thriller person. I find them way too predictable and silly. But I heard good things about this one and was intrigued by the last person on a...
Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
January TBR Pile (31/31):
Reading: I picked up The Last One by Will Dean for my Clock Reading Challenge. I’m not usually into thrillers, but I was intrigued by this one.
The snow storms finally calmed down and we got back outside for some activities. Unfortunately, coop was cancelled due to a scheduling issue with the city. But...
I always love to see the collaborations from Apocalyptica and other artists. This one caught my ear.
As I look outside my window: The sun has finally decided to make a bit of a comeback after multiple days without it.
Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart -- he breaking under the...
Spice Rating: 5
At the height of the Cold War, Irina, a young Russian-American secretary, is plucked from the CIA typing pool and given the assignment of a lifetime. Her...
New Achievement! Total, Utter Failure.
The weather threw us for another loop and we had to cancel a variety of activities this week. On the flip side, we got a ton of random school bookwork done...
Throwback band for this week! Loving this new song. Bringing my punk days to the forefront.
As I look outside my window: It looks bright and sunny, but I know that it’s still very very cold.
Archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally. It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in...
Last year I read a great Bluebeard retelling (T. Kingfisher’s The Seventh Bride), so I had to go looking for another one. I found a ton of short stories in...
Welcome to the Gun Show!
Their lesson plans didn’t include love. But that’s about to change…When Martin Krause arrives at Rose Owens’s high school, she’s determined to remain chilly...
Spice Meter: 5
Spice Meter: 5
A mother-to-be is awed by her own mother’s chaotic and unknowable approach to life and its natural mysteries in a smart, witty, and whimsical story by the New...
Yorkshire, 1943. Lily Baines, a bright young debutante increasingly ground down by an endless war, has traded in her white gloves for a set of headphones. It’s...
Spice Meter: 5
Reading: I dove into next month’s book club selection, The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott, and I’m very intrigued by the Cold War historical fiction.
After a few weeks of light schoolwork and complete break, we were back at it last week with a full curriculum load. We had planned on chemistry class, a field...
Random found this band on YouTube. That voice is just absolutely amazing!
"The training levels have concluded. Now the games may truly begin."
As I look outside my window: Everything is white. That last winter storm dropped a ton more snow and the wind hasn’t let up. The below zero temperatures are...
Empress Elizabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, is the Princess Diana of nineteenth-century Europe. Famously beautiful, as captured in a portrait with diamond...
Mrs. Sherlock Holmes tells the true story of Mrs. Grace Humiston, the detective and lawyer who turned her back on New York society life to become one of the...
Plodding. That’s the one word that comes to mind in attempting a review of this book. I just couldn’t seem to stay engaged in the story or the characters. Most...
Spice Meter: 5
In spite of the hyper-connected culture we live in today, women still feel shamed for oversharing and being publicly vulnerable. And no matter how many friends...
Another year, another attempt at reading challenges. Once again, I’m going to try to complete a variety of challenges. At the same time, I really want to keep...
“I was in an accident. I got out. I'm safe now.” An alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, where a damaged clock can fracture time—and a...
House Goals/Resolutions
The apocalypse will be televised!
For 2023, I brought back reading challenges into my life. Let’s see which ones I actually finished.
Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.
Favorite Books of the Year:
We didn’t finish this list, but I’m very much okay with that this year. We needed to take everything a little easier this year. I’m grateful for the slower...
December TBR Pilev (22/25):
Spice Meter: 5
Since stumbling from their world into the Up and Under, Avery and Zib have walked the improbable road across forests, seas and skies, finding friends in the...
I was upgraded to first class on a flight from London to New York. The food, champagne, and service were impeccable. The blue-eyed man sitting next to me,...
Spice Meter: 4
Spice Meter: 5
Spice Meter: 1
Spice Meter: 5
We are definitely ready for Christmas break! It’s been a hectic couple of weeks to finish this semester and I’m ready to be done for a bit. We ended up...
Spice Meter: 4
As I look outside my window:
Professor Vellitt Boe teaches at the prestigious Ulthar Women’s College. When one of her most gifted students elopes with a dreamer from the waking world,...
Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list. Let’s see what I’m hoping to do this year:
Spice Rating: 2
"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son...
Spice Meter: 5
Reading: I’m deep into Holiday Romances. I always love to end my year with some light-hearted holiday themed romances.
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Meter: 2
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Meter : 5
Spice Meter: 1
Here's my randomness for the week:
Jay Gardiner has given himself a fool’s errand—to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. He knows it’s...
Jill and Derick knew a normal life wasn’t possible for them. As a star on the popular TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, Jill grew up in front of viewers...
The Fox stories
Another good one from Beartooth!
As I look outside my window: It’s pretty gray and dreary today. And I think the temps are going to hover in the 30s. It’s definitely an inside day.
Spice Rating: 5
Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.
Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list. Let’s see what I’m hoping to do this year:
My favorite season of the year. Decent showing this year, even if I decided to slow everything down and rest this season.
November TBR Pile (21/27):
Spice Rating: 5
Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub...
Reading: I’m in between two books at the moment. I picked Whalefall by Daniel Kraus as my lighter thrillers and Bad Bachelor by Stephanie London as a potential...
Another song I can’t get out of my head.
As I look outside my window: Very gray and dark after our snow last night.
In the near future, if Vegas games are ingeniously scam-proof, then the heists have to be too, in this imaginative and whip-smart story by the New York Times...
What’s more frightening: Not knowing who you are? Or finding out? A Bram Stoker Award–winning author explores the answer in a chilling story about identity and...
Nature or nurture? Neither. Discover a bold new way to raise a child in this unsettling story of the near future by the New York Times bestselling author of A...
What will become of our self-destructed planet? The answer shatters all expectations in this subversive speculation from the Hugo Award–winning author of the...
A video game developer becomes obsessed with a willful character in her new project, in a mind-bending exploration of what it means to be human by the New York...
On the eve of Earth’s destruction, a young scientist discovers something too precious to lose, in a story of cataclysm and hope by the #1 New York Times...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 3
I was intrigued by this alternative history, but ended up really disappointed in the execution. The main issue is that I am uncertain as to the point of this...
We love our coop. I love the creation of a community and the opportunities we have with them. But... there have been a few hiccups lately that have really...
Not exactly sure why, but I can’t get this song out my head lately.
Spice Rating: 5
I don’t quite know how to explain this book and why I enjoyed it. It’s a weird meandering trip through a strange land that reveres books and authors above all...
Spice Rating: 5
Female characters throughout history have been burdened by the moral trap that is likeability. Any woman who dares to reveal her messy side has been treated as...
Reading: So close to finishing The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers for Nerdy Bookish Friends book club. It’s such a weird book but I am enjoying it.
Another week full of activities that impeded on our book work. We managed to find two mornings to focus on book work. In looking at the next week, we’re going...
I keep going back to Bad Omens… Guess I’m really digging their sound.
As I look outside my window: After weeks where our backyard tree stayed green with just a tinge of red on one side. In two days, all of the leaves dropped. I...
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
Spice Rating: 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Four years ago, five kids started a game. Not all of them survived.Now, at the end of their senior year of high school, the survivors—Owen, Madeline, Emerson,...
When Margaret and her husband Hal bought the large Victorian house on Hawthorn Street—for sale at a surprisingly reasonable price—they couldn’t believe they...
Art and Music Books
Two powerhouses together! I love it!
As I look outside my window: The temperatures have increased and we’re back to the high 50s and low 60s.
Spice Rating: 6
Spice Rating: 6
Spice Rating: 5
Let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.
October TBR Pile (25/26):
This is actually a recap of two weeks: one normal week and one flex week. But, I’m really asking myself, What happened to my weeks? Everything seemed to just...
Oh. Great new song from them!
The Yaga siblings—Bellatine, a young woodworker, and Isaac, a wayfaring street performer and con artist—have been estranged since childhood, separated both by...
As I look outside my window: It’s very cloudy and currently 30 degrees. Quite a turn from the highs in the 80s from a week and a half ago. I had really hoped...
Goblin seems like any other ordinary small town. But with the master storyteller Josh Malerman as your tour guide, you’ll discover the secrets that hide behind...
1919. In a Highland village forgotten by the world, the young people who remain after war and flu will soon head south to make something of themselves.
Spice Rating: 3
Here's my randomness for the week:
The first in a trilogy, this gritty, fast-paced fantasy is rife with the unexpected. Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He...
It should have been the trip of a lifetime.When Liv lands an all-expenses-paid opportunity to study aboard the luxury cruise ship The Eosfor a semester, she...
I dream sometimes about a house I’ve never seen….Opal is a lot of things—orphan, high school dropout, full-time cynic and part-time cashier—but above all,...
Oh, what a collaboration! I’m so digging this song this week.
Jesse Custer was just a small-town preacher in Texas... until his congregation was flattened by powers beyond his control and the Preacher became imbued with...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and going to be pretty warm today. I would like the fall temps back please.
A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her...
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
When the bodies of two girls are found torn apart in the town of Smiths Hollow, Lauren is surprised, but she also expects that the police won't find the...
In Savage Appetites, Rachel Monroe links four criminal roles—Detective, Victim, Defender, and Killer—to four true stories about women driven by obsession. From...
As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from...
Reading: I started Starling House by Alix E. Harrow. Loving this haunted house story.
Q’s Monday ELA, Math, and History
Oh yes! Loving this new collaboration. Apparently I’m on a bit of an emo kick lately.
Right now I am: Grabbing my sweater to head on out to the coop steering committee meeting. This will be our first one and I’m excited to start chatting about...
This isn't the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince.It's the one where she kills him.Marra never wanted to be a hero. As the shy,...
Young Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Once upon a time, a girl skipped into the forest and became a zombie.Wait, no, that's not how this story is supposed to go. Let's try again.Once upon a time, a...
Fade to Black is the newest hit ghost hunting reality TV show. Led by husband and wife team Matt and Claire Kirklin, it delivers weekly hauntings investigated...
Very much into this newer song by Spiritbox. I love how the singer can change her voice so much.
Two years ago, a small percentage of population underwent a transformation known as the Hollowing. Those affected were only able to survive by consuming human...
When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s...
In the explosive finale to New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost’s Night Prince series, Vlad is in danger of losing his bride to an enemy whose...
WELCOME TO CRESTFALL BLUFFS! With law school and her whole life ahead of her, Joey plans to spend the summer with her boyfriend Astor at his seemingly perfect...
Up until this volume, I adored this series. I loved seeing Feyre find her place and make a family. I loved the political dealings between all the factions. I...
Reading: I picked up Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie from a list of truly terrifying novels and it’s living up to its reputation. Very, very spooky read for...
Math & ELA Monday
Finally, we get new music Mark, Tom, and Travis. I’m so excited about their new album!
Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.
September TBR Pile (28/29):
Spice Rating: 5
There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew...
CW: Child death
Thirty-four-year-old Harry Crane works as an analyst for the US Forest Service. When his wife dies suddenly, Harry, despairing, retreats north to lose himself...
And lots of play areas.
Great mixing of voices and styles, but too short!
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best...
As I look outside my window: The sun is back out after yesterday’s clouds. But the temps are staying lower, so it should be just about perfect.
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
Spice Rating: 5
Once upon a time, a no-frills J.Crew rollneck sweater held an almost mystical power—or at least it felt that way. The story of J.Crew is the story of the...
Illness and travel really impacted our bucket list this year.
When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving...
Not many kids have an island in their backyard, but suddenly, the Snolly sisters have three. They’re staying at Granddaddy’s seaside property for the summer,...
Spice Rating: 8
Reading: I was disappointed by my current Kindle read, so I picked up Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher. Loving this weird and fractured fairy tale story.
Loving this new epic song.
Spice Rating: 4
In an Arizona desert, a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that make no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)The Grave Ends Here.Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones. They...
WIt’s the day before Christmas and the Kings all converge on Excalibur, each determined to be the true ruler. Chaos arises! What if no one has the strength to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Oh I am obsessed with this series! I just love this fresh take on the Hades and Persephone story. Even more than their story, all of the side characters really...
Cinderella's happily-ever-after isn't turning out the way she expected. With her fairy godmother imprisoned in the castle and a mysterious stranger haunting...
Spice Rating: 5
A strange week. I had everything planned out and then our plans on Thursday and Friday drastically changed. It really threw me off a bit.
Seriously, this new Nita Strauss may be my new favorite. Every song is amazing!
Ten-year-old Alice is moving for the eleventh time.
As I look outside my window: The clouds are back but thankfully the temperatures are where they should be for this time of year. I’m totally ready for fall...
After years of pretending to be human, the changeling Edmund Carter has assumed his rightful role as Cinder, king of the World Below. But not everyone at the...
Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, his fae powers hidden from his unsuspecting parents...
For millennia, humans have used one simple method to solve problems. Whether it's planting crops, building skyscrapers, developing photographs, or designing...
No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.
Spice Rating: 5 (but with vampires)
Reading: Nerdy Bookish Friends is reading Timeline by Michael Crichton this month. I’ve never actually read this one. Interested to see how it goes.
We ended up leaving the house every day this week and I very much disliked it. We did managed to cover most of our planned curriculum for the week including a...
Another Nita Strauss banger… this time with Chris from Motionless in White.
As I look outside my window:
I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year....
Let’s check in on August’s goals and my progress.
August TBR Pile (23/23):
Oh that was utterly delightful! I loved the ensemble within this volume. We get to see how many of the kids work tougher to solve the mystery of their parents’...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing morethan a little downtime with her vampire...
The temperatures soared past 100 degrees almost every single day this past week. We even had to cancel coop because of the high heat. And so, we ended up...
A Guitar master and a rock goddess together for a great song!
As I look outside my window: Another sunny and bright day, but thankfully a lot cooler than this past week.
Another decent, but not my favorite book that we’ve read for the Nerdy Bookish Friends book club. I had heard of this book mentioned in sci-fi circles as an...
If you are looking for a series that dupes A Series of Unfortunate Events is some clever ways, pick this one up! I absolutely adore this creepy mystery series....
Spice Rating: 5
Ringmaster — Rin, to those who know her best — can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. And...
Reading: I’m continuing with Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. I hope to finish it soon-ish. Maybe by October.
Our second week and I, once again, over scheduled our curriculum. It’s going to take me a few weeks to settle into a good sustainable routine, but we will get...
Seriously, I love her voice…
I missed making this post last week as I was in the middle of a medical issue. But I’m back and feeling a bit better, so let’s see what we have on our summer...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and the temperatures are going to be so high today. Hopefully, I can stay cool.
A strange plague called the ‘Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys,...
Death is her destiny.Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of...
amanda lovelace, the bestselling & award-winning author of the “women are some kind of magic” poetry series, presents a new companion series, “you are your own...
Arthur started 4th grade and Quentin started 1st grade this Monday. Of course, I over scheduled us and overestimated how much curriculum we would actually get...
Sometimes I just really need a good pop song to groove to. And this really hits the spot.
As I look outside my window: It rained again last night. And it’s still pretty wet this morning. Glad it happened on a home day and not a park playdate day.
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)Isabella Spaga is about to reluctantly walk down the aisle with Mr. Dangerously Wrong…but not if dashing vampire...
The library finally got the rest of this series for me to enjoy. I loved the first one and couldn’t wait to dive into the rest. The series reminds me a lot of...
Spice Rating: 5
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this horror novel, but found that it very very scary. Not in a jump scare way at all, but in a “this is too close to...
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Rating: 5
Reading: I picked up another old BOTM selection from my Unread Shelf and started reading The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker. I’m only a few chapters in and...
I really miss Chester’s voice.
As I look outside my window: It’s overcast and a bit drizzly. Definitely a change from the days of sun and 90 degrees last week.
If you’re planning on falling in love…
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The eye-opening, funny, and dangerous personal story of author Emily Lynn Paulson rising to the top of the pyramid in the multilevel marketing (MLM) world,...
Let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
So now I have the supplies, it’s time to start planning and gathering everything I want to do. I’m a Type A planner that always feels better with a good plan...
Blast for my high school/college years! I can’t believe Matchbox Twenty is back with new music. Love it.
July TBR Pile (21/27):
“Sharks are as timid as rabbits,” says a superintendent of the Coast Guard, dismissing the possibility that a shark could be the culprit in an unprecedented...
Newly homeless, a group of fairies find themselves trying to adapt to their new life in the forest. As they dodge dangers from both without and within,...
Hazel Sinnett is alone and half-convinced the events of the year before—the immortality, Beecham’s vial—were a figment of her imagination. She doesn’t even...
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit with a vampire)
According to the accepted narrative of progress, humans have thrived thanks to their brains and brawn, collectively bending the arc of history. But in this...
Reading: I think summer is the perfect time to read Silent Came the Monster by Amy Hill Hearth. It’s a fictionalized account of the shark attack off of New...
Sometimes I need some pop in my life. This really hit the spot.
On my bedside table: Anatomy and Immortality by Dana Schwartz
It's 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the...
The Handmaid’s Tale meets The Hunger Games in this brilliantly imagined debut set in an ancient culture where only the queen may breed and deformity means...
Camp nights or camp frights?
I missed making this post last week as I was in the middle of a medical issue. But I’m back and feeling a bit better, so let’s see what we have on our summer...
Here's my randomness for the week:
A virus tears across the globe, transforming its victims in nightmarish ways. As the world collapses, dark forces pull a small group of women together.Erin,...
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures...
We’re ready for another year of homeschooling! In fact, it’s our fourth year of homeschooling and we’ve found our groove. We’re continuing with most of the...
We’re ready for another year of homeschooling! In fact, it’s our fourth year of homeschooling and we’ve found our groove. We’re continuing with most of the...
Very reminiscent of their older stuff, but with a new edge. Digging it!
On my bedside table: Anatomy by Dana Schwartz (reread for book club); Pathogenesis by Jonathan Kennedy
When Laura Costello moves to Los Angeles, trying to escape an overprotective family and the haunting memories of a terrible accident, she doesn’t expect to be...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)Danger waits on both sides of the grave.
Spice Rating: 5The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at...
Make a wish. . . .Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness,...
Reading: Making my way through Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman for our July book club selection. I loved The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and this is a...
Reminiscent of the 90s. Loving this song right now.
When Mouse’s dad asks her to clean out her dead grandmother's house, she says yes. After all, how bad could it be?Answer: pretty bad. Grandma was a hoarder,...
On my bedside table: The Bees by Laline Paull; Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman
Spice Meter: 4
Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Emery Blackwood’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years...
Reading: The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox; I thought it was going to be a moody ghost story, but I don’t think there’s going to be anything actually...
The year is 1883 and the mining town of Goetia is booming as prospectors from near and far come to mine the powerful new element Divinity from the high...
This is the mash-up of artists that I needed this week. Love how BMTH made the song their own.
Let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress. Despite a big medical issue towards the end of the month, I managed to hit all of my goals.
June TBR Pile (24/26):
A fierce dispute among the Gods and the theft of a powerful Orb leaves the World divided into five kingdoms. Young Garion, with his "Aunt Pol" and an elderly...
Flesh-hungry ogres? Brains full of spiders? Haunted houses you can’t escape? This collection of 35 terrifying stories from the Horror Writers Association has...
It’s America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. The few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In this world, we meet characters like Frank Frink,...
In this thoroughly satisfying and completely disorienting novel based on a story line by Douglas Adams (author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), Terry...
I missed making this post last week as I was in the middle of a medical issue. But I’m back and feeling a bit better, so let’s see what we have on our summer...
It begins in an unnamed city nicknamed “the Fairest”, it is distinguished by many things from the river fair to the mountains that split the municipality in...
Such a great collaboration! The mix of music styles of masterful.
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Rating: 5Despite her illustrious title, Camille, Duchess of Hereford, remains what she has always been—a pariah. Though her title means she’s technically...
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also...
Another season, another bucket list. Our main goal is to get out in nature weekly.
With lyrical prose and striking verse, beloved poet Nikita Gill (Fierce Fairytales, Wild Embers) uses the history of Ancient Greece and beyond to explore and...
New music from the frontman of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Loving this new sound!
They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster.
Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It's called...
Steam Rating: 4
Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay by a disgraced rabbi knowledgeable in the ways of dark Kabbalistic magic. She serves as the wife to a Polish merchant...
Maria’s one-night-stand—the thick-thighed, sexy Viking of a man she left without a word or a note—just reappeared. Apparently, Peter’s her surly Gods of the...
Reading: I grabbed an ebook loan of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. I’ve heard so many great things about this action packed fantasy. I’m only about 60 pages...
Absolutely adore this cover the Iron Maiden song. It’s a great nod to the original, but with their own spin on it.
One hundred years ago, the world celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, which connected the world’s two largest oceans and signaled America’s emergence as...
Gerald, a mid-level employee of a New York–based public relations firm has been uploaded into the company’s internal Slack channels—at least his consciousness...
Spice Rating: 6
Paradise-1. Earth’s first deep space colony. For thousands of people, it was an opportunity for a new life. Until it went dark.No communication has been...
Spice Rating: 4Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is...
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Gardener, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is the utterly beguiling tale of a ten-year-old blind...
As we hit May, our school curriculum plan starts to wind down a bit. We wrapped up a ton of curriculum pieces and transitioned to our summer plans.
Oh this one was a banger! Seriously definitely need to put it on heavy rotation.
Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation are all she know. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope...
I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year....
Let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.
May TBR Pile (21/24):
Métis millennial Lucky St. James is barely hanging on when she learns she’ll be evicted from the tiny Toronto apartment she shares with her cantankerous but...
Reading: I grabbed Paradise-1 by David Wellington off the new books shelf. I was hoping for a horror filled scifi adventure and I’m definitely getting that...
This cover just really hits the spot this week. Absolutely love the update of one of my favorite songs.
On my bedside table: The Secret Society of Tea and Treason by India Holton; Paradise-1 by David Wellington
She’s going too far to go it alone. It is 1950. London is still reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to get...
After feigning her own death in Cornwall to escape from Moriarty’s perilous attention, Charlotte Holmes goes into hiding. But then she receives a tempting...
Spice Rating: 6
Here's my randomness for the week:
Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her...
Mariel Prager needs a break. Her husband Ned is having an identity crisis, her spunky, beloved restaurant is bleeding money by the day, and her mother Florence...
As we hit May, our school curriculum plan starts to wind down a bit. We are schooling through the summer, but I ease up our big curriculum and focus on smaller...
Really digging this new song from I Prevail. I’m definitely on a hard rock kick lately.
Spice Rating: 4
As I look outside my window: Very clear. Thankfully the smoke from the Canadian wildfires has moved out the area. It was super hazy the other day. Not to...
Spice Rating: 4
Another season, another bucket list. Our main goal is to get out in nature weekly.
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher...
Spice Rating: 5
Reading: A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas - I finally got the next Lady Sherlock book and am absolutely loving it!
As we hit May, our school curriculum plan starts to wind down a bit. We are schooling through the summer, but I ease up our big curriculum and focus on smaller...
And another new song… Really digging this new song. I need to go and download this album immediately.
As I look outside my window:
When you walk in the woods, do you use all five senses to explore your surroundings? For most of us, the answer is no—but when we do, a walk in the woods can...
When a scarecrow climbs over the garden wall, delivering twelve-year-old orphan Zita Brydgeborn a letter saying she has inherited a distant castle, she jumps...
Here's my randomness for the week:
“I’m cursed, haven’t you heard?”Outside the last city on Earth, the planet is a wasteland. Without the Archive, where the genes of the dead are stored,...
Spice Rating: 3
A smallish week in terms of school work, but a full week full of activities and errands.
A new Pierce the Veil song! Woohoo! Totally into this song right now.
As nature becomes ever more precious, we all want to spend more time appreciating it. But time is often hard to come by. And how do we appreciate nature...
Spice Rating: 2Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she's worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly...
"Mom seems off." Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.She brushes...
Let’s check in on April’s goals and my progress.
Reading: After a disappointing historical romance, I wanted something a bit more fun. I’ve picked up When in Rome by Sarah Adams and so far, it’s hitting the...
This wrap up is another one with a Flex Week and a regular week all wrapped into one. Unfortunately, I had a massive pain flare during the regular week that...
April TBR Pile (16/27):
On the brink of the Nazi occupation of Paris, a German-Jewish bookbinder stumbles across a manuscript called Crossings. It has three narratives, each as...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit with a vampire)
Here's my randomness for the week:
“Mothers fly away like migrating birds. This is why farmers have daughters.”A fifteen-year-old teenager is the backbone of her small Midwestern family,...
Pray they are hungry.Kara finds the words in the mysterious bunker that she’s discovered behind a hole in the wall of her uncle’s house. Freshly divorced and...
Another banger from the Scream VI soundtrack. Love the cameos from Spencer and Mike.
On my bedside table: The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill; Crossings by Alex Landrigan
For much of the 20th and 21st centuries, women’s sexuality was an uncharted territory in science, studied far less frequently—and far less seriously—than its...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)Her deadly dreams leave her in grave danger
Another season, another bucket list. Our main goal is to get out in nature weekly.
Reading: Tackling The Library of the Unwritten by AJ Hackwith for next month’s book club selection. It’s an interesting fantasy novel, but I’ve been moving...
On the schoolwork front, we had a normal week. Outside of the table work, we spent a lot of time outside. It was great to take advantage of the great weather...
Apparently the new Scream movie has a great soundtrack. This is the perfect song for me.
As I look outside my window: It’s cold, windy, cloudy, and rainy. After temps in the 80s this past week, we’ve dropped back to around 40 degrees for this...
Spice Meter: 4
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Meter: 5
With our foster chickens, our school time was greatly decreased. They were just too entertaining to hang out with. Plus we had to farm/nature walks and our...
To follow up with last week’s Music Monday. I’m very into this new song from AM.
As I look outside my window: There are Easter Eggs all over our yard, just waiting for the boys to notice and go get them.
Spice Meter: 6
1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious...
Spice Rating: 5 (albeit with a vampire)
Spice Rating: 5
Reading: The Night Ship by Jess Kidd - I’m actually reading a book off of my Unread Shelf. It’s interesting, but a bit sad and slow.
The temperature finally went above 60 degrees for a great day out and about. We took off the rest of Thursday in favor of joining friends at the park. As such,...
This is a fan mashup of these two groups doing the Arctic Monkeys, but it was just so magical that I had to add it.
As I look outside my window:
Let’s check in on March’s goals and my progress.
I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year....
March TBR Pile (22/29):
Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Who needs mistletoe?
I am a Weyward, and wild inside. 2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely...
We had a Flex Week (so needed this time around) and a normal week in the past two weeks. Beyond the actual teaching, I’ve been thinking about and planning for...
Another older song that I just rediscovered. Love it!
Finally, I got Gordon’s follow up to her first book. I had really been excited about this volume and make no mistake, this is a great book. It just fell a...
Right now I am: Needing to get brunch started soon. And I would like to work on my craft project before my zoom book club later today.
Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the...
Spice Meter: 5
New York City as you’ve never seen it before. A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future, where anything is possible—if...
In Acid for the Children, Flea takes readers on a deeply personal and revealing tour of his formative years, spanning from Australia to the New York City...
Reading: I picked up The Drift by CJ Tudor after a recommendation from my favorite book podcast. It is definitely a thrill ride!
An old song, but I recently rediscovered it and am totally in love again.
Another season, another bucket list. Our main goal is to get out in nature weekly.
Not quite the showing I was hoping for, but we did get out and about a ton this season.
One knock at the door, and Stefania has a choice to make...
Not a happy book by any definition, but a very important book to read. A lot of what is covered in these pages has been mentioned on Gordon’s podcast...
Here's my randomness for the week:
It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just Taylor and her beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in their rental house has...
This one was a slog! I absolutely adore The Great Gatsby, and was wanting to cover Fitzgerald’s other major works. Everything about this one feels so clunky....
(See my Low later on to explain the title of this post.) In general, we flew through a ton of curriculum. In fact, I’m getting a little concern that we are...
New music from Fall Out Boy! It feels like it’s 2007, but I’m totally here for it!
On my bedside table: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey; Acid for the Children by Flea
Rumors begin to spread of a dangerous species of hyperintelligent octopus that may have developed its own language and culture. The marine biologist Dr. Ha...
When love drives you crazy . . .
Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. He was a scholar of myths. She was...
Reading: The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler - I’m so in deep into this science fiction adventure. It’s so good.
It was a simple normal week. Nothing too out of the ordinary or special. But sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. We need the routine and the ordinary.
There’s something about the voice that really draws me in. I could listen to this song on repeat.
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and going to be in the low 60s today.
Welcome to the Arcadia.
The Currently Reading Podcast and Schuler Books made me pick up this book! I was very intrigued by a murder mystery on a space station that only a few human...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.
February TBR Pile (24/27):
Spice Rating: 5King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time—in bed and out—and...
We were excited to start our week off with a bowling date and wanted to continue the fun with other activities. Unfortunately, we got hit with an ice storm...
I’m so digging Miley’s new song. It’s strong and amazing!
Entering into another winter bucket list.
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny and just a bit chilly. Looks like a lovely day.
Spice Meter: 5
Overall, this was a fairly interesting history narrative that failed due to clarity of writing. I was intrigued by the juxtaposition between a literal serial...
This was a recommendation from J that ended up really not landing for me at all. I was intrigued by the science included in this book. We get some interesting...
Such a beautiful contemporary romance. I am completely head over heels for this one. We get mature protagonists, true communication, very hot sexy scenes, past...
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek,...
Spice Rating: 5
Reading: In the middle of Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson. It’s a narrative history weaving together the killer 1952 London smog and a serial killer....
We had a Flex Week and a regular week encompassing the last two weeks. Adding Flex Weeks into our yearly schedule has been a game changer! They allow us to...
And a new All Time Low song! My 2000s Emo heart is loving this!
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and going to get fairly warm today. All that snow we got on Thursday is quickly disappearing… I would have...
Spice Rating: 5
Spice Rating; 5
Here's my randomness for the week:
Spice Rating: 5
I gave this book three stars on the strength of the actual historical story alone. I just had so many issues with the characters and construction of the plot...
A very old cover, but I just rediscovered it. It’s just so good!
On my bedside table: Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis; The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
Spice Meter: 4Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them...
Spice Rating: 4
Spice Rating: 7Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee...
Bringing together his acclaimed novella The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky and an all-new short novel My Heart Struck Sorrow, John Hornor Jacobs turns his fertile...
A chilling fantasy retelling of the Snow White fairy tale by New York Times bestselling creators Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran!A not-so-evil queen is terrified...
Reading: Babel by R.F. Kuang - We’re reading this for my Nerdy Bookish Friends buddy read and it’s amazing so far. Definitely speculative fiction mixed with...
Another week with basically no photos. I think I need to set a few reminders.
A new song from Pierce the Veil! I’m so excited!
Spice Rating: 4The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from...
Right now I am: Taking a moment before brunch and then heading out to the theatre with the family. We are going to see Dragons and Mythical Beasts at the...
Welcome to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go.If you ever lost a sock, you’ll find it here.If you ever wondered about a favorite toy from childhood... it’s...
It’s been a year since a violent Viking terrorized the small village of Zmeyreka and Anya and her foolish friend Ivan saved a friendly dragon from being...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
January TBR Pile (25/29):
Spice Meter: 8 (for the taboo nature of the pairing)
Another week with basically no photos.
Her voice is just so amazing!
Entering into another winter bucket list.
As I look outside my window: It looks pretty out there, but I know that it’s very very cold this weekend.
The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient...
On Alice's sixth birthday, her dying great-aunt sent her the birthday gift she never knew she always wanted: a big, beautiful 19th-century dollhouse, complete...
In a Victorian asylum full of grotesque inmates, sadistic guards, and a fanatical doctor, a young lady wakes to find her arms and legs have been replaced with...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's...
Spice Meter: 5 Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Anya and the Dragon is the story of fantasy and mayhem in tenth century Eastern Europe, where headstrong eleven-year-old Anya is a daughter of the only Jewish...
Another wonderful collection of Smythe’s story of love between Hades and Persephone. It was lovely to revisit the story even though I have read farther in the...
Finally borrowed this from a friend and read it in one sitting. We are eclectic homeschoolers, but a big part of that is Charlotte Mason philosophy. I love the...
Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t...
We started off the spring semester with a normal week. And then, I had a minor outpatient surgery that knocked me back an entire week. So it was more like a 1...
Somehow I missed this song completely until I caught it on the radio a week ago. Really love them!
Writer SKOTTIE YOUNG (I HATE FAIRYLAND, DEADPOOL, STRANGE ACADEMY) and artist JORGE CORONA (NO. 1 WITH A BULLET, SUPER SONS, FEATHERS) follow up their...
Right now I am: Deciding what to make for brunch. J picked up some cinnamon rolls, but I’m debating on bacon or sausage to go with them and eggs.
The Nerdy Bookish Friends club started 2023 with this behemoth! And what a story it was. I will admit that it took my about 100 pages to really get into the...
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . . .
Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with vampires)Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her...
In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.
Reading: I started the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost on Saturday. And I’m totally going to keep reading the series. Fun and full of action!
Such a hard book to read, and yet I was very interested in it when the book published. One of my book clubs chose this to read and I dove in after the...
Right now I am: Mentally preparing myself for book club later today. One last activity for the week!
Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the services of her detective-agency tenants to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail...
Spice Meter: 5She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in...
2023 Reading Challenges
Spice Meter: 8For the first time in her life, Ireland Mills is happy with her body. No more fad diets, no more hiding from every camera in the room, no more...
Here's my randomness for the week:
CW: Sexual harassment, rape
House Goals/Resolutions
Spice Meter: 8Three Powerfully Alluring Vampire Men
For 2022, I ended up throwing out any outside reading challenges. I focused more on mood reading and attempting to just go where my reading thoughts take me. I...
Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.
Favorite Books of the Year:
Entering into another winter bucket list.
Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list: We ended up not getting to everything, but I think we had a great Christmas season this year!
December TBR Pile (27):
HER:There I was, reeling from the biggest disaster of my life, with my PR career in smithereens, I was bracing myself for the worst Christmas ever. Then I saw...
It’s Christmastime in Edinburgh, but Lady Samantha Penwith’s secret mission takes no holiday: the Highlands-born lass vows to find the assailants who murdered...
HER:Billionaires just aren’t like the rest of us, are they?No sooner has my boss requested my assistance at a winter wedding, we’re boarding a private jet to...
For the first time in years, I was excited about the holidays, A week of sun, sea and luxury, curtesy of my newly loaded brother. I should have known there’d...
Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought...
Miss Kathleen Calvert may be the daughter of an Irish aristocrat, but she has no intention of acting like one. All she desires is to return to her family’s...
A very chaste romance for today’s read. I was intrigued by the plot and I really did like West. Unfortunately, all the other characters are so incredibly...
Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school...
On a future, frozen Earth, humanity has been packed onto self-sustaining trains, doomed to circumnavigate the globe until the end of the interminable ice age -...
Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in...
In a harsh, uncompromisingly cold future where Earth has succumbed to treacherously low temperatures, the last remaining members of humanity travel on a train...
Started out strong, but then became incredibly repetitive and pretty boring. I don’t think I really enjoy the mistaken identity trope; too much lying and...
Another standout Holiday romance pick for this year! I enjoyed Maggie Knox’s (actually a writing team) book from last year, The Holiday Swap. But this one was...
This might just be my favorite Holiday romance of all time! I absolutely adored this wacky combo of Scrooged and a Hallmark movie. Bettie is whirlwind of chaos...
We’ve officially finished the fall semester! It had its ups and downs, just like every semester, but I feel really good about what we accomplished. We’re on to...
Seriously, this song. So good!
Right now I am: Reading a few comic trades before getting brunch ready.
Okay, this is my second Tessa Bailey book and I really don’t think that she is the author for me. The book started interesting with a great setting of an...
Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list:
Lady Sabrina Bell has never been so embarrassed in her life. Not only did her new suitor fail to appear for their morning rendezvous in Hyde Park, but a thief...
As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life. But will they be able to make it happen,...
It's bad enough he's stuck in some festive winter wonderland—it's even worse that he has to share space with Hector Martinez, an obnoxiously attractive local...
We only have one more official week for the fall semester and we’re definitely ready for a break. This week was full of random appointments with less schooling...
One of my favorite bands still.
Being thrown over by the man she expected to marry was humiliating enough. Now that Donella Haddon, grandniece of the Earl of Riddick, has also proven a...
Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a Kitchen Aid mixer to die for, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
But it turns out the mall is about to be sold to a developer and demolished for condos. Eviction notices are being handed out right before Christmas. Their...
A decent contemporary romance with good main characters. While some of Stella’s insecurities got a bit annoying by the end of the book, I was still on board...
Reading: You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky. I’m fully into my holiday romances for the month.
We had a break week for Thanksgiving and a normal week. But with the start of December, our activities increased dramatically. The amount of actual schoolwork...
Still just love their sound so much.
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny, but pretty cold. At least it’s warmer than yesterday.
I finally made it to the conclusion of this series and it was definitely worth the wait. We finally get to unmask Kallagan. But more importantly, all the...
In a harsh, uncompromisingly cold future where Earth has succumbed to treacherously low temperatures, the last remaining members of humanity travel on a train...
After the extinction event that caused the new ice age, the train Snowpiercer travels perpetually around the globe, with the last survivors of humanity...
The Snowpiercer saga continues with this brand new story by original artist Jean-Marc Rochette and Eisner nominated writer, Matz. Set before the extinction...
Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.
Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list:
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
November TBR Pile (24/29):
Next up on the TBR pile:
In the concluding arc of this fantasy epic, Tair and Rion use their fire power to try to take down the Empire, while the Eternal Empress plots to use the duo...
JONATHAN LUNA (ALEX + ADA, THE SWORD, Spider-Woman: Origin) and SARAH VAUGHN (ALEX + ADA, Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love, Ruined) return with ETERNAL...
There's something in the woods...Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania, has been on fire for years. The woods are full of rabbits with human eyes, a deer woman who...
Not a new song, but The Pretty Reckless did just release an album of B-sides and special versions of past songs. I really like this one when it came out, but...
Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do...
The best book out the series so far! I absolutely loved this story of a fake engagement turned real feelings all wrapped up in the history of Helena and Max’s...
Alone in a new town, Lizzie grieves privately but takes comfort in her deepening friendship with Abigail Adams. Soon, word spreads of Lizzie’s extraordinary...
Lady Ainsley Matthews, heiress and darling of the ton, was expected to make a magnificent match. Instead she’s hiding on a remote Scottish estate, terrified...
After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie who only finds solace in books discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers...
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But...
And with that, Cassidy’s story comes to a close (or does it?). With this book, we do get a conclusion to the big mystery that was set up in the second book in...
Reading: Finishing The Highlander Who Protected Me by Vanessa Kelly. I picked up this series because two out of the five books are Christmas themed. Just about...
J left for a work trip from Wednesday to Friday, which always makes our week feel a bit strange. The theme of the week was lazy schooling. We get our usual...
Another group that I’ve rediscovered this month. I’ve always loved their sound. Definitely downloading the new album.
Right now I am: Gathering my library books for a run to the closest branch once they open this afternoon. I’m also making our grocery list (never-ending).
A decent follow-up to the first book in the series. I enjoyed Christian throughout the book, but I must say that Violet wasn’t really my favorite. She was just...
There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake in years. Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts for a minute. But then the...
WAR OF THE KINGS!Bridgette, Duncan, and Rose, – along with the entirety of Britain – are dragged into the Otherworld. It's a land of predatory monsters and...
In the quiet suburbs, while Dorothy is doing chores and waiting for her husband to come home from work, not in the least anticipating romance, she hears a...
It felt like a weird week, but we did manage to get a good chunk of schooling done.
An older song, but I just rediscovered Angel Haze. I really like her sound. Reading to my Apple Music.
As I look outside my window: it look nice and sunny out, but
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a...
This book was so hyped up to me that I was pretty disappointed by the actual thing. We start off strong with two orphaned teens deciding to risk their lives to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is...
Reading: I’m getting closer to finishing Fairy Tale by Stephen King for a my Nerdy Bookish Friends book club. Overall, it’s been good, but King is a bit too...
We settled into a calm and relaxed week of school. We didn’t run around everywhere, but focused on a few activities with our coop friends
I completely missed that fact that MIW put out a new music video on Halloween. This is hands-down my favorite song on the album and I’m super excited that...
On my bedside table: Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente; Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingersoll
Another good volume in this spooky middle grade series. I loved the change of location to Paris. We get to visit some iconic locations as Cassidy’s parents...
Nicolas is the embodiment of royalty. Strong. Powerful. Deadly. The only thing he's missing is his throne.Decades ago a vampire mutiny murdered his father and...
When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the...
Let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.
Another combo post of a Flex Week and the regular week. These Flex Weeks are really working out well for my compulsion to schedule and check off boxes. We fit...
October TBR Pile (20/27): It’s spooky book month!
Thinking and pondering: How much pain is too much? I’m glad that I have an appointment made for early December, but goodness I don’t know if I can make it that...
Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a...
In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Hidden deep beneath Manhattan lies a warren of tunnels, sewers, and galleries, mostly forgotten by those who walk the streets above. There lies the ultimate...
Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt’s brother is missing. And when she discovers that the Dead are rising in Philadelphia and wreaking havoc throughout the city, she...
This is the month for my fave bands of the 90s and early 00s to come back with new music apparently. Loving this sound from Paramore!
Right now I am: Deciding what to make for brunch today…
Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of late ’60s Chicago, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters is the fictional graphic diary of 10-year-old Karen Reyes,...
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
Then her classmates start turning up dead.
Two Fear family weddings, decades apart... Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses...
Another absolute win from St. James. I really loved The Sun Down Hotel and really hoped that this one would be another winner. It was! We get a decades old...
Reading: I finally grabbed My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris from the library. I’m really loving the drawings and the mystery involved in the...
After the epic birthday party weekend, we decided to have a very chill week. We went minimal places and didn’t go so heavy on the schoolwork. It was nice to...
A new blink-182 song and the original line-up. Is it 1998? I love it!
As I look outside my window:
I was scrolling through my Kindle app (boy is that a colossal mess!) and stumbled upon this collection I bought a few years back. I wanted something light but...
A short novella to tide us over until the next book. Nothing too big happens but we do get to see the story from multiple perspectives. We get some more...
Here's my randomness for the week:
It was a crime that shocked the country. On March 12, 2011, two young saleswomen were found brutally attacked inside a lululemon athletica retail store in...
Fledgling, Octavia Butler’s last novel, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly un-human needs and abilities lead her to a...
Our week 8 ended being a bit abbreviated because of lots of different activities, so I’m combining it with our week 9 for the recap. We ended our week 9 with...
I grabbed this one after reading another collection of Gill’s poetry based on fairy tale and story characters. I slowly made my way through this collection. We...
If you look hard enough at old photographs, we’re there in the background: healers in the trenches; Suffragettes; Bletchley Park oracles; land girls and...
Reading: Somehow I currently have five different books that I’m currently reading (not counting the kid read aloud). I’m reading The Girl and the Goddess, The...
A new song from the Gorillaz! I’ve very excited about this one.
As I look outside my window: Clear and bright again this Sunday. I might just go sit on the deck.
Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.
September TBR Pile (21/35):
Here's my randomness for the week:
I absolutely had to get this book when it showed up in the Book of the Month selections. But then I let it languish on my shelves for a year. Finally picked...
A book club friend insisted that I pick this one up and she was right! I absolutely loved this story of two friends who become extra ordinary and then attempt...
As part of my planning process, I have inserted Flex Weeks into our regular schedule. In essence, Flex Weeks help me account for random days off and delays in...
Hearing this song everywhere and it’s definitely become and ear worm for me.
We get the classic trope of a man courting/engaged to a sister. In this case, we quickly meet August and follow her as she visits England and encounters a...
Right now I am: Making my plan for the day. I have a lot to squeeze in today.
I was gifted this book during a Christmas exchange as the person who gave it told me that it was her favorite book. Somehow I had never actually read this one....
We choose this book for my sci-fi and fantasy bookclub after a few difficult books. Ooops! Looks like we picked another difficult book. I had previous read...
My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.
Another season, another summer bucket list. In our town, it’s been feeling like summer for weeks now. I sat down with the kids the other day and they helped me...
One of my book club selections for September and a book that has languished on my shelf for years. Unfortunately, I think it probably should have stayed there....
Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye...
Reading: I finally started The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George from my giant Unread Shelf. After multiple dark and depressing books, this might be...
I keep catching snippets of this song on the radio and I’m really liking it. So, I’m going to put the entire song in here.
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit dreary out after last night’s storms.
Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for...
Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in...
Here's my randomness for the week:
“Come home.” Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories — she's come back to the home of a serial...
It was a very busy week for us. We had a field trip, our regular activities, a trip to the airport (drop off for J), and the start of a weekend trip. Being so...
Digging this song lately.
When the improbable road leaves Avery and Zib in the land of Air and at the mercy of the Queen of Swords, escape without becoming monsters may be impossible....
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one...
After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs)...
Reading: I grabbed an ebook of Sarah Gailey’s new book, Just Like Home. it was described as gothic horror, so of course, I needed to read it like now. I’m only...
We left the house every single day this week (again). This wee was the Nebraska State Fair and I randomly decided on Saturday to take the kids on Monday. The...
I didn’t realize that I liked this band as much as I do.
A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized...
A lovely blend of spooky and friendship. Right away, we’re dropped into Cassidy’s world of ghosts; We don’t get all the answers in this volume, but we...
Let’s check in on August’s goals and my progress.
Here's my randomness for the week:
August TBR Pile (20/26):
Goodness! That was a chunker of a book. There was so much packed in this volume of the series. I almost would have liked to see this book split into two...
We left the house every single day this week. Exhausting! But we had a great time exploring some places.
I rediscovered Sleeping with Sirens and I am totally in love with their new music.
Lola and Oliver like to congratulate themselves on having the good sense not to consummate their drunken Las Vegas marriage. If they’d doubled-down on that...
As I look outside my window: It’s pretty windy outside which is different.
I finally got around to reading this one for our book club selection and it was not quite what I was expecting. And yet, I really really loved it! We open with...
“Never again” became Queen Elizabeth II’s mantra shortly after Princess Diana’s tragic death. More specifically, there could never be “another Diana”—a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I got this recommendation from Meredith at the Currently Reading Podcast. Every once in a while I really want a fluffy spooky thriller. I want something that I...
Reading: Almost finished with Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. I started Sunday and have had a hard time putting it down to do house tasks. Can’t...
I think we are finding our groove this month. I cut back on some subjects, beefed up some others, and made sure to balance our weekly activities. It was such a...
How did I miss this????? Love Day to Remember!
Another season, another summer bucket list. In our town, it’s been feeling like summer for weeks now. I sat down with the kids the other day and they helped me...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny again after yesterday’s weirdly overcast day
Once there was a mermaid called Amelia who could never be content in the sea, a mermaid who longed to know all the world and all its wonders, and so she came...
A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants’ gender is fluid. His goal is to...
Another great volume from my favorite Webtoon! We get further development between Hades and Persephone as well as learning more about some of the side...
Okay better than the first book in the series. I really did love Harlow and Finn as individual people. I even enjoyed them together as a couple. My biggest...
We reached the end of our second week of regular homeschooling routine and I am exhausted. Seriously, by Friday afternoon, I could barely keep my eyes open....
Apparently my favorite bands from the early 2000s are all coming out with new music this year. Love it!
Right now I am: Hoping to fit in some reading time this morning along with vacuuming and the laundry.
The challenge: Spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught.The prize: enough money to change everything.Even though everyone is...
Oh my this was another winner from Amor Towles! I didn’t quite know what I was going to think of it when we first met the characters. Emmett seems like a...
The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in...
Anna does boring things for terrible people because even criminals need office help and she needs a job. Working for a monster lurking beneath the surface of...
Reading: Hide by Kiersten White - I totally figured out the weirdness within the first third of this book, but I’m still loving it. Almost finished.
We dove into our third year of homeschooling with Arthur entering 3rd grade and Quentin entire kindergarten. This first week was all about attempting to figure...
I’m such a sucker for both of these women.
As I look outside my window: The air is a bit hazy but not quite as bright as it was yesterday. It’s still going to be hot today but slightly less than the...
Now this book is totally my jam! We get a fun fantasy story featuring magic and the illusion of magic. I absolute adore books where the setting becomes a real...
In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpré-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the complexities of Black hair...
Let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
Digging this new song during this super hot week.
July TBR Pile (18/24):
Such a delightful middle grade horror book! This reminds me of a cross between A Series of Unfortunate Events and a Goosebumps. We are thrust into a mysterious...
When Chloe Davis was 12, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and...
I finally got around to starting the other early Christina Lauren series that I haven’t read yet. And my response is a resounding meh. I loved the setup of the...
Reading: I’m about halfway through A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham. It’s a murder mystery thriller that’s not really my jam, but It was a book club...
So now I have the supplies, it’s time to start planning and gathering everything I want to do. I’m a Type A planner that always feels better with a good plan...
New music from one of my favorite bands! I’m so excited!
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already...
I listened to this on the way back from Indiana. While the book starts fairly slow, I was completely hooked by the time Manu finds herself in the Everglades...
Another season, another summer bucket list. In our town, it’s been feeling like summer for weeks now. I sat down with the kids the other day and they helped me...
I grabbed this one as my audiobook selection for driving to Indiana. I was looking forward to a breezy fun contemporary romance. This one was okay, but...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Meh. I am really not having a great reading week here. Two three star reads in a row. For this one, I was excited to read a variety of poets and styles....
I was hoping for some pulpy horror to tied me over during my trip, and this mostly delivered. I really loved the actual horror sections of this novel. The...
Two years of homeschooling under my belt, and I feel like I’ve really found my groove. It wasn’t hard to pick curriculum for this coming year. I knew that we...
In honor of my family binging Season 4 of Stranger Things, I’m featuring this great cover of Kate Bush’s classic. I absolutely love this cover with a hard rock...
On my bedside table: Hmm… I don’t know what I want to read next.
I finally got around to reading this third volume in the series. I was stressed out from page one and it didn’t let up even when the book ended. Theo’s entire...
In Olympus, you either have the power to rule...or you are ruled. Achilles Kallis may have been born with nothing, but as a child he vowed he would claw his...
Here’s hoping they don’t fuck this up. I adored the comic series, but it’s a strange story to put on screen.
Edited by: Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane
Originally published in Story magazine in 1938, Address Unknown became an international sensation. Credited with exposing the dangers of Nazism to American...
Reading: I finally started reading Katherine May’s The Electricity of Every Living Thing. I absolutely loved Wintering, but am not sure how I feel about this...
Two years of homeschooling under my belt, and I feel like I’ve really found my groove. It wasn’t hard to pick curriculum for this coming year. I knew that we...
Oh yeah! New music from Shakira. I’m totally here for this one!
As I look outside my window: Slightly cooler temps and a breeze are greatly appreciated.
I really enjoyed the first book in their series and was looking forward to the second. This one definitely delivers on it’s promise of a feminist reexamination...
I thought I loved the first book in this series, but it turns out that what I really loved was the second book. I was hoping that Rhysand would have more of a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I’m very meh about this book. I was intrigued by the premise, but it think the story was too convoluted to live up the premise. Right away we’re thrown in a...
I picked this one for book club on the strengths of Mandel’s earlier work, Station Eleven. I really disliked her work The Glass Hotel, but hoped that the new...
Arthur was supposed to have camp through Metro, but unfortunately he and Quentin both caught a cold. So we took it pretty easy for that week. The second week...
Finally! Metric is back with new music. I’m so very excited for this new album.
As I look outside my window: It’s weird overcast outside Probably because of all the fireworks from last night.
After listening to all the hype of them books for years, I finally got around to reading it. For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I fell into this...
I have somehow not done one of these posts since March. How have I just fallen off on this? Oh well. I’m back at it this month. But first…
June TBR Pile (18/28):
Spellbinding, haunting, The Age of Miracles is a beautiful novel of catastrophe and survival, growth and change, the story of Julia and her family as they...
In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment…
Reading: I finally started reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. So far this has been slow-going, but I’m in it until at least the end.
The kids always make me stop channel surfing if this song is one. We all love it!
It’s the second Ishiguro that I’ve tried and he is definitely not for me. Overall, my big thought is that Ishiguro is just retreading sci-fi tropes and ideas...
Very Meh on this book. There was so much hype and I was hesitant to read it before now. I finally picked it up because so many book club friends loved it and...
How well do you know the ground beneath your feet?
Here's my randomness for the week:
Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the "Forever" part . . . Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old...
Another season, another summer bucket list. In our town, it’s been feeling like summer for weeks now. I sat down with the kids the other day and they helped me...
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
A new find from Alt Nation. I’m loving this song.
But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist...
Surprise surprise, I ended up giving a short story collection 3 stars. This seems to be very much a given rating for me. I just don’t really enjoy short story...
On this Thursday, I think we all need to remember that this happened. So good!
Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds...
Digging this new song. I saw them at Warped Tour in 2018. So good!
We took advantage of the decent temps this week and spent 14 hours outside exploring. June is my month to enjoy the outdoors before I retreat back into the air...
As I look outside my window: It’s very hazy out right now. Hot and humid means that I’m not going to be reading outside this morning.
Charlotte is not the easiest person to love and yet I totally fell for her in this novel. I loved the prickly not-witch and her adventures with dreamy pirate...
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming...Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
CWs: antisemitism, animal injury, animal death, gore, parental neglect, panic attacks
Reading: Deep into The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton. I loved the first in this series and this one is just as delightful. I love it!
Memorial Day has passed and we are in high summer mode here. The temperatures have been cooperating and so we have spent a ton of time outside. We racked up a...
I also love her new music and this particular song is great.
As I look outside my window: it’s bright and sunny this morning, but I know that the rains are going to roll in later
Our June book club selection and a completely new-to-me book. This graphic novel details the experiences of Americans during the Japanese interment of WWII....
I liked the premise of this one and was intrigued by the story. I was hoping for a good finding yourself and reconnecting with family storyline. But this one...
I absolutely cannot wait for the new season of The Umbrella Academy! I love this super weird show.
And we arrive at the end of this particular story. While I enjoyed most of the storyline, it did seem a bit rushed at time. I wanted to spend a bit more time...
May TBR Pile (21/27):
After only one day of school for the week, we prepped to leave on a 5-day road trip to Kansas. After getting back on Sunday, we were supposed to have a...
Perfect dance tune for this spring!
Nax and three other washouts escape—barely—but they’re also the sole witnesses to the biggest crime in the history of space colonization. And the perfect...
As I look outside my window: It’s oddly overcast but very hot today. Not fun at all.
I’m still really enjoying this trilogy based on the Hades and Persephone myth. This is definitely my fluffy romance pick for the month, but sometimes that’s...
Ultimately, I really enjoyed the combination of folklore and science fiction to detail Petra’s journey to the new planet. I loved the weaving of cuentas into...
Oh this was perfectly creepy for a couple of night’s reading time. I grabbed this one way back in October from my favorite podcast’s (Currently Reading) Indie...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Meh. I was super excited by the plot of this novella and I jumped at listening to it. Unfortunately, I just didn’t get into this story and in fact it seemed so...
I absolutely detested this book. We are reading it for book club and I know I am going to rant at the meeting. Overall I had a few big issues with the book:
The entire new album (at least what has been released so far) is absolutely amazing. And this song in particular speaks to me.
Another pretty cute contemporary romance novella. I read this series out of order (when my library holds came up), but like with many contemporary romance...
I finally picked up this sequel after taking a bit of a break. The first one was great, but so incredibly heavy that I needed a little separate. This book...
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
A friend had been demanding that I read this one and I finally picked it up. In truth, I started reading the Webtoons but put a hold on the physical book also....
Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane...
A decent contemporary romance novella. I loved the whole trope of being stuck in an elevator. Seriously a sucker for shared spaces forcing people to...
Reading: Ali Hazelwood just published three novellas all involving women in STEM. Somehow I got all three right in a row from the library. So I’ve been on a...
This post actually documents one break week and one regular week. As we get to May, we find ourselves doing less book work and more outside excursions and...
Seriously this song is on constant repeat!
On my bedside table: The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan; The Minor Third by Neil Patrick Harris
Oh this was just delightful! We get a mix of pirates, romance, historical capers, modern humor, and even a few steamy scenes towards the end. I loved every...
Ideas and identity fuse effortlessly in this vibrant collection that on bookshelves is just as at home alongside Rebecca Solnit and bell hooks as it is beside...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Through poems that are as unforgettably beautiful as they are accessible, Kate Bear proves herself to truly be an exemplary voice in modern poetry. Her words...
This was just what I needed this week! I came off of a few heavy books and I really wanted something fun. Scalzi delivered on the fun that I wanted! We jump...
I really liked “Cyberhex,” but this new song is really my favorite right now!
As I look outside my window: Storms rolled through last night and the remnants are hanging around today. It’s very overcast and wet out there. Guess J’s plan...
1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a...
Sorta random pick for this month. A FB group centered on sci-fi and fantasy books picked this as a random buddy read. It was cheap on Amazon, so I picked it up...
A second middle grade book featuring children evacuees during WWII. This one was easier to read than The War That Saved My Life, but still contains some tough...
Apparently, historical fiction with a medical history theme is my catnip. I’ve read a few in the past and always enjoy them. This particular book definitely...
Reading: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - I finally picked up Quinn’s 2021 novel about WWII and Bletchley Park. Right in time to pick up her new one from the...
We school year round which makes it so much easier to take smaller breaks and easier weeks when the weather is amazing and we want to be outside. This was one...
Really digging his new stuff. Definitely going to have to download the album.
Week 30: Coconut Banana Bread
April TBR Pile (18/27):
All the shades of Madeleine Miller’s Circe wrapped up in Norse mythology. I very much enjoyed following Angrboda’s story as she comes to terms with who she is,...
Here's my randomness for the week:
And with this book, we finally get to see how exactly the Tripods invaded Earth and eventually dominated the human population. This was very much a War of the...
The last book in this series and I must admit that Christina and Lauren disappointed me. This one was just not sexy at all. They seem to have completely lost...
Thankfully everyone got better from their cold and we had a normal week. I took one picture of us doing school that didn’t involve the chicks. Oh well. Enjoy...
Such a great song and a great collaboration.
As I look outside my window: Clear and bright out there but pretty chilly today (high of 50 degrees) and very very windy. Seriously, I would love it if the...
Another super fun middle grade adventure. Arthur read this one and immediately put it into my hands. I had to read it right then and there. I loved that this...
Such a twisty, head-turner of a novel. Right away I had hoped that this book would be great based on the hotel as a character aspect. I do so love it when the...
Definitely looks like something I would watch
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
We finally get to see the conclusion of Will’s adventure in the revolt against the Masters. The third book starts right up with the plot and keeps going until...
Reading: Beautiful by Christina Lauren. I finally made it to the last book in this series. They are definitely my current comfort reads.
After such a long time not getting sick (and avoiding COVID), the boys and I all caught a cold and had some not-so-great days. We managed to finish some school...
One of those songs that I caught on Octane and completely fell in love with.
As I look outside my window: Um… it’s currently snowing on Easter in the middle of April. This weather is terrible. It was 90 degrees when we dropped J at the...
Overall a very entertaing romp through history and alcohol. I do so enjoy O’Meara’s writing style. She approaches a May Roach style with her dy wit and small...
Meh. Will and Hannas are not my favorite couple, but at least they aren’t Chloe and Bennett. This is yet another story where Hanna just acts so incredibly...
Here's my randomness for the week:
And we get to know Max’s younger brother Niall in this romance romp. Overall I did really enjoy this book, but there were a few aspects that I wasn’t the...
Finally, we get to see the aliens in the tripods! Overall this book was a very enjoyable ride. We get to follow Will as he travels into the city of the...
And it was a very normal week for our school days. We had a few outings, but covered a ton of material.
A old song (from 2015) and yet I just discovered it. Really digging this song right now.
As I look outside my window: Finally! We have gotten to proper spring temperatures. It’s currently about 55 degrees.
Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no...
J has been trying to get me to read this series for years now. He read it during childhood and remembered it fondly. I finally started the series and blew...
Oh so delightful
Our April book club selection and one off my own unread shelves. I was hoping for another great adventure a la Upright Women Wanted. This one didn’t quite live...
Meh. I was hoping for another fun literary themed middle grade fantasy (a la The Bookwanderers), but this one did not deliver for me. It was a little too...
Reading: After a few complicated and series books and a middle grade series, I started the space horror Dead Silence by SA Barnes.
We combined a “break week” and a regular week for this post. Our break week have turned into a way to catch up on unfinished units, add some special...
A new-to-me group that I’m loving.
On my bedside table: Tripod Trilogy by John Christopher; rest of the Beautiful series by Christina Lauren
With a shiny new design degree but no job in sight, Cindy moves back in with her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, the executive producer of the world’s biggest...
March TBR Pile (23/34):
Here's my randomness for the week:
And a big old dud for me. I was intrigued by the Black Mirror and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind comparisons. I was looking for a very strange trip...
Oh this was just so delightful! I always love books that incorporate books and this was such a great adventure story involving characters from books. Right...
Yet another great song from Beartooth.
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny, but pretty chilly today. The high is around 43 degrees.
I did not expect a middle grade book to hit me this hard emotionally. Ada’s story broke my heart in two. But there was so much hope! We follow along as Ada...
Another middle grade March selection that was really fantastic. I really enjoyed this beautiful tale of survival and friendship. Right away we are thrust into...
I’m not exactly sure how to review this book. I do know that I loved it and have been talking about it nonstop. There are some very heavy themes in here and...
Another delightful middle grade adventure story. I read this one in one sitting on a rainy morning. We get to follow Bell as he lives life on the Mars colony,...
Reading: The Blackbird Girls by Anna Blankman, so far a very stressful but good story about two girls in the aftermath of the Chernobyl meltdown.
So… we had a week. Overall, it was that exciting, but we made it through the week with a few fun outings.
I cannot get this song out my head. So very good.
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
I’ve enjoyed Davis’s books in the past and had to pick up her newest one this week. We get a study of the Frick Mansion in NYC with our two timelines. I’m not...
Oh this was such a delight! Right away we’re pulled into Carter’s story of identity and found family all wrapped up in magic. As soon as Carter meets Mr....
Edited by: Ann R. Williams
I’ve heard about this one from multiple sources and finally picked it up for Middle Grade March. I loved the dive into Caribbean myths and culture. We get to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Artist: Lorenzo Mattotti
Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat...
I’m always up for a fairy tale retelling and this one was perfect. We get a nice retelling of the Snow White and Rose Red story set in a patch of uncanny...
1973: a final, top-secret mission to the Moon. Three astronauts in a tiny spaceship, a quarter million miles from home. A quarter million miles from help.NASA...
A collab between A Day to Remember and Mark Hoppus is just amazing.
We had a schedule with a few field trips, but those changed due to the weather. After last weekend’s storm, the temperatures dropped dramatically and didn’t...
Retold By: Xanthe Gresham Knight Illustrated by Charlotte Gastaut
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and the temps are going to be in the mid-60s today. So much better than the high of 10 on Thursday.
Traditional fairytales are rife with cliches and gender stereotypes: beautiful, silent princesses; ugly, jealous, and bitter villainesses; girls who need...
In the ultra-modern city of Olympus, there's always a price to pay. Psyche Dimitriou knew she'd have to face Aphrodite's jealous rage eventually, but she never...
My favorite podcast recommended this contemporary romance as a fun re-envisioning of You’ve Got Mail and this totally is that. Right away we get a strong...
“Women WANT a male leader . . . It’s honest to god the basic human playbook”
I was pitched that this was a young adult version of Westworld, and it definitely is! We get a seemingly perfect amusement park full of technological...
Reading: A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske. I’m really digging this book full of magic, romance and mystery.
Arthur started the week sick canceling out planned zoo day. We did spend all day Tuesday outside and had our usual coop.
Really digging this new song from Muse. And Quentin is a huge fan.
As I look outside my window: It’s still very overcast and cold out after yesterday’s storms. It’ll be cold for my birthday day out, but at least the rain...
A bit of mixed bag with this one. I was intrigued by the post-apocalypse setup and was intrigued by the murder mystery aspect of it. I love good disaster...
Summer 1958. A gruesome killer plagues the Midwest, leaving behind a trail of bodies completely drained of blood.
Here's my randomness for the week:
It’s become a tradition that we spend most of February watching new-to-us movie month. We kicked off this month with a short list of about 100 movies that we...
Week 27: Blueberry Croissant Puff
Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress. Wow! I actually ended up meeting all my goals for this month.
February TBR Pile (18/22):
We had our “winter break” two weeks back. Instead of continuing our regularly scheduled studies, we focused on some side projects and other activities. Plus,...
I found a new band on the Apple Music New Hard Rock playlist and am so in love with with this sound! I had to download their newest album immediately.
Daniel Sloss's stand-up comedy engages, enrages, offends, unsettles, educates, comforts, and gets audiences roaring with laughter—all at the same time. In his...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny again, but still pretty cold. Much much warmer than earlier this week, but started off in the 30s this...
"Welcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you’ve already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our...
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
Roach tags along with animal-attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and "danger tree" faller blasters. Intrepid as...
Oh love this version of the song.
Meet St Mary's - a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets who hurtle their way around History.If the whole of History lay before you, where would you go?When Dr...
Reading: Fuzz by Mary Roach - I’m enjoying this nature writing book even if it’s not as funny as some of her others.
Tom Morello has been putting out some very interesting musical pairings with this new album. I really love the combination of Morello’s music and singer from...
As I look outside my window: Clear and bright. The temperature is supposed to top out at around 60 degrees, before steadily dropping over the next three days...
Ada promised herself she would never go back to the Trace, to her hard life on the swamp and her harsh father. But now, after running away to Baton Rouge and...
Northanger Abbey, originally published posthumously in 1818, is the story of seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland, one of ten children of a country clergyman,...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Another short novella from the series, but this one features my favorite couple Max and Sara. Don’t be fooled by the cover, this one is actually set four...
Slim novella detailing the run up to Bennett and Chloe’s wedding. They are really not my favorite couple in this series and it shows in my reading. I just...
Buddy read pic for February for the Currently Reading Friends group. I am always up for trying out a romance novel/series. This one just didn’t hold my...
Overall, we did a big focus on ELA and Math for this week and left some of the other subjects be put on pause. I really love the flexibility of home schooling...
As I look outside my window: It’s fairly sunny out there right now, but pretty darn cold. Seems like the clouds will be rolling in later.
Another contender for Top Book of 2022. Doerr immediately pulled me into this layered story full of connections and lessons. (The short chapters really helped...
Another contender for my Top Books of 2022. This book partly U.S. History, partly memoir has me rethinking everything I know about the history of slavery in...
Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.
Iris Hollow and her two older sisters are unquestionably strange. Ever since they disappeared on a suburban street in Scotland as children only to return a...
Reading: Nearing the end of Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. it’s just so so good…
A fairly normal week for us. We covered a decent amount of work, and had an outing between it got really cold again.
As I look outside my window: It’s gray, but fairly warm today.
Much as she loves her meddling matchmaker of a grandmother, free-spirited Aimee Beasley is tired of dodging the dull and downright tiresome dates the older...
Self-assured Nadia Normandy knows everything there is to know about men and dating, which seems to be why little old Mrs. Beasley maneuvers her into taking...
One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Hanna and Will were a great couple and I ended up enjoying their book. I’m still hung up on Max and Sara, but this volume does a decent job as getting me...
Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
January TBR Pile (16/22):
We ended up with a light week, but covered some ground.
In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel...
On my bedside table: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler; How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
THE COMFORT BOOK is Haig’s life raft: it’s a collection of notes, lists, and stories written over a span of several years that originally served as gentle...
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
Christened a potential savior of Silicon Valley's startup culture, Adam Neumann was set to take WeWork, his office share company disrupting the commercial real...
This looks so weird. I must see it!
I don’t usually read “cape” comics, but I made an exception for one written by N.K. Jemisin. I mean, who an resist another story from Jemisin? For this one,...
And really...how hard could it be?
We ended up having a few outings this week, but also
As I look outside my window: It’s clear and bright, but probably very cold. I haven’t decided if I’m leaving the house today.
I grabbed this book on the recommendation of the local library. They post a round-up of their favorite books from the year and this one intrigued me. I am...
A god will returnWhen the earth and sky convergeUnder the black sunIn the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal,...
When an ancient helmet at the British Museum is taken, Bridgette and Duncan are confronted by another hero of yore, one who will lead them to facing off...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Twelve humans are left stranded on a wintry alien planet. I’m one of them. Yay, me. In order to survive, we have to take on a symbiont that wants to rewire our...
Alexander Woodroe has it all. Charm. Sex appeal. Wealth. Fame. A starring role as Cupid on TV’s biggest show, Gods of the Gates. But the showrunners have...
Short story featuring Chloe and Bennett and Max and Sara (plus Henry and Will). I am still not the biggest fan of Chloe and Bennett. Something about their...
Reading: Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse - I don’t know why I put this off for so long. I finally started it and it’s very intriguing.
After six trades of this comic and me trying to keep everything straight, I think that I am giving up. I am just so lost in the story at this point, and I...
Getting back into a homeschool routine was very difficult this week, but we did it! We managed to finish a majority of my planned curriculum and worked in a...
And so we come to the end of the summer at camp and one last big adventure. At the end of the last trade, all the inhabitants of Roanoke cabin had set out one...
As I look outside my window: Clear and bright. After the snowstorm on Friday afternoon/evening, the sun has come out. Yesterday was still very cold, but it’s...
Now this is a book I can get behind. We are treated to a journey through time focusing on the classification of living (and sometimes nonliving) things. We get...
Our book club selection for January. I wasn’t convinced that this was going to be my book from the overall impression I got from people who loved it. And it...
When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of...
I’m once again going to focus on challenges that appeal to my strange mood reading tendencies. My challenges are mostly homegrown (except for Unread Shelf...
House Goals/Resolutions
Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.
Once again we come to the end of another reading year and a whole bunch of reading challenges. To review, I said way back in January 2020:
Week 21: Cake Batter Blondies
After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want...
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.
While we didn’t completely stop all schooling, we did take it pretty easy this Christmas break. We did a lot of holiday related activities. Plus, we traveled...
Favorite Books of the Year: I don’t usually rank or have categories for my favorites, but this year, I’m going to do something a bit different…
Another year of using a Happy Planner as my main planner device. Let’s hope I have more to put into the spreads than I did last year. Here’s hoping for more...
December TBR Pile - 23 read:
For single mum Maggie, Christmas has always been a family occasion – her daughter Ellen filling the house with her bubbly warmth and mistletoe, her dad Paddy...
The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and...
A grumpy local and the sunny tourist who turns his world upside down
Four breathtakingly romantic tales of a Regency Christmas from four bestselling romance authors.Down through the years, enchantment touches a tall gray house...
I enjoyed Bayliss’s previous book, but this one was a miss for me. I was expecting another Christmas romantic comedy. This is not that. Instead we get a very...
A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte...
Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn't be hailing a cab, or even be out and about. But after her mother’s death, her father has plunged into a devastating...
Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she’s decided to...
