A Right Brain Wannabe

Blog Tour: Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman: one girl's attempt to convert the ultimate commitment-phobic man into a doting husband with a lot of help from his family and friends

Hilary had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship—why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose. But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn't ready—and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point. In this relate-able, lighthearted, and playful memoir, Hilary reminisces about her life before Marc—from the insecure and awkward teenage years she spent in a back brace and dealing with the loss of her father, to her early relationships and, finally, to the day she met Marc and realized that she really wanted to see him again. Through their first date—even though Hilary was technically seeing someone else at the time—and the ease of their early time together until Marc first decided that they were moving too quickly, up until that fateful New Year’s Eve, Hilary shares the details of their relationship and how Marc’s inability to commit led her to find an inner strength and confidence she didn't know she possessed. For anyone who has ever dated a commitment-phobe, who has found their patience wearing thin with the one they love, or who has sat around wondering if he is ever going to pop the question while trying to remain the very picture of patience and grace, Hilary's humorous and honest story will hit home.

I was very fortunate to get to participate in this Blog Tour with Chick Lit Plus and have enjoyed every minute of it. Be sure to stop by and see all the tour stops for more reviews and inside Q&A with Hilary herself!

I was so excited to start reading this book as soon as I got my copy because it is a memoir! I love reading memoir's because you feel instantly more attached to the author and the characters because they have a meaning of real experiences behind them. I feel that Grossman did an amazing job at letting us into her life without it becoming to intimate and personal.

I feel that this book did a great job at walking the audience through some real situations that a lot of people struggle with on a daily basis...young adult and adult situations. In this memoir Grossman takes us to an all familiar place of commitment issues and how she and her husband worked their way through them. I found myself nodding away in understanding as she took us through all levels of the relationship and I routed them on the entire way! Even though at points I just wanted to shake Marc and say 'Come On Already!!' I knew that they were meant for each other and time would be on their side.

I think this is a very charming and relate-able book. Lots of laugh's, struggles, ups and downs...but most of all...this is a story full of love that made it through the test of time.

I am NOT M.I.A I promise...

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:40:00 +0000

I just wanted to reach out and let you know that I have NOT gone M.I.A.

There have been some things have come up on my side of the computer that sort of put a halt on my create side (and my free time). I have SLOOOOOWLY been working on my first quilt...

...and have recently signed up for a monthly star quilt pattern with Elizabeth over at Don't Call me Betsy. I think this Lucky Star club will give me some great exposure to the tedious world of quilting that I haven't had much practice in. I may want to pull my hair out before I even complete one...but at least I'm going to give it a try! Below is the color pallet I am going with and the first 3 star patterns released.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and please check back tomorrow for my review of Dangled Carat...It's the first Blog Tour I've done in a long time.

March #SewCrazyChallenge

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:16:00 +0000

Happy Monday to you!!

I finally found time to do some sewing over the weekend (along with learning very quickly that when Derick is gone I can make a MAJOR crafting mess). Apparently having him around forces me to put things away...

I seriously woke up Friday morning to take my dog outside and frightened myself with how messy I was!

Messy or not, I was able to finish March's challenge with only a few days to go! I am so very excited about this little bag I made. I am going to give the little bag to my friends little girl...I hope she loves it.

I found the pattern on Pinterest a while back and as soon as we were told we could make a bag for this challenge, I knew I was doing this one.

It was simple, but has some super cute details. I love how there a little pockets on the outside and the straps add a great texture to the already awesome fabric I found.

Seriously...spent $3.00 on this entire bag. I'd say I hit the jackpot!

Before I leave you for the day, below is my quilting progress!

I know...just fabric strips. But, they are all sewn together and ironed! Next step will be to cut them into squares and start assembling the quilt top!

I'm so in love with the colors and can't wait for it to be finished!!

Announcement!

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:00:00 +0000

I just wanted to reach out and explain my absence.

I'M ENGAGED!

With this said, the next couple of weeks I am going to be swamped with getting the planning started, but once I get my wedding planner hired then hings should slow down.

I do have some projects in the works for the March challenge, and some quilting things I'm working on.

I'll have progress for you soon I promise!

