Card #2 – FTL 128 – Just Saying Hello

So of course once I decide to do something I have a hard time with all the “documentation” involved.  Back in January I shared about the 52 Weeks, 52 Letters for 2011 and how great an idea I thought it was. Well I’m running behind on sharing the cards online, but that’s ok.  I also realized that if I send a “store bought card” (*GASP!*) that I’m not going to say anything about that on the blog, so my numbers might not look right online at the end of the year.  And that’s ok.

Moving on….

Every now and then when making a card you just feel it. That’s what happened with this card and equally wonderful was being with two girlfriends while making the card.  Great afternoon, even though this is really all I have to show for it. 

This is my Card #2 and it’s using the FTL128 layout from the Clean & Simple Stamping blog. Keith and I were just saying at dinner tonight that sometimes sending a card for no reason can be even more important than a card for an occasion. We never really know what other people are going through and this jaunty little bird stopping by to say hello might be just what somebody needs to hear/see.

• Stamps – a set from Hero Arts (I bought it at a scrapping/stamping garage sale and it didn’t have the outer envelope with the stamp set name on it)
• Ink – Stampin’ Up Chocolate Chip
• Paper – Stampin’ Up cardstock
• Size – 4.25 x 5.5

** Linking to Clean & Simple Stamping

Review–Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Save the Date
by Jenny B. Jones
Thomas Nelson Publisher
304 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK: You’re invited to the engagement of the most unlikely couple of the year.

When the funding for Lucy’s non-profit job is pulled, she is determined to find out why. Enter Alex Sinclair, former professional football star and heir of Sinclair Enterprises—the primary donor to Lucy’s Saving Grace organization. Alex Sinclair has it all . . . except for the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Both Lucy and Alex have something the other wants. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancée in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn’t quite what he seems, Lucy finds her heart – and her future – on the line.

Save the Date is a spunky romance that will have readers laughing out loud as this dubious pair try to save their careers, their dreams . . . and maybe even a date.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Save The Date, go HERE.

MY REVIEW: This book was so much fun! A very light-hearted read that made me smile so many times.  I was a little worried when I first started reading that this book might be too “young” for me and I wouldn’t be able to relate.  But honestly that was not the case and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I think one of the things I loved was that Lucy, the main character, seemed so real.  Not only was she pouring her heart into the Saving Grace organization, but she had the same dreams and insecurities as so many women do.  Early in the book she attends a gala to try and secure funding for her organization and these are her thoughts:

“As she looked around the ballroom at the crème de la crème of South Carolina, she struggled to draw a deep breath. She was a cubic zirconium in a sea of diamonds.”

Really…how many of us have had similar thoughts in similar situations? Not that I’ve been to a lot of galas in my time, but most of us have had the fish out of water feel at least once.

I will definitely seek out more books by this author.  Her writing style was one that made me look forward to curling up with a book at the end of a long day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take credit for Twilight , but somewhere I think I read you’re not supposed to lie.
When I’m not typing my heart out (or checking email), I teach at a super-sized high school in Arkansas.
My students are constantly telling me how my teaching changes their lives and turned them away from drugs, gangs, and C-SPAN.
Okay, that’s not exactly true.
Some facts that are true include:
I've always been refined!
A. I got my camera confiscated by big boys with guns at the American Embassy in Europe this past summer. O la la!
B. I once worked in a seed mill office and cleaned out mice on a regular basis. Ew.
C. I’m a former drama teacher.
D. I didn’t pass my drivers test the first time. Or the second…
E. I attract stray animals like a magnet.
F. I used to assemble and test paint ball guns for a local factory...
Since my current job leaves me with very little free time, I believe in spending my spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as:
-watching E!
-updating my status on Facebook
-catching Will Ferrell on YouTube and
-writing my name in the dust on my furniture
I’d love to hear about you, so drop me a note. Or check me out on Facebook.