We took it a bit easy for our last week of the fall semester. We wrapped up a few units, had our last coop meeting, and then took Friday off to go to the zoo.
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny although it is cold today.
Ah this is better! I realized that part of why I gave the first two books in this series 3 stars was because I didn’t absolutely love the main characters....
Trish Ackerly never expected to cross paths with Ian Rafferty again, but when she spots the former bully of her childhood years through her bakery window, she...
Decent little novella and continuation of Chloe and Bennett’s story. I like the story, but didn’t love the construction. We jump back and forth through their...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.
Georgie is excited for her first Christmas as a married woman in her lovely new home. She suggests to her dashing husband, Darcy, that they have a little house...
I grabbed the third book in this series as it’s set at Christmas. But I am not an animal, and I always try to read series in order. Therefore, I had to head...
Another week of lots of holiday fun and changes to our schedule. But it’s okay. I love December and want to soak in all the fun while we still can!
As I look outside my window: Most of the snow from Friday night has melted, at least on the concrete. The boys wanted to build a snowman, but it’s too sparse...
CW: Death
A fun and madcap style holiday romance for this year. This was very predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. Sometimes what you need is a nice and...
Of course I will be seeing this!
Once upon a time, a young woman attended a New Year's Eve ball...The moon shone brightly, music filled the air. Kisses were stolen and promises made. But what...
Phoebe Hartridge runs into serious danger on an icy winter evening. But her rescuer, the mysterious Anthony Sterling, immediately melts her heart and makes her...
Two people. One house. A year that changes everything.
Home is more than a place . . .Breaking free from her structured life, Chloe English quits her high-powered job and moves across the country to work as an art...
The temperatures this past week were unseasonably warm, in the 50s and 60s for most of the week. We took advantage and had two long afternoons at the park with...
As I look outside my window: The sun is shining, but it’s not very bright. We are definitely back to colder temperatures and weak light. Welcome to winter in...
There’s a pirate in the manor house!What is vicar’s daughter Bess Farrar to do when the dashing new earl, the man gossip paints as a ruthless pirate, kisses...
Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a...
A very cute holiday romance. We meet Olive and slowly learn about her and Matt’s past relationship. Over the course of the dozen dates, we get to see Olive...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.
November TBR Pile (16/23):
After climbing Over the Woodward Wall and making their way across the forest, Avery and Zib found themselves acquiring some extraordinary friends in their...
While we took time off for Thanksgiving and a bit of a break, we did end up having school Monday and Tuesday, and a bit on Wednesday. The kids benefit from...
Another WWII centered historical fiction. Kind of strange that I have read two in the past two weeks. This one is tough, but very engaging and good. The...
As I look outside my window: It’’s bright and sun. After a very warm yesterday, the temperatures are going to drop a bit today, but not by much. A trip the...
This one was light and fluffy and oh so cute! I love the grumpy guy - sunshine girl romance trope so much. This was just what I needed to read this week during...
Oh goodness. I really wanted to love this one. A friend has been begging me to read Whitehead for awhile now and so we picked this one for book club....
I’m going to start by saying that this book is definitely going onto my Top 10 of the year. It’s just that good! I finally picked this up thinking that I would...
Hmmm… a Christmas love story? I’m not sure that I would agree with this categorization. I could not connect to any character in the story. Georgie was very...
INDIANA JONES FOR THE 21st CENTURY! Marvel Knights: Hulk and Glory writer Joseph Keatinge teams up with artist extraordinaire Leila del Duca for her Image...
I thought it would be nice to take Tuesday off and spend some time at the park (it was going to be in the 60s). The kids could play and I could get some random...
As I look outside my window: It’s so weird to be able to see through our backyard tree again. It makes the lights from houses so much brighter at nighttime.
Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can't seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a "take me home" look in his...
I picked this one up from a recommendation on one of my reading podcasts. I sped through this book digesting little bits of advice here and there. Thankfully...
Yeah, I’m pretty excited for this!
As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they're willing to lose in order to win each other.
Among this year’s incoming class is Ines Murillo, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual...
We had a good week full of lessons, a few outings, and a COVID vaccine!
On my bedside table: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren; The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachie
Our book club selection for November and a return to WWII historical fiction. Overall, I am burnt out on the subgenere, but this volume was a good addition. We...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I went back and forth about what to rate this book. I wanted to give it four stars all the way until the last 25 pages. Then, I wanted to give it 3 stars. But…...
Reading: Code Name Hèléne by Ariel Lawhon - I had to take a little break after a very graphic section, but I’m back into the book. About 50% of the way through...
We are back to our originally schedule curriculum plan and managed to have two outings plus coop. It was a full week, but I feel really good about our routine...
As I look outside my window: The backyard tree is at is most brilliant color of fall, a beautiful red-orange color. It’s my favorite stage of the tree. But it...
Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Sesali Bowen learned early on how to hustle, stay on her toes, and champion other Black women and femmes as she...
Another delightful hug of a book from Klune. I was in tears throughout the entire last chapter; happy tears. Klune has this magical way of writing stories and...
On April 27, 1997, four contestants make it to the final cell of the Quigley House, a full-contact haunted escape room in Lincoln, Nebraska, made famous for...
Let’s check in on November goals and my progress.
It took a few days, but we caught up with our curriculum. We made a lot of progress in all of our subjects and even had a great field trip with our coop...
October TBR Pile (19/30):
This was an addition to our homeschool curriculum. I thought it fit well with the theme of “Fantastic Journeys and Perilous Quests.” We get a great story...
Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Loved this meta fairy tale where Zinnia falls into her favorite story, Sleeping Story. We get multiple pop culture references along Zinnia’s path to her own...
The last thing Mallory Clark wants to do is move back home. She has no choice, though, since the company she worked for in Chicago has just downsized her, and...
That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen,...
Originally I had scheduled our Fall Break week for this past week. I knew we would get behind on curriculum because of sickness or unexpected disruptions....
A new find of mine on Octane. I really love this song that’s playing on repeat.
As I look outside my window: It’s raining… a very dreary and cold day ahead of us. Perfect for reading a good book with a hot cup of tea and a cozy blanket.
Overall I did really enjoy this lighter romantic comedy. We get the silly meet-cute, lots of complications, and a happily ever after. In between, I grew to...
And now the sequel! Right away we know that the Grimlock was not vanquished and Sophie and Joseph are pulled back into the horrors fo the Argenton family. We...
Oh yes! I must watch this one!
Now this is the haunted house story that I wanted to read (especially after the disappointing book from yesterday)! Right away we now that there’s something...
Read that premise again. Sounds absolutely amazing, right? This sounded like a book that I would love. But alas, it was a big disappointment. My biggest...
We managed to cover a lot of ground in a week shortened by two field trips.
Yeah! I have been waiting for new music from Asking Alexandria, and it finally came!
On my bedside table: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn; The Haunting of Drearcliff Grange School by Kim Newman
Golan Trevize, former Councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common...
Somehow I had never read this story until this year. I finally picked it up and read this in one afternoon with a cup of tea. I love this twisty tale exploring...
Something is out there . . .
Here's my randomness for the week:
London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield wanted just three things in life:1. Acclaim as an artist.2. A noble cause.3. Marriage to a young lord who puts the...
Reading: Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov. I have finally reached the end of the giant series.
Between my retreat and a lot of field trips, we ended up having two weeks of part-time homeschool. Thank goodness I built in a break week for mid-October. We...
I’m always up for a new Cold War Kids song and this one does not disappoint.
Right now I am: Relaxing after getting the kids put to bed.
I finally read this collection of short stories! And really, it’s a gem of the horror genre. We get a collection of stories that take classic fairy tales and...
When you can’t beat the odds, change the game.Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But...
Excuse me while I absolutely lose my mind over here.
Kingfisher Lodge, nestled in a canyon on a mile and a half of the most pristine river water on the planet, is known by locals as "Billionaire's Mile" and is...
Bears aren’t the only predators in these woods.Best friends Neena and Josie spent high school as outsiders, but at least they had each other. Now, with college...
This one is creeping up on my current favorites list.
Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even.
Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.
September TBR Pile (21/25):
Duchess Day Radley is a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Rules are for other people. She is the fierce protector of her five-year-old brother, Robin,...
At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they...
We’re back to a routine and easy back into homeschooling. Thankfully the weather was gorgeous this week for our field tip and for coop.
Serious obsessed with this song right now. I need to go download their album immediately.
Fall TBR: A mix of older books and new releases for this fall. All the spooky books are on tap for October and the others will probably be read for November…
The adventures of an American hacker in Medieval England continue as Martin Banks takes his next step on the journey toward mastering his reality-altering...
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic...
The Foundation lies in ruins—destroyed by a mutant mind bent on humanity’s annihilation. But it’s rumored that there’s a Second Foundation hidden somewhere at...
Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program....
Reading: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren. I finally picked it up off the library stack and dug right in.
The accidental governess
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny with a decent breeze. I had a lovely morning read before it got too warm in the sun.
Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses....
Edited By: Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
Here's my randomness for the week:
Led by its founding father, the psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and utilizing science and technology, the Foundation survived the greed and barbarism of its...
An archaeological dig in Cornwall has gone very wrong, very quickly. And Maria Kilbride has her hands full already, as the effects of the Injection begin to...
Consulting detective Vivek Headland, originally of the group that caused the release of a haunted artificial intelligence into the world, lives and works in...
I finally planned out a week and didn’t overload us or leave a ton of activities on the table! I think we have found our groove, just in time to leave for our...
I find myself singing along every time it pops up on Alt Nation.
As I look outside my window: The birds are very excited this morning. Lots of singing and fighting.
It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness,...
Once upon a time, there were five crazy people, and they poisoned the 21st Century. Now they have to deal with the corrosion to try and save us all from a...
THE END OF SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE! With the end of summer coming up soon, Jo, Mal, Molly, April and Ripley decide to go on one last adventure each, finishing up...
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory,...
In this singular and imaginative story collection, Cecelia Ahern explores the endless ways in which women blaze through adversity with wit, resourcefulness,...
Oof. This week was a killer. We had something every single day of the week that took out of the house. It was absolutely exhausting. Consequently, we didn’t...
Loving this song playing on repeat on Octane.
As I look outside my window: It’s very nice outside. A bright and sunny, but not hot morning.
A Fifth Avenue address, parties at the Plaza, two healthy sons, and the ideal husband: what looks like a perfect life for Katharina Edgeworth is anything but....
Another year of using a Happy Planner as my main planner device. Let’s hope I have more to put into the spreads than I did last year. Here’s hoping for more...
When girl meets Duke, their marriage breaks all the rules…
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on August goals and my progress.
August TBR Pile (20/29):
As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire...
A much more normal week for us! We had some fun field trip adventures and focused on our studies.
Oh Yes. This is just a great song. Two goddesses together!
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via...
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker....
How about some new Doctor? I’m glad that Yaz is back.
It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire,...
I really need to find our groove this fall. I cut back even more to allow for more flexibility. We’ll see how it goes going forward.
Ooof. This song has got me this week.
As I look outside my window:
Doing laundry is rarely anyone’s favorite task. But to Patric Richardson, laundry isn't just fun―it's a way of life. After years of running Laundry Camp at the...
Anthony Bourdain saw more of the world than nearly anyone. His travels took him from the hidden pockets of his hometown of New York to a tribal longhouse in...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she’s given up trying. But when her...
THEY’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS QUITE YET! When April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley get in trouble with Rosie, the mysterious director of Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin...
Two weeks of fairly intense field trips has left me extremely tired. While we are loving the fun, we need to better structure our weeks to allow for time to...
Another new song being featured on Octane that I am really enjoying.
On my bedside table: Foundation by Isaac Asimov, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
After years of bitter struggle, Trantor had at last completed its work—its Galactic Empire ruled all 200 million planets of the Galaxy . . . all but one. On a...
STOLEN KITTIES, SECRET CRUSHES & A NIGHT TO REMEMBER! Jen and Rosie plan to take the Lumberjane scouts to see an amazing astronomical event. But their night of...
DINOSAURS, DANGER & DIMENSION-HOPPING AND ...OH MY!Mal wants to learn to be braver, but when she recruits Ripley to help her face her fears, she ends up...
They’re lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes. Their often tragic and always bizarre stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV...
You'd think being abducted by aliens would be the worst thing that could happen to me. And you'd be wrong. Because now, the aliens are having ship trouble, and...
When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski,...
We have officially started our second year of homeschooling. This year, I have added Quentin into the mix. We’re still trying to find a balance of together and...
Digging this song so much right now. And the video is pretty fun.
As I look outside my window: The storm from last night has moved on (leaving parts of downtown flooded, but clear in my part of the city) but left some clouds...
Trantor had extended its rule over half the Galaxy, but the other half defied its authority, defending their corrupt fiefdoms with violence and repression. On...
BIRTHDAYS TO THE MAX!Jo’s birthday is coming up, and April is determined to pull out all the stops for her best friend! But when her elaborate plans for a...
X MARKS THE SPOT...FOR TROUBLE!Ripley found a treasure map! The Roanoke scouts are eager to hunt down what they hope might be some kind of mystical hoard of...
Here's my randomness for the week:
There are three things you need to know about Kat Tanner (aka Kathleen Tyson. . . and yes, she is *that* Kathleen Tyson):1) She’s determined to make good...
There are three things you need to know about Marie Harris:1) She’s fed up with online dating,2) She’s so fed up, she’s willing to forego the annoyance and...
Very very hard rock for today’s song.
Let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
July TBR Pile (17/19):
Sometimes you slip through the cracks: unforeseen circumstances like an abrupt illness, the death of a loved one, a break up, or a job loss can derail a life....
Two years old, and yet I just found this. It is perfection!
Joe Tournier has a bad case of amnesia. His first memory is of stepping off a train in the nineteenth-century French colony of England. The only clue Joe has...
In a world of magic and monsters, Ansel is an outsider haunted by visions of our world - and will risk everything to find the mysterious Folklords who can...
Oh goodness. This is a great new song!
As I look outside my window: It’s very overcast and humid today. Still going to be hot, but right now it’s kind of nice outside.
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston:1) She has six brothers and they all have beards,2) She is a reader, and3) She knows how to...
So now I have the supplies, it’s time to start planning and gathering everything I want to do. I’m a Type A planner that always feels better with a good plan...
We did it! We made it through our first year of homeschooling! Right now we are taking a “break” and doing a pirate unit full of fun, games, crafts, and books....
Here's my randomness for the week:
There are three things you should know about Quinn Sullivan:1) He is madly in love with Janie Morris,2) He’s not above playing dirty to get what (or who) he...
As the House of Slaughter arrives to clean up the situation by any means necessary, Erica will find that the true threat to those around her isn’t who - or...
Reading: Wintering by Katherine May… I’ve been taking this book slowly and definitely need to own it to reread every few years.
A featured song on Octane that I’m really digging.
As I look outside my window: The rain from yesterday has cleared up. It’s not super hot right now, but very clear and bright.
The small town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is an unlikely location for a Playboy Resort, and nineteen-year old Sherri Taylor is an unlikely bunny. Growing up in...
There are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer… I would tell you what they are, but then I’d have to kill you.But I can tell you that Fiona’s...
Quirky apocalyptic comedy? I’m there!
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a...
There are three things you need to know about Sandra Fielding:1) She makes all her first dates cry,2) She hasn't been kissed in over two years, and3) She knows...
Old song, but every time it pops up on The Emo Project, I get really excited.
As I look outside my window: The storms have cleared up leaving much cooler temperatures. Perfect for sitting on the deck.
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. The nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.The...
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Alina Starkov’s power has grown, but not without a price. She is the Sun Summoner—hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous...
Reading: Continuing the Shadow and Bone trilogy with Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. I needed something a bit more light after finishing Malibu Rising by...
An older song, but I keep rediscovering it.
There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one...
Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their...
Week 14: Sicilian Orange Breakfast Cake
I threw out all my goals for June and spent a lot of time really sorting through the brain fog. I’m tweaking my usual goals concepts for July and trying to...
June TBR Pile: I did away with my TBR list at the beginning of the month to let the reader inspiration take me where it wanted. Here’s what I read this month:
Usually I copy and paste a book summary here, but all the ones I found contained way too many fucking spoilers! So here is my summary: This is a fun space romp...
As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose—to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured...
We’re officially done with our first year of homeschooling! For next week and July, we will be taking it easy. Arthur will be working on his Highlights and...
Random find for this month. I really digging this sound.
On my bedside table: So many good books! Definitely too many choices right now… Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir; Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid; People We...
After the disaster that was 2020, I scaled way back with my reading commitments for 2021. My 2020 reading was decent (230 books!), but I felt like I was...
Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a...
Ooof So True…
Freya Lyell is struggling to move on from her sister Stella’s death five years ago. Visiting the bewitching Byrne Hall, only a few miles from the scene of the...
Literature and Poetry
Random find from Sirius XM’s Octane.
I’m embarrassed, still, by how long it took me to notice. Everything was right there in the open, right there in front of me, but it still took me so long to...
Summer TBR:
What if the end of the road is just the beginning?Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying...
When social worker Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Before Jane Austen, William Deresiewicz was a very different young man. A sullen and arrogant graduate student, he never thought Austen would have anything to...
If you love to read, and presumably you do since you’ve picked up this book (!), you know that some books affect you so profoundly they forever change the way...
Literature and Poetry
Very excited to hear new music from Mike Shinoda. And this one is much happier than his recently previous work.
As I look outside my window: It’s lovely and bright outside. I’m actually watching our backyard neighbor work on building a swing set for his kids.
Lovely CreatureIn the New City lives a girl with a secret: Elizabeth can do magic. But someone knows her secret--someone who has a secret of his own. That...
As Jenny Lawson’s hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken, Jenny brings readers along on her mental and physical health...
Oh to go to a show…
A chilling novel about a group of musicians conscripted by the US government to track down the source of a strange and debilitating sound
Reading: Broken (in the best way possible) by Jenny Lawson. J said that I can’t read it in bed as I was laughing too loudly and shaking the bed. It’s just that...
For the last week in May, Memorial Day, and the first week in June, we ended up taking a semi-break. For us, that means we only did school about an hour a day...
I’ve been all about the hard rock this past month. And this new Papa Roach song featuring Danny Worsnop from Asking Alexandria is just perfect!
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny with a lovely breeze. The temps are supposed to top 90 today, but this morning it is lovely.
His name was Biron Farrill and he was a student at the University of Earth. A native of one of the helpless Nebular Kingdoms, he saw his home world conquered...
When Bellamy McGuire is offered a summer job babysitting for the wealthy Baldwin family, she's reluctant to accept. After all, everyone in town knows about the...
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on May goals and my progress.
May TBR Pile (19/25):
So excited about this new song featuring Spencer from Ice Nine Kills.
Edited By: Judith Ridge
Edited by: Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane
I literally cannot wait!
Sir Richard Kenworthy has less than a month to find a bride. He knows he can't be too picky, but when he sees Iris Smythe-Smith hiding behind her cello at her...
Sarah Pleinsworth can’t forgive Hugh Prentice for the duel he fought three years ago that nearly destroyed her family, sent her cousin fleeing, and left Hugh...
Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell,...
Beyond our studies, we had two park playdates this week along with a grocery store visit and a library stop. Park playdates can be tiring for me, but we’re...
I’m so addicted to this song right now…
As I look outside my window: The clouds seem to have moved out for the day. Maybe we’ll get some good sunshine. My plants need it!
They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and...
Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met.After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the...
Reading: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. Book club needed something a little more light and fluffy.
Literature and Poetry
Really you need to check out Architects’ entire new album, For Those That Wish to Exist, but I’ll just highlight one of their songs today. Plus a bonus version…
As I look outside my window: It’s drizzly and cooler than yesterday. Thinking I should open the windows and get some cool air circulating.
In an alternate New Orleans caught in the tangle of the American Civil War, the wall-scaling girl named Creeper yearns to escape the streets for the air--in...
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of...
Amazing! I definitely don’t have the time to do this, but oh man, I am tempted.
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south...
IN AMERICA, DEMONS WEAR WHITE HOODS.In 1915, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan's ranks and drinking deep from the darkest...
Literature and Poetry
Arthur’s current favorite song. He really loves AJR.
As I look outside my window: It’s cloudy, but the rain has cleared up mostly. It’s supposed to be under 70 degrees all week.
Citra and Rowan have disappeared. Endura is gone. It seems like nothing stands between Scythe Goddard and absolute dominion over the world scythedom. With the...
Erica Slaughter may have slain the monster terrorizing the small Wisconsin town of Archer’s Peak, but now she sets off deeper into the woods -- because the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
By the time she was in her late twenties, Tara Schuster was a rising TV executive who had worked for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and helped launch Key &...
When children begin to go missing in the town of Archer’s Peak, all hope seems lost until a mysterious woman arrives to reveal that terrifying creatures are...
We had three days of outings this week. On Monday, we went to the garden center. On Tuesday, we visited Gifford Farm and got to see the new baby animals. The...
Another year of using a Happy Planner as my main planner device. Let’s hope I have more to put into the spreads than I did last year. Here’s hoping for more...
A random find from Sirius XM’s The Emo Project. I’m really enjoying this one…
Week 7: Breakfast Milk Tea and Honey Pound Cake
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast today. The forecast calls for high temps until this evening when the rain comes.
Let’s check in on May goals and my progress:
April TBR Pile (17/24):
Looks like an interesting variation of the superhero genre.
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart...
Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is....
Apparently, I took no photos this week except my post-vaccine picture and a few at the park on Thursday…
I really enjoy the sound of Manchester Orchestra and this new song is great!
As I look outside my window: Another sunny but slightly chilly weekend. Although the temperature is supposed to reach 75 degrees today!
Honoria Smythe-Smith is:
Lady Mechanika accepts a job in Spain protecting a Barón's son who was allegedly attacked by a demonic entity, but she quickly begins to suspect the young...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Lady Mechanika's investigation into her forgotten past is overshadowed by concern for her associate Mr. Lewis when he becomes enamored of a beautiful and...
Before The Hazel Wood, there was Althea Proserpine’s Tales from the Hinterland...Journey into the Hinterland, a brutal and beautiful world where a young woman...
Literature and Poetry
I have a love/hate relationship with Grouplove. I really enjoy some of their music. And some I find incredibly annoying and whiny. This new song I am actually...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny. A little on the cooler side, but decent today.
Ever wonder what happens after the Happily Ever After?
A funny thing happened ...
I love fun horror films!
Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the...
Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a...
Literature and Poetry
Winter was all about Emo song selections. Now that we’ve moved into spring, I’m turning back into hard rock and metal. Enjoy!
As I look outside my window: Another bright and sunny morning, although it’s only about 45 degrees right now.
In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor...
The story begins: young lovers, anxious to connect, agree to a first date, thinking outside of the box.At seventeen years old, James and Amelia can feel the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Isaac Asmiov's classic novel about the decline and fall of Solaria. Gladia Delmarre's homeworld, the Spacer planet Solaria, has been abandoned - by its human...
In the year of our Lord 1894, I became an outlaw.The day of her wedding, 17 year old Ada’s life looks good; she loves her husband, and she loves working as an...
Beyond our usual school work, we had multiple outings this week. We started with a park playdate with potential coop families. Monday was a windy but warm and...
Winter was all about Emo song selections. Now that we’ve moved into spring, I’m turning back into hard rock and metal. Enjoy!
As I look outside my window: It’s a beautiful day outside. The birds are very vocal, the sun is shining, and it’s supposed to be 85 degrees by 4pm. Goodness!
Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells...
Let’s check in on my March goals and my progress.
I so hope that this is better than the first one…
March TBR Pile (19/24):
Meet Our Hero . . .
**I somehow took a total of three pictures this week. Terrible on my part…
Winter was all about Emo song selections. Now that we’ve moved into spring, I’m turning back into hard rock and metal. Enjoy!
I hate when I schedule a post and completely forget to write it! Ugh! Well, here we go…
Miss Mary Whitsun is far too intelligent to fall for the rakish charms of a handsome aristocrat. But when the gentleman in question approaches her in a...
When Alice Hale leaves a career in publicity to become a writer and follows her husband to the New York suburbs, she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone...
Hippolyta Royle is running for her life. Pursued by hounds on a cold rainy night, the heiress flags down a passing carriage and throws herself at the mercy of...
London, 1841. One hundred eighty Englishwomen file aboard the Rajah, embarking on a three-month voyage to the other side of the world. They're daughters,...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Adam Rutledge, Viscount d'Arque, really rather loathes Christmas. The banal cheerfulness. The asinine party games. And, worst of all, the obligatory trip to...
A Lady of the Light Refined, kind, and intelligent, Lady Iris Jordan finds herself the unlikely target of a diabolical kidnapping. Her captors are the...
IN THE ARMS OF DANGERBold. Brave. Brutally handsome. Hugh Fitzroy, the Duke of Kyle, is the king's secret weapon. Sent to defeat the notorious Lords of Chaos,...
The past two weeks were our spring break. We didn’t leave the house much, but tried to slow our schooling pace and engage in some school field trips. We even...
Things really fell apart a few months into quarantine and I fell off the craft wagon. I kept wanting to craft, but life kept getting in the way. No fun. So I...
For the first two months of the year (I’m extending into March), I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio....
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny outside (and fairly warm), but there is a wind advisory. It wouldn’t be spring in Nebraska without a wind...
Spring TBR: Trying to lay out another 25 (well 28 actually) books that I want to read this spring. The list is a mix of unread shelf books and random ones from...
A MAN OF SINDevastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys....
Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly of librarian William Ottens’s experience working behind service desks and in the stacks of public libraries, most...
Super fascinating video! Part 2 just came out last week.
“Welcome to the Hooflands. We’re happy to have you, even if you being here means something’s coming.”Regan loves, and is loved, though her school-friend...
In every life there is a turning point . . .
For the first two months of the year (I’m extending into March), I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio....
As I look outside my window: It’s raining! It rained all night and should rain most of today. It has definitely been awhile since we had any precipitation and...
Humans learn from their mistakes. I cannot. I make no mistakes.The Thunderhead is the perfect ruler of a perfect world, but it has no control over the...
Selena Murphy is commuting home on the train when she strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat. The woman introduces herself as...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Jessica and Emily Burnstein have very different ideas of how this college tour should go.For Emily, it's a preview of freedom, exploring the possibility of her...
Not quite so much stuff on my desk right now, but there are still a ton of piles…
Things did not go as planned this week. I had originally planned to do the grocery shopping on Wednesday, which takes me away from active teaching for an...
For the first two months of the year (I’m extending into March), I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio....
As I look outside my window: Sunny, a bit breezy, but almost 70 degrees! The kids will be going outside after brunch.
She wrote him a letter...and he stole her heart.
Face your fears, fight the battle.Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a...
Super fascinating video! Part 2 just came out last week.
It’s become a tradition that we spend most of February watching new-to-us movie month. We kicked off this month with a short list of 100 movies that we wanted...
Finally! I have officially finished my 2020 Memory Planner! Many obstacles got in my way, but I powered through in February and got it all finished. Now I can...
Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.
Week 1: Cranberry and White Chocolate Cake
This ended up being a very strange week. I had an emergency dentist appointment on Tuesday and the office could fit Arthur in for a regular cleaning on...
For the first two months of the year (I’m extending into March), I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio....
A recap of last month’s goals:
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny now after a very cloudy morning.
February TBR Pile (15/24):
Since the day Filomena Fontana cast a curse upon her sister more than two hundred years ago, not one second-born Fontana daughter has found lasting love. Some,...
SHE'S TAKING CHARGEPrim, proper, and thrifty, Eve Dinwoody is all business when it comes to protecting her brother's investment. But when she agrees to control...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Another month’s pages in the Memory Planner completed! October was full of fun-filled adventures.
She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was...
Working on my planner and my memory planner this week. Really hoping to finish my 2020 Memory Planner and put it away and get my 2021 one started.
HE CAN GUARD HERLady Phoebe Batten is pretty, vivacious, and yearning for a social life befitting the sister of a powerful duke. But because she is almost...
This was our last week covering Rome (and boy am I ready to move on). We also continued with jazz, finished one read aloud and started another, and completed...
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
Another month’s pages in the Memory Planner completed! For the monthly spread, I highlighted some pictures from our adventures at Arbor Day Farm.
I completely forgot hit publish on this post for February’s goals. Oops. Let’s see what I wrote:
As I look outside my window: Ummm… it started snowing again. Another winter storm warning for today.
Cairo, 1912: The case started as a simple one for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities — handling a possessed tram car.Soon,...
A MAN CONDEMNED . . .Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's...
I know it’s past Valentine’s Day, but I found this video fascinating.
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows...
Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. The world may know him as Aeneas, star of the biggest show on television, but fanfiction readers call him something else:...
We crammed in two holidays this week: Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. Even though February is the shortest month, it’s full of holidays and events! We’re...
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
It’s become a tradition that we spend most of February watching new-to-us movie month. We kicked off this month with a short list of 100 movies that we wanted...
As I look outside my window: The snow is so sparkly! But I just now that the temperatures are below zero. But I want to go to the library later. Guess I better...
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who...
WHEN A MASKED MAN . . .Twenty years ago Maximus Batten witnessed the brutal murders of his parents. Now the autocratic Duke of Wakefield, he spends his days...
Here's my randomness for the week:
There’s a lot Jean hasn’t said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her...
Reading: Scythe by Neal Shusterman. It’s been on my list and comes highly recommended by many bloggers. I’m enjoying it so far.
Reading: Scythe by Neal Shusterman. It’s been on my list and comes highly recommended by many bloggers. I’m enjoying it so far.
We had a big week full of snow and jazz!
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
As I look outside my window: It’s lightly snowing (again). Guess I might need to shovel the driveway if I want to go to the library this afternoon.
In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and...
Not so sure about this one. I’ve never been a huge fan of the King Kong movies.
In Underland, Robert Macfarlane delivers an epic exploration of the Earth’s underworlds as they exist in myth, literature, memory, and the land itself....
Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
We started our week with almost 14 inches of snow in about 24 hours! Oh goodness. The boys have really gotten into playing in the snow, but our previous...
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
2020 has been such a strange year. Here’s hoping 2021 starts off better than the last year ended. I’m not going to make a big list as I know things are still...
January TBR Pile (20/26):
Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever and...
Everyone knows that Colin Bridgerton is the most charming man in London . . .
Here's my randomness for the week:
Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball—or that "Prince Charming" would be waiting there for her!...
1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication...
Triffids are odd, interesting little plants that grow in everyone’s garden. Triffids are no more than mere curiosities—until an event occurs that alters human...
Literature and Poetry
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813By all accounts, Simon...
Our world has ended five times: it has been broiled, frozen, poison-gassed, smothered, and pelted by asteroids. In The Ends of the World, Peter Brannen dives...
Dan, Abby, and Jordan remain traumatized by the summer they shared in the Brookline asylum. Much as they'd love to move on, many questions remain, and someone...
Willow Arden adores her life as the coronation planner in the Vicenza palace. The tiny island kingdom is the perfect place to raise her baby daughter. But when...
Brenna Tinley has decided to move to the Unified Isles of Cornetta, a fairy-tale kingdom just south of France in the Bay of Biscay to escape the recent...
She's on the hunt for a hero...Luke Trenton, Viscount Merritt, returned from war a changed man. Battle stripped away his civility and brought out his inner...
Entertaining little bit…
A millennium into the future two advances have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain....
Reading: I finally started Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series with The Duke and I . I’m about 75% of the way through it and loving every page (except for that one...
Reading: I finally started Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series with The Duke and I . I’m about 75% of the way through it and loving every page (except for that one...
It has been so nice to get back to our usual routine. We all needed a break over Christmas, but the fact that we couldn’t really leave the house made the break...
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and clear outside, but pretty cold (30 degrees or so). I’m loving the light, but I would have liked another snow fall.
Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers—and a massively...
Meet the Duke of Wellington--one of England's most decorated military heroes and, unknown to most, her most daring monster hunter. After receiving a letter...
Another month’s pages in the Memory Planner completed! This was the first month of homeschooling and I was finding a good balance of journaling and photos in...
Solutions and Other Problems includes humorous stories from Allie Brosh’s childhood; the adventures of her very bad animals; merciless dissection of her own...
Piranesi’s house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I finally dove back into my 2020 Memory Planner! The printer had some issues but I seem to have gotten it worked out just in time for January. I’m amazed that...
Amanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage...
Nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories. Two being published for the very first time. All from the mind of the incomparable Ted...
Arthur thrives on routine and structure. Too many days of unstructured activities lead to a very moody 7 year old. For Christmas break, I tried to do a bit of...
For the first two months of the year, I decided to do Emo Winter! I’m been really loving The Emo Project channel on Sirius XM Radio. I picked all my selections...
I haven’t really had any craft goals for months, so nothing to really update on. Instead, I’ll focus on my January goals.
2020 has been such a strange year. Here’s hoping 2021 starts off better than the last year ended. I’m not going to make a big list as I know things are still...
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using...
Last year I had my second to highest reading year ever and it was great, but I really really needed to change up my reading challenge strategy again.
Winter TBR: For 2021, I am going to change up how I do my reading challenges. My seasonal TBR’s are going to be expanded and those are the big reading...
Now that my blog is 10 years old (seriously, how has it been 10 years?), I decided to choose my favorite books of the decade. First, I had to pull all my top...
And just like that we are onto our third yearly food project. First year was grilled cheese (got a bit repetitive) and our second year was Soups and Stews...
Craft Goals/Resolutions
We ended up making 53 recipes from 53 different countries and territories throughout the world. Our basic plan was to rotate through regions to not overload...
Recipe 40: Ajiaco from Chile
Things really fell apart a few months into quarantine and I fell off the craft wagon. I kept wanting to craft, but life kept getting in the way. No fun. So I...
House Goals/Resolutions
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my fifth year using the system. I just really love the...
Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.
The Hunger by Alma Katsu (1/17/20)
January - The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn (4/7/20)
No actual crafting on my desk right this minute. I’m using my space to prep homeschool for this semester. And I have my current library book hanging out right...
Favorite Books of the Year (in no particular order):
2020 was the year that my crafting fell off a cliff. I just didn’t do much crafting at all… Let’s see what I actually did accomplish:
December TBR Pile (19/25):
Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her...
Inspector Treadles, Charlotte Holmes’s friend and collaborator, has been found locked in a room with two dead men, both of whom worked with his wife at the...
To finish out this year’s Christmas cards, I stuck with the same washi sheets and color palette as the last card. I changed out my dies and made a cute little...
I wanted to use my ridiculous stash of washi tape for some kind of card, but I couldn’t figure out what exactly. So I covered a sheet of white cardstock with...
I did a whole suite of coordinating cards using a big sentiment as my focal point! I pulled the Heartwarming Hugs DSP and couldn’t decide which pattern to use....
Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant...
Another pastel Christmas card!
I somehow managed to not take a single picture of homeschooling this week. I have pictures of our advent activities, just not our regular school stuff. Oh well…
As I look outside my window: The sun has set and it’s oh so dark out there…
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using...
Things really fell apart a few months into quarantine and I fell off the craft wagon. I kept wanting to craft, but life kept getting in the way. No fun. So I...
Fall TBR: My goal was to read my Book of the Month selections. I did not do very well at all… 1/14
Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely! Aedhan is a...
A super simple Christmas card featuring my all-time favorite die: Coffee Cups Die! I am really loving the Tis the Season DSP. The patterns are beautiful and...
Every Christmas, I end up making at least one set of cards with more winter pastel colors. I knew that I wanted to do a sponged card and this color scheme was...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I am so glad that I bought the Plaid Tidings DSP pack if only for these great Christmas themed pieces. For this set of cards, I started with the image of the...
The Tea Dragon Society is the two-time Eisner Award-winning gentle fantasy that follows the story of a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she...
Having lost her boyfriend, job, and apartment all in the space of a week, Angie has no choice but to leave California and return to her family in New England....
The Christmas season isn’t looking great for April Gareaux. Her job is uninspiring, her engagement is off, and she has nowhere to live. Certainly her family...
A super simple Christmas card that really highlights the beautiful DSP. I cut a ton of strips of paper and just started making various combinations to create...
Another week of anatomy, coding, and Greece! We’re taking is easy this month and not pushing the curriculum too far. Plus we have all those fun advent...
I back with actual homemade cards! After months of wanting to make cards, but just not having the motivation or the space, I just didn’t do it. To send out...
Can I just have this on repeat this week? Kay, thanks!
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using...
I took advantage of the Black Friday sales at my favorite planner sticker shop: Nerd’s the Word! She’s on vacation through the end of the year, but once she...
As I look outside my window: There’s still a layer of snow on the ground, although it’s been all messed up by the kids running around yesterday. The snow...
The long-dreaded war between the Federation and Arcanics is about to explode. Maika must choose her next steps: will she help her friends, or strike out on her...
The graphic novel anthology that solidified the stature of the FLIGHT series as one of the most thoughtful, beautifully rendered works in the field.Authors...
When Ben Winters and Lara Cottridge hear that a Vermont radio station is hosting a Christmas contest with a $10,000 prize for a charitable project of the...
When an ancient helmet at the British Museum is taken, Bridgette and Duncan are confronted by another hero of yore, one who will lead them to facing off...
Adventurer Lance Desmond needs to produce a fortune before his arch-rival collects the bounty on his head. He risks an ancient curse to retrieve treasure...
Nathan Ballingrud's Shirley Jackson Award winning debut collection is a shattering and luminous experience not to be missed by those who love to explore the...
Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it...
Before we get to our W16 studies, we did some Thanksgiving activities during our pseudo-break week. There were some fun turkey based games and puzzles. Arthur...
I find myself singing along to this song every time I run across it on the radio…
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using...
As I look outside my window: It looks very white out there. The cloud cover is complete, but also just white. Very dreary today.
Sage has been working at a high-tech firm in Newport Beach, CA for over two years as the only female director among three men. She is highly valued by her boss...
It’s the second semester at Gotham Academy, and everything is back to normal. Of course, “normal” for Gotham’s top prep school would be considered...
The Lumberjanes and Gotham Academy kids team up!DREAM TEAM UP!When a teacher at Gotham Academy goes missing, it’s up to Olive, Maps, Colton, Pom, and Kyle to...
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my fifth year using the system. I just really love the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever―and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.Thus...
Almost 6 months have gone by since I updated this blog. Terrible… Life in quarantine got very busy and yet also triggered a depression episode. I’m feeling...
Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.
Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.
November TBR Pile (16/30)
I ended up with a respectable showing of 11/15 tasks completed.
As I look outside my window: Clear and bright, but very windy this morning…
Welcome to Gotham Academy, the most prestigious school in Gotham City. Only the best and brightest students may enter its halls, study in its classrooms,...
While adventuring in the woods, Jo, Mal, Molly, April, and Ripley discover the hiding place of a group of magical creatures called Pookas and they think...
The critically acclaimed cult novelist makes visceral the terrors of life in Jim Crow America and its lingering effects in this brilliant and wondrous work of...
Growing up in an affluent suburb of New York City, sixteen-year-old Nevaeh Levitz never thought much about her biracial roots. When her Black mom and Jewish...
Reading: Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff - Oh so good! But very hard to explain.
We continued our study of weather and finished our reading of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. We also slowed down a bit and let some thing go. And I...
Digging the new song!
As I look outside my window: Clear skies today, much better than the gray skies yesterday. Although it’s only supposed to get up to 50 degrees today. I’ll take...
Originally published by Image Comics in 2004, Flight, Volume One launched this graphic novel series with a resounding bang. Since then the Flight series has...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Avery is an exceptional child. Everything he does is precise, from the way he washes his face in the morning, to the way he completes his homework – without...
Once every year, Scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a weekend camping trip—a tradition as comforting and reliable as...
Literature and Poetry
Love this Billie Eilish cover!
As I look outside my window: Windy and cold day, but bright and sunny.
Join April, Jo, Mal, Molly and Ripley as they explore their all-girls camp. From ghost ponies to strange plants, these Lumberjanes are ready to take on...
When most people think about street addresses, if they think of them at all, it is in their capacity to ensure that the postman can deliver mail or a traveler...
It's been almost a year since Makani Young came to live with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska, and she's still adjusting to her new life. And still...
Reading: There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins - I just started it and so far, it’s a fun slasher thriller.
This week was a bit strange with me working on a project for J’s company. As we had so much to do, we ended up doing only half days of school this past week.
Digging this song a lot this week.
As I look outside my window: Our big backyard tree finally dropped all it’s leaves. Guess I’ll be raking leaves today…
An inherited tea shop, a quaint little Connecticut town, and its quirky residents have Raven Marigold believing her luck is about to change for the better. Of...
Who are the Sawkill Girls?
Here's my randomness for the week:
Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her...
Week 33: Chorba Frik from Algeria
It’s going to be another strange season still in the midst of the pandemic. And we’re homeschooling. Being at home does allow for some other fun activities, I...
I love Halloween! So, we embraced the spooky season with our activities this week.
Let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.
October TBR Pile (17/27)
Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick...
I can’t wait for this upcoming season!
Miss Pettigrew, an approaching-middle-age governess, was accustomed to a household of unruly English children. When her employment agency sends her to the...
I am a bit at loose ends at the moment. My cook, Queenie, is making my new role as mistress of Eynsleigh something akin to constant torture as Darcy is off on...
This week our subjects were Babylon, Assyria, and Asia (Social Studies), Van Gogh (art), Bats and Spiders (unit theme), Moon (science), Antonin Dvorak (music),...
Older song, but every time it pops up, I must listen to it. Love this one!
As I look outside my window: It’s very lightly snowing. More of a mix of rain and snow really.
A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square...
Delia's new house isn't just a house. Long ago, it was the Piven Institute for the Care and Correction of Troubled Females -- an insane asylum nicknamed...
Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are...
It’s 1875, and Alva Webster is ready for a fresh start. After three years of being pilloried in the presses for fleeing her abusive husband, his sudden death...
Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as...
Reading: I finally started reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune and it is just making me so happy. I’m loving every page of it!
Every single day, we switched the schedule and what we did per Arthur’s request. It made for an interesting week for homeschooling.
Another amazing Alt Nation find.
Thinking and pondering: What should I do with the play room? It’s a mess right now.
There’s something strange about the Silver family house in the closed-off town of Dover, England. Grand and cavernous with hidden passages and buried secrets,...
Betrayed by those she trusted, penniless and alone, Darcie Finch is forced to accept a position that no one else dares, as assistant to dangerously attractive...
They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect turned soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier’s eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . ....
It’s going to be another strange season still in the midst of the pandemic. And we’re homeschooling. Being at home does allow for some other fun activities, I...
Not really sure what happened, but I took a total of seven pictures for the entire week. I was so exhausted this week… I just forgot to document. But we did do...
Caught this one Alt Nation last week and immediately loved it!
As I look outside my window: The sun is out, the wind is blowing, and the leaves are changing colors.
Roya is a dreamy, idealistic teenager living in 1953 Tehran who, amidst the political upheaval of the time, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s...
When Counselor Jen takes the Roanoke scouts on a mission to find a Jackalope, they end up stumbling on a young cowgirl who’s been living in the woods...
I doubt this will beat Angelica Houston’s amazing Head Witch, but I will watch it.
Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses,...
Reading: Lumberjanes Vol. 12-13. I needed some fun comfort reads for this week. I love this series so much!
Caught this song on Alt Nation and immediately loved it!
As I look outside my window: Leaves are falling from the trees! I love fall so much!
Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a...
Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress. Things did not go as planned as we unexpectedly had to travel to Indiana for over a week in the middle of...
Here's my randomness for the week:
September TBR Pile (14/42):
WHEN STRANGERS IN THE NIGHTHe lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John's only goal is to protect...
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless,...
Reading: Lovely War by Julie Berry - one of my Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide choices
I ended up combining two different weeks into one post after we had to take an emergency trip over to Indiana. My father died a few weeks back and we traveled...
Right now I am: Getting ready to head to bed, but before that, I’m going to read more of my current historical romance novel.
Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something...
Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But...
Yes yes yes!
It’s the most sensational case of the decade. Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion-dollar real estate fortune, vanishes on her way home from...
It’s going to be another strange season still in the midst of the pandemic. And we’re homeschooling. Being at home does allow for some other fun activities, I...
As predicted, our summer bucket list did not go well. We spent so much time trying to manage our daily lives and then starting homeschool that we didn’t get to...
Always love new music from this band!
When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with...
8/10 complete this season! Amazing Work! Let's see how I did with my Summer TBR:
I was so excited when Darcy announced out of the blue that we were flying to Kenya for our extended honeymoon. Now that we are here, I suspect he has actually...
Here's my randomness for the week:
When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once...
Literature and Poetry
This is my mood right now
As I look outside my window: It’s still pretty overcast and a bit rainy today. I love the cooler weather this past week, especially since our AC is broken.
Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her...
Mel Turner can’t resist the chance to bring the Crockett Theatre, a decrepit San Francisco Art Deco movie palace, back to life. But there’s a catch for Turner...
Weird coincidence, we’re doing a unit study on Mary Anning this week and next.
After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.
Literature and Poetry
This song gets stuck in my head all the time now…
Ever since Margot was born, it's been just her and her mother, struggling to get along. But that's not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past....
Week 25: Kharcho (Beef Stew) from Georgia
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But...
Here's my randomness for the week:
A MASKED MAN . . .Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he's the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker...
Let’s check in on August’s goals and my progress.
Literature and Poetry
August TBR Pile (17/44):
A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic...
As I look outside my window: It’s overcast and cool. Thank goodness!
CAN A PIRATE LEARN . . .River pirate "Charming" Mickey O'Connor has lifted himself from the depths of the slums to be the king of St. Giles. Anything he wants...
Korede’s sister Ayoola is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead, stabbed...
If only Darcy and I had eloped! What I thought would be a simple wedding has been transformed into a grand affair, thanks to the attendance of the queen, who...
Reading: Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt. It’s number three in the Maiden Lane series. Loving my historical romance breaks.
This week, I hit a huge obstacle with our science curriculum. Actually our problem was two fold. 1) I had scheduled too many science activities for each day....
A different sound for I Prevail. I dig it.
As I look outside my window: It’s sunny and humid outside right now… I’m not excited about how hot I’m going to be today.
Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their...
In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called...
Here's my randomness for the week:
After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant...
Reading: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Oh so good and super creepy!
We officially started homeschooling on Monday. And I feel like I’ve started a full time job… because I have.
Loving this new song.
Their lives were perfect . . .Lady Hero Batten, the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiance....
Right now I am: Putting away homeschooling supplies for the week and getting out next week’s supplies.
The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.The invitation to Coney Island is...
At an internment camp in Indonesia, forty-seven people are pronounced dead with acute hemorrhagic fever. When Henry Parsons--microbiologist,...
So here for this!
On the heels of a devastating plague, Torvi’s sister, Morgunn is stolen from the family farm by Uther, a flame-loving Fremish wolf-priest who leads a pack of...
In April 1912, six notable people were among those privileged to experience the height of luxury—first class passage on “the ship of dreams,” the RMS Titanic:...
So now I have the supplies, it’s time to start planning and gathering everything I want to do. I’m a Type A planner that always feels better with a good plan...
I caught this song on Alt Nation this week. Definitely giving me Billie Eilish vibes.
As I look outside my window: A random storm blew in this early morning… and I was planning to weed the yard! Oh well. Right now it’s still very overcast and...
Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his...
Things are still very much up in the air at the moment. Various places have reopened, but many with heavy restrictions. Our summer bucket list is going to look...
Agnes loves her home of Red Creek -- its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings and follows...
Once we decided our style and what we wanted to teach, I dove into the wild world of homeschool curriculum. There is so much out there, it can be easy to get...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left encased in ice when the Snow Queen waged war. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly...
Micah Mortimer is a creature of habit. A self-employed tech expert, superintendent of his Baltimore apartment building, cautious to a fault behind the steering...
As August approached, we started realizing that school was not going to look “normal.” . I kept waiting for the local school district to release some kind of...
Give me more!
A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES . . .Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles,...
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast but should clear up and bring cooler temperatures. So ready for this!
Let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
July TBR Pile (22/43)
I’m beyond excited about this one coming back!
Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case...
From the moment powerful men started falling to the #MeToo movement, the lamentations began: this is feminism gone too far, this is injustice, this is a witch...
Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—derailing the War Between the States and changing the...
After a very long discussion about the current state of the world and the immediate future, J and I decided to pull Arthur from public school and homeschool...
Such a haunting song…
As I look outside my window: It’s overcast today, but make no mistake, it’s still going to be ridiculous hot!
Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic...
Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and...
In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers.Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against...
In Ancient Greece, a skilled marble sculptor has been blessed by a goddess who has given his masterpiece – the most beautiful woman the town has ever seen –...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is...
In A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, Molly Wizenberg recounts a life with the kitchen at its center. From her mother's pound cake, a...
Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed. She has left her boyfriend, friends--and planet--behind to join her parents as a member...
Weird video, great song
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit overcast, but still going to clear up and be over 90 degrees today. Thankfully tomorrow the high is 80 degrees. I need...
The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body
When royal sleuth Georgie Rannoch receives a letter from her dearest friend Belinda, who's in an Italian villa awaiting the birth of her illegitimate baby, she...
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly...
Love this video! My favorite is the dress from Ever After.
You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this...
Before AIDS or Ebola, there was the Spanish Flu — Catharine Arnold's gripping narrative, Pandemic 1918, marks the 100th anniversary of an epidemic that altered...
Loving this new song!
As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and so so hot.
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino...
Things are still very much up in the air at the moment. Various places have reopened, but many with heavy restrictions. Our summer bucket list is going to look...
When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan. comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his...
Here's my randomness for the week:
What was it like? Living in that house.Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry...
Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life. Spanning eras and generations, it tells of...
Reading: Network Effect by Martha Wells - I’m so in love with the Murderbot Diaries. So sad that this is the last one that has been published…
Palaye Royale’s new album is absolutely amazing! I’ve been listening to it all the way through every couple of days. So good!
Something a little different for today. As I’m putting together my new craft/library room (tour once it’s done!), I’ve been trying to mentally organize all the...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny after a hazy morning. Although the air is at low quality due to the fireworks last night.
Murderbot wasn’t programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever showed it respect must be a system glitch, right?Having traveled the...
When a group of Nationalists use an ancient artifact to bring a villain from Arthurian myth back from the dead, retired monster hunter Bridgette McGuire pulls...
Week 18: Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut Chicken) from Iran
Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help...
Let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
June TBR Pile (25/46):
Connie Goodwin is an expert on America’s fractured past with witchcraft. A young, tenure-track professor in Boston, she’s earned career success by studying the...
Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas?Sci-fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the...
Their new album is absolutely killing it and this song is amazing!
Ginny Beale is eighteen, irreverent, funny, and brave, with a brother she adores and a circle of friends for whom she would do anything. Because of one...
As I look outside my window: It’s supposed to be sunny and very hot today. Thinking the kids should get outside for some water play after lunch.
Another part of my Zulily order arrived. I’m still (not) patiently waiting for my other four items…
It has a dark past—one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the...
Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a glittering crucible of genius. But amidst the dazzling creativity of the city’s most...
There’s something perfect about a clean and simple card. For this card, I used washi tape to create a mask for my stamped flowers. A simple sentiment, some...
What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Kristen Peterson doesn't do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don't get her. She's also keeping a...
Finally pulled out the Happy Birthday to You Stamp set again and made a pretty and shiny card.
Find the heir, win the crown.The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true...
Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope, rookie cops in the NYPD, live next door to each other outside the city. What happens behind closed doors in both houses—the...
Digging this new song from 10 Years!!!
I actually made some cards this week! What!?!?!?!
Searching for perfect book lovers gifts? Rejoice! Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany, is a love letter to all things bookish. Author Jane Mount brings...
I finally got some of my outstanding packages! The first box was full of Echo Park clearance sale items. I grabbed some scrapbook packs and a ton of great...
As I look outside my window: It’s another sunny day although it is supposed to rain tomorrow afternoon.
Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely artist and septuagenarian believes that most people aren't really honest with each other. But what if they were? And so he...
Let's see how I did with my Spring TBR: A lockdown due to a global pandemic left more time for reading. I actually did decently on this seasonal TBR. 6/10
Things are still very much up in the air at the moment. Various places have reopened, but many with heavy restrictions. Our summer bucket list is going to look...
A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and...
England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students...
China, 1937: When Japanese bombs begin falling on the city of Nanking, nineteen-year-old Hu Lian and her classmates at Minghua University are ordered to flee....
In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's from, or even his own name. But he can sense the...
Female rulers are a rare phenomenon--but thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, women reigned supreme. Regularly, repeatedly, and with impunity, queens like...
The first rule of book club:You don't talk about book club.Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny
The London season is in full fling at the end of the 1920s, but the Honourable Phryne Fisher—she of the green-gray eyes, diamant garters, and outfits that...
For 2020’s WITL, I wasn’t planning on doing it until late summer or so. But then I thought that documenting a week during the height of the pandemic and...
As Lady Georgiana's beloved Darcy drives her out of London, she soon discovers that he isn’t planning to introduce her to the pleasures of sinning in secret—as...
After six months in the quarantine, Remy finds out things are much worse than she feared. Her plans to escape come with a heavy cost, and she realizes that...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Brusatte traces the evolution of dinosaurs from their inauspicious start as small shadow dwellers—themselves the beneficiaries of a mass extinction caused by...
For 2020’s WITL, I wasn’t planning on doing it until late summer or so. But then I thought that documenting a week during the height of the pandemic and...
Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star lodging on the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. On the night she meets Jonathan Alkaitis, a...
Reading: I just started When Women Ruled by Kara Cooney. It’s about the six queens of ancient Egypt. I’m only on the first queen, but it’s fascinating. Turns...
Reading: I just started When Women Ruled by Kara Cooney. It’s about the six queens of ancient Egypt. I’m only on the first queen, but it’s fascinating. Turns...
For 2020’s WITL, I wasn’t planning on doing it until late summer or so. But then I thought that documenting a week during the height of the pandemic and...
Digging the new song
For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual...
On my bedside table: When Women Ruled by Kara Cooney; The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
With time ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother,...
I finally got my 2019 Family Project Life album started this past week. I know, I’m so far behind! But I have a plan to get caught up. I’ve already organized...
Lady Joanna Ware has no desire to wed again but that doesn't stop the flurry of suitors knocking on her door. Desperate to thwart another proposal, Joanna...
I cannot wait!
"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to...
Another' month’s worth of pages. I’m doing a great job keeping up with these pages. May 25-31 is not featured ad that was my Week in the Life for this year.
Reading: Hollowland by Amanda Hocking - I definitely needed a good zombie adventure flick.
Let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.
Loving this song right now. And I adore the music video.
A recap of last month’s goals:
May TBR Pile (20/31):
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he...
Courting scandal since girlhood, free-spirited Lady Elizabeth Scarlet vows there is just one way to save her childhood friend from a loveless marriage: to...
For this year's WITL, I kept pushing my week off until finally fall came and I picked September 16th - 22nd. I had a random album in my stash and used that....
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Miss Alice Lister feels anything but respectable. Bad enough that she is a maid-turned-heiress. Now the insufferably attractive Lord Miles Vickery is certain...
For this year's WITL, I kept pushing my week off until finally fall came and I picked September 16th - 22nd. I had a random album in my stash and used that....
I’m actually in between projects right now. I finished my 2019 Week in the Life album on Sunday. I started prepping for my 2020 Week in the Life album, but am...
Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Catherine, and Mary Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge,...
How did I completely forget about this song?
For this year's WITL, I kept pushing my week off until finally fall came and I picked September 16th - 22nd. I had a random album in my stash and used that....
After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed, Barbara Gordon enters the Arkham Center for Independence, where Gotham's teens undergo physical and mental...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny after last night’s thunderstorms. We’re going to get another storm system this afternoon, but this morning it’s...
A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and...
Someone, or something, is haunting the ship. Between mysterious disappearances and sudden deaths, the guests of the Titanic have found themselves suspended in...
Yeah! Another fun video!
April’s pages… more weirdness due to the global pandemic. My pages have a lot more pictures from home and media being consumed.
“That girl’s got more wrong notions than a barn owl’s got mean looks.”
Reading: I’m rereading Circe by Madeline Miller for May’s Girly Book Club. I’m also finishing The Deep by Alma Katsu.
Reading: I’m rereading Circe by Madeline Miller for May’s Girly Book Club. I’m also finishing The Deep by Alma Katsu.
March’s Memory Planner Pages got really weird after social distancing and quarantining went into effect. Less pics of us out doing things and more home based...
I’m digging her new sound…
Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail,...
As I look outside my window: It’s raining… so much rain and so much green.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There,...
A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring...
Warning: Photo Heavy Post
Here's my randomness for the week:
Warning: Photo Heavy Post
When an ancient tax law is invoked requiring all unmarried ladies to either wed or surrender half their wealth, it's not long before the quiet village of...
All's fair in love and matrimony in Nicola Cornick's wildly romantic new series that introduces the ladies of Fortune's Folly--spirited heiresses who are more...
Something a little different for today. As I’m putting together my new craft/library room (tour once it’s done!), I’ve been trying to mentally organize all the...
I know I posted this song a few weeks back, but I had to post this amazing remix!
As I look outside my window: Our backyard is just so green right now. I’m loving the grass and the trees. I might curse the amount of leaves falling come...
I took advantage of Stampin’ Up’s retirement sale and snatched uo some great embellishments. I also grabbed some reinkers (for retiring colors), copper...
A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and...
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her...
Continuing on sharing my Memory Planner pages with these from February. I find myself doing more journaling this year and I’m loving it.
Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too...
Bridie Devine—female detective extraordinaire—is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir...
Finally ready to show off my January Memory Planner Pages. I’m once again using a Big Happy Planner to document life this year. I collected all my supplies and...
Reading: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd - One of my Book of the Month selections. It’s a strange story reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes with a dash of actual...
Reading: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd - One of my Book of the Month selections. It’s a strange story reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes with a dash of actual...
Music Monday featuring Marcus Mumford's "You'll Never Walk Alone."
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my fifth year using the system. I just really love the...
Caught between her high birth and empty purse, Georgie is relieved to receive a new assignment from the Queen. The King’s youngest son, George, is to wed...
I realize that with the move and everything, I haven’t really bought many craft supplies int he last few months. I did grab this assortment from a FB flash...
Week 8: Ajiaco (Chicken and Corn Soup) from Colombia
Let’s check in on April's goals and my progress.
April TBR Pile (18/27):
What I said for April : I truly had the goal of getting my craft room all set up by the end of March and then COVID-19 happened. Everything seems to have sped...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Eight years ago the December Plague swept through the human population of earth. The Infected were driven mad by the disease, becoming violent and...
Yetu holds the memories for her people—water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners—who live idyllic lives in...
Love this collaboration of voices.
When small-town girl Emma LaRue won a vacation to an exclusive tropical island, a last minute cancellation meant she would be going by herself. Shy and...
As I look outside my window: Sunny after yesterday’s rainstorms.
The Bahamas, 1941. Newly-widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in the Bahamas to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After...
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville. While growing up, Rebekkah watched as Maylene...
Intriguing
She will reign.
Reading: The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams - A WWII novel, but feels refreshing in the setting and the characters.
Loving this Kate Bush cover. Found on Apple Music’s Chill playlist a few weeks back.
As I look outside my window: Much nicer than last weekend. Sunshine instead of rain!
After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together—only to discover the body of a...
Renata Ghali believed in Lee Suh-Mi’s vision of a world far beyond Earth, calling to humanity. A planet promising to reveal the truth about our place in the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
When she arrives at the famed Barbizon Hotel in 1952, secretarial school enrollment in hand, Darby McLaughlin is everything her modeling agency hall mates...
America’s beloved and distinguished historian presents, in a book of breathtaking excitement, drama, and narrative force, the stirring story of the year of our...
CW: Violence, self-harm, and substance abuse
Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves,...
As I look outside my window: So cold, gray, and snowy! What?!?!?! It’s the middle of April; get it together Nebraska.
A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and...
Who is the captive and who is the captor? When a sexy laird holds a spirited English lady for ransom, she turns the tables and steals his heart.The last person...
A little something to uplift people’s spirits.
National Geographic Explorer and TED Prize-winner Dr. Sarah Parcak gives readers a personal tour of the evolution, major discoveries, and future potential of...
London, 1815: Two travelers—Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane—arrive in a field in rural England, disheveled and weighed down with hidden money. Turned away at...
Reading: 1776 by David McCullough. Finally! It’s been sitting on my shelves for years at this point…
Can we put this one repeat?
As I look outside my window: Very sunny outside. A bit chilly today, but better than yesterday…
A vengeful presence from the past forces the Rat Queens to face their own demons in order to save everything they've ever loved! Can the Queens hold their own...
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige...
The world where Music is Magic has never looked better.
So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on March''s goals and my progress.
What I said for March: We’re moving this month. Only about 1 mile away, but still it’s moving an entire house. While the craft room and library will be one of...
March TBR Pile (20/33):
Amelia Peabody, that indomitable product of the Victorian age, embarks on her debut Egyptian adventure armed with unshakable self-confidence, a journal to...
The surprising news that dashing steward Harrison Tolly, illegitimate son of the Earl of Ashwood, is the rightful heir to his father’s estate comes at a most...
Really digging this song…
In the retitled paperback edition of his book What on Earth Evolved?, Christopher Lloyd leads us on an extraordinary journey, from the birth of life to the...
As I look outside my window: Rainy rain all day
Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an...
Caitlin Moran puts a new face on feminism, cutting to the heart of women’s issues today with her irreverent, transcendent, and hilarious How to Be a Woman....
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they ran away from....
This list is so much fun!
A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay.
Reading: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay - Some of these essays are amazing.
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different...
Oh yes! Love this song.
England, 1934. Georgie's mother, the glamorous and much-married actress, is hearing wedding bells once again—which is why she must hop across the pond for a...
A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have...
Let's see how I did with my Winter TBR (2/10): Oooofff… what a terrible showing for winter. Hoping the spring goes better.
When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and...
And on to 2020! Let’s start the year off right with some fun and some organization! 8/20 completed
Mythos is a modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian Stephen Fry. Fry transforms the adventures of Zeus and...
They are back!!!!!
As I look outside my window: The snow from yesterday hasn’t melted yet… Very weird after last week’s high temperatures.
On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than one hundred words per day, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial. This can't happen...
Strangers flock to Miracle Springs hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often...
I definitely need to see this one!
When the Yetis are kicked out of their treehouse, it’s up to the Roanokes to win their home back from the Sasquatches that took it over by beating them at...
Reading: Vox by Christina Dalcher. It’s the Girly Book Club selection for March. About 1/2 through and I’m not loving it at all…
Digging this new song…
As I look outside my window: I see all the squirrels that love our collective backyards here. So much to watch…
Aster has little to offer folks in the way of rebuttal when they call her ogre and freak. She's used to the names; she only wishes there was more truth to...
Week 1: Poronkaristys from Finland
Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In The Night Country, Alice Proserpine dives back into a menacing, mesmerizing world of dark fairy tales and hidden doors of The Hazel Wood. Follow her and...
Let’s check in on February''s goals and my progress.
Beyond her whispers, she can really sing!
February TBR Pile (15/29):
A recap of last month’s goals:
And on to 2020! Let’s start the year off right with some fun and some organization!
Tobin Scott, otherwise known as Count Eberlin of Denmark, has returned to Hadley Green, the site of his father’s hanging for thievery fifteen years ago. He has...
One of the most important artists of the twentieth century and an icon of courageous womanhood, Frida Kahlo lives on in the public imagination, where her...
This look so spooky!
Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a...
Reading: Picking up The Night Country by Melissa Albert next. It’s the sequel to The Hazelwood. I’m so ready for another dark fairy tale book.
My Goth loving heart adores this video and song.
On my bedside table: The Night Country by Melissa Albert; Fever by Lauren DeStefano
When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister—whom she had recently murdered in a fit...
In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge of the body and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I Was Their American Dream is at once a coming-of-age story and a reminder of the thousands of immigrants who come to America in search for a better life for...
In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the Russian refugee camp she calls home, a young woman speaks her wedding vows....
American engineers have done astounding things to bend the Mississippi River to their will: forcing one of its tributaries to flow uphill, transforming over a...
So excited about new music from these two!
As I look outside my window: The snow has almost completely melted. The temperatures were very low a few days ago, but we have since rebounded.
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African...
When Eireanne O'Conner returns to Ballynaheath, her home in Ireland, for Christmas, she finds that her brother has married, her new sister-in-law's family is...
When Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to meet with Lily Boudine, the new countess of Ashwood, he knows instantly that the lovely...
I laughed…
Most any honest person can own up to harboring at least one fast-food guilty pleasure. In Drive-Thru Dreams, Adam Chandler explores the inseparable link...
Reading: Finally picked up Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. Not usually a fan of books in verse, but this one is really good.
Oh goodness! This is a great song. And it even features K. Flay (love her voice).
Right now I am: Very sore. Multiple days attempting to remove wallpaper from the blue bathroom has left my shoulders very sore.
And on to 2020! Let’s start the year off right with some fun and some organization!
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school...
Here's my randomness for the week:
As a teenager, Mallory O’Meara was thrilled to discover that one of her favorite movies, Creature from the Black Lagoon, featured a monster designed by a...
Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and...
Music Monday featuring Jimmy Eat World's "Love Never."
A recap of last month’s goals:
As I look outside my window: All the snow is melting leaving a slushy mess. No fun.
Let’s check in on January''s goals and my progress.
January TBR Pile (16/30):
In a ruined and toxic future, a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of...
When a series of brutal murders linked to Mr. Lewis' past leads Detective Inspector Singh to Lady Mechanika's doorstep, the Inspector is finally forced to...
I’m intrigued
After suffering a tragic loss, Lady Mechanika takes a trip to a small Mexican village just in time for their Día de los Muertos celebration. But the...
Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying on just the right side of scandal, all...
As "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes has solved murders and found missing individuals. But she has never stolen a priceless artwork—or...
Reading: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez. This book is infuriating (in a very informative way), but still makes me so mad.
Reading: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez. This book is infuriating (in a very informative way), but still makes me so mad.
His new music has such weight. I’m really digging it.
As I look outside my window: The sheet of ice that is our street is a bit ridiculous. I’m not a fan of getting in and out of our house right now…
Based on her inspiring, viral 2018 commencement speech to Barnard College’s graduates in New York City, New York Times bestselling author, two-time Olympic...
The best-selling author of Stiff and Bonk explores the irresistibly strange universe of space travel and life without gravity. From the Space Shuttle training...
Born in Philadelphua in 1915, and dead too early in New York in 1959, Billie Holiday became a legendary jazz singer, even mythical. With her voice even now...
Be careful who you let in.Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life....
Love this catchy tune!
As I look outside my window: There is a sparkling layer of snow on the ground right now. Sparkling because there is a layer of ice on top. Not the best for...
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and...
And on to 2020! Let’s start the year off right with some fun and some organization!
Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party....
Here's my randomness for the week:
Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and...
Reading: Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It’s been on my list for years. Finally got around to reading it.
Reading: Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It’s been on my list for years. Finally got around to reading it.
Alt Nation has been playing this new one a lot lately and I totally hear for it.
As I look outside my window: There’s a small layer of snow on the ground and it’s going to be very cold today also. Thankfully the big winter storm isn’t going...
I got a great deal from Mambi and bought all these great sticker books and some filler paper for really cheap
After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire...
Let's see how I did with my Fall TBR (6/10): Finally a decent showing on a seasonal TBR pile.
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my fourth year using the system. I just really love the...
After thinking about my 2019 reading challenges, I’ve decided to go a completely different direction this coming year. In 2019, I signed up for a ton of...
You wake up in the rubble and see a ragged, desperate one-armed man greeting you. He takes you underground to a safe space, feeds you, offers you a place to...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on December''s goals and my progress.
Book I’ve Been Meaning to Read - How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (FanPro)
Last year we had fun trying lots of different Grilled Cheese recipes, but realized that bread and cheese weekly got a bit old. We started kicking around new...
This year was a strange one where I lost a bit of crafting mojo. Nevertheless, I did make some great crafts this past year. In no particular order, here are my...
Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
When Dr. Emma Sweeney stumbles across the victim of a hit-and-run outside Galway University early one morning, she calls her boyfriend, Detective Cormac...
2018’s Resolution Message: Usually I make a whole list of goals and resolutions to focus on for the year, but honestly, I’m not feeling it this year at all....
There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial...
Favorite Books of the Year (in no particular order):
Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities. (18/25)
And on to 2020! Let’s start the year off right with some fun and some organization!
December TBR Pile (17/37):
A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you’re genetically made for.That’s the...
No single cocktail is as iconic, as beloved, or as discussed and fought-over as the Old-Fashioned. Its formula is simple: just whiskey, bitters, sugar, and...
Thirteen years ago, two teens met on the ramp to Ground Zero, on a cold and snowy day, strangers bonding in a moment of grief. The boy pressed a crystal...
When Lily Ivory stumbles on the uniform of a former prisoner from Alcatraz and SFPD inspector Carlos Romero’s cousin is kidnapped, Lily suspects something...
And we’ve reached the end of 2019’s Memory Planner! I never include December opting for a separate December Daily album. So here are the last pages before I...
Part of my 2019 goals is to make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
When Aisling Conroy's boyfriend Jack is found in the freezing black waters of the river Corrib, the police tell her it was suicide. A surgical resident, she...
Just about peed my pants laughing at this one.
Nearing the end of the year here and I’m still going strong with this project!
Adirondack girl-in-transition Jade Engel comes home to recharge after ending a career she never truly wanted, but soon realizes she’s in danger of also being...
Reading: The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan - I’m reading this first in a series book in readiness for Girly Book Club in January. The second in the series, The...
Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.Caden Bosch is a brilliant...
Today’s card is a repeat of my the stacked snowmen from Lots of Cheer stamp set. I pulled out two more colored snowmen and tried to decide how to feature the...
Really dig her sound!
I ended up placing a large order from Stampin’ Up!’s upcoming mini catalog (starting January). I couldn’t resist some of the goodies! I ordered:
On my bedside table: Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman; The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan; The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness; Persuasion by Jane Austen —...
Single mother Sabrina Gervais has built a happy life with her daughter Charlotte in their eastern Long Island hometown of Holly Point. Having Charlie meant...
Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities. (8/25)
Kate Potter used to love Christmas. A few years ago, she would have been wrapping her presents in September and baking mince pies on Halloween, counting down...
Today’s card is a simple panel card featuring images from the retired Color Me Christmas stamp set. I love the nontraditional Christmas colors featured on...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card features a great Christmas tree embossing folder I picked last year on deep clearance. I couldn’t figure out a way to feature it in a card design....
With all the glittering decorations, twinkling lights, snow angels, gingerbread men and mistletoe, Christmas is Emmie’s first love.
The story begins in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples. Growing up on these tough streets, the two girls learn to rely on...
Really digging all the new music from A Day to Remember!
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Claire Daly @ Claire Daly Creates. I love the shimmer and shine on this card!