Book Review - A Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 15:45:00 +0000

A Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

WHAT. A. GREAT. BOOK!

I actually listened to this one in the car so it took me a long while to finish...I only go 6 miles to and from work on a regular basis. I found myself sitting in the parking lot not wanting to go in because it was getting so good! I'd relate this to a page turner that I probably would have finished in 2 days had it not been an audio book.

I think it was a great mixture of drama, suspense, love, fight, failure and success. The author really knew what they were doing with all the turn of events that happened in this book. I wanted so bad for Abby to succeed and do what she needed in life to get far away from her past. I wanted so bad for Travis to straighten up his life and realize that he could do better. I wanted so BAD for them to be together and happy and realize life was OK as long as they were together. Basically...I was rooting for all character at all times. This book did a great job in helping the reader build a relationship and opinion about each character. And...I literally just realized that this is a series and there are more books...oh man, I may be reading a lot in my near future!

**Warning, if you are easily offended by cussing and/or aggressiveness I would suggest not reading this book.

Book Review - Recovering From Life by Debra McKenna

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Recovering From Life by Debra McKenna

Recovering from Life is the tale of 39-year-old, red-headed spitfire Stephanie McCarthy's rollicking road to redemption. A gifted freelance writer in Northern California, Steph works days hawking frozen foods while her life limps along. Until her husband, Kenny, disappears into the crack ghetto. His descent into addiction catapults Steph onto a wild ride that feels unendurable--but ultimately leads to her own self-discovery.

Marooned in a state of financial doom, legal tangles, and emotional turmoil, Steph navigates the pitfalls of her new path, which takes her into the realms of drug dealers, high finance--and hot romance. With her wisecracking buddy, Lee, and other surprising allies at her side, Steph begins to rebuild her world as she stumbles into her own blind spots and wrestles with her faulty guy-radar.

When Steph at last spies the "Welcome to Reality" sign at the end of the road, she realizes that her job is to heal from a life she never chose--and to recover from the one that she did. But while she rides that roller coaster of recovery, Stephanie has one hell of a good time.

Recovering from life was a story about a woman who was stuck in the middle of trying to figure out how to juggle the stressful life she was being dealt along with staying healthy and putting her self first. Stephanie had her life figured out...she had the husband, the dog, the house, and just started on building her career path of becoming a full time editor for a magazine. Yes, she had some bumps in the road, but both her and her husband were survivors of substance abuse and were moving forward in life. Or so she thought.

Little did she know that her husband had fallen off the band wagon and had taken everything they had worked so hard to get along with him. The moment she thought it was over, it wasn't worth sticking it out, she realized she really needed to take a step back and get her life back in check. Through some ups and many many downs, Steph and her closest friends came out the other side the best was they could.

I felt that this book was a good read, and the Debra did a great job of connecting you with a character that is probably very familiar to many in this world. The book stayed light hearted, while throwing in some pretty funny loop holes, and did a great job conveying that these are real struggles, and they are not easy to overcome without a lot of support from great people in your life.

I look forward to reading more from Debra in the future!

Sewing Convention / Blogging Conference

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 13:00:00 +0000

As you can tell by my blog roll, I am very addicted to reading blogs. Especially ones about sewing / crafting / cooking.

It helps me escape my every day life and take a look at how others live and what they do for fun.

Recently I found that a lot of my favorite bloggers have been attending or will be attending a Sewing Convention / Blogging Conference this year.

American Sewing Guild

SoFabCon

Original Sewing Expo

Sewing & Stitchery Expo

I'm sure I am missing some, but what are your thoughts on the idea in general?

I'd love to attend something like this just to soak up the knowledge, meet some new people, and maybe start expanding my skills.

However, the whole idea seems a little overwhelming and intimidating to me. I'd obviously attend by myself seeing that I am the only one of my friends that really sews. If you can even say "I sew" yet...really I'm still learning. And I'm still learning this whole blogging thing. I'm not even really sure if I'm good at it...or want to pursue it enough to attend a Sewing Convention / Blogging Conference.

Is there an experience level at which you must be in order to really get anything out of something like this?

I'd love to hear from people who have attended one, your level of experience, and if you think it's something beneficial.

