Count It All Joy!

{Review} Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:20:00 +0000

Chasing Mona Lisa
by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey
322 pages
Revell Publishers

ABOUT THE BOOK: It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here. http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#ChasingMonaLisa

MY REVIEW: In a book that definitely should be Hollywood bound, the authors deftly send us back to the Nazi German occupation of Paris during WWII. From the very beginning of the book we are kept on the edge of our seat during this adrenaline pumping story.

Through the mad rush to see who reaches the Mona Lisa first we meet both the ‘good guys’ and the ‘bad guys’ and there is never any problem deciding who to root for. This seriously was a book I hated to set aside and kept saying to myself “Just one more chapter and then I’ll……”

Another plus to this book was learning about the tremendous effort during the war to protect and preserve the great art classics. This is something I knew absolutely nothing about and it was so fascinating to me.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas. For more about Tricia and her other books visitwww.triciagoyer.com

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California. For more about Mike and his other books visitwww.mikeyorkey.com

Win an iTouch SPY Prize Pack!

Enter 1/16 - 1/31. RSVP for Party today!

Win an iTouch SPY Pack in the Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway from @triciagoyer
@mikeyorkey!

Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the due are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)</ li>
Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. The winner will be announced at the Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia's website) and giving away their books and a Book Club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (do you know how to pick a lock? ) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Friday’s Fave Five #174

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:45:00 +0000

I hate to be a cliché, but I sure am finding that the older I get the faster time seems to go by. Case in point, wasn’t it just Friday and here it is again! Time to share some blessings of the week – thanks again to Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

1. Great Wolf Lodge – Oh.My.Word. We had the best time ever last weekend! Still getting pictures edited, but expect a post soon. Suffice to say that it is one of the best weekends we’ve ever had as a family and I highly recommend it.

2. Common goals – Keith and I have decided it’s high time to start being healthy so that we can continue to enjoy the kids and granddaughter. We’ve changed the way we eat and we’ve been exercising every single night. It’s so nice to have a goal with the one you love. :)

3. Sugar Free Jello – We have been eating quite a bit of this lately and it is so good! You can also add the whipped cream in a can and it’s a very low calorie dessert that doesn’t seem like it.

4. Beautiful Weather – Believe it or not we hit 77 degrees today! Now I love winter as much as the next person, but when you get a stunning day like this smack dab in the middle of January there’s really nothing you can do but celebrate. Driving along today I had the windows open and singing praise songs and just praising God for this great gift.

5. 3 Day Craft Retreat! – I’m sure there will be a real post about this later, but I’m at a crafting retreat right now with girlfriends and laughing, talking, eating and having the time of my life. I *adore* these ladies!!!

{WIP} Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:02:00 +0000

Today’s projects are all about fabric! It’s also a great opportunity for me to check my list for packing. You see, this weekend I’ll be going on a retreat with friends and I’ll be sewing my little heart out. Either that or I’ll be eating and talking…

Progress!

Apparently I really am one to take my time and savor the process. I first showed the fabric for this American Girl Doll dress on August 31, then it sat for a while before taking a ride to a friend’s annual New Year Craft Day where I did actually cut out the pieces as shown above. I adore the Hayden Dress pattern and it will be the first thing I work on this weekend.

I mentioned the Bloggers Block of the Month on October 12 and I left the zippy bag in the photo to show that I really have cut some of the pieces out, but no sewing has been done. I’m hoping to get a little further on this one over the weekend.

New Projects – Always New Projects…..

This will be project #2 for my weekend, mostly because it should only take a few minutes to finish. It will be a Valentine Tea Towel and I’ll be using this tutorial, which proves once again that Pinterest is more than just another pretty face to me. :)

And last, but never least, I’ve had this pattern and fabric for quite some time. I plan to make the pajama bottoms for Brooklyn and am thinking a white t-shirt with moon and star applique. Cute, no? It will involve getting measurements, but I’m thinking that’s doable.

** I’m linking to Freshly Pieced for her WIP Wednesday Series.

{Review} The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:49:00 +0000

The Shadow of Your Smile
by Susan May Warren

ABOUT THE BOOK: A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future? Read the story behind the story here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/the-shadow-of-your-smile.

MY REVIEW: It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Susan May Warren books, but don’t let that keep you from believing my review! And I’m not going to tell you it’s my favorite book so far this year since the year is so new and you’d just shake your head. What I will tell you is just how much I loved this book.