Two Christmas novellas guaranteed to warm your heart this holiday season...THE WINTER WISH
On my bedside table: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante; 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander
Rowan Palotay hopes she never runs into the too-handsome Prince Theodore Chenery ever again after she leaves an embarrassing first impression. But fixing her...
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Claire Daly @ Claire Daly Creates. . Another simple Christmas card to highlight great DSP scraps.
Daniel Mayrock's life is at a crossroads. He knows the following to be true:
Definitely adding this to our list.
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Narelle Fasulo @ Simply Stamping with Narelle. I love simple Christmas cards featuring great DSP and this...
A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS * Lisa JacksonThe uneventful Christmas Annie McFarlane expected is suddenly anything but. First, there’s the adorable baby left on the...
When Navy firefighter Nick Palotay returns to Marietta to go on the bachelor auction block for a good cause, he expects it to be risk free. But when he needs...
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Linda Dalke. I love the look of silver and navy on Christmas cards so I knew I had to dedicate at least one...
BVB has new music!!!!! Woohoo!!!
Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities.
Let’s check in on November's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Ahhh fall! My favorite season of the year. I really missed it when we lived in California! Now I get to enjoy all the fall fun! 15/25 task completed.
NovemberTBR Pile (24/41):
Adolescent girls can be real monsters. Maude is twelve, about the age some girls turn into flesh-eating wild cats. As her detective dad investigates a series...
It’s Christmas time, and Eriah Jameson has returned home to restart his family’s business. Due to his wild child past, no one is friendly or welcoming to...
Megan Blake has been cursed with bad luck every Christmas season for as long as she can remember. This December, in an attempt to make light of her Curse,...
Today’s card came from my love of coloring! This time I wanted to feature this cute stacked present snowman. I colored a few images and then built cards around...
Melisa Hart has a soft spot for her brother Connor’s ex-best buddy, Rob Reed. Unfortunately, Rob slept with Connor’s girlfriend and is no longer welcome with...
Snowed in for Christmas…She only wants to ignore it. But he’s determined to show her everything the season has to offer…including love.For Andi Williams,...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is one of the simple cards that just comes to me. I immediately thought of Santa amongst a bunch of Christmas trees. Perfect for stamping and...
London, 1934. Entrusted by Her Majesty the Queen with grooming Jack Altringham—the Duke of Eynsford’s newly discovered heir fresh from the Outback of...
Lily Dane has returned to Seaview, Rhode Island, where her family has summered for generations. It’s an escape not only from New York’s social scene but from a...
The weather forecasters said the snowstorm would miss the eastern seaboard. They were wrong. When Ally Henderson’s flight from Southern California to get...
Really digging Kesha’s new song!
Today’s card came from my need to color all the things!!! I colored a ton of Santas and reindeers and then had to figure out what to do with them. So I made...
'Tis the season in Shenandoah Falls and the first time Willow Peterson has been home in years. But she's determined to fulfill the wishes of her recently...
On my bedside table: Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen; The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything―everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library...
For Clementine Haas, finding herself is more than a nice idea. Ever since she woke up in an Irish hospital with complete amnesia, self-discovery has become her...
Today’s card is all about celebrating the pile of presents under the Christmas tree. I love the large sentiment paired with these cute colored presents. I...
Hoping this is fun
Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking...
Lewis Knight left behind his life as the son of nobleman years ago. The rough, scarred man is quite content to use his brute force and bad reputation to help...
He knows trouble when he sees it.Fortunately, Drake likes trouble, especially when it comes in a particularly attractive package. While he and his crew of...
Reading: The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal. Finally got this one from the library and I’m really enjoying it!
OOOOHHHHH So good!
Today’s card features one big stamped imaged! I grabbed this stamp set from a FB Stampin’ Up! buying and selling group for really cheap. I don’t know why I...
On my bedside table: A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Summers; A Very Special Christmas by Mary Balogh
I stopped at Joanns to check out the new remodel and ended up with all these goodies. I’m especially excited about the little paper pads.
This time, Ebola started with a two-year-old child who likely had contact with a wild creature and whose entire family quickly fell ill and died. The ensuing...
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Christine Blain @ Happy Heart Cards. I loved the simple play of trees, sentiment, and DSP. I changed out the...
The city of Elendhaven sulks on the edge of the ocean. Wracked by plague, abandoned by the South, stripped of industry and left to die. But not everything dies...
Here's my randomness for the week:
For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon — a chance to party during spring break. But that was before the crazy hacker...
Finally catching up on my Memory Planner pages. September 16th - 22nd was my WITL so I’ll be documenting that in a separate album.
Notorious rogue, Lord Nathaniel Kingsley always tended to leap without thinking. Becoming a smuggler, adopting a sheep, getting engaged to Miss Patience...
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Amy Koenders @ Stamp with Amy K. I loved the heat embossed hanging ornaments with the fun colored ornaments....
Octane is really loving this one lately!
Maika and Corvin make their way through a warped and lethal land in search of Kippa, who is faced with her own terrible monsters. But when Maika comes...
On my bedside table: The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Griesbrecht; Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston
The most fatal virus known to science, rabies-a disease that spreads avidly from animals to humans-kills nearly one hundred percent of its victims once the...
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Linda Dalke. I love the shine on this design and had to make my own! This card definitely took the longest...
Songs, songwriters, and why and how they get under our skin…
How did I miss this video? Love the songs listed here.
I routinely listen to The Apocalist Podcast highlighting apocalypse books chronologically and they haven’t recommended many of the books for listeners to read....
Another month, another set of Memory Planner pages. I think I’m going to stick with the vertical layout for next year’s planner.
Reading: Feed by M.T. Anderson. It’s one of those perpetual list books on my TBR list.
Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the...
Today’s card inspiration comes from this card from Cindy Elam @ Heart’s Delight Cards. I love the card design so much that I CASEd the card for my Christmas! I...
Heavy rotation on Octane.
A recap of last month’s goals:
On my bedside table: Feed by MT Anderson; The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
Ahhh fall! My favorite season of the year. I really missed it when we lived in California! Now I get to enjoy all the fall fun! Progress 12/25
Today’s card features a trio of reindeers and the new Wrapped in Plaid DSP. I took my color cues directly from the paper. I love the combo of Shaded Spruce,...
Let’s check in on October's goals and my progress.
October TBR Pile (16/46):
Today’s card was sent to the other twin for Halloween. I am so glad that I kept the bat punch after it retired. They add the perfect finishing touch to a...
The New York Museum of Natural History is built over a subterranean labyrinth of neglected specimen vaults, unmapped drainage tunnels and long-forgotten...
Not quite so much stuff on my desk right now, but there are still a ton of piles…
Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest...
Today’s card was sent to one of my twins. I pulled out some DSP scraps and started layering pieces together. Once that was set, I added an embossing folder and...
A new song in heavy rotation on Alt Nation.
On my bedside table: Feed by MT Anderson; Rabid by Bill Wasik
Put in a little order for the last of my Christmas supplies and some fun embellishments:
After 2018’s amazing reading numbers, I decided to capitalize on my momentum and really ramp up my numbers and my challenges. And so I have committed to 22...
Slowly getting back into card making with a group of Halloween cards. Today’s card was made for Arthur’s Kindergarten teacher. I knew I wanted to feature the...
After five years, we reach the final volume. We go not gentle into that good night, but go driving a converted tank, covered in glitter and spangles, with a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The Commonwealth and Alexandria have joined forces but at what cost to Rick? Collects THE WALKING DEAD #187-193.
When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on...
Really loving this new song.
On my bedside table: A Dream About Lightning Bugs by Ben Folds; The Walking Dead Vol. 32
Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where "Fun is Guaranteed!" But when a hurricane ravages the Florida coast and isolates the park, the...
Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants—the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild...
Yeah, That’s about right.
The further adventures of the booze guzzling, death dealing battle maidens-for-hire in the business of killing all the gods’ creatures for profit. Hannah the...
Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London. But like London, the city of...
Octane has been loving this song lately and so have I!
On my bedside table: Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman; The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
After surviving adventures in their past, present and future, the Paper Girls of 1988 embark on one last journey, a five-part epic that includes the emotional...
Ahhh fall! My favorite season of the year. I really missed it when we lived in California! Now I get to enjoy all the fall fun! Progress 3/25
The corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from outside empires...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Faced with an increasing number of lunatics with superpowers eager to fight his own wunderkind brood, Sir Reginald Hargreeves developed the ultimate solution...
Ummm… oops! I completely forgot about my Fall TBR post until last night. Even though it’s a bit late, I’m moving forward and posting this season’s TBR.
There are over a million people in the city of Waterloo. Today, most of them have died, and now they are hungry. Corporal Dan Williamson is caught in the...
Always love new music from Lindsey Stirling. This song has a great sound!
On my bedside table: Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco; Paper Girls Vol. 6
Aydis the banished viking sets sail on the open sea to reach Heimdall, the magical entrance to the land of the gods. She’ll need the help of a crew of worldly...
Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they...
I loved Downtown Abbey, but yeah…
A recruiting event at an amusement park turns deadly when the attractions develop minds -- and purposes -- of their own. A woman struggles with whether to stay...
Let’s check in on September's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
September TBR Pile (16/38):
On my bedside table: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness; Living Among the Dead by Daniel Cotton
Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people—though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help...
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.
Here's my randomness for the week:
Amelia Willoughby has been engaged to the Duke of Wyndham for as long as she can remember. Literally. A mere six months old when the contracts were signed, she...
It's been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty's life out from under her.It started...
Ahhh fall! My favorite season of the year. I really missed it when we lived in California! Now I get to enjoy all the fall fun!
OMG!!! I am way too excited about this new album!
And with that, summer has come to an end. I didn’t cross off all my items (do I ever?), but I think a 50% completion rate is very good for this season and all...
The penultimate trade collecting the fan-favorite story of love at the end of the world. Collects EAST OF WEST #39-42
In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup “unicorn” promised to...
Jack Audley has been a highwayman.
Call me intrigued…
If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical...
A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90...
Loving this new song from a band I’ve enjoyed in the past.
On my bedside table: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai; The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn
In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island as a schoolgirl from the margins of high society, still reeling from the...
If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical...
Here's my randomness for the week:
“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They...
A masterful true crime account of the Golden State Killer - the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade - from...
Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell. The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a...
They were great in concert! And I’m loving the new music.
On my bedside table: The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin; The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
Right towards the end of August, I finally used my Bonus Days coupons and put in a Holiday Catalog preorder. I ended up getting:
London, 1765Lady Isabella Gerard, a respectable member of Georgian society, orders her maid to take her new golden gown and destroy it, its shimmering beauty...
When the renowned poet Fiona Skinner is asked about the inspiration behind her iconic work, The Love Poem, she tells her audience a story about her family and...
Interesting list…
Olivia and her twin sister Viola have been dragged around the universe for as long as they can remember. Their parents, both xenobiologists, are always in high...
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my fourth year using the system. I just really love the...
Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored...
Crafting has not gone well lately, but I did at least finish out my Memory Planner pages for July.
Really digging this song…
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on August's goals and my progress.
August TBR Pile (22/28):
Editor: Brian Lamb
Tom and Louise meet in a pub before their couple's therapy appointment. Married for years, they thought they had a stable home life--until a recent incident...
Here's my randomness for the week:
When Condé Nast offered Ruth Reichl the top position at America’s oldest epicurean magazine, she declined. She was a writer, not a manager, and had no...
It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red...
In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." The target in their sights...
Digging this new band being featured on AltNation.
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the...
On my bedside table: Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist; State of the Union by Nick Hornby
Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She...
Arthur’s officially in school, but we still have summer weather to enjoy. 10/25 completed.
A suburban mother of two fantasizes about the downfall of an old friend whose wholesome lifestyle empire may or may not be built on a lie. A high-powered...
Abbi Hope Goldstein is like every other teenager, with a few smallish exceptions: her famous alter ego, Baby Hope, is the subject of internet memes, she has...
I’m always here for the Jane Austen!
On a clear December morning in 1937, at the famous gold clock in Grand Central Terminal, Joe Reynolds, a hardworking railroad man from Queens, meets a vibrant...
From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son. Exquisitely polite, friendly, and always...
So digging this collaboration!
On my bedside table: Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald; You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld
Stars: 4/5 stars
Memory makes reality. That’s what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for...
Five best friends at summer camp take friendship to the max when they team up to defeat the strange forces lurking within the surrounding forest.Excited to...
One September evening in 1785, Jonah Hancock hears an urgent knocking on his front door near the docks of London. The captain of one of Jonah’s trading vessels...
A fun throwback. Love it!
On my bedside table: Lock Every Door by Rile Sager; Recursion by Blake Crouch
Annie Cassidy dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She spends her days writing screenplays, rewatching Sleepless in Seattle, and waiting for her movie-perfect...
Mary Laura Philpott thought she’d cracked the code: Always be right, and you’ll always be happy. But once she’d completed her life’s to-do list (job, spouse,...
As dumb as this looks, you know we will watch it…
“Are you happy with your life?” Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find...
"The tragedies keep coming. As we reel from the latest horror . . ."
Getting some EDM this week…
In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been...
I couldn’t resist these Halloween, fall, and school stickers from Brianna Nicole Designz. Can‘t wait to use my Hocus Pocus kit!
Scotland, 1933. While her true love, Darcy O’Mara, is spending his feliz navidad tramping around South America and her mother is holed up in a tiny village...
It’s hot, the twins are here, and we’re right in the middle of our summer! Let’s get to our summer bucket list:
Let’s check in on July's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Here's my randomness for the week:
July TBR Pile (17/31):
After 2018’s amazing reading numbers, I decided to capitalize on my momentum and really ramp up my numbers and my challenges. And so I have committed to 22...
In her first book of comic strips, Emma reflects on social and feminist issues by means of simple line drawings, dissecting the mental load, ie all that...
Gumballs dispenses an array of bright, candy-colored short comics about Erin's gender transition, anecdotal true tales of growing up as a triplet, and...
The queen has arrived!
In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s...
On my bedside table: Columbine by Dave Cullen; The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
For most New Yorkers, Grand Central Terminal is a crown jewel, a masterpiece of design. But for Clara Darden and Virginia Clay, it represents something quite...
All Lumberjanes are on deck when the High Council comes to camp for inspection!The High Council is coming to camp and counselor Jen is determined to make...
Camp is about more than just crafts and acquiring badges when you’re a Lumberjane. When April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley all decide to learn more about the...
Who says you can't run away from your problems? You are a failed novelist about to turn fifty. A wedding invitation arrives in the mail: your boyfriend of the...
Reading: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
Reading: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
This song is way too catchy…
On my bedside table: Booknotes edited by Brian Lamb
The Lumberjanes meet rock n' roll mermaids!Excited for the annual Bandicoot Bacchanal, Ripley recruits her friends to help her get ready for the dance. But...
Charlotte Gorman loves her job as an elementary school librarian, and is content to experience life through the pages of her books. Which couldn’t be more...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Another month completed in my Memory Planner. Lots of good journaling bits this month.
Rick leads the Commonwealth's Governor, Pamela Milton, on a tour of the various communities Alexandria is aligned with. Naturally... terrible things begin to...
A quiet seaside resort. An abandoned shop. A small flat. This is what awaits Polly Waterford when she arrives at the Cornish coast, fleeing a ruined...
Loving all the new stuff these guys are putting out!
On my bedside table: The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis; The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson
It’s hot, the twins are here, and we’re right in the middle of our summer! Let’s get to our summer bucket list:
In an unspecified future, the United States' borders have receded behind a salt line—a ring of scorched earth that protects its citizens from deadly...
Today’s card
Yep!
Wynn and Jack have been best friends since freshman orientation, bonded by their shared love of mountains, books, and fishing. Wynn is a gentle giant, a...
I think my memory pages have become my favorite crafty project. I love doing these simple pages full of photos and journaling.
In the sixties, Athene Forster was the most glamorous girl of her generation. Nicknamed the Last Deb, she was also beautiful, spoiled, and out of control. When...
Reading: The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones on the recommendation of Reading Glasses podcast. Loving it so far.
Reading: The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones on the recommendation of Reading Glasses podcast. Loving it so far.
I do so love this new one.
Today’s card is a complete throwback. I love the Coffee Cafe stamp set and assorted products, but they all retired last year. Boo!!! I still love my set and...
On my bedside table: The River by Peter Heller; The Gown by Jennifer Robson
On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark...
Fifteen-year-old Lina is a Lithuanian girl living an ordinary life -- until Soviet officers invade her home and tear her family apart. Separated from her...
Today’s card features the new In Color Rococo Rose. This is a nice dusty pink. I modeled this card off of a few examples I found on Pinterest. I love the piece...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Not quite so much stuff on my desk right now, but there are still a ton of piles…
Let’s check in on June's goals and my progress.
Reverend Willie Maxwell was a rural preacher accused of murdering five of his family members for insurance money in the 1970s. With the help of a savvy lawyer,...
Today’s card Is a simple card highlighting the new Seaside Spray In Color. This is a nice light blue with hints of gray. I definitely like it better than Balmy...
I enjoyed Sum 41 back in the day. Thinking I need to pick up their new album.
June TBR Pile (21/33):
Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously...
Taraxippus is coming: a black hole one tenth the mass of the sun is about to enter the solar system.
Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an...
Today’s card is super simple and yet so delightful. I paired this gorgeous gingham paper with simple stamped and punched daisies. Sometimes the simplest cards...
Royal, Nebraska, population eighty-one—where the church, high school, and post office each stand abandoned, monuments to a Great Plains town that never...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to...
Let's see how I did with my Spring TBR (2/10): Ooof! I did not have a good showing this past season.
Reading: The Huntress by Kate Quinn. It’s not as good as The Alice Network, but still pretty good book.
1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her...
Another hit from Bastille
Today’s card features my favorite new In Color: Pretty Peacock. I though I really love Tranquil Tide that just retired, but this color is even better. It has...
Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her...
Technically I received this box last week, but I forgot to actually take a picture this week. I bought the Amy Tangerine Happy Planner Box and love all the fun...
On my bedside table: The Huntress by Kate Quinn; Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
Eve Coffin is released from jail to go home again...and there's something in Coffin Hill awaiting her with open arms. Ghosts are abroad in the town, and one in...
A few weeks ago, I had an idea to go one a two day road trip out to west Nebraska and back using the Nebraska Passport program as a guidebook. J chimed in...
It’s hot, the twins are here, and we’re right in the middle of our summer! Let’s get to our summer bucket list:
Today’s card starts my series featuring the new 2019-2021 In Colors. I love them as a set, but wanted to highlight each color on its own. First up is Purple...
Spring is done and we’re on to summer. I ended up completing 13/25 activities. A very respectable number this past season.
Years after a night in the woods gone awry, Eve returns to Coffin Hill, only to discover the darkness that she unleashed ten years ago that fateful night was...
A few weeks ago, I had an idea to go one a two day road trip out to west Nebraska and back using the Nebraska Passport program as a guidebook. J chimed in...
In 1853, French emperor Louis Napoleon inaugurated a vast and ambitious program of public works in Paris, directed by Georges-Eugène Haussmann, the prefect of...
A few weeks ago, I had an idea to go one a two day road trip out to west Nebraska and back using the Nebraska Passport program as a guidebook. J chimed in...
A few months ago, Winslow Houndstooth put together the damnedest crew of outlaws, assassins, cons, and saboteurs on either side of the Harriet for a...
A few weeks ago, I had an idea to go one a two day road trip out to west Nebraska and back using the Nebraska Passport program as a guidebook. J chimed in...
A few weeks ago, I had an idea to go one a two day road trip out to west Nebraska and back using the Nebraska Passport program as a guidebook. J chimed in...
Always love wha they put out!
Following a night of sex, drugs and witchcraft in the woods, Eve Coffin wakes up naked, covered in blood and unable to remember how she got there. One friend...
The team is despondent following the near apocalypse created by one of their own and the death of their beloved mentor Pogo. So it's a great time for another...
Today’s card is all about the cute new stamp set: Above the Clouds. I love hot air balloons and this stamp set is just too adorable! I pulled out some scraps...
Integrating mindfulness, neuroscience, positive psychology, and creativity research, Craftfulness offers a thought-provoking and surprising reconsideration of...
Cities is an impassioned and learned account full of fascinating details of daily life in ancient urban centers, using archaeological perspectives to show that...
Exactly!
The mystery of history!Jen just wants to have a normal lesson with her cabin, teaching Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley the basic survival skills needed...
If you got it, haunt it!Trying to take advantage of the first quiet day at camp in a while, Mal and Molly's date takes a bizarre turn with the appearance of...
It's the perfect idea for a romantic week together: traveling across America by train.But then Hugo's girlfriend dumps him. Her parting gift: the tickets for...
I finally pulled out all my new cardmaking goodies and got creative! I started with the Mosaic Mood DSP pack that I got from OnStage. In looking at the new...
Digging it!
On my bedside table: Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey; City of Light by Rupert Christiansen
In the past few weeks, I’ve had three orders arrive from Nerd’s the Word Sticker Co. I love love love all her designs and had to take advantage of all the...
In the quiet haven of Clearing, Oregon, four neighbors find their lives upended when they begin to see themselves in parallel realities. Ginny, a devoted...
With the launch of every new Annual Catalog, I make In Color bookmarks for my customers. They are such a fun way to show off the new In Colors and create a...
Ellen and her two best friends share a mid-life crisis by hatching a plan to renovate an 1860's Greek revival in the nearby historic district of San Antonio....
Here's my randomness for the week:
The acclaimed, award-winning author of the national bestseller The Financial Lives of the Poets returns with his funniest, most romantic, and most purely...
Reading: Craftfulness by Rosemary Davidson; If, Then by Kate Hope Day
Another Alt Nation favorite to enjoy.
A recap of last month’s goals: May got away from me. I just didn’t do much crafting at all. Hoping June works better…
Let’s check in on May's goals and my progress.
May’s TBR Pile (20/32):
Just as Howard Carter unveils the tomb of Tutankhamun, making the most dazzling find in the history of archaeology, Oxford-educated Egyptologist Ralph...
Love this live version from BottleRock last weekend.
Everyone knows DAISY JONES & THE SIX, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.Daisy is a girl...
Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Bristol, England; home to doctors and lawyers and old-money academics. It’s not the sort of place where...
This book is a short treatment of a long history. Nebraska has been inundated by ancient seas, carved by glaciers, and settled by ancient cultures who learned...
Not a huge Taylor Swift fan, but this song is really catchy!
From Mallory Ortberg comes a collection of darkly mischievous stories based on classic fairy tales. Adapted from the beloved "Children's Stories Made Horrific"...
On my bedside table: The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips; Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
May 2013Her finances are in dire straits and bestselling author Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. Desperate, she breaks the one...
A new season has begun! 7/25 activities completed so far.
London, 1933. Her Majesty the Queen is sending Georgie off to Nice with a secret assignment—to recover her priceless, stolen snuff box from the disreputable...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Abbie MacIntyre is living the dream in the picturesque Nova Scotia town she calls home. She is a successful surgeon, is married to a handsome cardiologist, and...
Reading: Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen — loving this cozy mystery series!
Reading: Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen — loving this cozy mystery series!
This song is in heavy rotation on Alt Nation and I’m so digging it!
On my bedside table: The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg; Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Meet Daisy Winters. She's an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair, a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who's...
Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.
Crazy alligator movie! Totally here for it!
Another month completed! Really love the vertical layout!
Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba's high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country's...
Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell,...
Today’s card features a multitude of fussy cut birthday cakes. I wasn’t a huge fan of the piece of DSP that featured these cakes (too busy for me), but it was...
Random YouTube find that I’m really digging
I’m going to focus and trying to accomplish my already started projects!
On my bedside table: Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton; 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my fourth year using the system. I just really love the...
Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
Alice Pendelbury believes everything in her life is pretty much in order—from her good friends to her burgeoning career. But even Alice has to admit it’s been...
Reading: The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
Reading: The Light Over London by Julia Kelly
Perdita Lee may appear to be your average British schoolgirl; Harriet Lee may seem just a working mother trying to penetrate the school social hierarchy; but...
Today’s card is a cute little baby card featuring the retiring Foxy Friends Stamp Set and Twinkle Twinkle DSP. I’m really debating about keeping the Foxy...
Love their sound and the videos are so much fun!
Timo and Ezerae’s brutal quest for revenge collides with Detectives Foster and Vaughn’s newest case. Now they must form an uneasy alliance if they want to...
On my bedside table: Light Over London by Julia Kelly; Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
I receive two planner supply orders this week. One from Brianna Nicole Designz (top row) and Nerd’s the Word (bottom row). I’m super loving the bright colors...
It’s the end of second year for best mates Susan, Daisy, and Esther, and cracks are appearing in the foundation of this unshakeable trio. Between (irritating)...
Modernist poets trapped in an Agatha Christie Murder Mystery. The Romantics gathering in Lake Geneva to resurrect the dead. What really happened during the...
Aydis is a viking, a warrior, an outcast, and a self-proclaimed heathen. Aydis is friend to the talking horse Saga, rescuer of the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild,...
Today’s card features the returning Coffee Cafe Stamp Set, Coffee Cups Framelits, Friendly Conversation Stamp Set, and Twinkle Twinkle DSP. The Coffee set will...
A new season has begun!
Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn't mean she has to like it--or that...
Oh goodness, that hit me right in the feels
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on April's goals and my progress.
Today’s card is a riot of color! I love the color combo of Lemon Lime Twist and Lovely Lipstick. Sad that Lemon Lime Twist is retiring at the end of the month...
After 2018’s amazing reading numbers, I decided to capitalize on my momentum and really ramp up my numbers and my challenges. And so I have committed to 23...
April’s TBR Pile (23/26):
The Carls just appeared. Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its...
Today’s card features five retiring products: Bike Ride Stamp Set, Timeless Textures Stamp Set, Labeler Alphabet Stamp Set, Best Route DSP, and Daffodil...
Hauntingly beautiful song
I’m going to focus and trying to accomplish my already started projects!
In the great mirror opposite I saw myself, and right behind, another wicked fearful self, so like me my soul seemed to quiver within me, as though not knowing...
My preorder came! I’m super excited to dive into the new goodies, but I need to remember to continue using and celebrating all the current and retiring...
On my bedside table: A giant stack of library books! Including Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco and The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli.
N. K. Jemisin is one of the most powerful and acclaimed authors of our time. In the first collection of her evocative short fiction, which includes...
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and...
Stars: 4/5 stars
Nina is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a...
Today’s card features the retiring P.S. You’re the Best Stamp Set, Tranquil Textures DSP, Scattered Sequins Embossing Folder, and Tranquil Tide and Fresh Fig...
Here's my randomness for the week:
A sensitive orphan, Jane Steele suffers first at the hands of her spiteful aunt and predatory cousin, then at a grim school where she fights for her very life...
Loving my pages this month! I think I have found a good balance of photos and journaling with embellishments only to fill space or add a bit of fun. Super...
Reading: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan for book club in early May. So far, it’s been nice and light. Just what I needed.
Reading: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan for book club in early May. So far, it’s been nice and light. Just what I needed.
Loving this song on Octane lately.
Today’s card features the retiring Friendly Conversation Stamp Set, Playful Backgrounds Stamp Set, and Tranquil Textures DSP. I knew I wanted to use this big...
Lady Mechanika's investigation into the murders of "undesirable" children in Mechanika City triggers an unexpected reaction from her subconscious self. But are...
On my bedside table: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan; Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
One night in an isolated college town in the hills of Southern California, a first-year student stumbles into her dorm room, falls asleep—and doesn’t wake up....
Their wedding was the event of the season...A shy wallflower, Caroline hasn’t the faintest idea why the Duke of Readington chose her to be his bride. She could...
Last weekend was OnStage (Stampin’ Up!’s convention) and as part of the convention, we find out what products are retiring. One of the first things I did after...
Yep. Must see.
Bright and early we arrived at the Convention Center ready to craft! We checked in and received our welcoming bag and goodies inside! And then at 9am, the fun...
Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories....
The closest OnStage to me was Minneapolis and my upline (and good friend) lives in Chicago. Minneapolis was the perfect halfway point for us to meet up, enjoy...
I emptied my bags from convention and my desk kinda exploded! Oops! I should probably spend some time today and clean this up so I can play with my new goodies!
In Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, Rioux recounts how Louisa May Alcott came to write Little Women, drawing inspiration for it from her own life. Rioux also examines why...
I’m going to focus and trying to accomplish my already started projects!
Definitely need to pick up this new album…
The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn't hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling...
In an inexplicable worldwide event, forty-seven extraordinary children were spontaneously born to women who'd previously shown no signs of pregnancy....
A new season has begun! !
I’m back after taking a break from card making. 30 Days of Birthday cards was a lot of fun, but really took a lot of work. Plus The 100 Day Project started on...
The Moon will soon return. Whether this heralds the destruction of humankind or something worse will depend on two women.
Here's my randomness for the week:
Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what...
Maddie’s love of classic fashion has made her Vintage Magic boutique a success—even if the visions she experiences when touching certain items often lead her...
Reading: The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin — Finishing The Broken Earth trilogy and it is amazing!
Reading: The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin — Finishing The Broken Earth trilogy and it is amazing!
One touch is all it takes. One touch, and Juliette Ferrars can leave a fully grown man gasping for air. One touch, and she can kill.
How did I miss this song? So good…
Colin Dickey is on the trail of America's ghosts. Crammed into old houses and hotels, abandoned prisons and empty hospitals, the spirits that linger continue...
I’ve had a few deliveries in this past few weeks. First off I received my little $1 Wednesday order from Fabulously Planned. Love the coffee theme!
On my bedside table: The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (finally finishing The Broken Earth trilogy); Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
Inheriting the Magnolia Inn, a Victorian home nestled in the East Texas pines, is a fantasy come true for Jolene Broussard. After living with the guilt of...
From the fortuitous discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls by a stray goat, to the wonderfully bizarre beginnings that led to the aptly named Just Enough Room...
In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the...
Haha, yes.
A recap of last month’s goals:
There's nothing Maddie loves more than fabulous vintage clothes, but the visions she gets while touching them are starting to wear her down. Even so, when a...
February’s pages got pushed to the background while I finished up my 30 Days of Birthday Cards. Thankfully I got them all finished this week and am ready to...
Currently my desk is full of Project Life supplies, planner supplies, and my SU order… I need to clean off the non-Project Life supplies and buckle down on...
Let’s check in on March's goals and my progress.
This song really got me. Amazing. Haunting.
After much deliberation, I’ve decided to participate in this year’s 100 Day Project. 100 days can seem very daunting, and I usually shy away from these large...
March TBR Pile (27/37):
Today’s card is a CASE from Amy Koenders @ Stamp with Amy K. One last birthday card for this March! I can’t believe I actually made 30 different birthday...
Today’s card is a CASE from Allison Okamitsu @ Nice People Stamp. I loved the collage style of the example card and set out to make my own version. I changed...
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever...
Today’s card took me awhile, but I do love coloring in my stamps! This particular one is retired, but it oh so much fun!
Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion...
Today’s card is a CASE from Sharon Hashimoto Burket @ As the Ink Dries. I loved the clean and simple look of her card and set out to make my own version!...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is a CASE from Charlet Mallett @ Painted Orange. I loved her take on layering pattern and texture. Of course I put my own spin on her card and...
Today’s card is continuing my coloring spree! I made this faux Mondrian card to accompany yesterday’s stained glass card. So much fun to make!
Melinda is already at a crossroads when the “for rent” sign beckons her down a dusty gravel lane. Facing forty and downsized from her successful career at a...
Reading: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. So so good! I can’t wait to finish and get the next book.
Why have I not colored more of this beautiful Graceful Glass Vellum DSP?? I have no idea! At least I pulled out this stained glass piece to create a...
Really love his voice. This new song is really good.
On my bedside table: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness; Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Today’s card is all about the sparkle! I found a chunk of this fun unicorn patterned paper just hanging out and had to create a fun and sparkly card to match...
Given the way love turned her heart in the New York Times bestselling To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which School Library Journal called a “lovely,...
Today’s card is another attempt to use some great scrap pieces of DSP. I loved the Delightful Daisy DSP pack and have a few scraps left over. I pulled those,...
Stars: 4/5 stars
Today’s card is just so cute! I love the retired Party Pandas stamp set to make adorable birthday cards. I wanted to steer away from the frilly and feminine so...
A new season has begun! We’re currently in Indiana visiting family, but will be home this weekend. This season’s bucket list was harder to put together than I...
Stars: 5/5 stars
Love Bill Hader!
Today’s card is the result of me playing around my Busho crystals more. I love the idea of adding color to black and white pattern paper. I dug through my...
A COUNTERFEIT BETROTHAL Lady Sophia Bryant has no intention of marrying anytime soon. Her one desire is to reunite her parents, who have been estranged for...
Christmas is over! Time to jump into the bleak season of winter here in the Midwest. This list was a bit of a struggle to create due to the weather...
Today’s card is another fun CASE from our demonstrator magazine. The original design showed a variety of patterned flowers on top of a two layer pattern piece....
After Lady Truthful's magical Newington Emerald is stolen from her she devises a simple plan: go to London to recover the missing jewel. She quickly learns,...
Let's see how I did with my Winter TBR (5/10): Only 50% completion, but I did knock off some books that have been on my TBR for awhile now. And I hope to get...
Today’s card has been approved by Arthur. He told me that this one was his favorite of all the cards I’ve made so far. He just loves the Party Pandas. And I...
Half-Korean, half-Japanese, Masaji Ishikawa has spent his whole life feeling like a man without a country. This feeling only deepened when his family moved...
Today’s card is another random scrap card. I dug through my scrap pile and found all these cute pieces featuring blue and yellow. I found a similar design on...
I’m not ashamed to say that I actually like this song…
On my bedside table: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han; Chronicles of St. Mary’s short stories
Today’s card features another watercolor image. I previously colored the large butterfly image in the Beautiful Day stamp set and thought today I would color...
In this final arc of the sci-fi drama, Alex and Ada struggle against the growing hatred for sentient robots and their human allies. Can they survive what's...
Tensions rise between humans and robots in this sci-fi/drama. Alex took a huge risk to unlock Ada-now she can think for herself and explore life as a sentient...
A quick and easy card for today. I took a piece of black and white paper, cut it in two, and rolled on some ink. Easy peasy to create a fun background. I...
Collects ALEX + ADA #1-5. From JONATHAN LUNA (GIRLS, THE SWORD, ULTRA, Spider-Woman: Origin) and SARAH VAUGHN (Sparkshooter) comes ALEX + ADA, a sci-fi drama...
Today’s card features just a few rolls from my washi tape collection. I have so much washi and only use it in my planner spreads. But I pulled some pretty ones...
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificent Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his...
Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their...
Today’s card was an attempt to use random DSP scraps. I always have a box of random scraps and hoped to get some inspiration from them. I took my card design...
Corporate espionage, government secrets, and private military contracts are uncovered as an investigative journalist looks deep into Abericorp, the most...
THE BEAUTY returns, merging characters and storylines from earlier arcs into a twisting tale of vanity, power, and the quest to obtain both at any cost. In a...
After the shocking events of issue 6, we're introduced to Timo, Ezerae, and a host of new characters, as well as your favorites from the first arc, to further...
Imagine a sexually transmitted disease that makes those infected better looking... a disease people want. That disease is real, and it's called the Beauty. Two...
Today’s card is a CASE from Deb Naylor @ The Flying Stamper. I loved the simplicity of the design added with the color blocking and embossed texture. I just...
In the past two years, the little town of Riverdale has changed in a number of amazing ways. The entire Archie universe has been given a fresh coat of paint...
Today’s card is one of those cards that has been sitting my card stash half-finished for months… I had stamped the tree and bike, but never went any further. ...
In the past two years, the little town of Riverdale has changed in a number of amazing ways. The entire Archie universe has been given a fresh coat of paint...
In the past two years, the little town of Riverdale has changed in a number of amazing ways. The entire Archie universe has been given a fresh coat of paint...
Love the sound of this one…
Today’s card features one of my favorite colors (and my favorite color retiring this year) Fresh Fig. I love the deep dark purple. This color started with...
Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a...
I popped into Joann’s to look for a specific Happy Planner sticker book, and they didn’t have it. So of course, I browsed around the rest of the store and came...
Today’s card is a CASE from Amy Koenders @ Stamp with Amy K. I loved the little cupcake with the oval sentiment and fun pattern paper as a background. I pulled...
On my bedside table: The Beauty Vol. 1-4; Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix
Today’s card is my result of playing with some ink and watercolor paper. I love the big butterfly from the Beautiful Day stamp set and tried a few different...
Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life’s...
Today’s card was an attempt to use the pretty, but not quite my style Petal Promenade DSP pack. When faced with florals, I sometimes struggle to find a design...
Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake. Their closest neighbors are more than two...
Pack your wagons, find your ride-or-(literally) die friends, and roll up to Matt’s General Store with a sack of cash—it’s time to hit the Oregon Trail,...
Today’s card is a fun and light birthday card. It took me a few times to get the hang of the cupcake stamp set layering, but I think this one came out nicely....
Yeah. I’ve seen all those movies…
Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring...
Today’s card is quick and easy! Sometimes you just don’t have a lot of time to make a card, but you still want the design to be fun and interesting. Enter...
Finishing out my February Memory Planner pages amongst random card making supplies. I still need to finish making my 30 birthday cards so there’s a lot of...
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN, bestselling writer of SAGA, and CLIFF CHIANG, legendary artist of Wonder Woman, return with award-winning colorist MATTHEW WILSON and...
Reading: Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield. I loved The Thirteenth Tale, hoping this one is just as good. I’m only a few pages in, but so far, pretty...
Today’s card is a very special card because it’s my birthday!!! My favorite color is purple, so today’s card had to have purple featured. In looking at my...
I think Halsey is growing on me. I really liked her SNL performance from a few weeks back. And I’m digging this new song…
Today’s card is a fun watercolor background. Every once in a while, I love to get out a ton of ink and make some watercolor backgrounds. For this one, I...
The second collection of the award-winning Lumberjanes is here! Five girls become instant best friends when they go to camp and discover there is a lot more to...
Every birthday, I want to share the Stampin’ Up! love. So, I created my own specials to feature this month. Keep in mind that these specials are through me...
Christmas is over! Time to jump into the bleak season of winter here in the Midwest. This list was a bit of a struggle to create due to the weather...
Some days you don’t want to stamp on your card, and that’s okay. For today’s card, I simply die cut a sentiment and layered on some fun pattern paper pieces....
Let’s check in on February's goals and my progress.
Today’s card is a classic design with fun products. I really like the Tea Room DSP, but I often don’t know how to use it without being overwhelming. This...
As an Indian wedding gathers a family back together, parents Rafiq and Layla must reckon with the choices their children have made. There is Hadia: their...
Today’s card is a celebration of bright colors and fun beverages! The Coffee Cafe stamp set and coordinating dies are always a favorite in my stash. For this...
A recap of last month’s goals:
February TBR Pile (21/26):
Here's my randomness for the week:
Every year for my birthday month I do something fun. This year I’ve committed myself to a stretch goal: 30 days of birthday cards. (I know that March has 31...
Stars: 5/5 stars
I never actually shared my pages for December’s edition of 30 Days of Lists. Somehow this project just got lost in the shuffle. And it’s almost time for the...
“The Tablet of Destinies holds the secrets of the Universe…he who possesses [it] shall rule the world.” – Sumerian LegendAfter a young friend shows up...
Discover a beautifully illustrated steampunk world of airships, monsters, and one courageous but haunted heroine...The tabloids dubbed her “Lady Mechanika,”...
Reading: An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor. It’s the 9th book in the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series. Only reading before bed has resulted in only...
How did I miss that she performed at the Grammys?? I love her voice so much. Definitely an amazing performance.
Today’s card is a CASE from Connie Stewart. The Garden Impressions DSP pack has to by my most used pack this catalog. Just love all the patterns and colors. I...
DARK ANGELJennifer Winwood has been engaged for five years to a man she hardly knows but believes to be honorable and good: Lord Lionel Kersey. Suddenly, she...
On my bedside table: HP and the Chamber of Secrets (reread!); The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay; A Place for Us by Fatima Faheen Mirza
Couldn’t resist putting in an order from Charlotte’s Paper Co. for this pretty spring pieces. I’m especially digging the Nose in a Book Mini Kit, cause you...
For months in early 1980, scientists, journalists, and nearby residents listened anxiously to rumblings from Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington State....
Today’s card is just a explosion of fun colors. I adore the Needlepoint Nook DSP which is a surprise. I just usually gravitate to the feminine and country...
Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims in her...
Why didn’t they air this scene? Everyone was wondering what had happened to Kirpa…
The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter said he...
Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste...
Another year, another Mambi Happy Planner as a fun personal Memory Planner. This year, I picked up an undated Memory Planner to use. I am going back to a...
Reading: Eruption by Steve Olson about the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. So far, so good.
Today’s card is is a collection of florals. I just love the patterns in the Garden Impressions DSP and the Pop of Petals Stamp Set. So I started layering some...
Really digging this song lately! Overall, I just really love Palaye Royale
On my bedside table: Eruption by Steve Olson; Dark Angel by Mary Balogh
An audacious and powerful debut novel: a second American Civil War, a devastating plague, and one family caught deep in the middle—a story that asks what might...
Zoe isn't exactly the intellectual type, which is why she doesn't recognize world-famous author Thomas Rocher when she stumbles into his apartment...and into...
Weeks have passed since the defeat of the witch Belladonna, yet "Happily Ever After" is still out of reach for Rapa, the once-and-future Queen Rapunzel. The...
Today’s card is a CASE from Brian King. I loved the simplicity of this design and wanted to create my own. I did flip the entire the card horizontal and added...
Once upon a time, the princesses of classic fairy tales banded together to save their kingdoms from war! Rapa, a redheaded girl with a fiery spirit and lost...
Here's my randomness for the week:
This is the way the world ends, for the last time.
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her...
Reading: Loving The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin. Speeding through it to get to the last book in the trilogy.
I’ve always loved this song and the cover is great! Can’t wait to watch Umbrella Academy.
Today’s card was created for a friend’s craft retreat. I wanted to so something fairly easy yet with lots of fun textures. I started with embossing a piece of...
Christmas is over! Time to jump into the bleak season of winter here in the Midwest. This list was a bit of a struggle to create due to the weather...
I got another great order from Fabulously Planned. I love her kits a lot and took advantage of a great sale a few weeks back. That March monthly kit is a dream!
Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs....
Today’s card was inspired by all the Holiday catalog cards that featured a beautiful metallic embossed background piece. I had to recreate but with some fun...
Daniel is desperate for a job. When someone slides a note under his door offering him the groundskeeper’s position at an old estate, it seems too good to be...
Super excited about Key and Peele being in this one…
This is the story of a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the...
Warning: Photo Heavy Post
Filled with stunning full-color infographics, a unique, album-by-album visual history of the evolution of the Beatles that examines how their style, their...
Reading: The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas. Loving the third book in the Lady Sherlock series.
Today’s cards were part of my Step It Up Class. Basically you take one card and then remake with more (or step it up). Here are the two cards side-by-side:
Seriously love this band so much!
Let’s check in on January's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
On my bedside table: The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas; Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
What's to Love: Lumberjanes is the hit series from the BOOM! Box imprint that features five rad ladies who fight monster baddies with the power of friendship!...
A few years back, we used to celebrate the new year by watching a month of movies. We decided to resurrect the idea for 2019. I went through a huge list of...
January TBR Pile (29/34):
Today’s cards were part of my Step It Up Class. Basically you take one card and then remake with more (or step it up). Here are the two cards side-by-side:
Recruited by the U.S. Army and Navy from small towns and elite colleges, more than ten thousand women served as codebreakers during World War II. While their...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Maddie Cutler thought she was taking on a new design intern for her boutique. But instead she finds her dead at the train station under suspicious...
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambo and this will be my third year using their planners. In this post, I highlight...
This is the way the world ends...for the last time.A season of endings has begun. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole...
Born in southern California late in the eighteenth century, he is a child of two worlds. Diego de la Vega's father is an aristocratic Spanish military man...
Reading: Code Girls by Liza Mundy. I’m over 50% through the book and so far, it’s really good.
Reese’s southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South...
This band’s sound and look are in opposition for me, but I still love this song!
Today’s card was created using Freshly Made Sketches #372. I just love the simplicity of the design. So many directions I could have gone!
On my bedside table: In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire; Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Tajo returns to her family home on Salus, to find a city on the brink of devastation. There is no food, no air, no hope for mankind's last great dome city....
Stel Caine rises from the depths to the surface of the Earth, the first human in millennia to walk on the sun-blasted wasteland. Her daughters aren't far...
Will Stel Caine rise from the depths to become first human in millennia to set foot on the surface of the Earth? Who is the relentless Minister of Thought on a...
Today’s card is a beauty! I saw a card on Pinterest that used an embossed piece of paper as a background layering it on top of a piece of same colored...
When the wizards of the Autumnlands reach through time to bring back a legendary hero, they don't get the savior they expected. But in a shattered, besieged...
In the gentle coastal town of South Cove, California, all Jill Gardner wants is to keep her store--Coffee, Books, and More--open and running. So why is she...
This looks terrifying!
Stars: 5/5 stars
Samantha's husband has left her, and after a spree of overcharging at Tiffany's, she settles down to reconstruct a life for herself and her eleven-year-old...
Every new catalog, I participate in our demo groups swap. Check out these beauties for this catalog’s swap:
She was unlike any woman he’d ever met in the ton or the demimonde. But Sir Gerald Stapleton frequented Mrs. Blyth’s euphemistically dubbed “finishing school”...
Currently in between projects. The Project Life stack on the right side is waiting on more page protectors so I can actually do the spreads. Quentin’s album...
Reading: The Fifth Seasonby N.K. Jemisin. Somehow this book kept getting pushed to the bottom of the TBR pile, but so glad I picked it up last week. Oh so good!
A few years back, we used to celebrate the new year by watching a month of movies. We decided to resurrect the idea for 2019. I went through a huge list of...
Every time this song gets played on Octane, I must stop and listen. So good!
Today’s card is a CASE from the Stampin’ Success magazine for demos. I saw this cute butterfly trio card and knew I had to recreate it! I did change out the...
Christmas is over! Time to jump into the bleak season of winter here in the Midwest. This list was a bit of a struggle to create due to the weather...
Another great order from Stamping’ Up! This time, I grabbed a whole bunch of items to make card kits for a friend’s retreat.
On my bedside table: Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon; Code Girls by Liza Mundy
Stars: 5/5 stars
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.You will assume she is obsessed with her...
Stars: 4/5 stars
Today’s card is another from the How Sweet it Is Suite! I just love the fun colors of the suite and wanted to make a few candy-filled cards. This particular...
When Abigail Gardiner knocks at the door of Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, the last thing she expects is a marriage proposal. Desperate, she’d come to this...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Stars: 5/5 stars
The new Occasions Catalog is live! And it has so many great goodies within its pages. Today I’m sharing my Top Ten products from the catalog and my Top Three...
Stars: 5/5 stars
NEW FRIENDS. NEW ENEMIES. NEW THREATS. IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD. Collects THE WALKING DEAD #175-180
Let’s check in on December's goals and my progress.
Reading: A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh. Went back to my trusty standards: Regency romances.
Get ready for the most shocking, most impactful SAGA storyline yet, an action-packed adventure about fake news and genuine terror. Collects SAGA #49-54
Today’s card is a fun and shiny birthday card! I wanted to make a birthday card that wasn’t overly feminine. SO I dug through my DSP stash and found this great...
Such a moving song…
Diana Gabaldon’s brilliant storytelling has captivated millions of readers in her bestselling and award-winning Outlander saga. Now, in her first-ever graphic...
Before Christmas, I placed an order for the newest Mambi Happy Box, but alas, shipments were delayed. At the same time, I added these great goals sheets and...
Palisade has a new resident: a strange wizard who wants to end the suffering of others. As the Queens disappear one by one, Betty uncovers a terrifying truth...
This entertaining yet comprehensive book describes how, in recent times, coffee has become the magnet that draws people together for spirited interchanges of...
In the past: awful stuff. In the present: awful stuff. But, increasingly: answers. Collects THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #34-39
A few years back, we used to celebrate the new year by watching a month of movies. We decided to resurrect the idea for 2019. I went through a huge list of...
In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper...
Today’s card is was part of our demo group’s Occasions Catalog swap. I saw the new How Sweet It Is Suite and had to have all the products! The colors are so...
From A Dance with Books:
My last random created by me challenge for the year. I wanted to read and highlight some women authors, but the challenges I found were very specific as to...
Another one of my own random challenges. I have a long TBR Pile on GoodReads (currently around 580 books), but I often forget about the reads on there. So for...
Joining this challenge once again. I love reading comics! I going to shoot for 52 comics this year.
From Modern Mrs. Darcy:
I heard about this project on an episode of What Should I Read Next and am very keen to jump onto this. I counted the unread physical books that have been...
I didn't find a romance reading challenge that appealed to me (too many restrictions usually), so I decided to do my own simple one. I want to read 10 Romance...
I ended up not finding a horror related challenge that I liked, so I’m going to do my own simple challenge. I want to read 10 horror books in 2019. Most will...
I had too many great crafts to choose from this past year, but I eventually narrowed it down. In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite craft projects of...
Comments: Starting off the week with some awesome reading! I knocked out three comics, finished my current read, and completed two short stories (one very...
From Girl XOXO:
From As Told By Tina:
From Angel’s Guilty Pleasures:
Working on a pair of cards for next week’s Step It Up class. Can you see what stamp set I’m featuring?
From Celebrity Readers:
From Reading in Winter:
From Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!:
From Passages to the Past:
From Whatever I Think Of:
Book becoming a movie in 2019
A recap of last month’s goals:
I always love kicking off my new year with a good readathon and Bout of Books is an annual favorite. I have a giant stack of books just sitting on my...
From Escape with Dollycas:
From My Reader’s Block:
Host: Becky's Book Reviews (sign up)Duration: January - December 2019Goal: To have adults read more picture books. To celebrate the fact that picture books are...
From Escape with Dollycas:
Not too many challenges left uncompleted this year. I’m very happy with my progress.
Oh my goodness! Check out all the reading challenges that I actually finished this year. So happy with my reading stats for 2018!
Usually I make a whole list of goals and resolutions to focus on for the year, but honestly, I’m not feeling it this year at all. Instead of yearly goals, I’m...
Favorite Books of the Year (in no particular order):
Christmas is over! Time to jump into the bleak season of winter here in the Midwest. This list was a bit of a struggle to create due to the weather...
Final tally 14/25 tasks completed. Sickness threw me early on in the month.
December TBR Pile (16/43):
So I failed at the movie watching, but surpassed my goal at the book reading! I’m calling this readathon a win!
Six sexy Christmas tales--by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Kathy Love, Jill Shalvis, Kylie Adams, and Katherine Garbera--come together in a seductive collection...
MADE UPLike a Christmas miracle, the Build a Boyfriend App lets you simply input the stats of your dream man, and witty texts, passionate emails, and hot...
Sixteen magical holiday stories from NY Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. This collection...
I hope everyone has a great Holiday season. I’m off on my annual blog break until the new year.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card. Tomorrow is the big day, but before we get...
We’ve been knocking out some fun holiday items this past week.
My Goals:
As I look outside my window: Another gray day in Indiana. It’s December, so of course it’s gray.
A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card full of shimmer and shine. I love a bit of sparkle on my...
Let's see how I did with my Fall TBR (6/10):
Very haunting score. Love it.
Returning home for the festivities isn’t high on Dulcie’s wish list. But it soon becomes obvious that she's needed, mainly to sort out the love lives of the...
Holly and Caleb had been best friends as children, growing up on the same street, but as teenagers they couldn't be further apart. When Caleb unexpectedly...
Today’s card set are a CASE from Amy Koenders. I love the simplicity of a big sentiment and some Washi tape. I pulled some sentiments and Washi tape from stash...
Stars: 4/5 stars
Oh my! Her voice is just amazing!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card featuring nontraditional colors. I love lime...
We’ve been knocking out some fun holiday items this past week.
My Goals:
As I look outside my window: The sun is shining and the snow is melting. Now our streets and yards look gross instead of a pretty winter wonderland.
Whispering Pines is a classic, quiet, private American subdivision on the edge of Asheville, NC, set in the pristine Blue Ridge Mountains. Which is good since...
Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four grown children: Patrick, a hedge fund manager; Kevin, a bartender; Ava,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a color technique. I’m all about my Stampin’ Up!...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him...
I finished my pages right when the month started and I’m so excited that I these are done. November is my last full month in my memory planner. For December,...
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a celebration card. I decided to put away my Christmas supplies...
Somehow I completely forgot about this band… Glad I rediscovered them!
Fall is over (at least in my book) and we’re on to Christmas. Time for a new bucket list!
I got a little envelope from Fabulously Planned full of January themed stickers.
On my bedside table: Looking for Alaska by John Green; various Christmas themed romances
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe from New York Times bestselling author, Melissa de la Cruz, is a sweet, sexy and hilarious gender-swapping, genre-satisfying...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite Christmas DSP. I love the colors and...
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the...
I would totally watch this mashup movie. (And I’ll definitely be watching the Detective Pikachu movie)
Today’s card is simple yet striking. I CASEd this great design from Sarah Berry with some minor alterations. I love the little bit of plaid peeking through...
Before beginning her dream job as sous chef in one of Seattle’s hottest new restaurants, Josie Avery takes a summer position cooking at a lakeside lodge in the...
Stars: 4/5 stars
This song is so infectious!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a with the theme of Winter Wonderland. I stumbled upon this card...
I didn’t start my Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge until December 1st, so not much to report. I did pick up Debbie Macomber’s newest holiday novel, Alaskan...
Let’s check in on November's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Another season, another bucket list. I kicked butt on our California items, but faltered when it came to the Midwest items. Life just got in the way. Moving...
Fall is over (at least in my book) and we’re on to Christmas. Time for a new bucket list!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring some punch art. I choose to go simple and create...
November's TBR Pile (16/24):
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is one of those card designs that I’ve been meaning to try out for some time now. I love the look of these quilted cards, but they looked like so...
Stars: 4/5 stars
Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain,...
Madeira Cutler loves her Vintage Magic boutique, but the 'visions' she gets from the garments can be hard to handle, especially when she knows the owner. At...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a gratitude card. I had to showoff the gorgeous Frosted Floral DSP...
Another great pairing of artists.
On April 15, 1912, three women climbed into Lifeboat 21 and watched in horror as the Titanic sank into the icy depths. They were strangers then…
As I look outside my window: It’s a wintery wonderland out there. Not too much snow, but enough to cover the ground and make mostly everything white. The wind...
A few week’s back I won a grab bag of mini kits from Nerd’s the Word Sticker Co. and they finally arrived! Just take a look at these beauties!
Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend...
London, 1932. With her hateful brother Binky in town, Georgie has been desperately seeking an escape. So when an invitation from the Queen of England arrives...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring one of the Holiday Catalog Suites. As soon as I...
I cannot wait!!!!!
A Hugo and British Fantasy Award-winning series—and current Eisner Award nominee for Best Continuing Series, and Best Publication for Teens, with Marjorie Liu...
Today’s card is another fun and layered Christmas card for this season. I incorporated some fun little elements (cat punch, paper clips) with the great...
American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy-tales. Her twin sister Lacey was always the romantic, the one who daydreamed of being a princess. But it's...
My Goals:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the starburst technique. I love making starburst...
Love these two voices together.
From Christmas Spirit:
For this year’s December Daily, I decided against the Ali Edwards kit and went instead for the Document December kit from Elle’s Studio. I really really loved...
As I look outside my window: There’s a thin layer of snow on the ground. It snowed most of the day yesterday, but light flurries.
Stars: 5/5 stars
Today’s cards have been sitting half done for months now. I had a whole stack of these unfinished cards and took a Saturday to knock them out. I had the Regal...
Stars: 5/5 stars
Here's my randomness for the week:
Lots of journaling and photos, not quite so many decorations. Love how this month’s pages turned out. On to November!
Lily Ivory and her friends are planning a 1950s-themed brunch to benefit the local women's shelter. When a figure from her past shows up unannounced,...
Stars: 5/5 stars
Such a powerful song!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card where anything goes! Every once in a while, I get the urge...
As I look outside my window: The sun is shining into my dining room, but don’t be fooled, it’s only 29 degrees out there right now…
Today’s cards have been sitting half done for months now. I had a whole stack of these unfinished cards and took a Saturday to knock them out. These cards...
We catch up with Death and Babylon in this eighth volume of the bestselling series EAST OF WEST. Collects EAST OF WEST #35-38
1943: Tucked away in the idyllic hills south of Florence, the Rosatis, an Italian family of noble lineage, believe that the walls of their ancient villa will...
Today’s card has been sitting half done for months now. I had a whole stack of these unfinished cards and took a Saturday to knock them out. I had stamped a...
We’ll see this one eventually, but I’ll say that it does look so much better than the Superman movies.
Today’s card is one of the Share What You Love CASEs that I featured at my Fall Bingo event. I slightly changed a few things from the example card, but kept it...
When the Imagine Network commissioned a documentary on mermaids, to be filmed from the cruise ship Atargatis, they expected what they had always received...
What’s your favorite fairy tale? Whether it’s “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Hansel and Gretel,” or another story, your answer reveals something...
I got to see the band at the Warped Tour last summer and have been waiting for this album ever since. Love this song!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the following colors:
As I look outside my window: It’s a bit gray and overcast. No rain today, but looks like the forecast is calling for rain tomorrow.
Today’s card has been sitting half done for months now. I had a whole stack of these unfinished cards and took a Saturday to knock them out. This card is a...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from fellow Design Team member Cheryl Hamilton! I picked this...
Let’s check in on October's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Here's my randomness for the week:
October's TBR Pile (14/20):
Seven years ago the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at...
Today’s card is one of the Share What You Love CASEs that I featured at my Fall Bingo event. I slightly changed a few things from the example card, but kept it...
For 2018, I scaled back some of my reading challenges, but am aiming to read even more pages/books than last year. So far, I've read 184 books. I have no idea...
Great YouTube find!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring Candy and Treats. I wanted to feature the pretty...
As I look outside my window: My yard is full of golden yellow leaves and I’m really going to miss them when the lawn guy comes next week.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring trees, leaves, and/or pinecones. I pulled out a...
Another season, another bucket list. This one will be a bit weird as we are moving to a different state at the end of September. There is a short list of...
This trailer is much more intriguing than the previously released one.
Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the...
Today’s card is one of the Share What You Love CASEs that I featured at my Fall Bingo event. I slightly changed a few things from the example card, but kept it...
“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946:...
I’m really excited about this movie and loving this song!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Get Well Card. For these types of cards, I gravitate toward...
As I look outside my window: Sunny but chilly morning
In the midst of moving, I made a small Stampin’ Up! order with some colorful goodies! I picked up a Crushed Curry reinker, Garden Green Baker’s Twine, Poppy...
Lacey Yeager is young, captivating, and ambitious enough to take the NYC art world by storm. Groomed at Sotheby's and hungry to keep climbing the social and...
Channel Two predicted a blanket of snow for Thanksgiving weekend--unusual, but not alarming for the little Maine island. What comes is a blinding blizzard, and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card and feature a soup of the day recipe. I love when the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
I took all my Memory Planning supplies with me to Indiana. As we are just hanging out while our stuff travels across the country, I had some time to do a bit...
In her thrilling new book, Lauren Groff brings the reader into a physical world that is at once domestic and wild—a place where the hazards of the natural...
Scotland, 1932. Back home until a little London scandal blows over, minor royal Lady Georgiana Rannoch has two equally important objectives. Queen Mary wants...
Love their sound. This new song is just too good to pass up.
Today’s card was featured at my Fall Bingo event. This card turned out more simple than I intended, but I have to say that I like the result. You can’t quite...
Red never shies away from a challenge. Never.But when Miss Hannah St. John strides into his life demanding—yes, demanding—he help her, he’s certain she’s more...
A dark presence is collecting girls, deep in the forest. Two girls have vanished, and now a third. Cassie and her friends desperately search the forest for...
Today’s card was featured at my fall Bingo event. I started with a general idea of a card and started adding tons of texture! I had seen a card featuring...
This version is just gorgeous!
Today’s card is one of the Share What You Love CASEs that I featured at my Fall Bingo event. I slightly changed a few things from the example card, but kept it...
London, 1932. Poor Lady Georgiana--thirty-fourth in line to the throne--has nothing to serve her Bavarian princess houseguest, even though the Queen of England...
Stars: 4/5 stars
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite Holiday Catalog Bundle. Usually I...
Yeah!!!! A new Mumford & Sons song. I’m so excited about this one. A nice blend of the old material and the newer electronic stuff.
As I look outside my window: It’s a gloomy day here in Indiana. It’s supposed to rain on and off most of the day.
Max is back! New husband, new job, and a training regime that cannot fail - to go wrong! Take one interim Chief Training Officer, add five recruits, mix with...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from fellow DT member Darla Roberts! After looking at some of...
Madeira Cutler is busy opening her new vintage clothing store in what was once the town's morgue when she discovers an intruder snooping around a bunch of...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The right dress can be magic; the wrong one, murder! From the national bestselling author of Sensation’s Witch series comes the new Vintage Magic mystery...
Today’s card is one of the Share What You Love CASEs that I featured at my Fall Bingo event. I slightly changed a few things from the example card, but kept it...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on September's goals and my progress.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
I always like a good OneRepublic song. Really dig the video for this one..
Lots of planner supplies came in the mail this week. Still waiting on one more package of stickers that I ordered a few weeks back.
September's TBR Pile (14/17):
Fans of Douglas Adams and P. G. Wodehouse will love visiting Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, when time travel is routine, cloning is a reality...
Kami is linked to two boys. One through a strong magical bond, and the other through unforgettable love. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Halloween card. When I made this card a few weeks back, I hadn't...
Who else sang along to this entire thing? Amazing!
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi and this will be my third year using their planners. In this post, I highlight...
Happy Birthday to my Quentin Deckard! It’s fitting that we’re starting our new adventure in a new state on your birthday. Here’s to many more great years...
The day is here! Goodbye sunny moderate California, hello blustery and chilly Nebraska! The boys and I are on a plane leaving the west coast for a quick trip...
At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man—until she receives an invitation...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using embossing. My favorite type of embossing is...
I love this collaboration so much. This song is one of my newest favorites.
Blitsy was having a giant warehouse sale as they are moving. I snagged a few things from the sale. They had Happy Memory Keeping planners on sale so I got this...
As I look outside my window: It’s dark as another day closes…
Another season, another bucket list. This one will be a bit weird as we are moving to a different state at the end of September. There is a short list of...
On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy little town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn...
For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time--it's a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite Fall Color Combo. I love the rich...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Over the retreat weekend, I had Thursday night all to myself. And so I crafted! I finished all of my August MP pages the span of about 10 hours.
Let's see how I did with my Summer TBR (3/10): Not the best showing for this past season…
Reading: Continuing the Lynburn Legacy trilogy with Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan.
Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich. Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of...
I adore this version of "Burn" and I'm so excited that they released a music video.
Every new catalog, the demo team I am on does a card swap. I love seeing designs from other demos and stamp sets I don't have. Check out this catalog's...
After a large delay, my Bingo order finally arrived. Minus the prizes, these are the goodies that I get to use. One of our make n takes will feature the Share...
London, 1932. Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, 34th in line for the English throne, is flat broke. She's bolted Scotland, her greedy brother, and her...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring apples. I really miss the apple festivals of the...
A door to the pastAmbitious art historian Campbell Stratford is about to make a name for herself with her scandalously sexy biographies of famous...
It's the Say Yes to the Dress that I actually want to watch...
One of the most important and enduring books of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God brings to life a Southern love story with the wit and...
Today I'm sharing a bit about me over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration. Join me over there!
The unique cocktail lounges, hotel bars, and other more exotic drinking venues (ice rinks, carousels, and tropical gardens, just to name a few) defined this...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring your favorite Holiday Catalog stamp set. I'm...
Random YouTube find.
On my bedside table: Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen; I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel; The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
A horrifying epidemic of smallpox was sweeping across the Americas when the American Revolution began, and yet we know almost nothing about it. Elizabeth A....
Rowan Black is a detective with the Portsmouth PD... and a witch, two aspects of her life she has struggled to keep separate. Now someone is targeting Rowan,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from one of the Design Team. In fact, we are CASEing me...
The Queens are back! Palisade is still a rat-infested hell hole, and Violet, Hannah, Dee, Betty, and the brand-new Queen, Braga are the only hope of saving it!...
Here's my randomness for the week:
It's time for another fun blog hop from the Fun n Crafty Stampers! Today we are celebrating the launch of the Holiday Catalog featuring cards showcasing...
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until...
Reading: Finally got into Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik and it's amazing!
Let’s check in on August's goals and my progress.
As we are moving at the end of the month, we decided to have the boys's birthday party early. On Saturday we hosted a Mad Scientist Party. While I bought a lot...
The movie was okay, but not the best. However, the music was amazing.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Right now I am: Relaxing after a crazy birthday party day...
August's TBR Pile (11/14):
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with something from the new Holiday Catalog. As a demo, I...
This one actually made me laugh out loud.
Every time I host a weekend retreat, I always make cute little goody bags filled with treats. And those goody bags must have some kind of tags. I've been...
A geek who wears glasses? Or a sex kitten in a teddy? This is the dual vision of the college girl, the unique American archetype born when the age-old conflict...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the Varied Vases stamp set from the Annual Catalog. I...
Love the sound of this band.
Books Read Today: 1Books Read Total: 4
Kami Glass is in love with someone she's never met—a boy she's talked to in her head since she was born. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English...
Playing receptionist for the doctor
I ended up putting in a small Stampin' Up! to maximize my Bonus Coupons for September's Bingo order. Just a box of paper and some special gifts for attendees....
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But...
Books Read Today: 1Books Read Total: 3
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite DSP. I always love working with SU's...
We don’t want to tell you too much about this book. It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we...
Working on my Holiday Catalog swap cards. Such great new Christmas sets! You can also spy my stack of Stamp Club cards. Two the ladies couldn't make it last...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Books Read Today: 2Books Read Total: 2
In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as...
Today’s card was featured at August's stamp club meeting. I wanted to do a simple birthday card featuring some great DSP. And I came up with this card! I...
Reading: Finally picked up Little Bee by Chris Cleave. It's been sitting on my shelf for years!
Reading: Finally picked up Little Bee by Chris Cleave. It's been sitting on my shelf for years!
A random YouTube find from this week. I really dig this song. Must download the entire album.
July was a weird month. Either we were incredibly busy or we did absolutely nothing. Made for a strange month to document.
I'm really hoping to knock some books out this week!
I went to Michael's, Joann's, and Hobby Lobby looking for science paper and stamps. I didn't find a single one, but I did find all this great stuff instead....
Another season, another bucket list. This one will be a bit weird as we are moving to a different state at the end of September. There is a short list of...
In Daisy Miller, James paints a vivid portrait of a vibrant young American girl visiting Europe for the first time. Lovely, flirtatious, eager for experience,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite coloring technique. I go back and forth...
I ended up with 14 activities finished this summer. Lower than I would have liked, but I we have been super busy getting ready to move in September.
NPR just released their list of the 100 Favorite Horror Stories based on a reader's choice. I love these lists and use them for my perpetual reading...
This looks like so much fun!
Emily Grantwich lives quietly with her crippled father and eccentric aunt, managing the family's land, until the fateful day she walks down the main street of...
I'm rejoining my favorite readathon of the year! I love Bout of Books, but last time was a disaster. This time around, I'm hoping to knock off a few books from...
Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas...
The boys and I saw MIW perform at the Warped Tour in June. They had such great energy! Loved the entire set.
On my bedside table: Emily and the Dark Angel by Jo Beverley; Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
I popped into Michael's to scout party supplies and stumbled upon the new 18 month Happy Planners. I couldn't resist this gorgeous rainbow planner! Guess I'm...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite Annual Catalog stamp set. Hands down I...
When Beth Hawley journeys to Lord Wraybourne's castle to help young Lady Sophie Kyle prepare for her wedding, she has to share her carriage with two unexpected...
Here's my randomness for the week:
June was full of activities with all the kids. The pages ended having more pictures and less words. And yet, I'm okay with how they turned out. Love the...
Vienna: famous for Mozart, waltzes, and pastry; less famous for Julia, a Swedish transplant who spends her days teaching English to unemployed Austrians and...
Some of the Fun n' Crafty Stampers participated in a great Annual Catalog Card Swap. Check out all of the great cards!
Reading: The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley. I turned to some fun Regency Romance for this week.
Reading: The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley. I turned to some fun Regency Romance for this week.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
Such a gorgeous acoustic version of this song!
As I look outside my window: Another sunny day in California. I know I'm going to miss the sunshine when it's the dead of winter, but I am looking forward to...
Popped into Michael's for some snail. Also grabbed this cute washi tape tube (Llamas!!!) and some glue dots.
The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from fellow Design Team Member Diana Eichfeld. I love Diana's...
Somehow I completely missed posting my Summer TBR post back when summer started... (For the record, it was supposed to be posted in June). So I'm back on track:
I do have a soft spot for Godzilla movies.
Let’s check in on July's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals: Turn's out that July was just not my month when it came to crafting. I ended up taking an unscheduled blogging break for two...
July's TBR Pile (14/21):
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for June. This month's blog hop is actually a swap. Various members of the Fun and Crafty Stampers made cards featuring...
With classic simplicity and a painter's feeling for atmosphere and detail, Isak Dinesen tells of the years she spent from 1914 to 1931 managing a coffee...
I have a soft spot in my heart for FOB. Digging this song lately.
Currently I'm sitting at 12/25 activities completed. The twins have gone back to Indiana, so I'm just hanging with the two littles until the end of summer. I...
It was a cloudless summer day in the year 1900. Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite bundle. Once getting the new catalog,...
Picnic at the farm
Here's my randomness for the week:
When her friend Alicia hires Turner Construction to renovate a historic lighthouse in the San Francisco Bay, Mel Turner can’t wait to get her hands dirty....
For 2018, I scaled back some of my reading challenges, but am aiming to read even more pages/books than last year. So far, I've read 143 books, which is way...
Really dig this entire album, but this song has really been stuck in my head lately. Love it!
As I look outside my window: It's very overcast at our house this morning. I'm sure it will burn off in a few hours.
Beneath the Sugar Sky, the third book in McGuire's Wayward Children series, returns to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children in a standalone contemporary...
Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.
Looks like fun.
San Francisco millionaire Andrew Flynt wants to sell his Victorian mansion, but ghostly music, the squeaking of a long-disappeared weathervane, and an angry...
Reading: Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell. Love my cozy mysteries!
Still really love Lacey's voice and this amazing collaboration.
Right now I am: Relaxing a bit before we head out to brunch and then for a walk amongst the redwoods.
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes...
The outbreak has spread, tearing apart the foundations of society, as implanted tapeworms have turned their human hosts into a seemingly mindless mob.
Life has gotten a bit crazy in my house and crafting has fallen by the wayside... I decided I need a bit of a break from the blog to regroup and get back into...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Recent events have thrown Alexandria into turmoil, and now Rick, Dwight, Eugene and Negan all have something to prove.Collects THE WALKING DEAD #169-174.