I'll keep you posted on if I plan on attending any.

Mr. Dino Quilt!!

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Dum duh duh dum da da dum da duh dum!!!

That was my trumpet entrance.

You hear it?

I do.

All rise for the welcoming of ...

MR. DINO QUILT!!!

Mr. Dino Quilt is so great.

I love the colors. I love the size. I love what I learned from the project. I love that my nephew is going have my first major project.

A few things I learned:

1. How to finish off a knot in a quilt

2. Lining up seams when piecing the quilt together is important. The seam ripper is OK to use.

3. Fraying the edges of a rag quilt SUCKS. I have bruises and blisters to prove it.

4. Washing something with so much fabric can possibly be a disaster. He came out SOAKING wet and weighing close to 50lbs I swear. Three rounds of drying later and he was still soaked. I had to hang dry him over night and pray that I didn't ruin him. All is well tho, he survived.

Welp, I think I'm addicted to quilting. I already have my next one lined up and ready to start. This next one will be a true quilt, and as you saw in a previous post, the experience hasn't started out all sunshine and butterflies. I plan on trying to salvage what I can and learn as I go.

Here goes nothing!

Fabric Bookmark

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Morning!!

Hope everyone stayed warm last night...looks like we are actually going to get above freezing today which is wonderful. I'm starting to get cabin fever.

I also have to get to the UofA tomorrow for some work events and the warmer it gets the safer the drive will be.

Since we couldn't get to our regularly scheduled events yesterday I decided to whip up a quick bookmark last night and use up some scraps.

This was the first time I 'winged' something and you can definitely tell. I had to use the seam ripper so the photos of my fabric show a little wear and tear.

I think it also shows that we all make mistakes and can learn from them!

I started with two different fabrics and some interfacing. I made a triangle out a piece of paper and cut it out of all of my fabric choices. 2 of each.

I ironed on the interfacing to the fabric I wanted on the inside of the bookmark. I figured giving it a little more support wouldn't hurt!

Enter my fabric that I had to remove the seams because my first attempt was a fail.

Take your two opposite fabrics, put them wrong sides together, and sew just the bottom of the triangle.

Turn it right sides together and top stitch on the bottom of the triangle again. Do this to both sets of fabric.

Line up your triangles, with the fabric you want on the the outside of the bookmark facing each other. Sew along the two top sides of the triangle. Flip the triangles inside out and top stitch again on the two top sides of the triangle.

Ladies and Gents...you have yourself a corner bookmark!

I could have measured the triangle to fit a little more snug, and the bottom corners didn't turn out 100% perfect.

But...I feel this was a great project for my first time 'winging it'.

I'm super proud of myself!

Alphabet Magnets

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 15:02:00 +0000

Heyo!

Happy ~~Iceday~~ Monday to me?! This weather is insane, 60 degrees on Friday to ice on Monday.

Yeesh.

I know it's been a few days since I last wrote, I apologize for that.

I know you've missed me!

The real job duties have been getting in the way of my creative time and inspiration this past week, and I have a feeling it will this week as well.

I travel occasionally for work and when I do, it's hard for me to keep the juices flowing, much less have a sewing machine close at hand.

Do you travel? How do you keep things flowing?

Any-who...I wanted to share with you the alphabet magnets I made for one of my girl friends who just moved into her new place. I wanted her to have a little house warming present and I think they turned out great.

Earlier I shared with you my fabric snag but here are my fabric choices again. I'm loving the aqua trend these days, I even painted my nails to match :)

For this project I started by going online to find some cute font I could duplicate on fabric. I needed a K and an M. I wanted something with clean lines since I was going to be cutting it out of fabric. I chose to make them about 8 inches tall since I wanted them to be a pretty big statement on her fridge :) I cut out the letters using my pinking sheers to add a cute edge.

I needed a front and a back cut from each fabric, some interfacing, and a filler to make the letter have some depth along with being sturdy enough to stand on their own.

For the magnets themselves I found these ~~cute~~ strong magnets on Amazon. 30 for around 8 bucks and they are the perfect thing for a project like this.

It took me a while to figure out how I was going sew them into the fabric without having visible stitch lines. Eventually I came up with the idea of stitching them by hand into the filler. It may not be the BEST way, but it works.