Have you ever wondered about the path you’ve taken in your life – and wondered what your younger self would think of it? Noelle Hueston is faced with those thoughts when she recovers from an accident that erases her memory.

As she learns more about the life she’s created she also discovers that an earlier tragedy in her marriage has caused a giant rift between she and her husband. Have you ever wondered about second changes? Noelle gets a second chance to make her marriage work – if that is what she chooses.

This truly was a book I had trouble putting down. The dialogue between characters makes you fall in love and care about all of them, both with the primary story and the secondary stories.

The Deep Haven novels continue to be favorites and I hope we soon get to meet more of the residents!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

A GIVEAWAY AND A PARTY!

Come Back to Deep Haven and Win a $200 Visa Card from @SusanMayWarren! Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

The entire set of Deep Haven Books

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles</ a>! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK</ a> or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

** Thank you to Litfuse for providing a copy of this book for my review.

Eating With the Kids

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:38:00 +0000

As we chatted about what to have for dinner last night the best plan ever was presented by my beloved - meet the kids for dinner! Fortunately none of them had pressing plans and were able to join our spur of the moment plan.

A four year old at the dinner table cannot help but bring lots of happiness. She spent time with Grandpa, sat on my lap and chatted, then went and had a grand time with her Aunt Lynne'.

This photo tickles me - I had taken several pictures and she asked me to take a picture of her taking a drink. I did, she grinned, and all was good.

Friday’s Fave Five #172

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:07:00 +0000

Somehow with the busyness of life I haven’t done any Friday Fave posts for a very long time! I’ve decided to jump back in because I miss them and they do give me a brief recap on what’s going on in my life. I just spent a fun few minutes looking at past posts and remembering. Thankfully Susanne at Living To Tell The Story is still doing them!

1. New Calendar! I know I used this last year, but it’s just as wonderful this year. I love choosing calendars for us in all parts of my life. AND…. I just got an email that one of my favorite people has put a calendar in the mail to me and that is exciting!

For my desk again this year I’m using the monthly calendar by Trina Clark that you print at home. I *love* this!!! And right now it’s on sale for only a dollar!!!

2. Silver and Gold Friendships – I went to the annual New Year’s Day Crafting Event at a dear friend’s house and am struck anew, as I am most times I’m with friends, how important old and new friends are. Such a wonderful, fulfilling day and it was made even better as plans for future gatherings, trips, restaurants were made. Even if some don’t actually come to fruition that’s ok because the planning can be just as much fun – I’m a list girl through and through!!!

3. A New Dog??? – When a beloved pet passes away there can be some guilt at the thought of getting another one. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law have been talking with us and emailing us and honestly helping us to get our heads on straight through the entire process of losing Joe. We’re almost to the point of not tearing up when we speak of him (time really does heal) and have begun the process of deciding what we should do next. So many things to consider: puppy/adult; rescue or not; one or two dogs, etc. This is only step 1, but once we get these things ironed out we can be on the lookout for the right dog for us.

4. Getting Healthy – Part of the whole New Year changes we’re making is to eat better and move more. With that in mind we headed out and bought an elliptical machine. Keith got it all put together last night and did his time, then it was my turn. I kid you not, it was a true struggle to stay on for a total of 5 minutes!!! In telling a friend about it this morning I told her that I’m giving it plenty of room when walking in the room as it kind of scares me now. ;) She suggested I give it a name, specifically Thor, and I really kind of like that idea. Now when I fear it at least it will have a name! Fortunately it is recommended that you only use it 3 times a week so I don’t have to do it tonight…. <happy sigh>

5. Orchestra – I was so excited to hear that our daughter has joined the orchestra and choir at church! She played the viola all through school, but really once you are an adult there’s not as many opportunities to play. When she was talking to the choir director she discovered they are going to be using more of an orchestra at some of the services and Lynne’ instantly signed up! I was chatting with her a few minutes ago and she got her first music last night at church and will be doing some practicing prior to the first formal practice next Wednesday. I can’t wait to see her play again!

Happy New Year 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:05:00 +0000

January 1st has always been a favorite day of mine, which is kinda funny since we don’t usually do much for New Year’s Eve – a dichotomy I tell you! There is just something about having the whole year in front of you – a blank slate ready to be filled with all kinds of wonderful days, events and moments!