Even if the handsome, debonair Lord Wraybourne is only marrying Jane Sandiford for her fortune as she suspects that does not diminish the powerful sway her...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using DSP from July's B3G1 Free DSP sale! A variety of...
Two powerhouse singers with a great song.
Right now I am: Eating breakfast (lemon poppy seed muffin and coffee) and getting ready to leave for a trip to Arthur's favorite brunch place (Black Bear...
Who is Negan? Since his debut in THE WALKING DEAD #100, the charismatic psychopath has antagonized Rick Grimes, murdered his friend with a baseball bat wrapped...
Following the Small World deluxe edition, this special deluxe release finally reprints the oft-requested and long-denied Eisner-winning one-shot, "Open the...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from the wonderful Cathy Autrey. I chose to CASE this fun...
When her sister Patty died, Jenna blamed herself. When Jenna died, she blamed herself for that, too. Unfortunately Jenna died too soon. Living or dead, every...
Well, that took an interesting turn...
The SymboGen designed tapeworms were created to relieve humanity of disease and sickness. But the implants in the majority of the world's population began...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Reading: Picked up Symbiont by Mira Grant (Parasitology #2) and am flying through it!
YouTube has been killing it with some great music recommendations.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the following colors:
Let’s check in on June's goals and my progress.
I received my Stampin' Up! order for July's club (yes, I know, I ordered early). I tried to be strategic with my purchase and buy some products that coordinate.
June's TBR Pile (40/44):
It's time for another season and another bucket list. The twins will be here for the first two months of summer, so our list will reflect a wide range of...
Written by John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round) and illustrated by Max Sarin, Giant Days Volume 5 finishes off freshman year in style, collecting...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a variety of supplies sent to me by another team...
If Indiana Jones lived in the X-Files era, he might bear at least a passing resemblance to Nolan Moore -- a rogue archaeologist hosting a documentary series...
What It Is: Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to...
Lately, Mel has been worried about finding enough historic renovation work to pay the bills. But while Turner Construction is in need of a project, Mel’s...
The group is pulled apart, and the hidden mythic worlds of Ireland and Japan are revealed. JIM ZUB (Thunderbolts, Samurai Jack) and STEVEN CUMMINGS (Dead Shot,...
Rori Lane is trying to start a new life when she reunites with her mother in Japan, but ancient creatures lurking in the shadows of Tokyo sense something...
A New York Times bestseller with an "engaging narrative and array of detail” (The Wall Street Journal), the “intimate and sweeping” (Raleigh News & Observer)...
The mind-bending, time-warping adventure from BRIAN K. VAUGHAN & CLIFF CHIANG continues as intrepid newspaper deliverer Tiffany is launched from the...
Oh man! Rob Halford and Maria Brink is just an amazing combination.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a punch. I have a few images pinned on Pinterest with...
As I look outside my window: It's sunny and warm but thankfully not as hot as yesterday's high of 98 degrees. We can turn the air conditioning off tonight and...
How did marriage, considered a religious duty in medieval Europe, become a venue for personal fulfillment in contemporary America? How did the notion of...
Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of...
Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own....
Meet Prince Maxon before he fell in love with America, and a girl named Amberly before she became queen. See the Selection through the eyes of a guard who...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a wedding card. I don't make many wedding cards, but as soon as I...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card was another great card featuring at June's stamp club. I wanted to play with the Varied Vases stamp set. I ended up creating this cute vase trio...
Though the widowed Chloe Stanforth loves her house by the sea, a series of puzzling incidents has left her unsettled and anxious to find a new home. Her...
Today’s card was featured at June's stamp club. I wanted to make a variation of my annual catalog swap cards for my ladies. I switched out the DSP and changed...
We owe our good health to a humble parasite -- a genetically engineered tapeworm developed by the pioneering SymboGen Corporation. When implanted, the...
By Fall 1963, the Civil Rights Movement is an undeniable keystone of the national conversation, and as chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee,...
Reading: Finally reading Parasite by Mira Grant. And it's oh so good! I will definitely have to pick up the other two books in the trilogy.
After the success of the Nashville sit-in campaign, John Lewis is more committed than ever to changing the world through nonviolence - but as he and his fellow...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create an easel card. For some reason, I always thought that these cards...
Always so catchy! And a super fun video.
I got two fun deliveries this week! The first one was an order of planner stickers from Pretty Cute Planner. I grabbed a few mini kits, two samplers, and some...
On my bedside table: March Vol. 2 and 3 by John Lewis; Parasite by Mira Grant
San Francisco contractor Mel Turner is leading a volunteer home renovation project, and while she expects lots of questions from her inexperienced crew, she...
Werewolf barista Julie and her new girlfriend go on a date to a close-up magic show, but all heck breaks loose when the magician casts a horrible spell on...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Father's Day card. I'm always up for making a card for mom or...
Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction--the...
The multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series from BRIAN K. VAUGHAN and CLIFF CHIANG continues, as newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac, and Tiffany finally...
Working on the rest of this month's cards for SSINK. Can you spy my almost finished card?
Tina's Sarah Palin is so spot on!
The smash-hit series from BRIAN K. VAUGHAN and CLIFF CHIANG continues with a bold new direction, as intrepid young newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac, and Tiffany...
1. Garden Impressions 6x6 DSP 146289 $11.00 -- How gorgeous is this paper? It's even more gorgeous in person! I have already made multiple cards using this...
From BRIAN K. VAUGHAN, #1 New York Times bestselling writer of SAGA and THE PRIVATE EYE, and CLIFF CHIANG, legendary artist of Wonder Woman, comes the first...
**Reading Challenge Note: When I set my reading challenges in December, I didn't realize that I would be reading just so much so quickly. As the last few...
Before America arrived at the palace to compete in the Selection, there was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life. In The Prince, follow Maxon from the week...
May's pages are more of what's been working for me. I think I've fallen into a very comfortable routine. Love these pages.
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection, and to win Prince Maxon’s heart. Now six girls remain, and the competition is fiercer than...
Randomly found this gem
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new In Colors. I pulled out a great carrying...
On my bedside table: The Elite and The One by Kiera Cass -- must finish this fluffy YA series.
I bought a sticker grab bag from Peachy Cheap a few weeks back. And it finally came! I love having random stickers for my Project Life spreads and Memory...
Before he became a respected Congressman, John Lewis was clubbed, gassed, arrested over 40 times, and nearly killed by angry mobs and state police, all while...
Every new catalog, my demo group does a card swap featuring lots of new products. This year's crop of cards is just great!
Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion — enter if you dare! You might think no one lives in this elegant house on the hill — but then where’s that...
Two of literary comics modern masters present a pair of magical and disturbing stories of strange creatures who are not quite what they seem! In The Price, a...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card from in the garden. What better starting point than the...
Today’s card is my attempt at an unusual technique. I've often seen cards with color that comes peeking through. They remind me of those childhood activity...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Two weeks ago, I got a little carried away playing with a few of my retiring stamp sets. I wanted to make a few butterflies using the Watercolor Wings stamp...
Prepare to be swept into a world of breathless fairy-tale romance, swoonworthy characters, glittering gowns, and fierce intrigue perfect for readers who loved...
Reading: I finally started The Selection by Kiera Cass. A fluffy romance was just what I needed this week.
It's time for another season and another bucket list. The twins will be here for the first two months of summer, so our list will reflect a wide range of...
Ali Bell and Cole Holland's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and...
Random YouTube find that I'm super digging. Love the country/blues background of this, but it always feels super fresh.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny. The temperature is supposed to top off around 90 degrees today, so we're hanging out at home in the air...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting...
Word has spread that contractor Mel Turner can communicate with the spirits of the dead, and she’s having a hard time maintaining a low profile. She decides to...
Spring (at least in our house) is over. We're heading into summer, but first let's see the finally tally. 12/25
Let’s check in on May's goals and my progress.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE our newest Design Team Member Rebecca! In looking through Rebecca's...
April's Memory Planner pages. So excited that I'm keeping up with this ongoing craft project. I'm also using lots of random stickers from my stash, so yeah!
May's TBR Pile (16/17):
Following Anne of Green Gables (1908), the book covers the second chapter in the life of Anne Shirley. This book follows Anne from the age of 16 to 18, during...
For 2018, I decided to change up my Project Life plans and go back to weekly spreads. I enjoyed the monthly spreads, but often included too many photos. I...
Reading: The second in the Lady Sherlock Holmes series, A Conspiracy in Belgravia. I'm really enjoying it.
When a scrawny, freckled girl with bright red hair arrives on Prince Edward Island, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are taken by surprise; they'd asked for a...
Oh my! I think I may have found a new favorite singer.
Today’s card was made for my demo group's annual catalog swap. I picked the cute Hostess Stamp Set Hand Delivered and paired it with the gorgeous Garden...
As I look outside my window:
Four years before the events of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, the servant Kai left the North Estate, the only home he’d ever known, and Elliot North, the only...
I stopped by Michael's to get some white paper, but I can never walk away without checking out all the other goodies. All of the planner supplies were 40%...
It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who...
Likes: Scout (his LeapFrog dog), Magnatiles, applesauce, snuggles, all the books!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create using products from the new catalog. Once I was able to preorder...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
We finally watched Black Panther, so it's time for the Honest Trailer!
Sadly we are losing the super fun Tutti-Frutti DSP stack, the shiny Metallic Foil Doilies, and lots of ribbon. So why am I posting these cards today? Because...
Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the...
Not a great showing, but I did finish a few more items off the list. Let's see how we've done so far this season. 8/25
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Every new catalog, I always make a collection of cards to show-off the new In Colors. For this year's colors, I chose to use the new In Color DSP stack and the...
These ladies are killing it! Love this new version of Burn.
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
As I look outside my window: A pretty sunny day. I need to get outside before the sun goes down.
Just because I found this version on YouTube. Love love love it!
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
I thought I had nothing left to give. I thought wrong. They started the war. Now I will end it. Alice "Ali" Bell thinks the worst is behind her. She's ready to...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a kid's card. I love the cute Dinosaurs stamp and paper from the...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Young. Ravishing. Exquisitely marriageable. From the moment he spies Lady Morgan Bedwyn across the glittering ballroom, Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn,...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Lois Clary is a software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with world-changing ambitions. She codes all day and collapses at...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Really digging this new album
As I look outside my window: The sun is starting to set on a very pretty day...
My Stampin' Up! preorder arrived!!!! So many new goodies to play with!
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Edited by: Ellen Datlow
In this luminous volume, New York Times bestselling writer Julia Pierpont and artist Manjit Thapp match short, vibrant, and surprising biographies with...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Mother's Day card. I featured this card during April's Coloring...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
This trailer is piquing my interest...
In the aftermath of The Whisperer War--ALL IS LOST as Rick and all of Alexandria fight for survival against the largest horde of walkers they’ve ever...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Reading: Mad Hatters and March Hares edited by Ellen Datlow. Really enjoying this collection of 18 Alice in Wonderland inspired short stories.
Another year, more planner spreads. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambo and this will be my third year using their planners. In this post, I highlight...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors Flirty Flamingo, Dapper Denim, and Lemon...
Stumbled upon here on Youtube and I am entranced. Definitely need more...
Zombies stalk the night. Forget blood and brains. These monsters hunger for human souls. Sadly, they've got mine… Alice Bell has lost so much. Family....
As I look outside my window: A little overcast out there, but I'm sure the sun will come out later.
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--not powerful, like her father, nor...
I'm always sad to see certain things get retired, so today is all about celebrating my Top 10 Favorite Retiring Products.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from fellow design team member Pamela Wu. Pam is my friend...
In Sunderland, England, a city quarantined by the cholera epidemic of 1831, Gustine, a defiant fifteen-year-old beauty in an elegant blue dress rented from her...
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Here's my randomness for the week:
It's officially May which means it's time to say goodbye to all the retiring stamp sets. In total, I'm losing 18 stamp sets from my collection (although a few...
Not a lot of tasks checked off this section. Hopefully May goes better. Let's see how we've done so far this season.
Let’s check in on April's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Books Read: 9Books Read Total: 19
April's TBR Pile (19/26):
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a masculine card. I often turn to blues and greens for masculine...
A Scottish academic unearths ancient evil in a fishing village. Edgar Allan Poe's young bride is beguiled by a most unusual bird. Dorothy, lifted from Kansas,...
As I look outside my window: Sunny day with a few big white fluffy clouds...
I received my planner shipment from Kaiden's Mom Shops. I ended up with a hodgepodge of personal planner kits, deco sheets, one mostly complete kit, and some...
For 2018, I scaled back some of my reading challenges, but am aiming to read even more pages/books than last year. So far, I've read 72 books, which is way...
Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create featuring animals. Surprisingly I have a ton of stamp sets...
Taxation has been abolished, the government has been privatized, and employees take the surname of the company they work for. It's a brave new corporate world,...
Today’s cards were half of the featured Make N Takes at my Spring Bingo event. Each Bingo participant received a goody bag with four variously colored...
Toddler on the move
In this coffee table book of luminous essays accompanied by an array of images, award-winning writer Sylvia Linsteadt brings to life the many microcosms that...
Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart—and it is this fierce...
Today’s cards were given to all the participants at my Spring Bingo event. I found the idea for this card from Stamp with Paper Panda. I modified her cards a...
Aspects of lost San Francisco that are examined here include the Victorian Alcatraz, Cliff House Hotel before it burned down, the early Embarcadero, the...
In the early 20th Century, the United States government concocted a plan to import hippopotamuses into the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered...
So I somehow finished March's Memory Planner pages super early in April. Very excited about my progress. Doing it early allowed me to remember more for my...
I just realized that the lead singer of Black Veil Brides released a solo album a few years ago. Hm... interesting...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a fabulous flowers card. Instead of stamping with flowers, I...
I stopped by the craft store for a pop-in and popped out with a full size score board, a cute ornament stamp, and some scrapbook stickers.
As I look outside my window: The sun is setting on a gorgeous day even though I never actually went outside.
Books Read: 2Books Read Total: 10
I came across the Seasonal Series readathon from another blog that I follow. I love this fun idea and think I will be adding this to my reading challenges. ...
Today’s card is such a fun card that uses no stamps at all. Every once in a while, I like to stretch my creativity. For this card, I decided to layer on the...
She won't rest until she's sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever. Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between...
The story of Mary Shelley fascinates me. I hope this one is good.
Today’s card is so incredibly cheery. I love the fun festive colors and the cute repeating pen image. I decided to color the pens with the colors featured in...
Reading: The Radium Girls by Kate Moore -- April's book club selection. I just started, but so far it's really interesting.
Today’s card is being featured at my Coloring Class. I love all the different ways you can color a card. For this one, I used one of my favorite...
Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff...
Today’s cards were half of the featured Make N Takes at my Spring Bingo event. Each Bingo participant received a goody bag with four variously colored...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a gatefold card. I always forget how much I love gatefold cards....
Love K. Flay, so I'm really digging this song right now.
As I look outside my window: A bit overcast and rainy looking...
Books Read: 3Books Read Total: 8
Beginning just less than seven hours after The Gunslinger ends, in the second installment to the thrilling Dark Tower Series, Roland encounters three...
Bachelor Nation is the first behind-the-scenes, unauthorized look into the reality television phenomenon. Los Angeles Times journalist Amy Kaufman is a proud...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a baby card. I decided to modify a old card that I made. I love...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Feeling a bit better than I'm not completely behind on my Memory Planner pages. I'm continuing to use my giant pack fo gel pens for journaling (different than...
In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying...
Today’s card is being featured at my April Coloring Class. I adore the Just Add Color DSP, but couldn't figure out how exactly to showcase the fun images....
Reading: Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman. I snagged a copy from the library's new releases shelf.
A slow start to this season's bucket list. Let's see how we've done so far this season.
Can't wait for the new CHVRCHES album. Love love loving the two singles they have out.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a coffee break card. Another excuse to pull out the Coffee Cafe...
As I look outside my window: It's so dark... but we had a beautiful sunny day once the rain moved out.
My order from Brandy's Shop came. I snapped up portions of four different kits for spring and summer. Loving the color combinations on these.
Books Read: 5Books Read Total: 5
After steaming out of New York City on December 1, 1917, laden with a staggering three thousand tons of TNT and other explosives, the munitions ship Mont-Blanc...
This is it, the final chapter in the critically acclaimed crime/horror rural noir, REVIVAL! Police Officer Dana Cypress has solved the mystery of the murder of...
Continues the story directly after the shocking events of Penny Dreadful's season three TV finale!
Turner Construction's latest restoration project is a historic Queen Anne Victorian in San Francisco. This time general contractor Mel Turner has to work...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from fellow Design Team member Nichole Loe. You can find...
So much joy!
Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her...
Today I'm featuring not one card, but an entire set of 12 cards! I saw a similar card idea on Pinterest and knew I wanted to recreate it using all 12 Stampin'...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on March's goals and my progress.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
This entire album is amazing, but I'm really loving this song right now.
I've really enjoyed participating in 30 Days of Lists on and off for the past few years. For 2018, the creators offered a season pass getting me all three...
As I look outside my window: The sun is starting to set and the breeze has picked up a bit. Thank goodness as it was getting a bit warm in the house.
I'm so ready for a readathon to keep my momentum going! This year, I'm going to try and read some "scary" books along with my regular TBR pile.
March's TBR Pile (15/16):
This charming classic love story, first published in 1970, brings together twenty years of correspondence between Helene Hanff, at the time, a freelance writer...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a celebrations card. I challenged myself to make a card using a...
Mary Robinette Kowal stunned readers with her charming first novel Shades of Milk and Honey, a loving tribute to the works of Jane Austen in a world where...
For this year's WITL, I documented my birthday week: March 5th - 11th. I bought another Simple Stories album to coordinate with last year's album (last year's...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured at my DSP Part 2 class featured in later March and April. (See the Crafty Events on the homepage for full details.) I added...
When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, around a fire pit where their backyards meet one Saturday night, most of them are just ecstatic to...
Today’s card is being featured at my Coloring Class in late March and April. (Check out the Crafty Events on the homepage for full details.) I love playing...
Quentin's official 18 month appointment isn't until the 30th of March.
I came across the Seasonal Series readathon from another blog that I follow. I love this fun idea and think I will be adding this to my reading challenges. ...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create an Easter card. The Flying Home stamp set is the perfect choice to...
Such a great cover of one of my favorite songs. So sad that Dolores wasn't able to sing on the record before her death.
To Do:
As I look outside my window: It's overcast again. The rain seems be coming in a wave every couple of days this month. After a very warm and dry February, it's...
I stopped into Michael's for some snail and white paper, and of course, I had to grab some other items. This time, I bought some treat bags for Bingo supplies,...
Eighteen-year-old Robert Weekes is a practitioner of empirical philosophy—an arcane, female-dominated branch of science used to summon the wind, shape clouds...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a spring card. I always think flowers when I thinks spring....
Cranford is an affectionate and often moving portrait of genteel poverty and intertwined lives in a nineteenth-century village. One of Elizabeth Gaskell's most...
Definitely putting this one on our watch list.
I've really enjoyed participating in 30 Days of Lists on and off for the past few years. For 2018, the creators offered a season pass getting me all three...
To Do:
Alessandra Cecchi is not quite fifteen when her father, a prosperous cloth merchant, brings a young painter back from northern Europe to decorate the chapel...
Today's card was featured at February stamp club, but I forgot to post it here. Silly me! This Beautiful Peacock stamp set is a Level 1 SAB item, meaning you...
To Do:
I almost completely forgot about this! Thankfully I remembered in just the nick of time. I've been thinking about the activities we want to do before the...
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of...
Reading: The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller. It was my BOTM selection from February. An interesting mix of historical fiction and steampunk. Enjoying it so...
Love Weird Al and Hamilton! This is the perfect mash-up.
How about a trio of cute pandas for today? At first, I wasn't drawn to these pandas as my SAB pick, but then I saw all the amazing cards others made. I knew I...
I haven't done a Bloggiesta for a few years, but my blog is in need of some serious TLC. Mostly it's behind the scenes tasks, but I thought I would actually...
As I look outside my window: The rain is moving out for at least a few days. Enjoying the sunshine today.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death—a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone—Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest...
I love this great card of layered DSP. I always want to highlight the beautiful patterns of our DSP, but often we mask it under stamps and other pieces. For...
A long-lost book reappears, mysteriously connecting an old man searching for his son and a girl seeking a cure for her widowed mother's loneliness.Leo Gursky...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is a quick and easy card that I adore. I simply stamped a bunch of butterflies and added a great sentiment. I would love to repeat this card with...
As soon as I saw the Sale-a-Bration brochure, I had to have the Party Pandas stamp set! It's just so incredibly cute. I decided to play with circles and...
Hailed as "impossible to put down," the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor,...
Welcome to the Library. It's here that every story ever written is catalogued and monitored by a single man, who's begun to notice something strange: the books...
January 2018 memory planner spreads.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Get Well card. The SAB featured Blossoming Basket Stamp Set was...
I do always love Three Days Grace
As I look outside my window: Slightly overcast when the sun setting.
I've really enjoyed participating in 30 Days of Lists on and off for the past few years. For 2018, the creators offered a season pass getting me all three...
Kit Butler is cool, dangerous, one of London’s mostinfamous bachelors—marriage is the last thing on his mind. But Kit’s family has other plans. Desperate to...
When you're at the peak of your powers, there's only one way to go. The question becomes—how many people are you willing to drag down with you? The...
Today's card is such a fun sparkly card! We made this for February's stamp club and I think all the ladies enjoyed making the card. We colored the glimmer...
I always make something handmade for the moms' retreat that I plan. For this past retreat (Feb. 22-25), I had little goody bags filled with a cute journal and...
Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches,...
Ramses the Great, former pharaoh of Egypt, is reawakened by the elixir of life in Edwardian England. Now immortal with his bride-to-be, he is swept up in a...
Today's card is a great example of how to use scraps to create a beautiful card. I took a ton of 1 inch strips from my Dear Lizzy Documented stack and pulled...
Reading: Demonglass and Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins. After some more adult reads, I'm taking a bit of a YA break to finish this series.
Reading: Demonglass and Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins. After some more adult reads, I'm taking a bit of a YA break to finish this series.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using Rich Razzleberry, Sweet Sugarplum, and Soft Sky.
Random pick I found on YouTube while looking for others songs... Really digging it.
As I look outside my window: It's been a rainy and gray kind of week. While I've grown accustomed to the near-constant sunshine here in California, I really...
I stopped into Michaels for snail and couldn't pass up these beauties! I grabbed a small paper pack and wash tape tube from the Backyard Table collection. I...
It's my birthday on Monday (let's just say I'm over 30), and to celebrate I'm offering some great prizes! Check out the graphic below!
Let’s check in on February's goals and my progress:
Today's card is a riot of spring flowers. When I want to make a colorful card, I often turn to the Jar of Love stamp set and coordinating Framelits. I love...
In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on...
Here's my randomness for the week:
A recap of last month’s goals:
Today's card is being featured at my Patterned Paper Extravaganza class. I love finding new ways to use up paper scraps laying around. For this card, I created...
February's TBR Pile (23/28):
What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these...
I finally got around to finishing out my 2017 Memory Planner pages. I didn't do December as I put December's photos into my large Family Project Life album. To...
Shades of Milk and Honey is exactly what we could expect from Jane Austen if she had been a fantasy writer: Pride and Prejudice meets Jonathan Strange & Mr....
They are playing this song across multiple XM channels.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring the theme "Back to Nature." I'm so glad I had a...
A #1 national bestseller, The Gunslinger introduces readers to one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations, Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger. He is a...
A powerful modern day reimagining of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel Jane Eyre. Jane learns that in the world of New York’s elite, secrets are the greatest...
Edited by: Laura Miller
Today's card was inspired by one of my stamp club ladies. She wanted something sparkly, so I made her a sparkly unicorn card! I colored the piece of iridescent...
And here's the second half of my December Daily pages from last year...
So excited about this one!!! Jack-Jack!!!
Today's card is being featured at my birthday cards class. I loved the idea of repeating shapes and so I modified the idea for a birthday card. I die cut a ton...
Alone at the end of the world, Aria is woman with a mission! Traipsing through an overgrown city with her only companion, a cat named Jelly Beans, Aria's...
For one day in rural central Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. Now it's up to Officer Dana Cypress to deal with the media scrutiny, religious zealots, and...
Finally I finished my 2017 December Daily pages! I decided once again to not do a separate album, but include special pages in my family Project Life album....
An Octane favorite right now...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a shaker card. I immediately knew that I wanted to make a fun...
In The Poet and the Murderer, acclaimed journalist Simon Worrall takes readers into the haunting mind of Mark Hofmann, one of the most daring literary forgers...
As I look outside my window: The sun is going down on a lovely Saturday.
For one day in rural central Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. Now the living and the recently returned struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy, amidst...
The Eisner-nominated MONSTRESS is back! Maika, Kippa, and Ren journey to Thyria in search of answers to her past... and discover a new, terrible, threat....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Winter Blues card. I'm grateful to live in the San Francisco Bay...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Millennia ago, mankind fled the earth's surface into the bottomless depths of the darkest oceans. Shielded from a merciless sun's scorching radiation, the...
Today's card is another featured card at my Pattern Paper class. I love the idea of repeating shapes on a cards. For this one, I pulled a ton of coordinating...
Reading: In a big comics binge right now. Currently reading Revival Vols. 4 through 7.
THE SECRET SERVICE: KINGSMAN is the critically acclaimed comic book series by Kick-Ass writer MARK MILLAR and Watchmen's DAVE GIBBONS. Now a Hollywood...
Today's card is being featured at my Pattern Paper class this season. I wanted to make a masculine card and the new True Gentleman DSP is perfect! I kept the...
The boys and I have been listening to the entire album all weekend. Sooooo good!
One of the many unfinished projects I had laying in my craft area going into 2018. I'm excited to say that I've finally finished this one! The cards will be...
Right now I am: Waiting for J to get home with sushi for dinner. I just didn't have it in me to cook tonight...
Random pick from he new books shelf at the library. Hmmm... a Prohibition era horror comic? I'm totally down for this one. I enjoyed the characters and the...
Even the most skilled sorceress can’t ward off a lawsuit, and Lily is not at her enchanting best with her hands full as the temporary leader of San Francisco's...
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Valentine. I don't send out a lot of Valentines, but we do...
The Fresh Prince and Wawa shout-outs were the best parts!
Today's card is being featured at my Birthday Cards class. I stamped the bee and sentiment onto a piece of vellum using Basic Black Ink. From there, I layered...
Published: 1915
Reading: A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell. It's #8 in the Witchcraft Mystery series and I can't wait to see what happens.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of...
This is such an amazing version of this song! I'm so excited that they created a video for it.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below:
For Callie McFay, a half-witch/half-fey professor of folklore and Gothic literature, the fight to save the enchanted town of Fairwick, New York, is far from...
My February Stampin' Up! came full of great goodies:
Let’s check in on January's goals and my progress.
A new Newsflesh novella from the New York Times bestselling author that brought you Feed, Mira Grant.
Books Read: 1Books Read Total: 18
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from our new design team member Anastasia Radloff who blogs...
How did I not know that this comic existed? I love the weird and wonderful writings of Neil Gaiman. This slim volume is a treat. The writing is gorgeous, of...
Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York: he's the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Here's my randomness for the week:
January's TBR Pile (18/20):
Today's card is an awesome CASE from Martha Inchley @ Inch of Creativity. I loved the idea of the layered foil pieces on a clean white base. I changed up the...
The Bostonians is a bittersweet tragicomedy that centers on an odd triangle of characters: Basil Ransom, a political conservative from Mississippi; Olive...
Reading: The English Wife by Lauren Willig; It was my December Book of the Month selection, but I didn't get it until I came back from Indiana on the 10th. I'm...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to homemade Valentine. I don't really make Valentines or Valentine cards,...
Another interesting Apple Music find...
Books Read: 2Books Read Total: 17
As I look outside my window: Dark, dark Saturday night...
I haven't posted any of the supplies I got over the Christmas Break. That changes today. Look at all the goodies I got this week!
Lily would like nothing better than to relax, enjoy her friends, and take care of business at her store, which is booming thanks to San Francisco's upcoming...
Likes: Playing with Arthur, music of any kind, food, snuggles, playing with the remote and my phone, toy cars, "reading" books
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite Occasions Catalog DSP item. I love the...
I used to go see the Nutcracker Ballet every year as a child. This looks so pretty!
***Photo Dump Ahead***
When Mel Turner is hired to rehab an old Victorian mansion to act as the eerie setting for a Halloween bash, she’s expecting the normal challenges—old wiring,...
Today's card is part of my die cuts class (January - March). I knew I wanted to build a bike for one of our cards. Once deciding on a color palette, I started...
***Photo Dump Ahead***
Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious,...
Random find from the Apple Music New Music playlist.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite Sale-a-Bration item. For my card, I used...
Books Read: 3Books Read Total: 15
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny like normal
I adore this little friendship card. I knew Message in a Bottle would be one of my favorite stamps and this card really highlights the fun you can create. I...
Translated: Richard Burton
Our demo group does a card swap for each new catalog. I always look forward to the amazing designs I receive in the mail.
Here's my randomness for the week:
As part of my preorder for the Occasions Catalog, I bought the Brusho Crystal Colour. I've been having fun playing around with them ever since! Today's card...
Jodi Taylor's best-selling series The Chronicles of St Mary is back with a bang... St Mary's has been rebuilt and it's business as usual for the History...
Reading: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran -- one of those books that's been on my shelves for a few years
Reading: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran -- one of those books that's been on my shelves for a few years
I love her voice!
Hand's down, my favorite item from the Occasions Catalog is the Brusho Crystal Colour! I have had so much fun playing with them this past month. For today's...
Books Read: 0Books Read Total: 5
Books Read: 12Books Read Total: 12
As I look outside my window: There's an interesting pattern of clouds in the sky.
From Angel's Guilt Pleasures:
I've thought about joining this challenge for the past three years, but just never actually committed. So, I'm jumping in this year!
From Because Reading:
This challenge has been moved to a Facebook group this year. I'm down for it! I'm going to attempt another 24 comics this year. I'm sure I will surpass 24, but...
From: Becky's Book Reviews:
From the religious historian whose The Gnostic Gospels won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award comes a dramatic...
Books Read: 1Books Read Total: 5
From The Worm Hole:
From Roof Beam Reader:
From Becky's Book Reviews:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card full of sparkle and shine.
From Ginger Mom:
From Celebrity Readers:
I've done this challenge for the past two years. Joining in yet again!
From My Reader's Block:
I have a whole list of Perpetual Reading Challenges that I've been trying to tackle for the past few years. To help myself out, I make a yearly Perpetual...
So a little late, but I finally finished my Week in the Life album for 2017. I ended up not documenting a week until pretty late in the year, November 6th -...
Books Read: 4Books Read Total: 4
Penny Ramsey has always considered Highland Hall her home, but when Britain becomes involved in World War One she travels to London to assist her sister Kate...
Continuing this project from 2016, I'll be posting a roundup of Arthur pics every 9 weeks. See W1-9 here. W10-18 here, W19-27 here, W28-36 here, W37-45...
I made this card way back in November, but I thought it was weird to post during the height of Christmas cards. So I kept it in reserve until now. How cute is...
Strong-willed and beautiful, debutante Katherine Ramsey feels ready to take the London social season by storm, and she must. Her family estate, Highland Hall,...
In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite craft projects of 2017!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to...
The time has come. The forces are aligning. The war has begun! Has Rick brought about the demise of everything he’s built? Or will he triumph once again? Know...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on Decembers's goals and my progress.
Goals:
Heroic. Iconic. Unstoppable. Armed with her Lasso of Truth and imbued with the power of the gods themselves, Princess Diana of Themyscira-known to the world as...
I usually have about 10 resolutions for the New Year, but I must admit that life is a bit much right now. I don't want to over-burden myself with too many...
The late 1960s saw a new direction for Wonder Woman. Forced to choose between returning to her Amazon sisters or continuing her mission in "Man's World,"...
Favorite Books of the Year
Advanced
2017 reading challenge round-up with completed challenges and final progress.
After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a...
December's TBR Pile (8/12):
We finished out our Christmas season strong with lots of fun activities and lots of lazy days playing.
From Seasons of Reading:
Just popping in to post that I'm intending to participate in the next Bout of Books readathon. I participated in almost every one from the beginning and I...
It's time for my annual Christmas break from blogging. I hope everyone has a happy Holiday season and I will be back in early January with more posts!
It's time for my annual Christmas break from blogging. I hope everyone has a happy Holiday season and I will be back in early January with more craft projects!
Romance stars Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret prove in this collection of stories that love is the most magical during...
To finish off my Christmas cards for the year, I present this simple reindeer card that uses vellum (why do I always forget I own this?), random scraps of DSP,...
We're now Indiana for the holidays and have completed even more Christmas related tasks.
Rose Red, Tranquil Tide, and Smoky Slate equal a great nontraditional color palette for today's card. The pattern of the DSP reminded me of Christmas...
Today's video round-up is heavy on trailers...
A jilted bride and a ditched bachelor cut a "fake fiancé" deal.
My goal is to keep my quarterly clothes budget to $200. I've still got some weight loss goals to achieve, but I need to do a bit of fill-in in the meantime.
Today's card is all about featuring the beautiful bold stamps from the Merry Patterns stamp set. I decided to let the stamps shine and only add some background...
THE CHRISTMAS CATCH (Holiday Brides Book 1) A struggling single mom meets a handsome bachelor in Vermont, after running him off the road during a snowstorm. A...
Reading: A Christmas to Remember anthology. I grabbed this collection from the library to read some historical romance for the holidays.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
I used to listen to Dashboard Confessional constantly. Great to hear a new song...
I went with lots of pattern, sparkle, and shine for this card! I can't believe I still had some Mint Macaron Glimmer Paper left over from this year's...
As I look outside my window: There's a fine dusting of snow on the ground. So pretty outside!
Another nontraditional color card for this season. I really enjoy the blue and silver color palette. As a bonus, this card used up a ton of my leftover...
Sweeping us from the battlefields of eighteenth-century Scotland to the exotic West Indies, Diana Gabaldon weaves magic once again in an exhilarating and...
How pretty is this card? I love the combo of pink and lime green. I think I should make a few more of these cards to send out...
We're now Indiana for the holidays and have completed even more Christmas related tasks.
I went simple with today's card focusing on stamping instead of techniques or layering. I started with my sentiment and then added the falling snowflakes...
Here's my randomness for the week:
August's pages
After casting out a dark spirit, Callie McFay, a professor of gothic literature, has at last restored a semblance of calm to her rambling Victorian house. But...
For this card, I CASEd the lovely Miriam @ Cards and Scrapping. Lemon Lime Twist is such a great color for Christmas and the reindeer outline is perfect! I...
In Bonk, the best-selling author of Stiff turns her outrageous curiosity and insight on the most alluring scientific subject of all: sex. Can a person think...
I always have to throw in some nontraditional color Christmas cards. I loved the repeating candle image, so I made that part of my background. I added a bit of...
For this card, I wanted to use the sentiment mitten from Smitten Mittens. Unfortunately I realized that my Cherry Cobbler ink pad needs to be reinked. I...
Seriously the Latin Pop channel is on heavy rotation in our house lately...
As I look outside my window: So dark!
I snagged a Peachy Cheap deal for this Simple Stories collection. Probably going to use it for my mom's Holiday album.
For this card, I CASEd the lovely Martha Inchley @ Inch of Creativity. Hands down my favorite card I made with the Merry Patterns Stamp set. I love the...
December is in full swing! Let's see how we've done so far this month.
For this card, I CASEd this great card from Cindy @ Paper Craft Crew Challenges. I love making Christmas card with big sentiments! I kept the Wonderful Year...
In the bitter winter of 1847, from an Ireland torn by famine and injustice, the Star of the Sea sets sail for NewYork. On board are hundreds of refugees, some...
For this card, I CASEd this great card from Linda Dalke. I wouldn't have thought about combining silver, black, and red, but I love the effect! It's hard to...
Reading: Bonk: The Science of Sex by Mary Roach. Our book club selection for December. A very fascinating nonfiction read.
For this card, I CASEd the lovely Dani Dziama @ Dani's Thoughtful Corner.
Love her voice!
A recap of last month’s goals:
My completion 20/35 57 %
For today's card, i CASEd the lovely Paula Dobson @ Stampinantics. I loved making this card even if I had to fussy cut that reindeer. The piece of Cherry...
As soon as Lily opens the trunk, she feels strange vibrations emanating from a mysterious velvet cloak. When she tries it on, Lily sees awful visions from the...
Let’s check in on November's goals and my progress.
For this card, I CASEd this great card from Cindy Lee Bee Designs. These mittens are so much fun! And I love the repeating mitten pattern in the DSP piece. But...
Today's sketch comes from July 2014:
November's TBR Pile (14/20):
Today's sketch comes from August 2016:
Next up on the TBR pile:
Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly sensual dream every...
Today's sketch comes from May 2015:
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
When Lily arrives at an antique jewelry fair, her bargain sensors go off left and right—but she also picks up a faint vibration of magic. Could the...
Today's sketch comes from November 2015:
This song has been on repeat on Apple's Latin Pop channel and I find myself dancing along to it every time it's played.
Today's sketch comes from October 2015:
Modeling his new towel
Undine Spragg is an exquisitely beautiful but ferociously acquisitive young woman from the Midwest who comes to New York to seek her fortune. She achieves her...
Today's sketch comes from October 2016:
The final year of the apocalypse begins! Armies rage! Nations at War! A family fights to be reunited. Collects EAST OF WEST #30-34.
From the worldwide bestselling team of FIONA STAPLES and BRIAN K. VAUGHAN, “The War for Phang” is an epic, self-contained SAGA event! Finally reunited with her...
Two teenage boys are in for a tremendous shock when they crash a party where the girls are far more than they appear!From Neil Gaiman—one of the most...
Today's sketch comes from September 2014:
Today's sketch comes from August 2014:
We're spending the day with friends eating some good food...
Today's sketch comes from January 2016:
Confessing to "familiarity with the devils," Mary Johnson, a servant, was executed by Connecticut officials in 1648. A wealthy Boston widow, Ann Hibbens was...
November 1989. Communism is collapsing, and soon the Berlin Wall will come down with it. But before that happens there is one last bit of cloak & dagger to...
Today's sketch comes from May 2014:
Love this song! It reminds me the entire Hot Fuss album.
Today's sketch comes from February 2017:
Aphra Behn, first female professional writer. Sojourner Truth, activist and abolitionist. Ada Lovelace, first computer programmer. Marie Curie, first woman to...
Today's sketch comes from June 2014:
As I look outside my window: Super dark. This getting dark at 5pm is really wearing on me...
February, 1946. World War Two is over, but the recovery from the most intimate of its horrors has only just begun for Annaliese Lange, a German ballerina...
Today's sketch comes from September 2013:
Today's sketch comes from December 2016:
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today's sketch comes from July 2016:
Today's sketch comes from August 2015:
Today's sketch comes from March 2017:
Taking a night off from running her successful San Francisco clothing store, Lily attends a local art deco ball where vintage fashions steal the show. But when...
Today's sketch comes from October 2013:
Continuing this project from 2016, I'll be posting a roundup of Arthur pics every 9 weeks. See W1-9 here. W10-18 here, W19-27 here, W28-36 here. And now on to...
As I look outside my window: It's super dark out. Bed time almost...
Today's sketch comes from December 2013:
Today's sketch comes from September 2016:
San Francisco, California. Father Xavier Church has spent his life ministering to unfortunate souls, but he has never witnessed horror like this. After he...
Today's sketch comes from January 2014:
Overall we really enjoyed Spiderman: Homecoming.
Today's sketch comes from March 2014:
Today's sketch comes from May 2017:
Alright, I'm getting on board with the seasonal bucket lists. As autumn begins on September 22nd, I thought it would be a great starting line. I know that fall...
Today's sketch comes from January 2015.
A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new...
Next up on the TBR pile:
Today's sketch comes from May 2016:
As I look outside my window: The sun is shining, the sky is clear, the leaves are different colors. Perfect fall day.
Today's sketch comes from December 2015:
Today's sketch comes from January 2017.
Let’s check in on October's goals and my progress.
Today's sketch comes from April 2014:
Today's sketch comes from February 2016:
Lily gets called away from her vintage clothing store to give police a witch's take on how the leader of a rationalist society could be murdered, surrounded by...
Today's sketch comes from June 2016.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Books Read: 1Books Read Total: 12
October's TBR Pile (12/20):
Two years ago, I embarked on a month of Christmas cards in November. It was a lot of work, but so much fun. I wanted to do it again, but with a twist. For this...
Lily Ivory is not your average witch. She runs a vintage clothing store called Aunt Cora's Closet and has the magical ability to sense vibrations of the past...
Today's post is a departure from my Fall and Halloween cards. Who doesn't need a stash of birthday cards on hand? I always mindful of keeping a variety in my...
Next up on the TBR pile:
Right now I am: Finally watching S2 of Stranger Things!
Last week, I stopped by Michael's and picked up my 2018 Memory Planner choice. I snagged this great 18 Months Big Happy Planner for 60% off. I love that it's...
Books Read: 4Books Read Total: 11
Young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, are trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Halloween, which is how they come...
Today's post is another cute birthday card inspired by the Birthday Memories DSP pack. I spied this great little card from Stamping with Lynn and decided to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Haunted Castles is the definitve, complete collection of Ray Russell's masterful Gothic horror stories, including the famously terrifying novella trio of...
For readers who long to dig deeper into what makes them uniquely them (and why that matters), popular blogger Anne Bogel has done the hard part--collecting,...
Today's post is another Merry Cafe card. I just love these coffee cups so much. For this one I created my main coffee cup and then started adding the little...
For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can...
Today's post is a simple shiny card with lots of texture! I wanted to created a card with some layered snowflakes. I started with the Winter Wonder Embossing...
Today's post is my favorite Halloween card of the season! I love this cute text cat on a background of jack-o-lanterns. I actually think that the...
Next up on the TBR pile:
As I look outside my window: It's so dark outside...
Books Read: 4Books Read Total: 7
First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers...
This anthology shares the ways that tea has changed lives through personal, intimate stories. Read of deep family moments, conquered heartbreak, and peace...
Today's post is a throwback card using some of my retired items. I wanted to use my Magnificent Maple stamp for a fun autumn card. I thought about doing a...
Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of...
Laying out a few color stories for my next round of Christmas cards...
The continued existence of royalty fascinates me...
He was Ramses the Damned in ancient Egypt, but awoke in opulent Edwardian London as Dr. Ramsey, expert in Egyptology. He mixes with the aristocrats and samples...
Today's post was another Pinterest inspired card. I found a very similar card from a great cardmaker and have now misplaced the link. If it was your card that...
Reading: Finishing up Hidden Figures for Sunday's book club. Such a great story, but so dense with information. I've had to take my time in reading it.
2017 is almost at an end. How am I doing on my reading challenges so far? What do I want to try and finish before the end of the year?
Today's post is a simple and fun Halloween card. I stamped the witches hats in the three Halloween colors from last year's catalog: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and...
Next up on the TBR pile:
Happy 4th Birthday to my Arthur Dent!
I took advantage of Stampin' Up!'s World Cardmaking Day sale. I snapped up a few stamp sets for 15% off and took advantage of the Fast Fuse deal (buy 1 get 2...
Books Read: 1Books Read Total: 3
We had a great joint birthday party for Arthur (4) and Quentin (1). Today's post is my photo dump of all the fun!
Today's post is another installment of my coverage of our big joint birthday party. Of course, I had to make a ton of crafts. For Arthur's first birthday, I...
Here's my randomness for the week:
My current completion 10/35 28.6%
Another cute piece of Arthur and Quentin's birthday party. I took two chipboard letters and start covering them with paper and fun bits and bobs. I pulled all...
As the boys' birthday are fairly close together (Sept. 26th and Oct. 15th), we opted for a joint birthday party. If you want to see the crafts I made up close,...
Today's post is another cute birthday card inspired by the Birthday Memories DSP pack. I fussy cut this cute little cupcake girl to use as my main image. From...
Our big activity at the birthday party is a pirate treasure hunt. I started with a large piece of kraft paper. I created a path at random knowing I had 12...
Next up on the TBR pile:
Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her "witchiness" in San Francisco. It's there that she opens her vintage clothing shop,...
As I look outside my window: Sun is shining, the leaves are a fun mix of colors even here in the relatively season-less Bay Area.
A stop at Michael's for other party supplies (cupcake liners, frosting tips, gold spray) and came out wth some crafting supplies of course. I snagged some cute...
Books Read: 2Books Read Total: 2
Today's post is the first of my series celebrating Arthur and Quentin's Pirate Birthday party. Being the crafter, I had to make a ton of decorations and bits...
A massive earthquake in America's heartland causes massive destruction and a launches an equally epic struggle to save the survivors.
Along with cleaning for the party on Saturday, I pulled all my Christmas supplies. Here you can see my two boxes of random Christmas card related supplies and...
Michael Che was on point! And Kate's Angela Merkel is always a joy.
For today's card, I pulled out my new Smitten Mittens bundle. After perusing the Holiday Catalog, I just knew i had to have these cut little mittens! My...
As a young bookworm reading in her grandfather's butcher shop, Cara Nicoletti saw how books and food bring people to life. Now a butcher, cook, and talented...
Reading: The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick -- Been meaning to read this one for awhile. Loved his other histories.
This cover of Green Day is way too fun...
Today's post is another fun card using my favorite Holiday Catalog stamp set, Merry Cafe! I wanted to make an Apple Cider card to celebrate apple season. I...
September's TBR Pile (7/10):
Let’s check in on September's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its...
Goals:
Today's post is all about the Cat Punch in the Spooky Cat bundle. This card was super easy peasy! I punched the cat out, fussy cut the witch's hat, added some...
Today's post is my last Halloween card of the season. I have completely fallen for the cat punch. I love punching out different patterned cats. I am sure I...
Here's my randomness for the week:
From Seasons of Reading:
Today's card is a straight CASE (Copy and Share Everything) from the Stampin' Up! catalog. I just love the multitude of layers, textures, and patterns of this...
Happy Birthday Quentin Deckard! I can't believe you are already a year old! Such a big boy!
Today's project is a 3D project being featured at my Christmas gift boxes classes. Putting small gifts in homemade containers is just the thing! For this...
I do so love his voice...
It's September, which means it's Pumpkin Spice Latte time! And perfect for me, Stampin' Up! has the perfect stamps set to celebrate my love of the PSL. And...
A small order from September's stamp club. I grabbed the adorable Smitten Mittens bundle, Winter Wonder Embossing Folder, Night of Navy CS, and the Year of...
As I look outside my window: The sun is setting on this Saturday night...
In 1925, the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle, in search of a fabled civilization. He never returned. Over the years...
From Gather Together and Read:
Today's post is an autumn card made with primarily retired products. I have officially run out of Painted Autumn DSP (this year's fall paper), but I do have...
Alright, I'm getting on board with the seasonal bucket lists. As autumn begins on September 22nd, I thought it would be a great starting line. I know that fall...
Prepping birthday party thank you cards. Doing the assembly line method.
My goal is to keep my quarterly clothes budget to $200. I've still got some weight loss goals to achieve, but I need to do a bit of fill-in in the meantime.
Today's post is all about my current favorite stamp set: Merry Cafe. Of course I bought the Coffee Cafe bundle in the annual catalog. And as soon as I saw the...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Reading: The Lost City of Z by David Grann. Loving the nonfiction adventure.
Today's post is all about the cute owl stamp in the Spooky Cat set. I loved how the owl can be stamped into the tree branch from the designer series paper...
Likes: Being as loud as possible!
As I look outside my window: It's dark this Saturday night.
Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life...
Today's post is a fun little pumpkin for your Friday. Easy peasy! Just die cut three large ovals and hand cut a little stem. Put them together and you have a...
Every story has two sides. Every relationship has two perspectives. And sometimes, it turns out, the key to a great marriage is not its truths but its secrets....
Very intriguing looking movie. Such atmosphere!
Continuing this project from 2016, I'll be posting a roundup of Arthur pics every 9 weeks. See W1-9 here. W10-18 here, W19-27 here. On to Weeks 28-36:
Today's post features the last of our September stamp club projects. I wanted to make a autumn inspired card, but hadn't bought any of the fall themed stamp...
Today's post features the 3D project from September's stamp club. I wanted to make something simple but useful. This little gift card holder is perfect! Simply...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Likes: Playing! Food, snuggles, Arthur, the beach, climbing
Today's post features a card we made at September's stamp club. I bought the Message in a Bottle stamp set for Arthur and Quentin's pirate themed birthday...
As I look outside my window: The sun is setting on this Saturday...
Stop into Hobby Lobby for birthday party supplies (which I did find), and I couldn't pass up these great clearance and sale items
Last Saturday, I held my second Stampin' Up! Bingo Party. It was so much fun! For this time, I went with a fall theme even though it was over 100 degrees this...
Somehow I haven't done one of these since January? Is that really true? My goodness! So here's the current state of my craft area. Yep it's a total disaster....
Here's my randomness for the week:
Last Saturday, I held my second Stampin' Up! Bingo Party. It was so much fun! For this time, I went with a fall theme even though it was over 100 degrees this...
Great newly released single from Foster the People
Reading: Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, finally starting September's book club selection.
It was a perfect morning in May . . . Neville Wyatt, Earl of Kilbourne, awaited his bride at the altar—when a ragged beggar woman raced down the aisle instead....
Last Saturday, I held my second Stampin' Up! Bingo Party. It was so much fun! For this time, I went with a fall theme even though it was over 100 degrees this...
The gods are free to do whatever they want. Inevitably, they do. Collects issues 23-28 of the series, including the critically lauded Kevin Wada magazine issue.
Let’s check in on August’s goals and my progress.
At 5:36 p.m. on March 27, 1964, a magnitude 9.2. earthquake – the second most powerful in world history – struck the young state of Alaska. The violent...
Summer is over (at least on the calendar, the weather is still very summer-like here until October). I had a very ambitious list of 22 books to tackle. I've...
Today's challenge was to use two of my current favorite colors. I am loving Fresh Fig and Island Indigo and they look amazing together! I stamped the back end...
A recap of last month’s goals:
August's TBR Pile (11/14):
A simply in color butterfly card for August's die cuts class. I love the inset butterflies allowing for the DSP to shine through. After assembling the basic...
While I love to share my cards and my memory planner pages here, I've never really highlighted my planner pages. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi....
Great collaboration!
11 months old! So close to one year. I can't believe it's been this long already. Seems like yesterday Quentin arrived in our lives. I better get the party...
Today's challenge was two-fold. I wanted to play along with CAS(E) This Sketch's challenge and I wanted to use some of my Holiday Catalog preorder goodies.
Books Read: 2
As headmistress of Miss Martin’s School for Girls in Bath, Claudia Martin long ago resigned herself to a life without love. Until Joseph, Marquess of...
As I look outside my window: The last of the sun's rays are sinking below the hills. I love this time of day...
Today's card features one of my favorite new stamp sets: Coffee Cafe. I love coffee so of course i had to buy this bundle! For this card I decided to layer on...
On a splendid August afternoon Susanna Osbourne is introduced to the most handsome man she has ever seen . . . and instantly feels the icy chill of...
Could be funny...
For July's pages, I relied less on a specific monthly color and on a lot of washi tape I just went with whatever tickled my fancy for that page. I tried to...
Books Read: 2
I bought the gorgeous Night of Navy Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon weeks ago and it has just say on my desk. How have I not used this yet? The ribbon is just so...
New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns to the elegance and sensuality of Regency England as she continues the enthralling story of four...
I really missed Fiona's voice and this song is just great!
Reading: Simply Love by Mary Balogh. Needing a bit of fluffy romance for this week...
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the...
Today's challenge was to revisit a technique in preparation for August stamp club (was August 19). I hadn't revisited the bokeh technique for awhile, so I...
Here we go again! I'm so excited about kicking off my favorite readathon again this August. I collected my potential reads and thought over my goals.
Right now I am: Listening to J sharpen our knives. They needed a good sharpening, but my goodness I hate that sound!
Every ninety years, twelve gods are reincarnated as young people. They are loved. They are hated. And sometimes - just sometimes - they fall into open...
The second volume of the award-winning urban fantasy series where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. Following the tragic and...
It's almost here! I can't wait for the Bout of Books Readathon. I've participated in almost every single one of these and #20 is happening at just the right...
I don't like to make sympathy cards, but sometimes they are needed. Today's card features the gorgeous Delightful Daisy DSP as the main focal point. I let the...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critically thermonuclear...
With the help of the handsome, tortured Will and the devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal and fueled by...
Today's card is being featured at my August die cuts class. I challenged myself to create another card using the Bike Ride stamp set and Build a Bike...
Another amazing acoustic find!
While I love to share my cards and my memory planner pages here, I've never really highlighted my planner pages. I'm a huge fan of The Happy Planner by mambi....
Nom nom nom
Today's card is one of the featured projects for August's stamp club. Did you know that every year Stampin' Up! features a stamp set who's proceeds support the...
My Holiday Catalog preorder arrived! So many fun goodies inside this catalog. I restrained myself and ordered just a few items to start. I also ordered all the...
As I look outside my window: The sun is coming up over the hill. Loving the light this morning.
With We Are Never Meeting in Real Life., “bitches gotta eat” blogger and comedian Samantha Irby turns the serio-comic essay into an art form. Whether talking...
I love del Toro's crazy fantasy and this looks really good.
A young governess is sent to a great country house to care for two orphaned children. To begin with Flora and Miles seem to be model pupils but gradually the...
Today's card is playing along with TGIF's Color Challenge. These three colors together just scream summer! I love the combo.
I'll admit that I still like Fall Out Boy...
Reading: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James -- never read this classic!
Likes: Food, snuggles, playing with Arthur, anything that makes noise, being outside
Today's challenge is my submission for Global Design Projects Sketch Challenge. I love sketch challenges! They give me some start for my card but are really...
As I look outside my window: It's dark... I'm writing this on Saturday night.
I completely forgot to take a picture of my July Stampin' Up! club order. I ended up ordering:
New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns to the seductive world she knows so well–Regency England–in a new novel filled with her trademark wit,...
Pinterest apparently thought I really wanted to buy some rugs and suggested this pin. I don't need any rugs, but I did find the image inspiring for my own card.
Here is my randomness for the week:
For June, I played around with the use of the boxes. I didn't also stick to the vertical columns for each day. Case in point, see May 30th. I ended up bleeding...
Today's trio of cards were another attempt to use up some scrap DSP laying around. I had a ton of smaller peices of DSP (too small for a card layer), but...
Let’s check in on July's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
An interesting acoustic find...
Today's card challenge was to make a card using a borrowed stamp set. The trick was that I only had an hour to borrow and create something! This Oh So Eclectic...
Book Read Total: 6
July's TBR Pile (10/13):
The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the mores of an antique era. Sixteen-year-old Nora Dearly is far more interested in...
Another card featuring some great retired products. I know it retired a few years ago, but I can't seem to sell my Hexagon Punch. It's just so versatile. I can...
Let's check in and see how I've done so far... I've made a short list of the books I want to tackle this summer:
Based on the beloved letterpress poster series of the same name, Dead Feminists interweaves intricate broadside art with archival photographs and ephemera....
I can't wait until Halloween!
Book Read Total: 4
A fun card today featuring some more retired paper and a current embossing folder and sentiment. I still have some leftover Carried Away DSP (how? I know, it's...
Today's card was an attempt to use more of my retired DSP. I still had a few pieces of the beautiful Affectionately Yours DSP laying around in my scrap box....
Next up on the TBR pile:
I finally opened up the fun Coffee Cafe bundle and got creating! This card celebrates some of the great DSP in the Coffee Break pack. There will be more coffee...
Happy 10 months to my Quentin Deckard! Okay technically he'll be 10 months on Wednesday...
Book Read Total: 4
I took advantage of the Michael's sale this week featuring a free Deluxe cover with every Happy Planner purchase. I couldn't resist... I ordered a 18 month...
Totally forgot about this post today! I was so excited to go to book club and get away from the kids for a few hours that it slipped my mind...
My name is Amy Gumm. You might remember me as the other girl from Kansas. When a tornado swept me away to the magical land of Oz, I was given a mission:...
An elegant navy, white, and copper card for you today. Sometimes less is more and this card is the perfect example. I was going to add more color and details,...
At this point in the year, I would like to see all my reading challenges at least 50% complete. Let's see how I've done in the first half of 2017...
A duo of fun and simple washi tape cards. I have an entire bin of washi tape just sitting in my cabinets. I decided I really need to use them more. So I pulled...
Here's my randomness for the week:
A one-of-a-kind guide to fifty of the most important cultural and historic sites in the United States guaranteed to fascinate, educate, and entertain—selected...
Book Read Total: 2 2/3
A birthday card made with the In the City stamp set and Birthday Memories designer paper.
A murder...A tragic accident...Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead.Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s...
Next up on the TBR Pile:
Reading: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. Our book club selection for July. I'm almost finished with the book and I started the TV series. Hoping to finish...
Claiming Wading Through the Ocean of Life on Bloglovin.
Claiming Wading Through the Ocean of Life on Bloglovin.
Claiming Wading Through the Ocean of Life on Bloglovin.
My name is Amy Gumm. Tornadoes must have a thing about girls from Kansas, because—just like Dorothy—I got swept away on one too. I landed in Oz, where Good is...
Today's card is another one of my fabulous $2 cards! Somehow I used all the of pink and purple DSP from the Blooms and Bliss DSP pack, but left all the blue...
From Seasons of Reading:
Three years after wrapping up their award-winning, best-selling Locke & Key saga, the team that built Keyhouse returns to Lovecraft, Massachusetts with a new...
Today's challenge was to use something that isn't my first choice. Everyone who knows me, knows I'm not big on the more cutesy papers and stamp sets. I tend to...
Continuing this project from 2016, I'll be posting a roundup of Arthur pics every 9 weeks. See W1-9 here. W10-18 here. On to Weeks 19 - 27:
Love these list videos and this one is very interesting...
Somehow I have a ton of Carried Away DSP left over from Sale-a-Bration. And yet I love this paper! It's just so whimsical with the wonderful hot air balloon...
Today’s card challenge is a technique! I choose to attempt my hand at the faux patina technique. While this technique is more involved than some others, it's...
It's Christmas Eve at St Mary's, And all through the house, Nothing is stirring ... Except for Max, Peterson, and Markham, sneaking out at midnight for an...
A great song and a powerful video!
Another fun and simple $2 card for July's classes. I pulled out my much neglected Work of Art Stamp Set and created this two layer card featuring some retired...
With the twins here, this house is crazy!
As part of my monthly challenge, I want to participate in other card challenges I find out in blogland. For today's card, I found this great color challenge at...
As I look outside my window: Admiring the different shades of green on the trees out back.
The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are...
Throughout the month of July, I'm featuring $2 cards! I have a mix of offerings with previously featured cards and some new cards. Today's card is one of the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card challenge is to feature one of the great hostess stamps! Hostess stamp sets are those sets that can only be purchased with a $150 order and/or...
I hope everyone is having a great day celebrating! We'e hoping to head to the Berkeley Marina for a festival and fireworks.
Reading: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. A friend loaned me this series and I finally started reading it. Definitely liking it more than the ones set in...
Today’s card challenge is a color challenge. When picking colors, I tend to gravitate toward the Brights Collection. For this card, I tried to use more colors...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress:
My mission? Kill Dorothy. Except my job as assassin didn’t work out as planned. Dorothy is still alive. The Order has vanished. And the home I couldn’t wait to...
June's TBR Pile (8/12):
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using my favorite new accessory. These Bitty Bows are just...
Loving May's pages. They are super colorful and I didn't obsess over filling every tiny bit of white space...
Let's check in and see how I've done so far... I've made a short list of the books I want to tackle this summer:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create an all occasions card. I don't often use the Blooms and Wishes...
Next up on the TBR pile:
Crazy weekend and a crazy Monday meant I just didn't get around to this post. Instead, here's a pic from this morning. Happy 9 Months Quentin!
As I look outside my window: Watching the sun go down reflected off of the hills.
Two big deliveries from Stampin' Up! this month. So excited to open these...
St Mary's is back and is facing a battle to survive in this, the fourth installment of the Chronicles. Max and Leon are re-united and looking forward to a...
Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed...
Claiming The Craft Sea on Bloglovin'.
Claiming Wading Through the Ocean of Life on Bloglovin.
Every catalog launch my demo group and the SSINK design team do a card swap. I love getting some great cards featuring stamps sets and products I don't own....
So so excited for this! And now the theme is stuck in my head...
Reading: A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor. Continuing on with the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. Really loving it so far.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a birthday card. I love the new Lemon Lime Twist color! It's...
Six billion living corpses are all that remains of civilization. Among the few survivors is Sam Coleman, a man who owes his salvation to Smith & Wesson and a...
Reading: A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor. Continuing on with the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. Really loving it so far.
Next up on the TBR pile:
See Wonder Woman like you’ve never seen her before in WONDER WOMAN: THE TRUE AMAZON, an original graphic novel from Eisner Award-winning writer and artist Jill...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the image below as inspiration.
Q woke up puking yesterday canceling all our plans to visit the Pirate Festival. He stopped puking after a few hours, but man it was rough. He ended up taking...
Today is not my day... Q woke up puking. Like Exorcist style puking. We had plans to drive to Vallejo to go to the Pirate Festival. After taking a monster 4...
My goal is to keep my quarterly clothes budget to $200. I've still got some weight loss goals to achieve, but I need to do a bit of fill-in in the meantime.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a favorite new stamp set. I had to have the new...
While including lots of pictures (of course!), I tried to write more stories. I even played around with the columns to fit in stories and pictures I wanted....
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card for Father's Day. I don't like traditional Father's Day...
Before Amy Gumm lands in Oz in Dorothy Must Die, Dorothy Gale rules a twisted land where the Good have become truly Wicked—and it’s up to the Wicked to stop...
Next up on the TBR Pile:
Watching: J and I started watching Supernatural. While it was originally airing, I made it to Season 4 or 5 before life interceded. J has never watched it....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the card sketch below:
Someone, actually two someones have been sick all weekend. Just run of the mill colds, but it's knocked us on our butts. Quentin's update will be back next...
As I look outside my window: The sun is going down (it's Saturday night) on a beautiful but windy day.
Follow Dorothy’s iconic companions from the beloved classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as each of their gifts becomes key to the downfall of Oz. After Dorothy...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite 2017-2019 In Color. Hands down my...
Really good movie, and yeah, it's pretty hard to find things to make fun of...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a quick and easy card. My idea of quick and easy is something can...
Reading: The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming. Finally getting around to reading this one!
Next up on the TBR Pile:
With the launch of each new catalog, I sit down with a cup of tea and a highlighter and go to town marking everything I want. Of course, I don't have the money...
Likes: Arthur, Arthur, and Arthur
As I look outside my window: Sunny and clear. The usual here...
On the eve of her wedding to Michael Trent, the Earl of Westhampton, Rachel Aincourt tried to elope with another man—only to be unceremoniously returned to her...
Another rollicking short story from the Chronicles of St Mary's. Question: What sort of idiot installs his mistress in his wife's house? Especially when that...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of the new product suites. For preorder, I had to...
Let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
It's almost summer break here (at least for those kids in school) and I'm ready for a great season of reading. To help me, I've made a short list of the books...
May's TBR Pile (6/11):
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring washi tape. Washi tape is such a great tool for...
Next up on the TBR Pile:
Another great Endless Birthday Wishes card before it retires. I love the pattern play on this card. After piecing together some great patterns, I created a fun...
These three prequel novellas to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series follow the iconic characters from the beloved classic The Wizard of Oz...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a masculine card. Somehow I bought the Places You'll Go Stamp Set...
Likes: Food, playing peek-a-boo, Arthur, snuggling, his blanket, all the toys (especially the dinosaurs)
As I look outside my window: Slightly foggy and definitely overcast. But the builds are singing.
(No picture as I'm very forgetful these days). Another box of Stampin' Up! preorder goodies. This time I focused on the new in colors:
Today's cards were extra ones featuring retiring products. I couldn't let these languish on my craft desk.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight. And I have a...
Yet again, I completely lost track of time and weeks. Continuing this project from 2016, I'll be posting a roundup of Arthur pics every 9 weeks. See W1-9...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of our favorite retiring punches. Hands down, my...
The Dutch colony pre-dated the “original” thirteen colonies, yet it seems strikingly familiar. Its capital was cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic, and its citizens...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today's card is all about the Build a Birthday Stamp Set. Instead of my usual birthday cakes, I decided to make a wedding cake! I saw a similar idea on...
Watching: When Calls the Heart on Netflix. It's such a stupid period drama and yet I'm addicted right now. I guess this is my follow-up to The Paradise.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring new catalog products. .How cute is this paper?...
Watching: When Calls the Heart on Netflix. It's such a stupid period drama and yet I'm addicted right now. I guess this is my follow-up to The Paradise.
Next up on the TBR Pile:
Likes: All the food! Seriously, anything I put in front of him, he will eat. His blankets, his rabbit, anything his brother is playing with, being outside,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with the featured technique:
As I look outside my window: Sun is coming up. I'm tired.
Today’s project was a cute little candy holder we made for April's stamp club. We stamped, colored, and cut two trucks and then used those as the walls for...
Today's card is being featured on Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a favorite retiring stamp set. I'm going to be so sad...
Another great card featuring the Affectionately Yours DSP and my favorite retiring color, Mint Macaron. My favorite part is the tone on tone stamping of the...
This looks like an awesome zombie film! Must add to my list.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Congratulations or Graduation card. I went a little...
I've had these pages finished for a few weeks, but never got around to taking pics of the completed pages. I rectified that oversight this week. For March, I...
Next up on the TBR Pile:
With his life in ruins, Richard, Duke of Cleybourne, returned to his country estate to deal with the tragic loss he had suffered four years earlier. His plans,...
Today’s card features one of my favorite carrying over bundles. I absolutely love the Tasty Treats Bundle was was so excited to see it on the carrying over...
As I look outside my window: Sun is out. Flowers are in bloom. It's a great season here.
A quick stop at Michael's for snail ended with me taking advantage of a 60% off all Recollections stickers and washi tape. This will definitely be a great...
It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort Vlad Tepes, the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. Peppered with...
Today’s card features one of the paper packs that I just underused. I loved the Fruit Stand DSP pack, but it always got shoved to the bottom of the stack. For...
Today’s card is a great quick and easy card. I love using up those leftover scraps of DSP that always seem to be hanging out on my desk. This card creates a...
Today at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration we're celebrating Mother's Day! (It's this Sunday remember!) I love making floral cards for Mother's Day. Maybe it's...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a birthday card. I always need great birthday cards for my...
Today's card features two underused retiring products: Birdcage Builder Stamp Set and Pop of Pink DSP. I love the mix of patterns for the background paper. For...
Today’s card is a submission for Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration's Card Sketch Challenge! I love card sketches to give me a "roadmap" for a card design. This...
Due to some of the ongoing background issues with the transfer, I'm going to take this week off from blogging. I should be back on Sunday for the weekly...
There are still so many great items are the retiring list. But these could sell out at any time. Make sure to snap them up before they're gone! Here are my...
As I look outside my window: It's super dark... Writing this late Saturday night after watching the newest Star Trek movie.
Today’s card features one of my favorite retiring stamp sets: Kinda Eclectic. This stamp set was my first purchase from the 2015-2016 catalog. I loved the...
Ida B. Wells, the Black Prince, and Benito Juárez burst off the pages of Step Aside, Pops: A Hark! A Vagrant Collection, armed with modern-sounding quips and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using retiring DSP. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Party...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Last Saturday, I hosted my first every Stampin' Up! Bingo Party! And it was awesome! I had seven ladies join me for a fun afternoon of games, crafting, snacks,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card for Mother's Day. Just like last month's card, I always go...
Reading: Anno Dracula by Kim Newman. I bought this one my birthday day in SF, started reading on the train, and never actually finished it. Making it a...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on April’s goals and my progress.
Someone officially turned 7 months old this past week!
This week I'm participating in the SSINK Color Challenge!
April's TBR Pile (13/16):
Stop feeling like sh*t for being a mom—laugh-out-loud affirmations for every parent
From the authors of the New York Times bestselling novel Welcome to Night Vale and the creators of the #1 international podcast of the same name, comes a...
Today’s card features one of the Occasions Catalog Bundles. I love the Dragonfly Bundle, but my second favorite has quickly become the Cool Treats Bundle. I...
At this point in the year, I would like to see all my reading challenges at least 25% complete. Let's see how I've done in the first four months of 2017...
Today'’s card theme is Mother's Day. When I think of Mother's Day, I always think of flowers. Of course I had to use my favorite floral stamp set, Birthday...
Oh Melissa McCarthy! You are a treasure! Unfortunately this satirical video is a little too close to the actual truth.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a wedding or anniversary card. I found this great design on...
Josie Schuller is a picture-perfect homemaker, wife, and mother-but she's also a ruthless, efficient killer! She's balanced cheerful domestic bliss with coldly...
Arthur and Quentin both enjoy this lively tune!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the featured technique:
As it isn't the 26th yet, I haven't taken his 7 month photos. Enjoy these others from the past two weeks instead...
Right now I am: Sitting on the couch before leaving for book club...
After a devastating act of war by the Whisperers, Rick must chart a path for his community. But when his leadership is questioned, how will he...
The fifth volume of EAST of WEST marks the last days of peace before the final great war of the Apocalypse.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card in celebration of Earth Day tomorrow. Of course I had to go...
After a dramatic time jump, the three-time Eisner Award winner for Best Continuing Series continues to evolve, as Hazel begins the most exciting adventure of...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to make a baby card. My sister is due in May with her first baby, a boy, so...
Reading: Finally snagged Saga Vol. 6 from the library. Ready to dive into a big pile of comics this week.
Still need to go see Beauty and the Beast...
Today’s card is a variation on a card that I made during my March Birthday Celebration. I mixed up the pattern paper using scraps from the paper pack. Instead...
Leftover card from my Sale-a-Bration stash. I resisted getting this stamp set, because... I have no idea. I love this image and the ability to mix and match...
Arthur’s 3 1/2 years old!
For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamed of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all Rio’s...
St Mary's is back and nothing is going right for Max. Once again, it's just one damned thing after another. The action jumps from an encounter with a...
Loki!!!!!!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin' Stampin' Inkspriation. The challenge was to create an Easter card. I don't make many Easter cards, but I knew I...
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating cards with the theme of “Spring Fever.” As you hop along, please be sure to...
Edited By: Marcelle Karp and Debbie Stoller
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a teacher appreciation card. I pulled out this pre-stamped...
"Ten . . ." Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U. N. Owen."
Watching: We've been enjoying Powerless for our sitcom-sized tv viewing.
Not my favorite, but I do like the new Lorde song.
Likes: All the food! Snuggles with his blankie. All the toys. Arthur. "Jumping" on mommy.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
As I look outside my window: The sun isn't quite up all the way. Still hanging out behind the hill.