After everything was sandwiched together, making sure I lined up the pinking sheer cuts as much as I could, I sewed them together using about a 1/4" hem allowance using an aqua thread for a little contrast.

I think they turned out great! I have a feeling I will be making more of these in the future.

Hope you had a great weekend and I'll be sharing an update on Mr. Dino quilt real soon :)

Quilting Adventures?

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:00:00 +0000

So excited!!

Last week I posted on Facebook about how I MIGHT have bought a quilting kit.

Ok. I did.

And it arrived!!!

So many colors!!

Love them!!

Well, after I do my pre-wash THIS is what I have.

Is this normal?!?

I can't find anywhere that says I wasn't supposed to wash the strips.

I have been trimming and ironing for an hour now and all I have is this.

Which is only a third of the strips.

Some one please tell me if I have completely ruined my chances of making an amazing quilt.

It's kind of depressing.

I guess you only learn by trying.

I really hope I can keep this project alive and have something to show in the end.

On a happier note I have been playing with leather again. Hope to have something to show soon!!

Weekend Catch Up

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 03:02:00 +0000

What a weekend!!

If you didn't know, I play a little kickball every once and a while.

Fun. Friends. Beer. Sun. Exercise.

It's the best combo ever.

source

This past weekend the LRKA hosted Chili With a Kick benefiting Youth Home.

Chili. Kickball. Fun. Friends. Beer. Sun. Exercise.

See...just add Chili and you have the best charity event ever invented.

I ended up playing 5 games in the span of 8 hours.

Ouch.

Can't Move.

Too Old.

We came in 3rd place and had a blast. Luckily I got to be on the same team as some of my great friends!

Ryan, Me, Mikey

That, my friends, is why I didn't get to do much creating this weekend.

Because I spent yesterday ~~and today~~ trying to recover from being old.

I did however receive an AMAZING canvas print from Derick's mom.

She stumbled upon an app on your phone that will turn pictures in to 'water color' paintings.

She did one of my sweet Pepe and had Cosco put it on canvas!

It is so awesome I just have to find somewhere to hang it (along with the antique post cards and kitchen posters that are still sitting in a pile on the table).

Apparently I have a problem with commitment + nails + walls.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and I'll leave you with a picture of some of the cheapest pieces of fabric I've ever purchased (Joann's + Coupons + Luck).

I have a great idea for them I just have to find the time to do it.

Until we meet again!

February's #SewCrazyChallenge

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

I have been slowly working on this challenge all month. Unlike last month where I finished it in 1 day...I wanted to make this one last. I learned new things and practiced old skills.

February's challenge was for the Home. There were multiple options...a set of pillows, some oven mitts, or a bean bag.

As soon as I saw the pillow challenge it reminded me of a Pin I found on Pinterest for inspiration and thought it would be PERFECT! THIS is the inspiration pin and here is my pillow.

It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I boughr multiple colors of fringe, cut each tassel off and then re-attached them all together in an alternating pattern.

I know there was a better way to execute this but I feel the end product was pretty darn good.

Pepe sure thinks its the best pillow she's seen lately!

As for the other pillow with ruffles, I wasn't able to find a Wool Fleece mixture at any of my local fabric stores so decided I'd grab a few fat quarters and make the heart shaped oven mitt.

I have ~~used~~ attempted bias tape before and after I was done I KNEW I was doing it wrong. After doing some research I came across this amazing tutorial and was so excited I had a project to try it with. Not only was I going to sew on bias tape 'correctly' but I was going to make my own!!! DanaMadeIt has another tutorial on her blog on how you can easily make bias tape out of 1/2 yard of fabric.

3 bias tape makers later...I DID IT! This has opened so many doors for me I can just tell.

I love how I was able to match the colors perfectly. There are a couple of hiccups around the tip of the heart but I know with more practice it will only get better.

I already have a project in mind to get more practice. So many things going on in my brain...I just have to do one at a time!

Hope you enjoyed my contribution to the #sewcrazychallenge and make sure you stay tuned for next month's! I can barely contain myself...

I'm horrible at this patience thing.

