Reading Love

It's goes pretty much without saying that when I find flow within one area of my creative life, the rest of my creative pursuits go to pot.  So while I'm crafting on a regular basis, which right now includes small blocks of creativity combined with long blocks of layout making - I'm still not reading nearly as much as I'd like.  If I really want both reading and crafting to be big parts of my life I believe I have a few choices - I could really commit myself to both by turning off the television.  I could commit to drinking more coffee in the afternoon, thereby preventing my after work crash.  Or...I could just accept that everything in life is cyclical and this is my experience right now.  Still trying to decide on that front...

Nevertheless - I'm reading little by little or sometimes a lot as the case might be.  I finally settled into this book Saturday afternoon.

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I read a little over two hundred pages and then skipped to the epilogue.  I know, I'm a bad girl.  I'm still going to finish it - but I find myself longing for the books I read in 2012.  I loved so many of them.  Many of them have made it into my top ten list.  While this book is entertaining - it's not quite the reading experience I was hoping for - I think the second book will be better.  I would love to know what's going on in the male lead's mind.  It will be released on April 2, 2013.  I'm looking forward to reading it at some point.  I'm also juggling a few non-fiction reads - none of which are necessary to mention by name quite yet...

So that's it for now.  Hope this Tuesday finds you reading something really special that makes you feel immeasurably happy.  I plan to talk a little more about my new scrapbooking process in the upcoming week and possibly finish Beautiful Disaster.  Until then...

My 10 Favorite Books on the 10th

It started out hard - coming up with 10 of my favorite books and then I realized I needed categories: fiction, non-fiction, creative/crafts, etc...and then the big questions started coming.  Do I need to separate children from adult fiction?  Where does YA fit in? Someone help me I have eleven books!!!  Which begged the question - am I making this harder than it needs to be?  Of course I am...so here we go...

My Top 10 Favorite Fiction Books - Adult & YA

1. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving- I read this book in high school and fell in love with it and all things John Irving at the time.  While my love for John Irving has evolved, my love for this book has not - it is still as pure as the first time I read it.  I'm listening to it now on audio and finding it to be a perfect delight.

2. Unless by Carol Shields - I have only read one book by Carol Shields and it was her last.  It is beautiful in a way defying description.  I remember feeling like I was in the main character's head - living her life.  I felt a true kinship with her.  It's a reading experience I really treasure.

3. Probable Future by Alice Hoffman - I love a book with a little magical realism or in this case A LOT.  Alice Hoffman introduced me to magical realism with this outstanding book.  This sub-genre has led me to other great authors like Sarah Addison Allen.  It's absolutely fantastic.  Another book I've listened to on audio.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - It was required 11th grade reading and possibly the only required reading book I read in high school besides Wuthering Heights.  While I regret every single solitary moment I spent with Emily Bronte', I will always treasure the time I spent with Atticus, Scout, Jem and Boo.  One of the few books I've read twice.  I re-read it last year when I started to wonder if I was idolizing it in my mind without really remembering the plot.  My suspicions turned out to be partially true - still it makes the top five.  It's fantastic.

5. Looking for Alaska by John Green - I would bow at this man's feet if it wasn't one of the highest forms of blasphemy.  I try and read every word he writes.  I'm currently in the process of reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  I find him to be remarkably talented.  I loved this book more than words.

6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - Anderson tackles an unspeakable tragedy with such gentle rawness it's almost too beautiful to describe.  I shutter at what the Twilight series could have been in her hands.  She is an outstanding writer.

7. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - This man uses words like Michael Jordan played basketball at the height of his career.  This book is both hysterical and heartbreaking.  I have so many passages highlighted on my Kindle.  It makes me believe in the beauty of the written word.

8. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - I loved this book.  It's another book with a magical realism thread weaving through it.  It's also another book I've listened to on a long drive.  It's amazing in every way.  However, skip the movie.  Eric Bana is beyond reckoning hot - but the book is so much better.

9. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - I read this book prior to reading the final Harry Potter book.  It's a book about sisterhood and twins.  It's unsettling and a little creepy.  However, the mixture of having a close sister and the experience of reading the last installment of the Harry Potter series, with the Weasley Twins being so prominent, really altered the way I feel about this book.  It's one of the few in my top ten where my life circumstances and other readings have woven together with my overall experience with a book.

10. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver  - A really beautiful book about a teenage girl's last day of life and her chances to make things right.  Another book requiring a mass of tissues.  Love it so much.

I'm sitting here feeling a little insignificant and completely overwhelmed by the inadequacy of my words in relation to this list of books.  Reading is my first love.  These ten books are a big part of that.  They reflect almost 20 years of reading.  I'm unsure I can do them any justice.  I feel beyond blessed to have had the privilege to read every last one of them and so many more.  They are a part of my soul.  Until then...

Reading Corner - A Little Lost Yet Again

Very quick post on reading.  Very long post on my life RIGHT NOW.  I love Rice Freeman-Zachary.  Rice is pronounced like Lisa by the way - with a R.  I can't find a way to put those little dots on the E.  This is all about art retreats and I must admit I have desperately wanted to attend Art Fest for a few years now.  I love the idea of this book and have found her previous books to be very good.  I'm just waiting to decide if it's coming home with me.  Big decisions...I know.

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The last couple of days haven't been so hot.  I haven't been feeling well and am feeling myself slip a little.  I'm not waking up with that pep in my step.  I'm waking up with the water behind my eyes and a headache from being SO tired...and you know what?  That's okay.  There will be ups and downs.  Sometimes I"m going to feel like crap and the week is going to look long and somehow insurmountable.  I must remember this - life will move forward.  This thing I'm dealing with is not some linear line - it's like an echo cardiogram - there are ups and downs.  And that is effing okay.  I also need to remember the little things...I cannot spend two days outside of my house on the weekends.  It sets me up for stress and frustration during the week.  I didn't score a 67 on the introvert side for nothing.  It's okay to say no to some outings without the guilt.  I want to yell to myself - IT IS OKAY.  Life isn't easy.  No one promised it would be.  It's worth it on most days and I love what I do now.  The positives outweigh the negatives - I just need to remember to relax.  Lord please help me do that.  I hope everyone has a rockin' Tuesday.  Be gentle with yourself.  Until then...

Quote Love, Confessions, and High Anxiety!

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Kathleen Kelly: [writing to "NY152"] "Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void." 


I'm a quotes girl - no question about it.  I love them to little itty bitty pieces.  There are so many quotes in this movie that are just outstanding - mostly from Tom Hanks in my opinion.  However, when I heard this quote in You've Got Mail from Kathleen Kelly - I thought that's me.  I lead a small life.  My belief on it's wellness and value depends on a number of different variables.  I often wonder if I've been brave or just gone through the motions.  And I do wonder if it should be the other way around at times.  Should I be living the life I read about in books or see on television or even dream up in my head?  Like her, I don't really want an answer.  It's just something to consider.


So where did all this cosmic questioning come from?  Well...I've started a new book - one of my Borders Closing Sale buys.  It's a second book in a series and I'm loving it already. 

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I'm only on page 14 - but there's a reference to a small life and it made me think of You've Got Mail and Kathleen Kelly and my own small, meager life.  And maybe that's the truth of it - maybe most people's lives are small yet meaningful with value and goodness sprinkled in amongst the reality and muck.  Maybe that's the truth of it - maybe that's the truth for me.  So - I'm loving this book so far and felt the need to say it - right the heck now.  


In other news...despite being less than happy about the new fad of classics with supernatural elements, I loved this book.

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Illinois has a soft place in my heart and I'm pretty sure there are people out there that would say this book was sacrilege, however, I found it to be quite entertaining and a great read.  Far better than the previous book I read with a supernatural bent, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  Highly acclaimed, highly recommended by friends and my favorite book club and... highly disliked by yours truly.  The truth is - I don't like reading classics.  It's plain and simple - adding zombies to the mix doesn't change my feelings in the slightest.


Moving on - I don't think I've kept my struggles the last several months a secret on this blog.  And here I am again.  It's hard to remind yourself there will be good days and bad days.  Days you can't wait to leave your house and do something fun and be with loads of people - and days you want to crawl into the fetal position in a dark, warm, safe place in your house.  And that's absolutely okay.  Sometimes I'm going to disappoint people. Sometimes I'm going to disappoint myself.  However, some days I will soar.  That's what matters in the end.  So...make the decision, suffer the consequences, but don't waste time worrying.  The people that love you understand the struggle and the people that don't will forgive you eventually.  