For New Year’s Eve my brother and sister-in-law flew into town and we went with them, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter out to eat, where amazingly we ran into our daughter and her roommates! Even if you’ve never been to the DFW you must surely realize the odds are against just running into anybody as it’s a large city.

We went to Texas de Brazil for dinner and it’s the first time Keith and I had ever been there. Our little granddaughter was seasoned pro since she’d been already – LOL! This photo is my sister-in-law Michele and granddaughter Brooklyn…. and the remnants of the communal chocolate cake for dessert. :)

After dinner we headed back to our house and chatted a bit, then everybody left for their own homes. I tried my hardest to stay awake until midnight, but ended up drifting off on the sofa. I did, however, wake up just seconds after midnight due to all the fireworks in the neighborhood going off!

Today I spent the day with friends at a 2nd Annual Craft Day at one friend’s house. I was there for pretty much the entire day and evening and the only thing I accomplished – besides a lot of talking and some eating – was cutting out the fabric for an American Girl doll dress! Never even plugged in the machine! But oh what a grand time I had.

Crazy, but this is the only picture I took today! One of the things she served was vegetables in a cup and they were fantastic. It has dressing at the bottom, then all these vegies ready to go in a clear flower pot looking container. A fabulous way to serve veggies and they were sensational!

On the drive home I kept thinking about how wonderful 2012 is looking to be. And I wish the same for all of you.

Reindeer Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:42:00 +0000

Aren't these cupcakes adorable? My daughter-in-law made them for our office Christmas party.

Every year we look forward to her creations and we're never disappointed. The Reindeer Cupcakes are a chocolate cake mix and then she added the decorations, with just a little help from a precious four year old.

A few of us were chatting about how creative she is and realized that we all talk a good game, but we're not so good at the follow through. Fortunately we get to look forward to her creations for every occasion. <big grin>

Card #13–Sympathy Card

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:17:00 +0000

Sympathy cards are the hardest to make or buy. There is no way this little folded piece of paper can ever convey the feelings you want to send. We do the best we can.

I just had reason to have a sympathy card for a friend and this is what I came up with:

I like that it’s not overly glum, but at the same time it’s not a happy sunshine card either.

Inside of the card – a beautiful saying and I needed to put some lighter cardstock over the chocolate brown as there’s no way any writing would show up on this brown.

Supplies Used for Card: stamps are from the Close as a Memory set from Stampin’ Up; patterned paper from Basic Grey; ink is Tim Holtz Distress Ink… I believe Tea Dye

Christmas Dinner Party with Friends

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:20:00 +0000

Last night I met a group of my girlfriends for our 1st Annual Christmas Party at Olive Garden. Good food, wonderful ladies and GIFTS – LOL! It was an incredibly wonderful evening.

Cindy, our organizer, is truly a gifted hostess. She had several games and activities ready for us and the evening was so much more than “just having dinner together,” though that too is a wonderful thing to do. When we first got to the restaurant she had a santa hat at each place setting and do you know each and every one of us wore them? So fun to have friends that don’t mind a little silly – even in public!

One of the moments that will always stand out in my memory is reading the story of Christ’s birth together. Cindy had little cards that each had a verse printed on them and she had us pass them around. Each person was to take 2 or 3 cards and we ready the verses in number order. I seriously got tears in my eyes listening to my cherished friends reading this story.

We also did our version of the “dirty santa” game. I made another fat quarter gift bag and found the cutest little ceramic gingerbread man measuring spoons at Pier 1.

Aren’t they they cutest?

When I got home last night I still had my santa hat on and Keith looked at me, chuckled, and said “looks like you had a really good time!” Yes… I really did!

JOY Ornament

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:01:00 +0000

This has seriously been the most relaxed, stress-free Christmas season that I can remember. In fact, Saturday I was able to enjoy the day with friends, even though Christmas is only two weeks away!

We had lunch at a place that reminded me of a tea room, though it really isn’t. We had paninis, chicken salad sandwiches and I had a sweet potato cupcake for dessert. Good food and good friends!

The front part of the place is a gift shop, so naturally there was some shopping afterwards. I needed to find an ornament to give to a friend at Sunday School the next day and was delighted to find one I thought she would like.

Now one of the reasons I wanted to share this isn’t so much for the story of my fabulous Saturday, but to point out how easy it would be to make this ornament since we are all about the crafting. The red ribbon was velvet, little rhinestones all around and I’ve seen the blingy letters at the craft stores.