My Top 10 Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 17:07:00 +0000

I hope I haven't made a promise I can't keep.

I got really excited after talking to Derick about my post for today.

My top 10...in the history of ever.

Then, after really thinking about it, I hope I didn't get everyone excited for a few dinky recipes that make only Derick and I happy. You know...one of those 'Womp Womp' moments.

Either way, here are 10 recipes that are close to my heart, and that also make my taste buds dance.

In no particular order...because coming up with just 10 was hard enough!

Enjoy!!

1. BBQ Cups by Mom
BBQ. Enough said. Add some cheese and its even better!!

2. Sausage & Rice by Mom
I make this as comfort food. It was the first thing I ever made for Derick, so if you ever ask him his favorite thing I cook this one always comes up. Its a staple dinner for sure.

3. Taco Soup by Mom
So simple, so filling, so amazing. Leftovers are even better!

4. White Chicken Chili by Mom
This is always a huge hit, so much so that I've been offered money to make a batch to deliver to my gym trainer!

5. Hot Wing Sauce by "Google".

I have no idea where I got this from, it's been a long time! We haven't actually made this in a while...now that the weather is getting warm I'm feeling some wings in my future.

6. Slow cooked Pork Carnitas by Skinny Taste
I add pineapple and mozzarella to the taco and it is amazing.

7. Spinach Lasagna Rolls by Skinny Taste
I would suggest adding some quartered cherry tomatoes. Maybe even roast them a little before hand.

8. Avocado, Mozzarella and Bruschetta Chicken by IowaGirlEats
Just the title says enough about this one.

9. Poppyseed Glazed Ham Sandwich by AgirlandAgluegun
I made this last night. I can't even explain what this glaze did to the sandwich bun. It was to die for.

10. Sweet Basil & Oregano Bruschetta Chicken by McCormick
Funny thing, this is actually a seasoning packet you can buy next to the taco seasoning. I grabbed it as a quick meal one day and it turned out to be a massive hit. I roasted quartered cherry tomatoes, whipped up some noodles and added the chicken. Yum.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite recipes...I am always looking for things to add to the list!

Book Review: Unspoken Bond by Blake O'Conner

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

"University of Texas senior David Hess doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s been skipping school, getting into fights, his grades slip to barely passing, and he has broken up with his fiancée. After he rescues an abandoned dog on a lonely stretch of country back road, things start to look up–that is until he is blindsided by a crippling tragedy. Along his journey to recovery, a girl he met by chance keeps haunting his dreams and his thoughts.

But there’s a problem–he doesn’t even know her name.

Emma Mendoza is lamenting her turn in life: almost divorced, lousy job, no family, and no one to share her life with. She sits alone in her apartment thinking about her upcoming deployment, and about a boy she met. Who is he? Where is he? Why can’t she stop thinking about him?

And so begins a story about the love of two people transcending time and tragedy, and about the love of a dog that will never be forgotten…

“Smooth, fluid prose, with a strong emotional hook,” says a judge of a major metropolitan writing contest. Unspoken Bond is an award-winning, heart-warming story about how one unselfish act can have far reaching and lifelong consequences. It’s a celebration of the unspoken bond between a man and his dog, and the timeless bond between two people, held together by a whisper of a touch."

When I first started reading this book I was preparing myself for a heart wrenching story of man and dog that would involve a lot of tears and tissues. I almost talked myself out of reading it due to how close it might hit home. I am so glad I let myself take this journey with the author as he wrote a wonderful story about human love and lose, and canine love and lose.

This book was formatted with three parts, which I think was a great way to show the different times of David's life. The way the author set up the story starting out in the present, then going back in time, helps to take you through the most important and life changing moments of the characters. This also allowed for the reader to feel as if they we reliving the story right there in the living room with David telling the story. Reminds me of the times my Grandpa tells stories that take us back in to WWII.

I would recommend this book to any one that has a dog who has impacted their lives in some form or fashion. Along with a wonderful story about David and his pooch, you get to experience a once in a life time and unquie story about "love at first site". The ups and downs of this story come at just the right time to keep a reader engaged all the way to the end.

Thank you Blake for giving your readers the chance to enjoy such a wonderful book.