A quick stop at Michael's for treat bags and envelopes. Had to take advantage of the 60% off stickers coupon...
Belinda Smith has found her very ownTuscanvalley in the sun, having abandoned a dreary cheating husband and an even drearier English town. Running Casa Mia,...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a favorite embossing folder. This card is actually a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a cupcake card. I don't have a cupcake stamp set, so I had to...
Watching: Planet Dinosaur -- Arthur choice of documentary currently. Even I have enjoyed watching the 6 episode mini series.
From Seasons of Reading:
So excited for new music from the Gorillaz!!!!
I finished these pages back in mid-March, but my birthday celebration filled all my posts. So I'm sharing my pages in April... Since it was February, I went...
Devin Aincourt, Earl of Ravenscar, makes no apologies for who he is—a drinker, a womanizer, a gambler. Having been cast aside by his disapproving father years...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the following colors:
The Everyday Sexism Project was founded by writer and activist Laura Bates in April 2012. It began life as a website where people could share their experiences...
Let’s check in on March’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from a fellow Design Team member. I picked this fun card from...
March's TBR Pile (14/17):
A little too scary considering the political climate today, but this book is so powerful. Hope the adaptation is just as good...
I did it! I made a card with every single one of my currently owned stamps sets! Today’s card was featured at my March Stamp Club. I wanted to use my Bookcase...
Ladies, welcome to the 19th century, where there's arsenic in your face cream, a pot of cold pee sits under your bed, and all of your underwear is crotchless....
Today’s card features one of my favorite stamps sets: No Bones About It. I initially bought this set for my son's dinosaur themed 2 year birthday party, but...
Music Tuesday featuring The Lumineers — Sleep on the Floor.
Today’s card features one of my newer stamp sets Blooms and Wishes. I haven't used this one as much as I would have liked. For this card, I decided to create a...
It's Christmas Day 1066 and a team from St Mary's is going to witness the coronation of William the Conqueror. Or so they think. However, History seems to have...
We made it to 1/2 a year!!!! Q turned 6 months old yesterday and already seems more grown up.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using March's technique: paper weaving.
As I look outside my window: Slightly overcast, but the sun is bound to come out soon.
I have a bit of a backlog of haul pictures due to all the cards being featured in March. First up: my SU resupply order. I needed some cardstock and a few...
It’s 1912, and seventeen-year-old Prince Edward, England’s Golden Prince of Wales, is feeling the burden of his position. As heir to the greatest throne in the...
To this day, America views itself as a Puritan nation, but Sarah Vowell investigates what that means-and what it should mean. What she discovers is something...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using some sparkle and shine. I'm partial to our metallic...
Somehow I completely lost track of time and weeks. So the first 9 weeks of 2017 is going to be posted late, but at least I actually did it right? Continuing...
Today’s card features one of the many Sale-a-Bration offerings. Remember that you only have until March 31st to get your own free SAB item. order now! I didn't...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Watching: I randomly started watching Great British Castles on Netflix and it's oddly fascinating. It's currently Arthur and I's go-to for a daytime show.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a spring card. Around my house spring means bees hanging out in...
HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy...
Sarah Fields is dying and her children strike a bargain with the Immortals: give them one month, until the moon is full again, to find her son. The boy is far...
Hello everyone! With the close of every Stampin' Up Annual Catalog, we have to say goodbye to five In Colors. This May, we will be losing the following colors:
AFI "Snow Cats"
KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (Avengers Assemble, Captain Marvel) and EMMA RÍOS (Dr. Strange, Osborn) present the collected opening arc of their surprise-hit series that...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the photo below as inspiration.
No big update for today. Still catching up on things after being sick all last week. But I do have some good pictures and a little update. We've continued on...
As I look outside my window: Watching the birds fly back and forth between the trees.
Today’s card is another great birthday card. I had fun stamping this three tiered birthday cake. I added a few simple embellishments and layers to complete the...
In this massive tomb of romance comics with brutal, terrible twists, Swedish comics creator Kim W. Andersson--making his U.S. debut--delivers a shocking series...
Today’s card is celebrates the great By the Shore DSP pack. I love the fun sea motifs included in this pack. I paired the paper with the coordinating stamp...
Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steampunk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is...
Starting anew for 2017. My goal is to keep my quarter clothes budget to $200. I've still got some weight loss goals to achieve, but I need to do a bit of...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Saint Patrick's Day card or a green card. I opted for a green...
Today’s card is a simple birthday tag featuring some great paper from the Occasions Catalog. I love making birthday cards and I finally broke down and bought...
The enchantment continues. . . . The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories - and secrets - that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create an unusually shaped card. I chose to make the twisted gate fold....
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more...
Today's card features one my favorite newer stamp sets: Cool Treats! I love making ice cream cards with this set. But so far I have neglected to feature any...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
Likes: Snuggles, Arthur, his toys (especially taggie monster and Sophie), eating his toes, avocado!
As I look outside my window: Being blinded by the sunlight coming through the windows. Love the sunshine, but main it's bright in here!
Today’s card is a simple one layer stamped card. I wanted to make a card with the Paisleys and Posies stamp set, but some of the examples I found on Pinterest...
Today’s card has so many fun layers and patterns. I wanted to create a great birthday card featuring one of the new Glimmer papers. I chose to play off the...
Hark! A Vagrant is an uproarious romp through history and literature seen through the sharp, contemporary lens of New Yorker cartoonist and comics sensation...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Birthday card. I had fun recreating a card I saw from the...
Pure evil has a name, hides behind a mask of deceit, and uses her "glamour" to gain power. But who is Queen Levana? Long before she crossed paths with Cinder,...
Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius."
I enjoyed Doctor Strange, but this Honest Trailer is spot on and made me laugh.
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating cards with the theme of "Love is in the Air." As you hop along, please be...
Watching: J and I are catching up on Season 2 of The Magicians
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of the new SAB items. Upon their release I...
Today's card features one of our gorgeous hostess sets: Fabulous Flora. I wanted to find a design to highlight this great flower stamp. I think this card...
Music Tuesday featuring Starset — Monster.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
Today’s card is my birthday card. Okay, well it's a birthday card and it's my birthday, so I guess it's my birthday card. It's a simple card featuring some of...
Today's card features a simple design with a big visual impact. I love working with washi, but I haven't pulled out the Affectionately Yours Washi Tape set in...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with a forgotten favorite from the annual catalog. I...
Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
February's TBR Pile (9/12):
As part of my birthday month celebration, I'm going to try and make a cards with every single Stampin' Up stamp set I currently own. Today’s card is being...
In the sequel to Just One Damned Thing After Another, Max and company visit Victorian London in search of Jack the Ripper, witness the murder of Archbishop...
Music Tuesday featuring Cold War Kids — Love is Mystical.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.
Quentin at 5 months:
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny. Looks like the perfect day for an outing.
My stamp club order arrive! Woohoo! Let's see, I got:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite Sale-a-Bration item. My newest...
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for February. This month's theme is watercolor. For my card, I kept the design and embellishments simple to focus on the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using elements of the Cupcakes and Carousels suite. I...
Watching: J and I finally started watching Broadchurch. Only two episodes in, but we're hooked!
Watching: J and I finally started watching Broadchurch. Only two episodes in, but we're hooked!
Music Tuesday featuring Sia and Kendrick Lamar — The Greatest.
No big update this week. I'm a bit burned out this week... So enjoy a few photos.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the picture below as inspiration!
In the waning days of eighteenth-century London, poet, artist, and printer William Blake works in obscurity as England is rocked by the shock waves of the...
Wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars. A fork-tongued princess. These are but a few of the truly brilliant stories in Tales of the...
As I look outside my window: It's dark. I'm writing this on Saturday night again.
Ever wondered how it all began? It's two years since the final victory at the Battersea Barricades. The fighting might be finished, but for Dr Bairstow, just...
Cinder is back and trying to break out of prison―even though she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive if she does. Halfway around the world, Scarlet...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring one of your favorite products. Lately, I've...
For 2017, I am diving into memory planning. I was admiring all the gorgeous examples from creatives I follow, but was scared to start another project. But...
Wow! I was dying laughing!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a using your scraps. I always seems to have these little strips of...
Music Tuesday featuring Gavin DeGraw — She Sets the City on Fire.
Likes: All his toys, playing with big brother, snuggles. being outside
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
As I look outside my window: Sun is going down... (writing on Saturday night)
For almost seventeen years, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart brilliantly redefined the borders between television comedy, political satire, and opinionated news...
With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite animal stamp. Hands down my favorite...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Instead of showing you the October pages from the family album, I though I would highlight the October pages from Quentin's album. The family album's pages...
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating cards with the theme of "Love is in the Air." As you hop along, please be...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a get well or sympathy card. Most of my sympathy cards feature...
Watching: J was surprised to learn that I've never seen most of 30 Rock. Guess what we started from the beginning.
Music Tuesday featuring Bastille — Send Them Off!
Watching: J was surprised to learn that I've never seen most of 30 Rock. Guess what we started from the beginning.
The beginning of the hilarious and irreverent series that has more than 80 million copies worldwide, The Color of Magic is where we meet tourist Twoflower and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite paper from the Occasions Catalog. I...
January's TBR Pile (7/10):
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a 3D Valentine's Day project. I'm not big on Valentine's Day...
#18 Warcraft: The Beginning (2016) "As an Orc horde invades the planet Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to...
A recap of last month’s goals:
At St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, the historians don’t just study the past, they revisit it.
Somebody is 4 months old this week! Silly bug!
Books Read: 1
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a manly card. I love the fun underwater look of this card. I...
As I look outside my window: It's dark because I'm writing this on Saturday night...
Summer 2015 I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I learned...
Books Read: 0
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with one of our favorite Sale-a-Bration items. I knew I had...
For 2017, I'm starting a new series on the blog. Every other Thursday (or so), I'm going to feature a project using retired products. If you're like me, I...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Watching: I blame my mother for getting me hooked. Just for the record, my picks are Vanessa, Danielle M., and Rachel.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Valentine's Day or love card. I don't send out Valentine's Day...
Attempting to finish the 2016 Project Life albums. I'm so incredibly behind. Still trying to finish October...
Music Tuesday featuring Judah and the Lion — Take It All Back.
Books Read: 2
Likes: Snuggles; chewing his blankies; bath time
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.
The acclaimed author of the bestselling Jane Austen mysteries brings rich historical immediacy to an enthralling new suspense novel centered around Queen...
Popped into Michael's to get the Color Story pack for my memory planner. The Valentine's Day stuff was all 40% and I had an extra 25% off everything coupon. I...
#11 The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box (2013) "Seventeen-year-old Mariah Mundi's life is turned upside down when his parents vanish and his younger...
Lord Alan Gresham is the sixth son of the Duke of Langford and, as such, has been allowed to remain at Oxford to pursue his scientific studies. When the prince...
Books Read: 1
By combing through the journals that Hannah has kept for much of her life, this collection of narrative essays deliver a fuller picture of her life, her...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new Watercolor Pencils. Hands down, these are my...
Totally in love with this entire album
Books Read: 0
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card that CASEd a card from the Occasions Catalog. I chose to...
Since it's New (to Me) Movie January, I've been thinking a lot about movies. Specifically I've been thinking about all the books that I've enjoyed that I would...
Watching: We're in the middle of New Movie January, so lots of movie watching
Music Tuesday featuring The 1975 — Somebody Else.
Likes: Arthur, snuggles, milk, playtime, being outside
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the picture below as inspiration.
From Seasons of Reading:
As I look outside my window: Back to sunny weather after that big storm last week. Loving the sunshine again.
Along with my new Big Make Things Happen Happy Planner, I grabbed some accessories before leaving Indiana. I grabbed some lined paper inserts, the Big Memory...
I love participating in swaps when the new catalogs launch. Over the Christmas break, I was in three big swaps, ensuring lots of great cards to keep on hand...
One of my 101 in 1001 Days goals is to take weekly photos of Arthur. I want to create a photo book for this year. Instead of posting them each week, I’m going...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite Occasions Catalog Accessory....
I ran out of time this past weekend to get a card sketch card posted for Monday's SSINK challenge. So instead of being a design team member, I'm going to...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating birthday cards. Cards for boys, card for girls, cards for the young, cards...
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of...
#1 The Spirit of Christmas (2015) "A woman falls in love with a man who is somewhat unavailable." -- While the premise is a bit ridiculous (he's a ghost, but...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a $50 bundle and card. For my bundle, I used the following...
Music Tuesday featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness — Fire Escape.
Finally getting back to crafting after the Christmas holiday. A little sneak peek of Thursday's blog hop card...
In an effort to move more books off my shelves and my never-ending reading lists, I'm once again to focus on reading from my perpetual lists. I hope to read at...
From Becky's Book Reviews:
From Bea's Book Nook:
From Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge:
From Sci-fi and Scary:
From The Herd Presents:
From Gather Together and Read:
From Books and Chocolate:
From An Armchair by the Sea:
From The Worm Hole:
From Once Upon a Bookcase:
Joining in again this year!
From My Reader's Block:
A recap of last month’s goals:
Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.
It’s the New Year. Time for my yearly goals and resolutions… I’ve cut back a bit because I have so many other projects, goals, and resolutions heading into...
Books Read: 2
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a quick and easy card. I decided to feature this gorgeous new navy...
Favorite Books of the Year
Goal: 32/40 books
They were six normal teenagers linked only by their wealthy parents' annual business meeting...until a chance discovery revealed the shocking truth: their...
Goal: 52/52 Books DONE!!!!!
Watching: January is traditionally a month of new-to-me movies. I've already started, catching up on some silly Hallmark Channel Christmas movies.
For one day in rural central Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. Now the living and the recently returned struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy amidst...
December's TBR Pile (8/11):
In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite craft projects of 2016!
My favorite readathon is back and I'm ready to kick 2017 right with some great reads!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a New Year's Card. I decided to use the fun Paisleys stamp set one...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of the new Sale-a-Bration stamp sets. For my...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.
Another week in Fort Wayne visiting family... and Quentin turned 3 months old today
I'll be back after the New Year.
Merry Christmas Everyone! The boys and I are at my mom's house in Indiana snuggling up to stay warm and enjoying our lazy day. Today's card is the last of my...
Last book of 2016!
What to do with all the scraps of DSP you inevitably have leftover? Make a fun card with them of course! Siimply cut some DSP down to 3/4" x 3 3/4" and create...
Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card. I went with a fun and simple card that packs a...
The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Motillo brings to life the fascinating times, startling science, and real-life horrors behind Mary Shelley’s gothic...
My countdown to Christmas continues with this lovely card full of pattern and texture. The Cable Knit Embossing Folder is an amazing way to create visual and...
While I usually love books that dive into folklore and culture, this one fell so flat for me. I think ultimately my issue was that the topic didn't really seem...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create gift packaging. I took one of the old extra large gift boxes and...
How a bit a repeating reindeer for today? In October, I made a similar card with a repeating scarecrow. Of course I had to try it with the cute reindeer. I...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the inspiration picture:
We're in Fort Wayne visiting family for the Christmas holiday. Quentin (and Arthur) did great traveling on two different airplanes and through O'Hare. I was...
As I look outside my window: The sun is out and making the snow and ice sparkle.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of the new Occasions Catalog suites! I had to...
Can you tell how much I love the Wrapped in Warmth Stamp Set? The greetings are so perfect for all my cards. For this card, I played with layering different...
Lots of internet awesomeness for your Thursday...
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating winter themed cards. As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show...
Love their cover of the Phantogram song!
This simple Christmas card is made memorable by an interesting folded twist and a big sentiment. Lately I've been seeing a ton of cards that feature folded DSP.
Likes: Long talks with momma; hanging with big brother; snuggles; walks outside
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
As I look outside my window: Slightly gray and overcast after raining all day yesterday
How about a one layer stamped card with a bonus gingerbread? I featured this card as a make-n-take at my November events. I combined the Wrapped in Warmth and...
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for December. This month's theme is metallics. Pull out all the shiny and get to stamping! For my card, I wanted to use...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The enchantment continues. . . . The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories - and secrets - that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a tag and I went with simple and clean for today. Just a little...
And the trailer for the movie.
Need a quick and easy Christmas card that still looks great? How about this beauty below? I layered on some great DSP in fun patterns, added a coordinating...
Likes: Snuggles; chewing on his blankets; any attention from Arthur; being outside
A guy walks into a bar car and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
Stopped in at Michael's to grab some white paper and snail. Didn't realize there were so many good sales going on. I ended up buying all this stuff... Grabbed...
As I look outside my window: I see some birds walking along the the top of our fence. They really like our yard. We must have some good bugs back there.
Here I go with another card featuring the Sheltering Tree stamp set! Today, I kept the stamped snow, but felt the tree was too bare. So I punched out a few red...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of our tree stamps. I decided to highlight the...
Let’s check in on November’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month's goals:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a tag. I made this cute little reindeer out of the Foxy Friends...
November’s TBR Pile (6/10):
For one day in rural central Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. Now it's up to Officer Dana Cypress to deal with the media scrutiny, religious zealots, and...
In the tradition of the best investigative journalism, physician and reporter Sheri Fink reconstructs 5 days at Memorial Medical Center and draws the reader...
Music Tuesday featuring The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk — Starboy.
For my Christmas card buffet, I created a mix of current SU product cards and supplies from my stash. This card is one of my fun simple cards. I love the look...
Guess who's already 2 months already? That's right, this stinky guy!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.
As I look outside my window: Gray day... makes me want a cup of tea and curl up with a good book.
This is the last of the planner stickers I purchased in my whirlwind of shopping for October and November. These are from Fabulously Planned on Etsy. I love...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite accessories from the Holiday Catalog....
We're having some friends over for a nice dinner. Hope everyone else enjoys the day with family and friends. To celebrate, hello from my littlest turkey.
He is so adorable!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Thanksgiving or Thank You Card. I don't usually make...
Fall Out Boy "The Phoenix"
Watching: The Librarians is back! Yeah! It's one of our silly fun shows.
Sickness took the entire household down this week... Never got around to doing my Quentin update. It will be back next Monday just in time for his 2 month...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the inspiration picture:
Thinking and pondering: All the projects and tasks before Christmas. Diving into the busy season.
A stop at Michael's late last Sunday to take advantage of my 25% off all products coupon. I grabbed more snail and envelopes. Plus some great Happy Planner...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using my favorite Christmas bundle. Of course, I had to...
One of my 101 in 1001 Days goals is to take weekly photos of Arthur. I want to create a photo book for this year. Instead of posting them each week, I’m going...
I think I need to sort and put away the paper...
Here's my randomness for the week:
At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from one of the Stampin' Up catalogs. I chose to recreate...
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness....
Love to listen to this while driving...
Another great Christmas card buffet card for today. This one utilizes some great retired Stampin' Up DSP that I still had laying around the house. I pulled the...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below. Sketch cards are always a lot of...
Likes: Being in the baby carrier, "talking" to mommy, being outside
Sunday Haul #25 — new craft supplies including Blooms & Wishes and enamel shapes.
Right now I am: Prepping to head on over to Panera for coffee and cards.
Summer 2015 I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I learned...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with our favorite Christmas stamp. Of course I had to make...
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for November. This month's theme is Christmas cards. Have you seen the new Stitched Shapes Framelits? They are a great...
SHE NEEDS A HUSBAND… After too many business setbacks and unwanted marriage proposals, beautiful and ambitious Fayth Sheridan, a seamstress who actually sews...
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are CAEing a fellow Design Team member. As you hop along, please be sure to comment and...
Watching: Working my way through the entirety of the Gilmore Girls. I'm currently in the middle of Season 2.
Can't get this one out of my head...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
No time for a big blog post, so here are the few pictures from the past week.
Stopped by Michael's after my doctor's appointment and couldn't resist the new pretties. I can't wait to dive into my 2017 planner. I grabbed the hot pink snap...
On my bedside table: Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris; Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite die set. I go back and forth between a...
Let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.
Getting ready for my card classes on Saturday. I'm running the All Occasions Card Buffet @10am and the Christmas Card Buffet @ 2pm.
OMG Watson's adorable little run!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card using nontraditional colors. I decided to go with...
October’s TBR Pile (10/13):
A recap of last month's goals:
Loving her new(ish) album right now.
Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would...
Apparently, I took hardly any photos from Wednesday until Sunday... Oh well. A light week.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Halloween card. I went super simple with my card today and...
As I look outside my window: Dark clouds are rolling in. Another rainy day here in the Bay Area. Good thing I'm staying in doors today. Wouldn't want to drag...
A bit of a boring delivery from Stampin' Up. I needed to replenish some Christmas colored cardstock and added a few odds and ends. I depleted my supply...
When American-born Wesley Parker inherits a dukedom in 1890, he must learn to be an aristocrat. Assigned to the task is his attorney’s daughter, prim Belle...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a 3D Project. I choose a cute little box featuring the beautiful...
Getting closer to the end of the year. Let's check in on my reading challenge progress. This year I scaled back on the number of challenges and number of...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Likes: Baby carrier snuggles (Arthur hated the carrier so this is a nice change); car rides (thank goodness); watching his big brother play
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a washi tape card. I ended up directly CASEing a beautiful card...
Loving this song this week.
Today's card is one I'm offering at my Christmas Card Buffet. (Click here to join my Meetup group and RSVP) I tried to have a mix of colors, designs. and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.
Juniper’s knack for finding lost things is downright magical. But so is the portal to the afterlife in her back yard. Soon the town of Auburn is overrun with...
On my bedside table: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris; Wild by Cheryl Strayed; Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
A bunch of planner stickers to add to my growing collection!
So I completely stopped doing these after April. To be fair, I didn't really buy clothes as I was pregnant and wearing my old maternity clothes. I haven't...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of our favorite products. Even though it's not my...
Having survived the end of the world, the Queens follow Hannah back to where it all began: Mage University. A long perilous journey awaits the Rat Queens as...
August -- August was a super light month when it came to photos. We didn't do as many activities due to me feeling bad and dropping down to one car again. As...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE a card from page 12 of the Holiday Catalog. Here's a pic of some of...
Mina Fairchild keeps to herself, and that’s the way she likes it. Her secluded life protects the secrets she hides, as well as a certain peculiarity that even...
Man, this soundtrack has some great music.
Watching: Somehow we got behind on Last Week Tonight. We have been rectifying that oversight this week.
Likes: Snuggles with momma, watching Arthur
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the inspiration picture:
As I look outside my window: Windy and rainy. The leftovers from that typhoon have been rolling through all weekend.
Arthur’s 3 years old! Well, okay his birthday is tomorrow, but I'm posting today. Time has really flown by... Arthur had his 3rd year doctor visit this week...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of the awesome Halloween stamps in the Holiday...
Loved the first one. Can't wait for the second one.
Today I'm sharing my Fall TBR pile. Come October, I always feel the need to reevaluate my reading goals for the year. What books did I really want to read at...
Well, the SSINK Design Team pulled a fast one on me. I had this post all set-up for a blog hop, but it turns out they did a special baby shower post for me....
When Lila Moore inherits her grandfather's house, she finds herself in a small Midwestern town where margarine is never an acceptable substitution for butter,...
I still love their sound.
Likes: Snuggles, being up all night long, generally being cozy
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
The gingerbread is baking, the dress is fitted and the mistletoe’s in place – for once, everything’s going to plan. That is until her mother-in-law arrives…...
As I look outside my window: The tree on the side if the house has turned completely golden. I love fall.
I got so excited about watching the Periscope showing off all the soon-to-be-released Happy Planner products that I went only and bought some planner...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a quick and easy card. I whipped out this fun and colorful card...
Here's my randomness for the week:
The Gingerbread Café is all a buzz! This Easter, Lily and the rest of the town of Ashford, Connecticut are planning a truly decadent Chocolate Festival....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of the DSP packs on special. For the month of...
Christmas is the season the Gingerbread Café in Ashford, Connecticut was made for…but owner Lily couldn’t be feeling less merry if she tried. She’s spent...
Watching: J and I have been watching all the movies while home with the new baby. This past week we've watched Ghostbusters, Independence Day 2, and Captain...
I love love love this song and her interpretation is just amazing.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
Likes: Snuggles, being swaddled, Arthur
Let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month's goals:
Since his death, the ghost has been trapped in a motel room, watching the comings and goings of his nightly guests. The strangers never stay more than a night...
September's TBR Pile (6/10):
I love participating in new catalog swaps. This time, I swapped with my lineage demos and the SSINK Design Team. Here are all the pretties:
Brought to Kenya from England as a child and then abandoned by her mother, Beryl is raised by both her father and the native Kipsigis tribe who share his...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a fall themed card. Since I played with the vampire, skeleton, and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.
September's stamp club ordered arrived! I can finish out my October cards and get started on my Christmas cards. I snagged:
Videogames! Aren’t they the medium of the twenty-first century? The new cinema? The apotheosis of art and entertainment, the realization of Wagnerian...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using my favorite Holiday Catalog accessory. I was...
Prompt: A family recipe (if grandma allows, of course!).
Working on some Halloween themed cards today. You can spy a just finished one at the bottom of the photo.
Prompt: Fall favorites. Share your must-haves for this season.
Due Date: October 1st . The c-section is scheduled for Monday Sept. 26th sometime in the morning. I'm in the third slot for the day so we're thinking surgery...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a tree card. The Sheltering Tree stamp set has so many different...
Prompt: If you were a flavor of ice cream, which flavor would you be? Why?If I were a flavor of ice I would have to be Mint Chocolate Chip. It combines my two...
Prompt: Something you wish more people knew or believed.
Watching: J and finished Turn S2 last night and it was amazing! We finally get an appearance by Alexander Hamilton. Benedict Arnold's treachery is revealed....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the inspiration picture:
Prompt: A list of your favorite blog posts you've written.
Prompt: One product that simplifies your life.
I popped into Michael's for snail, but of course, I can never just buy snail. I grabbed some white and black cardstock because they were 5 for $10. On a more...
Prompt: Vlogging day! Record a vlog about anything you like!
Prompt: How do you de-stress/take care of yourself?
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a 3D Project. At every stamp club, I make sure to highlight a 3D...
One of my 101 in 1001 Days goals is to take weekly photos of Arthur. I want to create a photo book for this year. Instead of posting them each week, I’m going...
Prompt: What is the craziest adventure you've ever been on?
Due Date: October 1st. After not hearing anything from the doctor's office since my 36 week appointment, I finally got ahold of the office and surprise,...
Prompt: Make a mood board! Are you brainstorming a room re-do, a capsule wardrobe, or already planning for the holidays? Show us your ideas! I have examples...
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating ABC 123 cards. That's 1 stamp set, 2 pattern papers, and 3...
First published ten years ago, award-winning historian Ray Raphael’s Founding Myths has since established itself as a landmark of historical myth-busting. With...
On the eve of the Second World War, the last surviving specimen of a camellia plant known as the Middlebury Pink lies secreted away on an English country...
Prompt: If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be? Why?
Today’s card was featured at my first ever card buffet class. For the card, I dug into my retired stash to full some interesting colors and patterns. It's a...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
Prompt: Three books! One you just read, one you're currently reading, and one you want to read.
Prompt: Round up of your favorite Instagrammers! Who should we follow?
Prompt: A day in your life! Take us through it with you by sharing a photo each hour of the day.
Prompt: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a celebration card. Being a part of a parent group, there's always...
Prompt: A house/apartment/room tour! Give us a glimpse of your space.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a Holiday Catalog bundle. As soon as I got my Holiday...
Prompt: Five things that bring you joy.
Watching: J's gone still and the server's down... I have to rely on Netflix to fill my watching selection. Thankfully Netflix has three seasons of Penny...
Prompt: Create a playlist. What you're listening to now, what encourages you, holiday favorites, etc.
Prompt: What was your most memorable birthday?
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
Combining incredible first-person anecdotes from extensive interviews with scores of White House staff members—many speaking for the first time—with archival...
Prompt: What are you up to currently? I have examples here and here.
Prompt: Now that summer's at an end, share a list of favorites from the season!
While Lady Angeline Dudley’s pedigree dictates that she must land a titled gentleman, the irrepressible beauty longs for a simple, ordinary suitor. So when...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a thank you card. Now this card doesn't say "Thank you," but I...
Prompt: Share a list of your current goals.
J is gone for business. And Arthur and I have no plans until next Tuesday. So I decided to join in on the fun this weekend.
This post got pushed a day to accommodate my 36 week appointment this morning. Instead of seeing my usual midwife, I met with an OB to do my pre-op...
A recap of last month's goals:
Prompt: Introduce yourself however you like! Pics, vlog, collage, your choice :)
August’s Goals:
Tomorrow's the day! The launch of the Holiday Catalog is less than 24 hours away. Here's your last sneak peek video...
August's TBR Pile (12/15):
Sneak peek time! We're getting so close to the launch of the Holiday Catalog...
Loving this new one.
Books Read: 1/3
Before my haul, let's watch another great sneak peek video...
The dark, devastating stranger rode into the village fair and wagered twenty pounds at the throwing booth — for a chance to win the daisies in Viola...
Another great sneak peek video for this Friday.
Books Read: 1/3
Day 4 of my countdown to the Holiday Catalog! Check out this great new product:
I successfully completed all the posts last year, maybe I can do it again this year. I love that this challenge gets me out of the box a bit. So, I'm resolved...
Books Read: 1/4 + 1/4
She races onto the green, desperate to stop a duel. In the melée, Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham, is shot. To his astonishment, Tresham finds himself hiring...
Day 3's sneak peek video features one of my favorite products from the Holiday Catalog:
Books Read: 1/3 + 3/4 (More Than a Mistress)
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Day 3 means it's time for another great sneak peek video...
This is the little-known story of how a newly independent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America’s third president decided...
O.A.R. "Hey Girl"
Before we get to today's card, I'm sharing this great sneak peek video from the Holiday Catalog. Look for a new video everyday from now until September 1st!
I have a few goals for this upcoming readathon, but want to keep everything low-key. I love the no pressure attitude of this readathon.
So I went to Michael's for snail and to look at the party supplies and I came home with all this stuff! I've been trying to decide on a 2017 planner for about...
Right now I am: Getting ready to head down to Mountain View for my baby sprinkle. So excited!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Back to School themed project. I played around with design and...
Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable...
My crafting area is a disaster zone. I feel like I should take some time tomorrow and organize!
Loving The Roots!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a hostess stamp. I went really simple with a fun...
Boston in 1775 is an island city occupied by British troops after a series of incendiary incidents by patriots who range from sober citizens to thuggish...
A favorite on BPM lately.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the inspiration picture:
Right now I am: Prepping to leave for a morning of crafting with a friend and some other crafty people. Looking forward to a pastry, some coffee, and crafting...
It's Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog preorder time! Demonstrators have access to the HC about a month before it officially launches for customers on September 1st....
Without warning, giant silver ships from deep space appear in the skies above every major city on Earth. Manned by the Overlords, in fifty years, they...
Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is...
For today's random craft, I found this perfect little notecard folder online last week. We will be making this for stamp club in August using a variety of...
Here's my randomness for the week:
July was a big month full of activities before the twins returned to Indiana. I used the PL Kiwi core kit picking out the blue and green colored cards.
Due Date: October 5th
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating ABC 123 cards. That's 1 stamp set, 2 pattern papers, and 3...
I'm so out of it that I didn't even realize that this was coming up... But I am so on board. I am hoping to get in a good week of reading before the baby comes...
Watching: J and I dove in The Shannara Chronicles. It's a bit ridiculous, but fun. It's our current go-to for something fun and not depressing.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
Listened to Bastille's Lollapolooza set last week and loving their new single.
On my bedside table: Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin; Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick
America is a country built by thinkers on a foundation of ideas. Alongside classic works of philosophy and ethics, however, our presidents have been influenced...
Who are the Rat Queens? A pack of booze-guzzling, death-dealing battle maidens-for-hire, and they're in the business of killing all god's creatures for profit....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a a punch art card. I found a great punch art tutorial on...
Some of the SSINK Design Team did a little card swap to celebrate the launch of the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog. I finally got my swap cards from our...
“Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a sympathy card. I went a bit nontraditional with my sympathy card...
A recap of last month's goals:
Let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
When Ann Leary and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties for a brief getaway during Ann's second trimester...
Really digging this redone version featuring Hayley Williams.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the colors below.
July's stamp club order came early! Woohoo! I snagged:
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
When George Washington beat a hasty retreat from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington...
This year I scaled back on the number of challenges and number of spots. I wanted to switch the focus from reading challenge to just reading. So far my...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite new accessory. Hands down my favorite...
Mega Comic Con Edition
Due Date: October 5th
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create my own Designer Series Paper using my stamps. I adore my butterfly...
Set in Edwardian London and on the stormy coasts of Cornwall, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia, Thunderstruck evokes the dynamism of those years when great shipping...
Watching: J and I have been on a movie kick lately. We've watched The Wolverine, The Scorch Trials, Keanu, and San Andreas all in the past week. I plan on...
Another Octane favorite.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with our new monthly Technique Challenge!
As I look outside my window: Super bright sunshine is blinding my spot on the couch. Thankfully Arthur's not up yet so I'm stealing his shady spot.
What I did:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring metallics. I decided to highlight the beautiful...
I just cleaned off my desk from prepping for stamp club tonight. All that's left is this stack of stamped images from Remarkable You. I borrowed the set from a...
Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card in July! I went to make my card and realized that...
The enemy is Other. The enemy is us. They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us...
The New Basement Tapes "Kansas City"
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the inspiration picture:
Right now I am: Recovering from a crazy long day in San Francisco yesterday.
Quick pop in to Michael's resulted in all this stuff. I only went in for snail, but also bought envelopes, some cute enamel shapes, washi tape, and a D (secret...
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a quick and easy card. My favorite quick and easy cards pack a lot...
Officially I was 28 weeks on Wednesday, but my appointment wasn't until yesterday so I thought I would push my post until today.
Just a little John Oliver for your morning...
June's pages highlight out many activities while the twins were here for the summer. I decided to use WRMK's Bloom kit. The fun bright florals really spoke to...
One of my 101 in 1001 Days goals is to take weekly photos of Arthur. I want to create a photo book for this year. Instead of posting them each week, I’m going...
Welcome to the Stylin’ Stampin’ INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating summer cards. As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love...
Watching: Over the summer, we've introduced the twins to The Colour of Magic and Hogfather. We're finishing up with Going Postal.
Venice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of...
Challenge Hosted by Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun & Michelle @ Because Reading
Kind of reminds me of Highly Suspect. Love the sound.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
As I look outside my window: Enjoying the bright sunshine on the leaves.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a fancy fold. I love making gatefold cards! The don't...
Just like last time, I recorded some thoughts during the first trimester and failed to do anything for the second trimester. Mostly the last few weeks have...
In September 1776, the vulnerable Continental Army under an unsure George Washington (who had never commanded a large force in battle) evacuates New York after...
A super messy desk for this Thursday. Listening to the Gilmore Guys podcast and finishing some make n take examples for this Sunday's crop day.
Here’s my randomness for the week:
Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners--and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with a beach theme. Thankfully I just received my a huge...
Love Mumford & Sons. Really digging the new sound.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the below colors. This month's color challenge...
As I look outside my window: I notice that the weeds in the dirt patch of a backyard are getting out of control. I may have to do something about that soon...
A recap of last month's goals:
A short tale of mummies, werewolves, and well preserved felines set in the world of the Parasol Protectorate. Alessandro Tarabotti and his valet, Floote, are...
Portugal, December 1807. Jack Reid, the British agent known as the Moonflower (formerly the French agent known as the Moonflower), has been stationed in...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with a star or red, white, and blue theme. I decided to...
Let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new Jar of Love Bundle. This is such a cute...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of my favorite new stamp sets. I am in love with...
It's release day for the final book in the Darkest London series! Check out my review, an exclusive review, and a giveaway below!
Lots of airplay lately on Alt Nation.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using 3 or more elements from below. I chose to use shape,...
It's the third volume of the Eisner-nominated EAST OF WEST. "There Is No Us" sees the breaking apart of the future-scape of America as the world races forward...
Big stamp club order arrived this week. Super excited to drive in. I have so much DSP to play with this coming week.
In October of 1806, the Little Season is in full swing, and Sally Fitzhugh has had enough of the endless parties and balls. With a rampant vampire craze...
When the Rooks family moves to the remote town of Litchfield, NH to escape a haunting trauma, they're hopeful about starting over. But something evil is...
What I did:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of our favorite products. I bought No Bones About...
Look at all that paper! Time to cut everything up for paper shares!
Oh man, the Tonys were just amazing!
Watching: The Great Food Truck Race on Netflix. I binge watched season 1 on Sunday. And I've since moved onto the next few seasons. It's something fun to watch...
June's stamp club 3D project was this cute mini magazine-style card holder. It was super simple to make and a total crowd pleaser. And it holds approximately...
Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us...
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule...
2016 is my second year participating in Ali Edwards' Week in the Life. I bought the kit from her site and added only some washi tape. I kept my embellishments...
Quentin Coldwater has been cast out of Fillory, the secret magical land of his childhood dreams. With nothing left to lose he returns to where his story began,...
Mumford & Sons "Tompkins Square Park"
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the photo below as inspiration.
As I look outside my window: Very bright sunshine creating a huge glare on my computer screen
May was a bit of a strange month. Arthur and I had a full month of activities and events. But in the middle, I decided to play along and document a Week in the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
This is the world. It is not the one we wanted, but it is the one we deserved. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse roam the Earth, signaling the End Times for...
After a tragic encounter with an artifact known as "The Dreamstone," infamous treasure hunter Fabian Gray is possessed by five literary ghosts and granted...
In 1820, the whaleship Essex was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale, leaving the desperate crew to drift for more than ninety days in three tiny boats....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card and then "step it up." I started with a very simple but...
Every new catalog, our group of demonstrators, the Fun n' Crafty Stampers, have a card swap. This new catalog was no exception. I swapped with eight ladies...
Whether you judge by box office receipts, industry awards, or critical accolades, science fiction films are the most popular movies now being produced and...
Loving the new song from an old band. Sad for the loss of Tom DeLong from the group, but they gained Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio. I saw Blink-182, A New...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
As I look outside my window: Breezy and bright
My first official order from the new 2016-2017 Annual Catalog arrived this week! I opened the box and immediately started creating!
Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. Thirsty yet? In The Drunken Botanist,...
With the launch of the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog, you may have spent hours pouring over all the newness like I did. I am so in love with this catalog and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite returning stamp set. Ever since it...
Colonel William Reid has returned home from India to retire near his children, who are safely stowed at an academy in Bath. Upon his return to the Isles,...
Really digging this song lately...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the featured colors:
1. The current state of my workspace... I've got planner accessories, a specialty album, PL embellishments, make n takes (for crop day), and items for design...
As I look outside my window: Squinting from the sudden sunshine... We did have a big of hazy fog this morning, but it burned off very quickly.
Who pitted the first cherries and nestled them into pie crust? Was a meatloaf sandwich the result of a late-night refrigerator run? And does anyone really...
Burns's compelling yet accessible history of the reading experience rejoices in the diverse motivations and methods in the developing relationship between...
June may look like a light goals month, but each of these are super involved.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new Ruched Ribbon! I just love the look of this...
Releasing June 28th, 2016!!!!
Today’s at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration, we're counting down to the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog! And today's the day! The catalog is live. But before you...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new In Colors. Usually when I see the new...
Let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.
Today’s at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration, we're counting down to the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog! I cannot wait for June 1st to get here. To get you...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Today’s at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration, we're counting down to the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog! I cannot wait for June 1st to get here. To get you...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card for Masculine Monday. So my end result does have glitter,...
Another awesome rock song for your Monday.
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny with some large birds circling the sky. The perfect California morning.
Today’s at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration, we're counting down to the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog! I cannot wait for June 1st to get here. To get you...
I popped into Michael's the other day to grab a new PL album for the baby. I found this Project Life album on clearance and snapped it up. While there, I...
Today’s at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration, we're counting down to the new Stampin' Up Annual Catalog! I cannot wait for June 1st to get here. To get you...
For seven-year-old Raami, the shattering end of childhood begins with the footsteps of her father returning home in the early dawn hours, bringing details of...
What I did:
Well that was depressing...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a monochromatic card using a retiring in color. Of course my...
One of my 101 in 1001 Days goals is to take weekly photos of Arthur. I want to create a photo book for this year. Instead of posting them each week, I'm going...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a retiring product. I've been trying to use a decent...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using elements from the mystery challenge below.
NEEDTOBREATHE "Prisoner"
As I look outside my window: Partly cloudy and chilly... It's only supposed to be 64 degrees today! Brrr... That's after almost 90 degrees days last week.
For this month's pages, I decided to focus on using one of my mini kits. I chose Dear Lizzy's Polka Dot Party. The kit's a bit more feminine than I usually go...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a kid's birthday card. Being a part of a parent group means that I...
Watching: We finally finished Atlantis. A bit disappointed with the ending. Clearly they did not know they were getting canceled. And not super happy with the...
Watching: We finally finished Atlantis. A bit disappointed with the ending. Clearly they did not know they were getting canceled. And not super happy with the...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the picture below as inspiration.
Can you tell I've been listening to Octane a lot?
Books Read: 5
As a Stampin' Up demonstrator, I get the privilege of preordering products before a new catalog. This year I kept my preorder small, but made sure to get some...
On my bedside table: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a set of framelits. I have owned the Stars Framelits...
This past summer I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I...
Books Read: 5
For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was an easy way to escape her overbearing mother, who was set on a grand society match. So...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using a retiring product. Often I feel like we overlook...
Books Read: 4
The journey starts here, with the first installment of Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Archives! Join the Doctor, Amy and Rory as they explore the wonders of...
Written by Alan Moore; Art by Gene Ha and Zander Cannon This is the tale of Neopolis, a modern metropolis with a citizenry made up exclusively of super beings....
In a future just a few years down the road in the wrong direction, a woman's failure to comply with her patriarchal overlords will result in exile to the...
Multiple storylines collide in this cosmos-spanning new volume. While Gwendolyn and Lying Cat risk everything to find a cure for The Will, Marko makes an...
Really enjoying this song. And the video involves zombies! Woohoo!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the card sketch.
A little late, but I just realized that this readathon starts tomorrow! I have participated in just about every Bout of Books since the beginning. I'm in for...
Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea....
As I look outside my window: It's a bit overcast out there...
Finally remembered to post my April stamp club order! And this week was catalog preorder for demonstrators. Hopefully that shipment comes soon! I want to play.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Mother's Day card. I went with a clean and simple design with...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using retiring products. I love Stampin' Up's Designer...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a gift card holder. I found this design on Pinterest and ran with...
I didn't have any April goals as I took a month off to recenter. The break has helped me get a handle on some of my seasonal goals and eliminate the fluff. On...
Love me some ADTR!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the specific colors.
Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away....
As I look outside my window: Dark and stormy... just kidding. It's sunny and beautiful outside.
A recap of last month's goals:
Somehow I almost forgot to post this update during the first quarter of 2016... Thankfully I remembered, right at the end of April! This year I scaled back on...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using one of my current favorite products. I borrowed A...
Secret agent Augustus Whittlesby has spent a decade undercover in France, posing as an insufferably bad poet. The French surveillance officers can’t bear to...
The current state of my craft area... It is a mess! This always happens at catalog transition time. Trying to pull retiring items, figuring out what to sell,...
This has to be the best one yet!
Watching: J and I dove into Houdini and Doyle (itv) and we are so addicted! The show is so much fun and love Stephen Mangan and Michael Weston as the title...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the retiring in colors. Instead of picking one or two...
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS....
Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra "Want It Back"
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the requirements from the April Mystery Challenge.
I embraced March's color scheme of green, brown, and gold. And I kept my embellishments to a minimum. Page one includes pics of my birthday cake (omg so yummy)...
What I did:
Spending part of the day sorting my retiring and current stamp sets for the upcoming annual catalog. Plus, prepping for stamp club tonight.
It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned,...
Today's card was our April stamp club technique card. I choose the splatter technique to try out. Basically you drop some ink onto the paper and blow it out...
Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without...
This past summer I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card based off the of the image below.
So in love with Hamilton and I stumbled upon this great a cappella mix of the entire thing. Love it!
Juxtaposed with contemporary reports and biographical essays, the words of this legendary suffragist reveal Susan B. Anthony as a loyal, caring friend, and an...
As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny. Actual the sun is causing a huge glare on my laptop. I would move but this is my couch spot for morning!
Eeek!!! Guess what came this week? My Ali Edwards Week in the Life kit! I'm so excited to prep my album and dive in during May. Plus, I'm loving the vibrant...
Arthur's officially 2 1/2 years old! Time has really flown by...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card CASE-ing the catalog. I chose to CASE the awesome...
Here's my randomness for this week:
The perfect 3D project for this month's stamp club. I loved making this simple yet usable washi tape holder. Now I want to make a ton to hold all my washi, but...
In this bonus chapter to "The Mischief of the Mistletoe", Turnip and Arabella lose their way in a snowstorm on their way from the wedding. Will Turnip’s...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our wonderful markers! My collection of SU markers...
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again--beset by newly emerging threats from every direction....
Digging this band on Octane lately...
Picnic lunch at the playground on an almost 90 degree day!
As I look outside my window: Grey and rainy. It's been raining for three days now. As much as I love falling asleep to the rain, I think I'm ready for the...
Like last time, I'm going to be sharing a few posts about my current pregnancy.This post is a large wrap-up for my first trimester. I revealed my pregnancy a...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using candy dots. Candy dots are hands down my favorite...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using an Occasions Catalog Bundle. I chose A Nice Cuppa...
Oh course I had to use this song and the awesome video for one of my Music Monday posts. Love them and their inventiveness!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the three highlighted colors:
As I look outside my window: Foggy in the canyon
While I was in Indiana, my Stampin' Up order came. I snapped up:
Veteran governess Laura Grey joins the Selwick Spy School expecting to find elaborate disguises and thrilling adventures in service to the spy known as the...
A very small list of goals this month...
Let’s check in on March’s goals and my progress.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I used to do Stitch Fix, but since having my son, I’m too big for most of their items. Their 14+ sizes are very limited. I’ve heard they are working on it, but...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Love their sound.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create using some of the elements below. This month I went with three of...
As I look outside my window: Darkness (okay so I'm writing this on Saturday night because I know I'll forgot to on Sunday morning)
What I did:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with one of our favorite products. My current obsession is...
The three laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm 2) A robot must obey orders given...
A very small group of videos for today. I'm really behind on my blog reading...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with a spring theme. I decided to go very simple with this...
An extraordinary literary work, Dear Mr. You renders the singular arc of a woman’s life through letters Mary-Louise Parker composes to the men, real and...
Doubling as the final volume of the series, creator Bill Willingham, artist Mark Buckingham and a host of the industry’s finest artists deliver the end to this...
Amy Winehouse "I Heard Love is Blind"
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the photo below as inspiration.
As I look outside my window: Sunny but I know it's cold out there. We are in Indiana in March...
As the fair opens at Alexandria, old friends return from afar and new adversaries make their introductions.
Despite her dear friend Jane Austen's warning against teaching, Arabella Dempsey accepts a position at a girls' school in Bath, just before Christmas. She...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using punches. I pulled out two punches that I haven't used...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using Sale-a-Bration products. My favorite SAB item hands...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Digging this on Alt Nation lately...
The Russian River in Guerneville. Our vacation spot this past weekend.
Whisked away to nineteenth-century India, Penelope Deveraux plunges into the court intrigues of the Nizam of Hyderabad, where no one is quite what they seem....
Heading off to a weekend retreat with some of my mom friends and then off to Indiana for a few weeks. I'll still be posting here, but my entries will be...
What if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs?
One of my 101 in 1001 Days goals is to take weekly photos of Arthur. I want to create a photo book for this year. Instead of posting them each week, I'm going...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using embossing folders. The Decorative Dots folder is my...
Exquisitely observed, Four Seasons in Rome describes Doerr's varied adventures in one of the most enchanting cities in the world. He reads Pliny, Dante, and...
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a...
Have to support the lady rockers!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the following colors:
As I look outside my window: Gray and a bit foggy. The usual weather for my birthday weekend.
In this insightful and funny collection of personal stories Vowell travels through the American past and in doing so ponders a number of curious questions: Why...
February's pages featured a lot of hearts and pink/red. I'm not a huge fan of pink, but I had to highlight the color for the month of love. My goal was to add...
This past summer I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I...
Volume 4: Still reeling from the climactic events of "P.E.," the Glories find themselves lost in time and space, confronted by a new group of students who...
Not a huge mess, but definitely not a clean desktop right now. I've got some of my new stamps sets hanging out as well as part of my birthday gift from a good...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.
Vol. 1: Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country... but something sinister and deadly lurks behind its walls. When six...
Last year, I read Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project and it really spoke to me. I know that I often put myself last on the priority list. This year, I want...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Arthur and I are visiting family in Indiana for half the month, so I'm keeping my goals simple.
As I look outside my window: A bit of fog out there this morning. I'm sure it will burn off in a few hours.
My February Stamp Club order came this week! And I've already started using my new supplies. I snapped up:
A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.
What I did:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using on our current favorite products. My current favorite...
Best acceptance!
Watching: Obsessed with The Bachelor right now. Watching it on free Hulu, so I'm a week behind. Trying to avoid any spoilers for the current week.
Watching: Obsessed with The Bachelor right now. Watching it on free Hulu, so I'm a week behind. Trying to avoid any spoilers for the current week.
Ever wonder what goes into making the perfect cup of coffee? There's more to it than you think, and a new breed of coffee nerds has transformed the cheap,...
Beauty and the Beast Broadway "Home"
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a project using at least three of the items below. For this...
As I look outside my window: Watching the hawks fly around the backyard. I will miss them when we move back to the peninsula (hoping that happens fairly soon).
After years abroad, Robert, Duke of Dovedale, has returned to England to avenge the murder of his mentor. To uncover the murderer's identity, he must...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create an anything goes card. I decided to feature February's stamp club...
A Thankful Thursday post with winter gratitude for thunderstorms and good health news.
The mom's retreat is coming up in just a few weeks. I always make a few little surprise gifts for the ladies. I originally made these little notebooks to be...
In 1793, a canal digger named William Smith made a startling discovery. He found that by tracing the placement of fossils, which he uncovered in his...
Torn from the arms of the woman he loved and cast into the night by her highborn family, Cam Monroe vowed revenge on those who had wronged him.
Not a new song, but really digging it this week!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the picture below as inspiration.
As I look outside my window: Looking at the beautiful pink flowers on our trees out front. They only stay for a few weeks so we're enjoying them while they...
A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such profound questions as: How did the universe...
A very light month for pictures. All of us were so sick that I completely forgot about taking pictures most days. And who wants pics of kleenex and soup...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Watching: Reign. Finally catching up with the second season. I watched three episodes back-to-back the other night while J was on a conference call. Such a...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card with a $50 bundle and Sale-a-Bration item. I just love the...
Edited by: Bill Fawcett and Brian Thomsen
Determined to secure another London season without assistance from her new brother-in-law, Mary Alsworthy accepts a secret assignment from Lord Vaughn on...
This song really gets stuck in my head!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
Small haul this week. I picked up some snail and spray adhesive for current projects. While at Michael's I couldn't resist these adorable letters (40% off!). I...
As I look outside my window: The sun is back after a hiatus for most of January. Arthur and I have been busy watching all the birds (hawks mostly) circle...
This past summer I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I...
Love Key and Peele!
A recap of last month's goals:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring a hostess set. A Whole Lot of Lovely is my...
Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring washi tape. Hands down, washi tape is my favorite...
Let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress:
Orphaned during her passage from Ireland, young, white Lavinia arrives on the steps of the kitchen house and is placed, as an indentured servant, under the...
September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them—but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The...
Last year, I read Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project and it really spoke to me. I know that I often put myself last on the priority list. This year, I want...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the three featured colors. This combo just screams...
Okay so I'm lying a bit here... we got nowhere near 31 movies watched this month. We only got to 11 movies. A bit sad, but January has been a bitch. We've all...
I popped into Michael's for snail and ended up grabbing some silver dots, sticky strip (I ran out the other day), trimmer blades, a birthday cake banner (for...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
At the height of WWI, history’s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many...
Cutest pic of Arthur at the park. This was before he had see one hour crying breakdown. We got a few minutes of fun in...
What I did:
1. My couch -- For being a fairly comfy place to sleep with the toddler while he's been sick. Not ideal, but much better than the twins' beds...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a project featuring a Sale-A-Bration item. I decided to focus on...
Watching: Lots of light-hearted fare over here. Specifically, we've been binging Galavant and Telenovela. They are so cheesy, but I love them!
Watching: Lots of light-hearted fare over here. Specifically, we've been binging Galavant and Telenovela. They are so cheesy, but I love them!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a project featuring Project Life. I haven't printed my pictures...
I adored "Lydia" and this song is in my brain right now!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using items from the mystery challenge...
Messy box has arrived! Definitely eyeing those embellishments for February's Project Life pages...
As I look outside my window: Still overcast and rainy. I'll take it over snow and ice any day, but I am missing the sunshine.
I used to do Stitch Fix, but since having my son, I’m too big for most of their items. Their 14+ sizes are very limited. I’ve heard they are working on it, but...
This will be my last Fashion Friday, at least for awhile. This feature is just not bringing me joy lately.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card and then create another stepped up version! For my first...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a quick and easy card. What better way to make a quick and easy...
An artist is an explorer. -- Henri Matisse
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a birthday card. I decided to make a masculine birthday card...
Eloise Kelly has gotten into quite a bit of trouble since she started spying on the Pink Carnation and the Black Tulip-two of the deadliest spies to saunter...
Digging this song this week...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card inspired by the picture below.
With the start of the new year, I'm changing up my usual Sunday wrap-up posts. I've grown tired of my format. I found this one somewhere on the internet and...
A quick pop into Target for detergent and other house items and I came out with a calendar and some page flags. There were a ton of other One Spot items that I...
December was a weird month as I was traveling for most of it and Christmas happened. My clothing summary is going to look a bit different... This summer I...
I so enjoy this series! I love the allusions to classical myths and legends. I love the twists Riordan puts on the various gods and goddesses. This was a fast...
I love the look of leather and plaid together. And this outfit is perfect for the middle of winter. I seriously love those booties!
For December's PL pages, I used mainly cards and accessories from Simple Stories. The first two pages are pictures and events from our time in California.
Definitely going to have to see this. I love the original!
Welcome to the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog hop! This month we are creating cards using some of our favorite Occasions Catalog items. As you hop along,...
Watching: J waited for me to get home to watch the Sherlock Christmas special. So much fun!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our favorite Sale-a-bration item. Hands down my...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the sketch below.
I've loved them for years. Really digging the new song!
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
I love starting off my year with some great new-to-me movies. I'm not doing individual movie review posts, but opted for mini review collections.
From The Introverted Reader:
From The Daily Prophecy:
From Bea's Book Nook:
From Estella's Revenge:
From Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge:
December's Messy Box came while I was away. Really digging the color scheme on this one, but I still think I'll be canceling this subscription in March when my...
The new era of peace and prosperity is interrupted by a new type of enemy. One that travels amongst the walkers. One that will turn whispers of their...
I don't usually do this challenge, but a group of friends have joined a fun FB group centered around this one. So, I joined. It might be fun!
From Peek a Book:
From Bea's Book Nook:
From Bea's Book Nook:
From Ebook Classics:
From The Worm Hole:
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
With her now-classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon introduced two unforgettable characters — Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser—delighting readers with a story...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a birthday card. I bought the Botanical Gardens suite and dove...
Last year, I read Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project and it really spoke to me. I know that I often put myself last on the priority list. This year, I want...
In tiny Lansquenet, where nothing much has changed in a hundred years, beautiful newcomer Vianne Rocher and her exquisite chocolate shop arrive and instantly...
It’s the New Year. Time for my yearly goals and resolutions… I've cut back a bit because I have so many other projects, goals, and resolutions heading into...
I started Project Life in 2013 with the birth of my youngest son. It was a lifesaver. I wanted to have scrapbooks for all three of my kids, but I just didn’t...
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
A Handful of Gold
Favorite Books of the Year
In no particular order, my favorite ten crafts from 2015:
AMERICAN VAMPIRE flashes back to two very distinct points in American history. The first tale comes from the early 1800's with the "The Beast in the Cave"...
Goal: 4/5 books
A very light goals list for January. I'm just today flying back home and things are a bit up in the air. I don't want to overwhelm myself, so I'm just...
Goal: 52/52 books DONE!!!!!!!
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
"THEY RULE" The second amazing volume of the SCIENCE, BAD book of the new millennium. The battle for global supremacy is underway and the bad men of the...
A nice ending to the Fairest series. We get conclusions for a few characters. We get more of what was going on at the farm during the events of Fables Vol. 21....
As I am participating in a 2016 Happiness Project, I'm scaling back my life and craft goals a bit. I'll probably only post 3-4 goals per month going forward.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Let's take a look back at 2015's goals and resolutions and my progress:
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
It's time for my annual two week vacation from the blog. I try to focus on family and fun during Christmas vacation. This break also helps me leisurely prep...
Listening To: Christmas music! The car radio has been set on the Christmas music station. Loving it!
I took advantage of Freckled Fawn's Black Friday sale and grabbed two grab bags and a roll of washi tape. Overall I'm very pleased with the contents. I'll...
My last Christmas card for this Holiday Season. I hung a trio of ornaments off my card. The punched stars really help bring this card together.
What I did:
Holy cow! I am floored by this volume. I know there's only one last volume in this series, but wow! There were so many ends and revelations in this volume, I...
Alona Dare is now trapped in Lily Turner's body, and no matter how many psychics she and Will Killian visit, it looks like she won't be getting out anytime...
As my Christmas outfit last week featured red and gold, I went the opposite direction for the New Year's look: blue and silver! This dress is so detailed and...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas tag. As I have already made a red and green tag...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring stars. I decided to make a garland of stars. As...
Creativity is intelligence having fun. -- Albert Einstein
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features another great Christmas card. I have an addiction to washi tape so of course I...
Once two souls are joined . . . When Adam's soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After seven hundred years of searching, his true...
Love their sound...
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a fun card sketch challenge today.
I didn't think I would be able to finish these pages before I left for Indiana, but I somehow got them done. Well almost done. I'm missing out Thanksgiving Day...
Today's card features of forrest of Christmas trees. I went a little crazy with the Tree Punch and Star Punch and then found a design example and incorporated...
We don't get this fancy for Christmas dinner, but if we did, I would love to wear this outfit. I love the silhouette for this dress. I have a thing for 1950s...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas tag. I decided to layer some vellum on top of Cherry...
A Christmas card featuring Festival of Trees and Seasons of Cheer washi tape.
Just amazing!
It's travel day! Arthur and I are leaving warm California for super-cold Indiana for the holidays. We're currently on a plane somewhere over the Rockies....
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card, any card, using any current SU products. So of course I...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card. Another card featuring the Merry Moments DSP...
...But now she has a million questions about the Pink Carnation's deadly French nemesis, the Black Tulip. And she's pretty sure that her handsome onagain,...
Loved their first album. Digging this new song.
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun color challenge:
Listening To: One Bad Mother. I'm about 5 episodes behind (horror!) and trying to catch up. I'm hoping to be able to listen to some during the plane ride....
I didn't do an October Clothes Summary as I didn't purchase any clothes in October. And my Dia & Co. box didn't come until November. (Scheduling changes)
Today's duo of cards were inspired by some cards I saw online. I modified the layout a bit, added my own accents, and changed around the sentiment. Overall, I...
I've loving this comfy looking outfit. This would be perfect for running around complete errands and Christmas shopping. I've been on the hunt for good...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a red and green card. This year I decided on various shades of red...
Here's my randomness for the week:
October's Project Life became another month where I went clean and simple.
Nothing goes right for Eloise. The one day she wears her new suede boots, it rains cats and dogs. When the subway stops short, she’s always the one thrown into...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. -- Coco Chanel
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features another great Christmas card. I love the idea of the embossed piece peeking through...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on November's goals and my progress.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Christmas card. I've loved using the Merry Moments DSP pack....
For the last day of 30 Days of Christmas Cards, I went a bit crazy with my gold embossing powder. I actually embossed about 10 different images. I'll be using...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a masculine card. While my card may have an ice cream cone on it,...
Davis-Kimball weaves science, mythology and mystical cultures into a bold new historical tapestry of female warriors, heroines and leaders who have been left...
Listening To: Christmas music! It's after Thanksgiving, right?
I had almost an entire stack of this Nordic Noel DSP hanging out doing nothing. So of course I wanted to feature it on a card. Simple layering and some sparkly...
Today's card is actually a trio of cards. After almost a month of making cards, I have a ton of scraps laying around the desk. I hate to throw them away, but...
What I did:
Betrothed in the cradle, Princess Sorcha and Prince Rainger were destined to rule their countries together. Then revolution sent Sorcha to a remote Scottish...
Last card from that die cut pack. I finally found a use for this large gingerbread man.
The perfect winter date night outfit. Apparently, I am loving shift dresses right now even though they all look like crap on me. I paired this simple dress...
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a Sprinkles of Life card. Once again, I am using Sprinkles of Life for my Friday...
Another card using those same die cuts. I love the little snowman head...
We're hosting a friend Thanksgiving today with a mix of Indian and American food, plus fancy cocktails! I'm excited!
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a simple thank you card. I love making Thank You cards almost as much as I love...
A simple card in an attempt to use some of these random die cuts. The bright colors are my thing in my Project Life spreads, but they are perfect for simple...
Watching: Lots of movies lately! In the past week, we've watched Tomorrowland (not great), Amy (depressing, but really good), and Mission Impossible: Rogue...
Life in exile has taught the passionate Princess Amy to hate injustice, and on the enchanting English isle of Summerwind, she finds injustice personified in...
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a Christmas card challenge. This month I also joined Punk Projects for their 30...
O.A.R. "Heard the World"
I have had these button stickers for a while and couldn't find a way to use them. I'm not a huge button person. Instead of putting random buttons on cards, I...
One of Scotland's most dangerous men, Robert MacKenzie is dazzled by the enchanting beauty who rides into the town he is sworn to defend. Though he is wary of...
Today's set of cards was an easy way to use up scraps and random retired papers. Plus I wanted to use my new Cup of Cheer stamp set. I love that you can color...
Listening To: Amy Winehouse. One of our usual dinner music selections has been on heavy rotation this week...
I received this wonderful package from Katie @ Punk Projects for participating in her 30 Days of Christmas cards this month. You'll definitely be seeing some...
Another fun card featuring Festival of Trees and Seasonal Snapshot 2015. I was just about to glue this card down but realized I was missing a few elements. I...
For this year's Thanksgiving outfit, I went with some major shine and a leaf inspired motif. While this dress is way short for me to ever wear, I love the...
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a Christmas card challenge. This month I also joined Punk Projects for their 30...
I don't know what I was thinking. I made the cards yesterday and apparently decided to do something even harder for today. Although, I have to admit that it's...
1. Pinterest -- For inspiring a new project. Crazy, but I'm excited!
I know that I am essentially a sort of fun-loving person who really just wants to sit around and eat pies. -- Nora Ephron
Today's card looks really cool, but was such a pain to make! I ended up making four of these cards (like I've done with all of the 30 Days cards), but...
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a trio of grateful animals. I love the Thankful Forrest Friends stamp set. I wanted...
Today's card is one out of comfort zone. Usually I stick to fairly clean and simple cards. I like geometric shapes and brighter colors. I tend to stay away...
In Furiously Happy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about...
Been really digging Octane lately and especially this song.
Today's card came from some great Pinterest inspiration. I love the multiple layers and patterned stars of this card. I pulled out some scraps from the...
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun photo inspiration challenge!
Listening To: Arthur talk to his cars and trains. There's a steady stream of words but not all of them are in English...
An interesting off center design for today. I kept the card fairly clean without extra embellishments. In person, the tree with the green design is very shiny...
Want a way to highlight your favorite patterned paper? Punch out some pieces and create a christmas tree! I'm loving this idea. Simple and clean but it makes...
I'm a huge fan of menswear inspired pieces for women. Today's outfit features a nice mix of pieces. I am really digging those shoes. If only I could find a...
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a Christmas card challenge. This month I also joined Punk Projects for their 30...
A sparkly silver and red card today. I love the glitter paper and foil accented pattern paper. I wanted to let the silver shine, so I kept the accessories at a...
Hilarious!
Welcome to the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog hop! This month we are playing along with the mystery supply challenge. As you hop along, please be sure to...
Here's a great way to use up those scraps of patterned paper. Fill a card with circles! I added the bits of burlap at the end to help fill the card.
I used to do Stitch Fix, but since having my son, I’m too big for most of their items. Their 14+ sizes are very limited. I’ve heard they are working on it, but...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
I found this cute idea of peek-a-boo patterned paper on Pinterest and had to make my own version. I had finished the card but something was missing... I added...
A simple little card today highlighting the retired Nordic Noel DSP. I didn't buy this last Christmas, but picked it up from the clearance rack. Ultimately I...
I love his voice!
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a fun card sketch challenge today.
Listening To: Dinosaur Train... Arthur's really liking the combo of dinosaurs and trains lately. He's watching an episode while I catch up on emails and blog...
I bought these Christmas tags last year from the clearance rack and promptly forgot about them in the Christmas supply box. Thank goodness I rediscovered them!...
I picked up some great supplies this past week. I grabbed some Christmas items for upcoming projects (Holiday albums, Christmas cards, December Daily pages). I...
A fun tree-filled card for today. (Yeah I'm still using the Festival of Trees stamp set!) I stacked a few trees to one side and a large sentiment on the right...
Along with a large pile of Christmas cards, I always like to have a few non-greeting card products available for sale at the craft fairs. This year, I went...
A fairly simple card, but sometimes simple cards are the best! I added the "snow" using a pencil eraser and craft white ink. I love the random flakes. A few...
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features my other attempt at creating my own DSP. This time I repeated the heart stamp from...
I saw this skirt and completely fell for it. So pretty! It reminds me of a tapestry, but in a good way! I decided to play off the colors in the skirt with a...
Here's my randomness for the week:
In this brilliant work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and...
For today's card, I'm again using the awesome retired Festival of Prints paper stack. I decided to run with some diagonal paper strips to create my background....
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a card made using Project Life x Stampin' Up products. I love the coordinating card...
Two variations of a nice clean design today. I always forget that I own this stars confetti punch. I love the look of having the Old Olive paper peek through....
The greatest gift that we can give one another is rapt attention to one another's existence. -- Sue Ellen
Day 3's card celebrates my love of washi tape! I have a huge bin of washi tape and I still buy more when I end up at Michael's or Joann's. For this card, I...
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun Make-Your-Own-DSP card. I went with a larger piece of Bokeh inspired to...
Day 2's card uses a one of SU's retired paper stacks, but one that's still being loved: Festival of Trees! I love that this card has so many great layers. The...
Love Walk the Moon! Arthur and I groove this song in the car often.
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun color challenge:
I'm going to start this month of Christmas cards off with a cute little one layer card. It's Frosty! This card was made from only one stamp set: Work of Art. I...
Listening To: One Bad Mother -- Catching up on my episodes!
Volume 2: Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and alien...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on October's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
I have really been slacking on this challenge, but I did manage to pull it out in the end. Let’s see how I did:
October's TBR Pile (11/14):
Just a simple little card for your Halloween Day! (I'm trying to use up all my retired paper and products.)
Christmas is creeping closer... and my two craft fairs are even closer! And I haven't made a single Christmas card for this year! Last year, I had all my...
For this Halloween, the family is doing Lord of the Rings. I'm going to be Galadriel, but this outfit is my take on a modern Galadriel.
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a current favorite of mine: Sprinkles of Life stamp set. Actually, this set isn't...
This past week has been a tough one. Probably makes this the perfect week to engage in some thanks.
I went super simple for September. I somehow got so busy that I forgot to print my pictures until three days ago. So I finally got my pictures sorted and...
Princess Laurentia leads a fairy-tale life, attending glittering balls and wearing beautiful gowns. But after the ball is over, Laurentia finds herself getting...
Watching: J and I waited until the second half of the two parter had aired before we watched Doctor Who. Really enjoying this season much more than last season.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the For All Things stamp set. I actually won this set...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
1. Gotye "Eyes Wide Open"
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our Mystery Challenge Rules. What to do? This month I...
It was Stampin' Up Club Order delivery week! I went fairly light on my order this month as I'm taking a break from club and classes from Thanksgiving to New...
English orphan Miss Evangeline Scoffield has spent her life contenting herself with dreams. But with an unforeseen inheritance, she can afford one perfect...
What I did:
Stripes and sneakers scream school days to me. I updated the look with a great structured backpack and modern accessories. Casual, yet put together!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Halloween card. I don't send many Halloween cards, but I love...
In The Happiness Project, she worked out general theories of happiness. Here she goes deeper on factors that matter for home, such as possessions, marriage,...
Such pretties...
There are two cinemas: the films we have actually seen and the memories we have of them. -- Molly Haskell
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a card made with my favorite DSP. Even though it's been around since June, I am...
Really digging this sone right now.
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun photo inspiration challenge! This photo screams Halloween to me, so I had to...
The first two weeks in October were crazy busy with the retreat and Arthur's birthday party. Now that I have a little time to work on others things, I can...
Listening To: Catching up on my One Bad Mother episodes. I'm still two episodes behind.
I popped into Target for health and beauty products and got sidetracked by the One Spot. I grabbed these great chalkboard tags, bags, clothespins, display...
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. 2015 is all about attempting to read from my own bookshelves. Doing good so far. I thought it would be...
Today's card is another in my line of PL card inspired greeting cards. I wanted to make a simple Halloween card and what better to use than some fun DSP and a...
When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old...
Over the last half-billion years, there have been Five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists...
As a last hurrah to summer, here's a great little outfit for trips to the lake or road trips. The kimono top is my favorite piece, perfect for layering or a...
This post is going to be a long one! Last week was Arthur's 2nd birthday party! Being the crafty person that I am, I couldn't buy store decor and cards. So I...
Likes: Cupcakes! Baby, giraffe, and pooh bear. Reading all the books!
Welcome to the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog hop! This month we are welcoming fall! As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on...
English magicians were once the wonder of the known world, with fairy servants at their beck and call; they could command winds, mountains, and woods. But by...
Watching: J and I only have 3 more episodes of Merlin! What are we going to do when it's over? I suppose just pick another show to binge watch, but it's still...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the new Winter Wonderland Vellum featured in the...
This summer I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I learned...
Great new-to-me music. Really digging the sound...
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a fun card sketch challenge today.
Listening To: Random Spotify playlists. I never know what I'm listening to, but I know I like it.
Today's card was inspired by one that I made for a SSINK challenge featured later this month. I wanted to create a few Halloween cards for our fall social, but...
It's fall in California and that means: warm temps and sunshine! As a nod to the slightly cooler nights, I paired a tank with a great open cardigan. I really...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE (Copy and Share Everything) from the Holiday Catalog. I went back...
Here's my randomness for the week:
What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her...