My mom always says, "don't let people rent space in your head for free."  It's such a hard concept to understand or even embody when you feel like you're letting people down - but taking care of yourself is the priority.  Knowing your limits is essential.  I believe I've hit mine today - and solitary journeys are all I can handle.  It is okay.  Life isn't perfect.  No one said it would be.  Just keep swimming.  There's always another opportunity tomorrow - at least I hope there is.  And the honest to God truth is...my life is better than it's been in a decade and that's what matters - even if it is really small.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday.  I think I'll be taking a solitary journey and using everything in my arsenal to deal with my high anxiety.  It is okay - just keep swimming.  Until then...


Update: I've completely given up on finishing 26 layouts.  It's just a very hard time of the year to have the energy to do a layout every evening.  However - I have regained my enthusiasm for telling my story which was which was always the main point - so score one for me.  

Reading Corner - LOAD it Up!

I'm working hard to get in the LOAD frame of mind this week.  I had nine weeks of class prior to Thursday to gear up - but somehow that whole process was lost on me.  I've been scrambling (in my brain) to think of ways to keep the momentum for 26 days which match up with the first quarter of school and tend to be the most tiring days of Fall.  So - since it's a day about reading - I thought I might share some books that could be incredibly helpful for LOAD.  Believe it or not - I own every single one of these books and highly recommend each.

1.  Idea Generating - We Dare You: Scrapbook Challenges about Real Life by Kristina Contes, Meghan Dymock, Nisa Fiin, & Genevieve Simmonds & 50 Moments: Scrapbook the Pages that Matter Most by Lisa Bearnson & Creating Keepsakes

I love both of these books.  The first book (The Dares) really rocked my world and has a website with ongoing challenges.  I'm excited to use these as part of my LOAD process.

2.  Journaling Help! - Your Words, Your Story: Add Meaningful Journaling to Your Layouts by Michele Skinner.

I actually already have a great idea from this book - blog posts.  I'm going to comb through my blog and find potential pages.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on where I'm at in the process.

3.  Challenge Love: 52 More Scrapbooking Challenges by Elizabeth Kartchner

Let's be clear - there isn't any challenges about scrapbooking the hard times or good times.  It's a book full of fun challenges that have more to do with design and pushing yourself in your styling.  It can definitely help with inspiration when taking on a long project.

4.  Sketch Love: Scrapbook Page Maps: Sketches for Creative Layouts & Scrapbook Page Maps 2: More Sketches for Creative Layouts both by Becky Fleck.

There are a wide range of options in these two books.  Also - there are flash cards with each sketch and an example.  So wonderful!

5.  Ali Edwards Love:  Life Artist: Scrapbooking Life's Journey

I love everything about Mrs. Ali Edwards.  She has great ideas and is just a burst of inspiration.  I credit her and Cathy Zielske with creating my love for this hobby.  I definitely go to her books and website when times are rough.

Before I get going - I want to make sure to give credit to my source for all the book images - www.bn.com otherwise known as Barnes & Noble.  Each book title link will take you to the source page.  Also - I want to say I'm super excited about this journey and can't wait to blog about how it's going.  I'm going to try and find more inspirational sites and books to share in the upcoming weeks.  I hope everyone has a lovely Tuesday.  Not much to report here in the way of a to do list.  I just need to hurry.  Stalling never helped anyone get to work.  Take care.  Until then...

ISFP

I listened to the most recent Paperclipping Roundtable podcast today on personality specifically centered on the Myers-Briggs Personality test and it's relationship to scrapbooking.  I took the test - literally minutes ago and was a little surprised.  I highly recommend listening to the podcast to hear Angie Lucas's descriptions on personality and the test.  She's read several books and even presented a powerpoint presentation on the subject.  So - without further ado...here are my results...

I = Introverted (67) ~ which puts me in the "distinctly expressed introvert" category.  No surprises there.

S = Sensing (1) ~ which puts in the "slightly expressed sensing personality" category.  Totally surprised by this - I was sure I would be intuitive.

F = Feeling (12) - again it puts me in the "slightly expressed feeling personality" category.  No surprise here - except that the number wasn't larger.  I'm closer to the thinking side than I imagine I would be.