Rating: 4 stars

Weekend Update

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 18:40:00 +0000

Happy Monday!

...wait...are Monday's ever happy...

Anyways, how was your weekend? I had a lot of things to catch up on as far as house work is concerned. Grocery shopping, cleaning, ~~reading, crafting, sleeping, movie watching~~, etc. Oh the joys of attempting to be a grown up!

As you could see by my previous post, that my crafting weekend didn't really happen as planned. I didn't get to work on my challenge submission but I did get a little done on Mr Dino. He now officially has spikes! This process is definitely getting easier for me, it didn't take me long to knock these out!

Here are a few things I have learned a few things a long the way:

1. This is not a fast process. Taking time to mark where stitches go is WORTH IT.

2. How to hide knots.

3. Check your bobbin regularly, or you may end up stitching an entire "quilt block" just to turn around a redo it.

A few other things to add to my accomplishments this weekend:

I made THIS recipe but substituted blue berries for cranberries. We love it and I love having easy access to breakfast. Grab-n-go is key!

I finished reading Unspoken Bond. Don't miss my review coming soon. Also, follow me on Good Reads if you want to keep up with my reading!

Finally I got to spend time with my handsome nephew, who also happens to be a 2/12 year old future baseball star. Just saying :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend and if you are in to sewing, make sure you stop by Kimbo's blog...it's her blog's 4th birthday and she is giving away some fabric!!

Defeated...

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 01:26:00 +0000

I have been so excited about finishing up February's sew challenge. I decided I was going to make my own bias tape to up the difficulty and also personalize the project a little more. I found an amazing tutorial but wasn't able to find the correct size bias tape maker. No worries! My slight addiction to Amazon was going to save me! I ordered the maker and patiently waited...and waited.

Alas! It arrived on Thursday!

I have had a very busy week and haven't had a chance to get some sewing in so I was extremely excited about using my Saturday to finish up the challenge!!

I pull out the iron. RIP open the tape maker, put my fabric into the correct side and UUGGH! It's the wrong size!!!

How did this happen?!

Talk about a slap in the face. I not only have a tape maker that's the wrong size, but I also can't return it and can't do anything with my project.

What a downer!

I have ordered the correct size from Amazon but it won't be here until Wednesday. The waiting is goin to kill me.

I may just tackle the Dino quilt to say I've done SOMETHING productive this weekend.

Have you ever bought the wrong thing only to hault your productivity? Did you throw your hands in the air and give up or find something else to do?

I hope my defeated feeling subsides and I can get off the couch. We will see!

Bloglovin

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Bloglovin is what I have been looking for my whole life!

I'm Obsessed.

I have always been a blog reader and have never really found a centralized place that I like to read them. There is even a plug-in for Chrome that tells me when there are new things to read!

This is going to be the death of me. Like I need more blogs to read.

Either way, I thought I'd share the list of blogs I currently read (mostly crafting blogs) and if you have any of your own please share!!!

Recipes / Healthy Living

Reading

Crafting / Sewing

A gift and a glue gun

a little gray

Buzzmills

Charm Stitch

Crazy Little Projects

petit a petit and family

Simple Simon & Company

The Cottage Mama

The Crafy Kitty

The Happier Homemaker

The Polka Dot Chair

The Sewing Rabbit || Me Sew Crazy

Tilly and the Buttons

What Katie Sews

Fashion

J's Everyday Fashion

Everyday Life

SIMPLE GOODNESS

Also, please follow me if you decide to join bloglovin!

Also, Happy Valentines Day!!!

Homemade Gift!

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 19:33:00 +0000

I recently celebrated my "Dirty 30" with some of my most favorite people in the whole world. I wanted to share with you a homemade gift that I received from one of my best friends. I know she was so excited to give it to me, she even said she wanted to make one for herself.

She pieced 4 boards together to form a frame. Then hammered random bottle caps all along the frame.

As you can see she framed a piece of card stock, then glued adorable lettering to the outside of the glass.

She then simply hung them with screw hooks from the inside of the frame at different levels.

This is a piece that I have thoroughly enjoyed having in my living room and it couldn't be any more obvious that it came from the heart.