The adventure is over. Everything gets over... Except the part you carry with you. -- E.L. Konigsburg
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring a hostess set. I chose my newest stamp set: Six...
I used to do Stitch Fix, but since having my son, I’m too big for most of their items. Their 14+ sizes are very limited. I’ve heard they are working on it, but...
A simple Bokeh style card for today. I love playing with the technique and making different color combinations. Today's combo is blue and yellow. A cheery...
Another current Octane favorite...
Due to Blog-Tember, I haven't posted a Sunday Sunset in a month. This might be a big post...
I'm loving the subtle glam of this outfit. The dress is very plain, but with the right accessories, it shines on its own. And check out those shoes! Killer!
A recap of last month’s goals:
Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her...
Project Life spreads for the 30 Days of Lists challenge, days 21 through 30.
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on September's goals and my progress.
September's TBR Pile (5/8):
Prompt: A farewell coffee date. Take some time to breath, sip a warm drink, and share with your new blogging buddies. If you'd like a prompt: how did the...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a Halloween card. I don't make many Halloween cards, but I love...
Comments: This readathon was a complete and utter failure. It made me realize that I readathons are not for me right now. Life gets in the way too much....
Prompt: Write your own list of 10 blog topics to inspire us next month.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. This was the second month for our new mystery supply challenge. Each of the design team...
In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of...
Prompt: A day in the life. Take us through it with you.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our Mystery Challenge Rules. What to do? I decided to...
Comments: Another 100 pages read from 1491. Pretty good considering that it's a dense history book and we had a ton of things to do this weekend. I don't think...
Prompt: What's on your wish list?
My Stampin' Up club order for September: Soft Sky ink pad, Cajun Craze ink pad, Neutrals DSP, and Gold Embossing Powder.
What I did:
Twice a year, I host a weekend retreat for some of the ladies from my parent group. And of course, I can't resist making some little crafty items. This year I...
Prompt:What's on your to-reading list, and what have you recently read?
Comments: A slightly slow start to the readathon... I've only managed about half of 1491 by Charles Mann. To be fair, it is a fairly dense (but fascinating)...
Prompt: Three songs you are connecting with right now.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using some of our favorite products. Currently I am in love...
My local demo group does a swap for each new catalog. I just received my swap cards for the Holiday Catalog. They were so pretty, I just had to share!
Prompt: Shout out five of your favorite bloggers. Who are your regular reads?
My goals:
Prompt: Grab a guest post. Recruit a friend or fellow blogger to share on your space for the day.
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features my favorite bundle from the Holiday Catalog. Turn to page 40 and you'll spy this...
It starts with a letter, lost for half a century and unexpectedly delivered to Edie’s mother on a Sunday afternoon. The letter leads Edie to Milderhurst...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Prompt: Get creative! Sketch, paint, dance, play music, whatever then give us a glimpse.
I'm joining in this month! Can't wait to get my readathon on.
Prompt: A favorite quote/expression and how it has impacted you.
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun photo inspiration challenge!
What I did today:
Project Life spreads for the 30 Days of Lists challenge, days 11 through 20.
Prompt: It's guilty pleasure time! Shows, books, songs, foods, whatever it may be.
A quick pop in to Michael's for some snail, and of course i grabbed a few other things. I picked up a 6x8 album and inserts for the 31 Things class I am...
Prompt: Tell us about one of the best days of your life.
For August, my demo group had a card candy swap. We each sent 2-3 pieces of card candy to another swapper. Once we received our candy, we had to make a card...
What I did today:
My color palette was blue, green, yellow, and red. I went with the Simple Stories kit as my base for color and designs. My pages were smaller this month due to...
What I did today:
Prompt: Just for fun, your latest obsession. What can you not get enough of these days?
I did it! I actually documented an entire week in the life this year. Very excited to share my album today. Most of the elements came from Ali Edwards WITL...
I'm joining this year to help organize all those nagging blogging tasks. I've been attempting to create my master to-do list. It's a bit long, but I guess...
Prompt:The real you vs. the online you. Are they the same or different?
Let’s face it blogging can be stressful, particularly during the holiday season. So we are challenging you to schedule posts ahead and build a cushion to...
Prompt: What's in your bag? Pick up your purse and peruse its contents, then share with us!
Only one month until my crazy one turns 2! I've almost finished planning his party. We're so excited to celebrate!
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using Stampin' Up's Stampin' Write Markers. I love to color...
Prompt: The 5 books that have impacted your life the most.
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a fun card sketch challenge today.
Prompt: Create a collage or inspiration/mood board for this season in your life.
My demo friend and I figured out that we have have very similar styles, but don't have the same stamp sets. Why don't we swap some stamp sets occasionally?...
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius-and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps...
The last of my positive and negative cut cards features one of my favorite stamp sets: Four Feathers. I keep coming back to this set for a variety of cards....
Prompt: What are you up to currently?
Prompt: It's a Friday night and you decide to stay in. What do you do?
Project Life spreads for the 30 Days of Lists challenge, days 1 through 10.
Prompt: 10 items off your bucket list. If you haven't made one, now's a good time to start!
Welcome to the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog hop! This month we are welcoming fall! As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on...
Prompt: Write a letter to sixteen-year-old you. Any advice or funny stories?
Prompt: Tell us about your favorite season. Why is it your favorite and what does it say about you?
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the kissing technique. Have you ever tired the...
It's October in Bascom, North Carolina, and autumn will not go quietly. As temperatures drop and leaves begin to turn, the Waverley women are made restless by...
Prompt: Tell us about your blog name. Where did it come from?
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun color challenge: Pool Party, Hello Honey, Chocolate Chip.
Prompt: Share your style. What fashion trends do you love, frequent, or avoid?
My big Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog order came in this week. I'm super excited to play with these fun products.
Prompt: Put your iTunes/music player on shuffle and share the first 10 songs that play.
Today's project is one of my favorite non-card crafts. I love making modified notebooks! So for August stamp club, I decided to have my ladies make their own...
Employing the popular Don't Know Much About® style, with its familiar question-and-answer format, DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT MYTHOLOGY will explore the myths of the...
Prompt: What are you passionate about?
A good friend of mine is a fellow demonstrator. We have the same style in cards, but often buy different stamp sets and products. What if we occasionally...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Prompt: Create a collage or inspiration/mood board that describes your blog.
Prompt: Describe your ideal day. Where would you go and what would you do?
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on August's goals and my progress.
Hello everyone! And welcome to Blog-Tember 2015. As I said in my sign-up post, I've wanted to do this challenge for awhile now, but always seemed to remember...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a a kids' birthday card. I just received the No Bones About It...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to feature one of the great products from the new Holiday Catalog....
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using our Mystery Challenge Rules. What to do? Should I use...
My 30 day challenge was new-to-me movies. Unfortunately, my plan did not get off to a great start. I didn't watch a single movie for the first four days of the...
I made it through my first capsule wardrobe. And I would say it was a great success.
One of the anniversary cards that I made for my grandparents' 60th Anniversary. I chose a purple, black, white, and diamond color palette. My favorite piece is...
What I did:
I used to do Stitch Fix, but since having my son, I'm too big for most of their items. Their 14+ sizes are very limited. I've heard they are working on it, but...
I love nautical inspired pieces. While the anchor necklace is the only actually nautical piece to this outfit, the rest make connections in my mind. I love the...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to feature one of our favorite products. I've fallen for A Whole Lot of...
This is crazy, but I've seen people do Blog-Tember in the past and it always looked like so much fun. An entire month's worth of blog post prompts! I decided...
Working on my September design team cards. Apparently I am really into blues and yellows right now...
1. My customers -- Both of my businesses (Stampin' Up and Thirty-One) are doing well and it's all because of my amazing customers!
In this brilliantly written epic novel, Jeff Shaara traces the lives, passions, and careers of the great military leaders from the first gathering clouds of...
It’s all the news channels can talk about: the White House has been bombed, there's chaos in the streets, and the United States has found itself in the throes...
Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed. -- Maria Montessori
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was a new one for me. Each of the design team members sent three...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Watching: Catching up on some of the backlogged Vlog Brothers videos. Love Hank and John Green!
Alkaline Trio "Burn"
Comments: I finished Where'd You Go Bernadette last night (great book!) and dove back into Dragonfly in Amber. I probably won't finish that one before the end...
Listening To: Happier by Gretchen Rubin. Been on a podcast kick lately. Picked this one up as I am finally caught up with One Bad Mother. These are great...
Earlier this summer I made my reading list for the season. Let's see how I did...
Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a...
WhileI don't personally wear them, I love the look for structured crop tops. This pink one caught my eye and I knew I had to create an outfit around it. As...
My color palette was red, white, and blue of course. We documented the last few weeks with the twins and my mom's visit here in California.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring butterflies. I am obsessed with all the butterfly...
Yep, gotta see it.
Watching: Buying and Selling. I'm a sucker for real estate shows. This one is nice to have on in the background during lunch.
Comments: Despite a day full of activities, a non-napping toddler, J not being home until after 8, and the general crazy of life, I managed to read a good...
I ran across rukristin’s free 6-week workshop Find You Voice. I love her blog and her products, especially the Currently line. I have a ton of things going on...
Books read: Young House Love; Common Phrases
In the tradition of Eats, Shoots & Leaves and Anguished English, Common Phrases is a fascinating guide to the origins of our language. Wonderful stories reveal...
Packed with 243 tips and ideas--both classic and unexpected--every project pictured was exclusively executed for the book. With more than 400 photographs and...
Lots of great new music this month...
It's paper clean-out and inventory week... Every few weeks I need to update my inventory spreadsheet and figure out what I'm low on. It's a bit of a task, but...
When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kingdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions,...
I popped into Target for some other things, but couldn't' resist some of the back-to-school deals. I grabbed some fun post it notes, post it tags, and Paper...
Listening To: Almost caught up with One Bad Mother. Only five backlogged episodes to go! I also added a few other podcasts to start listening to once I catch...
Somehow I almost missed this one! I've been prepping for Week in the Life (starting tomorrow), taking multiple scrapping/writing classes, and of course taking...
We've done a huge photo cleanout, so I don't have a ton of photos for the July 16-Aug. 15 time period.
I'm so excited to dive into my first attempt at Week in the Life. I took the advice of my previous documenters and prepped my album before the week. First step...
I love the look of black and white with a pop of color. This time I'm featuring turquoise! The dress is a great silhouette on its own. But ad some great...
This month was filled with activities with the twins... We had a ton of fun. For these pages, I went with a blue, green, and yellow color palette.
Working on some swaps for the new Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog. There's a sneak peek of a great new stamp set and matching die cuts. Also in the picture: wire...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Instead of reviewing them individually, I'm doing quick reviews for these three crafting books.
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. -- Margaret Lee Runbeck
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using an older, but still current stamp set. Kinda Eclectic...
Alt Nation loves this song right now. I'm digging it too!
Today’s card is featured over at Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration and features a fun card sketch challenge today. Looking at the sketch, I knew that I was going...
Lots of fun goodies coming in this week... I started at Michael's to pick up something for my countertop and ended up with two pictures full of stuff. I scored...
Listening To: One Bad Mother podcast. I've been working through the backlog for a few months now and am almost caught up to present day. I only have about 10...
In fact, a great many of the world's most precious objects are kept in secret locations, protected from public view and safe from harmful conditions. Too...
I finished
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a feminine card. I tend towards bright colors and geometric...
Highly personal (in fact, almost intimate), Johnson's long essay centers on the discipline of keeping a journal and the effect reading other journals has on a...
I haven't done these posts in months... It's been a bit of a rough go for the last few months, but things are looking up. So here's my thank yous for the week:
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to CASE the catalog. I scoured the pages for inspiration. What should I do?...
Watching: Another Period. Hilarious! I am in love with this show.
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to use some of SU's amazing washi tape. I love washi tape and it appears on...
In this illustrated history, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and...
Really digging this song right now on Octane!
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun color challenge: Cucumber Crush, Calypso Coral, Elegant Eggplant. Another...
I had preordered Ali Edwards' WITL kit, but the transparencies weren't sent. Thankfully they were only delayed a few days.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on July's goals and my progress.
A few weeks ago Blitsy had a sale on mambi's Happy Planner and accessories. I had seen these in stores, but didn't necessarily want to buy one... However, my...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I've made it almost two months on my very first summer capsule wardrobe. I think it's time for a bit of reflection. What worked, what doesn't, what are my...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. Our theme for today was birthday cards. I've been relying heavily on the bright palette of the...
The most damaging phrase in the language is "We've always done it this way." -- Grace Hopper
Today's card features on of my favorite carry-over stamps: Sea Street. I love this happy little octopus and the extra little stamps. I used this card as part...
Many young women today consider "feminism" a dirty word, an antiquated term that hasn’t expanded to accommodate the diverse needs of a new generation. In...
I spent all weekend attempting to completely clean out my craft area. Here's the state of the counter today. I didn't take a picture from Friday, but I promise...
Brandi Carlile "The Eye"
Well I completely dropped the ball with posting about my progress, but I did read. I didn't read as much as I wanted this week, but I tried to take the time...
Finn looks and acts human, though he has no desire to be. He was programmed to assist his owners, and performs his duties to perfection. A billion-dollar...
First delivery of the week was July's Messy Box. For awhile i didn't know what to use these for. And then I hit upon using the kits for the Find Your Voice...
Listening To: One Bad Mother podcast. I've almost completely caught up on the backlog.
What I did:
Usually I highlight my previous month's Project Life pages the last two Fridays of the month. With all the crazy of guests and travels, I completely forgot to...
I've been trying to be more focused on daily yoga lately. This would be the perfect outfit to wear to and from the yoga studio. Cute yoga pants and a simple...
Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. It's July and you know what that means: Christmas! Well, okay it's 6 month away, but let's...
It's video day! What have I been watching lately? Love Amy and Tina!
Kate Chopin was one of the most individual and adventurous of nineteenth-century American writers, whose fiction explored new and often startling territory....
Fitzgerald's first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920) was an immediate, spectacular success and established his literary reputation. Perhaps the definitive...
Watching: J and I are finally on the last season of Newsroom. We'll probably finish it this week.
I ran across rukristin's free 6-week workshop Find You Voice. I love her blog and her products, especially the Currently line. I have a ton of things going on...
Watching: J and I are finally on the last season of Newsroom. We'll probably finish it this week.
Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time...
Love the song and the video is amazing!
I haven't done a readathon in months! I'm ready to jump in with both feet.
I almost completely forgot about this readathon. The summer has been crazy, but it's winding down this weekend. The twins and my mom leave tomorrow, so we'll...
For stamp club, I always try to have three cards and one non-card project for the ladies. July's project revolves around my newly bought Homemade for You...
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. 2015 is all about attempting to read from my own bookshelves. Doing good so far. I thought it would be...
My Disney Princess series has come to a close so I'm back to creating more normal outfits. I wouldn't necessarily wear this outfit, but I do love the look....
I have officially caught the twins' scrapbook up to the present season! I am so excited! Being behind was such a weight on my shoulders. I sped through almost...
Getting so close to 2! I need to start planning his birthday party soon.
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the...
Today's card is being featured on Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration. The challenge was to create gift tags. Now I've done a ton of birthday gift tags, but what...
Another big Alt Nation song. I'm really loving her sound.
Finally using my ABM Messy Box. Starting the Find Your Voice class with rukristin. And this counter is a colossal mess. Hoping to share my spreads soon!
Popped into Michael's with the twins. Went a bit overboard on the clearance items. The only thing in this pile that I can justify is the clothespins. I'm using...
Let's take a look at what I did the past few months for my OLW. This year's focus is HOME. I got a bit behind and needed to catch-up and focus again.
For Elsa, I wanted to see the snow queen look but make it a bit more modern and sophisticated. I chose a simple white lace dress and built the outfit out. I...
Today's card is being featured on Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and uses my new favorite DSP stack. Our project today was to use one of SU's Designer Series...
On leave from his Highland regiment, Captain Liam Lockhart comes to London on an urgent mission: to repossess the stolen family heirloom that could save his...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Welcome to the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog hop! I'm so excited to be participating in my first SSINK blog hop. As you hop along, please be sure to...
Watching: After finishing all of Farscape, J and I are back to Star Trek. Currently we've been watching Voyager. I love Captain Janeway! Reading: Highlander...
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a single layer card. I decided to use of my current favorite stamp sets: Celebrate...
Alt Nation has been loving this song lately and so have I. Loving it!
Today's card is featured over at Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and features a fun color challenge: Watermelon Wonder, Bermuda Bay, and Crumb Cake. I love the...
Listening To: Silence. I love getting up before everyone else and checking my email, Pinterest, etc in peace.
A fun haul post for this week... I went to Joann's to use a 60% off regular priced item and ended up with quite a load of stuff. And I didn't even use my...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on June's goals and my progress.
Remember my Blog Calendar that I posted a few weeks back:
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents...
Welcome to the world of Steampunk: a unique fantasy version of nineteenth century Victorian England imbued with today's technology, resulting in devices and...
Maurices button shirt
Today's card is being featured on Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration and uses many embossing folders. Our project today was to use one of SU's embossing folders,...
Must see must see must see!
Good morning everyone and welcome to The Craft Sea! I'm so excited you are here to check out my crafting journey. I'm flattered to have been asked to join the...
Edited by: Paula Guran
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Jane Boyle has long since known that her mother-in-law is evil, but she'd never imagined Lynne Doran was actually the embodiment of a powerful, ancient...
Watching: J and I ventured out last night and saw Avengers: Age of Ultron. J and the twins had both seen it, but I hadn't. I was going to take the twins to see...
Dave Matthews "Trouble"
My Stampin' Up club order came in this week. So excited to play with my new goodies next week!
I've made it almost an entire month on my very first summer capsule wardrobe. I think it's time for a bit of reflection. What worked, what doesn't, what are my...
Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?
Next month we are holding our demo group's new catalog swap. We each pick a new stamp set from the catalog and make 8-10 cards. I chose Build a Birthday. I...
What I did:
In Bait and Switch, Barbara Ehrenreich goes back undercover to explore another hidden realm of the economy: the shadowy world of the white-collar unemployed....
I wanted to keep the same color scheme for Tink. This pants are nicely tailored and stick to the color scheme. From there, I added a nice lace top. Perfect!...
May - Part 2
This past week I finally dove back into the twins' scrapbooks. Turns out the books were two years behind! Holy cow! And I was in the middle of filling a...
A bit late to the party, but I love highlighting my seasonal reads. June's almost gone, but we have July and August to enjoy summer. Okay that's a lie. Here in...
Watching: Waiting to leave for twins' swim club, currently watching Arthur play with his many trucks and cars. He loves his vehicles!
Published: 1920
Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions. What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed...
This card was sent to one of my demo friends in our monthly swap. And it's a huge departure from what I usually do. I really wanted to challenge myself to use...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Gossip Girl meets Charmed in Gabriella Pierce’s fabulous follow-up to her debut supernatural romp,666 Park Avenue. Continuing her phenomenal gothic chronicle...
Working on the twins' PL pages this week. I'm planning on highlighting this project on Thursday...
I heard his solo version of this song a few weeks back on Alt Nation. Now I can't get it out of my head!
Listening To: The sounds of morning around the house. J is taking a shower. Arthur is playing quietly in the playroom. Nick is rustling through the kitchen for...
Popped into Michael's to get snail this week and walked out with more craft supplies. Yeah, I have a problem. I grabbed a Heidi Swapp mini album (for $1.99!),...
I hosted preschool a few weeks ago and our theme was Father's Day. Actually our theme was something different, but I had to switch weeks and had already...
A tale of loyalty, love, and courage, Sally Heathcote, Suffragette follows the fortunes of a common housemaid swept up in the feminist militancy of early 20th...
For Jasmine, I wanted to keep the gold and green tones and flowing silhouette. Really the gold accessories make this outfit. I especially love the sandals. The...
May - Part 1
Watching: We've introduced the twins to Video Game High School this week and they are hooked! We've flown through Season 1 and half of Season 2 already.
I'd rather not sing than sing quiet. -- Janis Joplin
After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health,...
Life has been so crazy lately that I completely forgot to write and publish this... So here we go. Arthur is now 20 months old! I can't believe were are so...
With my last stamp club order, I chose projects all related to the chalkboard style. I saw some really cute cards online and wanted to use them as...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Listening To: The boys chat about Pokemon... trying to tune it out, but it's so hard.
A few acquisitions this week. The first was actually something that should have arrived a few weeks back. I placed an order with Becky Higgins and my package...
One of my newest stamp sets and I had to play with it. I ended up making two different cards to start with: one for open house make n take and one for stamp...
All three boys sitting in the fire truck at the museum. So adorable!
For Mulan, I went in a very different direction. In the movie, she wears a lot of colors, but I saw her in neutrals with interesting accessories and patterns....
Water play at the children's museum. Always a favorite.
Working on my June Project Life kit... I'm thinking that the color scheme will be green, blue, and navy.
We’re in the midst of a parenting climate that feeds on “more”: more expert advice, more gear, more fear about competition and safety, and more choices to make...
Here's my randomness for the week:
Watching: The last few episodes of Secrets and Lies. I blame my mother! She got me hooked while I was there in March. Thankfully the last few episodes are on...
Elite Upper East Side Witches Rule Park Avenue! 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce kicks off a wonderfully high concept and richly gothic contemporary series...
I attempted a non-greeting card project the other day. While it's done and up, I feel like this was one of those potential Pinterest fails. I saw cute...
I'm really digging the new Cherry on Top DSP stack. Instead of the old 4.5" x 6.5" size, the new DSP stacks come in 6" x 6" size. Not sure how I feel about the...
I am so addicted to this song right now!
Listening To: The twins' crazy stories... they are so weird sometimes!
A small craft supply purchasing week, but I did pick up a few items. The other day, Arthur and I were early leaving the South Bay area so we popped over to...
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.
Loving the candid little moments between Arthur and the twins.
Our little project for June stamp club will be these fun little birthday gift tags. My goal for each month's club is to make three cards and one small project....
Not a lot of crafting done this week. You'll see why with the pictures...
Dr. Libby H. O'Connell takes readers on a mouth-watering journey through America's culinary evolution into the vibrant array of foods we savor today. In 100...
For Sleeping Beauty, I wanted to incorporate both colors of her dress in the ending sequence: pink and blue. I also wanted a feminine palette incorporating...
I seem to always to need masculine cards, but hardly ever make them. This is the perfect simple card to men or women. I used the ombre technique to ink up the...
Too fucking funny! I died for about 5 minutes.
Home sings me of sweet things. My life there has its own wings. To fly over the mountain, though I'm standing still. -- Karla Bonoff
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for June. This month's theme is new products. Each stop on the hop is highlighting some of the great new products in the...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on May's goals and my progress.
On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for...
I'm not a huge fan of Taylor Swift, but this video is crazy epic.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
A recap of last month’s goals:
What I did:
In May I held a class featuring four cards with fancy folds. I tend to keep the same style of cards, but decided this was a great chance to learn some new...
April - Part 2 Most of the second half of April's pages feature photos from California.
I went with a formal look for Tiana. I love the green of her dress but decided to go with one a bit brighter. The real showpiece is her shoes. Check out those...
I see so many bloggers do seasonal capsule wardrobes and I have envied their style and organization. Looking at my closet, I am lost in a sea of random...
Watching: Farscape! I'm nearing the end of the series and i'm so excited.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
In May I held a class featuring four cards with fancy folds. I tend to keep the same style of cards, but decided this was a great chance to learn some new...
It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to...
Watching: The Kingsman. A movie that didn't take itself too seriously, I'm loving it!
Matchbox Twenty "3 am"
A few goodies showed up at my door this week... I got my latest Messy Box on Wednesday. Haven't really had a chance to play with any of them so far, but I have...
Listening To: Lots of One Bad Mother episodes. I can usually only listen on the way back from South Bay but I'm slowly working through their backlog.
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. Cute baby card featuring Label...
Look at the joy on his face! Someone really loves the slide.
Merida's outfit is very functional but hip. I kept flashing back to those scenes of her riding horses and engaged in archery. I wanted to give her an outfit...
April - 1st Half We were in Indiana for the first almost two weeks of April before flying back home. The pages didn't quite line up nicely so there are some...
Working on Project Life pages for Arthur's album. I was about three months behind, but caught up quickly. I basically copy the family album pages minus photos...
Here is my randomness for the week:
I was in love with the whole world and all that lived in its rainy arms. -- Louise Erdrich
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. I just bought the Hello...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
It’s fast becoming a geek world out there, and all moms need to show off their tech smarts and superhero-like skills in order to keep their savvy kids...
Yep, I've got a little place in my heart for Maroon 5.
Kristin Cashore’s best-selling, award-winning fantasy Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable yet strong Katsa, a smart, beautiful teenager who lives in a...
Progress:
Only one craft supply package this week, but it was a big one! I received my Stampin' Up preorder package full of new products and a few retiring items.
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. Starburst Sayings (and...
A full month back home which meant lots of baby activities and lots of enjoying the sunshine.
Progress:n I finished two very good comic volumes. I'm hoping to keep my momentum going with a few nonfiction selections.
What if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs?
This volume of the critically-acclaimed AMERICAN VAMPIRE follows the star of AV Volumes 1 and 2, Pearl, and her husband Henry, as he is recruited by a...
Very adorable!
Watching: We have been catching up with Last Week Tonight. The latest episode was on family leave (or lack thereof...). Ugh! It always makes me a bit angry,...
Monday and Tuesday were strong! I read so much and I have no idea how I actually fit it all in. I didn't participate in any challenges or social media, but I'm...
It’s Las Vegas circa 1935, and Skinner Sweet and our gal Pearl are about to learn the hard way that the bloodsuckers in Hollywood were nothing compared to what...
Born Reading provides step-by-step instructions on interactive reading and advice for developing your child’s interest in books from the time they are born....
Nearly 2,000 years ago, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. According to the ancient...
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. I Like You is one of my...
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. I love both this stamp set and...
Very catchy song... Somehow I always find myself singing along.
Listening To: Over the past week, Sirius XM's The Spectrum was featuring all the tracks from Mumford & Sons' new album. It's a different sound, but I'm really...
A small box arrived this week; a box that I completely forgot about. I had ordered two $5 Freckled Fawn kits. Supposedly they are kits with defects, but I...
Goals:
Born a commoner, Hannah Reid has been Duchess of Dunbarton since she was nineteen years old. Now her husband is dead and, more beautiful than ever at thirty,...
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. Hip Notes is one of those...
I kept Ariel's outfit very young and fresh. I kept her purple and green palette, but added in some funky accessories. My favorite is the camera necklace. I...
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. For Itty Bitty Banners (can't...
Eden is that old-fashioned house we dwell in every day without suspecting our abode until we drive away. -- Emily Dickinson
Meet the Huxtables—three headstrong sisters and their dashing brother—each searching for love that’s always a shocking indiscretion away. . . . Here Stephen...
1. Sorting through all my SU DSP that's retiring come June. I've still got a fair amount of paper leftover. Need to do something with this.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Meet Odd Thomas, the unassuming young hero of Dean Koontz’s dazzling New York Times bestseller, a gallant sentinel at the crossroads of life and death who...
Seriously cannot wait for her new album!
Watching: Our server is down right now so I have to content myself with Netflix selections. I'm back to watching Hart of Dixie.
Over three centuries, approximately one hundred thousand persons, most of whom were women, were put to death under the guise of "witch hunts", particularly in...
I put myself on a craft supply buying ban for April. I did fairly well, but I forgot about preschool at the beginning of May. So I had to buy supplies for the...
It's that time of year! Time to get my readathon on! I can't wait for Bout of Books to start. Now I'm off to start getting my TBR pile around...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on April's goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Cinderella has this soft quality to her look. I wanted to translate that into a more modern outfit. I gave her boyfriend capris, but balanced them with a soft...
Lots of toddlers in a canoe. Adorable!
Only desperation could bring Duncan Pennethorne, the infamous Earl of Sheringford, back home after the spectacular scandal that had shocked even the jaded ton....
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
For May I am featuring a class called Use Your Scraps. We all have a ton of scrap pieces of paper lying around. What to do with them? Here are three ideas for...
Watching: I Redboxed Mockingjay yesterday. Finally! I wanted to see it in theaters, but getting there is a challenge with a little one. Instead I watched it...
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. 2015 is all about attempting to read from my own bookshelves. Doing good so far. I thought it would be...
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. How can Petite Petals be...
The new catalog is coming... But before we get there, I'm highlighting some of my favorite retiring stamp sets and retiring DSP. Today's selection is Love Who...
Love me some OK Go. This video is just amazing!
I received two PL swaps back this week: food and currently. While I love making my own PL cards and doing the swaps, I'm just not using many of the cards. I...
What if your whole world was a lie? What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything? What if love and loyalty made you do things you never...
Made some progress on a few of my goals...
I absolutely love this card technique! One of my May classes is going to be "Using Your Scraps" and I've been looking for some good designs. This design came...
For Belle I decided to stick with a feminine fall palette, but bring in some more structured accessories. Those stacked boots give her a sturdy base which the...
March -- 2nd half (Indiana) We spent the second half of March in Indiana visiting family. I was there for the twins' spring break, Easter with the family, and...
Here is my randomness for the week:
There are some people who leave impressions not so lasting as the imprint of an oar upon the water. -- Kate Chopin
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
The last set of thank you cards that I made for my friend's wedding. The supplies for these came from my weird traveling stash and the Target One Stop. I used...
Working on Project Life today...
Readers first encountered Tobias as "Four" in Divergent. His voice is an integral part of Allegiant. Readers will find more of this charismatic character's...
Not my favorite kind of music, but I'm really enjoying this one right now.
Listening To: Been listening to the new Mumford and Sons singles lately. Very different sound, but I'm digging it.
I love coming home after a trip to a pile of fun packages. Some were Amazon pantry products, but a few amount were crafty finds! The first A Beautiful Mess...
I have too many scraps of pattern paper. Solution... make a set of fun thank you cards for my friend's wedding. She has gotten so many great gifts already, she...
My cute lunch date this week. And yes, that is cheese on his cheek.
March -- 1st half (California)
Rapunzel's look is all feminine. I picked a few classic pieces with a flirty color palette. The dress is simple yet elegant. The jewelry has shine and...
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six,...
An awesome trailer for one of my favorite shows!
The sad state of my craft room today. Returning home on Tuesday, I had multiple packages and a suitcase full of craft stuff. Everything just got piled up on...
18 months big and Arthur's a handful! But he's also just so amazing. We're having lots of fun during the toddler years.
I had to make a wedding card for my friend but was stumped as to what to do. I wanted to incorporate her favorite color: purple. I ended up using one of my...
Watching: Gotham. Mom's got me a bit hooked right now. Really loving the character that's going to to become The Riddler.
Colin Hay "I Just Don't think I'll Ever Get Over You"
This week's muse is Pocahontas. I went with an outfit of earth tones with a pop of color. I love the basic outfit made interesting with little touches. The...
Rose Red finally and formally takes on the mantle of Paladin of Hope to heroically rally the Fables in the tragic aftermath of "Snow White." A new dark age...
Following the events of "Something to Fear," Rick and the other survivors start their new life under Negan and the Savior's rule...but not everyone agrees to...
Bigby Wolf embarks on a quest through the American Heartland to find a new location for Fabletown, a secret society of exiled fairy tale characters living...
Our global future depends on the willingness of every nation to invest in its people. especially women and children. -- Hillary Rodham Clinton
Accompanied by his mischievous monkey and the mysterious Agent 355, Yorick embarks on a transcontinental journey to find his girlfriend and discover why he is...
Cinderella returns in an all-new epic! After an assassination attempt on Snow White, Cind is called back into service to unravel an age-old conspiracy that...
As war surges in the factions of dystopian Chicago all around her, Tris attempts to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of...
The twins and I both enjoy this song.
With everything going on this week (hello friend's wedding!), I am a bit overwhelmed. So I am taking the week off from the blog. I'll be back next Monday with...
Listening To: Curious George playing in the background. We're waiting to go to Easter dinner with the family but I have to occupy the baby until then. Hence...
For my friend's bachelorette party, I made these cute little thank you cards for the favor bags. You'll never guess where I found the paper... Target Dollar...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on March's goals and my progress.
Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, finally makes it to San Francisco where his unbalanced sister, Hero, finds him seemingly succumbing to the male-killing...
Snow White is young and classic. So I didn't want to have her wear anything too out of the box. I kept the primary colors and apple accessories. I especially...
A recap of last month’s goals:
Here's my randomness for the week:
As Yorick Brown, the last man on Earth, begins to make his way across the country to California, he and his companions are forced to make an unscheduled stop...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
I'm participating once again in 30 Days of Lists. See days 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25. Here are my lists for days 26 through 30:
Working on some wedding related projects today. I'm collecting Project Life advice cards and photos for the wedding scrapbook. You can also see the paper...
Do you want to get to know the woman we first came to love on Comedy Central's Upright Citizens Brigade? Do you want to spend some time with the lady who made...
I can't wait for her new album. She is a genius!
Listening To: Toto (the dog) snoring on the couch. He's so loud!
I grabbed a few random craft products during the 50% off sale of Joann Fabrics. I bought some of the Heidi Swapp mini planner line. I'm not doing the planner,...
Last Saturday, I hosted my friend's bridal shower. It was a production. I made decorations, invitations, food, and games. I started a few weeks ago trying to...
Two months into my second attempt at 101 in 1001 and things are moving along swimmingly...
After the deaths, surprises, and heroics in The Hedge Knight, Dunk and Egg continue their journey in search of the fair puppeteer Tanselle. Along the way, the...
Shouldering his fallen master’s sword and shield, Duncan (or “Dunk") is determined to reinvent himself as a knight in a nearby tournament. But first Dunk needs...
I really really want to see the new Cinderella movie. Is that weird? Anywho, I have poured over the costume stills and I completely fell in love with the look...
Yep, that's my son chewing on his big toe. So weird!
Just wow!
I'm participating once again in 30 Days of Lists. See days 1-5, 6-10, 11-15,16-20. Here are my lists for days 21 through 25:
Talent is like electricity. We don't understand electricity. We use it. -- Maya Angelou
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for April. Oh wait! It's not April yet. But we wanted to make sure you could take advantage of the last week of...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
For the past month, I've been working on various projects for my friend's bridal shower. Last week, I detailed the invitations. This week I'm highlighting the...
Arthur and I arrived in Indiana Tuesday, so my Currently list may look a little odd.
Loving this song, but the video is what really makes it! Amazing!
Lots of fun packages arrive this week. Let's start with what I got before leaving for Indiana: I made a few purchases from one of my FB swap and sell groups. I...
Just two of the 40 decorated berry baskets I made for tomorrow's bridal shower. It was a lot, but they are all so cute!
I'm participating once again in 30 Days of Lists. See days 1-5, 6-10, 11-15. Here are my lists for days 16 through 20:
February - 2nd half February's color scheme was all about red, pinks, and brown. Of course I had to celebrate Valentine's Day. Throughout the pages, I added a...
A nice fun and colorful outfit that I would actually wear to go to the park. I love that the outfit is basically jeans and a tee shirt. The colors and...
Finishing up a banner for a baby shower this week. Simple, but cute! We don't know the names of the babies, so I went with a generic "Welcome Baby" in fairly...
Arthur and I arrived in Indiana yesterday, so my Currently list may look a little odd.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Today's card was my individual swap card for March. I found this beautiful card design from Allison Okamitsu @ Nice People Stamp and knew I had to recreate it...
Written by Brian K. Vaughan (LOST, PRIDE OF BAGHDAD, EX MACHINA) and with art by Pia Guerra, this is the saga of Yorick Brown—the only human survivor of a...
I'm participating once again in 30 Days of Lists. See days 1-5, 6-10. Here are my lists for days 11 through 15:
This song has been running through my head for weeks now. Love it!
In a night of drunken revelry, Jasper Finley, Baron Montford, gambles his reputation as London’s most notorious lover on one woman. His challenge? To seduce...
Likes: Playing with everything! All the food. Bath time.
I went a little crazy during Joann's big sale last week... There were too many great deals! Among those that i bought were the Polka Dot Party and Flea Market...
Sneaky photo through the "window" at San Jose Children's Museum. He was "cooking" with a few friends and older kids. So adorable even if it is blurry.
One of March-April's featured classes is Special Occasions. You often need a sympathy, congratulations, wedding, and baby card throughout the year, but don't...
February - 1st half February's color scheme was all about red, pinks, and brown. Of course I had to celebrate Valentine's Day. Throughout the pages, I added a...
I started creating this outfit from the shirt. I thought I would end up with a very bohemian outfit, but the complete outfit went in a very different...
The arrival of Elliott Wallace, the irresistibly eligible Viscount Lyngate, has thrown the country village of Throckbridge into a tizzy. Desperate to rescue...
Here's my random thoughts for the week:
I am hosting my friend's bridal shower later this month. I had so many ideas of where to go with the theme, decor, food, and invites. I finally decided to sit...
One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other's stories. -- Rebecca Falls
I'm participating once again in 30 Days of Lists. See days 1-5. Here are my lists for days 6 through 10:
One of March-April's featured classes is Special Occasions. You often need a sympathy, congratulations, wedding, and baby card throughout the year, but don't...
Finishing up some bridal shower invitations. These are going in the mail today!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Gold Lion"
Listening To: My giant iPod list. I currently have the songs sorted alphabetically. I'm in the Fs right now. Just listened to "Fa Fa Fa" by Guster.
I got my February stamp club order. While in stamp club, I'll be using it to buy mainly cardstock and tools. This month I bought:
Let's take a look at what I did this past month for my OLW. This year's focus is HOME.
I'm participating once again in 30 Days of Lists. Here are my lists for days 1 through 5:
Seeing all of the crap weather reports, I had to make a fun spring outfit. This is the perfect outfit to dream of spring. The dress is just killer! The...
This is absolutely amazing!
Different 5 on 5 for this week. It's my birthday this week, so here's round up of pictures of my presents...
Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever heard her account of...
Watching: Arthur and I have been watching Rehab Addict after he wakes up from his nap.
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for March. This month we are all about birthdays. I love designed birthday cards as you can be as crazy or as subdued as...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on February’s goals and my progress.
The second half of my All About Florals class focused on simple yet beautiful cards.
Watching: Arthur and I have been watching Rehab Addict after he wakes up from his nap.
This song has been stuck in my head for days...
Listening To: Washing machine. It's the housekeeping task of the day.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
For one of my March-April classes, I knew that I wanted to focus on flowers. Spring is perfect for flowers, and the Occasions catalog and Sale-a-Bration...
The youngest of the Crompton heiresses, Blythe yearns to marry into the aristocracy to bolster her family’s place in society. The widowed Duke of Savoy seems...
A week later and I'm still dreaming of our mom's retreat. We stopped off at the coast on our way back down. The beautiful Pacific ocean and Russian River at...
I was feeling very bohemian today, so this is what I can up with. I love all the detailing on the shirt dress. I had to feature an outfit around it. The pants...
My thanks for this week:
The state of my craft area today... Working on examples for my March and April classes. Plus that mess on the left is my meet and greet card for Saturday's...
Love is like pi - natural, irrational, and very important. -- Lisa Hoffman
I signed up for 30 Days of Lists again. I participated last March and had so much fun. I tried again in December, but ultimately failed to document my lists. I...
The wealthiest heiress of the season, Miss Lindsey Crompton finds detective work far more fascinating than social engagements—at least until she meets Thane...
Loving this right now... Maybe because I'm missing my doctor.
Just a few acquisitions for this week... First stop was Michael's to grab some snail, but of course I can't always just get snail. I ended up grabbing some fun...
The sorry state of the baby this week. Green marker under the nose and a scrap on his forehead. Somehow he's still adorable...
For February's individual swap card, I wanted something floral. It's feeling like spring around here even if the calendar still says it is winter. The...
Today, I'm in Russian River on a retreat with nine of my mom friends. We're planning on relaxing all weekend and definitely drinking a lot of wine. On Saturday...
Pseudo Valentine's Day present from J. We don't really celebrate, but he came home with dessert and these beautiful roses the other day. I'm loving the color....
Her wealth and beauty have made Miss Portia Crompton the catch of the season. Secretly determined to wed the maharajah’s son she left behind in India, Portia...
Perhaps the best-known and most popular of Edith Wharton's novels, Ethan Frome is widely considered her masterpiece. Set against a bleak New England...
Here's my randomness this week:
One of my new features. Every other week, I'll be filling out a Currently card for my Project Life album. It's a quick snapshot of life...
On the windswept, fossil-strewn beaches of the English coast, poor and uneducated Mary Anning learns that she has a unique gift: "the eye" to spot fossils no...
Unrivaled storytelling ... unforgettable characters ... rich historical detail ... these are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon's work. Her New York Times...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
For the retreat this weekend, I made these cute name tags for our surprise gift bags. I raided my stash. One of my crafting goals is to make a dent in the...
Back again, hitting shuffle on my iPod to see what random songs pop up...
I grabbed a paper stack from Michael's. It was on sale and I couldn't resist the pretties...
Listening To: The bees buzzing in my front yard. We have these flowering bushes right along the walk and the bees just love it there. Every time I go get the...
We are fully into toddler territory now...
My first update during my second attempt at 101 in 1001...
Lots of other bloggers do Day in the Life posts and I thought it was time for me to join them. Committing to once a month seems way too ambitious, so I decided...
I don't got out for Valentine's Day, but if I did, I would love to wear this dress. I am always drawn to the 1950s silhouette. And this red is just a great...
January - 2nd half This year I am doing my spreads monthly instead of weekly. This has freed me so much. i don't have to stress about getting the right amount...
Working on finishing up some retreat gifts for next week. Almost done...
I loved Saved by the Bell!
Woman suffrage is a long story of hard work and heartache crowned by victory. -- Carrie Chapman Catt
Let’s take a look at what I did this past month for my OLW. This year’s focus is HOME.
Watching: We're catching up with Elementary. After initial resistance (we love Sherlock on the BBC), we've really been enjoying the show. I love Jonny Lee...
Alt Nation has been really loving on this song. And I must say, so I am! Love this song.
Lots of goodies this week. I had a small trip to Michaels, a surprise RAK, and lots of Stampin' Up deliveries. First up: Michael's. I went to get sticky strip...
Listening To: Arthur's laptop sing over and over and over again punctuated with his banging. Oh so soothing. It's not giving me a headache at all...
One of my resolutions for the new was to do more card challenges. It's now February 7th and I haven't done a single one. Shame on me! Thankfully our great...
Let's take a look at what I did this past month for my OLW. This year's focus is HOME.
Last Sunday, I held a modified notebooks class at my house. I've held the class once before, but decided it was such a great project that they needed to be...
Title Page For Volume 1 of 2015, I wanted to create a title page using fun bright colors. I wanted a family photo, but J refuses to get his picture taken. So...
I'm loving the combination of spring and winter pieces. The boots, skirt, and cardigan belong in a winter outfit. But through in the pastel bag and bright top...
A look at some of the things I'm working on this month...
One of my new features. Every other week, I'll be filling out a Currently card for my Project Life album. It's a quick snapshot of life...
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for February. The blog hop has been on hiatus for the holidays, but we're back this month to share some great cards....
Every month I participate in an individual swap. The products used must be current Stampin' Up projects. We also usually have a theme or design to follow. This...
For every new catalog, my demo group participates in a big card swap. We each pick one of the new stamp sets and make cards. I get some great examples back...
Stumbled upon this song the other day. I'm really digging it!
Listening To: Nina Simone Pandora channel... Arthur really loves it.
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
A trip to Michael's for adhesive. I ended up grabbing a nice invitation stamp, coffee stamps, Valentine's hearts, ribbon, and washi, and a great "Home" sign.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Babies and goats. Love it!
If I ever found myself on a ski trip, this is what I would wear at the lodge with the addition of some comfy tights. That skirt looks amazingly comfortable...
Here's my randomness this week:
Any two great cards featuring Sale-a-Bration products. Initially I wasn't super excited about the Simply Wonderful stamp set. It looked a little too plain for...
Year Released/Rating: 2014 R
Joy is the feeling of grinning on the inside. -- Melba Colgrove
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
I love Sale-a-Bration time! Spend $50 from any of the SU catalogs and get a free exclusive SAB product. Between pre-order and regular orders this January,...
Year Released/Rating: 2014
Watching: Attempting to catch up on Reign. My guilty pleasure show.
As I just finished reading Amanda Palmer's The Art of Asking, I've been diving back into her music lately. My first experience with The Dresden Dolls...
A lighter week after the crazy holidays haul... I received my awesome Take Ten kit. I really love the colors from this month.
Read my first post here. Days 1-13 here. Days 14-21 here. Says 22-26` here. I condensed Days 27-31 into one page. We mostly hung out at the house and enjoyed...
Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked...
Year Released/Rating: 2013
A non-craft picture for the week. Look at that face! I had to include this one as the picture of the week.
I love the look of wearing white in winter, but the trick is not to look too summery. This dress is structured enough to pull off for January. I also didn't...
Working on Arthur's PL album this week. I love to use my post-it notes!
Fun misconceptions about driving.
Year Released/Rating: 2012
One of my new features. Every other week, I'll be filling out a Currently card for my Project Life album. It's a quick snapshot of life...
Year Released/Rating: 2012
The last of my regular 2014 PL spreads. To see the end of November and all of December, check out my December Daily posts.
Year Released/Rating: 2011
Getting closer to the end of 2014.
Really digging this song...
Another big week of acquisitions. Another Amazon package. The page protectors are to be used for my OLW album. The paper stack was on super sale and I couldn't...
Listening To: Ella Henderson new album. I am obsessed with "Ghost" right now.
Reeling from her recent divorce, Gina Bellamy suddenly finds herself figuring out how to live on her own. Determined to make a fresh start Gina knows drastic...
Year Released/Rating: 2013 R
Trying to post the rest of my 2014 PL spreads... Just a few weeks left.
We moved houses right before Thanksgiving, but I haven't been there to enjoy it. I came home January 6th and my first priority was to organize my new craft...
I love the girly bohemian look, but every once in awhile I go back to black, black, and more black. I love the subtle mix of patterns with the shirt and...
Year Released/Rating: 2013 PG-13
Over the next few days, I'm sharing the last of my 2014 PL spreads.
Arthur's officially a toddler! Full of new skills, discoveries, and even tantrums. It's been a crazy month. We started the month in Indiana and ended it back...
Year Released/Rating: 2013
Year Released/Rating: 2014 PG-13
Read my first post here. Days 1-13 here. Days 14-21 here. Two more pretty low-key days. I love the sparkly snowflakes that I added to the stripe card.
Invest in a human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough. -- Mary McLeod Bethune
Life got a little crazy and my reading time decreased over the week. I'm still happy about reading two complete books over this week. Love the low-key approach...
In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fought for two conflicting dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way...
I am currently obsessed with this song. Already preordered her album on iTunes. I can't wait to hear everything else!
Read my first post here. Days 1-13 here. A simple layout with some pics for Arthur and the twins. I added a bit of journaling about our days to complete the...
This is a long one... From Thanksgiving until now, anything I ordered crafty-wise was sent to my house in California. I was in Indiana. This meant a huge pile...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.
Year Released/Rating: 2013 R
After failing at last year's OLW: Explore (let's just not review that), I have thought long and hard about what I wanted to do this year. And then it hit me:
Last time, I really lost steam about 2/3 of the way through. I'm going to try and do it again, but be a bit more realistic with my goals.
Year Released/Rating: 2012
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
I started Project Life in 2013 with the birth of my youngest son. It was a lifesaver. I wanted to have scrapbooks for all three of my kids, but I just didn't...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
Year Released/Rating: 2014 PG-13
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
In no particular order, here are my favorite 10 crafts made in 2014...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
Year Released/Rating: 2011
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
Year Released/Rating: 2014 PG
For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting...
A recap of last month’s goals:
I started the week off on the right foot this time! Started and finished a book today... Hope I can keep up the momentum.
Chef Sadie Spencer is living the sweet life, running a successful eatery in the charming town of Hershey. That is, until a handsome stranger arrives with plans...
Year Released/Rating: 2011
It's the New Year. Time for my yearly goals and resolutions...
I'm so excited for tomorrow! I thought about it and here are my goals for this week:
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her...
Year Released/Rating: 2012
Favorite Books of the Year
Year Released/Rating: 2014
And here's my shame for the year... all the challenges I failed to complete.
Year Released/Rating:
Pompeii, Machu Picchu, the Valley of the Kings, the Parthenon—the names of these legendary archaeological sites conjure up romance and mystery. The news is...
Here are my final totals for my 2014 reading challenges. I did decently, but wished I had knocked out some more of my perpetual challenge books.
My 30 Day Challenge this month is all about new movies. I challenged myself to watch 30 new-to-me movies. I'll be pulling primarily from my neverending...
This is a new challenge for myself. I want to set some monthly exercise goals. Unfortunately I am still in Indiana until January 6th. I just can't get into...
I’m excited about the New Year and the focus on all things fitness. This post is really a call to arms so you can get excited and prep for the New Year. I am...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
It's the Monday before Christmas so that mean's it time for my annual blogging break. I like to take the two weeks around Christmas to recharge away from the...
It's the Monday before Christmas so that mean's it time for my annual blogging break. I like to take the two weeks around Christmas to recharge away from the...
Listening To: More One Bad Mother podcasts. I am completely addicted.
Just like Christmas, I decided to go with a different look for New Year's. Instead of sparkle, I went with shine. The stain top and leather skirt shine in...
It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an...
Here's my randomness for this week:
I can't wait until this readathon starts! Unfortunately I will be traveling all day on Tuesday so I don't know how much I can participate that day. I'm...
Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness. -- Shakti Gawain
The past month has been a big one. We packed up the apartment and moved to East Bay. Two days later Arthur and mom flew to Indiana for the holidays. And in...
Read my first post here... I jumped into this project with little set plans. So far, this fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach has worked. Every few days I...
Listening To: One Bad Mother podcast. It is my life!
I finally got my order from rukristin from her Black Friday sale. Actually it came last week, but I sent it to the in-law's house and they were away for a few...
Two years ago I made my grandma and mom homemade calendars. They were great presents, but pretty time consuming. Because of the move, I wasn't going to make...
For this year, I wanted to not go with red and green. Instead, I chose burgundy and gold. The color palette is still festive and elegant. I love the subtle...
I do so love my period movies.
Books are my disease. -- James Logan
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
As I arrived in Indiana on Nov. 24th, I decided that my DD album would start then... I didn't want to leave out the holiday related festivities just because...
Three more shuffled songs before the end of 2014...
Listening To: Barking dogs and baby yells
A small week. I rerouted a few of my monthly subscriptions to arrive at my mom's in Indiana, but a few are going to the new house in California. I'll have to...
Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby....
"There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of...
The perfect gown for a night out at the ballet. I love the detailing on the gown. It reminds me of the detail work in my hometown theater. I love staring at...
I knew I wanted to take some crafting supplies with me while visiting in Indiana... but how to do it? After perusing some ideas online, I latched on to the...
Here's my randomness for the week:
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. -- Jean Houston
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on Novembers’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed...
For the first time, I'm participating in 30 Days of Gratitude. I even joined a FB group with other listers. While many use mini albums to document, I created...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the...
All the pretties! My favorite part of making my DD album has been choosing all the embellishments that I want! I went a little crazy buying some great...
I started with this beautifully detailed blouse and just had to create an outfit around it. To me it screams something from the Victorian era. The shoes and...
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have...
For the first time, I'm participating in 30 Days of Gratitude. I even joined a FB group with other listers. While many use mini albums to document, I created...
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Loving her music right now. Must go download the entire album...
After much debating, I decided to do 12x12 pages and put them into my regular PL album. I'm just not a mini album kind of lady. Without further ado, here are...
Listening To: Lots of Lindsey Stirling. Love that violin!
For my other Christmas card set, I pulled the leftovers DSP and stickers from the Candlelight Christmas collection (retired). I hoard pretty paper. It's what I...
December Daily -- Oh my! I've wanted to participate in documenting our holiday season for years now, but it always seemed just too far out of reach. Last...
This would be the perfect thanksgiving dinner ensemble if I was actually going to a semi-fancy dinner. My family usually just has nice jeans and a sweater....
For the first time, I'm participating in 30 Days of Gratitude. I even joined a FB group with other listers. While many use mini albums to document, I created...
Love the new Newcastle ad campaign.
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. -- Albert Einstein
Another three songs from my giant iPod shuffle...
Once the night comes . . . Will Thorne is living a nightmare, his sanity slowly being drained away by a force he can't control. His talents have made him the...
Caution: Photo Dump Ahead I officially have a toddler on my hands. He is walking. He is throwing tantrums. He is learning so much every day.
For the first time, I'm participating in 30 Days of Gratitude. I even joined a FB group with other listers. While many use mini albums to document, I created...
Arthur's first project life album ends with his first birthday. While the family album is done by calendar year, I feel that marking each year of his life...
Even though the temperatures are still warm here in Northern California, I'm definitely in the fall mood. I want to sip my cider and take pictures of pretty...
My randomness from this week:
Two friends and I are selling at a craft fair this weekend. I wanted to make some Christmas cards to hopefully sell. After digging through my stash, I came...
It is with the reading of books the same as with looking at pictures; one must, without doubt, without hesitations, with assurance, admire what is beautiful....
I recently hosted a modified notebooks class. I had seen so many cute ideas on Pinterest that I had to try some for myself. In class we transformed two...
For the first time, I'm participating in 30 Days of Gratitude. I even joined a FB group with other listers. While many use mini albums to document, I created...
Currently seriously obsessed with this song...
It is winter in Area X, the mysterious wilderness that has defied explanation for thirty years, rebuffing expedition after expedition, refusing to reveal its...
For October's swap, we were to make a tag and an embellishment. I decided that I just couldn't do two Christmas items, so I made a birthday tag and a...
I finally decided to do it! I'm going to join the December Daily craze this year. I pulled out my entire Christmas supply stash (a ridiculous amount) and...
Here's my take on prim and proper Victorian-ish wear, but with major edge. I love the soft flowy material of the shirt paired the heavy twead of the skirt....
I might just have to see this...
After thirty years, the only human engagement with Area X—a seemingly malevolent landscape surrounded by an invisible border and mysteriously wiped clean of...
Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned...
Two pretty Thanksgiving themed cards for you today.
For the first time, I'm participating in 30 Days of Gratitude. I even joined a FB group with other listers. While many use mini albums to document, I created...
On the 5th of each month I'll be highlighting five pictures of crafty projects, inspiration pieces, or fun products. I wanted to add some great pictures and...
A painting is never finished -- it simply stops in interesting places. -- Paul Gardner
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Oh... this one is really good. I can't wait to get the new soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockinjay Park 1.
It's been a few weeks since I've done one of these weekly wrap-up posts. Thought I would try again before the crazy of Thankgiving and Christmas.
A ton of new acquisitions this past week. So excited to play with these supplies!
Happy 1st of November from Halloween's littlest astronaut!
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on October’s goals and my progress.
A recap of last month’s goals:
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
As it's Halloween, I thought I would do my own version of a fairy costume. I love the layers on these dresses, but I couldn't decide which one to choose. So,...
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
1. Peet's Coffee -- For fueling my coffee addiction and giving me a place to escape and blog for a bit.
A book is a lovely thing -- a garden stocked with beautiful flowers, a magic carpet on which to fly away to unknown climes. -- Frank Gruber
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
When first published in 1899, The Awakening shocked readers with its honest treatment of female marital infidelity. Audiences accustomed to the pieties of late...
Every time this song pops up on my shuffle, I can't help but stop and sing along. Love it! And the live version is definitely always the right choice.
So... I went a little crazy at Michael's this week. I may have a problem. I went in for sticky strip for a class and came out with a ton of fun...
Randomly I decided that I wanted to participate in 30 Days of Gratitude in November. I have seen many great examples using mini albums or small notebooks. I...
For Arthur's 1st Birthday party, I knew I wanted to make some sort of photo board, but how? After looking at many elaborate creations on Pinterest, I decided...
I stumbled upon this dress and had to create an outfit around it. The dress reminds me of beautiful fall garden full of mums. The dress is a complete work of...
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
My random thoughts from this week:
There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go. -- Tennessee Williams
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an...
Three random songs from my iPod. Eclectic selections as usual...
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
A quick trip to Michael's for snail and I couldn't resist some clearance items. I grabbed some basic black thickers (I can never have too many alphas), some...
I made these two cards to teach at my Halloween and Thanksgiving card class. I tried to make them simple yet fun.
Week 35
Burgundy top
Crazy giant list of random facts!
Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. -- Henry David Thoreau
A busy pre-birthday week! We had so much fun!
John and Martha Beck had two Harvard degrees apiece when they conceived their second child. Further graduate studies, budding careers, and a growing family...
Once a heart is lost in shadow . . .
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
Arthur loves Amy Winehouse. Really he likes her almost as much as Nina Simone. Because of this, Amy Winehouse has been on pretty heavy rotation in our house....
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
My October Paper Issues Swag Bag and extra goodies came. I love the grab bag of embellishments. All for $10! Plus, some boys stickers, an extra Christmas...
Book finished: Entwined
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
I immediately jumped on this skirt and then started to build a complete outfit to compliment it. In the end, I just had to add the cat shoes. The outfit is...
1. All my mommy friends -- I've been feeling lost in the shuffle and a bit frustrated lately. Hanging out with some awesome ladies and their babies has helped...
In books lies the soul of the whole Past Time; the articulate audible voice of the Past, when the body and material substance of it has altogether vanished...
Eamon Evernight has always lived in his older brother's shadow. While his brother is fair of hair and lithe in body, Eamon sparks fear with his fiery locks and...
A whirlwind of destruction this past week. He is into anything and everything. On the plus side, his vocabulary and physical development have jumped this...
For October's big crafting goal, I am attempting to make a different designed card everyday. Instead of flooding everyone's feed with tons of posts, I am just...
Three songs that I have really enjoyed lately...
So I didn't quite finish all my goals... but I got a chunk taken care of. I've been attempting to read Dune for ages. Knocking that one out makes me happy....
I'm joining in this year. I have a pile of books to read before the end of this year and maybe this will be the extra incentive to get them done!
Listening To: Fall Out Boy and Florence + the Machine. Weird combo I know, but I decided that I really want to listen to the entire discography of both these...
Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides,...
On the 5th of each month I'll be highlighting five pictures of crafty projects, inspiration pieces, or fun products. I wanted to add some great pictures and...
A fun grab bag of holiday goodies from a FB seller. I got a ton of cut aparts for Thanksgiving and Christmas, PL value pack partials, a 6x6 baby boy paper...
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. I told myself that 2014 would be the year of no challenges, but that didn't quite turn out the way I...
Summer is still around here in the Bay Area. In fact, it's been over 90 yesterday and today. I wanted to make another fall outfit, but just couldn't do it....
A recap of last month’s goals:
Here are my random thoughts from the week:
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on September’s goals and my progress.
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing. -- Laura Ingalls Wilder
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for October. This month we will be showcasing project ideas from Stampin' Up's card kits. I haven't bought many of their...
Have you heard about 30 Days Of Lists? Created by Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry, 30 Days of a Lists is a semi-annual journalling...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Such an active little boy this week. I'm finding it hard to keep up.
Repeatedly declared dead by the media, the women’s movement has never been as vibrant as it is today. Indeed as Stanford professor and award-winning author...
I'll admit it, I hadn't joined Paper Pumpkin because I thought it wasn't a good deal. After hearing more and more good things about the quality and quantity...
I adore Andrew McMahon. While, I'm sad that Jack's Mannequin is no more, I'm looking forward to his new material. This song has been in my head for weeks...
Listening To: Anberlin, Fall Out Boy, Brandi Carlile, all from our iTunes account
Goals:
A few fun acquisitions this past week... I won $20 to Freckled Fawn from the 30 Days of Lists event. I went a little crazy and grabbed some fun things: three...
I signed up for the Spark ecourse about weeks ago with every intention of sticking to it. Basically it's a 30 day course designed to help get the blogging...
My local demo group did a card swap featuring holiday catalog products. And my goodness! What a beautiful bunch of cards I received back. Let's take a look...
I love the effortless look of this outfit. Start with a comfy dress, add some simple boots and an outerwear piece (leather jacket for cold weather, short...
Have you heard about 30 Days Of Lists? Created by Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry, 30 Days of a Lists is a semi-annual journalling...
Love Hank Green on SciShow and this episode is a great episode about a female paleontologist.
A book is good company. It is full of conversation without loquacity. It comes to you longing with full instruction, but pursues you never. Henry War Beecher
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Colin Singleton believes he is a washed-up child prodigy. A graduating valedictorian with a talent for creating anagrams, he fears he'll never do anything to...
As I don't have a technique post for today, I thought I would tell you a little about myself...
Lots and lots of play this week. We had a full week of fun activities with tons of friends.
Another Monday and another cover. This is becoming a bit of a trend. But I had to share this one with everyone. Panic at the Disco does an amazing cover of...
I attended a fun little class taught by my crafting partner Colleen that focused on children's cards. Between my friends and the parent's group, I will...
Overall I ended up accomplishing a ton this long weekend. I didn't finish everything, but I never expected to finish my entire list. I plan on continuing to...
I received more PL card swaps back in the mail. Tropical:
My goals and progress:
For my September swap card, I grabbed a few DSP sheets that called to me and then went from there. The end product is full of bright colors and florals. Not...
My goals and progress:
Week 33
Once again we (well baby and I) are heading to a weeding this weekend. This was another one of my initial picks. Unfortunately the dress sold out in my size...
My goals and progress:
I have a new crafting addiction enabling online source: Blitsy! Instead of a single deal per day (Steals and Peachycheap), deals run a various number of days....
1. Great Clips -- For not screwing up my haircut for once. I actually really like my short flippy do.
Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs....
Wear the old coat and buy the new book. -- Austin Phelps
It's that time again. Time to set away from the fun of reading and crafting and time to fix all those little things that have been bugging me for months. It's...
It seems we made it out of non-sleeping hell and into a much happier little baby! And guess who turned 11 months old yesterday? It's Arthur!!
Have you heard about 30 Days Of Lists? Created by Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry, 30 Days of a Lists is a semi-annual journalling...
When Nalayani seeks the help of the Maharaja to save her village from the Dhole, she uncovers a secret that could change the Fables Universe forever: the still...
A pretty eclectic mix this month...
We had a great swap time at the Livermore Unite and Excite event on Sunday. Here are the rest of the great swap cards I received:
Listening To: Mumford and Sons. I've had their albums on repeat lately...
From Seasons of Reading:
I placed a huge order during Steals.com's Labor Day extra 20% sale. What did I order? Why tons of Christmas papers and embellishments of course! I plan on...
We had a great swap time at the Livermore Unite and Excite event on Sunday. Here are some of the great Christmas themed swap cards I received:
When it comes to days completely in the house, I admit that I don't put any effort into my outfit. I'm going for comfort... This is the perfect comfort...
Week 32
Have you heard about 30 Days Of Lists? Created by Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry, 30 Days of a Lists is a semi-annual journalling...
Here's my randomness for the week:
We had a great swap time at the Livermore Unite and Excite event on Sunday. Here are some of the great fall themed swap cards I received:
What we see isn't in things, but in our souls. -- Salvador Dali
On Sunday, I had the privilege of attending one of Stampin' Up's 24 Unite and Excite Events held across the country. This was a demo only event aimed at...
We are back on track! Thank goodness! This past week went much better...
Once blissfully in love . . . Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals,...
Just stumbled upon this song over the weekend. Really loving these two voices together. And can't wait until the new season of The Voice.
For this month's demo swap, we each picked a stamp set from the holiday catalog. I immediately knew that I wanted Festival of Trees. It's simple, yet...
Celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation and the first president of the United States. With a breadth...
Just a stop in to Michael's this week. I took advantage of their 40% off one item coupon and their 20% off everything coupon on Labor Day.
Have you heard about 30 Days Of Lists? Created by Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry, 30 Days of a Lists is a semi-annual journalling...
The other day I pulled out my almost untouched Fresh Prints DSP stack. It's retired, but I love the colors and patterns so much. I did a quick peek at my...
On the 5th of each month I'll be highlighting five pictures of crafty projects, inspiration pieces, or fun products. I wanted to add some great pictures and...
We are headed to a weeding this weekend down in LA. The wedding is being held on the beach during the morning. This is the exact dress that I really really...
I'll see it...
Put a little fun into your life. Try dancing. -- Kathryn Murray
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for September This month we will be showcasing project ideas from the new Holiday Catalog. Last year's holiday catalog...
A simple card today using some of our current in colors.
Looks like we are going to need to start sleep training...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on August’s goals and my progress.
A daughter of a friend of ours just recorded her first EP. This lovely song is the title track. If you like it, jump on over to iTunes and buy it!
A recap of last month’s goals:
Book finished: Becoming Mona Lisa; City of Bones
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
My second big holiday catalog order came in on Friday (minus one backordered stamp). So much fun to play with!
I pulled out my new I Like You hostess stamp set with the intention of creating a great background pattern for a card. I started working and things took a...
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by...
Fashion Friday #31 featuring a modern office outfit with pink, green, and black accessories.
Here is my randomness for the week:
I love getting embellishments, but don't usually want an entire pack of say 50 die cuts. I want a sampler of sorts. Thankfully I found a great monthly...
Books are the windows through which the soul looks out. A home without books i slike a room without windows. -- Henry Ward Beecher
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
The Mona Lisa is widely recognized as the most famous painting in the history of art--and an undeniable icon of pop culture. Her celebrated face is used to...
A slightly better week, but we're still struggling with the sleep issue.
For my August swap card, I decided to modify the Fall Feather Flower from yesterday.
I don't usually highlight covers for my Music Monday posts. However, this one is so amazing, I had to highlight it. I adore her voice, and it fits completely...
Holiday Catalog Sneak Peek! I found a sample card on Pinterest using petals and various DSP to make a layered flower. I knew i wanted to create a similar...
Comments: This weekend was a total bust when it came to reading. Things just did not go my way. I only got one chapter into Becoming Mona Lisa, but at least...
Listening To: The Nina Simone and Amy Winehouse Pandora channels. Jazzy goodness. And Arthur loves it.
A couple of acquisitions this week... I received my August Take Ten kit. This one wasn't as exciting as some previous months, but I do dig the cards in this...
I found this beautiful card that was featured at Convention. I knew I had to make my own version of it!
Comments: I finished
This outfit reminds me of Roman costumes. I had to play off of the golden tones in the dress. I never thought I would pair yellow with gold, but something...
Once the seeds of desire are sown . . . Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that...
Have you heard about 30 Days Of Lists? Created by Kam of Campfire Chic and Amy of Lemon and Raspberry, 30 Days of a Lists is a semi-annual journalling...
Not long enough, but I do love Tina Fey!
Comments: Having a crazy active 10-month-old really puts a kink in my reading plans. I did manage to finish my book club book (for Sunday) and a fun silly...
You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit a few moments; then the wind blows your footprints away. -- Arlene Blum
Set in the close-knit Portuguese community of Provincetown, Massachusetts, The Orphans of Race Point traces the relationship between Hallie Costa and Gus...
A glimpse into the tribulations of parenting that is part documentary, part therapy, and completely hilarious.
It was a weird week. Arthur's off schedule has resulted in us missing a few group events. All of our pictures for the week are from the house; a bit boring...
Two more cards from Friday night's crafting session. These two I CASEd directly from the source. I really enjoyed the design and the non-nautical colors....
1. The Killers "From Here on Out"
Last Friday I went to our (area demos) monthly crafting night and crafted up a storm. I ended up only making 6 cards, but I'm really loving those six cards....
I finally received my backordered items from the holiday catalog. It was still showing the stamp set as backordered, but mine shipped. Yeah! I can't wait to...
Listening To: Random iTunes shuffle. Loving my eclectic collection. (And so is Arthur)
Ten Things You Should Know About This Book
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
I used to give a specific number of books that I wanted to read, but that hasn't worked well lately. Instead, I'm going to shoot for vaguer goals...
Week 30
This outfit feels very Miranda to me. I love the almost contrasting colors being pulled together with the skirt. The skirt itself reminds me of a painting....
The things I am thankful for this week:
We cannot really love somebody with whom we never laugh. -- A. Repplier
Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future...
A slightly happier baby this week, although now he has random bouts of crying. Teething? I have no idea.
There's something about La Roux that just speaks to me. I'm really digging this song lately.
After the first round of baby 1st birthday cards, we had another invitation arrive in our mailbox. So I pulled out some fun stamps and tried to make a card...
The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race. Now, almost a year after the eruption, the survivors seem determined to finish the job....
I got my big Holiday catalog preorder this past week. Unfortunately two of the items that I ordered went on backorder immediately. So, I'm still waiting for...
Few stories are as widely read and as universally cherished by children and adults alike as The Little Prince. Richard Howard's new translation of the beloved...
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
I saw this dress and immediately wanted to create a casual outfit to compliment it. For me, I would wear the dress as a tunic, but for those more confident or...
Week 28
In the novel that introduced James Bond to the world, Ian Fleming’s agent 007 is dispatched to a French casino in Royale-les-Eaux. His mission? Bankrupt a...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Ugh! What a week! I feel like we're back at that newborn stage; all sleep deprived and cranky. It's been rough.
By trying the untried and not always following instructions, discoveries are made. -- Marcus Aurelius Antonimus
Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for August! This month we will be showcasing project ideas using the Big Shot. Stampin' Up has an amazing offer of buy a...
On the 5th of each month I'll be highlighting five pictures of crafty projects, inspiration pieces, or fun products. I wanted to add some great pictures and...
Arthur Update will be late today as the baby decided to just not sleep last night. This meant that I had absolutely no time to do anything requiring two hands...
A throwback song today from 1997. I saw Plumb open for Jars of Clay and immediately fell in love with them. This was my favorite song by them for the longest...
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
Book finished: Journal Bliss; How to Sell Your Crafts Online; Pinterest Perfect; Handmade to Sell; A Long Way Down
I'm finally catching back up with my weekly spreads. While I'm still chugging away, once this year is over I'm going to month sections with however many pages...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on July’s goals and my progress.
I'm ready, I'm ready! Can't wait to get my Bout of Books on this fall. And this time, I am determined to rejoin the Twitter chats and challenges.
Meet Martin, JJ, Jess, and Maureen. Four people who come together on New Year's Eve: a former TV talk show host, a musician, a teenage girl, and a mother....
A recap of last month's goals:
I love going to museums, but what to wear? I don't want to show up in a tank top or shorts or a formal dress. Something a bit dressy, but quirky seems just...
So excited! I can't wait until November!
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. -- Immanuel Kant
Arthur had to say goodbye to the twins this past week. For two days after they left, he kept going into their room. He definitely misses them.
Do you have too many stamps and punches to easily remember? Do you reoutinely "discover" stamps and punches that you already own? I definitely do! And...
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
This is the twins' last week here so I imagine that reading will not be extremely high on my list, but I do want to make a point of reading everyday. As such,...
Just one little acquisition this week: July Take Ten Kit. I'm loving the colors in this one!