P = Perceiving (33) which puts me in the "moderately expressed perceiving personality" category.  No problem in this area.

From the test site (found here) - there are several links where you can learn about your specific personality, career types, and famous people.  I almost did a little jig when I saw J.K. Rowling on the list.  I threw up a little in my mouth when I saw others which I'm way too nice to name here.  Also, counseling is on the list of careers for ISFP - which fits pretty well since I'm in the mental health field.  I have to say - I was a little disappointed to be in the sensing category.  However, with a score of 1 it pretty much means I teeter between sensing and intuition.  I felt a little better after reading this little tidbit - clearly I'm neither one or the other fully.  

What does this mean for crafting?  Well - I enjoy crafting alone and shopping alone.  I enjoy being with other people/friends in the store - but prefer quiet and solitude during the actual process.  I don't enjoy moving through a store together with people - it drives me a little nuts.  Due to the feeling and perceiving - it makes complete sense that journaling is a major focus when it comes to my pages.  I don't have a problem getting to the heart of the matter in written form.  I fit in the Artisan/Composer category which didn't feel like me at all when I read the description.  I'm missing something...I think.  Well long story short - take the test and listen to the podcast and tell me what you think.  I'm not sure what I think yet about the test.  I absolutely sure that I love the podcast!

On to other topics...specifically reading!  I finished this little gem.  Approximately 60 pages from the end, I almost threw it across the room but got over it by the end.  I'm going to use the word astounding to describe this book - but reserve the right to change it at any moment.  I wanted to quote a passage here that meant a lot to me.  The book begins with the two main character's graduation day and follows that same day over many years.  This is on that first day (but chronologically a LOT later in the book)...

"Live each day as it's your last,' that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that?  What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical.  Better by far to simply try and be good and courageous and bold and to make a difference.  Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you.  Go out there with your passion and your electric typewriter and work hard at...something.  Change lives through art maybe.  Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well.  Experience new things.  Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance."

Nicholls, David.  (2009).  One Day.  New York, NY: Vintage Books. 

I want to start by saying I love the word glandy.  I keep wondering what the American English equivalent is for the word glandy - I'm going with hormonal or bitchy depending on the day.  I read this paragraph and thought to myself, 'isn't that the truth.'  How genius to get that at the age of 21 or 22 instead of 34.  I can't recommend this book more.  All I can say is hang in there - no matter what.  I'm moving on to a new book a friend lent to me on the Nook Color.  I'm told it's hysterical so I really am super excited.  So that's it for today.  I hope everyone had a lovely Saturday!  Until then...

OMT:  I thought this book was astounding TODAY and could very well think it blows 2 months from now.  I gave a good review to this book and actually want to throw things at it when I see it on the bargain table at my local book store.  I even wanted to read the sequel - which I now think only hostile thoughts about.  Oh well - live and learn.  Just to say - tastes change and sometimes it's about where you are in that moment.  The basic gyst is...if you hate it, please don't hate me too.

Reading Corner - I Need Some Direction

So - I've changed the book I'm reading at least four times in the last seven days.  All of the books were good but I just couldn't get settled.  I'm blaming it on the unsettling time of year with school starting again when both anxiety and lunacy is on the rise.  However, it might be the symptom of a much larger issue - I don't seem to read as much during the school year.  I fully intend on this being the first year I kick that past practice in the face and get my reading on as much as effing possible.  So why this book?  To be honest - I started this book at the end of last school year and stopped.  The characters were kind of pissing me off.  Actually - the boy was really pissing me off.  Still...I've spent a lot of the last few days looking at this book on it's shelf thinking I should read it before the movie comes out - which is Friday.  I fully intend on it being my prize for this upcoming week.  So here it goes - another effing change.  I seem super hopeful, don't I?  I'm still working on Life is a Verb.  It's full of essays and I just can't seem to read it straight through.  I'm a friggin' mess over here.  Time to gear up!  I'm channeling Gibbs and getting on it!  I hope everyone has a lovely Tuesday.  Happy reading!  Until then...

Product Love - Move with It!