So cute…. and she LOVED it!

Christmas Sticker Soap Pump

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:02:00 +0000

I’ve said before and I’ll repeat it often – I *love* Pinterest and blogs for inspiration! So much creativity that everybody shares and then the not as creative types like me can recreate and enjoy with our families.

This particular item I’ve seen time and again and I finally took the 10 minutes – I kid you not – to sit down and make one. I like it enough that I’ll likely do one for every season.

A Christmas soap pump! So easy peasy and FAST to make. I used the big box store brand of hand soap and peeled off the front and back label. Next a bit of Goo Gone took off the remaining bits of glue so that there was a clean bottle to work with.

I used stickers with a clear background, but I don’t know that it’s any kind of requirement. And last a jaunty bow around the neck. I think I would prefer ribbon a bit less wide, but this is what I had in Christmas colors and didn’t want to buy any more. You can barely tell in the photo above, but I also put a star sticker on the top of the pump.

Ta da! Super fast and it makes me smile every time I go to wash my hands.

Now to watch for more 50% off sticker sales and get ready for the next season!

** Linking to Get Your Craft On, Take-A-Look Tuesday, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday, Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Inspired By You Wednesdays

{Saturday Stumbles} 12/3/11

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:16:00 +0000

‘Tis the season! Is your mind filled with gift buying/creating, wrapping and presenting? I <big puffy heart> gifts for my friends and family and love this time of year. My gifts might not always be the gift they’ve always wanted or the just perfect gift, but I guarantee it always comes from the heart.

So for the past few months I’ve been pinning all sorts of amazing ways to wrap gifts on my cleverly named Pretty Packages board on Pinterest. If you want more information on anything below just click on the photo to go to the original site. And leave them a comment letting them know how awesome they are. :)

Isn’t this bow simply gorgeous? The site has step-by-step instructions.

This gift wrapping is more subtle, but I think it would be especially awesome to match the map to the recipient’s favorite place – or dream vacation spot.

A different way to tie bows – from M. Stewart herself.

I encourage you to click through to this one – she has several gift wrapping ideas and they are just stunning. I look at the picture above and while vintage is the first word that comes to mind, I think genteel is also in there. Ladylike. Beautiful.

Of course a cute idea for the Littles – or my friend Dawn! This is so darling and looks to be so easy to do. Click around on her site and look at the rest of the Hello Kitty party she’s posted.

A little less formal – and wouldn’t they be fun stocking stuffers? Or maybe little gifts for office friends, neighbors, etc.?

I saw this on Pinterest and when I clicked over to the blog – well I’m the newest follower. Don’t you just love finding a blog that has the same taste on things that you do? Doesn’t mean I’ll get all this stuff done, but it sure is fun to look at their ideas!

Enjoy! And if you’re on Pinterest let me know so I can follow you!

Card #12–On Your Feet Again

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:20:00 +0000

A friend of mine had to have surgery and of course that means a card. I didn’t really find a stamp I liked among my many, so I started looking online at digital images to do a hybrid card.

I got the cutie pie turtle image and the heart in a set at Digiscrapkits and am so in love with her cute little face! I put it together in Photoshop Elements and typed in the saying. Printed it twice so that I could cut out the turtle again and put her on pop dots – of course adding some Stickles for some bling.

Hope the card brings a smile to my friend’s face!

Supplies Used for Card: Turtle and Heart from Turtle Crush 1 Clip Art; Copper Stickles; Spring Moss cardstock by Papertrey Ink; white ribbon Stampin’ Up

Thanksgiving Turkey Craft

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Early morning on Black Friday some of the girls wanted to brave the crowds at the Big Box Stores. I stayed home with the 2 Littles, Brooklyn and her cousin Kaitlynn so that we could do a craft.

I’ve looked all over my bookmarks and can’t find the original site to credit – and really I’m shocked that I must not have pinned it. I’ll keep looking though.

What we made were Stuffed Turkeys!

The instructions were to take a small plastic container (I found mine at Hobby Lobby and used a 40% off coupon) and use brown fun foam in the shape of a peanut for the turkey head. I let the girls cut their own and since they are 4 they wanted to do it their way – and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. They had quite a bit of fun doing the cutting.