No one knows more about helping handmade businesses than Hello Craft, the nonprofit trade association for crafty entrepreneurs. Written by the directors of...
I signed up for the Spark ecourse about two weeks with every intention of sticking to it. Basically it's a 30 day course designed to help get the blogging...
It's birthday season around here. My mom's group is comprised of mostly summer to fall 2013 babies. That means that they are all turning 1! Just this month...
We loving have game night. But I don't want to wear my sweats while playing, especially if we go somewhere or have others over. This outfit is a great...
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. -- Scott Adams
Still not sleeping regularly. More mobility (almost walking!). Lots of joyful times during the day.
Let’s dive in today with a huge essential product: Adhesives. I've come to find that everyone has their favorites and particular uses for different products....
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
It's birthday season around here. My mom's group is comprised of mostly summer to fall 2013 babies. That means that they are all turning 1! Just this month...
Listening To: Attempting to make a blogging playlists for my Spark ecourse. So far, I've narrowed it down to ~400 songs. I think it needs to be narrowed down...
When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancée, she doesn't believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on...
This is the twins' last week here so I imagine that reading will not be extremely high on my list, but I do want to make a point of reading everyday. As such,...
FAIREST has explored the secret histories of the most stunning beauties in Fabletown: Cinderella, Snow White, Briar Rose, Rapunzel, and the list goes on and...
My Stampin' Up demo FB group decided to do a new catalog swap for June-July. We all had to pick one new stamp set to highlight in our cards. We then had to...
I don't get many opportunities to go out at night, but when I do, I want something stylish yet comfortable. This outfit fulfills both of those requirements....
Here is my randomness for the week:
The human heart, at whatever age, opens only to the heart that opens in return. -- Marie Edgeworth
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
After more sleepless nights and days, I think we are starting to get back on track.
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
And then, in a 6-part epic, Rapunzel lives one of the most regimented lives in Fabletown, forced to maintain her rapidly growing hair lest her storybook...
After getting the Moonlight paper stack in the mail as I walking out for craft night, I knew I would have to play with it. I was thinking of using it for my...
Book finished: Fairest Vol. 1; Bel Canto; Firelight; Fairest Vol. 2
A trip to Michael's for snail and of course I came out with more stuff. I couldn't pass up the deals!
London, 1881 Once the flames are ignited . . . Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire...
I pulled out my lullaby paper was determined to make something fun from it... Enter the Six Sided Sampler stamp set. I adore this set, but usually gravitate...
From Seasons of Reading:
What to wear when you need to transition from the pool to dinner? I think I've found a great solution. Pair this great graphic dress with sandals and tote...
Another day another challenge card. I again combined two challenges to design a card a little out of my comfort zone.
Opera and terrorism make strange bedfellows, yet in this novel they complement each other nicely. At a birthday party for Japanese industrialist Mr. Hosokawa...
New York Times bestselling, award-winning creator Bill Willingham presents a new series starring the female Fables. Balancing horror, humor and adventure in...
Who here has trouble organizing their blog post ideas, craft ideas, etc? I know I do! It seems that I think of things in the shower or getting ready to bed....
OMG! This is so true... thank goodness I recovered from my addiction a few months back.
A dreamer is one who an only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. -- Oscar Wilde
After many days of non-sleeping, I think we've finally turned a corner. Arthur's slowly getting back to an actual sleep schedule. Woohoo!
Today's card came from a color inspiration from Create with Connie and Mary. I realized that my SU Fresh Prints Stack (sadly retired) had two of those colors...
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
Today I embarked on my first attempt at challenge cards. In fact, completing some card challenges is part of my monthly goal. This card came from my...
With Castle Dark now back in the hands of the Fables, mysteries both young and old begin to challenge the residents of Fabletown. Bigsby and Stinky set off...
Book finished: Silent in the Grave; Locke and Key #6; Fables Vol. 19
I'm starting a new series today: 5 on 5. On the 5th of each month I'll be highlighting five pictures of crafty projects, inspiration pieces, or fun products....
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. I told myself that 2014 would be the year of no challenges, but that didn't quite turn out the way I...
I absolutely adore the geometric pattern on this dress. As it harkens back to the 60s, I had to add some great light blue accessories. But my favorite piece...
The shadows have never been darker and the end has never been closer. Turn the key and open the last door; it's time to say goodbye. The final arc of New York...
For the Christmas set, I wanted to try another OSW template. I found this one from Mae Collins.
The things I am thankful for this week:
A child is the root of the heart. -- Carolina Mara de Jesus
Welcome to the Fun n' Crafty Blog Hop for July! This month we will be showcasing project ideas from the new Stampin' Up Designer Series Paper. So make sure to...
"Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave."
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on June’s goals and my progress.
This past week was another bad one. I have no idea what is going on with Arthur, but he has decided to not sleep...
A recap of last month's goals:
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
Here's my card that I made for our June swaps. I really wanted to use my Daydream Medallions stamps and Floral Frames framelits, but wanted something nice and...
Listening To: Lots of Lithium and Octane on Sirius XM. I've been feeling the harder rock lately. Plus, I'm loving my 90s Alternative. Takes me back to high...
Only one tiny purchase this week... I received my washi tape order from Peachy Cheap on Wednesday. 12 rolls of washi for $10! I'll take that. Can't wait to...
Chuck Palahniuk’s world has always been, well, different from yours and mine. In his first collection of nonfiction, Chuck Palahniuk brings us into this world,...
Along with Stamp Club, I attended two card classes this June. All three events were focused on using new products from the catalog. I wanted to get some new...
I found these pants and decided to make an outfit from them, but I couldn't quite decide what to pair with them. So, I decided to not decide and make four...
Week 23 Family Album: Our first week with the twins here and we made sure to get out and about. We did so much this week that I had to add another two page...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. -- Margaret Lee Runbeck
This past week has been a struggle. Arthur caught a cold on Wednesday night and was a cranky baby for the rest of the week. I spent many hours holding him...
Let’s dive in today with a huge essential product: my Stampin' Scrub Pad.
Another retired DSP pack down... I'm really loving this set of cards.
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
The littlest one came down with a nasty cold this week and we spent most of the week in doors being bored and cranky. We had to forgo activities on Wed-Sun to...
The chilling tome that launched an entire genre of books about the often gruesome but always tragic ways people have died in our national parks, this updated...
Woohoo! My big new catalog SU order has arrived. I ordered on Tuesday and received on Friday. I love living so close to Salt Lake City. Let's open the box...
Today's craft was inspired by the multiple summer bucket lists I saw on Pinterest. I wanted to make some type of visual list for the twins, but didn't want to...
Week 21
It's summer, I had to create a nautical inspired outfit. Although now that I look at it, this one is much more East Coast than West Coast. I wish I could...
Another attempt to get rid of my retired DSP. This post's pack comes from a few years back. I don't remember how old Paisley Petals is, but I do know that...
Okay this intrigues me way too much...
If music be the food of love, play on. -- William Shakespeare
I made up my mind to use the very last of my Gingham Garden DSP. I had about two half sheets remaining. Of course i had to scour my Pinterest boards for some...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Summer is officially in full swing and Arthur is enjoying all the crazy.
I'm starting a new monthly project. I say these 6x6 month pages on another blog (can't remember where) and I thought it would be a cute little side project....
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
Book finished: Lost Lake; The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making; Grand Forks
Once upon a time, salad was iceberg lettuce with a few shredded carrots and a cucumber slice, if you were lucky. A vegetable side was potatoes—would you like...
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is...
Another small week in terms of craft supply buying. I placed my June Stamp Club order on Sunday and received it on Wednesday.
My SU holds a monthly card swap. We get the name of one of our fellow members and make a card for them. When everyone receives their cards, we post to our FB...
Denim is such a classic fabric, but I hate wearing denim jeans in the summer. They are too hot and too clingy. Instead, I decided to change it up and put...
Another attempt to use my retired DSP to make room for new fun stuff... This time I'm highlighting cards made from the Sweet Sorbet DSP pack (Sale-a-bration...
The things I am thankful for this week:
Another attempt to use my retired DSP to make room for new fun stuff... This time I'm highlighting cards made from the Sweet Sorbet DSP pack (Sale-a-bration...
A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. -- John F. Kennedy
The first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was on a picture postcard. Just an old photo and a few words on a small square of heavy stock, but when she saw it,...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
It's the first week of the twins being here and Arthur is loving it! He spends so much time watching them play and chasing after them.
Another attempt to use my retired DSP to make room for new fun stuff... This time I'm highlighting cards made from the Sweet Sorbet DSP pack (Sale-a-bration...
Today's card challenged me to incorporate three different aspects: color combination, sketch, and retiring products. Actually the card was made for June's...
Music Monday will be going on hiatus for the summer so I can bring you our weekly recaps. I will be highlighting all the fun pictures and activities we have...
Listening To: Nina Simone Pandora channel. Last night it went to Ray Charles and smooth jazz. Usually it goes to her French period. I love that every time...
A fairly slow week acquisition wise. But I am saving up to making my big SU order next week. Plus I need to save for my June Stamp Club order. A quick trip...
Erik Larson—author of #1 bestseller IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS—intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair...
Just a few quick note card sets for you today. I've had this pack of blank note cards for about three years (yes, I may have a slight craft supply hoarding...
I've been a whirlwind of crafting lately. And I've been trying to use a ton of my retired SU DSP (so I can buy the new stuff of course!). The other day, I...
I wear a variation of this outfit all the time during the summer. I have black and white striped stretchy maxi shirt that is to die for. The other difference...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Today's New Discoveries is highlighting some of my favorite new products from the Stampin' Up 2014-2015 Annual Catalog. The products featured are new this...
The healthy and strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it, whether he's got an abscess on his knee or in his soul. -- Rona Barret
Welcome to the Fun n' Crafty Blog Hop for June! This is our first of our monthly blog hops and I hope you enjoy all the inspiration. This month we will be...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
A few weeks back I held my second card class. We made four cards using a ton of retiring/retired DSP. I wanted to make sure that the card designs were fun,...
Our last week before the twins arrive. We filled it with tons of baby activities and lots of housework. Of course, Arthur made more messes than he cleaned.
Initially this collaboration just sounds odd, but strangely it works amazingly well. I love the difference in their voices.
I have two simple cards to share with you today. The first card was my make and take card from my May open house. I wanted allow everyone to make a simple...
Book finished: Summer Rental; Tapestry of Fortunes
Cecilia Ross is a motivational speaker who encourages others to change their lives for the better. Why can’t she take her own advice? Still reeling from the...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on May’s goals and my progress.
Just a few little goal reminders to keep me on track. Usually I will recap last month's goals and my progress, but as this is the first goal post, I don't...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Yet another simple design to help me finish my twelve sets of twelve cards.
These two weeks were my challenge to use the new Stampin' Up Everyday Adventure Card Collection and Accessories. I did cheat just a bit and included a few...
Another dress that reminds me of a painting. I love the details here. It also reminds me of a dress from the 1400s or 1500s. Just gorgeous. I went with...
** Okay, okay. I don't have a plethora of videos for you today, but I do have a ton of videos to share. Velociraptors! I love the Green brothers!
A few weeks back I held my first ever card class. We made four cards using a ton of retiring/retired DSP. I wanted to make sure that the card designs were...
Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis,...
Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else does and thinking something different. -- Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
It was a big week for us. We went to the Oakland Zoo for the first time. Arthur tried out a swing for the first time. And we both got extremely sick with a...
Let’s dive in today with a huge essential product: Cutting tools!
1. Paramore "Grow Up"
I joined a Project Life Swap group on Facebook a few months back and have really been inspired. Basically every month, the admins post swap themes (8-10...
Being sick sucks! J was sick for a week, Arthur and I are about to start week 3. This cold is just hanging around...
I took advantage of a Steals.com deal about a week ago and it finally came! I snapped up Captured, Official, Bewitched, and Harvest for extremely cheap. I'm...
In an era of revolutions demanding greater liberties for mankind, Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was an ardent feminist who spoke eloquently for countless...
A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All...
From Kathryn's Cards, I found this great 6x6" template. Since I have so much retired paper just laying around, I though this would be the perfect template to...
This outfit scream art gallery or art house party. I love the graphics on this dress. It's so dramatic and fun. I had to pair it with dramatic accessories....
Another round of thank yous for another round of time…
I love finding deals on crafting supplies, don't you? A few months ago, I was searching on various supplies online (specifically Project Life supplies), when...
A weed is no more than a flower in disguise. -- James Lowell
Since my last Arthur update, he's gotten much more mobile and had his first real illness. The outcome was a moving cranky snotting baby...
Today let's discuss some tips for proper stamping. There is general rule and etiquette book when it comes to stamping.
This is just gorgeous. Enjoy!
I wanted something a little different for the Halloween set. I love the Frightful Sight DSP (sadly retired) and wanted to use as many of the patterns as...
Reading Helpers: A cranky non-sleeping baby...
After the monstrous haul of last week, this post is going to be very brief. I put myself on a crafting supply ban until June. I have a miles long wish list...
Another fun sketch from Pinterest. After looking through my stack of retired DSP, I pulled the Fan Fair pack because of the softer colors. I've been...
Week 17
Reading Helpers: Lots and lots of tea; cookies; my bed
The storm was coming….Shadow spent three years in prison, keeping his head down, doing his time. All he wanted was to get back to the loving arms of his wife...
I'll admit it: I was not a fan of the paper pumpkin kits when SU debuted them last year. I thought "Why would I want such a limiting kit?" But since then, I...
I'm starting a new feature on The Craft Sea today: highlighting essential products. Everyone who crafts has their go-to items. The essential supplies that I...
In attempting to find another easy design to make another twelve card from, I stumbled upon this great little sketch from Studio Calico. After debating a bit,...
It's that time again. Time to start another round of Bout of Books. 10.0 edition!
Warning: This post is incredibly long and picture heavy. I may have a bit of a crafting supply addiction...Every Sunday I will be highlighting the crafting...
Did anyone else sing that title of this blog post? I know I do everytime I read it. The King and I isn't even one of my favorite musicals. Rent, Wicked,...
Another case of me trying to use my retired SU DSP in some fun and easy way. While the pictures makes it look like I just made three cards, I actually made...
Week 15 This week was huge! We flew back from Indiana and had our mom's group's Easter social. We had so many great pictures that I had to include an insert...
A new weekly feature on The Craft Sea. I would love to share my new crafting discoveries with you. These may be specific products, websites, techniques, or...
A few of my crafting friends and I went in together on a SU DSP share. We each bought three packs of DSP and then split the packs evenly. In total each of...
After a fire consumes the Ellis family fortune, the beautiful and resourceful Miranda finds herself faced with an impossible dilemma: enter a life of petty...
Welcome everyone to The Craft Sea! I've been wading through the craft sea for a few years now (since ~2006) and would love to share my adventures with you. I...
Originally published on April 12th, 2014Week 13
Originally Published on April 19, 2014 This past week I've been working on two crafting projects. Here's a look at them.
A few weeks ago I started a new little chapter in my life. I became an Independent Stampin' Up demonstrator! So exciting! I love crafting. I love Project...
Originally published on March 29th, 2014
Originally published on March 22, 2014 While on Pinterest, I kept running across these "One Sheet Wonders." I was very lost... And so I went hunting and...
Comments: I made some progress on my reading, but once again life just got in the way. It didn't help that J got sick and hasn't been able to help with the...
Listening To: The Beatles channel on Pandora (Arthur loves him some Beatles)
Originally published on March 23rd, 2014 A ton of crafting this week... but you'll have to read my post here to get the scoop. On the other side of crafting,...
Originally published on March 16th, 2014Crafting:
Originally published on March 15th, 2014
Originally published on March 1st, 2014Week 7
Originally published on February 25th, 2014
Originally published on February 23rd, 2014
Originally published on February 16th, 2014
Originally published on February 15th, 2014Week 5
Originally published on February 8th, 2014
I saw this dress on Polyvore and knew that I had to create some outfit around it. It screams retro spring. I decided that the dress would be the perfect...
Originally published on February 2nd, 2014
Originally published on February 1st, 2014
Originally published on January 30th, 2014
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on April’s goals and my progress.
Originally published on January 26th, 2014
Here is my randomness for the week:
Originally published on January 25th, 2014
Originally published on January 19th, 2014 Before getting to the actual crafting, I wasn't able to get my SU order for December before leaving for Indiana. I...
Originally published on January 18th, 2014
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
When Miss Charlotte Wilson asks God for a husband, she decides He must want her to pursue Mr. Hamilton Beckett, the catch of the season. The only problem?...
Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating...
Originally published on December 22nd, 2013
In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful...
Originally published on December 16th, 2013
Originally published on December 8th, 2013
Originally published on December 11th, 2013
Originally published on November 10th, 2013
Originally published on November 7th, 2013
J came back from Romania this week, but Arthur is still all over the place in terms of mood and schedule. I hope that since everyone is where they should be...
Originally published on October 27th, 213
Originally published on October 24th, 2013
Originally published on September 10th, 2013
Ran across this video the other day and immediately fell in love. I need this song!
Originally published on August 11th, 2013
Originally published on June 23rd, 2013
Originally published on June 3rd, 2013
Goals:
Book finished: How I Live Now
From Castle Macabre:
Originally published on April 28th, 2013
Originally published on March 24th, 2013
Originally published on March 10th, 2013
Originally published on February 24th, 2013
Originally published on February 17th, 2013
Woohoo! I'm always excited for the readathons from Seasons of Reading. I definitely will be joining this one. Now to go make my TBR pile and goals. I'm...
Originally posted on February 10th, 2013
Originally published on February 3rd, 2013
Originally published on February 2nd, 2013
I'm so excited for the next Bout of Books readathon. Last time, I was constrained by baby and home commitments. This time I still have baby, but he's a...
Originally published on January 30th, 2013 I got a bit inspired and made a few cards. I'm on a new plan to use my scraps before cutting up new 12x12 sheets....
I spied this dress on polyvore and had make an entire out around it. And then "Gold Dust Woman" by Fleetwood Mac popped into my mind. While I would never...
Too funny! I'm a little ashamed that I probably have some odd search inquiries here and there from my past.
Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have. -- Harry Emerson Fosdick
Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her...
J's still gone this week for work, so it's just Arthur and I. After our car adventure this past weekend, we are hopefully back to normal.
1. Raconteurs "Hands"
Originally published on January 30th, 2012 Title: The Joy of Scrapbooking
Listening To: Random iTunes shuffle. Been rediscovering some of our owned music, especially The Dresden Dolls.
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This past week I've been working on two crafting projects. Here's a look at them.
All children mythologize their birth...So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of...
This is a cute modern day version of a tea outfit. The skirt and shoes evoke a 1950s vibe. I love the polka dot pattern! But the shirt and blazer are...
Another round of thank yous...
It is said that if there were no darkness in the world, it would not be possible to see the light; if this is the case, starlight is all the more rich for its...
This past week we returned home, dealt with Arthur's first cold, and then ended the week with our mom's group Easter Party. It was a busy week!
There's a little place in my heart for Lily Allen. And I'm really enjoying this new song.
It feels like it's been forever since I did a Sunday Sunset. We're back home and trying to get back into our regular routine, so I guess it's time to...
Few American novels written this century have endured in th heart and mind as has this one-Ray Bradbury's incomparable masterwork of the dark fantastic. A...
Week 13
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
For these Fashion Fridays, I love mixing patterns. I don't do that in real life; I wish I had the courage. Anyway, I love the almost neutral nature of the...
Here is my randomness for the week:
It is such a secret place, the land of tears. -- Antoine de Saint Exupery
We're back from almost two weeks in Indiana. We saw a ton of people, watched some crap television, and played a lot!
More Alt Nation finds for this new music round-up.
This is the book that started it all! The basis for the smash hit Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Gregory Maguire's breathtaking New York Times bestseller...
I don't often write about parenting concerns here. Mostly that's because there are so many great "mommy bloggers" out there. I don't feel that I have anything...
Another year, another long list of reading challenges. I told myself that 2014 would be the year of no challenges, but that didn't quite turn out the way I...
This look is so eclectic, but I love it. I don't think I would have the confidence to actually wear this, but I love the look. The shirt and skirt have...
Always love good Muppets video. This one is a little different...
If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain as he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he...
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on March’s goals and my progress.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
How did I not know that Chris Thile had a band besides Nickelcreek? Thankfully The Hunger Games soundtrack enlightened me. I immediately fell in love with...
The last round of mini reviews to catch up on our reviews. We watched these in February but I kept forgetting to do my mini reviews. Better late than...
In 1837, Lisbeth Wainwright is born to the white mistress of a sprawling Virginia plantation. Seconds later, she is delivered into the arms of her black wet...
Week 11
I saw this skirt and just had to make an outfit out of it. I love the beautiful pattern! And the colors make this skirt into almost a neutral. I decided to...
Another round of thank yous for another round of time…
You were born with wings. Why prefer to crawl through life? -- Rumi
Last week was full of fun baby activities! We had a great week and even a return to a more normal sleeping schedule.
Editor: Robert Cowley
While I like the Duran Duran version, I've really been digging Red's version. Just a nice random song for this Monday.
Book finished: The Girl Who Chased the Moon; Tales of the Brothers Grimm; The Zombie Whisperer
I came across Stitch Fix on Loop Looks (check her out!). For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items. Then, you try everything on and...
Once a zombie, always a zombie?
We've all heard of the Brothers Grimm. Their versions of the original tales are probably the most popular in Europe and America. These are the ones that...
While on Pinterest, I kept running across these "One Sheet Wonders." I was very lost... And so I went hunting and found a ton of tutorials of how to make the...
Everyone needs a go-to comfortable outfit to run errands. I think this is the perfect outfit. I love the variation of the gray jean and blue sneakers to the...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. But the moment Emily enters the...
Today my twin boys are turning 11 years old! I can't believe it's been 11 years. Granted, I'm pretty I forgot most of the bad stuff, but I still think they...
The journey in between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place. -- Barbara De Angelis
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
It's already been 5 months... Time has flown! We've had a ton of new developments this past week, but the biggest has been forward mobility. Yep, he's...
Two songs that work together and a complete odd ball for this week's shuffle. But I really do love all these songs.
Caution: Photo heavy post ahead.
Lazarus Long is so in love with life that he simply refuses to die. Born in the early 1900s, he lives through multiple centuries. Time Enough for Love is his...
In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from...
Week 9
I have this fantasy of dressing like an artsy naughty librarian. This outfit plays that style just right. Not so naughty, but definitely artsy. I love the...
There were too many fun videos these past few weeks. I couldn't narrow it down to just 5... Plus, it's a Jimmy Fallon heavy video round-up. Enjoy!
There are high spots in all of our lives, and most of them come about through encouragement from someone else. -- George Adams
It's been a week of new discoveries (mobility) and trying times (sleep). Almost 5 months old and growing like a weed. He's already wearing 9-12 month...
I like The Fray. There's something about their music that makes me happy. This song is just infectious.
If I had a couple hundred dollars and about 30 less pounds, I would rock the shit out of this outfit. Oh yeah, and I should probably have somewhere to...
In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.
Sometimes Sweet started a journal day for every Thursday. I love the idea and find it easier to follow a prompt rather than think up my own. So, here we go:
Another round of thank yous for another round of time...
To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer. -- Gandhi
Today is my birthday. I am now 32 years old. And I have to say that my 30s is turning out to be a pretty great decade. Here's to another year full of...
Last week was a week full of new experiences and exploration.
J and I saw Oblivion in theaters, but were underwhelmed. However, I loved loved loved the song that played at the end of the movie. I immediately had to find...
Listening To: Arthur and I have been rocking out to the "A" artists from the server. So far we powered through Alien Ant Farm, Amy Winehouse (he loved her!),...
Here is my randomness for the week:
Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on January’s goals and my progress.
Week 7
Somehow I've never gotten around to actually reading Peter Pan. Sure, we all know the story. There have been so many movie adaptations. But I've never...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
This week is Oscar week. I had to do a fashion plate as to what I would wear to the ceremony. I was going for a classic retro vibe with this dress...
Sometimes Sweet started a journal day for every Thursday. I love the idea and find it easier to follow a prompt rather than think up my own. So, here we go:
Chvrches covering Arctic Monkeys... Awesome!
Film was and is still a romantic business, just as life is romantic. -- Katherine Hepburn
This past week, I received a huge Stampin' Up order. My demonstrator, Pam, told me that she wanted to see me make cards with my new stuff. Of course, I had...
Every week Arthur has new and exciting skills. I love watching him grow and change. Even his personality is starting to show.
Sh*tty Mom is the ultimate parenting guide, written by four moms who have seen it all. As hilarious as it is universal, each chapter presents a common...
I finally (finally!) picked up The Neighbourhood album I Love You and I am so in love with it. My favorite song at the moment is "Afraid." It's been getting...
Comments: Well... I didn't really accomplish my goals. Life just seemed to get in the way this week. We had too many activities and a cranky baby. I'm...
Book finished: The Lost Prince
Comments: Well... this week isn't going as I planned. Baby has decided that he doesn't like it when I read during the day. I did finally finish The Lost...
I love menswear inspired outfits. There's something about the hard edges and soft features that just appeal to me. For this outfit I combined very masculine...
Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.
Sometimes Sweet started a journal day for every Thursday. I love the idea and find it easier to follow a prompt rather than think up my own. So, here we go:
Fascinatingly informative video. It really makes you think about how people can change the world.
There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden, or even your...
Comments: A slow start for the first two days of the readathon, but I'm still encouraged to keep reading. My goal is to finish The Lost Prince tomorrow. I...
This past week was a bit difficult. J was home most of the week with nasty cold. Arthur caught a little bitty cold on Wednesday. He had a fever and screamed...
Tyler Hilton "Tore the Line" -- One of those go to artists in my iTunes account.
As with all my readathons this year, I'm scaling back on goals. The main idea is to focus on reading instead of being distracted by the internet or television.
Book finished: Tithe; The Nanny Diaries; Sharp Objects; Iron Legends
I needed to catch up on my IMDB movies but decided that I didn't want to do full reviews... So, here are my extremely short reviews.
Week 5
Year Released/Rating: 1995 G
Year Released/Rating: 2001 G
Year Released/Rating: 2001 PG
Year Released/Rating: 2004 PG
I don't have any Valentine's Day plans, but I thought I would do a fun festive outfit for today. The silhouette is retro 1950s, but still feels very modern....
Last week I did a tour of my crafting area (which has already changed with J's addition of steel shelving). This week, I though I would do a tour of my...
Food is the most primitive form of comfort. -- Sheila Graham
It's been raining here most of the week, so our activities were limited. Since we are currently in the middle of a drought, the rain was a nice welcome. But...
From Novel Heartbeat:
Seriously been digging this song ever since it debuted on Alt Nation a few weeks back. I think I need to check out their other stuff...
While I had read the four main novels in the Iron Fey series, I thought I would pick up this compilation of the short stories. Quick, but enjoyable reading as...
Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders...
Wanted: One young woman to take care of four-year-old boy. Must be cheerful, enthusiastic and selfless--bordering on masochistic. Must relish sixteen-hour...
Reorganizing my Pinterest boards to include one for "This Week's Project" ideas has really motivated my crafting. Now I pull some random ideas over on Sunday...
Really loving the combo of purple and gray right now. I've even made a few greeting cards with that color scheme... As to the outfit, I would wear this in a...
This movie looks right up my alley...
Year Released/Rating: 1994 G
With the gift of listening comes the gift of healing. -- Catherine de Hueck Doherty
Year Released/Rating: 2003 PG-13
Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye...
Another week of fun mom's group activities and exploring the world. I've been seeing a huge amount of development these past few weeks. Can't wait to see what...
Year Released/Rating: 1981 PG
Fitz & The Tantrums “The Walker” -- An awesome Alt Nation find.
Comments: I finished Roaring Midnight and started two new books; one on the iPad and one in physical form. Even though I lowered my expectations for this...
Year Released/Rating: 1993 PG
I spent some time Sunday afternoon making some cards. I had a few leftover kits from crop night, so I thought I would focus on those. I took a few ideas from...
Book finished: Lessons in French; Roaring Midnight
For one of my February life goals, I aim to watch a movie off our IMDB list everyday. We're starting with a classic...
Family Album: I played around with some embellishments this week. As per usual, I have the weekly highlights inserts and the weekly date insert. I added some...
Macey Gardella is a typical young woman of the Roaring Twenties: she works a job, has her own flat, and loves to dance the Charleston. But when a mysterious...
Before I get to this month's goals, let's check in on January's goals and my progress.
Comments: Finished a huge chunk of Roaring Midnight (only 32 pages to go!).
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I love this comfy comfy look. Everything about this screams comfort. And I would wear every piece of this. I think this would be perfect for running around...
Comments: Finished Lessons in French, started Roaring Midnight. Very excited about both books. And I'm even on target to finish my goals.
Since coming back from Christmas break, I attempted to organize my crafting space. A few weeks later and I'm ready to reveal my area. My space is one half of...
Trevelyan and Callie are childhood sweethearts with a taste for adventure, until the fateful day her father discovers them embracing in the carriage house and,...
Comments: Almost done with Lessons in French (I should finish tomorrow) and started Roaring Midnight on the iPad. So far, I'm really doing better than I...
Character is higher than intellect. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Comments: I completely forgot to update my progress last night. So, I am updating today. I've been reading Lessons in French the past few days. Pretty good...
We're back to our normal routine... Oh wait! No we're not! We've joined three mom's groups and have an activity almost everyday. So excited to socialize...
Such an odd mix of musical genres, but somehow it completely works!
Book finished: High Fidelity; A Room with a View
After a not-so-great Bout of Books earlier in January, I realized that I need to re-evaluate my expectations when it comes to readathons. Gone are the days of...
I'm a little ashamed to say that I want to see this.
I'm starting a new weekly feature highlighting my Project Life pages. My goal is to stay on top of the weeks throughout 2014. Making these posts a weekly...
Rob is a pop music junkie who runs his own semi-failing record store. His girlfriend, Laura, has just left him for the guy upstairs, and Rob is both miserable...
I love the color combo of red and leopard print. I probably would never have the confidence to wear this outfit in public, but I really love it! All of the...
British social comedy examines a young heroine's struggle against strait-laced Victorian attitudes as she rejects the man her family has encouraged her to...
I haven't done one of these post since a little after Arthur was born... Time to get back into the habit.
Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. -- Gen. George Patton
After our first full week back in California, we're getting back into the swing of our routine. We've also restarted our weekly activities.
Who doesn't love Elvis Costello or Mumford & Sons? Definitely not me. This is a great collaboration. And a great medley.
The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama’s call for a different brand of politics—a politics for those weary of bitter partisanshipand alienated by the “endless...
This week's Sunday Sunset covers the first two and a half weeks of 2014.
From Seasons of Reading:
Wrapping up my 2013 Project Life with the last two weeks of December. Since I was in Indiana at the time, I had to wait until January to complete these...
This outfit reminds me of Red Riding Hood. I love the play of pink and red together. In a perfect warm world, I wouldn't add tights to this outfit. But for...
Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye and deny it. -- Garrison Keillor
We're finally back in California. Thank goodness! I really needed to get back to the warmer temperatures, my own bed, and J. Tomorrow is Arthur's 3 month...
We saw The Killers in Dec. 2012 and they were amazing! An incredibly entertaining show. I am really enjoying this song at the moment.
Reading Helpers: Plane ride and a sleepy baby.
Yearly New Year's Resolutions never work very well. They're usually too much, too long, and too ambitious. I decided to take my cue from many other bloggers...
Avery Andrews is her name and directing celebrity telethons after tragedies is her game. But the Northwestern Zombie Outbreak isn't your average tragedy... and...
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon...
From the Book Dragon's Lair:
From The Worm Hole:
From Bookmark to Blog:
From Bookish:
From Books to Share:
Reading Helpers: Caramel cocoa and late nights with baby.
Are you ready for another round of Reading 52 books in 52 Weeks? Whether you are just joining in or continuing on for another round, the rules are very simple....
From My Reader's Block:
From Literary Escapism:
From Peek a Book:
From Workaday Reads:
Overall, I want to focus most of my 2014 reading challenges of knocking out some of my perpetual reading challenges. So I've chosen a few books from each...
From Doing Dewey:
From Reading the Paranormal:
Well Rounded Reader: 25 Books I wanted to have a more specific reading challenge, but I wanted something that could incorporate my owned books. I ran across...
Reading Helpers: A snuggly baby, chocolate peppermint bark, and an Arnold Palmer.
Medium Raw marks the return of the inimitable Anthony Bourdain, author of the blockbuster bestseller Kitchen Confidential and three-time Emmy Award-nominated...
From Book Dragon's Lair:
From Books and Chocolate:
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Arthur and I have been in Indiana visiting with family and friends. We've been so busy, I didn't have much time to do his weekly updates. So, I've combined...
Reading Helpers: Chai Latte and chocolate chip cookies
From Chunkster Reading Challenge:
From Caffeinated Life:
January
From The Book Vixen:
This is my kick off post for the start of the readathon tomorrow. I'm ready to get this thing going. Before the readathon started, I had already started my...
Favorite Books of the Year
I saw this great survey on Erin’s It’s All Happening blog. Check her out!
What’s your ideal Saturday morning? Are you doing those things this morning? Why not? My ideal Saturday morning is full of relaxation. Ideally I would like to...
Look at all these finished challenges! I did good this year...
Now that you’ve got some blogging experience under your belt, re-write your very first post. I’ve started another blog. This one is for me… a place for me to...
First book of 2014... Let's get this party started!
If you were asked to spend a year living in a different location, where would you choose and why? This one is so easy... I would definitely choose Italy. I've...
In January, I am embarking on 30 days of creative writing exercises. I'm behind by one day, but want to catch up tonight or tomorrow.
Not too bad this year. I didn't have a ton of failed challenges... but here they are.
Join us... you know you want to!
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
It's time for my annual blogging break. I'm home in Indiana for Christmas. Looking forward to seeing Arthur's first Christmas with the family. We have a ton...
I completed this challenge back in September by reading 15 books that had been sitting on my shelves for way too long. Some of them has been there for 5+...
Progress so far:
Listening To: Lots of Christmas music on Pandora. I need my fix!
The editing on this video is utterly amazing!
I've finished this one! Woohoo! I really didn't think I was going to make it. I left Vanity Fair until last and it is quite a chunkster. Somehow I finished...
From My Reader's Block:
Last Fashion Friday post of 2013. I felt it was appropriate to do a New Year's themed outfit. The dress is an obvious choice for the shine and dance-ability....
"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." - C.S. Lewis
How I Got It: iBooks free download
How I Got It: I own it!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Look who's 2 whole months old! Seems like yesterday that he arrived and now he's mastering skills left and right.
I've only been at this for a few weeks, but I've already learned so much about what to do and what not to do. My main realization is that I need to make PL...
Since I've finished my 101 Faves series for Music Monday, I thought I would do something complete different. I turned on my iPod, hit shuffle, and recorded my...
How I Got It: I own it!
Progress so far:
How I Got It: I own it!
Okay, not an actual bushel of videos, but here's a few for you to enjoy this week... Just gorgeous.
I don't really have a lot to say about these two books, so I thought I would just do a mini review post.
I won't be blogging at Christmas, so I thought I would create a holiday outfit a few weeks early. I wanted to use red and green, but not overwhelm the outfit....
Progress so far:
Read, read, read. Read everything-trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the mast....
The professional artists and crafters of Studios Magazine give you the tools to create your own one-of-a-kind artistic environment in this best-of compilation....
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Another big week of learning and growth. This kid is like a weed! I've had to retire so many clothe this week because he's just too tall for them. Crazy...
I just really like OneRepublic. It's nothing super different or new, but solid good music. And I'm really digging their new album, Native.
Listening To: Christmas music channels on Pandora. It's after Thanksgiving, which means Christmas music! I love the classic channel on Pandora. It's full of...
How I Got It: Library loan
Follow up from last week's theme of New Mom Comfort. I made another comfy looking outfit. I also apparently love these boots as I used them for my...
From Juliababyjen's Reading Room:
I haven't done one of these in awhile. I guess it's time to clean out my liked posts on Bloglovin' so here we go...
‘Just living is not enough,’ said the butterfly. ‘One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower’." - Hans Christian Anderson
How I Got It: Library loan (book club selection)
So much personality development in the last week. Arthur's finally starting to seem like a little person.
Some highlights of finds from Alt Nation.
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I'm a new mom. Most days you can find me in yoga or comfortable linen pants. If I venture out of the house, I'm still aiming for comfort over style....
I used to do a Thankful post on almost every Thursday. Somehow I've gotten completely off track with those. This thankful list is to make up for all the...
"On the afternoon of the day when her father had refused to buy her the book, Matilda set out by herself to walk to the public library in the village. When she...
How I Got It: I own it!
We made it out of a very bad week. Growth spurt in both a physical and mental sense. It made Arthur a very cranky baby. Now that things have settled, he is...
Since I've finished my 101 Faves series for Music Monday, I thought I would do something complete different. I turned on my iPod, hit shuffle, and recorded my...
Book finished: Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor; The Count of Monte Cristo
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: iPad
Let me lose another 20 pounds or so and I will definitely wear this outfit. It just looks so comfortable and it brings in all the colors of Thanksgiving. I...
How I Got It: iPad read
A house without books is like a room without windows. No man has a right to bring up children without surrounding them with books…. Children learn to read...
With the acquisition of the company, we have to switch insurance. So not happy about this at all! My 6-week post-partum appointment will still be covered...
Really loving some dance music lately. I've been hearing a ton of Zedd and I love Hayley Williams, so together they make a great combination.
Book finished: 100 Days in Deadland; Love and Friendship; The Watsons; The Lace Reader
How I Got It: I own it
The Spell Block Tango! Awesome redo!
This outfit screams 1960s but updated. I love the structured mod pieces combined with more modern lines and accessories. My favorite is definitely the shoes....
I can't believe it's already been a month since Arthur was born. Sometimes in the early morning hours it seems like forever, but overall the time has flown...
Swiss/British philosopher and writer Alain de Botton has come up with a modern list of 10 Commandments for atheists to live by. I often hear that because...
How I Got It: iPad read
"You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice...
To any family members looking for my regular Tuesday Arthur update, I've moved it to Friday to celebrate his 1 month of life.
How I Got It: iPad read
How I Got It: Free Kindle Read
There's a special place in heart for the Arctic Monkeys. They never fail to make me feel good and sing along. Their new album, AM, is just a treasure....
Listening To: Random songs from my iTunes account. Sometimes the juxtapositions kill me.
This movie looks to be exactly something I would pick up...
I used to spend loads of time in coffeehouse to blog or read or just enjoy some quiet time with a cup of coffee. The key to this outfit is comfort. I wanted...
How I Got It: Free Kindle read
With my new method of scrapping, I journal and lay out the spreads every Sunday, but don't print pictures every week. Instead, I will be printing them monthly...
"For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds...
We're still in the midst of a crazy growth spurt. All he seems to want to do is eat...
A collection of random new-to-me music...
Listening To: Random songs from my iTunes account and the iTunes radio 3 of a kind: Mumford and Sons, Of Monsters and Men, and The Lumineers channel. I love...
How I Got It: I own it
This is one of those outfits that I went into thinking something very different. The outcome was a complete surprise. I started with the gorgeous unusual...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I’ve never had a humble opinion. If you’ve got an opinion, why be humble about it? -- Joan Baez
Two weeks in and things are starting to fall into place. We still have frustrating times and I'm extremely sleep deprived. But we've started settling into a...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Since I've finished my 101 Faves series for Music Monday, I thought I would do something complete different. I turned on my iPod, hit shuffle, and recorded my...
Listening To: iTunes radio Chill channel. Arthur really seems to like the channel in the early morning hours. I need to make a couple of lullaby/bedtime...
How I Got It: iPad Read (Book Club Selection)
So adorable! Jimmy Fallon and Sesame Street!
Classic teacher style. I love the basic gray dress with a bit of wing and the timeless mary janes. I had to add this gorgeous blazer (too bad it's so...
With the birth of my third child, I realized that my previous method of scrapbooking was not going to work. Mainly it took too much time and thought. I would...
The gates of Heaven are so easily found when we are little, and they are always standing open to let children wander in. -- J.M. Barrie
It's been one week already! Time flies when you're sleep deprived. But I can say that this week has been amazing. After waiting and waiting, we finally got...
How I Got It: I own it!
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
How I Got It: I own it!
I never really documented the twins' birth story, but I feel like I should write these thoughts down if only for my own personal record. Looking back to the...
Love me some Monty Python and this fake modern trailer is way too funny.
I love Joan Jett's style. As I was flipping through Polyvore, I snagged on this top and just had to pair it with some faux leather pants and fun accessories....
26 Weird Animal Mating Habits from John Green and Mental Floss -- Can I just say how much I love John Green? He is hilarious and informative.
It is through our names that we first place ourselves in the world. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
As this post goes live, I am sitting in the hospital getting ready for my c-section at 1:30pm. Hopefully all goes well and an update will be put on here soon.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
I recently picked up the new The Civil Wars album. And the first song is just amazing. I had to share it with you today. I love the voice combination of Joy...
Book finished: Anansi Boys; Her Ladyship's Companion; The World is Flat; Iron's Prophecy; Lady Susan
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Fashion Friday #34 featuring a pattern play outfit from Polyvore.
How I Got It: iPad read
How I Got It: iPad Read
For all those geography and history geeks out there, I present to you a fascinating look at the border between Canada and the United States.
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: I own it
No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body. -- Margaret Sanger
It's Tuesday, which means another week down and still no baby. I don't think he has any intention of coming out on his own. So, we have another weekly update.
How I Got It: iPad read
Books Read Total: 5+
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
Due to a bug, I still can't upload pics to my blog. I really wanted to share the nursery pictures, but hopefully I can soon. J's working on a way for me to...
Books Read Total: 5
How I Got It: I own it
It's fall! However, I live in Silicon Valley, so I never actually feel fall. I still wanted to celebrate the rich colors and textures of autumn. I...
How I Got It: I own it
Books Read Total: 4
This week's update is coming a day late due to my appointment being a day later than usual. I wanted to get any new information from my check-up before...
Gather what little drops of learning you can, and consider them a great treasure. -- Christine de Pisan
Books Read Total: 3
How I Got It: iPad read
How I Got It: iPad read
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
ear Released/Rating: 2013 R
How I Got It: I own it
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Listening To: Arctic Monkeys AM. "Do I Wanna Know?" popped up on the iTunes Top 100 Alternative channel this week. I completely forgot that AM had a new...
Year Released/Rating: 2001 PG-13
Goals:
How I Got It: Library Loan
Year Released/Rating: 2013 R
How I Got It: iPad read
Year Released/Rating: 2009
How I Got It: Library Loan
Completely breaking with my retro elegance trend, this week I pulled some masculine grunge pieces. This outfit just looks so comfortable! I love the tank and...
Year Released/Rating: 2012 R
Year Released/Rating: 1998 PG-13
Truth is the only safe ground to stand upon. -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Year Released/Rating: 2013 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Better late than never! I completely forgot about this challenge and am excited to find it again. Here are the details from The Musings of a Book Addict:
After reading many articles about the changes in GoodReads' policy, I have decided to close my account. For a well-crafted blog post about the changes and...
Year Released/Rating: 1998 PG-13
Completed today:
What I Did Today:
Year Released/Rating: 2000 PG
Total Pages Read: 2310
Year Released/Rating: 2010
What I Did Today:
How I Got It: iPad read
Following last week's 1950s post, I continue the retro yet modern romance trend. I love this blouse so much! Pairing it with a longer full skirt gives it a...
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG
My second Bloggiesta. I have a huge list of tasks to get my blog ready for the inevitable interruptions that a baby brings. So, mainly back-end changes, but...
Year Released/Rating: 2002 PG-13
My favorite word is “pumpkin”... You can’t take it seriously. But you can’t ignore it either. It takes ahold of your heart and that’s it. You are a...
How I Got It: I own it
Year Released/Rating: 2010 PG-13
Total Pages Read: 1985
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Hmmm... I think I'm done with this pregnancy. I've reached the point in the pregnancy where I'm constantly uncomfortable. Only four more weeks, or less!
Year Released/Rating: 2005 PG
From Seasons of Reading:
I love musical theater! There's something about it that speaks to me. For today's Music Monday, I thought I would share some of my favorite Broadway songs...
Book finished: Bachelor Girl; A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book; Winnie the Pooh; Cotillion
Year Released/Rating: 2005
Year Released/Rating: 2012
Total Pages Read: 1481
How I Got It: I own it
Year Released/Rating: 2011 PG-13
I saw this dress on Polyvore and it just screamed 1950s to me. There's something about the color and the beadwork that reminds of prom dresses of the era. Of...
Year Released/Rating: 2013 R
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG-13
Research tells us that fourteen out of any ten individuals like chocolate. -- Sandra Boynton
How I Got It: Library Loan
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG-13
How I Got It: iPad read
Total Pages Read: 600
How I Got It: I own it!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Some of you may have noticed that I changed the name of my blog. Well, I thought it was time. Back when I was on Wordpress my blog name was Wading Through the...
Year Released/Rating: 2000 R
How I Got It: I own it
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Listening To: Whatever pops up on my iTunes shuffle. It gets pretty eclectic some days.
How I Got It: I own it!
Year Released/Rating: 2012
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Year Released/Rating: 2012 R
From Colorimetry:
Year Released/Rating: 2011
I thought I would jump on the band wagon and style a hipster outfit. I had to pair my classic Chucks with a Grumpy Cat tee and a grungy jacket. Funny thing...
Year Released/Rating: 2010 PG
How I Got It: I own it
Part of my 101 creative writing prompts for my Day Zero Project.If you could spend one day with anyone in history, who would you choose?
Year Released/Rating: 2003 PG-13
Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis--a god cup of coffee. -- Alexander King
Due Date: October 15th, 2013 (at the very latest, he will be coming on October 22nd via C-section)
Year Released/Rating: 2013 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 1979 PG
I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here goes…
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
From Michelle: How does everyone feel about doing a Wheel of Fortune spin for September/October? The premise is to choose 15 books from your list and then on...
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG-13
How I Got It: Library Loan
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I haven't had a month of movie watching since February. I have, of course, watched movies since then, but I thought it would be nice to once again highlight...
Here's my take on a classic little black dress. I love the bit of lace detail and the hem. Of course I had to add a pop of color with those gorgeous red...
From Michelle: How does everyone feel about doing a Wheel of Fortune spin for September/October? The premise is to choose 15 books from your list (see more in...
How I Got It: Library Loan
It's been a couple of weeks since my last Thursday Thanks post. I feel like it's a good time to take a moment and think... Picture: Adorable cardigan and bow...
How I Got It: Own It!
Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea! -- Sydney Smith
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Challenges: None
Listening To: The Faint channel on Pandora. It always goes to very interesting places...
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact....
Reading Helpers: Lots of yogurt, bagels, and juice. My usual breakfast foods.
We may not have warm water in Northern California, but we do have lovely beaches to lounge on. Believe me, I only stick my toes in for a minute. I love this...
When I found The Fantasy Project, I also realized that Michelle had created a nonfiction challenge. How did I not know about these? I lover her seasonal...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Reading Helpers: Mocha and a cranberry scone for breakfast reading at the coffeehouse. Roasted garlic humus and Triscuit crisps for afternoon reading time.
Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow...
How I Got It: I own it!
Reading Helpers: A sesame seed bagel with cream cheese and key lime greek yogurt for breakfast. An Arnold Palmer, chili, and cornbread for dinner. Fitting...
The other day I realized that I haven't done a detailed pregnancy update since the end of my first trimester. I always include a little update in my Sunday...
The list was compiled by Bella (formerly of A Bibliophile's Bookshelf), who currently blogs at A Prairie Girl Reads, and Jo (Ink & Paper) when they held a...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library loan
Reading Helpers: iTunes on shuffle, comfy yoga pants, and a glass of cranberry raspberry flavored carbonated water.
How I Got It: Library Loan
I think it's time to take a bit of a break from my 101 Faves to highlight some awesome new-to-me music. Most of these I found through various Pandora channels...
How I Got It: I own it!
Book finished: Guns, Germs, and Steel; Wedding of the Century; Every Day; The Peach Keeper; Selected Stories of O. Henry
Goals:
How I Got It: I own it!
When it comes to outfits, I tend toward one patterned pieces or all solids. I don't usually have the confidence to mix patterns, but I love seeing people who...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: I own it
Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind, which are delivered down from generation to generation, as presents to the posterity of those who...
How I Got It: I own it!
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
Listening To: It feels like it's been forever since I grabbed any new music. So, I went on iTunes and was immediately drawn to the new The Civil Wars album....
My absolute favorite color on or off the rainbow. I love, love, love me some purple, shades from lavender to deep eggplant. Violet is a nice in between...
How I Got It: iPad Read
I haven't done one of these posts in so long... casualty of a very busy summer. But it's back, so here are my current thanks. Picture: awesome chocolate...
Yes, it's one of the basic truths of the physical universe, Sprocket. Things don't disappear. They just change, and change, and change again. -- Doc from...
How I Got It: I own it
Book finished: The Mark of Athena; A Storm of Swords; The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor; The Bleeding Dusk
It's that time again... my favorite readathon of the year (or multiple times a year). I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to commit to the readathon this...
I love, love, love this outfit! The dress is plain, but made gorgeous with the addition of the belt. The shoes are a nice compliment to the dress. And of...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
How I Got It: I own it
The most sophisticated people I know -- inside they're all children. We never really lost a certain sense we had when we were kids. -- Jim Henson
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
Goals:
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Reading Progress: 238 of The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor
Reading Progress: 287 pages of A Storm of Swords
How I Got It: I own it
I love the color blue, every shade of it. I went into creating this outfit, but thinking I wanted to mix patterns and shades of blue. I'm really happy with...
How I Got It: iPad read
Whenever characters become self-important or sentimental in The Muppets, then there's always another character there to blow them up immediately. -- Frank Oz
Reading Progress: 221 pages of A Storm of Swords
Reading Progress: 80 pages of A Storm of Swords
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Usually for readathons, I have a huge TBR pile and list of goals. Unfortunately, my life is so busy right now that expecting a huge amount of books read this...
Book finished: Rises the Night
This outfit feels very retro to me like something out of the late 1950s or early 60s. I love the simple lines on the dress paired with the pop of accessories....
Continuing the meme, here's Day 12...
My imagination, unbidden, possessed and guided me. -- Mary Shelley
Continuing the meme, here's Day 10...
Continuing the meme, here's Day 9...
How I Got It: I own it
Continuing the meme, here's Day 8...
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
Book finished: Reached; Lost; Vampire for Christmas; The Rest Falls Away
Continuing the meme, here's Day 7...
How I Got It: I own it
From Seasons of Reading:
Continuing the meme, here's Day 6...
How I Got It: iPad read
How I Got It: iPad read
How I Got It: Library loan
Another color that I don't usually have the courage to wear, but it's just so gorgeous. I especially love the fresh look of yellow and white. This outfit...
Continuing the meme, here's Day 5...
How amazing is John Green? (Just a hint: he's super duper amazing) This video is just way too fun... and it's making me crave the various alcoholic drinks he...
Continuing the meme, here's Day 4...
Continuing the meme, here's Day 3...
It had been startling and disappointing to me to find out that story books had been written by people, that books were not natural wonders, coming up of...
Continuing the meme, here's Day 2...
I am so far behind on my blogroll, but I ran across this one and wanted to join up. Beyond my weekly meme posts, I haven't been very creative with my blog...
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Listening To: Lots and lots of Alt Nation and Lithium during our trip. Plus, we listened to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for extra fun.
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: iPad read
I find myself reluctant to wear orange, but this outfit is way too adorable. I love the shoes and the coat. Maybe I should give orange another shot.
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. -- Henry B. Adams
I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here goes…
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Fashion Friday #19 featuring a red-themed outfit from Polyvore.
How I Got It: Loan from a friend
My philosophy is: anyone or anything that gives you knowledge inspires you. -- Gabrielle Reece
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
How I Got It: I own it
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Book finished: Warm Bodies; The Firebrand; Never Let Me Go; A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
How I Got It: I own it!
Sometimes I just love the combination of black and white with a little pop of color. Chucks are my favorite! I had to use red Chucks to accent this very...
How I Got It: I own it
It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else. -- Erma Bombeck
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
It's summer in California. That means art and music festivals This would be the perfect outfit to wear to either. I love the detail on the skirt. The...
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: I own it!
The great difference between voyages rests not in ships but in the people you meet on them. -- Amelia Burr
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Listening To: My huge Pandora shuffle. I've added the Shakira channel to the mix. Just for some extra variety.
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
What I would love to wear to a royal ball. I had to go with a purple dress. And that clutch is to die for!
How I Got It: I own it
Friends and wine should be old. -- Spanish Proverb
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
How I Got It: I own it!
I figured I should finally dedicate posts to my card crafting and scrapbooking. Over the past two weeks, I've done a lot of crafting. My first task was to...
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
Listening To: Pandora mix at work. But I haven't really had much time to do that even with all the meetings and interruptions.
How I Got It: I won it
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Georgiana isn't a flashy person, but she definitely has her own style. She's young, rich, and quirky. I love the lace top contrasted with the Chucks and...
If we would build on a sure foundation in friendship, we must love our friends for their sakes, rather than for our own. -- Charlotte Bronte
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
How I Got It: iPad read
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
It doesn't matter what the event is, Caroline Bingley must be elegant. I had to pick something feminine and dressy for Caroline to wear. While I would never...
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my first Thankful...
How I Got It: Own It!
How I Got It: I own it!
Hear the meaning within the word. -- William Shakespeare
Amanda Palmer how I love thee...
Total pages read: 1230
Listening To: The new Fall Out Boy album. I like them a little too much. I think I have a problem. Oh well...
Total pages read: 1165
How I Got It: Library Loan
Rick and his group learn the dangers of living behind the safety of the Community walls, and much worse: what happens when those walls give way to those...
Kittty's not as crazy as Lydia, but she still tries to imitate Lydia. So I chose pieces that reflect Lydia's outfit, but a bit toned down. I love this dress!...
Total pages read: 912
Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world. -- Eleanor Roosevelt
Total pages read: 608
I failed the last one (part 11) by one book! I am determined to finish this one. I've already got two finished in the first week of May. Woohoo! Here's the...
This hardcover features another 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues all in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time...
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
How I Got It: Library loan
Here we go again... for the seventh time and it hasn't gotten old. I love this readathon. I love having a week to focus on my reading. I love the twitter...
Happy Mother's Day!!!
How I Got It: Library Loan
Awww... Lydia. The wild child in the Bennet family. I had to pick something outrageous for her to wear. The longer I look at this outfit, the more I am...
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my Thankful...
I ran across this idea on At Random, I followed her links to Kapachino’s original post. This month’s topic is “with me at all times.” I took this both...
"The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the services of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Can I tell you how much I love the Arctic Monkeys? Bunches and bunches and bunches. I can't even express how much I love them. For today's Music Monday, I...
Listening To: Random channels on Pandora. It's to slightly drown out the other customer service department at work. I end up listening to them instead of...
How I Got It: Library loan
Mary is fairly background. She doesn't like to stand out. She prefers to read or play piano. So, I picked an outift that feels very basic to me. I...
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
I ran across this idea on Kapachino who got the idea from The Literary Wife. I love the concept of trying to focus on the positives on life. And I am going...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
The historian does simply not come in to replenish the gaps of memory. He constantly challenges even those memories that have survived intact. -- Yosef Hayim...
Published: 1911
Some of the videos I loved this week...
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
How I Got It: I own it
Listening To: Lots of Pandora shuffle and Nerdist podcast this week. I also finally picked up the new Jack White and Paramore albums. Liking them so far, but...
Lizzie is not quite as demure as Jane, but definitely not as wild as Lydia or Kitty. But overall, she has a very quirky sense of style. Polished, but funky....
Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you give it away. -- William White
I love musical theater! There's something about it that speaks to me. For today's Music Monday, I thought I would share some of my favorite Broadway songs...
Listening To: More of The Nerdist podcast. I love to listen during those non-higher function tasks at work.
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: Library loan
A mini series within Fashion Friday. I decided to create outfits based on the women of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I'm starting with Jane. Jane is a...
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my Thankful...
The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are going. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
While sifting through all our music, I came across a ton of songs (over 1000) that I wanted to add to my 101 Favorite Songs list. I had to narrow it down. As...
How I Got It: Library loan
Listening To: The Nerdist podcasts during my downtime at work or when I don't really need my brain focused on the task. Too hilarious! Must keep up with this.
How I Got It: I own it!
A little bit about me for you today... Available or married: Neither, but committed to a partner.
Somehow this screams Florence Welch to me. I love the bohemian vibe with the subtle hints of color. The hat brings the entire outfit together. Love it!
How I Got It: iPad read
I use not only all the brains I have, but all I can borrow. -- Woodrow Wilson
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
I'm starting a pregnancy journal to chronicle the ups and downs of trying to have another child. This post is a large wrap-up for my first trimester. I just...
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Overall, a not very exciting week. I did a ton of things with the boys, but nothing crazy or out of the ordinary. Just spent time with Indiana people. I do...
How I Got It: iPad read
I love the freshness of this outfit. Summer in my part of California is warm, but not scorchingly hot. We love our layers around here. The pants look so...
I ran across this idea on Kapachino who got the idea from The Literary Wife. I love the concept of trying to focus on the positives on life. And I am going...
Time is the coin of your life. Only you can determine how it will be spent. -- Carl Sandburg
I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here goes…
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
Something a bit different for Music Monday today. Instead of a single song or a group of songs for 101 Faves, I decide to feature the music of Across the...
Listening To: At work, I sit in the customer service area. It can get a bit loud at times. Therefore, I have been enjoying Pandora during my basic tasks to...
Richard Mayhew is a young man with a good heart and an ordinarylife, which is changed forever when he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London...
I woud never wear this outfit. Okay, I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing this outfit. I would have to lose 30 pounds and somehow get better legs. But I must...
It's Spring Break in Indiana and that means drinks and parties... Oh wait! Wrong life! Spring Break means time with the family and more importantly the...
Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all. -- Emily Dickinson
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Book finished: The Doomsday Vault, Coraline
This is an outfit that I would wear everyday. I love the easy nature of jeans and a fun shirt (in this case, a fun dress). Short dresses are usually too...
How I Got It: I own it
It's my twins' birthday week! I decided to do a post for each of them, thinking how they have grown in their 10 years on this earth. Alex was...
How I Got It: Library loan
It's my twins' birthday week! I decided to do a post for each of them, thinking how they have grown in their 10 years on this earth. Nick was...
If you treat people right, they will treat you right ninety percent of the time. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Two somebodies that I know are turning 10! Okay, so my beautiful twin boys are those somebodies. Ten years ago today, I gave birth to two crazy boys that...
Hey everybody! It's time for another giveaway. I have a box of books just sitting here waiting to leave the house. I reach in and pull one out to offer to...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Books Read: 3+
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Books Read: 3
Listening To: Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra "Theatre is Evil" -- I'm a bit obsessed with this album this week.
How I Got It: I own it!
Books Read: 2+
Books Read: 2
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Birthday present for me!
Claiming Wading Through the Ocean of Life on Bloglovin.
I've been gravitating to flowy romantic pieces lately. How adorable is this top? I love that the florals are completely "in your face flowers" but have a...
From Kimba:
Here are some videos I've had on repeat this week: Much Ado About Nothing trailer. OMG! Must see this movie!
To acquire knowledge, one must study, but to acquire wisdom, one must observe. -- Marilyn vos Savant
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Book finished: Morrigan's Cross, Death: At Death's Door, The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead, Dance of the Gods
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: Library Loan
Year Released/Rating: 2004 R
Year Released/Rating: 2007 R
I'm such a girl. I love pretty dresses and shoes. And yet, I never wear them. For this week's fashion Friday, I thought I would make an Oscar worthy outfit....
Year Released/Rating: 2002 R
Year Released/Rating: 2012 R
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my Thankful...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Year Released/Rating: 2010 R
Year Released/Rating: 2007 R
Poetry is the kind of thing poets write. -- Robert Frost
Year Released/Rating: 2004 R
Year Released/Rating: 2002 R
Year Released/Rating: 2005 R
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Year Released/Rating: 2004 R
Year Released/Rating: 1968
I ran across this idea on At Random, I followed her links to Kapachino’s original post. This month’s topic is “I’m good at.” We can all stand to have a little...
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
It's my birthday week (the big day is actually tomorrow). And since we never really do anything for my birthday, I'm throwing myself a birthday week zombie...
How I Got It: I own it!
Book finished: The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Complete Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales, Crossed, Locke and Key Volume 5, A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel,...
How I Got It: Library Loan
I ran across this idea on Kapachino who got the idea from The Literary Wife. I love the concept of trying to focus on the positives on life. And I am going...
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.
I can see wearing this one if I had better legs (hardy har har). The top is flirty and feminine, but the shorts are really the focal point. I love the sailor...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: I own it
Year Released/Rating: 1996 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 2001
Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. -- Mother Teresa
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG-13
How I Got It: iPad download
How I Got It: Library loan
Year Released/Rating: 2011 R
Year Released/Rating: 2012 R
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs from my...
Listening To: Lots of Arctic Monkeys. A few bloggers I follow have mentioned them in the past week and suddenly I had a hankering for some AM. One of the new...
Year Released/Rating: 2003
Year Released/Rating: 2006 R
How I Got It: I own it
I'm kicking off a new series here on my blog. Fridays are now Fashion Fridays... I love fashion, but am never comfortable with pictures of myself. Instead,...
Year Released/Rating: 1985 PG
How I Got It: I own it
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my Thankful...
Year Released/Rating: 2011 PG-13
Never ruin an apology with an excuse. -- Kimberly Johnson
Year Released/Rating: 2010 R
Year Released/Rating: 2010 R
How I Got It: I own it!
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Book finished: Windfall, 300, The Forgotten Garden, Terror by Night, Firestorm
This isn't a movie per se, but I needed some comedy tonight and we couldn't easily find a comedy I hadn't seen. So we turned to Netflix and I do like Ansari...
Year Released/Rating: 2011 R
How I Got It: I own it
Year Released/Rating: 1954
Time read today: 5 hours 41 minutes
Year Released/Rating: 1979 PG
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: I own it
Year Released/Rating: 2007
Memory is a shield, the only shield we have. -- Elie Wiesel
Year Released/Rating: 2011 R
Time read today: 3 hours 7 minutes + 25 minutes + 4 hours 23 minutes
How I Got It: I own it
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Year Released/Rating: 2010 R
How I Got It: I own it
Another cover themed edition of Music Monday. I have a little place in my heart for Fleetwood Mac. I think it has to do with hearing them as a child. Their...
Year Released/Rating: 2011
Listening To: Spotify and 8tracks. My mom sent me a link to an 8track playlist of Doctor Who music. Love it! It's been on repeat all week.
Year Released/Rating: 2009 R
Time read today: 4 hours 10 minutes + 32 minutes
How I Got It: I own it
How I Got It: Borrowed from a friend (for informal book club selection)
Year Released/Rating: 2007
Instead of updating everyday, I'm going to update once every couple of days or so.
Year Released/Rating: 2005 TV
How I Got It: We own it
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my first Thankful...
Year Released/Rating: 1977 PG
If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. -- Andy Rooney
From My Shelf Confessions:
Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 2009
How I Got It: Own It!
I ran across this idea on At Random, I followed her links to Kapachino's original post. This month's topic is "perfect day." I decided to write up an ideal...
The tights and capes have been stored away forever, but it remains to be seen if Haven and its refugee inhabitants have survived the onslaught of. Where do the...
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Year Released/Rating: 2011 PG-13
Editors: Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O'Shea
Listening To: Spotify. I've been loving finding new and old songs to add to a few playlists. I love the randomness of many of the playlists. Currently I am...
Year Released/Rating: 2008 R
This past week I went a little crazy. I intended to sit down and make a card of two, and ended up much more than two cards. My goal was to use scraps laying...
Year Released/Rating: 2011 TV Movie
Hop on over to Booksessed and The Book Cellar to participate.
I ran across this idea on Kapachino who got the idea from The Literary Wife. I love the concept of trying to focus on the positives on life. And I am going...
How I Got It: I own it
How I Got It: I own it!
Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
How I Got It: I own it!
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Time read today: 3 hours 7 minutes
This week has been ridiculously slow. I went to the library (movies and returns only). I visited the coffeehouse. I helped out a friend with an event. I...
I have two month-long challenges to highlight today. First up the book related one...
Time read today: 4 hours 26 minutes
How I Got It: Free Amazon Book
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my first Thankful...
Even from a dark night, songs of beauty can be born. -- Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey
How I Got It: I own it!
Time read today: 2 hours 50 minutes
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Time read today: 2 hours 45 minutes + 1 hour 7 minutes + 32 minutes
This is a reposted review since I was reading Persuasion for a readalong and my own enjoyment.
How I Got It: Library Loan (Book Club Selection)
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
Listening To: Not much music being listening to this week. Although I did have The Killers Battle Born on repeat...
How I Got It: I own it!
From Michelle at Seasons of Reading:
From Reading with Tequila:
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my first Thankful...
From Kristilyn at Reading in Winter:
From 52 Books in 52 Weeks:
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. -- Dr. Seuss
To sign up you MUST make a post on your blog about participating in the challenge. Please feel free to use the banner above, however, a link via the image back...
The aim of The Eclectic Reader 2013 Challenge is to push you outside your comfort zone by reading up to 12 books during the year from 12 different categories.
How I Got It: I own it!
From Doing Dewey:
As part of my ongoing Day Zero Project, I've made a list of my favorite 101 songs of all time. To help cut down on the possibilities, I took songs only from...
This is my weekly wrap-up post for life and bookish concerns. After a few weeks on vacation back in Indiana, I'm back in California and looking forward to...
Time read today: 3 hours 42 minutes
How I Got It: I own it
From Books a True Story:
From On a Book Bender:
Time read today: 4 hours 14 minutes
Hosted by Gina at Book Dragon's Lair
How I Got It: I own it
From Fikshun:
How I Got It: I own it
Time read today: 4 hours 5 minutes
From My Reader's Block:
The 2013 Ebook Challenge. Encouraging readers to expand past just physical books to embrace ebooks in all forms, whether on Kindle, Kobo, computer, or any...
Time read today: 2 hours 47 minutes
The world will end on Saturday. Next Saturday. Just before dinner, according to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the world's only...
From Peek a Book:
From Bookmark to Blog:
I came back to California a few days ago, but I thought I would share some of my vacation highlights. I"ve spent almost three weeks in my hometown hanging out...
Time read today: 3 hours 50 minutes
How I Got It: I own it
How I Got It: I own it; Ebook form
From Beth Fish Reads:
From Literary Escapism:
Our real blessings often appear to us in the shapes of pains, losses, and disappointments, but let us have patience, and we soon shall see them in their proper...
I'll be posting winners of my Cover Challenge tomorrow morning...
From Graphic Novels Challenge:
From The Book Cellar:
Now updated to include winners...
Time read today: 1 hour 13 minutes
I've been working my way through Jane Austen's novels (for the fourth or fifth time in my life). This year I wanted to finish the rereads (Mansfield Park,...
I ran across this idea on At Random, I followed her links to Kapachino's original post. This month's topic is "Looking forward." I decided to take that as...
As I was going through all the songs on our server (thousands), I realized that I have quite a few versions of this song. Why is that? Oh yeah, It's just an...
Hosted at The Bookworm:
I really fell in love with Neil Gaiman's writing last year when I finally picked up his Sandman series. I had read Coraline and Stardust in the past, but...
Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Locke & Key unwinds into its fourth volume in Keys to the Kingdom! With more keys making themselves known, and the depths of...
I saw this great survey on Erin's It's All Happening blog. Check her out! I would add pictures to this, but I don't really have the time or patience right...
I'm doing this one again this year. And I hope to add some of the optional categories into my reading. I haven't chosen my books yet, but I'm sure they will...
From Historical Tapestry:
January
The dead plot against the living, the darkness closes in on Keyhouse, and a woman is shattered beyond repair, in the third storyline of the Eisner-nominated...
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
From An Armchair by the Sea:
Challenge Rules:
I have very specific goals for 2013.
Following a shocking death that dredges up memories of their father's murder, Kinsey and Tyler Locke are thrown into choppy emotional waters, and turn to their...
Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them, and home to a...
From Blog of Erised:
5 Point Challenges
From Megan Like Books:
How I Got It: I won it! An ARC
From A Daydreamer's Thoughts:
From Bookmark to Blog:
Favorite Books of the Year
We are in Tehran in 1958, and Nasser Ali Khan, one of Iran’s most revered tar players, discovers that his beloved instrument is irreparably damaged. Though he...
First review of 2013!!!!
From Book Dragon's Lair:
From Ready When You Are, C.B.:
Hosted at Bookish Ardour:
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our...
Books Read and Reviewed (21 books)
I hear 2013 calling my name. I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts. In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year....
I hear 2013 calling my name. I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts. In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year....
I hear 2013 calling my name. I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts. In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year....
On Christmas day I received a surprise gift from Wordpress.com, a suspension of my (old) blog. Yep, a suspension! I logged in like usual to work on some...
The other day I had a random suspension of my original blog. No warning, no explanation, no way to contact other than a generic email. So I freaked out, then...
It's that time of year, when I leave the blogosphere for a few weeks. I love taking this time to decompress, organize, reflect, and plan ahead. I will also...
Listening To: Enjoying the last of the Christmas music, although our local radio channels just play the same 20 Christmas songs over and over. I have to...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
From Unputdownables:
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: iBooks free download
How I Got It: I own it
I want nothing in the world but myself to protect me and I won't lie down, roll over, and die. -- Aida There'd be no ties of time and space to bind me and no...
How I Got It: I own it!
It's December. Time to pull out the holiday music. I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols. I've even pinpointed my favorite versions...
Listening To: After the Not So Silent Night concert last week, I finally downloaded the Imagine Dragons cd. And I absolutely loved it! I'm so disappointed...
I signed up for The Reading Fever's Ornament Exchange this year. I love all these gift exchanges this time of the year. I received Diana @ Book Adventures...
Time read today: 4 hours 10 minutes
How I Got It: I own it
Time read today: 2 hours 10 minutes
How I Got It: I own it!
Time read today: 0
Life is a romantic business. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Time read today: 1 hour 37 minutes
I signed up for two different book exchanges this fall. I've received my books, so it's time to send back some thank you love to the senders!
I've recently read a few nonfiction books, but just didn't have enough to say about them for full reviews. So here's my mini reviews:
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Time read today: 3 hours 58 minutes
Robert started 101 Books as a way to document his goal of reading Time Magazine's Top 100 Novels (since 1923). I decided this was a worthwhile reading...
It's December. Time to pull out the holiday music. I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols. I've even pinpointed my favorite versions...
Listening To: Instead of the usual listening to, I wanted to highlight what we did last night. J's boss gave him two free tickets to Live 105's Not So Silent...
Starting line post for the Book Club Bash Readathon.
Time read today: 3 hours 45 minutes
Time read today: 1 hour 25 minutes
Time read today: 1 hour 59 minutes + 3 hours 35 minutes
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: Library loan
Time read today: 1 hour
How I Got It: J owns it
A fun music post to brighten your day.