 

** Thank you to CFBA for providing me with a review copy of the book for me to read and post my honest opinion about.

And One And Two And…..

We finally faced the cold hard fact that we REALLY need to get back to exercising.  Last night was our first time doing Gilad’s Total Body Sculpt video together (it’s on Discovery Fit & Health channel if you want to find it – we’re recording it on our “VCR” to do later – yes we are that lame that we still have a VCR).

Today I could probably tell you exactly how many muscles I have in my back, thighs and abs because I can feel EVERY.SINGLE.ONE.OF.THEM!  I keep telling myself that it means I did GOOD last night!

And it is fun to laugh together.  I’m hoping this is the start of something good for us. 

Brooklyn Says Ewe

Late last week my in-law’s came through town on their way elsewhere and we had the best evening.  All the kids were able to meet us for dinner and of course it’s just so wonderful to all get together.

Since we knew that Brooklyn would probably not want to sit and visit as long as what we’d like (what 3 year old would?) we bought her a My Little Pony the night before. It was so cute – came with a little saddle and puppy. At one point she asked me to play with her and she gave me the pony because she wanted the puppy. I got the better end of that deal because I love My Little Pony!

But when we told her that the Pony’s name was Applejack she started saying “ewe”, drawing the word out in true southern fashion. And at the end of the word she would twist her lips to the side and it was cracking us up! I pulled out my phone and managed to catch a little bit of it:

 

My mother-in-law brought along a picture of our son James when he was a wee lad and she showed it to Brooklyn.  “Brooklyn this is your daddy” she said.  “Noooo!” Brooklyn replied and of course we all laughed. I tried and tried to get her to pose with the picture up close to her face so we could see if she looked like her daddy or not, but she started getting the sillies and this is the best one I got:

 

We did get a great picture of James though, with his wonderful wife at his side:

 

Such a nice visit with everybody and then we went home and the in-law’s spent the night.  I so enjoy time with my family. 

Shawl for Samantha

The Dallas Hand Knitting Guild had a mystery shawl program that ran over several months.  Because knitting lace, especially lace with beads, was a totally new thing for me I opted to knit the doll size rather than a shawl for me.  The pattern, Sheryl’s Request,  was written by The Knitting Fairy and was a delight to knit.  I’m thrilled that I thought ahead enough to buy enough yarn and beads to also knit one for me. 

(Do you see on the left side of the photo above that my cat was keeping an eye on this photo shoot?)

 

There’s something about American Girl dolls and I was shocked to hear that they retired Samantha.  I wanted to get one for my mom, so I started stalking Craigslist and eBay.  I was thrilled to find what I wanted.

 

The dress that Samantha is wearing was purchased at an Etsy shop (if you haven’t visited Etsy, you must!  So many fabulous handmade items) called Susiestitchit’s Sewing Shop.  I highly recommend this seller – quality sewing and fast delivery.

I am so happy with this shawl and am happy that I no longer fear knitting lace or knitting with beads.  I also got a little pep talk at the guild meeting from a friend and she convinced me to knit lace using a chart – and I haven’t looked back.

Review–The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhahn & Robert Lewis–And Giveaway!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Are you a ‘Doing it all’ or ‘Do what matters’ woman?

Whether a stay at home; or working mom, an airplane-hopping executive, an empty-nester caring for multiple generations or a single juggling high demands of career and personal life, today's fast-paced modern world leaves women gasping for balance. We as modern Christian women want to look to the Bible for guidance on how to manage our lives -- but because the world of women looks so different today than it did when the Bible was written, it is hard to find chapter and verse that seems to apply to our situation today.

Thankfully, God has given us exactly that timeless, unchanging guidance for how to find peace, clarity, and God's best for our lives once we know where to look! The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World, reveals a profound biblical roadmap for how each of us can find the abundant life we are longing for, rather than the stressful, torn, how-do-I-balance-it-all life we often feel like we are trying to keep up with today. Actually being a Life Ready Woman means that you are clear about your life, bold in your faith, and able to find God’s best for you, and the end result will be that you not only survive but thrive in our do-it-all world.