Product love for this week is dedicated to a few things that move.  I haven't been on a bike for literally 14 years - since my freshman year in college.  However - I'm obsessed with bicycle images and would kill to get my hands on one of those vintage style Schwinn bikes.  So - imagine my absolute glee when I found the stamp set below at My Favorite Things.  I must have it now!!!!

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The next "move with it" product is from Practicing Creativity - a company I learned about from this wonderful magazine.  I have never and will never get on/in a hot air balloon.  However - I think they are beautiful.  I've been to a festival in the Midwest and was absolutely astounded at their beauty.  I've wanted some images for a while and love this set.

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So that's it for today.  Wish me luck - it's a really big day for me.  I hope everyone has a great Monday and work week (for those of you grown up folks like me).  Speaking of grown up - check out Michelle Ward's website and creative coaching website/business that completely grasps the feeling of NEVER being fully "grown up."  Also check out her interview on the most recent episode of Craftcast.  I'll leave you on that note.  Take care.  Until then...

OMT (One More Thing) ~ I've added a gadget on the right sidebar (the one with the flower).  It's a personal challenge of mine.  I hope to make 28 cards by Labor Day for Operation Write Home.  I've made five so far.  I'm loving these little pledges of mine. I have yet to make a reading pledge for the first quarter of school.  I'll be thinking about that over the next few days.  There are technically nine weeks in a quarter so I'm thinking four or five - but that number isn't firm yet.  I'm also wondering if I should add bookzines - otherwise known as long magazines.  More things to add to the list to think about - fun things :).

Reading Corner - Save Me

I don't think it's any big secret that the last 11 months and more have been a struggle.  I struggle with a chronic illness and the multiple side effects that go along with being heavily medicated to make sure your immune system stops beating you up.  It's so interesting to me - because it's so easy to be beat up by the person that's supposed to be in your corner - you.  And...it's possible in so many different ways - physically and emotionally.  At least that's how I felt 98% of the time - until I started to read an author named Brene' Brown.  I chose the book mainly due to Ali Edwards endorsement.

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I know it sounds corny to the highest degree - but this book gave me the magic I needed in that moment.  Throughout the book, I kept on latching to the word shame.  It's not a big part of the book.  It's one of Dr. Brown's research focuses - shame and guilt.  I feel like I possess these emotions in spades - which led me to her first book.

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To say this book rocked my world is not nearly descriptive enough.  This book is the moment when the fog started to clear.  I actually started recognizing my shame triggers and speaking up for myself.  I started to remind myself that it is okay - no one and nothing is perfect.  I started to get back some of my own power.  And even now - when I'm scared or anxious or someone has said that thing that brings me to my knees - I know everything will be okay even if it's in a very tiny part of my being.  I know it seems silly.  I don't want anyone to think two books turned my life around totally.  I had a lot of help from multiple sources - but I know these books were part of my journey.  They still are part of the journey.  To be perfectly honest, there are still days were I forget and would love nothing more than to sit in my pajamas on my couch and watch a NCIS marathon with a bucket of sweets right next to me - some days I still do that.  And that's okay too.  "Life is a journey not a destination."  If you struggle at all with shame, guilt, imperfection - run to your nearest book store or computer to find these books.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday.  Until then...

BTW: For those of you who are wondering when the heck I'm going to post something craft related - no worries.  I will be hitting the crafts hard once the trainings and meetings stop and I have a few extra days before summer break is over and all I'll hear are the words GO.

Do You Believe in Magic?

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More than four months ago - on March 29, 2011 - I wrote a post with a quote from a book that is dear to me, Creative is a Verb.  Here is that quote.

"There are moments when you absolutely need someone to show up like magic, not because you need something nice, but because you need your world view transformed.  You need hope to be born in you.  You need to know in one moment that someone believes in you.  You need a kindness midwife to hold the space so you can show up like magic for someone else the next time around..."

--Jen Lemen (Quote is from Creative is a Verb by Patti Digh; pg. 91)

Although it's not THE date that marks my complete and utter unraveling - it is a foreboding of what is to come.  The next day - the day of my birth - I was in such a dark place that I couldn't remember the date.  I had to ask a friend standing next to me.  There are no words for the days that followed even after magic came in the embodiment of my father.  And I feel like, after all this time, it's coming together today.  The day I finished my Summer Reading Pledge -  the day I finished this gem.  I feel more like myself than I have in a long time.