Shut the door -- not that it lets in the cold, but that it lets out the coziness. -- Mark Twain
Time read today: 1 hour 34 minutes
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Time read today: 6 hours 40 minutes + 45 minutes
Edited by: Smith Magazine
How I Got It: I own it
It's December. Time to pull out the holiday music. I thought I would share my all-time favorite Christmas carols. I've even pinpointed my favorite versions...
Time read today: 52
How I Got It: I own it
I didn't post last Sunday as I was visiting family back in Indiana. I'm back home and ready to blog a bit more...
Books Read and Reviewed (16 books)
From the Book Drunkard:
How I Got It: Own it
Did nothing in particular and did it very well. -- W.S. Gilbert
How I Got It: I own it!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
One of my old favorite songs. I can't not sing along when this song pops up on my shuffle. It's a beautiful song. Plus you get a beautiful video and a live...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Remember the time years ago when you would faithfully make a Christmas list. For me, I loved going through the Sears catalog circling the items I wanted. My...
How I Got It: J owns it
How I Got It: I own it
For all you Thanksgiving families out there, Enjoy your day! Eat some great food! Give thanks for all you have. I know I will...
How I Got It: I own it
It is extraordinary how music sends us back to the memories of the past, and it is the same with smells. -- George Sands
Care to join me? Click the picture above!
I finished three Shakespeare plays this week, and I have to say that I need a Shakespeare break. The first two plays were just so-so for me. Othello is...
Here's an uplifting song for you today. I hope that every day you feel down there's some one there to stay with you until the rain passes. I added an audio...
I must say that isn't my favorite Shakespeare play. It was good, but something just didn't click with me. After thinking on it awhile, I think I've decided...
I'm writing this Sunday Salon on Saturday as I will be traveling all day Sunday. I'm heading back east in case you missed the post yesterday. Going to see...
I'm off to Indiana to see the family for the holiday season. I'm sure there will be lots of food, lots of laughs, and lots of flowers (in the shop). I'm...
How I Got It: I own it
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library. -- Jorge Luis Borges
How I Got It: I own it!
Still 'round the corner there may wait, a new road or a secret gate. -- J.R.R. Tolkien
"Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." -- PJ O'Rourke
Any time I'm feeling a bit down, I just pop on Relient K and suddenly I feel tons better. Their lyrics are complicated and deep, but the music is infectious....
How I Got It: I own it!
Listening To: I made it all the way through our music. I've narrowed the list down to ~350 songs, which need to be narrowed to 101 songs. This is the really...
From Stories Inside:
Check out Part 1 here. Part 2: The Office aka the most dreaded room in the house.
I found this wonderful article the other day and thought it would be great to turn this into a reading challenge. So I'm adding it as a perpetual reading...
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my first Thankful...
This is one of those classics that I just never got around to reading, and it's all because of Wuthering Heights. I read Wuthering Heights back in high school...
How I Got It: I own it!
Every production of genius must be the production of enthusiasm. -- Benjamin Disraeli
I signed up for an upcoming blog hop giveaway... Look interesting? Join me. If not, keep it on the calendar and lookout for some great books up for grabs.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: I own it!
I can't believe that I've never highlighted this song on the blog. I absolutely adore her voice and her whole sound. It's so quirky but easily to connect to....
Listening To: I'm finally into the L's. Still rediscovering some great music. My current new (again) favorite is KT Tunstall. I especially love her acoustic...
Books Read and Reviewed (12 books)
Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in. -- Amy Lowell
How I Got It: J owns it!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Not a real happy song, but I love the moody atmosphere of this entire album. (Whisper House) The album is a bit of a concept album with interlocking stories...
Listening To: I've made it to the Js in my review all the music we own. Who knew there were so many J's in our account? Slowly slowly. I did rediscover my...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Here's a few great videos that I've been enjoying in the past week: Ellen and the Bic for Her nonsense
Back in high school, I kept a quote notebook. Anytime I ran across an interesting or funny quote I would put it in the book. I eventually filled that...
I came across Stitch Fix on Loop Looks (check her out!). For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items. Then, you try everything on and...
How I Got It: Library Loan
To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful. -- Gaston Bachelard
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Instead the usual music monday post, I just grabbed a few songs that I am dying over right now. Some are new, some are old, all are much loved by me. Enjoy!
How I Got It: Loan from a friend
How I Got It: I own it!
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. -- e.e. cummings
I know their song "Ho Hey" is huge right now. And I dearly love it. But since I've already featured it twice on my blog, I thought I would highlight my...
Listening To: Lots of Mumford, Florence, and The Lumineers. Basically this has been my soundtrack for the last few weeks.
How I Got It: I own it!
Second check-in for the Mixing It Up Reading Challenge.
Do you ever stop one day and want to throw out almost everything you own? I do. I felt that urge this week. I recently started contract tutoring part time....
The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
The sky is the daily bread of the eyes. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: I own it!
This is one of those iconic songs. I love the conversation between the people in the song. It's musical storytelling at its finest. Enjoy today's blast from...
Time read today and yesterday: 2 hours 39 minutes
Listening To: Lots of rediscovered music. Currently loving Jack's Mannequin, Ingrid Michaelson, and Howie Day.
How I Got It: I won it
Time read today: 1 hour 59 minutes (fighting to survive) + 3 hours 21 minutes (siege)
How I Got It: I won it
Sign-up for a perpetual reading challenge based on a Book Riot list of 21st century literature by women.
Time read today: 3 hours 5 minutes (the first days) + 1 hour 32 minutes (fighting to survive)
How I Got It: I won it
Time read today: 1 hour 40 minutes
How I Got It: Own It!
Stories are like fairy gold, the more you give away, the more you have. -- Polly McGuire
Time read today: 1 hour 55 minutes
How I Got It: I own it!
Books Read and Reviewed (15 books)
Time read today: 3 hours 3 minutes
I'm so excited for the release of Amanda Palmer's new cd. I know this isn't just her, but I had to highlight one of my favorite songs involving her. This...
What I did today:
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
From Seasons of Reading:
Listening To: A ton of new music including Mumford & Sons, Ben Folds Five, The Lumineers and Needtobreathe. I keep putting those on repeat over and over...
What I did today: After the crazy progress that was yesterday, I figured today would include a slump. But I did finish writing my HP reviews last night and...
I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here...
Because there are two movies, I tend to think about this book in two parts. So I am splitting my review into two parts corresponding with the break in movies....
Because there are two movies, I tend to think about this book in two parts. So I am splitting my review into two parts corresponding with the break in movies....
I am amazed that I got through this many points today. Granted they were probably the easiest and quickest points on the master list. Now on to the...
This is my first time joining Bloggiesta. Before now, I just didn't have much to my blog. Now my blog has grown and grown. I think I have some projects...
I'm so excited to be joining this exchange today!!!! I love getting and giving books. This just seems like the perfect way to connect with other readers and...
Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength. -- Ralph W. Sockman
Very excited to add this challenge to my year end push. I have over 50 books to read to complete all the challenges I signed up for. I know all those won't...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
We interrupt the regularly scheduled Music Monday posts to highlight a new and amazing music video! For all of you born in the early 1980s... I give you...
Last night, J left for Romania for a two week work trip. (Part of the engineering team is in Cludj.) So I am all alone for two weeks with not much to do. I...
Progress checkpoint for the Mount TBR Reading Challenge.
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Seek the wisdom of age, but look at the world through the eyes of a child. -- Ron Wild
How I Got It: Library Loan
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music. Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet. Today, I...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
Listening To: More forgotten cds... almost completed the upload.
For the first time in a few weeks, I woke up, showered, and dressed early enough to head down to the farmer's market. Have I told you how amazing my local...
For whatever reason, this week I have been a crafting maniac... This maybe because I am getting excited for the holidays. I got this crazy idea in my head to...
If ignorance is bliss, then knock the smile off my face. -- Rage Against the Machine "Settle for Nothing"
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: I own it!
Saturday, I woke up to a sore throat and some sinus pressure. Sunday, I couldn't breath. I am officially sick with the worst cold that I have had in at least...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: The last of my cds being put onto the server. Lots and lots of music to enjoy. Now I can get rid of another huge box. Plus, I sold some of my...
How I Got It: I own it!
From It's All About Books and There's a Book:
Taking an account of my life centered posts lately, I've been in a bit of a funk. So I thought I would lighten it up just a bit. I originally wrote this...
There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors. -- Jim Morrison
Time read today: 2 hour 10 minutes
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Time read today: 1 hour 46 minutes
When supernatural artifacts from the Homelands begin surfacing in the modern world, it falls to Cinderella, Fabletown's best kept (and best dressed) secret...
SUPER DUPER EXCITED! This is my 1000th blog post! I didn't think I would get to this point when I started and now I'm here... On to the next 1000 post!
Time read today: 1 hour 43 minutes
Books Read and Reviewed (10 books)
Play
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
Time read today: 2 hour 37 minutes
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
My Facebook status today: While in the bathroom, I glanced into the dirty laundry basket. 3 out of the 5 items are striped shirts... I may have a problem. I...
I admit that my view of this play is colored by the amazing tv production that was Rome. I can't ever hear about Marc Antony or Cleopatra now without thinking...
So my mom bought a flower shop... Yeah! Craziness. Or maybe not that crazy. She was a florist for years before getting into the medical field. Now all...
Quote Wednesday is back. I didn't mean to take a break, but with the medical issues, it just seemed to be too much of an effort. My brain was so fried with...
From Letters Inside Out:
How I Got It: Own it
Play
Play
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
I didn't post a Sunday Salon last week due to my ill health. Thankfully I'm getting back on track.
How I Got It: Own It!
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. This week's thankfulness... Medical...
How I Got It: I own it!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Day 7 Update:
WARNING: This post contains very personal tragic news. It also contains graphic descriptions... I initially didn't want to write this post, but then I thought...
Total Pages Read: 326
How I Got It: I own it!
Total Pages Read: 143
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Book finished: The Wizard of Oz; The Golden Compass
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Published: 1900
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
I came across Stitch Fix on Loop Looks (check her out!). For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items. Then, you try everything on and...
Book finished: Ashfall and Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
How I Got It: Netgalley
Books Read and Reviewed (17 books)
The cruelest dream, reality. -- The Offspring
Sign up over at Roof Beam Reader.
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Very excited about this one from Unputdownables. Check it out and join us.
Listening To: Lots and lots of Alt Nation on Sirius X and Mumford and Sons (can't wait until September for their new album!)
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
It's official. We found out on Friday that we're going to have a baby. 9 weeks along. Due date: March 1st. So this explains my horrid health for the last...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. -- HL Menchen
Comments: I failed the last three days of the readathon. I just didn't get around to reading at all. We had way too many family activities taking up my time.
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music. Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet. Today, I...
Book finished: Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice, Hater
The boys are here! Now on to the fun. I thought it would be a easier to do a week in review for all of our summer adventures.
How I Got It: Library Loan
Time Read Today: 3 minutes 16 minutes
How I Got It: Library Loan
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. This week's thankfulness...
Time Read Today: 39 minutes
The nation that destroys its soul destroys itself. -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness...
Time Read Today: 1 hour 54 minutes
Time Read Today: 2 hours 58 minutes
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Goals:
How I Got It: Library Loan
High Summer Readathon at Seasons of Reading starts tomorrow!!! Have you signed up? Get on over there and get going. I'll be posting my goals early tomorrow...
How I Got It: Library Loan
The boys are here! Now on to the fun. I thought it would be a easier to do a week in review for all of our summer adventures. Sunday:
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: free iBook download
Time Read Today: 1 hour 44 minutes
The value of life lies not in the length of days but in the use of them. -- Montaigne. The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we...
Time Read Today: 2 hours 6 minutes
Time Read Today: 1 hour 50 minutes
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Goals:
Book finished: Persepolis 1; Persepolis 2; Sandman Vol. 4; Sandman Vol. 5; Adrianna's Fairy Tales; Rebel Angels; Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
How I Got It: I own it!
The boys are here! Now on to the fun. I thought it would be a easier to do a week in review for all of our summer adventures. Week two in the past:
How I Got It: I own it!
It's time for sign ups for the third annual Once Upon a Readathon! I can't believe this read-a-thon has now been running three years but I'm excited to get...
How I Got It: Library loan
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. This week's thankfulness...
How I Got It: Free ebook from iBook store
How I Got It: Library loan
I came across Stitch Fix on Loop Looks (check her out!). For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items. Then, you try everything on and...
If I had to live my life over again, I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. -- Nadine Stair Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: Library loan
I haven't done one of these yet because frankly I'm scared to. I've been reading a ton this year, but a whole chunk has been library books. Oh well. Here we...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Books Read and Reviewed (17 books)
Book finished: Shadow Kiss; The Lost Hero; Intentions of the Earl; The Sandman Vol. 3
How I Got It: Library loan
The boys are here! Now on to the fun. I thought it would be a easier to do a week in review for all of our summer adventures. Week two in the past:
How I Got It: Own it in ebook form
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: I own it!
Nothing is interesting if you're not interested. -- Helen Macinness
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: Into the Js, but now we have a problem. The music was taking up too much of my hard drive. So J pushed it onto the server to free up space. I...
How I Got It: Own it! (in pretty hardcover no less)
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
The boys are here! Now on to the fun. I thought it would be a easier to do a week in review for all of our summer adventures. Week two in the past:
How I Got It: Library Loan
I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here goes...
After all, there is but one race--humanity. -- George Moore
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
How I Got It: I own it!
Listening To: Still in the Gs. However the boys and I have been rocking the Pandora Mumford and Sons channel all week. They're really getting into it.
The boys are here! Now on to the fun. I thought it would be a easier to do a week in review for all of our summer adventures. Week one in the past: Tuesday:
A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever. - Jessamyn West
How I Got It: J owns it
When we moved in April, my original idea was to get a job ASAP. Unfortunately that didn't happen quickly. And then I realized that the boys would be coming...
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music. Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet. Today, I...
I came across Stitch Fix on Loop Looks (check her out!). For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items. Then, you try everything on and...
Listening To: Made it into the Gs... but have slightly stalled. I did really dig rediscovering Garbage and Gin Blossoms. They take me back.
Last week, I was on a roll. I was reading books left and right. I was diving straight in and not coming up for air until they were done. I was so excited...
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. This week's thankfulness...
How I Got It: J owns it
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: My first iBook purchase!
"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet." -- Plato
How I Got It: Library Loan
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: Library loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: I'm through the Fs. Only 20 more letters and thousands of songs to go...
How I Got It: Library loan
Books Read and Reviewed (13 books)
How I Got It: I own it!
I found this wonderful meme idea on Ruby Bastille. I thought it would be a great way to share my life with my readers. So here we go with my first Thankful...
How I Got It: Library Loan
I have never seen a greater monster or miracle than myself. -- Montaigne
How I Got It: Own it! (in pretty hardcover no less)
#12 on my Day Zero Project is to watch all of the James Bond movies. I haven't seen that many of the old ones. Thankfully, we own all of them. I insisted...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: More iTunes. I'm currently up to the Es. This is going to take awhile. But on a good note, I am rediscovering some great music that I already...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library loan
How I Got It: I own it!
"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise." -- Sigmund Freud
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Today’s Progress:
Listening To: Continuing with my iTunes collection. I'm up to the Ds now.
Day 6 progress update for the Bout of Books Readathon 4.0.
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters expands the original text of the beloved Jane Austen novel with all-new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi,...
Day 5 progress update for the Bout of Books Readathon 4.0.
How I Got It: Library loan
Day 4 progress update for the Bout of Books Readathon 4.0.
How I Got It: I won it!
Day 3 progress update for the Bout of Books Readathon 4.0.
"The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid." -- J.D....
Day 2 progress update for the Bout of Books Readathon 4.0.
How I Got It: Own it!
How I Got It: I own it!
Day 1 progress update for the Bout of Books Readathon 4.0.
How I Got It: Library loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: My entire iTunes library of 9400 (nice round number!) for my Day Zero Project of 101 Favorite Songs. It's so hard to pick and not get confused....
We've been here in Sunnyvale, CA for a week now and I haven't done any posts about our new life. I feel like I should rectify this. I decided to do some...
I don't think I've ever discussed my personal politics on this blog. I have them, but either I am surrounded by people who share my beliefs or I'm in...
I can't believe we're starting the fourth Bout of Books Readathon! I remember when this one started. I love the easy pace, longer time span, and love from...
"The great thing about fantasy is that you can drag dreams and longings and hopes and fears and strivings out of your subconscious and call them 'magic' or...
How I Got It: I own it!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: Alt Nation driving across the country. That goodness for sateillite radio!
Just about everyone knows a family like the Radleys. Many of us grew up next door to one. They are a modern family, averagely content, averagely dysfunctional,...
How I Got It: I own it!
"Some people are beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are." -- Markus Zusak I am the Messenger
We're on our way. We're heading to California to start a slightly modified life. Excited as it may be, we've got a lot of ground to cover. I thought you...
Books Read and Reviewed (12 books)
From I'm Loving Books:
We're on our way. We're heading to California to start a slightly modified life. Excited as it may be, we've got a lot of ground to cover. I thought you...
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music. Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet. Today, I...
We're on our way. We're heading to California to start a slightly modified life. Excited as it may be, we've got a lot of ground to cover. I thought you...
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
We're on our way. We're heading to California to start a slightly modified life. Excited as it may be, we've got a lot of ground to cover. I thought you...
Semi-Charmed Summer 2012 Book Challenge hosted at Semi-Charmed Kind of Life
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
Today I should be finishing packing and reading for the Spring Into Horror Readathon. Instead, I am finding distractions for myself on the interwebs... Enjoy...
Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who...
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
"One is always considered mad when one perfects something that others cannot grasp." -- Ed Wood
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: Finding some new and recommended music on YouTube. Some of those selections will be featured in my next New Music Monday post.
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
The hardcover features another 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues all in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long-time...
Go visit Castle Macabre for more details.
Last Update Information --
The original plan was that J would be in San Jose until tomorrow. So I would be free to read, read, and read some more. Well, he came back early. And a...
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: I own it!
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
See Part 1
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
See Part 1
We have a place to live! J secured our new apartment in Sunnyvale, CA yesterday. Now every time someone asks me, I can say I live in Sunnydale CA. Oops, too...
We're back! Okay, so we've been back for a week, but that week has been super busy. Packing an entire house for our impending move to California delayed my...
How I Got It: Library loan
"I wonder if I've changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning?... But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the...
Prize Pack #1 Reimagined Classics -- Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies... Melissa Sawvell
Back from a crazy roadtrip vacation in 10 days. I want to do a few vacation posts, but won't have time until probably tomorrow. So look forward to some of...
How I Got It: I own it
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
I thought it would be a good idea to do a periodic checkup on my reading challenges. A way of reminding myself of my successes and failures. So here...
Are You Right or Left Brained? Personality Test by SimilarMinds.com
"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience." -- Victoria Holt
Books Read and Reviewed (12 books)
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music. Specifically I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet. Today, I...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
From I'm Loving Books:
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
We're off to the see the wizard.... Oh wait, not the wizard. But we're definitely off to see some sights. This morning we're pushing off on our epic family...
How I Got It: Own it!
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
"I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul." -- Pablo Neruda (Sonet XVII)
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
How I Got It: Library loan
Edited By: Trisha Telep
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
Obviously this post is a little late... This weekend ended up being crazy busy and I just didn't get to sit down and write this before now. So, one day late,...
Before delving into this month's Shakespeare play (I haven't read this one), I thought it would be a good idea to get a sense of history context. The kings...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
Big changes are coming!
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
"To be an artist is to believe in life." -- Henry Moore
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: Library Loan
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
How I Got It: Library loan
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
Cross out every sentence until you come to one you cannot do without. That is your beginning. -- Gary Provost
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
Listening To: Random cds from the basement. I have a huge pile of cds just sitting in the basement waiting to be put into our server. This week I randomly...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
How I Got It: I own it!
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
I saw the angel in the marble and I just chiseled till I set him free. -- Michelangelo
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Happy Birthday to Me Edition!
I was pulled into this world by forceps screaming my little red face off. It's my birthday day today! How am I going to celebrate?? By going to work. Yep...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Listening To: More iPod shuffle. Somehow I didn't listen to much music beyond my commute to and from work. I am liking Of Monster and Men's new song.
How I Got It: I own it
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
From I'm Loving Books:
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
How I Got It: I own it
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
How I Got It: Won in a giveaway from The True Book Addict
It's my 30th birthday year. As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life. To help, I am using some of my...
This month, I am turning 30.... There I said it. I'm getting old. I feel like I'm getting old. But I am determined to make the most of my month. And you,...
How I Got It: Library Loan
"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend...
Books Read and Reviewed (15 books)
How I Got It: Library Loan
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Listening To: Just my giant iPod shuffle. Nothing specific, going where the shuffle takes me.
How I Got It: Library Loan
Many around the book blogging community are participating in a GoodReads Catch Up Readathon hosted by Once Upon a Chapter. I thought about it. I do so love...
How I Got It: Own it!
This is only my second time reading Macbeth; the first time was way back at the beginning of college. In review the play, I think it has grown on me. The...
How I Got It: Library Loan
"I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am finding some new music. Specifally I want to find a great new-to-me band for each letter of the alphabet. Today, I have...
Listening To: Florence + the Machine's new album Ceremonials. I'm especially loving the haunting "What the Water Gave Me." She makes such mood music. I love...
How I Got It: I own it!
"The course of true love never did run smooth."William Shakespeare A Midsummer's Night Dream
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
The Reading Fever is hosting a year-long readalong of the Harry Potter series. After a rocky start, she finally posted the link-ups and discussion questions. ...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Listening To: Giant iPod shuffle, but especially Gotye "Somebody That I Used to Know." I really need to get that album.
How I Got It: Library loan
When Oliver, Earl of Stewkesbury, asks the dashing Lady Vivian Carlyle to ensure that his American cousins meet the cream of London society, he doesn’t...
"Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive." Joanne Harris Chocolat
New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp’s delectable Willowmere series continues with the story of the accomplished and pretty widow who takes on the...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: I own it!
Now why oh why in this mixed-up world would we saddle an important series that has never had anything to do with Super Heroes with a title like “Super Team”?...
From I'm Loving Books:
I've decided to publish a my false start for NaNoWriMo... This is a complete first draft. I just want to get it out there on record. Chapter 4
How I Got It: I own it!
"My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage." Alice Hoffman Practical...
Books Read and Reviewed (25 books)
I've decided to publish a my false start for NaNoWriMo... This is a complete first draft. I just want to get it out there on record. Chapter 1
Discover the fun and joy of scrapbooking with this essential guide! Introduced by Lisa Bearnson, the Creating Keepsakes founding editor, this revised and...
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Today's Progress:
How I Got It: Library Loan
How I Got It: I own it!
Play
Today's Progress:
Illustrator: Kate Brown
How I Got It: Library loan
Today's Progress:
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by...
Today's Progress:
How I Got It: Library loan
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -- Albert Einstein
Today's Progress:
When Mary Bascombe’s stepfather tries to sell her and her sisters tothe highest bidder after their mother’s death, she resolves to takedrastic action. Although...
Today's Progress:
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
From Michelle at The True Book Addict:
How I Got It: I own it!
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
"If you want to be creative, stay in part a child, with the creativity and invention that characterizes chldren before they are deformed by adult society." --...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: I own it!
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Today's Progress:
Total fail for today. I didn't read a single page... Promised myself that I will go out strong tomorrow.
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The...
Today's Progress:
Today's Progress:
Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for Book 1.
1. What’s your favorite time of day to read? I usually read before bed... But that isn't my favorite time, it's just the most convenient. I really liked...
Today's Progress:
Just some music I am absolutely loving tonight... Thought I would share.
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts...
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." -- Aesop
Today's Progress:
Rose Red, sister of Snow White, has finally hit rock bottom. Does she stay there, or is it time to start the long, tortuous climb back up? The Farm is in...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: Library Loan
Today's Progress:
As part of my ongoing celebration for my 30th birthday, I am highlighting some popular songs from throughout my years. Songs were picked based off of a list...
How I Got It: J owns it
How I Got It: I own it!
From Bout of Books:
There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her...
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
How I Got It: Library Loan
I'm reposting this review as it still holds true. I reread the first Harry Potter and loved it just as much as the first time.
From I'm Loving Books:
Jack Frost seeks to kill a dragon, unaware that it’s his own father. Jack Frost has just set upon the greatest quest in a long and distinguished career of...
Last one... I think...
I've thinking a lot lately about what I want my blog to be, look like, feel like. etc. I've come up with some blogging resolutions for myself...
Loving this turn of events... We see more of Mr. Dark, his building empire, and the plans being made to stop him. I love the changes to Frau Totenkinder....
From Musings of a Bookshop Girl:
Favorite Books of the Year
From The Eclectic Bookshelf:
Rules:
From Historical Tapestry:
So I know. He actually conquered the mountain (Everest to be exact), but the idea holds true. Often times we get so bogged down in the little imaginary...
The Reading Romances Challenge is not about the amount of books you read, but the variety of titles you’ll have read when the challenge is over! Our goal is to...
From Book Chick City:
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
From Curiousity Killed the Bookworm:
From Beth Fish Reads:
From An Armchair by the Sea:
Jem's one of those singers that I picked up somewhere along the way. I don't listen to the albums straight through anymore, but I do love singing along when a...
From The Reading Fever:
In honor of my 30th birthday this year, I thought i would create a reading challenge centered around the years I've been alive. So I will read a book...
I ran across the idea for this reading challenge at the end of last year. I wanted to read more nonfiction this year, so I thought why not? I have to tell...
Books Read and Reviewed (9 books)
From Martina Bookaholic:
From Logically:
From My Reader's Block:
From Unputdownables:
I'm trying this yet again. I failed last year, but just barely. I'm going to try and seek out some new authors to fill these spots. I'm going for a combined...
From Graphic Novels Challenge:
From the Read Your Name Challenge site:
From Sarah Reads Too Much:
From Literary Escapism:
Run's January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.
From Breadcrumb Reads:
As part of my holidays, I am taking a bit of a blogging break. I want to spend time with all three of my boys and relax. So, I will not be actively...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
With Jack Horner, former star of JACK OF FABLES, permanently transformed into a dragon, Vertigo reboots the series with a new hero, Jack Frost. The world in...
Jack Frost, son of Jack of Fables, has left our world and has decided to make his way to the Imperial Homeworld, where his mother is still trapped under a city...
All nine issues of the long awaited crossover between Vertigo's two popular series Fables and Jack of Fables are collected here.The world of Fables is...
Tourists of the world unite! If you've ever craved a guided tour of Fabletown's secret Manhattan location, prepare to be voraciously satiated. Pinnochio has a...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: I own it!
Look what I got from one of my Secret Santas, Julie!!! I've been wanting these two books forever. And she even bought little gifts for my boys! Thank you so...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
I read these three volumes back to back, so I decided to just do a combined review.
How I Got It: borrowed from library
Books Read and Reviewed (7 books)
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: I own it!
How I Got It: Library lend
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: I own it!
I am at a crossroads... with this blog I mean. My blog is basically a year old. I started it sometime in November, but didn't really get the hang of it until...
I found this great idea for a reading challenge, but decided to change it to a perpetual reading challenge. I was trained as a U.S. History teacher, so...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Collecting issues #42-47 of writer Bill Willingham's Eisner Award-winning creation, FABLES: ARABIAN NIGHTS (AND DAYS) opens a new front in the struggle between...
I was pondering this week's song and couldn't grab any one particular song... And then "It's Only Life" came up on my iPod giant shuffle. It's a great song...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: I own it!
"Society is indeed a contract...it becomes a partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those...
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering “50 Questions to Free Your Mind” (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Goal: 10/10 Books FINISHED!!!!
How I Got It: Borrowed from the library
From BirdBrain(ed) Book Blog:
It's been a few days since I started NaNoWriMo... okay okay it's been only three days sinceIi started. But I must say that I'm not going to finish the goal...
How I Got It: I own it!
Books Read and Reviewed (24 books)
I am crazy. There's no other explanation. I have committed myself to attempting NaNoWriMo this year. Like today! How did I get myself into this? Short...
Update
The Siege of the Golden Boughs occurs in which Bookburner's army attacks Revise's compound. Jack returns not as a prisoner but as its Commander in chief. A...
Get ready for Jack's adventures out West, as Smiling Jack Candle crosses paths with a grim sheriff from back East who carries no gun. Collecting issues #22-27...
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: I own it!
Update
Update
Update
How I Got It: I own it!
I started out strong at this reading challenge and then I hit a delay. Finally, I got back into the challenge and finished it out. I think this is one that I...
Update
Update
How I Got It: J owns it
How I Got It: J owns it
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Update
With finishing The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I completed the Page to Screen challenge. I only signed up for 10 this year and I think that was...
How I Got It: I own It!
From On a Book Bender:
How I Got It: I own it!
This is it. I am beat. I really didn't plan all that well and am ready to be done reading. I've developed a headache in the last two hours which hasn't...
Mid-Event Survey:
How I Got It: J owns it
Number of books I’ve read: 1.3Total number of books I’ve read: 2.3
"Community, Identity, Stability" is the motto of Aldous Huxley's utopian World State. Here everyone consumes daily grams of soma, to fight depression, babies...
Second update. Only a few hours in for me (7 for the readathon), but I've made good progress. I finished my first book and reviewed it with updates to my...
Late start to the readathon. I overslept!!! Oh well, got started a bit ago. This is my first check-in.
It was created by the beloved Dewey (her blog has since been taken down, so the link won’t work). The first one was held in October 2007. Dewey died in late...
How I Got It: Borrowed from the library
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
It's a rainy cold day here in Omaha. So I've been listening to some bluesy music, especially The Black Keys. Enjoy!
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
How I Got It: borrowed from library
How I Got It: Borrowed from the library
Wrap-up for the completed 2011 Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.
How I Got It: J owns it
As part of my Day Zero Project, I am answering "50 Questions to Free Your Mind" (Google it). I had originally thought to do these in my personal journal, but...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
The wonderful people over at Historical Tapestry are hosting Jane Austen Week. My goodness, that's right up my alley. It's like they knew JA was my favorite...
Time Read Today: 1 hours 42 minutesTime Read Total: 14 hours 15 minutes
How I Got It: J owns it
How I Got It: J owns it
Sunday
Time Read Today: 1 hours 24 minutesTime Read Total: 12 hours 33 minutes
How I Got It: borrowed from the library
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Year Released/Rating: 2001 R
Time Read Today: 0 hoursTime Read Total: 11 hours 9 minutes
Time Read Today: 3 hoursTime Read Total: 11 hours 9 minutes
How I Got It: J owns it
From On a Book Bender:
Third update for the Frightful Fall Readathon progress.
How I Got It: J owns it
How I Got It: ARC from LibraryThing Early Reviews Program
Year Released/Rating: 2002 PG-13
Time Read Today: 2 hours 57 minutesTime Read Total: 6 hours 15 minutes
Fabletown's ex-sheriff Bigby Wolf and ex-deputy mayor (and power behind King Cole's former mayoral throne) Snow White finally tie the knot in this arc from the...
Jack hits the road in search of a lost city of gold in this new collection featuring issues #17-21. Aided by his sidekicks Paul Bunyan, Humpty Dumpty, Gary the...
All you have to do is go online to an image site (Google images, photobucket, etc.) and find the scariest image you can. Post the link in the comments and as...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Time Read Today: 3 hours 18 minutesTime Read Total: 3 hours 18 minutes
Year Released/Rating: 2005 R
Ben Folds is such a weird character. I absolutely love him and his music. And this is my absolute favorite song from him. A few years ago I saw him and my...
How I Got It: borrowed from the library
Year Released/Rating: 2002 R
How I Got It: I own it!
Sunday
From Castle Macabre:
Books Read and Reviewed (12 books)
A quick life update about starting a new job and adjusting to a new routine.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
I just adore Snow Patrol. Though the new album just doesn't hit the same spot as the old ones. This is by far my favorite song by them. I love the slow...
Year Released/Rating: 2003 R
How I Got It: borrowed from library
Year Released/Rating: 2008 R
Sunday
Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts. These will track my progress each week. I will...
Wrap-up for the completed Summer Romance Reading Challenge 2011.
How I Got It: Borrowed from the library
Year Released/Rating: 2009 PG-13
I went to my first official class as member of the Bellevue Stampers! I am so excited about being a part of the club. We have a nice small group of six...
And, do you ever try to hide the covers?
Year Released/Rating: 2008 R
How I Got It: I own it!
Year Released/Rating: 1998 PG-13
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: Net Galley from Carina Press
No sooner have Jack and Gary escaped Lady Luck (see Jack of Hearts) than the Librarians of Golden Boughs recapture them for return to Mr. Revise. Worse still,...
An oldie from my high school days. I loved, loved, loved Eve 6 songs. And every time I hear one on the radio (satellite radio is awesome!) or my big iTunes...
I just joined this amazing new (well new to me) project: 101/1001.
Year Released/Rating: 2001 PG-13
How I Got It: I own it! (from the Borders closing sale)
Sunday
Year Released/Rating: 1984
Year Released/Rating: 2005 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 2004 R
(And obviously, if so, we want titles!)
In this volume collecting issues #6-11, Jack reveals the secret of his former relationship with the illustrious Snow Queen — when he took her powers and became...
How I Got It: I own it! (from the Borders closing sale)
You ever have one of those weeks. You know, the one where you are just in a reading funk. the book is interesting, mildly entertaining, but somehow you get...
Year Released/Rating: 2001 PG-13
I feel like I'm finally starting to get the hang of this new city. In honor of that, this week's Music Monday post features one of my favorite bands from high...
Year Released/Rating: 1993 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 2008 PG-13
Sunday From Rachel Ray's Book of 10
Year Released/Rating: 2004 R
Year Released/Rating: 2011 PG-13
Jack is forced into the Golden Boughs Retirement Community, a jail of sorts where Fables are imprisoned until society-at-large forgets about them, thereby...
How I Got It: I own it! (from the Borders closing sale)
Would you recommend it?
Year Released/Rating: 1997 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 1948
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
To go along with the World Challenge, I'm also adding a Books Around the States challenge. What better way to see U.S. in fiction and nonfiction than through...
I've decided to join another challenge... but this one is perpetual. Good thing! I definitely can't add more challenges to end December 2011. I've already...
Year Released/Rating: 2007 PG-13
So, J set up the amazing stereo so we could listen to Pandora, Spotify, iTunes library, or records all from the same thing. And he can control it from his...
This clever, enjoyable series written by Willingham, has a rather ingenious premise: what if all the characters of fairy tales lived, loved, schemed, and...
Year Released/Rating: 2002 PG-13
Sunday
How I Got It: I own it! (from the Borders closing sale)
Year Released/Rating: 2001 R
Year Released/Rating: 2006 PG-13
Year Released/Rating: 2005 R
1. When I was 10 years old I played Barbie dolls for hours on end.
Books Read and Reviewed (28 books)
"Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world." -- Louis Pasteur
Imagine if you could go back ten years and meet your younger self--would you recognize her? What advice would you give her? Wear sunscreen. Back away from...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Boasting a "Greek Chorus" of sexy strippers, vengeful gangsters, a murderous youth and a disturbed clairvoyant teenaged girl, GREEK STREET is Peter Milligan's...
I'm not a huge fan of country, but I absolutely adore Lady Antebellum. Maybe it's because Charles Kelley is brothers with one of my favorite singers, Josh...
Miranda's track record with men is horrible. Her most recent catastrophe is Greg. He seems perfect--gorgeous, witty, exciting. And he and Miranda are in...
Read-a-Thon Goals
Recipes are from This Week for Dinner unless otherwise notated.
Genly Ai is an emissary from the human galaxy to Winter, a lost, stray world. His mission is to bring the planet back into the fold of an evolving galactic...
It's the night before her wedding when Poppy Dunbar meets Tom. he is tall, dark, and handsome with a quirky smile, and Poppy can't shake the feeling she's...
Books to Knock Out
Books to Knock Out
Edited By: Trisha Telep
1. How in the world did I have all these boxes in my old room. I swear it multiplied on the trip over.
Books to Knock Out
Illustrated by: Ian Falconer
As part of the Bout of Books Readathon Actin' Up with Books is holding a contest: Pick It Up, and Then Pile It Up. Mind you these are only the books on my...
Inspired by classical Greek dramas, the series constructs a crime epic following intertwined stories in modern London and most succeeds in channeling the shock...
So far, Kathie WIlliams has made a good show as the only American at a mystery writers' conference in Manchester, England--what with that falling asleep in...
Books to Knock Out
This hardcover features the first 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time...
"It is not true that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish." -- S.I. Hayakawa
Books to Knock Out
Jessica Devlin isn't looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiance, she's determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation...
A volume full of backstories about the fairy- and folktale characters who figure in the hit comic book Fables gets the kind of classy treatment success merits....
A new place is being built, a world of huge dimensions, encompassing millions of miles, stronger than any planet before it. There is gravity, and with high...
Books to Knock Out
The title story here depicts the year after the attack from the Adversary. Summer sees the birth of Deputy Mayor Snow White's sextuplets (the father is Sheriff...
How I Got It: Borrowed from the library
I've been a fan of Linkin Park since Hybrid Theory. They're not particularly deep. They're not particularly emotional. But they do have good music to listen...
How I Got It: borrowed from library
How I Got It: Own It!
Sunday -- Flank Steak on the Grill (soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and ketchup marinade)
Read-a-Thon Goals
It's been a bit boring around here without the boys. I don't have much to fill up my day yet, so I started to look around... what could I do? What do I enjoy...
How I Got It: borrowed from library
I am reposting my original review for Legends in Exile to count for my Fables Series Reading Challenge. I reread the volume, but didn’t have anything to add...
I am reposting my original review for Legends in Exile to count for my Fables Series Reading Challenge. I reread the volume, but didn’t have anything to add...
I am reposting my original review for Legends in Exile to count for my Fables Series Reading Challenge. I reread the volume, but didn't have anything to add...
And...here we go!
I have fallen in love with this series, but have only read the first three volumes... I want to do a complete series read (at least what's been published so...
How I Got It: borrowed from library
My Original Plan
How I Got It: NetGalley! (my first one)
"Real freedom lies in the wilderness, not in civilization." -- Charles Lindbergh (American aviator)
I think I've gone crazy. It's August and I've joined another 2011 reading challenge... But this one will be easy, I swear!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
How I Got It: borrowed from library
While I love this song, I chose it because of this weekend's tragic event. On Saturday, the stage at the Indiana State Faire collapsed killing 5 people and...
How I Got It: borrowed from the library
Last night, J and I decided to watch a movie at the house. Easy right... grab a movie off the shelf and watch. Unfortunately when you have something like...
Back for my second week of documenting my culinary adventures!
How I Got It: own it
I joined another readalong.... (What is wrong with me?) Oh well. It's been awhile since I reread Sense and Sensibility, so I thought I would give it a go....
Just a quick note to tell you about some changes around here. I had committed myself to two perpetual reading challenges (1,000,000 Pages and 1001 Books) but...
And...here we go!
How I Got It: Own it!
(We’ve done something similar to this before, but it’s always fun, so … why not?)
You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads.Ray Bradbury
How I Got It: from the library
This week the topic was "Underrated Books" but I was having trouble thinking of good ones. So I change to my own Top Ten Tuesday topic: Top Ten Addicted TV...
The camera shutter clicked noisily, echoing in the still house. No one present to hear the sound. Well, no one but the photographer. The photographer was...
How has Florence not gotten into my Music Monday yet? It baffles my brain to think of the oversight. I listen to Lungs constantly. And have so many favorite...
Does this meal plan look familiar? It should. I posted this last Sunday. After posting it, I thought.... now that's silly. Why would I post a meal plan...
Edited by: Trisha Telep
Welcome to
No real lady should take lessons from a scarlet woman...
1. How can I read all the books I have on my TBR list? Life's great question.
Annie and Eve are life-long best friends who have absolutely nothing in common-except a lack of skill in the kitchen. So when they sign up for a cooking class...
"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius." -- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Give Up is such a great album. Different than the usual Death Cab for Cutie stuff, yet similar enough that I instantly liked it. But my absolute favorite...
I found these two awesome read-a-long events for August and just had to join. They're both rereads, but one's from my favorite author and the other is my...
How long has it been since I did one of these? Oh about 8 months. Yeah I'm slacking, but honestly Sunday has become my lazy day. It's...
Books Read and Reviewed (10 books)
My name is Meghan Chase.
Welcome to
And...here we go!
What’s the latest you’ve ever stayed up reading a book? Is staying up late reading a usual thing for you?
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter...
I just finished reading The Iron King by Julie Kagawa and absolutely loved it. I read it based off of the raving enthusiasm from Book Bloggers everywhere. So I...
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…
Sean is 1/3 of Nickel Creek, one of my favorite bands. I even featured them on Music Monday a few months back. It would be logical to think that if I love...
Betrothed to one brother, then married to another, Julianne Sutton finds herself a pawn in an unknown game. The enigmatic new Marquess of Longhaven knows all...
Welcome to
When blackmail turns to murder, Madeline May turns to the notorious Viscount Altea, a man used to dealing with men of ill repute, and a man she despises with...
And...here we go!
I picked this book (and the other two in the trilogy) up at a Border's closing sale. I wanted some fun historical romance. Nothing too deep, but something...
"Books can not be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and no force can abolish memory...in this war, we know, books are weapons. And it is...
Top Ten Tuesday's topic was "Books You Believe Should Be Required Reading for Teens." I just couldn't think of any. My brain is not working well this week....
Hmmm... I have some mixed feelings about this one. It's no Jane Austen. I think I've been reading too much Jane Austen style 19th century literature that...
In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A...
It's been two weeks since I did a Music Monday. And there was a gap before that one. I'm slacking. I admit. When I first started writing this post, I...
Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other...
And...here we go!
Total Books Read: 2
Current read: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
From
Your challenge, if you choose to accept it: Pick any book from your readathon pile and write a fake synopsis based solely on the cover. The synopsis does not...
From YA Bliss: I am hosting a mini-challenge for this awesome read-a-thon. So, for this one you will have to post on your blogs (I will accept posts on twitter...
Current read: Starting Ender's Game
Reginald Masson is wealthy refined and by all accounts, a gentleman. However, he is not a gentleman by birth, a factor that pains him and his father. Bernard...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
My first J recommended science fiction book. And it was definitely a fun read. The main character, Kip, was very likable as a young man dreaming of going to...
From IB Book Blogging:
Current Read: Have Spacesuit-Will Travel by Robert Heinlein (really liking it so far, getting close to the end. It's a quick read)
From Pure Imagination (the details):
"Patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility. Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on his own dunghill." -- Richard Aldington
1. What author do you own the most books by?
This is usually the day that I participate in the Top Ten Tuesday, but I just wasn't a huge fan of the topic (Rebels in Literature). So instead, I thought I...
This is one of those songs that I just always come back to. I love the funness of the Barenaked Ladies. I love the silly. I love the subtle serious...
Books Read and Reviewed (19 books)
And...here we go!
Edited by: Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie)
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
This might seem like a strange choice today, but it fits. I really like Matisyahu and his lyrics are just amazing. This song in particular has such a great...
The sequel to Rapnzel's Revenge was definitely worthwhile. This time we see Jack's back story. How and why he ended up in the Old West with a goose. I liked...
Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other...
I absolutely adored this graphic novel. A great alternate story of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel. Meant for children ages 9-12, I was delighted to find...
And...here we go!
Dr. Seuss is remembered for the murder of Dick and Jane, which was a mercy killing of the highest order. -- Anna Quindlen
For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody- notices dreams,...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Two 19th century stage illusionists, the aristocratic Rupert Angier and the working-class Alfred Borden, engage in a bitter and deadly feud; the effects are...
Isobel Matas's hope of marriage to her betrothed depends on recovering her dowry from the outlaws who killed her father and stole her inheritance. But, while...
The sequel to Moody's Autumn doesn't fail to live up to the first one. This volume happens during the same time period as the first, but focuses on a group of...
While traveling to and from Disney World, I read or skimmed some books. Thought I would do another Non-review reads to wrap up my reads of the past week.
Note: I finished another book (The Prestige) before this one. However, that book is part of my page to screen challenge and I didn't have time before leaving...
It's official. In about one hour we are piling into the car and heading to Indy to catch a plane to Orlando. We're going to Disney World!!!!! I have decided...
In honor of our Disney World vacation, today I am offering some of my favorite Disney quotes. Enjoy!
This week the topic was supposed to be "Top Ten AWWWW Moments in Books." I couldn't think of many (I'm sure I will eventually) so I thought I would do a Top...
Contrary to many people, I did not discover Kate Voegele from One Tree Hill. Funny since that's how I found Tyler Hilton, my Music Monday selection two weeks...
I find myself at a crossroads today. It's been a week of reflection and planning. The main question: Where to go from here? Physically, mentally,...
I would definitely buy them. I have a book buying addiction. I love just looking at them all lined up on a shelf. Surounded by a nice reading chair, a soft...
I like routines. I liked knowing the basic schedule of my day when I wake up. I like having a general idea of the week to come. I'm not one oto plan out...
So much fun. A great collection of faery stories.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
I feel like I haven't visisted my Music Monday for forever. In reality, it was only a week suspension because of Memorial Day. I'm back now and I though I...
Edited by: Ann and Jeff Vandermeer
Happy June! Summer's Here and It's Time for Reflection! As part of this month's craziness, I wanted to do a mid-year check-up on my reading challenges. I am...
I have a strict rule on reading book reviews... I don't. I don't want to color my view of a book by seeing it through another's eyes. However, I do have a...
Inside these pages lies unspeakable horror. Bloodsplattering, brain-impaling, flesh-devouring horror. You’ve probably read your fair share of zombie stories....
Sign-up post for the Summer Romance Reading Challenge 2011.
Books Read and Reviewed (books)
I don't usually pick up these series romances. But for some reason, I grabbed this one. It intrigued me. And I found that I liked it!
"When you handle books all day long, every new one is a friend and a temptation."Elizabeth Kostova- The Historian
Since the boys and I finished the Percy Jackson series, we've been reading other books until I could get a hold of The Lost Hero. Well I got a copy, but I...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
I am such a sucker for history reference style books. The entire "Don't Know Much About..." series is a real treat for a history/trivia master such as myself....
This past week I've read a few books that, all well and good. I just couldn't think of a lot to say about them for a proper review. Also, these volumes did...
Edited by: Mike Ashley
Caution: This post is rated R for language. U.S. History fans... remember the air raid drills from the 1950s. Okay, so maybe you weren't alive then (I wasn't)...
Most definitely. I get on reading kicks and can't stop. A couple of months ago, I started reading Christian historical romance and just kept reading. Even...
Hands down one of the creepiest books I've ever read. There's no gore or jump up scary moments. No demons or ghosts, at least not in the traditional sense....
"A Friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of Nature." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Last Thursday I posted a Quote from one of my favorite books: "This must be Thursday," said Arthur to himself, sinking low over his beer. "I never could get...
Since I couldn't think of 10 lies, I thought I would do another one of my personal Top Ten lists. This week's topic: Favorite Places to Read!
Today I finished my first big reading challenge! I feel like I have hit a milestone... it's a great feeling of accomplishment. You ask, what reading...
Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly...
I'll admit it: I first found Tyler Hilton while watching One Tree Hill. He was Nathan's adversary for Haley's affections early on in the show. His character...
After the boys and I finished reading the Percy Jackson series, we wanted to take a break from a series and read a standalone book. So we turned to Rudyard...
A few nights ago, I started reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Since then, I have had the same dream for two nights. Set in a world like...
I'm stealing this idea from Gabriel over at Gabriel Reads who got it from Mad Scientist over at Steampunkery and Book Reviews. I started keeping track of the...
I say no to blanket censorship. Again, reading is about levels and interest, not genres or age-appropriate groupings. A couple of months ago, I actually...
"This must be Thursday," said Arthur to himself, sinking low over his beer. "I never could get the hang of Thursdays."
Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words. -- Mark Twain
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you...
I was having a hard time coming up with 10 Favorite Minor Characters, so I'm doing another me Top Ten. This week: My Top Ten Places to See Before I Die. I...
So take a contemporary romance (complete with fairly graphic sex scenes) and combine it with a zombie action/adventure... interesting concept. And yet, I felt...
This past Saturday, I went out with a few friends to see a local 80s cover band. They dress in spandex, play great music, and engage in crazy antics (you can...
More fun volumes. I've loved going back through the Buffy years and adding to the journey. It's been a great look back. Unfortunately it's been a few years...
A sequel to Pride and Prejudice that didn't disappoint. I'm always leery of "sequels" and "companions" and "prequels" and etc for Austen novels. often they...
I hate the age categories. Instead of looking at these incredibly arbitrary distinctions, we should be looking at reading levels and interests. When I was in...
"Don't look for obscure formulas or mystery in my work. It is pure joy that I offer you." -- Constantin Brancusi
Very excited about this one. Somehow, throughout the years of loving Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I never got around to reading the comics/graphic novels. Well,...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
I absolutely love xkcd. It publishes Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Some days the science behind the posts really does go over my head. Other days, it's just...
Edited by: John Joseph Adams
I spent all car ride to the coffeehouse trying to think of a song for Music Monday. Should I go current, past? Should I go singer songwriter, hard rock,...
I've been wanting to starting a weekly creative writing post. I figured I would start today since I couldn't think of an answer to the Booking Through...
Fashion passes, style remains. -- Coco Chanel
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Caution: This post is rated R for language!
Another graphic novel... or is this a trade paperback? Okay all you geeky people, feel free to correct me. I saw the movie before I read the book, but I...
Books Read and Reviewed (20 books)
Hope Bartolli has avoided Sisters for year. But when she inherits her beloved grandmother's old house, Hope must decide whether to once again run away from the...
Definitely the Outlander series. I adored the first book, Outlander, and am told by C that the rest are just as amazing. I'm planning on reading the entire...
"I find penguins at present the only comfort in life. One feels everything in the world so sympathetically ridiculous, one can't be angry when one looks at a...
Okay this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic was Mean Girls in Books. I really tried. I tried to go through the books in my library, my list favorites, my lists of...
I haven't had the best of luck with Christian fiction, but I thought I would give it another try. I liked Love Finds You in Paradise, Pennsylvania by Loree...
I may get some crap for this Music Monday, but I'm going to do it anyway. I love Josh Groban. Cheesy? Maybe. But such an amazing voice. It has rained almost...
With Easter, we had family coming over for dinner. I did get in a bit of reading in the morning and another bit before bed. The driving down to get the boys...
Edited By: Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner
Happy Doctor Who Day! I've definitely not gotten a lot of reading done today due to the season 6 premiere (series 6 for those Brits) of Doctor Who. I...
I really liked the movie when it came out, but never got around to reading the graphic novel. To be fair, I've only really been interested in reading graphic...
Today was another busy day. The boys and I went to lunch, then shopping for a bit, before dropping them off for the weekend. Then I had to drive back. And...
Usually I have mixed feelings about anthologies. This one surpassed my expectations. I loved each of the four stories presented.
It’s pretty humiliating to admit, but I’ve never flown in a plane before today. So wouldn’t you think that I’d be feeling pretty jazzed right now? Instead I...
Today ended up being exceptionally busy. I unexpected stop at the coffeehouse and there was the entire cast of "The View" (as dubbed by the baristas). I had...
Edited By: Lori Perkins
Most definitely. I love browsing through the stacks at the library. I love browsing through bookstores. Good, fun covers catch my eye. Cheesy looking...
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." -- John Dewey
It's official, I'm in a funk. A reading funk that is. After averaging 15 books a month, I've hit a dry patch. I've read 10 books so far in April. Seems like a...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
I've been listening to Caedmon's Call since the release of their self titled cd in 1997. I've cried with them. I've rejoiced with them. I've grown with...
Edited By: Neil Gaiman
Definitely my favorite so far in the Fables series. This series it really growing on me. I just had to keep reading. Since it's a graphic novel, I read it...
Edited by: Tricia Telep
I was reading the other day a quote from JFK Jr who said on the death of his mother, that she died surrounded by family, friends, and her books. Apparently,...
Justice delayed is justice denied. -- William Gladstone
Definitely not as good as Legends in Exile, but still a good graphic novel. This story revolved around Fabletown's non-human inhabitants. They attempt a...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and its prequel, Dawn of the Dreadfuls, were both New York Times best sellers, with a combined 1.3 million copies in print. Now...
I liked Adele when she debuted with her album, 19. But I really love her now. Her songwriting is amazing. She always tells a story with her words. And the...
After months upon months of waiting in limbo, a resolution seems to be on the horizon. It looks like a decision might be made and I can move on....
Interesting collection of fantasy and mystery stories. Like all collections, I liked some and not so much for others. Instead of trying to summarize the...
When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were...
I really enjoyed this book. It had dashes of fantasy, dashes of romance, dashes of a coming-of-age story, dashes of action. I sped through the book loving...
Or do you keep them tucked away in your office or bedroom or library or closet or someplace less “public?”
The past few days have been crazy. And when I say crazy, I mean crazy! I've caught up with some friends, had a few good dinners, cleaned and reorganized the...
For this Monday I am changing up the post. Usually I pick an artist or one song from an artist. Today, I thought I would highlight one of my favorite songs....
Books Read and Reviewed (25 books)
I read another review of this book; one that didn't like the book very much. I must say that I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts I loved, and...
The other day I came across this article on my tech blogs: The Book Dead May Be Dead, But Google Is Still Right by Matthew Ingram. It got me thinking about...
In what other language could your nose run and your feet smell. -- Richard Lederer
I'm really into the fun breezy reads lately. (Actually I'm trying to read all the books that I've already checked out from the library. I've banned myself...
Instead of this week's Top Ten Tuesday (Authors that Deserve More Recognition; couldn't think of any) I decided to do a book survey thingie.... Enjoy!
I love Nickel Creek. I've loved them since the debut cd came out. And I've grown to love them even more after that. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending...
Fun, breezy read featuring an alternate? universe, the Sandlands, and three princes. Oh an by the way the princes change form into giant cats (think jaguar...
The boys' 8th birthday was last week, but we had their birthday festivities this week. And boy was it a crazy time. They each got to invite a few friends to...
Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in...
After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence--with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler...
It really depends. I read both. However, I do have a condition for reading series. I hate to read series until they are all published. I don't want to get...
Earlier this week, I was sitting at the coffeehouse (where I live) and we started complaining about our coffeehouse pet peeves. So I thought I would do a Top...
Samantha Owens' estranged stepfather has died, leaving her his cottage in Nantucket—a place she fled years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom,...
Journalism allows readers to witness history; fiction gives its readers the opportunity to live it. -- John Hersey
I enjoyed this fun little read. Action adventure romance. I've decided that I like this type of contemporary romance over all the others. I want something...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
It tells the story of Jack Carstares, oldest son of the Earl Wyncham, disgraced six years earlier, who returns home and becomes a highwayman so that he is able...
It's been a rainy and gray here lately. Typical for spring in Indiana. And that kind of weather makes me want to listen to music I can sing along too....
Thought I would join the stupid fun and tell everyone a little bit about myself. Take what you want from answer, but please do not psychoanalysis. That Freud...
All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with...
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about this question. What makes a family? Is it just blood? Do we include friends? What about all those step and half...
More of a companion to the Blue Blood series than an actual novel. De la Cruz states in her introduction that she always loved that Stephen King wrote a...
Words are the only tools you will be given. Learn to use them with originality and care. Value them for their strength and diversity. And also remember that...
And the series takes a dark turn. You had to know it was coming. I mean, this is a series about vampires with references to them fighting Lucifer (their...
Wow!! I am so in love with this series. I love the characters, the twists and turns, the mythology. I can't say enough about this series. And the third...
Hmmm... Jack's Mannequin. When did I meet you? I can't actually remember, but I do know that I love you. Your melodies, your lyrics, your voice... I love it...
Very excited about this book. I thought the first in the series, Blue Bloods, was an interesting take on vampire mythology. And then I read the second one...
This series appeared on so many book blogs, I had to pick it up. When I start a series, I want to be able to read the entire thing back to back. Thankfully,...
I found this on multiple book blogs. Just thought I would share this awesome video. Enjoy book lovers!
I gravitate toward books about taboo subjects: tattoos, body modifications, feminism (hee hee), conspiracy theories, mermaids, vampires, and especially...
Do you multi-task when you read? Do other things like stirring things on the stove, brushing your teeth, watching television, knitting, walking, et cetera?
Fred the Mermaid has taken the bait and chosen to date Artur, Prince of the Black Sea, over human marine biologist Thomas. And just in time. The existence of...
As Fred the Mermaid tries to fit in with her own kind, she finds herself hooked on both Artur, the High Prince of the undersea realm, and Thomas, a hunky...
"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." -- Picasso
Fred is not your ordinary mermaid. She's not blonde. She's not buxom. And she's definitely not perky. In fact, Fred can be downright cranky. And it doesn't...
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
An undying classic from Katie MacAlister, Sex and the Single Vampire is a paranormal romance lover’s delight, ideal for fans of Lynsay Sands and her Argeneau...
I still remember my first introduction to Damien Rice. B and I had gone to see the movie Closer. While The movie itself wasn't amazing, the song playing at...
Saturday was my birthday! I'm officially 29! Not yet 30, my palm's not flashing yet, but getting up there. For my birthday I had a great Friday night out...
A bastard hybrid of War of the Worlds and Night of the Living Dead, Autumn chronicles the struggle of a small group of survivors forced to contend with a world...
One minute I'm out with my sorority sisters; the next there's a terrible accident (beyond my friend Stacey's outfit) and I'm waking up in some weird clinic...
U.S. History and zombies in one volume? Yes, please...
"It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor of our society." -- Asimov
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists...
Books Read and Reviewed (17 books)
Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn...
I'll admit it right away, I liked the Twilight series. Some of my former students shoved them at me until I finally read the entire series in about a week...
Josh Kelley (you know the guy married to Katherine Heigl and brother to Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum)... I absolutely adore him, have adored him since his...
Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man-perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the...
This week's been generally crappy. I started feeling sick on Monday: sore throat and headache. I thought was getting strep throat. It's been a few years...
Not as strong as the first volume, but still very entertaining. I really like the idea of publishing a graphic novel that goes along with a tv show. It adds...
Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy with a normal life, married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy. They're even about to...
All other things being equal–do you prefer used books? Or new books? (The physical specimen, that is, not the title.) Does your preference differentiate...
Okay not a complete death, but they have declared bankruptcy and are closing stores across the country. The announcement came last week. I read about the...
All through the day we inadvertently speak words that enter people's lives and change them in minor or major ways and we never know it. -- Eugene Peterson
Lately, I have become a big fan of graphic novels. I think it's all J's fault. At any rate, I now have a stack of graphic novels sitting in my library TBR...
Top Ten Tuesday: Book to Movie Adaptations
In honor of Down the Line 5 last Saturday, this week's Music Monday is going to feature The Beatles. Down the Line is a local annual concert featuring local...
To attorney Julia Spencer, this quaint Amish town is anything but a Paradise. When Julia agrees to defend a local teenager charged in a case involving an Amish...
So I am a Gleek. I fully admit it. I love the soap opera-like crazy plot lines. I love the over the top musical numbers. I love all the Brittany and...
The last couple of days have seen a few changes with my blog... I've decided to make a few blogging resolutions (Yes, I know, late, but I've never believed in...
Another fun read. This time a paranormal romance featuring cats... Cats aren't my faorite animal in the world, but the stories were pretty entertaining.
(Mind you, I don’t mean the hard-core stuff you hide in plain wrappers under your mattress. I mean True Love, Romance, deeply emotional, heart-tugging, and all...
Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things. -- Chaim Potek
Jeffrey Rodinov is descended from one of the oldest families in Alaska, and a Rodinov has been protecting a Baranov for generations. No one ever sees Jeffrey...
Top Ten Love Stories
So who saw Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers, and Bob Dylan on the Grammys last night? Best performance of the night (and I loved Eminem, Dr. Dre, Rihanna,...
In honor of Valentine's Day (not a holiday I particularly love, mostly because of my track record), I submit a great song for all of you who have been wronged...
The Zombie Apocalypse has been good to Sarah and David. Their marriage is better than ever. They communicate well, share responsibilities, and now, they're...
Life is rewarding for Samuel Truelove. He's a gifted surgeon, he's married to the love of his life, and he has a beautiful daughter. But when he's called to...
The last few months have been tough challenging usual excruciating. I don't want to go into specifics, but let's just say it's getting harder and harder every...
"Music is love in search of a word." -- Sidney Lanier
Top Ten Characters I'd Name My Children After
Another short story compilation, this time Valentine's Day themed. Like almost every compilation I pick up, I like some of the stories, and not some of the...
I love Regina Spektor. She's so weird... in a good way. Her music is very unsuaul, definitely not everyone's cup of tea. But that's okay, I like it. I...
So you've been bitten by a zombie. Bummer.
Sitting in snowy Indiana, I start to travel (in my mind of course). Where do I go? Better question: Where do I start? I thought I would include a weekly or...
So I just don't really know what to say about this one. I liked it, but didn't like it. It had some good parts, but then really predictable parts. This...
Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good...
Jane Austen retells, vampires, witches, and romance... must read. I absolutely loved this book! Well, all except the last story, but that had more to do with...
This wrap-up post will mainly deal with my reading challenges, but I might also discuss any big life developments and/or fun events.
Found NeedtoBreathe about a year ago; loved it! I really liked the entire album "The Oustiders" but this song has to be my favorite. The music is awesome. The...
Movie Rating: 3/5 stars
What's your first name? Do you like it? Do you hate it? Is there a reasoning behind your name? Is its meaning special? Are you named after a family...
Hmmm... interesting questions. The majority of books that I read are around 300-400 pages. There are some that end up being upwards of 500 pages. But for...
The Heart Crystal's power has been depleted, and Imagination along with it. The people of Wonderland have all lost their creative drive, and most alarmingly,...
"We're [Facebook] moving away from the 'wisdom of crowds' to the 'wisdom of friends'" -- Dan Rose
Yesterday I was reading A Year of Reading (one of the many book blogs I follow) and found this great group on Facebook: The Centurions of 2011. A goal of...
The city of San Francisco is being stalked by a huge shaved vampyre cat named Chet, and only I, Abby Normal, emergency back-up mistress of the great Bay Area...
I found Spoken about two years ago. Initially, I picked it up from the library because I liked the cover art. I am a sucker for good cover art. It will...
A few weeks back I wrote a post about Christian historical fiction: what I like and didn't like. Turns out a blogger that I've been following lately (Deborah...
Yesterday I had a free Redbox rental and the boys and I were going to be in for the night (single digits!), so I stopped. I got Nanny McPhee Returns for the...
Being undead sucks. Literally.
What magazines/journals do you read?
Jody never asked to become a vampire. But when she wakes up under an alley Dumpster with a badly burned arm, an aching back, superhuman strength, and a...
You know that one friend you have. The one that it seems like you've been friends forever (even though it probably isn't that long). The one that you could...
I freaking love this song! The epic music specifically... Pretty simplistic song in terms of the lyrics, but I do so love the stadium worthy music. And the...
Last one, I promise (at least I think). I've already read one vampire book and was just starting on another today, so I thought why not. This one should be...
Wednesday was B's birthday. And of course, we had to do her birthday up right. Wednesday we went to four places, enjoying good drinks, great food, and...
The last few days have been crazy busy with snow days, household chores, birthday parties, and distractions. My regular blogging schedule was majorly...
"Just don't take any class where you have to read Beowulf." -- Woody Allen
From William Shakespeare's introduction:
All Joy Randall wants is a little old-fashioned romance, but when she participates in a "Goddess evoking" ceremony with her friend, Roxy, Joy finds out her...
I have a huge love for Relient K. Their music is peppy. catchy, and radio friendly, but underneath they have such interesting songs. The lyrics contain such...
From The Lit Bitch:
Look at the list and bold those you have read. Italicize those you intend to read. Underline the books you LOVE. Strike out the books you have no intention of...
I've haven't done one of these in the last couple of weeks, so I thought I would get back into the swing of things this week. So... what was my highlight of...
This one's easy... Since I am fairly low on the socio-economic ladder at the moment, I get almost all my books from the library. I found it at The Book...
Marine biologist Dr. Shel (“Never Sheldon”) Rivers has a problem. Some princess expects him to wait on her, hand and dimpled foot. His boss is taken with the...
I love movies, so why not? This challenge is taken from Reading Extensively:
Do you see that girl over there? No, not the leggy blonde. The one in the corner quietly reading drinking black coffee. She wants to be a writer when she...
YA is a great genre: short, quick, but entertaining. I thought I would start a new YA challenge for the year. As a bonus, a lot of the books I am choosing...
In a world nearly identical to ours, the North won the Civil War, Ben Affleck is the sexiest man alive, and Russia never sold Alaska to the U.S. Instead,...
Another challenge for 2011. I've recently become aware of this huge great genre of steampunk. Elements of action adventure, science fiction, fantasy, and...
I’ve copied the list of the most-challenged books of the 1990s straight from the ALA website. I’ve highlighted the ones I’ve read.
"The mere sense of living is joy enough." -- Emily Dickinson
January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.
Katie Russell loves working as a telephone operator in Mercy Falls, California. But since childhood she has been expected to marry well. Her family presses for...
From Bart's Bookshelf:
About three months ago, a FB friend put up the video for "Little Lion Man" and I instantly went out and bought their cd. I love their sound: a mix of Flogging...
This seems like a great Challenge to encompass a lot of my reading. Some of my choices are cross listed with other reading challenges. I think I can use this...
From Book Geek:
Addie Sullivan leads a quiet life in a northern California lighthouse. She mourns the death of her father and endures her mother's bitterness, until the night...
Already love historical fiction, so why not? I found this great challenge from Historical Tapestry:
Lately I have found myself reading a lot of romance. So I thought, why not join a reading challenge focused on romance. I find this challenge interesting...
Final book read while sitting on various planes -- Dashing Through the Mall. Three holiday themed romances set in the same mall on Christmas Eve. Good fun,...
I cannot believe that I haven't read Georgette Heyer before now. An early to mid twentieth century author writing historical fiction primarily set in the...
Interested little book full of useless information... just what I love. Where else can you learn to say "Where is the bathroom" in 12 languages? Or 6 great...
I love zombies! I absolutely adore anything zombie related. So a zombie centered reading challenge is just about perfect for me. The challenge is being...
Finished another book and this one was great. An anthology of zombie stories! New, classic, twists, different points of view... so many styles to choose...
I tend to already lean towards Fantasy as a genre, so I thought this would be a perfect challenge for me to join. Here's the introduction and guidelines from...
"Advice is seldom welcome, and those who want it the most always like it the least." -- Lord Chesterfield
I've always read a bit of science fiction, but I thought I would really amp up my interest. Encouraged by J, who loves science fiction, I have decided to...
Ahh... Jars of Clay.... How I love you? I've been a fan since this song came out. I now own all of their cds and continue to love them. I've seen them three...
I know I've missed a day, but it was good day spent relaxing, eating, and watching some Doctor Who. That said, I've gotten quite a bit of reading done...
Christmas Day and I leave to go visit J for a week--a much-needed escape after the last few weeks. While away from home, I thought I would give myself a...
Recently I picked up these two books at the library. I am a sucker now for anything Jane Austen related. With "Jane Austen" in the title, how could I resist?
I've said it often lately, but I'll say it again... I've been reading a lot of book based blogs lately. In doing so, I've gotten a lot of great ideas for this...
Beautiful paintings of women engaged in reading. I love the postures, the colors, the facial expressions. Nothing is better than relaxing in a great setting...
"And what is the use of a book, thought Alice, without pictures or conversations?" -- Lewis Carroll
I thought it was time to share a bit about my reading habits. I found this book meme on another's blog, so I thought I would participate, too. So, here's my...
I found Anberlin about two years ago and immediately fell in love with the band. Great music, great lyrics, great music videos. They released Dark is the...
On Wednesday, the boys had their school Christmas program. Although I picked the program for my highlight of the week, I have mixed feelings about the program...
I live in Indiana. In Indiana during December and January and February and March and sometimes November (but not this year) it snows. We have flurries,...
I love purple! It's my favorite color of all time.
Who are your 10? I would love to hear about them.
"If you are going through hell, keep going." -- Winston Churchill
I've taken a bit more time off than I really intended. The past week and a half has been a challenge. I have had to deal with many personal issues (of which...
At the beginning of the week, I had so many ideas for blog posts. Things were happening. I had funny stories. I asked myself interesting questions. I...
I have a second home (some days it feels like my real home). I have a place I love to go and sit and read and talk and work and listen. I have a place that...
"Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don't keep your feet, there's no...
Another Christian historical romance down... but this one was a bit different. Since it was unusual, I thought I would share.
I have been in love with Paramore ever since Riot! My students were constantly mentioning the cd and how much they loved various songs, so I figured I should...
What a crazy couple of days... We did a lot, but didn't do a lot. We we busy, but not that busy. We had some great moments and some not so great moments....
As a part of my boys' Thanksgiving week, their teachers asked the parents to write them each a letter. We were to talk about things about them we were...
"Wine is bottle poetry." -- Robert Louis Stevenson
I found these pictures of various locations of earth from one of my "interesting" blogs. The images were taken by satellites and then false color was added....
I'm always on the lookout for great music videos. The bf pointed this version out to me. The entire video was shot using Flash. The bf assures me that this...
Usually I pick one highlight of the week, but this week I just couldn't choose. So I'm choosing two highlights of the week!
When you read the title, what are your thoughts? Somehow I have found myself reading many books that fall under this category (at least according to my local...
While randomly browsing through the internet, I ran across this photo. Interesting, weird, slightly disturbing, beautiful... Are those contradictory? No, I...
I picked these two reference books up last week at the library. I am a sucker for lists of books that I should be reading. These two did not disappoint. The...
"Great art picks up where nature ends." -- Chagall What are my favorite pieces of art? I love neoclassical pieces, impressionism, renaissance portraits. I...
Poetry in motion!
A new weekly post: I love music! So I thought it would be fitting every Monday to discuss a can't-get-out-of-my-head song, album, artist, or music video....
It's always good to reflect on our lives. What's gone well? What's gone bad? What was absolutely ridiculous? So what was my highlight of the week? The best...
Taking a cue from my friend Catharine's blog, I present a list of my favorite things:
Last night, the boys, the bf, and I watched an episode of Mythbusters (the boys' current favorite). The episode featured the viral video of the giant Lego ball...
Today I've been thinking a lot about Twitter. Is it bad? Is it good? Does anyone really care? A couple of days ago I signed myself up for Twitter. Why?...
I"ve started a new challenge for myself. Every Wednesday I am going to take a quote I find and reflect on said quote. Sometimes I might even challenge myself...
I'll admit it... I am very resistant to the Jane Austenesque books. I love Jane Austen and cannot imagine some other author destroying her original works. I...
I've started another blog. This one is for me... a place for me to collect my thoughts, share some ideas, be a record of me. The two other blogs that I...