God has given every wonderfully unique woman different skills and abilities, different desires, and different temperaments -- and every woman around the planet and through the ages is certainly living in different circumstances. But no matter what a woman’s life looks like, the Bible says that God has an individual mission and plan that He’s carefully designed for each of us. And He wants us to find it. Starting January 2011, The Life Ready Woman and the Life Ready Woman Video Series will help every wonderfully unique woman to thrive as she identifies and courageously pursues God's unique design and callings for her. Life Ready Woman puts you on a roadmap to make decisions that will lead to relief, delight, and fulfillment instead of regret.

MY REVIEW:

I always find it more difficult to review a non-fiction book, especially one that works to give us a Biblically based life path.  Seriously – who am I to say it is good or not?

Fortunately I did like this book and that makes it easier.  It addresses women in the many different life phases we find ourselves in.  There were real life examples and “road maps” to help us to look at things realistically.

I read this book much more slowly than I usually read and did it in small chunks rather than sitting and reading through an evening.  The chapters and examples were thought provoking and meant to be pondered rather than rushed through.  In fact, I have no doubt that I will reread this book several times through the years so that I can glean new pearls for new phases of life.

THE GIVEAWAY!  Litfuse generously sent an extra book so that I can give it away!  I promise you that you will not be disappointed in this book should you win.  The only requirement I have for entry is to leave a comment on this post.  I will draw a winner on March 3 at 6:00 in the evening, so plenty of time to enter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shaunti Feldhahn is a former Wall Street analyst, best-selling author of the book For Women Only, national speaker, and regular commentator in the media. She has been featured on The Today Show, PBS, TNT and Fox News- to name a few. You can learn more about her many activities by visiting her website Shaunti.com or get some great mom advice from her at MomLifeToday.com. She and her husband live with their two young children in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoy every minute of living at warp speed.

ABOUT MOMLIFE TODAY: At MomLife Today you will enjoy community with real moms experiencing every age and every stage of MomLife—right alongside you.

Moms need friends we can walk through life with, but more importantly we need friends who will encourage us and equip us in our role as moms in an honest and transparent way … and that’s just what you’ll find by becoming part of our MomLife Today community! We believe that every MOMent counts!

We admit it, being a mom 24/7 is not easy. Rather than lament the role of motherhood, however, we choose to embrace that role and learn from each other how to make it through each day with the right attitude. Come share the joys, sorrows, insanity, and special moments of motherhood with us as we live it and candidly write about it…we’ll have lots of fun along the way! Join us, and do tell… What’s happening in your MomLife Today? www.momlifetoday.com

In celebration of Shaunti Feldhahn’s Life Ready Woman, MomLife Today is giving away 2 Weekend To Remember Gift Packs and much more!

Not only, is MomLife Today helping promote Life Ready Woman, but they are thrilled to announce that Shaunti will be joining MomLife Today as a regular contributor!!! Weekend To Remember Get- Aways offer marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives to strengthen your marriage. Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for 50 years, you will find value in the tools provided at the getaway.

Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a conference registration for you and your spouse … and more! MomLife Today will be randomly selecting NINE lucky recipients to receive one of these great gifts:

1. 2 Weekend To Remember Get Away conference registrations for two. $259 value each pair (Two couples will receive this.)
2. 2 Life Ready Woman DVD packs. $149 value each (Two different people will receive this gift.)
3. 5 The Life Ready Woman books. (Book will go to 5 people.)

To enter click one of the icons below then tell your friends. Winner will be announced on March 2nd on the MomLife Today website.

MomLife Today provides encouragement, advice and resources to help YOU with your daily Momlife! Because…every MOMent counts!

 

 

** Thank you to Litfuse for sending me a review copy of this book.  In return I have provided an unbiased review.