The book is all about the hardships of life and how it's possible to get through them and really live life to the fullest - with mistakes, fears, and triumphs.  Patti Digh (who definitely rocks my world) has another book titled Life is a Verb and for some reason I've never been able to get through it and now I think I know why.  I wasn't ready for it.  My unraveling was so complete and debilitating - I couldn't see forward or think about anything other than surviving the next thing - the next moment - the next second.  And after reading this book and going through the last 11 and a half months - I know one thing for sure.  Life is a verb and it's not enough just to survive it - it must be lived, bare-knuckled if necessary.  It seems fortuitous that I would choose this book as the last book in my summer reading pledge - which in some ways has felt like a journey back to myself.  In the end - I am overcome by the themes of forgiveness, love, passion, acceptance, and perseverance...and I feel more attuned with the person I've always been.  It makes it so simple to choose my next book.  The book I feel I'm finally ready to read - the book in between the next pledge.  So here are a few things about me that I want to remember always...

*I'm a reader.  I love to read books.  I love to get lost in new worlds.  I love to learn new things.  Life feels better with a book in the hand or purse or work bag.  I never leave home without one and I never will.  I will love books my entire life and it's time to make them a priority in my life despite what time of year it is - working or not.

*I'm a writer.  I've always loved to write.  I let my chronic illness and the damage it's done to my hands rob me of a lot of weeks and months I could have been at the computer or with a pen in my hand journaling.  I have found writing to be a comfort and a healer in times of strife and I will no longer allow my love for words to be hijacked by crappy hands.

*I'm a blogger.  I love this little place.  I love it despite the fact I have very few readers.  I love it because it's a place I can be myself - where I can speak my truth.  I love this little space.  I will not give up on it.

*I'm creative.  I struggle with the word artist - but I will get there eventually.  The truth is...I'm not an artist in the traditional sense.  However, I'm creative and I express it from a very real, authentic place that I hardly ever am able to access or harness.

*I'm a movie lover.  In fact - I plan on hitting three movies today as a sort of celebration that I survived the throat/upper respiratory infection of the summer of 2011.  I can't wait to see these three films - I'll report there names later.

*I love to laugh.  I love to be with friends and hear funny stories and just let go.  It's been a long time since I've able to do that with any sense of security.

*I'm an introvert.  I need time to reboot.  It's who I am.  I cannot be "on" all the time - and that's okay.  I have plenty of wonderful things to help me reboot.

*I'm a dog-lover.  I have a cat.  I love her more than anything.  She has gotten me through some very rough patches.  I will always love her and she will be with me until one of us is no longer.  However, I need a dog.  I feel it in my bones.  I'm declaring here and now - I will have a dog next summer - hopefully a frenchie or a boston terrier.  Who knows?

*I'm a numbers girl.  I'm always adding things up - time, dates, years, everything.  I've done it less lately but I'm driven by numbers.  It's a little weird but I'm more than happy to own it.

*I'm a believer.  I believe in magic.  I believe in the power of God to change all things.  I believe I can make a difference.  I will try to always remember that making a difference can be the smallest thing like the butterfly flapping it's wings on one side of the world.  It doesn't have to be the life transforming, all-encompassing event that I use to believe it needed to be to really matter.

*I'm a survivor.  I have survived loss, chronic illness, and a host of other things.  I will survive and more importantly - I will live.

*I'm a lover.  I love my family.  I love my friends. I love my diva, banshee, bad-ass cat.  I love the children I work with each day.  I love...

And with that - I end this post.  Times are changing around here and the hope is palpable in the air in this little abode of mine.  I promise something crafty in the days to come.  I apologize for not getting my promised post out yesterday.  Turns out the subject of this post is like those scrapbook stories you're too scared to tell for fear of getting it wrong.  I don't want to get it wrong.  Tomorrow - look for a final post on my Summer Reading Pledge.  I hope everyone has a lovely Thursday.  Until then...

BTW: On a completely other note - I'm frustrated.  Our bloggy mascot (the aforementioned crazy cat lovingly known as Tonks) is behind the LCD television standing up rubbing her head against a picture frame and looking at me as if to say bring it.  Deep breaths.  Double arm pump.  Let the craziness begin.