We glued on googly eyes and they cut orange noses from fun foam. The tail feathers are pipe cleaners folded over and twisted together, then taped to the back.

Our turkeys were ‘stuffed’ with m&m’s. And of course, as grandmas sometimes do, I said something that became one of those family sayings. The girls were VERY interested in eating the m&m’s and I told them they couldn’t eat them all because they would go crazy with all that sugar. Later I heard Brooklyn telling her mom that m&m’s make you crazy. sigh…. 4 year olds can be quite literal!

I really think this concept could be used for other holidays and animals. Perhaps a Rudolph for Christmas with his red nose, antlers and cute felt tail!

{Review} Lost Melody by Lori Copeland & Virginia Smith

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:24:00 +0000

Lost Melody
by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith
312 pages
Zondervan Publishers

ABOUT THE BOOK: The beautiful piano sitting in the corner of Jill King's apartment begs to be played. For over a year, it has sat untouched, ever since a terrible accident shattered Jill's ambition of becoming a concert pianist. The ragged scar on her left hand is a cruel and constant reminder of the death of her dream. But another dream is about to come to life---an unexpected, horrifying dream that will present Jill with a responsibility she never wanted. And choices she never wanted to make. Hundreds of lives depend on Jill's willingness to warn her small, oceanside town in Nova Scotia of a nameless, looming disaster. But doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together. The fate of an entire community hangs in the balance as Jill wrestles with the cost of heeding one still, small voice.

If you would like to read a chapter excerpt of Lost Melody, go HERE.

MY REVIEW: This book was so very unlike anything I’ve read before… and I loved every minute of it!

Still putting her life back together after a terrible accident, Jill begins having a very disturbing dream. A sense of urgency leads her to question whether the dreams could be from God – or are they merely a product of her subconscious? And is she ready to put everything she holds dear on the line on the off chance that the dream is real?

This book was so thought provoking and I love it when a fiction book can do that. Even better, the authors also provided an alternate ending, which also led to thought. Very great book!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Lori Copeland lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. Lance and Lori have three sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Lance and Lori are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.

Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has had over 100 books published.

Virginia Smith is the author of more than a dozen Christian novels and over fifty articles and short stories. Her books have been named finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Award, and ACFW's Carol Award.

A Certified Lay Speaker for the United Methodist Church, Ginny's messages are always well-received by a variety of audiences in conferences, retreats and churches across the country. When she isn't writing or speaking, Ginny and her husband, Ted, enjoy exploring the extremes of nature – snow skiing in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, motorcycle riding on the curvy roads in central Kentucky, and scuba diving in the warm waters of Mexico and the Caribbean.

** Thank you to CFBA for providing me with a copy of this book for my honest review.

Favorite Christmas List App

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:18:00 +0000

It’s been two weeks since last I posted and really after going that long it’s hard to do the first post back. Thanksgiving was absolutely fabulous for us and I’m still editing pictures, so until that’s ready I’m going to share a recent find.

This is the screen shot from the App Store for Better Christmas List. Right now it’s on sale for only 99 cents and I am thrilled with it so far!

In the past I would write the list of who all we were buying Christmas gifts for on paper. As we came up with ideas those would be written in, then as they were purchased I would circle the gift, then highlight it as it was wrapped. This app does all that and also keeps a running total of what you’ve spent per person and per “group” that you’re buying for.

This is the first year I’ve used it, but one thing that looks great to me is the ability to archive the year and be able to access it next year, thus eliminating that pesky buying the same gift or even buying the same type of gift for a person two years in a row.

I love technology……

** This is my opinion and not any sort of sponsored post.

National Bundt Cake Day–Almond Poppyseed Bundt

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Can you believe there’s actually a day for this – who knew??? I *still* say Bundt in the voice of My Big Fat Greek Wedding – anybody else?

The Food Librarian has been leading up to National Bundt Cake Day with her I Like Big Bundts posts – 30 Bundts in 30 Days! I really, really admire somebody with that kind of ambition and even more than that… the follow through.

I used to make an Almond Poppyseed cake periodically and it was one we loved. Cannot find the recipe anywhere, so I headed to Pinterest to see what I could find. I’m very pleased with this recipe and hopefully by putting it on the blog I’ll be able to find it again!

I first thought to leave the glaze off the cake because as I get older I’m finding that I like things a little less sweet.