Crafting with Leather Scraps

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 16:08:00 +0000

Recently I stumbled upon this post by The Sewing Rabbit (follow her, shes amazing) and knew this was something I wanted to attempt. I used to have a very large amount jewelry making supplies (that eventually were sold in a garage sale) but I held on to a few things. I rummaged through my craft ~~boxes~~ box and found my pliers and wire cutter.

While I am not a huge fan of Valentine's day or hearts (I know I'm weird) I still following the general idea of the tutorial just made some adjustments on the shape. This my friends is where my SEC College Football fan came out and I created this.

A Leather Geometric Razorback!!

I simply searched Google for outlines of the shape, traced it onto a leather scrap I found at Michael s, and created the geometric shapes just as Jess's tutorial suggested. My sister fell in love and asked for one for herself. At least I know my sister loves my college spirit.

I'd think you could do this with any shape it would be adorable.

I even ventured out and created a little more of an edgy necklace with the green leather scrap I had and I LOVE IT! I am such a huge fan of costume jewelry I know this will get a lot of wear. (excuse my Arkansas necklace, it is something I wear all the time and I didn't even realize I had it on in this picture.)

Next will be attempting this amazing cuff idea I found on Pinterest. I think I could get used to this leather crafting...it is a lot of fun!

One question, out of curiosity, when someone compliments something you've made...do you automatically say 'Thanks! I made it!' or do you wait until they ask where you got it from. I have never been sure how to approach this question without sounds so eager to tell someone I made it.

Childhood memories

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

I thought I'd share some of my creative child memories.

My grandma was the one who introduced me to sewing & cooking. My mom was an only child and to this day loathes even the thought of sewing. She picked up the cooking interest once she got married, but I feel like the creative gene was passed on to me for the most part (at least I like to tell myself I'm crafty...trying is better than nothing right?).

1. Cabbage Page Clothes

I clearly remember my first cabbage patch doll outfit I made. It was a blue and white dress with ruffled sleeves. It was the very first thing I made by myself. I followed the pattern and everything. I was probably around 8 or 9. This is what my memory brings up:

Except mine didn't have bloomers and my doll was way cuter :)

2. Old Fashioned Dress made by hand.

In 6th grade when we had to do a play in drama and I was cased as an extra. Believe me, this is where you wanted me. Either that or back stage...way far from any kind of acting. In this roll I had to wear a dress that fit into the 'old fashioned southern belle' theme. I can't remember exactly what the play was, but I remember I was the only one that had a hand made, self designed, dress that my grandma made. I remember helping her with bits a pieces and was so excited to show it off. It looked something like this (color and all).

3. French Toast.

Grandma and Grandpa's was the place to be if you loved french toast. She would make it every morning and he would put loads of powdered sugar on top for us. I remember the day she decided I was going to be the one to cook breakfast when I came to visit. It is still a recipe I remember by heart and love to treat the boyf every once in a while when he has a sweet tooth.

Grandma's French Toast Recipe

She did not ever use measurements, just pours, pinches, and dabs.

You take eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix them in a bowl. I always do about 3 eggs to a nice pour of milk and a drop of vanilla.

Take a few slices of bread and cut them in triangles. Dip them in the egg mixture, both sides, and place them in a frying pan that you have pre-heated with a dab of butter.

Brown on one side before you flip to the other. You want the it to be toasty not soggy. This takes practice on knowing how hot to get the pan, how much to soak the bread, and how long to cook. Practice makes perfect.

Continue until all bread is used. Throw any left over eggs in the pan and whip up some vanilla scrambled eggs. You would be surprised how tasty they are.

Serve it all with a dash of powdered sugar on top and syrup to taste.

What are some of your childhood memories? I'd love to hear about them!!

Sunday Funday

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Not a whole lot going on yesterday, just a few trips to the craft store and a couple attempts at a few projects. Nothing is finished so I don't have much to show. I'll just give you quick glance at some things I bought and you can use your imagination.

(sorry the picture is blurry, not sure what is up with my camera)

I'll leave you with a few of my Favorite Finds this week. Until next time!

