***I need to remember this. Every day!
***Seeing this makes me want to learn to crochet.
***These posters are pretty cool. Click on the link to the website to see more.
***I am crazy about the look of this quilt!
**Simple little design boards.
***Melody Miller's latest--Ruby Star Shining. What do you think?
Have a great weekend!
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There is quite a pile of books on my nightstand right now and a few more that have been read recently, and I just wanted to share them with you---just in case you are looking for a good read.
Grace for the Good Girl--Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life--This is one of those "this is so me" books! It's all about those of us who spend so much time trying to appear put-together, when really we need to take a deep breath, let go, and admit that we have some problems. It's a very freeing read and I am underlining things like crazy!
The Postmistress--I just started this one, so I can't really tell you what I think. At this point there are a lot of characters being introduced and it's a little confusing, but I expect it to take off here pretty soon. Will let you know....
Half-Broke Horses--This was a great book, a true-life novel based on the author's grandmother. She was quite the interesting and spunky lady who lived through the Great Depression. Great read!
Fresh-Quilting--Do I really need to say why I am reading this one? Just looking for some fresh inspiration and direction in my quilting. The color usage in the projects is great!
A Field Guide to Fabric Design--Do I want to design fabric? No! My artistic talents are minimal in the drawing department, but I do want to learn more about the process. So far this book is informative and enjoyable to read. Highgly recommended for anyone wanted to learn more about designing fabric.
Also read recently and happy to recommend: Little Bee, The Help, and The Glass Castle.
What about you? What's on your nightstand?
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Last week I got together with some friends to make a messenger bags. We had a great time and accomplished a whole bunch. Of course, we were sewing until 11 o' clock at night, but at the end we all sported a brand new bag.
I used Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow in the pink colorway to make mine. Normally I don't use pink in projects that I make for myself, but I felt like doing something different. Girly-ness isn't gonna kill me, right?
I made up the pattern based on one that I found in the book Sew What! Bags, which includes 18 pattern-free projects. The pattern-free part of this book is what I love the most, second only to the wonderful projects that can be customized to your own needs and tastes. Really, it's a good one!
Happy sewing!
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First up, Beverly Cleary's Ramona is coming to the big screen on July 23rd.
Aubry is just about over the moon on this one. She went through a Ramona stage a while ago where the library's books on CD lived at our house, and I am pretty sure she got those stories memorized.
Ms. Cleary has such a way of bringing a kid to life on a books pages. All I can say is that this movie needs to stay true to the feel of these classic stories. I will be crossing my fingers on that!
Also, a Jack-in-the-Box is coming to our little town. My hubs and I have lived for too many years without those wonderful deep-fried tacos. I am serious when I say that we are really excited about this. We will be there on opening day, I am sure of it. :)
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Admittedly, I don't have a ton of reading time, but I do manage to squeeze some in each night before bedtime. Next to fabric, books are my favorite addiction. If I could I would start a fabric/book shop with an ice cream counter, just for fun. I expect that a lot of you would frequent my store? :)
I recently read Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler. It is about a man who wakes up one morning to find he has no memory of recent events--very important events. And he also finds that he has no one close enough to tell him those events or even to take care of him. He has a choice to stay in a life that is less than fulfilling, or to to step forward into a life of purpose.
All of Anne's book are wonderful, exploring the inner selves of ordinary people. You will always find a character to identify with in one of her books.
For me, I find in the world of books a refuge. A place where people like me wrestle through their lives and find out who they are, what their place in life is, and what life has to offer them. Isn't this much like what we all do every day?
I also read Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, the author of The Time Traveler's Wife. The first half of the book was interesting and compelling, largely because the story was so unique, but the second half of the book was just plain weird. This one I was glad to finish.
Now I am reading The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. I am only a chapter into it, but I can't decide if I am going to continue with it. A couple more chapters will tell.
What about you? What are you reading?
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...even if he is showing off his car.
Josiah and I came up with a fun project for our co-op class tomorrow (from this excellent book) and I am crossing my fingers that this one will be a hit. Our last two classes have been OK, but I don't think I have captured their scientific-attention as of yet. With 15 rowdy boys to keep busy, I get a little nervous.