Seriously – doesn’t this look better? One nice thing about making a cake that is based on a cake mix is that they always turn out light.

This cake is drool-worthy…..

ALMOND POPPYSEED BUNDT CAKE
adapted from Double the Deliciousness

1 Lemon Cake Mix
4 eggs
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 T poppy seeds
1 t almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 and grease/flour (I used Crisco spray) a bundt pan.

Mix all ingredients together until smooth, then pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Place your platter on the top of the bundt pan and invert.

GLAZE

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 t almond extract
1 t butter, softened
about 2 1/2 T milk

Mix all ingredients together on high speed. Add more milk if necessary to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over the cake and enjoy!

** Linking to Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Orca Bay Mystery–Fabrics Are Ready!

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:00:00 +0000

So here I go again, starting a new project when really nothing has been finished in a while. Sometimes though temptation is just there and you have to go with it.

Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville fame is starting a new mystery this Saturday (y’all still have time!!!) and I succumbed to peer pressure and pulled fabrics for it. I’ve never done one of Bonnie’s mysteries, but I have seen many examples across the interwebs and they are absolutely stunning.

This mystery is called Orca Bay and Bonnie shared the photo that was her inspiration. She’s also given out the fabric requirements and that’s it so far.

3 Bolds and 1 Neutral – and I should have posed these fabrics a little differently for the photo. The tans are my neutral and the azure blue, hot pink and blacks are my bolds. Very, very excited about the colors, which all came from stash! I will admit to shopping with a friend recently and buying a few tan fat quarters, but since they didn’t have time to sit and marinate I’m calling it all from stash. Justification – that’s what we do!

Card #11–You’re So Tweet!

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:08:00 +0000

One of the common misperceptions of handmade items, including cards, is that it will save you money. That might be true in the long run, but I’m here to tell you that buying supplies for a card can be rather costly. We come up with lots of ways to justify it and really the bottom line is that it’s an enjoyable hobby and therefore needs no justification.

But I won’t tell you how much the supplies for my cards cost….

When I bought the items for this card the scrapbook gal and I had a big laugh over me telling her everything was for one card. And I do know that the stamps and markers will be used for years to come and if I genuinely cared I suppose I could figure out how many projects they are used on and then divide it out.

As if…..

A friend did an amazing thing for me in recognition of Joe and I couldn’t let it go by without sending a card.

I had a lot of fun making this one – paper piecing the little girl’s dress, using the Copic markers and the colors – oh the colors! Rather a retro, vintage feel and I just love it.

Oh and on another note – the card holder? Got that while antiquing with a friend. I learned that this is called a “frog” and is used at the bottom of a vase to hold flowers in place for an arrangement. A day spent with a friend can be fun AND educational!

Supplies used for card: You’re So Tweet set by My Favorite Things; buttons and pattern paper by October Afternoon; Very Vanilla cardstock by Stampin’ Up; blue cardstock by Bazzill

* Linked to Card Makin’ Mamas Be Thankful Challenge, Inspire Me Friday at Joyful Stamper

{Review} A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:13:00 +0000

A Lasting Impression
by Tamera Alexander
426 pages
Bethany House Publisher

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A fake. A forger. More than anything, Claire Laurent longs for the chance to live an authentic life, to become the woman she wants to be. And she'll be given that choice. But will it come at too costly a price?

Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.

The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton's home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are.

MY REVIEW: Let me confess up front – the cover of this book made me fall in love with Claire. What woman doesn’t sometimes imagine herself wearing one of the beautiful ball gowns from the Civil War era? And this one was spectacular.

That aside, the story inside was wonderful. Claire Laurent leaves a bad situation and just happens to fall into a dream world. As liason to Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, who is trying to reclaim her place in society, Claire is delighted to find that Belmont is filled with artwork beyond belief. Claire works very hard to prove herself worthy of the position, and at the same time starts to fall in love before she herself even realizes it.

While this is a wonderful love story and “girl making a new life for herself” book, what I find myself remembering most is the sentence that God speaks to Claire at a critical time in her life. I won’t give it away here, but I’ve been applying it to different aspects of my own life and it brings fresh perspective. The combination of great story and a new way to look at life makes this a splendid book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.

For more information please visit www.tameraalexander.com

Enter to win one of Tamera's fabulous prizes and RSVP for Facebook Party on 11/15!