Reading Corner - Outliers

This week's unofficial theme is the little or big things that are currently rocking my world.  I just (literally twenty minutes ago) finished reading Outliers and was blown away as usual by the amount of information Mr. Malcolm Gladwell can pack into one little book.  Blink is still my absolute favorite title of Mr. Gladwell's - but still Outliers was wonderful - a gift really.  Here are the five highlights of the book from my perspective...

1.  Hard work is NOT always the only explanation for the success of others.
2.  There are a number of contributing factors and even cultural influences shaping the success of others.
3.  10,000 hours - read the book to find out more.  I know it's a bit cruel to say but the read is just SO worth it.
4.  Hard work is absolutely necessary for success BUT it is by no means the only thing.
5.  Community is everything.

I'm not sure Malcolm would agree with my five favorite points - but they're mine and I own it.  I want to say something - I'm not a non-fiction girl.  I do not make it a habit to read books on success or choice or epidemics - but put this man's name on the title and I will pull out my debit card in a New York minute.  Amazing.  He rocks my world.  Not only that - it also means I'm ready to start my last book to fulfill my summer pledge and it's going to be an easy fun read with a perfect title if I say so myself.  It's on my Nook so it'll take some getting used to after reading several traditional books.  I'm giving myself a week on this one too.  I'm so happy this has been working out so well.  So without further ado - the next title is (drumroll please Roo Bear aka Tonks)...

Tomorrow - I should have a short update on how my new book is going but that is far from the main event.  I will be showing a scrappy product that rocked my world the moment I saw it.  I plan on purchasing said products today and giving them a little try before writing my post.  Absolutely can't wait.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday and comes back tomorrow for the next thing that's been rocking my world.  Until then...

Reading Pledge Update & Day #2 of CHA Madness

I'm more than happy to report my continued progress on my Reading Pledge.  I'm finally on Book #8 and am reading this little gem.  I'm not gonna lie - I bought this book mostly because of the title.  I'm on page 80 and there's been absolutely no mention of cake which might be the whole point of the title - who knows.  I love the author's writing style.  She's hysterical.  I also am completely enamored by the random musings her life - it feels like life art in another form.  Usually I'm a fiction girl through and through - but Anne Lamott has been blowing my world for the last five or more years with her personal essays on life and faith.  Anne is the only reason I picked up a book of essays.  I'm not disappointed with that choice in the least.

Before I move on to CHA Goodness - I want to say a few words about The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen.  I loved this book.  I wanted to give five quick reasons I loved this book - in list form of course.

1.  The title - The Sugar Queen.  My good friend recognized the overwhelming theme of food in my book choices for this reading pledge.

2.  The chapter titles are the names of all kinds of sweet treats.

3.  The main character has a closet full of lovely contraband - sweets and magazines.  This is definitely my kind of girl.

4.  Another character is a book lover and they appear to her in all kinds of situations.  At one point she says she hasn't bought a book since she was 12 and I knew at that moment - I will love this book always.

5.  It's fun.  It's sweet.  It's magical...and I blew through it in one day.  Gotta love that.

I highly recommend checking this book out if you like magical realism, solid characters, and fun.  Now...on to the CHA Goodness.

Cosmo Cricket

Clementine: Source

Just a few notes - I absolutely love the color story for the Clementine line.  I'm loving the greens and pinks.  Here are my two favorite paper picks for this line.

Crate Paper

Farmhouse Collection

Love this line so much.  Had a hard time picking favorites so there's quite a few.  One big thing I've learned with Crate Paper is to see the items in the store before I make any purchases - the texture of the paper is amazing and the colors are great.

  

Random Collection: Source

Loving this line.  Loving the colors.  Not much to say except I love it - with a blue and pink bird was there ever any question?  Here are a few faves...

Echo Park Paper

Happy Days: Source

I love the happy colors and vintage feel.  It's just too fun.  I think in some ways it's a departure from where my pages have been moving but color is a good friend of mine.  I need it in brighter values.  Here are a few faves...

So that's it for today - a little bit of reading and a lot of product goodness.  I hope this Tuesday finds you well.  I'm still fighting this infection - glad I'm house bound during a heat wave.  It's one of the best times to be under the weather in my humble opinion.  Take care.  Until then...