We will be building our cars and souping them up (Josiah said it is not called "decorating" a car) for the car race at the next co-op. We will be learning about potential and kinetic energy, as well as friction and motion. Since I know NOTHING about those topics, I am glad for the book's overview. Maybe I will appear to know what I am talking about!
Personally, I think these cars are rather cool:
The fact that they actually move will be a plus with the boys! ;)
Here is my other boy trying to duck away from my camera:
I caught him just before he turned away! Please excuse his messy look, but he just got home from work with dad.
Wish me luck at co-op tomorrow. I need it!
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I love fabric, books and the library, so a book bag for my library trips made out of awesome fabric was necessary. Sure, I can carry my backpack, but why not look well-read AND fashionable at the same time. Any one who sees me on a regular basis is probably laughing right now because my typical fashion consists of jeans and a gray hoodie sweatshirt. I am a creature of comfort, all the way!
Lately my book choices have been disappointing and I keep getting halfway through a book only to put it down and start over with another one. I like to read thoughtful books, but I wish that more authors didn't feel the need to add so much garbage to their books. I can be an open-minded, intelligent reader, but I still don't understand how adding a bunch of sex to a book makes it better. Some things should be left to the imagination, if you ask me.
Yes, I am rather old-fashioned about those things.
Are you reading any good books lately? I would love some recommendations!
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Today you can find me at The Heart of the Matter talking about kids and books.
Hope to see you there!
***Don't forget about The Recipe Box Swap tomorrow!
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...you have to read this book. It is short and sweet (more like a long essay than a book), but Anna Quindlen captures what it is like to have a dog as part of the family.
Our dog, Chuck, died a couple of years ago and we still tell stories about him. He was one of those dogs who loved being around people. If we were in the living room, he was snuggled at someone's feet, if I was in the kitchen, he was laying on the kitchen tile waiting for some food to fall. We haven't gotten a dog since, but this book has me wondering if it is time!
Here are some thoughts about the differences between dogs and cats:
"It would never occur to me to assume that the cat and I have two hearts that beat as one; with his narrowed amber eyes and scarred upper lip, his prevailing mode is either contempt or indifference. When he curls around my ankles, it suggests hunger, not affection. I like this about cats; they are the Clint Eastwoods of companion animals. A dog who sits by your side craves company; a cat is doing you a favor. This is why when you say "Sit!" a cat rises and stalks out of the room. Most dogs will fall back on their haunches, vibrating slightly, their liquid brown eyes locked on yours."
To get a dog, or not get a dog. That is the question!
The book is Good Dog. Stay. by Anna Quindlen.
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It's been a good year for books!
I am fairly happy with the number I read--34--and I am even happier with the books I picked and finished. Many were started and put down due to lack of interest on my part because life is too short to wade through a bad book.
Here is a list of my favorites:
***Please note that I am terrible at writing book reviews! What follows is my simple opinion on the books that I read!
The Kite Runner--Excellent! Honestly I knew very little about the conflict in Afghanistan before reading this book. This is a story of two friends who live life on two divergent paths and the consequences of the decisions they make. A must read.
A Three Dog Life--An auto-biography by a woman whose husband suffers a traumatic brain injury and he is left with almost no memory. Her description of taking naps with her husband, holding hands, just to remember what their life used to be like, made me appreciate what I have now.
The $64 Tomato--A hilarious account of a man pursuing the perfect garden--and the high cost of doing it!
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime--A fictional account of a man with autism and his attempt at solving a crime. This was one of my faves!
Born on a Blue Day--An auto-biography written by a man with autism. From his childhood into his adulthood, the writer does an excellent job of drawing the reader into his very different world.
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down--The story of two clashing cultures and the consequences that arise from misunderstanding. My sister recommended this book to me and, in turn, I recommend it to you!
The Thirteenth Tale--A wonderful story in the style of a gothic romance (think: Bronte). Loved it but it has been too many months since reading it for me to give you much more info than that! ;)
Those are the ones that I LOVED! My hope is that 2008 is a good book year also.
What about you? Did you read any wonderful books in 2007?
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Thank you!
Copyright 2007-2012
Thessalonians 5:16-18