** Thank you to Litfuse for providing me with a copy of this book for my honest review.

Fat Quarter Fabric Gift Bag

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:44:00 +0000

Sometimes it’s not so much what you’re giving somebody, but how you give it. And sometimes how you give it is the entire reason for the gift!

I saw a tutorial for a fabric gift bag made from half a fat quarter and couldn’t wait to try it out. My original plan was to make these bags for all the girls that went on a recent retreat, but unforeseen circumstances kind of paralyzed me as far as crafting went and I didn’t get them done.

I did manage to finish one of them though and as luck would have it a dear friend happens to adore halloween, so gift it I did!

Too cute! I’m not kidding when I say it took so little time that I swore I must’ve left out a step. The only thing I will change from the tutorial when I make more is to use my serger on the inside of the bag. Using that method will cut even more time off the total.

This is what the bag looks like when it’s finished, before it’s stuffed and posed. The ribbon is actually sewn into the seam, which means any time you use this bag it’s ready to go – no more looking for something to tie it with!

And since I couldn’t possibly give her an empty gift bag I did some of the old standby “pretzels dipped in melted candy coating chips”, then topped with seasonal sprinkles.

** Linking to Fabric Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Sew Cute Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday, Handmade Tuesday

Turning 50!

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Oh yes, I turned 50! My first indication that I was going to be celebrating a milestone birthday was getting an “invitation” in the mail to join AARP. They are sure Johnny On The Spot with that aren’t they???

And wouldn’t you know – we forgot the camera! Fortunately all our phones have cameras, so we weren’t totally in the dark.

We celebrated in the manner I love more than anything – with my family! I chose Cracker Barrel as the restaurant of choice and Keith came home with a balloon bouquet, which I loved!!! We got a LOT of looks from other customers when we set up all the stuff at the table.

This picture shows the tiara, lei and buttons that he also got for me. The tiara says Birthday Queen and I love it!!! He also brought pointed head birthday hats for everybody to wear – you can see little Brooklyn looking at me wearing hers.

This flower and awesome little vase was from my daughter – isn’t it unique? I love it!

Our waiter took a group photo and even though it’s pretty out of focus I still love it. So much love sitting at this table right here!

Having never celebrated a birthday at Cracker Barrel I didn’t realize what they would do, but I did get the birthday song from the wait staff (and Brooklyn loved that!). Our waiter kept saying over and over that I was celebrating my 29th birthday and I kept correcting him and saying no, I’m 50 today. I guess I’m not one of those that has to pretend about age – I’m happy about all my 50 years!!!

By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves. - Marie Dressler

I have enjoyed greatly the second blooming... suddenly you find - at the age of 50, say - that a whole new life has opened before you. - Agatha Christie

50 years: here's a time when you have to separate yourself from what other people expect of you, and do what you love. Because if you find yourself 50 years old and you aren't doing what you love, then what's the point? - Jim Carrey

The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life. - Muhammad Ali

Saying Goodbye to Our Sweet Dog

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:06:00 +0000

One week ago we found out that our beloved dog Joe had Lymphoma. We weren’t given any sort of timeframe or anything and just knew we would love on him and make him happy.

One week later we had to make the hardest decision of our lives. His health went down so rapidly it was hard to believe. When we went to the vet he wasn’t even able to walk in, he had to be carried.

I have to tell you – this house is way to quiet and still now. By habit you do so many things, then tears come to your eyes when you realize that whatever it was will never happen again.

We had eleven and a half years with him….. and now we miss him terribly.

A few links to previous Joe stories and pictures:

Joe Loves the Lake

St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake Fail

The Halloween Experiment

Joe’s Birthday and New Hairstyle

Brooklyn and Joe at Christmas

Morning Routines

Burp Cloths using the Embroidery Machine

noreply@blogger.com (elizabeth) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:37:00 +0000

My sister-in-law is down this weekend because we have a baby shower to attend! My cousin’s son is expecting their first (a boy!) so there will be much rejoicing.

I wanted to share the burp cloths that my mom made because I think they are so cute.

Mom uses her embroidery machine and finds the most darling little patterns. I love that these are so unique and the dragon is just too cute for words. For those of us without an embroidery machine (insert sad face here) I’m sure we could come up with something cute to applique in place of the embroidery.

Mom sews on a strip of ribbon and then does a satin stitch at the burp cloth edge. Simple and it really makes it so special.

Close up photos of the embroidery: