Happy Father's Day

"Becoming a father is easy enough, but being one can be very tough."   - Wilhelm Busch

Made with Love

I am the kind of girl who enjoys making handmade gift items for my loved ones. To me, taking the time to personally make something specifically with that person in mind is heartwarming.  With Father's Day a couple of days away, I knew I wanted to make something for the Man that he can display in his work office.

After giving it much thought, I went to my local craft store and bought an unfinished wooden 5x7 clipboard, Cosmo Cricket paper, package of jeweled epoxy stickers, 3-D Dad decorated chipboard set and a brown ink pad.  I returned home and busied myself making the above item.  A distressed Dad photo frame which will include a pic of Lil Miss & Lil Man for him to settle onto a desk or cabinet at work.  A little reminder of the darlings he works to provide for everyday.

Have a great weekend!

Where's My Mojo?

My scrapbooking mojo, that is!

I hate to admit, it has been almost a year since I touched my scrapbooking supplies. And I have an abundance of them! As with any hobby, we tend to accumulate a vast array of anything and everything related to it because....let's face it. We may very well need it one day. With me, I take it to a whole new level. I buy it because "Oh my goodness, this is beautiful" even though I may not have any pictures whatsoever for it. But that's alright. I will dress my children in matching outfits, take them to a location that would reward me with proper lighting, and pose them in such a way that....VOILA! I instantly have achieved the desired photographs that will fit perfectly with that paper or stickers that found it's way into my supply cabinet.

Before any of you call child protective services on me for forcing my children to take pictures they otherwise wouldn't have taken for the sake of my craft....rest assured they are willing participants....most...of ....the ...time.

This morning I decided, enough is enough. I must get my supplies in order and perhaps that will stimulate my creative juices. It was nice getting reacquainted with my darling paper supply, but sad to say, today was not the day to make my masterpieces.

Maybe after getting some sleep and running through my inventory in my head, I may wake up tomorrow in a more creative mood......till then!

Obsessed with Words

I love books.

Correction: I have an obsession with books!

Ever since the moment I could read, I have had a love affair with words artfully weaved together and bounded into hardcover or paperback. I have my mother to thank for that, of course, because if it weren't for her persistence from infancy to sit me on her lap and read to me, I probably would not have developed such an extreme desire to read anything I could get my hands on. I really can't say that I have a particular genre that I stick to. Anything from the classic to popular, obscure authors to pure smut.....if the synopsis intrigues me, I read it.

Over the last few weeks I have visited second hand shops, bookstores, the Internet, and garage sales and without fail I have picked up a book or two to add to my reading list. Presently a neat little pile of 10 books lie on top of desk waiting to be discovered.


Running with Scissors Augusten Burroughs
This book was highly recommended to me by my sister. A memoir of the author's life after his parents divorce and his mother gives him up to her psychiatrist and who then raises him in a home with no rules or direction.

Money Martin Amis
A certain 23 year old listed this as one of the books he enjoyed reading. I happened to come across it at a garage sale, read the back and thought....Hmm..this looks rather interesting, let me give it a try. This young man seems to have a rather wide variety and eclectic list of literary preferences which fascinates me, since I simply adore discovering new authors. Needless to say, this book found it's way home with me.

The Rachel Papers Martin Amis
This book was sitting next to the previous one, I picked it up, read the short description and my attention was piqued. So who am I to allow it to sit there all by it's lonesome?

Living Dead in Dallas Charlaine Harris
Anyone who knows me well enough, knows that I have a weakness for vampires. Ever since I was a wee little girl, I have loved the creatures of the night. And as I became older and discovered their dangerous sexiness, the fascination with them grew abundantly. So it is no surprise that I would be drawn to the Sookie Stackhouse series. Especially since I am addicted to the TV show True Blood, which was derived from the book series. My brother gifted me the first 2 books for my birthday and of course like anything that is taken from written form to the small or big screen, the book was much better. Having finished book one, I am quite excited to curl up with book two. (Especially since I'll get to read a whole lot more of my favorite bad boy vampire, Eric, in it!)

The Eaten Heart: Unlikely Tales of Love Giovanni Boccaccio
I have a bit of a weakness for European poets and classical writers. I was briefly introduced to this Italian poet when I attended University and I fell in love with him when I studied his work. One morning while I browsed through the pages in Amazon.com, I happened upon his name. Immediately this book made it's way into my shopping cart.

Pride & Prejudice Jane Austen
I heart Jane Austen. I studied her in high school. I studied her works again at University and Pride & Prejudice became a favorite. This book is a re-read for me. A walk through a secondhand bookstore brought me face to face with a beautiful hardcover copy for the outrageous price of $1....$1 for a classic! I paid for it and ran out to the car as fast as I could before the shop owner discovered her fatal error.

Her Fearful Symmetry Audrey Niffenegger
The storyline captivated me: A pair of sisters inherit a flat in London from a long lost aunt that is haunted by a woman buried in the nearby Highgate Cemetery. I'm hooked!

The Satin Sash Red Garnier
This one looks like total smut....but who cares! I do not discriminate.

The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
I had this book on my list of books to read a while back, and never did get around to picking it up and reading it. Now since the movie adaptation is being released, I felt the strong desire to read it.

Handle with Care Jodi Piccoult
A visit to my best friend's house brought me face to face with this book. She shares the same love for reading that I do and we have been known to swap books we feel would move us. This one was thrust into my hands with the warning....have tissues nearby, you will thoroughly enjoy this.

With the holidays over and things getting back to some sense of normalcy, I can not wait to curl up with a cup of coffee and get reading!