1. This tutorial which also has THIS tutorial. I used both today and am excited for my end result

2. I am absolutely in love with this idea...hits the above purchases!

3. I can't wait to attempt my own version of this. I've been looking for simple wall art that will make a statement.

4. I'm in love with all braids, so this twist on the french braid really has be excited for an occasion to try it!

5. This cause it makes me laugh :)

Sneak Peak...

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Not much going on around the house this weekend, just relaxing and enjoying the snow day!

I am so glad I was able to make it to the craft store yesterday before it hit...otherwise I'd be having a long boring day.

Since yesterday's post about my quilting issues, I purchased normal cotton thread and Mr. Dino officially has a tail, a head, and four feet!! So glad I didn't give up.

Other than playing quilt, I have started thinking about my submission to the February Challenge! I don't want to give away too much so I'll just you a sneak peak at my fabrics and you will have to wait on the final product. I am actual doing two of the ideas because I just couldn't decide!

Stay tuned for a tutorial!

Quilting...or should I say trying to...

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 18:27:00 +0000

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This thing they call quilting...it's not easy!!

I came up with the idea to make my nephew a quilt after I found that my sewing projects were being completed in one day. I was wishing I had a large project to work on. Something that would keep me from going to Joann's everyday (ha! Ya right).

After tons of research I chose to do a rag quilt...shaped like a Dino. I mean what 2 year old boy doesn't want a Dino quilt right??

I chose my fabric and got to cutting! (that's supposed to be blue but no matter the light it looks grey)

Once I got all the pieces cut out I was so excited to actually start sewing! Little did I know I'd have to use my handy seem ripper so much. So much so that I have almost given up.

This is what is happening to the under side (I sewed in a towel to try and show you better)

I keep getting all these loops! I spent about 1.5hrs yesterday doing research and trying everything that was suggested. Top thread tension, bobbin tension, dirty bobbin holder, re-thread the machine, new needle, etc. Nothing has worked.

Finally I decided that I was going to try regular Cotten thread instead of the suggested embroidery thread. I went to Joann's this afternoon to get some (along with the goodies to start on the February challenge) and hope to try this tonight.

If this doesn't work I'm not sure what else to do. Have you ever had this problem? How do I stick to it without giving up...believe me...I'm close.

Wish me luck!

Book Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (A Right Brain Wannabe) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 13:00:00 +0000

In my past, reading used to be the death of me. I not only couldn't STAND reading, it actually used to literally make me nauseous to read. Assigned books in school were never read, text books were only used for examples or study questions, and reading for fun was NEVER in my vocabulary.

Once I graduated college and joined the ~~computer nerds~~ work force I found that reading was done for pleasure. Like "reading a book a night" pleasure. I just didn't understand it. For years I said "reading gives me a head ache", "I can't ever find anything I like", "why would you want to do that for fun".

Finally in 2011 (which you can see from some of my older blog posts) I stumbled upon Chick Lit Plus. It is a web site that specifically caters to the chick lit genre of reading. When I did this, I stumbled upon the 2011 Reading Challenge and just KNEW this was going to be my way to get into ready.

With this challenge I started following blogs and I joined Good Reads to keep track of what I had completed and what I wanted to read. Also at this time I tried to start a blog (Reading Rambling & Recipes) because I was so engulfed in the reading blogs I wanted to have my own.

Eventually, I received a book in the mail and to my shock I was being asked to do a book review! How freaking awesome was this!! I was being asked to read new books and post my opinions!

Sadly my blog got pushed to the way side a few months later and I fell off of the radar for reviews, but I never stopped reading. I purchased a Nook Color in 2012 and when it pooped out I got a Kindle Paper White (which I LOVE).

Since I have recently jumped back into the blog world (and plan to stay here this time) I decided to open my doors back up to doing book reviews. I am not sure if this falls into the scope of "right brain" but I just can't pass up the idea of discovering new authors and helping them break into the massive world of reading.

And guess what?! Within 2 days of this blog being back up I have already been contacted by The Cadence Group to review an up and comping book by Debra McKenna. I am so excited to receive it in the mail and get to reading.

Have you ever done a book review? Do you have a book you want reviewed? What type of genres do you gravitate towards? Feel free to reach out I'd love to talk books...